Chayda looked around the room that the Ravens had gathered in. They sat rigidly at attention or lounged languorously, depending on their personality, as they waited for the woman who had employed them to tell them the reason for this meeting. The Lady seemed to be considering her words carefully, for she nearly spoke up a few times, but shook her head briefly.

Rohan and Aeres were sharing a rather small couch. The large man and small woman had spent the first ten minutes in the room fighting for pillows, space and the right to lean, and from the expression on Aeres's face as she was kneed once more, another battle was in the offing. A smile touched the Laesadryn's lips as the blond snatched a pillow from Rohan. Ilissa, unlike the rest of the Ravens, had taken up a rather inelegant sprawl on the floor. She propped her chin up on both hands, her dark brown eyes flickering from face to face. Glancing over at the brewing fight, she reached up and grabbed the pillow from Aeres, then used it to cushion her elbows.

Astari and Caromir sat on either side of Koras, looking as they always had – silver-blond and blue eyed, a matched pair as beautiful and deadly as a pair of daggers. Yet for now the pair remained sheathed, the dangerous blades that had been revealed earlier hidden. Between them, Koras was almost unnoticeable. But spies didn't need – or want – showy, ostentatious leaders.

Sinharan, for his part, was sitting unobtrusively on a chair near the corner. The bitter sadness that had filled his eyes when he had first returned to Ayinchirr was gone, replaced by a faint smile. He was quiet, patient, and he watched the Lady with hawk-sharp eyes.

"The contract was filled," the Huntress of the Blood began thoughtfully. "Filled according to all the conditions and more. You are leaving soon?"

Koras raised and dropped one shoulder in a shrug from his seat on the couch. "Unless you wish to extend the contract. But you don't seem to need the full Raven division anymore."

"No. But would you say that, if matters were left as they are, I would be needing the Division again in a few years?"

"Maybe… especially if there were any rebels that we somehow missed." Koras's voice was doubtful.

"How much would it cost to keep one of your Squadrons here for the next three years?"

The brown-haired man thought for a moment before naming a sum that made Aeres whistle. "That much every year."

Estrelle scratched her wrist absently. "Is it possible for it to be paid on a yearly basis, then?"

"Yes."

"Very well. Since I don't know which of your Squadrons would be best suited, or even the names of any of your Squadrons, I will leave it to your judgement."

"Lynx is free," Aeres noted, having made a tentative truce in the battle for the couch. "They're a good lot." There was a flicker of something else that passed between the Raven leader and his Second, a hidden, furtive message that suggested the Taerithion mentally added, "But not our best."

"A man will contact you in about a month. He'll be asking for permission to open a store in Tal Eishan. The reason he is asking," Koras added before the Lady could protest that there was no cause for her permission to be requested, "is that you will be placing strict regulations on the sale of weapons within Ayinchirr, and all sales will be tracked. Since it is a weaponry shop, he has every reason to be asking you. Then, once a Moon, he will send you the notes for purchases. He will also be sending you any other information that Lynx may have gathered."

"And he is the captain of Lynx?"

"Probably not," Ilissa noted. "He seems quite happy where he is right now."

"Now, for the other matter of business…" Estrelle trailed off and looked at the ceiling. "What – Oh. That was it." She stood and walked to the door of the small room and murmured a curt order to the servant who stood outside. Then she returned to her seat and clasped her hands within her lap. "We were talking yesterday about how much I owed you for the pleasure of your company. We never did end up deciding on any one sum, but I'm fairly certain that this is rather more than less of what you wanted."

Six servants entered in pairs, carrying three large, undecorated chests between them. They placed them on the ground, bowed nervously to the Lady, and scampered out of the room once more. The general attitude towards the Huntress in the palace had become one of caution, though it seemed to be softening.

"You can count it, if you like."

After a pause in which no one moved, Chayda tentatively reached towards the chest nearest her and raised the lid. Her hand clenched on the smooth wood when she saw just how much coin there was in that one box alone. Aeres whistled again, and she thought she heard Koras mutter, "Hellfires and Gaea." They opened the next chest, with similar results, and then the third. No wonder the Lady had barely even raised an eyebrow at the cost of having one Squadron for three years – this was a far greater sum. All of the boxes were filled to the brim with gold coins – enough to buy Lynx for at least the next two decades.

"Actually, that one is for Lynx." She pointed at the one furthest from her, and, sure enough, it was perhaps a few coins emptier than the others. "Should cover the first year and a half."

Koras frowned. "May I ask how you decided on our pay, Lady?"

