Whooot..a whopping two reviews.aren't you people nice.

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Arriving back at her dorm after being assisted in riding up the mountain by a very drunk and very useless Logan, and an extremely worried and hiccough prone Drailin, with commentary from Carlyn, Lera opened her door by whispering her name.

The four of them stumbled into her room after dropping Solo, David and Stu off at their dorms. Absentmindedly kicking the door closed, the four of them collapsed into a deep sleep on Lera's single person bed.

Awaking groggily, with her head resting on Carlyn's muscled stomach, and Drailin draped over her legs, and sitting on Logan, Lera pressed her fingers against her temples. Her head throbbed.

She stood up, unpleasantly greeted with pounding in her ears. Groaning, she trudged into her walk in closet and dressed for the day, eyes crossing with the pain of her temples. She limped from her closet, wounded by the pain in her head, and found her friend stirring.

"You all alive?" Lera asked.

"I feel about as alive as you look." Carlyn said, managing a feeble grin and tossing it in her direction. Lera smiled half heartedly back at him.

"I feel like I should be dead." Drailin said, clutching his head and moaning as he sat up.

Logan didn't say anything, he just remained curled in a ball at the foot of Lera's bed. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Lera's eyes widened as her friends scrambled to get into her closet. They had to drag Logan after them, since he wasn't able to stand.

Opening the door, relief swept through Lera. She admitted Solo to her room and closed the door, letting Carlyn, Logan and Drailin out of her closet.

Solo's eyes turned into saucers.

"You guys slept over?" He hissed worriedly.

A blush crept up onto Lera's face.

"Where else would we go?" Carlyn asked, oblivious so the double meaning in Solo's words.

Logan shot Carlyn a meaningful glance as Drailin, as light hearted as ever, leaned over and pinched Lera's behind. Lera lashed out at him, striking him playfully across the shoulder.

Solo grinned and rubbed his face.

"You guys look worse of than us." Solo said, indicating into the hallway.

Lera swung open the door, and welcomed David and Stuart.

Suddenly Drailin gasped. "What time is it?"

He rushed out the door and away down the hall muttering about how late he was for work.

Lera hated Sundays. In her opinion they were poisoned by the plague of Monday.

Lera lay on the soft grass next to Carlyn in a practise field. The sun beat down on them, warming them nicely. Lera's eyes were closed but she could still see the mid afternoon sun through her eyes lids.

The only sounds she could hear were the sounds of nearby birds and the distant roar of a jousting competition.

She could smell fresh grass and approaching rain.

Carlyn lay a little ways away, within arms distance, but there was about two feet between them.

Lera rolled onto her stomach, admiring a blooming dandelion. Carlyn glanced up from his position nearby. He swung his legs around and flopped down on his stomach right next to her on the grass, grabbing the dandelion from her fingers. Lera lunged at him, attempting to snatch the dandelion from him. She reached out, groping for it, but Carlyn's fist remained tightly clasped around it.

Lera leapt for it, landing squarely on Carlyn's chest, knocking the wind from him. He gasped for air laughing like a maniac and rolled away, pinning Lera beneath him. Lera laughed, and reached for her dandelion.

Lera grabbed it from him, trying to roll away, but Carlyn's weight pinning her firmly to the ground.

"Carlyn.?" She asked looking into his eyes, a fluttering sensation in the pit of her stomach.

Carlyn didn't say anything, but leaned his head forward. Lera held her breath. Suddenly Carlyn stood up, and ran away, not looking back, but he had hesitated long enough for Lera to see the blush climbing up his cheeks.

That night Lera fell asleep with plenty on her mind. She wondered about the tingles she had when Carlyn's face seemed to loom closer. About how she felt every time she looked into Stu's eyes. About Logan's odd antics when she was about.

Sighing, Lera rolled over, and closed her eyes, wishing life was much simpler than it really was.

Lera awoke to a gentle knock on her door at the crack of dawn. Rubbing her eyes sleepily and dawning more appropriate attire, Lera opened the door, admitting her visitors.

