Yay..Today I had turkey and gravy and pumpkin pie!! So I'm inspired to
write. Yay!!!!
Oh, and the reason I made the healing not work is because that would just
make it too easy, and soooooo boring.
Chapter 6-Explinations
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It was at that point that Kitten, still gray, climbed out from under the bed. "Kitten, what are you doing there?" This was the first time that Gary had spoken. Kitten answered in a series of whistles and chirps. "Wait.I have an idea. Someone, please, get Tkaa in here. Quick!" At Onua's request, Raoul sprinted out of the room. "Jonathan, what is it? Will it work?" Alanna hoped it would. She didn't like having to be fighting without a good battle mage. "Basilisks have the gift of speaking all tongues. If Kitten heard where Numair is taking Daine, she might be able to take us there." Alanna was surprised. She hadn't known Onua could come up with such good ideas. She herself had thought it was hopeless until that moment. Raoul then came bursting in, with Tkaa. "What am I needed for?" he asked in his whispery voice. "Ah.Tkaa? Numair is gone. He has most likely taken Daine to another healer. This is a simulacrum. We were thinking that if you could ask Kitten where he might have said he was taking her, then-" Tkaa cut Gary off. "Of course I will." He then proceeded to talk to Kitten in another series of clucks, whistles, and chirps. At last he smiled. "He is taking her to the Lower City, to see someone called Ayama." "Good then. We go to Ayama. She runs a hospital of sorts in the Lower City." Alanna received questioning looks from the other four. "Unlike you, my husband was a thief. George is friends with Ayama's Aunt, Brigent. I know where the house is."
***
They traveled on foot, walking as fast as possible. They did not talk much, but were mostly deep in thought, following Alanna. Tkaa had decided to stay at the palace, to try to cheer up Kitten. Finally Alanna stopped in front of a large house. "This is it. I'll go." Alanna proceeded to walk up and knock on the door. After a few seconds, a woman in her early 30s answered. "Alanna!! How are you? Goddess, I haven't seen you in the longest time! Why are you here?" Alanna bit her lip. "I'm looking for my friend, Numair Salmalin. Is he here?" "Yes, he came in with a poisoned girl a while ago. He's probably finishing up right about now. You may wait here, if you wish." " I think I will." Alanna entered the house and sat on a cushioned chair.
Within a few minutes, Numair came down, cradling a still unconscious and pale Daine. Alanna smiled. If she had it her way, she'd have a nice long chat with him about not sneaking off without telling her. Unfortunately, time was short, so decided to give him a few, well-chosen, ill-tempered words about what might have happened if he hadn't suck of.
"Brigent, I have to-" Numair's eyes widened at the sight of Alanna. "Gods help me" Despite all of his time spent with the Lioness, he was still afraid of her temper. And with good reason. "Oh, you think you're so clever, Numair Salmalin, leaving a simulacrum and sneaking off like that. Well, let me tell you something. YOU ARE NOT!! Do you know what is happening at Port Legann right now? Do you???" The look on his face told her that he didn't. This is going to be a bit longer then I expected, she thought. Then she resumed talking. "Well, let me tell you something, Numair, Port Legann is under attack. I should be there. You should be there. Raoul, Gary, and Jonathan should be there. But guess what? Because of you, they're not. And they're not happy with you." Numair had turned white. "Jonathan's out there? Gods really help me. But um.Alanna? She's resisting the healings."
***
Gary laughed. "I feel sorry for Numair. Most likely Alanna has turned her tongue on him..again. I wonder what she's telling him?" It was Jonathan who answered. "The You shouldn't sneak off like that thing. Except in shorter form." True enough, at that moment, Alanna walked out, with Numair behind her. Numair was looking down. He had Daine in his arms, who in all appearances was still unconscious. Jonathan frowned. That feeling was coming back again, that little suspicion that Numair.. No, that still wasn't possible. Jonathan still couldn't help but think that Daine looked like she belonged in Numair's arms. He banished the thought quickly. (Hee, Hee, he has no idea..) "Salmalin, why did you sneak off? You know perfectly well that if you had waited a day a healer would be available. And now Legann is under attack. We need you now. I trust you still have your Gift, or are you dry?" "No, your Majesty, I still have my magic, and had I known Legann would be attacked, I would have stayed. But you know perfectly well that Daine may die and she strengthens our army. I am truly sorry." Numair kept his head down the whole time. Alanna had seen him look up, only once, as he was coming down the stairs. She then had seen worry, pure worry. She knew Daine was more than a friend to him. But she was going to keep quiet. And she was going to try to heal Daine.
