Disclaimer: Yes, people this is FanFiction.
Extended Summary: A Scanran girl named Selenay is the daughter of a warlord defeated by Magur. Magur uses her. Then, in order to keep the peace with Carthak, he sells her as a slave to Kaddar. She has an elemental connection to the ocean. It brings her to the brink of insanity, and tries to push her off the edge numerous times. (A magic that is destructive to its owner! At last! Jeez...I am so mean). Expecting some romance with Kaddar later on.
(Chapter 4)
(Ten Seconds Later…)
Sathi stared; astonished at the little heap lying on the dock that was Selenay. He had healed her twice! He thought in outrage. Little bitch, to collapse on me now!
Kaddar jumped up and tried to rush to the girl, but his Advisor held him back. "It will do you know good to show the dogs how you feel about the hare." The man whispered in the Emperor's ear.
Kaddar seethed inwardly, composed himself and replied, "The hare does no good to itself by throwing itself into the jaws of the dogs. The kind man will not let the hare suffer any longer than necessary." Kaddar said through clenched teeth.
Personally, Kaddar hated his Advisor. The man was a stuffy, pompous pig. That was putting it nicely, of course.
Kaddar grinned a predator's smile when he saw Sathi frantically to restore the girl and his reputation. "I must go and reprimand Lord Sathi, yes?" Kaddar smiled sweetly at the Advisor, whose jaw moved like a fish out of water.
Kaddar got up smoothly, and walked over to where Sathi and the girl -Selenay, he reminded himself- were. As he walked, he noticed the hungry stares of his courtiers. It was like dangling a piece of fresh meat over the dog pen, Kaddar thought in disgust. He stopped when he reached Sathi, content to be an imposing presence until the man noticed him.
Sathi looked up in terror, his gaze traveling up the Emperor's painted body, from his toes to his cold eyes. "Your…" he swallowed, "Majesty."
"You treat this child as if she were no better than a rat," Kaddar stated in a pleasant voice. Sathi quivered under his glare. The girl coughed suddenly, and both men looked down at her.
*#*#*
Selenay didn't feel herself falling; she only heard the ocean calling to her. It sang to her, weaving her images about what lay beneath the sparkling surface. It showed the colorful coral reefs, with the lively fish darting around. It showed the dolphins playing in the waves that the ships made.
Selenay wanted to rush into the ocean's embrace, to feel the warm water surrounding her with love, holding her and loving her. She didn't care anymore, about her life. She didn't care about anything, only the ocean, and running to it. She willingly gave her mind to it, wanting to see more. The ocean pulled her into a plethora of images, all beautiful and carefree.
Then, the ocean showed her an image that she was not meant to see.
She was swept into the painful feelings of desperation, anger and hate. The ocean tried to take back the image, but her mind was too closely locked with it. The huge…thing…chomped through the tiny wooden boat, catching the screaming sailors with long tentacles.
Selenay shuddered, and tried to wrench her mind out of the union. The sea fought her, trying to keep her mind for itself. It clung desperately to her, holding fast to her mind. Selenay clawed at it, as she had done years earlier when Magur had come.
Finally, she wrenched free of its hold, crying out in mental pain. She slammed back into her body, retreating as fast as possible. She regained her own mind, but slowly.
Selenay's eyes flickered open, and she coughed weakly.
"She's alive." Selenay heard a man say. She rolled over and saw a heavily ornamented man watching her. Her eyes opened wide in fear when his hands reached down to pick her up.
"I wouldn't deliver you tarnished goods, now would I, Emperor Kaddar?" Sathi puffed out his chest with self-importance.
"Shove it," Kaddar said softly, with a dangerous intensity in his voice. He was surprised at how light Selenay was. He carried her easily over to his shaded chair and gently placed her in it.
Kaddar turned to the gathered crowd. "You are dismissed." The crowd hesitated, but scurried eagerly away when the guards advance with naked scimitars in their hands.
"Selenay," Kaddar tested out the name on his tongue. She looked up, her whole body tense. "I'm not going to hurt you, girl." Kaddar chuckled. She didn't relax at all. He reached out a hand to her, to help her up, but she shrank back, trembling.
No! Her mind screamed at him. Don't touch me!
