Chapter 14- Trouble Calls
The king and queen had closed the connection shortly after Nanya had left. The conversation was sagging and Naku was pacing back and forth.
Dirk noticed none of this. He was staring blindly, thinking to himself. If anyone followed his gaze, it would have landed right about Daine's shoulder, where she was sitting talking quietly with Numair.
"Dirk- woo-hoo!" Ash was waving her hand in front of his eyes, "anyone alive in there?"
"I'm alive and breathing," replied Dirk. He stood up and looked at Naku. He was no longer pacing, but instead he looked to be sleeping. Dirk frowned. That was very unlike the Flamer. He walked over to him and gently shook his shoulders. "Naku?"
The Flamer didn't move, Dirk tried again, shaking harder.
"Naku? You alive?"
Still no answer. Dirk prayed to god, stood up and hoofed the Flamer right in the ribs. He then stood back, waiting for the bite he was sure would come, but it didn't. Dirk opened the eyes that he had squeezed shut when he had kicked Naku. The Flamer was still not moving.
"Naki," said Ash, looking at the Flamer's younger brother, "what's wrong with him?"
Naki did not answer. he was in the same mode as Naku.
"Something's wrong," said Dante.
"No duh Mr. Obvious- tell us something we don't know," replied Carn
"I open mouth kissed a wolf once," replied Dante.
"I hate you. how can you be so- so. unserious at a serious time like this?" asked Carn, looking ready to kill.
"Unserious," repeated Mirk, raising an eyebrow, "is that even a word."
"I don't know, ask Nanya," replied Carn. She suddenly paled, realizing what she had said.
"Carn, what is it?" asked Numair, noticing the girl's sudden change.
"Nanya," she gasped, "if Naku's out, that means she is too!"
The other members of the Tortallan delegation looked at each other with the 'deer in headlights' look. Numair was the first one to act.
"We have to find Nanya, I'll go and." he paused, thinking. He sighed as he came to a decision, "I'll go and see if the Emperor has seen her."
"No Numair, he might still be angry with you. I'll speak to him. Nanya is my best friend," said Rocky pointedly.
She left, not waiting for an answer.
Rocky had to ask for directions twice before she came to the Emperor's rooms.
"Halt, who goes there?" demanded one of the guards.
Rocky bowed.
"I am Rachelle Hill, a member of the Tortallan delegation. I was wondering if I could speak to his Imperial Highness. It concernes a friend of mine who we feel may be. in a bit of trouble."
The guard looked her over carefully before motioning to his guard partner to speak to Ozorne. Rocky waited impatiently for five minutes before the guard returned and told her to enter.
She did so, the Emperor was sitting uncomfortably in his sitting room.
"What do you want?" snapped the Emperor. Rocky bowed.
"We were wondering if you had seen Nanya since this morning, your Imperial Majesty. Naku is unconscious which means that she is too."
"Well, Ms. Hill, I never wish to see that- that slut again!" snapped Ozorne, "Good day to you!"
Rocky was pushed out of the room and got the door slammed in her face. She glared at it for a moment, then stalked away.
Never before had Alanna seen Numair so upset. He was pacing the floor, a frown pasted on his face.
"I'm sure she's fine, Numair," said Alanna, "she can't have gone too far."
Numair looked at her, his eyes wide. Alanna shrugged. She had tried. He shook his head and continued pacing.
"Sit down Salmalin," said Ash, "it makes me tired just watching you."
"How can you be so calm!" asked Numair in frustration, looking at Ash, "your best friend is out there somewhere, probably unconscious, and you're just telling me to stop pacing!"
"That's why I never asked a girl out on more than one date," said Dante, "you get too attached."
Carn smacked him upside the head.
"This is not the time to be stupid, and you asked me out more than once!" she snapped.
"That doesn't count," replied Dante, "this is one of those times where you either make a joke, or you cry."
Alanna shook her head. These men and women were strange. She could never decide if they were best friends or worst enemies.
