Leticia put on the long black robe that her mother had just given her the day before. It was a gift from some politician trying to persuade her father on some matter, she was sure. Nevertheless, it was beautiful and made from the fibers of the Shadowleaf plant. It was a rare gift indeed and one she would have thought her mother would refuse. She was convinced that her father had taken a bribe or else already been of the same mind as the politician who had given the robe. It mattered not to her, she was accustomed to her father's way of working.

It was only after she had tied the robe around her that she noticed something odd about it. It seemed so light on her body that it nearly felt as if she were not wearing it at all. It mattered not to Leticia. She actually preferred it that way. She was scolded on more than one occasion for roaming around the area clad in nothing more than her amulet of protection. She liked the feel of the air and sun and had never been ashamed of her body.

A soft knock on the door to her chamber sounded as she finished tying the robe. "Come in," Leticia said and then watched as a young boy opened the door and pulled a young dodrin cub in behind him. The animal's fur was long and shaggy like adult dodrin, but it still had the baby stripes of a cub on it. Leticia knew that her cousin had only just taken it away from its mother down in the village a few suns before.

"So this is your new play thing, Dedric" What name have you given it and why do you bring it here?" She reached down and ran her hand over the small creature's back. Its fur was soft and she could feel the ribs of the creature just below its skin. "Oh, I don't think you've been feeding it properly, Dedric."

The young boy shook his head and answered, "It's not my fault. He won't eat. I think he is sick. Will Uncle make him better" Please Leti, ask him for me."

Leticia smiled at the boy and nodded. "Yes, I will speak to him about your pet, but you must promise me that you won't bring him to my chamber again. You know how Mother hates animals in the home. She had better not have seen you, or I will be in for it when you leave." She squeezed the boy's shoulder and ushered him toward the door.

"No, nobody saw me. Promise me you will speak to Uncle and I will take Yura away," said Dedric as he picked up the cub and stepped outside the door. The narrow hall was empty and dark except for small slivers of light let in by narrow windows near the ceiling on one side.

Leticia kissed the boy on the cheek and stepped out next to him closing the door behind her. "Yes, I promise. In fact, I am going to see him right now and if you can get home without being seen, I will speak to him about your little Yura. Now, go. Oh, and Dedric, do try and avoid Mother until after I speak with my Father. She always seems to know when you and I have been up to no good."

Dedric smiled and took off at a sprint down the hall. He disappeared around some corner near the far end and Leticia turned in the opposite direction. She followed the hall for a while before turning and making her way through a number of chambers and passageways until she stood before a large wooden door with large metal hinges and a round knocker.

After composing herself and straightening her new robe, Leticia used the knocker to bang out four knocks. The door opened and a man dressed in armor and holding a long spear bowed to Leticia. She walked into the room past the man. The chamber was quite large and at the opposite end of the door sitting in a rather oversized wooden chair behind a desk sat a tall older man. He was thin and pale with a long gray beard and wore a strange sort of hat on top of his head. He was busy scrawling something into a thick book and only glanced up at Leticia for a moment before returning to his work.

"Ahem, Uh' Father," said Leticia rather awkwardly. "I came to speak to you about a sickly dodrin cub that Dedric has taken in. He would very much appreciate it if you could use your skills to mend the creature. It seems that the animal does not want to ea?" She was cut off as the man suddenly slammed the book closed with a bang and glared at her.

"Leticia, do you know what it is that I have been doing these last few days," asked the man. Leticia was about to answer when he simply continued. "I have been negotiating a way for you to leave here before the war begins. At first I thought it impossible, after all who would want to help an old mage on the council who took in more bribes and helped legislate more laws for the benefit of politicians than the people he was sworn to serve" Well, I'll tell you who, Leti" the very man who the others think is trying to betray them all! Do you understand that, Daughter?"

Leticia looked quite confused. "Father, I don't understand. What war" What man' What do you mean by "a way for me to leave??"

Suddenly a noise like thunder sounded from outside the room. It was followed by the sound of screaming and yelling which grew louder and louder. The man with the spear rushed out of the room, his armor clanking along the way.

"No! Oh, it's too late to explain, my Dear. Quick, come near the fire!" The old man grabbed Leticia by the arm and dragged her toward a fireplace where a small fire burned. He was reaching into the folds of his own robe and pulled out a small sack which he handed to Leticia.

"Throw this into the flame and jump into the fireplace, Leticia" hurry! You have no time to lose. My enemies have come and this war will surely destroy our world. Go now, child and let the name of Stagwyck live on another day!" The man leaned down and kissed Leticia on the forehead before pushing her toward the fire and turning toward the door. He looked back at the girl for only a moment before running from the room. A large flash of light and another loud crash came from the doorway just as the man exited and Leticia thought she saw the man fall to the floor.

Unsure of what else to do, Leticia threw the small sack into the flame and watched as it exploded into a multitude of colors which seemed to make the flames grow larger. She then jumped into the fireplace as her father had told her and felt sick to her stomach.

