A/N: Okies, Mandy's the reason this chap is even out. I go to an evil,
evil, EVIL school now! It has homework, and no free internet access, and
all this evil stuffs in it. ANYway, I had a lovely chap all written out,
and then the hidden virus in my computer erupted, along with homework. So
I have to stop being on mailing lists.*sighs* just ignore me, the PC
Destroyer has struck again. Oh, and if anyone who reads this goes to DDHS
in Oregon, let me know, and you can bug me at school to write a chap. I
can dream someone at my school reads my work. *laughs* here's the chap.
Chapter 19 - Test
Rory yawned, and rolled over. Onto the floor.
Tristan sprang out of bed. "Are you ok?" he asked, the teasing tone almost covering the concern in his voice. Almost.
Rory grumbled, muttering something about no space to sleep, but was smiling.
Tristan smiled, ruffling her hair. "Whatever happens next, it gets better now."
Rory smiled.
Koriya glared at Kat. "So. Lorelai trusts YOU?"
Kat sat unmoving, or blinking. "Just because Milchemah holds a very loose rein on Xantis does not mean that I am under his control."
Koriya's eyes sparkled. "Then you are as I?"
Kat smiled. "A sheep in wolf's skin among the pack."
Koriya cackled. When it receded, she asked "And Xantis?"
Kat's smile widened. "His cage under Milchemah weakens more and more."
Koriya smiled back. "Then my work can be peaceful. I need not undo damage you've inflicted."
Kat placed her hands in Koriya's, intense determination returning. "Scan me. Do not trust my words alone. Milchemah trained us to use as much truth as we can to make the lies believable." Her eyes burned fiercely into Koriya's.
Koriya swallowed, and nodded. Closing her eyes, she sent a quest pulse. She skimmed just deep enough to tell that there was not deception.
Kat abruptly opened deceptions of minor details, which were built in to protect Milchemah and Xantis, she was sure. Flying by memories of training sessions, failed attempts on Milchemah's part, she came to the truth. And, although the motives weren't entirely as Kat had stated them, they were the core of Kat's belief. The girl had been trained to lie or be beaten. It was difficult to be truly honest.
Brushing her hair out, Tristan reveled at the silky feeling of it. And it's mine. All mine...
Rory turned a little, giggling slightly. "You're tickling me! Use the brush to get the knots out, THEN play with the hair."
Tristan pouted. "But that's not as much fun, Mary."
Rory rolled her eyes. "I'll sic Clias on you."
Tristan paled, pulling Rory close to him. "Don't even joke."
Rory smiled, kissing the tip of his nose. "You're right, she's not a laughing matter. But anytime you do anything against my wishes, you give her more hatred for you."
Tristan shrugged. "As long as I've got the Mary of Chilton, I fret for nothing."
Rory laughed at his fake shakespeare reading. She calmed herself, and examined her hands. "You wouldn't believe how much I hated you guys calling me that."
Tristan sighed, pulling her closer, into his lap, and against his chest. "I know. But I was raised like that, not caring for anyone but myself. And in the elite circles, it's the only way you keep from being burned."
Rory nodded. "Like Summer."
Tristan detected the bitterness in her voice. He turned her around to face himself, and kissed her fiercely. When he pulled back, he whispered ardently, "She is nothing compared to what you are to me. Don't you EVER let anyone convince you otherwise. Understand me, Ror?"
Rory smiled. "Even through all this, you stick by me. But don't you wish you could go back to how it was?"
Tristan shook his head, and vehemently denied, "To you hating me? Hell, Ror, this is a million times better than I dreamed at night, trying to figure out how to win you."
Rory looked at him amused. "Oh yeah, I'm sure. I can guess at the other things you imagined, too."
Tristan DuGrey blushed. "I'm male, it's to be expected-I was raised this-"
Rory burst out laughing. "You didn't know me that first day. You saw new prey to conquer."
Tristan nodded ruefully. "And you still imagine it." Blush.
Rory just laughed more. "Oh, Tris! Being your girl is a lot more fun than being with Dean!" she lied, thinking of the first year, her first beau. But girls always think fondly on their first kiss. But the constant arguments with every misunderstanding, THAT she certainly did not miss.
Tristan wondered now if he had changed as much as he had thought from meeting his Rory. He smiled. "My girl."
Rory leaned against him, closing her eyes. "Kat and Koriya are still fighting. Can you just hold me?"