"What did he do to you?" Kaddar hissed, looking around for Sathi. "This is a capital offense, hurting an innocent. He will be punished, I promise." Kaddar stepped closer to her, and felt his face melt into a smile. "You'll be alright, I promise."
"Th-" The sound started to come out of her throat, but it stopped when she realized what was happening. She almost smiled when she realized that she had started to talk.
"What was that?" Kaddar asked, with a confused expression on his face.
Selenay tried to speak again, but she couldn't. She frowned in concentration, willing herself to speak, wishing that she could.
"Can't you speak?" Kaddar asked when she didn't say anything.
Selenay shook her head in frustration, her grungy hair smacking her face. So close! She was infuriated that the words were there, but she could not use them.
"Oh. Come." He ordered her, taking her thin wrist in his large, calloused hand. She looked up at him with those big blue eyes, and he could almost feel the terror washing through her. "I won't hurt you!" He said in exasperation. "Now come." She walked with him submissively, but a good distance away as well.
Am I not your slave? Why do you treat me as an equal? Selenay thought bitterly. She glared at Kaddar's back, wishing he would disappear.
To her utter surprise, he did.
*#*#*
Kaddar suddenly felt lightheaded, as if he were lighter than normal. His feet didn't seem to touch the ground, and it wasn't a pleasant sensation. There was grey mist surrounding him, and he couldn't see through it. He couldn't feel anything, except for Selenay's wrist.
He began to run, searching for a way out.
*#*#*
Selenay stopped and stared. She wondered where the Emperor had gone. She could still feel his hand holding her wrist, but she could see him at all. Oh, dear Wolf Lords, she thought panicking.
Then, some unseen force was pulling her along.
She tripped over her feet, trying to keep up. Her skirt got in the way, and she crashed headlong into the energy that was pulling her. Her mouthed opened in a silent scream as she fell toward the water.
*#*#*
Kaddar fell forward, as something attacked him from behind. He heard a splash, and then felt water closing over his head, even though he couldn't see it. All the breath was expelled from his chest as something kicked him in the chest. He gulped some of the cold water. Kicking back, he let go of Selenay's wrist.
*#*#*
Where is the Emperor? Selenay wondered. I want him back…she thought as the water closed over her head, just as it had the last time. She surrendered quickly, knowing it would do her no good to fight.
A dark shape blotted out the light above her, and she opened her eyes to look. That wasn't there before, her mind mumbled as she breathed in water. I wonder what that is…then she breathed in another lungful of water and passed out.
*#*#*
Jondalo saw the girl tumble into the dark water, and he cried for help as best he could. He was old now, so he could not run as fast as he wished. He couldn't even cry for help; he was left over from Orzone's reign, and Orzone had liked his slaved silent.
Jondalo picked up the nearest stick, and rapped it loudly on the deck in a desperate pattern. One of the younger slaves, one who could speak, came running. Jondalo pointed at the water with his stick.
In the water! A girl! His mind screamed out.
"In the water you say?" The boy looked puzzled. "A girl?"
Jondalo nodded emphatically. Yes, stupid, save her! He thought, believing that he was speaking aloud again.
"Yes, right away, elder! And I'm not stupid," the boy added irritably. He jumped into the water just as Emperor Kaddar surfaced. Jondalo hobbled over to the edge of the canal and stuck out his hand to help the Emperor up.
Kaddar ignored the proffered hand, and heaved himself out of the water, dripping. "I can see!" He sputtered triumphantly.
What does that mean? Jondalo thought with mild annoyance for the obscurities of the young mind. When the Emperor ignored him, Jondalo bowed out of his way deferentially.
*#*#*
Marnam swam to the bottom of the pseudo-river, searching for the girl that the old man had said was in there. His oxygen-deprived mind didn't register the fact that he had heard the old man, who had been mute as long as he could remember.
Nam swam until he couldn't stand the increasing tightness in his chest. He surfaced, gasping for air. He dove back under, feeling the sandy bottom with his hands. He surfaced, dove, and surfaced again three more times, and he never found anything. He began to doubt the old man's sanity.
That is, until he heard Emperor Kaddar shouting about finding his slave girl. And nobody doubted the Emperor.
