Hellaine: New Companion
Part 1: Lapis Lazuli
Disclaimer: I do not, under any circumstances, own Deltora Quest or any characters from the series.
Rated: T
A/N: I do own Hellaine and her past.
Summary: Lief, Barda and Jasmine meet the mysterious Jordan of the Sands, a fighter that hails from the stony wall around the Shifting Sands. Who is she? What does she want with the Games?
Walking to my Death
They entered the door to the Champion Inn and to their surprise, found themselves in a very small closed room. A plump woman in a bright green dress decorated with many frills and ribbons stood behind a desk in one corner arguing with a woman, taller and more fierce, than herself.
"If you wish for his their weapons, then I must ask their permission."
"You have their permission, Brightly." The woman snapped. "You just left."
"I am sorry, you are mistaken."
"I was just here, you asked me to leave and come back so you could pull them from training."
"They were not available."
"Then get them now, I will wait."
Brightly scowled. "Are you going to compete?"
"Are you lying to me, or are you just stupid?" The woman demanded.
"I am not handing over any weapons to anyone who is a competitor and certainly not a competitor's weapons to a non-competitor. Now if you are going to compete, then I will get you signed up, if not, I must ask you to leave."
"I will compete. Someone has to tell my friends why you refused to let me take their weapons to my home."
"Um...we would like to compete as well." Barda stepped up.
"Oh, good-day!" she cried with a wide smile. "I am Mother Brightly, your host. You didn't wait long I hope."
"Not at all," Barda promised.
"I'm glad, you have come to the right place." Mother Brightly grinned.
Lief looked over at the tall woman in the corner. Her face gave nothing away, no emotion, frankly, she looked bored. She was approximately twenty-five with a tall, slim build. Ebony hair flowed down the length of her back framing flawless pale skin and dark silver eyes.
She wore rough black legging that stopped below her knee under a rich blood red tunic with elbow length sleeves and a black undershirt. Her rough black boots, folded over at the ankle, were caked in mud, the same as her fingerless black gloves. She pulled her black cloak around her shoulder, placing her hood over her head, further cutting herself off from the rest of them.
She was stunning, beautiful, but a wave ice rolled off her shoulders, warning away strangers.
Lief pushed past the cold and cautiously approached her as Barda and Mother Brightly talked.
"Hello," he greeted. She looked over silently, and looked him over, nothing showing in her eyes. Suddenly, her eyes flashed and warmth rushed to her face.
"Hey," she rasped. Her voice was rough and quiet. "What are you doing here kid?"
"Competing."
"My advice, don't."
"You just want your friends to win."
"These are dangerous Games kid," she warned. Lief searched for any sense of ill-will and found only a friendly warning.
"I'm not a kid, I'm sixteen."
"When I was sixteen, I was walking to my death," she whispered. "You are still a child."
"I have to compete."
"You still have a choice. You can still walk away," she rasped.
"We have one silver coin between the three of us," he replied quietly. "Why do you hide you face? We've already seen it.
She was silent for a few seconds before placing her hand at her waist and pulling a drawstring bag from her belt. She placed the bag in his palm and curled his fingers around the rough brown leather before pulling off her hood. Lief pulled it to his chest looked inside and gasped at the small pile of gold coins.
"I can't take these."
"Get out while you still can," she said, her eyes pleading. "I have no choice, but you do."
"I can't," he whispered. "My friends, we need the 100 gold coins."
She sighed heavily and looked to Mother Brightly. When her back was turned, the woman pulled a dagger from her belt.
"Take this, hide in your boot." The woman whispered. "Whatever you do, do not let on you have it. Do not give it up."
"Why are you helping me?"
"You remind me of someone." She shrugged.
"Who?"
"I boy I met. Young kid, too young for the quest he bares."
"Who are you?"
"To you, I am Hellaine," she smiled warmly. The name was familiar to Lief, but he could not place where he had heard it. "Keep that name to yourself kid, don't need it spread around."
"Name and Town?" Mother Brightly stated. Hellaine looked up, surprised to see the woman behind the desk.
"Jordan," Hellaine stated. "Jordan of the sands."
"The sands?" Mother Brightly asked, hesitating.
"Shifting Sands." She replied, the icy bite back in her tone.
Mother Brightly wrote, frowning slightly.
"Quickly, I need a town." Barda hissed.
"Kincaid." Lief spoke up. "Near Del."
Barda nodded in agreement and turned to Mother Brightly.
"Name and Town?" Mother Brightly repeated, looking to Barda next.
"Oh...Berry of Kincaid."
"Kincaid I hear it is beautiful this time of year."
"Quite, and will stay as such when we have our winnings to bring home." Barda agreed. "My niece and nephew, Birdie and Joker are also from Kincaid."
Mother Brightly nodded, writing busily and apparently satisfied.
"Now," she said, jumping up with the book clutched under her arm. "Follow me if you please.!"
Things were moving very fast. Feeling rather dazed, Lief Barda and Jasmine followed the two older women into another room where stood a large set of scales, a long rule and a big cupboard.
