Chapter I

She had always known the way of the rode from what Leana, her Shitah teacher, told her about her adventures. She had planed this for years but wanted an excuse to leave so her father would not try to find her. She packed her saddlebags with all the clothes she needed not leaving an inch of extra space, she would need all the things she could pack. She went over to her dresser, picked up a black jar, and pored out its contents on the carpet. She did this to four more jars like it. There were about one hundred Rebbles in each, which would last her about five or six years without a job. Feeling proud that she had saved all her money since she was three, she put one jar in each of her saddlebags. She was ready.

She hid her things under her bed and ran to Leana's room. "I'm running" she whispered when she was standing next to her. Leana looked up from her book, "Finally!" she said jumping up, "when do we leave?" Rizpah looked at her. She new this lady old as she was would want to come too, so she told her to meet them in the stables at midnight when the guards were in bed.

Rizpah woke up at eleven and took a shower. She made note to wash her hair and brush her teeth not knowing when she would be able to wash again. After that, she opened her bags to make sure she had not missed anything. Then she put on clean cloths and went down the hall to her brother's room. Sneaking in she crawled into his bed "I'm going to miss you!" she said, he had been awake and she new he would be.

"I'll miss you even more now that I'll be the only one here to be criticized!"

"Don't worry," she said hugging him "you'll be gone most of the year, and when you become a night then you wont ever have to come back here to live." Rizpah got up and walked out of the door blowing a kiss to her older brother and dearest friend for the last time before she left.

She gathered up her bags and went down stairs as quietly as possible sneaking into the stables. She rubbed down two horses one for riding and one for there things. Denny her favorite horse would be the one she rode, Copper the other horse would be like a pack mule until she got a job or a house to live in. A few minutes latter Leana came in and saddled a tall gray chestnut named BeBe. Leana put her things on Copper's saddle next to Rizpah's and mounted BeBe while Rizpah made her way out of the barn on Denny with Copper close behind.

Rizpah looked back at the house, which looked so much like a castle. She saw her brother's light on and his balcony window open. There he stood in the wind waving not saying a word. Rizpah waved back not able to keep the tears from rolling down her face. She wished so much she was not going but she had to. She could not go to Aunt Rosalie's house to become a lady when she was someone who liked to fight and go on adventures like her older brother. "Her older brother" she thought, "that was it they would go see her older brother!" she turned out of the courtyard they rode for about an hour before Leana came up to her.

"So were are we off to first?" Leana asked her

"I was thinking we could go see my brother," Rizpah said looking at Leana, "and anyways he did write that letter saying if she could get away for a wile to come and see him." Leana nodded in approval.

"Ok to Matt it is, Do you know were her lives?" Leana asked her.

"Yes he wrote it in his letter, so lets get going." They went north of her home. "No," she said to herself, "this place was not her home any longer she left and never wanted to go back"

Their journey was hard and long. They stopped at about mid morning to eat a fast breakfast and to water the horses. They were a good team Rizpah and Leana. When they stopped for there lunch, they set up camp because they had ridden all day long. Leana set up their bedrolls and Rizpah cooked the meal. Before Rizpah had left, she raided the kitchen for any uncooked meat, cheese, and bread. She found canteens, pots, and pans to put in one of her packs too. She also had gotten a knife for the food.

A few days latter, Rizpah and Leana, rode up to a simple little house in the city of Torona. The house was only one story, and looked like it could only fit maybe four people. There was a little garden in the front yard with pumpkins, caritas heads and a stick in the ground that said potatoes. Rizpah jumped down from her horse and gave Leana both Denny and Copper's rains. She walked up the short walk felling herself shake. What if he didn't recognize her? What if he had a family and didn't care about her anymore? What if he sent her back? She stood at the door for a moment then knocked. The door opened to reveal a little girl with the same color hair as hers.

"Hi," the little girl said, "Did you come for my birthday party? I'm turning three." A man came walking down the hall saying to the girl, "Amber, your birthday party isn't…" he stopped seeing who was in the doorway. "Rizpah?" he asked squinting his eyes, "is that you?" Rizpah just stood there not knowing what to say. He had changed so much. He was now 20 and taller than he was when she last saw him, but he still had thoughts green hungry eyes and the same hair as her. All she could do was nod. Her eyes filled with tears. She remembered what he said as he rode out of the courtyard. "Ill see you some day, when you're my age!" and here she was thirteen years old standing in the doorway.

He came over and hugged her tight. "I'm so glad you're here, I missed you so much!" Rizpah hugged him back. "Daddy," the little girl said, "who is this daddy? She looks like me. Is she my Mommy?" Matt let go of Rizpah and picked Amber up.

"Amber this is your Aunt Rizpah. She is my sister. She's going to stay with us until she gets a place of her won." Amber wiggled out of Matt's arms and stood in front of Rizpah.

"Aunt Rizpah?" She asked making it sound like Riz-ie-pu. Rizpah kneeled so that she was face to face with the little three years old that looked so much as she did.

"Yes?" she asked

"Do you know who my mom is? Daddy said that he found me one day in my mom's house but she was gone." Rizpah looked up at matt, it did not even faze him to try to change the subject.

"Hey amber, do you remember are talk yesterday? You know who your mom is." Amber looked up at him.

"I know that." She said "I want know if Aunt Rizpah does," she looked back at Rizpah waiting for an answer.

"No," she said I don't know your mom." Rizpah stood up. "Leana is outside" she said turning around and gasped, both Copper and Denny were tied up to the fence but Leana was gone.

"Oh Ya, I told Leana when you are here she can leave." She turned to look at Matt.

"How do you know so much?"

"I'll tell you latter," was his answer, " but right now Amber will show you your room."