One of a Kind
Disclaimer: blinks. Haven't you got it by now - Tortall and all of it's characters with the exception of the ones I invented are the property of Tamora Pierce. goes off muttering about the slow-wittedness of people who require a disclaimer for each chapter.
Chapter eleven: Dragon's Apprentice
Liam stopped Flame gently outside of an inn, glancing over to Alanna. "We'll stop here for tonight." Alanna nodded, glancing unhappily at the rain dripping off the roof, and pulled her cloak tighter. At least it'll be warm. And dry, hopefully.
Handing Luna's reins over to a waiting stable boy, Alanna hurriedly grabbed the saddlebags containing her dry clothes, and followed Liam into the inn.
Seeing them, a man whose hurried air proclaimed him to be the inn's manager hurried over, bowing as he came near.
"May I help you?"
Liam answered for them. "We shall be requiring separate rooms for the night for myself and my sister."
Alanna smiled a little at the lie, despite her discomfort. Given that they shared some characteristics, she often posed as the Dragon's younger sister when he didn't want them to be known.
The innkeeper led Liam off to arrange the various paperwork and such, and, curious, Alanna dropped her bags by the door and wandered over to the large fireplace in the common room surrounded by a cluster of people.
Warm for the first time that day, and lulled by the low hum of conversation around her, Alanna began to fall asleep.
"Kitten." Alanna awoke with a start at the combination of Liam's voice, his hand on her shoulder, and his dropping her bags into her lap. "The maid will show you to your room - you can fall asleep there." Stifling a moan, Alanna stood up, throwing her bags over her shoulder, and followed the girl up the stairs.
Once inside her room, Alanna once again dumped her bags, and sank with a sigh onto her bed.
"Miss?"
Alanna looked up with a start, realising the maid was still there. "Will you be requirin' anythin', miss?"
Alanna smiled wanly. "A bath would be wonderful, if it's not to much trouble."
The girl bobbed a curtsy, saying that she would be back shortly with water, and left. And don't I need it, Alanna thought. I haven't been this cold, wet and dirty since - well - ever!
Climbing into the bath that the maid - Kaylee - had filled for her, she sank back with a sigh of relief.
She had been excited - and nervous - when Liam had told her that a Shang council had been convened and that he would be taking her with him to it, but three days of riding in constant rain and sleeping either in caves or under a tree had taken her mind off it.
Now thoughts of the council returned, though.
Liam had assured her that the fact she was a noble would make no difference to the council - many Shang had been nobles in the past, and had only stopped being noble because their families had cast them off.
But Alanna wasn't so sure. None of the noble Shang had ever been women - would they think her too weak to be a Shang because of her sex? Surely not - but that didn't stop her worrying.
Sighing, she climbed out the bath and changed into breeches and a shirt - both shades of grey, since she was officially still in mourning for her father.
Maude had stayed behind in Trebond when she and Thom had left again, as the castle's head healer, while Coram had stayed behind as Trebond's steward, and Alanna had taken on Maude's granddaughter, a girl of her age named Shannyn, as her new maid.
It had taken them a few weeks to get used to each other - Shannyn because she was expecting a typical noble lady, and Alanna because she was expecting a younger Maude, fussy and motherish, but once they had, they got on excellently - even better once Shannyn remembered that they'd played together as toddlers in Maude's cottage, and sparked off a night mostly spent recalling pranks.
Down in the common room, Alanna looked around for Liam and caught sight of him near the bar talking animatedly to a pretty young woman. Alanna ordered food and went to sit on her own with a smile. If her 'older brother' wanted to do some short-term courting, she wasn't going to interrupt him.
She studied the people around her with interest, refreshed enough by bath and food to be curious, noting the characteristics of each.
A group of Bazhir traders sat in the corner, and Alanna hastily averted her eyes when she realised that they were staring at her in obvious disapproval - from what she had heard, the Bazhir expected women to be modest, both in dress and attitude.
