Author's Note: Yes this is a Mary-sue. Sadly. I know. But, thankfully,
this is not a self-injected Mary-sue. Thank goddess! Lol... Actually, I
couldn't think of something I could have wrong with my character, Danica.
I'm still working on developing her. But this is just a pet project that I
work on when I have writer's block on my original fic. I just enjoy having
fun with Tammy Pierce's characters. And here I insert my disclaimer. I DO
NOT OWN ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF DANICA, HER FAMILY, AND HER FRIENDS.
EVERYTHING ELSE BELONGS TO TAMORA PIERCE. THINGS YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD OF
BELONG TO ME. NO TAKING WITHOUT ASKING. Lol...sorry...having too much fun
with that. Oh! And for people who are going to correct my spelling of
character names, BITE ME! Because the only names I misspell are the names
of characters that don't mean shit to the plot.
(*_^)
Chapter One
"Danica"
She carefully opened the heavy wooden door, trying her hardest not to make a sound. She held her breath when the door squeaked and stood a moment, hoping that no one had heard.
"Going somewhere, Danica?" She cursed under her breath before she turned to face her stepsister.
"Good evening, Celadine." She curtseyed. "I was only hoping to see the sunset."
"Funny. I thought you were trying to seek off to the market again." Celadine said in a sickly sweet voice. Danica cursed in her mind.
"No. I only wanted to see the sunset better. The best view is from the hills, you know."
"I hear the view is just the same from your room. Or will I have to call Mother?"
"No, Celadine. That won't be necessary. I'm sure the view is just as beautiful from my room. I'll have to go see." Danica curtseyed again and shut the wooden door. She turned and went back up the stone stairs to her room. "Bloody!" She screamed when she got inside.
She ran to the window and searched the woods with her eyes until she found Jakkin. She tried waving at him in hopes of getting his attention, but he wasn't looking her way. She'd call to him but the chances of her being heard by Celadine or her stepmother were too high for her to risk. If they knew that Jakkin was there, they'd have the guard after him and would probably send him to the mines.
Danica groaned, frustrated. How would she tell Jakkin that she was stuck in the castle again? Suddenly, she remembered that she still had allies within the castle. Most of the servants and guards had stayed loyal to her mother and her after her father, Lord Sheldon of Kestral remarried. One of them could get the message to Jakkin.
She ran to the door and pulled it open only to reveal that Celadine had posted guards outside her door. And not just any guards, but ones that Lady Gretchen of Bynum, her stepmother, had brought from her fief. Danica smiled politely and said,
"Have my maid brought to me before she goes home. And have her bring me supper. I wish to dine in my rooms." One of the men bowed and left to do her bidding. Danica reentered her room and slammed the door behind her. A few minutes later, there was a soft knock on it and her maid, Netty entered.
Netty placed the tray of food on the table and curtseyed to Danica.
"Shut the door." Netty did as she was told and Danica sighed. "Thank the Goddess that you're here! Look, take this-" Danica handed some gold pieces to Netty. "-And tell everyone that you're going to the marketplace to get me some of that Yamani Green Tea. I wish to try something new or something. Then when you get outside, go to the woods over there-" She pointed to the general area of where she had seen Jakkin. "-And tell Jakkin that I'm stuck in the castle and that Celadine posted guards at my door. Tell him that I'll find him next time I'm able to leave."
"Yes, my lady." Netty picked the plates of food off the tray and picked the tray back up.
"Oh, shut up, Netty. You haven't 'my lady'ed me in ages."
"I know. Its just fun to annoy you." Netty smiled and left the room. Danica sighed. She hoped her plan would work. She glanced at the letter she had only received that morning from her father. She opened the envelope and read the contents.
My dearest daughter,
I only hope that you are having a wonderful time. I miss
you dearly. As you know, I have asked my Gretchen to school you
in the ways of a proper lady. Your sister is coming to age and
it is time to present her in court. If you would like, you
could be presented as well. After all, you are now seventeen.
We will speak more on this matter when I return to Kestral. I
am leaving Corus today and it will be four weeks before I arrive
to Kestral. Please begin packing to move to our town house. My
love to you.
Papa
Danica sighed blissfully. Hopefully Papa would be able to find a proper husband for Celadine and they could marry her off already. That would make life so much easier on her.
