Summersea Saga

by crosseyedbutterfly

Sequel to Twisted Tortallain Tale! This time, our fav group of teens are sent to Summersea...and it's crazy boy mage who runs things behind the scenes! Chapter 22 up!

15.

We's back. I know, I know, it's been awhile. I had to retype the chapter over (I truly hate my computer) when it was nearly finished and that did put a bit of a damper on the moral of the story...yeah. Anywho, enjoy!

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Ben slipped his new 'play-clothes' tunic over his head, lacing up his right sandal while Nana helped him lace up the second.

"Ben, I want to ask you something," said Nana carefully as she finished it off and turned to his belt, fixing it where it had twisted itself around in strange ways. "How...familiar is the son with you when you're playing?"

"Very, I guess," replied Ben with a shrug. "He said we are to be like equals then, that being servant and master doesn't matter..."

"Ah, but it does," replied the old woman with a nod as she sat herself wearily on his bed. "You must not allow yourself to become to...commonplace with the Master's son. It could lead to later conflicts if you do..."

"How so?" asked Ben, looking genuinely confused as he sat next to her, running a hand through his ever growing hair. He'd never worn it this long before in his life, but they didn't exactly have electric buzzers here, so he kept it as was had the old woman trim it up when she had the time.

"He's a noble by blood," explained Nana with a shrug. "Eventually, he will have to fulfill that role entirely, and that means leaving you behind, Ben. Be his friend, listen to him, laugh with him, and help him to have a good time, but not try and become like his brother. You're lives are too different, they always will be."

Ben frowned, then nodded slowly. "I...I think I understand." He scratched his chin as he went on. "You want me to be an 'acquaintance friend' not a 'brother friend'."

"Exactly." Nana sighed as she put an arm around the boy's shoulder, holding him tight for a moment. "I don't want you to think I'm trying to ruin your life, Ben, I'm just looking out for you..."

"I know," he said with a grin as he grabbed the hat that had been added to the outfit and ran down the hall to the courtyard, he was running a bit late as it was. "I'll be careful Nana, I promise!"

Nana just sighed and rose to her feet gingerly, beginning the long walk back to the kitchen to help with the cleanup after the meal. He wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, but he wasn't plain stupid either. She just hoped he figured out what she'd been referring before he got himself hurt.

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Brenna went with Rupal into town for once, a bag of carrots over one shoulder and some wool they had saved for themselves over the other. The weather was decent, a little chilly as it was rather early in the morning, but they needed nothing more than then light cloaks they wore and were warm enough with the walk they had done. Things were continuing to grow worse back at the farm, the black weeds now spreading into the woods beyond the fields and some had popped up in the flowerbeds around the house itself. If they were lucky, they  might get enough to feed themselves for the winter, but there would be nothing to save for the next harvest, nor anything to sell so that they might buy other much-needed supplies. Things had truly come to a crisis.

"So…where are we headed again?" asked Brenna as she pushed past an old woman with a gaggle of ragged children following her before slipping past a cart that trundled its way down the lane, lade heavily with fresh fruits and such.

"Down there, where our usual stall is," replied Rupal as she waved to an elderly fellow behind a nearby counter. "Aiden! So, finally back on your feet?"

"It took me three months, 'cause of that fool healer who was looking after me," grumbled the old man good-naturedly. "I say I could've been running this durned stall weeks ago, but he wouldn't listen to me and stuck me in that durned bed an extra week when I wouldn't stop fussing at him!"

"That's what you get for being a loudmouth. Do you know where Master Eadins is, though?"

"Right over there, by your stall, actually. You've been gone for awhile yourself, we were afraid you'd all dun packed up and left, or something like that. Everything alright back at the farm?"

"No, not really. It's just a bad year, though, we'll pull through."

"Alright, then…come back and see me before you leave, I might have a baskets or so of leftover stuff I'd be willing to barter off if you'd balance my books again for me."

"I'll be there!"

"You're pretty popular around here," joked Brenna as they continued to walk along, coming to an empty stall on a busy corner with a mark on the counter that the farmer girl had never seen before. "I don't think I've ever heard you willing to string together that many sentences without being talked to first. Is this our stall?"

"Yeah, this mark represents us."

"How do you keep them all straight?"

Rupal shrugged. "You just know."

"…oh, ok."

"Rupal, you're late on your rent payments," said a tall, arrogant gentleman as he bore down on them swiftly, planting himself in front of their stall as if he meant to take root right there if they didn't give him what he wanted.

"I also haven't been here for over two weeks," pointed out the merchant dourly. "You'll get your crescent, Master Aiden, I've never failed to pay you yet, I just need to make some sales, first…"

"Don't tell me this is all you've brought," he sneered as he looked over their goods. "Half rotten vegetables hardly fit to eat, wool that's over a year past its prime…you've truly fallen a long way from your former glory, Rupal. Were I you, I would find another associate to work with, one who could deliver the right goods." He looked down his long nose at Brenna, disgust obvious in his every move.

Brenna growled at him. "Listen here, you mother-"

"Brenna, would you please go and get the cheese for me?" asked Rupal as she pushed a few coppers in her friend's hands. Looking in her eyes with a silent command to let it be, she added, "Now."

"…fine. I'll be back soon."

"Thank you."

Brenna grumbled under her breath about always missing the fun as she walked off, stowing the coppers safely away as she wandered around, trying to find the dairy district of the market she'd seen on their way in. Eventually winding her way around to it, it was only a matter of time before she found a stall where the cheese was cheap enough for them to afford without being moldy or full of holes mice and rats had made. Paying the man, she took her purchase and placed it under one arm. Turning to observe other around her curiously, her eyes caught something they hadn't seen in a very, very long time…

"JOE!!"

The man turned around quickly, his eyes passing over her many times as she scrambled to get over to him. The way his hair fell, the same laughter hidden in the depths of his brown eyes, even the same way he stood…it was really him!! Everything was going to be ok now, because Joe was here!

"Joe, it's me! Over here!"

"Oh…hello there…" He pushed is hair out of his eyes as he looked over her oddly, something in his gaze making him stop right before she was going to hug him. "Excuse me, ma'am, but…do I know you? I usually go by Joseph around here."

Brenna's mind came to a screeching halt after she heard that, blinking in confusion as well as to stop the tears that immediately welled up in her eyes. "I…"

"Joseph, dear, Kara and Lee are over by you…can you grab them for me?" Brenna looked up and saw another face, one that was alive and filled with joy in a way she never thought she'd see again.

"Rati…?"

"Come here, you two little monsters," laughed Joe as he scooped up a little girl in one arm and a little boy in another, just around two years of age with their father's laughing eyes and their mother's darker hair. "Hey, hey, hey, easy there! You don't want me to drop you, do you?" Turning back to Brenna, he smiled kindly. "Is there something I can help you with?" Rati came and stood by his side, an older girl of seven standing between them who was an exact copy of her mother.

"No, I just thought you were someone else…my mistake."

"Ok, well I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. Have a good day!"

"Yeah…thank…" Her heart shattered, Brenna turned and walked away, going to the stall to gather up her things before Rupal could protest. "I'm going back to the farm."

"Wait! I thought you were going to…"

"I'll send Cheeks to come and get you," cut in Brenna, the look in her eyes silencing all of Rupal's protests. "You stay, we need the money, I just…I'll see you at home."

"Alright…be careful!"

"Yeah, whatever." Brenna turned and escaped into the crowd, eventually coming to the outskirts of town and breaking into a jog that carried her as far and as fast away from the place as she could manage. She had found Joe, after all these years…and he was lost to her.

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Cam stood patiently beside Jon, listening distantly as he rattled on through the long line of crude epithets he'd been muttering for the last hour, sucking on another finger that he'd just hit with the hammer for the third time that day. Holding the can of nails, Cam simply selected another and handed it to him to finish pounding that one in so they could re-hang the set of hooks that had fallen for coats and cloaks during the quake.

"Why did I get stuck with this job again?" he grumbled testily as Cam just shrugged. "Why isn't the resident wood-worker the one who's working with the freakin' nails?"

"Because Chris is at his workshop replacing the bed frames that were cracked, one of which was yours," stated Cam, repeating the long explanation for the third time that day. "Kristen is covering ALL classes so Mike and Matt can sort out what's still good from the cellar and what's not, and the reason they're not doing this is she was afraid they'd nail themselves to the wall. Knowing them, I don't blame her. However, that least you and me and seeing you can reach the high spots, and I can't, then it goes just to you."

"Great…" He reached up above his head and pounded another nail back into its original place, putting the hammer down and lifting the shelf and hooks to place them where they'd last hung. "Well, at lest it got me out of the cellar job. All those crack jars and crap…I don't envy them, have to go through all that."

"Yeah, but you know someone's going to have to go back through one they're done and make sure it's right."

"That someone will NOT be me. Kristen will do it, because she's the only one who cares.  I don't go buy the food, I just cook it."

"Lazy…"

"Your point? I've never denied it after all."

"I think we'd all have a heart attack and die should it prove otherwise."

"Now, that's not fair! I worked very hard for my Eagle Badge in scouts, and I did decently well in high school for most of my Senior year of high school."

"That equals maybe two years out of the 20 you've lived."

"Almost 21!"

"Right…"

"OUCH!! SON OF A-"

"What that mouth of yours!" cut in Chris as he walked in, lugging a few heavy loads of lumber over his shoulder. "Come on, man! You got Cam standing right here! Least you could do is do that when he's not in the room…"

"If he's not corrupted already from living with me, Matt, and Mike he will be soon, so there's no use trying to shield him anymore," shot back Jon, rolling his eyes. "He's what…14? 15? You guys really should let him out more often."

