Disclaimer: All characters and places belong to Tamora Pierce.
AN: Sorry for all the delays, I wont bore you with things you don't care about so here's the next chapter. Enjoy I made it a little longer than most.
Kel was more than happy now that Lalasa had insisted that she bring dresses to Masbolle with her, but she cursed her choices. She cursed once again as she fruitlessly attempted to tie up the laces. She gasped when she felt hands take the laces from her fingers to help her.
"I must thank Lalasa when I see her, you look stunning dear." Kel relaxed as Dom's lips touched her cheek.
"How did you get in here?" She asked, she remembered locking the main door before she began to prepare.
"Let's just say that my mother reminded me of ways to enter my lady's room. She has no pretense that we're not sleeping together sweets. But, being a house of gold, she wouldn't feel right just permitting us to share a room before marriage."
Kel blushed, there was reason for it earlier, just as she had assumed, but knowing it for sure was something completely different. "We should get down to dinner; they are most likely waiting for us." Kel said, pulling herself together. It wouldn't due for her to be a blushing blundering idiot on the first night she met his family.
When they entered the dining room, Kel was relieved to see that the two open spots were next to each other, she had been worried that she would be separated from Dom, as was the custom in many households. The dinner started out with light conversation of what had been happening in Dom's absence that had not found its way into his letters. By the middle of the meal, Kel had relaxed enough to actually start to enjoy herself. Of course, the fact that they were in Masbolle where one of her favorite alcohols was produced may have been part of that.
"So, I hear that Nealan is expecting his first child with that Yamani wife of his," Dom's mother began, "How do you think that will go?"
Dom chuckled, "So far, Yuki has not killed him, so that is a start." Everyone at the table laughed. "But in all truth, if we want to know the outcome, Kel would be the one to ask." He gently squeezed her hand.
"Knowing Yuki, she'll want to practice some of the Yamani culture with her child. It may seem strict, but hopefully they will grow up with more tact than their father." Again everyone laughed. "But, I know that she will want Neal's help in bringing them up with Tortallan customs as well."
"But, that doesn't give much insight as to how, or what this child will grow up to be." Dom's oldest brother retorted. "While Queenscove is a respected house, we worry that it may bring harm if they are too barbaric."
Kel stiffened, but it was Dom who answered, "I think you forget brother that Prince Roald's and Princess Shinko's child will be brought up to honor both sides of their heritage. The Yamani culture has slowly been influencing court ever since the ladies have arrived."
"Ignore him please, Lady Keladry, we meant to show no disrespect to your friends, or their upbringing." Dom's father spoke, sending a glare to his son. "It is just uncommon for a member of a house of gold to marry a foreigner that other houses tend to begin to look down on them."
"And I know that I raised my children to think better than this." Dom's mother interrupted her husband.
Kel smiled, "I understand, my lord and lady, you must remember that I spent much of my childhood at the Yamani court. I was practically on outcast when I returned back to Tortall."
In an attempt to put the rude conversation behind them and make up for the problematic questions that had arisen, the lady of Masbolle began to question Kel on her experiences as a child. It was well into the night before they went to bed.
Dom couldn't believe his luck. He knew that Raoul had helped Dom's luck by ordering Kel into leave, but he had never dreamt that it would be this easy to get Kel to join him at his family home. Shortly after their arrival, his mother had shown her approval by telling him of all the ways to enter into Kel's rooms, as if he had needed a reminder. His father had also found a moment to pull him aside before he collected Kel for dinner to express his approval, especially when he reviled he reason he brought his woman home with him.
"I'm proud of you son," Dom's father clasped him on his shoulder, "Your mother has been worried about you, afraid that you would never settle down, die in battle before children and marriage, or worse, turned from women." Reading Dom's face, his father held up his hands in surrender. "I know, there is nothing wrong with that kind of love, but your mother has always wished for tons of grandbabies from all her children." His father smiled, "She will be even happier to hear you are leaving the Own."
