{W/R=Wake-Robin}

First of all, here are the BIG thank-yous to my reviewers.

RoxyBarbieH8er~ Thanks so much for being my first reviewer and your nice review. Your question about the visitor will be answered in this chap.

FelSong~ You are welcome to tie your story to mine, I'd be very honored. Thanks for your review. Read this chapter, you mite be in for a surprise about the visitor.

Erkith~ Thanks so much for your encouragement. I'll be sure to write as much as I can.

Amanda~ Thanks for liking it. I hope you like this chap.

Hypatia~ I got my copy of Firebirds at Barnes and Noble. You can order it online from Amazon.com and from Waldenbooks. I hope you get a copy!

Now, I won't ramble on, as I did with my prologue so on with the story. Beware, there will be a lot of OOC in this whole story, sry about that.



I finally gave into the ecstatic joy that welled up in me and ran to give a tight hug to Rhianna, although it did wrinkle her beautiful forest green gown but she didn't seem to mind. {W/R: My own character, all mine!!! Perfect to fool you with, huh? XD }

"Why didn't you write that you'd be coming? I would have been at the gates waiting for you," I said, releasing her from my hug.

It was good to see her for it's been awhile since I saw her last and her letters had stopped abruptly causing me anxiousness.

"And miss that look? It was well worth keeping it quiet."

"Here, sit down." I said, nearly dragging her to a seat, in my room. "You must be tired from such a long trip from Leone."

"In a carriage? I was utterly bored, rather than tired!"

I laughed, sitting opposite her. Rhianna was the few wealthy daughters that didn't make me want to tear my hair out when we talked, although I had known her only a few months when we visited Sartor. {W/R: OOC for Elestra, I know.}

"So what brings you here?"

She looked down at her lap, downcast. My heart lurched with worry. Thousands of questions and thoughts, as to what happened poured into my mind, in the few seconds, it took me to kneel by her side and ask.

"What's wrong?"

"My father has taken a turn for the worst and my mother wants to ask your mother for help."

"Why?" I had known about Lord Devin's health, but the possible involvement of my mother to help confused me. "Does your mother think that the sickness isn't natural?"

"Yes, we think that someone wants to get my father out of the picture."

My eyebrows rose, intrigued. This was big news and I made a mental note to record all of it.

"Whatever for?"

"That is what my parents want to find out. You know my father's illness was nothing serious, but it has lasted too long and even the healers are suspicious. Before I left for Athanarel, father was okay but I don't know how long it'll last."

"Why didn't you go to the Council of Mages? My mother hasn't been studying that long."

I felt guilty at my words, but if there was someone out to assassinate Lord Devin, who is to stop them from harming others in their way.

"My mother doesn't trust any other mage and we don't want this to be known everywhere."

I bit my lip, in thought and got up from my kneeling position.

"Did you ask my mother yet?"

"My mother came, as well and she's discussing it with her now."

"Kicked you out?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood and change the subject.

She gave a small smile and nod.

"Well, it'll probably be awhile before they're done talking and I bet everyone would be happy to see you again."

"Okay," she replied, reluctantly. "Please, don't tell anyone else about my father and what we were talking about."

"Of course!"

We left my room and I brought out my small journal. It wasn't long before we saw Tara and the boys hovering over her in the courtyard and Rhianna was included in the admired glances from the boys, which Tara wasn't too happy about. I was included in their conversation occasionally, but I kept mostly quiet until Rhianna and Tara overshadowed my presence and I was left off to the side. It was fine with me for it was expected and why I had brought out my journal. I moved to the shade of another tree and sat down. I began scribbling away immediately, as I had been before Rhianna arrived.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Elestra is writing again, in her journal *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Rhianna has arrived to Athanarel today with her mother, as well as some upsetting news. As I had written before, Lord Devin is still ill and now his illness is considered suspicious. It confirms my thoughts about it, as well. When Rhianna first wrote me about him, I had the most awful feelings up and down my spine about it. I didn't say so about it, then for I thought I was just being silly and paranoid, but indeed, it may not be so. I'm worried about mother being involved to investigate about it, but she's the only person I would trust if I were in Lady Arielle's place for the Council of Mages make me very uneasy, especially when mother goes off to see them. As my feelings when I first heard of Lord Devin's sickness , my feelings about the Council of Mages aren't supported by any evidence for it, but what it is sustained when it's too late.

*~*~*~*~* Elestra pauses in her writing, looking at the group of friends before her *~*~*~*

"Hey, Elestra! We're going riding, you want to come?" Matthew Keradec, one of the adoring fans of Rhianna, at the moment, called to me.

"Sure," I replied and scribbled down an idea that hit me, when Matthew talked about riding.

