Tamora Pierce owns the entire universe of this story, all the characters,
the world they live on and the very air they use to sustain life. Only the
vague plot and dialog I have attributed to TP's characters in this tale
belongs to me. I freely give my permission for Tamora Pierce to use any or
all of the plot/story/dialog/concept if she so desires in any way she
desires.
Anyone has my permission to use anything from this and my other story in any way they want. So have at it, expand, add, enhance, just think if you can write a fan fiction based on a story that has a copyright why not a fan fiction based on a fan fiction. So tale spinners, spin on.
Blame all lousy spelling and grammar on the California Education System. Thank the Lord for spell checkers.
Remember, when you read this I am using the same spell as Tamora, I'm writing in Imperial and the magic spell is enabling you to read in your native tongue. So some of you are seeing miles, feet and inches and some are seeing Kilometers, meters and centimeters. And moon cycles are translated into years, months, weeks, days, etc. Also the numbering system is translated from the more logical base 12 system, to the count on the fingers stupid base 10. You're going to have to go to your math teachers to find out how to do it because I don't know. (evil laugh)
Chapter 15
Citadel that evening.
"That bad?" The Duke asked.
"Yes uncle, Tris and I surveyed the interior of the manor. It is almost totally devoid of furnishing, the only rooms still complete furnished are the rooms Frantson and his wife used, the kitchen and small dining room. The library still has a large number of books. I guess he couldn't find a buyer for them. The rest of the rooms are stripped almost bare."
"Daja?"
"My Lord, the only animals in the stable are the horses of your guard, it is low on fodder for the horses, we will have to send some soon. The storage sheds are in poor repair and are nearly empty, the only thing in plenty is the rodent population. The blacksmith shop is a disgrace. About the only thing left is the anvil. It is going take a lot of money, supplies and personal to restore Green Acres."
"Briar?"
"Most of the farms are abandoned and the fields are filled with weeds. The period of lying fallow has let the land regain it natural fertility. The next crops will benefit from this neglect, but it going to take a lot of work, and a lot of farmers will be need to be recruited."
The Duke sat back in his chair and seemed to be thinking deeply.
"Sandry has duties here that can not be neglected."
Daja, Tris and Briar looked puzzled by this non sequitur.
"Tris, Briar, Daja would it be possible for you three to return to Green Acres and work to restore it? I can supply funds, the jewelry Frantson bought and used in his plot will be sold and those funds will help, I can keep a compliment of guards out there but I don't know where you are going to find the people you will need to help you."
The four discussed it through the bond.
"Briar: It will be a lot of work,"
"Daja: Funding will be a lot of help."
"Briar: Help, we will need a lot of help."
"Tris: We have a lot of people at the school that have training by no experience."
"Briar: Right, if we recruit from the school and UPS, we can get people trained in almost any field, they lack practical experience and working at Green Acres will give them that."
"Sandry: And if the eventual new owners of the estate does not wish to keep anyone on they will have a good reference to help find another position."
"Briar: Trainees are not farmers, we will need some experienced farmers."
Sandry turned to her uncle, "Would it be possible to recruit experienced farmers by offering two years free of taxes?"
"Yes," the Duke replied, "That should get you some older sons and even complete families,"
Tris said, "We don't want to just post a notice, we would be inundated by people trying to move onto Green Acres, some of them the type we do not want."
Briar nodded, "Right, Rosethorn and I know every good farmer, within forty miles, who has sons in need of land and some that could use a larger farm. We can ask them to start."
Briar, with a smile, "We can take some of Evvy's surplus cat population to help with the rodent problem."
The massive wall clock chimed 11. (Daja is still working on a pocket watch in her spare time)
The Duke stood and with a mighty stretch and yawn said, "Do the rest tomorrow."
As they left the room Tris said, "To quote Baconlet the Prince of Denpeso, THE REST IS SILENCE."
Sandry said, "What?"
"Never mind, go to bed, I will tell you tomorrow."
The next morning.
Sandry threw the covers back and sat up on the side of the bed, slipping her feet info her slippers.
She stood, put on a clean robe and headed for the Citadel baths. Thirty minutes later she returned to her room and proceeded to put herself together for the day.