Dom's face fell, "That's one of the things I'm afraid of father," When he saw his father's questioning look, he quickly continued. "I have always known that I will need to leave at some point, be it old age or injury. I do have to admit that I never thought it would be for marriage or love. I also know Keladry." He looked down at his hands, "She has already expressed how the Own needs me."
His father had laughed, "My boy, I have no doubt that you'll find some way to get that woman to agree, you two have been dancing around one another for years."
As he gently stroked her hair, he couldn't help but wonder when and where he would propose, well, he knew the where, he had that decided for a while; he just was worried that she would say no. How could he take that rejection from the woman, the only woman, he loved?
"Dom?" Kel had begun to stir in his arms.
"Shhh sweets," he gently kissed her. "I was thinking that today I could show you around Masbolle." His thoughts went to the gardens, his private corner. Maybe he would just ask her today, use the rest of the trip to change her mind if he needed to.
Kel smiled up at him, "I would like that, when do we start?" She wiggled suggestively next to him.
He grinned, "Well…"
The tour through Masbolle castle had taken much longer than Dom had anticipated. Besides taking Kel to the many far reaches that only the family and servants knew, he had stopped at all the portraits and tapestries to explain the family members or important events in the house of Masbolle. They had also found a few private moments. Dusk was quickly falling and they had yet to explore the grounds.
Dom sighed, "I would love to show you some places on the grounds, but it loses its…magic once the sun goes down, so it will have to wait." He knew that his chance to ask Kel to marry him had passed for that day, secretly he was relieved.
Kel gave him a crooked grin, "Just as well, I think that last storage room made me hungry." She looked up at Dom through her eyelashes.
He grinned, "Well then milady, why don't we go upstairs to freshen up for dinner?" He patted the back of Kel's breeches and watched as small clouds of dust rose into the air.
Kel blushed, Dom hoped that no one would enter that dusty storage room for a while, there was no need for Kel to be further embarrassed, even though he knew his family wouldn't mind, his parents where letting them share a room for Mithros' sake.
Having quickly changed, Dom quietly padded to Kel's room, just as he had multiple times already since their arrival. Just as the previous night, he came in to find Kel attempting to lace up her dress for the night. He swallowed hard as he looked at the forest green gown. While he knew she wore dresses, it still caught him off guard every time he saw her wear one.
"If you insist in sneaking into my room good sir, you might as well help me, not just stare." Kel's voice broke him out of his thoughts. He grinned to himself, Kel knew him well as she never turned around when she spoke. He walked over and took the laces from her.
Under five minutes later Dom walked into the dining hall with Kel, he found most of his family already there. Conversation remained light as they waited for his father to arrive. Just as his mother was about to send a servant to find him, he walked in with a stranger. Dom frowned, the tall man seemed oddly familiar, yet the hood of his cloak kept his face hidden. He looked sidelong at Kel and saw a similar frown on her face.
"Darling, who is this?" Dom's mother asked her husband as she stood to greet their newly arrived guest and order a maid to set another place.
"I be nothin' more than a simple traveler fair lady, your husband t'was kind enough to offer me simple lodgin's when he found me camped with naught but a bedroll."
Dom's eyebrows snapped together, he knew that voice. As he watched, the hood dropped back and he saw eyes that he knew well. Grabbing Kel's hand, he gave it a light squeeze.
Kel's voice rang through the hall, he was the only one who recognized the quite mirth in her voice, "So, tell us simple traveler, where are you coming from?"
The other occupants of the table waited eagerly for more news from around the kingdom. "Milady, I tend to travel far and wide, but as of late, I've been on me own. Not much contacts with the likes of people. Tis not the longest journey I've been on me own, but tis the first company I've had in days." He bowed his head towards the lord of Masbolle. "I again thank ye my lord, for inviting me to yer home, to dine with yer family. Yer children and their wives be a mighty fine group."
