(-a/n-Okay, contrary to the late update I was ecstatic with my results, I had just forgotten that we were going on holiday for a week in Cornwall… Anyway, I'm back to school tomorrow, so updates will probably be weekly, but this all depends on how heavy my workload is…

I just want to let everyone know that I will never abandon this story, so no matter how slow the updates are, I will finish it :D The other question that everyone seems to be asking, is how long it's going to be. As to this, I have no answer, I have a detailed plot written out, but I have no clue how many chapters it'll take, but I can promise you that it is going to be long!

For those who asked; Kel is currently 12 and a half years old, and would be halfway through her third year of page training, had she stayed.

As always a massive thank you to everyone who reviewed; it is your kind words of encouragement that have inspired me to spend the last afternoon of my summer holiday to write another chapter :D Much love and cookies to you all!)

Confusedknight xxx

Ps, I think that at some point, I'm also going to go back and completely spell & grammar check everything, because some of the first chapters are a bit sloppy…

These are the fab people who reviewed:

LadyKnightSusan, Grace of Masbolle, Me, lady knight keladry, The knights who until recently said Ni, SaoirseWaveglow, mangolady, Hasamaki, seven3eight, ThJaFl, Krae Z. Rokke, Golden23, creepygirl13, epobbp, Pie of Doomeh, Tsumetai Taiyoukai, peddyviolin, theknightofkonaha, The Sherberty Lemon, On top of cloud 9, XIII Dragon, Uncertian Destiny, Abbs of the faeries, BlackWidow12, Lady Sapphirea CelticGoddess09, oirishgoddess, killing u with umbrellas, Erynfaer, Lisy111, bookworm-4-ever2012, I love Fallen!, 13.shimer.13, ObSeSsEd WiTh ROXAS, Erytha, Tammyecklemoom, Cede, brezzybrez, Yabberli, Evil Bunny of Death, charity, Devouring Sarcasm Phantasm, Kelly, x17SkmBdrchiczxx, Nyleve, Orohippus, Blaz-Grl ACertainJustice, Lady-Luthien-AncalimonKathy, Elentariel, stagflower13, truffletruffle01, SavingSaturn, NotAfraidToLive & PuddyTatt.

SarahE7191 GCSE's are exams that you take in England at the age of 16…(you normally take them in about 9 subjects or so…)

fairydust000 I used a map from the books as my outline, and then using paint (very high-tech I know!) I extended Scanra, removed all of the confusing roads and borders that are on the book maps, put in some blue rivers and then copied the Scanran places off of my hand drawn map! I'm glad you like it :D Also thanks for the sugar and the cherry! Mmm:D

Transfiguration See above for how I made the map :D You'll have to wait a few more chapters for romance, for now it's just the fight for Sekholm's people :D

Right or Ryn As I've said above, GCSE's are exams set in England by the government which you take at 16…

Hunchbook lol, It's lovely to have reviewers who consider all of those things :D Firstly, for ventilation, in my mind there were air tunnels and things built for such purpose, I was going to write it in, but didn't find anywhere appropriate for the information. As for wood, most buildings are made of stone I imagined, and any wood needed, will be imported from the northern forest :D Thanks for pointing everything out, as I try to make everything as believable as possible ;D

elfie-may hehe! You called me goon again! –chuckles hysterically- Anyway school tomorrow :S You changed your name…I just noticed…

Group Askew Yup, I made up all the clan names except Rathhausak and Hamrkeng :D

JaBoyYaDom will be brought into the story, when Kel returns to Tortall. As for your other question, you'll have to wait and see :P

RLM You stayed up till 5!!!! Wow, I'm flattered, very little can keep me awake that long! (Except perhaps new Harry Potter books :D)

omateido smoking is bad for you:P You PRINTED it out?!? All of it??? How many pages was that? I'm glad you're enjoying it :D Thanks for reviewing too :D

oldman543 Thanks for the CC, I'm trying not to progress her skill too quickly, but I have to move the plot forwards otherwise this will be plain boring. She's also progressing quicker because her swordplay training is more concentrated than it would have been, if she'd have stayed at the palace. Instead of learning all the different fighting methods, she is just learning to fence. Also the thing about muscle mass, Alanna always managed to beat larger opponents, so I figured it's more a question of skill.

