Tamora Peirce Fan Fic. Selena
Summery: A thirteen year old girl, with a gentle nature. Her family are the main protection for the north, from the Scanra. When she was at home her serving maid taught her to handle a knife, to protect herself and a servant taught her to shoot, and helped her keep practicing. When her parents first decided to send her to the convent she was happy. She believed that any way to get away from home was good, but after 2 years she was sick of it. When she was sent back the summer of her third year, she decided to get away. She didn't know what she was going to do except that she wanted to stay away from home, and get out of the convent. Her name is Selena and her story starts on a Tuesday night in November (2nd Tuesday in November) …..(lol so story like, NOT, Hahaha)
Beginning:
Selena hurries down the empty streets of Corus, her long brown hair trailing behind her. She is dressed in a heavy skirt and shirt, with her riding boots on. As she runs she watches the windows and when she finally sees an inn she goes in. The minute she walks in she realized she shouldn't have stopped there. Many, many people are seated at the tables and everyone is loud. She watches them for a minute before a tall woman steps in front of her.
"What are you doing here?" The woman asks. Selena ignores her thinking 'isn't it obvious.' She trys to walk by the woman but the woman stops her saying "Wait one minute, tell me what you are doing here"
"You don't want to know" Selena replies sighing. The woman smile
"Just one moment and I'll come help you." She walks over to a lone table by the fireplace and starts talking to a man seated in the chair. Though she can't hear the conversation, Selena knows for sure they are talking about her. She starts to panic wondering if the convent had realized she was gone yet. Suddenly she feel someone try to lift her purse from her side. She quickly pulls a dagger from her other side and whips around holding it against the thief's throat. It is a tall man of about twenty with black hair and green eyes has her dagger to his throat. 'Is everyone around here tall' Selena thinks, aloud she says
"Give me all the money you took".
"I didn't have the time to take anything, Miss" He replies, putting two fingers on her dagger and lowering it.
"Fine, keep it, but at least help me get a room for the night" she replies, putting her dagger in it's sheath.
"Certaintly Miss, Thank you" He replies bowing mockingly to her. She laughs and copies his bow
"Your welcome" She says. The man then walks away leaving Selena to find a table. Eventually she finds a table with three chairs that is unoccupied. She sits down and looks around the room carefully. She finally spots the woman she had talked to crossing the room to her.
"Are you buying a room than?" The woman asks
"Actually, I had the liberty of stealing one for her" The man says walking up
"it wasn't a liberty, none at all" Selena says
"Sure it was"
"So why did you come here of all places?" The woman asks, getting right to her point.
"It was the first inn I saw."
"Guess you don't travel the city much" The Woman remarks walking over to the table by the fire again.
"What was that supposed to mean?" Selana asks the man.
"Obviously you don't know the city, the better inns are closer to the wall." He says
"Oh" After a couple of minutes of silence the girl says "Where is my room?"
"I'll show you" Selena stands "But only if you tell me your name" Selena starts to reply then shuts her mouth
"Why?" She asks suspiciously
"No reason, I just like to know the names of the people I meet."
"Well I'm sorry but, this is one person you won't know their name" She walks toward the fireplace, to talk to the woman.
"Sorry, you can't go over there" The man says standing in front of her quickly
"Why?" The girls asks her eyes narrowed
"That man does not liked to be crossed" He lies, and Selena hears the lie. She sighs again, then turns to the stairs
"I suppose my room is upstairs."
"Yes" The man replies leading the way. He opens the door for he and gives her the key. Before she closes the door he says "If I tell you my name will you tell me yours" Selena shrugs
"Probably not"
"Worth a try. I'm Marc" The man replies.
"Goodnight" Selena replies closing the door. Marc frowns and goes downstairs again as Selena lights the candle with fire from her hand and prepares for bed. When she is all set she says one word and the candles go out.
The next morning she goes downstairs and see some of the same people from the night before in the room. She ignores them and gets some breakfast. Marc comes in as her food is ready.