*#*#*
Selenay felt her mind return, with the soothing whispers of the water as accompaniment. Come, live with us…dive beneath the waves…come…come…come…come to us…come…
She rejected the call, shoving it into the corner of her mind where her memories of her father were. Still, it pulled at her mind, telling her she couldn't go back, not as she was…to come, come…join us forever…never leave…live forever, with us…with those who love you…come…join us forever…
She would not accept it! She couldn't, she needed revenge…sweet revenge…kill Maggur like he had her father…
Yes, the sea whispered, get revenge, and we can help you…we can uplift you…we love you…we would help, if you would let us…
She looked wildly around her, noticing for the first time, the water surrounding her. How? She wondered.
Look, the water told her, look at your legs, an insane giggle filled her mind. Look at you!
She looked, and saw pale blue skin, rippling with reflections of the world above. What is this? She asked, curious, more accepting now.
See! See! The water tittered in her mind. We told you! You cannot go back now! You are part of us! See! The water had a tinkling little laugh that echoed long after it ended.
What am I? She wondered.
You are part of us! The sea laughed. See, we love you! You have always been part of us…
Oh. Selenay winced as a hand grasped her wrist.
You are going? You cannot go! It is not allowed! The sea protested in a shrill voice that hurt her ears. You are part of us!
Suddenly, she was hit with the sea's anger, violent, wrathful and full of hate. She screamed silently, flooded with the images of the sea's destructive nature.
The hand that pulled her up tightened its fingers around her wrist and hauled. Selenay willed herself to faint, to do anything to get her out of the torture that would surely follow.
She did nothing of the sort. Her eyes opened wide as she glanced around her. She looked at her skin, and was almost disappointed to see that it was milky white, and as pale as ever.
She lifted her blue eyes to meet the eyes of her rescuer. The brown eyes that stared into her own were full of love, and compassion.
"My name is Marnam." The man said smiling at her. "I hope you fare well."
*#*#*
A/N: Ok...sorry this update took so long, but I have problems with losing the notebooks that i write these chapters in. Thanks to friend Chrissy for borrowing this and holding up the chapters.
Oh...Thanks to EVERYONE who reviewed!!! I love y'all!
Sorry for the cynicism in this A/N...but that's me at times. :o)
I am going to reccomend something for y'all who like comedy...Smothers Brothers...they're old but they're AWESOME!
*#*#*
~Even*Song~
Extended Summary: A Scanran girl named Selenay is the daughter of a warlord defeated by Magur. Magur uses her. Then, in order to keep the peace with Carthak, he sells her as a slave to Kaddar. She has an elemental connection to the ocean. It brings her to the brink of insanity, and tries to push her off the edge numerous times. (A magic that is destructive to its owner! At last! Jeez...I am so mean). Expecting some romance with Kaddar later on.
(Chapter 4)
(Ten Seconds Later…)
Sathi stared; astonished at the little heap lying on the dock that was Selenay. He had healed her twice! He thought in outrage. Little bitch, to collapse on me now!
Kaddar jumped up and tried to rush to the girl, but his Advisor held him back. "It will do you know good to show the dogs how you feel about the hare." The man whispered in the Emperor's ear.
Kaddar seethed inwardly, composed himself and replied, "The hare does no good to itself by throwing itself into the jaws of the dogs. The kind man will not let the hare suffer any longer than necessary." Kaddar said through clenched teeth.
Personally, Kaddar hated his Advisor. The man was a stuffy, pompous pig. That was putting it nicely, of course.
Kaddar grinned a predator's smile when he saw Sathi frantically to restore the girl and his reputation. "I must go and reprimand Lord Sathi, yes?" Kaddar smiled sweetly at the Advisor, whose jaw moved like a fish out of water.
Kaddar got up smoothly, and walked over to where Sathi and the girl -Selenay, he reminded himself- were. As he walked, he noticed the hungry stares of his courtiers. It was like dangling a piece of fresh meat over the dog pen, Kaddar thought in disgust. He stopped when he reached Sathi, content to be an imposing presence until the man noticed him.
Sathi looked up in terror, his gaze traveling up the Emperor's painted body, from his toes to his cold eyes. "Your…" he swallowed, "Majesty."
"You treat this child as if she were no better than a rat," Kaddar stated in a pleasant voice. Sathi quivered under his glare. The girl coughed suddenly, and both men looked down at her.
*#*#*
Selenay didn't feel herself falling; she only heard the ocean calling to her. It sang to her, weaving her images about what lay beneath the sparkling surface. It showed the colorful coral reefs, with the lively fish darting around. It showed the dolphins playing in the waves that the ships made.