"Please give me your weapons," Mother Brightly said, taking a key from the bunch at her waist and unlocking the cupboard. Then, as the companions hesitated, she clapped her hands sharply.
"We are not allowed weapons in the Champion Inn." Hellaine stated, holding back the ice in her voice as she pulled a knife out of her belt. Mother Brightly looked at her suspiciously, but with no weapons to demand, Mother Brightly couldn't demand any more from her.
Unwillingly, Lief and Barda unbuckled their swords, and Jasmine handed over the knife she wore at her own belt. Mother Brightly locked the weapons in the cupboard, nodding approvingly. "Do not fear," she smiled. "They will be quite safe here, and returned to you before you leave. Now, your measurements."
She weighed each competitor in turn and measured their heights, writing all the details down in her book. She felt their muscles and looked carefully at their hands and feet. Then she nodded, pleased.
"You need food and rest, my dears, but otherwise you are all strong, and should do well," she said. "I thought so when I first saw you. One last thing. Your special talents. What are they?"
She waited with her head on one side.
Lief, Barda and Jasmine glanced at one another, not quite sure what the woman meant.
"Agility." Hellaine spoke up.
"I...can climb," Jasmine said hesitantly. "I can balance on high places, swing, jump..."
"Excellent Birdie!" said Mother Brightly, and wrote AGILITY beside Hellaine and Jasmine's names, turning next to Barda. "And you Berry? Let me guess. Your talent would be strength. Am I right?"
Barda shrugged and nodded. The woman beamed, and wrote again. Then she looked at Lief. "And Joker?" she enquired.
What is my special talent? Lief wondered. He was not sure that he had one.
"Yes," Barda agreed.
"Speed," Hellaine replied.
"And how would you know the talent of one you do not know?"
"The same way I know you are cunning when you look so innocent." Hellaine snapped.
"She must have saw me running through the crowds," Leif suggested.
"Yes, that must be it!" cried Mother Brightly, writing SPEED beside his fake name. "Now, wait here a moment. I will not be long."
She bustled out of the room again. The companions looked at one another. All of them were bewildered at the sudden change in their fortunes, but it didn't last long as Barda turned to Hellaine.
"Yes, Jordan, how is it you knew my nephew's talent?"
"The same way I know he is not your nephew," she replied. "And that the girl is not your niece."
"Who are you?"
"To you? Jordan." She stated. She kept her emotions in check, watching, analyzing every minute detail of Barda's reactions.
"But Jordan is not your real identity."
"No more than yours are. Next time you hide your identities, I suggest using a town in a different territory from where you grew up."
Barda wasn't sure what to say to her.
"No wonder people flock to Rithmere," Lief said in a low voice, cutting the silence. "It is surprising the whole of Deltora is not here. Why, at the very least folk get free food and a bed for a while."
"So long as they are willing to compete." Hellaine told him, leaning against the wall. A small diamond ring set in white gold glinted in sunlight. A small amethyst set in white gold sat in the crook of her neck. "These Games are far more difficult and more dangerous than you expect."
"No running or jumping race could be more dangerous than what we have been through." hissed Jasmine.
"The easiest part will be remembering those names of yours." Hellaine said. "These Games are not for the weak. Weapons may not be used, but some of us don't need weapons to kill." She warned as Mother Brightly came rustling into the room again. With her she brought four colored strips of cloth, a red, a green and two blue. She tied the red band around Barda's wrist, the green around Lief's, and a blue band on Jasmine and Hellaine's wrists. Their false names had been written on their bands, with their heights and weights underneath.
"Do not take your wristbands off, even to sleep," Mother Brightly advised. "They mark you as official competitors, show your special talents, and entitle you to food, drink, and entrance to the Games. Now... you will want to eat, I do not doubt, and rest after your journeys. Your silver coins if you please."
Hellaine and Jasmine each handed over their coins and in return received a key, Jasmine received 77, while Hellaine received 69.
"The keys to your rooms." Mother Brightly told them. Hellaine nodded and left to find her room. Mother Brightly turned back to the trio and smiled.
Barda's eyes stayed on her as she left the room.
Some of us don't need weapons to kill. The words were stuck in his head now, the meaning unclear.
"77, a lucky number indeed. Keep it safe." Mother Brightly warned.
As they nodded, she hesitated, nibbling at her bottom lip as if trying to make up her mind about something. Then, suddenly, she glanced behind her to make sure they were alone and leaned towards them with a rustle of green frills.
"Now...I do not say this to every competitor, but you are strangers to the Games, and I have taken a liking to you," she whispered. "Trust no one, however friendly. And keep your door locked at all times...especially at night. We do not want any...accidents."
Hellaine, hidden around the corner, heard every word. Light footsteps approached. When the trio, following Mother Brightly, rounded the corner, she was gone.
Wondering, the trio followed Mother Brightly down a hallway to a large dining room, where a great number of people wearing red, green, and blue wristbands were eating and drinking heavily. Many of the diners looked up and stared, their faces, alive with curiosity, challenge, suspicion, or menace. Most of them were very large and looked extremely strong, though there were some smaller, leaner men and women as well.
