Disclaimer: Very little of the little people and the little places in the
little story is mine.
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The redheaded rider surveyed the common room with interest. There were several parties in for lunch, the largest of which consisted of two women wearing dark green habits like those of the temple folk, three girls and a boy who looked about twelve or thirteen years old, and a man who seemed to wear power like a cloak. It was the sort of look that only two kinds of people had; the most powerful mages and the greatest rulers.
A waitress stoped by the rider's table to deliver a glass of fruit juice. "Who is that man?" the rider asked of her, "The one at the table with the women and children?"
The maid looked surprised. "Why, His Grace Duke Vedris IV of Emelan, of course. Ruler of this land."
"And the others?"
"The blonde girl is his great niece. The other children are her foster siblings and the adults Dedicates Lark and Rosethorn of Winding Circle temple, their teachers. You've never heard of them? Sandralene fa Toren, Trisana Chandler, Daja Kisubu and Briar Moss?"
"No, I'm from the far west. I've never been here before."
"Well, I can almost guarantee you'll hear of them again before you leave." The waitress left to serve the other customers, leaving perplexing thoughts behind her. These four children were famous? At this age? Whatever for?
The rider was so deep in thought that they almost didn't notice the danger. But the warrior training sensed something, and the rider scanned the room carefully.
There! At the top of the stairwell, an arrow, cocked, ready to fire, aimed at.
Aimed at the Duke!
The rider jumped up, knocking over the chair as they ran toward Duke Vedris. The rider saw the arrow loosen, and threw their body at him, knocking him off his chair as the arrow grazed his scalp and hit the wooden table. Had the Duke been sitting up, the arrow would have hit him in the back and pierced his heart.
"There!" yelled the rider, "On the stairs!"
A waiter rushed up and was soon followed by two or three more men. A moment later they came back to the common room, dragging a black clad man with them, a paid assassin for sure. They held him as the rider approached.
"Who paid you? Come on, out with it."
The man made a chocking sound, his eyes rolled up into his head, he stoped breathing, and was dead.
The Duke and his party, not to mention just about everyone else in the room, had watched silently until this point. Now the Duke came and stood beside the rider.
"What happened to him?" he asked.
"The ones who sent him command sorcery," said the rider bluntly. "Before he could give their name, they killed him. I've seen it before." The rider turned to Vedris. "Did the arrow hit you?"
"A grazing blow to the scalp. Thank you for preventing it from being any worse."
"Let me see." To the Duke's sceptical look, the rider replied, "I'm a trained healer. Sit down."
"Would you prefer a private parlour?" asked a maid.
"Yes please, if that's possible," answered the rider. "Could I also have some boiling water and clean towels?"
"Of course. Follow me please," she indicated that the women and children should come as well, and the group made their way through the still stunned room.
"By the way, what's your name?" asked the Duke of the rider.
"My name is Alanna. Sir Alanna of Trebond and Olau, Lady Knight of the Realm of Tortall, Champion of His Highness King Jonathon the fourth of Tortall, Shaman and Rider of the Bloody Hawk Tribe of the Bazhir."
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A/N Yes, she IS Trebond, not Pirates Swoop. In this she is about 25 and engaged but not married.
Sorry Sandry, Tris, Daja and Briar haven't said a word yet. They'll get more involved I promise.
This is after Song of the Lioness (obviously) and The Circle of Magic, and before Immortals and The Circle Opens.
So review if you liked it and I'll write more. Review if you didn't like it and tell me how to fix it. Hey, just review anyway. Suggestions are good. Very good. Long reviews make me feel luved. *hint hint*
So, just curious, did anyone guess it was Alanna? Probably everyone, but I want to know anyway.
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The redheaded rider surveyed the common room with interest. There were several parties in for lunch, the largest of which consisted of two women wearing dark green habits like those of the temple folk, three girls and a boy who looked about twelve or thirteen years old, and a man who seemed to wear power like a cloak. It was the sort of look that only two kinds of people had; the most powerful mages and the greatest rulers.
A waitress stoped by the rider's table to deliver a glass of fruit juice. "Who is that man?" the rider asked of her, "The one at the table with the women and children?"
The maid looked surprised. "Why, His Grace Duke Vedris IV of Emelan, of course. Ruler of this land."
"And the others?"
"The blonde girl is his great niece. The other children are her foster siblings and the adults Dedicates Lark and Rosethorn of Winding Circle temple, their teachers. You've never heard of them? Sandralene fa Toren, Trisana Chandler, Daja Kisubu and Briar Moss?"
"No, I'm from the far west. I've never been here before."
"Well, I can almost guarantee you'll hear of them again before you leave." The waitress left to serve the other customers, leaving perplexing thoughts behind her. These four children were famous? At this age? Whatever for?
The rider was so deep in thought that they almost didn't notice the danger. But the warrior training sensed something, and the rider scanned the room carefully.
There! At the top of the stairwell, an arrow, cocked, ready to fire, aimed at.
Aimed at the Duke!
The rider jumped up, knocking over the chair as they ran toward Duke Vedris. The rider saw the arrow loosen, and threw their body at him, knocking him off his chair as the arrow grazed his scalp and hit the wooden table. Had the Duke been sitting up, the arrow would have hit him in the back and pierced his heart.
"There!" yelled the rider, "On the stairs!"
A waiter rushed up and was soon followed by two or three more men. A moment later they came back to the common room, dragging a black clad man with them, a paid assassin for sure. They held him as the rider approached.
"Who paid you? Come on, out with it."
The man made a chocking sound, his eyes rolled up into his head, he stoped breathing, and was dead.
The Duke and his party, not to mention just about everyone else in the room, had watched silently until this point. Now the Duke came and stood beside the rider.
"What happened to him?" he asked.
"The ones who sent him command sorcery," said the rider bluntly. "Before he could give their name, they killed him. I've seen it before." The rider turned to Vedris. "Did the arrow hit you?"
"A grazing blow to the scalp. Thank you for preventing it from being any worse."
"Let me see." To the Duke's sceptical look, the rider replied, "I'm a trained healer. Sit down."
"Would you prefer a private parlour?" asked a maid.
"Yes please, if that's possible," answered the rider. "Could I also have some boiling water and clean towels?"
"Of course. Follow me please," she indicated that the women and children should come as well, and the group made their way through the still stunned room.
"By the way, what's your name?" asked the Duke of the rider.
"My name is Alanna. Sir Alanna of Trebond and Olau, Lady Knight of the Realm of Tortall, Champion of His Highness King Jonathon the fourth of Tortall, Shaman and Rider of the Bloody Hawk Tribe of the Bazhir."
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A/N Yes, she IS Trebond, not Pirates Swoop. In this she is about 25 and engaged but not married.
Sorry Sandry, Tris, Daja and Briar haven't said a word yet. They'll get more involved I promise.
This is after Song of the Lioness (obviously) and The Circle of Magic, and before Immortals and The Circle Opens.
So review if you liked it and I'll write more. Review if you didn't like it and tell me how to fix it. Hey, just review anyway. Suggestions are good. Very good. Long reviews make me feel luved. *hint hint*
So, just curious, did anyone guess it was Alanna? Probably everyone, but I want to know anyway.