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!
~*~
With the lute dangling from my fingers, I walked gracefully down an endless amount of stairs, my dress slowly turning from the crimson red of the battlefield to the deep midnight blue of the night sky.
All the whispers of the servants collected at the bottom of the tower hushed as I descended before them. From the looks on their faces, they thought that I was some kind of Goddess.
"Take me to King Omar, immediately." I commanded of them. Nodding reverentially, they all stood there like lumps. "Who will take me to King Omar?" I demanded again.
"I will." A thin young girl in the livery of the cooks stood up. Her blonde hair fell past her shoulders, and she looked to be about my age. Her eyes spoke otherwise; they were cold and hard.
"Thank you." I stepped between the servants, being careful not to step on any fingers or toes. Silently, she led me through the hallways, winding along as if she had walked the palace since birth.
"Lady of the Tower, I bring you to King Omar." She curtseyed and smiled without emotion. I walked up to the door and pushed it open.
"King Omar?" I asked. A young man in a pristine tan tunic turned around.
"He is dead. You would like to speak to King Corbin?" I saw what the young man was leaning over: a body.
"If I may," I bowed my head.
"What do you want?" The young man asked softly.
"King Corbin, I wish to see the Lamaran prisoner, please." I looked the King-Elect in the eyes, which seemed to surprise him.
"This way please." He said softly. "You are the famed Lady of the Tower that they talk about?" He gestured toward the lute. "They say that you won the battle."
"I am not famed, nor am I the Lady of the Tower," I replied. "If I won the battle, it was only by the will of Sky." My trembling fingers slipped around the lute, teasing a few notes out.
"You are pious, then?" Corbin looked askance at me.
"If you would call it that, yes." I left out being chosen by Sky. I did not trust the new King yet.
"What would you call it then, if not piety?" Corbin smiled politely.
I remained silent, looking at the stones that I walked over. Corbin didn't press the point.
"What are you if you are not the Lady of the Tower?" Corbin asked imperiously.
"I am only Liana Fairchild, a Runner of Syrlan, beloved of," I caught myself before I said "Cedric."
"Of whom, if I may be so nosy?" Corbin was being so polite it must have been painful.
"Beloved of my beloved." I replied shortly. Corbin retreated a little.
"We have arrived at the dungeons." Corbin said stiffly. He held the door open for me as I walked down the cold stone stairs to the dungeons.
The malodorous smell invaded my nose. I sneezed violently as the smells of human waste, mold and people introduced themselves all at once. I looked around at the silent grey stone and grimaced. It all had an unfriendly feel to it.
"Come," Corbin whispered in my ear. He led me through the silent dungeons, holding a flaming brand in one hand. "Here he is." The King-Elect opened the door to a cell and motioned me in.
"Thank you," I said. I walked in, smiling as thought of Cedric.
"Lady Sparrow! What in all hells are you doing here?" I looked up in surprise as Alejandro spoke from the shadows.
"Prince Alejandro?" I asked, my mouth hanging open.
"King, now," he corrected me. "What are you doing in here?" He asked again.
"Well, I was looking for Cedric!" I said, as if it should have been obvious.
"Watch how you talk to a king." Alejandro reprimanded me.
"I'm sorry, you Highness," I said, bowing before him. "Do you know where Cedric is?" I looked hopefully up at him, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. I had lost all of my regal bearing and assumed maturity as I hoped of seeing Cedric.
"Yes," Alejandro's face was sad in the dim light. He pointed to the corner.
"Cedric!" I gasped. I looked at the body lying in the corner, and the tears were unshed no longer. "Oh, Sky, Cedric, no!"
"I'm sorry, Sparrow." Alejandro patted my back awkwardly. I ignored him and rushed over to Cedric.
"Cedric, please, be alive," I whispered to him. I could sense Alejandro standing behind me, watching me. I knelt down, aware of the filthy floor, but not caring. "Oh Sky, Cedric, you can't die! You're my Guide! Cedric!" I could feel a fading pulse in his neck and wrist. "No! Cedric! What did they do to you?" My hands could feel welts lining his back. The torn shirt parted easily, and I saw the glistening blood that coated his back.
"Sparrow, they whipped him. He was trying to protect me. He said that Lamar must have a King and someone to protect Eleanora. I don't know what it means, but he died trying to protect me." I felt Alejandro's hand rubbing my back, soothing me.
"Cedric," I choked out, swallowing tears. "Cedric!" I moaned, collapsing onto his body, not truly wanting to live without him. My tears mingled with the drying blood on his back, making it slippery again.
"I- Sparrow, I…" Alejandro trailed off, leaving me in silence. I clung to Cedric's lifeless body, sobbing quietly. I ran my bloody fingers over his face, tracing his profile.
