( A/N:Just as I promised…definitions for those who want them…
The Raven: Basically, is the King of Thieves for the outer Region's of Tortall. Control's Scanra, Galla, Tusaine etc. and is hoping to gain the main capital: Tortall. Of course Tortall is ruled by Seldoon (haha, that's his name), which means that even with all the other countries under The Raven's thumb, The Raven is still not powerful enough. Another major point is that The Raven, is a woman. So it's a battle of being top dog and top thieves. BTW, she likes to call herself the King of Thieves; she believes that Queen makes her sound like a co-ruler.
The Free Thieves: These are basically a gang of thieves that have broken away from the Loyalty of Seldoon and are running amok. They are not following the code of honour for thieves, for example: they steal from the poor and hungry and little children and old ladies. They're down right unchivalrous. So the Court is trying to stop them and restore peace in the land. Because of these 'Free Thieves' many of Seldoon's deals have been broken because the dealers don't trust thieves anymore. This is bad for Seldoon's economy.
I made this group up, and have an RPG running for just thief characters, with Free thieves included. Any one interested? The club is at yahoo clubs and it's called :The Court of the Rogue. For more information…contact jeporra…hehhe at jeporra@yahoo.com.au. Don't forget the 'au'. I'm an Aussie and damn proud of it.)
Chapter 13
Six days later
Parisha Cartwill (A/N: If everyone can still remember, Shelaya's Bazhir mother) was visiting her friend George Cooper at Pirate's Swoop for a few days; this was her first day here.
She had left her husband and sons behind in their home in the small rich village, and had travelled alone to the castle.
Right now Parisha, who was a good looking middle-aged woman, was watching her sad emerald eyes twinkle for the first time in five years (in the mirror). She felt suddenly lighter and happier after the death of her only daughter Shelaya.
Her eyes glazed over remembering the past:
The Cartwill's had returned from their holiday in Galla and were all laughing and stumbling into their home, throwing saddle rolls and such around. They had at least a few minutes rest, when someone stumbled into their home. He was wide-eyed and pale "My Lord and Lady, I've followed you across the whole earth, but you were always days before me and," He gasped, trying to breathe, " now that I've…My Lord, My lady…the escort to the palace never made it, they were all killed"
Parisha remember her legs suddenly weakening and her throat closing up, and the rush of blood in her ears, she also remembered grabbing the man and shaking him: "What do you mean, 'never made it'?"
He had told them about the ambush, between gulps of air, about how the bandits had killed everyone and how he had run off just in time. He told them of Lord Migeal screaming at Shelaya to get away, when Parisha interrupted him: "My baby!" with a gasp "Is she alive?" She had screamed into his face.
The man had then collapsed on the ground, his head bent, saying in a choked voice "There was no chance for her, I'm so sorry my Lady, I heard her scream, and then there was no more."
"Are you sure?" Lord Zeen had asked him, his voice slightly trembling.
The escort looked up, eyes filled with tears," My Lord, I'm afraid that my Lady Shelaya is dead." and he broke down and began to cry.
Parisha blinked back tears, trying to forget what had happened after that, five years ago, trying to forget how she had screamed and smashed expensive vases and wrecked the house. How neither her husband nor her sons had even lifted a finger to stop her, how they all just watched her rant with tears dripping down their faces. She remembered wailing in Bazhir, scaring the escort out of the house. And she remembered waking up the next day, voiceless, her throat screamed dry. The sadness followed her for the rest of her days, her emerald eyes, which her daughter had inherited, dulled out.
Until now that is.
Parisha turned away from the mirror, swiped her hands down the light sand- coloured dress and robe she wore. Tonight she felt, at ease, as if something good was going to happen.
Fingering her ear-bobs, Parisha went down to dinner.
(((((((((((((((((((
Kel dressed in her hazel-green silk tunic that reached mid thigh, also walked down the corridors to dinner. Though she stopped at one door, and knocked.
It swung open. "I'm coming" A voice drawled.
A tall, lean and fair-skinned man stepped out, dressed in a rich mahogany out-fit. One of his green-eyes winked at Kel. "How's my hair?"
She took a glance at his light brown that swept back from a widow's peak, patted a hair into place, and began walking "It's fine Neal, come on, we're gonna miss dinner, it's very formal tonight, there're lots of people here." She looked back to see if he followed. "And plus, there's someone I want you to meet." Neal had arrived at Pirate's Swoop the day before, and hadn't actually met Shelaya yet.
"Oh really?" He asked as they both entered the dining hall, where people were already seated around an extremely long rectangular table. "Is it a he or a she?"
"She." She told him firmly as she walked towards Alanna who was waving them over, to sit near her and George.
Neal made a very interested noise.
As the two sat down Alanna waved to another woman who was seated next to George. "I want to introduce to you someone very interesting."
