Disclaimer: I own nothing, sadly, but the plot. Yay plot!

A/N: Sorry guys, I haven't reviewed in a while because, shockingly, my APPLE computer broke. So I just got it back and I am on a rampage of writing. Hope you like the long chapter!

A Meeting with the King

Neal smiled at the Roald ever-so kind words, excused the pageboy, but not before giving him a silver noble for his trouble. He remembered quite well how much it annoyed him never to be given anything for the trouble he went into for the Nobles.

He of course would come to meet the training master; he had meant to go after he unpacked. But there was no harm at doing it now. No harm at all unless he killed Padraig before he could start to teach his daughter. He was sure that Roald would stop that, if he were there. Jon was still king, for Jon was only in his late thirty's, and Roald didn't really like the court meetings. Roald now had three sons, Princes Jonathan, Coram and Alex. Coram is a squire, has been for three years now, while Jonathan is a page in his 4th year, and Alex has not yet started his pages yet, he this next year. Roald also has two daughters, Princess's Catherine and Eleni. Princess Catherine was about to be married, for she was Roald's second oldest child, but Eleni was only ten.

Enough thinking, it was time for Ria to watch the 'Clash of the Training Master and Healer Who Won't Hold His Tongue.'

"Ria, let's go, it's time to meet the training master."

Ria came out of her room, wearing her favorite pair of breeches and a nice tunic, not her best, but a nice one. She nodded, the only sign that she had heard him.

Neal sighed. If Ria didn't like the training master, this year wasn't going to be easy. He beckoned her to follow him. Ria nodded again and walked out he door with him, closing it behind her. She matched his pace and they walked in silence till they got to the King's Study. There, he saw Ria bring in her most polite Yamani blank face, and knocked on the door.

"Come in." was the quiet reply.

They opened the solid oak door. Neal brushed his daughters hand, taunt with trepidation, curled into a fist. Nothing he could say would sooth her, so he stayed wisely silent, for that was best for his future health if his daughter decided to kill him.

They walked in. There was the king, tall, quiet, beautiful. His coal black hair was neatly combed, and his sapphire eyes seemed to bore holes into her soul. Next to the king was standing his son and one of his grandsons and granddaughters, Roald and, probably, Alex and Eleni.

Sitting in one of the chairs, in fact, on of the big armchairsA/N: I got this idea from The Dark Jewels, strangely not the hard ones that suit Padriag's personality. But Neal looked closer and saw this was not Padraig, in fact, it was his old friend, Douglass of Veldine.

"Neal." The tone in Roald's voice implied that he should pay attention to the king.

Neal turned to give the king a proper bow from a noble. His daughter, beside him, had already sunk down into the lowest bow she could manage without falling over.

The king of course addressed Neal first, for he was older and due more respect.

"Sir Neal, it is good to have you back in Corus. We hope you will be staying." Using the royal 'We' implied that the throne wanted Neal to stay, or that the royal family wanted him to stay. Neal wished it were the second meaning.

"Actually, Your Royal Highness, Prince Roald, Prince and Princess, I was actually only planning to stay a few days to get my daughter settled and see a few friends, and then I wanted to get home."

"Then we better get your daughter settled. Neal, I would like you to meet Douglass of Veldine," Neal gave him a low bow, and Douglass gave him a nod in return, for though they were the same rank as nobles, Douglass was older and due more respect, "I am sure you and Roald are acquainted," Neal and Roald nodded at each other, they had spent their page years together, "And last but not least, my grandchildren, Alex and Eleni." The king introduced all of the fine company in the room.

"And I am astounded by such fine company, this is my daughter Crealaine of Queenscove and the Yamani Isles." Ria gave them all a low bow, but still she had a Yamini face on.

"I had better let Sir Douglass take over." The king nodded to the man relaxing in the armchair.

"Crealaine, I am told that you have the magical gift. What is your power?"

"Sir, I have the power of healing, and the sight."

Ria stared intently at her new training master. He was tall, but not a giant. He had a kind face, but she knew that he would be a stern taskmaster. He would give her no rights over the boys, and vice-versa. His dark brown hair was just beginning to gray, making him look dignified. His eyes, brown, seemed to watch her. His clothes, though Nobles clothes, looked like he had been riding in them. His had looked weathered and well callused, though one of his hands had a long gash on the palm.

"Good, good. Have you brought a maid?" His voice brought her back from her observations. He addressed her, looking only at her, not asking her father.

"Yes sir, my maid has come with me from Queenscove, sir."

"Good. Salma will show you to your rooms. As per the rules, you will not be in any boy's room with the door closed, and the same if a boy is in your room. No flirtations. If you break this rule you shall be sent back to your home immediately. You are not allowed to be found fighting, and if you are found you shall be brought to me immediately. If you don't finish your work that the teachers assign during the day, you shall not make excuses. On some rare days you may be allowed to go to the city, and sometimes I might let you leave class early. Your room must be neat, at all times. If you do something against these rules you shall get punishment work. Do you understand?"

"I understand, my lord," was Ria's reply.

"Good, Salma shall show you your rooms. You are excused. Neal, if you would stay to talk." The king spoke.

Ria bowed, and left the room.

A/N: You like? I certainly like this. Please R&R. I am thinking of bringing someone like Faithful back in, but would that be too much trouble. Thank you to melissa, The ORIGINAL Meathead, reality-is-elusive, and especially to Erkith, who's reviewed every chapter.