Morgaine woke at dawn totally refreshed and with her clothes only slightly wrinkled. As she made her way to breakfast she remembered that Declan had a surprise for her and she quickened her step.

She laughed to herself and thought, All falconers are the same they all talk to their birds as if they couldn’t talk back or tell their secrets. Over the years Morgaine had found that birds were gossipy and the worst people to tell secrets to, they hardly ever keep them. She found Declan waiting for her at breakfast, though she wasn’t late.

“I’ve got a bit of a surprise for you,” he said. “I know you haven’t been here long, but there’s a small hunt today of squires and pages from the palace and we’ve been asked to supervise. You’ll use the two sparrow hawks you used yesterday.”

“Right-wing and Pounces,” Morgaine commented.

“What?” he asked puzzled.

“Right-wing and Pounces,” she repeated, this time a bit uneasy. She didn’t think that he had heard her before and she hadn’t meant him to. “Those are the sparrow hawks' names.”

“Oh,” he said only slightly less bewildered.

They ate in silence, but it wasn’t an uncomfortable one, both just had a lot on there minds. Morgaine was trying to figure out what the owl had meant the night before. A storm comes...with a storm comes rain...rain brings life. What did it mean and how could she find out? It was too much for her to figure out at the moment.

While Declan was puzzling over Morgaine. He only gave his prize birds names, but apparently she gave them all names. While he had not noticed anything unusual with her and the birds, she herself was quite strange. She had her own special way of doing things, a certain style all her own that he found oddly appealing. He didn’t question his decision nor did he have any regrets about making her his apprentice. He hoped that they might become friends.

“Would you mind if Skye joined us?” Morgaine asked as they walked to the mews. “She wont get in the way, I promise.”

“All right, just make sure you keep that promise,” he said and as she let Skye out of the mews he noticed that Skye wore no jesses (leg ties) and commented, “You really should put some jesses on her, that’s a good way to lose a valuable bird even if she is an eyas.”

“She wont stand for jesses and she’d never fly off and not come back to me. Isn’t that right?” she asked the bird and Skye let out a screech and took to the skies. Declan was aghast, but said nothing and they went to work on getting the other birds and putting rufters over their eyes. By the time they had assembled the squires and pages in the courtyard Skye had returned and found a perch where she could see and hear everything.

“Listen here,” he said to them, “Most of you know me, I’m Declan and this is my apprentice, Morgaine. You will do as she or I say while on this hunt.”

Many of the boys stared at Morgaine not knowing what to think of her. The thought of having to take orders from her made most of them snicker. She was use to the stares, having worn breeches since the age of four, but somehow having all these boys, all about her age, eye’s lingering on her was discomforting. Skye sensed this and screeched her disapproval of their actions.

Declan seemed to disapprove as well and said, “Stop gawking like a bunch of country lads, you’ve all seen girls before and if you don’t think you have to obey her think again. Now, let’s move out.”

Declan and Morgaine were afoot with the birds while the squires rode and used bows. Morgaine loved hunting; it gave her time to clear her mind and not really think of anything at all. It was a fruitful day of hunting and Morgaine really enjoyed herself.

Her sparrow hawks were eager to serve her and enjoyed chatting to her about the goings on in the kingdom and they understood why she wouldn’t talk back to them very much for fear of being stared at oddly. It was an almost constant fear of hers. She didn’t like to think of what might happen if it was discovered that she could talk to birds. In fact it was almost the only thing that Morgaine really feared. Sometimes she would have nightmares about what might people might do if they knew.

Her most common nightmare was that she would be burned as a witch. When she was ten she had seen a woman burned in her village. There had been a horrible plague for weeks and finally the villagers decided that the plague was caused by a witch. They chose an old woman who kept mostly to herself. They held a trial and she was found guilty of being a witch and they burned her. The gruesome images where still vivid in her mind and the screams haunted her dreams. It had been the most horrible thing she had ever seen. She feared that the same fate awaited her.

She pushed all thoughts of being burned out of her mind and tried to concentrated on the hunt. At that moment Skye came out of nowhere and landed in a near by tree. She screeched to get Morgaine’s attention then said, The human boys are talking about you behind your back. Shall I peck out their eyes for you?

She had to stifle a laugh and she shook her head. She had a better idea. She signaled for Skye to come to her then she whispered to the bird, “As quietly as you can go ahead and scare off all the game. Maybe if they have to work for their meat they’ll think about that instead of me.”

