Lissien had felt anger course through her, along with hate and grief, when Trisana, she refused to say Aunt Tris anymore, had said, "You're my eldest daughter Tristan."

When she had seen her sister fall she had fled the room, stumbling and sobbing, her eyes blurred by tears. She didn't know where she was going; she just knew that she wanted to get as far away as she could. They had lied to them all, father and mother had and Trisana too.

When Lissien finally stopped running she found herself outside of the castle walls, on one of the back streets. "Where am I?" she asked. She thought that perhaps she should turn back, but her feet kept her going. She had always been curious and right now anything was welcome to keep the pain and truth at bay.

"What are you doing down here noble-girl?" a voice drawled from the shadows. Lissien whirled around, searching for the person who had spoke. She knew the voice from somewhere.

"Show yourself!" she commanded. "Else I'll..I'll.."

"Oh I'm scared," the voice drawled again. Then he or she laughed and stepped out. Lissien relaxed and smiled broadly. The person was taller then she at about five foot seven and had skin the color of chocolate. Her hair was black and pulled back in many small braids, her eyes were dark brown and laughing at her. She wore a simple outfit of leather breeches and a tunic. She carried a long, smooth staff in her left hand that was capped on both ends by copper caps. Various designs swirled both the caps and the wood. "But what are you doing out in back alleys Lissien?"

Lissien shrugged. "I don't know Copper, truly I don't." Copper was one of Daja's children, and the same age as Lissien. They were good friends and Lissien came to the city often to spend time with her Trader friend. They had formed a friendship early in life and were as good of friends as their mothers were.

"You were crying," Copper said. "And running without reason. I heard you approach from far away."

"How did you know it was me?" Lissien demanded. "After that storm it could have been anyone."

"Your feet make a distinct sound," Copper replied. "And was it your sister who made that storm? Luckily mother didn't know I was out in it."

Lissien looked closer at Copper and realized that she was drenched from head to foot. She shook her head. "I'll never understand you," she said. "And how did you hear me approach?" She decided not to say anything about Tristan, she didn't even want to think about Tristan.

Copper smiled and kneeled down on the ground, pressing her ear to the ground. "The earth told me you were coming," she said. "They know your sound, they know all people's sound and described you to me. When they sent me the sound itself I knew it was you."

Lissien shrugged her shoulders. "Isn't that one stone-mage my father brought back here your teacher?" she asked. "What was her name again, Evvy?"

Copper nodded. "Evvy is a very good teacher," she said. "She has taught me much about stone and meditation. She says I have great potential to be even better then she is!"

"And what does your mother say about the stone-magic?" Lissien asked softly.

Copper turned her head as she bit her lip. Daja had not been excited that her daughter did not have smith magic, but the much more common stone magic. "Mother says that it will help me in the forge. But she also says if I wish I do not have to work in the forge. But I want to!" Copper's voice had risen. She was a decent smith, but not as good as Daja or as the two siblings who had smith-magic; Steel and Silver, the twin boy and girl.

"At least your mother allows you to do as you wish," Lissien said. "Tristan is always." she stopped, her voice choked. Tears came unbidden to her eyes as she heard and saw what had happened in the tower again.

"I know how Tristan feels," Copper said. "But lets get off of this grim subject." Copper slung an arm over Lissien's shoulders. "Come to my house with me, mother will be glad to have you for supper."

Lissien allowed herself to be half-dragged half-pulled for about three city blocks until they reached Copper's house. It was house with a very large forge off to one side. Daja was the finest smith-mage in Summersea, even better then her teacher Dedicate Frostpine. "Oh by the way," Copper added as they entered. "Frostpine, Rosethorn and Lark are dining with us as well."

Lissien smiled. She loved Lark, her mother's teacher was one of the kindest women she had ever met and was always willing to teach her new spinning techniques. Inside the dining room seated around the large table were Daja, her husband Padkar; their children, Steel (fifteen), Silver (fifteen), Bronze (nine), Platinum (six) and the youngest Gold (three). Dedicates Rosethorn, Lark and Frostpine were there just as Copper had said.

Copper sat at an empty spot next to Frostpine and Lissien slid in across from her, right next to Lark. "Good day to you Lissien," Lark said. Her eyes widened as she took in the condition of Lissien's once beautiful blue silk dress. It was now dirty and torn. "By the gods what happened to you?"

Lissien plucked at her tattered dress and replied, "The storm. I got a little too close to the center."

They all nodded and Daja stood up to embrace Lissien. "It is always good to see you child. Copper is your good friend and you are of course the daughter of my good friend. How fares your mother, father and siblings?"

Lissien choked as she said, "Mother and father are well. As is Numair, he is happy with his gardens. Although he likes to play tricks on the others in the castle and just the other day he."

"What about Tristan?" Daja interrupted.

Lissien's eyes clouded and she said, "Tristan is..is..unwell. Trisana, she said that." Lissien broke down and began to cry uncontrollably. Lark reached over and patter her shoulder gently. Lissien turned and began to sob into the Dedicate's shoulder.

Daja exchanged a knowing glance with the other adults and took Lissien from Lark. "Let me talk to her," she told her. She then led Lissien off to another, smaller room and said, "Tell me what has happened."

Lissien looked up at her, her blue eyes glistening with tears. Her face was pale and she said, "Tristan isn't my sister, is she?"

"Shurri Firesword!" Daja swore. "You know."

Lissien nodded and began to cry again. Daja rocked her gently, hushing the smaller girl, her dark eyes haunted.

((So how do you like it? Pretty neat. Thanks for all the name ideas. See I used most of them! Thanks for all the reviews.))