Twisted Tortallian Tale

by crosseyedbutterfly

Me and some pals get sucked into Tortal, but why?? *Chapters 1-11 reloaded with errors fixed. Others will be shortly!*

27.

Yo, my dogs, what up, yo? Yeah, I've been spending way to much time with my church's guys basket ball team. x_x They did that the whole way back from Sports Weekend...that and something they called 'Roll Call'. Interesting to say the least...-_-

Anyways, I'm losing my car this week because they're taking it in to be fixed after it's accident. *sniff* Poor baby, I hope it's alright, and there's not visiting hours either... ..*sob*Then again....not that getting rides from others is always a bad thing ^_~ but I like driving my car!

Thanks to those who reviewed as always, much appreciated. Now, on with the show:

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Amanda stood in her room carefully tightening the laces of the corset she had borrowed from Alanna, giving herself the appearance of having wider shoulders, no boobs, and narrow waist like most guys have. A hat that slouched to one side like most commoners or merchants held her hair from view; and a small, fake moustache completed it transforming her entirely into a young male.

"You know, I wouldn't have to do this if every time we went to town merchants and nobles called me a whore for wearing pants," commented Amanda, her voice several shades deeper than normal. She took a staff from the wall, Elizabeth standing there waiting for her patiently in a simple, merchant girl dress for the day. They were planning on visiting a few local taverns and pubs that day, Amanda for the door and Liz for the wine.

"Come on," she said, leading the older girl, who was now acting as he brother, out the door. "Let's go." There was about a foot of snow on the ground and a biting wind blowing through, forcing them to wear heavy cloaks with hoods to protect themselves or freeze. They took a huge gelding from the stables that was used by any who needed it to ride on, easily sharing the mount for their trip to town.

They easily slipped through the back passages of the palace to one of the side gates, leaving from there and heading out to the lower districts of Corus. They had walked for sometime when Amanda spotted something that rang a bell, bringing her closer to an inn they had just passed.

"The Dancing Dove..." she murmured to herself. "Oh, so that's where the Rogue is..."

"What are you talking about?" asked Elizabeth, smiling prettily at a young man who was passing by.

"Let's go in there," said Amanda, leading the horse towards the door and knowing she had all their valuables on her either in her boots or up her sleeves. "Just for a quick drink to warm ourselves with."

Elizabeth flexed her numbed hands. "Alright."

They tethered the horse in the back courtyard and went in, finding seats at the bar and generally ignoring everyone else as the bartender came over and stood before them while wiping a glass with a rag. "Greetings, strangers," he said lightly. "What would you be wanting, good sir, for you and milady?"

"A hot, spiced wine and a hot chocolate," said Amanda in her low voice, keeping her eyes on the counter as she waited patiently to be served.

"Of course, sir."

The drinks were given to them and paid for, Amanda being given the wine and Elizabeth the chocolate. They switched when no one was looking as the glasses looked the same, slowly sipping the hot drinks and enjoying the warmth of the room as they were about to head back out into the cold.

"Hello there, miss," said a young man in his 30's, a tooth missing from his smile and his greasy, blonde hair reflecting the light more than it should've. "You'll be wanting some company later this evening it will be so cold, I think."

"That's alright," said Elizabeth, turning her back on him rather pointedly. "You're not my type."

"Oh, come on, baby, give me a chance," said the man once more, putting his hands on her shoulders possessively. "I promise you'll have a nice time..." 

Elizabeth pushed him back roughly. "No."

"Playing hard to get, are you, sugar?" The two sisters exchanged looks and Elizabeth ducked, Amanda's fist sailing over her head into the man's face hard enough to send him reeling back a few steps.

"She said no," growled Amanda, wiping the blood from her hands and heading for the door. "Keep your hands off of her, or you'll have me to deal with instead." Elizabeth stood there uncertainly for a second, Amanda glancing over her shoulder at her. "Come on, sis, let's leave."

Elizabeth nodded. "Alright."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Vixen sat at her table from which she had watched the whole scene, knowing Tom would be coming by in a minute to complain her about it. "Queen," said the thief, giving her a pitiful look as he tried to stop the blood from draining through his nose. "You've got to do something about that! Hitting a thief like that, and in his own territory no less with others watching as well!"

"Alright, fine," she said, figuring she could use the practice as she hadn't had a good fight in close to a week. "Stay inside, you wimp, I'll take care of him for you."

"Yes, ma'am."

She walked outside as Joe stood at the door watching, knowing he would be in better shape if he stayed right where he was at the moment. The back courtyard was of stone and shoveled regularly so it would be safe to walk on, making it an ideal place for a fight in the middle of winter.

The stranger and his sister were readying their mount to leave, their backs to her as she silently came up behind the taller one and grabbed his cloak, jerking him around to look her in the face. "What?"  he asked in a low voice, eyeing her warily.

"You hurt a friend of mine that's under my care," she said roughly. "Now I have to hurt you."

"He was coming onto my sister after she said no," replied the young man, turning back around. "Fighting you over some other moron's actions who you claim is under your care is not worth my time."

"Argh!!" Vixen was surprised with how fast the young man whirled back around and blocked her punch with his hand. Unthinkingly, she also noticed his hands were fairly small for a guy and his moves were unusually defensive more than offensive.

She grabbed a spear from a near by thief and attacked him with that, his ability obviously far more advanced that hers, but their strength and speed evenly matched for the most part. Vixen's weapon went flying as the young man executed a move she had never seen before, her hands instinctively latching onto his weapon and a struggle following for who could regain control of it first.

[Wait a second...] thought Vixen as she went through the motions, knowing the moves from somewhere before. [That...no....that can't be...]

**flashback**

Amanda had the flag that she wanted, twirling it better than most thought she could and proving she could do guard work she just didn't like the spandex and all they had to wear.

"Give it to me," said Brenna, holding her out her hands as she did. "Come on, let me have a turn!"

"No," said Amanda, backing up some. "Just a minute, I have to leave and catch the bus soon."

"My mom will be here in a few minutes," argued Brenna, grabbing hold of the flag. Their hands were equally spaced along the pole. "Don't make me force it from you, I really don't want to hurt you."

"I'd like to see you try," replied Amanda, giving her sly look. Brenna had taken it as a challenge and immediately set about doing her best to get the pole from the weaker-looking girl. Too bad her looks didn't match her strength. Brenna could not get the pole from her no matter what she did, Amanda just flowed with her movements and used the bigger girl's strength to her advantage.

The older girl smirked as she ran to catch the bus several minutes later. "Told you so."

"Son of a meecrob..."

**end flashback**

Vixen saw her opportunity and tripped the young man, sending him toppling towards the ground. From there, every kind of went into slow motion. His hat came loose and a long stream of brown hair came from it, pooling around the person's head haphazardly. She recognized that person, those eyes, that hair...

At the same time while he had been falling, the young man had pulling the pole with him, bringing his feet up and Vixen falling towards them because she still had a grip on the pole as well. She saw his...or was it her?....face once more before she saw the sky and realized she was being flipped forward onto her back. "Amanda?!" Letting go of the pole in shock as she realized who it was, she landed, slid a few feet, and came to a stop; the person flipping with her and landing on their feet with a dagger they had pulled from somewhere at her throat.

The person paused, recognition forming in her face. "...Brenna?"

"Don't move." Amanda found a rapier at her neck, it's silver blade tickling her neck as she continued to hold her dagger to Brenna's.

"I'd advise against that," said the younger girl with a crossbow locked and loaded, ready to be shot with it's target being Joe's heart.

"Back off, Joe," said Vixen quickly, realizing someone could really get hurt here. "She's a friend."

"She?"

Elizabeth gave both of them an odd look. "What?"

"Let it go, Elizabeth," said Amanda lightly, putting the dagger away as she stood up slowly. She helped Vixen to her feet heartily. "I'm surprised you didn't recognize her already." Vixen smiled and gave Amanda huge hug, squeezing the air out of her slightly.

"What in the world's going on?!" demanded Joe, completely lost once more.

"She's one of us, as in me, Mouse, and Allie," said Vixen, dusting herself off as Amanda removed her moustache and hat completely.

"Then it's just you three?" asked Amanda quickly.

"No, we've also met up with Jennifer, Hewett, and Sarah," explained Vixen, giving her an odd look. "I assume you've caught up with some others, then?"

"I'm so completely lost," said Elizabeth in despair, unloading her crossbow and leaning on the horse some. 

"Yeah," replied Amanda. "It's us, Kyle, Alyse, Libby, Artman, and a friend of mine from Indiana named Lyssa."

"Cool," said Vixen. There was a shout from inside the Dancing Dove and the sound of glass breaking. Vixen shook her head angrily. "Son of a-! I leave for a second and it goes to pieces. Look, come by later and we'll talk more, ok?"

"You sure you don't want me sticking around?"

"You're already not exactly well liked at this point and another fight has started over something. I wouldn't advise it at this point."

"Alright, bye."

"Later, Brenna!"

Vixen waved as the two slipped from the courtyard, taking their mount with them as quickly as possible. "Bye."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Sarah and John sat together with Sarge, Penny, Onua, Daine and Numair at a large table in the mess hall of the Rider's building. The talk over dinner had mainly revolved around horses, Jon insulted Numair, and the others keeping them from fighting at the same time.

"I still don't get it," complained Numair, adjusting his tunic carefully to keep it from wrinkling. "I mean, I don't have wild magic at all and horses still like me for some reason."

"Maybe it's because you look like them," commented Jon lightly, getting some snickers from the others at the table.

"He does not look like them," said Daine, her eyes full of mirth. "Careful, Jon, they might take offense to that if they hear you saying that."

"She's right," chimed in Numair before he realized what she had said. "Hey.... wait a minute..."

"It's ok, Numair," said Jon quite simply. "We know that even though you don't look like a horse you still don't have the brains of one."

"Why you little-!!"

"Boys!" interrupted Onua, shooting them both glares at the same time. "Behave. Right now."

"Yes, mother," replied Jon, giving her a fake-sweet smile.

"Get that look off your face, boy," said Sarge. "It makes you look too innocent for your own good."

"What? You're saying I'm not?" demanded Jon, trying to act all hurt by it.

"Exactly," said Sarge, looking him straight in the eyes. "Want to make something of it?"

"Uh...not really....I was just checking..."

"That's what I thought."

"We're getting a new herd of horses sometime soon," piped in Penny brightly. "From down South, that is. Onua's not sure they'll be able to take the cold, but the King seems to think they'll do alright."

"The King thinks a lot of things," added Daine quietly. "But not all of them are always right."

"You do have a point there," said Onua, nodding her head slowly. "Despite his *many* faults, he is still a good king. At least better than those who rule around our boarders."

