Part 4, finally, yeah! There's an explanation at the bottom. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this part! The next part(s) is the ball! Woohoo, it's finally moving forward and picking up speed!

Disclaimer: Let's just say Tamora Pierce's characters still do not belong to me. *sigh* I guess I'll just have to email her again and again and again...

"Are you sure you want to do this? I'm not warning you again. Joren's different, nothing like Prince Roald."

"Well, I'm going to have to meet him sooner or later. Now lets go!" Lysse pulled Kel up to the training room doors and opened them. Joren, who had just finished up his practicing, looked to the door at the two girls and gave them a disarming smile. Kel inwardly threw up. Joren casually sauntered over.

"Hello Kel," he said without even glancing at her, he was staring at Lysse like a hungry wolf, "my lady." He continued staring.

Kel didn't want to, but she knew she was going to have to be the one to introduce the two. "Joren, this-"

"Oh, I know who this is. Nice to meet you my lady," Joren took Lysse's hand in his and kissed it. "I can't wait until the day we fulfill our betrothal." Lysse gave a nervous giggle as Joren continued to hold her hand.

"It's nice to meet you." She said quietly, blushing.

"I know, now I'm sorry to disappoint you ladies, but I have a meeting I have to attend. Goodbye Kel. Goodbye Lysse, I'll be seeing you again. Perhaps we'll go to the ball together." With that Joren walked out of the training room, whistling. Kel watched Joren walk out of the room in his 'I'm high and mighty' way. Shaking her head she looked over at Lysse to see how the girl had been affected and blanched. Lysse actually looked happy! Lysse gave a sigh.

"He's pretty and nice."

Kel grabbed onto Lysse's shoulders and gave her a shake. "What are you talking about?! How can you say that? He's a jerk! Didn't you see that?"

"Not really. I saw he was a little forward, but..."

"Forward?! He looked like he practically wanted to eat you!" Lysse smiled at a thought that had just entered her head. "Would that be that bad?" Lysse continued to smile. Kel couldn't hold anything back any longer. She had to know the feelings of Lysse. "Lysse, we need to talk."

"Kel, look," Lysse was beginning to get a little angry, "You don't know what's going on with me. I have to have an arranged marriage. That's the way it's always been in my family. My mom and aunt had one. Soon Anji's going to have one. I may come from a noble background, but I don't come from a rich one, this betrothal means a lot to my family. No matter how liberal my mother may be, I have no say in this, no matter how much I don't want this to happen. I may be love with someone else, but that means nothing. There's no such thing as marriage for love in my family, so my plan is to take this marriage thing in stride. I'm going to make the best of it." Lysse's eyes while talking to Kel had gotten slightly misted and she looked like she was on the verge of crying.

Kel was slightly taken a back at Lysse's outburst, but a lot also dawned on Kel. Kel actually understood, but that didn't make this situation any better. Lysse couldn't marry Joren no matter what. Kel looked at Lysse not being able to help what she said next.

"Are you in love with someone else?" Kel had to know. Lysse stopped trying to hold back tears and just let them go. "Yes." Kel, in that one word, heard so much love and truth. "I do, you have no idea how much, but nothing can ever come out it. I don't even know if he loves me back."

"So you love, Roald?"

Lysse gasped. "How do you know its Roald?" The other girl silently cursed herself.

"Look, we talked, that's all I'm going to say."

"About me?"

"Yeah."

"Good stuff?"

"...Yes."

Lysse sniffled. "Do you think I'm stupid for loving him?" Kel thought about the situation.

"Well, with the situation you two are in...no, I don't."

"Kel, what should I do?" Lysse finished with a heavy sigh. Kel for once didn't know.

*************

Roald continued to pace in his room as the other boys looked on. He had called a meeting with them to discuss The Situation.

"Ewww, I still can't believe she has to marry Joren. That's disgusting." Owen complained, shivering outwardly.

"Yeah, poor Lysse." Continued Faleron. Roald wasn't listening to the conversation around him. He was in his own world at the moment figuring out what to do. How could this be happening to him? He had to talk to Lysse, but how could he? There was no time. Between his classes and his getting ready for the ball, besides what would he say? 'Don't marry Joren, I love you?' That would be stupid for both of them. He had to think of something before it became too late.

"Now, listen to me. Does anyone have anyone ideas?" Roald had broken out of his thoughts and asked the group. "I open the floor to ideas." He said diplomatically. They came in a current.

"Beat him up?" Neal said smacking a fist into his hand.

"Spread rumors?" Faleron suggested.

"Kill him?" Cleon offered.

"Tie him up and throw him into the river?" Merric gave his suggestion.

"Beat him up?" Neal offered again.

"Throw him off the castle roof?" Seaver asked.

"I still say we beat him up."

"Tell everyone in the castle that he writes his name on his underwear?!" All heads turned to the bouncing Owen.

"What?" They all yelled simultaneously. Owen shrunk under the gazes of the others.

"Just a suggestion." He said quietly.

"Does he?" Cleon asked.

"You bet!" Owen became excited again. All the boys except Roald began to laugh.

"He's such a mama's boy!"

"Yeah, shouldn't he know it's his underwear?"

Cleon stood up and did his best-exaggerated impersonation of Joren. "Hi, I'm Joren, I'm stupid and I write my name on my underwear!" The boys exploded into another current of laughter. Roald had had enough.

"Hey! Back to the situation at hand here. And Owen? I don't even want to know how you got that information. Now, does anyone have a real plan?" Neal opened his mouth. "No, Neal, we're not going to beat him up, no matter how tempted I am. We need something tricky and cunning." Roald continued to think and came up with an idea."

"Hey, I know! Come on gather around. I have an idea. It'll happen at the ball..."

Did you like it? I can't wait till the next part. The Ball! I love writing ball scenes:) *does a little dance* *stops after remembering the scene with Lysse and Joren* *shiver* I did not like writing that one bit. Ewww! Ok, anyways, sorry it took so long, I wanted it up by last night, but I got back from work really late (inventory stinks) and I was too tired to write. Then my plan was to have it up by this afternoon, but then I remembered another essay I had to do due Tuesday, with that out of the way (well...almost) , the next one should be up quicker. Please read and review (so far this is my favorite part)! Oh and I do not resent anyone who writes their name on their underwear. It was just a thing for the story...I mean, I don't.

My muse: Yes you do.

Me: *clears throat* I do not, shut up.

My muse: But you told me yesterday...hey! *muse is all of the sudden thrown out the window*

Me: Really...I don't...*sulks away into a corner*