Keladry was just grabbing her glaive and was heading out to the practice courts for a mid-afternoon workout when Yuki let herself in. "Are you ready Kel?" she asked. She had an odd, triumphant look on her face and was carrying what looked to be a very heavy crate, full to the top with face paint.

"N-no, Yuki, please not now!" Kel tried to get past her but the Yamani was firmly blocking her path. She did not want to start getting ready now, the ball was at least two hours away. And who knew what Yuki would unleash on her the one time she had to dress up?

"Yes, Keladry, whether you like it or not. You're getting primped for the ball right now." Kel sighed, openly admitting defeat as Yuki shifted the crate to turn and lock her door. "First, we'll have to wash your hair, curl it later perhaps. Hmm…" Kel couldn't believe it, but her body listened to Yukimi, stripping off her clothes as the bath water arrived, it at least knew that Yukimi wouldn't put up with stubbornness this afternoon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile…
Dom was nervous, too. He was with Neal and many of Kel's friends as they tried to shake him of the fear that was building inside of him.

Well, maybe not.

"Just remember, Dom," Neal said, with a grin, "everyone will be watching."

Merric, not joking like the rest said, "But remember, Masbolle," he had spent time with Dom in Haven and New Hope, "You hurt her in any way, and we'll kill you." The other boys nodded in solemn agreement.

Dom nodded, eyes wide with understanding, he knew that Kel had friends, all of whom were very protective. She didn't need them though, few had seen Kel in a rage, Dom being one of them, and he figured that if anyone opposed her when she was in such a mood, they would not live to tell the tale. "Trust me, if the Lady Knight doesn't enjoy herself, she'll probably end up being the one to kill me."

"Well, then she'd spoil our fun, and Lord Raoul's. You know he's like her father and if anything were to ever happen to her," Neal looked around and slid a finger across his throat, demonstrating the consequences.

Dom laughed shakily as he closed the door, 'Gods,' he thought to himself, as the conversation slowly sunk in, 'if I don't do this right, I'm a dead man any way you look at it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"There, I think you're done, Kel." Yuki stood back to admire her work.

"Well, it's about time," Kel snapped. Much to her distaste and arguments, she had been sitting in a chair in her dressing room for well over an hour. Under the close scrutiny of Yukimi, Kel was allowed to get up and look at herself in the full mirror in her living room. She gasped when look in the mirror, she hardly recognized herself. She could still recognize herself under the face paint, she had to thank Yuki for that, but she seemed... well, ladylike.

The dress looked perfect on her, as it had in Lalasa's shop, but Yukimi had done her hair and makeup. Following Kel's orders, the colors were all soft; nothing bold or dark graced her skin, and the modest colors gave Kel's skin a golden glow. Her hair was done up in an elegant knot, all her hair curling into the center of the bun. She had a small emerald on a chain that hung down to glitter in the light that touched it. Yuki had even managed to shape Kel's nails and cover them with a shiny, clear polish.

She flung herself at her friend saying, "Thank you, Yuki! I love it!"

"See?" the Yamani said, crinkling her eyes in delight, as Kel stooped to hug her friend "I told you this wouldn't be that bad. That hour wasn't a complete waste. And, I have a present for you." She smiled as she pulled out a neatly folded shukusen from the bottom of the crate and handed it to Keladry. "Consider it as an early birthday present," she said with a smile.

Kel opened the fan with a flick. It was made of silk and was a soft green with patterns showing through in gold thread. Kel was near tears, this was just too much. Her Yamani training was just barely holding and she knew Yuki would murder her if she messed up an hour's worth of face paint. Grinning from ear to ear she hugged Yukimi again.

Packing all her stuff back into the box, Yukimi left Kel with a word of warning, "Now, if you show up to the ball with so much as a hair out of place, you will answer to me." Kel struggled with concealed giggles as the girl continued to threaten her. She couldn't help it, Yukimi was a head shorter than herself, but was a force to be reckoned with when she held a glaive in her hand.

After Yukimi left to get ready, Kel sunk onto her bed with a sigh, trying not to think of her friends' teasing she would have to live with for months for showing up in a dress, much less a dress like this.