Title: All for Serenitatus (yes, that still hasn't changed :-P)
Author: diamondflame
Disclaimer: Basically anything you see that you recognize, is not mine.
(including the names Arianne and Erin! Kerry belongs to me - not the blue
terrier! :-D)
Chapter Four There was silence for a moment as Arianne's determined blue eyes met squarely with Kerry's deep, concerned brown ones. Erin's darted between the two, unsure of what to say.
"Arianne," Kerry spoke, unmoving, her voice emotionless. "You're insane." Erin bit her tongue to keep from laughing. This should be interesting, she thought evilly. She believed she saw amusement flicker over Arianne's face as well, though it was not long lived as Kerry began pacing around the room, flailing her arms in the air.
"I mean, seriously, Arianne, I've had my doubts in the past. But now...now, this is just completely over the edge! There's no more denying it! You have absolutely, unquestionably, without a doubt, lost your mind." Kerry continued to babble as she wandered around the room. Erin and Arianne exchanged amused glances. It was only once in a blue moon that quiet Kerry showed any mentally unstable signs. Darnit, Erin thought, I should be taking notes!
Calming down enough to stand still in front of her two friends, Kerry again met first Erin, then Arianne in the eye. "Okay, but seriously, how could they ever in a million years mistake me for you? Think about it, Arianne, your entire family has blonde hair and blue eyes. And even disregarding the physical appearance, a royal family has a certain air about them - a self-assured air to be kind. Peasants.don't. Anyone can easily tell the difference."
"I know, Kerry. But can you see any other way?" Kerry stopped. As much as she would like to deny it, Arianne had a point. And what was more important in the end, anyway, her comfort, or the security of Serenitatus?
She sighed, and with that, Arianne knew she had won.
"Okay," Kerry began once more. "You're right. However, we need more than just the three of us. The guards sent to accompany you on your journey- what if they weren't actually guards? I'm sure Erin and I could round up some guys from the village; of course, only the ones we know and trust. There are a good few down there who would do anything to protect Serenitatus." She took a breath. Erin and Arianne smiled together: this was the Kerry they knew. In about a minute, she would be demanding paper, and have a whole scheme ready to scribble down.
"Right then. Here's what I think we should do. Erin, you will draw not one but two portraits. One of me, one of Arianne. Arianne's we will present to the king; he, surely proud of it, will accept it and eagerly send it off. The other one, of me, is the one we shall 'accidentally' ship off instead. And as for the brown/blonde issue - draw me with blonde, I'll find some powder to take care of that. Arianne, you in the meantime will talk with your father, tell him how anxious you are. He will, no doubt, try to console you, and ask if there is anything he can do to help. You pretend to think, but you know what it is you want: the group of boys Erin and I pick out to be your bodyguards. You would feel safer with them, you have a crush on their leader," she smirked, "whatever, just make it sound convincing."
"That'll take care of getting us out of the castle and fooling Schulyer," Erin said. "But after that? How will us three and the 'guards' defeat Schulyer by ourselves?"
"We'll think of something. If worse comes to worse, we'll just kill him in his sleep. We know he's the only one there keeping the war going. For now, we must prepare; we've a whole day in front of us. Kerry, you and Erin go to speak to the boys, I'll speak to my father. We should be able to get as far as the whole guard issue by tonight."
Several weeks later, everything was ready. Erin's portrait of 'Arianne' had been sent out, a troop of 'guards': Jason, Mel, Anthony, Scott, Daniel, Tom, Tim, Jack, John, and Andrew (all of whom had been trained in battle and some of whom - Scott, Tom, and Mel - were mages) had been selected. The bags were packed, Kerry and Erin had been chosen as attendants to her Royal Princess.
Rain poured down on the night the three had selected to leave. Arianne, after saying a solemn goodbye to her father and mother, and promising to visit, stood alone in her bedroom. Her old bedroom, anyway, she mentally corrected, switching it to past tense. Silently she slid the carefully sewn wedding gown over her head. Its satin and lace were enough to drown someone in their beauty, when combined with Arianne's golden curls and blue eyes, she became a goddess. It was a pity, she thought, that she would never wear this dress. Oh, why couldn't she be like the others, to have a normal marriage; if not to someone she knew, at least to someone who was not plotting her own death, and the death of her country. She tried to tell herself everything would be alright, that their plans would go smoothly, but it just seemed so impossible. Impossible to kill Schulyer, impossible to leave home, for the gods' sakes, impossible to even walk out of this room she had lived in for the past fourteen years. She bit back a sob, watching in the mirror as tears streamed down her pale cheeks, reflections of the weather outside - the misery of the world matched her own.
Footsteps pattered quietly behind her. There was Erin, and Kerry. Kerry turned Arianne around to face her, then enveloped her in a comforting hug. "It's okay," she murmured gently. "Look outside. You see, the rain has stopped - the clouds have passed by to reveal the wondrous blue sky." She didn't explain her symbolism; she didn't have to. The clouds and rain were the journey and mission in Ibola; the following blue skies would become the happy ending: Serenitatus would be freed.
Arianne pulled back. "It's a sign, isn't it?" she stated, more than asked. "We will succeed. We have to." Kerry and Erin nodded simultaneously. Well, if they can be brave about it, thought Arianne, there is not reason why I can't. "Then let's go, time's wasting!"
And so the carriage left that night. The sweet, dewy smell of rain past followed the three girls and their ten boys, all out to make a difference in the war torn would.
