A/N: Hi guys! Sorry I haven't updated for a while but I've had a few tests and work has been busy. I've written the next few chapters of Highly Unusual so hopefully I won't keep you too long before I update next. Enjoy! And by the way, if there's any stuff ups or something that doesn' fit with the story, please let me know.
Review Thanks:
Thanks to all those who've reviewed so far, if you're a member of fanfic then I tried to send you an email in reply so if you didn't get one, I'm sorry but I did try.
Katgirl07: thanks for your review, you're anonymous so I couldn't email you a reply, sorry.
CS: I think I sent you an email reply, sorry if I didn't.
celestial: thanks for your review, but again the anonymous business.
misk: I tried to email you but for some reason it wouldn't work so sorry. I did have a big long reply but I'm not going to put it all here, hopefully my stupid email is working and you've received it by now, but for some reason I think not. Anyway, thanks for your helpful criticism. For this story, Alanna's nickname is Lanna, Shang in this story start at the age of six or seven so Alanna's only about...4 years behind? Oh well thanks and is your email address working because mine is so it must be yours. If you want me to send you an email reply if/when hint you next review please give me an email address to send it to.
Thanks to everyone else who reviewed, I think I sent emails to you all.
Wow! Thank you's take up a lot of space but oh well, just don't report me for long author notes please.
Disclaimer: all recognisable characters are property of TP so don't sue me or anything. The new characters that pop up here and there are mine if you haven't seen or heard of them before. There's also a reference to a place in here called Ruatha's Gorge, I think I pulled that one from another fanfic but I don't remember which one so sorry to the author of that fic. I wasn't sure if it was a TP place or yours so I used it cos I couldn't think of anything better and that one sounded so good. All credit for Ruatha's Gorge goes to the writer of that fic of which I can't remember the name, really sorry. If that author wants to send me a shout then look on my bio page for my email address, it should be there.
Chapter 4: Year Mates
"Here we are, the Shang gathering." Liam said as they rode into the town where the Shang had agreed to meet and hold council that year.
"What do we do now?" Alanna asked.
"Well there will be a tent for us somewhere so we should probably go find it." He told her.
"Point the way and we'll take it." Alanna said.
"Just follow me, I have the feeling I know where our tent will be." He said riding off in the direction of the largest tent.
"Why are we going to the large tent?" Alanna asked him.
"Well seeing as I am one of the immortal Shang my tent will be near the other immortal Shang's tents. But I think you'll probably be staying in a tent with your year mates. That's what usually happens whilst we are all gathered. We shall find that out once we've found my tent." Liam said.
"How will we know your tent?" Alanna queried.
"It's always the same one, it has a dragon painted on it, indicating that it is mine." He said.
"That should be easy to find then."
"In theory yes, in practise no." he said as they went past yet another tent.
"Then why have I just found it?" Alanna asked cheekily, pointing to a tent which had a green dragon painted on the front flap.
"Don't be cheeky young lady otherwise I'll work you harder so that you are too tired to be cheeky." He warned with mock sternness.
"If you worked me harder that would mean you have to work harder." She pointed out with mirth.
"I give up, you are an impossible child." He said as he dismounted.
"Is your little apprentice giving you trouble friend?" a woman's voice asked. Alanna turned in the direction of the voice, as did Liam.
"Kyliah, good to see you again dear friend. No my 'little apprentice' as you put it is like this naturally." He said, striding over to give the woman beside the next tent a huge bear hug.
"Alanna this is the Shang Unicorn, I expect you to treat her with respect. Kyliah, this is my apprentice Alanna." Liam introduced the two.
"Welcome to our ranks Alanna, I hope you have been enjoying Shang combat so far." Kyliah said.
"Yes Unicorn, I have been." Alanna said.
"You may call me Kyliah unless we are in formal Shang council or combat groups." She said.
"Thank you Kyliah." Alanna said.
"Are you going to be staying with your year mates in a tent?" Kyliah half asked Alanna, but directed the question more in Liam's direction.
"She will be, I just have to find the tent first." Liam said.
"I'll show you the way, I need to talk to my apprentice anyway." Kyliah offered.
"We would appreciate it. Just let me tie Fang up and then we'll be on our way. Alanna whilst I do so could you please dump my things in the tent?" he asked. So Alanna took Liam's things and put them in his tent and then decided to lead her pony, Freckles, whilst they were walking, instead of riding.
"So what have you been doing?" Kyliah asked Liam.
"I was asked to teach Shang at the Palace in Corus so we've been there for the last year." Liam said.
"That's interesting, you aren't one of the ones who stay in the one place too long." She commented.
"Alanna was learning well and her twin is there." Liam said calmly. Kyliah glanced in Alanna's direction dubiously.
