Kel fought hard to keep her face Yamani Stone as she hugged her friends good-bye. "Promise me you'll write, Kel," Nealan of Queenscove whispered as he drew Kel into another hug. Worry was etched into his emerald eyes. "Promise. Someone's got to make sure you eat your vegetables," Kel teased. Neal scowled half heartedly. "You had better write to me too, O' pearl of my heart; fairer than the fairest; more beautiful than-" "Don't worry, Cleon," Kel interrupted the big red head, " I won't forget." "Hey, what about me?" Merric asked indignantly. "And me!" Seaver cried. Kel laughed. It was nice to know she had friends after a rough year. "I'll write to everyone!"She hugged them each one more time before getting into her awaiting parents' carriage. "We have to do something, Piers! She's been moping about for a month!" "I know, dear, I know," Piers of Mindelan sighed, trying to soothe his wife. "The Shang Panther will be here in a week. Maybe we can work something outwith him, Ilane." Truler Hiden, the Shang Panther, practiced his punches and kicks in the dawn light of an of abandoned courtyard Mindelan. He was handsome and young; only in his early twenties. His shoulder length hair, pulled back into a small horse tail, was the color of a raven's wing. His face was dark and a sensitve with dertermined chin, softened by full lips and high cheekbones. His eyes were an unusual shade of green-blue. It was enough to make any woman swoon. Coming out of a graceful combat dance to catch his breath, Truler glimpsed gold brown hair flashing in the sunlight and a pair of hazel eyes peering at him from behind the corner. Truler grinned when he recognized Kel. "So, I've been talking to your parents. They want me to take you in as my student in Shang," Truler called. Remembering her manners, Kel walked out from her vantage spot where she had been watching the Wolf's dawn practice and bowed. "I'd be very much obliged, sir, if you did take me in," Kel replied. Gathering up her courage she went on hastily,"My Yamani training with the glaive and their martial arts would help me," taking a deep breath she continued, "also my.... page training." Fury and sorrow crossed Kel's usual Yamani stone look. 'Poor thing, thought Truler, 'she's so young and already denied her true destiny of knighthood. That Wyldon scum!' Outloud he said," Keladry, if I were to take you in as my personal student in learning the art of Shang, will you work very hard in training and upholding your honor?" Kel nodded vigorously. "Will you never surrendor or give up?" Kel nodded fiercly. "Do you promise to fight for good, to protect those weaker than you? Do you promise to never neglect your duties as a Shang warrior?" "I promise, sir," Kel said solemnly. They shook hands and Trulen went off to tell Kel's parents he had accepted their offer. Kel stared off into the distance. 'I'll show them- the king, Wyldon, everyone! I'll show them all that Keladry of Mindelan doesn't need to be a knight to be a legend!'