A/N: Wow! I actually got reviewed! Thank you everyone! :D
Cat- Don't worry, I'm not going to make her feel sorry for herself (I was rereading it last night and decided I started it off all wrong) so there's no need to worry about her getting depressed-she will notice the Herald Trainees have had it worse than her or just as bad. Her father isn't really a major character (actually, no one in the first chapter really is, except Alexis herself) because I use the first chapter more to get a handle and give readers a handle on the character.did that make any sense?
Q- I haven't really meant for it to be original yet, so no worries! :)
Silvervine- thank you! I try to do my best on the writing portion, and the story line usually follows.or gets lost somewhere in occasional cases
Just a note, now that she's been sent back: This is about a hundred years after Lavan Firestorm's death, and I'm almost positive (too lazy to get one of the books from my shelf) Misty hasn't written any Valdemar novels during that time so I won't have to worry about character conflicts (I would probably screw up writing her characters royally anyway.except maybe Albrich) so there hopefully won't be any characters you recognise unless they are mentioned in the past tense
Ok, now that I'm finished the nice long A/N, time for the story!
Chapter 2- Its ALIVE!!!
"Papa," The high pitched voice was enough to wake Alexis. "d'ya think its dead?" She wished she hadn't woken up; her whole body felt like it was on fire, and her head was pounding in steady rhythms. She lay there for a moment, trying to get her bearings and figure out where she was. She knew she wasn't at home in bed. Perhaps it had been the rock digging into her hip, or possibly that she was face down in dirt. Or maybe just the light breeze that was rustling leaves overhead or the sun shining down on her face. Her room didn't have a window. A second voice spoke.
"Her, Tom," It was a deep, rough sounding voice. Alexis had to suppress a groan as a stick or a foot prodded her in the ribs. "It's a her, and I don't think ~she~ is dead." The prodding became more insistent, and finally Alexis gathered the courage to push herself up and face the speakers. A tall man, dressed in almost medieval style peasant clothes -Brown trousers, a loose brown shirt, and a broad brimmed hat- stared down at her with dark eyes openly curious. Two small children hid behind his legs; a girl, no more than three, garbed in a short, dirty dress with dark hair flowing loose and falling in large blue eyes and a boy, perhaps a year older that his sister, dressed almost identical to his father with straw coloured hair falling into eyes as large, round and light as the girls. Alexis stared at the farmer and his children; they stared openly back. Then, the girl ran in the opposite direction, screaming at the top of her lungs. Alexis barely made out what she said because her voice was higher pitched than her brother's, if that was even possible.
"MAMA!!!" Alexis winced and clutched at her head. "IT S'ALIVE!!!" Seconds later, the boy ran shrieking after his sister. Only the father remained, watching her with curiosity as she began to pull leaves out of her hair.
"Do you mind?" She said dryly, and pulled herself to her feet with a groan, sending more dirt, leaves, and branches cascading to the ground. She appeared to be in the center of a small woodland, surrounded by trees just beginning to change their colour. The trees were young and not at all thick, considering she could see a whitewashed farmhouse in the distance over the man's shoulder. "I'd appreciate ~not~ being stared at." The man started, and then glanced away with an embarrassed flush.
"Uh.sorry." His voice was a deep rumble and he offered out a hand. Gingerly, Alexis took it, feeling the calluses rough against her fairly smooth palm. "It's just that.we've never seen 'nyone dressed like you, an we've been farmin' this country forever." She looked around, trying to locate anything familiar. There was nothing; she somewhat doubted she was in Canada anymore, let alone in her neighbourhood. She couldn't remember how she'd arrived; she could remember going to bed, her father arriving home with that whore, getting beat up after school. Gingerly, she touched her eye, and winced as she encountered her black eye, telling her this arrival was recent.
"If you don't mind," Alexis said feeling somewhat foolish. "Could you tell me where I am, exactly? Toronto? B.C.? The States?" The man looked at her blankly.
"Never heard of 'ny of those. We're out a few days from Haven." She stared at him blankly. She'd never heard of a city called 'Haven' except in the Valdemar novels, and those weren't real.
"Where?" The farmer stared at her, obviously exasperated.
"Haven!" He shouted, enunciating the word slowly as though she were a young, stupid child, not the fifteen year old she really was. "In VALDEMAR!" She flinched away, his shout making her ears ring and her head pound with more intensity. Even so, she couldn't help but gape at him.
"No. Way." Her voice was barely above a low whisper. "That is just not possible." She was sure by now the poor farmer must have thought he had a crazy girl on his hands. *And what's saying he doesn't? I didn't think it was possible to go to bed one night and wake up in a novel. I ~know~ it isn't possible.* He was staring at her, thoughts clearly passing across his face. 'What in the world have I gotten myself into?'
