A/n: once I again…I own NOTHING…haha. Chapter 4, they are off the boat and in Tortall. Some reviewers were afraid this would be a shadow of Aly's story, and let me tell you now. Keila is up to nothing that could end well. Please enjoy.
Aly POV
I stepped off the boat and grabbed my horse. I thanked the gods I had brought along clothing just in case. I mounted and started on the road to Pirates Swoop, my childhood home.
Keila POV
I hate boats, officially. As I stepped off I grabbed by rucksack and went to find somewhere to get a horse. I saw a woman leading 4 or five horses without leads and walked over to her.
"My lady. Could I have one of your horses? I have a very long way to go." I asked politely.
"My dear girl," the woman said, "What is your name?"
I had created a new liars palace on the way to Tortall. My uncle Numair would recognize Homewood. I looked the lady in the eye and answered, "My name is Keila Cooper."
"Well, Keila, you can have one of my horses. Please be safe." The woman said and I bowed. I took the horse she gave me, a beautiful white mare, and began my trek to Tortall.
My mother didn't know why I had been so anxious to get to Tortall. I was sick of living under the perfect image of being the Spymaster's daughter. My siblings all lived for it, but I had always wanted adventure. I had a plan. My grandfather had told me of his days in the Rouge Court, of his days as the King of the Rouge. My plan was to become the Queen of the Rouge. I laughed casually as I made my way to town. I had tried to make it as impossible as I could to be recognized. I'd had a mage change my naturally black hair to white blonde and I'd cut it off at my shoulders. I knew I wasn't far from Tortall and was immediately reminded of my quest as I was over taken by two men on horse back. They got in front of me and then slowed down.
"Hello little girl." They sneered
"What do you want?" I asked, feigning boredom
"Your purse." They smiled and attacked. I praised myself for my skills and fought back.
Aly POV
I slipped off the horses back and smiled at the hostler who came to grab my horse. I flicked my long hair over my shoulder and ran up the steps to my front door. I lifted the knocker twice and then my brother Alan greeted me at the door.
"Alianne!" he exclaimed and grabbed me around the waist. He was so much larger than I remembered, then I remembered that he was a knight now, and it made a lot of sense.
"Alan. I've missed you." I said and laughed.
"We didn't know you were coming this way. We are hosting a rouge court meeting. Da thought they needed somewhere neutral to meet. I'll bring you the back way." Alan grabbed my hand and led me around the back to the servant's door. I passed girls I had grown up with carrying large trays of food and waved to some of them. We passed the foyer where I knew the meeting was and walked up the steps to my family's quarters. I met my brother Thom at the top and received a hug.
"So, what are you doing here Aly?" Thom asked as we made our way to my parent's room.
"I think I'll tell you all at once. I need Da's help." I knocked carefully on the door, suddenly gleeful to be seeing my parents. My Da opened the door and I was engulfed in a hug.
"Aly! Oh, my girl why are you here?" my Da asked
"It's about Keila. Where is mother?" I asked
"Right here," my mother came from the side and gave me a squeeze. "Has Keila decided to give you a run for your money?" she asked with a grin
"Yes, and I followed her here. I lost her getting off the boat. I decided that you would have the most connections in Tortall. I need to know what she's up to. I'm going to let her cause her ruckus, but I want tabs on her." I told them. My Da laughed.
"I can have Stephan put some of his boys on it. The Rouge is in the need of a new King, and nobody wants to step up. They can only spare a couple of people. "Da told me
"In need of a new King? I thought people fought the Rouge King all the time." I said
"This King died of sickness. There was no one for him to appoint. They are leaderless for the moment." Da laughed again, "It's funny, Rouges in need of leadership."
"Thank you Da. Is my old room open? I need to sleep. I hate boats." I laughed and my mother led me to my room. When I was finally alone I sat on my floor.
"Kyprioth. I need you." I said, for the first time in almost 16 years.
"Dearest Aly. It has been so long. Has Keila finally began to fulfill her destiny?" he asked
"What do you mean?" I asked, suddenly alarmed.
"Keila will do great things, but not in the way you want her to. Go home pretty Aly. This must be done. She'll be fine." Kyprioth said. "Plus, I'm watching over her. It'll be good."
"Kyprioth, you cannot expect me to abandon my daughter in Tortall." I said astounded.
"I surely do expect that. If you try to intercede I will make sure you cannot." Kyprioth said and kissed my cheek. "Your parents let you do your thing. You should let her."
"I don't know why I trust you. I'll head home in a week. I want to visit with my family." I said hoping that within the week I'd have word on Keila.
Keila POV
I smirked at the men on the ground. I'd taken their purses and their weapons and left them in the middle of the road. Their horses were tethered only a few yards away. I kicked my horse to a gallop. When I got to Tortall I made my way to the Dancing Dove, my grandfather's old haunt, and to my knowledge, the headquarters of the Rouge. I stepped in and ran my hand through my hair.
"I need to see the king of the Rouge." I told the bar man.
"There ain't no King right now. They are up at the Whisper Man's house talkin' about what they be doin'." The man said
I smiled, suddenly cocky. The whisper man was my grandfather, and I was unrecognizable. I laughed and thanked the man. My ride to Pirate's Swoop, was uneventful. Though at the Inn I paused at I did steal most of the money out of the till. I finally made my way to the house and asked a hostler to keep my horse in the keep, just in case. I was met at the door by my Uncle Thom.
"Who are you?" he asked
"I'm late for the meeting. I need to put my two cents in." I said, with a slight Kyprin accent I had worked on.
"I'll lead you up." He said and motioned for me to enter the house. My mother had never done it justice. My uncle led me to the main room where half a dozen men were seated around a table. My grandfather was at the head of the room trying to keep order.
"Men, why will none of you take the post?"
"None of us can do it quite as good as he did. He was the best since you lefted us." One man said
"Thom who is this?"
"Um, I don't actually know. What's your name?"
"My name is Keila Cooper. Which I thought was funny," I laughed
"Why is that funny?" he asked, visibly paler
"Well because your last name is Cooper. And I believe that your daughter has a daughter named Keila. I was named after the spymaster's daughter. I was raised in the Kyprin Isles." I said
"Oh. Why are you here?"
"I heard that the Rouge needed a new King. I've come to offer my services." I smiled and bowed
"You think you, a woman, can be Rouge King, or Queen?" a man laughed. Three seconds later I had a knife at his throat and he wasn't laughing anymore.
"I think that I, a person, could command the Rouge as well as anyone else correct?" I hissed into his ear.
"I…I…I think she'll be perfect." The man gulped and everyone else said aye.
"That was easier than I thought it would be…" I thought to myself and prepared to become the most powerful, be it underground, person in Tortall.
A/n: YAY! Another chapter…the next chapter I'm going to shoot up a couple months…and we are going to find out what the Trickster has in mind for little Miss Keila. Hope you are all enjoying it! And sorry for the shotty updates. I've been crazy busy…I'm full time at College and have no life outside of homework…please forgive and review!
