FIRST OF ALL: Here are my eloquent and pathetic excuses for not updating in SOOOOO long!!! First of all, to write this final chapter correctly, I had to have In The Hands of the Goddess... which required putting a hold on it and waiting for WEEKS. Secondly, I just entered high school and had NO IDEA it was going to be this much work!!! I've picked up ballet, joined a score of clubs, and my piano has gone in a new (and more demanding) direction.... time has been SHORT SHORT SHORT. But here I am, writing the last chapter...
It's rather ... out of it, concerning the style... most of this is like the original To Duel the Sorcerer, and I tried to immitate Tammy's style rather than write in my own... [I don't think I succeeded... =(] And as you can all see, it's been MONTHS since I've last written anything, so I'm rather, er, "out of it."
Chapter twenty-five--
Alanna found herself shaking as she dressed into Alex's old squire uniform. Since the rules of trial by combat forbade the wearing of armor, she donned a soft shirt, breeches and stockings; she wanted as much freedom of movement as possible. Her hands were shaking as she tried to tie back her hair.
"Calm down, Alanna," she told herself, breathing deeply. "You don't want her nerves on edge..."
Sitting down, she twisted Lightning around in her hands... here it was. She was about to meet her Death, with but a sword as her companion. Even though the Trial wasn't to be to the death, Alanna had a grim feeling that Roger was angry enough with her that he could very possibly kill her.
'Such dark thoughts,' Faithful commented as he washed himself. Alanna glared at him.
"Oh, so you can read my mind now? Hmph!" She sheathed Lightning and sighed. Faithful was right, though. It was useless simply moping around and lamenting the end of her life when there were more useful and important things she could be doing.
"Come in!" she called in answer to the knock on her door.
Jonathan, Bowen, Alex, Gary, and Elijah entered the room. Bowen took Lightning from her and began cleaning it while Alanna stretched. Her body was stiff and tense, and she had heard enough about Roger to know that he could beat her easily even if she were felling her best. That he was a sorcerer and not a trained knight was balanced by the fact that, for all she knew, he was sticking pins into a new image of her at that very moment.
Gary looked down at Alanna, who was touching her toes. "Remember everything I taught you," he said, his brow furrowed in worry.
"Keep my advice in mind as well," Bowen grunted from the corner. He handed Lightning back to Alanna, who clutched it tightly. Before she could respond, someone else knocked on Alanna's door. Alex opened it and admitted a heavily cloaked George.
A soft expression was in his eyes as he reached down to ruffle her hair with a gentle hand. "Do nothing foolish," he warned her, "and remember what I told you."
"Stop it," Alanna said. "The three of you are making me even more nervous than I already am."
George chuckled. "You should be nervous--I'd say somethin' was wrong with your head if you weren't."
A manswervant rapped on the door and opened it. "I've been sent to bring you to the Great Throne Room," he said unhappily, his gaze lingering on Alanna.
"Alanna and I will be with you in a moment," Alex told the others. They took the hint and followed the servant out into the hall, closing the door behind them. Alanna gave Alex a very pained smile that more resembled a grimace. Alex's brooding expression fell away, and he folded her in his arms.
"Be safe," he said, and Alanna heard the emotion in his voice that was so rarely expressed, usually hidden behind his cool mask. "I can't let anything happen to you..."
"This was all my choice," Alanna reminded him softly.
Alex squeezed her tightly. "I love you, Alanna," he said, and he let go of her to look into her eyes as he said it again. "I love you."
They joined the other men in the hall. No one spoke as they headed for the Great Throne room. Their only comments were in the tight holds Alex and Jonathan took on each of her shoulders, the worried looks George, Bowen, and Elijah wore. Matters were beyond words.
Alanna herself could think only that finally it had come to a head. 'It'll all be over and settled,' she thought as they strode into the Great Throne Room.
Roger already stood before the two thrones, naked sword in hand. She watched his eyes flicker over Alex with hate, and then linger maliciously on Jon.
"My liege," Alanna said, and bowed. She saw his look of surprise as he registered her attire. "My lady," she said to the queen, and bowed again. "I have decided that I will champion myself."
She raised her voice to be heard over the instantaneous uproar that followed. "Because I made the accusation, I thought it only fair. And no one else would dare challenge his Grace in a fight."
