DISCLAIMER – It only just occurred to me that I should put on of these on –
I do not own any of these characters, except Elisia of Barony Olau, and a
few of the knights and squires you're not familiar with. This applies to
all my chapters, too. Thanks!
PS – Thanks for being so patient with me – it's my fourth week of high- school and I have two assignments I'm really not looking forward to doing but they're big and due like, 2 days from now!!!
~ Chapter Three ~
The Mother's Touch
Alanna woke, feeling a little sleepy, at dawn. She turned in her bed, and found herself facing a gown on a dressmaker's doll of flowing violet, with a low-neck and long, V sleeves. The neck was lined with precious-looking gems, and they glittered in the morning sun peeping through Alanna's curtains.
Alanna gasped. Who had put that dress there? She sat up, and moved towards the dress. Alanna ran to the door that connected her and Elisia's chambers.
"Elisia!" Alanna called softly. "Come here!"
"What?" asked Elisia, yawning.
"Look!"
Elisia gasped as Alanna had done. "Who, who gave this to you? Where did you get it?"
"I don't know," Alanna breathed. "I just woke up, and rolled over, and… it was there. It's so beautiful, isn't it?"
"Look!" Elisia exclaimed, bending down. "It's a note!" She handed it to Alanna.
Alanna looked at it. Her face was unreadable.
"My dear Alanna, (she read) I am hoping you will come to the Ball this evening. Grace the halls in this dress, oh beautiful angel."
Elisia grinned excitedly. "A mystery admirer!" she exclaimed.
"Don't be silly," said Alanna. "Go back to bed."
Elisia rolled her eyes and moved towards her chambers. "G'night Alanna," she mumbled.
Alanna grinned. "Don't you mean good morning?" she asked, opening the curtains to the shining sun.
Elisia groaned and moved back to her room.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
That day at breakfast Alanna looked around the room, thinking. Who could be her mystery dress-giver? She looked at the faces in the room. There were not many people in the room, but she spotted some familiar faces.
There was Raoul of GoldenLake, one of Thom's friends. There was also Delia of Eldorne, whom Alanna had met the other day. There was as well a man who was very neat and prim – he had a royal red robe on, and he sat with such a dignified grace that Alanna thought he must be a very important noble.
But there was something about him that made her spine shiver. She did not like the look of him at all. He glanced at her – and a vision appeared – It was Alanna, sweating furiously, sword in hand. She was holding a blade similar to Storm – it had a crystal hilt, and fit perfectly in Alanna's clenched hand. There was also the man – he lunged at her furiously, Alanna swerved, and cut him down. A large orange cloud appeared, and Alanna sliced through it, finding the man at the heart of it. Alanna had slain this man.
The vision disappeared. What was it? Alanna had never seen this man before – what did he mean to her? She'd only had visions twice before – once when she arrived at the convent, she's seen herself being thrown at the floor by a big blonde-haired boy, and then getting up, facing a boy with coal black hair – a bit like Prince Jonathan's, but she couldn't remember the boy's face. The second time she'd had a vision was when The Voice of the Tribes visited the head Sister of Alanna's Convent. The moment she saw Ali Mukhtab, she had a vision of a big, black city. It had no dust, and look hard and solid. The vision had only lasted a few seconds before vanishing, and she had no idea what it meant.
Alanna finished her breakfast and rose up. The man in the red robe rose as well. Alanna felt all tingly – a very weird feeling, almost of fear. The man moved towards Alanna. She turned quickly and walked off
"Lady Alanna!" cried the man.
Alanna stopped, fear growing inside.
"May I introduce myself?" he asked. "I am Duke Roger of Conté."
Alanna curtsied nervously. "I am Lady Alanna of Trebond."
"Yes," the Duke smiled. "I've heard of you." And he walked off.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
In the palace courtyards, Alanna wandered aimlessly. She had a great many things to think about. She thought about the mysterious dress, and who its giver could be, the Duke of Conté, the Ball and her strange visions. Somehow Alanna ended up in the Chapel, where the Chamber of the Ordeal was. Alanna moved towards it, and suddenly sneezed seven times.
"What in the name of –"
Alanna looked up in amazement. There was the most beautiful woman Alanna had ever seen, with black, snaky locks and emerald green eyes. Her skin was perfectly white, and she had blood red lips. She was the tallest woman Alanna had ever seen.
"My daughter," the woman said.
Alanna fought back the urge to scream from the sound of her voice. It was soft and husky, yet it sounded like a pack of wolves hunting in the night.
