Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.

Summary: Don't judge a book by its cover...or a knight by their rumors... A lesson Peridan and his family learned as they adjusted to their new life in Narnia.

A/N: This is part of my A Light in the Darkness universe. I recommend reading the main story arc (Awakening, Shadowed, and Revealed) first, but you can give this one a whirl on its own too.

Chapter Eighteen

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1 Fairdawn 1006

Tarrin bent over, panting as he watched Dame Sepphora use her knives to dislodge Sir Peter's shield and then to slip her hand in the gap and declare him dead. The General had assigned the Kings and himself to attack Dame Sepphora as a group but she had tripped King, err, Sir Edmund almost immediately, throwing off their attack. Basically, she had just picked them off one by one. The General finally moved from where he had been observing their slaughter and scanned them. Tarrin quickly straightened and tried not to pant as the General's attention fell on him for what seemed like hours before he looked at the kings. "You must fight as one. Wolfsbane, How, your shieldwork was the sloppiest it has been in months. Dame Sepphora used a blatant trick to trip you, How. You should have stayed closer to Peridanson. All three of you will visit the points of the compass."

Tarrin exchanged a weary look with the kings, but they obediently took off their helmets, shields, and swords before going to the line Dame Sepphora had helped the General delineate by taking a position directly opposite of him. The General thundered, "Run!"

Tarrin tore out after the kings, still struggling with how to run without running so fast he wore himself out on the first tower and not having enough energy to run to the other three towers. Still, in spite of his best efforts, Tarrin was panting and lagging far behind the kings when they finally reached the fourth tower. A large Raccoon passed him, chuckling, and then a group of kittens pounced down the stairs, pausing to look at him as he crawled to the top and giggling before one of the kittens decided to bite his fingers. Tarrin somehow found the breath to give a half-yelp, startling the kittens, who then scampered down the stairs. By the time, he finally reached the top of the tower, King Edmund was sprawled facedown on the floor while King Peter was leaning against the wall. King Peter half-raised a hand, "You made it, Tarrin."

He nodded, not being able to gather the breath necessary to speak as he sat down hard and dropped his head between his knees. King Peter seemed to understand the problem as he looked wearily over to King Edmund who still hadn't moved. "Are you going to get up, Ed?"

King Edmund groaned, "They've killed me, Peter, go on without me."

Tarrin managed to lift his head to stare at King Edmund while King Peter huffed a breathless laugh, "I can't move either, brother mine. Now what?"

King Edmund lifted his head just enough to gasp, "We're doomed." He let his head drop with a thunk and muttered, "Ow."

Tarrin looked at King Peter, who shook his head, "Giving yourself a concussion is not going to get Oreius to let you out of visiting the points of the compass again."

King Edmund didn't seem to care as he rolled onto his back with a dramatic groan, "He's trying to kill us, Peter...and it worked. I'll never move again."

Tarrin's mouth twitched as a smile attempted to appear, but then another voice cut into the conversation, "Then, shall I inform the Queens that you do not wish to join them for a late brunch?" He craned his neck to see Dame Sepphora watching them with an amused look.

King Edmund immediately sat up, "Food?" He scrambled to his feet, "Come on, Peter."

King Peter immediately hurried after his brother. Dame Sepphora smirked, "Boys. Only dying until their next meal is threatened." She glanced down at him and hauled him to his feet, "Go on, Peridanson, you have been released from training as well...and I'm sure you're positively starving too." Tarrin gave a curt nod, being still somewhat winded, and then hurried down the stairs. He was starving...

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"Mother, may I go with you when you join the Queens for tea, please?"

Marsalla looked across the table at Raisa, then nodded, "You may, but do not bother anyone if they're busy."

Raisa nodded happily, "Yes, Mother."

Marsalla turned slightly to see Tarrin shoveling food into his mouth, "Tarrin! Take smaller bites before you choke, young man. And, do try to remember that your father and I have raised you to have good table manners. Not to mention the fact that you certainly don't see the Kings shoveling their food in such an uncouth manner. I want you to aspire to their example."

Her eldest sighed, but straightened so he was no longer leaning into his plate as though he were a starved hooligan. "Yes, Mother. Sorry, Mother."

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Edmund reached for some more toast as he gulped some of the blessedly cool lemonade. Lucy giggled and shook her head, "Narnia's going to run out of toast soon if you keep eating it like that, Ed."

