This is a re-write of a fic from several years ago, this time with new chapters. *gasp*.
Disclamier: [insert "Tamora Pierce Copyright" disclaimer here]
Chapter One
In the gardens of Mindelan, a brown haired girl who looked to be about ten years old sat sobbing. Now, this was very unlike her as she had spent most of the previous six years learning to never show any emotions at all.
In her lap sat a letter. It was signed Lord Wyldon of Cavall, and its wax seal supported the crest of the royal palace in Corus. The text was very short and precise, merely stating that he felt a girl would not do well in page training. She may not come to Corus in a few weeks' time and he suggested that she join the Riders if she was truly interested in the fighting arts.
No, she would not do this- accept second best just because they were going back on their own law. She would go to the convent and train to be a lady, and a damn good one at that. Just because she was going to hate it with a fiery passion didn't mean she wouldn't do it. She would show them that she could do even this, if she tried. And she would stay up with her weapons training. What was the worst they could do to her?
_____
Five years later, a broken Kel sat staring out her window. Had she been her normal self, she would have been practicing. But that was no longer an option. She had tried to practice everyday, but the Daughters had deemed it un-ladylike. So they had taken her glaive. A year after she got there, they had found her practicing and confiscated her glaive. All she had now was her shukusen, which they could find nothing wrong with as it was only a fan.
Now, she was utterly broken. They found something wrong with her every move. She had indeed, as she expected, learned to enjoy being a lady. However, she could not enjoy being humiliated for everything, having every free word criticized, being insulted for everything, and living a life where her superiors tried to set her peers against her. The rest of the girls didn't even know why the teachers hated her so, as they had welcomed her with open arms. But despite their hospitality, her colleagues had soon found that she was a loner, and often left her to herself.
Kel had prescribed to inner apathy. She had not lost her Yamani mask, only moved it to her heart, where she felt rarely, hated little, and loved less.
But though she was as cold as ice inside, on the outside passerby saw the image of innocent teen beauty. Every morning she subjected herself to pain of all sorts with harsh face cleansers to prevent zits and pimples (A/N what did they call those back then, anyway?), corsets, and plucking and styling of hair. She applied face paint, which gave the appearance of happiness even when she was dying inside.
She sat, in a modestly low cut black gown that slimmed down her waist and blossomed out into a bell that swished around her feet. The outer gown was solidly colored to the waist, where it became slightly translucent. The under gown was solid where the top layer left off. It was hemmed with white silk, and the bodice was embroidered with white silk thread into nonsensical patterns. Its sleeves closely followed her arms to her wrists, where they were embroidered with more white thread and bloomed out around her tanned, slender hands. Her feet had been coaxed into plush velvet black slippers. She looked like a fair maiden on the brink of destruction.
Kel was mentally preparing herself for their going-away ball at the convent. Several courtiers were visiting, and when they went back to Corus they would be taking a fair amount of convent girls with them to find husbands. Including Kel.
But at the moment, she was remembering her failed escape attempts.
The first one had been when she was eleven, and stumbled upon a group of knights, pages, squires, and men of the Own hunting Spidrens. The sparrows she had adopted had followed her and found a string of web, which she immediately showed to the large, friendly man who was apparently Lord Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak. Because of her, they found the nest and saved the village women.
But then they had sent her back to the convent, where she had received intense punishment worse then those given to palace pages. One thing had been accomplished there though. She had met an interesting green-eyed boy, who claimed to be Nealan of Queenscove.
On her second attempt at escape, she had met Neal again with some friends fighting bandits. She had rescued their tails and run back to the convent, afraid of her punishments for this. Her stay in The City of the Gods wouldn't have been quite so bad if she had had friends, but she didn't even attempt to make any. She only attended lessons, ate occasionally, was reprimanded, and went to her rooms at night to sob
All in all, her life really stank. Which was why she was so glad to be leaving the next day. But for now, she had the ball.
_____
Kel entered, accompanied by the Crown prince Roald, who had accompanied the courtiers there. Kel had had the honor of being selected by him to be escorted. Despite the Daughter's statements that she was a good for nothing brat. In front of all the conservatives watching.
So now she was beginning to find the prince a nice person, but was immediately separated by Josi, the convent idiot. The daughters loved her, she did everything right, but that didn't make her any less of a bimbo. Content to just let things lie, let the men folk do the fighting and crafts, she would just find a husband and gossip and chat her days away.
Roald spent the rest of the evening dancing with whoever cornered him, and Kel spent that time mostly sitting in a corner. Several men asked her to dance, which she accepted, but they too learned that she was not happy with her lot in life and left her alone.
About half way through the evening, she ended up leaving the hall. Only to be greeted by a young face, maybe eleven or so. She smiled energetically, obviously exited to have someone to chatter to.
"Hello, my name's Fianola of Seabeth and Seajen. I'm going to train as a page at the palace, because mama said I could if there were no other girls yet. I'm so exited! What's your name? Are you a girl from the convent? Oooooohh, are you going to Corus to find a husband? Did you just come from that ball? They're really loud. What's wrong?"
Because she had said all this in a steady string without taking a breath, it took Kel until the end to realize what she had said. She was going to be a page. Train as a knight. And she was being let to. Wyldon hadn't forbidden it, like he had Kel. This energetic gossiping girl was going to accomplish Kel's dream, and didn't even know it.
"Hello, I'm Keladry of Mindelan. Yes, I'm a girl from the convent. Yes, I'm going to Corus tomorrow to find a husband. Yes, I just came from the ball. What's wrong is that I could not achieve what you soon will." By this point she was on the brink of tears, this innocent girl had unknowingly broken her inner wall, and it was taking all her strength to keep from curling into a ball in the corner.
"I'm happy for you." A complete lie. "I look forward to seeing you at the palace soon." She had to get out of there.
Just then a daughter came looking for Kel.
"Keladry, where are your manners? This girl is from the capital. Treat her with the respect she deserves." As she said this, she slapped her hard nearly enough to send her sprawling, and grabbed her with every intention of throwing her into the stone floor.
Fortunately, Roald came out at this time and demanded what was going on. Fianola, forgotten until now, took over explaining that she and Kel had been talking until the daughter came and began reprimanding her. However, the daughter claimed that she was simply reminding Keladry of her studies and she would be most gratified if they would all leave. Kel already had.
Kel lay on her bed, letting the tears come. They streamed down her face, the only indication of her sorrow. Her eyes were regaining life. She contemplated whether her life was worth living, but those thoughts would have to wait. Now she had to answer the door, which was being pounded on vehemently. The servant only left Kel with a letter and ran, as if just delivering it was illegal. Upon opening the note, all that was written was:
Dear Keladry,
We are all ecstatic for your coming trip to Corus. Please keep in mind that the capital does things differently from the convent, and your life will change so much you may not know you're the same person anymore. Eagerly awaiting your arrival!
Sincerely,
Inness
That settled it then. Tomorrow, she went to the capital.
