Disclaimer: Ok, I don't own any of the characters except for Maddie, her family, and Gary's parents. The rest all belong to Tamora Pierce. (oh, and I own the plot line too. Almost forgot that)

Summery: Ok, for those of you who might get confused, Gary is Duke Gareth from the Song of the Lioness and the Immortals and the other series. So if you were wondering this takes place before King Roald is on the throne, much less before Gary become Duke. This is Part 1/ I don't know how many, we'll see how this goes. I hope you enjoy. Oh, and I'm sorry there's no summery here. I'm not very good at them.



Chapter One

Of Lordly Arrivals


The sun shone on the stronghold of Kyrii on the southern coastline of Tortall. The birds chirped and sang as Maddie, daughter of Duke Halifax, strode down the hill to the ocean. She was tall for her age, and slim. Her thick, wavy, auburn hair was braided loosely and pinned in the back of her head. Her pale green eyes sparkled with an intelligence not usually connected with girls of her status. She was dressed in a loose tunic over dark green breeches and knee-high boots. In her hands she carried an unfinished map, ink, pens, and a spyglass. To the people from the town this was not a strange sight, but to the approaching company she seemed out of place.

The company contained the Duke Ronu of Naxen, his wife Miriana, his son Sir Gareth, a small group of armed men, and a wagon of supplies and gifts to the family of Duke Halifax. Maddie had no idea of the Duke, his knight son, and his lady wife were coming for a stay on the sunny coastline that was her home and even less idea that they would be staying at her house until further notice. Instead she only thought about a peaceful morning spent by herself, mapping the coastline she could see curving away from the beach.

The sand was warm to her toes, as she took off her boots and rolled up her pants. Choosing a fairly large sized rock she sat down and unrolled her parchment. She then uncapped her ink bottle, dipped her pen in it. Taking out her spyglass with her other hand she studied the coastline for its details. So intent was she on her task that she didn't notice the approach of a small boy.

"At it again, Lady?" he asked her.

Maddie jumped and spilled some ink on her map and dropped her spyglass She groaned and put her pen down before focusing some of her gift on soaking up the ink from the parchment. "Must you sneak up on me like that, Jokal?" She asked as pale green fire flared on the ink puddle then disappeared with the ink.

"Well, Lady, if you didn't insist on concentrating so . . ."

Maddie made a face, "Is that all anyone can tell me. 'If you didn't insist on concentrating so?'" she asked in disgust, "What else am I suppose to do, needlepoint?"

"Yes, actually, ladies of your status do, do needlepoint instead of drawing maps."

"And I'm supposing you're going to tell me that don't play chess or read or write either."

"Well," Jokal said, "they don't."

Maddie sighed, "Is there a point to your visit? Because if there isn't I'd like to continue with my map."

"Yes," Jokal straightened up. "You're lady mother requests that you come immediately to your chambers to dress and prepare for the arrival of the duke of Naxen. You are to greet him with your brother and your parents as is proper with the custom."

"Oh, blast the custom, I don't want to go."

"I'm sorry, Lady. My orders are from your mother herself."

Maddie sighed and began to gather up her things. "Run ahead and tell her I'm coming. She's caught me at an inconvenient time."

"Yes, Lady." Jokal gave her a mocking bow and a smirk before running off.

Maddie smiled in spite of herself. "Ungrateful mongrel," she said before tucking her supplies under her arm and walking back up the hill to the castle.

* * *

As the company of Duke Ronu came closer his wife started making disapproving noises.

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

"It's too plain. To . . . country like. I fear for what kind of manners this fabled 'perfect daughter' of theirs has."

"I'm sure she's enchanting, Miriana. And for what Halifax is willing to give for her I hope she will be a worthy match for Gary."

Miriana huffed. From behind his parents, Sir Gareth heaved a sigh. He leaned carelessly on his saddle horn and let his posture sag for a moment. He hated meeting these maidens who were the daughters of dukes and lords his father trusted. Naxen had always been a profitable part of Tortall but never had any reason to fear any other fife. But his sister, his blasted sister, had to go off and make an impression on the king and his son. So big an impression, that she married the crown prince.

