Title: The Seer
By: Mizu-chan a.k.a Vannila_Fox

Disclaimer: The Song Of The Lioness, all trademark and related indicia are property of Tamora Pierce. ( The Immortals included.)

Last Chapter: Gary and Raoul sat in front of him. "Faith... is she your child?" Jon blanched. "What?!" Gary held up his hands in defense. "Just asking!!" Jon shrugged. "I don't know. I think... I'm not sure." Gary and Raoul looked at each other. They had anticipated a flat out denial. But now he sounded like he was as old as ever. "Jon. She has black hair like yours." Jon nodded. "I know that." Gary and Raoul comforted him. " If she is yours, what will you do?" "Do? What do I do?" "Clearly, when she grows up she'll have the gift. Alanna has the gift. George has the gift. You have the gift. She definitely will have the gift as well. What if it's blue?" "Blue? But if she has the gift, it would have to be a mix of her parent's!" "Jon- you forget, that the Conte line is a dominant gift, even if it comes from the mother." "Oh... perhaps it'll be so purple, and with mine and the Dominion Jewel... its going to stay that way?"

Gary and Raoul shrugged. "We'll only be able to find out in time Jon, only in time." Jon nodded.

^*^*^ Lirael followed the darkened pathways, meandering through what seemed like eternity. There were rods of chandeliers that seemed to be made out of shadow, and marble columns filled every walkway. She stopped by a set of brass doors, twice her height. It was glowing, and strangely, she felt like she needed to go in, not just because she wanted to. Like something was drawing her closer. So, she stepped in.

The room was beautiful, to say the least, and cavernous. From end, to corner, to celing, it was black marble. A few white swirls here and there came together, but not more. The floor was strangely, grss. But it was ashen gray, like death. Everything was dark. She looked around, and saw nothing, except for a normal field- except for its unusual dark colours. She looked around again, and spotted the nearest tree move. She walked towards it uncertainly, and almost screamed as the Dark God suddenly appeared. In her surprise and fear, she took akward steps back, only to fall on her behind.

Soft, melodic laughter came from under the Dark God's hood. "Brother was right. Mortals are amusing." She looked at him in confusion, cocking her head ot one side. "Oh, stop that. You look too much like a cat." She nodded, blinking. He laughed again, then his tone became serious. "Lirael of Ellimere... our gifted. It is a pity.... But I only called you to warn you. Be wary of my Chosen. He is on the outside, somewhat intimidating... but you should never judge a book by it's cover. Now, my niece. Be gone with you. We will meet again." She nodded, and before she could register anything, she was back on her bed.

[Wait a minute... MY bed?] She looked around. It was her room, but the last time she remembered, she was at the Watchtower! She jumped up, thoroughly confused. Then the news came back to her. She was to marry Andris of Eagle's Gorge. The last time she saw him, he was two years older than she was, a gangly boy with long ash- blond hair and the coldest steel grey eyes she had seen. If she remembered correctly, he was in training to be a mage- and he was extremely Gifted. She sighed and bit her lip to keep herself from crying out loud. What escaped her was a sound crossed in between a groan and a sob.

"Hey... what's wrong?" she looked around, to see Chris at the foot of her bed. She felt a sob coming up, but stuffed it. Instead, her lip began to tremble. She shook her head, and a croak come out. "Nothing." Even if she was aloof to people, she had promises to keep, and one of them was to her mother. Chris just came closer and sat at her bedside. "C'mon, spill." She finally couldn't hold it in, and a sob escaped her. "You know about my family, don't you?" Chris shook his head. "Ellimere is a mystery to its outsiders. Its a fief to the north, mostly thriving on carpentry, fur and the Gifted that come from it." Lirael nodded. "My mother- she died when I was four. But by then, I knew that my family was not at all stable. She came from the north, past Scanra, Tyra and all. Way up north. Asmer. My father married her because she was extremely beautiful, being half Yamani and the daughter of an Asmernian ambassador. She was paler than I am, with black hair and black eyes... very beautiful.

"But as soon as I was born, she found out that she wasn't even loved. She was just a breeding mare, and an addition to the treasury. My father did not care about me- I was sent here on my mother's wish. Even when she died, my father was not by her- he was in a meeting with the hunters. She made me promise- that I would marry someone I love- not get betrothed. But now, I have to marry Andris of Eagle's Gorge. AND I HAVEN'T EVEN TALKED TO HIM!!" With that, she just let go and dissolved into sobs and tears. She turned so he couldn't see, and shut out all thoughts. [Mother... I'm so sorry...] She gasped as she felt Chris' hand on her shoulder. "We'll think of something. How do you know that Andris doesn't feel the same way?"

She closed her eyes tighter and burrowed under the blankets. "He doesn't feel anything." Chris sighed and looked at the lump under the blankets. He didn't know whether to be relieved, or to be frustrated. Squaring his shoulders, he pulled the blankets down, and as Lirael looked at him in shock, he bent down and planted a kiss on her lips, before turning around and walking briskly to the door leading to his room.

[Chris..]

Duke Gareth the younger looked at his son in wonder, amusement deeply hidden in his eyes. He was pacing the room and biting his thumb. "But father! Surely that pompous-" Gary cut his son off. "Words. Chris, words. Ellimere and Eagle's Gorge are hoping on an alliance after this. Eagle's Gorge needs Ellimere, and Ellimere needs Eagle's Gorge. What better way to put them together? Besides- I don't think there's a loophole in THIS particular betrothal." Chris looked at his father- and most of the time, his next-best friend after Prince Roald. "What am I supposed to do? I- I thik I've fallen in love with her, and I don't know if she feels the same way- her ordeal is coming this Mid- winter, and after that, she's getting married- against her will, by the way."

"But son, I don't hink Mid -winter is here until... six more months? Until then, you need to calm youself and sort yourself out!" Chris smiled and nodded. "Yes... I'll go now, I have to attend to some things." Gary smiled. "You do that."

A/N: So, how is this chapter? R& R, please? I haven't been recieving much reviews... can you guys at least drop a line? But for those who DID review: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! I just thought of something. I think, what Alanna felt after her and Jon argued is reflected by Stacy Orico's (Spelling?) song, Stuck. Isn't it?