Things were quiet in the camp. Apparently rescued people were not all that uncommon of a sight, becuase they didn't attract any notice from the young men in the camp. The Sariahs wandered around, staying in the boundaries of the camp and getting bored. Eventually, they started playing a game of "I Spy" to pass the time. Then, suddenly, there was shouting and the girls rushed to see what was going on. Anna had sneaked up to camp and been caught by two of the guards, who were hauling her rather roughly to speak to Charles.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, obviously I'm not fighting, so it can't be bad, right? I'm looking for someone."

"Who?"
"Anna!" Sariah said, and they both ran over to her. "You can let her go. She's our guide."

"I guess you were looking for these two?" Charles asked.

"Of course she was! Let her go." Sariah did not like seeing Anna treated so roughly. "You ought to teach your men some manners."

"Sorry."

So at least now Anna was back with them. She had snuck out of the battle to get some range with her bow, but then was confused by the men fighting each other, and didn't know who to shoot. She would have looked for them after the fight was over, but it was dark and she had had to wait until daylight. The trail was not hard to follow. She had seen Sariahs wandering in the camp and decided to accidentally-on-purpose get caught.

They day dragged on. After they got tired of "I Spy", the girls practiced with their weapons. Anna was very well-trained and taught Shaiah a lot about how to get even better range out of her bow, as well as better accuracy and more force. She borrowed twin swords from one of the men and helped Sariah remember more of what she'd learned about using them so that she would no longer be so helpless.

Eventually, the day ended and they slept as far away from the others as possible. Some of the men had tents, and others slept by their fires. Sariahs and Anna slept by their own fire with their weapons in evidence and within their easy reach.

Sariah slept rather well. She dreamed that she was in a quiet place, away from all the court hustle and bustle, and was learning exactly what she wanted to, doing exactly as she chose. Sighing, she rolled over, half-awake. Suddenly, she sat bolt upright, looking around her in confusion. People were shouting, shapes were moving. She grabbed her swords.

"The marauders!" It was Charles. "They're attacking. Get to safety!"

Sariah had no time to resist. Anna grabbed her and ran. Shaiah followed quickly. "No!" Sariah began to resist. "I want to fight!"

"You can't. Princesses don't belong in battles, and you're untried, unready." Anna dragged her along quickly.

"Princess...?" Sariah gasped. "How did you know?"

"Please! I've spent enought time with you. Your face is still the same, no matter what you do with your hair."

"She's got a point, Sariah. We'd better wait up here." Shaiah grabbed her bow. They were on a grassy hill, and they lay flat in the tall grass as to not be seen. The battle raged, and finally, near dawn, they saw Charles making his way toward them, following the trail of bent grass.

"Hello," he said, his voice cracking. He looked tired, grim, and slightly shaken. "It's over. The marauders were driven back. Many of them are dead."

"What about your men?" Shaiah asked. "How are they doing?"

"We don't have as many casualties as they did. But there are many wounded. Do any of you know anything about healing?"

They looked at each other. "I know a little," Anna confessed.

"Nothing," Shaiah said.

"Very little," Sariah said. She would have loved to learn everything, but there was no one to teach her...

"All right. You two can help Anna, there's a lot to be done." So they went back to camp. It was a grim place. The wounded were many, at least three fourths of the men, though only a fourth or so were in sever danger. Sariah was shaken to her very roots by the sorrow and death that surrounded her. She went up to the closest one and looked into his eyes. He looked back, not really seeing her, for a fever had already gripped him hard. His wound was a deep and terrible slash in his chest, as well as many smaller cuts and abrasions. He was not much older or younger than her, and already he bore his death wound. Sariah closed her eyes. If only, she thought, I could heal him. She swallowed agaist the achey lump in her throat, but tears poured out of her eyes nonetheless. Her head ached abominably.

"How can people do this to each other?" she whispered. She felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Charles.

"I've often thought the same," Charles said. "Some people, like us Rogues, try to avoid this at all costs. Last night, we were defending our lives from attackers. Often, we try to save innocent lives from the greedy and desparate marauders. It doesn't always work. But someone has to do it, and is not being done well enough by the king's men. The king is a fine and kind man, but greed men are in power everywhere. Those that would do good can only do so much under such a government." And then he left her, to help tend the other wounded.

Sariah opened her eyes. The young man had closed his, and his breath had become shallow. Sariah didn't know why she tarried by his side. She didn't know him, neither was he extremely handsome, so he shouldn't draw her attention, but... "Everyone has a story," Sariah said quietly. He had a mother, maybe a sister. What if this were her brother? Suddenly it seemed as though it were, the Crown Prince Braden laying there dieing on the ground, of a fatal wound and a fever. NO! Sariah thought. He will NOT die! She seemed to reach inside herself, and she placed her hands on his shoulders, blinking against the hot tears. She was angry now, and a strange, controlled, power seemed to fill her. "Heal!" She said, confidently. And he did. His bruises faded, and the wound on his chest slowly knit itself back together. His cuts mended, and faded. He opened his eyes. They were clear, if confused.