"With you, so he can get drunk off his butt and end up in a whore house some place between here and the next port over? I don't think so."

"No, Jon's more the type to get him in a taproom brawl, break three bones, set the place on fire, then run away and somehow miraculously not get caught until three weeks later on when he lets it slip to one of his friends…the first one would  be Mike."

"Nice to see you too, Kristen," drawled the said young man in reply. "Someone's being awfully nice today, what's the occasion?"

"Your funeral, Mike."

"You wish."

"Oh, believe me, I do."

"What, you don't love me?"

"Must I truly answer that?"

"Enough, you two," cut in Chris as he handed Mike the  better part of his load and pushing him in front of him to the ladder upstairs. "There's work to be done, and only a few of us to do it."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…"

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Balancing an ice globe in one hand and holding onto the reins with another, Olivia walked her horse along the side of the road. Bryanna and Randy to her right as they went on, they shielded themselves from the sun each in their own way. "You're sure we have to do this?" whined Randy, wiping sweat from his eyes as it began to drip down his face once again.

"Yes, you detoured us therefore you no longer have a right to have a voice in what we do for awhile," replied Bryanna forcefully as she glared at him out of the corner of her eye.

"That only makes two, though, and if it comes to a vote and you don't agree you'll need someone to break the tie…"

Olivia gave Bryanna a look, and the healer nodded in understanding. "We won't disagree."

"That's what you say now, but just you wait…women always disagree about something at one point or another."

"Always?" Olivia shot Randy a glare that immediately made him reconsider his words.

"Well, I wouldn't know personally…being a guy…so yeah. Or no! I don't know, just don't hurt me!"

"Why would I, then she'd just have to heal you again," replied Olivia logically with a shrug. "Burned out healers are worth nothing, therefore I'm not going to run her down on you, thus making more work for me hauling her incoherent body around until it's absolutely necessary."

"If I were close to dying, would you let her heal me?"

"Depends…how close to being dead are you and what's it worth to me?"

"Olivia!"

"What?"

"Here's our turn." Bryanna's announcement cut through any further arguments, all of them checking one last time it was right before taking the turn to the left. Another half a mile down the road and they ad made it to the first workshop mage they'd visited after leaving the creepy mage's place.

"Master Randy! Mistress Olivia! Mistress Bryanna! Oh, it's good to se you all again!!"

"Not her…" groaned Randy as he dismounted in the courtyard, pasting a pleasant smile on his face as he turned back around and faced the young, plump woman who generally took care of the household for the absent-minded mage. "Greetings, Madame Foster! How have you been since our last visit?"

"Very well, I thank you, Master Randy," came the cheery reply. "You're always such a proper gentleman!"

"What of Master Helaind, has he been well?" asked Bryanna as she gathered her healer's kit and tossed it over her shoulder. "He hasn't gone through the cream I made him for his skin problems, has he?"

"He hasn't needed it, I'm afraid," replied the woman as her face fell. "He's not doing very well at all."

"Really? What's the matter? Something I could help him with, perhaps?"

"I'm afraid not, Mistress Bryanna…he's dead."

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Revlis rode off out of sight as Alyse and Landon tracked the unmagic mage, following him through several small and hidden towns that weren't on their map. She had to get a message to the Council about some things they'd found there among the ruins, and the nearest 'outpost' was three days ride north. She'd track the pair afterwards, and find them fast enough, but until then they were on their own.

Through the open country, and even through and ancient graveyard that spanned several miles at one point they continued on. Riding, walking, riding, walking, riding, stopping to eat, getting a few hours of sleep, then up again at dawn to follow the same routine. Their escapee was not going much faster than they, but he stop his mounts as he went and rode them to exhaustion, leaving them to die on the side of the road after they collapsed  under him and would ride no more. Three times they'd come across the carcasses he'd left behind, and other they heard of as they went.

"Can you find him?" asked Landon as they paused an a small inn for lunch, their own supplies completely exhausted though they'd eaten very little in the past few days.

"He's not far from here, we're drawing in on him." Alyse opened her eyes, her lips curling into a strange smile. "He will be ours very, very soon."

"Good, once we find him I can actually get some sleep again," groaned Landon, rubbing the bags under his eyes gently. "I can't wait…"

"Too bad, looks like you're gonna have to. Are you done?"

"Yeah, what about you?"

"I can eat as we ride. Let's go." Paying for their meal, and taking some extra with them, they saddled the horses in record time and were on their way once more.

"Where's he headed?" asked Landon as Alyse fell into an easy trance in the saddle, having strapped herself in so she could even sleep without having to hold on to her mare.

"…across the coast now," she murmured. Frowning, she tried to scan what was between them and couldn't. "..wait…wait, he…what?!" Her eyes flew open as she reined in her mare, stopping completely in the middle of the lane.

"Hang on! What are you-"

"Just give me a sec!" Throwing herself into a full trance, Alyse sat there on her horse in the middle of the road as she scanned the land ahead of them, opening her eyes after awhile to find one very worried Landon.

"What's going on?"

"I don't know, he just…disappeared! I thought it was impossible, though."

"Apparently not. Can you trace him to where you felt him last?"

"Yeah, it's still fresh…"

"Then we'll go there."

"Alright, this way." Alyse coaxed the mare into a gallop as she made a straight line for the place, disregarding the roads and personal property boundaries as they cut through fields and gardens, Landon leaving a trail of coins behind whenever they did to pay for the damages made.

"Can't you go around?" he groused as they walked through another one, giving the horses another rest before breaking into a run once more. "We're going to run out of money this way."

"I never said you should pay for it," came the short reply.

"What, and just leave those fields like they were?"

"Why not?"

"Alyse!"

"Yes?"

Landon rolled his eyes, smacking himself in the forehead. "Women…"

"Don't try and understand me, it'll only make your head hurt."

"I know, I know…"

They went on in silence, coming to the edge of a swamp that stretched in either direction as far as the eye could see. Landon glanced at Alyse, who was frowning.

"What now?"

"This is where it ends."

"…you're kidding, right?"

"Nope." Alyse got down and walked around a bit, stopping by the edge as she found something in the mud. "And he definitely went in there."

"Foot steps?"

"And one of this buttons."

"Could be a trap," offered Landon.

"He's not bright enough to do something like that, the way he's been acting," replied Alyse scornfully.

"…oh. We're not going in there, though…are we?"

"What do you think, Sherlock?" Alyse gave him a look, mounting up again before she rode off among the murky puddles and low plants.

Landon looked after her, gulping visibly. "Dang."

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"And here I put this cool spirally thing, with these dots, and it looks kinda like scales." Gwen lifted her sleeve to display the ink-markings proudly.

"It might look better if you swirled it to the left, rather than the right," offered Talia as she tilted her head to the side ever so slightly. "I could be wrong, though."

"Ok, I'll try that next time!" Gwen grinned at her brightly.

Talia frowned in confusion. "Next time?"

"Yeah, it's just ink I took from Jenny, it'll come off in a few days."

"Oh…well, mine aren't fake." Talia displayed her arm, a sea dragon winding itself all the way from her shoulder to her wrist, done so the scales looked like they moved whenever she flexed her compact muscles slightly.

"Whoa, cool!! When did you get that?"

"When I turned 15. Girls in my family usually do, though most are not as extravagant as mine." Talia's grin widened considerably. "I am just very thankful to the water guardians for my life."

"Why's that?"

"They didn't demand my life, like they did with my sister many, many years ago."

"Oh, I'm sorry…"

"It was a long time ago, it's alright."

"Oh…ok."

Then it hit Gwen. "Wait, wait, wait…I can get a tattoo here, can't I? Without, like, parental permission and everything??"

"Uh…yeah, I guess," replied Talia with a shrug. "Whatever that is…you can get just about anything you want with enough gold in your pockets and enough sense in your head to keep away from the stupid, dangerous stuff out there."

"Jenny! Jenny! Jenny! Jenny!!" Gwen ran all the way to the Captain's cabin, shouting at the top of her lungs with a huge grin on her face.

"What is it?! What's wrong?" Jenny came pounding out of her cabin, dressed only in a shirt and pants as she'd been taking a nap. "Gwen, what happened?!"

"Nothing, silly! But guess what? I'm gonna get a TATTOO!!!"

Jenny gave her a blank look as Jack just laughed . "Hang on…you called to me from across the ship and made me think you set the hold on fire again or something like JUST because you wanted to tell me you were getting a tattoo?"

"Um…yeah? And because you love me you're not going to throw me overboard, right?"

"GWEN!"

"I'm sorry!!"

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Briteyes whistled to herself as she made her way along the road, her staff across her shoulders with everything else slung on her back in a sack or on its own separate straps. Her worn, leather sandals scuffed the road lightly, raising a cloud of dust as she went. Hood up and her nice clothes packed in her bag, she looked more like a beggar than a player who'd done nicely for having only been out a couple of months. The quake had set her back a bit, but she'd been out on the road that day and it was no hardship for her to trade her meals for labor in helping people dig out their homes and put their fields to rights rather than play a tune to their liking. Though she did play, that didn't mean she'd always charge for it.

Seeing the tall, familiar walls and towers rising in the distance, she picked up her pace to an easy trot and smiled in spite of herself. The quake was past, and thus the four would be there. She'd get to see Lark and Rosethorn again, and pick up a few extra, free meals while she was at it. Life was good.

"Who are you miss?" asked the guard at the gate as he stopped her as he should.

"A friend, I can tell you that," came the jovial reply. "Just a musician coming to visit some dedicates I know."

"A name, if you will."

"She don't need one," said his partner as he glanced up, recognizing her mask immediately with a grin. "How you be, missy? Going to play for us again, are you?"

