A/N- sorry it took so long to update but **shrugs** I couldn't be bothered to update. Please don't hurt me though! I am extremely strong and have lovely biceps… Well I had a dream that lots of men were feeling my bicep and going "Oooo…" Well on with the story! I really need to stop rambling.

Chapter 8- Here comes Hatty! (A/N- and Neal! Yey!)

Inside the armoury where Stella had lain not long ago stood Hatty! She looked around and blinked her hazel eyes looking rather slow. "This doesn't look like my bedroom," stated Hatty slowly.

Emily gave Hatty a "God you're stupid look" and said, "Really Hatty? I think it looks rather a lot like your bedroom."

Cecily shook her head. "No it doesn't! Gosh you two are really stupid sometimes." Cecily turned to Jihui and rolled her eyes and Jihui just gave her a shaky smile.

Emily suddenly realised she had come here for a reason. "Where's Stella? She can't have just disappeared."

"Or maybe she has," piped up Cecily. "Maybe she learnt a new magic trick." Cecily then squealed. (A/N- not very Cecily like but, meh.) "Maybe she's playing hide and seek. Let's go find her."

As Cecily turned to go find Stella Jihui grabbed her collar. "Oh no you don't!"

Cecily pouted. Then Hatty asked again, "Um… Where am I?"

Emily clapped her hand on Hatty's shoulder. "I'll tell you on the way to the infirmary. Maybe Stella's there."

~*~

Tat was walking back to her room when she heard a large commotion coming from the Pages wing. She heard a boy shout and then an animal squeal. Tat ran towards the noise. As she rounded a corner she gasped. A twelve-year-old boy stood over a cowering purple chinchilla. Purple? Thought Tat.

She shook her head and headed over to the boy. She grabbed his wrist as his arm came down to hit the creature. "Stop that right now!" yelled Tat.

The boy turned to look at her and shook his hand from her grip. "This is no business of yours Lady," the boy stated simply. "This creature is wrong. It shouldn't be alive."

This pushed Tat over the edge. "You shut up you silly little boy! You doo doo head!" She pushed him down and picked up the cowering chinchilla being as gentle as possible. "It's all right," she cooed. "You're safe now."

~*~

"So I'm now in Tortall?" asked Hatty still rather shocked.

Emily nodded. "That's right even though I have no idea how you got here with out Grace's magic sieve."

Hatty jumped up and down clapping and singing, "I'm in Tortall! I'm in Tortall!"

Jihui laughed. "Right…"

Emily calmed down Hatty and they continued towards the infirmary. Cecily opened the door and strolled in. Then once all of them had entered what they saw caused them to fall to the ground laughing.

Stella was hanging onto Neal with all her might. Neal had a look of pure terror in his eyes. "Help!" he mouthed to the girls. They just laughed and walked towards Stella.

Jihui started tickling under Stella's arms then stopped when she got no reaction. "I'm not ticklish," said Stella in a singsong voice.

Cecily rubbed her chin with her fingers looking deep in thought. She then grinned. "I have an idea. I learnt this at the bus stop once with Grace." She pointed out the window and, in a most melodramatic way, shouted, "My goodness! It's Tamora Pierce flying on a dragon throwing down books to all those outside."

Stella yanked her arms from around Neal, turned around and peered out the window. "Where? Where?" she asked hurriedly.

Neal chuckled. "Thanks." He wiped his brow.

Stella turned around and pouted. "Where'd she go?"

~*~

Grace lay happily next to Frey watching the clouds. Finally she broke the silence. "What ya thinkin' about?"

Frey turned to lie on his side, resting on his elbow. Grace did the same. "About you. And about how pretty you are."
Grace blushed. "Oh sure!" Grace spoke, voice dripping with sarcasm. "And I was thinking about how to express my dieing love to you."

Frey sat up and flung his arms out like a player. "I admit I feel the same way about you my love! My visage if divine beauty!"

Grace poked him in the ribs. "I see you do take after your Uncle in some things."

