Chapter 17:                                            You are our hope

Sam was staring at the woman in front of her. She didn't see her face, yet. The woman was wearing a long dark cape, the hood covering her head. Only her chin and her elegant hands were visible. But Sam knew exactly who she was. "I knew somebody would come, but I never thought it would be you." Sam's eyes narrowed. "What do you want here? There is a price on your head. It's too dangerous to leave your mountain."

The woman in front of her chuckled lightly. "I'm safe, little one. It's not my destiny to die now. You of all should know that."

Sam frowned. "You shouldn't challenge destiny. You of all should now that."

The woman chuckled again and raised one of her hands. It was white as snow, thin and elegant. Some ladies would have killed for skin and hands like hers. "Come with me, little one. I have to talk to you."

Sam looked at the hand in front of her. "I can't simply go. I'm not allowed to leave the palace without permission."

"We wont leave. We will just go somewhere more private."

After some hesitation, Sam took the hand and followed the woman.

The woman led Sam through corridors she had never seen before. 'This palace is a maze.' After a while they arrived at a small but comfortable room. "Sit down, little one. Do you want tea?"

Sam nodded slowly and sat down. "What kind of tea."

"Your favourite, if I remember correctly."

A servant came in and brought a teapot and two cups. She poured out the cups and vanished, after bowing deeply to the woman and even deeper to Sam.

Finally the woman took off her cape. She was very beautiful. Her skin and her hair were white like snow, although she looked not older than thirty years of age. Her face was delicate, as well as her full red lips. But her most conspicuous feature was her moss green eyes. They were a little brighter than Sam's and her stare was not that intense.

Sam took a cup and inhaled the smell of the deep red liquid. Her face brightened a bit. "Your memory doesn't trick you. It has been a long time since I drank this mixture." She nipped and continued speaking, serious again. "What brought you here?"

The woman looked calmly at her, leaning back in her seat. "You know exactly why I am here. You nearly died. I know it was winter when it happened and I'm a bit late, but the journey is quite long for somebody who has to hide."

"Well I didn't expect you to come here yourself."

"Nobody else would understand what happened to you. You opened the door to the future without permission, little one. You tried to wake up, much to early. It was very a very dangerous thing that you did. I'm here to remind you where your place is."

Sam put her cup at the table and looked straight into the woman's eyes. "How could I ever forget my place. I hope you don't forget yours. It was an accident. But I don't have any problems at the moment. I'm safe."

The woman raised a delicate eyebrow. "Are you sure. You still don't have control over your power. It will come back, stronger than before. It will control you if you are not able to control it."

"I will control it. I'm meditating every day the way you taught me. I'm learning, practising ... I simply do all I can."

Suddenly the woman bent to her, caressing her cheek. "I know, I know. I felt your pain. I'm not here to argue. I only want you to be more careful. If you die, we all are lost. I'm sorry, but it's true. Our lives depend on yours."

Sam turned her face away. "I know, " she whispered. "How could I ever forget that, Galina."

The woman's eyes turned sad. "I know it's hard, but nobody can change it. You are the last of your family. If you die childless, the consequences would be horrible. You have to be very careful. He is still searching for the sword. Don't cause to much attention." She signed. "But that's not the only reason I came here."

Sam looked back again. Out of nowhere Galina had a weapon in her hand. A dagger. Sam's eyes became huge. "Is that what I think it is?"

Galina smiled. "Of course it is."

"Are you insane?" Sam jumped up. "You could have been caught. Can you imagine what would have happened if he got his hands on it?"

"Calm down. It is necessary that you get it."

"Damn it! It was safer where it was before. Nobody has ever conquered the holy mountain. It is dangerous enough to have the other things with me. What did you think you were doing?"

Galina raised from her seat and lifted the dagger in her hands. "It is yours. Nobody else can handle it. You will need it someday. Take it."

Sam glared at the dagger. Slowly she raised her left hand and took it. Immediately she felt an energy entering her body. She gasped. She had to fight to get control over it, but finally she managed. Tired she fell down on her seat. "It could have killed me, priestess."

"Why did you take it then?"

Sam glared at her. "As if I had a choice."