His cheeks currently puffing out from the slice of toast he had just shoved in his mouth, all Edmund could do was shrug as he worked on chewing and swallowing. Unfortunately, Susan turned from the conversation she and Peter had been having about the afternoon's scheduled tea with an ambassador from one of the countries to the south of Calormen before he got very far. "Edmund Alexander Pevensie! How many times do you have to be told to take small bites, chew, swallow, and then eat some more? You have proper table manners, Ed, so use them. Honestly, you're going to choke one of these days, and probably on too much toast too."

He shrugged again as he swallowed the last bit, "I'd die a very happy and well-fed boy, Su."

Fortunately, Peter changed the subject before Susan could scold him, "So, what's this chap want do you think?"

Lucy shrugged as she tucked her bare feet underneath her so she was kneeling in her chair, "He didn't say, but he asked very nicely to have the opportunity to speak to us more privately, so Susan and I invited him to tea. Kat and Oreius are going to be there too. And, so is Marsalla and Peridan, along with a few of our other ladies."

Edmund rolled his eyes, "Let's just hope the ambassador doesn't do anything that will set Kat off." He paused as he munched on another slice of toast before asking, "What are the chances of tea occurring without any complications?"

Peter shook his head, "Minimum."

Susan spoke at the exact same time, "Don't talk with your mouth full, Ed. Honestly!"

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Raisa trailed her parents, forcing herself to walk at a properly sedate pace, but she was so excited to see an ambassador and all four of the royals at once too. She didn't often accompany her mother when she attended the Queens as a lady-in-waiting, and especially not when the Kings were also present, since she was usually busy completing her studies or in the library. She smiled and gave a little wave as they passed a Centaur who was one of Stonebrook's sons. He smiled and gave a slight nod in return before they turned the corner and Raisa lost sight of him.

They entered one of the larger beautiful garden areas, which happened to be just in front of a huge maze, and Raisa peeked around her parents to see the Four were already present as was the strega. She glanced at her father, but he had already moved to speak to the General while her mother beckoned slightly for Raise to follow as she glided to a place just beside Queen Susan and Queen Lucy. She hesitated half a moment but remembered that Aunt Bellissa had said that witches always knew when someone was afraid of them or lying to them and then she had read that book, which confirmed just about everything her aunt had told her. And, Father had said that she mustn't let the strega know she's afraid too. And it wasn't as though she would do anything to her in front of all these people, especially since the ambassador was coming- Oh, the ambassador! She wondered what the ambassador would be like, after all, she had heard her parents discussing the fact that ambassadors had started coming to the Cair out of hopes of wooing Queen Susan since she was sixteen. Maybe he was a very handsome, wonderful man who wouldn't try to take Queen Susan from Narnia but instead stay in Narnia so as to be near her and her family always. She wondered if he was tall and very handsome like her Aunt Adaira's husband whose ship had wrecked off the coast of Archenland and he was originally from the lands south of Calormen. Eager to know if she was right, Raisa turned to ask Queen Lucy about the ambassador when a Faun entered the garden and bowed, "The ambassador is here, your majesties."

Queen Lucy beamed at him as she poured some tea into a dainty cup and handed it to him, "Thank you, Mr. Tumnus."

Raisa thought Mr. Tumnus looked a little discomfited as he accepted the tea before a man walked into the garden. She perked up for a moment, but only until she saw him. He was short, barely taller than Queen Lucy, and fat, not comfortably so like her Grandfather or King Lune, but very uncomfortably since he was sweating terribly and looked completely out of breath. He bowed his head then gratefully took a seat on one of the wooden benches, which creaked ominously as he pulled out a strongly scented handkerchief that caused the Talking Animals to sneeze and dabbed at the rivulets of sweat running from the very top of his bald head down to his triple chin. Raisa hid a frown behind her teacup, like her mother had taught her, as she wondered if the ambassador was running late and had sent this man to convey his excuses. Because surely this couldn't be-

Mr. Tumnus cleared his throat, "Your majesties, Ambassador Chedorlaomer Wahshehah."

