((okies people the bit you have been waiting for the next chapter. Enjoy… once again credit to the wonderful Tessabe, who with out her, this story would be very bad. Cheers Tessabe)

Sage sat and watched with baited breath all his hopes were riding on this one meeting. The meeting of all the Vales mages, Snowfire,
Firesong, Starfall. All of the were crowded into the council rooms,
and they all were discussing Sages plan. During the night he had written down his plan for shielding the village and the keep, from anything that Lord Danak may decided to do. It was a rather risky, as something on this scale had never been tried before. And since he had a lot less experience with magic he had decided to take his plans before the real masters and adepts.

Starfall looked to the other mages, Darian, Firesong and Snowfire all looked up their eyes locked, they knew what the Elder mage was thinking, it was the same as what they were thinking. That this plan was mad, in most ways this plan was too big to work, there was no way two mages could hold a shield of that size let alone one.

But the theory behind how he could make it work was plausible. They had actually forgotten that Sage was still in the room. Sitting on one of the tables at the back of the room, waiting.

Finally after some more quiet talking all the mages nodded. It appeared to Sage that they had a reached a conclusion.

"Well?" he asked. Hope and anticipation riding on one word.

"It seems a little far fetched in some places" Starfall started, "But with a little changing I, we think that this may work" He concluded before Sage could worry. Sage smiled. Relief evident on his face. He rose from his table and went to join them.

"Can I ask why beads though, why use something so small for such a large project?" Darian asked "wouldn't tying it straight to the ground work better?" He asked Sage.

"I did think of that, but then I decided that I work with beads, and I can make them out of whatever I need, so I was thinking if I made the beads out of a stone that promoted protection that would help reinforce the shields. Besides, if my magic was tied directly to the earth and it became corrupted, it would corrupt it, this way we can remove the beads if that happens." He told Darian sitting down next to the younger mage.

"oh!" Was Darian's answer.

Sage frowned mentally, he pressed on ruthlessly "if I tied something to the Ley lines or the nodes, then…" he paused placing the idea in there minds.

"If for some reasons, somehow, He got to me, think what could happen to anything in my shields" He summed up explosions of the earth round the village and keep, and image of people being trapped inside. Darian shivered, He nodded silently and let the matter drop.

"I have some beads already made, but there is one thing though I must ask of you" Sage said looking round at them all. Waiting for them to nod he went on.
"Please do not ask me why, the reasons are something I could not tell you yet, but please do not tell anyone outside this room, what I am doing. The best I can tell you is I feel that something is not right. Danak, could have sent a spy ahead. He knows I am here, it would be unlike him to come into somewhere new with out prior knowledge and well. I would not like him to know about this" He said quietly.

"What makes you think he has a spy this time?" Firesong said quietly after a few moments silence.

"Because" Sage said simply. And then he showed them mind to mind,
every campaign Danak ever made, each one had one or more spies at the centre relaying information, on people or locations of armies. "You could say it is his nature" They all got the feeling this man had no honour. Sage picking up on this feeling confirmed it.

"He had no honor, no morals, no sense of right or wrong and no sense of mercy. Although, he does has a strange sense of putting up a good face. I think he will try to impress you all and win you over, rather then demand me outright." he concluded finally. He gently withdrew from their minds. "It could be someone travelling through the village,
on what would look like normal business, he would not risk his spy settling in the village"

"Well, I think we had best get started on this shielding then, and rest assured that no-one outside this room will know about the shields. Lest you tell them," Firesong said to Sage, all the other mages nodded in agreement.

"I know you don't like the idea of using the Ley lines, but how about using them to boost the power of the shields, it would make the easier to handle and less strain on you"

Firesong was telling Sage, trying to convince him, that they would work. "And, that way you could tie off some of the magic from yourself, so that they would not be connected to you directly"

Sage looked thoughtful and listened on to the ideas. If anyone had looked into the council rooms for most of that morning they would have seen an unusually large group talking about beads and where to put them. As it was only the Hertasi looked in on them, providing some food and drinks when it looked like the mages would there for some time. The meeting went on longer then expected as all the mages had something they wanted to verify or check on. It was late afternoon before all mages in the room were happy. Including the one that would be casting the spell. Soon all the mages filed out of the rooms, all except one, who left un-noticed via the window that faced the forest.