Skye did as she was told and the rest of the afternoon the hunting was poor. Not that it mattered to Morgaine, she just loved to be out there. As they were heading back to the palace a wild bird called to her, Watch your back earth-bound-sister the storm comes from unexpected places.

“Another omen,” she whispered.

“What?” Declan asked who was walking by her and had only half heard her.

“Oh nothing, does it look like rain to you?”

Unbeknown to Morgaine, she had become the talk of the squires and pages of the palace. Most thought it odd for the Master Falconer to have a girl as an apprentice. Many laughed when they first heard about it, but once they heard how well she could handle the birds most of the laughing stopped. For the rest of the day squires and pages tried to make up excuses for walking by the mews and aviary to try and catch a glimpse of her.

It wasn’t until that evening as she got the birds settled for the night that they told her of the squires’ and pages’ odd behavior. She had to laugh. She hadn’t expected the days poor hunt do deter the boys, but she hadn’t thought that they had been paying that much attention to her either.

The birds, not liking anyone to know anything that they didn’t, asked what was so funny and she explained to them that what they had seen was just human nature and that people were naturally threatened by something new. The birds said it still didn’t make sense and she told them that it didn’t make sense to anyone.

After that first hunt things began to fall into a steady routine of training and hunting. Morgaine found that there was a lot she didn’t know about training, catching and breeding hawks and falcons, but she learned quickly. Declan was a good teacher and made things simple to understand and he was very patient with her when she did have trouble with something.

She loved working with the birds and would spend ten to twelve hours a day with them. Every moment alone she had with them she would be deep in conversation and even sometimes when Declan was around she would whisper to the birds but he never seemed to notice. She especially liked to talk with the birds in the aviary. They knew a lot about the goings on of the palace and loved to spread gossip with her.

She was becoming fast friends with Declan as well. She could talk to him about almost anything. Besides being a good teacher he also had a good sense of humor and was very understanding about things.

Boys of the palace had taken to milling about the mews and aviary, and Morgaine had taken to pulling pranks on them and getting into fights with some of the older boys. A few times the fights had almost gone to blows, but either Skye or Declan were too close by to let it escalated to that.

Skye, meanwhile, who had become bored with watching Morgaine’s lessons and the lack of attention she had been getting lately, had taken to hovering or perching outside palace windows and eavesdropping on whoever was inside. Morgaine wasn’t sure that this was the best thing for her to be doing, but it’s not as if there was anything that she could do to stop her. One thing that she was sure of was that Skye was a free spirit.

One day while Morgaine was cleaning the mews Skye, very bored, went to listen at the windows. She went to her favorite, Lord Taliesin’s window. It had a nice perch and the window was often open and sometimes Lord Taliesin would be there and give her bits of meat. Today the window was open and he was talking with someone.

“Has she shown any more odd or exceptional behavior?” he was asking.

“Other than learning her lessons faster and better that anyone I’ve ever met, no,” it was Declan who spoke now. “Though I feel she’s hiding something, not something bad, just something she’s not willing to share me anyway.”

“Has she made any friends?” Taliesin asked.

“No, she doesn’t have the chance to be around very many girls her age and the boys she meets are all interested in either kissing her or getting into a fight, but she seems content,” Declan replied.

“She might be more willing to tell a friend whatever it is you think she’s hiding and maybe if it was another girl even more willing,” Lord Taliesin suggested. Skye screeched to make her presence known. Both men looked at the bird. “There are a few odd things about her,” Declan said, “When she works she whispers, I think to the birds or maybe herself, but I’m quite sure that she’s sane. My point is that she an odd girl in general. Another thing is that she lets that eagle out every morning to be free all day and it’s always back before dark and when it is around it sticks right with her.”

“That’s her eagle?” Taliesin asked, surprised and Declan nodded. “It comes by here often and just sits at the window like it’s listening.”

“Well I wouldn’t worry sire, it’s not as if birds can talk or even understand what we’re saying,” Declan said and Skye flew off to tell Morgaine what she had just heard.

“Are you sure they were talking about me? I mean did they ever say my name?” Morgaine asked after she had heard all Skye had to say.

Haven’t you been listening? Of course I’m sure they were talking about you. Now you should tell Declan the truth about yourself, he’s been good to you. You owe it to him, Skye insisted.

“From what you say I think the only reason he and Lord Taliesin took me on was because they thought I had some sort of special power that they could benefit from, I don’t owe him or Lord Taliesin anything,” she said angry at Declan for deceiving her.

But you do have a special power, how many others can talk with animals? Skye asked.

“I can only talk to birds,” she argued.

Have you ever tried to talk to other kinds of animals?

