Chapter 21

Jade surprised herself by sleeping through the night. She would have expected a sleepless night full of tossing and turning but no, as soon as her head hit the pillow last night, she was out. She woke up that morning deciding never to underestimate her power to sleep.

The morning was normal, birds chirping, sun shining but it wasn't normal today, Jade had a feeling would be anything but normal. She watched out the window for a while, would this be the last morning she saw? Jade had tried to avoid these thoughts, she didn't need them, they were a waste. She wasn't going to spend her the morning crying in bed, that wasn't her. She was going to do what she had to defend what was hers, she was no weepy child.

She took a deep breath, got dressed, braided her long hair once more, and walked downstairs.

Mathew wasn't in the kitchen, she hadn't heard any movement at all from down there so she was surprised to see him in the living room, sitting tensely by the window, watching.

She cleared her throat and he turned. His green eyes bloodshot, his face light pink. Jade immediately felt like she had intruded, he had obviously been crying.

"Uh, I…" She began but trailed off. "I'll leave." But before she turned to leave, he shook his head and smiled softly.

"Don't,"

She wasn't sure what to do, so she stood there awkwardly.

He turned back to the window and sighed. "I really don't have much to cry about, my mother is safe in the mountains, I have no one to worry for. Still, I can't help feeling that this won't turn out in our favor. I honestly can say I think there is a good chance I will die today."

Looking at Mathew's depressed face, and seeing the much needed comfort, she felt that perhaps this would be the time for an inspirational speech of some kind. Instead she shook her head and went all out blunt. "Bullshit." His looked taken aback but Jade continued. "Don't be wallowing in your despair, Mathew Auden. What happens happens, I'm going to fight and I aim to win."

A familiar smile crept up on his face, "It's that simple."

"That simple," She agreed.

He grinned, "That is possibly the best worst way to cheer someone up."

She shrugged, "Take it or leave it,"

"I'll take it," He said smiling at her, his eyes watching her own, the bright light coming in from the window causing shadows to cast over the left side of his face but highlighting the right. His green eyes were back to their usual brightness; his blond hair highlighted gold in the sunlight.

She returned the smile. "So, now that were done crying about our impending doom, what's for breakfast?"

(Character Change)

Maya didn't sleep well. She wasn't sure she slept at all; she had eventually given up on trying to and took to watching for the sun rise out of her window. She had sat in some kind of trace, half enjoying life, looking at everything as if it one of Notch's masterpieces, half crying as she looked at all the beauty, not knowing how long it or she would last.

Almost too soon, however, the sun did rise, and voices were heard inside the castle, and she watched people march to take their places guarding the city walls.

So Maya pulled herself away from the window, no longer able to deny the harsh reality that day brought. Going to her wardrobe, she decided to ditch her unreasonable dresses and shoes and wear clothes that she could actually move in.

Grace came in just as she was pulling on her boots, and with her, to Maya's surprise, came her father. Gareth Windhearth was no longer in his rich robes, no crown sat amongst his graying brow hair, no jewels decorated his chest. He wore iron armor and a belt of ranging weapons, he was prepared for battle.

Maya stood up, and faced her father, her father made a gesture to Grace that she should leave and Grace did, shutting the door behind her.

Maya faced her father head on; she looked into his brown eyes that had passed on to all of her siblings but Luke and her. He looked back; he did not look angry, Maya observed, but her father was a king, and a king knew how to mask his emotions.

"Maya," He said in greeting.

"Father," She said back, sharply.

He raised his eyebrows at her tone of voice but didn't comment on it. "I have arranged for you, Grace, and a couple of knights to go into the mountains this morning. The horses are being prepared as we speak." He said it smoothly; he said it as if an order, as if he didn't expect her to object.

She shook her head, a sudden burst of rebelliousness swelling up inside her. "No, I am staying here to fight." She mimicked his tone of voice, trying to make it sound like an order. Unfortunately, you couldn't order the king around, or even your own father.

"Maya, I am tired of all of this! You will go into the mountains." His voice was insistent, his eyes demanding. Still Maya stayed her ground.

"You can't make me go. I won't go."

He shook his head. "Maya I am your father! You will do what I say. What is all of this? You think you can last out there Maya? This is going to a battle, an ugly battle. What experience do you have?"

"I have my trainin-"

"Training? You're fifteen! You can not fight." He threw his hands in the air, clearly getting frustrated.

"Oh right, but hardly all Luke, James, and Nathan have had is training and they get to fight! I can do just as well as them!"

"You are younger and-"

"And I'm a little girl right? That's the other reason. I am a little girl who looks just like my mother so you have to assume I am as fragile and weak as her."

"Your mother was not weak!"

"Oh wasn't she? Then why is she dead?" She asked hotly, she wasn't sure where it came from but it flew from her mouth, to late to take back.

"Maya I!" He looked speechless, completely flabbergasted. "Your mother was the strongest person I knew. How dare you say she was weak? You hardly knew her."

Maya furrowed her brow, throwing up her hands. "Your right, I never had the privilege, I don't know what she liked, what she sounded like, what made her happy, what made her sad. I would have loved too, but I don't know because she is dead and you will never talk about it."

He stared at her, his face pale from her last words. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed "You want to know?"

