Disclaimer: Nope not mine. It belongs to TP, her publishers and ya all
those people. Um but I do take credit for Toni who is now dead but he was
so mine and all those other strange names you come across, thank you!
**Chapter 3**
"That's it I'm going out there to help him, he isn't young anymore, he needs me to help him. And Thayet, I'm responsible for whatever happens to her. I brought her to Tortall and I know her better than anyone in this country save Buri," Alanna was ranting, and full of worry. She hated to worry, but lately she'd been doing a lot of it.
"No!!! Alanna I will not allow you to go," George and Jon said shocked at the very idea. They each grabbed one arm and hoped she wouldn't do something rash, she was infamous for doing some rash and stupid things.
Alanna knew defeat when she saw it, she had never lost a fight before, but she had lost quite a few verbal battles. Sulking she peeled Jon and George's fingers off her arm and walked out to the stables to take Moonlight for a ride. Jon knew better than to let her go off by herself so he joined her as they rode off into the Royal Forest.
**Thayet and Buri**
After having left Alanna in Coram when they first entered Tortall the two headed north along the coast to a small fief of Table Rock, what seemed like a small farming fief in the hills not to far from the ocean. Here no one would ever have heard of her and certainly not recognize her.
Buri had taken up as one of the men-at-arms, and surprisingly this little town had made it acceptable to have women serve just as long as they could shoot a bow and were decent enough with a sword. It was an easy job and she earned well enough pay for her skills that were so different than anything these people had seen. At first the people were afraid of the K'mir because she was just that a K'mir, the people of the fief saw her people as savage warriors. Soon she proved them wrong and befriended most leaving only very few hostile towards her or Thayet.
She however did not abandon her friend Thayet, in fact she did all she could to be around her or have someone she trusted watch her. Thayet had immediately pretended to be a commoner from a farm that had been burned and looking for a job as a maid. The house of the Lord Thomas and Lady Eleanor, took her in as a lady-in-waiting (A/N not sure if a lady would have this, but otherwise she is just an important maid). She was happy and got along with everyone, but of course they all knew her as Lili Kalisan
Thayet was oblivious to the longing stares that many men gave her as she walked by, she was convinced that she had left behind her beauty in this new place even her closest friends knew that she was the envy of many people. These qualities quickly made her enemies among the ladies and even more friends as soon as they learned how kind she was.
Today Lady Eleanor had given her the day off, and she decided to spend it in town with some of her new friends Julia, another maid, and Amazon, a young man around her age that worked in the local inn. Thayet had met Arazo and immediately liked him from his funny and warrior like personality, he reminded her of Alanna.
"Lili, look at that, it's a painting of Alanna the Lioness and her friends that she went with to the Roof. You know its rumor that one of them was the most beautiful woman in Sarain, she was the Princess before her father died and now she's somewhere in Tortall," Julia said, she was constantly fascinated by the Alanna, and if her parents would have let her she would have trained with weapons.
At the thought of her friend Alanna she smiled and answered, "Yes, I've heard of her too, but I think her beauty has been glorified, because where I come from she was just another girl who got to know the Lioness."
"Where are you from Lili, your hair is to dark to fit in normally up here, and your accent speaks highly of somewhere to the east. But please do not be mad if this is truly you I am happy with that," Arazo asked, he was a kind man and never would dream of insulting Lili, but he had to know where she was from.
Arazo gazed in Thayet's direction just wishing he could tell her how much he cared for her and how beautiful she was. But instead he intently listened to her answer, "Truth be told I am not from here as you have guessed, but I am here to stay for I am not welcome in my home. I live far away where people are not fond of me, it would not be wise if I burdened you with my secrets."
Julia and Arazo let this go, there was rarely anything that Lili wouldn't share, and so this secret must be important to her. They kept walking through the market and stopping at interesting stalls hardly buying anything, but instead looking at everything.
Their wandering took them to the town gardens where the flowers were blooming with the multitude of colors gorgeously displayed. The smell was almost overwhelming, there were roses, and daisies, and lilies, and orchids all so delicate, with the high noon's sun shining against the petals. Arazo spotted a lovely soft blue colored orchid, it was obviously new because in the many times he had visited the gardens these had never caught his eye.
