Disclaimer - Tamora Pierce owns everyone but Hawkwing, Chalice, Simba and
Tigger.
Twisted Hearts
Chapter 9 - Moonlit Arrivals
Authors Note - I upped the rating a bit because of the previous chapter just to be safe.
There was still a soft light illuminating the room. Daine could see a shadowy figure curled up in the bed, wrapped in the bedclothes. Lights danced across it, making it seem unreal.
"At least its human" she thought to herself, "Or it looks human"
She couldn't decide whether to climb in with Numair and give him a shock in the morning or to wake him now. She couldn't take the chance though that on finding another in his bed tomorrow Numair wouldn't put some irreversible spell on her, before realising who it was. She laughed in her head and decided she would be safer waking him now. She stole quietly to the edge of the bed.
As she got nearer she began to see not one, but two shapes under the covers. Her throat tightened, her heart beat faster. Maybe she had the wrong rooms, maybe Numair had moved to another wing of the palace.
She moved closer. No. She could see his features, his nose, and his dark curly hair. Her eyes stung. She looked across to the woman next to him and nearly screamed.
Numair lay next to Varice Kingsford, his arms wrapped round her.
Daine forgot to be quiet. She rushed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. And ran straight into The Lioness.
"Daine" Alanna said sleepily, "Wait Daine? Daine? Well you took your time in coming to visit us. So you're a Goddess now I suppose. You look like death. Oh wait sorry you are dead. Oh I think I need to sit down" and she collapsed on a nearby chair. Daine watched the older woman. Something in her eyes must have shown through. Some sadness, pain perhaps.
Alanna looked up at into Daine's face, studying it "I didn't expect to find you wandering round here in the dead of night. Sorry I wasn't more welcoming. You've been gone for over three years Daine. I've-we've, everyone's missed you" she said kindly, her eyes shining bright in the candlelight.
"Dead" Daine repeated slowly, "You think I'm dead?"
"Well you are. Aren't you?" the Lioness said her expression one of questioning mixed with shock.
"No" Daine whispered, "I'm still al-"
"Daine?" a cracked whisper came from behind her. She whirled around.
Numair stood in his doorway, the candles flickering light causing half his face to be shadowy, and half his face to be brightly illuminated. The mask of light hid his emotions well. She could see one dark eye widen. She wanted to run to him, be swept upwards into that powerful hold, to feel his kiss again. Her dreams shattered when Varice came to stand next to him.
"How, how have you been?" he managed. Then clearing his throat he said, "How are the Divine Realms? You parents? I hope you weren't to ill on arriving"
"I haven't been in the Divine Realms" her voice came out hard and cold.
He blanched and looked down. That one eye filled with something, hurt? Varice stepped forward, clearly not having heard Daine's last comment.
"Numair and I are married now" she said happily, "I hope you're not to angry. But you were-"
"I WASN'T DEAD," screamed Daine, she tried to calm herself. Her heart felt as if it was trying to pound out of her aching chest. "I, I've been in Carthak" she said, breathing deeply.
"Why" croaked Numair "Why did you leave?" his face plainly showed that hurt now.
"I didn't chose to" she replied softly, she could hear the emotion in those four words. All the hurt, pain and suffering of the last three years.
"Then what?" he said clearly not understanding.
"I don't know" she replied, "The last thing I remember is going to find the Griffin. From then I can only remember waking up in Carthak and my time as a slave." She swallowed. Those memories still hurt. She could see the limp form of Mina stretched out on the floor, Tark towering above her.
"Daine" Alanna whispered "You poor child" she reached for her arm and held it.
Numair didn't reply. Varice looked as if she wanted to cry or scream or even both. She looked between Numair, who stared at Daine, and Daine who stared at the ground. Numair had gone white; he looked as if a ghost had risen before him.
"Daine you need food and rest" Alanna commented after a few moments silence. "We should get you to a bed"
"I don't want to rest" she replied, "I want-" she stopped and looked up at Numair. Then she ran. The tears had threatened to fall right there, she didn't want them to see her cry.
Numair started after her. Alanna grabbed his arm. "Wait" she said, "She's safe in the palace and she needs to be alone. And we need to inform Jon and Thayet"
Numair nodded automatically, still staring ahead at where Daine had fled.
