I found out that there was going to be a ball in a few days, and so I set my plan in motion. I went up to Hayley two days before the ball and told her I wanted her to do my makeup and all for the event, I wanted to look so damn gorgeous that the King would bow to me. (Maybe not that far, but yeah, a girl can dream…)

Hayley was obviously surprised—she'd even bit her tongue to show me her surprise—and quickly agreed before I'd "change my mind".

In fact, she was very excited, so excited that she wanted to practice it all on me at that moment, but I looked at her with horror and screamed that one time would scar me, I didn't want it to kill me…

Then, all I had to do was write a note to Roald, telling him to pick me up at nine o'clock and we're ready to go.

And I did, the morning of the ball.



Roald,

Pick me up at nine.

Love,

Reem



Clear, simple and to the point.

So there I was, half an hour before the ball, clad in a gorgeous satin black dress that I'd borrowed from Serena, and the makeup light but adding that extra bit to my absolutely fabulous looks. Emphasis on fabulous. Note the sarcasm.

The door knocked.

My heart raced.

'Coming!' my voice croaked. I got up and took a deep breath as I looked in the mirror.

The black, long satin dress slimmed my muscle-toned body a tad, the silver belt that held gorgeous studded-diamonds sparkled prettily and "lit my eyes", as Hayley had said when I'd wore it to give her an idea of what colours she would pick for my makeup.

I looked at my reflection again, the black net-shawl over my shoulders with a mocking smile on my face as I privately laughed at the mess I was. My hair was tied back in a bun, while a few curls bounced down around my face.

The knocking on the door made me jump and take another deep breath as I opened it.

I let it out and said in disappointment, 'Khalil.'

'It's great to see you too, gorgeous,' he said, grinning.

I rolled my eyes and pulled him in, poked my head out and looked towards either end of the dorm corridors and then shut the door.

'I thought you didn't like dressing up?' Khalil said, sitting on the bed.

I screwed up my nose in obvious disgust. 'I don't!'

He raised his eyebrows and nodded his head towards me. 'Then what's all that about?'

'A silly scheme.'

He chuckled. 'I should be used to your evil hatchings by now…but I'm not! Well whatever it is you're doing, I don't wanna know, that way I got nothin' to hide from the King if he wants to torture the information out of me. In fact, I don't even know you!'

'Yeah, yeah! You coward! Don't even stick by your best mate!' I said, poking a finger into his chest in accusation with a smile.

'Yeah, I can say exactly the same about you too!' he replied, grinning and poking me back.

'Nah uh, I stuck up for you at school, when those girls you went out with…in ONE NIGHT…found you out and decided to thrash you. I helped you out then! Didn't run off like a—'

'Well how about that time when that gang had tried to thrash you? You'd made fun of the gang leader's sister, and he was pretty pissed, so he came after ya…and I helped you, as always! So what do you think about th—'

'That's pitiful!' I cut in. 'Remember the time that girl you went out with in year ten? The Asian one with the nice eyes? Remember the boyfriend she had, and had never told you about? But he found out about you? Well, I got you out of it—'

'—by bashing the life out of the guy and ending him up in hospital, with a broken body? I'm surprised he didn't charge you for assa—'

'It's called SELF DEFENSE!'

'Sure it is,' Khalil replied mockingly.

I was about to "playfully" punch him when the door knocked and I took a sharp intake of breath before turning to Khalil with questioning eyes. 'Do I look ok? Presentable?'

Khalil laughed. 'What do you think?! You spent well over bloody four hours getting ready! Or so Serena told me. That's a new record, your old record was ONE minute, what's happened to you?' He actually had a frown on his face, a disappointed frown.

The door knocked again.

'JUST A MINUTE!' I shouted and turned back to Khalil, smiling grimly. 'Really, this is just a payback.'

He smirked and then bent down and kissed my cheek. 'Have fun then!'

'You're not coming!?'

'Ah, no, I promised to take Serena out, and she didn't want to go to the ball, said it wasn't private enough for her,' he said, grinning.

I chuckled and rolled my eyes. 'Young love! Well, I'd better go now…thanks for dropping by! See ya!'

I opened the door and took Roald's arm in mine and steered him towards the ballroom, noticing his look of utter shock and hiding a small, triumphant smile behind my shawl.

'What did they do to you?' he gaped.

I stopped in my tracks and dropped his arm. I raised an eyebrow as my mouth carved into a sly smile. 'What? Do I look terrifying or something?'

'No…no, you—I, well…' he floundered. 'You look absolutely amazing.'

'Oh?'

