The Lost Princess
Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize from Tamora Pierce's books.
chapter 1
Princess Katarina was lying on her bed staring at the intricate designs on the ceiling. She had just gotten back from all her secret classes; Shang fighting, fencing, wrestling, learning how to use her magic (if father found out he would probably hang her). She was tired out and wanted to take a nap but her father had just spoken with her and now a new thought kept her awake.
How could her father want her to marry already? And to Lord Leonard of LePeuw, of all people! She was her fathers least favorite, even though she was the oldest and was entitled to most of his inheritance, I mean he had seven other daughters to be favorites. Anyway he hated magic and she had wild magic from her great grandmother and the gift from her late mother (father had her executed when he found out about her gift). None of her sisters had any magic and that's why he liked them more. The only reason she was still alive was because she was his own daughter and would be the crown Queen of Tellarne once he died. The more she thought about it the more it came clear to her. Lord LePeuw had always taken a liking to her (she was very pretty; medium-dark brown hair, sapphire blue eyes, fair skin, and full red lips), and father must of struck up a deal with him not to let me accept my place as queen (in Tellarne husbands always spoke for their wives). That way Laurainne who was probably going to marry some rich prince would be queen. She hated her father and especially now. She had been close to her mother the five years she knew her and she hasn't talked to her father much for the last three years. When she thought about her mother it made her hate her father even more and she hated his stupid plan for swindling her out of being queen. She didn't want to be queen anyway, she always wanted to become a knight of Tortall, like the Lioness Alanna. Her mother would tell her stories about the Lioness and Kat (all of her close friends including her mother called her Kat) would always dream it would be her someday. At last she had made up her mind; she was going to run away. And at that she went to sleep.
She woke up early the next morning and did some exercises. She packed her bag, and dressed in some cream colored breeches and a sky blue tunic. Nothing in her bag was royal, she didn't want to be reminded of her past. The only thing that said she was a princess was the royal blue tattoo around her right wrist. It was made of fascinating swirls and lines that would be almost impossible to copy unless you were trained to do it your whole life (which some people were and they worked at the palace, that was their only job). It wasn't too big, though, and she could cover it up with the bracelet Devon (her best friend) had given her. Speaking of Devon she was about to go see him. She went down to the stables; it was still dark out.
Hello Nightstar. She said with her wild magic. You'll never guess what father did to me. Her horse rolled her eyes; Hmmm he wants you to marry and so you're running away. Kat wasn't shocked, her chestnut mare wasn't just any horse, they had known each other so long that she could read her masters mind (most of the time). You know me too well, she sighed and went off to get her saddle and brush. Soon she was off riding to Devon's house in town. When she got there she climbed through the window of his bedroom.
"Devon!" she whispered. He woke up with a start, rolled out of bed and fell to the floor. Kat was rolling on the ground with laughter at the look on his face when she first woke him up and the sight of him lying sprawled on the ground in his boxers. When she finally had herself under control she told him the whole story.
"Wow Kat," he said at last, "yer actually gonna go to Tortall. That's great!"
"Yeah,"
"But what'll ye do once ye get there? Yer too young a lass ta start yer training as a knight."
"I don't know, get a job so I have a place to stay for a few years. I'm just not staying here and marrying that old pig!"
"Yeah I know and I don't want ye to either. It's just, I'm gonna miss ye m'lady."
"You know I hate it when you call me that." She said hanging her head to hide her blush.
"I know. Gods, it's gonna be so different without ye. Who am I gonna go ridd'n with and who's gonna make fun of ol' Pancho with me?"
That made Kat giggle. "I'll miss you." She said, "But I'll write."
She hugged him and kissed him on the cheek and left.
Down at the boat docks she went to speak with the captain of a large vessel heading for Tortall.
"Sorry miss," he said, "but we don' have enough room left ter take yer horse. And yer gonna have to hurry 'cause we're leavin' soon."
"But..." she stammered. She glanced back up at the castle, there were already soldiers coming down the hill from the palace. She saw a messenger also headed for Lord LePeuw's estate. Both her father and Lord LePeuw's soldiers would be searching for her soon. I could just surrender and run away later, she thought, but by the time the next boat sailed she would be married to a grumpy old man and if she weren't her father would keep a close watch on her till she was.
"Miss are ye comin' or not. We are boarding up right now!"
"Yes I'm coming." She explained it to Nightstar. I promise I'll come back for you. Once things here cool down I'll sneak back and take you. I wont start training without you.
The mare looked at her, I understand, she said but Kat could see disappointment in her eyes. Kat stood there and watched her mare make her way back to the castle. Then she boarded the ship.
She went down to her room and woke up later, very sick. They were caught in the middle of a huge storm and the boat was almost rolling in circles. She got up to find a bucket or something since her stomach definitely wasn't agreeing with her. While she was walking down a hallway the boat jerked and she fell. Her head landed on the corner of a table and everything went black.
