This is set the same year that Kel graduated, the new training master is
Padraig. Thank you for reviewing, I will try to get more chapters up, but
they take a long time to plan.
Lera was kneeling in front of her mother, hands in a praying position begging. Her little voice rang, through out the silent room. "Please, Mother, Let me try!" Her Mother looked at her sternly and said in a harsh voice " Leralinda-Quirana of Sharta, don't kneel, proper ladies don't do that, get up!"
Lera stood, her plain white dress falling down to her ankles.
"I don't Want to be lady, Mother, I want to be knight, Like lady Alanna and Keladry!" she pleaded.
"Do not mention those disturbing women in this house" her mother practically roared " They are not proper, they are not real ladies so do not call them that"
Lera was practically crying, she never cried. She was as tough as any boy she knew. In fact several of the boys in the village were scared of her.
Lera had long brown hair the was braided in a plait that fell past her hips. Her crystal blue eyes were soft and beautiful. She was skinny, and had, what her mother called "figure".
She wished with all of her might that she was ugly. She was the prettiest out of her Mother's seven daughters.
"Mother, you cannot possibly stop me from doing what I want to do. I will go to Knight school and you cannot stop me" Lera glared at her sisters, who were all "tsk-ing" her ceaslessly.
Her mother frowned and said coldly "We will see what your Father says" and strode out of the room. Lera smiled at her retreating back. I would go to knight school. I am my father's favourite. Possibly because I am basically the son he never got, and Im spunky, as he calls it. He would let me do what ever I wanted, she thought, Victoriously.
~
After much debate at the Sharta House, Lera and her father set out to Corus.
Lera was upon the back of her Black Mare, Faithful. Faithful was named after Lady Alanna's black cat, who was killed by Josianne of the Copper Islands.
The ride to Corus was un-eventful, and engoyable. Lera and her Father stopped to stay at an inn called the prancing pony. It was crowded, and a man was sticking an arrow through his own arm as A lady led Lera and Her father to their rooms.
When Lera entered the room, she looked around. Her father's room was beside hers, joined by a closed wooden door.
There was a small one person bed, covered with a white sheet, sitting in the corner of the room.
Lera ran across the carpeted room to the open window. She stood looking out at the palace, for a long time. Soon she would be a page at that place.
A knock on the connected door, jolted her back into reality. She walked over and opened it. It revealed her, solemn looking, father. He walked over to her bed and sat down, immediately standing again. He began. Lera followed him edgily and sat down on the bed.
Smoothing her travel worn white dress, she asked in a small, nervous voice " Father, what is it?"
Her father stopped pacing and sat down. Minutes ticked by and they sat in silence, Lera sitting and watching her father anxiously, her father was staring of into space, thinking hard.
After what seemed like an eternity, Her father spoke "Lera, you are my favourite daughter and I want you to be happy no matter what. Do you understand that I love you very much?" After seeing her nod, he continued " I want you to think really hard about this. Do you really want to be a knight?" Lera cut him off " Of course I do Father, Why would I be here if I- " Her father silenced her by putting his hand up. " You will be on your own for eight years, without your Mother or me to help you through rough times. You will be the only girl among hundreds of boys, and you might be, well, you know, tempted to…" he blushed, so did Lera. " Father, Mother already talked to me about that" she said, her face extremely red.
Her father sighed, "Good" he said. " You need to think about this. Hard. Okay? You will be working hard, you will be bruised and cut and you will tear muscles, this is no fantasy, it is real." Her father said, looking at her squarely.
She hadn't thought of the injuries that she would get, only about the evil people who she would injure.
Her father opened his mouth to add some more unhappy thoughts to Lera's brain when there was knock on the door. Her father looked at her and said " I will leave you to think" he said and without another word, he left the room.