Her personal maid had two dresses hanging for her approval, "I will be going to Circle Four this morning."
"Yes My Lady, "Rosalie I have been asking you to call me Sandry ever since I moved in here when I was fourteen."
"Yes My Lady," Selecting accessories for the plain type of dress that Sandry usually wore when she did not want to advertise her nobility.
Sandry shook her head and proceeded to get dressed.
Checking through the bond Sandry found Briar and Bear, having finished breakfast, complementing the gardeners on what they had accomplished while he was busy elsewhere.
Daja was sitting on the front steps with Evvy, finishing a muffin with a cup of tea, the approaching Evvy, inundated in a sea of cats, was trying to keep her muffin away from them, with Chime swooping down teasing the cats.
Tris was approaching the steps, her nose in a new book on academic magic. Glaki was chattering along asking about the trip to Green Acres.
Sandry hurried down to the breakfast room darting in she snatched up a couple of muffins, "Sorry uncle, I'm running late this morning. We are going to Circle Four."
The Duke waved a hand at her, "Go."
Rushing out the door, "Morning all."
They all headed toward the stables.
"Wmn ikummph brmnam mnph wjmly."
"Sandry, don't talk with your mouth full, you're a noble."
Sandry swallowed and repeated, "We'll pick up Briar on the way."
When they reached the stables the grooms had the carriage ready to go and Sandrys bodyguards were leading her mount Russet, along with their own mounts, out of the open stable.
"Good Morning, Oama, Kwaben, Revird"
"Good Morning, My Lady."
Tris said "Lay on, Makduff, And damn'd be him that first cries, 'Hold, enough!'
Daja turned to her, "What are you talking about?"
"That was a quote from Willyam Shakeprod's last play Makbeth" "And just what does it mean?"
"They are Makbeth's last words, meaning "go for it, Makduff, let's fight to the death!", before Makduff kills him in combat."
"In this context it means let's go."
Picking up Briar on the way they headed toward Summersea and Circle Four.
"Briar, the gardens are looking good."
"Yes, Tris, the men are doing a very good job, I can go to Green Acres with worrying about this garden. It's to late in the season to put in a crop but the fruit trees are badly in need of pruning, with gardeners from the training school we should be able to get a lot done before planting season."
"I have been thinking," said Tris, reading from some notes, "for the manor, we will need, to help Alfred, a head housekeeper, maids, footmen, some good assistant cooks to help Julia, we have a big cleaning job to do in the manor and a even bigger one to do in the barracks and stables."
"Don't forget to bring some of Evvy's cats, and a couple of dogs to keep Bear company. And we need to do some recruiting of farmers also."
"Before planting time?"
"Yes, some of the farms need a lot of work to be livable. I think we should make up a crew of repairmen to go to each farm as the new farmers arrive and help them do the repairs. Also some of the new farmers are going to be just starting out and will need plows and plow-horses, that type of thing."
Daja remarked, "I might be a good idea to keep the plow-horses at the manor stables, at least until spring, that way the burden of caring for them will not be on the farms until needed."
"Good Idea, Daja," Said Briar, "We will talk to the farmers about it."
They rode in silence for a while each thinking of the job ahead.
Daja turned to Tris, "Stradivari told me a story the other day."
"Oh no!"
"Yes, It seems when the great composer Zarmot passed away, he was buried in a graveyard. A couple days later, the town drunk was walking through the graveyard and heard some strange noises coming from the area where Zarmot was buried. Terrified, the drunk ran and got the priestess, from the temple of the Goddess of the Moon, to come and listen to it. The priestess bent close to the grave and heard some faint, unrecognizable music coming from the grave. Frightened, the priestess ran and got the town's Guard Captain. When the Captain arrived, he bent his ear to the grave, listened for a moment, and said, 'Ah, yes, that's Zarmot's Ninth Symphony, being played backwards.'"
"He listened a while longer, and said, 'There's the Eighth Symphony, And it's backwards, too. Most puzzling.' So the Captain kept listening; 'There's the Seventh... the Sixth... the Fifth...' Suddenly the realization of what was happening dawned on the Captain; he stood up and announced to the crowd that had gathered in the cemetery. 'My fellow citizens, there's nothing to worry about. It's just Zarmot decomposing.'"
