Chapter 9 Over the course of the week, Duyeva and Alilia went to visit Anghieveris at the spot by the river, bringing lunches with them to get away from the frustration of endless research that produced no results. Duyeva had just come from a long talk with Hihaye on the vagaries of one of the long passages in a scroll she was currently studying. Neither woman could make heads or tails of what it was saying. Hihaye had mused that it made about as much sense as the Book of Life did. After hours of frustration, they gave up, deciding that this scroll didn�ft have anything useful in it after all.
�gSo we think we�fre going to call in a Scholar to help with this research,�h continued Duyeva after swallowing a mouthful of water. �gI don�ft know how much help a Scholar is going to be. We have some of the best linguists on Melphor in the Palace right now helping us, and they have the same training that most Scholars get in languages.�h
�gUnless there�fs something about the Scholastic orders that we don�ft know about,�h Alilia added, munching on a red apple.
�gIt is entirely possible,�h agreed Anghieveris. She wore a light blue tunic over a pair of tight brown leggings. She sat cross legged beside Duyeva on the grass.
�gNot likely though.�h Duyeva shook her head, her purple curls falling into her face. �gI�fm starting to think that this is all for nothing, that everything that we�fve worked so hard for and paid for in blood, sweat and tears for the last two thousand years will come crashing down around our ears and there�fs nothing that we can do to stop it.�h
�gDon�ft we sound pessimistic?�h Alilia snorted.
�gIt surely is not as bad as you make it sound,�h Anghieveris said, her voice maintaining its customary calm.
Duyeva sighed. �gIf I explained the situation, you�fd both be less inclined to be so hard on my pessimism regarding this situation.�h
�gI�fm all ears,�h said Alilia.
She sat up and cleared her throat. She told first of the strange girl with the deep black eyes that the knights of Paraten had found wandering near the edge of the Forbidden Lands. She�fd been arrested, of course, and sentenced to die in the public square. She and Trayu were supposed to oversee it. She shook her head and commented on the irony that she killed Melethus, who was to be her executioner, on the way out. She mentioned that the Knights had been summoned to the Palace after she returned from Paraten, which made Anghieveris look very uncomfortable. Ignoring it, Duyeva continued, telling of the Book that was stolen. When she mentioned the Kairyyl that were thought to be involved in the theft, the Falleen squirmed noticeably.
�gAre you alright?�h asked Duyeva, her eyes narrowing. �gYou look like you�fre either going to be very ill or you�fre going to run. Or both.�h
�gI am alright.�h Anghieveris took a deep breath. �gPlease. Do continue with your tale.�h
She continued, talking of the difficulty in translating the Books that they did have in their possession. They made repeated references to places that no one had ever heard of, like Luyan and Katashiran, and names that were no longer used, like Kaishivan, the old name for the Forbidden Lands. None of it made any sense to any of the Knights.
�gNone of our training prepared us for this kind of thing,�h she finished with an exasperated sigh. �gAt this rate, we will be completely unprepared for anything the Evil One throws at us.�h
�gEvil one?�h Anghieveris looked rather puzzled. �gWho�fs that?�h
�gHave you lived in a cave for your entire life?�h Alilia asked, incredulous. �gWhy, she�fs the source of all the evils in the world.�h
�gTehaksha has no interest in the affairs of mortals. Everyone knows that.�h
�gWho�fs Tehaksha?�h
�gShe is the Lunyari goddess of what you would call hell. She is feared by all races as a devourer of souls.�h
�gWe weren�ft talking about Tehaksha. She only exists in fairy tales anyways,�h Duyeva told her, taking on the tone of voice one would use on a particularly dense child.
�gWe were talking about the Night Queen.�h
Silence descended on the river. The animals all feel silent. Even the river seemed to cease its gurgling as it ran over its rocky bed. Anghieveris froze in place, staring at Duyeva. The wind stopped blowing. There was a look of profound shock on the grey winged woman�fs face. Not shock at the mention of the Night Queen, as a casual observer might think, but at how Duyeva had talked of her, which made no sense to either Alilia or Duyeva, especially when the common belief had been proven time and again.
