It was Monday morning at Willow Tree Academy and
everyone over seven was groaning.
In Mrs. Parishas class for ages 11-14, though
everyone was dozing off to sleep, which is until Mrs.
Parisha announced they were would take yoga classes.
The whole class groaned, except for Jonathan Dean, and
Ally Consor.
Everyone knew that Jonathan had serious social
problems, which made him be a Goody-2-Shoes even
though he was fourteen.
Mrs. Parisha does things for our own good. Jonathan
explained.
Ally, who was twelve didnt complain.
When she got angry she usually mimicked who ever did
and if you want to be her friendbe preparedyou will
get the catching disease of laughosis.
Oh please! Yoga is just for damn old people!
protested Alexa Zwyr-Shelby, Shit!
Quarter to field trip jar, Alexa, for swearing.
replied Mrs. Parisha.
Sorry. lied Alexa and grinned at her best friend,
Christie Winterlake.
Hey youre not cool! Acting like that, and youre
just a little girl! Be cool! said Nolan Melson,
sounding like an idiotic rapper.
Nolan, warned Mrs. Parisha, Whos humming?
Nicoooooooooooooooooooooooooooole! said Bethany
Sterling and giggled.
She was a fashion-crazy, crazy crazy, fourteen year
old hip chick
Nicole? asked Mrs. Parisha, Please dont hum.
Alright. answered Nicole quitting to hum, Help by
the Beatles.
Nicole was crazy about music and computers, and her
mind often went off to them.
She was eleven, and everyone knew her archrival was
Nolan.
She cared about looking older a lot, since she was
short and people usually thought she was about nine.
And then the dud goes up and says, you dont like
vegetables? Arthur meet Mr. Broccoli. mimicked Alex
Kurz to his best friend, Scott.
Be quiet, Alex. Wheres David? asked Mrs. Parisha.
David Frohman was the brain and nerd of the class.
Probably reading. said Nicole.
Just a minute. said Mrs. Parisha.
She swished out of the room and was not back in a half
hour.
Lets see how much trouble Davids in., said
Bethany, and the class followed, except Jonathan.
I dont think its right, he said seriously.
No one listened.
In the kitchen everyone-except-Jonathan couldnt find
Mrs. Parisha or David, and all they found was thick
purple goo in the kitchen sink.
Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeuw! gagged Bethany.
Suddenly everyone disappeared.
Two Hours Later
Jonathan sat at his desk in Mrs. Parishas room,
waiting.
He looked at the clock.
It had been two hours.
He decided to see what was going on.
They were probably in the French room, he decided.
When he got there no one was in the French room.
That was strange.
He noticed huge purple bubbles were floating in the
kitchen.
He stepped in to the kitchen
Pouf!
He was gone.
In the Realm of Tortall
David was walking through beautiful halls, looking for
someone who could tell him where he was and he could
share his latest bit of scientifically perfect
information with.
A petite woman with red hair and deep, strange purple
eyes, dressed in a long red cloak, white shirt,
breeches, and soft boots, was walking down the hall.
She looked formidable but of course David Frohman is
not very smart at socialism, so he decided to talk to
her.
Mam? What is this place? And did you knowBlah
blah blah blah blah blah blah?
The woman, who is Alanna The Lioness and Kings
Champion, gave him a Look.
This is Tortall, and I dont even know what you said
after that not that I want to know, snapped Alanna.
She drew her leg back.
Dont kick me! I know when someone is going to kick
me, Nicole does it almost every day.
He was seemingly unaware that Alanna had been taught
Shang, like karate to him, and she had been trained
under the Shang Dragon, which was the best of the best
rank, like a black belt.
Alanna attacked him with her kick.
David began to cry, weep, and wail, like a toddler.
Alanna drew back her fist and punched David in the
stomachhard.
He cried louder, but Alanna was not done with her
martial arts show.
She gave another kick, really hard, so hard it would
make the strongest person break down.
This was too much for David.
He fell top the floor, wailing at the top of his
lungs.
This raised many people and many un preferable to
David.
Mrs. Parisha came in, looking superior.
David! she said quickly, then vanished immediately.
David didnt care she was gone, but he wished ALANNA
was gone.
