Disclaimer: I don't own the TP characters
A/N: I'm rewriting this story for mainly two reason: 1) I needed to get back in the right mind set to write the sequel. It has been so long since I actually wrote this, especially the beginning. 2) I felt that some parts of the story could have been written better, either in the writing style or the actual story. For those who read the original version, this follows the same plot and sometimes I barely touched the chapters at all. If at the end you could tell me which version you liked better, I'd really appreciate it. Please enjoy Lady Josephine, Rewritten.
Chapter 1 Daine
She had to keep running. She couldn't stop. If she stopped, it would mean that she was admitting that it was true and there was no way it could be true. There was no way that her friends would actually leave her here in this horrible country. There was no way they would actually believe that lie they had been told. So she just kept running. She ran the entire way to the university with tears running down her face and Ozorne's laughter ringing in her ears. She ran regardless of the people and things that were in her way. She ran despite the looks that they were giving her as they jumped out of her path. She ignored all of it because all she cared about was proving him wrong. She had to prove that her friends, the family that she had built over the past few years, didn't believe she was dead.
She finally made it to the university, her destination, the place where his horrible lie would be disputed. She burst through the doors that just last week she had found amazing. She didn't care about them. She only had one care at this moment in time. She attempted to enter the room in which she had awakened Bonedancer; in which she had last truly spoken with Numair; in which she had talked to all the animals. The door wouldn't open, however. Daine, in her panicked state, started pounding on the door frantically and kept pounding her fist against the wooden door until finally it was opened.
"Is it true?" She asked as soon as the door began to open, not even knowing who was behind it. Once she saw the older man looking at her in shock, she continued, "Are they really gone, Master Lindhall? Tell me it isn't true."
"D-Daine, b-but you're dead. I saw your body," the older man stuttered in his shock. Hearing this, Kaddar came to the door saying it couldn't possibly be Daine but cut the words short when he saw her standing on the other side of the door, dirt all over her and her clothes while tears ran freely down her face.
"Then it is true; they are gone. They left believing that I am dead," she said despairingly before crashing to floor sobbing uncontrollably. Both men moved to comfort her in her grief. She just shrugged them away.
"I don't understand. I thought you were dead. We all saw the body. We even checked it to make sure it is real. What happened? Did you fake your death? Why would you do that?" Kaddar fired rapidly at the distraught girl, truly confused.
"Of course, she didn't fake her death. Why would she do that?" came a powerful voice. It was Ozorne standing at the doorway. "I did."
"But why did you fake her death, Uncle? What did Daine ever do to you?" Kaddar asked before he could stop himself.
"Because she can be of great value to me. She can be of use to all of Carthak. She can be a great tool in achieving what I want. Because I want her to be here. I have great plans for her. That is all you need to know," Ozorne replied. Then, turning to Daine, he said with a softer voice, "Now Daine, come along. We have to get you settled in."
Daine remained where she was on the floor, not even giving an indication that she had heard the emperor. Ozorne went and grabbed her arm, making her yelp in pain. "This isn't Tortall, Sarrasri. You have to listen to me. You are officially a part of my kingdom now. I say jump, you say how high. Remember, here you get punished for not listening. Now come ALONG!" With that he dragged her to her feet and pushed her out the door.
Before he left, Ozorne spoke back to the other two, "Not one word of this is to reach the ears of the Tortallans. If it should, I'll know who gave up the information, and I swear by the gods you'll be wanting death by the time I'm through with you!" At the door, Ozorne looked back at his nephew, "Oh, and Kaddar, I'll let this time pass, but I hope you know what will happen should you ever question me again." With that last bit said, he left, the sound of the doors shutting resounding through Lindhall's quiet office.
"What are we going to do? We have to do something to help her. We're going to do something, right?" Kaddar asked his teacher after a moment's silence.
"There is only one thing we can do for the poor girl, and that is just to be there for her at this point in time," was Lindhall's answer.
"But...there has to be something..."
"No buts. We can't help her. You must not have noticed, but there was a bracelet of Acyle on her wrist. It would only hurt her if we managed to contact her friends to let them know that she was here because she could never return to them as long as she wears it. Should she attempt, it would only result in her death."
"Poor girl. I wish there was something we could do to help her." Kaddar said in barely a whisper.
"I know you do. I do, too." Sighed Lindhall.
A/N: I'd like to thank all the people who reviewed the original version, starting with laurashrub who reviewed the most:
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