Keladry of Mindelan stood up and bowed to the King Jonathan.

"Yes, your Highness, I'll be sure to inform them. I'm honored that your Majesty would think of us."

The King laughed. "Lady Keladry, what you did has turned the tide in the war. We almost have it won. I would be senseless to not think of you, and the men that helped you. Yes, a ball in honor of you and the men is most definitely in order."

"Thank you, Highness." She bowed again and left the counsel room. Neal waited for her outside.

"Well, what did he want?" he asked insistently.

Kel sighed. Being in the presence of the monarchs always made her edgy. She could never forget that the King had put her on probation, but it was hard to dislike him. "He wanted to know a little more about when I killed Blayce," she shuddered at the memory, "and wants to host a ball in our honor. I'm supposed to tell you, Merric, Esmond, Dom and his squad, Seaver, Owen…" she counted off on her fingers as she went. "…And Uinse's squad. It's supposed to be a big thing. Raoul will be so pleased that I'm the reason he's attending another ball. Want to tell him about it for me?"

Neal raised his eyebrows. Kel couldn't help but notice at that moment how lovely his eyes were. Stop that, she chided herself. Dom's eyes are better. She smiled at the thought of Dom. At least he would be at the ball. Her heart sank when she realized that Cleon would most likely attend as well. She hadn't seen him in well over a year. He had married about seven months back. Luckily, she had been too busy at Haven to go to his wedding.

"Well, I'd best go tell everybody. Will you do me a favor and tell Seaver, Esmond, Merric, and Sir Owen about the ball." Owen had been knighted last month. "I'll take care of Raoul, Dom, and the soldiers."

Neal nodded. "As long as it's not Raoul. If it was anyone but you, I fear he would kill them."

Kel laughed at this. Both knights went their separate ways to relay information about the ball to the guests-of-honor.

The first stop Kel made was to Dom. She trotted up the barrack stairs to the second level, where the sergeants and corporals slept. She knocked on Dom's door.

Dom opened the door and smiled when he saw who his guest was. "Kel! Good to see you! What brings you here, besides wanting to see me, of course."

"Don't flatter yourself," Kel joked. "I'm actually here to give a message from the King. There's going to be a ball in our honor, for defeating Blayce. I don't know details, though."

Dom rolled his eyes in mock-anguish. "Just another reason to get us all dressed up. See you there?"

"Of course."

She left the room, heart fluttering with excitement at the thought of dancing with Dom at the ball. She didn't realize where her legs had taken her until she arrived at Raoul's door. Hesitantly she raised her fist and quietly knocked on the door. After waiting only a moment, she turned to walk away.

"Guess he's not here," she mused.

"No, Kel, I'm here." Raoul's low voice sounded puzzled and amused. Kel turned to see him lounging in his doorway, looking at her.

"Oh! Hello, Sir!"

"Call me Raoul."

"Yes Si--Raoul. I'm here. here to," she started to stutter. She wasn't afraid of Raoul…not exactly.

"Kel? Are you feeling alright?" Raoul took one big step over to his former-squire and pressed the back of his large hand against her forehead.

"I'm fine…Raoul. I have a little message from King Jonathan. There's a ball in--in my honor…" she trailed off.

Raoul smiled stiffly. "It's a good thing it's in your honor, Kel. Otherwise I'd find myself in another fight with Jon about my attendance. Of course I'll come."

They said their goodbyes. As Kel turned to leave, she heard Raoul mutter "Can't wait."

Realizing that she had no one else to invite, Kel headed back to her palace suites. She found a message stuck under her door, written in the flowing handwriting of a court scribe.

Lady Keladry,

The ball will be set in three days time, after the first evening bell. Many of your esteemed colleagues will make toasts, so I recommend you prepare some sort of speech yourself. I'd also like to say thank you once again.

Sincerely,

Jonathan of Conté

Kel rolled the parchment up and stuffed it into her pocket. She was eagerly awaiting the upcoming ball, and she knew it was because Dom would be there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The night of the ball, Kel donned a clinging periwinkle dress and a silver, gauze shawl. She had been undecided of what to where, considering that this ball was in honor of her, as a knight. Finally she had chosen to go in the dress, for it was a ball and she was a girl. She even put on lip rouge.

Kel was about to leave her rooms when there was a polite tap on her door. Puzzled, she opened it, half expecting Neal, Owen, Merric, Seaver, and Cleon to come in for an inspection, as they did when they were pages.

Instead, she saw a slightly abashed Dom, waiting for her with three red roses. He looked extremely handsome in black hose, with a white shirt and auburn tunic. Kel was speechless. He seemed to be, as well, at her appearance. Finally he mastered his nervousness

"There are for you, dear lady," he said, brandishing the roses with a flourish and pushed them into her hands. "I was wondering if you would accompany me to the ball tonight." He offered his arm.

Giggling, she accepted. They walked together down to the banquet hall.

The banquet hall in itself would have shocked them when they walked in. It was marvelously decorated, with twenty musicians, elegant tables, and wonderfully smelling foods. To add to the couple's astonishment were the people sitting at the tables. Most nobles at court awaited Kel's arrival, wearing their finest clothing.

At the head-table Raoul and Buri sat together alongside Gareth and Cythera, across from the royal couple. All looked magnificent. The more minor nobles and knights sat together at tables surrounding the dance floor. At the table consisting of Neal, Yuki, Owen, Merric, Seaver, and Esmond there were two open spaces. Kel and Dom sat down to a polite applause. After they were situated, King Jonathan stood up.

"I'd like to propose a toast to Lady Keladry of Mindalen, and all who accompanied her into Scanra this summer. As many of you know, the results of their venture was the fall of Blayce, the mage responsible for the grisly devices that have plagued our soldiers. Thanks to Keladry and her people, the tide of the war has changed, and victory is within our grasp. Thank you, all of you."

Every clapped as the king sat down. Kel and her companions smiled shyly. Except Neal, who waved gaudily at the crowd.

" Mages," sniffed Merric loftily.

As the night wore on, there were several other speeches. Finally, after the meal, couples began to get up and dance. Dom slid out of his chair.

"A dance, Kel?"

She smiled at his. Courteously he pulled out her chair for her, and they took to the dance floor as a waltz was struck-up.

After that dance Kel announced that she was going to get a drink. Dom went to converse with his cousin while she was gone.

At the drink table she saw a group of men about her age, though she didn't recognize any of them. One of them stepped forward to greet her.

"Lady Keladry, a pleasure," he murmured, politely kissing her hand. She smiled at him.

"The pleasure is mine. I'm pleased to meet you…"

"Lachlan," the man interceded. "Sir Lachlan of Trosedale."

Kel looked him over. He was taller than she, broad-shouldered, well-muscled. He had Dark brown hair and captivating green-blue eyes, and a smile to melt any girl's heart.

"It's nice to meet you, Lachlan."

"May I have a dance?" he proposed. Across the room, Dom looked up to see Kel being led onto the dance floor by a stranger. He immediately rushed to find out why Kel was with this other man.

(A/n: Like it? Hate it? Ideas?)