Hi I decided to do one of those stories were the people read their book. The first part is how people meet. You can skip to Sarai's point of view but you may be confused.
Aly's point of view
I was sitting in the shade of a rare tree studying the flat land with only the occasional tree breaking the never ending grassland. Sitting back and watching the goats eat was not very interesting so I started on my stretching losing my muscles bit by bit. I had gotten to balancing on one hand when I heard the sound of hooves. Gracefully I returned myself to my feet and looked around reaching for the knives stacked next to me and slipping them back in their sheaths, it wouldn't do for the nobles to see them.
Sharpening my sight I saw the figures riding forward it was indeed the duke and duchess as well as Sarai, Dove, Petranne, and Elsren. What's this the whole family came to see the goats and is that Chenaol, Lokejj, Ulasim and Fesgao, what is going on?
"Aly what has happened we got a message that all the family had to come out here as well as these four?" Called out the duke gesturing to the raka conspirators.
"I know not what you speak of my grace." I said politely mind racing to think of who sent such a note to the duke.
"Do not do this to me Aly, I speak of the note you sent saying there is danger and we needed to get out here away from the castle." Duke Mequen said in irritation.
"Papa what if Aly did not send the note?" Sarai called out
She's quick now will the others believe her because I did not send any such note.
Suddenly sparks surrounded the group dancing around us and I started to feel like I was being forced to sleep. My last thought was Kyprioth is this you're doing?
Yes, I thought this might make some things easier but don't worry I won't let them touch you.
That's reassuring but why would I need protection?
When I woke up I found myself in a palace like place only empty except for me and the raka conspirers and the nobles. The guards though were not there.
As I looked around my eyes widened this place was like nothing I had ever seen it was beautiful. There was a ground behind me and a confused voice called out
"Did I get hit in the head to hard? Where am I?"
"Alan?" I could not believe it. I spun looking at the red/blond boy standing looking around confused.
"Aly when did you get back to couras or Tortall for that matter?"
"Alan I don't think we're in Tortall anymore" he ground and walked over to me and hugged me.
"But as long as I have my other half I can live with whatever comes our way. I missed you so much Aly."
We stood like that for a long time till we heard
"Other half? Aly you never told us about Alan." Sirai had woken up and was now backing to herself. I stepped out of Alan's embrace reluctantly it was like having a part of myself back. Gods what had mother gone through when Thom senior died?
"Who are these people?" Alan demanded hand dropping to his sword ready to defend me against all dangers now that he had her back. How sweet of him. He cares.
"They are the people who own me" I said distractedly as I had just noticed the book lying on the table surrounded by seats in fact this was the only finish in the whole room. "May I present his grace Duke Mequen the Duchess Winnamine, the ladies Saraiyu, Dovasary, and Petranne, and his lord Elsren of Balitang and their servants Chenaol the head cook, Lokejj the head hostler, Fesgao the man-at-arms and Ulasim head footman?
"People who own you!"
"Yes Alan I am a slave, now excuse me but I want to know why we are all here." With that I walked over to the book and picked it up. A note fell out as well. I picked up the note and read it once then called out "you all might want to come see this."
Sarai's point of view
Aly was acting strange. I wake up and Aly is hugging a handsome boy dressed as a squire calling her his other half. So sweet, then I decide to ruin it with a sarcastic word
"Other half? Aly you never told us about Alan"
Alan pulls a sword on us and looks ready to fight for Aly.
Aly introduces us to him and adds that she is a slave which does not gain us any favors. Aly then ignores the squire like they are equals and goes and reads a note which I become instantly curious of when she calls for us. Then she reads it out loud.
"Hello everyone,
I thought this would be an excellent time to pull you out of time and have you all get to know each other better. I have created this book from Alys point of view" Aly hisses "and it records from a little before her arrival to the Balitang to the future that I have seen. Happy reading. Aly don't read this next part out loud." Aly looked up embarrassed and finished reading silently then tore the note a couple times before looking up and saying "who wants to read first?"
"I will" I say.
