DISCLAIMER: obviously, anyone you recognise is not mine. They belong to
Tamora Pierce. I know this idea has been done to death, but I don't care -
I'll do my own version!
CHAPTER ONE: A New Life
31st June, 475 HE
36th year of the reign of Jonathan IV and Thayet, his queen
Fief Queenscove
"Papa, Mama, may I speak to you about something?" the young, dark-haired girl asked her parents.
"Yes, of course, Bella. What is it?" the handsome man in front of the girl answered.
"I want to be a page this year," Bella said nervously. Her parents looked at each other and then at Bella, as if they had been expecting this day.
"Bella, my love, you that that being a page is hard, hard work," Bella's mother commented.
"Yes, Mama, I know. I have thought about it for a long time, I have started working up my strength and my stamina and I've been practising my archery and glaive work. I want to be a Lady Knight, just like Aunt Kel and the Lioness," came the determined reply.
Bella's parents looked at their young daughter. Ten years old, she was built strongly, not tall, but muscular. She had inherited both of her parents' good looks - her mother's pale, creamy skin and her father's emerald green eyes. Her mother and father could see the determination in Bella's eyes, in the very lift of her chin.
"You may go, then, Bella," her father consented.
Bella rushed to kiss her parent in thanks. She ran from the room to relate the good news to her younger brother and sister.
Sir Nealan of Queenscove (better known as Neal) looked at his wife, Lady Yukimi (Yuki) and without saying the words, they both knew that they had done the right thing.
* * *
30th August 475 HE
Fief Queenscove - The Royal Palace in Corus
Bella took one last look around her bedroom. She would not see it for another year. She touched her bed, her desk and her wooden chest sadly and then turned abruptly, as though afraid that she might cry if she lingered any longer.
The ride to Corus took just over a day. Sir Neal had travelled with his daughter and now presented her to Lord Padraig haMinch, the training master.
"Girl, you know what we expect of pages. It's not easy labour, becoming a knight," Lord Padraig warned.
"Yessir, I know."
"Don't expect any leniency on account of you being a girl. That's not how Ladies Keladry and Fionala earned her shield - it was pure hard work."
"Yessir. I'll work hard, sir," Bella promised.
"Very well then. I'll have Aleesay conduct you to your room," Padraig dismissed her.
Outside waiting with Neal was a slim, fine-boned young woman, her fair hair held back in a bun, revealing chocolate-brown eyes.
"My name is Aleesay, my lady. I am to show you to your room after you have farewelled your father," she spoke in a lilting voice.
"How do you do, Aleesay. Papa, do not worry about me. Safe journey home; I shall be taller when I next see you, hopefully!" Bella quipped as she embraced her father.
Neal kissed his daughter's forehead and both of her cheeks.
"Bella, make us proud. I know you will be a fine page. Gods all bless, dear."
Then he left swiftly, afraid to let anyone see the tear in his eye at leaving his eldest daughter to a castle full of boys.
* * *
Bella thought her room was quite charming. It was partitioned into three sections: a bedchamber, a dressing room and a privy, all spacious enough for a small girl training to be a knight.
Aleesay informed her that she should get ready for supper, which would be within the hour. Bella would have to wait outside her door until an older page offered to sponsor her.
Bella washed quickly, just a sponge bath. She dressed informally, in breeches and a shirt, and pulled her silky dark hair into a low knot. When she heard a loud bell booming through the halls, Bella took this as her cue to stand outside her room and wait to be sponsored.
All around her, doors were opening and boys were laughing and chattering at the tops of their lungs. Lord Padraig haMinch came along the corridor, older pages clustered around him. He stood in front of a tall boy and ordered, "Your name and your family's holding."
"Blayne of Goldsridge, sir," the boy said in a loud, confident voice.
"Who will sponsor Blayne of Goldsridge?" Padraig asked the boys behind him.
"I will," came the answer. Bella saw a short, stocky boy of about 12 come forward to stand beside Blayne.
"Thank you Edmond of Artswain," Padraig replied and moved on to the boy next to Bella.
"Alan of Pirate's Swoop and Olau, sir," the short red-head gave his name. A whisper went up through the crowd and Bella realised that this boy must be a grandson of the Lioness!
"I will sponsor Alan." Bella was surprised to hear a female voice speak up this time.
"Ilane of Masbolle, I had hoped you would take on our new girl, but.perhaps it is better this way," Padraig consented. Bella grinned at her cousin, the daughter of Lady Kel and Sergeant Dom, her father's cousin.
Lord Padraig was now in front of Bella, instructing her to give her name.
"Isabella of Queenscove, sir," Bella could hear her voice shaking. What if nobody would sponsor her? There was a long silence in which Bella thought to herself, He'll say I have to go home, because no-one will sponsor me.
"I will sponsor Bella, sir," a familiar, strong, male voice announced. Bella smiled as she saw Prince Jonathan come forward, her brother Baird's best friend. She mouthed "Thank you" to Jon as Padraig hesitated and then agreed.
Arram SalmalĂn, the son of Numair and Daine, was sponsored by Mark of Hollyrose. Prince Jasson, Jon's younger brother, was sponsored in turn by Bella's older brother Baird.
With these formalities over, everyone went down to supper, grateful to eat at last.
* * *
So, what do you think? Like I said, the whole daughter/son of Neal & Yuki/Kel & Dom/Roald & Shinko has been done to death, but I really felt like doing this.
If you want a list of all the characters and their parents/sisters & brothers, please say so by sending me a review with your email address in it & I'll get back to you ASAP.
