Disclaimer: PONY!

I'M A SCHOLAR NOW! Yes, that's right ladies and gentlemen…and both…I have a scholarship now…What the HELL were they thinking…I'm such a nerd…Longer chappies now, have ya noticed? By popular demand!

The Message

'Wake up! Wake up, girlie!'

Tara threw a pillow over her face as Maria's screeching penetrated her sleep.

'Don't be stupid! And don't you forget your Uncle has people over for breakfast this morning! Oh, we're already late, where are the Time Keepers!' Maria was already pulling Tara's best dress from the red wardrobe in the corner.

Tara's mind went momentarily blank, then she groaned; the Aristocratic breakfast. The social event of the season when all the posh, stuck-up, rich people on the island would gather at the Swan Mansion to discuss news and politics and, of course, gossip about each other.

Maria yanked her from the bed a shoved her behind the clothes screen, handing her a white and gold, very lacey dress. Tara looked at it in disgust. She hated having to wear these dresses, even when Clarice visited two months prior, she was shocked to see how much Tara had changed. 'You're not Tara!' she'd said, shocked. Tara just smiled at her, a deep sense of loss in her stomach.

All her former clothes had been placed in the drawers at the bottom of the wardrobe, but she wasn't allowed to wear them anymore.

She hurried down the stairs to see the Hall filled with strangers; she started for the Parlour where she could see Will and Liz.

'Miss Bell.'

That voice. That annoying, nagging voice. Norrington.

'Commodore! Glad to see you could make it,' said Tara, adding as much sarcasm as possible. They hated each other.

Norrington smiled his plastic smile. 'You're looking well.'

Tara raised an eyebrow. 'You really think so? Because everyone keeps telling me I look ill.'

'That's well enough,' Norrington replied, lowering his voice, 'perhaps you have something hereditary?'

'Oh, perhaps,' Tara could tell he was no closer to figuring out her true parentage, 'not that you'd ever know.'

Norrington plastic smile vanished. 'I wouldn't count on that, Miss Bell. Perhaps I will know.'

'Good luck with that.' Tara grinned and walked away.

Norrington watched her leave; there was something irritatingly familiar about that grin…

xXx

Weatherby Swan looked around the parlour, pleased with the morning's turnout.

'Governor Swan?'

He turned to see the elderly Squire peering at him enquiringly.

'Good morning, Squire Richards,' said Swan politely, 'dreadful weather yesterday? I daresay, the morning has brought some much needed sunshine?'

The Squire nodded, his grey goatee looking as plastic as ever. 'Not to worry though, your daughter's house is coming along well.'

A month earlier, Swan had purchased nearby land from the Squire to build Elizabeth and Will their own mansion.

'Good to know,' Swan replied, smiling, 'ah, and here she is now.'

Liz had stepped around the corner, looking slightly bored. Will was at her side looking about the same.

'Elizabeth, William,' Swan gestured to them, 'you know Squire Richards. Squire, my lovely daughter Elizabeth,' (she shook the Squire's hand, forcing a smile), 'and her husband, William Turner, the town blacksmith.' Will shook the Squire's hand.

'And a fine one at that!' perked Richards. He and Swan broke into conversation and Liz and Will edged away.

'Don't you wish we could disappear?' Will muttered from the corner of his mouth, inclining his head at passers-by.

'I wish we could…melt into the wall!' said Liz.

'Who's melting into the wall?' asked Tara's voice as she came around the corner. 'Tell them to teach me how!'

Liz smiled. 'Press your back against it and pretend to be a piece of furniture.'

Tar suddenly ducked behind Will.

'What is it?' he asked bewildered.

'It is the Commodore,' hissed Tara, 'he's suspicious; he won't leave me alone! It's like he thinks I might suddenly transform!'

'Transform into what?' questioned Liz, watching Norrington discreetly. 'To the best of his knowledge, you're lady, through and through!'

Tara laughed bitterly. 'To his knowledge. To my knowledge I hate dresses, I hate parties and I hate waiting for Jack!' She froze. There was an awkward silence.