Selenay wanted to rush into the ocean's embrace, to feel the warm water surrounding her with love, holding her and loving her. She didn't care anymore, about her life. She didn't care about anything, only the ocean, and running to it. She willingly gave her mind to it, wanting to see more. The ocean pulled her into a plethora of images, all beautiful and carefree.
Then, the ocean showed her an image that she was not meant to see.
She was swept into the painful feelings of desperation, anger and hate. The ocean tried to take back the image, but her mind was too closely locked with it. The huge…thing…chomped through the tiny wooden boat, catching the screaming sailors with long tentacles.
Selenay shuddered, and tried to wrench her mind out of the union. The sea fought her, trying to keep her mind for itself. It clung desperately to her, holding fast to her mind. Selenay clawed at it, as she had done years earlier when Magur had come.
Finally, she wrenched free of its hold, crying out in mental pain. She slammed back into her body, retreating as fast as possible. She regained her own mind, but slowly.
Selenay's eyes flickered open, and she coughed weakly.
"She's alive." Selenay heard a man say. She rolled over and saw a heavily ornamented man watching her. Her eyes opened wide in fear when his hands reached down to pick her up.
"I wouldn't deliver you tarnished goods, now would I, Emperor Kaddar?" Sathi puffed out his chest with self-importance.
"Shove it," Kaddar said softly, with a dangerous intensity in his voice. He was surprised at how light Selenay was. He carried her easily over to his shaded chair and gently placed her in it.
Kaddar turned to the gathered crowd. "You are dismissed." The crowd hesitated, but scurried eagerly away when the guards advance with naked scimitars in their hands.
"Selenay," Kaddar tested out the name on his tongue. She looked up, her whole body tense. "I'm not going to hurt you, girl." Kaddar chuckled. She didn't relax at all. He reached out a hand to her, to help her up, but she shrank back, trembling.
No! Her mind screamed at him. Don't touch me!
"What did he do to you?" Kaddar hissed, looking around for Sathi. "This is a capital offense, hurting an innocent. He will be punished, I promise." Kaddar stepped closer to her, and felt his face melt into a smile. "You'll be alright, I promise."
"Th-" The sound started to come out of her throat, but it stopped when she realized what was happening. She almost smiled when she realized that she had started to talk.
"What was that?" Kaddar asked, with a confused expression on his face.
Selenay tried to speak again, but she couldn't. She frowned in concentration, willing herself to speak, wishing that she could.
"Can't you speak?" Kaddar asked when she didn't say anything.
Selenay shook her head in frustration, her grungy hair smacking her face. So close! She was infuriated that the words were there, but she could not use them.
"Oh. Come." He ordered her, taking her thin wrist in his large, calloused hand. She looked up at him with those big blue eyes, and he could almost feel the terror washing through her. "I won't hurt you!" He said in exasperation. "Now come." She walked with him submissively, but a good distance away as well.
Am I not your slave? Why do you treat me as an equal? Selenay thought bitterly. She glared at Kaddar's back, wishing he would disappear.
To her utter surprise, he did.
*#*#*
Kaddar suddenly felt lightheaded, as if he were lighter than normal. His feet didn't seem to touch the ground, and it wasn't a pleasant sensation. There was grey mist surrounding him, and he couldn't see through it. He couldn't feel anything, except for Selenay's wrist.
He began to run, searching for a way out.
*#*#*
Selenay stopped and stared. She wondered where the Emperor had gone. She could still feel his hand holding her wrist, but she could see him at all. Oh, dear Wolf Lords, she thought panicking.
Then, some unseen force was pulling her along.
She tripped over her feet, trying to keep up. Her skirt got in the way, and she crashed headlong into the energy that was pulling her. Her mouthed opened in a silent scream as she fell toward the water.
*#*#*
Kaddar fell forward, as something attacked him from behind. He heard a splash, and then felt water closing over his head, even though he couldn't see it. All the breath was expelled from his chest as something kicked him in the chest. He gulped some of the cold water. Kicking back, he let go of Selenay's wrist.
*#*#*
Where is the Emperor? Selenay wondered. I want him back…she thought as the water closed over her head, just as it had the last time. She surrendered quickly, knowing it would do her no good to fight.
