Disclaimer: I don't own many things in this story. (Aka, what Tamora Pierce does) But I do proudly own Arkady, Nat, Hedda, Dolan, other random people you will meet later, and the concept of Musaine.
A/n: I have not stopped writing my other Tamora Pierce fic, Rajen. I am writing these two fics at the same time.
Arkady sighed. This is not what I had in mind for helping the Crown, she thought. She was in a lovely red satin dress, with silver embroidery on the hem. Around her neck she wore an emerald on a gold chain, and a simple copper chain that was hidden in the front of her dress. Her long, wavy rich brown was pinned up on her head, in a completely random (in her opinion) style. The dress didn't fit that well, but it still flattered her. The emerald necklace brought out her surprisingly green eyes.
"So, are you ready?" asked one of her fellow squires and friends, Mennat Nat for short. "You look more like you want to kill someone."
"If you don't shut up Nat, you'll be the person I kill," Arkady snapped.
"Someone's moody," muttered another of Arkady's friends, Dolan.
"Have you even rode side-saddle? Let me tell you, it is not comfortable. I don't know how noble ladies do it!" That was Hedda, Arkady's closest friend, and the only other female squire. "You should be happy," she told Arkady, trying to cheer her up. "If this works, your family will be honored by the Crown again."
Arkady snorted, "If." She sighed again. "Out of all the crazy things that happen in Tortall, I have to be part of the craziest."
Nat clapped her on the back. "But you won't be in Tortall. Think of this, as a learning experience. And, if you survive and don't become a knight, you'll already be ready for spy work."
Arkady glared at her friend. "If I had a staff…" she started. Staff fighting was her specialty. Arkady was pretty much deadly with one.
"If, if, if." Nat sighed. "I thought you hated that word." He continued angelically.
"Arkady!" called her knight-master, Nealan of Queenscove. "Come, it is time to commit suicide."
"I'm coming, I'm coming," she called back. Arkady looked at her three friends. "I'll come back," she promised. Then she jumped into her saddle, nearly falling off because of her dress. "I hate riding side-saddle," she muttered. She rode to meet her knight-master.
"Godess bless," Hedda called after her.
"Don't die!" advised Nat.
"And good luck," said dark and quiet Dolan.
"We'll need it," said Neal. "And we are off!" he said valiantly. "To Musaine!"
"To commit suicide," Arkady corrected.
Neal shrugged. "Same thing."
A/n: This is a very complicated chapter/prologue. It is short, but it's a prologue. My chapters are longer. Normally. The next chapter will start at the beginning of the story. Every thing will be explained. Eventually…