Pain. So many words can be used to portray such simple sensations. Physical pain can be described as throbbing, stabbing, piercing, and much more. Mental and emotional pain can be just as terrible and take just as much toll on the body as physical injuries can. At the moment, Eva was dealing with every kind of pain imaginable.

Her eyes fluttered open to see Tillie gently rubbing a poultice of some sort on a deep gash running across her leg. Eva gasped sharply due to the intense stinging the medicine caused. She winced, even sharp breathing hurt. Eva let out a distressed groan.

"Eva!" Wersa was suddenly by her side, grasping Eva's hand in both of her heavily callused ones. "Gods bless, you are awake!" Wersa exclaimed thankfully.

"Water," Eva croaked pitifully. Instantly Elena was at her side with a ladleful of cool, sweet water. Eva sipped delicately, knowing her stomach was probably just as weak as the rest of her body.

"What of the battle? Was there enough light?" Eva murmured through her gritted teeth.

"There was enough light… for most of the time. It got dark for a moment, but we brought the light back using your Gift. Rebekkah is very proud of us; we put a serious dent in the Dark Mages' numbers. We've also found some valuable information pertaining to their next move. We're riding out tomorrow bound for Queen's Hill, following the Dark Mages and their next attempts."

"Wersa, I don't know if I'll be ready to ride out by tomorrow," Eva said uncertainly. She felt her teacher's hands stiffen and pull away suddenly from her own.

"That's because you won't be coming with us. I'm sorry Eva, but The Falcon Blades don't require your services any longer." Wersa whispered firmly. Eva felt new tears run down her worn face, and they weren't caused by her pains.

"What do you mean, what have I done wrong?" Eva whimpered looking up at Wersa, feeling pitifully weak.

"You gave up. There's no other way of putting it, Eva. When the time came to sink or swim, you cast all of your last hopes onto Fawn. That was the wrong move. You never stop fighting, never do you hear me?" Wersa was yelling now, on her feet, looking down at Eva like she was a clump of dirt on the bottom of her boots. "The Falcon Blades don't give up, and we don't need any quitters riding with us."

Eva couldn't control herself, she began sobbing. Her personal failure and her mentor's disappointment in her were ruthlessly breaking her heart. Just when she thought she had her life all figured out, she went ahead and blew it. All of her hopes and aspirations were crushed with Wersa's cold truths. The worst part of all was that she knew that she could do better. But apparently a second chance wasn't an option.

"And to think that I actually believed in you." Wersa shook her head and left Eva confused and all alone.

For the longest time Eva wept. She cried until the tears would no longer come, but her body still shook and trembled like she was still sobbing. It was the worst thing that she could ever remember happening to her. Her new life and new chance at becoming a warrior was cruelly ripped away before she even got the chance to prove herself. She knew she could do better. No, she would do better.

Without warning, Eva slowly began to rise and get out of bed. It hurt her so badly to move that she actually cried out in pain. Tillie rushed over to help steady her as she wobbled, dangerously close to falling.

"What do you think you are doing? Goddess knows you must be in pain!" Tillie exclaimed. Eva shook the smaller girl off, and gritted her teeth.

"I must talk to Wersa." Eva said resolutely. Something in her voice must have alarmed Tillie, for she backed off without another word. Eva slowly made her way out of Tillie's tent, and into the camp of her beloved Falcon Blades.

She soon caught sight of Wersa, talking in hushed tones to Rebekkah and Kathryn nearby. For a moment her despair was forgotten, and she was taken over by a new emotion: determination.

"Wersa!" Eva barked. The whole camp seemed to pause to look at the bold young fledgling. Eva limped closer to her former mentor, refusing the help of many of her former comrades.

"My whole life, I've dreamt of being a warrior. I knew from the start that I was born for the ways of a knight, and I must have been blessed by the Gods when you found me on that road. I feel like I belong here, and I know that this is my place. This is the way it was meant to be," Eva paused, drawing in a deep breath before continuing. "I won't let you get rid of me before I've gotten the chance to prove myself! Give me another chance, and I will not let you down."

Every girl in the camp looked to Rebekkah. The leader of The Falcon Blades was staring at Eva, sizing her up carefully.

"Are you sure that this is the life you want to lead?" Rebekkah asked, her gaze not wavering from Eva.

Eva paused. Was she entirely sure? That was a tough question. She knew that she still had other options available to her, but now that she had gotten a taste as to what being a Falcon Blade was like she never wanted to do anything else.

"Yes." Eva answered certainly. Rebekkah looked intently at her for a moment more, and then gave the slightest nod.

"You have to prove yourself worthy to earn a place in The Falcon Blades, and so far we haven't seen anything from you, Eva. I will give you one last chance, so you'd better not let me down," Rebekkah cautioned. Eva nodded determinedly. With that, the camp came back to life. The girls returned to their chores and gossiped excitedly about what had just taken place. Eva saw Allison and Zelaine nearby, smiling their encouragement at her. Eva tried to return their smiles, but just ended up wincing from the pain it caused her to move the muscles in her face.

"We're riding out to Tramelet tomorrow, following the Dark Mages. It'll be a hard journey for you, but I am confident that you can make it," Wersa said as she helped Eva hobble back into Tillie's tent. "Now rest, and let Tillie fix you up a bit. I'm sure that you must be in pain."

"Wersa, do you think that I made the right decision? Do you think… do you think that I belong here?" Eva asked tentatively.

"Only one person can answer that question, Eva. And it isn't me," Wersa replied mysteriously. Eva sighed as she settled into the bed and closed her eyes. She pondered every aspect of her choice, and thought over everything Rebekkah had said to her. Thinking about all that had happened to her, she wondered what she had just gotten herself into.