Through the cold , pouring September rains , a tall , slender young man journeyed across Olandern . As he reached the gates of Jarel , he rapped on the wooden door of the gatehouse . It opened , revealing a man with a wrinkled face . Through the cold , pouring September rains , a tall , slender young man journeyed across Olandern . As he reached the gates of Jarel , he rapped on the wooden door of the gatehouse . It opened , revealing a man with a wrinkled face . " Can you tell me where the nearest inn is ? " The young man asked , raising his eyebrows , which were barely visible beneath the hood of his cloak . Rain poured over the top of the hood and into the man 's eyes and mouth as he spoke . " Aye , sir . " The stranger replied . He shifted his weight from foot to foot impatiently . This old man was so inquisitive ! If he didn 't stop asking questions , the whole purpose of the stranger 's visit do Jarel would fail . " Ah . I see . Well , go ahead , I 've stopped you up enough . I 'll open the gate so you can go in . " The man said , pulling on a rope to turn some gears . " The closest inn ? Right inside . Count three buildings down on the right side and you 'll find the Wayfarer 's Inn . It 's the only inn still running in Jarel , Ciaran 's way of keeping an eye on things . " " Thank you . " The stranger waited patiently until the gate was open a crack , then slipped through into the town . He followed the gatekeeper 's instructions and quickly located the inn . Cautiously , he pushed the door open and stepped inside , staying hidden in the shadows until he reached the counter , behind which the innkeeper stood , peering over at any travelers who approached him . The innkeeper was a large man , about six feet in height , with a strong jaw and piercing blue eyes . His short , white hair was combed back and his small beard was neatly trimmed . He and his wife ran the Wayfarer 's Inn , and their names , Der and Marlena , were known throughout Jarel . " A room and a meal , please . " The stranger said , brushing excess water off of his cloak , then placing a few silver coins on the counter . He continued to leave his hood up , covering his face with the its shadow . " Thank you . " The man wandered off to find a place to sit in the crowded room . The inn was noisy , and most of the tables were filled with men talking about the latest news . Most of the discussions were held quietly , but a few got out of hand from time to time and resulted in brawls . Foremost on the minds of many were the battle tactics of Ciaran - curiosity and anticipation - fear for some - of what his next move would be . For almost a year now , Ciaran had done nothing but rule the cities of Olandern harshly . The people of Olandern were beginning to despair and were anxiously waiting for someone to come and rescue them . They knew who could , but they did not know where that person , the king 's son , was . He had disappeared the day after Ciaran came to power , and apart from rumors - a possible location , a sighting , or perhaps that he was dead - no one knew for sure what had happened to him . The stranger located a small table in the corner and took a seat there . As he waited for his food , he noticed a girl serving the others at the inn . Her golden - red hair hung down to her waist , and her blue - grey eyes darted from person to person as she walked across the room . She wasn 't tall , no more than five feet three inches , and yet she carried herself with such grace she looked taller than most of the people in the room . He watched her intently , thinking she looked vaguely familiar . But how could she , when the last time he had visited Jarel was many years ago , and he had not even stayed at the inn ? Ach , my mind must be playing with me , he thought . " Who is she ? " He asked , taking his plate from the boy . The boy 's hands were calloused and rough , and his skin was tanned from working in the sun . Under his tunic , his arms were strong from carrying buckets of water and harvesting wheat . His eyes were a dark green , and they looked almost lifeless . He nodded slightly as he spoke . " That 's Riona , the innkeeper 's daughter . She 's a grand cook , and loves hearing the stories the travelers tell . If you don 't mind me saying so sir , you look like you 'd have quite a story to tell . " His eyes brightened up at the thought of a good story . " That 's a pity , sir . I 'd love to hear your story if I could . " The boy ran his fingers through his thick black hair , his disappointment showing as he looked down at the table . Confused , the boy took a seat next to the man . The stranger took a piece of bread off of his plate and tore it in two , offering some to the boy , who politely refused it . The stranger eyed him curiously . " You 're not hungry ? " The boy watched in silence as the stranger ate , scrutinizing him . He could not see much , as the stranger had left his hood up , but of what he could see , the stranger had shoulder - length dark brown hair that looked like it had not been combed in a few days . His face was dirty , and his eyes bloodshot with sleeplessness . The boy looked more closely at him , trying to go deeper into the man . But he had to stop , for almost immediately the boy sensed the stranger 's recluseiveness and reticence . He seemed unwilling - for what , though , no one knew . When the stranger finished eating , he handed the plate back to the boy and thanked him , then quietly climbed the stairs to his room . The stranger stayed at the inn all through the next day , not coming down to eat . That evening , Eunan , the boy the stranger had spoken to the night before , told Riona about what had happened . She , too , wondered about this strange man staying at their inn . " Aye . That is very strange indeed . " Eunan replied . " And the way he had me sit with him while he ate . He should be watched . For all we know , he could be one of Ciaran 's spies . " Eunan shrugged . " I don 't know . Just don 't tell them yet . " He left to take care of the horses in the stable , but Riona sat at the table , thinking about what they had discussed . Could they really be in that much danger ? Or was this man just minding his own business and needed a place that was quiet to work ? There were so many questions , with possibly so little time to figure them out . These are dangerous times . We must guard ourselves . As darkness fell over Jarel , light footsteps were heard on the stairs of the Wayfarer 's Inn . Eunan had