Hey guys! This is my first fanfic that I've actually decided to PUBLISH,
so be nice and all that! I appreciate constructive criticism, but my ego
would also like to be salved with compliments. Don't hold back, if you
know what I'm saying! :)
Disclaimer: I don't own any of Tamora Pierce's characters, or settings, or plotlines, but they kick booty. I DO however, keep tabs on my own characters (i.e. ones I made up like Prosper and Donatello and Raylisa). I don't care if you use them in stories (NOT being egocentric, I'm not!), but please let me know!
The asterisks means that the text within should be in italics, but apparently it doesn't let you do that on the website.
On to the story!
~ ~ One ~ ~
Kaddar stared out the window of his royal room, the splendor of the palace in Carthak lost upon him. His dark skin was covered with a light sheen of sweat as his eyes gazed to the east, towards Tortall, towards Daine. Fanning himself slowly, he wished she were here. His coronation had taken place three years ago, but now that he was the new king; he badly needed someone in the country whom he could trust. There were still nobles who supported his now deposed uncle, and as to who *they* were, Kaddar had no clue. His position as emperor was so precarious. Sighing, he turned away from the window and walked softly to his gilt encrusted desk. Sitting, he turned his attention to the parchment and, dipping a quill, began to write:
Dear Veralidaine, wildmage of Tortall,
Daine, it is I, Kaddar. I know that it has been years since your departure, and I miss you greatly. I wish with all my heart that you were here to guide me. I know this may sound strange, perhaps you would think I would need someone with more experience, but Daine, it is you I need. This is the personal letter I am writing to you, but I am sending another formal letter to King Jonathan asking for your return. Please consider my request, I need a friend here where there seems to be none. Even if you cannot come to Carthak, at least reply to my salutation on paper, that I might know you still share our bond of friendship. It would be a comfort to have even that small connection with someone I trust.
Sincerely Yours,
Kaddar, uneasy ruler of the Carthaki Empire
Sitting back to survey his work, Kaddar frowned at how desperate he sounded. This was not the letter of a powerful emperor; this was the letter of a scared teenaged boy. Kaddar sighed. Even if scared and teenaged was what he wanted to be, he had to sound confident. He tried to think of a reason to request Daine's services of King Jonathan, and finally came up with a concrete motive. The Night Lion would work just fine. Crumpling his first letter and tossing it aside, he wrote another to King Jonathan.
Dear Jonathan, king of the Tortallan Empire,
I am requesting the services of the Wildmage, Veralidaine Sarrasri, to aid in the keeping of my capitol and my country. I regret to inform you of the apparent carnivorous animal problem we've been having since her departure, and would like for her to assist in the removal of a larger, more aggressive species of lion that has just recently appeared, as I would not wish to have it exterminated. This animal is very rare, but very dangerous. I am sorry if this matter seems small to one such as you, but this lion has already beaten my best trappers. This matter is of the utmost importance. The mages are sending their reports as well.
Sincerely,
Kaddar Gazanoi Iliniat, emperor of the Carthaki Empire
More satisfied with this one, he sealed it into an envelope using wax and the insignia on his royal ring. Going to the door, he waved to the slave who awaited his call. The slave scurried forward and bowed down, touching his shaved head to the floor. "Yes imperial majesty?"
"Take this letter to the mages and have them send it to Tortall immediately. Tell them to send the Night Lion's reports as well. The minute a reply comes back, have me notified."
"As you wish, imperial majesty."
Bowing once more, the slave gingerly took the letter from Kaddar, as if it might burn his fingers, and hurried away. Kaddar watched the slave as he disappeared around a corner, and then turned and re-entered his room.
~~~~
Daine concentrated on her breathing, slowing it as she moved to join with Zek's mind. The transformation to a marmoset had proved more difficult than most, and as she felt her body begin to change, she thanked the Gods that she had finally seemed to have gotten it under control. Her clothes dropped to the floor around where she sat, and when she finally opened her eyes, her vision had become as a marmoset's.
That took a while, Zek said, staring at her from his perch on her bed.
Oh be quiet, said Daine, glancing up at him. I don't know why your People are so difficult for me to become, I'm going to talk to Numair about it.
