I'm back with another fic and a better dictionary (300,000 words instead of 80,000). For all who don't know me yet, I'm German, so if there are any difficulties with my story, I really try to make it understandable. ^_^
Disclaimer: This fanfic is a mixture between several books I've read. The world it takes place is, of course, based on Tamora Pierce's great work. But three great authors influence the major plot: Kristen Britain, Tonke Dragt and Gabriele Beyerlein. I took over some of their original characters including their names, and big parts of the plots to mix them up with my own. I do not own anything but my own inventions. I will take over some chapters of the books at the beginning, and change them only a bit to fit in the story. I don't know how to make it better than the original author. But only the first few chapters.
This in NOT a sequel to my other fic, 'A Lady's Destiny', so you don't have to read it first to understand this one. (But to those who haven't read it, give it a try. ^_^ )
Mhmm, well, let's see. This whole thing starts in ..… no, not in Tortall ….. in Maren. I thought that the ceremony to become a knight would be similar to the one in Tortall, but not completely the same. As far as I remember the Royal Palace of Tortall was built on the ruins of the Old Ones. So I think that's one of the reasons the Camber of Ordeal is there as well. (Only my thought. If I'm wrong, correct me. But I have to explain the basic thoughts behind the plot.) And I think if the other kingdoms have an equal chamber it would be logically built on such ruins as well. I thought that the Chamber of Maren isn't in the main city but somewhere near the border to Sarain. And the squires enter the chamber in the morning, not during the night. Midwinter is the longest night; Midsummer is the longest day. So I thought that this would be important with something magical like the Chamber. (This is my idea. I needed it to be there and I needed the ceremony take place at that time. Why? You will see soon.) So, if there are differences you know why.
Beta-reader of this story is Kalle. She's also beta-reader of my other story as well and a great author herself. Read her stories 'Destined One' and 'The Noble'. Believe me, they are great. ^_~
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FOUR ELEMENTS SERIES:
Life.
Do you really think you understand it?
Death.
Do you really think it's unalterable?
Past.
Do you really think you've been told it?
Hatred.
Do you really want to be ruled by it?
Truth.
Do you really think you know it?
Magic.
Do you really think you can control it?
You try to organise, structure and classify. You make up rules and think everything will obey them.
You fools.
The Gift – Wild Magic – no magic.
Do you really think that's all?
There is so much more. Magic, ancient and new, belonging and not belonging to earth.
There had been more people before you. People with own ways, with own power. And they've left their tracks on earth. And some of them influence us even now.
There is magic, dark and evil, bright and pure, high above good or bad. Do you really think you can control it?
What happens if something ancient is woken up? Who will be able to defy it?
To defy the darkness, you need the light. But where can we find it? Is all what's left to us only bad and dangerous? Those who have foreseen the danger, have seen the saving as well.
When time is come the protectors of life will wake up to fight those whose hatred have blinded themselves.
So mote it be.
PART I THE MESSAGE Chapter 01: TiuriTiuri was kneeling on the stone floor in the chapel and stared at the flame of the candle in front of him. He really tried to concentrate on the tasks he would have to fulfil, once he was a knight. But it was hard for him not to let his thoughts wander to completely different, unimportant things. He wondered if his friends had felt the same, the nights before, kneeling here and waiting for the moment to enter the Chamber of Ordeal. He was here, all alone, waiting until dawn, until the priests would arrive to take him to the Chamber, for the last, ultimate test.
'It's so quite here. Never in my life it has been so quite around me.' He wasn't allowed to speak, although he wondered to whom he would talk to, being all alone. He wasn't allowed to contact anyone outside this chapel. If he would break those rules he wouldn't be allowed to enter the Chamber. He wouldn't be knighted and he would have to repeat the whole four years as a squire. They were very strict with the rules.
He shook his head. The candlelight hurt his eyes. He looked to the altar, where a sword and a shield were waiting for their future master. 'From tomorrow on there will be two knights with the same coat of arms,' Tiuri thought, 'father and me.' His father was named Tiuri as well, Tiuri 'the Brave' he was called. 'I hope I will be a good knight like him.'
Suddenly there was a new thought invading his mind. What if somebody would knock on the door? He wouldn't be allowed to open it. He remembered that his old knightmaster, Sir Fartumer, had told him about his night watch. Somebody had knocked on the door, but he had been lucky enough not to open, because it was just a servant of the king, testing him.
'I don't act the right way. I should think about the true meaning of being a knight. About the duties and tasks.' He looked at the only sword he had to use to do good deeds and thought about the Code of Chivalry, trying not to stare at the door, which lead to the Chamber.
