I don't own The Shannara Chronicles, all rights go to their respective owners.
'When you hold me in your arms burns like fire electricity when you're close I feel the sparks takes me higher to infinity…' – Powerful – Major Lazer
It was the night before the quest to find Safehold and King Eventine had decided that he would throw a party that night to celebrate his granddaughter going off on the quest to save the four lands, having been chosen by The Ellcrys itself, which had trusted her to carry the seed and has given it to her personally to take to Safehold with a Rover and descendant of Shannara, Wil Ohmsford.
This party is for them. Amberle and Wil, The Rover still locked away in her cell and is probably the last party Arborlon is going to see for a long time thanks to those blasted demons, yet when Amberle returns victorious like Eventine believes she will, let the festivities commence!
Amberle feels sick as she fixes her silver elf earrings that shimmer in the light to her ears, closing her eyes and looking down to quell the nausea that is due to the fact that tomorrow is the quest that if it goes horribly wrong then the world ends and demons take over and also because of this blasted party her grandfather has decided to throw in her and Wil's honour due to the quest and it makes her feel ill at the thought, vividly remembering the last time she went to a party, the one for the chosen and how this had all begun because the Ellcrys began to talk to her, she had ran to it, saw herself kill Lorin and due to that she ran! Ran and he has still died.
It was all her fault.
All the chosen died and it was her fault because she ran away.
There is just no escaping that.
There never will be.
Almost exactly mirroring that last party. The last time she had seen Lorin alive.
Amberle arrives at the top of the stairs, this time dressed in a beautiful silver floor length dress, her brown curls cascading around her, eying the crowds of people gathered together at the bottom of the steps, all of their eyes on her as she arrives at the first step.
Just like last time, however, it appears that unlike last time her uncle Ander is not there to save her from this hell!
"Ooh this is nerve wracking, do they always stare like this around here?" Wil's voice calls from behind her as he looks at the crowd in front of them.
"Happens more often than you think." Amberle can't help but murmur as Wil shrugs.
"Well, honestly this is the first and probably last party I've ever been to and considering we're going on a quest that is most likely going to kill us this is probably going to be the last party I ever get to attend!" Wil smiles as Amberle rolls her eyes at him as he all but jogs down the steps into the crowd.
This helps Amberle a little as some of the crowd, not much mind moves toward Wil, something Amberle understands and is grateful for.
He is the descendant of a Shannara after all!
However, on the other hand still most of the room is looking at her and she knows she's stalled long enough and slowly begins to move, keeping her eyes looking up at the ceiling as if to avoid the faces of the people, until she feels someone take her arm, leading her down the stairs carefully.
She looks down slightly to see if her uncle Ander had actually come through and saved her but it isn't her uncle Ander. It's Allanon, she smiles at him gratefully as their eyes meet.
"Thank you." Amberle breathes quietly as they walk past all the people.
Trust Allanon to be there to save her again but this time from the horrors of a party, not seemingly regular demon attacks!
"You're welcome, Princess." He murmurs quietly.
"I'd rather be facing a demon then this party." She winces.
"Agreed." She hears him reply and she smiles at him as Bandon reaches them, having stood in the corners of the room until he saw a friendly face and for the short time he's been here the only people he's so far liked are Wil, Amberle, Catania and Allanon.
"I'll leave you two." Amberle nods before heading toward where Catania is, knowing that Bandon probably wants to talk to Allanon, both of them having magic after all.
"Nice party." Catania smiles cheerily as Amberle approaches her.
"I wouldn't say that." Amberle sighs sadly.
"Thought it would take your mind off tomorrow you know." She replies.
"Well that it hasn't." Amberle murmurs as Catania folds her arms as she glances at Bandon and Allanon.
"You know, he's cute." She comments, Amberle follows her gaze and frowns.
"Which one?"
"Bandon of course! He saved my life. How exactly did you find him?" She asks.