Lera walked to the door and opened it. In the hall outside her room stood three women. Two of them looked about the same age, one of them had flaming red hair and the other had shiney coal black hair. The third one,was the youngest, by about fourteen year, and looked roughly seven years older than Lera, she had short hair and looked rather fit, and stocky, she was the tallest. They were all dressed in plain breeched and and shirts. Lera invited them in. Letting her guests sit on the bed, she sat in the chair opposite from them. The youngest one had brought a grey blanket. She plopped it down onto the bed at looked at Lera "It is really itchy" she said looking disgusted, a gleam of humour was shining in her eyes. Lera decided that she liked them.
The bright haired woman, out streched her hand and said " I'm Alanna, nice to meet you"
Lera gasped and feebly shook Alanna's hand. She looked at the young girl and said in shock "I just shook, the king's chapion's hand".
The girl smiled at Lera and said " Welcome to Corus I'm Keladry of Mindelan, Please don't call me that, I hate it, call me Kel" she looked at Alanna and said " Alanna, really, you are a ledgend, you cant just barge in on a girl and pretend it's funny when she is utter shock at meeting you. As specially a girl to be a knight"
Lera was just sitting, in wonder staring at the wall. She barely realised that they were talking. "Hmmmmmmm" Lera said, " Who are you?" she asked " the queen?" she said, not sarcastically.
The dark haired woman smiled and said " Yup, but not when I don't have to be". Alanna looked at her. " That was what you told Daine" she said.
"Who told me what?" came a warm voice from the door. In strode a fair haired woman, slightly younger that Alanna, but older than Kel.
Lera just stared, looking back and forth between the Queen of all of Tortall, and the young woman who posesed the power to talk to and turn into animals.
The queen looked at Lera and said " Please don't go all formal on me, call me Thayet, please" she seemed to really want Lera not to be form al, so indeed, Lera replied "Okay" though she did seem rather unbelievable in shock. There were four really famous people in her bedroom, all of who wanted to be her friends. A commander, Kel, a Queen, a champion and a Wild mage. This is incredible, she thought.
She only half listened to the queen tell Daine that she had just told Lera the very same thing that she told Daine. Lera jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
It was Kel. "Hi" Lera mumbled.
"Look" she said "If you need any help, I will be here, I can help you." Kel smiled at Lera.
"Thanks" Lera replied, dumbfounded. "Tomorrow, tou need to get fitted for clothes and" she said glancing at Lera's hip length hair "your hair will need to be cut.
That night, Lera fell asleep, holding onto her hair, and in utter ectasy.
The next Morning, Lera woke, feeling fresh. Opening her blue eyes, she looked around the room. Her dream had come true, Today she would be off, to knight school. Opening the door to the hallway, she nipped down stairs in her nightgown to ask from a bath in her room.
Once she was reclined in a hot bath, she washed off all of the grit and dirt from her body, that she had collected on the way here. Climbing out of the hot water resenfully, she dressed into a long blue dress. Less formal than the white one.
Opening the door, she found a short blond hair child, who looked no more that three standing there. Her huge green eyes looked up at Lera with awe. " The-The Queen" she said eagerly "Gave me this" she held up a silver coin "If I would come up and get you" she said happily. Smiling at the girl, she walked out into the hallway, locking the door behind her.
Tunring around, she saw her father heading down the steps. Running to catch up to him, she let him escort her to the dining room, where she left with Alanna, the queen, Kel and Daine to go get her ready. She wondered why it took four people to help her. And when she asked, they said for support and comfort.
She had a fun walk to the barber shop, were Alanna had to force fully shove her into a chair annd tie her down, trying to convince her that it was for the best "Hair is the first thing men grab in a fight" she said "They are such sissies" she said smiling.
Lera closed her eyes tightly. She felt s pair of sharp scissors cut of the mogority of her long braid. Her hair fell, uncirclingher head in short soft locks of straight hair. The Barber slowly cut some hair to make it look neat, and proper. "Done" he said when he had cut the last bit of hair from her face.