"He twin is in the Palace? That can only mean he's either a royal or he's training to be a knight." Kyliah said.
"The latter, I don't think if Alanna was a royal she would be here with us now." He said.
"True, but she is a noble." Kyliah pointed out.
"We can discuss this later. Who's your apprentice?" he asked her.
"Surprisingly for once my apprentice is a boy. He's called William, Will for short." Kyliah said.
Liam's eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"That is a surprise; you usually take on a girl to teach if you teach at all." Liam said with a hint of interest. Kyliah must have heard the interest in his voice so she continued.
"I found him on my travels. Must have been a few years before you found Alanna, he started at the right age. He was hanging round the town and I saw him fighting with the other boys, he looked like he had good style so I asked him if he wanted to learn. He said yes." She explained to Liam. Then turning to Alanna she said,
"I'll introduce you two before I leave your tent."
"That would be nice. Now someone tell me, how does staying in a tent with your year mates work?" Alanna asked.
"You basically all pick a spot on the floor and spread out your sleeping rolls." Liam told her.
"Okay, nothing else I should know?" she asked.
"Nope, I'm sure they'll show you where to eat. By the way, we're still continuing morning and evening training in the practise tent; it's the big tent in the middle where council will be held." Liam said.
"Sure." Alanna said.
"Here we are." Kyliah said as they stopped outside a middle sized tent that looked as though it could sleep about twelve people.
"There are ten people, including yourself, in your year group so you shouldn't be left out unless they think you odd, I suspect they'll be more curious than mean, seeing as you started a few years after them but were still approved to be in their year group." Kyliah told Alanna.
"But if won't hurt not to mention that you are a noble unless you're asked where you come from." Liam said.
"Okay, I guess I'll be seeing you both later." Alanna said.
"Could you please go in and get Will?" Kyliah asked.
"Sure, but why can't you?" Alanna asked.
"A year group's tent is there own. We older Shang don't intrude." Kyliah said. So Alanna entered the tent with some of her things by herself. She took a glance round the tent which held all other of her nine year mates.
"Who're you?" a boy asked.
"Alanna." She said.
"You must be the Dragon's apprentice." Said one of the two girls in the tent.
"Yes, I am. Is the Unicorn's apprentice Will here?" she asked.
"That would be me." Said a boy with nutty brown hair and green eyes. He stood up and Alanna could see that he was about the same height as Raoul would've been at the age of twelve.
"The Unicorn is waiting outside for you." Alanna told him.
"Thank you." He said and turned towards the tent flap which Alanna was standing in front of.
"Oh sorry." Alanna said. She moved further into the tent so that Will could leave.
"Here, come put your things in this space just here. It's the only one left because in the other two we decided we'd put a small fire which we can sit around and talk." One of the girls said, indicating the empty space between two bedrolls.
"Thanks. Who're you?" Alanna asked the girl as she laid out her bed roll.
"I'm Handari. I'm apprenticed to the Hawk. The bed roll on your left is mine." She said.
"It's nice to meet you Handari. I'll be back soon I just have to talk to the Dragon." Alanna said before leaving the tent to speak to Liam who was still waiting outside.
"Liam, what do I do with Freckles?" she asked.
"You take him to the stables where horses are usually kept." Liam said.
"No really? I meant where are the stables?" Alanna asked.
"You can be very stupid sometimes Lanna. Just use your nose." He said, tapping his own.
"Gee, what a lot of help you are." Alanna said sarcastically.
"Alanna come here please." Kyliah called.
"Yes Kyliah?" Alanna asked when she reached the Unicorn and her apprentice.
"This, as you now know, is my apprentice Will. Will this is the Dragon's apprentice Alanna." Kyliah introduced the two.
"How do you do?" Will asked.
"Well thanks. And you?" Alanna returned.
"Yeah, pretty good." He said.
"I'm sure you two will get along. Have fun now, oh and Will, please show Alanna where the stables are. It seems that Liam can't seem to tell her." She said with a glance at Liam.
"What, she has to learn to do things for herself." He said defensively. Alanna snorted.
"As if I do, more likely I need to learn to do things more with others." She said.
"Oh well, you'll cope I'm sure. See you tomorrow morning." He said and walked off with Kyliah, chatting like old friends do.
"Well then, come on. I'll take you to the stables." Will said, turning to walk off.
"Wait, I have to take the rest of my things inside first." Alanna said before he could leave.
"Okay, I'll wait here for you." He said. She quickly took her bag inside and set it down on her bed roll. Then she headed out to Will.
"Sorry about that." She said.
"No problem. Now we'll go to the stables." He said. Alanna picked up Freckles's reins.
"So where are you from?" Will asked.
"Tortall." Alanna said.
"Which part?" he questioned.
"Trebond." She answered.
"Really? I'm from the mountains myself." he said.
