Alanna would always remember this night for two reasons. The first reason being that it was the day Jonathon met Delia of Eldorne. The second being it was the day Andrea met the Duke of Conté. The banquet had started off normally enough. Alanna arrived and hid in a window seat so that she could see all that happened. Andrea arrived 20 minutes later dressed in a gown of deep red with gold accents that had a low neck line, effectively showing her slender neck. Her hair was pulled up; held in place by gold pins. Alanna sighed wistfully, her sister looked beautiful.

Andrea entered the ball room feeling extremely nervous. Lady Catherine, who insisted on entering with her, laughed and said, "It'll be alright. First banquets can be intimidating. Come we shall be sit over there." Andrea looked where she pointed and saw that Lady Catherine was pointing to seats that there close to the dance floor. The perfect spot if anyone should ask her to dance. Oh dear. Lady Catherine grabbed her arm and led her to the seats.

Once seated Andrea glanced around the room hoping to find Alanna. She noticed Prince Jonathon and several other young men clustered around one chair but no Alanna. Beside her Lady Catherine began to talk about something mundane when Andrea saw a large guy dragging Alanna out from behind a curtain and towards the group of men. Alanna had a sour look on her face. Just as she and the big reached the group of men Alanna's eyes met Andrea's. Alanna mouthed the words 'Help Me'.

Andrea sighed and turning to Lady Catherine said, "My Lady I do hope you'll excuse me for a few moments. I just caught sight of my brother. May I go converse with him?" Lady Catherine frowned and said, "Very well. I have just spotted the Duchess of Raven's Pike. I shall go over and reacquaint myself with her." Andrea nodded and glided over to the cluster of men.

Alanna was standing sullenly before Delia of Eldorne. The girl was very pretty but it was plain, at least to her, that this girl was pure trouble. Delia finished whatever she was saying to Jonathon and turned her lovely green eyes to Alanna. Just as she opened her mouth to say something another female voice cut in. "Alan! Oh my! I wasn't sure if you had made it." The group turned and saw a beautiful girl with her hands clasped in front of her staring expectantly at Alanna.

Alanna breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Andrea. Alanna bowed and said, "Hello Andrea." Andrea curtsied back and said apologetically, "I was going to ask you to dance with me but I see now that you were busy talking. Perhaps later?" Alanna was about to say 'don't be silly, I'll dance with you now.' when Delia stood and said, with a venomous smile, "Well if it isn't Andrea of Trebond. What's a country girl like you doing in the palace?" everyone present could see the look of anger covering Andrea's fine features. Andrea was silent for a moment before saying dryly, "I'm here for the same reason you are Delia."

Delia raised an eyebrow and replied haughtily, "I don't see why they even they let you out of the convent. After all, it was a well known fact that you were at the bottom all your classes." The men, Andrea could see, were greatly enjoying the discussion. It wasn't every ball that two beautiful women argued. Andrea stepped forward and said sweetly, "Funny that I am here isn't it? Seeing as you had to wait till you were what, 17, to leave?" Delia turned a delicate shade of purple and hissed, "You want to play games? Very well," she glanced at the gentlemen and before saying, "Tomorrow I plan to go for a walk. If memory serves me the convent gave classes in archery. Let's see which of us is the best archer. Are you game?"

Andrea felt a grin spread lazily across her face. Delia had no idea what she was getting herself into. Andrea replied, "I am 'game' as you put it. Now, if you'll excuse me I wish to dance with Squire Alan." With a swish of her hair Andrea turned and dragged Alanna onto the dance floor. As the two of them danced Alanna asked, "So you know Lady Eldorne from the convent?"

Andrea nodded and sneered, "That girl thinks she is the best. It's typical for a girl to leave the convent when she is 15 and at the very latest 16. Delia was there till she was 17. What does that tell you?" Alanna rolled her eyes and said, "How do you two know each other? It was obvious that you weren't friends." Andrea sighed and said, "Delia has a reputation for destroying girls who might be better than her. I'll tell you about it later." Alanna nodded and for the rest of the song the two remained silent.

Alanna was leading Andrea off the dance floor when a familiar person appeared in front of them. Stiffening Alanna saw that it was Duke Roger of Conté. His blue eyes settled on Andrea and he smiled. Bowing slightly he said, "Good Evening Alan. I was hoping you might introduce me to your friend." Alanna frowned and wanted to tell the duke to get lost but instead said, "Duke Roger of Conté, this is my sister Lady Andrea of Trebond." Andrea curtsied and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you your grace." Roger bowed back and responded in his usual charming voice, "The pleasure is mine. If I am not being to bold may I have this next dance?"

Andrea blushed lightly as the Duke asked her. Glancing at her sister Andrea was surprised to see that Alanna looked less than happy. What was wrong with her? Andrea mentally shrugged and said, "Of course! Alan, I'll catch up with you later." Alanna glared hard at the Duke's back as he led her sister onto the dance floor. One more reason to hate him. She might have stayed there frowning if Delia of Eldorne hadn't showed up and asked Alanna to dance.

Andrea whirled around with the Duke and patiently answered his questions. The first one was if she really was Alan's sister. The second one being if she was had the Gift. Andrea wrinkled her nose and said, "Unfortunately no. the only magical thing I can do is talk with dogs and under rare occasions submit them to my will." Duke Roger smiled charmingly and said, "You have wild magic. I have seen others like yourself but you're the first that communicates with the animal."

