Disclaimer: I do not own Tortall, nor its original characters.
Ok everyone who's is doing me the great honor of reading my story. If you are reading this, I ask that you PLEASE review, even if you don't like the story. I cant improve without criticism. Thank you to beeandthe3 for being my one and only reviewer, I would not have continued without you, I thought no one was enjoying my story. So, without further ado,
Chapter 2: A Thousand Pieces
Just like that, with those five short words, Arie's life changed forever. "But…How?" Arie asked, actually feeling surprisingly calm for someone who had just been told she was the heir to the throne. "You always taught me that we were distant relatives of the king."
"Again, that was to protect you." "The Trebond family are actually the closest living relatives to the king." "Normally, your Father would be heir, but since he is…no longer with us, and I am not a blood relative, you are heir to the throne"
Arie sat back into her seat. It was finally getting through to her, and suddenly, she did not feel so calm. She was the heir to the throne. When the king died, and he was getting rather old, she would be ruler of Tortall.
"I'm sorry you had to find out so suddenly," her mother said quietly, "but yesterday, we received news that the rebels have launched a number of attacks on the palace. Of course, the castle guards put a stop to that fairly quickly, as the rebellious party is still small, but there numbers are growing. You need to get out of here, and quickly." When Arie started to protest, she continued.
"But won't they come after me here?" Arie asked. She could not leave Snowshine if there was the possibility of a Rebel attack.
"Yes, but we can hold them off." Trebond, being a mountain fief, was Tortall's main defense against Scanran raiders. For this reason, all of the residents were well trained in battle tactics. They could overpower even large parties of bandits if need be. But, if they were faced with extremely large number of enemies, they could all retreat within the castle walls. Due to a series secret tunnels and underground streams, they could survive a siege of even a year or more.
Arie knew all this well, yet she still worried for her mother. She had already lost her father; she could not lose her mother too. Valerie had to come with her.
As if reading her mind, Valerie spoke. "I must stay here and lead the people." Seeing that her daughter was about to argue, she continued. "Your father died for this fief, Arieleani! I am not about to leave it, or its people in a time of need!"
Arie lowered her head; she knew there was no point in arguing with her mother. Besides, deep down, she knew she was right. Still, she argued with herself. How could she leave Trebond? It was where she lived, where she had grown up. It was her home! But Valerie was right. There was no way she could stay here. That would be selfish. Staying in Trebond, no matter how much she wanted to, would be greedy. She was only thinking of herself. If she stayed, she would put everything she loved, and cared about, in danger. With that, Arie made up her mind. She must leave.
Resigned Arie looked up at her mother, holding back tears that she must not let come, for everyone's sake.
"When do I leave?" She asked. Her voice came out cold, like a dam holding back a flood of emotion.
"You must leave now, and no one must know that you are gone." Valerie's face was over flowing with sadness. It hurt Arie to see the pain in her mother's eyes, but still, she showed no emotion. She would not let herself.
Just then Valerie spoke again, composing herself. "Herof will come with you."
Arie nodded, relieved, she had been trying not to think of traveling alone, and she was glad Herof would be the one to accompany her. For all he gruffness, he was kind, and he cared about her, and her family. After her father had died, Herof had taken care of her when her mother was to busy managing the fief. He was the one, along with her commoner friends, who had taught her to protect herself. He would be a good traveling companion, she realized.
Once again, Arie's thoughts were interrupted by her mother's voice. "You must go into hiding, somewhere where no one will find you, somewhere where no one would suspect to find you."
Hearing this, Arie wondered what her Valerie had planned for her. Surely, she didn't want her to go into hiding, away from civilization!
As if reading her mind, Valerie smiled sadly. "No, my daughter, I do not want to turn you into a hermit." "I want you to go to Corus, and act as a commoner."
Arie was shocked. Why would she go to the capital? Wouldn't that just put her right in the heart of the struggle for power?
Fighting to put her thoughts into words, she stammered, "But…but….wont that just put me in even more danger?"
"Who would think to look for you right in the heart of the struggle?" The expression on Valerie's face was almost a smirk, as if she really thought about this plan and was quite proud of it.
"What's the threat in the city? Arie was still trying to find some problem, some deadly flaw in her mother's plan, anything that would allow her to stay at Trebond.
