Title: A case of mistaken identity.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Characters, Tamora Pierce owns them.

Chapter One

It was a warm summer day, the usuall kind of day you could encounter. The birds were singing, children playing The Lioness and The Dragon, a fairly popular game at those times. But everybody knew the scenario of the game – the Lioness always wins!

At the background, we could see a small castle, but it did not mean it was weak. The castle has grown strong since the arrival of Sir Gareth. He trained the soldiers. Made that the boys became real, unfrearfull men. When the Sir Knight was around, there was no use of trying to attack the city. The bamdits would just be beaten untill their skin could hold water. The Knight knew possessed many fighting skills other people did not. He knew the Shang, he could fight with all the weapons that were created. There was no better Knight than him, except the famous Lioness- Sir Alanna. But they needed not to compete. Alanna and Gareth were the best of friends.

the castle was surrownded with many defence towers, guards and forts. The whole city was surrownded with water. There was no way of getting than the main gate, which was always well-protected. The common folk did the same they always did- sell, buy, grow and produce. They had completely ignored the two Knights passing by. They were used to the presence of Knights in their city. They just thought they were the city-Knights, not some other ones from the distant Kingdoms.

The Knights indeed had come from a different place. A place called Corus. They wore heavy armory, with a white tree as their coat of arms. The had each a sword with them and kept their hands on them, not wanting the risk of them being stolen, not that it ment suicide for a weaponless Knight. They still knew the hand fighting skill. At least, most of the Knights-to-be learned that kind of fighting, thought some did not. They thought it wasn't honorable to know the common folk's ways of fighting.

It wasn't untill the door of the castle burst open did the people notice the Knights. They were holding an unarmed man, not wanting him to escape. The person made a horrible racket.

"Get off of me!" the man shouted "Where are you taking me! I demand an answer! It is my right as a citizen of Naxen!" he started to restle with the two knights holding him.

"We are terribly sorry Lord Sithius. But we were given orders to arrest you." One of the Knights said.

"What?" he shouted "I am no Lord Sithius! I am Sir Gareth of Naxen! One of the King's most trusted friends! I demand you release me right now." He said angrily. How could they arrest him! Him Duke Gareth's own son? How could they mistake him for somebody else? He was very well known after the Battle of River Drell, which took place a few years back.

Gareth of Naxen was a young Knight of twenty-two years of age. He was taller than most people, which in those times, wasn't really extraordinary. He had brownish-blond hair and brown eyes. Gary was a person with a lot of humor, at least that was what his friends have told him "When you come back, please bring your sense of humor too. Not many people in the palace posses that certain quality. You will be out most welcomed guest. Come quickly from Naxen or we shall send somebody to hunt you down." King Jonathan had said that before he had left. That's why he thought this was only the promised prank, but he still got mad if somebody disturbs him during his usuall afternoon training.

"Well, we will just have to find that out in court, won't we?" an evil smile appeared on one of the knights lips. Gareth- better known as Gary to his friends- didn't like the look of that smile.

"Yes, that is a very good idea, we will go see Jon and he will tell you who I am!" he screamed, still fighting to get free.

"But who told you that we are going to see the King? He is very busy at the moment. But his Grace Duke Roger of Conté will be happy to listen to you Lord Sithius."

"I am not the damn Lord Sithius! My name is Gareth and I am a proud Naxen, in the name of Mithros!"

"It is sad." The Knight said "That all Carthaki are the same. They always pretend to be somebody else."

"This is unbelievable! And what for, if I may ask, is this Lord Sithius charged for!" Gary was really begining to be mad. At first he thought this might just be a prank made by one of his friends, but this was really begining to get on his nerves. What if this wasn't actually a joke and they really did think he was this Lord Sithius guy? What would happen to him? Would he be killed and taken to by the Dark God to his Kingdom of the Dead? He shrugged. He sure didn't want to. He remembered Alan- no, it's Alanna. Ehhh. It's still hard to get used to the fact that your best friend had been pretending to be a boy for so many years- warning him about Jon's uncle. Roger would do anything to gain the throne of Tortall and he would kill those who would rebel against him or who wouldn't want to join him. Was he a danger to Duke Roger? Was he being framed by him? If so, he knew he's in big trouble. With Roger, nothing's a joke.

"You want to know what you are charged for? Well Duke Roger will tell you once we arrive. Now be quiet or I'll cut your tongue out! And if you are wondering how you would 'defend' yourself in court, well Lord Thom of Trebond does know a spell that makes your tongue grow back. But I hear that it is very painful." The Knight laughed evily.

He pushed him on the ground. Gary fell right in front of a horse.