�gThe Queen of the Night,�h Anghieveris said slowly. �gYou think her to be a worse evil than Tehaksha? I do not think that is possible.�h
Duyeva breathed an internal sigh of relief. For a moment there, it had looked as if Anghieveris was one of the few the Order had found over the centuries that held the belief that the Night Queen wasn�ft a being of supreme evil, despite the evidence against it. �gThere is plenty of evidence to prove it,�h she said slowly. �gI have some up in my room�fs private library and back in my House�fs seat at Frost Manor. I had to leave most of them behind when I took up residence here.�h
�gNo evidence could ever prove what you believe to be true, as your truth is truly a lie. �eAll lies will one day lead to the truth�f,�h she quoted, but the quote was unknown to the other two.
�gIf you need proof, take me. On my word as the Knight of Spirit, I speak for the Knights that died at the hands of the Nightlords, and for the other members of my Order that suffered unnamable cruelties at her hands and at the hands of her servants.�h Duyeva made a fist. �gKilling them off at the end of the war was the best thing for this land. Of course,�h Duyeva managed a wry smile. �gWithout their Queen, they were pretty much helpless anyways.�h
�gAs you would be without yours, I would assume.�h Anghieveris was barely maintaining her calm. Her eyes were taking on a dangerous glint.
�gGood without its leader will continue. Evil without a leader collapses in upon itself.�h
�gYet the Queen was not an evil person.�h She stood and gazed coldly down at Duyeva. �gWhy must you continue to believe this? It is so obviously a false belief, as are many of the things that you cling to in order to make yourselves believe that you did the correct and just thing by exterminating a race of people that wanted no more than to exist in peace.�h
Alilia watched the two argue back and forth. To her, it was understandable that a Darkwinger would cling to those beliefs, as the common belief was what was responsible for the persecution of those Falleen and Lunyari that had colorings similar to her own. The shade of grey that her wings were was just barely an acceptable color by Falleen standards, but it really depended on where you lived in Teo�fvard. The argument carried on, the two antagonists putting forth evidence to prove that their claim was the correct one. Anghieveris was looking increasingly uncomfortable, looking at times as if she wanted to say something and even started to, but said something else instead. It puzzled Alilia. It was almost as if she was trying not to give something away and was having a hard time keeping herself from doing so.
�gJust because you have grey wings doesn�ft mean that you have to cling to a belief that the Evil One wasn�ft evil just to prove that you yourself and all those like you aren�ft bad people,�h Duyeva was saying, trying to reason with the other woman. �gIt�fs been proven throughout history that Darkwingers are capable of great evils. Every single one of them that has lived on unaltered has caused great destruction and evil before they were stopped. This you cannot deny.�h
�gLet me pose you a question in response instead of responding directly. Let us say that all people with white wings are persecuted as being ignorant, stupid, and generally bad people, so you blank their minds to keep them from acting up. Yet the one time a white winged person is left intact, that person runs amok, causing havoc every where they go. Why is that? Is it because that person is truly bad? Perhaps. Perhaps a few of them truly are, but that cannot be true of all of them. If you tell someone constantly that they are bad, they will believe this and act accordingly.�h
�gYou�fre talking of white winged people, people we know to be good. Only Darkwingers cause trouble.�h
�gYou mean to tell me that there is no crime in Teo�fvard or Miltan, that no one does any wrong? I do not believe that it could be possible. No person is innately good or evil. That is what Yuleta the Just teaches. All are judged innocent until proven otherwise. Yet people are ignorant and panicky creatures, prone to believe their superstitions rather than seek out the truth.�h
�gOur beliefs are backed by the Shinning One Herself.�h
�gShan-Illu has long been known to dislike her sister Kephru. It is no surprise that followers of the Shinning One would willfully ignore the advice of Yuleta, who is the daughter of Kephru.�h
�gI�fve always believed the tales of Yuleta�fs birth to be false. How could justice come from evil?�h
�gThat is beside the point. It would appear that nothing I have to say will mean anything to either of you. Go. Try to translate your scrolls and books, for nothing in them will help you in the days to come. Prepare yourselves, for Lady Death will visit you all in time. You will unlikely ever see me again.�h Having spoken those words, Anghieveris went across the river and vanished into the trees.
