AN: I am so so sorry! I have had this chapter written for over a week, and I have been unable to type it or post it. I have been traveling, first home from Mexico, then to my boyfriend's house, and finally the 15 hour long drive up to my school. When we got up to our apartment, we discovered that the landlord's cat had been using our bathroom rugs as a litter box for 2 months, the summer storms had blown open a door that leads to under the house, and mold/mildew had set in. It took us three days to have things settled enough for us to live safely within the room. I also started my new job. Well, enough about me complaining, and onto the story!

Disclaimer, all characters and places recognized belong to Tamora Pierce :D

It had taken a few days for both Kel's temper to cool, and for the men to discover her new sleeping arraignments.

The first morning after having lost her temper, Kel woke before dawn. She felt warm and more comfortable than she had ever felt while on the road. It was a few seconds later that she opened her eyes to find a sleeping Dom next to her. Looking down, she realized that he was holding her close to him, keeping her safe and warm. Peaking behind her, she saw that Jump was also cuddled up. Apparently the dog approved of his mistresses current sleeping arrangement.

With a smile, Kel was able to wiggle free of Dom's hold without waking him. Quickly dressing, she grabbed her glaive and left the tent.

It was as if the tent held an enchanted spell to make her feel nothing but safety and happiness, for as soon as the cold morning air hit her, a small part of her anger from the night before returned.

She was just beginning to work off some of her anger when she spied Wolset and the other men from Dom's squad. They had just began to emerge from their shared tents and appeared to be heading her way. Kel had paused in her exercise as she watched the men approach with a deadly glare on her face, which they either ignored, or didn't see.

It wasn't until they were a few feet away that Kel felt a strong pair of arms wrap around her waist. Without having to look, she knew it was Dom.

Kel shivered when Dom whispered in her ear, "You know love, you are under orders not to kill them."

Kel scowled at Dom. She did not even try to lower her voice she snapped, "I know what my orders are Sergeant." She then sighed when he raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm sorry Dom. I promise to you that I will not make you suffer through training a new squad."

Dom nodded, reluctantly letting her go. "If you promise to behave, then I will be sure to arrange for you to practice against my men, when I am sure your temper is in check that is my Lady."

Kel gave him an evil smile, noticing how his squad, who had stopped walking when they had heard her, turned pale at the prospect of fighting, even in practice, with the Lady Knight.

Having watched the whole scene from the entrance of his tent, Raoul chuckled quietly to himself. He knew he had done the right thing by putting Dom in charge of the Lady Knight while she seemed to be so unstable.

Kel's mood slowly turned a bit brighter. At night she slept soundly within Dom's arms, having fallen asleep after they shared deep and passionate kisses. They never lost themselves in their kisses like they had that first night, both knowing that their large friend and mentor, not to mention commander, was in the tent next to theirs.

While Kel no longer wished to kill any of the men on sight, she still glared and could be heard growling. She would only relax when she would feel Dom either wrap a restraining arm around her, or grab her hand. They both knew that while not being necessary, it allowed them to have a hidden affection within sight of the men, with none but Raoul the wiser.

It was on the third day after the Own had pranked Kel that her irritation was finally lifted. While she could not get back at the men personally, Lord Raoul had taken it upon himself to remind the men that troublemaking would not be tolerated.

Smiling at the men emerging with sour expressions as they held nasty looking remnants of her tent, Kel turned around and hugged a surprised Raoul before she slipped away to tell Dom what had happened to her destroyed tent.

Later that evening, Dom finally allowed the Lady Knight to practice with his men, and turned a blind eye to the fact that she was just a little too enthusiastic.

Feeling better than she had in days, Kel retired to the tent she and Dom shared and waited for him to come in before sharing her happiness with him.

For the first time they spent most of the night sharing deep meaningful kisses and explored more of the others body, with hands, lips and tongues. They made sure that they never got carried away and only called it a night when they heard Raoul clear his throat from the next tent and pointedly complained about not being able to sleep.

