Wizards... Will They Ever Learn?
Chapter Four: In Which They Travel and Discover a Thief
Disclaimer: Ok, it's 2 am, and I'm sure you all know that this does NOT belong to me! Geeze, people these days...
"We should go through the Caves of Fire and Night," remarked Kazul after several minutes of walking. "It's the fastest way, and by my fire, we do want to get there as soon as possible!"
"You can say that again," said Shiara. "Lead on."
As they made their way to the gate, Shiara realized that Kashana had not said anything since they had left the cave. Kashana was walking with her head facing the ground, and looked as though she was thinking very hard. Shiara decided not to bother her; she surely didn't like like it when someone broke her concentration. In fact, the last time Daystar had done that, he almost got burnt. She grinned fondly at the recollection. I'll ask her about it later, she thought.
Kashana was in deep thinking. Something wasn't right about that wizard, she thought. What was her name? Oh, yes, Attora. I cannot believe that the wizards would give into a female so easily. They have been fixed in their ways for thousands of years. She had said that she was the first female wizard in over three thousand years. Yes! Now I remember reading about that! Oh! If only was home in our library so I could look this up! Kashana sighed.
"Is something wrong, Princess?" asked Kazul. You haven't spoken since we left the cave."
I guess I wasn't the only one who noticed, said Shiara to herself.
"Hm?" replied Kashana, who clearly was still lost in thought. "Oh, no, nothing's wrong. I was just thinking about that wizard, Attora. Her story was puzzling me, that's all. Oh! Are we at the gate already?" She said, staring at an iron gate that lacked anything like a handle.
"Yes, we are," said Kazul, amused by Kashana's reaction. "Would you like to open the gate Shiara, or shall I?"
"You do it Kazul, I still can't get the words right." Shiara said.
Before Kazul could open he mouth, Kashana exclaimed, "Oh, could I do it?"
"You?" said Kazul and Shiara in unison.
"Yes, I've read all about the Caves of Fire and Night, and I've been longing to try the opening incantation! I memorized it so I would get it right when I had the chance. Can I please?" She said this so very fast that her companions could barely follow what she was saying.
"Well, in that case," said Kazul, trying to contain a fit of laughter. "Of course you can, Princess. I didn't know that caves interested you so much."
"Oh, they do, they do! Thank you very much!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with gratitude. Ok, here I go, she thought to herself.
"By night and flame and shining rock
Open thou thy hidden lock.
Alberolingarn!"
Kashana's voice faded away, and the great iron gates opened without a sound.
"Well, I'm impressed," remarked Kazul. "I couldn't have done better, and I'm the King of Dragons!"
"Thank you. I have studied up so long for a chance to got through the Caves of Fire and Night! I'm so glad I have finally gotten the chance, however grim the circumstances are," Kashana replied wistfully.
"Well, let's get going," said Kazul. "We want to get through the Caves as soon as possible. But, by the King! I didn't bring a lamp, or even a torch!"
"We don't need one," said Shiara a bit smugly. "You forgot that I'm a fire witch." She held out her hand and applied a look of concentration on her face. Almost at once, a ball of fire appeared in her hand. Shiara smiled and said, "I am very glad that King Mendanbar and Daystar fixed my magic problem."
"So am I," Kazul said. "Or we'd have lost our way for sure. Thanks, Shiara. Now we can get going."
~*~
As they journeyed through the Caves, Kashana kept rattling off what they were passing and various little known facts about the places of interest. Kazul and Shiara knew not whether she was doing this for their benefit or whether she was talking to herself.
"... And that way are the hot sulfur pools, and past those is a cave with molten silver dripping from the ceiling (I wish I could see that!). Oh! Even farther beyond that is the molten-rock river! And the next tunnel leads to... Hold on. Shiara, why hasn't your fire gone out? I read that randomly throughout one's journey through the Caves of Fire and Night, the lights go out. Why hasn't that happened yet?"
"Very good, Princess!" said Kazul before Shiara could reply. "Quite the scholar, aren't we?"
