Chapter 2: Tragedy Falls Upon Us
[A/N: I know I haven't written for a really, really long time and I hope you can forgive me and at least READ this chapter. Maybe this should be called an author's warning instead. I don't know how many people will like it because it's going to be a bit depressing. Also, just to let you know, Daniel will become a main character, and this chapter is about him mostly. Daine will barely be in it.]
Daniel sat in a hayloft, thinking. Could Daine help him? No. No one could. He was in this world alone. A freak. A freak with a secret. Yet another part of himself reminded him that Daine was marrying a mage. Could he help? No, he decided. I will take care o' myself. I doan' need no help.
Tired of his depressing thoughts, he got up to check on all the horses in the stables. He reached Daine's mare, Cloud, and stopped to pet her. She put back her ears, ready to strike. She was NOT in the mood to be petted. But when he laid his hand on her mane,
She relaxed a bit. She could sense this boy needed help. He needed humans, not her, though. Until he had the strength to ask for help, she would do her best to help him.
Daniel stopped petting Cloud when she became obviously restless. He moved on to the other horses, giving them more hay or water or whatever they may need, since Stefan was out for the day, helping prepare for the big wedding coming up. Daniel smiled to himself, thinking. People are so exited about the wedding, because there was something to celebrate about besides the end of the war. Then he frowned, rembering something. He had been happy about the war until he heard, or thought he heard, a voice. He remembered it saying, "Stop the wedding, now. Stop it, or someone will get hurt!" His stomach dropped at the thought of that voice. It hadn't sounded threatening, only urgent.
Very, very urgent.
***
Two weeks came and went. The wedding was tomorrow. Daniel desperately wanted to go (he worshipped Daine), but he was too shy to ask. He sat on a hayloft, deep in thought, when Stefan called up to him.
"Boy, git down here!" Stefan called. Daniel knew he meant him, because he was the only stable hand besides Stefan. Stefan was very protective of his horses. But, miraculously, Daniel had been picked to help Stefan. Maybe because he didn't have a home to go to.
Daniel jumped down. "Daniel," Stefan called, "I have a question to ask. Would you like to go to the wedding?"
Daniel was speechless. "Th- th- the wedding?" he managed to get out. The he had too many words to say. "Of course! Yes! Why? Who asked? When? What should I wear?!"
Stefan laughed at his antics. "Daine asked, boy. She wants to know if you could bring Cloud down. Then you could stay and watch."
"Wow! Great! I'll be there! Waaaaa hoooooooo!" Daniel ran of screaming. Stefan shook his head, still smiling.
***
It was the day of the wedding. It was just about to start. Daniel rode down the street proudly, wearing his new outfit made especially for the wedding, and riding Cloud, who had a new leather saddle in honor of the occasion.
They rode down the street, heads high, when they heard the reverend begin to start the ceremony.
"C'mon Cloud," muttered Daniel, putting her into a trot. There was the wedding, right in front of them. Daine noticed them and gave them a tiny smile. Just then there was a slight whistling sound, and Cloud reared in panic. She fell, hard, never to get up again. Daniel pulled away, in spite of a broken leg, to see an arrow protruding from the horse's side.
She had been shot.
***
Daine saw Cloud rear. She ran towards Cloud and Daniel, leaving the wedding behind. She didn't notice that Numair, seeing what was happening, was right behind.
She got to Cloud's side. Kneeling she thrust her magic into Cloud to see if she could be saved. She could not. The arrow had reached her heart, and the black shadow of death was quickly covering Cloud in Daine's mind eye.
"Tragedy falls upon us," Numair was muttering.
"Cloud," she said, not caring if she was speaking inside her mind this time.
"No." Cloud spoke back. "Don't try to save me. We have had a good life together, but now you must bless someone other than I with your love. Bless Numair, bless Onua, bless all you know. And save that Daniel boy. He needs help. Save him, for you cannot save me." With that, she was gone forever.
[A/N: How about a depressing ending to get your spirits down? Now you see why I said this might not be your favorite chapter ever. Well, at least I added to the story, right?]
