A/n: Thanks for the suggestion Marie. Right now I think I'm just gonna
focus on the characters in TP's books, but I'll remember that for later
chapters. It might give the story a twist. Thanks to all the other
reviewers, especially my top reviewer, Princess Sanidaylene.
For the two hours Joren told them everything important that he could think of about how Tortall used to be. George, Myles, and Duke Baird were the most interested in the Immortal Wars. Joren was explaining to them about Emperor Ozorne.
The other three were shocked. "Are you serious?" Myles asked. "Emporer Ozorne?"
Joren sighed. "Let me guess, he's still around?"
"Of course, though he's under suspicion for the death of his nephew, Prince Kaddar." Duke Baird shook his head. "The poor lad, he was nothing like his uncle. Everyone knows Ozorne did it; he's just too powerful for anyone to say anything."
Joren was sickened. Before he had made that stupid wish, Kaddar had been the emperor of Carthak. Now he was dead, and it was Joren's fault. Then he thought back to the spidren attacks. How many other deaths had he caused?
"Rumor is the gods have turned against Ozorne. Strange things have been happening." Myles shook his head.
"Like what?" Asked Joren.
"Statues have been destroyed, bad omens have been seen, and I've even heard the gods actually used their powers to threaten Ozorne."
Joren sat for a moment, trying to analyze everything he'd heard. "How long have the Immortals been here, in this Tortall?"
George ran his fingers through his hair. "About a year," he paused. "We've been doing our best to fight them, but there numbers are growing even faster now."
Joren thought back to the spidren attacks. "Who's we?" He asked.
"There's about a hundred of us." George answered. "We have knights, pages, squires, healers, spies, and thieves. You're actually in our 'headquarters' right now.
Joren looked around in shock. "Here—in an inn?"
"Yes, it's called the Dancing Dove."
"Why doesn't King Roger help you?"
George chuckled bitterly. "What does it matter to him if all his subjects die? He already got all of our magic, and that's all he cares about."
Joren was stunned. "King Roger has everybody's Gift? That's impossible!"
"No it isn't," Myles's face hardened. "He has some sort of magical vessel, that he has everyone's Gift stored in. He hasn't figured out how to absorb all the magic from it Mithros, when he does… Myles's voice faded off. He didn't have to finish—Joren understood.
"How did he do it, and how do you know it was Roger?" Joren wanted to know.
George pounded his fist on his leg. "I wish we knew, but no one has any idea just how he did it. And we all know it was Roger because he hasn't exactly kept it a secret! He's even offered great rewards for anyone who can help him."
Duke Baird nodded. "And he keeps a magical shield around the palace so nobody can get in unless he lets them. We're powerless to get through the shield without our Gifts.
"Why don't any other countries help you? They still have their magic, don't they?"
Duke Baird shook his head. "Everyone's too busy fighting the Immortals. The Yamani Isles, the Copper Isles, and Galla have been hit already. The other countries are busy making defenses. No one has any time for us.
Joren thought about Numair Salmalin, and wondered if he was in Tortall, and if he could help.
A knock on the door startled everybody. A man in his early twenties opened the door. He had brown hair and blue eyes, and for some reason, he reminded Joren of Neal. He had a worried look on his face.
"Domitan, what is it?" George asked apprehensively.
"There's been another hurrock attack—two people are dead."
George jumped to his feet. "Where?"
"At Stone Mountain, Sir."
A/n: Sorry everybody, it took my a little (ok, a lot) longer than I expected, to write another chapter. I've just had way too much stuff going on, but I hope you liked this chapter. I know I promised more characters, but this chapter turned out different than I had planned. I hope to get to more characters in the next chapter, but somehow what I type just isn't the same as what I had planned. Oh, and I will explain why Alanna's married to Roger. I know it's weird, but there's going to be more weird things because I wanted to write a story that's a little different and because I am kinda weird. Anyway, please review and tell me what you think!
.
For the two hours Joren told them everything important that he could think of about how Tortall used to be. George, Myles, and Duke Baird were the most interested in the Immortal Wars. Joren was explaining to them about Emperor Ozorne.
The other three were shocked. "Are you serious?" Myles asked. "Emporer Ozorne?"
Joren sighed. "Let me guess, he's still around?"
"Of course, though he's under suspicion for the death of his nephew, Prince Kaddar." Duke Baird shook his head. "The poor lad, he was nothing like his uncle. Everyone knows Ozorne did it; he's just too powerful for anyone to say anything."
Joren was sickened. Before he had made that stupid wish, Kaddar had been the emperor of Carthak. Now he was dead, and it was Joren's fault. Then he thought back to the spidren attacks. How many other deaths had he caused?
"Rumor is the gods have turned against Ozorne. Strange things have been happening." Myles shook his head.
"Like what?" Asked Joren.
"Statues have been destroyed, bad omens have been seen, and I've even heard the gods actually used their powers to threaten Ozorne."
Joren sat for a moment, trying to analyze everything he'd heard. "How long have the Immortals been here, in this Tortall?"
George ran his fingers through his hair. "About a year," he paused. "We've been doing our best to fight them, but there numbers are growing even faster now."
Joren thought back to the spidren attacks. "Who's we?" He asked.
"There's about a hundred of us." George answered. "We have knights, pages, squires, healers, spies, and thieves. You're actually in our 'headquarters' right now.
Joren looked around in shock. "Here—in an inn?"
"Yes, it's called the Dancing Dove."
"Why doesn't King Roger help you?"
George chuckled bitterly. "What does it matter to him if all his subjects die? He already got all of our magic, and that's all he cares about."
Joren was stunned. "King Roger has everybody's Gift? That's impossible!"
"No it isn't," Myles's face hardened. "He has some sort of magical vessel, that he has everyone's Gift stored in. He hasn't figured out how to absorb all the magic from it Mithros, when he does… Myles's voice faded off. He didn't have to finish—Joren understood.
"How did he do it, and how do you know it was Roger?" Joren wanted to know.
George pounded his fist on his leg. "I wish we knew, but no one has any idea just how he did it. And we all know it was Roger because he hasn't exactly kept it a secret! He's even offered great rewards for anyone who can help him."
Duke Baird nodded. "And he keeps a magical shield around the palace so nobody can get in unless he lets them. We're powerless to get through the shield without our Gifts.
"Why don't any other countries help you? They still have their magic, don't they?"
Duke Baird shook his head. "Everyone's too busy fighting the Immortals. The Yamani Isles, the Copper Isles, and Galla have been hit already. The other countries are busy making defenses. No one has any time for us.
Joren thought about Numair Salmalin, and wondered if he was in Tortall, and if he could help.
A knock on the door startled everybody. A man in his early twenties opened the door. He had brown hair and blue eyes, and for some reason, he reminded Joren of Neal. He had a worried look on his face.
"Domitan, what is it?" George asked apprehensively.
"There's been another hurrock attack—two people are dead."
George jumped to his feet. "Where?"
"At Stone Mountain, Sir."
A/n: Sorry everybody, it took my a little (ok, a lot) longer than I expected, to write another chapter. I've just had way too much stuff going on, but I hope you liked this chapter. I know I promised more characters, but this chapter turned out different than I had planned. I hope to get to more characters in the next chapter, but somehow what I type just isn't the same as what I had planned. Oh, and I will explain why Alanna's married to Roger. I know it's weird, but there's going to be more weird things because I wanted to write a story that's a little different and because I am kinda weird. Anyway, please review and tell me what you think!
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