Okay uses authoress' power to make a mic appear Can you all hear me? taps mic testing, one, two, testing mic: ::SQUEEEEEEEEAAK::
Ppl: ::wince::
Me: Sorry! ::sweat drop::
Jenna: You are such a TWIT.
Me: shut up! You're not even supposed to be here yet!! ::glare::
Teran: Jenna! Jenna, where are—oh, there you are, c'mon, we gotta get back!
Me: You aren't supposed to be here either!!
Teran: oh, uh, well...::sweat drop:: c'mon Jenna we gotta get going ::drags protesting Jenna away::
Me: ::mutters:: baka onna. Okay, now that all my time has been taken up by SOME ONE ::Jenna's laughter in background:: I will now proceed to type up the first real chapter of ::trumpet fanfare:: Keepers of the Stones. Enjoy. And don't forget to review! I still need more ideas...
Ppl: ::rolls collective eyes::
Chapter 1: Of Chats and Deeds: Old Friends and a Situation
The sun's rays were just peeking over the rise. Wolf opened his eyes to look out the window to see the sky lighten.
For a moment, he let contentment wash over him. Life was good. He had a supply of food, a pack, and a den. For a wolf, that's all you really needed.
He felt movement near him. He raised his head to look at The Boy. The Boy slept fitfully, twitching his legs as if running, his face contorted in confusion and...annoyance? There was a first. He momentarily let worry tinge his mood. The Boy had been having more and more night visions lately, ones that left him panicked and disoriented, and unable to recall the night vision that caused it.
Wolf sniffed. Something in the air was different. It was faint, only a wolfs' nose could have detected it. There was the scent of fire, forest, rain, and something crisp that wasn't immediately identifiable. Not just the smell was different though...it was more...tense, with apprehension, and...he sniffed again...and sense of waiting. Not bad, not good, but...necessary. This puzzled him. He needed to talk to the Alpha Female. Until then...
He looked to The Boy again. While he had been thinking, the dream had gone away. Until then, he thought, tongue out in a wolfish grin ((AN: couldn't resist, sorry)), it is time The Boy got up.
Geran was running. From what he didn't know. All he knew, what that something was going to happen, and he didn't want to be there when it happened. But, then why do I get the feeling that no matter how hard I run, its STILL going to happen, and, more importantly, to me? he thought.
"Why do you run when you know it will happen anyway?"
And lo, premonition confirmed he thought sarcastically.
He stopped running and turned to the left, where the voice had come from. There, on what appeared to be a bar stool, sat a girl. She sat indian style on it—how does she do that? he thought—one elbow propped on a knee holding her head; the other arm was comfortably resting on her other knee. There was something naggingly familiar about her, but as his blue eyes met her crimson ones, the feeling vanished, forgotten.
"Well..." he said, a bit confused as to why this strange girl was in his dream, "I guess I run in hopes of not being there when it happens."
The girl thought this over for a moment, messing with a chain on her baggy pants. Finally, she looked up, and looked at him, saying, "But if it is meant to happen, and nothing you can do is going to stop it, what's the point? What will happen will happen, and trying to stop it is pointless and just wastes precious time. I would think standing to face it would be better then running and THEN facing it, right?"
Geran blinked in shock; that actually made sense!
The girl sighed and said, "But I didn't come here to have philosophical discussions with you, no matter the circumstances." She hopped off the bar stool, which promptly vanished, and walked in a circle around Geran, studying him. "Hmm..."
Geran now felt not only confused, but slightly annoyed and offended with her looking him over like he was a horse and her the buyer. Just when he was going to snap at her to quit doing that, she stopped in front of him and said cryptically, "You'll do."
Geran was thoroughly annoyed now. This was HIS dream, not hers; how dare she just appear out of no where, ask a question and say something that sounded like it could have come from Aunt Pol, not what appeared to be a 16 year old girl with a rather strange choice in hair colors, and not even say "Hello" or "How do you do?"
But then again, he thought, studying her, she's probably just a figment of my imagination, so...his brow furrowed. Should I be angry at her or myself for thinking her up?
