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
Another Moment
The passage from the cellar was long, low and dark and smelled sickeningly of cider. Their boots clattered on the stones as they shuffled along single file, Barda bent almost double. They had divided up the remaining gold between them, to make it easier to carry, but it still weighed heavy on their belts. Sore and stiff from their battles that day, the walk was becoming more uncomfortable by the minute.
Lief, however, ignored his discomfort, in lieu of his unease. "We should, perhaps, have stayed at the inn another night and set out in the morning."
"I could not face the thought of another moment in Rithmere." Jasmine stated.
"We have what we came here for," Barda stated. "We ow have enough gold to fund the rest of our journey–and more besides." He paused, then added awkwardly. "You did well, Jasmine."
"Indeed," Lief agreed.
"I did not do well." Jasmine stated matter of factly. "Jordan could have defeated me, but she made me so angry. She wanted me to forget myself–so I could preform for the crowd."
"She tricked herself," said Barda. "For in the end, she lost and you won. Think of that, and forget the rest." He paused and pointed. "I see light ahead. I think we are at last reaching the end of this accursed tunnel."
Jasmine and Barda hurried forward while Lief followed more causiously, all eager to see the sun and stand up straight.
As Mother Brightly had told them, the passage ended in a low door. Light showed dimly through the crack beneath it. Barda drew the bolt and swung the door open. Sunlight filled the the passage, giving Lief the light to see, when his eyes had recovered from the glare, the ruby had dulled to pale pink. He looked up to warn his friends in time to see Jasmine get hit over the head and stuffed into bag. Knowing whoever was out there would come for him if he didn't get out, he turned and ran back through the tunnel. He had to find a way to help his friends, had to learn what had happened to them. He had to get away.
Lief didn't know how long he had run when he reached the cellar, knocking into someone. He fell to the floor and felt his heart beat hard in his chest thinking he'd been caught when a firm hand took hold of his arm and lifted him off the ground.
"What happened? Where are your friends?" The voice was familiar. A wave of relief fell over Lief as he turned into Hellaine's chest. "Lief? What happened?"
"They've been captured. They'll come for me if we don't get out of here."
"Who is coming?"
"I don't know." He stated. He had to get out, had to go after them.
"Come with me Lief, we'll get them back." She promised and pulled him out of the cellar, back to the clean air of the back room.
"What if Mother Brightly is out there?" Lief whispered, no longer able to trust the woman who sent them into the trap.
Hellaine looked over and set a hand on his shoulder as she pressed her ear to the door. "She is in the dining hall, cleaning the food and plates off the table," she stated. "Follow me, quickly."
"Where are we going?" Lief demanded.
"Away from the inn," she replied. "To meet a friend of mine. We are very lucky to have met each otehr down there."
"Why?"
"You are safe, and I have something to report so that this mission will be worth the risk." She replied.
"Who are you?" Lief hissed.
"Outside. I promise to tell you when we meet my friend. You will understand."
Lief nodded, agreeing to her request. She pushed the door open and slipped into the front room. It was empty of everything, people, papers, everything. Hellaine made her way to the front door and motioned for Lief to follow her. He rushed to her side and slipped out behind her.
"Do you have your weapons?" She asked.
"Everything," Lief replied.
"Good, the dagger?"
"Haven't taken it off," her agreed.
"Keep it, my friend is this way, outside the city. I believe whoever has your friends will hide until night fall."
"Hide, until nightfall?"
"Leave the city when no one will see them." She stated. "We are almost there."
"Almost where?" Lief asked as she turned into the woods that lined the road.
"Jordan," a deep voice spoke from above. "Why have you brought this boy with you."
"Friend of that girl champion..."
"Jasmine," Lief stated. "Her name is Jasmine."
"Jasmine then." Hellaine nodded. "He is her friend. The bear and champion were captured. He got away, back through the tunnel. Knocked into me."
"Hellaine said you could help them."
"Hellaine..."
"Yes, I told him my name." She hissed. "Where is my bow?"
"All your things are at the stronghold." The man stated.
"Come down so he can see your face." Hellaine called quietly. A moment later, a soft thump was heard and a man walked out of trees, a man Lief recognized instantly.
"Your friend is Doom?" Lief cried.
"Quiet," Doom hissed. Lief growled at the man and looked to Hellaine, suddenly realizing why she was familiar.
"You were at Tom's Shop." He stated.
"Yes, Doom and I saw you there. I stayed around a while longer than he did, but I was there."
"Resistence," Lief whispered, remembering the signal she'd used. "You are the Hellaine. The one they whisper about in closed circles. The Resistence leader."
"Took a while, but you guessed it. My name is very well known, much to my chagrin. My face is not known, so I can hide easily with the name Jordan. My friend here is Doom, another of the Resistance leaders."
"Why are you here?" Lief asked. "Why did you compete."
"I was not supposed to compete, but Mother Brightly had me trapped, compete, or get bared from the Games." Hellaine sighed.
"She got you angry, played off your emotion."
"She has perfected that for many years." Hellaine said.
"What do we do now?" Lief asked. Hellaine looked up and started to climb.
"Now, we wait for nightfall and watch the road for your friends. Then we follow them until they stop to rest. Doom, is Dain coming?"
"Before night, how is your arm?"
"Painful," she replied, pulling Lief into the tree. Doom sighed and climbed into the next tree.
"Do you need medicine for it?"
"You have it all Doom." She reminded him. The man nodded and handed her over a small jar and some bandages.
"How bad is it?" Lief asked.
"You caught me real good Lief," she replied. "But it will heal. What have you told your friends?"
"Nothing from last night." Lief assured her as footsteps approached their location.
"Jordan! Doom!" Someone hissed.
Hellaine looked at Doom and glared. "Dain."
"Hellaine..." Doom began.
