A/N Ok you can all call off the hit men, I decided to put you out of your misery (what will really make you want to kill me is the fact that I finished writing this yesterday but decided to wait to upload (I know I'm evil)). I'm sorry about leaving you guys on the cliff, but what's the fun in being an author if you can't do that once in a while (hehe). Blue Eyes, you don't have to write more I have updated. Daemon I hope you won't kill me, anyway that wouldn't get the chappie uploaded any quicker. Shadowflame don't worry there will be another Alanna/Zira encounter. Zurizip I don't get what you don't get but I hope you have gotten it (whatever it was (hehe)) Marie, you will find out in this chap. M'cha we shall just have to see if you are right about that. Penmage Hehe. It was fun writing a cliffhanger. Boarding school is REALLY boring. We spend our time trying to get out of doing homework (die homework die), watching DVDs and surfing the Net. CrazNM I'll send you the dress pic soon. I'm glad you found my story. Golden Goddess, this is longer (maybe not by your standards but oh well) sorry. Ivy Dragon, I'm glad you thought I did the romance well, I was quite worried about it. Lady Redbird, the chap exists now, and you will find out who the strong muscular arm is attached to. Airelothwen, I am really flattered by your review (once I deciphered the abbreviations (hehe). Thank you so much. Dark Lady, Hehe I love cliffhangers (When I'm the one writing not reading).
If anyone wants to read something else I wrote, The Way to the Gilded Mountain is decidedly lacking in reviews, just a little ad, but you don't have to. Also my roommie Kalle is twisting my arm telling you to read The Seat of the Magpie, actually it is really good. This is just for those who have the time.
Chapter XIX: Free
Zira struggled against the strong arms encircling her. She looked up at the face of her captor and gasped. Liam's intense sapphire eyes looked down into hers. She opened her mouth to scream, but his mouth came over hers stopping the scream in her throat, she looked wildly around her. Liam pulled her with him into the curtained alcove. Swiftly he kissed her again and again, holding small wrists tightly in one of his crushing hands. Zira was powerless against him.
Falkin looked around him, trying to see Zira. She wasn't where he thought she should be. Desperately his eyes scanned the crowds. She wasn't there.
Liam stopped kissing her only to start undoing her bodice. She struggled violently and filled her lungs to scream, but his lips came back over her mouth, and she choked back down the air.
Jasson had been watching Zira, from his corner. He saw someone approach her but paid no notice, his eyes were on her face, memorizing every feature every expression. Suddenly fear filled her eyes. Huge, dark and menacing the form leaned over her pulling her with him. Jasson did not wait a moment. He ran, brushing past the oblivious couples, rushing to the alcove.
Falkin saw Jasson run. He dropped the glass. The thick sweet juice fell, staining his doublet, but he didn't notice. He ran, dancing couples barred his way. He cursed making his way around them. Jasson disappeared behind the curtain.
Jasson's, powerful hands came down on Zira's attacker. He struck him again and again; until battered the man fainted, lying unconscious on the floor. Jasson stared at the face looking up at him.
"Liam," he whispered. Zira struggled to her feet and wrapped her arms round Jasson's neck, hot tears fell on his shoulder. One layer of her silk top swayed back and forth undone. Jasson stood there, in almost as much shock as Zira. His brother, he had never stood up to Liam in his life before, and yet there he was lying on the floor, bruised by Jasson's hands.
Falkin burst through the curtains, his eyes worried. Zira looked up at him and smiled wanly. He saw a tear trickle down her cheek, it sparkled, a minute and then she brushed it away.
"I'm a fool," Zira thought. "I shouldn't cry, my tears will give me away." She looked down at Liam, he groaned. In a second Falkin was on him. He grabbed him by the collar, cursing.
"I don't care if you are the prince, you will be brought before the courts for this, and I just hope that I can be the one to challenge you." Liam eyes focused on his brother, who was backing away, covering his hands, which were red from the beating he had given him. He looked into Jasson's hazel eyes and saw fear.
"You idiot Jasson," Liam whispered fiercely at his brother. He tried to get up, but Falkin's strong arms pinned him down.
"You little pig," Falkin spat at the prince, "You think you are the only one that matters in this world, well wake up buddy, you are nobody. I promise you, as well, that when I am done with you the whole world will know what a rat you are." Zira shook her head trying to clear it.