"That is very true," said Sarah with shrug. "Still....there's always the chance he'll just take over all together and kill all the council members so he can have all the power to himself."

"And risk having the Lioness come and chop off his head?" snorted Sarge roughly. "I think not. Even now she's in better shape then he is, even after having a couple kids and not being as active as she used to be."

"I swear, the women run this country more than the men do," complained Jon without thinking. Seeing half the people at the table glare at him, he added quickly, "Not that that's necessarily a bad thing."

"I fail to see where it would be a bad thing at all," said Sarah gravely, adding her glare to everyone else's.

*gulp* "Uh...um, it isn't at all. That's what I meant! It isn't at all..."

"That's what I thought..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Alyse and the rest of the Yamanis ladies met early that morning as they always did for a morning practice. Amanda and Elizabeth were down in Corus for today and probably wouldn't be back until later that evening so she had the day free for whatever she wanted to do.

"How much have you been keeping up with you practice?" asked Yuki as she sidled up beside the taller girl quietly.

"Some," admitted Alyse, mask in place. "I do what I can; mostly with my fans, though. They seem to feel more natural in my hands."

"I know what you mean," replied Yuki with a slight shrug. "Come on, let's get started. I promise not to flip you too hard for not keeping up."

"You think you'll be able to do that?" asked Alyse, a smile in her eyes.

"Of course," scoffed Yuki. "A halfsie like you, not even a full one of us who doesn't live like we do, how could you keep up?" By her tone Alyse knew she was teasing and was going to make sure just for that that Yuki would go down instead of her.

They stood across from each other, bowing respectfully before taking their positions and waiting for the other to make the first move. Yuki did in the end, bringing her glaive in an upward sweep towards Alyse's torso. Alyse blocked it and brought her weapon around at Yuki's head from the side. The Yamanis lady ducked and lunged out low at her friend, nearing spearing her on the blade of her weapon. Alyse had dodged to the side blocked it from there, drawing back some before charging forward and bringing the glaive in an upward sweep for Yuki's middle. It was blocked and forced back, Alyse seeing her opening and slipping the end of the weapon behind Yuki's legs before knocking her off balance with a side sweep from there.

The lady went down, letting go of her weapon and slapping the ground as she rolled as they had been taught to absorb her fall in her arms.

"Not bad," she admitted as Alyse helped her to her feet and retrieved the weapon for her. "You are better than you let on, friend."

"I do my best," replied Alyse modestly.

"It appears you have gotten somewhat better," said Lady Haname, coming and standing by them with her weapon in hand. "Would you care for a match right now, Lady Alyse?"

*gulp* Alyse could see her life flashing before her eyes before she even agreed to it. "Uh....sure..." She was going to hurt in the morning from this one, she could tell right now.

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Jennifer plodded continuing down the road, riding contentedly in her little cart wit the cats that lay behind her in the back on the sacks and boxes that held her few modest belongings. Jewel had been great the whole time, never stopping since Jennifer gave her plenty of rest stops at streams and such.

Jennifer was checking the map once more when Jewel stumbled in the road just a little ways outside a large city she had planned on going through for lunch and heading somewhere else for the night.

"What's wrong?" asked Jenny, noticing the cart had stopped. She hopped out and checked out the mare, finding no broken bones or cuts or burs that might stop her from doing something. Walking around the beast once more, she tripped over something in the dirt, finding what is was that was the problem, her horse had lost a shoe.

"Well, I guess that means we'll be stopping here for awhile," sighed Jennifer, shrugging as she got back into the cart and urged Jewel on, promising she'd get it fixed as soon as she could find her a proper smithy to fix it for her.

"Excuse me, sir," she asked to the first person that she saw on her way into town. "Can you tell me where I'd find a black smith that does horse shoes?"

"Right down there," he replied smartly, nodding politely before heading off on his own business once more.

She followed the busy street he had pointed down, maneuvering her way through the crowds for awhile before she found the large workshop on a corner with a few other carts parked around it already. Hooking up the cart with the cats as guards for her, she brought Jewel with her to the front of the place and waited patiently for someone to notice her for awhile.

"Something for you?" asked a large man roughly after he had finished his transactions with someone else first.

"Do you do horseshoes?" she asked.

"Yep," he replied slowly. "That fine beast lose 'un?"

"Yeah, she needs it to replaced before we can keep going," explained Jennifer quickly. "Do you think you could take a look at it?"

"Do you have the original shoe?" asked the man simply. Jennifer handed it to him and waited patiently as he looked it over, going to a bin in the corner and digging around for awhile. "Ah, here it is. Standard 24 gauge is what you've got here. Will that do until you can get a custom set?"

"Sure," replied Jennifer with a shrug. "It's the set she came with when she was given to me, so I don't really know."

"This will do," he said, pairing it to Jewel's foot as he did. "See how it fits right there? Give me a few moments and she'll be right as rain."

"Thank you, sir."

"No problem, ma'am, as long as you have something to pay with."

"I do."

Jennifer watched at the man trimmed Jewel's hoof a bit, hammering the nails home that held the shoe in place. He checked it a few times, making sure it wasn't loose and wouldn't fall out again before returning her to Jennifer, holding his hand out expectantly. "She's good," he said, eyeing her warily. "A few silver crescents'll cover it, ma'am."

"Here's two, it's all I can afford unless I don't want to eat for a week," she said, handing him the coins.

"That's fine," he replied. "You seem like a nice lass anyways. Now get on out of here so I can wait on those after you."

"Alright, thanks."

"Thank you."

She had been delayed slightly once more, but she really didn't mind. She had to take care of her animals, after all, and didn't mind doing things for them when they needed it at all.

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Lyssa drilled silently by herself on the indoor practice courts, first with her hands and fist and then with her sword. Spinning and swinging in time with herself, eyes closed and in her own world entirely, she didn't notice anyone come up behind her until her sword went flying from her grip and she found herself staring into a pair of familiar violet eyes that she hadn't seen in awhile.

"Hello," she said, standing there for a moment rubbing the sting out of her hands before going over and getting her weapon back. "You certainly like to get people's attention in interesting ways, don't you?"

"You didn't hear me," explained Alanna calmly, he eyes twinkling with laughter. "It was the only thing I could think of, past throwing you over my shoulder that is."

"Alright, it works," said Lyssa, never one to argue with someone who she knew was stronger than her.  "So, long time no see, how've you been?"

"Alright," replied the Lioness, starting through her warm-up routines beside her without even really thinking about it. "With this war brewing up north things have been rather crazy as of late, but you know how it if yourself."

"Yes, I do," admitted Lyssa with a shrug. "Any news from Rispah or Coram as of late? I haven't heard from them since I left, I think."

"They've been busy trying to fill you post and make some improvements at the fief," explained Alanna evenly. "Most of their force as been removed to the north, so they're struggling with the few they were allowed to keep."

"Which is understandable." Lyssa paused in her routine momentarily.

Alanna snorted. "Of course, with a fourth of what you're used to having you're going to be stretched fairly thin somewhere along the line."

"Yeah."

"Speaking of old friends," added Alanna thoughtfully. "How is that friend of yours, Lady Dani, doing?"

"She's fine," replied Lyssa with a grin. "Her new baby's absolutely adorable, I stopped by on the way down and checked in on her. She's become the perfect lady, but still the same friend I had before she got married and all."

"It happens to some of the best of them," admitted Alanna with a smile. "Unfortunately, not all ladies can be fighters and commanders, some do have to stay home and take care of their young because that is what they're best at doing."

"Yeah," agreed Lyssa. "I see what you mean." She finished her warm-up and paused, seeing a flash in her companion's purple eyes.

"On guard," said Alanna, falling into an offensive position as she did. Lyssa was about to fence with one of the best fighters of all times. This was going to be interesting....

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Kyle went from shop to shop, diligently trying to find something that would suit his fancy to give to Lady Elizabeth as a gift. He already had a ring ready for sometime soon, now all he needed was some gift to go with it. Sir Nick, who had been a friend of the sisters for some time now came with him, giving him suggestions as they went.

"Why not this crystal rose?" he suggested, holding it up to show him as he did. "I mean, come on, all girls like roses."

Kyle raised an eyebrow. "Even Lady Amanda?"

"You know what, she doesn't count," said Nick, rolling his eyes as he did. "We're talking about Elizabeth here, the younger sister who acts like a Lady most of the time, remember?"

"I know," he said, "But you said all girls like roses."

"Stop being so argumentative," growled Nick, swatting at him as he did. "You're too much like those two for your own good."

Kyle smiled. "I guess so."

"Great...hey, what about this?"

"A cape?"

"A very nicely made, velvet cape with tassels! Both beautiful, comfortable, and usable."

"You sound like a sales man."

"In a way I am, just to get us back to the palace quicker."

"No, she's already got one."

"Ok....um...jewelry?"

"She has tons."

"Chocolate."

"That's her sister, not her."

"Oh, then....uh....um, a new dress."

"She gets one at least once a week."

"Fine kid slippers."

"Has 'em."

"A pet."

"Doesn't want one."

"Uh....then get her a-"

"Perfect!!"

Kyle held the leather choker with silver metal inlays up to the light, knowing Elizabeth would love it.

"Are you sure?" asked Nick, taking it from his hands and examining it as well. "I mean, she's not some witch or anything..."

"She'll like it," Kyle assured her, haggling over the price some before he bought it and took it back from stall owner and putting it in his pouch. "Trust me on this one, I've known her longer than one might think."

"Then you knew her before you became nobles?" asked Sir Nick lightly, trading teasing glances with some young maids across the streets.

"Hm...in a way..."

"I still think you're crazy," said Nick with a shrug. "But lets get in before it gets much colder, aye?"

"Alright."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Libby and Artman arrived at the specified room at the Rider's place ahead of time, getting themselves settled in their seats as Libby let her bunnies roam around the room some. Onua came in a few moments later, greeting them warmly before taking her seat nearby and saying her assistants would be here in a second to see them as well.

"Finally," muttered Artman, rolling his eyes as he did. Libby shot him a glare and he shrunk back in his seat, dropping his attitude and trying to escape futilely from her sight.

"Hey, Onua," said a familiar voice, obviously a girls as someone entered through the door behind them.

"Hey," she replied, standing up and motioning for the mages to do the same. "Guy, I would like to you meet-"

"Libby!!"

Libby found herself unable to breath as two arms encircled her, hugging her tighter than she ever thought was possible. Then again, she thought that ever time Sarah had hugged her before.

"Hey, Sarah," wheezed Libby as the guys exchanged nods real quick. "Um...can you put me down now? I can't really breath..."