*** Back at the palace, Alanna instructed Numair to put Daine back into her room. Numair did as she instructed, but could not help staying there until Alanna came back. Finally, she agreed to let him stay for the healing.
He was still skeptical about whether or not this would work. After all, Umeri had made it clear that Ayama was one of the best, with a strong Gift for healing.
Still, he couldn't help but sigh in relief as the light amethyst of Alanna's Gift flowed out of her fingers. What had he been thinking? Alanna was a full-grown woman, with proper training, not just some teenager who was most likely taught by her aunt. But he really knew that Ayama was probably a very good healer.
Numair was jerked back into reality by Alanna's voice. "Ah.Numair? What is this?" Numair looked up, puzzled. What he had feared was true. Again, the healing magic had stopped an inch away from Daine. He could almost hear his heart break in two. His love would now surely die. If Alanna, who was nearly as good as Duke Baird, couldn't heal her, and Ayama, whom he suspected was probably as good as Alanna couldn't heal her, he highly doubted anyone could. Daine was as good as dead.
Wait, he told himself, maybe I can save her. He quickly excused himself to Alanna, and headed to the library; he already had some suspicions.
*** Numair was up in the Royal Library very late, searching the records of the Banjiku. He suspected that the resistance was caused by an element of her wild magic. He had almost given up hope when the watchman called the second hour of morning.
Nearly an hour later, Numair found the legend of the Snake-man, nearly ten centuries ago. It read:
Snake-man had houses of snakes. A month and a day after the new year
had begun, snake-man took many wounded snakes from the Forest. The
Forest's snakes are very violent. As he caught a hard one, it bit his
hand. He was poisoned and Healer-man tried to help him. Healer-man's
magic stopped just away from Snake-man. On the fifth day, Snake man
woke up from deep sleep, and healer-man's magic worked, and Snake-man
was restored to great health.
Numair sighed with relief. Tomorrow was the third day. "Three more days, love. Three more days." he whispered.
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Ok, if anyone flames me in the next chapter, I'm not going to stop them, ok? But if you want to even see the next chapter, hit the review button, NOW!!!
Hannah
Chapter 6-Explinations
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was at that point that Kitten, still gray, climbed out from under the bed. "Kitten, what are you doing there?" This was the first time that Gary had spoken. Kitten answered in a series of whistles and chirps. "Wait.I have an idea. Someone, please, get Tkaa in here. Quick!" At Onua's request, Raoul sprinted out of the room. "Jonathan, what is it? Will it work?" Alanna hoped it would. She didn't like having to be fighting without a good battle mage. "Basilisks have the gift of speaking all tongues. If Kitten heard where Numair is taking Daine, she might be able to take us there." Alanna was surprised. She hadn't known Onua could come up with such good ideas. She herself had thought it was hopeless until that moment. Raoul then came bursting in, with Tkaa. "What am I needed for?" he asked in his whispery voice. "Ah.Tkaa? Numair is gone. He has most likely taken Daine to another healer. This is a simulacrum. We were thinking that if you could ask Kitten where he might have said he was taking her, then-" Tkaa cut Gary off. "Of course I will." He then proceeded to talk to Kitten in another series of clucks, whistles, and chirps. At last he smiled. "He is taking her to the Lower City, to see someone called Ayama." "Good then. We go to Ayama. She runs a hospital of sorts in the Lower City." Alanna received questioning looks from the other four. "Unlike you, my husband was a thief. George is friends with Ayama's Aunt, Brigent. I know where the house is."
***
They traveled on foot, walking as fast as possible. They did not talk much, but were mostly deep in thought, following Alanna. Tkaa had decided to stay at the palace, to try to cheer up Kitten. Finally Alanna stopped in front of a large house. "This is it. I'll go." Alanna proceeded to walk up and knock on the door. After a few seconds, a woman in her early 30s answered. "Alanna!! How are you? Goddess, I haven't seen you in the longest time! Why are you here?" Alanna bit her lip. "I'm looking for my friend, Numair Salmalin. Is he here?" "Yes, he came in with a poisoned girl a while ago. He's probably finishing up right about now. You may wait here, if you wish." " I think I will." Alanna entered the house and sat on a cushioned chair.
