Chapter Two: Damn You, Numair!
Waking up to a man's arm flung across her chest and another's leg across hers was not exactly what Keladry of Mindelan expected when she opened her eyes to start another difficult day at Corus. In fact, it was downright discouraging. The one good thing about it was that the arm belonged to Domitan of Masbolle, and the leg belonged to Faleron of King's Reach, two of the handsomest bachelors in Tortall. At least, if word gets out that she spent the night with a whole shit-load of men, she could brag that two of them were the infamous Dom and Faleron.
"Wonderful," Kel muttered after struggling for a moment and realizing she was pinned down not only by Dom's arm and Faleron's leg, but also by Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau's entire weight on her feet.
"Did you say something?" Quinden of Marti's Hill mumbled, his voice muffled because of the pillow.
"No," Wyldon of Cavall said.
"I wasn't talking to you, limp-nuts," Quinden barked.
"I BEG YOUR PARDON?"
"Nothing."
"No, you said something!"
"I did not. Keladry did."
"Kel didn't say nothing," Owen of Jesslaw murmured sleepily. "It was you."
"At least we have light," Alanna said.
"True."
"Dom, your breath stinks."
"Sorry."
"No you're not."
"You're right, I'm not."
"Weenie."
"Did you just call me a weenie?!"
"Why, as a matter of fact, I did."
Nealan of Queenscove stirred in the plushy chair he shared with a bleary- eyed Merric of Hollyrose and mumbled something about a banana.
Kel kneed Faleron's leg off her, kicked Alanna, and pinched Dom's arm to sit up and survey the room. On the floor beside her Prince Roald of Conte was curled fast asleep in a tight ball. Wyldon was sprawled on the floor in front of the chair Neal and Merric occupied. By the look on his face she figured he must realize the risk of having one, or both, of them fall on him, but he was too comfortable to move. Owen was half-awake on the table. Quinden was facedown in a pillow on the sofa. Esmond of Nicoline had his head under the bed, with his feet sticking out. Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak had made himself a messy nest of blankets at the foot of the bed to sleep in. Drool ran down his face.
I'm sure Buri is excited about their upcoming marriage, Kel thought wryly.
Seaver of Tasride let out a child's snore and rolled over. He was squished in a shelf that was not yet full of books. Cleon of Kennan was napping peacefully with his head in the wastebasket and his feet propped up on Roald's head.
"WAKE UP!" Kel screamed.
Neal yelped and bolted up, knocking Merric off him and on Wyldon in the process. Owen gasped and rolled off the table, on the wastebasket Cleon's head was in and flattening it. Cleon jerked his legs, kicking poor Roald, trying frantically to free himself from the basket stuck on his head. Esmond sat up and squealed when his head hit the bed. Dom rolled off onto Esmond's legs, Faleron rolled off onto Roald, and Alanna rolled off onto Raoul. Seaver wailed because he was stuck in the shelf. The only ones escaping the havoc were Quinden and Kel, who had joined him on the couch as soon as Neal made a noise.
"Oops," she said.
"Personally, I think it's all very funny," he replied.
"You would."
"Do you want to go to the mess hall and eat?"
"And leave these confused people all by themselves to try to figure out where the hell the door is? Sure."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was almost noon when the boys and Alanna stumbled through the door of the mess hall. Their clothes were a bit disheveled but hey, at least they were there.
Neal plopped himself down next to Kel, his emerald eyes glaring remorsefully at her. A squished-looking Seaver sat down next to her, and Merric jostled her as he went by to sit down next to Roald, who was nursing a black eye while sitting next to Neal. She caught Quinden's eye and they both looked away before they burst into laughter.
"Numair, sweetie, you need to stop."
Veralidaine Salmalin, known as the Wildmage or just plain Daine, walked in. Her stomach was slightly swollen from the pregnancy. Numair trailed behind, his large brown eyes tired and red-rimmed from lack of sleep, his bouncy black hair limp and slightly greasy from lack of bathing. Daine was a stark contrast to him, as her curly brown hair was glossy and her blue-gray eyes, though grave, were clear and alert.
"But Daine, I want to know how Thom did it . . ."
"How Thom did what?" Alanna said, her ears perking at the sound of her oldest son and child's name.
"Your brother," Numair said.
Alanna was silent for a moment, her famous violet eyes unreadable. "What is it you want to know?"
"How he brought Roger back."
"Why?"
"I would like to try it," he said simply.
At the exact same time King Jonathan of Conte and Alanna the Lioness shouted, "No!"
"Look what happened when my brother brought back Duke Roger back!" she yelled.
"Who do you want to bring back?" Jonathan said, his sapphire eyes glittering dangerously.
"I don't know."
"You don't KNOW? Do you know how DANGEROUS that is? You could bring back somebody really dangerous."
"I understand that, but I want to know how he did it!"
"Did what?" Kel whispered to Neal.
