((Okies as promised the next chapter. thanx for the rewiews. keep um coming))

Sage stopped on the top most step, the throne room was packed with people, it seemed as if all Tortall's nobles had come out to watch. He looked over them nervously, they all stared up at him and Shey, taking in there strangeness, he heard one or two ladies giggle. He felt Shey move behind him impatiently. Getting new courage that Shey was with him, he raised his head and walked down the stairs just slow enough so that it looked like he had the confidence he didn't feel.

Once they reached the bottom of the stairs Sage started the on the long red carpet that led up to the throne. As he walked up the carpet he could now see all the plush drapes that hung on the wall, depicting famous battles and people. All to soon he had almost reached the throne, when he was a respectable distance from the thrones he stopped and waited half a moment for Shey to catch up. Side by Side the bowed to the King and queen.

They gave the monarchs the most traditional bow of the Talamaskas. Palms together and touching their foreheads. They heard a faint murmurs of approval from the assembled court. Sage and Shey straightened, out of the corner of his eye Sage could see a slight smile on Sheys lips. Wordless they looked at the king and queen, they to had a slight smile on their lips. "Your majesties, We are grateful for your agreement in letting us come here, I am Sage luthon Kalmaria." Sage said to them then he half turned to Shey "And this is my companion Shelan luthon Cara" Shey bowed again this time more simply. Ignoring sudden murmurs his announcement had caused.

Jon and Thayet bowed there heads in return, "It is us who are honoured we have never had ambassadors from your people before. We thank you for choosing us" Jon told them formally.

Suddenly stuck for anything to say, Sage glanced at Shey and then, with or without intension he broke protocol and stepped closer to the queen, ignoring the guards who stepped forward. "Queen Thayet, My people would like you have something in honour of this new allegiance" He said, his lilt forced the queen to sit forward slightly and think about what he had said. Then Sage drew out several necklaces made of silver, gold and bronze, they looked like they were made of string or wire but when he gave them to her ladies, they was solid, the gold and silver and bronze, had been beaten out and worked so thin it was lace like. The queen took one and held it up and admired it. "Its beautiful" She said almost speechless. She sounded like, a normal women getting a gift.

Sage smiled, leaving the queen and her ladies with the necklaces. He looked at Shey who produced a dagger from his belt, reversing it he handed it to the king, "Our people would also like you to have this King Jonathan, as a sign of good will" Shey stepped back and watched with a smile as the king drew the dagger and looked at it.

"Is this one of the unbreakable blades?" Asked the King with awe. Glancing at Shey, who nodded and then remembered he was meant to speak, "Yes, Lord, you are one of very few to have one. We have found nothing yet that can break one"

The king lifted the dagger on one finger, he felt the balance was off and then suddenly it changed so it was balanced just how he liked them to be. He could feel the magic powerful magic. The only person he had felt with this much magic before had been Numair.

Before he could ask who had placed the spells. Sage had moved back he looked at the king and queen and then took some papers off Shey, turning back he knelt in front of Jon and Thayet. He robe pooling behind him, he bowed his head revealing the Stormwing feathers. - Daine noted they looked somewhat familiar.

Then he looked up still on one knee and said carefully so all would understand him "My lord and lady, It is my peoples wish that I serve you. "he paused for a second letting them figure out what he said and then continued.

I am a Black Robe Mage. I went to Carthak to be trained, HE dishonoured the agreements. My people have sent me to worth people. YOU!" Then he offered the rolls of paper to Jon, who moved forward and took them, and gestured for Sage to stand. "I accept your offer I would never say no to another mage" Jon said with a smile.

Sage stood and grinned back "Well if you had said no then things would have been interesting" he said quietly so only those in front of him heard.

Jon gestured and that seemed the signal for the rest of the court to leave, as they filed out, the other nobles, Myles, George, Raoul and all the others came over to talk to the newly recognised ambassadors. Sage went to talk to Jon and Numair and Shey went to talk to Myles and George. Daine waited for a moment and then excused herself to go to the stables and talk to the horses.

Jon re-drew the dagger again and looked at it. It was amazing he had never seen anything like this before Raoul and the lioness were both admiring the dagger.

"Its so light" Alanna mused finally getting a hold of it. She held it by the end of the blade and looked along its length.

"Its light but it will cut through nearly anything" Raoul said I've only seen one once before.

Alanna gave the dagger back to Jon, who once again felt the magic in the dagger. "Did you make this"? He asked Sage who was now sitting on the steps up to the throne. Sage nodded. "The reason they are so rare, it because it takes a Black Robe to spell one. And I am rare in myself" he told them.

