Hello this is black-venom-heart writing to you from the future year of 20011; thank you to KarmaHope for pointing out that date mistake last chapter. Anywho, this chapter is dedicated to KarmaHope because she spotted most of my mistakes. Sorry KarmaHope, I love Roger and it would have been a great story if Roger was Selene's father but the dates don't match up. Selene would be thirty by now if Roger was her father. Furry Mckrill: No Neal is not Selene's knight master, sorry dear. Aria657: No Kitten is just an Immortal and not Selene's familiar. She will have one later on. Ok new bully in this story since this Alden was too easily defeated.
In the pale pink dawn of a crisp spring morning, Selene was leaning out from her window taking in the beautiful view that lay before her. Spring had come in earnest with monsoon rain over the past weeks which had cleared away the heavy snow that blanketed the land since November, leaving the earth awash in slugging mud. The warming weather of April had seemed to cleanse and brighten the spirits of the palace inhabitants since the winter had brought nothing but despair and agitation within the walls. Selene stretched out her arms to take in the cool air, so unlike the harsh bitterness of winter. Kitten leapt up onto the windowsill next to her as if to caution her so that Selene would not fall out of the window. Together, they enjoyed the glorious sunrise of that morning: clouds were streaked with cherry pink and violet streaks and the soft glow of gold hinted on the horizon. The pealing of bells sounded over the numerous chirps of the songbirds on the palace roof. Selene lightheartedly waved as a small flock fluttered past her window. Kitten snapped playfully at the passing birds earning her a stern chiding from Selene. A knock at her door drew the girl's attention away from the sunrise.
"Selene, are you awake?" She heard Robyn speak from the other side of the door.
Selene closed her window with a sigh. "Coming!" She belted on her own small sword, one that she had welded with the help of Dom who, at the urgings of Kel and the subtle threats of Evan to tear his hair out if Dom didn't watch out for Selene, had helped her form her very first sword. It small, suited just for her and she would have to replace it as she got older.
"Come on Selene, hurry up," Robyn said impatiently in a sluggish morning voice. Selene grumbled about Robyn's audacity; surely just because he had turned twelve in February did not give him the right to boss her around. By now, he should know better that she did not take orders but from a select few. Dorian had celebrated his birthday not long after that, although with their work load there was not much time to celebrate. They had been given small presents by their friends though. Selene swung open the door suddenly, much to Robyn's surprise who fell backwards.
"Very smooth indeed, your Highness." As always Selene used the honorific with an exaggerated sarcastic tone.
"An exemplary show of the grace and elegance befitting royalty," yawned Dorian as he arrived.
"Since when are you such in a talkative mood in the morning?" Selene asked suspiciously. It was not like Dorian to talk much at all.
"Since when have we had such a marvelous day ahead of us?" Matheo materialized next to Selene and put an arm around her slender shoulders. Selene slapped his hand away. He had been doing that lately, ever since Selene had gone through a growth spurt of about five inches in the last four months bringing her height up to a whooping five feet two inches. She was now taller than Dorian and Leo and about the same height as Robyn. Liam was still taller than all of them and of course Matheo still towered above the younger pages. But as Selene reasoned, Matheo was older so it didn't count.
Matheo stretched his arms above his head and waved over two other boys of his age, Mikhail of Wellam and Gabriel of Meron (AN: Real fiefs in Tortall).
"I see you still hang with this little witch." Mikhail rudely pointed at Selene. She gave him the finger and was about to protest further when Gabriel caught her off with a slight laugh.
"You should know Mikhail that 'this little witch' killed more hurrocks last fall than Raoul and Padraig did together." Gabriel's auburn hair shone like dark copper wire in the golden sunlight from the spring sun. "But since your mathematic skills suck you couldn't be able to figure that out."
"Don't you even dare bring that into this!" snarled Mikhail "This is about her!"
"Yeah thanks don't worry I haven't heard a word you've said." Selene said sarcastically and rolled her eyes.
"Yes you are deaf as a bat and as ugly as one too." Came the cold drawling voice of Felzhair A'hemd. The Bazhir nonchalantly strolled towards them and stood next to Mikhail who looked at the dark-skinned boy with a mixture of fear and disgust. Kitten curled protectively around Selene's leg and glared up at the new boy with serpentine eyes.
Selene sighed and crossed her arms across her faintly raised chest. "That's funny, coming from someone who looks like a camel's ass."
Felzhair, Selene's new arch nemesis, blushed and narrowed his eyes. "Quite the charmer aren't you? Any other perks that you're hiding?" Selene reckoned that if Felzhair used any more sarcasm his jaw would fall off.
