Author's Note 2010: After many reviews complaining that my quotation marks were gone – I have finally decided to go back into my original document, reformat it, and submit it to FF again. I do it for my reviewers – it is a long and tedious task on over 100 pages.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Tamora Pierce's. That's why it's published.

Author's note: Hello Kel/Dom fans, I'm back. I hope this installment to Protecting Kel will not disappoint you. I had to do a lot of thinking between classes.

I'm going to be switching from Kel's view to Dom's because in order to fully exploit the plot that I've created, keeping things interesting will be extremely hard with only one. Dom's will still be in first person right now, and Kel's will be like in the books.

The reason the above is in bold, is because one reviewer clearly missed this fact and got angry that the chapters changed views.

Please, if you have a complaint, then present complaints in a MATURE fashion.

Protecting Kel: Sword and Glaive

1. New Hope

The week following the weddings of Neal of Queenscove and Raoul of Goldenlake could easily be called the best in Kel's life. Duties were mundane and repetitive, but her relationship with Dom put new color into her life. They kept things quite, but not secret, and when others asked why they spent so much time together when off duty, they said that they enjoyed each other's company. Dom took some good natured teasing from some of his men once they found out that his interests had changed, but overall no one seemed to be the slightest surprised.

Dom was entirely different from Cleon. He didn't give flowery speeches to her looks, or become oddly protective of her when not-so-knowing men tried to challenge her honor as a knight. There were no stolen kisses in hidden corners or passionate trysts in personal rooms. Instead he was calm and steady and completely open with his affections. She had no doubts that he loved her, but what baffled her was the mere fact that he did. Some days she wondered if their relationship was only a dream, but he would always see her mask and reassure her with a smile and kiss.

Scanran attacks were becoming fewer and further between. Word from all other fronts were the same - King Maggur seemed distracted. Without the killing machines, his strength was severely weakened. Yet he still maintained firm control over the tribes. The rumors planted by Tortall's spies about a new and powerful mage had wiped out the machines did some damage to the enemy moral, yet it wasn't enough. The heavy feeling of suspicion would not dissipate, and everyone waited for some horrible new surprise.

Raoul and Neal took their brides back to Corus and settled them in before returning. When they arrived they brought back a message from the king.

"Kel!"

Kel smiled at the sight of her year-mate dashing through the mess hall. Giving Dom a nudge, she raised her hand to signal where they were in the crowd. Neal sat down with a breathless plunk. Dom grinned. "Well, the husband has returned. How was the honeymoon trip?"

Neal glared for a split second at him before smiling. "It was great and I'll say no more. I came to tell you something new about the war."

Kel raised an eyebrow. "Is it a new machine?"

"Nope," Neal paused dramatically. "King Maggur has sent word to the king that he want's to meet the lady knights."

She stared at him. "That's not funny, Neal."

"I'm serious! King Jonathan sent a message to the Stump to let you leave New Hope and head back to Corus to meet the Lioness."

Dom frowned. "And the king is letting them go? It's clearly a trap."

"But why the lady knights?" Kel carefully set down her fork. "How does he know about me?"

Neal shrugged. "You are the one who burned Rathhausak to the ground and killed Blayce."

"Yes, but no one knew it was me specifically. We went against orders and left no witnesses."

"You forget the Stormwings. Plus every side has their own intelligence network. One way or another, Maggur found out and has called a cease-fire if he can meet the lady knights. That means you."

Kel stared at her half full plate of food. Something about all this did not settle right in her mind, however, she could not go against an order from her king. With a sigh, she stood to take her tray back to the kitchen.

"Hey! You didn't eat your vegetables!"

Peachblossom nipped Kel's shoulder as she groomed him, irritated at her lack of attention. Pushing him away she sighed.

"I'm sorry, I've got a lot to think about right now."

"So you have a problem with it too."

She turned to see Dom leaning on the stall door. Peachblossom's ears twitched as he sniffed the man's outstretched hand. This time he merely attempted to bite as a threat instead of taking the heel of his thumb. Dom rubbed his nose in gratitude.

"I don't like the fact that he's asked for only the lady knights. He knows something."

Kel continued with her work. "I can't go against orders. Besides, Lady Alanna and I will be under guard by the King's Own and the Queen's Riders, according to Neal."

"But you're meeting them on their side!"

"We're meeting on the border at the Third Company's Fort."

"I'm coming with you."

Kel smiled. "You're part of the Own."

Dom shrugged. "Are you stopping by New Hope to pick up Tobe?"

"I can't." She turned back to Peachblossom. "He'll be mad at me for a while, but I won't put him that close to the enemy again."

Warm arms wrapped around her from behind. She twisted her head to look at him from the corner of her eye.

"Keladry, I'd rather you didn't put yourself that close to the enemy again."

She couldn't help smiling like she always did when he used her full name. It sounded completely different coming from Dom and he only said it when they were alone or he wanted to emphasize something of importance to her. He would never tell her not to go, but he would say he didn't like it. Gently tugging at his snug embrace, she faced him.

Dom's striking blue eyes did not move from hers as she looked at him. He was handsome enough to have any girl in any town or city, and yet he had chosen her. She still couldn't understand why, but she was thankful to every god in the Divine Realm that he had. Getting the nerve up to kiss him on her own was still a challenge she struggled with and usually he helped out. However, this time she surprised him.

Peachblossom nearby gave a snort but she ignored it. She felt Dom smile against her before his hand slid to hold the back of her head. Every time he did that, their kiss would change, and lately it began stirring something within her that she wanted more. With hardly a second thought, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

The first discreet cough barely registered. The second startled her.

"Would you mind explaining this to a confused Meathead?"

Dom pulled away, but not before one last peck on the forehead. He turned to his baffled cousin. "Hey Neal, I guess you really are a meat head if you can't figure it out on

your own."

Kel blushed fiercely. This was not the way she planned on telling her friend that she was seeing his relative. Thankfully Neal seemed only curious and not hostile. His eyes flickered from her red face, to Dom's smiling one trying to comprehend what he was seeing until Peachblossom bit his elbow.