* two years later *
At the palace, squires were undergoing their Ordeals of Knighthood. Thoms had just past and he was now asleep,awaiting the mid-winter festival where he would be knighted by the King.
Numair, who was performing experiments, opened his eyes with a start and went to find Daine. He found her in practice yards, shooting with Lanen. When she saw Numair wave her over, she went to see what was on his mind. "What are you thinking about?" she asked Numair, who was tugging on his nose thoughtfully.
"I was viewing the palace magically and notice something. Have you looked around lately?" he asked as Daine shook her head. He placed his fingers on Daine's temples saying, "look at Lanen," who blazed with white light.
"What is that? That's not like any magic I've ever seen."
"I don't know, I've never seen anything like it. It's not the Gift or Wild magic, I would have noticed that without magic. I'll have to ask Jon." Numair said as he opened a speaking spell in his hand.
"Yes Numair?"
"Jon are you busy?"
"When am I not? I'm in my study."
"Have you had a look around lately, magically?" Puzzled the King did so as Numair and Daine entered his study.
"What kind of magic is that?" King Jonathan asked Numair.
"Have you ever heard of the Essence of Life? I think that is what Lanen has, but I'm not sure." at Daine's questioning look Numair explained. "The essence of life is in everything: humans, animals, the land,and even immortals, but I've never heard of someone who has so much."
"The Essence of Life...I've read of that somewhere. Bazhir magic is part the essence of life, but also part of the desert's magic. Maybe she's a God's vessel?" wondered Jon. "Myles might know."
"No, Gods vessel's have to have wild magic and lots of anger. At least thats what the Graveyard Hag told me." said Daine, grinning, as Myles walked in. Jon quickly explained what they had been discussing while Myles tugged his beard, thinking.
"The Bazhirs are descendants of the Ancient Ones" replied Myles.
"Lindhall might know" said Numair as he called on a speaking spell. Lindhall Reed was Numair's old teacher from the University of Carthak and good friend.
"Numair?" asked Lindhall. "I've never heard of a speaking spell that worked this far apart. But then again you are a powerful mage and..."
"Lindhall, have you ever heard of the Essence of Life?"
"Yes, but I thought it was just a legend. Why?"
"Did I ever tell you about Lanen? Well, she's brimming with it."
"It was said that the essence of life is in everything, and that a child would be born who possessed it in great amounts. That the bearer would be greater than the Gods themselves, for the essence of life is apart of them. If Lanen has the power you say she has, then she could bring the destruction of the world, if it is preordained. It's said that the Ancient Ones were destoryed by one with such power in pure hate."
"Thanks, Lindhall. We'll let you know if anything occurs," Numair told his friend as he ended the speaking spell.
"If that is true, then Lanen could do anything...she could raise the dead or...she could shapeshift into anything, maybe even an immortal." drawled the king.
"If it is preordained she could destroy the world, but Lindhall said 'in pure hate'and Lanen doesn't hate everything. I mean she forgave her father. I wonder what he meant by that?" Myles pondered.
"There are to many 'what ifs' for me! Should we tell her?" asked Daine.
"I think we should wait till we know for sure. Besides, I'm sure we'll all find out in due time." said Numair.
_______________________________________________________________________
Lanen knocked on the door wearing a green gown that matched the color of her eyes and was embroidered with gold. She wore her light auburn hair in curls piled on top of her head. "Your highness," she curtsied as the door was open. "I came to get Thom."
"Mithros bless Lanen. You look stunning." Prince Roald said has he kissed her hand. "I never thought I would see you in dress. Well, I have to go, Father wants to talk to me. See you there."
Lanen went and knocked on the door that connected Thom's room to Roald's. Thom had been Roald's squire, just as Alanna had been Jon's.
She knocked again and when Thom didn't answer she went in. He was still asleep. As she sat on the side of the bed, she sighed thinking: He's so handsome and now he's a knight. Oh, how she longed for him want her. She reached out a hand to caress his face and stopped herself. Lanen shook him awake. "Thom, wake up. You have to get ready for the festival."
"But moomm, I don't want to get up!"
"Very funny! Now get up and get dressed or we'll be late." said Lanen as she walked out and shut the door behind her. A few minutes later Thom came out dressed in a white shirt, tan breeches, and a hazel tunic.
"Thanks, Lanen. I wouldn't want to be late to my own knighting." he said as he looked over Lanen. "You look beautiful." Thom offered his arm and together they walked to the mid-winter festival. After the feast, Thom and the other squire were knighted by the king and were presented with their shields. Lanen was talking with Alanna when Thom came took her hand and bowed over it. "I'd be honored if I could have this dance, m'lady."
Lanen smiled as she replied " And so would I Sir Thom, but I'm not a lady." Thom laughed as he pulled her out on to the dance floor. "Thom! I've never danced before" she whispered frantically in his ear.
"Just follow my lead and you'll do fine. I promise, I won't embarrass you." he whispered back as he took her in his arms and started to weave around the dance floor. Lanen laughed merrily as Thom whispered in her ear. Lanen danced all night with various people including George, Numair, and even King Jonathan,(who she knew quite well thanks to all her friends)until it was time to retire. Thom, who was just as tired as Lanen was, walked her back to her rooms. Once she was inside Lanen let down her hair and kicked her shoes off her aching feet.
Thom slid his arm around her waist as she turned and looked up into his eyes. Lanen could barely breath this close to him. He caressed her face, and traced her soft lips with his thumb. "You were the most beautiful woman there tonight, even more than Queen Thayet." he said huskily. Then he bent down and kissed her softly and then more passionately. One thing led to another, and they fell asleep wrapped in each others embrace.