“No, but I don’t think it would work and I don’t care to try,” she snapped.

Well! I can see it’s no use talking to you when you’re upset, Skye said. I think now would be a good time to go hunting.

“Good hunting,” she called, ashamed of the way she had acted, but still mad at Declan.

When he arrived at the mews Morgaine tried to hide her anger towards him, but she didn’t do a very good job of it. She was usually easy going with little or no temper, but now she was rigid and her temper flared at him for no real reason. Finally he asked, “Are you all right, you seem upset? Did something happen?”

“No, I’m fine,” she said irritated that he acted concerned about her. Over the course of the day he asked her several more times if she was all right. Finally she blew up at him and told him to leave her alone and later apologized and assured him that nothing was wrong, but by that time he was certain that something was most defiantly wrong and he wished that she would trust him enough to tell him what it was.

The next day Declan noticed that she still acted strange and finally that evening he said to her, “Morgaine I know there’s something wrong, we were just starting to become friends and now you’re treating me colder than when we first met. Please tell me what I’ve done to earn your wrath.”

Declan’s voice was soft and compelling and she heard a note of true concern. she took a deep breath and asked, “Why did you make me you apprentice? I know what you said before wasn’t true.”

“In the beginning it was to keep Skye here, she really is a magnificent creature. Then I saw you go into the aviary with Skye and the birds still flocked to you and I know it’s against a any bird’s better judgment to approach an eagle so,” he said sheepishly. “I thought you might have something special, like magic or something, but I see now you’re just good with birds and I’m very glad I took you on.

“Is that what’s been bothering you, why I made you my apprentice?”

“Partly,” she confessed feeling very guilty for ever being mad. “The rest is far too silly. I never should have gotten mad. I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right, but if there’s anything else bothering you just tell me,” Declan said.

“You’ll be the first to know,” she promised.

Things went back to normal between Morgaine and Declan, but Morgaine was still debating weather to tell he the truth or not. On one hand he really wanted her to trust him, but on the other hand Declan would tell Lord Taliesin her secret and he would use it to further his own power or something worse could happen if he feared her power. Finally she decided that what Declan didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him and it would keep her safe.

One day Morgaine went to the aviary and found Princess Celestria there. Mia had been right, Celestria was beautiful, the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. She was not quite as tall as Morgaine, and had long curly dark brown hair, green eyes, ivory skin and a shapely body. One thing that she did notice was that she didn’t wear the godly clothes that many other nobles did. They were nice and in the royal colors but not near as ornate. It wasn’t like she need those beautiful clothes, she would have looked wonderful even in rags. Morgaine decided that she didn’t hold a candle to her as far as beauty went. She was only a little envious though because birds don’t care what females look like, only males were expected to be beautiful. Morgaine didn’t see why she couldn’t be the same way. Men should try to impress her and she could be as homely as a hen pheasant.

When the princess noticed her she asked, “You're the falconer’s apprentice aren’t you?”

“Yes, it’s Morgaine your Highness,” she answered bowing to her. “But how did you know?”

“I’ve heard stories of the girl falconer in breeches and you’re wearing breeches so you must be her. How did you know I was the princess?”

“I’ve heard stories of the beautiful princess and yer the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen so you must be her, your Highness.”

They both laughed. Morgaine liked the princess instantly and told her so. “Oh please Morgaine, call me Celestria. I get tired of being a princess sometimes,” she said when Morgaine finished another sentence with “Your Highness.”

“Well I’m sure being a princess is better than a lot of things you could be,” Morgaine said petting a meadow lark that had landed on her arm. For some reason she felt like she could talk to the Princess like she would any other person.

“Very true, but personally I envy you,” Celestria said watching the meadow lark.

“Me?” Morgaine asked startled and the meadow lark flew off. “A poor commoner like me who spends most of her life in the company of birds and will probably end up an old spinster? While you’re surrounded by wealth and power and fine noblemen, tis I who envy you.”

“You shouldn’t, being a princess isn’t so glamorous. Yes, there is wealth and power, but I’m always worrying about how to make a good impression on people so I wont offend anyone and I can never be myself and when it’s time for me to marry it will be for the good of Morata meaning it will be some prince I’ve never met.

“You on the other hand can do what you want, wear breeches, hunt, be with the birds and not worry about offending people or impressing them. You have your choice of men and marry whoever you fall in love with,” she grinned, “and from what I hear you’re very popular with the young men of the palace.”

