A/N: Well after this chapter is short after the last one. It's pretty disjointed because it switches from character to character a lot. Sorry about that.

Disclaimer: The world and the characters you recognise all belong to Tamora Pierce.

Chapter 8: Journeys

Dove sat before the council. Taybur and Fesgao stood before their queen trying to prevent the crowd of nobles overwhelming her as they shouted their opinions. Dove groaned resting her aching head in her hands. She was getting tired of this.

Unexpectedly the noise level dropped. Dove looked up to see her saviours, Winna and Nuritin Balitang entering the room, bringing a wake of calmness with them…for a short while at least. As the noise level increased again Nuritin boomed,

"And just what is this all about? Since when do you interrupt a monarch!"

There was a brief sheepish silence then the noise grew as everyone tried to complain at once.

"QUIET!"

Everyone turned to look at a livid Dove. The sight was enough to make most of the people in the room shrink slightly.

"I've had enough! Quietly select two people to speak for you, the rest of you leave!"

The noise level rose again almost immediately and Dove lost control of her temper completely.

"I SAID QUIETLY! YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE TO DECIDE ON A MAXIMUM OF TWO PEOPLE TO SPEAK!"

The nobles cowered again, this time all but two of them rose.

"Are these your spokesmen?" she asked indicating the two who had remained seated. The nobles nodded, and once again began to talk.

"THEN THE REST OF YOU, GET OUT!" When they hesitated she added, "NOW!"

There was a sudden rush of movement as nearly everyone tried to flee and get out the door at once. Dove put her head back in her hands on seeing the confusion, and gave up the hope of ever getting to the point of this matter.

She looked up sometime later to the sound of laughter. The room was empty of everyone except herself, Taybur, Fesgao and the four people sitting at the table; the two nobles, Nuritin and Winna.

Taybur laughed openly while Fesgao stood barely holding in laughter.

At the end of her patience Dove snapped,

"And exactly what is so funny!"

She watched as even Nuritin and Winna smiled slightly. The only serious faces in the room were those of the two seated nobles.

"Well!"

"You just kicked out, virtually the entire council." Taybur gasped still laughing. "Did you see the looks on their faces?"

At this comment, Fesgao joined Taybur in laughing.

"You," he gasped. "The most even tempered person I know."

Despite her frustration Dove couldn't hold in a grin. Hiding it with a stern mask she ordered,

"That's enough you two clowns. We do have serious matters to look at. After all, that was the reason why I kicked them out in the first place."

With an effort the two men regained their composure, affecting serious faces that matched the noble's expressions.

"Now what was the point of all this?" Demanded Dove.

"Firstly, there is the matter of the rebellions on Ikang and Malubesang." Answer Fesgao. "If our people do not gain some sort of advantage soon in Malubesang, things will only get worse unless the weather improves. In Ikang the news is better. They have routed the remaining resistance who would not surrender and things draw to a close." He bowed slightly to Dove. "Those who've surrendered recognise you as Queen.

"Why the rebels," there was an ironic grin of the former rebel general's face as he said this, "continue to resist is not fully understood. I believe the spymaster had someone working on that."

"The keyword in that sentence was 'had'." Commented Taybur. That agent was killed by the assassin, and whatever information they carried was lost. It was the same assassin, Uindo, I believe his trade name was, that tried to kill both you and the Spymaster-,"

"Former spymaster," corrected one of the nobles as though speaking to a small child. "This is what the council is worried about. The former spymaster's treason-,"

The comment was enough to nearly make the rebel queen lose her temper again. The noble seemed to sense the monarch's wrath even behind her bland mask and he stopped mid-sentence.

"Former Spymaster! Treason!"

The noble gulped visibly, and then straightened.

"Yes. Former spymaster. She has committed treason-,"

"You presume too much!" Growled Dove. "Neither you, or anyone else for that matter, has the power to remove her from her position. I believe I have given no such order."

The Noble blushed. "Forgive my presumption your Majesty, however the decision of this council was; 'That the spymaster is to be denied leave, and is to stay within the boundaries of the city of Rajmuat…Disobeying this order will be the equivalent of treason.'.

"She has left and therefore, has committed treason. All that remains is for you to make it official." He handed the paper to the queen.