"Great Mother Goddess?" Alanna breathed.
"Yes, my daughter," said the Goddess. "You may not know, but you are one of my chosen ones."
"Me?" asked Alanna, almost silent.
The Great Mother smiled. "Yes, Alanna," she said. "I have tried to direct you in the path I intended you to go in, but unfortunately I was not able to succeed in my directions. Her face hardened. "But now, my daughter, it is time for you to see."
A bright light coming from the Great Mother blinded Alanna. She opened her mouth to scream, but stopped as everything came into focus.
Alanna was in a room. Jonathan was there, lying on a bed, his hands crossed on his chest, and a crown on his head. He was white – the white of death. Duke Roger was standing there, laughing an almost silent, sharp and icy laugh. Alanna opened her mouth to scream, but some instinct stopped her – she mustn't scream!
Alanna gasped and looked up. "What – what was that?" she asked the Mother.
"That is a vision, My Daughter," the Goddess said. "You have had them before."
"Yes," said Alanna, "but I do not know what they mean."
The Goddess smiled. "Alanna," she said, "You could have had a life of knighthood, a life of adventure." She sighed. "I tried to guide you – but… I was unable to." She wrung her hands. "I am sorry," she said sympathetically. "But I will do my best to guide you know – I believe you've all ready gained two teaches, haven't you?" Alanna smiled.
"Yes, My Goddess," she curtsied. "As you wish," Alanna said.
"My Daughter, it's your presence that makes me proud," said the Goddess. "I can ask no more."
Alanna curtsied. "Yes, my Goddess." She sneezed three times. When her watery eyes had cleared, she saw the Goddess had gone.
Alanna felt nervous for just a second – but then she felt a warm touch on her left shoulder, and warmth spread inside her. She smiled – she had nothing to fear – the Goddess had her hand on her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Alanna looked herself over in the mirror. She was wearing the violet gown that her mystery admirer had given her. Her hair, which she had had cut shorter by the hair maid, came down to in between her elbow and shoulder. It was straight and styled, and her face had little lipstick and rogue, letting her violet eyes shine mysteriously.
"Elisia?" she called. "Are you ready?"
Elisia emerged from her chamber, wearing a turquoise gown. Her silky hair tumbled down in gentle waves, setting off her eyes.
"You look wonderful." Alanna smiled.
PS – Thanks for being so patient with me – it's my fourth week of high- school and I have two assignments I'm really not looking forward to doing but they're big and due like, 2 days from now!!!
~ Chapter Three ~
The Mother's Touch
Alanna woke, feeling a little sleepy, at dawn. She turned in her bed, and found herself facing a gown on a dressmaker's doll of flowing violet, with a low-neck and long, V sleeves. The neck was lined with precious-looking gems, and they glittered in the morning sun peeping through Alanna's curtains.
Alanna gasped. Who had put that dress there? She sat up, and moved towards the dress. Alanna ran to the door that connected her and Elisia's chambers.
"Elisia!" Alanna called softly. "Come here!"
"What?" asked Elisia, yawning.
"Look!"
Elisia gasped as Alanna had done. "Who, who gave this to you? Where did you get it?"
"I don't know," Alanna breathed. "I just woke up, and rolled over, and… it was there. It's so beautiful, isn't it?"
"Look!" Elisia exclaimed, bending down. "It's a note!" She handed it to Alanna.
Alanna looked at it. Her face was unreadable.
"My dear Alanna, (she read) I am hoping you will come to the Ball this evening. Grace the halls in this dress, oh beautiful angel."
Elisia grinned excitedly. "A mystery admirer!" she exclaimed.
"Don't be silly," said Alanna. "Go back to bed."
Elisia rolled her eyes and moved towards her chambers. "G'night Alanna," she mumbled.
Alanna grinned. "Don't you mean good morning?" she asked, opening the curtains to the shining sun.
Elisia groaned and moved back to her room.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
That day at breakfast Alanna looked around the room, thinking. Who could be her mystery dress-giver? She looked at the faces in the room. There were not many people in the room, but she spotted some familiar faces.
There was Raoul of GoldenLake, one of Thom's friends. There was also Delia of Eldorne, whom Alanna had met the other day. There was as well a man who was very neat and prim – he had a royal red robe on, and he sat with such a dignified grace that Alanna thought he must be a very important noble.
