I just finished all twelve of the Tortall books and had to get this out of my system!  Well, here it is!  This is a story of a girl named Marion and her friend, the son of Duke Gareth (the younger).  This takes place the year after Keladry becomes a knight, so this is fall of year 456, and the 17th year of reign for Jonathan and Thayet.

Disclaimer: Everything in this story except the plot and my original characters (Marion, Ryons, and Stormbreeze) belong to the great Tamora Pierce.  And whatever else I'm supposed to say in a disclaimer insert {here}.

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            "EEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!  TODAY IS THE DAY!!!  I'M FINALLY 10!!!  TODAY I GET TO START TRAINING!!!"  Marion of Naxen screamed as she ran, no, flew, down the stairs, "To be a knight," she added to herself quietly.  Her dark brown chocolate colored hair was flying out behind her, and she forgot for the moment that she still had her slippers on as she ran out the door. 

            "She sure is happy to be trained to be a lady," the girls mother commented to herself.

            Marion ran down the street towards another house.  A black haired woman answered the door as Marion knocked on the door enthusiastically. "Good morning, Madame Cythera.  Is good sir Ryons of Naxen ready to escort me to the Daughters of the Goddess Covent?" she asked as the woman shook her head.

            "You better run up and get him going, Mari," came the reply.  Mari ran up the stairs that she knew as well as her own.  She ran through one of the doors and jumped on the bed where a chestnut haired youth still slept.

            "How can you be so happy this early in the morning?" the boy asked.

            "Ry, I'm going to be one of the first girl pages since Keladry of Mindelan!!

            "Yah, about that, haven't there already been five…making you the sixth?"

            "Oh don't be so technical all the time!  One of the first, sixth, what's the difference?"

             "Um…five people?" Ry asked as Mari buffeted him with a pillow.

            "Get ready!!  The sooner we get there the sooner I can meet The Lioness and the Protector of the Small!!"

            "Keep your voice down!  Do you want everyone to know what you're planning?  And what name do you plan on taking when you become a hero, may I ask?"

            "Where do you get the idea that I'm going to be a hero?"

            "I had a dream about it last night.  I saw you doing something great."

            "And since when do you trust your Sight?"

            "Humph."

            "Get ready!" the girl yelled as she ran out the door, realizing her slippers were not her leather shoes she remembered putting on this morning.  "Jeeze, future Prime Ministers are so touchy!"

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            "Are you ready to go, Miss Marion?" Ry asked as Mari jumped into her saddle. 

            "As ready as I'll ever be!  I can't believe I'm going to get away with this!" was the reply.

            "How are you going to handle letters that get sent to you at the Convent?"

            "Remember Elise who left Naxen to live with her husband?  He works at the Convent!  She's going to reroute all the letters to me at court.  Then I'll send my replies to her, and she'll send them home!  It all works out!  It's like the Goddess herself planned this all for me!" Mari exclaimed with such enthusiastic arm movement that she almost fell off her horse.  "I'm sorry, Stormbreeze!  I have been practicing my riding!"  Her black and gray horse just kept on walking as if to say 'Yah, right, I believe you!'

            Ry looked at her sideways and said, "Who knows, it's always possible!  I mean look at the Lioness!  The Goddess helped her every once and a while."

            "Yah, well I doubt she would have any interest in me!  I mean, I'm lying to my parents, the Convent, AND THE COURT!!!  Now if you ever heard of the Goddess helping someone who lies then you can make me turn around and tell my parents the truth right now!"

            "Well ok…"

            "Now, LETS GO BECOME KNIGHTS!!!!  I'll race you!  Last one to the castle is a horse behind!" Mari screamed as she told her horse to go into a full out gallop. 

            "Well, Mari, the Gods have more in store for you than you'll believe," Ry whispered to himself as he took off after his lifelong friend.

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Well, whatcha think?  I'm not quite sure where I'm going with this so R/R and gimme your idea!  That is if you have one…

~Tiptapcandy