Wow, this is the longest thing I have ever done, and it's going to get longer… Thanks for the reviews!
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Chapter 7: Sorrow and Redemption
Jaunne lay on the stinking battlefield, a spear stuck in her back. She didn't care anymore; she just lay there and let it bleed. Her troops had lost, she was dying, and now only gore-crows remained. And Tekkiake.
Tekkiake picked her way among the dead, searching for the telltale yellow cape. Goddess, please let Jaunne be alive, she begged. Then she saw Jaunne. She looked like she was aged twenty years, by her pain and sorrow.
"Tekk," came the hoarse whisper. Tekkiake immediately kneeled down by her sister's side, pulling the spear out and wincing as it began to bleed freely.
"Don't." she said, "I'm dead already."
Tekkiake ignored her and proceeded to rip strips off her sleeves to make bandages. They were soaked in minutes.
"Don't try, Tekk. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for… everything. Oh, gods, I killed her, Tekk, I killed her in cold blood…"
Tekkiake's eyes widened. "You killed… Daine?" she ventured.
Tekk saw the lines on Jaunne's face, her red and swelling eyes. "I killed my mother, Tekk. I committed matricide. I saw her face, right when I killed her. She loves me, Tekk; she wanted to protect me from Kaddar. Oh, gods, Tekk, what have I done?"
Jaunne cried. "All for nothing, Tekk! We lost, it's all my fault." Suddenly she turned urgent. "Tekk- tell them. Tell Rowan, Aran, tell Farrah. Tell them not to fall into hate, like I did. There's no room for love. Tell them Tekk, tell them not to hate like I did…"
Too late Tekkiake noticed that Jaunne had slit her wrists, and she was slowly bleeding to death. "No," said Tekkiake. The one who had given Tekk her name, who had accepted her as they united for a common cause.
Jaunne pushed her away with what little strength she had left. "Let me die."
"No," Tekkiake said. "You can't die, I can't live without you…"
Jaunne was silent. Tekkiake waited, waited still, beside Jaunne's unmoving body. She waited as the enemy guards took her, almost dragging her away. Suddenly she straightened.
"Wait," she said. "I can make this very hard for you. Even without my magic my wings could still slice half of you to pieces before you defeated me."
The guards listened. "So I will strike a deal with you. I will go, willingly, and be locked in a cell. I will not attempt to hurt any o you once inside and locked in. In return you will give me a harp. A good harp, will all the strings in good condition and the wood uncracked. I will keep this in my cell, and none may harm it or take it out of my possession. Clear?"
The guards shrugged, and talked among themselves. Finally they came to a conclusion.
"Ah, sure, strange lass. Ye can have me old Bess. Ah had it since me own lass gave it t'me years back. Wait, a minute."
Twenty minutes later he was back with a fine harp, worn, but fine nonetheless. Tekkiake took it with the greatest care, slinging it over her shoulder. She offered her two arms, and the guards took them as well as her abandoned spears. Cloth sacks lined with mail were tied over her wings, to stop her flying away as well as to keep the feathers from cutting anybody. Slowly, solemnly, Tekkiake was marched into the recaptured palace, unresisting. She was taken to the lowest dungeons, cells that smelled of rot and mildew. She compliantly sat in a cell, closing her eyes and weeping.
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That was kinda short, I know. But that's a good ending spot for this chapter, doncha think? Pretty sad, huh? Remember… R/R!