Disclamer: I do not own any of the characters you recognize from the book nor do I own the lands of Tortall, The Copper Isles, Scanra or any other countries.
Unfortunatly I'm NOT Tamora Pierce. I'm just a geek with nothing but a computer and a plot.

( I have only read Trickster's Choice and exerps fron Trickster's Queen. so if anything dosn't go along with the second book don't worry.)
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Juani, the daghter of Aly and Nawat Crow sat on a windowseat in her family's rooms at the palace. She had a book in her hand and was fiddling with the pages. She was nine years old and would be ten in two months. Despite her age she already knew what she wanted from life. She had decieded a long time ago but only now was she going to tell her parents.

Her father, Nwat Crow, sat in their recieving room playing chess with Juani's twin Ulasin. Ulasin was the more intelectual twin, Not that Juani wasn't smart on the contrary she was quite clever. But she would rather fence than discuss politics with their godsmother Queen Dove. Ulasin had a very serious look in his brown eyes as as he watched the gameboard. That was one of the few diferences between Juani and Ulasin, their eyes. Where Ulasin had dark Mahogony brown eyes like their father, Juani had icy blue-gray eyes that their mother said was common for her grandfather George's family.
They both had the flaming red hair that belonged to both their mother and grandmother.

Her mother the spymaster, was in her office, probably trying to devise some form of code for the Copper Isles spy network to use. Aly Crow had always tried to get her daughter interested in spywork but Juani never had any interest. Her brother on the other hand, found it facsinating. When she was little Juani would always beg Aly to let her go watch the palace gaurds do their drills instead of coming to lessons. " Please Momma?" little Juani would whine ''Could I go downstairs just for today? Please, please,please?'' As she grew older she woud no longer beg but usualy find someway to avoid spy lessons.

Juani hopped off the windowseat and dropped her book uncerimoniously on the table beside her, not bothering to save her place since she hadn't been reading it anyway. She was restless today,
pacing around the room, watching her brother and father play chess, anything to keep from looking at her mother's door. She was was going to tell her parents about her plan tonight. She knew she wouldn't have a problem talking her dad around to her plan but her mother, however, posed a chalange. Aly wanted Juani to be a spy, like her, but a life of lying and hiding in the shadows is the last thing she wanted. She would find someway to talk her mother around. And if she didn't she would find another way to cary out her plan.
Ulasin looked up at her. He knew what she was thinking, she had told him about her plans when they were little and she had only first thought of it. He also knew that she was going to tell tonight. '' Are you alright, Ju-Ju?'' he asked her now, using his cradle-name for her. '' Yea, I'm fine, just nervous.'' she said with a smile that she hoped didn't look like a grimace. Nawat looked from one child to the other, cocking his head in a very bird-like way. Both twins knew of their fathers feathery heiritage, of course. '' Whats going on you two?'' Nawat asked. The twins looked at him then at eachother and back at him again. silently deciding that Juani would be the one to speak, as usual.
'' Oh, nothing Da'.'' Juani said '' I'm going to go fetch mother, I need to talk to the both of you.'' Her father nodded as he and Ulasin started to put away the chess set.

Juani knocked on the doorframe of her mother's office holding the door open with one hand. Aly waved her in. '' Are you busy mother?'' Juani asked Aly looked up from her stack of apparently endless paperwork. ''Nothing that can't wait untill later. What's on your mind?'' her mother asked. Juani felt the knots in her stomace tighten. '' Oh, not much, but I need to talk to you and Da'. Will you come out here for a second?'' Aly rose from the chair following her daughter to the recieving room, where nawat was putting the chess set in a large wardrobe.

Aly and Nawat sat on a small sofa. Ulasin sat in an armchair that was turned at an angle so that he could see both his twin as well as thier parents. he already knew what Juani was goingf to say but he wanted to be here in case his sister needed support.
Juani ran her hands down the front of her sarong, then at her prents and took a deep breath. '' Mother, Da', I have somthing very important to ask you, so don't tell me your answere right now.'' Juani paused and took another deep breath. '' I want to become a knight.'' 'There' Juani thought 'I've saide it,'
Juani risked a look at her mother who was apparently confused. ''Juani'' Aly began slowly '' You know the Copper Isles dosn't train knights and the Palace gaurd dosn't take on recruits untill their fifteen. Besides, you and Ulasin will be going to Pirate's Swoop to visit your grandparents soon and...'' Aly stopped cold as realization dawned on her. '' You want to go to Tortall to...'' Aly choked '' To start page training, yes'' Juani finished her mothers scenence. Aly closed her eyes ad her mouth, not trusting herself to speak. Nawat put a hand on Aly's shoulder then looked at Juani. '' How long have you been thinking about this?'' Nawat asked her.
'' Scince we went to see uncle Alan take his Ordeal of Knighthod.'' Juani replied calmly.'' But I said not to answere me untill tomarow.'' and with that she left the room.