You Never Want to See a Yamani Mad

by Kira2

So Mote it Be-- aka: the last chapter-- is here! The conclusion of Katei's story, and what happens to him, Kel, Prince Roald, and everyone else. READ, REVIEW, cheers, Kira

10. So Mote it Be

Disclaimer: All belongs to Tamora Pierce, except Katei.

Author's Note: HERE IT IS! This chapter is all in third person narration. Last chapter of the series-- *breathes in deeply* here you go, the conclusion of You Never Want to See a Yamani Mad:

Chapter 9: So Mote it Be

The week was over before they knew it, and execution would be held-- of all the days-- on Sunday. Kel had pursued her squire work tenaciously, since she had missed so much, and frequently visited Katei in the dungeons.

No matter how many times he asked what she was planning, she had refused to tell him. And now that it was the day of the execution-- he only hoped her secret plan would work. And whoever was helping them, well, Katei just hoped the person was trustworthy.

~~

The morning of the execution; 5 hours until the ax falls:

Kel arrived cheerfully at the breakfast table in the mess, bidding 'good morning' to her squire friends. They all stared at her in sudden amazement; after that morning a week ago Kel had been happy and continued to act like nothing was wrong.

"Morning Kel, why are you so cheerful?" Neal asked, still tired from when he had been up late last night reading one of his many books.

Kel placed a look on her face that she hoped was surprised, "Isn't it obvious? That Katei character is going to be executed." she spoke as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Her friends chose not to say anything in response to this and started up a different conversation. At the end of breakfast, Roald pulled Kel aside and asked quietly, "Are you sure about this?"

Kel knew what he meant and nodded, "Positive Roald, thanks." He clapped her on the back and said, "No problem, just worried about ye. Come on, we have classes."

~~

To Katei; Four and a half hours until execution:

Katei blinked as his dungeon cell was opened, he knew what was coming next. He had heard of the way Tortallans treated their prisoners against the crown, and never had thought it as in terms of himself.

Two robust, gruff men walked into the stone room and hauled Katei to his feet. Katei was supposed to have been starved, but Kel had helped him out and snuck food to him.

The men shoved him out of the dungeon and brought him out of the palace. They led him to the Mithros Temple just outside the city.

"This is what we'll do," the first guard said, grinning toothlessly, "We're going to pummel you, and then, you get the traditional sacred bath before your implementation."

Without another word, the two men tackled Katei and administered the beating, punched and jabbing at his chest and head. Katei would've fainted but his Yamani training held him against it. A couple of times he fought back, for he could've easily beaten them, but got a punch to the head for it.

Near the end, when Katei felt them let up on the beating, he jumped to his feet with a fresh burst of energy and kicked them off him. He reached for the knife he had kept hidden in his belt throughout the entire time of his captivity and pulled it out.

He flicked his wrist and snapped it back quickly as soon as the knife had left his hand. In a moment he blinked, and his vision cleared. In the moments of his rebellion, his vision had become blurred.

The first guard was down and unconscious, bleeding profusely, the other flung Katei up and punched him hard in the right jaw. Katei would have retaliated, but his thoughts came to Kel, and what she would say if he killed anymore Tortallans.

He paused and gave into the man. A healer was called for the first guard and the second took Katei into the temple.

The guard roughly handed Katei over to the priests serving there and went to wait outside.

A bald priest in a gold (what else?) robe led Katei into a plain white room that Katei recognized as the desich, a room built to be completely sanitary and to purify a specified person.

He knew what was happening now, he'd witnessed it during his training as a warrior. The prisoner was to be cleaned and dressed in crimson robes for the execution ceremony. Once the ceremony is over, he was to be led to the town square of Corus. And he didn't even want to think of what happens next.

~~

Three and a half hours until execution, Kel:

Kel was glad when classes were over, they wouldn't be having any other classes that day; for evident reasons. They were to report at the town square in a few hours and Kel had plenty to do.

Kel walked briskly to the lesser library where she and her friends go everynight and waited behind the middle bookshelf for her 'helper' to come. He arrived and walked secretly over to her.

