Disclaimer - The characters so far in this story all belong to the Goddess
Tamora Pierce. Twisted Hearts
Chapter 2 - Future and Past
My chapters seem really shorter than other peoples and I was wondering if that annoyed readers? If it does please tell me in your reviews so I can work on it thanks. By the way I couldn't remember whether Spots was male or female so I've put him as a male for now. But if that's wrong I'll change it later.
3 years ago.
"Here she is you Majesty," a gravely voice said "All in one piece, surprisingly"
The tall woman turned, a chilling smile planted on her blood red lips. It froze when she saw the girl before her. "What happened?" she demanded, her voice raising an octave.
"That Griffin was not to trusted - I told you he wouldn't leave her be. I got there and he was tearing lumps off the girl here and there. I had my work cut out just stopping him"
"Is she still alive?"
"Does it matter? Barely" he added quickly, seeing the look in the woman's eyes. "I don't think there's any lasting harm"
"Well it doesn't matter anyway. I want her to pay for what she took from me. She won't even remember who she was when I have finished with the little witch"
"What do you plan to do with her, your Grace?"
"Erase her memory from the moment she met that dreadful horse-woman and keep her here as a slave. Even better I think I'll send her back to Carthak to become a slave. It will be quite amusing, I'm sure"
"Yes I agree. But wouldn't that mage, Numa? No, Numar?"
"Numair" she corrected
"Yeah him. Won't he come looking for her? He might think to look to Carthak and kidnapping. And what about all those Gods she is connected with?"
"Numair will think she's dead you know the plan. And those Gods she is connected with will only be able to speak to her on equinoxes. She won't know whom they are and will probably run from them in fear. They might think she does not want to know them any more."
"But won't they watch what is happening and try to stop us now?"
"They cannot interfere in mortals lives you fool. They cannot stop us only try to help her. But she will not remember them and will be so afraid she'll run from them before they explain"
"What about the dragon?"
"How many times do I have to tell you this? The dragon will believe she is dead also. It won't think to search for her on a wider scale. Now be quiet. My plan will not go wrong. Take her to a guest room and get someone to mop up that blood, it's making me feel ill." She said turning back to the window she had been staring out of before.
He did not move "But."
"NOW" she screamed
"At once Enchantress Chalice"
She smiled at the reflection in the window. "I told you I would not let her go un-punished, oh great one"
The small, faint reflection in the window took flight.
Now
"Jon?" called Thayet "Jon?"
"Here my love" he called from the study. He walked to the door, she did not sound happy. "What's wrong?"
"A rider party spotted a group of spidrens not far from here. They had a young woman prisoner. They have followed but they may need more fighters. I'll get the Queens Riders saddled but I don't know if you want to send some of the King's Own to"
"Thayet" he said sternly "I do not want you going chasing immortals if you don't have to"
"But Jon, please" she wiped the tear that fell onto her cheek.
"I know my love. I miss her to but we cannot run after every tale we hear of spidrens with women captives. If she was still alive we would know by now" he pulled her towards him, enveloping her in a tight hug.
"But I did nothing. I was there I could have stopped her, saved her" she sobbed into his chest. "So was I. And I agreed to her going to find that Griffin. If I had said no also, she would never have been killed"
Thayet did not answer. She sobbed into his chest. Finally she said, "This isn't getting us anywhere. We need to rescue that young woman. I'll tell the Riders to leave," she said, wiping her eyes quickly.
"I shall ask Raoul to allow a group of the Kings Own to follow. Keladry will enjoy a spidren hunt I'm sure, I shall tell him to ask her to accompany him also"
"Thank You Jon" she said looking up into his eyes "Thank You" she turned to leave.
"They won't get away this time," he whispered to her retreating back.
"What's happening with the Queens Riders? Why all the hurry?" said Numair striding up to the meal table. He settled into a seat between Varice and Lindhall. The two looked at each other uneasily.
"Spidrens where spotted near the palace" Varice muttered quietly.
"Spidrens" Numair whispered. The bread roll he held dropped from his hand and rolled across the table unchecked. All eyes watched Numair. Varice's worried eyes searched Numair's face; Lindhall placed his hand on his one- time student's shoulder.
"No-one told me" he muttered dangerously and flinging himself away from the table he stalked across the room to throw open the wide doors with a bang that echoed for minutes after he had left.