�gWhat was that all about?�h Alilia asked, frowning. When she didn�ft receive a response, she turned to look at Duyeva. �gDuyeva? What�fs wrong?�h
The Knight looked as if she had been hit with an ice bolt spell. Shock warred with horror in the expression on her face. She sat and stared at the spot where Anghieveris had vanished. A few moments later, she turned to Alilia. �gWe have to get back to the Palace. Now!�h
Not one to question her when she took that tone of voice, Alilia called for Sundance to come from where she�fd been grazing a little further upstream from their current location. The mare looked concerned, but allowed Duyeva to mount without questioning their sudden departure. Mounted now, they headed for the Palace as fast as they could through the trees; speeding up to a full gallop once they�fd cleared it.
They reached the Palace in good time. Duyeva dismounted and ran for inside to the bell tower with the large golden bell that could be sued to summon the Knights when they were in town. She rang out a summons followed by a sequence that marked this as extremely urgent. It wouldn�ft take long for them all to assemble in the throne room.

It only took half an hour for the Knights of the Rose to assemble in the Day Queen�fs throne room. They all looked mildly annoyed. In some case, like Breya and Yolanti, they�fd been pulled from sparring sessions and their adrenaline levels were still rather high. Mnehashuk had been enjoying a relaxing massage. Down in the still room, Ozarel had been grinding herbs for medicines. Trayu, not having any luck at deciphering the old scrolls she�fd picked out to work on, had gone for a swim in the small lake behind the Palace. Hihaye herself had been reading an old romance, one of her true weaknesses, outside on an ornately carved wooden bench. The Book of Life rested on a pedestal beside the throne, a feather tucked between two pages to mark them for later reference.
�gWell?�h Breya demanded impatiently. �gWhy did you insist on calling us here so urgently?�h
�gYou aren�ft injured, so it couldn�ft have been an attack,�h Ozarel observed. She was the least annoyed of all the Knights. She didn�ft really like the still room and, from the smell of things, she�fd been grinding tanel root, a root whose smell Ozarel wasn�ft particularly fond of, but, as it was the only known remedy for migraines, it was a necessary chore.
�gWould you two let her explain?�h asked Trayu as she plaited her long hair into a single braid. She grabbed a ribbon form her pocket and wrapped it around the end. �gI trust she has good reason for what she did.�h
�gI believe that I just discovered a possible Forhiellin, news that does us no good, really, as she�fs doubtfully long gone by now,�h Duyeva told them of her encounter with the grey winged Falleen woman who called herself Anghieveris, what she looked like and of their argument.
�gYou�fre slipping, �eYeva,�h Breya scolded.
�gUnder normal circumstances, you would have known about her lack of House just based on her coloring alone.�h Ozarel shivered. �gGrey winged children are rarely allowed to live. There are more of them than any of the other Darkwingers, but still relatively few exist. When they are allowed to live, they live as servants with no knowledge of their House or family. Some have mental blocks put up in heir minds to keep them from ever finding out. It�fs considered to be kinder to kill them at birth.�h
�gAll children with dark wings are treated thus in Teo�fvard,�h added Mnehashuk. �gThis is common knowledge. Fortunately, hair color isn�ft much remarked upon; eyes, however�cEyes are a different story. Dark eyes are a bad thing, but can be overlooked depending on the shade and color.�h
�gThis is true, except when eyes and hair are both dark.�h Ozarel folded her wings tightly to her back. �gI saw a babe with black coloring only once, but I�fll never forget that sight.�h
�gIt must have been horrible for you,�h Hihaye said sympathetically.