"You still owe me a name" Marc says sitting down, and stealing some food.
"Not really, I never agreed to tell you my name"
"Fine, then I won't tell you why two guards were here this morning" Selena gulps and pushes her food away
"Why would I need to know?"
"I don't know, you tell me"
"I have to go" She stands and hurries from the inn. ( yes, her room was paid in full the night before.) After she leaves the woman walks over
"It's definitely her" Marc says to the woman
"Then follow her"
"Right" He hurries out after Selena.
Selena wanders until she sees a stable, so she can buy a horse. She walks up and down the stalls until one brown horse nudges her hand. She goes into it's pen and looks it over as her servants did, and noticed that it had a deep black mane and black fur around its hoofs.
"You are a beauty aren't you" She says petting it.
"That she is" The store owner says. After she buys all the necessities(Cheaply) for the horse and the horse itself , Selena gets aquatinted (You know blow air into the horses nose) Then leads the horse out. She wanders some more, gently leading the horse until she finds a stand with dry food. She buys some and puts it into her saddlebag. After that she heads for the gate. As she heads by the gate she trys to keep the guards from seeing her face. She thinks it worked until a guard stands in front of her
"Where are you headed?"
"Out of the city"
"Why are you leaving?"
"It's my business, not yours"
"I'm not the one who wants to know, the convent does"
"I don't care I am leaving anyway." Selena tries to go around the soldier
"Sorry, we have orders not to let you leave" Another soldier says approaching, and taking her horses reins. She makes a grab for the reins and the first soldier puts his hand on her shoulder
"Calm down" He says
"Get your hand off me" She replies elbowing him in the stomach, and kicks the other soldier in the shin. They both fall and she grabs the horse reins, jumping on a soldiers back to mount.
" Charge" She says softly and the horse takes off through the gate.
She rides until she reaches the forest then she dismounts and leads her horse through the woods to a clearing, by a stream. She unsaddles the horse and leads it to the stream. As the horse drinks she pets it, studying it.
"How would you like your name to be Wind?" The horse ignores her
"Lightning, Racer" The horse still ignores her. 'OK I need to think realistically'. She closes her eyes and leans her head on the horses flank. After a couple of minutes she smiles
"Fierce" she says. The horse lifts it's head
"You want to be called Fierce" The horse neighs
"Then Fierce it is." She hugs Fierce around the neck. She washes herself in the stream then leads Fierce back to the camp. She eats some fruit, and gives Fierce some oats. She lets Fierce lay down and she lays with her head on his stomach.
She wakes up when her head slams into the ground.
"Fierce why di.." She stops as she sees Marc sitting with her bags and facing her. Selena stands putting her hand on Fierce's nose and softly stroking it to calm him.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm trying to keep your supplies from running out, especially if you are going all the way to the Scanra border"
"What?" She says trying to stay calm 'How does he know?' she thinks
"You heard me clearly, if your planning on going home, you need a lot more supplies."
"Well, I'm not going home" She quickly adds "I don't even live near the Scanra border"
"Really" Marc says sarcastically.
"Yes" Selena walks over and takes her bag from Marc thinking quickly. "I live near Galla."
"Then you are taking the wrong road" He responds taking her bag again
"I told you I'm not going home"
"Then why are you heading that way" Marc asks trying to catch her off guard.
"Because their is a town by my home I can hide in" She blurts out. She suddenly hears what she said and takes her bag again, going over to Fierce. "Just leave me alone, I can handle myself."
"Really, you plan to hide for the rest of your life."
