A/N: Ok, ok, I know. I'm way overdue with this chapter. Unfortunately, between Chapter 3 and this one, many things cropped up. Tons of holiday homework for one, and a Maths retest. Sometimes, I wish the Internet had never been invented. Then teachers can't pile last minute homework on us, without any warning, during the holidays via the Internet.

Thanks for all the reviews though! I think I would have given up on finding spare time to write if it had not been for those:P

Replies:

storylistener - Ok, right. No bad guy in this chapter, I'm afraid. Unless you count the Baron. Sorry about it. Thanks for your comments :)

Neverfall - Thanks for your feedback. I always have a little problem with pressing the 'enter' key when a paragraph is shorter than four lines. Seems like I haven't cured that habit of mine yet :) As for the Master, time will tell.

silverbrilliance - Yep, this Master is a strange one, that's for sure. And Kerri is not scary! Just kind of have a strange temper? No worse than her Father's anyway. As for Sofi, I'm not really good at romance, so I'm not sure yet. I'll wait for inspiration to strike me. :P

Herald Kahlan - Thanks. I like creating characters and developing them; they're much more fun than trying to maintain tension and suspense. (Which I know is essential, but that doesn't make them any easier) :P

GinaLee - I'll try to squeeze some time out of my tight schedule to continue this story. Thank you :)

Chapter 4 Family Matter

Kerrayrlia strode into her father's study after an icy, formal knock on the open door. Right on her heels, Sofina followed, afraid. She was not exactly afraid of her eldest sister; rather, she was fearful for the consequences of the reaction of Kerrayrlia. In some ways, Kerrayrlia's anger was much worse, much scarier than Fellyna's although Fellyna's was the more spectacular.

Felly's anger can result in fireworks. That's bad enough, but at least matters usually blow over after a while. Felly doesn't really stay angry for long anyway. But Sis… Kerrayrlia's anger was an icy storm, made all the worse by its chilling control. Sofina had never seen her sister lose control before… Although maybe she was about to see it now.

Baron Senvous looked up from behind his desk, at which he had been going through reports and petitions. For all his other faults, Senvous Lestatras remained a competent, if unremarkable, administrator of the barony, which consisted mainly of land and farmers. It ran quite smoothly, despite minor problems. It's a pity that Father cannot put his talents to managing this family just as well…

Sofina hovered anxiously near the door as Kerrayrlia marched up to stand before her father. Physically much shorter than the Baron, her cold anger made her seem a towering figure. "May I inquire, Father, the reason for your mistress' belongings in my room?" This was delivered with freezing intensity resulting in the palpable drop in the temperature of the room.

Baron Lestatras started a bit guiltily. He was, after all, in the wrong, since he had broken his vows of marriage. But a man had to have his pleasure after all, right? And how dare his daughter speak to him in that tone? The house was his, to do with as he pleased. With that thought, indignant righteousness boiled out of him in red hot fury, bolstered by a remaining tingling of shame. "What do you mean by that, Kerrayrlia? The room belongs to you only at my sufferance! I can allow whoever I please to stay in there!"

In the face of her father's fury, Kerrayrlia remained unshaken. Instead, her icy rage rose to match that of Baron Senvous, with only one exception. Hers was the argument of logic and not passion, mixed with a coolness that was even worse than fury, for in the face of this impassionate, relentless cold, there was no defence. "What you say may be true; in the eyes of the law. Yet, Baron Senvous, I remind you that a debt is also owed to family ties, but which the keeping of a room for a family member is a mere courtesy. However, that as may be, it is not my main purpose. The question is, why is there the existence of a mistress?"

Baron Senvous flushed. That had pierced through his defences all right, but he wasn't going to give in. How dare his daughter embarrass him so anyway? Who was she to censure him! Those were the Baron's thoughts, which strangely, were the parallel of Sofina's. How can Sis say that to Father this way? He won't admit that he is wrong now; men have their pride after all… Especially when there are witnesses around. Oh maybe I shouldn't have come… Father is going to blow up, I just know it.