"Well enough, sir," she replied with a nod. "And perhaps, if the Honored Moonstream asks me to. Good day to you both, gentlemen, but I must be going!"

"We're supposed to get names, Trent, what'd you let her through for?"

"She's Briteyes, Gent. That player that was here a few months ago recovering from this or that, remember?"

"Ah, right…"

[You really should just give them your name] lectured Silven as she woke suddenly, scrambling out of Briteyes' pouch to come sit on her shoulder and twitch her nose hungrily. [It's not…ooh, nuts!!] The squirrel jumped to the ground and scampered off, the performer letting her be as she'd know where to find her later on and continued n her way.

The sun was just rising full in the sky when she reached the front door and had made it through the gate, knocking on the door to the cottage. "Come in!" came the rough command, Briteyes smiling as she recognized Rosethorn's voice and opened the door. "Who is it and what do you want?"

"Just wondering if you might have food enough to feed a lowly performer," came the light reply, Briteyes finding herself in a rib-crushing hug before she'd taken more than a step or two in the door. A second pair of arms joined the first, the two dedicates jointly squeezing the air out of her. "Ack! Hey…I have to breath here…"

"You young scoundrel!" scolded Rosethorn as she pulled away, hiding her relief with annoyance as she proceeded to give the performer a well-deserved tongue lashing. "Since when is a few months equal to four? We expected you at least two months ago, you said as much when you left…"

"I know, I know…and I'm sorry," replied Briteyes as she removed her hood carefully. "I-"

"And you can take off that mask while you're at it," added Rosethorn sharply. "We're the ones who gave it to you, we know what it hides…and there's no need to hide here, Briteyes." Her face softened a little as the performer did so, placing it on the table. "You were saying?"

"I got held up by the quake," explained Briteyes with a shrug. "Lots of folks buried in their houses, fields that needed to be set to rights…I did what I could to help, but not everyone could afford to feed another mouth for the help I could give."

"Look at her, she's skin and bones," said Lark softly as she shooed Briteyes over to the table and set her on one of the benches. "Come, you are going to be here for a few days and we are going to feed you, understand? Performers have to have a decent meal every once in awhile, too. I would know."

"If you have space enough, I would be more than happy to accept your 'invitation' to stay," replied Briteyes teasingly, whistling to Silven as the squirrel suddenly came jumping in through a window. "There you are, you frisky furball."

[What can I say? The lure of some of Dedicate Gorse's fresh candied almonds was too much for even me…]

Rosethorn hid her smile as Lark chuckled gently, Briteyes just rolling her eyes at her friend's growing gut. "Squirrels…rats with bushy tails and bottomless stomachs, each and every one of them."

[Hey now!]

"Hey, what's all the hubbub about out here?" groused Briar as he stuck his head out his bedroom door, surprised to see Briteyes sitting there at the table with Silven perched on her shoulder. "Oh…"

"Get dressed and clean up your room, boy, breakfast will be soon," said Rosethorn as she pointed back into his room. "Hurry!"

"My name's Briar!" he called back defiantly as he closed the door, two others coming tumbling down the stairs, one a trader dressed in tan leggings and a blue shirt with a scarlet band about her forearm. The other was a young girl of the same age, with curly red hair and freckles all over her plump face.

"Tris, Daja, get the tea started, will you?" asked Rosethorn as she set the porridge to warm herself, adding a side of bacon on an afterthought with a pan to fry it in.

"What's the occasion?" asked a sleepy voice as a blonde-haired, blue eyed girl of the same age as the rest of her housemates came shuffling out of her room. "I can smell the bacon all the way in my room."

"Use those eyes of yours, and maybe you'll find the answer," came the curt reply.

Sandry spotted Briteyes, and grinned. "Oh! I'm sorry. My names Sandry." She dropped into a curtsy, the performer chuckling as she rose slowly.

"Well, if we're going to be formal, I might as well introduce myself as well," she said in a low voice. Dropping into a performer's one-legged bow, she said regally, "I am Briteyes the Traveler, performer upon any and all instruments of your choosing, and minor magician, of sorts." She 'plucked' a daisy from behind the girl's ear and handed it to her. "Very, very minor though."

"You…" Briar looked at her frowning, then shrugged off whatever it was that was bothering him and moved to help set the table. "What happened t'your face? Most player's and such dun have such markings."

"I don't know," admitted Briteyes with a shrug. "I suppose I was in a fight of sorts…and it did leave me with some nice marks here or there, but seeing as I can't remember it, it really doesn't matter."

"Is this your squirrel?" asked Sandry as she carefully reached up towards Silven, the squirrel crawling slowly over to her hand and sitting in it contentedly.

"Yes, she is…be nice, Silven…"

[I'm always nice.]

"Time to eat," said Rosethorn as she set the bacon and porridge with honey and cream on the table. "Come on, now, sit down…careful with that pot, Tris! And get the cinnamon, Daja, while you're up."

Briteyes smothered a smile as the two did as she said immediately, looking over the feast spread before her hungrily. She was going to enjoy this stay very much indeed.

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"Come on, Brenna, it's not so bad," said Kaitlin comfortingly as Brenna just took another bite of the half-eaten apple pie in front of her, refusing to reply. "I never knew, Joe, but this can't be the same guy!"

"It is, I tell you! Everything, from his eyes to the way he smiled and even just the way his hair fell in his eyes…it was Joe…my Joe…" A tear formed in her eye, sliding slowly down her cheek as she slammed a fist on the table. "It's not fair, it's just not fair…"

"It's a different world, remember? You can't control the fact that this one got married before he ever met you…"

"The original Ratina died, didn't she?" asked Libby cautiously as she sat down on Brenna's other side.

"Yeah, I always felt guilty about that one…like, I should've stopped it somehow. Like it was my fault."

"Sweety…they might've gotten together back then, too, if you hadn't popped into their lives. For all you know, you're the one who didn't belong."

"LIBBY!!" Kaitlin stared at the bunny girl as she just shrugged.

"What? It's true, isn't it?" Libby spread her hands out in front of her. "We're talking about hopping between worlds here! We were the intruders there, the ones that would never really belong, just like we are here! We may love our new life, but we have an old one that calls us to us constantly. Eventually, we will have to go back home, just like we did then. "

"I know, but you can't just…look at her!"

"Thanks for the pie, but you guys just aren't helping things right now." Brenna rose quickly, disappearing up the stairs an into her room before either could move. "Just stay away, I'll come down when I'm ready to." Her door slammed shut, leaving the two standing there staring at each other.

"Great, look at what you did," said Libby as she turned to walk off. "Now she's going to stay up there and starve to death because of you!"

"Me?! I didn't…"

"Uh huh, sure…that's what they all say…"

"But I-"

*SLAM*

Kaitlin grumbled to herself as she cleaned up the table, rolling her eyes. Brenna had the right of it, it really wasn't fair.

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"Watch this block right here…" Mike and Matt stood across from each other as they taught a group of their higher-end students how to fence one-on-one in a 'no rules' situation. "See? No matter what he does, if I block him like this while I cannot easily retaliate…he also can't break through the defense because it doesn't leave a hole."

Mike grinned suddenly. "Unless I do this…" He twisted his rapier around Matt's, attempting to break it from his grip altogether when Matt used the locked blades to his advantage and held them both off to his side, pulling out a dagger and holding it to Mike's throat with raised eyebrows.

"As you can see," said Matt as he pulled away suddenly, sheathing the dagger and standing apart from Mike who rubbed his throat gently. "Even that will not work."

"What if we don't know how to do that, though?" asked one of the students lightly.

"You'll learn," replied Matt as Mike suddenly got an evil glint in his eye. "That's what your parents are paying us for, right? So you can learn."

"Hey Matt, why don't I show you a new trick I just learned…" Mike lunged at his partner, Matt using the block he'd just shown the students. Mike then twisted his blade, just like last time, and Matt pulled it off to the side and reached for his dagger when  Mike's foot shot out and kicked him in the gut, pushing him back and freeing his blade as he then leapt forward and held it at Matt's exposed throat.

"Try it again," challenged Matt as he straightened up, holding his blade at ready as before. "You won't be able to pull the same trick this time."

"Really? Because I think I will…" Mike struck out, Matt using the block, their swords intertwined, Matt reaching for his dagger…but this time, when Mike's foot shot out he moved his arm and caught the appendage between his wrist and his gut. Stepping forward, he twisted his right wrist just enough to free his blade and brought it hilt first straight into Mike's face.

"Foul!" yelled Mike as he stumbled back, holding his nose tenderly as his eyes watered.

"There are no rules this time, remember?" asked Matt with a superior grin on his face. "Don't bite off more than you can chew next time, bud."

"You're not a better fencer than I am!"

"I never said I was," replied Matt lightly as the other students there chuckled at their instructor's plight. "I'm just smarter…and more devious."

"No rules, huh," commented Jon from the doorway. "Say, Matt, do you want me to take Mike's place and go for a round?"

"No thank you," said Matt quickly with shudder. "Getting my face ground into the mud once was time enough, thanks."

"Aw, come on, it wasn't so bad…we were only using wooden blades too."

"I know, which is what worries me…all my bones are rather whole right now, Jon, and I'd like to keep them that way, thanks."

"Wuss."

"No, just smart, unlike my partner here."

"Compared to you, Matt, I'm a friggin' genius. Who got a nearly perfect score on the SAT?"

"Not book smart, you idiot, common sense smart."

"Oh…uh…"

"Don't hurt yourself trying to think of a comeback, now," said Jon as he waved and left the room. "Sprain your wrist, and Kristen can wrap it up for you. Sprain your brain, or at least the little bit of it that's useful, and we might be in trouble."

