Author's Note: How did everyone like Trickster's Choice? Sorry it took so long to post more of this story, but all three of us were so engrossed in Tammy's new book that we didn't have time to post more. As for our story, in regards to Trickster's Choice, everything is going to continue on as planned. Our story is still taking place just after Lady Knight, and we're pretending like Trickster's Choice was never published, just because it would be very hard on our plot line to drag Aly and everyone else in.
So for everyone out there who's pining for Trickster's Queen, maybe reading some Fan Fiction will help tide you over.
Disclaimer: We don't own any of the characters or worlds, they are Tamora Pierce's.
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When smoke had cleared, Numair saw that Atrella had gone, and Jon was groaning in pain.
The chains that had bound Numair to the chair disappeared, and he stood up and ran over to Jon.
"What did you do to me?" Jon moaned.
"Nothing!" Numair replied frantically. "Atrella was here and-"
Jon cut him off, "You're going crazy without your magic, Numair!"
"It's true your majesty! Do you recall anything from the last few hours?"
Jon stopped thoughtfully. "...No...So Atrella was here? And?"
Numair jumped up frantically, "She imprisoned your soul, and used your body as a host for her soul. She ordered Alanna, Kel, Tobe and Daine to the dungeons!"
"Alanna!" Jon roared.
"Yes," Numair exclaimed, "Everyone except for me! She brought me here and interrogated me. She kept asking about Tortall and its weakness, I think she wants to take control of it!"
Jon looked at the mage with almost a hint of amusement in his eyes.
Numair couldn't figure out why, but there were more important problems.
"I said nothing," Numair exclaimed. "I am forever faithful to you and Tortall, sire.
Jon stood still, his back to Numair. After a long pause, he turned around. "You didn't tell her about..." he trailed off.
"The Dominion Jewel's power? No," Numair said, "I figured that you could probably read about that in any good library in Tortall. I don't think that's what she was after."
"What do you think she was after?" Jon asked.
"I think," started Numair, "That it wasn't information about the Dominion Jewel's power she wanted, but rather, the Jewel itself."
Jon knitted his eyebrows. "Explain," he said.
Numair cleared his throat. "I think she found out that The Jewel has other powers besides what you, sire, use it for. I believe that Atrella needs The Jewel for some twisted plot of hers. She can't use it here because everyone would notice, and she can't just steal it, because she wouldn't be able to use it. She isn't the King!
"I think that her ultimate plan is to take over Tortall, and to do so, she needs to control the Jewel herself to use it against us." Again, an almost amused twinkling came into Jon's eye, but left almost a soon as Numair noticed it. "I think that the reason she came here was to find out how to gain control of the Jewel herself," Numair continued. "After being you for a couple of days and not figuring it out, she grew impatient and threatened me. She knew that I had the knowledge to use it, and how it works."
"And you didn't tell her?" Jon asked, concerned.
"Of course not!" Numair said, flustered. "It took me almost a whole year to figure that out myself. Do you really think I'd go blabbing to her?
"No, of course you didn't," Jon said. Then he walked over to a chair and sat down. "Sorry Numair, he muttered, "My head hurts. I don't understand how she could use it anyway."
"All she has to do is take some of your blood, and drip it on The Jewel. Then say the right spell..." He went on to describe the rest of the complicated magical process that would transfer The Jewel to someone else. "The Jewel will be ripe for the picking after it's done," Numair finished.
"See, your highness, that's the part I didn't want to tell Atrella. She is so power hungry that she would do that in a heart beat..." but he trailed off. Jon had stood up suddenly. With a huge grin on his face, he started laughing uncontrollably.
"Sire, I don't think that's very funny. She is really that evil," Numair said.
"I'm not laughing at that," Jon said slowly, and maliciously, his voice full of ice.
"Then what?..." suddenly his eyes bulged, "Atrella!" he bellowed, "You didn't leave! You tricked me!"
"You were always so trusting Arram," she said, "Now it will be your downfall." She pointed her finger at him and green magic streamed out.
For the second time that day Numair blacked out.
"Stupid," Atrella murmured through Jon's mouth. "You're nothing without your magic." She came close to Numair's limp body and ruffled his hair with Jon's hand.
"I'll leave you for now, Arram, but when I come back, even your magic..." she paused, "If it comes back, wont make a difference." Slowly in Jon's body, Atrella bent close to Numair's face and softly kissed his forehead. "Goodbye Arram," she whispered, almost remorsefully.
With that she stood up and called, "Guards!" Someone opened the door.
"This man Numair Salmalín has betrayed the Tortallan crown. Have him put away in the dungeons!" Atrella spat.
The last thing that was seen of King Jonathan that day was a glimpse of him as he strode lazily through the gardens and into the woods...alone.
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Who could see that one coming?
