Aether Winds
Chapter eight- Light Asunder
By- IceWind
A/N:
This is my first fanfic for The Protector of the Small books by Tamora Pierce. The names, places, things, ect, all are credited to her. This fanfic is set in an alternate universe. I.E: Joren is NOT dead, Cleon and Kel are not together (hehe), and other incidents that have I messed up on and don't feel like making it exactly like the book. Please REVIEW *grins* and as long as its not flames on how Kel and Cleon should be together or something of that trivial nature, flames are fine. This story is PG-13 for anything that might come up lol.
IceWind: *she comes up beaming a silly smile* guess what? Raen's speaking to me again!
Raen: *smirk* Only because I know when your going to put me in.
Kaori: *snickers gleefully* Yeah!
IceWind: *she glares at them both* what??? You two are soooo mean! *she sniffs*
Raen: *chuckles* aww Mistress, don't be sad.
IceWind: *grins* OK! *turns to the readers* Hey people! Thanks to…
Larzdinn: Yup! And ok! Me change it to… cherry pie! Lol. I'm an amazing author… wow…. That's so KEWL! Hehe ^.^ Yeah, Kel's unconscious *pouts* makes me sad… ooooo I like writing cliffies! They're fun!
Keladry of Queenscove: *sticks out her tongue playfully* I can leave it there because I am the almighty authoress! Hehe ^.~
Jaya: *goes big eyed* HUH?? And thanks for telling me that Joren doesn't! I can continue with my sinister plan! *snickers*
Lady Kit: Yeah! Me add more! In fact… this is a new chapter! Lol.
Anne: *pouts* you could write a little more… but you wrote so its ok! Hehe.
Ti-Ti: awww thanks! And I don't know, soon maybe *shrugs* I haven't decided yet.
Silver Raven: Yeah its ok! I mean, the last chapter was kinda slow in coming out because of MY school and my parents…. *grumbles under her breath* but I try to find some time! OOO my grammar is good huh? Well in the story, not very much in my authors notes! SOMEONE noticed my poem/prophecy thing! KEWL! You made my day! *happy face*
Still Wishin: You will find out soon! (I hope lol) I've got to think of a way to introduce the idea gradually… or maybe I'll just plop it into your laps for you guys to digest! ^.^ and I'm hurrying! (or at least trying to, I have midterms ya know) *gags*
Xelena: ….awww… sorry, but that means your going to hate this chapter to! It's another cliffy! *giggles*
Jarna Hill: *huggies her* Someone's on my side! So there Kaori! *the rabblite snickers and ignores her* You like my poem? Kewl! (I wrote it in school… -_-;) I was BORED, can you guys blame me?
Ok people! I think that's it… oh yeah, NO MORE SUMMARIES unless you are completely confused, as you noticed… I stink at them! ^.^ stories are SOOO much easier to write, right? *smiles* YAY! People reviewed! Come on people you GOTTA review to make Icey happy! You don't want a SAD Icey do you? I'm asking for 9 reviews again! Anywayz… onto the story!
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Joren tensed up, still holding Kel in his arms, he asked tersely at the guards and Darial, "Why are you here?" His ice blue eyes were cold and held almost no emotion, he shifted Kel in his arms, trying to get into a more comfortable position, wondering idly to himself if he'd be able to beat eight guards and a weapon master by himself, damn Kel for getting me into this precarious position, how am I supposed to fight and help her at the same time? He shook his head, eyes burning coldly into Darial's, no matter how good I am I'm not an idiot, I cannot beat them all by myself.
Darial looked at Joren expressionlessly, he held his sword casually, unlike the eight tense guards behind him, "You are under arrest by order of King Balor."
He spat out angrily, "Charges?"
"Espionage against the crown, sentence is most likely death pending the trial."
Joren snorted, yeah right, trial. Ha don't make me laugh, they'd convict us anyway. He asked with calm that he did not truly feel, "What if I refuse?"
Darial said, deadpanned, "Your death and since your partner is not even conscious, she will be taken and held as a captive."