A dark shape blotted out the light above her, and she opened her eyes to look. That wasn't there before, her mind mumbled as she breathed in water. I wonder what that is…then she breathed in another lungful of water and passed out.
*#*#*
Jondalo saw the girl tumble into the dark water, and he cried for help as best he could. He was old now, so he could not run as fast as he wished. He couldn't even cry for help; he was left over from Orzone's reign, and Orzone had liked his slaved silent.
Jondalo picked up the nearest stick, and rapped it loudly on the deck in a desperate pattern. One of the younger slaves, one who could speak, came running. Jondalo pointed at the water with his stick.
In the water! A girl! His mind screamed out.
"In the water you say?" The boy looked puzzled. "A girl?"
Jondalo nodded emphatically. Yes, stupid, save her! He thought, believing that he was speaking aloud again.
"Yes, right away, elder! And I'm not stupid," the boy added irritably. He jumped into the water just as Emperor Kaddar surfaced. Jondalo hobbled over to the edge of the canal and stuck out his hand to help the Emperor up.
Kaddar ignored the proffered hand, and heaved himself out of the water, dripping. "I can see!" He sputtered triumphantly.
What does that mean? Jondalo thought with mild annoyance for the obscurities of the young mind. When the Emperor ignored him, Jondalo bowed out of his way deferentially.
*#*#*
Marnam swam to the bottom of the pseudo-river, searching for the girl that the old man had said was in there. His oxygen-deprived mind didn't register the fact that he had heard the old man, who had been mute as long as he could remember.
Nam swam until he couldn't stand the increasing tightness in his chest. He surfaced, gasping for air. He dove back under, feeling the sandy bottom with his hands. He surfaced, dove, and surfaced again three more times, and he never found anything. He began to doubt the old man's sanity.
That is, until he heard Emperor Kaddar shouting about finding his slave girl. And nobody doubted the Emperor.
*#*#*
Selenay felt her mind return, with the soothing whispers of the water as accompaniment. Come, live with us…dive beneath the waves…come…come…come…come to us…come…
She rejected the call, shoving it into the corner of her mind where her memories of her father were. Still, it pulled at her mind, telling her she couldn't go back, not as she was…to come, come…join us forever…never leave…live forever, with us…with those who love you…come…join us forever…
She would not accept it! She couldn't, she needed revenge…sweet revenge…kill Maggur like he had her father…
Yes, the sea whispered, get revenge, and we can help you…we can uplift you…we love you…we would help, if you would let us…
She looked wildly around her, noticing for the first time, the water surrounding her. How? She wondered.
Look, the water told her, look at your legs, an insane giggle filled her mind. Look at you!
She looked, and saw pale blue skin, rippling with reflections of the world above. What is this? She asked, curious, more accepting now.
See! See! The water tittered in her mind. We told you! You cannot go back now! You are part of us! See! The water had a tinkling little laugh that echoed long after it ended.
What am I? She wondered.
You are part of us! The sea laughed. See, we love you! You have always been part of us…
Oh. Selenay winced as a hand grasped her wrist.
You are going? You cannot go! It is not allowed! The sea protested in a shrill voice that hurt her ears. You are part of us!
Suddenly, she was hit with the sea's anger, violent, wrathful and full of hate. She screamed silently, flooded with the images of the sea's destructive nature.
The hand that pulled her up tightened its fingers around her wrist and hauled. Selenay willed herself to faint, to do anything to get her out of the torture that would surely follow.
She did nothing of the sort. Her eyes opened wide as she glanced around her. She looked at her skin, and was almost disappointed to see that it was milky white, and as pale as ever.
She lifted her blue eyes to meet the eyes of her rescuer. The brown eyes that stared into her own were full of love, and compassion.
"My name is Marnam." The man said smiling at her. "I hope you fare well."
*#*#*
A/N: Ok...sorry this update took so long, but I have problems with losing the notebooks that i write these chapters in. Thanks to friend Chrissy for borrowing this and holding up the chapters.
Oh...Thanks to EVERYONE who reviewed!!! I love y'all!
Sorry for the cynicism in this A/N...but that's me at times. :o)
I am going to reccomend something for y'all who like comedy...Smothers Brothers...they're old but they're AWESOME!
*#*#*
~Even*Song~