This chapter has been re-uploaded with a small change regarding the technical details of Kenan's present to Kamaria. That's all.

Disclaimer.

After some thought, I decided that the fanart thing is not a good idea. I don't want to be-well-franchising my work. I just don't.

Sorry if any of you have started fanarts; feel free to draw as much as you like, but I'm not going to be inserting any people into the story!

…well, of course people, but not characters you send to me/are. Unless it's by coincidence. There's all sorts of people floating around my subconscious; hence Kenan.

OK, OK, not Kenan, (shut up Kaelin) but hence Jasen. I've noticed a few suspicious similarities to…nevermind.

I'm assuming that Valdemar doesn't have the game Go.

Also, I'm sorry I've been gone so long. I got really, really sick over the holidays, and then I had my semester finals, which took up all my time. So without further ado, welcome to chapter 49!

Kamaria blinked her eyes open slowly and sensed more than saw the glowering presence of Mandel beside her. Carefully, because moving too fast made her head swim, Kamaria looked over at her brother.

"So. You're awake," he said in a clipped tone, "I don't suppose you'd like to explain your little escapade yesterday evening?"

Yesterday. That means I only slept through one night, thought Kamaria in relief, but at a particularly fierce glare from Mandel said, very slowly because her mouth didn't want to move as she directed it, "Alain…needed me. Wanted to go."

Kamaria's younger brother folded his arms over his chest, scowling, silver eyes narrowed in genuine anger. "He needed you," Mandel said in a clipped tone, "You would not suffer irreparable mental damage if you did not go-he needed you. Is that all?"

Kamaria considered several blistering retorts, or would have if she could have thought of any. Finally, she settled for, "…yes?"

Mandel brushed a stray lock of hair behind his ear and folded his arms again. "Allow me to explain something to you," he said in a dangerously level tone, "To rid you of the poison, the Healers used every reserve you had to keep you from dying. Every reserve."

Obviously this was supposed to mean something, but in Kamaria's muddled, sleepy mental state, she couldn't quite grasp it. She settled for blinking a few times at her brother, a puzzled expression on her face.

"Kamaria, you have no energy left," said Mandel forcefully, taking a decisive step towards her, "You have no reserves. There is no energy left in your body but a bare trace-all of it, all of it was used in fighting the morel. Healing energy can only do so much; the rest has to come from your body. You dangerously overtaxed yourself last night, and I'm surprised you could actually get up!"

Kamaria opened her mouth, couldn't think of anything to say, and closed it. "It was stupid," finished Mandel, giving her his best glare, which was quite good, "From this point forward, you are not allowed to even sit up until a Healer deems you ready."

She considered this for a moment. I don't really have any other options, Kamaria thought after a bit, and nodded slightly.

This seemed to mollify Mandel a bit. "You'll need to drink this before you go back to sleep," he said, holding up a cup, "I'll help you drink."

Kamaria found herself in the awkward position of being entirely dependent on her younger brother to lift her shoulders and head, and she drank the potion without complaint. Whatever it was, she felt it exerting a powerful pull towards sleep, and she allowed herself to slip under without a flicker of resistance.

She woke up again as the bell chimed two candlemarks before dinner and sensed Alain sitting near her bed. Startled, Kamaria checked her shields, and found them a mere thread, to her chagrin.

"What's wrong?" asked Alain, seeing the look on Kamaria's face as her eyes flickered open.

"Shields mostly gone," she whispered, "Can't seem to-"

Alain waved away her concern impatiently. "Kamaria, of course you've got thin shields right now, the poison hit your Gifts. Look, can you stay awake for a while?"

"Um-I think so," said Kamaria, cautiously.

Alain grinned widely and shut his eyes for a moment. After a brief mental conversation, presumably with Ramya, he opened them and said, "Here; they left some tea. Don't worry, this actually smells very good."