"…dammit, just go away!"

"I am."

The class laughed as Mike fumed, Matt chuckling before he continued the lesson as well. "Alright, pair up and we'll see what you've gotten out of this little…demonstration."

%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%

Randy paced the room as Bryanna sat beside Olivia, talking in low voices though from the pace the words flowed they weren't as calm as they were putting on to be. "He can't be dead, there has to be a mistake…" he muttered to himself as he held his head in his hands, trying to find some other reason besides the medallion and couldn't. The Master hadn't been an old man, just well-worn from hard work and years in the sun. He had had skin problems due to it, but those weren't life-threatening as much as they were just irritating. Bryanna had confirmed again and again that his health had been fine right up until they'd left, he hadn't been sick in years and he kept as busy as any without wearing himself down to nothing. There was no reason he should have died…except the medallion.

"We need to get out of here," said Olivia suddenly as she stood as well, heading for her things. "This place…there are those who can sense unmagic, you know. And if the body was buried with the medallion, it will feed off the rotting flesh until it grows to be a pool of the stuff and finishes the corpse completely. I know Randy carries the taint now, I read something about it back at the library in Winding Circle, and there are those than can sense it, you know. Should the authorities find us here, we could be killed…"

"They won't kill us, we'll just explain everything to them and everything will be fine," replied Randy as he crossed his arms over his chest. "We have enough, we can hire a lawyer and get ourselves out of this mess…"

"Idiot, things like that don't exist here!" cried Bryanna as she stood as well, putting a hand on her forehead. "The courts, everything…it's all done differently here. We don't know how things work, for all we know all you have to have is the taint and you're hung without a trial! Heck, they may not even know what a trial is, all it could be is you break the rules you lose your head or a hand, depending on the offense!"

"No, this is an organized society, there is some sort of judicial system here," countered Olivia as she reached for her things. "We need to go now, though, so we can figure out what to do where we have less chance of being caught…"

"We're not going anywhere until the morning," stated Randy firmly as he took Olivia's bags from her hands and set them back by the door. "We don't need to. Besides, wouldn't it look suspicious if we leave now, after dark, when we've already agreed to stay for the night?"

"Oh, and last time we listened to you it turned out ever so well, didn't it?" asked Bryanna caustically. "It's your fault we're in this mess as it is, Randy! You, and those stupid medallions you just had to carry around for your precious 'Master'…damn you both!"

"That's enough," cut in Olivia before the other female could go off on another tirade about their situation. "Yelling and pointing fingers won't get us anywhere. However, she is right, Randy. We're not staying the night, even now we've been here longer than we should've…I have a feeling that if we don't leave now things could get very, very bad for us."

"We're not going anywhere!" yelled Randy, thoroughly ticked off. "You're both anal psychopaths, you know that?! Nothing is going to happen, and I am not going to give up the first real bed and hot bath I've had in a-"

*CRASH*

The door came tumbling inwards as twenty guards rushed into the room, the three mages finding themselves all jumped on and roughly pushed against the wall, their hands bound behind their backs as charms were placed around their bindings to ensure they couldn't use their magic. Olivia's guards were a little slow, and she's frozen a few hands in the process, but she was bound with her two companions none the less and forced to stand before a tall man in a black robe, who searched through their pockets indifferently, his eyes flashing as he drew a handkerchief out of Randy's pocket.

"You didn't!" hiss Olivia as the man drew out one last medallion, the one Randy had worn for all that time. "Randy, you said you'd gotten rid of ALL of them…!!"

"Do you admit to have been in possession of many, many medallions of this likeness?" asked the man as he stared in their eyes.

"…yes," said Randy as the words were forced from his mouth by the mage's truth spell. "I…was the one that carried them…"

"Who did you give them to?"

"Mages…teacher mages we met…"

"Why?"

"Because I was told to…I didn't know what they were, I swear-"

"SILENCE!" Randy cried out as he was smacked firmly on either cheek, his lip splitting from the impact of the heavy hand inside the leather glove of one of his guards. "You will answer only that which I ask you, and you've told me enough that I know now that you are the three that I've been looking for. You're under arrest for knowingly spreading the taint of unmagic, with a sentence that is yet to be determined by the Council of Mages. Guards, get their things and bring them with us. The search is done."

"Idiot!" cried Olivia as she struggled against her bonds, leaning towards him with an anger in her eyes that made him shirk back. "I told you…we both told you…you saw what it did to her!! How could you…?!"

"Gag them if they won't stay quiet," added the man as he knocked Olivia upside the head with his hand. "Come, we leave now."

Bryanna just hung her head as she tried to move her arms in the most comfortable position possible, though the ropes sawed at her wrists every time she moved. They were in a tight spot, she knew that, but life as a thief had taught her to bide her time, to wait patiently for the right moment. She wasn't sure yet what hand had been dealt to her, but she would wait, always wait…there was time enough for now. She just had to be sure to make her move before it was too late.

%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%

Landon stumbled along behind Alyse, leading his horse through the mists and muck that surrounded them on all sides. For days now they'd walked, and not yet reached the end of this cursed place. Or it felt like days, he couldn't be sure though. When there were trees, they were so thick and dense they would have no light but that which they  carried with them for miles on end, and when there weren't a fog unlike any he'd seen before would hang about them, leaving only a few yards in either direction able to be seen, and nothing overhead at all.

Keeping his head down, he didn't realize Alyse had stopped and walked right past her, putting one foot in front of the other as he had for the last few hours…

"Landon, stop! You…"

*RUMBLE*

Landon stopped, quickly backing up as the ground he'd walked on began to break up and fall in, creatures dark as night with fangs and claws emerging from them as the green slime that oozed from their jaws dripped wetly to the ground.

"This isn't good, is it?" asked Landon quietly as he backed towards Alyse, both horses breaking away suddenly and disappearing into the fog with a few of the creatures disappearing to go after them.

"No," she replied as she drew both of her fans slowly. "It's not. Just walk very slowly, maybe…" She paused, gulping as they crept closer. "…we can slip by them.."

"RAEEWWW!!!"

"AHH!!" Landon clapped his hands over his ears as Alyse just stood there and bore it, fully opening both fans as the first two charged at them. Landon drew his short sword and began to hack away with it wildly, grabbing a dead branch in the other hand and using that as well. The first one jumped at him and he managed to spear it straight through, crying out as the acidic blood burned away the top layers of skin on his hand.

Alyse was not much better. She kept her back to a tree she'd managed to get behind her and slashed away at her foes, throwing one as one of them leapt at her. It took the head off completely and implanted itself in the skull of another, but it did her no good for now she only had one weapon left to fight with.

Hearing something above her, she looked up just as one of the creatures dropped down on her from above. Instinctively rolling off to the side, she was caught by another with her fan-arm pinned underneath her. Screaming as it dug its claws along her back, she dimly heard Landon calling her name as something very big and black came bounding out of the swamp…and then everything went dark…

'Alyse…wake up Alyse…'

'…she be ok…?'

'Don't know…'

Alyse slowly opened her eyes, seeing only a dirty pant leg of whoever was kneeling next to her. Gingerly turning her head so her eyes traveled up, she saw Landon looking down on her with Revlis at her side.

"You're alright," breathed Landon as he helped her sit up, careful not to touch her back as she noticed a dull ache coming from that area.

"What…happened…" she gasped through cracked lips, gratefully taking the bowl of water Revlis handed to her and drinking it down quickly.

"I'll tell you later, just eat, ok?" said Landon as he handed her a piece of bread and some soup. Alyse did as she was told, going through the meal as if she hadn't eaten for days before laying back down on her stomach again. Moments later, she was fast asleep…

%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%

"What about this shade of blue, though?" asked one of the young women as she held up a scrap of dyed fabric, Nicole holding still as the others there debated among themselves which color they liked better.

"The dark does compliment the others more…"

"Yes, but we are dark enough as it, my friends! The lightest of us is a dark brown, right?"

"Yes, she has a point, working in the sun…light colors would do better for us!"

"Besides, with the ship being as plain as it is, we should lighten things up a little, shouldn't we?"

"Aye, aye…"

"Please make up your mind, my arms are getting heavy!" piped up Nicole from where she stood in the middle of a small table, everyone else gathered around her in a circle. The crew, which had originally had only the four 'off-worlders' and the three brothers now was somewhere in the 20's, and with the new folks had come six women, Talia being one of them.

"Here," said Gwen as she picked up two spools of thread and put them on either side of her, resting her arms on that. "How's that?"

"Better, thanks…"

"Here's another idea…" offered one of the women, an older woman in her mid thirties who'd never married and now worked as the ship's main metal-smith. She was also one of Tanner, Tyler, and Trevor's aunts, which made her being there with them on the ship all the most appropriate. She pulled out three other colors, a light blue, a light orange, and a sage green. "Any two of the three go well together, right?"

"Yeah."

"Sure."

"Aye."

"In a way…"

"Then this would work best. We make them in these three colors, let the other choose their own combination from what we have available, and go from there."

"…I like it."

"Yeah, sure."

"Ok!"

"Sounds good to me."

"I think we should add white to it!"

Everyone paused, looking at Tajlin -the aunt- who considered it and then nodded. "White would be fine."

"Are we in agreement then?"

"Yes!"

"Uh…shouldn't you guys ask the Captain?" asked Nicole as they all rose to leave, chattering away happily.

"Jenny? Oh, she won't mind," said Talia with a wink as she left and headed up for the deck.

"Oh boy…"

%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%

Briteyes sat on the roof as Silven chased Little Bear around the yard, the pair having hit it off right from the start. While her human companion had teased her about becoming more and more of an animal everyday, she'd merely bit her on the ear again and left it at that.