"Inconceivable!" King Roald roared, standing. "You are a woman!"
"A woman who can fight!" Alanna protested. "And I have made my decision--it is too late to find another champion now."
"Silence!" King Roald yelled over the court's clamour. "Then, if you cannot find a champion--"
"With all due respect, my liege," interuppted Duke Roger, "let the lady champion her own cause if she wishes." Alanna gaped at him. "She is right in that it is too late to find another champion. And I've heard she had a good teacher--young Sir Gareth himself."
There was a collection of gasps as Gary strode forward. "It's true, I did teach Alanna a few things about the sword. If she feels that she can oppose Duke Roger, then I feel that she is ready."
"You see, my liege? Let this Trial be over with. After all, the Countess Alanna is no ordinary woman," Duke Roger sneered, and Alanna caught the glint in his eye.
So, Roger WANTED her to fight him, Alanna realized. He wanted the chance to kill her, fairly. Very well, then.
King Roald stared at her for a long moment, weighing the situation in his mind. She saw him glance at Queen Lianne, who nodded. At last, he sighed and sank back into his seat. King Roald inclined his head.
"As you will, Countess."
Alanna hugged each of her friends one last time before stepping up beside Roger, Lightning unsheathed and ready for battle. Her heart pounded in her throat as the herald read the challenge. She could barely hear him; her attention was on the King and Queen, on Jon, standing beside his father now, and on Duke Gareth, standing beside his sister, the Queen. She felt a grim kind of triumph, thinking, 'Even if he kills me, I've won. I've planted the seed of doubt here; he'll never be trusted again.'
It was good to know she had accomplished something, even if Roger killed her. And it was good to know her friends were there, wanting her to win.
"Let the combat begin," Roald said quietly.
Alanna and Roger brought their swords up instantly. They circled, watching each other carefully. Roger feinted at Alanna several times, never intending to strike, instead trying to draw Alanna into an attack. Alanna smiled slightly. Roger was older than she was and more experienced in the ways of the world, but she could outwait him.
She was right. Roger attacked in earnest, thinking she was being overconfident. Alanna blocked his swing and dodged to the side, wincing as Lightning jarred against her sore hands.
Roger pursued the attack, trying to use up her energy. Alanna tried to dodge more and block less in order to spare herself, but the sorcerer was too quick. Pain wormed its way up her right arm and into her shoulder, and weariness put her timing off.
Suddenly she blinked. Had Roger switched his sword to his left hand, or was he carrying two swords? He couldn't possibley have two blades! She shook her head, trying to clear her eyes. Dimly she could hear Elijah yelling, "Fould! He's using an illusion!" But she knew no one would try to stop the fight now, for fear of getting her killed.
Only a lucky step saved her life as the Duke lunged at her. Thom was right: the Duke had placed an illusion-spell on himself so that Alanna couldn't tell which of his hands gripped the REAL sword and which held only the ghost of one. Alanna pulled the ember-stone from beneath her shirt with her free hand, thanking the Goddess for it. The illusion-sword now glowed oranged in her eyes. She blocked Roeger's real sword and thrust back, coming body-to-body with the Duke. This was a mistake; the larger, stronger man used his strength to force her slowly to her knees.
Alann gasped and broke, dropping to the floor and rolling away. Roger struck, ctutting her shoulder open as Alanna came to her feet. She dodged back, biting her lip angrily; he had changed his sword to his left hand! She thanked the Goddess the cut was not bad and gripped the ember-stone again.
The Duke switched hands several times, but she was able to follow the changing of real and imaginary swords with the help of the stone. They were coming to a time in the battle she was too familiar with: the time when lesser swordsmen began to gasp for air and to make mistakes, the time when she had to reach deep inside herself for strength she rarely needed to draw upon. Forced to admire Roger's technique as she grimly blocked and thrust, lunged and dodged, she couldn't help but think that it was too bad such an awful man was such a fine swordsman.
Seizing that brief moment when Roger switched swords, Alanna lunged in, slashing the Duke's right arm. Roger yelled in fury as Lightning nipped through muscle. Making an impossibly quick recovery, the Duke lunged back and struck. Alanna stumbled, and the tip of Duke Roger's sword sliced down her chest from collarbone to waist.
