Snow
Chapter seven: Designed Fate
By: Aeris
I don't own Tortall or the characters. I do own the bat-demons and other Demons, Myka the Shange Owl and Buck and others. Okayie dokie? Email me at Kurumi2244@aol.com if you wish to use them
Author's Note: I wanted to thank my very nice reviewers that give me such nice complements. Oh and to hyperchick88: I think Cleon is a sweetie to, but I like Kel and Neal together, if you don't like that then to bad! (Insane laughter) Okay, here's the next chapter!
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White light filled the land of darkness and malevolence. Buna and Tillion shielded their eyes from the alien light that crept into their homeland.
"Are we gunna die Tillion?" Buna asked as the two squinted out their window.
"`Course not Buna, mom wouldn't let that happen." Tillion told her. The two stared at the sky.
"It's so pretty." Buna said nodding to the sky.
"Humans see this every day." Tillion told his younger sister.
"Wow, that must be neat." She said as the two gawked at the light.
It wasn't a sun; it was more of a steady glow that filled the land. But it was still something that no bat-demon had ever seen.
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"We can not stand for this!" Ratellciea yelled bashing her fist onto the wooden table under her.
"The mages have tried for hours!" Ateo told her. "Hours! We are to weak."
"Then I will fight with my people." She told him sternly.
"You can't- no! I forbid it! You'll kill your self!" Ateo raged.
"And what the bloody does King Jonathan do? Queen Thayet?"
"But my Queen, you've lower their defense by taking the woman warriors." Ateo told her.
"Ah, yes. Thank you Ateo. I forgot about them, bring them and Scarlet Mage character to me. This will be fun." She said with a smile on her face that could scare even the Ogres. She went and sat in her chair, her throne. It made her feel important—not that she wasn't. She sipped her wine with a pleased smile and laughed. One by one they entered the room, each with hands tided to their back and bounded into fists. Alanna first soon followed by Daine, Kel, and another that the Tortallan's had yet to meet. She had tan skin and short jet-black hair that reached her neck. Alanna spat at the Demon Queen. "I am, too, pleased to met you Sir Alanna." She smiled her wicked smile and surveyed the bunch. Days, some week, without washing let a foul smell over the bunch and all their hair was messy and knotted.
"Excuse me." Spoke the new girl, "By why are WE HERE!?!"
"No, I'll not excuse you. Being kidnapped is no excuse for yelling." The queen informed them. "Ah, my prized Tortallan's, this is Myka the Shange Owl. I do believe she is rather found of that Cleon boy that was courting Keldary, before I took him here that is... Oh, I do love court gossip!"
"No! Cleon is dead!" Kel screamed, all her anger was shoved out at the Demon Queen. Tears sprang to her cheeks. "Cleon is DEAD! He's been dead for two months!"
"In which time you moved on to that Neal boy." Myka raged at Kel. "Didn't even give Cleon a passing glance."
"What do you know?" Kel asked, trying to keep her Yamani face on.
"It's called a Wishers Talisman! And why do I care, because he's me friend!" Myka scram breaking free of the tape that held her hands and dove at Kel. ("Reminds me of you, Alanna." Thayet remarked. "Shut your mouth!" Alanna snapped back.)
"Oh, how I do love this!" The Demon Queen said. Kel, (somehow), got free of her bounded ropes and put her hands in front of her face to defend herself.
"You don't know what I went though!" Kel yelled and continued to keep her hands up through the Owl's strikes. "He was gone for five months at the least! Every ball, every couple, made me angry! Angry in sheer fury that Cleon wasn't there! Then, then he died! He died to me!"
The Owl stopped and looked at Kel with her eyes puzzled. "Why don't you fight back?" She asked looking at Kel. "He was yours, now he is not. Don't you want him back?"
Kel shook her head. "I have Neal now." She told her new acquaintance. "Like I said, Cleon is dead to me." She added softly.
"That feeling, being alone must kill a person." Myka told no one in particular. "I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions." She told Kel and bowed to her and retook her place.
Daine yelled, out of now where. She longed to cover her ears, to end the sound. Daine! Stop it! The ringing noise stopped. How am I to find you, Maglet if I can' sense where you are? "Numair?" she questioned breathing slowly. The others gave her an odd look as to say, what's wrong with you.