The wooden bench creaked even more ominously than before as the ambassador shifted forward slightly to accept the cup of tea Queen Lucy had poured for him, "Ah, I thank you, sovereigns of Narnia, for agreeing to this more private meeting. You have most pleasant weather here as well. Ah, but that is not the point of this meeting, merely an observation. My party has delivered the trade agreements between my homeland and your fair country, another observation I know, but we are always seeking to strengthen our ties with our trading partners. And, personally, I myself have never seen such beauty as that found among the women of Narnia, particularly among the unmarried women of Narnia."

Raisa glanced wide-eyed at the Four, Queen Susan looked faintly dismayed and Queen Lucy was wide-eyed while the Kings were watching the ambassador with a slight wariness. Her father also looked wary while the General loomed silent from his place between the Kings and her father, giving no hint to his thoughts. Her mother and the other ladies-in-waiting were all watching the ambassador. Raisa darted a glance at the strega who was standing on the other side of Queen Susan, but she merely tilted her head slightly. The ambassador smiled and leaned forward, causing the wooden bench to emit the most ominous creak yet, as he hefted himself to his feet and approached them. "You see the point, most gracious majesties, yes? I should like to ask if this most beautiful woman before me would be willing to wed me as a political alliance between our two countries." He reached out toward where Queen Susan and the strega were standing. Raisa's mouth dropped open before she remembered to close it, but everyone else looked just as shocked when the ambassador grabbed the hand of the strega instead of Queen Susan's hand. "Most beautiful woman, I ask that you agree to this marriage and become my fifth wife."

The ambassador looked so odd standing there gazing up, rather far up, at the strega who stared at him, "Did you say fifth wife?"

"Yes, but I do believe you could please me enough that I would be most willing to make you my principal wife, Lady Katerina." The strega...Lady Katerina tried to tug her hand away, but the ambassador wouldn't let go. "In fact, I might be able to promise should you provide a much needed son and heir-"

"No." Raise nearly jumped out of her seat from the sharpness of Lady Katerina's tone. She wondered if she was getting ready to put a spell on the man as Lady Katerina prevented the ambassador from interrupting, "No, absolutely not. Ambassador Chedorlaomer Wahshehah, I must inform you that I do not, and never will, consider any marriage proposal that involves numbers, the phrase 'principal wife,' or promotions. Now please release my hand." The ambassador didn't let go, instead Raisa was almost certain he tightened his hand, but it was hard to see far enough around his side to know for sure. Lady Katerina didn't cast a spell, at least she didn't cast one on the ambassador because there was suddenly a knife in Lady Katerina's other hand, which she rested against the ambassador's triple chin, "I said. Let. Go."

The ambassador released Lady Katerina's hand and she removed her knife. Raisa noticed that her father had a hand on the hilt of his sword, and in that brief second, Lady Katerina's knife had vanished again. The High King cleared his throat, "Ambassador, We are afraid Narnia is currently unable to enter such an alliance as you proposed."

The ambassador nodded and stepped back before bowing his head, "Yes, and it is understood as to why, though it never brings harm to ask after possibilities." Raisa sat back as Lady Katerina whispered in Queen Susan's ear, received a slight nod, and then left the garden. The conversation after that was interesting but also somewhat unexciting. Not another word was mentioned about marriage proposals or Lady Katerina's behavior until the ambassador finally left with the intention of sailing for his home on the evening tide.

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Katerina finished pouring the drinks and then handed Oreius his as he walked through the door, "I don't want to talk about it."

The Kentauri smirked, "You do not?"

She shook her head, "Nope."

He looked at his drink and then raised an eyebrow at her, "Wine, Alambiel?"

She sipped hers and then rolled her eyes, "Tonight called for wine as opposed to coffee. That was...unbelievable." Katerina shrugged, at a loss for words, before she leaned her head against her hand, "Why me? Why am I the one who suddenly has more undesired proposals than you could shake a stick at?"

"Well, they have been telling you that you are beautiful, perhaps that is why."

"Empty flattery. And, I can't decide what bothered me more. The fact that he had the gall to ask me to be his fifth wife, with the possibility of promotion no less, or the fact that him asking me to be his fifth wife means that there are four other women married to this man."

He chuckled, "I believe I found both factors to be equally...unsettling."

"Well, unsettling is one way to put it. Although, you're right, both bother me greatly. Especially since I can't figure out why he fixated on me..." She took another drink then lifted her head, "I've got it! It's Murphy. Don't laugh, listen. Murphy has decided to plague me with the annoyance of suitors and all those diplomatic issues that accompany them as revenge for not sinking when I was on that thrice-accursed ship from Murphy's harbor. Oh, it all makes sense now."

