All I have to say for myself is I hope I never go that far out of my mind
ever again. Don't, well, don't dwell to much on that last author's note
because it's just a little strange. I noticed just how strange it was when
I re-read it this morning. *blush* wow. That's all I have to say about
that. Anyway, let us move on to the next chapter. I'm sure you all have
been anxiously awaiting it. Thanks for the patience.
Karigan
//////
Complications
By: Karigan
Chapter 16
'Oddly Enough'
///////
Impossible. There was no way that this was happening. Impossible. Well, maybe not impossible, but highly improbable, bordering on impossible. The chances of this actually happening were so small she had a better chance at being struck by lightning. Twice. Justice winced as she struggled quickly up from the floor. Scrambling to her hands and knees she turned to look at Numair, who was half sitting, half lying against the wall. He was breathing hard and his eyes were wide in shock. Well that seemed normal enough. She had never experienced a sight as strong as this one. It had completely gotten out of control. He was only supposed to get one vision or idea. Not as many as he did. There were at least 5 full visions in that connection and countless ideas in between each of them. 'Maybe they just needed to get out,' she though. Some visions were meant to be known. Although she had never heard of so many being seen at once.
But the real issue wasn't how many visions he had gotten out of the connection. It's what 'she' had gotten out of that connection. The girl in those dreams felt as real as her own body felt. And those eyes. Justice closed her eyes tight remembering the last time she had seen those eyes. No natural human had eyes as green as that girls were. There was tremendous power within that girl. The lioness's eyes were unnatural as well, and look how much change she brought to this kingdom. But she had 'seen' those green eyes before. She had seen them in another vision long ago. And while Numair would never be able to make the connection, Justice could. Because Justice had all the pieces. Which created a very complicated problem.
There was no way she could tell Numair what she had figured out. Because it wasn't his vision. She finally controlled her breathing. Opening her eyes again, she ventured a look at Numair. Had he stopped breathing? "Numair?" He was staring blankly at the floor. "Numair? Are you all right?"
His voice came out in a croak. "I. I've never felt anything like that in my entire life." He stated quietly.
"It was more intense then I thought it would be. I didn't even have to touch you. I thought I would have too. Because I'm not in my real form." She scrunched her nose up. "I'm sorry. If it frightened you."
His eyes left the floor and flew to her own. "Frightened? No." He shook his head. "I. I saw Daine. Which means." His voice cracked slightly. "Which mans she's alive. I don't know how, but she is."
Justice raised her eyebrows. "You saw more than that." Numair's eyes softened with emotion. He swallowed with difficulty and let out a breath Justice hadn't noticed he'd been holding.
"Yes." He finally conceded, his voice deep with emotion. "But it's all I'm ready to deal with at the moment. The. The other visions, well." He couldn't seem to finish.
"You don't have to talk abo."
He interrupted. "No. I know what I saw. I don't know what it means. Or how it's even possible, but." His voice caught. "I've never felt magic that powerful before. It's different. I mean, I've felt powerful magic before, but not magic that real. It's almost as if I can touch it with my own hands. You can't do that with regular magic."
"No," Justice said with a sigh. "It's not like regular magic. You can conjure up any old spell at any time with regular magic. This. This is different. This magic is real. It can't be changed. It's unchangeable and real. As real as you or I."
Numair grew quiet for endless seconds. Lost in his thoughts. He finally looked back up at her. "That girl. The one in my visions. Who was she?" Justice looked slightly perturbed at him. "I know what you're thinking, Justice. But I don't see how it's possible. First, Daine can't bear children. Secondly, did you see those eyes?" Again Justice looked perturbed. Numair sighed. "Justice, that child had green eyes. Neither Daine nor I have green eyes. Daine's mother has blue eyes, her father brown. My entire family has brown or black eyes. Genetically speaking, it's impossible."
"The lioness has purple eyes. I don't think that came from her parents," she said flatly.
Numair thought about that. "Yes, well. Alanna is a very different story. Anyway, I don't see how it's possible. But I can't deny it. I felt it. And. Well, I suppose I believe you now."
Justice scowled. "Don't sound so convinced, Numair. I might have to think you came up with the proof yourself."
He winced. "Sorry."
Justice sighed and winced at the sting in her ankle when she got to her feet. She froze suddenly. Her face going blank of any expression.
Numair looked at her curiously. "Justice? What's the matt." He stopped suddenly to when he saw her feet. Blood had pooled around her foot. A lot of blood.
"I. I didn't strain it or anything," she said nervously.
Numair knew that wasn't what she was so shocked about. Her foot bled often; the iron band constantly irritating it. But she had grown accustomed to the feeling.
