Summary : Daine, Numair, and Alanna have just come back from a mission for the king and Daine meets new squires and makes friends. When she is summoned for another mission she will be traveling with help. Will she be able to keep her magic from her new friends?

I Do Not Own The Immortals series It Belongs To Tamora Pierce.

Chapter 1

The sound of hooves on packed earth alerted the sentries to the early morning arrival of people at the gate. The main sentry signaled for someone to get the king and queen while he went to welcome the arrivals. Upon arriving at the gate he saw 3 horses at stand still awaiting the gates parting. Their riders had an air of exhaustion.

"Welcome back Numair, Alanna, Daine." The king said with a warm voice. The sentry jumped, caught unaware by the kings appearance. "The queen was running a little behind. Anyway come we need to get the tack and gear back in the stables so you can all go get some food and the go to sleep."

They headed in the direction of the tack room to put up their sleepy mounts while the king went to arrange food and rooms for them. As the group began to put up their tack, Numair noticed Daine's eyes and head begin to droop and bob. Everytime it did Mangle would nudge her awake. Thayet slipped in during one of these episodes; throwing a pointed look at the king and Alanna she tapped Daine on the shoulder, startling the tired girl.

" Daine why don't you go ahead and go to the dining hall. The rest of the palace residents will be there soon so you may want to find a spot to sit before they get there." Thayet said as Numair and Alanna continued to put up their horses tack. " Don't worry we'll give them a good brush down. Then when you all are rested up and ready to go we will go tell the king how your mission went."

Daine nodded and walked away, toward the dining hall. The chefs nodded to her when they saw her and on of the younger newer chefs came towards her.

"Go, sit, i'll bring you something." The chef, Maig, prodded her to a seat.

"No I can get it. Don't worry about it, I'm not that tired." Daine moved to get up and get herself some food, but Maig pushed her back down onto the chair and with a look that warned her not to get up, she left to get Daine her food. Not much later found Daine eating as a small trickle of squires and pages came into the hall.

A small group came and sat at Daine's table with their food. They seemed to not notive her sitting there quietly. One of the boy's looked up and started prodding the others. Slowly the portion of the table around her had looked up and was staring at her still form.

"Are you new here? I don't think I've seen you before." The one across from her had honey brown hair and green eyes. He looked directly at her as he spoke. "My name is James, and you?"

"Daine. Nice to meet you. " Daine smiled to him as she greeted him.