LOL! I love Atrella so much, she is just always one step ahead of Numair and two steps ahead of everyone else. (HINT HINT HINT!!)
What do you think she's going to use The Dominion Jewel for?
So for everyone out there who's pining for Trickster's Queen, maybe reading some Fan Fiction will help tide you over.
Disclaimer: We don't own any of the characters or worlds, they are Tamora Pierce's.
***********************************************
When smoke had cleared, Numair saw that Atrella had gone, and Jon was groaning in pain.
The chains that had bound Numair to the chair disappeared, and he stood up and ran over to Jon.
"What did you do to me?" Jon moaned.
"Nothing!" Numair replied frantically. "Atrella was here and-"
Jon cut him off, "You're going crazy without your magic, Numair!"
"It's true your majesty! Do you recall anything from the last few hours?"
Jon stopped thoughtfully. "...No...So Atrella was here? And?"
Numair jumped up frantically, "She imprisoned your soul, and used your body as a host for her soul. She ordered Alanna, Kel, Tobe and Daine to the dungeons!"
"Alanna!" Jon roared.
"Yes," Numair exclaimed, "Everyone except for me! She brought me here and interrogated me. She kept asking about Tortall and its weakness, I think she wants to take control of it!"
Jon looked at the mage with almost a hint of amusement in his eyes.
Numair couldn't figure out why, but there were more important problems.
"I said nothing," Numair exclaimed. "I am forever faithful to you and Tortall, sire.
Jon stood still, his back to Numair. After a long pause, he turned around. "You didn't tell her about..." he trailed off.
"The Dominion Jewel's power? No," Numair said, "I figured that you could probably read about that in any good library in Tortall. I don't think that's what she was after."
"What do you think she was after?" Jon asked.
"I think," started Numair, "That it wasn't information about the Dominion Jewel's power she wanted, but rather, the Jewel itself."
Jon knitted his eyebrows. "Explain," he said.
Numair cleared his throat. "I think she found out that The Jewel has other powers besides what you, sire, use it for. I believe that Atrella needs The Jewel for some twisted plot of hers. She can't use it here because everyone would notice, and she can't just steal it, because she wouldn't be able to use it. She isn't the King!
"I think that her ultimate plan is to take over Tortall, and to do so, she needs to control the Jewel herself to use it against us." Again, an almost amused twinkling came into Jon's eye, but left almost a soon as Numair noticed it. "I think that the reason she came here was to find out how to gain control of the Jewel herself," Numair continued. "After being you for a couple of days and not figuring it out, she grew impatient and threatened me. She knew that I had the knowledge to use it, and how it works."
"And you didn't tell her?" Jon asked, concerned.
"Of course not!" Numair said, flustered. "It took me almost a whole year to figure that out myself. Do you really think I'd go blabbing to her?
"No, of course you didn't," Jon said. Then he walked over to a chair and sat down. "Sorry Numair, he muttered, "My head hurts. I don't understand how she could use it anyway."
"All she has to do is take some of your blood, and drip it on The Jewel. Then say the right spell..." He went on to describe the rest of the complicated magical process that would transfer The Jewel to someone else. "The Jewel will be ripe for the picking after it's done," Numair finished.
"See, your highness, that's the part I didn't want to tell Atrella. She is so power hungry that she would do that in a heart beat..." but he trailed off. Jon had stood up suddenly. With a huge grin on his face, he started laughing uncontrollably.
"Sire, I don't think that's very funny. She is really that evil," Numair said.
"I'm not laughing at that," Jon said slowly, and maliciously, his voice full of ice.
"Then what?..." suddenly his eyes bulged, "Atrella!" he bellowed, "You didn't leave! You tricked me!"
"You were always so trusting Arram," she said, "Now it will be your downfall." She pointed her finger at him and green magic streamed out.
For the second time that day Numair blacked out.
"Stupid," Atrella murmured through Jon's mouth. "You're nothing without your magic." She came close to Numair's limp body and ruffled his hair with Jon's hand.
"I'll leave you for now, Arram, but when I come back, even your magic..." she paused, "If it comes back, wont make a difference." Slowly in Jon's body, Atrella bent close to Numair's face and softly kissed his forehead. "Goodbye Arram," she whispered, almost remorsefully.
With that she stood up and called, "Guards!" Someone opened the door.
"This man Numair Salmalín has betrayed the Tortallan crown. Have him put away in the dungeons!" Atrella spat.
The last thing that was seen of King Jonathan that day was a glimpse of him as he strode lazily through the gardens and into the woods...alone.
***************************************************
Who could see that one coming?
LOL! I love Atrella so much, she is just always one step ahead of Numair and two steps ahead of everyone else. (HINT HINT HINT!!)
What do you think she's going to use The Dominion Jewel for?