"Right. That one –" she tapped the nearest one on the still-open lid "– is what I gathered to be your usual fee. Then, since you have been oh-so-careful to stay away from jobs in Ayinchirr, I felt that it would be logical to add a bit more of an incentive to come back if I need you again. Then, for the assassination attempts, perhaps a quarter of that, for breaking the binding, an eighth, and for your convenient disposal of my none-too-beloved uncle, most of the rest of that one. The remainder is recompensation for Starfrost."

At that, Aeres fixed Chayda with her sharp stare. The Huntress returned it with an unabashed smile and a shrug.

"Wait a minute." Caromir had been riffling through the coins, and he pulled something out from the second box. "This is… isn't…" He slowly tilted his head to one side as he regarded the piece of paper within. "What is this?"

Astari tugged it impatiently from her brother and began to read. "'On this day, the tenth of the Spring Moon, in the fourth year after the death of Queen Vareina' – Wait a minute, shouldn't this be labelled in your reign if it's official?"

The Lady shrugged. "I have to be coronated before I can claim things as happening in my reign. This is in my power as Heir to the throne of Ayinchirr, though. At least, in my power as the Huntress Heir."

Rohan reached over to grab it. "'I, Lady Estrelle, daughter of the Queen Vareina and Heir to Ayinchirr by virtue of blood and magic, hereby do declare the following.'"

Aeres leaned over the large man's shoulder to read. "'From this day onwards, the Priesthood of the Song Lord is forbidden from the massing of arms against the throne of Ayinchirr or funds for the purpose of aiding their allies to purchase arms to be used against the throne of Ayinchirr. Retribution can and will be chosen to suit the situation and degree of damage that has or might have been done.'"

"'Ownership and titles will be passed onto children, regardless of gender, as befitting their skills and abilities. Should the current holders of the lands not be able to come to a suitable decision, the throne can and will step in to ensure that justice is done. Should the throne's decision be opposed without cause, retribution can and will be chosen to suit the situation.'" Koras stared at the paper. "You are certainly going to shake up the country."

The Lady smiled. "Thank you."

Ilissa reached up to take the paper from Koras. "'The heirship to the throne of Ayinchirr will be passed on as seen fit by the previous ruler. Should the previous ruler not have chosen an heir, a tribunal of nobles, Priests, merchants and armsmen will be put in place to choose a new heir. Should the bloodlines of the heir be in dispute, a simple Blood spell will be used to discover the truth of the case.'"

"'Finally, as the last act of this day, I hereby do declare, by right of blood and magic, that…" Chayda trailed off, her eyes going wide. She stared at the Huntress of the Blood, who wore a small smile that warmed her dark eyes and let the mask of adulthood slip to reveal the teen she was. The Laesadryn glanced back at the paper, and then thrust it wordlessly at Sinharan.

The dark haired Raven accepted the paper with a small frown, not quite certain what was going on. He murmured for a few moments before discovering the place where Chayda had left off. "'…by right of blood and magic, for his aid in placing Vareina's true heir on the throne, for his aid in uncovering the treachery of the Duke Tridan, and for his simple innocence, that Sinharan of the Ravens, exile of Tal Eishan, is no longer exiled, but is welcome once more in Tal Eishan and all cities of Ayinchirr. He is hereby pardoned of all crimes unjustly thrust on his name, as well as those committed to aid Queen Vareina. Sanctuary and refuge are hereby granted to Sinharan of the Ravens," he finished, his voice wavering near the end. He raised his head from the paper to stare at the woman who many had thought his bastard, his dark eyes bright and shining. "Thank you, Lady," he whispered. "Thank you."

The woman nodded. "Think of it as a bonus. I did tell you that I was putting bonuses in that chest. Besides, I doubt that you'd have much interest in most of the policies that I was implementing."

Sinharan simply held the paper as delicately as though he expected it to crumble at a firm touch, staring at it with an awe usually reserved for sacred items.

"That brings us to the last matter." The Heir tapped her forefinger against her wrist. "Sinharan, are you going with your Squadron or remaining in Ayinchirr?"

There was a long, heavy silence, in which the man looked from face to face, his own expression blank and unreadable. Then, finally, he placed the pardon on the ground in front of him and leaned as far back as possible without tilting the chair. "And is that the price for my forgiveness, then?" His voice was dead and flat.

"Price? No." She shook her head. "I wanted to know if you'd be staying for my own reasons."

