The next morning Gwenna and Eyvind received permission from Lady Valorie and Donovan to take me into the city. The streets didn't grow crowded until the afternoon, according to Rispah, which was fine by me. Without the presence of the masses of people I was free to explore the city with my friends in relative peace.

It became the norm for our mornings. Each day we saw a new part of the city and every afternoon Donovan introduced a new technique to enhance their skills. I acted out what he wanted to teach them so he remained free to explain just what they were to do and moved from one to another, helping them get it right.

But on the fourth day Rispah was called away by her knight master, Sir Anthony of Meron, and Lady Valorie made Gwenna and Heath stay behind for a lecture on battle strategies. Eyvind and I ventured out alone into one of the richer market squares, where he showed me one of the Raven Armory's shops.

"Don't Shang generally prefer to fight bare-handed?" He asked me, grinning as I mooned over a magnificent broad sword on the wall.

"Yes," I admitted, forcing myself to tear my gaze away from the sword. "But that doesn't mean we don't appreciate good blades."

In truth I was learning to use more weapons than most Shang students. What Donovan couldn't show me I learned from my father or the twins. I was a noble and part of the extended royal family, and that was something I couldn't escape. One day I hoped to earn a command in a branch of the military, be it the Own, the Riders, or the regular army. I did want to set off on my own and wander as all Shang do, but I also wanted to serve my family and my country. And to do it right I would have to be like all nobles and use blades instead of fists and feet.

"Donovan's sword was made here," I told him.

"Really?" His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "How did he manage to afford it?"

"I think he sold his mother in to slavery or something like that," I said, doing my best to keep my expression straight.

"I would think you'd need more than that to buy a sword from here." He played along as we left the shop and continued down the street. "She must have been some mother. I could sell my entire family and only hope to afford a dagger."

We both burst into laughter. The more time I spent with Eyvind the more I liked him, despite his unnerving stare. As Sorata had said, I was slowly getting accustomed to it, but I could still only meet his gaze for a short time before having to look away.

Soon after leaving the Raven shop we came upon a cart selling small pouches of apple and pear slices covered with crystallized sugar. Cook often made similar treats at home, and they were one of the few exceptions to my dislike for Tortallan food. But I had left the Palace without asking Donovan for any money.

I turned away and tried to focus on something else. Seeing the look of longing in my eyes, Eyvind quietly made his way over to the cart and purchased two pouches for a few coppers and then tapped me lightly on the shoulder.

I felt my cheeks redden as I accepted the sweets. I must have seemed like just another poor commoner to him. "I'll pay you back."

He guided me to sit on the rim of the fountain in the middle of the square. "Don't worry about it, really. It's my treat."

I could have pushed it and insisted on returning the money, but instead I gave in and just smiled. "Thank you."

"It was my pleasure."

I pulled up my legs to sit cross legged, setting the little pouch in my lap. After a few moments of comfortable silence I asked. "What's Tirragen like?"

"It's in the west, in the mountains near the City of the Gods." His voice was quiet, and I suddenly realized it might be a painful subject to talk about for him. But before I could take back my question he continued. "My family lives in a keep overlooking Lake Tirragen in a valley at the center of our lands."

"It's a beautiful place, but I like it best in the spring," he said, smiling as he spoke of his home and toying with a piece of sugar-coated apple. "The hills are covered with wild flowers and the trees on the slopes around it are just turning green. My sisters go out into the hills and come home with an endless parade of bouquets and wreaths. When the weather's good you can climb the slopes and see the City of the Gods just north of us."

"What are your sisters like?" I asked.

"Igraine is six and Viviane is eight. They're so full of energy it's a wonder they haven't driven Patricia mad." He chuckled, popping the apple into his mouth.

"Patricia?" Was she his mother, or just their nursemaid. I didn't think he'd be so disrespectful as to call his mother by her first name.

"My step-mother," he said. When I was still obviously confused he explained. "Remember when I said my sister Hannah died of fever? That fever also claimed my mother."

