Hey Everyone

My massive apology for my lateness comes in the form of the last two chapters of Midwinter Luck, and the beginning of my new story, Jascy. I hope you enjoy, and don't forget to review!

StarryEmeraldNights

Disclaimer: All characters, places and objects belong to Tamora Pierce. Everything else is mine!

Chapter 9

Keladry and Yuki were walking down the palace hallways, headed for Kel's rooms.

'Oh, you should have seen him this morning, Kel,' Yuki told her, her own eyes crinkling with laughter 'When he realised you weren't in your rooms.'

Kel stifled a giggle with the back of her hand. 'I still fail to see why you married him, Yuki.'

Yuki opened her mouth in the slightest of mock shock 'That, coming from his best friend of ten years?'

Kel grinned outright. 'At least 'friends' has no legal ties, Yuki. If he ever becomes quite too much of a meathead, I can just let him go.'

Both young women laughed as they reached Kel's door.

'So, Kel, what are you wearing tonight?'

'Tonight?'

'To the ball.'

'The ball?' Kel said in a deadpan voice.

'Yes…didn't you hear?'

'Oh, really,' said Kel exasperatedly 'What is it with Midwinter and everyone's obsession with balls?' Sighing, Kel walked into her rooms and Yuki followed after.

Kel stopped short from collapsing on her bed, however, because lying there was the most beautiful dress she had ever seen.

'So, Meathead!' Dom proclaimed as the cousins strolled off to the King's Own barracks from the mess hall. 'What are we up to tonight?'

'Err.'

Dom looked at his cousin quizzically. 'You know, as much of a Meathead as you are, you generally don't have trouble talking.'

'There's a ball, you numbskull, what do you think we're up too?'

'Err.'

'Now look who's not talking,' said Neal with glee.

'Shut up, Meathead.'

The two strolled in a comfortable silence for a while. In Neal's language however, a while isn't very long. 'So you going?'

'Well…I suppose not, Kel probably won't be going, so I won't.'

'Kel's going.' Neal said this with such confidence that the very air around him seemed to brighten in the Midwinter frost.

Dom wasn't so easily convinced 'And you know this…how?'

Neal smiled evilly. 'Don't worry. I know.'

'Yuki, look!' Kel smiled in delight 'Isn't it gorgeous!'

Yuki raised an eyebrow. 'I have to say I never thought I'd see you get this excited over a dress.'

Kel put her hands on her hips. 'Just because I'm a knight and I don't like the face-paint or the heels or the court games doesn't mean I don't like the dresses.' She bent down and picked up the note lying on top of the bodice.

Dear Lady Kel,

I took the liberty of making you a dress although you didn't request one. I think you may have had a certain someone occupying your mind, making you miss the fact that there was another ball.

Lalasa

Yuki laughed quietly as she read the note over Kel's shoulder. 'So will you go?'

'I…I don't know if Dom's going.' Kel said waveringly.

'He's going.'

'How do you know?'

Yuki smiled, a hint of evil glittering in her eyes. 'Don't worry. I know.'

The ball was a scintillating affair. The Grand Hall had been done up to within an inch of its life. Yuki had left Kel at the top of the grand staircase, but only after Kel had made her swear that Dom was coming. Balls were oddly scary.

As Kel looked through a carved screen that allowed a person in the gallery to see into the main hall, she couldn't help but marvel at the scene before her. Even the massive purple velvet curtains had been carefully brushed from top to bottom.

The chandeliers that hung from the cathedral ceiling were sparkling from a new found polish. Kel winced thinking about the poor servants having to climb ladders to get that far off the ground. Hadn't King Jonathon heard of human rights?

'There's a hole in the middle of the roof, you know. Right around the chandelier, so that they can be polished without the servants risking their necks.'

Kel didn't even bother to turn around. 'You know me too well.'

'I know you too well,' Dom mimicked her with the merest hint of glee in his voice. 'Hello, by the way, you look beautiful. Lalasa's?'

'Of course,' Kel smiled. 'If I wore a dress by anyone else she'd be so hurt she'd never speak to me again. Not that I'd want to, it is beautiful.'

Dom shook his head with silent laughter. 'I was referring to you in the dress, not the dress. One day you'll learn to take a compliment. In the mean time, I can put up with such a minor flaw.'

Kel punched him lightly.

'Excuse me,' Kel and Dom turned to see a considerably nervous servant. 'Sergeant, Lady Knight, his Majesty the King has requested that you are to be last down the staircase, if you wouldn't mind.'

Kel and Dom exchanged a puzzled look. 'Of course,' Kel nodded 'That won't be a problem at all.'

The relieved servant scurried away

'Looks like we've got a lot of waiting to do,' Kel sighed. 'Any idea what it's about?'

'Not a clue,' Dom said cheerfully. 'Still, surprises are much better in a ballroom then on a battlefield.'

Half an hour later the line had finally diminished. Kel had fought and won the battle with Dom to go on the inside of the staircase so that she wouldn't get so many stares.

They stood in front of the single door at the top of the Grand staircase, waiting for their names to be called. A servant suddenly came up to the closed second door and began to swing it open.

Kel's eyebrows shot up, and she whispered hurriedly to the servant. 'What are you doing?' Both doors were used only for royal houses.

