A/N: Another chapter. *gleeful smile* mmm... okay. Sorry I took longer than usual to update; why are there so many birthdays in January!? Mmmph, I was really hoping to get a lot more writing done last week, especially updating my Artemis Fowl fanfic, this one and my Twilight one. grrr... lol!

If you like Cleon, sorry for this chapter. He bugs me... muahaha, this is my revenge!!

Dom, Raoul, Neal and George waited expectantly outside Yuki's door. Dom glanced down at his clothes and smoothed his white tunic yet again, slightly nervous.

The door swung open and Yuki stepped out.

"You're here," she smiled happily. Neal held out his arm to her and she took it, the rest of them followed their lead. Kel took Dom's arm feeling more than a little self conscious. Dom smiled at her, showing all his white teeth.

"You look beautiful," he murmured in her ear. Kel stiffened instinctively. He really had completely forgotten about her, hadn't he? Well, maybe it was time someone broke his heart, instead of the other way round.

She smiled in what she hoped was a flirtatious way. "Thankyou," Kel giggled, batting her eyelashes in an imitation of some court ladies she had served as a page. Dom seemed pleased.

Yuki glanced back at Kel and winked at her. Kel looked away, blushing faintly. It was obvious that Yuki thought Kel was flirting with him because she liked him. Little did she know...

Kel tilted her head up and turned it so that her lips were next to Dom's ear.

"You do not look so bad yourself," she breathed. Dom turned his face, startled, his nose bumped hers. Kel turned her face quickly away and pulled out her shukusen, flicking it over the lower part of her face and fanning herself lightly.

Dom eyed it warily. "Is it one of the sharp ones?"

"Of course," Kel giggled. "Silly boy." she smacked at him playfully with it.

I really hope I am doing this right, she thought grimly.

It appeared so. Dom grinned at her again, his blue eyes twinkling. Kel pulled her eyes away from his gaze, feeling faintly regretful. Should she really be doing this to her friend?

Yes, she decided. He needed to stop having a woman a week, and a taste of his own medicine might just do that.

And, she added bitterly. It might do him some to remember whose hearts he has broken already.

Kel was finally admitting it to herself. She had fallen in love with Dom, and he had treated it like nothing- broken her heart.

No, she thought firmly. This time he will be sorry.

The ball was in full swing. Couples swirled on the dance floor.

Dom and Lady Kariami sat on the side. Dom watched her stare boredly off into the distance. They hadn't yet danced, he hadn't asked, and she had stayed silent. Dom's head was heavy with thoughts of Kel, her kiss and finally the woman whose heart he was going to steal. Well, hopefully steal. It always worked, though. Maybe Kel would be jealous...

He finally shook himself out of it and decided he really should ask her to dance.

"Would you like to dance?" he extended a hand towards her and she looked up as though she had forgotten he was there.

"Oh, of course," she flicked her shukusen shut and left it on the seat, taking his hand and standing. Dom led her out onto the floor and they began to dance.

Kel really had no idea how to dance. She was blindly following the lead of other couples around her and Dom was holding her tightly, turning her in the right directions at the right time, luckily.

She finally risked a glance up at Dom's face and was startled by its close proximity. She stumbled and fell, letting go of Dom's hand, crashing straight into Neal who was walking up behind her.

"K- Lady Kariami," Neal steadied her quickly.

"Sorry," Dom apologised, looking utterly horrified.

"I... It's alright," Kel brushed the apology away. "I am naturally clumsy." Around you.

"Seeing as I'm standing here holding you, may I dance with you?" Neal asked politely.

"Oh, um... yes." Kel replied, confused. Wasn't Neal supposed to be setting her up with Dom? "I will see you later D-.... Sergeant." She winced mentally at her near slip of the tongue.

Dom nodded, bowed low and strode off, looking faintly annoyed at being interrupted while dancing with her.

Neal spun her around.

"What are you up to?" he whispered to her.

"What am I up to?" Kel remarked acidly.

"No, but I saw that look in your eyes before, when we were walking to the ballroom. I know you well, remember. And then you started flirting with Dom. Not that you're not, usually, of course."

Kel shot him a glare but chose to ignore his flirting comment.

"What look?" Her expression was innocent.

"You know what I'm talking about," Neal grumbled. "You are up to something."

Kel rolled her eyes. "Sure, Meathead."

They were silent for a moment.