I don't have a beta, but I try to check my work thoroughly, as I said above, when I get time I'm going to correct the first ten chapters or so, as I think that there are probably a whole load of mistakes. Once again thanks for the CC, it's nice because it makes me more determined to improve my writing quality ;D

Confusedknight xx

A pale moon illuminated the empty pass that lay before Kel and her fellow soldiers. The icy wind that battered them had muffled all sound of the approaching enemy and an eerie silence reigned.

Kel shivered involuntarily; the wind seemed to be sneaking in through gaps in her armour to chill the flesh beneath and her hands were balled into fists, each icy digit feeling as though it might simply fall off at any moment.

Something moved in the gloom that lay just beyond Kel's range of clear sight. She stiffened; a single man was half running, half stumbling towards them. As he drew closer, Kel recognized the Sekholm insignia emblazoned upon his breastplate –a hammer and anvil set before two mountains.

'They are coming,' panted the scout, as he reached Llatimor who stood at the head of the defending force.

'How many?' asked the Chief.

'In numbers greater than our own,' the man replied, 'but I cannot be exact, this may just be a scouting party.'

'You have done well,' praised Llatimor, before turning to face the twenty-nine men and one girl who would follow him into battle, and maybe to death. 'Have courage in the strength of your arms, my men. We will outlast anything that Maggur sends to us. We have fifty men ready and waiting, just one horn-call away. We have determination and the honour of a clan who has resisted this dog, Maggur, and tonight we shall fight for our women and children, for their and for our freedom.' With this heartening speech, he drew his axe and held it aloft. Silently the men and Kel copied him, hefting their various weapons.

Kel's heart began to pump madly, supplying her body with adrenalin and she suddenly felt wide-awake, ready to face her first real battle.

Five minutes later, the faint sound of steel-clad feet on rock could be heard. It grew louder until the first wave of Maggur's army appeared from around a bend in the pass. By Kel's reckoning there were at least seventy armoured men, led by a man atop a warhorse. One lazy hand gesture from the general and the foot soldiers halted. The general then rode forward on his horse.

'Give up your people to Maggur, Llatimor and they shall be permitted to live,' he said in a harsh, uncaring voice. 'We have many more fighters than you, give up and your men shall be spared.'

'Never shall I hand my Clan over to that pig,' spat Llatimor, 'we will defend our clan always.'

'Then you have sentenced your men to death,' replied the enemy's leader with a cruel sneer as he rode away.

Kel took a deep breath, hoping that the man would lead his army back to their camp for the night, but it was not to be. With a mighty roar, the enemy charged up the slope and into the basin.

'For Sekholm,' roared the defending force as they plunged headlong into the advancing army.

A cacophony of noise overwhelmed Kel as the two forces collided. It was fighting as Kel had never seen it before. It was utter chaos, in the half-light it was near impossible to tell which of the two men fighting next to her was friend and which one was foe.

Her first adversary, huge and blonde like most Scanran warriors, wielded a sword clumsily. Even so, it took Kel a good few minutes to defeat him. He fell backwards onto the already bloody rock and lay convulsing, blood pouring from the gash in his neck.

Kel barely had time to realise that she had killed her second ever person, before she was engaged in combat yet again. Kel fought carefully. This was not a duel on a court, where she could immerse herself in the fight and the movements of her sword; she had to keep half an eye focused on the men around her. One misstep could cause her to trip over a fallen man; a mistake that could cost Kel her life.

She was still battling furiously against an axe-man when she heard three short blasts of a horn –the signal for retreat. With an almighty effort, Kel batted the axe to the man's left, forcing him to step to counter act the force and as he did so, she escaped, disappearing into the melee of retreating men.

Kel stumbled up the pass to rejoin Llatimor and the others. The enemy, she noted were also regrouping, but Kel thought that they would press their advantage all too soon and attack in full strength once more.

She was wrong. To the utter surprise of everyone, the enemy slunk back into the shadows of the pass and out of sight. The basin was littered with corpses, some groaning feebly, some deadly still.

'They'll be back,' rumbled Llatimor, 'they'll probably return at daybreak with their full force. Squad captains bring in the injured and the dead and then get some rest. I'll arrange for squads two, four and seven to guard the pass.'

As Kel gathered around Jackoyb, her captain, she noted that two were missing from their number. Michd and Kenl.

