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Once Kel was in her room she made sure her door was shut and locked. She didn't need Neal or her other friends now. She needed to escape the palace. The plan was to disappear, find someone to teach her fighting, and become a warrior fit to defend the kingdom. Thankfully, she had packed all of her gear earlier, in case her worst fear happened. The tears finally began to slow down. She took a deep breath and thought. I am stone. I am stone. And the flow of tears receded. She turned to the sparrows, who were looking at her curiously. Crown flew up to Kel's shoulder, but Kel brushed her off. Crown chattered and looked curiously towards Kel.

As if Crown were human or she a wild mage, Kel told her, "You can't come with me. I would be noticed too easily, and Diane would know where I was. Anyway, you wouldn't get any food with me."

Crown and the rest of the flock started chirping in protest.

"No, and that's final. I don't want you to come." Kel said, her eyes once again brimming with tears. She didn't want to lie to them to get them to stay. Crown flew out of her room and the flock followed.

She looked around her room for the last time. Then she picked up her weapons and her small pack that lay on the edge of her bed.

"Kel!" There was a voice at the door, followed by a knock. "Kel, open up! It's Neal."

Kel froze. She couldn't face him, not now. Not after she had failed. Kel spun and opened her shutters, fleeing from the room. As she passed the courtyard, she caught a short glimpse of her gloom-ridden sparrows. Clearing them from her mind, she ran as quickly as she could with her packs down the path she had traversed for a year, which led to the stables. The day had now faded and the darkness was seeping through the palace.

Once in the stables, she went to Peachblossom's stall. He looked at her strangely and gave her a look that said "What are you doing?" Knowing that he would probably understand her, she said "Escaping."

Quickly as she was able, she saddled Peachblossom and placed her bags and weapons onto his back. Then she went to lead her horse out of the stable; however, she knew she would never be able to get out of the palace without help.

She called into the stable lofts.

"Stefan! I know you're there. Come down a minute. I need a favour." And as she predicted Stefan climbed out of the loft and stood face to face with Kel.

"What sort of favour?" he asked, taking a close look at her.

"I need you to help me get past the guards."

"And why is that?"

She looked him straight in the eye and said, "I think you know why."

"You know you are stealing Crown property?" he asked, looking towards Peachblossom, who shook his head. He looked at Stefan and Kel, conveying a message which both of them understood clearly: "I belong to no one."

Stefan turned to Kel, saying, "If you hadn't saved Peachblossom and helped him so much, I wouldn't let you take him." Kel looked at him with thanks.

"Peachblossom is yours, because he would defy any future masters and would try to follow you and keep you out of trouble."

Kel turned to Peachblossom, pulling out an apple she had got at breakfast earlier that morning, and gave it to him. "I knew you liked me."

Stefan then said to Kel,

"To get past the guards, you don't need my help. Just say you are delivering something urgent to Port Caynn and they will let you through. If that doesn't work, give them a silver noble and say Stefan sent you, and they will let you through."

On impulse, Kel quickly hugged him, saying, "Thank you." She mounted up and told Peachblossom to walk out of the stables. She turned in the saddle and said to Stefan, "See you in a couple of years."

Stefan grinned. "I don't doubt you. Gods all bless you, Keladry of Mindelan!"

Kel whispered "go faster" to Peachblossom." The guards let her through under the excuse of an urgent message to Port Caynn, but she still gave them a coin for letting her through. Kel rode down the main cobble streets of Corus and out of the city, not once slowing her pace until she was clear of the houses. The moon illuminated the road for her journey. She called out into the winds, to the Gods and anyone else who could hear,

"One day I will return. One day I will show Lord Wyldon and anyone else who didn't want me to be a Knight. I will show you how great a warrior can be."