Since some other members of the Shang order, as well as Liam, were in Tortall, it had been decided to hold the council in Port Caynn, although Alanna had hoped it might be held elsewhere - she wanted to travel, and this would have been a good opportunity.
Having seen, to all appearances, everything there was to see there, she got up and retired gratefully to bed, knowing she would need her energy ... Liam insisted on a bout every morning while they were travelling after their exercises.
***
Three days later, Alanna and Liam rode through the gates of Port Caynn, the guards having given them little more than a perfunctionary glance before letting them through. Alanna had heard enough of their conversation to know that their opinion was that with complete Shang order meeting there, few people would choose to stir up trouble, knowing Shang abilities and the unspoken code of honour they lived by.
The rain that had followed them almost since they left the convent had finally stopped earlier that morning, and Alanna took advantage of the respite to push back the heavy hood of her cloak, and shift it back on her shoulders so that the breeze could cool her off.
Luna shook her pale mane, a sure sign that she wanted to run, and Alanna sympathised. What with either sticky mud to contend with or slick cobblestones, they hadn't had a proper ride in far too long.
They turned a corner, and, coming up to the gates a townhouse, Liam dismounted, and proceeded to open them, before leading Flame in.
Looking over at Alanna, who sat uneasily in Luna's saddle, he gestured for her to come in.
"We'll be staying here while we're in Port Caynn - the man who owns this place is an old friend of mine."
Dismounting, Alanna led Luna through the courtyard to the double doors of the stable, to an empty stall. Seeing that the stable boy was busy with Flame, Alanna shrugged and retrieved a curry brush from her saddle bags to brush the mud from Luna's pale coat, and replace her bridle with a simple cloth halter.
Busy with a particularly stubborn clump of mud near a hoof, Alanna at first didn't notice Liam standing out side the stall. When she did, she stood up hurriedly, suddenly conscious of the young man beside him, and of the mud stains on her clothes.
Liam raised an eyebrow, but kept his expression serious as he introduced her as his apprentice to his friend.
His friend, Tobias, held out a hand, and Alanna quickly wiped hers on her breeches before shaking his, then started as he turned it over and lightly kissed her fingers.
He grinned, transforming a rather plain and serious face, at her expression, explaining as he led them both into the house that Alanna had looked so much like a noble that he'd assumed she was, an assumption Alanna verified.
Having washed and changed, she hunted out Liam, who told her that he must go and see the council, but that she wouldn't be required to come to this particular meeting, and could do whatever she wished for the afternoon. Studying the city curiously from out a window, Alanna decided what she wished to do was go exploring, having heard of Port Caynn's reputation from a number of people. She didn't doubt this would be rather different to the City of the Gods - there was trade there, of course, for the priests and priestesses had servants, and, as Sophia had told her, where there are people, there will be trade, for people require food and sleep and company, and that comes with trade, but a sacred city would always be slightly restrained, and Port Caynn existed for trade.
***
Several hours later, having explored enough to satisfy her appetite for anything even remotely resembling an adventure - for that day at least, she glanced up at a faint glimmer of sunlight, hoping it meant that the next day would be warm, and almost got herself bowled over by a tall boy a few years older than herself.
"Get out of my way, wench."
Alanna glared at the boy, the effect in no way diminished by the fact she had to look up to do it.
"The street's wide enough - walk around. It'll only take you out of your way two steps."
His face tightened. "I said, get out of my way!"
"Get out of mine!" Alanna snapped. By the Goddess, who did he think he was, ordering her around in such a way? He was spoiling for a fight, and Alanna had no hesitations at all about supplying an opponent for him if it came to that.
Making to stalk past him, the boy grabbed Alanna's shoulder, pulling her roughly around, and raised his fist.
"Well? If you're going to try and hit me, don't take all day about it - I don't have time to waste on horse-dung like you."
He drew his hand back, then, slowly, as if it pained to do so. "Rest assured, if you weren't a girl, I'd have no qualms at all about it, wench."
Alanna bit back a retort - now wasn't the time to show that her sex didn't stop her from being able to fight - that could wait until she could officially inform anyone and everyone that she was the Shang Dragon's apprentice, tossed her head, and stalked away proudly, a gesture learnt at the convent.