"No I am going to become a knight"
"Then why are you running away"
"Because I can"
"That won't help you become a knight Selena" Selena is surprised for a moment because he knows her name then she says
"I'll think of some way"
"Well then think of it now" Selena stops and turns to Marc
"Why? You don't need to know"
"Actually I do"
"No you don't"
"I could easily bring you back to the convent"
"Yah, How?" She says sarcastically but she is worried too. She turns around. As she is turned Marc comes up behind her. Selena moves for her dagger and Marc grabs it first. She goes to turn and Marc takes a step closer, bringing the hand with the dagger around and holding the dagger to her neck. Selena makes a move to grab his arm and he moves the dagger closer.
"I could take you like this"
"Fine you proved your point, now move and give me my dagger"
"Not until you agree to come back to the city with me."
"Why?"
"I can help you become a knight" Forgetting the dagger Selena turns, and the dagger cuts her. She stops and lifts her hand to the cut. Marc steps back and drops the dagger, and his right hand glows green. He moves forward to heal Selena and he sees that she is already healed. He stands puzzled for a minute.
"How can you help me?" Selena asks the notices he is watching her. "What?"
"How are you healed? Do you have the Gift?"
"Duh" She lift her hand and a reddish purple fire glows on her palm. Marc relaxes and picks up the dagger, giving it to her.
"I'm sorry about that, anyway I can help you get in, even late."
"How?"
"A letter"
"What?"
"If a letter can be written to Lord Wyldon, requesting you to start late you can."
"But, they don't want girls"
"Whether they want one or not, there is a girl page there now."
"Really!!"
"Yes, Lord Wyldon should let you in, if the letter is convincing."
"Then I should write it soon" She goes over to her bags
"You don't have paper do you" Marc says after she rummages in her bag for a couple of minutes.
"No I don't"
"Come stay with my friend and me, you can stay until you join the pages."
"But how will I get the letter."
"You can deliver it in person, and wait for the response."
"Wouldn't that seem weird."
"Well work out the details later, we should get to the city now"
"Then let's go" Selena finishes saddling her horse and Marc walks out of the clearing. He comes back leading his own horse. They take off for the city at a trot. After awhile Marc turns to Selena.
"So why don't you want to go to the convent or go home"
"My parents think I should be a lady because all my older sisters were, and the ladies at the convent believe so as well."
"Okay, where did you learn to control a dagger like that, or your magic."
"Well, my lady in waiting taught me about the dagger when she found that no one would be riding with me to and from the convent each year."
"Why not?"
"All my brothers have their duties as knights and my father and mother are always busy helping to teach the servants how to defend the border."
"So your the borders only defense."
"Yes, that's how I also know how to heal and shoot."
"What do you mean?"
"When I was 9 we were attacked and they took out our only healer. My father gathered everyone with the gift afterwards and taught them how to heal and defend themselves while healing. I only watched so I didn't learn correctly but I still know it."
"And you can shoot the bow and arrow?"
"Yes, one of the servants taught me and practiced with me when the house was almost raided once. He also taught us some basic ways to defend ourselves."
"Really"
"Yes, like If I really wanted to before, I could have flipped you over my shoulder, but for one you would have hit Fierce and you had a dagger."
"I see" They are silent. when they are almost there Selena breaks the silence.
"How did you find out so much about me?"
"I have my ways"
"Fine, who told you to follow me"
"Can't tell you"
"Tell me something then"
"Okay, I am a thief of the Rogue"
"Are you serious"
"As serious as I can be"
"That explains a lot." They are silent again. When they get to the house Marc was talking about, Selena sees it is a small little house with a small stable. After Fierce is all set they go in. Marc introduces her to Thomas, who is tall with brown hair and lively eyes, and they eat some supper. Then Marc leaves and Thomas shows her to a small guest room. She prepares for bed and finds some paper on the desk. She begins to write the letter for Lord Wyldon, making sure that it sounds like her father. After she is done she brings the letter to Thomas. After he reads it he gives her a few tips to rewrite it and then she goes to bed.
