Chapter 7
The Jewel's Choice
"Lady Buri!" Arram waved at the K'mir from atop the staircase. "Lady Alanna has been looking for you. You've been gone for a while, and out in the fog, too. Have there been any mishaps?"
Buri smiled at the mage and shook her head. "Where is Alanna?"
"She's upstairs, in her rooms. She saw you coming in, and she decided that she'd wait to converse with you inside."
The K'mir entered Alanna's room, followed closely and quietly by Arram. When the Lioness approached to greet her friend, she glared at the mage. "I wanted to speak to Buri alone. You. Out."
Arram remained standing there, arms crossed on his chest. "Oh, no, Lioness. I'd like to know what's going on around here. If you swap stories with me, I might swap back. And believe me, I'm privy to many things with the emperor. You might like my stories."
The offer was a bit tempting. Alanna fingered her ember stone and looked Arram the mage over. Powerful black aura glowed around him, shielding most of his motives from her. But…perhaps with a prayer to the Great Mother Goddess…
Alanna's amethyst eyes glazed over. She watched a young man of 16 writing in his room, concentrated on the books scattered about. A black metal band was evident around his neck, and occasionally the young man would finger it and sigh with frustration. The door opened, and a slightly younger emperor Ozorne entered. He placed a hand on the boy and said something inaudible to the Lioness. The boy struggled slightly, angered and frustrated. With a slight tap from the emperor, the metal band disappeared around the boy's neck and reappeared on his left wrist.
Ozorne closed the door to the room as he walked out. The young man rubbed his neck and then glanced at his left wrist. He pointed to the fireplace in front of him and muttered a few words. The band on his wrist glowed for a bit, but it allowed the young man to cast a fire. However, when he pointed his finger at himself and muttered the same spell, nothing happened. The boy cried out in frustration and slammed his fist on the desk.
"Alanna?" Buri lightly shook her friend, concerned. "Are you okay?"
"Yes…yes I am," the Lioness replied. She couldn't keep her eyes away from Arram, who stared curiously back. Alanna moved her eyes down until they gazed at the mage's left wrist, which was covered in his robes.
Arram saw where her gaze fell and shook his head. "You don't miss a thing, do you, Lioness? Yes, it's still there, but I'd prefer not to talk about it."
Buri looked at Alanna, then at Arram, confused. Did the lady knight see something about Arram that she did not? Was it due to her Gift? The Lioness turned to Buri, giving up on trying to shoo Arram away. She had decided that he was a trustworthy enough a companion. "I know you just came back, but I was hoping you brought news of Tortall? Or…at least…"
"Oh, plenty of news," the K'mir smiled. "I found a very unexpected person in the fog. Well…actually, he found me. And he handed to me a very important piece of jewelry that the King thought important for you to use at your discretion."
Alanna watched Buri intently as she unraveled the sapphire colored Dominion Jewel that saved the kingdom of Tortall from destruction. Arram gave a loud whistle. "Is that what I think it is?"
"Is it emanating that much power when you look at it?" Alanna asked, afraid that perhaps Ozorne would be able to sense the jewel from afar.
Arram laughed. "Oh, no. I've just read so much about it. Our library has extensive written material about the Dominion Jewel. It's been described so much…I've always wanted to see it myself and…wow…"
The mage was at a loss for words. He stared at Alanna in wonder. "And you brought this all the way from the Roof for your king? That's certainly a legend worth singing for centuries."
The Lioness blushed from the admiring glance Arram gave her. "The Roof was worth facing just to bring glory for my king."
"But…why is it here? And…why isn't it with your king?" There were many other questions he wanted to ask about the Jewel, but it seemed more appropriate to leave off the rest of his questions for later.
Alanna shrugged. "You'd have to ask the king of Tortall himself. He insisted on me having it. And I couldn't very well refuse when he already sent someone to bring it here. By the way, Buri, who did bring it here?"
The K'mir smiled. "Someone we can trust to be sneaky around us. I don't think the person's identity matters much at the moment."
"Buri…" Alanna's voice was dangerous. "I don't want to play games and—"
"Oh, for goodness' sakes, Alanna," Buri glared at her friend. "It doesn't matter whether or not you know who sent the jewel here. It won't kill you. What's more, it's here in one piece, so why worry?"
The Lioness didn't like secrets. Especially this one. "You know who it is. But you won't tell me? Why?"
"Special request by the person who sent it," Buri grinned. "And you won't pry the name from me. Not while that person says I'm to keep the name to myself."
"Oh, for the love of the Great Mother Goddess," Alanna exclaimed. "Keep your secret!"
Arram chuckled. He turned to Buri. "She loses her temper so quickly, doesn't she?"
Buri nodded gravely. "Only, don't let her get too angry. She isn't much now, but she gets frightening when you really anger her."
The Dominion Jewel glowed a deep blue, preventing Alanna from countering Buri's statement. Arram, Buri, and Alanna stared at the jewel, surprised at its display of power. The Lioness was even more perplexed when it pulsed with life on her palm. "I didn't call upon it…"
Suddenly, the jewel jumped out of her hand and smacked Arram on the bridge of his nose. He yelped and jumped back with alarm. Buri didn't know whether to laugh or to fill herself with concern for the mage. The jewel dropped to the floor and began spinning wildly. Alanna tried to cup it back into her hands but it ricocheted off and continued to pummel itself onto Arram. The jewel climbed up from his foot and onto the mage's hand. The glow faded as it reached its destination. Arram Draper watched it curiously. "Does the Dominion Jewel act this strongly towards certain people?"
"No…" Alanna frowned. It hadn't jumped out of her hand when she took it from Chitral. And it definitely did not react when she had given it to Jon, who had handed it to Thom for research. So why did it react so strongly towards the Carthaki mage?
