---------------Alter-Ego---------------
Chapter 1

"You know what I'm going to have today? Chicken. Or maybe if they have some lamb... I'm quite partial to lamb. It's a shame the kitchens don't do anything fancy with it. I mean, lamb is lamb, but lamb is very nice lamb when you -"

Kel stood by her hyperactive friend and attempted to quell the desire to pinch him. "I have an idea, Neal, they have broccoli today. Broccoli's tasty. Someone once told me that broccoli goes very nicely with lamb and chicken, so do have some, won't you?"

Neal narrowed his eyes. "That's a lie!" he accused. "This is just another part of your dastardly scheme to force those slimy green things down my throat!"

She sighed resignedly. "Well, ok, Neal. Have as much lamb as you like." He gaped at her, and she pushed him. "The queue is moving, and you're holding everyone up."

When they were sat down comfortably in their usual seats, Wyldon stood and cast his steely eyes across the room. Anyone on the receiving end of his gaze immediately fell silent.

"A Tyran embassy will be arriving next week. To show them Tortall's good people, there will be four balls, although your attendance is optional. Any page who does not do their work and offers excuses such as "I was at the ball all evening," will receive two bells of punishment work for each offence. However, the pages' service will be required on Monday night at the welcoming banquet. Report to Master Oakbridge at 6 bells past noon, and do not be late." He paused, and then ended, "Garvey of Runnerspring and Vinson of Genlith, report to me after your meal."

As he sat, conversation blossomed in the room. Neal's voice was among the loudest.

"Balls? And attendance is optional. Well, that's a laugh!"

Kel looked up. "Huh? So you're going?"

"Are you kidding?" he asked incredulously. "Of course I'm going!"

Kel's eyebrows furrowed in her confusion. "What? We have far too much work already - there's no time for optional balls!"

Neal grinned contagiously. "Kel, Kel, Kel... let me clarify things for you. Think about it - an embassy? This is important stuff! Anyone who's anyone will be there... including all the court ladies! There's normally an influx of convent graduates around this time of year, too - exciting, right?"

Kel's heart wrenched. Damn him! I wish he didn't talk about women like that in front of me. It just reminds me even more that I'm only his friend. True, he's 18, five years older than me and most of the others - and I suppose he does want to do all these adult things, as he is an adult himself... but that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt!

Kel took a bite of her meat. Should I go, then? Well, let's think about it; do I want to stand around watching all the boys, Neal in particular, flirting with court ladies? Who'd want to dance with me? Maybe Neal would dance with me once, but that would just make the rest of the ball seem even worse. I hate this! If I didn't have a crush on him then I don't think I'd care if Neal spent all his time with noble ladies.

The thirteen-year-old female page put down her fork. "Well, I'm not going to go. I have far too much work to do and I don't want my Sunday to be wasted doing punishment."

"Fair enough," Neal said, shrugging. He didn't look disappointed at all. "What about you lot?"

"I'll tag along," Merric said. Seaver, Cleon and the others all rapidly agreed. The only one who said he'd rather stay behind was Roald, but he had to go anyway because he was the Prince.

Struggling to swallow her emotions, Kel inhaled the rest of her food and said a hasty goodbye. Thrusting her cutlery and plate at the servants, she strolled from the mess, unaware that several pairs of eyes were watching her.

"Do you think something's wrong?" Cleon asked, having seen her march out the door.

"It's probably 'that time of month'," Seaver answered slowly. "Blood loss or something, makes girls kind of weird."

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Over the next two days, most of the pages dismissed Kel's exit as "a consequence of her monthlies", and quickly forgot it ever happened. No one questioned Kel about the "incident". She was, however, not quite herself (not that anyone really noticed) - she was more withdrawn during mealtimes and lessons and spent more time working alone in her room than with their study group. She barely noticed this herself, being too busy with the banquet to even have time to think.

The banquet eventually passed without mishap (for Kel's group of friends, at least - Joren spilt wine all over the floor, and several of his friends slipped on it before it was cleaned up), and Tuesday's lessons zipped past in a violent blur. The first ball was that night, and they would continue until the weekend. The boys didn't attend dinner, instead getting ready for the ball, so Kel ate alone, picking at her meal in miserable loneliness. She didn't know the other two pages who had decided not to go, and was in such a depressed mood that she didn't feel like going over to introduce herself.