Dove glared at the man and said icily, "I do not believe I have said anything about her office being withdrawn or treason on her behalf. I will not sign anything. She has gone after her family, with my blessings. I will not condemn her to this."

"But you will." Said the second noble. "The moral matters involved do not count. She has broken this law and has committed treason in doing so. That cannot go unpunished or you send the message that you will punish everyone but your friends and those in a powerful position."

"Sign it."

Dove glared at the duo with helpless rage. There had to be a way out of this. The basis of an idea began to form. Trying hard to hide her smile, she sighed. "Very well, I will sign. She is still however, the spymaster of the Copper Isles until I say she's not. Clear. " It was not a question and with a sigh signed the parchment proclaiming her spymaster, and one of her few true friends, traitor.

'Please forgive me Aly…'

………………………

Two dripping, cloaked figures where outlined by the lightning in the doorway of one of the many Inn's in Fajurat, Malubesang. Hurrying inside Aly and Heishi paused a moment to scan the room then hurried past the hearth to a corner of the room that was in shadow. It provided a clear view of the rest of the room and the man sitting at the small table looked up curiously as they sat opposite him. He was middle aged and apart from a single grey streak through his otherwise black hair was unremarkable. What wasn't obvious was that he was one of Aly's better agents.

"Can I help you?"

"There's a hole in the net."

"Then that hole must be filled." He seemed to relax slightly though his eyes remained wary. He knew nothing about Aly save that she knew the proper response to the identification phrase. He repeated,

"Can I help you?"

"I need information. The messenger was killed, and the package lost."

"That information will cost you."

Heishi took a small pouch from his bag. It clinked as he placed it on the table. The man's eyes lit with his greed as Aly opened it and letting him see the combination of gold, silver and copper coins inside. She slid a gold coin and 2 silver ones onto the table. He reached for them and Aly snatched them back.

"Information first, payment second."

"Money now or no information."

Aly grinned. "I'll give you half." She slid the two silver coins across the table.

"Very well, you're looking for the old abandoned keep on the other side of the island. Someone moved in a while ago."

Aly looked at Heishi who nodded. That much hadn't changed since he had been 'hired' by his master.

"One more thing." The man looked pointedly at the pouch Aly held. She slid another silver coin across the table.

"It may interest you. The spymaster has been marked a traitor." Aly slid the gold coin across the table and then the duo stood and left without saying another word.

Outside back in the storm Heishi whispered incredulously,

"Marked traitor?"

Aly smiled coldly. "If I know Dove, she has something in mind for when I return…if I return. That hardly matters though, we need to get to that keep."

The assassin nodded and his power surged and they appeared before an old stone keep. The storm wasn't as bad this side of the island. Aly turned north and scanned the horizon. It was shrouded in smoke from the many fires of the two armies that fought there. That was another problem she'd have to work on…if she was alive to worry about it. Turning again she studied the building before her. Now all she had to do was get in. She smiled. That was a problem she could deal with.

…………………

Dyami dreamed. It changed scene and suddenly and he soared through a brilliant blue sky. A strange, foreign land spread out in front of him, a patchwork of colours. It seemed to him that he only had to reach out to touch it.

The movement of a dark mass caught his attention. Curious he glided closer and as he did shrill, keening screams reached his ears. The sound was enough to bring tears to his eyes. He watched uncomprehending as a dark mass of shadows was shoved into direct sunlight where it tried to fold in on itself.

He sensed the presence of the dark-one before he saw him.

For some reason the sight of the shadows pain filled him with an anger and distress like he had never known in his short life. Strange whispery voices entered his mind, one but at the same time apart.

"Light-one," they said. "Do not linger here. It will not be long before he senses your presence as you have his."

The shadows seemed to feel his confusion.

"Leave little one. We will be fine. There will come a time when you will be his equal or more in power. Though he won't admit it to himself, he is your equal and no more even now. When that day comes you will face him truly. Now leave!"

Dyami felt himself pushed away, and then his mind returned to his previous dreams and the shadows became a dim memory, the nightmare of a small child.

…………………

A/N: Well that was chapter 8! Hope you liked it. Once again, please review if you have any comments, ideas, constructive criticism or if you don't have any of them just do it for the hell of reviewing? lol.