Sages feet had barely touched the soft grass before he was off and running. If this was to work then he had a lot to do in a short space of time. He slid to a stop beside his Ekele and went inside. He was looking for Llayner, but she was not there. He rummaged round on his table and found the beads he was looking for, he quickly pocketed them and hurriedly strapped on his, knives making sure that the sheaths lay flat under all the beads. He would have taken the swords but that was one more thing he wanted kept a secret. He scribbled a note to Llayner telling her that he would be gone for awhile and not to worry. He knew she would recognise the writing as his. No-one else in the Vale had the same scrawl as his. Finally checking he had everything, he left his home in a flurry. One or two of the gryphons did notice him leaving the vale as they flew over, but they thought nothing of it. He was alone, and everyone knew that he did not go far from the vale alone.

Two days later it was it was fast approaching dusk and Sage felt ready to drop, he was tired and hungry. He had finished the last of the beads and had buried them all around both the Village and the Keep. He had taken great care not to be seen, and to make sure that he had buried all the beads, far enough away from both Village and Keep so people could still access the wells, fields and stables. He ran a hand through his fading hair. One of the reasons he was so tired was he was doing more magical work then he had ever done in his life. He was vaguely aware of two other mages working there own shielding and protections of both Village and Keep. In case the worse came to the worst. And Sages shields were compromised.

He was also using energy taken from his own pain. It had taken him one very long sleepless night agonizing over the thought and an even more long morning arguing with Firesong and Darian about why he should that to boost his power even more. Very reluctantly they agreed. Because he told them he knew he would need something to boost the power of the shields, and he knew there were many ways he could do this. So he had choosen to use his pain, his blood and some emotions taken from people in both village and keep. He had tied all of this into his little beads.

The emotions he had taken were that of happiness, hope and joy, good things. And he had boosted them with pain. The one thing he knew would work and be strong enough. So now once again his arms were criss crossed with cuts, only this time, they were of his own doing, and these would not scar.
He sat down for a few moments and eat some of the food he had been given when Firesong and Darian had come down to do their own shielding. He was ravenous, he ate quickly without tasting, his mind on the shield.

Finally was he was done eating he placed the last bit of stone back over where the last bead lay. Then he walked a short distance, so he would be between both Village and keep and set about raising his shields. As he closed his eyes and went in, he only had a few more days if that before Lord Danak arrived. He concentrated, these were going to be the most difficult of all shields he had ever made. Even more so than the ones he had made to block his dreams from Nightwind and Shandi. These shields had to be un-noticeable by all, to walk though with out feeling a thing. But they had to be strong enough to repel those who wished ill on anyone in either village or Keep. Anyone with ill intent in them would not be able to cross the shield. So he hoped that when Danak got to them him and his retinue would have the unrepressed idea that camping in the furthest fields would be fine.

It took him all of that night to finish his shields on both keep and village. He finished by sealing them with his pain, two more shallow cuts to his arms, sealed what the emotions of the people had set up, shields of goodwill. Something he doubted Danak had. With a weary sigh he pulled his sleeves down. And trudged back to the Vale, the looked at the dawns light gracing the sky, he loved to watch the sunrise and as weary as he was, today was no exception.

He looked at the sun light hitting the stream that led into the vale.
A flash and once again he could see his lord, astride his warhorse,
looking terrifyingly handsome as he rode through the countryside.
His chiselled face graced a sneer as they rode past fields. This time Sage made sure he stayed only watching. He was too weary to enter in a battle of the wills now. He heard Danak give the order to halt atop a hill. His people waiting at its foot. The order to set camp was given. He was close.

And then it was gone as quick as that vision had come, it left him.
But now Sage knew where Danak was, a day or so away and the fact that no-one in the vale would understand what the lord would be saying when he arrived. Cursing in all the five languages Sage could think of, he hurried up his pace, he had to get to Tyrsell and talk with him, he had to share the language of the Islands. He could eat later, this was more important.
He sent a call ahead to Tyrsell when he got close enough and asked him to meet him in the fields by the lake. Then he asked if the King stag would summon Llayner and the council.

:Tyrsell:
:Yes:

:Can you meet me by the lake and call the Council, there's something important I must tell everyone. It concerns Lord Danak:
:Yes:
:Thank you:

When Sage entered the Vale Firesong, Tyrsell, Llayner and Darian were all there to meet him. Firesong and Darian were both dressed and bore no signs of dressing in a hurry. The rest of the council was by the lake.

"We have been waiting for you, Firesong picked up something that we guessed to belong to our visitors" Darian explain, as though he had read Sages mind.