She looked up, trying not to cry. "Of course,"

He gazed out the window for a moment, his eyes pooling with tears, finally, he looked back at her and smiled weakly. "She is you." He said, quietly. "I swear you two are like the same person. You look just like her, Maya. You are the same height; she was maybe an inch shorter but only an inch. Sometimes, after I say something I imagine what her response might be and I hear it out loud, right out of your mouth. She laughed a lot; she was always trying to find a way to help, to please everybody. Like you. She was quiet but she would fight for what she wanted." He chuckled lowly. "I don't think I ever won a fight with her. She loved to watch the stars, sometimes she would stay out late for hours, just to watch. She hated fights, she preferred peace, though, she could definitely hold her own. She hated to see things hurt, she never liked it when I would go out hunting and whatever game was brought back, she made sure I ate it; she wasn't going to see an animal's life wasted. She loved to dance, she loved music in general. She could play the harp like no other. She would gather all you children around when she played, and teach you songs and dances. She loved you, all of you. She was so happy to have a girl, Maya; she picked out your name. I thought of naming you Lillian after your grandmother but she wanted it to be Maya. She was happy to be having another child after you, really, she had wanted six children." He stopped, his voice to shaky to continue.

Maya was crying, the silent kind, tears were coming off her face and dripping of her chin and nose. She never knew. Her heart throbbed painfully for her mother, some one who was like her. She is you.

"I see her in you everyday; I couldn't bear it if I lost you, Maya."

"Father," She said, stepping up to him. "I know you want me safe, I want you safe too. I want to fight, please let me fight. It is something I can stand up for, let me make you proud."

He touched her cheek, "You already do." He had tears making his brown eyes soft and wet. He pulled her into an embrace; she burrowed her head in his shoulder. It felt very good to be hugged by her father, warm and soft. He smelled like pine and soap, he smelled like her father. He kissed the crown of her head and whispered in her ear, his voice reluctant and pained. "You can fight."

(Character Change)

Jade gaped, openmouthed at the gleaming piece of perfection before her, "Mathew… I could never." In front of her held hilt up was a bright, shining blue sword. A diamond sword, beautifully crafted, made for a knight.

Mathew grinned at her reaction. "You're really turning this sword down? It is just my practice one, I have another."

"I…"

"Take it." He said thrusting it closer to her.

She reached out and took the worn, comfortable hilt. She lifted it, it was incredibly balanced, lighter then any sword she had wielded. Mathew smiled as she turned the sword around in her hands, making it catch the light.

"No pigman will stand a chance against you with that sword." He said, "If you can make Basil break a sweat with just an iron sword, you can work wonders with a diamond one."

She smiled, still slightly in awe of the brilliance she was holding. "I can't wait to try it out."

His face darkened, if only slightly. "I'm sure you'll get your chance."

She looked away from the sword, up in to his eyes. "Thank you," And Notch did she mean it.

(Character Change)

A massive swarm of creatures crowded around large portals. Shrieks and cries of war rang out in the hot, stuffy air. The noise of the gathering could be heard all across the bleak, burnt land. It was noise, crowds, anger, some might call it chaos.

One shrill cry silenced the rest and in that moment, no air stirred. A voice of a demon could be heard; he projected it so it was as loud as the noise before. Everything listened, it seemed for a moment even the lava stopped its crackle. The demon went on talking or shouting rather until the demon pushed forward his son. His son, sounding different then his father, seemed not to have the same effect on the creatures, murmurs were cast among the crowd, the lava resumed its crackling but still, the boy yelled out to the crowd.

"We fight for power, power that is our right to have!" He sounded young, his words sounding rehearsed. "We shall take the land from the humans! They are unworthy of it. I can rule much better then any human could! And you, you all can dwell there, we will be the winners, the first of our kind to not dwell in one realm but two!" There was a pause and then the young boy shouted. "Who shall join me in this new era?" His final words were lost in the sound of stomping feet, cries of agreement, and banging of shields. The army surged forward, marching towards the large purple portals and one by one, they disappeared into a haze of whirling smoke.

Laurent watched, his mind still spinning from the adrenaline of his speech. His father ginned wickedly and laughed, he couldn't seem to help himself. Laurent looked at him darkly but his father just chuckled some more and shook his head. "Ah Laurent, those humans won't stand a chance."

Did my linebreak survive? I suppose I'll see…Sorry for the short chapter. I just felt like killing you guys with another cliffhanger so there.

Hope you enjoyed this story! Thank you all so much for reading. :) I really had a great time writing this!

Did I trick anyone? Don't worry it's not over yet, still got a couple chapters so hang in there folks!

Reviews:

MindBlank: Four times! That sounds awful, I didn't fly anyone this year but I did take a very, very, very long eighteen hour drive. Thank you, honestly, I even face palmed but oh well, Maya does what she wants. ;) Enjoy being back in your own house or castle or shack or mansion or apartment. Whatever! Enjoy being where you live.

FeeDragon: No problem buddy, somehow, I think your exams are more important then reviewing my story. ;) Thanks for reviewing, no matter how late!

I guess that is it…I should be done typing now. My sympathy is with everyone who is going back to school! But you know, I have an awesome school called The Kitchen Table. Our slogan is: You can come in your pajamas! I know how lucky I am to be homeschooled, I am not trying to rub the fact that I can burst out in song about how much I hate math and I won't even get detention for it. ;) Anyway, I do feel for you, there was a time when I too was in the public school system. I'm just gonna end this here.

Wishing you all a good weekend!

-Bailey