The Ayinchirr looked hesitantly at the pardon. "Lady, it's good to know that I can come back to Ayinchirr and not have to worry about people trying to kill me. It's more than I expected when I came. But… I don't know where my kin have gone. I don't know where most of my friends have gone. And… Ayinchirr isn't home anymore. They aren't my people anymore. I have another home, I have another family, and I have another set of friends. So I'll be staying with my Squadron. It's as much a home as Ayinchirr ever was."

Estrelle didn't seem offended; in fact, she didn't even seem very surprised. She rose and surveyed them for a few seconds, much as she had when they'd first stood in her throne room. "Luck to you, then," she said quietly, before she smiled. "Or perhaps I should say luck of the hunt to you."

Then the Lady of Tal Eishan left the room, leaving the Ravens to pack.

---

"Well?"

Chayda was sitting cross-legged on the floor of the room she'd been living in since she'd come to Tal Eishan, packing. It wasn't really home to her, though she'd spent more time in the city than anywhere else, with the obvious exception of her home back in the Laesadryn territories. She paused while folding a shirt – did the Laesadryn territories even have a name as a whole? She couldn't remember it, if there was one. She put the shirt into her rucksack and reached for another, the last one left, not looking at the woman who leaned just inside the frame of her door.

"Well what?"

"Well, are you ready to go and do it all over again?"

The Huntress dropped the half-folded shirt and stared at Astari for a long moment. There was no trace of amusement hiding in her pale blue eyes, no flicker of a smile touching the corner of her lips. She was as deadly serious as she had been when she'd challenged the Priesthood, though the fierce anger that had been so prevalent at that moment was lacking. Her arms were crossed over her chest, and she waited patiently.

"Again? What, is someone else challenging Estrelle?" And she'd nearly finished packing, too.

The silver-blond finally cracked a smile. "Not that, Chayda. This was your first job. Your chance to weigh how you felt about being a Raven, to see if you thought you could do it again and again. So, would you be willing to ride out of Tal Eilum tomorrow, knowing that you'll be in a similar situation before a year has passed? Or would you choose another path? We won't think any less of you for it." Then, pensively, she added, "Though I can't guarantee that there'll be Blood mages and a power-hungry priesthood next time."

She looked at the older Raven incredulously. "You thought that was fun, didn't you?"

"Yes." She grinned at the Laesadryn's expression. "It was fun, when you look back on it. If we had lost people in the job, no, it wouldn't have been fun. If we'd lost, it wouldn't have been fun. But we won, and we kept everyone in one piece. So, yes, it was fun."

"You're crazy. All of you are completely insane." She folded the shirt and stuffed it into the pack, then tied it tightly.

Astari raised an eyebrow.

"Of course, I'm just as bad as the rest of you. I suppose we crazy folk should stick together, no?"

"It would be safest," the Raven agreed, not specifying if it would be safest for the Ravens or for the rest of the world. "Good to know you're staying with us, sister. You'll make a good Raven."

The Huntress wrinkled her nose. "Are you saying that I'm not a good Raven yet?"

She chose to ignore that comment. "Are you done packing? Yes? Good. We're leaving now." Ignoring the younger woman's protests, she dragged the Huntress to her feet with one hand, grabbing her packs with the other.

"It's not too late for me to change my mind!" she shouted, indignant at being pulled through the palace as though she were a recalcitrant child. The silver-blond simply flashed her a smile that said, Oh really?

Was there an argument to that? She couldn't remember ever having found one when Talitha had given her the same smile, and things didn't seem to have changed much since then. Moreover, that smile always seemed to be the response to her protest that something was either impossible or would get them killed.

As she was dragged down to the stables, she looked around to see if she could spot Taelith. The Palace Guard had not only been friendly, he'd helped her get Sinharan into Tal Eishan, and she had been hoping to at least wave goodbye. However, circumstance seemed to be working against her. She wondered if she could hear Ka'Heera the Trickster having a good laugh at her expense, but decided otherwise. The mischievous God had a flare for the elaborately dramatic, and her life didn't seem to be matching those requirements.

"What's the rush?" she demanded as she attempted to wrest her arm from Astari's control.

"We have a bet with André," the Raven explained, still running. "First Squadron to have all of its members in Brightdale gets treated by the other. Fox Squadron is closer to the border, but he has to get word out to all of them so that they all arrive on time."

The Huntress would have stopped if she wasn't being dragged along. "We're rushing for a bet?"

"Yes. I just told you that."

"A bet? You're all completely insane."