Rubbing the fang marks Silven had ever so kindly left her with, she absently played a set of panpipes something that sounded like the shire melody from Lord of the Rings. Hearing the door to the roof open behind her, she glanced over and saw Tris climbing up onto the roof. Moving over and putting her back to the wall, she gave the merchant girl some room as she sprawled over the peak of the house, watching the clouds go by.

Several minutes passed, and just as Briteyes as about to leave to go find Silven and make her work with her in the garden for awhile her young companion spoke up.

"Why are you here?"

Briteyes paused in surprise, raising her eyebrows slightly. "A free place to sleep and get better than decent meals, plus time to spend with old friends...why not?"

"You brought your hunger and loss of funds on your self, though," came the sharp reply. "I heard you talking to Rosethorn and Lark last night, about giving away whatever you had earned to feed those who had nothing and helping others even when there was no gain for yourself. I also heard them talking later on, after you'd gone up to sleep in the attic. You're really good at you do, both playing your instruments and using your magic. You could probably be famous, if you wanted. And rich, too, rich enough that you'd never had to worry about your next meal again. So why don't you?"

"Why would I want to?" snorted Briteyes lazily. "Wealth and fame like that always comes with a price, one that may be higher than I am willing to pay. I've been someplace similar to that, hun, and it's not what I want...I'm content with what I have at this time."

"Scrounging what few coins you can earn from commoners, hoping to find someone kind enough to share their meal with you, sleeping under the stars most of the time," replied the young mage dourly. "It doesn't sound like much of a life to me."

"But you're forgetting part of it."

"I am?"

"Oh yes...the best parts of all." Briteyes smiled lightly, playing a flippant run along the panpipes for a moment. "The walking along a silent road with nothing but the starry expanse of a sky stretching overhead endlessly in either direction, making a stranger smile even if he has naught to offer in return, the wonders of mountains towering overhead and valleys that spread before you like carpets, playing because you're happy to be alive and sharing it with others, and then a friend's hug that welcomes you home when you return again. While it might be a hard, dusty, low-paying job, I like it just fine."

"Those things are nice, but they'll get you nowhere in life."

"You're right, but that hardly matters to me."

The girl huffed in annoyance. "Are mages always this confusing?"

Briteyes grinned. "Probably."

[Make that a yes…] Silven scrambled up the roof to Briteyes' shoulder, sitting there pertly as she sniffed the wind. [I don't get you guys, and I've been around mages for, what would it be now plus Tortal…8 or 9 years?]

"Silven…"

"Do you understand what she's saying?" asked Tris as she watched Briteyes listen as the squirrel chattered some more, chuckling as if they shared a private joke.

"In a way," replied Briteyes with a shrug. "Want to hold her?"

"…can I?"

"Sure, just be gentle…Silven, go on…"

[Stop ordering me around like some mindless beast…I'll go already…]

The performer watched as Tris gently cradled the fuzzy animal in her hands, taking one away to scratch her behind the ears.

[Ah…the bliss of being small, furry, and cute…]

As Briteyes burst into laughter, Tris looked at her strangely and scooted away.

"Mages really ARE strange…"

%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%

Brenna came downstairs after two days head held high as she smoothed her dress and asked for something to eat. Kaitlin quietly made it for her, the rest of the family gathering around the table as they watched her closely. Slowly, bit by bit, she ate it all and pushed her plate aside. Draining the last of her well water away, she rose slowly and sighed.

"I have an announcement to make," she said carefully, the silent room going even more still as everyone even stopped breathing lest they interrupt her. "I…have accepted it that things are as they are. However…I will not be returning to town again. Ever. Understood?"

"Yes."

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Ok."

"That's fine."

"Whatever you need, sweety."

"Just as long as you're alright."

"Does that mean you're all better now?" asked Jem as he came over and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Yes, I'm all better now," she replied as she hugged him back.

"Good, cuz I dun really know what was going on, but I didn't like it!!"

"Well, it's over now." Brenna looked down at him with a wry smile. "I promise, everything is going to be just fine."

"Good!"

%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%

Kristen called out the drill as she paced up and down the lines, occasionally correcting a block or a strike depending on which side of the line she was one. "Switch!" she called suddenly, all drills stopping as they waited for another set of direction. "Same Strike-block pattern, with high, middle, and low kicks. Ready…begin! One and two and one and two and…"

Motioning for Cam to take back over with counting off the drills, she walked back down the line she'd just come and adjusted a few more of her student's stances. Hearing the city clock ring four times, she called it to a halt and gathered them around her. "Keep practicing, and tomorrow we start the try outs for who gets to advance on to the next class," she reminded them quickly. "Now go, and be careful!"

"Ma'am, father wishes to speak with you again," said one of her students as he tugged on her sleeve, pointing over by the door. There stood pretty boy, as she'd mentally dubbed him, waiting for her to take notice of him with a bouquet of flowers in his hands. Backing up a step, she growled under her breath as she shuddered involuntarily. The first reason being he was the last person she wanted to talk with today, and second being the main theme of the flower arrangement was PINK. Of all the colors he had to choose…

"Sorry, but I have to run this to the kitchen first," replied Kristen as she motioned to the basket of goods that some folks chose to pay their children's 'education' with. "I'll be back in a minute, but he doesn't have to wait if he doesn't want to."

"I'll let him know," replied the boy as he gave her an understanding look. "Hopefully, he won't want to wait too long…" As much as the boy liked having Kristen as a teacher, he certainly didn't want her as a mom and since she didn't want to be his mom either, they'd come to an understanding.

"Alright." Kristen turned and walked towards the door, intercepted halfway there by Matt who took the basket from her hands quickly.

"I don't know what you think you're doing, but you're going to go back and accept those flowers if it kills you!"

"Hey, for all you know it just might!" snapped Kristen back as she reached for the basket and missed as he pulled it out of reach. "Matt, don't make me do this…I can't stand being around him, you know that!"

"I don't see why, he's never even laid a hand on you," replied Matt as he rolled his eyes.

"If he did, I'd break his neck."

"Look…just go accept the flowers, alright?"

"Ok…fine." Kristen turned around as Matt handed the basket off to Cam, sending him with it so he could follow her and watch what happened.

"You're looking absolutely wonderful today, my lady," the lord swooned as Kristen gingerly accepted the flowers, attempting to discreetly hold them away from himself.

"Thank you, sir, but I'm not a lady…just woman trying to make a living."

"You are the queen of my heart and life, and thus a lady," came the sugar-sweet reply. "With these flowers I have something else to present to you. An invitation."

"To what?" asked Kristen hesitantly as Matt edged up beside her.

"A ball, in honor of someone close to me," he replied gallantly. "Please say you'll allow me to escort you there?"

"Well, I…"

"She would be glad to," cut in Matt as he put his hand on Kristen's arm, kicking her in the ankle when she began to protest. "My friends and I shall do everything possible to make it so."

"Oh, this day hath been made wonderful by such a wonderful reply!" gushed the baron as he dropped into a low bow before he left. "My thanks, Lady Kristen! I shall see you again soon!!"

"You really are a jerk, you know that," ground Kristen through her teeth as she turned to face him, rolling up the sleeves of her shirt. "I'd start running if I were you…"

"Kristen, I…it was for the school!!"

"Yeah, and me pounding the life out of you is for the school too, because maybe then I'll be too tired to do it to HIM when I have to go with HIM to a freakin BALL!!"

"I'M SORRY!!"

%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%

The three students looked at each other from across the small chamber, their beings stripped of anything useful other than their clothes as they sat there, each chained to their respective wall. If they stretched, they could hold hands all at the same time, but the chamber had been proofed against any and all magics, thus making it impossible for them to escape at the moment.

"You're an idiot! A complete bastard who deserves to lose his head!" yelled Olivia as she threw her empty plate at him.

"OW!! Hey, I said I was sorry, alright?! What do you want me to do, I can't go back and change the past, you know!"

"WELL YOU SHOULD!!"

"WELL, I CAN'T!!"

"This is your fault entirely," spat Olivia one last time as she sat back down, the exhaustion of having little food and no place to really sleep getting to her again. "If I could just reach…you, you'd better be very glad for these chains, Randy. They're the only thing keeping you alive right now."

"I'm aware of that, thank you."

Bryanna said not a word, simply ran her hands over the manacles that covered her wrists again and again, fingering the locks thoughtfully. Reaching for her belt for the first time, she grimaced as she encountered the strip of cloth they'd replaced her leather one with. If only…if only…

"Food time," said the guard who'd been assigned to watch them constantly, sliding them each a pan of gruel with a crust of bread through a slot under their cell door. The food wasn't bad, in act it was quite good for prison food, but there was little of it and it only came twice a day. Water they had an unlimited supply of, courtesy of a bucket that was filled with more than they could take in in one day every morning.

"No forks?" asked Bryanna lightly as she used her crust to spoon up the gruel lightly. "Or even spoons?"

"We'll see," said the guard with a shrug as he walked away and resumed his post outside the main door.

"Mm…here." Bryanna finished her crust and slid the rest of her gruel over to Olivia, who'd plowed through hers in a matter of moments. "I'm not hungry."

"Liar," replied Olivia, though she accepted it anyways with a grateful nod. "You never did eat much, though, did you? Just like a Mouse…"

"Hey, only one person is allowed to call me that anymore and she's not here," came the mock retort. "Three more days…that's it."

"What do you think is going to happen to us?"

"I don't know." Bryanna blinked as she leaned back, coughing from the dust that got in her throat. "I wish I did, though."

%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%

When Alyse woke again someone had placed her on her mount and they were riding out of the swamp, Revlis leading the way and Landon managing both his and her mount.

"What the…?"