Please read and review! It's so hard to continue writing with no encouragement, and seriously, it's only a minute out of your time that would make an entire day for me. Constructive criticism welcome!
Chapter Four There was silence for a moment as Arianne's determined blue eyes met squarely with Kerry's deep, concerned brown ones. Erin's darted between the two, unsure of what to say.
"Arianne," Kerry spoke, unmoving, her voice emotionless. "You're insane." Erin bit her tongue to keep from laughing. This should be interesting, she thought evilly. She believed she saw amusement flicker over Arianne's face as well, though it was not long lived as Kerry began pacing around the room, flailing her arms in the air.
"I mean, seriously, Arianne, I've had my doubts in the past. But now...now, this is just completely over the edge! There's no more denying it! You have absolutely, unquestionably, without a doubt, lost your mind." Kerry continued to babble as she wandered around the room. Erin and Arianne exchanged amused glances. It was only once in a blue moon that quiet Kerry showed any mentally unstable signs. Darnit, Erin thought, I should be taking notes!
Calming down enough to stand still in front of her two friends, Kerry again met first Erin, then Arianne in the eye. "Okay, but seriously, how could they ever in a million years mistake me for you? Think about it, Arianne, your entire family has blonde hair and blue eyes. And even disregarding the physical appearance, a royal family has a certain air about them - a self-assured air to be kind. Peasants.don't. Anyone can easily tell the difference."
"I know, Kerry. But can you see any other way?" Kerry stopped. As much as she would like to deny it, Arianne had a point. And what was more important in the end, anyway, her comfort, or the security of Serenitatus?
She sighed, and with that, Arianne knew she had won.
"Okay," Kerry began once more. "You're right. However, we need more than just the three of us. The guards sent to accompany you on your journey- what if they weren't actually guards? I'm sure Erin and I could round up some guys from the village; of course, only the ones we know and trust. There are a good few down there who would do anything to protect Serenitatus." She took a breath. Erin and Arianne smiled together: this was the Kerry they knew. In about a minute, she would be demanding paper, and have a whole scheme ready to scribble down.
"Right then. Here's what I think we should do. Erin, you will draw not one but two portraits. One of me, one of Arianne. Arianne's we will present to the king; he, surely proud of it, will accept it and eagerly send it off. The other one, of me, is the one we shall 'accidentally' ship off instead. And as for the brown/blonde issue - draw me with blonde, I'll find some powder to take care of that. Arianne, you in the meantime will talk with your father, tell him how anxious you are. He will, no doubt, try to console you, and ask if there is anything he can do to help. You pretend to think, but you know what it is you want: the group of boys Erin and I pick out to be your bodyguards. You would feel safer with them, you have a crush on their leader," she smirked, "whatever, just make it sound convincing."
"That'll take care of getting us out of the castle and fooling Schulyer," Erin said. "But after that? How will us three and the 'guards' defeat Schulyer by ourselves?"
"We'll think of something. If worse comes to worse, we'll just kill him in his sleep. We know he's the only one there keeping the war going. For now, we must prepare; we've a whole day in front of us. Kerry, you and Erin go to speak to the boys, I'll speak to my father. We should be able to get as far as the whole guard issue by tonight."
Several weeks later, everything was ready. Erin's portrait of 'Arianne' had been sent out, a troop of 'guards': Jason, Mel, Anthony, Scott, Daniel, Tom, Tim, Jack, John, and Andrew (all of whom had been trained in battle and some of whom - Scott, Tom, and Mel - were mages) had been selected. The bags were packed, Kerry and Erin had been chosen as attendants to her Royal Princess.
Rain poured down on the night the three had selected to leave. Arianne, after saying a solemn goodbye to her father and mother, and promising to visit, stood alone in her bedroom. Her old bedroom, anyway, she mentally corrected, switching it to past tense. Silently she slid the carefully sewn wedding gown over her head. Its satin and lace were enough to drown someone in their beauty, when combined with Arianne's golden curls and blue eyes, she became a goddess. It was a pity, she thought, that she would never wear this dress. Oh, why couldn't she be like the others, to have a normal marriage; if not to someone she knew, at least to someone who was not plotting her own death, and the death of her country. She tried to tell herself everything would be alright, that their plans would go smoothly, but it just seemed so impossible. Impossible to kill Schulyer, impossible to leave home, for the gods' sakes, impossible to even walk out of this room she had lived in for the past fourteen years. She bit back a sob, watching in the mirror as tears streamed down her pale cheeks, reflections of the weather outside - the misery of the world matched her own.
Footsteps pattered quietly behind her. There was Erin, and Kerry. Kerry turned Arianne around to face her, then enveloped her in a comforting hug. "It's okay," she murmured gently. "Look outside. You see, the rain has stopped - the clouds have passed by to reveal the wondrous blue sky." She didn't explain her symbolism; she didn't have to. The clouds and rain were the journey and mission in Ibola; the following blue skies would become the happy ending: Serenitatus would be freed.
Arianne pulled back. "It's a sign, isn't it?" she stated, more than asked. "We will succeed. We have to." Kerry and Erin nodded simultaneously. Well, if they can be brave about it, thought Arianne, there is not reason why I can't. "Then let's go, time's wasting!"
And so the carriage left that night. The sweet, dewy smell of rain past followed the three girls and their ten boys, all out to make a difference in the war torn would.
Please read and review! It's so hard to continue writing with no encouragement, and seriously, it's only a minute out of your time that would make an entire day for me. Constructive criticism welcome!