"All right," Kel breathed, "Do you know what you're supposed to do?" The young man nodded, but looked anxious.
"I can't believe I'm actually going to do this!" he said, and Kel continued to talk, "Take it easy, but we still have one problem."

"And what is that?"

"People might suspect it is me who helps him, anyway. We need something that makes people think that I'm standing right beside Neal and Cleon watching the whole escape in dismay. Do you know any spells?"

The young man was about to shake his head when he had a sudden idea. His eyes widened and he whispered excitedly, "Yes! Yes I do! Numair once taught me a very complex spell that can help me create a simulacrum."

"A what?"

"A simulacrum is a spell that can create a solid image of you that moves and everything. He taught me a little trick that makes the spell twice as believable."

"Won't anyone suspect that I'm using that spell?"

The young man shook his head and grinned, "How can they? You don't have the Gift, and very few people in the palace and university know how to make one. They won't suspect me, well, because they would think it unbelievable that I would help Katei. We're all set."

Kel nodded and said, "I only hope."

~~

At the same time, three and a half hours, Katei:

Once Katei was washed, he dressed himself in the offered crimson robe and strode with as much dignity as he could muster out of the room. The priest silently led him to a small room with a plain upraised block in the center.

Katei knelt down and watched as the several priest filed into the room and surrounded him into a wide circle. Katei held his head high and watched as they opened a book. He had seen such a book before, it was a dark black with silver and gold entwined lines around the sides.

Then, they started to chant, passing the book around the room:

"Vecro nu de some de aiea,

Vecro dou de rum se nea,"

Katei inwardly winced, he had heard this chant too many times, and hated it. Hated the way it was chanted softly, with intentions of bringing remorse to the prisoner's heart. But no remorse came.

"Venoro som le fac re aiea,

Venoro nei se nele ee nea,"

Katei bit back cusses words of frustration, this ritual was meant to take hours, and he didn't want to spend all that time listening to their incessant incantations. It was also meant to force tears to the prisoner's eyes. No tears came.

"Vishel mes lu daa ei aiea,

Vishel sev ep le cae nea,"

You would've thought Katei was merely bored, for he showed no signs of regret, anger, or sadness. The priests had never failed to bring a prisoner to tears, was this Yamani going to break their record?

"Nalaki! Le dekt di nu mas!

Placid perpetually Nalaki!"

The words still had no visible-- or mental-- affect on Katei. He remained stone, listening, but still ignoring the words. The words were done purposely in Ancient Yama, not Common language. In doing this, the priests had hoped to bring morose into Katei's heart. But no morose came.

"Vecro nu de some de aiea,

Vecro dou de rum si nea,"

They were repeating the chant again, and after this, they were meant to speak to him in Common, giving more pressure onto making him feel low and rotten. But Katei remained proud.

"Venoro som le fac re aiea,

Venoro nei se nele ee aiea,

Vishel mes lu daa ei aiea,

Vishel sev ep le cae nea,

Nacritue! Liv en trengil tim,

Foreve!"

The chant was finally done, and Katei was at least thankful for that. The dull, monotonous voices of the priests couldn't even carry a proper melody, and their voices were just meant to bore into his mind. It had been at least two hours, and now they began to talk.

The first priest to stand before him had the air of a poet, "Feel melancholy, oh so sad. For the life you have chosen for yourself has been a disgrace to your family name and your country. So feel sad, oh so sad."

Katei bit back a grin, and the urge to tell the priests that he had no family to disgrace. The next priest who stood before him had the air of someone superior, "Are you happy with your decisions? Low lives like yourself have managed to do better than you! They at least feel regret for what they have done? But do you? Think and think hard."

Priest after priest stood before him, lecturing and talking of 'a better life' but Katei remained confidently unmoved. He was even starting to get cocky; after the past week of worrying, he was almost a letdown at how pathetic the chanting and speeches were.

And then, after thirty minutes of lecturing, the priest hauled him to his feet and led him down to the town square, where the entire city was gathered.