"Why not?" He sounded confused now. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, trying to decided the best way to explain to him that the world he thought he was living in was a world of fiction. None of it was real. *But it certainly feels real enough, I don't dream in colour, and* she grimaced, trying to shift into a more comfortable position, a challenge considering every muscle burned and screamed every time she moved. *And, I hurt way too much to be dead.*
"Um." She decided it would be best not to mention anything. *Besides, what he doesn't know can't hurt him.* "Its just that I'm a little disoriented from my arrival." She hesitated, wondering if she should ask him for anything, but he beat her to it.
"Come stay with us. Lydia would be happy to have you stay for a few days." He turned around and headed back towards the farmhouse without further preamble. Alexis started after him slowly.
"I'm Alexis." She tried to keep her voice light and calm as her pulled muscles pulled some more.
"John." He didn't mention a last name, nor did she. They were up the stairs of the farmhouse now, and he held the door open. A motherly looking woman- or as motherly as Alexis could imagine considering she had never known her own-stood there, long skirt covered by a splotched apron. She shed it when she saw Alexis, clucking over her black eye and split lip and gathering her into her arms. After a quick, rib cracking hug, she led Alexis to a small room in the back and had her strip and get into a large tub full of steaming water. The children must have warned their mother ahead of time of Alexis' arrival; she could see no tap, only a large metal bucket full of lukewarm water. Clean, Alexis was told to change into clothes similar to that of the daughter, Michelle, and the mother, Lydia, complete with apron.
Then she was put to work; washing dishes, helping to prepare dinner, and helping to clean house. Nothing she had never done before, but without a .sink, dishwasher, stove, oven, etc.it made things a little different. From what she had gathered, John and Lydia were a fairly new couple in their un- named-as-of-yet farming community. Valdemar was under the reign of Queen Landry, but that was as far as the farming couple knew. Life continued as usual from day to day, a new King or Queen making no difference to their lives. Every so often, there would be Heralds, or newly Chosen Heralds galloping past, but other than that, they simply concerned themselves with the simple life.
She fell into the rhythm of their everyday life: get up, make breakfast, clean house, make lunch, do cleaning or help in the fields, make dinner, clean up, go to bed.It was simple, yet satisfying in an odd sort of way. She became more relaxed as her old life got further and further from her, as she was assimilated more and more into this new life. She didn't have to worry about the kids at school or her father while he was drunk. She just had to make sure she did all her chores and all went well.
Of course, all good things must come to an end. That's the way it always happens, and it came sooner than Alexis wanted in a completely unexpected form. But then again, every thing about life is at least a little unexpected. Isn't it?
Cat- Don't worry, I'm not going to make her feel sorry for herself (I was rereading it last night and decided I started it off all wrong) so there's no need to worry about her getting depressed-she will notice the Herald Trainees have had it worse than her or just as bad. Her father isn't really a major character (actually, no one in the first chapter really is, except Alexis herself) because I use the first chapter more to get a handle and give readers a handle on the character.did that make any sense?
Q- I haven't really meant for it to be original yet, so no worries! :)
Silvervine- thank you! I try to do my best on the writing portion, and the story line usually follows.or gets lost somewhere in occasional cases
Just a note, now that she's been sent back: This is about a hundred years after Lavan Firestorm's death, and I'm almost positive (too lazy to get one of the books from my shelf) Misty hasn't written any Valdemar novels during that time so I won't have to worry about character conflicts (I would probably screw up writing her characters royally anyway.except maybe Albrich) so there hopefully won't be any characters you recognise unless they are mentioned in the past tense
Ok, now that I'm finished the nice long A/N, time for the story!
Chapter 2- Its ALIVE!!!
"Papa," The high pitched voice was enough to wake Alexis. "d'ya think its dead?" She wished she hadn't woken up; her whole body felt like it was on fire, and her head was pounding in steady rhythms. She lay there for a moment, trying to get her bearings and figure out where she was. She knew she wasn't at home in bed. Perhaps it had been the rock digging into her hip, or possibly that she was face down in dirt. Or maybe just the light breeze that was rustling leaves overhead or the sun shining down on her face. Her room didn't have a window. A second voice spoke.
"Her, Tom," It was a deep, rough sounding voice. Alexis had to suppress a groan as a stick or a foot prodded her in the ribs. "It's a her, and I don't think ~she~ is dead." The prodding became more insistent, and finally Alexis gathered the courage to push herself up and face the speakers. A tall man, dressed in almost medieval style peasant clothes -Brown trousers, a loose brown shirt, and a broad brimmed hat- stared down at her with dark eyes openly curious. Two small children hid behind his legs; a girl, no more than three, garbed in a short, dirty dress with dark hair flowing loose and falling in large blue eyes and a boy, perhaps a year older that his sister, dressed almost identical to his father with straw coloured hair falling into eyes as large, round and light as the girls. Alexis stared at the farmer and his children; they stared openly back. Then, the girl ran in the opposite direction, screaming at the top of her lungs. Alexis barely made out what she said because her voice was higher pitched than her brother's, if that was even possible.
