Chapter 4- Carthak
Nanya hated ships. She vowed never to ride on one again! Whether it was her sea sickness or Naku's, or even both, she wasn't sure.
"You feeling okay?" asked a grinning Mirk coming up to stand beside the vomiting Nanya.
"Oh yeah, I'm fine. I'm throwing up my guts because I feel like it!" snapped Nanya.
"Maybe Alanna could help you," suggested Mirk.
"Nah, she's just as bad as me," replied Nanya standing up and wiping off her mouth. "Rocky has a gift with healing though. Perhaps she can help me."
Nanya leant over the railing to barf again.
"That is naaaaaasty!" with that, Mirk left Nanya to bringing up the contents of her stomach.
~Naku? How're you feeling?~ Nanya called out silently.
~Like censored, but I'll live.~ Came Naku's sick reply.
Nanya gave a sick laugh, then barfed again.
"You know, I figure you're even worse than Alanna," said a deep voice.
Nanya looked over. The voice belonged to Duke Gareth the Younger.
"I'm being sick for two. Apparently Naku doesn't," she had to stop to barf, "like boats either. Never again!"
"It's not that bad once you get used to it," pointed out Gary.
"Did you come to talk to me about something, or just to laugh at my being sick?" snapped Nanya.
"You have a temper like Alanna's too! I cam to talk to you about someone," replied Gary smoothly.
"Who?"
"Rocky. I er- I like her, but she's really mysterious. You seem to be her best friend, so I thought you could maybe help me."
"Well, I've known Rocky for the better part of my twenty-two years, which means I've known her for about nineteen years. She kind of became a little distant after her best friend Becka died in an accident. She has always been really smart and has had a gift with doctoring, like Alanna said, her gift is a very good healing gift. Her ma was a doctor, so she passed all her knowledge onto Rocky. Is there anything specific you want to know?"
"Well, how about how she got her nickname?"
"Ah, well back home there's a game we played called hockey. It's when you put on boots with blades on the bottom and glide across ice. You use curved sticks called hockey sticks to push a circular piece of rubber across a ground and score on the other teams net. Rocky played hockey along with me and everyone else in our little group except Carn. The others on our hockey team started calling her Rocky as a nick name and she took it up as her permanent name. Our teacher's even called her that. I doubt anyone really remembers that Rachelle is her real name."
"So, the reason why she's kind of distant is because she lost her best friend?"
"Yeah, after that I took her under my wing and made her part of our group. I can tell you that she got in trouble a lot more after that, but she seemed happy, so that made us happy to have her. She was excellent at coming up with good revenges."
"Thanks and," Gary looked as Nanya threw up again. "good luck with that sea sickness."
~Nanya, you feeling any better?~ called Naku. ~I am, well at least my part of me is.~
Nanya realized that she felt about 60% better than she had.
~Yeah, about 40% of my sickness was actually me, ya little devil!~ she said laughing slightly at Naku. ~I don't think I'll throw up again.~
"You look better," said Numair coming up beside Nanya looking slightly sick himself.
"Yeah, Naku got over his sickness. You don't look so good though."
"It's just coming back to Carthak. I'm not sure whether I'm more scared about meeting old friends or old enemies. Aw well. Gareth the older wanted me to tell you that there's a meeting we have to go to, c'mon."
Nanya followed Numair down to the deck.
(If you want to see the stupid meeting, then read Emperor Mage cause that won't change at all!)
Nanya stood beside Dante watching the approaching ship. She felt slightly uncomfortable in Carthak.
"Ugh! This heat is unbearable! I'd kill to have a Canadian winter like I'm used to right now!" complained Dante.
"Canadian?" said Alanna looking confused.
"Newndale, Manitoba, Canada. That's where we're from," explained Carn. "Winter's there can be pretty cold."
"Er- okay. I would ask you all about this place, but I have a feeling it would make me confused," said Alanna scratching Naku behind the ear absently.
"Yeah, very confused!" laughed Nanya.
(I'm not sure if this is exactly how the conversation in Emperor Mage goes and I'm feeling too lazy to get the book, so it'll be close enough!)
"Who's that on the boat?" asked Alanna.
"Probably a lesser prince," said Gareth the Younger.
"That's no lesser prince," said Numair, "that's the royal emblem of the heir on his robes. What's his name?"
"Kaddar," said Nanya without thinking.
"How did you know that?" asked Duke Martin looking at her in surprise.
