-A Rider for the Queen
Chapter One: In blood they'll pay...
Revenge isn't something someone should long for.
It isn't honorable.
It destroys the lives of those who wish to seek it...
Lady Tamaida of Ninequor, in a lesson to her children.
She had wanted to be a knight, like the legendary Lioness or Lady Knight Keladry, but her brother, a year older, had gotten the privilege of becoming a page. She had been at ten year old tornado around her home and furious for weeks. It came down to the fact that her parents could only afford to send one of the siblings and her brother had been older. She understood that now, but at ten years old, it had been unfair. Her parents did repay her, by allowing her to train for the Queen's Riders. For the fifteen year old Teirra of the northern fief of Ninequor, it had been a blessing.
It had been at time when the war with King Maggur was winding to a close. Without Blayce and his killing devices, it had only been a matter of time before he would fall. Teirra had field training early on because of the king and Blayce, and while war made her sick, she thrived on helping where she could, but that didn't include the infirmary. She had to bite her cheek to keep from fainting at the sight of blood. The Queen's Riders quickly learned to send her on reconstruction duty, or scouting. She was good at scouting.
It was the end of summer of her seventeenth year. By this time next year, she hoped to be well in the ranks of the Queen's Riders, officially. At ten, she would have scoffed the Riders and preferred the King's Own or the Knights. Now, she would readily defend the Rider's name. To young Teirra, the Riders were far superior to the Own.
Today she was going to visit her brother, who would undergo the Ordeal of Knighthood come Midwinter. He was in Corus with his knight-master, Alyxander, back from the Scanran border. Teirra couldn't wait to see him. It had been so long since the two siblings had been together as brother and sister. Both their professions that taken them far from each other.
"Taex!" She waved a hand as he called to get his attention. Anyone who didn't know the siblings would have thought they were twins by appearance. They shared their mother's black curls and their father's grey eyes. Teirra's nose was more delicate than Taex's and both were rather on the tall side. Their parents were always proud to call their children beautiful and boasted it often, when they could.
Taex turned to Sir Alyx for a moment, then bowed to his knight master before coming over to her. His knight master turned to talk with Sir Gareth the Younger in the meantime. Once free of his duties to his knight master, he jogged to meet his sister, smiling like their father in such an eerie way that it sent a chill down Teirra's spine..
"Teirra, my lass, I used to be shorter than you," Taex stopped and bowed.
"Well, you grew, plain and simple. At least I feel short now. That's a new occurrence." Teirra smiled and when she couldn't stand it, jumped up and hugged her brother. Even at five feet nine inches, she had to reach up to hug her brother's six foot five inch frame.
Taex pulled back and help up an arm to escort her as they walked, proper gentleman behavior. She sighed, her brother was always so stiff, even around her. "How have the Riders treated you? Well, I hope."
"Very," Teirra shrugged, uninterested. "Of course, the war was a downer. They kept me out of the infirmary." Teirra really didn't want to talk about the Riders and the war. The war was a rather dark memory in her book of usually light memories. She wanted to hear more about him.
"Good, I know how you faint. Do the teas still help your allergies?" Taex looked at her, his brother concern clear in his eyes.
"Very much, mother," she shoved him lightly. "The dust doesn't bother me so much anymore. The healer says I'm growing out of it."
"Good, mother was worried. Your her little girl, you know, precious and perfect." Taex patted her arm seriously.
Teirra rolled her eyes. "Please, I beg you, let's not talk about me. I live with me, I don't want to discuss me. How about you? And what of the war?"
Taex's face drained of color and he looked away. He stopped and dropped her arm. "Let's not talk about that. War isn't gossip."
Teirra stepped back. Afraid she'd offended him, she said, "I'm sorry. I know that; I've seen it too. I just thought we'd share news, like other friends and soldiers." She watched him. Taex wasn't his usual self she knew before he became a squire to Alyx. He had teased her constantly and had been much more childish, now it was like he was her mother and he was older, more sullen. Teirra hated it.
