Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or most of the story here, Tamora Pierce does.

Chapter 1

"The Girl?" I heard someone demand.

I stopped walking for a moment to hear that rest of what these men were talking going to say about Kel. (yes, he calls her Kel. After all of Neal's letters, he felt as if he has known her for years)

"I don't care if she's the Wave Walker," someone else drawled. That was Gildes, I would recognize his vice anywhere. "She's as green as grass," he went on to say.

I was getting madder with each word out of their mouths. I was about to step up and stop their deplorable vile coming out of their mouths, but before I could step in, Osbern did. I was kind of upset that I couldn't do it, but he would get them to shut it just as well, if not better, than I could. I was going to turn around when I noticed Kel emerge from behind her huge bruiser of a horse. Gods she had gotten taller than the last time I saw her. Has it really been four years already?

I looked down at the extra turnover I had. I knew I would regret it later, but I decided to give it to Kel. She more than likely hadn't eaten yet. So I walked, with my horse trailing behind me, to her side.

"Did you eat?" I asked

She turned with a slight look of confusion, but quickly hid it as I handed her the turnover.

"Just rolled out of bed and cam charging on down, I bet. You'll learn. Eat."

She took a bite. A small appeared on her face as she mumbled "It's good!"

Her smile made me grin cheerfully back at her. Giving her the turnover had been a good idea after all. While I was thinking to myself, I noticed her looking me over. It seemed like she studied every inch of me. Not that I minded, but her eyes on me made me feel giddy. Gods, what is wrong with me? It's not like it was the first time a girl has looked at me like this. Why does it feel so different now? I knew that if I didn't speak soon, I wouldn't know what I would do.

"I see you've still got your over grown horse." I remarked with a nod toward her mount.

On a whim, I decided to tell her the story about the first time I saw her.

"I was new to the King's Own the day we saw you tilting. Everybody but me bet you'd come straight off his back when he reared. I won a meal at the Jugged Hare because I bet you'd stay on."

I bowed to her to show her a small 'Thanks'. I really didn't know what else to do. I also used the bow as a form of greeting.

"Domitan of Masbolle at your service, squire Keladry. Your page-sponsor was a certain mad cousin of mine."

Again she fixed me with her steady gaze, but this time she squinted to get a better look at my face in this sparse light. In a moment recognition crossed her blank face.

"You're related to Neal?" She questioned.

"Sadly, yes. I call him Meathead. Have you ever met anyone more stubborn?" I asked as I tucked my hands in my breeches pockets.

I could feel a huge grin on my face, though I don't know why I was grinning so much this early. Just a few minutes ago I would have hit anyone that told me it was a fine morning.

"He can be difficult, um... Sergeant?" She questioned.

I shook my head. For some reason I didn't like her using my title; though, I loved it when other people did. I came up with the best reason I could to stop her from using it again.

"Technically you're not in the Own. Besides, He's written me so much about you I feel like I know you. Call me Dom." I told her as I offered my hand.

"Kel," she said, taking it. I gave her a firm squeeze to show her I understood her strength, but wasn't trying to show her up as some might. My hand felt cold the moment I stopped touching her. Again I felt I had to distract myself.

"You sure grew into this bruiser," I remarked.

I reached out my hand for her horse to sniff, but the next thing I knew, Kel yanked me back just in time. The horse tried to bite me.

"Oh I see," I remarked, unruffled. "A testy pony."

I bet this horse would be fun to ride. I realized my comment elicited giggles from this young warrior. I felt elated that I had gotten her to giggle. Neal said it so rarely happened, which was sad. She was so cute when she did.

Before anything else could happen though, Lord Raoul, Captain Flyn, and two other men emerged from the palace.

"We're ready to do business," I stated. "Welcome to the Own, Kel."

I swung up into my saddle, atop hammer. As I was trying to get my mind back under control, Lord Raoul rode over. I couldn't help but over hear their conversation. Though, the whole time I was watching her. I starting things I shouldn't though, so I had to force myself back to the present, or I might miss something important. When I begrudgingly left my thoughts, I heard Lord Raoul tell her horse, Peachblossom I believe, to behave, or he would muzzle him.

