One of a kind
Disclaimer: If you recognise a character or place, it's not mine, but belongs to the all-powerful Tamora Pierce. I'm just borrowing them for a while, so don't sue, as I have no money anyway. Toffee is MINE.
Chapter One: Thwarted Plans
"Also, I have matters which I must discuss with the king, so Thom, I shall be accompanying you when you leave tomorrow to start your training at the palace."
Alanna of Trebond sat, rooted in her chair in shock. If her father went with Thom, they'd never be able to pull off their plan to swap places so she could become a knight and Thom become a great sorcerer. For all he didn't care about them at all, their father saw them both often enough that he knew the tiny differences by which those who knew them could tell Alanna and her twin brother apart, even were she dressed as a boy with her long hair cut short like Thom's.
Lord Alan glanced up from the sheaf of paper's he was reading. "Well, go on, you are dismissed. Go and pack your things. Thom, Coram will help you pack whatever you will need for you training, and Alanna, Maude will help you pack those things you will need at the convent."
With an effort, Alanna roused herself enough out of her horrified daze to get up from her chair and walk towards the door of her father's study. She looked towards her twin. Thom looked as horrified as she felt.
They walked together towards the suite of rooms they shared. "I don't believe it," Alanna whispered. "He hasn't cared about Trebond for almost eleven years, and now, just when we need him to ignore us and everyone else, he suddenly takes an interest in the things around him!"
"I know," said Thom fiercely, throwing the door open ahead of them with his gift. "It's so unfair! I don't even want to be a knight! I hate falling down and whacking at things!"
"How d'you think I feel? You get to go learn jousting and fencing, while I'll be being forced to do embroidery and walk around with a book on my head!"
She sank miserably into her favourite armchair, fighting an urge to cry. Warriors didn't cry. She might not be able to go and train at the palace, but she'd find a way to become a warrior maiden somehow.
Thom sat down next to her on the armrest, putting an arm about her shoulders.
"Alanna, Thom?" The soft voice belonged to Maude, the primary healer of the town surrounding Trebond Castle. She would be going with Alanna as her guardian to the convent the next day. Beside her stood Coram, Trebond's burly smith and sergeant-at-arms, who would be travelling to the palace the next day with Thom, where he would stay as Thom's manservant during the years of knight training he would undergo.
"Come, children. I know you are upset but there is much to be done before tomorrow and sulking won't change anything. You'll have an early start tomorrow."
The twins sighed in unison, and went into their separate rooms reluctantly to start packing.
***
The first leg of the journeys that would take Alanna to the convent and Thom and Lord Alan to the palace was down the long road that connected fief Trebond to the Great Road that was Trebond's connection to the rest of Tortall, but the trip was made silent by the fact that Lord Alan was, as usual, deep in thought, Maude and Coram were too sorry for the twins to talk, and the twins looked and felt as truly miserable as only a pair of ten year olds can when they have been prevented from achieving their dreams.
The party reached the main road at midmorning, and after stopping for a short break, mounted up again and prepared to go their separate ways. Chubby pranced as Thom attempted to get back on, and Alanna came over to hold his reins and soothe him. As he clambered on, it suddenly struck Alanna through her apathy that this would be the last time she would see her twin for six years.
She agilely mounted her own pony, Toffee, and steering her over, pulled Thom into a tight hug, which he returned, ignoring the protests of the two ponies. She kissed him on the cheek, fighting back hot salty tears, and pulled reluctantly away. "Good luck, Thom. You'll need it. Try not to get hurt too badly."
"I'll try. Probably won't succeed, though. I'll miss you, 'Lany."
"I'll miss you too. Goddess bless, Thom.
"Thom, we're leaving." The short, sharp command came from their father.
Thom stared back down the road at Alanna until a bend took him out of sight. Alanna held back her tears through sheer willpower, reminding herself that a warrior didn't cry. She lifted her chin proudly. If she could face a knife-wielding opponent in a fight, then she could certainly face a group of stuffy old priestesses. Kicking Toffee forward, she began to ride stiffly along the road that would take her to the convent.