Scowling as she walked in the gate - the would-be encounter had spoilt her day, she headed for the stables, and settled down in a corner of Luna's stall, proffering an apple from her pocket as she quietly stroked her horse, thinking about the day's events, and impatiently wishing for the next day, when she would meet the Shang council, hopefully.
***
"Alanna. Alanna."
Alanna opened her eyes, squinting up through the bright morning sunlight shining onto her face at Liam.
"What are you doing in the stables?"
"Up until a minute ago, I was sleeping." Alanna replied grumpily as she pulled herself up, groaning as she discovered she was stiff in places that she hadn't even know it was possible to be stiff in.
Liam raised an eyebrow as she pulled golden flecks of straw out of hair. "And why, might I ask, were you sleeping in your horse's stall when you had a perfectly good bed to sleep in?"
Alanna glared at him. "I came out to visit my horse and fell asleep, if you must know. Why are you interrogating me?"
Liam shrugged ambiguously. "You're grumpier than usual this morning. Come on, or you'll miss the chance to warm up ... and since you're to see the council today, you'd best be limber."
The council. Alanna suddenly felt wide awake at the sound of those words, jumping up and hurrying ahead of Liam out of the stables.
Walking at a rather more leisurely pace, Liam followed her, laughing as she reached the courtyard where Tobias had told her weapons training was held in the warmer months, spun around to face him, then stopped for a moment to compose herself, before beginning her stretches and exercises.
Wiping sweat away from her forehead an hour and a half later - the warm clothes she was wearing and the bright spring sunlight had combined unpleasantly with her vigorous exercises, she tossed the pole she was carrying back into the barrel which held it under a small veranda, and headed up to her rooms to bathe and change, quelling her excitement with some difficulty.
***
Liam glanced over at Alanna, his eyes a concerned muted green. "Ready?"
She glanced back, managing a wan, unconvincing smile. "As I'll ever be."
He nodded. "Good. Come on, then." He said, and, taking her gently by the elbow, pulled her inside the huge pavilion where the entire Shang body met, dropping her arm as soon as they were inside the tent flap.
He walked forward, into the centre of the horseshoe formed by the seated Shang, and bowed. "My friends, may I introduce my apprentice, Alanna."
An unpleasant looking man seated at a slightly raised platform at the front stood up. "you unapproved apprentice, Dragon. As I understand it, the main order of business this morning is to decide whether she is fit to join our ranks. As to her being approved or not, I do not see why it is being insisted on. I have never heard of it being a routine practice to approve new apprentices. I certainly was never brought before the council to be approved."
Liam crossed the floor to a vacant seat in the centre of the platform. "I have no doubts about Alanna's fitness, Griffin." He said in a calm, controlled voice as he sat down.
Alanna frowned slightly. They're addressing each other by their Shang titles. So - that must be the Griffin, so I'm betting that the ones all sitting on that platform are the Shang with immortals names.
The Griffin remained standing. "This is no ordinary apprentice, Dragon. As I understand it, you took her as an apprentice at the rather old age of eleven - four years older than is the custom. Not only that, she is a noble, and a female one at that!"
A young woman seated close to the Griffin stood up, her icy blue eyes flashing. "Are you implying, Griffin, that you believe the child should not become a Shang because of her sex?" Her voice was terse, laced with the fury showing in her eyes - an ice cold fury to the Griffin's hot temper.
He sat, but slowly, and when he spoke this time, his voice was calmer. "Not at all, Unicorn. You yourself have proven time and time again that whether a person be a man or a woman, that is no measure of their ability to fight - at least in your case. But noble girls are raised as soft and pampered creatures, not fit for anything other than being a pretty ornament for their husband and family."
Pretty ornament! Alanna could barely restrain herself from shouting at the man that she was anything but that, but the Unicorn spoke again in her defence.
"Have you seen the girl fight?" she asked.
"I have not."
