Chapter 1: Default
Alanna the Lioness, the King's Champion, could hardly contain her glee. Baron Piers of Mindelan and Lord Sir Ident of Limont had written to King Jonathan to say that their daughters wanted to be pages. She fought to sit still until Wyldon of Cavall, the royal training master, read the letters. Seated across his desk from them, the king watched the training master as sharply as his Champion did. Lord Wyldon was known for his dislike of female warriors.
It had been ten long years since the proclamation that girls might attempt a page's training. Alanna had nearly given up hope that such a girl- or the kind of family that would allow her to do so- existed in Tortall, but at last, not one, but two had come forward. Keladry of Mindelan and Maitara of Limont would not have to hide their sex for eight years as Alanna had done. They would prove to the world that girls could be knights. And they would not be friendless. Alanna had plans to help the girls through the first few years. It never occurred to her that anyone might object.
Alanna slumped in her chair. Surely Wyldon had read the letters at least twice! The stiff training master gave no indication of being done. He absently traced the puffy scars that ran across his face. Alanna's fingers itched to apply healing magic to his right arm, which rested in a sling. Wyldon may be inhumanly stiff, she thought bitterly, but his training works. During the recent Immortals War, the pages and squires were able to join the fight.
At last Lord Wyldon returned the letters to King Jonathan, who placed them on his desk. "The baron and baroness are faithful servants of the crown," the king remarked. "We would not have this treaty with the Yamani Islands if not for them. As to the Lord of Limont, I am unfamiliar with him, except that he trained here as a knight. I heard also that he and his entire family fought against immortals in Limont, down to his youngest daughter, which I assume would be Maitara."
"I did not agree to this, Your Majesty," Lord Wyldon said through gritted teeth.
"Upon accepting this job you implied agreement," the king reminded him.
"That is a lawyer's reply, sire."
"Then here is a king's: we desire these girls to train as pages."
A few tense moments followed, as Alanna thought, And that settles that. I might argue with Jon, but Wyldon will never let himself do so.
The training master rubbed his arm absently and said, "May we compromise, Your Highness?"
Alanna stiffened and began, "Compromise-'' She hated that word!
The king looked at her pointedly, silencing her. "What do you propose?"
"Personally, I thought our more noble parents loved their daughters too much to place them in such a hard life." Wyldon said breezily.
"Not everyone is afraid of new things!" Alanna exclaimed angrily, clenching her fists and jaw.
"Lioness," warned the king, his voice dangerously quiet. "Continue, Lord Wyldon."
"Although both houses have given us worthy knights, I still fear that these girls will come here ignorant to this rough lifestyle."
"Anders, Inness, and Conal should have helped explain things to the Mindelan girl. And Lord Ident should have instructed Maitara sufficiently," the king said.
"Sire, please think this through," Wyldon pleaded. "We need the realm's sons. Girls are fragile, more emotional, easier to frighten. They are not as strong in their arms and shoulders as men. They tire easily. These girls would get any warriors who served with them killed on some dark night."
This was just too much for Alanna. She started to get up. King Jonathan walked over and put a hand on her shoulder, keeping her in her chair.
"But I will be fair," Wyldon continued. His brown eyes were stony. "Let them both undergo a probationary period. If they have not convinced me of their ability within a year, they return home."
The king ignored Alanna's muffled protests, thinking hard. "You know I honor you, and I would hate to see that tainted. Keladry of Mindelan and Maitara of Limont shall have a year's probation."
Lord Wyldon nodded. "There is one other thing," he remarked. "You must not involve yourself in their training," he said, looking at Alanna.
"He is right, Alanna." The king agreed. "You must not involve yourself."
"But they'll be the only girls in over twenty boys!" cried Alanna desperately. "I could help them-they'll have questions-'' She stopped herself, realizing what her words meant.
"There is no other way for it, sire,"
"Are you sure, Wyldon?" the king asked.
"The girls will have enough troubles without the famed Lioness hovering over them." Wyldon replied.
The king sighed. "He has the right of it, Alanna. You must stay away from them."
"But, Jon, sire-"she pleaded.
"That is an order, lady knight. If needed, I will find you work elsewhere."
"Don't tax yourself, highness," she stood and told him angrily, quivering. "I'll find a knight's work myself. As far from Corus as possible." She stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
The two men stared at the door. Each was trying to remember if Alanna the Lioness had ever spoken to Jonathan if that tone before.
Chapter 2: Maitara's Interview
Maitara of Limont, a small, unusually calm girl, long raven's wing black hair, stood silently outside Lord Wyldon of Cavall's office. She was completely calm, having no temper or really any emotions whatsoever. She looked almost exactly like Queen Thayet, except abnormally crystallic blue eyes replaced hazel. Her skin was tanned, and nose was not as strong. She did not appear completely K'Miri, but also Yamani and Tortallan, a strange mix.
Beside her a tall man with ruddy, boring green eyes quivered nervously. His nose seemed as if it had been broken several times. A scar ran along the line of black hair on his forehead. His muscles bulged under a simple mix of tan breeches, a royal-looking red shirt, and a serviceable white tunic.
