A/N: Woah! Another chapter already? It's like I've become another person. Actually, I think its spring break and that I really like this story and enjoy procrastinating from my English homework. In this chapter, we see how Aly can act with people who aren't in a political position to bite her head off. Also, we see angry rather than terrified. It makes a nice change. I think she channels her inner Ed Elric in this chapter. Anyway, enjoy!

bruscamente- brusquely, abruptly

"Come on, Aly!" Gino attempted to drag her away from the safe alcove of her rooms, but she dug her feet into carpet, bracing herself on the doorway.

"I don't want to meet your playmates, Gino! I need to work on my music. I've got a meeting with Prince Schneizel in the next few days."

"Screw that."

"Really?"

"No, not really. I'm not gay."

"Gino."

He pouted. "Come on Aly. I'm sure they'll like you. Besides, Anya's there right now, all alone without us."

Aly hesitated. "I don't want to see Bismarck."

Gino grinned. "Don't worry. The Knight of One is gone on some business of the Emperor's."

"Fine, but-"

"No buts, darling." He dragged her through the palace halls. She shivered and clung to Gino. The halls were colder than usual, no doubt due to her lack of clothing.

"Gino, I just wanted to change clothes."

He stopped and looked down at her. "What's wrong with what you're wearing?"

"I'm not decent!"

A nearby door opened, and an orange haired man walked out, smirking. Instinctively, she crept closer to Gino, grateful that he held her hand. Gino nodded at the other knight. "Luciano."

The Knight of Ten ignored Gino's comment and walked over to Aly. His smirk only grew wider as he looked down at her figure, which was clad only in a tank top and tight shorts barely stretching past mid-thigh. "I should say so." He bowed and grabbed her free hand, kissing it. "My lady, I am Luciano Bradley, Knight of Ten. And may I say, it is a pleasure to meet you."

He rose and addressed Gino. "So, Weinberg, who is this wench?" His voice was a trombone, its sound too rich for the words he said.

Aly rose as tall as her height allowed, trying to look magnificent despite her casual clothes. Clearly, she spoke with the tone modeled by so many at court. "Sir Bradley, you must forgive me for not earlier introducing myself. I'm sure that if you had known who I am, you would not have used such unwise words.

Luciano turned to her, an orange eyebrow arched. "Oh?"

"Lady Aly of Asplund and of Nice." She smiled, proud of her pearl white teeth.

He balked, but only slightly. Even so, it was enough for her. "Gino, I believe you were going to introduce me to the other knights?"

"Oh, yes." Gino seemed slightly phased, but whether it was due to Luciano's words or her reaction, she wasn't sure. Silently, Gino led her through the door Luciano had come out of, followed by the Knight of Ten.

"Dorothea, this is my friend Aly of Asplund. Aly, the Knight of Four, Dorothea Ernst."

Aly nodded to the knight. "I've heard lots of good things about you, Sir Ernst. Your knightmare is the Bors, isn't it?"

"Yes, my lady. You know it?"

"Not really, but Lloyd is planning some renovations of the Round's knightmares, and wants me to have a vague idea of what he's doing." She had been spending more time with Lloyd, whenever he was in Pendragon. Naturally, Gino had developed a new keen interest in the Tristan, one that he hadn't had since he first got the thing. Aly wasn't an idiot.

"And Aly, this is Monica, Monica Kruszewski, the Knight of Twelve."

Monica, the only one in the room shorter than Aly (Anya was now the same height as Aly), bowed. "Nice to meet you, Lady Aly."

"And you fly the Bedievere?"

"Yes, my lady."

"Do you know Sir Bedievere's legend?" Monica shook her head. "He was the last knight to see King Arthur. When Arthur was dying on the fields of Camlann, he sent Bedievere to return Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake. Once the knight did that task, he saw Arthur being born off to Avalon."

"You know a lot of Arthurian legend, my lady. The Emperor would be most impressed."

Aly hoped not. "Ah well, my mother really loved those stories."

"I met your mother, Lady Aly." A new voice, feminine. Aly turned to see a green haired woman. "Nonette Enneagram, the Knight of Nine at your service." With a name like that, Nonette couldn't being anything but the Knight of Nine."

"Pleased to meet you."

"Your mother spoke about the importance of diplomacy at my military school my graduating year. She was beautiful. You have her eyes." Louise of Asplund was everything her brother Lloyd was not. Aly's mother had dark brown hair and was well-built for a woman, though too thin to be called stocky. Aside from her hazel eyes, Aly had inherited any genetic traits from her mother. All of Aly's traits came from her father, except for Lloyd's hair and her diminutive height (but she had no idea which side of the family that came from.)

Aly was talking to Anya, when Luciano's voice carried over from the room's gentle burble.

"You're keeping better company these days, Weinberg. I was expecting you to be with some eleven slut-"

Slap! Luciano's cheek was red turning fast. Aly looked down at her hand, quite satisfied. He spluttered. "You bitch! You-"

She ignored him. "You will never talk to Sir Weinberg, Duke Weinberg's son, like that again. Understand, or do I need to hit you again?" He stared down at her. She honestly hadn't cared that much about his name-calling, despite her reaction earlier, but when he talked to Gino about that—Well, she was a noble and his friend and his fire, and couldn't stand that kind of thing.

"Is that a challenge? Forgive me, my lady, but despite your heritage, I don't think you are that familiar with knightmares."

She sneered, but before she could respond, Gino stepped in, "I'll fight in her stead."

"No! Gino!" She pulled his ear down to where she could comfortably whisper in it. "As thankful as I was the other knight, I don't want you to fight all of my battles. I don't you to be in danger on my account."