"Trickster's choice"
"What's that mean?" papa asked
"Let's find out" Winnamine said sitting. Everyone else sat as well
"In a time of fear, the One Who I Promised will come to the raka, bearing glory in her train and justice in her hand. She will restore the god to his proper temple and his children to her right hand. She will be twice royal, wise and beloved, a living emblem of truth to her people. She will be attended by a wise one, the cunning one, the strong one, the warrior and the crows. She will give a home to all, and the kudarung will fly in her honor.
- From the Kyprish prophecy, written in the year 200 h.e.
The Raka Stiffened at the prophecy but otherwise said nothing.
"Oh it has a map of Tortall and the Copper Isles" I said then continued on
"From The Luarin conquest: New Rulers in the Copper Isles by Michabur Duke of Queenscove published in 312 H.E.
In the bloody decades before the year 174 of the human era, the Kyprish Isles were locked in strife. Rival branches of the royal house traded the throne on a number of occasions. In turn the crown had lost control over the warring houses of the raka, or native, nobility. Scholars said of those years that only the jungles prospered, for the trees and vines fed on the blood of the raka. During this time the Ilese exported more slaves than they imported them:"
"Mama what does imported and exported mean?" Patranne asked
"To buy and sell" Winnamine replied.
"Than they imported them: victors sold their enemies into the eastern and southern lands, only to enter slavery in their own turn when they lost the next battle.
Queen Imiary vi of the house of Haiming made repeated attempts to negotiate peace among the raka. Her efforts failed."
" Is this a history book or a story?" I demanded
"It may be that they are giving some background to help later. Keep going." Aly encouraged me from her place next to Alan.
"She was overthrown after twelve years of rule. Her successor and murderer, Queen Dilsubai, also a Haiming, favored those nobles who supported her shaky claim to the throne, and imprisoned their rivals. The glorious days of the copper-skinned warrior queens of the Isles were over.
On the mainland, the pale-skinned easterners called luarin by the people saw the disorder, and the wealth of the Isles. Rittevon of Lenman, younger son of a lesser noble house in Maren, found opportunity in the Isles' disorder. He raised funds and allies among the realms of Tusaine, Galla, Sarain, and Tortall's southern neighbor Barzun."
"Barzun?" I had no idea where Barzun was.
"Tortall conquered that land a long time ago now it is the southern part of tortall where the Barzer live." Alan said wow handsome and smart if he ever got bored of Aly maybe I could play with him.
" For a army he summoned younger sons, adventurers, and mercenaries, all bought by the promise of the Isles' wealth. With them came battle mages trained in the arts of war at the university in Carthak. Rittevon and his chief ally, Ludas Jimajen, son of a Tyran merchant clan, placed their souls in pawn for the gold that bought the services of their battle mages. They bought all the raka nobles they could in advance, promising them status when Rittevon sat the throne.
The first assault came in stealth on April 5, 174 H.E. The invaders struck not the capital at Rajmuat, where rival Haiming cousins fought over the crown, but the stronghold of the noble house Malubsai, on the southern island that bears their name. This most powerful clan was taken completely by surprise. Their Homes were left in ruins, their warriors in mass graves, and their descendants in chains, all at the hands of luarin mages.
For the next seven years, luarin ships and armies ranged the islands from Malubesang to Lombyn, from Imahyn to Tongkang. Lesser raka nobles and various clans, seeing how the wind blew, offered their allegiance to the conquerors. These became the lesser nobility of the Isles, allowed to retain lands, freedoms and lives, but taxed into poverty after their strongholds were destroyed. For the greatest raka nobles and the royal house of Haiming the luaring offered only slavery of death. On midsummer's Day 181 H.E., the first Rittevon king was crowned as ruler of the newly renamed Copper Isles.
The domination of the raka people continued. The luarin nobles-once tailor's sons and blacksmiths, landless younger sons and mercenaries-took for their new houses and fiefdoms the names of the land and the old noble houses. More luarin arrived to settle and do business. Marriage among the raka was encouraged for the luarin lower classes, producing a multitude of part-raka servants and slaves. The luarin were there to stay.
Like most who lose such struggles, the raka declared that only war in the Divine Realms explained the failure of their patron god, Kyprioth, to defeat the luarin. The luarin priest taught, and the raka people believed, that Kyprioth's divine brother and sister, the war god Mithros and the Great Mother Goddess, had overthrown him. It was these gods, the priest of both races said, who took the right to govern the islands, while they gave Kyprioth lordship only over the local seas, to keep him occupied under their eyes.
