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Chapter 36

"I did say it was time for lunch. Though I wonder, do you need any help after lunch with the Trainees? I know that this can be a lot to handle and I promised Numair that I would take care of you, so maybe you want some help?" Onua searched Daine's face for any trace of uneasiness.

"I could use some," Daine answered slowly. "Though I'm sure that they will be exhausted from all the training..." her words trailed off as the horse-mistress lifted her eyebrows.

"Our Riders have to be the best of the best. They're going to be worn-out once in a while," Onua cut in, "otherwise, we might be sending them to their deaths and that wasn't the vision that Thayet had after she married King Jonathan. Now we are in need of them, all of them, and Jonathan is ordering every group home to be ready to leave within the next few weeks."

Daine nodded. She had understood everything discussed at the meeting the king had held, but there was a long way to go. She wasn't sure Onua, the King, or anyone knew exactly what they were about to get themselves into. The Queen's Riders were good. They were skilled, but they still lacked so much. Of course, their teachers and trainers had probably thought that they had taught them everything. However, Daine could see that their training was inadequate for such a situation.

If the nobles back in Galla were already mustering their fighters for a possible take-over of the crown, and if they were smart enough to seek help from Scanra, then even skilled warriors such as the Queen's Riders and the King's Own would find themselves in deep trouble.

Daine had seen first-hand the damage the Scanran warriors could do. Even though the Kingdom of Galla had been on the brink of bankruptcy, King Angus had hired in Lord Halverson five years prior. Lord Halverson was a savage man who was responsible for training Gallan knights. She half suspected that he was the reason for the corrosive condition of the Gallan economy. From the beginning, the nobility had been concerned over the introduction of the notorious knight from Scanra, but the king had still insisted on hiring on the man.

If no nobles had yet to claim the throne of Galla, Lord Halverson would, after the death of both the monarch and the royal healer, be sitting where the old king had sat by now. Not only would he be ruling over the people, but he would also be using every force necessary to ensure that others would not succeed in taking over the throne. However, that wasn't the main reason that Daine was concerned. If it came to a civil war, Lord Halverson would use his most skilled knights to prevent the people of Galla from fleeing.

Those very knights would be the ones fighting against the King's Own, the main army and the Queen's Riders and they would be using every dirty trick available to them. It was these tricks that Daine hoped to teach the Riders before they left for the North.

Daine swayed from one foot to the other. How could she tell Onua that, in spite of her high opinion of them, Daine had not found The Riders to be sufficiently skilled? The knights, soldiers and warriors from Galla would be ruthless and remorseless. They would be without mercy, which was how Lord Halverson had trained them to be.

She sighed loudly, scratching her neck as she hesitated to speak. Onua went silent as she observed Daine. After a few minutes she voiced her concern, "You know something important that you didn't tell the king at the meeting, don't you?"

"I may have forgotten some very important details," she answered slowly, not wanting to meet Onua's serious gaze, "though I fear they will think that I'm conspiring against the crown for withholding the information."

"Could you tell me, then?"

Daine nodded, "I can, but I fear that I would destroy your optimistic view of your knights and Riders. Of course, the only one of your knights I've seen in action is the Lioness, but I pray that your other knights are of the same quality as her." She shrugged, "If not, I hope that you can come up with some kind of plan that will outsmart the enemy."

"Tell me everything over lunch. Every detail, no matter how small, is important for the future." Onua took hold of Daine's elbow and guided her towards the dining area, "Let's get some food and you can fill me in. Then I can take the information to the king. Will that do?"

Daine nodded, feeling relief flood every cell of her body. She was slightly afraid of people with high status. She could never be sure how they would react. She only hoped that they would not treat her like they treated her back home.

As they walked over to the building that contained the dining area, Daine began to tell Onua everything she knew. Without warning, a flock of pages came out of nowhere. They seemed to be running after a very small and ugly dog that was spurting all the way into the royal forest with a book in its mouth. As they passed Daine and Onua, one of them got too close to Daine and she was pushed backwards. She ended up on the ground, in the middle of a puddle of mud.