He laughed, 'You know you do, I can read that look on your face very clearly.'

'What look?' I asked innocently.

'That look! The one saying 'oh-he's-fallen-in-the-trap-now'…'

'Oh you're exaggerating, I'm just thinking it's a gorgeous night for a couple to be out in.'

'Yes. It is,' he said, gently slipping my hand into his rather large, gripping one. Blood rushed through me too quickly, and I felt myself actually blushing as I pulled the shawl tighter around my shoulders against the cold, gusty wind.

Moments later, we arrived at the ball room, my head held up as I walked past the women who'd mocked me the last time at the ball.

They didn't recognize me this time, and were smiles only as Roald and me glided past them, Roald's eyes ahead of him and mine at the Throne of the Royalties.

I grinned nastily at Jon as he looked at me and gasped, shock obvious on his face. He had been talking to a pompous-looking man but when he'd seen me with Roald, arms linked, he'd stopped. And looked.

Roald bowed and I curtsied—not too brilliantly, but as gracefully as possible. It was all part of the childish plan I'd thought of after the argument with Jon.

I winked at Jon as he babbled a greeting to Roald.

He frowned at me and uttered a dismissal, but I said, loud enough for him to hear but soft enough for no one else to, 'You can't win Jon, he's already mine.'

I didn't give him a chance to answer, I led Roald off and away into a quiet corner where we could hear each other talk against the loud instruments playing and the chatter of ladies and gents.

'My father can't win what?' Roald demanded.

I scowled at myself privately for not being as evilly sly as I should've been. 'Oh, nothing. Private joke.'

'Uh-huh,' Roald replied with a grim smile, disbelief obvious on his face.

'Anyway,' I said quickly, 'let's dance!'

And so we did, and soon, Jon came over and cut in, asking "politely" for a dance with me. I smiled and nodded just as politely in return as he took my hand and waltzed with me.

'What have you got planned for tonight, Reem?' he whispered, a knowing smile on his face.

My eye twinkled. 'Oh, nothing your Majesty! What could I possible have planned for this brilliant, bubbly ball? It's already perfect without my plans!'

'Oh…now that I'd never believe. Out with it. What have you plotted?'

'Your Majesty! You mock my innocence!' I replied with an exaggerated hurt look plastered on my face.

'Innocence? Any innocence left in you deserted you a long, long time ago. And so did your common sense, discipline, self-assessment and—'

'And my brain?' I cut in, laughing. 'What about my sanity? I'm afraid my sanity betrayed me the day I was born!'

Jon chuckled. 'True.'

'But insanity can be innocent and pure. And so I am, innocent to the degree of insanity!'

Jon made a face at me. 'That coming from a person lacking a brain?'

'Is that a compliment?'

'If it was, then I'm a God,' Jon stated dryly.

'Well, I bow to thee, O God of Sexiness!' I mock-praised, bowing my head with a grin.

He laughed and then glanced at me with a thoughtful look. 'I still don't trust you, Reem. I know you're very put out with me, and I don't blame you. But my reasons stand, just don't do anything illegal, all right? I don't want to have to arrest you. I'm quite fond of you as a matter of fact.'

'The God favours me! Bow down to me, all of you!' I exclaimed.

Jon grinned and rolled his eyes. 'How old are you? Three?'

'Oh, but I can act far older than that,' I said, grinning as I stroked his cheek smoothly.

He raised an eyebrow and rolled his eyes again. 'You have absolutely no respect for your King whatsoever.'

'No, no I don't. But you can change that you know!' I exclaimed, mock- excited.

'Oh?'

'Mmhmm! All you gotta do…is let me do what I want!'

He burst out laughing and shook his head, as if with "sympathy" for my shortage of brain cells. 'I'm sure every noble would love that.'

'But they don't want what I want,' I responded, my eyes boring into his, emphasising on what I'd just said.

'And what do you want?' he asked.

I leant over and whispered into his ear, 'You.'

He broke into a coughing spasm and his face turned beetroot red.

'Jon, are you ok?' I asked, feigning concern as I pounded his back to get him breathing again.

After a while, he quieted down and looked at me with two wide eyes.

'You…are evil.'

I smiled gently, 'Why thank you, your Majesty. That is of the highest compliments you've given me today.'

He made a face at me as we stepped back into the "dance floor" and waltzed away.

'But,' I added, 'you even admitted that you were fond of me!'

'So?'

'So you're in love with me. As well.'

The look on his face was too unbearable, and I burst out laughing. He had looked so utterly traumatized; it was as if I'd told him he had an hour to live.

'Come on, rate me…out of ten,' I encouraged him with a winsome smile.