"MAMA!!!" Alexis winced and clutched at her head. "IT S'ALIVE!!!" Seconds later, the boy ran shrieking after his sister. Only the father remained, watching her with curiosity as she began to pull leaves out of her hair.
"Do you mind?" She said dryly, and pulled herself to her feet with a groan, sending more dirt, leaves, and branches cascading to the ground. She appeared to be in the center of a small woodland, surrounded by trees just beginning to change their colour. The trees were young and not at all thick, considering she could see a whitewashed farmhouse in the distance over the man's shoulder. "I'd appreciate ~not~ being stared at." The man started, and then glanced away with an embarrassed flush.
"Uh.sorry." His voice was a deep rumble and he offered out a hand. Gingerly, Alexis took it, feeling the calluses rough against her fairly smooth palm. "It's just that.we've never seen 'nyone dressed like you, an we've been farmin' this country forever." She looked around, trying to locate anything familiar. There was nothing; she somewhat doubted she was in Canada anymore, let alone in her neighbourhood. She couldn't remember how she'd arrived; she could remember going to bed, her father arriving home with that whore, getting beat up after school. Gingerly, she touched her eye, and winced as she encountered her black eye, telling her this arrival was recent.
"If you don't mind," Alexis said feeling somewhat foolish. "Could you tell me where I am, exactly? Toronto? B.C.? The States?" The man looked at her blankly.
"Never heard of 'ny of those. We're out a few days from Haven." She stared at him blankly. She'd never heard of a city called 'Haven' except in the Valdemar novels, and those weren't real.
"Where?" The farmer stared at her, obviously exasperated.
"Haven!" He shouted, enunciating the word slowly as though she were a young, stupid child, not the fifteen year old she really was. "In VALDEMAR!" She flinched away, his shout making her ears ring and her head pound with more intensity. Even so, she couldn't help but gape at him.
"No. Way." Her voice was barely above a low whisper. "That is just not possible." She was sure by now the poor farmer must have thought he had a crazy girl on his hands. *And what's saying he doesn't? I didn't think it was possible to go to bed one night and wake up in a novel. I ~know~ it isn't possible.* He was staring at her, thoughts clearly passing across his face. 'What in the world have I gotten myself into?'
"Why not?" He sounded confused now. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, trying to decided the best way to explain to him that the world he thought he was living in was a world of fiction. None of it was real. *But it certainly feels real enough, I don't dream in colour, and* she grimaced, trying to shift into a more comfortable position, a challenge considering every muscle burned and screamed every time she moved. *And, I hurt way too much to be dead.*
"Um." She decided it would be best not to mention anything. *Besides, what he doesn't know can't hurt him.* "Its just that I'm a little disoriented from my arrival." She hesitated, wondering if she should ask him for anything, but he beat her to it.
"Come stay with us. Lydia would be happy to have you stay for a few days." He turned around and headed back towards the farmhouse without further preamble. Alexis started after him slowly.
"I'm Alexis." She tried to keep her voice light and calm as her pulled muscles pulled some more.
"John." He didn't mention a last name, nor did she. They were up the stairs of the farmhouse now, and he held the door open. A motherly looking woman- or as motherly as Alexis could imagine considering she had never known her own-stood there, long skirt covered by a splotched apron. She shed it when she saw Alexis, clucking over her black eye and split lip and gathering her into her arms. After a quick, rib cracking hug, she led Alexis to a small room in the back and had her strip and get into a large tub full of steaming water. The children must have warned their mother ahead of time of Alexis' arrival; she could see no tap, only a large metal bucket full of lukewarm water. Clean, Alexis was told to change into clothes similar to that of the daughter, Michelle, and the mother, Lydia, complete with apron.
Then she was put to work; washing dishes, helping to prepare dinner, and helping to clean house. Nothing she had never done before, but without a .sink, dishwasher, stove, oven, etc.it made things a little different. From what she had gathered, John and Lydia were a fairly new couple in their un- named-as-of-yet farming community. Valdemar was under the reign of Queen Landry, but that was as far as the farming couple knew. Life continued as usual from day to day, a new King or Queen making no difference to their lives. Every so often, there would be Heralds, or newly Chosen Heralds galloping past, but other than that, they simply concerned themselves with the simple life.
She fell into the rhythm of their everyday life: get up, make breakfast, clean house, make lunch, do cleaning or help in the fields, make dinner, clean up, go to bed.It was simple, yet satisfying in an odd sort of way. She became more relaxed as her old life got further and further from her, as she was assimilated more and more into this new life. She didn't have to worry about the kids at school or her father while he was drunk. She just had to make sure she did all her chores and all went well.
Of course, all good things must come to an end. That's the way it always happens, and it came sooner than Alexis wanted in a completely unexpected form. But then again, every thing about life is at least a little unexpected. Isn't it?
