DragonDaine: Thank you very much. I am glad you enjoy my story and flattered that you like my writing style. It pleases me to get such kind reviews.
Queen's Own: I'm glad you like it. Here is the next chapter and I hope you like it too.
AN: Hello again to all my readers. I am so, so, so, so sorry I haven't updated in so long. I have no excuse I am just a bad person. I' m sorry again. Well I do have an excuse; my computer won't let me sign on to fanfiction so I had to wait to type it up at my dad's work and so on and so on so again I'm sorry.
I am going to do my disclaimer in my author's note so here it is: I do not own any charactors, places, or plots that are copyright of Tamora Pierce. However the plot of the story is mine as are all charactors that you do not recognize from the books. Thank you. I would like to add that this is my last disclaimer for my story as it is annoying to have to keep on typing them.
Anyway, my exclamation point key does not work on my keyboard *curses keyboard* so if you see a 1 at the end of a sentence that means there should be an exclamation point there. And you will know because when using numbers I generally spell out the number unless it is a person's age. Thanks again for reading and please review. All reviews are greatly appreciated and welcomed. (Even flames1)
On the tenth day of their voyage Tanya was awoken by the sound of the captain shouting orders. She untangled herself from the bed sheets and slid out of the small sleeping compartment. Dressing quickly into tan breeches and a tunic she ran outside, still tying her belt. Tarak and Griffith were watching Kylaia anxiously as she climbed nimbly up to the crows nest. She nudged the Griffin in the arm and whispered in his ear, not wanting to disturb the quiet tension on deck. "What's going on?" she asked softly.
He leaned down and whispered back, "one of the younger crewmen thought he saw a boat with the Copper Island Pirate flag, but the Captain Rhys doesn't trust his word yet." He paused and looked at Kylaia. "Kylaia has very sharp eyesight as she has proven to him before and he asked to her to have a look."
She gave him a puzzled look. "Why doesn't Captain Rhys trust the crewman's word?" Griffith looked around. "Because he is new to the crew and has already been wrong about two things. He miscounted the number of barrels of food and he measured the wrong length of rope for the anchor."
She raised her eyebrows and mouthed the word 'Oh.' He laughed at her expression, but quickly hushed when the crew started at him. He smiled apologetically at them and turned back to the mast- and Kylaia. She now stood in the crow's nest and surveyed the vast ocean around her. Finally she called down. "I do see a ship," she paused and squinted, "and it does look like it came from the Copper Islands. But I can't tell if it is a pirate ship or not." Testing the winds with her finger and looked at the other ship again she finished, "if it is, with these winds, we should be able to outrun them."
The captain began bellowing orders again and Tanya went down to her job in the galley with the cook. The short, potbellied man began barking orders at her in a gruff voice. "You're late again," he began. She gave him meek look and began unpacking salted pork that would serve as lunch. The vegetables, which were already beginning to rot, went around it- after she cut off the rotten parts. Opening the large barrel used for garbage she almost puked at the putrid smell. As the lunch cooked she began peeling potatoes for that night's dinner.
The deck crew wasn't extremely large, only consisting of 10 men but there were also the two cabin boys, Tanya, Kylaia, Griffith and Tarak, the captain, first mate and bosun, and the cook. Altogether there were 20 people to feed and only she and McLanuck-the cook- to make the food. She had finished the potatoes and was starting to cut the mouldy pieces off the bread, when the younger of the cabin boys, Benjamin Oliver ran into the galley, panting for breath.
"'anya," he gasped. "You're wanted in the cap'n's cabin." She thanked him, nodded to McLanuck and ran up the galley stairs. She burst into the cabin, finding Kylaia, Tarak, Griffith and Captain Rhys waiting for her.
"What's going on?" she asked quickly. Captain Rhys looked pointedly at Griffith. The griffin sighed, "The ship that Kylaia spotted earlier?" waiting for her to nod her continued. "Well it's moving faster than we thought it could. And it is a pirate ship." Looking into her eyes he finished. "If they continue at the pace they are moving they will have caught up with us by midnight tonight, probably earlier." She looked at them all. She ended up staring into Kylaia's eyes. "What does this have to do with me?" Tanya asked never looking away from Kylaia. Kylaia stared right back into Tanya's eyes and told her. "We are sending you off the ship." Tanya's bottom jaw dropped and she stared at her. "You will be given enough food to last 4 days, water and blankets. Along with your own possessions." She turned to Griffith and stared at him in disbelief. Finally she managed to croak out, "by myself?" He nodded to her, tears forming in his eyes. She shook her head. "No," she said softly. "I won't." Her head began shaking violently. "You can't make me." And she ran out of the cabin, down the back stairs and into the small room she and Kylaia shared. Curling into a ball, she squeezed into her bunk.