Within a few minutes, Numair came down, cradling a still unconscious and pale Daine. Alanna smiled. If she had it her way, she'd have a nice long chat with him about not sneaking off without telling her. Unfortunately, time was short, so decided to give him a few, well-chosen, ill-tempered words about what might have happened if he hadn't suck of.
"Brigent, I have to-" Numair's eyes widened at the sight of Alanna. "Gods help me" Despite all of his time spent with the Lioness, he was still afraid of her temper. And with good reason. "Oh, you think you're so clever, Numair Salmalin, leaving a simulacrum and sneaking off like that. Well, let me tell you something. YOU ARE NOT!! Do you know what is happening at Port Legann right now? Do you???" The look on his face told her that he didn't. This is going to be a bit longer then I expected, she thought. Then she resumed talking. "Well, let me tell you something, Numair, Port Legann is under attack. I should be there. You should be there. Raoul, Gary, and Jonathan should be there. But guess what? Because of you, they're not. And they're not happy with you." Numair had turned white. "Jonathan's out there? Gods really help me. But um.Alanna? She's resisting the healings."
***
Gary laughed. "I feel sorry for Numair. Most likely Alanna has turned her tongue on him..again. I wonder what she's telling him?" It was Jonathan who answered. "The You shouldn't sneak off like that thing. Except in shorter form." True enough, at that moment, Alanna walked out, with Numair behind her. Numair was looking down. He had Daine in his arms, who in all appearances was still unconscious. Jonathan frowned. That feeling was coming back again, that little suspicion that Numair.. No, that still wasn't possible. Jonathan still couldn't help but think that Daine looked like she belonged in Numair's arms. He banished the thought quickly. (Hee, Hee, he has no idea..) "Salmalin, why did you sneak off? You know perfectly well that if you had waited a day a healer would be available. And now Legann is under attack. We need you now. I trust you still have your Gift, or are you dry?" "No, your Majesty, I still have my magic, and had I known Legann would be attacked, I would have stayed. But you know perfectly well that Daine may die and she strengthens our army. I am truly sorry." Numair kept his head down the whole time. Alanna had seen him look up, only once, as he was coming down the stairs. She then had seen worry, pure worry. She knew Daine was more than a friend to him. But she was going to keep quiet. And she was going to try to heal Daine.
*** Back at the palace, Alanna instructed Numair to put Daine back into her room. Numair did as she instructed, but could not help staying there until Alanna came back. Finally, she agreed to let him stay for the healing.
He was still skeptical about whether or not this would work. After all, Umeri had made it clear that Ayama was one of the best, with a strong Gift for healing.
Still, he couldn't help but sigh in relief as the light amethyst of Alanna's Gift flowed out of her fingers. What had he been thinking? Alanna was a full-grown woman, with proper training, not just some teenager who was most likely taught by her aunt. But he really knew that Ayama was probably a very good healer.
Numair was jerked back into reality by Alanna's voice. "Ah.Numair? What is this?" Numair looked up, puzzled. What he had feared was true. Again, the healing magic had stopped an inch away from Daine. He could almost hear his heart break in two. His love would now surely die. If Alanna, who was nearly as good as Duke Baird, couldn't heal her, and Ayama, whom he suspected was probably as good as Alanna couldn't heal her, he highly doubted anyone could. Daine was as good as dead.
Wait, he told himself, maybe I can save her. He quickly excused himself to Alanna, and headed to the library; he already had some suspicions.
*** Numair was up in the Royal Library very late, searching the records of the Banjiku. He suspected that the resistance was caused by an element of her wild magic. He had almost given up hope when the watchman called the second hour of morning.
Nearly an hour later, Numair found the legend of the Snake-man, nearly ten centuries ago. It read:
Snake-man had houses of snakes. A month and a day after the new year
had begun, snake-man took many wounded snakes from the Forest. The
Forest's snakes are very violent. As he caught a hard one, it bit his
hand. He was poisoned and Healer-man tried to help him. Healer-man's
magic stopped just away from Snake-man. On the fifth day, Snake man
woke up from deep sleep, and healer-man's magic worked, and Snake-man
was restored to great health.
Numair sighed with relief. Tomorrow was the third day. "Three more days, love. Three more days." he whispered.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ok, if anyone flames me in the next chapter, I'm not going to stop them, ok? But if you want to even see the next chapter, hit the review button, NOW!!!
Hannah