A/n: this is an "Alanna goes to the convent fic". These kinds are my favorite. If you know of a good one could you tell me the title or the author in a review, that is if you review. This is my first fic so don't be too hard on me. (I don't mean in your reviews, I love flames.)

A/n: please forgive my spelling.

Disclaimer: I only own my original ideas, everything else came from Tammy or someone else's fic :-)

The Purple Dress

Chapter 1: Trebond

"That is my decision. We need not discuss it," said the man at the desk. He was already looking as a book. His two children left the room, closing the door behind them.

"He doesn't want us around," the muttered. "He doesn't care what we want."

" We know that," was the girl's answer. "He doesn't care about anything, except his books and scrolls."

The boy hit the wall. "I don't want to be a knight! I want to be a sorcerer! I want to slay demons and walk with the gods—"

"D'you think I want to be a lady?" his sister asked. "'Walk slowly, Alanna,'" she said primly. "'Sit still, Alanna. Shoulders back, Alanna.' As if that's all I can do with myself!" She paced the floor. "There has to be another way."

The boy watched the girl. Thom and Alanna of Trebond were twins, both with red hair and purple eyes. The only difference between them—as far as most people could tell—was the length of their hair. In face and body shape, dressed alike, they would have looked alike.

"Face it," Thom told Alanna. "Tomorrow you leave for the convent, and I go to the palace. That's it."

"Why do you get all the fun?" she complained. "I'll have to learn sewing and dancing. You'll study tilting, fencing—"

"D'you think I like that stuff?" he yelled. "I hate falling down and whacking at things! You're the one who likes it, not me!"

She grinned. "You should've been Alanna. They always teach the girls magic-—"The thought hit her so suddenly that she gasped. "Thom. That's it!"

From the look on her face, Thom knew his sister had just come up with yet another crazy idea. "What's it?" he asked suspiciously.

Alanna looked around and checked the hall for servants. "Tomorrow he gives us the letters for the man who trains the pages and the people at the convent. You can imitate his writing, so you can do new letters, saying we're twin boys. You can go to the convent. Say in the letter that you're to be a sorcerer. The Daughters of the Goddess are the ones who train young boys in magic, remember? When you're older, they'll send you to the priests. And I'll go to the palace and learn to be a knight!"

Suddenly a noise startled them. They turned around, both open mouthed at their father standing there angrier then they had ever seen him. His mouth opened and closed several times before he could get out, "G-Go to your own rooms, Right Now!"

Both children still just staring ran to their own rooms.

The girl, Alanna, thinking, 'There goes my chance to be a warrior maiden. I hate my father.'

The boy, Thom, thinking, 'At least now Alanna isn't mad at me, I didn't even get a chance to tell Alanna her plan would never work and was stupid.'