Dear Readers,

The beginning of this story is under reconstruction. When you read a chapter that has nothing at all to do with what you have just read, please keep in mind that is the previous version of the story and I am redoing it as quickly as I can. I apologize for the inconvenience. Some details are being added along the way that you may not find later on in the story. That will soon be fixed as well.

This is Chapter 5, revised.

Thank you and enjoy!

DragonRider2000

6 days.

Melcar leaned up against the doorway and sighed heavily. The bodyguard captain was mentally and physically exhausted. Nothing was right. The castle was in turmoil, the King a raging monster and the Hljodhr Evarinya were barely coping without their heart.

All Melcar wanted to do was sleep; he'd had very little of it in 7 days. But he had to keep going, for everyone else's sake. He had to hold them together. His sanity and theirs depended on it. He sighed and pushed off the doorway, trudging silently down the hall, his head bowed in exhaustion and deep thought.

Dras'leona was close. Taya rode tall on Chester, holding Gypsy's lead rope easily by her side. The sun was beginning to set on the 6th day of her journey, and the crowd along the road leading into the city was chaotic, but it was moving faster than she thought it would.

Taya knew she didn't look glamorous. She had purposefully not cleaned herself or her horses in two days, and she could only imagine what she looked like. If she looked anything like her horses, she was safe from being picked out among the crowd. Considering that her horses were somewhat caked in mud and their manes and tails were scraggly, the two black horses looked nothing like the pristine animals that had lived in Uru'baen.

Taya had discarded her cloak late in the morning so as not to stand out, and she'd made little to no conversation with those few she met and passed on the road. She didn't ride with haste, but she didn't dawdle either.
She'd feel much better when she was through the city gate, which wasn't far now. Maybe another five or so minutes… the city walls loomed above her, but she kept calm. She'd passed under those walls many times before.

Her only worry this particular trip into Dras'leona was possibly being recognized by someone who knew her from Uru'baen, someone like the Katzia's or Breval's. She did not need to try to get out of such an encounter. So her plan was to spend a night or two at an inn that was as far away from the rich manor house district as possible. She'd feel her around until she found the right feeling place.

Taya put a rather bored and tired look on her face as she came up to the city gate with the crowd pressed around her. She was glad her horses were not easily spooked. There were at least 8 guards at the gate, controlling traffic and poking and prodding certain people. Taya had to wait as a cart in front of her was searched, and then two guards looked her over and waved her through, their attention more upon the man with a wagon and a huge crate of chickens on it that was coming up behind her.

Taya carefully maneuvered her horses out of the main crowd and followed a somewhat busy street through the less seedy part of town. She gingerly kept to the outskirts of the center of the city, which was a higher class of living. Taya only felt slightly comfortable walking down the streets, but as she looked for an inn that suited her fancy, she watched the people on the streets as they got ready for the night, and felt a little easier. These people seemed happy and peaceful enough, closing up their little shops and sweeping their porches.

As the sun was beginning to get quite low and the shadows were starting to look a little creepy, Taya wondered if she was going to find a place she liked.

Suddenly she stopped Chester, finding herself staring at a young girl of maybe 16, who was holding the bridle of a horse for a man about to mount. The man in question was talking to an older man who was dressed as if he was someone rather important. Taya ventured to guess that he was the owner of the inn.

The first man mounted his waiting horse and gathered the reins, and he noticed Taya supposedly watching him. He gave her a jovial smile and tipped his hat to her, and rode away at a trot.
Taya's eyes stayed on the girl, though, and she made up her mind. Asking Chester forward she rode right up to the two people standing in the departed rider's wake, and asked rather bluntly,

"Good evening. Is this a good inn where my horses and I will be comfortable overnight?"

"A good inn, you ask? If I do say so myself, it is the best in the world! But I am the owner of it, so it is my duty to say it is the best. But we can certainly make you and your horses comfortable." The man replied, a rather appreciative smile on his face.

Taya nodded with satisfaction. She liked this innkeeper.

