Chapter Thirty-six: Leave-takings

Lucas drifted, somewhere between waking and dreaming. Images of Ana surrounded him, of her as he had first seen her, the unconscious bundle slung over Will's saddlebow. Of her practicing her exercises, the two practice swords working in perfect unison. Of her laughing happily around a fire and dancing in the arms of his king. And finally he saw her lifted by her throat by the person she had trusted and loved, struggling helplessly as the life was wrung out of her…

Lucas awoke with a start, the last image of Marc and Ana still before in his eyes. Fear and panic rose inside him, as they had when he'd first heard of Ana's disappearance. Taking deep breaths, he forced himself into a calmer state, pushing aside the horrible image his dream had left him with. Ana had been gone an entire day. They were supposed to have left tomorrow for the Trials, but without Ana it was pointless.

A soft knock on his door pulled him out of his reverie. "It's open," he said, rolling out of bed and he wrapping a robe over his small clothes.

The portal swung open and Lucas looked up casually, fully expecting Doll or another servant. It wasn't; it was Ana.

"Ana!" he roared, nearly falling on his face in his haste to cross the room and throw his arms around her. When he finally released her, she smiled up at him. But her smile had a strange, tight quality to it. She was clutching something suspended around her neck. "Where have you been?" he asked, motioning for her to sit down.

She shook her head, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "I…I'd rather not," she said, and then added, quickly, "sit down that is. I'm quite comfortable standing." Her voice quavered. Lucas furrowed his eyebrows. Something must be very wrong for her to be so nervous. Then he noticed the sword handle poking up over her right shoulder.

"Where did you get that?" he asked, reaching out and touching the sword handle. When he touched it a weird electric current shot up his arm, and he pulled his hand away again quickly.

Ana mumbled something about a gift. She was carefully studying her feet.

"Ana," Lucas said. When she didn't look up he forced her chin up with his fingers. "Ana. Whatever it is that is bothering you, you can tell me. Where did you disappear to in the middle of the night?"

There was a moment's silence. Then Ana began slowly to tell of how she had come across the sword. It was a long story, and long in the telling. The sun had risen high before Ana finally finished her account of meeting the Lioness.

"She gave you her sword?" Lucas asked faintly. His mind was spinning as fast as the tops he'd played with as a child. The sword Lightning had been destroyed long before the Lioness had died…but if she was a Goddess…

Ana nodded. "But she said something about another sword too…another sword that I would use in my right hand."

Lucas shook his head. It was all too much…and they still had a long journey ahead of them. When we get to Corus, Lucas thought, I need to have a long discussion with my wife about this girl. Lara always seems to make everything clearer. "Ana," he said, "perhaps you should return to your rooms. You still have to get packed. We have to leave for Corus tomorrow, otherwise we shall be late for the Trials." Ana looked up, the surprise obvious on her face.

"I had forgotten about the Knighthood Trials…"

Lucas chuckled. "Well, now you'll be able to use Lightning in the Trials. That is, if you make it past the jousting."

Ana made a face. "Why must I be constantly tormented by my weaknesses?" she asked, her eyes cast towards the heavens.

Lucas slapped Ana on the back, causing her to turn her glare on him. "Don't worry," Lucas said, between laughs, "you will be a flash from the heavens. A bolt from the skies. Even your worst joust shall be better than the best of theirs."

Ana snorted, loudly. "You don't believe me, then?" asked Lucas. Ana rolled her eyes. "Just wait," said Lucas, "just you wait. I don't believe anyone really knows what I am bringing back to Corus with me, except perhaps Will. But they will see. Yes, they will see."

~:~

Ana made her way slowly back to her rooms. She was sad to be leaving Silverlee tomorrow. The busy hallways and quiet outdoors had attached themselves to her heart, and though she would be happy to return to Tortall's capital, she knew she would miss this place.

The hallways were nearly empty now; most of the servants were either helping prepare lunch or packing for herself and Lucas.

