The sunlight filtered gently through the branches, and beneath the thick leaves, a pair of small legs swung back and forth in the air. The peaceful sight was enough to make anyone smile.


    The girl''s given name, the one recorded in the family registry, was Elizabeth Sanford. Butter, she was given the nickname Elise. It was said that her mother thought she talked too much and chose the nickname to quiet her down.


    However, Elise thought the nickname quite useless and not very pretty. The meaning of "Elise" was to be silent, but if one had a mouth and never used it except to eat, what then? Wouldn''t she grow into a great fat pig if eating was the only thing she did?


    "My deardy, there you are! You had me searching high and low." Lulu stood beneath the tree, looking up with both fondness and exasperation. "Come down now. His Highness and Her Grace are asking for you."


    "Aunt Lulu, what do they want with me?" came a bright,zy voice from above, as content as a cat in the sun.


    "Her Grace is going to Meadow Ridge and says she''d like to bring you along. Do you wish to go?"


    At that, Elise''s face lit up. "Truly? Then, let''s go at once!"


    She slid down the tree trunk without dy. Perched on either shoulder were two white cats named ckbird and Whitefang, though neither name quite suited their soft white coats. They hade to her the year before, and Elise treasured them dearly. She had also trained them to be perfectly well-behaved.


    In the side hall, Carissa and Rafael looked up as their daughter came bounding in. The two cats stayed perfectly still on her shoulders, not so much as twitching. The sight made both parentsugh aloud.


    Elise ran forward and called, "Mom!", then sweetly added, "Dad!"


    "They''re all curled around you like that—aren''t you hot?" Carissa asked with a smile, taking out her handkerchief to dab at Elise''s damp brow and pluck a few leaves from her hair.


    The two cats, who had been dozing with their eyes shut, suddenly opened them at the sound of Carissa''s voice. Their amber eyes blinked, and they straightened at once. With dignified grace, they leapt down from Elise''s shoulders and padded quietly out of the room.


    "It''s not hot at all; it''s lovely andfortable," Elise said cheerfully, linking arms with her mother and pressing her cheek fondly against her. "Aunt Lulu said you''re going to Meadow Ridge. When are we setting out?"


    "Tomorrow," Rafael answered from where he sat nearby. He watched his daughter''s affectionate behavior with amusement, though he made an effort to keep a stern face. "Your mother''s mentor has agreed to let you stay at Meadow Ridge and learn martial arts. You must treat this seriously. No fooling around or beingzy. Do you understand?"


    Elise lit up with excitement at the news. "Truly? I promise I won''t mess around. I''ll train hard with Sage Adrian!"


    The young girl had been to Meadow Ridge several times before and had once tried to stay to study martial arts. But as she had been too noisy and unruly, both Adrian and Everett had refused to keep her.


    "This is your warning," said Carissa, though there was a smile on her face as she gently tapped her daughter''s small nose. "If you make Sage Adrian unhappy, or if Sage Everett or your seniorsptain, I''lle drag you home myself and give you a proper scolding."


    "Comining about me? Not likely! I was young and silly back then, but now I''m already seven years old. How could I still not know better?" Elise said proudly.


    Rafael rolled his eyes at her.


    Know better? If she truly did, she wouldn''t have been turned away from Meadow Ridge more than once.


    This time, it had been Adrian who had written to them, saying the ce was too quiettely—perhaps a noisy child might do some good. Truthfully, he had always hoped to bring Elise to Meadow Ridge.


    It was Everett who objected, for he was the one in charge of discipline and couldn''t abide noisy children. Back in the day, even Carissa had been scolded often by him. But in the end, Everett wouldn''t refuse the daughter of Rafael, his most favored apprentice.


    Elise did have real talent for martial arts—perhaps even more than either of her parents. If she trained diligently for a few years, her skill would surely grow by leaps and bounds.


    And so, the following day, Carissa took Elise to Meadow Ridge. The two white cats, of course, went along with them.


    Elise leaned against her mother''s side, her usual mischief gone for the moment as she seriously asked, "Mom, you went to Meadow Ridge when you were seven too, didn''t you? Did you ever think about what you wanted to be when you grew up?"


    Carissa gently stroked her daughter''s dark hair, her gaze growing distant.


    She had indeed gone to Meadow Ridge at the age of seven or eight, full of bold dreams. She had wanted to be one of the finest warriors in thend, to right wrongs and help others, to be a true heroine.


    Though she had trained diligently, Adrian never allowed talk of bing a wandering hero. He said it was improper for someone who trained in martial arts to go around fighting and causing trouble.


    Carissa had thought she might defy him one day, but before that could happen, trouble came to her family. Her dream of wandering the world and seeking justice faded before it could ever begin.


    "Mom?" Elise asked again when she received no reply.


    Carissa came back to herself and softly replied. "At the time, I thought if I could tearn to defend myself, I would take up my sword and see the world from the beautiful sights of Starhaven, to the Southern Frontier and Victory Pass... thends your grandfather and uncles once defended."


    Elise looked a little sad. "You''re stuck in the capital now, so you can''t go. But that''s alright. Once I''ve trained hard and gotten strong, I''ll go for you."


    "Alright, then." Carissa smiled, treating it as the sweet promise of a child.