Frey held his hand to his forehead. "Alas it is true. I do tend to act… slightly over the top."

Grace giggled. "Sure, slightly."

Frey frowned. "Yes that's rights, slightly."

Grace went back to watching the clouds. "Ok."

They both lay there for a few minutes before they heard something in the bushes. Frey scrambled to get to his feet whilst Grace pulled herself up into a kneeling position. From the bushes burst… Dom!

Grace flew to her feet and pulled Dom into a hug. "DOM!" she yelled with joy.

Dom sighed. "The curse of being handsome."
Frey shook his head. "Older men get all the girls."

~*~
Grace followed Dom and Frey back to the castle. "Where are we going?"

Dom glared at her. "I told you three times already. We're going to a meeting with the King, Alanna, Neal, Daine and Numair. He feels what happened to Stella could mean more is to come and you girls need to know how to defend yourselves."
Grace nodded. "I got ya."

Frey took her hand. "Oh my sweet if anything should happen to you I would kill myself just to stop the pain!"

Grace pulled away her hand and stuck her tongue out at him. "No you wouldn't, you'd complain and whine but wouldn't do a single thing."
He chuckled. "Yep you're right there."

Dom opened the door to the council room and closed it behind them.

The King stood at the head of the room and the rest of the girls were already seated. Grace slipped in next to Hatty without thinking at all about where she had come from. Frey leaned on the back of Grace's high backed chair. The King then coughed to end Cecily's staring contest with Stella.

The King cleared his throat and began, "My Ladies I fear that someone is plotting to bring harm to you, your fief and the crown. A mage took over Lady Stella's body whilst she sparred with Lady Emily and I believe tried to kill her." When Stella opened her mouth to explain herself the King held up his hand to silence her. "No need for explanations my dear but we will have to make sure you can defend yourselves."

Alanna then continued, "Whoever of you wants may join the Page training for as long as you are here."
"Anyone with the Gift may work with me," added Numair.

"Those of you with Wild Magic can learn with me," piped in Daine.

Tat pulled out a purple chinchilla from under the desk. "I don't think any of us have Wild Magic."
Daine looked at Tat and smiled then looked to her chinchilla. The rest of the room stared at her. "What?"

Grace then stood up knocking back her chair and Frey. "Where did Hatty come from?" she asked flabbergasted.

"So nice to see you finally noticed me," said Hatty crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yes, Lady Hatty appeared today in the armoury. We do not know exactly where from…"

Daine continued what she was going to say to Tat. "You have Wild Magic Tat. You saved your little friend there I believe. At least that's what he tells me."
"He's called Hippodrome," beamed Tat proudly.

Grace stifled a laugh. "Hippodrome."

Tat glared at her and Grace sat back down looking at her lap. The King then finished. "May I know what you ladies would like to do?"

"I wanna be a knight!" yelled Grace happily.

Alanna smiled. "I'm certain that can be arranged.

"I wanna be a knight too," came Jihui's voice.

"And me," squealed Emily.

"Me too!" That was Stella but the author could think of no more good word to say "Said."

Alanna nodded. "I'll sort that out with Lord Padraig. He after all is the training master."

Cecily coughed meaningfully. Most eyes turned to her. "I would like to work with master Numair."

Numair walked over and clapped her on the shoulder. "Perfect. You have a fine Gift. Strong. You'll do well with me."

"I'd like to be a knight too," came Hatty's voice. She appeared to of been a little slow on the uptake when the others had said they would like to train as pages.

Alanna nodded just so Hatty understood she heard.

"I think I should learn Wild Magic with Daine then," said Tat.

Daine looked into Tat's eyes then to Hippodrome. She giggled apparently in on a personal joke. "Hippodrome and I both believe that is a good idea."
The King then clapped his hands together. "Then that's all sorted. Now, who wants food?"

A/N- ok I hope you liked this chapter and if you read it and don't review I will send a large, talking donkey after you to bite you! Mwa haha! That was my evil laugh by the way. Kind of pathetic I know… Oh well! Hope you enjoyed. More of me soon.