"Well when Wil, Allanon and I were traveling back after…" Amberle stops as it feels as if all the memories of that time hit her instantly, she ran away to her aunt who got mutilated by demons and because she left Aborlon Lorin died and all the chosen. All those people who died and it was all because of her.
"Amberle?" She feels Catania grab her arm, a worried expression upon her face.
"What's wrong?" She asks concerned.
"Ohh nothing, sorry. We found Bandon on this farm, everyone was dead except for him. They'd chained him up and locked him away because of his abilities." Amberle explains to Catania who gasps in horror.
"They locked him up?" She whispers in shock.
"Yes they…" Amberle trails off again as she hears The Ellcrys calling her name.
"Perhaps he'd like someone to talk to about it. Why don't you talk to him?" She turns to Catania quickly, who looks at her with even more concern before.
"Amberle are you okay?" She asks as Amberle grips her hands.
"Yes. Yes I'm fine. I just need to go do something ok? I'll be right back." She promises before releasing Catania's hands, just like she'd done with Lorin when she'd left him to go to the Sanctuary and he'd followed her.
She hopes Catania doesn't follow her as it is to the Sanctuary she goes.
Trembling as she walks briskly toward the Sanctuary, Amberle tries to clear her head which is currently running wild with thoughts of past present and what the future may hold and guilt. Feelings of guilt fill Amberle, her eyes filling with tears as she enters the Sanctuary.
She felt like she had to be here upon hearing The Ellcrys call her name.
Walking over to the tree, she places a shaking hand onto the tree only for nothing to happen, nothing at all, which is when she hears footsteps behind her. She remembers how those footsteps once belonged to Lorin appearing behind her as she stood at The Ellcrys. The last time she had ever seen him alive…
Tears steam down her cheeks as she silently sobs, however, turning around to face whoever came in behind her. Allanon.
She tries to compose herself, tries to pull herself together to see if Allanon has anything important to tell her as she distinctively did hear The Ellcrys calling her. The tears still fall though and she can't stop them either. Allanon, upon seeing that she is on the verge of collapsing, reaches out for her at once and staggering forward, Amberle falls into his arms, crying soundlessly.
For a long time Allanon holds Amberle as she sobs.
"It wasn't your fault Amberle." He murmurs after a while of just holding her whilst she cried, Amberle only holding onto him tighter when he shifts to a more comfortable position.
"It was all my fault Allanon. I never should have left Arborlon. I was a coward, I was scared. I thought I was protecting him but the Ellcrys was trying to warn me about leaving not telling me to leave. I didn't listen and all the chosen died. What you said was right. I should trust the Ellcrys more. The consequences of not doing so are too severe." She weeps.
"And if you had not you would have died along with them." He sighs as they sit beside one another when Amberle finally releases her vice like hold on Allanon.
"I was afraid of The Ellcrys, afraid because I was the only one who could apparently correspond with it and it only started showing me all that when I ran the Gauntlet. No one would listen to me that I could talk to it, no one would believe me." She admits as Allanon nods almost as if understands.
Amberle wants to think he does.
"I mean I know they believe me now after all that's happened but they don't understand. The Ellcrys doesn't communicate with them like it does me." She whispers quietly.
"When I became a member of the Chosen, all the others touched the tree and nothing happened. I touch it however and I get visions…"
"And awaken a Druid from a three decade long magic induced sleep." Allanon murmurs, causing Amberle to look at him in surprise.
"When you touched the tree upon becoming a member of the Chosen I awoke because of the Ellcrys call. I could here it to." He explains.
"Allanon. When you touch the tree does it show you visions as well?" She asks softly.
"It does. I am a Druid, Amberle my magic allows me to connect with The Ellcrys like you do." He reveals, Amberle's eyes widening.
"You hear it as well? It talks to you?" She whispers.
"Yes." Allanon replies simply.
"You're not the only one, princess." He adds.
"Then you understand. You understand what I'm going through." Amberle states as if it wasn't already obvious.