"It is him, that I am sure" Sage said waving his hands distractedly."I have got to give you the language of The Islands, otherwise you will not know what he is saying" Sage went on. Firesong took a closer look at him. In the early morning light. He noticed that Sage was swaying with the effort to stand, and if possible he looked ever so pale.

"You haven't eaten again have you?" the Adept accused catching hold of Sages arm to steady him. Sage shook his head impatiently.

"That can wait a little longer, you need to know what he will be saying" He insisted. I will eat after I promise" Sage leaned on Firesongs arm, if he made it to the field then he would be amazed. Llayner, disappeared when she heard he had not eaten, she went off to find something filling and to awaken some of the others.

"Sit down please, I can do this here where you are, you look ready to drop" Came Tyrsells dry mind voice. Sage didn't need telling twice, he literally sat down where he was. "Now think about what it is that you want to give them, Island speach and dialects" Tyrsell ordered. Sage thought about the Islands and what they spoke.

Tyrsell sent a private thought to Darian, "Get ready to catch him" The king stage warned. Darian moved round being Sage.
"get ready"

Sage did as he was bid. He looked in to the King Stags eyes. He felt brief pulling feeling, before he passed out. Darian caught him before his head could hit the ground and he lowered Sages head down to the ground. As he looked around Llayner reappeared followed by Keisha and Starfall. "He needs to sleep not fret, he would not sleep if left to himself"
Tyrsell said to the others, not sounding apologetic in any way.

"I will take Sage back and look after him, and I will make sure he eats before I let him go" Llayner told the others, and with out another word she scooped up Sage and carried him off.
Darian turned back to Tyrsell while Firesong explained the situation to Starfall and Keisha as quickly as he could. They all knew that Sage had raised his shields as they had all felt that slight pull on the Ley line.

"Did you get the language?" Darian asked Tyrsell. The Dyheli nodded his head, once.

"Indeed I did, although, it seems that there are many dialects that they speak, he gave me the most common two and the one he said was Imperial. The one that this Danak and any court he had with him would speak"

Keisha and Starfall were now up to date on all that had happened in that brief talk with Sage and now they and Firesong had come to stand with Darian. Then Tyrsell set about giving them the languages that Sage had passed on to him. He knew it would be a long morning. He had most of the council to give this new knowledge to, and then anyone else that they could think would need to know. Including the Heralds and Lord Breon.

Darian, Firesong, Silverfox and Starfall were all gathered in Starfall's Ekele. They were discussing the new knowledge that they had been given. They figured that it would be easier to understand if they talked together. Although they would have to ask Sage about some unfamiliar concepts they could not find translations for. Keisha had come by briefly but she could not stop, she had only come to dish out some of Nightwinds headache potion, she was having a busy day. She updated them on Sages condition. Which was he was still sleeping and that Llayner was in a way sitting guard, to make sure he ate.

Sage woke up later that night. He still felt awful, but awful was better then how he had been feeling before. He had a few moments of blissful ignorance before the past few days came flooding back. He sat up with a jerk and looked round blindly for a moment. He could see it was late evening he had slept most of the day. He got up shakily he had to talk to the others, check to see that it had worked, that they would be able understand. He got to the door of his bedroom before he had to sit down. His head was swimming. He was so hungry.

A shadow fell across him, he peered up to see Llayner standing over him, standing in a very human position, her "hands" on her hips pose.
Sage dropped his head, he knew he was about to get a telling off for not eating. She hauled him up with little effort and promptly dropped him gently back onto his pillow bed.

"You sit there and you eat" Sage opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off.

"You have been working too much magic and not rested enough, you haven't slept properly since you left here. You are not leaving this room until you eat. You know you have to. And if you try to leave I will sit on you"
she finished scolding and turned back into the main room to fetch the food she had brought up.

Sage had the strongest feeling that she really would sit on him. He felt so weak, he knew he should have eaten. So he excepted the scolding silently. She came back through the door way, with a plate laden with food, more than he could normally hope to eat.

"You eat now. Then you can go send word for them to come here, unless,
they come here first"

She said placing the tray down. As Sage picked up the plate. He was aware that she had taken his beads and his knives away. He looked round absently for them.
"They are safe do not worry" She said guessing what he was looking for.

Sage nodded happily, talking meant using energy that he did not have.
Silently attacked the food on the plate and long while he thought about nothing else other then eating. As Llayner watched, eating was a polite name for it, he was near on inhaling his food he was so hungry. Finally when he had finished the plate, something she had known he would have done. She had been in this vale long enough to know about stupid mages who put off eating when they were working. He handed the plate back to her, she took it with an expression that could have been smile. She turned to the doorway.