I frowned. Once again I had managed to go straight to the most painful subject. "I'm sorry."

He gave me the slightest of smiles. "It's alright, it's been long enough that I can talk about it without crying myself stupid."

I was impressed that he admitted to crying over his mother; most men I knew denied they even had the ability to shed tears. He took a deep breath and continued. "That left me as an only child. Father remarried a year and a half later. Patricia was so young and scared that I couldn't hate her even though I wanted to. She's been nothing but kind to me, and now I just see her as another sister."

We finished our treats and washed our sticky hands in the fountain. It was nearing midday, so Eyvind and I began walking back to the Palace. As we walked he asked, "Do you know what you plan to do once you become a full fledged Shang?"

"I have a few ideas," I said, glad that I could tell him something about me without lying. "I want to travel, like all Shang, but I also want to be more than just a lone mercenary. After I'm older and more worldly I think I'll come back and find a position somewhere in the Riders or regular army."

"What do you think they'll name you?"

That was a question I often pondered myself. "I'm not sure. I think Donovan is the one who gets to pick my name, because he's my teacher. Each Shang is named after an animal he or she shares qualities with; like speed, strength, or cunning."

"Do you know how long it'll be until you're fully initiated?" He asked.

I shook my head. "There is no set age. It is left to the student's mentor to decide when they are ready to be tested. Some aren't initiated until they're in their mid-twenties, and others can be initiated as early as sixteen. But Donovan told me that the average age is nineteen."

He nodded. "That's a good system. I think the knighthood could learn something from the Shang Order. Many of those who go in to the Chamber of the Ordeal are still not fully prepared; for some eight years just isn't enough."

"Do you think you'll be ready?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, sighing slightly. "I honestly don't know. Sir Padriac tells me that no one can ever be truly prepared for the Ordeal, but he's not allowed to tell me why. But for the sake of my family, I hope the gods will grant me the strength to survive it."

"What will you do after your knighted?" I asked and kicked a stone, sending it skittering along the cobblestones and scattering pigeons.

"I want to regain my family's honor," he said softly. "And to do that I need to make a name for myself, and distinguish myself from other knights. I was considering joining the King's Own. Their commander, Prince Raenef, is said to be much more open-minded and forgiving than his father. Perhaps he would allow me a chance to prove myself."

When he said my father's name I almost tripped and fell flat on my face. I fought to keep my voice casual and calm as I asked, "What makes you think he is?"

He shrugged. "He made his way through the ranks of the Own on his own merit, not through the help of his family name. He married a woman who was older than him and a commoner. I haven't had the chance to meet him yet because he rarely visits the Palace, but I know he comes every Midwinter. And since I'll still be here with Sir Padriac, I hope to meet him."

All I could do was nod silently. He didn't see the color drain from my face and continued on. "I recently learned that he has only one child, a daughter, who is rarely seen at Court. I don't know about you, but I don't know many nobles who would be satisfied with only a single girl-child as their heir. Many noble men would divorce their wives and find a younger girl who would be better able to bear sons."

"He married for love," I said without realizing I was speaking. "What more could he want?"

He regarded me with a thoughtful expression. "So you are a girl after all."

"What?"

He chuckled. "It seemed like you thought only of weapons and training when you first came here. But you sounded like a girl when you said that."

I blushed. "You don't have to be a girl to believe in love."

"True enough," he admitted.

"Do you believe in it?" I asked.

"I'd like to," he said softly. "But life has given me little reason to."

I couldn't think of a reply to that. As much as I liked Eyvind, I still didn't know much about him. What could have jaded him so?

When we returned to the Palace there was still a little time before the midday meal. Gwenna and Heath were waiting for us at the gates.

"Took you long enough," Gwenna said, ruffling my hair. "Sir Padriac's been looking for you, Eyvind."

"Did he say what he wanted?" Eyvind asked.

