Ok, here it is, the final fluffy ending. I know this hasn't been a very long story, but this is just how long Kel and Dom wanted it to be.
Thank you to all my faithful reviewers, this is for you.
Carefully, Kel pulled her healing leg up the final step. Every time she climbed the tower it got a little easier. She was determined to get beck into shape as quickly as possible. Lying around at home left her him free to wonder about certain things too much.
She stood for minute to catch her breath. The next stage was to walk over to the low wall and look down. She had only managed it once so far without throwing up and Kel was determined that today would be the second. She took a deep breath and slowly, she approached the edge and peered over.
Kel's stomach churned as she remembered the sensation of falling through the air, knowing she would hit the ground below. Her vision began to swim and she heard that familiar rushing sound in her ears. She tried to turn away, but her body wouldn't do it. Her breathing became faster and faster. She started to panic.
"Kel?" came a familiar voice behind her, breaking her fear. She turned to see who it was.
Sergeant Domiton stood in the doorway of the tower. He looked tired and dishevelled from a long ride, but somehow that only enhanced his rugged beauty. Kel's stomach leaped and for a moment she thought she would throw up. Suddenly, she realised that she had missed him. She had missed the way that he made her laugh when she was being too serious and how he knew just what to say when things went wrong. There was nothing Kel wanted more in that moment than for Dom to tell her that everything was going to be all right. But she knew he wouldn't. He couldn't.
Dom looked at Kel carefully. Mithros, she looked so pale and sickly. Had this been his fault? He longed to catch her in his arms and tell her that everything would be all right because he was here for her. She wouldn't stand for that. Kel still had her pride. He met her eyes. His heart beat quickened as he saw the emotion in Kel's hazel eyes.
"Are you all right?" he asked unsure what else to say.
"Yes," mumbled Kel.
He relaxed a little. "What are you doing up here?" he tried.
"I'll have to face heights again sometime."
"Do you have to do it now?"
"Yes," Kel answered bluntly. What else could she say. Even if he loved her, he couldn't act on it.
Dom fished for another question. There was nothing left to say, except the truth.
The two of them looked at each other across the space, unsure what to say.
"What are you doing here, anyway?" asked Kel after a long pause.
Dom took a deep breath. It was now or never. "I came to tell you that…" Dom swallowed hard. "I love you, Kel."
Kel's mind went crazy. Somehow she was thinking everything, and yet nothing at the same moment. "You love me?" she repeated, lamely.
"Yes, Kel. I love you." Now he had said it once it was easier to say it again. "I love you."
Kel was silent. She wanted to tell him she felt the same, but somehow her mouth couldn't form the word.
"Kel?" asked Dom. His face fell. She didn't love him. Raoul had been wrong all along. "I knew I shouldn't have said anything. This was a stupid idea. What was I think…" he stopped. "What did you say?"
"I love you too, Dom," repeated Kel in a whisper. She gave him a tiny smile.
Dom strode across the space between them and caught Kel into his strong arms. Kel felt like she was going to explode with happiness as she melted into his arms and looked up at his soft hazel eyes.
For a long moment, they stood entwined and then without a word, Dom lent down and kissed her gently.
Kel drew back, panicked. "I can't do this, Dom."
"Why not?"
Kel was silent for a long moment. "I don't want you to wake up one day and regret it."
"Regret what?"
"Choosing me." Softer, she added, "leaving the Own."
"Kel, if this is about my being in the Own, I would leave the Own tomorrow if you wanted me to. I love you more than anything."
"But…"
"I've thought about this long and hard, Kel. I can't imagine life without you around. The last few weeks have been awful. I missed you."
"I missed you too."
"But I was scared too, Kel. I was scared that you didn't love me and that you never wanted to see me again after everything that happened."
"So was I." Kel looked up at him. "Are you sure? Are you really sure you want to give up everything for me?"
"I want to marry you, Kel."
Kel was stunned. "Was that a proposal?"
"If you want it to be." Dom looked into Kel's eyes. She smiled gently. Dom dropped onto on knee. "Will you marry me, Lady Keladry of Mindelan?"
Kel grinned. "Yes, I will, Lord Domiton of Eagle's Tor" she whispered and pulling him to his feet, she kissed him deeply. Dom kissed her back. A thought crossed his mind and he chuckled.
"What?" asked Kel, concerned.
"Lerant's going to be a rich man now."
"What?" Kel repeated.
"I was so busy thinking about you that I nearly fell off my horse. After that one of my men started taking bets on who it was that I'm in love with. Lerant put a gold noble on you."
Kel smiled, wide-eyed. "So what were my chances then?"
"One hundred to one."
Kel was laughing outright now. "How did he know?"
"He can lip-read. He saw Raoul giving me a bit of advice."
"Raoul?"
"He told me to follow my heart. I swear that man would adopt you if you didn't already have a father."
Kel laughed. "Trust Raoul to guess before either of us did."
"I have a feeling Neal and Yuki figured it out too."
"Yuki has always had a flair for match-making."
"I hope Neal didn't push you off the wall to get us together."
"Luckily for him, no. But I do intend to beat him black and blue for making mama feed me willow bark tea."
Dom chuckled. "I love you Kel."
"I love you too," replied Kel and she reached up to plant a kiss firmly on her fiancé's mouth. Though she had kissed Cleon many times, she knew now that she had never been in love with him. Every nerve in her body was tingling with delight as she responded to Dom, aware of every point where her body touched his. Any fears, she once harboured had ebbed away into blissful serenity. She had finally come home.
Dom drew Kel closer to him and ran his hands gently over her back. It had all been worth it to feel like this. He came up for air and then kissed her again deeper and longer wishing for this moment to go on forever.
Behind them the sun began to set and when they could kiss no longer, Kel and Dom turned to watch it, complete in each others arms.
Please review me. Thank you.
Coming Soon... A Lady's Choice... When Cicely, one of the Royal Ladies, meets Thom she detests him, but fate will throw them together in a daring rescue mission where broken hearts will have to be put aside to save the day.