13. The Chosen

Escorted back to her room, Kel was getting restless. They had put her in the great tower, somewhere on the third floor. Staring out the window didn't help, even as she played a game with her stomach trying to see how long she could look down the castle wall. The snake-bat emerged from under the shawl to look curiously at her pale face. She gave it a weak smile.

"Just trying to see how bad my training has become. I think it needs some work."

The creature flicked its tongue out before sliding down and coiling in her lap. Untucking its wings, it cried. Kel carefully examined the tears.

"Well, I can sew them, but they won't heal together, the edges have already healed by themselves, you'll have thread in your wings till you die. But without it, I don't know if you'll ever fly again."

The snake-bat fluttered.

"You want me to try?"

Flutter.

"I'll hope that is a yes."

Kel set the immortal down on the window seat and walked to the door. On her fourth knock, a voice answered from the other side.

"Lady, you are not allowed out until the king sends for you."

Putting her commander's voice on, she answered. "I only wish to ask for a needle and thread. I've torn my clothing."

For a moment there was nothing. Finally she could hear shuffling steps leading down the hall. Returning to the window, she looked down at her new companion.

"I suppose I ought to name you. Question is, are you male or female?"

To her surprise, the snake-bat raised up and began swaying from side to side, eyes fixed on her.

"Male?"

It continued swaying.

"Female?"

Wings fluttered. Kel held out her hand and the creature glided up her arm.

"As for a name then, what about..." She paused to look her over. The bat-like wings were faintly silver but the reptile body was dark green with three pale yellowish stripes running down its length. Kel smiled.

"This may seem obvious, but how about Silverwings. Silver for short."

Silverwings fluttered in approval. Kel laughed for the first time in what felt like ages. Moments later something was shoved under the door. Kel picked up the needle and gray thread. Threading the needle, she held it up.

"I'll try not to make it worse than it already is, just try not to move."

Quivering, Silverwings didn't move as Kel began carefully mending the rents in her wing. The only sign of pain was in the tip of her tail as it curled and uncurled rapidly. When the task had been completed, Kel carefully knotted off the thread. The snake-bat gave an experimental flap, then launched into the air like a spring. Hidden scales opened in her tail, along the ridge of her head, and on either cheek, steering her through the air in a fluid motion. Silverwings chirped in appreciation before landing on Kel's shoulder.

A knock on the door made them both jump. Silverwings hid back under the shawl as Kel answered,

"Why knock when you know I'm not allowed out?"

The heavy wooden door cracked open.

"I thought it polite in case you were in the middle of changing or something."

The familiar head of Tavis grinned. She rolled her eyes in return. "Why are you here?"

"To take the Protector to dinner. King's orders are to feed you."

Right on cue, her stomach growled. She frowned at its betrayal. Tavis remained silent, but his eyes laughed.

"Fine." She sighed.

Walking down the same stone steps as before, Kel followed her guide through the first great room, down a corridor, into another. Loud murmurs echoed off the stone which quickly silenced at their entrance. It was clearly the mess hall, full of blond and brown headed Scanrans. Carefully putting her 'Lump' mask in place, Kel copied Tavis as he took a wooden bowl from a stack at the head of a table and filled it with a mass of nutty smelling steamed grain then covering it with a thick meat stew. As she followed him to a bench in the corner, she ignored the growing whispers.

"That's her."

"Doesn't look like much does she?"

"Protector of Tortall? How in Horus did she get that title?"

"Heard that she's been Bonded."

"She sees right through powers. But she doesn't have the magic of the Ennead."

"Magic of her own. Strange one - that one looks."

Tavis handed her a carved bone spoon and began eating. Wordlessly, she imitated his actions. Without lifting her eyes, she felt a presence looming over her. A voice heavy with authority rang out.

"Get your minds on your own matters or I'll send your Ka to meet Nephthys."

The men immediately continued with whatever tasks and subjects they had been doing. Kel looked up at the broad back of Atum. Tavis touched his hand to his chest, lips, and forehead.

"Hail chief."

Kel blinked. "You're part of the Black Hawk tribe?"

"Atch. He is of my talon." The leader's gaze was sharp.