"Er- Naku," said Nanya quickly.
"Wha- I never told you anything," growled Naku.
"Yes, you did," hissed Nanya.
~Play along Naku, please!~
"Wait, now that I think about it, I did tell her. They say it's the memory that always goes first anyway."
The Tortallans accepted this.
~You are a savior Naku!~
~Yeah, well, don't forget it next time I need a favor,~ replied Naku with a grin.
~I won't.~
The Tortallans got on a barge which took them to Kaddar's boat.
"How am I supposed to climb this?" asked Naku looking at Nanya.
"Use your wings?" she suggested.
"Fine, but if they get scared and start hitting me with magic, I'm in trouble and you are too."
Naku took off. There was a gasp and sure enough mages on the ship did hit him with their magic.
"Naku!" shouted Nanya, then she doubled over in pain.
"Nanya?" it was Dirk. "Ash, get Numair!"
Ash nodded. The seven friends were the only ones left on the boat so she climbed up the ladder.
"Numair," she gasped running up to the mage who was staring in shock at the unmoving Naku who was getting approached by mages wanting to kill him. "You have to stop them. If they kill Naku, Nanya'll die too, she's already in pain."
Numair came out of his shock and nodded.
"You highness," he said going up to Kaddar who was one of the mages who had attacked Naku. "If you kill that Flamer, then the queen's sister will also die."
"What do you mean?" laughed Kaddar. "It's beast, a monster!"
"It's bonded to my friend Nanya your highness," said Ash. "If Naku dies, then she'll die to and I don't think Queen Thayet will appreciate your sister dying because her bonded Flamer died."
Kaddar nodded.
"Everyone, cease fire! Apparently this immortal means no harm. If we kill him, then the Queen of Tortall's sister will die, so back off him!"
"Ow, ow, ow, ow."
"Aw, shut up Nanya," said Dirk helping his friend walk to Naku.
"It bloody well hurts, Talsman!" replied Nanya. "Ow, ow, ow."
She dropped down beside Naku.
~Naku, can you hear me?~ she asked in mind speech.
~Look at all the pretty unicorns. I wanna ride the horsie, I wanna ride the horsie!~ Naku was in a bit of a shock.
"He'll be fine, but apparently he wants to ride the horsie," said Nanya looking him over. "Either that or he's just dillusional. The second thing is most likely."
~Heal me Nanya, either that or else let me ride the pretty horsie!~ Naku practically screamed.
"Er- okay let's see, uh-" Nanya's magic gathered around her hands and fell onto Naku like a mist. When it disappeared Naku jumped up.
"She can be taught!" he growled glaring at Nanya. "Took you long enough!"
Nanya got up, but nearly collapsed again because healing Naku had taken quite a bit of her magic.
"Er- you okay?" asked Dante.
"How much of my gift did you need?" asked Nanya looking at Naku.
"Uh- seven eighths. It'll get easier the more you use it though," Naku stopped talking and furrowed his eyebrows, obviously thinking. "Yeah, unless you're hopless, it should get better."
The rest of the journey went by quite uneventful, unless you count Daine jumping into the river to save a monkey, which made Dirk laugh so hard he was crying, which annoyed Nanya so much that she pushed him into the river, only to have to bring him out again because, as it turns out, Dirk couldn't fight the current very well.
"What did I get myself into when I became your best friend?" He asked angrily.
"You only became my friend so I would tutor you and because I was Dante's friend," replied Nanya.
~*~
Nighttime found the Tortallans and Canadians outside of the banquet hall waiting to be introduced to Emperor Ozorne (Anyone know how to spell his last name?)
"Excited?" asked Nanya looking at Numair.
"Yeah, sure, I'm ecstatic," he said in a drawling voice that was just dripping with sarcasm. "Here we are, about to head into his Imperial Majesty's presence, huzzah!"
Nanya gave a quiet laugh and they entered the chamber.
"Wow!" said Nanya looking around.
"Put your eyes back in their sockets, Frewing," said Naku giving her a wolfish grin.
"Ssssh," was all Nanya replied.
THE HERALD SPEAKS AND INTRODUCES EVERYBODY BUT DAINE AND THE CANADIANS.
"Ms. Verilidaine Sarrasri and the dragon Skysong!"
Daine went up and curtsied to Ozorne while Kitten went all the way up to the emperor. And made his ring glow.
"Has she always been able to do that?" asked Ozorne amazed.