A quick look down at Kel told Joren all that he needed to know, fuck I have no choice at all. I don't give jack shit about Mindelan, but she might squeal under the torture they would put her through. He glared at Darial and muttered, "Fine, let's go," he stood up, carrying the limp Kel in his arms.
Darial watched them as his guards formed a barrier around the two, he asked with slight interest, "If I may, can I ask how Sir Mindelan fell unconscious, we expected a fight when I caught up to you two."
Joren snarled out, shifting Kel in his arms again, whose head fell against his right shoulder comfortably, "Like you don't know."
He looked at Joren and raised a brow, slight amusement showing in his emerald green eyes, "No we do not, we prefer to take in our enemies alive" he thought to himself and said delicately, "and conscious."
He earned himself a glare from Joren, "She got shot by an arrow through her right shoulder by some assassin." I am not going to tell him that the arrow was aimed for me and by some miracle Kel jumped in the way… damn her.
Darial frowned slightly as he and his men mounted their horses. Arctic Wind and Demon Wind were held with lead ropes connecting them to two of the guard's saddles, they horses shuffled and both looked nervous at the sight of the men. Arctic snorted and stamped the ground with her hoof while Demon whinnied loudly and shook his head, both of their eyes unhappy. He didn't say more on the subject of the assassin as the men surrounded the two with their own horses and began to force Joren to walk back to the castle, they couldn't take the chance that he would gallop away on a horse.
Joren walked stoically towards the castle, nothing in his expression betraying that his arms or legs might be tired from carrying Kel. Silently to himself he began to assess the situation he was in, hmmm… the guards are very well trained, they hardly made a sound since the beginning, his ice blue eyes narrowed slightly, damn, I don't see anyway to escape, especially with Kel in my arms like this.
Involuntarily he looked down at his prone partner, a frown tugging on his lips at the site of her pale face lying on his shoulder. Her eyes were closed and her face was ashen, due to the blood lose when the arrow was still in her arm. That was a mistake in judgment on his part, if they had stopped, maybe she would still be conscious, but since they continued riding the blood pumped out faster due to all the activity of the moving horse. Damn girl, she was too proud to tell me that she was seriously hurt.
So Joren donned on an expressionless face and walked slowly towards his… no, their, fate that was awaiting them at the royal palace of Scanra.
~
As they reached the palace, Kel was still unconscious, and Joren didn't know why. His face creased in agitation as he looked at her no worry on his face, or annoyance for that matter.
Darial and his men dismounted, three of them left to take care of the horses and return to the stables while the other five continued to form a ring around Joren and Kel. Darial glanced at Joren and his burden, asking, "Why is she still unconscious?"
Joren said bitingly at him, "I just started to take care of her wounds when you guys showed up and made me walk all the way here."
He paused for a second and muttered, "I'm sorry."
Surprise showed on Joren's face before it quickly disappeared, he asked coldly, "Why?"
Darial frowned and chose not to answer, his men seemingly ignoring the entire exchange between them. Instead he began to issue orders, "Thomas!" One of the guards stepped forward and faced him, "Go tell King Balor that we have arrived with the prisoners." The young man nodded and disappeared down into one of the halls, walking quickly towards the throne room. Darial turned to one of the remaining four men, "Andrew!" A tall heavyset man stepped up to him.
"Sir!"
"Go take the prisoners to the lower dungeons, make sure that they don't try anything."
Andrew looked at the slightly tired Joren and the unconscious Kel before turning back to Darial and saying, "Yes Sir!" He motioned Joren with his sword and began to move him towards the dungeons. As they were leaving Darial yet again turned to another man, "Eric."
"Sir?"
"Go to the healers and get some gauze and disinfectant for Sir Mindelan."
A confused Eric asked again, "Sir?"
"Just do it!"
"Yes Sir!" he left quickly, not questioning his superiors orders.
Darial watched his retreating back thoughtfully before turning around and walking slowly to where he knew the King would be.
~
Andrew opened the dungeon door and motioned with his sword, "Get in."
