My eyes had only been closed for a few moments when they opened again. But I was not in my bed. I was lying on a stone floor.
I jumped to my feet and looked around the room I was in. The walls were made of stone. There were two desks and a bookcase furnishing the room. One of the desks was clear with nothing on it while the other one had stacks of paper and a couple books on it.
I'll admit I was starting to get scared. I had no idea where I was or how I had gotten there. I didn't know what to do so I decided to look at the papers on the desk to see if I could learn anything.
I had just walked over to the desk when the door behind me opened. I jumped, startled and whirled around.
"Who are you and what do you think you're doing here!?" exclaimed the woman who was standing in the doorway. The sight of her almost made the eyes pop out of my head. She looked exactly like the picture of Alanna the Lioness on the front of my book Lioness Rampant by, Tamora Pierce. She was short with red hair and a sword at her hip. The most arresting and most memorable feature was her eyes, her purple (and right then angry) eyes.
"Speak!" she snapped. "Don't just stand there gawping like a fish."
"This had to be a dream," I said. "There is no way that this could possibly be real.
Alanna's eyes narrowed. "If you're a spy you're a bad one. You should have an excuse ready before you get caught not try to stall to come up with one after. Now tell me your name, why this is a dream, and why I shouldn't throw you in the dungeon for sneaking around my husbands' study."
"Um, right. Sorry. My name is Tina Sullivan. This is a dream because you are not real. You're a character made up by an author. And you shouldn't throw me in the dungeon because I didn't know where I was until you told me and I still don't know how I got here."
"Is that the best you could come up with?" she asked me. "I'm not real. I hope you have an explanation as to why you believe that I have just been made up by an author."
"You don't believe me," I said. "Well, I don't really blame you. If someone told me I wasn't real I wouldn't believe them either.
"Just get on with it."
"Okay, okay, okay. First of all, it's not just you that's not real but your whole world. You know, Tortall, Carthak, Copper Isles, Scanria and The Realms of the Gods. Now, Tamora Pierce invented you and all this and wrote it in books which I read. The first ones are about you; they're called Alanna: The First Adventure, In the Hands of the Goddess, Woman Who Rides Like a Man, and Lioness Rampant. Then there's the ones about Daine; Wild Magic, Wolf Speaker, Emperor Mage, and The Realms of the Gods and about Kel; First Test, Page, Squire and Lady Knight. There's also another one called Trickster's Choice. In fact, I fell asleep reading the very beginning of that book which takes place in this room. That must be the reason I'm dreaming this; although I must admit this is the realest dream I've ever had. Okay, I'm done. I don't have much hope of you believing me but, ah well."
Alanna stood there staring for a minute then burst out laughing, "You are completely nuts girl. Either your brain is scrambled or you're just the worst spy ever who doesn't know how to come up with a believable story. Now…"
Just then a tall broad shouldered man came up behind Alanna. He had a large nose and brown eyes that twinkled with mischief.
"What are you doing, Alanna?" he asked. "And who is this girl?"
"I'm Tina," I said. "You must be George Cooper, right? The ex-King of Thieves."
"Yes, I am George Cooper. Why are you here?"
"She doesn't know," Alanna told him. "She says that it's a dream and we're not real; we're just characters in a book. What do you think; is she a very bad spy or a crazy girl?"
"Hmm…Tina, do you really believe what Alanna just said?"
"Yes, I do?"
"She's not lying," George told his wife.
"So you think I'm crazy," I said. "I'm not. Let's see, how I can prove it to you? I know, I can tell you something that I have no way of knowing. But first, what's the date? Month, day and year please."
"December 19th 462. Why?"
"Just had to make sure I wasn't about to say something that happened after now. But no, the last book I read ends when you're leaving Tanai on the Copper Isles. So, what did you think of Nawat Crow?"
At the mention of Copper Isles George and Alanna exchanged shocked looks. "Wait just a minute," said Alanna. "How in the world could you have possible know that he had gone to the Copper Isles and who is Nawat Crow?"
Before I could answer, George interrupted, "Why don't we find somewhere more comfortable to talk and more private. Anyone could walk by and easily overhear our conversation."
"You're right. This is not the right place for such discussions," said Alanna.
I exclaimed, "Lead on, Georgy!" earning me a look from both Alanna and George because of what I called him.
"Sorry, guess you don't like that nickname. I won't do it again. It's George from now on."
Shaking their heads, Alanna and George left the office, leaving me to follow.
After going through countless corridors and down many stairs we finally stopped in front of a door.
George unlocked the door and the three of us entered the room. It was small and bare. The only furnishings were a table in the middle of the room and a few chairs. It reminded me of an interrogation room.
Then when George sat next to Alanna on one side of the table and gestured for me to sit on the opposite side it reminded me even more of an interrogation.
"Is this an interrogation?" I asked. "Because I have nothing to hide. This is all a dream."
