Chapter Nine: Dead
"Did you catch her?" was the first thing Daine asked Emperor Kaddar, who had come to the table where the Tortallan delegates usually ate.
"We didn't catch her, exactly. She took care of herself." Kaddar replied. Daine and Numair looked at each other, confused.
"What do you mean?" Numair asked in a puzzled tone. It was rare that Numair was puzzled by something.
"She and her lover were found in the river. They killed themselves, it seems. I'm assuming Varice killed herself, and her lover went after her to try and save her. When Varice died, her lover just killed himself as well." Kaddar replied. Rehani's eyes widened. Varice wasn't the suicide type.
"Interesting." Was all Daine had to say.
"I came to say good bye. I have to deal with Varice and her lover." Kaddar announced. The Tortallans bowed and said their good byes, which were returned. Kaddar stood, bowed to them all, and left. The Tortallans ate breakfast and packed for the rest of the morning.
"Ready to go, Rehani?" Daine asked Rehani. Rehani was looking a little sad to be leaving Carthak. After all, it had been the only home she had.
"Does King Jonathon know you found me?" Rehani asked.
"We're going to surprise him." Daine replied slyly. "So, are you ready? We should be getting on the ship."
"Let's go." Rehani picked up her bag and followed Daine and Numair to the ship.
"We should work on meditation." Numair commented.
"Do I have to?" Rehani moaned.
"Yes!" was Numair's firm reply. Rehani sighed and set her stuff down in her cabin and went to Numair's cabin for meditation. They sat, feeling the gentle rocking of the waves. Rehani relaxed and breathed in, breathed out. Breathe in, breathe out. Numair smiled as he watched her. The copper glow and the foggy Feeling magic was collecting, packing in closer to her body as the Rehani meditated. Rehani opened her eyes and beamed.
"I did it!" she exclaimed happily.
"Yes, you did. That's the only thing we can do for the journey. Unless Daine can get a rat to help us, we won't be able to do anything." Numair smiled at her.
"I won't be able to. Rats think we are a nuisance." Daine replied wryly. Then suddenly, a badger appeared. Rehani gasped.
"Who are you?" Rehani breathed.
"The male Badger God. You are Rehani, daughter of Daine. I've been watching over you, kit. You've done well in Carthak. You will thrive and prosper in Tortall. I must watch over you as I did Daine. The only way to find you is.this." The Badger announced. He chewed one of his claws off. Rehani backed up in surprise. The Badger gave Rehani the claw, who wiped it off with her tunic. "Daine. You must teach her well. If she is not taught, bad things will help. Numair, you must help her control her Feeling magic. Or she will be overwhelmed. Too overwhelmed. If she gets too overwhelmed, she could die. Make a barrier between herself and her Feeling. And her wild magic, so she does not think she is truly an animal and run like one. This is only a quick visit. I must get back." With a pop the Badger left.
"What is this claw?" Rehani asked confusedly. Daine came up to her with a strip of leather, which she tied tightly around the claw. Then she placed it over Rehani's neck.
"That is so he can track you, and make sure you are safe. Wear it at all times. It will stay with you through everything, even through shape changes." Daine explained calmly. Just then Kitten walked in. "You just missed The Badger." Daine informed her. Kitten whistled unhappily.
When the voyage was finally over, Rehani was glad to be almost back on land. Tortallan soil especially. She couldn't wait to go "home." Or what her home had been and would be. She dressed in beige leggings, polished black boots, a long sleeved white silk shirt, and a navy blue tunic. Her unruly black hair was tamed by Daine and she was ready to set foot in Tortall. She hurried onto the deck. Keladry of Mindelan and Nealan of Queenscove were there. So was Alanna, looking pale and thin. She had lost a lot of weight on the voyage. She always got seasick, Rehani had been informed.
"Glad to be almost home?" Rehani asked Alanna, startling her. Alanna yelped.
"Don't scare me like that!" Alanna scolded. "Definitely. I can't wait to get off this god forsaken ship. Only five more minutes and we'll be home." Alanna smiled blissfully. Daine and Numair came onto the deck, hand in hand. Slowly the other members of the delegation appeared. Kitten bounced around the deck excitedly, whistling and chirping. Five minutes later they had docked. Rehani looked over Tortall. It was different from Carthak. The breeze was cooler and there weren't monkeys and alligators and rain forests. Rehani stepped off the ship onto the dock. She smiled happily. It was good to be back. Numair appeared beside her.
"Hello, my sweet. Do you recognize anything?" he asked hopefully.
"Not really. I was only six. I can't wait to get to the palace!" Rehani exclaimed. She had dreamed of the Tortallan palace when she was in Carthak. It was said to be a wonder.
"Just a day's ride."
"Ride? I don't know how to ride!" Rehani cried.
"Don't worry, my dear. You'll be a natural. And you can tell your horse to go easy on you. Remember, think your words and send them to him through your mind." Numair told her, walking up to three horses. Rather two horses and a pony.
