A/N: Aahhhh! Frustration much? I've tried to write this chapter twice already and both times my computer shut down. The first time though I had this chapter finished . . . and like the next five after that. So if this chapter is written badly I apologize.
Once again! I had everything ready. I had all of the reviews answered and checked all spelling or gramtical errors. Etc. when my computer completely restarted. And I don't have Word so pretty much I lost everything. And I was working on chapter ten while fixing up this one. I was soooo angry cuz I lost most of chapter ten that I almost gave up on this story completely. Seriously that's how frustrated I was. (I have a bit of trouble controlling my anger). But then I remembered that whenever I rewrite a chapter it usually turns out better than the last one anyways. Sorry for the rant but I needed to vent.
Disclaimer: Don't own. If you don't recongize it from the books though . . . well then I do.
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Her horse, ready and packed before everyone else's, was starting to become restless. Ghost flicked her tail while shifting feet and looking this way and that. Arra came close and sighed. Finally, "Okay, lets go." She placed three fingers on the under side of the mare's chin leading her out by that simple touch.
On her way out someone stopped her. "Uh, miss, did you lose your reins and bridle? I'm sure I could find some extras somewhere. . ."
Arra smiled. "No, I've everything I need. Thank you anyways."
Arra jumped onto the saddle and felt Ghost relax under her. She eased up on the saddle and sqeezed her legs just a bit signalling Ghost into a trot just to warm her up and make her less fidgety.
"That's a pretty way to ride." Ghost spun to see the speaker at Arra's command. Arra akwardly bowed in her saddle.
"Queen Thayet." She said smiling to let the queen know the jest behind the formality.
"Where did you learn to ride like that?"
Arra thought for a moment. "When my teacher was teaching us how to use bows while riding I found it difficult trying to control the horse and actually shooting. So everynight I would take Ghost with me and eventually I came up with . . .this."
Thayet looked up towards her. "I'd love to learn."
"At the risk of sounding rude, if you remind me I'll try to teach you." Arra grinned.
The older woman's face broke out into a grin also. "I will be sure to do that. And before you have to go I've one more question." Arra nodded for her to proceed. "This mare is much larger than the ones I've seen. Is she a special breed?"
"Hm. I guess. She's, ah--" Should I tell her? How much could it hurt? "She's a Karucian horse. A very large breed from . . .well, Karucia."
"Are they all this large?"
"The males are a bit larger." Arra noticed the procession of pages getting together. "I see that it's time for me to go. We had a lovely conversation Queen Thayet."
"Indeed." The raven-haired queen said before Arra rode off, thinking.
Karucia. She hadn't said the name in years. It felt almost odd on her tongue and yet still familiar. Karucia was the penninsula that jutted off of Scanra and came behind the Yamani Islands. And it . . . it was also where—nope. Not gonna even think about it. I've done well enough without it. I don't need the thought now.
Just as the group was about to leave one person came riding to catch up with them. Arra looked back and couldn't stop her jaw dropping in disbelief. Why is he coming! Something, something is most definetly at work here. A pages outing and a squire is coming? And where is his knightmaster? She snapped forward again. Maybe it wasn't what she thought it was. A trick of the eyes perhaps, or maybe he was giving a message to the training master--
Liam slowed down just a bit and waved, then continued to ride to the front of the column to the training master. Arra focused her crystal blue eyes at the front trying to figure out what was going on but all she could see was talking and gesturing.
"Being nosey?" Arra found Hakuin talking to her with a suspicious glint in his eye.
She sighed. "Trying to be less confused is all."
The Shang Horse shrugged. "You get used to confusing things. Things that normally wouldn't happen in other kingdoms will almost certainly happen here."
Arra only smiled.
He looked at her speculatively. "I don't think your like other Shang."
A series of fears rose in a whirlwind. Did he know something? Arra pushed them down and somehow asked. "How so?"
He shrugged. "A Shang as young as yourself is willing to stay in one place? Even Eda, who had this job previous to you and was much older still had the Itch."
Ah, yes, the Itch as it was called by many. "No, I want to leave, but at the moment I can't." She thought about what her Gift could do and cringed. After this is all done I'm leaving. First chance I get. She missed being able to fight all out. With Liam or the pages she had to be careful. Like putting a cork on a sharp end to make it safer. Part of her worried she was getting rusty.
He nodded in understanding. Then smirked. "I'll be off and leave you to the Prince."
Prince? Confusion no doubt inhabited her face. Until one voice cleared it up. "Hello Arra."