Tristan's smile softened, and he loosened his embrace, repositioning her more comfortably for her sake. "Any time."
A/N: Ok, I threw in sap to finish this chap from those who wanted it, though I wanted to go farther with Kat and Koriya. I did promise an update, and here it is.
Chapter 19 - Test
Rory yawned, and rolled over. Onto the floor.
Tristan sprang out of bed. "Are you ok?" he asked, the teasing tone almost covering the concern in his voice. Almost.
Rory grumbled, muttering something about no space to sleep, but was smiling.
Tristan smiled, ruffling her hair. "Whatever happens next, it gets better now."
Rory smiled.
Koriya glared at Kat. "So. Lorelai trusts YOU?"
Kat sat unmoving, or blinking. "Just because Milchemah holds a very loose rein on Xantis does not mean that I am under his control."
Koriya's eyes sparkled. "Then you are as I?"
Kat smiled. "A sheep in wolf's skin among the pack."
Koriya cackled. When it receded, she asked "And Xantis?"
Kat's smile widened. "His cage under Milchemah weakens more and more."
Koriya smiled back. "Then my work can be peaceful. I need not undo damage you've inflicted."
Kat placed her hands in Koriya's, intense determination returning. "Scan me. Do not trust my words alone. Milchemah trained us to use as much truth as we can to make the lies believable." Her eyes burned fiercely into Koriya's.
Koriya swallowed, and nodded. Closing her eyes, she sent a quest pulse. She skimmed just deep enough to tell that there was not deception.
Kat abruptly opened deceptions of minor details, which were built in to protect Milchemah and Xantis, she was sure. Flying by memories of training sessions, failed attempts on Milchemah's part, she came to the truth. And, although the motives weren't entirely as Kat had stated them, they were the core of Kat's belief. The girl had been trained to lie or be beaten. It was difficult to be truly honest.
Brushing her hair out, Tristan reveled at the silky feeling of it. And it's mine. All mine...
Rory turned a little, giggling slightly. "You're tickling me! Use the brush to get the knots out, THEN play with the hair."
Tristan pouted. "But that's not as much fun, Mary."
Rory rolled her eyes. "I'll sic Clias on you."
Tristan paled, pulling Rory close to him. "Don't even joke."
Rory smiled, kissing the tip of his nose. "You're right, she's not a laughing matter. But anytime you do anything against my wishes, you give her more hatred for you."
Tristan shrugged. "As long as I've got the Mary of Chilton, I fret for nothing."
Rory laughed at his fake shakespeare reading. She calmed herself, and examined her hands. "You wouldn't believe how much I hated you guys calling me that."
Tristan sighed, pulling her closer, into his lap, and against his chest. "I know. But I was raised like that, not caring for anyone but myself. And in the elite circles, it's the only way you keep from being burned."
Rory nodded. "Like Summer."
Tristan detected the bitterness in her voice. He turned her around to face himself, and kissed her fiercely. When he pulled back, he whispered ardently, "She is nothing compared to what you are to me. Don't you EVER let anyone convince you otherwise. Understand me, Ror?"
Rory smiled. "Even through all this, you stick by me. But don't you wish you could go back to how it was?"
Tristan shook his head, and vehemently denied, "To you hating me? Hell, Ror, this is a million times better than I dreamed at night, trying to figure out how to win you."
Rory looked at him amused. "Oh yeah, I'm sure. I can guess at the other things you imagined, too."
Tristan DuGrey blushed. "I'm male, it's to be expected-I was raised this-"
Rory burst out laughing. "You didn't know me that first day. You saw new prey to conquer."
Tristan nodded ruefully. "And you still imagine it." Blush.
Rory just laughed more. "Oh, Tris! Being your girl is a lot more fun than being with Dean!" she lied, thinking of the first year, her first beau. But girls always think fondly on their first kiss. But the constant arguments with every misunderstanding, THAT she certainly did not miss.
Tristan wondered now if he had changed as much as he had thought from meeting his Rory. He smiled. "My girl."
Rory leaned against him, closing her eyes. "Kat and Koriya are still fighting. Can you just hold me?"
Tristan's smile softened, and he loosened his embrace, repositioning her more comfortably for her sake. "Any time."
A/N: Ok, I threw in sap to finish this chap from those who wanted it, though I wanted to go farther with Kat and Koriya. I did promise an update, and here it is.