The rooms feel quite and the Scarlet Mage scowled. So, this is the child that stole Arram-no, Numair, whatever his name is now- from me. I'll have my vengeance yet. She smiled and rubbed her hands together. She laughed and the attention wavered from Daine to Alison. Alison covered her mouth in horror when she realized she had laughed aloud. She waved her hand across her face. Alison gave a look of death fixed and a terrifying gaze on Daine.
Don't let that wench bother you, Maglet. Numair's voice told her. We have a history…And stop screaming! It helped before, now it just annoying! Daine sighed. Of course Numair had a history with her- he had one with most women.
"AHEM, I do believe I'm wasting my time here." The Queen spoke up angry at the behavior of her female prisoners. "I'll make a deal with you. I'll kindly give you your men if you perform a task for me. Keep in mind if you don't- I'll cull them all. It's very easy in fact." She clapped her hands twice Ateo and another unknown man led a tied up Cleon and Neal. They looked as if they had been beaten and Neal had a gash on his left cheek and Cleon had one on his arm. Both of their clothes looked like the girls- worn and dirty. Kel bit her cheek to resist the urge to scream. Blood filled her mouth leaving a vile taste in her mouth. She took advantage of the blood in her mouth and spat at her new rival queen. "Don't you people ever stop spitting? Honestly!" Kel saw Neal smile weakly at her; he was obviously in pain, but anybody could see that slowly his large gash got smaller tell only a small scar showed on his cheek. Cleon (A/N: IS HE GIFTED! Hum… I don't remember, I'll make him gifted in this then. If I am wrong feel free to correct me.) Had a similar affect on his arm, but no scar.
"What's the bloody task?" The Shange Owl called from her spot in the corner.
"Ah, a girl with boorish courage. I hate that. But, it's often a trait in female warriors." Ratellciea replied but her eyes fixed on the Lioness and not Myka. "I want you to kill one of your own. That is the task. If you don't do it- I cull your men and you." Her face was stone, not a single shred of emotions embraced her.
"Kill one of our on?" Alanna asked, horrified.
"Yes, you know. One another Tortallan, one you know not just some stupid bandit or person who has a warrant for his or her arrest. Or you'll loss them- among others. Like that Baron man or that Mage, to start, there's the king, the Raoul man, the prince." She paused, "I know of more there's the Gom man, and so many others that hold a place in your hearts. It's so easy to kill them, one by one, stuck the life out of them, is that what you want?" Each girl looked down at the floor, seeming to ponder the possibilities that they could kill someone of their own. Neal and Cleon exchanged looks and sighed.
"I give you two days! Two days to decide the fate of your men and your fellow Tortallan's. Don't push my buttons ladies! Or I'll push yours." Her voice was stern but her dark face softened as she saw that the once brilliant light was fading slowly. "Ateo! Take them to the guest hall! There are seven rooms ready for my mortal visitors," She paused. "Breakfast is at eight thirty, Ateo will awake you. Miss it and you shall die." She smiled and bayed them a good night and left.
Ateo frowned. This isn't what he was expecting when he went on as the Queens second. The Tortallan's and Myka followed Ateo at foot. Each wondering about the fate of their people and as the Queen so kindly put it "their men". They decided on a meeting after breakfast the next day to talk it over. It was a reasonable plan and they were far to tired- and dirty to talk now. One by one they filed into their rooms with a sleepy sigh and a grim expression.
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"Queen Ratellciea," Began Alison. "I don't understand your plan. How will having them kill on of their own help us?"
Ratellciea smiled. "You see Scarlet Mage, Alison, they'll turn against each other. They are the strongest, with a few minor exceptions. We don't have their king and that Cleon fellow is next to hopeless. See, if Alanna and Thayet had a big fight then, being woman as they are, they'll turn on each other and if we are lucky they'll seek revenge."
"Oh, I see." Alison said as she tapped her long soft figures on the table. "But there are a few flaws like--"
Ratellciea stopped her. "There are always a few flaws in plans." She said as she turned and left Alison awe struck. She always believed the queen to be smarter then that.
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Review please! Six chapters and SIX reviews, this is sooo sad. Is it that bad?
