A/N: Ta-da! A Tortall story!

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"Da, please!" she begged. "I really want to meet her!

Her da looked over at her, skeptical. "I know you do. But you're not going to.

"DA! She's my half-sister! It's not fair that I can't meet her!

"It's too great a risk.

"I can disguise myself! You know that! She won't know who I am, I promise!

Her da sighed. He had been cursed Ð blessed Ð given one of the most stubborn daughters ever to exist. He blamed it on her ma.

"No.

"Da, 21 years is a long time to have a half-sister and never meet her. Even more, I didn't know she existed until she was thirteen! That was eight years ago, Da! Why can't I meet her?

Shaking his head, her da answered, "I can't allow it, my dear. It's just --

"Too great a risk, I know. Why is it such a risk?

"I can't explain it --

His daughter stood up and walked angrily out of the room. Too long, she thought. 21 years is too long.

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A/N: The main-character-whose-name-you-don't-know-yet has been in my head for a long time, and she got out.