Okay , This story was written with my friend Cricket Pixie. That is why it is written like this. If you have a hard time reading it just leave a review and your complaints. Thank you.

Disclaimer- Kel, Cleon, King Roald and Neal all belong to Tamora Pierce.

The rest of the characters are original creations of ours.

Note- this is written at 6:00 am EST and about 9 or 10 PM Australian time.

Shaylee walked through a market. Reveling in freedom. She looked at a bracelet on a stand and payed for it then slipped it on.


Bryant sighed happily, enjoying his free time, that actually *was* free
he saw a girl about his age further up the street, she was dressed in peasant's garb, but her nobility was easily seen. As she walked around the market some more, her mood lightened.

Feeling daring, Bryant tried to follow her

Shaylee felt the presence of someone. She took more turns and went down streets but then she found herself...trapped in a alleyway."Dammit" she muttered.

Bryant came out of the shadows that he had been so successful in hiding in. "greetings lady" he said, half mocking this half grown 'lady'

She growled. "Whom are you calling a lady? 'Cause I know I'm not one" her voice had gathered a


Bryant raised an eyebrow "you are awfully good at changing your accent, my lady, if only you were as good at masking the way you walk."

She scowled from under her hood. "Shut it" she spat.

"But, if I shut it, as you say, I won't be able to direct you out of this ally." he continued

"direct me?" she asked annoyed. "The way to get out of an alley is to walk forward" as she did so.

"Fine!" Bryant said, asaperated for no reason "But, what is your name before you leave?" he called out

"Shayna" she yelled back at him.

"It was good to meet you Lady Shayna!" he called back and walked on.

Shaylee growled. She had wasted so much time talking it seemed she had to go back home. She sighed walked back to the Palace gate, nodded to the guards and walked up into the palace.

Bryant sighed as he looked around the bustling market place. For someone who was in such high spirits just not a long time ago, he was feeling quite sad.
Bryant smoothed his squire's uniform quickly, for a moment wishing he had never been included in the guest list for this ball.

Shaylee gagged as she danced with yet another Page or squire. Her long flowing raven black hair tied up in a complicated bun.

Bryant ran a hand through his brown hair, standing listlessly on the edge of the dance floor.
He noticed the girl with the black hair...as she moved he realized he recognized her.

She looked around the room looking for people she knew.

On a whim he called out "Lady Shayna! May I have the dance?"

She looked at him nervously. "I know no Lady Shayna of who you speak of"

"But you are the same person."

Shaylee glared at him and turned back to the pimply faced Squire she was dancing with. Suddenly she felt strong arms take hold of her.

"Will you not even give the grace to explain?" Bryant said, feeling tired of this conversation already

She looked at Bryant who she was now dancing with. "No. Because I would never be allowed out into the city" she whispered in a harsh tone.

"But you would like to escape, yes?" he asked as they twirled around the dance floor

Shaylee growled softly.

Bryant looked thoughtful

Shaylee suddenly pushed free of Bryant and ran from the ballroom.

"What?" he said startled, and took off after her

Her dress was long so she held it up. This couldn't happen, if her father ever knew she was betraying his trust and leaving the palace, she would be given a guard. Someone who would watch her every move till she married. That thought made her even more upset.

Bryant opened his mouth to call out to her again, but thought better of it, after all she was making it quite clear she didn't want a barrage of people after her. He caught up "My lady," he began, catching his breath "what is wrong?"

Shaylee turned around. "Leave me alone, sir please" she almost begged then took off up several flights of stairs.

Bryant stood at the base of the stairs, with a confused look on his face. He saw another girl walk up to him with a knowing look on her face

Aylssa of Kennan looked at Bryant. "Why are chasing her? You have no chance"

Her pushed some of her flaming red hair out of her face.

:

Bryant smiled at the friendly face "Who is she?"

"I know her from somewhere...I just don't know where"

"She the crowned princess of our fair land, twit!"

Bryant looked puzzle then figured

He went red almost instantly

"She is?" he exclaimed, realizing his stupidity

:

"Yes, She's the princess the other 'Noble' ladies call the Rebel Princess" she smirked.

"That's right..." he said, it was all clicking

:

"Do you want to go back to the ball?" she asked with her hands on her hips.

"Sure," Bryant said, realizing he really should get back "why are you out here?"

"I saw you chase after our little princess and I decided to see what was going on. The balls or very boring have you noticed?"

"Well," he said, swinging his arms lightly as he strode "I haven't actually been given the chance to think today, as you can see."