"Oh!!" Sarah put Libby down, nodding at Artman since she knew he wouldn't accept her hug and probably smelled funny anyways too. "How did you guys find us??"

"More likely, what are you here and why are you dressed in robes?" added Jon, scratching his head as he did.

"We're mages." explained Artman proudly.

"Magic people," translated Libby as Jon tilted his head to the side like a puppy who was confused.

"Oh...so mages wear robes?"

"Only if they're from the desert."

"What the hell were you doing in the desert?!"

"That's what I'd like to know," admitted with a shrug. "Oh, well, what've you two been up to?"

"Taking care of horses at a ranch and now preparing to go north and keep a herd of horses there for the war effort," replied Sarah quickly. "And once more, how did you trace us here?"

"Um, Veety," replied Artman with a shrug.

"You mean like Veety as in drum major Veety?" asked Jon quickly. "What's he doing here?"

"No, the horse Veety, stupid," replied Libby, rolling her eyes as she did. "The one you gave to Dom, remember?"

"Oh yeah," laughed Jon. "Is that waste of flesh still kicking?"

"The horse or the human?"

"Both."

"Jon!!"

"Just kidding, just kidding..."

"Grr...you'd better be! Dom's my friend and Veety's my horse!" Libby's bunny Pinky jumped out of her hiding place to Jon's foot, peeing excessively on it before hopping over to the shelter of Libby.

"Hey! Why that little-"

Libby took out her mallet and held it above her head threateningly. "Touch her and die, Jon."

"Eep...!" 0.o;;

"That's what I thought."

"Do you know of any others who are here?" asked Sarah, putting herself between the two quickly. "We've met up with Brenna, Mouse, and Allie, Jennifer and all her cats, and I think that's it..."

"Yeah, it is," affirmed Jon from over her shoulder.

"We've got Amanda and Liz, Alyse, Lyssa, us, and Kyle...yeah, that's it too," replied Libby. She pulled out a piece of paper and began to write some things down. "How many groups did she say we were going to meet up with??"

"11, not counting ourselves, I think," replied Artman as he rummaged through his pouch for a moment. "Yep, just like it says in the note she gave us before we left."

"Who?" asked Sarah curiously.

"Trystan," replied Libby honestly, writing down the names of everyone in the group. Let's see: Amanda, Elizabeth, Sarah, Jon, Brenna, Mouse, Allie, Alyse, Jenny, Lyssa, me (Libby), Artman, and Kyle. That's....13 in all. 11 not counting us two." She sat back for a moment, chewing on a nail as she did. "You do realize what this means, Artman, right?"

"What?" he asked, a lost look on his face.

"We've found everyone," replied Libby slowly, putting the paper away as she did. "There's no one left, the search is over, because everyone is found..."

"Everyone what?" asked Onua from the corner where she had been listening carefully from the beginning. "I know they're from another world, they've told me already and everything, but what's this about everyone being 'found'?"

"You know that it was a cursed book that brought them here, right?" explained Libby slowly. Onua nodded her head. "Alright, Trystan, who is the controller of the book, charged us with the task of finding all eleven from our world who were brought here as well. She said when it happened and we were all gathered in one place she would return to explain what was to happen next once more."

"Does anyone else know of this?" asked Onua quickly. "I know Daine and Numair know of these two, but what about on your end of things?"

"The King knows about Amanda and Elizabeth and Alyse since they're nobles," said Libby, ticking things off in her mind as she went. "So does Kel, Raoul, and Buri but I think they think she was crazy at the time."

"Wait, Amanda's a noble?" asked Jon, faking horror as he did. "Oh no, the world's coming to an end."

"Shove it, horse boy," said Libby, glaring at him as she did. "Alright, that's it I think. We didn't tell anyone past Trystan since she brought us here for crying out loud, Lyssa didn't tell anyone, and neither did Kyle except for Amanda who he had known for a long while but didn't know was from the same world. Yeah, that's it, really."

"There's still a lot to catch up on," said Sarah, hearing the fifth bell as it went. "How about you coming to dinner with us and we'll talk more there? Is there anyway you could get a hold of the others while you're at it?"

"Here, Pinky and Rose," said Libby, setting the two bunnies by the door as she did. "Go find Alyse and Amanda, alright? I dunno if you know Lyssa well enough to find her, but if you can bring her as well."

"What about Kyle?" asked Sarah, frowning as she did.

"They've never met him," explained Libby watching them hop off in the distance. "So, what was that about dinner?"

Jon's stomach growled as if on cue.

"This way," said Onua, showing them which way to go down the hall to get to the mess hall. "Late, you guys."

"Alright, Onua, later. And thanks!"

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Amanda and Elizabeth found one very excited bunny outside their door when they returned. "What's Pinky doing now?" asked Elizabeth as the animal caught her dress hem in her mouth and tried to pull her down the hall.

"I think she wants us to follow her," said Amanda, seeing her let go and nod her little head furiously. "Alright, missy, just let us put these things down that we got in town and we'll come with you, alright?"

*nod**nod*

"Alright." Amanda unlocked the door and went inside, leaving Elizabeth and hers packages on the table before taking off the corset real quick and changing back into some of her usual tunics and such. "Ok, Pinky, where are we going here?"

The bunny hopped quickly down the hall, the sisters walking quickly after it an wondering what the fuss was all about that Libby would send a bunny out to get them! It had to be something big, they just didn't know what. Besides, they had dropped back by the Dancing Dove a few hours later and caught up with the three of them, trading news and learning some more about the others backgrounds and what had happened and all and she had to tell Libby about it as soon as she saw her next. Which would probably be in the next few minutes anyways, because it was Libby's bunny that had come and gotten them after all...

**15 minutes later**

Amanda and Elizabeth warily entered the Rider's place, knowing they were generally strangers there and not sure what was waiting for them around the next turn. One could never really tell with Libby and her bunnies...

"Hey, guys!" cried Libby from her table along the edge of the hall, beckoning for them to come quickly.

"We're coming," called back Amanda, noticing the other three sitting at the table besides her and Artman. One was obviously Onua, she had seen her around the palace grounds before at various periods of time. The other two, though, she couldn't place; even though they looked vaguely familiar at the time...

"I told you they would come!" Libby pointed out to someone at the table.

"What do you know," said the only male who was sitting at the table. "Even if they are nobles they haven't become entirely lazy and lethargic."

"No, Jon, that's you no matter what you are," replied Amanda curtly, recognizing the voice immediately with a small grin. "Hey Jon, Sarah."

"Hey!!" replied Sarah, getting up immediately and giving her a rib crushing hug as well. "Oh, do you know how good it is to see you guys?!"

"As good as it is to see you," replied Liz, wheezing slightly as Sarah hugged her breath away. "Hey...can you put me down now??"

"Oops, sorry!!"

"S'ok."

"So, these are the two who named Veety," commented Amanda after exchanging greetings with Onua and taking a seat across from them all. "Hm, figures, I guess."

"How so?" asked Onua, a sparkle in her eyes.

"He's as lazy as can be," said Amanda, pointing at Jon with the roll she had just taken a bite from. "And she loves those four legged beasts. If anything, they would be the two most likely of us all to become horse people."

"What, are you saying that I don't work for my keep?" demanded Jon, trying to act angry and failing for the most part.

"What, like you're denying it?" replied Amanda, staring him in the eyes.

"Uh...no...but still...!!"

"Stop while you're still somewhat 'ahead', Hewett," said Liz, patting him on the head. "Trust me, she'll only beat you all the more if you don't."

"Speaking from experience, are we?"

"I live with her, for goddess' sake!!"

"True...true..."

"Hey, enough of that," said Amanda sharply, eyeing them both with her 'look', the one that you knew you were in trouble. "I may be recovering from several wounds, but that doesn't mean I couldn't beat both of you to the ground in a minute."

"Behave, you three," said Libby, sitting beside Amanda with another tray full of food. "I thought you would want to see them again, Amanda."

"I did," the noble admitted lightly. "So I could say hi to Sarah and argue some more with Jon. I swear, no one around here knows how to have a good argument without taking it personally."

Libby shook her head as Amanda, Jon, and Elizabeth got into another spat as to whether that was true or not. "Right..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Vixen waited patiently in front of the Dancing Dove, watching carefully as the crowds passed her by, looking for one face in particular among the multitudes that stuffed themselves on the roads.

"Jenny!!" The smaller girl turned and spotted the caller from her seat on the cart, easily steering her way over to them and hitching it up for safety before she was enveloped in several hugs from those who had come out to greet her at Vixen's call.

"Hi, everyone!" she said happily as she was hugged and usually lifted off the ground time and time again. "It's so good to be back with you all!"

"Come on," said Vixen with a wink as Sean stood waiting for his hug by the doorway. "We'll take you things in while you and him put him that fine horse of yours and then we can talk, ok?"

"Alright, thanks guys!"

"No problem. Hello again, kitties. How have you been??" Jennifer laughed as Vixen continued to talk to her cats all the way down the hall until she was out of sight and hearing as well.

"Hey," said Sean, putting his arms around her warmly for the first time in a long time. "Missed you."

"I missed you too," replied Jennifer, returning the hug while kissing him on the cheek. "Come on, let's get Jewel put up and then we can go rejoin the others."

"Aw..." said Sean, giving her a sly look. "I was thinking we could slip off and spend some time together..."

"Not today," said Jennifer, giving him a teasing smile. "I have to go and catch up on what's been happening, you know. That, and what's going on with them finding someone to take my problem to the King."

"I know, I know," replied Sean, taking the mare's reigns and leading her to the barn. "Come on, before those friends of yours start getting any ideas in their heads."

"Would they be wrong?" asked Jennifer, giving him a mischievous grin.

"I don't know, would they?" replied Sean, raising his eyebrows as he did.

The cart and horse were quickly put away and soon the pair were sitting with Vixen, Allie, and Mouse in their room around the table and discussing what was to happen next.

"We found the rest of our 'group'," explained Vixen quickly. "Lib and Artman were given the task of finding the 11, not including themselves, who had been sent to this world. All of us have, obviously, taken up different aspects of Corus and Tortal in our new lives, and we've found that one of us can help you with this."

"Who?" asked Jennifer eagerly.

"Lady Amanda and Lady Elizabeth of Lynx Mountain," said Vixen with a smug grin. "Our friends from Providence as well as two fairly influential nobles in the palace."

"You mean Amanda, as in: Baritone, marching fanatic, feminist Amanda who wouldn't wear a dress unless her life depended on it?" replied Jennifer, sounding fairly surprised. "Whoa...how has she survived this long?"

