~Disclaimer: I do not own Seventh Tower or any of these characters. And I'm
pretty sure I'm not the only one with ideas for Milla's return. Others
probably have better stories that this. Everything here is practically
Garth Nix's. ~
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Chapter 1- Arrival
It never really entered into my head why I decided to come back. My promise to him had bound me to return, despite my own wishes. As it was, I set sail for the Mountain of Light.
As Milla Talon-Hand, War-Chief of the Icecarls, and the Living Sword of Asteyr, my duty included being the keeper of peace among my people, and restoring tranquility to the chaos caused by the meddling of the shadow, Sharrakor. This immense burden upon me kept me away from the castle for five circlings. Not that I had cared. Regardless of my promise, I was reluctant to come back. Why I did not wish to return, I still do not know. Yet here I was, at the foot of the Mountain of Light, gazing at the glittering castle. The Veil glimmered above it, like a dark shadow of a predator above its prey.
"You should sleep, Milla."
I turned from my place at the stern and met the face of Ebbitt, Tal's great- uncle. As usual, he was covered in at least six different coats of Selski fur and the gold pot he refused to remove from his head. This time, he wore a rainbow of fur colors, making him look rather conspicuous in the white snow. He moved constantly to gain more warmth, giving outsiders the impression that he desperately needed the lavatory. Poor Ebbitt. You would think after 5 circlings upon the snow, he would be already accustomed to the temperature. Unfortunately, Ebbitt had spent more time in the warmth of the castle, and never got use to the cold, or the rumbling of the ship upon the surface. He said it reminded him of the times Tal or Gref would tumble all of his furniture down by accident.
"I cannot sleep, Ebbitt," I replied, sighing. "I dread the coming of tomorrow."
Ebbitt stopped running and hopping. "But sleep should bring you a nice rest from your day's work," he said. "And you don't want to come to the castle looking as if a Merwin yanked on your face to give you stretch-long bags under your eyes," he added.
I scowled. "Thanks, Ebbitt."
He grinned angelically. "Anytime," he responded. Then he dragged me off to my room and locked me in.
Inside my chamber, I stayed upon my bed, and time passed until sleep claimed me.
Dreams slid into my mind. Lucid dreams had been a curse of mine since my youth. Now, I sat on my throne, glancing at the moving Icecarls around me. None said a word to me, but moved on. Next to me, a familiar voice spoke.
"Restless now, are we, War- Chief?"
I closed my eyes and smiled. "You know Malen, you have some strange timings to speak to me."
"True," she replied, "But you know I always have a message to deliver."
"What's the message?" I asked, turning to her.
"The entire castle knows of your return and are preparing the place to show you of the greatness of the place due to the rule under the Emperor. The Emperor has planned a festival for you and your people. Supposedly, the event will be very grand. Though I doubt Tal himself thought of the idea. It was most likely Clovil's."
I looked away and glanced at the floor, too shocked to reply. I had not realized that so many already knew of my people's coming.
Malen gazed at me. Then she spoke, her voice filled with reassurance. "I did not tell them. Another Crone must have. Nevertheless, do not worry. Your arrival is to be celebrated as deserved. Now sleep, Milla. A long day awaits you."
My eyes snapped open. I scrambled out of bed and performed my daily routine of morning exercises. After my cleansing, I grabbed clean clothes and Ursek furs and brushed my tangled wires of hair. I despised looking my best, but if I was going to be stared at by a castle full of people, I might as well look nice. I slid my boots on, placed my circlet on my head, and grabbed my swords.
Running outside, I glimpsed the Shield Mothers and their forces. All were on their ships, preparing for the sail to the castle. All were dressed nicely also. I guess they all assumed that something big would happen. I nodded to them, and the ship's anchors were lifted. The ships lurched- I saw Ebbitt stumble- and our journey began.
***************************************************************
Two hours later, our ships docked, and I stood in front of the Icecarls. The Crones were lined right behind me, and Ebbitt stood next to me. The vast doors of the castle opened before us, and I walked in with a dignified air. My people followed.
