Sorry it took so long for the next chapter. It's my first fanfic and it's not in my mother tongue. So it's hard for me to write it down. I can't describe it like I would do it in my own language.

I'm looking up most of the words, necessary or not, to be sure that I'm not writing complete nonsense. This takes time. Often I write until 2 o'clock in the morning.

My dog is very confused at my new habits. He looks like he's saying: "Are you insane? I want to sleep now and you are disturbing me." (It's a dachshund. Stubborn like a cat.)

I hope the story is worth the effort. (I will finish it, even if it kills me.)

Enjoy it and tell me what you think about it. If you have some suggestions how to go on, tell me. Maybe it matches with my concept.

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Chapter 05:                              Sponsors

All pages went off, following Lord Padraig to the dining hall.

Cori gave a worried look at her cousin, until her sponsor put a hand on Sam's shoulder and told her to follow him. After some hesitation, she turned around and went after him. 'She can take care of herself. She can do it even better than me.'

"Don't worry." Lachran gave her a serious look. "He is not as bad as everyone thinks."

Cori was surprised at her sponsor. "How do you know?"

"He was my sponsor last year."

"Are you friends?"

"No. Not really. He doesn't have friends. He separates himself too much. He's always so cold." Lachran shook his head. "He's in his third year now. And he had a hard time, being a Malven."

"But how can he afford the training? And how will he be able to afford everything a knight needs? I thought the family of Malven has to pay much for the treason of Ralon of Malven?"

"I don't know. He never told me." Lachran sighed. "Well. Let's talk about other things. Welcome to the palace." He gave a friendly smile at Cori.

Cori smiled back. "Thank you. Call me Cori. You're related to Keladry of Mindelan, aren't you?"

Lachran laughed. "I knew this would be the first thing you would ask. Yes, she's my aunt."

"Is that the reason you chose me?" Cori wasn't sure if she would like it.

"In some way. Some of the other boys have some ... prejudices. You would have been in great trouble if they had chosen you. And you looked friendly. That's why I took you, not one of the others."

"Who are the boys with the prejudices. Has one of them chosen one of the other girls?"

Now Cori was worried again.

Lachran shook his head. "No. None of your friends are in danger. Milan and Quentin are my friends. They are second- year pages, like me. And Colin is Quentin's older brother. It's his last year as a page. He's nice, too. Things have changed, slowly, but they have. After all those wars. Now people get used to women fighting. It was necessary when the men were abroad in war." He looked at Cori and laughed again. "Now I'm stopping. Let's get some food."

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Sam and Nathan stood still at the place the other pages left them, staring at each other. Suddenly, Nathan turned around shouting: "Follow me." He stormed down the corridor, following the others. To his surprise the girl followed him without saying something. He had expected that she would complain about his rude tone. But she didn't even looked angry. 'Well, let's see what plan she has to get rid of me.'

But she didn't say anything to him. Not when they arrived at the dining hall. Not when they got their food. Even after the prayer she ate quietly, without disturbing his thoughts.

He observed her with distrust. Suddenly he spoke. "Don't you talk?"

Sam looked up. "You don't want to talk."

Nathan looked surprised. "How shall I call you?"

"Sam."

"You will call me Nat." As if she would talk to him that often.

Sam nodded and continued eating. They had much more space than the others. Nat had taken a place as far away from the other pages as possible. Some boys were staring obviously at them.

Nat looked furiously at his plate. 'No! I won't do it. I won't do that to her. I'm no marionette they can play with.' He looked at Sam. 'They told me to get rid of the Mindelan boy. And I didn't. And I will do nothing against her. I wonder how they will punish me this time.'

Suddenly Sam returned his gaze. 'She has strange eyes. I've never seen somebody with such intense moss green eyes before.' Nat became nervous under her gaze.

Sam looked at him, then she looked around and met the gaze of three boys staring at them. 'They have cold eyes. They are enemies. Maybe I will have to take care of them.'

She looked back at Nat. "What did those guys want to achieve by making you choose me?"

Nat's eyes widened. He was really surprised. "How ... ?"

"I saw them pushing you before you chose me. You looked trapped. And you look beat up."

Now he was really surprised. He had thought he had no visible bruises. "Nobody has beaten me up. How did you get that idea?"

"The way you move. You are hurt."

There was no pity in her eyes. He hated being pitied. The only feelings he caused were hate and pity. But he didn't see them in Sam's eyes. Yet.

"I fell down."

Sam continued eating.

'She doesn't even try to make me confess that I didn't fall. Lachran has asked me all day about such things. She knows that I lied and she accepts it. Good.' He sighed and finished his meal. 'Let's wait until the others have talked to her. Then things will change, soon.'

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After the meal, the sponsors showed the new pages the most important places of the palace. Cori, Bery and their sponsors went together. Milan was really nice. He was friendly towards the girls, making them laugh with his funny jokes and stories.

