AN: Chapter 2 is finally up! yay for me. btw i do not own any of the characters they all belong to Tamora Pierce. o and i wasnt sure of the name of Alannas aunt who tried to get Lord Alan to marry her all my book are at home... so if i got it wrong let me know.

Onwards Towards Destiny

Lord Alan of Trebond stood at the window of his tower study room and watched his children ride towards their new lives until they were out of sight. With a sigh, he turned from the window and walked over to his desk and picked up a framed portrait of his wife who had died ten years previously giving birth to the twins Lord Alan had just watched ride away. He sighed again and ran a hand through his hair holding the painting in his other hand.

"Dearest," he said to the smiling picture of his beloved, "There is so much that I regret about the way that I bought up our children. However, Darling it was so hard. They look so much like you it hurts to look at them. Especially little Alanna, so I kept them at a distance but to make up for it I made sure that I knew everything that they were doing, but without them knowing. As I told you before I knew when Maude started teaching them magic and I was glad because I know what an untrained mage can do and it saved me from having to admit I was wrong and arrange for them a teacher. I knew when Coram taught Alanna as well as Thom the basic skills of a warrior should know and I know that Alanna is extraordinary talented in those areas. I also know that it was Alanna and Thom that bewitched Lady Catherine and made her leave which I was thankful for as I had tried my best to dissuade the gold digging wretch, forgive me for insulting your kin but you know it is true, and I was starting to run out of ideas."

Lord Alan sighed again and sat in one of the two overstuffed armchairs by the fireplace and placed that late Lady of Trebond's portrait on the arm of the chair and still look into her eyes and talk to her.

"But this I have talked to you about many times before. Just wait until I tell you what their latest idea is. You will never guess, or maybe you already know judging by what you told me when they were born. As you know Alanna and Thom are now of the age that they shall go to the convent and the palace to begin their Knight and Lady training, but the blessed little devils have switched places. Thom is going to the convent to begin his training as a sorcerer until such time as the priestesses see fit as to send him on to continue his training at the City of the Gods and Alanna has disguised herself as a boy and is going to train as a knight. That will be hard for her and I wish her the best. Alanna and Thom have no idea that I know all of this. They think I do not care. How I would love to take them into my arms and tell them that I do, but after so many years it is hard. My way of caring will have to be that I wont ruin their plans and let them fulfill their destiny".

The large oak grandfather clock in the corner chimed making the Lord of Trebond jump. He looked at the clock as his stomach growled as he realized that it was lunchtime. He rose from the chair and placed his wife's portrait back in its place on his desk.

"Well my Darling I am off to see what Cook has made today."

Lord Alan kissed his fingertip and pressed it to the portrait's red lips then turned around and walked out the door letting it slowly close behind him.