I slowly walked across the main room to mine, shaking my head at the mess I had made. Sighing, I got started. Just as I finished making my bed, Mica bounded in through my open window, "Great timing, Mica!"

I often wondered where she went off to when she wasn't with me. I asked Momma and she said Mica was probably out hunting and using her natural-born instincts.

Looking around my room, I spotted my other set of clothes that were dirty, piled up in the corner. I set them by my door so that they could be taken to be cleaned. I flopped down on my bed and stared at the ceiling. This is gonna be a long, long seven-day!

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Finally, it was the last day of my punishment and I was antsy for the day to be over. Unfortunately, it wasn't even mid-day yet. I stood at the windowsill, looking out at the village and the kids kicking a ball around. Momma walked into the room and made me jump.

"Hey there, Little One."

"Hi."

"It's almost time for noon-meal, are you done with your lessons already?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "My hand is about to fall off from all of the writing Mom made me do."

She ruffled my hair, "Well look at it this way, one way or the other, you were gonna have to learn about the laws anyway."

"True." I sat in her lap and snuggled into the warmth that was my mother.

"Cold?" She rubbed my back.

"No, not really."

"Don't forget that after we are done eating, you need to finish getting your things together for the trip."

I nodded, "I know. I'm almost done. What time are we leaving?"

Mom walked in at that moment, "At sun up, so you need to go to sleep early tonight. Okay?"

"Yes Mom."

For the last several days I had made certain that I was compliant with everything that I was told to do and to stay out of trouble. I did all of my work on the laws I was supposed to learn about, I did drills with both Mom and Momma. I kept my room picked up and made sure Mica had food to eat when she was around. I did chores around the hut and kept the woodpile stocked for the fireplace. Only once was I close to getting into trouble when I refused to get out of bed one morning. Momma threatened to dump me in a tub of cold water if I didn't get my butt out of my bed, I had no doubt she would make good on that promise.

This had to be the longest seven-day of my life! I had been on restriction before but never for this long, and I hoped to never have to deal with it again.

Just then my stomach grumbled, "Is it time to eat yet?"

Momma laughed, "Just like your mother."

"Xena!" Mom scolded, playfully swatting at the back of her head. "Yes Cadi, let's go eat."

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I was busy putting my drawing supplies in my travel bag when Mom walked into my room, "Cadi?"

"Yes Mom?" I turned to face her as I rubbed Mica's ears.

She grinned, "There's someone here to see you."

"Who?"

"Go find out. She's waiting for you in the main room."

Curious, I set my bag down and walked out to find my best friend talking with Momma. "Tarah!"

"Cadi!" She hugged me as if she hadn't seen me in years. "I missed you!"

"Missed you too, T."

"Guess what?"

"What?"

"Aunt Eph and Aunt Pony had something to do tonight so I get to stay with you!"

I looked at Momma and Mom, "Really?"

Mom smiled, "Yes, you've been really good, so we decided to end your punishment a little early."

"Yay!" I hugged both of them tightly. "Thank you! Thank you!"

"Momma?"

She paused and looked up from her own bag that she was packing, "Yes, sweetheart?"

"Can we please go over to the stables? I'd like to give Tess a decent brushing before we leave."

"Sure but please be back before evening-meal."

"Okay!" I yelled, pulling Tarah out the front door before either of my mother's could change their minds.

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It was late and I couldn't sleep, I was too excited to leave on our trip to Amphipolis in the morning. Tarah was next to me, drifting between being awake and asleep. Mica was curled up at my feet and for some reason, kept licking at my toes making me laugh.

"Cadi, go to sleep!"

Oh poop! "Yes Momma."

Quietly, I crawled out of bed and crept out to the table where we kept a pitcher of water at night. After getting a drink, I wandered over to look out the window. I saw a few people sitting by the village fire talking with the attendant. They appeared to be having a good time laughing and joking around with each other. Suddenly there was a slight noise behind me, when I turned around Mom was standing there.

"Can't sleep?"

"Uh uh," I shook my head, "Sorry if I woke you up."

"You didn't honey but you need to be in bed." She picked me up and cradled me against her, humming a familiar song.

