A/N: This picks up directly after SEVERAL YEARS AFTER SEVERAL DAYS. Please read that piece before this one.
Other Thoughts:
Keladry kept her name, Mindelan, because she was knighted Sir Keladry of Mindelan. Male knights don't change THEIR names, do they? No, I didn't think so. So now she's Keladry of Mindelan and Masbolle. Not too shabby.
Colborough is of my creation, along with Marques. Otherwise, it all belongs to Tamora Pierce. I also own the 'plot'. Actually, there isn't really a plot. It's one of those stories without plots. But no one wants to hear this, so please move on.
Separation
My footsteps were light on the stone floor as I trailed behind her. The midnight blue of her dress looked almost black in the darkness of the hallway. Her tall figure was quite a ways ahead of me, but I could catch her at any moment if I wanted to. I always caught her.
A strand of light brown hair had fallen from its pins, and it caught the light from a sconce, shining like gold. I felt a tug just below my rib cage. She reached up and carelessly swept the lock out of her face. Her pace was slow. It was as if she'd completely forgotten about me. But I knew she hadn't. She was perfectly aware that I was watching her.
I wished she would hurry up. My eyes fixed hungrily on the curve of her hips. I'd been away for quite a while with the King's Own, and I'd looked forward to returning home to my loving wife. But unfortunately for me, my wife was not the stay-at-home kind. She was Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan [and MASBOLLE A/N:(ha haaa! It has a nice ring to it!)], the second Lady Knight in Tortall for a hundred years. And she'd been off fighting Scanrans, too busy to comfort her husband. So now, when we finally had the chance to be alone, I wanted to make the most of it.
She reached the door to our rooms and carefully slid the key into the lock. I hid myself in a small alcove and watched. She paused, listening. Upon hearing nothing, she looked the way she'd come, but the hall was empty. When she looked the other way, I leapt up and capture her in my arms. She let out a surprised yelp and swivelled her head to get a look at me. I smiled roguishly.
Kel gave me a mocking frown and wagged her finger at me. "Domitan of Masbolle, remember your manners. It's not nice to sneak up on people."
"Of course, my dear."
She smiled at me, then opened the door.
Our room was dark; we hadn't bothered to leave any candles alight. Kel said it was dangerous to leave an unsupervised flame. I thought she was being overcautious, but I'd stopped arguing. The first time I protested hadn't gotten us anywhere. She'd blown out the candle, and then I took a match to light it again, and then she blew it out again, and then I lit it again, and then she blew it out, and then I decided I liked it dark and ravished her neck. No, that hadn't gotten us anywhere, except into bed, which I did not mind. I hoped for more arguments like that in the future.
We certainly weren't arguing now. Our mouths were locked together, tongues mingling. I could feel my shirt halfway down my shoulders and my trousers were loose around my waist. My fingers tore at the lacing at the back of Kel's dress. I gently pushed her back onto the bed and slipped my hand under the hem of her skirt. I could feel her foot rubbing the back of my bare calf sensually. Gods.
There was a furious pounding at the door. I somehow managed to take my lips from Kel's and looked up. We lay tangled and quiet, listening. "We're not here!" I whispered, "We're at the party." She nodded.
The pounding persisted. "Dom, you in there?" asked a familiar voice. No, I thought, not now! Of all times not now! "Dom, there's been an emergency call from Colburough. We're moving out!"
Kel sighed and pushed me off of her. "You've gotta go," she said. I could see her eyes glimmering in the moonlight shining from the window. She was sad and disappointed, I could tell; just the way I was feeling.
"Be down there as soon as possible!" I called.
"Gotcha!" Heavy boots retreat down the hall.
Slowly and reluctantly, I finished the job of pulling off my formal clothes; Kel had already started earlier. I threw open the wardrobe doors, looking for my Own uniform. I could feel her eyes on my bare back, watching me dress. I hated doing this to her.
I was having trouble with the strap securing my armband. Agile fingers pulled the strap snug, warm lips grazed my neck. "How long do you think you'll be gone?" Kel asked. She always asked that question. I had told her long ago that it was never certain, but she asked anyway.
"Three to four weeks, a couple months maybe."I never told her that it might be a year, but the possibility was there.
She nodded and wrapped her arms around my middle. "Be careful."
"I will." I turned and kissed her one last time. Then I bent to pick up my rucksack that always lay ready at the bottom of the wardrobe and strode out of the door, shutting it with barely a sound.