Joren gave a glare at him, but since he couldn't do anything about it he complied with the man's order. Kel was at this point giving a soft moan in pain, slowly coming back into consciousness. He quickly placed her on the ground, carefully though so she wasn't jostled on her hurt shoulder's side. Andrew shut the iron door and locked it, making sure that they couldn't escape, while Joren looked around distastefully at the dungeon's poor conditions, well… it's not like I expected them to put us in their best rooms for that matter.
Voices reached his ears, outside of the dungeon door. He looked up from where he was kneeling by Kel side and was greeted by the site of a man with some things in his hands. Joren asked coldly, "What do you want?"
Eric glared at the man before him, but orders were orders. He walked inside the dungeon cell that Andrew was currently guarding and put down near Joren some medical supplies. Saying nothing he walked out of the cell and back to his duties, Andrew locking the door behind him.
Joren raised a brow at the door, but said nothing more, turning his attention to the things that the man had set down on the ground near him and Kel. His eyes quickly took in the medical supplies, humph at least they do this much.
A soft moan broke his train of thought and Joren glanced down at his side to where Kel laid. She started to move slowly and her eyes opened slightly, looking up at him, "Joren? What…?" she took a look around at their surroundings before turning back to Joren with confused eyes, "Where are we?"
He answered her with calm; "We are in the lower dungeons in the castle of Scanra."
"What?!" she struggled to get up, a blank mask over her face to hide her pain, doing as the Yamani people had taught her.
Joren pushed her down lightly, sternly saying, "Stay still, we don't want your wound to get infected," at that he took up the medical supplies and began to doctor her wounds, carefully wrapping the bandages around her arm, trying not to move it to much.
Kel looked at him with wonder; he's being sorta nice for once… She tried asking him, "How did we get caught? Why?"
His eyes narrowed in concentration he answered her absentmindedly, "We were at the lake, you were hurt and I was tending to your wounds," Joren looked at her with a slight smirk, "Remember, you got shot with an arrow."
She scowled at him slightly, "You could at least thank me you know."
"Whatever."
She sighed; knowing that it was as close to a thank you as she would probably get, "Continue please."
He gave a slight nod; "Well while I was doing that, Darial and eight guards came to us with swords, seeing as you were hurt and I couldn't do anything to defend myself because of that…" he glared at her slightly.
Annoyance flared in her eyes, save a guy's life and he starts complaining how I was to hurt for us to fight…. Not that I didn't expect anything different I suppose.
He continued, "Darial said that we were to be taken prisoners under the charges of espionage."
Kel gave a soft gasp, "How did they find out?"
Joren shrugged, "So I picked you up and carried you to the castle… Mindelan, do you know how fricken heavy you are?"
All he got was a glare from her.
~
"You have been charged with the crime of espionage against the crown," Kel and Joren looked at the King emotionlessly, both not saying anything.
To Kel's annoyance, Radock was there, watching her with something akin to shock, what a moron, she gave a convert glance around herself, evaluating her and Joren's position.
King Balor continued speaking, "Do you have anything to say for yourself in defense? King Jonathon of Tortall claims that he has no connection to either of you."
Joren's hands clenched and he narrowed his eyes, "No."
With her blank Yamani's face Kel echoed his reply. Around the small room the eager spectators watched them, wondering if they would try to do anything, and if they did, would they succeed. Darial stood next to the King, tense and wary, knowing that if they had a good opportunity to kill the king they would do it now.
Balor intoned solemnly, "The evidence is mounted against you both, the sentence is death. Do you accept?" not that it matters if they accept or not…
Joren gave a sharp glare at the king, wishing he could do something, anything to get out of this. So instead he just settled upon not answering at all.
Kel gave a glance at him out of the corner of her eye and followed his lead. Inwardly she sighed to herself; I DON'T want to die! Maybe… maybe I shouldn't have accepted the assignment. But what else could I have done? Now Joren and I are going to die, goddess, life sucks right now. As if it wasn't bad enough having an arrow shot through my arm, I die the next day.