Ozarel nodded and shivered again, a few feathers coming loose with the motion. Black was the color of evil with grey a close second. Very few things were black on Ardren, the exception being some of the Centauricorn people, who didn�ft hold with killing children with black coloring in either human or equine parts. People with black hair usually covered it or changed its color with either bleaches and dyes or glamour spells. People like Breya and her House of Solien were all born raven haired. It was said that their House once fought for the Night Queen and in the end were key to the collapse of her army, but no one believed that story nowadays. They wore their hair in that color partly because they wanted to and partly because of that tale. Their eyes were all pale colors or, like Breya, golden like Hihaye�fs.
Those with dark colorings were generally regarded with suspicion. The Falleen, as well as the Lunyari, believed that coloration reflected your personality. They rarely applied that belief outside of their two cultures and were rarely wrong in any case. Over the centuries, their beliefs had been proven, so it went without question anymore.
�gYou said she looked uncomfortable when you mentioned your rank as a Knight?�h asked Yolanti, getting back to the matter at hand.
She nodded. �gShe seemed more terrified than uncomfortable to me.�h
�gShe couldn�ft have been born in Teo�fvard or anywhere else in the Alliance,�h Ozarel mused, pacing. �gEven the few Darkwingers that are permitted to live know who the Knights are, so a revelation of your identity wouldn�ft have come as a shock to one who was. In fact, she would have instantly recognized you as there are paintings of all of us everywhere.�h
�gThere is no land on Melphor that isn�ft a member of the Alliance, though, Ozarel,�h Mnehashuk told her.
�gIs it possible that a Darkwinger escaped and had a baby somewhere, possibly the Forbidden Lands as Duyeva suspects as the place of her birth?�h
�gBoth the Falleen and the Lunyari require a good deal of assistance when giving birth to their young.�h Trayu looked over at her. Her tone was neutral, but Mnehashuk still felt as if she�fd been talked down to.
�gWell maybe she had help from either another person or from one of the things that live there,�h she replied, defensively. Ozarel shook her head. �gFirst of all, all of the Darkwingers are sterile either naturally or otherwise. Secondly, most are killed at birth, if they aren�ft stillborn, as I said earlier. Thirdly, it is a shameful thing to have given birth to one at all and is considered to be a black mark on the House. If the woman has had other normal children, she is allowed to have more. If she hasn�ft, she is either told to not have more or to find a different father for her next one.�h
�gThere�fs a bit more to it than that, but that sums it up nicely, Ozarel.�h Hihaye nodded.
�gSo much for that theory,�h grumbled Breya.
�gWhere could she come from then? If she isn�ft from the Forbidden Lands, I can�ft think of anywhere else she could be from and still be the way she is. She had a memory block in her mind, but that�fs about it.�h
�gIt�fs odd that she has such a name,�h Yolanti added. �gIt�fs obviously a play on anglisu. I had an ancestor with a name similar to it. More like Alieheva, actually.�h
Ozarel stopped, looked thoughtful for a moment and then resumed pacing, staring at the floor. Her eyes followed the lines of the map built into the floor even though she knew the entire thing by heart. As the discussion around her grew more and more heated, she paused and stared blankly at a slab of plain black stone in the floor. Obsidian, her mind filled in automatically, same as the stone denoting the Forbidden Lands. The word �eKeltos�f was written in the stone and filled in with silver. She stopped pacing and turned to Hihaye.
�gMy Queen,�h she began, trying to find her voice again. �gThis place on the map. Is it uninhabited?�h
Everyone came over to look. �gI believe so.�h Was the reply. �gOtherwise it wouldn�ft have been done in black.�h
�gThings change,�h Ozarel murmured thoughtfully. �gPeople move around. Lands change. Would it be possible that the Dark Ones fled there sometime after they were defeated? There were few enough left that they wouldn�ft have been noticed.�h
�gWhat do you mean by that?�h demanded Breya. �gThey were annihilated!�h
�gNo, they weren�ft. They were reduced so far down in numbers that, theoretically, they should have died out.�h
�gObviously not.�h
�gNo one knew much about their biology back then, let alone them as a people. Their corpses were stripped of anything that could be turned into a trophy and of anything else of value before they were destroyed. No Healers were given a chance to look at them,�h Ozarel said, maintaining her calm. �gIt�fs always better to know your enemies and how they work physically, mentally, culturally as well as religiously and socially in order to effectively destroy them. My granddam believed, as did her farmothers, that knowing about such niggling details like prophecies is advantageous. Such things can be twisted and turned against them. It is no fault of House Elion that the Forhiellin and other creatures of the night survived.�h
�gNor of Houses Nomien, Se�fvren, Tulak, and Kladdatch. Even House Solien,�h Yolanti insisted with her arms folded over her chest.
