DISCLAIMER: I own nothing except the things that are mine.
SUMMARY/AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is about a daughter of Daine and Numair named
Lanhara. Not very original, I know. But hopefully I can make the PLOT as
original as possible. ALSO- I am going to make things that are supposed to
appear in bold or italics IN CAPS unless someone could very sweetly tell me
how to get those two things onto the website, and when she's talking to
immortals or animals it will be -like this.- The prologue was very short,
sorry, but this will be longer. Much longer. Please review.
Strange Magic:
Part One:
The girl studied the dragon. Neither were very old in human terms, the dragon having just learned the mind-speech that was the way her kind communicated with humans and the girl having just realized she could understand it. The dragon's name was Skysong, daughter of Flamewing, and the girl was Lanhara, daughter of Numair Salmalin and Verilidaine Sarrasri. Her brown hair was tied back behind her head to keep it out of her way and her gray eyes set in a medium-dark face flashed in anger as she listened to the dragon's talk. Why had her parents never told her. She just had a strange type of magic, they said, a mix of her father's Gift and her mother's wild magic. No one had ever, EVER told her that she could converse with immortals, actually answer them back when they spoke to her. Her mother could, but her mother had powerful wild magic, and probably wouldn't have given this aspect of it to her daughter. Except she had. There was also the possibility that her parents didn't know, but that was unlikely. Her father had created a spell that allowed her to see magic in things-for a short time at least- and would have known what type of magic she had. She herself was able to see the magic of the Gift, wild magic, the magic that the immortals had, the natural magic that the gods had put into every stone and every tree in the world, and once, when her father had showed it to her, the strange cloudy magic of the gods themselves. But she could not see the type of magic that was in things, and of course wouldn't have known what her magic enabled her to do.
She could ask the dragon if her parents had known. Then she could save the effort of being mad at them, and perhaps running off and spending a night in the woods. Skysong, who was usually called Kitten, dating from the time when she was a baby and Daine had found her, was unusually advanced for her age, and had learned to talk mind-speech far before any other dragons of her age. She was easy to talk to, and unlike human children, did not use what people referred to as 'baby talk.' Instead she used sentences varying from normal to complex, and was good to be able to talk to. Although not, that Lanhara grumpily, when it came as a surprise. "Kit, did my parents know about my ability to talk to immortals?"
-Yes- the dragon replied. -They knew you had the same abilities your mother had and more. They would have to know about this-
"Then why didn't they tell me?" Even though she was speaking the mind- speech, she was complaining mostly to herself.
-Why don't you go ask them? Maybe it simply slipped their minds. But I should tell you, I don't think they knew I would learn to mind-speak this fast.- With that Lanhara walked off. Well, she would tell them. In stormwing form, perhaps, because she was angry with them. Or in adult dragon form, that ought to be scary enough. They didn't know about her ability to change into immortal forms and then change back to human form. After all, it was not something Daine could do. Most shape changing mages- be they wildmages or Giftmages- could not manage the shape change without becoming stuck in immortal form forever. The change happened instantly. There was a girl walking down a forest path, and then there was an adult dragon winging her way towards the castle. Immortal magic, as well as her own, went with immortal form. She cast a spell of invisibility and silence as she flew low over the capital city of Corus. She didn't want anyone scared besides her parents. Shrinking to about Kit's size and coloring as she neared the palace, she maneuvered her way around various people in the halls, and found her way to her parents' room.
"Lanhara wants to see you outside!" she boomed, projection a loud, human voice with the Gift-like part of her magic, able to talk to her parents without being seen and having her shape-change given away. She became invisible again and headed for a large field behind the palace where her large shape would fit. The dragon she had changed into was seventy feet long from nose to tail, and was a deep, dark green color that was flecked with bits of gold and pale lavender. She'd chosen the colors as her favorites, colors her parents would know and recognize, so they would guess, if not know, it was her. Soon enough her parents came out, panting slightly. It looked as if they had been running, possibly trying not to make her wait a long time for them. Her parents saw her, and then recognized her, and it was funny to see the looks on their faces when they realized it was her.
