The first thing Kel became aware of was the throbbing in her skull. She could hear her heart beat in her ears and her head would twinge painfully in perfect unison. For a moment she was afraid she was adrift at sea; the throbbing behind her eyes and the beating in her ears worked together to amplify her nausea. It was sheer force of will for Kel keep her rebelling stomach in check. She had a feeling the ship's crew wouldn't be pleased with her for sicking up on their deck.

The second thing Kel became aware of was the feeling of something solid beneath her back. She took a deep breath and was dimly surprised to recognize the scent of horses and earth. She slowly opened her eyes. She was laying on the ground, not a ship. But then why did it feel as if her body were moving with out her permission?

She watched the white fluffy clouds chase each other in the sky, picking out shapes as they scuttled by. It was a game her and her mama would play when the family would take meals out in the gardens. She almost smiled but stopped herself just in time. Mama said that she could only smile on the inside now; that the people they were staying with didn't like to show or see emotions.

Suddenly there was a light pressure on her cheek. A gruff yet gentle voice asking,"Keladry? Please look at me."

Kel's eyes snapped to the man who had made the request. He had called her Keladry. Something niggled in the back of her mind that that was not how this man usually addressed her. She tried to wiggle the memory lose, like how her tongue would wiggle at lose teeth, but nothing came forward. He was a handsome man, for all that he was bald. He had a square jaw and light eyes. A sharp scar cut across his face. She wondered how he got it. She felt like she should know this man; he knew her name after all, but the answer evaded her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

She had to concentrate on not drawing her brows down into a confused frown. The Yamanis wouldn't approve. But this just wasn't right. This man shouldn't be talking to her in such a careful manner. How she knew this she couldn't tell. All this wrongness was just adding to her already aching head.

She wet her lips, surprised to find them dry and dusty. How long had she been lying on the ground? Had one of the other children kicked dirt in her face again? She asked the first question that came to her. "Who are you?"

Kel startled at the anguished sound that came from her left side. There was another man kneeling there, watching her closely. His eyes were dark as was the riotous pile of curls on his head. He seemed to be in perfect contrast to the man that had been speaking. She was surprised at the myriad of emotions that were visible on his face and in his eyes. The Yamanis wouldn't appreciate it at all, but seeing the concern on this man's face made warmth bloom in her chest. She wished she could soothe his hurt like her mama would sometimes soothe her, but Kel couldn't help but feel that she was the reason he was hurting so.

She held back another frown when the same niggling feeling told her she should know this man, too. "Who are you? What am I doing on the ground?" she asked again. She had to bite her lip to keep her questions from spilling past her lips.

She raised a hand to press against her still pounding head and was surprised to see it covered by a metal gauntlet. Her eyes tracked from her hand, up her arm, and across her chest. She was wearing a chain mail shirt and plate armor. There was no holding back the confused frown now.

"Keladry, this man is Lord Wyldon of Cavall. He was your training master," said a new voice.

Kel shook her head feeling dazed. There's no way that man was her training master. Her training master was Nariko. A fiery, stout Yamani woman. Something just was not adding up.

"And this man is Lord Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak," the new voice continued.

Kel's eyes went impossibly wide as she turned to stare at the large man kneeling beside her. "Lord Raoul the Giant Killer?" she whispered in awe.

She watched as a grimace swept across his face before he collected himself once more. "Yes. I'm your knight master," he confirmed.

"Knight master!?" was Kel's squeaked reply. The brave, heroic, gallant Lord Raoul the Giant Killer was her knight master!? Wait a minute... "I thought only squires had knight masters?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

This time the pained look did not leave Lord Raoul's face.

"Not to mention the Yamani don't have knight masters. But you're not Yamani, you're Tortallan," Kel rambled. She didn't see the exchange of concerned looks taking place above her. Her Yamani mask was slipping and she didn't know how to stop it. "What are you doing in Yaman, my lord?"

"Keladry, we need to get you to the infirmary. Can you stand?" the strange voice inquired. Kel tilted her head to look up. Yet another man was kneeling next to her. He also seemed familiar. Eyes. Nose. She nodded, distracted by trying to place where she'd seen his face before.

A large hand gripped her uninjured left arm and helped her into a sitting position. The world tilted dangerously. Kel felt as if she were back on a ship once more until she took a few deep breaths to steady herself. With the help of the hand, she got her feet under her and stood on quivering legs.

The dizziness was back and worse than ever. She managed to grunt a quick, "Sick." Which was all the warning the three men had before Kel fell to her hands and knees, sicking up on the dusty ground.

A cool hand cupped her forehead and Kel leaned into the touch. Her roiling stomach started to settle and the world around her stopped tilting precariously.

"There," the unnamed man soothed. "I bet that feels better." Kel nodded as she leaned back on her heels, holding her arm to her chest. The tears in her eyes were no longer just from the pain in her shoulder, but also humiliation for being weak in front of these men. It was as if the Gifted man heard her thoughts. "Keladry, there's nothing to feel ashamed of. You are injured. We won't judge you for being sick and injured."

"Yes, sir," she mumbled with a soft sniff. The man's eyes practically sparkled with good humor.

They didn't try having her stand again, instead choosing to wait for a stretcher to be brought. Lords Raoul and Wyldon helped maneuver her onto it and walked beside her as two men in blue uniforms carried the poles between them. Lord Raoul gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

Safe.