a/n: soooo I'be been thinking… and I came up with some bloody brilliant ideas!!! So exciting!! But they don't come until later- sawwee!

Vigorous- my ideas were about more drama!! They are going to make the story much more … dramatic!


Familiar Eyes

Chapter 3

You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.

-Mark Twain

Kat gave a brief report about her last mission, bid George farewell, and headed home.

Returning to her large family after so long abroad held little appeal. Ma would cluck over her clothes while simultaneously calming a grand-child and making dinner. Da would sit at the table, bathed but still smelling of horse, and scold one of Kat's many younger siblings. Of course, he would find Kat at the stables after everyone fell asleep and tease her about any number of things lacking in her life: husband, children (her own, that is), home, horses.

Kend, Kimtain, and Kolong haven't been as pestering since they got married. However, the 15-yeaer-old twins, Kunane and Ky, along with Jumain and Goshil (13 and 12, respectively- she thought…) would chase each other around, wrestle, and eventually knock Kat into the fray. Kat actually found the wrestling to be amazing practice, until someone inevitably got hurt.

Kat's long legs took her to the family's house sooner than she would've liked. The muted sounds of screaming and pounding feet could be heard from her spot outside. How the neighbors must hate us, Kat thought.

Instead of going in, she took a deep breath of cold wintry air and examined the home. It was the same brown building it had been since Kat was born. It was a convenient 5 minute run from the stables.

Looking at the plain brown home, she found it hard to believe 9 people had lived there in relative comfort for so long. More or less than 9 now that most of the elder siblings had their own children. Judging by the amount of screaming, Kat guessed tonight was family dinner night.

Below the crying and yelling, she heard a woman's muffled "Oh!" and the soft tread of her mother's feet as she walked to the front door. Kat never knew if her mother's heightened sense concerning her children was a Gift, or just some maternal instinct.

"Tonight is going to be a long night," Kat mumbled to herself. She rubbed her covered arms with numb hands to generate blood flow.

The soft click of a door opening was all the warning she had before being smothered by something smelling of venison, baby, and lavender- motherly affection.

"Katrish Homewood!" Kat winced at her mother's use of her full name. Katrish wasn't a very common name and sounded an awful like the Tyran delicacy- catfish. A fact that many of her schoolmates had liked to point out, much to Kat's embarrassment. However, once her gangly limbs become toned and graceful, and those horrible spots cleared from her face, the boys exchanged the teasing for flirting- again, much to Kat's embarrassment.

"This is your new niece," Ma explained as she thrust a baby into Kat's arms. Caught unaware, Kat juggled the babe before gaining control and tucking her in the crook of her shoulder. It was too cold outside for the baby. Kat began to walk inside, her ma scurried along behind her.

"Just what do you think you are doing, young lady?" Ma cried. Her voice reverberated around in Kat's head like a family of screeching seagulls. "And why are you not wearing a proper dress?"

"Hello to you to, Ma. And it's too cold out for the baby," Kat called over her shoulder. "Whose baby is this anyway?"

Kat heard her mother's layers of dresses rustle as the short woman hurried to catch up with her daughter. She waved off the question. "Kend? Kim? Kolong? Take your pick."

Kat smiled as she walked through the door and tickled the infant, making her gurgle in what Kat assumed was laughter.

"Kat," her mother sighed from behind, "Why don't you wear stylish dresses? You're pretty enough for them. I'm sure Goshil will be, too. Once she gets over this awkward adolescent stage."

Kat pretended she couldn't hear her ma over the baby's gurgling, but she made a mental note to take to Goshil before she left. Hopefully Kat can impart some wisdom into her baby sister concerning their mother and her misguided attempts at making her daughters marriageable.

The two women walked down a short hallway that led to the large Homewood house main room. The room was packed with about 18 people- not including Kat, her ma, or the baby in her arms.

No one even noticed her arrival. Kend was sitting at the table with Kolong and Kim's husband, heatedly debating some topic. Her guess was horses, it's all her family every talked about. Kim was gossiping with Kend's and Kolong's wives, both with babies resting on their hips. Kim's 3 year old daughter played dolls with Goshil. Kend's 5 year old son tried to wrestle with the twins and Jumain, Kat's three youngest brothers.

The noise was monstrous. The baby is Kat's arms was overwhelmed by the noise level, she started to cry…right into Kat's ear.

As an experienced baby handler, Kat immediately checked the cloth diaper. Fortunately, it was dry. Unfortunately, she now had to call attention to herself and find the baby's mother for a feeding.