Soon after the last battle of the luarin conquest, an ancient priestess gave voice not to her own prayers, but to the banished god Kyprioth. His promise was passed from raka slave to raka freeman, from raka mothers or fathers to their part-luarin children. Kyprioth told his people that the efforts of the luarin kings to erase the Haiming line had failed. The Queen's prophecy is his promise that, from that surviving branch, the One Who Is Promised would come. She would be the Queen with two crowns, chosen by the god to lead the Isles and those who love them to freedom once more."
"That's the end of the prolog I wonder if that surviving branch made it and who it is. I wonder if we know them."
Aly and the servants all shared a look and it hit me they know I glanced at Dove and she glanced at me. She had seen them too.
"Well who next?" Winnamine asked
"I will. I think I know what comes next." Aly called out as she walked over and took the book returning to her place next to Alan. Wow I did not notice how much they resemble each other. Tortall where the Barzer live." Alan said wow handsome and smart if he ever got bored of Aly maybe I could play with him.
"For an army he summoned younger sons, adventurers, and mercenaries, all bought by the promise of the Isles' wealth. With them came battle mages trained in the arts of war at the university in Carthak. Rittevon and his chief ally, Ludas Jimajen, son of a Tyran merchant clan, placed their souls in pawn for the gold that bought the services of their battle mages. They bought all the raka nobles they could in advance, promising them status when Rittevon sat the throne.
The first assault came in stealth on April 5, 174 H.E. The invaders struck not the capital at Rajmuat, where rival Haiming cousins fought over the crown, but the stronghold of the noble house Malubsai, on the southern island that bears their name. This most powerful clan was taken completely by surprise. Their Homes were left in ruins, their warriors in mass graves, and their descendants in chains, all at the hands of luarin mages.
For the next seven years, luarin ships and armies ranged the islands from Malubesang to Lombyn, from Imahyn to Tongkang. Lesser raka nobles and various clans, seeing how the wind blew, offered their allegiance to the conquerors. These became the lesser nobility of the Isles, allowed to retain lands, freedoms and lives, but taxed into poverty after their strongholds were destroyed. For the greatest raka nobles and the royal house of Haiming the luaring offered only slavery of death. On midsummer's Day 181 H.E., the first Rittevon king was crowned as ruler of the newly renamed Copper Isles.
The domination of the raka people continued. The luarin nobles-once tailor's sons and blacksmiths, landless younger sons and mercenaries-took for their new houses and fiefdoms the names of the land and the old noble houses. More luarin arrived to settle and do business. Marriage among the raka was encouraged for the luarin lower classes, producing a multitude of part-raka servants and slaves. The luarin were there to stay.
Like most who lose such struggles, the raka declared that only war in the Divine Realms explained the failure of their patron god, Kyprioth, to defeat the luarin. The luarin priest taught, and the raka people believed, that Kyprioth's divine brother and sister, the war god Mithros and the Great Mother Goddess, had overthrown him. It was these gods, the priest of both races said, who took the right to govern the islands, while they gave Kyprioth lordship only over the local seas, to keep him occupied under their eyes.
Soon after the last battle of the luarin conquest, an ancient priestess gave voice not to her own prayers, but to the banished god Kyprioth. His promise was passed from raka slave to raka freeman, from raka mothers or fathers to their part-luarin children. Kyprioth told his people that the efforts of the luarin kings to erase the Haiming line had failed. The Queen's prophecy is his promise that, from that surviving branch, the One Who Is Promised would come. She would be the Queen with two crowns, chosen by the god to lead the Isles and those who love them to freedom once more."
"That's the end of the prolog I wonder if that surviving branch made it and who it is. I wonder if we know them."
Aly and the servants all shared a look and it hit me they know I glanced at Dove and she glanced at me. She had seen them too.
"Well who next?" Winnamine asked
"I will. I think I know what comes next." Aly called out as she walked over and took the book returning to her place next to Alan. Wow I did not notice how much they resemble each other.