((I'm baAack! Hope you enjoy my newest chappie of torturing Lyssie...I mean...Lyssie's adventures...um...right...R/R and enjoy! She'll actually be a page in the next chappie! w00t! Wait til you meet her friends hehe...next chappie))

Lys smiled at the messenger, clasping the letter tightly against her chest.
"Thank you, sir."
"No thanks needed."
She turned and ran off towards her father's study, her first thought to tell her sister that her letter was here. As she opened the door, she slammed her hand against the wall, Aly wasn't going to be in there. George looked up, more than slightly startled.
"Lyssie, what's going on?"
"Sorry, Da, I didn' mean to make so much noises. I were just thinkin' bout…..I wanted to tell Aly bout my letter…cept then I remembered she ain't here."
"Letter? Oh! That letter! Let me have a look."
Lys took one of the knives off the desk and carefully slit the seal on the letter open. She skimmed it carefully, confused by the strange curving script.
"What's it say, Da?" she queried, handing it to him.
"Well, let's see. It says you can train as a page and that, like Lady Kel, you will have a probationary year."
"What's a probay- probaysch-probationary?"
"It means that if Lord haMinch doesn't think you're good enough, he'll send you home. But I don't think it'll come to that."
"Course it won't, Da, I can more'n keep up wit them lads."
George shook his head, laughing.
"You get more and more like your Ma everyday, little Lys."
Lys smiled, tucked the letter into the front of her tunic and ran out to find her brothers.

"Daniel? Daniel, come here please."
"Yes, Papa?"
Dan looked up at his warlord father through his sloppily cut bangs with a querying expression that often crossed his features. The frown that usually blended well with his father's harsh features was noticeably absent, replaced by a most alien and most likely forced smile.
"Would you like to play a game?"
"What kind of game…sir?"
"Just run down to Blayce the Gallan's workroom. Find his notes for me and bring them back. Then I'll tell you the next part. Don't let anyone see you, or you lose the game. Can you do that?"
"Yessir, Papa."
"Run along then, Daniel."
Dan rushed forward and, much to his father's surprised, hugged the great warlord. With a smile on his face, the young Scanran ran from the room and down the hall. He ran down the cramped corridors gleefully, his father actually wanted to play a game! It was a pretty fun game too. His left arm outstretched, brushing the stones of the castle he'd grown, lived and played in all his life, he knew each like an old friend. He stopped suddenly and stood staring at the door to the mage's keep in wonder. He was there. Full of trepidation, he pushed the wooden door open and winced as it creaked loudly. The room was dark, a single window high on the wall allowed for a glimmer of the sunlight to make its way in, casting an eerie glow on the scene. He gulped and walked in, scanning the room for anything that could be the mage's notes. On the desk was something large, a leather-bound book held tight with a metal clasp that resembled a belt buckle. Dan grabbed it, his small hands barely able to hold the large book. He stumbled back, clutching the book to his chest and tripped over something large on the floor. His head hit something with a sound clunk. Whatever it was moved, creaking and groaning, as he searched for it in the darkness. Then a glimmer of the fading sunlight hit it and illuminated it in the glow of a nightmare. It, whatever it was, had claws and fangs and talons in such unnatural places. Its eyes glowed reddish in the dim light and were focused on him. Dan stood slowly, hoping maybe it hadn't seen him or wouldn't attack if he went slowly. As he turned, something on the floor caught his eye, it was what he had tripped over. Wondering what it was, he kicked it with his boot and it rolled. Far from being the bundle of clothes he thought it was, it was a boy. The book almost fell from his arms again, but he held tight. He tried to run, to scream, anything, but that boy's face, battered and beaten was burned into his vision. Dan screamed as he awoke, sweat pouring down his forehead, his hair slicked down to his head. He looked around to see if anyone had heard. No one, good. Then movement caught his eye.
"Daniel?"
"S-Sir Myles! I…I…"
"Is something wrong, lad?"
Dan stared off into the darkness.
"A nightmare s'all, sir."
"Care to tell me about it?"
"N-no, sir, t'ain't anythin'."

