Carpathian reality - present day
Valeny Nyx smiled wryly, she had been in and out of the Carpathian Mountains for most of her life, and they still didnÕt know her secret. Mind you they didnÕt keep quite so close an eye on her as they believed her to be a non-psycic human. Little did they know.
Even so they were good people for the most part and had trusted her with their secret. She sighed and glanced over at one of the oldest them. She couldnÕt help but laugh, Lucian sat there, his niece jiggling in his lap a tender smile on his face. He looked up at the sound and raised an eyebrow enquiringly. Eyes sparkling but mouth straight she murmured.
ÒI must be going now, my cousins are waiting for me.Ó
Lucian nodded, ÒDo you know how long youÕll be gone this time?Ó
ÒNo, IÕm not sure how long my familyÕs business will need me this time. IÕll drop in when I get back.Ó
Valeny walked a distance from the house she had just left, but before she could do anything a long familiar voice echoed in her mind.
*Acushla...*
She smiled, her heart lifting in joy. *Tadhg, please tell me you are free.*
A ghost hand brushed its knuckles down her cheek, accompanied by the impression of tiredness, she knew how he felt, she may not be carpathian, but she had more power than Lucien and Gabriel combined, not that she could do much with it considering the rules constraining her movement. Quite frankly at this point in time it was more of a burden than a blessing.
*Sadly I am indisposed at the moment, what of you?*
*Ditto.*
A sigh echoed in her mind at that statement.
*Ah well, for some reason we cannot send our present positions. It would be so much easier for us both, I am getting tired of fighting off the darkness.*
*It canÕt be much longer till our paths cross, weÕll go stir crazy otherwise.*
They felt the link start to weaken.
*Good-bye Tadhg.*
*Slan agat.*
Valeny swiped the tears from her eyes. This had to end. And soon! She was so lonely and tired, not to mention the hell Tadhg was going through.
She murmured low, careful to hide any trace of power, and a silvery green mist formed around her. Moments later the clearing where she had stood was empty.
Tortallan realm - after the Scanran War
King Jonathan, gripped the parchment with a white-knuckled hand as he read the Lord Provosts report so far on the strange killings that had started a few nights ago. Bodies torn and mutilated, most of them female, and yet not a drop of blood left anywhere. There wasnÕt even any left in what remained of the bodes. It had to be magic, but not even Numair could find any trace of it. Jon rubbed at his temples, trying to relieve the growing headache.
Just then there was a knock on the door and Daine entered, a large silver badger walking next to her. ÒExcuse me Your Highness, thereÕs someone who wants to speak to you.Ó
Jon raised his eyebrows in question, then blinked. The badger had suddenly appeared on the table in front of him.
*Hello*
Jon cleared his throat. ÒAnd you are...?Ó
Sigh. *I am the first male badger, the male badger god, if you like.* he shuffled his feet self consciously *Both the Greater gods and the Lesser gods are interested in the results of your investigations into these murders. Daine can convey any information through me.*
ÒMay I ask why you are interested?Ó
*There is something not right behind these murders which we canÕt see. It is unsettling.* With that last statement he vanished.
Jon blinked, then indicated the pages of parchment in front of him. ÒIÕll send these to you once IÕve finished reviewing them.Ó
Daine nodded and left. He shuddered to think what might happen next.
As if in answer to his thoughts there was another knock on the door. His groan turned to a sigh of relief, and he smiled in welcome at his wife and co-ruler of Tortall, Queen Thayet.
She smiled back, ÒI thought you might want some company. There is never anything pretty about murder.Ó
ÒItÕs even more worrying when the gods take an interest.Õ
ÒWhat?Ó Jon laughed weakly and told her of his earlier visitor.
Valeny Nyx smiled wryly, she had been in and out of the Carpathian Mountains for most of her life, and they still didnÕt know her secret. Mind you they didnÕt keep quite so close an eye on her as they believed her to be a non-psycic human. Little did they know.
Even so they were good people for the most part and had trusted her with their secret. She sighed and glanced over at one of the oldest them. She couldnÕt help but laugh, Lucian sat there, his niece jiggling in his lap a tender smile on his face. He looked up at the sound and raised an eyebrow enquiringly. Eyes sparkling but mouth straight she murmured.
ÒI must be going now, my cousins are waiting for me.Ó
Lucian nodded, ÒDo you know how long youÕll be gone this time?Ó
ÒNo, IÕm not sure how long my familyÕs business will need me this time. IÕll drop in when I get back.Ó
Valeny walked a distance from the house she had just left, but before she could do anything a long familiar voice echoed in her mind.
*Acushla...*
She smiled, her heart lifting in joy. *Tadhg, please tell me you are free.*
A ghost hand brushed its knuckles down her cheek, accompanied by the impression of tiredness, she knew how he felt, she may not be carpathian, but she had more power than Lucien and Gabriel combined, not that she could do much with it considering the rules constraining her movement. Quite frankly at this point in time it was more of a burden than a blessing.
*Sadly I am indisposed at the moment, what of you?*
*Ditto.*
A sigh echoed in her mind at that statement.
*Ah well, for some reason we cannot send our present positions. It would be so much easier for us both, I am getting tired of fighting off the darkness.*
*It canÕt be much longer till our paths cross, weÕll go stir crazy otherwise.*
They felt the link start to weaken.
*Good-bye Tadhg.*
*Slan agat.*
Valeny swiped the tears from her eyes. This had to end. And soon! She was so lonely and tired, not to mention the hell Tadhg was going through.
She murmured low, careful to hide any trace of power, and a silvery green mist formed around her. Moments later the clearing where she had stood was empty.
Tortallan realm - after the Scanran War
King Jonathan, gripped the parchment with a white-knuckled hand as he read the Lord Provosts report so far on the strange killings that had started a few nights ago. Bodies torn and mutilated, most of them female, and yet not a drop of blood left anywhere. There wasnÕt even any left in what remained of the bodes. It had to be magic, but not even Numair could find any trace of it. Jon rubbed at his temples, trying to relieve the growing headache.
Just then there was a knock on the door and Daine entered, a large silver badger walking next to her. ÒExcuse me Your Highness, thereÕs someone who wants to speak to you.Ó
Jon raised his eyebrows in question, then blinked. The badger had suddenly appeared on the table in front of him.
*Hello*
Jon cleared his throat. ÒAnd you are...?Ó
Sigh. *I am the first male badger, the male badger god, if you like.* he shuffled his feet self consciously *Both the Greater gods and the Lesser gods are interested in the results of your investigations into these murders. Daine can convey any information through me.*
ÒMay I ask why you are interested?Ó
*There is something not right behind these murders which we canÕt see. It is unsettling.* With that last statement he vanished.
Jon blinked, then indicated the pages of parchment in front of him. ÒIÕll send these to you once IÕve finished reviewing them.Ó
Daine nodded and left. He shuddered to think what might happen next.
As if in answer to his thoughts there was another knock on the door. His groan turned to a sigh of relief, and he smiled in welcome at his wife and co-ruler of Tortall, Queen Thayet.
She smiled back, ÒI thought you might want some company. There is never anything pretty about murder.Ó
ÒItÕs even more worrying when the gods take an interest.Õ
ÒWhat?Ó Jon laughed weakly and told her of his earlier visitor.