"Which part?" she asked him.
"Ruatha Gorge." He said.
"Really, that's next to Trebond isn't it?" Alanna asked, although she knew very well that it was.
"Yes it is. Thinking about it Trebond has a lady called Alanna." He said thoughtfully.
"I know." Alanna said wryly.
"And she supposedly has fiery hair and violet eyes. Are you two any relation?" he asked suspiciously.
"You could say that." She said.
"You're Lady Alanna of Trebond aren't you?" he asked.
"Now that was hard to work out, wasn't it?" she asked sarcastically.
"No actually it wasn't. When you said you were from Trebond I suspected you must've been related to the nobles there because they're well known for the copper hair and you and your brother have become known for your mother's purple eyes as well." He said.
"Sorry I was a bit mean just then, I don't really want people to find out. The last person I talked to who knew I was noble before he found out I was a Shang apprentice thought I was mad, I could see it on his face even though he denied it." She told him.
"Well why would I think you're mad? I'm also a Shang in training. Besides, you're one of my year mates, there are two other girls in our year and my Shang master is the Unicorn." He pointed out.
"Very true." She agreed.
"So where have you and the Dragon been travelling?" he asked her.
"Well actually we haven't travelled that much. Liam was asked to teach Shang to the pages and squires in the Palace so we went there shortly after I became apprenticed to him and this is the only other place we've been. But I think we're travelling after the gathering is over." I told him.
"Well you should have fun. Kyliah and I usually stay for about two months in the one place, and then travel for the next two months. We just do the staying and travelling in a continuous cycle unless we feel like changing it." He said.
"Well I'm glad Liam and I will be travelling after this but I do plan to make him take me back to Corus for my brother's Ordeal if I haven't passed the Shang Ordeal by then." Alanna said.
"Fair enough, I'd want to be there if I had a brother doing the Ordeal." Will said. They stopped outside a building which Alanna could tell instinctively was the stables.
"Can I help you?" asked a stable boy.
"Yes, I'd like to put my horse in the stables." Said Alanna.
"Who's your Shang Master?" the boy asked.
"The Dragon." Alanna replied.
"Oh, right this way then." The boy said walking off in the direction of some stalls. He stopped outside and empty one.
"You can put your horse in here and leave your tack in the stall at the end of the row next to the number of your stall." The boy said and then left them to it.
"That's my horse in the next stall. I think this is the immortals apprentice's horses." Will said to her.
"It would make sense, they put the immortals together so why not the immortals apprentices?" she asked him as they carried her tack to the end of the row.
"I suppose." He agreed.
"Where to next?" she asked.
"Why not back to the tent?" he asked.
"Sure. I could use a seat." She said, rubbing her back.
"What, stiff already?" he teased.
"I know! It's atrocious for a ten year old girl to be sore after only one little ride, let alone a Shang girl! My only excuse is that you would be too if you'd been in the saddle all day." She said as they headed back to their tent.
"I suppose so." He said. They walked the rest of the way in silence and then joined their year mates where Alanna was introduced to everyone by Handari.
"Alanna, Will, you're back. Good, I want to introduce Alanna to the others. This stocky young lad you see here is Jeremiah, apprentice to the Tiger. This is Mikali, apprenticed to the Wildcat. This is Domika, apprenticed to the Lion. This is Naushicaa, apprenticed to the Bee and also the only other girl in our year group. This charming lad here is Shirokun, apprenticed to the Crane. And these two boys are Tomakin and Timothy, twin brothers apprenticed to the Horse and the Monkey respectively." As each person was spoken of they stood up, bowed to Alanna and then sat back down as was the formal greeting of the Shang.
"I can sympathise with you two for the twin thing. I also have a twin, my brother Thom." She told Tomakin and Timothy.
"Well it is nice to meet someone else who has one. We've not met anyone with a twin before. Do you and your brother look much alike?" Tomakin asked.
"Very much so, people sometimes got us confused when they couldn't see our hair because that was the way people used to tell us apart, the length of our hair." Alanna said.
"Well people still get us mixed up, we're exactly the same. Can you see it?" Timothy asked.
"Definitely." Alanna said. She sat down on her bed roll and spent the rest of the day talking and having fun with her year mates. She got to know them all and decided she quite liked them all, especially Will, Handari and Naushicaa, although this was probably because the two girls were like herself in regards to being female.
"How do you like your year mates?" Liam asked the next morning after training.
"They're nice enough. Kyliah's apprentice Will is really kind to me, maybe that's because Kyliah actually introduced us. And the two other girls, Handari and Naushicaa, are great." Alanna told him.
"It's good that you get on with them. How did you like that idea of travelling with another Shang and their apprentice?" he asked.
"It's fine with me as long as I'm back in Corus for Thom's Ordeal." She said.