'You know what we've got to do,' said Jackoyb grimly. 'We need to find Michd and Kenl.'

Kel followed the large but shy Ricth and picked her way over boulders and around the enemy dead. They found Michd almost immediately, the sword that killed him still sticking out of his stomach. It took four of the remaining men to lift him back to camp and so Kel was left with Ricth and Llelon, Jackoyb having stayed to talk with Llatimor.

Kel felt sick as the stench of blood and dying overwhelmed her, she removed her helmet and vomited, throwing up the contents of her stomach. Wiping her mouth and gasping, she looked up. The other men had continued on. Carrying her helmet under her arm, she began to return to them. Almost level with Ricth, she felt something tug feebly upon her boot. It was one of Maggur's men. He lay in a pool of his own blood, the little of his face that Kel could see was pale and his breathing came in short gasps. Kel knew a dying man when she saw one.

'Stay with me,' he begged, 'I don't want to be alone.'

To Kel's horror, the fallen warrior began to weep, clutching at the air with his hand. She stood for a moment in indecision. Then, unable to ignore the last wish of the man, she knelt down beside him and removed his helmet.

'Thank you,' he gasped, through his tears.

'Shh,' Kel soothed, 'it's alright.' Silently she prayed for the Black God to relieve this poor man from his suffering. She wiped his eyes gently with her sleeve. Now able to see her properly for the first time, the man's eyes widened.

'You're a girl,' he said, before lapsing into a fit of body-wracking coughs. 'What's this land coming to?' he said despairingly, when the coughing had subsided. 'When little girls are fighting the enemy most men are afraid to face.'

Kel paused for a moment, unsure of what she should say.

'I fight because it is the right thing to do,' she replied slowly, 'Maggur has got to be stopped.'

'That's what I thought too,' he gasped, 'but Maggur has my family, my wife and my children, if I do not fight then I as good as sign their death sentences.'

Kel's insides were drenched in cold horror. The man that lay before her was not evil, he had no quarrel with Sekholm, he was just trying to protect his family.

'Still, they're safe,' he croaked, 'I wish I could see them…' his voice broke and he began to cry again.

Kel grasped his bloody hand and squeezed it tightly, reassuringly.

'You are a brave man,' she soothed. 'Do not despair for your wife and children. Maggur will be stopped,' she paused, 'there are people working against him. Your children won't grow up under his tyranny.'

'Elinah?' asked a voice behind her. Without letting go of the soldier's hand, she craned her neck upwards to see who spoke. It was Ricth. She had a sudden idea.

'Heal him,' she pleaded, 'you have the gift, heal him.'

'El, I can't,' said Ricth sadly, 'his wounds are too serious.'

'Save him,' she shouted, feeling tears beginning to leak out of the corners of her eyes. 'Please,' she continued in a whisper, 'he doesn't deserve to die.'

'I can't,' said Ricth, looking down pityingly at Kel and the fallen warrior. He made to walk away, but turned and said, 'we found Kenl; he's injured his leg, but is not in serious danger.'

Kel nodded, still crying, and turned to the man before her.

'It's alright,' he wheezed, 'not long now.'

Kel squeezed his hand with both of her own, not bothering to stem the tears that dripped down onto his bloody breastplate.

'I'm glad I met you,' he said quietly, 'you give a dying man hope for the world he leaves behind. I thank you-' and he stopped, the light leaving his eyes as he exhaled his last.

Kel howled in grief, leaning forward and sobbing onto his breastplate. When she had regained control of herself, a couple of minutes later, she closed the dead man's eyes and without looking back she returned to the camp, one thought in her mind. I didn't even know his name.

Someone was shaking her shoulder and calling "Elinah" and Kel regained consciousness slowly, blinking in the bright sunlight and for a moment she wondered where she was. Alex loomed over her. She looked about.

She had fallen asleep slumped against the rock face. Kel was covered in the grime and dirt of the battle, her swords still belted at her hips and her helmet beside her.

'Are you alright?' asked Alex urgently, 'you're covered in blood.'

'Issnot mine,' slurred Kel as she pushed herself into a more upright position.

'I've just come off of duty,' explained Alex, 'I've been searching for you everywhere, why didn't you sleep in our tent?'