"More introductions?" Neal murmured into Kel's ear, he reached for the butter.
"Kel, Neal, I'd like you to meet Lady Parisha Cartwill, wife of Lord Zeen Cartwill. Lady Cartwill, this is Sir Keladry of Mindelan and Sir Nealan of Queenscove."
Neal's mouth was dropping open "The Lady Cartwill, author of around Tortall in 20 days?"
Lady Parisha smiled an affirmative.
Neal stood up and walked around the table to where she was seated, he grabbed her hand "My Lady, without your knowledge, I wouldn't have been able to get anywhere" He gave her hand a luscious kiss, and looked up adoring at her dark pretty face.
Parisha chuckled and kissed him on the cheek. "It's nice to have adoring fans."
He went back to his seat.
Parisha turned to Kel, and gave a searching stare.
Kel looked back at her, a thought in the back of her mind saying: I know those eyes.
But it flitted away when Parisha suddenly bombarded her with questions about her Knighthood and what she had to go through to become a knight. By the middle of the meal, Parisha was satisfied and sat back sighing, "My daughter was going to be a Knight."
"Why didn't she?" Neal asked munching on his potatoes.
"She died" Alanna gently murmured to them both.
"Yes" Parisha nodded sadly. She breathed suddenly and changed the subject. The four merrily kept eating and conversing.
Binx suddenly appeared near George's shoulder and murmured something in his ear.
George jumped from his seat. "Aahh, if you will excuse me, I have business to attend to."
Alanna's face turned up to him. "What is it, love?"
"Seldoon's here, needs her a day early, looks like we'll travel back t'Corus without her, tomorrow." He muttered into her ear.
"Should I come?"
"No, no, stay and make Parisha feel welcome." He turned and walked briskly out of the dining hall, with Binx on his heels.
Alanna turned and smiled to Parisha "Does George still do business?" Parisha asked with a wicked smile, knowing perfectly well what George's previous occupation was.
"Oh…sometimes" Alanna told her evasively. She kicked Kel's foot, as if saying; don't breathe a word about the Court and the Rogue Ball.
Kel sipped her wine demurely.
((((((((((((((((
(A/N: Should I let Shelaya meet her mother? People who agree say 'I', people who don't say 'nay'.
You know…It would be good if I just let Shelaya go back to Corus without even seeing Parisha….should I be wicked? *grin evilly* mwehehehehehehe)
The Raven: Basically, is the King of Thieves for the outer Region's of Tortall. Control's Scanra, Galla, Tusaine etc. and is hoping to gain the main capital: Tortall. Of course Tortall is ruled by Seldoon (haha, that's his name), which means that even with all the other countries under The Raven's thumb, The Raven is still not powerful enough. Another major point is that The Raven, is a woman. So it's a battle of being top dog and top thieves. BTW, she likes to call herself the King of Thieves; she believes that Queen makes her sound like a co-ruler.
The Free Thieves: These are basically a gang of thieves that have broken away from the Loyalty of Seldoon and are running amok. They are not following the code of honour for thieves, for example: they steal from the poor and hungry and little children and old ladies. They're down right unchivalrous. So the Court is trying to stop them and restore peace in the land. Because of these 'Free Thieves' many of Seldoon's deals have been broken because the dealers don't trust thieves anymore. This is bad for Seldoon's economy.
I made this group up, and have an RPG running for just thief characters, with Free thieves included. Any one interested? The club is at yahoo clubs and it's called :The Court of the Rogue. For more information…contact jeporra…hehhe at jeporra@yahoo.com.au. Don't forget the 'au'. I'm an Aussie and damn proud of it.)
Chapter 13
Six days later
Parisha Cartwill (A/N: If everyone can still remember, Shelaya's Bazhir mother) was visiting her friend George Cooper at Pirate's Swoop for a few days; this was her first day here.
She had left her husband and sons behind in their home in the small rich village, and had travelled alone to the castle.
Right now Parisha, who was a good looking middle-aged woman, was watching her sad emerald eyes twinkle for the first time in five years (in the mirror). She felt suddenly lighter and happier after the death of her only daughter Shelaya.
Her eyes glazed over remembering the past:
The Cartwill's had returned from their holiday in Galla and were all laughing and stumbling into their home, throwing saddle rolls and such around. They had at least a few minutes rest, when someone stumbled into their home. He was wide-eyed and pale "My Lord and Lady, I've followed you across the whole earth, but you were always days before me and," He gasped, trying to breathe, " now that I've…My Lord, My lady…the escort to the palace never made it, they were all killed"
Parisha remember her legs suddenly weakening and her throat closing up, and the rush of blood in her ears, she also remembered grabbing the man and shaking him: "What do you mean, 'never made it'?"