Cori really liked the boy. 'We will have fun together. Even Bery is in a better mood now. I knew Sam would be successful. She knows people. I wonder what she said to her.' Cori sighed.'She won't tell me. She never does.'

Suddenly a boy ran towards them. He stopped in front of Lachran and asked. "Did you see my first- year?"

Lachran looked surprised. "You have chosen one of the triplets, Colin, haven't you?"

"Yes. I chose Aidan. Danny. But she vanished."

"How can a ten year old girl vanish?"

"I don't know. I turned around and she was gone. I called her but I didn't get an answer. I even asked our three 'friends' if they have seen her, but they denied."

"Who are these friends?" Bery asked.

"Some of the third- years. Damian of Windshole, Kajus of Grealok and Ruben of Espial. Be careful when you meet them. They don't like you."

"They don't even know us." Cori was shocked, but not really surprised.

"That doesn't matter to them. Believe me. Be careful." Suddenly Colin looked behind them. "Here you are."

He went quickly to a black haired triplet and griped its arm. "Do you have the slightest idea how easy you could have gone astray? Why do you think you need sponsors?"

Suddenly he heard a sound behind him. "Hey, brother. What are you doing with my first- year?" Colins younger brother Quentin joined the group. "I've searched for her for at least an hour. Ria that isn't funny at all."

"But that is Danny, not Ria."

Quentin looked confused. "You have lost your triplet, too? But how do you know who of them it is?"

Now Colin became unsure. "Ok. Who are you, little one."

"I'm Aaron."

"Aaron! Where is your sponsor?"

Suddenly the group heard a torrent of curses. Robert of Rose Hill, sponsor of Aaron of Crystal Lake, ran towards them. His head was red of fury. "Is this my first-year?"

Colin nodded surprised.

"Don't let him slip away! I will have to talk to that little ..." A number of insults followed.

"Do you know how long I searched for you? Can you imagine what Lord Padraig would have done to me if I had lost you?" Suddenly he stopped. He looked at the two brothers. "Wait a minute. Didn't you sponsor the sisters of this little weasel?"

The boys nodded. "Then, where are they."

"We lost them."

Robert started to grin. "Very well. I'm not the only idiot. That makes it better, a little bit."

Quentin looked sour. "I'm glad to help you with catching your triplet. But what about us. We have still to find the girls."

"Ok, Ok. You caught mine, I'll help you find yours. Let's search for them." He looked at Aaron. "And you will stay with us." Then the four turned around and went away.

Cori, Bery and their sponsors looked incredulous at the group.

"I think we've chosen the better ones." Milan said quietly.

Now Lachran was grinning. "Yes, I agree with you."

The girls traded amused looks.

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Sam was waiting for Nat. He had told her that he had something to fetch from his room and that he would return in a minute. That had been half an hour ago. 'Will he return before dawn? I hope so for him.'Sam looked around. Ten minutes ago she had seen the sponsors of the triplets together with Aaron running after Danny. Or Ria. But Sam thought it was Danny. She shook her head. 'He said I have to wait and he seemed serious about it. If he doesn't want me to see his room I have to accept that.' She heard a noise at the end of the corridor. She looked in this direction. Somebody moaned. "Nat!" Sam was running to him.

He looked really bad.

"Who has beaten you up?"

"I fell down."

"On both sides of your body?"

Sam caught Nat before he fell to the floor. "Do you need a healer?" Her voice was soft. If Bery would have been there she would have been surprised at how kind Sam could be.

"No healer. I have my own ... connections. Nobody has to know it."

Sam looked seriously at him. "If you want, I won't tell anybody."

"Thank you." Nat got back on his feet. "I'll go now."

"May I help you."

"I can do this alone. I'm used to it." Nat turned around and went away.

Sam looked at him until he vanished. 'He came here because he knew I was waiting. And he was beaten up by the boys who pressed him to be my sponsor.' She turned around and went to her room. 'He doesn't want to talk about it. I have to respect his wishes.'

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Someone was knocking on Sam's door.

"Come in, Cori."

Cori entered the room. "How do you always know it's me?"

"Nobody knocks as friendly as you."

Cori looked confused. "Really. Even if I'm angry."

"Even then."

Cori shook her head incredulous. "Well, I only wanted to ask if you're well."

"Nat didn't bite me."

Cori blushed. "I didn't want to be unfair. I only wondered ... I'm sorry."

Sam smiled friendly at her. Of all the people she knew, Cori was one of the few she really loved. The kind of love she would give to a sister, if she had one. "Nat is Ok."

"Lachran is nice, too. I think we were lucky. The boys told me that we might get problems with some of the third- year pages."

Sam looked at her. "If they hurt you they will have problems."

Cori smiled and embraced her cousin. "Don't get into trouble because of me. You are only ten. They are thirteen. I know what you are able to do, but your life is hard enough without making enemies because of me."

"I think we are already enemies."

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Ok. That's it for today. It's 03.09 o'clock in the morning. I'm tired and my dog has decided to sleep in my father's room tonight. Maybe I will add another chapter tomorrow.