A/N: Sorry that I haven't updated in a little while. My mom wouldn't let me
go online and I had Writer's Block. Fuck Writer's Block.So anyway.... This
is a romance thing and I have to do romance. If you think my sense of
romance is weird, that's because I'm a realist. Enjoy! Toodles!
Rekindled
Chapter Sixteen: Ignorance
By: DarkDracon0
Kel was still pondering about the kiss. They were still riding toward Corus and Dante was sitting ram rod in his saddle. He barely looked at her, and kept his eyes straight ahead. Whenever she tried for conversation, he often found the trees or the road more interesting. The bastard. They camped in a small clearing not too off the road. Some of the men hunted while the rest set up tents. Dante's tent was on the other side of the camp. Kel nearly yelled in frustation. She wanted to talk him about...things. But the ass was trying to stay as far away as possible!
Now, most of the men were asleep in their tents and a few sentries were posted around the camp. Kel sighed. Dante was probably asleep too. Dreaming about his next female conquest most likely. Kel walked out toward the forest, signaling to the sentries that it was her. She strode about the forest grounds, guided by the moonlight. She was breathing in the cool night air until she felt a hand close over her mouth and a sword edge touch her throat. Kel froze. She couldn't move with a sword at her throat. Her heart was thumping against her ribs. She was sure her assailant could hear it.
"Don't move, don't make any noise. If you do, you will regret it." A man's voice, deep and commanding. Familiar... The man slowly removed his hand from her mouth.
"Who are you?" Kel's voice came out a whisper.
"That is none of your concern."
"What are you going to do with me?"
"Nothing. You should not be out here, in the opening, at night. You carry no weapon." Kel realised that she had indeed forgotten her sword. A thousand times a fool! She felt the man press her closer to him until her back was touching his chest. She felt metal at her back instead of his chest. The bastard was wearing armor. How had he manage to get her without making any noise? Armor was heavy and bulky and the plates would hit each other . That would make a great deal of noise. Even if the armor was made from light metal, she would still be able to hear him.
"Go back to your camp and stay there the rest of the night. Leave here and don't come back." The man lowered his sword. Kel turned around ready to grab the man and wrestle him. Kel saw nothing but air. He was gone.
Kel returned to the camp, slightly shaken at what just happened. A strange man had held a sword to her throat and yet, he didn't want anything. Really strange that he hadn't knocked her senseless and ransomed her. The king would pay a great deal of money because, after all, she was commander of the Tortallan army. Kel silently slipped back into her tent and, with some difficulty, fell asleep.
The next morning, Kel woke before dawn. As a habit she would never be able to break, Kel fetched her glaive from the tent and performed the glaive exercises. When she completed the last exercise, Kel felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around sharply, ready to send her fist flying through whoever's face if it happened to be that man from last night.
It was Dante.
He smiled at her sleepily and he looked disheveled. His boots looked a bit loose, the shirt half buttoned and the breeches.... She wondered how they could be worn backwards. He also looked as if he was suffering from the after effects of too much drink. He well deserved it.
" Morning," he mumbled.
" Good morning. Do you have a hangover?" He grunted.
" I suppose that's a yes. Why on earth were you drinking last night?"
" None of your business."
" Alright then. What do you want?"
" Just saying good morning. Must I have a reason to say good morning to a pretty girl?"
" Not unless you want something from me." He grinned.
" Come to my bed?" He asked hopefully. Kel snorted.
" I truly do not like bashing heads, but I could make an acception for you. How 'bout it?" Dante laughed and strode off, strutting about like a cocky boy. Damn him.
They continued the ride to Corus, stopping by a small village for news of any kind. The Scanrans were holding back and leaving the villages alone it seemed. They restocked provisions and moved on. They were riding along a river, as it was the best and quickest way to Corus without getting lost or attacked by bandits. Again, Kel tried for conversation with Dante, but he paid her no heed. Even the other men were quiet.
" We have to get to Corus as soon as possible."
" Oh dear Mithros, he's actually alive. He can talk too!" Dante stared at her.
" Of course I'm alive. And I'm not a mute. We have to arive in Corus soon."
" It could be another five days before we get there. What is so important that the king wants to pull you from a war and meet with you? Have you done something to displease him and he has figured out a suitable punishment for you?"
" Maybe."
" Then what did you do? Flirt with the queen?"
" Thayet doesn't flirt. If she even flirts with one man, you will see major scandal at court."
" Then what did you do?"
" None of your business."
" Getting a bit touchy, eh? The king said that I was supposed to go with you. I ought to know."
" You'll find out later."
Corus
Royal Palace
" Are you sure, Numair?"
" Of course, Jon. Even though I hate deciphering, I'm pretty sure this is what the prophecy meant."
" Uusoae is going to open the Gate of Idramm and put no limits on it. Demons from every realm possible will be unleashed upon the mortal realm and Tortall is the first one to destroyed. After that, they will attack other countries. Completely destroy the world."
" Yes, I'm afraid so."
" Does Chaos have any control over the demons?"
" She may or may not. Demons are unpredictable, especially when they all are together in one place. No god can stop them once they are together in one group, not with such power combined."
" What does it mean by 'Dragonriders'?"
" According to legend, the first of the Four Masters had an elite army to back him up. They were mechanical, all of them. Empty suits of armor riding mechanical dragons. That made the army all the more stronger and harder to beat. The mention of Dragonriders and elements of the Four Masters could hint that they are coming to Tortall."
" How much time do we have left?"
" I don't know. Not a lot, I should guess. Only one can save us all."
