Many thanks to everyone who review the last chapter. It was a real boost to log in and find so many. If you have managed to follow this story to chapter 12 without realizing that these are Tamora Pierce's characters then you are a unique and extraordinary individual to say the least.

Corus (Three weeks later)

"Please, Goddess," Kel prayed in a whisper. "Let this not be too terribly unpleasant." Her hand shook as she pushed a strand of hair away from Kefira's face.

"Kel, stop shaking," Neal said. "You did a pattern dance with your glaive just twenty minutes ago; you can't possibly be going through withdrawal yet."

"You'd be shaking too if you were about to stand up in front of a room full of conservatives who want your shield to be confiscated and try to win the position training master."

"No I wouldn't," said Neal simply. "I'd be in a dead faint by now." He reached out and took Kefira from her arms. "Remember there'll be more than a few liberals hidden amongst the audience. The King has even allowed Lady Alanna to be present although he did threaten her with a silencing spell if she tries to shout at anyone. I've been ordered to sit next to her and keep her from doing anything rash."

"Who is going to keep you from doing something rash?"

Neal didn't get a chance to answer this question because Tobe suddenly sprinted into view, raced down the hallway, and wrapped his arms about Kel's middle.

"Aren't you supposed to be with the Wildmage?" Kel asked. Tobe's unhappiness at leaving his friends at New Hope had resulted in all of the horses dragging their feet and misbehaving on the way to Corus. Tobe had claimed this wasn't intentional on his part but Kel had decided it was high time for him to get some serious training. Daine had concurred with this decision after spending a few minutes nose to nose with Peachblossom. For the past three days Tobe had been spending every waking hour in the stables with Daine.

"I told him we could stop by and wish you luck on our way out," Daine said as she walked into view, carrying her baby in one arm and a basket of supplies in the other. "I know that I'll approve of the way you'll have the pages treating their horses." She smiled at Kel and then motioned for Tobe to follow her.

Neal clasped Kel's shoulder and then walked away in the opposite direction, carrying Kefira. Kel swallowed. He was going to find a seat in the audience.

"Lady Knight Keladry," the clerk said quietly, "they're ready for you now."

Kel laid her palms against her thighs and took a deep breath to steady herself before walking slowly through the oak door he held open for her and into the audience chamber. She bowed and strode determinedly to the podium that awaited her and gazed at those gathered. She found Alanna and Neal—holding Kefira—in the audience as well as Seaver, Cleon, and Lord Wyldon. The king and queen were seated next to the two conservative knights who had been chosen to question her, Sir Kirth and Lord Gerard. Thayet's expression suggested that their presence was making her queasy.

"Are there any concerns from among the audience that may be addressed before we begin questioning the, er, Lady Knight?" asked Sir Kirth. Kel nearly winced as she watched Alanna attempt to stand. Neal quickly slung a long muscular arm across her shoulders to hold her down and began muttering in her ear.

A man in the audience stood. Kel recognized him as a knight she had defeated in a jousting match during her years as Lord Raoul's squire. "It has never been fully explained to my satisfaction why she has been allowed to keep her shield despite her gross breach of morals," he snarled. "Why hasn't she been sent back home with her little bastard?"

King Jonathon answered him calmly, in a voice pitched just loud enough to reach all in the room. "As I recall, the Code of Knighthood, does not make any mention of illegitimate children. You, must understand, that I cannot take away shields from every knight who produces illegitimate children. If I did that I would loose a number of valuable knights, including yourself, Sir Edderon."

"I might add," said Queen Thayet as she rose gracefully to her feet. "That Lady Keladry is doing a much better job of providing for her offspring than you have, Sir Edderon. The laundress who bore your son last year would have been forced to take refuge in the Temple of the Goddess if I had not made arrangements to provide for her and your son."

Lord Gerard cleared his throat noisily as Sir Edderon flushed scarlet and stormed from the room. "For now," he said clearly, "we will proceed with our questions." He paused and directed his gaze entirely upon Kel who refused to look away. "Mindelan, if you were to be granted the post of training master, what would your policy towards hazing be?"

