Chapter 08:                              Sorrows

Keladry of Mindelan was in the stables, caring for her horse Peachblossom. Suddenly she heard a quiet noise behind her. She turned around, ready to fight. "Oh, it's you Lachran."

She relaxed and smiled at the boy. That was the reason why her birds didn't alarm her. They knew her nephew and liked him. "How are you?"

"Well, thank you."

Kel eyed her nephew with care. He seemed a little depressed. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no. Everything is ... fine."

'He doesn't want to talk about it.' Kel smiled again. "How is it to be a second- year page? Is the training Ok?"

"It's Ok. It's harder, and we don't have any free time, but it's Ok."

"I remember. And how are the girls." Kel was really interested how successful the new female pages were.

"Well. They are ... good. I mean, for example the triplets. All the time they play tricks on the other pages. They already had some fights because of it. But during the training they are very attentive, and they learn fast."

Kel smiled again. "That's good. And the other girls? Have they told you why they were allowed to come to palace?"

Lachran looked odd. "I'm the sponsor of Cori, Corvina of Kourell."

"Good. Do you like her? Are you friends?"

"She nice. Always friendly. A good fighter, but ..."

"What?"

"A week ago I asked her why she was allowed to come here. She told me because her parents had no other heir and that they want her to be prepared as much as possible."

Kel frowned. "But it happens often that there are only daughters in a family. Normally the family searches for an acceptable husband for the oldest daughter. Above all the conservatives."

"Cori became really angry. She told me that it's her business. Bery, Berenice of Gohman, another girl, wanted to say something. But Cori became so angry, that Bery is too afraid to say anything. I didn't want to interrogate them. I only wanted to be their friend."

Lachran seemed sad. "I told her later that I'm sorry, and that I didn't want to make her angry. I had to promise not to ask such questions again." He looked at Kel. "But I'm worried. Before being cut off by Cori, Bery said some things I can't get out of my mind."

"What things?"

"She told me that Sam's, Samira of Pinehollow, uncle talked to Cori's and her parents, and after that they were allowed to become knights."

"But Lord Victor of Pinehollow was one of the first who criticised me when I became a page." Kel was surprised. "Why has he changed his opinion?"

"That's what I'm worrying about. Bery said that something had happened five years ago, and after that these three families have changed their opinion about Lady Knights. Aunt Kel, they've even trained their daughters since they were six years old for being knights. And the thing that happened concerned a member of, I think, the Pinehollow family. And it concerns Sam. When Bery started to tell me about that, Cori became so furious, you can't imagine. She said that it's Sam's business, and that Bery wouldn't say anything if she knew more about it." Lachran looked at his aunt. "There is something wrong. Completely wrong. Cori acted as if she wanted to protect her cousin. As if she was afraid something might happen if we knew too much."

Kel shook her head helplessly. "And how is that Sam? What kind of girl is she?"

"Her sponsor is Nathan of Malven. They are together most of the time. I don't know how, but she can keep company with him. I wasn't able to stay his friend. But she's like he is. Calm, suspicious, not very social. The only person she really likes is Cori. But even to her she's silent. And she learns fast. Not only the theoretical stuff. At the first practise hour with the Shang Horse, you remember, learning how to fall, she was able to do it right after the second try. And she never had training with a Shang."

Kel was impressed. "That rare."

"I wanted to ask Cori about it, but she gave that do-not-ask-look, and I didn't want her to be angry again."

Kel couldn't prevent a grin. 'She has him under her control after a week. Not bad.'

Lachran continued explaining. "Sam isn't interested in the opinion of anyone. She didn't try to hide how good she is. So, she doesn't have many page friends. And she's better trained than any of the other first- years. Even better than some of the older pages. I worry about her. I think there must be something wrong with her family. She never talks about her past. Maybe she's in trouble. I came here because I wanted to ask you for advice."

Kel sighed. "Let her live like she wants to. It might be her normal character, and if not ... . I will ask the Lioness when I see her tomorrow. If there is something wrong, we will try to help her." She put a hand on her nephews shoulder. "Don't worry to much. If there was any danger for the girl, we would have already heard about it. I'm sure."

Lachran smiled at his aunt. He felt better now that he knew somebody would help Sam if it was necessary.

Kel smiled back at him. She felt proud that she was the person Lachran came to when he had problems. "What do you think, is it possible for me to visit the girls?"

Lachran grinned. "I think they would be happy to meet you. Especially Danny and Ria. They saw you once at a tournament and they are always saying that they want to be like you. Or like the Lioness."