Almost instantly, her body went rigid. The pain was so great she felt as if she'd been shattered. Blackness swirled around her with the swiftness and ferocity of the demons in her dreams. She was falling... falling... Out of the corners of her eyes, she saw Alex's white face, Elijah and Bowen dash forward, Roger's crowing expression. Vaguely, she heard someone cry out her name as she sunk into the dark...
All the memories of her life swirled around her, too fast for her to see, choking her. Then the World fell away, and new one took its place... dark towers and skies, smoke and stone... This was the Realm of the Dead, and she was before the Lord of the Dead.
Even as he held out his hand, her mind grew number and number... Alanna peered stupidly up into his hooded cloak... Yes, now she would sleep forever... she took his hand--it was so cold, so deathly cold...
Then a brilliant violet light filled her vision. "No!" a voice cried, "It's not her time yet!" Something warm wrenched her hand away... She felt her consciousness return as the numbess ebbed away. "She's not ready to leave yet!! I won't let you take her away!!"
There was grumbling from the Lord of the Dead, and the deep voice responded... they argued, their voices rumbling louder and louder. The violet fire held her tightly... twisting her head around, she looked up at the glowing face.
"E-Elijah?"
Only it wasn't him. His face was the same, the one she'd been seeing for weeks, but it looked different to her now. Wonderingly, she ran her fingers over his smooth features. His eyes blazed with fire and definace... that look, it was so familiar... where had she seen it before? His mouth was set in a straight line of determination, his brow dipped in anger. Ordinary things--she'd seen them before so many times... Why did they look different to her now? Who did they remind her of??
"She's not ready to die!"
A curious feeling filled her chest. That's right--she wasn't. Alanna shook herself. Why was she so willing to sleep when there was so much to be done? She had a man to defeat... and she had Alex--she loved Alex, she realized, and there was nothing that would make her leave him willingly. Alanna struggled out of his grasp and stood on her own. She burned with violet flames, the fire of her living soul.
"Let me go!" she cried, and the voice that came out of her mouth was deep and strong and sure. Alanna clutched her ember. "I have to go back!"
She glared furiously at both the God and Elijah. He gazed at her with a peculiar, puzzled expression across his eyes. Elijah reached for her hand, and as she met it, a spark of white trembled through her entire body. Violet fire and violet fire merged...
And she knew.
As she held his hand, in this realm, her mind met his. Alanna saw his life as if she had lived it, she heard his thoughts as if they were her own. She had found him at last. She knew now why he was so familiar to her, why he reminded her of her father...
Elijah was her brother.
Elijah was Thom. She had found him. Alanna didn't have time to react before she was falling again, but falling up, rising out of death and back into the world of the living... as her mind grew clearer again, and she became aware of her battered body once more.
The pain hit her as soon as she awoke. It was all she felt as Alanna staggered to her feet. But she rose, and gritted her teeth.
"Duke Roger!" she spat, "You can't win by cheating!" Alanna snatched her sword even as she clutched her chest in pain.
Roger's snarl of fury surprised them all. "You DEMON!" he screamed. "You witch, you--"
Without warning, he lunged at her, his sword raised. Alanna blocked him and fought for her life. Roger attacked like a whirlwind, not giving her a chance to catch her breath.
Alanna's anger flared into life. He was her enemy; he had tried to kill these people, he had nearly killed HER, and HE was acting like the wronged one!
She set her jaw grimly. She had come here to bring Duke Roger of Conte to justice, and by the mother, that was what she was going to do.
Shouldering aside any pain she felt, Alanna brought Lightning up and around in a wide butterfly-sweep that slicked off a lock of Roger's hair. Switching her sword to he left hand, she attacked in earnest at last, bringing her blade down and around in a mirror image of the first butterfly-sweep, slicing Roger's belt. She came around with a back-handed slash that ripped open the Duke's tunic. Desperate, Roger blocked and fell back as she came on, a grim vision of death.
Suddenly a large orange cloud formed around the Duke. The watching nobles gasped and moved away as the cloud expanded, reaching for Alanna and for Jonathan and for King Roald beside Jonathan. Alanna saw the danger to the two men and forgot her own.
"The Goddess!" she yelled, leaping forward. Lightning struck the cloud, slicing it open to find Roger at its heart. The orange mass flared, blinding everyone watching. Alanna felt Lightning quiver. Roger screamed; and she truck again, harder. The sword cut even deeper this time as Alanna opened her eyes, blinking to clear her vision.