"Then I will stay here, sir." She said, and automatically the girl stepped forward and held Chester's bridle as Taya dismounted in a fluid motion.

The innkeeper extended his hand in greeting.

"I am Nacar Tatanya. My girl here will see to your horses, unless you wish otherwise."

Taya gazed for a moment at the girl holding her horse, and her eyes were drawn to the girl's arm that was raised to pet Chester's ears. Her blood seemed to curdle when she found that she was looking at a blistered scar that marked the girl as a slave. Maybe she didn't want to stay, if this man had a slave…

The girl caught her look, and her expression darkened almost dangerously, and she squared her shoulders and raised her chin proudly.

"I am rather particular when it comes to my horses so I will accompany her." Taya said, and Tatanya nodded, although he did give her dirty horses a funny look.

"I will tell my wife and she will make sure there's a room ready for you, ma'am. Just come to the bar for your room key, and the payment." He gave her a slight bow, and stepped back into the inn, and Taya handed the girl Gypsy's lead line.

"Follow me." The girl said, and she led Taya into the stables. Care had been put into the building, Taya could see that. The stalls were wide and roomy, and she guessed that on the outside around the back were paddocks. The tack area was also wide and very clean and organized.

The girl tied Gypsy in front of an empty stall, and Taya followed suit with Chester.

"You must have traveled far." The girl said, and Taya nodded while unstrapping Chester's saddlebags.

"Yes, and cross country. Not for the first time, though."

"Your horses are very well behaved. I'll groom them for you, if you like."

Taya almost felt as if the girl was testing her, feeling her out. She smiled a little. "You may brush Gypsy, and I will brush Chester. I do take pride in my horses, and besides, that would be a lot of work for you."

The girl looked at her sharply. "I'm the stable-hand. It's my job. Do you not trust me with your horses?" She snapped, her green eyes blazing.

Taya was surprised by her tone of voice. She paused in taking Chester's saddle off and turned to face the girl squarely.

"What's your name?" She asked, her voice a little rough. That startled the girl, who answered without thinking,

"Raina."

"Well, Raina, you should know something about me. If I did not trust you with my horses, I would not be letting you handle them, period, even if you were the stable-hand and it was your job. Understand?"

"But why would you trust me?" Raina said mockingly, and Taya was taken aback. The other saw her confusion, and said bitterly,

"I saw the look you gave me when you saw my arm." She brandished her forearm, where the pale slave brand was outlined against her tanned arm. "I know your kind, and how you think of slaves."

Taya gaped, open mouthed, at her, staring incredulously. Raina's hateful expression faltered and Taya knew this girl was trying to be strong and defiant when she really was not. She reminded Taya of someone, but she didn't quite know who.

"I looked at your arm not out of disgust at you, but in disgust of what that brand attempts to imply." Taya's voice was low and intense. "I despise the very symbol of that mark, because no human is any less than another. Slavery is a denial of the essence of human life, a denial of the man's will to be free. That one man can call another his property is wrong. I do not think of you any less than myself or the innkeeper or the man whose horse you were holding when I first saw you. Do you understand me, Raina?"

The girl looked shocked. She stood still, staring at Taya from across Gypsy's back, and Taya could almost see her thinking.

"What is your name?" Raina asked, and Taya answered,

"I call myself Tanyel Cavrona." She had to have some other identity, since Taya Corsallen had to be left behind until she reached the Varden.

"Miss Cavrona, I apologize. I judged you wrongly. It is just… the Tatanya's do not treat me as a slave, or as I have been treated by anyone else since I can remember. They treat me as if I am free, as if I am family. Some people who come through do not treat that way, but most do not seem to care either way. I misunderstood your expression. I am sorry."

Taya smiled again, only this time much brighter. "I accept your apology, Raina, and I am sorry to have distressed you like I did. It was not my intention. Even though we've had a rough start, can we be friends?"

Again Raina looked shocked. Taya doubted that many strangers had ever said or asked her anything of the sort.

