Seeing Ghosts

Summary: Kel and her friends are out to eat one evening and she meets the person she least expects to see. Set after Lady Knight.

Disclaimer: As you may have guessed, I am not Tamora Pierce. Just an obsessed thirteen-year-old who wishes she could write half as well. BTW, this is going to be my disclaimer for the whole story.

Chapter One: Why am I cursed with friends?

Kel set down her glaive just as a knock sounded on her door. With a sigh, she moved to answer it.

Neal ambled into her room, talking about who knew what. Kel certainly didn't. She was toning him out, figuring he was once more complaining about his cousin, Dom. Instead, she thought of what she needed to do for the rest of the day; she needed to go for a ride, she needed to take her measurements down to Lalasa so a new ball gown could be made, she needed to practice her sword work. That, actually, could be saved for the next day. So, only two things left to do.

Suddenly, a hand was being waved in front of her. She jumped slightly, startled from her thoughts. "What, Meathead?" She asked, irritated.

"Did you even hear a word I said?" He questioned sharply in return.

"What was that?" Was the teasing reply.

He rolled his eyes. "Gods, why do you torture me like this?"

"Because its so much fun. Now, what did you want?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Merric, Owen, and I are going down to the city for dinner. We wanted to know if you wanted to come."

She started to speak, but Neal placed a hand over her mouth, rudely stopping her. "And yes, we did ask Dom, but no, he can't come, because he has a meeting." He removed his hand, and she shot him a glare.

"I wasn't going to ask what Dom was doing. I was going to ask what time we were leaving."

"Yeah, sure." He said skeptically. "We are leaving in two hours."

She nodded her head. "Okay, meet you in the stables then." He walked at the door, leaving Kel to go to the practice courts to do some sword fighting after all.

She made her way to the knights' stables. Neal, Merric, and Owen were already there, saddling their mounts. She quickly set to work on Peachblossom. Now she would only have one thing left on her list to do, and she could do that when she was in the city, too. She smiled as she mounted the big animal.

They made their way off the palace grounds, talking and joking as they went. Suddenly, there was a loud yelp and the ripping of cloth; Peachblossom had taken a bite out of Neal's shirt. The others burst out laughing, as much as by what had happened as by the look on their friend's face. It was priceless. He sat there, his shirtsleeve half ripped off, looking indignant while shooting daggers at the horse with his eyes. The horse, however, just continued to trot along, not caring.

"You laugh now, but you wouldn't if that beast had taken a piece out of my arm!"

"No, Neal, I think we would still laugh. We would just make sure you were okay first." Merric told the angry knight, laughing again, or, more correctly, still.

"Would we really?" Kel quirked an eyebrow, much like her best friend often did. "I didn't think we were so nice."

Neal reached out to slap her, but she put out a hand to stop him. "Neal, I wouldn't do that. I'm sure Peachblossom would be glad to bite you if I asked him to." She gave him a sweet smile.

He returned it before saying, voice low, "You should just use that muzzle I bought you."

She tried to keep her face straight when answering, but it was impossible. "Yes, you're right, Neal. I should. But I doubt it would fit you."

He made a rude gesture toward her before speeding his horse up, saying behind him, "I do not have to put up with your petty insults and foolish words." The others just rolled their eyes before speeding up to catch up with him.

Kel sighed. The other three had had several ales, and were now dancing with some commoner girls. She didn't drink, and all the men already had dancing partners. So, she just sat and picked at her food, half wishing that she had just stayed at the palace.

Merric was suddenly standing in front of her, his face as red as his hair, smiling foolishly. He was extremely drunk. You could smell it in his breath. She took a step back.

"Do you want to dance, milady?" He asked loudly, trying to be heard over the music and the voices behind them.

She nodded her head slowly, knowing she had nothing better to do. They stepped out onto the dance floor, and Kel looked at him more closely. He had a smudge of lipstick on his lips, apparently from the big bosomed blonde he had been dancing with earlier. His clothes were also rather rumpled, as if he'd been- no, she didn't want to think about it. Merric was a friend, more like a brother, and she didn't want to have the image thinking of that would bring her.

Instead, she concentrated on the people around her. There was Neal, flirting with a buxom redhead, and Owen, flirting with a girl that looked to be the others younger sister. They were both equally endowed, despite the difference in age, however. She wondered why all of these women seemed to be, well, rather big chested.

"I'm thirsty!" Merric yelled, bringing her attention back to him. He released her hand and scuttled over to the bar. Seconds later, he returned, drink in hand.

"Merric! You're drunk! We need to get you home!" She told him. He giggled. Giggled! She let out a sigh and took a moment to wonder why she was cursed with friends. They had taken her out to eat, and had all gotten drunk and ignored her for most of the time. She pulled Merric over towards the door and went to get Neal and Owen. They both complained as she pulled them away from their ladies, but soon shut up. While Neal wasn't as intoxicated as Merric, Owen certainly was. She suspected that Neal just knew how to hold his drink better.

As she followed the other two out the door to where Merric was, she felt eyes on her back. Quickly, Kel snapped around, wondering who was watching her. There was a man, thin and rather muscular, with long blonde hair and ice blue eyes. A long scar stretched across his right cheek. She turned back to her friends, but snapped back around, knowing who it was she saw, but knowing at the same time it was impossible. After all, he had died about four years ago. It couldn't be him. But she knew it was.

When she looked back, Joren had disappeared.

So, how did you like it so far? This is like the longest first chapter I have ever written. 1,115 words! I'm good! J/k. anyway, review!!! Does this count as a cliffhanger? I am not exactly sure...

By the way, if anything doesn't make sense, could you warn me? It was written at one o'clock in the morning. I would be glad to change it if anything is the matter. Thanks!