Happy Turkey day.. my gift to you.. well actually happy almost black friday for you shoppers...

Mystical Moonstar- muchos gracias (translation: much thanks) I hope to hear from you in the future...

Jamie Lynn- yeah sorry for the not very quick update.. I was kind of busy with soccer.. being Long Island champion takes a lot out of you.. and Long Islands in NY if you must know..lol. you can call me a crazy Islander.. cuz hey I live on an island...

Nativewildmage-lol... yeah my policy.. thanks for being a constant reviewer... muchos gracias!

Smileyfaceperson- don't worry Gosha won't be so annoying in this chapter.. lol.. and I kind of understood what u meant..lol

maliphire- yeah all these shangs in my story are crazy.. kind of weird don't you think...

Knights of Ne- yeah I totally agree with you 100 thanks for the review! Muchos gracias times a million

Prowling Panther- thanks... I'm deeply touched...

yeah sorry for the not very quick update.. I was kind of busy with soccer.. being Long Island champion takes a lot out of you.. lol

Read and enjoy...

Jzet sat lazily on a couch in Gosha's house as she waited for the seer's return from the kitchen.

"Ah missed me my student?" Gosha asked as she carried in a tray of sandwiches.

"Oh yes, sandwiches," Jzet said leaning forward and snatching a sandwich off the tray. "I'm absolutely starved." As she nibbled on it she heard the cold harsh wind blowing against Gosha's house resulting in many creaks.

"Well at least it's almost spring." said Gosha positively as she bite into her sandwich.

Jzet nodded and then groaned as she had to readjust her sword hilt that was poking at her side. This was one of the changes that occurred since midwinter, the first year pages were starting the art of swordsmanship.

"So how is the war with Carthak going?" Gosha asked.

"Well we can't move our troops until the winter frost dies down." explained Jzet to the older woman. "Lord Padarig says we shouldn't expect any action." Jzet added slightly disappointed.

"Believe me girl if you want to survive until your ordeal you should be happy you aren't going to get any 'action'." Gosha said and then stared off into space.

Jzet grumbled to herself about Gosha always being right.

The older woman just grinned.

"Well one more dream and then you can return to the castle." said Gosha sipping her tea.

"Fine," said Jzet.

Gosha pressed her icy cold fingers onto Jzet's forehead.

"Sleep my student,"

Jzet found herself sitting on a log in the middle of the forest. A roaring fire was a few feet in front of her.

"We'll be reaching Fort Zhail soon Jzet." Jzet looked up to see a tall brown haired man who had purple eyes sitting across from her on the other side of the fire.

"Okay sir," said Jzet.

"Maybe in two days, depends on the roads." said the man.

"I can't wait." said Jzet slightly happier.

"You're going to see your cousin Cole again." added the man.

"I wouldn't care if I saw him or not." said Jzet crossly not looking up at the knight.

"Why?" asked the knight.

"Well Sir A-"

"Enough is enough Jzet," said Gosha intervening.

"Gosha," said Jzet snappily as she opened her eyes to see she no longer sat in the forest, but in Gosha's living room. "You always cut in at the most important parts!"

"I know." said the old woman grinning impishly. "I try very hard too."

Jzet frowned.

"Well I'm going to get going, the sun is setting." said Jzet getting up. "Thanks for the lesson Gosha."

Gosha got up too and opened the door for her.

"It's always a pleasure Page Jzet." said Gosha ushering her out the door. "See you in two weeks."

"Bye," said Jzet softly as Gosha closed the door behind her.

Jzet began walking as the cold wind nipped at her exposed face.

"Times like this are when I wish I never left the Yamani Islands." mumbled Jzet to herself as she trudged through the snow towards the castle.

"You look lost." said a strong voice. Jzet looked up to see a man on horse back.

Jzet did a double take and realized it was the man from her dream.

The man was young and had purple eyes and brown hair that was trapped under a knit hat. He was a few inches taller than her from Jzet's view on the ground.

"No I'm heading the right way." Jzet insisted.

"Where are you going maybe I can give you a lift?" the man asked rubbing his biceps with his gloved hands.

"The palace," Jzet answered her teeth now chattering.

"Exactly where I'm going, hop on." said the man kindly giving her a hand. Jzet took it and he pulled her onto the horse.

"Won't the horse get tired from all of this weight?" Jzet asked as they started again.

