Alanna and Jon were out riding in the Royal Forest on a leisurely
afternoon. After a while, they brought Moonlight and Darkness down to a
walk and started to chat.
"So," said the King, "how long are you back for this time?"
"I don't know," answered the Lioness. "It all depends on - "
She stopped in mid-sentence. There was a surprised look on her face.
"Alanna?" said Jon worriedly. He caught her as she fell out of her saddle,
a black arrow sticking out of her back.
The King wheeled around to face the attackers, but the two men were
fleeing. He started to go after them but realized he didn't have time.
Jonathan seized Alanna's wrist, searching for a pulse. When he was
satisfied that it was there, though weak and slow, he told Moonlight to
follow him, hoping the horse would obey. He didn't have enough hands to
hold the reins of two horses without dropping Alanna. The horse needed no
urging to follow her mistress. The two horses galloped at top speed back to
the palace.
Alanna was drowning in a sea of gray. People were approaching her. Big Thor. Thom. Liam. Even Duke Roger. "What are you doing here?" she asked, confused. "I thought you were all dead." "We are," answered her twin. He floated away into the darkness before Alanna could question him further. "Wait!" she cried. "Come back! What's happening? Why am I here?" She tried to run after Thom, but found that her legs wouldn't obey her. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder "Hush, my child," said the voice of the Great Mother Goddess. "I am here with you. I cannot influence where this journey will take you, but I can ease the way." Alanna felt a wave of warmth wash over her. The hand was gone. Or perhaps she just couldn't feel it anymore. "Thank you," she murmured. Then she knew no more.
Alanna was drowning in a sea of gray. People were approaching her. Big Thor. Thom. Liam. Even Duke Roger. "What are you doing here?" she asked, confused. "I thought you were all dead." "We are," answered her twin. He floated away into the darkness before Alanna could question him further. "Wait!" she cried. "Come back! What's happening? Why am I here?" She tried to run after Thom, but found that her legs wouldn't obey her. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder "Hush, my child," said the voice of the Great Mother Goddess. "I am here with you. I cannot influence where this journey will take you, but I can ease the way." Alanna felt a wave of warmth wash over her. The hand was gone. Or perhaps she just couldn't feel it anymore. "Thank you," she murmured. Then she knew no more.