"He believes all this," Neal said suddenly.

"I know."

"I almost feel bad for him," Neal's usual sarcastic smile was back in place. "He's falling for what he thinks a Yamani lady and really, he's getting something much more dangerous. Poor Dom."

The song ended and Neal bowed and strode back to Yuki, leaving Kel staring after him.

What? Falling for... me? No. No. That's not possible.

And anyway, he's not falling for me. He's falling for a Yamani butterfly.

Dom watched Neal spin Lady Kariami around. They appeared to be talking, quite intimately by the looks of it, and Dom felt a pang.

Of what, he was not sure. Surely not jealously, since he was only playing with this Yamani anyway, and Neal was already married.

The music stopped, showing the end of a song, and Neal bowed to the lady, walking swiftly back to his beloved Yuki. Dom made a motion to begin walking back to her, to dance again, but an unfamiliar knight had already asked her. He sighed heavily and leant against the wall.

"What's the matter, cousin?" Neal was somehow over near Dom instead of back with Yuki. Dom jumped in surprise.

"Nothing."

"Then why are you standing here, not dancing? You know there's plenty who want to dance with you."

Dom shrugged and scowled.

A familiar mocking smile came onto Neal's face. "You're jealous."

"I am not!"

"You are." Neal was smiling hugely, enjoying himself.

"You interpret emotions badly, Meathead," Dom glared at him.

"Sure I do," Neal said sarcastically. "Maybe that's why you're staring at Lady Kariami dancing with a different knight and sighing, and you're in a bad mood."

"I'm not in a bad mood," Dom frowned at him.

"Yes, you are."

"Your presence would put anyone in a bad mood, Meathead." Dom turned to face his cousin. "Look. I'm not jealous. That would mean I actually cared for her."

"Scared," Neal muttered before leaving.

Dom gazed after him, completely confused. Scared? Scared of what?

Neal turned once he was a safe distance away. "Scared of actually caring!" he yelled back, despite strange looks from dancing couples around him.

Me? Scared? No... Scared of actually caring for a woman... No, not me...

Am I?

Kel thought she had probably danced with over thirty different men. She was tired of being twirled around and watched. She wanted peace.

After grabbing her shukusen back from the seat where she had left it, Kel sidled gradually over to a door to an outside balcony, hoping no one would notice her leave. She glanced around quickly, checking to see whether anyone was watching, and sighed heavily as she saw a pair of vivid blue eyes meet her own. She wasn't going to be able to get away alone, that was for sure. But even getting away with Dom would be better than nothing.

She slid out the door and breathed in fresh, cool air gratefully. Fanning herself with her shukusen, she stepped lightly over to the balcony wall and leant against it, looking out over the garden. Her dress was starting to get uncomfortable, the corset making it hard to breathe and her shoes were starting to hurt her feet.

Kel twitched awkwardly. The silver trimming on the neckline was itchy, but she didn't think it would be very ladylike to scratch it. Her hand reached up to scratch it.

Footsteps coming up behind her made her snatch her hand quickly back down. A body leant on the railing next to her. Kel didn't bother looking to see who it was; only Dom had seen her go out.

An arm draping around her waist made her stiffen and turn her head sideways.

It wasn't Dom. An unknown knight, his face hidden by shadows, stood next to her, his arm snaking around her waist.

Kel resisted the urge to fight him. No, that wouldn't do.

"Lady Kariami," the knight slurred. Kel rolled her eyes, he was drunk, dammit. Now she had a drunk knight wrapped around her.

"You are beautiful," the knight murmured drunkenly, wrapping his other arm around her back. Kel cursed softly in disgust, how was she supposed to get out of this one without kicking the knight's butt?

The moonlight flashed onto the knight's face and Kel stifled a gasp. Cleon? No. He was supposed to be gone, and anyway, the Cleon she knew... had known... didn't get drunk. And wasn't he meant to be betrothed to some lady or other?

Dom kept his eyes on Lady Kariami while she danced with other knights and men. He watched with amusement as she began trying to subtly walk towards the balcony alone.

She managed to get to the door and looked around furtively. Her eyes met Dom's and she seemed to sigh in exasperation. He looked away quickly, not wanting to make her uncomfortable.

Dom toyed with the idea of following her out, but decided against it. If the lady wanted peace, she could have it... for a little while, at least.

