Oh, this is PERFECT! I can't even- Just wow.

-Aila

This is excellent. Milana's despair and anger are clearly conveyed to the audience. All character's actions befit their role and state. The descriptive phrases demonstrate your ability as a writer.

Great! Very well writen! I love it!

This is great! You write Milana's character well, haunted, grieving, but still clinging to life for Maerad. Mirlad is also described well, and seems to regret his crimes deeply. You are a talented writer!

An excellent beginning of Maerad's life at Gilman's cot! Very well written, you really feel Milana's pain and grief. One point I would make is Cadvan wasn't thrown out of the school, just had a very bad reputation because of it. Other than that, why not write some more, the next chapter, how Mirlad began to teach Maerad and when Milana finally dies? And how he teaches her music.

This was a really good fic! Wow, I'm jealous! But I don't think Cadvan was ever exiled from the Schools, and he certainly was not despised by Schooled Bards. And, just one final question - How did Milana recognise Mirlad? Cadvan did not recognise the name, so why should Milana? Anyway, aside from those two points - AMAZING WRITING SKILLS! :D

Absolutely amazing. I really liked this new take on a Pellinor character. Mirlad was portrayed really well, Milana's demeanor, her speech - all was magnificent. It was very sad, when Milana starts ranting all the names of all the betrayers to Light... that para helped to focus on the weightage of the Dark, and what it holds out for each person. For some it is horror and grief and destruction, and for others tempting and new and powerful... and perhaps both.

I think you should write a sequel about when and how Mirlad trains Maerad and how he watches her grow, her wild and untrained power and maybe, his death. Lovely.