A/N: This is the biggie! Have fun reading it. It took me forever, and I love it, so have all the fun you need. So much stuff happens in this chapter! Alright, enough chit-chat, on with the story!

The hallway was deserted as Kaden and Ambrose made their way to the ball. She couldn't help but wonder whether they were late or not, and worried that they wouldn't make it in time, but was relieved to find that a group of people stood outside of the stairway, ready to descend.

Ambrose shifted nervously, waiting for her partner to come. She hadn't seen him in weeks, and was dying to find him. She squeezed Kaden's hand and smiled comfortingly.

"Good luck." Kaden smiled back and gave her friend a hug.

"See you in there. I hope you find him!" She called after her. Ambrose waved and ran into the crowd, disappearing between heads, feet and formal dress. Kaden sighed, and turned around, ready to enter informally through the doors on the bottom floor. She knocked into someone not much taller than she was. He smiled down at her and she smiled back, glad to see the Shang Wolf in front of her.

"I'm glad to see you made it to the ball. You look fantastic!" He complimented. She smiled coyly and blushed slightly.

"Thank you, you as well." She said and looked up at him. His handsome face beamed down at her. There was silence for a minute or two.

"Would you like to join me?" He asked as music sprouted out of the ballroom and the crowd decreased as people walked down the stairs to dance.

"Of course, my lord." She answered as they made their way to the stairs. He paused and she paused, being polite as they offered each other to go.

"You first, milady." He offered.

"No, you, sir." He smiled politely at her, walked through the double doors and then conversation began to spark.

"I heard around the palace you're searching for your parents, is that so?"

"Yes, sir," She said as he took her hand and put it on his arm. They made their way down the stairs elegantly. Kaden had to try and stop herself from gaping. The ballroom was gorgeous. It was decorated richly with silk drapery and there were tables to sit. Elegantly dressed lads and ladies danced gracefully on the polished marble floors. And then there was the royal throne, where the King and Queen weren't seated just yet. She wondered where they were.

There was a tugging on her arm and she brought herself out of her daze to find Eadulf staring at her strangely.

"Are you coming? I was like you on my first time at a ball. Don't worry." He said encouragingly and they cotinued their descent. When she was at the bottom, Eadulf led her to the punch bowl, where he got them both a glass of sparkling wine. She drank it sitting down at one of the very nicely decorated tables.

"So, about your parents, how exactly are you going about finding your parents?"

"I'm actually not going about anything, sir, I'm just hoping they'll come to me." She said and laughed strangely at her own joke. He just looked at her soberly.

"So, if you're hoping they come to you, why do I hear about fighting raiders and going on adventures. Here at the palace, gossip goes around that you're amazing. You're a legend here, although, gossip is gossip."

"Yes, it surely is," She said in her royal manner. She had that voice and personality tucked away just for special occasions, and now was the perfect time to use it. "Well, I certainly didn't know I was a legend here, but I'm not exactly on an adventure. It's more like a journey." She smiled and he smiled back, offering his arm.

"Would you care to dance, milady?"

"Certainly, my lord." They got up and Kaden danced for the first time in years. The last ball she had been to was when she had been 10, at her great aunt Ailya's wedding. It wasn't the greatest, either, because she had been forced to dance with her cousin, Eidan. He was a troublemaker and wanted to dance with her as much as she had wanted to. This time, she enjoyed her dance, sweeping across the ballroom elegantly, not stepping on his foot, thankfully. When they parted at the end of the song, Kaden met his eyes squarely and saw that same emotion she had seen before. The untamed anger. But there was something else this time; guilt, sorrow and enforcement. It was there and gone in the blink of an eye, and he smiled at her while excusing himself to go talk to another man dressed sharply in a suit. His hair was pulled back in a short elastic and at his side, a lovely young woman with long, curly brown hair. Her stomach bulged slightly.

"Daine and Numair Salmalin. They're famous around the realm." Kaden turned to see her beloved sister, Lalita and her husband, Makus behind her. She squealed happily and jumped into her sisters arms, feeling a bulge at her stomach, also.

"Your baby! How is he? How are you?" Lalita laughed heartily and smiled at her younger sibling.

"So many questions. The baby's fine and we're fine, apart from the morning sickness and the inconvenience of a big stomach."

"It looks like you're not the only one, either, Lalita." Markus mentionned. He pointed to the Wildmage, who unconciously lay her hand on her stomach.

"Is that so? Well, I'll be." Lalita grinned and grabbed her sisters hand. They sat down at a table laden with cakes of all sorts. There were glasses of wine for each also. Kaden took a drink of the white wine and approved with a grunt. She looked around the room. Off in the distance, she vaguely saw her friend Ambrose hug Edvard happily and descend the stairs elegantly. She smiled and rose to greet them.

"Where are you off to, young lady?" Galen stood with a young lady who had long, golden hair and pretty blue eyes. He smiled at his sister and hugged her fiercely.

"Galen! I never thought you'd be here, too! Who else is hiding away? Adish?"