"Yes… I think I would like that very much." Raina said quietly, meeting Taya's gaze timidly.

"Good. I have faith in that prospect." Taya replied, and hefted Chester's saddle off and onto an awaiting rack. The horse turned his head to look at her, giving her what she always thought was an appreciative look. She picked up two brushes, and tossed one to Raina, who caught it deftly.

"Nice catch." Taya said, and she started working on brushing the mud from Chester's feet. Raina followed suit, but was a bit more distracted. She kept pausing and watching Taya, who pretended not to notice.
To combat the silence, Taya started talking. She talked about how her journey had been, how she watched the sunrise and sunset each day, the different wildlife that she saw, and especially explaining the birds she'd seen. Raina listened attentively, and Taya wondered what the girl was thinking. How often did she find herself confronted by anyone willing to talk her ear off in a friendly manner? Well, being the stable-hand, maybe that wasn't too unusual.

"There!" Taya exclaimed, and rubbed Chester's face vigorously. "No more mud." She led the horse into his stall and tossed him a few flakes of hay. "Good boy. Thanks." She latched the door, and whispered a spell under her breath that would allow only her or Raina to open the door. She did the same for Gypsy's door when Raina had her settled in her stall.

Taya shouldered most of her gear, but Raina grabbed a couple bags and led her into the inn and to the bar. The girl hadn't spoken more than a few words since accepting Taya's offer of friendship. Taya hadn't given her much of a chance, but Taya had a feeling another layer of the slave girl's defense would soon crumble.

Taya turned her attention from Raina to the two women behind the bar. One was an older woman with graying brown hair, kind eyes, and rather short. She had a towel in her hands and was drying glasses. The second woman was taller, younger, blond haired and brown eyed. Taya thought she looked to be about her own age.

"You must be the young lady my husband told me about." The older woman said, coming over to the side of the counter. A couple men at the bar gave Taya quick looks, but she ignored them and they went back to their drinks.

"I am Niera Tatanya. This is your room key, and your charge is 3 crowns."

"I'm Tanyel Cavrona. It's a pleasure to meet you, Niera." Taya set down a few of her bags in order to count out her payment, and to her surprise Raina scooped up her bags and took the key.

"I'll take all this to your room." She said quickly, and walked off.

Taya's mouth opened to protest in surprise, but she shrugged and handed Niera the three crowns. The blond woman was staring at Taya intensely, and Taya gave her a funny look, wondering why.

"Raina never offers to carry anyone's bags. That's unusual."

Taya shrugged again. "She's a good girl. She helped me put up my horses, and we had a talk."

The blond woman's eyebrows shot up. "Really? You two talked?"

Taya matched her expression, and the blond smiled.

"Sorry. I'm Sasha Tatanya, the daughter. It's nice to meet you, especially since Raina likes you. She's a good judge of character."

"I like her." Taya smiled back, and went after Raina. She didn't see the two women exchange surprised looks.

Raina was just coming out of a room at the end of the hallway, and she grinned at Taya. "This is your room." She nodded her head towards the door. Taya walked in and set the rest of her stuff down on the bed, and looked around. The room was small and simple, with just a bed, a small table with a lantern, and an open closet and dresser.

"It's a nice little room. I like it." Taya said, and Raina beamed.

Taya looked towards the only window in the room and walked over to it, noticing that the roof was only a couple feet down, making her room easily accessible to anyone running along the rooftop. She would have to keep that in mind. It was also a good escape route. She drew the curtain over the window for privacy and turned to Raina.

"I'll be down in the common room in a few minutes. I'm just going to get settled." She said, and the stable girl nodded and left without a word.

Taya locked the door and unpacked a few things from her satchel, including the egg. After some thought, she used her knife to carve out a square in the bed mattress large enough for the egg and set it inside the hole and replaced the mattress piece, fitting it to size. She made sure the bed looked exactly as it had when she came in, and nodded to herself in satisfaction.

She locked the door securely behind her with the key and a muttered spell, and went back downstairs.