"NUMAIR" screamed Varice flinging herself from her chair "NUMAIR WAIT"
Lindhall grabbed her hands and pulled her onto the chair. She offered no resistance and sat staring at the doors Numair had left through. "Leave him" Lindhall muttered, "He can protect himself" Varice barely nodded.
Numair saddled Spots quickly, not really paying much attention to what he did. "It's these times I really need Daine to tell me how you are," he told the animal "It's just so much more difficult without her"
With the horse saddled he led him outside and jumped up onto Spots back. He urged him toward the end of the stables closet to the Royal Forest, where he assumed the spidrens would be situated. Actually, he realised, I have no idea where they will be. Maybe I should have asked before storming away. I hope Varice doesn't worry too much, I know how she gets when I do things like this.
A voice in the back of his head whispered to him "But Daine would have come with you, helped you even"
"But Daine is dead" he replied, "And Varice isn't Daine"
"But you wish she was" it retorted
He sighed, "I do," he said to Spots "I do so much".
Rustling to his left brought him to a standstill. He hadn't even noted his entering the forest. Straining to listen for any other sound-none came
He was about to begin his journey again when a huge black shape threw itself out of the bushes at him. It struck him and Spots, sending them onto their sides. He felt hairs against his face as a legs clawed at him. Managing to free one hand from under one of the spidrens many legs, he placed it on the creatures middle and whispered a well-chosen word. It exploded, leaving blood and spidren legs scattered everywhere.
Numair looked down at Spots where the horse lay fallen. He was still, un- moving. Numair uttered a strangled cry and threw him self into the bush the spidren had leaped from. He landed amongst a group of 4 spidrens clustered around the body of a brown haired woman.
"Daine?" he muttered in a cracked whisper "Could it be?" he thought, "Is this what they put my poor innocent love through?"
He roared as the first spidren turned to face him. It opened its mouth, to show him it's glinting teeth but the mage gave it no time to speak. He blasted it out of his way and the creature landed in a nearby tree; it's front legs hanging off. A male came at him next, a hungry smile on it's face. It lasted no longer than the first two spidrens although in his fury Numair did not notice the two females movements the male's attack concealed.
Suddenly he felt white, hot pain at both his sides. He fell to the floor clutching at the pink web that had stuck to his arms and sides where they showed through battle-weary clothes. The females pounced, landing on top of him and began to claw at his face. Pink webbing landed on any un- covered skin, the female's aim was true.
He roared his grief and anger and with one last breath of consciousness he spoke a word. A blinding white light spread from his body to cover the whole clearing. The spidrens shrieked in fright and fought to get away from the mage. They entangled each other with their legs and fell back onto him. With one last fearful flash the light faded, leaving only the frozen mage laying in a charred and blackened clearing.
It took Thayet only minutes to locate him. She realised he also had come out when she saw black smoke billowing from a part of the forest to her right. Calling her squad to her and pointing out to them the smoke, they set off at a gallop to reach Numair.
"I hope he is not alone" she thought to herself "If he has gone off again we might not be in time to save him. If there is as many as last time or more he won't stand a chance"
"Faster" she called to her followers. "We must reach him quickly"
A blinding flash of white light halted her. "What is it?" she called to the Riders she couldn't see.
"A word of power you Highness" called one of the mages "A very powerful word of power"
The light seemed to spread towards them. "Will it harm us" she called "And can we move through it?"
"Yes and No" called the mage who rode up next to her "It will harm the horses. It is a Word which causes all creatures in its path to, well melt"
"Move back" she called warningly, pulling at her own mare to retreat.
"When will it en-"
She was cut off. There was a strangled cry and the light flared then faded.
"Can we move now?" she asked looking straight ahead.
"Yes" the mage answered.
"Forward" she called rushing towards the place she knew Numair was.
Sooner than she had imagined she broke the trees and bush into a clearing and pulled her horse up short. Numair lay close to the body of a brown haired girl, un-moving. They where both covered in blood although Numair showed the many cuts and burns of a spidren fight. The girl had a cut across her neck, which the creatures had obviously been feeding from. Now her blood spilled uselessly onto the charred black grass. An explosion had blackened the whole clearing. Thayet heard the rest of the Riders halt behind her. "Your Majesty?" one ventured.
Thayet did not answer. She half fell from her horse and stumbled towards the mage. She dropped next to him and let her head fall onto his chest. "Please Numair not you too" she said tears beginning to form in her eyes. She buried her head closer to his chest.
