Finding:
I'm still wondering about the stormwing and her magic as we trot along the bank of the River Olorun. We're so close to Corus now, traveling on the river instead of on the Great Road East. I haven't dreamed of the Green Lady since those two nights, but my necklace still glows, somewhat more strongly than before, me and Tamick agree. I haven't done anything to show that I trust Jikkeh, anything except telling her about my life in Snowsdale, my time with Daine. Tamick hasn't either; rather he's done the opposite. He paid a man who was riding down the road to ride fast ahead to Corus and tell them a stormwing was coming to kill Daine, Lanna, and Teyka, after he confirmed that Daine was in the capital.
"She has Wild Magic," he said. "She can change into animals and talk to them and stuff." At that point I thought, Oh no. ".and she helped ta win the Immortals War." We did this while Jikkeh was sleeping and she never noticed.
The River Olorun is cold and refreshing as I dip my face in and wash. We'll be in Corus tomorrow, so Tamick, with his map, says. We eat lunch quickly, then ride again, and set up camp, just as we have done for days. Corus tomorrow, I think, and Daine! There are noises tonight, just like there have been every night, but tonight, I am not afraid. Jikkeh is perched on her branch, Tamick is snoring softly, and I lie, half-asleep and silent. When I do fall asleep, the Green Lady is there.
"Get the stormwing to Daine," she says, "and hurry. You will be too late otherwise, and then the only person that can help you on your quest will be dead. Remember to use the gift I have given you." I wake up and can't understand the message at all. How can I use the necklace, and what is this quest?
We'll be inTortall before lunchtime. Jikkeh knows where we're going, I think, but doesn't kill us, doesn't give any sign. Perhaps I am wrong about Jikkeh. Perhaps it really is just anger, and she will not kill us once she has found Daine. But I still worry about Daine, and Teyka and Lanna, who are in Corus by now.
And then there it is. It's beautiful, the biggest city I've ever seen, not that that's very many. We trek down the road. The man said Daine is in the palace, so that's where we go. Corus is so big, and crowded, and full of people. No one notices the stormwing flying high, high overhead. They don't look at us either. We reach the palace, and it's huge, again the biggest building I have ever seen. I tell the doorman,
"We're looking for Daine," and that's when the archers come out. Twelve of them, and other men and women between them, their hands raised up, I can assume the must be mages. One of them, a tall man, who is so tall, I can't believe it, shouts,
"Come down here, stormwing. We don't allow killer stormwings in the city. You'll die if you don't come down now." Jikkeh drops, and all the mages and archers ready themselves. I remember part of the promise we made to Jikkeh, the part about protecting her from threats.
"Don't hurt her," I say. "Please, she's my friend. She only has a-a difference to settle with Daine, please don't kill her."
"If she harms Daine we will kill her," says the mage. "Or at least I will. How do either of you," he looks at Tamick "any of you know about Daine?"
"I'm from Snowsdale," I say. "I heard she was in Corus, and, well I was her friend there. She was real nice to me when my family wasn't."
"Come in," says the man. He leads Tamick, Jikkeh, and me to a room a young woman-Daine! -inside, talking to, of all things, a baby dragon.
"Daine!" I say. She looks at me strangely for a moment. I'm stunned. Does she remember me? "Daine, it's me, from Snowsdale. It's Laona."
"Laona?" she says. "Laona, the little girl that always followed me around. You've grown! And who are your friends?"
"This is Tamick, Lory's daughter. And this is Jikkeh Bonetooth. She's a stormwing."
"I noticed," Daine says dryly.
"She-she wants to kill you. She said you killed her grandmother."
"Her grandmother?"
"Zaneh Bitterclaws," Jikkeh puts in.
"Oh yes. Her. That's a long story, but I'll tell it to you. Me and Onua- that's the person I used to work for-were bringing some ponies to Corus and Numair-he's a mage-was in hawk form and the stormwings were chasing him. Zaneh was one of them. We shot at them and didn't kill her, but we killed many. She wanted revenge.
"Later, during an attack on Pirate's Swoop, she and her flock attacked."
"My parents were there," Jikkeh says.
"I was weak, and she thought she was going to kill me. But my pony, Cloud, gave me strength and I shot her. I would have killed her anyway, so you can blame me if you want, but if you try to kill me I will defend myself."
"I can't kill you. That mage out there won't let me. But I certainly would if I could. You killed so many in our flock. And then her-"here she points a claw at me-"her sister and his sister-" she nods at Tamick-"killed so many more. And then with Rikash's death during the war, it's-"
"Rikash Moonsword was part of your flock?" Daine asks.
"Yes, Barzha took it over after Zaneh's death. Why, did you try to kill him too?"
"Rikash was a friend of mine."
"He was?" Jikkeh asks, clearly surprised.