"Oh, you're awake! Hold up, Rev, Alyse just decided to join the land of the living!"

"Ok, but just for a minute. We have a lot of ground to make up!"

"I know, I know…"

Alyse untied herself as she set herself properly in her saddle, rolling the ties back into their proper places for later. "Ok, explain to me what's going on, now."

"Revlis saved our buts, you've got a nice set of gouges running along your back you need to be careful with, and she's found the way out so we can get back on the main trail!"

"Good. Thanks, Revlis."

"No problem. You feeling well enough to scan?"

Alyse checked, then sighed as she shook her head. "I can't…still too tired."

"That's alright, I can sniff it out well enough…Landon, leave her alone and come get my horse for me. She tends to bolt if not held properly when I change…"

"Ok." Landon came over and took the reins, leaving Alyse to sort herself out alone real fast as Revlis dropped into a giant panther, roaming around for a moment before she paused, twitching her tail lightly. Following whatever it was she found for a moment, she paused then stood right back up into human form, shaking off the loss of energy that followed before remounting quickly.

"Found it," she announced with a grin. "Come on, by the time we've closed some of the distance between us, Alyse should be well enough to scry and get us an exact spot. Hah!!" She kicked her horse into a gallop, the other two following as well as they thundered over the plains that now were before them, the swamp left far behind until it became nothing more than a memory.

%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%

Lavan tossed the dice idly from hand to hand, walking along the deck as Jack and a few others played cards nearby. Jack was losing, as usual, for he had no idea what he was doing once again and was in over his head.

"Here," said Lavan as he took his hand and shuffled it a bit, playing the next hand or two for him and getting him back on track. "Cards are for sissies anyways, it's all skill and no luck, but dice…dice is the game of men!"

"How do you play?" asked Jack suspiciously as Lavan began to juggle the die, weaving them in and out of his hands as if  by magic.

"Toss 'em on the deck, and hope for the best," replied the trader man with a wink. "That is, if you ain't chicken."

"I'm not scared, I'll beat you at your game of dice!" replied Jack heatedly, turning so he faced the young man instead. "I'll bid you a silver crescent I can beat you!"

"Alright, then..." They each pulled out their coin and put it on the deck, Lavan taking the dice and rolling them about his hands for a minute, weaving them in and out of his fingers before he finally tossed them on the deck. "I call a seven!" The dice rolled and danced about before they finally landed, on a three and a four. "Seven, ha! Beat that!"

"How do I?" asked Jack in confusion as he scratched his head.

"Call yours and roll 'em, if you get it right you get the coins, if you get it wrong they're mine."

"Oh...ok, then..." Jack picked up the dice and rolled them in the palm of his hands for a moment, thinking it through before he called, "Snake eyes." Tossing the dice on the deck, he watched as they rolled about, holding his breath as one landed on the one and the other did as well, slowly beginning to tip back towards the right...before the ship lurched and shook them back down into the double ones. "Ha! I won, man!"

"So you did, so you did...how about another round then? Double or nothing."

"Ok...you roll first."

"If you insist." Lavan did so, calling fives this time and landing it with a six, which consisted of a one and a five. Jack took up the dice confidently and called a four, rolling it to land his chosen number once again. Lavan fished out two more silver coins and handed them over, acting as if he were grumbling under his breath as Jack exalted in his good fortune.

"Hahaha! Who's your daddy? Huh?? Who's your daddy now, you half-assed mo-fo?! Whow! Look at me now! Look at me now! Breakin' it down, breakin' it down! Uh huh, for real, my friend, for real!"

"Do you understand a word he's saying?" whispered Lavan as he edged closer to a few of the others, leaving Jack to go through his 'victory dance' on the deck of the ship.

"Never heard anything like it in my life...that guys just strange."

"Yeah, well, what do you expect? He's a trader from the north, and everyone knows traders from the north are more than a little crazy..."

"Right..."

%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%

Briteyes paced the roof off the cottage, feeling hot and restless as she tried to piece together what was to happen next. She hadn't slept at all that night, the heat combined with the wash of memories and thoughts that was her mind overwhelming any hope of such a respite. Silven was curled up with Little Bear down in the main room, and was soundly asleep from the feel it whenever the elder girl reached out to her in her mind.

It had all started the first night she'd been there, with the four going up on the wall and the two watch towers exploding with the strange black dust they'd found. She'd been awake then too, but only because they'd woken her as they'd left the house. She was a very light sleeper, now, and had been wide awake by the time Tris had fully woken herself from her nightmare.

Then, the next morning had come the sighting of the pirate vessel by Daja, and while she and her teacher Frostpine were out collecting the broken bits of their protective net. And Tris and Niko piecing together with their time-spell what had happened the night before, plus Tris's new charge, Shriek. Not that she was terribly worried about the pirate ship, or the bird, as soon as she reached far enough back in her memories she figured she'd be able to handle this.

What bugged her the most was this Amery fellow. She'd been down among the other adults when he'd come in and noted his look of surprise when she'd numbered herself among the other adult mages there during the introductions. Likely he'd never seen a performer mage before, and had been uneasy about her scars as well, but that wasn't that bothered her. It was this feeling of...dissonance about him. Like his words, and the truth between his trip here weren't the same. When the word came that the scrying mirrors and crystals had all broke into shards, she'd watched him carefully but he'd done very well to hide his trail. His hands shook...but that was the only sign that he'd possibly done anything at all. Perhaps he had...or hadn't. If only she could remember!

Sitting down, she picked up her lute and began to play through a familiar melody, one she'd listened to more than once while she read...there! It was Tris's Book that she'd reached within the timeline here, and it was mainly of pirates. The sighting of the ships, the young bird, the coming of Amery...it all fell into place. Pursing her lips, the performer quickly opened the hatch to the attic and silently jumped down to the floor below. Dropping her lute and grabbing her panpipes, she slipped on her hood as fast as she could as she silently slipped down the ladder from the attic to the second floor of the cottage.

Any moment now...there! She stepped into the light just as the young weather witch came stumbling out of her room, jamming on her glasses and trying to force her untamable curls into submission.

"What do you want?" asked Tris as she saw her standing there, almost expectantly.

"You feel it, don't you?" asked Briteyes as she indicated towards the sea with her right hand.

Tris paused, then nodded. "Are you coming, too?"

"Yeah."

"...fine."

They both silently made their way downstairs, bringing Little Bear and Silven along as they woke the pair accidentally. To the wall they went, Briteyes waiting with the two animals as Tris stood there with her arms outstretched and fell into an easy trance, racing away with the winds that were so familiar with her. If she noticed Briteyes linking in to her winds with her panpipes, she didn't indicate so and simply sped towards the storm off in the distance.

Listening to it carefully as she played her melodies over and over again, teasing them up and down the scales like playful tufts of winds, Briteyes felt her tones ringing back at her from what she probed in the most unusual ways. They were twisted by magic...a hidden one that did not wish to be found. Breaking herself free just as the younger girl did, she saw Little Bear had left his spot at her feet and was barking furiously.

"You again...look, you shouldn't be here!" It was a the tall, thin guard from the night before, his partner beside him holding a crossbow in one hand and a yapping Little Bear in the other. Tonight, they were dressed in battle armor, though. "No visitors allowed, and can't you get your dog to shut up?"

"No," said Tris flatly as she pointed out at the storm. "Does that look normal to you?"

"It's a storm," replied the guard with a shrug. "We could use the rain..."

"The only rain that storm will bring is a rain of blood," cut in Briteyes as she glanced down at the younger mage girl. "It's so laden with magic I can hardly get the ring of it out of my ears..."

"Normal storm clouds go up for miles," added Tris quickly. "That's not even high enough to count as an afternoon squall."

The guards traded looks, Briteyes rolling her eyes and Tris humphed impatiently, winds beginning to tug at the clothes. Laying a hand on the younger girl's shoulder, the performer narrowed her eyes and cast back her hood.

"Go get your Captain, now," she said flatly as she drew herself up and used the force of her fighter's magic to impress them so they'd obey without anymore fight. "He needs to see this immediately!"

"...I'll go him," offered one of the two, running to the tower nearest to that point as his partner let Little Bear go and the dog came and sat at Tris's feet obediently after a stern order or two from Silven. He came back with a short, thick man with black skin that had a metal tube with him. Holding it to his eyes, he scanned the seas for a few moments before pulling it down slowly with a troubled look on his face.

"That's no storm," he muttered darkly. "These two are right, go send a runner for the Warrior Mages! You..." He glanced at the pair.

"Tris," supplied the younger girl when she realized what he was waiting for.

"Briteyes," added the performer quickly.

"Good work. Now take your dog and get back to bed, we'll have the Senior Mages take a look at this as soon as they can."

Tris nodded and glanced at Briteyes, who motioned for her to go first down the stairs.

"What did you do back there?" asked Tris as they walked along, barely able to make out the grounds around them in the few hours before dawn. "I felt it, it was like a push of sorts...but it wasn't wind."

"Oh...that." Briteyes considered her options, then just winked with a shrug. "Just a technique of mine."

Tris sighed as she rolled her eyes, yanking off her glasses to clean them with a cloth. "Could you get any more vauge...?"

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Rupal sighed as she tried to figure out just exactly where she could scrape some more funds and push it into their food funds and payments for taxes that would come in soon. They were barely making it by the skin of their teeth, literally. She didn't have a copper to spare anywhere.

The amount she'd set aside for feeding the few animals they had left was less than they actually needed, and Jem would probably be spending a great deal of his time running back and forth with getting armloads of grass from the fields and such to feed the poor beasts...there was no other way in that situation.