"Well, actually he summoned all of us. He offered to practice tilting with us." Heath grinned at me. "I don't suppose the Shang have room for jousting, eh?"

I smiled. "Not really, we leave that to the knights. Besides, I can't even hold a lance, let alone bash it into someone's head."

Heath pretended to take offense to that. "Now really, Melly, there's a lot more to jousting than "bashing people in the head". It's an art, really, it takes precision and strength."

"But the goal is to smash your lance into the head of your opponent, or at least break it on his shield." Gwenna said.

"Whose side are you on?" Heath demanded sourly.

"I'm a neutral party."

Heath grumbled and we all laughed, making our way to the mess hall. After lunch I asked Donovan if I could be excused from the day's lesson to go watch my friends practice tilting.

"Of course you can," he said with a smile. "It'll be good exposure for you."

I hugged him tightly. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome." He hugged me back, then kissed me on the forehead like any uncle would do. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself."

I grinned at him and kissed his cheek before running off to join my friends, my heart full of warmth. I suddenly wished that we were staying for more than just a week, even though I missed my family terribly. It was odd to wake up without Miwako singing as she got dressed, and going all day without hearing Adish crack a stupid joke. But I would see them soon, even if it meant leaving my friends. Besides, I'd be back at Midwinter. The only problem was that I wasn't sure if I'd still have friends here once they learned I'd been lying to them.

"So you're Melly, the little Shang." Sir Padriac said, his voice warm and friendly. "Eyvind's told me a lot about you."

I shook his hand and smiled. "It's nice to meet your, sir."

Sir Padriac was a very big man, tall and barrel-chested with arms like a blacksmith. He was middle-aged with only a few silver hairs standing out against his closely cropped black hair. He was tan from years of working outdoors, and lines appeared at the corners of his eyes and mouth when he smiled. Next to him even Eyvind seemed small, and he was the tallest one of us.

"Eyvind, my boy, you're first." Padriac said, slapping him on the back. "Let's see if you've remembered anything I taught you."

I sat on the fence with Gwenna and Heath, watching them don thickly padded shirts and helmets. Heath went to hold their lances as they mounted their horses and secured their shields to their arms, then returned to us and watched them move to opposite ends of the lane.

I had only seen someone tilt once before, when my father and Uncle Connor had held a friendly match a few years ago at Midwinter. Papa had bested his brother, but to be fair he had many more opportunities to practice the arts of war than his two brothers. I didn't remember much, only that it had been very sudden and very loud.

Gwenna put two fingers to her mouth and gave a sharp whistle, and Eyvind and his knight master kicked their steeds into full charges. As we watched they thundered down the lane, rising up in their saddles and leaning forward. I marveled at the fact that they could hold such long, heavy things relatively straight, despite the jolting of their horses' movement.

When they hit it seemed like a small explosion, their shields clanging under the impact and splinters from the broken lances flying everywhere in a loud crack. Eyvind fell back in his saddle, rather dazed from the looks of it, but Sir Padriac sat back down and calmly reigned in his warhorse to a sedate trot. Hannah was very well trained, and after a moment she slowed down on her own, coming to a stop carefully to be sure Eyvind wouldn't fall off.

I was shocked and terrified that he was hurt, but Gwenna and Heath were amazingly calm as they jumped off the fence and fetched new lances for the knight and his squire. I considered running over to Eyvind to see if he was hurt, but he was already slowly pulling himself upright in the saddle, his shoulders heaving with heavy breaths.

"Is it always like this?" I asked them as they jumped back up on the fence.

"Pretty much. Eyvind doesn't really stand much of a chance against Sir Padriac because he's a good deal lighter and doesn't have any experience." Gwenna chuckled. "But he manages to keep himself in the saddle most of the time, which is more than most squires could say."

When they were in position she whistled and it all began again. This time the impact made me cringe, and the splinters landed only a few feet away from our fence. It seemed like Eyvind faired a little better this time, recovering quicker than he had and not breathing quite as hard.

