Discalimer: the bits of fairy tales that you recognize aren't mine, what you don't recognize as anything already written/published/copyrighted is. :o) on with the story!
~*~
I was snuggled in Cedric's arms, smiling like a fool. He was getting his instructions from Sky. I waited patiently, happy to be with him again.
"Liana." I looked up and saw Death, smiling at me. It was a gruesome, yet welcome sight.
"Death, why are you here?" I smiled back.
"You need a guide, one who can take you over miles in a short amount of time. I can do that." Death held out his hand, and I took it. "Come, he will meet us later."
"No. We wait until he is…back. Then we can go." I took Cedric's hand in my own.
"Of course, Chosen." Death's smile diminished. Cedric's arms tightened around me, and I smiled at him.
"Come, we must be going." I clenched his hand tighter, and nodded to Death.
The pain whipped through me, but I did not scream. I refused to scream. Cedric had no such inhibitions. He let out a bellow that shook my body.
As quickly as it had come, it was gone.
We were standing in front of an arching iron gate. Bits of ivy and stray leaves spilled over the stonewall that surrounded…whatever it was. I shivered as a cool breeze wafted toward us, carrying a thousand scents.
I breathed deeply, and grinned at the promise that the smells had. There was hope after all!
Death let us stand there in wonder for a few moments. He dropped my hand and walked to the gate. "This is the gateway to the Kirin Gardens. Liana, you are the only one who can open it. You must open it; else all shall be lost. Cedric, you shall guide her through the gardens, until you reach the Heart of the Gardens.
"Then you will choose your weapon, Liana. I will be waiting for you to take you back." Death stepped aside, and sat down to wait.
"Thank you, Death." I stepped up and kissed him on the cheek, not knowing precisely how to thank him.
"Go, Liana," he said with a fatherly smile.
"Are you ready, Sparrow?" I smiled at Cedric and we stepped up to the gate together.
We were swallowed into a vortex of light and color. Wave after wave of dizziness hit me, and it brought me to my knees. I felt Cedric falling beside me, and I felt slightly glad about it. At least I wasn't the only one suffering.
Then, everything stopped, and there was a crisp light falling around us. I saw Death sitting to the side, but he was in Shadow.
I started to reach out for him, but Cedric stopped me. "No, you must stay in the Light, Liana." His voice had a strange timbre to it, and it frightened me. "Look to the Gate," he said.
I looked. The Gate was the same spidery iron fixture that it had been, but there was more to it now. Two small handprints were embedded in the iron of the latch.
My instinct took over. As if in a dream, I walked up to the Gate and pressed my hands into the prints. It was a perfect fit.
"Good. Now walk forward." Cedric held onto my shoulders, gently pushing me forward. I took one hesitant step- and the gate wavered.
It was as if I was seeing it through smoke. I pushed forward again, and it trembled slightly. "Go," Cedric whispered encouragingly. I plunged through the Gate.
The darkness enveloped me. "OhdearSky," I moaned. I tried to open my eyes, to rid myself of the blackness that hung around me like a shroud.
But my eyes were already open. I was blind.
"Cedric," I moaned, turning to where I thought he was. "I can't do this! I'm blind!"
"Shush, Liana, I will Guide you. That is my job, to Guide you." I felt his warm hands holding my own. "Trust me, dearling, and I will get you to the Heart of the Gardens." His lips brushed my forehead, and I felt reassured.
"I love you, Cedric." I smiled and let him lead me onward.
We didn't talk at all, so I thought a lot to myself. I remembered our race through the streets of Kith, and how Cedric had left me there. My mind filled with doubt. Would he leave me again? Would he be able to get me to the Heart of the Gardens, whatever that was?
I matched my steps to my heartbeat, trying to get my mind away from all the doubt.
The nagging voice in my mind wouldn't let me forget about how he had left me. I had been killed after he had left me in Kith. If he left me again, would I die again? If I did die, would I live again?
"Liana, we are here." The odd resonance to Cedric's voice was there, and stronger than ever.
"I can't see anything, Cedric." I was panicking, and I acknowledged that fact in my mind, and did nothing about it.
"You are trying to look with your eyes. Look with your heart, Liana, and then say you cannot see." Cedric's hands let go of my own.
I was on my own.
"I'll try," I said, with as much bravado in my voice as possible to bolster my confidence. I close my eyes, and tried to look with my heart. All I saw was blackness. "It's not working, Cedric!"
"Close your eyes," He said to me. His hand brushed down over my face. "Think of things you love, like Running, singing, and anything else." I could feel his solid body pressing against mine. "Now, look with your heart again."