"Who are you?" he asked with an interestingly musical accent. She looked at him, not really seeing him, filled with her power. She did not answer. She moved from man to man, commanding them all to heal. Shaiah and Anna watched in amazement, as did all the others. No one spoke. As she healed the last man, Sariah felt her power leave and she collapsed on the ground. Everything went dark.

When she finally woke, Sariah found herself in a strange bed. She still felt rather weak. Where am I? she thought. She looked around the room, looking for a sign, and found her other self sitting next to her.

"Oh, you're awake!" Shaiah looked at her anxiously. "Are you feeling better?"

"Not much. How long was I out?"

Shaiah looked up, counting on her fingers. "Let's see... Four, five, six days of travel to get here, and you've been in bed for hmm... seven, eight. So about two weeks."

Sariah tried to sit upright in shock, but everything started going dark and she had to fall back again. "No," she gasped. "That long?"

"Yeah. You had us all worried. I'll go tell them you're awake."

Shaiah left and Sariah sat for several long minutes, wondering what on earth had happened. Finally, Shaiah came back in with what seemed like a gaggle of people. Anna was there, and Charles, and a very tall young man. Leading them was another elf, tall and silver-haired. Also with them was Britain, the golden-haired daughter of the Elven ambassador that Sariah had met two years previously. She began to figure out where she was.

"Welcome to Ellhsaen," Britain said. "Your friends brought you."

"What happened to me? I hear I was out for two weeks."

The silver-haired elf spoke now. "Greetings. I am Layana, the leader of the Healer's Guild in Ellhsaen. You overstretched your power, which is an amazing thing to do at its awakening. Most do not tire themselves so on their first magical deed."

Sariah suddenly remembered that strange power that had filled her. She still felt drained, tired. "Oh," was all she said.

"But you are tired," Layana said. "We will leave you to rest more." Sariah nodded, and quickly fell back to sleep.

When she woke again, Sariah was full of energy. She sat up and got out of bed. Her other self was at her side in an instant.

"I'm so glad you're feeling better, Sariah," Shaiah said. Sariah hugged her. Shaiah gave her a elvish-style robe to dress in. Right after she was dressed, they heard a knock on the door. Shaiah answered it. It was the tall young man and Charles, come back to see them again.

"Hello, and welcome back, Sariah," Charles said.

"Thank you," said the tall young man in a vaguely familiar, strangely accented voice. Sariah looked at him.

"For what?"

"For saving my life. Don't you remember me?" Sariah looked at him harder. Then she recognized him. "You're the young man that was dying, the first one I... healed..."

"Right. My name is Daniel McGarry. I owe you my life, and I pledge it to your service."

Sariah looked at him, slightly askance. "I suppose I accept," she said helplessly, not sure what to do. "What does that mean?"

"It means you now have a bodyguard," Charles said. He turned back to Daniel. "I release you from your service in the Rogues. And if you ever need help, Sariah, don't hesitate to send word for us. Here." He handed Sariah a small piece of clear blue stone. She looked at it, then back at him.

"Uh... thanks?" she said, looking at the stone in confusion.

"It's a spelled stone. When you speak the activating word, Auriora, then we can hear whatever you say. In order to stop it, then say Exihaira. Got it?"

"Thank you."

"I'd better get back to my Rogues. They need their leader, and we have places to be."

"Good-bye," Sariah said. "Good luck."

"Thank you for all of your help, Charles," Shaiah said. "'Bye. We won't forget you."

Daniel and Charles clasped arms. "Farewell," Daniel said.

"You too." Then Charles left.

Suddenly Sariah groaned. Daniel and Sariah looked at her as though afraid she might faint. "What are my parents gonna say about this? I'll never leave the castle again, if they find me!"

"Oh!" Shaiah said. "I forgot to tell you. They're here."

"What?! Oh no!"

"Calm down. They've been here the past week. And your not gonna believe what they've decided to do with you, Sariah!"

"What? Throw me in the dungeon? Tie me to a fourty-foot pole?"

"No! They've decided to leave you here, to study Healing magic from the healers here!"

Sariah gasped. "NO! Are you serious?!"

"Of course! Layana said it would be dangerous to let you go untrained now that you had discovered your potential, as you could easily overstretch yourself again. So it's here you stay, for your health." Shaiah grinned. "Of course, I'll stay too, for as long as I can."

"Good!" Sariah hugged her and jumped for joy. "I can't believe this is happening. It's like a dream come true."

Later that day, Sariah saw her parents and hugged them fiercely, for she had missed them terribly, more than she would admit.

"Let that teach you to run off like that, Sariah!" the Queen scolded her. Sariah grinned and hugged her again.

"We're leaving tomorrow, Sariah," her father, the King, said. She nodded, a little saddened, but ready to deal with anything to fulfill her dream of becoming a healer. They talked until the evening meal, and then Sariah went back up to her chamber. She sat in the window seat, looking out over the elvish forest and the other delicate, intricate towers of the Ellhsaen castle that was the workmanship of the elves. Finally, she thought, I get to do what I've always wanted to. She hugged herself, nearly overflowing with the happiness.

THE END

A.N. Congratulations! You finished! I'm proud of you! I know i'm a bit prosy and my writing is really bad, so I would appreciate any suggestions to help me improve.