"I will go and tell the others. I think that they would like to speak with you now you are rested and fed, but before I do, there is one more thing I need you to do for me" She said, her voice all innocent.
Sage looked at her, wondering what she could want.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Take a bath before you do anything, please!" and with a flick of her tail she was gone, before he could reply. He watched her fleeting back with a smile. She was right, he should imagine that he did smell pretty ripe after three days of not washing. He pushed himself off the pillows and staggered into the main room. He had to stop for a moment leaning on the wall. Then he staggered into the bathing room. He filled the tub with water, not bothering to heat it. The cold would wake him up. He stripped and plunged into the water. He bit back a yelp as the cold water struck him. Shaking the water out of his eyes, he reached for the nearest soap and set about cleaning himself up. The gritty soap stung the shallow cuts on his arms but he ignored that.

Finally he finished up rising his hair, as he squeezed the water from it. When it was dry it still stuck out in all directions. As he was drying himself he suddenly had an idea. He was a Hawkbrother, he played with the talisman as he thought. They had accepted him. And it would be a move that He would not expect. He threw the towel onto the floor and rummaged around in one of the clothing baskets. And found what he was looking for. He pulled on his new clothes and looked at himself in the mirror. He smiled a happy smile. It would make Lord Danak pause and think when he saw how much like the Hawkbrothers he looked. Almost like kin.

He was wearing clothes of the Hawkbrother style, albeit toned down,
but still Hawkbrother. He was wearing his normal loose trews, and a sleeveless tunic over a long sleeved shirt and over all of that a loose robe that the Vale mages wore. Only he wore the robe undone. He left his hair to dry and as it did it stuck out as it normally did. He strapped on his knives and put his beads on over the top. As flexed his wrists to make sure that the blades could move freely. Happy that he was done, he was about to go out of the door when he nearly ran into Darian who was coming towards his Ekele. Darian stopped and Sage had to try not to smile at the other Mages' reaction it was fairly comical. Seeing Sage dressed as he was, was not something any of them would have thought about.

After his initial shock Darian managed to pull himself together "I was just coming to get you, the others are waiting for you" he didn't ask why Sage was dressed as he was. He knew Sage would tell them soon enough. He turned on his heel and started back the way he had come, Sage following behind. They walked down the path toward the clearing. Darian pulled the vines out of the way and motioned for Sage to go through.

Sage entered the clearing and looked round, Darian came into the clearing behind him. Sage turned to look at him, if only to avoid the badly hidden looks of surprise at what he was wearing. He looked away to save them embaressment more then himself, when he looked back all the faces were impassive once more. All of the council was here, not at all what Sage had expected to see. Also Silverfox, Keisha, Nightwind and Wintersky were all there as well and they looked slightly tense.

Sage sat down on the grass to one side of vines. "I decided that it was time I looked like what I was" Sage said before anyone else could speak.

"That is?" Firesong asked attentively

"A Wingbrother and a Mage trained by the Hawkbrother" Said Sage with a smile, a real smile. This made the others smile in turn. They said nothing, but most of them had guessed that sooner or later Sage would feel as though he was part of the Vale. And this was it. Silverfox smiled the most, although he did smile mostly to himself. In a strange way he was proud of Sage. But they had some bad news for him.

"Sage, you made your shields just in time, Lord Danak came within an hour or so's ride from the top fields outside the Village, he tried to cross them but found he could not. Now he is camped out in the outer fields" Starfall told Sage, getting straight to the point. Sage stopped startled, he close his eyes for a second and then they flew open. He could feel Danak, it was something he had always been able to do, when he was close. It was because he had been busy he hadn't noticed. He had simply not thought about it, he remembered saying before that the person Firesong had seen was Danak.

"Inth tala tomay" Said Sage quietly. Not in the Hawkbrother tongue,
but the tongue of the Islands. And not that they noted it then, but everyone in the clearing understood what he had. "So it begins" and all of them understood what he meant. Sage swallowed a couple of times and looked back at the council.

"Has he tried to talk to anyone yet, has he sent anyone?"

Starfall, and Darian shook their heads together. "We have been watching him since we guessed who he was, all he has done is set up camp in the furthest fields and that is it. We think he is waiting for the morning before doing anything" Darian said gently. Sage nodded, that did sound about right.

