a/n; Here is chapter two already! Yay! This part of the story is from Irani's perspective.

Disclaimer; Tamora Pierce owns the Tortallan world and most of the characters.

I walked out of the village later that very same day. For many, it would be difficult to leave everything they have ever known behind. Not me. All I have ever known, since my parents died when I was a baby, was cruelty and scorn. I could leave that behind any day. I had no idea where I was going, just that Shakith would help me get there. He had shown me a picture in my mind, of a large castle and a nearly deserted village. It was Rathhausak. It was the lair of the necromancer Blayce, who killed children and stole their souls. It was also my destination.

I walked straight into the forest, without even a backwards glance. You're going the wrong way. Said Shakith's amused voice in my head. "Well, if I am, then why don't you tell me the correct way to go?" Other people labeled me mad for talking to myself, but in truth, I am usually speaking with Shakith. It had made the other children avoid me. Turn left. I did so. Not that much! Good, now, go forwards. That is the direction you must go to reach Castle Rathhausak I started walking at a brisk pace. After the sun set, I found a small crevice in the side of a mountain which I crawled into, to escape the worst of the night's cold. I ate some of the bread that I had brought, and wrapped my thick wool cloak tighter around me.

That night was uneventful. I got up early, ate a few berries from a nearby bush, and continued to head the direction Shakith told me to; southeast.

Around midday, I stopped for a break by a stream with cold, fresh water. As I was bending down to take a drink, I heard Shakith's voice in my head. Irani! Hide! Quickly! Slavers are coming, and they won't hesitate to grab you if you aren't hidden! Quickly, I wormed my way into a pile of boulders, so the slavers wouldn't see me. I was barely hidden when a large group of people came into view. There were several men on horses in the front, and wagons following behind where small children sat in chains. Those people are taking the children to Rathhausak said Shakith. They will be killed and their spirits turned into monsters. I watched, horrified, as the wagons passed. There were many children, and once Blayce was done with them, there would be the same amount of metal monsters.

You can follow them, said the voice of Shakith. They have plenty of food you can steal, and they will lead you straight to your destination. Just try not to get caught. Shakith's voice then faded from my mind.

I waited until the slavers and their wagons were nearly out of sight, then followed as quietly as I could. I followed them all day, until they made camp near a river, I don't know what its name was. Once all of the children and slavers were asleep, except for the guards, I crept up silently. I stole up to the wagons, and climbed inside one of them that thankfully had been left unguarded. It contained maybe ten sleeping toddlers, and there were also large bags of food stashed in the back. Picking through them, I ate a little bit of bread and cheese, enough to fill me but not enough to be missed. As quietly as I could, I crept back out of the wagon and settled into the base of a hollow tree just outside the range that any patrols might wander, if the slavers decided to actually send any.

So it continued for about a week. I had a few close shaves when stealing food, but nothing that I couldn't get out of, especially since I had Shakith to help me in the trickiest places. After a week and a half on the road, we crested a hill, and I got a brilliant view of Castle Rathhausak I stayed on top of the hill that night, while the slavers went directly to the castle. In the morning, I got up early and walked down to the village, wary for anyone that might try to take me to Blayce.

Any good? Still working on length. Do you want longer chapters, longer waits, or shorter chapters, shorter waits? Please review with ideas and or constructive criticism.