A/N: Well everyone here is chapter 10 of Dark Storm. Thank you for the reviews on the last chapter. ^_^ I will be working on chapter 11 in the next couple of days. ^_^
Guest Reviews:
Q: Nanoha's in a really bad situation, I wonder how Hayate will react when she'll wake up.
A: You are about to find out… ;-)
Q: By Lightarcana- By the way, did everyone else know Fate's human form other than Nanoha?
A: Dalax know the human forms of each other. The reason Reinforce didn't transform in front of Nanoha is, she is not her soulmate. She can be human in front of her, but will only change in front of Hayate (which she has not done yet) or another Dalax. It is a vulnerability to transform in front of anyone, as that is when they're weakest.
Q: I'm curious does Hayate sees Reinforce as her soulmate? How did they met each other?
A: Hayate does not know that Reinforce is her soulmate… yet. I will get to that in the next book/story.
Q: How old is Fate in this story?
A: I haven't thought about her age, but I'm going to guess about 20 in human age. Human and Dalax age are different by about 15 years. She is older as a Dalax then human.
Special Note: There is no beastiality in this story. There is also no FUTA in this story either. There will be girl to girl romance and eventually intimacy.
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha or the rights to Mary H. Herbert's, Dark Horse. This is strictly for entertainment purposes only. All rights reserved to their original creators.
Dalax: Are Percheron sized horses. They've been known to get up to be approximately twenty-seven hands high. They have long wavy manes and tails and their coat is a glossy black. In my story all Dalax are glossy black and their manes and tails are the colors of their human hair. Their eyes are also the same color, whether they are horse or human. The type that I'm using for this description is the telepathic talk of a Dalax, and in future chapters this will be telepathic speech of a human talking to a Dalax.
Villages: Are small nomadic tribes that move with the seasons. They're not quite big enough to be clans just yet, or they haven't found a permanent place to settle down yet.
Clans: Are a large nomadic tribe that is finally settled down and has found a permanent place to winter. They have permanent structures that they can come back to at any time.
Magic: The nomadic tribes have forbidden its practice. It is now considered taboo for anyone to use magic. If anyone is caught using magic, they are either exiled or put to death.
Zolore: The father God that created the Dalax.
Valica: The mother Goddess of all creation and protector of mages.
Night/Day Watchman: Patrol around the clans perimeter.
Centuries: Are the long-range lookouts. They are also part of the Chieftain's honor guard.
Sentinel: Guard the herds; this is the second most coveted position any clan's person could have. The most coveted is the foaling mares.
Mid Childa: Clan and Village summer gathering.
Al Hazard: An old city of Mages and Magick that has long been dead.
Now let the fantasy begin of my version of Dark Horse. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I enjoy bringing to you.
Zona Rose };-
Dark Storm
By
Zona Rose
Chapter Ten – Allies
Nanoha awoke, surrounded by Fate's arms, to a dimly lit Chieftain's hall. Several women came in, lit the torches, lamps, and prepared to serve a simple meal to those that stayed in the Chieftain's hall. Nanoha ignored the attempts to get her to eat, as her stomach was too tense from worry about what will happen when Hayate wakes up.
The other warriors try talking with her, asking her questions about what had happened. She ignored them all and kept to herself, taking small comfort from Fate next to her. As time went on the one person, she expected to come through the door and demand her death never appeared. Lord Gil never came to the Chieftain's hall, but why. Between Shamal and Hayate, he should have been there by now to drag her out in front of the other clan's men in accusation of her crimes.
"Nanoha, you need to eat something, even if it's a little bit." Fate pleaded.
"I can't. I'm too nervous. I'm afraid if I eat something it'll just come back up again." With understanding in her eyes, Fate kisses Nanoha's temple and tries to comfort her as best she can.
As the moon shifts through the night, a young warrior slips in to the Chieftain's hall. As many of the warriors have returned from their daily duties. It takes him some time to find the one he is looking for. Finally, he makes his way over to Nanoha and Fate.
"Nanoha," he whispered.
Nanoha stood up quickly. So, Lord Gil sent a messenger. She was surprised that he did not come himself or even sent his honor guard. Perhaps he felt she did not deserve either honor. The warrior waved her to follow him. "It is best not to keep Hayate waiting. She is not in the best of moods."
In surprise Nanoha paused, Hayate. Not Lord Gil? "Hayate has summoned me?"
"Yes, she woke up a while ago and was moved into her own tent. She requested your presence," The warrior said irritably.
