PROLOGUE

"That is my decision. We need not discuss it." Four eyes – two violet, two brown – stared down two matching sets of purple eyes.

"But, mama!" five-year-old Alanna of Trebond whined. "I don't want to learn girly stuff!" She kicked up her legs, swishing her skirts.

Marinie of Trebond narrowed her violet eyes at her daughter. "You cannot take lessons with Thom and Coram and that's final."

"Mama," she whined again, this time sounding more frustrated. "Thom doesn't want to learn that stuff. I do!"

"It's not proper," the lady said between gritted teeth. "Do not argue with me, Alanna."

"Papa?" Thom asked quietly, looking at his quietly, scholarly father hopefully. "Please?"

"Do as your mother says," Lord Alan said with a sigh, rubbing his forehead. "But if you feel so inclined to argue, please do so outside of my study. I have work to do."

"You always have work to do," Thom grumbled, hopping down from his chair. Alanna followed him from the room, shooting death glares at their parents. Once outside the study, she wheeled on her twin brother. He anticipated this. "Don't."

"But Thom-"

"No, Alanna." He crossed his arms over his chest. "You heard mama and papa."

Alanna sighed and stamped her foot. "It's not fair. You don't want to do that stuff. I do. You want to be let alone with your books and your magic…" Her voice trailed off and she looked sad. Thom felt for her and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Maybe it won't be so bad," he suggested. "'Sides, I could always teach you archery and stuff…"

"Would you?" she asked, suddenly hopeful. "I would teach you the magic stuff that Maude teaches me!"

"Really?" Thom's own violet eyes brightened. Alanna nodded vigorously and he grinned. "All right!" The twins linked arms, smiling happily at their agreement.

Five years later, the same twins stood across from the same adults, across the same table. They were taller now, but still looked remarkably similar. Over the last five years, they had dutifully attended their lessons – Alanna learning the basics of how to be a lady, and of magic, Thom learning fighting and hunting, the basics of being a knight – while secretly exchanging what they learned late at night. Now, armed with literature on lady knights and mage lords, they were prepared to argue with their parents again.

"I want to go to Corus," Alanna opened.

"And I the City of the Gods," Thom finished. They passed a parchment across the table. "It's not unprecedented. There was lady knights before-"

"And mages can run fiefs just as well as knights can. Besides, if I'm a knight, I can be here to help defend Trebond. And if Thom knows fighting magic-"

"We'll be extra safe." The twins smiled confidently. Knowing their father's scholastic tendencies, they had done diligent research.

"You want to be a lady knight?" Marinie asked her daughter, amusement dancing in her eyes. "And you a mage?" She directed this toward her son. The children nodded. The lady looked at her husband. "What do you make of this, Alan?"

He turned his brown eyes to his children. "I think it's ridiculous. What is this nonsense?" He picked up the parchment and scanned it, picking up key words and phrases. Shaking his head, he dropped it on the table. "Unheard of. No. Alanna will go to the Convent and Thom will go to Corus. That is how it is done."

"But things can change!" Alanna protested. "There was lady knights before-"

"And maybe there will be lady knights again," Alan said. "But you will not be one of them."

"Why?" she demanded. "What's the harm in me going for my shield?"

"This is not up for debate, Alanna of Trebond!" Marinie declared, standing up, eyes burning. "I've had quite enough of this nonsense from you. It's all well and good for you to learn from your brother, but a knight's life is too hard for a lady. I will not have you go to make a fool of yourself. There is nothing wrong with being a lady, miss, and its time you learned that." Mother and daughter matched each other stare for stare. They were both stubborn and proud to a fault. "You will leave for the Convent in three days," Marinie said, dangerously quiet. "Thom will ride south to Corus at the same time."

"You will not disobey us," Alan put in. "You will accept this as our judgment, as your parents, and you will go graciously and respectfully." He glanced between his children. "Do I make myself clear?"

"You didn't even listen to us!" Thom exclaimed. "You had your minds made up before we even came in! We did all this work-"

"Stop, Thom," Alanna told him quietly. "They aren't going to change their minds."

He turned on her, eyes wide. "Alanna-"

She looked back at him, fire burning in her teary eyes. "Don't make this any harder," she whispered. "It isn't worth the fight." Thom had never seen his sister give up before. He wasn't sure how to handle it, so he took her lead and shut his mouth, hanging his head.

"All right," he whispered. "I'll go to Corus."

"Thank you," the lady of Trebond said, stunned that her obstinate twins were being compliant for once. The children nodded and scooted out, heading toward their rooms in complete silence, tears rolling down their cheeks.

The idea behind the story is basic: Alanna goes to the Convent instead of to Corus. Similar to what I did in "Lady Alanna and the Prince," but different. I'm definitely changing history, and the characters as I'm writing are different than they are in the book. Just a warning. Hope you enjoyed!