DISCLAIMER: I hate writing these. I mean what's the bloody point. You lot are smart enough, at least I hope, to figure it out. SO GET OFF MY BLOODY CASE!!!!!!!!!!! That was a shout out to the Powers That Be.

Wow, I really hate writing disclaimers don't I? I mean if I wanted to get paid for this, would I really be writing on ? Come on now.

I'm sorry that I have been so late updating and writing, but I have had things to do and places to be. I would thank you kindly for reviewing.

Song of the Chapter: Radio Player by Allister (it's a really cool band that I just discovered. They've been around for a while, and are my new favourites.

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The next day passed slowly for Kel. She tried her hardest to avoid Neal, but not appear to do so. She spent a great deal of time practicing, until Buri and Alanna once more dragged her bodily from the practice courts.

They were sitting down for midday meal, when Kel felt a presence behind her. She tried to stand up, but felt a pair of hands on either shoulder pull her down.

"Enough, Keladry." Buri said in her ear. "You can't avoid him forever."

"I can try." Kel muttered back.

"And the sooner you talk," Buri continued, disregarding Kel's interruption. "The sooner you're friends again."

"Hello, Keladry." A cold voice said behind her. Kel's four companions stood up, and forced Neal to sit across from Kel. Alanna waved a purple glowing hand threateningly, and then they left the near empty mess hall.

Kel avoided Neal's eyes. As much as she desperately wanted his friendship back, her pride wouldn't allow her to be the first to apologize. It seemed to her that Neal felt the same way too.

They ate the rest of their meals in silence, each avoiding the other's eyes. When Kel tried to stand up, she found herself bound with cords of violet magic. Neal tried to stand up, and he too was pulled back to his seat by violet magic. Kel sighed.

"Alanna." She said. He nodded.

"It seems that neither of us will move until we've apologized, so I'll start. Kel, I'm sorry for what I said and how I didn't tell you about Yuki. I'm sorry that I snapped at you last night."

"I'm sorry too." Kel said softly, still avoiding Neal's gaze, which was fixed on her. "Sorry that I underestimated your friendship. I'm sorry that I snapped at you last night."

Neal's gaze softened. "Can we at least be friends, if not the best of?" he extended a hand.

Kel hesitated, then grasped it. "Friends."

"No secrets?" he asked, standing up.

"No secrets." She agreed. Still clasping hands, they exited the hall. As they passed through the doors, a voice came to greet them.

"And it had better stay that way." Alanna was leaning against the door frame accompanied by Kel's palace friends, Daine, and Buri.

"Yeah." Owen quipped. "You and Meathead have been best friends for so long, that it's sad to the rest of us to see you fighting."

"If you can't make it as friends," Merric put in, "Then there's no hope for the rest of us." They all laughed, and then Daine turned to Kel.

"We have to get you ready for a ball tonight. Come on!"

Kel's mouth hung open, "Why could you possibly want five hours to get ready?" She asked with a sense of dread. "And besides, I told you that I won't wear a dress." With evil smirks, Daine and Buri each placed a hand on one of Kel's shoulders, and steered her around the men. Kel shot her friends a pleading glance but their only response was from Seaver who shouted, "Pick out a nice one, Kel."

Kel was muttering to herself as the women entered her room, with her in tow. First, they forced her into a hot bath and scrubbed off every small trace of dirt from her skin.

Then they forced her into a cream linen shift with lace edges. Kel tried in vain to escape. On top of it was a deep green dress to bring out the green in Kel's hazel eyes. It was a heavy woolen gown edged in gold trim. Kel stared at the low neckline, silently shaking her head. Nonetheless, it was pulled unceremoniously over her head, and the split skirt was arranged in front of her.

Daine gently pulled the long wide sleeves off of Kel's shoulders as the taller woman tried vainly to cover her exposed chest. She had chosen to wear dresses to dinner, but never this feminine, or revealing.

By half past the third bell, all four women were dressed properly. Kel wore her green dress. Alanna wore a pretty light purple gown with a dark velvet bodice. Kel glared enviously at the dress' high neck. Both Daine's midnight blue velvet dress trimmed with silver embroidery, and Buri's dress tunic also sported high necklines, and less revealing cuts. Kel glared at Buri, who wasn't even wearing a proper dress.