"Lanhara, you're stuck in that form forever!" her father yelled, sounding half fearful, half furious.
"I want to know why you kept the fact that I could talk with immortals from me," she said allowed, as her magic enabled her to do. She used her voice, but amplified about ten times, so she sounded the way a real dragon of her size might sound with mind-speech. She could see her parents looking at each other, and knew that they had known all along.
"It was-it was because they know something that we're not sure you're ready to find out. Lanhara, really, you're stuck as a dragon. There's no way you can change back." Her mother sounded worried about her, and the answer she'd been given sounded truthful enough. She might as well give them both some reassurance. She turned back into her human form, careful to give herself clothing, and then changed to dragon again. "Lanhara- NO one can do that. It's impossible to change into an immortal and change back to human form."
"Well, I can do it. What it that you don't want me to know? I can talk to immortals now, and I'll find out from Kit if not from you."
"Kit?" That was her father, sounding surprised.
"Of course. She WOULD learn to talk sooner than any other dragon just so she could tell Lanhara that my mo- never mind."
"Tell me. If you don't, she will. So hurry up about it."
"Don't talk to your mother like that. But really, Daine, I don't know why you're keeping it from her. you weren't very happy when you learned it had been kept from you, and it probably won't change her life at all."
"Numair, it's just-"
"Please tell me. I can't think I shouldn't know something, after all the things that you HAVE made me learn." She said this with a glance at her father, who had made sure she had fairly memorized every book, every scroll in the palace library.
"Well, all right, I'll just do it like this. Lanhara, your grandparents, my parents, are gods. Not great gods, just lesser gods. It's-"
"Why were you keeping this from me? There isn't anything about it that I shouldn't know. I mean, of course I'm impressed, but if I had grown up knowing it or something-"
"I just hoped-I don't know, I hoped that you would never need to know. The times I visited them I was either dead or in grave danger. Wait, that doesn't make sense-" She and Lanhara's father laughed at some joke that was between them. It was confusing to her, but she supposed it was true. Had Daine's parents brought Daine back to life? She hadn't thought that was something that lesser gods were capable of. Even most great gods, it seemed. Although famous sorcerers had been known to raise the dead- Oh no! This was what her father's teachings had done to her. She was turning into a walking replica of him, someone that would go off into quotes and references from books and talk for hours if not interrupted, and sometimes even then. For sure, anyway, something strange had happened. She could ask her mother about it. She looked at her. She was still laughing with Lanhara's father. Maybe later. Quietly, she changed back to human form and slipped away to find Kitten. It was amazing though, now that she actually thought about it. Her grandparents, gods. She wondered which ones. Now that she thought of it, she could try to explore the bounds of her magic- and finding her grandparents might be just the thing.
Part Two Lanhara asked Skysong about it first, if the dragon thought what the girl had in mind was possible. She said that since Lanhara's magic was new and no one knew anything about it, it could certainly be possible. But she should keep in mind that her magic probably couldn't be controlled by the gods-they had, after all, created it within her, and wouldn't have made it to be greater than they were. But it would be good to try it, and it would certainly be useful if it worked.
-Perhaps- the young dragon said, -you can take me with you and we can try to visit my people. If you can reach the realms of the gods them adult dragons cannot harm you-especially if you turn into one.-
-Should I tell my parents first?- she wanted to know. Probably better not to, for they would never agree to let her go. Then she realized. This is why they were keeping it from me. They didn't want me to go off on some wild adventures in the realms of the gods. Well, they do know, if they aren't lying, they have been there. But I have more magic than both of them put together. Letting Kitten know her decision, she began to concentrate. She focused her mind on one thing: her and Kitten getting to the realms of the gods. She thought of everything she knew that was Kitten, and imagined it in what everything she'd learned of the realms of the gods, and did the same with herself, imagining everything that was Lanhara. And when she opened her eyes, she wasn't in the forest with Kit anymore. The dragon was there, but there was not the same place as it had been a moment ago. She looked around. There was a house at the base of a high mountain peek. Was this where her grandparents live? She began to walk towards it, and then stopped short. Once again, the place where she was had disappeared. And she hadn't done it this time. What had happened.
