Wassup Everyone, I'm sooo happy u guys like my story...Sry for it taking soo long I haven't been on AOL for a while.... Obviously these characters don't belong to me, they belong to Tamora Pierce. Here's the Story!!!

Chapter 2~A Hope

Knock, knock, knock. Keladry of Mindelan woke up immediately. Why did I got to sleep? The balls tonight I got to get up. Kel thought. She looked around her. The sun hadn't set all the way which meant it wasn't dinner, or the Ball.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Who is it?" Kel asked questionably. As the first lady page, well actually, almost the first lady page, she learned to ask who it was, to avoid being covered in oil or any other liquids.

"Lalasa. I have the dress you ordered. I thought you might want help getting ready for the ball." Yes. Lalasa had been Kel's maid at the convent, and had set up a dress shop last year. She made exquisite dresses in a short amount of time.

"Thank you so much Lalasa. You know how much this means to me." Kel stood up and opened the door. Lalasa came in with stunning red dress, Kel's favorite color.

"Come my lady, we need to get you ready for the Ball."

Nealan of Queenscove put on his outfit for the ball and checked himself in the mirror. His brown hair had been slicked back from his widows peak, and eyes shined against his tan skin. He had on his nicest pair of silk breeches and shirt. They were pale green to contrast against his dark eyes. The shirt had a dark leaf pattern around them. He had them made specially by Lalasa, just for the midwinter ball.

Just to impress Kel he thought. He had worked out a lot more lately, and was extremely happy he had some muscle, he was 21 after all.

He liked Kel, he knew her first, and in some ways the most. Everyone said they would make a perfect couple. Other than the fact that he was five years older.

He walked around his room making sure he had everything he needed. He took one final look at his appearance, and walked out his door, to go meet Kel.

"I wonder who Kel is going to the ball with." Owen said to Prince Roald. They were in Falerons room checking their appearance. They wanted to look good.

"Probably the one who isn't with us." Faleron said a-matter-of-factly. Of course she would go out with Neal. Fal thought. He knew that was going to happen. They had been like brother and sister, since they met, and when she left Neal was different. In the past few months he had worked out twice as much, To impress her. Fal thought with a smile. Kel like him. Everyone knew she had a crush on him by the way she looked at him when they met. Unlike Neal, Fal didn't have a crush on Kel, she was just a very close friend.

"Of course! Neal and Kel are in love. They are just a perfect couple!" Cleon commented angrily. Inwardly he was mad that he let show that he hated the couple.

He liked Kel, and everyone knew it. But everyone thought he was OK with Neal liking her. But she likes Neal. She let him hug her. Cleon remembered that afternoon vividly. Kel sat on Neal's lap with Neal's arms wrapped around her. He wanted to be Neal at that moment, he wanted Kel to like him. (A/N Sry Cleons such a bum, but he's soo perfect and nice in all the others I thought this would be good for the character)

"OK, guys we don't know if they like each other that much. Do we? But we will know tonight. And Cleon, calm down. It's not like they're getting married." Roald said calmly. He didn't think Kel knew how much ruckus she caused because she like Neal. Roald wanted his friends to be happy, if Neal and Kel became a couple. He didn't want Kel to be responsible for breaking Cleon and Neal's solid relationship. That would be horrible.

"Ummm... We have to go. The ball is going to start in ten minutes." Owen said hesitantly. He was the one that brought up who Kel was going to the ball with, forgetting Cleon liked her.

"Come on guys. Lets go." Faleron said moving everyone out of his room and into the hall. "Are we going to argue about Kel for the whole night or got to the ball and dance?" With that they walked down the hallway to the ballroom.

Kel looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. The gown she had on was light red with dark red roses along the edge. The sleeves fell off her shoulder, and the tope of the dress showed a bit more bosom that she wanted, though. The whole dress fitted her perfectly, with a flare at the bottom. She noticed that she had lost some weight since last time she checked her reflection, she also gained some freckles. She had light red gloves on with small petite shoes. Her hair was done in a bun on top becoming a braid that cascaded down her back. Her earbobs were small rose shaped rubies. The only part she hated was her make-up. Lalasa insisted on her putting on some lip rouge and dark red eye shadow

"Wow," was all Kel could say. Even for midwinter balls Lalasa hadn't made anything so nice.

"Yours matches Squire Nealan's. You two will make a perfect couple." Lalasa said almost to herself, almost like a mother.

"Neal...Neal, that's right I have to be..."

Knock, knock, knock. That has to be Neal. Kel held her breath, and saw Neal standing outside. He was wearing an outfit that was just like hers and looked amazing on him.

"Kel you look...beautiful." He said stunned. How did Lalasa know we would be together? Neal thought. He offered him his arm, and she accepted, and put her arm on top of his, then they walked down the hall.

She looked amazed. He looks better than I do. Kel thought with a smile. I hope he likes me.

I hope she likes me. Actually I hope she likes me as much as I like her. Neal thought thinking of his partner.

"Here we go." Neal said as the man announced them.

"Squire Nealan of Queenscove, Lady Keladry of Mindelan."

If I get 10 more (I swear) I'll put the next chapter up. Anyway, thanx everyone for reviewing and thanx Squire Kali for answering my questions. Oh by the way, I love Kel/Neal stories, but this won't be a normal one. Is that better?

Cya,

Lady Arianna