Kamaria found that she couldn't even make herself sit up, and was forced to resort to asking Alain to lift her and set her against the headboard. Ignoring Kamaria's attempt to reach for the mug, Alain held it to her lips. "Look, you'll only drop it on yourself," he said, reasonably, as Kamaria gave in and sipped.

"Why do you want to know if I can stay awake?" Kamaria asked suspiciously, as soon as she had swallowed. The tea was, indeed, not nearly as bad-tasting as the others had been.

"You'll see," said Alain mysteriously, and held the tea up for her again.

Kamaria's curiosity did not have to wait long for satisfaction, however; the door suddenly opened and in came a flood of people. Kamaria gaped as Edim, Tara, Jakob, Kenan, Kiril, Ruana, Mandel, and Garethe crammed themselves into the room. "Wha-" she began, but stopped dead, unable to finish the sentence.

"What, you didn't think we'd forget your birthday, did you?" said Alain, eyes wide with feigned innocence, as the Trainees, Heralds, and relatives attempted to arrange themselves so they wouldn't be in each other's way.

Kamaria blinked, completely nonplussed, as most of the Trainees took seats on the floor and the Heralds, Garethe, and Ruana claimed chairs. Ruana had brought a lap-harp with her, and Mandel and Tara had brought food.

"Happy birthday," said Alain with a grin, and was echoed by everyone else in the room.

Party games were somewhat limited, since Kamaria was confined to the bed, but somehow a hinds and hounds tournament was set up and duly commenced. Ruana abstained, instead playing her harp for entertainment, but Jasen, of all people, entered late to take the empty spot in the tournament. Several conversations were commencing in the room as Kamaria dueled first Tara, then Edim, then Kenan to determine who would play the last round with, predictably enough, Garethe.

Kamaria, who was playing the hounds this time, found herself having a surprisingly difficult time with Kenan. It wasn't so much that he was an astounding player, it was just that he played somehow…differently from the ordinary Valdemaran style. It was clear his patterns of thoughts were based on an entirely alien strategy. When Kamaria finally asked him about this, Kenan merely smiled and said, "Learning the sword-style I use today gives one many different insights on strategy."

The game went on for quite a while, and the third and fourth places were decided as Jasen waited to duel for second. Finally, Kamaria caught Kenan in a trap and her teacher grinned at her. "Congratulations," he said, unperturbed, and moved off the bed so Garethe could take his place.

Kamaria lost against her father, predictably enough, and submitted to the indignity of having Alain feed her. While she was just barely strong enough to move a hinds and hounds piece, Kamaria knew she probably would be completely unable to lift a spoonful of soup.

At last, according to popular demand from the Trainees, Kamaria began to open her presents. From her father came a beautifully carved hinds and hounds board. "Too bad I didn't open it before the tournament," Kamaria remarked as it was passed from hand to hand.

In a package marked from Sivan was a book about military history, from Mandel a jar of ointment for sore muscles. Edim, Jakob, and Tara had collaborated on a large basket of fruit and honey-cakes, which were passed around as Kamaria shared the wealth.

Ruana presented a carved wooden flute with a bow and a grin, explaining that restoring instruments was part of her training, and it wasn't that large a step to making them. With it was a small book of basic songs.

Kenan's gift, however, was a flat board divided into many small squares, and two small bags, one filled with white stones and the other with black. Kamaria looked at it in confusion. "It's very nice," she said, finally, as Kenan and Kiril exchanged glances and grins, obviously not going to explain until she asked, "Very-uh-smooth stones."

At the chortles this generated, Kamaria winced. "Fine," she said, giving in, "What the hell is it?"

"It's a game," explained Kenan, taking out a black stone, "You and your opponent are both trying to capture the most territory. It's called Go."

Kamaria looked at the board with a great deal more enthusiasm. "So it's a strategy game?" she said, excitedly.

"Yep."

Kamaria's attention was torn away from it, however, by a gift presented to her by Alain. "Happy birthday," he said, as Kamaria opened the package.

