Duke Baird's tip about Tortallan law worked like a charm. The King and Queen exchanged a few meaningful glances when Jonathan brought up the law and named his chosen healer, but they didn't object. Jonathan wanted to interpret that as a sign that they were warming to Alanna but knew it was more likely just an attempt to avoid an argument with their son.

After some debate with his parents, Jonathan managed to keep his travel party limited to just Myles, Alanna, and two men-at-arms. Thom was the only person left at the palace who knew the true nature of their journey. To everyone else, Jonathan gave vague excuses about getting to know the Bazhir better before he ruled them.

Jonathan, Myles, and Alanna agreed they would stick with the same story they had been using - that Alanna was a noble healer assigned to Jonathan's care and that she was Alan's older sister. The fact that she rode a horse like a man and carried a sword was the result of being a girl raised in a tough border fief with no mother to guide her care.

As they readied to leave, Alanna was delighted to discover that the men-at-arms who had been assigned to them were Micah and Keel, the two men she had been captured with at the Drell. Riding out felt wonderful to Alanna. Finally, travel and adventure! The others seemed to feel the same.

"It's a pleasure to serve with you again," Micah said to Alanna when they were away from the palace and alone on the road.

Alanna started to smile, then caught herself. "I, um, what?" she said as innocently as she could.

"Don't lead with that, you dolt," said Keel from her other side.

"I believe I'm missing something," Alanna said carefully.

"Right, sorry," Micah said sheepishly. "From the beginning then. We heard that Squire Alan and the lads were sent home because of their part in the rescue that defied the king's orders. When we arrived back at the capitol, we heard the news that Alan was paralyzed in an accident, and we... didn't take it so well."

"Got drunk as can be," Keel continued. "Seemed so unjust after Alan's bravery and our Prince's heroism," he said with a nod to Jon, who had pulled up to listen, "to then be taken out by a random fall."

"So we were in a tavern drinking away our sorrows about the tragic ironies of life and apparently complaining about it very loudly because one of the nobles from the rescue party - won't say who - happened to overhear and take pity on us. He told us the real reason why you had to disappear."

"Don't worry, my lady, we haven't told anyone, although we did suggest to Duke Gareth that we learned something we shouldn't have when we were captured. That's how we got assigned to his highness's guard detail," Micah explained. "And we figured things out pretty quickly when you arrived at the palace as "Lady Alanna."

Jonathan nodded in confirmation. Clearly, this wasn't news to him, but his smile revealed that he approved.

"And you aren't scandalized?" Alanna asked.

"I might have been before that blasted war," Micah admitted, "but you secured our escape knowing that you couldn't secure your own. That makes you a worthier knight than many that carry a shield, saving your presence, Highness," he said, bowing his head briefly to Jon.

"I quite agree," the Prince said affably. "You're good and loyal soldiers, and I thought Alanna would enjoy a break from having to pretend."

Alanna smiled gratefully at all three of them. Freedom and adventure indeed!

When the sun began to set, they stopped at an inn, dressed in clothes that revealed them as wealthy but gave no hint of their true identities.

"One room for the lady and me and three rooms for our companions," Jonathan told the innkeeper when they arrived, earning him a sharp look from Alanna and an interested one from the others.

"Myles was going to find out sooner or later," Jonathan said as the innkeeper walked away, "And Micah and Keel can keep a secret."

"I had my suspicions anyway," Myles said with a wink, "but it's nice to have them confirmed."

Alanna just shook her head as Jonathan wrapped an arm around her waist, and they followed the beckoning innkeeper to their room.


According to the map Jonathan carried, they were getting close to the Bloody Hawk encampment where the Voice of the Tribes had said they could find him.

Suddenly a group of men appeared, riding straight towards them at a fast pace.

"They could be friendly," Myles said hopefully, but the group pulled into a protective formation around Jonathan all the same.

When they came within shouting distance, both groups halted. The other riders were clearly Bazhir and heavily armed.

"We know why you are here," the Bazhir leader said. "But you are not worthy of being one of us, and your designs to be the Voice are pure insolence. I will show this day how truly unworthy you are."

"Not friendly," Myles said, drawing his sword.

Alanna gripped the ember stone and saw power pooling in the Bazhir leader's hands. "He's a sorcerer!" she yelled.

Jonathan reached his right hand out to Alanna, and she took it in her left without thinking, immediately drawing up her gift and leaving it open for Jonathan to control. With her right hand, she grabbed for her nearest dagger.

"Everyone stay in close," Jonathan ordered. "Let them come to us."

Both Jonathan and the enemy sorcerer began saying arcane words. Alanna recognized what Jonathan was doing and quickly explained the battle plan to the other three. She grabbed her ember stone when Jonathan stopped chanting and instructed Keel on where to draw a line in the sand ahead of them.

Something that resembled a yellow fireball flew from their opponent's hands and hurtled straight towards them but stopped abruptly just ahead of the line Keel had drawn. The sorcerer let out an angry yell and began weaving another spell.

"I had always heard that the Bazhir men were brave," Alanna yelled. "But you cowards won't even approach."

That did the trick. The bazhir men advanced. Micah, Keel, and Myles held their mounts just inside Jonathan's invisible shield, weapons drawn, making sure not to cross the line in the sand. Alanna stayed at Jonathan's side, with her hand in his, with several knives now resting in her lap.

When the sorcerer had closed much of the distance, he began his spell again, only to be interrupted by Alanna's knife barely missing his left ear. At the same time, one of the other Bazhir men charged with a spear extended toward Keel.

Fighting within the one-way shield was a disorienting experience for all of them. The attacker's spear banged hard against the invisible barrier, jarring the man and giving Keel a clear opening to use his own spear. The enemy fighter went down with a cry.

The entire Tortallan party flinched as another column of unnatural flame flared towards them before being wholly deflected. Another of Alanna's knives nicked the man who had sent it, causing him to mess up a third spell he was already attempting. Another fighter fell to Myles's sword seconds after he slammed painfully into the shield.

Suddenly, Alanna felt Jonathan's hold on the spell give way, and a quick glance at the sweaty Prince told her he wouldn't be able to summon it again. She let go of his hand and charged straight for the now-furiously chanting Bazhir shaman. He barely had time to register what was happening before she ran him through with her sword.

The remaining Bazhir looked on in horror, then fled.

"Don't chase them," Jonathan commanded. "This is already not the entrance I was hoping to make."

They recovered their weapons and drank deeply from their water skins. Just as they were about to continue on their journey, they saw signs of more approaching rides.

"Maybe this group will be friendly?" Micah said hopefully as they reformed around the Prince and waited in tense readiness.

The new group slowed as they saw Jonathan's party waiting with weapons drawn and then noticed the bodies on the ground.

"Prince Jonathan of Tortall," the leader called out, "It is I, Ali Muktahb."