Leticia stood still for a moment unsure of what was supposed to happen. She felt the heat of the flames as they grew smaller and returned to their regular orange and yellow glow. Suddenly she was grabbed from behind by the arm and pulled out from the fireplace to land on her backside. She looked around her in disbelief. She was in a large room filled with people and other creatures sitting around tables or in front of a long bar. Many had drinks in their hands. Others fingered weapons laid across their laps or hanging from belts. Some wore clothing much like she was used to, but others were dressed rather peculiarly. Many eyes were on her and she was certain that she was not anywhere she had been before.

She scrambled to her feet looking for the one who had pulled her from the fire. "Where am I," she asked under her breath. "What is this place??

Leticia stared at Kaxyl for a moment before shaking his hand. "I'm Leticia Stagwyck of Tarak Del. I'm sorry sir, but I don't have any idea what you are talking about." She looked at the stranger noticing that his appearance looked very different than hers. She also wondered what he had meant by "orbiting ships" and "tissue transfer" but then the thought of what was going on back home intruded into her mind and she became very sad.

"Kaxyl, do you know if there is any way to find out what is happening back on Tarak Del? My father may be in trouble."

Leticia was as confused as she could have been. She wasn't exactly sure of how she had left her father's study and come to this place. Magic was involved, of course, as it usually was when something strange happened around her father. He was a highly sought after and learned mage on the council of Pyth, after all. His name was widely known throughout Tarak Del and as she sometimes heard others say, even beyond into other worlds.

Obviously the man had found a way to magically send her here to this place called Rhy"Din" but why' She had never seen the man so panicked as she had just before he told her to step into the fireplace. Something was wrong back home and though she had not understood one word of what this Kaxyl creature had said, she nevertheless had no other idea of how to find out what was going on.

"Kaxyl, I don't have a ship of any sort. I was sent here directly from my home and I don't have any way to return or to communicate with my family. If you know of some way to communicate with them on Tarak Del, I will have to take your word for it and put my trust in you." She glanced over at a man near the bar and saw him hand a coin to another before taking a mug in his hand. Her face flushed slightly as she looked back to Kaxyl.

"I am very sorry, but I have no way to pay you as I was sent away suddenly and without warning. Perhaps we could arrange for me to work for you somehow in exchange for your help?"

Leticia wished she had tucked her small purse into a fold of her robe before going to see her father, but she was not of the habit to carry money around with her unless she had need. She knew that her purse had only a few coins inside as well as one gemstone, but at least it would have been something to offer this poor creature as payment. She felt bad enough about being stranded on some distant and strange world, but to be destitute as well, that was something for which she would have never been prepared. Her family always had plenty and it was quite a blow to her to realize that she suddenly had nothing but the robe on her back.

Leticia was pulled along behind Kaxyl violently and bounced off the door jamb as they exited the building. A large crowd of people was beginning to form outside the Inn because of the commotion inside. Kaxyl and Leticia pushed through them and ran down the street to the south. She didn't dare to look behind her. She knew they were being pursued by the stranger without having to look. She could hear cries of alarm and screams behind them' no doubt the result of the man with the fire shooting weapon.

As they neared a small shed along some small house just prior to reaching a bridge that crossed the river, Kaxyl suddenly pulled her inside with a jerk and they toppled into the darkness. She could feel moist earth beneath her hands and knees as she scrambled to hide behind a crate in the back corner. Kaxyl joined her and their heavy breathing seemed too loud in the small space. Leticia could feel her own heart pounding and was certain that Kaxyl could feel it too.

Just then, the noise of someone running could be heard outside. The footsteps grew closer and slowed down as they approached the shed. Holding her breath, Leticia sunk down as low as she could behind the crate with her eyes locked onto the open doorway of the shed. Kaxyl reached over and put his hand across her mouth just as she was about to scream when a shadow filled the doorway.

Leticia liked the feel of Kaxyl's furry hand on hers. It was comforting in a way, but she was still frightened. She had no idea who the man chasing them was. She was certain that he had followed her, after all, how many people do pop out of fireplaces in such a short time.

When Kaxyl mentioned that the man had been aiming for him and not her, something clicked in her mind. Something her father had told her a long time ago. 'Bounty hunters don't always kill their targets, but they usually kill anyone else in the way.' Could it be? Who would send a bounty hunter after her and why"

The images of her father running out of the room, the flashing light, and him falling to the ground replayed in her mind. 'My enemies have come...' What had he meant by that' She knew there were many who despised the man. That was just how it was when you were a member of the council and a mage to boot. Had he made enemies that she knew nothing about' All of these thoughts kept repeating themselves in her mind over and over since she first stepped into the Inn and she was no closer to understanding any of it.

Turning to Kaxyl, she said softly, "I don't know the man....but maybe he is a bounty hunter." She saw the rabbit's eyes and his face. He looked worried. She knew that she was. Shifting into a more comfortable position, she settled in for the night. She only hoped that Kaxyl would not abandon her. She needed someone....anyone.