"So, where are you headed?" Kaden asked the tall man beside her as they rode westward to Corus. They were halfway there, and already Kaden was starting to get tired of the same old, long trip with the same people. She hadn't asked Siam why he had come, though, and it didn't seem like there was any point to them coming.

"Well, of course, to escort you. We can't just let two young ladies ride all the way to Corus by themselves, can we?"

"But, then, why did your wife come along? And your son? There has to be another reason."

"We wanted to come to Corus anyway, just to go to the market and buy a few things, and this was the perfect opportunity." There was silence after the last word was said, and Kaden didn't appreciate it. It was lonely and quiet, the only sounds were the horses feet crunching the snow underfoot and the surrounding wildlife, going about their usual business.

White flakes began to fall from the sunny sky and the temperature wavered to a bone-chilling cold. Kaden shivered. It was colder than ever today and she hated the cold. The coldness only made the day worse.

'First of all, I'm cold, I'm with people that I don't really know that well, my best friend isn't with me and there is a chance he will never be again, I still don't know who my parents are and this whole trip has been a disaster. Why don't I just go home?'

"Having second thoughts?" Siam asked and startled her out of the anger she was in.

"About what?" She asked innocently.

"About this whole trip?"

"No, I just hate the cold, and I'm freezing." She had bundled up as best as possible: she had on at least two of everything, except for sweaters, in which she had three.

"It looks like more than that. Is there something bothering you?"

"No, I'm fine." She lied.

"If you're sure." He resided to riding by his wife and son, once again, and left her alone. She sighed and tried to keep her mind blank. These days it seemed as though she had been getting worse at putting her mask on; the mask she used to hide her feelings. Instead, she ended up showing her emotions, which seemed to be getting her into all kinds of messes. She concentrated and put a blank look on her face, trying to filter through all of her problems and get herself under control once again.

When she succeeded, it was almost dark, and they were still riding on. She was about to ask why, when she saw faint lights in the distance. A town! 'Finally, some warmth and some real beds.' They rode faster now, all eager to be anywhere but outside in the winter weather.

When they arrived, they headed to the inn as fast as they could. The innkeeper told them to put their horses in the stable, and they would be warm for the night. Kaden tried to do it quickly, but Moonflower snorted, as though she was telling her not to rush her brushing because she liked it too much and it needed to be done.

"What's her name?" A stranger asked. He was brushing his roan gelding down and he stepped up to brush Moonflower's white mane. He wasn't all that tall, although he was taller than she was, with reddish-brown hair and amazingly bright blue eyes. His smile wasn't as beautiful as Allan's and it didn't look like it was used often. 'There I go again, thinking about Allan...'

"Moonflower." Kaden told him automatically. She wondered who this man might be, and why he was being so nice to her. She was too tired to be concious of her facial espression, but the man saw what she was thinking.

"I'm sorry, my name's Eadulf Reduald." With a sober smile on his face, he stretched out his hand, and Kaden slowly realised he was trying to introduce himself. She quickly shook his hands, surprised by how warm they were.

"I'm Kaden." She said absent-mindedly. "Wait a second, you're Eadulf, as in the Shang Wolf?" She said as she finished tending to her beloved horse, then left to go to her rooms with Eadulf not far behind her.

"Yes, actually, you're right." His small mouth curved up to show her the extent of his smile.

"Wow. I thought I'd never meet anyone this famous..." Eadulf was a very famous man, known for his fight with a wolf. He had trained to be a shang warrior, and fought to the death, winning, giving him the name Shang Wolf. The only battle mark that showed was the scar on his eyebrow, cutting it in half.

He didn't look extremely handsome, with his scar, his tendency not to smile very much and his reddish-brown hair, but he was still good-looking, and Kaden couldn't help but feel even a little bit attracted to the man. She was lonely and unhappy, what else would she feel like?

"So where are you headed?" She asked as she walked down the hall to her room. It seemed the others had already made it to theirs, making the place deserted.

"I'm actually going to Corus to teach the newer pages. It'll be an adventure for me, I think. I have never been too comfortable with kids." He was extremely friendly, which Kaden liked.

"Well, maybe we'll see each other again, then, Master Eadulf." He gave her a puzzled smile when he walked further down the hall and stopped, realising that Kaden ahd stopped at her room and started to open it. She disappeared into the room and shut the door quickly, leaving the older man by himself.

'I can't get myself into anymore trouble. He's a very nice man, probably one I'd liek to see again, but I cannot let myself do it. I still love Allan...' She collapsed onto her bed, crying and cried herself to sleep.

Kaden woke with a cramp in her arm, a sharp headache and a kink in her neck. She got up, stretched, and realised that she'd slept in her clothes. She didn't feel all that well, either.

She walked slowly and carefully to the bathroom and ran a bath for herself. A hot one. While she was relaxing, a knock sounded at her door. She sighed, exaspertated.

"I'm busy!" She yelled. There was a second knock. "I'm in the bath!" She yelled louder. There were no more knocks, she was relieved to hear.

When she was done, she got dressed into clean clothes and was about to go the stables when she noticed a letter on the floor. She picked it up cautiously and ripped the envelope. Inside was a small note.

Kaden,

We're going to breakfast. Meet us in the stables, we'll bring you back something.

Ambrose.

She walked eagerly to the stables, trying to ignore her grumbling stomach. The place was deserted for the moment. Maybe they thought she'd take longer.

She groomed Moonflower while waiting for them. The man she'd met last night came in to groom his horse silently, and took no notice of her there. He didn't seem to even acknowlege her. He gallopped out of the stable at full speed, leaving something behind

Kaden just couldn't resist looking through. It was one of his saddlebags with many etters and very important looking documents. She leafed through them suspiciously. Looking behind her, she saw Ambrose, Siam and his family walk into the stables. She stood up properly.

"I thought you'd never get here." Looking intently at the napkin Gana held, and she handed it over generously. It was a croissant deliciously filled with eggs and cheese. She bit into it eagerly, and gladly ate it quickly.

"Let's get going. The sun won't stay up all day and night. We need to get a move on." Siam ordered from his horse. Kaden mounted easily, and Ambrose followed suit. They were off for another days adventure.

A/N: Sorry for another long wait... I've really been stuck. It's posted now, so have fun with it and hopefully chapter 14 won't be too far away!