Junai Dodeka walked up to her grandmother's house. The laundry, was still hanging on the line, and she was surprised no small kudarungs or crows had gotten to it yet. But there it was, hanging it all of its white glory.

Junai should've taken it as a sign to surrender, right now and go home, but she had the ladies to think about. This wasn't about the annoying, and crooked eyed, luarin, named Aly. It was for the raka, and the half raka lady that would one day take the throne.

Ochobu stood in the doorway, already knowing that her granddaughter was coming. She didn't need to wait for a knock. The way she saw it, she was above anyone of Ulasim's children or relations, for no longer were they part of the Dodeka family.

"What do you want," she snapped, when she saw the gift in her hands, besides Junai never came to her, unless her father needed something to do with her gift, and it was starting to bother her. None of her other children came anymore. Was she to stingy? Of course not. It was all them, they were the ones who were wrong. Not her, it could never be her. She was right and they were wrong end of story. The mage was always right.

"Father needs your help," Junai started to mutter. The look on her grandmother's face scared her, but she didn't take heed to it. "The god's messenger needs to know if there is a mage in Tanair. The healer there wouldn't be enough if we were attacked by one of the royal mages," Ochobu, scowled, and shook her head; she had heard of Kyprioth's messenger, she wasn't raka. What kind of god would really pick a luarin, for his messenger, when it was the raka she was supposed to be helping?

She could bet her money that Kyprioth wasn't even that stupid. In fact she was sure that he wasn't stupid at all. Just you're plain old everyday Trickster. That's what he was. Normally she didn't have time for tricksters, but Kyprioth was a god, and even if she didn't want to, she had to make time for him. But not for his messenger, If he needed her, he could come get her himself.

"I won't see her," The mage turned around and walked into her house, acting just as stubborn as her children. She really didn't know how her children got to be so stubborn.

"What if I told you that the ladies lives are in danger," Junai, told her, in a quiet voice. This was perfect. Just as she had staged it out, and even her grandmother's reaction was the same.

"From what," The old mage looked worried and skeptical, not wanting to trust her granddaughter.

"Their father is two people away from the thrown, behind a dieing man and child," she informed her grandmother to the obvious. No one could forget who was going to be the ruler of the Copper Isles. It was not something easily forgotten.

"Prince Bronau has already been sticking his nose around Sari, your future queen," The mage turned around with a scowl on her face, and her eyes were not happy.

"I'll meet her, but that doesn't mean I'll work with her," Junai, nodded, and walked away. She was pretty sure that her grandmother would change her mind, and she would have to work on her more, than this time, but as soon as she turned her back to the old women, she smiled, and praised herself.

She had bested the Mage of Pohon. That was a greater feat than being caravan guard for seven years.