No, she thought, they're best friends. There's no doubt there. If they weren't, I think they would have killed each other by now.
Grinning wryly at this thought, she looked at Numair. He worried her. He was considered a 'Ladies Man' back home, but never before had she seen him so upset over one woman.
Mirk sat quietly, a slight frown creasing his brow. Alanna had noticed that he was extremely quiet. When he talked it was usually either to express his opinion on a subject, or to challenge Dante to some kind of contest. She doubted that he was thinking about the latter at the moment.
"What's on your mind, Mirkma?" asked Dirk, also noticing his friends expression.
"I hate that name," replied Mirk, but there was no real feeling in the words, "I'm just wondering what could've happened to Nanya."
His frown deepened.
"It doesn't feel right, the fact that she's kidnapped the first time she's out of the room after the whole thing with Ozorne. it smells fishy to me."
Dirk looked thoughtful, a strange expression on the sarcastic, slightly dim-witted young man.
"Mirk has a point," he said.
"What are you getting at?" asked Gareth.
"Tell me, who's the one man in this delegation that Ozorne hates the most?" he asked.
"Numair," said Gary slowly. Numair himself nodded his agreement. It seemed light a light had turned on in Ash's head.
"Dirk, I think you're getting at something here!" she said. At the others confused looks she added, "who's the girl that Numair loves?"
"Nanya," replied Alanna catching on, "and Jon and Thayet are the one's who sheltered Numair, and Nanya's also Thayet's sister."
"Exactly," said Dirk, "think about it. kidnap Nanya, say that she's starting a slave rebellion or something, end the peace talks. He'll make it look like the peace failed due to Nanya. Meanwhile he gets the girl, the one thing his ex-friend, now enemy loves and a war with a Tortall that has no allies. It's clean and quick. It's also so simple."
"You two figured that out all by yourselves?" asked Carn.
The two men nodded, Carn looked ready to faint.
Rocky was about to enter the delegation common room when she noticed something shining on the floor of the hallway about five feet away. She bent down to pick it up. It was a black choker band with a gold gem on it. She turned it over. There was an inscription.
To whomever it concerns, If you can see this message, it means that my dear sister Nanya has gotten herself into trouble. If you are a friend (I imagine it will be Rocky, Ash or Mirk reading this as the others aren't as observant) then please help her, she often gets into tight spots.
Gambler
Rocky half wondered what Nanya would think if she found out about this, but quickly decided that that was a thought for a rainy day. She stood up and went into the common room to hear the end of the explanation that Mirk and Dirk were giving concerning Nanya's disappearance.
"I think you're right," she said, "I found this in the hall."
She handed it to Martin.
"It's a choker, so?" he asked.
"Read the inscription," suggested Rocky.
Martin did so, his eyes widening.
"I don't believe it. 'To Whomever it concerns, if you can see this message, it means that my dear sister Nanya has gotten herself into trouble. If you are a firend (I imagine it will be Rocky, Ash or Mirk reading this as the others aren't as obsercant) then please help her, she often gets into tight spots. -Gambler,'" he read the inscription.
"Joy!" said Dante, "Nanya gets into trouble and we have to play the heroes!"
"Shut up!" said Rocky, Ash and Carn in unison. Dante glared at them, but closed his mouth.
"What do we do now, Dad?" asked Gary.
"I don't know son," there was a knock on the door, "Rocky, will you get that?"
The girl moved silently to the door and opened it. A young runner was there.
"Scuse me miss, but I was a sent here ta take you to the meetin' room. His imperial majesty wishes for all ya people ta be there," he panted. The delegation looked at each other in obvious confusion and followed the young man.
AN: What is the meeting about? I know you probably know, but oh well. Now to be mysterious. what will happen to Nanya? Does anyone realize that Dirk seems to be watching Daine quite a bit? Will there ever be more Rocky/Gary fluff? I don't know, find out in the next chapter of: THE LIFE I NEVER KNEW (That is one really messed up title!) Okay, help me come up with a new title for the story, to and I will be eternally in your debt.