At first, everything seemed to be fading away, melting like wax on a candle. Then it all swirled together to create a new scene before her eyes, a strange black space, where there seemed to be no color, and no light. She couldn't see or feel herself, but she could hear Kitten's annoyed squawks. She was speaking the dragon's own language, and from her tone, Lanhara had an idea that her mind speech had been- well, cut off, somehow. And then a woman appeared before her, and she knew who it was.
~We did not give you your powers for you to meddle in the affairs of the gods!~ She cried, and her voice was as loud as anything Lanhara had ever heard. It made her want to cover her ears. But that would be disrespectful. For this was the Great Mother Goddess, Queen of the Gods of Tortall, and a great god, not a lesser god like her grandparents were supposed to be. But she was speaking again. ~You must go home at once. Do not use your powers so wastefully. I have told you, your quest is important for the sake of the gods, not just you mortals.~
Another voice began to speak. The voice, and the way the speaker was speaking, was different. It was mind-speech! -Gods! You did not tell her anything. How should she know what to use her powers for? All she knows is that she can do anything she likes.- And then, more quietly, -I don't think it's right, giving that kind of power to mortals.- The voice sounded slightly familiar. In fact, it reminded her of Kit's voice, but it couldn't be. 'You should at least tell her what she's doing! I, for one, think you should leave godly affairs to the gods!-
~You're too arrogant, Daimondflame. You wouldn't have any say in this matter if you didn't know her mother and her friend on a personal scale.~ Daimondflame. She knew who that was, didn't she? Daimondflame had helped to win the Immortals War, years before she was born. And Daimondflame and his mate Wingstar were Kit's OWN grandparents, whom Kit had asked her to visit when coming here. But what was Daimondflame doing talking to the Mother?
-Well, at least tell her. She has every right to know, especially since you think you've already told her.- Daimondflame sounded full of scorn on the last bit.
~You dragons are always making us look bad, and in front of mortals. That's not supposed to happen.~ Strangely, the Goddess' voice had picked up a humorous tone. ~Very well, Lanhara. I will tell you, at Daimondflame's request. You have been given this great power because something is threatening to take over the universe, rather like Chaos in the time of your mother.~ As if she could sense the puzzlement in Lanhara's mind, the Goddess said, ~You mean she didn't TELL you? She didn't tell you about your grandparents, and look where it got us. She didn't tell you the reason behind the Immortals War, and it will be much worse than simple trespassing.~
Daimondflame snorted. -Simple trespassing indeed.-
~Well. Just for this once.~ The Goddess snapped her fingers, or something like it. It produced a sound, but Lanhara couldn't see, so wasn't sure. And then Daine was there. Again, Lanhara couldn't see her, but she knew that she was there. Daine said something aloud, but Lanhara couldn't understand it, and then switched to mind speech.
-Where am I? Oh, she did it, didn't she. Lanhara, are you here?-
-Yes- she replied. -The Mother is slightly angry with you, I think.-
~You didn't tell her! She has gone around using power greater then the gods like a useless toy! Now she has gone to far, and Daimondflame here says I should tell her what she was created for, and I find out you haven't told her anything! You and that husband of yours are supposed to be smarter than that!~
-I'm sorry, but-
~Oh, don't do that. Just tell her about the Immortals War when you get back home.~ Daine's presence vanished. ~Anyway, Lanhara, there is something, none of us know what yet, threatening to take over the universe. This thing has freed Chaos from her prison and called back or freed all the ones who fought for Chaos during the Immortals War. Together they will amass a force that will destroy all of the earth, imprison the gods, and keep our parents, Father Universe and Mother Flame, from knowing anything is happening. Your powers may be enough to stop this from happening. They are powers greater than any of the gods, given to you by all of us in hope that you can help us overcome this- thing. Explore them, so that you can use them when the time comes, but use them wisely.~ And with that, everything- the back space, the Goddess, Daimondflame- all were gone, and she was back in the forest with Kitten.