Turning, she scampered across the floor to the rough wood of her door. Using her agile legs, she jumped from the ground, to the doorknob, and then to the top of the doorframe. You have a wonderful body! She said to Zek, sniffing the air with her heightened sense of smell. The marmoset's huge eyes studied her from the bed. You're not so bad yourself, he replied.
Daine chattered something at him and leaped into the air, catching the lamp that hung from the ceiling at the last possible moment. Swinging herself back and forth, she let go and flew to drop softly on the bed next to Zek. I'm going to change back now, she said, and did so. When she was fully human again, she picked up her clothes from the floor and dressed herself.
"Zek, I need to go speak to Numair. I've never had problems with an animal shape before. Stay here, will you?"
All right, but come back.
"Zek, I always come back," She smiled at him and left.
She reached Numair's rooms in the royal palace a few seconds later. Raising her hand to knock, she was startled when the door swung open to reveal a very smug looking mage.
"Numair?" Daine asked, slightly puzzled. She'd seen that look before, and wondered what foolish act of genius he'd committed now. "What've you done?"
Numair glanced down at her from his great height, thick black hair swaying loose around his face. "*What have I done*? Have you no faith in me, magelet?"
Daine smiled and said, "I have some, but I know how you can get when you're chasing after a discovery. Even if you do make a mistake or endanger yourself or others, you don't care. Might as well be as if no one else was alive."
Numair reached to take her hand in his, and patted her fingers gently. "Now magelet," he said, "You and I both know –"
"– That you'd cut off your own arm for the sake of a scientific experiment." Finished Daine, shaking her head and pulling her hand from Numair's. "Numair, I really don't mind whatever you've done, but I wanted to discuss some of my magic with you."
Numiar's face immediately focused on her as his black eyebrows drew quickly together. "Are you having trouble?"
"No! Well, yes, but nothing serious! It's just I was having a little trouble taking an animal's shape, is all."
"That's 'not serious'? You must be joking magelet, come in." Numair ushered her inside his lab and shut the door. He took a seat on the cluttered couch and, pushing some random magical debris out of the way, patted the spot next to him. Daine sat.
"Now," said Numair, "Tell me what's wrong. Have you been having side effects again? Because I remember when – "
"Nothing that affects my health Numair!" Daine quickly interrupted the mage as he started in on one of his famously long-winded lectures.
Numair laced his fingers together in his lap. "Then what, may I ask, is not being able to change into an animal? It is your health, if only magical health."
"All right, fine. It's my health, now can we *please* get on with it?"
Numair bowed his head and graciously gestured for her to continue.
"It's only been happening since we returned from Carthak, I guess. And only with this one animal! The rest of the People are still easy as pie for me to become. I've tried every living thing I knew besides the problem animal."
"Which is...?" Numair prompted, leaning forward.
"Zek," Daine said, and met Numair's eyes. "I don't know what the problem is, but his shape makes me feel as if I was a – a novice?" She looked questioningly at Numair, and he nodded that this was the correct word. Reassured, she continued. "To change into him, I have to be completely still and silent, with *no* distractions, and even then it doesn't work sometimes. I've no clue as to why not."
Numair sat, looking thoughtful, as she continued to list all of the times she'd tried to become Zek. The number of successful transformations was four. The number of unsuccessful was twenty-two, all of these interrupted by some trivial distraction such as the stir of a breeze or the sound of someone's footsteps down the hall.
"Can you try and change into him now?" Asked Numair, but Daine shook her head.
"It won't work, you can't be in the room. Plus, if you came back in after I changed, if I was successful, I'd probably lose my concentration and drop the shape."
"Daine, I don't like this at all. What is Zek again?"
"A marmoset, according to Zinfandale. He's that very useful animal expert I told you about."
"Yes, I remember him. A marmoset? That's a type of monkey, those should be the easiest shapes for you!"
"I know! I've been thinking that myself, and I can't figure it out." Daine sighed and rose from the couch to pace back and forth, carefully skirting magical apparatus and scattered papers. She jumped as a knock sounded at the door, and then went to answer it after a glance at Numair told her he was too deep in thought to have heard the rap. When she opened the door, Alanna the Lioness, the King's Champion, stood in the hall. Her violet eyes and flame red hair made her hard to mistake for anyone else. She looked very serious.