He had told them about the ambush, between gulps of air, about how the bandits had killed everyone and how he had run off just in time. He told them of Lord Migeal screaming at Shelaya to get away, when Parisha interrupted him: "My baby!" with a gasp "Is she alive?" She had screamed into his face.
The man had then collapsed on the ground, his head bent, saying in a choked voice "There was no chance for her, I'm so sorry my Lady, I heard her scream, and then there was no more."
"Are you sure?" Lord Zeen had asked him, his voice slightly trembling.
The escort looked up, eyes filled with tears," My Lord, I'm afraid that my Lady Shelaya is dead." and he broke down and began to cry.
Parisha blinked back tears, trying to forget what had happened after that, five years ago, trying to forget how she had screamed and smashed expensive vases and wrecked the house. How neither her husband nor her sons had even lifted a finger to stop her, how they all just watched her rant with tears dripping down their faces. She remembered wailing in Bazhir, scaring the escort out of the house. And she remembered waking up the next day, voiceless, her throat screamed dry. The sadness followed her for the rest of her days, her emerald eyes, which her daughter had inherited, dulled out.
Until now that is.
Parisha turned away from the mirror, swiped her hands down the light sand- coloured dress and robe she wore. Tonight she felt, at ease, as if something good was going to happen.
Fingering her ear-bobs, Parisha went down to dinner.
(((((((((((((((((((
Kel dressed in her hazel-green silk tunic that reached mid thigh, also walked down the corridors to dinner. Though she stopped at one door, and knocked.
It swung open. "I'm coming" A voice drawled.
A tall, lean and fair-skinned man stepped out, dressed in a rich mahogany out-fit. One of his green-eyes winked at Kel. "How's my hair?"
She took a glance at his light brown that swept back from a widow's peak, patted a hair into place, and began walking "It's fine Neal, come on, we're gonna miss dinner, it's very formal tonight, there're lots of people here." She looked back to see if he followed. "And plus, there's someone I want you to meet." Neal had arrived at Pirate's Swoop the day before, and hadn't actually met Shelaya yet.
"Oh really?" He asked as they both entered the dining hall, where people were already seated around an extremely long rectangular table. "Is it a he or a she?"
"She." She told him firmly as she walked towards Alanna who was waving them over, to sit near her and George.
Neal made a very interested noise.
As the two sat down Alanna waved to another woman who was seated next to George. "I want to introduce to you someone very interesting."
"More introductions?" Neal murmured into Kel's ear, he reached for the butter.
"Kel, Neal, I'd like you to meet Lady Parisha Cartwill, wife of Lord Zeen Cartwill. Lady Cartwill, this is Sir Keladry of Mindelan and Sir Nealan of Queenscove."
Neal's mouth was dropping open "The Lady Cartwill, author of around Tortall in 20 days?"
Lady Parisha smiled an affirmative.
Neal stood up and walked around the table to where she was seated, he grabbed her hand "My Lady, without your knowledge, I wouldn't have been able to get anywhere" He gave her hand a luscious kiss, and looked up adoring at her dark pretty face.
Parisha chuckled and kissed him on the cheek. "It's nice to have adoring fans."
He went back to his seat.
Parisha turned to Kel, and gave a searching stare.
Kel looked back at her, a thought in the back of her mind saying: I know those eyes.
But it flitted away when Parisha suddenly bombarded her with questions about her Knighthood and what she had to go through to become a knight. By the middle of the meal, Parisha was satisfied and sat back sighing, "My daughter was going to be a Knight."
"Why didn't she?" Neal asked munching on his potatoes.
"She died" Alanna gently murmured to them both.
"Yes" Parisha nodded sadly. She breathed suddenly and changed the subject. The four merrily kept eating and conversing.
Binx suddenly appeared near George's shoulder and murmured something in his ear.
George jumped from his seat. "Aahh, if you will excuse me, I have business to attend to."
Alanna's face turned up to him. "What is it, love?"
"Seldoon's here, needs her a day early, looks like we'll travel back t'Corus without her, tomorrow." He muttered into her ear.
"Should I come?"
"No, no, stay and make Parisha feel welcome." He turned and walked briskly out of the dining hall, with Binx on his heels.
Alanna turned and smiled to Parisha "Does George still do business?" Parisha asked with a wicked smile, knowing perfectly well what George's previous occupation was.
"Oh…sometimes" Alanna told her evasively. She kicked Kel's foot, as if saying; don't breathe a word about the Court and the Rogue Ball.
Kel sipped her wine demurely.
((((((((((((((((
(A/N: Should I let Shelaya meet her mother? People who agree say 'I', people who don't say 'nay'.
You know…It would be good if I just let Shelaya go back to Corus without even seeing Parisha….should I be wicked? *grin evilly* mwehehehehehehe)