No. What Justice had realized was what he had just realized. They were outside of the protected room he had protected. They hadn't even realized it in their earlier fight. He looked at her with wide eyes. "Are you.?"
"No," she said quietly. I don't feel any of his magic. And we have been outside the room more nearly 20 minutes." She looked up at Numair with curious eyes. "Something is different."
"What?" he asked. "Has he lost the power to control you?"
"I don't think so." She looked thoughtfully at the bands. "Maybe. Maybe he's. -preoccupied -" she said hesitantly.
Numair didn't like the sound of that. "What do you mean?"
"Well," she said consideringly. "Maybe he's just distracted. I told you before he wasn't that strong of a mage. Maybe he's doing something else that requires his full attention." She looked up at Numair. His face was like stone. Completely expressionless.
Numair, on his part, was trying hard not to panic. He didn't want to know what the mage was doing to Daine that would require so much attention. With a mental sigh he straightened his back. They could 'not' waist the time they had while he was busy standing around. He looked down at the 8 year old with serious eyes. "Let's get a move on, then."
/////////////////
"Retched woman!" the man growled as he paced back and forth in the small hut. He was clumsily trying to bandage up a deep gash in his shoulder. "Disgusting, annoying, retched WOMAN!"
Daine was sitting against the wall in the corner of the room. Well, half sitting, half crouching. She didn't take her eyes off the tall lanky man pacing irritable in front of her. Blood dripped from somewhere on her head into her eyes. She swiped them away hastily, never moving her hard eyes away. Her body shook with violent tremors. Of fear, exhaustion, anger, or sheer panic she wasn't quite sure.
She was determined to stay conscious, though her head kept fazing in and out of attention; which was why she was concentrating on the man so hard. There was no 'way' she was going to let her guard down. This man was positively mad. He had jumped into her room and had attacked her with a dagger in his hand, which he had swung around at her madly for close to 5 minutes. He had caught her left arm from her elbow to wrist. It didn't seem to deep, but she didn't like the way it kept on bleeding no matter her efforts.
After giving up on his idea of killing her with the dagger, the man had started throwing punches at her. Now she was sporting a nice black eye and split lip because she had tried to keep her arm from being further damaged. When he had slammed his fist against her jaw, she had gone sprawling to the floor. He got in two or three good solid kicks before the spinning in her head had slowed down enough to let her fight back.
And boy, did she fight back. She had been shocked when she tried to call to her animals for help and couldn't even feel cloud. She had never been cut off from the people and she did 'not' like it. She had attacked the man and slammed him up against the full-length mirror in her room. The glass had shattered, raining down on both of them. The glass had sliced his back and shoulders up severely. But she hadn't gotten away clean. A few stray shards had cut her neck and face slightly.
But he had managed to wrestle her to the ground, proceeded to tie her hands behind her back and drag her out the window, where he then decided to jump the 20 feet to the courtyard below, taking her with him. She had braced herself for the impact of her body hitting the ground, expecting this to be the end of her life. Oddly enough, he had broken her fall. And how he had survived a twenty-foot drop onto hard packed dirt with an additional weight falling on top of him was beyond her. He didn't even seem dazed. But she was. She had gotten the blasted wind knocked out of her. And by the time she was able to breath properly again, he had thrown her over his horse like a potato sack and had headed into the royal forest, at a fast gallop.
Despite her best efforts, panic had swamped her. Because (a) she couldn't talk or listen to the people, (b) she was somehow unable to get a proper hold on he shape shifting, and (c), well, she had a 'c' at the time. And it was a damn good 'c' too, but everything seemed so horribly hard to think about right now that she was kicking herself for being so forgetful.
She snapped her self back into attention. She had started to daze off again. Thinking about things. She kept her eyes on the man pacing and muttering to himself again. Ready to leap at a moments notice.
He suddenly swung around to face her and she got her first good look at him. He couldn't have been too much older then herself. He had dark black hair and deep brown eyes. He was darker than Numair, but not like Kaddar had been. From Carthak perhaps? One thing was for sure; he was absolutely stunningly handsome. His face couldn't have been more perfectly symmetrical if the gods had sculpted him themselves. Daine had the random thought that this man could give King Jonathan a run for his money. But one thing made his manly beauty warp into ugliness. His soul, which seemed to pour out of his eyes, was as evil as the queen of chaos. He had no good in him. Only chaos. And that frightened Daine the most. The Chaos in his eyes. Pure mad chaos.