"Lady Keladry isn't my brother's wife stranger." The quiet voice of Dom's middle brother stated with a sniff. "In order for them to marry, my dear baby brother will have to leave his post as Captain of the King's Own."
Dom felt Kel stiffen next to him at his brother's words. "Damion!" his father barked, "That was more than rude. You will apologize to your brother and Lady Knight Keladry at once."
After a mumbled apology the stranger turned his eyes to Kel. "So ye be the famed Protector of the Small? Ye don't look to be a warrior, beggin' yer ladyship's pardon. I've seen me some lady warriors on me travels and none of them ever looked so comfortable in a dress."
Kel smiled widely, Dom watch in fascination as she answered, clearly putting on a show for his family. "You see good traveler, I happen to have a very good seamstress. She used to be my maid during my page training, as long as she makes my dresses, I have no problems wearing them. Not that I did before, but now they are better made to suit me."
Dom squeezed her hand, "You should see her fight in a dress, it's one of the most beautiful sights in the mortal realm. She even taught me how to fight wearing dresses, I must say, that may come in handy if my men ever prank me again."
Talk flowed more easily after that, with Dom and Kel sharing the prank wars that had unfolded in the Own. Before long dinner was finished and Kel and Dom found a moment to talk to the traveler with no interrupt.
"So tell us Master Cooper, what brings you out here? Surely there is nothing here in Masbolle for us to be concerned about?" Dom asked George as they walked with him through the halls.
"Don't go worrying your pretty noble head lad; I truly was passin' through when your father came upon me settling down." He looked at the young couple in front of him, "And I know my lass will be happier with my leaving as I ran into you, although it's not been more than a couple o' days."
Kel smiled at George before hiding a yawn. "If you'll excuse me, I think I will prepare for bed." She waved as she walked down the hall. Dom watched her go, a small smile on his face.
"Ye thinkin' o' proposing, aren't ye lad?" When Dom jumped George laughed, "I see it in ye eyes." His face softened, "But yer brother is right, ye will have to quit the Own to wed her. See my lass was more 'en happy to see me leave the Rouge, although I wasn't too happy at first when Jon handed me that pardon and title." He paused while studying Dom's face. "But our Protector is different than me lass. I bet she'll have words about yer quittin'."
Dom groaned, "That's one of the reason's I'm nervous about asking her. I can at least guarantee her that I'll be in the Own up till our marriage, but after that." Dom shook his head.
"Ye worried that she'll say no till either ye quit or the law be changed?" Dom only realized then that George must be up to something, he could only count on a single hand the number of times George talked with street slang when not playing a part.
"I fear Mater Cooper that she will say no until the law changes and that she will say no if I out right quit the Own. She's already expressed how much the Own needs me."
George gave a hearty chuckle, "That is a tight spot, I should know." He patted Dom on the back, "All you've got to do lad is get her to say yes, I think there's a change in the air coming for the Own."
And while Dom stared after the Baron of Pirate's Swoop, the man left him rooted in the middle of the hall wondering once again why the sly old devil was there in the first place.
By the time the happy couple left their rooms the following morning they found that George had been long gone. Neither of them was surprised to hear that he had snuck away in the dead of the night leaving an apology to the lord and lady of the fief for his sudden departure.
As soon as they sat down, Dom's mother started to talk. "So Keladry, I understand that you took a tour of the castle yesterday, what do you think?"
Kel smiled, setting her fork down, "I love it, and it's larger than Mendelian. I still need to visit the grounds, Domitan has promised to show them to me today."
"I was thinking of even taking her to the vineyards and winery first." Dom looked expectantly at Kel's face.
But before she could answer, Dom's mother clapped her hands, "Wonderful. Now, from what my nephew says, our wine is the only thing you will drink my dear?"
Kel felt herself flush, "I love the flavor my lady. And it is one of the only things that doesn't give me a pounding headache. The other option is a special Yamani wine, but it is difficult to get, and when you can, it's more than I can hope to get off of my knight's salary without saving the kingdom." She chuckled softly.
