Chapter one

Three years later

Daine wiped away the sweat on her forehead with a smile. "Two coppers?" she asked, holding out her hand to the small child who was cuddling the newly healed cat.

The five-year-old handed her the small amount of money before running out of the inn. "Daine, could you come help me move some of these kegs, now that yer done healin'?" Blitzy asked from the back room.

Daine walked down the familiar backroom to the cellar with a content smile on her face. "Expectin' more people tonight Blitz?" the smoky brown haired girl asked.

"Yeah, I got it on good authority that some Tortallans are comin' to talk with Lord Beckinson." The pregnant woman followed Daine up the steps of the cellar and pushed the large keg up onto the stone floor.

Daine helped her up with a slight frown. "Wha' time are they supposed to be at the mansion?" she asked curiously.

Blitzy shrugged and shook her light blonde hair out of her face. "How'm I supposed ta know? It's not like I pay attention to the life of a noble, unlike some people I know." Daine looked back innocently into her friends soft Gallan features.

"It's not my fault my Gift helps me heal animals of all types," Daine said lightly while still lugging the keg. "Besides, they need me ta help care for the poor beasts that have to transport the ungainly creatures known as humans."

"That's another thing you've never explained," Blitz said while walking into the bar behind Daine.

"What this time?" Daine asked, wondering which part of her past she would have to fabricate this time.

"Yer Gift. It's not like the animal healers in other towns. They're best on a certain species, but you can do anything. I've seen ya in the field out back, letting them crawl all over you. You laugh as though you understand them. And being able to shape-shift inta them? It's not normal." Daine walked to the other side of the counter with a rag and bucket while pretending not to care.

As she passed her caring friend she was stopped. "Daine," the usually happy girl said seriously, "we've been friends for three years. Dave 'n' me just want the best for you."

Daine looked into the bright blue eyes of her friend. She hadn't realized it had already been three years. Three years since she'd witnessed her fiancé cheating on her. Three years since she'd left Tortall. Three years since she'd made a life back in Snowsdale. "I know," Daine said simply, putting on a confused look. "I have a powerful Gift, nothing more. Why do you think I'd lie?"

Blitzy sighed and released the girl's elbow. "Ya won't even tell me where you were from before coming here for two years," she muttered while going in the back to start cooking some more food.

Daine watched her friend go before looking down sadly at the ground with closed eyes. She pushed the conversation to the back of her mind for later tonight, when she could talk about it with the People.

Daine hummed a Carthaki lullaby Numair had once sung to her when she'd been restless. It had been one of her favorites, and had stuck in her mind better than any of the others.

His quiet voice echoed through her head with the words, reminding her of their loving messages.

With a heavy sigh at the strong memory, Daine sat on a bench at the table she was cleaning. Her arm continued to lightly rub over the dirty wood, but there was no strength behind it to truly clean anything.

"Where was that from?" She asked tiredly as she snuggled closer to the warm body behind her.

The arm around her waist tightened and she felt his lips press to her head. "It's the lullaby my mother used to sing to me. It's yours now sweet. It will always be yours."

"I bet it hers now," she whispered fiercely, picturing Varice in their glade under the stars while Numair held her to his chest.

"Daine?" Blitzy asked from beside her. The girl jumped and looked up at her. "Are you feeling ok? Do you want me ta go ta Lord Beckinson and say that yer not well?"

Daine shook her head to dismiss Blitzy as well as clear her mind. "No, I'm fine Blitz, just a little tired. I can manage." Looking outside she noticed that the sun was angled so that it was about time that she left. "Thanks for reminding me. I'll be back later for the night rush," she promised as she rose from the bench.

Daine quickly went up to her room and changed from her tattered brown serving dress to a nicer one she'd made herself. Leaving for the upper town, she passed an empty wagon near the gate. Ignoring it, she hurried the rest of the way. Knocking on the door, the normal footman answered it and led her to the Lord's lounge room. "Ah, yes," came the uncertain, and surprised reply.

"Miss Veralidaine here for the training, sir," the footman said in a bored tone.