-I certainly won't try that again- she told the dragon.
Strange Magic:
Part One:
The girl studied the dragon. Neither were very old in human terms, the dragon having just learned the mind-speech that was the way her kind communicated with humans and the girl having just realized she could understand it. The dragon's name was Skysong, daughter of Flamewing, and the girl was Lanhara, daughter of Numair Salmalin and Verilidaine Sarrasri. Her brown hair was tied back behind her head to keep it out of her way and her gray eyes set in a medium-dark face flashed in anger as she listened to the dragon's talk. Why had her parents never told her. She just had a strange type of magic, they said, a mix of her father's Gift and her mother's wild magic. No one had ever, EVER told her that she could converse with immortals, actually answer them back when they spoke to her. Her mother could, but her mother had powerful wild magic, and probably wouldn't have given this aspect of it to her daughter. Except she had. There was also the possibility that her parents didn't know, but that was unlikely. Her father had created a spell that allowed her to see magic in things-for a short time at least- and would have known what type of magic she had. She herself was able to see the magic of the Gift, wild magic, the magic that the immortals had, the natural magic that the gods had put into every stone and every tree in the world, and once, when her father had showed it to her, the strange cloudy magic of the gods themselves. But she could not see the type of magic that was in things, and of course wouldn't have known what her magic enabled her to do.
She could ask the dragon if her parents had known. Then she could save the effort of being mad at them, and perhaps running off and spending a night in the woods. Skysong, who was usually called Kitten, dating from the time when she was a baby and Daine had found her, was unusually advanced for her age, and had learned to talk mind-speech far before any other dragons of her age. She was easy to talk to, and unlike human children, did not use what people referred to as 'baby talk.' Instead she used sentences varying from normal to complex, and was good to be able to talk to. Although not, that Lanhara grumpily, when it came as a surprise. "Kit, did my parents know about my ability to talk to immortals?"
-Yes- the dragon replied. -They knew you had the same abilities your mother had and more. They would have to know about this-
"Then why didn't they tell me?" Even though she was speaking the mind- speech, she was complaining mostly to herself.
-Why don't you go ask them? Maybe it simply slipped their minds. But I should tell you, I don't think they knew I would learn to mind-speak this fast.- With that Lanhara walked off. Well, she would tell them. In stormwing form, perhaps, because she was angry with them. Or in adult dragon form, that ought to be scary enough. They didn't know about her ability to change into immortal forms and then change back to human form. After all, it was not something Daine could do. Most shape changing mages- be they wildmages or Giftmages- could not manage the shape change without becoming stuck in immortal form forever. The change happened instantly. There was a girl walking down a forest path, and then there was an adult dragon winging her way towards the castle. Immortal magic, as well as her own, went with immortal form. She cast a spell of invisibility and silence as she flew low over the capital city of Corus. She didn't want anyone scared besides her parents. Shrinking to about Kit's size and coloring as she neared the palace, she maneuvered her way around various people in the halls, and found her way to her parents' room.
"Lanhara wants to see you outside!" she boomed, projection a loud, human voice with the Gift-like part of her magic, able to talk to her parents without being seen and having her shape-change given away. She became invisible again and headed for a large field behind the palace where her large shape would fit. The dragon she had changed into was seventy feet long from nose to tail, and was a deep, dark green color that was flecked with bits of gold and pale lavender. She'd chosen the colors as her favorites, colors her parents would know and recognize, so they would guess, if not know, it was her. Soon enough her parents came out, panting slightly. It looked as if they had been running, possibly trying not to make her wait a long time for them. Her parents saw her, and then recognized her, and it was funny to see the looks on their faces when they realized it was her.
"Lanhara, you're stuck in that form forever!" her father yelled, sounding half fearful, half furious.
