Chapter Eleven... Alienne Quenell.

I reached the room that I would be sharing with Eva that night, I had decided that we would stay here in the palace. I couldn't take Eva home when it was this late. The maid that had been assigned to look after Eva was sat in a chair by the bed. The woman stood up when I entered the room. 'Please, there is no need to stand when I enter. How is Eva, did she go to sleep all right?'

'She went to sleep near enough right away.'

'Thank you for sitting with her.'

'You're welcome, Lady Alienne.'

'You don't have to call me that, what is your name?'

'Julienne.'

'Can I ask you something Julienne?'

'Yes.'

'Do you like working here?'

'I cannot say, if Lord Rahl were to find out.'

'I assure you that whatever is said will stay inside this room. Lord Rahl will not hear anything you say from me.'

'I wouldn't say that I like it, my family needs the money, Lord Rahl pays generously. I just try to keep my head down and stay out of trouble.'

'That is wise.'

'Why do you ask?'

'I just wondered, there are many people here and they look quite happy, sometimes anyway.'

'Sometimes it is better to be at the right-hand of the devil than in his path.'

'Indeed. Julienne, you may go to bed, I'm sure you must be tired.'

'Do you need me to help you with your dress?'

'No, I will be fine, thank you.'

'Goodnight, Lady Alienne.'

'Goodnight Julienne.' I fear that people will always call me Lady Alienne now.

Julienne left the room and I set about removing the dress that I had on, Eva was still fast asleep and I was looking forward to joining her. I was about to unlace the dress when I heard a quiet knock on the door, Rahl wouldn't come here, would he? I opened the door to find Natalia stood there. 'Lady Alienne, Lord Rahl wishes you to join him in his private chambers.'

'Can't it wait, it is very late.'

'Lord Rahl has need of your presence.' I sighed, it appears that getting some rest would have to wait.

'Very well, I will be along in a moment.' I wrapped a shawl around my shoulders, the night was cold and I was beginning to feel it.

I followed Natalia through the many corridors of the palace, I wasn't sure that I would be able to find my way back, everywhere looked the same. I wondered what Rahl wanted, I had done everything that he asked of me that evening. I had played nice with the rich people at his party and now he wanted more from me, I didn't want to think too much about what he might want from me. Natalia stopped in front of a large, ornately carved door. 'Go in, Lord Rahl is expecting you.' I nodded at Natalia and turned the handle, I was quite curious about what Rahl's room would look like.

I stepped inside, the room was much as I expected it to be, a very large bed in the centre, long drapes around either side and across the back and front. There were candles spread throughout the room, almost on every surface. It was the candles that surprised me, some were needed for light but I wouldn't have expected this many. I took a few more steps into the room, Rahl had his back to me, I wondered if he was unaware of my presence. I looked up, intending to speak, I swiftly lowered my gaze when I realised that Rahl had no shirt on. 'If it pleases you to look then do so.' He had known I was here all along, I have to wonder if he had planned this.

I kept my eyes lowered until I heard a rustle of fabric and I was certain that he had covered up. 'Is there a reason you called me here?'

'Perhaps.'

'Is there or isn't there?'

'I have something for you.' Rahl held out a pile of red fabric to me.

'What is it?'

'A thank you gift.' I moved as close as I dared and took the pile of cloth from him, I carefully shook them out and realised that they were cloaks. One was smaller and clearly made for Eva, they were made of very fine material and would keep us warm on the journey to and from the palace. 'Thank you.' Rahl had been watching me all the time I was looking at the cloaks.

'You're welcome. Tell me, what magic do you have that weaves a spell over my Mord'Sith.'

'Magic?'

'Yes, everyone in the ballroom was quite taken with you, even the best guards in the palace.'

'I do not know, all I did was sing.'

'Perhaps, or perhaps not.'

'I think you are seeing magic where there is none.' Rahl raised his eyebrows and sat on the edge of his bed.

'Maybe you should join me, it is quite comfortable here.'

'I do not think it would be appropriate.' Rahl stood up and walked around me, I did not know what game he was playing.

I stood quite still as Rahl continued walking around. 'To the eye you look quite normal, my instinct tells me that there is more to you than I know about.'

'I do not know what you mean.' I wanted to keep my gift for sensing poison hidden for as long as possible, unless something came about that meant I had to reveal it then my gift would stay hidden.

'Lady Alienne, do you think of the future?'

'The future?'

'Yes, marriage and children, everything that people seem to want.'

'Who can trust marriage in this time? With all the fighting who is ever able to trust the vows they make?'

'A fair point. You must want love, every woman does, don't they?'

'Without stability I fear that love means nothing.'

'Stability, you seek a man that can provide for you?'

'I seek a man that I can rely on, a man that I can trust.'

'A wise thing to say.'

