Don't own it. Don't like it? Don't read it.

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Keladry of Mindelan shuddered as she gazed at the dull grey walls of the City of the Gods. She passed through the cold stone gates of the Convent holding tightly to her glaive for comfort.

As she entered the cold hall, a servant directed her to the office of the FIrst Daughter.

Kel took a deep breath and walked in. She felt awkward, standing in an unnaturally clean room. She felt conscious of the layer of dirt on her uncombed hair, a result of a two week journey north.

The middle aged woman stood up, and looked her over, as though inspecting a horse. She sniffed, "Well, I suppose you'll have to do. First things first. Give me your sword and bow." she placed horrible disdain on those two words. Taking the weapons offered to her, the First Daughter tossed them into another room, and shut the door. Kel winced as she heard the clang of her sword against the marble floor. "I'll let you keep that awful spear, only because your parents requested it. However, if I ever hear word of you using it, I will break it in front of you."

Kel still held her head high, staring the First Daughter in the eyes, determined not to break in front of her. Taking a breath, the Daughter continued.

"Now, for other matters. I never want to EVER see you wearing men's clothes." she spat the words. "again. You will always be wearing a full lady's outfit, and that includes a corset. You will grow your hair as long as I say to. It is unbecoming for a woman to have short hair. If I heard word of you breaking any of these rules, I will severely punish you. Now a servant will escort you to your rooms, where you will take a bath, and clean up. Dismissed."

Kel bowed to the lady, simply to spite her, and hurried out of the office before the angry woman could punish her.

A young maid showed her to her room and collected her water for a bath. After Kel had soaked off a layer of dust and dirt from her body and hair, she dried herself off, and looked for her clothes. As it seemed, the maid had taken her pages clothes, and had left clothes on the girls bed.

Kel started when she saw what had been laid out for her. There was a long green dress trimmed in gold braid. It was more elegant than anything Kel had ever worn before. Beside it were laid a cream coloured shift, a set of petticoats, and a stiff contraption that could only be a gods cursed corset.

Abandoning the corset and petticoats, Kel simply wore the shift and gown, struggling for a moment with the long, bell shaped sleeves. Finished, she tied her short hair in a horsetail, and set off.

A servant in the hallway directed her to the mess hall, and Kel hurried along the corridor.

Dinner had only just begun, so she opened a door and slipped into the hall. Kel was not, however, prepared for the sight she saw when she did enter.

She had been expecting a group of elegant ladies, all quiet, or speaking in whispers, perfect examples of their etiquette training.

The hall was nearly as noisy as the pages mess hall at the palace. There were nearly as many girls, ages varying from six to sixteen. They were all chattering animatedly with each other. There were small groups of shy young girls in full pale dresses, only taking to their friends. At the far end sat the older girls at large tables, wearing dark, tight waisted, more elegant gowns. They were all chattering lightly with their companions, probably about the latest gossips and fashions from Corus. In a corner, there were three tables dedicated to the young boys who learned at the Convent for a few years before being sent off to the Mithran priests to be trained with their Gifts.

As the door swung shut behind her, the room fell silent. Kel heard a pin fall clearly from someone's hair. Whispers began to bubble around her, none of them friendly.

"It's her!"

"That girl page."

"She's ugly, isn't she?"

"I heard that she was distracting the boys."

"I heard that she slept with most of them."

"They called her the Lump."

"She's terrified of heights."

"I heard that she stopped practice, simply because she couldn't climb a tree."

"What were they thinking, letting her join."

"She's a slut, just like the Lioness."

"She's no lady."

Kel stood there silently. It took all of her willpower to keep her head high, and not turn tail and run. Her eyes scanned the room for a place to sit. As her gaze fell on their table, the girls, even the youngest ones shifted their weight, or place books on the benches, so as to block off any places for her.

With a heavy heart, Kel sat down at an empty table in the corner. As soon as she sat down, the general chatter resumed in the hall.

Nothing improved for Kel during the rest of the day, or over the rest of her stay at the Convent. After about two weeks of trying to make friends, unsuccessfully, she gave up. Everyone ignored her, and she didn't speak to any other girls. Often, she would go for days on end, without speaking at all. The Daughters only payed her attention to insult or reprimand her.

Almost weekly, Kel wrote to each of her friends. The letters never made there way anywhere. They all ended up locked in her trunk.

Her stay at the Convent was one of the most miserable of her entire life. Every day, she begged the gods silently to simply give her strength enough to last the day. She prayed for some sort of miracle, but nothing ever came.

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TO ALL MY REVIEWERS:

Sorry about last chapter. I need to let some stuff out. That short story had nothing to do with this one, (KeeperofthePineNeedles).

Anyways... I'm not sure about my Neal/Dom situation. They're about even now, but everyone who voted for Neal said that they won't read anything that's Kel/Dom, and vice versa.

For the last time. THIS WILL NOT, I REPEAT NOT BE A KEL/JOREN. Don't ask me again. It defies the Great Chain of Being.

On a different note, i know that Sir Alexander Fleming didn't exactly discover penicillin, but it makes the story seem so much more destined, and cool. By the way, that was a story that I found in a book, so I didn't write it myself, just to clarify.

Will update soon, SIR!

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