I know there are many what-if fics out there, but I've never seen one that
has the same line as this. I only own "Little Thom", the "forest people"
and the plot the rest belongs to Tamora Pierce one of my absolute favorite
authors. This is my first TP fic so please be kind, but I still appreciate
constructive critic. Since I'm a Dane and I read the Alanna stories in
Danish there are somethings I have no idea what is called. For example the
amulet. Please help me out here...
This story takes place in the book In The Hand Of The Goddess and changes the story line completely. Alanna is about seventeen and a half years old.
Sorry about blabbering away, now read the story:
Prologue:
Alanna of Trebond woke up in the early morning to go to the squire lessons. She was about to wake Jon up when she realised something was missing. Something important. Scared to death she began searching. At last she found it; the amulet that should prevent her from getting pregnant. She fastened it around her neck with the thought that nothing had happened and shook the prince awake.
Two months later:
Alanna of Trebond felt sick. She'd felt like this for some time now. Ever since... And her cycle seemed to have stopped. She decided to go see Eleni Cooper later the same afternoon.
Eleni Cooper's hands slipped her hands around Alanna's womb.
"I'm sorry, child. But you are definately carrying a child."
"But... I'm not ready to be a mother. What can I do?" Alanna was desperate. The child would be born before she had any chance to become a knight. And the father would take her freedom. Then she took a decision. For the first time in her life Alanna of Trebond decided to run away. She may not be a knight but she was still a great warrior. She'd find someone to serve. "Madame Cooper could you please send a letter for me?"
"Yes, child."
Alanna wrote it quickly:
Dear brother.
I have to leave. Don't ask why. Come to the capital to protact Jonathan for me.
Yours always
Alanna.
BOYS DON'T CRY
The ten-years-old readhead, Thom, looked at the woman in front of him. She was pale and fragile. Her long, read hair covered the white, bruised skin of her face and her violet eyes were closed. Thom was exhausted. He'd spend days trying to heal her, but nothing seemed to work.
"Mother," he whispered.
"Yes, --- my son." The voice was so low he could hardly hear it. It was clear to him that every single word was hard for the woman to say.
"What will happen to me now?"
"You ---- will go -- to the castle of Corus -- to be trained as --- a knight."
"But Mother. I'm not noble."
"Go help -- old Stefan - in the --- royal - stables. Someone – will see ---- your potential."
"But Mother..."
"No but --- I'll die tonight. --- Leave me --- to my --- destiny, -- son." Her white, weak hand offered him slowly, trembeling her sword and a jewel of some kind. Thom felt her slip away to the hands of the Black God. (Author's note. I have no idea if that's what he's called in English – just a guess). He held her hand as she left, but hid his pain deep down. Boys don't cry! He went out of the cave to face the forest people outside. His mother had been one of their respected warriors. He knew he could be too, but his mother wanted him elsewhere. He slipped the jewel around his neck and placed the sword in his belt. (What is the name of Alanna's sword?")
"What are you going to do now?" asked the chief.
"I'm going to Corus!"
Two weeks later:
Thom looked around lost. He had no idea of in what direction to find the castle. The city was huge. Suddenly a man appeared behind him.
"You seem lost, young one." The man tall with brown hair and eyes. He had to be around forty.
"Actually I am. Could you tell me where to find the castle?" Thom looked at the man. He looked like a scoundrel, but something about him made Thom want to trust him.
"If you tell me your name."
"It's Thom."
"Thom? Thom what?"
"Just Thom. And you?"
"George Cooper."
"Could you tell me how to get there now?"
"Why should I?"
"Because I want to go there!" Thom felt his anger pour through him. He had always had problems controlling his temper.
"Calm down, calm down. That way." George Cooper pointed left and quickly explained the way. "I like you, lad. Why don't you come visit me in "The Dancing Dove" some time?"
"Some time."
"Just ask for the Rougue."
"Okay. Bye."
The castle was impressing. To say the least! Thom found himself just letting his saphire eyes keep looking at it until a boy asked him what he wanted.
"I need a job," Thom answered.
"I believe Stefan said he needed some help. In the stables."
"Great. I like horses."
"It's a hard job."
"I'm used to hard work."
Thom got the job. But in the little sparetime he had he found himself looking longingly at the pages and squires training. He felt like that was where he belonged, just like his mother had said. Then one day one of the older pages approched him. He was strong and bad-looking.
"What are you looking at, horse servant?" he asked.
"Nothing," Thom answered, trying to keep his temper under control.
"You have a sword."
"So what?"
"That's for nobles only. Give it here!"
"NEVER!"
"You probably stole it while nobody was watching. Now give it here." The boy was looking at him almost lazily with his small, pig-like eyes.
"How dare you acuse me of stealing?!"
"I dare what I like, worker." With that Thom's fist was out and the page was lying on the ground, bleeding. Other pages and squires were approaching to watch the fight until a man neared them.
"Stop it!"
"I'm sorry, Sir, but this... this boy has stolen somebody's sword."