Tavis looked sheepish. "I've not earned all my feathers quite yet to match my father."

He pulled back his sleeve to show a line of black reaching just above his elbow. Kel looked from him, back to Atum and noted the same gray eyes and stubborn lock of hair that curled in the center of his forehead. She couldn't help smiling faintly.

"Tavis, I have heard that you've come close to demoting yourself for your attitude."

The other shrugged. "I just can't -"

Atum held his hand, fingers splayed, just below Tavis's chin. Tavis almost flinched, but did not look up. His father's voice was a harsh whisper. "You can - and you will. The tribe is at stake. You are not a Hawk if you do not remember to watch yourself."

Tavis jerked back stiffly. The two men locked gazes for a long moment before the younger bowed his head.

"Forgive me."

Atum turned to Kel. Hooded eyes looked her over from head to toe as she waited. Whatever was going one among the tribes, she knew it might be useful in the future.

"So you are the chosen. I feel the makings of one of my own in you. But that is not what the gods wish. I offer you this. Open your eyes to what is true and what is false. One set of eyes cannot watch all."

Confused, Kel had no time to ask him to translate the odd message.

"Protector." A small boy, no older than a page, came dashing across the hall.

Inwardly Kel sighed. She was really getting tired of that title.

"The king requires you to be taken to his personal chamber."

Tavis stood, hard faced. "I will escort her."

Atum, she noted, had left the moment she had been called.

Back in the castle keep, Kel had a moment of natural light from a window before being led to another heavy door behind what appeared to be the throne room. Before Tavis had time to knock, the door opened and Gissa smiled maliciously.

"Ah, our important guest, do come in."

Tavis stood at attention, eyes focused to the front. "Does his majesty require and escort to return?"

Metal fingers tapped the door frame impatiently.

"No, no... We will call when we are through."

Head held high, Kel entered the room.

The room was decorated in similar fashion to the tent where she had been kidnapped. The stone walls were hung with thick tapestries to conserve heat and a massive black woven rug covered the floor. A fire burned cheerily on the right, but braziers had been set all around the room. Movement from the large canopied bed caught her eye, but she kept from looking.

"Lady Protector, thank you for being so prompt."

Maggur appeared from behind the curtained bedpost shrugging on a long crimson robe over his naked chest. Gissa shoved Kel from behind into the center of the room. The woman circled her, firelight making the pale scars on her face stand out like a bizarre tattooing of her own. She smiled humorlessly.

"You don't know me, do you."

Kel kept her face and emotions as neutral as she could.

Gissa held up her mechanical right hand. "I was given this years ago by an acquaintance of mine." She pointed to her face. "I was given these by an enemy - your freak of a child, Veralidaine Sarrasri the Wild Mage." With a smirk, she strutted over to Maggur. "Yet even her crazy animals could not finish me. Numair might have done away with Tristan and Alamid; Hasse and Tolon were too ignorant to provide much of a challenge to a Black Robe. Yet I lived to have my revenge."

Kel scoffed. "Not yet. Tortall still stands, and will stand far longer than you."

Maggur fingered the black stone hanging around his neck. "Not if we fulfill the prophesy. Not if you truly are the Key."

Before Kel could speak or move, she was surrounded by a flaming cocoon but did not burn. Silverwings thrashed underneath her shawl but she quickly pinned her down. Maggur's voice echoed all around her.

"How did you kill Blayce of Rathhausak?"

Standing perfectly still, she answered. "With the weapon of my choice - a Yamani glaive."

"How did you see through his spells?"

She paused. Did he know of her griffin feathers? "A gift."

"You do not posses the Gift."

"There are more gifts than just magic." Neal's sarcasm had rubbed off a bit more than she realized. How she wished he were here now to lend tongue and strength. How much more she would give for Dom to stand with her for reassurance.

The flames hissed, singeing Kel's skin. Gritting her teeth, she kept hold of the hidden immortal as she struggled.

"Do not toy with me."

She glared at the spell surrounding her. "What do you want from me? You brought me here for your conquest, but I have nothing of value. My ransom would not be enough to tempt a king and I have no powers you can use. So why waste time trying to scare useless information from me."