I concentrated on the things that I loved. Running, singing, Syrlan, and Cedric. I imagined myself opening a pair of big grey eyes, and I saw.
There was a tree stump in the middle of a grove of resplendent goldenwood trees. The stump had been ornately decorated with intricate designs and patterns. On the stump, which was more like a pedestal, were three objects.
The sword, the bow and quiver, and the lute.
I walked over, and Cedric let me go, trusting now that I could see my own way. For an eternity, I stood in front of the weapons, staring at them. I stretched a hand out, and touched the sword.
I was filled with a longing to kill everything. I would spare nothing, while I had this sword. Everything would die by my hand, and I was infallible. I saw myself riding on a black charger, riding into the ranks of men lined up before me. They would all die, and they knew it. I could see it on their faces, smell their fear. Hungrily, I wreaked havoc within them, watching them die, feeling their warm lifeblood splash up against me-
I broke the contact with a shudder. I could not use the sword.
I moved on to the bow and arrows. Once again, I rested my hand upon the weapon, wondering what I would find.
The trees were my shelter, and the battlefield was the forest. No one could get past me. They would get shot if they did. I had the forest all to myself, for no one dared come this way. I had killed all who had tried to. I remembered the first man that I had killed. He was handsome enough, with his raven black hair and sparkling green eyes. He had ridden alongside a foppish court lady. They had both died easily, soundlessly. His name had been Cedric; I had heard the delicate Lady screaming his name as she died with the arrow in her chest.
I screamed and reeled back, praying that it hadn't been true. I saw Cedric sitting on the ground, waiting for me to make my choice. He was safe and whole. I would not use the bow either.
I looked at the last weapon, the lute. Cynically, I wondered what good it would do. It didn't have a point, or anything sharp to hurt someone with. I brushed my fingertips against it, stroking the cherry wood.
The most wonderful music filled me, and I smiled subconsciously. I saw myself dancing on the night of Alejandro's Ball, whirling amidst the color and splendor of the Royalty. Cedric's arms were around me, and I was happy. I felt his lips on mine as we stole kisses on the way back from his garden. I saw my mother's face, smiling as she whirled me around the room as a little child. I saw Jake, laughing as he chased after me, almost catching me. I saw everything that I had loved, or still loved, flash over my mind when I touched the lute.
This would be my weapon. I smiled, picked it up and clutched it to me possessively.
"I am ready." I said to Cedric with new confidence.
"Then let us go. Take my hand." Holding the lute gently by its long neck, I took Cedric's hand. We started walking, and I kept watching the path through the eyes of my heart.
The goldenwood trees sparkled in the dying light, and I longed to touch one. The sweet scent of moonflowers perfumed the night air, and I smiled. I saw splendid creatures reputed to have disappeared centuries ago. Unicorns danced in the golden sunlight that filtered in from the branches high above our heads. In the distance, I heard a bellow as a blast of flame seared the air: a dragon. I saw faces forming in the trees, and I gasped in astonishment as pixies fluttered around my head.
"Oh it's beautiful!" I breathed.
"Liana, I am sorry to disappoint you, but it is time for you to open the Gate. We must go." Cedric touched my shoulder affectionately.
"Oh." I tucked the lute under my arm, and studied the way out. Two wrought iron handles protruded elegantly from the Gate. I put one hand on either of them, and pulled. The Gate shimmered, and the eyes of my heart were closed, and my other eyes reopened.
"Welcome back Liana, Cedric." I looked at Cedric; he looked content.
"Time to return, Death?" I smiled at him. Death smiled back and walked over to us.
"Yes, Chosen." Death put his arm around my shoulders, and his other arm about Cedric. "It is late." I hugged the lute to me, and waited for the pain.
My body shook with spasms of excruciating pain for a few moments that felt like forever. Then it stopped.
I looked up, and saw the angry face of Hate, and the startled face of King Omar. It seemed that we had landed in the King's study.
~*~
A/N:I liked writing this chapter a lot. It was fun! I keep stealing things from other books...(well, duh) like the look through your heart...I got that from "The Storyteller's Daughter"(It was a good book...you should read it.)
TallemeraRane- So Cedric did speak enough...and there was a little more fluffiness in this chapter too...:o)
BlackJaguar12- About the direction thing...she started going west, and away from Syrlan. Then, she went east to get to Syrlan. I think that works...lol.
cherrychica-A lute is like a guitar thingy. Its got strings, it looka a lot like a guitar, but it's smaller. I think. Try google and see what google says...
Chibified- I think Zarf is a funny name too. I walked around for a while inserting it into sentences every so often. heehee...