~oneinamilliongirl
The king and queen had closed the connection shortly after Nanya had left. The conversation was sagging and Naku was pacing back and forth.
Dirk noticed none of this. He was staring blindly, thinking to himself. If anyone followed his gaze, it would have landed right about Daine's shoulder, where she was sitting talking quietly with Numair.
"Dirk- woo-hoo!" Ash was waving her hand in front of his eyes, "anyone alive in there?"
"I'm alive and breathing," replied Dirk. He stood up and looked at Naku. He was no longer pacing, but instead he looked to be sleeping. Dirk frowned. That was very unlike the Flamer. He walked over to him and gently shook his shoulders. "Naku?"
The Flamer didn't move, Dirk tried again, shaking harder.
"Naku? You alive?"
Still no answer. Dirk prayed to god, stood up and hoofed the Flamer right in the ribs. He then stood back, waiting for the bite he was sure would come, but it didn't. Dirk opened the eyes that he had squeezed shut when he had kicked Naku. The Flamer was still not moving.
"Naki," said Ash, looking at the Flamer's younger brother, "what's wrong with him?"
Naki did not answer. he was in the same mode as Naku.
"Something's wrong," said Dante.
"No duh Mr. Obvious- tell us something we don't know," replied Carn
"I open mouth kissed a wolf once," replied Dante.
"I hate you. how can you be so- so. unserious at a serious time like this?" asked Carn, looking ready to kill.
"Unserious," repeated Mirk, raising an eyebrow, "is that even a word."
"I don't know, ask Nanya," replied Carn. She suddenly paled, realizing what she had said.
"Carn, what is it?" asked Numair, noticing the girl's sudden change.
"Nanya," she gasped, "if Naku's out, that means she is too!"
The other members of the Tortallan delegation looked at each other with the 'deer in headlights' look. Numair was the first one to act.
"We have to find Nanya, I'll go and." he paused, thinking. He sighed as he came to a decision, "I'll go and see if the Emperor has seen her."
"No Numair, he might still be angry with you. I'll speak to him. Nanya is my best friend," said Rocky pointedly.
She left, not waiting for an answer.
Rocky had to ask for directions twice before she came to the Emperor's rooms.
"Halt, who goes there?" demanded one of the guards.
Rocky bowed.
"I am Rachelle Hill, a member of the Tortallan delegation. I was wondering if I could speak to his Imperial Highness. It concernes a friend of mine who we feel may be. in a bit of trouble."
The guard looked her over carefully before motioning to his guard partner to speak to Ozorne. Rocky waited impatiently for five minutes before the guard returned and told her to enter.
She did so, the Emperor was sitting uncomfortably in his sitting room.
"What do you want?" snapped the Emperor. Rocky bowed.
"We were wondering if you had seen Nanya since this morning, your Imperial Majesty. Naku is unconscious which means that she is too."
"Well, Ms. Hill, I never wish to see that- that slut again!" snapped Ozorne, "Good day to you!"
Rocky was pushed out of the room and got the door slammed in her face. She glared at it for a moment, then stalked away.
Never before had Alanna seen Numair so upset. He was pacing the floor, a frown pasted on his face.
"I'm sure she's fine, Numair," said Alanna, "she can't have gone too far."
Numair looked at her, his eyes wide. Alanna shrugged. She had tried. He shook his head and continued pacing.
"Sit down Salmalin," said Ash, "it makes me tired just watching you."
"How can you be so calm!" asked Numair in frustration, looking at Ash, "your best friend is out there somewhere, probably unconscious, and you're just telling me to stop pacing!"
"That's why I never asked a girl out on more than one date," said Dante, "you get too attached."
Carn smacked him upside the head.
"This is not the time to be stupid, and you asked me out more than once!" she snapped.
"That doesn't count," replied Dante, "this is one of those times where you either make a joke, or you cry."
Alanna shook her head. These men and women were strange. She could never decide if they were best friends or worst enemies.
No, she thought, they're best friends. There's no doubt there. If they weren't, I think they would have killed each other by now.