"Da! I ain't wearin' no dress!" Lys laughed as she spoke, "I ain't goin' to be a lady, I'm goin' to be one o' the lads!"
"True, but still. You may find you'll want it."
Lys stared at him, she'd never willingly worn a dress in her life, but then he didn't know that.
"A'right, Da, iffen you say so….cept I can't figure why I'd e'er want it…"
"Even your Ma wears dresses sometimes, Lass."
The young page giggled at the idea of the ferocious Lioness in a dress as she folded the light blue dress to pack.
"Da? If there be lady knights, how come you so sure I gonna be the on'y lass there?"
George sat on the edge of her bed and sighed.
"Well, Lyssie, there are still fellas that think a lass' place is at her husband's home an' they figure that what was good enough for their wives is good enough for their daughters."
Lys stared at her father and smiled.
"That's the right silliest thing I heard since comin' to Tortall! Whatta they think the lasses do when they're at war n' raiders come a-callin'? Bid em come in n' sit a spell for tea!"
Her laughter rang out clearly and joyfully at her own silly notions.
"You'd best finish packing, you silly little lion cub! We're settin' out soon as your Ma comes back."
"Soon as…" Lys' eyes dropped, "Righ' when she ge's back? Don' get to see her none afore I gotta leave?"
"She is the one taking you to Corus, Lys."
"Rea'y? Rea'y rea'y?"
"Of course! You think I'd lie to you?" George grabbed his daughter and swung her about while she laughed happily. "Now, go find your brothers. It's almost lunch time and your Ma'll be home by dinner."
"Yes, Da!"
Lys ran out the door, giggling and out into the forested lands just outside the fief.

Dan walked down the street with his hood up covering his face. Sir Myles had sent him on a few errands. Tucked into his pack were notes from several of Myles' correspondents in Scanra. He had one last stop before he went back. As he started into the tavern, he saw someone coming around the corner leading a noble looking war horse. The knight still wore most of their armor save the helmet which hung in a side pack from the saddle. The knight's hair was a startling red, the same as Lys'. Dan hid himself in the shadows and watched. That was the Lioness, that was Lys' Ma. Was Lys in Corus with her? He didn't see her. He'd heard around the castle that Lady Knight Alanna held a fief on the coast, perhaps Lyssie was there. The Lioness walked along down the narrow street towards the castle. He watched as she walked away and then went into the tavern.
"Lad, you work for the Whisperman?"
"Aye, you got what he wants?"
"Yep, Lad, you be careful with that there, you hear?"
"Yessir…Any news on….Maggot?"
"None yet, Lad, bet you can't wait til sommun gets him, eh?"
Dan looked up at the ceiling.
"Yeah…can't wait…I'd better get going."
"Watch yourself, lad, ne'er know when them Scanran rogues might be about."
The young Scanran couldn't help but grin.
"I know, sir."

"Thought she'd be home by dinner time…"
"You don't think she met up with bandits do you?"
Alan's voice wavered slightly as he spoke.
"Ma could handle a load o' ban'its blin'folded!"
George laughed heartily as he watched his exuberant youngest miming a sword fight.
"Eat your dinner, Lys." muttered Thom.
Lys stared at her older brother, she was standing on her chair and had her fork raised in front of her with a speared carrot on it. She slid back down into her chair and stared at her plate.
"Sorry…"
She poked the carrots a little, sliding them across her plate. Her head was cocked to one side listening.
"Lyssie?"
"Aye, Da?"
"You hear what I hear?"
She squeezed her eyes closed, concentrating on the sounds all around them and then snapped them open again.
"A horse!" she shouted ecstatically.
Lys jumped up and ran out of the room, not caring in the slightest that they were in the middle of dinner. Alanna stood by her horse just inside the gates of the fief.
"Ma!"
"And here I thought by dinner meant before it, lass, not during it."
Alanna hugged Lyssie tightly.
"I got laid up for a bit but we'll set out for Corus just as soon as I've had something to eat."