"But don't you see?" She had asked Gary, "Now you will be the powerful knight you always wanted to be. Roald can promote you and make you rich."

"But what good are riches if your country is under attack? And false fame and wrongfully placed power? I don't want that. If the gods wish me to have power and fame then I shall earn them myself. I do not need Prince Roald to help me, no matter how good his intentions." And with that he had parted from his sister's presence and had not seen her for three months.

The reason Sir Gareth had not already made a good match was not because he was unattractive or that he stank or something of that sort. His unmarried state was his choosing. He had told his father, upon earning his shield, that he would rather fight for Tortall and wait for the right lady to come along then marry the wrong on and have to stay at home while his country fought. Well, his father had laughed at that then and now sought to marry him to the fabled beauty, Madeline of Kyrii.

Well, Gary thought, Lady Madeline better not have high hopes of marrying me, for I intend to set my father right before the end of the week.

* * *

When Maddie arrived in her chambers her mother already had a bath ready and the steam the curled up was tinted yellow, showing that her mother had had the bath ready for quite some time and had to reheat it with her gift.

When she entered, her mother gave her a look of disgust and ripped the map and supplies out of her hands.

"Out mapping again." She said she took off her daughter's clothes and shoved her into the bath, "Imagine that. A very, very good match Sir Gareth will make if we can ever convince him your craving for knowledge is just a faze."

Maddie winced as her mother scrubbed to hard.

"They will be here within two hours and I still have to bathe. You don't trust the servants so I have to be here and you're late. How do you ever expect to make a good match, Madeline? Hm?" her mother complained while she rinsed her off.

"Your father should have listened to me and not taught you chess. That's what started it, chess then the reading then the writing . . . and now map making." She added after a pause. "You're impossible, Madeline." Done with her vigorous scrubbing, Maddie's mother dried her off. "Now get dressed," she ordered. "And do something with your hair, it's a mess." And with that her lady mother left.

"And good riddance," Maddie muttered under her breath.

* * *

The gates were wide and made of strong iron, and Gary found himself admiring their craftsmen's ship as he and his parents rode through them. Once inside the courtyard, several pages came and took their horses as they dismounted.

"Well, I can't complain so far," his mother whispered.

"Keep quiet about such things, Miriana. We don't want to insult them. Duke Halifax if one of my closest friends."

His mother shut her mouth but Gary knew she was examining everything with an eagle's eye.

From across the courtyard came their hosts. The tallest man with red hair came first, bowing to Duke Rona before embracing him.

"It's been a long time, Halifax. It's good to see you." Gary heard his father say.

"And you Rona." The other man answered.

His father stepped back and waved to his mother and Gary. "May I present my wife the Lady Miriana and my son Sir Gareth."

Duke Halifax and his family bowed and curtsied. From behind the duke Gary could see the duke's son, Halifax the younger grinning at him. Gary grinned back at his friend.

"And may I present my family: my wife, the Lady Jona, my son Sir Halifax, and my daughter, the Lady Madeline."

Gary bowed with his father and mother. When he was through he glanced at Madeline. She was tall, he could see, and sunburned. She looked rather uncomfortable in her dress and even more uncomfortable standing in front of his family.

* * *

Maddie had sized up Sir Gareth as he had dismounted. As far as she could tell he was probably a great swordsman from the muscles in his arms and from his tall, thin frame. Upon closer inspection she could see that both his hair and his eyes were brown and the former was hopelessly windblown and was falling into the latter.

"Well," she thought to herself, "he doesn't seem that bad, but to marry him would seem to go a bit too far. He's probably uptight and kisses up to what ever higher noble is around."

* * *

"She could be worse," Gary told himself later as he unpacked, "but marriage is not for me, at least, not right now. Besides, she's probably got horrible manners and can't even speak an articulate sentence."


**
Well, that's the end of part one. I hope you like it so far. It will get more interesting, I promise. But I'm not going to write any more if you don't review. So click on that little button at the bottom of the window. All you have to do is type a few words about what you thought. It's not all that hard. Try it! You might be surprised.