�gWe are not assigning blame to any Houses, Yolanti, Ozarel,�h Hihaye sighed, looking at her Knights. �gThanks to Ozarel, we now have a place to start looking for our missing book, despite the fact that we should have thought of that in the fist place. It was right in front of our noses and we didn�ft even see it. Should we find these creatures, you have the right to lead the first strike against them, Ozarel.�h
Ozarel bowed, but shook her head. �gMy Queen, as honored as I am by your words of recommendation, I must decline. I believe that Yolanti would be a better choice to lead than I. The Kairyyl stole the sword of House Artreus, the blade that would have gone to one of her own flesh and blood.�h
Yolanti�fs blue eyes darkened at the reminder, sparks flashing across them with suppressed rage. She would have blood for that insult to her House and to House Artreus and all in that room knew it as they knew that she would get it one way or another.
�gI approve of your decision.�h Hihaye smiled. �gI doubted if you would accept the command. House Elion has long been known for its gentleness and Healers, and not for any military prowess.�h
�gShe who says that has obviously never crossed staves with Ozarel or any of her relatives,�h Duyeva said, fingering her left shoulder gingerly. �gMy arm has finally stopped aching.�h
�gIt�fs been months since you came to visit us at Wolven Ridding.�h Ozarel did her best to look completely innocent, but she couldn�ft keep the twinkle out of her eyes. �gI Healed all of the bruises that I gave you.�h
�gThe bruises, yes, but not the aches,�h Duyeva retorted. �gI smelled of Edel leaf for months!�h �gSo that�fs what that smell was!�h Mnehashuk exclaimed. �gI kept smelling something that I couldn�ft place around you.�h
�gYou also live on the plains, Mnehashuk. Edel only grows in the forests,�h Breya reminded her. The mood was a little lighter than it had been when the news Duyeva had brought them, though it was still underscored by a deepening sense of dread as they parted company each going back to the things they�fd all been doing beforehand. Duyeva went back out to where Alilia was waiting, pacing on the cobblestones. Her hooves made a clicking sound that was rapidly getting on the nerves of those that had to work nearby. She looked relieved to see Duyeva again.
�gWell?�h she asked nervously. �gWhat did they say?�h
The Knight of Spirit sighed, shook her head, and relayed their findings to her. Alilia was well-known to the other Knights and had been there when Anghieveris�fs true nature had been revealed. Besides, she�fd already been told everything that had happened up to that point so she didn�ft really see the harm in filling in the rest of the gaps. No one would really mind in any case. Centauricorns were generally trustworthy and kept any secret they were told.
Alilia stood silent, absorbing the information with her head tilted slightly to the side in her listening posture. She pawed at the ground absentmindedly. �gThe mistakes of our Ancestors have come back to haunt us,�h she said finally. �gI have to agree with Ozarel on this one, as well as the rest of House Elion. If your people had listened to them and paid a bit more attention to life around them, none of this would be happening right now.�h
�gAdmittedly true; however, it�fs hard for us realize that now,�h said Duyeva. �gEspecially for people like Breya and Yolanti.�h
The filly laughed and tossed her head. �gHow galling for two of the most powerful and prominent warrior Houses to be taken down a few pegs by the most prominent Healer House. For centuries they�fve patted themselves on the back, congratulating themselves on a job well done. How wrong they were.�h
�gSo many things could have been done better back then,�h she said mournfully. �gAh well. It�fs all in the past. We can�ft do anything about it. For now, we just need to figure out how to get over to Keltos undetected, poke around to confirm Ozarel�fs suspicions, and get back home again.�h
�gIt sounds risky.�h
�gLuckily, that task is now in Yolanti�fs very capable and willing hands.�h
�gThat�fs lucky for you and the others anyways.�h Alilia�fs smile faded.
