Sorry for the late post. here is the frist half.

Chapter 1

Shaid Sundancer walked over to where her father was talking with anther man and stood silently, waiting to be noticed as was proper. She bit her lip wish he had of been alone, but there was no help for it. She had a duty to tell him the camp fee was paid and this was the best time to ask what she must. Her fathers said. “It is rough. Once they get a wagon they should have wagon they need a wife. Sure is getting hard to find matches. These strangers going around putting ideas in the young ones. Even got problems with a couple of mine. Try as I might to keep them on the right path. Clear of these new ones.” Shaid winced and started to turn. That is when her father chooses to acknowledge her presence. “Shaid there you are. I trust all is well?”

She nodded. “Yes sir, the fees are paid and the animals are in the field. As I came over I saw Gorge and Andrea getting the stall set up, looked like they would have the set up done early this year.” She took a breath and glanced at the other man. She should wait. But she did not get many chances to talk to her father and was not like she wanted run to the strangers, but would he see the difference?

Not giving her a chance he said. “Not that again. The answer is no and always will be no. You belong with your family not running around. You know your duty and I expect you to do it.” The other man was looked at them, clearly wondering if he should leave or listen.

Shade said. “I know what you would have me do, but my heart leads me anther way. They do not have to be separate. I can still work for the family. All I need is your permission to offer, after all not everyone who offers is accepted.”

“As long as you are a member of this family you will not be sworn to the temple! That is finale. I will not have a daughter if mine waste her life. Now give up the nonsense. It is bad enough you dress like. . .” He faltered looking for the right word.

Anger overwhelming manners she said. “Like a sworn one? Don’t you think the fact that I have dressed this since I was old enough to make my own clothes should tell you something? I prefer the plain clothes. Ever stop to wonder why? Perhaps because I am called to serve! I was going to give you anther year to change your mind. But no longer! You have forgotten that I do not need your permission to do as I wish, want it yes, but need it, no.” She took a bracelet and necklace off and held them out to her stunned father. Taking a breath, checked to make sure the other man was still there. “In front of this witness I accept your conditions and separate my wagons and goods from yours. From this date on nothing made by my hand will bear the mark of your family. Is there anything that you protest my ownership of?”

He shook his head she waited for him to say the words. The words would seal it the movement would not. “You are making a mistake. When you come to your senses you can have theses back.” He took the jewelry she was holding. “No there is nothing in your wagon that is not yours.”

She nodded. “And I give up any claim on the goods in your family wagons. You might want to check on the fees. As I paid for the house of the animals I do not know if it will still be covered for you. May the roads be fair.” With that she left she was half way back to her wagon before the anger left and she was able to think about what she had just done. She stopped and ran though the conversation then though her mental list of the items in her wagon. A smile tugged at her lips as she started walking again. He was going to be a bit mad when he realized what he had given up. By far she gained more than she lost. Yes even though she would not get any income from the gathering this year she would be all right, she had enough of a savings, even if she was able to go though with the rest of her plan, if the Goddess approved of her and of it.

 She looked at her wagon and smiled. Glad now that her brother had never found the time to finish his painting with the family crest as he had intended to. In fact there was nothing about her now to show she had ever been a part of the Knightsmith clan. She waved at Aren and Caren who where walking up to her wagon. “Mine is not going to unloaded guys.”

Aren said. “We need some of the redam, Mather wants to get some dye going as we will be camped a few weeks. Just why are you not unloading?”

Shaid said. “No need to get everything out until we know how it will sale. There is some redam in Martin’s wagon.” They looked at her she shook her head, and turned to her wagon. “Caren you must be looking for your hangings wait a bit and I will get them. Somehow I ended up with a few things that should have been in the fam, main wagon.” When she was in the wagon her eyes went to the boxes of redam root. There was more then she could use it was too hard to come by to let it rot, and it would not keep for long. No since letting it go waste just to make a point. She added some and some of the weaven hair to her sisters’ treasured items that had somehow ended up in her wagon at the last camp. She got out of her wagon and handed the goods over to Caren. Caren eyes went a bit wide when she noticed the bare wrist. Before she could say anything Shaid said. “I think that is everyone’s goods. If I missed something let me know, but don’t try and get them. I am going to seal my wagon. Just to keep everything safe, I know it is patrolled back here but no need to look easy.”

