A/N: Sorry for any typos. The computer I'm on doesn't have spell checker, for some reason, and I don't feel like double checking my work :)

By the way. Hannah, in this case, is pronounced "hah-nuh", not "hann-uh".

Everyone – thanks for the reviews, as always!

As most people seem to think it's a good idea, I'm leaning towards a romance. Eventually.

RandomTamTamLover: A while, probably.

Emily: Hope it was in a good way :) Anyway, you are right – not sure where I read Bazhir – maybe I made it up – it was actually bards making up the name for him. I am silly on occasion.

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"There are some things, and some people, that you cannot beat, Rani. Maybe someday you will overcome them, but you'll have to work hard, long hours that will tire your body and spirit. And when you overcome someone, there will be something else that insists on holding you back. Remember that. Remember that you are not invincible, and that a sword can pierce even a dragon, if the wielder knows her soft spots."

--Liam Ironarm, the Shang Dragon, to six year old Korani Liasri

***

She had learned to do everything with her left hand by now; the terrible ache that still persevered in her right arm made it impossible to do anything with it. It had been two months since her last big fight with Rito (there had been others in between, but nothing she needed to go to the infirmary for), and the pain in her arm was finally starting to let of. This is a good thing, she kept telling herself. I'm learning to do everything with my weak arm. I'll be able to use both. She still hated it, though.

Gingerly, for the first time in a while, she switched her sword to her right hand.

They had only recently started moving on to weapons other than daggers, but already the students were expected to be improving greatly with their swords. The practice weapons that they used were smaller and lighter than real ones; even the Shang didn't expect young children to be capable of wielding heavy swords that were as tall as themselves. In their third year or so, they moved on to real swords, but that was a long time coming.

She winced, but didn't drop the weapon. I can do this, she told herself. I can use my right arm. I will fight through the pain. She dropped it, though, unable to keep it in the air.

Rani sighed, then lifted her weapon in her left arm. That, at least, was manageable.

***

"9,823."

"That's incorrect. Would someone else like to try?"

Rani hid a smile, and she could see both Toni and Ramsey, on either side of her, do the same thing. They knew they shouldn't, but they all enjoyed when Kithra got something wrong. She was so obnoxious about everything that it was hard not to be a little mean about it.

"Rani?" the Hare said, seeing the girl's raised hand.

"8,869?"

"Very good, Rani."

Oh, good. It would have been embarrassing, had she gotten that wrong.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class. As the students scrambled to their feet, the Hare called out, "Rani? Will you come here for a moment?"

Shrugging at her friends, who said they refused to leave without her and would wait for her before going to her room to study, the girl strode to her teacher.

"Yes?"

"Rani, this class is too easy for you." It was a statement, not in any way a question.

"Um, maybe a little, Hannah." The Hare preferred that the students call her by her first name.

"I would like to have you skip ahead of your class, when you come back after vacation this year." The students got a month off to visit their families during the summer, after which they moved up a year; at that point, Rani would officially be a second year student of the Shang.

Eyes wide, she said, "Hannah, I – I would prefer not to, if that's alright."

"Why is that?"

Rani shrugged. "I'd rather stay with my friends. Next year isn't as easy, right? I'll be a lot more comfortable with people I know, learning at the same rate as them."

Hannah ducked her head in acknowledgement. "If that is the case, then you can stay with your friends. However, I would prefer that you at least take on some of the harder material, so I can see if you can learn it quickly."

The girl nodded, recognizing that Hannah was certainly not obliged to even let Rani take the easier class. "That sounds fine."

"Alright. Go join your friends."

Smiling, Rani strode outside of the room, sure that her friends would be eagerly awaiting, wondering what the Hare had wanted.

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Review review review! Gracias. :)