"Very little, the rebels are doing there best to keep the uprising clean. They don't want civil war; they only want the king dead." These words were like sharp scissors, snipping through Arie's last thread of hope with ease.
The Resignation must have been clear on her face, because Valerie stood up slowly, as if these last ten minutes had aged her fifty years.
"Herof is readying your horses and provisions now. Meet him down at the stables in one hour.
Arie flung herself onto the bed, great sobs racking through her body. Why her? Why did she have to leave everything she knew and loved, just because some ignorant, arrogant, commoner thought he was the rightful king!
No low-born, rotten, pig headed little dung beetle could possibly be more deserving of the throne than the
Noble, wise, fair and just King Liam!
Lucky for Arie, her usual, logical mind chose that particular moment to return from its brief absence. Why was she suddenly thinking of common born people like they were a lesser life form? Almost all of her friends were commoners, and she usually thought they were less pig headed and arrogant than most nobles. Why the sudden change of heart?
Arie knew why…She was having her own private pity party, not giving a damn about all the other people that this rebellion might affect. Besides, who was she to be moping around when this was her only to time to pack, as well as say goodbye to all her friends.
Slowly, she sat up and looked around the room. What to pack? How was she to choose what pieces of her life she should take with her? It was like asking her to choose whether she'd rather be deaf or blind? What would she leave behind for a long time, perhaps forever?
Deciding that the easiest thing to do would be to pack as light as possible, so that she would not have to decide what to pack in the extra space, Arie grabbed the smallest of her saddle bags off its hook on the wall. She laid it on the bed, then stepped back to consider. She would need plenty of practical traveling and riding clothes. She had plenty of those, thank the goddess.
Opening the large wardrobe set against the wall, pulled out several pairs of soft leather breaches and light cotton tunics. Next came a thick, dark traveling coat, designed to be worn while riding. That would suffice for the trip. Since she didn't know how long she would be in Corus, she packed her warm winter boots, as well as a thick winter coat, and some gloves.
Looking at the other side of her wardrobe, the part that was filled with several beautiful dresses, she sighed. Of course, there would be no need for such frivolities in her new life, but she did wish she could keep just a few. As much as she hated the formality and discomfort that came with the gowns, she did liketo feel pretty once in a while.
She stroked one of the dresses with a trembling hand. It was a deep violet colour, with a full skirt and beautiful silver embroidery on the bodice. It had belonged to her great-grandmother, a long time ago. That dress was one of her most beloved possession, and she hated to give it up.
But what if she didn't have to leave it behind? Surely, someday, she would need it. She was the heir to the throne wasn't she? There had to be some formal event that she would have to attend, eventually, after this horrid rebellion was sorted out.
Her mind made up, Arie lovingly laid the gown in her bag, underneath all the rough traveling clothes. On whim, she also threw in the matching shoes, gloves, and jewelry. Just in case.
Opening a small jewelry box she took out a gold chain with a glowing coal on the end. It had belonged to her great-grandmother, the Lioness. Alanna the Lioness had been her grand-pa Alan's mother, and her father's grandmother. Thinking of her ancestors, she sighed. Sometimes she wished she had inherited the Trebond family's fiery red hair, but she took after her mother, slim, dark haired and fair skinned. The only thing that marked her as a descendant of the great Lady night were her bright Violet eyes, standing out from under her long, black hair. Glancing back at the jewelry box, Arie threw in her anti-pregnancy charm as well. She had never had any need for it, but you never knew what to expect in the capital.
Arie's bag was almost full now, but there was one thing she had to back. Reaching up to a high shelf in the corner of the room, she took down a beautiful mahogany horse. Her father had carved this for her not long before he had died. Sometimes when she felt like her longing for her father was going to rip a hole in her chest, she would take the horse and clutch it to her. If she breathed it in, it was almost as if she could smell her father, like he was right there beside her. She did so now, trying to let the familiar scent overcome her sorrow at having to leave Trebond. With shaking hands, she wrapped the horse in an old cloth, and tucked it into the bag.
Glancing at the sun, she saw she still had half an hour left. Thirty minutes to say goodbye to all she had ever known. And with that she realized the full extent of what was happening. She was leaving Trebond. And with that realization, her heart shattered into a million pieces.