"Alanna's twin brother, Thom, did this experiment and brought Duke Roger of Conte, the king's cousin, back to life. If not for Alanna, I doubt Tortall would be around today."
"Did Thom know the risk?"
"I don't know. Probably."
Kel watched as Numair pulled out a little vial. He sat down at an empty table, pulling out more vials until the tabletop was covered with them. Then he began to pour measured amounts into each of them, his black magic mixing with them.
"He'll do that all day, but Thom is the true genius," Alanna muttered. She flicked a red curl over her shoulder haughtily. Kel could see, despite the fact that she thought what her brother did was wrong, she loved him and was proud of him for doing something no other had done or ever will do.
"You'll see who the genius is, Lioness," Numair snapped. Exhaustion had his nerves frazzled and on edge.
"Hush, Numair," Daine said sternly.
Reluctantly, he turned his attention back to the vials, muttering to himself.
"Crazy old bat," Merric said under his breath. "I don't know what a beauty like Daine sees in him."
"Why, Merric, are we jealous?" Kel teased. He blushed a color to rival his own hair.
"No," he said defensively. "I just think she would be with someone . . . younger, like, uh, never mind."
"If I didn't know any better I'd say you have a bad case of puppy love," Neal said. "For an older woman."
"She's not that old," Merric snapped, annoyed.
"Hell, Merric, she's six years older. That's almost like Kel and I getting married."
"What's wrong with that?" Kel asked, frowning.
Neal looked at her, surprised. "Nothing! I'm just saying that-well, actually, I don't know what I'm saying."
"What's twisted your loincloth?" Seaver said.
She glared at him. "People who wouldn't get out of my room last night!"
"Aw, now Kel, let's not start THIS again."
"Yeah, get over it."
"You're all bitches."
"Thanks. I'm touched."
"Fuck you, Faleron."
"I'd be delighted."
Kel was disgusted. "Real nice, boys."
"I am not a boy, I am a man, I'll have you know," Neal said haughtily.
"You know what? I think I hate you right now. I really do."
"Well, guess what, Mindelan," Cleon snapped. "We hate you too."
"Kennan, go to-"
"KELADRY, WATCH OUT!"
Kel barely had time to register horror-struck faces and a ball of liquid black fire before the ball consumed her and it and she disappeared.
~*~
I hope you liked this chapter. I had actually finished it a couple days ago, but due to events such as my fiancée dumping me for a sexy blond with a lot of money and my book Rose Without Thorns being rejected suddenly, I didn't get a chance to do anything. Review please, and don't criticize me too bad . . . I don't think I could take it right now .
Waking up to a man's arm flung across her chest and another's leg across hers was not exactly what Keladry of Mindelan expected when she opened her eyes to start another difficult day at Corus. In fact, it was downright discouraging. The one good thing about it was that the arm belonged to Domitan of Masbolle, and the leg belonged to Faleron of King's Reach, two of the handsomest bachelors in Tortall. At least, if word gets out that she spent the night with a whole shit-load of men, she could brag that two of them were the infamous Dom and Faleron.
"Wonderful," Kel muttered after struggling for a moment and realizing she was pinned down not only by Dom's arm and Faleron's leg, but also by Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau's entire weight on her feet.
"Did you say something?" Quinden of Marti's Hill mumbled, his voice muffled because of the pillow.
"No," Wyldon of Cavall said.
"I wasn't talking to you, limp-nuts," Quinden barked.
"I BEG YOUR PARDON?"
"Nothing."
"No, you said something!"
"I did not. Keladry did."
"Kel didn't say nothing," Owen of Jesslaw murmured sleepily. "It was you."
"At least we have light," Alanna said.
"True."
"Dom, your breath stinks."
"Sorry."
"No you're not."
"You're right, I'm not."
"Weenie."
"Did you just call me a weenie?!"
"Why, as a matter of fact, I did."
Nealan of Queenscove stirred in the plushy chair he shared with a bleary- eyed Merric of Hollyrose and mumbled something about a banana.
Kel kneed Faleron's leg off her, kicked Alanna, and pinched Dom's arm to sit up and survey the room. On the floor beside her Prince Roald of Conte was curled fast asleep in a tight ball. Wyldon was sprawled on the floor in front of the chair Neal and Merric occupied. By the look on his face she figured he must realize the risk of having one, or both, of them fall on him, but he was too comfortable to move. Owen was half-awake on the table. Quinden was facedown in a pillow on the sofa. Esmond of Nicoline had his head under the bed, with his feet sticking out. Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak had made himself a messy nest of blankets at the foot of the bed to sleep in. Drool ran down his face.
I'm sure Buri is excited about their upcoming marriage, Kel thought wryly.
Seaver of Tasride let out a child's snore and rolled over. He was squished in a shelf that was not yet full of books. Cleon of Kennan was napping peacefully with his head in the wastebasket and his feet propped up on Roald's head.
"WAKE UP!" Kel screamed.