"Yes. Your flock helped us in the Immortals War." What is Daine talking about? I think. She was in the Immortals War? I truly thought that that man was crazy, when he said that to us. I mean, I know Daine had something with animals, that she talked to them, and they listened to her, but- she has- what did that man say? Wild Magic. I didn't know there was a name for that. I'm about to ask if this is really true, but then I realize I can't do this without giving away the fact that I talked to that man to Jikkeh. Instead I ask Tamick,
"Why haven't you said anything this entire time? You haven't even introduced yourself to Daine."
"She was friends with a-a stormwing! They aren't-you can't be friends with them!"
"Rikash was different," Daine says. "And who are you? You look familiar."
"I'm Tamick. I'm Lori's son from Snowsdale. And. have you seen either of our sisters?" Lanna and Teyka! I've almost forgotten about them, with Jikkeh and Daine and being in Corus.
"Yes, Teyka and Lanna. They came here looking for us, I think."
"I haven't seen them, but I'll help you look."
"Also, Daine? One more thing. Do you know who the Green Lady is?" Daine looks shocked. Then she says:
"That's right, it was mostly Snowsdale where she was. Yes I do know about her. I-she's my-well, tell me why first, and then I'll tell you what I know."
"She's-you know who she is. She appears to me in dreams sometimes. She wanted me to bring Jikkeh to you. She kept talking about some quest, and the only person that could help me would be dead, and she.she did something to my necklace." I show Daine. "And it used to look like the Goddess, but now it looks like her, the Green Lady. And it glows, even brighter in the dark.
"Can I see it?" Daine asks. I hand it to her, and the moment she touches the green object at the end of the cord, the necklace begins to glow so brightly that we all shield our eyes from it. And then the Green Lady appears before us, and looks at Daine.
"Daine, Laona must find the stormwing's magic," she says, and is gone.
"W-what did she mean?" I ask.
"I have no idea," Daine replies. "But I think it's safe to tell you-Tamick and Jikkeh too- that-Laona, the Green Lady is my mother."
"But-but what about Sarra?" Is all I can think to say.
"She is Sarra. There are very few people who actually know. When she died, my father, the god Weiryn, made her into a goddess. She's still Sarra, except- different."
"And you don't know what she meant?"
"No, but I do think that your necklace can do more than you know. Maybe she'll continue to come to you in your dreams, and will explain then. Also- what exactly did she tell you, before?" I tell her, all I can remember.
"I think she wants you to go on a quest with Jikkeh. I'm not sure, but I think. Why don't we go find your sisters? Maybe they will know more." We start walking, the tall mage still following us.
I'm still wondering about the stormwing and her magic as we trot along the bank of the River Olorun. We're so close to Corus now, traveling on the river instead of on the Great Road East. I haven't dreamed of the Green Lady since those two nights, but my necklace still glows, somewhat more strongly than before, me and Tamick agree. I haven't done anything to show that I trust Jikkeh, anything except telling her about my life in Snowsdale, my time with Daine. Tamick hasn't either; rather he's done the opposite. He paid a man who was riding down the road to ride fast ahead to Corus and tell them a stormwing was coming to kill Daine, Lanna, and Teyka, after he confirmed that Daine was in the capital.
"She has Wild Magic," he said. "She can change into animals and talk to them and stuff." At that point I thought, Oh no. ".and she helped ta win the Immortals War." We did this while Jikkeh was sleeping and she never noticed.
The River Olorun is cold and refreshing as I dip my face in and wash. We'll be in Corus tomorrow, so Tamick, with his map, says. We eat lunch quickly, then ride again, and set up camp, just as we have done for days. Corus tomorrow, I think, and Daine! There are noises tonight, just like there have been every night, but tonight, I am not afraid. Jikkeh is perched on her branch, Tamick is snoring softly, and I lie, half-asleep and silent. When I do fall asleep, the Green Lady is there.
"Get the stormwing to Daine," she says, "and hurry. You will be too late otherwise, and then the only person that can help you on your quest will be dead. Remember to use the gift I have given you." I wake up and can't understand the message at all. How can I use the necklace, and what is this quest?
We'll be inTortall before lunchtime. Jikkeh knows where we're going, I think, but doesn't kill us, doesn't give any sign. Perhaps I am wrong about Jikkeh. Perhaps it really is just anger, and she will not kill us once she has found Daine. But I still worry about Daine, and Teyka and Lanna, who are in Corus by now.
And then there it is. It's beautiful, the biggest city I've ever seen, not that that's very many. We trek down the road. The man said Daine is in the palace, so that's where we go. Corus is so big, and crowded, and full of people. No one notices the stormwing flying high, high overhead. They don't look at us either. We reach the palace, and it's huge, again the biggest building I have ever seen. I tell the doorman,
"We're looking for Daine," and that's when the archers come out. Twelve of them, and other men and women between them, their hands raised up, I can assume the must be mages. One of them, a tall man, who is so tall, I can't believe it, shouts,
"Come down here, stormwing. We don't allow killer stormwings in the city. You'll die if you don't come down now." Jikkeh drops, and all the mages and archers ready themselves. I remember part of the promise we made to Jikkeh, the part about protecting her from threats.