[A/N: I know I haven't written for a really, really long time and I hope you can forgive me and at least READ this chapter. Maybe this should be called an author's warning instead. I don't know how many people will like it because it's going to be a bit depressing. Also, just to let you know, Daniel will become a main character, and this chapter is about him mostly. Daine will barely be in it.]
Daniel sat in a hayloft, thinking. Could Daine help him? No. No one could. He was in this world alone. A freak. A freak with a secret. Yet another part of himself reminded him that Daine was marrying a mage. Could he help? No, he decided. I will take care o' myself. I doan' need no help.
Tired of his depressing thoughts, he got up to check on all the horses in the stables. He reached Daine's mare, Cloud, and stopped to pet her. She put back her ears, ready to strike. She was NOT in the mood to be petted. But when he laid his hand on her mane,
She relaxed a bit. She could sense this boy needed help. He needed humans, not her, though. Until he had the strength to ask for help, she would do her best to help him.
Daniel stopped petting Cloud when she became obviously restless. He moved on to the other horses, giving them more hay or water or whatever they may need, since Stefan was out for the day, helping prepare for the big wedding coming up. Daniel smiled to himself, thinking. People are so exited about the wedding, because there was something to celebrate about besides the end of the war. Then he frowned, rembering something. He had been happy about the war until he heard, or thought he heard, a voice. He remembered it saying, "Stop the wedding, now. Stop it, or someone will get hurt!" His stomach dropped at the thought of that voice. It hadn't sounded threatening, only urgent.
Very, very urgent.
***
Two weeks came and went. The wedding was tomorrow. Daniel desperately wanted to go (he worshipped Daine), but he was too shy to ask. He sat on a hayloft, deep in thought, when Stefan called up to him.
"Boy, git down here!" Stefan called. Daniel knew he meant him, because he was the only stable hand besides Stefan. Stefan was very protective of his horses. But, miraculously, Daniel had been picked to help Stefan. Maybe because he didn't have a home to go to.
Daniel jumped down. "Daniel," Stefan called, "I have a question to ask. Would you like to go to the wedding?"
Daniel was speechless. "Th- th- the wedding?" he managed to get out. The he had too many words to say. "Of course! Yes! Why? Who asked? When? What should I wear?!"
Stefan laughed at his antics. "Daine asked, boy. She wants to know if you could bring Cloud down. Then you could stay and watch."
"Wow! Great! I'll be there! Waaaaa hoooooooo!" Daniel ran of screaming. Stefan shook his head, still smiling.
***
It was the day of the wedding. It was just about to start. Daniel rode down the street proudly, wearing his new outfit made especially for the wedding, and riding Cloud, who had a new leather saddle in honor of the occasion.
They rode down the street, heads high, when they heard the reverend begin to start the ceremony.
"C'mon Cloud," muttered Daniel, putting her into a trot. There was the wedding, right in front of them. Daine noticed them and gave them a tiny smile. Just then there was a slight whistling sound, and Cloud reared in panic. She fell, hard, never to get up again. Daniel pulled away, in spite of a broken leg, to see an arrow protruding from the horse's side.
She had been shot.
***
Daine saw Cloud rear. She ran towards Cloud and Daniel, leaving the wedding behind. She didn't notice that Numair, seeing what was happening, was right behind.
She got to Cloud's side. Kneeling she thrust her magic into Cloud to see if she could be saved. She could not. The arrow had reached her heart, and the black shadow of death was quickly covering Cloud in Daine's mind eye.
"Tragedy falls upon us," Numair was muttering.
"Cloud," she said, not caring if she was speaking inside her mind this time.
"No." Cloud spoke back. "Don't try to save me. We have had a good life together, but now you must bless someone other than I with your love. Bless Numair, bless Onua, bless all you know. And save that Daniel boy. He needs help. Save him, for you cannot save me." With that, she was gone forever.
[A/N: How about a depressing ending to get your spirits down? Now you see why I said this might not be your favorite chapter ever. Well, at least I added to the story, right?]