Although, he thought, noting her baggy pants, belt, chain, torn shirt and blue-to-red-orange-to-blonde hair, she doesn't look like any I'd think of. He shook his head. If I keep this up I'll give myself a head ache.
"Now then, if your done trying to decide if I'm just a figment of your imagination or not, shall we get down to business?"
Geran snapped back to attention. "Business? What kind of business?"
"Well, not really business, more like I talk and you nod your head even though you don't understand." She said thoughtfully. "Just like you do when your Grandmother starts talking!" she added brightly.
Geran blushed. He hadn't realized it had been that obvious.
"Now then, today, something is going to happen, it'll start around noon—and believe me, you will most defiantly know what it is, even if I hadn't told you when it would happen—and will end at sunset, where another unmistakable thing will happen. Got that so far?"
Geran blinked. He understood, he just didn't know what the 'things' were, and why he of all people was being told of it. Wouldn't his Father or Grandfather be better?
"What will those things be? That will be happening, I mean." Geran asked.
"Well, I..." at this she looked apologetic, "can't tell you. It's against the rules. And besides, I want to see your face when they happen." She looked like a cat in the cream. Geran looked at her as if she had two heads.
Suddenly the girl cocked her head to the side, as if listening to something. She grinned devilishly at him. "Looks as if you're about to get a wake up call." She turned to walk away. "Oh, and don't forget to tell your Grandfather about this, alright?" she said over her shoulder as she walked away.
Geran watched her go before realizing that he never got her name. "Wait, what's your name?" he called out.
She paused. She looked over her shoulder again, and called out, "Its Jenna."
Me: Muahahaha, okay, NOW you can come out
Jenna: Well finally! I thought that was gonna drag on FOREVER!
Teran: ::Stuck in closet:: ::muffled:: can I come out now?
Me: No, you're still in trouble ::swings the closets key in a piece of string::
Teran: ::groan::
Ppl: ::talking amongst themselves:: ::Man stands up::
Man: Ahem, I represent the people reading this fic
Me: ::blink:: ...and?
Man: We, the people, would like you to GET ON WITH IT ALREADY!!
Me: ::hair blown from volume of the shout:: well fine!! On with the fic!
Ppl: ::Cheers::
Me: ::mutters:: loud mouth
Jenna...he thought, as his world became a warm, heavy something on his chest, and a warm, wet, thing, enthusiastically running over his face.
Geran opened his eyes, and came face-to-snout with Wolf, who was currently laying on his chest, and licking his face. He lifted his head. "Wolf..." He groaned, then said in Wolfish, "Was what one did to one necessary?"
"What one did was not necessary, but what one did was enjoyable." He replied.
Geran let his head fall back on the bed in defeat. Then he remembered his dream. "Wolf, one is going to visit Alpha Male and Alpha Female." This was what Wolf called his Grandfather and Grandmother. "Would one like to accompany one?"
"Yes, one would. One has things to discuss with Alpha Female."
Geran started. Wolves didn't usually have things to do. In the words of grandmother: "Wolves play." They only acted seriously when there was need. Something was wrong. "Is something wrong with one?" he asked.
"There is nothing wrong with one. The air itself is wrong." Wolf replied, seriously. Geran didn't know whether to take this as a good sign, for Wolf wasn't ill, or to take this as an emergency, because only something of immense importance could affect his friend this way.
"Then will one get off of one's chest so that one may get up so that one may go to see Alpha Male and Alpha Female?" ((AN: translation: will you get off of me so we can go see them?))
Geran and Wolf were walking down the halls, going towards his Grandparent's apartment. It had only taken a few minutes for Geran to change in to some clothes, after trying to find something that didn't make him look like he was about to go to a formal ball. Geran loved his Mother dearly, but sometimes he really wished she would just let him choose his own clothes.
He was lost in thought, trying to find some other detail from his dream, when he heard voices coming down the hallway. He looked up and saw his aspiring-cook-of-a-friend Mason, and his oldest-younger sister, Beldaren. They were chatting amiably of some recipe or other; both had discovered that they shared a passion for cooking somehow, and now when ever they were together, everyone but his Aunt Pol were lost as they conversed. They talked in half sentences, but were somehow able to understand each other.