"Curse it," Daine muttered. A hand, small but calloused, was suddenly visible in her line of sight. Glancing up, she found the owner standing with an apologetic smile on her face.

"I'm so sorry about that," the page told her sincerely, "he normally behaves fine, but something has set him off. I warned the others not to follow him, but they don't listen to me. Now we're going to be late to our lesson in hand to hand fighting." The page, a girl Daine realized, turned her attention to the forest where the others stood yelling at a barking dog.

Shocked, Daine took the proffered hand and got to her feet, feeling wetness seep into her clothes. Daine turned and looked down at herself. From her hips downward, she was covered in thick mud. Out of the corner of her eye, she realized that the girl had followed her gaze and was looking at Daine's breeches gloomily. "Again, I'm so sorry," the girl repeated, and Daine turned to her.

Daine smiled. "It's okay," she told the page slowly, "an old woman once told me once that mud was the best way to get ones skin to feel like silk. I've always wanted to test that theory."

The girl laughed, "That's one way to look at it." She held out her hand again to introduce herself, "I'm Keladry of Mindelan." She glanced in the direction of her companions, "That would be my rather annoying dog misleading the other pages into the forest." She smiled warmly. She was tall for her age, a bit taller than Daine, with brown hair and hazel eyes. Not the color of Numair's, Daine noticed, but if they were two shades darker they would match his. Hers had a dreamy quality to them, but lacked the glow that characterized her husband's.

"I'm Daine," she replied, shaking Keladry's hand. "If you want, I could talk to it," she offered, but shut her mouth when she saw Keladry's eyes widen. "You're a dog-whisper?" the page asked.

Daine hesitated, "One could say that, but I'm really..." She glanced to the side. Seeing the other pages walking towards them, she stopped her words. They were a mixed lot. Some of them, she concluded, were fourth-year pages, but a few of them were younger. One young man, whom she estimated to be a bit older than the rest of them, came to a halt beside Daine. He seemed to be oblivious to her presence.

"Seriously, Kel, I don't understand why you keep that mongrel," he complained, lifting up a maltreated book. Opening it carefully, one of the pages fell slowly to the ground and landed neatly in the mud.

He bent and picked it up, wiping it clean with his sleeve, "Nor do I understand why we are reading the diary of Bertram Strongheart when we could be reading about Liam Ironarm. Now,that man was something. Did you know that he was the oldest living Dragon? Until he died, of course."

Daine raised her eyebrows in fascination. He kept speaking passionately, looking down at the destroyed book, "Though I'm glad to have an excuse for not reading the assignment. However, I doubt the Stump will appreciate my self-justification..." He stopped abruptly as he finally realized that everyone was looking at him oddly. "What?" he questioned as the silence hit him. He soon discovered that they weren't standing quite alone.

"Onua?" He said, and greeted her with a smile. "Did you know that Kel actually tamed Peachblossom? When Stefan brought out the horse, I really doubted for a few seconds that it was right for her. As it turns out, they get along rather well, though I'm not sure how she did it." He placed the mud-smeared page back in the book and turned to the red haired boy beside him. He opened his mouth, about to add something more, but Daine seemed to catch his eye. "Who are you?" he asked bluntly.

The question startled Daine. She hadn't anticipated the directness of the young man's question. She lifted her head up and found herself looking into emerald eyes. He appeared to be only a year younger than she was, and had tall, muscular and lean frame.

A curious yet guarded smile met her, but as she was about to answer his question Keladry spoke. "Daine, this is Nealan Queenscove, Duke Baird's son." As Kel spoke, she seemed to realize that Daine didn't have a clue who she was referring to. "The chief of the palace healers?" When Daine still didn't seem to recognize the name, Nealan cut in.

"You can't expect everyone to know my father," he said sharply to Kel, glancing sideways at the girl before he turned his attention back to Daine. "Though I have never seen someone like you, and I know every lady at court." Daine suddenly realized that he was flirting with her, when the boy beside him leaned forth, scanning her body from head to toe.

"That's right," the page confirmed, amusement lacing his voice, "our Nealan here knows exactly who's present at the palace and who's gone home for the winter."