Roger stood, trying to pull her sword out of his body. A deep cut in his shoulder was bleeding fiercely. The duke stared wonderingly at Alanna as he slowly fell to the floor. Alanna jerked Lightning free of him, swaying over Roger's body, shaking with rage, fear and exhaustion.
She looked up. Everyone in the chamber stared at her with some kind of horror. For a minute she was afraid of herself.
She had killed the King's nephew. She had killed Duke Roger of Conte, the most powerful sorcerer in the Eastern Lands.
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She awoke in a hospital bed. Alanna couldn't remember how she got there, but Elijah was sitting at her bedside. She offered him a smile.
"Brother," she said wonderingly. Elijah laughed softly.
"Little sister. I can't believe I didn't realize it the first time I saw you," he said. Alanna nodded.
"I know; I feel so stupid for not having seen it earlier." She hesitated. "Should I still call you Elijah?"
"I suppose I'm Thom now," Elijah said thoughtfully. "Thom of Trebond, but I don't know who he is. Just another one of the many names that people call me. I'll always think of myself as Elijah; Elijah with no home, the Wayfarer."
Alanna felt pity and sadness for her newfound brother. "You're master of Trebond now. Our father left it in our will. You have a home now."
Elijah shook his head. "It's yours, Countess. The King's will overrules any will of your father's."
Alanna thought for a moment about Stanmore. She wouldn't have to worry about him taking Trebond away from her any more. Trebond was hers.
"Where will you go?" she asked as she sank back down onto her pillows. "Now that Duke Roger is gone?"
"I've always felt a connection with this land," Elijah said thougtfully. "I never knew why. That was why I protected Jonathan all these years. This land--Tortall... It's always felt more like home than any other place I've been." He smiled at her wryly. "And now I know it's because you were here. So I suppose I'll stay in Tortall a while longer. But then Vera and I must continue our work."
"I want to hear about your life," Alanna said. "Where you've been all these years... I think, what if we had grown up together..."
"We'd both be very different people then," Elijah said, almost wistfully. "I should have very much liked to have spent my childhood with you. You're an extraordinary character." He smoothed her hair. "But I'll tell you my stories some other time. At the moment, there is a man waiting anxiously outside for you."
"Alex!" Alanna sat straight up as he entered the room. His hair was uncombed and his face was lined with worry, his eyes red and tired, his clothing hopelessly rumpled. To Alanna, he had never looked better.
"Idiot," Alex said instantly, scowling.
"What?!"
"Worried me to death." Alex crossed the room in three strides and covered her face in kisses. "Stupid, stupid, Alanna. You're so stupid. I almost lost you. How could you do that to me?"
Alanna framed his face with her hands. "I love you, Alex," she told him, gazing into his black eyes, usually so hung in mystery... now they were alight with love. "I could never leave you. I almost lost YOU."
"I can't wait," Alex said, and sank to the floor on one knee.
"Wha?"
"Marry me, Alanna," Alex said, glasping her hands, and his face was ablaze with a fervent fire never Alanna had never seen before. "Never leave me again."
Alanna looked around at the bare hospital room and raised a coppery brow. "You couldn't have picked a more romantic setting?"
Disbelief overtook his features as a strange, hacking noise came from his throat. With a strangled cry, Alex lifted her out of the hospital bed and carried her down the corridor.
"Wait! Alex, I can't go out in this!" Alanna cried. "I'm wearing a nightgown! You can't--!"
Ignoring her, Alex swept her down several flights of steps and down into the gardens. Twirling her around, he set her down on a bench and plucked a flower from a nearby bush, a late bloomer still clinging to life even in winter.
"How's this for romantic?" He gestured to the royal gardens around them. Even in winter, they were still magnificent. A cool noonday sun shone above, clearing the clouds so usually present this time of year.
"Alex? It's freezing out here!"
"Marry me, Alanna," Alex repeated, holding the flower to his heart with theatric flair. Yet his eyes were serious and pleading. "Please say you will."
Gently, Alanna took the brittle flower from him and kissed him, once with passion, and once with love.
"I'm yours."
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SOOOOO glad THAT was over with! AHAHAHAHAAHA I finished the last chapter!!!! GOOOO me!!!!!!!!!!!
But it's not over yet...