"Eh Faithful can handle it, she's a good old girl aren't you Faithful?" the knight said soothingly patting his horse.

The horse whinnied and picked up the pace slightly.

"Now are you presented at the courts my lady?" the man asked. "Because I never saw you before, probably because I've been up at the border with my troops."

"I'm not a lady at the courts sir," said Jzet. "I am Page Jzet of Queenscove."

"A page are you?" the man said. "A little old to be a page don't you think?"

"Yeah, but my Da' started as a page at age fifteen too." said Jzet defensively. "Do you know him since you're involved in the military?"

"Yeah," said the man shortly. "I am a knight just like your father. My name is Sir Alan of Pirates Swoop."

"Nice to meet you Sir Alan." said Jzet politely.

"It's a pleasure to meet you too Page Jzet." said Sir Alan.

They continued on for several minutes not talking because of the bitter cold. Finally they stopped in front of a pub called 'The Dancing Dove'.

"What are we doing here?" Jzet asked as Sir Alan hopped off his horse."

"I need to take care of some business." said Sir Alan he tied his horse to a stake. "Care to join me?"

"Of course sir, it's better than sitting in the cold." said Jzet demounting from Faithful.

"Follow me Page and keep your hands in your pockets." advised the knight.

"Don't worry I will." mumbled Jzet as she stepped into the pub.

It was toasty inside warming her very quickly from the winter cold.

"Ah Alan who's the lass?" an older man asked grinning toothily. "Your new lady?"

Jzet blushed scarlet clearly embarrassed at the mans remark.

"No Yon, this is my friend Jzet." explained Sir Alan slightly flushed himself. "Now where is Samuel?"

"Ah Sam, he's in the third room on the right, upstairs." said Yon. "Yes Sir Alan he was expecting you for a while."

"Well I was out on the borders holding off those accursed Carthakians." said Sir Alan his voice slightly rose. "You stay down here with Yon, Jzet and watch your pockets." He added grinning slightly at Yon.

"Okay I'll keep that in mind." said Jzet after Sir Alan left.

"So what would you like to drink?" Yon asked drying a cup with a towel.

"One tankard please," said Jzet.

Yon grinned.

"How old are ye' lass?" he asked.

"Twenty one," she lied.

"Good enough for me," said the bartender passing her a tankard. He chuckled as she took a sip.

"Rough day?" Yon asked.

"Rough like months more like it." said Jzet. She drank even more without stopping. "Another tankard please Yon." She added.

Yon smirked.

"Tell me all about it." he said soothingly pouring her fresh alcohol into her tankard.

"Thanks," she said hiccupping.

She took a few sips and then explained.

"Well Yon in the palace it's so tough. I miss the Yamani Islands so much. No one treats you like an inferior there, but here it's so much different. Every day I get put down by others because of my gender. I'm told constantly I'm weak and useless. It gets a girl depressed after a while you know." she said rubbing her temples. Yon nodded sympathetically. "I've been getting into more and more fights with the other boy pages and to make things worse my cousin and one of my good friends haven't spoken to each other since mid winter!"

"Ah lass very tough you want another glass?" he asked.

"Yes, but a smaller one please Yon."

Jzet didn't continue again until she took a few more sips.

"Lord Padarig is making us use these blasted swords. We have to keep them on us night and day or we'll be punished. It cuts into my side, Yon. It hurts so badly. I just think back to the Yamani Islands when I could just use a glaive without all of this fuss with technique and strategy." Jzet rubbed her side where her sword was.

"Are ye' training to be a knight lass?" Yon asked.

"Yeah I sure am, sometimes I regret starting training and then there are other days that I just want to prove everyone wrong and achieve eternal glory. You get what I am saying Yon?" Jzet asked and began rubbing her temples.

"Sure do lass I get that feeling every day." he said sarcastically. But Jzet was too drowsy and drunk to catch on.

"And then I have this boy problem. Not the mean boy problem I mean romantic type boys." said Jzet. "Michael he's a nice kid don't get me wrong, but it's just you can't just date your best friends brother now can you?"

"Never tried lass," Yon said chuckling.

"I want to get to know Michael more, but he's a fourth year page and he's leaving in two months to become a squire." said Jzet feeling absentminded. "It pretty much feels like Mithros cursed me when he put me on this land, Tortall."

