"Squire Nealan, by Gods, get yer wits about ye," George Cooper warned, taking into account the mess that the young man had gotten himself into. Neal pulled a face at being referred to as squire – a title from which he had long since graduated, but one that the spouse of his knight master refused to forget. He had been just about to snatch the purse from a well-dressed royal in front of him when the King of Thieves had smacked his hand away, pulling him into a vacant alley.

"Tha's no way to go 'bout stealin'," his teacher lectured, shaking his head. These nobles had little wits when it came to thievery and the likes of survival on the streets. "Ye've got to wait for somethin' to catch 'is eye, distract 'im. Then ye strike, laddie."

Neal fought the urge to roll his eyes, instead nodding, filing the information away for future attempts. Next to him, Kel bit her lip in a break from her typical mask that accompanied field work. George had been encouraging her to drop it altogether, warning that it would set her apart from the other slaves and not in a good way.

"Sir, are you sure we ought to be stealing?" she questioned, her mind drifting back to the oath she had taken before receiving her shield.

George laughed mirthfully. "Don't ye worry yer little head. I'll see that it all be returned by day's end."

Kel raised an eyebrow in questioning, but didn't voice her thoughts, instead accepting that somehow the man would accomplish his task, despite their many victims. For the past three bells the two had been trailing nobles as they wandered the markets in search of Midwinter gifts and finery, working to perfect the techniques the Lioness' husband had voiced to them over the prior week. It was important, he lectured, that they master it before departing. It would do no good to send them off with full purses, nor endless supplies of food and materials, and thus they would have to be adept at the thievery or face starvation.

Thievery was not the only skill the man had taught them over the weeks since he'd taken over his father-in-law's teachings. Dagger work had become common place, along with disguises, formulating background stories, and further education in Scanran language, especially that of slang. The two had spent a week's work developing aliases for themselves, leaving Kel to be Lianah a slave originating from the South East, and Neal to be Samalin, the son of a merchant who had been captured during the war against Tortall – his accent was too thick to be disregarded by any native Scanran.

"Well I suppose that'll be enough fo' the day," George addressed them, gold nobles clinking in the two purses which he held. "Les' see who won, shall we?" With nimble fingers he sorted his way through the money, taking quick count in his head and beaming in Kel's direction as he discovered she had narrowly won the challenge by but a few coins.

"'ere ye are," he said, plinking the purse into her outstretched palm. "Ye get to decide what to do with it, lassie."

Kel looked torn as she handled the stolen money, but tucked it away into her pocket with plans of distributing it to the ragged beggars she had passed throughout the afternoon. While, yes, rightfully the coins belonged to the nobles, she had little doubt that they would survive without it - the children bundled up against the biting cold, she was not so sure.

With a few more words the King of Thieves dismissed them, bidding each a happy Midwinter and allowing for a few days off from the training they'd grown accustomed to. Kel suspected most of George's time would be spent with his wife, her sparring partner, and sought not to argue with the freedom the next week would bring.

"Want to shop a bit?" she asked Neal, eying the market in front of them. Sorting through trinkets was not a hobby of hers, but she knew she'd have to assemble presents sooner or later and since they were already at the markets now was as good of a time as ever.

Neal nodded his agreement, and the two set off about the stalls, chatting as they did so. By the end of the hour Kel had collected a set of knives charmed never to dull for George, pendants to link Raoul and Buri and glow red in the sight of danger, and a chess set for Myles. For Lalasa she set aside a well-crafted full length mirror made of gold for her shop, and for her mother a beautiful Yamani painting of blossoms and mountain tops. Neal and Yuki's present was not easy to come by, nor to disguise from her partner, but with the right amount of sneakiness as learned from George, she was able to commission the building of a crib from the finest woodworkers the city had to offer while Neal's back was turned. With a sigh Kel realized she had but one last friend to purchase for, a certain blue eyed sergeant.

"Neal, what did you get your cousin?"

Neal shrugged. "Daggers and wool socks. You know how he's always leaving them behind in his conquests' rooms."

Kel laughed at the joke, yet felt her heart pain slightly at the thought of Dom with other women, although she knew it to be the truth. He was, after all, a well renowned court flirt.