Daine ran blindly, not really knowing where she was headed. Tears blinded her as much as her emotion; she wanted to get away, to be alone to sort through her feelings. Surfacing above the top, above the feelings of relief at being home, at being safe, was the realisation that Numair was with Varice-he didn't love her any more.
She found she had been guided outside, to a palace garden. She slowed, to take in the midnight air. She thought if she wasn't running these feelings would slow down and calm. They didn't.
She sat on a stone bench, letting the coolness bite into her legs. She sat and waited for the figure to appear. She didn't have to wait long.
She noticed the air in front of her begin to vibrate and it slowly became solid. She watched as it knitted together, became a wispily, solid shape. The woman shook her head and then stooped to look at the girl.
"You called me here?" The woman nodded "And you were the one who sent me to Carthak to?" Again the woman nodded.
"And now" the woman said "You will come with me once more, Daine" she held out a silvery, moonlit hand to the girl.
And Daine took it.
King Jonathan, Queen Thayet, Numair, Varice, Alanna and Onua had gathered in the Kings study. Jon stood facing the window, the Queen sat in a velvet high-backed chair. Numair sat, head in hands staring at the floor, Varice tried to hold his hand, to comfort him but she was ignored. Onua sat thinking, her brows knit in concentration. Alanna stood near the fire, leaning on the mantle.
"So" Jon repeated "Correct me if I'm wrong but Daine did not die three years ago. And as you have it she has been living as a slave in Carthak for that time"
"Yes," muttered Alanna "Your right"
"Do we know why she left? Was she forced? Did she want to?" he said, pulling on his beard.
"She wouldn't leave" Onua said "She wouldn't leave Kitten and her other friends behind unless she truly had to. And she would never of faked her death. She would have let us know she was ok"
The King shook his head and turned to the group. "Numair" he said quietly "Is there any reason you know why she might of wanted to leave here?"
Numair shook his head; he didn't look up "No you Majesty" his cracked voice whispered.
"Where is she now?" Thayet asked, running a nervous hand through her locks, "I want to speak with her"
"Thayet maybe you should wait. She wasn't in the best of moods when we found her before. She-"
"I will not wait" Thayet cut in, "I was the only person in this room to believe she was still alive. We could have found her years ago if someone had of listened" she fell silent.
-The kit is not here any more- a gruff voice spoke in their minds. Turning to the door they found the Badger God had appeared silently.
"Lord Badger" Jonathan greeted him, "It is an honour to see you again even if under such events."
-Thank You King Jonathan- he replied -But I think there is a story you all need to hear- He turned to look at Numair, -Before you go rushing off to save my kit-
Numair sat up suddenly "Why where is she? What's happened? I, I can't lose her again," his eyes pleaded with the God.
Varice's head dropped. Unseen tears formed in her eyes.
-She has gone willingly with the one who took her memory. But you must know her story before you go. It is a harsh one, but it must be told-
Jonathan nodded and took his place at the head of the oak table.
Daine watched the Enchantress stare out of her window. She stood tall and her curvy figure was accented with the close fitting robe she wore. It was a robe of silver moonlight, and cascaded to the floor like the moons beams themselves cascaded to the earth.
Chalice turned to her, and Daine gasped at the jagged scar that ruined the woman's translucently perfect face. It ran from her petite nose right across the Enchantress's left cheek. It was a raised scar, a scar that reminded the woman of a world of pain.
Chalice fingered a lock of her curly, silver hair thoughtfully, "You wonder where my scar is from?" she asked the younger girl.
Daine thought the woman's ice-blue eyes borne into her own soul. She squirmed on her chair.
"How did you know?"
"I can see you look upon it" was the reply.
"Will you tell me?" Daine asked, the curiosity over whelming her.
"A reminder of my first world, my homeland." The woman replied, "Although a painful one" she touched the scar gently.
"What happened to your world? Why do you not live there any more?" Daine asked.
"I destroyed it" was the blunt reply.
Daine looked shocked, her words caught in her throat.
"You want to know why?" Daine nodded.
"It destroyed by brother so I destroyed it" no sorrow entered that sentence.
"Why did you come here?" Daine asked.
