OK. I am in a study period for Geography right now. so if this story seems rush, don't blame me.

ALSO: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THESE CHARACTERS! (Besides, imagine if I did. I'd be broke)

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"You horrible beast." Muttered Kel, as she tried to mount the horse for the 10th time.

The horse, Fireseye, bucked her off.

Kel blinked back tears. Fighting the urge to hit the horse and cry. She was certain if the horse had a face, it would be smirking like Joren.

It was so hard without Daine! Kel thought wistfully. If Daine were here, a few words would silence the temperamental stallion so she could actually ride.

"Having trouble?" A new voice asked.

Kel turned. It was the Prince. "No." She said shortly. She resumed her Yamani stone expression.

In her opinion, Jonathan was now an arrogant, stuck-up jerk. Somehow, he had changed when he got older, into a confusing, less arrogant person.

She had seen him at night, flirting with all the ladies as if he was the Gods gift to women.

She tried to mount the horse again, but the horse reared up and she slid off. Again.

"You're having trouble, all right." There was laughter in the Prince's voice. "Do you want help?"

"I'll live." Kel replied, leading the horse away to the groomsman, Stefan. "Can I change horses?"

"What's wrong with ol' Fireseye?"

"Nothing, if you don't want to ride."

Stefan turned to the horse. "Have you bin misbehaving now, laddie?" He asked gently.

The horse nickered.

"He says ye are strange. He says ye are. unnatural."

"What is that meant to mean?" Kel demanded, trying to be as patient as possible.

"Eerie, mistress. Odd."

Kel ground her teeth. "I suppose the horse never had Shangs ride on him, then."

"All Shangs like Fireseye." He eyed Kel thoughtfully. "Ye can mount him now. He says he'll behave."

Kel eyed the horse warily, and then tried to mount him.

This time, Fireseye didn't buck. He just walked placidly out of the stable.

Jonathan looked after her. Eerie. Odd.

"What do you mean, Stefan?" He asked.

"The horse says there is something wrong with that one. She's hiding somethin' odd." Stefan chewed on a straw. "They don't like odd lasses, especially ones like her that are surrounded with magic."

"Magic?"

"She's surrounded by it. Fireseye said that she's god-sent."

"God-sent?" Jonathan was bewildered.

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"-And then you fall like this." Kel demonstrated, slapping the ground hard.

Alanna nodded. She had studied a fall like that in her first year of being a page, except the Yamani way was more graceful.

"Try it yourself."

Alanna fell, slapping the ground hard.

"Do it with slightly more elbow bend, that way it will absorb the impact more, so it ouches less." Kel advised.

Secretly, Kel was elated. To think that the LIONESS was learning from her.

Alanna practised the fall again. "That's good." Kel congratulated. "This time, you do it with a twist- like this."

As Kel demonstrated, Alanna's mind wandered off. Who was this Sparrow? What did she want?"

"Your turn."

Alanna fell. At the last minute, she remembered she was meant to twist. "Ouch!"

"More twist. Turn your body. Start twisting as you fall."

Alanna looked at her resentfully, but obeyed.

"That's very good. Let's stop here, you look puffed, milord." Kel smiled. SHE DIDN'T STUMBLE! "Tomorrow we start with the glaive."

She helped Alanna up. "A hot bath would help ease the pain." She advised.

"I bet it would." Alanna muttered, wincing.

Jonathan rushed to help her. "I can manage on my own." She gasped.

Looking back at the Sparrow, she scowled.

She wasn't even tired!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kel sat silently all through dinner, wearing her Yamani Lump expression, trying not to cry.

Alanna hated her! She had seen the resentment on the Lioness's face as she walked off with Prince Jonathan.

Not only resentment. Suspicion, anger, envy.

"Are you all right?" Her dinner partner, Alanna's friend Sir Alex asked her.

"I'm all right." She replied softly, managing to swallow the sautéed vegetables.

"Palace life boring you?" He asked with a smile.

"No, not really."

"Do you want to meet some of my friends? We have a lot to do, we could use some help. You are terrific with the sword, you know."

"Sure, thanks." Kel managed a blank smile.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Alanna got placed to serving near the Sparrow.

Kel was wearing a blank, mask-like expression on her face. Alex, who was seated next to her, was talking about something.

She strained to hear some of the conversation. "Meet. friends. help. terrific. sword." She heard choppy little bits of the conversation.

It was enough to know what Alex was asking for.

He wanted Kel to meet Duke Roger.

Alanna bit back a gasp. Kel's terrific arms skills, added to Duke Roger's magic.

It would be horrendous.

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Sorry, have to go now.

Please, review!

P.S Is my story really that bad? Someone reviewed that it could cause nightmares.

Review anyway.

Thanx!