Disclaimer: Even though you cannot see me, I am not Tamora Pierce so I don't own her books.

A Dream…Or a Vision…?

Mortals have always had particular visions or dreams of the other realm, the divine realm. A place where there is no fear, no darkness, no torment……. but they were wrong... terribly wrong. The Animal Gods and Goddesses have to live with fear in their minds… the fear of getting swallowed up by chaos if Queen Uusoae was near. If there were any disruption or any errors made even by the gods, the result would be disastrous. It would wreck the balance between the mortal and the divine realm, causing a multi-coloured liquid spilling in the cracks, terrorizing everything in its path. Chaos would one day rule both realms if the wrong isn't turned to right.

Convincing mortal beings was easy if it was only a message but this time she, the Great Mother Goddess, must make sure she chose the right human who wouldn't slip any detail of this plan to others. One who followed the right paths and is very close to this mortal, Alanna of Trebond. But who was it…

Many tales consisted of a golden goblet, decorated with carvings of fine vines and leaves and many small animals, were told among friends; belonging to the Mother Goddess but never did any of these tales explain what the Great Mother Goddess used it for.

Thinking deeply, the great mother goddess heard a calling from a certain wise woman. Looking down in the same goblet that showed Alanna's weeping figure, she saw the answer to her troubled questions. There, looking in the fire was Maude, gazing at the flames that were engulfing the wood hungrily, asking for answers.

'Dark Goddess, Great Mother, you've shown me many things that I don't understand, one of the twins healing a dying boy but which one, I did not see. A black city which I swore, felt Alanna's presence next to me when I entered the mysterious place within the fire. Its powers were very ancient and the city's home to dark beings far from this realm. It's like nothing I've felt before in my life. This evil must be destroyed. But somehow I feel that Alanna has a part to play in this foretelling'

Maude closed her eyes, focusing all her remaining Gift into one question.

'Please tell me that I've made the right choice in obeying Lord Alan's wishes for Alanna to go to the convent.'

All of a sudden the fire went out, causing Maude to open her eyes in panic. Hearing a soft creaking noise, she slowly turned around. But it was only the wind, blowing into the room through the window, causing the fire to go out.

With a sigh, she got up and a wave of dizziness swept into her head, causing her to lose balance. Since she had used too much of her Gift, she was unable to walk let alone talk so once her head hit the pillow of the bed, she drifted off in a deep dreamless sleep. Or was it …?

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'Daughter…. Wake up my child…'

Opening her eyes, Maude sat up. After rubbing off the sleep from her eyes, she realized that she was not in her chambers. She was sitting in a grass green plain, the habitat of many different species of animals; some, half a type of an animal and the other half a different type.

Where am I? She thought. Who woke me up?

From a distance she heard a cat purr. She looked at her surroundings and found a small black figure. Standing up, she thought that she would stumble, due to the energy loss of the Gift, but found out that her Gift was completely restored.

That's strange. Usually when I use up my entire Gift, I would have to stay in bed for 3 days. But now I'm…… fine…

Hearing that purr again, she got up and started heading towards the small figure. She didn't know why she was going towards the figure. The purr sounded distinctly like someone saying this way, come this way. With each step, the black figure became clearer. When she was about 5m between her and the figure, she realized that it was a cat with black fur. Feeling annoyed she turned around and started to head back to the direction she had just come from when suddenly she heard a voice both beautiful and terrifying. Its voice was able to bring down a charging bull.

This must be a nightmare

'Don't be afraid daughter', the voice said, turning softer. 'I am here to ask for help'

'Help…?'

'Yes'

With a newfound confidence, showing she was not afraid at all, she said out loud

'This is no way in asking for help. First you bring me to this odd place, full of mysterious creatures and now you're asking me to help you all of a sudden, even though you haven't shown yourself yet.'

'How rude of me…'

With a sudden whoosh sound a figure appeared beside the black cat.

Hearing the sound, she quickly turned around to defend herself. When her eyes landed on the figure, Maude blinked.

This must be a dream... or I must be seeing things.