"My God had no where to put me. Mithros is his brother so he allowed me to stay here. Although he thought all my power had been stripped from me. How wrong was he to reckon with the Devil"
"The Devil?" Daine looked confused.
"Another God from my world. The God who gave me my power" Chalice dropped onto a chair nearby.
"You haven't always had your power then?"
"No. I forget. You are used to those who have power all their lives. I gave my soul to the Devil in return for infinite power. Then the world took my brother so I took the world. God stripped me of what he believed was all my power, but the Devil always wins. So I came here, sent by a God much less powerful than me, ruled by Gods much less powerful than me"
"And why do you want me?"
"Oh Daine, you dear child" the sarcasm in her voice was rich, "You took something from me to. I couldn't let you go unpunished"
She sounded so much like Tark. Daine's eyes stung "I took something from you? I don't even know-" realisation dawned on her. "You where in love with Ozorne?"
"Yes" was the sighed reply.
"But we never saw you at the palace, at-"
"We kept our love a secret. We were going to rule the worlds together. Then you came along and ruined it. You killed him. You took away the only man I ever loved"
"Did you even love him as a Stormwing? Daine's voice was harsh.
Chalice laughed, "Of course. Once we ruled this world I would have changed him back to human form. Who do you think turned Hawkwing into a Stormwing?"
"Hawkwing was a man?" Daine could hardly conceal the shock in her voice.
"More than a man, a God" was Chalice's proud reply, "I needed a helper and what better to do than turn a God into something he hated so he would stick around for the day I would turn him back"
"Your, your evil" Daine choked.
"Yes of course. You should of known that already"
"No wonder you loved Ozorne. He and you would of made a wonderful couple"
"We did" she said, ice eyes clouding over, "And you took it from us. I can't bring back the dead-it was one of the powers stripped from me-but you shall pay for parting us."
"Why what are you going to do? Nothing can hurt me now." Daine's eyes to clouded over. The most hurtful moment in her life had already happened. Numair had been with another.
"Oh there are so many hurtful things I could do to you. You think because the mage is with another you cannot be hurt any more than you are. Well you are wrong. I am going to hurt him, and the others, that are on their way to aid you now. And you shall have to watch."
Authors Note - I upped the rating a bit because of the previous chapter just to be safe.
There was still a soft light illuminating the room. Daine could see a shadowy figure curled up in the bed, wrapped in the bedclothes. Lights danced across it, making it seem unreal.
"At least its human" she thought to herself, "Or it looks human"
She couldn't decide whether to climb in with Numair and give him a shock in the morning or to wake him now. She couldn't take the chance though that on finding another in his bed tomorrow Numair wouldn't put some irreversible spell on her, before realising who it was. She laughed in her head and decided she would be safer waking him now. She stole quietly to the edge of the bed.
As she got nearer she began to see not one, but two shapes under the covers. Her throat tightened, her heart beat faster. Maybe she had the wrong rooms, maybe Numair had moved to another wing of the palace.
She moved closer. No. She could see his features, his nose, and his dark curly hair. Her eyes stung. She looked across to the woman next to him and nearly screamed.
Numair lay next to Varice Kingsford, his arms wrapped round her.
Daine forgot to be quiet. She rushed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. And ran straight into The Lioness.
"Daine" Alanna said sleepily, "Wait Daine? Daine? Well you took your time in coming to visit us. So you're a Goddess now I suppose. You look like death. Oh wait sorry you are dead. Oh I think I need to sit down" and she collapsed on a nearby chair. Daine watched the older woman. Something in her eyes must have shown through. Some sadness, pain perhaps.
Alanna looked up at into Daine's face, studying it "I didn't expect to find you wandering round here in the dead of night. Sorry I wasn't more welcoming. You've been gone for over three years Daine. I've-we've, everyone's missed you" she said kindly, her eyes shining bright in the candlelight.
"Dead" Daine repeated slowly, "You think I'm dead?"
"Well you are. Aren't you?" the Lioness said her expression one of questioning mixed with shock.
"No" Daine whispered, "I'm still al-"
"Daine?" a cracked whisper came from behind her. She whirled around.
