When I woke up, I moaned and clutched my head in my hands. I'd had headaches before, but this was not a headache. This was a MIGRAINE. My mom got migraines once in a while, but this was THE worst headache both of us put together must've ever had. It took me a minute to notice how much the rest of me hurt. Just then I heard voices in the hall. "Oh, great," muttered. "All I need are a couple pages and squires to see me in this sorry state." When Kel and her friends came in, though, some jumped around the bed, some applauded, and Neal and Cleon slapped my back.

"Owww!" I yelled. "Did it ever occur to you guys that I might be the least bit SORE?!?! And would you quiet down, I've got a migraine here!" Cleon was trying not to laugh again. "And would you SHADDUP, Mr. I've-got-a-crush-on-Kel?!?" All noise in the room immediatly stopped, then started up again.

"What? Cleon likes Kel?"

"Cleon liiikes Keeeeeeel, Cleon liiikes Keeeeeel!"

"Cleon and Kel, sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first comes love, then comes marriage--"

"EVERYONE GET OUT!!!!! Except for Cleon and Kel!" I yelled.

After the room was pretty much emptied, I said to Cleon, "Sorry, Cleon. I didn't know that they'd understand what 'crush' meant. I didn't think that was a Tortall thing."

"As soon as you're better, I think I'll pound you," Cleon muttered. Kel buried her face in her hands.

"Man," I said, changing the subject. "I should've asked Neal to stay, maybe then he could help me with this headache."

"Why don't you heal yourself?" A voice commented from the doorway.

"A) who are you, and b) huh?" I said. A VERY tall man walked into the room. He had long, dark brown hair, tied into a ponytail, and dark eyes.

"Numair Salamin," he tole me. "And you have a very strong healer's Gift, among other things."

"WHAT?!?!?" I screamed.

He held up his hands. "I'll go now. I don't think you're in that good a mood." He left.

Neal poked his head in the doorway. "Kel, Cleon, are either of you coming to the Dancing Dove with us?"

I groaned. "Don't you have classwork or something?" I asked.

He grinned. "Lord Wyldon gave everyone a day off because of the fight, and Eda Bell announced at dinner that we had tomorrow off too, since Lord Wyldon would most likely be too sore to move. Thank you, Laurie. By the way, do you want to come to the inn with us? It'll be fun."

I shook my head. "No thanks. I think I'll just stay here and wallow in self-pity."

"Aw, come on, it'll be fun," A crowd of squires had gathered around the doorway.

"Did it occur to any of you that I CAN'T WALK?!?!" I shouted.

"All right," Neal said. "You all go ahead. Kel and Laurie and I will be coming."

"What're you going to do?" the prince asked.

"Get my father. Laurie can't miss us toasting her victory."

"I'll stay," Faleron said.

"All right," Cleon said, and left with the group. Neal and Faleron left to get Duke Baird, which left me and Kel, since Lalasa was off somewhere.

"The squires like you," she commented.

"Aren't you all supposed to be, like, off with your knight-masters or something?"

She shook her head. "The king called an emergency meeting of all knights, so everyone's back. Except for Lady Alanna," she added bitterly.

"So what's Neal doing here?"

"She sent him to tell the king she wouldn't be coming, and told him to stay til Midsummer."

"Oh. Listen, Kel, I'm sorry for the whole Cleon thing--"

"Don't worry about it." she answered as Neal, Faleron, and Duke Baird came in.

Duke Baird used his Gift to examine what happened. "I'm impressed," he told me. "Those are the worst injuries I have ever seen from a fight, and that includes a certain lady squire's, er, accomplishments."

Kel smiled impishly. "It was a long fight," I said.

"Nineteen and a half minutes," Faleron supplied.

I whistled. "That's, oh, sixteen minutes longer than any sparr I've ever been in. So, whad I do to myself?" I asked the duke.

"Broken rib, bruised collarbone, right shoulder muscles pulled, also the muscles in your left leg, broken nose, damaged leg tendon, three crushed joints, miscellanious cuts and bruises, not to mention the worst headache I've seen since the Immortals War."

"That's a LOT," I said.

"Congradulations, Laurie," Neal said. "That beats the time Kel took on Joren and his cronies on her own."

"I'm not sure if that's a compliment, but thanks."

After I was sewn back together, the squires gave me a chance to clean up. I went into the privy room and took a quick bath, being careful of my still sore muscles, and looked in the mirror. I hated how I looked, even if Julie had once called me the "queen of beauty" as a joke, but slightly seriously. I had a full red mouth which made me use more chapstick than all the other girls in the school put together, blue eyes that looked like the sky on a semi-cloudy day, and blonde hair. I sighed. I loved my hair, and I hated it. On good hair days, it looked beautiful. It curled into perfect honey-blonde ringlets, trailing below my shoulders, and my bangs lied perfectly flat. On my bad hair days, I just wanted to take a razor and shave my head. It frizzed up, got static at any time, wouldn't do what I wanted it to, wrecked whatever style I had put it in at the slightest movement, curled like summer even if it was January, and my bangs stood straight up. Unfortuately, I had a good hair day about once every 72 days. Today was in-between.

I walked back into the room. "Ready to go?" Kel asked. I nodded, so we left for the Dancing Dove.


Author's Note: Nothing to say. I'll get the next chapter up quick, and if I can talk my sister into lending me her Savage Garden CD, maybe a songfic! Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I had a bad day yesterday, and when I checked and saw all the nice reviews it was great. See ya!