Title: Nothing is perfect
Disclaimer: These are all my characters and my plot, but the world belongs to Tamora Pierce, as well as a few mentionings of her characters.
Author's Note: The first few chapters are going to be incredibly boring, but they have to be there. Stick with it and I promise it'll turn out to be a good story.
·-: ¦ :- ·Prologue: Perfect·-: ¦ :- ·
The door shut silently. The man and woman still in the room exchanged glances. "She's perfect!" Queen Melanie of Tortall said triumphantly.
The king and queen had been on a journey across the kingdom, looking at all the eligible young ladies. They were looking for a wife for their only son, Araner. Melanie jumped out of the chair, hazel eyes sparkling in excitement. She did a little dance she remembered from when she was younger, auburn hair whirling around her.
The king laughed for the first time since they'd been on this gods-cursed trip, it was times like this that reminded him of why he loved his wife so much. "Darling, maybe we should wait a little while before deciding," he said, taking a hold of her hand.
Melanie looked at him indignantly. "Sir, are you questioning a lady?" she asked playfully, pulling her hand away.
King Derrian stood up and bowed. "Never," he said, mock serious but blue eyes dancing mischievously.
Melanie laughed as he pulled her close. She gently brushed a lock of his black hair out of his eyes and kissed him. "Alysia of Belle will be perfect for Aran," she murmured happily.
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Sounds of swords clashing echoed through the sun-filled room. Light reflected from the blades danced across the room, hypnotizing anyone that could be observing. Two fighters moved gracefully in the center of the floor, as they had done many times before, swords moving faster than the eye could follow. One carried the presence only a Shang Master could represent. Watching him was mesmerizing. He moved as though the sword was an extension of himself. He held himself easily and moved smoothly, never stopping. The other was half the size of his opponent. One could infer that he was the student. However, he moved with unnatural grace and swiftness. He could clearly hold his own with his master. No words were spoken as they dueled, matched in skill. A sword flew into the air, but the student just continued unarmed, dodging a slice downward and punching the Shang master in the stomach. The master stumbled back. One kick and the teacher's blade flew in the air as well. The teacher grinned and chopped at his student's head. The student blocked him solidly and grabbed the teacher's sword from the air. He placed it at the teacher's neck. They froze there for a moment, as if they still in a portrait. The teacher smiled. "I yield," he said, voice deep and rich with just a tinge of fatigue.
The student bowed and handed him the sword, laughing. Taking the sword, the Shang Dragon sliced upward before returning the sword to the sheath. Midnight locks cascaded down to the student's waist. Alysia of Belle glared at Crisen, emerald eyes glittering in merriment. "Cris!" she yelled in frustration, trying to hold all of her hair off her face. "You know how annoying it is to get that hair out of the way!"
Cris looked at her, brown eyes wide and innocent. "Oops," he said without a smidgen of any regret at all.
Alysia looked up and then at him, suddenly just as innocent. Cris felt a hand tickle him and he jumped away, wary. The invisible hand followed, tickling him relentlessly. Cris collapsed on the ground, laughing as multiple hands started tickling him. "Okay! You win!" he finally gasped, rolling around helplessly.
Alysia grinned victoriously and the hands stopped. A man cleared his throat. Cris and Alysia looked over to the doorway. Alysia rushed towards him. "Papa!" she shouted, giving him a big hug, not caring that she was all sweaty.
Duke Kinnid hugged his daughter tightly, thinking of how much she'd grown. "Your mother and I want to talk to you in the study as soon as possible," he murmured.
Alysia's eyes lit up with hope and she quickly dashed out of the room. "I have to change," she shouted, her lyrical voice floating down to them.
Kinnid smiled ruefully at Alysia's vanishing back before turning to Crisen, who was wiping a sweaty forehead. "You know what she's requested, what is your opinion?" he asked quietly, it had taken a long time to trust Crisen, but now he did, with his life and his family's lives.
Crisen looked him in the eye. "She's outmatched me in everything I've taught her for years now. She'd qualified to be a knight right here and now if we had the Chamber, and she's only twelve. Her destiny is great," he said quietly. "However, you and your wife have already decided, haven't you?"
Kinnid sighed and nodded. "Thank you for teaching her. I wish you would accept payment," he said tiredly. "You're part of our family now."
Crisen smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "She is my destiny."
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The student bowed and handed him the sword, laughing. Taking the sword, the Shang Dragon sliced upward before returning the sword to the sheath. Midnight locks cascaded down to the student's waist. Alysia of Belle glared at Crisen, emerald eyes glittering in merriment. "Cris!" she yelled in frustration, trying to hold all of her hair off her face. "You know how annoying it is to get that hair out of the way!"
Cris looked at her, brown eyes wide and innocent. "Oops," he said without a smidgen of any regret at all.
Alysia looked up and then at him, suddenly just as innocent. Cris felt a hand tickle him and he jumped away, wary. The invisible hand followed, tickling him relentlessly. Cris collapsed on the ground, laughing as multiple hands started tickling him. "Okay! You win!" he finally gasped, rolling around helplessly.
Alysia grinned victoriously and the hands stopped. A man cleared his throat. Cris and Alysia looked over to the doorway. Alysia rushed towards him. "Papa!" she shouted, giving him a big hug, not caring that she was all sweaty.
Duke Kinnid hugged his daughter tightly, thinking of how much she'd grown. "Your mother and I want to talk to you in the study as soon as possible," he murmured.
