A/N-For Queen of Crimson: I calculated that 86 percent of my reviewers had their ears pierced, but then a whole bunch more people reviewed and I'm simply too tired to re-do my work. But I remember that only two people didn't have their ears pierced (who didn't want them): AerinAlanna and Gretta99. Sorry if I missed someone's name, just tell me! And to the above two names: YAY! I'm not the only person!

Disclaimer-stares- Do I really have to say it again?

A/N(Again)-So you're not confused, here's where everybody is…

Kaddar, Daine and Numair are on the dance floor. Numair can't talk to Daine directly, or else she'll be accused of being unfaithful.

Kalasin is being held captive. Still. But she has a plan.

Unikum has told Varice about the evil plan. They still have to make their appearance. (Dun dun…….)

Junika is more than who she appears to be.

Lukiem is worried.

And the story…

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After swearing violently under her breath for well more than a couple minutes, Varice simply stared at Unikum.

"So…you're telling me this? Why me?"

"Because," Unikum began, pushing a stray hair out of his face, "the more people that know, the better chance we have of stopping Lukiem."

Varice nodded. "But Lukiem only was a handful of supporters, right? That many people can't have a grudge on Tortall, can they?"

"Many soldiers died when that girl from Tortall came. Their families are…not happy, to say the least. They'd love to see Tortall fall."

Varice started biting the ends of her hair, a nasty habit she had picked up when she was a child and only did when confused.

"And what if this is all a lie?" she asked.

"You're just going to have to trust me."

"I don't."

He threw his hands out to his sides, exasperated. "Fine."

She hadn't expected that. She thought he would have gone into some long speech on why he was right. But no, he had left her to her own opinions. Varice admitted to herself that she liked how he had done that.

"What…would we do now?" she asked slowly, choosing her words carefully.

Unikum fingered his long nose. "We have to warn the Emperor, for all we know he could be next."

"What am I getting myself into? I still don't believe you. Why should I? You say simply that the soon-to-be Empress is kidnapped? That's not possible. I saw her today. She was getting her hair styled, in the spa."

Unikum's eyes sharpened at this new information. "What? That's impossible!"

"Nothing's impossible until it's not! You have no proof."

Unikum was unbelievably surprised. "This…isn't right…"

Unikum had expected Varice to say something in reply, although she said nothing. Not a whisper, nor footstep nor any other sound could be heard in the room.

Walking over to her dresser in the far side of the room, Varice pulled out a fine, orange, velvet dress that had a V-cut. Using the robe as a shield, she slipped on the dress. It accented her hair, and Unikum thought it was a shame that the spell had worn of right when they were about to…

"Well, let's go. 'Kalasin', or whoever, is in the middle of her introduction. The only way we'll be able to talk to her at all is if we dance alongside her."

"Isn't that a little…risky?"

"I'm open to suggestions." She unlocked the lock on the door.

He complimented both ideas, of both going and not.

He stood up with a groan.

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Numair's plan was not original or creative, but it worked. If Daine couldn't talk to Numair for a long time, Kaddar most certainly could. It was so simple it was easy to miss.

That was when he noticed the flaw in his plan.

Junika.

How can I get rid of her? He wondered. He couldn't somehow walk off on her, not after his speech on how he still liked her. Numair had been planning to catch Daine's attention, and walk slowly over to one of the tables on the sidelines. Daine would hopefully understand the situation. Whilst she danced with another member of high-ranking royalty (which was common in Carthaki culture) Kaddar could talk with Numair. If anyone happened to ask what they were talking about for that long time, Kaddar would simply reply "Business matters."

It was perfect. Except for one thing.

Junika.

But as fate would have it, Junika unlocked her hands from his. She curtsied.

"My thanks," she said. She scurried to the exit from the dance floor. Although Numair was very, very confused at her sudden change in personality, he didn't mind. He could go through with his plan.

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Junika ran down the hall as fast as her court shoes would allow. Doing her best to stay away from guards and any miscellaneous personnel, she stayed in the dark shadows where the bright light from the candles situated on the walls could not reach.

