The Rainy Day Trip
Part XI
By Saphron (who else?)
A/N: I'm still in setup mode, sorry. Oh well, at least we find out what's in the water (and we do it without breaking the invisibility spell! Purely because I *genuisly* managed to figure out a way to do without…or maybe b/c I didn't know how to and I really needed to get going and write something to post, so if anyone has any ideas on how to break powerful spells I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks by the way to Noel =) Again, I think the weak spot might actually work…)
Resignation (ie: disclaimer: Um, I don't know what my thesaurus is talking about but oh well.) "Resignation-submission, to give up". I guess I give up all my evil plans to kidnap Tamora Pierce's characters and claim them as my own. Too bad, I had this nifty little dungeon built and everything to hold them hostage in. With -----beast guards guarding them and a bunch of torture methods (making them read the dictionary enough times until they can recite all the synonyms for 'disclaimer' alphabetically) to get them to confess that they all belong to me!!!!! *Cackles evilly* or not. On with the story.
Well there was nothing else to do besides set up camp and think up a plan. That always seemed to happen, didn't it? Anyhow, they all set up camp not too far away and had five men who were all excellent swimmers go and investigate. They were to swim around, under, by, through, and in every possible direction, to find out anything. Even Joren, surprisingly, participated. Maybe it was because the jab about not helping around at all had gotten to him, or maybe he just wanted to cool down (there's still a heat wave going on, member?) or maybe he just wanted an excuse to show his chest, the self-obsessed jerk, eh, who knows.
Anyhow, he was one of the five swimmers, who reported the following facts:
- Whatever was in the water was circular and round.
- It was cold, like metal or stone.
- It was big, they all tried swimming down as far as they could to reach the bottom but with no luck. They kept running out of air.
- It was also tall; they stood on one another's shoulders and still didn't reach the top.
- There was no door, window, bridge or anything. Or at least none were there as far as they could tell.
The info wasn't really all that helpful. And the swimmers were all getting tired, so they climbed out of the water and Michael stepped forward to have a go at breaking the spell or enchantment or whatever it was.
Joren pulled his body out of the pool and shrugged on his tunic as he walked over to the waiting men and Kel. They were standing there, staring at Michael, as his face contorted in deep thought as lines crossed his sweat-soaked brows. Joren joined the rest of them and also watched.
But it was no good, Michael, who was the only mage, (their other two mages hadn't come along due to various reasons. One had come down with goat-pox (thanks Jae) and the other had accidentally turned his hair pink (blame Jae *again*) when he tried to cure the other guy of goat-pox) could do nothing. After half an hour of trying to break the spell he concluded that it was unbreakable and only the gods themselves could possibly put on a spell so strong. He then collapsed and had to be awakened by Sam and some of his strong-smelling plants.
The men dispersed and set about preparing camp. Kel went to her bag to get the seeds she had packed for Crown. Right after she had fed the little bird she dusted off her hands and stood up. She turned to the silver pool; it was just so…strange.
Someone else seemed to be thinking these same thoughts, as if on a sixth sense she sensed someone standing behind her, she whirled around to find Joren standing two feet behind her, his eyes resting on her back (now face) or perhaps the pool behind her.
She eyed him suspiciously and was about to say 'what do you want' but he spoke up first.
"That pool isn't normal is it?"
"No…"she said slowly, and silently added, a duh.
He shook his head and pointed, "no fish."
"What?"
"There's no fish, look."
She looked, yup, no fish.
"The river, which empties into the pool is packed with them, and yet…it's empty."
She walked up again to the pool and took another look, he's right she thought, there aren't any fish swimming around, I guess they can't live in this strange silver water…"You have point, Joren," she admitted grudgingly, she still didn't really like him.
"Joren has a point? Well that's a first." Cleon's voice suddenly said out of nowhere.
"Shut up, Kennan," Joren's voice was low and cold,
Cleon appeared out of some bushes, "just stating a universal truth," he said innocently, smiling brightly and winking at Kel.
Joren looked him straight in the eye, "listen up clown-head-"
"Clown-head? Who? Me?"
Joren narrowed his eyes into tiny slits; Cleon did the same. Joren's hands balled up; Cleon's hands did too. Joren stepped into a fighting stance; Cleon followed.
Seeing as how a major fight was looking very probable, Kel decided to break it up before it broke out, even though she would have loved to sock Joren a good one on the jaw.
"Enough! Honestly, you two are acting like a bunch of bratty little-" But she stopped suddenly as she noticed something leap out of the water and dive back in.
"Kel? Kel! Hello? Don't tell me you're done yelling at us already,"
"Huh? Wa-Oh yeah, two little children who-" there it was again! She must be imagining things, "Did you guys see anything in the water?"
"Nope."
"Probably a crocodile."
"A croc Joren?" Cleon sneered.
"Yeah, most moats have crocs in 'em."
And what makes you so sure this is a moat?"
"'Cause it's surrounding a tower."
"A tower?" Cleon said skeptically.
"You're all idiots. I have to do all the thinking around here."
"Hey!"
"Look."
For the second time that day Kel looked when Joren commanded, she followed his pointing finger, but all it lead to was a pile of dark rocks and some dirt.
Seeing the puzzled expression on their faces he clarified again, "no, look."
This time Kel saw it, a long, dark, shadow.
***
~*Saphron*~
A/N: Hee-hee, not many a/n's this time! ::gasps in shock:: Anyhow, I'm changing character mode here. Joren used to be just an annoying distraction, but I decided that he really had no purpose, so I had to give him one. (Actually, since he's come to life he took it himself, but hey, y'know) He now is going to have an important role! Who'd 'v thought…
A/N/N: There probably aren't many crocodiles in Tortall, I know, it's more of a medieval castle thing, but I dunno, I didn't have any other ideas…oh well, whatever.
A/N/N: I spoke too soon on the a/n thing-but anyhow, pleez review! I haven't gotten any in a while ::whimpers:: and if you review, pleez specifize what chapter, this chapter thing messes it up. Thanks.