A/N to reviewers: Yes, I know I don't usually do this, but I actually got some critiquing for the last chapter (whoopee!), so I wanted to say thanks and let people know that I do take your critiquing (call it flaming if you want, I don't) seriously and I am putting it all in a document that I will review when I go to do the rewrite. (sorry if it's a little long, you don't have to read it)

flamingirl – Yes, the plot is loose in this chapter. It was already scheduled to be rewrote because I don't like Chap Seventeen any more than you, hehe. I wrote it because I was bored and I wanted a fun interlude or… something like that. (how surprising: I can't even remember why I wrote it. Rather typical) Thank you, this is EXACTLY what I've been looking for! I like to know what people don't like as much as what they do. I don't consider it flaming, I consider it constructive critiquing, unless the reviewer is very mean about it and doesn't say anything nice, and you were very nice about it. Thank you! (plus, you've reviewed positively before, heehee)

And as for the Star Wars things, well, I need to put in something for them to bicker about and (as you'll see once my website is up), I don't know about many things that they could bicker about. And, being a sci-fi/fantasy freak, I figured I could have them argue about Star Wars, which most people know about, or I could have them argue about something like whether it was right for Wind Blossom to try to recreate Kitti Ping's dragons on Pern, since she ended up creating whers. (See, didn't get a word of that, huh? Heeheehee…) So that's why I have them argue about Star Wars. (plus, I'm a complete Star Wars freak, and that's what I myself would do, so… you get the picture)

Gail –More surprised reactions from Ella and Char coming up! (Well, in the rewrite, but they're coming up, I promise!) The chapter does need some sort of good writing (like flamingirl said, it was rather loose), so I'll add that in the rewrite.

Chapter Eighteen: Balls and Bedlam

I had forgotten all about my welcoming ball while we were at the beach, but I was quickly reminded of it the next day when some servants came in to see if any of my old ball gowns would still fit. My mother decided that I needed a new one, not because they didn't fit me, but because the style had totally changed. It wasn't big, hoopy skirts anymore; now it was slinky bodices and flared skirts with beadwork and embroidery designs. It would have to be a rush job, obviously, but the castle seamstress assured us it would be done in time.

It was and even I had to admit it didn't look too bad. It was a sort of tie-dye blue that they must have figured out how to do while I was gone, and the colors looked similar to my favorite shirt, which I had shown my mother when I first got back. The bodice was tight, but not too tight (or not as tight as a corset, anyways; it was more fitted to my body than suck-in-your-stomach tight) and the collar was shaped like a diamond in front, coming down from the middle of my shoulders, and the back was cut down to about three inches or so above my waist (I didn't like that part so much, but I couldn't change it now). The skirt was slightly flared with a cut up the side of the leg, which, I found out, enabled me to run. There was light beadwork and embroidery designs on the bodice edges and beadwork on the skirt. It looked very cool and very fantasy-ish, which was awesome. The dress was sleeveless, but came with sleeve gloves of the same color, which made for a very neat effect.

All in all, it wasn't bad!

The night of the ball finally (unfortunately) came and I had to be 'presented' to the court. (why? I'd been 'presented' since I was born; surely they knew who I was by now!) My dad walked out with Mom, and I insisted that I'd rather have to walk out into the ballroom with Shean than some stranger, and since I threatened to go for a horseback ride if my request wasn't met, my mother had to agree since she knew full well that I'd carry through on my threat, heeheehee.

Shean and I walked through the double doors, my left arm in the crook of his right and we were announced as 'Princess Avalla and Sir Shean' at which I had to stifle a giggle. 'Sir Shean'? He had to be kidding!

I controlled my laughter and took up the obligatory curtsy to move us into the first dance. Both of us had been dreading this part, but it was tradition, so we had to dance with each other. After that dance, we sat around with our punch and snacks and munched away and chatted about things back in Washington. I kept refusing dances until my mother stalked over and demanded that I dance with someone so I could keep face with the nobles and courtiers or whatever. So I danced with Shean as much as I could and danced with other boys when I absolutely had to. Luckily it was all waltzes and stuff, so I didn't have to do a stupid slow dance. I will admit, when I danced with Shean, we went faster than the music, but I didn't care; it was more fun to mess up some dumb formal dance at a stupid ball I didn't want to be at anyways!

Well, I finally got fed up with it all and dragged Shean out to the garden to the big central ring. It was a large circle made of tiles and surrounded by benches, except for the entrances by the different paths, and we used it for entertaining guests sometimes in the summer.

