Chapter One
Kassi of Pirate's Swoop
Disclaimer: I own them all. They are mine, all mine! ~laughs evilly, then composes herself~ Do you people seriously think I'm creative enough to come up with Tamora Pierce's wonderful characters? Go read the books again! All I own is Tara, Kassi, Lidi, and Andrew! Oh, yeah, and the plot.
~~~~~~~~~~
Raoul sank into a chair, rubbing his head. Accepting a glass of water from a servant, he sipped it, wondering what life had come to.
A week ago, King Jonathan had decreed that the King's Own would need to start recruiting their men at a younger age. The Own, which usually started accepting boys at the age of eighteen (A/N: I think it was 18), was now open to anyone fourteen and older.
Raoul looked up as someone entered the room. Setting his cup down, he stood up and hugged his wife, Buri. He hadn't been home to Goldenlake for months; they had missed each other.
His wife looked up, her eyes serious. "So you're going to take on youngsters?" He nodded. She buried her face against his chest. "Gods, I don't want you out there," she murmured. "If something happened to you, I don't know what I'd do."
He smiled. "Sweet, you were Commander of the Riders," he told her. "You don't think I was afraid?"
She sighed. "I know. And I miss being out there. But Evin's good. He'll do fine."
The door flew open, and their moment of peace was interrupted by cries of, "Da! Da! You're home!" Raoul laughed, bending down to hug his children. His eyes took in his youngest daughter, Lidi, her sister, Kassi, and their oldest, Tara. While Kassi and Lidi hugged him cheerfully, Tara hung back, smiling. In her arms was Raoul and Buri's only son, Andrew. Buri took the wailing infant from her fourteen-year-old daughter. "Go, say hello," she whispered. Tara obediently stepped forward to embrace her father.
The nursemaid cleared her throat after a few moments. "Lidi, it's time for your nap," she reminded her gently. She accepted the baby in one arm from Buri as she grabbed Lidi's hand, leading the children away.
Kassi glanced up. "I s'pose you want me to leave."
Buri smiled at her. "If you don't mind, dear, your Da and I need to talk to Tara."
Sighing, the girl left, shutting the door loudly behind her.
Raoul looked at his daughter. Tara had his height, but she shared her mother's stubborn looks. Her shoulder-length brown hair and deep hazel eyes must have come from some distant relative. She had grown an inch or two lately, and her body was well muscled and slim.
The Knight-Commander shook his head. I should be home more, he thought ruefully. The Own had been busy lately. I've missed seeing my children grow up.
His daughter bowed quickly - she was dressed in breeches and a shirt, like usual - then stood up. "Da, I need to talk to you." She glanced at Buri, who nodded at her. "I want to join the Own."
Raoul stared at her, not believing what he had just heard. "Absolutely not, Tara. I'm not letting my oldest daughter risk her life." He stood up and began to pace. Before he could continue, she cut in.
"Da, I'm fourteen. I'm old enough now."
"You are not," he seethed. "I know you'd spoken of joining the Riders in a year. That's fine by me, Tara, but this is too dangerous!"
His wife stood, a dangerous glint in her eye. "Are you suggesting, dear, that the Riders don't work as hard as your men do?" she asked sweetly.
Raoul winced, sitting down. "No, of course not. But there's never been a woman in the Own before. It'd be difficult to even get Jon to allow it." Glancing at Buri, he added, "It wouldn't work, anyway. Too often we're camped in tight quarters. It wouldn't be decent."
"Da, please," Tara asked pleadingly. He looked at her. Tara's eyes were filled with something he couldn't name. He knew she hated to beg.
Raoul sighed, considering his oldest daughter. Tara was strong and well trained, as she had lived with warriors all her life. She was old enough to understand what joining the Own would mean. Her quick mind and strategy skills were remarkable, and she would easily be able to keep up with the men.
"I don't know," he said heavily. "Being the first woman ever in the King's Own is a huge responsibility, Tara. Even when women were warriors, they were banned from the Own. It's not that I don't think you aren't up to it," he cautioned as Tara began to protest. "Females are obviously competent as warriors - I'm best friends with the Lioness, was knight-master to Kel, and married the former Commander of the Queen's Riders." He smiled at his wife. "Look, Tara, I know that women can fight, and I have no doubt you'd do well in the Own, but there are others, Tara. The conservatives would tear you apart. You might never marry."
