If Daine Went Crazy
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Author: This story is my own version of Tamora Pierce's Immortals quartet. It is very different and not even half as good as the original but I made it, so there. I am taking no credit for Tamora Pierce's work or anyone else's for that matter I am just a big fan and a copy cat who can't come up with her own characters or settings. Since I am an amateur writer, I don't doubt if there are millions of mistakes. Please don't flame me about mistakes, either deal with them or email me at c_c_puppy@yahoo.com. Thank you for putting up with my rambling though most everyone (if anyone) reading this story didn't even bother reading this right up here unless they thought it was part of the story which I hope by now they would realize it isn't because this has nothing to do with anything about the story, well it does but it isn't part of it. You know what I mean. Now, onto the story (finally), hope you enjoy!
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The wolves cried out into the night. There was a beautiful moon, which illuminated the pack of wolves that howled ceremoniously at it. An odd sight would meet the eyes of anyone who looked upon the wolf family, for not only did it consist of wolves, but a girl. She walked on all fours and was treated like any other female wolf in the pack. This strange band lived in a deep forest untouched by civilization and far from any humans. They lived in harmony for years, but not all good things last forever…
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"Are you packed yet Numair?" Alanna yelled up the staircase towards her partner Numair Samalin's chambers.
"Almost! I can't seem to find my scry crystal!" was the reply that echoed down the empty hallway.
"Good Goddess! Does organization mean anything to you?!" Alanna huffed as she climbed the stairs to help her hopeless companion. She heard Numair yell he found it halfway up to his room.
"We need to get going. Jon asked us to leave by sunrise and that was nearly an hour ago!"
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The two saddled their horses and were on their way within a few minutes. King Jonathan asked them to scout a rather large plot of land inside Tortall's border that was never mapped. They estimated the trip to be a five days ride from Corus. Alanna was assigned to this job because she was dear friends with the King since their knighthood days and had no other task to suppress her adventurous nature. As for Numair, he also was assigned to go for lack of work and friendship with the King, but it also helped that he was the most powerful sorcerer of his time, not counting Thom Trebond, Alanna's twin. King Jon hadn't any idea what lay in the foreign area so he thought sending the only Lady Knight who also had the Gift and the most powerful sorcerer in Corus would be able to handle anything they encountered, it also stopped them from asking him for a task to occupy their time with.
During their trip, Alanna and Numair stopped in towns to rest rather than set up camp for they didn't know how long they would be sleeping outdoors once they reached the unmapped region.
"How could no one ever notice this un-named space here? It's almost big enough for a royal fief." Alanna wondered aloud one night during dinner at the Shepard's Inn.
"The land might have been over-looked because it had no use before." Numair guessed.
"In any case, I'll inform Jon of the name once I've chosen." She stated. After getting a surprised look from Numair, she argued "We found it so we should have the right to name it. I'm sure Jon would agree in the end."
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The road was easy-going in the relaxing early spring weather. The further they got, the more wild their surroundings looked. Near sundown on their fourth day of traveling, they stopped at a small village off the side of the narrowing road. They unsaddled and walked around in search of a place to stay. Alanna knelt by a young girl of about 7 playing outside and asked politely "Excuse me, do you know where we can fin an Inn around here?" The girl tilted her head and looked at Alanna. She hesitated but answered, "Mommy says not to talk to strange people, but you're pretty." She pointed towards a building at the end of the row of houses. Alanna thanked her and was off with Numair to the building the girl indicated.
An old sign in front of the house read Burgees Inn. The travelers tied their horses to a tree out front and walked inside. It was a cozy little house with four doors leading off from the back wall and a large living room decorated in pink flowers. A woman walked out from one of the four doors and stopped when she saw Numair and Alanna.
"Excuse me, may I help you?" The woman asked sweetly and slightly confused.
Numair replied, "We're sorry, we thought this was the Burgees Inn."
"Oh!" She exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. "I'm terribly sorry! We weren't expecting company." She held up a hand to signal the two not to go and called to one of the back rooms, "Burg! Burg get out here!"
"What is it Lalaine? I'm busy!" was the bitter reply, it was a deep man's voice, a voice of control.
"We have customers, dear." Lalaine said more softly.
"Customers?" The voice was different this time, more surprised. A tall man walked out from the same door as Lalaine did and welcomed his guests with a large smile.
"Please excuse our being unprepared, we haven't had a customer in over three years." Burg explained.
"No problem." Numair said, waving it away.
"We have one room available," Lalaine said, getting back to business. "with two beds. For how long will you be accompanying us?"
"One."
They got settled into their room and ate dinner with their generous hosts. The night went by fast and the two were bidding farewell by sunrise. They soon discovered there were no more villages past that and the road became mere animal trails.
"We must be near." Remarked Alanna.
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Author: Hope you liked it, I'm trying hard to make the chapters long. After reading what I wrote, I don't even think it's me, I'm way to dumb to write that.. Anyways, another one of my stories will show you the stranger side of me, it will be a Harry Potter fic. Eh, I have bad taste, so shoot me. *Ducks under computer table* Oops.. Shouldn't have said that, heh..