"You sound homesick to me lass." said the bartender. "Another glass?"

"A shot would be nice." Jzet said. "Something to calm the nerves is good."

"Anything to calm the nerves is good." mumbled Yon pouring the shot into a small glass. He handed it to Jzet and watched her gulp it down.

"I'll have to cut you off lass. You're obviously not twenty one." he said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Yeah I know, its ok Yon." said Jzet grinning lopsidedly.

"Any more troubles you want to relieve?" he asked.

"Yeah well I've been just troubled the last few months, Yon." said Jzet. "I feel like it's all my fault the king and queen are dead. I was the one who got hurt saving Michael so we couldn't come home quick enough. If I didn't get hurt so many lives, so many people and families would be together and alive. They haunt me Yon they truly do. I feel as if I was their deaths. I'd rather be dead than have all those young men die. My friend Kearney his cousin died Yon and he was so oh so sad, he was so young to. Full of hope and joy and determination, and I just ruined it all!" Jzet shouted banging her fist on the table half blinded in tears. Other people turned and looked at her like she was crazy.

Suddenly an enraged voice boomed through the bar.

"Yon I leave you with her for a half an hour and you get her drunk and she's half blinded in tears!" shouted Sir Alan looking furious.

"Sorry sir, but she asked for a drink." said Yon giving a half hearted smile.

His smile was not taken warmly by the livid Sir Alan.

"It's ok sir I'm really quite fine." said Jzet wiping her eyes. "I needed to talk to someone like that for a long time."

"No you're not ok I can see it clearly. I am sorry Jzet about taking you in here. We shall leave now." said Sir Alan bitterly.

"But sir it's not his fault-" Jzet began, but was cut off.

"I said let's go Queenscove." said Sir Alan loudly.

Jzet hung her head as she exited the bar hearing the words:

"Hey come back here you need to pay for that!"

"I'm so sorry Sir Alan." said Jzet feeling ashamed.

Her Yamani masks began to falter because of her drunken state and she broke out into soft tears.

"Stop crying girl it isn't your fault." said Sir Alan lifting her up on the horse.

"I just am such a bad person." cried Jzet. "Can someone just help me?"

And with that she fainted from being so drunk and fell off the horse and onto the ground.

"Jzet, time to wake up Jzet." a familiar voice called her.

Jzet groaned as she opened her eyes.

Everything was moving weirdly making her dizzy.

She clamped her eyes shut and groaned.

"Yes you had a bad hang over anyone can see that." said the same voice.

Jzet opened her eyes again to see everything was clearer.

Her father was sitting by her bed side.

He looked terrible. His hair was sticking up in many places and the bags under his eyes were obvious.

"Hey Da'," Jzet said grinning.

"Welcome back Jzet," said her father leaning over and kissing her forehead.

"Thanks," she said softly.

Suddenly Jzet heard to loud voices from outside her room.

"-drag a Page into a bar in the middle of the night are you mad!"

"Well I had business to handle there. I only left her for a few minutes Padarig and I came back and I found her half blinded in tears." Jzet recognized this voice as Sir Alan. "She is obviously very depressed according to my friend Yon who she relieved her troubles to."

When did he talk to Yon? Jzet thought as she listened to their conversation.

"What do you mean depressed? She looks fine to me." snapped Lord Padarig.

"He told me she feels guilty for many people's deaths." Sir Alan said.

Jzet hid her face in her hands to avoid her fathers questioning gaze.

She heard Lord Padarig sigh.

"I guess I should talk to her."

"She should have received guidance a long time ago." said Sir Alan angrily. "She must have undergone this every day since that attack. The guilt is probably eating her alive. And you never cared enough to notice."

"I knew she was quieter since that day. But I would have never guessed depressed." said Lord Padarig lamely.

Sir Alan mumbled something Jzet could not hear.

"And when are you suddenly so engrossed in her affairs Sir Alan?" accused Lord Padarig.

"Well when I found her in the middle of Corus half frozen." snapped Sir Alan. "What was she doing there can you answer that?"

"I don't know. She had the day off today." said Lord Padarig. "She never told me of her affairs in the city."

"Well maybe you should become more familiar with these affairs." drawled Sir Alan.

"Are you telling me I don't know how to do my job Sir Alan?" questioned Lord Padarig dangerously.

Even from inside her room Jzet could feel the tension.

