I HAVE A CONFESSION TO MAKE. I drank out of the gallon milk jug. *cringes* LEAVE ME ALONE! My little brother does it all the time! GAH!

Hehehe. See if you can catch the joke. It's in the second paragraph. Also one later, but only people who have seen empire several times will get it. if you DO get it, tell me! we can rave about empire records together.

Props go to Rosefyre for help on guys' reactions, seeing as my hang-out time with the opposite sex amounts to NONE minutes. (see profile for explanation)

Er. I guess this sort of turned into a Mary Sue. But not really. I don't know. Tell me if it's okay, or if not, what I should do instead.

Chapter Three

In Which There Are Many Points Of View

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With half an hour to go until the King's ball, Kel stood with her back to her mirror as Lalasa pinned and tucked her gown. After several minutes, Lalasa stood back, nodding approvingly, and Kel turned around.

She was wearing a creation, not a dress. It was made out of green satin that rustled when she moved. Tight around the bodice, and floating out to a full, floor-length skirt, the gown had a low-cut, square neckline that emphasized her chest. It had long fitted sleeves that clung to her arms. There was a slit in the front that revealed a pale green skirt underneath. It laced up the back. Kel had a strange sense of déjà vu, as if she had worn the gown before somewhere.

"Hah!" said Lalasa triumphantly. "I knew you'd have use for that dress! It's just been lying your wardrobe for the longest time!" Suddenly curious, Lalasa asked, "Why did you decide to wear it tonight, of all nights?"

"Yes, well, thanks for everything! I really must be going!" said Kel. She hustled out the door and ran — literally — into Neal, which knocked the wind out of both of them.

"Can't you do anything without injuring someone?" Neal gasped good-naturedly. He was resplendent in a dark blue tunic.

"Um . . . right then, let's go," Kel said, preoccupied. She pulled him down the hall.

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Neal demanded, trying to pry her fingers from his arm. Then he stopped, and started laughing. "Oh yes, I remember now. Dom's going to be there!"

Kel shot him a glare of pure poison. He ignored her.

"Dom, Dom, Dommy Dommy Dom," he chanted mercilessly.

"Oh?" she demanded angrily, skidding to a halt. "And who is your lady of choice? What one-minute-gal have you picked up? What's her name? Huh?"

"Don't have one," Neal declared. "I'm single and super-sexy!"

"No, you're stupid," Kel countered.

"No, I'm sexy! Super-sexy!"

"Super-psychotic, more like," she muttered, and pulled him off again.

***

"We're going to be late, midear, and that would not be good!" Numair called, through the washroom door.

"I'm almost ready!" Daine answered, her voice muffled.

Agent Dean chuckled. "Women," he said, looking at Numair. Numair stared blankly at him. Agent Dean cleared his throat and shifted position.

The door swung open, and Daine stepped out. She was wearing a very light yellow dress, with a heavier fabric underneath and a light overcoat weighted with beads, so it would hang correctly on her slight frame.

"You look like the sun," Numair laughed.

"And you look like death," Daine retorted. Numair was in his black robe. "Let's go."

They strolled out the door, and Agent Dean sauntered out behind them, following them down the corridor.

It took a few minutes to walk to the entrance of the Grand Ballroom. When they got to the huge oaken double doors, there was a large line of people waiting to be announced. Daine sighed, and led Numair to the end of the queue. She heard the doorman announce the next guests: "Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan and Sir Nealan of Queenscove!"

***

Feeling the eyes of most of the room turn to her, Kel gulped and gripped Neal's arm as she walked down the stairs. She glanced around the room, doing her best to act natural while searching for that one person she wanted to see.

"A little nervous, are we?" Neal muttered as they reached the bottom of the staircase. He pried her fingers from his arm.

"Give it a rest, Meathead," Kel retorted, eyes scanning the room again.

Neal rolled his eyes. "Still calling me pet names? Ah, well – I like it when they talk dirty."

Kel eyed him. "You are vulgar," she told him.

"What's all this? Dirty talk? Pet names?" said a familiar voice. "Why don't I have one?"

Kel whirled around and blushed. Dom grinned.

"Perhaps I'd better leave you two alone," said Neal quickly. "You know, to figure all this out." He rocketed off, ignoring Kel's glare.

"Ha, ha, ha," Kel laughed weakly. "Look at him . . . er . . . go."

What was wrong with her? She had never acted this way around Dom before, and she had had a crush on him for years! Why was it different now that someone knew about it?

Because now you have someone else expecting you to do something about your crush, Kel answered herself.

Fingers lightly brushed her forehead. "Knock, knock," Dom singsonged. "Is that a private conversation with yourself, or can anyone join in?"