"How so" Thayet asked looking up from the necklaces.

Sage stood and turned to face them. "Well Mages in my people are rare, we have hedge wizards and witches but no one of the power I have. I am rare because I am one of two men to be a mage. For some reason it's the magic has always been in the female side".

Alanna lent on the throne "Now that is rare. Why?" She asked "Do you know"?

Sage shook his head, "It has always been that way. We don't mind" he said with a smile. "We our a matriarchal people, it stands to reason" he said with a shrug "The women were better then the men, so it makes sense to have them in charge"

Thayet let out a laugh, and then saw Sage's look or worry he was being laughed at.

"I mean no offence to you, Sage" he said quickly "But, most of the noble men here would baulk at the idea that a women could be in charge," She glanced at Alanna "Well we are making a few changes to that"

Understanding Sage nodded, all through the conversation he could see Myles, George looking at him with sidelong worried glances. He excused himself to go and talk to Shey as he walked up he heard the last of conversation. "Please talk it through, we would really like your help" Shey nodded and the conversation stopped as Sage reached them. Shey gave Sage a look that said "Tell you later" .

In the stables

Daine sat on the hay next to the Mustangs. These were horses that she really liked, she would love to see them running free. They had shown her memories of there land, green and lush hills and straits.

"Do they care for you well" She asked cautiously not wanting to offend them

"Yes," The stallion told her "Back home, some days when we were out, they would go with out water to make sure that we had enough. And as you see they don't use harnesses on us"

Daine nodded she had noticed that. Not many people would risk ridding with out tack, they though horses were likely to run amok if they had no saddle on. She had tried to get Numair to ride with out, but after many bruises she relented. Instead she tried to get him to not let go of the reigns which he was known to do with frequent regularity.

"They also do not keep up against our will" The mustang stallion told her "If one of them feels that we are restless they offer us freedom again" He showed her images of other horse being allowed to go. And of a man standing on a hill in the rain, he looked familiar then she saw long braids with beads, "Is that Sage" she asked, from the image he looked soaked. The mustang laughed in a horse way.

"Yes, we choose them, they stand outside for days sometimes until one of use picks them. He was there for a week, Mages are not popular riders, their magic make us nervous. Though he does try not to."

Daine sat back in the hay, The Talamaskas were like nothing she had ever heard of. "What name have you" She asked wondering what Sage would call a horse.

"Sage calls me Star"

Daine looked over the Star she could see why, his coat was black and dappled with irregular white spots. "Fitting" She told him.

She looked to the other horses "Do you have names?"

The others Mustangs were all female. A solid black said she was called shadow, A white one with brown fetlocks said she was called Shuska, and two that looked identical. They were brown with dappled black and white on them said they were Ola and Kyai. Kyai stepped forward saying that she had a black spot above her right eye. Daine made a mental note of all the names. Looking outside she saw it was getting dark she had been in the stables for a while. Thanking the Mustangs she stood stiffly, nodding to the holsters she left the stables in search Numair.

Back in the palace

Numair had gone to look for Daine he had noticed she had left soon after the other nobles had been dismissed, not that he could blame her, there was little point in her being there, the people she wanted to talk to were in the stables. He sent out a questing spell and felt her not to far away. He walked on and rounded a corner and nearly ran into her coming the other way. "So, did you talk to them then" he asked turning he faced the way he had come and draped an arm over her shoulders.

"Yes, they are the most fantastic people ever, they are so different and..." she trailed off unable to think of words good enough"

"Who the Mustangs of Sage and his people" he teased. Receiving an elbow in the side in response.

"Is there going to be a dinner tonight" she asked.

Numair shook his head, "No, Sage and Shey decided that it would be better to wait a few days, let people get used to them before they spring there no meat meals on them" he said with a smile. "that was always fun at the university"

Letting him day dream Daine steered them both towards the palace and there rooms.

Back in there rooms Sage turned to face Shey, he was now only dressed in shirt and trousers, his over robe lay on a chair discarded. His hair was now also loose again the steel feather, again discarded but with a little for more care for they were on the table.

"I don't think you should, you said you wouldn't" Sage said in common.

Shey who was fully dressed paced, "Its not like I want to" he answered in Talasan. "You came to be a Mage and I came to do what I did best" Shey stopped pacing and walked over to Sage and placed a hand on his face "Its not like I don't know what I am doing" he said, in common.

Sage took Sheys hand and kissed his fingers "I know, its just I worry so"

Shey kissed Sages forehead and then moved away again. And looked at Sage, "Well" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

Reluctantly Sage nodded "Soon we will start then"

((please review I need to know what you think or what you would like more of))