I dont own any of the Tamora Pierce characters


The two of them walked down to the practice courts in an awkward silence, neither wanted to talk about the embarassing situation they had put themselves in the night before. Well, its actually his fault. Ivy told herself, he came onto me not the other way round. I wonder what Dad would do if he found out. That thought was enough to entertain her as she headed towards the courts, trying to ignore the fact that Matthew was casting her side-long looks every few metres.

When they finally reached the practice courts, Raoul and Buri were already there. Ivy headed to the corner of one to stretch off before beginning, while Matthew walked over to Ivy's parents. Ivy watched them with one eye, trying to decipher from Matthews lip movements what he was saying, it was a trick that her Uncle George and cousin Aly had been trying to drill into her since she was little, but Ivy had never caught on and now regretted that she had paid so little attention. After a few minutes Matthew went to the other side of the court and started to stretch. Several minutes later he was finished and was spinning his sword in a silver blur in a complicated sword drill. Ivy rolled her eyes and walked to the middle of the court, waiting for the young knight to join her. He gave her a small grin which she returned as a scowl, before calling to Raoul and informing him that they were ready. Raoul nodded.

"Go!" he called. Ivy immediately began to circle him, watching as he spun his blade between his fingers. She tried to ignore the part of her that was admiring his stamina to waste energy spinning a heavy sword. She managed it completely when he stopped sharply and darted in,a lucky jump back saved her from being impaled on his sword.

"Careful Ivy!" Raoul called from the side. "He can't be your knight master if you get killed!" Ivy rolled her eyes and side-stepped a well-aimed lunge. Matthew brought his sword up high, then swung it down. Ivy blocked, the power behindthe blow jarring her arm and sending pain screeching upto her shoulder.She swore anddropped to the floor, rolling sideways away fromhim. She was just scrabbling to her feet when Matthew sliced a shallow cut into her shoulder.

"One-nil!" Matthew said quietly, offering her a hand up. She hit it away and got up on her own.

"You got lucky that time,I won't let it happen again."Ivy said,circling her shoulders.

"Good, because that was way too easy!" He told her. Ivy spun roundand saw a mischevious glint in his eye, much like the one she had seen the night before.He stuck his tongue out of thecorner of his mouth, making sure that Raoul and Buri didn't see it.Matthew gripped her shoulder lightly then went back to the middle.

"And again?" he asked. Ivy rolled her eyes then joined him, rubbing the shallow cut that had been opened.

"Go!" Raoul said, then turned away to kiss his wife. Ivy immediately attacked, taking the young knight by surprise. She swept in with a clean butterfly sweep, which he blocked with a smile.

"So you can fight, maybe I can work up a bit of a sweat!" he winked at her, before lashing one foot out and sending her onto her back.

"Or not!" he said, advancing on her slowly. Ivy grinned to herself and flipped on to her feet. It caught Matthew by surprise and she began a series of complex sweeps and cuts. Matthew blocked and parried, a small grin on his face. "You're full of surprises aren't you?" he said, jumping back and wiping away a bead of sweat. "Maybe you could be useful . . . if you were willing to be in my command all of the time that is!" He darted in again.

"Well, if I didn't know what a flirt you were," Ivy wrapped her sword around his and flicked it up out of his hands, "I might be willing." she cut a small line across his arm. "But if being in your command means I do exactly what you want whenever you want, then I wouldn't be." Matthew was staring at her. "What?" she snapped. He shook his head.

"Nothing, I just haven't been beaten in a while, and nobody has talked to me like that since I was about three and getting told off for being stuck up."

Ivy grinned. "You? Stuck up? I can't imagine that!" she said sarcastically.

Matthew gaped. "Whats that meant to mean?" He demanded.

"Well, you did seem like you thought you'd get everything you asked for last night and that nobody would ever deny you." she pointed out.

"Nobody had until I met you!" Matthew replied, sticking his tongue out at her before picking up his sword. "One more for the record?"

Ivy sighed, "alright, but I'm getting tired, I'd already done an hour and a half before this today." Matthew smiled.

"Means I can beat you then right?"

"Maybe, but it will be a fluke!" she said, though she knew that he was highly capable of beating her.