"I'm sorry," Kel said hurriedly, reddening as she talked. "I was just . . . thinking about something."

"Obviously," Dom drawled, sounding remarkably like Neal. "Well, if you aren't too busy thinking, would you care to dance?"

"No!" Kel blurted. Dom looked confused as well as disheartened. Kel rushed on. "I mean, no, I don't mind." Dom raised his eyebrows as Kel closed her eyes and finished. "Yes, I'd love to dance." Talk about closing the door after the horse has bolted, she thought. Gods, he must think I've suddenly gone daft! Talking like a Court lady, blushing at every remark. What is wrong with me tonight?"

But then Dom took her hand and led her to the floor, and she forgot all her concerns at his touch.

They went out to the dance floor, and just before Kel fell into a zone without thought, only feeling, she noticed a big lump behind a curtain, and grinned.

***

"I truly hate these things," muttered Raoul and Buri to each other at the same time as they hid behind a curtain. Then they both laughed at the same time, and turned puppy dog eyes to each other at the same time, and wrapped themselves in each other's arms at the same time.

"But I truly love you," said Buri after they separated, looking up over a foot into his eyes.

"And I, you," added Raoul. They began to kiss again.

Alanna walked past the lump, and rolled her eyes. People are so weird when they're in love, she thought, disgusted.

***

Alanna strode towards Jon, on the seat of honor. She reached his throne, and before she could say anything, he started to talk.

"Alanna! I'm so glad to see you! You look absolutely fabulous. Do you like my new tunic? I had it specially made for the ball, and . . ." he kept going, but Alanna zoned him out until a few minutes later. " . . . and I told him, but I am the King! Ha, ha!"

"Jon, you've told me all this before," Alanna said wearily.

Lord Wyldon, on visit from his home with Squire Owen in tow, snorted almost imperceptibly.

Alanna turned on him, annoyed with his reaction. "Do you have something to say, my Lord Wyldon?"

"Only that he's told everyone that — you're no one special, Sir Alanna." He practically spat the title out.

Alanna snapped. After having avoided the first known female would-be knight in over a century for eight years due to this man, staying out of the Palace for longer than that, and having his comtempt her entire adult life, she had finally had enough. "All right, that's it, Cavall. Down here. Right now."

Wyldon raised his eyebrows in amusement. "I beg your pardon?"

"I'm taking you down. I've had enough. Now get down here."

Wyldon rose gracefully from his seat, unsheathing his sword as she unsheathed hers. They both wore swords as signs of their status. He spoke as he walked up. "Are you sure you want to do this, Sir Alanna?"

"Of course I am! How dare you ask me? You son-of-a –"

"My liege, if you would announce the start of the match?"

" – as well as stuck up, conservative, and conceited –"

"The match begins!"

"– plus, you're uninteresting, vapid, judgmental, to say the least, and ugly, and –"

Lord Wyldon swung his blade up to meet her neck. "I win," he said coolly.

Alanna's eyes bulged. She stared at his blade.

"And the winner is Lord Wyldon, setting a new record for Fastest Completion of a Duel, in four point six seconds!" called Jon.

"You cheated!" Alanna cried.

"I did announce the match," reminded Jon.

"This is impossible!" Alanna shrieked. "I can't lose! Not to him!"

"You just did," reminded Wyldon.

"GAH!" Alanna screamed. She turned and ran from the room.

***

As was his habit, Neal gravitated towards the rather large clump of young ladies, surrounded by an atmosphere of young men. Using methods only known to him, Neal quickly made his way to nearly the center of the group, where he immediately caught the eye of one particular lady.

That lady was tall and slender, and moved with a willow's languid grace. She had shining tresses of light blonde hair that cascaded to her waist in perfect ringlets. The lady wore a dark green gown that fit her like a glove, and she eyed Neal appreciatively with baby blue eyes.

Hips swaying, she cat-walked over to him. "Hello," she murmured, her voice low and breathy. "I'm Lady Desdemona." She held out one perfect hand, expecting him to do something to it.

Neal opened his mouth to reply, and Desdemona toppled over to the left with a screech.

"Oh dear! How could that possibly have happened?" cried a young lady to the right of where Desdemona used to be. The new lady quickly retracted her elbow back to her side. "Someone help the Lady Desdemona! She has fallen!" Six young men stampeded towards the fallen paragon.

Neal blinked, confused. He turned to the second lady and took in her appearance.

The lady was shorter, and sturdier. She had dark brown hair that fell flat as an iron past her shoulders, and she studied him with amused brown eyes. The gown she had on was a dark red color that looked well with her hair.

The faintest glimmer of a smile appeared on Neal's face. He coughed politely and gestured towards the lady struggling to right herself. "Did you —?" He left the last part of the question hanging, unsure what to say.

