Maria: The Goldenlake Guard

This is a little attempt at fan fiction. I'm not much of a writer so don't attack me, i'm just sorta imagining. It's a fanfic of The Beka Cooper series by Tamora Pierce. It's about Maria a brand new puppy in the Lower City at Jane Street Kennel.


Maria walked anxiously to her very first watch. Well, the training before watch anyway. She had just finished her training and was about to step onto the streets of the lower city. Maria of Goldenlake was not your typical Dog canidate. She was noble for one. Her mother made quiet a fuss the first time Maria said she wanted to be a dog. Sir Nickilos was on her side. That was Maria's father for you. With no sons to teach the fighting arts he indulged in Maria. Using talks of Lady Knights and even bring in her father's old friend Lord Gershom who was the Lord Provost to tell her mother all about the famous Beka Cooper she finally got her wish.

She now wondered what she was thinking? Maria was a slight girl, scare 5'6 and only about 120 lbs. She kept her long glossy black hair, the envy of other maidens, in a tight knot at the back of her neck, to make it less of a target in a fight. She wore her simple black dog uniform with the puppy trim. Training wouldn't be so bad, she'd have the other puppies that already knew her. However, training was with Goodwin. Goodwin hated her! She didn't know why, but she always got the hardest blows and the most critism from Goodwin. She was worried about the Dogs she'd be assigned. She'd heard of puppies getting killed because their dogs didn't know what was going on. No, don't think about that. she thought. She focused on the soft thud, thud thd, thud of Rufian's feet. Rufian was her dog. Not a scent hound like Beka's Achoo, nor a constellation like Beka's Pounce, just, a dog. He was a small thing. A shih tzu. WIth brown and while fur and floppy ears. His tail curled up like a pigs, only with a lot more fur. The had been together since he was a pup. She didn't know why he followed her everywhere, but if she left him at home, she was sure to find her favorite dress or curtains or other nice thing ripped apart or soiled. Her teachers took no notice because he never got in the way and he trotted steadily at her heel. It was comforting at least.

Training went as it always did. However, with the first and second year dogs she had to teach them, the lesson she taught her fellow puppies awhile ago. Just becase Maria was small and maidenly did NOT mean she was not fierce. She hated being stereotyped like that. But what could she do? She only hoped whatever dogs she was assigned did not keep her from action because of this. Training helped to work out her nerves at being assigned a dog pair. At least she thought. As she walked into the Kennel for assignments and muster her heart pounded. Her mouth went dry. Oh why hadn't she put on pretty dresses and went husband chasing like her sisters? Maria shuddered, no, this was definately better. She looked around at the dogs she had heard of. Ersken and Birch had helped with the colemongering ring. Jewel and Yoav were good senior partners too, both of those would be great. She purposly avioded looking at Cooper and Tunstall. Tunstall had been Goodwins partner before she took Watch Sergent. Cooper was their puppy and sometimes partner whenever she lost another partner in her first year as a Dog. They were the best. Cooper was a legend, she bagged her first rat, no rats, a whole uber gang of them, when she was 8! No, being partnered with a legend was too much.

Maria had terrible luck. Her heart raced."Maria" Goodwin barked. Maria froze, scared stiff and forgetting what she was supposed to do. "Well stand up girl! You'll be with. . ." she looked down at her list and gave a smile with something else it it, irony? Maria guessed. "Cooper and Tunstall." She looked over Tunstall had that same smile and shook his head lightly. Cooper looked annoyed.

She walked over to them. "We are becoming a regular zoo!" Tunstall laughed. "A cat, a scent hound, and a runt!" Maria looked down. Pounce came over and sniffed Rufian. Nothing special about this one. Maria jumped. She looked up to see if anyone else had herd the cat talk. Tunstall laughed again "You'll get used to it." Cooper found her voice. "Now listen your ladyship, I want no maidenly nonesense. Dog work is serious and you could get seriously hurt." Maria's cheeks blazed red with anger but knowing her place she simply replied "Yes Guardswoman Cooper" Tunstall laughed again. Maria wasn't sure if she liked it. "Now Beka, give the girl a chance, Clairy says she good enough in training, I think she's getting back at you for being our pup, you know how she sooo wanted to have a puppy." Maria was thinking so many things. First, Goodwin said she was good in training? THis was confusing but touching still. Second, Beka was blushing with what? Anger, shame? "Alright, let's see what she can do."

They walked out into the cool cloudy night. It was night market tonight. Rufian stayed at her side, as far away from Pounce and Achoo as possible, He didn't like other animals. Most of the night was pretty standard. They showed her how to catch a pickpocket without a whole lot of fuss. However, Maria had terrible luck. She was glancing down an ally where she had seen kids playing before. She now saw a tall cove with knife scars on his hands and dark eyes come out of the shadows, he put his hand over a little girl and scooped her up. She wailed and kicked and would have screamed if the hand had not been there. A child stealer. She timidly pointed it out to tunstall. The marched toward the cove, Maria unseen followed behind. It was beauty to watch them work. Of course until the cove came running straight past her. In an instinctive move she stuck out her foot and tripped him. She was stunned, was she supposed to do anything or just watch Cooper and Tunstall? He started to get up but the Dogs did nothing. She looked back confused. Now it was Cooper's turn to wear the ironic smile.
She looked at Maria "Puppy, Fetch."


I may write more to this I"m not sure. I really like Maria's character, but we'll see what kind of time I ahve on my hands. Keep in mind, that I just pulled this out of my head, a true first draft.