I don't own any of the Tamora Pierce characters

Thanks to anonymous 'cool story' for that GINORMOUS review lol. I'll try not to put stuff like 'shit' in it any more lol but I'm just such a modern person! Oh and the sticking together thingy: - I upload a blank doc. each chap and just write/save on internet so i can access on all computers, but when I save it some of the words stick together . . . annoying little poop, even when i go through it they JUMP back together but HEY thanks for the review!


She wasn't sure if it was the noise of movement in the corridors that woke her, or the feel of Matthew stirring beside her, but Ivy woke up to hear feet thundering down the corridor and shouts of "get up you lazy bastards, we're at war!" in her ears. Ivy stared at Matthews face, noting that he didn't seem at all shocked. Had he known? She was about to ask him when he pressed his lips to hers.

"I have to go down to the throne room. I'll be back soon." he said it quietly, but Ivy thought she heard a slight shake in his voice. He was dressed and out of the room very quickly, leaving Ivy lying down in confusion and fear. War? Tortall hadn't had any disagreements or threats of late, yet now they were at war, without so much as a warning? No. The people in the corridors had been mistaken, there was no way that Tortall was at war. Since the Scanran war there hadn't been so much as a whiff of war, yet now they were all rushing down to the throne room yelling about it. They had to be mistaken! She pulled on some clothes and headed to the throne room, trying not to think about going to fight and not coming back. She intended to join the Knights in the throne room, but a strong, burly looking foot soldier held her back.

"No Pages or Squires allowed, get back to your rooms and wait for your knight-master, he'll explain the situation later." The man pushed her shoulder hard. Ivy glared at him.

"I want to go in!" she said indignantly.

"And I want a big sledgehammer to whack your oversized head into your shoulders, it doesn't appear like either of us are going to get what we want does it?" He met her gaze solidly, and Ivy realised that she was not going to get in by being stubborn. She glared at him once more, then slipped outside, intending to sneak in through the servants entrance and enter the throne room through that door. Luck was not on her side though. The door was locked and all the servants were nowhere to be seen. Ivy resisted thumping the door with her fists and instead walked sulkily back to where the foot soldier stood on the door.

"No Squires or Pages!" he replied gruffly. Ivy shrugged.

"There's no rule that says I can't wait out here. Or is there?" she sat down on the step and began tapping her foot. After about an hour she looked up at him. "Can't you just let me in sneakily? I mean, I'm going to hear all about it later anyway, my Dad is the Giantkiller and my Knight-master is sure to tell me. . ."

The foot soldier shook his head. "If they're to tell you later, then what be the point in letting you in now may I ask?"

Ivy glared at him, then stood up. "Fine, be a moody piece of stormwing dung! But ever considered why you're not in there?" She began to walk back to her rooms, only stopping to look back over her shoulder and see the soldier puzzling over why he wasn't involved. It almost made her smile. But not quite.


Matthew was stood next to Raoul in the throne room with his arms crossed over his chest. All of the Knights currently in residence and all those in a five mile radius had been summoned to the throne room, which could only mean one thing. It was serious. Matthew already had a fair idea how bad it was, and was frustrated that he would be spending most of the day in this stuffy room when he could be making up for time he would lose with Ivy. Jonathan sat on his throne, steadily explaining what was going on. Matthew noticed that the Kings voice was slightly shaky, almost as though he were nervous. He wasn't listening to the words until he heard Jonathan announcing the Generals name.

" . . . Gavinof Stone Mountain." Jonathans words thundered in Matthews ears, as a tall, black haired man stepped out of the mass of the Knights. Matthews fists clenched. Gavin was six years older than Matthew. He had been Squire to Jonathan for two of Matthews' Page years, and he had made it his personal duty to bully every single Page he could, as long as Jonathan was nowhere to be seen. Matthew had hoped that when the Chamber had opened it would have opened on his corpse, as it had done with Joren of Stone Mountain, Gavin's uncle, however, he had been sourly disappointed. Matthew knew what it felt like to be judged by ancestors, but he had no doubt that Gavin was as much of a bully as Joren had been. Matthew bit his lip in disgust at the thought of being in the command of such a man, but knew he would have no choice. He was wondering how best to avoid getting in Gavins way when he heard his own name being called.