At the palace, squires were undergoing their Ordeals of Knighthood. Thoms had just past and he was now asleep,awaiting the mid-winter festival where he would be knighted by the King.
Numair, who was performing experiments, opened his eyes with a start and went to find Daine. He found her in practice yards, shooting with Lanen. When she saw Numair wave her over, she went to see what was on his mind. "What are you thinking about?" she asked Numair, who was tugging on his nose thoughtfully.
"I was viewing the palace magically and notice something. Have you looked around lately?" he asked as Daine shook her head. He placed his fingers on Daine's temples saying, "look at Lanen," who blazed with white light.
"What is that? That's not like any magic I've ever seen."
"I don't know, I've never seen anything like it. It's not the Gift or Wild magic, I would have noticed that without magic. I'll have to ask Jon." Numair said as he opened a speaking spell in his hand.
"Yes Numair?"
"Jon are you busy?"
"When am I not? I'm in my study."
"Have you had a look around lately, magically?" Puzzled the King did so as Numair and Daine entered his study.
"What kind of magic is that?" King Jonathan asked Numair.
"Have you ever heard of the Essence of Life? I think that is what Lanen has, but I'm not sure." at Daine's questioning look Numair explained. "The essence of life is in everything: humans, animals, the land,and even immortals, but I've never heard of someone who has so much."
"The Essence of Life...I've read of that somewhere. Bazhir magic is part the essence of life, but also part of the desert's magic. Maybe she's a God's vessel?" wondered Jon. "Myles might know."
"No, Gods vessel's have to have wild magic and lots of anger. At least thats what the Graveyard Hag told me." said Daine, grinning, as Myles walked in. Jon quickly explained what they had been discussing while Myles tugged his beard, thinking.
"The Bazhirs are descendants of the Ancient Ones" replied Myles.
"Lindhall might know" said Numair as he called on a speaking spell. Lindhall Reed was Numair's old teacher from the University of Carthak and good friend.
"Numair?" asked Lindhall. "I've never heard of a speaking spell that worked this far apart. But then again you are a powerful mage and..."
"Lindhall, have you ever heard of the Essence of Life?"
"Yes, but I thought it was just a legend. Why?"
"Did I ever tell you about Lanen? Well, she's brimming with it."
"It was said that the essence of life is in everything, and that a child would be born who possessed it in great amounts. That the bearer would be greater than the Gods themselves, for the essence of life is apart of them. If Lanen has the power you say she has, then she could bring the destruction of the world, if it is preordained. It's said that the Ancient Ones were destoryed by one with such power in pure hate."
"Thanks, Lindhall. We'll let you know if anything occurs," Numair told his friend as he ended the speaking spell.
"If that is true, then Lanen could do anything...she could raise the dead or...she could shapeshift into anything, maybe even an immortal." drawled the king.
"If it is preordained she could destroy the world, but Lindhall said 'in pure hate'and Lanen doesn't hate everything. I mean she forgave her father. I wonder what he meant by that?" Myles pondered.
"There are to many 'what ifs' for me! Should we tell her?" asked Daine.
"I think we should wait till we know for sure. Besides, I'm sure we'll all find out in due time." said Numair.
_______________________________________________________________________
Lanen knocked on the door wearing a green gown that matched the color of her eyes and was embroidered with gold. She wore her light auburn hair in curls piled on top of her head. "Your highness," she curtsied as the door was open. "I came to get Thom."
"Mithros bless Lanen. You look stunning." Prince Roald said has he kissed her hand. "I never thought I would see you in dress. Well, I have to go, Father wants to talk to me. See you there."
Lanen went and knocked on the door that connected Thom's room to Roald's. Thom had been Roald's squire, just as Alanna had been Jon's.
She knocked again and when Thom didn't answer she went in. He was still asleep. As she sat on the side of the bed, she sighed thinking: He's so handsome and now he's a knight. Oh, how she longed for him want her. She reached out a hand to caress his face and stopped herself. Lanen shook him awake. "Thom, wake up. You have to get ready for the festival."
"But moomm, I don't want to get up!"
"Very funny! Now get up and get dressed or we'll be late." said Lanen as she walked out and shut the door behind her. A few minutes later Thom came out dressed in a white shirt, tan breeches, and a hazel tunic.
"Thanks, Lanen. I wouldn't want to be late to my own knighting." he said as he looked over Lanen. "You look beautiful." Thom offered his arm and together they walked to the mid-winter festival. After the feast, Thom and the other squire were knighted by the king and were presented with their shields. Lanen was talking with Alanna when Thom came took her hand and bowed over it. "I'd be honored if I could have this dance, m'lady."
Lanen smiled as she replied " And so would I Sir Thom, but I'm not a lady." Thom laughed as he pulled her out on to the dance floor. "Thom! I've never danced before" she whispered frantically in his ear.
"Just follow my lead and you'll do fine. I promise, I won't embarrass you." he whispered back as he took her in his arms and started to weave around the dance floor. Lanen laughed merrily as Thom whispered in her ear. Lanen danced all night with various people including George, Numair, and even King Jonathan,(who she knew quite well thanks to all her friends)until it was time to retire. Thom, who was just as tired as Lanen was, walked her back to her rooms. Once she was inside Lanen let down her hair and kicked her shoes off her aching feet.
Thom slid his arm around her waist as she turned and looked up into his eyes. Lanen could barely breath this close to him. He caressed her face, and traced her soft lips with his thumb. "You were the most beautiful woman there tonight, even more than Queen Thayet." he said huskily. Then he bent down and kissed her softly and then more passionately. One thing led to another, and they fell asleep wrapped in each others embrace.