This is a story of knights and ladies, kings and queens, pages and squires, Immortals and gods.
In short, it's about Tortall.
Anyway, one day I was walking home from school, muttering about how annoying Jonathan Bothell was. He had spent all of eighth hour calling me an idiot and making fun of the Tamora Pierce books. That day just happened to be the Equinox, as in, the first day of spring. I was bored and didn't have to be at Jess's for an hour so I walked to the park. I went to my special spot, a little forgotten grove surrounded by pine trees with a bench. No one ever went there, except for me. I sat down on the bench, thinking. I thought a lot. In this case, I was thinking about my dad. He had died when I was ten, and my mom had always been sort of out of it since then. He had loved astronomy, and taught me everything he knew about it, then got books about it so we could both learn more. I remembered him taking me outside on a December night when it was below zero to watch a meteor shower. He loved experiments, too. Once for my birthday he had given me a Gallileo thermometer kit, meant for people 18 and older, which we had spent three months building. I still had it on my dresser.
Anyway, I sat down on the bench and thought. I thought a lot. It was something I did. Like some people get mad, and some people cry. I think.
Anyway, I saw a patch of trees that, well, didn't look right. There's no other way to describe it. I walked over to the spot and touched it. Not smart. I felt like I was being pulled into another world. Then I was being pulled into another world. I felt something in my arm crack as I landed. It was dark. I was in a forest. I realized that in a second or two. Then I saw a farmiliar w of stars directly above my head, as everything went black.
______________________
"What is it?"
"I dunno, I don't reconize it."
"Maybe it's from the Divine Realms."
"And got knocked out? Owen, I don't think so."
"Oh. will you all STOP! That's a person and you know it, Queenscove. And whoever it is, she's hurt."
"Kel's right. Quit goggling and get out of the way."
"WOULD ALL OF YOU STOP TALKING ABOUT ME AS IF I'M NOT HERE!" I yelled, sitting up and opening my eyes.
"Wow! It talks!"
"I am SO not an it!" I yelled. There were boys all around me, and one girl. Most of them looked about my age, a few older, one or two younger. "And quit laughing and tell me where the freakin' hell I am!" I yelled at the oldest. He looked like he was twenty or so. He stopped laughing immediately. Back home, when I spoke like that, NO ONE argued.
"I think we should be asking the questions," the one I that had thought I came from the Divine Realms said.
"Listen, buddy, if you want a fight then I'll kick your ass!" I was really, really pissed at these guys.
"Try me. It'll be jolly."
"Oh yeah, I think I will!"
"Owen, whoever you are, quit it!" the girl yelled, holding me down. "Your arm's broken, you're in no condition to fight, and if anyone kicked ass--" she looked puzzled at the words-- "then it'd probably be Owen."
"Oh really?" I saw a motion at the very edge of my view and heard a rustling sound. I caught the punch before it even got close, flipped the person who threw it over my shoulder, and landed on top of them, making a motion with my hand that would've crushed their wind-pipe. I stopped half an inch from their throat. My hand was trembling at the sudden stop, and I just now noticed the pain in my forearm. "That was most likely the stupidest thing you've ever done in your life," I muttered to the boy--Owen, I remembered-- and helped him up.
"You did that with a broken arm?" he asked excitedly. "That was jolly, can you teach me?"
I stuck out my left hand to the girl. "Name's Laurie Makensri. Now where am I?"
"Tortall." she answered, like I was an idiot not to know.
"WHAT?!?!?!?" I shrieked.
In short, it's about Tortall.
Anyway, one day I was walking home from school, muttering about how annoying Jonathan Bothell was. He had spent all of eighth hour calling me an idiot and making fun of the Tamora Pierce books. That day just happened to be the Equinox, as in, the first day of spring. I was bored and didn't have to be at Jess's for an hour so I walked to the park. I went to my special spot, a little forgotten grove surrounded by pine trees with a bench. No one ever went there, except for me. I sat down on the bench, thinking. I thought a lot. In this case, I was thinking about my dad. He had died when I was ten, and my mom had always been sort of out of it since then. He had loved astronomy, and taught me everything he knew about it, then got books about it so we could both learn more. I remembered him taking me outside on a December night when it was below zero to watch a meteor shower. He loved experiments, too. Once for my birthday he had given me a Gallileo thermometer kit, meant for people 18 and older, which we had spent three months building. I still had it on my dresser.
Anyway, I sat down on the bench and thought. I thought a lot. It was something I did. Like some people get mad, and some people cry. I think.
Anyway, I saw a patch of trees that, well, didn't look right. There's no other way to describe it. I walked over to the spot and touched it. Not smart. I felt like I was being pulled into another world. Then I was being pulled into another world. I felt something in my arm crack as I landed. It was dark. I was in a forest. I realized that in a second or two. Then I saw a farmiliar w of stars directly above my head, as everything went black.
______________________
"What is it?"
"I dunno, I don't reconize it."
"Maybe it's from the Divine Realms."
"And got knocked out? Owen, I don't think so."
"Oh. will you all STOP! That's a person and you know it, Queenscove. And whoever it is, she's hurt."
"Kel's right. Quit goggling and get out of the way."
"WOULD ALL OF YOU STOP TALKING ABOUT ME AS IF I'M NOT HERE!" I yelled, sitting up and opening my eyes.
"Wow! It talks!"
"I am SO not an it!" I yelled. There were boys all around me, and one girl. Most of them looked about my age, a few older, one or two younger. "And quit laughing and tell me where the freakin' hell I am!" I yelled at the oldest. He looked like he was twenty or so. He stopped laughing immediately. Back home, when I spoke like that, NO ONE argued.
"I think we should be asking the questions," the one I that had thought I came from the Divine Realms said.
"Listen, buddy, if you want a fight then I'll kick your ass!" I was really, really pissed at these guys.
"Try me. It'll be jolly."
"Oh yeah, I think I will!"
"Owen, whoever you are, quit it!" the girl yelled, holding me down. "Your arm's broken, you're in no condition to fight, and if anyone kicked ass--" she looked puzzled at the words-- "then it'd probably be Owen."
"Oh really?" I saw a motion at the very edge of my view and heard a rustling sound. I caught the punch before it even got close, flipped the person who threw it over my shoulder, and landed on top of them, making a motion with my hand that would've crushed their wind-pipe. I stopped half an inch from their throat. My hand was trembling at the sudden stop, and I just now noticed the pain in my forearm. "That was most likely the stupidest thing you've ever done in your life," I muttered to the boy--Owen, I remembered-- and helped him up.
"You did that with a broken arm?" he asked excitedly. "That was jolly, can you teach me?"
I stuck out my left hand to the girl. "Name's Laurie Makensri. Now where am I?"
"Tortall." she answered, like I was an idiot not to know.
"WHAT?!?!?!?" I shrieked.