"Oh no, did I forget to tell her that it wouldn't work tonight? Oh well, send her in."

Daine bit her tongue and walked inside the lounge and curtsied deeply, like she was supposed to. Her thoughts towards the lord of Snowsdale were not entirely polite, but they rarely were. "If your lordship is busy I could come back some other day," she offered quietly, trying to keep disgust from her voice.

"No, no, it's fine, but you will have an audience that is larger than normal. I've guests, and it would be rude of me to exclude them for a couple of dogs. You don't mind, do you?"

"It is not for me to decide," Daine mumbled, wishing that she could say that she'd rather not. She went from her curtsy to kneeling position to call the dogs to her, refusing to acknowledge his guests, despite her curiousity. 'Hello Danni, Stormwing, how are you two doing?' she asked silently.

'Fine, we missed you though. These newcomers are nice. They gave us treats.'

'I guess you don't really need them from me, then.' Daine brought out some treats anyways and told them roll over, sit, speak, and play dead before holding a hunting conversation with them. They already knew how to hunt, but she needed to earn extra money somehow, so they played dumb for her.

"Amazing how you do that. They won't do anything for me," the Lord said.

Daine just smiled politely. "Daine?" a familiar voice asked quietly.

Looking over, her smile fell into an immediate look of horror. Sitting in front of the Lord Beckinson was George Cooper, Numair Salmalin, and Varice Kingsford. The speaker had been Numair.

Daine's look of horror turned to one of understanding as she looked at George's eyes. They held a triumphant look in them. "Do you know her Master Salmalin?" the Lord asked surprised.

Daine stood up and kept her eyes on the ground. "The dogs have been trained enough for today, they are tired from yesterday's romp. May I go back, sir?" she asked.

"No, stay. I mean, it appears that the Tortallan's wish to know you better. You wouldn't mind her company, would you?"

"Of course we wouldn't," George said with a bright smile. "We would love to have this young woman join us."

Daine blushed furiously in anger and embarrassment as she stepped forward slightly, signaling that she would stay. "Sit, please, Veralidaine. May I present Veralidaine Weirynsra? She has just joined our small village three years ago with barely a memory of who she was. She has progressed rapidly in three years."

Daine sat rigidly across from Numair and next to George. Varice looked as though she had no idea who the new woman was. Daine was willing to bet her entire life in Snowsdale that the woman had no idea that she had been Numair's fiancée. The young woman felt her ex-lover's eyes roaming her body, along with George, and Lord Beckinson's, each with different intensions. "You are lucky to have such a lovely woman in your town. I am sure that her previous home misses her very much," George said calmly.

Daine knew that what he said was true about most of her friends. "I assure you, Your Grace, where I previously came from is in no great shock over my leaving. They are most likely functioning just as well."

"Why do you put yourself down so?" he asked, sipping at the glass of wine that had been given to him some time before she had arrived.

Daine had to play up the person she was in this town, which meant that she was very self-deprecating. "I am of no great importance, Your Grace. What I might have been to my previous home was surely not a lot."

Numair opened his mouth, then thought better of it. Varice on the other hand didn't think, so she could not stop herself. "Yes well, I am sure you are right. George, you had best hope I do not tell your wife that you are such an outrageous flirt when she is not around," she said primly. "The Lioness will most likely be very dangerous indeed. I know I would be if my Numair did such a thing with another woman."

The Lord cleared he throat soundly. "Yes well, if Master Salmalin ever does do such a thing, then he does not deserve you, Miss Kingsford."

Daine's lips jerked upwards slightly, knowing that the harpy wasn't married to Numair yet. The black mage saw this and sat up straighter than he had been, and George, upon seeing this, stiffened also. Daine looked outside nonchalantly and her eyes brightened slightly. "My Lord, I'm afraid I should be leaving soon. I have prepared for guests to come tonight, and I should be there to greet them," she said with a curtsy.

George and Numair stood as well and bowed to her. "Miss Weirynsra, was it? Would you like to accompany us back? We are staying at an inn called The Siren's Call, I'm sure it is near where you are going."