Oreius just laughed and then, to Katerina's personal relief, allowed the subject to be changed to a debate over an upcoming assignment that she did not want. She won the debate.

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2 Fairdawn 1006

Tarrin eyed the bucket skeptically, "Are you sure about this, King Edmund? I mean, how are we even going to achieve this one?"

King Edmund smirked, "Don't worry, Tarrin, Peter is going to be the distraction and he's not going to do so until after she's run her bath."

"But, we've never tried to play a prank on her before and how do you know she will even react like you want?"

King Edmund clapped him on the shoulder, "Peter and I have been trying to play a prank on Kat that would make her react like our sisters and other girls do almost as long as we've known her. She has yelled at us because of pranks, chased us because of pranks, beat us up in the training yard because of pranks, but she has never screamed because of a prank. Never. This will change that, I'm sure of it. Now all we have to do is wait for Peter to get Kat to go into her study."

Tarrin gave the bucket and its contents another skeptical look, but before he could protest again, King Edmund hissed from where he was standing at the cracked door. "All right, Peter's knocked on the door and Kat's letting him in. Come on and be careful not to spill."

They grabbed the bucket and carefully walked as fast as they could across the hall to Dame Sepphora's quarters. Tarrin could see her study door was cracked open just enough that they could see she had her back to them as she asked, "And, just what documents do you have that would require my signature on Seventhday, Peter?"

King Edmund pushed the bedroom door open slightly then they squeezed into the room, still being careful not to make too much noise or to spill the bucket. Tarrin didn't even have the time to glance around her room since his heart was pounding in his ears and King Edmund immediately ushered them into the bathroom. The tub was full of slightly steaming water and soap bubbles. King Edmund grinned and whispered, "Perfect." Tarrin helped him set the bucket against the edge of the tub and watched as the contents of the bucket slid into the water and disappeared almost immediately underneath the layer of bubbles. King Edmund led the way out, but froze when he reached for the door.

Tarrin's heart nearly stopped as he heard Dame Sepphora's voice coming closer and King Edmund whipped around and pointed to the bed. They quickly scrambled underneath the bed not even a full ten seconds before Dame Sepphora opened the door, "Peter, it's Seventhday. Go do something like pester your brother or cause your guards a conniption, just please leave me alone so I can have a nice bath and then get on with my own plans for today." Tarrin held his breath as he watched Dame Sepphora's bare feet pad across the room but she didn't immediately go into the bathroom. Instead, he could hear her opening and then shutting the doors to her wardrobe, and then just as his lungs began burning from holding his breath for so long, she finally padded into the bathroom and shut the door.

After waiting a few moments to make sure she didn't come back out immediately, they quietly scooted out from under the bed and tiptoed out of her bedroom. But, they hadn't even reached the main doors to her quarters before a piercing scream rang out behind them. King Edmund looked gleeful until the main doors slammed open and the General came in with the High King. Before the General could question them, however, Dame Sepphora shouted, "Edmund!"

Her bedroom door slammed open. She stalked out, wearing a robe and leaving behind wet footprints, and grabbed King Edmund by the ear. "You! You get that bloody thing out of there. Now!"

She dragged King Edmund by the ear back to her bathroom, completely ignoring his yelps, "Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!" When King Edmund stopped saying "Ow," Tarrin guessed that Dame Sepphora had let go of his ear.

The General looked confused, "Thing?" Then, his gaze fixed on Tarrin and the General scowled as he folded his arms over his chest, "Peridanson, what thing did King Edmund put in Dame Sepphora's bath with your aid?"

Tarrin gulped and scuffed the carpet with his boot before he answered, "An eel, one of those really big ones."

King Edmund came back out, sleeves and front of his tunic completely soaked, clutching the large, wriggling eel until he reached where they had dropped the bucket when the General had burst through the door and deposited it back into the bucket. Dame Sepphora appeared in the bedroom door and glared at them as she quietly stated, "Don't you ever bring one of those things near me again. And, if you ever put an eel in my bath again, I will string the lot of you up by your ankles and leave you hanging from a very high tree branch. Now get out."

Tarrin didn't wait. He hurried for the door as the High King helped King Edmund carry the bucket back out. He could still hear the General ask, "Why did this prank actually bother you?"