returned from the stable a few minutes before , and now he was working on one of his lessons . Riona looked up from the dishes she was washing , but Eunan kept his pencil moving across a piece of parchment . Since they had almost no guests that night , Der and Marlena had left the inn and were out in the town , getting supplies for the following week . The stranger nodded at Eunan , his face showing no expression . " Hello , again . " He was not wearing his cloak this time , but a jerkin and leggings of coarse homespun . Softly , he moved woard the kitchen . " Something warm and filling , please , " the stranger replied , sitting down at a table . Riona left the dishes and went to the stove to mix up some porridge . As she worked , the stranger 's eyes followed her every move . He was still confused - she looked so familiar , and yet he knew he had never seen her before . " I hope this is alright . It 's breakfast food , but it 's warm and filling . " She explained , bringing a bowl to the stranger . Eunan grinned at Riona , and then mouthed ' please ' . She sighed , and shook her head no . " No , thank you . " He began walking toward the stairs , then stopped abruptly . " I think I have something that may interest you , " he said . " I heard that you like stories . I have one for you , if you 're willing . I shall tell it to you tomorrow morning , if you come to my room . " Riona raised an eyebrow , and smiled . " We 'll be there . " Shortly after breakfast the next morning , Riona and Eunan met outside the stranger 's room . Riona knocked a few times on the door , then waited for the man to open it . Riona and her friend stepped inside , closing the door behind them . Riona sat down near the fire , and the Eunan next to her . The stranger sat on one of the beds . " First of all , how do we know you can be trusted ? For all we know , you could be one of Ciaran 's spies . " Eunan asked bitterly . " Except for one thing , I would be thinking the same about you . Let 's just say I 'm a friend of your parents . I 've known them since Ciaran began to make his way towards the throne . " Eunan nodded , but still hesitated a little before speaking again . " I 'm Eunan . My parents were killed when Ciaran took over . Since then I 've been working at the inn with Riona and her parents . I 've lived in Jarel my whole life . " " I can 't remember practically anything from when I was younger . I do remember learning how to sew when I was five , but that 's the earliest memory I have . I 've lived here for as long as I can remember , and I 'm fourteen . " " My name is Matthias . I work for the rebel force , which runs out of Padrea . Before I tell you anymore about me , I need your word of honor . You must not tell anyone what you hear in here . Not even your parents , Riona . It is too dangerous to speak of except in the most private of places . " Matthias 's clear blue eyes bored into Riona as he looked at her . Riona jumped back slightly at his words , but she nodded . " We will tell no one . " Should I have said that ? She wondered . Keeping secrets from mam and da ? " The king 's lost children . If we find them , Ciaran can no longer say the throne is rightfully his . More recently , however , we stopped concentrating on finding them and started scouring the lands for people to help us fight . That 's why I 'm in Jarel right now . We 're hoping to have enough to lead an attack by spring . " " There 's a difference , Riona , in todays times than there was then . Faolan was oppressive , but he did not fight and slaughter our people as Ciaran does . Then , to fight would have been to aggrivate and take the offensive . " Matthias sighed . " Now , to stop this terror , we must fight in defense of our families . Do you see the difference ? ' " You still have a lot of time , then . " Eunan figured , returning to Matthias 's mission . " And we can help . Jarel 's not that big . " " Eunan 's right . It 's not that big , and by working at the inn , there are loads of ways we can help . " Riona added . " And when Eunan turns eighteen this December , he 'll be able to leave Jarel and gather an army together , " she said quietly . She didn 't want Eunan to ever leave . " In Jarel - in the whole of Olandern . Ciaran has his spies everywhere . That 's partially why we changed missions , although we are still secretly searching for them . " " Only what little we 've been told . . The girl is around thirteen or fourteen , and very fair . She has a brother , a few years older than her . He looks like his father , but younger and without the beard . At least , that is what he looked like the last time we saw him , which was quite a few years ago . " " We don 't even know if they 're in Stargonia , " Matthias began , pulling a map out from a small pouch at his waist , and then spreading it across the floor . " They may have crossed over the sea to Madiela , which means most likely they 're safe and out of danger . I do not think they would have left Olandern . But we 're not worried about them . Yet , anyway . As far as we know , Ciaran doesn 't have a clue about where they are . Hopefully we 'll keep it that way , at least until we can locate them and hide them somewhere until the time is right . " " Aye . " Eunan stared at the map , his eyes darting back and forth between the mainland and the islands . " I know a few sailors , from when I worked down at the docks this summer . I don 't know how many would be willing to sail this time of year , but most of the men of Jarel are seafarers to some extent , so it 's possible we could recruit a few to search on Madiela . " " The sea is untrustworthy this time of year , that 's for sure . " Riona confirmed . " But we wouldn 't have to go by boat . There are the gryphons . " " Riona , the gryphons have been gone for years . Anyways , before they disappeared , they were attacking humans , not helping us . " Eunan said angrily . He liked to be right , and especially with this rebel leader here with them , he wanted to prove himself worthy of the rebel cause . " She has hope . Hope is a good thing to have in times like these . " Matthias reminded . Eunan looked up at Matthias , surprised at his words . Why does Riona always have to be right ? Riona looked at her hands . " Not no way , Eunan . There 's still some hope , as long as they still live . " She turned her gaze towards him , her eyes filled with hope . " We don 't even know if they live , or where they live . It 's absolutely hopeless to count on the