Chapter One:

The hall was alive with millions of sights, smells, and sounds coming from every direction. Pages, with trays of food and pitchers, walked briskly from the kitchens to the tables filled with nobles from throughout the realm of Tortall. King Jonathan and Queen Thayet were sharing a table with the newly married Neal and Yuki, and seemed to be in deep conversation.

Probably about Shinko and the Prince, Kel thought as she shifted her gaze around the room, noting that neither Shinko nor Roald was there, Newlyweds!

Snow was falling softly outside. Dom sat next to Kel, talking to Lady Alanna when he noticed Kel's glossy gaze and drooping eyes. With a quick look under the table, he stomped on her foot.

"OUCH!!!" Kel yelled drawing the attention of many other tables around them. She glared at Dom, "What was that for?!"

"You were falling asleep, what else was I to do?" Dom asked innocently.

"Wave your hand in front of my face, or something other than killing my foot." Kel turned and looked at the blue liquid before her, picked up the glass containing it, and took a swig.

"Would you like sum'ore, Milady?" a young page holding a pitcher asked. Kel nodded and the boy leaned over to pour. In an instant, the page slipped and in an effort not to spill the container on the Lady Knight moved, spilling the blue liquid on Dom's white dress breaches. "I'm so sorry, sir!" the page boy said grabbing the towel on his belt and handing it to Dom. Frantically, Dom wiped up the blue mess cursing to himself. Alanna and Raoul stifled a laugh. Dom dismissed the embarrassed page and rung the rag into Kel's goblet, nearly filling it. Kel's jaw dropped and she looked at Dom.

"Needed somewhere to put it." Dom smiled.

"Right. Your just angry that it spilled all over you." Kel countered calmly.

"He is just upset because he knows that he is just as clumsy as that boy." Alanna interjected, trying to sound as sweet as possible.

"Isnt that the truth." Kel mumbled rolling her eyes.

Dom looked at her, "And what is that supposed to mean, Lady Keladry?"

"It means that Ive seen way to many arrows fall from your bow before you even shoot, and ive seen you stutter when confronted with a beautiful lady."

"I, Milady, do both on purpose. I find that it makes the oppositions think less of you, then you can hit them harder."

"And so prideful too."

"I resent that remark!"

"I would say that you more resemble that remark."

Dom went to talk, opening and closing his mouth like a goldfish. Kel had stumped him, Kel! He looked over to Raoul who shrugged, then to Alanna who was using her hand to stop any laughter from coming out.

"Well…I…I…I don't think your 'skills' are all that perfected."

"I know that, but their better than yours."

"Are you sure about that?"

"I fought off more of the Scanrans than you have. I fought the Killing Devices as a Squire, Domnitan."

"But without me you wouldn't have destroyed the Killing Devices, or gotten the refugees back!"

Kel backed off, her face Yamani calm. "Excuse me." She got up and walked out of the room.

"Stupid, Stupid, Stupid!" Dom knew she didn't like talking about that rescue mission. Yet, he pushed, why did he pushed! He got up, threw the rag on the table and walked in the opposite direction as Kel.

Alanna watched both leave and turned a mischievous look at Raoul who, with a raised eyebrow and a smirk, nodded.