"I just remembered I have to assist Sir Alyx with something." Taex, still turned away, started to leave abruptly. He was never smooth with unwanted exits and Teirra had told him that fact several times before.
"Taex," she pleaded. "I am sorry." He didn't reply, he just kept walking. Teirra sighed and worried after him. She just hoped he'd snap out of whatever held him before his Ordeal of Knighthood. It would do him no good to be in such a state when he went through it.
"Lady Teirra!"
Teirra whirled around at the call. It was one of the Riders hostlers, Monty, calling for her. Shrugging, she trotted over to the stables to see what was the matter. Monty hardly yelled so, he usually sent out messengers if he needed something from them.
"Get your beast in his stall, lass. He's in a temper." The stocky middle aged man pointed at the painted gelding, the hostler red faced and ill tempered. Prancer was a young horse, newly broke for her and skittish. When Teirra was around, the gelding was fearless and calm, but put a stranger and someone new near him and he could be troublesome. It was a mystery to Teirra everyday.
"I'm sorry, Monty. He was behaving this morning." She walked past the hostler to march up to Prancer. "You," she put her hand gently on his muzzle. "Behave. Monty is a good man, if not angry at this moment." She glanced back at Monty, then back at her horse.
The horse shook his head as if to protest, but Teirra stared hard at him. "Prancer, be good and I'll bring back an apple." Teirra was relieved when he seemed to behave or at least pretend to behave on her account. Bribes always worked with him. Were she another, she may have had to call on Daine, the Wildmage, for help, but Teirra was talented in horse magic. It was useful in a battle and around the stables, but not much else in her opinion. "He should behave, at least until I bring an apple."
Monty smiled and patted her shoulder as she went by, a way of forgiving her for her horse's actions. "Ye a great help, lass. Ye should talk to the Wildmage. Ye and she could do a great help 'round 'ere."
"Me? Ha, no. I'm just a rider with a talent." Teirra waved him off. She could never stand before such important people as Daine, the Lioness, or Master Numair. Teirra wasn't worthy. She hardly felt worthy to be among the Riders.
"Yer a good lass, Lady Teirra." Monty smiled and gingerly approached Prancer as she left.
Teirra, once free of the stables, headed to where the new pages would be arriving and should be at the moment. While she didn't worry about the pages, Teirra wanted to reach the practice courts to keep her sharp and on her toes. They were the best courts and offered the most challenging partners, once they got over the fact she was a girl. If luck had it, there would be newly made squires there, who hadn't found a knight master, to challenge.
Today, she was lucky enough to find a partner in the talented squire, Victor, a year younger than her brother and on leave, like Taex. She had only met him a few times. He was stronger than her and after a few parries with the sword, her arms had begun to ache horribly. No wonder she wasn't knight material, she'd been smart to join the Riders, though their training was not piece of cake. She would have to fight for her victory, as usual.
In the end, she had won, but exhausted herself. She'd only won through speed and cleverness and the slightest bit at the most. She didn't realize they had an audience until she moved to leave and heard the clapping. She blushed deeply with the bit of applause. She really didn't deserve it in the least.
"I'm sure the girl would give you a run for your shield, Alan." A big knight nudged a slightly smaller one with strawberry blonde hair and green eyes.
The knight called Alan, laughed. "I've learned to respect women as warriors." He bowed to Teirra before she could get away. "Well done, my lady."
"Are you going for your Ordeal?" The big knight asked. His friend elbowed him; obviously, he was being far too noisy.
"Be polite, Domitran." Alan scolded the big knight.
"No, my lords. I am, or hoping to be, a Queen's Rider." Teirra replied quietly. Men always made her quiet and shy, much to her mother's frustration, knight's especially.
"My, one of these days the Riders are going to out do the Own." Domitran smiled, friendly.
"Not if I can help it," Alan winked teasingly, making Teirra's blush brighter.
