Disclaimer: This belongs to Tamora Pierce and I am not trying to steal it!

It was dark outside, and thunder was accompanied by the strikes of lightning that lit up the curtains around the room, making Lord Raoul's hiding place evident. However, if the guests thought that it was odd that he was hiding at his own celebration they showed no sign that I could see from myhiding place, as he was not alone this time. I sighed, watching dainty heeled shoes and polished boots dance past me, while a chattery squire mumbled to himself as he presumably grabbed drinks for someone named 'Margery' or wateva.

Lightning struck again right outside the fortress, making me squeak. Unfortunately, it also caused my foot to jerk out and crack some poor bugger in the shins. The curses that followed even made me blush. The tablecloth twitched and I blinked Bambi-eyed at Neal, who was glaring while one hand was pressed to his leg with light the same colour as his eyes pulsing from it. HEY, awesum, the gift! I wish I had my camera right now.

"What," he drawled at me, "in the name of the gods, was that for?"

Thunder rumbled and caused me to jump again, almost giving poor Meathead another bruise. His face turned mocking.

"Oh, the big bad scary girl is afraid of the storm, is she? Hiding under a dining table from the lightning?" This time he took a step back to avoid my fist.

"It's not the only thing I'm hiding from," I muttered. I had it on good authority (cough Tobe cough) that Dom had taken my advice and asked Kel to the ball her majesty Thayet had organised for after the wedding before I had a chance to tell Neal bout them being all 'lovey-dovey'. Unfortunately, they had yet to make an appearance and I was hiding before Kel could kill me for putting him up to it the way I had.

"What?" Neal asked me.

"Nothing, now help me out."

Finally after I'd been considering going and finding them myself, the doors opened and Kel walked in. She was laughing and grinning, almost looking like she was having a good time despite the low cut dress that had nothing to do with me (cough). Oh remind me to tell you what colour Alanna's face turns when you start talking about her birthday when she dressed as a girl in a black wig. She will do anything for you, even sew. Anyways, as Kel walked into the room she looked as happy as a girl with a new manicure. And I was just about to congratulate myself when out of the shadows stepped Merric, laughing along with Kel.

I was furious. No, that was too mild. I was so furious; Mithros himself had better not mess with me. I am kind of mad at the male species right now. Firstly, I looked for Dom. He was nowhere to be found. Ok, time to kick my finely-tuned stalking skills into gear. Yr 8 taught me things. Stalking guys is only one of them. Once I found them…

On my way to kicking Dom's butt, I ran into another male I was mad at. My informant, Tobe.

"Tobe," the poor boy looked terrified. Oops, I must have left a bit of evil on my cheek… "I heard something interesting today; do you know what that was?"

Tobe was taking small steps backwards, but they were getting bigger each time. There was a slight tearing noise as I advanced on him, my nails had become a bit ragged since my last manicure (half a week ago back on Earth!) and I was gripping my dress so tightly that they'd torn the skirt. Damn. Normally that would have been enough to send me into self-imposed social exile, but right now I was stalking myself some prey.

Tobe suddenly lost his nerve just as we reached the edge of the room and bolted for the door. Sadly for him, I happen to be an absolute athlete when it comes to running in heels. As you can guess, he didn't get very far before I swooped in and grabbed his arm.

"Let me go, Miss! I swear, Dom knocked on lady's door and asked to speak with her, and I left because he looked like a man possessed and the lady has been muttering his name in her sleep so I, I…" Tobe suddenly shut his mouth realising he'd said too much.

"Tobe… you what?"

"I left before the mushy stuff started! I thought they was gonna start kiss'n. 'N I didn' wanna be round when it happened."

I suddenly felt sorry for him. He obviously thought that Dom had been about to ask Kel, and by all appearances, he had but Kel had already accepted Merric as her escort. Double damn. That stuffed all my blackmailing for the day. Meh at least I had fun.

WHO AM I KIDDING? Since just before lunch, I had blackmailed two extremely eligible bachelors into asking out two very unlikely partners, threatened Alanna so well that she had adjusted Kel's dress that Third Company had stolen (I only had to ask them, they thought the idea was hilarious) and also managed to find one for me that she'd then stitched in such a way that I wasn't too upset with the long skirted style, which was in my opinion, soo old fashioned. And all for what? I have had all my plans ruined! Well, maybe not all of them, I just caught sight of Evin pushing Miri up against a wall as I went to stalk out. Tobe had wisely disappeared while I was distracted. Suddenly feeling worn out, I was just about to leave through a side door and go hide out with Third Company. Wolset seemed to like me and maybe they had a nice prank to make me feel better…

"Kel?" the voice was so soft, I almost didn't hear it. I spun around slowly to find Dom standing behind me with a slightly hopeful look on his face. It promptly disappeared when he saw me properly. My voice quavered slightly. I couldn't help it; it was hard seeing such a good looking guy seem disappointed to see me.

"My eyes?" He shook his head.

"Kel wouldn't wear something like that."

"Oh."

It was true. The dress was a deep russet red, with a fitted top that laced at the back with gold ribbon in the style of a corset. Gold netting puffs on my upper arms created the illusion of sleeves. A golden sash was tied at the waist, with a bow at the hip. The skirt brushed the floor, but it was slitted on one side almost up to the waist to reveal a petticoat of gold netting like the sleeves. Overall, it sent the message, "come hither" without showing anything inappropriate. But Dom was most definitely right, Kel would freak at the sight of it. But the look on Dom's face was enough to break even my semi-frozen heart.

"Would it help?" He looked up at me.

"Would what help?"

"If… if you pretended I was Kel."

"… I don't know, Angela." A pause. "But I'm desperate. Dance with me."

I couldn't help but accept. I moved clumsily, not being used to the style of dance. However Dom just laughed and pulled me closer, and I was almost sure that with my face turned down to watch my feet that he almost forgot that I was Angela Williams, the crazy heartless girl from an unknown dimension. For just a song, I was his Kel, the strong woman he fell in love with.

Dom was a great dancer, and by the end of the song, I would have been happy to keep going through the next one. It was the most relaxing fun I'd had since I got here. But Dom had other ideas. I laughed when he spun me around as the band died down, but almost like he was in a trance, Dom's arm wrapped around my waist and he stooped in to kiss me…