"You're stubborn, boy!" Padriac shouted down the lane. "Just let me dump you in the dirt like a good squire and this'll all be over!"

To my shock Eyvind replied with a very obscene gesture, but Padriac only laughed and accepted the lance Heath offered him. They came about for another run.

It was exactly like the first two runs, and I managed not to flinch at the great crashing noise. But then I realized Eyvind wasn't in his saddle anymore. He sailed through the air and landed squarely on his back ten feet away from his horse with an alarming thud.

Gwenna and Heath immediately leapt off the fence and ran over to him with me right behind them. She tapped his cheek lightly. "Eyvind, you alright?"

After a moment he wheezed a reply. "Splendid."

They helped him over to a bench near the supply shed as I ran to fetch some water. When I got back, Heath was already wearing a padded shirt and was searching for a helmet that fit. I was amazed at how calmly they were handling this. To me it had been utterly terrifying.

I sat down on the bench next to Eyvind as Gwenna helped Sir Padriac and Heath with their lances. He took of his helmet with a quick jerk, leaving his hair in wild disarray, and sighed.

"Thank you," he said when I offered him the water, still sounding rather winded.

"Is it always this bad?" I asked.

"This isn't bad, it's normal." He smiled, and then took a long drink of water. "It's not as painful as it looks."

Gwenna whistled and I turned just in time to see Heath get slammed out of his saddle, flying even farther than Eyvind had. I looked back at him and raised my brows skeptically.

"Alright, that part does hurt. But it's just bruises, nothing is broken." He lifted up his shirt so I could see the large, ugly bruise that was already appearing on his side.

"I thought jousting was mostly for the big knights like Sir Padriac." I said. "They're so heavy you can't knock them out of the saddle, right?"

He shook his head. "It's more balance, and the way you angle your lance, and how you stand in the saddle. Heath's heavier than me and look at him." He grinned. "Weight does help, though. But I'm still growing, so it won't be this difficult forever."

We watched as Heath was thrown out of the saddle again. But on his third run he managed to stay in his seat. When he dismounted we broke into applause and he gave us a mocking bow.

I was surprised to see Gwenna donning the padded shirt and helm. When she saw me staring she grinned. "I have to try, don't I?"

Despite being much lighter than either of the boys, Gwenna did fairly well. On her last run she took the hit so hard she slumped to one side and nearly lost her seat, but before she fell she managed to get a grip on her saddle and hang on. Out of the three watching, I was the only one without injuries, so I ran out to help her down.

"Are you sure you're alright?" I asked, pulling her arm over my shoulder to support her weight.

"I've been worse off," she said, voice rasping as she fought to catch her breath. "I'm just a little winded."

I helped her back to the bench where she sat next to the boys. Eyvind was looking much better than the others, but he'd had the longest time to recover. It was almost laughable. It hadn't been very long since they'd started, and already all three of them looked like they'd just come off a battlefield.

"It seems like an awfully painful way to train." I told them.

"Practice makes perfect," Sir Padriac said from behind me. He was covered in sweat, but otherwise seemingly uninjured and very energetic. "As you go you learn to deflect the blows better, and once these youngsters get some meat on their bones and some real armor it won't hurt quite as much."

"He acts tough," Eyvind said with a wry grin. "But the minute he's back in his room he'll be crying to his wife."

"Be quiet," Padriac cuffed him lightly, making his already messy hair worse. "Insolent ruffian."

I smiled as I watched them. Even though Eyvind had only recently become his squire, I could tell there was already a strong bond there. Suddenly I was very happy for my friend. With a good man like Padriac to guide him, Eyvind would become a fine knight and one day reach his goal of restoring Tirragen's honor.

We all retired to the baths after that. After Padriac and the boys disappeared into the men's I told Gwenna to go on without me.

"I'll get us both some clean clothes." I said.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not completely incapacitated, you know. I can walk just fine."