"Aren't you going to introduce me to your lovely lady, Alan?" A heavy-set knight, just shy of Domitran's height, with thin blonde hair appeared around them, his eyes laughing.
"I am Lady Teirra of Ninequor," Teirra gave a quick bow rather than a curtsy before anyone could say anything further. She wanted to introduce her own self. After all, the knights didn't know her name and she didn't want to embarrass them in front of a fellow knight.
"She has more manners than you," Domitran clapped Alan on the back rather roughly.
Alan glared at Domitran, then smiled at Teirra. "Forgive me, Lady Teirra. I am Sir Alan of Pirate's Swoop and these two are Sirs Domitran and Mattieu of no where important."
Teirra bowed her head in acknowledgement to the trio. By now, she was so self conscious she thought she'd explode. These were definitely knights and one was the son of the Lioness to boot. She just wanted to find Taex and lazy about. This was far too much stress. She wasn't bred for important people to talk so casually to.
"Are you as good with a bow?" Mattieu, the heavy set, blonde knight, smiled at her, polite, but challenging.
"Are you joking? The Riders excel with a bow. Come, Lady Teirra, show these men how good the Riders are." Domitran came and clapped a hand on her shoulder, rather hard. Teirra nearly stumbled. "Me and you against these boys, here."
Teirra had to look up. He was at least an inch taller than her brother, if not more. As much as she wanted to find Taex, she couldn't turn this down without being rude. And Taex would never forgive her if she didn't at least try. He was stickler for trying. "I suppose I could agree. Sarge wouldn't like it if I slacked off." She referred to the Riders training-master.
Domitran shook her shoulder. "That's a lass." The big knight released her and led the group past the armory to retrieve bows and a few arrows, then to the target fields. Teirra was self conscious the whole time they walked. She felt much shorter than she actually was and more frail. Accomplished knights wanted her company? Teirra shook her head in confusion.
"There we are, that farthest mark." Mattieu pointed down to a target just within range of their bows. Teirra looked at her bow. She didn't have the bulk and shear strength these men had. Teirra knew she'd fail; she'd never tried to hit something that far before.
Mattieu lined himself up first, confidently taking his stance like he had dozens of times. He released a total of two arrows, each striking close to the red mark in the center. Inwardly Teirra cried as Mattieu turned smugly to them. "Beat that, Dommy, my lad."
The big knight frowned and shook out his shoulder. Methodically, he knocked an arrow and sighted.
Alan leaned over to her from their spot on the railing. "Archery isn't Domitran's strong point. A big man like that isn't dainty enough for anything but a long bow. Mattieu is just lucky most times."
"Shut your mouth, lad. I'm fine with a bow." Domitran retorted back at them. A moment longer and he released and set up another. His two arrows were no closer than Mattieu's, which the big knight was rather proud of. It seemed Mattieu was a fair shot, more so than Alan made him out to be.
"Now for the small ones," Mattieu bowed to Alan and Teirra. Alan was no shorter than herself, but next to the tall Domitran and heavy-set Mattieu, they were small.
Alan was the best shot, nearly hitting the target with both arrows and hardly any set up time. Domitran and Mattieu rolled their eyes as if it happened everyday and drove them crazy with his accuracy. Teirra expected the son of a legend to be excellent. He couldn't be anything but excellent; the pressure would be too great.
"Aim a little higher. It is precision, not strength that counts in archery." Alan told her as Teirra walked to take her stance.
"Yes, my lord." She nodded like an obedient student. She raised her aim only slightly, as Alan had suggested. The first arrow flew wide and barely made the target. Embarrassed and frazzled, she re-knocked an arrow. Drawing a breath, she aimed. Teirra didn't want to make a fool of her name and her brother's name. Honor drove their family, if she embarrassed herself like she was doing, she'd dishonor their reputation for strong warriors and skilled fighters.
"Relax, Lady Teirra," Alan called to her.