"Come on, let's do a stepping out," I suggested, pulling off my dance slippers and hiking up my dress. Shean nodded and stepped into place on one of the paths for his own entrance and started humming one of our step dance songs. (for those not in the know, a stepping out is an Irish step dance thing where you go and take turns doing steps. It's kind of like showing off with style)

I started my reel step and then stopped. "Um, Shean, that's a jig."

"Well then, do a jig!" He exclaimed. "There's more steps, anyways." I sighed and rolled my eyes.

"Oh, all right."

I started another step and then Shean started his when I finished and we kept going till we ran out of steps. So then we sat on the rim of a nearby fountain (and drank some of it so we didn't collapse from exhaustion since step dance wears you out quickly). Then we sat in companionable silence for a while, just looking at the stars.

I finally got up and led him to a balcony that had been built in the garden. There was a sort of telescope on it.

"Here, it's more fun to look at them through this," I said, bending down to look through the lens. My head banged into Shean's, who was apparently doing the same thing. We both rubbed our heads and I grinned. "After you."

He adjusted the tripod thing it was built on so that it was taller and he could see out of it better. "Hey, look at the moon," he suddenly said, and moved out of the way so I could see. I tried to look through the lens, but Shean was taller than me and I couldn't reach it now that he'd adjusted the height.

"Here," Shean said and I felt his hands come up under my arms and lift me up a bit so that I could see through the telescope.

"Thanks," I murmured, looking at the moon, which was different from Earth's moon, but still familiar.

"No prob," he replied. "Hey, you're pretty light."

"Of course I am, compared to you," I said, still looking at the moon. He dropped me.

"Hey!" I exclaimed and 'purposely-accidentally' landed on his foot.

"Ow!" He cried, hopping around clutching his foot. He went to sit down on the bench that was on the balcony, but missed and sat down hard on the floor, hitting his head lightly on the stone railing. I went to kneel beside him and examine his head.

"Shean, are you okay?" I asked, looking at the back on his head, then looking at his face to make sure there wasn't too much pain mirrored there.

"Yeah," he murmured and looked up at me. I realized my face was inches from his. "Val…" He whispered. And suddenly I found that my face was no longer inches away from his, but right next to it and my lips were touching his and he was kissing me.

I don't know why, but I didn't pull away. It was like I couldn't. I didn't even really mind it; it was like I'd been waiting for this to happen and it finally had. We eventually had to come up for breath and I looked at Shean. He was grinning shyly and quickly looked down at his hands when he saw me looking at him, which were fiddling with the bottom of his dress tunic that he'd had to wear for the ball.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what I was doing, I –" he muttered, blushing, but I held up a hand and stopped him.

"No, it's okay," I said quietly, smiling softly (and probably idiotically). "I – I kind of – liked it." I whispered. He looked up at me with evident surprise written on his features.

"Really?"

I nodded and bit my lip, looking down at my lap, blushing a perfect shade of red to match Shean's face.

"Then can we try it again?" He asked in a barely audible whisper and I found myself kissing him again, only this time we both responded to the kiss and I found myself slipping my arms around his neck as his came to encircle my waist.

"Hey, Val, Mother wants –" I suddenly heard my little sister's voice say and quickly broke off the kiss and sat down next to Shean against the railing, my face suffused with beet red. I glanced over at him and saw his face was approximately the same shade, though maybe a bit darker, if that was possible.

Éralla gasped. "I'm telling Mother that you were out in the garden kissing a boy!" She crowed triumphantly, having caught us fair and square.

I jumped up and clapped a hand over her mouth. "If you tell anyone what you think you just saw, I will personally sell you to Ferrel!" I hissed, glaring at her with a lot of intensity. Her eyes widened.

"'F wofe te' Moffa!" She mumbled, her voice muffled by my hand.

"What was that?" I asked sarcastically, putting my ear closer to her mouth as if to hear her better. I heard a muffled snort of laughter from Shean. Éra pointed to my hand. I took it off, but replaced it with an iron grip on her arm.

"I won't tell Mother!"

I mock smiled at her. "Good! Because I was afraid I'd have to tell her about that time…" Her eyes widened and she shook her head vigorously. I hadn't even been sure of what I was going to use as an example of what I'd tell, but I was happy my bluff had worked. Shean and I had used to use that ploy on Kaet all the time.

