[Disclaimer. I own only Kerry, Cassie and Laura :) Tamora Pierce, that great genius, has the pleasure of owning the rest :) ]
[A/N: Here it is since you all wanted it so much :) If you read it just post a review even if it just has one word! i appreciate it lots! Several bits sound like Tamoras book but it was hard to write and change.]
"My child," a husky yet soft voice, sounding like the wind blowing through the treetops, and somehow a pack of wolves howling too.
"Er, my lady?" Alanna queried, a part of her memory twitching. She knew that voice.
Alanna picked up the kitten that had been mewing and sat it in her lap. Deciding she needed to know what sex it was, she lifted its leg and checked. Male.
The kitten mewed in protest, but settled back into her lap. It was black, and, looking at the shadow in her lap she saw its eyes were violet. Just like hers.
"Excuse me," Alanna said apologetically, "Can I be of service to you?"
"Ah. My daughter. Things went terribly wrong. Had we been not fighting chaos you should have had my hand on you sooner. I would have kept you in the Palace and made you a knight. But sadly, things were not so."
"Who are you?" Alanna said, voice stiff with emotion. How did this woman know about her ambitions, and her start in training at the palace?
She sighed, a beautiful sigh that somehow breezed through Alanna. She removed her cloak, and hood, revealing herself for Alanna to see.
The woman was tall, with perfectly white skin accented by emerald eyes and red lips. Full red lips. Black, snaky locks of hair wound down onto her shoulders, adding to her beauty.
Alanna gulped hard. The woman looked like, like she'd just fell out of the divine realms, or was a painting come to life.
The woman sat down the opposite side of the fire with grace, raising its height. Alanna blushed. Her fire had been very small.
"There are strange tales of these trees. and those that lie underneath them," The stranger continued, "Its unusual and odd to see a youngling here."
Alanna stroked the kitten nervously, sensing that this should have happened earlier.
"I felt that I should come. So did my, my familys servant. He dreamt of bringing me here. It seemed I was destined to," Alanna said carefully, unnerved by the woman pretty appearance. And, of course, there was the fact that Alana DESPISED surprises.
The woman was smiling gently, looking Alanna over.
"And so, you are a lady. Is this what you wanted?"
"No!" Alanna blurted out, trying not to cry, "I wanted to be a knight! A knight of the realm of Tortall, a heroine, a, a..." Alanna was crying.
She was ashamed, crying in front of some stranger.
"Dont cry, my daughter," she soothed, "things can still change. If you make them."
"How do you know? How can you tell what will and wont change?"
"I am the Great Mother Goddess. Although we know what will happen, there are many choices mortal may take to change the path. The only thing we can do is sit back, and try to guide any important people. People important in the futures course. Which is why I am here."
"Oh," Alanna said, feelings somewhat overshadowed, "But how?"
"Just try. Continue. You can still make it as a warrior, if not a knight. But remember this: never give up," the goddess said, emphasising those last three words.
"But you have fears. 3 fears you cannot acccept," she continued, staring intently at Alanna.
Alanna sat, saying nothing.
The woman continued, "You fear not being able to defend yourself. The inability to fight, and survive. You fear your magic. You are afraid you wont make it as a warrior."
Alanna sat, wondering how the woman knew this, "That may be true but I dont fear any other things."
"You fear a mans touch. Love. Would it be so bad for a man to comfort you, and soothe you?"
"I don't want romance. Love. Its foolish. I need to train, fight, learn! I want to have adventures, not fall in love."
Alanna stared into that unreadable face.
"They'd take a part of me. I want all of me for myself," Alanna added quietly, "Go on then. Whats my 3rd fear? Sorry. I dont mean to sound rude. But, please. Continue."
"Duke Roger of Conté," the woman said softly, to be interrupted by Alanna.
"I've never met him! I don't know who he is yet his very name makes me afraid! Why!?"
"I hate him," Alanna said quietly, "I HATE HIM!!!"
"What will you do about it?" the Goddess wanted to know.
"Watch. Wait. Learn. Nnot that theres anythign I could do. After all the things," Alanna paused. "Thom told me. He's powerful, and, he doesn't like us. I dont know. He's evil. I can feel it. You know already though. We'll see."
Alanna felt weary.
"Very well. Time will end your fear of not being able to fight and defend yourself, as it will end your fear of love. Who knows what could happen?"
"My mind is made up," Alanna replied firmly, trembling slightly. The presence of a goddess was making her feel awed, and unusual.
"If thats what you think," the Goddess said with amusement. Sshe put her hand in the fire and drew out a hot coal. Just one.
"Take this," the Goddess said, offering the coal to Alanna, "My time here must end. Take this from my hand."
Alanna reached out hesitantly. She thought the Goddess was asking a bit much. Trembling, she took in out of Her hand. She almost dropped it in shock. It was cold.
She looked closely and saw that the ember burnt in a sort of shell, and a tiny hole ran through it, just big enough for a pretty little chain to slip through.
"Fighting can be learnt. Duke Roger is only a man, for all he wields sorcery [A/N: That bit came from TPs book] but my daughter. You must learn to love. It will soften the path you walk on. And it is harsh. Much depends on you, my daughter. Do not fail me Alanna of Trebond.
Remembering some manners, Alanna jumped up and curtsied. "I won't."
The woman picked up the kitten, who was mewing around her feet and talked to him. After several minutes of non-stop chat it seemed, in a soft voice."
She offered her hand to Alanna. Alanna kissed it, feeling a jolt of strange energy through her body. "Guard her well, little one," the Mother said to the kitten, went over to stroke moonlight and whisper something and then, with the final words of "Do not stray beyond your fire until your servant, Coram, comes. Take care and farewell," she was gone.
