Hey guys any characters you recognize belong to Tamora Pierce. I hope you enjoy this piece. And there are more chapters of course. I'm also working on Trying Times and Aurora...*cough* go read them *cough* Um if you want to use my characters email me and ask me please. Enjoy!!!!
Joren sauntered down the hall with an arrogant expression on his face. He couldn't wait until midwinter to be knighted. He was tired of running silly errands for Sir Paxton. Ironically it reminded him of the hazing as a page. A frown crossed his features. That had all changed once the Lump had come. Damn girl keeping us from our fun, he thought as he turned the doorknob to his room. He smirked, Oh well, she won't make it through the ordeal...then we'll finally be rid of her. Joren pushed open his door and made a grab for his dagger when he saw a figure by his desk. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded.
Startled by his sudden appearance Miara dropped the cup causing it to shatter, "Oh! I'm so sorry! Here I'll pick it up!" Desperately she started to pick up the shards and gasped when she was hauled up roughly by her arm. "I'll get an answer or I'll slit your throat. Who are you?" he asked angrily. Miara struck with fear, stared into his ice blue eyes, "M...M...M'lord doesn't recognize me, does he?" she stuttered with fear. She had been hoping to have more time to fix up his room and convince him to let her stay. Joren continued to glare and tightened his hold on her, "I'll give you until the count of three to answer my question and then I'm going to turn you over to my knight master. One, two.."
"It's Miara!. Teren's daughter!" Miara cried, wincing in pain from his grip. This was not going the way she had planned. "He..he was the blacksmith m'lord and me mum was one of the cooks. Surely ye remember don't ye?" she pleaded with him. Oh Mithros what will I do if he doesn't remember? Joren drew in a sharp breath and involuntarily tightened his hold on her arm. Grimacing in pain she tried to pull away, "Please m'lord yer hurtin' me."
"Oh." Immediately he let go of her arm and she stumbled into the desk. Miara tried not to tremble as he studied her seeming to be in a stupor. "What are you doing here?" he asked finally. Miara tried to meet his gaze but her courage failed and she kept her eyes by his feet. "I come to serve ye, m'lord," she whispered. "You what?!" Joren bellowed. "Just how did you get here? Did my parents send you?" Miara shook her head, "No m'lord they didn't. I walked here on my own." Joren stayed silent a moment before advancing on her, his eyes filled with anger, "You ran away?! Why did you come to me you stupid wench?!!" he yelled. Automatically Miara threw up her arm in defense, "Please m'lord! Don't hit me! I'll go if I must!" she cried in panic. "Pathetic imp, I'm not going to waste my energy striking you," he growled as he grabbed her hand and turned it palm up, "You're bleeding. Get yourself to the healers before you bleed on my things." Miara looked at the blood pooling in her hand, cut from the shards of the broken cup, "But m'lord the healers cost money and I haven't got any," she said quietly as she hung her head. Joren snorted in contempt and angrily threw a copper at her from his change purse, "Take this and get out of my sight for awhile." When she didn't move he shouted, "Now!" Quickly Miara left the room.
Joren sank down on the edge of his bed putting his head in his hands. He would have thrown the imp out if she hadn't have been Teren's daughter. Teren was more of a father than the one who ruled Stone Mountain Fife was. From the time he was little Joren loved to go to Teren's shop and watch him make things. When he was older Teren even let him make some horseshoes. Although many had ended up twisted and deformed, Teren had praised his efforts. Because of this Joren had learned much about metal craft and weaponry so he was able to pick out well made weapons when he went into Corus. Teren's wife, Ingrid always gave him sweets and had a kind word for him every time she saw him. Even when he would do something wrong she was gentle in her scolding. Joren remembered a child now, obviously Miara. He remembered being allowed to hold the new baby when he was three, and how important he felt to be allowed this great honor. Now at nineteen all the memories came flowing back to him from the past. During his early years the times playing with Miara were his happiest. They went on heroic adventures and always saved the kingdom before the day was over. Until he was about six they had been playmates. That was when his parents started caring who he was around. After all, they were nobility and nobility did not spend free time with servants. When he'd refused to stop playing with Miara he had the idea beaten into him. Subsequent beatings followed after he had been caught sneaking out to play with her. Finally Joren's parents had the girl sent away to work for relatives. Even then Joren gave her mother and father childish letters to give to her when they visited their daughter. Once again his parents found out and Joren hadn't been able to sit down for weeks following their punishment. He wasn't allowed any contact with Miara's parents and his father shoved him into lessons to keep his mind from her. Eventually he forgot all about her, or at least blocked her from memory. By watching his own family Joren learned women were weaker, frivolous, and stupid in the mind. The women in his own family were second class and that's the way it was supposed to be. They ate after the men, waited on the men and were obedient. The consequences were harsh if that was not followed. Joren never second-guessed his father after this notion was stuck with him.
Joren came out of his revelry and glanced at the few shards still left on the ground. He snorted and picked up the rest of them gingerly. Women, always making a mess, he thought. Suddenly the whole notion of Miara coming to serve him seemed ludicrous to him. He laughed until his sides hurt and tears rolled down his cheek. "By Mithros the imp is crazy." Still chuckling he started his homework figuring he'd send the girl back to let his parents deal with. She was a runaway and a sneak and obviously couldn't be trusted. She's lucky I'll pay to have her transported back, he thought, I could have made her walk.