Aren said. “Good thinking. Still seems odd to leave your wagon full but if we are to do so best to lock it up. You could key one of use so you don’t have to drop what you are doing if we need something.”

Shiad said. “There is nothing so important it can’t wait tell I have a free moment.” She shut the door to the wagon then took a couple of steps back. A faint light surrounded the wagon for a bit then disappeared. “There. I will know if anyone tries to enter and they will get one heck of a shock. Now then I need to have another word with Zanth and let him know that I have a ward up, just in case his guys should have reason to get close.”

Aren nodded. “Well this I needed, I guess. See you later.” He headed back to the stall but Caren lagged back.

She looked at Shaid “Just what is going on? It is not adding up.”

Shaid answered. “That is for father to explain as it is his business not mine. If you don’t have an answer when you see me next, ask me again.” Caren shook her head and left, clearly upset. Shaid watched her go then went the opposite way.

Zanth saw her first. “Hi kid what brings you back this way?”

Shaid said. “There has been a bit of change and I wanted to double check that we were good. As well as let you know that my wagon is warded. Anyone trying to get close will get a shock. Though it is not my intent any mages close might feel it. I am just not sure of my shielding on the spell.”

Zanth said. “Hawk found me a bit ago all is good, though he is not too happy. Thanks for the warning about the ward. I will see the guys know. Are you all right?”

She nodded. “A bit shocked at myself, but it is a relief to have it done. Thank you.” He nodded and she left.

She went to the temple tent and took a breath then entered. The Priest looked up as the chime rang. “What can I do for you daughter?”

She said. “I am here to offer myself. I come with no outside strings, but with the tools to make a living.”

The priest said. “Welcome, come they will get you started on your journey though here.” He held a flap on the back of the tent open. Shaid walked through the doorway, a bit shyly not knowing what to expect.

The flap fell behind her and she was in darkness.  She stood there a bit waiting for something. Suddenly everything shifted, and it seemed as though she was standing on nothing, near nothing. She screamed, there was no stopping it. She felt foolish afterwards, but it did seem to settle her nerves so she could think. The first thing she relished was that she was not falling so no mater what it felt like there was something holding her up. She took a small step, and her foot was stopped, but yet it still seemed like it was no nothing. It was strange. She felt like she should be doing something but did not know what, there was a since of time passing, yet it seemed she had just entered. She decided that the only thing to do was say why she was there. With out a thought she started speaking in the old tongue that was mostly used only in rituals anymore. “I am here to offer my services to the Supreme, to the Wiseone. In hopes that She will find me of use. I have little to offer, but what I do I offer freely, of my own will. No one sends me here.” She felt something searching her, checking out the darkest corners of her being. It was to fast to try and stop, not that it was stoppable. Not that she wanted to stop it, she had nothing to hide, not in this place.

 The feeling of being searched stopped as fast as it had started. “Welcome child.”  The voice was nowhere and everywhere, it was one and many, male and female.

Shaid jumped and bowed. Just what does one say to the Lord of All? “Thank you for having me.” Her voice sounded small.

“Very good. Many cannot speak the first time. You are aware of the costs involved. You are not for the priesthood but there is use for you. There is need of those that would keep the old knowledge for when it is needed. Those willing to hunt up the bits lost in the physical realm. Guidance and direction will be given, but answers are for you to find. Too much interference and your kind become puppets. Which was not the intention in your making. So our activities are limited.”

Shaid took a moment to consider the words before answering. It was not a time to rush. “I understand, and accept. I did not come looking to be your mouth, I will serve as a teacher, as a guide, when necessary but that is not a strength of mine. I have not the skill at speaking. I am good at learning. I hunger to know. I want to join those mining the lost lands, but not for goods. But there are things there that should not come to light, and things we are not ready for. I want help to know what is what. What should be destroyed and what should be hidden. I am not asking for the answers only for guidance. As a trader I will have the ability to move and get the bits to the hands you feel it should go to.” She felt the nothing around her nod, and blinked. How do you feel nothing nod, how dose nothing nod? But this was not the realm she belonged in and the laws of that realm were meaningless here.

 “Good. You know yourself well. Your plan of going to school is good. It will give you the contacts you need and the time to fully lean what we are going to tell you. Follow the path and learn what you can from it.” A glowing path appeared as the voice faded away. Felling safe Shade set her feet on the path.

