Mia's face burned in shame. It had only been five days since she left Corus, and already the soldiers were disrespectful and giving her crap for being the only female on the mission. The commanding officers and the leader of the troop, Lord Wyldon, were in a separate dinner, so that left her to eat pork and beans around a campfire with a bunch of crude men.

They cracked jokes about her being a female that acted so male they couldn't tell which gender she was. And then they joked about her wild magic. Probably half the men there didn't even believe in wild magic. She wanted to show them. Show them it was real and how tough she was. But she couldn't lose her temper. "I am Yamani," she repeated to herself over and over. Although she had many comebacks to their cruel jokes, she would not reply, but only took them on, glad that the darkness hid her crimson cheeks.

"Enough," a voice barked sharply from somewhere in the crowd of people around the fire. "You've no right to disrespect her." Another voice piped up to crack a joke on both of them, but as he opened his mouth, his jaws were snapped shut by a strand of green magic.

"Shut it," the voice said. The men could not identify who it was, but they gradually quieted down. Mia returned to her tent early and noticed that a certain shadow didn't leave the fire until she did.

"Thank you," she called out, sure he was the one who had come to her defense. The shadow paused for a moment, gave a small wave of acknowledgement, and walked on. Confused, Mia pushed the strange person out of her mind and got ready for bed.

The sun peeked over the horizon as Mia rose for her daily training. She quietly slipped to the edge of the camp with her staff, glaive and bow. She started by shooting 4 dozen arrows into a stump 70 yards away. They all hit within a 6 inch diameter circle. Satisfied Ademia ran to pull her arrows and started a glaive exercise. She had wanted to do her daily three to six mile runs, but Lord Wyldon had forbidden her going alone.

"Amazing speed," a voice said. Mia stumbled in her pattern at the interruption. She turned to face a boy about 6 inches taller than her. His dark hair lay floppily over his ears. He had copperish tan skin and facial features that Mia couldn't place—they were a mixture of Yamani, Raka and Northern Tortallan. His emerald green eyes were calm, but firm.

"Thank you," Mia muttered modestly.

"And your archery was quite good too." Mia blushed at the multiple compliments. She recognized his voice from the night before.

"Umm…Thanks…for er…sticking up for me last night," she said quickly, lowering her gaze. His pleasant expression disappeared.

"There's nothing I hate more than men disrespecting and taking advantage of women," he growled. Then brushing his anger to the side he pointed to the glaive. "Quite a weapon you got there. However, I haven't trained with that before, would you care to duel me with the sword?"

"Oh Goddess no," Mia said. "I can't wield that confounded metal stick."

"Really?" he said disbelieving. "So good at all these weapons, and not trained in sword fighting?" Mia laughed.

"People have been trying to train me since I was seven! I'm that bad." The boy's green eyes sparkled.

"Willing to give it one more try? I could teach you." Mia raised one eyebrow and shrugged.

"I doubt it will do much good, but I'll take another stab at it." He laughed at her pun and drew his sword.

"Okay, first thing we'll do is work on stance and how to hold the sword…" His lesson continued until a cook called them to breakfast. Both of them were famished after the lesson so they devoured their porridge quickly. Every time a man would come up to Mia to make a snide comment, the boy would glare at them, and if needed, conjure a ball of green magic in his fist to warn them away. Just as they began to head in opposite directions to pack up, Mia stopped him.

"Wait a second, I never got your name."

"It's Brandon. Brandon of Dunlath." Mia sparked at the familiar name.

"I'm Ade…"

"Ademia Salmalin, I know," he said with a wink. They waved and got ready to continue their journey.

Brandon's company made Mia's trip a lot more interesting. They rode side by side most of the day, talking about themselves, their families and stories about Dunlath that they both had heard. The farming ogres were still there and the Long Lake Wolf Pack had a new leader but still continued an alliance with Maura, who had inherited the whole Fief. "Mum's always writing letters to your mom," Brandon said. His dad was ½ Yamani and ½ Raka. Mia also learned that he at attended the University because of his Gift and was coming along for that purpose. Even at his young age—barely 16—he was only about 1 year away from becoming the equivalent of a black robe mage. They sent him because they thought Tyra's dealing might involve some magicians, and Numair could not be spared.

The sword lessons continued and although Mia was still quite bad, she was steadily improving bit by bit. Brandon was amazed at Mia's fitness and when he found out it was because she normally ran every morning he went to talk to Lord Wyldon. He asked if Mia would be allowed to run if Brandon himself went with. He would be able to protect them with his Gift if any trouble occurred. Reluctantly, Lord Wyldon permitted this and soon the two were getting in their miles. They appeared at breakfast every morning covered in sweat since they were passing through the driest part of Tortall before the Tyran border. Mia was no longer ashamed of being the only female on the trip and her loneliness was succumbed as their friendship grew.

After two weeks in the saddle, word passed through the group that they would reach the Tyran border by nightfall. As Mia thought about her coming task it seemed like a rope was tightened around her heart and she couldn't concentrate on her sword work. They had rehearsed what their passage through Tyra was going to be like. They were disguised as a traveling group of merchants with a small platoon of soldiers for protection. Brandon was supposed to be a healer and Mia was given the title of Nurse, an assistant to Brandon. The group would be checked through the border and then be given a designated place just outside the capital city where they could "sell their goods."

The passing went without trouble and they quickly traveled two days to the capital city, Tyra. They were welcomed by a small greeting committee from the royal court. They simply stated trading rules for the city and warned them to keep in line.

"Here's your pass," a Tyran guard stated roughly, handing Mia a small card. It gave her name—not her real one, here she was supposed to be Angelina Murdoch, a nurse with no magical skills but trained in medicine. It also gave her place of origin—a peasant from Goldenlake. Brandon's was similar, but his name was Gregor of Mendelton and he was a healer with moderate magical talents.

"Where would you like me to put your medical supplies Sir Gregor?" Mia teased when they were settling into their designated camping spots. Brandon smiled with a twinkle in his eye. He walked up to Mia and tickled her causing her to drop the crate of supplies.

"Right there is fine, miss," he said in an equally teasing voice. The first night there was fun and relaxing, but everyone knew that they would start there serious work in the days to come.