~Even*Song~
(ooh doesn't that look fancy?:oP)
~*~
I was snuggled in Cedric's arms, smiling like a fool. He was getting his instructions from Sky. I waited patiently, happy to be with him again.
"Liana." I looked up and saw Death, smiling at me. It was a gruesome, yet welcome sight.
"Death, why are you here?" I smiled back.
"You need a guide, one who can take you over miles in a short amount of time. I can do that." Death held out his hand, and I took it. "Come, he will meet us later."
"No. We wait until he is…back. Then we can go." I took Cedric's hand in my own.
"Of course, Chosen." Death's smile diminished. Cedric's arms tightened around me, and I smiled at him.
"Come, we must be going." I clenched his hand tighter, and nodded to Death.
The pain whipped through me, but I did not scream. I refused to scream. Cedric had no such inhibitions. He let out a bellow that shook my body.
As quickly as it had come, it was gone.
We were standing in front of an arching iron gate. Bits of ivy and stray leaves spilled over the stonewall that surrounded…whatever it was. I shivered as a cool breeze wafted toward us, carrying a thousand scents.
I breathed deeply, and grinned at the promise that the smells had. There was hope after all!
Death let us stand there in wonder for a few moments. He dropped my hand and walked to the gate. "This is the gateway to the Kirin Gardens. Liana, you are the only one who can open it. You must open it; else all shall be lost. Cedric, you shall guide her through the gardens, until you reach the Heart of the Gardens.
"Then you will choose your weapon, Liana. I will be waiting for you to take you back." Death stepped aside, and sat down to wait.
"Thank you, Death." I stepped up and kissed him on the cheek, not knowing precisely how to thank him.
"Go, Liana," he said with a fatherly smile.
"Are you ready, Sparrow?" I smiled at Cedric and we stepped up to the gate together.
We were swallowed into a vortex of light and color. Wave after wave of dizziness hit me, and it brought me to my knees. I felt Cedric falling beside me, and I felt slightly glad about it. At least I wasn't the only one suffering.
Then, everything stopped, and there was a crisp light falling around us. I saw Death sitting to the side, but he was in Shadow.
I started to reach out for him, but Cedric stopped me. "No, you must stay in the Light, Liana." His voice had a strange timbre to it, and it frightened me. "Look to the Gate," he said.
I looked. The Gate was the same spidery iron fixture that it had been, but there was more to it now. Two small handprints were embedded in the iron of the latch.
My instinct took over. As if in a dream, I walked up to the Gate and pressed my hands into the prints. It was a perfect fit.
"Good. Now walk forward." Cedric held onto my shoulders, gently pushing me forward. I took one hesitant step- and the gate wavered.
It was as if I was seeing it through smoke. I pushed forward again, and it trembled slightly. "Go," Cedric whispered encouragingly. I plunged through the Gate.
The darkness enveloped me. "OhdearSky," I moaned. I tried to open my eyes, to rid myself of the blackness that hung around me like a shroud.
But my eyes were already open. I was blind.
"Cedric," I moaned, turning to where I thought he was. "I can't do this! I'm blind!"
"Shush, Liana, I will Guide you. That is my job, to Guide you." I felt his warm hands holding my own. "Trust me, dearling, and I will get you to the Heart of the Gardens." His lips brushed my forehead, and I felt reassured.
"I love you, Cedric." I smiled and let him lead me onward.
We didn't talk at all, so I thought a lot to myself. I remembered our race through the streets of Kith, and how Cedric had left me there. My mind filled with doubt. Would he leave me again? Would he be able to get me to the Heart of the Gardens, whatever that was?
I matched my steps to my heartbeat, trying to get my mind away from all the doubt.
The nagging voice in my mind wouldn't let me forget about how he had left me. I had been killed after he had left me in Kith. If he left me again, would I die again? If I did die, would I live again?
"Liana, we are here." The odd resonance to Cedric's voice was there, and stronger than ever.
"I can't see anything, Cedric." I was panicking, and I acknowledged that fact in my mind, and did nothing about it.
"You are trying to look with your eyes. Look with your heart, Liana, and then say you cannot see." Cedric's hands let go of my own.
I was on my own.
"I'll try," I said, with as much bravado in my voice as possible to bolster my confidence. I close my eyes, and tried to look with my heart. All I saw was blackness. "It's not working, Cedric!"
"Close your eyes," He said to me. His hand brushed down over my face. "Think of things you love, like Running, singing, and anything else." I could feel his solid body pressing against mine. "Now, look with your heart again."
