Everyone got it right! I'm I that obvious, that you can all see where my writing is going? I hope not. Thanks for all the reviews I've had 4 I think… maybe 5 by now I'm not sure. Disclaimer: not Tamora Pierce, therefore I own only the plot (maybe not even that seeing as everyone knows what I'm going to write).

Recap: We walked towards the grand entrance as everyone looked to see who was entering this time, the announcer said: "Presenting Ladies…"

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"Presenting Ladies Yukimi of Queenscove and Keladry of Mindelan," the announcer said as we walked towards the Monarchs. When we reached them we curtsied, and to my surprise, I didn't fall. I was aware of everyone staring at the two of us, or more specifically, me. The thought going through everyone's head was: 'that can't be the knight, it looks like a lady!' Yuki and I went and stood by Lord Raoul, who just stared at me.

"Kel? What happened to you? You look like a court lady," Raoul whispered in shock.

"Raoul, please stop staring at me like that. Of course it's me, I just went through hours of torture, so please don't comment on how I look," I replied in a small voice.

When everyone sat down for the meal, I had Lord Raoul on one side, but the seat on my other wasn't yet occupied. "Do you know who's going to be sitting there?" I asked Raoul, waving my hand towards the seat. He just shook his head as his eyes glinted mischievously.

"Hello, Lady Keladry, so lovely to see you again," a voice said from behind her. As I turned around I see cerulean blue eyes and a sergeant's band of the King's Own, on the arm of a man who could only be one person.

"Hello, Sergeant Domitan, are you joining us for supper tonight?" I asked of him.

"But of course, why else would I grace your presence, oh great Protector of the Small?" he asked innocently.

"You call me that one more time and my pretty fan will take a few inches off your hair," I tell him, gently holding my shukusen. He visibly blanched, while Raoul tried not to burst out laughing behind me.

"Now Keladry, you shouldn't torture the sergeant so. I'm sure he wants more than just a few inches taken off. Maybe he would like, 10 inches taken off instead," Raoul offered generously.

"No-no thank you milord, I just got my hair cut yesterday, I don't need it cut again quite yet," and with that Dom sat in the chair on my other side.

Once everyone was seated, the pages started serving the meal. Raoul, Dom, and I had a wonderful time, for we just kept telling jokes, but all too soon the King announced that it was time to dance. I just sat in my seat and refused to budge. Finally Dom and Raoul had to drag me to the ballroom.

"No, no please don't. I thought you were my friends. You're not suppose to torture me it isn't nice," I tried to tell them, begging and pleading for them to let me go.

They finally sat me down in a chair and said that I was only allowed up to dance, and I told them that no one would want to dance with me, I'm a lady knight. Unfortunately, I was proved wrong. I was flocked, yes flocked, by young men who wanted to dance. Song after song, partner after partner (most of which I didn't know). When my new partner picked up my hand, a slow song started playing. 'Wonder if I'll actually know this idiot' I thought to myself. Then I looked up, and we started dancing.

"What? Aren't you going to thank me for saving you from all those bumbling idiots who you've been dancing with all night?" my new partner asked.

"Thank you for saving me, of honorable sergeant," I reply, jokingly.

"I'm hurt; did you not want to be saved? Your distress was clear on your face, and I decided to save you like the gallant gentleman I am. This is all the thanks I get?" he asked distressed himself.

"Was my distress clear on my face? I thought I hid it behind my mask. I hope I didn't hurt anyone's feelings," I said worriedly.

"No, it was not clear to just anyone, they would have had to know you for a lone time in order to see it," he told me and smiled.

'Idiot!' I thought, 'why does he have to smile at me like that?' I asked myself as my insides melted. 'No,' I told myself firmly, 'I do not like Dom in that way!' But then I looked up at him again, and I knew that 'yes, without a doubt, I loved Dom that way.' 'WAIT! Did I just say love? I can't LOVE Dom, I just can't.' my traitorous eyes looked up again and I was lost in the blue depths of his eyes.

Thankfully, the song ended then. "Let's go outside," he suggested, and I quickly agreed when I saw at least three men heading for me.

"The stars are beautiful tonight," I say to him while looking up at them, unaware of him staring at me.

"They're not the only thing," he said. I looked at him and blushed.

He moved closer to me and put his hands on my arms, then gently brushed his lips across mine. "Kel, I love you," he whispered in my ear. I just stare at him in shock.

"Wha-what did you just say? I could have sworn that you just said that you love me," I tell him.

"That's because I did," he tells me back.

"I love you too," I simply said, as he kissed me again, but with more passion.

When we finally broke away, I asked "What are we going to tell people?"

"Whatever you want," he answered.

"Do you mind if we don't tell them? I asked. "People already say bad things about me, and it would just get worse if they knew that I was actually involved with somebody.

"Of course, my love, whatever you want," he says yet again and I smile at him.

We go back inside after another kiss, and although he didn't want to, we had agreed that I should dance with other people, because if I danced with only him it would be obvious to everyone that we were together.

After six more dances I excused myself, and headed back to my rooms. About half way there I realized that someone was following me. I walked a little faster and took out my shukusen, trying not to panic. I knew that it would be hard to fight in a ball gown, but there was no help for that. Then my pursuer caught up with me. I went to smash my shukusen back into their face, but the caught my arm in one of their hands, and said "It isn't nice to hurt people," and then place kisses on my neck while I giggle helplessly.

"Stop that you. It's your own fault, you know. Sneaking up on a lady was she's all alone," I tell him through my giggles. I broke free of his grasp and started back to my room again. He ran to catch up.

"Where we going?" he asked.

"I don't know where you're going but I'm going back to my room," I tell him.

"Can I come?" he asks with laughter in his eyes.

"No you ca-," I was cut off by a kiss. I pushed him off when I noticed that we were by my door. I stepped away from him and unlocked it. When he gave me a sad puppy dog look I relented and let him into the room. He closed the door behind him and locked it as he advanced towards me.

"Dom…" I said in warning, but could say no more as he caught me up in a passionate kiss.