"He will wait until morning, they he will send a messenger to the keep asking for an audience with Lord Breon, and then he will ask for his property back" Sage told them. "He will want to appear a reasonable and good person"

"Isn't he always" Ravenwing asked bluntly. "Isn't that what he always does"

She was shocked by Sages laughter, it took him a few minutes to get himself under control. When he was, he looked into her eyes and showed her images of Lord Danak planning campaigns in the Islands, nearly all of them evolved jumping straight in and taking what he wanted, it was only when he was unsure of his opponents did he do the talking approach. "No he rarely does things like this, he wants to save face with everyone"

Darian ran a hand through his hair. Something Sage had just told him,
caused him to worry. "You said he would ask Lord Breon for an audience, should we tell him not to accept? What? I am not sure on the best way to approach this. One of the scouts said Danak was accompanied by six men all in black" he said the last bit slowly, as he took in Sages clothing, all black. Something clicked.
"Sage,You're not coming are you?" he asked moving back a pace. He knew about the knives and the swords because Sage had asked him where he could get things like that. Sage rose from his seat on the floor and nodded.

"I have the advantage over Danak, as I said he will be looking for some quivering wreck who is terrified of his own magic and of men. He will not be looking for a trainee mage, or a swordfighter. He gestured to his clothing. And as for the black, well, that will be an insult to him, when he figures out which one I am." he spoke not only to Darian but to the whole council and peoples who were gathered.

"And as for how to deal with him. Ignorance would be best, let him think that he had the upper hand, that you know nothing of me, of my past, let him think that I have kept you all in the dark. Making him lose whatever mask he will be showing will be an advantage. Make as though you do not understand him, but you want to talk. I would suggest the keep, it has soldiers and one other thing, you will have me. Without boasting I am the only one here who would be a match for the Shadows if he ordered them to fight." he added sitting down. "I have had their training, I trained the people that have trained them, I know how they will fight"

He felt strange taking such a demanding and decisive role in things,
nothing like he would normally do.

He knew one more thing that he was not telling the others. One way or another Lord Danak would not leave this country alive or unharmed,
Sage was planning the revenge all the souls in him demanded. He would give them retribution and finally he would be free of them all. Danak and the dead.
He came back to with a start, what he had said was causing some arguments among the people and the council.

"He wants closure and end to his past, and we will help him. Sage knows this man better then any of us. You should listen to him" that was Firesong.
Sage smiled to himself. Yes he did know Danak better then anyone.

"Can you really pull this off. Act as though you have not told us anything, act as though you are still scared of him" Starfall asked as the stood to one side. Sage looked at him with such a look in his eyes that Starfall went cold all over.

Whatever suggested I had gotten over him, I had gotten over the fear I have of him. I will fake nothing, the fear lessened the more I have been away, but until he dies, I will fear him until the end." he could see his angry tone had offended Starfall. He relented.

"I am sorry Elder Starfall. It is just this all so painful I want it over with, yesterday. I do not like this game playing. I intend to show him he never really broke me, I intend to have some fun" he said with a smile. "So many times he made me fear him, now I have some cards to play he will never dream of" Starfall looked at Sage with a hard look before smiling. If any other person had said what Sage had just done he would have admonished them for it. But somehow, after seeing, hearing what Sage had been through with this man, he could not find it in himself to. He just hoped that Sage would not go to far and become like the man he hated to much. A cold blooded killer.

The argument, on the other side of the council and flared and had now settled, it seemed that the doubting members had been talked round.
And they agreed that they would play this the way Sage suggested they should. As they left the clearing to find food, baths or to go home.

Firesong caught up with Sage and grabbed his elbow. Silverfox caught the other one and Darian and Keisha came up behind. They had the intent of steering Sage towards Firesongs Ekele and keeping him company through the night. Sage however gently but politely shrugged them off.

He told them that he did want to alone. He really needed to think and have some time to himself to meditate. Short of forcing him to accept their company they let him go and told him that they would come by later.

Watching them walk off down the path, Sage wandered more slowly back to his home. He looked at the door way and reflected that he had been spending a lot of time in there recently. He Didn't want to be inside and it looked to be a nice night. So he went for a walk past his door and up the path right to the top of the cliff. It was quiet but still not quiet enough. As he walked along to top of the cliff he saw what he wanted a large ledge a short way down from the edge.

With out much regard for himself he swung down and landed on it. He sank down and crossed his legs, his back resting on the cliff wall. He looked out in to the gathering gloom, he would not see the sunset from here but he would have a good view of the sunrise. He really wasn't going to do anything, he just wanted to be alone to think and not think. Then he let his mind wander.