Dom's mother smiled at her, "Well dears, don't let an old lady stop your day." And with that she stood up and left them to finish their meal. As they finished their breakfast Dom grabbed her hand and pulled her along. But to her confusion, Dom was leading her towards the stables.
"I thought we were going to view the grounds around the castle?" She asked Dom as he quickly prepared one of his horses.
"And we will, but first, I thought we could visit the vineyards and winery, they are a little further out and I want to make sure we get there today." He handed her Hoshi's reins who he had saddled as she watched. "Now mount up Lady Knight, there is still lots to see today."
And barely waiting for her to finish mounting he kicked his horse into a gallop. Kel followed shortly, feeling free as Hoshi closed the distance between her and Dom's horse.
Once Hoshi became level with Dom he slowed down, patting his horse. "I used to love to sneak off to the vineyards when I was young." He chuckled at some far off memory. "I once even left Meathead there. He had followed me. He was tired of being cooped up in the nursery so he magiced his nursemaid to sleep and when he saw me leaving the castle, he thought it would be great fun to scare me." He smiled over at Kel as they began to ride up a hill.
"Only, I never realized he had left, didn't even know I was being followed. I lost him in there." He pointed to the rows of grapes that lay in front of them. "As you can see, it's not that far that a couple of young boys can't make it on foot."
They had paused at the top of the hill giving Kel a moment to take in the view in front of her. She looked back and could still see Masbolle castle, he was right, they could have taken their time to walk here, but if the grounds around Masbolle were anything like the castle, they would never have had the time to view it all.
Dom continued his story as they started to make their way down the rise. "I had walked through the grapes to sneak into the winery so I could swipe some of the wine. Not knowing his way around, he got lost fast, he couldn't even make it out," Dom chuckled. Then grimaced, "As I was walking back I found out I had swiped the crude stuff. By the time I had arrived back at the castle, I was puking uncontrollably and doing nothing more than staggering. The household was in an uproar trying to find us.
"Once Uncle Baird managed to calm my stomach some, they didn't even bother to ask where I had been." Kel giggled, she could imagine it was easy to tell. The horses came to a stop and Dom helped her down before taking her hand and leading her towards the rows of grapes as men came out and lead the horses away.
"Once they had concluded that Meathead was nowhere in the castle or immediate grounds, they decided to go to the vineyards and winery. They all knew that if given a choice he would follow me, getting into mischief. Well, it was almost twilight when they had come to that conclusion, and dusk was falling fast when they rode out. It took them nearly two hours to find him."
Dom stopped and looked into Kel's eyes. "They said he was curled in a ball crying, pleading the Gods to show him the way out. He had eaten some of the grapes off of the vines but couldn't even find water. After they returned back to the castle, I went to go see him. He wouldn't even look at me. He was convinced that I had known he was following me and had meant for him to get lost."
He looked sad so Kel reached up the short distance and kissed him gently. "But he forgave you eventually. You two wouldn't be as close as you are otherwise."
Dom gave her a big smile, "Well of course Lady Knight, as you yourself reminded me a couple of months later we ended up breaking into the royal nursery and playing with a group of young nobles." He kissed her gently, "But after that I always made sure that if he was around to keep an eye out for him. I would sometimes even wait for his nursemaid to leave for a moment so I could sneak him out and lead him on a grand adventure."
They had reached the end of a long row of grapes. Dom gave a small smile to Kel. Although it wasn't a pleasant memory for Dom, she knew that he had to tell her, he was opening up about what his family and the lands around meant to him.
"I would love to someday visit the Islands again, show you a few of my favorite areas. The chances we will be emitted into the Imperial Palace are low, but I found so many amazing places outside the walls."
"And I would love that my dear. Now, no more gloom, I brought you here for this." Taking her hand Dom took off quickly pulling Kel along the tall vines surrounding them. As he passed a vine, Dom suddenly reached out and plucked a fat grape off the plant and slowing pulled Kel to him and fed it to her.