"Honestly, Aly. I want to. Besides, Anya and I are the only ones here right now who could handle him. You certainly couldn't, in melee battle. Besides, this battle is about me, isn't it. I myself could challenge him for calling her a slut. Also, for what he said about you."

Luciano drawled, "So when are you guys going to announce your engagement? Not that I have any problem waiting but-"

"Gino can fight you, but if you cheat I will make your life hell."

Luciano yawned, nonchalant. "So then, when is our date, Shorty?"

She ignored his comment, yanking Gino back down to her level. "Woman!"

"Shut up! Gino, when can you fight him? How—I don't really know how duels work."

"Well, isn't it a good thing you have the magnificent me who-" Aly placed a hand over Gino's mouth, muffling his protests.

She looked up at Luciano. "I'm sorry. He sometimes gets like this, short temper and all that."

"You're one to talk."

"Actually, I'm usually quite easy-going, but there are a few subjects I am touchy about. I'd appreciate it if you refrained from mentioning those." She looked back at Gino. "Are you ready to talk normally now?" He nodded and she realized him.

He drew himself up grandly, and was taller than Luciano. "I do believe, Sir Bradley, that as the challenged, you have the honor of picking the time and place."

Luciano smirked. "Very well. Tuesday afternoon at three. The usual place." Gino nodded.

Aly turned to face the knights, all staring at the three of them. "It was nice to meet all of you, but I will be going now." She fled the room.

Aly studied the score in front of her. As with most of her compositions for Christmas, the violin took the melody, built upon the accompaniment of other instruments, mainly strings. But it was still missing something, a chord or perhaps even a whole other part.

"That's a beautiful song, M'lady."

"Ito-san." Aly's maid held a woven basket filled with freshly cleaned linens. Their citrus smell reached Aly even though her maid across the room. She loved it when Ito-san did the laundry; other maids only ever used the more mild lavender.

"I know it's a Christmas song, but we would sing it in Japan."

Aly leaned back in her chair. "You sing, Ito-san?"

Ito-san blushed, looking down. "Yes, M'lady. I enjoy singing a lot."

Aly grinned, an idea forming in her head. "Ito-san, how would you like to spite Britannia in a perfectly safe way, for you at least?"

"M'lady!"

"Gino." Gino froze at the familiar voice. He inhaled and slowly turned to face the voice.

"Duke Weinberg." The man didn't look that different from when Gino had run away from home. The lines were a little deeper, but despite his age, there were no white hairs. Then again, Gino's father would probably dye his hair.

"How are you son? How is it, being one of the Emperor's chosen?" The duke closed the distance between them, and Gino wondered if his father had been trying to ambush him, for they were in the hall that Gino took to visit Aly.

"Rewarding." He wondered what his father wanted. As relaxed as his father seemed, Gino had spent the last decade trying to figure out Aly's emotions, and she was far better at hiding tension than his father.

"Is it hard living in the palace by yourself?"

"It took some getting used to, but I'm comfortable now."

His father arched an eyebrow. "Really? You are always welcome at home, you realize that, don't you?"

"No, actually I don't. I think you welcome my status at home, but not me. And I don't intend to intrude on your image of a perfect father who raised his Knight of Three son to be very independent."

"Well you are wrong. All of you is welcome at our estate. We miss you a lot, and it pains your mother to go so long without seeing you."

"She saw me at my knighting ceremony."

The duke waved a hand. "That was a year ago." When Gino didn't respond, he continued, "I've heard a rumor that you've started courting someone."

In spite of himself, Gino blushed slightly. "Oh?"

"Your mother and I married when we were both young, and neither of us had a dangerous profession like you."

"No, you were an idle politician who acted as a dog for the Emperor."

Gino's father ignored the remark. "And then, before long, we started to try to have children. You took awhile because of your mother's frail health, but—"

Gino laughed. "I doubt any lady of friend of mine will be willing to become a baby-making machine."

"Perhaps not, but I don't see why a musician couldn't work while married or pregnant, even if they were composing Britannia's Christmas Concert."

"Duke Weinberg, Aly may be one of the Emperor's current favorites, but you would probably dislike her even more than you do me. I'm leaving now. I never enjoyed political banter." Gino started walking away from his father, daring him to follow. "And if you're that concerned about having an heir, I'd consider revising your will. I have a duel with another knight Tuesday."

His father didn't follow him, but he threw one last comment at Gino which made his blood run cold. "Gino, what do you know about Lady Asplund's mother?

"M'lady." Ito-san poked her head into the room where Gino and Aly talked while Aly performed the old tradition of serving tea, this time in Japanese style, which Aly had finally convinced her maid to teach her.

"Ito-san?"

"Earl Maldini is here to take you to Prince Schneizel for your meeting."

"How did I know that it was going to be today? Ito-san, will you ask if he'll wait a minute?"

"Of course, M'lady." Gino and Aly waited in silence for the maid's return. "He says to take your time, but that the Prince does want to meet with you today."

"Thank you Ito-san. Will you please get my portfolio?" Ito-san nodded and left the room once more. Aly rose from her seat, nervously smoothing out her dresses wrinkles. "Gino, I'm sorry I won't be able to watch you today, especially as it is technically my duel, but-"

Gino stood. "I'll be fine, Aly. Don't worry me, worry about yourself. You'll be locked in with Prince Schneizel. If he makes any more moves on you, let me know."

"Like I'd let you do anything about it. Gino, don't forget that you're not just fighting some other knightmare, you're fighting the Knight of Ten." Abruptly, bruscamente, she grabbed his hair, pulling him down, and kissed him, desperately. "Be safe."

A/N: And so the plot thickens. I hope you liked it. Please review or story alert or author alert. Anything to fill up my email with fanfiction notices.

No prizes for guessing who my least favorite knight is.

DFTBA!