She shrugged. "I'm not interested in a husband," she informed him. "And I don't care what they say."
"But will you still feel that way when you're sixteen?" he asked. "We let you stay home, instead of going to the convent. I always assumed that you would join the Riders. But if you join the Own - "
She cut him off. "Da, why not? I can win a fight against any boy in the fief. I can ride and shoot a bow. I've even got the Gift, and I can heal. That'd be useful. Why can't I?"
Raoul drank the rest of his water. He decided he was going insane. "I'll talk to your mother about it," he told her. Hearing a dismissal, Tara left the room.
Buri glared at him. "Why can't she?" she demanded. "She's not some soft- skinned noble who only cares about finding a husband. We knew she would become a warrior when she refused to go to the convent." Pausing, she added, "You know she wanted to become a knight at first." Raoul choked on nothing. "I told her we'd rather she didn't. After she thought about it, she decided against it. But you can't forbid her any warrior training at all, Raoul! She's nearly a grown woman; she knows what she wants to do."
The Knight-Commander stared off into the distance moodily. He didn't want to get his daughter killed, and if she died he would blame himself. But Tara was so young, he thought despairingly. Stop it, he scolded himself. Kel had been her age when she had become his squire. Looking at his wife, he realized that she would never forgive him if he refused.
"Very well," he muttered. Buri looked up in surprise. "I'll let her try it."
His wife stared at him for another moment. "You'll agree?"
He rubbed his forehead. "I swear I'm going insane, but if I don't let her, I'll regret it for the rest of my life." Dryly, he added, "It should be.interesting."
~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: How did ya like it??? I know it was really short, but I just want to see if anyone likes it. This is my first fanfic ever, so PLEASE review! Yes, that little button down there. Yes, that one. Just press it. Please??? You rock if you pressed it! If you didn't, re-read this entire story again and then at least press it to tell me that it sucked. Flames accepted, but I prefer 'constructive criticism'. ~smiles~ Thanks!
~Kassi
Kassi of Pirate's Swoop
Disclaimer: I own them all. They are mine, all mine! ~laughs evilly, then composes herself~ Do you people seriously think I'm creative enough to come up with Tamora Pierce's wonderful characters? Go read the books again! All I own is Tara, Kassi, Lidi, and Andrew! Oh, yeah, and the plot.
~~~~~~~~~~
Raoul sank into a chair, rubbing his head. Accepting a glass of water from a servant, he sipped it, wondering what life had come to.
A week ago, King Jonathan had decreed that the King's Own would need to start recruiting their men at a younger age. The Own, which usually started accepting boys at the age of eighteen (A/N: I think it was 18), was now open to anyone fourteen and older.
Raoul looked up as someone entered the room. Setting his cup down, he stood up and hugged his wife, Buri. He hadn't been home to Goldenlake for months; they had missed each other.
His wife looked up, her eyes serious. "So you're going to take on youngsters?" He nodded. She buried her face against his chest. "Gods, I don't want you out there," she murmured. "If something happened to you, I don't know what I'd do."
He smiled. "Sweet, you were Commander of the Riders," he told her. "You don't think I was afraid?"
She sighed. "I know. And I miss being out there. But Evin's good. He'll do fine."
The door flew open, and their moment of peace was interrupted by cries of, "Da! Da! You're home!" Raoul laughed, bending down to hug his children. His eyes took in his youngest daughter, Lidi, her sister, Kassi, and their oldest, Tara. While Kassi and Lidi hugged him cheerfully, Tara hung back, smiling. In her arms was Raoul and Buri's only son, Andrew. Buri took the wailing infant from her fourteen-year-old daughter. "Go, say hello," she whispered. Tara obediently stepped forward to embrace her father.
The nursemaid cleared her throat after a few moments. "Lidi, it's time for your nap," she reminded her gently. She accepted the baby in one arm from Buri as she grabbed Lidi's hand, leading the children away.
Kassi glanced up. "I s'pose you want me to leave."
Buri smiled at her. "If you don't mind, dear, your Da and I need to talk to Tara."