"No your Imperial Majesty, she learnt from a basilisk last summer. She's a quick learner," replied Daine.
"Then she is blessed as we are blessed to look upon her," a clear dismissal.
"Lady Nanya Frewing and the Flamer Naku!"
Nanya went forward and curtsied while Naku gave what was an obvious bow.
"He is well mannered, this Flamer," said Ozorne looking at Nanya.
"Yes he is, your Imperial Majesty."
"He is the one that my mages accidentally attacked."
"Yes your Imperial Majesty, but I think he is up to full health again. He recovers fast."
The Emperor nodded a dismissal.
"Dirk Talsman!"
Dirk went up and bowed. The Emperor just welcomed, then dismissed him. He did the same with the other Canadians too.
"That guy is very intimidating," said Nanya flopping down on a couch beside Daine.
"You're telling me," said Daine with a grin. "I was terrified."
"You owe me twenty bucks, Dirk," said Mirk, looking at his friend. "You said that you'd bet twenty bucks that Nanya never got intimidated, so pay up!"
"We made that bet in grade nine," argued Dirk.
"So? You still have to pay up."
Dante sighed, then pointed out the fact that he had no money at the moment.
~*~
"Who did you say that girl with the Flamer was again?" asked Ozorne watching Nanya. He was speaking to his royal advisor.
"Nanya Frewing, the Queen's twin sister, Your Imperial Highness," replied the royal advisor who we'll call Joe.
"You see, I didn't know the Queen had a sister," mused Ozorne.
"They didn't either, not until the day that they left for Carthak," replied Joe.
"How did you find that out?" asked Ozorne.
"Information moves fast," replied Joe.
"It was your insider, wasn't it?"
"Oh yeah," agreed Joe. "But that's not it. She and her friends have powerful gifts and she has Wild Magic."
"She's quite attractive," mused Ozorne.
It was time for him to become the seducer.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO REVIEWED THIS STORY. I'M SORRY THAT THIS CHAPTER IS PATHETIC, BUT PLEASE REVIEW THE REST OF THE STORY. I'M HAVING A SLIGHT CASE OF WRITER'S BLOCK, SO THIS CHAPTER ISN'T VERY GOOD.
Nanya hated ships. She vowed never to ride on one again! Whether it was her sea sickness or Naku's, or even both, she wasn't sure.
"You feeling okay?" asked a grinning Mirk coming up to stand beside the vomiting Nanya.
"Oh yeah, I'm fine. I'm throwing up my guts because I feel like it!" snapped Nanya.
"Maybe Alanna could help you," suggested Mirk.
"Nah, she's just as bad as me," replied Nanya standing up and wiping off her mouth. "Rocky has a gift with healing though. Perhaps she can help me."
Nanya leant over the railing to barf again.
"That is naaaaaasty!" with that, Mirk left Nanya to bringing up the contents of her stomach.
~Naku? How're you feeling?~ Nanya called out silently.
~Like censored, but I'll live.~ Came Naku's sick reply.
Nanya gave a sick laugh, then barfed again.
"You know, I figure you're even worse than Alanna," said a deep voice.
Nanya looked over. The voice belonged to Duke Gareth the Younger.
"I'm being sick for two. Apparently Naku doesn't," she had to stop to barf, "like boats either. Never again!"
"It's not that bad once you get used to it," pointed out Gary.
"Did you come to talk to me about something, or just to laugh at my being sick?" snapped Nanya.
"You have a temper like Alanna's too! I cam to talk to you about someone," replied Gary smoothly.
"Who?"
"Rocky. I er- I like her, but she's really mysterious. You seem to be her best friend, so I thought you could maybe help me."
"Well, I've known Rocky for the better part of my twenty-two years, which means I've known her for about nineteen years. She kind of became a little distant after her best friend Becka died in an accident. She has always been really smart and has had a gift with doctoring, like Alanna said, her gift is a very good healing gift. Her ma was a doctor, so she passed all her knowledge onto Rocky. Is there anything specific you want to know?"
"Well, how about how she got her nickname?"
"Ah, well back home there's a game we played called hockey. It's when you put on boots with blades on the bottom and glide across ice. You use curved sticks called hockey sticks to push a circular piece of rubber across a ground and score on the other teams net. Rocky played hockey along with me and everyone else in our little group except Carn. The others on our hockey team started calling her Rocky as a nick name and she took it up as her permanent name. Our teacher's even called her that. I doubt anyone really remembers that Rachelle is her real name."