The Lioness grabbed her ember stone. To more of her astonishment, the Dominion Jewel no longer glowed with the aura of a deep blue. Instead, the jewel had a lining of purple that quickly faded from sight. Alanna didn't know whether she had been hallucinating, or whether she had indeed seen the lining of the Gift. But how was her Gift found in the jewel when she knew she didn't use any of her magic on it?
Alanna's puzzlement was obvious to the other two people with her. Arram tried to hand the blue stone back to the lady knight, but somehow, it remained with him. It was as if it didn't want to be in Alanna's hands. He was awed. "Erm…this is an odd situation, here. What should I do?"
"Keep it for now, of course," Alanna replied, confounding Arram. "If the jewel wants you, then it shall have you. The gods want it so."
"But…I'm a close link to the emperor! What if I give it to him?"
"Then by the Great Mother Goddess, I will kill you," Alanna smiled grimly.
Arram gulped. He looked down at the Dominion Jewel. It was a dream of his to examine the blue stone he was holding. Now…he had a chance. But why were the gods being so kind to him?
Don't push your luck, sorcerer. It's yours for now, but that's because I have a proposition for you, a male voice spoke into his head. He looked up, startled. Buri caught the slight change in his countenance and raised an eyebrow. "Something the matter?"
"No…I just thought I heard something," the mage muttered. Arram gazed at Alanna, still in her own thoughts. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm to take it you're trusting me now? And that I'm to be responsible for the Dominion Jewel?"
Alanna sighed. She was left with no choice. The Jewel chose its master in front of her so she couldn't very well refuse it. The lady knight also had another thought and lifted Arram's left sleeve. The band was there, clean and visible. "The jewel might help you with that. You never know."
A hopeful glint came into the mage's eyes and he stashed the blue stone inside his pockets. Arram bowed deeply and quickly turned to exit the room. He muttered a few words and then walked out, shielding the area from spies and eavesdroppers. Buri watched him go, while Alanna gathered herself and proceeded back into her sleeping chamber. The K'mir followed after her friend.
"Buri, I shouldn't be here," Alanna said tiredly, rubbing her temples with her right hand. "All the stuff that's happening around here is sorcery. I'm not a sorceress. I'm a warrior. This isn't my place."
Buri placed her hands on her hips. "Oh, don't you dare say that to me. I have no Gift myself, and I definitely know I don't belong here. But think about it. You have a powerful Gift. You even said yourself that you held not only your Gift, but your brother's and Duke Roger's as well. Perhaps the emperor wants that power for himself. Who knows."
The K'mir's words struck a chord in Alanna's brain. The Emperor knew Duke Roger well…she had some of Duke Roger's powers…some of Thom's, too…the Gate of Idramm…
Alanna's eyes widened. "Why didn't I see this before!"
"See what?" Buri asked, confused. "I don't see—"
"Buri! You're a genius!" the Lioness continued, now enlightened. "Oh, have I got news for you."
By the time Buri got the whole story, she began to see what jolted Alanna from confusion. "So you're saying that Ozorne wants Roger's part of your Gift? That he'll use it to open this Gate of Idramm?"
"That's the only explanation I can come up with," Alanna said, pacing back and forth. "Roger knew how to open it. Ozorne wants to open it. I have Roger's Gift, which still probably have some magical information concerning the gate. Ozorne wants this magical information to open the Gate. The Gate cannot be supported with his own magic, that's completely impossible, so he wants Arram's and mine. I can't believe I'm figuring this out now!"
"Alanna, slow down," Buri said. "You're going to pace the floor away."
The Lioness was on her rounds now. She was up for hunting her prey. "Buri, I need you to send a carrier pigeon to George. I need him to get me a spy, so that I could be familiar with the outside surroundings. You're too conspicuous yourself. The emperor will know where you and I go. We need someone trustworthy enough to send me a map of the surroundings."
Buri nodded. "But why a map of the area?"
"I need to see where the emperor thinks is the best place to put his Gate."
"How about the inside?"
Alanna thought for a moment. She couldn't enter the throne room unless the emperor wanted to see her. But perhaps if Arram could help… "Arram. I'll ask him."
"Okay…if that's what you want…" Buri said, unsure. "We can use the person that sent the Jewel to spy around."
A frown spread through Alanna's face once more. "Does George trust this man as much as Jon does?"
"Oh, believe me," Buri smiled knowingly. "He does."
---
I suppose you want an explanation. Arram had entered his room and sealed it. He craned his neck in different directions, but he still couldn't see the person talking to him. Don't bother looking for me, I'm not going to show myself.
"Who are you?" Arram asked, perplexed. "What do you want?"
I want you to help the Lioness, of course. That's my whole purpose here, after all.
The mage's head exploded with questions. "Why me? Why couldn't you just tell the Lioness how to use the Dominion Jewel?"
There was a bit of silence, then the voice spoke again. She may be a sorceress, but her knowledge of the Dominion Jewel is minuscule. Besides, she can try as she might, she won't be able to wield it. Chitral has made a pact with the Goddess on that matter. Alanna the Lioness can carry the jewel down, but she is not allowed to use it. It wouldn't be fair. No, I needed someone powerful, and someone who had the mind to rebel against Ozorne when the time comes.
"And how do you propose to help me?"
By giving you all the knowledge I have of the Jewel. You're going to need it.
There was more silence, and finally, the voice gave a small sigh and addressed Arram for the last time that day. I've run out of time, they're here. I shall converse with you some other day.
"Curious," Arram muttered. "I get voices in my head, and I don't think I'm going crazy. Perhaps this Dominion Jewel is more a curse than a gift. No wonder people ruined countries with this."
The mage shivered. He hoped that whoever spoke to him was making the right decision. For all Arram hated the emperor, he did not want the whole of Carthak destroyed.
