Hello people! I'm sorry I haven't updated in so long but it's not my fault that my computer hates me and refused to work. ::innocent look:: Ok, we all know that everything you recognize belongs to the one and only, great, stupendous, amazing Tamora Pierce.

"There's land! Beautiful land!" Gwylla cried, as excited as a child. She had discovered early on, that she had inherited her grandmother's sea sickness and it was just as bad. She had spent the first three weeks of the trip sick in her small cabin.

"Greetings fair lady!" she heard somebody call across the deck. She turned and saw Dylan striding across the deck dressed in ridiculously bright colors and laughing.

Gwylla giggled and then started laughing hysterically at his appearance. He looked like a court jester more than a royal page. "What?" she gasped, laughing, "Did you father do to you?" With that, she gave herself over to her laughter and laughed until she was bent completely double.

"Oh shut it." Dylan grumbled. "It's not my fault my father decided to dress me up like a peacock. Come on, we'll be docking soon and father sent orders for you to get dressed in your best dress and to meet him in his cabin."

"Oh and who am I to defy the great Domitan of Masbolle? I'll do it right away." With that, Gwylla ran into her cabin and started searching her bags for the one nice dress that she had brought.

Dylan's POV

Dylan lounged against the ship rail while he waited for Gwylla to get changed. When she finally appeared, his breath seemed to disappear. She was breathtaking, dressed in a filmy gown of light green. She had finally let her long, thick hair down out of the braid that she constantly seemed to have it in. It reached down to just above her knees, and when she moved, the sun glinted off of it and made it shine like gold.

Stunned, he just nodded his approval and led her down to his father's spacious cabin. When they arrived, Gwylla did a deep curtsy out of respect for the man's title. He heard her murmur something along the lines of 'It's an honor to be here my lord.' Then he watched as, smiling, his father pulled her up out of her curtsy and told her to call him Dom.

Gwylla's POV

She curtsied and stood when Dylan's father pulled on her hand. "Call me Dom." he told her conspiratorially. She smiled and replied, "Whatever you say Dom." That made him laugh and after he admired her clothes and made sure that she knew how to greet royalty he sent her off to watch the port from the deck.

She went outside and waited by the door, hoping to hear what Dom said to Dylan. 'You're falling for her aren't you Dylan?' she heard Dom's soft voice first. 'Maybe just a little bit…' Dylan replied. 'Right. And your mother is a stormwing.' 'Okay I'm falling for her a lot and I'm afraid she'll hate me if I tell her. I mean, we've only known each other for a few weeks. I'd end up getting slapped like you were when you were my age and still a sergeant in the King's Own.' 'Okay, it's your choice if you tell her or not but if I were you, I would.'

The conversation stopped and Gwylla ran out of sight just as the door opened. 'That will teach me to eavesdrop!' she thought to herself. 'I had to have imagined it.'

She leaned up against the ship's rail and thought over what she had heard. At least Dylan hadn't guessed how much she liked him. She had a sneaking suspicion that Dom knew everything though. He didn't seem to be the type of person to miss much.

She was jolted from her reverie when she felt the ship bump hard against something and realized that it was the dock. She was finally in Tortall! She squealed and gathered her skirts around her so that she could disembark as soon as possible.

She was surprised when Dylan walked up to her and informed her that she would need an escort to actually get of the boat. They had never had any silly rule like that when she was living in the Copper Isles.

Laughing at the expression on her face, which was priceless from the shock of actually being required to have an escort, Dylan offered her his arm and led her off the boat.

Dylan's POV

He looked around the busy docks and found who he was looking for. Almost forgetting that Gwylla was still holding his arm, he ran towards a tall woman with mouse brown hair.

When he yelled, she turned and her stern face broke into a grin. He stopped in front of her and she gazed at him disapprovingly, having seen him take off running when Gwylla had no idea what was going on. Amazingly, she was still standing by his side, flustered from all the excitement of the Tortallan docks but not breathing hard at all from the hard run.

"I know you just couldn't wait to see me Dylan." the tall woman rebuked him gently. "But is that anyway to treat a lady, or obviously one of your friends?"

Dylan hung his head for a moment before he brightened and introduced the two females, who were regarding each other curiously.

"Mother, this is Lady Gwylla of Pines Peak. She's from Tortall but she's lived in the Copper Isles her whole life. Gwylla, this is Lady Knight Keladry of Masbolle. I wouldn't call her that for your own safety though. She hates being called that and prefers Kel."

The older woman smiled at Gwylla and Dylan was happy to see his mother and friend accepting each other. "Welcome to Tortall. May I call you Gwylla since my son here has attached onto you like a dog with a bone."

Gwylla smiled and nodded her assent to the knight. "So this is the famed second lady knight. I've only met one other. My grandmother doesn't come to visit us anymore now."

Dylan gaped at her. "I never knew that your grandmother was Lady Alanna! You could tell me these things you know."

Gwylla smiled and said to Kel, "Has your son always been this clueless or did he learn it from somebody I should avoid?" Kel started laughing and informed her that Dylan was just born that way.

The girl and the knight then started talking, only stopping so that Kel could tell Dylan to help his father.

They discussed Gwylla becoming a page and Kel gave her many good tips on how to exercise. She told stories about Joren of Stone Mountain and about other stories of her page years.

The two girls quickly became fast friends and after Gwylla was presented to the regents quickly Kel took Gwylla shopping. They quickly each emptied half of their money bags and were loaded down with packages mainly dressed, tunics, and breeches, with a couple of breastbands for Gwylla.

Gwylla had been shocked when Kel told her that she was going to be needing mor breastbands. "I've already got four!" she complained. "Why do I need more?"

Finally though, Kel pushed her into it and she bought a corset as well.

That night, Dylan decided that he would tell Gwylla that he liked her maybe even loved her.

He walked up to her room in the inn that they were staying at and knocked softly on the door. 'Come in he heard a soft voice call. He walked in and saw Gwylla seated on one of the pillows in front of the fire.

He paced around for a moment and then started speaking when he saw that Gwylla was looking at him expectantly. "Gwylla, I.." he started an then the door burst open.

So, did you like it? Please review whether you liked it or not. Aren't you proud of me? I actually wrote a long story. Miracle isn't it? You know the drill. Press the little blue button and REVIEW. Get it? Got it? Good. I expect at least ten reviews for this chapter or I'm giving up on this story. Please be nice in your reviews. I appreciate constructive criticism but I DO NOT LIKE FLAMES. I'll try and post the next chapter sooner.