"So, the reason why she's kind of distant is because she lost her best friend?"
"Yeah, after that I took her under my wing and made her part of our group. I can tell you that she got in trouble a lot more after that, but she seemed happy, so that made us happy to have her. She was excellent at coming up with good revenges."
"Thanks and," Gary looked as Nanya threw up again. "good luck with that sea sickness."
~Nanya, you feeling any better?~ called Naku. ~I am, well at least my part of me is.~
Nanya realized that she felt about 60% better than she had.
~Yeah, about 40% of my sickness was actually me, ya little devil!~ she said laughing slightly at Naku. ~I don't think I'll throw up again.~
"You look better," said Numair coming up beside Nanya looking slightly sick himself.
"Yeah, Naku got over his sickness. You don't look so good though."
"It's just coming back to Carthak. I'm not sure whether I'm more scared about meeting old friends or old enemies. Aw well. Gareth the older wanted me to tell you that there's a meeting we have to go to, c'mon."
Nanya followed Numair down to the deck.
(If you want to see the stupid meeting, then read Emperor Mage cause that won't change at all!)
Nanya stood beside Dante watching the approaching ship. She felt slightly uncomfortable in Carthak.
"Ugh! This heat is unbearable! I'd kill to have a Canadian winter like I'm used to right now!" complained Dante.
"Canadian?" said Alanna looking confused.
"Newndale, Manitoba, Canada. That's where we're from," explained Carn. "Winter's there can be pretty cold."
"Er- okay. I would ask you all about this place, but I have a feeling it would make me confused," said Alanna scratching Naku behind the ear absently.
"Yeah, very confused!" laughed Nanya.
(I'm not sure if this is exactly how the conversation in Emperor Mage goes and I'm feeling too lazy to get the book, so it'll be close enough!)
"Who's that on the boat?" asked Alanna.
"Probably a lesser prince," said Gareth the Younger.
"That's no lesser prince," said Numair, "that's the royal emblem of the heir on his robes. What's his name?"
"Kaddar," said Nanya without thinking.
"How did you know that?" asked Duke Martin looking at her in surprise.
"Er- Naku," said Nanya quickly.
"Wha- I never told you anything," growled Naku.
"Yes, you did," hissed Nanya.
~Play along Naku, please!~
"Wait, now that I think about it, I did tell her. They say it's the memory that always goes first anyway."
The Tortallans accepted this.
~You are a savior Naku!~
~Yeah, well, don't forget it next time I need a favor,~ replied Naku with a grin.
~I won't.~
The Tortallans got on a barge which took them to Kaddar's boat.
"How am I supposed to climb this?" asked Naku looking at Nanya.
"Use your wings?" she suggested.
"Fine, but if they get scared and start hitting me with magic, I'm in trouble and you are too."
Naku took off. There was a gasp and sure enough mages on the ship did hit him with their magic.
"Naku!" shouted Nanya, then she doubled over in pain.
"Nanya?" it was Dirk. "Ash, get Numair!"
Ash nodded. The seven friends were the only ones left on the boat so she climbed up the ladder.
"Numair," she gasped running up to the mage who was staring in shock at the unmoving Naku who was getting approached by mages wanting to kill him. "You have to stop them. If they kill Naku, Nanya'll die too, she's already in pain."
Numair came out of his shock and nodded.
"You highness," he said going up to Kaddar who was one of the mages who had attacked Naku. "If you kill that Flamer, then the queen's sister will also die."
"What do you mean?" laughed Kaddar. "It's beast, a monster!"
"It's bonded to my friend Nanya your highness," said Ash. "If Naku dies, then she'll die to and I don't think Queen Thayet will appreciate your sister dying because her bonded Flamer died."
Kaddar nodded.
"Everyone, cease fire! Apparently this immortal means no harm. If we kill him, then the Queen of Tortall's sister will die, so back off him!"
"Ow, ow, ow, ow."
"Aw, shut up Nanya," said Dirk helping his friend walk to Naku.
"It bloody well hurts, Talsman!" replied Nanya. "Ow, ow, ow."
She dropped down beside Naku.
~Naku, can you hear me?~ she asked in mind speech.
~Look at all the pretty unicorns. I wanna ride the horsie, I wanna ride the horsie!~ Naku was in a bit of a shock.
