Summary: '"You...you don't want to marry me?" hazel eyes slowly began to fill with glistening tears as the man across her paused. An awkward silence. Slowly, the blonde's mouth made a distinct, "Eh." The brunette attempted to smile at the blonde winningly.'

Genre: Romance/Drama

Disclaimer: You see this is a funny story, my great great great great grandmother used to know TP's great great great great grandmother and they used to be great friends…so TP decided to lend them to me…Ok- Two works. I'm broke.

The Player in all of us

Chapter 1- Decisions, decisions and more decisions?

By Innocent lil angel

Grabbing her coat, Keladry of Mindelan made her way to the forest. She had been rejected, literally, by all the places which provided the training to become an accepted knight. First, she had applied at the palace in Corus where it had been made that girls could train to become knights 10 years ago. However, they decided to change their mind and give her probation for a year before they would allow for her to become an official page.

It sounded and was ridiculous, who had heard of probation for a boy? She just wanted the same chance as the boys had. She didn't want more attention given to her, and most of all she did NOT want the teachers giving her special treatment just because she was of a different gender whom males thought were fragile.

They think that girls are weak. Pssht. I'll show them. Notice the key word, 'think'. They 'think' wrong! Kel's face was emotionless, the thoughts she was thinking weren't shown on her face as she had learnt from the Yamanis that to show emotions was a sign of weakness.

They always thought that I was a bit of a drama queen when I first got to the Yamani Islands, Kel thought wryly, Maybe I can become one of those people who act, like a Player. After all, no academy in Tortall will take me in as a page and the Maren and Tusaine ones won't take me in either. The convent, Kel shuddered at the thought of being made into a doll and learning how to walk primly, Well that's out of the question! Maybe I should apply for a Player since I'm still too young to be a member in the Queen's Riders. I'll show the king that I can do something with my life even if he's taken away the dream I've had since I was 4.

Kel nodded her head slightly as if to affirm herself of her choice. She sat on a broken log in the forest and looked intently at the river before her, the sparkling crystal clear water always managed to take her by surprise and calm her, today was no exception. Her hazel eyes began to water after not blinking for longer than a minute due to the captivation, she wiped the water away from her face and glanced at the rest of her surroundings. Trees of overwhelming height reached her vision and she shook her head, Too much green can get to you, maybe I'm going colour blind, Kel tried, to no avail, to see beyond the trees. The most she could manage was a glimpse of dark blue and fluffy whiteness.

Walking on the gravelly ground in the direction towards Mindelan house, some sparrows were twittering around trying to salvage the last crumbs of the day. Keladry stuffed her hands in her pocket to keep out the cold and gain some warmth to find something soft being squashed by her fingers. Gingerly, her fingers pried the thing out of her pocket to find a piece of cake wrapped in tissue.

Puzzled, Kel broke the cake into small bits and tossed them to the sparrows. Thinking back, she remembered the cook giving her a piece of cake before she left for her daily walk yesterday. Shaking her head for the second time in the short period of time, she walked quickly back home.

Later that night, after dinner was done and all her nieces and nephews had been put to sleep, Kel approached her parents. Ilane and Piers of Mindelan looked up to find their youngest daughter taking small steps to the garden bench where they sat.

"What is it dear?" Ilane asked in her distinct melodious tone, her black hair blended in with the night sky only to be illuminated by the lantern near the small creek in the garden.

"Papa, mama," Keladry nodded at each of her parents respectively, "I've decided that I don't want to become a knight." She said firmly, hesitating to give her parents time to react. After all, it had taken her a long time for her mother to agree and her father hadn't been too keen about the whole idea either.

To her surprise, her father asked, "Are you sure you don't want to become a knight Kel? Is this what you want? Do what you want, you don't have to think of what your mother or I think."

Kel stared at her father blankly, "I don't really mind, papa."

"Kel, we're not in the Yamanis anymore. You don't have to shield your emotions." Ilane said, smiling. Kel nodded, returning the smile.

"Papa, mama, I want to become one of those Player people," Keladry stated rather matter-of-factly, "You may think that it's rather hasty and I'm not thinking right but there's no academy who will accept me so I've decided that this isn't a bad idea."

Her parents' mouths were hanging wide open at this suggestion, "Er…Kel, maybe you should rest before you make your final decision." Piers replied, rather shaken.

"Papa, are you alright?" Kel asked, rather alarmed at her father's wide shocked eyes and red lips (as he had been biting them to keep them from hanging open again).

"I'm absolutely fine, what are you talking about?" exclaimed Piers, shaking his head slightly. "Absolutely fine," he repeated, "I'm going to sleep now, and we'll discuss your final decision tomorrow. As it is if you want to become a knight, you shall leave in 3 days. Goodnight Kel." Piers grinned ruefully at Keladry.

Kel kissed his forehead and then her mother's, "Goodnight papa and mama."

Sitting on the bench her parents had vacated, she closed her eyes and wondered whether she was making the right decision. Papa and mama seemed rather shocked, I guess it's because all they've heard me talking about the last 5 years have been related to my becoming a knight. I'm still going to help those in need and do mostly everything a knight does, I just have to figure out a better way to do it.

Flashback

A carriage is passing the harbour and a couple of children are helping their parents re-build their home after some bandits raided them.