"Lili, fair maiden, please take this orchid as a token of our friendship," Arazo said in a joking manner, he loved to make fun of the nobles at court.
Thayet saw the flower and blushed, she had been to the convent and even if Arazo didn't know it that baby blue orchid had a meaning, just like any other flower, this one meant admiration and dedication. She hid her knowledge in her eyes and hoped that Julia and Arazo wouldn't know her well enough to notice.
"Why thank you, fair courtier. I accept your offer. Now shall we go get some food?" Lili giggled at their silliness and took the orchid with a curtsy.
"Sorry Lili, but I promised I'd join Woody for lunch," Julia stated, they all knew it was an excuse to leave the two of them alone, but no one said anything. It had happened before, everyone thought that the two would make a perfect couple and tried constantly to get them together.
They walked in silence towards the inn, and as they walked in they saw all the familiar faces of friends and a few not so friendly people. Arazo waved over the innkeeper who brought Thayet a lemonade and Arazo a beer.
"How are you two lovers? I knew it wouldn't be long till I saw the two of you alone in here. These drinks are on me," Josh the innkeeper asked, obviously not ashamed of saying what came to mind.
"O no Josh, you have the wrong idea where here as friends not much more, Julia left us alone so she could to get back to HER lover Woody. But thanks for the drinks," Thayet quickly said, but immediately she realized how much she wished she hadn't said that. It suddenly didn't sound so bad, the idea of her and Arazo as lovers, they were the best of friends and he was so funny and kind.
As Thayet sat back in her chair she looked around and realized that she didn't know to many people here today, in fact most of the usual crowd wasn't there at all. And what happened to the usual drunken laughter and singing, something defiantly was wrong, very wrong. That's when she saw a man in a dark cloak get up from his secluded corner in the back stand up and walk in her general direction, he stuck his hand in his belt pouch and held something there.
Arazo was oblivious to this suspicious man walking casually towards them until Lili grasped his arm and squeezed. She whispered to him, "Look at that man, he doesn't look like he's coming to introduce himself."
**Myles of Olau**
He rode on his loyal horse, Goody, his first instinct had been to travel to the coast because that was where Thayet, Buri and company had gotten of the boat and where Alanna and Thayet had went their separate ways. Port Caynn was just in view and he would make it there before the sunset if he hurried.
Getting out of Corus unnoticed had been quite a challenge, many people knew him both in the palace and in the city, as a scholar or a good drinking partner. But in the end he had taken a rarely used gate in the east side of the lower town, and he was fairly certain no one of importance had seen him. He rode hard, and on lesser known paths, only stopping to give Goody a drink of water and rest when needed. Knowing the importance of getting away as soon as possible, he worked hard to stay out of sight.
"Hail you there, what is your business here in Port Caynn? No strangers to Tortall are aloud here for security reasons," The guard asked bringing Myles out of his thoughts.
"I'm Sir Myles of Olau. I am here looking for a girl of around twenty with raven black hair. She ran away from her husband and people are chasing her, she is in trouble. I however am a friend and wish to help her," Myles lied, seeing that this man was kind at heart and didn't want to think of innocent people being hurt. "Guard, may I ask why it is of such importance to have such high security on such a nice spring day?"
"There have been reports of assassins coming through the city and taking people hostage, a few are even dead, in the city. Yesterday a formal attack of bandits hit along the coast, they asked for some Sarain princess, but we know nothing of her here." The Guard replied, he was clearly suspicious of Myles's intentions.
'News of the competition for Thayet must have spread quickly. It sounds like she isn't here, but I might as well look around. Its impossible to know which sources and reliable or not.' Myles thought to himself.
He took up lodge and one of the inns on the outer edge of the town. He sat drinking in the bar, listening to the men talk. Through his years in Corus he had learned how to get valuable information out of people who didn't want to talk. And now he used his skills and asked about Thayet, but no one had heard word of her or seen her. Soon it seemed apparent that in the past few months she had left Port Caynn and was now living in some other town, most likely near the sea.