Numair stood in his doorway, the candles flickering light causing half his face to be shadowy, and half his face to be brightly illuminated. The mask of light hid his emotions well. She could see one dark eye widen. She wanted to run to him, be swept upwards into that powerful hold, to feel his kiss again. Her dreams shattered when Varice came to stand next to him.
"How, how have you been?" he managed. Then clearing his throat he said, "How are the Divine Realms? You parents? I hope you weren't to ill on arriving"
"I haven't been in the Divine Realms" her voice came out hard and cold.
He blanched and looked down. That one eye filled with something, hurt? Varice stepped forward, clearly not having heard Daine's last comment.
"Numair and I are married now" she said happily, "I hope you're not to angry. But you were-"
"I WASN'T DEAD," screamed Daine, she tried to calm herself. Her heart felt as if it was trying to pound out of her aching chest. "I, I've been in Carthak" she said, breathing deeply.
"Why" croaked Numair "Why did you leave?" his face plainly showed that hurt now.
"I didn't chose to" she replied softly, she could hear the emotion in those four words. All the hurt, pain and suffering of the last three years.
"Then what?" he said clearly not understanding.
"I don't know" she replied, "The last thing I remember is going to find the Griffin. From then I can only remember waking up in Carthak and my time as a slave." She swallowed. Those memories still hurt. She could see the limp form of Mina stretched out on the floor, Tark towering above her.
"Daine" Alanna whispered "You poor child" she reached for her arm and held it.
Numair didn't reply. Varice looked as if she wanted to cry or scream or even both. She looked between Numair, who stared at Daine, and Daine who stared at the ground. Numair had gone white; he looked as if a ghost had risen before him.
"Daine you need food and rest" Alanna commented after a few moments silence. "We should get you to a bed"
"I don't want to rest" she replied, "I want-" she stopped and looked up at Numair. Then she ran. The tears had threatened to fall right there, she didn't want them to see her cry.
Numair started after her. Alanna grabbed his arm. "Wait" she said, "She's safe in the palace and she needs to be alone. And we need to inform Jon and Thayet"
Numair nodded automatically, still staring ahead at where Daine had fled.
Daine ran blindly, not really knowing where she was headed. Tears blinded her as much as her emotion; she wanted to get away, to be alone to sort through her feelings. Surfacing above the top, above the feelings of relief at being home, at being safe, was the realisation that Numair was with Varice-he didn't love her any more.
She found she had been guided outside, to a palace garden. She slowed, to take in the midnight air. She thought if she wasn't running these feelings would slow down and calm. They didn't.
She sat on a stone bench, letting the coolness bite into her legs. She sat and waited for the figure to appear. She didn't have to wait long.
She noticed the air in front of her begin to vibrate and it slowly became solid. She watched as it knitted together, became a wispily, solid shape. The woman shook her head and then stooped to look at the girl.
"You called me here?" The woman nodded "And you were the one who sent me to Carthak to?" Again the woman nodded.
"And now" the woman said "You will come with me once more, Daine" she held out a silvery, moonlit hand to the girl.
And Daine took it.
King Jonathan, Queen Thayet, Numair, Varice, Alanna and Onua had gathered in the Kings study. Jon stood facing the window, the Queen sat in a velvet high-backed chair. Numair sat, head in hands staring at the floor, Varice tried to hold his hand, to comfort him but she was ignored. Onua sat thinking, her brows knit in concentration. Alanna stood near the fire, leaning on the mantle.
"So" Jon repeated "Correct me if I'm wrong but Daine did not die three years ago. And as you have it she has been living as a slave in Carthak for that time"
"Yes," muttered Alanna "Your right"
"Do we know why she left? Was she forced? Did she want to?" he said, pulling on his beard.
"She wouldn't leave" Onua said "She wouldn't leave Kitten and her other friends behind unless she truly had to. And she would never of faked her death. She would have let us know she was ok"
The King shook his head and turned to the group. "Numair" he said quietly "Is there any reason you know why she might of wanted to leave here?"
Numair shook his head; he didn't look up "No you Majesty" his cracked voice whispered.
"Where is she now?" Thayet asked, running a nervous hand through her locks, "I want to speak with her"
"Thayet maybe you should wait. She wasn't in the best of moods when we found her before. She-"
"I will not wait" Thayet cut in, "I was the only person in this room to believe she was still alive. We could have found her years ago if someone had of listened" she fell silent.