"I want to know why you kept the fact that I could talk with immortals from me," she said allowed, as her magic enabled her to do. She used her voice, but amplified about ten times, so she sounded the way a real dragon of her size might sound with mind-speech. She could see her parents looking at each other, and knew that they had known all along.
"It was-it was because they know something that we're not sure you're ready to find out. Lanhara, really, you're stuck as a dragon. There's no way you can change back." Her mother sounded worried about her, and the answer she'd been given sounded truthful enough. She might as well give them both some reassurance. She turned back into her human form, careful to give herself clothing, and then changed to dragon again. "Lanhara- NO one can do that. It's impossible to change into an immortal and change back to human form."
"Well, I can do it. What it that you don't want me to know? I can talk to immortals now, and I'll find out from Kit if not from you."
"Kit?" That was her father, sounding surprised.
"Of course. She WOULD learn to talk sooner than any other dragon just so she could tell Lanhara that my mo- never mind."
"Tell me. If you don't, she will. So hurry up about it."
"Don't talk to your mother like that. But really, Daine, I don't know why you're keeping it from her. you weren't very happy when you learned it had been kept from you, and it probably won't change her life at all."
"Numair, it's just-"
"Please tell me. I can't think I shouldn't know something, after all the things that you HAVE made me learn." She said this with a glance at her father, who had made sure she had fairly memorized every book, every scroll in the palace library.
"Well, all right, I'll just do it like this. Lanhara, your grandparents, my parents, are gods. Not great gods, just lesser gods. It's-"
"Why were you keeping this from me? There isn't anything about it that I shouldn't know. I mean, of course I'm impressed, but if I had grown up knowing it or something-"
"I just hoped-I don't know, I hoped that you would never need to know. The times I visited them I was either dead or in grave danger. Wait, that doesn't make sense-" She and Lanhara's father laughed at some joke that was between them. It was confusing to her, but she supposed it was true. Had Daine's parents brought Daine back to life? She hadn't thought that was something that lesser gods were capable of. Even most great gods, it seemed. Although famous sorcerers had been known to raise the dead- Oh no! This was what her father's teachings had done to her. She was turning into a walking replica of him, someone that would go off into quotes and references from books and talk for hours if not interrupted, and sometimes even then. For sure, anyway, something strange had happened. She could ask her mother about it. She looked at her. She was still laughing with Lanhara's father. Maybe later. Quietly, she changed back to human form and slipped away to find Kitten. It was amazing though, now that she actually thought about it. Her grandparents, gods. She wondered which ones. Now that she thought of it, she could try to explore the bounds of her magic- and finding her grandparents might be just the thing.
Part Two Lanhara asked Skysong about it first, if the dragon thought what the girl had in mind was possible. She said that since Lanhara's magic was new and no one knew anything about it, it could certainly be possible. But she should keep in mind that her magic probably couldn't be controlled by the gods-they had, after all, created it within her, and wouldn't have made it to be greater than they were. But it would be good to try it, and it would certainly be useful if it worked.
-Perhaps- the young dragon said, -you can take me with you and we can try to visit my people. If you can reach the realms of the gods them adult dragons cannot harm you-especially if you turn into one.-
-Should I tell my parents first?- she wanted to know. Probably better not to, for they would never agree to let her go. Then she realized. This is why they were keeping it from me. They didn't want me to go off on some wild adventures in the realms of the gods. Well, they do know, if they aren't lying, they have been there. But I have more magic than both of them put together. Letting Kitten know her decision, she began to concentrate. She focused her mind on one thing: her and Kitten getting to the realms of the gods. She thought of everything she knew that was Kitten, and imagined it in what everything she'd learned of the realms of the gods, and did the same with herself, imagining everything that was Lanhara. And when she opened her eyes, she wasn't in the forest with Kit anymore. The dragon was there, but there was not the same place as it had been a moment ago. She looked around. There was a house at the base of a high mountain peek. Was this where her grandparents live? She began to walk towards it, and then stopped short. Once again, the place where she was had disappeared. And she hadn't done it this time. What had happened.