gryphons for help . And everyone knows gryphons are long gone , thanks to the hunters . " Eunan ran his fingers through his hair , his eyes flashing with anger . " Hope will not depart Olandern while there are still those who fight for what is right  " Matthias said firmly , looking Eunan straight in the eye . Eunan looked away . Matthias 's stare was fierce , and Eunan did not want Matthias to see the frustration in his eyes . Riona stood , guessing that Matthias wished to be alone with Eunan . " Eunan , I don 't want you discouraging Riona from what little hope she has . We need hope in these times of trouble . Without it , we are all lost . " " I 'm glad you care about your friend , Eunan . Sometimes people care a little too much , however . " Matthias placed his hand on Eunan 's shoulder . " Let her hope for the best . That 's all that 's keeping some of us alive . " " How would know about hope ? You probably haven 't even met with disaster . " Eunan jerked away from Matthias 's gentle touch . " Your parents weren 't killed by Ciaran  You weren 't left to die on the streets , only living because some family pitied you and took you in  " " If I 'm right , Riona could be in grave danger this very moment . I don 't know what all Ciaran has or hasn 't found out about anything going on in Jarel . Eunan , whatever the case , I need you to protect Riona . Be her bodyguard . " Eunan nodded , not wanting to argue any longer  also sensing the urgency in Matthias 's voice . " Why , though ? " His voice became calm , and his breathing slowed to its normal rate . " I don 't have the time to explain right now . I need to leave soon . Keep a close eye on Riona . Oh , I almost forgot . Keep this with you at all times . Guard it with your life . Without it , Ciaran cannot be ruling with full power . " Eunan heard Matthias going down the stairs and leaving the inn , but he turned his mind to the thing Matthias had handed him . The Rom had journeyed on long ago , but Breacon had stayed in the castle with the king and Peter for a while longer - that " longer " was until Ciaran attacked Anat six months after Breacon arrived in Itheial . As soon as news of the attack reached Itheial , the king sent an army to aid those in Anat , and Breacon went with them . The people of Anat were strong , and withstood Ciaran 's attacks , but now were besieged . However , a fortnight after Ciaran 's first attack , aid came , and Ciaran was pushed back into Olandern . Breacon journeyed back to Itheial with the army , where he gave a detailed report of what had happened . That was eight months ago . Now , Breacon spent his time training with the king 's sons and the sons of those who lived within the castle walls . His mornings were dedicated to physical exercise , and in the afternoon they studied the Creator 's Law . He spent his evenings walking in the gardens with the other boys or strategizing with the king and the army commanders in the throne room . It was a time of much learning and growth for him , and he was pleased . Almost every day , he thought of Ezra and his family , especially of Ezra 's reminder of the perfect plan of the Creator . Truly , Breacon thought , The Creator 's plan is perfect . If I were still in Bywyn with my family , I would have had none of this time of growth . But then Ciaran struck again . And again , he struck Anat . The King placed Breacon in charge of a small body of scouts . They left for Anat a day before the rest of the army . It was too late by the time they reached Anat . Weakened by Ciaran 's previous attack , they had given in quickly , and Ciaran had them firmly in his grasp . " We can try , " Breacon told the commander of the army . " But we must have a strong retreat plan ; it would be slaughter not to . Many in Anat hate Ciaran , but at least right now he is not a bad ruler , more of a monarch than the tyrant that he is . They have been brainwashed , and most will not help us . " " We fight tomorrow , " He told them . " I know not whether that is for good or ill . It could go either way . Pray for aid , and pray for safety . " It was a ring . Eunan turned it over in his hands . It looked vaguely familiar , like something he had seen in before , or at least heard about , maybe from Der , or maybe in a book . Suddenly he snapped his fingers and hurried down the stairs and into the library . He searched the shelves , knowing what he was looking for but not finding it . Sighing , he sank down into a soft cushioned chair and put his head in his hands . Der took Eunan 's hand in his hands and closed Eunan 's fingers around the ring . " Don 't show this to anyone - ever . Here , follow me . " Puzzled , Eunan followed Der into the cellar of the inn . Der lifted a plank of wood off the floor , moving it to one side . Eunan noticed a small handle sticking out of the ground . Using this handle , Der lifted up a trapdoor . Eunan followed him down a ladder , then a little ways down a tunnel . They emerged into what looked like a large , open room . There was no furniture , only a series of tunnels in all directions . " That ring , " Der began , " is the signet ring of the king . No one knows how the king lost it , and why Ciaran doesn 't have possession of it . But it 's probably better that way . The people of Jarel , Llyanta , and all of Olandern , know that without this ring , Ciaran can 't have full reign over any of the land . That is why it is vital you don 't let this out of your sight . Understand ? " " This is a hideout for the rebels . It 's a place we can meet in secret , and where we can hide those running from Ciaran and his men . As the bearer of the ring , you may need to use this place to hide from time to time - that is why I showed you this place . The different tunnels lead to other hideouts in different places . This one leads to Llyanta , this one to Padrea , these to other cities , and these to both of the forts . From any of these places , you can get safe conduct to any of the others . You can get safely across the border into Anat , and one of the tunnels even leads all the way to the first fort across the border - in case there is no way to get over the border safely , you go under it . " " Whoever thought of this was brilliant . " Eunan commented . " I think I 'm starting to see why Matthias said there was still hope - we can get all over underground , and not be caught by Ciaran 's men before reaching the gryphons . However , I still don 't understand it all . " Eunan and Der headed upstairs , both