"Because it was creepy, Oreius."

"Creepy?"

"Well, how else am I supposed to describe finding an eel slithering around in my bath?" Dame Sepphora sounded very annoyed as she hissed, "And, I despise those nasty creatures so I definitely do not want one of them, a huge one of them to be precise, slithering around in my bath and touching me." As Tarrin and the Kings continued to beat a hasty retreat, he couldn't help the feeling that Dame Sepphora was going to devise something terrible to get revenge on King Edmund...and him too.

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8 Fairdawn 1006

Peridan was eager to get home. Even though he had been surprised and honored when the General assigned him to be amongst the small group of soldiers accompanying the High King as he went to settle a minor squabble between a family of Bears and a Hyena family in person, he still missed his family. But, he also hoped the assignment meant that his place amongst the soldiers of Narnia was being solidified. Finally, Cair Paravel's gleaming walls appeared, the royal banners flying...

Peridan frowned in confusion when he realized that more than the High King's personal banner was rolled up, so was the Gentle Queen's, the Valiant Queen's, and, as they watched, the Just King's personal banner was also rolled up. The feeling that something was amiss swept over him and he looked at the General and the High King. The General flicked his tail but never said a word, while the High King frowned slightly, "It looks as though we should use caution approaching the Cair."

The General gave a curt nod, "Indeed that is the best course to take until we know what is going on."

The gates of the Cair were standing wide open and none of the guards could be seen in their proper places, but they could hear the distinctive ringing of metal against metal. When they could finally see the courtyard, Peridan stifled a gasp of horror. Soldiers lay scattered everywhere, including Tarrin who was kneeling by the Just King. The Just King was struggling to get back up, and then she came out of the training yard, sword in hand. Dame Sepphora called out, sounding more than a little piqued, "How many times do I have to kill you before you stay dead?"

Tarrin leapt to his feet, clutching his sword and attacked her head-on with a shout. Peridan's heart stopped as he watched Dame Sepphora parry with ease and then jerked Tarrin closer, running him through and letting him drop to the courtyard. His son. No! Peridan immediately dismounted and ran for them, taking care not to step on any of the fallen Narnians. But, Dame Sepphora took her blade and then drove it point first into King Edmund as he lay helpless on the ground, she knelt blocking his sight of the actual blow, but the Just King jerked and then went still. And then she smiled, "Look's like I won."

Fury nearly blinding him, Peridan unsheathed his sword and struck out at Dame Sepphora as she rose to her feet. She turned and met his strike, parrying it aside. Again he slashed at her, but this time she caught the edge of his blade with her own and pressed back, effectively locking their blades. She met his eyes and Peridan knew she saw his intent as her eyes widened almost imperceptibly. Then, she hissed, "Edmund!" The Just King of course did not answer and Peridan wondered if a sliver of conscience had wiggled its way into her cold heart. Then, she hissed again, "Edmund! I can't get you to shut up and die for five hours and now you want to stay dead?"

She had lost her mind. That was the only answer. Peridan pulled back, allowing their blades to slide free of each other, and then he slashed low, aiming for the slight split in her chainmail just below her cuirass, which would allow him to land a blow to one of her dominant arteries. She blocked him and again forced his blade up and away from her body. Then, she kicked the Just King in the hip, "Edmund! Now!"

Peridan heard alarm in her voice and tried to press his advantage, but then another blade blocked his strike. He looked up to see the General, who stated, "Hold. This training exercise is over. Go back to your assigned duties."

At the same time, King Edmund sat up, "You said to shut up and stay dead, Kat. Besides they were just flesh wounds earlier."

Dame Sepphora sheathed her sword and then smacked the Just King on the back of the head, "It was a coup and your "flesh wounds" were fatal from the first time I declared you dead to the last. So just why were you continually trying to get up and cause me grief? Furthermore, I wanted you to shut up and die during the coup, not when someone thinks it's real." She shook her head and then stalked back toward the armory, muttering as King Edmund followed her.

Peridan watched in disbelief as Tarrin also stood up and joined King Edmund, who clapped him on the back, "Good show, Tarrin. You lasted much longer than Peter and I did the first time Kat started a coup."

He met the General's gaze and finally removed his blade, sheathing it as the High King called out, "Someone tell whoever Kat put in charge of the banners that the training exercise is over and all four of us are home."