A/N: Please Review, I'll post the next chapter if people review. Praise, constructive criticism, and flames are all welcome.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize from Tamora Pierce's books.
chapter 1
Princess Katarina was lying on her bed staring at the intricate designs on the ceiling. She had just gotten back from all her secret classes; Shang fighting, fencing, wrestling, learning how to use her magic (if father found out he would probably hang her). She was tired out and wanted to take a nap but her father had just spoken with her and now a new thought kept her awake.
How could her father want her to marry already? And to Lord Leonard of LePeuw, of all people! She was her fathers least favorite, even though she was the oldest and was entitled to most of his inheritance, I mean he had seven other daughters to be favorites. Anyway he hated magic and she had wild magic from her great grandmother and the gift from her late mother (father had her executed when he found out about her gift). None of her sisters had any magic and that's why he liked them more. The only reason she was still alive was because she was his own daughter and would be the crown Queen of Tellarne once he died. The more she thought about it the more it came clear to her. Lord LePeuw had always taken a liking to her (she was very pretty; medium-dark brown hair, sapphire blue eyes, fair skin, and full red lips), and father must of struck up a deal with him not to let me accept my place as queen (in Tellarne husbands always spoke for their wives). That way Laurainne who was probably going to marry some rich prince would be queen. She hated her father and especially now. She had been close to her mother the five years she knew her and she hasn't talked to her father much for the last three years. When she thought about her mother it made her hate her father even more and she hated his stupid plan for swindling her out of being queen. She didn't want to be queen anyway, she always wanted to become a knight of Tortall, like the Lioness Alanna. Her mother would tell her stories about the Lioness and Kat (all of her close friends including her mother called her Kat) would always dream it would be her someday. At last she had made up her mind; she was going to run away. And at that she went to sleep.
She woke up early the next morning and did some exercises. She packed her bag, and dressed in some cream colored breeches and a sky blue tunic. Nothing in her bag was royal, she didn't want to be reminded of her past. The only thing that said she was a princess was the royal blue tattoo around her right wrist. It was made of fascinating swirls and lines that would be almost impossible to copy unless you were trained to do it your whole life (which some people were and they worked at the palace, that was their only job). It wasn't too big, though, and she could cover it up with the bracelet Devon (her best friend) had given her. Speaking of Devon she was about to go see him. She went down to the stables; it was still dark out.
Hello Nightstar. She said with her wild magic. You'll never guess what father did to me. Her horse rolled her eyes; Hmmm he wants you to marry and so you're running away. Kat wasn't shocked, her chestnut mare wasn't just any horse, they had known each other so long that she could read her masters mind (most of the time). You know me too well, she sighed and went off to get her saddle and brush. Soon she was off riding to Devon's house in town. When she got there she climbed through the window of his bedroom.
"Devon!" she whispered. He woke up with a start, rolled out of bed and fell to the floor. Kat was rolling on the ground with laughter at the look on his face when she first woke him up and the sight of him lying sprawled on the ground in his boxers. When she finally had herself under control she told him the whole story.
"Wow Kat," he said at last, "yer actually gonna go to Tortall. That's great!"
"Yeah,"
"But what'll ye do once ye get there? Yer too young a lass ta start yer training as a knight."
"I don't know, get a job so I have a place to stay for a few years. I'm just not staying here and marrying that old pig!"
"Yeah I know and I don't want ye to either. It's just, I'm gonna miss ye m'lady."
"You know I hate it when you call me that." She said hanging her head to hide her blush.
"I know. Gods, it's gonna be so different without ye. Who am I gonna go ridd'n with and who's gonna make fun of ol' Pancho with me?"
That made Kat giggle. "I'll miss you." She said, "But I'll write."
She hugged him and kissed him on the cheek and left.
Down at the boat docks she went to speak with the captain of a large vessel heading for Tortall.
"Sorry miss," he said, "but we don' have enough room left ter take yer horse. And yer gonna have to hurry 'cause we're leavin' soon."
"But..." she stammered. She glanced back up at the castle, there were already soldiers coming down the hill from the palace. She saw a messenger also headed for Lord LePeuw's estate. Both her father and Lord LePeuw's soldiers would be searching for her soon. I could just surrender and run away later, she thought, but by the time the next boat sailed she would be married to a grumpy old man and if she weren't her father would keep a close watch on her till she was.
"Miss are ye comin' or not. We are boarding up right now!"
"Yes I'm coming." She explained it to Nightstar. I promise I'll come back for you. Once things here cool down I'll sneak back and take you. I wont start training without you.
The mare looked at her, I understand, she said but Kat could see disappointment in her eyes. Kat stood there and watched her mare make her way back to the castle. Then she boarded the ship.
She went down to her room and woke up later, very sick. They were caught in the middle of a huge storm and the boat was almost rolling in circles. She got up to find a bucket or something since her stomach definitely wasn't agreeing with her. While she was walking down a hallway the boat jerked and she fell. Her head landed on the corner of a table and everything went black.
A/N: Please Review, I'll post the next chapter if people review. Praise, constructive criticism, and flames are all welcome.