"He'll be fine, but apparently he wants to ride the horsie," said Nanya looking him over. "Either that or he's just dillusional. The second thing is most likely."
~Heal me Nanya, either that or else let me ride the pretty horsie!~ Naku practically screamed.
"Er- okay let's see, uh-" Nanya's magic gathered around her hands and fell onto Naku like a mist. When it disappeared Naku jumped up.
"She can be taught!" he growled glaring at Nanya. "Took you long enough!"
Nanya got up, but nearly collapsed again because healing Naku had taken quite a bit of her magic.
"Er- you okay?" asked Dante.
"How much of my gift did you need?" asked Nanya looking at Naku.
"Uh- seven eighths. It'll get easier the more you use it though," Naku stopped talking and furrowed his eyebrows, obviously thinking. "Yeah, unless you're hopless, it should get better."
The rest of the journey went by quite uneventful, unless you count Daine jumping into the river to save a monkey, which made Dirk laugh so hard he was crying, which annoyed Nanya so much that she pushed him into the river, only to have to bring him out again because, as it turns out, Dirk couldn't fight the current very well.
"What did I get myself into when I became your best friend?" He asked angrily.
"You only became my friend so I would tutor you and because I was Dante's friend," replied Nanya.
~*~
Nighttime found the Tortallans and Canadians outside of the banquet hall waiting to be introduced to Emperor Ozorne (Anyone know how to spell his last name?)
"Excited?" asked Nanya looking at Numair.
"Yeah, sure, I'm ecstatic," he said in a drawling voice that was just dripping with sarcasm. "Here we are, about to head into his Imperial Majesty's presence, huzzah!"
Nanya gave a quiet laugh and they entered the chamber.
"Wow!" said Nanya looking around.
"Put your eyes back in their sockets, Frewing," said Naku giving her a wolfish grin.
"Ssssh," was all Nanya replied.
THE HERALD SPEAKS AND INTRODUCES EVERYBODY BUT DAINE AND THE CANADIANS.
"Ms. Verilidaine Sarrasri and the dragon Skysong!"
Daine went up and curtsied to Ozorne while Kitten went all the way up to the emperor. And made his ring glow.
"Has she always been able to do that?" asked Ozorne amazed.
"No your Imperial Majesty, she learnt from a basilisk last summer. She's a quick learner," replied Daine.
"Then she is blessed as we are blessed to look upon her," a clear dismissal.
"Lady Nanya Frewing and the Flamer Naku!"
Nanya went forward and curtsied while Naku gave what was an obvious bow.
"He is well mannered, this Flamer," said Ozorne looking at Nanya.
"Yes he is, your Imperial Majesty."
"He is the one that my mages accidentally attacked."
"Yes your Imperial Majesty, but I think he is up to full health again. He recovers fast."
The Emperor nodded a dismissal.
"Dirk Talsman!"
Dirk went up and bowed. The Emperor just welcomed, then dismissed him. He did the same with the other Canadians too.
"That guy is very intimidating," said Nanya flopping down on a couch beside Daine.
"You're telling me," said Daine with a grin. "I was terrified."
"You owe me twenty bucks, Dirk," said Mirk, looking at his friend. "You said that you'd bet twenty bucks that Nanya never got intimidated, so pay up!"
"We made that bet in grade nine," argued Dirk.
"So? You still have to pay up."
Dante sighed, then pointed out the fact that he had no money at the moment.
~*~
"Who did you say that girl with the Flamer was again?" asked Ozorne watching Nanya. He was speaking to his royal advisor.
"Nanya Frewing, the Queen's twin sister, Your Imperial Highness," replied the royal advisor who we'll call Joe.
"You see, I didn't know the Queen had a sister," mused Ozorne.
"They didn't either, not until the day that they left for Carthak," replied Joe.
"How did you find that out?" asked Ozorne.
"Information moves fast," replied Joe.
"It was your insider, wasn't it?"
"Oh yeah," agreed Joe. "But that's not it. She and her friends have powerful gifts and she has Wild Magic."
"She's quite attractive," mused Ozorne.
It was time for him to become the seducer.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO REVIEWED THIS STORY. I'M SORRY THAT THIS CHAPTER IS PATHETIC, BUT PLEASE REVIEW THE REST OF THE STORY. I'M HAVING A SLIGHT CASE OF WRITER'S BLOCK, SO THIS CHAPTER ISN'T VERY GOOD.