Teirra couldn't. She had fired under combat situations and was less nervous than this moment. She was a very good shot, on most days, but not today. Teirra finally released her arrow. It hit just outside Mattieu's arrows. Teirra deflated, she'd hoped to do better than that.
"Ah, don't worry about it, lass." Domitran came up beside her, leaving Alan and Mattieu at the railing. "It is in the field that counts. They're still boys."
"Lady Teirra," Alan called from the railing urgently. Both Domitran and Teirra turned. Taex was standing among Mattieu and Alan, pale and eyes rimmed red.
Teirra's heart stopped. Taex looked like he had been crying. Taex never cried, not so noticeably. Teirra ran to him and the trio moved a little ways from them. "Taex?"
Taex thrust a wrinkled letter at her. To Teirra, it broke her heart. It told her that her mother had died, a bandit attack when she was out in the fields. Several other women from their nearby village were dead as well, many of whom, helped raise the siblings. Teirra stumbled back until she hit the railing. The knights glanced at them wearily, but kept their peace. Teirra shook her head in disbelief. It couldn't be. Her mother was stronger than that, and smarter. A bandit attack couldn't have taken her down.
"We must go home." Taex replied, voice raw from the tears he held back. He sounded so distant.
"No, you need to be here for the Ordeal. They were so proud to know it was coming up soon. I'll go. I'll talk to Sarge and Commander Evin immediately." The words were hollow to Teirra. She couldn't believe she was saying them.
"Teirra..."
"No, you need to stay and honor the family. How could she be -" Teirra stopped, not wanting to speak further. The knights were still watching. She had to be brave.
"I don't know. I would go after the bandits who did this, but..." Taex looked at his hands.
Teirra nodded. Taex was far to honorable to go after the bandits in revenge and loose his chance at his shield. "I'll... try and ask Sarge about it. They are bandits and the Riders protect the far-to-reach fiefs." Taex looked at her with pleading eyes. The same eyes that they shared, and she knew she couldn't say no to him.
"She's gone, isn't she. She's really not going to be here anymore." Teirra muttered. Taex nodded and left, head hanging and sobs shaking his shoulders. There was little more they could say.
Once gone, the knights came over to her, all of them concerned at the siblings obvious distress. "Lady Tamiada of Ninequor, my mother and several of those who raised me, have been killed." Her words were so formal and final. It didn't sound like herself.
"Lady Teirra, I am sorry for your loss," Alan consoled her politely.
"Be brave, lass." Domitran squeezed her shoulder.
Teirra nodded. She would try her best. For now, she needed to talk to Sarge or the Commander of Group Nobility, the eighteenth group of the Riders and her group, about going after the bandits who killed Lady Tamiada and her friends. They must have sensed her urgency because they left her alone, the note still in hand.
She was headed back toward the stables when a runner found her. "Lady Teirra of the Group Nobility with the Riders?"
Teirra nodded wearily. It had better not be Prancer again, she didn't want to deal with it. "Yes?"
"Good, I've been asking far too many people. A message for you." The runner handed over the slip of paper and ran off, no doubt to hand another message to another noble, the poor lad.
Teirra was surprised by the information there. Group Nobility was going into Ninequor territory to investigate the bandit attacks. Her mother and her friends had not been the only one's attacked by this supposed same group. Teirra smiled, that saved her a trip to her superiors. Now she could go home, make sure her father was coping well and find the group that killed her mother. She would make sure they would pay their dues, in blood if that was the case.
Author's Note on the Chapter: This is my first Tamora Pierce fanfiction and I'm not sure I'd call it fanfiction at all. I created my own characters into her wonderful world. I didn't want to touch such beloved characters in her books for fear of ruining them, not just for me, but others who may read my work. I hope I can represent the world of Tortall and the small bits of canon in my little story accurately. Thank you for taking the time to read this short chapter.
Note 2 after revision: I decided to reword a few things, fix the typos and add more to bits and pieces here and there. I added the most to the relationship between Teirra and her brother, Taex. I wanted to feel a sense of history between the two without a ton of words.