(Sorry this took so long, my BETA editor gave up AIM for lent...that's not much of an excuse...I know, but I don't think well without Aly to bounce ideas off of...Please R/R and if my continuity to the books is off, please tell me.)
Thom stood up on the tower looking out over the road from Corus to Pirate's Swoop. He could see two riders coming along and smiled. He knew the elder rider was his mother but couldn't recognize the second rider. Alanna dismounted and waved to the gate guards who promptly opened the great gates for her. Thom ran down from the tower, his mage robes billowing out behind him.
"Ma!"
"Hello Thom, how've things been?"
"Surprisingly quiet."
"That's good."
"How's the...uh...war going?"
"Well, since Kel killed that mage...what's his name...Blayce the Gallan or something, we haven't had any problems."
"I suppose that's good. Anyone found any of his...his research?"
"THOM!"
Lys stood behind Alanna, staring up at the man clad in mage's robes. Before her eyes she saw Blayce again, standing there just destroying everything in sight. Tears welled up in her eyes and she clung to the back of Alanna's tunic.
"Lys? Are you alright?"
Lys nodded, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"I be fine, Ma."
Thom's eyes widened.
"Lyssie? Ma, is it really Lyssie?"
Lys looked up at Thom, carefully taking in his features and comparing them to the children she remembered from her memories. Then it hit her, he was the boy...the one from the game. Thrust forward, cut to the side, a boy. Roger? No, he was playing at being Roger...Alan? No, she was playing at that...Thom. He was Thom.
"Thom?"
"Ma, she remembers me!"
Alanna smiled and then her smile faded.
"I wonder why she remembers us but not George..."
Dan stood slowly and brushed off the front of his tunic. He looked around at his small bed chamber and scowled. There was a knock at the door before he had even managed to get to his trunk to dress.
"Master, Lord Blayce wishes a word with you."
"Tell him I'll be along as soon as I'm dressed."
"Yes, Master Daniel. Try to hurry about it. This seemed to be rather...urgent. Oh, and your father wishes to speak with you as well."
"Tell him I'll be there...after I talk to Blayce."
"Right away, Master."
Dan pulled on a pair of deer skin breeches and a blue tunic and walked out of his room, cursing under his breath the whole way. He walked to a closed door and knocked loudly.
"Ah, young Lord Daniel, do enter."
The door swung open and-
Light suddenly fell across his face and Dan sat up. He glanced around the room, panicking, and then remembered that he was in an inn in Tortall. He grumbled under his breath as he stood and tried to figure out what time it was. The window was open and he could see the sun, it was nearly noon.
"I s'pose I'd best be gettin' goin'..."
Dan tightened the ties on the front of his tunic and walked out in to the streets of Corus. The city folk around him walked quickly, talking and laughing cheerily as they went about their daily business. Once again his mind traveled back to his childhood.
The man at arms glared at the arrow that had so blatantly missed its mark and then turned to the young archer who at fired it.
"Daniel, one day you will inherit your father's title! You must show a little decorum and tact! You need to learn these things."
Dan threw the bow to the ground.
"Why? I don't want to be like him. I don't want any of this! I'm going to the village...Don't come after me!"
Dan smiled as he saw the castle in front of him. This wouldn't be hard at all. Questions raced through his mind as he scaled the outer wall, carefully watching the knights, squires, pages and guards. Who was this 'George' fellow anyway? Why did he need able lads to work for him if he wasn't the Rogue? He didn't have the air of a noble about him, and yet the other folk had treated him as such...This Tortall place was far too weird. But it was still better than...home, home and father who didn't care for him except that he was his heir, heir to a title he didn't even want.