'I wanted to think,' said Kel confusedly, 'I must have closed my eyes…'

'Well you'd better have some breakfast, Maggur's-' Alex said a word that one didn't hear in civilised conversation, '-army has begun to attack again in earnest. There are now six squads required to defend the pass.'

As Kel ate breakfast, everything that had happened the previous night came flooding back in horrific detail. Dragging her mind from the memory of the dying soldier's desperate eyes, Kel forced herself to listen to what Alex was saying.

'Of course not many of his fighters were actually born fighters, many of them are ordinary men, who've been sold into slavery,' said Alex grimly.

'What?' asked Kel suddenly.

'Have you been listening to anything that I've been saying?' Alex asked exasperatedly. But he didn't wait for an answer. 'I was saying that a large percentage of the enemy force is made up of slaves. I presume they are wearing slave collars that are linked to one of the captains and if they don't fight,' Alex drew a swift finger across his throat.

Kel gulped in horror, the food she had just eaten turning to lead in her stomach. Blackmailing was bad enough but slavery? She began to understand just how strong Alex's hatred of Maggur was. As angry as she was with King Jonathon he seemed positively wonderful compared to the man who was butchering Scanra.

'So,' Kel said slowly, 'if they didn't have the slaves, then their force would be a lot smaller.'

'Considerably so,' agreed Alex,' I'd hazard a guess to say that about twenty percent of their force was made of slave fighters.'

'And you say their collars will be linked to one man,' mused Kel, 'how would you break the link?'

'Either by killing the slave or the master,' said Alex, spreading a piece of bread idly. He looked up suddenly his eyes sharp, 'Why?'

'No reason,' said Kel innocently, knowing that Alex wouldn't buy her answer.

'Don't do anything stupid,' he said warningly. 'The man will undoubtedly be back at their camp, inaccessible and guarded.'

Having finished breakfast Kel rejoined the fighters. Llatimor was taking a break from fighting, resting at the top of the pass and surveying the battle beneath him. As Kel approached with a group of fifteen other men, Llatimor turned around, his face unreadable.

'Can any of you men use a bow?'

Kel raised her hand slowly, as did eight others. Llatimor gestured to a pile of bows that lay a few feet away.

'If you station yourselves on that ledge,' he said, pointing to a place some thirty metres away, 'you should be able to take a shot at some of the enemy.'

Alex had not volunteered to be an archer, although Kel had the suspicion that he probably could shoot, it was just that he was of more use as a foot soldier. As I probably would be too, she thought with a sigh. However taking up position as an archer would give her time to fortify her plan and access the situation.

Kel glanced down at the battle to select a target. The face of the man who had died the previous night kept arising, unbidden in her mind's eye but she pushed it away. Despite the fact that the majority of the soldiers had been forced into fighting, if it was a choice between them or the Sekholm fighters dying, it had to be them. Sekholm needed all the men it could get, and Kel had to look at the bigger picture.

She slotted an arrow onto the roughly hewn bow. It's been a while since I did this,' thought Kel, remembering that the last time she had picked up a bow was when she went hunting for Fanche, which seemed a lifetime ago.

There was a group of the enemy in reserve, and Kel picked these as her first targets, everyone else was too closely locked in combat with one of their own men and Kel didn't have that much faith in her archery abilities, she thought she was just as likely to hit one of the defenders instead of the enemy.

Drawing back the bow string, she let her mind focus solely on her target, she released the arrow, and nothing happened. It whizzed past her target to land in the soil a good seven metres wide. Cursing like a fisherman, Kel sent another arrow in the direction of her target. This one missed too. Unfortunately the men now realised that they were being shot upon and were looking all around for the archers.

Kel's third arrow hit a man in the lower leg, but her fourth arrow flew true and the man dropped like a stone. She picked off men from the edges of the battle, for over an hour, missing as many shots as she hit, but she persevered as she had no instructions to do otherwise.

Finally, as her supply of arrows was reduced to two she straightened up and began to make her way back along the ledge. Something whizzed past her shoulder. Whirling around she saw an arrow, and not one that she recognised. The enemy had found some archers too. Swearing heavily she dropped to her knees and crawled the last few paces until she was sheltered again behind rock where Llatimor stood discussing something with Jackoyb.

'My Chief,' she said, 'be warned, the enemy is now utilising archers.'