"Do you mean the secret perk where I'm able to kick your ass and make you cry in less than thirty seconds? Yeah I'm hiding that one."
Felzhair strode up to Selene so that they were standing chest to chest, mere centimeters separating them. "Listen to me girl," Felzhair emphasized this word as if it were a dirty insult. "While I am more patient than that infidel of an oaf Alden, I am much more dangerous than anyone you will meet here." He hissed.
"If you're any more dangerous than standing next to Leo when he's wielding a sword than I might have something to worry about." Selene retorted. "For now I think you're number one hundred sixty-two on my list of things to worry about, right after fluffy bunny rabbits."
Selene was worried when a smile spread over Felzhair's face. "You think you're pretty smart don't you?" He uttered.
"No," Selene answered coolly, confidence and a smudge of arrogance evident in her voice. "I know that I'm smart."
Felzhair threw back his head and laughed a cruel and empty mocking laughter. "You would have been executed long ago if you had grown up in my tribe." Kitten flicked her tail in annoyance and extended her claws further than normal, feeling the rising anger of her mistress. Felzhair had proven to be a formidable foe to be reckoned with. While he had not openly fought her, in the past few months he had always shoved her roughly, made snarky comments when she was in earshot and threatened her. Selene knew that Felzhair was itching for the chance to find her alone and hold true to all of the nasty threats he had sent her way. It was unnerving the way he looked at her, like a vulture waiting to stoop down on its prey. She was also quite sure that there was something entirely wrong with his mind as had gotten in trouble recently for torturing small animals. The fourth year page had only the company of two other Bazhir boys as most others were quite right to fear Felzhair.
Robyn, who had grew impatient, grabbed Selene by the hand and nudged Liam and the others to leave as to get away from this crazy Bazhir. "We'd love to hear stories of your troubled childhood and your Camel-Butt-Tribe but I'm hungry and you're getting on my nerves. Good day." With that, the youngest prince of Tortall and his friends left the hallway. Mikhail and Gabriel came with them since Matheo was dragged along.
"That is one boy I would not want to meet in a dark alley," Gabriel shuddered. Selene still couldn't decide if she liked this boy or not, even though she had known him for almost eight months. Gabriel was good-looking enough, longish auburn hair and hazel eyes with a slightly hooked nose. He was a tall boy and very toned from years of practice. He had a charming personality and while he could be reserved at times, he spoke often and was very smart. On the downside, this was all from Selene's observation as she and Gabriel never had spent "quality" time together as Matheo had put it. Mikhail could be nice at times but it seemed the boy had not yet come to term with a girl page. Mikhail himself had dark brown eyes and a mop of curly dusty brown hair. He was stout with a strong jawline was a hardy survivor, living near the turbulent border of Tortall and Tyra. While Mikhail was only a second year, Gabriel and Matheo were in the third year. It surprised Selene to count the number of people she had become friends with and even more so the number of people who weren't exactly friends but a part of her daily life. Breakfast was a loud affair that morning, pages and squires alike eager to finally be able to train outside for the first time since November. Haminch had once tried to order them out in March but they returned after discovering they mud came up to their ankles. Needless to say, every one that afternoon had disliked Haminch much more than usual. Morning classes today passed by too slowly and even Selene's session with Evan could not go by fast enough. She continually tapped her foot or formed small floating fires in front of her out of boredom and impatience. Evan knew they were not going to make any progress that morning and instead let her make fire figures and such.
"Actually," Evan muttered. He watched Selene unsuccessfully attempt to conjure a life-size fire horse, a form well beyond her capabilities. "How would like to make a familiar?"
Selene looked up. "I thought you said I was too young to try anything like that?"
"Yes now you are," He came to sit down next to her. "But maybe not next year. You see if you keep practicing, if you keep pushing yourself than eventually you can do whatever you like."
The orange-eyed girl looked thoughtfully at the ceiling for a second. "Is it a hard spell?"
"Extremely." Selene looked at her teacher in disbelief and Evan only laughed and hugged her tightly, ignoring her protests.
Selene blocked Robyn's overhead slash with her shield and countered it with her own downward slash, a blow that might split Robyn in two if they had been using real swords. The leather training armor was hotter for Selene than it was for her opponent, her Gift rising her body temperature several degrees higher than a normal human. Robyn managed to dodge Selene's swing but still ended up getting a hard rap to his shoulder. He sucked in his breath sharply and shook the sweat dripping from the ends of his hair. Gripping his stick tighter, Robyn attempted an attack to Selene's flank but she brought up her stick to block it and parried it. Robyn stepped forward and attempted a ballestra move, hoping to catch Selene off guard. The girl instead moved to the side and slashed at her opponent's chest, which he had kept wide open. Robyn could not move in time and Selene got him square in his chest. Robyn withdrew, wheezing, and swung at her other side, Selene ready for this move as Robyn had tried the same maneuver three times now. Haminch had spotted Robyn's repeated mistake.