Taya sat down at the bar and Sasha brought her a glass of water.

"Do you want anything else?" The blond asked, and Taya smiled.

"Ale will do nicely."

Sasha was back in a moment with the ale, and it tasted delicious to Taya. Sasha leaned her elbows against the counter and inquired,

"So what brings you to Dras'leona?"

"I'm traveling to Feinster. A cousin of mine lives there, and I was desperate to leave Uru'baen. It was home, but there were very few perks to living in the capitol city. My sense of adventure got me moving. Dras'leona is just one of my stops on the road."
She actually did have a cousin in Feinster, on her mother's side. At least, her cousin had lived there seven years before. He could have moved for all she knew. Her mother had only mentioned the man once, in passing. Lenya had never spoken much about her family to Taya.

Sasha nodded understandingly. "If it weren't for helping my parents with this place, I think I'd be gone. It's hard to tell what you'd actually do, you know? I'd hate to leave them, especially Raina, but the older I get the more I want to travel. It's always on my mind. Actually, I have a cousin in Feinster as well. That's not too surprising, I guess, since it's a popular town."

"How old are you, then?" Taya asked curiously.

"20. I could easily leave, but I really don't have a reason to. Not yet. There are more reasons to stay, at this point in time."

"I know what you mean. You will know when the time comes. One day you'll be content to stay, and the next you'll be gone. That's about what happened to me." Taya gave the other young woman a side glance. "Tell me about Raina, if you will."

"I will only if you tell me why she seems to like you so much. Raina has never been friendly to anyone but my parents and to me, and it took her moths to warm up to us. You spent ten minutes with her and you're her best friend." Sasha's expression was intense, and Taya could sense a little hurt in her voice. That encouraged her, because Sasha really did care about Raina as her own person, and not just a slave girl.

"You told me a lot just by saying that." Taya smiled slightly. "I liked her the moment I saw her, but I was furious when I saw she was branded. She thought I despised her, when I actually despise her brand. We had an argument in the stable about her worth, and I explained that she was important. I like her a lot, I just see a lot of pent up feelings and anger. For some reason she felt like she had to defend herself and get pushy with me, and I pushed back in a way she wasn't expecting. She learned quickly."

Sasha looked genuinely pleased and surprised.

"Raina is a good girl. My parents bought her, one, in order to save her from the horrible man who was interested in her, and two, because she reminded my mother of her sister. It was the red hair. But Raina's past is relatively unknown, except that she'd been in slavery since she was very young and she has been all over Alagaesia. She never talks about her slavery days. She doesn't talk very often period. She's 15, for a couple more months."

"She told me that you treat her as if she is family."

"She is!" Sasha exclaimed. "We love Raina. The reason why my father hasn't freed her is because he's worried that someone might think she's a runaway slave. There could be almost nothing worse than that. And she's young."

"Besides you, does she have any friends?"

Sasha shook her head sadly. "No. She did once, though. A friend of mine made it his job to break through Raina's shell. It didn't seem to work, but he never stopped trying. He always considered her a friend, and I know Raina drew comfort from him because he tried so hard. I think she had pity on him, but that was just before he had to leave."

Taya caught the affection in the young woman's voice, but thought it better not to ask.

"I hit a nerve with Raina. She knows she's worth something, and can't stand anyone who doesn't think so too. For some reason she felt as if she could yell at me about it." Taya smiled. "I guess I have a way with people."

Sasha laughed a little, and yet to Taya she looked troubled.

"What?" Taya asked.

"Very few people seem to notice Raina. I'm worried that as she grows up more, she'll become even bitterer at the world and its people. I don't want that. I want her to be happy."

An idea came to light in Taya's mind. But before she could say anything about it to Sasha, Raina walked into the room. She saw Sasha and Taya talking and smiled a little. As she walked over to them, a man sitting at the end of the bar grabbed her by the arm and sneered at her.

"You don't have anything to smile about, slave. You'd better get back to your duties before someone whips you back there."