About ten minutes later Kylaia knocked on the door and came into the room.
"Tanya?" she asked tentatively. "Talk to me please."
The only sound in the cabin was Tanya's muffled sobs. "I won't go and you can't make me1. I'm not leaving you, you're the only family I have now1"
Kylaia sighed. "It's your only chance at survival," she said quietly. "You remember the man I first saved you from?" she asked. Tanya shuddered and nodded. "Well he will seem as nice as Griffith if the pirates get to you. And gang rape by pirates will kill you a lot sooner than gang rape by bandits."
Tanya let out a small scream and looked extremely surprised at Kylaia's blunt attitude. Then she composed herself. "I don't want to go without you," she said quietly. The older woman's face was full of sympathy.
"I know," she replied. "But it's for the best." Kylaia patted Tanya's thigh. "Come on, get your stuff." Tanya nodded, and Kylaia left before seeing the angry look on her face. When Tanya came back on deck she found the sailors readying for a battle, lowering a lifeboat.
"How am I supposed to row that alone?" she asked Griffith. He looked at her, pride and admiration in his eyes. "You're smart for a youngster you know that right?"
She snorted. "Yes it takes so much brain power to figure out that I can't row a boat that size alone." Griffith's grin faded. He walked off and Tanya felt sorry for speaking so harshly. She put down her bag and concentrated. She knew that this would ruin any chance of Kylaia teaching her further and that they would probably be mad at her for never saying something but if it meant saving their lives she would risk it. Calling upon the strong Gift that had laid dormant inside her for many months she drew wind and water to her, summoning up a strong current and wind in the direction of the Yamani Islands.
When she heard the first mate and boson begin yelling that a strange wind had sprung up and they had suddenly hit an uncharted current she smiled and let the elements finish her work. Tanya opened her eyes and swayed. She had used too much power after not using it for so long. She quickly sat down and put her head between her knees.
"Tanya?" Kylaia yelled, running over. Kylaia reached into her pocket and her hand accidentally brushed her power crystal, a tool that allowed her to see when magic was used. When her hand brushed it she saw a sudden flash of light white-blue, like Tanya's eyes, magic around the girl. She staggered back, almost falling but Tarak caught her. Her eyes flashed with anger.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she hissed. "Why?"
Tanya looked up, her eyes filling with tears as she realized that she knew. "I'm sorry. I knew you would never teach me anything if you knew I had magic and I just wanted to learn," she pleaded. "I just wanted to learn," she whispered one more time before hanging her head and letting sobs rack her body. In the small reaches of her heart Kylaia felt sorry, sorry for Tanya and sorry for herself but right now was not the time to let Tanya know that.
"Ahoy," yelled Joe, one of the crew up on the rigging, "shore Cap'n1 Shore1" he yelled down. The crew let out a cheer as the pirate ship became smaller and smaller on the horizon and the Yamani islands became larger and larger in the distance.
Tanya let out a sob of triumph before grabbing her bag and running back down to her cabin. Kylaia stood and watched her go, a single tear running down her cheek as she realized what she must do.
~*~
AN: And here it should end. The chapter I mean. But I decided that since I made you wait so long for this short little thing I might as well put the next chapter up as well in the same thing because I might not get another chance to post it anytime soon. So as much I would have liked to keep this a cliff-hanger, I will give you the next chapter now.
Quite a few hours later Tanya was curled in a tight ball, her knees to her chest and tears glistening on her cheeks. She had known this would happen. Known that Shang warriors weren't allowed to have the Gift, known that if Kylaia and Griffith found out they would never teach her anything else ever again. And yet she also knew that if she hadn't they would be dead and in all probability, she would be too.
When the door opened she quickly closed her eyes, not wanting to look at the Shang Unicorn. She heard Kylaia sigh and crawl into her slightly larger bunk below Tanya's. Tanya listened carefully until she heard the slow, rhythmic breathing that told her the older woman had fallen asleep. Her stomach growled in hunger. Climbing quietly out of the bunk she landed on soft feet and tip-toed out of the cabin and up the stairs to the deck. They were close; they would be docked by sunrise. She walked quietly to the rail, trying not to disturb any of the crew members.
