A/N: I'm Back! Did you miss me, my ducklings? Chapter 3… wow! I never thought that this would go so far! Did you know that this was supposed to be an oneshot with last chapter's kiss replacing the mushy-gushy fluff that Dom said in chapter one? Yes! It was… but it's NOT! I'll stop rambling and give you what you wanted.

Disclaimer: Hello, my name is not Tamora Pierce, and I'm not in possession of any of these characters! Get it? Got it? Good!

Chapter Three

Dancing with Glaives

I wake up at my usual time (just after dawn) to go to the practice courts to sort out my thoughts. Oddly enough, I find the one and only Sir Meathead practicing his archery skills.

"Neal!" I exclaim, forgetting to use my nickname for him in my state of shock in seeing that my cousin would even think to get up this early. "What in the name of Mithros and the Goddess are you of all people doing up so early?"

"Well, couldn't I ask you the same thing?"

"Nealan… I always get up this early." I smirk at how Meathead cringes at the sound of his full name.

Well… if you absolutely must know, I couldn't sleep."

"Always the dramatic one, aren't you Neal? … Oh... Um…. Erm… Hello Dom! Fancy meeting you here…" why is she so flustered?

"Kel! How are you? Are you well? Why are you not in your room with your pigstick- erm… I mean glaive?"

"Well, oh dramatic-one, I felt like practicing my fencing skills. After being beaten by Lady Alanna, I have made a vow to practice daily until I do beat her. Although I usually practice my glaive in the morning and I fence at night, I decided to mix things up a bit." I will never understand how Kel has such patience for Neal.

"Fencing, is it?" smooth Dom, smooth. "The lady must not practice alone, now should she?"

"Are you sure? You don't have anything more important planned do you?"

"What could be more important than you Kel?" Although my tone was light-hearted, even jesting, my eyes told her how serious I was. Neal watched eagerly as Kel turned a rather remarkable shade of magenta at my statement.

Before Kel could even open her mouth, Neal made his move. Gagging, his eyes gleaming, "If you are quite finished, I will leave you two lovebirds to play."

We both glared at his wickedly grinning for as he retreated quickly from the practice courts. Before he could make it to the fence however, Kel stopped him by calling his name in a mildly pleasant tone.

Slowly, carefully, as if trying not to upset a wild animal on the loose, Neal turned to face Kel. " I wouldn't call a glaive a "pigsticker" in front of Yuki if I were you. Yamani noblewomen are very sentimental about things like that."

Wincing, Neal nodded and trotted away, no doubt to go tell his consort what he had just seen.

A/N: Another chapter done! Next scene is the fencing scene… which I am working on, but seeing as I have NEVER fenced in my life, I will need to go back to the good old Alanna books to find help. Expect that chaptersoon... but im not too sure when.Another chapter comes up after that…. If I can think of what to write… but FEAR NOT! I WILL have a new chapter to you! And if we're lucky, I will finish this before school starts in August! If that is the case, I will update with a new story too! It is going to be a Harry Potter Fic about Lily and James…. I like how its going, and I know where everything will be… unlike this story!

AGAIN! THANK YOU REVIEWERS….

BlackFlame418: thanks! I will... once i find SOMETHING! wonderful job on YOUR stories!

SeaStar: Thanks! I'm glad you liked it. I am enjoying writting it!

Tortall Princess: I guess they are a tad ooc...I never really realized that!

TheGirlScholar: Thanks! It was a spur of the moment thing... give me some time to think of the next chapter...I hopeI can do it some justice!

meganidge: Here you go! I updated! mwah! It was VERY fun to write the last bit!

Abiona Marchand: blushes thank you so much for those kind words! It takes me a while to write with my scedule being what it is... but i got this chapter through! Can you believe thati was going to make this story a ONESHOT with the kiss at the end of chap. two an alternate ending?

thanks! More soon... once i find a way to place the fencing scene! but i think that the last part was my favorite part of the chapter...

As always… reviews are ALWAYS welcome… what was good? Bad? Ugly? So-So? Tell me what you liked/disliked?

And remember ducklings, be like an ion that lost a electron… POSITIVE!

Yes…I know… that was a bad joke!