"Mom?" I yawned, "Aren't I too old for this?"

"I don't care what the Elders or the laws say... within our home, you are still my little girl."

I smiled at that and snuggled a little closer, suddenly feeling sleepy. I yawned again as she continued her humming and walked into my room. Mom tucked me back in, under the blankets and kissed us both.

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It was still dark out when Momma came in to wake me up. Aunt Eph came in behind her to gather a still sleeping Tarah in her arms.

Yawning, I slowly got dressed and walked out to the main room to find breakfast on the table. It appeared that Mom and Momma had readied the horses before they woke me up. As I finished eating, Mom brushed my hair and pulled it back for me. Normally I did that on my own, now that I was older, but sometimes I let her do it.

"Are we ready?" Momma poked her head in through the front doorway.

"Almost, Cadi still has her boots to put on."

I muttered under my breath about damnable boots as I left the table and yelped when Mom popped me on the rear end. "Sorry!"

Shortly, we were outside and getting ready to mount the horses when I heard my name being called. I turned around, Tess' reins in my hand, to see Chloe running towards us. I smiled at my friend, I would miss her and Tarah the most while we were gone.

She came to a stop in front of me, "I'm glad I got here in time to say 'goodbye'."

I hugged her tightly, "I'll miss you too."

"Be good, Princess." She grinned at me, "See you when you get back."

Smiling at her, I gave her one more hug before climbing up on Tess. I looked around, other than myself, Mom and Momma there were three Senior Guards.

I moved over to where Momma was waiting, somewhat impatiently I noticed, "Why are there feather-heads saddled?"

Momma snorted at my use of her description of Mom's Guards. "Apparently, since your mother is pregnant, it is protocol for her to be 'escorted' when outside the village."

I stared at her, "As if you're not escort enough?"

"I know." She grumbled. "Ephiny is lucky she already went home... I'd kick her ass for insisting on this."

I looked away and rolled my eyes. I had heard the stories of my mother's travels and especially after Mom had taken Terreis' Rite of Caste. Once time, after a visit to the village, Queen Melosa had insisted upon sending Guards along with them as they were leaving. They had barely made it outside our borders when Momma told them to go home.

I watched Mica pace back and forth in anticipation, she knew something was going on but the change seemed to agitate her. I hoped she wouldn't have a problem following along as we made our way to Amphipolis. I reached down to rub her ears, hoping to soothe her a little bit. "It's okay, girl. I promise."

While I continued to wait for the call to 'ride out', I sat there making sure I had everything I would need in reach and secured to the saddle. I had been given permission to bring along my crossbow, with the provision that I would not use it without supervision. I was hoping to do a little hunting with Momma on this trip.

I was brought out of my own thoughts by Momma clearing her throat, "Let's head out, girls."

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We had been riding for a few hours when Mom called for a break. I gratefully slid down from the saddle and stretched my legs and back. This is was the first time I was being allowed to ride on my own and as much as I was enjoying the freedom I felt, I'd forgotten how much strength it took to stay in the saddle.

"You okay, Little One?"

I looked up at Momma, "Yeah, just a little sore."

She nodded, "Go sit under the tree over there and stretch out like I showed you. That should help some."

"Okay."

Mica settled next to me as I stretched out my sore leg muscles and took a drink from my water skin. The weather had warmed up a little bit, enough that it was warm in the sun but the shade was still a bit chilly. I knew it would only get colder the closer we got to Amphipolis, especially being only a few leagues away from the ocean.

"Cadi, you ready to get back on the trail?"

"Uh yeah, give me just a moment? I still gotta go use the bushes."

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My stomach was grumbling by the time we stopped at midday. Momma pulled some dried meat and a few apples out from the bag of food. I led the horses over to the stream so they could have a drink and then tied their reins to a nearby tree branch. I walked over to a fallen log and sat down with a groan, I tried to hide it but Momma heard it anyway.

"How about you ride with me for a little while?"

I shook my head, "I can handle it Momma."

"Don't be stubborn."

"Just like you?" I shot back.

"Okay, smart-mouth, if you change your mind...you know where to find me."