People were afraid of her presence except for the guards they were terrible and mean to her. They enjoyed teasing her and pointing out obvious things she wanted to keep hidden.

"No way will you ever lose a fight you're too good!" exclaimed Xanni with laughter. They were in the practice rooms and have been for hours watching Calwyn hit target after target. They didn't understand her mood they just knew to not mention it and stand back but to be there to give support and watch her. "Do you ever try? You know to remember who you were before?" Xanni replied from deep in his heart and a little embarrassed to have said it so plainly.

"You try? I see it as simple as this if it were truly important I wouldn't have forgotten it." Came a quick reply from Mica. But Calwyn stopped and was quiet for a long time before saying.

"I can't remember anything from before but what they have told me. I don't try though it's just too painful knowing there's someone out there who loves me but left me here to rot in this place."

"Well I wish I knew at least a little. I'm tired I'll see you two in the morning." Xanni got up and left the two girls in a deep thought.

"Cal do you think we knew each other before this life?" Asked Mica with earnest in her eyes.

"I don't know Mica, I really don't know."

Chapter 7

"Darrow? Darrow! Darrow, I must speak with you!" Trout ran after the Lord of the Black Palace who was storming out of the dining room so forcibly he should have burned holes in his wake. Trout followed him all the way up, he made no sign to tell Trout to leave and Trout had to tell him some rather interesting news. Once out on the roof Darrow staggered to the edge and looked over and out into the desert sky. This is it thought Trout he's gonna do it he's gonna jump. But before Trout could say anything Darrow collapsed on the railing, it looked as though he was crying and Trout made a move as to turn and leave.

"No, I'm sorry stay. You said it was important." came Darrow's desperate response. "How do you do it? You lost Mica, but you live with it how? When she died I lost everything I can't feel for anything my heart is gone. Yet you can go about your business and help Tonno and live with your grief."

"Darrow, I'm no special person I can't forget her. But you and Calwyn had something special, and you both knew it. Mica never knew how I felt about her nor did I her until it was too late. I live with the grief because I have to. Without it I wouldn't work as hard and wouldn't be who I am today. Mica made me who I am not, not what I was. I know it doesn't mean much but you and Calwyn should never have been separated without one another you're just one half." Trout spoke these words with confidence and strength different from the scared boy Calwyn forced upon the Fledgewing what seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Thank you Trout, Calwyn always knew there was more to you than just an inventor and a stubborn, messy young boy." Darrow turned and faced him with a new light in his eyes; he had come to an agreement with the untimely death of his one love. "Now you said it was important."

"What was? Oh right I'm sorry. There is a 'Chanter Academy' apparently in Gellan taking children from their homes chanter or not. This mother wrote to us, about taking her children away from the raids and keeping them safe."

"Chanter Academy taking children chanter or not? This isn't making much sense Trout, seriously."

"I know that's why it's so important; we have to save these kids!"

"Gellan? Did you talk to Tonno?"

"Yes, himself, Keela, and Halassa are already to go tomorrow morning."

"Our little crew use to be so much more." Darrow sighed at the memory of Calwyn's first night on the sea, and how at home she was there in her last time.

"I'll see you then, get some sleep tonight Darrow you're going to need it." With that Trout left the roof and went to his friends rooms telling them they were leaving and getting all his final things in order. Darrow however stayed up on the roof, how could he go back to Gellan with even the slightest possibility of facing Samis. Darrow tried to find the courage and muffled his anger and turned to trudge back down the stairs leaving behind his grief for the woman who held his heart so closely and who he had love dearly even if he never showed it enough.

Chapter 8

"You should tell him." Insisted Tonno.

"Why me? He's your friend!" whined Trout.

"I didn't get his hopes up about forgetting her!"

"How was I to know? She was supposed to be dead!"

"Just tell him and I mean now unless you want to be sleeping in the ocean tonight."

"Fine. Darrow I um I need to talk with you about something." Trout slowly walked up to Darrow, who was looking out a darken window.

"What has something new come up in Gellan?"

"Yes, in fact it has. You see today when Tonno and I were asking questions around the city and people said they saw someone, someone who is supposed to be dead."

"Who did they see Trout?"

"They say the Singer of All Songs lives amongst them and will save the children when she gets away from her own captures."

"Calwyn- she's alive?" Darrow straightened up and turned looking at Trout.