"You shall die at sunset tomorrow," the king watched them, no pity at all in his eyes. Balor had his duty to uphold and nothing can bar his way from doing so, "Take them away."
Several guards stepped forward and began to shove and push Joren and Kel towards the dungeon once again. They struggled slightly, but not to much to give any guard great concern, they were about to face their deaths anyway so what's the use of killing them now, was what ran through their minds.
Radock looked at Kel's retreating back, appearing to be in deep thought before he turned around and walked away.
~
They sat in the dungeon once again, well not really sitting, Joren was pacing around glaring angrily at anything around him, while Kel was leaning against a wall just watching him. Finally, not able to take any more of his pacing she interrupted his thoughts, "Damn Stone! Sit down and we'll think of a way out of this!"
He whirled around and faced her, cold ice blue eyes staring into her hazel ones; sarcastically he answered her, "Sure we will Mindelan! We'll just take on every guard in the palace, defeating them all easily of course, then go find Balor and he'll tell us everything just because he wants to! Then he'll go tell his people that we're to be let go and free back to Tortall!"
Kel leveled a cold glare at him, "Maybe we should."
Joren stared at her for a moment and smirk, leaning against the wall wearily, "Whatever, do you have a plan?" he gave a look around, "at least I won't be in this hell hole for long if we die tomorrow."
She clenched her fists; "Look there has to be a way out of this…"
"How Mindelan? Have you noticed yet that we are locked up and that you are HURT?"
Finally she blew up at him, her Yamani mask dropping like it never was there in the first place, "AT LEAST I'M TRYING! I WISH AS MUCH AS YOU DO THAT WE WERE GONE FROM THIS FUCKING PLACE! I WISH I COULD JUST TAKE ARCTIC WIND AND DEMON WIND AND WE'D ALL GO TO SOME FAR AWAY PLACE WHERE WE WOULDN'T DIE! I WISH THAT MY ARM WASN'T HURT ANYMORE! I'M TIRED OF IT ALL JOREN!"
Joren looked at her strangely, silent for once, just watching her with a curious look on his face.
Kel spat our angrily, "What?"
"Look down," his voice was quiet.
Her anger drained away at her as she looked at him in confusion, Kel complied and gave a glance down to where the tear drop necklace was shining a bright white, "What the…." It grew brighter and brighter, she and Joren were wrapped in a comforting and warm light, it invaded their senses and left them feeling peaceful and comforted. When it finally faded the duo had disappeared from the dungeon cell.
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A/N:
IceWind: I'm so EVIL! I left it at a cliffhanger again! ^.^
Raen: *smirks and does a dance*
Kaori: *goes bug eyed at him* why are you so happy?
Raen: *grins at her* I'm coming up! I'm coming up!
IceWind: *slams a hand over his muzzle* SHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! *she turns to the readers* hey people! Do you guys like the story so far? Huh??? To tell the truth I LOVED writing this chapter! (well some parts were not that great, like the scene with Balor and the sentencing… err yeah)
Kaori: *sneers at her* they don't care about you, they only answer you because they PITY you!
IceWind: *snarls at her and grabs her by the ears* Stupid Rabblite.
Raen: *watches them solemnly before turning to the readers. Behind him, IceWind and Kaori began to fight once again* Well… I guess this is goodbye! Ja!
My e-mail address is flyby311@hotmail.com and put Aether Winds, so I know what the e-mail is about. Anything you want to add/criticize/comment/whatever you guys just review it… please? Thanks for listening to me ramble for that you get a cherry pie *hands person a cherry pie*
Raen and Kaori (hizar and rabblite) are MINE! GET IT? MINE!!! *they sweatdrop in the background* no stealing or else I'll blow you up! MWAHAHAHA! Also any other made up characters in the story are mine to, if you want to use any of them please ask before doing so, same goes for Raen and Kaori. ALSO, the poems that appear in the story are also mine (duh) I'll tell you if I use any that aren't. BYE NOW!