Kady

I was aware that my life was much easier than the lives of other women. Being a noblewoman, I went to a convent where I was cared for by a handmaid and I attended balls and feasts at the palace that the less fortunate could only dream of. My Lord Aston asked my father for my hand in marriage, welcomed me home with gifts, and gave me a beautiful child of my own and two wonderful stepchildren.

I also knew that, as a noblewoman, I also had a duty to uphold the law and protect the commoners under my protection. Noblewomen who had led lives as pampered as my own had risen up to defend ports during the Immortals War. Mithros forbid, I would do the same if the necessity arose. And in the last few weeks, though it was hardly comparable to commanding warriors in defense of a port, I had taken three more under my protection.

As Riley, her son, and the poor child Miriam had begun to recover from their taxing journey, I had tried to keep the more sordid details from them. I hadn't told them that one of my men who was sent to search for their pursuers had been found murdered. Even after Miriam had returned home with her father, my other men had been still unable to find the two men. But for whispers that led us to believe they were still in the area, we were unable to discover any more. I wished that I could have done more, but I was unwilling to risk the lives of my men in a fruitless search of the forest.

"Are you alright, milady?" Sofie, the nursemaid, respectfully inquired.

"Yes, of course," I smiled at her. I'd always liked her very much, even considering her a trusted friend.

"You just looked a bit fretful," Sofie dangled a toy in front of Tam's hands. He giggled and tried to clasp it in his chubby fingers.

"I suppose I just wish that Lord Aston wasn't up north," I answered.

Sofie nodded understandingly. "Yes, milady. Some of the soldiers are saying that they think the war will end soon."

"We'll pray to Mithros," I smiled at her.

"Kady, Kady!" Lucia skipped to me, pulling Tucker by his smaller hand. "Look what we found!"

I took one look at the kitten and began to scold. "Luci! You shouldn't have taken the baby from its mother!"

Lucia plopped down beside me, the kitten cradled in her arms. "She wasn't with her mother, she was alone. And Joshra gave her to us, besides."

I conceded. If the hostler had allowed them to carry it away, then it was alright. "Have you named her yet?"

"Tucker did," Lucia patted down the kitten's cowlick. "Tell her."

"Caterpittler," Tucker stumbled over the word. "Calapitter."

"Caterpillar," My stepdaughter corrected. "Cat, for short, see?"

Sofie and I laughed. "That's very clever, Luci."

Lucia nodded, pleased with herself. "Tucker didn't notice that, I did."

Tucker had already lost interest and looked sadly to the bedrooms. "Where's Mama?"

"She isn't feeling well, Tuck," Sofie passed Tam to me and stood to take Tucker by the hand. "Let's go to Cook and get you a snack."

"Yes!" Tucker's eyes lit up. "Please?"

"Of course," Sofie wordlessly sought my approval, which I gave. "Lucia, would you like one too?"

"No, thank you," Lucia primly denied Sofie's offer. "I want to stay here with Kady."

I watched Sofie lead Tucker away towards the kitchens. It was important that we distract him for as long as possible to give his mother time to recover, though I had suspicions that her illness was not easily cured.

Riley

I had learned well enough from Tuck that a baby didn't wait for anything. He didn't wait for a convenient time to be born. He didn't wait to be fed, to soil a diaper, or to waken me. I learned from this new child that a baby wouldn't wait for a proper time to begin life.

I had hardly noticed that my last monthly hadn't come. When I did notice, I blamed it on the rough journey and lack of food. I couldn't ignore its absence any longer when I became sick just as I had when I was carrying Tucker inside me.

I was afraid of Hiram, to be sure, and wanted to hate him. I would see to it that he wouldn't be my husband for much longer. This wasn't a good time to be with child and, though Lady Kaderyn had promised me a place on her estate, I didn't really have a home of my own anymore. I didn't have a home or a husband, but I couldn't blame the child for any of that and nothing would keep me from loving him.

I hadn't always felt happy about Tucker before he was born. I was scared, away from my mother and grandmother. My older sisters had been able to practice mothering on me, but I was the youngest in the family and had only mothered sheep and goats. I was so very scared to become a mother, but I began to love Tucker even before he was placed in my arms. I was still scared, but because I remembered that, I already loved this new child.

Of course, love never kept anyone from puking into a basin all day long.

Emma

"Emma," Randall sat next to me under the pines. "You're missing dinner."

"I know," I shrugged. "I didn't really want to be in there."

Randall nodded understandingly, turning away from the bright dining hall. "It's normal to take time to adjust after what you've been through."

"That's not the Shang way," I pointed out. "All the masters don't need time."

Randall laughed. "No, Emma. The Shang way is to artfully deceive others into thinking we're infallible. Truth is, I hate what we did up north as much as you do."

"I know that we had to fight," I sighed. "I just wish we didn't have to."

"I'd be worried if I heard anything else from you. The thing is, we've trained you well enough that you're going to be asked to fight your entire life."

I nodded and stood. "I'll just have to practice deceiving."

"Good girl," Randall grinned at me, something that resembled pride in his eyes. "Let's get back into dinner, shall we?"

Back in the dining hall, all the Shang had gathered for an end of spring celebration.

"You alright?" Maira waited for my nod. "Darin would've eaten your food, if I hadn't saved it."

"Thanks," I grinned, elbowing Darin roughly. "Like you need more food, you giant."

Darin laughed. He'd grown even more in the two years I'd been in the north, finally stopping somewhere over six foot five. "And you do?"

I nodded. "I might beat Maira, if I eat lots."

"It's true," Darin agreed. "You've done growing for sure, Maira."

"And she hasn't?" Maira asked indignantly. In truth, none of us really cared who was taller and who was shorter, but it was fun to joke about.

"She's younger, she's got time."

"Not that much younger," I made a face. "I'm as old as both of you."

Darin and Maira laughed. "Just because you say it doesn't make it so."

I flung a chickpea at Darin, who swiftly caught it in his hand and plopped it into his mouth. He winked at me. "Nice try. Ooh, Maira, Glenn's back."

Maira flushed and ducked her head. "Quiet, Darin."

I curiously looked about the room. "Glenn? He was a class above us, wasn't he?"

Darin nodded. "He's been courting Maira for months."

"Darin, hush!" Maira almost buried her head in her arms.

I finally caught a glimpse of Glenn. He was tall, though not quite as tall as Darin, and well-muscled. Definitely more tough and more Shang than I appeared. I half-grinned, shaking my head at comparing myself to him.

"What?" Maira gauged my reaction.

"Oh, nothing," I grinned. "He's alright, I suppose."

"I had been waiting for your approval," Maira answered sarcastically, paying her vegetables most of her attention.

"Hurry," I urged Darin. "I want to show you both something Randall taught me."

Darin raised his eyebrows. "Shang secrets?"

"No," I shook my head, laughing. "A magic trick, a slight of hand. It took me weeks to master."

"Glad to see you were really useful up north," Darin rolled his eyes.

A brief uncomfortable pause followed, because I didn't really know how to answer that. Sure, I had spent weeks mastering a silly slight of hand trick, but I'd also spent those same weeks killing Scanrens.

Maira draped her arm around my shoulder. "Come, Emma, I'd like to see it."

I swallowed my last bit of potatoes. "Alright, let's go."

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