"Do not try to escape." The knight said "If you even think of escapeing, you shall be hung before you even get to say: 'Do not take me to the Black God.' Do you understand me?" he warned and Gary looked at him with murder in his eyes, but he controled himself and just replied:

"Fine." Gary looked around. They were in a forest near Lake Naxen. He knew these parts of the woods well. Very well actually. He had come here with his father for his fighting, history, writing and reading lessons. He had missed this place. How could he not visit it before? How could he not be smart enought to remember this? The forest itself was dark, very dense forest, if you get lost in this forest, you get lost forever. There is a legend that says that once, when the Old Gods lived in Tortall, they had created many creatures, dark and good. As the Great War between the Gods and Immortals began, some creatures who once lived in peace had to chose on which side they wanted to fight with. The Immortals or the Old Gods, who at those times did not know that they would be Gods. Only the one true Goddess choses between the most glorious, bravest and smartest mortals, who would become a God or Goddess. The dark creatyres, meaning the Stormwings, Spidrens and Trolls went to fight among the Immortals and became Immortals them selves. The lived forever untill somebody or something would kill them, while the Gods, they could not die. They lived forever. The good creatures, meaning the Gryfins, Dragons and the wood-animals stood against the Gods. Those, were given a reward. Some of the wood-animals, like the wolfs, were given the ambility to speak. Of course if a person possessed the Wild Magic, he or she could talk with all kinds of animals, it doesn't matter of the animals themselves could speak.

All three rode through Naxen until the arrived to Corus.It was about a three day ride and unfortunalely for Gary, there was no way he could have escaped. They passed the Market Place, which Gary knew so well. He had indeed missed Corus all this time he was in Naxen, it was good to see it again, but when he remembered why he was here, the blood in his veins boiled. He was very angry. He rode slowly, looking around him. He spotted the Dancing Dove and a man who was observing him. He recognized the brown-haired and hazle eyes George Copper. Gary nodded to him and smiled. He had missed his old friend. He missed the old visits he had paid with the others of the gang to the famous King of the Thieves. But George looked away, he saw nothing in his eyes except anger, other than that, his eyes were blank. He bent his head down, what was going on? Why was George acting so? The George Copper he knew would have run over to him to give him a big brotherly hug. What would happen to him? Surely his friends would tertify that he really is Gary of Naxen not some bloke from Carthak, would they? He was getting confused, what was happening here?

They had finally arrived to the castle. Gary looked around, the place had changed since the last time he was here, but then again, what didn't? George was apparently mad at him for something, but what? They trusted each other like nobody else in the world. What was going on? Was everybody brain washed or something? Well, he soon would figure it out.

As the silver gates opened (he noticed that they were once covered with sheer gold) and they were lead inside. The castle was still amazing, but it somehow lost it's old charm, as if something was different about it, but (other than the gates) he had no idea what. The heavy entrance door was still of a grayish color with some golden sculptures of the Old Gods and Geat Kings. The noted that one day Jon would also have a sculpture of him here. He was begining to become a great king himself. He ruled as his grandfather: well and justly.

They led him trought the palace to Duke Roger's chambers were he would be questioned. He actually started to get frightened. If he knew Roger well, he could make anyone believe the lies he will tell. They finally entered the room. It was quite small, because as Thom brought him back to life, he was made to give all his magic spell and curse books to King Jonathan (better known as Jon to his friends). So in total he had to give about a four hundred books away, which made him have to give at leat five bookshelft away too. The room was full of paintings, stained-glass windows and beautifull carpets. The one that caught Gary's eye was a carpet that was made to look like a picture: the sides of the carpet were purple and white, there were brown mountains, high and large in the back, the sky was blue, a couple of white clouds in the background. Most of the 'picture' was in grey. Because that's the color used for the ground and on it grows a cactus in a pot, and many birds are flying around it. Each of another color. There was a big desk at the end of the room, Roger sitting in front of it, with a quill and parchement in his hand.

"Ah, Lord Sithius. It's good to see you have not tried to escape during your trip or you would be in even more trouble as it is." Roger said, an evil smile placed on his lips.

"I am not some Lord Sithius guy! I am Gareth of Naxen! Gareth's the eldests own son!" he finally blowed. He had enought of this whole comedy.

"My Lord Sithius. You may have tricked us before, these whole years of your training as this "Gareth of Naxen". You have had us fooled young Lord, but believe me when I say that we always find out the truth at the end." He said with a smile.

"How can you believe that rubbish without any proof at all!" Gary breathed loudly. He was furious.

"Why Sithius, do you really think we would acuse you of such high treason without none proof at all?"

