DISCLAIMER: I own everyone that you can't find in the books by TP.

A/N Please! Don't flame me a lot! CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is okay- but please! No flaming like "It sucked." Or "I've heard better plot lines…" It was the easiest way to incorporate Tortall into my stories… Anywho… I would like at least five reviews before I write the next chapter so that I can have five peoples input.

Chapter One: Where Is Everyone?



It was the same as any other day during summer vacation. The sun was shining; the grass was green, the trees and flowers full of leaves and petals and in full bloom! Perfect to go out for a ride! Topaz whinnied in her stall and was trotting around the field while Flare cantered around the fields, whinnying at the top of her lungs. I knew that Flare would come as soon as she whistled, but Flare's energy could be a fearsome thing! Flare had jumped the fence before, what might stop her now? I whistled a two-note descending whistle. Flare stopped short, cocked her head, and leaped into the air! She whirled and galloped straight toward me. I froze with fear and stood still. Flare slowed to a canter as she came within ten yards of me and managed a trot within two yards. She slammed on her breaks and butted me with her nose at the fence. Flare tossed her head and waited for me clip on a lead rope and lead her out of the pasture where she was supposed to be grazing.

"She'll hurt herself one of these days, you know that, right, Jocelyn?" called Jenny, my best friend and the owner of Topaz, the beautiful palomino.

"I know, I know! But containing ones spirit is as bad as blowing out ones spark of life," I shrugged.

"You speak too elaborately, you know that?" she shook her head.

"Yup!" I grinned.

"Are you ever going to get that placid and charming little horsy of yours to the barn and tacked up? Or will you be out here enjoying the sunshine all day?" Jenny smiled. Jenny had long black hair, smiling blue eyes, and bedazzling white teeth. Although we were both whites, I was part Spanish and she was a tiny part Chinese. I had Spanish and Hispanic blood while Jenny was Caucasian and Asian at the same time. Weird, I know!

"Let's go in girl," I snapped Flare onto a lead rope and led the prancing masterpiece out of the pasture and into the barn. Flare was a purebred Trakehner, with bright red-chestnut fur and no markings anywhere on her powerful body. Flare was taller than most of her breed, at seventeen hands, and was just as strong as any other horse.

Flare calmed down when we entered the barn, and stood still as I groomed her already gleaming coat. After she was groomed, I looked down the aisle and I saw the Jenny was already putting her saddle- a western saddle today, I saw- and grinned when she saw that I was slightly behind. I went to get Flare's western saddle and bridle. I exited the tack room and saw that Jenny was still tightening Topaz's girth. Topaz hated having that cloth band slowly tightening around her chest, but Jenny was careful not to ever let the girth be too tight or two loose. I lifted the saddle onto Flares back (with great difficulty, mind! Those things are heavy), and tightened the girth just as Jenny was starting with Topaz's bridle. I eased on Flares bridle faster than Jenny because Flares new bridle for western riding didn't have a nose strap, so I didn't have to tighten it. I tightened my helmet strap and checked that my chaps were on right before mounting up onto Flare. Jenny led Topaz out of the barn and mounted up quickly. I checked my saddlebags for the lunch that we had packed and some drinks, and looked at Jenny to see that she had the horse treats. When she nodded I set Flare to an easy walk. Once we were out on the trails we trotted and in the fields we cantered. We saw some good jumps set about here and there- a log, some branches, or a ditch. I easily cleared any obstacles on Flare. After about half an hour of cantering around the field we stopped for our lunch break. I pulled our saddlebags out of their hiding place underneath some leaves and small branches and pulled out sandwiches and soda's for us both to drink. I fed Flare some water from the brook and treats from Jenny's saddlebags.

After we had rested and checked over the horses multiple times, I decided that a race was in order. "Hey, Jenny, let's try a race," I knew that Flare loved to race, but I'd been working with her a lot and she almost seemed to trust my judgement all the time now, and I thought that she was ready to be tested. Topaz wasn't really a racer of any sort, which is why we ever bothered to race at all.

"Fine, but if you fall of Flare 'cause she bolted, it's your fault!"

"Me? Fall? Off of this little firecracker? You must be joking," I rolled my eyes with sarcasm. I mounted up again and waited for Jenny. When Jenny was up I trotted Flare in a circle to ready her for the race, "First one over the ditch?" I called.

"Sure," replied Jenny.

