Hello again everyone. This chapter has taken wayyyyyy to long to update and I can only apologise. However this chapter is my longest yet!!!!!! Thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews and I will try and respond to all my reviewers and to say sorry for the last chapter being predictable it's just that I am going to be sticking as close to TP's books as possible. So this chapter is going to use some of TP's words…I don't own any of TP's work….unfortunately. Also in this story some of the dates may not exactly match but I will try my best.

This is the unedited version but I thought it would be better to post it and shorten the wait.

Well Enjoy

NOTES on the chapter

Italics=sign language

MPOV-Merrics 3rd person point of view

KPOV/DPOV-Kel's point of view/Dree's point of view…. (Oh look K/D…Kel/Dom…sorry that was a bit random)

PS by the way I have had problems imagining the geography and placement of all the character sooo it may be a bit odd. Please just go with it until I figure out how to place each of the characters.


Chapter 11

Previously…….

Kel looked back to the male who was there and gasped silently. The male had red hair and looked around twelve years old. Kel recognised the person immediately. He was one of her friends

Merric of Hollyrose


She could not believe her eyes nor could she believe the coincidence of it happening. Or was it? To Kel it seemed too coincidental for the Shang Eagle to decide to create a mystery test for both her and Yuki just as the group of royal pages were staying in the nearby area.(Possibly extend?)

Kel was snapped out of her thoughts by Yuki waving one of her petite hands in front of Kel's face. Using the sign language the Shang Eagle had taught them for situations when they were undercover Yuki signed to Kel

"What's the matter?"

"I recognised the boy just then"

"The redhead?"

"Yeah he was one of my page friends"

Yuki's eyes widened in shock but a look of realisation dawned on Yuki's tanned face. Yuki didn't sign back; she just turned to look back towards the camp leaving Kel and herself to contemplate about the appearance of the pages.

MPOV

Merric emerged from the trees and headed back to his group of friends which at the moment consisted of Neal, Faleron, Prosper, Owen and Seaver. The group hadn't been the same since Kel had been kicked out of page training. The group didn't smile as much and each of them felt partly responsible for Kel's departure as none of them protested too much in fear of also being kicked out and also the fact that none of them had heard from Kel since her departure from the palace. The court rumoured that she is hiding in disgrace and shame at Mindelan and is unable to visit anyone as she has so many lessons to catch up on after living with "barbarians" and training to become a Knight. Neal had tried to speak to Kel's mother but with no success. She had told Neal that Kel didn't want to speak to any of them. Neal insisted something was not right and that Kel would want to speak to them but he did not push any further.

"You took your time Hollyrose. Did you get attacked by a squirrel or something?" Faleron said

"No he more likely got lost" Neal said

"Or fell over his own feet" Faleron replied

"Very funny. No I didn't get attacked by a squirrel or get lost or fall down. It's just eerie in the forest. I kept feeling as if someone was watching me"

"Like someone would want to watch you use the latrine. I mean….." Neal was cut off by Lord Wyldon, otherwise known as the Stump shouted "QUIET". The pages became quiet instantly.

"Gather round. Today you are all going to be hunting for your supper and if you fail you will go hungry tonight and tomorrow until you find anything." Wyldon said. He rubbed his arm before continuing "Queenscove, Tameron, Hollyrose, Tarside, Jesslaw and Kings Reach. You're in one group. Faleron you are in charge of this squabble and will be headed in that direction. Head over to Eda for more information on the task."

Merric followed Faleron and the rest of the group. They were walking along a broad creek and they had all decided if worse came to worst they would spear fish for supper. As they walked Merric kept getting a feeling that someone was watching them, following them. Merric was constantly looking behind them and after looking behind once again Neal said to Merric "there is no-one following us. No imaginary ghost or your imaginary friends. Not even a squirrel"

"What is your obsession about squirrels? I swear…." Merric stopped speaking and looked behind him once again to look towards a bush that was rustling.

The whole group then turned towards the bush in question, their weapons ready to strike what ever emerged. Their hearts were pounding with anticipation.

The creature emerged. It was grey-white for the most part; black splotches adorned the end of its nose, its only whole ear and its rump. It had two small black triangular shaped eyes and a crooked tail.

The boys let out the breaths they were holding in when they realised the creature was only the dog that had been hanging round the pages and had been told was named Jump.

The boys lowered their weapons.

"I guess Dog isn't on the menu" said Owen. Jump seemed to back in agreement. The dog was smarter than your average dog, due to the fact he lived in the palace where the Wildmage resided and was treated by the Wild mage. The boys continued down the trail they were walking on before Merric piped up

"See I told you something was following us"

"Silence ordered Faleron "you want to scare off all the game"

KPOV/DPOV

Kel made sure that she and Yuki followed the group of her page friends. She knew if she messed up they would cover for her but also and more importantly she wanted to reinforce her memory of them.

Instead of travelling by treetops as they had done earlier both Kel and Yuki decided to walk on solid ground as it was less likely to attract attention, as well as the fact it was easier and the pages were incredibly unobservant and the teachers were staying at the camp. The sound of their feet on the ground could scarcely be heard.

There was an ugly dog that was also following the pages but for some reason it didn't seem to give Kel or Yuki any thought and just ignored them. However Kel was surprised at the fact that Merric noticed someone was watching them but defiantly not surprised at the fact the rest of them were ignorant.

They followed the pages towards the valley when Yuki started to sign to Kel

"Dree, do you realise where they are headed"

Kel stopped for a moment to think and then it hit her. Her eyes widened at the realisation and she whispered "The Bandit camp"

"Silence" Faleron ordered "you want to scare off all the game"

Kel whispered to Yuki not caring if they were heard.