"These are some of the finest grapes in the kingdom, in the entire eastern lands some would say. It is actually illegal to take them off the vine, unless you're a Masbolle by birth or marriage." He smiled at her, "Or of course, you are granted permission." He winked at Kel before becoming all serious. "Lady Knight Keladry of Mendelian, Protector of the Small, esteemed warrior and hero of the kingdom of Tortall, it is my duty, nay, my privilege…ufff."
Kel had jabbed Dom in the ribs hard to get him to stop. "Oh, alright my dear, I grant you permission to pick from these vines." Dom gave her a short player's bow, gesturing to the clump of grapes next to him.
Grinning Kel selected her own grape, but instead of eating it herself, she gave it to Dom who smiled. They continued to walk back towards where they had left the horses, stopping occasionally to pick a few grapes here and there. At last they made it back to the building, but to Kel's surprise, instead of going straight to the horses, Dom pulled her inside, nodding to a few people who were busy working.
"Ah, here we are," He stopped in front of an elderly man who handed him two small glasses. "Thank you." He said as he turned back to Kel. "Before the wine can be shipped, a Masbolle must taste it." Kel quirked her brow at Dom. "I know, it's not even 10 in the morning Kel, but it is a Masbolle's duty to sacrifice social standing by drinking before noon." He smiled his winning smile at her.
Kel shook her head at Dom, "But you forget good Captain, I am not a Masbolle." Dom laughed and kissed her forehead.
"Well my dearest Keladry, I hope to someday change that." Kel felt herself blush and look away, suddenly shy.
"But first," he handed her a glass with a small amount of wine, "to your health milady." They took a sip and Kel closed her eyes enjoying the flavors that washed over her tongue. Opening them she saw Dom watching her. He smiled, "Only 49 more barrels to go!" he said cheerily.
Kel looked at Dom in horror. He burst out laughing; even the elderly man who was bringing more glasses gave a small chuckle, elbowing Dom in the side. "Don't ye mind Master Domitan's foolin' dearie, ye only need to taste four more barrels." He looked her over before adding, "Although, ye could taste from them all. Tis whatever the young Master decides."
Those four barrels tasted the couple left and took the reins for their horses ready to ride back. When they arrived at the castle, it was time for lunch.
"Ah, there you two are, we wondered where you were." Dom's father said as they sat down, he smiled warmly at Kel. "So what trouble has my son gotten you into today my dear?"
"Oh none," Kel told the older man who looked doubtful of his son's good intent. "Although he did try to get me to taste all the barrels of wine in your winery."
He gave a soft chuckle, "You better watch out for him, I wouldn't doubt that he would try it. So tell me, what do you think of our vineyards and winery?"
The conversation flowed easily between the three, other members of the family joining occasionally. Kel was beginning to relax more, and the family seemed to except her better than they had upon her arrival.
Once they had finished lunch Dom pulled Kel up from her chair and lead her out through the kitchen. "I'd like to show you the grounds now." He told her, beginning to feel nervous once more. He had a plan in his mind, he only hoped it would work and there were no interruptions.
They had been wondering the grounds for a few hours now. Occasionally Dom would stop and tell her an amusing story that occurred at that particular spot, most of them, he wasn't surprised to realize, included Meathead. He had just finished a particularly funny story in which Neal had been chased by the castle dogs when they had reached the courtyard once more. It was now or never Dom thought to himself.
But as he started to pull Kel in the direction of his hidden spot, a rider rushed into the courtyard, horse dripping with sweat and foaming slightly from the mouth. Cursing the Gods, Dom changed directions and went to meet the rider. It was clear there was a problem and the aid of Masbolle was needed.
His father reached the rider first, helping the poor boy, for Dom now saw it was a youth riding the large horse, down and pulling the tired youth towards the kitchen. Dom and Kel followed even though they were on leave, it was still in their blood to help those in need.
Having eaten several rolls and had a couple tankards of water, the boy finally managed to speak to the waiting nobles.