Disclaimer: I do not own PotS. Tamora Pierce does. I own only the characters no one recognizes, because they came out of my head. The story line is my own, if it seems to someone like I am sealing your story line I apologize profusely.

Alessandria looked around amazed as she entered New Hope. She had heard stories of when it was first being built, but never seen it in person. She watched as an older woman approached Keladry, they obviously knew each other. Alessandria dismounted and motioned for Connor and the others to do the same. Alessandria walked over to where Kel stood talking with a woman she assumed was an official of some kind in the small town.

"Hello," she said politely to the older woman, "Could you by chance tell me where I can find the headman or woman?"

"You've found her," the woman replied.

"What is your name?" Sandria asked quietly.

"Fanche," she replied. "What do you need?"

Alessandria nodded to herself. This woman would watch over them. "If you will note those children I came in with," she motioned to them with one hand. "They need a home. I ask that you allow them to stay. They are all very good archers, so should trouble came they could help. They need-" Alessandria broke off as she heard Night scream, spinning around she paled and rushed forward.

Night reared and was about to bring her front hooves down upon the head and shoulders of the surprised woman who'd approached the horse. Alessandria smashed into the woman, knocking her out of the way, her momentum carried her almost completely out of the way, but one of Nights hooves caught Alessandria's right shoulder. The force caused Alessandria to tumble to the ground, when she looked up she swiftly jumped to her feet, and proceeded to do one of the stupidest this anyone could ever do: stand in the way of a furious mage.

"Sir mage, I suggest you calm yourself." Alessandria's mouth was bone-dry yet she was able to speak normally. "If you look around you might note that there are five arrows pointed at you. They will be released if you insist on threatening my horse." Black fire glittered around the mages hands. He hasn't even noticed that the Wildmage is unharmed. She thought with a sigh. She tried again. "Sir mage, if you look you will see that the arrows are fetched with Stormwing feathers. Arrows such as these are mage-killers. She is alright you know. The woman did not get hurt."

Alessandria turned her back on the mage and began to sooth her horse, when she was calm Alessandria walked over to the Wildmage. "I am glad to see you are well milady. I trust you've over come your scare."

"Please don't call me 'milady', it's Daine. Thank you for getting me out of the way. I must say I've never had a horse react that way to me." Her voice, like the smile she gave Alessandria, was shaky.

"That is likely because you've never met a horse torched by a person with horse magic. Sense it happened she's always reached that was to those with horse magic." Alessandria sighed as she explained.

"What," gasp Daine horrified. "Who did it?" Daine's eyes glinted dangerously with furry.

"Do not worry," a grim smile touched Alessandria's lips as she remembered. "He will never again treat a horse like he treated Night."

Alessandria hissed out a breath in pain when someone touched her right shoulder, which throbbed painfully. She turned and jerked her shoulder away.

Numair frowned. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you." When she shook her head he continued. "Could you please tell you little band of archer to stop pointing their arrows at me?"

Alessandria smirked as she looked; all five bows were still pointed at the mage who'd threatened Night. As she lowered her hood Alessandria called for them to stand down. Her smirk turned to a grimace of pain as someone grabbed her throbbing should again.

"You are injured." Daine said. "Neal, come here." As the green-eyed knight strode over Alessandria prayed that her would not recognize her. She stood as he fixed her shoulder, wincing in pain from time to time, finally she glared at him. "You know, that quite hurts. Is there any possible way you could be gentler?" Her tone deceptively lazy, and lofty.

Neal blinked only one other person had ever made that statement to him, and she had disappeared nearly four years ago.

Neal scowled at the two girls in front of him. One had a few bumps and bruises she was already healing herself, the other had a broken wrist, a broken ankle and happened to be his best friend's only daughter. With a sigh he asked again. "What happened," once more he suspected she lied when she answered.

"I fell down the stairs." Alessandria was a handful and Neal didn't envy Kel having to deal with her.

"Then why do you not have any bruises?"

"Kely healed them for me," Neal looked at his daughter who returned his look calmly. Unfortunately both girls had learned to keep their emotions and thoughts hidden like their mothers. With a sigh, Neal put one hand on Ria's wrist and one on her ankle. After a couple of seconds she spoke.

"You know, that quite hurts. Is there any possible way you could be gentler?"

"What are their names?" Fanche had walked up, and nodded towards the children.

"The oldest girl is Elpida, she's 14. Rasha is the other girl, she's 8. Conner is the oldest boy, he's 15, Leverett is 9 and Duce is 6. I take it this means they have a place here?"

Fanche nodded, and Alessandria sighed with relief. Then walked over to where the children where to inform them of what was going on. They weren't pleased to find out they were staying and she wasn't. After a few minutes of arguing they agreed that traveling was hard on 6-year-olds (as Duce was asleep and couldn't take offence) and agreed that they couldn't abandon him. They let someone Fanche had instructed to lead them to places they could stay.

"So they've agreed not to follow you?" Kel had stood watching as the negations went on.

"Yes, they can be very… determined." Alessandria stood and looked at Kel.

"Where are you from," Kel had an idea but wanted conformation.

Alessandria let out a surprised, bitter laugh and tapped the thin scar that ran from above one temple, across the bridge of her nose and to her opposite cheek. "Nowhere, Lady Knight. Nowhere at all, but I did live with the Nagari for a time. Have you heard of them?"

"Yes," Kel answered. "I lived with the Yamani for a bit when I was younger, do they still trade?"

"Yes, as often as possible. Hard to do when the sea voyage is nearly six months long, but-" Alessandria shrugged. "Tell me, how far is your capital from here?"

"Why," suspension was clear in Kel's voice.

Alessandria hesitated for a minute then answered. "I need to speak with your king and queen. I do not know how long I have until the first groups began to come. I swear by Latona that I only wish to help Tortall avoid a possible disaster. Please ask me no more."

Kel hesitated then nodded. "I'll take you there."