Kashana blushed. "I do love to read, Your Majesty. Ever since I was a child. I learned to read at five years old, and haven't stopped yet. You'd be surprised at how many books one can read in eleven years, Your Majesty."
"I'm sure I would be. And, by the way, it's Kazul. Leave the 'Your Majesties' for formal occasions."
"Oh, of course, Your Maj- er, Kazul," replied awkwardly, muttering something about formal occasions having nothing to do with the appropriate way to address people (or dragons) of noble rank.
"To answer your question," Shiara put in, once Kashana murmurs had concluded, "the fire does not go out because I am a fire witch. Our magic cannot be corrupted by any magic except that of another fire witch's. Since the Caves do not have a fire witch's magic, and are not even human, by some standards, anyway, they can't do anything about my fire." |A/N- Some speech, huh?|
"That was a very adequate answer. Thank you, Shiara."
"My pleasure." I have got to start being less polite! she thought. I'm a fire witch for goodness' sake! "Now, can we going?" she said in a crabby voice.
Kashana fell back and asked Kazul in a whisper, "Was it something I said?"
"No, no," said Kazul. "She's just trying not to be so polite. She doesn't like it."
"Oh."
~*~
After a few minutes of walking, Kashana returned to commentating for Shiara and Kazul. (Or, for herself? They could still not figure it out!) "And now, coming up is the jewel-studded cavern!" She ran up to see it. "It's supposed to be gorgeous-- Who are you?"
Shiara and Kazul hurried to see what she was talking about. They entered the beautiful cavern and saw a young man looking thoughtfully at the jewels with a pick in his hand. Upon hearing Kashana's voice, he whirled around, stared at his audience a second, then turned to the exit and started to flee.
"Not so fast!" yelled Shiara, who did not like people taking her by surprise. Then she raised her arms and shouted:
"Sky and sea and whirling sands,
Stop that creature where he stands!"
On "stands," she took both of her hands down in a quick chopping motion. The young man was frozen in mid-run. "Morwen taught me that one," Shiara said with a smug smile. "Perhaps I should have changed 'creature' with 'person' or 'human,' but it worked just the same."
"Let me handle him, okay?" Kashana asked Kazul and Shiara. Remembering how well she had dealt with Attora, they argreed. Kashana approached him cautiously. "Now that we've got you where we want you, tell me, who are you?"
"That's none of your concern!" he exclaimed a bit too loudly. "Just let me go so I can get out of here!"
She studied him for a moment. He had hair so dark brown that it was almost black, and brown dreamy eyes, like he always his mind somewhere else, though they were filled with rage at the time. He looked to be around 5'7", and was not skinny nor chubby nor muscular. Just in between. He was wearing pretty nice clothes, but they were not fancy enough to be a noble's, and not plain enough to be a commoner's. He must be some kind of lower noble, thought Kashana. So, he must know the rules of protocol! At that thought, she devised a quick plan.
"Well, I am Princess Kashana of Emiteaya," she said formally, and curtsied. "My conpanions are Shiara, the fire witch, and Kazul, the King if Dragons. Now, I can tell that you are not a commoner, so you know that the rules of protocol demand that you must now introduce yourself. And truthful, mind you."
Dammit, thought the man. "Okay, okay. Fine," he said aloud. "I'm Bryan Jordan, 17, and expert thief of the lesser noble streets. My father is Lord Truman Jordan of Emiteaya. I'm sure you know of him, Princess."
"Yes, I believe I do," was her stiff reply. "If you ever pull a trick like that again, Bry, you will regret it." As Kashana said this, she pulled a necklace out from under her dress.
Bryan looked confused for about three seconds. Then he saw the necklace.
"Shana?"
A/N- Sorry!!! It was just too tempting! I'm also sorry this a very extended amout of time to get this up. -_-' But aren't you proud of me? It's my longest chapter so far! Like I said in the disclaimer, its 2 am. So, do I write better late at night? Would that be early in the morning? Anyway, please review! ^^
-Miyuki133!