Disclaimer: Me no Garth Nix. Me no write Old Kingdom books. Me no make
money. Me no get sued. Please.
A/N: Yup, I'm back in the game and writing the story again . . . sorry I took a while to update. By the way, I probably should have mentioned this earlier, but there are (or are going to be) several different, well, scenes, I guess. You've already seen the Firali one, and the Letharen one. There will also be a Clayr one (mainly Sanar and Ryelle), probably a Lirael one, and maybe a perspective for either Ralim or Ysande, I'm not sure yet. Firali's is the primary one, with Leth's close behind. The others aren't too important. Incidentally, reviewers, I love inventing names for my characters, however small their parts, but I'm told that my love of naming makes the story a little confusing to follow . . . so should I? Your choice, as always. Okay, I have a rather strange request: before I update again, I would like at least one, real-and-true flame. Don't get me wrong, I adore the 'good story, update soon' reviews, but I need criticism! Please give.
Fire Pixie: Thank you sooooo much for both of your super-nice reviews! I try to be descriptive (sometimes I get too much so!) and that really made me smile to read what you said about my voice-- I try and pretend I'm telling a story. Did you read the other chapters?
Swanny: sorry about the Path of Lirael thing, didn't mean to underestimate anyone. I'd just assumed that everyone got it, and then my friend was like, "Path? What is this 'path' you speak of?" so I thought it worth mentioning. Glad you noticed ( . . . . Thanks for helping Kavindra-- read her story! You're completely right about the heir thing-- I honestly hadn't thought of that. Smart you! I guess Garth Nix gets poetic license or something, though I don't . . . it's a good idea about Leth being her heir, but there are a few problems. For one thing *grins evilly* I have plans for Leth, oh my yes. Also, if he were heir, he'd know it by now, wouldn't he, and then he wouldn't feel like nothing. I don't mean to be argumentative, just playing the devil's advocate . . .
* * * * * *
(Flashback)
Sam cursed to himself. /By the Wallmakers, _why_ had I been so foolish as to take my children with me on my trip, when it was so near to Red Lake? Stupid, stupid, stupid/! Letharen, who was ten, and Ysande, two years younger, had begged to come with him on his trip. Sameth had agreed, though he knew they would be passing by Red Lake, only because he had assumed that, so long after the re-binding of Orannis, the place would be free of Dead. He had been wrong.
The group of Lesser Dead approached. Sameth sucked in his breath and his courage. "Leth," he murmured hurriedly, "protect your sister. Cover your ears if you hear my pipes. I'll-- I'll come back if I can. I love you both."
He rushed off to face the Dead, already blowing on Saraneth, the Binder . . .
Letharen was scared. He tried not to show it, though, as he brusquely ordered Ysande to stand behind him, very much the picture of a protective older brother.
A Dead Hand came upon the children then. Ysande and Leth panicked. He /knew/ Charter marks to get rid of it, he /did/. Many of them, in fact-- his grandmother, the Abhorsen Sabriel, thought no age was too young to start learning self defense, and the Dead were her specialty. What these marks were, however, he couldn't for the life of him remember.
/No no no no no no no no *no*/! he thought. /Leave! Go away, you awful things, just go away! Run AWAY!/ and, scarcely realizing what he was doing, threw that-- all of his wishes for the Dead creature to walk away and leave them-- into the scream he then uttered with all his might.
"YAAAHHHH!" Letharen cried, and if Sam had been there, he would have noticed the tinge of both Free and Charter Magic in his yell.
Amazingly, the Dead Hand stumbled away, and disappeared into Death a moment later. Leth was so busy being jubilant and hugging his sister that he didn't notice as the rest of the group of Dead disappeared, too.
That was when Sameth first started watching Letharen closely.
*End of flashback"
Okay, if I don't get some detailed reviews after such a (semi) long wait, I will be MAD. Review, you!
--EvilG
A/N: Yup, I'm back in the game and writing the story again . . . sorry I took a while to update. By the way, I probably should have mentioned this earlier, but there are (or are going to be) several different, well, scenes, I guess. You've already seen the Firali one, and the Letharen one. There will also be a Clayr one (mainly Sanar and Ryelle), probably a Lirael one, and maybe a perspective for either Ralim or Ysande, I'm not sure yet. Firali's is the primary one, with Leth's close behind. The others aren't too important. Incidentally, reviewers, I love inventing names for my characters, however small their parts, but I'm told that my love of naming makes the story a little confusing to follow . . . so should I? Your choice, as always. Okay, I have a rather strange request: before I update again, I would like at least one, real-and-true flame. Don't get me wrong, I adore the 'good story, update soon' reviews, but I need criticism! Please give.
Fire Pixie: Thank you sooooo much for both of your super-nice reviews! I try to be descriptive (sometimes I get too much so!) and that really made me smile to read what you said about my voice-- I try and pretend I'm telling a story. Did you read the other chapters?
Swanny: sorry about the Path of Lirael thing, didn't mean to underestimate anyone. I'd just assumed that everyone got it, and then my friend was like, "Path? What is this 'path' you speak of?" so I thought it worth mentioning. Glad you noticed ( . . . . Thanks for helping Kavindra-- read her story! You're completely right about the heir thing-- I honestly hadn't thought of that. Smart you! I guess Garth Nix gets poetic license or something, though I don't . . . it's a good idea about Leth being her heir, but there are a few problems. For one thing *grins evilly* I have plans for Leth, oh my yes. Also, if he were heir, he'd know it by now, wouldn't he, and then he wouldn't feel like nothing. I don't mean to be argumentative, just playing the devil's advocate . . .
* * * * * *
(Flashback)
Sam cursed to himself. /By the Wallmakers, _why_ had I been so foolish as to take my children with me on my trip, when it was so near to Red Lake? Stupid, stupid, stupid/! Letharen, who was ten, and Ysande, two years younger, had begged to come with him on his trip. Sameth had agreed, though he knew they would be passing by Red Lake, only because he had assumed that, so long after the re-binding of Orannis, the place would be free of Dead. He had been wrong.
The group of Lesser Dead approached. Sameth sucked in his breath and his courage. "Leth," he murmured hurriedly, "protect your sister. Cover your ears if you hear my pipes. I'll-- I'll come back if I can. I love you both."
He rushed off to face the Dead, already blowing on Saraneth, the Binder . . .
Letharen was scared. He tried not to show it, though, as he brusquely ordered Ysande to stand behind him, very much the picture of a protective older brother.
A Dead Hand came upon the children then. Ysande and Leth panicked. He /knew/ Charter marks to get rid of it, he /did/. Many of them, in fact-- his grandmother, the Abhorsen Sabriel, thought no age was too young to start learning self defense, and the Dead were her specialty. What these marks were, however, he couldn't for the life of him remember.
/No no no no no no no no *no*/! he thought. /Leave! Go away, you awful things, just go away! Run AWAY!/ and, scarcely realizing what he was doing, threw that-- all of his wishes for the Dead creature to walk away and leave them-- into the scream he then uttered with all his might.
"YAAAHHHH!" Letharen cried, and if Sam had been there, he would have noticed the tinge of both Free and Charter Magic in his yell.
Amazingly, the Dead Hand stumbled away, and disappeared into Death a moment later. Leth was so busy being jubilant and hugging his sister that he didn't notice as the rest of the group of Dead disappeared, too.
That was when Sameth first started watching Letharen closely.
*End of flashback"
Okay, if I don't get some detailed reviews after such a (semi) long wait, I will be MAD. Review, you!
--EvilG