AN: Call me stupid, but I'm undertaking another project; the indulging of a new plotbunny. This one bit me early this morning, and nearly took off a leg. I spent all me pre-work hours making up a sketchy outline and timeline for this story, and when I had my dinner break, I wrote this chapter. It is set in the 420's, almost thirty years before PotS. My main character is Willany of Macayhill. She is soon to be married to the Lord of Masbolle. You see, this is the way I imagine Dom's parents to be. I want to explore what made Dom the nice, sweet man he is, and why he and his Meatheaded cousin are as close as brothers. All stories have a beginning, and I believe his is with his mother, so here we are. I think it's a little depressing, but Dom is what is going to light up Willany's life. I just have to get to that point.

I also want to point out that I hinted at Terrier characters, even having a hint of Sabine/Tunstall. The part about her becoming a rebel is not true, as far as I know. I do have a feeling that by the time the Terrier books are over, Sabine will be the reason lady knights stopped being accepted, but I don't think this is the way it happened. I just felt it necessary to use this scenario to explain Willany's family history. If you have any questions, feel free to PM me with them.

Disclaimer- All characters, places, and events from her books belong to Tamora Pierce. Willany, a lot of her family, and most of the characters you don't recognize from Tammy belong to me. They just felt like mingling. Enjoy!

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The Duty of a Noblewoman
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Chapter One
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September 13, 429
Queenscove
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Willany of Macayhill glanced out the window of her carriage. Queenscove Road lead from the Great Road East to the Ducal house that it was named for. It was unpaved, smooth dark dirt running through the hills of the countryside. The view outside was beautiful. The trees were in the process of changing their leaves from green to bright oranges, reds, and yellows.

Inside the carriage rode a young lady with striking blue eyes. Her smile, at the few times it was present, was perfect. She wore her very long hair loose, letting the brown waves fall down her back, and keeping them from her eyes with a silver circlet. Her gown was blue, bringing out her eyes, and she wore simple silver jewelry in accent. Willany thought her appearance spoke adequately of her family's wealth.

Despite all the stress in her life, the landscape made Willany feel oddly at peace. She was traveling to Queenscove to visit her older sister, Kristina. It was the first time they'd see each other since Kristina had married the young Duke Baird. The marriage pleased the girls' father, Lord Yashin, as Queenscove was a very wealthy holding.

Yashin was sure that his only children, two very beautiful daughters, could restore Macayhill to its former glory by making smart marriages. Kristina had been married off to Baird, and Yashin was working out a contract for Willany. Surely the wealthy alliances could help wipe the stain from the family.

Lady Knight Sabine of Macayhill had lived sometime between 230 and 270. She'd created scandal for the family when she had a bastard child with a man who was in the Provost's Guard. The disgrace deepened when Sabine, the only child of her parents, made this boy her heir. Then Sabine decided to ally herself with the lower City Rogue in a plot to overturn the throne. Her life ended on Traitor's Hill. That was it for the family's honor.

Whenever Willany's father, Lord Yashin, told this story, he did so in a way that made Willany feel like she herself had shamed her family. Though it had been two hundred years, the Macayhill clan had yet to recover from Lady Sabine's betrayal.

Willany pondered her family's history as the carriage passed into the gates of Queenscove. The city surrounding her sister's castle fascinated Willany. How she envied all the people she saw. They were free to make their own choices about their lives, while she would obey her father, marry, and then obey her husband.

When the carriage stopped at the castle's main entrance, a woman and man were standing atop the stairs. The woman, only just about to enter her twentieth year, was holding a toddler in one arm and waving with the other. Her long golden-brown hair was braided and coiled behind her head. Her eyes were blue, like Willany's. Her gown was a deep shade of pink. Her husband, half-a-head taller, wore green, matching his eyes, and setting off his reddish-brown hair. They were a good match.

Baird took the baby from his wife, and Kristina lifted her skirts to run down to her sister.

A footman helped Willany out of the carriage. Almost as soon as her feet touched the ground, Willany was swept from her feet by her sister's enthusiastic hug.

"Oh, Willa! You've gotten so tall!" Kristina exclaimed. Willany grinned, leaning in for a proper hug. It was a difficult task with her sister's second child growing within her. Kristina saw the direction of Willany's gaze. "It's a girl. I'm going to name her Ridanica."

The name was familiar. Mother, Willany thought with a pang. The mother that had fiercely loved Willany and Kristina had died birthing a stillborn son when Willany was six. Kristina firmly believed that grief was Yashin's reason for insane preoccupation with their family's reputation.

"That's a lovely gesture," Willany said, taking her sister's arm. "I want to hold your son."

Kristina smiled, leading her up the stairs, babbling about Little Henrym. A while later the girls were tucked into a cozy sitting room, Henrym napping nearby.

"How is our father?" Kristina asked, sipping some tea. Willany let out a very unladylike scoff.

"If everything goes as Father plans, I'll be married to Lord Gawayn of Masbolle before Midwinter, and this time next year I'll be heavy with child."

"Willa, you're only thirteen-" Kristina began. Her sister interrupted.

"You think that matters to our dear father? He married you off when you were fifteen."

"But Baird is kind and gentle. He didn't expect me to have a baby immediately. It was two years before Henrym was born. The Lord of Masbolle is more than forty years old. He doesn't have the luxury of time. He needs an heir now."

"I know that, but there's nothing I can do. I have to marry Lord Gawayn, and I have to give him an heir. I have to do my part to restore Macayhill to its former grandeur."

Kristina sighed, straightening her dress around her belly.

"It's a shame Father didn't have any sons to be knights," she said quietly. "They could have done all kinds of virtuous deeds, and then you could have more options."

"Well, we can't change the past. We just have to live with it. I'll survive."

Kristina moved to her sister's side, taking both of her hands.

"Promise me right now that you won't ever hesitate to come to me. If he treats you poorly, or you just feel lonesome, you're always welcome at Queenscove." Willany smiled, hugging her sister.

"Thank you," she said, unable to keep the trace of tears from her voice. Kristina's face twisted with emotion. "I'm scared," Willany whispered.

Now, Kristina began to cry herself. She pulled her younger sister into her arms and together they had a good sob. At the end of the day there was nothing to do but live in the world their ancestors had created for them.