He watched the doors, hoping she would come back in. Instead, Cleon of Kennan, who Kel had been courting a while back, swaggered out.

Dom looked on uncertainly, Cleon looked drunk, but had Lady Kariami arranged to meet him out there while she was dancing with him?

He began to walk casually towards the balcony doors. He walked past a row of court ladies and they all giggled and fluttered their eyelashes at him. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes in response.

As he neared the balcony doors he heard Lady Kariami.

"Get your hands off me!" she sounded angry. Dom quickened his stride, if Cleon was hurting her...

He marched out onto the balcony to see Cleon kissing the Yamani, his eyes closed. If he doesn't get off my... My? She's not mine! What am I thinking!

"Sir Cleon, I have a feeling that Lady Kariami wants to be let go of," Dom said tightly, he was furious. But he couldn't beat Cleon up. Not now. Not in front of her.

It seemed she did have a plan of action. As Dom said that, she smacked her Yamani fan across his head with a painful sounding crunch. Dom felt a surge of relief, it was blatantly obvious she wanted Cleon off her.

Cleon removed his mouth from hers, his arms were still around her waist and back though. Don't kill him. Don't fight him. Don't.

"I- don't- think- so," Cleon stuttered, he stumbled backwards slightly, Lady Kariami was pulled with him.

"Get off her." Dom was furious, if he didn't get off her now, he would get what he deserved, despite who was watching.

Cleon didn't move.

Dom grabbed the back of his tunic and jerked it quickly. Cleon crashed to the ground backwards, hitting his head and passing out. Unfortunately, Cleon's arms had still been around Lady Kariami's waist, and although their hold broke when he toppled over, he pulled her over, too.

"I'm sorry!" Dom apologised in horror. "Let me help you."

Before he could, however, Kel grasped the balcony railing and pulled herself up. Then she remembered- she was meant to be a petrified court lady.

"Thankyou, Sergeant," she smiled at him, hoping she looked grateful and scared enough.

"My pleasure," Dom inclined his head. "I think he's drunk."

"I know he is," Kel let disgust colour her tone, remembering Cleon's breath on her face.

Dom eyed the crumpled, unconscious Cleon. "Assualting a lady is a crime, do you wish to report him?"

Kel debated this in her head. No, she decided. She wasn't a court lady as such anyway, although she was a noble, but she had never seen Cleon like this before.

She shook her head. "Please, just tell his family though, if he hadn't been drunk..."

Dom nodded, slightly disappointed that she didn't want to dob Cleon in. "I will. They're inside. I had better go tell them."

He held out his arm to Kel who stared at it uncomprehendingly for a minute.

"Oh," she muttered as she realised. "My apologies." She took the now puzzled Dom's arm and they returned back inside.

Why did she hesitate? Dom thought. Does she not want to touch me?

Yuki and Neal accosted Kel once she got inside, leaving Dom to inform Cleon's family that he was unconscious on the balcony.

"Come over here, there's more people that want to meet you," Yuki commanded, dragging Kel away by the arm.

Dom stared. "Um, I... I'll see you later, Lady Kariami..." he bowed awkwardly but Yuki had already dragged Kel halfway across the ballroom.

Great, now she probably thinks I'm an idiot...

He spotted the Kennans and began walking towards them.

Kel pulled her arm out of Yuki's grasp. "Where exactly are we going?"

Neal jerked his head towards a couple waiting near the door.

Kel looked in that direction. "Oh. Do they know that I'm... I'm... me?"

Yuki shook her head. "Well, Shinko does, but Roald doesn't, so don't give it away. And by the way, what were you and Dom doing out there?" She had a wicked gleam in her eyes.

"Nothing," Kel said indignantly. "Cleon was trying to kiss me so he came and got rid of him for me."

"Cleon?" Neal asked in astonishment. "Isn't he betrothed to a noblewoman?"

They reached Roald and Shinkokami at that moment, and so stopped talking.

"This is my Yamani friend, Lady Kariami," Yuki introduced her with a wide smile.

A/N: I think that's my longest chapter so far!!! yay!!! Anyway, I couldn't decide where to stop, so it just kept going.... But yeah. Chapter ten over! And please, please review. I'm going to be mean and say that I'm not going to update until I have... 30 reviews! That's only five more, lolz. =) Any IDEAS for the plot, anything, are welcome so please have your say!!!

BTW- I know Kel is OOC this chapter, so yeah.......................................................................................................