Life returned to normal fairly quickly. Nothing was stopped, simply delayed for a day while Xlelon recovered fully. Soon she had a firm grasp of the language, so much so that when a rare knight from the scanran courts came to see Tortall, she was able to have a civil conversation with him in Scanran with minimal mistakes. The negotiations were smooth by mail so far, and the trip was set for midsummer. Privatley, Xlelon was terrified, but hid her terror when with people. Only Neal and the animals knew her fright. She had almost forgotten that he was about to take his ordeal until in late august, he informed her that he would be coming in a month. She wracked her brains for the reason until she remebered. When she did, she nearly slapped herself. How could she have forgotten? She sighed, there wasn't exactly an excuse. She made up for it as best she could by sending him back a letter that was nearly three pages long. When she re-read it, she winced at how sappy she could be. But, deciding he could use it, she sent it, after all, he could use a good long letter.

~^~

It was september when the wind began to really blow. Some of the servants whispered bad omens and such, but Xlelon was just happy for the coolness. Her window was always open, and today was no exception. She had rooted up a recent history of Carthak, enjoying reading of Daines adventures from a different point of view, though some of them were a bit…twisted. She was snickering at the authors rendition of a ten foot tall Daine destroying the palace when a servant knocked at the door. She got up, opened it, and was surprised to find an unfamilier face. It wasn't one of the king's helpers, nor anyone's that she knew. He bowed.

"Mi'Lady, His Grace Gary ask you to join him for Lunch."

Xlelon shrugged, that explained why she didn't know him. He was blond haired and blue eyed, and tan, a strange combination. There was something about him she didn't like, but she shrugged it off, this was the palace, and it wasn't a small charm or anything. She frowned at the memory, then set a smile on her face and followed him down the hall. They wound their way around until she was thourghly lost. Suddenly he stopped at a very small door.

"Excuse me but wh-"

She never finished her sentence, he had turned around and stuck his hand down her throat. No, that was a cloth, and it was wet. Why is it wet, she wondered blearily, don't kidnappers just knock you out? You dummy, she thought at herself, he is knocking you out! With that last thought, she sunk to the floor.

~^~ (I'm going to be nice.)

Nafina, a cook to the crown, was heading back to her room after spilling a bowl of soup all over herself. She was used to the heat when it hit her, but had flat refused to work in soggy cloths. The head cook had sent her to her rooms angrily, telling her that if she wasn't so clumsy, she wouldn't waste time changing. The girl was angry at herself, and at the page that had tripped her. Her anger dissolved however, when she heard a grunt and a thump. Some one was having troubles dragging something. Not wanting to go back to the kitchens for a while, she decided to help. She stuck her head around the corner and her eyes widened. A man that she had never seen was dragging a girl across the floor and into a room. She didn't recognize him, and was quite frightened, men were not permitted in this place, it was the women's wing! Taking a deep breath, she screamed as loud as she possibly could. Heads poked out of a few doors, cleaners on their lunch break, and came to her aide. The man gasped and whirled, then spoke something unintelligible. Smoke poured from his hands, filling the corridor. He looked down, unsure, then turned and bolted out, barreling past Nafina. The smoke, though that mage that had began it had left, was expanding and choking them all. Against her better notions, Nafina blew aside the smoke, knowing that she had very little time, even with her gift, which made her slightly resistant to smoke. There she was, the girl that the man had been dragging, looking asleep. Nafina hefted her over her shoulder, and then high tailed it out.

~^~

The pages were mighty surprised when about twenty servants burst in on their training. Wydlon, who was overseeing them, looked calmly at them, panting and coughing.

"What is the meaning of this?"

All of the servants looked at Nafina, after, she was the one that had started this mess. The cook took a deep breath, slowly put down her burden and said,

"Pardon us sir, but this lady was bein drug by some man who had no place in the female's wing, an when I told him to let go uh her, he shouted somthin and the halls filled up with smoke! This was just the first place that we could go!"

The rest of the servants nodded, testifying to her story. Wydlon pointed at the girl's burden.

"Who is that?"

Nafina rolled her on her back and looked up and the man who had suddenly turned quite grim. He turned to one of the pages.

"Get someone, Baird, Numair, the king, anyone, but hurry."

The page ran off as the training master knelt beside his one time charge. Xlelon was gray, but breathing, with a slow and steady pulse. Next he pulled her eyelid open, she did not seem to have an iris.

"Drugged." He muttered, "looks like dreamrose." He had studied poisons and drugs so that he could detect them in his enemies and soldiers. He straightened when Numair came in and looked at the cook.

"Go to the infirmery and have those there check you for lung problems. Thankyou for bringing her. What is your name?"

"Nafina sir, the cooks apprentice."

He nodded.

"Yes, I thought I recognized you."

She bowed and scurried away, following her friends. Wydlon stood beside Numair, who was seated on his ankles.

"Well?"

The mage sighed.

"She's been drugged with dreamrose, I believe it is nothing more. What happened?"

"Apparently someone was dragging her off when the servant screamed. He filled the place with smoke and ran for it."

Numair frowned.

"I don't understand, why is everything going after her? There was midsummer, and now this! Who has it in for this girl? She hasn't been here long enough to make enimies like this!"

Wydlon nodded, Xlelon was not known for her enimies. Kneeling, he picked he up easily and began to walk to Duke Baird's.

~^~

HAHAHAHA!!! BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHA!!!

Ok, calm now. I did warn you that this would be a bit more dangourous and angsty than the last one, but don't worry, the other genre will show itself soon! Keita, you are officially my favorite reviewer, having given this fic a new name…The ultimate Mary-Sue Revenge. (I think that's it.)