"Well, actually, the Duke and Dutchess are here. Yes, and Adish as well. He came with a pretty lady, also." The girl beside him giggled flirtatiously and put out her hand to shake Kaden's.

"Kaden, very nice to meet you. I've been wanting to hear about this wonderous adventurer from all of my clients." Kaden looked at her, confused.

"Dinaella is one of the servants healers. She told me all she heard about you was good." Galen told her.

"I've heard," Kaden said blandly. "What is it about me that they think I'm a heroine?" She asked almost rudely, but tried not to let herself get out of control. She didn't want her night to be ruined. "I mean, all I've heard was good about me, and I don't get it! I'm not that heroic!" She joked.

"Well, I-" Dinaella was interrupted as a trumpet sounded. A man in knight uniform announced something loudly.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. Presenting, Queen Thayet and King Jonathan of Tortall, and Prince Roald and Princess Kalasin of Tortall." All four descended the stairs, the elder in the front, the younger in the back. Thayet was as beautiful as they had made her out to be; even from afar. She was dressed in white silk from top to toe with the most eloquent beading embroidered onto the overflowing skirts. The top was plain and the neckline was not too daring. She looked even more exquisite with her hair down and flowing past her shoulders and falling down her back. Her husband was wearing a suit and had her arm and was walking her down the stairs. Behind them were the Prince and Princess. They were dressed as elegant as their parents, Kalasin in a pink gown of silk without any beading and Roald in the same as his father.

Kaden gasped and watched in awe as she saw them for the first time. She waited until they were seated until she searched for Ambrose. When she finally found her, she hugged her tightly.

"How are you enjoying your first ball?" Ambrose asked.

"It's enjoyable. I mean, one dance isn't a lot, but at least I wasn't alone, right?"

"You're right." She sighed and leaned against Edvard who sat and watched the dancers intently. "We've danced three times, and I'm already exhausted." She exhaled and closed her eyes.

"So, how's your family back in Whitehorn?" Kaden asked Edvard, trying to start up a conversation.

"If you mean Allan, he's here tonight." Edvard said bluntly. It didn't seem like the nicest thing to say, and Kaden didn't exactly want to hear it. She hadn't thought or heard about Allan in weeks and didn't plan on ever hearing from him again.

"Well, that's not exactly what I meant," She stood up to leave and straightened her dress out. She saw Ambrose scold him quietly. "I've got to go freshen up." She said as she left for the ladies privy. Ambrose ran after her.

"Kaden, wait up!" They were in the privy when she caught up.

"What do you want?"

"Don't get upset! You want to have a good time, right?" Kaden turned around.

"Ambrose, this is exactly the kind of thing I didn't want to happen! The only reason I came here was to meet the King and Queen."

"Oh, the King and Queen! I knew I was forgetting something! Come on!" She grabbed Kaden's arm and yanked her out of the privy, half running through the ballroom to get to the throne. The crowd had died off, and nobody was around the throne. Ambrose walked up with Kaden at her side, still half-angry, and they bowed their heads to their rulers.

"Your Majesties, this is Kaden of Blue Harbour. I am Ambrose of Anaks Eyrie." Ambrose introduced themselves. The King and Queen gave each other a look that the both of them couldn't understand, then they smiled at the girls.

"Get up, Miladies. No need to bow so long." The Queen said. Kaden recognized her face from somewhere before, but couldn't put a finger on it. The King stood and shook each of the girls hands, smiling and studying them with his icy blue eyes. "We are pleased to meet you." The Queen finished.

"I remember you! You were the woman who approached me in the stables!" Kaden blurted out, and then turned bright red. She had spoken out of line, but their Royal Majesties didn't seem phased. The Queen laughed heartily.

"Yes, you do remember me. And please, don't be sorry you said that. I was waiting for you to recognize me."

"Would you like a dance?" The King offered Kaden a hand, and she, still bright red, was startled.

"A dance? Me? With the King? I'm honored, your Majesty." He swept her out onto the dance floor, gracefully moving about the dance floor, expertisely spinning her and dipping her at the end. The result left her breathless. He smiled when she looked at him and his eyes twinkled that familiar blue she saw in her own eyes.

When they returned, Ambrose had left and she was alone with their Majesties.

"Thank you for your dance, Kaden. Now, excuse me, I need to take my wife for a dance." He winked at her and disappeared as the candles dimmed slightly. A new song was played and there was a different air to the ballroom. There was a tapping on her shoulder, and she turned abruptly.

"Would you dance with me?" Her brother Adish took her for a dance, and then Eadulf appeared and took her for two more. When she was exhausted, Eadulf suggested they get some fresh air.

Outside, her mind cleared from the excitement of the ball and she breathed in the scents of an early spring and snow. She shivered as a wind whipped at her back. Eadulf put a hand on her shoulder and looked into her light blue eyes with his darker ones. She saw them twinkle in the moonlight. Suddenly, he leaned in to kiss her gently, reminding her of love, and she tasted wine and spices on his lips. She kissed him back, longing for the touch of a man she so badly missed for weeks. When they parted, Eadulf smiled wryly.

"Midwinter luck, Kaden." And he walked away, ending the night perfectly.