I concentrated on the things that I loved. Running, singing, Syrlan, and Cedric. I imagined myself opening a pair of big grey eyes, and I saw.
There was a tree stump in the middle of a grove of resplendent goldenwood trees. The stump had been ornately decorated with intricate designs and patterns. On the stump, which was more like a pedestal, were three objects.
The sword, the bow and quiver, and the lute.
I walked over, and Cedric let me go, trusting now that I could see my own way. For an eternity, I stood in front of the weapons, staring at them. I stretched a hand out, and touched the sword.
I was filled with a longing to kill everything. I would spare nothing, while I had this sword. Everything would die by my hand, and I was infallible. I saw myself riding on a black charger, riding into the ranks of men lined up before me. They would all die, and they knew it. I could see it on their faces, smell their fear. Hungrily, I wreaked havoc within them, watching them die, feeling their warm lifeblood splash up against me-
I broke the contact with a shudder. I could not use the sword.
I moved on to the bow and arrows. Once again, I rested my hand upon the weapon, wondering what I would find.
The trees were my shelter, and the battlefield was the forest. No one could get past me. They would get shot if they did. I had the forest all to myself, for no one dared come this way. I had killed all who had tried to. I remembered the first man that I had killed. He was handsome enough, with his raven black hair and sparkling green eyes. He had ridden alongside a foppish court lady. They had both died easily, soundlessly. His name had been Cedric; I had heard the delicate Lady screaming his name as she died with the arrow in her chest.
I screamed and reeled back, praying that it hadn't been true. I saw Cedric sitting on the ground, waiting for me to make my choice. He was safe and whole. I would not use the bow either.
I looked at the last weapon, the lute. Cynically, I wondered what good it would do. It didn't have a point, or anything sharp to hurt someone with. I brushed my fingertips against it, stroking the cherry wood.
The most wonderful music filled me, and I smiled subconsciously. I saw myself dancing on the night of Alejandro's Ball, whirling amidst the color and splendor of the Royalty. Cedric's arms were around me, and I was happy. I felt his lips on mine as we stole kisses on the way back from his garden. I saw my mother's face, smiling as she whirled me around the room as a little child. I saw Jake, laughing as he chased after me, almost catching me. I saw everything that I had loved, or still loved, flash over my mind when I touched the lute.
This would be my weapon. I smiled, picked it up and clutched it to me possessively.
"I am ready." I said to Cedric with new confidence.
"Then let us go. Take my hand." Holding the lute gently by its long neck, I took Cedric's hand. We started walking, and I kept watching the path through the eyes of my heart.
The goldenwood trees sparkled in the dying light, and I longed to touch one. The sweet scent of moonflowers perfumed the night air, and I smiled. I saw splendid creatures reputed to have disappeared centuries ago. Unicorns danced in the golden sunlight that filtered in from the branches high above our heads. In the distance, I heard a bellow as a blast of flame seared the air: a dragon. I saw faces forming in the trees, and I gasped in astonishment as pixies fluttered around my head.
"Oh it's beautiful!" I breathed.
"Liana, I am sorry to disappoint you, but it is time for you to open the Gate. We must go." Cedric touched my shoulder affectionately.
"Oh." I tucked the lute under my arm, and studied the way out. Two wrought iron handles protruded elegantly from the Gate. I put one hand on either of them, and pulled. The Gate shimmered, and the eyes of my heart were closed, and my other eyes reopened.
"Welcome back Liana, Cedric." I looked at Cedric; he looked content.
"Time to return, Death?" I smiled at him. Death smiled back and walked over to us.
"Yes, Chosen." Death put his arm around my shoulders, and his other arm about Cedric. "It is late." I hugged the lute to me, and waited for the pain.
My body shook with spasms of excruciating pain for a few moments that felt like forever. Then it stopped.
I looked up, and saw the angry face of Hate, and the startled face of King Omar. It seemed that we had landed in the King's study.
~*~
A/N:I liked writing this chapter a lot. It was fun! I keep stealing things from other books...(well, duh) like the look through your heart...I got that from "The Storyteller's Daughter"(It was a good book...you should read it.)
TallemeraRane- So Cedric did speak enough...and there was a little more fluffiness in this chapter too...:o)
BlackJaguar12- About the direction thing...she started going west, and away from Syrlan. Then, she went east to get to Syrlan. I think that works...lol.
cherrychica-A lute is like a guitar thingy. Its got strings, it looka a lot like a guitar, but it's smaller. I think. Try google and see what google says...
Chibified- I think Zarf is a funny name too. I walked around for a while inserting it into sentences every so often. heehee...
~Even*Song~
(ooh doesn't that look fancy?:oP)