I knew whom I had been singing about when I had mentioned the lover in my song. It had been Cedric. "No, no, not him, no…" I mumbled through my fogged mind. His eyes were open, and staring at nothing. Gently, tenderly, I closed them, leaving two bloody stains on his eyelids.
When I closed his eyes for the final time, I sobbed even harder. "Goodbye," I coughed out, letting my tears just run.
A weak moan from Cedric caught my attention.
"Cedric?"
"Sparrow?" I almost laughed as I climbed over his legs to reach his face. His green eyes glistened with tears and pain. "I love you." He seemed to be getting stronger by the second.
"Cedric?" Alejandro asked from behind me. "How are you alive?"
"Life," Cedric said, and smiled at me.
I smiled back and kissed him affectionately on his lips. "It's good that you're alive, Cedric." I heard Corbin making obvious noise outside the cell. "King Corbin," I said sweetly, "If I may take my beloved with me when I leave for home, I would be greatly cheered."
"Of course you may, Lady Liana." I smiled, and took Cedric's hand.
"Come Cedric," we stood up, "Let's go."
"Is there anything else that you would like, Lady Liana?" Corbin asked politely.
"Yes, I would like to have King Alejandro be returned to his people at once." I said innocently.
"That cannot happen." I stepped out in front of Corbin, holding tightly to Cedric's hand with Alejandro at my side.
"I will now. Step aside." I pushed the King-Elect out of the way, giggling softly at the way his mouth was working like a fish.
Walking past Corbin, I took the brand from his hand and led the way up the stairs and out of the dungeon. When we emerged into the light again, I was surprised to see the stars sprinkled across the velvety midnight sky.
"Ride Alejandro. Ride to Lamar, protect Eleanora, choose a Princess, and live happily ever after," I told him. When I pushed him in the direction of the stables the servant girl with the blonde hair directed him the rest of the way. I smiled my thanks and turned to Cedric.
"Darling, let's go get some sleep." I said when I noticed that he was looking rather pale.
"Good idea," he muttered sleepily. I guided him to his rooms, where we both lay down on the bed. "Good night," he said, and started to snore almost instantly.
"Good Night, Cedric. Get better." I smiled and rolled over onto my stomach. I fell asleep with a true, happy smile on my face.
~*~
A/N: Originally, I had Cedric dying and Liana dying in the morning. Then i couldn't figure out how to get her out of that, so i changed it. I like it MUCH better now!! :o) thanks to all of you guys who reviewed!!! All of you are awesome...about 2 more chapters left!!!
Whee!
EvenSong
~*~
With the lute dangling from my fingers, I walked gracefully down an endless amount of stairs, my dress slowly turning from the crimson red of the battlefield to the deep midnight blue of the night sky.
All the whispers of the servants collected at the bottom of the tower hushed as I descended before them. From the looks on their faces, they thought that I was some kind of Goddess.
"Take me to King Omar, immediately." I commanded of them. Nodding reverentially, they all stood there like lumps. "Who will take me to King Omar?" I demanded again.
"I will." A thin young girl in the livery of the cooks stood up. Her blonde hair fell past her shoulders, and she looked to be about my age. Her eyes spoke otherwise; they were cold and hard.
"Thank you." I stepped between the servants, being careful not to step on any fingers or toes. Silently, she led me through the hallways, winding along as if she had walked the palace since birth.
"Lady of the Tower, I bring you to King Omar." She curtseyed and smiled without emotion. I walked up to the door and pushed it open.
"King Omar?" I asked. A young man in a pristine tan tunic turned around.
"He is dead. You would like to speak to King Corbin?" I saw what the young man was leaning over: a body.
"If I may," I bowed my head.
"What do you want?" The young man asked softly.
"King Corbin, I wish to see the Lamaran prisoner, please." I looked the King-Elect in the eyes, which seemed to surprise him.
"This way please." He said softly. "You are the famed Lady of the Tower that they talk about?" He gestured toward the lute. "They say that you won the battle."
"I am not famed, nor am I the Lady of the Tower," I replied. "If I won the battle, it was only by the will of Sky." My trembling fingers slipped around the lute, teasing a few notes out.
"You are pious, then?" Corbin looked askance at me.
"If you would call it that, yes." I left out being chosen by Sky. I did not trust the new King yet.
"What would you call it then, if not piety?" Corbin smiled politely.
I remained silent, looking at the stones that I walked over. Corbin didn't press the point.
"What are you if you are not the Lady of the Tower?" Corbin asked imperiously.
"I am only Liana Fairchild, a Runner of Syrlan, beloved of," I caught myself before I said "Cedric."
"Of whom, if I may be so nosy?" Corbin was being so polite it must have been painful.
"Beloved of my beloved." I replied shortly. Corbin retreated a little.
"We have arrived at the dungeons." Corbin said stiffly. He held the door open for me as I walked down the cold stone stairs to the dungeons.