The man looked straight at Thom who gazed angrily back.
"Who are you, boy?"
"My name is Thom, Sir," Thom answered, still gazing bad-tempered at the man.
To his big surprise Thom heard the man laugh under his beard. "It's almost like having Alan back," he grinned. Suddenly his laugh seemed fake. He looked like he shook sorrow off of him before looking at Thom again. "Thom what?"
"Just Thom, Sir. Pardon me, but what is your name?"
"I'm Raoul of Goldenlake."
"'K. Who was Alan?" At the time the words escaped Thom's mouth, he knew he should've never asked. The knight turned bitter and without thinking he hit Thom hard in the head. Thom stumbled and fell. He was fighting his tears. His mother would've never let such things happen to him. She'd never hit him, not even when she lost her temper on him. Never! But his mother was not there to protect him anymore. He got up and ran back to the stables muttering his mantra: "Boys don't cry, boys don't cry..."
From that day on Thom had to get used to the pages and squires picking on him. He would get into trouble from starting a fight, so there was nothing he could do. The day he slipped was several weeks from the encounter with Sir Raoul. There was a boy watching the page and squire training. He seemed to be around seven years old. He had black hair and his eyes were green as emerald. The big squire from before went to Thom to get through to him again.
"Hey. Here we have the son of a whore again!" he yelled to his fellow pages. Thom felt a white anger rush through his veins. He had never been so calm yet so angry before.
"Don't you dare insult my mother," he whispered. "You may insult me as much as you like, but don't ever insult the dead. Especially not my mother, she was a great woman!"
The page seemed to be taken aback by Thom's calmness.
"The sword belonged to her! If you ever say anything like that again I swear I'll kill you!"
"You are only a stable boy. You can't fight."
Thom eyes the boy. He was about twice as big as Thom, but he was fat and slow and he overestimated his own skills. "Wanna bet?"
"What!?"
"I said: you wanna bet I can fight you and win?"
"You couldn't"
"I'll take that as a "yes""
"Whatever."
Thom dropped his belt and boots. He never noticed the red-haired man who was watching. The page yelled the usual number of insults as the boys circled around eachother. Thom kept quiet, concentrating on his opponent. He shot out his fist and hit the boy on his nose yet again and was about to kick him in the stomack when a very young voice interrupted.
"Stop!" It was the young black-haired boy. Authority shone from the child, as he looked stubbornly at them.
"His Highness is right," said the man. "You should not be fighting in Prince Roald's presence." The page kneeled and mumbled a "Sorry, You Highness." Thom's brows shot confused up.
"You, boy," the man said. "Follow me."
Please please review I want to know what you mean about the story. See y'all later.
Danie.
This story takes place in the book In The Hand Of The Goddess and changes the story line completely. Alanna is about seventeen and a half years old.
Sorry about blabbering away, now read the story:
Prologue:
Alanna of Trebond woke up in the early morning to go to the squire lessons. She was about to wake Jon up when she realised something was missing. Something important. Scared to death she began searching. At last she found it; the amulet that should prevent her from getting pregnant. She fastened it around her neck with the thought that nothing had happened and shook the prince awake.
Two months later:
Alanna of Trebond felt sick. She'd felt like this for some time now. Ever since... And her cycle seemed to have stopped. She decided to go see Eleni Cooper later the same afternoon.
Eleni Cooper's hands slipped her hands around Alanna's womb.
"I'm sorry, child. But you are definately carrying a child."
"But... I'm not ready to be a mother. What can I do?" Alanna was desperate. The child would be born before she had any chance to become a knight. And the father would take her freedom. Then she took a decision. For the first time in her life Alanna of Trebond decided to run away. She may not be a knight but she was still a great warrior. She'd find someone to serve. "Madame Cooper could you please send a letter for me?"
"Yes, child."
Alanna wrote it quickly:
Dear brother.
I have to leave. Don't ask why. Come to the capital to protact Jonathan for me.
Yours always
Alanna.
BOYS DON'T CRY
The ten-years-old readhead, Thom, looked at the woman in front of him. She was pale and fragile. Her long, read hair covered the white, bruised skin of her face and her violet eyes were closed. Thom was exhausted. He'd spend days trying to heal her, but nothing seemed to work.
"Mother," he whispered.
"Yes, --- my son." The voice was so low he could hardly hear it. It was clear to him that every single word was hard for the woman to say.
"What will happen to me now?"
"You ---- will go -- to the castle of Corus -- to be trained as --- a knight."
"But Mother. I'm not noble."
"Go help -- old Stefan - in the --- royal - stables. Someone – will see ---- your potential."
"But Mother..."
"No but --- I'll die tonight. --- Leave me --- to my --- destiny, -- son." Her white, weak hand offered him slowly, trembeling her sword and a jewel of some kind. Thom felt her slip away to the hands of the Black God. (Author's note. I have no idea if that's what he's called in English – just a guess). He held her hand as she left, but hid his pain deep down. Boys don't cry! He went out of the cave to face the forest people outside. His mother had been one of their respected warriors. He knew he could be too, but his mother wanted him elsewhere. He slipped the jewel around his neck and placed the sword in his belt. (What is the name of Alanna's sword?")