Varice scoffed. "George, you and your chivalry, I'm sure this young woman's inn is on the other side of the village."

"Actually, that is where I work, sir," she said, slightly happy that she could annoy Varice more, but mainly annoyed with herself that she hadn't lied. "But I do not wish to rush you from Lord Beckinson, thank you for your kind offer."

"I insist that you have company, Miss Weirynsra," George said rather forcefully.

"George, if she wishes to travel back alone, then maybe we should—" Numair began, but stopped and shut his eyes tightly. "I have a rather large head ache from riding all day and could do with a bed to sleep on rather than the ground."

Daine's smirk went unnoticed by all but George, who rarely missed anything. "Very well then. We shall see you later tonight, then." Daine looked in George's eyes and saw that he really wanted to talk to her, one way or another. She couldn't run again. He'd find her no matter what she did.

Biting her lip she nodded, "Of course, your Grace."

"Very well, I'm afraid now that that matter is settled, there is nothing keeping you here, your Grace. Daine, you need not attend to the dogs this coming week."

Daine curtsied down to the ground. "Yes My Lord," she said quietly. She backed out of the room with her head down, as soon as the door was closed behind her she stood tall and walked out of the mansion ahead of the Tortallan group.

"Daine," George said, carefully grabbing her hand, he still remembered the last time he'd grabbed her arm.

She jerked away and held her hand to her chest and feigned surprise at the contact. "Your Grace, why would someone so high as you bother yourself with a lowly peasant?" she asked as they passed the pageboy who let them out. He closed the door behind them.

"Daine, it's wonderful to see you again," George said while hugging Daine, who stiffened in his arms.

"Your Grace, forgive me, but I am not comfortable with being hugged by a stranger," she said quietly.

George backed up and looked at her oddly. She looked him in the eyes then glanced at the mansion behind them before lowering her eyes. They couldn't have been seen there, as George knew, but if they were a foot in any direction they would have been seen. "Really George, I've never seen you so improper," Varice said stiffly.

Varice didn't remember her, which was a relief. Daine watched as they got on their horses that had been brought out of the stables. An extra one had been brought out too. Daine swung onto the saddle and relaxed into the once familiar feel of riding a horse. Cloud had died a month after they'd left Tortall, and Daine had spent the rest of the time blaming herself. Of course the pony had been old, but Daine kept thinking that if she hadn't had left and had talked it out with Numair her last family member in the living realms would still be alive.

They were finally out of view of the mansion and George stopped his horse. "Daine," he said calmly.

She looked only at him, not paying attention to the man beside her. "If you're going to lecture me, stop right there George," she said angrily. "I did what I had to, and I regret nothing."

"You could have talked with any of your friends," he said in controlled fury.

"Even if I had I wouldn't have been able to live in the castle and still trust certain people in it," she said coldly. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Numair flinch. "Here is not the place for this conversation. Lord Beckinson has many employees that will do anything to learn about my past," she said calmly while asking the horse to continue towards home.

'Storkman doesn't know how to ride,' the blue roan under Numair complained, making Daine laugh.

"Don't worry, you'll get a treat when we get to the Inn," she assured it out loud.

"DAINE!" a little girl yelled while running up to the horse. It didn't even flinch.

Swinging down she scooped the child up on the tall horse. "Lindsey, are you running away from your sister again?" Daine fake scolded.

"No," the little girl said innocently.

"LINDSEY!" a worried voice called from an open door.

"Uh-oh," Daine breathed. "Looks like we're both in trouble." Getting down off the horse without even waiting to see what her once friends would do, she walked over to the woman. "I saw her in the street and couldn't help talking to her, sorry Elaine," Daine said while holding out the young girl to her older sister.

"It's no problem Daine, I just thought that something might have happened to her. I was cooking dinner and then the next minute she was gone. Thanks for getting bringing her back."

Daine smiled and waved as she left to get back on her horse. "Friends?" George asked calmly.

"Kind of. Mainly just a family that has too many children for their own good, like everyone here." They got to the Inn and all got off the horses, only Varice worried about them when no stable hand came to get them.