Across the lake, he could see a few bond birds flying above the trees.
He could not tell which ones they were from here, the light was too bad, but he could see that they were having fun bombing each other.
Shortly the birds dived one last time and vanished from sight. Some time after that, a largish bird broke the canopy and headed off in the direction of the village.

Sage loved to watch and talk to the bond birds. He loved them, they were so much more clever than thier wild counterparts. He would watch them fly and play with each other. He wondered what it would feel like to be bonded with one. To feel what the bird felt. To see through its eyes. To have someone to share their minds with. He sighed. That was something he doubted he would ever find out. How it felt to be close to something. He took of the outer robe and bundled it behind his head. Gradually he feel asleep watching the stars.
He woke up to sounds of bird calls and the dawns light gracing the sky. And as he woke he became of the fact the he was not alone. A quick glance to the side, showed Kauri was with him and then a slight movement above made him look up. He could see Kel peering down at him, the sight of Kel peering over the cliff made Sage smile. He sat up and stretched.

"Good morning to you both, and to Darian if you are here" He said to Kauri. He was guessing the Darian had sent Kauri and asked Kel to find him.
As if reading his thoughts, Kel spoke to him.

"Darian and the others wanted us to make sure that you are fine, When they went to your Ekele and they could not find you there, they worried. I told them not to, but humans do worry" said the Gryhpon with an amused tone. Sage nodded, and stood carefully, not wanting to bump kauri. When he was standing he threw the crumpled robe to over the cliff so it landed next to Kel then he started to climb back up.
He made it up with little effort he stood next to Kel and looked back down but the bond bird and taken off and was now heading back across the lake.

"I flew over the camp in the outer fields last night." Kel said casting a side look at Sage, Sage did nothing he looked down for a moment and then back at the trail.

"I can't imagine that you would have seen anything to interesting, he never lets his men do anything when its dark. Not like most camps"
Sage said in the same none committal tone.

"No, that's what was so strange about the camp. No sounds above a whisper. No drinking, no fires nothing." Kel went on. He needn't of bothered though Sage knew all too well how Danak liked his camps run.

"He will send a runner to the keep. I have made sure that the shields would let him through, and I will have to lower them for him to get in for the meeting" he smiled for a moment, "And then when he is gone I can raise them again and make sure that he will not get in again"

Sage said looking at Kel. The Gryhpon nodded, since Gryphons were earth mages they could feel the shields.

"And as soon as the others are awake I think we should make a few more additions to our plans," He said this with such a vicious grin that Kel had to stop himself from stepping away from the Mage.

Some time later. Sage and the other Hawkbrothers were in Lord Breons keep. Sage had lowered the shields enough to allow Lord Danaks messenger though. And the poor man looked terrified. The Hawkbrothers Starfall, Firesong, Darian and Silverfox and all dressed up for the occasion. Well, dressed up was the wrong word Sage thought to himself.

They were dressed in their finest. Silverfox and Firesong were reverse images of each other, Both were dressed in red and gold, where Firesong had red, Silverfox had gold and vice-versa. It was a style the pair liked.
Starfall was dressed to every inch the Elder, his long hair had been carefully groomed with crystals and beads braided in. Darian was dressed in his usual mix of Valdemaran and Hawkbrother. Lord Breon was in the background dressed as his station belayed he should, richly but simply. In clothes of brown and dull gold.

And then Sage, he stood in the in the shadows. Well hidden from sight but he had a good view of what was happening in the room. He was dressed in the same style clothes as the before. All black, with the loose robe over the top. He was still barefoot and he had his knifes in their sheaths on his wrists. He had recognised the messenger. He was mildly surprised to see him. Lord Danaks messengers had very short life spans.

"My lord would ask an audience you of lords whenever your pleasure takes you" the messenger said in very bad trade talk.

"We should accept are you sure?" Breon asked the others talking in Valdemaran, which the messenger could not understand.

"Yes" the simple answer came from Starfall. "We should" "Soon or make him wait?" Was the next question from Breon.

Darian was thinking on this answer then he answered,
"Soon as you may, today if you can"

Lord Breon looked to the others, "Is today too soon, this afternoon,
to hear and deny his request?" Lord Breon asked.
the others nodded in agreement, it would not be too soon.

"Very well we have considered your masters request and we accept. If he would care to grace us this afternoon, we will receive him" Lord Breon Said to the messenger, in slow careful trader talk. The messenger nodded he understood, the bowed to them all and left at a hurry.

He left the keep and hurried across the courtyard and out towards the fields. Sage stood by the window and watched the man go as soon he lowered the shield when he neared it and once he was out of the courtyard and past the boundaries of the shield Sage raised it again. He would not lower it until he had to.