A huge storm of applause greeted us in our entrance. People were crowded behind velvet ropes, cheering with all their hearts. Ahead of us, I saw the embassy of Crones, with Malen near them. I strode over to them, bowed, and clapped my fists. They nodded in return, and began to speak to the Crone Mothers. Malen, however, spoke to me.
"Come with me," she whispered, and began to walk off to a different room. I glanced at Ebbitt, who had heard also, and he shrugged. Two of his multiple coats fell off from his shoulders with the shrug. I rolled my eyes, and ran after Malen. I looked back to see Ebbitt randomly handing the two coats to people as he ran behind me. I sighed, turned back, and nearly crashed into the now stationary Malen.
She motioned for Ebbitt and me to enter after her, and I nodded, Ebbitt bobbing his head up and down repeatedly. I shot him a look, and he ceased. Malen grinned at his antics and slipped in the room. Five seconds later, I poked my head inside, Ebbitt stumbling and crashing inside.
A loud whoop rang from the room. I laughed when I saw the people inside. Clovil, Gill, Ferek, Inkie, and Bennem were all draped around a lumpy couch, wrinkling what I assumed to be their best clothes. Clovil and Bennem had stood to help Ebbitt up from the floor, and then noise exploded.
"Look! It's Milla!" cried Bennem, abruptly rising from his chair to greet me.
"You got TALL." said an awestruck Ferek, who was leaning his head backwards just to glance at my face.
"WHERE'S TAL?" yelled Clovil, sticking his neck out of the doorway to yell at some random passerby outside.
"OWW." whined Ebbitt, clutching his leg.
"Clovil, you idiot, don't bother every single passerby outside! You're scaring them!" scolded Gill, running over to slap Clovil across the head.
"OW! Fine! Geez woman.Don't need to whap me." muttered Clovil, rubbing his head and returning to his seat.
"You deserved it."
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Did not!"
"Did-" Gill's voice faltered.
"What in the world?"
Everyone looked up at the last remark. Milla stopped fending off the others and blinked.
There, at the doorway with an expression of amusement and confusion, stood Tal.
*******************************************************
A/N: I'm going to make more chapters soon, depending on how well people think of it. Please review!
**********************************************************
Chapter 1- Arrival
It never really entered into my head why I decided to come back. My promise to him had bound me to return, despite my own wishes. As it was, I set sail for the Mountain of Light.
As Milla Talon-Hand, War-Chief of the Icecarls, and the Living Sword of Asteyr, my duty included being the keeper of peace among my people, and restoring tranquility to the chaos caused by the meddling of the shadow, Sharrakor. This immense burden upon me kept me away from the castle for five circlings. Not that I had cared. Regardless of my promise, I was reluctant to come back. Why I did not wish to return, I still do not know. Yet here I was, at the foot of the Mountain of Light, gazing at the glittering castle. The Veil glimmered above it, like a dark shadow of a predator above its prey.
"You should sleep, Milla."
I turned from my place at the stern and met the face of Ebbitt, Tal's great- uncle. As usual, he was covered in at least six different coats of Selski fur and the gold pot he refused to remove from his head. This time, he wore a rainbow of fur colors, making him look rather conspicuous in the white snow. He moved constantly to gain more warmth, giving outsiders the impression that he desperately needed the lavatory. Poor Ebbitt. You would think after 5 circlings upon the snow, he would be already accustomed to the temperature. Unfortunately, Ebbitt had spent more time in the warmth of the castle, and never got use to the cold, or the rumbling of the ship upon the surface. He said it reminded him of the times Tal or Gref would tumble all of his furniture down by accident.
"I cannot sleep, Ebbitt," I replied, sighing. "I dread the coming of tomorrow."
Ebbitt stopped running and hopping. "But sleep should bring you a nice rest from your day's work," he said. "And you don't want to come to the castle looking as if a Merwin yanked on your face to give you stretch-long bags under your eyes," he added.
I scowled. "Thanks, Ebbitt."
He grinned angelically. "Anytime," he responded. Then he dragged me off to my room and locked me in.
Inside my chamber, I stayed upon my bed, and time passed until sleep claimed me.