"Well, I see you understand, finally. Very good. By the way, we will have to take care of your education, my dear."

Sam raised her eyebrows. "What's wrong with it?"

"It is not proper for someone of your status."

"Now you are sounding like some of these conservatives."

"You will have to learn the way of your family. When you come at fief Pinehollow during summer time, there will be some teachers waiting for you."

"Now you are sounding like my uncle."

Galina grinned. "I knew you would like it."

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Bery looked up to the clouded sky. Rain fell down, touching her skin lightly. The young girl sighed. How fast the time went by. She had been successful at the test. The camp was nearly  over. She would soon be able to go home. She still couldn't believe that she had done it. She had survived the first year. And she had been successful. It had been hard, but now she knew it was worth the effort. When she remembered her fears when the year started, her childish behaviour ... well, now she felt different. She had changed without even noticing.

"What are you thinking of?"

Bery looked to her right side. One of the triplets was there, riding next to her. She looked quickly at the horse's colour. 'Black. Must be Danny. At least if they haven't changed horses.' Bery smiled. "Nothing special. Only about the past year, that's all."

Danny grinned. "Yeah. It was a busy year. A little bit strange sometimes, but at least not boring."

Bery chuckled. "I don't think anybody would every be bored with you being around."

Danny seemed proud of that fact. "Indeed. I agree with you."

"I didn't think I could make it. But I did it. We did it. We even passed the tests. That was the most horrible part for me."

"Really? Even more horrible than being beaten up? Worse than the dog's attack or Sam's breakdown?"

"Well that was more than horrible. But you don't know my stage- fright."

Suddenly they heard the other pages' gasps. Both girls looked around.

Bery became pale. "A Stormwing."

"Where?"

"There. In that tree."

"Now I see him. Oh gods. A real Stormwing. What if he wants to attack us?

The pages and their training masters became nervous. But the Stormwing didn't seem willing to attack them.

He grinned devilishly. "That's fine, little pigs. Give me your fear. Feed me." He chuckled when Lord Padraig and the Shangs took their bows, ready for a fight. "You are not at war. I wont attack you, although I would really like to."

Lord Padraig urged the pages to ride faster, while the Shangs still kept an eye on the Stormwing.

All pages were more than uncomfortable being near that immortal creature. Only one girl stopped a brief moment under the tree staring at the Stormwing. The girl didn't fear him, she didn't even hate him. He could feel that. The Immortal stared back in those moss green eyes, and a realisation hit him. Unnoticed by most of the other pages, it seemed that the mortal page and the immortal Stormwing shared a secret.

Bery and Danny watched their friend and the Stormwing. For a moment it seemed as if they had known each other. As it they were talking mind to mind. As if they knew something nobody else knew.

Bery heard Danny's whisper. "For somebody whose family was killed by Stormwings, Sam reacts quite calmly. It seems that she even likes this creature."

Bery suddenly felt uncomfortable. 'I don't know how long they can keep Sam's secret. I don't understand why they don't want to tell it even to our friends. If Sam continues acting like this, people will soon wonder. Everybody can see that Sam doesn't hate Stormwings. And only a fool would think the story about her family being killed by Stormwings is true.'

The Stormwing watched the pages untill they were out of his sight.

'I didn't think I would meet her here. I thought she and her people had died out while we were imprisoned at the Divine Realms. Now she has another shape, but it's still her.'

He chuckled.

'I'm impressed. I wonder how she will change human history this time. I can feel her awakening. There will be war again. And maybe I will see her die again.'

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Thank you for all your reviews. Its interesting what you think about the story. I think I will start another poll soon. :)

So what do you think about this chapter? I know it's still short but I really try. My parents and my teachers think that a pupil needs no free time.

Shadow Wolf:   Do you still think the only enemies are those three boys? That would be much to easy. I will say only one thing: There is somebody hiding in the darkness, waiting for his chance. I promised a big bad enemy, and I keep my promises.

mysticflame151:   Do you want me to write a sequel to that story with the triplets as the main characters or do you want me to write more about them in the one of the next chapters? Or both? I have already something in mind for a sequel with the triplets, but I first have to finish this story.