�gYolanti actually looks forward to doing this. Ever since the news of Melethus�fs murder came to her she�fs been itching for a chance to avenge it.�h
�gThat�fs one thing I�fve never understood about you people. This obsession of yours with those swords. If they�fre so important to you, then why don�ft you hang them on a wall in your houses?�h
Duyeva smiled faintly. �gIf we did that, it wouldn�ft be an adequate representation of a House�fs honor. If honor were a tangible thing, you wouldn�ft hide it in your House where none can take it. You take it with you and display it proudly to all. You use it daily as you would use a weapon. A House�fs sword is symbolic of its honor. Only the head of a House may carry it as the head is ultimately responsible for her House and its honor. To take a sword away from its rightful owner is to ultimately take away a House�fs honor, independence, and social standing. Whoever has the sword can dictate whatever they want to the House and that House has to obey. If the sword breaks, so does the House.�h
�gThat does make a bit more sense. I�fm still glad that I�fm a Centauricorn, though. Our society is so much simpler.�h
�gYou�fre also looking at this from the other side of the fence,�h Duyeva pointed out. �gSo to speak.�h
�gAre you two ladies going to stand around talking all day or are you going to do something?�h A grumpy sounding voice asked nearby.
On the white bench against the wall closest to them sat a man dressed in plainly cut blue robes with a brown shirt underneath. His wavy brown hair fell into his pale blue eyes. The lack of calluses on his hands and the presence of ink stains told of his Scholarly training as did the book that he held in one hand. Duyeva looked again at the cut and shade of the blue in his clothes and recognized the Scholar�fs robes.
�gExcuse us for interrupting your studies, my lord Scholar.�h Duyeva blushed, bowing politely. �gI hope that we didn�ft disturb your concentration too badly.�h
He shook his head, closed his book and stood, walking towards them. �gNo worries. I was just reading. It wasn�ft anything overly important. It�fs just a novel predating the War of the Roses. Quite fascinating, actually.�h
�gAssuming, of course, that one can read Old Script,�h Duyeva added after glancing at the spine of the book.
He managed a faint smile. �gQuite right. Oh! I�fm being rude aren�ft I? My name is Linndan of House Leshar�fien.�h
Duyeva bowed in the formal method of her House with both arms sweeping out in front of her as she bent at the waist. �gI greet you. I am Duyeva of House Melipsor.�h
Alilia nodded. �gAlilia of Sundance Herd.�h
He bowed low. �gYou do me honor, ladies.�h
�gMay I ask how a man of House Leshar�fien came to be a Scholar?�h Alilia asked. �gFrom what I understand of your social structure, it�fs a relatively low-ranking House.�h
�gAh, but all men of my House are Scholars,�h he told them. �gOnly among outsiders are members of my House low of rank. Among the Scholastic community we are of high rank. Think of us as being much like House Filtolos is among the Order of the Rose.�h
�gI see. You people keep making less and less sense to me.�h
�gPoor little Centauricorn filly.�h Duyeva patted her sides sympathetically. �gIt�fs been a long and confusing day for you, hasn�ft it?�h
�gMost of the confusion was inflicted by you.�h
She ignored the remark and turned to Linndan. �gSo what brings you to our fair city?�h
�gIt�fs a fairly long story, but I was asked to come here. The Day Queen summoned me from my studies at the Academy.�h
�gDo tell us the whole story,�h she implored him. �gWe have time and are in dire need of something else to focus our attentions on.�h
�gVery well, then. If my ladies insist, then I will oblige. When I was training as a Scholar, I met a young woman from Talon Peak. We became friends not long after we met. She told me scores of stories of her sister who had become a Knight in the service of the Day Queen. I became fascinated with the tales of her journeys and exploits as well as those of her fellow Knights. When I earned my quill, I journeyed here to learn more about the Order and its knights. I�fd heard that the Knight of Spirit was known to stay for long periods of time at the Palace. I never thought that I�fd ever have an opportunity to meet any of you. That is, not until I was summoned here.�h
�gThis woman you speak of. She wouldn�ft happen to be of House Nomien?�h He nodded, surprised. �gIt couldn�ft have been Remsha. She�fs married and away at Klasvok currently. It must have been Ylasha.�h Duyeva smiled triumphantly. �gThe only other Nomien woman that you could have bumped into is Yolanti, who is the Knight of Flames.�h
�gYou�fre quite good at puzzling things out.�h
�gNot really. I�fm just far too familiar with the Nomien House. I used to spend my winter holidays with them at Talon Peak when I was still a squire. It gets a little too cold for my liking where my family lives.�h
�gWell, what do you expect with a name like Frost Manor?�h Alilia snorted.