She snuck open one eye, but soon they were both open wide. She looked into the mirror, a tall, thin brown haired girl stared back at her. The "little longer than chin length" haircut framed her high cheek bones nicely. She turned her head left them right. Wirling around, she smiled at the others. They all hade their mouths open. Lera blushed, "How does it look?" she asked.
Alanna was first to answer "You look, lets just say that no one will EVER tease you about being ugly". Thayet looket at her " You look great" she said smiling. Kell and Daine said at the same time, "Perfect" the whole group giggled, much to the barbers annoyment.
Walking down the path to the outfiters, Alanna told them all about how she was so nervous when she went to get out fitted. She had, of course been discuised as a boy.
Enteringa musty room, Lera peered through the dimly lit dust. Seeing a man crouched in the corner, she sttod and waited. After a moment the man walked over, his many chins jiggling with his every step. Despite his enourmous amount of chins, he was quite greasy and frail looking.
He glared at her. "Women" Lera thought she heard him mumble "Trying to take over men's work"
He grabbed her upper arm and barked "Stand straight".
Immediately Lera's back cinched up and she stood, almost as tall as the man. He barked a few numbers at his assistant, who camemout of the back room with six sets of clothing and three pairs of boots. Looking at Lera, he barked "You rip em, you mend em' don't let me see you for a while" then shooed her out the door.
As they walked down the path to the palace, Lera's knees began to quiver. She dropped one shoe. Not noticing it.
After a few minutes, Lera felt a tap on her shoulder. Glancing back, she saw the outfiters assistant standing there. In the light, he looked no more than two years her senior. "You dropped a shoe" he said looking Lera in the eyes.
She saw a twinkle of mischefneous there.
" Im Daron" he said offeringher a hand. She smiled "Lera of Sharta" she said evenly.
"I'll look forward to seeing you around" he said smiling, then before she could answer, he darted out of sight.
Lera ran to catch up to the others, as they entered the palace gate.
Please read and replie to my fanfic, it is my first Tamora pierce one and I want to know how you like it, Should I continue?????
Lera was kneeling in front of her mother, hands in a praying position begging. Her little voice rang, through out the silent room. "Please, Mother, Let me try!" Her Mother looked at her sternly and said in a harsh voice " Leralinda-Quirana of Sharta, don't kneel, proper ladies don't do that, get up!"
Lera stood, her plain white dress falling down to her ankles.
"I don't Want to be lady, Mother, I want to be knight, Like lady Alanna and Keladry!" she pleaded.
"Do not mention those disturbing women in this house" her mother practically roared " They are not proper, they are not real ladies so do not call them that"
Lera was practically crying, she never cried. She was as tough as any boy she knew. In fact several of the boys in the village were scared of her.
Lera had long brown hair the was braided in a plait that fell past her hips. Her crystal blue eyes were soft and beautiful. She was skinny, and had, what her mother called "figure".
She wished with all of her might that she was ugly. She was the prettiest out of her Mother's seven daughters.
"Mother, you cannot possibly stop me from doing what I want to do. I will go to Knight school and you cannot stop me" Lera glared at her sisters, who were all "tsk-ing" her ceaslessly.
Her mother frowned and said coldly "We will see what your Father says" and strode out of the room. Lera smiled at her retreating back. I would go to knight school. I am my father's favourite. Possibly because I am basically the son he never got, and Im spunky, as he calls it. He would let me do what ever I wanted, she thought, Victoriously.
~
After much debate at the Sharta House, Lera and her father set out to Corus.
Lera was upon the back of her Black Mare, Faithful. Faithful was named after Lady Alanna's black cat, who was killed by Josianne of the Copper Islands.
The ride to Corus was un-eventful, and engoyable. Lera and her Father stopped to stay at an inn called the prancing pony. It was crowded, and a man was sticking an arrow through his own arm as A lady led Lera and Her father to their rooms.
