Chapter2: Meetings and re-unions
Disclaimer: All canon characters and setting belong to Tamora Pierce
Alanna, George, Kel and Daine stood on the shore as the boat drew up to the cove. Whilst Alanna looked at Faithful and Daine frowned at the girl whose eyes lingered on the castle that was towering above her, George and Kel looked at the sail that hung on the small mast. It was a white cloth backing a black coloured eye, which had a white iris and a black, flame shaped pupil. George recognised this from his time as the Rogue, from the Temple District in Corus. Kel could remember clearly the symbol as it was on one of the larger temples in Yamani. The serene goddess whose sign this was had had a large following in the Isles, though no where near as big as the Great Mother Goddess or Mithros.
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Fiona looked up at the castle home of the Lioness, not seeing the small crowd assembled on the shore. It was only when Faithful hissed, "You have company" in her ear that she looked down to the famous people standing in front of her. The purple-eyed, copper-haired female who stared at her feline companion could only be Alanna. The tall, brown haired owner of a pair of dreamy hazel eyes must be Keladry of Mindelan whilst the curly head of hair and eyes of nearly the same colour as Fi's own eyes belonged to who she thought was Daine. She assumed that the smiling if startled man beside Alanna who owned a set of green-hazel eyes was her husband, the Baron and former King of Thieves.
As the boat hit the shore Alanna flew the last few steps to the boat to collect Faithful into her arms. The black cat mewed something to Alanna and she looked into his eyes that were the same colour as her own violet ones. He let everyone know what he was saying.
" This is Fiona. She is from a different world which will met its doom soon. Shakith Saw this and Saw this child alone stood out," Fiona was staring at him, blue eyes wide. He looked at her before carrying on, " Shakith will be sponsoring her in this world. The girl is special in a way that she didn't have time to See. It isn't the Gift in her that is special-" Fi wondered if by this he meant that she didn't have the Gift, or that she had it but that wasn't the special thing, "- but something else. Shakith had only enough time to grab her as it is, without researching too much. I was the first guide to hand. I'm sorry Alanna but it is she who needs my help now, not you."
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Kel walked over to the small boat where Fiona now sat. Kneeling down so as to be at her level, the knight looked into the eyes of the younger girl. When Fiona returned her gaze, Kel studied the eyes of the newcomer carefully. They were bluer than Daine's but still had flecks of silver-grey and dark blue in them. They were direct eyes, not a wishy-washy colour, but Kel knew that Fiona was very good at hiding her feelings by the way her eyes stayed cold and secretive, with almost the same merciless look that Alanna's eyes could give at times. It's going to be hard to get her to open up she noted to herself. Kel decided it was time to break the silence that hung in the air, " Hello, I'm Keladry of -"
Before Kel could finish Fi did that for her, " You're Keladry of Mindelan, Knight of the Realm of Tortall." Looking at the group standing behind Kel she saw either frowns or looks of astonishment on the faces of the two women and the Baron. Faithful looked up from his spot on the shore which had gone to after talking to Alanna. Cocking his small head to one side he remarked to Fi, "Your turn" before returning to his highly important job of cleaning.