3 years later, in the practice courts.

Several squires had this day free, and were training, or some were watching the pages, who, also, had this

day off. One of the first years, a boy named Lachlan (is that right, it's Kel's nephew) of Mindelan, had

been sponsored by Nealan of Queenscove, and was now practicing with the wooden sword.

By the fence Neal, Owen, Cleon, Merric and the rest of their friends, including Prince Roald, stood

watching.

"Neal, you don't have to watch me, It's not like I'll kill myself with this stick," Lach said, then

looked at the 'stick', "But now I think of it, it would be rather fun, though painful," he said, drawing

laughter from his older friends.

"You really are a lot like Kel, you know," Neal said, wistfully.

"I don't know if that's a compliment, Neal," Lach said, again causing the others to laugh.

"Hanging out with the failure's scum?" A cold voice sneered. They all spun around to see Joren

of Stone Mountain, "That little thing has no place among us."

"Shut up, Stone Mountain, Kel was the greatest among us, and you know it!" Neal said, in a

warning voice.
"Why oh why didn't the black god take your soul at birth?" Owen sneered.

"Want to fight do we?" Joren asked, his two friends, Vinson and Garvey.

"Why not?" Lach hissed. Joren and his friends laughed at the little boy with the wooden sword in

hand.

"Are you going to kill me with that?" Joren mocked.

"I don't see why not, the painful death you certainly deserve," Lach added. Joren sneered,

"I am the best man with a sword here, twerp, I can win over any page, Squire, or knight." Joren

said.

"Does that include Shangs?" A female voice asked from behind him. Everyone spun around to

see a beautiful young woman standing there. She had golden brown hair, a dreamer's hazel eyes, peach

skin, rosy lips, and a dust of freckles over her nose. She was dressed in a cream colored tunic, and green

breeches. By her right hip hang a long and deadly sword.

"Milady, it's an honor to meet such a beau...." Joren began.

"I am no lady," the woman sneered, at Joren, " and I do not think it is an honor to mock people

younger than myself." The woman herself was younger than Neal and Joren, perhaps Merric's age.

Joren's face changed from handsome to ugly, "Another female fighter, are we? What is your name,

scum?" Vinson asked.

"I am the Shang Dragoness, Joren of Stone Mountain. And I would still like to know if it

includes shangs?" "I will not fight such a......a.....thing!" Joren said disgusted.

"Afraid are we? You weren't afraid to duel this young lad, what's the difference with me?" she

asked raising an eyebrow.

"Women do not fight women, they are not made for making food, producing babes, and house work,

nothing else." Joren shouted. All Squires, and pages stood, looking on by now.

"Did you not hear me, I am the Shang Dragoness, and I have earned my rank, not by producing

children, nor by cleaning up," she paused, "I have earned it by fighting. If you'd ever try to become a

shang, if you made it, you'd be the Shang Pest, at the most!" She said. Cheers from the crowd erupted,

non of them really like Joren and his gang.

"I will not fight such a slut!" Joren sputtered. No anger crossed the woman's face, actually she

smiled. "Fine have it your way," she swung over the fence of a practice yard, and turned her back to

Joren, singing:

"Joren of Stone Mountain is a coward. He fears his own mother. Every shang should know, Joren of Stone Mountain is a coward."

Joren's rage erupted, and he hoper over the fence, sword ready to hack down. His sword was blocked by

hers, as she spun around, ready for him.

"Changed our mind, did we?" She mocked. Joren sneered.

"Oh no, Joren we can't have any frowning, it doesn't attract ladies," she went on, then smirked,

"But I don't know about ladies, do I? For I am but a warrior, no woman," she mocked again, sticking her

chest forward, the tunic tightened and showed her curves.

Their swords swung around again, and met again. Suddenly Joren lunged forward, but the shang

stepped aside, letting him run past her, "Now, Joren, what happened to your manners? Where did you

leave 'Ladies first' out?" she asked, the squires and pages cheered again.

Joren came back, and lunged again.

This time she tripped him, put her foot on his chest, put her sword tip to his throat.

Over the cheers she hissed, "Let's call this a little reminder from an old friend, Joren, next time watch

yourself before you talk, or your old friend will have to cut your tongue out." She spun around and left

him lying there in the sand. She walked over to Lach, and smiled, "You can beat him next time, I'm sorry

for being so selfish." Lach grinned and she roufled his hair, then whispered to him only, "Send my

regards to Anders," Lach stared at her, "remember me?" she asked. Lach still stared at her, then nodded,

smiling proudly.

"See you tonight at the ball," she said to him, then waked away.

Sooooooo?