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Tama!!!! Time to wake up son....

Tama tilted his head and groaned, trying to remain in his dream.

Young one, staying in dreams of granduer until mid sun is not healthy..

"Uggg, Father I am not a child anymore, and get out of my dream."

You are not an adult yet my son, and you really must learn to quiet your mind when you dream. I imagine the whole house could read you.

Tama sighed and climbed out of his bed. rubbing his brillant yellow eyes his mother was so proud of, strode down to the meal room.

I mean it my boy, your mind is so loud all the time, and so scrambled. Its not unlike trying to catch one fish in the entire school, no sooner do I have it in my grasp than it slipps away and I lose track of it...

"Father, I'm right here and wasn't it you that said that clouding my mind is a good thing? one of great grandfathers best traits..."

Tama's Father slowly put down his meal and looked at his only son.

Yes, yes but not when you scream it...And not with family... Your grandfather was the same way, he nearly drove my mother mad because he gave up trying to control his mind speak..... And what’s happening with your lessons? You should be practicing. Yet you seem to be gaining no progress. I am only trying to encourage you...

Groaning again, Tama grabbed a piece of fruit off the table and reaching for his scarf, ran off through the main room, to the front door.

Tama!!

Looking out from behind the door Tama spotted his mother eyeing him from the door of the study.

"Why are you running off so early again?"

Ask Father.

"You’re still too loud!" Tama's Father chimed in.

Slamming the door behind him, Tama quickly wrapped his scarf around his head and face to keep the sand out of his eyes and ran across the courtyard and down towards the city

~

"ALWAYS! Every morning the same thing! You'd think just once he could just say good morning, or good job on the guild test yesterday. I've passed all of them so far, and I don't even want to join the Guild!"

Tama grabbed a loaf of bread off a nearby cart and threw the merchant a few coins. before tearing into it eagerly. The man walking beside Tama had his face covered as well, leaving only his maroon eyes gleaming to the midday sun. Though covered head to toe, it was easy to see they were around the same age.

"Don’t choke." He said with a laugh. "And you better hope he never hears that, he'd disown you for sure...He's right though young master, you keep skipping your lessons with my sister and one of these days she’s going to have you layed up in bed for a week with the headache you'll get from her and your father's scolding!"

"I know, but at least he could realize that I'm his son and not one of his lacke.." Tama paused in his mind speak, trying to stop the word from slipping. "I'm Sorry Durha, I didn't...."

"No harm done, I've only got a few cycles left, and even then I might just stay with your father - for your sake!" Durha patted Tama on the shoulder as the two ducked into a shadowed Guild shop on the far end of the street.

"Ah!!! if it isn’t my favorite apprentice! I see you actually decided to show up today!" The woman was extremely tall for a Din, her head nearly scraping the ceiling and her glowing crimson eyes didn't help her imposing nature either. Her mind boomed in Tama's head.

"Your only apprentice. Good Morning Dursa."

"In mind speak!! you know my rules!" Taking a seat at the nearest table she cast a sharp eye on her brother as he tried to slip out the door. "And I hope your not filling his head with stories of glory in battle again, are you baby brother?!"

Durha winced and turned around slowly.

"But of course not darling sister, and besides if war were to reach the Din, at least he'd be prepared..". Durha tried to form a fake smile but failed miserably.

"War is no place for a child, even if he is a prince. Now go on, I have a solid lesson plan and I won't have you in the way!" Waving her brother away, Dursa motioned for Tama to take a seat.

Unwrapping his scarf from his eyes, Tama reluctantly cast one last desperate look at his father's aid and his best friend.

Good morning Teacher...

~

Durha, having gotten his friend to his studies had other worries. He was late, VERY late. He had promised to help Tama's father prepare for the meeting with the elders in the hall of the house tomorrow night. He was running as fast as he could but he knew he was in for it this time.

Suddenly from out of nowhere, his shoulder rammed into a mountain of rather solid cloth. Durha stumbled back a bit and looking up to see that the walking mountain's face was shadowed, bowed his head.