"Cloud!" Daine exclaimed, hugging the pony.
{Should I ride you, Cloud, or should Rehani?} Daine asked in mind speak.
{Who is Rehani?} Cloud demanded.
{My daughter. You remember her. Or would she do better on one of the horses?} Then Daine answered her own question. {One of the other horses. You're too grumpy and stubborn.}
{I'll be nice. I won't be grumpy or stubborn. You're getting too big for me. Tell the girl I will be nice.}
{Tell her yourself. She has wild magic.} Daine turned and mounted the lean chestnut. Numair was already on his spotted gelding, Spot. Rehani nervously approached Cloud.
{Don't worry, girl child. I'll be nice.} Cloud told Rehani.
{Thank you.} Rehani said in mind speech. She uneasily swung into the saddle and urged her forward. Riding horses wasn't as easy as she thought it would be. Rehani managed to ride without falling off for the whole day. Then they reached Corus.
"Oh, it's wondrous!" Rehani breathed. They rode up the path to the palace and were instantly let in. Hostlers took the horses and servants took packs. Many of the delegates went to the baths. Numair and Daine had said that they would report to the King.
"Come on, Rehani. You can meet the King." Numair told her. Rehani followed them through a maze of halls. They came to a stop in front of his study and knocked.
"Numair! Daine! Welcome back!" He hugged them. Then he noticed Rehani. "Who's this child?"
"Don't you remember Rehani, Jon? It's our daughter! She was a slave in the Carthak palace!" Daine exclaimed.
"Well met, young lady." Jonathon told Rehani. Rehani bowed respectfully. "Oh, don't call me your majesty or any of that nonsense. I'm your godfather. You may call me Jon, or Jonathon." Jon turned to Daine and Numair. "How did it go?"
"Kalasin is now betrothed to Emperor Kaddar. A good match, I believe. And Carthak will help us with the coming war." Numair smiled triumphantly.
"Wonderful. Thayet! Come see who Numair and Daine brought!" Jon called. Queen Thayet, known as the Peerless, appeared.
"Who is it?" Thayet asked.
"Rehani! Daine and Numair found their daughter. She was a slave in the Carthak palace!" Jon exclaimed.
"Welcome back, Rehani. And call me Thayet. I'm your godmother. It's only right." Thayet smiled warmly at Rehani.
"Hullo." Rehani said dully. She was almost speechless in front of his beautiful woman.
"Did you catch her?" was the first thing Daine asked Emperor Kaddar, who had come to the table where the Tortallan delegates usually ate.
"We didn't catch her, exactly. She took care of herself." Kaddar replied. Daine and Numair looked at each other, confused.
"What do you mean?" Numair asked in a puzzled tone. It was rare that Numair was puzzled by something.
"She and her lover were found in the river. They killed themselves, it seems. I'm assuming Varice killed herself, and her lover went after her to try and save her. When Varice died, her lover just killed himself as well." Kaddar replied. Rehani's eyes widened. Varice wasn't the suicide type.
"Interesting." Was all Daine had to say.
"I came to say good bye. I have to deal with Varice and her lover." Kaddar announced. The Tortallans bowed and said their good byes, which were returned. Kaddar stood, bowed to them all, and left. The Tortallans ate breakfast and packed for the rest of the morning.
"Ready to go, Rehani?" Daine asked Rehani. Rehani was looking a little sad to be leaving Carthak. After all, it had been the only home she had.
"Does King Jonathon know you found me?" Rehani asked.
"We're going to surprise him." Daine replied slyly. "So, are you ready? We should be getting on the ship."
"Let's go." Rehani picked up her bag and followed Daine and Numair to the ship.
"We should work on meditation." Numair commented.
"Do I have to?" Rehani moaned.
"Yes!" was Numair's firm reply. Rehani sighed and set her stuff down in her cabin and went to Numair's cabin for meditation. They sat, feeling the gentle rocking of the waves. Rehani relaxed and breathed in, breathed out. Breathe in, breathe out. Numair smiled as he watched her. The copper glow and the foggy Feeling magic was collecting, packing in closer to her body as the Rehani meditated. Rehani opened her eyes and beamed.
"I did it!" she exclaimed happily.
"Yes, you did. That's the only thing we can do for the journey. Unless Daine can get a rat to help us, we won't be able to do anything." Numair smiled at her.
"I won't be able to. Rats think we are a nuisance." Daine replied wryly. Then suddenly, a badger appeared. Rehani gasped.
"Who are you?" Rehani breathed.