"No, I don't, Merric," Nealan retorted, "even though it will be nice to know who the female courtiers are once I've gotten my shield. Someone has to carry on the Queenscove bloodline." He bowed deeply for Daine and smiled, "And I will certainly have you in my mind when the time comes."

Daine only raised her eyebrows, not quite certain how to respond to such a blatant declaration of interest. When she was about to open her mouth the boy, Merric, spoke, "Nealan, you can't flirt with every female you run into. The only one you don't flirt with is Kel here." He clapped Keladry on her back and received a displeased growl back. He looked at her, "Not that we haven't noticed that you are a girl with breasts and such, it's just..." Merric stopped short when Keladry folded her arms in front of herself, looking at the other page with displeasure.

"You don't even know if she is married," Keladry pointed out through gritted teeth, gazing up at Nealan.

It was then that Daine realized the young girl had a crush on her lean friend. What in Mithros's name was she getting herself involved in? She had never been one to get involved in drama, yet she was suddenly standing in the middle of it. Daine started to open her mouth, but before she could part her lips, she closed them hurriedly.

"Certainly a lovely young woman like her isn't married yet," Nealan objected. He stared at his friend with a mixture of mild annoyance and wonder over his friend's behavior.

Keladry shrugged as her dog barked once at her, then turned around to run off in the direction of the palace. "Think what you will. I'm not going to be late to our lesson." With that, the future female knight strode off with determination.

"Maybe you should all follow her example," Onua said, looking at the girl's back as she walked away, "and go to your classes. I've heard rumors that Lord Wyldon isn't particularly gracious when it comes to tardiness."

"That is an excellent point," Merric said and hurried away along with some of the more silent pages. The only one who didn't move was Nealan, who was still observing Daine.

"Could I, perhaps, come to see you again someday when we are not surrounded by others?" he said, smiling hopefully.

"I..." Daine faltered as Merric called for Nealan and the older page turned around, shouting back in frustration at the interruption. When he turned back, his eyes gleamed with anticipation. Daine sighed loudly, "I don't think that is such a good idea. Not now anyway." She could see how her words disappointed him greatly and how Onua observed everything that took place.

"Oh, that's...ehm...okay with me," Nealan replied, but lit up in a smile, "then maybe someday...I would like to get to know you."

Daine found herself nodding, which she suddenly stopped. What was she doing? She had no business with this page. He wasn't a man yet, but he would grow into a fine one someday, Daine thought as she looked him over.

"I'm married," Daine blurted out before she could stop herself. The words had the necessary effect on the young man. Daine saw the astonishment flood Nealan's face and was about to explain when one of the other pages came hurrying back, giving him no opportunity to reply to her statement.

"Nealan! Lord Wyldon has threatened to drag us out into the Royal Forest for weeks if you don't show yourself within a minute." The page, with dark skin and black hair, stopped just beside Nealan, clearly out of breath. "Keladry also says that she will personally scold you from here until your Ordeal if you don't come immediately."

"Good, great, excellent," Nealan looked at Daine with a dumbfounded expression, not acknowledging the other page, "maybe I should go..." He turned abruptly and left with his fellow page. Daine looked after him. He wasn't someone she could fall for, but something about him was intriguing — she stopped her line of thoughts quickly. There would be nothing for her down that path. She was married. It was improper for her to associate in such a way with another man!

Daine stood staring after him. What was wrong with her? She had been present at the palace for only two days and she had already found trouble. No, that wasn't right. Trouble had found her, and somewhere deep down she had the feeling that the trouble was just beginning.

"Married?" Onua questioned, standing in front of Daine and looking at her with a mixture of curiosity and amusement.

Daine looked down, blushing. She had never had so much attention directed at her. There had been many a man to observe her and seek her out in Galla, but once they had gotten too close to her and she had allowed herself to open up, someone would always drop a comment and the last thing she saw was their cowardice.

A soft hand touched her chin and Daine lifted her head, meeting understanding and warm eyes. "You don't have to be shy. Things are new here, yes, but they are for the better. Whatever doubts you are having, I know that he would not be mad at you if you were to make friends."