"Treason?" Gary turned pale white. So this was what they were playing at at! I'll just ask Jon to come and testify, that I am who I say I am. he thought to himself. "I don't believe it! Then I ask for a witness to tell who I really am!"

"All right, fair enought. Whom do you wish as 'witness'?" he asked, not a sign of fear on his face at all.

"King Jon. Right now. Not in an hour, not in five minutes. Now. This precise minute." He said, smiling triumphantly.

"Squire, please get the King. Tell him that Duke Roger wishes to see him in his chambers in an important matter." He said to the passing by Squire. He stopped and replied:

"Yes My Lord. Right away." He bowed and ran off. A few minutes have passed and then Jon came in. He stopped as he spotter Gary standing there. No smile appeared on his face, all Gary saw in his eyes was anger and disappointment.

"Jon, please tell him who I am. Tell him that I am your friend." Gary said to Jon.

"You have no right at all to be my friend. You might have been my friend before, but not anymore... Sithius. You have no right to call yourself that. You have hurt all the people you know, we trustred you, and look what happened- you turned out to be as bad as Alex of Tirragen. He was our friend, but he betraid us and died. The same will happen to you now." A tear dropped out of Jon's eye as he said this. "You have betraid us, you have attempted to kill Alanna, George, Raoul, me. There is no forgivness for that. Your execusion shall be held on the next full moon. Which, if you wish to know exactly, is in a week." Jon said and left, leaving a completely stummed Gary. How could this be? He would never do the things Jon said he did. But wait, when exactly did somebody try to kill them? Maybe it was a spell to make somebody else look like Jon and say the things 'he' did.

"That is not enough proof. I do not believe that it was Jon there. I wish to see an eye witness of the attempts of killing my friends! Who are the witnesses?" he asked angrily Roger.

"One person is Gareth of Naxen, the elder. His son was killed on his own eyes. Such a pitty he died, he was a real skilled Knight..."

"What are you talking about! I am right here! But yes, bring my father, he shall recognize me at once, but I want to go and fetch him to make sure it is the right person." Gary said.

"Fine." Roger said. "I shall come with you." And he took off, draging Gary behind him. They walked throught the hall's, deadly glares were shot at Gary as people passed by him. What in the name of Mithros was happening? How could the people not recognize him? He was poundering on so many questions, that he didn't even notice when they arrived to him fathers chambers. They knocked on the door.

"Come in!" A voice said from inside. Both Gary and Roger came in. Roger was the first to speak.

"Duke Gareth, this person here asked to see you, so you shall testify of the painfull events of the past week? We have finally captured him, but he wants to hear what you have to say about all of this." He pointed over at Gary. Duke Gareth, an old rather man of his sixties looked over at Gary with wide opened eyes. He came closer and looked as if he was going to hug him. Gary at least thought so. He opened his arms to hug is father. But as the Duke came closer, you could see the the great anger in his eyes and that he was leading his hands torward Gary's throat! He as going to strangle him! Roger stopped him just in time.

"My Grace, please, he shall have the worst punishement for his actions, but please tell him what he's done to deserve this, because apparently we have not given him enought proof already." He released him. The Duke came closer, his eyes full with tears and pain, of anger, his face was pale and his hands shaking.

"You." He said his voice was craking "You are asking me. ME! What YOU did!" he spat at him. "Well let me refresh your memory." He said with a voive full of hate and disgust. "Not only you have given information about our country, our war and peace plans to Carthak, our greatest and most dangerous enemy, you have attempted to kill his highness the King, the Queen, The King's Champion and Commanders. But the worst mistake you have done, was killing my own flesh and blood son." He was practically crying while he said this, shooting deadly glares at Gary. "And for that, I will personally torure you. You will deserve every punishement you get. And it will not only be me who will torture you. There is also this certain George Copper who will wish to see you. Ohh, he wil have a wonderfull time with you." He spat at him again. "You will burn in hell, with all of your cursed Emperors of Carthak, you will rott in The Dark God's Kingdom." He shook his head. "Take him away Roger. I have enough of seeing this beast for another ten thousand years." He said and as he came closer to Gary, sung his fists and gave Gary a big punch in the face, leaving him with a black eye, which was already all swooled of the tears. Everything was over for him. Roger must have found a way to brainwash everybody, there was no other explanation. All he could do now, was wait till everything gets right again, now- he couldn't do anything about the execution... He was dead meat. Apparently everybody in Tortall wanted him dead. No, not him. The person who facked everything, pretending to be him Gary and framing him so that everybody would believe everyword he says. There is a different traitor. He just had to find him. But what he didn't know, was that the traitor was indeed not that far away from him...

Thanks to whoever reads this. Please tell me if you like it or no. )

Salaam,
Jo