"Papa," the girl said calmly, turning to face the taller man, "Relax. I'm sure Keladry has had more training than me, I'm sure I can
Alanna the Lioness, the King's Champion, could hardly contain her glee. Baron Piers of Mindelan and Lord Sir Ident of Limont had written to King Jonathan to say that their daughters wanted to be pages. She fought to sit still until Wyldon of Cavall, the royal training master, read the letters. Seated across his desk from them, the king watched the training master as sharply as his Champion did. Lord Wyldon was known for his dislike of female warriors.
It had been ten long years since the proclamation that girls might attempt a page's training. Alanna had nearly given up hope that such a girl- or the kind of family that would allow her to do so- existed in Tortall, but at last, not one, but two had come forward. Keladry of Mindelan and Maitara of Limont would not have to hide their sex for eight years as Alanna had done. They would prove to the world that girls could be knights. And they would not be friendless. Alanna had plans to help the girls through the first few years. It never occurred to her that anyone might object.
Alanna slumped in her chair. Surely Wyldon had read the letters at least twice! The stiff training master gave no indication of being done. He absently traced the puffy scars that ran across his face. Alanna's fingers itched to apply healing magic to his right arm, which rested in a sling. Wyldon may be inhumanly stiff, she thought bitterly, but his training works. During the recent Immortals War, the pages and squires were able to join the fight.
At last Lord Wyldon returned the letters to King Jonathan, who placed them on his desk. "The baron and baroness are faithful servants of the crown," the king remarked. "We would not have this treaty with the Yamani Islands if not for them. As to the Lord of Limont, I am unfamiliar with him, except that he trained here as a knight. I heard also that he and his entire family fought against immortals in Limont, down to his youngest daughter, which I assume would be Maitara."
"I did not agree to this, Your Majesty," Lord Wyldon said through gritted teeth.
"Upon accepting this job you implied agreement," the king reminded him.
"That is a lawyer's reply, sire."
"Then here is a king's: we desire these girls to train as pages."
A few tense moments followed, as Alanna thought, And that settles that. I might argue with Jon, but Wyldon will never let himself do so.
The training master rubbed his arm absently and said, "May we compromise, Your Highness?"
Alanna stiffened and began, "Compromise-'' She hated that word!
The king looked at her pointedly, silencing her. "What do you propose?"
"Personally, I thought our more noble parents loved their daughters too much to place them in such a hard life." Wyldon said breezily.
"Not everyone is afraid of new things!" Alanna exclaimed angrily, clenching her fists and jaw.
"Lioness," warned the king, his voice dangerously quiet. "Continue, Lord Wyldon."
"Although both houses have given us worthy knights, I still fear that these girls will come here ignorant to this rough lifestyle."
"Anders, Inness, and Conal should have helped explain things to the Mindelan girl. And Lord Ident should have instructed Maitara sufficiently," the king said.
"Sire, please think this through," Wyldon pleaded. "We need the realm's sons. Girls are fragile, more emotional, easier to frighten. They are not as strong in their arms and shoulders as men. They tire easily. These girls would get any warriors who served with them killed on some dark night."
This was just too much for Alanna. She started to get up. King Jonathan walked over and put a hand on her shoulder, keeping her in her chair.
"But I will be fair," Wyldon continued. His brown eyes were stony. "Let them both undergo a probationary period. If they have not convinced me of their ability within a year, they return home."
The king ignored Alanna's muffled protests, thinking hard. "You know I honor you, and I would hate to see that tainted. Keladry of Mindelan and Maitara of Limont shall have a year's probation."
Lord Wyldon nodded. "There is one other thing," he remarked. "You must not involve yourself in their training," he said, looking at Alanna.
"He is right, Alanna." The king agreed. "You must not involve yourself."
"But they'll be the only girls in over twenty boys!" cried Alanna desperately. "I could help them-they'll have questions-'' She stopped herself, realizing what her words meant.
"There is no other way for it, sire,"
"Are you sure, Wyldon?" the king asked.
"The girls will have enough troubles without the famed Lioness hovering over them." Wyldon replied.
The king sighed. "He has the right of it, Alanna. You must stay away from them."
"But, Jon, sire-"she pleaded.
"That is an order, lady knight. If needed, I will find you work elsewhere."
"Don't tax yourself, highness," she stood and told him angrily, quivering. "I'll find a knight's work myself. As far from Corus as possible." She stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
The two men stared at the door. Each was trying to remember if Alanna the Lioness had ever spoken to Jonathan if that tone before.
Chapter 2: Maitara's Interview
Maitara of Limont, a small, unusually calm girl, long raven's wing black hair, stood silently outside Lord Wyldon of Cavall's office. She was completely calm, having no temper or really any emotions whatsoever. She looked almost exactly like Queen Thayet, except abnormally crystallic blue eyes replaced hazel. Her skin was tanned, and nose was not as strong. She did not appear completely K'Miri, but also Yamani and Tortallan, a strange mix.
Beside her a tall man with ruddy, boring green eyes quivered nervously. His nose seemed as if it had been broken several times. A scar ran along the line of black hair on his forehead. His muscles bulged under a simple mix of tan breeches, a royal-looking red shirt, and a serviceable white tunic.
"Papa," the girl said calmly, turning to face the taller man, "Relax. I'm sure Keladry has had more training than me, I'm sure I can