"An enemy with half a brain can easily track that move and you'll be dead before you know it," he yelled out. "That's enough of you two." Selene and Robyn gratefully relaxed and took off their sweat-lathered armor.
"That was pretty brutal," Robyn said as they gulped down the water they were given.
"For you maybe," Selene wiped her forehead with her sleeve and retied her hair that had become loose during their mock fight.
"I think you're getting to be a pretty good swordswoman," Matheo winked at Selene, who had been present to oversee the entire fight. She poked the older boy in the side with her stick. Matheo grabbed it and twisted it out of her grasp and playfully nudged her. Selene gasped; the insolence of him!
"Hey you two if you're done flirting with each other let's go to the archery range." Robyn called back to them.
Selene flushed and kicked Matheo in the shins before following Robyn. Flirting indeed, she thought. She was small, skinny and not as developed as other girls her age. There was no way Matheo was interested in her like that! Besides her goal was not to lay with as many men as she could. No, her goal was to earn her shield. Robyn was only teasing but Selene decided to pull a prank on him for punishment and would ask Liam to help her later.
Archery was a much more calming affair, if knight training could be called calming. There was no enemy standing in front of her intent on killing her, no constant thinking needed for survival. Archery was a one-man matter, the only goal was the target in front of her. Selene strung her longbow, a weapon usually used by men older and stronger than her. Having advanced for beyond the small bow of pages, Selene felt confident in her capabilities to wield this. She notched a green-fletched arrow to the string and pulled it back. She took a deep breath, straightening her arm across her chest, keeping her wrist still and keeping a light but firm grip on her bow. Selene closed one eye to get a better view of the target one hundred yards away and adjusted her angle. She let loose the arrow and it flew straight through the air pounding into the center of the red bulls-eye. She grinned and notched another arrow again and again and again all landing on the red bulls-eye. Suddenly, an arrow landed on her target that was most definitely not hers. She turned to find Liam smirking as his arrow landed dead center just as all of hers had done.
"I think we might actually be equal in this," Liam said as he came to stand next to her.
"Let's find out shall we?" Selene challenged him.
"Whatever you wish m'lady," Liam smiled. Like his older brother Matheo, Liam could be quite the charmer. Selene searched around for a suitable target.
"Alright then those two apples hanging off the tree," She pointed to a tree that was further away than their practice target. They both checked to see where their instructor was and when the cost was clear, launched their arrows. Both of them managed to hit the target and the apples fell to the ground with a plunk.
"That is not an appropriate target pages," Their instructor had evidently seen their game. He came over and pulled at his greying beard. Unlike their other instructors, Lord Yajsaik was more apt to think before yelling out and was calmer and more patient. He was also quicker to helpfully correct a mistake than berate you for it. He had come from Sarain and was an old friend of Thayet's. He had escaped from the corrupted and murderous society to Tortall and Thayet had greeted him happily, as he had been a family ally. He recently took up the position of archery trainer and the boys adored him.
"But I might add that was very good work." Lord Yajsaik added. "We might have you shoot moving targets next." He was contemplating on how to do so when he bell rung that marked the end of afternoon practice. Evening was falling on the palace and the pages made their way to the baths to scrub off the fine layer of grime and sweat from the day's work. Selene ran to the women's baths as it was closer and faster than running up to her room to take one. In the bath, she discovered new cuts and bruises and applied ointment so that she would not be so sore tomorrow. Selene stood in front of the mirror and unhappily noted the growing of her chest. Her mood darkened every time she got dressed and now had to wear a small breastband. It made her feel incredibly self-conscious when she was around her friends and was a reminder that she was simply a girl, whether she wished to admit it or not. She tried to move her tunic so that it might be less noticeable for her own comfort, but there was no hiding it: she was growing into a woman and eventually would have to embrace it. She sighed deeply and tied her damp hair back into her usual braid and along with Kitten, went to the dining hall to wait on the nobles at dinner. She staggered back to her room late at night and dropped unceremoniously into bed, completely exhausted.