And maybe she could even tell Papa about all the things she was learning in the village and she'd be allowed to go there more often and wouldn't have to sneak out. After all, it wasn't everyday that a girl could learn about herbs and medicine and whatnot. Danica enjoyed the work she did in healing, even though she wasn't so lucky as to possess the Healing Gift as her mother had.
Danica did have the Gift, but it wasn't for Healing. She only was able to do minor things in healing, but she was a good Seeker. She could see truth, find lost items, and scry extremely well. And she had a bit of animal magic. Not horse magic, which was more common, but she could talk to cats.
The thing about that was, no one believed her when she told them she could. Everyone outside her circle of trusted friends and her mother's trusted friends thought she was the strangest creature on the Goddess's green earth. She didn't mind much, though. As long as she had her friends, she didn't care.
(^-^)
Danica was looking for her favorite gown when her door opened. She glanced over and saw it was her stepmother and stepsister. She sighed and stood, dusting her skirts off as she did so. She curtseyed very low. It was only proper to use that particular curtsey from royalty, but Gretchen insisted that Danica 'practiced' her curtseys.
"Whatever are you doing?" Gretchen sneered at Danica.
"I'm looking for my purple gown, my lady." Danica dropped her gaze to the ground, as Gretchen believed appropriate.
"Why? Are you planning to go somewhere?"
"Papa wrote and said that he's coming to take us to Corus. He's going to open house down there so that we could better present Celadine to Court. I was only hoping to find my gown so that I could repair the loose embroidery before we go."
"Why would you need to have your gown? Didn't your father say to present Celadine? I clearly don't remember him saying anything about you."
"Papa said he would present me as well if I wanted. I am seventeen and old enough to be presented. Papa says he would like to find me a good husband."
"Your husband! Who would want to marry you? He wouldn't even inherit went your father dies. All he'd get is you." Celadine scoffed. Danica resisted the urge to reach up and punch her or to say something along the lines of 'you wouldn't inherit anything. Papa has it in his will that I inherit Kestral AND Lady's Lake from Mama.' Danica only bowed her head.
"Now that's uncalled for, Celadine. You know that he would be getting a new servant as well." Gretchen smirked. "Come, Celadine. We will visit the dressmaker. You must of some gowns of the latest designs." They left. Danica gestured rudely after them when they closed the door.
'She's right. My clothes are probably out of style if Celadine's are. Besides, I haven't gotten new clothing in nearly a year." Danica thought to herself. "Maybe Uline could help me." Danica grabbed a quill and ink and immediately drafted a short letter, asking her friend, Uline haMinch, formerly of Hannalof for help. Uline had always said she'd be there to help if Danica ever needed it. And did she ever!
(*_^)
Chapter One
"Danica"
She carefully opened the heavy wooden door, trying her hardest not to make a sound. She held her breath when the door squeaked and stood a moment, hoping that no one had heard.
"Going somewhere, Danica?" She cursed under her breath before she turned to face her stepsister.
"Good evening, Celadine." She curtseyed. "I was only hoping to see the sunset."
"Funny. I thought you were trying to seek off to the market again." Celadine said in a sickly sweet voice. Danica cursed in her mind.
"No. I only wanted to see the sunset better. The best view is from the hills, you know."
"I hear the view is just the same from your room. Or will I have to call Mother?"
"No, Celadine. That won't be necessary. I'm sure the view is just as beautiful from my room. I'll have to go see." Danica curtseyed again and shut the wooden door. She turned and went back up the stone stairs to her room. "Bloody!" She screamed when she got inside.
She ran to the window and searched the woods with her eyes until she found Jakkin. She tried waving at him in hopes of getting his attention, but he wasn't looking her way. She'd call to him but the chances of her being heard by Celadine or her stepmother were too high for her to risk. If they knew that Jakkin was there, they'd have the guard after him and would probably send him to the mines.
Danica groaned, frustrated. How would she tell Jakkin that she was stuck in the castle again? Suddenly, she remembered that she still had allies within the castle. Most of the servants and guards had stayed loyal to her mother and her after her father, Lord Sheldon of Kestral remarried. One of them could get the message to Jakkin.
She ran to the door and pulled it open only to reveal that Celadine had posted guards outside her door. And not just any guards, but ones that Lady Gretchen of Bynum, her stepmother, had brought from her fief. Danica smiled politely and said,
"Have my maid brought to me before she goes home. And have her bring me supper. I wish to dine in my rooms." One of the men bowed and left to do her bidding. Danica reentered her room and slammed the door behind her. A few minutes later, there was a soft knock on it and her maid, Netty entered.