"The longer you soak in that water, the better." I gave her a gentle push through the door. "Just go."

It was easy enough to find Gwenna's room on the second floor of the page's wing. The boys lived on the first floor while the girls had rooms on the second, and their names were written on wooden plaques that hung next to the doors. I pulled a clean shirt and pants from her wardrobe, but paused when I saw breast bands folded on a shelf at the top. Did she wear them? Gwenna, even though she was two years my senior, was built much like me, tall and thin, and I know I certainly didn't need one. But then again, she was older than me, and maybe the reason I couldn't see anything different was because she actually wore one. So just to be safe I grabbed one from the top of the pile and started off for my room.

The distance between the page's wing and the rooms we'd been given wasn't anything mentionable, but it did require a lot of stair climbing and I got lost briefly on my way. By the time I got to my room I knew Gwenna was probably done washing and now just soaking in the hot water to soothe her aching muscles. I quickly gathered a clean set of clothing and hurried back down the hall.

I froze in my tracks at the end of the hall when I heard something I couldn't identify. It was so faint and brief that for a moment I thought I'd been imagining things. But then it came again, louder and stronger and I turned to look down the hall. A woman's voice, full of fear and too muffled for me to make out the words.

I'd thought myself alone in the wing. After all, aside from Donovan and I, this wing was entirely servant quarters. And they only returned when their duties were done and their masters had retired for the night. I quickly backtracked down the hallway, moving as quietly as I could until I found the room where the noise had come from.

The door was slightly ajar, allowing me to see a thin sliver of the room within. I moved closer and peered through, then stood frozen in shock at what I saw.

The woman was on the floor on her back, struggling wildly with a man who was facing away from me. Her face was streaked with tears, and when I saw the hand clasped over her mouth I realized there was another man in there as well. The first man struggled to get a grip on her legs and then forced them apart.

"Hold 'er tight," he whispered harsly. "Don't want no one t'hear 'er wailin'."

The second man's laugh was so cruel and icy it made me shiver. "Who's there t'hear it? Now hurry up and git on with it."

Even though I was young and somewhat sheltered, I knew what they intended for the woman. Miwako and my mother had told me that there were men in the world who would use a woman to satisfy themselves, unconcerned whether she was hurt in the process. Rage flooded my veins like fire as the man pushed the woman's skirt up to her waist and then fumbled with his belt.

The woman- a girl really, for she seemed only a few years my senior- continued to struggle against her captors, trying to bite the second man's hand and kicking her legs in a vain attempt to free herself from their grip. The first man backhanded her, but she didn't stop, even though she knew it was a losing battle.

The rational voice in my head told me to run for help, or at least run back to my room and grab my staff or dagger. But by then it would be too late and the damage would be done. Looking to the right, just inside the door, I discovered a tin wash bin on a nightstand. It would have to do.

I dropped the clothes on the floor and darted inside, snatching up the empty bin and rushing across the room. The second man looked up and saw me, but he didn't have the time to warn his companion. I raised the bin over my head, then brought it down with every bit of strength I could muster, bashing it into the back of the first man's head. The impact sent jarring vibrations up my arms and I almost dropped it, but I had accomplished my goal. The man slumped forward, landing partially on the girl in front of him who desperately kicked at him to shove him away. The second man released her and rose to his feet.

"Run," I told the girl as she scrambled to her feet. She looked at me, her eyes wild with fear, and fled without question. She was safe. Now all I had to do was save my own hide.

"You festerin' sack o'maggots." He snarled at me, advancing slowly as I backed towards the door. "I'm gonna break every bone in yer rotten body."

Suddenly I regretted my hasty decision. The girl had a lot of fight in her, I'd seen that. Together we could have bested the scoundrel. But I realized that alone I didn't have much of a chance, Shang training or no. He was easily more than twice my size, and I knew that if he got a hold on me I was done for.