When she wakes up in the morning she washes her arms and face, changes into some clothes from Thomas (yes, a skirt)then rewrites the letter. Then she writes a letter to the convent in her fathers handwriting saying that she is staying at home now. When that is all set she grabs some fruit from the kitchen and when she finds Thomas she informs him that she is going to deliver the letters. Marc walks in then and he decides to go with her. Selena agrees. They head out with Selena in front with her dagger, and money. Marc follows with the letters. They stop at the inn and Marc sends one of the Rogue to deliver the letter to her father, and another to deliver the letter to the convent. Before the man with her fathers letter leaves Selena notices that the man has another letter for her father. Marc also has another letter for Lord Wyldon but Selena doesn't notice.
"Who else wrote a letter?" Selena asks
"Once again, I can't tell you or the King would have a fit"
"Are you saying that my father is friends with the King of the Rogue, and has been getting letters from him"
"Did I say such a thing?" Marc asks with a twinkle of laughter in his eye. Selena sighs
"Fine, don't tell me now, but I'll know eventually."
"If you say so, My Lady" Marc replies bowing then he leads the way out. By mid- morning they are at the castle. Marc goes to the stable to talk to the hostler Stefan, while Selena takes the letters and approaches the guards at the gate. She tells them that she is there to talk to Lord Wyldon. After a half an hour she is lead in to Lord Wyldons office.
"Thank you for seeing me" She says bowing to him before sitting.
"Why do you want to see me? You are to young to work as a servant and I suppose you are a noble"
"That is correct, I have a letter for you from my father" Selena gives the letter to Lord Wyldon and she notices the other letter is for him too. After he reads the letter from her "father" he looks up.
"Do you really want to become a knight?"
"Yes" He is quiet for a long time and then he notices the other letter.
"Let me see that" He says Selena hands it over wondering whether Marc wrote it. After Wyldon reads this one as well he stands and looks out the window. After a long while he turns around again.
"I must talk to the King, I will send you the reply."
"Please send it to this address" She says giving Wyldon a paper with the address of Thomas's house ( she had asked his permission before she did so) And Wyldon gives it a glance before putting it on the desk.
"Goodbye, My Lord" Selena says bowing and leaving. Lord Wyldons servant leads her to the door and she hurries to the stable, following the way Marc had told her.
For the next couple of days Marc and Thomas both help her in little ways to strengthen her arms and legs and learn to defend herself. Marc walks around town with her in the morning. They walk the same route all over the town, to help her legs. Then at night Thomas helps her practice with her dagger. He faces her with his own dagger and teaches her little ways to keep her weapon in her hand. He also helps her by giving her a pole and facing her with a pole as well. Marc shows her different moves to use in little brawls and she learns them quickly, including dodging. After a week she has begun to do the moves with more ease adding the grace learned at the convent to the moves. At first Thomas is surprised by this but he adjusts. Finally the letter from Lord Wyldon arrives. After she has gotten back from her walk on Saturday she finds Thomas sitting at the table with the unopened letter. When Selena sees it she stops.
"Is that it" She asks Thomas. He nods and she hurries over opening it with her dagger. She reads it and sinks into a chair. She looks up at the two men and they se that she looks mad and happy at the same time. "He is giving me a 3 month time period to prove that I can stand the training for a knight."
"That's good"
"No it's not, that means that he still thinks a women can't be a knight."
"Well, that doesn't matter, you'll prove him wrong." Thomas says
"When does he want you to start?" Marc asks. Selena studies the letter.
"He wants me to go to the castle today, by noon" Selena looks at the boys again "What time is it?" Marc looks outside and then looks at her.
"You have at least an hour, maybe less."
"Then I better hurry" Selena hurries out of the room and up the stairs. She gets the outfits Thomas had given her, her riding boots ,combat boots she had bought, and her saddle bags. She then changes into a cleaner and nicer skirt and shirt. Marc and Thomas come in after a little while.
"Marc will walk with you and Feirce to the castle. Good luck" Thomas says shaking her hand.
"Thank you, I'll visit you as soon as I can" She says as Marc grabs her saddle bags and they go out.