"By doing things her own way, I guess," replied Vixen. "But that's not the point, Amanda's arranging some things for us so we can all meet up with those who are from our world at the same time and somehow get you cleared at the same time. I'm not exactly sure how that's going to happen quite yet, but she'll find a way to do it."

"I trust her," said Jennifer firmly.

"Now that that's over with," said Mouse lightly. "Why don't you tell us about some of these adventures you've been having with all those goats, sheep, and cats of yours."

"You mean like the time she fought a bear?" muttered Sean.

"What?! You fought a BEAR??!?!"

"Oh boy..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Alyse sat quietly in her room with Ronnie at her feet, reading a book from the library and generally enjoying herself when she heard a scratching at the door. Sighing softly, she put it down and opened it slowly, seeing Rose sitting there looking up at her beseechingly from her spot on the floor.

"What?" asked Alyse slightly irritably, glancing each way down the hall for Libby or some of her other bunnies. "Lose Libby, did you?"

Rose shook her head quickly, making some soft whimpering to Ronnie, who listened intently with his head cocked to the side. After awhile he nodded and grabbed onto Alyse's hem with his mouth, gently dragging her out into the hall.

"I take it we're going somewhere," said Alyse, getting her hem back and locking her door behind her before following the pair down the hallway. "Alright, then. Libby wants me for something, then, right?"

*nod**nod*

Alyse thought about it for a moment. "Is Amanda and Elizabeth already there?"

*shrug*

"I didn't know bunnies could shrug," she muttered to herself, smacking herself on the forehead. "Fine, just get us there as fast as you can, alright?"

*nod**nod* *ZOOM*

"...." -_-;; "How was I supposed to know she could go that fast?" argued Alyse as Ronnie gave her a dirty look out of the corner of his eyes as they struggled to keep up with Rose.

"Grr..."

"Hush, you pup."

**two minutes later**

One very out of breath Alyse and Ronnie stumbled into the Rider's mess hall, seeing Amanda and Elizabeth sitting with Libby, Artman, and three others she had never seen before. One looked fairly familiar and Alyse pegged her as a character she hadn't met yet from the series. The other two, though, she couldn't place at all even though she had this very odd feeling that she had seen them someplace before...

"Hey, Alyse," said Amanda, making room for her on the bench beside her across from the three strangers. "Alyse, this is Onua, the head of the horses for the Riders; and you should know these two beside her..."

"Did I ever almost run over you with a tuba?" asked the sole guy other than Artman (who really doesn't count...) as he looked at her carefully.

"Oh, I know who you are!" exclaimed Alyse, breaking into a smile as she did. "And yes, that was me you almost knocked out with your tuba. Thank you for that.... interesting experience."

"You're quite welcome," said Jon, smiling as he did. "Yep, that's the clarinet girl you were always talking to in the band locker room."

"Pretty much," replied Amanda with a shrug. "And you remember Sarah too, right?"

"Yeah," replied Alyse. "You play the bass drum in the marching band."

"The biggest one, too," added Sarah proudly. "All those other wimps playing snare or quads...they don't stand a chance against my bass drum!!"

"And you know what the sad thing is?" asked Elizabeth with her usual grin. "She's probably right too."

"That is very true..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Jon followed Sarah to the tailor's where they had been told to go for their new clothes, being given a fairly generous budget for it and this being the cheapest place of decent quality where they could get them.

"Here it is," she said, checking the address on the paper with the one on the door before she walked in, letting Jon trail behind her as always.

"Hello there, young'uns," said a middle aged woman behind the counter of the shop. "What can I be doing for you today?"

"We were sent by Onua to get some new clothes," said Sarah. "She said there'd  be a tab we could use up to a certain point for this time..."

"Oh yes, her stable personnel who are heading north for the war," said the woman, coming around the counter with a measuring cord in her hands. "My name is June and she gave me directions on what she wanted for you. Come now, up on the box with you so I can get you two measured and know what size it is that you'll wear."

Both of them obediently stood there while she quickly noted how many knots along the rope their arms, legs, chests, etc were. She then took them both to the back room and showed them an assortment of colors and types of fabrics, all mainly being of the heavier weaves since it would be for less than warm seasons up north.

After choosing which ones they liked best (Jon had gone mainly for blacks, grays, and greens while Sarah had purples, reds, and teals) they went and saw what styles of clothes Onua had ordered for them, choosing what colors and fabrics would go where as well as how many sets of each they might need.

The cloths were mainly things like riding pants, quilted jackets and vests, long underwear, thick socks, several long-sleeve shirts, and capes. There was a fine tunic here or there they might choose from, and a few dresses Sarah could have if she wished, but they mainly stuck with the basics and were soon completely outfitted for their stay up north.

"That should do it," said June, handing them a slip of paper with some writing on it. "Bring this back in a week and your order will be done, that or you get it for half off as I always do when things are late."

"Alright, thanks," said Sarah, leading Jon out the door four hours after they had arrived, her in a high spirits and him wanting nothing more than a nap right about then.

"Where to now?" asked Jon as they strolled down the streets, going in the general direction of the palace. "Back to our rooms?"

"Nope!" replied Sarah cheerfully. "First to the tanner for new boots and such, and then on to smithy for some new horse shoes, and don't let forget to go and have your hair cut...am I forgetting anything else? Oh yes..."

Jon rolled his eyes as Sarah went on and on, knowing he wouldn't be napping at all that day if she had anything to do about it. "Great..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Jennifer wound her way through the streets of Corus, her dark hair and boys clothes most likely to throw off any she might have known only in passing before her 'banishment' with Stephanie. She spotted the place she was looking for up in the distance and ducked inside, going her usual way through the back to the kitchen to her spot in the corner.

Roberto walked in with his tray, looking rather haggard and well-worn since he had never actually replaced her and now did all the work himself. Not even noticing her at first, he walked past her and got out a pot for noodles.

"Here," she said, taking it from him suddenly and making her way to the well. "Let me fill that for you."

"Huh? Who are- Jenny!!" Jennifer dropped the pan as she was lifted up off the ground once more into a humongous bear hug that knocked the wind from her and left her breathless for sometime to come.

"Hello, Roberto," she gasped, giving him a small smile as she got her breath back and picked the pan up once more, making sure it hadn't been damaged in the process.

"Your hair is short, and you've dyed it as well, and wearing boys clothes of all things....!! You've been cleared?" he asked quickly, putting his hands on her shoulders and looking her in the eyes. "You can come back once more??"

"No," she replied calmly. "My friends have found a way to clear my name soon, though, and then I will. Right now I just came by to say hi before going back to my hiding place until they have everything taken care of for me."

"You're safe, and that's all that matters to me as well as Chelsea as the girls when I tell them tonight," said Roberto. "You're family to us, and they will be greatly heartened to hear that you're doing so well."

"Life wasn't hard in hiding," she said slowly. "Just....different, that's all. Every thing is just fine."

"You had better get going, though," said Roberto, seeing the crowds thin some outside his restaurant. "Just to be safe, that is. You will come by and visit when you can, right?"

"Of course," she said, giving him one more hug before pulling the hood she had been wearing over her several layers over her head once more. "Give them all my love, won't you?"

"Yes, I will."

"Thank you, Roberto."

"No, thank you, Jenny, for remembering us to even though you could get yourself into trouble for doing such a reckless thing. I will see you later."

"Bye."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Lyssa lightly went through her routines, more just for keeping herself in shape than actual technical or strength work. She had been spending most of her time either in the indoor practice courts where she was now, in the library reading up on some of the history of Tortal (which was interesting, to say the least) or with her friends from her world doing something in Corus.

She hadn't seen any of them for a few days, though, other than Alyse and had contented herself with going to the practice courts for hours at a time doing light routines, mock fights with those who would take it, and practicing her aim with the bow and cross bow.

"Hey, you," said a familiar voice behind her as she landed on her feet after a flip, stopping her in mid-routine and causing her to look in the direction of the voice.

"Oh, hello Baron Kyle," she said formally, relaxing so she was simply standing before him with her rapier at her side in her hand rather than in the air pointed at her imaginary foe at the time. "You want something?"

"Just the match that you promised me, again," he replied, looking at her quizzically. "If this is a bad time I can come back later..."

"No, now is fine," she replied, backing up and letting him into the ring. "Usual rules apply, then?"

"Yeah," he replied cockily. "I wouldn't want to confuse you with anything new if we did."

"That is grounds for beating you soundly rather than partially letting you off the hook," said Lyssa in a mock growl. "Prepare to be beaten, Baron!!"

"That's what you think..."

They circled each other for a few minutes before Kyle charged at her with a confident look on her face. Unfortunately for him, Lyssa perceived it as cocky and slipped under his guard to place a well aimed smack at his ribs with that flat of her blade. Kyle slumped to his knees as Lyssa backed off, letting him pull himself together so he could be the one to attack once more.

"Had enough?" asked Lyssa, seeing him wince as he rubbed his ribs tenderly.

"Not even close," he forced himself to say through grit teeth,  running at her again and this time making sure she couldn't get under his guard. So instead, she went around it and caught his foot with her heal, flipping him on his back without even using her weapon. "You have gotten better," he admitted, slowly getting to his feet and loosening his muscles some before pausing a moment to fix his belt.

"You sure you haven't had enough?" asked Lyssa, her hand resting on her blade which was point down in the ground. "I mean, that last one really looked like it hurt...."

"And will bruise, most likely," added Kyle, trying to act like nothing was wrong at all. "Come on, Commander, would I be a man if I walked away from this now?"

"Yes," replied Lyssa seriously. "Because I wouldn't have emasculated you yet."

"...that is a very good point. Then, good day, Commander, until we meet -or fight- again."

Lyssa smiled as Kyle limped off the field, looking like a puppy with his tail between his legs. Men...

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Kyle walked to the palace's falcon house after visiting a friend of his who was a healer and taking all the pain away from the injuries he had accumulated earlier that day from a certain Commander and her rapier. He felt a familiar presence near by and grinned boyishly, it was Daine. He could sense her near by at times because of her large amounts of wildmagic, especially if she was using it for something at the moment.

"Hey," he said softly as he opened the door and let himself in slowly incase she was in the middle of something at the moment. "Daine...?"

"Right here, Kyle," she called from a corner where she sat with the birds surrounding her on all sides, recognizing his voice and presence due to his wildmagic immediately. "We're just having a talk on some feeding issues."

"Feeding issues?" asked Kyle, looking a little lost as to what she may be talking about.

"Uh huh," she replied. "As in, who gets the most food and such. Apparently some of the bigger ones have been taking more than their fair share from the smaller ones..."