A pretty dark-haired woman, with a stubborn chin, and
soft mouth walked in.
She was strange, because animals covered her, and a
small dragon hopped beside her.
Hello, Alanna, she said calmly, speaking with a
faint accent, Whos this?
Some pig-faced crybaby.
Odds bobs! How did he get here?
No clue.
David watched the new comer with starry eyes, to him
her beauty, was fresh, and appealing.
She was even prettier than his drop-dead gorgeous
crush Victoria Silver.
He also forgot about the college girl who walked past
Willow Tree, whom he had named Lilac Rose, even though
her real name was Laverne Tablecross.
The girl, who was Veralidaine Sarrasri, called Daine,
by friends.
David loved her so much he stopped crying, looking up
in to her face and asked her name like: W-w-whats
your n-name?
Veralidaine Sarrasri. Most people call me Daine, but
Im not sure about you.
Veralidaine.
That was a beautiful name, in Davids opinion.
The last name
He wasnt so sure about, but who cared, if he had his
luck, she would be Veralidaine Frohman.
Why are you staring at Daine? asked Alanna, though
it was quite obvious.
Nothing. said David, still watching Daine.
But he didnt have time to think, for Mrs. Parishas
class, walked in immediately, talking with their
friends all about the same issue:
How they got to this place.
This is so weird. gaped Nicole, mouth open.
Yeah, thats a bit OBVIOUS, sneered Nolan.
Look DAVID! yelled Scott.
The boys ganged up on him, with looks of anger.
You got us here!!! growled Nolan, Get us
back!!!!!!
No, warned Alanna softly, the boy is mine.
Get out, girl. You just a little, no hip, no cool,
ooh! Nolan was a rapper again.
Alanna growled, and put out a Shang kick, on Nolans
knee, harder than the last one she had given David.
Nolan grasped his knee; it sure hurt.
Say sorry! he yelled to Alanna, Or Ill beat you
up!!
Say sorry? Say sorry? Do you know who I am, boy? I am
Sir Alanna the Lioness, and Kings Champion, trained
under the Shang Dragon!
Nolan glanced at her; she didnt look like a knight.
She had a build like Nicole, short, and slim.
Those purple eyes were so WEIRD, he thought, Well
shes a girl so she cant be strong. Ill fight her.
He attacked Alanna with a Judo move, she gritted her
teeth, then started a Shang kick.
Nolan pounced on her.
Alanna threw him off, Nolan beginning to cry.
Jonathan entered the room.
Hello, he said, Ive found you.
Shhhh. whispered Nicole, her eyes dancing with
amusement; her enemys butt was getting kicked.
Nolan howled.
Alanna kicked again.
Nolan began crying.
This was too much for everyone.
Nicole howled with laughter, nearly falling over.
How do you feel now, Jimmy C.? asked Ally.
Scott and Alex rushed to defend their friend.
You OK? questioned Scott.
Fine. said Nolan, continuing to cry.
Alanna raised her hand in triumph, and Alexa, Christy,
Ally, Nicole, and Eva Olson, all went to congratulate
her.
Thanks, SO much; I hate him, said Nicole.
Me too. agreed Ally.
By the way, continued Nicole, Where are we?
Tortall, ruled by King Jonathan the 3rd and Queen
Thayet.
Thats my name, stuttered Jonathan who had come up
behind them, And Alanna, that wasnt very nice.
I am a knight. I fight. I kill. Who are you all?
Jonathan Dean.
Nicole Samuels.
Ally Consor.
Alexa Zwyr-Shelby.
Christy Winterlake.
He was Nolan Melson. put in Nicole.
I see. Where do you come from?
Wilson, Illinois. said Nicole.
Illinois? You must be very far away. I shall take you
to see Numair Salmalîn, our greatest mage. Maybe--
Excuse me, interrupted Alexa, But did you just say
mage?
I did, Alexa. Do you not have magic in Illanis?
We dont, said Nicole, In Illinois. We do have
electricity, though.
ElectriciWhat?
Electricity. It can make light, images from far
placesI cant describe. Nicole seemed to be taking
what was happening most calmly, of everyone, because
she was the only one who still believed in magiceven
though it was mostly tarot, omens, and visions of the
past to her.
