a/n: This story will alternate chapters between the two main characters. This is the first installment. Enjoy!

disclaimer: we are not Tamora Pierce.

Prologue Part One-Lael

The Kingsmot family of Tortall was famous for being progressive. Of the five current children, two were knights, one was a Queen's Lady, and one was a Queen's Rider. The youngest, Lael, sat at home and at court listening to her parents laud her siblings, praise them for their work for the realm, hearing them disregard everything she did.

So she decided to run away to join the King's Own. She would be the only girl if she was accepted, but she was willing to do anything to join.

^_^

Lael of Kingsmot entered through the main gates of the royal palace in Corus. She wasn't fascinated by the big buildings, the variety of people coming through the gates, or the royal guard training on the grounds. She was on a mission, and she was focused.

She spurred her horse toward the palace's main stables and dismounted when she got there, handing the reins of her precious horse, Cinnamon, to a stableboy. "Kingsmot," she said, telling him where to stable the horse. The stableboy nodded deeply.

Lael started toward the stables of the King's Own, knowing someone in there would be able to point her in the right direction. The stable was filled with the bustling of men and the whinnies of horses.

Slowly, she was noticed by the ones in the building, and one came up to her, leading a saddled horse. "Can I help you, my lady?" he asked, bowing slightly. Despite the fact that she was dressed in breeches and a tunic over a linen shirt, he could tell she was noble.

"I'm looking for Lord Raoul."

The man in front of her raised an eyebrow slightly, looking her up and down, and then nodded. "I'll take you to him."

"That's not necessary. I know my way around the palace. I just need to see him."

The man nodded slowly. "He's in his office, I think. If not, he's with the king in conference."

"Thank you." Lael turned to go, walking quickly up to the palace. She had told the truth; she knew her way around the palace, having come for Court seasons since she was fifteen. She made her way to the suite Lord Raoul shared with his wife, Buri, former commander of the Queen's Riders, and knocked at the door.

"Come in," a voice called.

Hesitantly, Lael opened the door and stepped through. "My lord," she said.

Lord Sir Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak was sitting at his desk with a tablet in front of him, writing something down. At her words, he looked up, sloe black eyes faintly surprised. "Can I help you?"

"My name is Lael of Kingsmot."

"I know your family," Raoul acknowledged. "What can I do for you?"

"I'd like to join the King's Own."

Raoul set down his pen and gave her his full attention. "Why would you want to do that?" he asked.

"My brothers and sisters…each of them have their fields of interest. Mine happens to be the Own."

"There are no females currently in the Own," Raoul said, looking slightly interested.

"I know that. I'm not the best fighter, but I work hard and I pay attention. I'll be an asset to whatever squad I'm placed with. I'm just asking for a chance."

"What weapons do you use?"

"I'm fair with a sword, and I can shoot a bow and arrow."

"Longbow or crossbow?"

"Both, my lord."

Raoul pushed back from his place at his desk and stood to his full height. "Come with me. Do you have a bow with you?"

"I keep a spare in my family's rooms."

"And a sword?"

"I don't have my own, my lord," Lael said, suddenly nervous. What was he going to do?

"That's all right. Get your bow and meet me at the stables for the Own."

Lael bowed her head. "Yes, my lord." She backed out of the room and closed the door behind her.

Raoul grinned and started for the Own's stables. This was going to be interesting. A girl in the Own?

Ten minutes later, Lael appeared with a longbow and a crossbow in her hands, a quiver of arrows over her shoulder. Her blonde hair was tied back in a horse tail, blue eyes wary as she looked over the men standing in the back paddock with Raoul, who was holding a practice sword.

"On your way, men," he said when he spotted her. The men groaned but did as he said. "So, Kingsmot, show me your aim." He waved at the target across the paddock, a small black circle marking the center.

Quickly, she strung the longbow and put an arrow to the string. She took a moment to sight the target and its center and loosed her arrow. It hit just to the left of the target. She pulled another arrow from the quiver and loosed it almost immediately. This one hit the exact center of the target. She loosed another and another until half of her quiver was gone. She looked up at Raoul, waiting for a response.

"Crossbow," he ordered. Lael put her longbow down and picked up the crossbow, which she'd strung on her way down to the stables, and loosed the bolt already in the bow.

It hit the target easily, right in the middle, splitting the arrows there before embedding itself in the canvas. When she finished, she looked up at Raoul, wondering what he'd say.

"Grab a practice sword," he said, pointing to a door.

Lael did as she was told and came back with a dull edged practice sword that fit her hand nicely.

Raoul lifted his sword. "Guard."

Lael pulled up her sword and waited for a moment. She knew that Raoul could outwait her, knew he was stronger and bigger than she was. But she had agility on her side. She lunged forward and hit his sword with hers. He moved forward and struck out at her side, but she blocked just in time. She spun out of the way and her blade lashed out, aiming for his chest.

He knocked it out of the way and stepped in, using a chopping motion to hack at her, limiting her movements.

The spar went on for a while, when suddenly Raoul's blade snaked around hers and yanked it from her grip. She stepped back and lifted her hands as he lowered his sword to point at her chest. "I yield."

Raoul lowered his blade and smiled. "That was good. How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

"A little old to just be thinking about joining up, don't you think?"

"I'm not too old to learn," she replied.

Raoul nodded. "That's true. You do know that, as the only girl, you'll be teased, people will try to drag your reputation through the mud, insult you to try and get you to drop out. The Own is work. You'll get dirty, you'll get hurt, you'll be tired."

"I know all of that. I'm willing to work."

"Do you have a horse?"

"One. I know the Own normally needs two."

"I'll take care of getting the other for you," Raoul said. "You'll be under the command of Second Company's captain, Gilbert of Highland. I'll speak to him and get you a sword and armor."

"My lord, I have money."

"You're under my protection now," Raoul said. "I'll take care of it. I'll take you in to meet Gilbert now." Lael followed him into the stables, past the horses and men milling around, to the offices at one end. "Captain Gilbert," he said, entering one of the offices.

"My lord," the man at the desk said. He stood from his chair. His eyes went past Raoul to the girl behind him.

"Gilbert, this is Lael of Kingsmot. She'll be joining you."

Gilbert, a tall man with dark blond hair, widened dark brown eyes as he stared. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. She's under your command now." He turned to look at Lael. "I'll have your things ready within a couple of days. You two should get to know each other." He left the office, and Lael and Gilbert stared at each other.

"You'll have to earn your trust, same as everyone else in the Own," Gilbert said finally.

"I intend to."

"I'll put you under Avery. He'll treat you like another soldier, not a girl."

"Thank you, sir."

Gilbert moved past her into the stables. "Avery!" he yelled, voice carrying over the noises of the stable.

A man came up, and Lael recognized him from that morning. He was the one who had offered to show her to Raoul's office. Red curls topped his head, and his eyes sparkled blue under his brows.

"So, you've joined us, have you?" he said, smiling at Lael.

"Sergeant Avery of Hargrove, Lael of Kingsmot. She's with you, Avery."

"Aye, sir." He looked at Lael. "Come on."

a/n: enjoy and please review!