Disclaimer: Disclaimer? What disclaimer??? *ducks as random objects are thrown at me* ack! Don't sue me!!!!! They all belong to Tamora Pierce, and let me tell you. She's kinda scary in reality.....*shudder*

Author's Note: Actually, I really don't care who she's paired up with, that is between Joren, Neal, and Cleon. Though I must say I like Neal better than Cleon. Which means if it's Neal, I don't care, I just read. But, oh well. Enjoy! ^-^ (This is so I don't get anybody mad at me for making it Kel/Joren, cuz then I get people saying, 'Didn't you read book blah, blah, blah? They hate each other. Well, that's one of the ups of fanfics, you can have whatever you want happen. So there!) *sweatdrop* (Finally...) Also, another note. This is pretty short, and it's pretty stupid because I don't want to actually go into the 'essay' itself, and please don't kill me, but I'm such a procrastinator. I could have had this up two weeks ago, but no, I was lazy about typing it up, plus, fanfiction.net wouldn't let me upload the document and then i decided to not have it be a text document, because I had a bunch of thought lines and stuff, and yea....@_@

~Thanks to all you guyz who reviewed. 17!!! YAY!!! I feel I should thank everyone personally...I owe you guyz that much~

Bunny - Actually...I'm curious too about what will happen with the essay on what was the topic again? Um....*sweatdrop* Anyway, that's going to be a little easier because I don't have to add dialogue and stuff. It'll be like a paper for English. (And the Princess Bride is a really good movie)

DaniSue - Thanx a lot. I need the positive reviews.

Zenin - Actually...I didn't read Squire before I wrote this, all I knew was that Joren died.

tarepandagirl - lol. Laurie. Coming from someone who hates Joren, your comment meant a lot. (Sorry for not chopping off his head too, I prolly should have, but that would mean I would have had to find a way to fuse the head with the body)

Kaytee - Groovy Lady, thanx!

Angel-Goddess - Thanx!

Squire Kali - I like the sprite too! I can mess with the character as much as I like, and people can't tell me OOC.

Wow - Thanx!

Keita - wow...I got your review close to a year ago. I assume this isn't ASAP, is it? I waited too long...*sweatdrop* oops. Anyway, thanx for your review, It kinda got me going again on the story.

Poo - What can I say? I'm a sucker for sappiness.

Free2BMe - Thanx!

Kat - I'm thinking about alternate endings, but you guys have to tell me what exactly you're looking for. (Read the bottom author notes)

Charlotte - Yepperz. Princess Bride!

Venus Smurf - Yea, it would be the perfect exchange, provided I can write. Heh. Anywayz...I'm working on the chapter bit and stuff, but there's still more.

SilverRaven - cookie? Where? Lol. Anyway, I know this isn't soon, and I could have put this up quite awhile ago, but I'm a procrastinator as previously stated. Oops.

Garnet-Scorpion - *sweatdrop* Finishing could take a while.

DaughterofDeath - new chapter!

Again, thanks so much for everything. So...on with the fic!
Ordeal
By Sapphire Jewel


Joren drew in a sharp breath as thoughts rushed through his head, while the sound of blood pounding in his ears was deafening. "To never see Kel again?" He groaned inwardly.
"Make up your mind already," an impatient voice split the roar. "I don't have all day." The sprite tapped her foot, which proved quite comical seeing how it had no desired effect of looking even the slightest bit fierce, at which Kel had to stifle a giggle that very nearly escaped. The little blonde then proceeded to glare at the obscenely tall squire. "If you're gonna be all evil about it, I'll just leave. Meanie!!! (A/N: thanks, tyler)"
It made a move to disappear when Joren stopped her with pleading eyes, "Please, please, please, don't go." (A/N: Can anyone actually envision that???)
The tiny creature huffed slightly, "Well, hurry up and make up your mind." (A/N: Anyone else sensing a theme here?)
"I'll take my chances, so count me in," he stated with a backward smile at Kel. "Don't worry. I have no intention to fail. I _will_ be back," the boy hugged her loosely, and blushed when he pecked her momentarily on the cheek before stepping into a black void with a determined glint shining in his eyes.

*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*
Sapphire: Portkeys!!!
Sprite: *glares* What do you mean portkeys? They don't exist in this world! What you
lucky dogs just witnessed was the awesome power of my sk-
Sapphire: -puny self, but there's no reason to insult me and insinuate I'm a bitch!
Sprite: Well, yesh there was. But what do you mean by PUNY SELF?????? I could beat
you with my hands tied behind my back!
Sapphire: *scoffs* As if. You're 6 inches tall. I won't have to try to deck you. All I would
have to do is simply 'accidently' step on you.
Sprite: NO! DIE, YOU FIEND!!!
Sapphire: You can't kill me! *fakes panic* I haven't even finished the chapter! You'll
miss another scene with you in it!
Sprite: *growls* Hurry up then! Make up your mind!
Sapphire: ...That made absolutely no sense whatsoever, and stop trying to bite me!
*chases sprite around the room*
*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*

Joren landed in the midst of a relatively large, but cozy, room. His eyes were drawn over the room, passing over the black couch to the bed. Ooh....the bed. What caught his eye was the valiant Gryffindor colors of red and gold. He snorted quietly, "I'm not a courageous hero. I'm nothing but a conniving snake." The light blond allowed his eyes to take in the rest of the details: privy in the back separated by a door, dancing multicolor lights, and random books strewn over the floor. Finally, he focused on the spacious, highly polished, ebony wood of the darkest hue, coolest hue, and yea...But anyway, there were three items that adorned the desktop: paper, quill, and ink.
Joren's breath hitched when it suddenly hit him that those very three items would decide his final destiny: an eternity of solitude without his love, or a future with Kel. "It's now or never..." and he settled down to start when low and behold...the little demonic horror, or more commonly known as the puny thing called a sprite, appeared again.
"You, Joren of Stone Mountain, have one day and one day alone to complete the task set before you. I will return at the end of the 24 hours and retrieve your hopefully finished parchment. Kapish?"
"Kapish? Who in the seven hells uses that anymore?"
The sprite answered smugly, "I thought it might add a little 'pizzaz' to my script."
"Ah, shove it," growled a now slightly irritated teen.
The more than petite blonde huffed angrily. "Fine, be that way," she stuck out her tongue immaturely like a 5-year-old. "I'll be back in 24. Do your best and I'll see ya 'round, loser," then she disappeared in a flash of bright lights.
Joren muttered, "Loser, as if. Look who's talking, show off," and set to work.

