Walking in the forest was comforting. Xanthe let the song of the birds fill her mind. It was amazing that she talked her mother into letting her go. She was wearing a white dress with a navy blue over dress. The white dress was long sleeve, but made out of cotton so it was nice and cool. The over dress was no sleeved. She soon found herself in a cleared out aria that had old stone ruins.

"This was a fort once. Fort Falcon. It was the first Lady Knight's home. It was burned to the ground." Aynsley said from the right.

"How do you know so much?" she asked turning to him.

He grinned, "I just do."

"What do you have in store for us today?" she asked, for she really did want to know.

"We're going to ride to Irontown."

"But I don't have a horse."

"Lucky for you that I have two."

She looked at him and blushed. She half wanted him to only have one so they could ride together. She shook her head of the silly thoughts.

*~*~*~*

Spending the day in Irontown was great. It was a small, but thriving town. There were al sorts of neat little trinkets. Xanthe was lucky to find two, iron, Yamani lucky cats. One held a glaive and the other was winking and had its paw stretched out. Her mother would love them when she gave them to her in winter.

They both rode back cheerful and they chatted energetically. They soon became really close friends. Even though they'd known each other for only five days, they felt like they'd known each other forever.

Their bond grew as the days passed. Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months snow covered the land and Xanthe and a wolf was seen playing in the snow-very childish. The convict ladies turned their noses on her and went on about their own life. None of them really knew that the brownish- gray wolf was the handsome Aynsley. Nobody knew that they spent so much time together. He was the girls' eye candy. Even though he was dark and possibly dangerous, he had power and that was what they really wanted. The guys were threatened by him and they were glad he was gone most of the time.

As Midwinter grew near the nights and their squires came back for the Ordeal. Kel was teaching Xanthe some new glaive workouts when a red haired knight came up to greet them.

"Still teaching children how to hold a stick?" he said.

Kel whirled around and all of a sudden grew very uncomfortable.

"Hello, Cleon." She said calmly. Her mother was the master of hiding her feelings.

"Who's this little one?"

Xanthe was about to protest that she was not little and that she was probably better at fighting with a 'stick' then him, but something in Kel's eyes told her not to do anything.

"She's my daughter."

This struck Cleon like a board and it finally become clear: Cleon didn't know Kel married and had a daughter.

"Your.....daughter. You got married?"

"You did, so why couldn't I?"

"To who?"

Before this got too personal, Xanthe left the courtyard in search of Aynsley. Instead of finding him she found Emilee.

"Xanthe! There you are! I've been looking for you."

Xanthe sighed.

"You'll never guess who is here!" Emilee squealed.

"Who?"

"The newest black robed mage is here from Carthak!"

"And...."

"And he is in search of a lady!"

"And I'm sure you'll be picked. Can I get through?"

"They are holding a ball in his honor tonight and you are coming with me."

Before she protest Emilee grabbed her by the hand and dragged her into the castle.

*~*~*~*

"Xanthe! You look." Aynsley was at loss of words.

"Don't say anything." Growled Xanthe.

She was in purplish-slivery-gold dress. It was too tight and pushed up her chest aria.

"But you really look...."

"Stop!" She said play slapping him on the arm.

Her hair was braided in some places and then piled on top of her head. She had on silvery-gold eye paint.

"Can you breath?"

"Not really."

"Good. All the more food for me!" He turned and ran to the food table with Xanthe behind him.

When they got to the table Aynsley, picked up some cheese and stuffed it in her mouth. She picked up a carrot and threw it at him. It bounced off his head and landed in is hand.

"Thank you." Said and then ate it.

They both giggled.

"Stop it both of you." Diane said as she walked toward them, "You'd think you were four."

"Sorry mother. She started it." Aynsley said sheepishly.

Xanthe's jaw dropped. "Did not!"

"Stop! This is giving me a headache." Diane said covering her ears.

"Xanthe, will you dance with me?" Numair asked come up from behind.

"Father!" Aynsley complained.

"If it means getting away from him, then certainly." She replied jerking her thumb at her friend.

Diane laughed as Numair led her out to the dance floor.



A/N: Hello again! I had to get this posted. I will try to upload more tonight. R/R! ^_^