deep in thought . Although Eunan hoped that Riona and the other women and children of the town would not have to use the tunnels , he secretly wished he might have a chance to . As they came out of the cellar , Der turned and placed a hand on Eunan 's shoulder . " I 'm proud of you , Eunan . You 're a smart young man - a great asset to the rebellion . Your name means protector of the people , and a protector of the people you are and will be . I only wish that there would be no real need for you to protect our people . These times are hard , but if we unite as one to protect our families , we will triumph , of that I am sure . " " I don 't see how everyone can have all this hope . Ciaran 's men are everywhere . We 're going to have to have the whole of Olandern , Stargonia , and Agranthea - what little there is on Agranthea - on our side to overthrow Ciaran . " Riona sighed as Eunan stomped into the kitchen . She knew his short temper would get him into trouble someday . When she was younger , Riona had struggled with the same problem , but Marlena had helped her work through it . " Eunan , what 's the matter ? " Riona asked , pulling a loaf of bread out of the oven . " Guess you didn 't hear all of it - after you left , Matthias lectured me about hope . I 'm tired of hearing about it - there 's nothing we can do to save Olandern - we 've let Ciaran take over too much to get it back . If we 'd stopped him sooner , there 'd be hope left , but he 's taken over too much for that . " " How come nobody ever tells me anything ? It 's like you don 't trust me or something  " Eunan slammed his hand down onto the table where Riona was slicing the bread . She jumped looked up in astonishment . " See  You don 't even care  Nobody does  " Eunan turned and ran up the stairs . Riona sat down and put her head in her hands . She didn 't know how long she stayed like that , but Riona didn 't look up until Marlena entered the kitchen and came over to the table , sitting down beside her . Marlena put an arm around Riona 's shoulder . " Your father and I are trying to help him through this . We 're all going through hard times right now , but Eunan is blind to see that we 're on his side and trying to help him - he needs our prayers . " " Thanks . " Riona ran out of the inn , and made her way down the worn path to the stables . Eldrian nickered when she entered , tossing her reddish - brown mane . Riona smiled and went over to him , petting the blaze that ran down her forehead . Eldrian whinnied , and Riona unlatched the stall door . Clipping a lead rope onto Eldrian 's halter , she led her out into the open air exercise ring . Smoothly , Riona swung onto Eldrian and broke into a gentle lope . As she rode toward the gate , Riona felt the wind on her face and grinned . It had been so long since she had ridden a horse . The past year her parents had needed her help in the inn more than ever , especially with more and more rebels coming through and hiding in the inn . The gatekeeper recognized Rioa and Eldrian and before Riona had time to reign the horse in to a full stop , the gate was open enough for them to go through . Outside the walls of Jarel , Riona nudged Eldrian into a gallop . The wind tossed her hair about wildly , and Eldrian tossed her head . Riona rode back and forth along the wall for a few hours , until it suddenly grew dark . Riona looked up into the sky . Dark storm clouds had covered the sun . She wheeled Eldrian around and rode furiously back towards Jarel . As she reached the gate , the sky opened and rain began pouring down . In a flash of lightning , Riona turned to look behind her . Far out in the distance , a man stood atop a hill , cloaked in black . Riona shuddered in horror , and silently wondered if this man was Ciaran . People said he wandered about sometimes , and could be recognized because of his height and black cloak . Riona 's hands began to tremble and she held the reigns unsteadily . There was something about that man - whether he was Ciaran or not - that scared Riona more than anything else . Riona prayed the gate would open before the man noticed anyone . As soon as the gate was open enough for her to pass through , she nudged Eldrian onwards . Eldrian reared . Riona grabbed for her mane , just barely grabbing hold of it . The horse neighed loudly , and the man on the hill turned to look at them . As Riona turned Eldrian in a circle to calm her , she noticed the man had his gaze fixed directly upon her . His eyes glinted in the almost - darkness , and Riona now knew for sure that it was Ciaran . " Eldrian , go ! Come on , girl . Please . . . " Riona urged Eldrian to move , but Eldrian refused to go through the gate , she had never liked storms , and being put under pressure did not help . Riona 's coaxing did nothing ; Eldrian stood rooted firmly in place . Riona glanced behind her and noticed Ciaran coming closer . " Eldrian , please  " Riona slipped off of the horse and landed lightly on the soft ground below . She grabbed onto Eldrian 's bridle and slowly began to pull her inside . Finally , Eldrian followed Riona 's lead . Once inside , Riona swung back up onto Eldrian . Ciaran was fast approaching the gates of Jarel . What does he want with me ? Riona thought , trying to think straight through her terror . She dug her heels into Eldrian 's sides , and galloped through the wide streets of Jarel to the inn , where she led Eldrian into the stable and dismounted , then cleaned Eldrian up before heading inside . Once inside , she sat by the fire , drying off and watching the flames as they danced in the fire place . Her thoughts went all over the place , not focusing on any one thing , yet all of them centered around Ciaran . Marlena noticed Riona and walked over to her . Riona turned to her mother , standing up and falling into her arms . " I don 't know  I saw Ciaran , mam . He was outside of Jarel . And Eldrian wouldn 't go in through the gates  I thought it was going to be the end . I was so scared , mam  " " Oh Riona  I 'm not going to question whether or not it was Ciaran . I have a feeling you are correct . O Creator , protect my girl . Keep her safe from harm and fill her with your courage . " But so soon , God ? " Get some dry clothes on . I 'm not going to need you tonight , so you may do whatever for the rest of the evening . I love you . " " Love you too , Mam . " Riona turned and made her way up to her room . Eunan passer her on the stairs , and noticed that Riona was not herself . A little