"Sorry I didn't...." Before he could finish talking he noticed the shadow was gone. Looking back up and taking a quick glance in every direction, the giant was gone, rather much disappeared... rather neat trick Durha thought.

"Meeting! , No No No" Durha shook his head and started running again as fast as he could. He hadn't given a second thought to just how big the Giant with no face had been... Let alone what it possibly could have been..

~

"A pleasant evening and kind greetings to you elder."

"Lower..." Dursa was standing over Tama like a hawk, ready with a switch of slender root. "You must always address superiors with a kind, even, and gentle tone of speak, least you wish to be rude. Again."

She hadn't hit him - yet. He only needed a couple more mistakes, it was bound to happen.

"A pleasant evening and kind greetings to you elder." He tried to steady his mind's voice.

"Better. Now this time try to sound like you mean it."

"But I have never even... Yah!" The switch had found a rather soft spot on the back of his left palm. As he rubbed it he sighed and looked at his teacher.

"Again! It doesn’t matter if you haven't met any of them before, you're father's expecting you to greet and speak with them tomorrow night and I will not have you making me look bad. Now.. Again!"

Just as the stinging sensation was leaving Tama's hand,. a loud crash broke the air and the door came crashing in. A huge shadow appearing in the frame of the door, nearly blocking out the light that was now rushing in.

"Who do you think you are?!!!!!!!" Dursa strode up to the shadow. Tama had seen some tall people, Dursa included but this man, woman, or whatever it was stood a good 3 head taller - it had to stoop down just to enter and it was almost too wide for the doorway. Tama jumped to his feet and watched his teacher stride right up to stare into the hood of the cape the shadow was wearing.

"You dare to break MY door in and interrupt MY lessons!!! - I want you out of my..." Before Dursa could even finish her sentence she fell silent. Tama had seen nothing but suddenly was overcome by fear. Before he could run the Giant threw his teacher to the ground and had grabbed him around the neck to the point of choking him.... A hiss arose from beneath the creature’s hood....

"D-drone...." Tama struggled, but couldn't get loose. He was hanging from the creatures grasp like a rag doll.... If he went for his dagger the creature would snap his neck like a twig...

"Chu will not ssspeak, chu will be quiet or chu will dieee"

Tama could see the huge faceted eyes and clacking mandibles of the beetle creature's head under its hood.

"Chu will come with meeee, chu will not ssspeak, chu will be quiet or chu will dieee." the creature pulled Tama right up to its face as it hissed out it's demands...

It wants me? me... why me? Tama questioned. I may be a prince but our people don’t fight, not for 500 years...We're peaceful.

Suddenly Tama caught movement out of the corner of his eye, His Teacher had regained consciousness and was crawling towards the door.

Before she had even reached the light spilling in through the doorway, the drone was on her. Still holding Tama above the ground by his neck. It squeezed even harder to make sure Tama couldn't yell as it grabbed Dursa by the throat as well and crushed her. Her body suddenly going limp and her eyes rolling back into her head. The drone drew another arm baring a dagger from under its cloak and quickly and silently stabbed Dursa in the forehead. A death blow to a Din.

Tama was terrified but he tried to remain calm, he had learned long ago that fear is the enemy. This drone knows things, Tama thought. An assassin? Who else would know that Din heal so fast that only there head is a weak spot....The drone drew Tama's face into sight again.

"Chu will not diee if chu do not sssspeak. Come with meeee." The drone suddenly dropped Tama to the floor.

Tama froze. The drone hovering over him. He looked to the door and instinct and terror gripped him. He threw himself to his feet and tried to run for it. But the drone was too fast. It lashed out, grabbed him again, choking him.

"Chu are brave but chu are alssso sssstupid. Vvery well..." Before Tama could gasp a massive blow struck his head and the room spun. Tama felt himself being grasped by the drone's long arms and his face pressed against it's leathery body. Then all went dark....

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