"So, what did you think about the new girl?" Merric questioned his table at dinner.

"I like her. I think she's really nice," Owen stated decidedly.

"She's a little odd, don't you think?" Neal put in.

"Odd? How so?" Merric inquired.

"Not in a bad way, of course. There just aren't many ladies in waiting that are running after pages. Not that I can blame her for running after me.all the girls do after all," Neal answered.

"Neal, I thought we had that talk about separating dreams from reality," Kel teased, finally speaking up.

Owen and Merric laughed at Neal's expense, while Neal glared once again at Kel.

"Why's it always me?" he asked, trying to seem hurt.

"Yes, yes. Everyone picks on poor Neal," Kel stated patronizingly, while rolling her eyes.

"I don't have to take this anymore," Neal stated. "I beg you all to excuse me, as I will retire now before my character must be slandered any further."

"No, you stay," Kel decided. "I gotta get back to my room anyway."

"A pressing engagement with your school books?" Neal asked.

"A pressing engagement that's none of your business," Kel retorted. "I'll see you guys later," she told them, while getting up and walking off.

Neal watched her leave before turning to Merric and Owen. "We aren't going to let her off that easily, are we?"

"What kind of friends would we be if we did?" Merric decided.

As soon as Kel had left the room, Merric, Owen and Neal quickly got up to follow her.

______________

Kel saw Amalia waiting in the hall, gathering a few strange looks from the boys passing by.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," Kel told her, leading Amalia to her room.

"That's okay, don't worry about it. Though, I do feel slightly out of place here," Amalia admitted, shifting her gaze to the boys that loitered in the hallway.

"Not to subtle, are they?" Kel joked, looking around.

"Guess not."

Kel unlocked her room and allowed Amalia to enter before she closed the door and relocked it.

_____________

"Wasn't that the new girl?" Merric asked his complicities.

"Yes," Neal answered. "Now, what would they be doing in there?"

Owen shrugged. "Probably just girl stuff that we don't want to know about..."

"You give the Lump more credit than most. Why would you assume she knew about that girl stuff?" a cold voice asked behind them.

Neal sighed, exasperated. "What do you want?" he inquired, turning to the person that accompanied the voice.

"Now, now, Queenscove, don't get all bothered. I was just wondering who that girl was that was in the hall."

"Her name's Kel, Stone Mountain. I know you're thick, but I'd think you could remember one name," Neal answered him.

"The other one, you idiot," Joren replied, glaring.

"Well, if I'm the idiot then you should be able to figure that out for yourself," Neal answered.

"You know, I expected more than you Queenscove. I would have thought you would act more mature than your friends that happen to be five years younger. I do hope that one day you grow up," Joren told him with a smug smile.

"I do hope that your knight master takes you far away from here and you never return," Neal responded.

"I suppose that is as likely as you growing up," Joren retorted. "Now, I must depart for these childish games, while fine for pages, are not at all suitable for squires."

With that Joren walked off, leaving the rest to complain how irritating he was.

___________

The girls stood in Kel's room, both looking unsure. Amalia was unsure what she was in for, while Kel was unsure how to teach Amalia. She'd taught Lalasa, her maid, but never one of her own social standing and didn't know Amalia well enough to know how she would take things.

Kel cleared her throat. "So, um, what exactly do you want to know?"

Amalia shrugged. "I'm not really sure. Anything...everything...I don't know. I just want to know if I have to I can defend myself. I don't want to win tournaments or anything, just be able to survive..."

Kel gave her a questioning look. "Do you think you're going to be attacked sometime soon?"

Amalia looked somewhat nervous but then smiled. "I'm not that paranoid. I just think all girls should know a little."

"Allright, so defense then," Kel stated.

For the next hour Kel showed Amalia a couple defensive moves that could be used in a variety of situations and then drilled her on them for the remaining time.

The girls sat on the bed once the lesson was over. Amalia was slightly out of breath and sweating more than she had in most of her life. Kel didn't look phased at all.

"That was great, Keladry. Thank you," Amalia told her.