We trotted along and when we reached the line Jenny had drawn in the ground we set our horses to steady canters. Flare pulled at the bit, I lightly checked her. She saw that I meant business and lengthened her strides a tiny bit and slowly pulling ahead of Topaz. Topaz caught the running fever and began to lengthen her stride too. As Flare couldn't go too much faster than what I was holding her to, Topaz caught up with us in no more time than about ten strides. We checked our horses and let them canter side by side. We reached the ditch. Topaz and Flare leaped into the air at the same and were sailing through the air when a great rush of air hit me. Wham! It scared Flare a little but she continued with the jump, but soon stopped after we landed. I looked around for Jenny she wasn't there. I realized that my surroundings had changed too, a forest now surrounded me. I looked for the ditch; it was gone. Jenny, Topaz, the field, the ditch- it was all gone and I didn't know where the hell I was. I slowly turned Flare around to go back the way we had come, but there was no ditch anywhere behind us either.

I felt my breath catch I my throat. I was trapped wherever I was, and there was now way out. I scanned the trees; I heard a twig snap. I looked in that direction and I saw nothing. When I looked the other I saw five men forming a half-circle around me. I looked down at my jeans and chaps- where were my jeans and chaps? I was wearing a long, blue, velvet skirt that split into four lengths about six inches down my thighs. My top was a simple velvet belly shirt with no sleeves. It had that snip that was coming into fashion that opened the front for two inches. What the heck had happened? I also wore a narrow black belt over the skirt. On the belt was a dagger with blue steel and a few small pouches. I drew the dagger. Ready to fight these rough men.

"Why are you out a lone, me little lady?" Asked the leader stepping forward, "Why do you draw that dagger, don't you know we just want to help you? We don't mean any harm, little lady," he coaxed.

I glared at him, "If you were going to help me, then you wouldn't have crept up on me, now would you? I'm smarter and more educated than you are. Don't fool yourself."

"What do you mean, my lady?" he questioned, bowing low.

"We're to be your escort to Pirates Swoop!" Volunteered another.

Pirates Swoop? That's in Tortall! How could I be there? I thought, "I'm going to Corus," I replied shortly, "There I just proved that you're here to loot what I have and to steal my steed, nice try boys." I put emphasis on boys in hopes that it would make them feel like I was calling them little kids.

It did. The leader and then the others charged in, Flare reared offering her hooves to the nearest men, One struck the leader and he fell, the one who had also spoken tripped, and when Flare returned to the ground, he trampled the man. I sliced at the nearest man, who was trying to cut the girth on my saddle, I hit his arm with the hilt of my dagger and fell away; nursing the pain in his arm- I must've hit his funny bone. Flare took care of the next one who made the mistake of stepping to near to her flailing hooves. I cut at the next one who came near me. I caught his arm and he stepped sideways- into Flare's hooves, she knocked him in the side. The other man I had attacked before was up again so I kicked him in the head with my boot, and he fell over backwards- unconscious. The other man collapsed under Flare's hooves like the others.

Flare tossed her head the fight was over. She snorted. I dismounted and looted the bodies. They had plenty of gold; I took that and put in the bags that had appeared with my outfit on Flare. I took their fine jewelry and rings. The leader had a very fine sword; it had the mark of a Raven on its hilt. I gasped- everything began to piece together. Corus- the Capital of Tortall in the books by Tamora Pierce- I loved those books. Pirates Swoop- where Lady Alanna the Lioness lived. And a Raven armory sword! I was in Tortall, a place created by Tamora Pierce!

I listened to everything around me. Then decided to see what I had when I heard nothing. I had a map and a letter in the smallest pouch of my belt. In the others I had herbs and salts and small vials of liquids. One smelled perfectly horrendous, and I figured it must be wake-flower, because it cleared my head and made my senses sharp. I looked for a path of sorts, but found none. I looked for a thinning in the trees, however, and found a clearing over to the left of me. I mounted and rode towards, ready to draw my new sword. I arrived at the clearing, and found two paths leading out- or in. I took the path that led to the next thinning in the trees and then followed the path. For miles we walked and trotted and occasionally cantered. Eventually we reached a road; I saw a village and made my way towards it. It was a small village with huts and a few larger buildings. The streets were simple lanes of dirt, and the houses were made of simple clay walls with thatched roofs- nothing to be proud of. There were people everywhere going about their chores and waiting at the well, stalling chores, no doubt.