I still have a MAJOR scene to do for the epilogue!!!!!!!!!!
But that should be quick and easy.... I'll have the epilogue up by next weekend AT THE LATEST.
THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR WAITING PATIENTLY FOR SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE YOU ALL. ^-^
It's rather ... out of it, concerning the style... most of this is like the original To Duel the Sorcerer, and I tried to immitate Tammy's style rather than write in my own... [I don't think I succeeded... =(] And as you can all see, it's been MONTHS since I've last written anything, so I'm rather, er, "out of it."
Chapter twenty-five--
Alanna found herself shaking as she dressed into Alex's old squire uniform. Since the rules of trial by combat forbade the wearing of armor, she donned a soft shirt, breeches and stockings; she wanted as much freedom of movement as possible. Her hands were shaking as she tried to tie back her hair.
"Calm down, Alanna," she told herself, breathing deeply. "You don't want her nerves on edge..."
Sitting down, she twisted Lightning around in her hands... here it was. She was about to meet her Death, with but a sword as her companion. Even though the Trial wasn't to be to the death, Alanna had a grim feeling that Roger was angry enough with her that he could very possibly kill her.
'Such dark thoughts,' Faithful commented as he washed himself. Alanna glared at him.
"Oh, so you can read my mind now? Hmph!" She sheathed Lightning and sighed. Faithful was right, though. It was useless simply moping around and lamenting the end of her life when there were more useful and important things she could be doing.
"Come in!" she called in answer to the knock on her door.
Jonathan, Bowen, Alex, Gary, and Elijah entered the room. Bowen took Lightning from her and began cleaning it while Alanna stretched. Her body was stiff and tense, and she had heard enough about Roger to know that he could beat her easily even if she were felling her best. That he was a sorcerer and not a trained knight was balanced by the fact that, for all she knew, he was sticking pins into a new image of her at that very moment.
Gary looked down at Alanna, who was touching her toes. "Remember everything I taught you," he said, his brow furrowed in worry.
"Keep my advice in mind as well," Bowen grunted from the corner. He handed Lightning back to Alanna, who clutched it tightly. Before she could respond, someone else knocked on Alanna's door. Alex opened it and admitted a heavily cloaked George.
A soft expression was in his eyes as he reached down to ruffle her hair with a gentle hand. "Do nothing foolish," he warned her, "and remember what I told you."
"Stop it," Alanna said. "The three of you are making me even more nervous than I already am."
George chuckled. "You should be nervous--I'd say somethin' was wrong with your head if you weren't."
A manswervant rapped on the door and opened it. "I've been sent to bring you to the Great Throne Room," he said unhappily, his gaze lingering on Alanna.
"Alanna and I will be with you in a moment," Alex told the others. They took the hint and followed the servant out into the hall, closing the door behind them. Alanna gave Alex a very pained smile that more resembled a grimace. Alex's brooding expression fell away, and he folded her in his arms.
"Be safe," he said, and Alanna heard the emotion in his voice that was so rarely expressed, usually hidden behind his cool mask. "I can't let anything happen to you..."
"This was all my choice," Alanna reminded him softly.
Alex squeezed her tightly. "I love you, Alanna," he said, and he let go of her to look into her eyes as he said it again. "I love you."
They joined the other men in the hall. No one spoke as they headed for the Great Throne room. Their only comments were in the tight holds Alex and Jonathan took on each of her shoulders, the worried looks George, Bowen, and Elijah wore. Matters were beyond words.
Alanna herself could think only that finally it had come to a head. 'It'll all be over and settled,' she thought as they strode into the Great Throne Room.
Roger already stood before the two thrones, naked sword in hand. She watched his eyes flicker over Alex with hate, and then linger maliciously on Jon.
"My liege," Alanna said, and bowed. She saw his look of surprise as he registered her attire. "My lady," she said to the queen, and bowed again. "I have decided that I will champion myself."
She raised her voice to be heard over the instantaneous uproar that followed. "Because I made the accusation, I thought it only fair. And no one else would dare challenge his Grace in a fight."
"Inconceivable!" King Roald roared, standing. "You are a woman!"
"A woman who can fight!" Alanna protested. "And I have made my decision--it is too late to find another champion now."
