A/N: I'm so sorry that I haven't put up any new chapters in such a long time! Read, review, forgive me.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that Tamora Pierce does, although that would be really awesome. I made up Yhanisi, Shunika, Donikiu, and Emonyiu, and those are the only ones that are mine.

3. Chapter III

"Papa! You almost ready? We've got to hurry, Kel's coming, remember?" Yhani stood by the front doors at Queenscove and sighed. It'd be a long time before she'd be back. I'm sure the Palace won't be terrible, she thought as she saw Neal approaching her, three small children tailing him.

"Yhani, when're you going to come back?" The dark haired girl looked down at her only brother, Emonyiu, Donikiu's twin. "Ah, Emo, I'll write, don't worry." She hugged the little six-year-old. Then she turned to her sisters.

Seven-year-old Shunika looked at her sadly. "I'm going to teach Doni how to play fan toss while you're gone. And I'm going to beat you one day." Yhani smiled; they played against each other nearly every day, and not once had Shuni won, although she had often been close.

Doni scurried over to her older sister and Yhani bent down so she could hear the smaller girl. "She's too lady-like; she can't stop me from winning. Write to me, too, okay?" Doni whispered.

Yhani tried not to giggle at her sister's comment. "Of course I will."

There were footsteps coming from down the hall. "Yhani, I hope you have everything."

"Yes, I do, Mama, I just checked."

"Well," Yuki continued, "you be safe. And if you ever want to come back home, we'll be here."

"No. I'm going to become a knight. I won't give up!" she demanded.

"Oh, I know, but just in case." She bent down and kissed her oldest daughter. "Yama bless you."

Neal walked over. "Don't worry about her, Yuki, she'll be fine." His wife and four children all stared at him in amazement.

"Coming from the man who told me, what was it, 'just no'? Hm…" Yuki walked over to her husband and hugged him. "Yhani, you don't let anything happen to your father on the way. Keep an eye on him."

"But… but…"

Yhani took her father's hand. "C'mon, we've got to go. Of course I will, Mama. Bye, everyone." And with a last wave at her family, she pulled Neal out the door to the two horses that were waiting for them: Copper for Neal and Evrin for Yhani.

Evrin grunted and pawed at the ground. He was grayish in color and sported a little patch of white spots across his rump. He loved apples more than anything else, except possibly gnawing Yhani's fingers. It didn't hurt her; it actually kind of tickled. Rushing over to her horse, Yhani pulled out an apple and offered it to him. Gratefully, he accepted and chewed it as the girl climbed onto his back.

Neal and his daughter set off for Kel's place in the city. She was waiting along the road mounted on Hoshi, whom she still had.

"Neal! Yhani!" she called out as they got nearer, riding to join them.

"How much longer?" Yhani asked.

"Mm, not much," her father answered. "So, Kel, immerse us in your knowledge: what's the new training master like?"

Kel reached across Hoshi and punched his arm. "He's… terrible, to tell you the truth," she whispered. Yhani looked at them strangely.

"Hey, I want to hear about the training master, too! No secrets."

Kel and Neal both sighed. "Sir Owen is… quite a character…" Kel finally said after a while. "He's, well, different."

"How so?"

"Yhani! Don't push it, it's not like if you don't know all the world's secrets you will fail in life!" Neal said in exasperation.

"I know. I just like to know," was the reply. "So, Kel… you were saying?"

The Lady Knight laughed. "You'll like him," she said, and ended it there. Don't blow it, Owen, she silently pleaded.

In less than half an hour, the three of them stood at the Palace doors. An old man quietly walked over to greet them. "Lady Knight, Sir Neal. Decided to return, eh?" Stefan, the hostler, had been working at the Palace in the stables since the days of the Lioness. He never seemed to want to leave his precious horses.

"Stefan! It's good to see you," Kel said.

He moved over to take Evrin, Copper, and Hoshi.

"Wait."

The three adults turned to see Yhani dismount and stand next to Evrin. "I think I want to do this by myself. I'll be fine."

Neal didn't know what to say. "Yhanisi…" he began.

"No, I can do this alone. I already promised I'd write, it's not like I'm leaving forever. I can handle this, don't worry about me." She grinned at them. "I'm serious. Go."

It took some time for what she'd said to finally sink in. Neal sighed, turned to his friend, and said, "Well, you heard her, Kel. I tell you, I give up… Did I ever want kids? What have I gotten myself into? I'm doomed before I'm forty!"

"It was nice seeing you, Stefan. Yhani, you be good. If Owen hasn't changed, I don't know what to tell you, but people change. Goddess bless!" She gave a last wave and started to trot away.

"Bye, Yhani. Don't get yourself killed."

"Papa! It's just training! Bye…" As she handed Stefan the reins, Neal watched her before finally deciding he'd better go. Quickly, he caught up with Kel and they were gone.

Yhanisi of Queenscove was alone. I can do this. Look out Palace, look out pages, look out Sir Owen; here I come. With one last glance down the road, she strode up the steps and through the large front doors to the beginning of her page training.

A/N: You like? You don't like? REVIEW AND TELL ME! Haha, won't Owen be perfect? Tehehe… And there you have it! The third chapter, so be happy. Awww… no more Neal to pick on! Well… for now, anyways…