For clothes and fuel...well, she'd closed that account completely. New clothes would have to wait for after the next spring harvest, when they'd be able to pull through again. Fuel would have to come from Cheeks, they couldn't afford to go and pay Master Richard's boy even half a copper to haul wood for them from the woods so Cheeks would be free for other work, the young man would just have to find time for both.

Their surplus and emergencies supply was completely gone. She wasn't quite sure, but somewhere between the need of more seed when they found out the stores from last year were worthless and the panic after the quakes it had disappeared. Probably into their mouths and down in their bellies, but she didn't think they'd used that much...had they?

"Kaitlin?" she called as she noticed the resident cook slinking down the hallway, a sneaky look on her face as she reached for the door to Cheeks' bedroom.

"Ah! I didn't do it, I-....oh, it's just you. Hey, Rupal. Give me a sec here, I'm trying to scare Cheeks..."

"Leave them alone and come here," replied Rupal quickly. "You can bug them later, ok?"

"Oh, alright...I guess so if you insist..." Kaitlin came in and sat down across from her pertly. "What'cha need, deary?"

"Well, as you know we're not doing too well as far as money goes right now," started Rupal carefully.

"Uh huh, we've been tightening down on things since, what, May?" replied Kaitlin quickly.

"Somewhere around there," admitted Rupal. "But that's not the point. Things are getting worse, and we need a way to augment our income somehow..."

"WHOA!! Hold it RIGHT there!" cried Kaitlin as she jumped up, looking around like she expected someone to jump from out behind the walls and grab her. "I am NOT being sold into some whore-slavery thing, you got that?! NO! Or worse, start selling myself in town just so you can eat...imagine what they'd do to this poor, virgin body of mine! OH THE INHUMANITY!!! That mine family hath sunk so LOW as to DO something like that to little old ME....*sniffles*..."

"...uh, Kaitlin?"

Kaitlin paused in a theatrical pose, looking at Rupal quizzically. "What? You're interrupting my big moment here! If you're going to sell me, at least let me have this much..."

"We're not selling you, Kaitlin," cut in Rupal quickly with a tired grin. "What in the world gave you THAT idea?"

"..dunno." She shrugged, sitting back down once more. "What do you need me for then?"

"Mainly, help with keeping food costs down," replied Rupal. "Stretch everything as long as you can get it to go. As long as it's still edible, it stays. We can't just throw food out anymore because it's a day old. We keep doing that, and we won't last past the new year."

"Ouch...well, I guess I could cut back on how much I cook."

"Thank you."

"Welcome!" Kaitlin stood back up, then gave Rupal a suspicious look. "Are you SURE you're not going to sell me into slavery...?"

"Yes, Kaitlin, I'm sure," came the flat reply.

"Ok, just making sure! Tootles!"

"Yeah, bye..." Rupal leaned forward and rested her head on the desk, willing the headache that was forming behind her eyes to go away. "These people are so weird."

%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%

Kristen shrugged her shoulders as her student frowned in worry. "Don't lose sleep over this, ok?" she said firmly as she rolled her eyes. "No one is going to come carry me off in the middle of the night and slaughter me for having a good business is defensive arts..."

"But the rumors have been around for a few days now, Miss," the young boy argued quickly. "And anything that manages to catch me dam's ear more than once is likely to be either true or something that shouldn't be ignored...at least promise you'll be more careful!"

"Careful doing what?" replied Kristen with a derisive snort. "Getting up, going to the kitchen, eating, doing my job, eating again, and then going to bed again? I rarely leave the school grounds, Dirk, and when I do there's always at least one other person with you. You have nothing to fear for me, I'll be fine."

"Stop nattering the poor woman's ear off and let's be gone," said Dirk's father as he came up beside him and gave him a light cuff on the side of his head for dawdling. "My apologies, Miss. He lets his mouth get away from him sometimes..."

"No harm done," replied Kristen with a shrug and a wry grin. "If it makes you feel better, Dirk, I will be more careful, ok?"

"Well, alright. Good day, Miss."

"Good day."

"You know, I heard the same from one of my students too," commented Matt as he came up and stood behind her, crossing his arms over his chest. "Someone's spreading some nasty rumors about our school, and the 'harlot' that runs it..."

"They can call me whatever they like, they can prove nothing," replied Kristen flatly as she picked up some dropped training pads that she used so the younger ones didn't hurt each other. "Harlot, strumpet, whore...with who? You guys? Yeah right, I'd rather peal the flesh away from my own bones and feed it to rabid dogs by hand!"

"Gee, thanks," muttered Matt as he rolled his eyes. "Still, there's no harm in taking a few extra precautions. Just don't go anywhere unarmed, carry a belt knife or something. And always have one of us with you. Even Cam's pretty useful in a fight, though he always apologies for the damage he does afterwards, the pansy...OW!!"

Kristen glared at him as she held the pad poised to knock him over the head again should she need to. "Just because he's got a good heart does not make him a pansy!"

"Alright, alright, he's not a pansy....just a wuss. OWW!! Hey, knock that off!!"

"Not until you apologize!"

"I don't want to!"

*TWHAP*

"OWWIES!!!"

%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%

Bryanna made sure no one was watching as she carefully examined the tray, holding it up to the feeble light until she found the crack she was looking for. Checking one last time, she aimed once and whacked it as hard as she could against the bars of the cage.

*CRACK*

"What was that?!" demanded the guard as Bryanna tossed the tray towards Olivia, the other two giving her strange looks as she hid the broken handle of the tray in her sleeve.

"I threw it, and it missed," replied Bryanna sheepishly. "Sorry..."

"Good gods above...watch what you're doing!" snapped the guard, turning to go back to his post. "Mages with not a wit a sense in their thick heads..."

"Yes, sir..."

"What did you do that for, you almost got us in trouble!" hissed Randy as Olivia just watched her, noting the movements she made as she began to tinker with the locks again.

"Moron, shut up and leave her alone," Olivia snapped in reply, nodding to Bryanna who glanced up once before continuing her work. Waiting until the sun had fully set and the moon was well on its way in the sky, she slipped off her shackles and went to Olivia's side.

"Hold still," she murmured softly, taking the locks and looking over them before she inserted the slip of metal she'd gotten off the tray and began to wiggle it around carefully.

"You're picking the locks," breathed Olivia as her hands suddenly came free, and she was able to hold up her arms without the added weight for the first time in days. "We're going to get out of here...!!"

"They spelled this place against magic," murmured Bryanna with a grin as she freed the ice mage's legs. "But not against picks. What mage knows how to pick locks, anyways?"

"You, apparently," replied Randy as he held out his hands and she freed him as she'd done for Olivia and herself. "Was this something you picked up from your time among the thieves?"

"Yeah...guess it came in handy."

Greasing the hinges with Bryanna's share of gruel from dinner, they silently slipped out of the cell the moment she had the lock open and down the corridor, sneaking up behind the guard who stood there on watch. Only a thread of ice was all it took to seal his mouth shut and hands and feet to the wall behind him. Leaving him there, they ignored his muffled cries and went on to the next door down the hall. Slipping inside, they grabbed what they could from the supplies kept there before boosting each other out of the window to the ground below in the main courtyard of the prison.

Using the slim strip of metal, Bryanna picked open the back gate and out they went, into the town itself where they quickly lost themselves in the crowds before reaching the edge of town and leaving it all together.

"Where to now?" asked Randy as they set out, planning to travel until their feet gave out from underneath them and they were forced to stop and rest.

"I don't know," replied Bryanna as she glanced back over her shoulder, shuddering involuntarily. "It'll be someplace far, far away from here, though."

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The trio of unmagic mages paused at an Inn, Revlis looking about nervously as they sat down and ordered their food, planning on leaving the moment they'd had a good, hot meal and their horses were well-rested again.

"Something wrong?" asked Landon as he poked Revlis and she jumped skittishly, swearing at him under her breath as she tried to calm herself again afterwards. "You've been as jumpy as a frog."

"Nothing's wrong, exactly," came the stumbling reply. "Eh, it's nothing, really, probably just a figment of my imagination..."

"Unmagic?" asked Alyse quietly.

"No, nothing like that," came the firm reply. "Don't worry about it, I'm just over-reacting again..."

"Well, if it isn't our good friend, the cat-woman," sneered a large fellow as he came lumbering up with two of his pals, displaying their weapons fearlessly as they leered at them rotten teeth and ran hands through their greasy hair. "So nice of you to return, too...we thought you'd run away for good."

"I don't want anything to do with you, Lars," said Revlis roughly as she turned closer to Alyse, whom she was seated besides. "I owe you nothing."

"Oh, yes you do, kittycat. You owe me a good screw, according to your late partner, and perhaps some more for my pals in way of interest..."

Alyse moved faster than any of them could see, pressing one fan to the man's throat and the other farther south into some territory that he didn't want damaged at the moment. "Back away," she growled, pressing the sharp edges a little closer. "Or I geld you like a horse."

"Now, now, missy, no need to go jumping around like that...I was just trying to collect on a debt..." Lars backed off a step, obviously displeased. "She still owes me, Miss. And I will get my dues."

"Your dues will be a ruined manhood if you don't leave right now," came the calm reply. "I'm not going to put up with you, understand?"

"..aye. I understand." The man turned around and left, heading over to the far corner where several others like him resided.

"Get your things, we're leaving," snapped the fan-wielder suddenly, tossing her cloak over her shoulders and heading for the stables as quickly as she could.

"Wait, we didn't eat yet..."

"They're not going to let us eat in peace, Landon," replied Revlis in a low voice as she scrambled out the door after Alyse. "Not after they know that I'm here."

"Do I want to know what this debt of yours is?" asked Alyse as she re-saddled her horse, flipping the groom a copper before helping Landon who struggled with the bridle.

