Heart's Desire
Chapter 12- The Roar of the Lioness
Author's Note-
I know, I know, it's been forever! I have been so busy, and then I just sorta lost interest for a while, but while I was on vacation last week I re-read the books again, and I decided I had to finish up some stuff on this. Don't worry, though- this isn't quite the end yet.
Disclaimer-
I do not own Delia of Eldorne, George Cooper, Alanna, Jonathan, Raoul, Gary, etc. You know the whole deal. I do own Matthew and Kelsie.
Kelsie bolted out the door and ran as fast as her feet would carry her to the palace. That was fairly fast, too. She didn't stop until, without realizing it, she was in front of Matthew's room. Kelsie shook her head, and then, realizing what she had to do, she knocked on the door. Matthew answered it.
"Kelsie!" he exclaimed when he saw who was at the door. He opened his mouth to apologize once again, but Kelsie silenced him.
"It doesn't matter. I need your help, Matthew. We have to go to Jon now!" Matthew looked at Kelsie, and then, nodding, he followed her towards the King's Study. Kelsie knocked, and Jon called for her to come in. She opened the door, and the first thing that she said was "Tomorrow!" Jonathan looked at her, puzzled.
"It's George- Delia's in George. And she was talking into the fire, and Roger's head was in it, and they're going to kill you tomorrow!" Kelsie cried, never taking a breath.
"Does- does he have Roger's powers?" Jonathan asked.
"No- but he can steal magic- your magic, the Lioness' magic, anyone's magic! He can drain all the sorcerer's in the palace- can you imagine how much power he would have? And we'd all be drained and helpless! You can't put him in jail, because he could steal magic and break out, but you can't kill him, because he's your friend and it's not his fault that he was hosen to be taken over by Roger and his followers."
"Slow down, Kelsie. Just that he can steal magic doesn't mean that- okay, yes it does. We need to get Alanna- now. Kelsie, you were just there, it'll look really obvious if you go back. How about you go and get her, Matthew?" Jon said. Matthew nodded, and turned to go. As he was leaving, Kelsie smiled at him. She couldn't help it. The look of relief in Matthew's eyes was clear as Matthew left the King's study.
"And what exactly was that about?" Jon asked, indicating the door.
"Matthew? I just figured that you were going to need as much help as you could get, and if you can trust him, I should be able to, too. It wouldn't do to have two of the people helping you at each other's throats, would it? And besides- I kinda missed him," Kelsie said. Jonathan laughed.
"I know the feeling. Let's hope he hurries, then," Jon said, and he and Kelsie sat in silence. Kelsie could tell that the King was upset, and maybe just a little bit scared.
"Kelsie, before Alanna and Matthew get here, could you do me a favor and go and get Raoul and Gary?" Kelsie nodded, and she too was on her way.
A short time later, Kelsie, Matthew, Raoul, Gary, and Alanna were all gathered in Jonathan's study.
"What is all this about, Jonathan?" they asked.
"I need your help. All of you remember Delia of Eldorne's warning- that when I least expected it, from who I least expected it, I would be killed. Later we found that Delia of Eldorne planned to attack me in the form of one of my closest friends," Jonathan began.
"WHAT?" Raoul boomed.
"Why didn't you tell us, Jon?" Gary asked.
"We weren't sure who Delia was in the form of, so we didn't tell the two of you. We were afraid that she had taken over one of you- it would have been almost ideal. Neither of you were one of her targets, like myself and Alanna, and the fact was that since Roger never met Matthew or Kelsie, it couldn't have been either of them."
"It's not, is it? Me or Gary?" Raoul asked.
"No, it's neither of you two," Jonathan assured them.
"Then who is it, Jon, if it isn't any of us?" Gary asked.
"That's why you're here- so that you can be warned. Delia has taken over George," Jon said grimly.
"NO!" Alanna said, "It can't be! She would never- she wouldn't dare! He'd fight it- she'd never manage it!" Alanna argued.
"She already has," Jonathan said.
"How can you know for sure?" Alanna demanded.
"Kelsie has a special kind of magic- Heart's Desire. A very powerful mage, however, can use that power to spy, and to see inside a person's thoughts. She went down to the city earlier to visit George, and she saw Delia inside of him."
"She may have been wrong," Alanna protested.
"I wasn't wrong, ma'am. Even if that had been incorrect, after I left the room I looked through a little hole in the door, and I saw Duke Roger's head in the fire, and I heard them talking. They plan on killing Jonathan tomorrow."
"It's impossible," Alanna argued.
"Give it up, Alanna. Delia's got George- and if you don't accept that, then he could end up killing Jon!" Raoul said. He and Gary did not seem to doubt the story at all, but Alanna still refused to want to believe that her betrothed had been taken over by one of her enemies- one of her dead enemies- and was now on a mission to kill the King. Alanna sat and thought about this for a minute, and then sighed.
"It's not fair! He never did naything to deserve this! How are we supposed to rid him of Delia?" Alanna asked.
"Um- well................" Jon began, "We're not quite sure."
"What do you mean, you're not quite sure? There has to be a way to stop them without hurting George! You mean to tell me that we have until tomorrow to stop Delia, and you have no idea how to get rid of her that doesn't involve hurting George?"
"It won't just hurt him, Lioness. It may- it may kill him," Kelsie said. Alanna looked at Kelsie with daggers in her eyes.
"But- you can't!" Alanna flung the door open and left.
"Kelsie? Matthew?" Jonathan asked, and looked towards the door.
"We'll go," she said, and dragged Matthew up. They were after the Lioness.
They finally reached Alanna's palace quarters and knocked on the door.
"He shouldn't have sent you," Alanna yelled. Kelsie opened the door and walked in.
"How did you know it was us?" Kelsie asked in disbelief.
"Jon always does this. I knew he'd send someone," Alanna said.
"Are you all right?" Kelsie asked, seeing tears in her eyes.
"I'm fine!" she snapped.
"You're not fine. Your betrothed has been taken over by an evil slut and is trying to kill one of your best friends, who also happens to be the King. You're not fine."
"Brilliant observation," she muttered sarcastically, and then turned serious.
"I love them both, Kelsie, and one of them has to die. It's what has to happen. There's no other way. I'd miss both of them terribly if they were gone. And it's clear that in this situation, there isn't really a choice. If George dies, then Jon'll be safe, and Delia will be gone. But if Jon dies, then there'll be a civil war. It's just not fair that I have to lose one of them. But it's like George has already died, isn't it? He's alive, but he isn't. His body is there, but his mind, his sould, his heart- that's all Delia. I just......... I didn't get a chance to really say good-bye. Now saying good-bye would be saying good-bye to Delia, not to George. It's not..................."
"I'm so sorry. Look, Alanna, if you don't want to help us stop him- we can do it without you," a voice said from behind them.
"Jon!" Alanna gasped. Kelsie was suprised, too. She looked at him quizically.
"Matthew got me," he said, looking at Kelsie, and then directed his gaze to Alanna.
"It's not going to be easy for any of us. We're all his friends, but you most of all. I promise, we'll all understand if you wish to sit this one out," he said again. Alanna met his gaze and shook her head firmly.
"I promised you that my life and sword were yours, Jon. The others aren't letting the fact that he's their friend stop them- and I won't, either. You have nothing to fear, Jonathan." Both smiled slightly, as much as you could when you knew that you had to kill one of your best friends.
"So now we................."
"Wait. Shield our magic. He's going to lure us into the desert. We have to pretend that he has us fooled, and then- we strike." Jon's voice was clear and firm. They were all ready to do what they had to- even if what they had to do was destroy George Cooper.