I'm back! Happy Thanksgiving everyone. If you, like me, have been kicked out of the main part of your house because that is where the kitchen is and you are simply "taking up too much space" or "being annoying" THREE CHEERS! Anyway, sorry for the delay, on with the story.

Disclaimer:hahahha, no. not mine.

Sarra was having a half-hearted conversation with the robin that rested on her index finger. Jakob had been gone for over a week now. She hadn't even heard from him, not that that was saying much, because he was on the move often. How could they have left halfway through Midwinter? It didn't help that Edlyn was talking about "them" all the time, practically rubbing it in her face that he wasn't there. Thus why she was out in the cold, avaoiding her best friend.

Not being able to take it any longer, Sarra practically threw the robin off of her hand, scaring him into flight away from her, and picked up her crossbow that rested on the bench next to her. Once at the outdoor practice courts, she began shooting, so concentrated on her anger that most of her arrows just barely were on the target.

"I thought they said you were a good shot." She looked up to see Raoul. He had said he would see her again and had kept true to his word. With him was quite a few men from the King's Own and Lady Knight Keladry.

"I am." She said shortly through gritted teeth, getting back to shooting out her anger.

The

"Well then, either I am expecting much higher of someone with a good shot or they are blind." Raoul said, smiling.

"Y'know, it's not really the best time right now so if you could just go away, it'd be very much appreciated." Sarralyn was getting annoyed. Why couldn't he just leave her alone?

"Oh, testy, are we now? What's wrong, then?" He asked curiously.

She turned her bow on him, the arrow just scant inches from his throat. "What part of go away do you not understand? Why can't you just leave? That's what he did, so why don't you just go, too? Just leave, it's not like I have any feelings or anything!" She had dropped her bow now and was pacing, talking more to herself than her audience. "and I suppose the cause is more important than me and I'm being selfish, but can you really blame me? I mean, it's halfway through Midwinter and he just has to go! Does that seem fair?" She really wasn't talking to them now, and they just watched as she rambled. "No! No, it's not fair. And then my best friend is wont to talk about him and why can't she see that it hurts and I simply cannot bear her company anymore! And then they come along, talking about my shooting. Does anyone ever think that maybe it's harder to shoot when you're so bloody angry? No. No no no no no." Tears were running down her pale face, turning almost to ice but she didn't notice. She sat down in the snow. "No." She repeated.

They all just stared. Obviously, she had forgotten they were there. Her legs were hugged to her chest and her face buried in her knees, cury hair hiding it from view. The Own was silent. Raoul gestured for them to leave, and then there was just Raoul, Kel and Sarra.

"Sarra?" Kel asked, and she did not look up. "Who left?" Sarra looked up, startled that there were people there. She shook her head. "Okay, you won't tell us. Why don't you find something else to do until he gets back?"

"Be-" she cleared her voice. "Because even though I'm older than my mother was when she was out fighting battles, I'm too young to help with anything."

"You could use that argument with your parents, you know. We could back you up." Raoul suggested.

"I- I suppose. Let's go then." She started walking, them following her. "And no telling them what just happened."

Raoul and Kel grinned.

"I want to go help with the fighting." Sarra stated simply.

"Sarra, you're too young and -" Her mother started to say.

"I'm a full three years older than you were when you started fighting battles. And I'm trained a lot better than you were then." She stated defiantly.

"That doesn't give you the right to go." Her father retorted.

"No, it doesn't, it takes away your right to stop me from going." She glared him down. Most people would have been afraid to talk like that to a black robe mage, but not Sarralyn.

"Daine, Numair. She is completly right. She's older than you and Alanna and Kel when they first fought in a real fight. She's the same age as Aly when she became the spy for a god. By pretty much every comparison, she's old enough to go." Raoul said. Both parents just stared at him.

"How much money did she give you?" Numair asked.

"She didn't give us any money. We're just being nice and helping her." Kel said.

"You could be nice and help us." Daine reminded them.

"Would you stop being so selfish?" Sarra asked. "The only reason you don't want me to go is that you're scared I'll get hurt. I'm not ten anymore, I can take care of myself."

"Fine, Sarra, you can go. But don't come crying to us if you get hurt or don't like it. Raoul, are you going to be off somewhere soon?" Daine said, covering Numair's mouth, though indignant cries could be heard from him.

"I'm going south soon. She can come with the Own then." Raoul said.

"And I'll be with them too." Kel added.

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