When Lera entered the room, she looked around. Her father's room was beside hers, joined by a closed wooden door.
There was a small one person bed, covered with a white sheet, sitting in the corner of the room.
Lera ran across the carpeted room to the open window. She stood looking out at the palace, for a long time. Soon she would be a page at that place.
A knock on the connected door, jolted her back into reality. She walked over and opened it. It revealed her, solemn looking, father. He walked over to her bed and sat down, immediately standing again. He began. Lera followed him edgily and sat down on the bed.
Smoothing her travel worn white dress, she asked in a small, nervous voice " Father, what is it?"
Her father stopped pacing and sat down. Minutes ticked by and they sat in silence, Lera sitting and watching her father anxiously, her father was staring of into space, thinking hard.
After what seemed like an eternity, Her father spoke "Lera, you are my favourite daughter and I want you to be happy no matter what. Do you understand that I love you very much?" After seeing her nod, he continued " I want you to think really hard about this. Do you really want to be a knight?" Lera cut him off " Of course I do Father, Why would I be here if I- " Her father silenced her by putting his hand up. " You will be on your own for eight years, without your Mother or me to help you through rough times. You will be the only girl among hundreds of boys, and you might be, well, you know, tempted to…" he blushed, so did Lera. " Father, Mother already talked to me about that" she said, her face extremely red.
Her father sighed, "Good" he said. " You need to think about this. Hard. Okay? You will be working hard, you will be bruised and cut and you will tear muscles, this is no fantasy, it is real." Her father said, looking at her squarely.
She hadn't thought of the injuries that she would get, only about the evil people who she would injure.
Her father opened his mouth to add some more unhappy thoughts to Lera's brain when there was knock on the door. Her father looked at her and said " I will leave you to think" he said and without another word, he left the room.
Lera walked to the door and opened it. In the hall outside her room stood three women. Two of them looked about the same age, one of them had flaming red hair and the other had shiney coal black hair. The third one,was the youngest, by about fourteen year, and looked roughly seven years older than Lera, she had short hair and looked rather fit, and stocky, she was the tallest. They were all dressed in plain breeched and and shirts. Lera invited them in. Letting her guests sit on the bed, she sat in the chair opposite from them. The youngest one had brought a grey blanket. She plopped it down onto the bed at looked at Lera "It is really itchy" she said looking disgusted, a gleam of humour was shining in her eyes. Lera decided that she liked them.
The bright haired woman, out streched her hand and said " I'm Alanna, nice to meet you"
Lera gasped and feebly shook Alanna's hand. She looked at the young girl and said in shock "I just shook, the king's chapion's hand".
The girl smiled at Lera and said " Welcome to Corus I'm Keladry of Mindelan, Please don't call me that, I hate it, call me Kel" she looked at Alanna and said " Alanna, really, you are a ledgend, you cant just barge in on a girl and pretend it's funny when she is utter shock at meeting you. As specially a girl to be a knight"
Lera was just sitting, in wonder staring at the wall. She barely realised that they were talking. "Hmmmmmmm" Lera said, " Who are you?" she asked " the queen?" she said, not sarcastically.
The dark haired woman smiled and said " Yup, but not when I don't have to be". Alanna looked at her. " That was what you told Daine" she said.
"Who told me what?" came a warm voice from the door. In strode a fair haired woman, slightly younger that Alanna, but older than Kel.
Lera just stared, looking back and forth between the Queen of all of Tortall, and the young woman who posesed the power to talk to and turn into animals.
The queen looked at Lera and said " Please don't go all formal on me, call me Thayet, please" she seemed to really want Lera not to be form al, so indeed, Lera replied "Okay" though she did seem rather unbelievable in shock. There were four really famous people in her bedroom, all of who wanted to be her friends. A commander, Kel, a Queen, a champion and a Wild mage. This is incredible, she thought.
She only half listened to the queen tell Daine that she had just told Lera the very same thing that she told Daine. Lera jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
It was Kel. "Hi" Lera mumbled.
