Disclaimer: I'm on a quest to see how many different ways one can put the disclaimer. Today's is: I didn't do it originally so you can't blame me. Blame Ms. Tamora Pierce for most of the characters, places, and magic. But I did twist it, reform it, abuse it, and publish it on You can blame me for that. So hahaha.

A/N: Who besides myself wondered what happened to some of the villains who got away or got imprisoned in WM, WS, LR, etc.?

Escape 5: You get your wish – I'm updating.

Purple Eyed Cat: Yes, that is the right emperor. If you think about it, First Test is only one year away from this point. I will definitely bring Elyra back to Tortall. She has a thing for Lindhall. So that is where she would want to be. And, she needs some proper mage training. She is a healer naturally. She is an intriguing character and so are her children.

Blackandwhiteroses: No, the Yamani Emperor will not be the big problem in this story. He will cause some small problems from being a butthead, but it's a subplot. You did already get a small hint at the big problem in this story, but I don't think too many people caught on yet. Otherwise there would have been a few gripes from my placing Raoul in chains and having him refer to an old enemy like a sovereign. Don't worry though, I shall return Raoul to his proper place before the end of the story.

Narms Briton 44: ROFL Oiled cricket on a suicide mission ROFL strip of fluff

You are way too funny. Thanks for the compliments and oh my god! Three hours of fencing. You are nuts. I'm so impressed.

Kit49: Thank you, thank you, thank you a million times for all the encouragement and consistent reviews.

TammyPRocks: Oh, you are a little psychic. Onua will get some action in this story but… well I can't spoil the fun now can I?

And now……..

Chapter 3 Recalled to Corus

Alanna arose just before dawn, intent on taking a bath in the hot spring and warming herself up. After all this time she still hated camping in the cold and she had been wary of using her gift to keep her warm after the spidren attack, even though the camp had been warded.

She walked cautiously toward the spring, grateful that they had decided to put it within their protective circle. A flock of chickadees dropped down to greet her, stopping her progress and chirping loudly. Then she heard Daine's voice say, "Sorry, Alanna, I didn't want Cearl walking over while I was bathing." The birds cleared the way and Alanna laughed as she walked the last few yards to the spring.

"I love your sentries. They are so much more cheerful than those at the castle." She removed her clothes and lowered herself into the warm water, grateful to relieve the pain of the aching joints and numb fingers.

"I'm not going to want to get out of here. But I suppose I have to eventually." Daine ducked her head under the water, reemerging with a grin. "You are unusually friendly this morning."

Alanna's brow furrowed. "Surely I'm not that crabby in the morning!"

"Not like Onua and Numair, but it is generally understood that you don't like mornings."

Alanna rubbed a spot on her shoulder that was sore. A small wound was there and it looked like she had been cut with a knife. She healed it with a flash of violet fire. "It's funny, I don't remember getting that." She paused a moment, shrugged, and continued, "I wonder how many times I've said that very same statement."

Daine laughed. "Probably a lot. I know I say it fair often. We did have a fight with a bunch of spidrens which we still need to bury this morning. I wish Numair were here. He could stack them up and torch them neatly with hardly a thought."

"I can take care of most of that." She splashed about a bit, scrubbing arms and hands. "You had that glow stone that Numair gave you out for quite a long time last night. Did you write him about the spidrens?"

"Yes, although I'm not sure if I'll send it."

"Why not?" Alanna studied the girl's face.

"How fast would Numair fly here if he read that? I swear that he thinks I can't take care of myself when it's him that needs looking after."

Alanna laughed loudly. "You two are something." And here she was again. For the last few months, Alanna had seen what she could only describe as love blossoming between these two. There were moments she wanted to knock their heads together and tell them to get on with it or over it. But she knew from her own experiences that you cannot tell someone that they are in love until they figure it out for themselves. And this would not be an easy relationship. The age difference would not go over well with many people. It seemed cut and dried to Alanna that these two belonged together. Her husband, George, had noticed it too. He thought they were soul mates as well and thought that someone ought to tell them that. However, he was willing to bow to Alanna's discretion.

"What do you mean?" Daine asked looking very confused.

"Numair is the most powerful mage in the country, maybe even the world. You are the best archer I have ever seen and you can give yourself claws and fangs without a second's notice. I would say you are both very capable of taking care of yourselves. But you worry about each other like two clucking hens. That's what I mean." She watched the girl for a reaction. Daine seemed to be chewing her bottom lip.

"I love Numair. I don't want anything to happen to him," she said finally.

Alanna was shocked that Daine would just come right out and say it as if it was a generally known fact.

"Not like that!" Daine said, responding to Alanna's face. "He's pack, remember – family. Only I haven't figured out what family he is. I don't exactly think of him as a brother or…"

Alanna couldn't help herself. She laughed loudly again until Daine was beet red. "You sound like Numair! Don't analyze it so much. It is what it is."

"What if I don't know what it is?" She looked mortified.

Alanna gave her a sympathetic smile. "Do your animal friends need labels, Daine?" Daine shook her head. "Well there you go. Don't worry. It is enough that you call him pack in my mind. I know not everyone agrees. Some people don't like the closeness. They make up stories. Other people don't notice it at all. Don't let strangers dictate your actions. When it comes down to it, youngling, you need only to be happy. Your friends will come around, the rest be damned."

Daine stared at her, eyes wide and said nothing.

