Author: San (aka Brooke Evans)

Title: Daine Goes To The Convent

Summary: Instead of escaping, Daine ends up being caught by the bandits. She manages to break free and is taken in by a convent. Eventually will be a Numair and Daine romance.

Disclaimer: Me no Tammy...Mine not charas...jus plottie......Sorry.....I'M HYPER!....I've got to stop these dots...*cough* Anyway, anything that you don't recognize belongs to me (like the plot, new characters, etc..) and anything you do recognize belongs to the goddess and genius, Tamora Pierce, unless stated otherwise.

Note: All author notes and shoutouts in the future will be displayed in bold.

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A country bred girl of thirteen, with brown curls tamed by a head scarf, soft blue-gray eyes and a stubborn chin leaned lazily against a wooden fence, watching over the sheep. Her name was Veralidaine Sarrasri, known as Daine to most. It was beginning to get dark and the sheep had yet to fall asleep. Daine was getting frustrated, she began to sing a merry tune.

Silly sheep

Go to sleep.

We will watch around you keep

Though the night be dark and deep

Nothing past us dares to creep

Go to sleep.

Wooly heads

Have no dreads

Though we'd rather seek out beds

And our eyes are dull as leads

And we long for hearths and steads

Have no dreads.

Do not fear

We are here

Though this watch is lone and drear

Lacking in all warmth and cheer

Till the morn again draws near

We are here.

In the night

Stars shine bright

And the moon is at her height

Lending us her little light

Nothing comes to you fright

Stars shine bright.

With the day

We'll away

Leaving you to greet the day

Other shepherds watch you play

Keep you safe from all that prey

We'll away.

Silly sheep

Go to sleep.

We will watch around you keep

Go to sleep.

Go to sleep.



By the time she had sung the last note of the song all of the sheep had dozed off. Daine breathed deeply, expecting to gather in the fresh air of the village Snowsdale in Galla. But no - something wasn't right. It wasn't clean air she inhaled. Was that... smoke?

Daine glanced around rapidly, alarmed. Why did she smell smoke?

Then she saw it. She almost had to squint to view the scene properly, but nevertheless, she knew what was happening.

Bandits. Not again. Daine groaned, half out of agony, half out of frustration. Snowsdale seemed to be a constant target for these sort of folk, and no one really knew why. The village had barely been able to survive the last attack they encountered.

Smoke was rising from a few of the houses on the out parts of the village, and many near to them were being awaken by shrieks of terror.

Daine sprinted as hastily as she could into her own cottage to wake up her Ma. She raced into her Ma's room and peered down at her mother who was in a deep sleep. She looked so peaceful. Ma had blue eyes that were now covered up by her eyelids, creamy skin, high cheekbones, a straight nose, a dimpled smile and a lot of thick, heavy blonde hair.

Daine smacked herself mentally. This is no time to be thinking of how lovely Ma is, she told herself. Now, move! She shook her lightly, "Ma! Ma! Wake up! Bandits!" Her mother sat up, alert. Ma absent-mindedly brushed a strand or her golden hair behind her ear and out of her face. "Bandits? Quick, Daine, fetch the bows!" Ma replied quickly. Daine nodded and ran to the shabby shed behind the miniscule cottage.

She dug slightly to the right of the shed to uncover a ancient silver key. Daine unlocked the shed with that, coughing at the dust that had shot at her face. She glared about, then found her and her Ma's bows and picked out two quivers of arrows.

Daine then speedily entered the house, where she saw her mother, dressed for a fight. She gazed downwards at her own green wool dress, with a short skirt that revealed her leggings and boots. Then she patted her head scarf. "Ma, I'm in no condition to fight." She mumbled uncertainly.

"Daine, don't be silly, that doesn't matter. Now, scoot!" Ma replied sternly, and rushed her out of the cottage before taking her bow in hand and selecting a quiver of arrows.

"Let's Go."

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Before I begin ranting, I would like to state that I did not write the song Daine sang. It's called Holderkin Sheep Song and it's by Mercedes Lackey.

With that credit given, I will now say a bunch of stuff that you probably don't really care about, but that you should read.

I bet when you first took a look at this you thought I was crazy (Well, I am). You were probably thinking, how can Daine go to the convent? Well, you'll just have to see how everything unfolds.

I just got very tired of seeing all these Alanna Goes To The Convent and Kel Goes To The Convent fics. Not meaning any offense to anyone who writes these types of fics, many of them are very good!

Because I am ambitious and kind of annoying, I will need 20 reviews before I post the next part. They make me feel special. So, please, please review! Thanks for reading!