"Yes, it's an interrogation," said Alanna. "Therefore, we ask the questions, not you."
George leaned over the table looking at me. "How do you know about the Copper Islands and Nawat Crow?"
"Easy. I read a book called Trickster's Choice by, Tamora Pierce. It tells about almost everything that Aly's done since she came home from Corus with blue hair until you arrived to buy her from the duchess. I know a lot of other stuff as well. As I told The Lioness I've also read four books about her from when she switched placed with Thom to when she kills Roger the second time. And I've read four books about Daine form the time she met Onua to the end of the Immortals War. Also, I read four books about Kel starting when Alanna, Jonathan and Wyldon are discussing Kel's probation to after Kel defeats the guy making the metal monsters, I forget his name, and is on her way to see Raoul's wedding."
"Any others?" George asked me.
"Nope. I don't think you believe me. Let's see, what could I not know if this was real and I was just crazy. Oh yeah, I now the circumstances under which you, Alanna, lost your virginity."
"No way! I don't believe you. Not even George knows that. The only one who does is the one I lost it to."
"I'll have to prove it then. It was while you were Jon's squire. There had been some party of function of something; I don't remember exactly but you left early 'cause you didn't like seeing Deila and Jon together. After you got to you're your room you decided that since it was your birthday you'd wear a dress. Faithful wasn't there to talk you out of it. So, you put on your dress and a black wig and went for a walk.
"Almost to the good parts. You ran into Jon into in the gardens and he asked if you'd used your pregnancy charm yet and you asked him what he meant and he kissed you. Then he started unlacing your bodice. That's when you stopped him and ran back to your room.
"You thought he was going to find another girl to sleep with but you were wrong. He came back alone. So you knocked on his door and when he opened it you told him you were scared. He said he was scared too but at least you could be scared together or something corny like that. Then you lost your virginity. There, now do you believe me?"
"Yeah, I believe you but I still don't know how you could know that."
"Maybe we are just a dream," suggested George kiddingly. "By the way, Tina, what does corny mean?"
"It just means cheesy and stupid. I'm telling the truth, you know. This has to be a dream. There's no other explanation for it. Although, I've never had a dream anywhere near this vivid before."
"Maybe it's magic," suggested The Lioness.
"I don't think so. Where I come from magic doesn't exist. At least as far as anyone knows, for certain."
"Well, everyone could be wrong," George said thoughtfully. "Numair might know something. We should take her to see him."
"You're right. But not like that." Alanna looked at my jeans and T-shirt and shook her head. "She needs normal clothing not this weird stuff she's wearing now."
"Okay," said George. "We can leave tomorrow morning."
"Fine. Come on girl. Time to make you look human instead of like a weirdo."
After Alanna had gotten me bathed and dressed in clothes suitable for a lady in Tortall it was time for dinner.
Alanna led me to the dining room. When we entered I saw that George was already seated at the table. With him were a young man with green eyes and a beautiful young woman wearing a kimono.
As The Lioness and I approached the men stood up.
"Tina," said George. "Let me introduce Nealan of Queenscove and his wife Yuki. Neal and Yuki this is Tina Sullivan."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Neal said.
"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Princess Flower. It doesn't look like you turned into a daisy to me. Of course, Joren didn't change either."
As Alanna, George and Yuki looked on with confusion Neal asked me, "How do you know about that? That was just some joking among friends."
"That's my little secret," I told him. "Don't worry Meathead, there's a lot I know about you, but there's even more that I know about your best friend."
"Kel, but…?
"Please, everyone, sit down?" asked George. Everyone did as he asked and the servers brought the first dish. "As to how Tina knows the things she does, that's what we're going to see Numair about tomorrow. That is, if there is a tomorrow, right Tina?"
"Of course."
"The two of you are going to confuse our guests even more with your ramblings," said Alanna testily. "It would have been wiser for you to have not said anything at all, Tina. We don't want everyone knowing. Now, Neal and Yuki, I'm sure you need an explanation. This girl showed up not knowing how she got here but claiming that she had read books about me, Daine and Kel. Because of this she thinks this is all just a dream. But George and I think there's a possibility it may be magic instead."
"Definitely would have been easier if she had said nothing," remarked Yuki. "Since the explanation is so complicated and filled with more questions."
"Whenever I get confused about something that I can't answer," I said. "I just say whatever and change the subject. That way I don't get a headache. So, how are Daine and Numair doing with their new baby? It must have been a relief when Sara got her to stop shape changing."
"Yes, they were very relieved," answered Alanna. "Although taking care of a baby is still a lot of work."
We went on to talk about many different inconsequential things over dinner. Finally, when the meal was over everyone retired to their rooms including me (Alanna had shown me my room earlier in the evening).
I reluctantly went to bed thinking that by the time I woke the dream would most likely be over.
A/N: Thank you very much for reading. Please Review.