"Hello," Tanya jumped as Griffith came to stand beside her.
"Hi," she mumbled. She did not want to talk to him.
"Why didn't you tell us?" he asked softly. Tanya could see disappointment and pain evident on his face.
"I thought you knew I was intelligent," she said scathingly, hoping that if she was rude she would drive him away once more.
"I know what you're doing," he told her. "You want me to go away." She blushed and looked down. He chuckled but it was humourless. "Ok if you want to play that game. You didn't tell us because you knew that no one may train to be Shang if they have magic correct."
"I knew you were smart," she mocked. Griffith sighed deeply.
"Don't do this Tanya," he said bitterly. "Don't try to push me away. Please." If she didn't know better she would have bet that was uncertainty in his voice. She ignored it and raised her eyebrows at him. He continued, "Kylaia likes you, you know that as well as I do. But I don't think I have ever seen her this angry. I'm just about the only friend you have right now and if you don't have me on your side Kylaia will drop you off the first chance she can get even though it will hurt her as much as it hurts you." He paused and looked at the little girl standing beside him. A single tear ran down her cheek.
"What's wrong with the Gift?" she asked softly. "Why can't I be Shang and have magic?"
The Griffin took a deep breath. "It goes way back to when the original Dragon, Unicorn, Griffin and Stormwing Shang warriors began to teach others their art. None of them had magic but they took on some students with it. There was one in particular. A girl named Lianne, like the old Queen. She worked hard and became one of the best. But she used it for a crutch. Once when she was surrounded by about 15 warriors she could have fought them off alone. She had done it before." He paused and rubbed his chin. "But Lianne decided to do it the easy way. She knocked them all unconscious and never had to touch them once. The masters didn't like that. They told her that it had been a test and that she had failed. They banished all of their Gifted students. And since then no Shang has had the Gift. None have been able to cheat." Griffith looked at her. "I'm sorry but if any Shang were to teach you further then they, along with you, would be executed by the Council of the Shang. And since Kylaia and I are on that Council we would be forced to slit your throat before slitting each others."
Tanya stared at him, her eyes wide. "But... no one has to know." It was his turn to raise an eyebrow at her.
"Do you honestly think that when you went for your naming ceremony no one would realize that you have the Gift?" he said. "You do realize that even though we aren't allowed to have magic there is magic in the ceremony binding you forever to the Shang so that even if you wanted to you could never leave and reveal our secrets?" He stopped abruptly and looked surprised that he had revealed that.
Tanya looked at him, intrigued by what he had revealed. "Go on," she said eagerly.
"I can't tell you any more than that youngling," Griffith answered with a chuckle. "I almost told you too much."
"Fine," she pouted. And she turned away from him to stare back into the distance, watching the waves glide past the ship. She heard the Griffin sigh and walk away slowly. Reaching inside herself she grabbed a sliver of the deep ice-blue fire within her, the river of her Gift. Some of her friends who also were Gifted told her that when they reached inside they found a puddle. For Tanya it was a river, deep and wide and constantly moving. She had found it very difficult not to use it when she had been with the Shangs. The only reason she hadn't used it since running away was because she wanted to forget about it. She didn't want to do as Griffith said and use it as a crutch.
She sighed in frustration. Her teacher had told her she had a very high potential. He had said that someday she might be nearly as strong as Master Salmalin. Maybe even strong enough to wear a Black Robe. Yet she had never wanted to use it. Never liked the thought of being powerful enough to turn men into trees and raise the earth into mountains. When Master Salmalin had come to Willen, the town she lived in that was located in the lands owned by her family the haMinch's, he had met her. It was during the Grand Procession. He had confirmed what her teacher had said in the first place. With training she would be an exceptionally strong mage. Tanya just snorted in disgust and let her magic go. Memories were dangerous. She might as well forget them.
~*~
Kylaia woke up to the first mate's cries, announcing they had docked. She climbed slowly out of her bunk and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes before she realized that Tanya was not in her bunk. She grimaced. At least she could put off the inevitable 'talk' for a little while. She was not looking forward to it.