Peachblossom shook his head vigorously; at that I had to bit back a laugh. It will be very interesting to ride with her and that horse. When I looked back up at her, she was swinging up into her saddle on her new mount.

After she settled in, she turned around to look into the carrier behind her saddle.

"You have to move," she told something in there. "Otherwise Jump will squash you."

The next thing I saw were birds hopping out. She nodded to her dog:he sprang neatly into the leather box. I was stunned. I knew of both the dog and the birds that followed her, the dog from Neal, and the birds I saw with my own eyes. I was awed that they listened to her as well as they did for being wild.

Flashback:

452 H.E.

My first year in the Own. In the summer we were called out to one of the forest villages to take out the spidren nest that was somewhere by there. On the way we went to Lord Wyldon to get the pages to help. Lord Raoul told us newbies that it was to show the young lads what they might end up doing as knights one day. I must admit I was looking forward to seeing my cousin and The Girl.

At this point Neal had told me a bit about her, and I was curious to see what she was really like in person. When we got to the page's camp ground it was not quite dawn. I didn't see my cousin or the girl among the pages. Guess I would just have to wait.

When we finally stopped for a bite to eat, I saw her. Gods she stood out from the rest of the boys. Though I wasn't sure why. She had her hair cropped just as short as some of the boys. Nothing gave her away as a girl, but for some reason I knew it was her. My guess was verified by my cousin walking up to her as Lord Raoul cleared his throat.

"You young fellows may not know, but rain is good for this kind of work. We can track better in the mud – and with spidrens, we need all the help we can get. He was telling all the pages.

My mind was drifting off to other things, like if we got put in groups I wanted her in my group, so I could get to know her, and see my cousin at the same time. I knew for a fact that where Kel went he went too. Sadly, we were paired into pairs of two, but neither Neal, nor Kel were put with me. Even sadder was we were then put into three different larger groups. One was headed by Lord Raoul, another by Captain Flyn, and the last but Lord Wyldon. I was with Lord Raoul and both Kel and Neal were with Captain Flyn. We broke off into our groups and went in different directions. I felt a little worried about Kel, but that feeling ended when I saw she was with Qasim. He would not only treat her like an equal, but also look after her.

Though the funniest sight greeted me when Kel left, about ten or eleven sparrows trailed after her. Neal had said she took care of sparrows that lived in the courtyard outside of her window, but he never said they followed her where ever she went. How strange.

About an hour of searching later, all groups reconvened. The group leaders were talking to each other when Qasim called out. "My Lord," as he towed Kel over to them.

I walked forward to hear what they were talking about. By the time I got close enough to hear Lord Raoul remarked "Too bad they can't lead us to the spidrens. Any idea how far they might have flown before they encountered this?"

What was that supposed to mean? Had Kel somehow found something that might help us find the nest?

Kel was shaking her head when I looked back at them. It looked like she was hesitant to say something, but decided to say it anyway.

"My lord knight commander," she began before Qasim nudged her. "Sir," Kel correcter herself.

"I think they could lead us to the spidrens."

Who are they? What are they talking about?

"Are you a wildmage too?" Raoul questioned. "you can speak with them?"

At that I guessed they were talking about her birds.

"No," Kel admitted, "But I think they understand more than you'd guess."

"They know who's planning a dirty trick on Kel and who isn't" Neal abruptly said. "They know who's her friend and who isn't."

"Sir if Kel thinks they might lead us, maybe we should listen." a new boy added.

Kel looked around, startled. She hadn't realized her friends had come up behind her to help back her up. She has good friends I realized. This made me happier then it should.

"She's smart about a lot of things," added yet another boy standing close to Neal. "Whatever some people say." Neal and the first boy that spoke nodded in agreement when Lord Raoul looked at each of them.