"Are you alright?" Silverfox had come over to talk him speaking in the Hawkbrothers tongue.

Sage nodded still looking out of the window even though the man was out of sight. "I did not think that he would bring that messenger, he was out of favour when I left, I had not expected to see him again" he replied in the same language.

"Can you do this? or do you wish to leave?" The Kestra'chern asked concerned

"NO, I will see this through, besides if I leave he will know he will follow, this ends here" he said fiercely to Silverfox. "I will stay"

Silverfox nodded and then turned to the room again.
"I think that you should come and talk with the others, they will worry" Sage nodded and came away from the window to talk to the others. They seemed intent on talking about small things anything's to keep their minds of the impending meeting.

As the candle burned one mark after the mid-day mark. Sage looked out of the window once more, the others were finishing eating, Sage had picked at the fruit, only out of the need to eat something rather than hunger. With a sigh he let the shields down and resumed watching. It was not long after the others came to watch the window that the call went up from the wall Lord Danaks party was on its way.

In no time at all, they were seated in one of the inner gardens, as it was a nice day they had opted for an outside venue. Lord Danak was sprawled on a chair facing the group. Two of his Shadows stood behind him. Starfall and Firesong lounging on chairs in the middle, with Darian to the right and Silverfox was to the left the latter pair also on chairs watching and listening. Sage there but none of he Hawkbrothers could see him, but they could feel him.

"And well you see I am looking for something of mine that found its way here and got lost. I really would like it back" Lord Danak was saying in accented trade talk. It seemed that none of Danaks party could speak Valdemaran. Although they were not too sure, although if they couldn't it would be Something which could be useful…

Darian studied the man, that had reduced Sage to a bag of nerves. He was tall, taller than Sage, with longish black hair. Bound back in a single tail. He wore all black clothes. A tunic over a loose open shirt. Black trousers and polished knee high boots. He wore no weapons openly but then seeing who was behind him it was no wonder, if they really were as good as Sage said, the people behind him were weapons.

They were dressed in the all black that he had seen from Sages memories that night. Lord Danak and Lord Breon had been playing the word game for nearly half a mark and now finally Lord Danak was getting to the point.

"How do you know that your possession is here, it could have been taken away down the coast?" Starfall was asking calmly. Lord Breon was nodding in agreement, as if they did not know what the possession was.

"Well do you have anybody here who goes by the name Malgita" Lord Danak asked. A slight smile from one of the bodyguards behind Danak,
indicated that, that name was more then a name. Although none of the Hawkbrothers recognised it.
:The closet translation would be Pet. He thought it funny to name me what I was to him. A pet: Came Sages mind voice.

"No we don't" Lord Breon said looking to the Hawkbrothers. Starfall shook his head.
"No, no-one in our Vale has that name or title" he said talking to Lord Breon not Lord Danak, which seemed to annoy him slightly.

"Are you sure?" Lord Danak asked. Thinking, he knew his pet was here he had seen him, in those dreams. "He may have changed his name, he stands about here on me" he held his hand about shoulder height. "He would have pale hair. A little like yours but paler and his skin is white. And his eyes are silver" he finished. A very accurate description. Darian thought to himself.

"And this person will know where your property is?" Darian asked looking Danak straight in the eyes and holding them.

Lord Danak looked away first but only after trying to outstare Darian.
He looked away for a moment as if planning his words.

"I know not if you have slaves here" He said looking round them, "But in my country we do. If people have committed hurtful crimes then they are bonded to the people or the kin of people that they have hurt"Danak said smoothly.

:Liar: Came Sages amused mind voice :He makes slaves of who ever he wants:
he was saying this more for Breons sake then the others. Lord Breon had not been privy to Sages confessions.

"We have a man, that matches that description" Said Firesong thoughtfully, "Although he is a good man and a hard worker, do you have any proof that he is the man you are looking for"

This question made Danak stop and think, he could not reveal why he wanted his pet back, or why he had scars, they obviously did not know he had magic. Then he remembered something.

"Yes, before I was elected to be ruler. There was a brief time when he tricked my father into believing he was one of his personal guards, he used that position to hurt and kill people in the palace. When he was caught he was tattooed. With my mark a lion rampant." Danak told them, looking very sincere. It was very believable story, for they knew that some countries indeed, bond criminals to the families that they had hurt.

:I never did, I never killed anyone till he made me: Raged Sage, the power in his mind voice made Lord Breon flinch slightly.

