Disclaimer, all characters and places belong to Tamoria Pierce.

Lord Raoul could feel the change in the atmosphere once they reached Persopolis. The men in Dom's squad had been withdrawn over the past week from both Dom and Kel. He knew that they were waiting for some great prank to be pulled on them. In all truth he had been expecting it as well. He figured if the two of them pulled a prank together, on the road no less, then it would be the best one ever pulled. He had even thought that they would pull it so they would have an excuse for stopping the trek down to Pearlmouth long enough to buy clothes. He had just about given up hope when they had ridden out of Persopolis hours before.

Calling a halt for the night, the men started to make camp. He also saw several men getting prepared to take a dip in the nearby oasis. He called all men and the Lady Knight over.

"I know that all of you want to go for a dip after our long week on the road." Several men nodded. "I have to inform you though, that I will not allow any of you men to do so until we allow Lady Keladry the honor of first dip. After all, while we men can go in small groups, the lady has no companion to join her, and I would rather she have her privacy while we set up camp and start dinner." He looked at all the faces around him. Every man nodded and Kel was scowling at him for this special treatment. He just shrugged and sent her to fetch her things before she went to the oasis.

Kel gathered her things from the sand around the oasis. She was more than happy to have washed all the grime from the road off. Just as she was about to leave the oasis and head back to camp, she heard someone calling her name. In the near darkness she spotted Dom.

"Sergeant, I hope you were not over here to try to spy on me."

Dom sent her a flirtatious smile, "As much as I would love to see my lady naked, I know better than to sneak up upon her while she is bathing. No, I came to tell you that I am volunteering my men for first watch, this will insure that they do not have a chance to bathe tonight, so tomorrow we can prank them as planned."

Kel nodded. Together they walked back into camp. Dom continued to the fire pit as Kel returned her belonging to her tent, as she went to the main fire, she noted were Dom's men had set up their tents. Dom sent Kel a wink when she bid everyone a good night; he knew what she was really up to.

Raoul had been attempting to sleep, but something had kept him awake. He had noticed Dom disappearing shortly before Kel returned, he knew the young man must have met with the Lady Knight, but when they returned, separately he noticed, they did not seem to be any different than other nights. But as Kel headed to bed, he had seen the meaningful look that passed between the two, and the wink Dom sent to her.

It was in that moment he knew. They had been planning on sharing a bed roll. All the time they had spent "focusing on womanly arts" as they had put it, had been lies. A wonderful cover, but when nobody was looking, they must have found time for a quick tumble here and there. He was going to have to talk with his sergeant, and maybe even his former squire yet again.

Deciding he could no longer pretend to sleep, Raoul got up. He might as well pull Dom aside now and talk to the young man before he got off duty and could slip into Kel's tent. But when he stepped outside his tent, movement caught his eye. He had seen a figure duck into one of the tents reserved for the men on watch. Quietly, he went to the tent and peaked in.

There in the shadows, he saw a figure hunched over some packs, rummaging in them. How the thieving urchin snuck into camp, he had no idea, but he would talk to the men in a moment, but first he had to deal with this thief.

He was shocked when the person emerged the tent with several items in her hands. "Kel?" he whispered.

Kel's head shot up and he could see her face grow darker with a blush.

"My lord! I swear, I am just…" but she stopped at the shake of his head and he beckoned her to his tent.

"Lady Keladry, what are you doing sneaking around camp in the dead of night? Stealing men's clothes none the less! I thought I had taught you better than that."

Kel just stared down at her feet, before looking up. Then he knew what this was about. He started chuckling. "You were waiting until after Persopolis to pull the prank, when the men would relax. That's why you and Dom had been sneaking around, you were planning this." He whistled.

Kel gave him a devious smile, "My lord, I still have a few more tents to purge, if I may be excused?"

Raoul stood up, "Here, I'll help. I can't sleep and it is about time I get back on those particular men. Is there anything in particular that you wish me to leave behind?"

Kel looked relieved to have some help. "Just their personal belongings and their spare loincloths my lord. The plan is to leave them wishing they had the dresses they left Dom and myself with." Kel blushed, "And, I really don't wish to see those men fully naked."

He nodded. "And what are we to do with the clothes? I expect you don't want to be caught with them."

Kel looked down, "I have been throwing the clothes that I gather into the fires, there will be nothing left."

