Ash: Okay this is the last chapter before the climax!

Yumeì: Well you just gave that away.

Ash: That was the point for the impatient peeps. Read and Review, pleez!

Kel's View:

The one thing Kel hated more than Stormwings, were dresses. She had been enjoying the week of her stay very much until Lord Raoul ordered her to don one. She could practice her jousting against much harder opponents (she had popped off the saddle four times now, and another countless times her hand had gone numb), ride along the soothing, and foggy, countryside, and do battle routines with Shinoru. Shinoru had been particularly nice, though Kel couldn't ever figure out why. She did clock, however, that he often looked like Cleon when he was by her.

Then the national festival honoring their goddess of luck was announced to be a dance. Lord Raoul and she had been invited (with the usually happy Sayali looking murderous), and Raoul, much to Kel's distaste, had said they would be attending. But Kel had found an unexpected ally in the Princess, who now insists Kel to call her Yumeì, because they both hate dresses, ballroom dances, and biggest of all, missed normal life. For Yumeì, the definition of normal life was being able to say what she wants when she wants and tease her brothers, but for Kel, that was going back to Tortall, to her friends, and happy life.

Kel now sat, her short brown hair neatly groomed, and elegant in a green dress that shimmered different shades when the light hit it at various angles. She grudgingly admitted to herself that the dress was the best she had ever worn and was rather comfortable. The workmanship was brilliant and the designs were intricate. Her face turned into a wry smile. Of course it would be comfortable and beautiful, if Zaire had a say on it. Zaire had really grown on her as a sweet but brilliant girl. She was also exceptional at design.

"Kel?"

Lord Raoul was standing outside the door. Kel strolled over and reluctantly opened the door to let her knight-master in. When she did, she nearly did a double-take. Lord Raoul wore informal breeches, scarlet in color, with a dark brown tunic. Keeping her expression Yamani-stone, she inquired,

"Are you not ready, my lord?"

Lord Raoul shook his head.

"The men here don't exactly have formal clothes, except the princes of course. But even they were excluded. Surely you heard about the Sayali's decree on the formal clothes for men."

Kel internally made a face. The Sayali had been so mad the previous day, she hadn't exactly asked herself whether or not the princes would wear formal clothes. She had quickly settled to the decision that the Crown Prince would decide. Or rather his health would decide.

"I'm guessing our kind Prince has improved? ,asked Kel.

"Better than improved," he said, "He looks perfectly fine. Yumeì didn't take this very well of course. She had practically sworn to make sure she wasn't the only one who suffered wearing formal clothes. She, of course, vented her anger on one of her six companions, some fellow with silver hair and strange red eyes."

Kel couldn't help but grin. Of course Yumeì was going to react like this. Kel always knew her six companions were loyal, but when Yumeì's wrath was invoked, they often suffered the brunt of it. Especially the silver-haired one called Shadow. Turning away from Raoul she looked outside. She saw the full moon was rising, golden in color and shining ever bright, and the sky was turning a gradual indigo. Mir Lakaika's festival would start soon.

"Are we going to leave, my lord?"

"Well not yet Kel. You see, one person was willing to escort you to the ball."

Kel whirled around to face Lord Raoul again. This had been completely unexpected. She wasn't a lady to be led place to place! She was a knight-in-training, a Squire! Squires were more or less self dependent. Lady or not, she wasn't going to be led into the festival! She began to protest then bit her lip. She wasn't going to be a knight if she wasn't open minded. But still...

"These are...manners, my lord?" ,asked Kel cautiously.

Raoul, who had been watching Kel's reaction closely, nodded slowly. Kel's stomach sank. There was no refusing the escort if she didn't want to offend the nobles at court. A question, that was supposed to be the first question that anyone normal would ask, bubbled in Kel's mind.

"My lord, who is the escort?"

Raoul relaxed a bit, expecting a rare outburst.

"Who else? Shinoru!"

Tabitha's View:

A few hours before Kel found out about her escort, Tabitha decided she would take a calming ride to the Misty Forest, a mile north of the palace. Wearing a tunic and leggings, she had saddled up Mika, her chestnut mare, and had rushed to the forest to relieve herself of the burdening worries of the festival.

In the heart of the forest, she slowed to a steady walk and had breathed a sigh of relief. The forest was fairly silent, a soft rustling there and then where a deer grazed. Fading slivers of sunlight slipped in between dense leaves, startlingly golden against the dark green. The mist dissipated where the sunlight hit it and reappeared in shaded places, ghostly apparitions to anyone who did not look carefully. She heard a loud rustle to her left and Tabitha beheld a stag, one who was in his prime. He stood in a shaft of sunlight, his head held high with his large antlers glowing, regarding her with liquid chocolate eyes. She couldn't help but smile until a soft, warm voice cut through the rigid silence.

"He is magnificent, isn't he?"

The stag, startled by the sudden break in silence, bolted away deeper into the forest. Tabitha, now irritated, turned around and demanded,

"Who-"

Her voice died away. Arentum, sitting on a roan stallion, watched her, slightly amused by her loss of voice.