�gSo, you came here to study the Order, my lord Scholar?�h Duyeva ignored Alilia�fs comment.
�gPlease. Just call me Linndan.�h
�gLinndan, then. Paraten would have been a better place to do so.�h
�gI wasn�ft summoned to Paraten. I didn�ft just come to study. I�fve been here before to pursue my studies, but that�fs just a secondary thing. I was summoned, as I believe I mentioned.�h He blushed and looked sheepish. �gBesides, I have a cousin in Paraten that I don�ft particularly get along with. She�fs a knight, one of the ones that specializes in the law. She was Melethus�fs apprentice.�h
Duyeva made a face. �gPoor girl. Melethus was no picnic to study under.�h �gDon�ft let Aryen hear you say that,�h he warned her. �gShe thinks that Melethus hung the stars, the moon, and is a daughter of the sun Herself.�h Yolanti walked out into the yard just after Linndan had finished making his comment. It took her a moment to recognize the peculiar cut of Linndan�fs robes as being those typically worn by Scholars. She bowed respectfully to him before approaching. �gGreetings, my lord Scholar. I am Yolanti of House Nomien. Pardon my intrusion, but lunch has been served and I�fve been sent to fetch Duyeva.�h
Linndan nodded, bowing in return. �gYou resemble your sister Ylasha,�h he said politely.
�gYou know her?�h Yolanti narrowed her eyes in a manner that was typically construed as being very rude. Duyeva gave her a strange look. House Nomien was well-known for its reverence towards the Scholastic Order.
�gI am a friend of hers. My name is Linndan of House Leshar�fien. We met at the Academy near Talon peak many years ago.�h
Yolanti relaxed. �gAh. I haven�ft seen her since she enrolled. Was she well when you saw her last?�h
�gQuite well, I assure you. She speaks very highly of you.�h
�gScholar Linndan tells us that he studies the Order all due to the tales that Ylasha has told him,�h Duyeva told her.
�gReally now? I�fll have to send her a letter then. We see far too few Scholars here.�h
�gMainly because their all terrified of you, Yolanti. You also tend to avoid them when they stay. They might think that you�fre a rogue in House Nomien and just don�ft like them and their brethren.�h Duyeva paused. �gYou said lunch was ready? Do you think the others would mind if Scholar Linndan joined us?�h
Yolanti shrugged. �gPerhaps. I can�ft really speak for them.�h
�gYou�fre no help.�h
�gIf it�fs possible, I would very much like to dine with such noble company.�h
�gNoble, he says,�h Yolanti snorted. �gHe�fs obviously never eaten a meal with Breya or Ozarel. I�fll bet that you say that to all of the ladies.�h
�gOnly the ones with pointy weapons,�h he confessed. �gYou never know what they�fll do with them if you don�ft sweat talk them.�h
Yolanti laughed. �gA sound policy. This way, if you please.�h
�gI�fll see you later, Alilia,�h Duyeva said as she followed Yolanti and Linndan inside.
�gNo problem. I�fll just go and see if Chel is doing anything.�h