'It is the truth!' proclaimed an old falcon to his right. 'The rest of us, even those who had been here seasons longer than the rest, are being shoved out of the way for a decent bit of flesh...'

'Quite, old wind bag of feathers,' called a strong young one on the other side of the coupe. 'Your time is done, your seasons through. The females no longer wish to nest with you and you're living off of handouts from your master. What good are you here?'

'I may not be as strong, as fast, or as agile in the winds as you, Lightwing,'  retorted the older male. 'But I have far more sense than you ever will in all your seasons time.'

'Why you-'

"Enough," said Daine firmly, putting an end to their conversation right then and there. "Lightwing, you stay away from the others food, and those who do it as well had better take note of this too: I will not tolerate bullies. Those who I find out are doing these thing after today will be punished somehow."

The coupe fell silent other than the occasional ruffle of feathers or scratch of claws on the perches.

"Good," she said, getting up and letting them all go back to their roosts. "Now, did you want something, Kyle?"

"Actually, I was going to go flying with a few of them," he said slowly. "But seeing as you just sent them all to their rooms, maybe I should wait until later..."

Daine nodded understandingly. "Probably. But where have you been keeping yourself as of late? I hardly ever see you at the banquets or parties the King holds now before mid-winter and all."

"Just out and about," he replied with a sly grin, remembering that most of time had been spent with Elizabeth as of late. "You know, this and that."

"Yes, young men seem to always be on the move," she said, rolling her eyes teasingly as she did. "It was good to see you again, Kyle, but I have to go. Meeting with the King, you understand..."

"Yeah," he replied with a shrug. "Later, Daine."

"Bye, Kyle."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Libby walked into Dr. Baird's office, peaking her head around the corner as she spotted him at his desk working on something or other. Not seeing any magic that might be in use at that moment, she cleared her throat and came into full view, wondering what his reaction would be to her presence there.

"Oh, hello Miss," he said, getting him from his chair and bowing low. Libby curtsied back and smiled cutely as she did. "You're one of the Bahzir Mages, aren't you? Come in, come in, make yourself at home."

"I'm Mage Libby," she said, using her formal title since she was sure he would be one of those she'd have to be formal with.

"Yes, Mage Libby," he replied immediately. "Welcome to...well....my office, and it's very nice to meet you. But is there something I can do for you, Mage?"

"As you've probably heard, my gift is mainly in healing as well," said Libby carefully. "And I have had extensive training with it, but seeing as how you've probably had so much more experience in the field I was wondering if you could give me some pointers...?"

"Oh, I see," he said quickly. "Give me just a moment....wait....here it is." He pulled out a large, leather bound book that looked fairly new with a fresh smell to it's pages as he handed it to her and let her flip through it for a few moments. "That is a book of spells, salves, tonics, etc that you can create to heal without using or using as little as possible of your gift to help the greater good. Granted it, they only work up to a certain point most of the time. Such as the healing salve right here that you're looking at, it will speed up the healing process so that normal hurts and such a page or squire might receive are completely healed within a few days. However, if used upon a war patient who has his arm severed off and such, you can't just spread this over the stump and expect it to heal back all on it's own."

"So, these are things to make me more useful, but not lazy," replied Libby with a grin. "Wow...so many of them, where did you get them all?"

"It's a compilation of all the spells and cures I could find over the years and then I had it copied several times to give to other mages who might need it someday as well," he explained. "Here, you may keep that one seeing as how I have another three or so left back there that I've been waiting to give away."

"Are you sure?" asked Libby, pausing before she put it in her bag. "If you need to I can have it copies again for myself..."

"No, please, take it," replied Dr. Baird. "You will probably need it a whole lot more in the future than I will. Is that all, Mage Libby?"

"Yes, thank you," she said, rising to her feet quickly. "I'm going to go back to my quarters and try some of these out. Thank you very much for you help, Dr. Baird!!"

"No problem, Miss, anytime!"

 *~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Amanda, Elizabeth, and Levi strolled down the streets of Corus, sheltered from the winter winds by the buildings around them and  generally enjoying each others company as they did. Levi didn't know where they were going, but Elizabeth had promised him he would enjoy himself and so he had agreed to come along as well.

They stopped in front of an inn he had seen before, knowing there was something he was supposed to remember about that place. "The Dancing Dove," he said to himself, following them inside. "I've heard of this place before..."

"You probably have," said Amanda, exchanging looks with Elizabeth. "Whatever it was that you heard might've been true, but we have amnesty here due to a friend of mine and her group here."

"Hey, Amanda!" called a voice from across the way as they looked around for a place to sit in the main room. "Elizabeth! Where've you been? Come on and have seat!"

"Just relax," whispered Amanda to Levi as she saw him tense up some. "There's nothing to worry about here..."

Levi gulped nervously. "I don't know about that..."

"Hello, everyone," said Elizabeth as she sat down next to a tall, thin, dark-haired young woman about her age.

"Hello."

"Hiyas!!"

"Hey."

"Hi."

"Who's your friend?" asked the one who looked to be the leader of the group, a young woman who was slightly shorter than Amanda with muscles that could be seen through her shirt and curly, brown hair that seemed completely uncontrollable to most.

"Everyone, this is Levi, the headman's son at the fief," replied Amanda, pointing at him with her thumb. "Levi, this is Mouse, Allie, Joe and *snicker* Vixen."

"What the heck is up with laughing at my name?!" growled Vixen, toying with a dagger in her hand. "You do realize that-"

"I just get a kick out of it," interrupted Amanda with a shrug. "Don't take in personally, Vixie *snicker*, but it just fits you so well....you foxy lady you."

The table erupted in laughter as Vixen glared daggers at her friend, knowing she was only teasing her but still being fairly annoyed by it.

"Which reminds me," she added quickly. "Where's Jen?"

"Having dinner with Sean somewhere," replied Mouse quickly. "Don't be expecting to see her tonight."

"Oh, alright."

"The only guy of the group?" Joe asked Levi, motioning to Amanda and Elizabeth.

"Usually, yeah."

"Poor fellow," said Joe, getting a glare from Vixen at him next. "What?! It's true...being the only guy is rough at times..."

"And how is that?" asked Vixen sweetly, a light in her eyes that Joe quickly backed away from.

"Is that a raven armories rapier?" asked Levi, changing the subject quickly before anyone was killed by this Vixen that seemed to rule over them so.

"Yes, it is," said Joe very enthusiastically. "Do you fence?"

"Oh, some, but I fight with a different weapon usually."

"Really now, what?"

The two of them got up and walked outside with the excuse of Levi trying out the weapon for awhile, getting away from the girls for a short time before they got themselves into anymore trouble.

"So," said Vixen as Mouse went away to check if the bar needed her help and Allie and Elizabeth whispered together for a few minutes. "Thirsty?"

"Some," admitted Amanda. "Hot chocolate will do, if you have it."

"Still a chocoholic?" replied Vixen in surprise.

"But of course," said Amanda with a mock injured look on her face. "Like that'll ever happen."

"One can always dream..."

"But never about that."

Allie and Elizabeth intercepted the drinks that Amanda and Vixen had ordered as they went by them, slipping a clear liquid into each as they did. "You're sure that it can't be traced?" whispered Elizabeth one last time as her hand hovered over the glass.

"Not unless you tell them it was you," replied Allie with a wink. "Hurry up, before they notice."

"Alright..."

Amanda took the mug she was given and sipped in cautiously, deeming it perfect right on the stop and taking several gulps of it at once. Vixen said the ale she had gotten tasted different, but it was for the better and downed the whole mug within seconds.

"More drinks, milady?" asked their server, his eyes on Vixen as he did.

"Of course!" she replied a little louder than usual with her face all flushed and a strange sparkle in her eyes. "Drinks on me for all, in fact!"

"Yes, milady!" The server hurried away, everyone cheering as Vixen stood up and toasted them all with a fresh mug of ale, chugging it down at once and thoroughly enjoying herself as she did.

"I do have to admit," whispered Elizabeth to Allie. "This is going to be very amusing."

"You have no idea..."

**6 hours later...**

Joe and Levi had left a little while after they had gone out to the courtyard, planning on hitting most of the major weapons stores and such until all were closed and then come back seeing as the girls would probably be finished talking right about then.

Amanda and Vixen (as both were given several more drugged mugs of ale and such) had begun to talk about anything that happened right then, changing subjects at random times as they did. 

"You know," said Vixen suddenly, sitting up straighter as she did. " I was-Whoops! There goes my cup...bring me another, Saul!"

"Coming right up, ma'am," called the boy, sounding a little woozy himself.

"Eh, what's that on your shirt?" asked Amanda, pointing at Vixen's tunic.

"Huh?!" Vixen looked down as Amanda brought her hand up, missing her nose completely and getting her hand in Vixen's wild hair instead.

"Ahh!! The wild hair is eating me!!!" cried Amanda as she almost fell out of her chair laughing. "Hehehaha!!"

"Hehhahah!!" Vixen pushed her away and leaned back on her throne. "No, I think it's the flying monkeys above you that are doing that!"

"What wild flying monkeys?!" Amanda turned and looked.

"Haahehaehahaheha!!!"

"Not if the porpisuse that are swimming under you don't get to you first!!" cried Amanda, bringing her hand up as she did, then falling forward and hitting the table with her head. "I'm alright!" she said loudly, popping up a few moments later with her eyes crossed. "I'm ok....now if the room would just stop moving...ugh...."

Allie and Elizabeth were in tears they had laughed so hard after watching the pair from another table for the whole time they had been drugged. Mouse had gone somewhere, but no one was sure where and so they had just kept it up with drugging the drinks one right after another.

"Hey, what's going on?" asked Levi as he and Joe walked in the room, seeing Allie and Elizabeth with the phial about ready to poor it into their drinks again and Amanda and Vixen arguing over which could fly better: cacti, octopi, or platipi.

"Did you two do this to them?" growled Joe, taking the drug from them and sniffing it gingerly. "What the- you gave them Argonanum??"

"What is it?" asked Levi, taking it from him and examining the liquid closely.

"A drug that gives the user the effects of alcohol on the body without creating the addiction."

"Does it include a hangover?"

"Yep."

"Son of a- what were you two thinking?!" demanded Levi, going over and taking the drink from Amanda. Joe did the same with Vixen and picked her up gently before carrying her up the stairs to her rooms.

"Later," he said to Levi, glaring at Allie as he did.

"Later," replied Levi, checking on Amanda and seeing she had passed out for the moment on the table. "Come on, Liz, we're going home."

"Why?" she asked. "It's only 10:30..."

"And your sister is going to be furious when she finds out about this in the morning," replied Levi grimly. "Hey, can you do something constructive for once and get us a horse here?"

