Author's Note: Alright, this is fixed a tiny tiny bit. The only thing that is different is I mentioned Tortall fighting with Carthaki and... well, I took it out. I'll explain in a minute. Please review and give me your opinions! And ideas! Ideas are good! ::nods:: R/R!!

All right, I was writing away at this and some people asked me "Why are they trying to keep Carthakians out of Tortall when they are at peace with each other?" Well, the reason was....... I haven't read the books in a while and I wasn't thinking things through very well when I wrote that. So, instead of trying to get a whole bunch of history in there and figure out why Tortall is fighting with Carthaki, I just took it out. Sorry! I hope you weren't really hoping to get a lot going with that! ; I think more might happen in that area later in the story however. I just need to get the books again first. ;

One more thing. I have also had people asking me why Lord Wyldon is back because he quit in Squire. You are very right! Again, brain fried and I forgot. So, because I am lazy and don't want to totally re-write the whole story we're going to have an alternate reality thing going on where he didn't quit. Sound good?

I'm doing my best at remembering the books and only have Page at my house right now. I'll try not to make any more mistakes like that. ; But, I'm not perfect... unfortunately. Anyway, Read away! Enjoy!

A New Task

Lady knight Kelandry of Mindelan walked quickly down the long palace corridor, heading for the training yards. The echo of her footsteps bounced off the walls as she went. As she walked, she tuned out the sound of the footsteps and began to think about the past year. She had spent that last year training village men and boys in the village of Lyder at the western border of Tortall. Because of a war threat from Tusaine she trained these men in the areas of swords, staffs, hand-to-hand combat, and archery. In that year her students had improved very much in the practice field, but she wasn't sure how they would do in actual battle.

Not the most exciting work for a knight, she thought. Yet, better than sitting around the palace attending balls and banquets and the like.

She grinned. Highly disliking social functions was one of the many things she and her knight master, Lord Raoul, had in common.

"Lady Kel!" a boy yelled from behind her. She quickly turned to see a young boy clad in red and gold, the pages uniform.

"Yes?" Kel replied.

"Lord Wyldon wishes to speak with you," the boys panted, out of breath from running. "He says he will be waiting in his office."

"Now?" Kel asked.

"Yes, ma'am," the boys answered.

Kel sighed. She had only been back for a day and her old training master wished to see her already!

"Very well," she answered. "Thank you."

With that the boy ran off down the corridor again. Kel watched him run for a moment before changing directions to go to Lord Wyldon.

What could he possibly want? she wondered. Well, at least he wont be giving me any punishment work as he did when I was a page.

Smiling at this thought and remembering many hours of punishment work, she knocked on the heavy wooden door.

"Come in," Lord Wyldon's deep voice sounded from the other side.

Kel shoved the door open and quickly entered the large room. Lord Wyldon was sitting at his desk with his back to a large window that looked over the training yards. The desk was piled high with papers and books, and there was a staff leaning against the right side of the desk.

"My lord?" Kel bowed respectfully.

"Ah, Lady Kel. Please, have a seat." He motioned to the chair in front of the unorganized desk.

Kel lowered herself into the chair and folded her hands in her lap. She was very curious as to why Lord Wyldon would want to see her, but kept her emotions carefully hidden behind her Yamani mask.

"I suppose you are wondering why I called you hear so soon after your arrival," he began.

Good guess, Kel answered silently.

"As you know our fourth year pages just finished their examinations and several were chosen to be squires for various knights. Your friend, Sir Nealen is considering taking on a squire this year or next, actually. Anyway, usually I continue to train the squires who are still here, but I am not as young as I used to be, and I have my hands full with just the pages."

Kel had never thought of her training master as being old. Now as she looked at him she saw many gray patches in his brown hair, and wrinkles on his determined brown and around his blue eyes.

"What are you asking, sir?" She asked.

"I am asking you to assist me in training the pages and squires."

Kel's jaw dropped.

"Begging your pardon, my lord, but why me?" She replied, stunned.

"A few knights such as Sir Nealen and Sir Owen have told me that you gave them, and several other pages, many extra lessons during your years as a page." A smile played at the corner of the older man's lips. "Not to mention you did just spend the last year training villagers who had never so much as looked at a sword before you arrived, did you not?"

"Yes, I did, sir," she answered. She knew that she was good at weapons and could be a help to Lord Wyldon. However, he had never liked her. So why would he want to have her around?

"You would pretty much be in charge of the squires, because there are usually fewer of them than pages, but you would also help me with the pages from time to time," he told her.

Training pages and squires was not exactly what she had planned for her life. She was sure there were worse things she could be doing, but there certainly were more exciting things as well.

"Would this be a temporary position, my Lord?"

"It could be; however, I was hoping that I could convince you to tkae my place as the next training master, or mistress in your case, in a few years," he answered calmly.

That was the second time he had shocked her in just a few minutes.

"You want me for the next training master?" She asked in disbelief. Lord Wyldon nodded. "But, sir, I may be qualified to teach temporarily, but I am certainly not qualified to be the training master."

"I am getting older, Kel, but I'm not I that I old yet," he answered smiling. "It will be several more years before I retire. That gives me several years to train you as well as several more years for you to go with other knights into battle as well as with the King's Own, and taking your squires on excursions every now and again."

Kel nodded again. This was all sounding very nice. She would have several more years to get battle out of her system as well as gaining more experience, and she would have Lord Wyldon training her besides that.

Sounds busy, She thought.

But there was still the fact that Lord Wyldon never liked her.

"With all due respect, sir, but you never particularly liked training me as a page, why would you want to train me even more?" She finally asked.

"I think I can endure a few more year of training you." Was his answer.

"Thank you, my lord," Kel said, bowing her head politly. "May I have some time to consider your offer?"

"Of course. Let me know your answer as soon as possible."

Kel stood up and bowed.

"Good day, Sir."

She quickly turned and left the office. As soon as the door closed behind her she let her Yamani mast fall and a smile spread across her face.

"The old stump has softened," she said quietly.

She began walking towards her rooms.

"Wow," she said shaking her head.

A/N Well?? What'cha think? Review? Pretty please??? There is a pretty little button at the lower left hand corner....... Click it! Please??

Kitty