**Alanna and Jon***
"Alanna, I need you to come to a meeting regarding the coronation later today. But lets not talk about business right now, I think I've missed you to much," Jon said to Alanna when they met in the palace halls.
"Jon, I've just visited Thom, what did the palace do to him? This isn't my brother he's cold and distant, proud and worst of all he's sick. This time he really did it and now I don't know how he's going to get through it. Ever since he came here the worst has come out in him." Alanna was clearly unhappy, her twin meant everything to her and without her having been there he turned to a heartless fool.
Realizing that now might not be the best time to talk about their relationship Jon took the hint and led her to his room where they could talk in peace. "Thom has too much magic for his own good, it makes him proud that he is the youngest master in history, then Delia having him bring Roger from the dead, none of this is good. I think that Roger maybe the cause of his illness and we are all keeping a close watch on him, they say he has no magic but I'm not sure I trust him."
"Jon, I can feel it something is going terribly wrong here and much of it has to do with Roger and Thom, it's not natural to have someone raised from the dead. This needs to be stopped, I will not have anyone rebel against the King of Tortall, you're to important to me."
With that she embraced him in a hug trying to keep the tears from leaving her eyes, but her eyes betrayed her yet again and she couldn't help but sob into his comfortable shirt. Jon quieted her and assured her he'd have the Provost and all the spies on this because the coronation would be the safest one ever.
After Alanna had gone back to her rooms for a rest, Jon finally let out his emotions, he was furious. 'How could anyone ever do this to her? Her own brother has Alanna worrying to the point she looked ten years older.'
Over the years he had learned that Alanna's suspicions were rarely wrong, So for once he would listen to her advice and find out what Duke Roger was up to. He walked with such intent that no one dared stop him for fear of his wrath, reaching the Duke's rooms he knocked and demanded entrance.
"Hello, cousin or should I say King Jon. And why do I get the pleasure of the king's visit today?"
**You like it? Well tell me in a review! I know you want to. I mean if you read it you must have something to say**
**Chapter 3**
"That's it I'm going out there to help him, he isn't young anymore, he needs me to help him. And Thayet, I'm responsible for whatever happens to her. I brought her to Tortall and I know her better than anyone in this country save Buri," Alanna was ranting, and full of worry. She hated to worry, but lately she'd been doing a lot of it.
"No!!! Alanna I will not allow you to go," George and Jon said shocked at the very idea. They each grabbed one arm and hoped she wouldn't do something rash, she was infamous for doing some rash and stupid things.
Alanna knew defeat when she saw it, she had never lost a fight before, but she had lost quite a few verbal battles. Sulking she peeled Jon and George's fingers off her arm and walked out to the stables to take Moonlight for a ride. Jon knew better than to let her go off by herself so he joined her as they rode off into the Royal Forest.
**Thayet and Buri**
After having left Alanna in Coram when they first entered Tortall the two headed north along the coast to a small fief of Table Rock, what seemed like a small farming fief in the hills not to far from the ocean. Here no one would ever have heard of her and certainly not recognize her.
Buri had taken up as one of the men-at-arms, and surprisingly this little town had made it acceptable to have women serve just as long as they could shoot a bow and were decent enough with a sword. It was an easy job and she earned well enough pay for her skills that were so different than anything these people had seen. At first the people were afraid of the K'mir because she was just that a K'mir, the people of the fief saw her people as savage warriors. Soon she proved them wrong and befriended most leaving only very few hostile towards her or Thayet.
She however did not abandon her friend Thayet, in fact she did all she could to be around her or have someone she trusted watch her. Thayet had immediately pretended to be a commoner from a farm that had been burned and looking for a job as a maid. The house of the Lord Thomas and Lady Eleanor, took her in as a lady-in-waiting (A/N not sure if a lady would have this, but otherwise she is just an important maid). She was happy and got along with everyone, but of course they all knew her as Lili Kalisan
Thayet was oblivious to the longing stares that many men gave her as she walked by, she was convinced that she had left behind her beauty in this new place even her closest friends knew that she was the envy of many people. These qualities quickly made her enemies among the ladies and even more friends as soon as they learned how kind she was.