later , he found Der and Marlena talking in hushed tones , and he caught Riona 's name a few times . When they finished , Eunan went up to Der . They were silent for a little while , but then Eunan 's curiosity got the better of him . " What happened out there , Der ? What 's the matter with Riona ? " " Good . Now , I think we have some travelers coming in . I 'm going to need your help . " The next morning dawned with a red sky . " Hope and pray that we do , but be ready to retreat . Let us pray that we weaken Ciaran more than he weakens us . Now , come , breakfast awaits . " The camp was quiet as they ate breakfast . Everyone was deep in thought , whether thinking of death , their loved ones back home , or praying for victory . The commander came out of his tent , and behind him came the officers of the army . " Today we fight , " the commander said . " Not for our own victory , but for the victory of the Creator over Daron ! Fight that your wives and children may be free , that your brothers and sisters will not have to live in bondage . " The commander lowered his eyes . " Many will fall today , but let us not lose hope , because we have someone much stronger than Ciaran on our side ! " Then all grew quiet as they fell into ranks and the Commander rode through . " For our families , and for the Creator ! " He shouted , and the men cheered once more . They charged . But into what ? Did they charge into death ? What lay ahead for each man ? Every man feared for his life , but they feared for the lives of their loved ones even more , and so they rode on . As they neared the city walls , the gates opened , and Ciaran 's men poured out . Arrows flew overhead . Ciaran 's men rushed forward , and Itheialian pikemen lowered their pikes . Many of the enemy fell away , but even more seemed to be in their place . Chaos erupted . Every man fought to stay within his ranks , but before long the enemy separated compatriot from compatriot , and it became every man for himself . The men on both sides were tiring quickly . Swords moved more slowly , the archers aim wavered , the pikemen dropped their pikes , and spearsmen 's throws fell short . It seemed like days had passed before the horn blew for retreat . It was a mad rush to get free from the enemy , but the enemy let them go , laughing as they watched their enemies run . We have been defeated once , but the Creator will have the final victory , even if I do not live to see it . Over the next few days , Riona remained quiet and tried to stay away from contact with anyone outside of the family . Eunan kept a close eye on her , remembering Matthias 's words . He made sure she stayed in the kitchen when people were in public rooms he took the serving jobs  he ran the errands outside of the inn , and he even did her chores for her . Riona was thankful for this , and although she didn 't say anything , her actions showed it . Almost a week later , she began to be her normal self again , taking charge of her own chores and even singing some as she worked . Marlena and Der both knew that although Riona seemed fine , a rising fear would continue to grow in her heart unless she went somewhere else , somewhere she could be hidden away and yet free . And they knew that this would have to be done soon , and as subtly as possible . December 553 Matthias returned three months later . It was a day much like that day in September , however now it was snowing and not raining , and as the gate was already open , Matthias slipped inside the city without any trouble . He entered the inn quietly , and when he noticed Eunan working in the kitchen , he walked over to him . Eunan turned , a bit startled , but Matthias put a finger to his lips . " Shhh  It 's just me . No one else is to know I 'm here . I 'm going to go into the library and wait for you there . It 's just down the hall and to the left , right ? " Matthias turned and quietly made his way down the hallway of the inn , keeping a close eye on the people in the inn  making sure no one was watching him . Eunan watched as Matthias entered the library , then quickly turned back to the bread he was slicing . Marlena entered the kitchen , and Eunan turned to her . Marlena looked at Eunan curiously . He had never been much of a reader . But when she saw how impatient he was to go , she smiled . " Of course , Eunan . " Eunan grinned and slipped off to the library . He knocked softly on the door before entering . " It 's me , Eunan . " He said in a hushed tone . The door opened a crack , and Eunan saw part of Matthias 's face . Eunan squeezed inside and Matthias closed the door and bolted it . " As well as one can be during these hard times , " Eunan replied . " I think I understand hope now , though . We 've had to have a lot of it recently . " " Shortly after you left Riona saw Ciaran outside of Jarel while she was exercising our horse . It took her a while to recover . And  we were really worried about her for a while . I made sure she stayed in the kitchen , and for a time I even thought we were going to have to send her down into the tunnels for a few days . " " I 'm glad to hear that . And I 'm proud of you for doing your best to protect Riona . You 've shown yourself trustworthy . What else has been going on here ? " " Now that you 're here , I think Der and Marlena will let me help you . " Eunan straightened eagerly . " I 'm eighteen now , and by law I no longer need a guardian . " Eunan looked down at his hands . " I 'd really like to help you . " " Aye . You speak wisely , Eunan . War truly is a terrible thing , calling for the lives of both young and old for a small victory . I fear that by the time Ciaran is overthrown the land of Stargonia will be devastated and that it will take many men before a single victory is won . " " I believe there is  somewhere . " Eunan searched the shelves and before long , he found an atlas of Edaled and turned it to the map of Olandern , setting the book down on the table in the middle of the room . " Here . " Matthias leaned over the table and studied the map , tracing his finger along a path . " Alright , look . " Matthias drew a line with his finger on the border . " We have people near the border , and in various cities . However , we haven 't heard from them at all recently , so we don 't know how they are faring . I 'm going to head off to Madiela . We haven 't found the prince anywhere else yet . We think he may be on Madiela . " " That I cannot tell you . The less you know , the better . Anyone who