"Look" she said "If you need any help, I will be here, I can help you." Kel smiled at Lera.
"Thanks" Lera replied, dumbfounded. "Tomorrow, tou need to get fitted for clothes and" she said glancing at Lera's hip length hair "your hair will need to be cut.
That night, Lera fell asleep, holding onto her hair, and in utter ectasy.
The next Morning, Lera woke, feeling fresh. Opening her blue eyes, she looked around the room. Her dream had come true, Today she would be off, to knight school. Opening the door to the hallway, she nipped down stairs in her nightgown to ask from a bath in her room.
Once she was reclined in a hot bath, she washed off all of the grit and dirt from her body, that she had collected on the way here. Climbing out of the hot water resenfully, she dressed into a long blue dress. Less formal than the white one.
Opening the door, she found a short blond hair child, who looked no more that three standing there. Her huge green eyes looked up at Lera with awe. " The-The Queen" she said eagerly "Gave me this" she held up a silver coin "If I would come up and get you" she said happily. Smiling at the girl, she walked out into the hallway, locking the door behind her.
Tunring around, she saw her father heading down the steps. Running to catch up to him, she let him escort her to the dining room, where she left with Alanna, the queen, Kel and Daine to go get her ready. She wondered why it took four people to help her. And when she asked, they said for support and comfort.
She had a fun walk to the barber shop, were Alanna had to force fully shove her into a chair annd tie her down, trying to convince her that it was for the best "Hair is the first thing men grab in a fight" she said "They are such sissies" she said smiling.
Lera closed her eyes tightly. She felt s pair of sharp scissors cut of the mogority of her long braid. Her hair fell, uncirclingher head in short soft locks of straight hair. The Barber slowly cut some hair to make it look neat, and proper. "Done" he said when he had cut the last bit of hair from her face.
She snuck open one eye, but soon they were both open wide. She looked into the mirror, a tall, thin brown haired girl stared back at her. The "little longer than chin length" haircut framed her high cheek bones nicely. She turned her head left them right. Wirling around, she smiled at the others. They all hade their mouths open. Lera blushed, "How does it look?" she asked.
Alanna was first to answer "You look, lets just say that no one will EVER tease you about being ugly". Thayet looket at her " You look great" she said smiling. Kell and Daine said at the same time, "Perfect" the whole group giggled, much to the barbers annoyment.
Walking down the path to the outfiters, Alanna told them all about how she was so nervous when she went to get out fitted. She had, of course been discuised as a boy.
Enteringa musty room, Lera peered through the dimly lit dust. Seeing a man crouched in the corner, she sttod and waited. After a moment the man walked over, his many chins jiggling with his every step. Despite his enourmous amount of chins, he was quite greasy and frail looking.
He glared at her. "Women" Lera thought she heard him mumble "Trying to take over men's work"
He grabbed her upper arm and barked "Stand straight".
Immediately Lera's back cinched up and she stood, almost as tall as the man. He barked a few numbers at his assistant, who camemout of the back room with six sets of clothing and three pairs of boots. Looking at Lera, he barked "You rip em, you mend em' don't let me see you for a while" then shooed her out the door.
As they walked down the path to the palace, Lera's knees began to quiver. She dropped one shoe. Not noticing it.
After a few minutes, Lera felt a tap on her shoulder. Glancing back, she saw the outfiters assistant standing there. In the light, he looked no more than two years her senior. "You dropped a shoe" he said looking Lera in the eyes.
She saw a twinkle of mischefneous there.
" Im Daron" he said offeringher a hand. She smiled "Lera of Sharta" she said evenly.
"I'll look forward to seeing you around" he said smiling, then before she could answer, he darted out of sight.
Lera ran to catch up to the others, as they entered the palace gate.
Please read and replie to my fanfic, it is my first Tamora pierce one and I want to know how you like it, Should I continue?????