"What if they run away? I can't walk all the way to Lord Beckinson's," she complained.

"They won't leave Varice," Numair assured her quietly. It was only the third time he'd spoken since she first saw him.

Daine told the horses to go to the stables as she went inside. Varice tried to stop them, but Numair held her back. "Come on Varice. Let's go get some dinner. I'm sure you'll enjoy a hot bath after that," he said in his sweet mid-range voice.

Daine felt tears prick at her eyes, but she cleared her throat and walked in. "DAINE!" all of the patrons yelled at her as she walked in. She laughed and waved in greeting at the men before going to one in particular and wrapping her arms around him. He reciprocated her embrace by drawing her hips to his.

Daine smirked up at the man and pushed his long blonde hair out of his smooth face. "Where were you? I was worried" he said softly before nuzzling her cheek.

"I was just at Lord Beckinson's. I needed to guide his guests to the Inn. Sorry I'm late," she replied quietly. The crowd, well on their way to becoming drunk, cheered for a kiss, and the pair rolled their eyes and complied with a romantic dip of a kiss.

"Well, that's certainly a way to apologize," the blonde stated with a laugh as they received wolf whistles. He released her and let her go behind the counter to put on her apron as he went and sat at a table filled with men around some card game.

The young woman turned to the three Tortallans in front of her as she dug under the counter for something. "Your room keys," she stated, holding them up for the trio to see; she was all about business when it came to the foreigners. "I assume Master Salmalin and Miss Kingsford are sharing a room," she said tightly.

Numair colored slightly and Varice smiled widely. "Of course we are," she said happily.

George gauged her anger on how white her knuckles were. They were about a seven of ten. "Are you two engaged?" a nosey woman asked from her bar stool

Numair colored a little more. No one would have noticed if they didn't know him like Daine and George did. "Yes, we haven't decided on a date for the wedding yet, but I'm thinking somewhere around the Spring Equinox."

'Eight of ten,' George mused lightly.

"Oh? That's such a beautiful time o' the year. Daine, you take off around that time, right? Ta visit yer family?"

Daine gave a wane smile and turned towards the stairs to the rooms only to find that Jorrain had silently moved from the game he had been observing to standing behind her. "Newcomers are a big deal around here. My name is Jorrain," the blond said with a wide smile.

"Pleasure," Varice said while letting him bow over her hand, and George shook his, as did Numair, if not more than a little stiffly.

"Please, the pleasure is all mine. I'm assuming that you've all met my fiancée," he said happily.

"Oh?" George said, raising his eyebrows curiously. A fiancée had not been in his notes. "Do you have a date?"

"Fall Equinox," Daine said with a tight smile. "Excuse me, Jorrain, I have work to do. If you will follow me to your rooms?" She mounted the stairs and led Numair and George to the top, not noticing that Varice was not with them. "The rooms are connected and there's a lock on the door. Jorrain has put a silencing spell on all the rooms so you won't be able to yell to each other unless the door's open."

"Funny, I didn't see very much power in him, that magic seems more powerful than the boy could use," Numair mused.

Daine stiffened. "He recently had to finish off his reserves to keep some spidrens out of our village."

"Hmm... He doesn't seem like he could hold that much power." Daine practically shoved the black mage into the room as slammed the door shut on George.

"NUMAIR SALMALIN," she yelled when the door was closed. "You of all people should know better than to judge people by their looks! When I first met yeh I though' that yeh were just a street urchin with high to do friends! NOT SOME BLACK ROBE MAGE!"

"Well it didn't help that you met me when I was depleted of all my power," he yelled back.

"Well Jorrain's power is also gone! Besides, yeh shouldn't be gettin' angry with me! I WASN'T THE ONE WHO CHEATED!" she screamed and ran out of the door.

Unluckily enough, George had opened the adjoining door early enough to hear her last comment, but she was already out the door and down the stairs, calming her nerves so that she was more presentable. On her way out she ran into Varice who had stayed downstairs to see what the dinner special was.

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone recognized in this story. Tortall characters belong to Tamora Pierce.