A/N I suck, I apologize profusely for the long wait (hey it was less than two years!). Here is a new chappie half of which I wrote tonight the other half of which has be sitting around for about umm, let's say ten months (really I started this chappie right after my last update (hangs head in shame). Now, I'm incredible lazy and I feel awful but I won't do individual thanks for this chappie, because ummm, I was looking at the reviews and when you leave a story for over a year the reviews kinda add up, but thank you SO much everyone who reviewed! I love all of you and that's why I haven't totally abandoned this ficcy! I hope you haven't abandoned it either! Please read and review, and enjoy. Hopefully I'll keep at it.
Also for people who are interested in my other pieces of writing (I am not Kalle, Kalle is my ex-roommate, I am actually Aer), I have actually finished Amber Fire (which is my really big Tamora Pierce fic), and I have just started uploading my screenplay to the Twelve Dancing Princesses (which is completed on my computer and so will hopefully be updated daily!). Again 10000000 apologies about the long wait.
Chapter IX: Trusting Strangers
Roger looked suspiciously at his mistress. She was sitting in front of the vanity table covering her bruises with make-up. She turned and smiled at him her radiant smile. Roger melted a little, but still there was a nagging doubt in his mind. He trusted her too much. The doubt remained as he watched her get up. She walked up to him and kissed his chin.
"Forgive me Roger," she said submissively. Roger looked down into her bright blue eyes. He brushed a lock of blonde hair off her cheek.
"You won't go wandering the passages again," he said. She lowered her eyes.
"No, Roger, not if you don't want me to. I could never do anything that would hurt you." She kissed his neck, and then his lips found their way to hers.
"Then you are forgiven," he said as he lead her back to their bed chamber.
Thom shielded by his gift watched the exchange with interest, then ran down the passage back to Gary's apartments. As he exited through the hidden door an arm grabbed him and a hand covered his mouth.
"Not a sound," Gary voice breathed into his ear. "The guards are searching my study. They believe I'm asleep." Thom nodded, and was released. Gary had gripped his arm so hard that it left bruises. Thom rubbed it, then signed to Gary asking him if he wanted him to spy on the proceedings. Gary shook his head. They heard the guard stealthily going through the drawers in Gary's desk and probing it for secret panels. Then the quiet sound of bayonets cutting through the fabric on chairs, pillows, sofas and curtains. Then all noise ceased. Gary and Thom sat in silence for a few more minutes, then carefully rose, and opened the door. The study was a mess.
"It is as if someone opened a chaos vent in here," Thom said in amazement, but after the words left his mouth he noticed an order in the chaos, a precision that the guards were not capable of. "Don't touch it!" he said as Gary moved towards his desk. Thom closed his eyes, and sent a net of his gift over the room when he opened his eyes the room was enveloped by a black shadow, only here and there Thom's violet gift showed through. He sent his power gently down the warp of his net, and carefully looked at the spell. It was powerful and dark, and, Thom shocked at this, deadly. It was an assassin's spell. He thought back to the books on the dark arts he had read.
"Viper's tooth?" he questioned, "no, the scorpion's tail? No not right." He probed it cautiously "Toad! The toad of of of something." He looked at his knight master. "It is an assassin's spell, the Toad of something. I forget which exactly it is." Gary stared at his young squire in disbelief. Thom smiled cynically. "What? I'm good for something? I knew you wouldn't believe it." They backed out of the study. "The fact is that while all you idiots were studying things that had no practical use I was studying magic. I am one of the most powerful mages in the palace, perhaps the world," he said not without a little pride.
"How long will I have to wait before I can go into my study again?" Gary asked.
"A few days, but as it is the only exit we will have to come up with a reason why you are confined to your chamber," Thom said. "You aren't supposed to be able to find out where a Toad of SCANRA, Toad of Scanra that's it, has been cast, and I'm supposedly giftless. I could misfire the spell, it should only effect you, if it has been executed correctly, and we could say that you are ill and confined to your rooms. That way Roger will punish his assassin not us, but you must not on any pretext enter your main study for at least two days."
*~*~*
Alanna looked nervously down at the kitten, whose innocent violet eyes returned her wary gaze.
"I guess when the gods meddle with me I should expect something like this," Alanna muttered under her breath.
"Of course you should have," the kitten purred matter of factly. A knock came at the door, and Alanna threw a blanket over the kitten, who hissed in surprise, "Watch it!" Alanna opened the door on an out of breath novice.
"Mother Lokisk needs you in the reception hall."
"Just a minute," Alanna said. "I need to get changed." The novice bowed and left the room. Alanna walked over to her bed and uncovered the kitten again. She sat up and primly started to wash herself. Alanna turned to her mirror, and ran a brush through her copper curls. "Stay here," she said firmly to the affronted cat.
"Why should I?"
"Because we aren't allowed pets," Alanna hissed back.
"All the more reason for me to introduce myself now," was the smooth reply. "It is always much more inconvenient explaining the presence of contraband when it has been here a while, you will be much more likely to be able to keep me if you introduce me to the Mistress' priestess on arrival, shall we say. She won't take me away from you when she sees who I am, I promise that."
"And who are you?" Alanna asked annoyed at the kitten's good sense.
"Well you can name me, I am merely one of the Mistress' cats."
"I have a name for you, Nemesis. That is who you are. Come along Nemesis, it isn't wise to keep Mother Lokisk waiting," Alanna said with a slight mocking edge to her voice. Nemesis jumped off the bed, and sauntered out of the room tail high.
"Dogs come," she said with a sniff. Alanna laughed at the affronted kitten, and decided that she would make a good companion. They walked down the hallway together until they reached the reception hall. When they entered Alanna stopped dead staring at George.
"You!" she said, but he interupted her smoothly.
"Alanna, you remember me, I say you have grown since the last time I saw you, that was simply ages ago. Before your cousin Ela was even born. Ela, go hug your cousin Alanna." Before Alanna knew what was happening Ela had wrapped her little arms around her waist. Alanna was stunned, but she managed to pat Ela on the head.
"Alanna, Georges of Voleur has traveled here to see if this will be a suitable place for his daughter. He says he is your father's cousin, and so I thought that it would be best if you showed him around," Mother Lokisk interjected coolly. Alanna met George's eyes then turned to Mother Lokisk.
"Yes, of course I would. My father has told me many stories about the mischief you two would get into. It is wonderful to see you again!" She ran up to him, and kissed him on the cheek. Mother Lokisk took this all in quietly, and decided that probably this young widower was not dangerous to the school.
Ela had in turn found Nemesis, and sat on the flagstones playing with the black and white Magpie cat contentedly.
A/T