rebels against Ciaran is in danger of being captured - and then anything you know will be worked out of you in one way or another . It is best that only a few people know . " " You , Eunan , will be our messenger . It 's a simple task - I 'll give you the directions to the places where the rebels meet in each city , and descriptions of the people you are to give this message to - ' It 's time for the gryphons to take wing . ' It 's a code , you should be able to figure out what for . Just ride from city to city - make a loop , like this . " Matthias traced a line from Jarel over the mountains , through Panatea , , and in and out of each of the cities , then back downin and out of Llyanta , across the desert , finally though the forest and back into Jarel . " It 's as simple as that . " " Stargonia is already fighting against Ciaran , but only inside Stargonia . They are weakening his forces , though . As for other kingdoms , we will only bring them in if we absolutely have to , only if all else fails . But I believe that we can do it without the help of other kingdoms . Don 't take me wrong , we 're not being proud - but we fear if other kingdoms are brought into this … then Ciaran will rule them as well . And that would not be good , he could get the whole of Edaled in his grasp , and then things would be out of our hands again , like in the times when Fàolan ruled . Any other questions ? " Matthias smiled . " No . However , we do have people elsewhere working on finding them . Near the Stargonian cliffs there are some huge caves , perhaps large enough for gryphons . That 's where the majority of the searchers are headed . Or at least were , unless they have found traces of them . " " I 'll myself will be leaving soon . I need to talk to Der and Marlena about a few things , but then I 'll slip away . It 's probably best you don 't know when . You should leave as soon as possible . Now , I have something for you . " Matthias ducked down under the table and pulled out a large bundle . " This , " he began , handing it to Eunan , " is for you . " " Unwrap it . " Eunan set it on the table and fumbled with the knots in the string . After a few minutes , he had untied them and unrolled the leather . Inside was a sword . Its scabbard was made from stiff leather , held together by rivets and strips of thinner leather . A few designs were engraved on the sheath , and Eunan could make out the crest of the king . The hilt had similar engravings , and was made out of iron . Eunan turned the sword over in his hands , and then carefully unsheathed it . The blade glittered in the sunlight streaming in from the window . Placing the scabbard on the table , Eunan grasped the hilt of the sword and held it in front of him . His mouth parted slightly , and he stared at the sword in wonder . Eunan ran his finger down the middle of the blade , feeling the cool metal against his skin . Matthias 's eyes followed Eunan 's every move , wondering how much the boy had been around swords before . Matthias nodded . " That , " he paused , " is why we 're going down into the tunnels for a while . " Matthias pulled a second bundle out from under the table . " Let 's go . " Eunan nodded . " I think so . " He began to walk straight , but when the fork in the tunnel came , he began to turn . Matthias touched Eunan 's shoulder gently . " No , not that way , Eunan . If you 're in a fight , and you just go in with the sword , you 'll get killed . Your opponent 's sword is your only threat . Get it out of the way , and you 're free to go . Try again . " Eunan sighed and moved back a few paces , then went at it again , this time knocking Matthias 's sword out of the way before attacking . Matthias parried and lunged at Eunan . Eunan jumped out of the way . The next few hours went on like this , and by the end of them Eunan knew the basics of sword fighting and could handle his sword well . He knew though , that in battle it would be hard to keep the tactics Matthias had taught him , as he knew that it would be hard to concentrate when his life was on the line . After all , in war , your opponent would be out to kill you and not give you advice and tell you what to fix or do differently . Yet Eunan left the tunnels with Matthias that evening with a strong sense of hope and preparation . " You learn quickly , Eunan . If we had more time , I would train you more , but the journey that lies ahead of you will most likely help complete your training - I hope you will not meet with any trouble , but the journey will be hard and long , and you will gain strength you never knew was possible to gain . Your sword work is good , the basics are often enough , and your mind works quickly , which will be a great asset to you . " " That 's a good question . I think that part of it is the fact that we cannot fit a horse down here very easily . We 're willing to take the risk of being seen rather than have it take three times as long . " " I see . It does make sense , in a way . In some cases , though , wouldn 't it be better to use the tunnels instead ? " " Eunan , it 's my job to train up people for our cause . But I 'm glad I was able to meet you . I hope this will not be the last time we meet . " Matthias climbed up the ladder and out of the tunnels . Eunan leaned up against the ladder and rested , putting his head down on a rung . He ran his hand along the hilt of his sword , pondering the day 's events . It was then he realized his sword needed a name . Eunan first thought about what it should mean . He ran a few names over his tongue , speaking them in the Ancient tongue instead of his own . Before long , he decided on Paleidan , meaning ' hope found . ' He thought the name fitting , as he had found hope at last . Breacon looked at Peter , then back at the King . All three of them were silent , but each one of them could tell they were thinking the same thoughts . What is Ciaran up to ? He 's been silent too long , Breacon thought . Ciaran had not made another move since he had gained control of Anat . It 's the calm before the storm everyone talks about . Breacon lowered his eyes . Then it all came out at once . " We 've got to do something ! " He said angrily . " Nothing . We 're not strong enough , " Peter admitted . " The way Ciaran butchered our troops at Anat leaves us no choice but to sit back and watch . We 're too weak to defend ourselves . " " So that 's his plan is it ? Let us sit by uselessly , while he takes over . There 's got to be something . " Breacon stared