"You just told me that. Are you going to repeat things all day? We're Raven Squadron, not Parrot. Actually, there isn't a Parrot Squadron. Anyways, do you have any idea how much money it costs to pay for two Squadrons to have their fill of food and drink?"

"Less than what is in the chests," Chayda grumbled as they stepped out into the courtyard. It wasn't as bright as it had been the other day; the sky was slightly overcast, making it possible for her to leave the shelter of the palace without having to shield her eyes. The rest of the Ravens were already outside, their horses nearby. Aeres was standing in front of a horse that kept whickering. Whatever the Taerithion was trying to do, it wasn't working, for she muttered precise oaths that should have set the gelding's tail on fire. Finally she drew herself up to her full height and whickered right back at the gelding, which made him fall silent.

"Men," the Raven Second said tartly. Then she spun around to face the horse, which was inches away from her shoulder pack. "If you dare do that, I'll set your tail on fire."

Evidently she thought much the same way as Chayda did.

"I hope I'm not the one expected to ride him."

The blond woman smiled. "No… You've been good lately. This lucky lad," she gave the horse a gentle slap on the shoulder, "gets to carry the money. He's been a lazy lout with no one to ride him, and now he's grumbling about having to carry anything." Then, without turning around to look at the gelding, "I will set your tail on fire."

He retreated with a snort.

"Anyways, you can have Lixan. She was supposed to have been called Light's Sand, but you know how it is when you're shouting a name. Comes out different." She whistled, and a sandy mare picked her way forward, weaving between horses and Ravens to reach the Second.

"Hello, Lixan," Chayda murmured, holding her hand palm upwards for inspection. The horse obliged by widening her nostrils and sniffing, before raising her head and blowing through her nose. She blew back. "There. We both know what the other smells like."

"Can we get going? We have a long ways to go!" Koras called.

Chayda climbed up into Lixan's saddle, grateful that someone – likely Aeres – had thought to saddle the mare. "Brightdale isn't that far away!"

"We're going to Kinsden after."

Cheers greeted this declaration, and Ilissa deigned to explain to the newest Raven. "You know how some countries have a guild to regulate where things are made and sold?" The Huntress nodded. "Well, if mercenaries had guilds, Kinsden would be where the head of the guild was. Everyone goes to Kinsden, and it's a great place to be. Course, since they get most of their money from mercenaries, they pretty much have to keep us happy, but it's always been that way."

"Ready? Good – we have Fox Squadron to beat to Brightdale!"

Laughing, the Ravens left, leaving Tal Eishan and Ayinchirr behind.

---

--sighs-- And that, my most rocking reviewers, is the end of The Ravens until I start onrevisings.Now, as this is the last chapter, I think a little reviewer shout-out is in order.

Wolfie Star26: You are a wonderful, wonderful person. I got so much encouragement while writing this from you, and it really helped me with writing chapters that were almost twice as long as I was used to. Thank you. --shifty eyes-- What mistake. --corrects mistake-- You saw no mistake! --laughs-- Ah, well. No one's perfect, I guess

Alexei: Thank you! I'm glad you liked it that much. Don't you worry, there will be many, many more stories. --knocks on wood-- Course, next year of highschool might mean fewer updates, but there will be updates.

Calibrit: --nods-- Yeah, those could have been better. I'll work on them. And what happened to kiss kiss? --grins-- That always makes me think of Karla, which makes me want to laugh. Because Karla is just that kind of person.

Nell Featherpen: Will do! --smiles-- The second review I got from you was saying that you loved the long chapters. Considering it was just after one of my friends was complaining about the same thing, it really helped. Thank you!

Uncle AI2: --grins-- Yeah, the Ravens are a fun load to write about. They weren't even going to end up in Ayinchirr, but...--waves hand vaguely-- Blame, or congratulate, Sinharan for it. --nods-- Ever since I came up with Nightblade, I had the dilema of where Sin would end up in the end. It was a really, really hard decision to make -- having Sin and Nightblade stay, having Sin leave and Nightblade stay, or having them both go with the Ravens were all options. I think that this one will work the best, though. And in the end, maybe Sin will go back. Who knows? And I'm really, really glad that you liked the story so much.

Casey Drake: Yay to you too! --laughs-- Thanks for reading

Ok... annoying survey time! --ignores groans-- Nothing official or long, I just want to know your fave characters (however many you feel like naming), maybe a favourite part and something you'd like to see in the future. I'm not saying you'll see it, but it might give me some ideas for revising The Ravens. Especially the beginning. I hate writing beginnings.

Gryph