Having slept later than she normally did, Kel awoke to Dom placing warm kisses along her jaw and neck.

"Morning love." He murmured, making her shiver.

Kel nuzzled closer as she returned his greeting. All too quickly, Dom pulled away. "Sweets, we really should get up, half of the camp is up already."

Kel sighed, as she watched him get out of the bedroll. She then watched his movements for a few seconds before she began to mirror his actions.

Having finished preparing for the day, they shared one last kiss, and they both exited the tent, forgetting for a moment that none besides Raoul knew of their current sleeping arrangement. When they looked up, they noticed everyone in the area was staring at them. Some of the men began to hoot, while others clapped.

Wolset called out from somewhere in the crowd of men, "Tis not fair Sergeant that ye get to keep the most beautiful bed warmer while I get the likes of 'em men ye has under yer command!" Some of the men chuckled, even Kel and Dom, for they knew he was just jesting.

Another man called out, "My Lady, I am sure you don't have to suffer with the Sergeant, after all, I am sure any man here would willingly give up their tent and bedroll for you." There were several nods amongst the men, for although she was now a fully grown woman, and a Lady Knight to boot, they still took it upon themselves to protect her virtue.

Raoul finally interrupted their friendly banter. "That won't be necessary men. With the Lady's current mood swings I felt that it would be safer for you men if our dear Protector had a baby-sitter." He smiled widely at Kel's scowl and some of the gulps from the men. "I would have paired her with any of the men with whom she underwent the Scanran adventure with, but seeing as Sergeant Domitan was the only one she would not kill at the time, it seemed the obvious choice. This arrangement is to last only until tomorrow when we reach Pearlmouth, there we will allow the Lady to purchase her own tent, which will remain unharmed."

As Raoul turned away, the men began to pack up the camp. Their teasing could wait until they were on the road.

"So Dom, what liberties have ye taken with sharin' yer tent with Lady Kel?" Wolset asked later that day.

"None, he has been a perfect gentleman, even if he does snore." Kel couldn't help but tease.

"I do not!" Dom protested, "Besides, you're one to talk my Lady." He had an evil twinkle in his eye. "Shall I tell these men what you have said during your sleep?"

"My Lady talks in her sleep?" Riley asked.

Wolset grinned, "Last time that I know o', she dreamt of Blayce an' his killin' machines. She had a dream a night until she started after 'em Scanrans, who stole her people, killed both the mage and Stenmun, I should know, I was there lad. So ye better hope she's not havin' dreams about ye!"

Riley looked horrified.

Dom just smiled even bigger than before. "Wolset's right. And I can tell you something." He leaned in like he was telling a huge secret. "These last few nights, Kel has been talking, and it has been about you Riley. She has been saying your name over and over with just one other word." Dom stopped, waiting for Riley to ask what she was saying.

He took the bait. "What…what has she been saying?" He looked more than a little worried.

"Kill Riley." Dom said laughing at Riley's horrified face.

Kel sighed, "Sergeant, you are horrible." Looking at the poor man not that far away, she told him, "When I was having those dreams, they were sent to me by The Chamber of Ordeals. I am its chosen. Just like Lady Alanna is chosen by the Goddess."

Riley looked even more scared, "You mean, you actually talk to the Chamber?"

Kel nodded. "I place my hand there every time I am in Corus. I have even entered it more than once after my Ordeal."

Wolset had crept up behind the terrified Riley and flicked him with his horse's reigns, making him jump and almost fall from his horse.

The group all laughed. Questions regarding the couple's sleeping arrangement forgotten.

The men did not question Dom again until after Kel had left to prepare for bed. "So Dom, ye never did answer me question earlier, what kinds o' liberties have ye taken with Lady Kel?"