"Yes cause you were busy thinking about her weren't you?" she teased.

:

"Nooooo," he said trying to hide his glowing face "it's just been a very...full...day."

Alyssa laughed. "Does wittle Bryant like the pwincess?"

Bryant narrowed his green eyes at her "I wouldn't spread that if I were you Alyssa, I'm still better at archery than you. You never know, you might wake up with an arrow through that painting you like so much."

"You wouldn't," she asked warily.

:

"No, I probably wouldn't...you know me better than that, 'Bryant who's' always full of steam but never boils', isn't that want you normally lecture me about?" he stuck his tongue out at her

She grinned but then her face dropped as they entered the ballroom once more. Many people were still dancing but her father and Bryant's parents were walking towards the two squires. "Bryant..." she whispered.

"What?" he whispered back, cautiously looking at his mother and father walking towards them

Alyssa looked down at her feet. Her father towered over her abnormal height.

:

"Alyssa," Cleon said quietly "Where did you go? I thought you knew you were meant to be staying here in this room."

She kept her head bowed not looking into her father's eyes. "I.. I.." her former confidence left her when she was around her father.

"Bryant, what do you have to say for yourself?" Neal asked.

"Me, Father?" Bryant said, looking mock taken back "I was simply doing stupid things like normal."

Kel looked at her son who so closely resembled her husband "Bryant, on these important occasions you have to try and follow rules, it's important to make a good impression."

"Oh he did" Aylssa muttered with laugh.

Bryant nudged her, trying to laugh himself at his stupidity like he normally did

"Oh he did he?" Neal asked with a raised eyebrow.

Kel hid her laughter behind her hand, thinking of how much Alyssa and Bryant were like herself and Neal at the same time.

Cleon rubbed his hand through his hair

Neal was using all his will power to act serious but was failing horribly.

:

"So, if no one else has any explanations to why you two were out of the ball room without permission, I'm sure I'll be seeing you two in the armory on Sunday morning. One bell of cleaning." Cleon said sternly

"But father" she said finally looking up.

"But what?"

Aylssa looked at her father with alittle pout and glanced at Bryant, as if to ask 'Should I tell him'???

Bryant glared at her, and shook his head slightly. He could only imagine what would happen if it got out that he made the Princess run off and cry.

She sighed. " Nothing Father.."

Cleon half smiled "Well, off with you two now, enjoy what's left of the ball."

:

"Do we have too?" She asked.

Kel nudged Cleon "You know, if you really want to punish them, you should just make them stay at the ball until it finishes...I hear some of these can keep going until the sun rises..."

Cleon shook his head, but couldn't help but smile. "No, I think the armory will do fine. You can leave if you wish."

Aylssa smiled and gave a grateful sigh. "Goodnight father" then got out of the ball as fast as she could.

Neal looked at Bryant.

"What?" he said innocently, then looked thoughtful "I might be going too..." he backed away slowly

He nodded and whispered something in Kel's ear. She smiled and then turned and started to walk away.

Bryant raised an eyebrow slowly, one of his more strange talents. "What was that about?" he asked warily

:

His question was awnsered by Aylssa re-entering the ballroom and grabbing and pulled him out of the ball room

"what?-" he half-yelped as he was forcefully towed out of the room

"Bryant, My father let us out of that torture room yet you stay in there!"

"It's not ...that...bad," he said sarcastically

She rolled her eyes. "Why'd you make me keep silent? Now we have to work at the armory! I'm already working at the stables AND serving my father at dinner"

"well!" Bryant spluttered "You shouldn't get into so much trouble."

"It's mainly YOUR fault!!!"

"Sorry," he said, downcast "but," he brighted "I didn't ask you to come and fetch me!"

"Heh..I was late"

"oh...sorry then."

She scowled. "At least we can work on the homework we were given?"

"Homework...homework homework homework," he said in a sing-songy voice "what was that again?"

"Your just ASKING to be hit you know that?" she said as they turned a corner. Both their knights were in the same hallway.

"shhh," he whispered "I know I am, you're too fun to annoy..."

" Why are you shhing me everyone is at the ball!"

Bryant bit his lip " I don't know."

Alyssa sighed and walked into her room, a small cat walked up to her. She smiled." 'Ello Artemis"

Bryant wrinkled his nose at the cat

Artemis hissed at Bryant. "She dun like you" she grinned.

"I know! And I don't like her neither!"

"Oh but she's a pretty kitty" she smiled as she petted the top of the cat's head. Artemis purred.

"yes, a very pretty kitty with very pretty sharp claws."

