Arie woke in a cot. There were birds chirping by the open window and a familiar face hovering over her. SandStorm blew in her face. *I left you alone for a few moments.* Was the horse's stern remark.

Arie laughed breathlessly and reached up and patted her friend's neck. His warmth and the soft feel of his hair was reassuring. "Would you believe me if I said it wasn't my fault?"

*No.*

Arie sighed and sat up slowly. Her stomach growled loudly. When was the last time she ate, she wondered.

*You were asleep for three days after arriving. You need to feed. You were too light when we were riding. Not that I mind you being lighter, but I don't want a wind to blow you away either. I put too much work in watching out for you to see it wasted.*

Arie laughed weakly. She shifted so she could lean up against the wall under the window.

"Ello?" A face appeared in the door way surprising Arie so badly she jumped, smacking her head into the window sill. Pain like a knife slid through her skull bringing tears to her eyes. She swore long and loud. It would have made her teacher, Twitchy, proud. As it was, the noble looking man in the door whistled approvingly. He moved swiftly and lithely to her side. Gently he pried her hands from her head. "Let me see."

Arie hissed at him and he chuckled.

"Haven't you learned your lesson yet? Relax, let Ol' George look you over sweetheart."

Arie grumbled but dropped her hands as George deftly checked her head. She hissed when he prodded the now bruising area.

"Good news, you've a hard head."

Arie glared daggers at the man and pulled away from him.

"I'm fine."

He chuckled. Now Arie studied the man that had surprised her. She wasn't sure if he was considered handsome. His nose was slightly crooked. Probably from a brawl. Odd if he was a noble. Taking in his clothes she saw they were simple, no flourishes that most nobles liked. But they were of good material, no holes, and not even worn. But his eyes are what made her really noticed him. She had seen those eyes before, in a younger looking face. Memories clicked and she whispered,

"You!"

"Me?" he asked as if it was a joke. "Sorry, I'm take-."

"You're the one who helped me free SandStorm." How had she not recognized him sooner? This man had allowed her to keep her now oldest friend without being hunted as a horse thief. The man looked down at her in confusion. His eyes went from Arie to her horse friend. It was SandStorm he recognized first. Then slowly a dawning recognition rose in his eyes when he studied her. He laughed and slapped his knee.

"Your hair was dyed back then, wasn't it?"

Arie bobbed her head once. Her natural hair was too recognizable. For a while she had dyed it to fit in better. Too bad she couldn't hide her Gift as easily. Back then she had had only minimal fighting skills, but it had been enough. Her mother had gone off to buy herbs leaving her daughter to mill around the market stalls. She had been attracted to a man with a herd of beautiful horses. Most of them were for his traveling show. The leader had taken to training a mare. She was a beautiful roan. Her belly had been slightly swollen with a foal. Arie been shocked to see the big man bring a whip down on the horse's side. Too close to the child she was carrying. Raw fury had made her jump the fence and advance on the man. But another horse came shooting over the fence from the other direction. A much younger SandStorm was on the man in seconds. Hooves flailing dangerously in his face. The man turned his whip on the other horse beating back the animal with vicious strokes.

It was then that Arie realized that the whip had bits of metal on its leather tongues. Opening gashes along both horses. She still wasn't sure how she had crossed the space in just a few strides, but suddenly she was there. Her Gift glowing like an angry fire in her hands. She grabbed hold of the man's wrists and hung on for dear life, being that she had been maybe a third of the man's size. It had done her very little good. The man tossed her aside, not realizing the damage of her magic was done. When the man had drawn back to strike her, his arm was swiftly caught by a younger version of the man who now before her.

"Now this is no way to be treatin these fine ladies." He eyed SandStorm who pawed the earth threateningly. "And gentleman." When he had twisted the burly man's arm behind his back there had been a sickening snap as the bone broke. The younger man who had come to her rescue was surprised by it, but he hadn't released his hold even as the burly man howled in anguish. Then his keen eyes had looked over the mare. Arie had been sure she saw anger in the depths of those eyes. "How's about you go get your papers for your horses. A man who can't treat his animals properly doesn't deserve to have them."

She had just watched as the stranger dragged the burly man off to a magister. Later Arie found out that the man was stripped of his right to buy and sell horses. The man, a baron of a strange sounding place had bought all the horses including the brave stallion. She had spoken with the two horses and the one; SandStorm, decided to follow her. Arie had tried telling the horse that she couldn't afford to buy him, but the horse didn't care. She had returned the animal twice to its new owner, before the third time the horse came with a small pouch hung around its neck. Inside was a note.

'Take him, he's yours.' With it she found the bill of sale made out to her. Or at least the description of her.

"I'd been meaning to ask what you did to that man's wrist. It shouldn't have broken that easily." George asked her bringing her back to the present.

Arie's face hardened. "I made sure he couldn't raise a hand against another being."

George whistled. "I can think of a few people who need the same thing."

Arie blinked up at the man. "It's against the law to magic someone."

George shrugged. "Maybe, but mayhap that doesn't mean there aren't folks in this world that should be stopped."

Arie nodded watching the man curiously. Were there a lot of nobles who thought like this? Had she been wrong? She had to set those thoughts aside as a tingling itch worked up her spine. Her Gift had a few moments where it called to her. Demanding she use it. But now? He would see! Fear churned in her gut like rotten food.

"I think I need some fresh air."

George nodded and stretched. "Probably, I'll show you round."

So much for getting rid of him she thought.