A/N: I felt I needed a break from Myles's Class, so I wrote this. At the moment, I'm not even quite sure of it's title, or what it's about, or even if it will ever get finished and posted, but I really wanted a break from history class. Wait, I lied. I know what it's about now...

I apologize for grammar or spelling mistakes. If you like the story, I'll go through and pick them out.

DISCLAIMER: I own the characters but Tortall and it's surrounding areas are owned by Tamora Pierce.

Lady Ribyyn of Hadic

Chapter 1 - Attack (How original.)

"Ribyyn!" Sienna, the Lady of Hadic - and Ribyyn's step-mother - cried out. "Ribyyn! This is not funny! Come out right now!"

Ribyyn looked out from her hiding space in the wall and stifled a giggle when Lady Sienna turned towards her. Her face matched the royal purple of the draperies that hung in the library. The woman's brown eyes blazed with anger and her ears steamed, though Ribyyn knew that was realistically impossible. Her step-mother screamed for her again, and then finally, after giving an infuriated cry, whirled around and then stomped down the hallway calling for Ribyyn's father.

When Ribyyn could no longer hear her screaming she let out the giggles that she had withheld, no longer listening for passers-by.

***

Darin Smith was a servant at Fief Hadic. He was also fifteen, and the eldest son of the local blacksmith. It was Darin who was expected to take over the practice when his father retired from it. However, he didn't want it. He hated smithing and was determined to escape his fate of being eternally bound to a pair of bellows and a hot poker.

He grumbled as he walked down the hall, and ran a hand through his curly blonde hair. In his other hand he carried a note addressed to Lord Jamison of Hadic. The handwriting was plain, as was the paper, but the seal said differently. It was the royal seal of Tortall.

Turning down a hall to his right he thought he heard a faint giggling. He paused to listen, and his thoughts were confirmed. Someone was definitely giggling, but when he looked around, he was the only one in the hall. Listening harder, he followed the sound, until he realized that it came from inside the walls.

"Ghosts," he whispered to himself. The giggling stopped and he heard someone taking gasping breaths, as if they'd been laughing hard and long. And then just as suddenly as it had stopped, it started again. Gradually, the laughing became familiar to Darin, and he soon realized where he'd heard it before. Lady Ribyyn was hiding inside the walls.

Darin raised a fist and pounded on the wall. The laughing stopped and she screamed. And afterwards; silence. "Ribyyn," Darin said, a grin on his face, "I know that's you."

There was a heavy sigh, and then a crackling as the wall slid away to reveal a small space that only a girl of Ribyyn's size or smaller could crawl into. However, as she shoved the wall aside more, he realized that it was actually much larger than that.

"Darin," Ribyyn said, a faint smile playing on her lips, "You ought not to scare me like that."

Darin merely grinned and looked down at the girl. She may have been thirteen, but she looked like she was ten. Her dark hair was plaited in two braids that started right behind her ears. Her large blue eyes gazed up at him. She had all the grace of a noble lady, and she wore the clothes, but it was spoiled by the fact that she was on her hands and knees. Putting down a hand for her, she accepted it and he pulled her up.

"What were you doing in there?"

"Hiding from Lady Sienna." Darin raised a brow. "She wanted me to try on new gowns. I didn't feel like it!"

"You could probably hear her screaming in Carthak. You shouldn't anger her so," he scolded. Ribyyn's only response was to roll her eyes. She was about to say that if Lady Sienna didn't want to deal with her, then she never should have married Lord Jamison. Ribyyn wasn't particularly fond of either her father or her step-mother. Her own mother had died at childbirth, and Ribyyn now had three younger half-brothers that her father was far more doting upon than either her or her elder brother, Kalvin.

But alas, her smart mouth never got to say anything, for a sudden shriek echoed down the halls. The breaking of glass and banging of doors resonated throughout the cold passageways and the two teenagers heard more cries in all directions. There was another shriek, which was undoubtedly Ribyyn's step-mother, and Ribyyn responded by covering her ears.

"What's going on?" she cried out to Darin who winced as another scream echoed down the hall. He shook his head as if to say he wasn't sure. He glanced out a window in the hallway, and saw flames rising from beyond the castle wall. But it's not even bonfire night, he thought to himself, and then stopped. It's not even night. As he continued to watch he saw figures climbing over the wall and jumping off. Arrows whizzed by and, slowly, it dawned on Darin that Fief Hadic was being raided.

Ribyyn watched Darin closely and then turned to see what seemed to have him so amazed. Her eyes widened in shock. She watched the arrows fly by, some of them aflame, some of the whistling. Some had a golden sheen, but most were just a blur. There was a crash as a burning arrow hit the window and broke it. Ribyyn screamed and Darin jumped, and it was then that the two finally acknowledged what danger they were in. They had to get out.

Darin grabbed Ribyyn's arm and dragged her down the hall, but clanging and cries of death came from that direction. Darin stopped as he realized that no matter where they went, they were trapped. Just as he become conscious this he saw four marauders come out from the stairwell. Ribyyn whimpered and cried out in fear. Whirling around, Darin saw that more raiders had come up from the other side. They were surrounded. (A/N: But as usual, the author has creatively put in a hiding spot!)

Darin tightened his grasp on the girl's arm and shoved her back into her hole. He gripped the stone wall and began pushing it back into place, but Ribyyn's hand clutched his sleeve. "Darin, you can't leave me here!" she cried out in terror. He paused to look at her and knew that she was entirely right. He sighed and ducked into the hiding space. Quickly, they shoved the wall back into place. Outside the hidey-hole Darin and Ribyyn could hear the marauders cursing in Scanran and Gallan.

Darin glanced over at Ribyyn, and then reached out to pull her into a brotherly hug. She curled up against him and he could feel her tears wet his shirt. He stroked her hair and whispered to her. "We'll be alright Rib. Honest. We're safe now." Darin could only pray that he was right.

A/N: I'm not sure if action is my thing. But whatever. If you like it, review and tell me to continue. If you don't, review and tell me I suck and that I should stick to what I'm good at - like short stories. No doubt I'll get writers block in the middle of this story...

Ribyyn's such a wuss. She better get braver, elsewise this story is going to go nowhere.