Tris groaned. "You need better jokes
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Appendix Chapter 15
Sample test questions.
Define Fallow.
Define Non sequitur
Define Inundated
Anyone has my permission to use anything from this and my other story in any way they want. So have at it, expand, add, enhance, just think if you can write a fan fiction based on a story that has a copyright why not a fan fiction based on a fan fiction. So tale spinners, spin on.
Blame all lousy spelling and grammar on the California Education System. Thank the Lord for spell checkers.
Remember, when you read this I am using the same spell as Tamora, I'm writing in Imperial and the magic spell is enabling you to read in your native tongue. So some of you are seeing miles, feet and inches and some are seeing Kilometers, meters and centimeters. And moon cycles are translated into years, months, weeks, days, etc. Also the numbering system is translated from the more logical base 12 system, to the count on the fingers stupid base 10. You're going to have to go to your math teachers to find out how to do it because I don't know. (evil laugh)
Chapter 15
Citadel that evening.
"That bad?" The Duke asked.
"Yes uncle, Tris and I surveyed the interior of the manor. It is almost totally devoid of furnishing, the only rooms still complete furnished are the rooms Frantson and his wife used, the kitchen and small dining room. The library still has a large number of books. I guess he couldn't find a buyer for them. The rest of the rooms are stripped almost bare."
"Daja?"
"My Lord, the only animals in the stable are the horses of your guard, it is low on fodder for the horses, we will have to send some soon. The storage sheds are in poor repair and are nearly empty, the only thing in plenty is the rodent population. The blacksmith shop is a disgrace. About the only thing left is the anvil. It is going take a lot of money, supplies and personal to restore Green Acres."
"Briar?"
"Most of the farms are abandoned and the fields are filled with weeds. The period of lying fallow has let the land regain it natural fertility. The next crops will benefit from this neglect, but it going to take a lot of work, and a lot of farmers will be need to be recruited."
The Duke sat back in his chair and seemed to be thinking deeply.
"Sandry has duties here that can not be neglected."
Daja, Tris and Briar looked puzzled by this non sequitur.
"Tris, Briar, Daja would it be possible for you three to return to Green Acres and work to restore it? I can supply funds, the jewelry Frantson bought and used in his plot will be sold and those funds will help, I can keep a compliment of guards out there but I don't know where you are going to find the people you will need to help you."
The four discussed it through the bond.
"Briar: It will be a lot of work,"
"Daja: Funding will be a lot of help."
"Briar: Help, we will need a lot of help."
"Tris: We have a lot of people at the school that have training by no experience."
"Briar: Right, if we recruit from the school and UPS, we can get people trained in almost any field, they lack practical experience and working at Green Acres will give them that."
"Sandry: And if the eventual new owners of the estate does not wish to keep anyone on they will have a good reference to help find another position."
"Briar: Trainees are not farmers, we will need some experienced farmers."
Sandry turned to her uncle, "Would it be possible to recruit experienced farmers by offering two years free of taxes?"
"Yes," the Duke replied, "That should get you some older sons and even complete families,"
Tris said, "We don't want to just post a notice, we would be inundated by people trying to move onto Green Acres, some of them the type we do not want."
Briar nodded, "Right, Rosethorn and I know every good farmer, within forty miles, who has sons in need of land and some that could use a larger farm. We can ask them to start."
Briar, with a smile, "We can take some of Evvy's surplus cat population to help with the rodent problem."
The massive wall clock chimed 11. (Daja is still working on a pocket watch in her spare time)
The Duke stood and with a mighty stretch and yawn said, "Do the rest tomorrow."
As they left the room Tris said, "To quote Baconlet the Prince of Denpeso, THE REST IS SILENCE."
Sandry said, "What?"
"Never mind, go to bed, I will tell you tomorrow."
The next morning.
Sandry threw the covers back and sat up on the side of the bed, slipping her feet info her slippers.
She stood, put on a clean robe and headed for the Citadel baths. Thirty minutes later she returned to her room and proceeded to put herself together for the day.
Her personal maid had two dresses hanging for her approval, "I will be going to Circle Four this morning."
"Yes My Lady, "Rosalie I have been asking you to call me Sandry ever since I moved in here when I was fourteen."