He smiled even wider, "Who came up with this one my dear girl?"

Kel blushed. "I did sir, Dom wanted to pull it sooner, but I talked him out of it."

Raoul nodded, but before stepping out he told Kel one last thing. "If you tell the men that I helped you tonight, then expect to be challenged daily for the next six months to ten runs of jousting by me, my lady."

Kel shuddered, "You are a bad man." Before leading the way and pointing out the remaining tents.

Dom was awoken before dawn by Raoul's booming voice commanding everyone awake, and to prepare to move out in thirty minutes.

Upon hearing this, he spoke up, "My lord! My squad never had a chance to wash up last night! Surely we could take a quick dip while breakfast is being made." Raoul nodded with a gleam in his eye. He and Dom both knew that they had gone longer without baths, but knowing what the Lady Knight was up to last night, the older knight knew the true reason his sergeant was so insistent.

"Fine, but men, don't dawdle, I want you all to report back in fifteen minutes, so don't even waste your time trying to gather your stuff, just rewear your current clothes, now move!"

Upon Raoul's bark, the squad went towards the oasis. Raoul called after Dom, "I want to see you sergeant in no more than ten minutes, so you better make it fast!" He chuckled when he saw Dom break into a run.

Dom couldn't believe his luck. Normally Raoul would not allow any squad this privilege of a bath before riding out in such a short time. Secondly, with him needing to report before his men, he could easily steal their clothes and dispose of them before the men had a chance to catch him in the act.

Dom was already in the pool of water by the time his men arrived, under the pretense of washing his hair; he spied to see where they placed their clothing before they hopped in as well. He knew he had to make it soon, or he would never make it back to camp before Raoul needed him.

As Dom was getting out, he heard his name being called from the water. When he turned he saw Wolset standing near the edge. "Ya got outta here mighty quick; did ya see a snake or somethin'?"

Dom shook his head, "Remember I have to report to Raoul sooner than you lot, and while those darn dresses are easy to slip out of, it's a right pain getting them back on." With a wink Dom left his men laughing. He quickly donned his dress and casually made his way towards where the men had placed their clothes.

Making sure they weren't looking, he grabbed them and took off towards the camp before they knew what happened.

When Dom reached camp, he managed to sneak in without any of the men noticing his bundle. But once he got to his tent, he didn't know what to do. He was about to go inside when he heard Lord Raoul clear his throat.

Dom spun around, dropping his load. "My lord, I'm sorry, I lost track of time…"

But he stopped when Raoul held up his hand, "Gather up those clothes and follow me."

Feeling like a dead man walking, Dom did as he was told. When they reached Raoul's tent, Dom was surprised to find Kel already sitting there looking quite pleased to see the load of clothing in Dom's arms.

"Well sergeant, it seems you two have completed this task, but now what are you going to do with those clothes, I have a feeling your men are going to be back in camp in a few minutes and quite frankly, I want to be first in line to watch their return."

Dom laughed, "You knew?"

Raoul shook his head, "I ran into this one last night as she was clearing the men's tents of clothes. That's why I decided to help you out and put us on a time limit, to insure your men didn't find out prematurely. But now, we have to deal with the matter of what to do with those." He pointed to the pile on the floor.

Before Dom could say anything however, Kel had scooped up the pile and whistled for Jump. "Jump, do you think you and the other Own dogs could burry these out in the sand? Without anyone seeing?"

At his nod, Jump issued a small "woof" and the pile quickly disappeared as other dogs came and helped.

Satisfied that the last remains of the prank had been carried out, all three exited Raoul's tent right as Dom's squad entered camp in nothing but their loincloths. All blushed bright red when the other men started to whistle, and were even surprised when Lady Kel asked them if they thought she would be impressed with their lack of clothes.

But all the color drained from their faces when they looked at Raoul. "Men, it is completely indecent for you to be running around in only loincloths when we have female company! I want you to apologize to Kel this instant, and then go get dressed. We still leave in fifteen minutes." Raoul turned around and winked at Kel and Dom before packing his tent away.

After a mumbled apology, the men ran to their tents only to let out screams of horror to find they had nothing but loincloths. They realized their sergeant had not forgotten about the pranks they had pulled on him. None of them even thought that Kel was the true mastermind behind this prank.