Then the one bird that was perched on Kel's shoulder rose, fluttering, and called to the others. All of the sparrows flew to the clearing's edge and perched on a tree. Then the same bird that was on Kel's shoulder, I'm guessing it's the head of the flock, flew back to Kel, chattering, turned, and rejoined the flock. Lord Raoul scratched his head.

"This is what I've come to," he said mournfully. "Following little birdies."

He then picked one local guide, then ten pages and soldiers, again Qasim went.

Turning to Captain Flyn he said, "I'll take 'em, Flyndan. You might want to break out blazebalm and torches." He glanced at the sky. "It'll be dark soon. Feed everyone, and save some for us. All right, youngster," he told Kel, " they know you best, and your friends seem to think you've a good head on your shoulders. Let's see how quiet you can lead. You're on point."

"But sir -" she started to argue, but got cut off.

"They're your birds," Raoul told her. "Do you think they can lead us? If you're not sure, we'll just keep fumbling around."

The head bird cheeped, as if it was impatient, at Kel. The girl took a deep breath.

"Yes, sir, I think they can lead us."

"Then let's go," he ordered.

After I couldn't see the group anymore, I went to help get dinner ready.

"Do you think they will really find anything?" One of the men from the Own asked. I didn't recognize him.

"I doubt it. They are following birds after all," another remarked.

"Not to mention that's The Girl, they're following. Me might end up sending a search party after them to get them back by morning. I feel bad for the kingdom if she becomes a knight."

"Marti's Hill, I believe, as a page, you should be helping getting food ready," thundered Lord Wyldon.

At that I toned out whatever anyone else might say. Damn Conservatives, stuck in their old ways, not willing to change.

About an hour or so later, Lord Raoul came back with the rest of the group in tow. Lord Raoul instantly set things in motion. Telling everyone what duties they would each have in the up coming battle. It seems like the birds did show them the spidren nest after all.

When he mentioned the pages, my ears perked up. Most pages were stationed at the rear to help protect our backs. Once I knew Kel and Neal weren't going to be in the main fight I relaxed a bit. I made a short prayer to Mithros and the Mother Goddess to watch out for them.

Once the planning was all done, things moved quite fast.

The battle went according to plan for the most part. At one point in the fight I remembered hearing 'At the rear,' the call the first year pages were told to use if spidrens attacked from the river behind us. (That was the job of the first years. To make sure no spidrens attacked us from behind. I thank Mithros they were there after all, or the monsters would've had us.)

I really didn't have time to see much while fighting, but I did notice that the archers went to help the pages.

By the end of the battle I was too tired to try and go talk to Neal and Kel, thought this would have been the best time. I did, however, notice that none of the pages died, which was good to know.

Though I heard later that one pages almost did die because he last his head to anger in the middle of the fight. Something that can get you killed. I also heard that Kel saved hi and helped lead the rest of the pages.

A wave of pride and admiration crashed through me when I heard that. The next day, after we all caught up on sleep, the Own headed out, and the pages went back to the palace. I was upset to see them go, for I never got the chance to talk to Neal or Kel. But I know I will see them both again, with any luck.

End Flashback

"Come along, Squire Keladry. Time to get your feel wet." Raoul drawled.

Her name jarred me back to the present. I looked up just in time to see her following My Lord up to the front, away from me. Oh well, I'll see her soon. She is going to ride with us for the next four years.

After My Lord was done explaining the problems we were going to encounter, he gave the signal to move out. In a minute or two I heard Raoul call back to Kel.

"We do try to eat, I go all faint if I don't get fed regularly. Only think of the disgrace to the King's Own if I fell from the saddle."

" But there was that time in Fanwood," someone said. I didn't see who.

"That wedding in Tameran," added Osbern.

"Don't forget when what's – his – name, with the Army, retired," yelled Derom.

"Silence, insubordinate curs!" Cried Raoul. "Don't sully my new squire's ears with your profane tales!"

I just had to put in my two bits, maybe it would make her giggle again.

"Even if they're true?" I asked.

She didn't giggle or laugh, but she did smile. That was enough for now.

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