In the end she settled on a certificate for a tattoo parlor, knowing that the sergeant had been debating whether or not to spend his gold on body art for a good time now. What he wanted he would not tell, but Kel was eager to discover what it might be. As soon as Kel had returned from her excursion to the ink parlor Neal announced that he was ready to return to the castle and to his lovely Yamani blossom and the two made their way back up the hill and through the decorated gates.

The entire palace was adorned with Midwinter decorations, wreaths and greenery lining every surface and charmed mage lights dancing playfully among the hallways. Around corners lurked Mistletoe, and Kel was mindful to watch the ceilings as she navigated the halls, hoping to avoid any awkward situations. At last, without incident, she arrived back in her rooms and stowed away her presents, resigning herself to wrapping them later. For now, she retrieved the latest muse of their book club and set to reading it beside the fire of her sitting room.

It was a few bells before she was disrupted by a knocking at the door. "Come in," she called, tucking the book aside for later.

"Milady, hello," Lalasa greeted her, curtseying after closing the door. Kel sighed and reminded her friend that she was simply "Kel" and nothing more, before crossing the room to hug the seamstress tightly.

"I haven't seen you in ages," she commented after pouring two glasses of juice for her and her guest.

Lalasa nodded, her eyes glimmering. "I've been so busy with business lately. The store has never seen so many customers."

"That's wonderful," Kel commented, smiling joyfully at her friend's success. "I was going to ask you if you'd sew me a Midwinter's dress, but I couldn't possibly ask now."

Lalasa shook her head and simply reached into the bag she carried with her, retrieving a gorgeous gown of green velvet and gold. "I've already made you one," she said, holding it out. "Now all you need is a date."

Kel blushed at the mention of men, and suddenly all talk turned towards brainstorming who she might go with. There was no shortage of men in Kel's life, although when it came to lovers or anything other than friends few choices remained. Lalasa, having inquired as to Kel's love life before knew that the only man who held her friend's gaze was Dom, but she knew better than to push it, instead just casually mentioning him as a suggestion. Kel had frozen, yet eventually agreed that perhaps it was a good idea to ask him as a friend, and the two had set about plans to ask him later on that day. With a wave after her final fitting, Lalasa stepped out of the Lady Knight's chambers and scurried back to her shop, running through the many orders that awaited her nimble hands.

Dom shuffled about his chambers restlessly, sorting through tunic after tunic in hopes of finding a color that would impress a certain lady, who, coincidentally was not even his date for the upcoming ball. Having procrastinated asking the woman of his choice, Dom's mother had stepped in, arranging for him to escort the newly arrived Jayne of Leobald. She was a pretty young thing and he couldn't deny that her haughty blonde locks and fit form were attractive – certainly nothing to complain about. Yet moan he did as he privately wished that his date bore badges of honor instead of cleavage upon her chest. He was distracted from his pacing as he saw the Lady Knight in the courtyard below his window, her cheeks rosy from the cold and her hair blowing in the strong gusts of wind. She strode purposefully across it, a sparrow riding on her shoulder and huddling into the crook of her neck to keep warm. Dom grinned wryly and left his room, descending the distance to meet her as she pulled the door to the barracks ajar.

"Dom," she exclaimed, "I've been looking for you all day."

Dom's heart accelerated at this news, yet somehow he managed to play it cool. "Oh, have you?"

She nodded. "Want to go to the stables with me?"

Dom eyed her as if she were crazy, what with the weather, but agreed after dismissing himself to bundle up for the cold. On second thought he grabbed another one of his cloaks, draping it around the brunette's shoulders to protect her from the chill. The two departed and made their way silently down to the stables, too focused on finding shelter to talk. It was comfortable, though, Dom thought, as he fought to keep his hand from reaching down to hold hers beside him. Unlike the court ladies she felt no need to fill the air with mindless chatter, instead saving discussions for matters worthy of both their time.