~~

Ten minutes until the ax falls, Kel:

Kel rushed to gather the riding clothing that she had gotten from Katei's travelling bags. She had less than ten minutes to get the weapons and horse needed before she had to go down to the town square.

After she was done, Kel scrambled into clothing that she had worn when she was a thief, she would need to pass as one once again. she slipped a sword in a battered hilt and cut her hair to her earlobe once more. As she checked herself in the mirror, she made sure to place paints and dirt on her face so she would be totally unrecognizable. She grinned at her reflection; a full-fledged tomboy once more.

~~

At the execution, few minutes until the ax falls:

Katei looked around through the angry crowd for any glimpse of Kel. He was still skeptical that she could pull off the escape. There she was! She was standing next to two squires, chatting monotonely.

He wandered briefly who was mad enough to help Kel and him. But he was jerked out of his thoughts when he was shoved to a kneeling position in front of a relatively large wooden block with an indention cut into it where his neck would fit perfectly.

Then, King Jonathon stood before the waiting crowd and announced the beginning of the execution, "Katei of Nirason, you are hereby accused and charged of murdering countless Tortallan nobles and further attempted murder of The Crown Prince of Tortall, Roald of Conte'. The punishment for your heinous crimes against the crown is death. You will be beheaded in front of this crowd of witnesses and hopefully forgiven for your offenses." He motioned to the man in black carrying an ax and said, "Creskin, come and do your service."

~~

A few moments before the ax falls, Kel:

Kel glanced over at herself, and had to admit, it looked exactly like her. Kel rubbed the back of her neck and watched the stage. Katei remained impassive, breathing calmly through his nose, like any good Yamani would, making her feel sudden pride.

Then, Creskin, the man chosen to perform the beheading, stood to Katei's side and rose his ax. Kel closed her eyes and held her breath, knowing the ax was coming down at that moment, and hoping that the timing for the plan was right.

"STOP! WAIT!" a voice rang through the crowd. Kel grinned slightly and opened her eyes to see Prince Roald scramble onto the stage, just as planned. Roald stood facing his father and the crowd and said haltingly, "I thought that it would be proper for myself to say a few words to Katei, since it was me he was after to kill."

Jonathon nodded his approval and Roald bent down to whisper into Katei's ear.

~~

Katei's POV:

What was going on? What could the prince possibly have to say to him? But he was even more startled as Roald leant over and said, "Katei, I'm the one who is helping Kel and you, so cooperate. When I stand up, Kel is going to jump onto the stage and shove you off it, then you and her are to run for it. Understand?"

Katei didn't ask questions, but pretended to look deranged and angry. He gave the tiniest of nods and resumed his impassive state. Roald stood and announced, "I told him that he deserves to burn in the dark realms for as long as his victims remain dead!" his statement was greeted with ardent applause before he stepped down off the stage and Kel took her way.

Screaming like a madwoman, she ran through the crowd and jumped onto the stage. Moving around and twisting her face in every direction so no one would have enough time to recognize her, she shoved Katei swiftly off the stage and ran off through the back.

The crowd tried to stop her but just got the response of being kicked or punched hastily. Katei was right behind her and breathing hard, he had not been prepared to run so suddenly.

Guards were yelling behind them for them to stop, and Kel wondered concisely why they always asked that-- it wasn't like the people were actually going to stop. Then a circle of guards moved in ahead of them, they were trapped.

Kel glanced to her right and saw the open door of a building next to Katei and herself. She ran through the door with Katei behind her and the guards at their heels. The only escape of the building was up a wild staircase and onto the roof of a building.

"Oh no." Kel breathed, groaning inwardly-- why was it that all her troubles always had to involve heights?!

"Kel, we have to get moving, I can only hold this door down for so long." Katei whispered frantically. Kel glanced back and saw that Katei was putting all his weight into keeping the roof door shut so the guards could not get up.

Sounds of wire flying through the air were heard behind Kel, and as they looked they saw that more guards were attempting to scale the building wall. Kel made a quick decision and examined the buildings around her.