Dreams slid into my mind. Lucid dreams had been a curse of mine since my youth. Now, I sat on my throne, glancing at the moving Icecarls around me. None said a word to me, but moved on. Next to me, a familiar voice spoke.
"Restless now, are we, War- Chief?"
I closed my eyes and smiled. "You know Malen, you have some strange timings to speak to me."
"True," she replied, "But you know I always have a message to deliver."
"What's the message?" I asked, turning to her.
"The entire castle knows of your return and are preparing the place to show you of the greatness of the place due to the rule under the Emperor. The Emperor has planned a festival for you and your people. Supposedly, the event will be very grand. Though I doubt Tal himself thought of the idea. It was most likely Clovil's."
I looked away and glanced at the floor, too shocked to reply. I had not realized that so many already knew of my people's coming.
Malen gazed at me. Then she spoke, her voice filled with reassurance. "I did not tell them. Another Crone must have. Nevertheless, do not worry. Your arrival is to be celebrated as deserved. Now sleep, Milla. A long day awaits you."
My eyes snapped open. I scrambled out of bed and performed my daily routine of morning exercises. After my cleansing, I grabbed clean clothes and Ursek furs and brushed my tangled wires of hair. I despised looking my best, but if I was going to be stared at by a castle full of people, I might as well look nice. I slid my boots on, placed my circlet on my head, and grabbed my swords.
Running outside, I glimpsed the Shield Mothers and their forces. All were on their ships, preparing for the sail to the castle. All were dressed nicely also. I guess they all assumed that something big would happen. I nodded to them, and the ship's anchors were lifted. The ships lurched- I saw Ebbitt stumble- and our journey began.
***************************************************************
Two hours later, our ships docked, and I stood in front of the Icecarls. The Crones were lined right behind me, and Ebbitt stood next to me. The vast doors of the castle opened before us, and I walked in with a dignified air. My people followed.
A huge storm of applause greeted us in our entrance. People were crowded behind velvet ropes, cheering with all their hearts. Ahead of us, I saw the embassy of Crones, with Malen near them. I strode over to them, bowed, and clapped my fists. They nodded in return, and began to speak to the Crone Mothers. Malen, however, spoke to me.
"Come with me," she whispered, and began to walk off to a different room. I glanced at Ebbitt, who had heard also, and he shrugged. Two of his multiple coats fell off from his shoulders with the shrug. I rolled my eyes, and ran after Malen. I looked back to see Ebbitt randomly handing the two coats to people as he ran behind me. I sighed, turned back, and nearly crashed into the now stationary Malen.
She motioned for Ebbitt and me to enter after her, and I nodded, Ebbitt bobbing his head up and down repeatedly. I shot him a look, and he ceased. Malen grinned at his antics and slipped in the room. Five seconds later, I poked my head inside, Ebbitt stumbling and crashing inside.
A loud whoop rang from the room. I laughed when I saw the people inside. Clovil, Gill, Ferek, Inkie, and Bennem were all draped around a lumpy couch, wrinkling what I assumed to be their best clothes. Clovil and Bennem had stood to help Ebbitt up from the floor, and then noise exploded.
"Look! It's Milla!" cried Bennem, abruptly rising from his chair to greet me.
"You got TALL." said an awestruck Ferek, who was leaning his head backwards just to glance at my face.
"WHERE'S TAL?" yelled Clovil, sticking his neck out of the doorway to yell at some random passerby outside.
"OWW." whined Ebbitt, clutching his leg.
"Clovil, you idiot, don't bother every single passerby outside! You're scaring them!" scolded Gill, running over to slap Clovil across the head.
"OW! Fine! Geez woman.Don't need to whap me." muttered Clovil, rubbing his head and returning to his seat.
"You deserved it."
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Did not!"
"Did-" Gill's voice faltered.
"What in the world?"
Everyone looked up at the last remark. Milla stopped fending off the others and blinked.
There, at the doorway with an expression of amusement and confusion, stood Tal.
*******************************************************
A/N: I'm going to make more chapters soon, depending on how well people think of it. Please review!