When at last they ducked under the shelter of the stables each of them was shaking slightly, teeth chattering in the winter weather. Kel breathed into her hands, rubbing them together and helping to work new blood into her extremities. Dom mirrored her actions, before making his way to his steed and patting the stallion's neck in greeting. Kel did the same, finding Hoshi in the stall next to him, and setting about grooming the mare. They worked in silence but for the occasional noise of content from the horses, each taking the time to think about what was to come. At last, there was no more work to be done, and the two stood perched at the exit, not another human to be seen.

"Kel?" Dom asked, speaking in Scanran, as he had picked up from their nightly book club meetings.

"Yes?"

"Why did you ask me down here?"

Kel looked away, digging at the dirt with the toe of her boot. Never before had Dom seen her look so nervous, although behind her mask it was no easy emotion to spot.

"I – I was wondering if you wished to accompany me to the Midwinter Ball."

Dom's jaw dropped slightly, and he let out a curse.

"What?" Kel asked, her face falling.

"I've another date," Dom responded, not wanting to meet her eyes.

Kel nodded. "Of course, no worries. I'll see you then?"

"Yes," Dom replied, watching as the woman he admired, still wearing his cloak, disappeared into the outside weather. With more curses he turned and punched the wall, angry at the world and at his mother that he had to deny such an inviting request.

The morning of the Midwinter Ball dawned in a display of orange and pink streaks across the sky as if The Goddess herself had foreseen the festivities to take place that day. Kel observed the colors for a moment's pause as she breathed between pattern dances, allowing little time before launching herself into a new one. She had neglected her prized Yamani blade in turn for the traditional sword recently, and felt that she had work to catch up on. Her conversation with Dom, too, spurred her to train harder, as she realized that although she would never be a court lady worthy of pursuing she would always have her skill and physical prowess.

A low whistle erupted across the practice court, and Kel stopped her blade with surprise. She had thought she was alone, but when she turned, she saw that she had an audience of sorts. Along with her sparrows and the ever trusty Jump, Qasim stood, watching her with a smile.

"Good morning," she called, striding towards him. "What's brought you out here so early?"

The Bazhir gestured at the sky above him. "This. It reminds me of home."

"Your home must be beautiful," she murmured, impressed by the colors above.

"It is," he replied, pausing to admire the sky a bit longer. "Lady Keladry, are you attending the ball tonight?"

Kel looked at him quizzically but responded, "Yes."

"Would you like to go with me?"

Kel was shocked for a moment, but quickly slid her Yamani mask into place, then made room for a smile. "I would love to," she replied. The soldier looked relieved, and quickly made plans for when to meet her, before disappearing back into the barracks and leaving the lady knight to her practice.

A few hours and a long soaking later found Kel pinned down as Lalasa and Yuki applied face paint to her scowl, chattering animatedly about what the night was to bring. For Yuki, it meant announcing her pregnancy to the court, and for Kel it meant a promising new date. Lalasa could not be more pleased that her lady had found a suitor, even if it had not been one that she or anyone else had particularly seen coming. Although Lalasa had not met Qasim, she had seen him before and been awed by the quiet beauty that accompanied his dark form. He was fitting for a Lady Knight, indeed.

After a great deal of poking and prodding, Kel finally found herself in her dress and ready to depart for the ball. Her hair done up in proper fashion and her face painted ever so slightly, Kel hardly recognized herself in the mirror. Her elegant dress only added to the confusion – where once a hardened knight had stood now a court beauty remained.

"You look gorgeous, my lady," Lalasa whispered, hugging Kel tightly before pushing her towards the door. "Enjoy your night," she said with a wink, then closed the door shut leaving Kel and Yuki to meet their suitors.

The two made their way to the great entrance hall where it had been arranged they would meet their escorts, Kel treading carefully so as not to ruin the skirts of her dress along the way. Yuki, sensing the discomfort of her childhood friend, offered advice and showed Kel the tricks she had learned among her time in dresses. By the time they reached the entryway, Kel had adjusted quite nicely and walked with more or less the grace of a lady.

"You look ravishing, my Yamani blossom," greeted Neal, as he stepped forward to kiss his wife's cheek before receiving a sharp tap of her fan upon his head.

"You'll muss my face paint," she lectured, then let loose a giggle and leaned in to kiss the father of her soon to be child.