'I have Eva to think of, she needs a stable life. That is why I seek someone who can give us that stable life that we need.' Rahl nodded, I hadn't imagined that he would understand anything that I had just said. I thought it best not to ask what he meant by that nod. 'You're not going to find me a man to marry are you?' Rahl's mouth twitched into a smile and he laughed, I put my hands on my hips. 'What is so funny?'

'I could never find a man to take you, at least not in this court. You're wilful, disobedient, and have quite the sharp tongue.' I couldn't help myself, his comments made me smile, I was all the things that he had said and few more that he didn't know about. 'I suppose I am, you say it like it is a bad thing. A real man wouldn't be threatened by those things.'

'A real man?' Rahl raised his eyebrows again. 'I wonder what man could tame you.'

'Not any that I know.' I caught a faint smile on Rahl's face again, it surprised me that he was so relaxed, his face changed when he smiled and he looked younger.

Rahl sat back down on his bed, it looked too big for him. My thoughts turned to my own bed, it had been a very long day. 'Lady Alienne, I thank you for your services this evening. My guests were quite enchanted by your voice. You may go, I am sure that you must be tired.'

'Thank you, for the cloaks too.' I picked up the cloaks and walked to the door, it creaked as I opened it. 'Goodnight Lord Rahl.'

'Goodnight Lady Alienne.' I closed the door quietly behind me and followed Natalia back to my room, I was glad that she was there for I would not have been able to find my way there by myself.

I tiptoed about the room I was sharing with Eva, I had hung the dress I had been wearing in the wardrobe and changed into a simple nightdress. The cloaks that Rahl had given us were in there too. I was surprised that he had been that thoughtful, getting us something that would shield us from the cold weather. I had softened towards Rahl a little bit, despite his earlier transgression he had treated me with respect. Perhaps even a tyrant like Rahl can change.

I was quite confused, I climbed into the bed and hoped that sleep would make things clearer for me. 'Alienne?' Eva's sleepy voice came from under the covers.

'I'm here, go back to sleep.'

'I saw you dance with Darken, he looks like he is a good dancer. Do you think he will show me how to dance?'

'Perhaps he will.'

'Will you ask him for me?'

'I will, now go to sleep.' Eva settled back down in the covers, she seemed quite happy to go to sleep now that she had made me promise to ask Rahl to teach her to dance. I saw no harm in Eva learning to dance, it would be good for her to learn something new.

I watched Eva until I was sure that she was asleep, I only hoped that Rahl wouldn't wake us too early in the morning. My mind was full of questions that didn't have answers, I decided to put them aside and try to get some rest. I closed my eyes and tried to quiet the chatter in my head, there was plenty of time to try and find the answer to the questions I had in the morning. Why Rahl was so interested in finding out whether I wanted to marry not was at the front of my mind. I had no intention of marrying anyone, not yet anyway.

I turned over and put everything out of my mind, I was beginning to learn the piano tomorrow, something tells me that I would need all my concentration. I did relish the idea of learning a new skill, I wasn't about to tell Rahl that though. It was better for him if I challenged him every so often, just so that he doesn't get too complacent. I smiled and pulled the covers up around me, the night had turned quite cold and I was glad of the thick blankets that were on this bed. I adjusted the pillows to how I liked them and closed my eyes, it was going to be another long day tomorrow and I was determined to get some answers to my questions.

I had been asleep for some time when I heard a voice calling me, a female voice. I thought it might be Mistress Natalia and Rahl wanted me again but when I looked up I noticed a woman dressed all in white. Her presence was comforting and soothing and at once I knew who she was. 'Creator.' I bowed my head and she smiled.

'Alienne, my child, I have a task for you.'

'A task? What could you need from me?'

'You were born for this task my child, the road ahead will be hard but it is not beyond your capability.'

'What do you need me to do?'

'You must unite the siblings of the House of Rahl to bring about the final defeat of the Keeper.'

'Richard and Lord Rahl would never join forces, they worked to kill each other not long ago.'

'Indeed, they did, but the time for that is past, there is a new destiny now and with your help the brothers will unite and work together, just as they have done before.'

'What happens if I do not unite them?'

'The world will end, continuing on this path can only bring about the end of both Richard and Darken Rahl. The Keeper will win and we will all be doomed.'

'I understand, how do I do it?'

'Your path in is through Darken Rahl, convince him that a truce with the Seeker is the best thing for all of D'Hara. Choose your words carefully, he trusts you already so it shouldn't be too hard.'

'I am glad you have faith in me.'

'I do, I made you Alienne, saw what you would do for the world. You must act as mediator between Richard and Darken Rahl, first you must work on bringing them together and then we will go from there.'

'Yes, Creator.' The Creator smiled once more and she disappeared into the night.

I lay my head back onto the pillow, the Creator had given me much to think about. How was I going to unite the two sworn enemies of this world without them killing each other first? I would try to get some sleep, this was not going to be an easy task and I would need to be fully rested if I was to succeed.