"Let's just say it involves freeing a friend of mine who was caught in a loop of slavery-debts and the cheat we used to secure our 'win' didn't work...so we ran."

"Ah..."

"Ready?" asked Alyse as she mounted easily, hiding her amusement as Landon struggled into the saddle.

"Eh...getting there...ready!"

"Where'd the cat-wench go?"

"Towards the stables, says the barmaid!"

"That's our cue to get out of here," said Revlis as she turned her horse around, kicking it into a tired gallop that rocketed her and her two friends out of town. "Later, losers!"

%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%

Trevor stood at the edge of the platform, waiting for Talia who was throwing on her boots as quickly as she could. List in hand, and coins in his belt, he was ready to go restock the ship.

"Can I go?" asked Nicole as she flew up, a hopeful look on her face. "Please, please, please??"

"Sure, I guess," replied Trevor with a grin. "I don't mind."

"She can't," said Jack suddenly as he walked by, the usual smirk on his face. "Cap'n Jenny said she's gotta stay and help us unload the stuff to the dock, man."

"When did she say that?!" demanded Nicole angrily as she whirled up right in Jack's face, making his go cross eyed as he tried to focus on her enough to get a good shot with his hand.

"Right now," replied Jenny as she came striding up, calling to the others to be careful with the boxes below. Tanner transferred the message so others could hear, adding some colorful language whenever he thought necessary. "Come on, everyone else is hauling crates except these two, and we need you to help those who can't carry boxes on their own."

"But, I wanted to-"

"No buts. Go, now."

"...yes ma'am." Nicole pouted as she floated below deck, seeing Gwen who was waiting for her expectantly.

"Come on, my mini-friend!" she called cheerfully, Nicole just muttering in reply as she twisted a few winds together into a net and scooped it under the crate with ease. Picking it up, she let Gwen guide it along as she just followed and held it up off the ground a few feet, her companion pushing it along and telling her where to set it down among the others that were taken off the ship.

"This isn't fair," muttered Nicole for the sixth time as she lifted a box and helped Gwen get it to the surface once again. "I should be allowed to go with Trevor! I'm not just a regular crew member, you know! I'm a...a nymph!"

"Uh huh, right. You keep saying that, oh queen of the minis and maybe someday it will come true."

"Hey!!"

"What?? I didn't say nothing... *cough*you're tiny*cough*."

"Why you little...!"

"Actually, compared to you, I'm rather big. Huge, in fact. A couple hundred, if not thousand, times you."

"Gwen!!"

"What, I'm just stating the facts, here. You're the one that's little, not me."

"Why I aughta..."

"Attempt to hit me? With what, a puff of air? Come on, minislut, bring it on!"

"ARGH!!"

Nicole lifted up the box and took it with her, leaving Gwen standing there to watch as she centered it over Jack's head and let it fall, nodding in satisfaction as it knocked him out instantly with a pleasant *CRACK*.

"Boxes from the sky....mommy...there's boxes comin' from the sky..." x.x;;

"I feel so much better now!!" ^_^

%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%~~~*~~~%

Briteyes waited patiently. So far, her part in this had been minimal. The pirates had attacked a few days ago, starting their barrage on the wall of Summer Sea from the ocean with their boom-stones. She'd been put in charge of the children while the Senior Mages went to the wall -except Frostpine, he'd been asleep- and had been roundly yelled at for letting the children break into the 'pattern spell' as they had. Never mind that she couldn't speak mind-to-mind as they could...according to Niko, at that point in time, it was her fault.

Amery was still around, and she hated every moment of it. She knew who, and what he was, just another pawn of the pirates. But she could say nothing, prove nothing...things would have to run their course as they would, and she would intercede as she could. She'd already played Tris to sleep without the young girl realizing it that night...the poor thing needed all the sleep she could get after being told the truth about her cousin by one inquisitive Briar.

The Hub clock tolled midnight as the performer slipped off the roof and dropped lightly to the ground by sliding down a drain. Creeping back around through Rosethorn's workshop, she watched as Amery slipped out one of the doors into the thick fog that lay everywhere, Tris and Briar arriving a moment later.

"Psst."

They both whirled around, surprised to see her standing there, not in her normal clothes and with a thick staff over one shoulder with the end of it swaddled in cloth. "Briteyes...?" breathed Briar, poised to attack.

"Yeah." She stepped closer, giving them both a long look. "Follow him, I'll be behind you."

Tris frowned. "But, you..."

"Hush." Briteyes motioned after Amery, a grim look on her face. "You're not going to let me go after him alone, so come on before he gets away." Briar gave her a strange look, but turned to Tris and tugged on her sleeve none the less to pull her along.

[They're scared] said Silven from where she sat in Briteyes' hood. [What do you want me to do?]

"Stay with them," she said as softly as she could. "After it starts, don't leave their side and call me if you need to."

[Roger.]

They trailed him around the temple and the baths. There, in front of the temple porch Tris stumbled. It was a curled up novice using his armor as a pillow. Briar tripped as well, his obstacle being a guard that lay flat on his back snoring. Shaking the man, he looked at Briteyes, who grimaced. She'd forgotten about the sleeping poisons, and Briar was probably making the connection at that moment.

Tris suddenly did something to the air, the fog slamming itself upwards and forward in a way that cleared the area immediately of fog and sent Amery forwards to hit the temple gate he'd stopped in front of.

Stomping up to him, eyes flashing, she cried, "Amery!"

Seeing Briar duck behind a tree, Briteyes followed him and stayed to the shadows, glad she'd worn the gray leathers she'd found in one of her old packs of clothes from before. They listened as Tris confronted her cousin, Silven climbing from her friend's shoulder to Briar's as the truth came out, that he was a traitor and he was helping the pirates get in to pay a debt.

One locking bar was up now, and one remained. Someone outside the gate pounded on it angrily.

Briar stood up, and was stopped as Briteyes shoved him to the ground, running for the gate. "Tris, get away from him!" The mage looked up at her, determination in his eyes as he punched his younger cousin, sending her back several feet. Tris lay where she fell, stunned.

The gate exploded, and Amery went flying past Briteyes who pulled out her panpipes and twitted some melody that countered the blast right around her. Briar, thankfully, scouted himself up in the tree he'd been crouched behind, leaving him relatively safe for the moment.

Men and women rushed in through the whole the blast had created, holding clothes over their mouths and noses in one hand and knives and swords in the other. The performer shook herself as she dashed into the light, leaving the cloth covering behind as she brought her pole arm up in an arch that caught the light as well as the first person coming through towards her. His body ripped open from his hip to his shoulder, he fell silently as the rest around them stopped and stared.

They hadn't expected any resistance, and now one of theirs were dead.

The leader freed his blade from Amery's body right then, glancing at Briteyes as if she were no more than a gnat. "Kill her," he orders calmly. "And the rest of those here! We don't want them at our backs later..."

Breathing deep, the performer clenched her jaw as she threw herself into them, actually planting the pole arm into the ground at one point and springing herself on top of it so she was holding it with her feet above her head and bringing it up with her a moment later to slam it down perpendicular on three pirates' heads at once. Dodging, ducking, moving faster than she could even keep track of, she hardly saw those she struck out at, it was just a constant whirl of life or death, block or be spitted upon another's blade, cut their throat or have to worry about them later.

She couldn't block them all, though, and soon others rushed past her to stab the dedicates who lay asleep on the ground. Screaming in rage and anguish, she fought all the harder, but they were still beyond her reach and she couldn't stop them being forced to stay put like this...

A crack of lightening suddenly lit the sky, hail falling from the sky in sheets that battered the pirates to the ground. Shielding her head, the performer staggered under the weight and scrambled away, shaking her head dizzily as she tried to regain her footing.

[BRITEYES!!]

"I'm fine..." she mumbled as she blinked the stars back from her eyes, forcing herself to stand still as she took up her stance again. A few of the pirates began to rise, one suddenly landing at her feet. Stepping on his chest immediately, she raised her pole arm to rid themselves of him as she already had others...

"Briteyes, STOP!!"

Her arms froze over her head as a light as bright as day filled the area, leaving no shadow where mischief could be done away from others' eyes. The pirates were quickly subdued by their weapons being jerked from their hands and pants and shirts winding themselves together into bonds. Moments of panic followed, and then it was over.

"Let him go, Brite," said softly Lark as she came up behind her friend, putting a hand on her shoulder and gently pulling her away as two novices woken by the rail of hail came and disarmed the man quickly. "It's over."

Briteyes turned and looked at her, blood dripping from the corner of her right eye where the scar had burst and left a scarlet trail down her face. "I know..." she breathed, lowering her weapon as she stepped away. "I...I'm sorry...."

"Shh...just relax. It's over now." Briteyes looked over at Tris who lay sobbing over her dead cousin, pointing a finger at the body.

"It was his fault...his fault it happened...he deserved to die..."

"Hush, now," said Lark more firmly, pulling the weapon from Briteyes' grasp and laying it aside as the young woman just stood there, looking over the dead bodies of Dedicates and Pirates alike. "Come...the guard's going to want to speak with you."

The performer nodded absently, allowing herself to be led away as a groggy Moonstream and Skyfire were dragged from their beds, and listened to the account she, and then the four young mages had to give. Her bleeding scar, along with the other scratches and scrapes she'd gotten, tended for, she stumbled into Discipline cottage and fell asleep in a chair downstairs just as the Hub clock rang twice in the early morning hours.

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Ok....so the whole thing didn't turn out quite as I thought it would. Such is life. Hope you liked it, please REVIEW!!!!! Please, please, please? It makes me hate my computer less, an then I write more, ne? ^_~

~CB~