...Okey dokey... well I've done some switchin about.. yes I know, but its my first story and I had some issues... so part of what was in the first chappy is now in this one, I think it's sectioned better.

but anyways...

i feel like i need to do the whole disclaimer thing again, cuz.. well cuz i feel like it, so you know if you recognize it, its not mine, unless you've read my story before... then its mine. Oh and I kinda copied the beginning of the prayer from The first test, I kinda thought it could be a universal starter, so that's not mine. (obviously) I think that's about it... I could have skipped something, if not, I'll get it next time, or just later and im sorry if it offends you.

thanks to:

Lady Em-Chan: Thanks, I hope she is. Hope you keep reading!

Knights Of Ne: I know what you mean, I see it in it, but without scrapping the whole thing, I'm just kind of trying to fix it... slowly... The sponsor thing, well it PotS they have to give a reason it seemed like and well... I kinda thought they should somehow have some (fake) connection. SotL, well it wasnt sa formal as its gotten, like big differences between PotS and SotL, so I kinda... I just wanted to k? Thanks for the potential comment, I'm not sure about the whole nemesis thing, but it gives me ideas... :D

Maddie: Thanks!

x172kmBdrchiczxx: (nice name, fun to type): Thanks, will do, and I'm trying.

And to all, this might be the last one for a bit, school starts soon and I haven't finsihed my summer homework (yikes, you dont wanna know) so I think once school starts, I'll be more consistant. Happy Reading!

As she entered the hall, the din overwhelmed her. After living with the quiet, private Yamanis, this large and loud meal shocked Wina into silence. Pulling her toward the wall that opened to the kitchen, Andrew handed Wina a tray and plunked it onto the metal rails placed for just that purpose. Silently, Wina followed everything the boy did, putting the food on the same places as he did. When he was about to pass up the vegetables, Wina quickly grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks. She grabbed the serving spoon and spooned him a large helping of carrots, then did the same to her own plate. Andrew looked up at her in fury.

"Trust me; you'll thank me later when your body starts needing those vitamins." She spoke like her governess had told her whenever she squabbled about her greens. After that she returned to her silent state of following Andrew. He shook his head and continued to find a table for their group.

He spotted a few extra seats at the end of one of the tables, and strode to place his tray down. Wina followed him to the table then walked around to sit across from him. While there was only one seat open on that side, it quickly opened up, as the boy on the other side of moved to another place, obviously upset at Wina's seating choice. Everyone around them either looked intently at their food as if it was about to perform a trick, or stared at her. Wina was used to this.

When Wina first went to the Yamani Islands, the children her age had treated her this way, as something new: an oddity. The soon learned that the girl could easily adapt to the Yamani lifestyle, after having to hide her emotions from her governess, who hovered over her, waiting for the girl to show some weakness. Wina thought about the times that she found her that all she needed was time and space, something she didn't get until safely walled up in the thick stone walls of her Uncle Eitaro's house in his Kikaro estates. Being with the Yamanis had also helped her become more observant, so she had noticed right away that no one had touched their food. She quickly said her prayers to Hoshikuru and the Great Mother, and decided to add Mithros for the first time in a while. She often tended to stray from the warrior gods, but as she had decided to take this path, she knew that she couldn't hide from them forever. Once that was done, she waited patiently as she looked around, observing the others at her table.

The boy to the right of Wina had an aura about him, it seemed almost regal. He was staring at his plate with such intent that Wina half expected something was wrong with it. His blue eyes pierced his black hair, but it was his nose that gave others the feeling of power. After studying him for a while, the boy looked up as Wina stared at him. It was then that she knew who it was: Prince Eitaro said that she might be seeing him around. It was Prince Jonathan, the first son of Prince Roald and Princess Shinkokami. The look in his eye gave him away as desperate. Wina guessed it was because his mother had told him to be nice to her and welcome her, as every other child that Wina had come across in her homeland, but he did not want to have a reputation among the other boys. Wina understood he was told he had family obligations, but he would not go out of his way to follow them. Wina smiled weakly at him, and then looked at the person across from him, a tall youth, with a look of mischief in his emerald eyes.

This boy was one of the one's that were staring at Wina. When he saw that he had caught her eye, he grinned, gave his hand a flip, as a form as a how-do-you-do, that made Wina smile.

"Hi there. You must be the Girl. Everyone here's talking about you. Your quite famous by now. I doubt there's one person who doesn't know of you. We all got the same story, Tortall born, Yamani bred and trained, but what we can't figure out is why you're here instead of back where you grew up. Some can't figure out why you're here, instead of a convent, but I was raised better." The boy's brown hair seemed to control him, no matter how many times he ran his hand through it.

Wina gasped in mock shock, "Surely you jest. Raised better? When a person who proclaims such a thing would know that the first thing to do when talking to anyone would be to declare who they are. And now that I think about it, you haven't, just that you've heard of me, even though I have yet to follow this same rule. Lady Winapea of Hilltop-"

"Shire, yes I know. And while you poke fun at my mannerisms, my heart weeps with such reprimand from a younger page. But I will accept that you are trying to improve me, so I thank you gladly. I'm Brian of Queenscove, but most people call me Brain." He slightly bowed in his seat, not taking his eyes off of Wina.

"Brain? As in don't have one?" Innocence swept over Wina's face as the boys around her chuckled. Just in case the boy was like the people who had met her before and disliked her humor, she smiled.

"I see your going to be trouble. Oh, woe to us all!" Dramatically, he flung himself back, hitting the person behind him, an unsuspecting first year who squeaked then went back to what he was doing.

"Why didn't you join the Player's instead of burdening us with your presence, Brain?" Andrew jabbed him in the elbow, but looked up when the large doors opened, admitting Duke haMinch and another man, who towered over the duke, both sincerely interested in their conversation. When the doors opened, all the pages and squires still there, stood as one. Wina was one second behind, not something that she could say for her fellow first years: a few seconds later, there was still some jarring to get them to rise.

"What is my father doing here?" Andrew mumbled to the people around him.

Wina wondered if he was worried about getting caught in his ly about his relationship to her. Unless she was mistaken from what Andrew said and what she had learned during her lessons on Tortall, the other man was Sir Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak, father to Andrew and Commander of the King's Own. He was also known to be Lady Alanna's friend, and was Keladry of Mindelan's knight-master when she was a squire. Wina felt pride of being in the same room as him, and being semi-friends with his son. She could now peice together was Andrew had said about his mother and father raising him with their beliefs. His mother Buriram Tourakom (better known as Buri) used to be the Commander of the Queen's Riders, but resigned when she married Raoul. Both were best friends with the reigning monarchs and had a strong dislike of court that was known to everyone.

The men walked to the dais, where a fourth year page was waiting for them. As they turned into their seats, they paused above their seats. Duke haMinch raised his hands, as if to silence the already quiet pages. He cleared his throat and began: " To Mithros, god of warriors and truth, and to the Great Mother Goddess, we give thanks for their bounty." It was the standard beginning to a prayer.

"We give thanks and praise." The pages' voices reverberated throught the building.

He continued: " We ask for the guidance and strength of Mithros to help guide us through our studies and our lives. We ask for the Goddess' blessing to continue to show us the way to rightousness. We ask this of Mithros and his sister Great Mother."

"So mote it be." Again the voices seemed to bounce from every direction back at the pages. After he clapped his hands together, he sat down and continued his conversation with Sir Raoul.

Everyone around Wina started eating, so Wina figured that's what she has to wait for from now on.