I entered the village and dismounted Flare, who had her head high, sniffing the air for the smells being carried upon it. I walked up to the well where the most people had congregated, and saw that many were realizing that they had to get home soon, and left. Only a few remained. I walked up to the boy who hadn't even made a move to leave, and asked him, "What village is this?"

"The village is on the northern fringe of the Royal forest, it'll take you a day to get to Corus, then you can find your way anywhere else," he turned away from me to continue his conversation.

"Tell your mother that you're a rude brat, who needs manners taught to him," I mounted Flare and was about to continue my journey when the boy turned, and looked me over. I sat high on my mare, who shook her head and then arched her neck, looking down upon the boy.

"Excuse me, girl?" He looked at me, not impressed at all with me. I flipped my hawks wing hair over my shoulder.

"I said to tell your mother that you're a rude brat, who needs manners taught to him! Have her clean out you ears too, because you can't hear right,"

"Listen, sweetheart, why don't you just climb off your high horsy, and I'll show you a good time. How about that?"

"Bite me!" I then realized that that might be appealing to him, and waited for his response, I held one hand upon my dagger.

"Where, darlin'? Just show me where, and you can consider it done."

I unfurled my leg and kicked him in the nose it began to bleed. I looked him straight in his angry eyes, "You don't know who I am, but don't take every traveler you see as a whore." I spurred Flare into action; we would make it to Corus by dawn.

We did make it to Corus- but it was a few hours after dawn. We entered through the gates and looked for an Inn; I wanted to find the Dancing Dove. After asking some questions I found the Dancing Dove and rented a room for the night. I slept for a few hours that day before a man opened my door and woke me up.

"Girl! This is no time to be sleeping! You've work to do!"

"No, I don't!" I replied irritably, still rubbing sleep from my eyes, "I don't work. And if sleeping turned into a line of work I never heard about it!"

"Who are you?" he studied my face.

"Who are you? Storming into my room! Have you heard of knocking?"

"I asked you first!"

"Leave me alone! Get out!" I ordered.

Another man suddenly appeared in the doorway, "Trent, leave th' gal be! She knows nothin' atoll."

"I know plenty about what I need to know, you ignorant maggots, now leave my room!"

The new man walked over to me and looked me straight in the eyes; "Look here, lass! You need to lighten up. Trent thought you were someone else, he made a mistake. Now I think that you should apologize to us both for your bad manners."

"Leave my room! That's the third time I've said that today! Leave! Now!"

The new man suddenly grabbed me and held me in a hold so that I couldn't move, "Say something nice, lass!"

"Let me go, and if you're trying to threaten me into thinking you'll kill me, I'll welcome it, if only to leave this place."

"Fine, lass. My friends will find you later, than we can have a proper talk."

"About what?"

"About who you are, where you're from, and what you're doing her, and why you don't have any work that brought you here."

"If you weren't trying to kill me, then maybe that might happen," I let sarcasm drip from my voice, "And then we can sit down for an afternoon tea that we could interrupt with me being dragged behind a horse."

"Would you honestly talk sense if I let you go?"

"We'll never know, now will we?" I replied.

"Fine," he grabbed my hands behind my back and forced me out the door, down the hall, and into another room. He sent Trent off to get food and drink. I asked the man who Trent though I was, as I sat in a chair in a corner. I looked at his accommodations. He had a gold mirror, silver candleholders, and other fineries. He seemed to be a thief, but a very good thief. And only the King of Thieves had such good furniture and jewelry. That or the Rogue was very prosperous of the late.

"A lady of the Rogue, it's a good time to mingle with people at this time of day, when many are at the height in their shopping, and are being more careless. He figured that he had better get you up quickly or you would bring in nothing." Trent returned with two maids. The maids set down the food on the table and left, Trent left also to go gather some goods.

"You're the King of Thieves, right?" I asked.

"Yes, now may I ask the questions?" I glared at him, but nodded, "Do you own a pretty red chestnut?"

"Yes," I said cautiously.

"Then you'd better come with me because someone is trying to steal her." We crept out of his rooms through the window and landed on the ground. I whistled clearly. Flare reared higher as the men grabbed at her, and she trotted right up to me. "Well, lass, there's no fun in no fight. How boring of you!"

"It saved my horse didn't it? Now let me at these vagabonds!"

"Sorry, these are men who hate me, I get first attacks."