Standing there was the tallest woman Maude has ever seen. She was wearing a black cloak, covering her appearance from Maude

'I brought you here into the divine realm because I'm in need of your help' said the stranger, her voice soft and husky.

The Divine Realm? 'Who are you?'

Pulling off the hood from her head, Maude's eyes went wide with shock. The stranger had skin which was perfectly white, setting off slanting emerald eyes and full red lips. Her hair was unbound, falling loosely below her shoulders in black, snaky locks. She seems familiar, but Maude couldn't quite remember.

'I am here to answer your questions'

Questions? Maude thought, thinking about last night's event, when she looked into the fire for…

'You're the Great Mother Goddess!' Maude went onto her knees. 'Please forgive me for my earlier attitude. I'm - I'm sorry that I was – I mean no disrespect'

'That is all right. As I said, my daughter, you are here because I need your help and to answer your questions'.

'What is it that you request?'

'You know an Alanna of Trebond do you not?'

'Yes, in a matter of fact, she is my Lord, Alan of Trebond's, daughter. I taught her all I know on healing.'

'Then I need you to complete this task I'm about to set for you. This task is a matter of changing the future when there is none. I cannot do this task alone since we, Gods and Goddesses are not allowed to meddle with Mortal Affairs.

'Changing the future when there is none? Surely there must be a future?'

'If Alanna of Trebond is not knighted then there is none'

'Alanna…? There must be a mistake! I mean no disrespect, but how does Alanna not being knighted create no future? She is just an ordinary child. As a matter of fact, she's a girl! Girls cannot become knights-'

'You must make sure Alanna of Trebond is sent to the palace in training to become a knight.'

'But my lord, Alan of Trebond, instructed the sergeant-in-arms to watch over the twins, making sure that they are in the right place, since our last plan was revealed.'

'Ah… Now this is where you shall help me. You must act out another plan. This must involve Alanna going to convent but not as a lady.'

'Not as a lady…? But isn't convent the place where they educate girls to become ladies? Shouldn't she be at the palace as a page?'

'There are some events that were changed when your plan was found out. These must be corrected by Alanna. She must go to the convent to be instructed on how to heal as a sorcerer'

'Maude! Wake up!' yelled a background voice

'You have to wake up now. Remember what I have told you. Alanna is the human who will triumph over evil. If this task is not accomplished then there is no telling how horrible Tortall would be in the future

'But how am I going to-' There was suddenly a bright light, blinding Maude, causing her to close her eyes. When she opened her eyes, she realized that she was back in her room.

'Maude! You awake yet?' Maude was woken by a too familiar voice that was banging the door.

'Alanna is that you?'

'About time'

Maude got up and opened the door, revealing an annoyed Alanna standing there with her arms crossed.

'I've called you many times but you didn't answer me. You made me worried'

'Sorry, I was… dreaming about something' Was that a dream? 'Have you finished packing yet?

'No... I haven't and I don't want to'

'Alanna, your father's orders were-'interrupting Maude in mid-speech was a voice; belonging to a goddess she had just spoken a while ago. Remember what I have told you. This is what you must do.

Visions came into Maude's mind causing her to falter. Seeing the pale look on Maude's face, Alanna quickly dragged Maude back into her room, placing her in a sitting position on her bed.

'Are you okay?' exclaimed Alanna, with a worried expression on her face.

'I know what to do now…' said Maude to no one in particular.

'To do what?' asked Alanna.

Finally making up her mind, Maude yelled 'Alanna, you must become a knight!'

'What…? Did I hear you correctly…? But I thought you said that I'm not allowed!'

'Things have changed, Alanna… Many things have changed'

'So I'm allowed to go to the palace?'

'No, you will end up as a knight but you must first go to the convent to be educated'

'… What!'

'There's no time to explain now. Get Thom here, immediately, with the letters.'

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A/N: Thanks to those people who supported me and "bugged" me. You know who you are! I'm sorry this chapter took so long because I was... busy... I promise the next chapter will be quicker than this one (I hope).

Don't forget to review. If your confused by this story, just click on that 'submit review' tab and ask away!

Luv ya

Florence (this is my REAL name)