"The whole world," she thought. "That includes Antitheos." Vaguely she tried to muddle through her thoughts. "The whole world." Her eyes opened wide, she was shocked out of her stupor; she couldn't let Falkin do this.
"No," she said quickly. Falkin turned towards her. Her voice gained strength. "No, I cannot let that happen." Liam, Jasson, and Falkin stared at her, unbelieving, strangely still. She bit her lower lip, trying to think of a way to explain. "If it gets out that I, the Antithean princess, was attacked by the Tortallian prince, the Antitheans will feel they have no choice but to declare war. I cannot do that." Three sets of uncomprehending eyes met hers. She sighed and continued, "Antitheos feels responsible for my honor, it is the honor of them as well because I am the heir. They feel like they must defend my honor, and anyone who has disrespected me disrespects Antitheos. They would go to war, and inevitably lose because there is a famine and we have just endured another war caused by Tortall. Do you know how many people I would send to their deaths if I only thought of revenge? I am a princess, and so I must understand that my life is different. No hate I have can be greater than my love of my people. They must always come first, I must go last." Jasson stared at Zira. He felt very small, very selfish. This was what a ruler should be; this was why his father was arranging marriages for his children. No love should come at the expense of the people.
Falkin looked at her, this was why he loved her, he realized. Not because of her beauty, or her intelligence, it was for this quality about her that would not let her country suffer. He had always been so ready to condemn rulers who put their own feelings first. Countries that attacked because of a slighting of their king's honor, and yet here he saw and understood why they might do that. He who had always prided himself on being a man of the people a moment ago would have been quite willing to start a war.
Liam looked away. He could not meet those cold icy eyes looking down at him. He had never been noble, and he was well aware of that fact. This girl before him, though, was ten times the ruler he would ever be. She didn't seem quite human, standing there before him, more like a Sphinx huge, amber eyed, and condemning.
"So I am free to go," he said, head still bowed. Zira kneeled before him and lifted his face; his frightened blue eyes met her cold and unforgiving ones. She removed her slender dagger from his hands.
"I wouldn't say free," she said. "I will be watching you, you have my mark and you can never remove that. If you ever do this again to any other woman I will be a witness against you. I will bring this entire thing to light and you will not be able to escape it. Your country will not be able to escape it. No, I wouldn't say free." She turned and walked out of the alcove into the brightly-lit ballroom, rubbing away the lines of kohl, which had run down her cheeks with her tears.
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Tobit raged. He paced back and forth. His best friend had attacked Zira, the girl who was like a sister to him. He hated him, cursing him with every word under the sun. How could he have done this to her, to him. Falkin had told him that evening after the ball. He hadn't been able to believe it, but one look at Jasson, confirmed it. Liam had not been present, which may have been a good thing because if he had Tobit certainly would have torn him limb from limb.
"Liam," Tobit shouted to the air. "By Mithos you are a coward! You idiot. Why? You are my friend. Why would you do this? Dammit why? Why?" There was a nock at the door Tobit threw it open, it revealed the tall dark form of Liam, the Prince of Tortall, second in line to the throne, completely in pieces. Tobit did not wait a second, he threw himself onto his friend, fists bared, punching him like a child who is mad at the unfairness of the world. Liam, collapsed, shouting protests, but Tobit's blows still rained down on the prince. Finally, weary, Tobit fell backwards onto the carpet.
"Why did you do it? Why?" he asked Liam.
"I don't know," came Liam's reply almost in sobs. "She was just so beautiful. I'm used to getting what I want."
"You idiot, she isn't an object you can buy, she's Zira," Tobit said bitterly. "I thought you thought she was practically a boy any way."
"I don't know," Liam said desperately, "I don't know. All I know is that I love her. I really do. She was so beautiful tonight, it was like a spell had been cast, either on me or on her, but something was different." Tobit looked at him; disgust filled his blue eyes, which were already so full of mocking and anger.
"You can't do that to a person," he said, quietly, words heavy with subtlety. "What happened to you Liam? You used to be different from what you are now. What happened?" Tobit stood and looked down at the pathetic form of his old friend. He was prepared to leave. Let him lie there bruised, but something stopped him. He turned back. He knew that he was Liam's only lifeline, so he stopped and sat down next to him. With him, but terribly alone. He was cut between Falkin, Liam, and Zira, oh Zira who was like the sister he had lost. She had become the sister he had lost. What had happened, everything twisted and turned around him in a confused chaos.