Disclaimer: I do not own most of the characters. Most belong to Tamora Pierce

Chapter 1

Life at the castle became interesting when a girl with, the palest of skin, curly blond hair and bright blues eyes that changed to different shades of blue depending on her mood, came to the castle. She was an interesting character. From the time she woke up to the time she fell asleep, she always had a scheme, always had a plan, and always had someone on her arm. Everyone fell in love with her the moment they saw her. No one knew where the girl came from or why she was here, but she was. That girl was Samantha.

Samantha's pov

No one would find out who I am, or to be more exact who my parents are. Everyone would act differently around me if they knew. My parents don't love me anyway. They left me in this world a million years ago, stuck at age 14 forever. They left me to wonder the earth alone. Never coming to me. Never checking up on me. They just left me. I don't understand what I did wrong. Mom said it was for the best if just left, dad didn't even say good bye. What did I do to anger them? I thought they loved me, I am their child! How could they leave me alone? How could they?

"Sami. Sami, earth to Sami." My best friend was waving his hand in my face.

"I'm sorry what?"

He chuckled and said, "You haven't touched a thing on your plate, you didn't even drink your coffee and you always go for that first. What scheme are you up to?"

"Well, now that you mention it, I was thinking a scavenger hunt. You in?"

He grinned and said, "Do you even have to ask? What do you want me to do?"

I leaned over and whispered what we were going to do, with every word Mike's (Sami's friend) grin got bigger and bigger.

Later that night I was in my bedroom when a very angry Raoul came in.

"What does this mean!" Raoul yelled and he tossed a note at me.

It said,

Dear Raoul,

Pay back is a bitch. I guess you shouldn't have messed with me. I will give you a hint you're very cold right now.

"Well, I guess that means you shouldn't have messed with someone."

"What does it mean, 'you're very cold?'"

"Well, jeez, I would love to help you, really, but I have to clean up after someone else's prank that they left for me." Raoul glared for five minutes then stumped out of my room like a little girl not getting what she wanted. I counted to five then I laughed so hard. Wait till he finds out the things that are missing.

I woke up to banging on my door. I smiled and pulled my blanket with me and put a serious face on as I answered the door, "Yes? Can I help you with something?"

Raoul looked pissed-beyond pissed. "Where is it." He demanded.

"Where is what? I don't understand what you are talking about?"

"You know very well what I'm talking about where is it?"

"Are you sure it is just one thing that is missing?"

With that comment Raoul turned and cussed all the way back to the castle. I giggled and got dressed. Today, I had to inspect the ponies and see if the trainees did a good job. If they didn't I got to give them a punishment and make they do it again. Five trainees got punished. I had to trainees re-paint my room and said that if they get one spec of paint on anything I will have them pay for it. I had two other trainees plant flowers and de-weed a fiy my garden. The last trainee I sent to deliver a note to Lord Raoul's room and if he got caught I would not save him and he could not tell who it was from.

I went to go see Mike. I wanted to tell him how things went with Raoul. When I got to Mike's room, no one was there. I went to the mess hall, he had to be there. He wasn't.

"Who you looking for love?" I turned around to see Mike.

"You."

I told Mike about what happened. He laughed so hard, he had tears coming from his eyes. We went for a walk in one of the gardens. I shivered, stupid fall.

"Your cold. Here." Mike gave me his jacket that he had on and draped it over my shoulders.

"Thank you."

We were in a comfortable silence, until someone had called out, "Samantha!" we turned around to see who called me. Mike dropped to the ground and bowed. He tried pulling me down with him but I refused. It was the Great Mother goddess, my mother. She looked the same. Jet black curly hair, pale skin and green eyes.

"What do you want." I said, it wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"Sami! Don't be rude! Don't you know who that is?" Mike whispered/shouted at me.

"Yeah, I do know who that is and I don't care." I said to Mike, and then said to my mother, "You abandoned me!" with that statement I took off at a run, a real run, because of my parents, I am able to run faster and longer then normal people. I heard Mike try to run after me, but I lost him. I lost them all. I ran till I couldn't run. It was raining now. I was some where in the Great Forest. I broke down and cried. I couldn't stop myself. I cried till I couldn't any more. When I finished crying I was cold, tired-physically, mentally, and emotionally-and I was shaking. I should get home. I thought to myself. But I couldn't. I was almost asleep when I heard someone with a sing song voice call out, "Samantha!" I tried to get up but I slipped in mud. I pushed up and climbed up a tree. I was about to grab the nest branch when the branch I was on gave out from under me. I fell-hard. I heard a crack and I screamed out in pain. I couldn't help it. I heard the running of the person I knew all to well. The next thing I knew he was standing over me.

"I found you." Jake said.

I passed out after that. The next thing I remember is waking up in a comfy bed and the smell of lilies. My room. I went to move but I was stopped by a short red headed woman, that I knew all to well.

"Oh, no you don't."

"Why not?" I said with a pout.

"Cause you got some explaining to do."

I decided to play stupid, "And what would I have to be explaining?"

"Why you ran away from the Great Mother goddess and why were you rude to her?"

I took a deep breath, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you and if you did believe me…well I am not going to say a thing."

"Yes you will. But for now, I think you should talk to the young man who brought you back to us. What ever is wrong, it will be okay." And with that Alanna left my room and Jake came in. He rushed over to me and hugged me. I didn't hug back. He pulled away and looked at me. "Samantha, it had been so long. I have missed you so much. I wanted to visit but you, but your mother said I couldn't-not yet at least, it wasn't safe then." After he said this, I got really confused. Was he trying to lie to me? Did he think I would fall for that?

"I don't believe you. Not one of you cares about me."

"That is not true. We all care about you, Samantha! That's why we couldn't let you stay. There was a war going on. You weren't strong enough and no one wanted Chaos to kill you. Remember, you may be immortal to humans and can't die by them. But you can die by the hands of a god. Also you break easily."

"Why wasn't I told about this war?"

"Because our parents knew that if they told you, you would refuse to go."

I gave a frustrated sigh.

Jake came over and pulled me into his lap. I didn't struggle. I believed him. I started to cry. Jake stroked my hair, and said comforting words to me. After all these years, he still knew how to comfort me.