There was no point in lying. "Hazing would not be tolerated," Kel said bluntly. When Lord Gerard merely stared at her and did not voice another question, she decided to expound upon her statement. "The practice of bullying those who are younger and smaller will not make boys or girls worthy of knighthood. Pages and squires should practice compassion as knights are instructed to."

Sir Kirth stood and spoke when she had finished. "There are currently a few noble daughters in training as pages, and, repellant as the idea is, we must admit that more may follow this path in the years to come. Are we correct in assuming that your treatment of and expectations of the female pages would not differ from your treatment of and expectations of the male pages? Just as your training was allegedly the same as that or your year mates."

Kel took a deep breath and felt her face slide in a Yamani calm. The entire room came into better focus. Her eyes twitched towards Lord Wyldon. "You are incorrect in your assumption, sirs. The treatment I received was not the same treatment that my peers received." To her amazement, Lord Wyldon met her eyes and nodded encouragingly. "I would expect more of the lady pages just as more was expected me of me. They have to work harder than the boys around them to gain the physical strength needed to succeed as knights. If I were training master I would ensure that the lady pages did exercises to strengthen their arms and hands and that the learned the best methods for defeating larger opponents. I would, however, expect all pages and squires to achieve the same level of excellence that Tortall has expected of its knights for generations."

There was a very long silence after this speech. Kel watched Thayet murmur something in the king's ear and then slip out the door and she hoped that her words had not offended the queen. Sir Kirth and Lord Gerard conferred with each other in whispers. Kel stood very still and tried to pretend that there weren't so many people staring at her.

Finally, Lord Gerard stood and addressed the audience. "Sir Kirth and myself have no further questions for Mindelan at this time. We have decided that we are unable to object to her appointment given Wyldon's recommendations and the lack of other candidates. We will now give members of the audience another opportunity to voice their concerns; if anyone has a question regarding Mindelan's qualifications, he may voice it now."

Kel guessed that this was a deliberate attempt to keep Alanna from speaking. The real reason for her silence was the fact the Baron George Cooper had slipped in through a side door and seated himself behind her. He had nodded to Neal and then wrapped his arms around her shoulders and covered her mouth.

An older knight stood to speak. Kel thought he looked familiar but she couldn't identify him. "Do we really want this Lady Knight to be setting the example for our sons, or even worse, our daughters? She's been known to defy orders from superior officers, she appears to have unnatural skill with the lance, and she is—to use words acceptable in this polite company—an unwed mother."

Kel was too busy praying that she could vanish and reappear somewhere more comfortable—like the inside of a very deep, very dark cave, or at the bottom of a well—to notice that Neal had sprung to his feet.

"I don't think you quite understand the full truth of the matters," Neal said as he strode towards the podium, still holding Kefira. Kel noticed Neal then, and saw that the Lioness was grinning from ear to ear and looking daggers at her husband who was still restraining her. "You have made a few statements which bear correcting."

"Queenscove!" Lord Wyldon barked. "Don't do anything rash." He attempted to reach out and grab Neal as Neal passed his seat. This seemed to remind Neal that he was carrying Kefira and he carefully deposited the baby in Lord Wyldon's arms, effectively silencing him. Lord Wyldon blinked in astonishment at the baby in his arms and then carefully adjusted his grip around her small body.

Neal continued speaking as soon as he had cleared Lord Wyldon's reach. "Firstly, I, myself was a witness at Lady Knight Keladry's recent marriage to Sergeant Domitan of the King's Own. Secondly, Lady Knight Keladry's disobedience last year saved the lives of hundreds of children and resulted in the end of the killing devices that were plaguing our warriors. Her disobedience proves nothing but her own compassion. I can think of no better knight to entrust with preparing the realm's next generation of young warriors than the Protector of the Small." Neal was now standing beside Kel facing Sir Kirth and Lord Gerard. He broke off speaking and looked around suddenly as though shocked by his own behavior.

Lord Gerard cleared his throat as though he was about to speak and Neal swallowed nervously. " I believe you were correct about the Lady Knight's apparently unnatural abilities with a lance, however," Neal said quietly. "I would recommend that the King have Numair Salmalin explore the matter when he has a free moment."