"I do understand. I touch the tree I see what it wishes me to and it communicates with me when it needs to. I know what it tells you without reading your mind as The Ellcrys trusts me as it does you." He explains gently.
"It. It called to me. That's why I came here. Do you know what it wants?" She wipes remaining tears from her eyes.
"It sensed your distress, princess. The Ellcrys does in fact care for the ones chosen to protect it, especially you." He comments.
"Are you telling me that the tree was concerned for me?" Amberle questions softly.
"As you are the only member of the chosen left and because it has entrusted you with the seed it does feel concern for your well being. It is the wish of The Ellcrys that Wil protects you on your journey to Safehold. It entrusted me to bring you back to Arborlon." He replies.
"After I ran." Amberle murmurs sadly, looking down at her feet, gently, Allanon places a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"What's done is done. All that matters now is saving the future." He reminds her as she turns to face him.
"That world I saw. Allanon that cannot happen. I'd do anything to prevent what I saw." She whispers, shuddering as she remembers the vision as clear as the day she first laid eyes upon it.
"I know you would. It's not just Aborlon that would fall but the whole of the Four Lands along with it. Infected by the demons." He mutters as he stands facing the tree before placing a hand on it, Amberle's eyes widening again when he has a similar reaction to hers when he touches the tree.
"Amberle." She hears the call of The Ellcrys.
In an instant she's on her feet, Amberle moving toward the tree, putting her own hand upon it and closing her eyes when the vision hits her.
It shows her the whole four lands this time, mass destruction, bodies piled high.
Demons. Many, many demons.
Once more she sees Aborlon in ruins, the bodies of her friends.
Ander, Catania, Arion, Commander Tilton, her grandfather. Wil and even Bandon.
On the top of all destruction. The leader of the demons.
The Dagda Moor.
"Without The Ellcrys. This is our future." The voice of Allanon calls from a distance, Amberle spins around as she tries to find him, which she does.
He's a few feet away from her, she moves quickly towards him as she senses the Dagda Moor following her and even though it's only a vision she wouldn't want to visualize the outcome if he caught up to her and takes Allanon's outstretched hand.
Grabbing Allanon's hand pulls her out of the haunting vision back to where they were.
Stood by The Ellcrys.
"Well at least I didn't faint this time." She smiles meekly. Allanon laughs.
He has a nice laugh.
"I thought it was something wrong with me because I went against elvin tradition, becoming the first female chosen." She sighs as Allanon puts both hands on her arms to pull her to a standstill so she's facing him.
"Remember what I told you Amberle. None of this is happening because of you. It's happening to you. You were chosen. Nothing that has happened is your fault, please remember that." He murmurs as she looks away.
"None of it is your fault." He reaffirms before looking into her mind, falling silent upon seeing her thoughts, Amberle realizing that he can see into her thoughts, even furtherly confirmed when Allanon pulls her back into an embrace.
"Pyria certainly wasn't your fault." He murmurs.
"How do you not blame me for what happened. I led the demons straight to her…"
"Amberle. It was I who failed to save Pyria, not you. They would have come for her you being there or not I believe." He reveals as Amberle shakes her head.
"You did everything to try and save her Allanon." She protests.
"It wasn't enough." He murmurs.
"You saved me and Wil, my aunt would have approved." She attempts to smile as Allanon glances at her sadly.
"We can't save everyone we care about." She sighs as she thinks to Lorin again.
"Best thing we can do is protect the ones still with us." She adds as Allanon nods.
"You saved me earlier from that demon. I never thanked you." She notes.
"You didn't need to." Allanon mutters.
"Still can't convince you to tag along on the quest?" She queries with a hopeful smile.
"That is not my path Amberle. You must go on then quest with Wil and The Rover Girl. The Ellcrys requires me here." He reminds her again as she looks down.
"Pity…"
"What is going on in here?" The sharp voice of Prince Arion fills the air as he enters the sanctuary, glaring at Allanon with much distaste.
"Amberle everyone's been looking for you. You've been missing for hours!" He shakes his head at her, glaring at Allanon again.