The cocoon vanished. Maggur still held the black stone in his hand as he approached. Cold blue eyes locked on hers, willing her to back down. Kel could feel a tug of shame and embarrassment but fought it. Heat rose to her face, but she did not break her gaze.

Maggur bore down on her using the Blood Bond he had created to choke the determination burning in those hazel eyes. Channeling his anger through the black opal, he willed her to give. A hand on his arm made him remember Gissa.

"My lord, take care you do not tax yourself."

Kel took a deep breath when the king's concentration broke. She had no clue how much longer she could have withstood his manipulations. He had twisted guilt, anger, depression, loneliness, and other confusing emotions within her until she nearly screamed. It was hard work merely to stand straight. Bracing herself for another attack, she nearly collapsed in surprise when he waved towards the door.

"Go back to your room. I will send for you again."

On shaky legs, she opened the door. When it had shut behind her, she took three steps, then the world turned black.

Gissa's golden eyes were wide in fear. As soon as the door had closed behind the lady knight, Maggur had turned and seized her by the neck. Fighting for breath, she tugged helplessly at his tightening fingers.

"Don't ever interrupt me again! I swear I would have never bonded to you if I knew what a conniving whore you were when I found you half dead and frozen in Long Valley."

She dug her finger between the tendons in his wrist and he let go. Coughing, she glared through a curtain of black hair. "Yes, but how would you have known about the lady knights of Tortall without me? How would you have know about their weakness for chivalry? You needed me - and you know it."

Red fire sprang from his fingertips to meet yellow. Gissa fought until he prodded her anger out of control and she lost concentration. A duel colored fireball set two tapestries aflame and left Gissa groaning on her knees. Maggur stood over her.

"I am still king. I am still destined to rule both countries, with your assistance or the gods. No one will stop me. You have your uses, but do not push your power. You will never beat me - your spirit was broken long ago."

Gissa snarled from the carpet. "How do you know that I won't take back what I have. I know the secrets of your Blood Bonding. I could turn your people against you."

Maggur smiled confidently as he pulled her to her feet. Twisting his fingers in the hair at the back of her neck, he forced her head back, exposing her long dark throat. Her entire body pressed against his, he smirked at the sparkling lust in her eyes.

"I know." He whispered, lowering his mouth to where the pulse beat next to the skin. "Because you are in love with me."

Tavis cursed when he found the Protector crumpled on the floor a few feet from the king's chamber. Muffled noises drifting through the door made him clench his jaw before carefully lifting the young knight in his arms.

Sekhmet take them both.

Fate was approaching far faster than either of them had predicted. They were far too trusting in their potions of control. It had been months since he had taken the 'Blessing of Ra-Atum'. Months he had been free to make his own opinions on this war with a far off nation. They were fools.

Carefully avoiding questioning eyes, he carried the Protector back to her room in the North tower. As he laid her down on the bed, she stirred slightly, turning instinctively towards his presence.

"Dom, I -"

Tavis smoothed the hair back from her face and whispered. "You're safe. Sleep."

She smiled and sighed. Just as he pulled a thick coverlet over her, something around her shoulders moved. Tavis jerked back as a snake-bat slid into view and raised its head threateningly. Wings spread protectively over the sleeping figure, the creature eyed him. Tavis held his hands up innocently but ready to defend.

"Easy friend, I'm just making sure she's comfortable."

Curious, he looked from it to the Protector. A sharp hiss made him back slowly away.

Outside the room, he nodded to the guard before searching out his chief and father.

In the Southeast tower of the outer wall were kept the pet hawks of Maggur and the tribe. Atum was fondly stroking the breast of his favorite - a massive goshawk. Without turning, he asked.

"Can we trust her?"

"She's been Bonded."

The chief retied the leather thongs of his bird to its perch.

"That wasn't my question."

Tavis tugged uneasily at the dark blond lock on his forehead. "He tried to break her today. However, I don't think she gave in to him."

Atum smiled tightly. "A good sign. Tell her nothing of what we plan - not till the last moment."

"We will have to hurry. He's begun to suspect something."

"Atch, I know. It was hard to mislead them during the blessing this time."

"Any response from the eagle?"

"None so far."