He dove at me, swearing when I leapt to the side and cracked the tin across the back of his hand. I tried to hit him across the head with it before he could recover, but he was faster than I thought, and knocked my hand away, sending the pail crashing into the wall. I had lost my only advantage.

His companion groaned behind him and struggled to get up. When he turned to look at the fallen man I saw my chance and darted for the door, realizing too late that he'd done that on purpose. His big hand grabbed my upper arm hard, and he flung me against the wall so easily I might as well have been a rag doll.

My back hit the stone first, then my head. I cried out and dropped to the floor, my vision a fantastic world of flashing lights. I tried to get up, but was so unbalanced that I didn't know which way was up and ended up falling over again.

From far away I heard that cruel laugh again. "Did ye hear that? This un's a girl too. Guess we'll have our fun after all."

Icy fingers of dread wrapped themselves around my heart as I realized that now they were going to do to me what they would've done to that girl. It didn't matter to them that I was just a child. As the two large figures loomed over me I suddenly felt small and helpless, terror threatening to overwhelm me completely.

Hands grabbed at my arms and legs, pulling me away from the wall. I struck out with my hands and feet blindly, fighting a losing battle against their far superior strength. But it wasn't completely in vain. I was rewarded with a cry of pain as my foot caught one man in the groin, but then my world exploded as a massive hand struck me across my face.

I lay on the floor, too dazed and disoriented to fight them when they grabbed me again. The right side of my face was on fire and I could taste blood. But my stupor didn't last long. I felt a hand tugging at my belt and jerked back into awareness once more.

Eight years of training were suddenly forgotten as I struggled against them. I kicked, I clawed, I even bit the hand meant to cover my mouth. With every ounce of my being I fought them. They hit me again, and again, but I kept on, refusing to accept defeat until I was dead and cold on the floor.

The next blow hit so hard my head was whipped back against the stone floor, and suddenly the world was white, then black. I could hear them, and felt my own limbs still fight, but it was all far, far away.

Is this what comes of helping those in need? I thought in an odd moment of bitter clarity. Is this my reward for choosing the path of Shang?

I felt blood trickling down my temple and my vision began to return, but it was blurred and full of flashing lights. Two large blurs loomed over me like mountains, full of menace and terror. They seemed to move with painful slowness, shifting between the flashes of bright light. My entire body went cold when one of them finally got a grip on the waist of my pants and began to pull.

And then, after another flash, there was a third dark smudge behind the first two, and suddenly I was released from the hard grip. From far away I heard angry curses, then shouts of agony, and then silence.

My world pulsed with pain and light. Slowly I began to reorient myself, feeling the hard floor beneath me and pushing myself back until I found the wall. Using that as my guide I struggled to my feet.

Two hands reached out and grasped my arms, and I immediately lashed out. But this grip was gentle and kind, supporting me as I stood on fear-weakened legs. As I looked up at the blob above me, my eyes began to focus, and I found that my rescuer was no other than Eyvind of Tirragen.

Hi guys :-)

First off I want to thank you all for your wonderful reviews. They mean a lot to me and they're great encouragement to keep me going when I'm about to give in to writer's block. I hope I'll live up to your praise and keep the story interesting.

Like I mentioned before, I went to Otakon 2004 in Baltimore, and I had a blast. Spent way too much money v.v Then I went on vacation to Ocean City with my family, and had even more fun there. My notebook goes with me everywhere, so I always find time to write, even though I'm far away from my beloved computer. I've actually started working on a few chapters that won't be up until 14 or so, because they're fresh in my mind and I know exactly what I want to do with them. Hopefully that means I'm making good progress and can update more often

But I'm starting college next week, so the first few weeks of that might be hectic. Luckily I only have four classes, so it's a pretty relaxed schedule, and I don't know if I'm gonna be working. I have an hour and forty five minutes of math... :-/ I'm gonna die.

Anywho, I actually have the next chapter finished, so it'll be up in the next day or too. All I have to do is tweak it.

Until next time, take care ;-)