"Prince Liam." She acknowledged.
He shook his head lightly making his black hair fall into his hazel eyes. "How many times have I told you to call me Liam?"
She shrugged. "Enough for anyone to get the idea I suppose. Your family is known for being so informal." Grinning she continued. "I never realized how much fun it would be to be formal."
Liam scowled causing laughter from Arra. "I'm sure you wouldn't want to be reminded you were royalty everyday."
Arra stopped laughing because of the sudden lump in her throat. "True enough." She croaked and nudged her horse forward to escape his eyes, leaving behind a bewildered prince.
"What did I do?" He mumbled to himself. He had been sure she would've said something along the lines of 'ah, but I am lucky because I am nothing but a lowly commoner.' with that infectuous grin on her beautiful face.
You complete idiot! Way to raise suspicions! Is that really what you wanted? Arra silently berated herself for such behavior glaring at Ghost's mane. She stayed like that, keeping to her thoughts, unless someone questioned her particularly.
When they stopped for the night, Arra decided to take a walk. Just a short one while one of the older pages had to cook for everyone and the younger ones were taught certain survival techniques. Was she supposed to be acting as one of the teachers? She shrugged, she hadn't done this enough to know what they were doing though apparently they went to a different area in the Royal Forest every year.
Arra rubbed her temples. She'd never traveled in a group as large as this. When she had traveled in the past year it had been alone and the only person she watched out for was herself. And then, it was more like two years counting the year before that when a Shang is supposed to wander after their ordeal before they can get their name. Arra was snapped out of her thoughts when she noticed her feet had stopped moving and yet there was still the crunching sound of twigs and leaves. She spun into a fighting position only to find Liam behind her.
Her tense muscles eased out of ready position.
"I'm sorry. I only came to apologize. I don't know what I did but I'm sorry." He paused for a moment then moved in quickly. He kissed her cheek then walked away avoiding her eyes.
Arra swallowed and watched his form disappear behind the shrubbery. He had just apologized in some form three times in one sentence. She shifted her shocked body. When she moved her fingers she found something in them. It was a delicate purple tinged flower.
She knew she hadn't picked flowers while here. So when had he put the flower in her hand? She touched her cheek softly. Now where did that come from? She dropped the flower to the ground. It might not be good to keep that, he could keep it as a sign of . . .something.
That night Arra curled up into her blanket to keep out the raw weather; they weren't making permanent camp here so she felt no real need to get out permanent sleeping things.
The next morning when everyone else awoke Arra lay in a deep slumber impervious to it all around her. Well, to everyone it seemed as if she was sleeping. But when the Fates want you they'll take you.
Her heartbeat became a shallow sound bringing worry to the people around her.
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A/N: oh my, my, my. Was that a cliffhanger? I think it was and if I remember correctly, I think this is the worst one I've put on fanfiction for this story yet. You want the next chapter out fast? REVIEW!
P.S. : Bonus points to whoever can guess where I got the riding idea from. . . I'll put it in the next quiz(hint: its from one of my favorite books on my bio.) . And if you need me to explain it better I'll try. And for further information this is after the war with Scanra. Hence, Fianola being in third year. That's it! REVIEW! por favor.
On top of cloud 9- Fall in love with Liam? I'm sorry, but that's classified information. Muahahaha! But seriously you'll just have to see. . .Dun dun dun! As the story unfolds!
knighted lioness- I feel honored you read my story though it is out of character for you to do so. I know I said I'd have this out on wednesday but I decided to put it up on tuesday.
Clair-a-net- Ah, yes. It would make sense if she was the Old Hag. But if you go back to my summary you'll see that I capitalized everything I wanted to. (I don't think I'd get that hint if someone gave it to me. Lol.) But no worries you'll find out in . . . the very next chapter.
Memily89- thank you.I'll continue to write as long as you contiue to read and review. :)
Tidsmagi- I really am sorry if my crazy ranting confused you. Please except my most humble apologies and please continue to read!
Piglet12345- Yes,and Liam does it all just to be around her. No I never thought you were unenthusiastic. The fact that you reviewed at all is very nice. I love reviews.Their like an addictive drug. But I would never restort to 'If I don't get 10 reviews I won't update!' plus I don't have enough confidence anyone would want to read the next chapter that badly. Lol.
Ladyknight257- Thankyou. I think your positive-ness is very encouraging. Though to tell you the truth I haven't got a bad review yet. I never thought people would like the story line this much. Lol.