Kat held her niece above her head. The baby's flailing limbs scraped against the ceiling. "Whose baby is this?!" she shouted out.

Her family quieted. Jumain's fist hovered above Ky's face. Only the hungry baby kept wailing.

"I claim that one!" Kim yelled from across the room. Kat strode over to her sister and handed over the crying baby.

As soon as she let go, she was accosted by several children.

"Kat! Kat!"

"Aunt Kat! Aunt Kat!"

"Hello, dears," Kat said as she hugged each. "Let me go say hello to da, ok?" she pleaded, trying to pry a young one off her leg. After a few tries she gave up and dragged her nephew across the room with her to the table. "Hey, Da," she greeted and nodded at the other men.

All four acknowledged her with similar head nods, her father even grunted- a sign that he was happy to see her.

Kat stepped back and surveyed the room. Just five minutes home and already she wanted to leave. If George hadn't told her to stop by, she probably wouldn't have. Sad, but true.

Kend got his sister's attention. "So, how's the spying going?" he snickered.

Kat stood stone still. Her father was the only one in the family who knew of Kat's true profession. And that was only because George wanted her to tell him. Both spies knew her da wouldn't let a secret slip, but how else could Kend have known? Did Da tell everyone? Her career would be blown.

"Heh, heh," Kat nervously laughed, acting like Kend had just made a joke. She twirled a lock of hair around a finger. "I don't get it." Ditsy maid, Kat prayed, don't fail me now.

Kend elbowed Kolong. "Spying for a husband, Katrish!" The three men laughed, and so did Kat, but for a completely different reason. Her eyes slid over to her father. He winked back at her. "Ludak," Kend called to his brother-in-law and threw a teasing glance at Kat. By the Gods, she wanted to leave before something horribly embarrassing spewed out of her brother's mouth. "Have I ever told you about over lovely Kat's habit of spying on boys?"

Sweet Gods, too late!

Kat's cheeks went up in flames. "I was just curious! It's perfectly natural!" she defended, making the others laugh even harder. "Ugh! I'm leaving," she mumbled and rushed away before the laughter died down.

After only making it half-way across the room, Kat was swiftly attacked from behind (cheap move) and tackled to the ground. Unfortunately, about 5 more kids promptly jumped on top of her. She let out a curse with the last of the air in her lungs and turned to face her opponents.

After several minutes of wrestling, Ma called off the little beasts and shoved a bowl of stew in Kat's hands with the simple command of "Eat." Jumain sat next to her at the table, an old towel held to his head to staunch the bleeding from a cut he got during a wrestling bout.

Kat had finished most of the meal when she decided that she couldn't stay the night…without going crazy. She waited for everyone to leave (once the babies started crying) and the rest to go to bed (wrestling really tires you out).

"Easy as cake," she whispered in triumph.

She searched the room for a bag. The only thing she found was a plain potato sack, which she quickly commandeered. She threw in an extra tunic, some food, money, and the Carthaki head maid's recommendation letter.

She walked back down the hallway, quieter than a mouse. She paused with a hand on the doorknob and focused her Hearing on the floor above her. She was bombarded with snores. There were too many to count distinctively, but she assumed everyone was asleep. She used her powers to silently open the door and stepped into the freezing night air.

Kat heard a rustle before a hand clamped down on her shoulder. Stifling all thoughts of panic, Kat grabbed the hand and was about to fling its owner over her head when she heard her da's voice.

"Leaving before you visit the horses?" he accused. Such an action was taboo in the Homewood family.

Kat sighed and faced her father. He looked more like 50 than 40, with his gray hair and weathered skin. He was taller than Kat, but was beginning to stoop from age. Even after a bath, Kat could still smell the horses on him.

She smiled at the old man. "You know it's too hectic in there for me."

She began walking towards the stables, her da followed at her side. "Oh, yes," he agreed, "the spy that can't handle her own family."

"Yes, sir," Kat cheerfully replied. She picked up her pace, hoping to produce enough body heat to chase away the cold.

"So, when are you going to get your own family?" he innocently asked.

Kat looked at the sky for assistance. The sun was just coming up, a perfect time for her to sneak on board a Copper Isles bound ship. Finally, she can leave.

"Aw, Da, maybe soon." She gave him a kiss on the cheek and left him at the stables. "Bye!" she called and ran away. "I left a note for Ma!"

Kat quickly made it to the docks and, using her Gift, snuck in a Copper Isles trading ship unnoticed. She found a suitable spot in a supply room and slept the whole trip to Rajmuat.

a/n: Yeah!! Gettin' the party started!! Woot –woo. Woot- woo! Review!!!