So I'm getting a really positive response from you all so I'm gunna keep going I've got some good ideas for the rest of this story. Tell me what you think
Disclaimer: I'm not Tamora Peirce so I don't own this. Duh.
"Beka!" my brothers greet me with a hug, "Happy Birthday! Are you going to tell us about your adventures?"
I laughed at their eagerness, "Of course, but only if you tell me about yours too."
"Beka?" A voice calls from the door of the stables. "Oh Beka! Happy Birthday!" my sister Lorine rushed to me and wrapped her arms around my waist, "you look so pretty! I like your comb very much. You look beautiful with your hair like that." She said gesturing to my head where I had pulled my hair into a loose horse tail and placed Aniki's presenting.
I blushed, "Thanks. Where's Diona?"
"Actually I don't know, she disappeared when she heard you where here"
"Oh" I replied, trying to mask my disappointment.
"Beka Cooper?" Another voice questioned from the door of the barn.
"Yes?" I said slightly annoyed.
A man stepped forward, he looked very familiar, very good-looking too, I knew him from somewhere, "Lady Teodorie request your presence immediately."
I sighed, "Alright, I guess I'll see you later."
I followed the mysterious man to the door of milady's quarters and then knocked softly on the door. One of the ladies-in-waiting opened the door with a smile on her face but it quickly fell into a frown when she saw me. She told me to take a seat and wait. I endured the disapproving glares for almost half of an hour before I was ushered into Lady Teodorie's study. I curtsied keeping my eyes on the floor, "Milady."
"Yes hello Beka." She said coolly, "sit."I sat back in a plush chair and smoothed my skirts in my lap.
"Today you turned seventeen, Most girls are married at this age. I am aware of your, ahem, occupation, and I have been looking around for potential husbands. Despite you being a law enforcer, there are several interested men. We, Lord Provost and I, have decided to hold a small luncheon for the potential suitors. I'm doing this because you have the potential to become a respected lady; I believe that I really can help you. I only have your best interest at heart."
I clenched my hands together trying my hardest not to beat this woman with all that Ahuda had taught me. My knuckles turned white, "Yes milady." I managed as
calmly as possible.
"Good then. I shall expect you to attend the small dining hall in exactly 15 minutes. Understood?"
"Yes milady." I said rising to my feet. She opened the door and I walked out
towards the small dining room. I can't believe this! I just start to have a little luck with my love life and I can't tell anyone. Now I have to go and act interested for these men. How in all the Gods names do I get stuck with these situations? I stood facing the ominous brown doors once again preparing myself for what lay on the other side. It reminded me of last night only I wasn't so sure the same thing would come from opening this door. I placed my hand on the handle, feather like, and closed my eyes, maybe if
I pretended it wasn't happening, it would go away. But no, things are never that easy I tell myself, I open the door and walk inside. There are a lot of men there. Being as shy as I am I look at the floor and wish harder than anything that I were a piece of string woven into the carpet.
"Beka!" A man's voice soothes as he comes up to me. "How wonderful to see you! When we heard your pretty little hand was up for marriage, we just couldn't resist," gesturing to some of the men behind him. The irony of it is I've never met these men before in my life. I'm itching to pull out my special comb and see what happens to his jolly little attitude when another man walks over to me this one I know; he's one of Rosto's rats. "Beka, dearest. How are you?" He says as he embraces me.
"What are you doing here?" I hiss.
"Warning you. Read this." he says tucking a piece of paper in the neck of my dress.
We all move to sit at the table to begin our lunch. When I'm sure no one is looking, I take the paper from behind my neck and read it
The Tusaine Rogue wants you as leverage against our King, he knows. Be careful, they have spies here.
I look up at him and nod slightly. I can't believe how unfair life can be sometimes.
XOXO
Finally all the men have left I sit down in a chair and sigh, and then once a gain there's a knock on the door. Pox, it's another one of those men. He enters and it's the same one from earlier, the familiar one who I couldn't place.
"Hello Beka. Oh no, don't get up." He says as he seats himself across from me. "Now then, I want you to know, I know about everything, your job, your colorful friends, even your new found sweetheart."
I growl, "I don't know what you're talking about but I don't like. You need to leave, now" I say getting up.
He chuckles and snaps his fingers. The door opens again and two burly men walk in with a frantic looking Diona in their arms, there was a terror in her eyes that I'd never seen in her before. I lunged for that malicious man and gave him a black eye and split lip before I was knocked to the ground and then picked up by the carthaki man with the vest that I'd seen packing Rosto's bags today.
He grinned again and said coolly, "Beka, Beka, Beka. Just as feisty as ever I see. Listen, if you give us anymore trouble, we'll kill your delicate little sister here."
Diona paled and began to sob. I tightened my lips and set my jaw. "What do you want?"
"We want you to come to Tusaine, as leverage." I gritted my teeth together and then looked at Diona, body shaking with sobs. I couldn't do this to her, make her be so afraid like this. Sometimes she just has to trust me, even if she doesn't like me.
"Fine." I said tensely, "If you leave her be," I inhaled, "I'll go."
XOXO
SOOOOO do tell, what do you think? This one was a little bit difficult to right, being as Beka is so shy, which I have no experience with, haha. But I drew on some personal experiences here, can you tell? Anyway, I started back at school today so my stories might get updated a little bit less often… please review, it makes the pile of homework and extra curriculars just a little bit smaller, enough for me to update? Haha. R&R!!!!!!
