I'm backkkk faithful readers. Hmmm...I'm not too sure on this chapter...its a little odd to say the least. But stick with it! PLEASEEEEEEEEE.

Thanks to all my *cough*4*cough* reviews. I shall savor them forever!

Disclaimer : I may be an amazing writer, but I am not Tamora Pierce, and I only own Megal. SOB

Chapter 10 - Lessons

The next few days were uneventful in that Megal was asleep. Even after 2 days of sleep, she was still drained. However, she had been through worse and got up after a 48-hour sleep.

A lot of things were racing through her brain. The first of these was the most dangerous. Rikash. At least she knew her enemies, but how dangerous was he? And how was she not supposed to see Daine or Numair? They were like, the only sort of friends she had! And Numair was her teacher!
She paced through the room she had been resting in. Neal had not entered since she had awoken, and it seemed a good idea to wait till he returned before she left. After around a quarter of an hour, her stomach growled, announcing its need for food.

Sod it, Megal thought with a scowl. She began to storm out of the room, when finally Nealan walked in.
"Now how is my fair lady doing this fine morning?" He asked with a grin. A scowl was his reply. She hated morning-people.
"I'm leaving. And before you say it, I'm fine." With that she was gone, leaving Neal with a confused expression on his face.
"You might want to change your clothes." He yelled as an afterthought.

It was only then she realized that she was still wearing the bloodied shirt and breeches from the events with Numair. She reminded herself of a murderer, and not a very clean murderer at that.

She turned on her heel, and asked, still scowling,

"I have no other clothes. Would you please get me some?" She attempted a smile, but it made her look possibly even more evil.

It was now Neal's turn to scowl at her commanding tone, but he knew she had no idea where to get clothes. He, even though one of the best healers in the palace, would have to get them for her.

"Right away. Just wait in there." He pointed to a small room next to the "ward". "It's my office. He left with a smart bow.

Neal's office was just like the others she had seen in the building. Not that she'd seen many. No television, computer, not even a projector. A simple oak desk, with few books, mainly bottles filled with some vile coloured liquid. Megal looked around in indifference, making a move to sit, before realizing that she may stain something, so stayed stood. The door opened, she was expecting a pile of clothes, but unfortunately got Numair, who was stood looking through the doorway,

"There you are. I've been looking everywhere. Wait, why are you in here?" His expression grew to one of suspicion, "you're not stealing are you-"
Above everything else, Megal hated to be accused of things she had no intention of committing.

"No I am not stealing anything. I am waiting for Sir Nealan to return, so I can change into some clothes that aren't stained by your blood…Sir." She added with a mocking bow.

"I'm no sir." He stated, shaking his head. "And I'm sorry for making accusations. I was wondering if you wanted to continue lessons this afternoon." Megal's expression grew grim, making Numair wonder why she hated the lessons so much. "Please."

"Okay Numair…but will it just be you and I. I still feel a little...uncomfortable around others." That was the understatement of the year. If the lessons were just them, Megal knew Rikash wouldn't see them. She wasn't ready for that yet.

Numair saw her expression, so decided to let this lesson be just the two of them. "This time it will be. But next time, I want you to meet someone. I think you'll get along."
There was an element in his voice that made Megal think it was probably Rikash whom he was talking about. Not likely we'll get along then, she thought pessimistically.

The door opened again, and Neal entered, carrying a pair of those trousers and a plain shirt.

"Here you are. Oh, hello Numair." His face paled a little. So, Megal thought with a grin, Neal was afraid of Numair.

Numair nodded to Neal, and said quietly to Megal, "I'll see you after midday in my room." He then strolled out.

Neal passed her the clothes, and motioned his hand towards a screen.

"You can get changed over there." At her dubious expression, he added, "Don't worry, I won't look." To be truthful, that had been Megal's main fear, as he must have been only in his late twenties. Mr Lowrey had been much older, No, Megal ordered herself, I will not think of him. Neal pushed her gently towards the screen and she was snapped out of her thoughts.

She got dressed quickly, not trusting the wooden screen she was behind.

"You okay?" Neal called to her.

"Fine." She said, covering a wince with a cough. Boy, did her back ache.

She exited from the screen, feeling a lot better. She smiled at Neal, and he took this as a chance,

"Umm…can I look over you? So I can check if there is any lasting damage from the events a few nights ago. Before, you were asleep so it was impossible to finish." Megal thought for a second, but decided there probably was nothing to worry about, as she had been healed before when Alanna had stabbed her.