"I do not trust him Doom, but I will be pleasant." She promised as Doom jumped down.
Lief leaned back and looked down to the young boy that had joined them. It was the serving boy from the finals, the one that served the drugged cider.
"One of my most potent serums," Hellaine smirked. "That's Dain."
"Why don't you trust him?"
"Don't trust many." She replied. "Only three people in the resistence know my real name."
"Three?"
"Yes, Doom is one, and Dain is not. I have grown to distrust most people."
"Then why me?" Hellaine looked at him and blinked. She took a handful of his shirt and lifted the bttom up enough to show the belt at his waist.
"I'm stupid Lief," she told him. "I've known you had it the whole time."
"You truly are what they say."
"What is that?" she asked.
"Mysterious, cold, perseptive."
"My life has been filled with war and darkness." She sighed. "You gain certain traits with a life like mine."
"What about your family?"
Hellaine went absolutely silent.
"We do not talk about Jordan's family," Doom stated from the next tree.
Dain was climbing up beside the man and smiled sympathetically. "I'm Dain, you must be Joker."
"That's me," Lief agreed.
"Nice to meet you, are you joining the resistence."
"He's friends with Birdie." Hellaine told him. "I have told him I would help his friends."
"Your friend is the champion, you must be proud."
"I guess," Lief replied.
"Night is falling," Hellaine said as a cart led by two grey guards came into view. "Everyone get ready."
"We'd better stop and get the ticks covered up," one of the two Grey Guards growled. "Give them some grub and a drink, as well, or they'll be dying on us. Then we'll be in the muck."
They watched the cart move to the side of the road and come to a stop. Soon, two sacks were being hauled from the cart and dumped roughly onto the ground.
"Be careful you fool!" roared the first Grey Guard. "How many time do you have to be told? Any broken bones Brightly didn't put in her report and we're in the Arena ourselves!"
The guards set up a rough shelter for their prisoners by stretching oiled cloth between the lowest branches of a tree. The two companions huddled together under the canopy, shuddering with cold.
The raven, who had followed them all the way from Rithmere, was perched on the girl's shoulder, but was unable to help gags were taken off and they were given food and drink.
"Joker, move one muscle without my order, I will cut your throat." Hellaine warned.
Lief nodded, seeing a new strength in his friend. She was already formulating a plan, getting ready for a fight.
"Doom, when I give you the signal, I want you and Dain to get the stolen items off the cart. I don't want anything left behind. Lief, you and I are going for your friends. You will follow my lead and stay silent. I will tell you when it is safe to talk with them."
"I can't ignore them if they try to talk to me," he hissed.
"Whisper, promise to speak when it is safe. Say nothing more than, when it's safe." She replied. "If the guards wake up, finish your task. Do not stay around once you have finished your assignment, get out. Dain, you get the girl's things, Doom, the bear's. I will lead the prisoners and Joker to the meeting spot."
"Anything else?" Doom asked.
Hellaine shook her head and held up her hand.
"Remember to go quickly and quietly, no more sound than is necessary." She whispered. She stared at the camp for a few more seconds and dropped her hand. Doom and Din fell from their tree quietly and raced to the cart where Barda and Jasmine's things would be. Hellaine jumped from their tree, followed quickly by Lief. She raced to Barda's side and slid to the ground.
"Who are you?" Barda demanded as she pulled out her dagger.
"When it is safe," she whispered as Lief fell to his knees behind Jasmine.
"Lief!" She grinned. "You're alive!"
"Quiet Jasmine," Lief whispered.
The girl nodded and felt the ropes around her wrists fall to the ground, followed by the ropes at her ankles.
"Quickly, follow me," Hellaine whispered, pulling Barda to his feet.
"Jordan?" Barda hissed in pain.
"Yes, now quickly, into the fields." She whispered and led them away from the cart.
"Our weapons!" Jasmine cried.
"They are safe, my friends have them."
"How is this possible," Barda demanded. "What is going on?"
"Jordan is a friend," Lief promised. "So is Doom."
"Doom?" Barda growled. "That dark and gloomy charecter? How can you trust him?"
"That dark and gloomy charecter happens to be a friend of mine." Hellaine snapped.
"Your friend? What about Glock?"
"What about him?"
"I could have sworn..."
"I heard about what he said to you in your fight," Hellaine said. "He let you believe your conclution to protect his real companion, me."
"What is your real name?" Jasmine demanded. Hellaine looked at Lief. She could trust the wearer of the silver belt, but she was unsure of his friends.
"You can trust them," he promised. "They are loyal friends."
Hellaine nodded and slowed her pace. "I'm sorry Lief, but I can't take that chance."
"What, your name some kind of big secret?"
"Only four people can look upon my face and name me." She replied. "It's kind of a big secret."
"Who could you possibly be to have to hide your name so completely?"
"I have my reasons," Hellaine stated. "And you would do well to respect my silence."
"Are you threatening me?"
"I do not ask you to speak of your silent secrets, and I ask you to let me keep mine."
Jasmine scowled, her trust in Hellaine dwindling to nothing.
"Jordan, there you are!" A voice called.
"Dain, I see you got out without a scratch, where is Doom with the bear's pack?"
"The bear?" Barda asked.
"Yes, you are a bear of a man."
"My name is..."
"Berry, I know," she replied quietly.
"You are tired," a deep voice spoke. "When did you sleep last?"
"You know the answer to that Doom. I told you, I will sleep at the sands."
"Come along you three, you are safe with us." Dain smiled.
"When we get to our stronghold, we will get food and rest a while." Hellaine smiled. Lief saw her force herself to smile, force herself to talk when all she really wanted to do was curl up in a dark corner and disappear.
"This way," Doom said. "Follow me."
The group, battle weary, but alert, walked into the dark of the night.