"Yes My Lady," Selecting accessories for the plain type of dress that Sandry usually wore when she did not want to advertise her nobility.
Sandry shook her head and proceeded to get dressed.
Checking through the bond Sandry found Briar and Bear, having finished breakfast, complementing the gardeners on what they had accomplished while he was busy elsewhere.
Daja was sitting on the front steps with Evvy, finishing a muffin with a cup of tea, the approaching Evvy, inundated in a sea of cats, was trying to keep her muffin away from them, with Chime swooping down teasing the cats.
Tris was approaching the steps, her nose in a new book on academic magic. Glaki was chattering along asking about the trip to Green Acres.
Sandry hurried down to the breakfast room darting in she snatched up a couple of muffins, "Sorry uncle, I'm running late this morning. We are going to Circle Four."
The Duke waved a hand at her, "Go."
Rushing out the door, "Morning all."
They all headed toward the stables.
"Wmn ikummph brmnam mnph wjmly."
"Sandry, don't talk with your mouth full, you're a noble."
Sandry swallowed and repeated, "We'll pick up Briar on the way."
When they reached the stables the grooms had the carriage ready to go and Sandrys bodyguards were leading her mount Russet, along with their own mounts, out of the open stable.
"Good Morning, Oama, Kwaben, Revird"
"Good Morning, My Lady."
Tris said "Lay on, Makduff, And damn'd be him that first cries, 'Hold, enough!'
Daja turned to her, "What are you talking about?"
"That was a quote from Willyam Shakeprod's last play Makbeth" "And just what does it mean?"
"They are Makbeth's last words, meaning "go for it, Makduff, let's fight to the death!", before Makduff kills him in combat."
"In this context it means let's go."
Picking up Briar on the way they headed toward Summersea and Circle Four.
"Briar, the gardens are looking good."
"Yes, Tris, the men are doing a very good job, I can go to Green Acres with worrying about this garden. It's to late in the season to put in a crop but the fruit trees are badly in need of pruning, with gardeners from the training school we should be able to get a lot done before planting season."
"I have been thinking," said Tris, reading from some notes, "for the manor, we will need, to help Alfred, a head housekeeper, maids, footmen, some good assistant cooks to help Julia, we have a big cleaning job to do in the manor and a even bigger one to do in the barracks and stables."
"Don't forget to bring some of Evvy's cats, and a couple of dogs to keep Bear company. And we need to do some recruiting of farmers also."
"Before planting time?"
"Yes, some of the farms need a lot of work to be livable. I think we should make up a crew of repairmen to go to each farm as the new farmers arrive and help them do the repairs. Also some of the new farmers are going to be just starting out and will need plows and plow-horses, that type of thing."
Daja remarked, "I might be a good idea to keep the plow-horses at the manor stables, at least until spring, that way the burden of caring for them will not be on the farms until needed."
"Good Idea, Daja," Said Briar, "We will talk to the farmers about it."
They rode in silence for a while each thinking of the job ahead.
Daja turned to Tris, "Stradivari told me a story the other day."
"Oh no!"
"Yes, It seems when the great composer Zarmot passed away, he was buried in a graveyard. A couple days later, the town drunk was walking through the graveyard and heard some strange noises coming from the area where Zarmot was buried. Terrified, the drunk ran and got the priestess, from the temple of the Goddess of the Moon, to come and listen to it. The priestess bent close to the grave and heard some faint, unrecognizable music coming from the grave. Frightened, the priestess ran and got the town's Guard Captain. When the Captain arrived, he bent his ear to the grave, listened for a moment, and said, 'Ah, yes, that's Zarmot's Ninth Symphony, being played backwards.'"
"He listened a while longer, and said, 'There's the Eighth Symphony, And it's backwards, too. Most puzzling.' So the Captain kept listening; 'There's the Seventh... the Sixth... the Fifth...' Suddenly the realization of what was happening dawned on the Captain; he stood up and announced to the crowd that had gathered in the cemetery. 'My fellow citizens, there's nothing to worry about. It's just Zarmot decomposing.'"
Tris groaned. "You need better jokes
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
Appendix Chapter 15
Sample test questions.
Define Fallow.
Define Non sequitur
Define Inundated