'Thank you Elinah,' he said, recognising the only girl in his fighting force. 'It was only a matter of time though.'

Kel bowed and unsheathing her sword launched into battle. Although the conditions were much better than last night, the odds were not. From down on the battlefield it was painfully obvious who had the advantage in the fight and as men were felled right and left, Kel realised that if they carried on as they were then they wouldn't see the day out.

Kel blocked, cut and parried as though she were possessed, but as soon as her opponents fell, new ones replaced them. She could tell the inexperienced from the hardened warriors and tried, when possible to not fatally wound, only enough to put them out of action for a while.

However when a black-skinned man stepped forward and began to trade blows, Kel knew that she was out-matched. The man was almost as quick as Alex and with muscles that she envied. He wore no helmet and little armour, but there was not a scratch on him. Unlike Kel who had sustained various minor injuries in her previous fights.

As she swung her sword low and upwards, his foot lashed out striking her sword with a tremendous force. It was wrenched out of her hand and her wrist exploded in pain. He moved in for the kill and Kel lunged backwards. Instead of gutting her as the blow had been intended to do, it caught on the visor of her helmet, yanking it off of her head, and sending it sailing away.

Kel danced backwards her head reeling, and unsheathed her spare sword with her left hand, her right dangling uselessly. She lifted the sword, ready to block the warrior's sword and saw to her amazement that the man was gaping at her, wide-eyed.

Taking advantage of the situation she leapt forward, the man reacted fast and pivoted, sending his sword smashing into hers. But Kel's left arm held out, forcing his sword away. Before she knew what had hit her, her sword was smashed aside. The blow was not powerful as the other had been and she didn't drop her sword, but it left her right side completely open to attack. But the blow never came.

She stared at the warrior and to her amazement saw him bow and slip away into the horde of battling men. Flabbergasted, Kel retrieved her helmet and first sword, sheathing it hurriedly. Her right wrist was agony and she cradled it to her chest, unable to move it.

All around her were the sights and smells of death, and her hazel eyes were wide in horror. While she was fighting she had had her mind on other things, but now, as she retreated backwards, she was overwhelmed by it all. The screams of men as they perished, the constant clang of metal and the metallic smell of blood.

This is what they call "seeing the Kraken" she thought light-headedly. It was only when a man nearby fell, killed by an arrow through the neck, that Kel snapped out of her horrified trance. Men were still dying; she had to do something to turn the tide.

Spotting a fallen soldier in the scarlet tunic of the enemy, she ran over to him. He was dead, his head lolling to one side. Ignoring his sightless eyes, Kel yanked his tunic off of him and pulled it on. She then replaced her own helmet with his one and straightened up; praying silently that this would work.

She began to run in the opposite direction to her camp, towards the enemy's one. She batted aside blows with her sword and as she reached the back of the basin, she sheathed her sword and clutched at her right wrist.

She glanced about the enemy's camp. It looked much the same as the Sekholm fighter's. There was a pile of dead corpses in one corner and Kel noted that it was larger than the one back at her own camp. Although that doesn't change our chances in battle, as they have more fighters at their disposal.

'What are you doing?' barked a voice in her ear.

'Broken my arm, sir, I can't wield a weapon,' Kel said in a deep voice, trying to act panicky.

'Well get the healers to see to it,' he said dismissively.

Kel had no choice but to follow the direction in which he gestured. The healer's camp was overrun with men, bloody and with limbs hanging at strange angles. Kel grabbed the arm of a healer.

'Please sir, I've just got a sprained wrist,' she said, holding out her injured wrist which had already begun to turn black and blue.

'I've got enough people waiting-'

'But if you heal it I can return to battle,' Kel pointed out, still in a deep voice, her insides churning.

'Very well,' sighed the healer and laid her hand on Kel's wrist. A minute later Kel was leaving the healing tent, her wrist functional once more. Outside the tent lay those who were dying and had just been administered some pain relief. Kel spotted one that wore a slave collar.

Her heart in her throat she approached the dying man.

'Listen to me,' she murmured, 'I haven't got much time, but I need your help.' Through his pain-clouded vision, he stared up at Kel blurrily. 'Who is it that controls the slave collars and where can I find him?'

'Why-'

'Just tell me,' hissed Kel sharply.