"Silence!" King Roald yelled over the court's clamour. "Then, if you cannot find a champion--"
"With all due respect, my liege," interuppted Duke Roger, "let the lady champion her own cause if she wishes." Alanna gaped at him. "She is right in that it is too late to find another champion. And I've heard she had a good teacher--young Sir Gareth himself."
There was a collection of gasps as Gary strode forward. "It's true, I did teach Alanna a few things about the sword. If she feels that she can oppose Duke Roger, then I feel that she is ready."
"You see, my liege? Let this Trial be over with. After all, the Countess Alanna is no ordinary woman," Duke Roger sneered, and Alanna caught the glint in his eye.
So, Roger WANTED her to fight him, Alanna realized. He wanted the chance to kill her, fairly. Very well, then.
King Roald stared at her for a long moment, weighing the situation in his mind. She saw him glance at Queen Lianne, who nodded. At last, he sighed and sank back into his seat. King Roald inclined his head.
"As you will, Countess."
Alanna hugged each of her friends one last time before stepping up beside Roger, Lightning unsheathed and ready for battle. Her heart pounded in her throat as the herald read the challenge. She could barely hear him; her attention was on the King and Queen, on Jon, standing beside his father now, and on Duke Gareth, standing beside his sister, the Queen. She felt a grim kind of triumph, thinking, 'Even if he kills me, I've won. I've planted the seed of doubt here; he'll never be trusted again.'
It was good to know she had accomplished something, even if Roger killed her. And it was good to know her friends were there, wanting her to win.
"Let the combat begin," Roald said quietly.
Alanna and Roger brought their swords up instantly. They circled, watching each other carefully. Roger feinted at Alanna several times, never intending to strike, instead trying to draw Alanna into an attack. Alanna smiled slightly. Roger was older than she was and more experienced in the ways of the world, but she could outwait him.
She was right. Roger attacked in earnest, thinking she was being overconfident. Alanna blocked his swing and dodged to the side, wincing as Lightning jarred against her sore hands.
Roger pursued the attack, trying to use up her energy. Alanna tried to dodge more and block less in order to spare herself, but the sorcerer was too quick. Pain wormed its way up her right arm and into her shoulder, and weariness put her timing off.
Suddenly she blinked. Had Roger switched his sword to his left hand, or was he carrying two swords? He couldn't possibley have two blades! She shook her head, trying to clear her eyes. Dimly she could hear Elijah yelling, "Fould! He's using an illusion!" But she knew no one would try to stop the fight now, for fear of getting her killed.
Only a lucky step saved her life as the Duke lunged at her. Thom was right: the Duke had placed an illusion-spell on himself so that Alanna couldn't tell which of his hands gripped the REAL sword and which held only the ghost of one. Alanna pulled the ember-stone from beneath her shirt with her free hand, thanking the Goddess for it. The illusion-sword now glowed oranged in her eyes. She blocked Roeger's real sword and thrust back, coming body-to-body with the Duke. This was a mistake; the larger, stronger man used his strength to force her slowly to her knees.
Alann gasped and broke, dropping to the floor and rolling away. Roger struck, ctutting her shoulder open as Alanna came to her feet. She dodged back, biting her lip angrily; he had changed his sword to his left hand! She thanked the Goddess the cut was not bad and gripped the ember-stone again.
The Duke switched hands several times, but she was able to follow the changing of real and imaginary swords with the help of the stone. They were coming to a time in the battle she was too familiar with: the time when lesser swordsmen began to gasp for air and to make mistakes, the time when she had to reach deep inside herself for strength she rarely needed to draw upon. Forced to admire Roger's technique as she grimly blocked and thrust, lunged and dodged, she couldn't help but think that it was too bad such an awful man was such a fine swordsman.
Seizing that brief moment when Roger switched swords, Alanna lunged in, slashing the Duke's right arm. Roger yelled in fury as Lightning nipped through muscle. Making an impossibly quick recovery, the Duke lunged back and struck. Alanna stumbled, and the tip of Duke Roger's sword sliced down her chest from collarbone to waist.
Almost instantly, her body went rigid. The pain was so great she felt as if she'd been shattered. Blackness swirled around her with the swiftness and ferocity of the demons in her dreams. She was falling... falling... Out of the corners of her eyes, she saw Alex's white face, Elijah and Bowen dash forward, Roger's crowing expression. Vaguely, she heard someone cry out her name as she sunk into the dark...