"Friends?" Daine tasted the word on her tongue, hoping that there was some truth in it. Rosalie had been her only true friend, the only one who knew everything about her. Could she indeed make other friends? Friends she could talk with, laugh with and share jokes with — as the stable-boys in Galla had done with each other?

"Yes, friends," Onua smiled at her warmly, "you are allowed to make friends. Do you really think that Numair would be mad at you if you were to speak to a stranger?" She gave voice to the thoughts Daine had been keeping to herself.

Uncertainty was plainly visible in Daine's stormy gray eyes and she knew it. How would he not be mad? Back home, if a man caught his wife speaking without permission trouble was sure to follow.

She had witnessed it so many times. Some had been lucky enough to experience love through an arranged marriage. Others were not, and unhappy marriages were something she had witnessed many a time. There were so many rules in Galla, ones that clearly didn't apply here in Tortall, she didn't understand. Marrying someone unknown was one of them. Why was it acceptable to marry a complete stranger and not acceptable to marry because of love? She was sure that she would never get an answer to her question. Most people in Galla lived this way and now she, herself, was one of them.

"Do you really think that he won't mind?" Daine spoke the words with obvious insecurity.

Onua shook her head, smiling with understanding. "No, he won't mind at all," she gestured to her surroundings, "if anything, he will encourage you to get to know people. Not everyone, of course, but you'd be bored with no friends at all. I'm sure that you left some friends behind when you came here?"

It was a question she dreaded as much as the questions Numair had asked during their trip to the cave. He had been eager to learn about her life and the only thing she had been able to tell him about was how miserable her life had been. Now he knew almost everything because of the Chamber of the Ordeal. "I left only one," she muttered, not wanting to see the pity in Onua's eyes.

The woman was silent for a long time, noticing Daine's discomfort. Daine only wished that the horse-mistress would drop the subject, and she did. Onua clapped Daine on her back, "Maybe you should get some dry clothes on and then some lunch would be nice. Seriously, my stomach is growling and yours must be as well." Onua began to walk in the direction of the dining area and Daine followed slowly. A line of people ventured towards the small building where a delectable smell floated through the air.

That same air hit Daine's wet clothes and she shuddered violently. It was evident that winter was approaching quickly. "Where can I get some fresh clothes?"

Onua promptly turned around and looked down at Daine's clothing, "Oh, I nearly forgot about that! Do you remember the storage room I took you to?" She continued when Daine nodded in confirmation. "There should be some more for you to use. Just leave that," she pointed down at Daine's wet breeches, "at the door. The staff under Kuri will take it and get it washed, along with the Trainees' clothing as well."

Daine nodded, but didn't move from where she stood. "And where should I report to afterward?"

"Report?" Onua laughed and began to walk again. Over her left shoulder she replied, "You, my dear, don't report to anyone. You are as free as you wish to be, though it might be a good idea to go to the dining area first." She turned back to Daine, but continued to walk backwards, "If you are hungry, that is?"

"I am," Daine replied and moved catch up with her new friend, who fiddled with the queen's dagger.

Onua smiled at her and held out the weapon. Daine just stared at it, insecure as to why the horse-mistress was giving it to her. "I'm sure that Thayet won't mind you having it. She has a fair stock of them, so here," she motioned the handle of the dagger that held a single gem towards Daine, "take it."

As the cold, leather bound handle touched her palm, a disturbance erupted behind them. From the darkness of the Royal Forest, a large colony of starlings rose from the trees up into the overclouded sky. The black formation was a sight to be seen and everyone standing in the training area stopped to look up at this amazing sight. For Daine, however, it was anything but amazing. A chill spread inside her as the formation of starlings, for a few seconds, formed a sign.

Suddenly a multitude of voices erupted inside her mind, warning her and screaming to her that the darkness of the cold would soon consume everything and everyone.

And so, as the starlings broke away from the sign they had formed, they fled to the West while continuing to scream their warning. Daine clamped her hands over ears, trying hard to ignore the feeling of dread. Something was about to happen, something that wasn't good and something even the animals were afraid of. She knew of omens and this was a bad one — a very bad one indeed.

To be continued