Today Lady Eleanor had given her the day off, and she decided to spend it in town with some of her new friends Julia, another maid, and Amazon, a young man around her age that worked in the local inn. Thayet had met Arazo and immediately liked him from his funny and warrior like personality, he reminded her of Alanna.
"Lili, look at that, it's a painting of Alanna the Lioness and her friends that she went with to the Roof. You know its rumor that one of them was the most beautiful woman in Sarain, she was the Princess before her father died and now she's somewhere in Tortall," Julia said, she was constantly fascinated by the Alanna, and if her parents would have let her she would have trained with weapons.
At the thought of her friend Alanna she smiled and answered, "Yes, I've heard of her too, but I think her beauty has been glorified, because where I come from she was just another girl who got to know the Lioness."
"Where are you from Lili, your hair is to dark to fit in normally up here, and your accent speaks highly of somewhere to the east. But please do not be mad if this is truly you I am happy with that," Arazo asked, he was a kind man and never would dream of insulting Lili, but he had to know where she was from.
Arazo gazed in Thayet's direction just wishing he could tell her how much he cared for her and how beautiful she was. But instead he intently listened to her answer, "Truth be told I am not from here as you have guessed, but I am here to stay for I am not welcome in my home. I live far away where people are not fond of me, it would not be wise if I burdened you with my secrets."
Julia and Arazo let this go, there was rarely anything that Lili wouldn't share, and so this secret must be important to her. They kept walking through the market and stopping at interesting stalls hardly buying anything, but instead looking at everything.
Their wandering took them to the town gardens where the flowers were blooming with the multitude of colors gorgeously displayed. The smell was almost overwhelming, there were roses, and daisies, and lilies, and orchids all so delicate, with the high noon's sun shining against the petals. Arazo spotted a lovely soft blue colored orchid, it was obviously new because in the many times he had visited the gardens these had never caught his eye.
"Lili, fair maiden, please take this orchid as a token of our friendship," Arazo said in a joking manner, he loved to make fun of the nobles at court.
Thayet saw the flower and blushed, she had been to the convent and even if Arazo didn't know it that baby blue orchid had a meaning, just like any other flower, this one meant admiration and dedication. She hid her knowledge in her eyes and hoped that Julia and Arazo wouldn't know her well enough to notice.
"Why thank you, fair courtier. I accept your offer. Now shall we go get some food?" Lili giggled at their silliness and took the orchid with a curtsy.
"Sorry Lili, but I promised I'd join Woody for lunch," Julia stated, they all knew it was an excuse to leave the two of them alone, but no one said anything. It had happened before, everyone thought that the two would make a perfect couple and tried constantly to get them together.
They walked in silence towards the inn, and as they walked in they saw all the familiar faces of friends and a few not so friendly people. Arazo waved over the innkeeper who brought Thayet a lemonade and Arazo a beer.
"How are you two lovers? I knew it wouldn't be long till I saw the two of you alone in here. These drinks are on me," Josh the innkeeper asked, obviously not ashamed of saying what came to mind.
"O no Josh, you have the wrong idea where here as friends not much more, Julia left us alone so she could to get back to HER lover Woody. But thanks for the drinks," Thayet quickly said, but immediately she realized how much she wished she hadn't said that. It suddenly didn't sound so bad, the idea of her and Arazo as lovers, they were the best of friends and he was so funny and kind.
As Thayet sat back in her chair she looked around and realized that she didn't know to many people here today, in fact most of the usual crowd wasn't there at all. And what happened to the usual drunken laughter and singing, something defiantly was wrong, very wrong. That's when she saw a man in a dark cloak get up from his secluded corner in the back stand up and walk in her general direction, he stuck his hand in his belt pouch and held something there.
Arazo was oblivious to this suspicious man walking casually towards them until Lili grasped his arm and squeezed. She whispered to him, "Look at that man, he doesn't look like he's coming to introduce himself."