"You can call me Kel; most people do," Kel told her.

Amalia nodded. "Kel, then. Look, I don't want to sound repetitive but are you sure you don't want my help?"

Kel's scowled a little. "I don't need help with anything."

"Look, you're helping me with something that I want to learn how to do, why can't I teach you about what I know? It's not like you had much of a chance to learn about being a lady before you became a knight and I really think it would help you."

"How would it help me?" Kel questioned. "I'm already learning everything I need to be a knight."

"I'm not talking about being a knight, I'm talking about being a girl. I know you must care about it because I see you wearing dresses every once in awhile. And it would help. You might not right now, but sometime you're going to start wanting to get guys attention and there's no one that knows how to do that better than a court lady. Besides, it'd be nice to know that I learned all this trivial knowledge for something."

"Why cant you use it?"

"Well, there's the funny thing. I was forced to learn all the tricks that women use but I'll probably never have to actually use them since my marriage will probably be arranged. Kind of ironic, huh?"

"I guess."

"So what do you say? If you don't like it then I could stop..."

"Well, what are you going to teach me exactly?"

Amalia looked thoughtful. "I'm not exactly sure, to tell the truth. I just figured that would come to me if you agreed. Just about hair, and makeup, and appropriate behavior for females at court."

"Well, earlier you said that you could get guy's attention."

Amalia raised her eyebrows. "Anyone special?"

Kel scowled. "Let's just forget it."

"No, no! Come on, Kel. You can trust me. It's not like I will go around court, spreading your secrets!"

"Its not that big of a deal."

"It's Neal, isn't it?" Amalia asked.

Kel's eyes got a little bigger before she regained her control. "No. There is no one."

"Well, if it's not Neal than we can just practice on him," Amalia decided, eyes twinkling.

"Practice?"

"Without him knowing, of course."

"What exactly are we going to do to him?"\

Amalia burst out laughing. "Don't say it like we're going to perform inhuman experiments on him! I can just show you some lessons. He seems like he wouldn't care too much."

"I don't know about that.I mean, what if he actually starts liking you?"

Amalia shrugged. "Doesn't matter much to me. He's all right. I could do worse for myself."

Kel looked at her shocked. "You can't do that to Neal..."

Amalia rose her eyebrows. "Well, the only thing that could stop me would be if some certain page would tell me the truth about liking him since it's written all over her face."

Kel frowned. "I don't..." she started.

"Fine, fine. We'll debate this later. First, let's go start one of my lessons before the last bell rings."

"What're we going to do?" Kel inquired.

"I'll just show you how to get a strangers attention. You can observe and then we'll figure out later how we can test it. Come on, it'll be fun. Don't you get sick of only doing boy things?"

Kel thought about it. "Fine, but this better not interfere with my training at all."

Amalia laughed. "It won't. Come on."

Kel unlocked the door and they both walked out. After walking in the halls for a little while, Kel spotted Joren. He had been waiting in the page's hall for most of the time, attempting to figure out who that girl was. He wasn't one for mysteries that were left unsolved.

Kel stopped and started to turn around.

"Where are you going?" Amalia questioned.

"I don't want to go that way," Kel stated.

"Why not? What's wrong?"

Kel flicked her glance at Joren, who still hadn't noticed either of them.

"There's just some people I try to avoid at all costs."

Amalia looked Joren over. "Why avoid him? He's as handsome as they come."

"If you knew him, you'd understand."

"Ah, so he kind of gives you a hard time?"\

"You could say that."

"Well, then, I'm sure you wont care if I practice on him," Amalia decided.

Kel looked shocked. "What? On Joren? Why would you want to?"

"To teach you that sometimes ladies have to be polite to people they don't want to be. Besides, if I hurt his feelings then we wont have to feel bad, will we?"

Kel shrugged. "If you want to flirt with him, that's your somewhat disgusting choice."

Amalia laughed. "Fine, just, come on."

"I'm not going over there!"

"Well, then, just wait where you can watch."

"Fine," Kel agreed.