"No no no, if you do that—"
"Oh, I see now, but what if—"
"Right, that would—"
"It'd perfect for—"
Especially when you—"
Geran coughed. Mason and Beldaren had nearly passed him by they were so engrossed in conversation. He really didn't want to interrupt them—it was amusing in a way, the way they acted around each other—but he needed to know where Grandfather and Grandmother were, and they were the only people he had seen to ask.
Mason looked at him, surprised to see him there. Geran looked at his friend. He had dark brown hair, with auburn highlights. Wide melted chocolate eyes, that made him look like half his face was just his eyes. He was thin, almost anorexic looking, although everyone who had seen him eat knew better—he was like a bottomless pit! He was a few inches shorter than Geran, and almost always wore brown with red. He was always enthusiastic about something, almost never a frown to be seen on his face, though even then, it seemed to tip upwards; a little smile in the frown. He cared about others, a really big heart. Once you got it, his trust was always there too. You could tell him anything and he would keep it behind sealed lips even under torture.
Beldaren may as well have been Mothers clone in looks. The same vibrant red hair, all in curls. Leaf green eyes, that seemed to delve into her very heart. No matter what she showed on the outside, her eyes always betrayed her. She was maybe, maybe, and inch taller than Mother, but that was it. Their personalities were different though. Whereas Mother was a 'I-don't- care-how-you-want-to-do-something-you're-doing-it-my-way', Beldaren was a 'please-do-it-this-way-pleeeeease?' Both of them usually got their way about something, usually by being sweet, though Mother had times before pulled out the heavy artillery and given ultimatums. Beldaren just didn't seem to need to give them. Something about her made you want to do it anyway, just to see her smile. Aunt Pol had commented on just how much she was like her twin sister, the Beldaren she had been named after. Sweet and innocent seeming.
Geran shook the thoughts from his head. He had things to do. Before he could even say anything, however, the fatal words fell from Beldaren's lips.
"Geran, want to come to breakfast with us?"
Geran inwardly groaned. No one to his knowledge had ever been able to refuse her. It was impossible; the person trying to refuse would suddenly become tongue tied and lose his determination. He sighed, remembering dream- Jenna's philosophical advice. Why run indeed? He thought. So he put on his best smile, and replied as cheerfully to the best of his ability:
"Sure. Why not?"
And so the four of them made their way to the kitchens, chatting along the way. Which is to say, Beldaren and Mason were talking in their half- sentences, and Geran was trying his hardest to think of a polite way to excuse himself. Wolf laughed at his plight, and ranged ahead, trying to find Grandmother. Once he found her, he would come back and tell Geran.
"But how would—"
"Actually I tried that—"
"How—"
"—was it? Ask Geran. He, ah, volunteered, to taste test it for me." Mason turned his Chocolate eyes to him. "Well? How was it?"
"Huh? Oh, it was great, especially with the tang in it." Geran was snapped to the present. While he had been thinking, they had made their way to the kitchens. Geran got enough that would last him for a while, but small enough to finish quickly. Beldaren got a regular sized meal, while Mason just got a tray and piled food onto it until Geran was sure it would crack from the weight. It didn't, it never did.
They sat down, and this time, Geran got out a question before the two of them could continue talking about...whatever it was they had been talking about.
"Have either of you seen Grandfather or Grandmother? Or, know where they are?"
Mason answered. "I saw Belgarath and the lady Poledra, along with the King and Queen, heading towards the royal gardens just a few minutes ago." He said, then, more thoughtfully, "They looked worried about something, and the king was carrying a letter, I think. It had the seal of Emperor Zaketh."
I wonder if it has anything to do with my dream? He thought. He began eating his food. The faster he finished, the faster he could talk to his Grandfather.
Belgarath was sleeping. It was a nice, peaceful sleep. No dreams to disturb the tranquil silence of it. When he awoke, however, it was not peaceful.