"I'll think about it. Go on, you can spend the day with your new friends and don't bother coming to me for training, I'll be in Council with the other Shang so if you want to practise you'll have to do it without me." He said.
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow morning then." She said before heading back to the tent to grab some clean breeches and a tunic to get changed into. Most of the others were still asleep in their bed rolls but Will's was empty and so was Naushicaa's so Alanna assumed they were training with their masters. She got changed and made her bed roll up neatly before going outside with a drink to sit in the sun. She was just finishing her drink when Will came back from training, all sweaty and dirty.
"How clean you are." Alanna joked.
"Yes, don't you just love it?" Will asked, doing a twirl and showing off his dirty tunic and breeches.
"Oh yeah, it'll be the new look in Corus next." Alanna agreed with a straight face.
"What are you doing out here?" Will asked.
"I thought I would take advantage of the sun whilst I had a juice." Alanna said, indicating her quarter full cup of orange juice.
"I might join you after I change into some 'dirtier' clothes." Will said.
"Go ahead, I won't mind. By the way, is Naushicaa at training too?" she asked him.
"Yeah, she and the Bee train at this time every morning, most people do." He said.
"So why are we the only other two up for training?" She asked him.
"I haven't quite worked that one out yet. I mean I know that Jem, Mik and Dom all have training later on usually but the others should be up and about by now. The only reason I can think of is that because today's a Council day their masters have decided to sleep in because they're going to be up so late tonight." He told her.
"Oh well, I guess it's up to them." Alanna said. Will went inside to get changed and then joined her outside, bringing two apples with him to munch on.
"So what are you doing today?" Will asked her.
"Nothing that I know of. Any suggestions?"
"Well I was planning to spend the day with the guys in town. I think Handari and Naushicaa were going to come too so I guess you can spend the day with them if they'll let you." He said.
"Sounds good to me." She replied. Thinking with relief that at least she was accepted within this group of people and thinking also of how Jon would react if he knew there were two other girls in her year group. She grinned as she thought of how his face would look when she told him.
"What are you grinning about missy?" Naushicaa asked as she came up.
"Oh I'm just thinking of how one of my brother's friends would react when I told them something." Alanna said.
"Oh yeah? Well by the looks of that smile you'll have fun telling them." Naushicaa said before she went inside. While the others slept and Will and Naushicaa talked to each other Alanna decided she would write Thom a letter.
Dearest Thom,
How are you? I'm well and I'm having a great time. My year mates are wonderful. Guess what? There are two other girls in my Shang year. In my year there's Will, the Unicorn's apprentice, Handari, the Hawk's apprentice, Naushicaa, the Bee's apprentice, Mikali, the Wildcat's apprentice, Domika, the Lion's apprentice, Jeremiah, the Tiger's apprentice and Shirokun, the Crane's apprentice. I know, that's only eight if you include me and there's supposed to be ten. Well you'll never believe it but the other two boys are identical twins named Tomakin and Timothy. Tomakin is the Horse's apprentice and Timothy is the Monkey's apprentice. Well I hope you're okay there. Just think, you've only got to finish this year and pass the tests and then you'll be a squire. You'll be fine and if you're not then you'll recover from whatever injuries you receive. Liam and I plan to travel once the Council has finished their business so you might not hear from me too regularly but I promise that if I don't see you before it and Liam let's me I'll come for your Ordeal. And let me know who ends up being your knight master okay? Well I'll try and keep in touch but don't expect much. I'll be seeing you around I guess.
Lots of love from your dear sister Alanna.
PS: Say hi to your friends for me when you see them.
"Who are you writing to?" Will asked.
"My brother Thom." She replied as she folded the completed letter.
"You are so unlucky to have a brother. I myself like the singularity of being the only child even though I do get lonely at times because I don't have a mother anymore." He told her.
"I like having Thom around, we have this connection that can't be broken and even though we fight like cat and dog when we feel like it we also get along great. Are the others up yet?" she asked him.
"I think they're all getting changed about now. We'll leave for town soon so if you need anything you might want to get it." He told her.
"Thanks." She said. They all got themselves ready and went off about the town for the day.
A/N: there you go, another chapter up. You know all those lovely names of the Shang? Well I made most of them up, or pulled them from some of my favourite places so if you want to use the characters, just drop us a line and ask please. Sorry again to the author who made up or found Ruatha's Gorge. Now it's review time, I didn't get my review quota last time so I gave up on it, just review and I'll be happy, whether it's good or bad criticism it's all constructive to me, thanks. You guys know the drill, you don't need me to talk you through it do you? I mean I will if I have to but I think you lot are seriously old enough to work it out for yourselves if you don't already know. I hoped you liked this instalment of Highly Unusual, I'll be updating soon (hopefully).