Nanoha and Fate followed the warrior to the door of Hayate's tent, leaving them; he went to his next assignment. Nanoha had to stop, as her knees were trembling and weak. She looked over to Fate for guidance on what to do next. Fate smiled at her and nodded her head yes, "I'll be right outside the door. What needs to be discussed should only be done with the two of you."
Nanoha sighed as she realized she was going to have to do this alone. Closing her eyes, taking a deep breath of the cool night air, and listened to the activity that was around her. The noises and sounds were pleasantly familiar and the smells of the wood smoke in the barking dogs were all comforts that she relished from her old village, from her people. Gaining strength and courage from those memories and Fate, Nanoha entered the tent of the heir apparent.
Stepping through the tent flap, Nanoha noticed that, Hayate was propped up in a sitting position on her bed mat. The tent was simple but also filled with trophies that were personal to the warrior that was before her. To Nanoha surprise, they were alone. No honor guard and her weapons were far out of her reach. The light in the tent was from a lantern on the center pole it gave just enough light that, if Hayate fell asleep it wouldn't bother her.
Eyeing each other from a distance. Neither one was sure what to say or do. Finally, Hayate motioned Nanoha to a stool. Pouring wine into two cups Hayate took a sip from each one and then handed Nanoha the second cup. "Sit down; you're hurting my neck by being so tall."
With her heart beating a mile a minute and her throat tightening, Nanoha obeyed. Taking a quick swallow of the wine to ease the dryness and tightness of her throat. "You have not told the Chieftain yet?"
She rolled her eyes and grunted, "Not yet. I have some questions that need answering."
"Why haven't you?"
Without saying a word, Hayate points to the cut on her throat. "At first you tried to kill me. Then you ended up changing her mind and brought me back. I want to know why?"
"Fate said that I should trust you," Nanoha whispered.
"She puts too much faith in me."
"I agree." Nanoha says sarcastically.
Hayate cocked her eyebrow in amusement. "And yet you did not kill me, even though I could sentence you to death for the use of magic."
Nanoha looked down at her hands that held the cup of wine. "It was a chance I had to take, I need your help. Besides, I've seen enough blood spilled I don't want to be like Lord Jail and spill innocent blood, even if it's yours."
"Bold aren't you. You nearly kill me, and then ask for my aid." Taking a sip of her wine. She considers the young woman in front of her. "Who are you?"
"I am the youngest daughter of the Chieftain of Uminari village, Nanoha Takamachi."
She snorted, "Doesn't Nanoha mean small blossom? That would be an ill-matched name for the lioness you are. At least you are who you say you are that much is obvious; from what I understand you have your parent's stubbornness and tenacity." Stopping in thought, "How did you escape?"
Nanoha bit her lip in shame, "I hid behind my mother, in the process I was wounded in my right shoulder. Before that I had a disagreement with my father and ran to my mother."
Refilling their wine cups, "What was the disagreement about?"
"My betrothal to someone in your clan." Nanoha ground out. Taking a large gulp of wine to mask the flush of embarrassment on her cheeks.
Hayate stared at her for a few seconds and then laughed out right nearly spilling her wine in the process. This was the first time that Nanoha had heard Hayate laugh, she was amazed by the pleasant change it had made in the woman before her. All the suspicions seemed to melt away as her cold blue eyes warmed for the first time. "I am sorry," Hayate apologized. "I have a hard time imagining anyone trying to tame you into marriage. You're much like your Dalax strong-willed."
A small spark of hope started to grow inside of Nanoha, perhaps, Hayate will keep her secrets. The rage that she had had up in the mountains seems to have cooled and is now more open than she ever has been before. If Nanoha can live just long enough to get her blood right, she doesn't care what happens afterwards.
Hayate's voice brings Nanoha back to the present. "Why did you come to us?" Hayate asked with the seriousness in her voice.
"For the reasons that I told your uncle."
"So, you do want to claim blood right against Lord Jail?" She shook her head in disbelief, "I don't think you have a chance. He is a Chieftain and the rumors of his dabbling in the dark arts goes back to over a year ago. How long have you…?" Hayate did not want to say the word.
"Yes, I want blood right. I'm the only one left that can claim it. I'm entitled to my revenge, even if it's a Chieftain." Nanoha looked back down at her hands, "Moreover, my magic, I was born with it. It has not manifested since I was a small child, at least not until now."
"And your revenge is his death?" Hayate asked slowly. She was taken aback at the venom that was spoken in Nanoha's words. She was unsure how to deal with her behavior and yet the young woman before her was an enigma.
"Of course," With defiance in her eyes.