Morgaine blushed and said, “I don’t think ‘popular’ is the right word. I think I’m more of a spectacle to them for wearing breeches and doing the things I do. I can’t really talk to any of them the younger ones just blush while the other boys giggle like little girls and the older ones just want to flirt about things I’m not interested in. The only man who treats me normal is Declan, but I think it’s only because he respects what I do with the birds.”

“What about the girls?” Celestria questioned.

“I don’t know any and if I try to get to know any they just ignore me, but it’s okay. Here people are different, there are far too many people to know everyone and they're all concerned about their own lives. In my village you have to be friends with almost everyone if you want to live a normal life there. I’m not sure I understand the people here yet, but I don’t mind being alone here,” Morgaine explained and shrugged her shoulders.

“You talk to me so frankly.” Morgaine blushed again. Celestria smiled. “It’s very refreshing when everyone else around here is worried about what they say to me or trying to win favors. I like you Morgaine and if I may be frank, I would be honored to be your friend.”

“Thank you your Highness I would also be honored to be your friend.”

“Now enough of that ‘Highness’ stuff if we’re going to be friends I insist you call me Celestria,” she said putting her hand on Morgaine’s shoulder.

“All right—Celestria.”

After that every free moment they had, Morgaine and Celestria could be found together doing almost anything. As they became closer friends and Morgaine found that she could talk to her about anything she couldn’t talk to Declan about and she considered telling her about being able to talk to birds. A memory of seeing that woman burned was all it took to push any thoughts of telling Celestria right out of her mind. Also she remembered what Skye had overheard Lord Taliesin say, “...she might be more willing to tell a friend whatever it is you think she’s hiding and maybe if it was another girl even more willing.” She didn’t think that Celestria was a spy from Taliesin, but it was possible that she could let it slip to him, they were both nobles after all. She trusted Celestria even if she wasn’t willing to tell her everything and they had more fun than Morgaine thought possible. A favorite prospect of there's was sneaking out of the palace, both wearing breeches, and they would just talk, free from the palace. One time when they were out on one of their excursions from the palace at a favorite swimming hole of theirs when Skye called to Morgaine, There’s a group of squires and pages headed your way to swim, I’d get out of there if I were you.

“Celestria, I think someone’s coming lets get dressed quick,” Morgaine called to her.

She was silent a moment listening then said, “I don’t hear anything, are you sure?”

“Yes, it’s probably a whole group of boys from town or the palace and I think they’re getting closer so let’s hurry,” she said and they were quickly out of the water and dressed. Morgaine started to walk off but Celestria signaled for her to stop.

“Let’s hide and wait to see who it is,” Celestria whisper and to Morgaine’s dismay they hid in the bushes near the swimming hole to wait. Soon the squires and pages were in sight and they all quickly striped down to there loin cloths and jumped into the water.

“We’ve seen them now let’s go,” Morgaine urged.

“Wait, let’s steal their clothes,” Celestria suggested.

“Celestria!” Morgaine whispered fiercely, “If we get caught Declan will tan my hide till it wont hold water and your father will never let us continue being friends. He’ll think I’ve corrupted you or something and I’m on specific orders not to pull any pranks.”

She had not forgotten the lecture and extra chores she had gotten the last time she pulled a prank. Two weeks ago she had broken rotten grouse eggs into the saddle bags of a squire who had pinched her and called her names. The boy and horse had reeked for days.

“Then I suggest we don’t get caught,” Celestria said smiling wickedly and Morgaine returned the look. Silently the slipped over to where the boys had left their clothes and took them and quickly left the swimming hole before they were seen.

When the were pretty far from the swimming hole Morgaine asked, “What are we going to do with these clothes? It’s not as if we can show up at the palace with arm full of clothes that aren’t ours.”

“I know what we can do,” Celestria declared and she lead Morgaine into the city, past the upper class houses and market to the slums of the city. There they passed out the clothes to anyone who passed by and everyone seemed grateful.

When they returned to the palace and Celestria had changed back into a dress Morgaine said, “It was really good what you did with those clothes I know what it’s like to be dirt poor and only have the clothes on your back. You’ll make a great queen someday.”

“Thank you,” Celestria said and then hesitated a moment before asking, “How did you know that those boys were coming? I didn’t hear them until they were almost to the swimming hole.”

Morgaine fidgeted a moment, thinking of a good lie then said, “It was the birds...I, um, saw a few flush from the direction that the boys were coming from.”

Celestria laughed and said, “One day Morgaine, you’ll make a great falconer.”

She laughed uneasily along with Celestria. She felt horrible about lying to her.

The squires and pages didn’t return to the palace until after dark and all were punished. No one ever found out who stole their clothes.