A/N: Sorry that it's been sooo long since I've updated

A/N: Chapter ten, folks! Enjoy. I'll be gone tomorrow and the day after but I should be able to update Monday. This takes place four years later. Thom is 12 and the twins are 8.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tamora Pierce's work. If I owned them I would be to busy to write fics.

Mid-October,
Pirates Swoop,
Barony of George Cooper;
in the 13th year of reign of
Jonathan IV and Thayat, his Queen
452 H. E. (Human Era)

Chapter 10

Eda Bell was upon a blue roan gelding staring up at the guard by the castle gate.

"I'm the Shang Wildcat. I have a message from the king for the Baron and the Lady Knight."

The man guarding the gate was new on the job and had not recognized the deadly warrior. This was more than he had expected on the first day of his work. He needed to tell Coram about this elderly but athletic woman outside. By the time the man had explained all this to Coram he had ran off, cursing violently.

"I'm terribly sorry about the delay," he said quickly, opening the gates with the help of the guard.

"This boy here is new to the job and he's still learning."

Eda nodded, not bothering to speak about something so obvious.

"I need to speak to Alanna and George immediately. I have a message from the king."

Coram nodded and led her to the main hall where all the castle's occupants were gathering for their morning meal.

The hall was beautiful. There was a high table at one end of the hall from the time before Pirate's Swoop had belonged to the Coopers. It had been filled with fish and fruit and people lined up with trenchers in hand (1). Seven huge, long tables stretched all the way from one end of the hall to the other with simple benches on each side of every table. There were several tapestries lining the hall, most of them from Kara and Kourrem from the Bloody Hawk tribe. These depicted Alanna's deeds among them and the ones they had heard from gossip (not all were true- there was one where she was bravely fighting off hurroks on the deck of a ship). There were more depicting how the tribe was doing, and even several showing Bazhir folklore.

Coram walked to one of the tables and tapped two people on their shoulders. The Baron and Baroness-Knight turned to face Eda. Alanna was surprised to see her. She hadn't seen her many times before. Just when she had given her the letter about Liam and at a political affair a year or so ago.

"We need to speak in private," she stated tersely. George nodded and led them out of the hall. None of the adults noticed the twins following curiously. Thom was in the breakfast line and hadn't seen Eda's arrival. The adults walked down the hallway to a locked door and George unlocked it. Coram, Alanna, and Eda went into the room but George paused a moment. The twins ducked into a side hall just as George turned to make sure no one was watching.

"I know a secret passage that leads to a peep-hole in the wall of the room their in," Aly whispered. Alan nodded then followed Aly silently as she ran briskly through the curving halls until they reached a room right by the one their parents were occupying. They stepped up to the peep-hole and they could even hear faintly what the adults were saying.

"…And the pirate from the Copper Isle landed just a league south of Olau. We deflected them with troops from Corus but with a cost. We've lost many men and several knights. Myles of Olau was wounded badly in the right shoulder but he will recover. Also there are building damages from the blazebalm. They need both of you over there to help bring their defenses up again. I am to stay here to train you soldiers. Apparently King Jonathan suspects that they have more ships to attack Tortall's coast," said Eda

"How did this happen? There has been no signs that someone would attack," which was basically Da's way of saying that his spies didn't have any information on this without admitting that he was Tortall's spy master.

Just then Alan sneezed and Coram came rushing into the room. When he saw the twins he shook his head tiredly.

"It's just the twins," he called to the others. "Now don't tell anyone about what you heard here, understand?" The siblings nodded solemnly.

Coram returned to the room and the adults continued talking but this time protected by a spell so no one else could eavesdrop.

A/N:

(1) I used this medieval fact because Tamora's kingdom seems to be in a medieval period. A trencher is a piece of stale bread that people in medieval times used instead of plates.

How was that? I hope you all like it!

Question: What year was the drought caused by the Dominium Jewel's use or what book was it in?