"Then how can you be so sure that is unable to - do you really think that the Dragon, who is proven to be the most able of us all, would be so amiss in is judgment of a potential student? Or that, even if her had overestimated the girls ability, he would not only keep her on as an apprentice, but fail to teach her anything?"
The man said nothing, and, suddenly, Alanna felt very sure that at least part of his apparent hatred of her stemmed from something to do with Liam.
"Then," she said striding out to the front of the platform to address the entire Shang council, rather than just the Griffin, "it appears that the only way to judge this girl's worthiness is a duel of some sort. Who -" and now she turned back to the Griffin, " do you suggest should be her opponent?"
He looked back at her calmly over his steepled fingers, elbows resting on the arms of his chair.
"My apprentice - he is about her age, after all, so that will also give us a chance to judge just how behind the people who should have been her year mates, had she become an apprentice at the appropriate age, she is."
His glance flickered the Liam, who had been sitting quietly as he watched the battle of wills between the Unicorn and Griffin, and Alanna thought she triumph flit briefly over the Griffin's face as he did so. The Dragon, however, the look impassively, and the Griffin scowled and dropped his gaze.
"So be it." The Dragon murmured quietly as the Griffin stood and exited, letting the tent flap drop dramatically behind him.
***
The murmurs that ran through the assembled Shang masters like a breeze through a forest told Alanna when the Griffin had returned.
When the Griffin had left, Liam had gestured for her to come to him, and now she stood next to the platform, close to his chair.
She looked up. The boy behind him had a golden brown tan and blond hair that was probably that colour from the sun, and very well muscled. Taller than me - but then who isn't. Must be strong - he's got the stature of some fully grown warriors, and he's only fourteen. Wonder if he's like his master - he'll probably fight dirty if he is. Doesn't look it, though.
As Alanna walked into the centre of the huge space between the seated Shang, she heard the Unicorn's voice ring out.
"Since it seems to be primarily you who would oppose the addition of this girl to our ranks, Griffin, I feel it is only fair you should be given the choice of what weapons these two shall fight with. Who here would protest?"
No-one responded, and the Griffin frowned for a moment. "Two contests." He said at last. "One with swords, the other unarmed."
The Unicorn nodded and snapped her fingers, and a moment later, two servants appeared carrying several long swords. She gestured towards them, her eyes on the two children in front of her. "Choose your weapons."
Alanna walked forwards to where the swords had been placed on the platform, reached for one, paused, and picked it up. It was heavier than it looked, and the weight felt uneven in her hand. The Unicorn watched impassively. Alanna reached for another. It, too, felt uncomfortable, and Alanna laid it aside. Beside her, the Griffin's apprentice picked up a sword, stepped back, swung it experimentally, and stabbed it down in the dirt, one hand on the pommel stone - a white crystal which had been placed in the hilt still in it's natural shape of a hexagon, but with a dragon twined 'round it.
Alanna picked up a third.
This sword felt different to the others immediately. It was very light, but not so light it would be difficult to control, and the hilt fit perfectly against her palm. Out of the end sprung the pommel stoned in the shape of a bird with it's wing's outstretched, it's tiny emerald eyes glittering, as did the tiny rubies and emeralds set under it's wings - a phoenix.
Alanna glanced up. The sword was perfect - surely they didn't mean to let an unproven apprentice fight with something like this. But the Unicorn only nodded and gave the slightest of encouraging smiles.
Turning, she walked out to the centre of the ring, turned again to face the boy, and together they bowed.
The Unicorn spoke. "Begin."
Alanna struck. Sometimes the best form of defence is attack. The boy parried and they and Alanna moved back slightly to get a measure of his technique. He struck, and Alanna spun, aiming a high kick at his shoulder. He backed of slightly, and they circled again, before beginning to fight in earnest. If she had seen them, Alanna would've noted the looks of interest and startlement that appeared on the faces of the watching Shang, that two so young should be able to fight as these two did, and that a girl with as little training as Alanna had received could fight as she did.