Alanna the Lioness sat up suddenly in bed, panting hard as her heart beat wildly. It took her mere moments to discern her surroundings and was reassured of her safety as she realized she was in her bedchambers. She brought up her knees so that her head might rest on them. Alanna's shaking hands clutched at her fiery red hair and she took a few calming breaths. It seemed that the Goddess had seen fit to intervene in her life once more. Her nightmare had started off as a regular dream: random memories of her time as a squire. But it was not her face that had seen: it was her youngest son's, Leo. Selene had been there too, although both had been older. Leo had grown into a tall handsome young man while Selene had been harder to see, more hazy than anything else, but older all the same. Roger had appeared, but it wasn't quite Roger. Orange magic had bloomed and Alanna had woken up. The dream was more than discomforting, it was frightening. Alanna could not understand why but few things frightened her that much.
Next to her, George stirred under the bedsheets and opened his eyes to see his wife sitting in bed with her head cradle between her hands.
"You alright love?" He sat up and hugged the small woman to his chest.
"Nothing but a horrible dream," Alanna tried to play it off. It was still somewhere in the dark hours of the night and she knew she would not be able to sleep now.
"I don't think ye'd be so worked up about a mere dream," George murmured.
"George," she said firmly. The baron of Pirate's swoop knew his wife well enough to know that the matter was closed, but only for the time being.
"Well I'm always here for ye, ye know that lass," Hearing her pet name, Alanna relaxed slightly and snuggled against her husband. "Now why don't we try to sleep some more? Morning's soon to come and'll dispel any of yer bad thoughts." Alanna laid against George, her husbands armed wrapped protectively around her. He soon fell asleep while orange fire and Roger haunted her to dawn's light.
"You go in first."
"No, you go it was your idea."
"I'll burn you if you don't go in."
"I don't think this is a good idea."
"Well you're always afraid of something!"
"Stop that! It's not fair!"
"Grgh! I'll put you in a headlock!" Selene, Robyn, Leo and Dorian were quietly arguing and threatening each other in front of the door to Liam's room in the early dawn hours of morning.
Robyn sighed. "Alright on three we'll all go in together. Agreed?" They nodded and Robyn held up his fingers, counting towards three. They burst into Liam's room in an explosion of noise and awoke a startled Liam.
"Happy Birthday!" His friends shouted in unison. Liam was bewildered and had thought momentarily that they had come to murder him.
"Umm, thanks?" Liam stammered.
"We made this especially for you." Dorian proudly held out a small cake to Liam. He took it and surveyed it with suspicion.
"Is this poisonous?" He asked warily.
Selene threw up her hands in the air and Kitten off a sound that sounded much like a dragon's laugh. "I've never been more offended. A poisoned cake for a friend, really Liam we're not that heartless."
"You're always offended by something." Robyn sighed. Selene punched him in his arm, giving proof to Robyn's statement.
"Usually I'm just offended by idiots."
"Anyway," Leo interrupted. "Happy Birthday Liam, that's all of ours' gift to you." He grinned mischievously, a rare occasion for him. "I gave the poisoned cake to Felzhair."
The entire room was shocked and looked at Leo in amazement.
"I love you Leo," said Selene absently. The rest of the boys burst into laughter while Leo stood there blushing a bright cherry red.
South of the northern Grimhold Mountains…
Artis had taken a small room in a modest inn in the foothills of the mountain. How glorious it was to return to civilization after so long! He could not fathom why he had not done so long ago. That early spring day he descended from the mountains leading the mule he had stolen from the thief in the dead of winter. The pass had been blocked by snow so Artis had taken shelter in another cave while waiting for warmer weather to melt the blockading snow. It had been a wonder to walk into a human town once more, although he had given the landlady of the inn a dreadful fright. Of course he had not shaved nor cut his hair for quite some time. His clothes had been patched and torn and immediately set out to buy new ones, or rather steal from unsuspecting shopkeepers as he had no money. He emerged later that evening from his room, clean shaven and hair trimmed to medium length in respectable clothing. He was very handsome, the landlady had thought after she had seen him and immediately regretted treating him badly before. Artis took no notice and inquired as to where he might buy a horse. He found a seller and traded his mule for a strong black stallion.
Artis headed off that day riding his newly named horse, Charon. Finally, he set out on his long put off quest of revenge, one that he had promised to carry out under pain of death…
I should have updated more this week but school work is always first. I also did a little bit of research on medieval weapons so I don't sound completely like a Mary-Sue when I write about it. More new characters; if you think it's too OC well I have to give names to the mysterious unnamed people in my story. But they're all tied in to the original series anyway so it doesn't matter. I'm just filling in the blanks. I finalized Selene's family tree. I must add it's veerryy interesting. Enjoy, review and read my other SL story if you haven't already! One more thing: I know there are a lot of girl readers out there but are there any guys? I'm just wondering out of curiosity nothing weird.
Bonus question: Who exactly is Charon ?