Alanna watched her face for a moment and answered the unspoken question. "I have had a number of weird relationships in my life. Pretending to be a boy didn't help because it changed the rules. I love Raoul and Gary. They are two of my best friends. If anything happened to them…" She let the statement hang because she didn't want to think about it. "Do you imagine that people don't try to turn that into something else?"

"I never really thought about it. It doesn't seem any more unusual than the friendships that you have with Thayet and Buri."

"Exactly. Of course, it is possible the court gossips tried to pervert those relationships too and I just haven't heard about it."

Daine laughed loudly. "That would just be silly."

"So are suggestions that I'm cheating with Raoul, but I have heard that one."

Daine looked shocked. "No!" The sun had started to rise, streaking the sky with a palate of colors guaranteed to delight any painter. The usual morning sounds of birds singing and small animals scratching about for morning meals filled the air.

"Then there is my relationship with Myles. You know he has adopted me, but he isn't my natural father. My love for him is different than what I have for Raoul or Gary. But it isn't what I have for George."

"Yeah, Numair explained that to me in his final letter. Did you know that?"

"No," Alanna answered and tilted her head. Has he confessed his feelings? she wondered.

"I didn't show anyone. I felt funny at first because it was supposed to be a last letter. He explained the difference between 'love' and 'in love' and asked me to promise post… umm – I can't say that word – anyway he wanted me to promise him that I wouldn't settle for anything less than 'in-love' and said he wanted me to be happy for a long, long time."

Alanny couldn't help the smile that crept up her face. "That's – wow! – that was – now that was a kind thing to put in a last letter."

"You can read it if you want to." Daine looked distant. She faced the sunrise which was now almost at its pinnacle.

"You're still a little lost aren't you?"

Daine's eyes looked haunted. "It was the worst few days of my life. I think I cried even more than when I buried my family. When he came back I was – I hadn't been listening to the animals. I had shut them out – but that day I wanted to run – to lose myself. I half hoped the barrier he made in my mind would have evaporated the way the simulacrum did. And I just realized you have no idea what I'm talking about."

Alanna looked down at the water. "Daine," she said softly, "Numair told me. He hated breaking your confidence, but he needed me to add some of my own gift to make the barrier permanent in case something ever happened to him."

Daine was clearly stunned. "When?"

"While we were in Carthak," Alanna answered. "He didn't want to scare you, so he asked me not to say anything. He thought that Ozorne might do something and he – he didn't want to leave it undone, just in case."

Daine was clearly angry. She got up out of the water and dried off at the side. "Alanna, I'll have the chickadees continue their patrol, okay." Daine didn't look at her, but Alanna suddenly realized there were tears on her cheeks.

"Daine, please don't be angry. We both care about you so much. It nearly ripped Numair apart to think that you might be targeted by Ozorne because he couldn't hold his temper. He asked me not to scare you so I didn't say anything."

"He is never going to see me as anything but a child is he? I'll bet he hadn't been through half of what I have when he was 15. Maybe he was childish then, but I am not!"

Buri's voice came through the trees, "What's going on? Why all the yelling? Why won't these damn birds let me pass?"

Alanna didn't know whether Buri's cursing the birds was the final straw or whether Daine was just that angry. She didn't say another word. She just turned into a falcon where she stood and took off toward the horizon. The birds parted to let Buri through. She approached the edge of the spring as Alanna was drying off. "Sorry, Buri," Alanna said. "I just really put my foot in my mouth."

A speaking spell of blue fire sparkled at the edge of Alanna's vision. She could hear Jon's panicked voice, "Alanna, I don't know what is going on. But I think I'm going to need your help. Raoul is in the dungeon for killing six members of The Own. When they brought him to me, he spouted something about Lord Sinthya and blacked out. He says he can't remember doing any of the things he's accused of, but there are witnesses – many witnesses."

Alanna just stood there, stunned.

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Onua and Cearl were making breakfast and talking. Cearl had turned out to be a very interesting man with a love of traveling and animals. He had gone back to the spidren nest at first light to bury his mount, who had died in the fight. When Onua found him there, he had tears on his cheeks.

Onua usually had all the charisma of a hungry bear in the morning hours. But she found herself making an effort to be friendly. She urged him back to camp and let him wash his hands in water from her canteen. Then they had started talking about horses. The time flew as she prepared the porridge and found herself reminiscing on ponies she had purchased for the riders and on her first mount, a bay named Cabo. Tahoi, however, had not warmed to the mage.

When Alanna came rushing back to the fire, still straightening her coat, Onua was startled. She had been so wrapped up in the conversation that she hadn't even heard Alanna's approach.

"Sorry Onua, but I need to talk to Jon in the fire. It appears to be an emergency. And also, I upset Daine. She flew away eastward in falcon shape."

"Falcon shape," Cearl said, awe ringing in his voice. "She really can transform into animals."

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Numair had only slept for an hour when Alanna and Jon sent speaking spells to wake him. They were weak because of the distance, but still he was able to get the gist. He and his friends were needed in Corus as soon as possible. He walked to the fireplace and took a moment to talk to both of them.

Numair packed up his bags and raced to where Lindhall and Harailt were pouring over his notes. "Jon needs us back in Corus as soon as possible. I'll fill you in on the road. Suffice it to say that we have to hope the barrier will hold for now. More pressing issues need our attention."

They were going to have to ride hard, a prospect Numair never looked forward to. He wished so much that he had not offered to take Kitten. He could fly to meet Alanna instead of riding. He chastised himself for wishing to shirk his responsibility and headed down to saddle Spots. There was only one good thing about this rushed trip – Alanna was traveling with Daine.

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