Raoul and Buri were by now entangled in an embrace, so Matthew nodded and the two began again. Ivy was truly tired, her legs were heavy, she was sweating and her arms felt too weak to be able to move. Matthew however was still going strong, the only sign of his work the small amount of sweat that dripped from one particular strand of hair. Ivy blocked his attacks weakly, only just getting her sword up in time on several occasions. Matthew smiled at her.

"Don't worry, I can make it quick if you like?" He said.

Ivy rolled her eyes at his arrogance and ducked down to slice at his legs. His knees bent, then unbent, and he went soaring into the air, tucking into a ball as he went over her head. Ivy gawped, then felt a searing pain down her back. She dropped her sword and put her hand to her spine. Blood covered her hands. She felt a hand under her armpit as someone helped her up. She didn't see who it was, but she knew it was Matthew. She said nothing and let him guide her over to the side, instead she put pressure on her wound to stop the bleed.

"Hold still while I sort it alright?" Matthew said into her ear, though his voice sounded distant and far away. She felt his hand on her back, then a slight tingle. The pain left and she frowned, looking around she saw his hand glowing a pale blue.

"I have the Gift!" he stated.

"I can see that!" Ivy snapped. "I didn't say you could heal me though did I?"

Matthew grinned and shook his head. "No, but you'd have lost lots of blood and stained you're nice clean clothes so much it couldn't come out!" he mocked.

"I don't care, I'd have got new ones!" she said.

"Yes, I know, and you'd be wasting clothes wouldn't you, now they can just get washed and sewn up and they'll be as good as new!" he was grinning now.

Ivy stared at him, unable to say anything. Matthew nodded.

"Good girl!" he said, as if he was talking to a dog or a young child. Ivy growled something about mens arrogance, then went to her father who offered hera water bottle. She smiled and took it, downing its contents.

"So? What do you think of him?" Raoul asked.

Ivy shrugged. "He's a good fighter, but hes as arrogant as a pig!" Raoul frowned. He had never understood the connection between pigs and arrogance.

"He's going to be a little arrogant." Buri pointed out. "He's fought and killed loads of spidren, I heard the people of Owlshollow are singing songs about him having eight arms and swords." She raised an eyebrow in thought. "I don't see how they got that from looking at him, but I suppose its just a way of getting their point across." she shrugged. "Plus, all men like to beat a woman in a fight. You know how annoyed they'd be to admit they were beaten by one!" Raoul stared open mouthed at his wife.

"That isn't true!" He insisted.Buri grinned.

"Admit it, before Alanna and Kel, girls were nothing more than possible wives and cleaners to you!" Raoul opened his mouth then shut it again. Ivy shook her head, leaving her mother and father and heading for her second bath of the day. She was just turning down the corridor to her rooms when she heard footsteps on the ground behind her. Looking around, she saw Matthew jogging after her. She sighed, but waited until he caught up. Matthew grinned at her, handing over her dropped sword. She murmured a thank you and clipped it back to her belt. He didn't move and she frowned.

"What?" she asked.

"Err . . . well . . . ok. If I'm a good boy, and I don't try hitting on you, would you consider being my Squire?" Matthew said, leaning casually onto the wall.

Ivy stared at him for several seconds. Was he being serious? She wasn't in the mood to be messed around. She shrugged to herself. If he was, he'd just have to live with it.

"Alright," she said. "If you promise you won't try anything."

"Promise!" Matthew said with grin. He straightened to full height. "I'll help you move your stuff to my rooms tomorrow, tonight you need rest and lots of water. You'll be tired from the healing." Ivy nodded. He saluted her, then walked down the corridor. When he was about twenty metres away he turned and said. "While you're at it. . ." he sniffed the air. "You might want to take a bath!" Ivy stared at him as he grinned, then began to run after him. He laughed and sprinted ahead. Ivy gave up when she got to her rooms. She was tired now, and she did need a bath, whether he had been joking or not. With a weight of worry lifted off her shoulders, she went into her room and asked her maid for another bath.


Hi everyone, I hope you like it, I don't know how good it is so I would value you're views and everything. Cheers to all of my reviewers.

Mage of the Heart