Author's Notes (2006): This is my first fanfic, so pls review and let me know how good (or bad) it is…

(2009) Upon coming across this fanfic that I wrote three years ago, I could not help but notice plenty of awkward phrases in the story. Hopefully, i'll have the time to look through all the chapters and edit it, if not, well, at least chapter 1 is more readable now XD

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the settings or any character that you recognize in Mercedes Lackey's books

Chapter One – Dark, Mysterious and Ethereal?

Kerrayrlia smiled. Finally. At long last, she had finished composing the lyrics for her song. Stretching her arms, she leaned back against her chair and signed with satisfaction at the sheets of music and lyrics in front of her. She remained in that position for a long moment, idly contemplating if she should get her harp to play the melody once more. At least, until pale limbs flashed in front of her eyes. Before she could blink, the sheets of music had disappeared.

"Grey Dreams at Dawn, by Kerrayrlia, for my best friend Liritia. Wow, how mushy. If not for your obviously female name, anyone would assume that Liritia had a new boyfriend…" Kerrayrlia deftly appropriated the sheets off music out of Irisa's hands. Irisa was a fellow Bard trainee and her roommate; that did not stop her from being one of the most active busybodies in the Bardic Collegium. And an incurable gossip. No one's, least of all Kerrayrlia's, secrets were safe with her.

Kerrayrlia sighed again. She knew that by this time tomorrow, all the trainees would know about this new song that she had written. There would be bugging from the others, comments and possibly criticisms. While Kerrayrlia was not so arrogant that she did not accept critiques, she had a pride in her work that she did not like squashed. And the trainees could be merciless to a new piece of work, Kerrayrlia knew that only too well. This means that I'd probably have to play this for Liritia before she hears of this from certain gossips, who would as a matter of course, exaggerate everything and probably skew the meaning of the song.

"Come on, Kerri, let me take another look. Just a peek, pleeeeeease?" When Kerrayrlia shook her head, Irisa snorted. "Well, your character certainly matches your name. Kerri. Your nickname rightly means Dark and Mysterious. As to your full name, a combination between Kerri and a perversion of Airlia, well, it certainly suits you."

Kerrayrlia frowned. She disliked any mention of her full name. One would think that her father could have chosen a better name for her than a description of the mistress that he had been enamored of at that point in time. "Airlia means ethereal, Irisa, and I doubt that I fit that description in any way. And although I might be mysterious at times, it is only in prevention of you announcing my new songs to the others before I am ready."

Irisa laughed, a short sharp burst of joy that would surprise those who did not know her. She had a stern-looking countenance even at the best of times, with her square shaped face, short straight mud brown hair and dark brown eyes. Yet, she could always diffuse the most tense of situations with her laughter and her knack for speech. Sometimes, Kerrayrlia felt that Irisa should be a Herald. Then, she could be a diplomat and be useful in the currently tense situation with Valdemar's enemy neighboring country, Karse.

Unaware of the thoughts currently running in Kerrayrlia's mind, Irisa teased laughingly, "Well, your hair is certainly dark enough. As for the ethereal part of your name, your looks may just pass the Test for Ethereal Beauty."

Kerrayrlia shook her head and smiled a briefly. She considered Irisa's words as she firmly stuffed the sheets of music into the top drawer of her desk and locked it. Surveying herself with her mind's eyes, she frowned at what came to mind. Soft, black waves that fell just past her shoulders were her most attractive asset, but while her pale blue eyes were certainly large enough, framed as they were with long curly dark lashes, they were not eye-catching and even looked odd against her rust-coloured Trainee uniform. And the shade of her skin was decidedly too pale; she was just a few shades darker than the snow still falling outside her room.

With a shake of her head in denial of her implied beauty, Kerrayrlia stood up. "Let's turn in, Irisa. You can heap praises on my beauty tomorrow, if we wake up in time for breakfast." Irisa laughed again and playfully poked Kerrayrlia in the head. "Always so serious," she scolded mockingly.

Kerrayrlia gave Irisa another smile and then deliberately snuffed the lights. She had little to be light-hearted about other than music, but Irisa often managed to make her smile despite herself.

Well, at least most of the time, were her last thoughts before she fell asleep.

-LS-LS-LS-

The clash of metal upon metal reverberated through the salle, a place specially built for Trainees from all the Collegiums and the children of the nobles to practice weaponry under the supervision of a Weapons Master. Although it was winter, none of the Trainees felt the chill, mostly because they were all dripping with sweat from their physical exertion, incurred under the misnomer of "Weapons Practice".

Practice my foot, it's more like torture, Kerrayrlia thought grimly parried a blow aimed at her wrist. Her opponent was a Heraldic Trainee, who was way stronger than she was, being male and a year older than she was. But Kerrayrlia could hold her own; she had talent with the sword, particularly in this style of light, swift fencing that resembled an intricate dance. What with her naturally agile and fleet-footed physique, in addition to two years of harsh training, Kerrayrlia was adept at this particular style; her favourite.

She had become a Bardic Trainee three years ago, and had taken up Weapons training a year later. At the tender age of twelve, her father had decided that he had more than enough daughters at home, and had sent her, the eldest, to foster with her childless aunt at Havens.

Not that Kerrayrlia cared or minded terribly. With her mother dead since she was nine, Kerrayrlia had quickly outgrown any affection for her boorish and lecherous father. In fact, she had been glad of the chance to expand her horizons. If not for the sisters and brother that she had left behind, Kerrayrlia would have been perfectly content to leave her home. Not that she had been offered a choice. Though she readily admitted that this move to Havens had turned out to be unexpectedly beneficial.

Within months of her arrival at Havens, her musical talent had been discovered by a Bard and she had been registered at the Bardic Collegium. Luckily for her, she had all the three gifts; the ability to compose, the ability to perform and the all-important Bardic Gift. Her father, a minor noble, had not been able to prevent her acceptance into the Collegium. However, while she excelled at composing songs and could perform on five varying instruments, her Bardic Gift was just average in strength.

But Kerrayrlia certainly wasn't complaining. She was just thankful that the gods had taken pity on her by granting her the company of what she loved best; music. Without music, Kerrayrlia was not certain that she could have survived her childhood years.

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