The Dagger, Sword, Shield, and Lance

Disclaimer: I don't own anything by Tamora Pierce!

This is just another fanfiction idea I had for an original character in the Protector of the Small Quartet by Tamora Pierce.

Lord Imrah of Legann watched impassively as Lemont stared at the table before him. His grandson seemed quite shocked, if his openmouthed expression was anything to judge by. Imrah himself was having trouble containing his mirth at the look on the young boy's face. Lemont shakily held his hand out to the object upon the table, before freezing and quickly glancing up at his grandfather for approval. The Lord of Port Legann shifted back and rested his head on his right fist before giving a nod to Lemont.

"I...I..." Stuttered Lemont.

"It's not a gift, before you start thinking of it as such." Said Imrah, cutting off Lemont's failed attempt at speech. "This isn't a gift, it's a goal."

Lemont's eyes sharpened at his grandfather's statement. He nodded sharply, his hand suddenly very steady. He reached forward with determination and grasped the lance sitting on the great table. The weapon was a thing of beauty. It was surprisingly light and Lemont was able to heft it up with his right hand alone. The design was simple, a sharpened 11 foot cone affixed to the handle and counterweight at the back. The whole lance was seemed to be made from silver and gleamed in the light.

"This is the weapon of a knight, wouldn't you agree Lemont?" The lord asked subtly.

"Yes grandfather." Lemont whispered, still enraptured by the great spike.

"I'm glad to hear you say so." He began. "Since we are both in agreement, you will not touch it again until you have received your shield to accompany it."

"What? But grandfather, I won't receive my shield until..."

"You are made a knight, yes I know." Imrah said slowly, finally allowing himself to smirk in enjoyment of his young grandson's reaction. "This weapon will hang in your room as a reminder, and it will provide you with the motivation to become a truly powerful knight."

Imrah rose from his seat slowly and strode towards his heir. He took the lance slowly out of Lemont's hands and placed it back on its velvet cover on the tabletop. The ten year old seemed put out for a moment, but quickly gathered himself again.

Imrah smiled down at his grandson, "The lance is enchanted. It will not break and it will always be lighter than it should. This is only a weapon, however, it's up to you to learn the skills necessary to wield it. You have taken great pains to make your gift into a healing power, Corus is the perfect place for you to hone your gift. There you will be able to earn the right to wield the lance."

"As you say grandfather. Am I to leave now?"

"Yes. Phineas was sent ahead. He will meet you in Corus, in fact, he will be your guide to the city. You know that he has experience there, he will be the only guide you require." Imrah spoke slowly as he returned to his seat. "You will leave immediately. The lance will travel with you and the servants I have sent to accompany. They will mount it to your wall before returning here. I have decided to send five of my men-at-arms along with you in order to ensure your safety."

"Thank you grandfather."

Lemont turned and began to walk towards the doors as servants entered to retrieve the lance.

"I know you will prove yourself worthy of Legann." Whispered Imrah as his grandson walked away.

Lemont's travels were long and uneventful. The desert road was well manned and the party was too large for any bandits to attempt an attack. Due to the length of the journey, Lemont was given time to think on his impending years of training under the knight-master Lord Wyldon.

Lord Wlydon was a legend, he had quite recently been praised for his defense of the youngest royal children from attack by a flock of Hurroks. Wyldon was known for his trustworthiness, honesty, and skill beyond all else. Of course, his stubbornness was also legendary. Even in the face of the Immortals he stood firm. Lemont looked forward very much to meeting this man who sounded so similar to his own grandfather.

There were other reasons for Lemont's excitement. He hadn't seen his manservant Phineas for quite some time. Phineas had looked after Lemont since he was just a boy. The older man had been trained on the streets of Corus by Baron Cooper of Pirate's Swoop. The Baron had ruled the underworld of Tortall before moving on to serve the King.

After George became Baron of Pirate's Swoop, Phineas followed him to his new fief. It was there that Phineas had met Lemont's own father. The two had made fast friends and at some point Phineas opted to join him and travel to port Legann as his servant. Eventually, Lemont's mother joined them as they travelled with the Tortallian ambassador party to the Yamani Islands. It was there, in the midst of a large scale pirate attack, that Lemont's mother and father met their deaths. Phineas had returned and helped Lord Imrah care for Lemont for the years following.

Before the trip to the Yamani Islands Phineas had been a wild sort of man, quick to fight, bet, or argue with those around him. He returned a dignified and silent gentleman. Phineas was a perfectly disciplined servant and began to teach Lemont the manners expected of him as a noble.