I watched the thief draw his sword and run the nearest man through, blood came out on the sword and flowed heavily from the wound. The thief continued to slash at the men until all were on the ground bleeding. He inspected his work.

"And I was hoping for a clean end to our dispute, too," the man drawled.

"I'm sure you were," I nodded my head, my voice caught in my throat though- all those men. Dead- and by this man's hand.

I watched him wipe his sword and then nod to me to bring my horse back into the barn. I brought her in and he helped me groom her and set her back in her stall. The day was already beginning to draw to a close so he let me go to bed without any more questions.

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When I awoke I was in my bed, and it was early dawn. I rolled over and was trying to sleep again when there was a knock at my door.

"What?" I groaned.

"I see you're awake, lass. What made you sleep so soundly, might I ask?" the King of Thieves asked.

"I was overly tired, and I needed to rest."

"I see," he raised his eyebrows, an almost smile upon his face. He shrugged now, "So, will you be wanting breakfast?"

"Sure, food would probably make me feel better." I mumbled, and rubbed sleep from my eyes. After breakfast I was feeling better, and he proceeded with his questions from the night before.

"Alright, lass, first of all- What's your name?"

"Jocelyn," I replied.

"Jocelyn…" his voice trailed off.

"Jocelyn, you only need to know my first name."

"Suit yourself, lass. I'll find out later anyway."

"Whatever!" I groaned.

"Don't get angry at me, lass! But I'm taking you to the Swoop," he said.

"Pirates Swoop? Where Baron George and Lady Alanna live?" I questioned.

"Yes, that's the one. Spend the rest of today resting up, and then tomorrow we'll go to Caynn, then south along the coast to the Swoop. Do you know a lot about Caynn?"

"It's a day's ride from Corus, and it's a center for trading in Tortall," I answered.

"Glad to see you know that. Now do you have any clean clothes?"

"Yes, in my packs."

"Alright then. Here's your today's schedule- bathe, dress, eat, entertain yourself, eat, sleep, get up early tomorrow morning."

"Fine, order a bath then," I ordered.

"It would be a pleasure," he said dryly, and left the room.

He was nice, and he didn't press what I didn't want to tell him, but he wanted to know about my past. But mine was so different from everyone else's here. I was from another world; I knew nothing of these people! After a few minutes, some maids carried in a steaming bucket of water, and then left. I stripped off my old clothes- the velvet was in ruins now. I sunk into the bath and washed off the grit of just a day-, which was a lot. I bathed my hair the best I could and managed to find no lice- for which I was thankful. Once all the grit was gone from my body and hair, I stood up in the bucket and dried my upper body. Then I set it on the floor of my room and stood on, drying off my feet and lower legs, I wrapped my hair in the towel and placed on my underclothes and a new skirt. I pulled the towel away from my hair and brushed it out. When my hair was smoothly brushed and almost dry I put on a green velvet top to match the green velvet skirt. I searched for jewelry in my packs and found some necklaces, earrings and some nose rings. Also bracelets and anklets sat in with the other fineries. I placed a fine anklet upon my ankle and then inserted a nose ring and some earrings. I added a necklace. I looked very fine in my ornaments. I put them all away and looked for a book to read. I found a book but it wasn't fictional, it was a book of magic. I opened it up and searched for a spell that wouldn't do anything bad.

There! The Wall of Power! I recited the words, and a wall formed before me, an odd jade color. I broke the spell, satisfied that I had the gift. I looked very closely at all my jewelry, mainly the necklaces. I found among them now bands that would go around my head better than my neck. I looked them over. I found one with a gem the exact same color as my magic. I looked for necklaces, bracelets, anklets, and rings- trying to find another gem like the one on the beaded headband. I found nothing.

My stomach rumbled. I looked at my watch to see what time it was and only saw my bare wrist. I wondered how long I would be forgetting such luxuries as being able to tell time in a matter of seconds instead of looking at the sun's position in the sky and knowing in a few minutes. I looked out my window- almost like a prisoner looking out the window to see her knight riding to free her. I saw that the sun was nearly at the high point of the sky. Good, lunch time. I exited my room thinking about my Gift and of the jewelry and who I was probably supposed to be.

I wandered down the stairs into the common room of the inn, everyone and everything became quieter than it was before, smoke drifted around, like a halo it gathered around me. I took a seat over by the nearest corner and ordered a small meal and drink. The King of Thieves trotted down the stairs and sat down next to me. I looked at him over my meal of pasta and salad.