She entered her room, closing the door softly behind her. She shooed the servants who had been packing out of her bedroom and relaxed in the sudden silence. Tugging her tunic over her head she slipped into her nightgown, intending to take a short nap before the luncheon. She sat on the bed to pull off her boots and heard the crackle of paper beneath her. Frowning slightly, she stood up and turned around.

There on the bed sat a hand-sized box covered with what looked like ancient ruins. Ana reached out and touched it briefly, marveling at the beauty.

Instantly a vision appeared before her eyes.

She stood upon a ridge, looking down into the valley below her. It was a beautiful place, with wildflowers, all in full bloom, blanketing the entire valley. The sun was just setting, giving the valley a blood red hue. In the distance she could see a dark line advancing, steadily, like approaching doom.

From just below her a horse screamed, a challenging cry, and with a shock Ana realized that Firedance was between her legs. Next to her another horse stood, more quietly, its rider also watching the approaching army.

"They'll be here with the dawn," the man next to her said.

Ana felt herself sigh. Her voice said: "Then tomorrow we shall blow the horn and see what answers its call."

Ana blinked, returning instantly to the present. The box beneath her hand was rough, but solid. Ana shook her head, first voices now visions, she thought with a wry smile. At least now she knew who was behind it.

The paper Ana had sat on was lying next to the box. Curious, Ana picked up the paper, breaking the seal and shaking it open. But it was no use, the words were written in Tortallian.

Frustrated, Ana reached up and gripped the Lioness's pendant. Instantly the foreign words became legible.

Ana,

This box has been passed down for generations in my family. My mother gave it to me as her mother, and her mother before, gave it to her. But I am the last of our blood, the last remaining of the Lioness's kin. I have had no children to pass the box onto, and so I give it to you, as the Champion herself told me to, in a dream.

There was also a legend, to be passed from generation to generation, along with the box. Unfortunately the legend was forgotten as the years passed, but the Lioness told me the story in my dream and now I tell you. After the death of the Lioness, a prophecy was made. It told that, in the future, the Last Champion would come again, to defend her country in its time of greatest need. But it also said that her task was futile, unless the other seven Great Warriors of Tortall and their followers, fought with her. So the remaining Seven devised a plan that would ensure the future of their country.

They cast a spell that would lock their souls into a certain object until they were called to fight. Then they put their souls into a hunting horn, so that when the horn was blown they could return from the realms of the dead and fight again for Tortall. To keep the horn safe it was placed in a box that could not be opened except by the person meant to have it.

The box was given into the care of the Lioness's children, my ancestors, to keep safe, until it came to the proper person. A spell was also put on the family, so that a member could not die until the box was safely passed on to another generation. I have lived a long life and now that the box has safely gone into your hands I shall pass away.

I hope you do not blame yourself for my passing. To someone who has lived as long as myself, death is not a punishment, but a release. Farewell, and may what luck I had pass to you.

~Doris O'Brien

"No!" Ana gasped, dropping the letter onto the floor and racing through the empty hallways to the kitchen. Her heart was racing and the blood pounding in her ears as she turned each corner, her well-trained body keeping her from slowing and finally she reached the room where Doll had spent so much time.

Rufus the cook was kneeling over the limp form of the Doris O'Brien, Silverlee's housekeeper, sobs wracking his entire body. Scullery maids and servants stood frozen where they had worked. Everyone had loved Doll, and even Ana, who had hardly known the woman, felt the sharp pain of the loss. Watching the cook's grief, she felt her own build up and spill over. She didn't even try to wipe away the tears running down her face.

One of the servants looked over at her. "One minute she was fine," the man said, obviously fighting tears, "then she smiled and said 'the Champion has returned' and she just collapsed." The man wiped at wet eyes.

Ana took in a shuttering breath, trying to find a semblance of calm inside her whirring mind. "Perhaps somebody should inform Lucas," she said quietly.

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