~*~ That Day ~*~

The pages all convened in the courtyard for their daily training. They were surprised to see Queen Thayet and most of them confused by the girl standing with her.

Neal and Kel walked in together, arguing over some trivial topic as people are apt to do around Neal.

Merric walked over to them. "Hey, did you see that Amalia is over there?"

Neal and Kel looked around and found her standing with Queen Thayet a short distance away.

"Wonder what they're doing here," Neal wondered out loud. He glanced over at Kel. "Do you know why?"

"Why would I know?" Kel inquired.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you and her sneak off all the time," Neal suggested.

"What? No we don't."

"Oh, come on Kel, we've seen you do it," Owen put in.

"You've seen me do it? What? Have you guys been following me around, now?"

All three instantly looked at the ground, as if it was extremely interesting.

"Have you?" Kel reiterated.

"I wouldn't call it following.so much as going in the same direction as you without you knowing," Neal responded.

Kel narrowed her eyes. "Thanks a lot. Why were you following me?"

"Well, since you wouldn't tell us, we wanted to find out why you always left dinner so early and didn't come study with us anymore," Merric answered.

"Did it ever occur to you that maybe I didn't want you to know, if I wasn't telling you?" Kel asked.

"Well, now we all know that everyone knows that you lock yourself into your room with Amalia. We just don't know why," Owen pointed out.

"And you wont either. That's none of your business. There are some things that you wouldn't understand about me."

"Like what?" Neal inquired.

"Well, I know that no one really notices, but I AM a girl after all. Maybe there is some stuff that I need a girl to talk to about," Kel answered, angrily.

"Like what?" Neal asked. Then thinking about it he added, "Never mind, you're right. I probably don't want to know."

Kel rolled her eyes at him.

"Look, we're sorry for following you. But, we do know you're a girl, whether you think it or not," Neal told her. "We just don't treat you like one because we know you'd be angry."

"Yeah, of course we know you're a girl. That's what makes it so difficult to wrestle with you sometimes," Owen put in.

Neal hit him over the head.

"What?" Owen protested.

"Can't you see she's serious?" Neal pointed out.

"So am I! You don't know where to put your hands half the time!"

"Boys, they just don't understand," Neal explained to Kel, as if he was not included in them.

Kel rose her eyebrows. "And you do?"

"You wound me! I'm not a boy, I'm a man," Neal asserted.

"Of course you are," Kel humored, laughing.

Wyldon walked over, stopping their argument. "Could we please take some time out from your meaningless dribble to practice? Or is that too much of an inconvenience?"

"Actually, if you could give us a couple seconds..." Neal suggested.

Wyldon glared at him. "Get out there Queenscove!" he ordered.

Neal contained his laughter and went to get in line with the rest of the pages. Kel, Merric, and Owen followed sheepishly, not looking at Wyldon as they passed. ~*~

Throughout the day, the pages were confused why the Queen had suddenly decided to check in on their classes. Many rumors circulated in whispered voices, about parents complaining, Wyldon getting fired, and other conclusions. Just as many explanations were concocted about Amalia's presense. Anywhere from searching for a husband to becoming a page to secretly being the Queen's bastard daughter.

By the third class, Neal was dying to ask Amalia about it. He still thought that Kel knew why she was there, but didn't want to bring up a sore subject. Neal was certain that if he could just ask Amalia about it, she would naturally tell an old friend about it. He didn't dare do so around the Queen, so he made up his mind to wait and catch up with Amalia later.

~*~

"Hey, Amalia, wait up!" Neal called down the hall. He had been roaming the castle at random, hoping to see her.

Amalia stopped and turned around to see Neal walking quickly toward her.

"Hello," she greeted.

"Has anyone told you that you're extremely hard to find?" Neal inquired.

"Um...no actually. Why were you looking for me?"

"Well, I was going to figure out a better plan to get the information out of you, but really I just wanted to know why you were at the training sessions today."

"Oh, I thought they told you," Amalia answered. "The Queen wanted to look in on the classes to ensure that they were being carried out adequately. I accompanied her to them, since I am one of her ladies."

Neal sighed. "Fine, don't tell me. You and Kel just have your little secrets. I don't even care anymore. Geez...you think you know who your friends are..."

Amalia tried not to laugh. "I'm sorry. Look, I really cant tell you anything else."