"All right, now that we have that settled, what did Mom want?"

"She… she… oh, I remember. She wanted you to come back inside so that she can present you to one of the new nobleman's families. They've got a girl and a boy your age and she wants to introduce you."

"Tch, I'll bet she does," I muttered under my breath.

"What?" Éra asked.

"Nothing. Come on, let's go." I motioned for Shean to follow us and we went back to the ballroom.

When we got there, we found my mom waiting for us.

"Oh, Val, good. I'm glad Éralla found you. I'd like to introduce you to one of the new noble family's, Lord Kesten and his wife and his son and daughter."

She led me over to where a man was talking with another man, and his wife and children were standing.

"Lady Sellarra?" My mom said and the woman turned around.

"Oh, Queen Eleanor! How are you?" She asked warmly, shaking Mom's hand. Mom smiled back.

"Just fine. And you?"

"Very well, thank you. Children, greet the queen!" She prompted and the two kids turned around.

They looked almost identical. The boy had dirty blond shoulder length hair, as per the fashion of the court at the moment, and the girl had matching hair, except that hers went to her waist. They were both tall, and were wearing matching outfits (that suited their different genders, of course, but were obviously made to look similar) that only accentuated how much they looked like one another.

"Hello," the girl said, extending her hand and shaking my mom's. "I'm Jenna."

"Glad to meet you," my mother replied, smiling.

Jenna's brother also shook my mother's hand. "I'm Jerrem, Jenna's twin." My mom smiled at him too.

"Why don't you kids go and get acquainted," she suggested. "You can go out in the garden if you'd like." Shean and I exchanged awkward glances, but I nodded and smiled, hopefully not betraying my thoughts.

"Come on, this way," I said, leading the way. "I'm Avalla, by the way."

Jenna laughed. "I kinda figured that out."

"Oh, right." Stupid Val, of course she knew who I was! I was the Princess, after all! "Well, call me Val. I hate my name."

Jenna grinned. "Okay. You can call us Jer or Jen or Jerrem or Jenna, your choice. We'll both usually respond to any of those names, so you don't have to be particular." We all laughed.

Shean was walking next to me and looking uncomfortable and he elbowed me.

"Oh, Jenna, Jerrem, this is my best friend, Shean," I said. Jenna and Jerrem said hi to him and he nodded back.

"Here, we can sit down here," I suggested when we got to several benches that were facing each other, two on each side of the path. Shean and I sat on one side of the path and Jenna and Jerrem took the other two benches. Jenna fussed with her dress, trying to sit down comfortably.

Argh, I hate dresses! I heard her think.

"You hate dresses, too?" I asked without thinking, but thankfully that statement could have been made based on her actions, too, so she didn't suspect anything.

She looked up. "Yes." She sighed. "And yet, I have to wear them every day!"

I grinned. "I hate them, too." She looked surprised.

"Really? I would have thought you'd like them!" I stared at her.

"Why would I like them?"

"Um… actually, I don't know. Because you're a princess, I guess, and I thought that princesses liked that kind of stuff."

I laughed. "No way! I'd rather be riding or hawking or something in my shirt and pants any day!"

Jenna grinned. "I think we're going to be friends," she said with a laugh. "None of the other girls in court seem to think the same way."

The boys must have felt left out of our little conversation, because they were now huddled up on the same bench discussing something I couldn't hear.

"Come on, let's go walk through the garden," I suggested to Jenna and we got up and started walking down the path. "Be back in a few!" I called to Shean and he just nodded without looking up. I shook my head. "Geez, when they get started talking, they sure don't stop for anything!"

Jenna smiled. "My brother likes to debate. I think he should be a politician when he's older."

I grinned. "Boy, I can't see Shean as a politician!" I laughed.

Jenna looked over at me, then abruptly changed the subject. "Shean's pretty handsome, don't you think?"

I stared at her, hoping she hadn't noticed anything between us or something. Actually, back in Washington, he was pretty darn normal looking, probably not grouped in the 'hot' group by anyone I could think of. But now that we were back in Kyrria, maybe he would be handsome, since he wasn't just another court clone. (his hair was still in a shorter cut than most of the other boys', although now he was letting it grow out a bit) "I dunno. Why?"

Jenna shrugged. "I don't know. I just saw how he kept looking at you until he and Jer started talking, and I kind of thought…" She trailed off and I eyed her.

"You thought what?"