The five year old Lemont rebelled against him at first, but eventually gave in when Phineas promised to teach him to fight with knives. Lord Imrah had the Mithran priests at Port Legann teach his grandson the skills of a healer. Lemont's tutoring was comprehensive and included the far more strict Yamani court mannerisms. Phineas managed to enlist the services of a Yamani master to help in Lemont's combat training. Imrah insisted upon teaching him to fight with a short-sword personally.

Lord Imrah believed in be prepared. Once he had known for sure that Lemont desired to become a knight of the realm, he ensured his grandson's education. However, as much as Imrah believed in Lemont's education, he also believed that the knight-master Wyldon would be the best person to teach the skills necessary for a knight to posses. Imrah satisfied himself with teaching only skills that would not expressly be taught at Corus.

For all these reasons Lemont was sure of himself and he greatly anticipated his training in the capital of Tortall. There was another all-encompassing purpose in Lemont's mind as he approached the city. His mother and father had spent a few years in the Yamani Island before their deaths at the hands of the Scanran pirates. They had made quick friends with the Mindelan family. Phineas had come back from the Islands with stories of praise of the Mindelans. He had personally witnessed the Lady Illane fight to defend the Yamani God-swords and her daughter Keladry. The woman had saved Phineas's life in the conflict as well.

More than anything else Lemont desired to meet the daughter of the woman that had saved his closest friend and confidant.

Lemont couldn't help but to smile broadly at the great city unraveling before him. He had lived his whole life in Port Legann, but the capital was a bit larger than the city he was used to. As the party approached the palace Lemont was rendered speechless.

"You know better than to make such a face in public, my lord."

Lemont gave a start and twisted about to face the man who had spoken.

"Phineas!" Shouted Lemont.

Lemont jumped down from his mount and rushed to the older man. As he approached Lemont noticed Phineas place his hands flat against his side and he pulled up short of the man to do the same. They then bowed to one another in the Yamani way.

"I am glad to find that you have not forgotten your lessons lord Lemont."

"Of course not Phineas. Are you to show us the way then?" Lemont asked.

"You have a meeting with lord Wyldon, the servants shall take your things to your quarters and then proceed back to Port Legann. Now come along." Phineas said while already proceeding towards the palace.

While abrupt, this sort of greeting was not uncommon between the two. Phineas was, as always, concerned only with progress and the completion of whatever goal he had been assigned. It was his duty to take the young lord to Wyldon, and so he would do it sooner rather than later. He simply turned about, his cloak flaring behind him as he strode forward, one of his hands held as a fist in the small of his back.

Phineas was a tall man. He always wore a cloak with gloves and a tunic buttoned up the neck. His graying hair was always slicked back. The man's brown eyes swept across the area with quickness and precision. The trousers he wore matched the cloak. As always, his outfit was designed to help him conceal knives all about his body. Whenever he walked he kept his left hand in the same place behind his back. The cloak was belted together there to keep the top from flaring. It was there that he kept his throwing knives.

As Phineas led Lemont through the palace, he commented on the different areas they passed by. Phineas was Lemont's guide to the capital after all, it was his duty to begin educating the boy. Lemont had long since devolved to his "young noble" persona. The face that Lemont had nicknamed the "young noble" was a simple one to put on. It was a slight raising of the chin, to indicate superior breeding, and the eyes were narrowed just a touch, to show both watchfulness and focus. This was the face he always wore when being lectured by Phineas, or when he was in the presence of other nobles.

"This is Lord Wyldon's office." Phineas said as they approached a particular set of doors.

Phineas paused to allow Lemont to step past him, it wouldn't do for a servant to be the first to enter into the presence of a lord. Lemont allowed his "young noble" face to fall as he strode past his manservant to rap sharply on the door.

"Enter." A strong voice projected from within the room.

As Lemont and Phineas stepped into the room they slowly approached a great desk behind which sat a man who could only be Lord Wyldon of Cavall. The balding man was well muscled. His dress reveal nothing of his rank, however, his features could only be the result of fine breeding. The man's appearance gave him such a look as to suggest that he was hewn from rock. The only thing about the man that betrayed his mortality was the cast and sling about his left arm. Lemont knew that that was the spot he had been cut open by the Hurrok's talons. The injury was an example of two thing, the legendary status of the man, and the stubbornness of him for not allowing any healers do more work on it.