They were as evenly matched as Alanna had ever been in a fight. He had the advantage of height and strength, but Alanna was very fast and agile, and Liam always made her use those two advantages to her advantage in duels.
When they had been fighting for some time, Alanna began to sweat in earnest, and felt the hilt of her sword growing slippery in her hand. She tightened her grip, and gritting her teeth, flew at the boy with all her speed and skill, attacking so quickly that the boy barely had time to block. There, an opening! Alanna thrust her sword towards the boy, letting it stop just short of his unguarded throat.
Warm hazel eyes flecked with gold looked into her own calmly, showing a respect that had not been there before. "I yield." Eagle's eyes, thought Alanna as she reversed her sword, stabbing it into the earth by her feet. Doesn't miss much, this one. Doesn't act without thinking, either.
Pulling the sword out of the ground, Alanna walked back to the platform with the boy, to where the the servants had placed towels and dinking water.
Reaching out for water, Alanna poured herself a cup, hesitated, then poured another for the boy, who accepted it politely as they readied themselves for the next fight. "You fought well." Alanna said, looking at him over the rim of her cup.
He smiled, showing very white teeth that contrasted sharply with his tan. "You were better - I'm Jacob, by the way," he said, extending a hand. "But most people call me Jake. And I take it you're Alanna. Word gets around fast here." he added, seeing Alanna's look of startlement that he knew her name. He grinned again. "Most of the time here, we apprentices have nothing better to do than either duel in the practise rings or sit 'round and gossip."
Alanna raised an eyebrow. she couldn't imagine the handsome lad sitting around gossiping with anyone.
The Unicorn walked over. "Are you ready?"
When they both nodded, she sent them back to the ring, and with a word, the second contest began.
Again, it seemed that they were evenly matched, and it for a long time one-one seemed to have the upper hand. Then, for a brief second when their arms were locked together, Jake raise an eyebrow in an unspoken challenge and as soon as they broke apart, Jake attacked and Alanna back flipped quickly, bring up her hand in a defensive position. Jake attacked again, and Alanna spun around, but too slowly, and suddenly she realised that she was lying on the ground, Jake standing over her. She made a face at him, reaching up to hold her head, ringing from the force of his blow, and then sighed. "I yield."
Jake grinned and held out a hand to help her up. "Guess that means we're even."
"I suppose so." was her reply as they again walked forward to stand before the council.
The Unicorn stood up. "The girl has undergone a trial of arms. Although the score is even, I believe that their is more to this than simply tallying points. Let the children leave now that we may discuss the matter in peace.
Jake tugged at her arm. "That's our cue to go. C'mon, I'll show you around."
***
"Since right now there are three immortal Shang, and one - the Griffin - was challenging a claim made by the other - the Dragon, Shang law dictates that neither of them could be the overseer of the trial - our fight - so it falls to the next immortal to do so, which is why the Unicorn was in charge. If the dispute was between two other Shang, the Dragon would oversee it."
Jake drew a deep breath and bit into the bread roll he was holding, while Alanna pondered everything he'd just told her. Though she knew everything she should've known at that age about Shang fighting, armed and unarmed, and the healing herbs Liam had taught her about in addition to the ones she had already learnt in her lessons at the convent and with Maude. But Shang customs were another matter entirely, and Alanna was fascinated by the various protocol and less important laws that she was learning from Jake - Liam had, or course, taught her the most important rules by which a Shang governed his or her life long ago.
Pulling her over to a group of apprentices clustered round sitting on barrels, fence, or ground, Jake shoved her lightly towards a pile of barrels, and scrambled up after her, and soon enough they - or at least Jake, were chatting animatedly to various members of the group, although Alanna felt uncharacteristically quiet and felt content to listen, for now.
So she noticed, before the rest, the boy running towards them, his face excited even from a distance. Everyone else noticed though, when he came to a sudden halt right outside the cluster and, gesturing behind him as he panted through an excited grin - "The Unicorn and the Griffin - are fighting - in the courts."
At his words, everyone, including Alanna, sprang up and bolted for the courts. A duel between two of the best Shang - this should be interesting!