Silently slipping out into the courtyard, she used the shadows to camouflage herself in them. The air was warm, due to the summer heat. The moon was waxing, and the light given off from it highlighted all that surrounded her. The courtyard was in a pentagonal shape, with towers at either end. She could pick out the guards moving across the wall, ready to sound an alarm any second. She shouldn't be worried, she knew, as she had an excuse, but sheer nerves made her nervous. Questions were to be avoided.

By that time she was annoyed with the frivolous court shoes. She quickly bent over and took them off. She cast them aside underneath a bag of wheat that had been carelessly left with other sacks and barrels in the middle of the courtyard. She didn't give them another thought.

Exiting through another one of the pentagonal sides, Junika found herself in another hallway, opposite of the one she had been in only minutes before. Since mostly everyone had been at the ball, the whole hall was deserted, save a mouse scurrying near a wall. Numerous tapestries were hung, showing pictures of mighty heroes shouting victory over enemies, and comrades looking up fondly.

Minutes later, Junika entered the stables. She immediately drew herself up at the horrible smell. Distasteful, in her mind. But that was beside the point.

The horses whinnied at this sudden intruder making her way into their stable. Not noticing anything around her including stacks of hay and numerous saddles, she made her way over to the farthest stall. This stall had no horse, but instead had a fine covering of hay along the bottom. She unlocked the small bolt and made her way inside it. Snatching a glace both ways to make sure no one had hidden anywhere, she bent down. Wiping off some of the hay, her hands found the small lock they usually found.

She unlatched it. Wiping off more hay, an outline of a trap door appeared. It was wooden, and quite new. She hoisted up the latch, and the wooden covering came up with it.

Only the moon, which came through some of the spaces in between the occasional misplaced wood plank, was her light. The faint light show her the steps she had descended only days before. Dark and full of despair, the stairs reflected her feelings.

She carefully maneuvered herself down the into door, pausing only to grab the latch, and close it from inside. She was in pitch blackness. Turning around, her hands fumbled for the railing. When they found it, she sighed in relief. Slowly, as to not lose her balance, she made her way down the twisting steps.

Finally she saw light. She was attracted to it like a mosquito was attracted to flame. She landed the final step, her bare feet making a soft thunk on the ground.

Junika was at a junction point. To her back was the twisting staircase. To her front was a very, very black hallway, only lighted with the occasional lamp. She knew that there were doorways, and if she went far enough she was in an underground castle. To her left was another hallway, this one not as dark as the first. Here were Lukiem's quarters, at least his other quarters. Other senior staff members had their quarters located here, including hers.

Junika was actually part of Lukiem's plan. She was of pivotal importance.

There was no way Numair could have infiltrated the castle that easily, without being noticed. Not with all of Lukiem's spies, constantly on the alert for Tortallans, which were easy to spot, due to lack of Carthaki cuture experience. Being so tall, Numair was easily picked out from among the crowd. He had been allowed to enter the castle, and enter the ballroom. If he hadn't, he would have become suspicious. Suspicion could grow to mistrust, which could grow eventually to enemy status. Numair as an enemy would not be pretty.

She had been assigned to distract Numair. She would allow him a glance at Kalasin, know that she was alright and then dance away the night with him. He would leave in the morning.

But that did not make any sense in the least. Junika had, of course, noticed Daine. But it hadn't clicked to her that they were holding the real Kalasin underground.

She had only realized that everything did not make sense until only minutes ago, when she ran out of the ballroom. She had to tell Lukeim that they had somehow found a replacement Kalasin. She did not want to be the person to inform him of this, as the saying 'don't shoot the messenger' ran through her mind like a horse. But she had to do this.

It was her job. Her choices throughout life had landed her here. She nervously scuttled down the left hallway, passing numerous doors, including her own. She took a deep breath, and knocked on the farthest door. It was the one door that, when entered, one would find themselves face to face with Lukeim Hashamr.

Junika had never been more terrified in her life.

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A/N-I have excuses, and some of them are actually real. I know it's short, I know I've kept you waiting, but hey, life has a habit of throwing curveballs at you.

Has anyone read the book Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan? I just finished it today, and it was amazing. Anyways, please review!!!!

P.S. Pretty please, with a cherry on top?

P.S.S. And cookies on top. We shant forget the cookies.