Forbidden in the Chamber
Chapter Three: Raoul of Goldenlake
By Magelet

Stiffly, Raoul of Goldenlake rose from the spot where he had spent his all-night vigil. To be honest, although he had reflected on his years and actions as a page and squire, and the years to come and his duties as a knight, he had spent at least an hour of time wondering what time it was, if it was always so cold in the Temple at night, and what really was in the bloody chamber. He had nothing but respect for the Chamber of Ordeal, but he'd seen people come out of that thing, and it was not a pretty picture sometimes.

He slowly made his way to the Chamber doors that clanked open, hesitated briefly, then went inside. What had he hesitated for? He was no chicken.

Suddenly, Raoul swore that there was someone behind him and spun abruptly. He was in an elaborate ballroom. Ah, so this is why he had hesitated.

As if being in the room wasn't bad enough, a surge of ladies moved in his direction. They surrounded him in a blur of prettiness and color. He, or one, lost his color. Remembering sub-consciously that he was in the Chamber of Ordeal, he silently made his excuses to the ladies without actually saying anything, mouthing that he had lost his voice, as sound was forbidden in the Chamber.

Breaking away from them, he wandered away, wondering what was next. He heard men whispering about him.

"Did you see the way he just up and walked away from all those ladies? Just shook them off! I hear he prefers men, that one does. Maybe like his little page friend of his that supposedly doesn't like social functions. Or maybe he is in love with the prince."

Outraged, Raoul turned to settle this man's jaw in a way so that it would never say such things again, when he saw that it was none other than Ralon of Malven. Opening his mouth to thrash his nemesis verbally before physically when, once more, his memory served him over his flaring temper, and reminded him that this scenario wasn't real, and that sound was forbidden in the Chamber.

In this time of revelation, he also realized that if he, even though he liked women very much and didn't want people who misunderstood his avoidance of them and saying otherwise, kept avoiding them like a plague of the Sweating Sickness and stayed single for very long, then such things would be said. Taking a moment, he closed his eyes and resigned himself to this fact.

Opening his eyes, he was in a totally different situation. Concluding that all of the upset and negative attention was directed at Duke Roger, what must have been Alan's twin Thom, and a young lady that looked remarkably like Alan himself, but this was obviously a girl.

All around the room, people were staring at the afore mentioned three. The girl's shirt as split open and, oddly enough, she held Lightning. The man Raoul supposed was Thom was saying something, but he couldn't tell what, as the girl ducked behind some hangings, and emerged with her shirt covering her properly.

The King asked who know that this woman was that, a woman. This young lady not unlike his friend couldn't be Alan! But forward came Coram, Alan's man-at-arms, Thom, Jon, Myles, Gary; all of them! Raoul's head was spinning; he was so confused, but trying to regain control of his head.

He just wanted to yell at the world to stop! There was a roar of voices in his ears and he fell to the floor, hands over his ears, tears streaming down his face, but no sound. Oh no. Sound was forbidden in the Chamber.

His eyes opened and flew wider as he took in the sight of his new surroundings. People were trying to kill Jon. A lot of people! There must have been at least ten score fighting to get to the prince and kill him.

Reaching for his sword to use in the defense of his friend and prince, he was more than dismayed to find it not there. Jon as going to be murdered, and there was nothing that he could do about it. This had to be his worst nightmare; the worst thing he could, but never would, imagine.

Unable to do much of anything, Raoul felt like a traitor in the mail that he found himself wearing.

On an inspired impulse, he grabbed an axe from a swordsman's belt. Literally cutting his way through to his prince, he gave Jon, who had a sword in one hand, his stolen axe. Hurriedly, Raoul, without worry as to injury for himself, stripped off the chain mail shirt, and gave it to his friend, taking both of the weapons so that he could cover them. Grimly, he ran a man through. He opened his mouth to give a battle cry, but shut it quickly for two reasons: the first being that wanted to save breath, the second; sound was forbidden in the Chamber.

Raoul felt weight on the back of his head and everything went black.

Once more he heard a noise and he fumbled to rise and meet it once more. He stumbled into the light, ready to fight whatever the chamber was hurling at him now.

It took him a moment to realize that his Ordeal was over. He was a knight of Tortall.

I he hadn't been so tired, he would have smiled. From now on, he swore to himself, he would talk as much as permitted. Silence was scary. I he saw stuff like that, what would everyone else see?




~~Before you review and correct me saying 'Raoul can't know Alanna's a girl! He would have said something' or something of the like, let me clear this up. If you know the books very well, you also know that they are not allowed to speak of what they saw or did in the Chamber, so therefore; Raoul couldn't say anything to anyone. End of story. (That on at least, not the whole thing, of course. Whose should I write next? Alex?~~