Disclaimer: Characters, etc. belong to Tamora Pierce

A/N: Sorry it took so long to update, unfortunately I'm still having an awful writer's block, but I managed to get a idea, a somewhat strange idea, but an idea for this chapter, anyways, R&R

Chapter 2. The Loophole

Dom looked moodily at his cup. It was a very glum looking group at the mess hall. The third company each had some kind of problem with the rules. People who didn't want to go, people who wanted to go alone, people without dates, people with to many dates. Dom wanted to take Kel, but she didn't like him as anything more than a friend. He sighed. It would be easier if he could just go alone.

"There has to be a loophole" he muttered.

"What?" Flyndan inquired

" A loophole," Dom replied, more enthusiastically. "there has to be someway to get around the rules, without getting in trouble. I have an idea. I'll be back."

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Dom returned a few minutes later carrying a piece of parchment.

"Here they are." He announced, holding up the rules.

"Why did you get the rules?" Quasim asked.

"Well, you have to know the rules in order to break them. Now everyone come look. We have to find something in these that could be interpreted someway else, or something they left out." Hurriedly everyone gathered around each reading over the parchment and thinking ideas over. Dom quickly read over the rules.

You ALL must bring A female companion to the ball You MUST dance at least one dance with said female You MUST act in a courteous manner to said female You MUST escort said female wherever she wishes to go

You must mind your manners and behave nicely towards ALL persons attending the ball

"Hmm… behaving …no…creeping people out by being to nice…no…darn…" Dom muttered ideas under his breath then slowly and idea began to form"…no that's crazy… who'd agree to that…but it might work…maybe Kel… might as well try." Then he announced :

"I have an idea! They made sure there wasn't anyloopholes, but they just weren't thinking outside the box." At this a number of people looked at Dom quizzically. "Rule Number 1: You ALL must bring A female companion to the ball. Notice is says A as in ONE. We ALL bring ONE girl. We all bring the same girl." Everyone looked at him as if he were nuts.

"That's crazy." Proclaimed Flyn. "It might work, and it might be interesting, certainly funny, but who would agree to that?"

"I've already thought that over, we can ask Kel. I'm sure she'd be glad to.Any objections?" asked Dom. Everyone agree, even if somewhat reluctantly, to Dom's plan. Then they all headed off to find Kel. None of them bother to think she might be sleeping at two in the morning.

**************************************************************************************A/N So what do you think? Thanks to all my reviewers and a special thank to Lady of the Shadows for the wonderful title. If you have any ideas, please review and tell me!