"GrandmotherGrandfatherGrandmotherGrandfatherGrandmotherGrandfather GrandmotherGrandfatherGrandmotherGrandfather" Shouted a high, squealing, joyful, LOUD voice. A small body launched itself into the middle of the bed, right between him and Poledra. Said small body then began to situate itself on top of his chest ((AN: sound familiar, ne? )), and hug him until he was sure he was blue.
"I'm up, I'm up already!" he gasped out.
He looked over to his wife with a help-me-please look, who just ignored it and laughed. He heard the door open and another laugh joined his wife's, though this one was exhausted. He looked up to see his other Grandchild, this one just as far removed as the one on his chest. To make things simpler, he just called them his grandchildren, instead of going great- great-great-great-great-great, ect. every single time. If he had to count all the greats' on it, they would be there all day.
"Garion, help me!" he demanded.
Garion, or Belgarion as he was sometimes called, got his little girl off of his grandfather's chest, and stood there with her on his hip. Garion was an average looking man. Average height, average face. Sandy blonde hair and blue eyes. To think this was the Overlord of the West, Lord of the Western Sea, Godslayer, and King of Riva. The girl on his hip was anything but ordinary looking. Like Beldaren, she had red hair, but hers had waves, not curls. Her hair was long for someone her age, 5; it was already down to her hips. Her eyes were blue, like her Fathers, but were lighter, like the sky. Her name was Ce' Lynn, and she was one of the most adorable little girls Belgarath had ever seen. This might be just his 'Grandfather' side talking, but he didn't care. She was the youngest of Garions and Ce'Nedras brood, which consisted of eight children. One boy, the oldest, and seven girls. In order of oldest to youngest, it went like this: Geran, Beldaren, Ce' Kira, Ce' Hana, Ce' Aya, Ce' Liv, Ce' Kai, and, of course, Ce' Lynn. Ce' Nedra had insisted on the traditional Dryad "Ce" in all of the girl's names, except for Beldaren, but that was because Garion had put his foot down.
"Sorry, Grandfather. I tried to get her before she started running, but she was too quick." Garion said, his laughs having subsided, though mirth still shone in his eyes.
Belgarath groaned. "That's the fifth time this week, Garion, and the door was locked this time! How did she get in here? I knew she was spending to much time around Silk." He muttered at the end.
Garion shook his head. "I don't know how she got in here, but I'm tempted to get better locks around the citadel."
"Garion, you have a letter." Poledra spoke suddenly. She looked intent. Garion loved her dearly, had since he had met her. Poledra was born a wolf. However, she had learned to shape-shift, and became a woman and wed Belgarath. The story was strange, to be sure, but Belgarath and Poledra loved each other so much, that 3000 years ago, when Poledra had been assumed dead, Belgarath had mourned her deeply until 15 years ago, when it was revealed that she was indeed, alive. ((AN: I can't really explain this really well. If you want the full story, read Belgarath the Sorcerer, okay?)) Poledra always seemed to be unsurprised, and to know things others didn't. That last was probably true. If Grandmother said he had a letter, he had a letter. Even if it hadn't arrived yet.
"Okay, Grandmother. I'll take Ce' Lynn here with me, and be in my apartment with Ce' Nedra. We can wait for the letter in there." Garion said.
"We'll go with you." Poledra said before Garion or Belgarath could say anything else. The tone said I-don't-care-what-you-want-this-needs-to-be-done-now-do-it. Belgarath grumbled and got up to get dressed, Poledra doing the same. Garion waited outside the door, waiting for them to finish.
He looked to the giggling girl in his arms, "You, missy," Ce' Lynn giggled harder, "are going to tell me how you got into Grandfathers room...again." Ce' Lynn giggled harder. Garion waited a moment for the giggles to die down. When they did, he said, "Well?" This caused the giggles to start again. Garion sighed, "Why me?"
They were now in Garions and Ce' Nedras apartment, waiting for the letter to arrive. Ce' Nedra had taken Ce' Lynn to the nursery, which was connected to their apartment. When Ce' Lynn was 13, she could get her own set of apartments, but until then, she, and her other sisters that were still too young, stayed in a set of rooms all interconnected with the royal apartments. A rather neat way of keeping an eye on them.