"Well yes Lord Padarig maybe I am." said Sir Alan.

"Well maybe you should stay away from Page Jzet and this whole academy." retorted Lord Padarig. "You are a knight Alan you do not need to concern yourself with her affairs. People will talk, you know that. You really should leave the girl alone. Why should you be so interested in her life?"

"Maybe I want to take her as my squire one day Lord Padarig." growled Sir Alan. "You ever think of that?"

"I think you are a liar Sir Alan. No young knight would take a girl as his squire the conservatives would be furious!" Lord Padarig exclaimed.

"The late King Jonathan took my Ma' as his squire when he was only eighteen." said Sir Alan. "And he knew she was a girl!"

"So, things were different then Alan. People thought she was a boy not a masquerading girl." said Lord Padarig. "Leave now Alan before anyone else gets a whiff of this. You shouldn't come back here for a while."

"I'll leave Padarig, for now." said Sir Alan. "But I'll be back in three years Padarig you'll see."

The footsteps down the hall signaled Sir Alan had left.

Jzet heard Lord Padarig sigh and then a click of the door.

She quickly closed her eyes shut.

"I'm assuming you heard that all Queenscove?" Lord Padarig said to her father.

"Yes," said her father shortly.

"Is she awake?" asked her training master.

Jzet began to pray silently to Mithros her father wouldn't give her away.

"Yes,"

Jzet cursed under her breath.

"Open your eyes Queenscove no use pretending you're asleep." ordered Lord Padarig.

Jzet groaned and opened her eyes.

Lord Padarig stood their looking like her father, bags under his eyes and looking very disheveled.

"What were you doing in Corus last night?" Lord Padarig asked sharply.

"Visiting a friend." answered Jzet simply.

"Who's your friend?" Lord Padarig asked.

"I can't tell you." Jzet said. She did not wish to reveal her secrets to her father and her training master.

"And why not?"

Because it's in a need to know bases and you don't need to know. Jzet thought smirking. She wished she could say that.

"Because I just can't," replied Jzet.

"I see." Lord Padarig said.

Silence.

"Sir Nealan maybe we should talk to Jzet about her little depression problem." suggested Lord Padarig.

"Yeah Jzet I want to know what's the matter with you this instance." her father said his tone serious.

"It's just hard to explain." Jzet said keeping a straight face. "I feel so guilty."

"Well you should know that if you hadn't saved Michael we wouldn't have known about the attacks in the first place and Michael would have probably died." said Lord Padarig. "You did a good thing Jzet and one day you'll be happy you saved Michael. The god's will reward you."

"But Kearney's cousin and all those soldiers they all died because I was stupid and got myself hurt." said Jzet keeping her Yamani mask on tighter than ever. She wished not to cry in front of her training master.

"Well if Michael never got himself hurt in the first place you would have never gotten hurt." said her father.

"Uh what did you just say?" Jzet asked slightly confused.

"His point is it's time to forget about these things Jzet and move on." said her training master firmly. "You'll do great good for this kingdom and will redeem every single one of those that fell on that day."

They all did the sign of evil against their chests.

"You really think so?" Jzet asked.

'"I know so Queenscove." said Lord Padarig meeting her gaze squarely. "You're a strong girl and a talented warrior. I just want you to realize that and not let the past cloud up your future."

Jzet nodded comprehending her training master's words.

"I understand sir." said Jzet firmly.

"Good I know you would." said Lord Padarig. "Now get some sleep. I expect you to train after a days rest."

Lord Padarig got up and saluted her father and herself and then exited.

"You make me so proud Jzet." said her father stroking her hair. "You'll be a so much warrior than me."

Jzet was about to disagree when her father put his finger to her lips.

"Shush it's very true, now get some sleep."

Jzet smiled and then drifted off to sleep.

Jzet looked to her right to see a man running around the corner. She sighed and tore off after him.

The sound of a battle was now very distant as she ran faster.

She caught up to the man as he entered a room. He shut the door behind him and locked it.

Jzet's fingertips turned emerald green and she shoved her magic into the lock exploding it.

She entered the room to find it pitch black.

She quickly recited the word for light and the room brightened up.

There standing on top of his throne was the Fitrakis Zulch. He wielded a sword that looked threatening to Jzet.

"Prepare to die girl."

Then at that moment Jzet woke up in a cold sweat pondering the dream she just witnessed.

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