The soldiers who had formerly been either victors or victims all hurried to assume their normal duties, leaving Peridan to stare at the General as they stood in the middle of the almost deserted courtyard. "Training exercise?"

The General gave a curt nod as the royal banners were unfurled, "It is Sixthday and I was not present, so Dame Sepphora apparently chose to start one of her coups."

Before Peridan could react to that incredulous piece of information, the General motioned for him to accompany him to his study. But, once the General had shut the door, he did not hold back. This time he wanted answers. "General, I respect you immensely, but why do you permit such insolence from Dame Sepphora? She is irreverent in her speech and manners toward you and every other superior officer, not to mention her disrespectful manner of interacting with the Four, particularly in regards to her refusal to address anyone by their appropriate titles. She has no concept of proper protocol not only in regards to her superiors but also in her actions toward ambassadors and other diplomatic parties. And, she is rumored to be a witch both in Narnia and in foreign courts. These rumors go so far as to call her the Strega of Narnia, my d-, one of my children actually witnessed her mixing a potion while muttering a spell. I had not been convinced entirely but if she is a witch, how is it the Four captured her loyalty? Should she not be suspect from that fact alone? And, yet, she is permitted to carry out coups as a training exercise? Forgive me, General, but I do not understand in the least."

The General gave him a stern look, "Dame Sepphora is not like others in the army or in the court. She has earned my respect and she has earned the respect and love of the Four. Her manner is unconventional, yes, but what you see as irreverence and disrespect is quite the opposite. Those she regards as friends and trustworthy, she does not address by their titles save on rare occasions, such as when the situation absolutely requires her to address the Four by their titles or when she is angry with us. Calling us by our names, or any other appellations she has dubbed us with, is a sign of her respect and friendship. She does not follow conventional protocol but she has earned the right to chose not to do so, especially since there are very few who are her superior by rank aside from the Four and myself. Her treatment of the ambassadors is not always quite so undiplomatic as you have personally witnessed...and her behavior toward the Sisemaalian party was not nearly as outrageous as we had feared considering that she was also captured with the Just King by the Sisemaalian mercenaries under Heikki and Hendrik and received worse hurt. One does not permit Dame Katerina Alambiel Sepphora to do anything that she sets her mind to, but there are guidelines that she usually follows. The coups? They are a useful training exercise for the possibilities of an attack from within the Cair's walls. But, she never means to overthrow the Four. She loves them as if they were her own family and she also is not ambitious enough to desire to rule a country."

The Centaur leaned forward slightly as his tone darkened, "I say this last only once, so heed my words closely. Dame Katerina Alambiel Sepphora is not a witch. She has never been a witch and her loyalty was not captured, but mutually earned. The rumors in the foreign courts are out of our control to stop, but they should not be heeded by any who live here in the Cair. Those who still mutter about spells and enchantments are stubborn fools who refuse to acknowledge the truth of things. She does speak other languages, particularly one she calls Irish, but she does not perform spells. I will not tolerate you or anyone else bearing the rumors. As I said when you first requested permission to serve in a military capacity, no one, be they Human, Animal, Magical Creature, or Plant, male or female, will be treated with scorn or malice without an accounting being required. However since your scorn for Dame Sepphora seems to arise from your unfamiliarity with her, I am ordering you to attempt to get to know her or at least try to understand why she does things in such a unique way. I require you to work together and Dame Sepphora has already agreed to give you the chance to earn her trust, if only because you have already earned mine." Peridan bowed his head and turned to leave but stopped when the General continued, "You should know, Peridan, that the only reason I was willing to give you a chance is because of Dame Sepphora's being such a trustworthy, if cheeky, addition."

He didn't know what to say, or even think, about that, so he merely bowed again and then left. Peridan rubbed a hand over his face. Perhaps he had misjudged the reason why Dame Sepphora was so...irreverent, but it would be difficult to look past that immediately. He also needed to sit Raisa and Marsalla down and instruct them not to refer to her as the Strega again. He did not think the General would tolerate another outburst like Peridan had just demonstrated. But, tomorrow, though, he would take his family away from the Cair for the day...and away from Dame Sepphora. Yes, that is when he would discuss things with them.

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A/N: Please Read and Review! Only a few chapters left, so don't forget to vote in the poll on my profile about what I should write next. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this one.