'I might, go outside…' Tara turned on her heel and hurried out to the courtyard.

Will and Liz glanced at each other uncomfortably as Swan stepped up behind them.

'Is she alright?' he asked, not catching the uneasiness between them. 'She hasn't been herself lately.'

'I'm sure she's fine, probably just needs some air,' Will murmured. In reality, what he'd just said was code for "Don't ask, for God's sake, don't ask!"

Swan caught on. 'She seems rather ill, pale, tired all the time…she hasn't been eating much, has she?'

Liz shook her head. 'No, she hasn't, I'll take something out for her, we'll talk.'

Swan nodded smartly and turned to Will. 'While they're doing that, why don't I introduce you to a few people.' He and Will walked away, Will looking like he'd rather have tried Liz's method for melting into the wall.

xXx

Tara stepped outside; the sky was grey again. She walked down the stairs, into the garden and kicked a nearby bench, acrimoniously. She winced.

'Ouch…'

You're going soft! Said an annoying voice in the back of her mind. She collapsed on the bench and looked over the town. She was on the highest pointed on the immediate grounds, just to the right of the house and could see the entire settlement and Port. The water was again grey, reflecting the sky, making it see like the horizon just went on and on.

'Are you alright?'

Tara jumped as Liz sat down beside her, a small plate of food in her hands.

'Sorry, didn't mean to frighten you,' Liz apologized.

Tara raised an eyebrow. 'I'm fine, I'm just…paranoid and tired and…really, really mad!' She said the final word through gritted teeth, biting back the urge to scream.

Liz held out the plate.

'I'm not hungry,' Tara muttered, looking back at the settlement.

Liz was silent for several moments, then, 'He'll come back Tara, he promised.'

Tara insides plummeted. She didn't reply. After another few second, she heard Elizabeth astonished gasp.

'Oh, my goodness! It's an eagle!'

Tara followed her cousin's gaze and saw it. A large bald eagle was flying low over the treetops.

'It's got something in it's beak,' Tara said indifferently, 'they're not native in these parts, what's it doing so far from home?'

The eagle suddenly swooped low and landed on the ground before them, hopping forward.

Liz stared in astonishment. 'Do you think it's trained?'

Tara wasn't listening, she'd just recognised what the eagle had in its beak, a black and gold envelope. She reached forward and took it carefully from the bird. As soon as it was free of the envelope, the eagle screeched loudly. Liz jumped.

'It's hungry,' Tara explained.

'W-what?' Liz stammered.

'It's hungry,' Tara repeated. She took the plate that Liz was holding and placed it before the eagle. The bird picked out the meat and, before long, it had flown away again.

'What was that about?' Liz asked softly, she glanced at the envelope Tara was staring at but couldn't recognise the writing. 'Who's that for?'

Tara stared at it, her heart pounding suddenly. 'Phoenix…' she said softly.

'Sorry?'

'Phoenix! Phoenix! It's my faction name!' Tara turned the envelope over, her hands shaking.

'Your faction?' asked Liz. 'As in your Chinese faction?'

Tara nodded and gawked at the wax seal. The Imperial Crest.

'What does it mean?' Liz muttered.

'Everything, anything, you don't want to know.'

Tara pulled open the envelope and frowned. Instead of a message, there was a series of golden numbers.

732 25673 429

37 4577.

12 83334157, 7329'44

12 155353 12726

732 573267.

2352 1167135 4114 7616658.

25 557

627765 3262!

'Numbers?' murmured Liz in confusion.

'It must be a code,' Tara said softly, 'in English, I was never very good with Chinese numeracy…it can't be too urgent if they want me to decipher it…'

'Probably not…'

'Liz, why don't you go back inside and save Will? I'll be in, in a little while.'

Liz nodded, collected the plate and went back inside. Tara looked back down at the envelope and numbers, completely bewildered. The noise from the guests wasn't helping her concentrate. She stood and started down the hill. The beach was her favourite place to think.

Yes, people, Jack IS coming, so is someone else...(whistles)...REVIEW PLEASE!