Well what did ya think? There's a box at the bottom to tell me...hehe *hint hint* Anywhoo I'm off to Scotland next week so don't expect anymore posts until after the first Friday in October. Have a wonderful week! Oh yeah my email is Corie_Q@hotmail.com
Joren sauntered down the hall with an arrogant expression on his face. He couldn't wait until midwinter to be knighted. He was tired of running silly errands for Sir Paxton. Ironically it reminded him of the hazing as a page. A frown crossed his features. That had all changed once the Lump had come. Damn girl keeping us from our fun, he thought as he turned the doorknob to his room. He smirked, Oh well, she won't make it through the ordeal...then we'll finally be rid of her. Joren pushed open his door and made a grab for his dagger when he saw a figure by his desk. "Who the hell are you?" he demanded.
Startled by his sudden appearance Miara dropped the cup causing it to shatter, "Oh! I'm so sorry! Here I'll pick it up!" Desperately she started to pick up the shards and gasped when she was hauled up roughly by her arm. "I'll get an answer or I'll slit your throat. Who are you?" he asked angrily. Miara struck with fear, stared into his ice blue eyes, "M...M...M'lord doesn't recognize me, does he?" she stuttered with fear. She had been hoping to have more time to fix up his room and convince him to let her stay. Joren continued to glare and tightened his hold on her, "I'll give you until the count of three to answer my question and then I'm going to turn you over to my knight master. One, two.."
"It's Miara!. Teren's daughter!" Miara cried, wincing in pain from his grip. This was not going the way she had planned. "He..he was the blacksmith m'lord and me mum was one of the cooks. Surely ye remember don't ye?" she pleaded with him. Oh Mithros what will I do if he doesn't remember? Joren drew in a sharp breath and involuntarily tightened his hold on her arm. Grimacing in pain she tried to pull away, "Please m'lord yer hurtin' me."
"Oh." Immediately he let go of her arm and she stumbled into the desk. Miara tried not to tremble as he studied her seeming to be in a stupor. "What are you doing here?" he asked finally. Miara tried to meet his gaze but her courage failed and she kept her eyes by his feet. "I come to serve ye, m'lord," she whispered. "You what?!" Joren bellowed. "Just how did you get here? Did my parents send you?" Miara shook her head, "No m'lord they didn't. I walked here on my own." Joren stayed silent a moment before advancing on her, his eyes filled with anger, "You ran away?! Why did you come to me you stupid wench?!!" he yelled. Automatically Miara threw up her arm in defense, "Please m'lord! Don't hit me! I'll go if I must!" she cried in panic. "Pathetic imp, I'm not going to waste my energy striking you," he growled as he grabbed her hand and turned it palm up, "You're bleeding. Get yourself to the healers before you bleed on my things." Miara looked at the blood pooling in her hand, cut from the shards of the broken cup, "But m'lord the healers cost money and I haven't got any," she said quietly as she hung her head. Joren snorted in contempt and angrily threw a copper at her from his change purse, "Take this and get out of my sight for awhile." When she didn't move he shouted, "Now!" Quickly Miara left the room.
Joren sank down on the edge of his bed putting his head in his hands. He would have thrown the imp out if she hadn't have been Teren's daughter. Teren was more of a father than the one who ruled Stone Mountain Fife was. From the time he was little Joren loved to go to Teren's shop and watch him make things. When he was older Teren even let him make some horseshoes. Although many had ended up twisted and deformed, Teren had praised his efforts. Because of this Joren had learned much about metal craft and weaponry so he was able to pick out well made weapons when he went into Corus. Teren's wife, Ingrid always gave him sweets and had a kind word for him every time she saw him. Even when he would do something wrong she was gentle in her scolding. Joren remembered a child now, obviously Miara. He remembered being allowed to hold the new baby when he was three, and how important he felt to be allowed this great honor. Now at nineteen all the memories came flowing back to him from the past. During his early years the times playing with Miara were his happiest. They went on heroic adventures and always saved the kingdom before the day was over. Until he was about six they had been playmates. That was when his parents started caring who he was around. After all, they were nobility and nobility did not spend free time with servants. When he'd refused to stop playing with Miara he had the idea beaten into him. Subsequent beatings followed after he had been caught sneaking out to play with her. Finally Joren's parents had the girl sent away to work for relatives. Even then Joren gave her mother and father childish letters to give to her when they visited their daughter. Once again his parents found out and Joren hadn't been able to sit down for weeks following their punishment. He wasn't allowed any contact with Miara's parents and his father shoved him into lessons to keep his mind from her. Eventually he forgot all about her, or at least blocked her from memory. By watching his own family Joren learned women were weaker, frivolous, and stupid in the mind. The women in his own family were second class and that's the way it was supposed to be. They ate after the men, waited on the men and were obedient. The consequences were harsh if that was not followed. Joren never second-guessed his father after this notion was stuck with him.
Joren came out of his revelry and glanced at the few shards still left on the ground. He snorted and picked up the rest of them gingerly. Women, always making a mess, he thought. Suddenly the whole notion of Miara coming to serve him seemed ludicrous to him. He laughed until his sides hurt and tears rolled down his cheek. "By Mithros the imp is crazy." Still chuckling he started his homework figuring he'd send the girl back to let his parents deal with. She was a runaway and a sneak and obviously couldn't be trusted. She's lucky I'll pay to have her transported back, he thought, I could have made her walk.
Well what did ya think? There's a box at the bottom to tell me...hehe *hint hint* Anywhoo I'm off to Scotland next week so don't expect anymore posts until after the first Friday in October. Have a wonderful week! Oh yeah my email is Corie_Q@hotmail.com