"Even if your revenge breaks clan law."
Nanoha's face became unreadable. "I will do everything that I must to see Lord Jail is put down like the dog he is."
"He will crush you."
Nanoha nodded her head. "Maybe, but I have to try. There's something else you need to know, Hayate I will use any means or any person to attain my revenge. That includes you."
For a moment, Hayate didn't know how to take this. Was this a threat or just plainly stating a fact. Hayate looked deep into Nanoha's eyes to see if she could just dis turn what that statement was about. The last of her suspicions were laid to rest with the look and those eyes. "Your warning is accepted." She continued looking at the woman before her. "Despite my temper earlier, I have not told my uncle that a mage has infiltrated our clan. You are an intriguing person. Your will and persistence go a long way to balancing out your deceit."
"Will you tell him?"
"Well you didn't leave me to die up in the mountains, even though you could have. I owe you my life for the time being. I won't tell him, but if he ends up finding out in a different way. I will not defend you."
Nanoha nodded her head. She was beginning to understand why Fate and Reinforce trusted Hayate. She was an honorable warrior, as long as you were truthful and honorable she would show you the same. "If I am not to be executed, or exiled, what now?"
"You are still in training, only now your training is going to evolve. If you insist on fighting the Chieftain, you'll have to know more than the tactics I've been teaching you. Your attack on me up in the mountains was atrocious."
Nanoha nodded, stood up and saluted her new ally. "Thank you, Hayate."
"I hate him almost as much as you do. Perhaps between the two of us we can at least disrupt his plans." As Nanoha was about to leave. She added, "You've been courting disaster staying in the Chieftain's hall. I would advise that you either move here or to the healer's tent."
Nanoha was jolted with the offer of both tents. "Shamal knows that I stabbed you."
Hayate laid-back and laughed softly, "She knows more than that as you very well know. She has kept your secrets for some time now."
Nanoha nodded her head yes. Mindlessly. "Good night, Hayate, Fate was right."
As the tent flap closed behind her, Hayate sighed and murmured. "So was Reinforce."
When Nanoha walked into the healer's tent. Shamal was working on drying her herbs. Hearing someone walk through the tent flap. She looked over her shoulder and saw Nanoha standing with all of her belongings. "Good evening, Nanoha. There's a sleeping area over there for you." She pointed to an area that had already been prepared; it was just big enough for two.
"You were expecting me?"
Shamal shrugged her shoulders, "It will be safer if you move out of the Chieftain's hall, and I am the lesser of two evils." Nanoha didn't move still not sure if she was truly welcomed or not. Shamal turned around and faced Nanoha, "You are most welcome to stay here. Hayate and I had a long conversation this afternoon when she woke up. We both figured you would choose my tent over hers."
Nanoha moved her things over into her new sleeping area and start organizing things. "Why have you not told Lord Gil, about… my magic?"
Shamal shrugged her shoulders, "You remind me of someone, someone very dear to me that I lost."
"You're taking quite a risk for an exiled stranger."
"It is enough for me." Shamal's mind seem like it was miles away, or maybe it was years, but the sadness that was both on her face and in her eyes spoke volumes to Nanoha.
"Did this person resemble me or were they a mage?" Nanoha tried to lighten the air in the tent.
Shamal stopped and seemed to think and then walked over to a wine bladder. Taking a deep drink from it, she stopped. "I never touched wine before she died. I really do drink too much of this."
"She?" Nanoha inquired.
"You resemble her in a way: chestnut brown hair and young. However, you are a stronger person; she was a delicate flower. She had married the Sultan's youngest son and I did not stop her."
"Who was she and what happened to her?"
Shamal took another swig of the wine and moved over to her side of the sleeping tent. "It doesn't matter now," she said with sarcasm. "She is dead; she is long gone from this world. But I'm going to do my best to keep you alive, so you better get some rest." She closed her sleeping curtain to end the conversation.
Nanoha sighed; she didn't realize how hard she was pushing Shamal. Whoever this girl was she must have been very close to kindle this kind of response. Fate walked in bringing food and drink. Making her way over to Nanoha, who was still lost in thought.
"Is everything all right?"
Coming out of her thoughts. She realize that Fate was standing in front of her. "Yes, I was just thinking. If you and Reinforce had not forced our hand. I would not realize that I have the allies that I do. It seems I need to listen to you a little bit better than I do."
Fate smiled and handed her, her food and drink. When they were done, they turned out the lamplights and snuggled into bed. Nanoha sleep was, not restful as she once again dreamed of pink lights and powers that were beyond her imagination. Shaking and drenched with sweat. She removed herself from Fates arms, as she didn't want to wake her… soulmate? That was something else she was still trying to wrap her mind around.