The book inside made every Trainee but Alain fall over in howls of laughter, and prompted the Heralds to stifle snickers, for it was a copy of a well-known book of love stories. Kamaria sighed happily as she ran her fingers over the cover, and smiled at Alain, reaching up for his hand.

Alain laced his fingers through hers, and with the physical contact came a sharper clarity of their mental link, more present this day than others, because of the thinness of Kamaria's shields. :How are you holding up? he asked, :Are your shields all right?

:I'm all right for a little longer, replied Kamaria, :The Heralds and our year-mates shield, Mandel's got Healing, and Ruana and Father aren't much of a problem. I…I am getting a little tired, though, she admitted, when Alain quirked an eyebrow.

"So are you Mindspeaking or just mooning at each other again?" asked Jakob, in a too-innocent tone of voice. Alain and Kamaria pinned him with identical scowls.

"She's tired, you rapscallion," retorted Alain, sternly. Kamaria nearly spoiled his image by laughing at the insult he had chosen. "Now, be nice, or I shall chase you away!"

At the 'tired' comment, Mandel stood up with a slight frown and picked his way over the Trainees sprawled on the floor to press his hand lightly against Kamaria's forehead. Kamaria sighed and rolled her eyes at Alain.

"Tired, but not as badly as I expected," said Mandel, with some surprise, drawing back, "You're not near well, of course, but you're recovering much quicker than I thought."

"Lifebond, I'm afraid," drawled Kiril from where he leaned against the wall, "Those lucky two lend strength to each other, and recover twice as fast as us poor ordinary mortals."

Kamaria threw her napkin at him.

Half a candlemark later, a full Healer had come in and chased everyone out, insisting that Kamaria needed rest, but Kamaria hardly minded. It had been, she thought as she obediently drank the tea the woman gave her, a rather fun party.

Kamaria spent the next few days languishing in Healer's, drinking whatever teas they gave her, reading the book of love stories and the book of military history with equal interest, and playing variously hinds and hounds and Go with whoever came to visit her. Garethe came daily, as did Kenan.

Finally, finally, after almost a week and a half, Kamaria was deemed ready to return to classes-however, she was not allowed to take Equitation or Weapons for another week.

Kamaria felt better than she thought she ever had in her life as she walked into Mathematics, a class she normally disliked. It's all proportionate, she thought as she sat down and opened the book, Two weeks ago I would have like to be out of here; while I was in Healers I learned to be happy I'm in here. It probably won't last.

:Kenan says you need your blindfold, love, said Sitara suddenly, and Kamaria jumped.

:Oh, must I? she asked, already knowing the answer and fishing in her pocket, :Are they sure my Gift's recovered enough?

:They're sure.:

Kamaria sighed, but resignedly tied the blindfold around her head. Invoking her Farsight just a little, she settled into the way of seeing Jasen and Kenan had been teaching her; as if she had eyes all around her head.

"Good morning, class!" said their teacher as she entered and closed the door, "Now, who can tell me the answer to the bridge problem?"

I am very very sorry that this is not longer, but I lost the thread of the plot I started before I got sick/swamped by finals, so I just cut it off where it ended. I promise the next chapter will be much longer!

These will probably be the VERY LAST review-responses in the fic. I will start using the review-reply system, most likely. It's just that I got the reviews before the system was UP…anyway, here goes.

SasukeBlade: When I got your review reply, I completely went –squish-. I'm so glad you like this series! It completely touched me. Thank you so much!

-is squishy-

Mad-4-Manga: It because I haven't REWRITTEN the next chapter yet. Yeesh, there's still 26 to do-give me time! In the meanwhile, just bear with it please!

Etcetera-cat: Yep, you're right about the epic… -sighs- And I still need to rewrite. Still, at least I'm having fun doing this, thanks for the review!

Myuu-Foxgirl: …even though I'm not going to insert a character of your choice you may still write a fan-fanfic if you like, and even post if you clear it with me first.

Toodles!