A/N: Unsuitable ending, I know. This chapter was also short. I had Writer's Block. Sowry! Who do you think the mystery guy is?
Rekindled
Chapter Sixteen: Ignorance
By: DarkDracon0
Kel was still pondering about the kiss. They were still riding toward Corus and Dante was sitting ram rod in his saddle. He barely looked at her, and kept his eyes straight ahead. Whenever she tried for conversation, he often found the trees or the road more interesting. The bastard. They camped in a small clearing not too off the road. Some of the men hunted while the rest set up tents. Dante's tent was on the other side of the camp. Kel nearly yelled in frustation. She wanted to talk him about...things. But the ass was trying to stay as far away as possible!
Now, most of the men were asleep in their tents and a few sentries were posted around the camp. Kel sighed. Dante was probably asleep too. Dreaming about his next female conquest most likely. Kel walked out toward the forest, signaling to the sentries that it was her. She strode about the forest grounds, guided by the moonlight. She was breathing in the cool night air until she felt a hand close over her mouth and a sword edge touch her throat. Kel froze. She couldn't move with a sword at her throat. Her heart was thumping against her ribs. She was sure her assailant could hear it.
"Don't move, don't make any noise. If you do, you will regret it." A man's voice, deep and commanding. Familiar... The man slowly removed his hand from her mouth.
"Who are you?" Kel's voice came out a whisper.
"That is none of your concern."
"What are you going to do with me?"
"Nothing. You should not be out here, in the opening, at night. You carry no weapon." Kel realised that she had indeed forgotten her sword. A thousand times a fool! She felt the man press her closer to him until her back was touching his chest. She felt metal at her back instead of his chest. The bastard was wearing armor. How had he manage to get her without making any noise? Armor was heavy and bulky and the plates would hit each other . That would make a great deal of noise. Even if the armor was made from light metal, she would still be able to hear him.
"Go back to your camp and stay there the rest of the night. Leave here and don't come back." The man lowered his sword. Kel turned around ready to grab the man and wrestle him. Kel saw nothing but air. He was gone.
Kel returned to the camp, slightly shaken at what just happened. A strange man had held a sword to her throat and yet, he didn't want anything. Really strange that he hadn't knocked her senseless and ransomed her. The king would pay a great deal of money because, after all, she was commander of the Tortallan army. Kel silently slipped back into her tent and, with some difficulty, fell asleep.
The next morning, Kel woke before dawn. As a habit she would never be able to break, Kel fetched her glaive from the tent and performed the glaive exercises. When she completed the last exercise, Kel felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around sharply, ready to send her fist flying through whoever's face if it happened to be that man from last night.
It was Dante.
He smiled at her sleepily and he looked disheveled. His boots looked a bit loose, the shirt half buttoned and the breeches.... She wondered how they could be worn backwards. He also looked as if he was suffering from the after effects of too much drink. He well deserved it.
" Morning," he mumbled.
" Good morning. Do you have a hangover?" He grunted.
" I suppose that's a yes. Why on earth were you drinking last night?"
" None of your business."
" Alright then. What do you want?"
" Just saying good morning. Must I have a reason to say good morning to a pretty girl?"
" Not unless you want something from me." He grinned.
" Come to my bed?" He asked hopefully. Kel snorted.
" I truly do not like bashing heads, but I could make an acception for you. How 'bout it?" Dante laughed and strode off, strutting about like a cocky boy. Damn him.
They continued the ride to Corus, stopping by a small village for news of any kind. The Scanrans were holding back and leaving the villages alone it seemed. They restocked provisions and moved on. They were riding along a river, as it was the best and quickest way to Corus without getting lost or attacked by bandits. Again, Kel tried for conversation with Dante, but he paid her no heed. Even the other men were quiet.
" We have to get to Corus as soon as possible."
" Oh dear Mithros, he's actually alive. He can talk too!" Dante stared at her.
" Of course I'm alive. And I'm not a mute. We have to arive in Corus soon."
" It could be another five days before we get there. What is so important that the king wants to pull you from a war and meet with you? Have you done something to displease him and he has figured out a suitable punishment for you?"
" Maybe."
" Then what did you do? Flirt with the queen?"
" Thayet doesn't flirt. If she even flirts with one man, you will see major scandal at court."
" Then what did you do?"
" None of your business."
" Getting a bit touchy, eh? The king said that I was supposed to go with you. I ought to know."
" You'll find out later."
Corus
Royal Palace
" Are you sure, Numair?"
" Of course, Jon. Even though I hate deciphering, I'm pretty sure this is what the prophecy meant."
" Uusoae is going to open the Gate of Idramm and put no limits on it. Demons from every realm possible will be unleashed upon the mortal realm and Tortall is the first one to destroyed. After that, they will attack other countries. Completely destroy the world."
" Yes, I'm afraid so."
" Does Chaos have any control over the demons?"
" She may or may not. Demons are unpredictable, especially when they all are together in one place. No god can stop them once they are together in one group, not with such power combined."
" What does it mean by 'Dragonriders'?"
" According to legend, the first of the Four Masters had an elite army to back him up. They were mechanical, all of them. Empty suits of armor riding mechanical dragons. That made the army all the more stronger and harder to beat. The mention of Dragonriders and elements of the Four Masters could hint that they are coming to Tortall."
" How much time do we have left?"
" I don't know. Not a lot, I should guess. Only one can save us all."
A/N: Unsuitable ending, I know. This chapter was also short. I had Writer's Block. Sowry! Who do you think the mystery guy is?