"You have very bad manners," I commented, selecting a morsel of lettuce.

"I don't have to have good ones. I'm King here, whatever I say is law here, no one else has a choice in it," he shrugged.

"I suppose you might say that," I replied, eyebrows raised.

"Listen, Lady Sorceress, I'm the Rogue. This is the Rogue's place- where we meet and deal out a hard day's work. I can go wherever whenever here, except into honest peoples chambers because I respect privacy."

"You don't respect mine very much. If I recall you and your friend are more than unwelcome in my room and you just walk right in." I gave him that said 'I don't believe you so out with the truth!'

"Oh, but, there's always the exception, especially for pretty girls," he gave me a flirtatious smile.

"How old are you?" I ordered frankly.

"I'm older than you," he replied.

"I noticed, you're getting a tinge of gray at your temples."

"I am not! I'm about twenty," he shrugged.

"Be exact, to the year, at least."

"Fine! Lady Sorceress. I'm eighteen."

"I knew that you weren't twenty yet."

"How old are you, lass?"

"Younger than you," I changed and then mimicked his words with a sly smile.

"Be exact lass."

"I was!" I let my face become a replica of a baby's innocence.

"Gimme your years."

"Then you might be more than twenty! Would you want that?"

"Listen, lassie, you know you want to tell me."

"No I don't," I shrugged, and took the last bite of my pasta.

"Come on, now! At least fourteen."

"Really? I look that young? Thank you!" I smiled, at his reprimanding look I sighed and told him my age; "I'm sixteen and a half."

"I knew you were at least fourteen," he grinned.

"I see," I stood, having finished my salad. I turned away and was about to leave when a thief with his knife drawn blocked the way out of the inn. I turned to the King of Thieves, still sitting at my table. "I want to go to the market and see what's for sale. Let me leave," I looked him, disbelieving him. He shrugged and sat back in his seat.

"Fine, I'll join you."

"Fine," I returned. I waited for the thief at the doorway and he led me out toward the marketplace.

"Where do you want to go?"

"To a bookshop and then to the main market to see what's for sale. And maybe to sell this sword," I gestured to the sword at my belt."

"No one will believe that anyone would sell a sword like this. I'll take it and sell mine!" He pulled it from my belt and as I was about to protest held it to my throat and backed me into an alley. I followed whatever movements the sword made, being careful to keep away from it. "I see you don't wish to be harmed- that's good and bad. Now- don't take what I just did personally; it was a test to see how you deal with being threatened. But what I said about the sword is true so I'll hold on to this and sell my own sword. I also know the best bookshops in town, come right this way!"

I didn't move, my body remained frozen against the wall. He reached out and touched my cheek. I flinched the second we were in contact but his touch was gentle and I saw that he hadn't meant to scare me so much. He leaned down and kissed me softly on the lips. I relaxed and he led me out onto the streets again. Down the street and we found a bookshop. I looked for books that were fictional- meant for the enjoyment of people! But all the books were on magic and history and ancient artifacts and people. I selected a book about the history of the Bazhir and bought it with money in one of the pouches at my belt. I went through the market yet I found nothing that I wanted to buy. When I got back to my room up in the Inn I was grabbed by the Rogue- although gently- and pushed down upon my bed.

"Glad to know that you don't fight my every movement," he whispered, sitting down next to me on my bed, "I need you to relax a little I won't hurt you- you should know that!" he grabbed me gently around the shoulders: I shivered under his touch. "You have magic, Jocelyn, and you're very beautiful! With your long brown hair, and your black eyes, and you're skin! So silky," his hands moved down my back now, "so smooth, so tanned," he began to unlace my top. Now I shoved away from him.

"I don't want to sleep with you! I don't even know you're name!"

"Maybe I don't want to tell you just yet! Maybe you shouldn't know it for your own safety!" he whispered.

"Fine," I replied.

Then he pulled me toward him and kissed me. I tried to pull away but his arms held me there. When he broke off the kiss I slapped him.

"Go away," I ordered.

"Only to please my lady," he mocked. He bowed and left.

I didn't sleep that night. All I could wonder was where my world had gone and where my friends were. I'd never gone out with a boy before, I'd gone in big groups of friends, and flirted, but I'd never gone out by myself- just me and the boy. Where was everyone? The question echoed around my head as I lay not sleeping. But I must have slept because I awoke to him shaking me lightly.