The Baron did not disappoint her. Red-faced, he exploded in a mess of shouts, bellows and shaking, quivering flesh. The majesty and splendor of the eruptions in such an obese personage never failed to amaze Sofina. She took a step backwards as he thundered, "WHO ARE YOU TO QUESTION MY ACTIONS?!! I allowed you to come back only as a favour to Jerwain! So what if you're a Herald Trainee? You're no daughter of mine! Get out of this house right now!" As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Baron Senvous regretted it. Pride however, forbid him to retract his statement. He could only look at Kerrayrlia with a mix of simmering fury and shame.

Kerrayrlia's lips was white; her face, a solid, emotionless mask. When she finally spoke, her voice was devoid of emotions, with not even the iciness anger remaining. Inflectionless in the extreme, the words seem to have come from a stranger. "If you mean to disown me, that is of course your right, Baron Lestatras. But until the minute you sign the papers disowning me, it remains my right to live in this house. Also, it is within my right as a citizen of Valdemar to ask for justice regarding your mistress, if I see fit to do so."

With that, Kerrayrlia delivered a formal, precise bow before walking out of the room. Oh no, oh no, this is a disaster. Sis must be very furious, I've seen that expression on her before once, when Father sent her to foster at Aunt Eilis' Sofina hurried out of the room after her sister, worried and frightened, leaving a gaping Baron Senvous behind her.

Kerrayrlia marched swiftly along the corridor, away from her father's study. The interview with her father had left a hot, boiling rage in her stomach, which she would not, could not, give vent to. A Herald is supposed to have better control than this; hellfire, I know I have better control than this! With a huge effort, she pushed her anger away somewhere into the deep inner recesses of her heart, to be taken out and examined at a later date, at a more private time.

She heard Sofina panting several feet behind her, trying to catch up. "Sis, wait for me! Sis!" Kerrayrlia ignored her. She did not want company at that moment, not even Sofina, who was closest to her. Especially Sofina. Gentle, kind Sofina did not deserve to see Kerrayrlia in an ugly mood.

Swiftly turning a corner, Kerrayrlia ducked into the next door in sight. She made to slam the door shut, but thought better of it at the last moment. Sofi does not deserve that. But I wish she would leave me alone though. The best she could do at the moment was to hide behind the door and hope that Sofina would think that she had ran very far and to go on.

Which Sofina did. With a sigh of relief, Kerrayrlia came out of her hiding place. The room she had chosen to hide in was, it seemed, the old library. This was where all the unused, outdated books were kept, dating back to a long, long time ago. There was quite a huge collection of these books, due to Kerrayrlia's paternal grandfather's avid interest in history. He had been a great collector when he was alive, and this library was the result. Baron Senvous, on the other hand, had no use for history at all. Hence, the deserted, abandoned air of the room.

Kerrayrlia took a few steps towards the dusty shelves and, hoping to work off her anger, started to explore. Deeper and deeper she went into the quiet room, absent-mindedly looking through the books at random. This place seemed removed from time and possessed the peace that Kerrayrlia so desperately needed.

The soft tap of a footstep. Kerrayrlia whirled towards the door. Who could it be? Who would be interested in a deserted library? A softer rustling ensued. Was that a dress she heard? Another thud followed. This time, it sounded like wood falling on the ground. Then silence.

Kerrayrlia moved towards the source of the sound, curious. Was this some person's secret hideout? A place of privacy away from other people? Her thoughts were disrupted by a sudden twang. Then, another followed. And another. It soon evolved into a stream of notes, high and low. With a start, Kerrayrlia realized that the person was playing music. It had been so long since she had listened to music that she was very surprised. And it was a good piece of music too.

Eager now, she strode towards the person. As she rounded a corner, she came face to face with a figure in pale pink. The figure was facing her, but with eyes closed. In the figure's hands, an old, worn lute was being played, producing the lovely piece of music that Kerrayrlia had heard just now. Seeming unaware of Kerrayrlia's presence, the figure did not stop.

Pure shock stopped Kerrayrlia in her footsteps. It can't be! I've never heard anything about this! For unmistakably, at least to a one-time Bardic Trainee like Kerrayrlia, the music was tinged with an underlying current of the Bardic Gift. And the person playing the lute was her!

Sorry for the length, the next one will be longer (I hope).

Please review!