AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well you are going to hate the end of this chapter. ha ha!
Thanks again to xxTunstall Chickxx for editing and everyone else who reviewed.

DISCLAIMER: I am not Tomora Pierce


The time for Midwinter celebrations had come, and everyone was attending the balls and banquets. Tory agreed to attend only one ball with Alan. She claimed she couldn't be presented in the public eye that often. It was Midwinter Day, that night was going to be the ball she would attend, the longest night all year.

Tory woke to find Midwinter gifts set on her sitting room table. Lachran had sent her a box of Carthaki sweets. Leena had given her a small silver clasp for a cloak. Kary had given her a small saddle bag. Alanna and George had sent her a new sword and a note saying that she should work on her swordsmanship so they could have a proper duel and an invitation to spend that fall in Pirate's Swoop. Aly, Nawat, and their children sent a Sarong and sash with dagger sheaths hidden inside the sash from the Copper isles, Tory laughed at this. Then Alan's gift, it was a dagger with a three inch blade with a glass hilt and pieces of turquoise scattered inside of the glass. Then next to the arm sheath for it, was a necklace. It was on a silver chain with a turquoise pendant carved into the shape of the Larstpur coat of arms, a crescent moon on top of two crossed arrows.

She loved her presents, she couldn't remember the last time she actually got them, her past Midwinters had been spent training, she leaned back on her couch, remembering her past.


"You will take this in stride." Medorus said as he threw a bucket of water over the training assassins, "You must be able to take anything and force yourself to stay in pain."

He walked over into a small shed with a warm fire inside as Tory and the others sat in the snow, drenched and cold. The night air sank in on them, Luara began shivering and she crawled towards the shack in search of warmth. Medorus kicked her before he had one of the guards drag her off.

The morning was coming, the rest were shaking violently. They all lived but they were shocked to see that only those with the gift had managed to keep from getting frostbite and for that they were accused of using their gift to keep warm and received another round of beatings.


Tory caught herself rubbing the wrist that was broken from that night. She shook her head clearing her thoughts when a knock on her door brought her to her feet, noticing that she was still dressed in her nightshirt.

"Tory" called Alan from outside her door and he inched it open a bit until he saw her and he came in, "I would like to thank you for the gift, it's very nice" he used his overly noble voice trying to sound proper. He held up a gold chain that dangled off his neck, on it was a small dagger, maybe three inches long, hilt and blade. The hilt was glass and it had flecks of turquoise in it as it hung from the chain.

"Don't be showing that off to much. You'll need it." She told him sounding slightly embarrassed.

"Why is that?" He wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her softly.

She tapped it and turquoise flared inside the glass, "It holds some of my essence."

Alan's eyes widened, "Why? I thought you kept all your essence hidden."

"I do, but I can't keep all of it inside my body," she pulled a small locket out from under her night shirt, it was plain and hung on a simple cotton cord, "this is where I try to keep all of the essence that I can't keep inside. It's spelled so no one will ever notice it. The extra you now have--just in case."

"Tory if someone else get's a hold of this they could use it against you."

"It's something I'm willing to risk. If the --unfortunate-- happens to me, that's pure essence it will never fade. You will never have to worry about the connection we have so long as you have that."she tapped the dagger again.

"But I want that connection Tory." Alan looked into her eyes searching for something, but he wasn't sure what.

She looked away, "I know Alan. So do I, but once you have found a connection like that and you lose it, you will have a void in your life that nothing will be able to fill and I can't let you ever go through that." She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest holding back tears.

Just then there was another rap on the door and in came Leena, Kary, Aly, and the dressmaker Lalassa. Tory pushed herself out of Alan's grip regaining her composure. "I thought you were going to stop this."

"I knew we shouldn't have barged in this morning, I just knew." Leena claimed, ignoring Tory.

"Alan, it's usually best that you don't visit my friends until they are dressed." Aly gave her rogue like grin that she got from their father.

"I'm leaving now." Alan said watching the dress box under lalassa's arm

"Have fun Tory." he slipped out the door and the women heard his chuckles down the hall.

"Now we have less than twelve hours to make it seem like you have just returned from the... convent." Aly said and Leena and kary shuddered at the last word.


Many hours later Tory stood atop a great staircase leading down to the grand ballroom. She had managed to fight off the corset and and lip rogue but she also slipped a few extra long daggers onto her person after the others left to get ready themselves. She now wore the dark brown gown with the forest green embroidery on it but in addition she put on the necklace she received that morning.

"Well this is a shock." Alan had come up beside her. He was wearing a forest green tunic and full breeches over a brown shirt. The clothing was simple but he made it elegant and the colors really emphasized his eyes.

"What's that?" Tory asked him.

"Well other than the fact the others are here without a single mark from a dagger, considering how reluctant to dresses you are and that some how the gowns beauty is completely undermined by your natural one." he smiled at her again

she blushed "Oh, cut it out Alan."

He couldn't answer, the heralds were summoning them, they were to follow Alanna and George down the stairs. Tory's heartbeat raced as they began to descend and heard the heralds proclaim, "Sir Alan Cooper of Pirate's Swoop and Lady Torrianne Lumbershot of Larstspur." all eyes followed them. She could see some were curious, others seemed unconcerned.

It wasn't as bad as she thought it would be, her and Alan reached the bottom and sank into the crowd watching the others descend and listening to the heralds announcements.

"Seargent Domitan of Masbolle and his betrothed, lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan."

"Sir Lachran of Mindelan and Corporal Emeleena Listfulae of the Ninth Queen's Riders group."

"Lord Thom Cooper, heir of Olau, and Captain Karyline Crosse of the Ninth Queen's Riders Group"

All the heads of Tory, Alan, Lachran, and Leena jerked up as Kary began her descent down the stairs on the arm of the mage. Kary looked at them and blushed just before they reached the bottom and came to stand next to their group of friends. Alan raised his brows at his brother who answered with a crooked grin that he rarely used. Leena and Tory turned their attention to Kary who mumbled something along the lines of, "I told you he would be a threat to Tory." Kary was saved from further embarrassed as the music began to play and the young womens' escort pulled them out to dance.

"Who would have guessed it?" Alan told Tory as they danced and watched his brother with their friend.

"I wouldn't have." was Tory's reply.

The night passed quickly before King Jonathan stood to announce the that everyone was welcome to leave at any time. Tory was there in the crowd when she heard a click that her ears have always been trained to listen for. Her head jerked up scanning the second floor, and that's when she saw it, the glimpse of a crossbow being aimed at the king.

A/N: Now the more reviews I get thae faster I can update. :D