Disclaimer: The same as the last one!

I hope you enjoy and REVIEW! Review! review!

A tall young woman of average beauty stood on the crest of a small hill, her red-gold hair streaming in the playful breeze that blew across it. Her long fingers were clutching the scruff of a panther as if it was the only thing that she had to guide her. Once she opened her eyes, though, it was clear that it truly was her guide. Her eyes were milky white, with only a hint of green underneath.

-Rhea, the Tortallian delegation will be arriving shortly- The mind voice came from the panther who had turned its purple eyes upon the blind woman. "I know, Raedeshe." Rhea replied with a smile, patting the great creature on its head. "Transform would you?"

Raedeshe looked at her and, with a human-like sigh, transformed into a large black crow with the same purple eyes. Rhea smiled and as she did, she shrunk rapidly in size, sprouting reddish-gold feathers. Wings burst from her shoulders as her head became that of a hawk and her feet became talons.

With a shriek, Rhea leapt off the knoll, her joy to be flying plain. –Go higher, there are trees up ahead— Raedeshe's mind voice warned as he watched the blind hawk that was in his care. Obediently Rhea rose, clearing the trees and then picking up speed as she headed towards the Maren palace, home of King Niar and Queen Lorda.

As she landed just inside the servant's gate, a red-faced woman came out with a dress in her flour-covered hands. "Transform, put this dress on, then go upstairs and put the proper dress on and do something about that dratted hair of yours!" The woman ordered, her harsh voice filled with relief that Rhea had come back. After Rhea had done so, the cook took Rhea's hand and led her through the busy kitchen, dodging around flying eggs and the odd things like it. "Hurry up too! His Majesty wants you to play the harp at the dinner!"

Rhea walked away, dodging around the odd servant with help from Raedeshe who was guiding her from the air. –Stairs— Raedeshe commented, making Rhea slow down even more. Gripping the railing, Rhea climbed like a snail up the stairs, feeling carefully for each step. When she reached the top, she stopped and drew in a big gulp of air, trying to calm her quickly beating heart.

A small weight landed on her shoulder and she flinched, not expecting the crow to be there. –Come on.— Raedeshe's mind voice was kind, and he ran his beak through her hair to comfort her. The weight was gone and Rhea followed the soft beat of his wings as he led her to her room.

Entering it, she looked at Raedeshe, or at least in his general direction. "Will you go away for a moment?" She asked with a smile and the crow obeyed, flying out of an open window near the bed in the small room. She took off the dress that the cook had given her and pulled on the new one that had been laying on her bed. Settling it, she stuck her head out of the window. "Rae?" She inquired and the soft beat of wings past her told Rhea that he had come back.

Running a brush through her tousled hair, Rhea started humming a soft tune that she would be playing that night. Satisfied that she had gotten rid of all the knots, Rhea turned to look in the general direction of Raedeshe. "How do I look?" She asked with a smile before she left the room, walking back towards the stairs. –Beautiful as always— came the soft reply and she grinned as she kept walking, holding out an arm. With a soft caw, Raedeshe landed on it and guided her back down the stairs where the cook was waiting.

He left her again, watching as the cook led Rhea away from the kitchens and into the Great Hall. Raedeshe landed on the rafters, looking down to watch as the woman gave Rhea a harp and the Tortallian delegation slowly entered the room with Maren's various nobles. Rhea struck up the same song she had been humming before and Raedeshe gave another soft caw, a crow's version of a smile.

A/N: Raedeshe is NOT Faithful! He's related to Faithful but he's not him! REVIEWS PLEASE!

to clarify this early, when Rhea shapeshifts she can see the faintest outlines of things (sorta like shadows)but otherwise she's blind!