"No um I'm not saying that. I'm saying it's a rumor that people around the city are saying I just wanted you to know so you don't go all crazy trying to find her." Trout explain awkwardly.

"Oh I understand." Darrow turned back to his window and looked out angrily at the rain falling down.

Chapter 9

"Let's go let's go let's go! Calwyn get up and let's go!" Yelled David Calwyn's partner. David is a man who looks younger than he truly is. He has ear length fair-hair and his eyes are the strangest color of grey and green. Although Calwyn hates him, she just feels that in right light he reminds her of – someone.

"What?!" Calwyn rolls over and covers her face with the blankets.

"We have to go to the arena and get ready for the tournament today." David leans over and pulls all the blankets off her bed and pulls her by the end of her hair.

"I'm up! I'm up!" Calwyn screams and hits him. He lets her go and she drops hard to the ground. Calwyn gets dress in very tight clothes and ties her still short hair back in a high ponytail. She walks down the hall from her room walking towards the arena. Once in there she sees David and the group they're fighting, David is hitting a dummy, he isn't a chanter but he is the best fighter in the Academy. Every group has one chanter and on normal person to keep things somewhat fair although fighting Calwyn and David together isn't fair to anyone ever. The other team has a chanter Calwyn doesn't know. When the tournament starts Calwyn and David enter from one end and the other team from the opposite.

They walk toward the center and shake hands and then the buzzer rings. Show time, the game has begun everyone separates, Calwyn looks around everywhere to find the other chanter. Where did they go? Then she hears a song an eerie song Calwyn's heart drops into her stomach she knows that song. Then her worst fear comes into the arena a huge mountain troll nearly twenty feet tall slimy and green. With a club that weighs nearly fifty pounds, the only animal Calwyn hadn't happened to learn a song for. She had no way to control him or calm him or even distract him. She can't win this time the only way to win is to stay alive.

Chapter 10

The streets were still dark with the new morning fog, the morning smelled clean and fresh. Calwyn loved that smelled she would wake up early on some mornings just to smell it. Darrow walked along the port and looked out over the ocean the sun was raising over the water. Darrow heard the rumor they were all over the streets practically written on every wall. How could such a rumor have gotten started people didn't even know she was the Singer of all Songs before she died. The rumor just didn't make any sense to him.

"Good morning, Darrow you're up early huh?" Came Trout's happy voice.

"I-I don't sleep much anymore Trout." Darrow solemnly replied.

"Oh I understand. Well since you're up let's take a walk." Trout jumped off the Fledgewing's deck to the port next to Darrow. The two walked side by side not talking just walking each understanding the other until the city woke up.

Tonno was the third to emerge from the little cabin on the Fledgewing. He leaned over the railing and sighed. Troubled by the memories of his long dead brother and the death of Mica she was the replacement for his brother and before he had realized how much she had meant to him she was gone. Everyone he had ever loved has slipped through his fingers.

"Good morning, Darling." Keela once a princess of Meritorious but now she had settled for the life of a fisherman's wife. As she came out of the cabin she wrapped her arms around Tonno's broad body. She felt his loss he cared deeply for the people who lived on his boat and now half were dead and two were depressed.

"How can we go on with this mission? Why are we even here? Darrow don't want to be here and Trout is just here to pull Darrow out of his room. I didn't mind him being up there everyone should've just let him be and not disturb him so much." Tonno turned around and just hold Keela in his arms. He was trying to imagine his life without her the way Darrow and Trout where forced to.

"Well Trout I guess we should take another turn around the docks and come back later." Darrow's playful voice rose up to the Fledgewing and the two figures standing on the deck.

"It's good to hear the laughter in your voice again old friend." Yelled Tonno back down.

"Let's go get those kids and get back to Meritorious." Replied Darrow.

The four figures walked down the streets of Gellan; searching doors for the address they were sent. As they got closer to the right door the sun rose higher in the sky they were planning on Tonno and Keela taking one and Darrow and Trout taking the other Halassa was waiting back on the Fledgewing ready for a quick escape.

Once they found the right home, they were let inside by a small child who looked scared to death to open that door. But when they saw it was Darrow and not an officer their little eyes grew huge and full of light.

"Cardon! Mama! He came, he really came!" the child ran into the house and the group let themselves in the small house.