Next to them, Qasim and Kel regarded each other nervously, yet appreciatively. "You look nice," the Bazhir said, and though it was a simple compliment Kel knew he meant it.

"As do you," she replied, looking him up and down and admiring the way his gold tunic fit his muscled body. He held out an arm to her and she accepted, allowing herself to be lead to the great doors of the ballroom. To their right stood a courier who scrambled forward, requesting their names and titles to allow for a proper introduction. They complied easily, though Kel felt her stomach tighten nervously as their turn to enter approached. Qasim smiled at her from her side and she felt the nerves relax slightly. She had known the man since she was young – he would take care of her.

Soon enough it was their turn to step out into the eyes of the waiting court. "Lady Knight Sir Keladry of Mindelan and her escort Qasim ibn Zirhud," the man announced, his voice booming and attracting the attention of all. The crowds looked up curiously – it was not often they saw the lady knight so adorned, let alone on the arm of a man. As the two descended the carpeted stairs a great whispering passed among the people until they stopped before the royal family, bowing to show respect. Then, the next couple was announced, and they managed to slink off and join a group of friends away from the commotion, dodging the wary and accusing eyes of conservatives as they battled the masses.

Dom watched from beside his date, his free hand furling into a fist as he saw his comrade so interlocked and happy with his Kel. Jayne of Leobald took little notice, though, and instead whispered to him about the lack of grace with which the lady knight had descended. "I suppose it's no surprise, though," she mused, "after all, she is constantly among men."

Dom was forced to hold back a sharp remark, and instead nodded barely, focusing his attention on the woman's cleavage and away from her hateful words. Raoul, spotting his sergeant engaging in such a disgraceful activity, approached the man from across the hall, clapping him on the back.

"I see you've got your sights set," he stated with a chuckle, drawing the soldier's eyes up to meet his own.

Dom frowned, worried that the knight had seen the way he regarded Kel, before realizing it was but a joke. "Ha-ha, sir, very funny. I see you've finally made your way out from behind the curtain."

The great giant of a man shrugged. "Now that I'm married to the lovely Buri it's improved a great deal. Who's this lovely lady?"

Dom turned to the woman at his side, having almost forgotten her presence. She looked affronted that she had not been introduced sooner, but upon recognizing the prestige of the man in front of them her eyes took on a new glint as she attempted to establish a relationship from which to draw power on a later date. Raoul was having no such thing, though, and excused himself from the couple, off in search of a certain ex-squire of his and a soldier in need of some good-natured threatening.

The rest of the night was a blur to Kel as time after time she was escorted onto the dance floor and passed from the arms of one friend to another, each attempting to avoid the clingy court females who watched their every move. Qasim seemed to note that she had endured enough dancing for the night, instead quietly offering her his arm and leading her to a balcony adjacent to the ballroom. They shivered – the ballroom had been beyond warm with the heat of hundreds of bodies and the chilly Midwinter air came as a bit of a shock.

"Are you cold?" Qasim asked, concern in his dark eyes.

Kel shook her head but the chatter of her teeth gave her away and Qasim laughed softly, before wrapping an arm around her and rubbing the exposed skin of her arms in an attempt to create heat.

"You're good," Kel said. "I might just have to keep you around as my personal heater."

Qasim laughed, "As you wish, my lady."

The two continued to chat lightly, almost flirtatiously, in a way that Kel did not realize she had the capacity to speak. With a jolt, she realized that perhaps Qasim was interested in pursuing something with her, but with a glance into the ballroom and brief eye contact with Dom as he whisked his date across the dance floor she realized her heart lay elsewhere. Regardless, she resolved to enjoy the night and had little protest when the Bazhir escorted her back to her rooms, leaving her with a kiss on her cheek. As his gold tunic disappeared around the corner she felt butterflies, and realized that perhaps a new crush was soon to develop.

A/N: So there's that fluffy little chapter - couldn't just leave out the ball from all this fun! Please, please, please review and help me stay motivated/improve my writing/add any suggestions you may have. The great thing about Fanfiction is that in many ways the reader helps to shape the story, much like a choose your own adventure, so if ya wanna see anything happen, REVIEW! :)