"Daine," She smiled, "I'd hoped to find you here. Jonathan wants to see you, it's concerning Carthak."
Disclaimer: I don't own any of Tamora Pierce's characters, or settings, or plotlines, but they kick booty. I DO however, keep tabs on my own characters (i.e. ones I made up like Prosper and Donatello and Raylisa). I don't care if you use them in stories (NOT being egocentric, I'm not!), but please let me know!
The asterisks means that the text within should be in italics, but apparently it doesn't let you do that on the website.
On to the story!
~ ~ One ~ ~
Kaddar stared out the window of his royal room, the splendor of the palace in Carthak lost upon him. His dark skin was covered with a light sheen of sweat as his eyes gazed to the east, towards Tortall, towards Daine. Fanning himself slowly, he wished she were here. His coronation had taken place three years ago, but now that he was the new king; he badly needed someone in the country whom he could trust. There were still nobles who supported his now deposed uncle, and as to who *they* were, Kaddar had no clue. His position as emperor was so precarious. Sighing, he turned away from the window and walked softly to his gilt encrusted desk. Sitting, he turned his attention to the parchment and, dipping a quill, began to write:
Dear Veralidaine, wildmage of Tortall,
Daine, it is I, Kaddar. I know that it has been years since your departure, and I miss you greatly. I wish with all my heart that you were here to guide me. I know this may sound strange, perhaps you would think I would need someone with more experience, but Daine, it is you I need. This is the personal letter I am writing to you, but I am sending another formal letter to King Jonathan asking for your return. Please consider my request, I need a friend here where there seems to be none. Even if you cannot come to Carthak, at least reply to my salutation on paper, that I might know you still share our bond of friendship. It would be a comfort to have even that small connection with someone I trust.
Sincerely Yours,
Kaddar, uneasy ruler of the Carthaki Empire
Sitting back to survey his work, Kaddar frowned at how desperate he sounded. This was not the letter of a powerful emperor; this was the letter of a scared teenaged boy. Kaddar sighed. Even if scared and teenaged was what he wanted to be, he had to sound confident. He tried to think of a reason to request Daine's services of King Jonathan, and finally came up with a concrete motive. The Night Lion would work just fine. Crumpling his first letter and tossing it aside, he wrote another to King Jonathan.
Dear Jonathan, king of the Tortallan Empire,
I am requesting the services of the Wildmage, Veralidaine Sarrasri, to aid in the keeping of my capitol and my country. I regret to inform you of the apparent carnivorous animal problem we've been having since her departure, and would like for her to assist in the removal of a larger, more aggressive species of lion that has just recently appeared, as I would not wish to have it exterminated. This animal is very rare, but very dangerous. I am sorry if this matter seems small to one such as you, but this lion has already beaten my best trappers. This matter is of the utmost importance. The mages are sending their reports as well.
Sincerely,
Kaddar Gazanoi Iliniat, emperor of the Carthaki Empire
More satisfied with this one, he sealed it into an envelope using wax and the insignia on his royal ring. Going to the door, he waved to the slave who awaited his call. The slave scurried forward and bowed down, touching his shaved head to the floor. "Yes imperial majesty?"
"Take this letter to the mages and have them send it to Tortall immediately. Tell them to send the Night Lion's reports as well. The minute a reply comes back, have me notified."
"As you wish, imperial majesty."
Bowing once more, the slave gingerly took the letter from Kaddar, as if it might burn his fingers, and hurried away. Kaddar watched the slave as he disappeared around a corner, and then turned and re-entered his room.
~~~~
Daine concentrated on her breathing, slowing it as she moved to join with Zek's mind. The transformation to a marmoset had proved more difficult than most, and as she felt her body begin to change, she thanked the Gods that she had finally seemed to have gotten it under control. Her clothes dropped to the floor around where she sat, and when she finally opened her eyes, her vision had become as a marmoset's.
That took a while, Zek said, staring at her from his perch on her bed.
Oh be quiet, said Daine, glancing up at him. I don't know why your People are so difficult for me to become, I'm going to talk to Numair about it.
Turning, she scampered across the floor to the rough wood of her door. Using her agile legs, she jumped from the ground, to the doorknob, and then to the top of the doorframe. You have a wonderful body! She said to Zek, sniffing the air with her heightened sense of smell. The marmoset's huge eyes studied her from the bed. You're not so bad yourself, he replied.