That evening, Kel buckled down to some maths sums while Lalasa repaired one of her torn shirts in the window seat, but with the scratch of Jump's claws on the floor and the fluttering of sparrow wings filling the room, Kel found it impossible to work. Eventually she moved to the library. That was where she stayed until the bell rang, telling her to return to her rooms.

When she stumbled in through her door, a stack of books in her arms, she dropped them on top of her chest of drawers and closed the door. She began to make her way to the privy - and then she saw it. Lalasa was working on a glorious dress, displayed on a wooden manikin. Kel scowled - talk about a reminder. Her evening had been downright miserable and she knew that all the boys would be talking of the court ladies all the next day.

"Is that manikin yours?" she asked, trying not to look annoyed.

"Oh - no, I borrowed it from a friend. I only need it this once. This dress needed a few finishing touches and it's already too late for the first ball so I needed to get it done, and I know you hate standing around for ages while I check all the measurements and make adjustments."

Kel stopped in her tracks, turning in the privy doorway to stare at her maid. "What, it's for me?"

Lalasa risked a little nod.

"But... I'm not going to any of the embassy balls."

Lalasa shrugged, trying to hide disappointment. "Not even one?" she asked eventually.

Kel looked down at her feet guiltily. It was then that she saw the skirts of the dress brushing the floor and looked up to admire its beauty.

The entire garment was constructed from a rich, dusky pink muslin with darker purple-pink for the bodice. The fabric cascaded to the floor in drifting folds and just barely scraped the floor of Kel's room. The neckline hung a little too low for Kel's liking, but, if anything, she liked the tiny white beads and embroidery sliding along the hips and up towards the shoulders. There were no sleeves.

Kel took a deep breath. "Oh, Lalasa, it's beautiful, and I wish I could wear it, but I already told everyone I'm not going. I know this sounds really selfish of me but I know they'll really tease me if I go because I said I wouldn't, and I'd be bored anyway because they're going to be flocking round the court ladies and flirting... and I can't because, well, I'm a girl... I'm really sorry. There will probably be another ball or something soon - I can wear it then..."

Lalasa smiled wanly. "You'll probably grow out of it by then. It's too delicate to adjust the size now."

The look on her maid's face made Kel feel like she'd just crushed Lalasa and told her that she would never open a dress shop because 'I'm taking all your wages now'. "Gods, Lalasa, I really wish I could go," she began, striding to the manikin and touching the fabric. "It's just - I know that I'd have a horrible time. The boys treat me like a boy too, and that's good most of the time, but when it's times like this they forget that I can't just go lose myself in a crowd of ladies like they can. Maybe if they just acknowledge the fact that I'm female then I'd have more fun!" She threw up her hands in frustration, and then she glimpsed Lalasa's face.

She was... grinning...? Slyly?

"I -" Kel began, but she was cut off as her maid shook her head.

"What if," Lalasa said, "you didn't go as yourself?"

Kel stared. "Uh... what are you trying to suggest?"

"I can get a wig," Lalasa said, suddenly business-like, "face paint... there are potions, eye drops that change the colour of your eyes. Think - a decent corset and my dress, you'll look different enough. The boys will be blown away - they'll still be seeing you, but just... a different colour you. You can tell them you're somebody else, have fun, and find out what being a lady is like!"

"Uh... I'm not sure..."

"Go on," Lalasa urged. "If you don't like it you can always leave."

"Well..."

"Ok, good. I can get everything tomorrow while you're in your lessons; just try and practise being a bit more lady-like." She smiled brightly. "Look, you're late for bed. I'll put the dress in your wardrobe."

When Kel wandered out the privy in her nightgown a few moments later, the manikin was gone and Lalasa was just closing the shutters. "Goodnight, my lady." She snuffed out her lamp and disappeared into the darkness.

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So, here's my new story. Hope you like. I shouldn't really post a new one when I'm really lagging on updates for my other stories, but I've been so busy with school and this was a wild plot bunny that wouldn't go away. Contrary to my usual pairing, this will NOT be KN. I'd like to do an odd pairing, though I've yet to decide which. Feedback, please?