Alysia's eyes lit up with hope and she quickly dashed out of the room. "I have to change," she shouted, her lyrical voice floating down to them.
Kinnid smiled ruefully at Alysia's vanishing back before turning to Crisen, who was wiping a sweaty forehead. "You know what she's requested, what is your opinion?" he asked quietly, it had taken a long time to trust Crisen, but now he did, with his life and his family's lives.
Crisen looked him in the eye. "She's outmatched me in everything I've taught her for years now. She'd qualified to be a knight right here and now if we had the Chamber, and she's only twelve. Her destiny is great," he said quietly. "However, you and your wife have already decided, haven't you?"
Kinnid sighed and nodded. "Thank you for teaching her. I wish you would accept payment," he said tiredly. "You're part of our family now."
Crisen smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "She is my destiny."
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Alysia quietly entered the study where Duke Kinnid and Duchess Lynna of Belle were waiting. Lynna smiled proudly at her only daughter, she was her most cherished possession. Alysia was wearing a pale lavender day dress, her hair carefully combed and held back with a violet ribbon. "Mother, Father," Alysia said, curtsying beautifully," You wished to speak to me?"
Kinnid nodded, his green eyes showing how reluctant he was. "You've requested to go to the palace to train to become a knight," he said formally. "After much discussion, we have agreed to allow you to go."
Alysia beamed, her own brilliant emerald eyes lighting up joyfully. "Thank you so much, Mama! Papa!" she exclaimed, running over and hugging them both tightly.
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Kinnid nodded, his green eyes showing how reluctant he was. "You've requested to go to the palace to train to become a knight," he said formally. "After much discussion, we have agreed to allow you to go."
Alysia beamed, her own brilliant emerald eyes lighting up joyfully. "Thank you so much, Mama! Papa!" she exclaimed, running over and hugging them both tightly.
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Alysia excitedly rushed around, packing. She'd prepared to be a knight ever since forever. Lesson after lesson, she learned her academics. Session after session, Cris taught her to fight. This was what she knew she was born to do. The Shang Dragon even showed up to help her as well as a former teacher at the palace. A knock on the door made her look up, startled from her train of thought. Cris stood there, looking uncomfortable. She grinned, knowing he never knew what to bring to anything. "Do you need help packing?" she asked sweetly.
Cris shook his head, sighing deeply. "Lys..." Cris said slowly, reluctantly. "I can't come with you. I need to be somewhere else."
Shadows fell across Alysia's eyes and her face fell, disappointment and loneliness immediately filling her. "Oh," she said softly, looking at the rug under her feet.
Cris crossed the room and was suddenly hugging her. "I'm not abandoning you, Lys. We're family, and I'll never abandon you. I promise I'll be back as soon as possible, but I promised I'd help someone when they needed me and they desperately need my help right now," he said fiercely passionate.
Alysia, eyes filled with tears, hugged Cris back with all her might. She'd known Cris all her life. "Okay," she sighed, waived, "but I'll be waiting very impatiently."
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The gossiping nobles at Corus grumbled, disgruntled. Another girl was going to be a knight. After two hundred and fifty years since the last lady knight, they'd hoped the insanity was over, and the feminism disease cured, but no. Even worse, this was a noble from the Book of Gold! This would cause much controversy and stir among the ranks. Moreover, she was even a candidate for the prince! Such a pity for insanity, they muttered.
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Cris shook his head, sighing deeply. "Lys..." Cris said slowly, reluctantly. "I can't come with you. I need to be somewhere else."
Shadows fell across Alysia's eyes and her face fell, disappointment and loneliness immediately filling her. "Oh," she said softly, looking at the rug under her feet.
Cris crossed the room and was suddenly hugging her. "I'm not abandoning you, Lys. We're family, and I'll never abandon you. I promise I'll be back as soon as possible, but I promised I'd help someone when they needed me and they desperately need my help right now," he said fiercely passionate.
Alysia, eyes filled with tears, hugged Cris back with all her might. She'd known Cris all her life. "Okay," she sighed, waived, "but I'll be waiting very impatiently."
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The gossiping nobles at Corus grumbled, disgruntled. Another girl was going to be a knight. After two hundred and fifty years since the last lady knight, they'd hoped the insanity was over, and the feminism disease cured, but no. Even worse, this was a noble from the Book of Gold! This would cause much controversy and stir among the ranks. Moreover, she was even a candidate for the prince! Such a pity for insanity, they muttered.
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Queen Melanie and King Derrian sat in the family room, quite shocked at the turn of events. "She was absolutely perfect," Melanie said in puzzlement. "Why did she..." her voice trailed off and started again. "I was going to tell Lynna tomorrow that we'd decided to betroth Alysia to Araner."
Derrian sighed, disappointed. He still had a little hope. "The lady knights weren't of bad reputation, Mel. Maybe this is a good thing; don't believe everything the gossips say. At least now they'll be able to get to know each other," he said soothingly, hopefully.
Melanie nodded, resigned. She did not want one of those manly women to be her son's wife and partner. "But for now, let's hold off the betrothal."
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Derrian sighed, disappointed. He still had a little hope. "The lady knights weren't of bad reputation, Mel. Maybe this is a good thing; don't believe everything the gossips say. At least now they'll be able to get to know each other," he said soothingly, hopefully.
Melanie nodded, resigned. She did not want one of those manly women to be her son's wife and partner. "But for now, let's hold off the betrothal."
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