Chapter 6

By: LadyIsabelle

Kally glanced at Numair and Daine who were nodding slowly, and realizing that the plan could actually work. Good. They are beginning to listen to me.

Daine shifted slightly. "She's too old. She can't be a Rider."

Kally grinned. "She's not going to be a regular Rider. She is going to be a Rider from the very beginning, whom no one has seen for over 18 years. Cailet of Lenfell."

"It could work," Numair stated, and glanced at Daine and nodded. "It will have to work."

"And now it gives us more time to get her situated in the idea. She'll have to spend a few days away after her disappearance to make it look like she is gone, and this new person isn't her."

Kally grinned triumphantly. "Good. You two work out the minor details of the plan and I 'll get Thayet. She hasn't seen me for a few weeks. I just got back." She nodded to Numair and Daine and walked out of the room.

***

She headed towards the stables and let the horse go, Daine told her where to go. She rode into a small clearing, and saw her mother, Thayet of Conte, Queen of Tortall, laying on the ground and staring straight up at the sky, with a cut down her forehead, and face still bleeding. She dismounted and walked over to her. "Mama?"

Thayet glanced over at Kally. "Kally?"

Kally kneeled down and pulled her mother into a deep embrace. "Are you going to be alright?"

Thayet nodded and pulled back a little. "I fell, that's all. I'm perfectly fine. I was riding Nightfire, and there was a low hanging branch, and I wasn't paying attention, and it hit me and I fell."

"I know that Jonathan hit you Mama."

Thayet sat back and propped herself up against a rock. "Young lady, you are to call your father by his proper name. If you cannot call him Father, you can call him milord. And I've been telling you this since you were eleven. Can you listen to me?"

"But Mama, I don't have any respect for him. Especially since you are his personal rag doll for him to hit whenever he wants to."

Perhaps hearing her daughter speaking the truth so frankly prompted Thayet to say this, "You have no respect for your father, and yet you have respect for me? I'm the one who is getting beat up here. Like I was helpless." Thayet stopped and realized what she had just said. "I mean, lying here helpless…" she trailed off, knowing she could hide it no longer.

"I know, Mama, I know. And you don't have to stay. We are going to get you out of there."

"We?" Thayet raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Who, exactly, is 'we'?"

"Well," Kally sat down beside her mother and cast a warming spell over the two of them, "myself, Numair, Daine, and I'm sure Alanna, Daine was just going to talk to her after I left."

Thayet gave Kally an incredulous look. "You told Daine and Numair? Kally, Alanna already knew, but you aren't supposed to tell anyone. Have you ever heard of the words, family secret?"

Kally shifted slightly. "I didn't tell them. Daine saw you running out of the castle and Nightfire told her what was going on. And I found out when I was talking to Numair, and Daine came in extremely upset."

"Oh."

Kally stood up and offered her hand to her mother. "Come on, I'm going to tell you the plan and get you to the Swoop."

"The Swoop?" Thayet looked puzzled.

"Just until we can disguise you enough to get you back into the castle." Thayet nodded slowly and stood up. The two mounted their horses and started to ride towards Pirates Swoop. Kally, of course, had healed her mother, and was Folding the land. (A/N Folding is a term from Melanie Rawn, where you basically take more miles per step)

***

Daine shifted in her seat and glanced at Alanna who was staring into the fire. "Well, what do you think of the plan?"

Alanna said, "Well, I think we are insane to try and do this. Couldn't we just hide her in the Swoop?"

Numair grimaced. "Do you want to put your family and people in danger and in the line of Jon's rage? He's not just going to go 'Oh, my wife is gone. No note, no clothes gone. Oh well.' He's going to tear the castle apart and then head to the fief's where she might head. Pirate's Swoop would be the first place he looked. And I'm not sure putting her right under his nose is the best idea."

"You are right. I'm not thinking clearly. It truly addles my brain thinking that Jon could do something like this. He could be mean yes, but he never was violent. Never."

"Then what made him violent now?" Daine asked.

"Me."

Both Daine and Numair turned from where they were sitting to stare at Alanna, openmouthed. "You?" they said simultaneously.

"Jon told Thayet he loved me. And so I am the fault in their marriage. I am the one who ruined it."

Daine raised an eyebrow. "He may be in love with you, which by the way, I don't think he is. But that wouldn't be the reason he beats Thayet. That just doesn't fit together at all." Numair nodded his agreement.

"But it does. Thayet has a sharp tongue. He gets infuriated easily. And then, he snaps. With all the pressure lately from the Gidalzka, and people being sent to the border, it would be easy enough for Jon to just snap and take his frustrations out on Thayet."