Megal nodded, and Neal came close, his fingers sparkling emerald. Megal suppressed a shudder; it was still very hard to get used too, all this magic stuff.

Neal hadn't expected much. Maybe some bruises to heal or a few cuts to glue together. Mainly it should have just been the after effects of major magic use. What he saw nearly made him gasp if he had not been a healer for so long. Hundreds of injuries scattered this girl's body, from fractured toes to cracked ribs. How did I not sense it before? He began to heal these, when he suddenly saw something even more intriguing. Just below her shoulder blades, were two large gashes, only just beginning to form a scar. Megal, noticing his attempt to smother a gasp guessed at what is was at, and stepped away from Neal.

"I'm fine. Really." She nodded, perhaps too enthusiastically, and hurriedly escaped from the room, leaving a very perplexed Neal.

She eventually found her room, and sat on her bed. That was too close. Why, her opposite side objected, it probably wouldn't matter.

Her other personality said, you'd be a freak. He'd find you. Somehow, he'd find you.

She laid on her bed, in deep thought.

It seemed few minutes later, when the bell rang for the midday meal. She opened her reddened eyes, and got up. She still hadn't eaten, she thought shockingly.

As quickly as she could manage, she got up and left the room.

For once, she remembered a route, and found herself in the mess hall. It was already packed with teenage boys, exhausted from the mornings training. Now she had a dilemma, the one person who she could actually talk to was Numair. But he was sat next to Rikash, who she wasn't the most fond of seeing. Her cheek still remembered that magic slap. Then again, there was Neal, who was sat with a few spaces free around him. Hopefully, he wouldn't ask any questions.

She picked up some food, and made her way to Neal's table.

"Please could I sit here?" She asked, fully expecting a large no, and a glare. Instead, much to her surprise, he nodded. She sat, carefully down, away from his fingers…just in case.

This was the point that she realized how ravenous she was. With as much manners as she could muster, she wolfed down the ham and bread. A look of shock crossed Neal's face,

"I didn't know it was humanly possible for anyone to eat quite so fast." She scowled up at him,

"And I didn't know it was possible for someone to be as idiotic as you." He appeared hurt, like a puppy would, until a man and a woman walked over.

They sat, and made their greetings. Megal kept her eyes down, closely inspecting the plate. Neal, noticing her silence, decided to introduce her, "Everyone, this is Megal…" He looked at her apologetically, "Sorry what is your last name again?"

"Sasami." She looked up, almost apologetically, and the people she was being introduced to gaped at her amazing eyes. They were so large, and wide, and filled with a soft and harmless expression. Neal shook his head at their reaction, and snapped them out of their stare by mentioning, "The woman over here, is our Lady Knight Keladry, and that is Domitan of Masbolle." They made quick introductions, and soon the three were all laughing together. Megal whispered her leave, and got up.

Numair had just gotten up himself so she decided that it was time for her lessons.

She was already tired, not fully recovered from whatever had happened with Numair. However, after the 3 hour-long lesson with Numair, she was thoroughly exhausted.

On the other hand, Numair was ecstatic about her progress. When before, she was unable to sit still for more than a second, she now managed to meditate. She still wasn't able to reach inside her gift, but there was lots of time. What he wanted though was answers. Where was this strange girl from? Why was she here? Why, after Alanna had stabbed her, had she been asleep for 2 weeks, as they had travelled from Alanna's home to the palace? And why was her hair no longer blood red, but a light brown as though the colour had washed out? Megal still didn't trust him, he could see that behind her wide eyes. Trust therefore was his first goal.

The door in the room where they had been working slammed open, and in entered his son, Rikash.

Megal's face paled, Numair noticed. She must have some sort of trust issue, he decided. After this, when he noticed the glare that Rikash had given Megal, Numair had another item on his list to ponder about. This glare was soon covered up when Rikash turned to Numair, and asked to borrow a book. When Rikash left, Megal hurriedly got up, not wanting any of the Numair's questions, that he looked so ready to ask. Numair looked on in wonder, yet again wondering why it was that he truely knew nothing.

Well thats it for another chapter folks. Some hints just for you... REVIEW, please...If you don't understand, just tell me and I will totally explain next chapter. Maybe...but woop. I think my work is actually improving so celebration pie for me :D

I love you alll!!!!!

Bron