Disclaimer: Tortall belongs to Tamora Pierce

Here's a brief summary of Kalasin's Guard for those who need a refresher, also a teaser for this was published at the end of it--you don't need to read it, but I think it's kind of fun. Summary: Zenobia is a commoner who is friends with Kally and the two girls I created who were Kally's best friends and companions (Una, Raoul's much younger half-sister, and Cassie, Gary and Cythera's daughter). Zenobia saves Kally from a mage who wants to assassinate her and falls in love with and marries Evin Larse. Her best friend was a boy named Will who was kidnapped by slave traders and taken to Carthak. Zenobia figures this out while in Carthak and gets Kally to find Will and free him, as well as track down other Tortallan's illegally enslaved by Carthakis. Zenobia is a wizz with lots of weapons (and thus a Mary Sue, I know, I know but whatevs, plus there is a somewhat legitimate background to that which is revealed in this story), but prefers to use Sai. She is also a powerful mage, paticularly with weather, and is Sighted, which is connected to her weather magic. Also gorgeous (yes I know really a Mary Sue, but everyone needs a Mary Sue now and then, okay?). If you want to know more, read the story.

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"There's a new Rogue in town," George said.

Immediately, everyone at the table sat up and paid attention, everyone except Zenobia Larse. She simply looked at her fingers.

King Jonathan looked at the girl in amusement. "I take it you already knew, Zenobia."

Zenobia drummed her fingers on the table. "I didn't say that."

"You clearly have an opinion on the matter," he replied.

"About time. That's what I have to say about it. He was a bastard. He destroyed all the good Marek and Ge—others did. The pimps and the slave traders are as bad as they ever were, and he sold off all of the bright stars in the next generation to stop them from overturning his rule. He undermined Marek for the last ten years, killing off or selling to slave traders all his supporters, taking power slowly away and waiting for Marek to get old enough that he could kill him in a knife fight. And I think he had him poisoned first. Anyone who could challenge him disappeared in the night. He broke the Rogue's law over and over. Someone should have taken him out a long time ago."

"Well, this Rogue is certainly different from any we've had in the past." George paused for dramatic effect. "She's a woman."

"So, we have a new Queen of the Rogue?" Raoul said.

"Well, yes, but also a new King. A woman named Emma killed the Rogue and is now King. A woman she was with she has appointed to be Queen. The new Queen is named Klara. They were both slaves in Carthak until Kalasain started her campaign to find all Tortallan's sold into slavey," George replied.

"How old are they?" Jon asked.

"Nineteen, maybe twenty," George replied.

"Let me guess. They were street kids," Jonathan said.

"Yes. They both disappeared around the same time as Will, whose guarding Empress Kalasin these days."

"Zenobia?" Jon said.

"Yes, your majesty," Zenobia said evenly.

Her husband, Commander of the Riders Evin Larse, covered a smile with his hand.

"Do you know anything about these two women who are your age, street kids like you, and who were snatched by slave traders around when slave traders came after you?"

Zenobia looked away. "I have nothing to say on the matter."

"Girl," Lord Wyldon growled. "You are duty bound—"

Jon raised his hand. "It's fine, Wyldon. Zenobia, if you have any information that helps protect this country or its people…"

"I'll speak up," Zenobia said, giving the king a smile.

"What do you know?" Jon said, looking at George.

"Not much. They accused the former king of selling out their whole group to slave traders for being supporters of Marek, apparently he had hoped to win over the younger generation, and when Marek won them over instead, he got rid of them. They brought a lot of people with them. I'm fairly certain that Will was part of that group because a few kids who were street kids their age and then Carthaki slaves have shown up recently and are saying the Empress herself freed them. The closest advisors are all Tortallan, but Tortallans who haven't been around in awhile. This is a total changeover. A needed one too. Things have been bad for awhile down there."

Jon nodded. "Keep us updated. Let us know if we're going to have a problem. Alright that's enough for tonight. Zenobia, will you stay after for a moment?"

Zenobia stayed seated as everyone but Jon filed out.

"Try not to be so obvious when you're keeping things from us. It makes Lord Wyldon cranky," Jon said.