at the map . " Anat 's gone , Bywyn 's gone … But there 's Itheial , Dalentia , Tharia , Mytymnia , the forts … " " No , no , it can 't have been . There are men every where , in every city , who would be willing to take up arms against Ciaran . And in this time of waiting around , we can recruit men and train them ! " Peter nodded . " Then try we will . " Matthias hurried to the kitchen of the inn , where he knew Der and Marlena would be busy working , preparing for the evening meal . Riona looked up from the bread she was making , and gave Matthias a slight nod . He smiled at her , and then turned to Der , who had just noticed Matthias . " Der , may I speak to you in private for a few minutes ? " Matthias asked . Der wiped his floury hands on his apron , and glanced around the kitchen . " I think I can be spared for a little while . Marlena , I 'll be back soon . " Matthias nodded grimly . " Unless he 's completely daft , Ciaran probably has some idea of who Riona is . We need to get her out of Jarel and to safety as quickly as possible . " " I trust your judgment , Matthias . But I don 't know how she 'll get there . I can 't leave here . And there 's another problem as well - how will we explain her disappearance ? " Der sighed . " Well , he 's eighteen now . According to the law , he can go off on his own now . I can 't hold him back from that . " " It might work . The convent is a ways away , but I think that Eunan will be able to make it in enough time for Riona to still be safe , as well as getting messages to the cities along the way . It may become a bit risky  but I think it 's a chance we 'll have to take . " Matthias chewed on his lip . " No , Riona needs to be at the convent as soon as possible . Eunan will have to backtrack to Faerloe . It will take about a week longer , but it 's safer . He 'll also be able to get a horse in Faerloe , that will help a lot . I would love to stay longer , " he stood up , stretching . " However , I have a mission to accomplish , so I should be leaving . " " Thank you for all you 've done for Olandern , Matthias . And for all you continue to do in days to come . The Creator has blessed us with a young man like you to lead our people until we find the true prince . If he is anything like you , he will be a strong , wise ruler . " " I 'm afraid so . Eunan will take her to the convent , then leave to gather troops . The only question is how to explain her disappearance . Eunan 's will be easy enough , he 's turned eighteen and is off to see the world  but Riona  " " Alright . The sooner they leave , the better . Riona won 't be safe for much longer . " Marlena turned back to putting the food on the plates , and then handed a tray of them to Eunan as he entered the kitchen . He exited , and Marlena looked back at Der . " And Eunan ? You will talk to him , won 't you ? " Marlena sucked in her bottom lip and nodded . " As soon as the inn calms down for the night , we 'll go into the library and tell them . Like you said , the sooner they know , the better . " Matthias had not been able to find a ship headed for Madiela . Everywhere he received the same answer . " Madiela ? Don 't sail there , mate . Even if we did , it 's too late in the year now . It 's dangerous . And they say there are strange creatures out there - sorry , I don 't fancy going there . " " This time of year , I don 't know . . . " The man began . But then Matthias looked the man squarely in the eye and whispered . " Freedom from evil . " " Thank you . " Matthias seated himself by the window and watched the activity going on outside . After an hour or so , Matthias stood . " Is there anyway I can help ? " He asked , placing his hands on the desk and leaning on them . " Not yet , no . " The man kept turning pages in the booklet he was holding . " but I think I 'm onto something . Sit back down again , and in a few minutes I may have found you a way to Madiela . Back may be a bit of a problem , though . " The room was quiet , Then the man stood . " I 'm sorry , I can 't find anything headed for Madiela . " Matthias sighed . " Then to Rakya it is . " Ciaran sat at his usual spot in the great hall , in his arm chair in the middle of the room , tables all around him . " Something 's up , " he whispered . " I can feel it . " Moonlight streamed into the room , and Ciaran stood , nodding to Donal . Donal left the room , and Ciaran stood in the rays of the moon , his shape changing and shrinking until he became his secondary form - a black wolf . Snarling , foam began to drip down his fangs and he growled , then ran out of the castle and into Llyanta . He knew where the rebels met , and although he could suppress them easily right now , he was biding his time . " Aye , there 's a rumor that Matthias has found an apprentice in Jarel . They 've also said Matthias has left for Madiela . The boy is going to gather troops . " The man lowered his voice even more , so it could barely be heard . " They say he 'll even be taking her to safety . Where , we don 't know and shouldn 't say if we do . Ciaran and his men are everywhere . " " You think what you want , but I 'm pretty sure that everyone wants to be free from Ciaran . Hah - my parents say it was better before ' e came along . Now the city is mostly rich people , and us few poor people left to beg in the streets . They say it was easier to live back when Caderyn was rulin ' . Oh , how I wish I could 've been there . " A second boy , his nose very prominent , retorted . " Ya know what ? " The last boy , a rough - looking red head , almost shouted . " We ain 't never gonna know until it happens . We can only go by what people say until then . Ya say , Conrad , that yer parents say it was better with Caderyn - well , we dunno that - only those around then do . And you , Mitchell - you say that nobody 's gonna join the rebel cause . I say , yer wrong there . I know that soon 's I 'm old enough , I 'm gonna go and fight . " The boy lifted his arm up into the air . Ciaran turned to go , inwardly laughing . Little did these boys know what he had in store for the rebels . Oh , it would be terrible . Almost as terrible as Ciaran himself . He had a plan full of torture and revenge . Yes , he would torture them alright . Make them feel his pain and hate while he sat idly by . He was just waiting , waiting until the time was right . - which could be shortly , all he needed to do was capture the ringleaders - Matthias and his apprentice . Ciaran laughed . The fools , did they really believe