The next day, it just so happens that there was going to be a ball. Now, the notice was delayed by some other important crown business, so word didn't come out till just yester eve.

This news brought all the court to a panic, and dawn found everybody preparing for the ball, sleepers that tend to wake up in the noon woke up at an unusual time to shop. In fact, that morning was one of the busiest mornings in history, and probably late at night, the shop tenders and merchants would cheer, but just now, they are too busy to even bother thinking of anything else.

Ladies ordered a fitting left and right, some from their own personal tailor, and the ones who cannot afford so, quickly went out and lunged towards the next best dressmaker.

Unfortunately for Alanna, the time the ball was announced was the time she was apologizing to Thom. She woke up at the second candle after dawn, not realizing the uncanny bustling and shouting outside the city walls were due to a late ball notice. Thus, she reacted upon instinct and flew to the room across from hers and pounded deafeningly, fearing the worst has happened to Corus.

Moments later the door was still closed. In a panic, Alanna ran (still in her ball gown) towards the Knight quarters in a stumbling speed, wasting no time to pound on Thom's doors as well. This time, the door did open up, and Alanna stood in shock at what lay before her eyes.

"Thom!" she gasped loudly. "Why are you dressed already?"

Thom, who was indeed dressed in uniform, thought that the question was rather weird. He frowned slightly and shifted to the other leg. After another moment of contemplation, he shifted back onto the previous leg before responding, "Everyone is up early…why are you up so late?"

Alanna let her jaw drop in disbelief. "Me? Up Late? I'm up at the time I'm usually up! Why is everybody up so early?"

Hearing this, Thom chuckled in pure amusement at his sister, shaking his head at her obvious ignorance. Alanna saw him shaking his head and angrily socked his forearm.

"Thom! Stop laughing and tell me this moment what's happening!" She shouted. Heads in the hall turned at this angry shout, trying to find the source of the noise. Attention was something Thom was uncomfortable with, especially if it's the embarrassing sort, so he quickly pulled his sister into his room.

He shut the door with haste. "Alanna! Ow! Okay, Okay, I'll tell you, Mithros! Just stop hitting me."

Alanna complied, but not before hitting him once more in frustration.

"Yesterday, they announced that a ball was to be held to welcome all convent ladies that have just arrived. It is happening tonight, so due to the short notice, people are rushing to prepare. As to why I'm up, I'm trying to finish all my paper work before tonight so I can enjoy this event in peace," he explained.

Alanna stared wide-eyed at her brother before letting a vicious war cry and stomping off.

Thom chuckled.

Midday, after eating breakfast, Alanna found herself outside palace grounds in the temple district, her current state being pushed around by throngs of busy ladies and lords. The sun glared angrily upon her greasy red curls. Pudgy cheeks blotted with a new touch warts, and pudgy eyes smudged with thick eye kohl. Her puckering lips were in a pout, defined with dark cherry lip balm. Draped over her exceedingly obese frame was a silly pink dress donned with frilly laces, the exact dress that Alanna hated with passion. That was partly why she wore it.

With effort-strained steps, she made her way past the temple district and into the merchant littered part of Corus. Shouts sounded across the district in hollers, voices lulling each to buy their goods from Scanran, the Yamani Islands, Galla, Maren, and even across the Roof of the world! It took a mighty lunge to get to that stall that sold goods from the Roof of the World, and Alanna beheld in her eyes boots and coats lined with fur, bottles of melted snow, and snow shoes. Not that any of them are any use in Corus, but they would make a good souvenir, though one did not even travel to the Roof of the World to buy these.

Deeming it useless, Alanna wandered away from the stall and traveled through the main street of Corus, idly looking at shops left and right, minding her feet when people rudely pushed pass her in a hurry. The temptation to growl was infuriating, and it pained her not to do so to the ill-mannered. It was only a while after did she spot the Dancing Dove and made up her mind to enter.

She quickly found George and sat at across from him. He was staring idly off into space, and Alanna startled him.

"Lass! What a surprise!"

"Hi George," Alanna said in response. "I can't find a gown for tonight's ball. It's infuriating, shopping for someone supposedly my size."

George looked at Alanna's disguised body in amusement, "I would have guessed so."

Alanna grimaced, then asked, "Is Liam here? I was hoping toget some training done before I go back out there."

"No," George looked thoughtful for a moment "...but perhaps you would like to learn how to weild a dagger?" He grinned as she saw Alanna perk up with excitement. He led her upstairs, explaining there she could accomadate herself before heading down to the courtyard.

When they were upstairs, George rumaged through his trunk of clothes and handed her a pair of his smallest trousers and tunic.

"Thanks George...and your lending me another set of clothing, when I didn't even return the other pair," she said emabrassedly, her eyes not meeting his. This brought back the memory of her absently blurting out the random thought. Her face became as red as her hair.

George chuckled heartily, "Dun worry about it, lass, you can change behind that screen, I won't look."

Alanna came out from behind the screen, her previous plump figure changed to her regular normal state. It never ceased to amaze George in seeing the difference.

He then handed her a dagger, before saying they were going to practicein his room for privacy. He told her how to hold it, showed her different ways to defend and attack. Alanna had a lot of fun learning new techniques, though she can't help but feel excited at his closeness. She discarded this feeling as nothing of significance, however.

Soon, it was very late, and Alanna quickly changed back to her glamoured form and thanked George profusely before heading out. With haste, she went into a store and got the silliest looking dress there was, one with many lacing and ruffles. This, she thought, ought to repel unwanted suitors.

Dear Readers,

I am soooo sorry for the long absence. I hope you all aren't too mad, I mean, at least I'm still writing, right? (laughs meekly) Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, though not much happens here. Another update is coming soon...

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