The minutes ticked by, and still nothing.
"Well, how long is this going to take?" Ce' Nedra asked crossly. Ce' Nedra didn't take well to waiting. She never had, and she likely never will. Ce' Nedra hadn't changed much over the years. She was still as beautiful as the day she turned 16. And still as short. But while she was still beautiful, she had gained an air of maturity that was somehow mixed with frivolousness. No one was quite sure how this had happened, but it had, and with all the other things that had gone on, this was shrugged off as normal. Belgarath supposed that it came with being a mother.
As if her words were magic, a light blue light began to filter the room, coalescing at the table in front of all the chairs they were sitting in. After a moment, the light flared, and sitting on the table was a letter with the seal of Emperor Zaketh of Mallorea.
Silence.
"Well, I guess it was important enough for Eriond to help deliver the letter." Belgarath mumbled.
"Yeah, guess so." Ce' Nedra said softly.
Poledra picked it up and handed it to Garion, who had a slightly blank look on his face. "Well, read it." She said.
Garion opened the letter and began to read out loud.
To Garion and Ce' Nedra:
Sorry, but there's no time for flowery openings. There is an emergency
going on, I don't know what, so don't think to ask me. Cyradis is at
wits end and Eriond actually looks surprised. I know this is going to
sound really strange, but go to your royal garden. Now. As soon as you
get done reading this, in fact.
Sincerely,
Zaketh, Cyradis, and Eriond
Stunned silence greeted the ending of the letter.
"Well." Poledra said, standing up. "We better get going."
And so that is how Wolf found them. Poledra in the lead, Belgarath bemusedly behind her, Garion trying to calm Ce' Nedra down, who was currently in hysterics over the implications, or rather, lack thereof, in the short letter.
"One would ask where one is going." Wolf greeted them.
"One is going to the outside green space." Belgarath replied politely. One was always polite in Wolfish.
"One will accompany you after one retrieves ones pup." ((AN: translation: I'll go with you after I get Geran))
"One will await one." ((AN: translation: okay))
Wolf looked at him for a moment before loping away, to get Geran and bring him to the royal garden.
Teran: Can I come out now?
Me: NO!
Geran had managed to get away from Beldaren and Mason, and was heading to the royal apartments.
If I hear one more thing that I don't understand I think I'm likely to hurt someone.
Just as Geran thought this, Wolf came loping up. "One has found what one was looking for, and now one must come with one." ((AN: do I really need to keep doing this? I think you get it by now! Translation: I found them, lets go))
"But one must hurry, there's something going on."
"Going on? What's going on?
But Wolf was already going. Geran muttered oaths under his breath as he broke out into a jog to catch and keep up with Wolf.
The four adults reached the royal garden, puzzled. Why would Zaketh want them here of all places? And just what was so, so, startling, that a former seeress and a God could have them upset? It just didn't make any sense.
While they were puzzling this out Garion absently walked over to the two oak trees in the center of the Garden. They were intertwined together, and Ce' Nedra had planted them while they had been betrothed to each other. They were gifts from the Dryads, or rather, from the trees themselves. Ce' Nedra was a Tolnedran Borune. Many years ago, his grandfather had forever connected the Borunes with the Dryads in order to prepare for Ce' Nedra being born. ((AN: once again, you want the full story, read the books!! Sheesh...;;))
Ce' Nedra wormed her way into his arms, just like she had when they were first married. "What do you think is going on, Garion?" she whispered.
"I don't know, Ce' Nedra, I don't know." He murmured.
Ce' Nedra sighed, "I hope its nothing too serious..."
Just then, a pale blue light, much like the one from before in the apartments, filled the clearing. It was more pronounced now in the entrance to the gardens, where it formed a blue portal. Through the portal stepped 3 figures.
One was an average looking man. He had sandy blonde hair like Garion, deep blue eyes, and was all on all average looking, wearing his sturdy peasant brown. However, he gave off a presence of otherworldly-ness, and of power.
