Disclaimer: I don't own any of Tamora Pierce's characters (this is getting old.)

A/N: Ok, hope u guys liked this. PLEASE REVIEW! What does it take? Like 2 seconds!

horsiegurl: I'm glad u liked it

Sheyana: I thought Dom was always a knight…but if he wasn't he is now! 

Unicornlady1: OMG, thanks for catching me there. Just for my sake and the reader's, I'm going to keep it how it is Maybe Cleon did have…u know….early. I dunno. Any ideas? I really want to keep it how it is….but I want to be it the correct time… It's a few years after the war to let u know. Umm…I'll think about it. Rlly srry for any confusion.

Ok, here we go!

Kel Takes on a Squire

Lorenzo came running at her just after she dodged Bartholomew's blind charge.

"I'm really sorry about this, boys!" she cried over the chaos. She flipped Lorenzo over her back as he came at her. Nathan jumped over his friend onto her back. He yanked mercilessly at her short hair. She grunted and backed into the wall – hard. The boy yelped in pain and fell to the ground. She swung her leg, sending Lorenzo on his back, while Jump was growling menacingly at Nathan, daring him to get up. Bartholomew came at her again. He rammed into her. She was almost knocked over by his weight, but Jump bit his arm hard just in time. He fell down groaning. Nathan and Lorenzo, who had both recovered, came at her at once they came at her from either side. She suppressed a laugh as she stepped out from between them and they ran headlong into each other.

"No more games," came Bartholomew's growl. Kel turned to see him rise with a small dagger in his fist. Her hands flew to her hips, but she was unarmed. She looked for Jump, but he was unconcious. Is he really going to kill me? she thought desperately.

"So, Lady Knight, any last words?" Mithros! He's going to do me in! She prayed silently to the Black God for safe passage. She shifted into a defensive stance – she wasn't going without a fight.

"Isn't this sad?" Lorenzo said mockingly, "Three squires beating a knight."

"Not fairly," Kel muttered mildly. She kicked out suddenly, knocking the dagger onto the wall. She scooped it up quickly, just in time to knock Nathan off his feet. Seeing Kel was armed, they ran towards the hall. They were blocked by a tall figure.

"Where do you think you're going?" asked a cool voice. The boys shuffled their feet.

"We weren't goin' anywhere," Nathan drawled.

"Yes, I'm sure." The man looked up at Kel, "I'm sorry for any trouble these boys caused you, and I will see that they are punished. He turned and walked briskly away. Who was that? Kel asked herself as she inspected her small cuts and bruises. Jump had roused and seemed fine.

"Pardon, m'lady," came a small voice from behind her. Marcus looked at her nervously. "Thank you miss, but I better go, seein' as how I..."

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"What?" he asked, surprised, "Oh, oh yes. I'm fine." Kel was alarmed by a sudden squeak from his chest. A small black animal wriggled out from the boy's tunic and onto his shoulder, still squeaking indignantly. Jump folded his ears back. Kraken, who had disappeared in the squabble, was nowhere to be found The sparrows had gone before she had been attacked.

"I didn't mean…No I'm not…It wasn't my fault see I...no." Kel looked at Marcus curiously. He seemed to be talking to the ferret. It hopped of his shoulders and looked up at Kel. It cleared it's throat.

"Thank you, Mistress Kel, for rescuing my kit," it said importantly. Kel's eyes widened for a moment, but her Yamani cool soon wiped her face blank. Jump whined in confusion.

"What's your name, ferret?" she asked politely.

"I call her Ebony ," Marcus answered simply. (Alanna and Daine have guardians, why shouldn't Marcus?) Kel nodded in acknowledgement. She looked over Marcus again. He seemed even scrawnier up close. His puppy-dog eyes made him look years younger than he was.

"Do you have a knight-master Marcus of Tasride?" she asked slowly.

"No, miss."

"Did you have anyone in mind," she prodded carefully.

"No." Kel sighed at his blunt answers.

"Would you like to be my squire?" she asked. He didn't answer for a long while. The ferret had taken her place around his shoulders and was now squeaking to her "kit" as she had called him.

"No….I guess so...but they'll…it might...okay. Yes." Kel frowned.

"So you'll be my squire?" she asked.

"Yes." Kel smiled.

"Good. I plan to show you how you can beat a boy like Bartholomew."

"But I did. I beat him a when we were introduced…"

"I plan to teach you how to beat him even worse." Marcus' face lit up.

"Thank you!" he shouted as he jogged away. Kel smiled to herself. Bartholomew…It troubled her that she had let those boys almost kill her. What happened back there? she asked herself, Did I go soft? she thought alarmed. She had never wanted to hurt the young squires, but they almost killed her. She shivered. Kel hoped they wouldn't think her a bad knight after this...

"Lady Kel." Kel's a sharp voice cut through Kel's thoughts. She turned to see none other than Lord Travr striding towards her.

"M'lord," she nodded respectfully.

"Is it true that you attacked three boys in this very hall?" he asked frankly, his dark eyes piercing through her.

"I think you are mistaken," she said evenly.

"Not according to them. They have bruises to prove their complaints."

"I see. You believe the words of three squires over that of a full knight?" she asked coolly. "Haven't they heard of the Code of Chivalry?" Travr scratched his chin.

"I think that the code is all very well," he said coldly, "but if they are attacked by a full knight, that is something to tell." What is Travr thinking? she asked herself, He must be mad! Jump growled at the man in front of him, challenging him almost, to hurt his mistress.

"I would like you to stay away from my squires lady, and hope you haven't chosen any that I hold in favor," he said harshly. Startled by his open comment, she remained expressionless.

"Then I hope you don't favor Marcus of Tasride, for I have chosen him as my squire." The knight laughed coldly.

"Take the scrawny rat for all I care. He's nothing but trouble. That little pipsqueak beat my best pupil because Marcus," he said Marcus as if it was dung, "got lucky! I have reason to believe he used magic." Kel was outraged by this man's insensitive responses.

"Good day to you." She turned on her heel and left, followed closely by Jump.

Ok, really weak chapter, but it's going somewhere, so RR. Do you think Travr's attitude is reasonable?