Thanks!
VR
CHAPTER ONE: A New Life
31st June, 475 HE
36th year of the reign of Jonathan IV and Thayet, his queen
Fief Queenscove
"Papa, Mama, may I speak to you about something?" the young, dark-haired girl asked her parents.
"Yes, of course, Bella. What is it?" the handsome man in front of the girl answered.
"I want to be a page this year," Bella said nervously. Her parents looked at each other and then at Bella, as if they had been expecting this day.
"Bella, my love, you that that being a page is hard, hard work," Bella's mother commented.
"Yes, Mama, I know. I have thought about it for a long time, I have started working up my strength and my stamina and I've been practising my archery and glaive work. I want to be a Lady Knight, just like Aunt Kel and the Lioness," came the determined reply.
Bella's parents looked at their young daughter. Ten years old, she was built strongly, not tall, but muscular. She had inherited both of her parents' good looks - her mother's pale, creamy skin and her father's emerald green eyes. Her mother and father could see the determination in Bella's eyes, in the very lift of her chin.
"You may go, then, Bella," her father consented.
Bella rushed to kiss her parent in thanks. She ran from the room to relate the good news to her younger brother and sister.
Sir Nealan of Queenscove (better known as Neal) looked at his wife, Lady Yukimi (Yuki) and without saying the words, they both knew that they had done the right thing.
* * *
30th August 475 HE
Fief Queenscove - The Royal Palace in Corus
Bella took one last look around her bedroom. She would not see it for another year. She touched her bed, her desk and her wooden chest sadly and then turned abruptly, as though afraid that she might cry if she lingered any longer.
The ride to Corus took just over a day. Sir Neal had travelled with his daughter and now presented her to Lord Padraig haMinch, the training master.
"Girl, you know what we expect of pages. It's not easy labour, becoming a knight," Lord Padraig warned.
"Yessir, I know."
"Don't expect any leniency on account of you being a girl. That's not how Ladies Keladry and Fionala earned her shield - it was pure hard work."
"Yessir. I'll work hard, sir," Bella promised.
"Very well then. I'll have Aleesay conduct you to your room," Padraig dismissed her.
Outside waiting with Neal was a slim, fine-boned young woman, her fair hair held back in a bun, revealing chocolate-brown eyes.
"My name is Aleesay, my lady. I am to show you to your room after you have farewelled your father," she spoke in a lilting voice.
"How do you do, Aleesay. Papa, do not worry about me. Safe journey home; I shall be taller when I next see you, hopefully!" Bella quipped as she embraced her father.
Neal kissed his daughter's forehead and both of her cheeks.
"Bella, make us proud. I know you will be a fine page. Gods all bless, dear."
Then he left swiftly, afraid to let anyone see the tear in his eye at leaving his eldest daughter to a castle full of boys.
* * *
Bella thought her room was quite charming. It was partitioned into three sections: a bedchamber, a dressing room and a privy, all spacious enough for a small girl training to be a knight.
Aleesay informed her that she should get ready for supper, which would be within the hour. Bella would have to wait outside her door until an older page offered to sponsor her.
Bella washed quickly, just a sponge bath. She dressed informally, in breeches and a shirt, and pulled her silky dark hair into a low knot. When she heard a loud bell booming through the halls, Bella took this as her cue to stand outside her room and wait to be sponsored.
All around her, doors were opening and boys were laughing and chattering at the tops of their lungs. Lord Padraig haMinch came along the corridor, older pages clustered around him. He stood in front of a tall boy and ordered, "Your name and your family's holding."
"Blayne of Goldsridge, sir," the boy said in a loud, confident voice.
"Who will sponsor Blayne of Goldsridge?" Padraig asked the boys behind him.
"I will," came the answer. Bella saw a short, stocky boy of about 12 come forward to stand beside Blayne.
"Thank you Edmond of Artswain," Padraig replied and moved on to the boy next to Bella.
"Alan of Pirate's Swoop and Olau, sir," the short red-head gave his name. A whisper went up through the crowd and Bella realised that this boy must be a grandson of the Lioness!
"I will sponsor Alan." Bella was surprised to hear a female voice speak up this time.
"Ilane of Masbolle, I had hoped you would take on our new girl, but.perhaps it is better this way," Padraig consented. Bella grinned at her cousin, the daughter of Lady Kel and Sergeant Dom, her father's cousin.
Lord Padraig was now in front of Bella, instructing her to give her name.
"Isabella of Queenscove, sir," Bella could hear her voice shaking. What if nobody would sponsor her? There was a long silence in which Bella thought to herself, He'll say I have to go home, because no-one will sponsor me.
"I will sponsor Bella, sir," a familiar, strong, male voice announced. Bella smiled as she saw Prince Jonathan come forward, her brother Baird's best friend. She mouthed "Thank you" to Jon as Padraig hesitated and then agreed.
Arram SalmalĂn, the son of Numair and Daine, was sponsored by Mark of Hollyrose. Prince Jasson, Jon's younger brother, was sponsored in turn by Bella's older brother Baird.
With these formalities over, everyone went down to supper, grateful to eat at last.
* * *
So, what do you think? Like I said, the whole daughter/son of Neal & Yuki/Kel & Dom/Roald & Shinko has been done to death, but I really felt like doing this.
If you want a list of all the characters and their parents/sisters & brothers, please say so by sending me a review with your email address in it & I'll get back to you ASAP.
Thanks!
VR
