"Kel, you have to wear a dress! If you don't you'll be the only female there with breeches!" Yukimi was nearly screaming in frustration, cursing Kel's stubbornness to all the Yamani gods she could think of. "You can't go to a ball with a date wearing breeches!"

"Well, at least I'll stand out in a crowd." Kel replied in Yaman, her face set, "Besides, I don't have a date to happily wear a dress for, Yuki, you know as well as I do."

"I don't care! I'll go to Lalasa, I'll go to Lord Raoul, I'll go to anyone, just as long as they can get you to wear a dress to the ball!" Yukimi stormed out of the room and down the hall.

Kel looked out the door after her and shook her head, a crowd had gathered at the Yamani's fight. She was simply stunned. 'I did it!' she thought happily, flopping down on her bed, 'I beat Yuki, I don't have to wear a dress!' Her glad tidings didn't last long as she saw who Yuki literally dragged back into the room a few minutes later.

~~~~~~~~~

Domitan of Masbolle was confused he had been talking when he found himself being pulled out of his group of friends by a small Yamani lady who he recognized as his cousin's betrothed. "Yuki?" he sputtered, "Where's Neal, what happened?"

"Dom, I'm going to be honest with you, you like Keladry, correct?" her concentrated glare was boring holes into him, he was rapidly turning pale under a new summer tan. He looked around for Kel, not wanting to be overheard. "Do you?" she asked again, more sharply this time, tapping her foot impatiently. Her Yamani calm had been worn down over the course of the afternoon with Kel.

"Well, yes," he responded, lowering his voice, "But quiet, anyone could hear you," he was constantly shifting under her glare; and he had found his shoes very interesting.

"Good, then you can be her date to the ball, and she'll have to wear a dress." Yuki's mood had turned from icy to quite cheerful in a matter of seconds. She was rapidly planning in her head and missed the spark of fear in Dom's eyes; her face had twisted in spite of her suddenly happy outlook. She slid her Yamani mask back into place and assured him, "Don't worry, Dom, I'll make her wear the nicest dress I can find." She smiled evilly before grabbing his arm and pulling him off to Kel's rooms.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Kel, I've solved your problem," Yuki said joyfully, when she returned with Dom in tow.

"What problem? I thought I told you I'm not wearing a dress." Kel said this slowly, as if explaining it to a small child. She looked questioningly at Dom who only grinned and shrugged.

"Have you already forgotten, Kel?" Yuki said slyly, "You said you'd wear a dress happily, if you had a date to the ball."

"And? I still don't have a date, Yuki." Kel was obviously getting nervous, she started to understand why Dom was in her room.

"Well, it seems Sergeant Domitan here doesn't have a date either and was hoping you would accompany him. Weren't you, Dom?" Yuki rounded on Dom and glared at him again, he gulped and nodded quickly. His fear was showing through in his deep blue eyes to Kel.

'Damn those blue eyes of his,' Kel thought, she said aloud, "Fine, Yuki, you win. I'll wear a dress." She lifted her arms, palms up. Yuki ushered him from the room grinning from ear to ear but Dom heard her mutter darkly as he was pushed out the door, "but I'll make you regret it if you dare make me look bad." Dom had to laugh at that.