Numair shook his head. "I still don't think that's it. I think there is something darker, and more evil going on here."

**

Jonathan of Conte sat stewing at his desk. He hadn't seen his wife for three days, his councilors were avoiding him and on top of it all, Gidalzka had been becoming more and more forward in their attentions and prospects here in Tortall. Jon knew he was trapped. He no longer could play the game. He now longer knew what to do.
My Dear Lord Conte,
You are doing well. I regret to inform you, that I will soon be coming to take control of the situation. You have been doing well enough, but I fear that in the end, your loyalty will be to your country, not me. You have been too long struggling, Jonathan of Conte, and you do not realize, but my hold over you grows greater, and yet, you struggle. You cannot escape the powers of Gidalzka. You shall never escape.

Jonathan felt the searing pressure of shields being reapplied and the memory of the letter being burned into his mind. He was trapped in there. Trapped. He saw no way to get out. The orders from Gidalzka were getting more and more frequent, and stranger. It was impossible to resist. Last time he had resisted, he had been bed-ridden for a day and a fief in the south had been burned to the ground. He had told his people that it was raiders from the Copper Isles. And for all he knew, it was. He did not know this strange person who invaded his brain. He had been unprepared. He did not know this kind of sorcery existed. He remembered it like it was yesterday.

*****

"Thayet? Darling? Are you here?"

Thayet had appeared from inside their dressing chamber, looking like a mirage of beauty, despite the years that had passed since he first met her. She still looked like that young woman who walked into the meeting of friends in the palace that night long ago. Age had made her more beautiful.

She cocked her head at him, "What? Do I have something on my face?" she looked down at her dressing gown, suddenly self-conscious.

"No, there is nothing on your dressing gown. And there is nothing on your face either. Of course, if you want me to check out the rest of your body, then I guess we will just have to remove the gown."

"You silly old man. You shouldn't be giving me that look."

"I'm starting at you because you look gorgeous. Your beauty is unrivaled. And I relish the fact that you are mine."

"Stop Jon."

"Stop what?"

"I don't take well to your flattery. Shouldn't we be doing something productive and working towards bettering out kingdom?" Jon raised and eyebrow. Thayet giggled. And then they proceeded to do something that made them both realize how beautiful the other was. It was after, and Thayet was lying on top of his chest and he was drifting off to sleep when he first heard the voice. My lord? Jon sat up, wondering if he had heard the voice in actuality or imagined it. Thayet stirred slightly and sat up. He touched her hair and said, "Go back to bed." She nodded and moved over to the other side.

Jonathan?

He climbed out of bed and walked into the sitting room. "Who is there?"

Very good. I have your attention. The voice sounded like icicles dripping.

"What do you want? And who are you? And what are you?"

So many questions, young one. Be quiet, for you never question your elders. Or betters. And I am both. You are under my control now. And your country will also soon be mine. I do believe that would answer your first question. The others are not important. You may call me Mistress.

"You have got to be kidding me."

I do not kid Jonathan of Conte. You are a fool if you do not believe me.

"You cannot control me. Nor can you control my country through me."

Do not presume. The whole country could be at my fingertips, but I prefer to do it so your country will slowly be binding itself to Gidalzka.

"Gidalzka? That is not even a country."

Oh, but it is. Far far to the west. My link is very weak to you. But still strong enough to bind you to my will.

"You do not have control over me."

For you not to listen was your first mistake. But to deny my power will be your last.

That was the last Jonathan remembered. He woke up the next morning, wondering if he had dreamt it. Then he realized he wasn't alone. Nasty mental shields prevented him from touching his magic. Was it real? He looked down at his hand, and saw a small flame on the palm of his hand. He remembered an old saying from his grandfather, who had used it in jest, "Beware the flame of Gidalzka, for it extinguishes all it touches."

****

Jonathan sat back in his chair. He was not sure what more he could do. He had held off for as long as possible, and was no longer able to hold off the flood of people that would conquer his country. He hoped what he had done was enough, and that his people would forgive. He hoped Thayet would forgive him. He had done all he could do.

A/N Gidalzka is country of my own making. I hope everyone liked this chapter. Thank you to everyone who reviewed! I now know exactly what's going to happen! Yay! I have a definite plot and I know how it's going to end. GO ME! Well, thanks for you so much for reading and be a doll and go and hit the little review button. And lalala Are the thoughts from the sorceress who has taken over Jonathan's mind. And yes, there is a logical reason for this all to happen. I promise.