Neal yelped and bolted up, knocking Merric off him and on Wyldon in the process. Owen gasped and rolled off the table, on the wastebasket Cleon's head was in and flattening it. Cleon jerked his legs, kicking poor Roald, trying frantically to free himself from the basket stuck on his head. Esmond sat up and squealed when his head hit the bed. Dom rolled off onto Esmond's legs, Faleron rolled off onto Roald, and Alanna rolled off onto Raoul. Seaver wailed because he was stuck in the shelf. The only ones escaping the havoc were Quinden and Kel, who had joined him on the couch as soon as Neal made a noise.
"Oops," she said.
"Personally, I think it's all very funny," he replied.
"You would."
"Do you want to go to the mess hall and eat?"
"And leave these confused people all by themselves to try to figure out where the hell the door is? Sure."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It was almost noon when the boys and Alanna stumbled through the door of the mess hall. Their clothes were a bit disheveled but hey, at least they were there.
Neal plopped himself down next to Kel, his emerald eyes glaring remorsefully at her. A squished-looking Seaver sat down next to her, and Merric jostled her as he went by to sit down next to Roald, who was nursing a black eye while sitting next to Neal. She caught Quinden's eye and they both looked away before they burst into laughter.
"Numair, sweetie, you need to stop."
Veralidaine Salmalin, known as the Wildmage or just plain Daine, walked in. Her stomach was slightly swollen from the pregnancy. Numair trailed behind, his large brown eyes tired and red-rimmed from lack of sleep, his bouncy black hair limp and slightly greasy from lack of bathing. Daine was a stark contrast to him, as her curly brown hair was glossy and her blue-gray eyes, though grave, were clear and alert.
"But Daine, I want to know how Thom did it . . ."
"How Thom did what?" Alanna said, her ears perking at the sound of her oldest son and child's name.
"Your brother," Numair said.
Alanna was silent for a moment, her famous violet eyes unreadable. "What is it you want to know?"
"How he brought Roger back."
"Why?"
"I would like to try it," he said simply.
At the exact same time King Jonathan of Conte and Alanna the Lioness shouted, "No!"
"Look what happened when my brother brought back Duke Roger back!" she yelled.
"Who do you want to bring back?" Jonathan said, his sapphire eyes glittering dangerously.
"I don't know."
"You don't KNOW? Do you know how DANGEROUS that is? You could bring back somebody really dangerous."
"I understand that, but I want to know how he did it!"
"Did what?" Kel whispered to Neal.
"Alanna's twin brother, Thom, did this experiment and brought Duke Roger of Conte, the king's cousin, back to life. If not for Alanna, I doubt Tortall would be around today."
"Did Thom know the risk?"
"I don't know. Probably."
Kel watched as Numair pulled out a little vial. He sat down at an empty table, pulling out more vials until the tabletop was covered with them. Then he began to pour measured amounts into each of them, his black magic mixing with them.
"He'll do that all day, but Thom is the true genius," Alanna muttered. She flicked a red curl over her shoulder haughtily. Kel could see, despite the fact that she thought what her brother did was wrong, she loved him and was proud of him for doing something no other had done or ever will do.
"You'll see who the genius is, Lioness," Numair snapped. Exhaustion had his nerves frazzled and on edge.
"Hush, Numair," Daine said sternly.
Reluctantly, he turned his attention back to the vials, muttering to himself.
"Crazy old bat," Merric said under his breath. "I don't know what a beauty like Daine sees in him."
"Why, Merric, are we jealous?" Kel teased. He blushed a color to rival his own hair.
"No," he said defensively. "I just think she would be with someone . . . younger, like, uh, never mind."
"If I didn't know any better I'd say you have a bad case of puppy love," Neal said. "For an older woman."
"She's not that old," Merric snapped, annoyed.
"Hell, Merric, she's six years older. That's almost like Kel and I getting married."
"What's wrong with that?" Kel asked, frowning.
Neal looked at her, surprised. "Nothing! I'm just saying that-well, actually, I don't know what I'm saying."
"What's twisted your loincloth?" Seaver said.
She glared at him. "People who wouldn't get out of my room last night!"
"Aw, now Kel, let's not start THIS again."
"Yeah, get over it."
"You're all bitches."
"Thanks. I'm touched."
"Fuck you, Faleron."
"I'd be delighted."
Kel was disgusted. "Real nice, boys."
"I am not a boy, I am a man, I'll have you know," Neal said haughtily.
"You know what? I think I hate you right now. I really do."
"Well, guess what, Mindelan," Cleon snapped. "We hate you too."
"Kennan, go to-"
"KELADRY, WATCH OUT!"
Kel barely had time to register horror-struck faces and a ball of liquid black fire before the ball consumed her and it and she disappeared.
~*~
I hope you liked this chapter. I had actually finished it a couple days ago, but due to events such as my fiancée dumping me for a sexy blond with a lot of money and my book Rose Without Thorns being rejected suddenly, I didn't get a chance to do anything. Review please, and don't criticize me too bad . . . I don't think I could take it right now .