Well, this is it. My first story for this fandom. Please read and review. Concrit is most definitely welcomed and I hope you enjoy!
From the journal of Rebakah Cooper, Provost's Guardswoman, Corus, the Realm of Tortall
Monday, April 26, 251
Court day today. As each one passes, it becomes less daunting. It becomes easier to find my words. After the past couple of years, work has been calm. Most of the rats my newest partner and I bag now are smaller ones. No more realm threatening rings of counterfeiters and royal childnappers. I love the work but sometimes it gets boring. Achoo and Pounce agree with me.
After Court, I went and visited my Lord Provost as I had not done so for a while. He had something interesting for me that came in the form of journals, much like mine.
"I don't know if it's a coincidence or not, but I think you might find the person who wrote them interesting," he started off as he set them in front of me. "I found these in my personal library. I don't know how I missed them in the past."
I opened the journal on top of the pile. In the top left corner was a faded name. Kaleb Cooper. I stared at it before looking back up at my Lord Provost.
"My Lord?" I inquired, curious as to why he was showing me these. Sure the name was the same as mine but that couldn't be the only reason he was showing me these.
"When you have time, I want you to rewrite these. I managed to read most of them and there's valuable information in there that I think should be preserved. Our history shapes our country and our people."
I nodded and gathered the journals up. I would see if I could recruit anyone to help me as this was sure to be a dull chore.
"Oh, Beka," my Lord Provost mentioned as I was nearly out the door. I glanced back with a curious look. "Start with the seventh one. There's a story in there that should be interesting for you to read."
Sitting here, I'm preparing to begin the rewriting. The first page of each journal seems to be a list of the major events that happened. The man, Kaleb Cooper, seems to be even more meticulous about his journal keeping than I am. One date has already caught my eye.
July 7, 154—Start of training. Girl to start training.
Quite curious indeed. In the history that I know of the Provost's Guard, the first female Dog didn't start her training until 161.
Pounce has placed a paw on the journal.
I remember her, he mewed quietly. I watched her from the stars. She kept things interesting for a while. No one believed in her except for very few.
"Who was she?"
Just a girl. Start with the third journal though. She's first mentioned there.
Kaleb Cooper's third journal, senior sergeant in the capital city of the country Tortall
Monday, June 6, 145
Today the surviving trainees were presented to the city as newly made guardsmen. Out of the fifty or so that started last summer, only twenty-three remain. Less than half. They all looked promising but once we send them out into the streets to get some practical lessons, they'll start dropping again. However, this time it won't be because they can't handle the training or the pressure. No, this time it will be because they won't receive the glory they expect or because they'll die on the job. Some will die while stopping a brawl. Others will die because they poked too far into something that they should have ignored. Even more will get on the wrong side of those who work the streets. Out of the twenty-three that remain, I only expect less than ten will make it past their fifth year as a Guard. That's how it normally goes.
Still, even knowing these statistics like I know every scar on my body, shivers run down my spine whenever I remember the events of earlier today.
"Guards! Turn out!"
As one, the twenty-three trainees turned to face the streets, eyes straight ahead. None of them saw the watching merchants and peasants, too focused on what was about to happen. The sergeants, including myself, walked down the line, presenting them with the gifts they had earned by completing the year of training to become a Guard. A black uniform with white trimming—the outfit all first year guardsmen would wear. A copper badge with the city's insignia etched into it—a sign that they would serve the city and protect everyone in it until they retired or were killed. As senior sergeant, I presented them with the most important gift—a weighted lead baton. This was their weapon and every Guard knew that without it, they would not survive the night on the streets. It was the ultimate symbol of the Provost's Guard.
The last part of the ceremony came as soon as the last baton had been handed out. I gave the signal to the herald, who nodded.
"Guards! Salute your city!"
The twenty-three men moved as one as they took their batons and raised them to the sky. They may not have been watching the crowd but I had been. It was a habit after years of being a Guard. I never let myself become too comfortable, even in the safety of my home. There could be an attack or ambush at any time and it could be from anyone. I had made a lot of enemies over the years.
There was a girl around the age of six or seven near the front of the crowd, watching with wide eyes. Her eyes never stayed in one place for very long. She was clearly trying to take as much in as she could without missing a single detail.
"That's fair glorious," she said as the newly made Guards saluted. I let a small smile overtake my face. Such innocence. Normally it can't be found in older children. This one was certainly unique, in many ways.
The girl almost certainly came from the slums, if the state of her dress was anything to go by. It was too small and hung in tatters. The original color couldn't be told as dirt and stains covered it. Dirt and ashes smudged her skin but her eyes, light in color, stood out. Her light blonde hair was slightly matted but not overly bad. It probably had something to do with the braid she had tied it in. If it wasn't for the dirt, she could be quite pretty. I was slightly surprised the child snatchers hadn't gotten their hands on her.
While I watched, she turned to an older boy standing close by.
"That'll be me some day," she informed him. He snorted and sneered at her.
"No girl has ever been a Guard," he snapped. "Only noble women fight and that's as knights. Plus, there's no way they'd accept slum scut into their ranks."
He received a scowl from the girl that was more adorable than intimidating.
"Wait and see," she replied in a short voice. "I'll be up there some day." She turned away from the boy and seemed to stare directly at me.
"I'll be a Guard one day," she whispered. I don't know how I managed to hear that. Even now, I'm still not sure I hadn't made it up. Struck by her determined and slightly eerie voice, I could only nod.
I don't know why this girl struck me as different. I often hear girls on the streets joking to their families about how they'll be Guards and earn a living doing something worthwhile. Often, the next time I see them or their families, they've either been snatched or married or round with child. I don't take the girls seriously anymore.
Still, somehow, I believe she's different. If she manages to evade the child snatchers, I have hope for her. Maybe she's the one girl who can prove that women can defend our city too.
Once again, please read and review! It would absolutely make my day!
