Rating – T

Disclaimer- Tortall and all the characters, besides the ones I create, are property of Tamora Pierce.

Author's note: Ok this is the first story I have written on this site. Kinda an idea that just hit me one day and I've been building on it since, hope it turns out ok.

Background: This is the next girl after Alanna, Daine, Kel, and Aly. Takes place during the rule of Roald (Jonathan's son) and Shinkokami a.k.a Shinko, with their children training to become knights.

Chapter 1 – Becoming a page

Earth, Wind, Water, Fire

Come together in this dire hour

Bring forth the power locked within

So the world's salvation will begin

To balance the power a fifth sister there shall be

To bring the darkness to its knees

Hidden from view, yet visible to all

Along with the sisters, she will cause the darkness to fall

For years the position as training master had been passed around to several lords. It seemed that no one could quite match the skills of Lord Wyldon. This year the position had been appointed to Lord Marcase, a man in his thirties with several years of knighthood under his belt. He was a strict man, but fair, which made him the perfect person to train the soon to be knights while the realm was still adjusting to law that allowed girls to join and try for their knighthood. He had already begun to make changes to the system. A new area had been provided in the castle to house the female pages, so that the boys and girls were separated. New teachers had been brought in for training in different styles of fighting that would best fit each pages abilities. The other lords were very much looking forward to seeing how this year went and if there would be any improvements, since the quality of the knights had been slowly decreasing, with fewer succeeding since Wlydon had left.

Marcase sat in his office now awaiting the last of the upcoming pages. A scribe sat next to him at another desk ready to take notes. Each page was required to have a meeting with Marcase himself before becoming a page so he could evaluate each one. The scribe next to him would take notes while they spoke and he would read over them later. The door slowly opened and he looked up to see an older man walk into the room followed by a young girl. The man was grey and balding already, he was in his fifties at least with loose fitting clothing that showed no wealth. The girl had long black hair, the darkest he had ever seen, with bright green eyes. He skin was pale without a single freckle, which contrasted greatly with her bright red lips. Both sat down before him.

"Hello." The older man greeted. "I am Hale Grimsped and this is Tye." Marcase nodded hello.

"I am Lord Marcase the training master this year. Before becoming a page I will have to ask you two a few questions." He told them looking over to the scribe to let him know to begin.

"Oh yes of course."

"Now first off, why do you want your daughter to become a knight?"

"Well it was really Tye's idea. We are moving to live with my wife's mother who is sick, and well it will be crowded with another person in her small house. Also Tye loves to train. So we concluded that this would be the best thing to do." Hale said and smiled to the younger girl. Marcase nodded and looked down at the paper in front of him for the next question.

"What sort of training has your daughter received previously?"

"We didn't really have too many people who knew sword fighting or archery in our small village, but she learned a few things from them and also from travelers who passed through and stayed at our inn."

"Anything she is especially good at?" Hale thought a moment.

"She did become rather good at archery." He admitted finally.

Marcase looked to Tye who had been quiet this whole time.

"You understand that this won't be easy? You will train and study every day, be pushed to you limits and even further." He told her. Sometimes people underestimated how much work training to be a knight actually was. There are a few cases every year of pages dropping out and going home because it is too much they can handle.

"Yes sir." She told him directly, voice unflinching.

"Very well then, say your goodbyes outside of this room and bring your things to the head maid, Miss Sanders, she will show you to your rooms and give you your keys. Then you will go to the tailor to get sized for your uniforms." Turning back to his papers, Hale and Tye took this as being dismissed and got up from their seats and left the room. Once the door was closed they turned to each other. The hallways were empty and silent and neither one spoke for a moment.

"Thank you Hale for doing this for me, I know it was a long way out of the way for you." He smiled down at the young girl.

"It was no problem Tye. Good luck." He said and turned around to leave.

She picked up her two bags, she did not have very much, and turned to walk towards the head maid's room, she had been told earlier where this was by the person who led her to Lord Marcase's office.

This is the beginning then. She thought to herself as she knocked on the door.

>

Ok well thats it for the first chapter, ill get more up as soon as i can, probably tomarrow. We will start meeting the other pages in the next chaper. review and tell me what you think if you get a chance. Thanks!