(A/N:
Everything you don't recognize belongs to Tamora Pierce. This story won't get
really very romantic until a couple chapters later.)
Prologue:
Lady
Nadia of Willowmeadow, daughter of Count Jamison and Countess Esperanza of
Willowmeadow, niece of Sir Raoul of Golden Lake, sister of Duchess Samantha of
Summerside, had loved music since the day she was born. As far back as any
servant or family member could remember, Nadia had always had an instrument in
her hand, trying to play it. By the time she was five, Nadia could play the
piano, piano forte, harpsichord, flute, clarinet, trumpet, Carthaki ukulele,
Gallan Guitar, and piccolo. She sang to as many sheets of music she could get
her hands on Her knowledge of instruments and her ability to play and sing grew
in leaps and bounds. Every once in a while something strange would happen when
she was playing an instrument- a chair would levitate, a breeze on a still
summer day would blow through, but nobody seemed to notice. They all loved her
playing so much.
However, as Nadia grew older, her
obsession with music posed a problem. By the time she was eleven, she was
supposed to go away to a convent, to become a proper young lady. Her parents
worried that Nadia wouldn't be able to play and sing enough, as it was
considered "imprudent" to spend to much time on one subject- young ladies were
supposed to be "well-rounded. So Nadia's parents hired a governess, so that
their daughter could be given the freedom she wanted and get the training she
needed.
There was one tradition though, one
rule, that the Jamison and Esperanza would not back down on. They firmly
believed that when a girl reached sixteen years of age, she would be introduced
at court and stay there until she found a husband.
Our story starts a few months after
Nadia's sixteenth birthday….
* * *
Nadia sat curled up under a dusty
tapestry in the manor's attic, clutching her piccolo. Over her dead body would she ever, EVER go to the palace to find
a husband. Her parents had been lucky enough
to grow up near each other's fiefs and fall in love, and her sister Samantha had
been extremely fortunate to find herself a very loving husband (who she loved
in return), Sir Logan of Summerside. These court marriages were all good and well, but Nadia had seen enough
marriages-gone-wrong to last her a lifetime. Nadia refused to but herself in
that sort of trap.
So here she was, hiding from her
parents and servants who wanted to put her in a carriage and send her away to
be poked and proded and flirted with by young lords, knights, dukes, and counts
looking for a bride. She also didn't want to go to court because she knew that
she wouldn't be allowed to play and sing as much, simply because she was a
noblewoman who was expected to flirt back with all the gentlemen. Nadia really
hadn't thought on what she would do later on when she needed to eat, and she
certainly couldn't live under a tapestry all her life, but at this point Nadia
didn't care if she had to.
"Nadia, Nadia child were are you! Really,
this is very foolish! Please come out now girl, you know we'll find ye sooner
or later!" It was Nadia's governess, Tessa, calling for her, trying to find her
in the attic. Of course, her words were in vain- even if they did find her,
Nadia preferred later to sooner.
After a few moments, Tessa retreated
back down the stairs. For another half hour, the young musician stayed in the loft,
breathing in the dust filled air. All of the sudden, a sudden tugging came at
her ankles, though nobody else was in the upper floor. Nadia used some very
vivid words (which I have censored). It was obvious now that her parents had
wanted her to go to the place, for they must have gone into town to find a mage
to summon her, whether she wanted to be summoned or not. The mage's invisible power
dragged her down five flights of stairs in the manor, and pulled her into her
room. There the mage's power released
her, but the damage was already done. Tessa, Countess Esperanza, and three
other maids swooped down upon her, forcing her to bathe, and making her get
into a horribly lady-like dress (she hated getting dressed up) then pinning up
her strawberry blonde hair in a horsetail consisting of a mass of ringlets.
Shortly after her hair and makeup
was done, the Count and Countess kissed their daughter goodbye and sent her
into a carriage with Tessa, who would be staying with her while she was at the
castle. Tessa used the little bit of gift she had to lock the carriage door,
ensuring that Nadia wouldn't be able to get away. The carriage soon began to roll, and Nadia tried not to cry as
she watched fief Willowmeadow, her home, fade out of sight.