'It's Commander Ladokn, his tent's the one with the green edging over there,' the man pointed.

Without bothering to thank the man –there was no time, Kel hurried over to the tent. Her heart sank; there were two burly men assigned to guard the Commander. Think Kel, think, she told herself. There was no way that she could fight them. They were twice her size and even if she did win, the commotion caused would mean there would be no way for her to leave the camp.

Stumbling forward, every nerve on fire, Kel stopped in front of the guardsmen.

'I've got a message for the Commander from the healers,' said Kel, disguising her voice yet again.

'Show us your neck,' instructed the smaller guard. Although Kel didn't feel like exposing her neck to the burly guards, she did as she was told.

'He's not a slave Gerult,' said the first guard. 'In you go then, but make it quick.'

As Kel slipped inside, not believing her luck, she though well I'm in, now I've just got to get out again.

'Yes?' asked a man in clipped tones. 'What is it?'

'I have a message sir,' said Kel, advancing forward. 'The enemy are breaching the squads, here-' Kel stepped forward on the pretence of pointing out something on the map that lay across the table. But instead, as fast as lightning, Kel clamped her hand over the Commanders mouth, and without preamble, slit his throat.

Shocked at her own actions, Kel laid the man gently forward onto the table, his neck still gushing blood until, within seconds he lay still. The bloody murder weapon still clasped tightly in her hand, she slit the back of the tent canvas and slipped out. She snuck behind the neighbouring tent and then sprinted away.

It was a mark of how much she hated slavery that Kel had been able to murder the man in cold blood. I'm becoming like Rhonda, she thought bitterly.

'Hey, you there!' shouted a voice, but Kel didn't stop running. She suddenly heard uproar in the camp behind her.

'Stop that man!' yelled one of the guards.

Kel dodged in and out of confused soldiers and back onto the battlefield. Her legs were burning with the effort of sprinting up the pass but eventually she reached the basin and wove in and out of fighting men, occasionally chopping at the legs of an enemy to aid a fellow soldier.

She had now effectively freed the slave fighters, but the trouble was they didn't know it yet. Despite her healing, Kel still favoured her left hand and as she disarmed a man, slicing down his arm, she spotted Alex. Taking pity on the weapon-less man, she turned her back on him and jogged over to Alex.

Watching Alex fight was something incredible, Kel thought for what must surely have been the hundredth time. He was simply unmatchable in speed or skill, even that black man who had almost killed her earlier didn't even come close.

'What are you doing in the enemy uniform?' asked Alex, eyebrows raised as he killed his foe.

'Oh,' said Kel, ripping off the blood-soaked tunic and helmet. 'I just killed the slave master.'

'You did what?' Alex asked as two more of Maggur's army rushed forward to attack. Fighting alongside each other for the first time since they had been attacked by the Tyrans when visiting George, they managed to keep up a stunted conversation.

'I snuck in and killed him,' panted Kel as she performed the butterfly sweep with her sword.

'The odds of that going wrong…' Alex trailed off, 'I've said it before little one,' he said disarming his opponent, 'you've got the luck of the Gods themselves.'

'If I do,' Kel retorted scathingly as she too overcame her challenger, 'it's because this is a cause worth fighting for. Besides having slave fighters is just…wrong.'

'So how do we go about notifying the slave fighters?' asked Alex.

'I don't know but it needs to be done- ALEX WATCH OUT,' screamed Kel.

Fortunately Alex had enough sense to duck out of the way of the sword that was descending on top of him. Spinning around he came face to face with the black-skinned fighter. It was only then that Kel realised that she had called Alex "Alex" instead of Hans. Not that anyone would've noticed anyway she thought, looking at the pure chaos that surrounded them.

Alex, possibly sensing that this was a skilled opponent, was demonstrating the true range of his skill when Kel noticed something.

'You're a slave fighter,' she yelled, the man glanced up in surprise. 'Stop, stop,' shouted Kel. Reluctantly the men both paused. 'Do you want to be fighting for Maggur?' asked Kel breathlessly. 'Your master, the slave master, he's dead, well I killed him…anyway the point is that you're free. You don't have to fight.'

'This is joke?' he said in poor Scanran.

'No,' said Kel earnestly. 'Do you think you can tell the others? We can take you to Rokang, where you won't be expected to fight.'

