A's N: Extraordinary bit of philosophy, isn't it? Actually, sorry, but I just remembered! (Well, you'll find out. *grin*) Thanks! E/R/R! (Or just ERR - "To err is human, to forgive is divine." Shoot. That quote reminds me of this one time when I didn't forgive someone who'd made a serious mistake. I HATE QUOTES!)
A's N: Well, I just thought. That just makes me human then, doesn't it? Or at least not divine. And I'm *very* forgiving normally (normally, note!) but it depends on the severity of the mistake. I'm sorry. I should get to the story.
Tarnessa tried to keep still, and made sure to hold Blackthorn tightly against her to hide the firebird. Maybe an Immortal flying around wasn't *too* odd ... well, thought Tarnessa ruefully, yes it was, but not quite easy to notice, as firebirds were small in general and this one in particular, having been a starling before Chiron enchanted her ... but if one appeared out of midair? Decidedly unusual, and requiring investigation.
She almost sighed, but decided against it, and figured that she'd do better to think of a plan. She racked her brains, trying to think of a spell or charm that would render her insubstantial, able to creep by the guards with her invisibility and no sound on also. This was going to use up a lot of her Gift.
I wonder, can you transform wild magic into Gift temporarily? she pondered.
~I heard that,~ Blackthorn informed her. ~No. And stop squeezing my chest, I feel sick.~ Tarnessa quickly loosened her grip. That last thing she needed was to have her firebird go sick on her! But since she was an Immortal ... ~I know what you're thinking,~ Blackthorn responded, in answer to her unasked question. ~I'm a lesser Immortal, because I was changed from a starling, so yes, I can get sick. It can't kill me, but it can come close.~
As Yifan, Naryl, and Aiyaliah conferred about a search tactic for the lost Princess, Yifan looked dazedly around the small leader's tent. He was tired, having stayed up late telling stories to his men about the days when they'd be accepted once more as soldiers of Tortall. His eyes rested on Aiyaliah.
She really is quite pretty - er, she would be if she didn't frown quite so much, he thought. Too bad she won't let anybody get near -
"YIFAN!" she screeched. He winced, then blushed a little.
"I was listening," he protested, fingers crossed under the table. She gazed at him sharply.
"So what do you think, then?"
He shook his head slightly to clear it, and then chose the only safe answer. "Well, I think that since I'm a reject and I 'don't work hard enough,' and neither do my men, I think I'll leave it to you to do the planning. I'll be your pawn," he told her sardonically. There goes my acceptance back into the King's Own ... he thought ruefully, and turned on his heel and left, feeling some strange compulsion to venture out into the forest, beyond the circle, no matter what it cost him - and well he should, for this compulsion was god-sent. The Trickster felt like helping him along ... of course, there had to be some benefit in it for him. He had a bet with a certain goddess about a very unlikely occurence ...
Duke Naryl fought to keep from raising his eyes amusedly at Aiyaliah. She looked as though she might blow up any second, like a flour-filled building under extreme heat.
Yifan Tayner's five men, including the messenger who had returned shortly after he stormed out of the leader's tent, followed him outside the circle, leaving gaps where they had been stationed, and sped off to the forest quickly. He had something he needed to see in that forest, and he wasn't going to let go of it.
King Tetimus was seated in a rich green velvet chair, worried and thoughtful, while Queen Iralia's dark blue eyes blazed and she stormed the length of the tiny palace room they were in, pounding her slightly oversized feet into the floor as her long, thin figure paced. Her black curls flew out of the hairstyle that must have taken some time to perfect that morning, her hair would never stay in place; and her pale skin was a touch reddened around her cheeks and ears. King Tetimus's soft brown eyes and strawberry-blond hair against his cinnamon-colored skin made for a sharp contrast between the two in public appearances.
"Aiyaliah may have wonderful discipline, but she never had any common sense!" the Queen raged. "Just put a few soldiers in a circle and send a messenger up every day or so! What is she thinking?"
"Ira, darling, Aiyaliah won't harm her," Tetimus soothed.
The Queen glared at the ground. "Too much," she added.
"Bringing the Princess here will cause her more pain than the soldiers will," the King remarked. Iralia spun on him, then sighed, relaxing a little, and put a soft hand on his arm.
"I'm not mad at you, Tet," she told him quietly, the red in her ears and cheeks receding slowly. "I'm - I just wish - Carthak hadn't done this, that's all." The King pulled her into the chair next to him, and squeezed her hand gently.
"They did, however, and we have to deal with that," he stated firmly, if a little reluctantly. "We didn't ask for her to be raised and trained by Carthaki warriors and mages at the age of 5, but somehow no matter how we try, there is always someone determined to hate us for all time."
"I somehow get the feeling that happens to everybody," Iralia remarked with a grim smile.
"Of course, not everyone's daughter is as smart as ours, and runs off to a small village where everybody knows everybody and therefore she is noticed when she runs away," rambled Tetimus.
"Don't try to cram so much into one sentence, it's hurting your grammar," the Queen teased, and put her arms around him.
Tarnessa looked in amazement at the six men who had just left. ~Luck,~ Blackthorn marveled, amazed. ~Sheer luck. The gods must love you.~ She restrained herself from grinning and giving him a playful little poke and crept out of the circle surreptitiously, leaving the soldiers to keep watch for the nonexistent captive. Once back in the forest, she took the invisibility spells off with a deep sigh of relief, finally allowing herself some loss of discipline.
Luckily we don't have to worry about soldiers - they're mostly all either in tents or in that big circle, watching for me! Tarnessa exclaimed.
~I wouldn't be so sure on that,~ Blackthorn replied. ~What about the ones who left the circle?~
Tarnessa squirmed, uncomfortable. My Gift is low, she reported. I'm not sure I can cast the invisibility and no-sound spells. Sure enough, she tried to cast the spells and her Gift flickered, making her fall forward, about to faint. Blackthorn broke her fall - even if she wasn't a large firebird, she still was pretty good-sized, and poured some of the contents of her canteen over her head. That saved her!
"Thanks," she muttered. Blackthorn's little head bobbed, and they continued.
Blackthorn and she traveled in silence for a long while, but the silence was broken when they encountered a traveling party going towards them. When Tarnessa heard the sound of footsteps, she leaped behind a large tree and desperately tried to cast even a small spell that would save them, but it was too late. The smiling eyes of Yifan Tayner - although she didn't know it at the time - were locked into hers. Blackthorn made no sound, but vanished, her feathers sticking out oddly and her beady eyes anxious.
~The basilisks say they can take only me, because I am an Immortal, and in danger,~ she called back. ~I will return. Don't worry. Stupid Immortal laws! Just you and me, you'd think they'd be able to ...~ Her voice faded away. Those were to be her last words to Tarnessa for some time.
Have I corrupted it, or is it still good? TELL ME!!!!