Title: Nothing is perfect

Disclaimer: These are all my characters and plot, but the world belongs to Tamora Pierce, as well as a few mentionings of her characters.

Author's Note: Yay! I'm finally actually getting to the story! Yes, I know that I haven't writen in a LONG while, but that was because I went into serious depression when no one responded to my last chapter. J/K, but yeah, that would be major writer's block on chapter seven that kept me off this story.

•-:¦:-•Chapter Six: The Ordeal•-:¦:-•

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Alysia stared at Neal. He couldn't be serious. She was a first year squire! She wasn't ready to be a knight yet, but Lord Alexander was already whispering with the King and his council. The two men that had gone through the Chamber already came forward. "The last image we both had in the Chamber was the Queen picking the order of the squires to go into the Chamber. Alysia of Belle was third, and Nealan of Queenscove was fourth" one said.

King Derrian stood up, facing the crowd in the room. "Thank you all for coming to support Nealan of Queenscove; however, all further Ordeals will be delayed until we have come to a conclusion on the situation that has presented itself to us," he said clearly and firmly.

The crowd reluctantly dispersed. The council disappeared with Neal to their meeting room. Alysia was leaving with Sylena when she felt someone tap her on the back. It was Timyn of Diamount and Kalent of Undernith, the two new knights. "I'm sorry about avoiding you," Kale said. "I was so confused about my Ordeal, I didn't understand why that last part was in there."

Timyn nodded and met her eyes boldly. "I'm sorry too," he said. "You deserve to be a knight, if anyone does."

Alysia smiled thinly. "Thank you, I'm glad we're still friends," she said. "I'm not ready to be a knight yet though! I haven't even been at the palace for a year yet!"

Kale sighed. "The Chamber thinks you're ready," he said softly, looking at the Chamber in awed fear.

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King Derrian paced the floor anxiously. The other advisers were slumped in chairs, completely unraveled. "This has never happened in history ever!" Derrian ranted. "Why does it have to happen now? With this squire?"

Aaron of Goldenlake, the prime minister, heaved a great sigh. "It's happened before, centuries ago, but we've all forgot about it," he said. "We all known she's qualified to be a knight, but she is already creating quite the stir, need we create more chaos?"

Neal's knight-master, Paulen of Wellam, frowned in disapproval. "I don't think it matters how much chaos and stirring will happen. The Chamber, as we all know, is used to being obeyed," he said sternly.

Derrian looked at Lord Alexander helplessly. "What do you think, Alex?" he asked.

Alex smiled grimly, but with a touch of pride. "I agree with Paul, we really have no choice. The Chamber wants Alysia of Belle," he said decisively.

The others agreed, however hesitantly and uncertain.

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Alysia looked up as Neal knocked and walked into her room. She opened her mouth to apologize, feeling incredibly guilty. Neal shook his head before she could say anything.. "You deserve this, and I'm not mad," he said gently. "I came to tell you they've decided to allow you to take your Ordeal."

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Alysia argued fiercely against letting herself take the Ordeal to Lord Alexander. However, he won. Alysia found herself in the ritual bath, and instructed in the code before she really even realized what was happening. Then she was kneeling in front of the Chamber. She was nervous and it took a long time to relax enough to let her mind wander. She thought about her life, she'd wanted to be prepared to be a knight. She'd thought she was lucky that the Shang Dragon had appeared and a Master mage and a former teacher. Maybe there was something that she didn't know about all of them finding her. The Chamber thought she was ready. Alysia knew she was ready in theory, but she'd never had any experience at all at defending the kingdom except that summer. She thought of Neal and Sylena fondly. All of her newest friends. She cherished them so much, having grown up with very few friends. She was worried about Araner and her former friends. Finally, her mind drifted to her family. She loved them so much. They supported her in everything. They loved her unconditionally, that is what allowed her to become the person she was now. The person to enter the Chamber at age 12. A hand tapped her on the shoulder, gesturing to the awaiting Chamber. Stiffly, she got up and walked in. Blackness surrounded her as the door closed. The Chamber seemed to sigh. Out of the dark came a figure. Prince Araner, with his cold face. "I told you to leave," he said. "I don't want you here."

Other figures came out of the darkness surrounding her. "We don't want you," they chanted. "Leave, leave."

Alysia shrank back from her former friends. This is what I've dreamed of my whole life, she thought fiercely. I won't let it go this easily.

The figures laughed, as if they heard her. Araner appeared, sword in hand. He thrust it seemingly right through her heart. "I warned you," he said coldly.

Then Emold stabbed her, and Chrick and Trevar and Galen. She laid there, gasping in pain as they all left her. No, she cried in her head. You will not kill my heart. I will always be there for you.

She remembered her worry and concern that night, when she discovered the raiders. She'd rushed to help them, forgetting any safety to herself to defend the people she cared about. With that memory, the bleeding stopped and the wounds healed. Girls her age appeared, surrounding her. "Are you a girl or a boy?" one asked, poking her.

The others giggled as Alysia stared at them in shock. "Come on, boy, you fight all the time and you study like you're going to be a teacher," the leader mocked. "Why do you even try to keep up with us, ladies? You're nothing to us, and you're nothing to them either. You're nothing."

The ring of girls started to chant. "You're nothing, you're nothing," they sang in a mocking sing-song voice.

Alysia shuddered letting tears fall. I can't be nothing, she thought desperately. I'm in the Chamber! I passed all the examinations. I saved everyone in Tusaine. I am not nothing. The girls stared at her, silent. Then they vanished. People she didn't recognize appeared, dressed in poor peoples' clothing. They stared at her strangely. "You?" they laughed. "You're our hero? You're going to save us?"

Alysia nodded determinedly. They laughed. "You couldn't help a fly," they mocked. "We don't want your help."

As they turned to leave, a raiding party like the one in Tusaine attacked them. "HELP!" they shouted.

Alysia gasped and tried to run to them, but she just couldn't reach them. There was naked hatred in their eyes as they died. "You can't help us," one sputtered on her last breath. Alysia sank to the grassy ground, trembling. She had keep hope, this wasn't real. She would help people someday. The blackness surrounded her again. Then a figure appeared. Alysia stared in horror at Cris. He had lost so much weight, you could see his bones. He was dripping blood and there was dried blood covering him. His clothes were in rags, obviously slit open with a sword. Bruises covered his battered body. He looked like death walking. After a long painful moment, he looked up and saw her. Distress lit his hollow eyes. "Alysia?" he whispered in a dry, cracking voice. "What are you doing here?"

She opened her mouth to speak but remembered just in time. Suddenly, chains that held Cris captive appeared. He seemed more alert. "Lys, I don't know how you're here, but you have to leave," he said forcefully, begging her with his eyes. "This is not your fight. I won't allow you here."

Alysia watched, helpless, as he shuddered under intense pain. Is this real? She asked herself. There was an overwhelming feeling that it was. Suddenly there were footsteps echoing, coming closer and closer to them.. Cris looked in the direction of them and panic sparked in his eyes. "GO!" he cried, using the last of his strength to kicked her away. He screamed.

Alysia stumbled back, and out of the Chamber into Sylena's arms, the scream still echoing in her ears. "Cris," she whispered before she faded into oblivion.

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