Hello all of my faithful reviewers (and the less faithful ones that caused me to only get 42 reviews…not 45) You all really should review, because I will doubt weather anyone reads it at all…then I may not write…Sooo…I promised I would write before Saturday, and her I am…writing…very interesting to read…This chapter is kind of strange…not to mention short…but the next should be slightly longer, and I hope you like it, read it, and most importantly review it. So thank you to all who did review…

Wildmage 101:I mean the end of the book…and I'll see you on Monday…Avesnir….

Snowfire the Kitsune: Yes, Amanda has backbone; I had decided that she needed some. Numair is not that evil, to make her get on the boat…where did you get the idea that there were boats involved…I mean there are…but if Amanda went to Port Leagean, she would stay on land.  What ifs are always helpful, thanks…I appreciate them a lot…review more plz…

Robinwyn: That's good that it is not completely obvious…but you will be able to tell before the very end…I guarantee it… Here is more…now review it…

Wuwuwulilililili419: You're pen name is wacked! As is the nut story…not to say we all don't love it…see you on Monday…

            So…read the note at the end…Hope you like it:

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Unexpected Meetings

            The next morning, Amanda lay awake in bed, pretending to be asleep when Numair came up to say goodbye. As soon as she heard his horse thunder off, Amanda got dressed, and packed a set of clothes and food in a pack that she slung over her shoulder as she walked down to the forest to get her mare. Numair was long gone, but Amanda knew he was headed for the Tortall-Scanra border, on the western side. She could simply ride along the coast, steadily north, until she reached the hills.

            Amanda rode for almost three days, until she reached the mountains separating Tortall and Scanra. There she set up camp, and went to explore. The countryside was harsh and barren, with the exception of the hundreds of tall pine trees scattering the hills. After finding one tall and sturdy enough for her liking, Amanda began to climb. From near the topmost branch, she could see far across the countryside. She squinted, searching through the steep hills. In between the mountains closest to Tortall stood a tall wooden fortress, with four turrets like towers inside a foreboding looking Iron Gate. Amanda looked closer, in the furthest of the towers, there was an unmistakable light coming from the center of the room, black fire mixed with blood red. Amanda's stomach lurched with shock and anxiety; Numair had found Inar Hadensra.

            Amanda climbed back down out of the tree, and walked to the edge of the cliff overlooking the fortress, her heart pounding fast. She knew that she must not interfere with Numair's battle; that was his affair. What was hers? In the distance, she heard the rumble of the many footsteps of the marching to war. What she needed was advice, to know what to do, or at least a point in the right direction. She was only nineteen, and did not know what to do. Perhaps she did not belong here after all, no matter what her odd dream had told her. It was only a dream, and like the rest of her right now, made absolutely no sense.

Standing on the cliff, overlooking the war that the whole world had plunged into, for the first time in her life, Amanda felt completely and utterly alone.

            Her eyes watered, and she sneezed, again and again. When her vision cleared, she jumped backward in surprise. A woman stood before her, a tall maiden with curling long amber hair, and stormy blue eyes. She seemed oddly familiar, yet was much too queenly not to be a goddess. Suddenly it clicked.

"Daine?" she whispered. The goddess, smiled.

            "So you do recognize me, Amanda," she said, and continued before Amanda could say anything.

            " I know all about you. Since I died along with my mother, and we both became goddesses." Amanda looked down.

            "It's not your fault," said Daine, correctly interpreting her look. "It is simply the way things happened, and we cannot change it now." Her voice took on an urgent note. "Now listen closely, time is growing thin, and you have a chance to stop this now, before it even starts. You must find, and stop Ozorne, the Carthaki emperor, from using his connection with Uuosae, the goddess of chaos, to take over all of the eastern lands. He is hiding to the west of here, in Galla. On the border you will find a snow-covered field with one singular pine tree in the center, he is there. Take this, with my blessing, you will need it before all is said and done."

            She held out her hand, and in her palm was a small piece of water worn blue glass that seemed to shimmer with a dim inner light It reminded Amanda of a warm summer rain, the fierce, crashing waves, and a cool, spring night, glistening with sickles of moonlight.   Amanda took it from the goddess's hand, and nearly dropped it; it was filled with a strange magic, the likes of which she had never felt before. Daine stepped back, surveying her.

            "You are ready now, or as ready as you will ever be for what is in store for you… Take care of Numair for me; he loves you, no matter what he may say. Many adventures wait for you, Amanda, this not the least."

            Her outline had begun to grow fuzzy, and the thing that Amanda really wanted to know burst out before she could stop it.

"I have to know, do I truly belong here?"

Daine simply smiled, her voice soft, and pensive.

            "I cannot tell you that now, the gods cannot change the lives of mortals, but remember this; It matters not how you are born, but who you grow to be." she was gone

Amanda looked down, and examined the blue glass, the sense of alien magic had faded away, and she realized that there was a silver cord running through the top. She slipped it about her head, and with one last backward glance at the now raging battle below, she mounted her horse and rode east.

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            So…was it good? Did you like how I wrote Daine into the story, to show how she did not completely catch a bad deal…and that is not the last you will see of her…Do you get what I keep hinting towards yet? (That will happen at the end of the fic) I will update hopefully next Friday…I am not allowed to go on ff.net on a weekday anymore… so please, please, please review, it really means a lot to me, and I am saying this only so I can see who is reading it…and if no one does review for this chappy…I will probably go into self doubt again…so, please do if you like this fic at all…sorry I just tend to get like this…and when you review…if it's not too much…try to give advice, comments, questions, ect.

Thanks,

-Queen of Connaught