"Emma and Klara were my closest friends besides Will. We kept each other alive," Zenobia said softly. "The rest of the group ran with us. We were twelve when he decided we were a threat. We all supported Marek, and I talked to Emma recently. She'd figured out who he was, and he got rid of her before she could tell Marek, and got rid of the rest of us in case she'd confided in us. He figured out I didn't know when no one came after him when I escaped, so he left me alone. He took eleven of my closest friends away. Eleven. Kally is doing her best, but she still hasn't found them all. Emma will do a good job. Maybe the Lower City can get back on the path it was on before."

"I understand about friends, Z," Jon said. "I know you'll tell me if I need to know something. But we wanted to talk to you about what we'd like you to do now. I know you've only been back a few months and wanted some time with Evin, but an opportunity has presented itself now. I know you were interested in setting up orphanages, and we'd like you to do that, but there's something else that needs to happen, and Roald and I both think you should do it."

Zenobia raised an eyebrow.

"We want you to re-haul the Provost's Guards," Jon continued.

"What?" Zenobia exclaimed.

"You know more than anyone that abuses that the Lower City has suffered because the Guard has fallen apart since the Lord Provost before the one we have now was killed," Jon said gently.

Zenobia closed her eyes, in a flash she was nine and back on the streets, feeling the Guard's hands on her legs and his blood wash over her when she sank her knife into him. Jon put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "The latest Lord Provost is finally stepping down. Appointing him was the worst decision I made in an attempt to make the conservatives happy, and I'm fixing that mistake now. I want to change the entire system, and I want to put you in charge of it. Make it a force that can actually help the Lower City," Jon said. "That doesn't mean you'd have to put your friends in jail. We both know a Rogue is necessary, and I want the force to be much more about protecting the Lower City then it has been."

"Can I think about it?" Zenobia said.

"Of course," Jon replied. "Come talk to me about it before you make a decision, but go home and think it over some first."

Zenobia nodded, slightly dazed and walked out of the room. She made her way quickly to the Rider's barracks and her husband's rooms. When she opened the door to Evin's study, she smiled.

"How is it that your stack of papers always seems to get bigger?" Zenobia said teasingly.

"Because I've been ignoring them to spend time with my lovely wife," Evin replied.

"Oh, this is my fault is it?" Zenobia asked.

"But of course."

"I'll have to make up for it," Zenobia said slyly, slipping her tunic over her head and throwing it with a flourish so it landed on Evin's head. Evin laughed and pulled it off, standing up and moving around the desk quickly. He caught her by the waist and pulled her to him. He kissed her, sliding one hand on her neck and holding her close with his other arm. Zenobia smiled against his lips.

"What did the king want?" Evin asked.

Zenobia sighed and leaned her forehead on Evin's chest. "The King wants me to take over the Provost's Guard."

Evin laughed. "Well, you know you've been bored. It'll be interesting. That's for sure."

"I haven't been bored," Zenobia protested, looking up at him.

Evin gave her an amused smile. "You've been bored since three days after we got married. You think I didn't know? I do appreciate you trying to pretend like I was enough to keep you interested."

"I'm fine when you're here, but when you have to work, I do get bored."

"And I'm going to be working more and more. I really have been slacking on the paperwork, but Buri as much as told me that was fine for awhile. I'm also going to start going out with the Riders again soon. You need something to keep you busy. This seems like a good option to me."

"Everyone hates the guard."

"So change that."

"You act like it's the easiest thing in the world."

"No, it will be hard. Very hard. But it will be good work. But it's up to you. If that's not what you want to do, don't do it. If it is, then do it."

Zenobia smiled and cocked her head. "Why do you always making things seem so simple?" she asked affectionately.

"Things are simple. People always complicate them for no reason."

Zenobia laughed softly. "Your ability to take a cockeyed world and turn it completely upside down is probably what I love most about you."

Evin's protest that he turned the world the correct way was interrupted by Zenobia putting her hand over his mouth and kissing his neck. "Hush you," she whispered. "Let's go let your paperwork pile up some more."

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Are you excited? I sure am.