Lord Alan of Trebond and Lady Alianna of Trebond sat side by side in their geeting room. They were awaiting the arrival of their children.The children would be leaving home tomorrow and wouldn't be returning until many years later. Thom would travel to the palace and Alanna to the convent. The children hated to leave home, something everybody knew. The door burst open and the twins raced in. They were both dressed for riding. The children were identical, except for Alanna's waist length hair. Ther children were both short, with red hair and violet eyes. Alanna ran forward.
"I don't want to go to the convent! Please don't make me go! Let me go to the palace with Thom. Please?" she begged on her knees, her eyes pleading.
"Alanna get up this instant! You are getting the floor all covered with dirt! A noblewoman never begs," Alianna scolded. Alanna got up. Alianna was never really this forceful with her children, nlt when her husband was around. He often said that she babied the children too much.
"This discussion is over. Tomorrow you leave for the convent and Thom leaves for the palace. And that is that," her father added.
"This isn't fair!" Alanna argued. "Mother please?"
"Now Alanna, you heard your father. Go get ready for dinner," Alianna told her children. Thom and Alanna left, but they didn't head to their rooms.
"I told you it would never work," Thom told his sister as they entered the library.
"I will simply have to find another way then,"Alanna never gve up easily. She was very stubborn. They heard the door open as their mother walked in. Alanna picked up a book about female warriors.
"Alanna, I'm sorry I had to be so rough in there. You know how your father can be." Both twins nodded."I know how badly you want to be a warrior, Alanna. There is something I have never told you. When I was young, I too wanted to be a warrior. My best friend Durtney taught me to use a sword as his father had taught him. I was just starting to get good at it when I was sent to the convent. Then i met your father. I haven't lifted a sword since. I know what it feels like. That is why I have decided to let you go. If I couldn't follow my dream, why should I deprive you of your's? We must do it secretly thought. If your father should catch us, we shall all be in a lot of trouble." Alanna ran to her mother and hugged her tightly.
"Thank you mother," she said greatfully.
"Now isn't it a bit dark in here?" Alianna asked, changing the subject. Alanna and Thom each pointed at a candle, both of which burst into flames. The twins were both blessed with the gift of magic. "Very good, my children. You are learning." They both beamed.
"Thank you ma ma," they both replied.
"Now hurry along and get ready for dinner," she told her children. They ran out into the hallway, leaving their mother in the library.
"Oh Thom! I'm so excited!" Alanna cried happily. Thom was happy for his sister. They would get to stay together. The twins were the very best of friends.
"Sister, you must prepare. There is a hard road ahead, for both of us." Thom walked into his room as Alanna continued down the hall. Her dreams were coming true!
Dinner was pretty quiet that evening. All Lord Alan and Lady Alianna talked about was the twin's departure the next day. The castle would be awfully quiet without the twins. When the twins went to retire for bed, Alianna went to her daughter's room.
"The next few years will be hard ones," she told her daughter. "If you ever need any help, just write me. Address your letters to Maude," she named the village healing woman."She'll make sure that I get them. I shall miss you, daughter. We shall fix your hair in the morning. Good-night. Get some rest, you will need it." She kissed her daughter on the forhead and put out the candle beside her bed. Alanna got little sleep that night. She kept dreaming of a city made of black, shiny stone.
*I don't own any of these characters, except Alianna. Tamora Pierce does.
"I don't want to go to the convent! Please don't make me go! Let me go to the palace with Thom. Please?" she begged on her knees, her eyes pleading.
"Alanna get up this instant! You are getting the floor all covered with dirt! A noblewoman never begs," Alianna scolded. Alanna got up. Alianna was never really this forceful with her children, nlt when her husband was around. He often said that she babied the children too much.
"This discussion is over. Tomorrow you leave for the convent and Thom leaves for the palace. And that is that," her father added.
"This isn't fair!" Alanna argued. "Mother please?"
"Now Alanna, you heard your father. Go get ready for dinner," Alianna told her children. Thom and Alanna left, but they didn't head to their rooms.
"I told you it would never work," Thom told his sister as they entered the library.
"I will simply have to find another way then,"Alanna never gve up easily. She was very stubborn. They heard the door open as their mother walked in. Alanna picked up a book about female warriors.
"Alanna, I'm sorry I had to be so rough in there. You know how your father can be." Both twins nodded."I know how badly you want to be a warrior, Alanna. There is something I have never told you. When I was young, I too wanted to be a warrior. My best friend Durtney taught me to use a sword as his father had taught him. I was just starting to get good at it when I was sent to the convent. Then i met your father. I haven't lifted a sword since. I know what it feels like. That is why I have decided to let you go. If I couldn't follow my dream, why should I deprive you of your's? We must do it secretly thought. If your father should catch us, we shall all be in a lot of trouble." Alanna ran to her mother and hugged her tightly.
"Thank you mother," she said greatfully.
"Now isn't it a bit dark in here?" Alianna asked, changing the subject. Alanna and Thom each pointed at a candle, both of which burst into flames. The twins were both blessed with the gift of magic. "Very good, my children. You are learning." They both beamed.
"Thank you ma ma," they both replied.
"Now hurry along and get ready for dinner," she told her children. They ran out into the hallway, leaving their mother in the library.
"Oh Thom! I'm so excited!" Alanna cried happily. Thom was happy for his sister. They would get to stay together. The twins were the very best of friends.
"Sister, you must prepare. There is a hard road ahead, for both of us." Thom walked into his room as Alanna continued down the hall. Her dreams were coming true!
Dinner was pretty quiet that evening. All Lord Alan and Lady Alianna talked about was the twin's departure the next day. The castle would be awfully quiet without the twins. When the twins went to retire for bed, Alianna went to her daughter's room.
"The next few years will be hard ones," she told her daughter. "If you ever need any help, just write me. Address your letters to Maude," she named the village healing woman."She'll make sure that I get them. I shall miss you, daughter. We shall fix your hair in the morning. Good-night. Get some rest, you will need it." She kissed her daughter on the forhead and put out the candle beside her bed. Alanna got little sleep that night. She kept dreaming of a city made of black, shiny stone.
*I don't own any of these characters, except Alianna. Tamora Pierce does.