But there was something about him that made her spine shiver. She did not like the look of him at all. He glanced at her – and a vision appeared – It was Alanna, sweating furiously, sword in hand. She was holding a blade similar to Storm – it had a crystal hilt, and fit perfectly in Alanna's clenched hand. There was also the man – he lunged at her furiously, Alanna swerved, and cut him down. A large orange cloud appeared, and Alanna sliced through it, finding the man at the heart of it. Alanna had slain this man.
The vision disappeared. What was it? Alanna had never seen this man before – what did he mean to her? She'd only had visions twice before – once when she arrived at the convent, she's seen herself being thrown at the floor by a big blonde-haired boy, and then getting up, facing a boy with coal black hair – a bit like Prince Jonathan's, but she couldn't remember the boy's face. The second time she'd had a vision was when The Voice of the Tribes visited the head Sister of Alanna's Convent. The moment she saw Ali Mukhtab, she had a vision of a big, black city. It had no dust, and look hard and solid. The vision had only lasted a few seconds before vanishing, and she had no idea what it meant.
Alanna finished her breakfast and rose up. The man in the red robe rose as well. Alanna felt all tingly – a very weird feeling, almost of fear. The man moved towards Alanna. She turned quickly and walked off
"Lady Alanna!" cried the man.
Alanna stopped, fear growing inside.
"May I introduce myself?" he asked. "I am Duke Roger of Conté."
Alanna curtsied nervously. "I am Lady Alanna of Trebond."
"Yes," the Duke smiled. "I've heard of you." And he walked off.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
In the palace courtyards, Alanna wandered aimlessly. She had a great many things to think about. She thought about the mysterious dress, and who its giver could be, the Duke of Conté, the Ball and her strange visions. Somehow Alanna ended up in the Chapel, where the Chamber of the Ordeal was. Alanna moved towards it, and suddenly sneezed seven times.
"What in the name of –"
Alanna looked up in amazement. There was the most beautiful woman Alanna had ever seen, with black, snaky locks and emerald green eyes. Her skin was perfectly white, and she had blood red lips. She was the tallest woman Alanna had ever seen.
"My daughter," the woman said.
Alanna fought back the urge to scream from the sound of her voice. It was soft and husky, yet it sounded like a pack of wolves hunting in the night.
"Great Mother Goddess?" Alanna breathed.
"Yes, my daughter," said the Goddess. "You may not know, but you are one of my chosen ones."
"Me?" asked Alanna, almost silent.
The Great Mother smiled. "Yes, Alanna," she said. "I have tried to direct you in the path I intended you to go in, but unfortunately I was not able to succeed in my directions. Her face hardened. "But now, my daughter, it is time for you to see."
A bright light coming from the Great Mother blinded Alanna. She opened her mouth to scream, but stopped as everything came into focus.
Alanna was in a room. Jonathan was there, lying on a bed, his hands crossed on his chest, and a crown on his head. He was white – the white of death. Duke Roger was standing there, laughing an almost silent, sharp and icy laugh. Alanna opened her mouth to scream, but some instinct stopped her – she mustn't scream!
Alanna gasped and looked up. "What – what was that?" she asked the Mother.
"That is a vision, My Daughter," the Goddess said. "You have had them before."
"Yes," said Alanna, "but I do not know what they mean."
The Goddess smiled. "Alanna," she said, "You could have had a life of knighthood, a life of adventure." She sighed. "I tried to guide you – but… I was unable to." She wrung her hands. "I am sorry," she said sympathetically. "But I will do my best to guide you know – I believe you've all ready gained two teaches, haven't you?" Alanna smiled.
"Yes, My Goddess," she curtsied. "As you wish," Alanna said.
"My Daughter, it's your presence that makes me proud," said the Goddess. "I can ask no more."
Alanna curtsied. "Yes, my Goddess." She sneezed three times. When her watery eyes had cleared, she saw the Goddess had gone.
Alanna felt nervous for just a second – but then she felt a warm touch on her left shoulder, and warmth spread inside her. She smiled – she had nothing to fear – the Goddess had her hand on her.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Alanna looked herself over in the mirror. She was wearing the violet gown that her mystery admirer had given her. Her hair, which she had had cut shorter by the hair maid, came down to in between her elbow and shoulder. It was straight and styled, and her face had little lipstick and rogue, letting her violet eyes shine mysteriously.
"Elisia?" she called. "Are you ready?"
Elisia emerged from her chamber, wearing a turquoise gown. Her silky hair tumbled down in gentle waves, setting off her eyes.
"You look wonderful." Alanna smiled.