A/N-Well, school's back. Oh well, life goes on. I kind of disappeared from fanfiction for a bit there, I've caught a cold and all of a sudden my teachers have decided to throw assignments on me. Meh. This chapter took me awhile, as I didn't know how to dig myself out of my plot hole. But I think I've got in now. :)

Disclaimer-If you really, really want a disclaimer, just e-mail me.

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Lukiem was nervous.

It was just that good help was so hard to come by! Unikum, Lukiem knew, was getting restless. He wanted payment, and he wanted it soon. If Lukiem didn't do something quickly, Unikum might quit being fake Kaddar, and blow the plan.

And quite the plan it was.

He wanted Tortall gone. The whole country, not just the monarchs. For what the country did to him, he wanted it gone.

Once Tortall considered Kalasin dead, he knew Tortall would rally all of its allies for war. But once they were about to march the army into Carthak for total war, Kalasin would mysteriously appear in Corus.

The nearby countries would be furious for calling upon their armies and supplies. Carthak will then say how Tortall wanted Carthak obliterated for no good reason. Of course they would agree, and Tortall would become part of the winning country's land.

But Unikum could ruin all of that by telling the plan to anyone. Anyone at all.

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The only time Unikum had ever seen a woman naked was when he was five and had accidentally walked into his mother's room.

But this was different, to say the least.

Apparently Varice found him quite attractable. Very, very attractable.

He realized this time would most likely never come again. When he was not disguised as Kaddar, he had a long, gangly nose and dark straw-like hair. So he decided to indulge, this one time.

In Varice's quarters, she slipped off her silk robe.

Unikum's eyes went as wide as plates.

She strutted forwards, her tongue licking around her lips. Unikum grinned like a young boy being told he could have whatever he wanted in a candy shop.

She put a delicate finger on his nose, saying, "I love you…"

He was about to respond with an "I love you to," when her piercing scream nearly blew him away.

"What?" he asked, although immediately recognized the problem. That was his own voice. The spell had worn off.

"Oh," he said.

"Oh?" she screeched. "Who in the name of the Graveyard Hagare you?" She ran over to her robe and quickly shoved it over her body. She wrapped it tight against her skin and held it right below her neck. She shouted harsh curses.

"Get out!" she yelled again. "Where's Kaddar?"

"Please, let me explain!"

"Kaddar?" she screamed. "Where is he?"

"Not here! I'm him! No-that's not right, I never was him, I just looked like him! Please, let me explain!"

"What?" she said. This was all very, very confusing. Kaddar had suddenly morphed into this man claiming to be someone else. She put her blond hair behind her back. "I don't understand!"

"Sit down," he said calmly. He figured he would tell her his story.

Varice's anger turned into fright. But seeing as how he was un-armed (and un-clothed) she figured he couldn't be that dangerous. She knew some defensive skills, and if he wanted to rape her he already had his chance.

"It's a long story," he said again. "It might take awhile."

"As long as you tell me where Kaddar went, I'm listening," she said softly.

And he told her everything.

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Among all of the Carthaki-style dresses and suits, the one Tortallan suit stood out among all of the vibrant colors of everything else, and it caught Daine's eye. She was high above it in the balcony, where she could see everything. To her left was Kaddar, in all his regal glory, although Daine personally thought that the extensive eye makeup was a little much.

She had to squint to see him properly. Why would a Tortallan be here? I thought I was the only one, she thought.

She watched him for the next minutes. She laughed silently to herself when she saw him get slapped by a woman in a red dress. At certain times she purposely looked away from him, as she knew that sometimes instinct could kick in and he would realize he was being watched. She decided it was nothing.

Something dawned on her.She leaned over slightly to Kaddar, and whispered, "If this is my court introduction party, shouldn't I be down there, dancing with you or something?"

He shuffled around in his seat.

"Well, yes," he said. He brushed back a stray piece of hair that had escaped all of the elaborate gels. "Though there's no rule saying you must, usually one does. I doubt you want to dance, so I think we can break with tradition."

"I don't want everyone thinking Kalasin is a shy girl of thirteen who can't dance! We have to! And besides," she added, "my legs are falling asleep!"

Kaddar grinned. "Fine with me. I guess it would do some good, to let everyone know Kalasin's not too shy to dance."

He turned around to the two guards, (who were complete with weapons,) and he asked for one of them to ask for a herald. The guard one the right nodded and the remaining one took up position in the middle of the balcony.

While waiting for the herald, Kaddar asked "Can you dance?"

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "I'm a fast learner."

"You've never danced?"

"Yes I have! Just not often. I'll pick it up fast!" I hope, she added.

Before he could respond with a furry of questions, a herald appeared over his left shoulder.

"What is it you wish of me, Nobility?"

Kaddar explained what he wanted, and the herald nodded. At the back of the balcony was a doorway, covered by a soft red fabric. He pulled it aside. Behind it was a hallway, which if followed, eventually led back to the massive staircase Daine had descended earlier.

He allowed Daine to go through first. She nodded politely, aware that the guards and herald were watching intently. Maybe Kalasin could live with people looking at her constantly, though it annoyed Daine.

The hallway was regular stone, although it held beautiful portraits and tapestries. Daine's footsteps echoed back at her as she stepped quietly through the hall.

Kaddar caught up with her. "Are you nervous?"

"Yes," she admitted. "I think I'll survive, however."

He grinned. "Well, here we are," he said when they saw the exit. It was the same kind of fabric covering the doorway. Daine knew that once that the current piece of music was done, the herald would call out, announcing them. She stepped through the doorway, her heart pounding within her chest. Kaddar followed her.

She was at the top of the staircase, a bit to the side. Guards were posted everywhere. From her point of view, she could see the entire dance floor and orchestra.

Kaddar grabbed her arm. "It's ending soon," he commented, and gently pulled her towards the exact center of the staircase.

Waiting for the music to end, Daine took in everything. The sights, the sounds, the smells…everything. At that time, she remembered her past.

She was Sarra's bastard. No one had expected her to amount to anything. Maybe give birth to a dozen bastard babies, but nothing else. That shows them, she thought. If you put your mind to it, you can achieve your wildest dreams. Look where I am now!

Obviously she had been thinking for longer than she thought, because all of a sudden Kaddar was pulling lightly on her elbow whispering, "Come on!"

She hadn't even heard the herald announce them. Putting on a fake smile, she descended the staircase with what she hoped was style and grace. Only when they reached the bottom of the staircase did she truly relax and no longer have to worry about tripping on her face.

And that was when her eyes settled onto someone else's eyes over Kaddar's right shoulder. It took all of Daine's willpower not to gasp out loud at who she saw.

It was Numair.

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A/N-Written after stuffing my face with chocolate…literally. I was at a BBQ with a friend and we attacked the dessert table. Yum. So anyways, finally, a non-filler chapter. So anyways, I have a question for anyone reading this. How many people have their ears pierced? I don't, and I don't want them, either. But I just want to know how many people do and don't have their ears pierced.

Please review!