Just then she heard hoofbeats and spun. It was just Coram. He dubbed her fire, and took her back to the palace. He sensed that he should not ask anything about it.
[A/N: Here it is since you all wanted it so much :) If you read it just post a review even if it just has one word! i appreciate it lots! Several bits sound like Tamoras book but it was hard to write and change.]
"My child," a husky yet soft voice, sounding like the wind blowing through the treetops, and somehow a pack of wolves howling too.
"Er, my lady?" Alanna queried, a part of her memory twitching. She knew that voice.
Alanna picked up the kitten that had been mewing and sat it in her lap. Deciding she needed to know what sex it was, she lifted its leg and checked. Male.
The kitten mewed in protest, but settled back into her lap. It was black, and, looking at the shadow in her lap she saw its eyes were violet. Just like hers.
"Excuse me," Alanna said apologetically, "Can I be of service to you?"
"Ah. My daughter. Things went terribly wrong. Had we been not fighting chaos you should have had my hand on you sooner. I would have kept you in the Palace and made you a knight. But sadly, things were not so."
"Who are you?" Alanna said, voice stiff with emotion. How did this woman know about her ambitions, and her start in training at the palace?
She sighed, a beautiful sigh that somehow breezed through Alanna. She removed her cloak, and hood, revealing herself for Alanna to see.
The woman was tall, with perfectly white skin accented by emerald eyes and red lips. Full red lips. Black, snaky locks of hair wound down onto her shoulders, adding to her beauty.
Alanna gulped hard. The woman looked like, like she'd just fell out of the divine realms, or was a painting come to life.
The woman sat down the opposite side of the fire with grace, raising its height. Alanna blushed. Her fire had been very small.
"There are strange tales of these trees. and those that lie underneath them," The stranger continued, "Its unusual and odd to see a youngling here."
Alanna stroked the kitten nervously, sensing that this should have happened earlier.
"I felt that I should come. So did my, my familys servant. He dreamt of bringing me here. It seemed I was destined to," Alanna said carefully, unnerved by the woman pretty appearance. And, of course, there was the fact that Alana DESPISED surprises.
The woman was smiling gently, looking Alanna over.
"And so, you are a lady. Is this what you wanted?"
"No!" Alanna blurted out, trying not to cry, "I wanted to be a knight! A knight of the realm of Tortall, a heroine, a, a..." Alanna was crying.
She was ashamed, crying in front of some stranger.
"Dont cry, my daughter," she soothed, "things can still change. If you make them."
"How do you know? How can you tell what will and wont change?"
"I am the Great Mother Goddess. Although we know what will happen, there are many choices mortal may take to change the path. The only thing we can do is sit back, and try to guide any important people. People important in the futures course. Which is why I am here."
"Oh," Alanna said, feelings somewhat overshadowed, "But how?"
"Just try. Continue. You can still make it as a warrior, if not a knight. But remember this: never give up," the goddess said, emphasising those last three words.
"But you have fears. 3 fears you cannot acccept," she continued, staring intently at Alanna.
Alanna sat, saying nothing.
The woman continued, "You fear not being able to defend yourself. The inability to fight, and survive. You fear your magic. You are afraid you wont make it as a warrior."
Alanna sat, wondering how the woman knew this, "That may be true but I dont fear any other things."
"You fear a mans touch. Love. Would it be so bad for a man to comfort you, and soothe you?"
"I don't want romance. Love. Its foolish. I need to train, fight, learn! I want to have adventures, not fall in love."
Alanna stared into that unreadable face.
"They'd take a part of me. I want all of me for myself," Alanna added quietly, "Go on then. Whats my 3rd fear? Sorry. I dont mean to sound rude. But, please. Continue."
"Duke Roger of Conté," the woman said softly, to be interrupted by Alanna.
"I've never met him! I don't know who he is yet his very name makes me afraid! Why!?"
"I hate him," Alanna said quietly, "I HATE HIM!!!"
"What will you do about it?" the Goddess wanted to know.
"Watch. Wait. Learn. Nnot that theres anythign I could do. After all the things," Alanna paused. "Thom told me. He's powerful, and, he doesn't like us. I dont know. He's evil. I can feel it. You know already though. We'll see."
Alanna felt weary.
"Very well. Time will end your fear of not being able to fight and defend yourself, as it will end your fear of love. Who knows what could happen?"
"My mind is made up," Alanna replied firmly, trembling slightly. The presence of a goddess was making her feel awed, and unusual.
"If thats what you think," the Goddess said with amusement. Sshe put her hand in the fire and drew out a hot coal. Just one.
"Take this," the Goddess said, offering the coal to Alanna, "My time here must end. Take this from my hand."
Alanna reached out hesitantly. She thought the Goddess was asking a bit much. Trembling, she took in out of Her hand. She almost dropped it in shock. It was cold.
She looked closely and saw that the ember burnt in a sort of shell, and a tiny hole ran through it, just big enough for a pretty little chain to slip through.
"Fighting can be learnt. Duke Roger is only a man, for all he wields sorcery [A/N: That bit came from TPs book] but my daughter. You must learn to love. It will soften the path you walk on. And it is harsh. Much depends on you, my daughter. Do not fail me Alanna of Trebond.
Remembering some manners, Alanna jumped up and curtsied. "I won't."
The woman picked up the kitten, who was mewing around her feet and talked to him. After several minutes of non-stop chat it seemed, in a soft voice."
She offered her hand to Alanna. Alanna kissed it, feeling a jolt of strange energy through her body. "Guard her well, little one," the Mother said to the kitten, went over to stroke moonlight and whisper something and then, with the final words of "Do not stray beyond your fire until your servant, Coram, comes. Take care and farewell," she was gone.
Just then she heard hoofbeats and spun. It was just Coram. He dubbed her fire, and took her back to the palace. He sensed that he should not ask anything about it.