I shall dedicate this story to dracorium for being such a sweetheart. Maybe there'll be others, but for now, 'tis only dracorium.

Are there any males reviewing? I wouldn't think many boys (or men) would read Tamora Pierce books, so I'm just wondering.

Disclaimer: Yadda yadda, you know the drill.

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I do wish he would stop glaring at me, Keladry thought in irritation. It's not like it's my fault he was stupid enough to get captured. Abruptly realizing that she was also stupid enough to be captured, she blinked, and added silently, Goddess, even my thoughts make me look like an idiot.

Those hard eyes continued to bore their ice-like quality into her forehead. She intercepted his gaze, watching as he lifted his nose up slightly, giving him the appearance he was looking down at her. Kel stifled a sigh, and demurely folded her hands in her lap, switching her gaze to the point right in front of her, her expression tranquil.

"Lump," was his low and almost inaudible mumble.

Her lashes fluttered for a second in annoyance, then the peaceful expression returned to her face. It was best not to give any reaction to his childish antics, lest he decide to pursue the matter.

"Bitch," he muttered.

No twitch or blink or flinch betrayed her feelings. He continued to jeer, using words that continuously grew more vulgar. Eventually her gaze swung to his, and he sneered at her. To his surprise, she sneered right back at him, her mouth curving into a smirk, her delicate nose rising into the air. That meaningless snub nonetheless infuriated Joren.

"You jumped up merchant slut," he hissed. "How dare you –"

One scarred, brown hand lifted up swiftly in a gesture to silence him. Joren blinked, quite enraged she would think to act so superior to him, and was about to tell her that, when he realized why she had wordlessly told him to shut up.

"-that stallion is a mean brute, wouldn't you think?"

"The boy me and Segal caught called him Pyro. I was listening to him before I caught him in the woods."

"Nice piece of horse flesh. Could sell for a good price –"

Joren made a noise.

"How much longer until we get to port, Laurence?"

"Several more hours, just a little bit before sunrise."

After that, nothing of importance was said, as the conversation turned suddenly to weather. Kel sighed, running her fingers through her short locks. The blond looked relieved.

"Was the stallion yours?" she asked vaguely.

Almost immediately, Joren relapsed into his regular aloof and cool self. "None of your business, Lump," he snapped. "So shut up and leave me alone."

"I was only trying to be nice," Kel muttered.

"Why? So I would give you the honor of sleeping with me?" he asked smoothly.

The opportunity to goad him was just too sweet to pass up. Kel deliberately burst into uncontrollable laughter, practically screaming with it, forcing mirthful tears out of her eyes. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Joren draw himself up. She knew it was a slight blow to his ego to be laughed at in the matter of sex, even if it was she, The Girl, the Lump, that was laughing like a hyena.

"Like you don't want to," he said, his voice almost unnoticeably hesitant.

"Don't be absurd," Kel told him, her face blank. There was no sign she had been laughing hysterically just three seconds ago. Even the tears had vanished, quick as lightning. "Even the thought sickens me."

Joren grumbled something, unable to think of a good comeback, and slammed his back up against the side of the covered wagon, sulking elegantly.

He's beautiful, Kel admitted to herself reluctantly. As much as she hated to confess it, he was. His satin locks, dark gold in the dim light, hung to his shoulders in a messy, white-blond confusion. Set among long, fair lashes, his sky blue eyes were large and stood out in his rosy-cheeked face. Trying to find some flaw in his looks, Kel finally decided he looked too feminine.

"Like what you see?" Joren shot.

"Hardly," she retorted dryly. "Are you concerned about this? At all?"

"About what?" he asked nonchalantly.

Kel stared at him, her Yamani Mask dropped as her eyes widened and her jaw lowered slightly. "About what?" she squeaked, her nerves frazzled. "About this!" She waved her arms frantically.

Joren blinked. The whore must be very upset to be squeaking and twirling her arms around like an idiot. "What about this?" he asked patiently, knowing exactly what, but desiring to see her reaction.

It was quite amusing.

In a rare show of extreme emotion, Mindelan twitched and choked. He frowned, alarmed as her face turned multiple shades of purple and magenta, eyes crossing randomly. It took her about twenty seconds to become under control again. That was…interesting, he thought dryly. He had never seen the girl react like that.

"We're going to be slaves, Joren," she said shrilly. "We may never see out families or friends or country ever again!"

Though the shocking fact had truth to it, he nonetheless masked his feelings. "I know that, Mindelan," Joren murmured, his voice unintentionally weary. "I know it as much as you do. How can I not?"

Mindelan's shoulders sagged, her face Yamani blank. "The worst part would be if we're separated," she mused reasonably, and he silently agreed. He did not like her at all, but it was good to have a familiar, halfway intelligent Tortall with you if you were captured and enslaved. "We could at least work together to get out of…whatever we're getting into."

For a brief moment, something that felt eerily like admiration sparked, then it dulled to nothing more than earnest distaste.

Kel sighed, covering her eyes with a hand. The bump in the back of her head gave a nasty throb, but she refused to show it. She leaned her head back against the covered side, and closed her eyes. She should get some rest while she could.

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Kel was thrown sideways as the wagon suddenly halted. She grimaced as the bruise on the back of her head slammed against the front. Men were yelling greetings. Horses whickered eagerly. The smell of sea salt was heavily scented on the wind.

"We're near an ocean," she murmured grimly, gently touching the sore. "Or a sea."

"I think I would know that," a cold, sarcastic voice snapped.

"How long was I asleep?"

"I don't know," Joren said impatiently. "A couple hours."

A door neither had noticed before crashed open. Joren leaped to his feet awkwardly and toppled backwards from the uneven floor. A man's dirty bearded face broke into a yellow grin. Kel resisted the urge to retch.

"Well now," he said pleasantly, his voice coarse and unpleasant on the ears. "I almost forgot about you two." His black eyes hardened. "Now come on, you little shits."

When the moved slowly and stiffly, he became angry. "Hurry it up! We ain't got all day!"

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Hm. Interesting, huh? R/R, pretty please.