"Now why do I have to wear this?" She asked.

"Because," Alanna said with a laugh, "We, as your elders, tell you to do so. We don't need to as we're all married; it would be improper to dress as a maiden desiring to be courted. You on the other hand need to attract someone."

Kel muttered Yamani curses at the laughing women under her breath.

"Now," Daine continued. "For your hair." Kel's mouse brown hair had grown to the base of her shoulder blades as she hadn't cut it in years. Alanna twisted it at the back of the girl's head and secured it with a golden clip.

They approached her with face paint. Kel only allowed a faint hint of red on her lips and cheeks, and a light dusting of dark on her eyelids.

She heard a knock on her door and stood up. Buri pulled her back down.

"Not yet, Keladry. We have one more thing for you." She held out a small box. Looking inside, Kel saw a pair of emerald earbobs.

"But my ears aren't-" she started, then looked up to see the needle in Daine's hand. "No you don't. Hair and dresses, and face paint are one thing, but I'm a knight, and I refuse to have holes pushed through my ears."

Alanna lifted her hair to show her own ears. "I'm a knight, and I have earbobs." Hanging from the redhead's ears were two amethysts.

"It doesn't mean that I want them!" Kel argued. The knock sounded again at her door. "I'm coming." She called.

"Listen, Kel." Daine said calmly. "It's just a small pain, and then you never have to get it done again. Look, all of us have them done." She showed the needle. "It barely hurts. Nothing you haven't felt before."

Kel took this chance, and bolted to the door. She swung it open, and ran headlong into Neal, Merric, Seaver, Esmond, Faleron, and Owen.

"Don't let them do it," Kel pleaded.

"Do what Kel?" Owen asked.

"She afraid," Alanna said from behind her, "Because we are going to pierce her ears."

"Kel, you have survived far worse injuries than this." Neal laughed. Kel's friends herded her into the room, where Daine still waited with the needle.

Neal held her hands and pushed her back into a chair. "Kel, just get it over with. You know that they will never let you alone if you don't get earbobs."

Kel's eyes searched her friends for help. No one answered her plea, so she turned back to Neal, and shut her eyes.

She sensed Daine approaching, but her Yamani training held firm, and she didn't move her head. She felt a soft touch on her ear, and saw a tiny flash of purple, from behind her closed eyes. She visibly relaxed.

Suddenly pain seared through her ear. She couldn't help but call out a little. She fought the urge to turn tail and run. A few seconds later, she felt Daine's soft touch on her ear, and the same shooting pain. Daine stepped back, and Kel clasped her hands to her ears, with a second cry of pain. Slowly, she regained composure and stood up carefully.

"Very good, Keladry." Alanna said. "I fainted after I got mine done." Kel let out a weak laugh. She hesitated then held the box of earbobs to Neal.

"Neal, can you put them in for me?" He looked surprised with this request, but calmly took her ear and the earbob in each hand. Kel unconsciously leaned into his cool touch. Gently, he thrust the wires of the earbobs through her ears, each in turn.

They felt strange on her, but Kel, forgetting momentarily, turned to face the others.

"Reporting for inspection, sir!" Owen said cheerfully, breaking the silence. Kel laughed, then the women left to find their husbands, and the boys all lined up facing Kel.

She moved through them quickly, re-lacing one of Merric's sleeves, straightening Faleron's collar, which was askew. Esmond's shirt was off, and Neal's tunic was twisted. Owen was in complete disarray, and Seaver was the only one to be dressed perfectly, so Kel dusted his shoulder, and turned back.

"Well, there! You all are ready to go to the ball and impress ladies."

"That one was directed at you Fal!" Merric snickered. Faleron cuffed his younger cousin.

"I'm betrothed, and you should know that." He said imperiously. They all walked to the Great Hall together, laughing at the bickering cousins. Owen and Neal both offered Kel an arm. She gladly took both.

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TO ALL MY REVIEWERS:

Thank you for reading, and please review this chapter. I really have nothing else to say here, except Happy New Year!

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