And his heart beat.
My chapters seem really shorter than other peoples and I was wondering if that annoyed readers? If it does please tell me in your reviews so I can work on it thanks. By the way I couldn't remember whether Spots was male or female so I've put him as a male for now. But if that's wrong I'll change it later.
3 years ago.
"Here she is you Majesty," a gravely voice said "All in one piece, surprisingly"
The tall woman turned, a chilling smile planted on her blood red lips. It froze when she saw the girl before her. "What happened?" she demanded, her voice raising an octave.
"That Griffin was not to trusted - I told you he wouldn't leave her be. I got there and he was tearing lumps off the girl here and there. I had my work cut out just stopping him"
"Is she still alive?"
"Does it matter? Barely" he added quickly, seeing the look in the woman's eyes. "I don't think there's any lasting harm"
"Well it doesn't matter anyway. I want her to pay for what she took from me. She won't even remember who she was when I have finished with the little witch"
"What do you plan to do with her, your Grace?"
"Erase her memory from the moment she met that dreadful horse-woman and keep her here as a slave. Even better I think I'll send her back to Carthak to become a slave. It will be quite amusing, I'm sure"
"Yes I agree. But wouldn't that mage, Numa? No, Numar?"
"Numair" she corrected
"Yeah him. Won't he come looking for her? He might think to look to Carthak and kidnapping. And what about all those Gods she is connected with?"
"Numair will think she's dead you know the plan. And those Gods she is connected with will only be able to speak to her on equinoxes. She won't know whom they are and will probably run from them in fear. They might think she does not want to know them any more."
"But won't they watch what is happening and try to stop us now?"
"They cannot interfere in mortals lives you fool. They cannot stop us only try to help her. But she will not remember them and will be so afraid she'll run from them before they explain"
"What about the dragon?"
"How many times do I have to tell you this? The dragon will believe she is dead also. It won't think to search for her on a wider scale. Now be quiet. My plan will not go wrong. Take her to a guest room and get someone to mop up that blood, it's making me feel ill." She said turning back to the window she had been staring out of before.
He did not move "But."
"NOW" she screamed
"At once Enchantress Chalice"
She smiled at the reflection in the window. "I told you I would not let her go un-punished, oh great one"
The small, faint reflection in the window took flight.
Now
"Jon?" called Thayet "Jon?"
"Here my love" he called from the study. He walked to the door, she did not sound happy. "What's wrong?"
"A rider party spotted a group of spidrens not far from here. They had a young woman prisoner. They have followed but they may need more fighters. I'll get the Queens Riders saddled but I don't know if you want to send some of the King's Own to"
"Thayet" he said sternly "I do not want you going chasing immortals if you don't have to"
"But Jon, please" she wiped the tear that fell onto her cheek.
"I know my love. I miss her to but we cannot run after every tale we hear of spidrens with women captives. If she was still alive we would know by now" he pulled her towards him, enveloping her in a tight hug.
"But I did nothing. I was there I could have stopped her, saved her" she sobbed into his chest. "So was I. And I agreed to her going to find that Griffin. If I had said no also, she would never have been killed"
Thayet did not answer. She sobbed into his chest. Finally she said, "This isn't getting us anywhere. We need to rescue that young woman. I'll tell the Riders to leave," she said, wiping her eyes quickly.
"I shall ask Raoul to allow a group of the Kings Own to follow. Keladry will enjoy a spidren hunt I'm sure, I shall tell him to ask her to accompany him also"
"Thank You Jon" she said looking up into his eyes "Thank You" she turned to leave.
"They won't get away this time," he whispered to her retreating back.
"What's happening with the Queens Riders? Why all the hurry?" said Numair striding up to the meal table. He settled into a seat between Varice and Lindhall. The two looked at each other uneasily.
"Spidrens where spotted near the palace" Varice muttered quietly.
"Spidrens" Numair whispered. The bread roll he held dropped from his hand and rolled across the table unchecked. All eyes watched Numair. Varice's worried eyes searched Numair's face; Lindhall placed his hand on his one- time student's shoulder.
"No-one told me" he muttered dangerously and flinging himself away from the table he stalked across the room to throw open the wide doors with a bang that echoed for minutes after he had left.
