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Keladry of Mindelan was sitting idly in the window seat of her room at the Palace in Corus. Being the second female page in living memory, it was uncommon to see her, sitting, as opposed to training, or fighting other pages.

It was even less common to find her wearing a dress. She was in her first year, and probationary year at the palace, and was ready for what could be her last day as a page.

It was the last day before the summer holidays, and it was the day when Lord Wyldon would decide if she was worthy to continue her knight training. She wanted to more than anything else, but with all of the pressure of the conservatives, who believed that girls cannot fight, the training master was likely to send her home.

Straightening her floor length green dress, she stood up, and walked to the door, where she had heard a knock moments before.

Standing outside were all of her friends: Neal, Cleon, Prince Roald, Merric, Seaver, Esmond and Faleron.

"Hey Kel!" her best friend, Nealan of Queenscove said, "Ready for our last dinner as measly first years? Let's go." Kel followed the boys to the mess hall, happy that they all had such faith in her. They were all positive that she would be allowed to stay at the Palace.

As they ate together, Kel was quieter than usual. She couldn't help but think of what would happen if she failed. There would probably be no more girls attempting at knighthood, being too discouraged. Her family would be disappointed in her, and Alanna the Lioness. She couldn't help thinking about the Lady Knight who had fought so hard to allow her to try. She would probably hate Kel forever for ruining the image of female warriors.

"Are you alright Kel?" Neal interrupted her thoughts. She looked at his bright green eyes. She had had a crush on him for the better part of a year, and tried to avoid looking at him directly for fear of blushing.

"Yeah I'm fine, just thinking."

"Well then, you wouldn't mind listening to the poem I wrote for the Wild-" there was an audible groan from the occupants of the table. Kel on the other hand, snapped from all of the built up stress.

"Yes Neal I would mind. I hate listening to your gods awful poetry every other day." She spoke calmly so as not to make a scene, but he flinched as though she was yelling. "It's always the same. You find some court beauty to fawn over in secret, and you write them stupid sonnets that make me want to scream. You make all of us listen to you read them, and YOU NEVER SEND THEM. We have to suffer when you're not even man enough to admit your feelings to the lady herself, I for one am SICK of it. You-"

"What do you know?" He to spoke in little more than a whisper, but his words cut her. "What do you know about my feelings. What do you know about anyone's feelings. Your just insecure. You always hide your own emotions behind that bloody mask, and your telling ME off for not telling people what I feel?"

By now, tears were beginning to form behind her eyes, but she determinedly forced them back. She would never let him see that his words hurt her.

"You only tell me off because you know that you're ugly and no man would ever want you, so you want the rest of us to suffer with you. You know that no man would ever want to be with the sorry excuse for a woman which is what you are-"

At that moment, Lord Wyldon stood up, which was well timed, because the boys around the table all looked like they wanted nothing more than to sock Neal in the face. Cleon began to rise, but Kel laid a hand on his arm to push him down, a tear silently running down her face, which in itself showed no emotion. Merric, Seaver and Faleron had their mouths open to reply. Roald and Esmond simply glared at the sixteen year old with such hatred and disgust that it actually scared Kel.

Lord Wyldon began his customary announcements, pausing only at the end with.

"Keladry of Mindelan, report to my office immediately after the meal."

Kel quickly stood up and brought her untouched tray to the servants. With one last look at her friends, she ran out of the mess hall.

She knocked quietly on the training master's door, and entered when he called to her.

"Yes. Mindelan, sit."

Kel sat cautiously across from him. "Sir?"

"Now I speak to you as I would one of my own daughters. Consider your future. This was the easiest year. Soon your body will change. You will not be able to keep up with the boys. You have the rest of your life to think about this. You are dismissed."

"So I can't come back then?"

"No you may not. You will leave for Mindelan in a days time. Good night."