:Calm down, calm down we know Sage: Darian mindspoke back to him,
Firesong and Starfall were busy thinking up and answer.

"even though you say this man is yours, he has been living with us,
peacefully. We and our mages will have to talk with him. I am afraid that we can not in all honesty give you a man who has claimed our protection. We must investigate this matter" Starfall said with a solemn tone that implied no arguments.

This was not the answer that Lord Danak was wanting. He wanted his slave back now. Not to have to wait whilst he spun stories that these people might believe. He looked round the room blankly, he could feel his pet was here close by. He wanted him back. No slave would escape from him. Besides he was feeling his age now. The power he had taken from him was wearing out. He knew he would die, unless he got his Malgita back.

"I can't stay long, my business will call me back, how long before I know if I can take him" Lord Danak asked rising to his feet his bodyguards moving with him.

Starfall to his credit, actually looked as though he was thinking about it. "Well, the spells our mages will use are quite strong. I would say the day after tomorrow we should be able to give you an idea. Although if its found he had committed crimes here we may have to try him here first" Starfall told the Lord.
Lord Breon was nodding, "Yes, a trial to see if we should send him back. Spells and the like, good idea" he was talking to Starfall rather then Lord Danak, who took the hint that there would be nothing more for him to say here. He bowed politely to them and left. His guards following him. Sage ghosted behind them and followed him making sure that he and his guard left the keep. As he walked he could see that Danak was fuming.

"He will never let Malgita go. It seems I will have to take what is mine. You and yours look out for him. The moment you see him grab him"

Danak ordered to his guards before mounting his horse and riding away.
The guards looked to one another and then shrugged melting into the night.

Sage pressed himself back into the shadows of the walls. He could not be seen know. One mistake was all it would take and then he would have him. Him would have to play this carefully. He sighed he could not raise the shields round the keep not if those shadows were still about. But he could raise the ones he and the other mages had put in, as a sudden thought. Ones that were closer to the keep. They were not quiet as good as the bigger outer shields, but they would protect the people somewhat. He raised them with little more then a thought. Then he turned and headed back to the keep. Back To the garden.

"So, is it true. You killed people?" was the first thing that Lord Breon had said when Sage had come back out in to the open. Sage turned round and faced him.

"If you have believed what he said, then that shows how little trust you have in me" He said his stammer more noticeable now he was upset by Breons words.

"But he said you worked as a guard."

"Yes for his father, not for him" Sage retorted.

"But you were his slave, you belonged to him, he said you had his tattoo" Persisted Lord Breon.

Sage let rip and very colourful response. Thankfully only the Hawkbrothers knew of what he said. Sage could not believe how dense Lord Breon was being.
"Yes I was his Slave, Yes I belonged to him and yes I have the bloody tattoo" He finished in Valdemaran so that Breon could understand him,
and then he lifted his tunic with one hand and pulled the waist band of his trousers so that Breon could see his right hip. And there was a lion rampant.

"And shall I tell you why he had it put there instead of my arm like the rest of them, because there it meant that everybody would know I was his pet, to take pleasure in as he chose and to hurt at his whim" Sage finished quietly his cheeks flushed slightly.

Lord Breon shook his head I am sorry, please forgive me. I am an old fool. It is hard for me to think of people I know and respect being something so meaningless to someone else. And well well when he said that about the murder, it suppose I went in to Lord and Judge mode without thinking, I am so sorry. I should have know better then to listen, to believe him" Breon said gently.

Sage let go of his tunic and smoothed it back into place. He shook his head, "It does not matter to much, he has always found a way to make people believe him"
"And now we have one day for something to happen or he is going to be very upset when we tell him no" Firesong said. Breaking the quiet.

"Sage can you tell me, if he will have anymore men with him." Firesong asked. Sage closed his eyes for a moment, he found Danak easily he followed him back to his camp. He pulled back slightly in his minds eye he could see the camp.
"He had the six shadows, a few servants and," Sage paused there was someone, the messenger. "No only what you can see he has come with, the rest of his men, will be enforcing his rule whilst he is gone"

He opened his eyes and smiled at them, "You know he is going to be very upset when you tell him no. he has come in person to get his slave. That will make him quite bitter, he isn't used to not getting his way"
"Well we will deal with that. Tomorrow" Starfall said "and now until tomorrow I intend to have a nice time here" He said.

Sage watched them walk away back towards the seats. "You do not have to worry, for I will end it one way or another." he said so very quietly that no one heard him.