Dom squirmed under the intensity of their gaze. "Kel said it earlier; I am being a perfect gentleman. I have been waiting to insure that she is in the bedroll before entering my tent. I allow her to use the bedroll and have been using extra horse blankets to sleep on and cover up with. It's not the most comfortable arrangement on my behalf, but it works." Dom was glad that they had thought of this earlier and had the story, and the props, ready.

One of the men sighed, "I guess we'd all know if you were tumbling with her. I have never known any lady to keep fully quite during a good thrust."

Another laughed, "You just said it, a good thrust. What if our young Domitan here is not under that category?"

Several men snickered. "That'll not be the case. I swear on' time, I heard a lady in Dom's room callin' his name and prasin' the Gods from clear across the practice courts. And they were in his rooms!"

Dom blushed, he was really glad that Kel was not there to hear that part of his past. He was saved from having to answer. "I remember that too Wolset." Raoul chuckled at Dom's embarrassed look. "There is a reason that I have Dom pitch his tent next to mine."

Dom scowled, "If you are all done, I think I will follow the Lady's example and be rid of your pleasant company." Dom stood up and was followed by calls of "Sure, ye just want ta be in your Lady Love's company!" and "Make sure you keep your hands off her, else she'll have your head!"

Still silently growling, Dom entered his tent to find Kel waiting for him.

"You look harassed. Let me guess, they waited until I was gone to pounce?" At Dom's curt nod, Kel stood and walked over to him.

Dom didn't wait any longer; he grabbed Kel and pulled her to him. Once she was firmly against his chest, he made sure to kiss her until she was breathless. He was surprised when he felt his dress ties being loosened and Kel quickly attempting to let the dress slip down over his chest and hips.

"Kel." He whispered before she covered his mouth with hers.

"Shhhhh Dom, I know what I'm doing. And I know that Lord Raoul will be in his tent at any moment." She kissed him again before pulling away and climbing into the bedroll.

He stood there in his loincloth just looking at his cruel woman lying in his bedroll. It wasn't until she raised an eyebrow that he started to look for his nightshirt. He searched in vain. "Kel…have you seen…"

He trailed off when she smiled just too innocently. "Kel, what did you do?"

"Nothing, Jump was using it earlier as a toy, I started to play tug-o-war before I realized what it was."

It was Dom's turn to raise his eyebrow. "Are you telling me that I am just going to have to either sleep in my loincloth or in the nude?"

Kel giggled, "I think I would prefer that latter."

Dom had started to reach for his loincloth when he had an idea that stopped him. "I will sleep in the nude sweets, only if you do so as well love." He smiled when he saw her face flush in the dark tent. "Just as I thought." He started to move forward when Kel stopped him. He watched as Kel slowly stood back up and approached him. His heart raced as her hand went to the hem of her shirt.

But to his great disappointment, all she did was pull out his nightshirt, whole and undamaged.

"I just wanted to test something." She was telling him as she went back to the bedroll and waited for him to get in behind her.

"And what was that my love?" Dom asked pulling her in close.

"If you truly are a gentleman."

He laughed before kissing her. They continued until they heard Raoul's cheery whistle, they would be in Pearlmouth the next day.

Between getting up before dawn and riding hard, Third Company finally made their way into Pearlmouth by the following afternoon. They had been on the road for around three weeks.

Raoul knew that they must have made quite the sight. All dust covered and travel worn. But he knew that what had really drawn the crowd was not that it was the King's Own led by The Giant Killer, but that the Protector of the Small was at the front of the column, wearing a dress. And, placed directly behind him as further punishment, was Dom in his dress and his squad of nearly naked men. Raoul smiled as he noticed his men kept their heads up high and behaved as if they were fully dressed, with the exception of the blush that could be seen under their new dark tans.

AN: Once again, I am so sorry that it took me so long to post this chapter. I cannot promise when the next chapter will be posted, I have an idea for it all sorted in my mind, but it has yet to be written. I have also yet to find out my work schedule, so I have no idea when I will have the opportunity to write.