*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*

(VERY short Joren POV)
I quickly set to work (deja vu, deja vu!) at the lovely ebony desk and dipped the quill in the ink when I realized I drew blank on what to write! AH!!! However, I quickly regained my composure and quietly collected my thoughts on a piece of spare parchment, although, I do confess...eventually the paper turned into a mushy love note for Kel.

~3 hours pass, 21 more to go!~

(end of very short Joren POV)

Scattered parchment lay on the floor surrounding our novel's vil-er...hero. Still no further than he was 3 hours, 2 minutes, and 27 seconds ago, Joren continued staring at the ink-blotted scraps in depression. He sighed deeply, "I suppose I should start with the dictionary to get an idea of where this thing should go." (A/N: They didn't have dictionaries back then, did they? Ah, well...screw. Oh, by the way, be forewarned, the next part will be really boring and stupid because I really don't want to give anything about the actual essay thingy which I still have to write up)
He glanced up fervently at the bold numbers glowing above the dark ebony desk that showed the countdown on time. "7 more hours...I'm doomed," The platinum blond stared at the emerald sprawls of writing, "I've only got a paragraph or two..."

~an hour passes~


"I'm doomed. I'm gonna die of hunger," the slightly bloodshot eyes looked at the clock. "Another 5 hours, 58 minutes? I'm not gonna last." He glanced down again at his destiny-decider and thought of Kel. "Ah, Kel...with her luscious ruby red lips, stubborn shin, glinting eyes of determination...who couldn't fall in love with her? Ooh....and her hands..." Joren daydreamed. "Those talented, skilled, and calloused hands caressing my face...or punching my fact..." he added thoughtfully, but he quickly cleared his head of the rest of the oncoming thoughts after turning a bright crimson. (A/N: *cough, cough*) However, he soon diverted his attention to the task at hand. "Hm...love...I suppose it's a feeling that's often masked by hate...to quote Shakespeare, 'My only love sprung from my only hate,' So...should I actually start with hate? With the entire, 'There's a thin line between love and hate?' Argh..." Joren sighed in frustration. "At this rate I'll never get done!" (A/N: *sigh* Same goes with this fic...please don't kill me...-_-;;)
"Ya got that right," the sprite had returned. "You only got 5 hours left."
The human growled, "But 5 is plenty to beat you to pulp," as he threw the most convenient object at that time (not counting the inkwell, quill, good parchment, desk, chair, etc) with alarming speed and accuracy that pinned the little fairy/faerie creature to the wall successfully for all of...5 seconds.
"*gasp* What are you doing??? *wheeze* Are you crazy?! *another gasp* You're not supposed to try to kill me with this,"she gestured at the object also known as a book in the 3 realms, "thing. Besides," her face turned smug. "I'm immortal. I can't be killed!" she stated triumphantly.
Joren scowled, "Sod off, you old hag."
"OLD?!?!" the little sprite screeched at the top of her lungs. "I'M NOWHERE NEAR OLD!" she quickly regained her temper. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm only a century old, and as you can tell, no where near as ugly as a hag."
The mortal smirked. "Fine, conceited brat."
"Why, you! I oughta-" but she never finished the threat on the tip of her tongue because she suddenly began to dissipate into dust. The last fading words were, "You're lucky I'm not the one judging you!" her fist vanishing last as it shook in fury, leaving the blond boy alone once more.
"Well...there's inspiration if I ever needed some, not like it really helped..." the lanky teen sighed heavily. "She's right, though. I've really got to start getting somewhere," at this a thoughtful glance was spared to the parchment on the desk. He groaned in frustration as he read the words scribbled across the top, "Kel, my love, my pearl, shall death part us forevermore? Or shall this test be conquered like the dragon and you will remain by my side for eternal bliss? Alas, I fear of the former..." The paper quickly joined the growing pile of crumpled drafts as he started once more, more determined than ever to complete his test and learn of his fate.
The quill hesitantly sketched out the beginning of his destiny-decider as the time quickly passed...
"I know this sounds corny, but I haven't another way to start, but here goes..."

*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*

Author's Notes:
Flames? Comments? Anything?!? So just review, please...onegai? Come on, I'm begging here. Oh, yeah, you can also e-mail me at kokoryhurra_dragon@yahoo.com with flames, suggestions, etc. Please don't go on about grammatical errors or spelling errors. I should use spell check but I'm too lazy.

Sorry to those of you who wanted Cleon/Kel or Neal/Kel. My original plan was Joren/Kel. I will not be changing it to match your wishes...Though, if you can get at least ten people to ask, I'll consider it and write another version for you people out there, alright? Also, I need a vote on who wants him to fail or to succeed. I can try two different endings there too.

My whole entire outline of the story is down in my head, so...I have most of the ideas down. The only problem is actually writing it. *sigh* I'll have it up ASAP. Which hopefully will not mean another year or two. I'm really surprised people could still find my story after a year. Wow....