Alanna, the Lioness Rampant, stepped into her dorm and looked about, a grin on her face. She was flanked closely by her well known husband, George and Keladry of Mindelan. Lera had grown accustomed to these brief meetings. Every time the Lioness was in Corus she would stop by to visit her only current successor in being a female knight.

Alanna grinned and offered Lera a mug filled with steaming liquid. Lera took the offered glass. No matter how often the Lioness visited, Lera always lost her breath.

"Sorry I woke you so early." Alanna started, sitting uninvited on Lera's bed next to George. "But I am leaving in a few minutes and I wanted to pop by."

Lera nodded, motioning to Kel to sit.

"That's fine, Madame. Anytime you wish to stop by, please do." Lera ducked her head respectfully.

George grinned from ear to ear and tousled her hair. "Look Alanna, another baffled youth to add to you collection."

Alanna glanced sharply at George, her eyes twinkling. "Let's not get on the topic of collections shall we, George. Because you have a very specific collection that I'm sure Lera would love to---" Alanna was cut off by George promptly wrapping his hand over her mouth. Struggling to free herself, Alanna elbowed her spouse in the chest. He grunted for air and flopped over imitating death on Lera's bed.

Keladry, who had seated herself, leaned forwards. "Get in any good fights lately?" She asked. Lera could always count on Kel to question her status with the older males.

Lera smiled. "Actually, I Have." She paused, sipping at her drink. "I fought a fourth year page earlier. His name is Saban." Lera paused, glancing into Kel's eyes before continuing. "Of StoneMountain."

Judging by Kel's sharp intake of breath, Lera assumed that Joren was still a sore spot and not soon to be forgotten.

Alanna caught to tense look that crossed Kel's face and took action, getting to the real point of this visit.

Rising, she hauled George from hiss position on Lera's bed and threw him from the room, kissing him briefly on the lips and telling him she would meet him out front in ten minutes, on Darkmoon.

Alanna ushered Kel from the room, who tossed Lera one last wave before scuttling down to join George out front of the palace.

Alanna nestled herself onto Lera's bed, remaining silent for a moment.

Lera bit her lips and took another sip of her drink as Alanna dug into her pocket for something.

Withdrawing a necklace from her breeches, Alanna dangled it in front of Lera, a remembering smile on her face.

"Once, a wise woman told me that love would ease my road plenty." Alanna paused, dropping the necklace into Lera's open palm. "I am telling you now, because your path is much like my own. Though possibly more difficult. " Alanna looked pensively at Lera. "This charm will keep you from bearing children."

Lera spluttered, rising with the Lioness as she strode to leave.

"Don't fear love. It will help you." Alanna grinned ruefully and chucked Lera on the shoulder. "I don't mean to sound sappy."

"Well your not doing a very good job." Lera said, scowling as she looped the necklace over her head. She would have no need of it, but the Lioness gave it to her, and she meant to wear it.

Waving Alanna down the stairs, Lera returned to her room and closed her door.

She admired her pendant. It was a small symbol in a language she had never seen before. As she lifted it from her chest, it power radiated through her. She dropped it, and the intense magic disappeared. Slightly baffled, Lera dressed quickly and trotted her way to the mess hall for the beginning of the days work.

Lera slumped next to Stu and a long wooden table. She frosty air the somehow managed to weasel it's way through the reinforced walls reminded Lera uncomfortably that her friends would soon be made squires, leaving her alone with David, Jeremy and Solo, the only other third year pages in her group of friends, and Carlyn, who was a fourth year page and in one short year would be joining the ranks of squires. Luckily she would always have Drailin to hang with when her squire friends were busy with squire things.

That winter passed quickly, and Lera soon forgot about her friends moving up. With no war being waged with Tusaine or Scanra, Lera's friends were around the castle usually aside from the occasional week long trip elsewhere for the enjoyment of their overlord's.