It was. Alanna could hear the ringing of sword against sword long before the reached the arena. and when Jake pulled her out of the crowd, where she was in very real danger of being trampled underfoot, and up onto the roof of an old shed - one of the few permanent structures in the section of fields where the Shang had set up tents, pavilions, and rope practice courts for the meeting - Alanna could barely see their movements, the two Shang were so fast. But she did see the Griffin spot them, and then, a moment later, heard the Unicorn's cry ring out in the dead silence.
Two Shang ran in, and gently gathered up the Unicorn, bringing her out of the arena to lay her on the ground outside, where the crowd was being cleared away by none other than Liam. That done, he turned to kneel by the Unicorn, and a moment later, when Alanna heard him call for a healer - and quickly - she knew that something was seriously wrong.
"Come on," she whispered urgently to Jake, swinging herself over the edge of the roof and hanging there for a moment before she dropped on her toes to the ground. Not waiting to see if he was behind her, Alanna ran for the crowd, elbowing people aside and ducking under arms to get to Liam and the Unicorn.
When she reached the front of the crowd, she stopped in horror at the sight of the Unicorn. Her beautiful face had a deep, bleeding welt on one side, and her chestnut brown hair was already matted with her blood. If whoever it was that had gone for a healer had to go as far as the village, they would never make it back in time to save the Unicorn. Alanna bit her lip. I don't use my magic - but she stood up for me, and I can't just let her die ...
Having made up her mind, Alanna knelt, and for the first time in three years, reached for her Gift. She hadn't used it since that fateful night when she and Thom had saved Prince Jonathan's life, and hoped that the lack of use would make it disappear, but it was still there, strong as ever, and she would use it now. She could hear Liam speaking softly to the Unicorn on her other side "Kylaia," - her name, Alanna realised.
Shaking her head to clear it, she placed one hand on the Unicorns wound, closed her eyes, and heard a gasp that sounded as if every Shang there had drawn in breath as the Unicorn's face, and her own hand, began to shimmer with the violet light of her own healing magic.
The wound was very up n her hair where it was difficult to see - shallow but open to the bone, and her blood was running away fast. There was also concussion - but Alanna would have time enough to do that once she had stopped the bleeding and knit together the wound, at the same time transferring as much of her own health and energy as she dared to the Unicorn, whose own ebbed dangerously low.
Done at last, she opened her eyes, exhausted, to find everyone staring at her, and, removing her hand from the Unicorn's now fresh healed wound, wiped her bloodied hand on her breeches and rubbed at her roaring ears.
Standing up, she swayed wildly, and Liam reached out an arm to grab her, propelling her out of the crowd and to where there horses had been tethered. If she hadn't been about to faint with exhaustion she would have realised, as he swung her up on Luna, that there was a look of worry in his eyes that hadn't been there before, as they rode away from the tents and arenas to the town.
***
She woke to a maid shaking her, saying "You'd best hurry and dress, miss. The Dragon's waiting in the hall for you so as you can leave as soon as possible."
Wondering why she felt so terrible, Alanna got up, groaning, and then remembered that she'd used her gift to heal the Unicorn the day before, and realised that she'd probably overstretched herself to heal such a serious wound in such a short time by herself.
Liam was striding about the hall in a foul temper, and Alanna wondered what she had done when he snapped at her to follow him as he headed for the stables. As they mounted up, Alanna noticed that Liam kept throwing worried glances at her, and by the time they'd gotten out of the courtyard and past the gate, she'd had enough of waiting.
"Are you going to tell me what I've done that you're so angry or worried or whatever it is, or just scowl all day?"
Liam didn't look at her as he replied. "You didn't tell me you were Gifted."
She snorted. "I didn't because the subject never came up. I never use my Gift, anyway, so I didn't see the point."
"You used it yesterday."
"Yesterday was an exception. I haven't used my at all in the last three years, before I met you, and I don't intend to start using it on a regular basis now - but if I didn't, the Unicorn would've died. Now will you tell me what's wrong?"
