not sure of a name yet.

Eli ran as fast as she could in her riding dress, pushing past branches, cuttung her arms in her haste. Her blue satin dress ripped on low flung branches, her hair getting tussled. She ran, not caring and he followed. She looked back and saw him, and pushed herself for an extra turn of speed. She had to get there before him, or all would be lost!Pressing herself far harder then her legs wished she burst threw the last tree and slammed past her sister, up the stairs to the house and into the front door.

As soon as she was past the threshold she slowed and tried to assume a light, ladylike walk over to one of the chairs, which she made sure not to collaps in. Her breathing was hard, but she forced herself to take small, gentle breaths. Rupert was not so catious.

He banged into the house, flinging the door against the wall and rushing all the way up to Eli with such a racket that Eli was amazed people in the next country didn't hear him. He stood in front of her, hands on his hips, taking large gasps of air, and then in a breathless voice said,

"Unfair, you cheated."

Eli did her best to assume a regal pose, lifting her chin slightly in the way she had seen her mother do and said in her best regal tones,

"Fair sir, I assure thee it was a fair competition. All my praise for thy great galentry, but none the less another rued the day. "

Rupert answered by sticking his tong out at her and rolling his eyes. At that Eli lost control of her lady like manners and hit him on the head.

"Eli!" Said a severe voice from behind, and Eli spun on the spot, and gave a deep curtsy.

"Lady Mother." Lirien did not accept the simple pleasentry, instead inspecting her daughter.

"What have you done to your dress this time?" She asked, seeing the many stains, rips, tears and wrinkles that had once been a fine blue gown.

Eli tried to rub some of the spots on her dress, as though wishes could mend and clean. Her mother gave a great sigh, and Rupert giggled from the side lines. It was the wrong thing to do.

Lirien turned her head and looked at her third son, who's clothes were also much damedged from the race to the house. Her stare was cold and icy, and Rupert quickly lowered his eyes from hers.

"I have given you children a home, when by our laws I need not have. You were both of that former woman, but I brought you in, made you my children, and this is the thanks I get. This flagrent disregard for both my rules and the things I kindly gave you. Did you wish to be thrown out, that you repay my kindness so?"

Both siblings shook their heads, fear entering their eyes. They did not wish to be cast away, but their mother could do it in a secound, if she wished. It was true she had adopted them, when they would have been baster children left on the road, but that would make no matter, if Lirien decided to rething the situation.

Lirien however saw their expressions and sighed a deep, heartfelt sigh, then took their arms and pulled them along.

"No, I don't supose that was fair of me. Whatever your birth you could not help it, I just do wish you would learn how to walk threw thickets. Or around, more like. There are roads to the house, and little need for you two to make new ones. "

Eli smiled, re-assured that her lady mother would not cast her and
Rupert out into the wilds of the world. She smiled, and resolved that, in the futer she would say no when Rupert dared her to a race threw the trees.



This house was called Barba'tir, in the Eastern province. It was the fifth house in the realm, and Eli was proud to be a part of it. She, Rupert and Gwen were all Ani'Barba'tir, which was family and yet at the same time not. Their Birth mother had been Mirien O'Anita'tir, a seventh daughter who disgraced herself with their father three times. When their mother killed herself, the final disgrace, her children were brought to Barba'tir.

It was at the time a great scandel. Many bets were laid that the children thus claimed would be turned out of the house by Lirien O`'Barba'tir, and rightly so. She suprised everyone by not only refraining from tossing the waiths, though it was her right, but taking them in and making them Ani'Barba'tir. She placed clothes she had made herself on their shoulders, and bathed them in rigid ceromony. It was scandelus, very much so.

That was how the three came to the house of their father. It was said that Lirien had been the one to persuade their father to bring them in the first place, for he cared nothing for his basterd children. He called them Osin to their faces, which was basterd and no titel nad much to complicated to translate. He baned his son from learning combat, depriving him of trade in their war prone society.

It was said that he wished to marry his daughters off to Ronin and Peti O'Ashanti'tir. They were both old men, having outlived several wives apiece. Once again Lirien was said to be the cause for the mirage never being settled.

Eli was glad, for she did not want to marry either man. They were rouph men, known for their cruelties and malice. It was even wispered that Ronin had killed his secound wife when she failed to birth a healthy child. Far better to live alone then to share ones bed with such a man.

All of this created much gossip and wonder though. For if She had not taken the children in to give them to the first wealthy marriege she could find it was a mystery what Lirien had taken them in for.

When she heard such talk Lirien mearly smiled her secret smile, and continued walking. As though the talk were far, far beneath her.



And life at Barba'tir was not hard for the three siblings. Lirien sent the two girls to private lessons in the drawing room every day to learn decorum, maners and how to walk in society. There they practiced walking up and down, their gaits always far less elegant then their sister Rue's, though they were getting better.

The teacher would make them stand and say silly sentences very clearly and seriously.

"Big, black, bugs blood." Was said in the same tones as might be used to say, "Your majesty, the Queen." They learned to enthesize and slur in the most fashionable ways, moving their tongs as skillfully as a musician, and with three times the purpose.

And still in the back of their heads lay the question, why did Lirien bring them to the house? It followed them in their sleep, the nagging fear that they would not end up suiting whatever her purpose was and be thrown out. It was a terrible thing to have hanging over your head as you tried to get some sleep.

But no word was ever spoken of it to them, and they heard no rumers or sugjestions, until one day Eli happened to enter the house when Madam mother, and Sire Father were talking quite heatedly, unaware that she'd entered.

"I should have thrown them out the second they were brought here!"
Sire father roared at Madam Mother. Madam Mother didn't even blink, but sat cooly on her chair, running her fingers along the design set into the wood.

"Without my permision, oh that would have been a scandel. One thing for the angry wife to throw the waifs out, compleatly another for their loving father to toss them. I would have been extreamly unhappy had you done so. Maybe even have called a Litelio on your account."

For a few secounds Sire father stood there looking at her, then he shook his head and moved away a pace.

"You would have to, wouldn't you? never mind the disgrace on the house that would have brought. A Usherman is always above dishonor."

"If you disagree with the fact so resolutly maybe you should have thought twice before allowing yourself to be married to one. "

"What are your plans for the waiths, anyway? You can't keep them here forever."

"That, my dear husband, is for me to know and the rest of the world to wonder at, is that not true Eli?"

Sire father spun around, and saw Eli standing in the hall, watching.

"Bloody Osin, spying on us were you?" And he came on and hit Eli, nocking her against the wall. Madam Mother stood up, and suddenly it was like she was another person, for the fire that raged in her eyes.

"Stand to Gregor." She said, and amazingly Sire Father did stand away from Eli, looking slightly scared.

"Apologize to your daughter this instant."

"But, Lirien, Dear," He tried to say. It was a mistake.

"Apologize no, or I shall loose my patience with you!" And Sire Father turned and apologized, before making a quick retreat, followed silently by Madam Mother.

Eli picked herself up and felt her chin. It hurt, and she was afraid a bruise would show tomarow. She sighed, but was glad at least that Madam Mother did not seem to be angry with her.

The next day when Sire Father came down to diner he winced as he sat down. Later Eli heard it whispered that Madam Mother had called Misha on him for hitting her.