-The kit is not here any more- a gruff voice spoke in their minds. Turning to the door they found the Badger God had appeared silently.
"Lord Badger" Jonathan greeted him, "It is an honour to see you again even if under such events."
-Thank You King Jonathan- he replied -But I think there is a story you all need to hear- He turned to look at Numair, -Before you go rushing off to save my kit-
Numair sat up suddenly "Why where is she? What's happened? I, I can't lose her again," his eyes pleaded with the God.
Varice's head dropped. Unseen tears formed in her eyes.
-She has gone willingly with the one who took her memory. But you must know her story before you go. It is a harsh one, but it must be told-
Jonathan nodded and took his place at the head of the oak table.
Daine watched the Enchantress stare out of her window. She stood tall and her curvy figure was accented with the close fitting robe she wore. It was a robe of silver moonlight, and cascaded to the floor like the moons beams themselves cascaded to the earth.
Chalice turned to her, and Daine gasped at the jagged scar that ruined the woman's translucently perfect face. It ran from her petite nose right across the Enchantress's left cheek. It was a raised scar, a scar that reminded the woman of a world of pain.
Chalice fingered a lock of her curly, silver hair thoughtfully, "You wonder where my scar is from?" she asked the younger girl.
Daine thought the woman's ice-blue eyes borne into her own soul. She squirmed on her chair.
"How did you know?"
"I can see you look upon it" was the reply.
"Will you tell me?" Daine asked, the curiosity over whelming her.
"A reminder of my first world, my homeland." The woman replied, "Although a painful one" she touched the scar gently.
"What happened to your world? Why do you not live there any more?" Daine asked.
"I destroyed it" was the blunt reply.
Daine looked shocked, her words caught in her throat.
"You want to know why?" Daine nodded.
"It destroyed by brother so I destroyed it" no sorrow entered that sentence.
"Why did you come here?" Daine asked.
"My God had no where to put me. Mithros is his brother so he allowed me to stay here. Although he thought all my power had been stripped from me. How wrong was he to reckon with the Devil"
"The Devil?" Daine looked confused.
"Another God from my world. The God who gave me my power" Chalice dropped onto a chair nearby.
"You haven't always had your power then?"
"No. I forget. You are used to those who have power all their lives. I gave my soul to the Devil in return for infinite power. Then the world took my brother so I took the world. God stripped me of what he believed was all my power, but the Devil always wins. So I came here, sent by a God much less powerful than me, ruled by Gods much less powerful than me"
"And why do you want me?"
"Oh Daine, you dear child" the sarcasm in her voice was rich, "You took something from me to. I couldn't let you go unpunished"
She sounded so much like Tark. Daine's eyes stung "I took something from you? I don't even know-" realisation dawned on her. "You where in love with Ozorne?"
"Yes" was the sighed reply.
"But we never saw you at the palace, at-"
"We kept our love a secret. We were going to rule the worlds together. Then you came along and ruined it. You killed him. You took away the only man I ever loved"
"Did you even love him as a Stormwing? Daine's voice was harsh.
Chalice laughed, "Of course. Once we ruled this world I would have changed him back to human form. Who do you think turned Hawkwing into a Stormwing?"
"Hawkwing was a man?" Daine could hardly conceal the shock in her voice.
"More than a man, a God" was Chalice's proud reply, "I needed a helper and what better to do than turn a God into something he hated so he would stick around for the day I would turn him back"
"Your, your evil" Daine choked.
"Yes of course. You should of known that already"
"No wonder you loved Ozorne. He and you would of made a wonderful couple"
"We did" she said, ice eyes clouding over, "And you took it from us. I can't bring back the dead-it was one of the powers stripped from me-but you shall pay for parting us."
"Why what are you going to do? Nothing can hurt me now." Daine's eyes to clouded over. The most hurtful moment in her life had already happened. Numair had been with another.
"Oh there are so many hurtful things I could do to you. You think because the mage is with another you cannot be hurt any more than you are. Well you are wrong. I am going to hurt him, and the others, that are on their way to aid you now. And you shall have to watch."