"Don't hurt her," I say. "Please, she's my friend. She only has a-a difference to settle with Daine, please don't kill her."
"If she harms Daine we will kill her," says the mage. "Or at least I will. How do either of you," he looks at Tamick "any of you know about Daine?"
"I'm from Snowsdale," I say. "I heard she was in Corus, and, well I was her friend there. She was real nice to me when my family wasn't."
"Come in," says the man. He leads Tamick, Jikkeh, and me to a room a young woman-Daine! -inside, talking to, of all things, a baby dragon.
"Daine!" I say. She looks at me strangely for a moment. I'm stunned. Does she remember me? "Daine, it's me, from Snowsdale. It's Laona."
"Laona?" she says. "Laona, the little girl that always followed me around. You've grown! And who are your friends?"
"This is Tamick, Lory's daughter. And this is Jikkeh Bonetooth. She's a stormwing."
"I noticed," Daine says dryly.
"She-she wants to kill you. She said you killed her grandmother."
"Her grandmother?"
"Zaneh Bitterclaws," Jikkeh puts in.
"Oh yes. Her. That's a long story, but I'll tell it to you. Me and Onua- that's the person I used to work for-were bringing some ponies to Corus and Numair-he's a mage-was in hawk form and the stormwings were chasing him. Zaneh was one of them. We shot at them and didn't kill her, but we killed many. She wanted revenge.
"Later, during an attack on Pirate's Swoop, she and her flock attacked."
"My parents were there," Jikkeh says.
"I was weak, and she thought she was going to kill me. But my pony, Cloud, gave me strength and I shot her. I would have killed her anyway, so you can blame me if you want, but if you try to kill me I will defend myself."
"I can't kill you. That mage out there won't let me. But I certainly would if I could. You killed so many in our flock. And then her-"here she points a claw at me-"her sister and his sister-" she nods at Tamick-"killed so many more. And then with Rikash's death during the war, it's-"
"Rikash Moonsword was part of your flock?" Daine asks.
"Yes, Barzha took it over after Zaneh's death. Why, did you try to kill him too?"
"Rikash was a friend of mine."
"He was?" Jikkeh asks, clearly surprised.
"Yes. Your flock helped us in the Immortals War." What is Daine talking about? I think. She was in the Immortals War? I truly thought that that man was crazy, when he said that to us. I mean, I know Daine had something with animals, that she talked to them, and they listened to her, but- she has- what did that man say? Wild Magic. I didn't know there was a name for that. I'm about to ask if this is really true, but then I realize I can't do this without giving away the fact that I talked to that man to Jikkeh. Instead I ask Tamick,
"Why haven't you said anything this entire time? You haven't even introduced yourself to Daine."
"She was friends with a-a stormwing! They aren't-you can't be friends with them!"
"Rikash was different," Daine says. "And who are you? You look familiar."
"I'm Tamick. I'm Lori's son from Snowsdale. And. have you seen either of our sisters?" Lanna and Teyka! I've almost forgotten about them, with Jikkeh and Daine and being in Corus.
"Yes, Teyka and Lanna. They came here looking for us, I think."
"I haven't seen them, but I'll help you look."
"Also, Daine? One more thing. Do you know who the Green Lady is?" Daine looks shocked. Then she says:
"That's right, it was mostly Snowsdale where she was. Yes I do know about her. I-she's my-well, tell me why first, and then I'll tell you what I know."
"She's-you know who she is. She appears to me in dreams sometimes. She wanted me to bring Jikkeh to you. She kept talking about some quest, and the only person that could help me would be dead, and she.she did something to my necklace." I show Daine. "And it used to look like the Goddess, but now it looks like her, the Green Lady. And it glows, even brighter in the dark.
"Can I see it?" Daine asks. I hand it to her, and the moment she touches the green object at the end of the cord, the necklace begins to glow so brightly that we all shield our eyes from it. And then the Green Lady appears before us, and looks at Daine.
"Daine, Laona must find the stormwing's magic," she says, and is gone.
"W-what did she mean?" I ask.
"I have no idea," Daine replies. "But I think it's safe to tell you-Tamick and Jikkeh too- that-Laona, the Green Lady is my mother."
"But-but what about Sarra?" Is all I can think to say.
"She is Sarra. There are very few people who actually know. When she died, my father, the god Weiryn, made her into a goddess. She's still Sarra, except- different."
"And you don't know what she meant?"
"No, but I do think that your necklace can do more than you know. Maybe she'll continue to come to you in your dreams, and will explain then. Also- what exactly did she tell you, before?" I tell her, all I can remember.
"I think she wants you to go on a quest with Jikkeh. I'm not sure, but I think. Why don't we go find your sisters? Maybe they will know more." We start walking, the tall mage still following us.