This fan-fic is based long after Alanna/Daine etc. It is set within the
'Riders' troop in Tortall, where a female-only faction group is developing
into a major threat to the kingdom...from within. Please read and
review!!! I'm really enjoying writing this one, and it's my first piece of
real fan-fiction. (CHAPTER ONE)
The girls at the table grumbled uneasily. The news was out. A new commander in chief of the Queens Riders seemed to be chosen. It had been over 200 years since Queen Thayet of Tortall had created and led the successful 'Queens Riders'. Since then, it had been an unspoken rule that the new commander was always female. No one ever objected to this anomaly openly. Most male warriors in the kingdom did not see the Queens riders as anything more than a kindergarten for the real army, only useful for clearing minor disputes and providing preliminary training for peasants. Therefore, the position of commander was not contested outside the rider organization.
However, after the untimely dead of Alderiene Skelt, the previous leader, there was no clear-cut option for who would take her post. Three high- ranking officers remained. All were grieved by the loss of their beloved leader, and none had any real ambition to step forward. Even more surprising, all were male. The riders were meant to be an organization that bred tolerance and equality between the sexes and races of Tortall. However, unbeknown to most people, a faction within the group had emerged calling themselves the 'Sisterhood of the Storm'. In darker circles their nickname was simply the 'Stormies'.
This faction was based around more than four hundred girls and women primarily inside the riders, but also with various connections outside. Here, in the unassuming mess hall of the Queens riders, the four main ringleaders of this increasingly powerful group sat eating creamed corn and sausages. Denika Altruen twisted her head nonchalantly as the messenger entered the bustling hall, following him closely with piercing green eyes. He whispered something to Decklert, an old sergeant who was now tactical advisor of the riders. Denika snapped her head back to the table, and examined her three companions. Yelao, a K'miri drifter originally, looked calm and placid as she normally did. Her almond eyes glittered with intelligence beneath her concealing fringe of black hair, Denika knew she was taking in everything that was transpiring. Selina Robertson, a farmer's daughter, looked down at her plate, hiding her large sad blue eyes from Denika's gaze. The tall dark girl next to Selina, Fallow Rienick, elbowed her hard in the shoulder. Selina gasped in a protest, then quickly closed her mouth.
Fallow grinned, flashing her white teeth charmingly and turned to Denika. "Looks like they're trying to make this thing as quiet as possible", she stated with a hint of bravado. "Probably afraid of an uprising from the stormies!" She whispered excitedly. Yalao instantly grabbed Fallow's arm and twisted it sharply on the table. "Don't be a fool!" she hissed, "We cannot afford suspicion." Yalao let go of her peer's arm and turned calmly to Denika. 'If you were to pass her on the street, you would not assume this girl lead the most notorious female gang in the city' Yalao thought as she examined her leader. Denika looked like a well-bred tourist from the Copper Isles, with long golden brown hair that curled in loose rivulets. Her skin was brown, her full lips were red, and her level eyes were a startling emerald. However, anyone who mistook her for a pretty merchant daughter would be deadly mistaken.
Denika knitted her brows together "Yalao, I know you're in love with me and all, but stop staring at me! It's disturbing to say the least". The K'mir girl grinned sly fully "Oh Denika, you're intelligence is truly wasted here. You would gain so much more respect as court jester." Denika laughed and noticed Selina had murmured something, however it was inaudible over the din of the mess hall. "Shut up guys" Denika chastised the others mockingly "Selina wants to say something - go on dear" she urged the golden haired girl. Selina cleared her throat and looked up with wide eyes "I was just wondering, if the new commander is male, how exactly is the s-s- sisterhood going to react?" The timid girl winced at the mere mention of the gang's name.
Denika smiled coldly, "What a good question". She casually placed her knife and fork on her plate and waited for the old sergeant to speak up.
The girls at the table grumbled uneasily. The news was out. A new commander in chief of the Queens Riders seemed to be chosen. It had been over 200 years since Queen Thayet of Tortall had created and led the successful 'Queens Riders'. Since then, it had been an unspoken rule that the new commander was always female. No one ever objected to this anomaly openly. Most male warriors in the kingdom did not see the Queens riders as anything more than a kindergarten for the real army, only useful for clearing minor disputes and providing preliminary training for peasants. Therefore, the position of commander was not contested outside the rider organization.
However, after the untimely dead of Alderiene Skelt, the previous leader, there was no clear-cut option for who would take her post. Three high- ranking officers remained. All were grieved by the loss of their beloved leader, and none had any real ambition to step forward. Even more surprising, all were male. The riders were meant to be an organization that bred tolerance and equality between the sexes and races of Tortall. However, unbeknown to most people, a faction within the group had emerged calling themselves the 'Sisterhood of the Storm'. In darker circles their nickname was simply the 'Stormies'.
This faction was based around more than four hundred girls and women primarily inside the riders, but also with various connections outside. Here, in the unassuming mess hall of the Queens riders, the four main ringleaders of this increasingly powerful group sat eating creamed corn and sausages. Denika Altruen twisted her head nonchalantly as the messenger entered the bustling hall, following him closely with piercing green eyes. He whispered something to Decklert, an old sergeant who was now tactical advisor of the riders. Denika snapped her head back to the table, and examined her three companions. Yelao, a K'miri drifter originally, looked calm and placid as she normally did. Her almond eyes glittered with intelligence beneath her concealing fringe of black hair, Denika knew she was taking in everything that was transpiring. Selina Robertson, a farmer's daughter, looked down at her plate, hiding her large sad blue eyes from Denika's gaze. The tall dark girl next to Selina, Fallow Rienick, elbowed her hard in the shoulder. Selina gasped in a protest, then quickly closed her mouth.
Fallow grinned, flashing her white teeth charmingly and turned to Denika. "Looks like they're trying to make this thing as quiet as possible", she stated with a hint of bravado. "Probably afraid of an uprising from the stormies!" She whispered excitedly. Yalao instantly grabbed Fallow's arm and twisted it sharply on the table. "Don't be a fool!" she hissed, "We cannot afford suspicion." Yalao let go of her peer's arm and turned calmly to Denika. 'If you were to pass her on the street, you would not assume this girl lead the most notorious female gang in the city' Yalao thought as she examined her leader. Denika looked like a well-bred tourist from the Copper Isles, with long golden brown hair that curled in loose rivulets. Her skin was brown, her full lips were red, and her level eyes were a startling emerald. However, anyone who mistook her for a pretty merchant daughter would be deadly mistaken.
Denika knitted her brows together "Yalao, I know you're in love with me and all, but stop staring at me! It's disturbing to say the least". The K'mir girl grinned sly fully "Oh Denika, you're intelligence is truly wasted here. You would gain so much more respect as court jester." Denika laughed and noticed Selina had murmured something, however it was inaudible over the din of the mess hall. "Shut up guys" Denika chastised the others mockingly "Selina wants to say something - go on dear" she urged the golden haired girl. Selina cleared her throat and looked up with wide eyes "I was just wondering, if the new commander is male, how exactly is the s-s- sisterhood going to react?" The timid girl winced at the mere mention of the gang's name.
Denika smiled coldly, "What a good question". She casually placed her knife and fork on her plate and waited for the old sergeant to speak up.