Andrea frowned and asked, "Wild magic? What's that?" Duke Roger explained, "Wild magic is when nature it's self fills you. And unlike the Gift it doesn't exhaust you." Andrea was silent for a moment before saying, "Well that's nice. I'm just confused as to why I didn't get the gift like Thom and Alan." Duke Roger shrugged and said, "That I suppose shall remain a mystery." At that moment the song ended. Duke Roger led her off the dance floor and bowed. "It was a pleasure dancing with you Lady Andrea. Perhaps we shall meet again." Andrea curtsied back and he was gone.

That night Andrea lay in bed thinking of the Duke. He had been very charming and he was extremely handsome. However there was something gong on between him and Alanna. She wasn't sure she wanted to evolve herself with someone that Alanna didn't like. Sighing Andrea looked at where Gaoth lay on the floor sleeping. Why was it that she was the only one without the gift? And how could it be that Thom and Alanna looked exactly alike and she was the complete opposite?

Andrea rolled her eyes and told herself to get a grip. You shouldn't question nature's way. Another thing that bothered her was Delia of Eldorne. That girl was a witch. Okay fine she wasn't a witch but she was evil. Andrea sighed and remembered her early years at the convent…

Flashback

Andrea sat in the window seat of her room. She had been at the convent for a year and she hated it. The first day she had been there she had accidentally tripped another girl, Delia of Eldorne. Andrea had apologized right away and had helped the older girl up but it was too late. Delia had sneered, "You think that you can get away with tripping me? I rule this convent and if I don't like someone then they go away. You've been warned Trebond."

True to her word Delia went out of her way to make Andrea miserable. She told the other girls lies about her and when the teachers weren't around Delia pushed her around. To make things worse Andrea was a bright girl so she excelled in all her classes. The only time she ever found peace was when she escaped to the stables to be with her friend Gustav. He would comfort her and tell her that things would better.

One day when Andrea was 13 and Delia was 15 the older girl played her deadliest trick yet. It was a holiday so the Head Mistress allowed the girls to go to a nearby pond to swim. Andrea had been splashing around with her friend Eloise when out of the shadows appeared three large men baring swords. The girls had started screaming and most of them were able to make it back to the convent.

Andrea had started running back with everyone else when someone tripped her. It was Delia. She grinned wickedly at her and said, "Let's see what the Sisters will do if their star pupil is ravished." She turned and ran after the others leaving Andrea on the ground. Andrea had stood and had taken two steps when a large hand grabbed her arm and yanked her backwards. Andrea had screamed and attempted to pull herself free but it was no use.

The man dragged her back to the pond and Andrea was horrified to see that the other two men had managed to capture Eloise and another girl named Raquel. When her captor saw the other two girls he growled something in a different language and the other two men began to argue with him. Her Captor merely shook his head. Disgusted the other two men released their holds on Eloise and Raquel and one of them said, "you are lucky this time."

They ran and Andrea suddenly found herself being thrown to the ground. The three men crowded around her and gave her lewd grins as her captor began to lift the skirt of her bathing dress. Andrea gasped and immediately began to fight. The men laughed and two of them pinned her arms above her head. Tears rolled down her face as Andrea continued to struggle against their iron holds. Her captor had lifted her skirt and was untying her loin cloth when all of the sudden a sword was protruding from his chest.

His blood spilled onto Andrea as he fell over. The other two men leaped to their feet and before they could draw their swords the man who had killed her captor whipped his sword and sliced both of their necks. Andrea had managed to shove the body off of her and was now standing on shaking legs. She fell forward and someone caught her. Slowly she looked up and saw that it was a young man. his eyes where gray and his hair was a pale brown.

"Are you alright?" His voice was warm. Unable to speak Andrea nodded and huddled closer to him. He patted her shoulder awkwardly and said, "Er…it's alright. I'm Lennox by the way." Andrea pulled away and said tearfully, "I'm Andrea. If you don't mind c-can we go back to the convent?" Lennox blushed and said, "Of course. Forgive me for not taking you back right away. You're lucky that I was in the area. If I hadn't come along this might have ended a little differently."

Andrea shuddered and said, "I'm glad that you came along. What are you doing here? Are you staying at the convent?" Lennox nodded and said, "Yes, I shall be there for a few days. Oh look! There's a rescue party." Gripping Lennox a little tighter Andrea saw up a head of them some of the guards who stayed at the convent rushing to them. With them was the Head Mistress. While Lennox talked with the guards the Head Mistress grabbed Andrea and started walking back with her to the convent saying something about rest. Andrea glanced back to look once more at Lennox. He saw her stare and smiled. Andrea looked forward once more blushing. What was happening?

End Flashback

Andrea yawned and shook her head. The day she had met Lennox had been the best and the worst. Delia needless to say was angry her little plan hadn't succeeded. But after that she had kept away from Andrea until she left the convent two years later. Andrea yawned again and felt herself drift off into sleep.

Hey peeps! I'm so sorry it's taking me such a long time to update. But hey it's summer vacation. And seeing as this is my last summer as a high schooler I need to enjoy it. ; ) lol nah, but I'll try to update faster. Review!