Other Thoughts:
Keladry kept her name, Mindelan, because she was knighted Sir Keladry of Mindelan. Male knights don't change THEIR names, do they? No, I didn't think so. So now she's Keladry of Mindelan and Masbolle. Not too shabby.
Colborough is of my creation, along with Marques. Otherwise, it all belongs to Tamora Pierce. I also own the 'plot'. Actually, there isn't really a plot. It's one of those stories without plots. But no one wants to hear this, so please move on.
Separation
My footsteps were light on the stone floor as I trailed behind her. The midnight blue of her dress looked almost black in the darkness of the hallway. Her tall figure was quite a ways ahead of me, but I could catch her at any moment if I wanted to. I always caught her.
A strand of light brown hair had fallen from its pins, and it caught the light from a sconce, shining like gold. I felt a tug just below my rib cage. She reached up and carelessly swept the lock out of her face. Her pace was slow. It was as if she'd completely forgotten about me. But I knew she hadn't. She was perfectly aware that I was watching her.
I wished she would hurry up. My eyes fixed hungrily on the curve of her hips. I'd been away for quite a while with the King's Own, and I'd looked forward to returning home to my loving wife. But unfortunately for me, my wife was not the stay-at-home kind. She was Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan [and MASBOLLE A/N:(ha haaa! It has a nice ring to it!)], the second Lady Knight in Tortall for a hundred years. And she'd been off fighting Scanrans, too busy to comfort her husband. So now, when we finally had the chance to be alone, I wanted to make the most of it.
She reached the door to our rooms and carefully slid the key into the lock. I hid myself in a small alcove and watched. She paused, listening. Upon hearing nothing, she looked the way she'd come, but the hall was empty. When she looked the other way, I leapt up and capture her in my arms. She let out a surprised yelp and swivelled her head to get a look at me. I smiled roguishly.
Kel gave me a mocking frown and wagged her finger at me. "Domitan of Masbolle, remember your manners. It's not nice to sneak up on people."
"Of course, my dear."
She smiled at me, then opened the door.
Our room was dark; we hadn't bothered to leave any candles alight. Kel said it was dangerous to leave an unsupervised flame. I thought she was being overcautious, but I'd stopped arguing. The first time I protested hadn't gotten us anywhere. She'd blown out the candle, and then I took a match to light it again, and then she blew it out again, and then I lit it again, and then she blew it out, and then I decided I liked it dark and ravished her neck. No, that hadn't gotten us anywhere, except into bed, which I did not mind. I hoped for more arguments like that in the future.
We certainly weren't arguing now. Our mouths were locked together, tongues mingling. I could feel my shirt halfway down my shoulders and my trousers were loose around my waist. My fingers tore at the lacing at the back of Kel's dress. I gently pushed her back onto the bed and slipped my hand under the hem of her skirt. I could feel her foot rubbing the back of my bare calf sensually. Gods.
There was a furious pounding at the door. I somehow managed to take my lips from Kel's and looked up. We lay tangled and quiet, listening. "We're not here!" I whispered, "We're at the party." She nodded.
The pounding persisted. "Dom, you in there?" asked a familiar voice. No, I thought, not now! Of all times not now! "Dom, there's been an emergency call from Colburough. We're moving out!"
Kel sighed and pushed me off of her. "You've gotta go," she said. I could see her eyes glimmering in the moonlight shining from the window. She was sad and disappointed, I could tell; just the way I was feeling.
"Be down there as soon as possible!" I called.
"Gotcha!" Heavy boots retreat down the hall.
Slowly and reluctantly, I finished the job of pulling off my formal clothes; Kel had already started earlier. I threw open the wardrobe doors, looking for my Own uniform. I could feel her eyes on my bare back, watching me dress. I hated doing this to her.
I was having trouble with the strap securing my armband. Agile fingers pulled the strap snug, warm lips grazed my neck. "How long do you think you'll be gone?" Kel asked. She always asked that question. I had told her long ago that it was never certain, but she asked anyway.
"Three to four weeks, a couple months maybe."I never told her that it might be a year, but the possibility was there.
She nodded and wrapped her arms around my middle. "Be careful."
"I will." I turned and kissed her one last time. Then I bent to pick up my rucksack that always lay ready at the bottom of the wardrobe and strode out of the door, shutting it with barely a sound.