Lief lifted his chin and looked around proudly, determined to show he was not nervous or afraid. At a center table he saw Joanna and Orwen, the two tall companions he had seen on the highway. Hellaine sat alone at a far table, the only one not staring. Then he gave a start. Sitting near them, though alone, was another person he knew.
It was the dark, scarred traveler the companions had seen at Tom's shop, on their way to the City of the Rats, Doom, his companion had called him all those weeks ago. The man's hard eyes were fixed on the newcomers, but he gave no sign of recognizing them. His companion was no where in sight.
"Help yourselves to anything you fancy, my dears," Mother Brightly said, pointing to a long bench at the side of the room where dishes of food stood kept warm over low flames. "Eat, then rest. Do all you can to be fit for tomorrow. I have high hopes for you three! To me, you have the look of finalists. And I have seen many come and go."
She had not troubled to lower her voice, and Lief fidgeted as the gazes of the competitors grew even more alert. They had all heard what she had said.
"Now, I must return to my post," Mother Brightly said. "It grows late, but new competitors could arrive even now. A bell will wake you for breakfast tomorrow. A second, an hour later, will call you to the Games."
She turned to go. Suddenly a feeling of fear rose in Lief chest until a gentle hand lay on his shoulder. He felt all the gazes drop and the clanking of dishes could be heard as the competitors hurried to busy themselves.
"Come sit with me." A familiar voice said. Lief spun around and met with the face of Hellaine. Her face was blank, but Lief instantly felt safer.
"Why?" Jasmine asked.
"I have room." Hellaine stated. "I will not protest."
"Thank you." Baroda said, as to not start a fight. Hellaine just nodded and led them to the table. "where are you friends?"
"Mother Brightly failed to mention they were not here. She led me to believe they were."
"Why do they all drop their gazes around you?" Lief asked when they were sitting.
"I believe they are scared, as most strangers are."
"I'm not scared of you!" Jasmine cried.
"I did say most, not all." Hellaine smirked.
"So they are scared of you." Lief said.
"For tonight. Tomorrow, adrenaline and nerves will be running high and fear will not be recognized." Hellaine replied.
"What can you tell us about the Games?" Barda asked.
"You wonder why all of Deltora doesn't come to earn the 100 gold coins?" The trio nodded, hung on her words.
"Some of us don't need weapons to kill?" Barda hissed. "Was that some kind of threat?"
"Two years ago, the final lasted a day and a night. It was a bloody battle. The loser lost his leg. It was smashed to pieces. The two competitors were both strength talents. Neither used weapons, only their fits. The worst part was, Mother Brightly cheered it on. She relishes in the blood and the fight. I don't trust her, and neither should you. She could fool a dragon out of his treasure."
The trio was shocked, but remembered Mother Brightly's warning, and just nodded.
"I am going to my room. Good luck tomorrow."
The trio just nodded and turned their attention to their food.
"What are you doing?" A voice spoke from behind Hellaine as she walked down the hall.
"I was coming to find you." She replied slipping past him into the room. "I thought you said you were room 63, not 54."
"My mistake, what do you have?"
"Your dagger for one." She replied as she flicked her wrist. A basic silver dagger fell into her hands.
"You are truly remarkable." The man smirked.
"Mother Brightly has the third, basic silver dagger, slightly dull."
"We'll sharpen it at the Stronghold. The forth?"
"lower left arm, hidden sheath, spring loaded."
"The fifth?"
"Gave to this kid from Del."
"Why?"
"Personal choice," she replied.
"Fine, then I am going to get some sleep."
"There's more." She said sitting on the bed.
"More?"
"Mother Brightly has taken an interest in the newest three."
"Interest?"
"You heard her at dinner. They are a perfectly balanced team. We will have to see them individually, but the big one seems more then capable. They have a good chance at getting to the finals. I believe she wants them for the arena. She warned them against trusting others, telling them to lock their doors at all times. We don't want accidents, she warned them."
"Sounds more like a threat." Her friend replied.
Hellaine nodded in agreement.
"What happened to Thalgus and Petronne?"
"They didn't show up, you know that."
"I'd expect this from Thalgus, but not Petronne."
"I gave them a new assignment. Tried to tell you, but you were too fast."
"What assignment?"
"Same as us. Intel on the Broad River."
Hellaine sighed heavily and ran her fingers through her hair.
"Do you still have your dagger?" The man suddenly asked.
"I do." She replied and pulled the blade from the crook of her back. It was a silver blade with an ornate vine design sketched into the blade that overlapped onto the black leather hilt.
"Keep it with you, but be sure not to use it inside the arena."
"Of course."
"Get some sleep, we can talk more at a later date."
She nodded and went to leave the room when her friend stopped.
"One more thing, when you leave this room, we don't know each other anymore."
Hellaine nodded and leaned on the door.
"Until this is over." She replied. "I remember."
"Get some sleep, you'll need it."
With a nod, she closed the door behind her and moved into the dark hallway.