"Well…" She started, then stopped walking and turned to look at me. "Look, I know I haven't known you for very long at all, and I probably shouldn't say things like this until I've know you for a while, but I'm pretty good at reading faces, and he sure seemed like he was… well… in love with you!"

I blushed furiously. "Why would you say that?" I asked, hoping she wouldn't notice how red my face was in the faint light of the candles that were set on poles along the path. She peered at me anyways.

"Like I said, from the way he kept looking at you, and the expression he had. And I'd say from your expression…" She suddenly gave a little chuckle. "That you love him too!" I stared at her, then looked at the ground.

"Um, Jenna, I haven't known you for even an hour, but… can I trust you to keep a secret?" She nodded seriously and didn't twitter like a lot of girls would have and I knew she could be trusted not to tell my mom.

"All right, well… um… I…" Ugh, I just couldn't say it. "You're right: Shean does love me," I finally said in a rushed voice.

"How do you know for sure?" Jenna asked in an interested voice, but not the gossipy-interested voice most of the other girls I knew would've asked in. I liked this girl more by the minute!

"Well… because he kissed me tonight," I said in a rush. I had to tell someone, or else I was going to blurt it out to my mom or something else just as bad. "Now remember, you promised you wouldn't tell!" I quickly added in warning.

Jenna grinned and nodded. "Sure thing; it's safe with me."

I sighed with relief and we continued walking.

"So, you don't like dresses?" Jenna finally asked. I shook my head.

"I can't stand the things. I wear slacks and a t-shirt whenever I can, without getting in trouble."

"Slacks and a t-shirt?"

"Oh, sorry. A short-sleeved shirt and pants. Forgot you wouldn't know those terms. Anyways, yeah, I would rather wear those than a dress any day." Jenna agreed. "So, what do you like to do?" I asked.

"Well, I like to ride, in a men's saddle, and hawk, and hunt, and swim, and read, and a lot of other things that aren't 'appropriate for young ladies'." Jenna stuck out her tongue. "I don't know why it's not 'appropriate'."

I grinned. "I like the exact same type of things, actually. You know, I think we'll be very good friends indeed."

Jenna grinned and nodded. "I think so too."

We walked for a little while longer, talking about nothing in particular, though Jenna asked a lot of questions about what life was like in Washington where 'there weren't nearly as many restrictions in regards to what young ladies should do and what they shouldn't as there were here'.

We finally made the loop back to where the boys were still sitting, deep in conversation. We both grabbed our respective boy's arm and dragged him up to get back to the ballroom before a search party was sent for us.

As we walked back, I felt Shean's hand slip into mine and I grasped it and smiled fondly up at him. And he smiled back.

A/N: Okay, that was one of the most painful chapters I have ever written, so you guys better enjoy it! No, I'm joking (well, only about the fact that you guys better like it, though I hope you do). I can't seem to write any scenes with kissing unless it's got some humor too, so that's why I had Éralla stand in for Threepio since Shean and Val were kind of my Leia and Han, hehe. (if you haven't seen Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back, you won't get the joke. And even if you have, you might not. I have an odd sense of humor sometimes) If anyone would like to give input on what I should change about this chapter, I'll take it gladly. I'm hoping that now that the painful (for me) first kiss is over, I'll have an easier time writing the romance for the story. (sorry, I'm just not a romance person, but Shean took over the story a while back and decided to fall in love with Val, I guess, so it does fit in the story, so I'd probably end up writing it anyways) Okay, I'll stop now and let you review.

A/N2: Wait! One more quick note. Sorry it took so long to update. I kept forgetting to get this chappie off of my laptop to my PC. (I am on the twenty-second chapter right now, so I do have some back-up chapters, so hopefully it won't be more than a week or two for the next one, so don't give up on me!) Anyways, does anyone know of a good photo hosting service? I've going to look at iVillage or whatever it is, and a couple other ones someone told me about. I need it so I can upload pictures of the characters. (well, the pic of Val. But if I do find a good picture of one of the other characters, I'll put it up as well) And if anyone knows of a picture that looks anything like Shean or Kaet or anyone else from the story, let me know. (I would do a search on Google or something, but I wouldn't know what to look for) Also, I'm going to be starting a website for myself for my writing soon (hopefully), so if anyone would like the URL once it's up, let me know and I'll put it in an A/N when I get it up and running. I think that's all, and you're probably tired of me by now, so I'll stop boring you and let you get on with life. Thanks for reading!