Domitan of Masbolle was convinced that he had love all worked out. After all, he had experienced it many times. So he was utterly lost as to why his heart was racing faster than someone trying to get away from Alanna in a rage, while jumping into his throat and choking him. Why his palms were sweating so profusely. Why he was trembling.

Just because he was standing outside her room, about to ask her to attend Raoul and Buri's wedding with him. He was also confused as to why it had been ten minutes already that he had stood at her door, trying to work up the courage to simply knock.

She might not be here; she could be down at the practise courts. Or with Neal. Or with Raoul.

Dom's hand rose again, shaking but ready to knock. He took a deep breathe, then another, and another. He turned away from the door, then back.

Finally he put fist to wood, only to have the door open rather abruptly. A bemused Kel looked at him, one eyebrow half raised in question. Dom gulped. Then let his hand drop back down to his side.

'Yes?' She asked, that one eyebrow raising just a tiny bit more.

Dom gave himself a stern talking to. You're standing right in front of her, now's a great time to ask her. The worst that can happen is she says no.The reasonable voice in his head sounded like Kel, with the exact same tone of half amusement and half exasperation. His mouth opened and closed again, like a gold fish.

Kel peered at him, 'You know, I won't laugh if it's that bad. Just hurry up please. I have a flying lesson scheduled.'

'You still submit to flying lessons?'

'Dom, you wanted to ask me something?' Despite being a question, it didn't sound much like one.

'I, er, wondered …' he trailed off. His tongue had suddenly grown too large for his mouth.

Kel looked at him inquiringly, and Dom breathed deeply. Finding his biological connection with Neal, he began pacing; hands flying in dramatic gestures in accompaniment to muttering. Unnoticed, a smile hovered at the Lady Knight's mouth.

'The worse that can happen is rejection, and my heart, and my entire reason for being …' In the midst of muttering, Dom failed to notice how close a waving hand had come to a tapestry and before he could do anything, his stray hand pulled him into it, wrapping him securely. Dom shouted and writhed. Kel gave up and let the smile develop into laughter.

Dom looked desperately at her. Well, it can't get any worse, he reasoned.

'Kel,' he began intently, 'will you …'

Kel didn't let him finish. She stood him up, untangled the tapestry, hung it back up and with her back to him said 'Yes.'

Dom stared. 'I didn't even …'

Kel cut him off again. 'Meet me here at the ninth bell.'

'What?' Dom had no idea what was happening.

'For milord and Buri's wedding,' she explained gently, leaning over to pat his cheek, 'you will meet me here at the ninth bell to go to it.'

'You mean,' Dom's eyes were wide and shining, 'you'll go with me?'

'I thought I'd answered three times already.' Kel smiled as she went back into her room, easing the door shut with her foot as she reached for her glaive, ready to begin a quick pattern dance before flying.

Dom wandered back to the Own's barracks, smiling wider than Neal whenever he saw Yuki, only crashing into four walls because of errant daydreams.

AN: If you read this, thanks. If you review, thanks even more.