"Take mine," replied Allie, knowing she was going to get yelled at in the morning as well. "Eliz knows which one it is."

"Alright, thanks."

They saddled the mare and set out for the palace, Levi riding with Amanda in his arms and Elizabeth trotting along beside them. "Hm...so many stars..." whispered Amanda hazily as her eyes opened partly. "Were never so many stars....in Charlotte..."

"Charlotte?" replied Levi, having never heard of such a place before in his life.

Amanda went on as if she hadn't heard him. "Too many lights...always too many lights on....there's never any light at all in Corus at night, that's what I like about this world, so many stars...."

"This world?" asked Levi, sounding very surprised as Elizabeth ignored the look he threw her, letting him take it as he could on his own. "What is she saying...?"

"This world," went on Amanda, still unable to hear him it seemed. "So different from ours....there is the return of us all, though...I will miss this place greatly when that day comes...."

"Return? Us all??"

"The fief, the people...you and your father....my friends....I will miss them all..."

**The next morning...**

Levi woke up and walked out of his room into the main one where Amanda and Elizabeth were asleep on the couches. Elizabeth hadn't had a key to their rooms and couldn't find it on Amanda last night so they had spent the night there instead for once.

"Hmm.....owies...." Amanda sat up and squinted in the low light, holding her head as she did. "Oh man....what happened....?"

"Your sister and friend drugged you," said Levi, sitting before her on the coffee table before her. "I have something here that will make it better."

"Please give it to me," she said quickly, rubbing her temples as she did. "Pain...so much pain....come on, Levi, why won't you give it to me?"

"I want some answers first," he replied steadily, looking her straight in the eye. Amanda stared right back with her clouded, fuzzy vision that swayed some even though she was sitting still.

"Go for it," she replied slowly. "Hurry it up, though, before my head splits in two..."

"Where are you from?" he asked firmly. "And I don't mean where in Tortal before you became a noble, where were you born?"

"Uh....someplace you've never heard of before," replied Amanda slowly, hoping to duck the question all together.

"Then it's true," he said slowly, getting up as he did. "You're...you're not from this world, are you?"

Amanda's head shot up, her vision cleared and the mists that had surrounded her brain diminishing quickly. "What?! But how...I never...unless Eliz said something, but still..."

"You were talking about it last night while you were drugged," said Levi roughly. "Why didn't you tell me?! Why....all this time you've just been acting like you're the same as the rest of us but you're not, are you?"

"I am a human," she said quickly. "Just....from someplace different, that's all."

"How do I know that?!" demanded Levi, letting his temper get away from him for the first time ever in front of her.

"How can you doubt it?!" cried Amanda right back, her temper mounting as well. "When have I ever done you wrong or tried to take advantage of you or your father or the fief....yes, I am not of this world. Neither is Elizabeth, or Lyssa, or Libby, or Artman, or Kyle or any of those you met last night other than Joe. But do they seem inhuman to you, Levi? Do they?"

"Liars, all of you," he growled. "Joe knows, doesn't he? So why couldn't you tell me the truth?!"

"You think I didn't want to, Levi?!" she yelled right back, fully awake and operational other than a pounding headache. "You, and your father, and everyone else,  you think I didn't want you to know?! It was something that could not be helped, Levi, I couldn't do anything about it other than keep it inside. Would you have believed me even if I had told you?"

"I....I don't know," he replied turning his back to her as he did. "You've lost my trust, among other things Lady Amanda. I will do my duty and serve you as always, but it will be only as acquaintances, and not as friends." Levi walked out the door and down the hall, leaving the phial on the table as he did. "I will be back to perform my duties later, Lady Amanda, Lady Elizabeth." *slam*

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Vixen woke up with a migraine as she found herself in her room the next morning instead of at the table where she last remembered herself being. "What the....ow....pain, bright lights....ow..."

"Here," said Joe, handing her a mug of steaming coffee as he did. "There's something in this that'll make you feel better, alright?"

"Alright, thanks." She sipped the liquid down slowly, letting it slide down to her stomach where it settled warmly and helped calm  herself some. The pain slowly went away and she could look around without squinting again, everything gradually going back to normal until she felt as well as she normally did and was able to get up once more. "Mm...this is good. You make this?"

"Sam did," he replied with a shrug. "Do you remember anything from last night?"

"Some," she replied. "Amanda coming with those other two, and you leaving for awhile, then several rounds of some great tasting ale...everything's very hazy after that....what happened?"

"Eh, your sister Allie and that other girl Elizabeth drugged you with some stuff....with interesting results to say the least."

"They WHAT?!" Vixen jumped out of bed, finding the stuff in the coffee was starting to wear off as the room swam around her and she had to grab onto a table to keep her balance. "Oh, when I get my hands on her...!"

"Get your hands on who?" asked Allie, sticking her head in the door as she did.

"Why you little!!"

Joe was able to keep Vixen from killing Allie due to her weakened condition, but just barely for the most part. She instead stayed where she was and chewed Allie out (she just sat there and filed her nails the whole time with a devilish grin on her face) while Joe stayed in between the two just in case. It was an interesting experience for the poor boy to say the least....

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Jon got up from his usual afternoon nap one day and decided he wasn't going to take it any longer. It was a horse, for crying out loud, and humans were supposed to be above them, right??!

He got out the saddle and other tack, going into the main pasture and calling Mandie to him with a bunch of carrots. Getting the bridle on with ease, he continued to feed her carrots as he put the saddle in place and secured it as well. So far so good. He put a foot in one of the stirrups and paused to give her another carrot, getting her to stay still some more. Swinging himself up, he closed his eyes and held on tight, expecting to find himself flying high in a second as usual.

Seeing as how he hadn't moved after a few moments, he peaked and eye open and found he was still in the saddle and Mandie was happily munching away on the carrots he had given her a few moments before.

"Ha!!!" he said, sticking his tongue out at her as he took the reins up in his hands. "See, you horse? I can master you all!! HAhaha!!" Mandie just flicked her ears and continued to munch on the grass as she did. "Alright, girl, go!!" Mandie ignored him and grazed there contentedly as if he wasn't even there. "Hey, hello!! Go!!" Jon pulled on the reins some, finding she wouldn't respond to them at all. "Dumb horse, go!!" He kicked her lightly in the sides, hoping to get her to move like Sarah did with stubborn horses sometimes.

Oh, she went alright, like a rocket across the field with him barely able to hang on and completely losing control of the reins in the process. "Stop!! Dang it, stop you dumb horse!! STO- WWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" *THUD* "...ow."

Jon found himself on his back in the middle of the pasture, Mandie near by with a devilish look to her while watching him out of the corner of her eye. "...that really hurt..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Alyse sat across from Yuki and next to Princess Shinko, sipping her tea lightly as she watched Lady Haname (who sat next to Yuki) deliberate over what she should do next.

"Ah," she said with a small smile. "This will do." She took a tile from those in front of her and placed it among those already on the table. "Your move, Lady Alyse."

Alyse nodded and looked at her pieces and those set on the table. It was a game similar to dominos to some effect, or backgammon in another. The object was to arrange the colored tiles so they would either change your opponents tiles to yours or set up a block so they couldn't take yours on their next move. Those with the most tiles in the end would win.

"Hm..." she said, studying the positions the others had taken on the board. "I think I'll go....here..." She placed her green tile near the center, changing several of the other ones at once as she did.

"Oh..." said Princess Shinko in surprise. "I think Lady Alyse might be winning this round as well."

"Very well done for having only learned a few hours ago," admitted Lady Haname lightly, tapping the tiles she had lost with her finger.

"I learned from a very good teacher," added Alyse humbly. "If you had not taught me so well, I would not be winning as often."

"Flatterer," said Yuki, flicking her fan open and holding it in front of her face as she did.

"It is true, though," replied Alyse with a very small grin. "Your turn, Princess Shinko."

"Thank you."

They continued on until Alyse had won once more, several more rounds following it as well with her usually coming out in the leader other than a few times when Yuki or Lady Haname had managed to take it from her. She went back to her rooms around midnight and immediately went to bed, Ronnie falling asleep at her feet as she did. Life was good.

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Jennifer slipped into the restaurant Vixen had given her directions to, getting a table there and waiting patiently for the other two to arrive. "Hello, Jenny," said someone behind her after a few minutes, giving her a quickly hug where she was before coming around and sitting next to her at the table.

"Oh- Amanda! Where have you been?" she asked, returning the hug and giving her an amazed look. "And why didn't I see you come in? I can see the door from here..."

"We already had a table in the back," said Amanda, seeing Elizabeth come over and join them as well. "That's alright, though, this one will do fine."

"Oh, ok. Hey Elizabeth."

"Hi, Jenny."

"So, what's this about you taking care of my problem?" she asked, turning back to Amanda quickly.

"We're going to have a huge meeting with the King as well as some others," Amanda explained quickly. "Don't worry, everything has been taken care of, all you have to do is show up and tell them the truth with the others. I'll give Vixen the time and date when it's all finalized, alright?"

"Ok, sounds good to me!"

"Great! Look, I have to go pick up some things and Eliz has a date she can't be late to with her boyfriend so we'll catch up more later, alright?"

"That's fine." Jennifer watched as the two got up and left, waving to them as they did. She was going to be free!!

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Lyssa went through the palace, using a shortcut to get to the King's Own area so she could give a message to Raoul from Buri when someone stopped her along the way.

"Oh, hello Alyse," she said giving her friend a smile. "What are you doing down here?"

Actually, chasing after you," replied the Yamanis lady with a small grin. "I have some news for you about this week."

"What is it?"

"We're having a meeting with the King and all those from our world in two days," said Alyse quickly. "Come to this room by the second bell then, alright?" She handed her a map of the palace with a room highlighted on it that wasn't far from there. "Do you think you can do that?"

"Sure," replied Lyssa with a shrug. "Most of my time is spent checking on the new recruit's progress and or keeping myself in shape anyways, not like I can't skip those things if I have to."

"Good. I have to go now, so I'll see you then, ok?"

"Alright, bye!"

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Kyle walked to Elizabeth's room, Amanda seeing him come in and grabbing her sword and sais before disappearing down the halls to the practice courts. "I think your sister has finally gotten used to having me around," said Kyle as he caught Elizabeth around the waist, picked her up and brought her over to the couch with him.

"What gives you that idea?" asked Elizabeth, feeding him a grape from the bunch she had been eating.

"She left the moment she saw me," he replied. "So, either she's a mind reader or she's just learned that having her around won't stop us anymore."

"Probably a little bit of both," admitted Elizabeth slyly. "But before I forget, we're having a huge meeting with the King sometime this week. You'll be there, right?"