Grinning wryly at this thought, she looked at Numair. He worried her. He was considered a 'Ladies Man' back home, but never before had she seen him so upset over one woman.
Mirk sat quietly, a slight frown creasing his brow. Alanna had noticed that he was extremely quiet. When he talked it was usually either to express his opinion on a subject, or to challenge Dante to some kind of contest. She doubted that he was thinking about the latter at the moment.
"What's on your mind, Mirkma?" asked Dirk, also noticing his friends expression.
"I hate that name," replied Mirk, but there was no real feeling in the words, "I'm just wondering what could've happened to Nanya."
His frown deepened.
"It doesn't feel right, the fact that she's kidnapped the first time she's out of the room after the whole thing with Ozorne. it smells fishy to me."
Dirk looked thoughtful, a strange expression on the sarcastic, slightly dim-witted young man.
"Mirk has a point," he said.
"What are you getting at?" asked Gareth.
"Tell me, who's the one man in this delegation that Ozorne hates the most?" he asked.
"Numair," said Gary slowly. Numair himself nodded his agreement. It seemed light a light had turned on in Ash's head.
"Dirk, I think you're getting at something here!" she said. At the others confused looks she added, "who's the girl that Numair loves?"
"Nanya," replied Alanna catching on, "and Jon and Thayet are the one's who sheltered Numair, and Nanya's also Thayet's sister."
"Exactly," said Dirk, "think about it. kidnap Nanya, say that she's starting a slave rebellion or something, end the peace talks. He'll make it look like the peace failed due to Nanya. Meanwhile he gets the girl, the one thing his ex-friend, now enemy loves and a war with a Tortall that has no allies. It's clean and quick. It's also so simple."
"You two figured that out all by yourselves?" asked Carn.
The two men nodded, Carn looked ready to faint.
Rocky was about to enter the delegation common room when she noticed something shining on the floor of the hallway about five feet away. She bent down to pick it up. It was a black choker band with a gold gem on it. She turned it over. There was an inscription.
To whomever it concerns, If you can see this message, it means that my dear sister Nanya has gotten herself into trouble. If you are a friend (I imagine it will be Rocky, Ash or Mirk reading this as the others aren't as observant) then please help her, she often gets into tight spots.
Gambler
Rocky half wondered what Nanya would think if she found out about this, but quickly decided that that was a thought for a rainy day. She stood up and went into the common room to hear the end of the explanation that Mirk and Dirk were giving concerning Nanya's disappearance.
"I think you're right," she said, "I found this in the hall."
She handed it to Martin.
"It's a choker, so?" he asked.
"Read the inscription," suggested Rocky.
Martin did so, his eyes widening.
"I don't believe it. 'To Whomever it concerns, if you can see this message, it means that my dear sister Nanya has gotten herself into trouble. If you are a firend (I imagine it will be Rocky, Ash or Mirk reading this as the others aren't as obsercant) then please help her, she often gets into tight spots. -Gambler,'" he read the inscription.
"Joy!" said Dante, "Nanya gets into trouble and we have to play the heroes!"
"Shut up!" said Rocky, Ash and Carn in unison. Dante glared at them, but closed his mouth.
"What do we do now, Dad?" asked Gary.
"I don't know son," there was a knock on the door, "Rocky, will you get that?"
The girl moved silently to the door and opened it. A young runner was there.
"Scuse me miss, but I was a sent here ta take you to the meetin' room. His imperial majesty wishes for all ya people ta be there," he panted. The delegation looked at each other in obvious confusion and followed the young man.
AN: What is the meeting about? I know you probably know, but oh well. Now to be mysterious. what will happen to Nanya? Does anyone realize that Dirk seems to be watching Daine quite a bit? Will there ever be more Rocky/Gary fluff? I don't know, find out in the next chapter of: THE LIFE I NEVER KNEW (That is one really messed up title!) Okay, help me come up with a new title for the story, to and I will be eternally in your debt.
~oneinamilliongirl