Chapter One: A Decision
DISCLAIMER (oh I hate disclaimers): let's see, basically Ellimere, Lirael, and Mogget belong to Garth Nix (such a brilliant man...), and Tara and Kamriel belong to me.
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"He's not a child, he can manage on his own!" said Queen Ellimere, "I am not his mother nor his guardian. He's barely even related to me!"
"Yet he still must aid the Kingdom in ways neither you nor Sam could," said the young man who stood on the other side of the desk.
"Then how can I help him?" she snapped, looking up at him.
"You could at least offer him support! He's young, his mother just died, and now he's shipped off to the Abhorsen's House for the first time with the weight of the Dead on his shoulders! He needs your help Ellimere. Find someone to teach him these things!" Ellimere slowly placed her pen down on the table, the clock behind her ticking quietly, every second reminding her of the little free time she had as Queen.
"And who could do this?"
"There are other necromancers than those in the Abhorsen line."
"The only other necromancers in the Old Kingdom are those in prison, or on the loose with a price on their heads. There are no good necromancers my dear boy."
"I'm aware of that," he looked at her coldly. She stared back at him, trying to understand what he was saying, but before long it was clear that she had understood.
"You want me to 'hire'," she paused, "a necromancer—which, by the way, is what the boy is supposed to destroy, not befriend—to teach him about returning the Dead? Are you insane?!" The man laughed lightly.
"Quite I assure you. Not all necromancers are bad. Some have...changed," he grinned. She stared at him in disbelief.
"Likely."
"Ellimere you have necromancers in the prisons that have been there a very long time. Surely they regret their mistakes. Have one of them teach him. People can change."
"The older ones are more dangerous."
"Then hire a younger one! You make everything so difficult dear Ellimere!" She paused to ponder the idea. He was so young and naive...
"I'll see. I'm not going to promise anything."
"I wouldn't ask it of you." He smiled and walked out of the room, his robe flowing in waves behind him.
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The light on the wall flickered, reflecting the light of the candle that stood on the table. Footsteps echoed through the hall, and hushed voices sounded in murmurs. A guard, dressed in the dark red of the Royal Guard removed a pair of keys from the folds of his robes. Behind him stood Ellimere, dressed in a plain grey tunic and black breeches, accenting her green eyes. The keys clanked against each other as the guard turned them. The gates opened silently. Inside sat a young girl with flame red hair and deep black eyes that reflected the dim lighting in the hall. Ellimere embraced her, and said, "I have missed you, Tara." The other girl hugged her lightly back and released her. Ellimere straightened herself, and the guard studied the wall behind them with great interest. "Tara I must ask you a favor. Well no, not I, but all of the Old Kingdom must ask you a favor," she paused, hoping to catch Tara's reaction before she went on. "Tara, the new Abhorsen has no knowledge of necromancy. He barely qualifies as a full Charter Mage to be honest. You...well you are experienced, and the most eligible for the job. Please, can you teach him?" Tara's face stayed expressionless.
"What's in it for me?" she asked.
"If you do the job with no mishaps, you will be pardoned of all previous charges against you."
"I want a job in the Court."
"Alright, but it's at my choosing."
"Fair enough. I'm not teaching a six year old..."
"No, don't worry. He's eighteen, just a tad younger than yourself. He lived in Ancelstierre until last year."
"Alright, I'll teach him."
"Thank you Tara. You'll get all the provisions and clothing for transportation, I'll have a horse prepared for you, and we will supply you with a guide."
"I know my way quite well, Ellimere," she looked directly at Tara, but still her expression was unreadable.
"Well if you are quite sure..."
"I am. Can I leave tomorrow?"
"It would be best," said Ellimere, her voice fading gently with the light of the torches.
"Where do I stay until then?" the girl's midnight eyes now flicked back and forth across Ellimere's face, searching for signs of hesitation.
"A Guest Room will be prepared for you." Tara nodded in response and smiled for the first time since they had started talking. Ellimere smiled back weakly, her royal aura disappearing. "Tara, thank you." They embraced once more, and together the three walked back through the halls.