"What were you doing with my niece, Druid?"
"The Ellcrys called to us. It would have been foolish to ignore it." Amberle replies quietly as Arion just simply shakes his head still in disbelief at the whole notion of The Ellcrys being magical and somehow connected to his only niece.
"Well if you're finished talking to the tree your presence is requested elsewhere." He says almost sharply as Amberle nods and follows him, turning back for a moment to Allanon.
"Coming?" She asks softly.
"The Ellcrys still requires me, Princess. I must remain." He murmurs.
"Then goodnight, Allanon." She nods. Allanon just smiles at her.
Morning soon arrives. It is the day of the quest.
They plan to set off early, all the horses are ready to go along with some of the members of the guards, led by Crispin.
They chain Eretria, the Rover up and Amberle addresses her with the painting before they set off, getting nothing but verbal abuse from The Rover as Wil says goodbye to Allanon and all but begs him to reconsider, go with them, but that is not his path.
Once she has dealt with Eretria, Amberle moves to embrace her Uncle Ander.
"Please be careful, Amberle. Please come home." He begs her as he holds her close, Arion and Allanon standing near them.
"I'm feeling great about this plan." Ander murmurs to Allanon when Wil is standing by his horse, trying to complete ignore Eretria whilst Amberle is saying her goodbyes to Arion and Commander Tilton before turning back to Ander and Allanon, taking everyone by surprise by also suddenly embracing Allanon, eventually pulling back before standing on tiptoes and whispering words only Allanon can hear then lightly brushes her lips against his for a few seconds as she pulls away and moves to mount her horse.
As the others watch Amberle and Allanon in stunned silence, the moment is suddenly broken by Wil exclaiming 'what the hell was that?' followed by a light laugh from Eretria, who smirks at Wil's confusion, whom is still trying to register what he had just seen.
"Guess you're really out of luck now Short Tips." She cackles before Cripins call of.
"We better set off." Followed closely by Arion.
"Yes I think that would be a very good idea." He mutters sharply, glaring at both Allanon and Amberle, who smiles at Allanon before riding away, leaving him to face the wrath of two over protective uncles.
"It's actually probably for the best that you're not going on the quest." Ander states as Arion glares on, ready to exact physical revenge.
"What are your intentions with my niece, Druid?" Arion snarls.
Allanon simply smirks.
"It was as much a surprise to me as it was to yourself, prince."
"I highly doubt that!" Arion mutters.
"Don't try to speak of what you don't understand." Allanon growls dangerously.
"Ohh I understand plenty! Wasn't destroying my Aunt Pyria's life enough for you?" Arion snaps back as Allanon turns to face him, glaring as he approaches menacingly.
Even Arion takes a step back.
"Don't test me prince. Your aunt made her own choices." Allanon hisses but Ander and Commander Tilton step between the two men before things can escalate any further.
"Come along, there's things that need doing back at the palace. This is not helping matters." Commander Tilton murmurs to Arion as they both depart, leaving Ander and Allanon.
Arion muttering as he goes.
"Just wait until my father hears about this! What is it with the Elessedil women and that Druid?" He growls.
"It's not just the Elessedil women." Commander Tilton murmurs.
"What?" Arion hisses.
"Just trying to lighten the mood." Commander Tilton pats his shoulder as they head back towards the castle.
"So do you mind telling me what all that was about?" Ander asks Allanon, them two being the only ones left as they watch Amberle, Wil and the others ride off into the distance.
"It was as I told your brother it was as much a surprise to me as it was to you all." He responds quietly.
"What did say to you?" He questions. Allanon is silent for a moment before replying.
"She hopes my faith isn't misplaced." He reveals as he watches the woman who will save the world ride away.
"I can assure you. It isn't." Allanon smiles.
They could both still hear Wil's confused muttering from off in the distance!
Authors Note: Thank you all so much for reading this one shot, please tell me what you all thought of it. Thanks again for reading!