"What are you going to do now?" asked the chief.
"I'm going to Corus!"
Two weeks later:
Thom looked around lost. He had no idea of in what direction to find the castle. The city was huge. Suddenly a man appeared behind him.
"You seem lost, young one." The man tall with brown hair and eyes. He had to be around forty.
"Actually I am. Could you tell me where to find the castle?" Thom looked at the man. He looked like a scoundrel, but something about him made Thom want to trust him.
"If you tell me your name."
"It's Thom."
"Thom? Thom what?"
"Just Thom. And you?"
"George Cooper."
"Could you tell me how to get there now?"
"Why should I?"
"Because I want to go there!" Thom felt his anger pour through him. He had always had problems controlling his temper.
"Calm down, calm down. That way." George Cooper pointed left and quickly explained the way. "I like you, lad. Why don't you come visit me in "The Dancing Dove" some time?"
"Some time."
"Just ask for the Rougue."
"Okay. Bye."
The castle was impressing. To say the least! Thom found himself just letting his saphire eyes keep looking at it until a boy asked him what he wanted.
"I need a job," Thom answered.
"I believe Stefan said he needed some help. In the stables."
"Great. I like horses."
"It's a hard job."
"I'm used to hard work."
Thom got the job. But in the little sparetime he had he found himself looking longingly at the pages and squires training. He felt like that was where he belonged, just like his mother had said. Then one day one of the older pages approched him. He was strong and bad-looking.
"What are you looking at, horse servant?" he asked.
"Nothing," Thom answered, trying to keep his temper under control.
"You have a sword."
"So what?"
"That's for nobles only. Give it here!"
"NEVER!"
"You probably stole it while nobody was watching. Now give it here." The boy was looking at him almost lazily with his small, pig-like eyes.
"How dare you acuse me of stealing?!"
"I dare what I like, worker." With that Thom's fist was out and the page was lying on the ground, bleeding. Other pages and squires were approaching to watch the fight until a man neared them.
"Stop it!"
"I'm sorry, Sir, but this... this boy has stolen somebody's sword."
The man looked straight at Thom who gazed angrily back.
"Who are you, boy?"
"My name is Thom, Sir," Thom answered, still gazing bad-tempered at the man.
To his big surprise Thom heard the man laugh under his beard. "It's almost like having Alan back," he grinned. Suddenly his laugh seemed fake. He looked like he shook sorrow off of him before looking at Thom again. "Thom what?"
"Just Thom, Sir. Pardon me, but what is your name?"
"I'm Raoul of Goldenlake."
"'K. Who was Alan?" At the time the words escaped Thom's mouth, he knew he should've never asked. The knight turned bitter and without thinking he hit Thom hard in the head. Thom stumbled and fell. He was fighting his tears. His mother would've never let such things happen to him. She'd never hit him, not even when she lost her temper on him. Never! But his mother was not there to protect him anymore. He got up and ran back to the stables muttering his mantra: "Boys don't cry, boys don't cry..."
From that day on Thom had to get used to the pages and squires picking on him. He would get into trouble from starting a fight, so there was nothing he could do. The day he slipped was several weeks from the encounter with Sir Raoul. There was a boy watching the page and squire training. He seemed to be around seven years old. He had black hair and his eyes were green as emerald. The big squire from before went to Thom to get through to him again.
"Hey. Here we have the son of a whore again!" he yelled to his fellow pages. Thom felt a white anger rush through his veins. He had never been so calm yet so angry before.
"Don't you dare insult my mother," he whispered. "You may insult me as much as you like, but don't ever insult the dead. Especially not my mother, she was a great woman!"
The page seemed to be taken aback by Thom's calmness.
"The sword belonged to her! If you ever say anything like that again I swear I'll kill you!"
"You are only a stable boy. You can't fight."
Thom eyes the boy. He was about twice as big as Thom, but he was fat and slow and he overestimated his own skills. "Wanna bet?"
"What!?"
"I said: you wanna bet I can fight you and win?"
"You couldn't"
"I'll take that as a "yes""
"Whatever."
Thom dropped his belt and boots. He never noticed the red-haired man who was watching. The page yelled the usual number of insults as the boys circled around eachother. Thom kept quiet, concentrating on his opponent. He shot out his fist and hit the boy on his nose yet again and was about to kick him in the stomack when a very young voice interrupted.
"Stop!" It was the young black-haired boy. Authority shone from the child, as he looked stubbornly at them.
"His Highness is right," said the man. "You should not be fighting in Prince Roald's presence." The page kneeled and mumbled a "Sorry, You Highness." Thom's brows shot confused up.
"You, boy," the man said. "Follow me."
Please please review I want to know what you mean about the story. See y'all later.
Danie.