"You weren't expecting me."

Tabitha kept a Yamani face, betraying no anger or wariness. She slid two daggers from their sheathes, ready to use them if necessary. Quick as a cat, Arentum grabbed her wrists, forcing her to drop the dagger to the forest floor. He leaned forward and whispered,

"Don't do that."

Wrenching her hands out of his grasp, she dropped the Yamani-mask and glared up at Arentum with all her hate. This was the person who had left her four years ago because she had refused him. If this was a kidnapping attempt, he was in for a surprise. She carried far more weapons than daggers on her person.

"You dare-" ,she began, but she was cut off when he raised his hands innocently.

"Hey, I'm not trying to hurt you."

"Well I'm going to if you don't scram." ,snarled Tabitha.

"Oh, how?" ,he asked.

Tabitha used the hilt of another dagger hidden beneath her cloak, and rapped it on the roan gelding's flank. The startled animal reared, screaming in surprise. He threw his rider clear, and bolted toward a nearby slip of sunshine. The horse, after seeing there was no monster or harmful creatures, began to graze. Arentum, rubbing his head where he hit a tree, looked up at Tabitha with the slightest hint of annoyance. Tabitha turned sidesaddle and crossed one leg over the other.

"Had enough, Aren?" ,she asked in a honey-sweet voice.

"Ouch. Using my nickname as an insult now?" ,he winced. "Is it just me or have you gotten more of a mean-streak?"

"It it just me, or have you gotten more careless?", retorted Tabitha.

Arentum shrugged.

"Perhaps, but before you throw one of cleverly concealed weapons at me, hear me out."

Tabitha sat properly on the saddle before asking,

"Is this supposed to be a sort of apology?"

"You...could say that."

"Then I don't want to listen."

Tabitha turned Mika around to head back to the castle, when Arentum gave an exasperated sigh.

"Tabitha, please put aside your pride for one second! I want to know if I could escort you to the ball as...a friend?"

Tabitha, who had been stock-still for a minute turned and stared at Arentum funnily.

"As a friend?" ,she repeated.

"Or an acquaintance?"

"As an acquaintance?"

Arentum now began shifting uncomfortably.

"I would understand if you have already been asked or if you simply don't agree-"

"Aren, did you know I was actually hoping someone would pluck up the nerve to ask me?"

Arentum looked up, stunned. Tabitha was actually smiling, not as warm as she had used to, but a smile no less.

"I'll say yes, but I haven't completely forgiven you." ,she said her eyes twinkling merrily. "We'll go as...acquaintances."

She turned back and headed back into the forest, on the way home. Arentum couldn't help but smile. He took his horse from the sunny cove of trees and followed Tabitha. He didn't know Yumeì had been watching the whole scene, anger alight in her jade eyes.

Iyumana's View:

Iyu had finally managed to leave the willow tree. She just couldn't stand having to chew on willow bark for another couple of days. When the two guards that had been guarding the area had looked away for a minute, she had taken the opportunity to jump out of the willow tree and jump them. When they had both been knocked out, she hid them in the hollow of the tree and had run back to Meron (looking out for other assassins), and had burst through the front door, much to her Ma's alarm.

"Iyu?! Where have you been? Did the Prince send you home?"

Iyu paused at the doorway leading into her room.

"Shun?"

"Yes. I asked him to tell you to come home. I got lonely. Is something wrong?"

Iyu had gone stark white.

"Ma, when did he come?"

Ma looked up at her puzzled.

"Well he came about two day after you left. Why? Is something wrong?"

Iyu stayed silent.

"Iyu, he did send you home, didn't he?"

,asked Ma cautiously.

Iyu hesitated before answering.

"Yes. He did."

Iyu entered her room and shut the door, a bit too loudly. I need to get ready for the ball and worry about why Shun came to Meron later. she told herself, but she couldn't stop herself from wondering why he came while she got dressed. She finally came to the conclusion while brushing down her ice blue gown. He must of thought of talking to me after so long. she thought nervously to herself, but she was highly doubtful. Picking up her bow and arrow, in case she needed a quick getaway, she told Ma,

"I'll be back tonight, Ma!"

"Going away again, Iyu?" ,cried Ma from the kitchen.

"Ma, I won't be gone long!"

"You said that last time!" ,complained Ma.

"Ma, I'm going to a dance!" ,yelled Iyu.

"You're going to a what?!" yelped Ma.

"A dance! See you, Ma!" ,called Iyu.

"Wait, Iyu! Be safe!"

The door shut behind Iyu.

"Oh, Ma." ,murmured Iyu. "Don't you know I'm never safe?"

Ash: I'm letting you know now, this is not the longest chapter in the story.

Yumeì: Boy, you're just spouting information today.

Ash: *Glare* Read and review! I would also appreciate Pm's on the story or any story you would like me to do. I may or may not be running out of stories to write. :)

Yumeì: Really?!