She shrugged. "Mona had it coming."

Neal's smile became more evident, but before he had a chance to say anything, he was pushed aside by the furious Desdemona.

"Kate!" she shouted, livid with rage. "You did that on purpose!"

"Did what?" asked the burgundy dress girl, the picture of innocence.

"Pushed me over! I felt it!"

"Oh, that. I'm sorry. I was gesturing, like this," she demonstrated with a waving hand, "As I talked with . . . "

At Kate's expectant glance, Neal realized he was supposed to introduce himself. "Sir Nealan," he supplied.

" . . . with Sir Nealan, here, and you just happened to be in the way of my elbow." Kate finished and stuck her hands on her hips.

"You liar! I felt it! It wasn't any gesture! It was a purposeful thing! I was attacked!" Desdemona began to cry, fat tears rolling down her cheeks. Kate looked at her with disgust.

"You saw, didn't you, Sir Nealan?" asked Desdemona suddenly, turning her tearful eyes towards Neal, who jumped with surprise. He hadn't expected to be brought into this conversation.

"Yes, what did you see, Sir Nealan?" asked Kate quietly.

"Er . . ." stuttered Neal, trying for more time.

"Come on, out with it!" Kate said.

"Well . . . this lady," Neal said, gesturing to Kate, "Was just . . . waving to me. Her elbow barely touched you, Lady Desdemona, and you fell over. So . . . she was telling the truth," he lied.

Kate grinned.

Desdemona pressed her lips together and glared scathingly at Neal when people around her sniggered. She walked off in a huff, followed by her entourage.

"Now then," said Kate, still grinning, once they had left. "Where were we?"

Neal grinned back. "I think I was just about to ask you to dance," he said.

"Don't you want to know my name?"

Neal blinked. "Er . . . sure."

"I'm the Lady Katharine," she said, curtseying. She wobbled tremendously, and almost fell over. Neal grabbed her shoulder to keep her from toppling. "Call me Kate," she added, straightening up with a reddening face.

"And I'll just be Neal," he told her. "Er . . . aren't you supposed to have mastered curseying by now?" he asked.

"Well, yes. But we practiced in flat shoes, and as you can see . . . " Kate lifted the hem of her gown to reveal small feet with unnaturally stubby toes teetering on extremely tall heels.

"Ah," Neal said. "I understand." He offered his arm, to escort her to the dance floor.

"Thank you," she said, and gripped his arm as she bent over. Surprised at first, Neal laughed out loud when he saw what she was doing.

"Excuse me for just one minute," Kate said when she straightened. She walked over to an open window and chucked her shoes out it, then returned. She curtseyed, this time without wobbling, and accepted his arm. "Let's dance."

***

Dom whirled Kel carefully around the dance floor, neither one too sure of their footing. Kel stared off over his left shoulder, and he didn't look at her. It was decidedly uncomfortable, and neither of them wanted to realize why.

"So," Dom finally said, trying to make conversation. "How is life as a 'Lady Knight?' " he asked, slightly teasing her.

Kel tilted her head just a little bit up to look him in the eyes. "Nothing special."

Dom grinned, and quickly averted his eyes, casting them just downwards. Suddenly he reddened, and coughed. "Er . . . you have something on your neck."

Horrified, Kel clapped a hand to her neck. She felt a slight pain. Wasn't that where the sparrow had pecked her? It was, she suddenly remembered. She had caught sight of the injury in the mirror while she was getting ready — it hadn't even broken the skin, it was just a little red mark on her neck, perhaps the size of a dime . . .

Kel realized what Dom thought it was. "No!" she exclaimed, trying to salvage her dignity. "It's not that!" Dom grinned, obviously disbelieving her. "Truly! I swear by all the gods! It's not that! A sparrow pecked me! I swear!"

"You sound awfully guilty for someone who just got 'pecked by a sparrow,' " Dom stated, starting to smile.

"You don't believe me? You don't believe me! I don't believe it! This is unbelievable!" Kel ranted, still dancing in his arms.

Dom put his finger against her lips, effectively silencing her. Kel's heart pounded. "I believe you," he whispered. "Now forget it. Dance." He pulled her closer and they continued to twirl gracefully around the floor, leaving Kel with more than a red mark to try and hide.

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Hehe, that chapter was exceptionally fun to write! I hope you liked it! now review! REVIEW, KNAVES! NOW! *coughs* oops, sorry, my bitch side got the best of me. but seriously. Press the periwinkle button and let me know what you think.

Oh, serious question: is the story interesting enough to justify me being in it? and it's only a mary sue if you're perfectamondo, right? Hhhrrrrm. Tell me what you think.