Kel was measuring the distance between her elbow and Neal's side when the king spoke. "Thank you, Sir Nealan of Queenscove for giving us the benefit of your opinions." Kel thought she heard just the faintest trace of amusement in his voice. "You may return to your seat beside my Champion." The king winked at George and then gestured to Lord Gerard to encourage him to continue.

Lord Gerard cleared his throat once more. "No more comments from the audience will be necessary. Sir Kirth and myself have come the conclusion that Lady Knight Kelardry may take the post of training master on a conditional basis. If any pages fail their examinations next year, she is to be replaced."

King Jonathon nodded his agreement and the audience was dismissed. "Training Master Keladry, you are ordered to join Thayet and myself for tea at the fourth bell. And bring your daughter, the Queen had to attend to Rider business, but she is most displeased that she has not yet had an opportunity to meet young Kefira."

Kel saluted, wondering vaguely what she ought to wear for an informal tea with the royal family. "Yes, sire."

She watched as Alanna attempted to simultaneously kiss and strangle Neal and then wandered over to Lord Wyldon once the crowd had dispersed.

"I'm sorry about all this unpleasantness, Mindelan, though I can't claim it was entirely unexpected," he said as he passed Kefira back to her.

"It wasn't nearly as unpleasant as it might have been I don't mind being on probation again," she said with a slight smile. "So long as none of my pages are."

He nodded. " You can join me and the lads—er and lasses—on the training grounds beginning next week. I'll stay here for a few weeks while you get used to the job and then I'm heading North again. And do try to keep Queenscove in check while he's here."

"My lord, if I had any influence over Queenscove's behavior," Kel said frankly, "you wouldn't have had to assign him so much punishment work."

"I don't know whether I want to kneel down before you and swear undying loyalty or drag you off for a duel," Kel said sternly when she found Neal outside. He only shrugged in response. But Kel found that she was so relieved her ordeal was over she couldn't help but forgive him—in a sense, she was deeply grateful. She hugged him and whispered in his ear, "as Kefira's godsfather, it is your duty to come with me when I present her to the queen."

"It's only fair," said Neal resignedly.

When Kel walked into the King's sitting room for tea, she was surprised to see how crowded it was. Daine and Numair had brought their child, as well as Tobe, and Alanna and George had come. Most surprising was Lalasa's presence. She was seated in a corner, deep in conversation with Queen Thayet, apparently only slightly intimidated by the company she had been invited to join.

Kel walked over to ruffle Tobe's hair and promise Daine and Numair that she and Dom were looking for a way to repay them for their "marvelous baby gift."

Numair coughed slightly at this statement. "Really that won't be necessary. It was all Skysong's idea." He grinned at Daine who twitched her nose at him. "Oh, your Majesty," he said in a louder voice, clearly pleased by the opportunity to change the subject, "I've made a thorough investigation of Lady Knight Keladry's unnatural jousting abilities and I have determined that there was no magical influence. There are entirely the result of a stubborn individual spending unhealthy amounts of time in the presence of Lord Raoul and Peachblossom."

A short while later, after tea had been poured and Kefira had been passed around and kissed, Thayet gave a ladylike tap to the side of her teacup with her spoon and addressed the group.

"Lady Knight Keladry's speech earlier this morning reminded me off a matter which I and Mistress Lalasa have long been considering. I have decided that now, with a training master who will undoubtedly be sympathetic to the situation, the time has come to make a few adjustments to the formal dinner wear of the lady pages and squires. Obviously, for day-to-day training uniforms such as the boys wear are fine. However, it is ridiculous to have the girls in tights while they serve at formal dinners." Here, Kel, Daine, and Alanna all nodded in amused agreement. "To this end, I have asked Lalasa to design something feminine and practical with loose trousers and longer tunics."

"Consider the uniform change my first official act," said Kel as Lalasa pulled out the garments she had created.

Reasons to go to a women's college:

Most days, getting "dressed up" involves pulling on a pair of relatively clean khakis.

Calculus is less likely to give you a headache if you tackle it with friends and a batch of homemade fudge

It's not quite over yet, I have a few surprises left in store for the epilog, which should be up soon and which I hope you will read. (Tobe, Daine, Kefira, Kel, and her pages are going to have a little fun.) My phlegm has cleared up enough for me to hum so reviews would be greatly appreciated.