/////////////////
A/N: *sigh* I really do luv this story. I have the entire story planned out in my head. Plus I'm already working on ideas for a second story once I finish this one. What do you guys thing. There shouldn't be more then 6 or 7 more chapters to this. Well, let me know what you think. Next chapter coming soon. REVIEW REVIEW!
KARIGAN
Karigan
//////
Complications
By: Karigan
Chapter 16
'Oddly Enough'
///////
Impossible. There was no way that this was happening. Impossible. Well, maybe not impossible, but highly improbable, bordering on impossible. The chances of this actually happening were so small she had a better chance at being struck by lightning. Twice. Justice winced as she struggled quickly up from the floor. Scrambling to her hands and knees she turned to look at Numair, who was half sitting, half lying against the wall. He was breathing hard and his eyes were wide in shock. Well that seemed normal enough. She had never experienced a sight as strong as this one. It had completely gotten out of control. He was only supposed to get one vision or idea. Not as many as he did. There were at least 5 full visions in that connection and countless ideas in between each of them. 'Maybe they just needed to get out,' she though. Some visions were meant to be known. Although she had never heard of so many being seen at once.
But the real issue wasn't how many visions he had gotten out of the connection. It's what 'she' had gotten out of that connection. The girl in those dreams felt as real as her own body felt. And those eyes. Justice closed her eyes tight remembering the last time she had seen those eyes. No natural human had eyes as green as that girls were. There was tremendous power within that girl. The lioness's eyes were unnatural as well, and look how much change she brought to this kingdom. But she had 'seen' those green eyes before. She had seen them in another vision long ago. And while Numair would never be able to make the connection, Justice could. Because Justice had all the pieces. Which created a very complicated problem.
There was no way she could tell Numair what she had figured out. Because it wasn't his vision. She finally controlled her breathing. Opening her eyes again, she ventured a look at Numair. Had he stopped breathing? "Numair?" He was staring blankly at the floor. "Numair? Are you all right?"
His voice came out in a croak. "I. I've never felt anything like that in my entire life." He stated quietly.
"It was more intense then I thought it would be. I didn't even have to touch you. I thought I would have too. Because I'm not in my real form." She scrunched her nose up. "I'm sorry. If it frightened you."
His eyes left the floor and flew to her own. "Frightened? No." He shook his head. "I. I saw Daine. Which means." His voice cracked slightly. "Which mans she's alive. I don't know how, but she is."
Justice raised her eyebrows. "You saw more than that." Numair's eyes softened with emotion. He swallowed with difficulty and let out a breath Justice hadn't noticed he'd been holding.
"Yes." He finally conceded, his voice deep with emotion. "But it's all I'm ready to deal with at the moment. The. The other visions, well." He couldn't seem to finish.
"You don't have to talk abo."
He interrupted. "No. I know what I saw. I don't know what it means. Or how it's even possible, but." His voice caught. "I've never felt magic that powerful before. It's different. I mean, I've felt powerful magic before, but not magic that real. It's almost as if I can touch it with my own hands. You can't do that with regular magic."
"No," Justice said with a sigh. "It's not like regular magic. You can conjure up any old spell at any time with regular magic. This. This is different. This magic is real. It can't be changed. It's unchangeable and real. As real as you or I."
Numair grew quiet for endless seconds. Lost in his thoughts. He finally looked back up at her. "That girl. The one in my visions. Who was she?" Justice looked slightly perturbed at him. "I know what you're thinking, Justice. But I don't see how it's possible. First, Daine can't bear children. Secondly, did you see those eyes?" Again Justice looked perturbed. Numair sighed. "Justice, that child had green eyes. Neither Daine nor I have green eyes. Daine's mother has blue eyes, her father brown. My entire family has brown or black eyes. Genetically speaking, it's impossible."
"The lioness has purple eyes. I don't think that came from her parents," she said flatly.
Numair thought about that. "Yes, well. Alanna is a very different story. Anyway, I don't see how it's possible. But I can't deny it. I felt it. And. Well, I suppose I believe you now."
Justice scowled. "Don't sound so convinced, Numair. I might have to think you came up with the proof yourself."
He winced. "Sorry."
Justice sighed and winced at the sting in her ankle when she got to her feet. She froze suddenly. Her face going blank of any expression.
Numair looked at her curiously. "Justice? What's the matt." He stopped suddenly to when he saw her feet. Blood had pooled around her foot. A lot of blood.
"I. I didn't strain it or anything," she said nervously.
Numair knew that wasn't what she was so shocked about. Her foot bled often; the iron band constantly irritating it. But she had grown accustomed to the feeling.
No. What Justice had realized was what he had just realized. They were outside of the protected room he had protected. They hadn't even realized it in their earlier fight. He looked at her with wide eyes. "Are you.?"