**Myles of Olau**
He rode on his loyal horse, Goody, his first instinct had been to travel to the coast because that was where Thayet, Buri and company had gotten of the boat and where Alanna and Thayet had went their separate ways. Port Caynn was just in view and he would make it there before the sunset if he hurried.
Getting out of Corus unnoticed had been quite a challenge, many people knew him both in the palace and in the city, as a scholar or a good drinking partner. But in the end he had taken a rarely used gate in the east side of the lower town, and he was fairly certain no one of importance had seen him. He rode hard, and on lesser known paths, only stopping to give Goody a drink of water and rest when needed. Knowing the importance of getting away as soon as possible, he worked hard to stay out of sight.
"Hail you there, what is your business here in Port Caynn? No strangers to Tortall are aloud here for security reasons," The guard asked bringing Myles out of his thoughts.
"I'm Sir Myles of Olau. I am here looking for a girl of around twenty with raven black hair. She ran away from her husband and people are chasing her, she is in trouble. I however am a friend and wish to help her," Myles lied, seeing that this man was kind at heart and didn't want to think of innocent people being hurt. "Guard, may I ask why it is of such importance to have such high security on such a nice spring day?"
"There have been reports of assassins coming through the city and taking people hostage, a few are even dead, in the city. Yesterday a formal attack of bandits hit along the coast, they asked for some Sarain princess, but we know nothing of her here." The Guard replied, he was clearly suspicious of Myles's intentions.
'News of the competition for Thayet must have spread quickly. It sounds like she isn't here, but I might as well look around. Its impossible to know which sources and reliable or not.' Myles thought to himself.
He took up lodge and one of the inns on the outer edge of the town. He sat drinking in the bar, listening to the men talk. Through his years in Corus he had learned how to get valuable information out of people who didn't want to talk. And now he used his skills and asked about Thayet, but no one had heard word of her or seen her. Soon it seemed apparent that in the past few months she had left Port Caynn and was now living in some other town, most likely near the sea.
**Alanna and Jon***
"Alanna, I need you to come to a meeting regarding the coronation later today. But lets not talk about business right now, I think I've missed you to much," Jon said to Alanna when they met in the palace halls.
"Jon, I've just visited Thom, what did the palace do to him? This isn't my brother he's cold and distant, proud and worst of all he's sick. This time he really did it and now I don't know how he's going to get through it. Ever since he came here the worst has come out in him." Alanna was clearly unhappy, her twin meant everything to her and without her having been there he turned to a heartless fool.
Realizing that now might not be the best time to talk about their relationship Jon took the hint and led her to his room where they could talk in peace. "Thom has too much magic for his own good, it makes him proud that he is the youngest master in history, then Delia having him bring Roger from the dead, none of this is good. I think that Roger maybe the cause of his illness and we are all keeping a close watch on him, they say he has no magic but I'm not sure I trust him."
"Jon, I can feel it something is going terribly wrong here and much of it has to do with Roger and Thom, it's not natural to have someone raised from the dead. This needs to be stopped, I will not have anyone rebel against the King of Tortall, you're to important to me."
With that she embraced him in a hug trying to keep the tears from leaving her eyes, but her eyes betrayed her yet again and she couldn't help but sob into his comfortable shirt. Jon quieted her and assured her he'd have the Provost and all the spies on this because the coronation would be the safest one ever.
After Alanna had gone back to her rooms for a rest, Jon finally let out his emotions, he was furious. 'How could anyone ever do this to her? Her own brother has Alanna worrying to the point she looked ten years older.'
Over the years he had learned that Alanna's suspicions were rarely wrong, So for once he would listen to her advice and find out what Duke Roger was up to. He walked with such intent that no one dared stop him for fear of his wrath, reaching the Duke's rooms he knocked and demanded entrance.
"Hello, cousin or should I say King Jon. And why do I get the pleasure of the king's visit today?"
**You like it? Well tell me in a review! I know you want to. I mean if you read it you must have something to say**