I suppose he decided to play my game and pulled me closer to him, so that I was face-to-face. 'It depends on what you're talking about.'

If I hadn't been melting before, I was evaporating now.

Up-close, he was even more amazingly sexy and heart melting, I had to count to ten before I could talk without sounding like too much of the lovesick, obsessed freak that I was.

'Ah…my looks,' I finally murmured, my eyes wide as my heart skipped a few beats—which might have been bad, but I was too busy gawking at Jon to care.

'Easy,' Jon declared. 'Eleven.'

He swung me back away, 'Especially tonight.'

I was practically squeaking. 'Quit trifling my maiden's heart! You're married for God's sake!'

Jon raised an eyebrow. 'That hadn't seemed to worry you a few moments ago.'

He pulled me back in, and I ended up with my arms around his neck, having to go on my tiptoes since I was so damn short.

'I'm young, I'll learn, you're supposed to be the guiding adult!' I said.

The song ended, the King laughed and walked me back to my little, private corner, where I glared at him.

I hadn't expected him to "retaliate". I'd thought, yeah I'd win him over and then bug the hell out of him, but I hadn't expected him to play my game.

'So you insist?' Jon asked.

'What?!'

'To go on leading on Roald and then pulling out and breaking his heart at the last minute?'

My eyebrows shot up in surprise and I shook my head after a few seconds. 'No! I never plan on that, ever!'

'Mm.'

I scowled at Jon.

I was serious.

I hadn't really planned out this trip to Tortall, hadn't really mapped it out and said "Oh, I'm gonna end up with Roald!"…well maybe I'd daydreamed about it, swapping Roald for Jon though.

But did I want just that now? I thought somberly.

Maybe…

All I knew was that I loved being around Roald, loved the sound of his voice, his mesmerizing sapphire eyes, his dark skin, his way of thinking, the way he dressed…

Did that mean I was in love?

Or did it just mean I was infatuated with father and son? That Roald was just a second choice to Jon, since I couldn't really get with a married man?

I mean I'd never really considered Roald as my favourite character when I'd read the books, but now he was even beating Alanna and Jon…and that was a pretty huge thing.

And since when did I, the all-around tough one who never looked twice at guys, ever fall in love so lightly? And to a Prince of all people. I could have at least fallen in love with someone I could get with without having competition and strict rules and regulations hanging at my head.

Sighing, I switched back to real life—Tortall that is—and realized Jon was gone, and that I was alone again.

Well, not quite alone actually.

I grimaced and turned to go away, hoping he didn't recognize me. But of course, to my delightfully superb luck, he did and smirked.

'Lady Reem,' Atkin greeted, making out the three syllables into a kazillion ones, as well as making my name sound like a car rolling into gear and setting my teeth on edge as I clenched and unclenched my fists, stopping in my track and turning to look at him with a frozen smile.

'Squire Atkin,' I mumbled, curtsying.

'I see you've been taking etiquette lessons. I suppose that's another addition to your charming traits?'

I forced myself to laugh, my eyes in the process glaring into his, hearing the unspoken.

Surprisingly, his shields were lifted and a few words escaped from his mind.

"assassin" "tomorrow"

My eyes widened and I probably gave myself away, because he gasped and quickly rose up his disturbingly strong shield and muttered a quick goodnight before melting into the crowd—altogether disappearing.

'An assassination tomorrow, obviously,' I whispered to myself, my eyes still wide and unfocused as I thought of a way to tell the King without getting myself mixed up in this.

I did not want another fight; I wanted to fit in here in Tortall. It wasn't like back at home where I didn't care and just let fights happen and allowed my reputation dwindle down to absolutely nothing but horror.

I wanted to live normally, not have to fight for survival, but just live.

But I gave up the notion of telling the King. I mean what would I tell him?

'Yeah, Jon, I read his mind and yeah, I heard "assassin" and "tomorrow" and yeah, they're gonna assassinate someone tomorrow!'

For one, he'd be on my head about my "powers" and I'd be slammed onto a hospital bed and examined by curious and uncaring mage-scientists-kind-of- people.

Two, I didn't have enough information or proof.

So, in conclusion, once again, I had to take care of the situation myself and slam that arsehole, Atkin, in a rotting jail with the rats and evil monkeys outnumbering his puny, brainless self.

I nodded in satisfaction and looked about me, saw that there was no one I knew, and slipped away through the small backdoor near the quiet corner.

Another "dangerous" mystery for me to work out and put my life on hold for.

And another episode where Khalil will find me bleeding somewhere in the Palace, unconscious.