When morning finally came, she was still awake with turmoiled thoughts still running through her head.
Lord Gil had learned the next morning that Nanoha had moved out of the Chieftain's hall and into the healer's tent. In a way, it did not surprise him as the two of them shared a bond of two uprooted people and perhaps they were drawn together by similar needs. If that was the case then Lord Gil was pleased.
After the morning meal, Lord Gil headed out for a bit of hunting. Making his way over towards the practice fields, he noticed his niece was teaching Nanoha dueling techniques that she would need to know for her blood right duel.
In his heart, he knew that Nanoha did not have a chance at winning in a duel against the Chieftain. It was a duel that was on strict merits of skill. Skills that she could not acquire in such a short time. The only protection was your sword, as shields and chain mail were not allowed in such duels. Trusting that his niece knew what she was doing. He continued on his way to the hunt.
Seeing her uncle pass by with a worried expression on his face. She turned back to her trainee. "Something has been puzzling me," She inquired. "Where did you learn to use a sword?"
Nanoha smiled sadly, "My older brother and sister thought it was a good idea that I learned how to defend myself."
"Well they could have shown you some hand-to-hand, so you wouldn't have gotten so beat up in the Chieftain's hall."
"If they had shown me what they did. I would've ended up in a cold grave instead of keeping warm with such light work."
"Light work! You impotent little wench, I'll show you light work." Hayate lifted her sword and their blades clashed. Even with her other arm in a sling, she gave Nanoha all that she could. As she knew that Nanoha needed every bit of information, she could give her if she was going to survive her blood right.
"Remember, in a duel the sword is both your weapon and your shield. You must keep this in mind at all times or it will be your undoing." As the noon hour approached, Hayate's stamina and strain from her wound were starting to show. Dismissing Nanoha from their practice, she headed back to her tent to take some herbs for the pain.
Nanoha and Fate took their noon meal in the Chieftain hall. Left to their own devices for the afternoon, Nanoha wanted to be helpful in some way. Therefore, they made their way to were Lady Aria was dividing the food stores for the trek to the gathering. "If you want to help, you're just in time."
It was tedious but yet mindless work. Over the next few hours, they had gotten most everything divided. Lady Aria had been called away, which left Nanoha and Fate to finish the work. They were almost done and on the last bag of grain when a voice that Nanoha had not heard in several months came from the Chieftain's hall.
"The Belkin clan is a powerful clan." The voice said, "It is also a large one, as it is almost overflowing into your Valley."
"I was not aware that Lord Jail was paying attention to our problems. I'm honored, and I suppose you have a solution?" Lord Gil's voice carried into the storeroom.
"Lord Jail does, he feels that the land to the south should be relinquished to you and your heirs. He would be willing to endorse your petition to the Council for such claims on that land."
"That is most gracious of him, but I doubt the clan that sits upon those lands would appreciate my claim to their holy lands."
"You would have nothing to fear, as you would have the combined swords of your clan and ours."
"Combined? And what would I have to give in return for this help?"
"A small tribute once a year, perhaps, to help feed our growing clan. We too are pushing the limits of our winter holdings and our food stores cannot always keep up."
"I see. I would like to consider his generous offer?"
"But of course. You may tell Lord Jail in person at the summer gathering."
"I will do that, was there anything else?"
"Yes, my master asked that I give you this token of his esteem."
Nanoha peeked around the corner to see what was happening, and saw a small pouch being placed into Lord Gil's hand. The jewel that slid out of the pouch was the deepest sapphire Nanoha had ever seen. It is a stone called blue fire and it is a rare stone that was loved by mages.
"He wants you to have this as a reminder."
"This is quite a reminder. Tell your master I will think about his offer."
Lord Jail's representative bowed and left the Chieftain's hall. Lord Gil continued to look at his new gift when his wife called to him. Tucking his new gift in amongst his cloak. He left the room, and drew the tapestry closed behind him to their private quarters.
Nanoha and Fate stepped out of the storeroom. Nanoha made her way to the Chieftain's seat of power. Moving the folds of the cloak. She took the gem in her hand and felt a tingling sensation. After a few moments, an eye developed in the center of the gem.
It looked straight at Nanoha.
A/N: Well everyone there is chapter 10. I want to thank Taiyou Ryu for beta reading this chapter for me.
Any and all reviews are welcomed.
Until next time enjoy the read.
ZR };-