"Am I invited?"

"It's for all those who are from our world."

"Oh...I still haven't met most of them, yet. And you won't tell me who all of them are."

"You'll find out then."

"Alright, when is it again?"

"We're not quite sure yet, but all you have to do is come when I send for you, alright?"

"Ok. You know where to find me most of the time."

"That is, if you're not with me already."

"True...true...what's the point of this meeting anyways?"

"A few things, I'll explain later. Right now there's some other things I'd rather do..."

"Would I be included there?"

"Absolutely."

 *~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Libby went to Amanda's rooms after she finished her first round of training the new mages at the palace for the war effort, taking the note she had gotten from her one more time to read over it:

Libby,

Come by and see my when you're done, ok? I have some news for you. Thanks!

Amanda

"What in the world could she want?" wondered Libby aloud, knocking on the door as she did.

"Come in!" called a voice from inside.

"Hey," said Libby, coming in and seeing Amanda sitting near the fire to keep warm while writing in one of her little black books. "You wanted something?"

"Be sure to come to this room before the second bell in two days," said Amanda, handing her a map with a room highlighted as she did. "It's the meeting I told you about a few days ago."

"Then it's all coming out?"

"Yep."

"Who's coming?"

"The King, Queen, Daine, Numair, Alanna, and George," replied Amanda, ticking them off on her hand as she did. "I think that's all...yep, it is."

"Man...so, this is like coming right down to it, isn't it?"

"Think of it this way," said Amanda carefully. "If we're punished for this in someway, at least we're all facing the same fate together."

"True...I have to go clean up for dinner, alright? I'll see you then, alright?"

"Alright. Don't be too hard on your trainees now! I know what a slave driver you can be from band!!"

"What are you talking about, I never made you guys do anything at all!"

"That's the point, Lib..."

"...oh." -_-*

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Amanda did some last minute checks as everyone started showing up for the meeting as planned, intro's made for those who didn't know each other and several revelations made as well. Elizabeth and Alyse had come at the same time she did, helping her set up the chairs and such.

Sarah and Jon were the first ones to arrive, followed by the thieving sisters and then Jennifer. After that is when things began to get a little crazy. Lyssa stuck her head in the door, seeing Jennifer standing beside Amanda.

"Hey, am I in the wrong room?" she asked, seeing Alyse as well.

"No," replied Amanda with a grin.

"Then what's Jennifer doing here?" asked Lyssa. "She was on the run from the law last I heard."

"Oh, hey Lyssa," said Jenny, smiling at her as she did.

"You two know each other?" asked Amanda, looking fairly confused.

"From the Procession," replied Jennifer.

"Jennifer, I want you to meet Lyssa, my best friend the whole time I lived in Indiana," said Amanda, figuring that it would be easier to say it that way. "Lyssa, this is Jennifer, one of my new friends in North Carolina."

"Oh, then you mean-"

"That she and I-"

"Are from the same world," Amanda finished for them, smiling as she did. "Lyssa, this is Jon, Sarah, Vixen, Mouse and Allie, who are also from our world."

"Have I seen you before?" asked Vixen, looking at her carefully.

"I think you pointed a fork at me once while me and Sean were dropping Jenny's things off at Roberto's," replied Lyssa with a grin.

"Hello, everyone," said Libby, sticking her head in the door as she did. "We're here!!"

"Hey," replied everyone else, everyone knowing who she was and that they were from the same world as well.

"Let's see..." said Amanda as everyone went to the back room where they would wait for their turns to come out. "That makes twelve....leaving only Kyle to arrive..."

"Hey guys!" he replied, popping into the room right on cue.

"Hey," she replied, pointing to the other room. "Liz is in there waiting for you, ok?"

"Alright." He walked into the other room, running into someone as he did. "Huh? Commander?!"

Lyssa looked at him in surprise. "Baron Kyle?! What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing!"

"Guys," said Elizabeth, using the same method her sister had. "Kyle, this is Lyssa, an old friend of Amanda's from Indy. Lyssa, this is Kyle, my boyfriend from Charlotte before this whole mess began."

"Oh....uh...this is new."

"Yeah, never thought I would beat someone up that many times who was from my world..."

"Yeah.....hey now!! Be nice!!"

"Shh!!" said Libby, seeing their guest begin to arrive in the outer room. "Everyone sit down and try to keep the noise down too. Elizabeth, you'd better get out there, hon."

"Alright."

The King and his Queen were the first to arrive, exchanging some idle banter with Amanda and Elizabeth until Daine and Numair arrived, adding them into their conversation until Alanna and George came as well.

"I guess it's time to start," said Amanda nervously, sitting on the arm of an overstuffed arm chair that Elizabeth was sitting in as well. "Your majesty, Queen Thayet, Lioness, Baron, you remember when we first came to Tortal, right?"

"How could I forget?" replied the King with a smile.

"Yes, how could we?" added Alanna with a grin, "Seeing you and your sister fighting off all those men at once..."

"And Daine and Numair, I believe you've met some of our kind as well," added Amanda. "Others who are not of this world."

"You're talking about those two horse people," said Numair seriously. "Jon and Sarah. You are from the same world as them?"

"Yes, we are," replied Elizabeth.

"I'm assuming you four aren't the only ones either, are you?" asked the King slowly. "Is this what all this is about?"

"Yes it is," replied Amanda steadily. "You know of me and Elizabeth's past, milord, and we have been true to you regardless of where we're from. All I ask is that you give me a chance to get through this and then you may do what you like with us all."

"Alright," he replied. "Go on."

"I talked to all of us and found out what order we arrived in, so that is how I'm going to go through them all," said Amanda quickly. "Me and Elizabeth were first, and then came Sarah and Jon."

The door to the adjoining room opened...and out came those who were to be first...

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Sarah heard Amanda call for them and opened the door, letting herself and Jon out before closing it behind them quickly. "Hey," she said, smiling weakly at the King and Queen as she did.

"Those two are from your world?!" asked the Queen in surprise. "Daine, Numair, you knew about this all along??"

"Why didn't you say something?!" demanded the King.

"It is true that it never came up that they might be lying, but even so we were never entirely sure that is was the truth," replied the mage slowly, shrugging as he did. "I mean, what are the chances of that happening, anyways?"

"Not much," said the Queen, patting her husband's shoulder comfortingly. "Go on, you two."

"We just want to keep our jobs as they are, heading north come spring like planned," said Jon, shrugging as he did. "From what I can see, we'll be close to these two as well as those staying at their fief that we know as well, that is enough for us."

"They've been faithful the whole time while working for the Riders," admitted the Queen, smiling as she did. "To let them keep their positions right now would be the wisest thing we can do, Jonathan."

"Alright, then they may."

"If that's all there is to say," said Amanda. "Then we'll go onto the next three...Vixen? Mouse? Allie?"

And so it began...

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

George reclined in his chair comfortably as the three walked out into the room, acting like they had never seen him or his wife before unless they were willing to make the first move. "Your majesty," said Vixen, bowing before him before taking the seat Jon had just vacated. Mouse sat to her right and Allie to her left; Sarah, Jon, and Elizabeth all sitting along the back wall talking quietly and Amanda standing behind the three up front nervously.

"Sire," said Amanda slowly. "These three were the next to come in."

"I have never seen you before," said the King slowly. "But there is a look about you that is very familiar to me."

"We are of the Rogue," said Vixen softly, looking him in the eye as she did. "I am the queen of it right now as well."

"They wish to form an alliance with you for a short while concerning the war," said Amanda quickly. "I know this may sound odd, but they can be trusted, sire..."

"Thieves have served me well before," the King admitted willingly, glancing at George as he did. "But what is this alliance you speak of, Lady Amanda?"

"We will go north with Amanda to her fief after the passes have opened once more with half our force that is here in Corus," replied Vixen assuredly. "Those who stay behind will not thieve at all until our return, we have ways of keeping them from it for the most part."

"And you will obey Lady Amanda as your commander while you are there?"

"Yes, sire."

"Thieves can be useful, sire," said George with a grin. "You of all people should know."

"I know," he replied slowly. "Do you trust these three to do what they have promised, Lady Amanda?"

"I do."

"Then it is done."

"Does that mean our intros are done?" asked Allie, getting up as she did. "Thank you, sire."

"Yes, thank you," added Mouse, getting up and curtsying before heading to the back as well.

"Thank you," said Vixen, bowing low and exchanging looks with George and Alanna before walking after her friends.

"Moving on," said Amanda, "Alyse?"

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Alyse came out into the room, bowing calmly before the six and taking her seat with Amanda standing beside her. "Lady Alyse?" asked Daine, looking fairly surprised.

"Yes," she replied. "I am from their world as well.

"I never would've guessed..."

"Neither would've I," added Numair in surprise. "Then you aren't her cousin, are you?"

"No," replied Alyse with a smile. "Just a good friend."

"Amanda told me about you soon after you were added to her 'family'," said the King. "You have always served us well with your sister, I see no reason why you should worry about this coming out."

"Thank you, sire," said Alyse, getting up and curtsying once more. "I wasn't worrying about that as much as I was others questioning my loyalty."

"Just one question," said Numair suddenly. "You never had amnesia, did you? It was all a ruse to hide your true identity and past until you could figure something out, wasn't it?"

"Yes, sir, it was," replied Alyse, taking her out fan and hiding her face with it as a sign that she was embarrassed. "I never wanted to deceive anyone..."

"It's alright," he replied quickly. "It just lets me know that all those times they tried to cure it doesn't mean that they did it wrong or were going insane, it's just that the condition never existed in the first place."

"Oh, alright, sir." She went back to sit with the others, putting her fan back in her obi as she did.

"Next up," said Amanda, checking her notes. "A good friend of mine who is in need of your help, sire. Jennifer?"

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

"Your majesty," said Jenny as she came out and bowed before them all before sitting down with Amanda sitting on the arm of her chair. "Queen Thayet."

"You....you were wanted for murder awhile back, weren't you?" asked the King, a puzzled look on his face as he did. "There was something else involved there as well, but I can't recall what it was."

"Numair, put both of us under a truth spell," said Amanda quickly, prompting Jennifer to go on.

"I was accused of murder one night, sentenced and tried all with in the space of a few hours," said Jennifer quietly, remembering those times as she did. "Sean helped me to escape just a short while before my execution, and eventually I ended up on a small fief with his sister Stephanie tending sheep and goats until recently when Vixen called me back saying she had a feeling they had found a way to clear my name. I didn't kill the man, I swear, and all I want is to feel like I have my life back again."

"She is telling the truth, sire, and I remember what she is talking about as well," said Numair after she had finished. "The affair with the son poisoning his father and pinning it on her. They assumed she was dead all this time after her trial, but I guess not."