*~*~*~*~*~*~* Her quick scribbled note to herself, in the journal *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

What if Flauvic Merindar is behind all this? I'm almost certain that trouble is coming.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Elestra stops writing *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I closed the book and went inside with Rhianna, who had stayed behind for me while everyone went inside to change. One of the servants or maybe under mother's request had kindly given the guest room, beside my own, to Rhianna while she stayed here, which I was pleasantly surprised to know. Selene, my maid and daughter of Mora, my mother's maid, helped me get out the riding gear and got me ready for the ride. When my riding hat was settled on my head was I ready to leave and I met up with Rhianna, who came out of her room, a couple of seconds after me. We, childishly, raced to the stables for our favorite horses.



My horse and Rhianna's were already saddled and ready for riding, when we got there and we politely thanked the stable hands and met up with the others, already ready and waiting for us at the beginning of the trail.

I urged my tan mare, Chocolate, on toward them. My horse was named after my mother's favorite drink, especially since she had given me her and her sweet-tempered nature, as well. Rhianna did the same with her horse, Eclipse. They greeted us again and started riding up the trail. I noticed they had chosen one of the longest one in Athanarel. It was one trail that I wasn't very familiar with because I never had so much time for it. This time, I joined in the conversation between the others. The sky was a clear light blue with light splotches of white. We rode into a thick forest with plenty of cool shade from the warm sunlight. The forest reminded me of those in Tlanth, which reminded me of the Hill Folk, which then led me to think of Flauvic. I got lost in my thoughts so that my input in the light conversation lapsed to silence, as everyone else continued talking. I don't think anyone noticed and neither did I, until I drifted back from my little world and found that I was alone.

"Oh great," I murmured to myself, sarcastically.

Chocolate neighed, as I reined her to a stop. I looked around me and knew I was in trouble. I was definitely lost and I wished that I hadn't been thinking so deeply. I did the most sensible thing and turned Chocolate around, trying to follow her hoof prints back to home. I rode slowly and tried not to panic. I felt extremely silly to not knowing my way home, when I had lived here all my life. Birds chirped around me, keeping me company, it seemed and it made me relax. A soft crunching of leaves disrupted the natural rhythm of the forest and I stopped riding, abruptly. I hoped that Rhianna or someone had turned back to find me.

"Who's there?" I tentatively asked.

No one answered my question and a bad gut feeling appeared at the pit of my stomach. At this moment, I severely hoped Father had gotten most of the raiders along the border. I started Chocolate into a quicker pace, still following the hoof prints backwards for a prickly feeling went through my body. It was a similar feeling, as the one I felt when I first met Flauvic. I forgot my uneasiness for it was replaced by my self-infuriation at my thoughts about him again.

"Damn you, Flauvic!" I muttered.

"Call me?" A voice in front of me asked.

I nearly yelped in surprise and almost did so again for Chocolate reared, spooked and nearly threw me off. If I hadn't been so experienced with riding horses, I would have been certain to be crushed by Chocolate. I calmed Chocolate down, before I said anything. It also gave me a chance to calm down, myself and collect my thoughts. When everything was steadied, I got off Chocolate and walked angrily to Flauvic, holding Chocolate's reins in my left hand. {W/R: Yes, here finally comes the appearance of Flauvic.}

"What in the world, did you do that for? Are you trying to kill me?" I yelled, expressing my anger and pushed him with my right hand.

Only after I pushed him, did I remember he is more dangerous than he seems, but I didn't give him the satisfaction of seeing my fear. I am Elestra with the guts and I am tough, I told myself. It made me a bit braver to face whatever he would do. He didn't fall or step backwards at all, a part of me didn't expect him to. Instead of being angry, he laughed at me, which got me more livid. It seemed typical of the masterminds of villains to not do anything, but laugh, evilly. I narrowed my eyes, in a glare, readying myself to yell at him again, if he had not interrupted me.

"You sound so much like your mother, when you're angry."

That comment shut me up. I didn't know if I was to be flattered or more aggravated. I took a deep, cool breath and lowered my voice. This was to be a stressful day, I knew, for me.

"What are you doing here? Didn't you be escape from Athanarel? My father will kill you on the spot, if he finds you here."

He didn't look as if he cared and I wondered if he was nuts, but then I noticed the slight deepening downwards, in his smirk.

"Anxious about my safety?" He cockily asked me.

I gave him another glare and nearly groaned in frustration aloud, but I didn't as to not give him the satisfaction of irritating me to no ends. The thoughts about him from earlier dissipated and I was left wondering why I didn't remember how wearisome he had been. I should have been overjoyed to be rid of him, when father found us as he was chasing raiders.

"You know what, I don't care. Good day to you Lord Flauvic." I said, getting back onto my mare.

He didn't move an inch and I realized he blocked the trail of the hoof prints I had been following.

"Could you move, I need to get back." I asked, impolitely.

Wake-Robin: So what do you think of the first real chapter? Remember this whole story is a touch and go, so I'm not sure how I'll continue this. I hoped you liked it. Time for the button-pressing contest again, rofl.

*Anyone know Elestra's last name, it's pissing me off that I can't find it in my books. (Yes I was so annoyed that I looked back in my books.)