"So, you admit there IS something else?" Neal interjected.

Amalia smiled. "I don't admit anything, sorry."

Just then, Joren walked up. "Amalia, hello," he greeted. "I told you that I'd see you again."

Amalia turned to look at him. "Oh, hey! How are you?"

"I'm okay. A little better now. You know, you're a very hard person to find."

Amalia laughed. "You probably just weren't looking in the right places."

Then, realizing that Joren and Neal hadn't spoken, she remembered her manners. "Oh, have you met Neal?"

Joren glanced over at Neal. "Unfortunately," he muttered.

Amalia furrowed her brow. "So you two know each other?"

Neal gave a small nod.

Amalia looked confused, not knowing about their history of fighting.

"Well, umm.were you looking for me for a reason?" she questioned Joren.

"Actually, yes. I doubt that you haven't heard of the ball coming up, and I was hoping you would consider going with me, unless somehow you found a suitable escort at the castle," he added, glancing at Neal. "Which I severly doubt."

"A ball?" Neal asked. "I didn't know there was a ball coming up."

"Obviously, because no one wants you there," Joren stated.

"Look, I'm sorry, Joren, but I do already have an escort. But, maybe I'll see you there, okay?" Amalia told him, to stop the bickering.

"Could I at least know who has the privledge of taking you?"

"What, you don't like surprises?" Amalia questioned, coyly.

"Not especially," Joren stated, still trying to get over the rejection.

"Well, I think I will keep you in suspense, none the less. I'll talk to you later," Amalia told him before starting to walk off.

Joren stood in shock for a moment before realizing what had just happened. He'd been turned down right in front of Neal. He glanced at Neal to see his reaction, which was just as he'd expected. Neal was biting his lip trying not to laugh right in Joren's face.

"Oh, shut up. It's not as if you're going with her," Joren stated, before storming off.

Neal shrugged and started to walk after Amalia. He had a bad habit of nosiness. "Wait up, Amalia!" he called out to her.

She kept walking, without even turning around.

Neal jogged up to her and tapped her arm.

She looked over and sighed in relief. "Thank the Gods. I thought you were Joren and I didn't want to have to explain anything."

"No, I have this feeling that he wont be coming around you too much," Neal told her.

"Was I that mean?"

"No, Joren just doesn't take rejection well."

"Well, I don't care if I was mean anyway. It's pretty stupid to ask a girl to a ball and then be rude to her friends."

"Yeah, I suppose it is."

"Wait, is there a reason that you came after me?"

"Well...I wanted information again..."

Amalia laughed. "I suppose you want to know who I'm going with?"

Neal nodded.

"Well, to tell the truth, I don't have anyone. I just really didn't want to go with Joren. But, actually, I was thinking if you'd like to go I'd be more than happy to be escorted by you."

"Me?"

"Well, why not? You might not be allowed there as a page, but as the son of the Duke Baird you have a rightful place. Besides, we're friends aren't we? And, truthfully, I'd love to see Joren's face when we walked in.not to mention Kel will probably be happy to have a friend there..." Amalia rattled off, nervously. She was surprised that it sounded like he was going to turn her down, she thought he would jump at the chance of going but his silence made her feel awkward for even asking him.

"Hey, relax," Neal told her, after recovering. "I was just surprised you would ask me at all. Of course I'll go."

Amalia grinned at him. "Great, thanks. I thought for a minute you were gunna turn me down." "No, I'm not as mean as you."

"What?"

"Well, if I turned you down, I'd be as mean to you as you were to Joren."

"I thought you said I wasn't mean!"

"Well, now that I got the information I wanted, I can tell the truth."

Amalia hit him. "Thanks a lot. You know what, I withdrawal the invitation. Maybe I'll go and convince Joren to go with me."

Neal rubbed his arm. "See what I'm saying? You ARE mean."

Amalia laughed at his hurt expression. "You big baby. Come on, I'll tell you about the ball."

Together they walked down the hall, joking, while Amalia explained about the ball to Neal. Both unaware that they were being watched the entire time.

~*~

See, look at all that updating I did! I made up for lost time, huh? I dunno how fast I'll update now, because I just stayed home sick from school today and had nothing better to do, but I figure I might as well do some story. Anyway, you better review or I dunno how soon I'll update.whahaha.anyway, I hope you enjoy it!