"No, I'm still very much alive."

"Then know that you have been pardoned of whatever it was the judge charged you with," said the King, making a note of it on some paper he had with him. "And that you are free to live your life as you please once more. I'm sorry for what happened to you."

"It's ok," said Jennifer. "And thank you." She got up and bowed once more, heading to the back to sit down with the others.

"Alright," said Amanda, sighing as she did. "Come on out, Lyssa."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Lyssa straightened her tunic as she walked out the door, bowing before the King and Queen and nodding to Alanna and George familiarly. "Sire, milady. Hello Lioness, Baron."

"You too?!" cried George, leaning back in his chair as he rubbed his face. "Good goddess, they're everywhere!!"

"I assume you're the same as the rest of these people," said the King, motioning to those behind her.

"Yes, milord, I am," she replied quietly, bowing her head as she did. "Amanda and I lived in the same town for 6 years, sire. She's like a sister to me."

"How did you learn to drill so well, not being from this world?" asked Alanna, "You posses skills someone who hasn't grown up here shouldn't have..."

"Guard," replied Lyssa simply, smiling as she did. "That's really all I can use to explain that one..."

"Oh, ok..."

"I take it all you want to do is head back north after the passes thaw out to your fort so you can keep close to your friends," said the King, having recovering from his shock as well.

"Yes, sir," replied Lyssa steadily. "But I wanted to do that even before I had met most of those here in the room, sire. That is my fort and those are my soldiers, they need me, sire."

"A true commander's words," said the Queen with a smile.

"Yes, they are," added Alanna with a grin. "I knew there was something different about you, but being from another world...! That was one I never would've guessed."

"Why not, since it seems to happen so often," said Lyssa with a shrug, getting up and bowing once more. "Thank you, sire."

"Your welcome, Commander." Lyssa smiled and headed to the back to take a seat beside Vixen.

"Moving on," said Amanda.

"How many more can there be??" asked the King in surprise.

"Three," replied Amanda. "And we're going to go out of order here due to the last ones being the most important in most respects. The first one is Kyle, Baron Kyle..."

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

"Baron?!" exclaimed the King, rising to his feet as he did. "You mean that...I knew he was adopted, but still..."

"Your majesty," said Kyle, bowing before him properly. Amanda had moved to the back and Elizabeth had moved forward to be by his side instead. "Daine, I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner..."

"Seeing as how none of the others did, it is alright," she replied quietly, nodding as she did.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"So, is this why you never got married?" asked the King, his wife, still too surprised to say anything. "All this time..."

"No, sire," replied Kyle softly. "I....didn't know there were others here until about a month ago at the most. I knew Lady Amanda through my father, but we had never met in our home world. Elizabeth and two others we just met up with recently were the only ones I knew back then."

"And you will be getting married to her if I have anything to say about it," added Amanda, everyone by her laughing quietly as the King and Queen exchanged amused looks.

"Yes, ma'am," said Kyle with a smile. "Notice that I'm not objecting to that, here."

"Are you sure it's because you love Eliz more than it is you fear her emasculating you with a dull blade?" asked Jon, getting a glare from the Baron as he did. "What? It's true."

"That's what you think, if you are capable of thinking at all."

"Ooh, harsh one, that might hurt more if it weren't true," said Amanda with a mocking smile.

"Gee, thanks for your support there, Amanda."

"Oh, you're welcome."

"Anyways," said Kyle, ignoring them for the most part. "I just happened to stumble upon the Baron's test and become his adopted son. It wasn't something I planned, and I never thought he would die so soon either, it just sort of happened that way..."

"What are you planning to do now?" asked the King.

"Actually, I'm going to will my lands to Martin, my headman; and fake my death so I can go north with Elizabeth and live with her there at the fief," admitted Kyle. "If that is, if it is alright with you, sire."

"Will Martin do your fief well and rule it the same way you and your adopted father did?"

"Yes, sire."

"Then you have my blessings. Just don't actually kill yourself while trying to fake it, alright?"

Kyle smiled. "Yes, sire. Thank you." He bowed and headed to the back with Elizabeth arm in arm, sitting off to side of the others some and talking quietly together as Amanda came forward once more.

"Alright, last two," she said, nodding her head as she did. "This one will be a shocker, I know. Lib? Artman?"

*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*~~~@~~~*

Libby and Artman shuffled their way into the room, Numair's jaw dropping in shock and the King rising to his feet quickly. "Oh goddess..."

"Yep, it's us too," said Libby with a cute little grin as she sat down, Artman taking the chair to her right."

"But how in the world..." said Numair slowly. "So much power, I have never seen such gifts...."

"I think I can explain that one," said a voice to Libby's right, a familiar woman appearing in the free chair on that side.

"Trystan!" said Libby in surprise. "Long time no see. What are you doing here out of the blue??"

"Helping with explanations," she said curtly. "Even though I've been doing this for hundreds of years, you are the first group to directly involve yourself with the King and so he probably needs to know exactly what's going on right about now. But you go on and finish before I say my part."

"Alright." Libby shook her head, clearing her thoughts for a moment. "Well, as I was going to say, when Artman and I were brought here we ended up with her, Trystan, in her area of the desert. She taught us to control and use our gifts, and gave us this mission: to find those from our world. There were 11, not including ourselves, and we could ask no one for help but also must help any King who asked us for it.

"After coming out of the desert and you having us go to the boarder to help with the war, we were forced to do as you asked and continued to do what searching we could in the mean time. Amanda and her group we ran into by chance, and Sarah and Jon were tracked down through a horse they had named after someone we knew. The rest had already met up and it was just securing those last few links before it was done."

"Then your mission is complete?" asked the King. "What are you to do now? Return to your world?"

"Not yet," said Trystan as she did. "Their gifts, being opposites, are what will eventually bring them home, but not until they have completed their tasks here."

"Tasks?"

"With the war."

"Then there will be a war with Scanra?!"

"Yes, King Jonathan. They each play a key role in your defense, if you have not already noticed that, and after they have finished their parts they will leave."

"Of course," said the King slowly. "Explain why they were brought here, though?"

"Within Tortal there exists two books," explained the mage slowly. "One to their world and one another world. In both of the other realms there is a book that connects the other two worlds to it as well. Me and my two siblings are the guardians of the books, and we strengthen that connection by using them to bring groups across every once in awhile. If the balance between all three were to be upset, chaos worse than anything you can imagine could occur.

"Then this crossing over maintains this balance?"

"Yes, sire."

"And you are the keeper of this book?"

"Yes, sire."

"Have I ever met someone from one of the other worlds?"

"Most likely you have, sire," she replied with a shrug. "It is a very common thing, but most don't ever talk about it. The book it good at picking those who will adapt well to their new life."

"I see."

Numair blinked and rubbed his eyes to get the spots out of them all of a sudden, shaking his head as he did.

"I wouldn't suggest doing that again," said Trystan with a grin. "I have unlimited powers from the gods of this world, that is why I appear so blinding bright to your magical eyesight."

"I see," said Numair with a small grin. "Very impressive, Lady Trystan. I trust you are not going to use them for anything other than your job anytime soon?"

"If I meddle with you regular beings I am killed on the spot and banished to the dark regions outside of space and time forever," said Trystan cheerfully. "You needn't worry about a think, Numair."

"Are you behind some of the strange happenings at times?" asked Alanna quickly. "Such as that vase that broke the one time I was speaking with Amanda."

"Yes, that was me," replied the Mage seriously. "I keep tabs on all of them and block others from helping them in their search for each other. It makes things more interesting for me, and it's part of the rules from the gods."

"Hm...interesting..."

"To say the least, yes." Trystan looked up suddenly, her eyes becoming unfocused as it seemed like she had tranced out for a moment. When she snapped back to normal, her eyes had lost their sparkle and she got up quickly from her chair. "I must be going, pressing family matters," she explained. "You 13, don't split up. It will be to your benefit to stick close, now. Trust me on this one."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Alright."

"Sounds good to me."

"That's fine."

"Yeah, what they said."

"Your majesty," she said, bowing before them all. "Good day." *poof* And she was gone.

"I guess that settles it all," said the King, rising from his seat as he did. "Lady Amanda, do you have room at your fief for most of these friends of yours?"

"I believe I do," she said with a smile. "It will be taken care of, sire, I promise."

"Of course it will," he said, bowing as he and the Queen walked out of the room. "Take care of yourselves. And behave, especially you thieves."

"We must be going as well," said Numair, rising to his feet with Daine. "I will see you all later, I hope."

"Bye."

"Later."

"Uh huh."

"See ya."

"Why in the blazes didn't you ever tell me before?!" exploded George after the rest had left, looking at the three thieves in amazement. "I bet Joe knows, don't he?"

"I just didn't think you needed to know," said Vixen with a shrug. "That's all, alright? Get a grip, George, it's not like it's the end of the rogue..."

"You'd better be careful on this one," he advised cautiously, the Lioness slipping out the door after waving to those she knew. "An agreement with the King is....risky. He will keep his end of the bargain, but only if you keep yours. Understand?"

"Yes, I do," said Vixen, shaking his hand as she did. "Thank you, George, you've been more help than you could ever dream."

"I'll come by and check on you all before you leave, alright?" he asked quickly, hearing the third bell as he did.

"Alright."

"Good. Bye, my thieving friends."

"Bye George."

"I think he took that rather well," said Amanda as she glanced around the room. "Come on, we all have things to take care of."

"Dinner for all of you tomorrow night at the Dancing Dove," said Vixen out of the blue. "So we can catch up some more and all."

"Alright. Bye, everyone." ^_^

"Bye." 0_0

"Later." *_*

"See ya." ^_~

"Until then." @_@

"Goodbye!" &_&

"May penguins be with you and dolphins never bite you!!" ^_^

"...what?!" ±_±

"Never mind..." =_=

"Later, you guys. Come on, bunnies!" ^_^

"Yeah, bye!" ~_~

"Peace out!" : P

"Lyssa..." -_-

"What?!" 0.o

"Good grief..." X P

"Bye, y'all." ; )

"Isn't that Amanda's line??" $_$

"Hey! Y'all is a word!!" _

"So you say..." ^_~

"Byes!!" §_§

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And that, my little friends, is the 27th Chapter of Twisted Tortallian Tale. I have the flu right now, and the last 14 chapters were written while I felt like puking because I had the *time* to finish it for once when no one was home, so they could be a little screwy as far as grammar or names being confused again....yeah...

Hm...no new birthdays...and my cars still in the shop *sob*, yeah. I hope you have a good week!!

~crosseyedbutterfly~