Sighing, the girl left, shutting the door loudly behind her.
Raoul looked at his daughter. Tara had his height, but she shared her mother's stubborn looks. Her shoulder-length brown hair and deep hazel eyes must have come from some distant relative. She had grown an inch or two lately, and her body was well muscled and slim.
The Knight-Commander shook his head. I should be home more, he thought ruefully. The Own had been busy lately. I've missed seeing my children grow up.
His daughter bowed quickly - she was dressed in breeches and a shirt, like usual - then stood up. "Da, I need to talk to you." She glanced at Buri, who nodded at her. "I want to join the Own."
Raoul stared at her, not believing what he had just heard. "Absolutely not, Tara. I'm not letting my oldest daughter risk her life." He stood up and began to pace. Before he could continue, she cut in.
"Da, I'm fourteen. I'm old enough now."
"You are not," he seethed. "I know you'd spoken of joining the Riders in a year. That's fine by me, Tara, but this is too dangerous!"
His wife stood, a dangerous glint in her eye. "Are you suggesting, dear, that the Riders don't work as hard as your men do?" she asked sweetly.
Raoul winced, sitting down. "No, of course not. But there's never been a woman in the Own before. It'd be difficult to even get Jon to allow it." Glancing at Buri, he added, "It wouldn't work, anyway. Too often we're camped in tight quarters. It wouldn't be decent."
"Da, please," Tara asked pleadingly. He looked at her. Tara's eyes were filled with something he couldn't name. He knew she hated to beg.
Raoul sighed, considering his oldest daughter. Tara was strong and well trained, as she had lived with warriors all her life. She was old enough to understand what joining the Own would mean. Her quick mind and strategy skills were remarkable, and she would easily be able to keep up with the men.
"I don't know," he said heavily. "Being the first woman ever in the King's Own is a huge responsibility, Tara. Even when women were warriors, they were banned from the Own. It's not that I don't think you aren't up to it," he cautioned as Tara began to protest. "Females are obviously competent as warriors - I'm best friends with the Lioness, was knight-master to Kel, and married the former Commander of the Queen's Riders." He smiled at his wife. "Look, Tara, I know that women can fight, and I have no doubt you'd do well in the Own, but there are others, Tara. The conservatives would tear you apart. You might never marry."
She shrugged. "I'm not interested in a husband," she informed him. "And I don't care what they say."
"But will you still feel that way when you're sixteen?" he asked. "We let you stay home, instead of going to the convent. I always assumed that you would join the Riders. But if you join the Own - "
She cut him off. "Da, why not? I can win a fight against any boy in the fief. I can ride and shoot a bow. I've even got the Gift, and I can heal. That'd be useful. Why can't I?"
Raoul drank the rest of his water. He decided he was going insane. "I'll talk to your mother about it," he told her. Hearing a dismissal, Tara left the room.
Buri glared at him. "Why can't she?" she demanded. "She's not some soft- skinned noble who only cares about finding a husband. We knew she would become a warrior when she refused to go to the convent." Pausing, she added, "You know she wanted to become a knight at first." Raoul choked on nothing. "I told her we'd rather she didn't. After she thought about it, she decided against it. But you can't forbid her any warrior training at all, Raoul! She's nearly a grown woman; she knows what she wants to do."
The Knight-Commander stared off into the distance moodily. He didn't want to get his daughter killed, and if she died he would blame himself. But Tara was so young, he thought despairingly. Stop it, he scolded himself. Kel had been her age when she had become his squire. Looking at his wife, he realized that she would never forgive him if he refused.
"Very well," he muttered. Buri looked up in surprise. "I'll let her try it."
His wife stared at him for another moment. "You'll agree?"
He rubbed his forehead. "I swear I'm going insane, but if I don't let her, I'll regret it for the rest of my life." Dryly, he added, "It should be.interesting."
~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: How did ya like it??? I know it was really short, but I just want to see if anyone likes it. This is my first fanfic ever, so PLEASE review! Yes, that little button down there. Yes, that one. Just press it. Please??? You rock if you pressed it! If you didn't, re-read this entire story again and then at least press it to tell me that it sucked. Flames accepted, but I prefer 'constructive criticism'. ~smiles~ Thanks!
~Kassi