At first, everything seemed to be fading away, melting like wax on a candle. Then it all swirled together to create a new scene before her eyes, a strange black space, where there seemed to be no color, and no light. She couldn't see or feel herself, but she could hear Kitten's annoyed squawks. She was speaking the dragon's own language, and from her tone, Lanhara had an idea that her mind speech had been- well, cut off, somehow. And then a woman appeared before her, and she knew who it was.
~We did not give you your powers for you to meddle in the affairs of the gods!~ She cried, and her voice was as loud as anything Lanhara had ever heard. It made her want to cover her ears. But that would be disrespectful. For this was the Great Mother Goddess, Queen of the Gods of Tortall, and a great god, not a lesser god like her grandparents were supposed to be. But she was speaking again. ~You must go home at once. Do not use your powers so wastefully. I have told you, your quest is important for the sake of the gods, not just you mortals.~
Another voice began to speak. The voice, and the way the speaker was speaking, was different. It was mind-speech! -Gods! You did not tell her anything. How should she know what to use her powers for? All she knows is that she can do anything she likes.- And then, more quietly, -I don't think it's right, giving that kind of power to mortals.- The voice sounded slightly familiar. In fact, it reminded her of Kit's voice, but it couldn't be. 'You should at least tell her what she's doing! I, for one, think you should leave godly affairs to the gods!-
~You're too arrogant, Daimondflame. You wouldn't have any say in this matter if you didn't know her mother and her friend on a personal scale.~ Daimondflame. She knew who that was, didn't she? Daimondflame had helped to win the Immortals War, years before she was born. And Daimondflame and his mate Wingstar were Kit's OWN grandparents, whom Kit had asked her to visit when coming here. But what was Daimondflame doing talking to the Mother?
-Well, at least tell her. She has every right to know, especially since you think you've already told her.- Daimondflame sounded full of scorn on the last bit.
~You dragons are always making us look bad, and in front of mortals. That's not supposed to happen.~ Strangely, the Goddess' voice had picked up a humorous tone. ~Very well, Lanhara. I will tell you, at Daimondflame's request. You have been given this great power because something is threatening to take over the universe, rather like Chaos in the time of your mother.~ As if she could sense the puzzlement in Lanhara's mind, the Goddess said, ~You mean she didn't TELL you? She didn't tell you about your grandparents, and look where it got us. She didn't tell you the reason behind the Immortals War, and it will be much worse than simple trespassing.~
Daimondflame snorted. -Simple trespassing indeed.-
~Well. Just for this once.~ The Goddess snapped her fingers, or something like it. It produced a sound, but Lanhara couldn't see, so wasn't sure. And then Daine was there. Again, Lanhara couldn't see her, but she knew that she was there. Daine said something aloud, but Lanhara couldn't understand it, and then switched to mind speech.
-Where am I? Oh, she did it, didn't she. Lanhara, are you here?-
-Yes- she replied. -The Mother is slightly angry with you, I think.-
~You didn't tell her! She has gone around using power greater then the gods like a useless toy! Now she has gone to far, and Daimondflame here says I should tell her what she was created for, and I find out you haven't told her anything! You and that husband of yours are supposed to be smarter than that!~
-I'm sorry, but-
~Oh, don't do that. Just tell her about the Immortals War when you get back home.~ Daine's presence vanished. ~Anyway, Lanhara, there is something, none of us know what yet, threatening to take over the universe. This thing has freed Chaos from her prison and called back or freed all the ones who fought for Chaos during the Immortals War. Together they will amass a force that will destroy all of the earth, imprison the gods, and keep our parents, Father Universe and Mother Flame, from knowing anything is happening. Your powers may be enough to stop this from happening. They are powers greater than any of the gods, given to you by all of us in hope that you can help us overcome this- thing. Explore them, so that you can use them when the time comes, but use them wisely.~ And with that, everything- the back space, the Goddess, Daimondflame- all were gone, and she was back in the forest with Kitten.
-I certainly won't try that again- she told the dragon.