Netty placed the tray of food on the table and curtseyed to Danica.
"Shut the door." Netty did as she was told and Danica sighed. "Thank the Goddess that you're here! Look, take this-" Danica handed some gold pieces to Netty. "-And tell everyone that you're going to the marketplace to get me some of that Yamani Green Tea. I wish to try something new or something. Then when you get outside, go to the woods over there-" She pointed to the general area of where she had seen Jakkin. "-And tell Jakkin that I'm stuck in the castle and that Celadine posted guards at my door. Tell him that I'll find him next time I'm able to leave."
"Yes, my lady." Netty picked the plates of food off the tray and picked the tray back up.
"Oh, shut up, Netty. You haven't 'my lady'ed me in ages."
"I know. Its just fun to annoy you." Netty smiled and left the room. Danica sighed. She hoped her plan would work. She glanced at the letter she had only received that morning from her father. She opened the envelope and read the contents.
My dearest daughter,
I only hope that you are having a wonderful time. I miss
you dearly. As you know, I have asked my Gretchen to school you
in the ways of a proper lady. Your sister is coming to age and
it is time to present her in court. If you would like, you
could be presented as well. After all, you are now seventeen.
We will speak more on this matter when I return to Kestral. I
am leaving Corus today and it will be four weeks before I arrive
to Kestral. Please begin packing to move to our town house. My
love to you.
Papa
Danica sighed blissfully. Hopefully Papa would be able to find a proper husband for Celadine and they could marry her off already. That would make life so much easier on her.
And maybe she could even tell Papa about all the things she was learning in the village and she'd be allowed to go there more often and wouldn't have to sneak out. After all, it wasn't everyday that a girl could learn about herbs and medicine and whatnot. Danica enjoyed the work she did in healing, even though she wasn't so lucky as to possess the Healing Gift as her mother had.
Danica did have the Gift, but it wasn't for Healing. She only was able to do minor things in healing, but she was a good Seeker. She could see truth, find lost items, and scry extremely well. And she had a bit of animal magic. Not horse magic, which was more common, but she could talk to cats.
The thing about that was, no one believed her when she told them she could. Everyone outside her circle of trusted friends and her mother's trusted friends thought she was the strangest creature on the Goddess's green earth. She didn't mind much, though. As long as she had her friends, she didn't care.
(^-^)
Danica was looking for her favorite gown when her door opened. She glanced over and saw it was her stepmother and stepsister. She sighed and stood, dusting her skirts off as she did so. She curtseyed very low. It was only proper to use that particular curtsey from royalty, but Gretchen insisted that Danica 'practiced' her curtseys.
"Whatever are you doing?" Gretchen sneered at Danica.
"I'm looking for my purple gown, my lady." Danica dropped her gaze to the ground, as Gretchen believed appropriate.
"Why? Are you planning to go somewhere?"
"Papa wrote and said that he's coming to take us to Corus. He's going to open house down there so that we could better present Celadine to Court. I was only hoping to find my gown so that I could repair the loose embroidery before we go."
"Why would you need to have your gown? Didn't your father say to present Celadine? I clearly don't remember him saying anything about you."
"Papa said he would present me as well if I wanted. I am seventeen and old enough to be presented. Papa says he would like to find me a good husband."
"Your husband! Who would want to marry you? He wouldn't even inherit went your father dies. All he'd get is you." Celadine scoffed. Danica resisted the urge to reach up and punch her or to say something along the lines of 'you wouldn't inherit anything. Papa has it in his will that I inherit Kestral AND Lady's Lake from Mama.' Danica only bowed her head.
"Now that's uncalled for, Celadine. You know that he would be getting a new servant as well." Gretchen smirked. "Come, Celadine. We will visit the dressmaker. You must of some gowns of the latest designs." They left. Danica gestured rudely after them when they closed the door.
'She's right. My clothes are probably out of style if Celadine's are. Besides, I haven't gotten new clothing in nearly a year." Danica thought to herself. "Maybe Uline could help me." Danica grabbed a quill and ink and immediately drafted a short letter, asking her friend, Uline haMinch, formerly of Hannalof for help. Uline had always said she'd be there to help if Danica ever needed it. And did she ever!