Suddenly there was a noise. Someone was knocking on the door. Tiuri stopped breathing and froze. There, again. He heard that someone tried to open the door, with no success. It was closed from inside. Only Tiuri and somebody with a key could open it. Tiuri strained his hearing. He heard steps outside. The person went away. He sighed. 'Now it has happened.' It was strange, but he thought that he had waited for it to happen the whole night. His heart beat loudly. 'Stay calm,' he thought to himself. 'Maybe it's a stranger who doesn't know that I have my night watch here, or somebody who wanted to test me.' He waited if he would here anything else.
He didn't know how much time had passed as he heard a noise above his head. It seemed as if somebody was scratching on the window with his nails. Then he heard a voice.
"In the name of Mithros, open the door."
Tiuri looked to the window above him. He didn't see anything. He couldn't do what the voice demanded from him. He buried his head in his hands and tried to ban all thoughts. But he heard the voice again.
"In the name of Mithros, open the door!"
It sounded more urgent than before. What now? He wasn't allowed to open the door. 'But what if it is somebody in need? A refugee who needs a place to hide?' He listened. Silence. 'Why does this have to happen now? Why do I have to hear this plea? I mustn't answer, but I can't calm down until I've done it.' He hesitated. Then he made a decision.
He got up, groaning lightly when his stiff knees started to ache from the constant kneeling, and walked towards the door. A last gaze at the sword and the shield and he put his hand on the key.
'If I open it now I've broken the rules and I won't be allowed to enter the Chamber.' He closed his eyes and sighed. He turned the key and opened the door.
He faced a man in a white habit, the face hid behind the hood. Tiuri couldn't see his face, it was too dark and the hood didn't help either.
"Thank you," whispered the stranger.
Tiuri remained silent.
The stranger waited a moment and said, still whispering: "I need to ask for your help. It's a matter of life or death." When Tiuri still didn't answer he continued: "Do you want to help me? Why don't you say something?"
"How can I help you? Why did you come here? Don't you know that I will be knighted tomorrow? Don't you know that I'm not allowed to talk to anyone until I entered the Chamber of Ordeal?" Tiuri glared angrily at him.
"I know that. That's why I came here." The stranger replied calmly.
Tiuri blinked shocked. "Why? Why didn't you go anywhere else? I have broken the rules now and won't be allowed to enter the Chamber! I won't be knighted because of that!"
"I give you the opportunity to earn your knighthood. A knight is supposed to help those who ask for it, isn't it so? Come with me and I will tell you what you can do for me. Quick, we don't have much time!"
Tiuri frowned. 'Well, I've already broken the rules. It doesn't really matter if I leave the chapel. That won't change anything.' He followed the stranger, glaring warily at him. "I hope you have a good reason good man. You've brought four additional years as a squire and a lot of difficulties upon me." He sighed deeply. 'Not a good day.'
At a small niche in the wall of the chapel the man stopped and whispered: "We will hide here and we have to speak quietly, not to be overheard by anybody. What's your name?"
"Tiuri."
The man nodded. "Tiuri. I will be able to trust you."
"What do you want from me?"
The man bent forward and whispered intently to him. "I have a letter for King Jonathan of Conte."
King Jonathan! Tiuri had heard about that king. He was said to be a very powerful, noble and just king in the west. Also some nobles looked down on him for allowing the women in his country to fight. Not only that, he even allowed girls to become knights. All conservatives were deeply shocked, they said this was indecent and that women weren't made to fight. Tiuri himself didn't agree with that. Sure he felt strange about women being knights, but he thought it was because he wasn't used to it. But they were sure as hell not too weak! He had realised when one girl he played with as a child had knocked him out cold when he had scared her. Since then he was more careful about that so called weaker sex.
"This latter has to be brought to King Jonathan." The man took suddenly had a letter in his hand.
'Where did that come from?' Tiuri frowned than asked a bit shocked. "You want me to ….. ?"
"The man who is supposed to bring this letter to the king is a knight with a white shield. He is in the inn Yikarvara in the forest. Now I ask you, do you want to bring this letter to him? I can't do it myself, I'm old and hunted by enemies."
"Why don't you ask anybody else? The town is full of knights you can trust."
"I can't ask any of these knights. There are spies all over the city who only wait to get hold of this letter. I need somebody who doesn't draw any attention towards him, not a famous knight. But I need somebody I can trust as well. I need somebody who is a knight and who isn't a knight. You are considered worthy of the knighthood, but you haven't made yourself a name yet. You are the right one."
"Is this letter that important?"
"More than you can imagine. Now hurry up. We are loosing too much time. There is horse behind the chapel. Take it and you will be back by dawn to answer your king. Now please go and do what I ask from you!"
Tiuri knew he couldn't deny. The rules were important, but this was much more important. "I will do it. Now tell me where to find this inn."
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So, what do you think? Is it worth it to continue?