"No," she said quietly. I don't feel any of his magic. And we have been outside the room more nearly 20 minutes." She looked up at Numair with curious eyes. "Something is different."
"What?" he asked. "Has he lost the power to control you?"
"I don't think so." She looked thoughtfully at the bands. "Maybe. Maybe he's. -preoccupied -" she said hesitantly.
Numair didn't like the sound of that. "What do you mean?"
"Well," she said consideringly. "Maybe he's just distracted. I told you before he wasn't that strong of a mage. Maybe he's doing something else that requires his full attention." She looked up at Numair. His face was like stone. Completely expressionless.
Numair, on his part, was trying hard not to panic. He didn't want to know what the mage was doing to Daine that would require so much attention. With a mental sigh he straightened his back. They could 'not' waist the time they had while he was busy standing around. He looked down at the 8 year old with serious eyes. "Let's get a move on, then."
/////////////////
"Retched woman!" the man growled as he paced back and forth in the small hut. He was clumsily trying to bandage up a deep gash in his shoulder. "Disgusting, annoying, retched WOMAN!"
Daine was sitting against the wall in the corner of the room. Well, half sitting, half crouching. She didn't take her eyes off the tall lanky man pacing irritable in front of her. Blood dripped from somewhere on her head into her eyes. She swiped them away hastily, never moving her hard eyes away. Her body shook with violent tremors. Of fear, exhaustion, anger, or sheer panic she wasn't quite sure.
She was determined to stay conscious, though her head kept fazing in and out of attention; which was why she was concentrating on the man so hard. There was no 'way' she was going to let her guard down. This man was positively mad. He had jumped into her room and had attacked her with a dagger in his hand, which he had swung around at her madly for close to 5 minutes. He had caught her left arm from her elbow to wrist. It didn't seem to deep, but she didn't like the way it kept on bleeding no matter her efforts.
After giving up on his idea of killing her with the dagger, the man had started throwing punches at her. Now she was sporting a nice black eye and split lip because she had tried to keep her arm from being further damaged. When he had slammed his fist against her jaw, she had gone sprawling to the floor. He got in two or three good solid kicks before the spinning in her head had slowed down enough to let her fight back.
And boy, did she fight back. She had been shocked when she tried to call to her animals for help and couldn't even feel cloud. She had never been cut off from the people and she did 'not' like it. She had attacked the man and slammed him up against the full-length mirror in her room. The glass had shattered, raining down on both of them. The glass had sliced his back and shoulders up severely. But she hadn't gotten away clean. A few stray shards had cut her neck and face slightly.
But he had managed to wrestle her to the ground, proceeded to tie her hands behind her back and drag her out the window, where he then decided to jump the 20 feet to the courtyard below, taking her with him. She had braced herself for the impact of her body hitting the ground, expecting this to be the end of her life. Oddly enough, he had broken her fall. And how he had survived a twenty-foot drop onto hard packed dirt with an additional weight falling on top of him was beyond her. He didn't even seem dazed. But she was. She had gotten the blasted wind knocked out of her. And by the time she was able to breath properly again, he had thrown her over his horse like a potato sack and had headed into the royal forest, at a fast gallop.
Despite her best efforts, panic had swamped her. Because (a) she couldn't talk or listen to the people, (b) she was somehow unable to get a proper hold on he shape shifting, and (c), well, she had a 'c' at the time. And it was a damn good 'c' too, but everything seemed so horribly hard to think about right now that she was kicking herself for being so forgetful.
She snapped her self back into attention. She had started to daze off again. Thinking about things. She kept her eyes on the man pacing and muttering to himself again. Ready to leap at a moments notice.
He suddenly swung around to face her and she got her first good look at him. He couldn't have been too much older then herself. He had dark black hair and deep brown eyes. He was darker than Numair, but not like Kaddar had been. From Carthak perhaps? One thing was for sure; he was absolutely stunningly handsome. His face couldn't have been more perfectly symmetrical if the gods had sculpted him themselves. Daine had the random thought that this man could give King Jonathan a run for his money. But one thing made his manly beauty warp into ugliness. His soul, which seemed to pour out of his eyes, was as evil as the queen of chaos. He had no good in him. Only chaos. And that frightened Daine the most. The Chaos in his eyes. Pure mad chaos.
/////////////////
A/N: *sigh* I really do luv this story. I have the entire story planned out in my head. Plus I'm already working on ideas for a second story once I finish this one. What do you guys thing. There shouldn't be more then 6 or 7 more chapters to this. Well, let me know what you think. Next chapter coming soon. REVIEW REVIEW!
KARIGAN