* * *
Keladry, Neal, and the others lay on
their stomachs, on top of a tall hill (gradually sloping so Kel wouldn't get
sick) overlooking the palace entrance gates. The reason they were doing so was
that they had heard of Lady Nadia, a niece of Sir Raoul's. Normally, young
ladies arrived a week before hand, during a week called "Spring Fever." It was
rather sick to have the castle invaded by giggling, flirtatious young girls.
This one sparked their interest. It was said that she didn't want to come, and
had fought her parents tooth and nail about looking for a husband, making her a
week late. Kel was interested- the girl may not have asked to be a knight, but
she obviously didn't like the common noblewoman life.
After waiting impatiently for five
minutes, a carriage rolled up through the city doors. It came to an abrupt halt
at the front of the palace. The door was opened by a footman, and out stepped a
very beautiful young lady. She had red-blonde hair, a light copper color,
and appeared small and dainty, nothing out of the ordiary. Her dress was sky
blue, and she wore earrings and a pearl necklace. Kel was getting disappointed.
Maybe the rumors weren't true- this one appeared to be just like every other
lady they had seen the previous week. Suddenly the girl turned her head
sharply, and spotted them easily, even though the squires had thought they were
well concealed in the tall grass. She glared up at them with startling
aquamarine eyes, a bright mixture of blue and green. Her gaze was filled with
anger and fear and sadness. A chill ran up Kel's spine. She realized now the
trap that she had escaped- it was the one this girl was walking into.
* * *
Daine was on the castle wall;
setting a seagull she had just healed free. Daine watched it fly for a minute,
until she her a slight creaking sound- the palace doors, the one's used by
visiting royalty and noble family's was being open. Looking down, she saw a
carriage and easily guessed its occupant. She had heard that Sir Raoul's sister
and brother-in-law were having trouble getting youngest daughter off to the
palace. Daine chuckled to herself; for once she was happy that she was of no
noble descent (unless you count having to lesser gods as parents). She continued
to peer over the edge of the wall, deciding to find out was the much talked
about Lady of Willowmeadow looked like. As a teenage girl walked out of the coach,
Daine's eyes were hit with a blinding light. Shielding her eyes for a moment,
Daine looked back down again, ready for another blaze. She saw the girl was
coated with a silver light.
"Odds bobs, what's that?" she
thought. "I'm only supposed to see wild magic, not the gift. Though I don't
remember hearing that she had a gift in the first place!"
Daine turned her heel and began to
jog down the wall; obviously this would need to be brought to Numair's
attention, if she was seeing people with the gift. Right as she was about to
hop down the stairs, she heard a cry for help. A cat had somehow broken her
paw, and was unable to move. Daine quickly ran over to help her friend. Telling
Numair would have to wait.
* * *
"And these, yer ladyship, are you
new rooms," said a servant, not much older that fifteen, to Nadia. She opened
the door to a spacious sitting room, which adjoined to two bedrooms, a
lavatory, and, to Nadia's delight, a room filled with instruments and music.
Noticing her gaze, the servant added, "Your uncle said that you have a liking
for the musical arts, and had the extra room made up for you." Nadia smiled. It
was like Sir Raoul to do something like that, he had always sat through her miniature
recitals when he came to visit. "He also said that he would be introducing ye
into court tomorrow night, so, and I'm just a quoting this yer ladyship, ye
should be on your best of behaviors," the servant continued. Nadia's smile
faded instantly. She had hoped it wouldn't be so soon.
"You better be leaving now, I think
that Lady Nadia will be needing a little time to herself," Tessa whispered to
the servant girl, who bowed and left. Smiling at Nadia Tessa suggested, "I'll by putting away our
belongings, why don't you go see how those instruments sound?" Nadia smiled.
Even if Tessa was on her parent's side, at least she wouldn't try to deprive
her of her music.
Nadia walked into the music room,
and flopped onto the couch in it with a small frown. She knew it was going to
be a very long week….
* * *
(A/N: Well, that's
the first chapter, I hope everybody enjoyed it. Please review, say how you
liked it, and leave suggestions, CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISISM
ONLY! I'll try to pop the
next chapter out soon.)