'King's orders, milady,' the servant said, backing away carefully.

Kel looked at Dom, who shrugged. 'I daresay we're about to find out,' he said as the trumpet blew. 'Here we go.'

Sergeant Domitan of Masbolle and Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan and the Yamani Imperial Order.

By the time the herald had gotten to the last bit they were halfway down the staircase. If it wasn't for their current positioning in front of everyone, Kel would have clapped her hand to her mouth in surprise. 'Of course,' she thought, for Shinkokami had mentioned it. 'I didn't realise it actually meant becoming Yamani royalty. No wonder there are so many members of the Yamani Imperial house!'

At the end of the staircase they presented themselves to the King, who beckoned for them to stay. He rose out of his chair and the entire hall fell into silence as he began to talk in a voice that carried around the entire room. 'Lady Knight, in the absence of the Emperor it is an honour for me to present you with the traditional golden fan of the Yamani Imperial Order. Also, in thanks for what is now openly known as your Scanran adventure, I present to you a royal purse.'

'Thank you, your Majesty,' Kel said, and took the offered fan and purse. As he presented them to her, the King whispered, 'The Emperor also asks me to tell you that he has been waiting for an excuse to give this to you for years, and so he gives his thanks for the timely opportunity.' Kel smiled, and turned to leave.

'Ahem,' the King coughed. 'Not quite finished, Lady Knight.'

Kel froze. 'You mean there's more?' Her brained squealed 'I've had quite enough surprises for tonight, thanks all the same.'

'Barely started, as a matter of fact, my dear ex-squire.' Kel turned back around with Dom and smiled up at her former knightmaster, Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak, as he rose beside the King. When he began to speak, his attention-grabbing voice clearly outshone the King's.

'Firstly, my apologies for keeping you from this excellent ball. However, I have an announcement to make. As of next month, I will be resigning my position as Knight Commander of the King's Own.' A gasp flew around the room. 'It is therefore my duty to name my successor, which I will do so in a moment's time, however firstly please revert your attention back to His Majesty.'

'As you all know, Tortall is a modernising realm,' The King began. 'Therefore, after due consideration, Lord Raoul and I have decided to change the leadership structure of the King's Own. Firstly, there will be the traditional Knight Commander, reporting to me. Secondly, there will be a newly formed position of a joint Commander, filled from amongst the men of the King's Own. The holder of this new position will have all the same entitlements as the Knight Commander. Thirdly, as I'm sure most of you have guessed by now, The King's Own will now accept women on a discretionary basis. Lord Raoul.'

'It is therefore with upmost pleasure that I name my successors as Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan and the Yamani Imperial Order, and Sergeant Domitan of Masbolle. Thank you for your attention.' A roarous clapping ensued.

Kel's brain spun. The only thing she could think of as she hugged her knightmaster was 'Wow, all these people are clapping!' Out loud she said 'Thank you...Raoul.'

Raoul grinned and whispered in her ear. 'If you think the creation of two positions is a mere lucky coincidence, I assure you it's not. I will have to demand some sort of fair payment, I'm sure...a jousting, match, say?'

To her everlasting credit, Kel turned pale not over the jousting match but over the implications of the convenient way he had given them to get around a certain law.

An hour later Dom and Kel found themselves chatting amiably with one group and then moving off to the next. Between them they knew almost everyone in the palace, and of course everyone had something to say in the way of congratulations for their new titles. As they moved into a group containing Daine, Numair and Harailt of Ali, a young page made their excuses to Kel.

'Excuse me, Lady Knight, but I've been given this message for you by a messenger who can't come into the ballroom. You see, he was told by Lady Ilane of Mindelan that if you didn't receive it as soon as possible there would be the wrath of Mithros and the underworld to pay.' The page spoke in a high, pretty voice and their frizzy brown hair was considerably long.

'Page Annavieve,' Kel nodded, accepting the letter without missing a beat 'How nice to see you again after a few years. How is your sister, Fionola, and how goes your training?'

'Well, thank you, Lady Knight.' The young girl beamed. 'I'm so glad you remember me! Fionola chose to study healing at the University, but I decided to become a page.'

'Good luck then, Page Annavieve,' Kel said smiling, and turned back to the group as the girl scurried out of sight. Unfolding the letter, Kel quickly scanned it.

'Annavieve seems nice,' Dom commented. 'You seem to have a habit of attracting children. What's in the letter?'

'It's from Mama,' Kel explained 'She expects me at home for Midwinter's End in four days.'

'Aah, I see,' Dom said casually. 'Well, I'm off until the end of the month anyway.'

Kel rolled her eyes just slightly and said 'Of course you can come.'

Dom grinned 'I didn't ask to come.'

'But you were hoping too,' Kel countered. 'Why didn't you just ask?'

'I like for it to seem that it's you who comes up with all the ideas,' Dom said evilly as Kel promptly punched him lightly in the arm 'And that's the second time you've punched me this evening. I demand payment...after the jousting match with Raoul, when I might actually be able to beat you.'

'You evil eavesdropper, I don't even know why I associate with you. You're simply way too much like Neal for my taste.'

Thanks for reading! Please review!

StarryEmeraldNights