Daine chattered something at him and leaped into the air, catching the lamp that hung from the ceiling at the last possible moment. Swinging herself back and forth, she let go and flew to drop softly on the bed next to Zek. I'm going to change back now, she said, and did so. When she was fully human again, she picked up her clothes from the floor and dressed herself.
"Zek, I need to go speak to Numair. I've never had problems with an animal shape before. Stay here, will you?"
All right, but come back.
"Zek, I always come back," She smiled at him and left.
She reached Numair's rooms in the royal palace a few seconds later. Raising her hand to knock, she was startled when the door swung open to reveal a very smug looking mage.
"Numair?" Daine asked, slightly puzzled. She'd seen that look before, and wondered what foolish act of genius he'd committed now. "What've you done?"
Numair glanced down at her from his great height, thick black hair swaying loose around his face. "*What have I done*? Have you no faith in me, magelet?"
Daine smiled and said, "I have some, but I know how you can get when you're chasing after a discovery. Even if you do make a mistake or endanger yourself or others, you don't care. Might as well be as if no one else was alive."
Numair reached to take her hand in his, and patted her fingers gently. "Now magelet," he said, "You and I both know –"
"– That you'd cut off your own arm for the sake of a scientific experiment." Finished Daine, shaking her head and pulling her hand from Numair's. "Numair, I really don't mind whatever you've done, but I wanted to discuss some of my magic with you."
Numiar's face immediately focused on her as his black eyebrows drew quickly together. "Are you having trouble?"
"No! Well, yes, but nothing serious! It's just I was having a little trouble taking an animal's shape, is all."
"That's 'not serious'? You must be joking magelet, come in." Numair ushered her inside his lab and shut the door. He took a seat on the cluttered couch and, pushing some random magical debris out of the way, patted the spot next to him. Daine sat.
"Now," said Numair, "Tell me what's wrong. Have you been having side effects again? Because I remember when – "
"Nothing that affects my health Numair!" Daine quickly interrupted the mage as he started in on one of his famously long-winded lectures.
Numair laced his fingers together in his lap. "Then what, may I ask, is not being able to change into an animal? It is your health, if only magical health."
"All right, fine. It's my health, now can we *please* get on with it?"
Numair bowed his head and graciously gestured for her to continue.
"It's only been happening since we returned from Carthak, I guess. And only with this one animal! The rest of the People are still easy as pie for me to become. I've tried every living thing I knew besides the problem animal."
"Which is...?" Numair prompted, leaning forward.
"Zek," Daine said, and met Numair's eyes. "I don't know what the problem is, but his shape makes me feel as if I was a – a novice?" She looked questioningly at Numair, and he nodded that this was the correct word. Reassured, she continued. "To change into him, I have to be completely still and silent, with *no* distractions, and even then it doesn't work sometimes. I've no clue as to why not."
Numair sat, looking thoughtful, as she continued to list all of the times she'd tried to become Zek. The number of successful transformations was four. The number of unsuccessful was twenty-two, all of these interrupted by some trivial distraction such as the stir of a breeze or the sound of someone's footsteps down the hall.
"Can you try and change into him now?" Asked Numair, but Daine shook her head.
"It won't work, you can't be in the room. Plus, if you came back in after I changed, if I was successful, I'd probably lose my concentration and drop the shape."
"Daine, I don't like this at all. What is Zek again?"
"A marmoset, according to Zinfandale. He's that very useful animal expert I told you about."
"Yes, I remember him. A marmoset? That's a type of monkey, those should be the easiest shapes for you!"
"I know! I've been thinking that myself, and I can't figure it out." Daine sighed and rose from the couch to pace back and forth, carefully skirting magical apparatus and scattered papers. She jumped as a knock sounded at the door, and then went to answer it after a glance at Numair told her he was too deep in thought to have heard the rap. When she opened the door, Alanna the Lioness, the King's Champion, stood in the hall. Her violet eyes and flame red hair made her hard to mistake for anyone else. She looked very serious.
"Daine," She smiled, "I'd hoped to find you here. Jonathan wants to see you, it's concerning Carthak."