"Marquette, Marquette calm down sweetheart let them in. My goodness thank the gods. I wasn't sure if you had even gotten my message sometimes our letters are intercepted and read by officers and thrown away. You're a god send." The woman gave each person a kiss on the cheek and her thanks.

"We'll make sure your children don't come near that place and are happy. Maybe one day you can come to visit them in the Black Palace." Darrow explained their plan carefully and helped the children with their bags. First Tonno and Keela left the house with Marquette the little girl about seven with long brown hair and brown eyes. Then Darrow and Trout with the boy obviously older and without a present father the man of the house. Cardon has brown almost black hair and deep green eyes. Darrow and Trout walked casually down the street the sun was still up but just beginning to set. People were still out and about shopping and visiting. Tonno and Keela had a better chance of not getting noticed they were taking the path through the stores and places where the people were the most. Darrow and Trout were taking a sneakier trail one that followed many alley ways and dark corners.

"Halt who goes there" commanded an officer.

"Just me and my sons officer. We're not from around here and got turned around. Maybe you could help us?" Darrow told the officer motioning towards Trout and Cardon, flashing his best father smile.

"Come into the light and I'll help you." Darrow stepped in the light and began to ask where they were and where they needed to go. "Lord Darrow you and your sons are under arrest."

"You can't arrest me I've done nothing wrong!"

"Samis seems to think you have."

Chapter 11

Darrow, Trout, and Cardon were reunited with Tonno, Keela, Marquette, and even Halassa. Someone had told the guards that the fugitive known as Darrow travels in a small fishing vessel and anyone with him should be taken as well. They were taken to the Academy to be sentenced, once inside they all had to stand outside the office of the man who ran Academy. Then they were forcibly taken to a room, a small room with a desk, a book shelf, a dresser, a mirror, and a bed. The officer took each person one by one tying them to anywhere a person could be tied. And so they sat in silence waiting for something to happen. Most fell asleep others were already unconscious when they were brought in.

Trout was the first to wake when a girl came in she was tall or maybe not because he was sitting on the floor she just looked it. Her hair was tied back in a tight ponytail and her clothes were so odd. She walked around the room and paced back and forth, when a person came through her closet. The girl coming through looked and sounded a lot like Mica and Trout couldn't believe his eyes. But why hadn't the girls noticed all the people around the room? What on earth is going on? Thought Trout. Both girls had the same golden hair just the one that looked like Mica's hair was messy as usual. The other girl straight almost like Calwyn's only golden. As the others moaned awake and noticed the girls another person came through the closet, but this time a boy or maybe a man he looked youthful but his eyes held back pain making Trout think he was older than he seemed.

"This is not good" finally Xanni said "We're in a lot of trouble come morning."

"Who cares?" Mica sighed and flopped back on the bed. "It's not like they really care if we don't practice or try to run away as long as we don't."

"Mica seriously you don't get it. We were caught trying to escape this place and now we could be killed or worse sent into a sudden death tournament!" Xanni explained sounding very nervous.

Mica? Did he just call her Mica? Trout's mind was flying though the theories that could possibly make this moment real. What's with that other girl she is just staring at the wall? Who is she if that's Mica? Trout was giddy with joy thinking that Mica was alive. But when he looked over at Darrow, Darrow was too busy staring at the other girl who hadn't spoken yet.

"Don't you think we should be worried Calwyn?" Xanni asked interrupting her thoughts. With the use of her name everyone in the rescue party looked up astonished. They all stared at her trying to see the resemblance between this girl and the Calwyn they all knew.

"No she doesn't Xanni nothing scares Cal. Especially no Samis that's for sure!" Came Mica's brave response.

"Mica, Xanni's right we never should have tried to escape and we will pay the cost for such a crime."

"Then why hasn't anyone come to give us our punishment? Huh?"

"Simply because they made a major arrest today and they haven't gotten around to it. But just you wait Mica we'll be heavily punished they don't take break outs lightly." Calwyn said sternly and with that she left the room.

Later that night Calwyn came back into what must be her room Mica and Xanni had exited the way they came through the closet. Their rooms where connected though the closets so they could see each other easier and smoother than walking across the house. Calwyn looked exhausted she rubbed her head and looked into the mirror. "What's happened to me? I used to be so much more than this?" Calwyn asked her reflection but all it did was stare back at her. She sighed and climbed into her bed and after some time fell asleep.