Chapter 17

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It was just minutes later that Thom and Alanna, now of Walrus Cove, had time to talk about what had just happened to them. They had been quickly whisked out of the throne room and into a small reception room just off the entry way, giving them private time to talk together.

Alanna looked at her brother purple eyes wide and said in amazement, "Thom, do you get this. We are now free, and we don't need to go back to Tortall. Therefore I don't have to go to the convent and you don't have to become a knight. We couldn't have prayed for a better outcome."

"Sister, don't you think that if you are going to be a noble lady in Carthak you may need a little…well…lady training?" Thom questioned. Upon seeing the look this question brought out on Alanna's face he quickly backtracked. "I didn't mean that you had to go to a convent or anything like that."

"I don't think so brother dear. No one can try to make me. They can only advise me to." Alanna looked at her brother.

"Well, maybe we should see what this agreement entails. You know that in Carthak they may give us a legal advisor to help us run the fief until we are of legal age," Thom told his sister.

"Fine let's get all of this over with." Alanna stood up from the chair she had been sitting on and started towards the door. "Well are you coming?"

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The twins soon found themselves in a meeting room with a few other people including Ozorne, a messenger, and someone that was managing the land of Walrus Cove.

Alanna watched as the small group of people talked quickly about what was to happen to the twins and the land. It wasn't quite an argument, but they weren't agreeing on anything.

Finally the decision was made. The twins were to be given the land immediately. They were allowed to live on and govern it the way they chose. The one catch was that they had to have an advisor until the day that the two reached sixteen.

The next issue addressed at the meeting was what the twins were to do for the majority of their lives. It was decided that they would be asked about this. Ozorne ever so nicely asked them, "Thom, Alanna, what did you two have in mind as to your future?"

Immediately Thom started talking cutting Alanna off from what she was about to say. "I have always wanted to learn to use my gift and be a powerful sorcerer. I mean… I am not too old to start learning. I swear that I would listen to my teachers, and-"

"Fine, fine," Ozorne cut the boy off from his rant. "Now Alanna what do you want to do? Would you like to be a sorcerer to, or would you like to learn to be a lady. We have some of the finest etiquette teachers on this side of the Great Inland Sea." Seeing the look on her face he stopped abruptly.

"No disrespect sir, but I would like to learn to fight. It has been my dream forever. And I would be a great learner. I wouldn't complain or anything," Alanna spouted out quickly expecting her idea to be rejected.

The advisor who had been introduced as Kaleb Mancini then spoke up. "Dear, do you think that doing that would be the best way to show your newfound nobility?"

"She should do what she wants to," Ozorne stood up for his young rescuer. "If not for her fighting ability I fear that I would not be here anymore."

This statement shut Mr. Mancini up quite efficiently.

"Walrus cove turns out many great soldiers every year. I think that if you journey that way you will find that there will be people in abundance to teach you the skills that you wish to possess." Ozorne ended this strand of the conversation. "Now we just need to finalize these next few things and you two will be on your way to your new manor."

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He looked about the smoke filled room searching for anything that seemed amiss. The first thing that seemed peculiar to him was the man who had just entered the inn. He looked a little to clean and well groomed to be hanging around a place like this.

He tuned out the blonde woman that was sitting to his right jabbering on about basically nothing to make sure that he kept a steady eye on this new stranger. He waved to the bartender for another ale. Once the bartender came over to deliver the drink he grabbed the man's collar and asked, "Ever seen that man in here before?" At the shake of the man's head he said, "Watch him."

Later into the evening the strange man approached him and secretively dropped a letter onto the table. He looked around trying to see if there was anyone watching this exchange. When he noticed no one had seen what had just happened he opened the letter inconspicuously under the table.

Agent 29010,

We have run into a little difficulty up here. It seems that we have two missing noble children. Said to be twins and almost identical. We will need to get them back for they belong to one of our very prominent families. We don't want any trouble up here.

It would be beneficial if you would try to take a look around. We have tracked a group of bandits to a ship dock near Port Cayn. One of the ships at the time was said to have a destination close to your station.

It would not be hard to spot these two. They are easily recognizable with red hair and purple eyes. They will speak like nobles and are highly educated.

There is no certain proof that they are near you. It will need to be investigated though. Many others are on the case also.

Always,

MO

He looked at the letter and made a mental note to investigate. He got up from the table and made his way up to his room leaving the put out blonde sitting at the table staring after him confused.

He entered the room and grabbed his parchment and quill.

Mo,

I will be on the lookout for the aforementioned children. I have my hands quite full at the moment, but everything is going according to plan. No new developments.

Agent 29010

At this he took out his pocket knife, lopped off a piece of hisdarkhair and stuck it into a drip of hot wax underneath his name. Then he sealed the letter and went back to thecommon room to find a decent messenger.

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A/N: Hi all, I know it had been a while since my last update. Sorry for taking so long.

I would just like to say thank you to the people who reviewed the last chapter.

I will try my hardest to get the next chapter up as soon as possible. I have to go to camp so it could take me a while to post next.

As always I encourage readers to review. I can't make the story better if I don't have any input.

ColossalSky