Kim held back a gasp as she saw Jack-Prince Westley step up and announce the first round. "-Horseback riding." Jack announced, "Whoever is still on the horse at the end of the obstacle course moves on to the next round." His eyes swept over the crowd of boys in front of him. Kim ducked her head inconspicuously, she didn't want Jack to recognize her. Which reminds me. . .Kim slowly looked around, looking for Eddie who was supposed to be here today to compete as well.

"Let the first round begin!" The king called out, interrupting Kim's searching. Every boy rushed to the horses, trying to call dibs on the fastest looking horses. Kim ducked and dashed between the boys, she saw a chestnut mare and ran for it. She saddled up quickly and took her out to the starting line. Kim's mind went back to when her father was with her, he used to own this mare and they would race each other on the very fastest horses in their stable. This mare, Honey, was one of them. Kim stroked the mare's neck. When Valerie moved in and her new husband left she had sold all the horses and other useless items to pay off the bills.

"Ready?" A royal staff member called out, ready to blow the horn in his hand. "Set? BLOOOOO" The horn sounded out and the horses shot forwards.

Kim's mare began fifth as the first obstacle approached. A tall hurdle loomed up at Honey and Kim but they quickly jumped over and moved up a spot. Kim carefully but speedily led Honey through the barrels, gaining another rank up.

Nearly half of the contestants were knocked off their horses within the first 4 obstacles, leaving Kim and 37 other contestants still in the race. Quickly, Kim made her way to second place, tied with another rider on a black stallion. They locked eyes as they arrived at the next obstacle, the water obstacle. Normally it would be a water jump but the royal fields didn't have a smaller lake so the horses must swim through with the riders on their backs. Kim coaxed her mare into the water lovingly, Honey responded this time (she was always wary of the water) and Kim sighed in relief.

"Eat my dust!" Kim's rival called out, he was already in the water and moving. Honey moved forward quickly, gaining on the black stallion.

Kim leaned forward earnestly, "I don't think soo!"

The boy turned around, angry. He took a swipe at Kim, she leaned back and retaliated with a kick to his gut. He fell off his horse and she made it to the finish line in first place.

Kim rushed back into the castle, sopping wet but her only care was to get to the ballroom before they began the girl's tournament. She dashed into the bathroom, threw on her hideous dress and let her hair down. She took a moment to dry herself a little bit with some paper towels but ran like hell as soon as she was satisfied.

"-The First Challenge will be the main event. You will all be dressing and applying makeup to the servants for a masquerade ball." Princess Amarillis announced. "Please pick your subject and begin. Every servant will show you access to the closet and makeup supplies. Begin!"

Kim froze as all the other girls rushed to pick the prettiest servants, some girls even had to resort to the few boys that were there because there weren't enough female servants. I don't know how to do no goddamn makeup! Kim thought. She waited too long though, because pretty soon all the servants were taken. And there was no more people left to work on. Ariel turned to retrieve a make-up pouch and saw Kim. She flipped her off this time and smirked. Kim rolled her eyes and mouthed "Go to hell." She turned away, but still had no idea of what to do.

"Kim," The Princess came up from behind Kim and beckoned to her, "I will be your subject."

"Your Highness that really isn't necessary-" Kim objected but Amarillis interrupted her.

"Nonsense." Amarillis sat down on her throne and tied her hair back. "The make up is on the table and the costumes are behind you through the doors. You may begin."

Kim stood there shocked for a moment but an idea suddenly hit her. "Yes your highness, just gimme a sec." She rushed to the enormous closet, though few girls had left their subjets because they weren't done with the makeup yet, or had even decided what to do. Kim grabbed a few drab looking garments, a long, thin pastel pink scarf, and a newsboy hat. She went back to Ama and took out the make up. She applied large swipes of black and blue liquid make up to certain spots on the Princess's face and a few scars. About 15 minutes later, Amarillis stepped out of the changing room and viewed herself in the mirror.

Kim had turned the lovely Princess Ama into a poor, peasant paperboy. A bruise and a few light scars masked Amarillis's feminine features, she tied her hair up into a bun and covered it up with a newsboy hat, and used the drabbiest clothes from the closet to complete the look.

Amarillis laughed, "I love it!" She turned around to see herself from all angles, "It's very good. Almost real." She inspected herself further.

"Thank you, your highness." Kim bowed.

"Ohh, you don't need to do all that 'your highness' crap. Just call me Amarillis, I don't really like the bowing either." She told Kim, "It's really good. Did you rush? Because you had a whole hour."

Kim wasn't used to the Princess talking this much besides the first announcement she made for the tournament, but it was cool having a friend to talk to that wasn't an old indian chief. "I didn't rush but then again, I didn't put too much time into it. I don't really know much about make up and dresses and those kind of things."

"Really? What kind of things are you into then?" Ama asked.

"Uhh," Kim hesitated, most people would make fun of her for it. In fact, that's why she's a loner in school. "Karate," She admitted, "And weaponry. Really anything that I can do outside and will definitely piss of my step-mother."

"You would like my brother, he's exactly like that. But then again so are all guys." Ama commented.

Yeah, I know for a fact your brother does.Kim thought to herself, Does she even know that he sneaks out of the castle sometimes?

"I'm guessing you don't want to be here then?" Ama didn't really ask, it was more of an observation, "You'd rather be at my brother's tournament wouldn't you?"

Kim shrugged it off, despite Ama being so close to the truth, "Too bad they would never let a girl in."

Ama was studying her facial expression very carefully when Kim replied, "Yes, too bad." She turned to leave the changing room. "Kim?"

"Yeah, Amarillis?"

Ama smiled at her new friend calling her that instead of 'your highness'. "You are dismissed as a contestant in this tournament." She smiled cheerily at Kim, "But you can hang around with me today, if you don't have any other tournaments to go to." Ama winked at her.

Kim beamed, FInally, someone who gets it! "I'm sorry. I actually do have another place I need to be." This time Kim winked, "But we can hang out some other time, right?"

"Right." Ama agreed. "The exit is down the hall and to the left, and it just so happens it exits right into the field. I'll see you soon."

Kim smiled and ran off to catch the next round of the boy's tournament, ripping off her dress as soon as she was out of sight of any possible girl contestants roaming around.