They were all within one or two feet of eachother, easy enough for Katei and Kel to jump across. Motioning to Katei, she ran to the edge of the building. Katei bit his lip and let go of the door, sending the guards from the inside of it tumbling to the ground.

"All we have to do is sprint across these rooftops and get to where I placed the horses for us to escape on." she said and jumped with not-so-much ease to the next rooftop.

Katei nodded and they were off, breathing as calmly as possible. They made several jumps from one roof to the other, so much that Kel was ready to throw-up. But she kept on going, next to Katei, dashing across the rooftops with the wind blowing against them. Out of the corner of her eye, Kel noticed a crowd gathering at the bottom, and knew that they were watching the chase. It must've been something special; two characters jumping from roof to roof with guards right at their heels.

The two came to the last building and slid (with much fright on Kel's part) down a drainage pipe to the firm ground. From there, they continued to run.

There was two horses that Kel had stationed up ahead, and the two just had to jump on the backs. Soon, they were galloping out of the city, with the guards left far behind.

They stopped miles away and dismounted. Kel looked back at the city and asked, "Do you think we got away?"

Katei shrugged and said, "I guess so, but alas! Look at you! A rough-and-tumble thief lass once again, eh?" Kel couldn't help but grin, "So I take it you got a little bit of a shock when Roald told you that he was helping us?"

Katei pulled her into a hug and whistled lowly, "Yep I did, how in the name of Mithros did you get him to help?!"

Kel laughed and said, "It was easier than you think. Roald is my friend, Katei, and he also understood the whole Chisakami/death thing. He still doesn't like you, though. But yeah, he helped me a lot." Kel was silenced by Katei kissing her deeply. When they broke the kiss, Kel cleared her throat and said carefully, "Katei, I have something to tell you..." she trailed off and by the seriousness in her voice, Katei pulled away so he could look directly into her eyes.

Kel looked down and said dejectedly, "You have to get out of Tortall, leave as fast as possible, King Jonathon will have people searching all over the lands for you. Here." she handed him the riding clothes that he had worn on the way into Corus and weapons. Then she unsheathed the longsword he had bought to kill Roald and handed it to him. Katei held the items that she gave him with trembling hands.

"A- and, you have to promise me that-- and this if for your own safety-- that you'll never return to-- to Tortall." the last words she choked out, trying as hard as she could not to cry.

Katei was left speechless, but only for a bit, "Never? But what about you and I--"

Kel placed a hand on his mouth and said, "Katei I love you, I'll always love you, but I want you to stay alive. Promise me, promise me Katei, that you'll stay out of Tortall!"

Katei nodded, swallowed hard and said sadly, "I give you my word, Keladry." the sound of her full name on his mouth was too much for Kel. Flagrantly, she collapsed into his shoulder and cried. Katei hugged her to him tightly, never wanting for the moment to end.

But, like all good things, it did. Katei knew that the guards from the palace would catch up to them soon, and he had to get away. Kel, knowing this as well, pulled away, kissing him one last time, savoring the feeling of his lips on her's.

Kel stepped back and waved to his horse, "Go Katei, get away from here." Katei nodded, his eyes never leaving her, and mounted his horse. He grinned weakly and said, "Give my thanks to Roald will, ye?" he looked down at Kel and said seriously, "Don't ever forget me, okay?"

Kel gazed up at him and said, "Don't worry, I couldn't forget you even if I wanted to. I'll always love you."

Katei replied, "And I will love you eternally." With that, he turned his horse and galloped away, leaving a trail of dust behind him.

Kel watched him leave and blinked back the tears that threatened to fall once more before saying, "So mote it be, Katei, so mote it be."

~~THE END~~

Author's Note: It's done, my series is done. Yes, Katei doesn't die, but he does have to flee Tortall, and probably never see Kel again. REVIEW, if you please, I want to know what people thought of it. The words from the ceremony chant were just made up from the top of my head. They fitted to a melody I heard on a Monty Python movie so I used them *shrugs*. And also, I'm playing with the idea of a sequel, I have a few ideas for it. So in your review, tell me what you thin