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The weeks after Kyprioth's visit were uneventful, which only made Eleni worry. If a god had involved himself in her life, then there should be more activity. What was Kyprioth waiting for?

Classes dragged on. Master Radzimierz, gods watch over him, made no comment about the green hair incident. The pages had all changed their hair back soon enough and served their punishment hours.

The Lioness had departed for the Swoop. The harvest had come in. Eleni had been reminded to write a letter to her parents. She took wing a few times and explored the palace grounds. Nothing too important happened. With things moving at a glacial pace, Eleni and her friends found plenty of time to spend together. Days were filled with stories and laughter, blissful after so much drama.

The only interruption to the daily routine was the introduction of horsemanship and swordsmanship lessons. Lord Padriag had kept the pages away from the horses until October, insisting that they had to grasp the basics of other fighting styles before training with the hallmarks of knighthood. The announcement was joyfully welcomed.

While she had visited Candy on several occasions, she hadn't bonded with the mare as much as she would have liked. Having been raised on the Isles coupled the ability to shape-shift into a crow, Eleni wasn't going to boast about her skills with horses. It was one of those things she hadn't been trained for, and she was anxious to learn.

Lord Padriag would allow no other but himself to give the first riding lesson. It appeared that he was partial to horseflesh, at least much more than the typical lord. Indeed, he looked positively regal seated upon his black destrier, clad in a splendid tunic of Minchi gold and rose. To Eleni, it was far too extravagant an outfit to teach horsemanship in. Of course, it was no where near as extravagant as Sir Asher's. Conservatives seemed to feel the need to flaunt their wealth.

During the first riding lesson, the true horsemen shone. It was obvious that certain people had a way with horses and that others would sooner jump in the Olorun than get on a horse. Perfomances ranged from comic to tragic, and Eleni wondered how some pages would fare in future battles.

Perci seemed a natural with his horse, or it might have been the fact that he had already spent years honing his skills. Alex and Pier were also adept with their horses. There was something majestic about the way that Pierina carried herself. It was obvious that she had worked hard to attain the grace to look that capable on a saddle. As for Alex, Eleni's eyes strayed to him more than once.

On one of the occasions that her eyes strayed, Schuylar managed to walk his poor horse into Candy. The force of the collision was enough to knock Schuylar from the saddle. Lord Padriag was not pleased with what he saw.

"Nicoline!" All of the pages cringed at the yell. "How can you expect to serve the realm, if you cannot even command your mount," he berated. "It is disgraceful! Either you learn how to control that beast, or I will personally dismiss you!"

Seeing her friend shrink into himself, Eleni interposed for him. Situating Candy in front of Schuylar, she sat up straight before the lord.

"Pirate's Swoop, move." It was a command, but Eleni refused to obey. She would not let this conservative belittle the silly boy. So what if his skills were shoddy? His heart was pure, and that would serve the realm more efficiently than a skilled rider. "I said move, boy!" When Eleni still wouldn't budge, she was confronted by the training master's crop. "Last chance, Pirate's Swoop. I will not tolerate insubordination! Move!"

What happened next was not clear to many and there would be many versions of the event. Herne would swear that the training master had purposely struck Myles. Sir Asher would stand by his lord and insisted the boy was to blame. Alex knew that Lord Padriag had let his temper get the better of him. Warren was sure that despite his character, Myles would not have sought out a physical confrontation.

Schuylar, who had been closest, saw what really happened. As if time had slowed down, he saw Lord Padriag strike out at Myles, hate burning in his eyes. The crop cracked upon Myles' cheek, bringing forth crimson blood, but no reaction.

Eleni felt detached from the whole scene. Lord Padriag was lashing out at someone else. The gash was inflicted on another page. When she finally came to, Eleni could only feel the sting of the cut above her cheek. Trembling fingers moved to gently probe the wound, and returned blood-stained.

Without a word, Lord Padriag turned his horse around and proceeded with the lesson. All of the pages chose silence over disobedience, Eleni included. There was no purpose in crying out at the training master's discipline. He was a lord and their teacher.

There were no more mistakes made that morning.

When lunch approached, a couple of the boys tried to get Myles to speak to them. Eleni waved them away, shamed by the spectacle. Schuylar was especially adamant, going so far as to follow him all the way to his room.

"Let me heal the cut," he pleaded. "It's the least I can do, Myles."

Eleni was exhausted and insisted that she could mend it on her own. "I'm sure Lokejo can bandage it up," was all she could murmur. Her strength had deserted her. "Please, Schuylar."

"But, it could become infec-"

"Schuylar," she had only raised her voice above a whisper. "I need to be alone for a bit. I promise I'll show up for lunch."

Not satisfied with his answer, but seeing no other path, Schuylar left for the palace baths. Lord Padriag had gone too far.

Defeated for the first time in her young life, Eleni closed her door behind her and slid down to the stone floor. Some part of her realized that Lokejo was not in the room. She was alone. Crying would have been reasonable, if she had been a girl. She knew she wasn't at liberty to act like a woman for many years to come.

Just this once, she promised to herself. I'll cry just this once.

It wasn't five minutes later that Eleni registered that someone was knocking on her door.

"Go away, Schuylar!" The boy was a good friend, but she had asked to be left alone. "I already said I'd go eat."

The person on the other side of the door chuckled. "Good to know, but you guessed the wrong person."

Eleni had to force every muscle in her body to move. The floor looked too good to leave, so harmless. Why get up and risk more insults? The was no choice but to open the door. She was fairly certain he could force the door open, if she didn't. There was a pair of cat-like eyes staring her down on the other side of the side.

"What do you want, Alexander?" Casually leaning against the door frame, Myles looked very much at ease. That is, if the drying blood and tears on his cheek had been easy to ignore. They weren't.

Pushing his way into the room, Alex herded Eleni to her bed. "Come now, Myles. Can't I check up on my lion cub?" His hand was already glowing with his Gift, poised above her cheek.

Eleni slapped his hand away. "No, you may not." Again, Alex tried to heal her cheek. "Don't call me that, either." Another slap to Alex's hand, but he would not be deterred. "Leave me alone!"

This time, Alex caught her hand. Staring her down, he activated his Gift again. "Just let me heal this up, and I'll leave."

Eleni didn't fight. "Why are you being so nice suddenly?"

It made no sense to her. Alex's emotions were more turbulent than the waves of the Emerald Ocean. There were times when she had been sure that all he could feel towards her was a burning hatred. Other times he had been patient and made the effort to help her.

In no time at all, the gash was gone. Eleni found it curious that she had let him, of all people, heal her. She had even sent Schuylar away, but she had let Alex help. He confounded her to no end.

"You never answered my question," she said.

Alex was almost to the door before he found the words. "I don't hate you. I realized that a while back. I don't and won't hate you. I could, it wouldn't be difficult, but I won't. I just can't be your friend, either."

He was gone before Eleni raised her head. Alexander of Tirragen had proved that he wasn't an enemy, but he was proving himself a mystery.

You know how bullies cower in front of older siblings and teachers, and then go back to beating up the younger kids? I see Lord Padriag doing this whenever Alanna isn't around. He has quite a bit of hate for the liberal families, and "Myles" is a foreigner too.

Did we notice that we managed to skip to October? Yay! Reviewers will receive cookies and commendations!