" . . . Matthew of Tirragen, shall be in charge of the camps defences, using his Pyrotic frequencies to help keep at bay enemies, along with Numair Salmalin."Matthew looked up at the King, wondering why in Mithros' name he had decided to tell the rest of the army that Matthew was a Pyro at that moment. There was a sudden round of hushed whispers, other Knights began to converse on where Matthew was. Raoul rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, they'll get over it soon enough. They'll all be too worried about themselves to be bothered whether you can burst into flames or not. And any that are bothered will soon see that we need you." Matthew smiled at the older man, but felt a surge of disappointment. Defence. Standing on a hill throwing balls of fire at oncoming enemies. It was all very well, but it wasn't what he had been trained for. He had been trained to fight with a sword or staff, not stand on a hill away from all action. Raoul seemed to read his thoughts. "Don't worry, you'll see plenty of fighting still." Matthew nodded, noticing Gavin eyeing him from across the room.

" . . . all Squires shall remain here at the Palace, where they will help teach Pages fighting skills and continue their studies in more depth. Only when they are full Knights will they be let out into the action." Jonathan took a swig of apple juice from his glass, then went on. "You should all go back to your families and friends and prepare yourselves for war. We leave on Saturday at dawn." Jonathan stood and left. Instantly, hundreds of Knights seemed to gather round Matthew.

" . . . is it true?"

"Are you really able to catch fire?"

"Come on Tirragen show us your flamers!" Other comments and requests met his ears, and Matthew was thankful that Raoul, Alanna, Gareth, George and Numair were there to stop anyone getting to him. Just as the men seemed to back off, Gavin stepped forward in large leather boots, loose leather breeches and a shirt.

"I always thought you had a bit of a fiery temper Tirragen." he grinned. "But isn't it true that you discover it when you're around your soulmate? Its not your Squire is it? I was planning on wooing her." Matthew launched forwards but four pairs of arms held him back. Nobody thought to hold back Raoul and within seconds, Gavin was grabbed by the scruff of the neck and being shook viciously.

"Think about touching my daughter and you won't know whats hit you, you writhing piece of dragon dung!" Gavin seemed unphased by Raouls rough treatment of him and smiled.

"Now, now Giantkiller. Don't be like that, I'm your General after all, and it's always good to be on good terms with the General isn't it? And giving me your daughter . . . " Gavin whistled, "Well lets say I might avoid putting you on latrine duty for a while!" The four pairs of hands holding Matthew gripped him tighter. Matthew shook them off roughly and walked forwards, bringing his face level with Gavins.

"Try it with her." He challenged. "I dare you! But you're about as likely to win her over as you are to be trusted and liked by every person in yourcommand." He nodded over his shoulder. "You've already made six people hate your guts. Want to try forsome more? I think the King and Queen might have something to say about you hitting on Ivy, just like the rest of her family." Matthew raised an eyebrow. "You up to it?" Gavin looked at him carefully, and at the five other menacing faces that looked at him, then smiled.

"I have better things to do with my time than play around with a wench. And all of you are on latrine duty for the first month of the war." He twisted out of Raouls grip then shoved his way through the hundreds of Knights. Matthew stared after his retreating back.

"I'm going to end up killing him!" he stated through gritted teeth.

"Not before I do!" Five voices chorused. He looked round and grinned at Raoul, Numair, Gareth - who would be going to warwith them-, Alanna and George.

"Good!" Matthew laughed. "We can spend our month of latrine duty thinking up ways to kill him. I've got a favourite at the moment though . . . drown him in his own dung. Any other brilliant ideas?" The other five laughed. The six of them walked out, trying to laugh at the idea that plagued there minds; they might not see another wednesday in the Palace ever again.


So short, after so long! I'm so sorry about the delay, but my computer didnt want to work and it wouldnt save the file so I had to wait, however I did get alot of reviews, thanks all of you!

Hope you liked, but if you don't then tell me and I'll change it completely. See you all!

Mage of the Heart