Disclaimer:

As much as I want to, I don't own Deltora Quest

But I do own Kayta, Tarrine and Sol!

Jasmine POV

"WHAT! You know him?" she reluctantly let the man go and he fell to the floor.

Lief ignored her and walked over to him, extending his hand.

"Hello Sol," he beamed "Haven't seen you in a while."

The man took it, shooting Lief a look of gratitude and rubbing where Jasmine's blade had grazed the delicate skin on his neck. "Lief? Is that really you?" He appeared to be in his late teens, a few years older than Lief at the most and had fine, flame coloured hair that drooped over his electric blue eyes.

"In flesh and blood" Said Lief warmly, clasping the other man's shoulder in a friendly embrace.

Jasmine coughed politely

"Hello? Would someone like to tell me what's going on here?"

"This is Sol, he's a friend" Lief smiled

"Who?" said Jasmine blankly. She never remembered meeting anyone called 'Sol' on their journey.

"I met him long before the quest for Deltora" said Lief "Sol has been one of my closest friends since childhood"

Sol laughed "So, where have you been for the past three years Lief? Or should I say, your majesty?" he dropped onto one knee and bowed before him.

"Please, rise. There is no need to bow; you've taught me so much" He said, pulling him up.

"Whatever you say, your majesty! Come and see the others!" he shouted pushing Lief up the narrow staircase. Jasmine followed gingerly behind, feeling rather confused about everything that had just happened.

...

They burst through a door; the room behind it was dimly lit with candle stubs and wax had melted onto the floor, solidifying in the gaps between the floor boards. Bedrolls lay crumpled on the floor, books that were opened at seemingly random pages were scattered around and bundles of herbs hung off one of the rafters, Jasmine even recognised some of them. In the middle of the room sat two huddled figures who were arguing over a diagram in one of the old tomes.

"Kayta! Tarrine! Remember this guy?" Sol butted into their conversation excitedly

"Lief?!" Their eyes widened in surprise

"Hi guys." Lief smiled shyly, bowing his head and letting his fringe fall across his eyes."Jasmine, I'd like you to meet Kayta-"he gestured to a girl with tanned skin and muddy brown hair, freckles dotting her face. She wore a pale green robe, frayed at the edges "-and Tarrine." He turned to a Toran boy who had spiky, black hair, dark eyes and thin features. He was clothed with slightly fancier garments that Lief recognised as the faded uniform to the university in Tora.

"Uh...hello...I guess." Jasmine stuttered awkwardly

"Ah, you must be Lady Jasmine" the girl, Kayta smiled.

Jasmine was about to reply when Lief cut her off,

"It's great to see you guys and all but what are you three doing here? I didn't know that you were squatters now!" he finished jokingly.

"Well as you know Tarrine is my adopted brother; so when my parents were taken by grey guards and our farmhouse burned we had nowhere to go so we thought..." Sol trailed off.

"When did this happen? We can get them back!" cried Lief, horror struck

"No use." Tarrine's brow crinkled in pain "We found the Topaz necklace our mother wore, and the hilt of father's hunting knife in the ashes of the bonfire they lit in the village, they are with Adin now. As for when it happened, they came a few weeks after you disappeared."

Silence settled over the room.

"I understand" said Jasmine quietly, not daring to speak any louder "My parents were taken when I was barely seven, I was lucky enough to be reunited with my father three years ago, but until then I was on my own"

"So it is true," muttered Kayta in awe "You lived alone in the Forests of Silence for most of your life."

"And I was perfectly happy too, until one foolish little boy wandered onto the wenDel path," she looked at Lief fondly "and changed my life."

"Well in that case, I have something I'd like you to see"

"Oh. Alright" Said jasmine simply, wanting nothing more than to get out of this dusty room.

Kayta took her outside and round the back of the tumbledown building. There she was growing vast quantities of different healing herbs and plants.

"I always wanted to start an apothecary, but I had no supplies, so I grew some. Sol and Tarrine have been using their farming knowledge to help me."

"Wow." Jasmine said, casting her eyes around the patch. The plants here were so healthy. Suddenly she shrieked and started pulling up a row of plants with white, drooping flowers.

"Hey! Those took ages to grow! Put them back!" cried Kayta

"It's Foxglove! Very poisonous, I should know! Filli got sick from nibbling a stalk once!"

"Oh." Said Kayta, embarrassed. "What's a Filli, anyway?"

...

The two girls spent the morning, planting and harvesting and just generally talking, they had a lot more in common than Jasmine first thought. Suddenly a thought struck her.

"Why did you call me 'Lady Jasmine' in there, anyway?"

"Oh well...uh...I...I...just thought..." A light blush formed on her cheeks "sorry."

Jasmine decided to put her trust in her new friend

"If you can keep a secret I'll tell you something'

Kayta nodded

"You thought correct."

Her mouth fell open "Really? That's great! Are you getting married? "

"No! Well not yet, anyway. So... you're not angry?" Jasmine asked wearily, remembering the screaming fan girls that gathered at the public appearances that Lief went to all too clearly.

"Why would I be angry?" Kayta laughed "Lief is like a brother to me! I'm glad that he has found love! Besides there's someone else for me..."

Jasmine took a wild guess "Tarrine?"

Kayta gave a slight nod in conformation.

Jasmine smiled and lay back on the grass. It felt nice to have a friend, someone that didn't think she was a witch or a weirdo; Barda and Lief were great but neither of them were girls, and certainly did not share her interests of foraging and collecting plants.

"We're having a ball in the palace in a few days and I would like it if you could come, Lief said I could invite someone and I'm sure that now he's found you guys again he'll make sure that you'll come anyway." Jasmine pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket "It's invite only, so you'll need this." She unfolded the invitation and passed it to Kayta.

"I don't know Jasmine, I'm honoured and all but I've never been to a palace before, or anywhere fancier than that tavern in the square for that matter, I'd have no idea what to do!

"I felt that way originally, come though, for me. I bet you'd love to see the gardens..."

"Fine, I'll be there" she chuckled

A few moments of comfortable silence followed. Crickets chirped and the melodies of many birds floated on the lazy spring breeze.

"Maybe Lief will ask you to dance" Kayta said, grinning

Jasmine blushed "Maybe."

Filli wants you to review.

You don't want to disappoint Filli do you?

Sorry about the length of this chapter, I wanted to fit all of the character introduction into one chapter so it didn't get too boring. As for my OCs, they may be popping in once in a while, especially Kayta^^

Thank you to everyone who has faved, followed or reviewed so far!