Alyssa rolled her eyed.

Bryant flopped down on a chair "I still remember that time that 'sweet kitty' almost scratched my arm off."

"You sat on her tail!!"""

"I didn't see her!"

Aylssa scowled once again." Twit" she muttered under her breathy.

He raised an eyebrow "I heard that Queen Twit."

"Dimwit!"

"Humph."

Bryant moved over to another seat, further away from Alyssa and her purring cat.

"So Bryant, what was our fair princess like?" she questioned.

Bryant sat thoughtfully for awhile "I didn't really get to talk to her...have you met her before? Because she seemed like she wanted to escape from something..."

Aylssa nodded. "From what I have heard, King Roald though he is a good king...doesn't really let Shaylee have much of a life"

"That's pretty stupid, she seems like a pretty sensible girl...when she's not running away from me!"

"She's a lot like her aunt but with and attitude" she smirked.

"Oh. Like I said, I didn't really get to talk to her." Bryant huffily got up and went over to the window

"You like her just admit it!" Aylssa laughed.

"So what if I do? It's not going to change anything." he said quietly keeping his back to her.

"Oh yes it will. You're going to want to see her again/.."

"You just said yourself that the King doesn't let her out very much. I can't exactly waltz up to her chambers to say 'hello' you know..."

" Let me repeat what I said before they call her the rebel princess"

Bryant turned around to frown at Alyssa "so...are you going to help me?"

"Me? Help you find the princess? Shall I remind that you're the one who got me stuck in the armory and the stables"

"But...I'll help you out in the stables if they'll let me, and I am stuck with you in the armory too you know," he put on an innocent face "Please?"

:

"But Bryant.."

"Plleeease? It's just one more time?:

"UGH! okay but we're getting one of your annoying friends to come along" she stated.

"Oh no! Not my annoying friend!" Bryant said dramatically "I know you don't mind them, you just don't like admitting it."

Aylssa huffed. "Just hook one of them in with the plan"

"I'll get Christopher to have breakfast with us tomorrow morning, then we can work it out."

:

"Chris...Chris...Christopher?" she blushed.

"Yes Alyssa, I didn't know you stuttered..." Bryant said, teasing

"Be quiet Bryant"

"Fine..." Bryant grinned "So, you said something about homework before..."

"Yah, don't you have homework from Thom?"

"Hmm...now you say about it, I think I do.." he sat thoughtfully "But I honestly cant remember it."

"I guess I'll be seeing you in the stables" she laughed.

"Sure," Bryant got up and went off to his room.

Bryant sighed tiredly as he walked through the halls, but walked straight past his door. As if asleep he walked around the halls and then out into the courtyard

A lone figure stood in the courtyard. It looked as if they were deciding something.

Bryant narrowed his eyes, an intruder on the night of a ball wasn't to be welcomed in a friendly manner. He walked right up to the shadow

The person turned around and glared at Bryant.

"You!" the princess hissed.

"You!" He hissed back

"Why can't you just leave me alone?!?"

"I was just walking along..." Bryant said, wounded "you don't have to be so abrupt and impolite your suppose to be a princess aren't you?"

"It was MY choice to be a princess, anyway I get away as much as I can"

"Why? I've heard the King doesn't let you do much, but isn't what princess's are supposed to do? Sit around?"

"Yes, But I don't have a lot of maids or guards so I can move freely"

"Oh," Bryant said, suddenly at a loss for words. He plopped himself down on a bench.

Shaylee sat down next to him. "How'd you get out of that dreadful ball?"

"Easy, chase after you, get in trouble and get let off. Easy as pie." He grinned widely

"who was that girl that came up to you in the hall?"

"Girl? Oh that was Alyssa, Cleon's daughter, she's a squire too."

"Cleon??" she raised and eyebrow.

"You heard of him? He's the training master."

"ohhh! The training master"

"yes. HIM." Bryant muttered, he wasn't usually in Cleon's good books.

"Aren't your parent's friends with him?" Shaylee felt like such a dolt. She should've known the training master name.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I get out of countless punishments...if anything, it gets me more..."

Shaylee laughed.

"Honestly, if does...I think Cleon just doesn't want me turning out like Pa."

"Your Father is nice" she smiled.

"Thank you. I say the same about yours...after all I don't wish to be beheaded."

"My father would never do that"

"Or he'd have to deal with your mother"

"Of course," Bryant said laughing "But sometimes I think even she would like to cut off my head. Stop me talking and all."

Kat-Thank you for reading it. I know it may be confusing I'll try to work on the following chapters. R&R!