The man seemed to be considering Kel.

'I shall test, if you tell truth, when I walk up hill, nothing happen to me,' Kel nodded.

'You go, I'll stay here. Tell Llatimor we need a regroup,' said Alex, wiping a hand across his sweaty brow.

'You promise no joke?' he asked.

'I swear it,' said Kel.

They made their way to the edge of the battle and scrambled up the hill. As the man reached the top he let out a whoop of triumph.

'I free,' he beamed at Kel, 'you free me?'

Kel nodded blushing slightly.

'But I need you to tell the other slaves, get them to come up here. But you need to do it quickly before they can find a mage to rebind you all.'

'I be quick,' said the man seriously, before sprinting away.

'My Chief,' said Kel bowing, 'the men say that they need a regroup and…' Kel hesitated. 'The battle might be about to swing in our favour.'

'Indeed?' asked Llatimor raised one eyebrow, 'tell me more.'

Kel explained the basics of her plan.

'How can we trust them though?' mused Llatimor.

'Get them to swear on the honour of their clans,' supplied Llatimor's counsellor. 'Many of them will be from Miltrak and will be angry at their Clan's betrayal, they'll want revenge.'

'But we can't force them to fight for us,' said Kel evenly. At once every eye turned to her. 'If we forced them to fight for us then that makes us no better than Maggur, it has to be their choice.'

'No better than Maggur,' blustered the councillor, but Llatimor held up a hand.

'She is right, it'll be their choice. Find a mage who can remove their slave collars.'

An hour later thirty-four surviving slaves were prostrating their thanks at begin freed. Fourteen, obviously not warriors by trade, started to make their way up the mountain pass towards Rokang, but twenty stayed for revenge, including the black-skinned warrior.

Kel was taking a well deserved rest and gulping water when he found her.

'From all slaves I thank you,' he said awkwardly.

Now that Kel's brain had settled down a bit, she recognised the accent which tainted his disjointed Scanran.

'You're from Tortall?' she asked in Common.

'You speak Common?' he asked delightedly. 'My Scanran is absolutely dreadful.'

Kel smiled.

'If you're from Tortall what are you doing this far North?' she asked.

'I am, I was' he corrected 'completing my Shang training with my mentor the Shang Boar. We were travelling across Scanra from Galla, heading towards the Yamani Islands, where I am to take my Shang Ordeal, but the Clan that we were staying in, Hastanne, was overtaken by Maggur. My teacher died in the attack and I was enslaved.'

'Then you are from the Bazhir?' asked Kel interestedly.

He nodded.

'Fassin of the Bloody Hawk tribe,' he said with a bow of his head. 'It is far too cold up here for my liking,' he said with a smile. After a few minutes silence, in which Kel examined her bloody fingernails, he asked, 'So how is it that there is one girl fighting for Sekholm, one that speaks perfect Common?'

'It's a long story,' sighed Kel. 'I'm travelling alongside Hans, who you met earlier-'

'The one who I was fighting against?'

Kel nodded.

'But you called him Alex?' asked the Bazhir confusedly. Kel groaned inwardly. Someone had noticed.

'It's a nickname,' said Kel wildly, 'I used to know two people named Hans you see…' Kel hoped that the Tortallan man bought the lie. 'I'm here fighting, I suppose, because I believe that Maggur has to be stopped.'

'But surely you can't believe that this will stop him?' asked the man incredulously. 'I've seen the size of his army and the resources he has, he will crush any resistance.'

'Oh we know we can't win, not yet anyway, but we have to delay the war.'

'Delay the war?' asked the Bazhir, frowning slightly.

'The war that will occur between Tortall and Scanra,' said Kel heavily.

'I see,' said the Bazhir. 'And why do you want to delay this war?'

'So it'll give our country a chance to build up it's army and defy Maggur,' Kel realised when she had said it, how much she had revealed.

'I see,' said the man getting to his feet. 'Well I've troubled you enough, but answer this one last question. When the war comes, on which side will you be fighting?' And Fassin left, leaving Kel thoroughly startled.

(-a/n- Hehe, you've finally met Fassin :D I hope you liked that chapter; it was super fun to write. It was just one of those ones which flowed :D Anyways reviews would be much appreciated as always :P Much love, )

Confusedknight xxx