they could overhtrow him ? He laughed at them . " They may think they know what they are doing , but they have underestimated me and what I am able to do . They will learn to fear me , they will learn to tremble when they hear my name . " Ciaran muttered to himself as he started back to the castle . There he climbed the stairs to the East tower , and there he waited in silence for the sun to rise . Riona turned to stare at the fire . " Leave Jarel ? " She questioned , " but why ? Der placed a reassuring hand on his daughter 's shoulder . " You will know when the time is right . Some things from the past are not meant to be known right now . In time , Riona , in time , you will know all you need to know . " The room was silent for a moment  the only sound was the constant crackling of the fire . " Eunan will keep you safe until you reach the convent , but then he will need to go on . Matthias has given him a mission to accomplish , a mission that could save Olandern . " " God go with you both . " Der clapped Eunan across the back , then swept Riona off of her feet to hug her . " I love you , " he whispered in her ear . " C ' mon , let 's go . " Eunan took Riona 's bag from her hand and they went down to the tunnels . " It 's going to be a long walk . " " I 'm going to miss you a lot , Eunan . Nine long years you 've been like my brother , and now that we 'll be apart so much will be different . I 'll miss you , Eunan . And with you around , I 've always known I 'd have someone to protect me , where ever I went - my big brother protector would always be there for me . And I 'll miss that . " " We all do , Eunan . All of the rebels do . You 're a fine young man , Eunan , and ever since you decided to hope and not despair we 've all been able to see that . " " Stop it , Eunan . . . " Her voice trailed off when she saw he was being perfectly serious . She lowered her voice to a soft whisper and replied . " Thank you . " " Let 's sing . " Riona suggested , wanting to break the awkward silence and not be left in the quiet with her thoughts . She and Eunan had always loved singing together . As Eunan had no objection , Riona broke into song and Eunan soon joined in . The song they sang was an old Stargonian folk song , used to teach young children the alphabet . Riona enjoyed singing it , though the tune was simple , she and Eunan had added things to make it a bit more complex . As they sang , Riona felt her heart soar . Singing always made her feel like a bird , a bird who was flying free across the plains without the fear of being hunted . Riona knew that by now the sun would have risen outside , and yet still they journeyed onwards . About mid day , they found an open space and made camp to eat and rest . Rakya . The low walls were barely taller than he was , and the gate was falling off its hinges . Three days had passed since he left Padrea . Now that he thought about it , Matthias realized that leaving from Rakya was actually a better place to leave from than a place like Padrea he could come and go as normally as if he were just a local fisherman , going out for a fish  through sea serpent infested waters . Matthias grimaced . Ciaran 's eyes seemed to be everywhere ; nowhere was safe anymore . The journey had delayed him a few days , but now that Matthias was in Rakya , he could get started . Heaving a sigh , he made his way through the empty dirt roads to the trade center of the town the docks . The docks were the only place in Rakya that was always busy , day and night . Fishing boats came in throughout the day , and at night ships from all over Olandern docked there . Most of the late night ships were rebel ships , bringing news or supplies . A few even brought troops in every now and then . The fisherman pounded a small nail into the boat . " Ye could check down that ways a bit . There 's usually a destitute fisherman or two down there , ones who couldn 't catch any fish and haven 't managed to sell their boats yet . " " Thank you , sir , " Matthias left the fisherman to work on his boat , heading down where the fisherman had told him to go . Sure enough , a young fisherman sat atop an overturned boat , his head in his hands . Matthias approached him and gently laid a hand on his shoulder . The man looked up , and Matthias noticed his face was dirty and tearstained . Seeing Matthias , he stood and extended his hand . The young fisherman stuck his hands between his belt and tunic . " I do need a bit of help . See , I bought this boat new without thinking about the future much . . . what I mean is that I haven 't been able to pay the boat off because I haven 't been catching many fish . " Matthias already had everything he needed , so he set off for Madiela immediately . Pushing the boat into the water , Matthias hopped inside . After checking the wind , he unfurled the sail , then sat near the rudder . A lot of things were troubling him , and he used this time to think about them and work a few things out . It would take Eunan a while to spread the word . If the prince was on the island , Matthias could spend a while there . But if he was not , where else would they search for him ? With the gryphons ? This brought him to another question . Had the gryphons been found ? What if they weren 't anywhere ? What then ? Then came the question of a strategy . Hopefully they would have armies from all over Olandern . But how would they organize them , especially when speed was so important ? Matthias sighed . So many questions , so few answers , and so little time . How would it all work out ? " Who will go ? " Peter asked . Days had passed since their last time together , and now Peter , the King , and Breacon were working out the fine details of searching for the gryphons . The King nodded . " I think we 've found our man . " It was a total of five days before they emerged from the tunnels a mile or so away from the convent . As they hiked the last mile , snow began to fall . After catching a few snowflakes on her tongue , Riona stopped to put her cloak on , and Eunan did the same . The stone walls of the convent towered above them as they walked the final few feet . Riona stopped in front of the door , and took the large brass knocker in both hands . But she did not knock . Behind her , Eunan shifted from foot to foot . " It 's only for a short time , Riona . I know you don 't want to leave , I know this is hard for you . It 's hard for me , too . It 's times like these where we find out how much courage we really have . "