She could not say how far or how long she walked. Nothing changed, yet her mind felt fuller. Suddenly a mass of glowing light appeared before her. She stopped and the light took the form of an ancient lady with a bag of books on her back. Shaid fell to her knees her head bowed. “Rise child, I do not need that.” The voice was younger than the appearance, but solidly female. “You do not yet know it but you have learned all you can by this method. It is time for you to go. Were this as a sign to all you are mine.” One of the weathered hands reached out and took Shaid’s right hand closing around her bare wrist. When the hand left there was a gold bracelet on the wrist. “Now then what you have leaned takes years, but you have only been gone the two weeks you should have been. You will not understand what you have learned yet, and will not know it. But it will be there when you need it. Go to that school as you plan. The way will be open. Learn from them, trust your feelings. You will make some importuned contacts during your time there.” As the Goddess fade so did the nothing and Shaid found herself in a tent with other confused and dazed looking young ones.

She looked at her wrist first and confirmed that the bracelet was still there. In the light it looked more red than gold, clearly nothing from this plane. There were no seems, no catch. It was just one solid piece.  She looked up and at the others to see they were looking at their wrists as well. A glance told her that all the colors were there, but most common was the muddy bronze of the Priest. There was one other of her red-gold, a handful of the warriors black, more of the healers blue, and even a couple of the seldom seen two toned for those severing more than one face.

Looking for other changes she found that there was a new tie set in her mind. Something told her that it was a link to that other plane, it would let her get back there when she needed to. Just to relax, or to seek advice. One of the gifts she got in exchange for what she had given up. Once again thinking it over she felt the exchange more than worth it. Yes she lost her family, but that would have happened anyway. The loose of children didn’t matter as she was never planning to have any, hence the reason the loose of her family would have happened. What else? She was all ready set about by her own actions. Yes it might be more evident now, but really there would be little change. Her life was at there control, but every indication was that the Gods road and her desires pointed the same way.  So really little had been lost and much gained. Or so it seemed now. She was old enough to know that things could look different further down the road.

A Priest entered followed by others carrying trays, she said. “I know you are not hungry and have things you think you need to see to, but trust me you need to eat and then sleep. Once you have done those you will find the doorway. Help your selves to the food. When you wake you will know what to do.”  The servants set the trays of food down on tables that Shade had not know were there until then. That alone was enough to convince her she was tired, and her brain reminded her the Goddess had said two weeks had past outside so it made since her body needed food, even if it said it didn’t. Just like it was after she cast her first ward. With that in mind she was among the first to reach the table. There were all kinds of food, including some she normally couldn’t get enough of. Right now it all looked awful. She picked a plate and filled it. Then moved away from the tables so others could get in, and found some chairs set up next to some other tables.  It was a struggle her stomach rolled at the thought of it. But once that first bite was down she found that she was ravenous. She forced herself to eat slowly, and wait a few minutes before going back for a second plate.

When she got back to the table the healer on her left nodded at her. “Good to see you know how to pace yourself. I sat down here expecting to have to tell you to slow down. Most younglings haven’t learned how to take their time.”

Shaid started to take offence then blinked and realized he was older then she had first taken him to be.  In fact now that she looked she saw a few other older healers in the room. “I am a mage sir. I learned that lesson after I cast my first spell. Though it did take a few more to get the fact I had to eat drummed into me. So did they slip you in here to make sure we ate or do healers have a later pledge age?”

“We came in with the food, you didn’t notice?” The healer sounded a bit troubled.

Shaid said. “To tired and to much to think about. I will be better after some rest. Right now my brain is a bit full and I am not processing everything I am seeing.”

He looked less than convinced, but a lady across the table said. “Relax Paul. It is normal with those of her path. You just haven’t had one in a group you were monitoring before. Don’t let him scare you child. You will be better in the morning and better the next.” Shaid nodded and stood and wondered where the bed rolls were. The lady said, pointing. “Look at the far wall.”

Shaid smiled. “Thank you. I don’t see to be seeing things until I am looking for them. Sorry. Um what should I do with my plate?”

Paul said. “Just leave it and find a bed before you fall over.” Shaid smiled and managed a small chuckle before making her way to a bedroll. She made it to them, glad to find they did not need to be unrolled, and made it half way into any empty one before she was asleep.