All the memories of her life swirled around her, too fast for her to see, choking her. Then the World fell away, and new one took its place... dark towers and skies, smoke and stone... This was the Realm of the Dead, and she was before the Lord of the Dead.
Even as he held out his hand, her mind grew number and number... Alanna peered stupidly up into his hooded cloak... Yes, now she would sleep forever... she took his hand--it was so cold, so deathly cold...
Then a brilliant violet light filled her vision. "No!" a voice cried, "It's not her time yet!" Something warm wrenched her hand away... She felt her consciousness return as the numbess ebbed away. "She's not ready to leave yet!! I won't let you take her away!!"
There was grumbling from the Lord of the Dead, and the deep voice responded... they argued, their voices rumbling louder and louder. The violet fire held her tightly... twisting her head around, she looked up at the glowing face.
"E-Elijah?"
Only it wasn't him. His face was the same, the one she'd been seeing for weeks, but it looked different to her now. Wonderingly, she ran her fingers over his smooth features. His eyes blazed with fire and definace... that look, it was so familiar... where had she seen it before? His mouth was set in a straight line of determination, his brow dipped in anger. Ordinary things--she'd seen them before so many times... Why did they look different to her now? Who did they remind her of??
"She's not ready to die!"
A curious feeling filled her chest. That's right--she wasn't. Alanna shook herself. Why was she so willing to sleep when there was so much to be done? She had a man to defeat... and she had Alex--she loved Alex, she realized, and there was nothing that would make her leave him willingly. Alanna struggled out of his grasp and stood on her own. She burned with violet flames, the fire of her living soul.
"Let me go!" she cried, and the voice that came out of her mouth was deep and strong and sure. Alanna clutched her ember. "I have to go back!"
She glared furiously at both the God and Elijah. He gazed at her with a peculiar, puzzled expression across his eyes. Elijah reached for her hand, and as she met it, a spark of white trembled through her entire body. Violet fire and violet fire merged...
And she knew.
As she held his hand, in this realm, her mind met his. Alanna saw his life as if she had lived it, she heard his thoughts as if they were her own. She had found him at last. She knew now why he was so familiar to her, why he reminded her of her father...
Elijah was her brother.
Elijah was Thom. She had found him. Alanna didn't have time to react before she was falling again, but falling up, rising out of death and back into the world of the living... as her mind grew clearer again, and she became aware of her battered body once more.
The pain hit her as soon as she awoke. It was all she felt as Alanna staggered to her feet. But she rose, and gritted her teeth.
"Duke Roger!" she spat, "You can't win by cheating!" Alanna snatched her sword even as she clutched her chest in pain.
Roger's snarl of fury surprised them all. "You DEMON!" he screamed. "You witch, you--"
Without warning, he lunged at her, his sword raised. Alanna blocked him and fought for her life. Roger attacked like a whirlwind, not giving her a chance to catch her breath.
Alanna's anger flared into life. He was her enemy; he had tried to kill these people, he had nearly killed HER, and HE was acting like the wronged one!
She set her jaw grimly. She had come here to bring Duke Roger of Conte to justice, and by the mother, that was what she was going to do.
Shouldering aside any pain she felt, Alanna brought Lightning up and around in a wide butterfly-sweep that slicked off a lock of Roger's hair. Switching her sword to he left hand, she attacked in earnest at last, bringing her blade down and around in a mirror image of the first butterfly-sweep, slicing Roger's belt. She came around with a back-handed slash that ripped open the Duke's tunic. Desperate, Roger blocked and fell back as she came on, a grim vision of death.
Suddenly a large orange cloud formed around the Duke. The watching nobles gasped and moved away as the cloud expanded, reaching for Alanna and for Jonathan and for King Roald beside Jonathan. Alanna saw the danger to the two men and forgot her own.
"The Goddess!" she yelled, leaping forward. Lightning struck the cloud, slicing it open to find Roger at its heart. The orange mass flared, blinding everyone watching. Alanna felt Lightning quiver. Roger screamed; and she truck again, harder. The sword cut even deeper this time as Alanna opened her eyes, blinking to clear her vision.
Roger stood, trying to pull her sword out of his body. A deep cut in his shoulder was bleeding fiercely. The duke stared wonderingly at Alanna as he slowly fell to the floor. Alanna jerked Lightning free of him, swaying over Roger's body, shaking with rage, fear and exhaustion.
