(Kel POV)

I ignored whoever was nudging me, and stayed put on the small hill I sat on in the valley filled with white flowers. I stared out over the calm stretch of lake before me that melted into the tall snow covered mountains. This was my calming place, and I loved to visit here… though whoever was nudging me was shattering the picture that filled my head. With a regretful sigh I pulled myself back into my body to see what the person wanted, I opened my eyes and came face to face with Neal.

"Morning…" I mumbled to him before closing my eyes again, but he would not let me go back to sleep.

"Kel… Kellllll, Keeeeeeeeeeellllllllllllllllllll…" He whined. I opened my eyes to glare at him, and saw his eyes were laughing at me.

"What Nealan?" I demanded determined to get some more sleep.

"I brought people to visit you." He claimed proudly smiling and pointing at a group of people at my door. I suppressed a groan and sat up, with Neal's help, only to see one-person step forth from the crowd of people. At the sight of the person I froze startled and frightened of what she would do.

The sight of the person made my blood run cold, and I flinched away from the powerful women who could torture me in ways no one else could ever so. The woman was tall and commanding, she was… my mother.

I took quick inventory of those in her company and found my father, Anders, Adalia, Conol, Oaranie, and Avinar my family… I faintly wondered where Innis was, but my attention was soon recaptured as I took in my family.

I watched them for a while and examined them to see if they had changed. Mama looked the same as ever, Papa had a few more white hairs popping up her and there. Anders' face was drawn and he attempted to hide behind Mama as if to become a shadow, of course I do believe he had forgotten he is taller then Mama. My sisters and Conol kept their faces filled with just the right amount of regret. Then there was my baby brother Avinar, he had looked better. His clothes were rumpled his hair undone, and he had a tired but angry look upon his face.

None of them moved or made any attempt to speak for quite sometime. During that time limit Neal managed to sneak out of the room and I was left alone to face my family. Once the door closed my family was waken from the stupor.

Papa was the first to do anything, and what he did was charge across the room and took me into a large bear hug like he use to. My sisters followed father's example and came forward stating a family hug of the four of us. But when they pulled back Papa looked at me, and finding a place that was not bruised, tapped my nose and drew his brow in to seem serious… only he sort of was.

"Keladry Elizabeth Ann don't you ever do that to us again! Do you hear me?" I flinched at my middle name, I was named after Mama's sisters there and the names would cause me so much trouble if Neal got a hold of them. And according to the snicker behind the door, luck was not on my side.

"Yes Papa." I replied sheepishly, Papa flinched at my voice though I do not know why, it was perfectly clear. Adalia and Oaranie were oddly silent, I looked to them and they was annoyed to find pity on Adalia's face. Oaranie however I could live with, her face was contorted in wanting to be helpful, and remorse. "Hello Adalia. Oaranie." That set the two off.

"Oh Kel does it hurt much?" Adalia asked.

"Kel I am so so so so so so so sorry! I really really really am!" Oaranie claimed.

"What happened? Why are you so thin?"

"I am sorry for kicking you out of my room, and stealing your toys, and making you sit in the corner, and refusing to give you my books…"

"Its creepy how thin you are! Didn't they feed you?" I seriously almost laughed right there, Adalia is very funny see doesn't even notice when she says something air brained.

"And for telling you, you could not name the kittens, and for stealing your desert and for…"

"And all those cuts and bruises, oh I do hope they don't scar!"

"And for…" By now my head was throbbing from all there chatter and I eagerly searched for help and found it in my baby brother.

"Shut up!" He yelled. It was humorous to see the shortest of us sibling's shoat out like that, especially because Avinar came with Papa Mama and I the Islands. But it worked because both of then silenced immediately, and I let out a sigh of relief.

"Who did it Kel?" Avinar demanded of me, stepping forward with anger and determination on his usually composed face.

"Avy…" I was begging for him to calm down silently by only speaking his name. He watched me for a while before shaking his head.

"You had better tell us everything, no one here is a child any more. I am eighteen, you nineteen, and every one else is well over twenty.

"Hey!" Adalia protested. No one paid her any mind.

"Avy I have not told anyone yet please?" I begged him not to push me, to let it alone but still he persisted.

"Questions from each of us… please Lizzy." He had given me my nickname from my middle name, and now with Neal listening I would never hear the end of it.

I agreed by nodding after a few minutes.

"Youngest to oldest!" Avinar called quickly knowing he got to go first. "The person in charge of your capture what was her name?"

"Lady Mëonifie, a sorceress." I answered him. His eyes widened in surprise of it being a lady who captured me but nodded. I looked pointedy at Oaranie.

"Do you forgive me for all the mean stuff I did to you?" She asked and I smiled slightly grateful at least today for having sister who did not get their men because of their brains.

"Of course." I answered her and she smiled like a twelve year old.

Conol was next and he stepped forward to stand next to Avinar before asking his question.

"Did the woman work alone."

"No. She had two… helpers." I answered keeping my voice monotone as not to betray anything I did not wish to explain.

"Did they feed you?" Adalia asked.

"Once every month I received a plate of moldy bread and raw meat. I received water every three days." I answered after a brief pause.

I broke Anders shell because he was suddenly next to me, and hugging me tightly. His question was next.

"Kel…?"

"yes Anders?"

"Where did they take you, and how were you presented to this woman?" I just had to have a smart brother.

"Do you remember that mage I wrote to you of? Blayce?"

"Yes…"

"Well Mëo was his Lady, and she wanted revenge. They took me too Blayce's basically burnt castle. I… I was tied to a pole in a courtyard… it was fall there, but there was already snow. I was left there for a coupe of days and then she came out laughed, slapped me. Introduced me to her helpers, and had them drag me away to my… room?" I tried to make that description sound better.

"Who were her helpers?" My mother spoke for the first time, as she walked up to my bed and sat at the foot of it, picking up my hand.

Mama seemed to be the only one to catch on to that…

"Their names were, Ralphus and Coalife, her nephews from Maron." I answered in a dead voice. Mama nodded and patted my hand gently. Papa sat on my other side and asked the final question, a good thing too because I was feeling drowsy still.

"What is your current condition?" He asked throwing everyone off.

"What?" I asked.

"Why are you here besides obvious reasons, can you eat? Or walk?"

"… I would not know about my condition well enough to answer that Papa. But Neal will tell you. I just know that I am tired, a lot." My words made my point stronger as a yawn over came me.

"Well get some rest Sweetie." Mama told me, and I nodded closing my eyes and welcoming my calm dream.

------------------------------------------------

Sorry I had meetings yesterday and am going on a church trip today so nothing until tomorrow.

-Miss. Pure