Disclaimer: The characters and world belong to Tamora Pierce.
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"I don't like it," Coram growled. "Ye'll both be getting yeselves in trouble."
"So?" one of the hooded figures hissed. Violet eyes peered out from under the hood. "What could they do to me?"
"Ye could ruin ye'r entire life."
"Coram, my entire life will be worth nothing if I go to the convent. Nothing! We can do this. And it'll change my entire life. For the better."
"She's right, Coram," the other figure said, the same violet eyes glancing back at the manor. "Maude agreed. So why won't you?"
"Maude's different!" Coram exploded. "Do ye know how much trouble I'll be in if ye'r father finds out?"
"Father won't find out. He's buried in his books all the time. Just remember, Coram, I'm Alan and this is my twin Thom. We've been over this already."
"And what about the letter ye'r father will send?"
"Maude's taken care of that, you know that, Coram. She's going to catch any messenger and change the message so it doesn't give anything away. And the one we've brought with us we've already added a few things and forged the signature. Please, Coram! This could mean the way my entire life turns out!"
The manservant looked for another way out. "Ye, lad, I thought you wanted to be a sorcerer. Why are you going to the palace, then?"
Thom shrugged. "I don't want any teachers telling me what to do. At the palace, they have extensive libraries, where I have access to all the spells I need. I can teach myself." He grinned at his sister. "Besides, I and Alanna have to stay together."
"Look, Coram," Alanna said, her violet eyes serious. "You don't have to be our manservant. You could stay at home, and be the messenger."
"ARE YOU CRAZY!" exploded Coram. "Leave ye both to brave the palace by ye'rselves!"
Alanna winked at Thom.
"What would they think of ye'r father? What would they think of me?" Coram asked furiously, pacing.
"Then what else are you going to do, Coram? Tell our father? Ruin our lives? And..." Thom paused artfully. "Go around for the rest of your life seeing spidrens following you?"
Coram fought down a shudder. Then he nodded reluctantly. "I still don't like it."
"But you'll do it?"
"Oh, all right. I can't leave ye, and I wouldn't tell on ye to ye'r father for the world---if only because you'd get in trouble."
The twins grinned at each other.
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"I don't like it," Coram growled. "Ye'll both be getting yeselves in trouble."
"So?" one of the hooded figures hissed. Violet eyes peered out from under the hood. "What could they do to me?"
"Ye could ruin ye'r entire life."
"Coram, my entire life will be worth nothing if I go to the convent. Nothing! We can do this. And it'll change my entire life. For the better."
"She's right, Coram," the other figure said, the same violet eyes glancing back at the manor. "Maude agreed. So why won't you?"
"Maude's different!" Coram exploded. "Do ye know how much trouble I'll be in if ye'r father finds out?"
"Father won't find out. He's buried in his books all the time. Just remember, Coram, I'm Alan and this is my twin Thom. We've been over this already."
"And what about the letter ye'r father will send?"
"Maude's taken care of that, you know that, Coram. She's going to catch any messenger and change the message so it doesn't give anything away. And the one we've brought with us we've already added a few things and forged the signature. Please, Coram! This could mean the way my entire life turns out!"
The manservant looked for another way out. "Ye, lad, I thought you wanted to be a sorcerer. Why are you going to the palace, then?"
Thom shrugged. "I don't want any teachers telling me what to do. At the palace, they have extensive libraries, where I have access to all the spells I need. I can teach myself." He grinned at his sister. "Besides, I and Alanna have to stay together."
"Look, Coram," Alanna said, her violet eyes serious. "You don't have to be our manservant. You could stay at home, and be the messenger."
"ARE YOU CRAZY!" exploded Coram. "Leave ye both to brave the palace by ye'rselves!"
Alanna winked at Thom.
"What would they think of ye'r father? What would they think of me?" Coram asked furiously, pacing.
"Then what else are you going to do, Coram? Tell our father? Ruin our lives? And..." Thom paused artfully. "Go around for the rest of your life seeing spidrens following you?"
Coram fought down a shudder. Then he nodded reluctantly. "I still don't like it."
"But you'll do it?"
"Oh, all right. I can't leave ye, and I wouldn't tell on ye to ye'r father for the world---if only because you'd get in trouble."
The twins grinned at each other.