When she went up on deck she saw Tarak adjusting his eye-patch, much to the amusement of the sailors. Griffith stood by the mast, his small bag of belongings around his shoulder. A small patch of green behind him revealed Tanya's hiding place. Kylaia approached her cousin. "So Tarak," she mused. "It wasn't that bad was it?"
He glared at her with his remaining eye. His scarred face looked even more menacing when he did that. "Are we getting rid of the girl then?" he questioned roughly in his raspy voice. Kylaia pretended at the city in front to look of them so he wouldn't see the tears in her eyes.
"As soon as I can find a safe place for her," she murmured regretfully. He nodded in satisfaction. For some reason unknown to her he has never like Tanya. Griffith walked over to join them. "Good morning," she greeted him waspishly.
He raised his eyebrows at his lover. "What has you in a mood this morning?" If looks could kill the Shang Griffin would be dead ten times over. Kylaia continued to glare at him until he held his hands up in defeat. "What?"
"I wonder what has me in a mood this morning?" she grumbled mockingly. "I wonder what possibly could have happened last night to upset me?" she turned her harsh glare on him. "You wouldn't think it would have anything to do with a young girl I allowed into my heart who has as good as betrayed me would it?" she snarled. He took a step back, not expecting her to be so callous and insensitive.
"You do realize that she can hear every word you say?" he murmured. "I have learned lately that she is a very accomplished eavesdropper." Griffith could have sworn he saw a bit of colour rise is Kylaia's cheeks. The Unicorn never blushed.
"And what if she can?" Kylaia shot back, just as quietly. "It's not like I care about her anymore. The first chance I get, the first decent people we meet, I'm giving her to them." They heard a gasp to the right of them. Tanya stood there, a look of pain and suffering etched into her face. Kylaia sighed as if not believing this was happening. But before any of them could say anything Tanya grabbed her small bag full of her clothes and her book, along with the pocket knife the captain had given her and she ran down the gangplank and off the door. They lost sight of her in the large crowd of people mewling in the streets.
"Minos, Mythros and Shakith," Griffith muttered. Kylaia raised a sharp eyebrow at him.
"Reliving your childhood?" she asked scathingly. "I haven't heard that Carthaki curse out of you in quite a while. He turned to glare at her.
"This is your fault," he told her furiously. "If you would just have shut up—" but before he could finish he was interrupted by Kylaia angrily slapping him.
"Don't even go there," she told him, her face betraying some of her worry. "Now hurry up, we have to catch her before she gets into trouble." Tarak sighed and stood up. Griffith just defiant stared at her.
"Oh so now you care?" he said quietly. "Now that the damage has been done and she's gone you want her back?"
Kylaia sighed. "Look," she said leaning in towards him. "Could we pick this argument up later? I personally want to catch her before she is a few miles away or caught by an unsavoury fellow."
A muscle twitched in Griffith's cheek. "Fine," he answered. "But we will be continuing this once we have her back."
"Yeah I just said that didn't I?" she muttered and they followed Tarak down the gangplank and into the streets.
~*~
Tanya pushed through the crowds, staring frightened at the oh so polite Yamani's. Yet even among the most polite of peoples there are rough brutes. When she passed by an inn she saw two of them. They were short and relatively thin, like most of the other people there but they had the distinct look of tavern drunks. Tanya wrinkled her nose in disgust. She could recognize those kinds of men a mile off.
Finally she found a deserted ally. Leaning against a wall she opened her bag and counted the money she had stolen from Tarak. He disliked her and she knew it so she had stolen a few nobles here and there in case she might need them. The idea of theft didn't faze her any as she took out one and bit it. The metallic taste stayed in her mouth as she left the ally and wandered the streets looking for a somewhat decent inn.
She entered one that looked better than the rest, deciding that she needed a place to hide before they came after her. But the common room was silent. There wasn't a single person sitting in the large room. In fact the only person she saw was an old man sweeping the floor. As quickly as she had entered she left, deciding that it would be better to find an inn that was occupied by someone other than her. She had begun her search again when she felt a rough hand grab her shoulder and spin her around. Her scream echoed in the streets….
~*~
AN: Ok so I gave you a much longer chapter and I still get my cliff-hanger. It works for me. Once again I am sooo sorry for the long wait but I promise I won't do it again. L Well I hope you like it, Please Review, comment, flame anything. I just want to be a better writer and your comments help. Thanks again everybody,
Saharian