-To KandidKanadian: Sorry not to warn you that this story is a 'what if'. I'm trying my best to grasp the characters but face it, Tamora Pierce is such a good writer how could I ever continue in her footsteps?

-To Mango Sam: So glad you like it. There will be romance soon...hopefully, I'm not very good with that stuff and am trying to incorporate romance with action.

-to cauchemar: Sorry! I do get good grades in spelling...just trust me on this and I will change the title!

To readers: This chapter is a little slow. Sorry. I'm trying to introduce plot and characters at the same time and that's hard. I promise future chapters will be better!

-Chapter Three:

Keladry Mindelan walked with Princess Mitziarriana down the hallway, leading her to their rooms. On the way Kel studied the princess she was sponsoring. The girl was much shorter than her, but Kel had learned that she was taller then most 12-years-old. Mitzi's parents had obviously taken every care to make sure their third eldest daughter became a well-bred princess. Her posture was perfect and her movements graceful; her long reddish-brown hair had been coiled around her head, but the waves above her eyes were evenly trimmed. Her voice was soft and regulated; her body and complexion full of carefully tended beauty.

Ummm," Kel began. She was used to taking care of 'strays'. She had a whole flock of sparrows that she fed and an ugly but lovable mutt that followed her around. And Kel liked taking care of things. But a person...and a princess...was a different matter. "Lord Wyldon told me to tell you about who you are...well, only as long as you're here. Your name is Mitzi Gurshew, the orphaned niece of the Baron and Baroness of Gurshew. You're here to be trained in magic by Numair and were late in signing up to be a page because of a slight sickness."

They walked in silence for a little while; Kel busy planning what to do next. She knew that the princess would have to undergo a lot of changes. First off that hair had to be cut off. Secondly she needed some new clothes. Thirdly she would have to learn not to wear make-up and perfume; beauty would not matter during practices. Kel was a practical girl but she didn't know if the princess was so she took a few moments to figure out how to break this news to the new page.

"Now that you've told me who I am," Mitzi said before Kel could speak. "Could you also tell me who you are?" The girl kept on looking straight ahead but she sounded slightly interested.

"Well," began Kel. "My name is Keladry Mindelan -but you can call me Kel- and I'm am -or was now that you came- the only girl page here. When I was little I spent a lot of time in the Yamani Islands because my parents are diplomats so now I know a bit about different cultures. I also have two older sisters who are perfect ladies and some brothers who became knights."

"I see," answered Mitzi. "You're to be the one to help me?"

"Yes." By now they had come to their rooms. "Here's your key. It comes with a special lock." Mitzi took it gingerly. "You stay in your room," she ordered the princess. "I'm going to get you some clothes." She turned to leave but then added. "Oh...and be careful. Some of the boys here don't like girl pages. So just watch and lock the door behind you."

"Surely the boys wouldn't bother me..." Mitzi began to say. But then she realized what she had said and added. "Well, at least Sir Wyldon won't allow them to harm me."

"Don't be so sure of that. You're here as a page and he's gonna treat you like a page and that means you have to fend for yourself."

"I don't really want to learn how to fight," she said softly. But she said it so softly that Kel who had started walking down the hallway, didn't hear.

Kel left and quickly walked down to the storeroom and after giving a quick bribe to the storekeeper was able to collect the sets of clothing the princess required; three pairs of work breeches and study tunic and two leisure outfits of softer leggings and collared blouse with sash. When she came back she went back to her room first to grab a pair of scissors. There she was met enthusiastically by Jump, her dog, and all of the sparrows. Saying a quick hello she scurried back to Mitzi's room.

"Here's your clothing," she said, dumping the clothes on the bed. She stared uneasily at the Princess who was just staring into space; had she been doing that the whole time?

"Thank you-" Mitzi began, but stopped. "Why these are...are so course."

"Yes," agreed Kel. "You'll need sturdy clothing."

"But what about leisure time? I'm not wearing these during then," she said disgustedly. Then a blush rose to her face and she added, more humbly. "I'm sorry. My parents would be ashamed of me. I was raised polite. I was rude and ungrateful. I should be more thankful towards the people sheltering me." She then spotted the scissors Kel carried and once again her voice rose. "What are those for?"

"We need to trim your hair a bit," Kel said, trying to sound casual.

"My hair? I won't allow. I don't think that is necessary!"

"It is," said Kel, trying to explain. "In a fight the first thing an opponent latches onto is hair and it'll come off in chunks then. It's better to cut it short beforehand."

"I don't care. My parents were very proud of my hair."

"Please!" Kel stepped forward but Mitzi stood up quickly, proud and erect. Suddenly Kel realized that the princess was not as short as she seemed.

"Let me just cut it to your shoulders!" Kel took another step forward.

"Don't dare touch me!"

Kel stopped and looked at her. Mitzi looked back, calculating. She broke down first. "Fine," she said. "But it must be at least two inches below my shoulders." Kel realized there were tears in the girl's eyes. Was she that vain?

"You must think me vain," Mitzi said as if she had read Kel's mind. "It's just that my mother was so proud of my hair and it matches my pa's exactly. I just miss them, that's all. I can't even write to them."

The scissors snipped twice and long chestnut locks fell to the floor.

"And I don't know where they are. Before I came here I was taken to my aunts...it's been six months since I last saw them. I'm afraid they'll be hurt, so many people hate them just because my uncle believes he really belongs on the throne."

More hair was cut off. Kel suddenly realized that the princess was crying...silently...like princess are taught to. Kel had finished cutting but she remained behind the princess.

"It's alright," she said. "I remember when I was little and I was too young to go with my parents when they went on their trips for some diplomatic reason. I was always so sad and I was too young to know where they were or how long they would be gone."

"So you'll understand?" Mitzi said, even crying her voice was perfectly pitched. "I've never had a girl-friend. I had my ladies-in- waiting but they weren't very well educated and I was never allowed outside the palace because the war started right after I was born."
"

I've never had many friends that were girls either," Kel admitted. "Here I am surrounded by boys, some who think we don't belong here, and others who are endearing because I can bop them with poles."

This brought a smile from Mitzi, a perfectly brilliant smile.

By the time they left for the noon meal Mitzi was done crying, had been coaxed into wearing her page clothes, and Kel was thinking it might be nice having a girl to talk to for a change.