"Mama, when I'm old enough to be a knight I'm going to help people like them," Kel said in a determined manner, her eyebrows knit together. Ilane laughed and smoothed Keladry's forehead with the palm of her hand.

"You're only 6, Kel! Have you planned out your future already?" Piers asked, half mocking – half serious.

The carriage rolled past the children and their parents, giving a view of a great house with servants scurrying here and there.

"Of course, papa," Kel responded after looking at the house and its inhabitants, "I want to be just like Alanna of Trebond, she's so brave and she became one of the first lady knights in a long long time!"

"Keladry! How could you say such a thing? You are a GIRL, you can't be a knight," Conal protested, frowning. "Only boys can become knights, right papa?"

"Conal! How could you say such a thing? Apologize to your sister at once!" Piers reprimanded, "King Jonathon made it possible for any maiden to become a knight if they wished, a couple of years ago."

Conal stayed silent…very silent after that.

End of Flashback

Kel sighed, Maybe I should actually sleep and then decide. By tomorrow, I might actually change my mind. Or will I?

The next morning dawned bright and clear, Keladry awoke to the sound of chirping outside her window. She slid the glass up and gasped. The sparrows she 'met' yesterday were preparing to build a nest of straws in the single tree outside Kel's window.

Kel grinned and stretched. I'll need to remember to get some seeds and bread for them. I guess I really am abnormal as Conal calls it, I'm happy that some sparrows have decided to nestle near my window. Oh well.

Skipping down the last few steps of the staircase, Kel went straight to the kitchen and managed to plea her way into getting hold of some raisin seeds. Stuffing them into her pocket, she had the same noisy breakfast they had every morning. What with the racquet her nieces and nephews caused plus the chattering of gossip between her sister-in-laws and sisters as well as the occasional deep voices between her father and brothers discussing trade, etc.

After washing the plates, (for some reason, she always managed to get the job) Keladry thought about the sparrows and feeling the seeds in her pocket, went upstairs. She frowned, as she noticed the distance between the window and the nest. Putting her hands on hips, she made a few calculations and tried Plan A.

Whistling, she began calling, "Birdie! Little birdie! Come here…- ok, I'm not going to further embarrass myself. It's not working, Plan B shall start!"

The sparrows, had in fact edged away from the nest and had appeared to look rather nervous by Kel's behaviour. "Hmph!" Kel muttered, rather put out, "Ungrateful little animals."

She then threw ¼ of the seeds down near the base of the tree and watched their reaction. They flew down and began squabbling like little kids, she shook her head vigorously. Finally realizing that they weren't paying attention to her, she screamed,

"NO!"

Thus, filling the whole courtyard with noise. Everything seemed to stop. The sparrows looked up at Keladry, she shook her finger at them "Tsk tsk tsk! You shouldn't fight over food! That's not good, there's enough for all of you to stop arguing." With that, Kel threw the rest of the seeds from her pocket down.

"Kel?" Ilane's voice could be heard shouting from downstairs, "Are you alright honey?"

A figure burst into the room and Kel blinked as a group of people appeared. They were all panting and it seemed to Keladry as though they were panting at the same time causing her to laugh uproariously. Her relatives looked at each other in confusion, not having understood what was so funny they tried to ask her.

However, Kel refused to tell them only pointing at them and laughing so hard her shoulders began shaking and droplets of water began to form in her eyes. By then, they had had enough.

"What happened, Kel? Are you ok?" Ilane asked, her eyes full of concern and worry despite what had just taken place.

"I'm…laughter…I'm…more laughter…fine…even more uncontrollable laughter," Kel replied somewhat haltingly.

Slowly, the people hovering around her bedroom door slowly dispersed leaving only her mother. Her mother regarded her blankly, using the same expression as most Yamanis when puzzled, angry, sad or happy. An emotionless mask.

"Kel, are you ok? It's just that this is very unlike you. Firstly, you never screamed at the Yamanis and you never laughed like that, to my memory anyway."

"I'm fine mama," after her laughter had finally died down even though there was the occasional burst. "Remember how I told you I wanted to become one of those acting people? Players? That's why I've decided that I won't keep my mask on every day. Only at the most extreme times, I shall, otherwise I won't be able to be a player either."

"I see, dear. Are you sure you want to keep with this decision though?" Ilane asked again, wanting confirmation.

Kel gave her the confirmation she needed, "Yes mama, I want to be a Player. Now that I'm set on it, I will do it. It may seem like as though I'm giving up training to become a knight but I'll think of another way to help people and learn the fighting techniques."

"The confidence in your voice is enough to show me that you want to be a Player but after such a long time with the Yamanis, keeping your emotions in how can you…?"

Understanding the unspoken question, Kel replied, "I'll get used to it mama, don't worry about me." Kel looked up at Ilane and smiled. The smile was so full of maturity, Ilane couldn't help chuckling.

A/N: What did you guys think? Is the whole idea good enough? Do you guys know anything further on players? Any information which could help. Otherwise, this fic isn't going to go anywhere…b'coz I'll spend most of the time trying to make up stuff…so I'm sorry before hand if the information isn't correct...

Review? Please? No reviews, no more chappies! (hehe…evil laughter)

Luvyas,

Innocent lil angel