Wyldon gestured for them to sit as they approached. Once they were seated Wyldon looked up from some of the reports and books on his desk and he turned up his gaze slowly looking over first Phineas and then Lemont.

"Welcome to Corus. Lemont of Legann, your grandfather has sent me a letter detailing the training you have already received and that this man here is to be your manservant and guide to the palace." Wyldon said getting to business immediately.

Lemont responded without hesitation. "Yes sir. I will not need a sponsor from the older pages. Phineas was sent with me for the express purpose of keeping me up with my education."

"I see, I suppose I can allow it. Your grandfather is a great man, I still remember him in the battle of Port Legann. He commanded brilliantly in the face of such daunting power. The city has recovered well I imagine?"

"I am sure that my grandfather will be overjoyed to hear you appraise him thus. Port Legann is largely recovered, yes, but there will always be a few scars." Lemont said trailed off quietly. He had not been born yet when the Immortals attacked, but he had seen old paintings and layouts of the city. There were large swaths that had been cut away by the battle that had taken place there.

"Your name is Phineas, correct?" Wyldon turned to address the other man.

"Yes, your lordship." Was Phineas' polite response.

"I expect your charge to be a credit to his training," Wyldon paused for a moment and turned back to Lemont before continuing, "though if your lateness is not cured soon you may find yourself overtaxed with additional duties added on to your training and schoolwork. Even the probationer arrived before you." Wyldon lowered his head back to the papers on his desk as he felt a lull in the conversation.

Lemont found himself unable to pass up the temptation and asked, "what do you mean, probationer, my lord?"

"I'm sure you've heard that you will be training alongside a girl. If you had not yet heard then I apologize for having to be the one to tell you this shocking news. I could sadly could not convince the king to refuse her, so instead she is to undergo a period of probation to ascertain whether she is able to be a true knight. You will meet her and the rest of the pages in less than a quarter hour."

Lemont was silent for a long time with a carefully expressionless face put on before slowly asking, "Keladry of Mindelan is to undergo a probation period at your request, my lord? And the king agreed to it?"

"Yes, to both accounts." Was Wyldon's response. it didn't occur to him that Lemont knew the girl's name without it having been brought up.

Lemont was no longer able to hold himself back and his face twisted in a flash of rage. "You are Lord Wyldon of Cavall, aren't you?"

Wyldon's head snapped up from his desk to lock onto Lemont's eyes. The look would certainly have been intimidating if Lemont had not been so furious. In the back of his mind Lemont thought that Phineas must be glaring at him for speaking with such disrespect to the Lord.

"I just thought I ought to ask, because my grandfather told me that Wyldon was a great man and a credit to the titles he had been given. I felt the need to wonder, because your shortsightedness and bigotry shocks me to my core. And the king, what a pitiful excuse for a monarch. What hypocritical bastards, to promise something and then take it away on a whim. Both of you are pathetic old men."

Lemont was standing now fuming in his rage.

"I can't believe the absurdity of this. Not only have you alienated the entirety of the female population in Tortall, you have also insulted the Mindelan family and, by extension, the Yamani Emperor himself. Did you forget, or just not know that the one and only reason that the Yamani accepted the treaty was due to the selfless actions of one Ilane of Mindelan in her selfless defense of the Yamani God-swords." Lemont came to a stop suddenly. "I apologize milord."

Lemont turned and walked out of the room, Phineas directly behind him. He hadn't looked at Wyldon's face after beginning his tirade. He would soon see how much trouble he had gotten himself into once he had arrived at the place the other pages, and the probationer, were meeting.

And that's that

So this is my first fanfiction for The Protector of the Small. I love Tamora Pierce and I've always wanted this sort of a character to show up.

I've always had this protective sort of feeling when I thought of Kel. She never stands up for herself. I do, of course, understand that that's the point and beauty of her character. So instead of changing her, I chose to create a character that will be in the perfect position to stand up for her while she proves herself to be the perfect knight.

Lemont is interested in his knighthood, but he's far more interested in the people rather than the title itself. Lemont is a bit obsessed with the Mindelan family, but that obsession is about to change into a wholehearted Kel obsession rather than an obsession with the whole family.

Lemont is very intelligent, but he's also a bit emotional. He despises disrespect more than anything else. He's less angry about the injustice of Keladry's probation and more upset about the disrespect paid to her family due to it.

If you like Lemont of Legann please review! I'd love to hear some people's opinions on my character!