Raina seemed frozen, in anger or in fear Taya couldn't tell, but she didn't struggle to free herself from the man's grip.

"Excuse me." Taya tapped the man on his shoulder, and glared heatedly at him when he looked at her. The man did a double take at her.

"Let her go." Taya said firmly, her posture every bit of a commanding princess.

Slowly the man released Raina's arm and he turned his full attention on Taya, and a strange light came into his eyes.

"Thank you, sir. Now. You're drunk. If you speak to Raina again like you did, or continue looking at me as you are, I will see you to the door."

"What makes you think I would ever leave you alone, sweetheart?" The drunken man grinned at her, but she merely raised an eyebrow. Her adrenaline was kicking in, though.

"I may have a heart, sir, but at the moment it's not sweet." She growled, and took him by his shirt collar and stood him on his feet. She kicked one of his legs out from under him and he stumbled backwards.

"Oh! You seem to need some help getting to the door." Taya said trying to sound surprised at his stumble. Nacar Tatanya walked into the room then and saw Taya helping the downed man to right himself.

"Master Tatanya, one of your customer's needs your assistance to the door." Taya said with a firm tone, and the innkeeper got the message.

"Of course! Come along, Lochar, you have had enough tonight." Nacar put his arm under the other man's arm and moved him bodily to and out the door. The other people in the room hardly seemed to notice the disturbance, but a couple of them gave Taya an admiring glance. Taya linked her arm with Raina's and went back to her chair. Sasha, who had stayed behind the counter, laughed aloud.

"You have surprised me yet again, Tanyel. Ben Lochar is known for being rough and insufferable, but you handled that beautifully."

"I'm glad your father came when he did." Taya replied. "I wasn't looking forward to fighting him to the door and throwing him out. That would have been odd, first of all, to have a customer throw out another customer, and secondly, you don't owe me anything at all, Raina." Taya turned to the girl, and found her expression more admiring than anything else.
"To become your own person you will have to learn how to fend for yourself, but I wasn't going to sit by and watch some drunk treat you like dirt. I hope you don't mind me stepping in."

"Thank you, Tanyel." Raina said softly, smiling a little bit. Taya smiled back, and felt relieved.

Nacar walked over to them, and he nodded at Taya with an appreciative smile on his face. "That could have been ugly, young lady, but you handled the situation well. Ben had too much tonight, but that's not unusual. Staying out of his way is the trick, but sometimes that's not easy."

"I'm sure he's not always that bad, but I didn't like the way he was talking to Raina or the way he looked at me. I'm very glad you came in when you did, sir."

"So am I." Nacar looked between Taya and Raina, and frowned slightly, but shrugged it off and said, "Dinner is on the house, young lady. That's for keeping a brawl from occurring."

"Thank you, sir. I'm glad to help." Taya smiled and looked at Raina, so she didn't see Nacar's frown deepen. He turned and walked into the kitchen, in search of his wife.

The three young ladies talked late into the evening, their conversation only interrupted when Sasha or Raina had to wait on someone in the common room. Taya found herself enjoying the atmosphere immensely, and as the evening wore on Raina seemed to open her heart to Taya.
Taya realized that the girl was incredibly lonely. Even though she seemed fond of Sasha, she wasn't overly fond of her. Sasha on the other hand adored Raina, but was hesitant to show it.

Taya was just about to excuse herself and go to bed when Sasha's mother, Niera, came out of the kitchen. Taya only glanced at her at first, but looked back sharply. Niera was frowning deeply at her, but it was a confused frown.

"Mother? What is it?" Sasha asked, seeing Taya and Niera's expressions.

"Where did you say you were from, Tanyel?" Niera asked slowly.

Taya hesitated, unsure of what was going on. She tried not to overreact before she knew what Niera was looking for. "Uru'baen. I'm traveling to Feinster." Taya was very suddenly worried.