As the sun began to peek over the horizon, a loud knocking at the door woke Tara up. "Damnit!" she yelled as loudly as her voice would permit so early. "At least in prison one could sleep in," she muttered under her breath.
"Ma'm your provisions are ready. I'll just leave them outside yer door," said the phantom voice of the young maid who had showed her in last night. Tara groaned and got out of bed, her body grateful for the first nights sleep she'd had on a bed in a year.
The smell of horses blanketed the path outside the stable, kept in by the thick fog. Ellimere, dressed in a leather hunting jacket, stood by the young stable boy who was holding a large bay horse. The horse was playing with his bit, the sound of metal on teeth breaking the fog's silence. Tara placed a hand on the horse's forehead and looked to Ellimere, waiting for him to speak.
"You can place the provisions in the saddlebags. There's a bow and a few arrows, and a spelled blade on the saddle, and we will supply you with a guide," Tara nodded, her hollow eyes now looking over the horse.
"Will he make it?" she asked the young stable hand.
"He will ma'm. Name's Barren, and we haven't a better horse for distances."
"I'm sure..." Tara took the reins from the boy and placed her boot in the stirrup.
"Good luck Tara! May the Charter guide you," said Ellimere.
"I hope so!" Tara hoisted herself into the saddle, the leather creaking and groaning, even under her light weight. She clucked to the horse, and they were off.
As soon as she reached the forest outside of Belisaere's gates, she dismounted and pulled the sword from its sheath. She examined the Charter Marks on the blade carefully and laughed, "Some things will never change." With a whistle and a wave of her hand the marks on the blade disappeared in a flash of green light. "This may take a while, Barren." She sat down and laid the blade across her lap, and began reciting Charter Marks.
Two hours later, Tara stood to admire the blade. It glistened a bright silver in the sunlight, the new Charter Marks even brighter and more brilliant than the silver itself. "It's not perfect, but it will have to do." She turned to Barren and slapped his shoulder. When he flinched and nearly started, she laughed. "Wake up sleepyhead!" she mounted the horse and left at a run. "Gotta make up for lost time, Barren," she said, her voice inaudible over the sounds of his hooves. He groaned loudly. "It's alright boy! It's me, Tara! I know shortcuts!" She laughed and steered the horse onto a well grown path.
At dawn the next day Tara stood on the cliff in front of the Abhorsen's House. The sun was just beginning to rise, Barren's shadow stretching out onto the waters of the Ratterlin. She kicked her horse and rode down the clay steps in the cliff towards the water. When she reached the water, she realized there was no bridge. Some welcome...she thought to herself. She dismounted and kneeled down to look into the water. There were stepping stones, but the horse couldn't cross them. She stood again and stretched, her muscles sore from riding. She turned and found a Charter Sending behind her. Her hand went to the sword on her saddle. The Sending took the horse's reins and began leading it toward a tunnel in the cliff. She pulled out the sword and slashed through the Sending's head. Before it had hit the floor the entire Sending disappeared. Tara smiled to herself and sheathed the balde in her belt. She continued walking down the tunnel where the Sending had been going. It was lit by dim Charter torches, their magic fading from years of use. Barren followed behind cautiously, eyeing every shadow that moved across the walls. At the end of the tunnel was a small stable. A Charter Sending stood by, waiting for her. She handed it the horse, "I'll spare you, as long as you care for the horse well." The Sending ignored her and led the horse to the first empty stall, which would by a vague thing to say as all the stall were empty save on that contained a large gray horse who was sleeping in the back of his stall.
Once the horse was out of her sight she turned and walked back through the tunnel. The sun had risen considerably and she had to allow her eyes to adjust, the water's roar nearly deafening. She knelt down once again until she could clearly see the stepping stones.
A/N: The She-Rats at Rancho Estrella would like to inform you, the reader, that they aided a great deal in the typing up in this story (no they are NOT tracers). Any typos can be blamed completely on them.