The next was a tall man with weathered skin. His hair was black as night, and his face was lined with past sorrow. His eyes were dark, and showed confusion, mixed with a little apprehension. However, he carried himself well, as if he knew what was expected of him and was going to give it and then some with his own flair. He was wearing a plain white robe, much like the next figure.
The next figure was small and dainty, but not nearly as small as Ce' Nedra. She had blonde hair, and beautiful eyes. She also gave off a presence of other worldly-ness, but only in the sense of having seen things and gone through things no one should have to.
Through the portal, stepped a God, an Emperor, and a Seer turned Empress.
Geran pounded his was to the royal gardens, and saw just in time the blue flash. He was still a ways' away, so he quickened his pace, while Wolf ran at a dead run towards the garden.
Once again ((AN: this sure is happening a lot, isn't it?)), silence reigned. Finally, Belgarath shook his head. "Where did you learn to do that little trick, Eriond?"
The young God smiled ruefully, "Actually, I just made it up. But it worked out rather well, don't you think?"
Belgarath looked as if he wanted to lecture him, but he refrained. Instead, he cleared his throat, and said, "Well, what's the problem? What's so cataclysmic that you had to try something completely new and possibly dangerous just to come here?"
At this a soft, musical voice spoke. "15 years ago, the Sight left me, but now, it has resurfaced for one final Vision."
"Cyradis, what do you mean? The only reason you got Visions was because the..." The words stuck in Ce' Nedras throat as the implications became clear.
"Because the Prophesies sent them to you." Poledra finished the thought that no one wanted to think. The two Prophesies, Light and Dark, had sent Visions to the young woman, so that she may Choose between them and end an ageless division of the universe. That the Visions came to her, could only mean that there was another Prophesy, and if there was another Prophesy, they were in trouble.
Here Zaketh spoke up. "Do you mean we have to go through all that again? I mean, it was kinda fun the first time around, but I don't want to do it again!!"
"Actually, we won't have to, you see—"Eriond began speaking, but just then is when Geran showed up, out of breath, and with Wolf waiting for him.
"What's going on? Wolf didn't—Eriond? What are you doing here? And Zaketh and Cyradis? Aren't you all supposed to be in Mallorea?" Geran turned confused eyes to his Father. "What's going on?" He repeated.
"What's going on," Poledra said quietly, "Is a situation."
AN
Okay, I'm sorry to leave you hanging, but that right there is 13 pages, and my back hurts from sitting for so long in this chair. Ow. But still...wOOT! I got it done in 2 days!!
Teran: Let—me—out! ::Bangs against closet door:: c'mon, I've been in here all day!
Me: Ah, ignore that
Jenna: well, he HAS been in there awhile...
Teran: I 'm hungry!!!
Me: ::rolls eyes:: fine, I guess so...now where did I put that key?...oops
Teran: 'oops'? What does oops mean?
Me: uh, nothing! ::mutters to Jenna:: can you break that door down?
Jenna: ::flatly:: you lost the key, didn't you?
Me: uh...
Teran: what was that? hey, why are you guys whispering?...you lost the key, didn't you?
Me: I didn't lose the key! I just misplaced it...But don't worry!! Have you out in a jiff!
Teran: ...
Jenna: ::Looks at ppl:: ::sigh:: it might be awhile till Cathy has the next chapter up. She needs Teran for it, and he can't be in it if he's stuck in the closet...
Me: Okay, Teran! I need you to get as far away from the closet door as you can! ::places bomb at closet door::
Teran: but its only a 3 by 3 closet!
Me: ...then just duck and cover!
::BOOM::
::Lots of smoke::
Jenna: ::cough:: I'm leaving for my own health ::cough::
::door is gone to reveal a very dusty and dazed Teran::
Teran: ugh...::faint::
Me: see, told you I'd get you outa there!!
Ppl: ::sweat drop::
Me: anyway, remember to review, if for nothing else than to wish Teran recovers from a mild concussion. ::sweat drop:: heh heh, guess I shouldn't have used a bomb, huh? Oh, and I still need ideas, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REVIEWING THE LAST CHAPTER!!!! ::happy dance::