What? This is weird. Ill take you to see King
Jonathan, too.
TheKing? But the Kinghell probably execute us.
gasped Alexa.
Jon? asked Alanna, No. Hes the strangest ruler
many people have seen, though.
Alright. said Christy doubtly.
Dont worry. said Alanna, Daine?
Daine and David were gone.
Get away from me! Alanna knew that voice as Daines.
She entered the room, dodging David as he ran after
her.
Youre beautiful. I love you. When I go back, Im
taking you with me. When that happens, would you go to
the Snowflake Dance at the community center with me?
No. Im not leaving Tortall.
Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go
with
me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! David wailed.
Whatever your name isstay out. Understand? warned
Alanna.
Yes. whispered David, in fear of another
kick-attack.
ButI love you, Veralidaine. Youre a goddess.
Actually, I am, Daine grinned, Daughter of Weiryn,
horned god of the hunt, and Sarra, The Green Lady,
minor goddess of mothering, cooking, and plants.
Your gods are interesting. Are Weiryn and Sarra
related at all to the Greek gods Zeus and Hera? It
sounds like Weiryn might be related with Pan, the
goat-god of nature. And might Sarra be related to
Demeter, goddess of plants and the harvest.
What? asked Alanna.
Sounds like Numair. remarked Daine.
Dont worry, he always does that, said Nicole, What
about seeing the King?
Right, said Alanna, Ill take you and your
COMPANIONS she glanced at David, and Nolans gang,
which also included Curt Mose and Stewart Kline, who
had been especially nice to Nicole lately.
Cmon. ordered Alannaand everyone came.
Daine followed, talking to a squirrel with a broken
leg, promising she would heal when she got to her
chambers.
Ally, Nicole, and their friends Tina and Emily Caller
were fascinated; Christy and Alexa cooed at the
squirrel, an exchange-student named Joo Young watched
the squirrel with interest, but stood back, while Tina
tried to call her forward.
When the squirrel was healed, it chirped thanks to Daine, and hopped off
towards the low, open window.
Wow! breathed Nicole.
She still loved technology, but she had been enticed at nature camp, and she
loved seeing animals other than her former showdog, Maggie (formerly Champion
Sheba Southern Belle, called Bella).
Here we are. announced Alanna, turning to a door with Kings Council engraved
on it in gold.
Alanna knocked on the door, it was opened by a courtier.
I need to see King Jonathan, Alanna told him quickly, Very urgent.
You may go in, Sir Alanna. Who are your companions?
None of your buisness. said Alanna shortly.
The courtier held the door open, Alanna and the class came in.
They entered the room to find a long table, seated at it were well-dressed
men in tunics, hose, and breeches, in gold.
In the centet sat the mosy gorgeous any of them had ever seen.
He had fierce blue eyes, night-black hair and beard, and he was tall.
He was wearing gold, like every else, except he was wearing a gold crown
decorated with emeralds, sapphires and rubies. A gold-hilted sword also
bearing rubies, emeralds, and sapphires, hung at his leather belt (with was
adorned with the same jewels), with a short sword and daggar to mach.
Elizabetta Wood, who was new in the class got loads of crushes on people.
Her mind instantly left Leonardo DiCaprio and Nick Carter, and went up to the
King.
She stared at him admiringly.
Back to the action.
Alanna? asked the King, What is it? Amd Mithros, who are those er--people?
They come from Illinois, wherever that is. I dont know how they got here, amd
they dont either. Yes, that is why I came to see you, Jon.
Elizabetta noticed that Alanna had called the King Jon, but she had spoken in
a fierce tone, like she was a stranger, or he was a newcomer, or forgeiner.
Elizabetta smoothed her hair down and fluttered her eyelashes.
She knew King Jonathan was probably married to a young and beautiful queen,
but she couldnt help but wish.
Elizabetta was actually very pretty.
A curtain of silky red-gold hair hung by her face, extravagant lovely
beautiful exellent hazel eyes which she would soon find she shared with a
much more lovely person than herself, she was slender, and tall.
Ill have them see Numair. said King Jonathan.
Right. replied Alanna.