"We have to stop them. They could be killed"

"We can't. It goes against the Shang's orders"

"We can't just let them die"

Then they heard the dogs of the bandit camp begin to bark and the sound of the pages running followed.

"Are you going to help them or not?" Kel demanded

"Dree. I can't." Yuki whispered.

Kel couldn't bear to look at her supposed best friend. She couldn't understand how a girl who was training to become a Shang would not help the pages, her friends. A Shang was supposed to help people in need.

Kel emerged from her hiding place just as the pages began to slow their pace. Kel noted their panic in their eyes. All of them looked to Faloren then Neal for orders but both were frozen in panic.

Kel then made herself known to the pages, coming towards them with her glaive in her hand. Her face covered in paint saying.

"If you want any chance of surviving. Listen to me"

They looked at her in confusion and bewilderment at the strange person who had appeared out of no where. Not wanting to reveal her cover Kel started to distribute orders without using any of their names.

"Mages. Blind'em, hide us, confuse'em now! Bows! One shot aim for the horses then fall behind the spears" they stared at her.

"NOW" she barked

Light blared in front of Prosper, white edged with blue. It would blind anyone looking at him or the people near him.

"Bows" and the pages with bows set arrows to their string and loosed them towards the oncoming bandits. There was a cliff wall 20 metres behind them "fall back to the cliff. Bows and mages first then spears" she cried. Shifting beyond the haze of green and white lights Kel saw the hill men draw back a little. Four of their numbers were down and possibly dead. Most of the men were still mounted and were squinting to see the pages exact location. All of them were wary.

Kel repeated her earlier order and all the pages obeyed. They were now backed up against the cliff and she now counted the enemy. 23 still remained. The odds were bad. Luckily for the pages they had her on their sides as well as someone to command, and not to mention 2 mages. Kel looked around her looking for an escape or something that could help them. Her eyes locked onto a goat trail that rose along the cliff face and it was way too narrow for horses.

Kel pointed to the cave and everyone looked "just to that cave" she pointed to faleron "you first. Then green mage who will switch to archery. Then rest of you. White mage give them a blast of light when I say then run for the cave. I'll cover you. No go!"

The pages hurried to do as they were told. The archers gave a couple of last shots as they retreated up the cliff face. Kel released some of her daggers from her sheaths and threw them at the enemy with deadly accuracy, killing at least two men. One rider decided to test coming through the light veil and headed for Kel. With her glaive ready she used a sweeping movement to give a fatal blow to the man. Kel soon forgot about him as she used the end of her glaive to hit a raider dog lengthwise knocking the dog away from the dog called "jump" by the pages.

Light blazed from Prosper (the white mage) and she shouted to him just as more riders were beginning to follow the other rider's suit and go through the blinding veil

"NOW!"

Bright light blazed around her blinding her foes. Prosper began running to the cave with Kel following behind. Two raiders continued even though blinded to follow Kel. They dismounted and in a swift movement a knife lodged itself in one of the mans heart and Kel's glaive slit the throat of the other. Kel pulled the knife out of the mans heart, cleaning it with a handkerchief she had in her pocket, unwilling to lose another knife. She carried on up the cliff face to the cave.

The pages were waiting when Kel came into the cave, all of them looked at her in awe and amazement, even Merric who was down with an arrow in his left shoulder.

"How badly is he hurt?" Kel asked Neal who was tending to Metric

"It missed anything vital. But I can't do anything more than stop the ouch. I'm not trained enough" Kel wanted to comfort him but she knew she could not. She had already revealed too much by making an appearance.

Kel opened her bag that she had been carrying since dawn and pulled out some bandages and herbs. Kel threw them to Neal saying

"Pull the arrow out and quickly use those herbs on the wound. That should slow the bleed. Then tighten the bandage as tight as possible" (I do not know how to treat arrow wounds or if this would work)

Neal looked at Kel with gratitude in his green eyes and after giving a nod of thanks got to work.

"Who are you? Where did you come from? Why did you save us? Where did you learn to fight" the new boy that Kel didn't know but over heard from the boy was named Owen blurted out in a rush.

Kel sighed internally with relief knowing that they did not recognise her but a small part of her was also upset for the same reason. She scolded herself. They wouldn't know you were in the hill country. They think that you are safe at Mindelan and have ignored them all year. Kel didn't answer Owens's question but then asked Faleron

"Did you blow the horn?"

"Yes. Can we at least know your name?"

"No you won't ever need to know my name as you will never have to speak of me again."

The pages were confused by her words but were soon distracted by the sound of the company of pages and teachers coming to save them.

While they were all distracted Kel slipped away.

Kel headed back through the forest towards her own camp and it wasn't long before Yuki caught up with her

"Dree!" Kel didn't respond to her but kept on walking.

"I can explain"

"Explain how you were going to let my friends die!"

"I wanted to help. You know I would. But I couldn't. My hands were tied"

Kel took a deep breath and exhaled. She imagined herself as a calm lake and not an angry girl.

"When we get to camp I need you to explain, and you better have a good reason."

They continued walking in silence when Yuki abruptly asked

"Why do we have that dog from earlier following us?"

"What dog?"

"That dog." Yuki said pointing to it "the one who saved in the fight" Kel looked at the dog and said waving her hands "Go away. Go back to the pages" the dog didn't move

"Go" she repeated.

"The dog won't go. I think it wants to stay with you and repay his debt to you"

"How do you know that?"

"I'm good with dogs. I always have been. It runs in my family. They breed the best dogs in the Yamani islands."

Kel froze and blinked in confusion and curiosity as that was the first time Yuki had mentioned anything about her family.

"I'll explain everything" Yuki said

They walked in silence back to their empty camp and Kel waited patiently until Yuki had started the fire and decided to begin her own tale on her own without encouragement.

"My full name is Yukimi noh Daiomoru and I am not training to become a Shang"