The malodorous smell invaded my nose. I sneezed violently as the smells of human waste, mold and people introduced themselves all at once. I looked around at the silent grey stone and grimaced. It all had an unfriendly feel to it.
"Come," Corbin whispered in my ear. He led me through the silent dungeons, holding a flaming brand in one hand. "Here he is." The King-Elect opened the door to a cell and motioned me in.
"Thank you," I said. I walked in, smiling as thought of Cedric.
"Lady Sparrow! What in all hells are you doing here?" I looked up in surprise as Alejandro spoke from the shadows.
"Prince Alejandro?" I asked, my mouth hanging open.
"King, now," he corrected me. "What are you doing in here?" He asked again.
"Well, I was looking for Cedric!" I said, as if it should have been obvious.
"Watch how you talk to a king." Alejandro reprimanded me.
"I'm sorry, you Highness," I said, bowing before him. "Do you know where Cedric is?" I looked hopefully up at him, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. I had lost all of my regal bearing and assumed maturity as I hoped of seeing Cedric.
"Yes," Alejandro's face was sad in the dim light. He pointed to the corner.
"Cedric!" I gasped. I looked at the body lying in the corner, and the tears were unshed no longer. "Oh, Sky, Cedric, no!"
"I'm sorry, Sparrow." Alejandro patted my back awkwardly. I ignored him and rushed over to Cedric.
"Cedric, please, be alive," I whispered to him. I could sense Alejandro standing behind me, watching me. I knelt down, aware of the filthy floor, but not caring. "Oh Sky, Cedric, you can't die! You're my Guide! Cedric!" I could feel a fading pulse in his neck and wrist. "No! Cedric! What did they do to you?" My hands could feel welts lining his back. The torn shirt parted easily, and I saw the glistening blood that coated his back.
"Sparrow, they whipped him. He was trying to protect me. He said that Lamar must have a King and someone to protect Eleanora. I don't know what it means, but he died trying to protect me." I felt Alejandro's hand rubbing my back, soothing me.
"Cedric," I choked out, swallowing tears. "Cedric!" I moaned, collapsing onto his body, not truly wanting to live without him. My tears mingled with the drying blood on his back, making it slippery again.
"I- Sparrow, I…" Alejandro trailed off, leaving me in silence. I clung to Cedric's lifeless body, sobbing quietly. I ran my bloody fingers over his face, tracing his profile.
I knew whom I had been singing about when I had mentioned the lover in my song. It had been Cedric. "No, no, not him, no…" I mumbled through my fogged mind. His eyes were open, and staring at nothing. Gently, tenderly, I closed them, leaving two bloody stains on his eyelids.
When I closed his eyes for the final time, I sobbed even harder. "Goodbye," I coughed out, letting my tears just run.
A weak moan from Cedric caught my attention.
"Cedric?"
"Sparrow?" I almost laughed as I climbed over his legs to reach his face. His green eyes glistened with tears and pain. "I love you." He seemed to be getting stronger by the second.
"Cedric?" Alejandro asked from behind me. "How are you alive?"
"Life," Cedric said, and smiled at me.
I smiled back and kissed him affectionately on his lips. "It's good that you're alive, Cedric." I heard Corbin making obvious noise outside the cell. "King Corbin," I said sweetly, "If I may take my beloved with me when I leave for home, I would be greatly cheered."
"Of course you may, Lady Liana." I smiled, and took Cedric's hand.
"Come Cedric," we stood up, "Let's go."
"Is there anything else that you would like, Lady Liana?" Corbin asked politely.
"Yes, I would like to have King Alejandro be returned to his people at once." I said innocently.
"That cannot happen." I stepped out in front of Corbin, holding tightly to Cedric's hand with Alejandro at my side.
"I will now. Step aside." I pushed the King-Elect out of the way, giggling softly at the way his mouth was working like a fish.
Walking past Corbin, I took the brand from his hand and led the way up the stairs and out of the dungeon. When we emerged into the light again, I was surprised to see the stars sprinkled across the velvety midnight sky.
"Ride Alejandro. Ride to Lamar, protect Eleanora, choose a Princess, and live happily ever after," I told him. When I pushed him in the direction of the stables the servant girl with the blonde hair directed him the rest of the way. I smiled my thanks and turned to Cedric.
"Darling, let's go get some sleep." I said when I noticed that he was looking rather pale.
"Good idea," he muttered sleepily. I guided him to his rooms, where we both lay down on the bed. "Good night," he said, and started to snore almost instantly.
"Good Night, Cedric. Get better." I smiled and rolled over onto my stomach. I fell asleep with a true, happy smile on my face.
~*~
A/N: Originally, I had Cedric dying and Liana dying in the morning. Then i couldn't figure out how to get her out of that, so i changed it. I like it MUCH better now!! :o) thanks to all of you guys who reviewed!!! All of you are awesome...about 2 more chapters left!!!
Whee!
EvenSong