"I do not mean to pry, but you don't happen to know anyone by the name of Lenya Corsan?" Niera's eyes were pleading and hopeful and Taya tried to keep her expression neutral. Her mind was whirling, trying to piece a puzzle together.

Niera, Niera… Niera Corsan, her mother's sister. Taya remembered her mother mentioning her sister's name two or three times. Her voice had always been sad and wistful when she'd talked of her sister, and although Taya hadn't known her mother's circumstances very well, Taya knew that her mother had lost someone special.
Could this woman, Niera Tatanya, be Lenya's younger sister? What were the odds that Taya would stop at the inn owned and run by family she didn't know she had?
Why had this inn stood out instead of any other? Raina, of course, but Taya could have stopped anywhere in the city for her night in Dras'leona.
What was she supposed to say?

"It is interesting that you ask, ma'am. I did know a lady by that name. She was very kind to me. She was one of the sweetest people I have ever met."

"You do know her?" Niera's eyes brightened like a spark. "You look something like her. That's why I ask, as my husband saw it in you too."

"I said I used to know her." Taya said quietly. "She disappeared when I was twelve. I do not know what happened to her." Taya knew that her mother was dead, but she didn't know how it had happened. And could she trust these people with her secret? She at least guessed it was unwise to tell Niera on her first night there that someone she obviously cared about had been dead for seven years.

"She is my sister. She never came home one night, over 20 years ago. My family tried to find her, but she was gone."

Taya began to feel uncomfortable. It was just so unlikely that she would find her mother's sister!

"I'm sorry I can't tell you more." Taya said, and Niera hesitated as she asked,

"Are you, by any chance, her…?"

"If you mean to ask if I am her daughter, you will remember that my name is Tanyel Cavrona, not Tanyel Corsan. I wish it was." Taya stood up, and gave them an easy smile. "I wish you all goodnight." She gave Raina her own separate smile, and took the stairs up to her room two at a time.

Raina watched her go, and the younger teenager felt a pull to follow the lady, to ask why she had run away so fast from Niera's question.

If you are Lenya Corsan's daughter, I will not be surprised, Tanyel. Raina thought, but kept that thought to herself.

Sasha gave her mother a one armed hug.

"She just looks so much like my sister did." Niera sighed. "I should have known it was only the faintest of hopes."

"She said she knew Aunt Lenya. Maybe tomorrow she might tell you what she remembers of her." Sasha said comfortingly. Niera brightened a little, and kissed her daughter on the cheek.

Raina wished she'd known her mother. Even if she just knew the woman's name that would be her greatest treasure.

Upstairs, Taya sat on the bed, holding the egg, thinking that she could see how Niera had thought she looked like Lenya. As she grew up, Kell Arder, one of the Hljodhr Evarinya, frequently commented that she looked very much like the deceased queen. She was proud of the fact that she looked like her mother, but that night she wished she looked different. She'd have to work on her disguise.
She traced the egg's surface with her finger, and her thoughts went back to the castle and the friends that she had left behind. She had great confidence that Melcar would hold them all together, and she thought that he'd be the one most likely to see past her escape charade. In his hunt to find the truth about what happened to her, he would probably uncover the whole truth.

Taya looked out the window into the night sky, and hoped none of the other Hljodhr Evarinya did anything drastic. Zen came to mind, and she closed her eyes tightly.

No matter what, she didn't regret her decision. It was unnerving to be all on her own, as she was so used to the Hljodhr Evarinya being there, but she was confident in herself… and she was wary.

The trickiest part of her journey she thought would be the Varden. They would either welcome her and her knowledge and because she had brought the last egg to them or they would toss her into a cell and then execute her. Nothing that had to do with her journey would be easy. She had resigned herself to that fact a long time before.

Taya put the egg back in its hiding spot and crawled under the covers, an image of a dark haired man leaning against a door frame in her mind.
Melcar would understand, once he found out she'd left on her own. She would be reunited with her bodyguards one day.

The last image in her mind before she fell asleep was of her first sighting of Raina.

Why was Raina so familiar?