She looked up. Everyone in the chamber stared at her with some kind of horror. For a minute she was afraid of herself.
She had killed the King's nephew. She had killed Duke Roger of Conte, the most powerful sorcerer in the Eastern Lands.
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She awoke in a hospital bed. Alanna couldn't remember how she got there, but Elijah was sitting at her bedside. She offered him a smile.
"Brother," she said wonderingly. Elijah laughed softly.
"Little sister. I can't believe I didn't realize it the first time I saw you," he said. Alanna nodded.
"I know; I feel so stupid for not having seen it earlier." She hesitated. "Should I still call you Elijah?"
"I suppose I'm Thom now," Elijah said thoughtfully. "Thom of Trebond, but I don't know who he is. Just another one of the many names that people call me. I'll always think of myself as Elijah; Elijah with no home, the Wayfarer."
Alanna felt pity and sadness for her newfound brother. "You're master of Trebond now. Our father left it in our will. You have a home now."
Elijah shook his head. "It's yours, Countess. The King's will overrules any will of your father's."
Alanna thought for a moment about Stanmore. She wouldn't have to worry about him taking Trebond away from her any more. Trebond was hers.
"Where will you go?" she asked as she sank back down onto her pillows. "Now that Duke Roger is gone?"
"I've always felt a connection with this land," Elijah said thougtfully. "I never knew why. That was why I protected Jonathan all these years. This land--Tortall... It's always felt more like home than any other place I've been." He smiled at her wryly. "And now I know it's because you were here. So I suppose I'll stay in Tortall a while longer. But then Vera and I must continue our work."
"I want to hear about your life," Alanna said. "Where you've been all these years... I think, what if we had grown up together..."
"We'd both be very different people then," Elijah said, almost wistfully. "I should have very much liked to have spent my childhood with you. You're an extraordinary character." He smoothed her hair. "But I'll tell you my stories some other time. At the moment, there is a man waiting anxiously outside for you."
"Alex!" Alanna sat straight up as he entered the room. His hair was uncombed and his face was lined with worry, his eyes red and tired, his clothing hopelessly rumpled. To Alanna, he had never looked better.
"Idiot," Alex said instantly, scowling.
"What?!"
"Worried me to death." Alex crossed the room in three strides and covered her face in kisses. "Stupid, stupid, Alanna. You're so stupid. I almost lost you. How could you do that to me?"
Alanna framed his face with her hands. "I love you, Alex," she told him, gazing into his black eyes, usually so hung in mystery... now they were alight with love. "I could never leave you. I almost lost YOU."
"I can't wait," Alex said, and sank to the floor on one knee.
"Wha?"
"Marry me, Alanna," Alex said, glasping her hands, and his face was ablaze with a fervent fire never Alanna had never seen before. "Never leave me again."
Alanna looked around at the bare hospital room and raised a coppery brow. "You couldn't have picked a more romantic setting?"
Disbelief overtook his features as a strange, hacking noise came from his throat. With a strangled cry, Alex lifted her out of the hospital bed and carried her down the corridor.
"Wait! Alex, I can't go out in this!" Alanna cried. "I'm wearing a nightgown! You can't--!"
Ignoring her, Alex swept her down several flights of steps and down into the gardens. Twirling her around, he set her down on a bench and plucked a flower from a nearby bush, a late bloomer still clinging to life even in winter.
"How's this for romantic?" He gestured to the royal gardens around them. Even in winter, they were still magnificent. A cool noonday sun shone above, clearing the clouds so usually present this time of year.
"Alex? It's freezing out here!"
"Marry me, Alanna," Alex repeated, holding the flower to his heart with theatric flair. Yet his eyes were serious and pleading. "Please say you will."
Gently, Alanna took the brittle flower from him and kissed him, once with passion, and once with love.
"I'm yours."
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SOOOOO glad THAT was over with! AHAHAHAHAAHA I finished the last chapter!!!! GOOOO me!!!!!!!!!!!
But it's not over yet...
I still have a MAJOR scene to do for the epilogue!!!!!!!!!!
But that should be quick and easy.... I'll have the epilogue up by next weekend AT THE LATEST.
THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR WAITING PATIENTLY FOR SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE YOU ALL. ^-^