"The male Badger God. You are Rehani, daughter of Daine. I've been watching over you, kit. You've done well in Carthak. You will thrive and prosper in Tortall. I must watch over you as I did Daine. The only way to find you is.this." The Badger announced. He chewed one of his claws off. Rehani backed up in surprise. The Badger gave Rehani the claw, who wiped it off with her tunic. "Daine. You must teach her well. If she is not taught, bad things will help. Numair, you must help her control her Feeling magic. Or she will be overwhelmed. Too overwhelmed. If she gets too overwhelmed, she could die. Make a barrier between herself and her Feeling. And her wild magic, so she does not think she is truly an animal and run like one. This is only a quick visit. I must get back." With a pop the Badger left.
"What is this claw?" Rehani asked confusedly. Daine came up to her with a strip of leather, which she tied tightly around the claw. Then she placed it over Rehani's neck.
"That is so he can track you, and make sure you are safe. Wear it at all times. It will stay with you through everything, even through shape changes." Daine explained calmly. Just then Kitten walked in. "You just missed The Badger." Daine informed her. Kitten whistled unhappily.
When the voyage was finally over, Rehani was glad to be almost back on land. Tortallan soil especially. She couldn't wait to go "home." Or what her home had been and would be. She dressed in beige leggings, polished black boots, a long sleeved white silk shirt, and a navy blue tunic. Her unruly black hair was tamed by Daine and she was ready to set foot in Tortall. She hurried onto the deck. Keladry of Mindelan and Nealan of Queenscove were there. So was Alanna, looking pale and thin. She had lost a lot of weight on the voyage. She always got seasick, Rehani had been informed.
"Glad to be almost home?" Rehani asked Alanna, startling her. Alanna yelped.
"Don't scare me like that!" Alanna scolded. "Definitely. I can't wait to get off this god forsaken ship. Only five more minutes and we'll be home." Alanna smiled blissfully. Daine and Numair came onto the deck, hand in hand. Slowly the other members of the delegation appeared. Kitten bounced around the deck excitedly, whistling and chirping. Five minutes later they had docked. Rehani looked over Tortall. It was different from Carthak. The breeze was cooler and there weren't monkeys and alligators and rain forests. Rehani stepped off the ship onto the dock. She smiled happily. It was good to be back. Numair appeared beside her.
"Hello, my sweet. Do you recognize anything?" he asked hopefully.
"Not really. I was only six. I can't wait to get to the palace!" Rehani exclaimed. She had dreamed of the Tortallan palace when she was in Carthak. It was said to be a wonder.
"Just a day's ride."
"Ride? I don't know how to ride!" Rehani cried.
"Don't worry, my dear. You'll be a natural. And you can tell your horse to go easy on you. Remember, think your words and send them to him through your mind." Numair told her, walking up to three horses. Rather two horses and a pony.
"Cloud!" Daine exclaimed, hugging the pony.
{Should I ride you, Cloud, or should Rehani?} Daine asked in mind speak.
{Who is Rehani?} Cloud demanded.
{My daughter. You remember her. Or would she do better on one of the horses?} Then Daine answered her own question. {One of the other horses. You're too grumpy and stubborn.}
{I'll be nice. I won't be grumpy or stubborn. You're getting too big for me. Tell the girl I will be nice.}
{Tell her yourself. She has wild magic.} Daine turned and mounted the lean chestnut. Numair was already on his spotted gelding, Spot. Rehani nervously approached Cloud.
{Don't worry, girl child. I'll be nice.} Cloud told Rehani.
{Thank you.} Rehani said in mind speech. She uneasily swung into the saddle and urged her forward. Riding horses wasn't as easy as she thought it would be. Rehani managed to ride without falling off for the whole day. Then they reached Corus.
"Oh, it's wondrous!" Rehani breathed. They rode up the path to the palace and were instantly let in. Hostlers took the horses and servants took packs. Many of the delegates went to the baths. Numair and Daine had said that they would report to the King.
"Come on, Rehani. You can meet the King." Numair told her. Rehani followed them through a maze of halls. They came to a stop in front of his study and knocked.
"Numair! Daine! Welcome back!" He hugged them. Then he noticed Rehani. "Who's this child?"
"Don't you remember Rehani, Jon? It's our daughter! She was a slave in the Carthak palace!" Daine exclaimed.
"Well met, young lady." Jonathon told Rehani. Rehani bowed respectfully. "Oh, don't call me your majesty or any of that nonsense. I'm your godfather. You may call me Jon, or Jonathon." Jon turned to Daine and Numair. "How did it go?"
"Kalasin is now betrothed to Emperor Kaddar. A good match, I believe. And Carthak will help us with the coming war." Numair smiled triumphantly.
"Wonderful. Thayet! Come see who Numair and Daine brought!" Jon called. Queen Thayet, known as the Peerless, appeared.
"Who is it?" Thayet asked.
"Rehani! Daine and Numair found their daughter. She was a slave in the Carthak palace!" Jon exclaimed.
"Welcome back, Rehani. And call me Thayet. I'm your godmother. It's only right." Thayet smiled warmly at Rehani.
"Hullo." Rehani said dully. She was almost speechless in front of his beautiful woman.