"NUMAIR" screamed Varice flinging herself from her chair "NUMAIR WAIT"
Lindhall grabbed her hands and pulled her onto the chair. She offered no resistance and sat staring at the doors Numair had left through. "Leave him" Lindhall muttered, "He can protect himself" Varice barely nodded.
Numair saddled Spots quickly, not really paying much attention to what he did. "It's these times I really need Daine to tell me how you are," he told the animal "It's just so much more difficult without her"
With the horse saddled he led him outside and jumped up onto Spots back. He urged him toward the end of the stables closet to the Royal Forest, where he assumed the spidrens would be situated. Actually, he realised, I have no idea where they will be. Maybe I should have asked before storming away. I hope Varice doesn't worry too much, I know how she gets when I do things like this.
A voice in the back of his head whispered to him "But Daine would have come with you, helped you even"
"But Daine is dead" he replied, "And Varice isn't Daine"
"But you wish she was" it retorted
He sighed, "I do," he said to Spots "I do so much".
Rustling to his left brought him to a standstill. He hadn't even noted his entering the forest. Straining to listen for any other sound-none came
He was about to begin his journey again when a huge black shape threw itself out of the bushes at him. It struck him and Spots, sending them onto their sides. He felt hairs against his face as a legs clawed at him. Managing to free one hand from under one of the spidrens many legs, he placed it on the creatures middle and whispered a well-chosen word. It exploded, leaving blood and spidren legs scattered everywhere.
Numair looked down at Spots where the horse lay fallen. He was still, un- moving. Numair uttered a strangled cry and threw him self into the bush the spidren had leaped from. He landed amongst a group of 4 spidrens clustered around the body of a brown haired woman.
"Daine?" he muttered in a cracked whisper "Could it be?" he thought, "Is this what they put my poor innocent love through?"
He roared as the first spidren turned to face him. It opened its mouth, to show him it's glinting teeth but the mage gave it no time to speak. He blasted it out of his way and the creature landed in a nearby tree; it's front legs hanging off. A male came at him next, a hungry smile on it's face. It lasted no longer than the first two spidrens although in his fury Numair did not notice the two females movements the male's attack concealed.
Suddenly he felt white, hot pain at both his sides. He fell to the floor clutching at the pink web that had stuck to his arms and sides where they showed through battle-weary clothes. The females pounced, landing on top of him and began to claw at his face. Pink webbing landed on any un- covered skin, the female's aim was true.
He roared his grief and anger and with one last breath of consciousness he spoke a word. A blinding white light spread from his body to cover the whole clearing. The spidrens shrieked in fright and fought to get away from the mage. They entangled each other with their legs and fell back onto him. With one last fearful flash the light faded, leaving only the frozen mage laying in a charred and blackened clearing.
It took Thayet only minutes to locate him. She realised he also had come out when she saw black smoke billowing from a part of the forest to her right. Calling her squad to her and pointing out to them the smoke, they set off at a gallop to reach Numair.
"I hope he is not alone" she thought to herself "If he has gone off again we might not be in time to save him. If there is as many as last time or more he won't stand a chance"
"Faster" she called to her followers. "We must reach him quickly"
A blinding flash of white light halted her. "What is it?" she called to the Riders she couldn't see.
"A word of power you Highness" called one of the mages "A very powerful word of power"
The light seemed to spread towards them. "Will it harm us" she called "And can we move through it?"
"Yes and No" called the mage who rode up next to her "It will harm the horses. It is a Word which causes all creatures in its path to, well melt"
"Move back" she called warningly, pulling at her own mare to retreat.
"When will it en-"
She was cut off. There was a strangled cry and the light flared then faded.
"Can we move now?" she asked looking straight ahead.
"Yes" the mage answered.
"Forward" she called rushing towards the place she knew Numair was.
Sooner than she had imagined she broke the trees and bush into a clearing and pulled her horse up short. Numair lay close to the body of a brown haired girl, un-moving. They where both covered in blood although Numair showed the many cuts and burns of a spidren fight. The girl had a cut across her neck, which the creatures had obviously been feeding from. Now her blood spilled uselessly onto the charred black grass. An explosion had blackened the whole clearing. Thayet heard the rest of the Riders halt behind her. "Your Majesty?" one ventured.
Thayet did not answer. She half fell from her horse and stumbled towards the mage. She dropped next to him and let her head fall onto his chest. "Please Numair not you too" she said tears beginning to form in her eyes. She buried her head closer to his chest.
And his heart beat.