Liam took at deep breath, and, at last, looked at her. "No-one in Shang is Gifted. This will be another thing for the Griffin and others who oppose me to use against your becoming my apprentice." Seeing Alanna's look of outrage, he continued. "The general belief is that a Gifted person cannot learn how to use their body to it's full capacity at all times, because they always have their magic to back them up if they fail to be able to win physically. I will tell them you would not do that, since I have never seen you do such a thing, nor do I believe you would, but - I don't know, kitten."
Alanna bit her lip. The use of her nickname had reassured her that Liam wasn't angry with her - at least not anymore - but what he had said worried her. What would she do if she wasn't allowed to become a Shang?
***
Standing again before the Shang council again, Alanna felt a dawning despair as the Griffin smiled nastily at her. I'll never become a Shang now if he has anything to do with it!
"So - the Dragon would have us make a Gifted noblewoman his apprentice, breaking almost every tradition we have as to who may or may not become a Shang. I ask the council if we should allow this to happen, and the Dragon why he did this in the first place."
I never thought the Shang Order could be so - political!
Liam stood. "In answer to your question, Griffin, up until yesterday I was not aware that Alanna possessed that Gift. However, now that I do know, my belief remains the same - that Alanna should become one of us. I have seen her fight, and not once has she used her Gift. In fact, when I met her, she was eleven and she and two of her friends had been caught by some local thugs and would have been hurt quite badly had I not intervened. She did not use her gift then, although if we are to believe you, Griffin, she would have, in order to save herself and her friends. Since of all the Shang here, I know Alanna best, I feel confidant in saying she would not do such a thing."
The arguments continued for some time, and Alanna's emotions swung like a pendulum from anxiety and despair to hope as various Shang stood up, arguing for or against her.
At last, the Unicorn stood up, and all fell silent. "We have been discussing this for some time now, and I say that before we continue and make a judgment, we should know the nature of the girl's Gift, since, as I understand it, the Gift can be used in a number of different ways. What is the nature of you Gift, girl?" she said, turning to face Alanna.
Startled by being addressed, Alanna didn't speak for a moment and then, "I - I can heal, and occasionally I have visions of the future, but I can't control those. I would not use my Gift to win a fight unfairly."
The Unicorn nodded. "Well, then, I at least see no problem. If the girl is able to heal injuries she has caused or borne, I do not see it as any impediment to her fighting abilities - as was proven yesterday in front of all here, when she fought twice against a boy taller an stronger, who has been training for longer, and is one of the best amongst all of our apprentices, and beat him in one of those fights - no small achievement. I think it is best the girl leaves now, while we make our final decision."
Jake was waiting for her outside. "You did a brave thing yesterday, healing the Unicorn when you could've been thrown out for it."
Alanna glanced at him. "I wasn't aware it wasn't allowed to be Gifted in Shang."
He shrugged. "All the same, it can't have been easy for you - you obviously don't use your Gift much, or the Dragon would've noticed and told the council you were."
Now it was Alanna's turn to shrug. "I hadn't used my Gift in the last three years, up until yesterday."
Jake raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, and they walked together in silence until Alanna was called back to the pavilion.
Jake gripped her elbow. "Be brave."
Once inside the pavilion again, Alanna felt stifled by the weight of so many eyes upon her, and repressed a sigh of relief when the Unicorn stood and began to speak.
"Alanna of Trebond, we have considered all arguments laid before us today, and the Shang council has made it's decision - that the Dragon may exercise the right of any one of us to take whoever they may choose as an apprentice, if that person is willing, and make you his apprentice."
Alanna wouldn't help it - the grin the spread across her face felt as if it might split her face in half, she was so happy.
She managed to bow, and murmur her thanks, and then, somehow, she was outside again, with Jake congratulating her and promising to write, and then back at the townhouse, packing, saying goodybye to Tobias with Liam, and then they were on the road again, headed back to the convent.
Alanna glanced over at Liam - the sun was shining, the roads ahead clear, and spurred Luna to a gallop.
