A/N These one-shots and drabbles were written as submissions for Goldenlake's SMACKDOWN. It is an ongoing competition where pairings are matched against each other in a (quite epic) battle of which side can produce the most fiction featuring that couple. This group of stories are based off of canon and focus on friendship between the two of them, which I enjoyed writing about. I have posted the other selection of stories I wrote for the Aly/Taybur pairing under the title 'Love and Schemes', which focuses on (angsty) romance.

This first one takes place during Trickster's Queen.

Taybur was on the dais, scanning the crowd of nobles who had come to the Rittevon court. The spells that circled the thrones made every face in the room closer, and Taybur was able to scan each of the newcomers for signs of malice towards his king.

There was an announcement and Winnamine Balitang and her family swept in. Imajane made a low noise in the base of her throat and Rubinyan set a hand on hers to soothe her.

The daughters were beautiful, Taybur noted, acknowledging the gossip he'd overheard. Especially the oldest, though she had the look of someone who knew it, too.

The younger girl, Dovasary, was a step behind her mother, aunt and sister and turned to whisper something to one of her maids. The raka girl nodded, catching Taybur's attention for a moment before he turned it fully to the other maid walking with the Balitangs. She had her reddish hair cropped close to her head and her white skin sat strangely with the raka dress she moved comfortably in.

Taybur watched as she scanned the room, catching her gaze on each of the exits.

Wary one, he thought amused, but then watched as a second sweep of the room caught her focus on each of his guards – in uniform and out.

Not bad, he thought. This young thing has done better at spotting his defences than Topabaw had ever done.

Then he leaned forward, enthralled.

The girl looked up, catching his archers posted up above the room in that knowing gaze.

Oh, Taybur thought, this girl I have just got to meet.

He moved closer to Dunevon's seat, though – just in case.