It was a time of great celebration, Choas had been once more contained to her realm and the Immortals were slowly disappearing, of course not all of them but the mortals would have to deal with that on their own. The Gods war had ravaged the land and caused great scars upon the deserts. It had left the Gods tired but happy to have won the war.

It was because of this event that those who dwelled in the Realm of the Gods were currently performing a ceremony to tie each other together once more, to reaffirm that if this should happen again they had a little protection from Chaos' reign.

It was in this moment that the Gods combined their blood starting with the Great God Mithros and the Great Mother Goddess, from them it continued down to the other great gods and goddess. However one god was not allowed to add his blood, for it contained a small about of Chaos, the Trickster God. (for a list of gods and goddess who added blood see below in A/N)

Kyprioth was glum and slouched in a corner, and though the Great Mother and Mithros were is siblings because of his nature he could not join in, it was nothing really new however, most ceremonies held in the Realm of the Gods he was allowed to be there but not cast his own magic. It was a bright flash of light that finally got him on his feet again and weaving though the other gods. He smiled and laughed and played small tricks but it wasn't until he saw the chalice still glowing with an unearthly hue that he crept that way, set on his goal as he was he missed Mithros throwing his arms wide and right into his face, glaring at his brothers back as blood trickled down from his now split lip. He hurriedly slipped the chalice in to his pocket and stole away to the mortal realm thinking what he could do with the blood of the gods, he smiled at the large party going on, he had landed in the Yamani Islands, and distracted as he did not notice when a single drop of his blood fell into the chalice and caused a small flash if iridescent light,

It was when he saw the children that he placed the cup on a table to go make the stone mask children smile. It was several hours later that he remembered that he had set his precious leverage against the other gods down, and when he did find the chalice it was empty. He frowned and looked around trying to see if anyone was around before shrugging and heading back to the Realm of the Gods and setting the chalice back in place. He would later forget of this event, in the midst of his other tricks and the other gods thinking that one of the others took care of it properly.

In the Mortal Realm a woman of nobility and grace was bent over as tears steamed down her face in their private quarters of the Yamani Palace. This woman's name was Ilane of Mindelan her long brown hair in disarray as her husband Peirs of Mindelan was calling the Palace healer.

It was a shock when the palace healer told them that she would be alright but that they were to have a baby, now don't get them wrong they were happy but it didn't add up, for while they loved each other deeply and had a very intimate relationship they had not laid together in some months due in part to their current assignment of integrating in to the Yamani court. However instead of dwelling on it to long they set it aside and prepared to have another little one.

It was nine months later, when the baby was born that they thought on the subject once more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NINE MONTHS LATER~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was the first cries of a new baby that made the couple smile, but when the babe was placed in the arms of the mother a small frown marred her beautiful face for the baby girl had no traits of her or her husband, she had small tufts of silver hair that looked as though the moon was gracing her and her skin was a warm tan color as though she had been in the sun for many an hour and when the babe first opened her eyes, instead of her husbands hazel eyes or her dark brown there shown a silvery blue in one and what looked like liquid fire in the other.

"I think we should name her Sinteari" Peirs commented slowly, and if he was a lesser man he would wonder if his wife laid with another, but there were no traits of her in the child either.

"That is a beautiful name dear" smiling Ilane slowly drifted off to sleep. I wouldn't be until a year later that they found she was pregnant.

Sinteari was only one but already she spent more time with the Emperor and Empress then her own Mother and Father, as the years past she gained skills and elegance becoming of a princess of the Yamani Court. When she was four her parents had to rush back to Tortall and her brother Conall's knighting. They had opted to take Keladry with them but left her with the Court on good faith that they would return.

It would be five years before she saw them again, and though it was sad she didn't truly mind being left with what she thought of her true family. It is not to say that they were bad parents but they had much to do and the Prince Seajin and Neji were more than happy to have their baby sister with them.

It was during this time that the Emperor and Empress blood adopted her into their family, she gained more of a Yamani face, her eyes slanted slightly and her lips were full but turned into a more blood red color then the light pink she had before, her hair curled taking on the empress hair and her face was more aristocratic then before more like the emperor and his sons. For the next three years she was taught to be a princess, how to walk, talk, dance, sing, play flute and write poems. To use a ladies fan shusukan and a glaive. It was during these years that she also perfected her mask, it would take something beyond life itself to crack it but she did let it down infront of whom she considered her family.

On her ninth birthday there was a grand festival to celebrate, it was the first time she got to wear her formal kimono it was 12 layers, and done in rich reds and bronze, the colors of the current reigning house.

It was during the festival that her other family arrived, she didn't recognize them at first but she snapped her fan open and greeted them with a bow proper to there position as ambassadors from a foreign country on treaty terms.

"It is good to see you again" she murmured behind her fan and glanced over them thoughtfully, she didn't feel the attachment she though she should have. "Allow me to escort you to his Imperial Highness" with that she snapped her fan shut and turned on a heal her face blank.

"Sinteari dear, are you not going to give us a hug" Peirs asked with a furrowed brow.

"The Imperial Highness no doubt already knows of your arrival it is best not to keep him waiting" she did not stop her stride, and though she was only 9 she was able to keep her strides quick and even making it look like she was floating across the uneven ground as her younger sister Keladry stumbled a little and her face showed her thoughts.

"Princess Sinteari" a servant called out to get her attention, and she turned nodding slightly to indicate he should continue "His Highness Seajin would like to know if you would accompany him to the dances this evening in your honor?" she snapped her fan open hiding the slight blush on her cheeks.

"You may tell Sea that I would be honore-" she didn't get to finish as her mother Ilane cut her off.

"Be respectful Sinteari," with a slight glare at her daughter she turned to the servant "Tell his highness Prince Seajin that Sinteari accepts his offer and she is most honored to be at his side this evening"

Sinteari's eyes hardened and nodded to the servant before continuing on into the throne room, she walked up to the Emperor and kneeled her forehead touching the backs of her hands in respect.

"Sinteari my daughter, you know you no longer need to bow as such." The Empress voice called softly. It was that soft chide that made Sinteari stand.

"Yes mother I am sorry, I thought it proper as the Ambassadors Peirs and Ilane of Mindelan have returned, along with their youngest daughter Keladry" she gave a small bow before moving to stand next to the Empress and Prince Neji.

It was with some confusion that Ilane and Peirs were reintroduced to the royalty of the Yamani Islands.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Two Years later~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sinteari had continued to grow her hair now touching her knees and her eyes still mismatched but glittering with unfound mischief. It was over the last two years that she had gotten to know her biological family and she had taken Keladry under her wing.

It was explained to her and Piers and Ilane about the adoption and that she was now Princess Sinteari of the Yamani Islands and Mindelan, and that though Ilane had given birth to her she was actually a member of the Imperial House.

They had accepted it though they still had some say as they were not there when the adoption took place and there fore could not object to the adoption. It was this that leads to her boarding the ship Ume No Dansa or the Sea Dancer and departing her beloved Yamani Islands.

A/N: Ok list of gods and goddess

Mithros, Great Mother, Graveyard Hag, Black God, Lord of the Hunt, Green Lady, Gainel, many animal gods, Horse Lords and the Sea goddess, and the Ice keeper. (yes I know that some are not listed in the book)