Okay, here is the next chapter! ( Blue forget-me-not - Thanks for pointing
out my spelling mistake on Daine, I went back and re-edited my first
chapter and fixed any more mistakes I found. To the rest of my reviewers,
thank you all for your support, I'll try to update quickly, but with school
and stuff its hard. I'll try to make time.
Disclaimer - I do not own any of the characters, they belong to Tamora Pierce
Daine sat quietly in the Royal Gardens with Sarra. Her beautiful baby girl was still very young, too young to say more than 'da da' or make gurgling noises, or even understand what her parents and adoring aunts were saying really, but Daine felt the need to explain to her why she was leaving.
"Sarra," she said quietly, "Your Ma is going to have to go away for a while. I have to help King Jonathan with a little problem. Your Da will still be here to keep you safe, don't worry, and Kitten too."
Sarra smiled and blew little bubbles on her tongue.
Daine smiled back. "Oh no, I know what you're thinking! You'd best not give your Da a hard time. If I hear you've been shape shifting again, I won't be very happy!" she said in her sternest tone.
Sarra looked at her mother for a minute, as if wondering why Daine would think such a thing, then giggled.
"Well I'm glad someone isn't mad at me." Daine said.
"I'm not mad at you love," said Numair's voice from behind her. Daine turned and smiled at her husband as he sat down beside her.
"Really, then why have you been so distant that last couple of days as we've been planning my trip?"
"I'm just worried Daine. The Southern Lands are very different from here. I know you've been to Carthak, but that was when all the nobles were on their very best behavior. I've experienced it all. Did you know that in the Isles, a commoner is basically the property of their lord? While you are on a lord's land, he can do what ever he wants with you. I've seen what happens to enemy when captured. They are tortured and killed slowly and painfully. I just don't want you taken away from me."
Daine leaned against Numair's chest, Sarra still in her arms.
"Numair, I'll be okay. The People will protect me, and nothing, nothing could keep me from coming back to you." She said quietly.
They sat there, simply enjoying a little quiet time together before Daine had to leave. Suddenly, a young page disturbed their peace.
"My lord, my lady," he panted, tired after his sprint to find the pair. "His majesty requests your attendance at a meeting in his private chambers."
"Thank you, we'll head right over," Numair said courteously. When the boy left he sighed. "I suppose we should go, but I would rather sit here with you." He smiled at Diane.
"You know I would too," she said looking into his eyes. "I'll meet you in the King's chamber. First, I'll drop Sarra off with Tkaa and Kit. She loves to play with their tails." She grinned.
***
Hours later, Daine sat listening to the important men and women around her who discussing her voyage to the Copper Isles. Daine didn't have a head for this "deep undercover" stuff, so she trusted the spymasters Myles and George with all the details.
"No! That can't work Gary!" she heard George say, "A northerner just happening to wander into the Copper Isles!"
"Well what else can we do George? Send her in as a slave? Because that's the only other way I can see." Gareth the Younger demanded.
Daine sensed Numair was about to say something, but the Lioness cut him off first, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Aly." Alanna said. "George you visited Aly, we could send Daine as maybe her worried sister or aunt." Diane could hear the slight tremor in her friend's voice. She knew that more than anyone, Alanna would want to go see Aly and bring her home.
King Jonathan nodded. "Will it work George?"
The Baron of Pirate's Swoop looked thoughtful for a moment, thinking it out in his head. Finally her said, "It will work. It would give Daine the perfect excuse for being there. Plenty of free family members go to the Isles every year, hoping to find their loved ones and buy them back. Plus, Diane wouldn't have to learn the language or the culture to any far extent. She could wader through the jungles talking to whatever animals she needed too. What do you think Myles?"
Myles rubbed his beard thoughtfully. Finally he spoke, "It's a good plan. Daine should leave as soon as possible. We're blind right now. Until Daine is in place, I suggest that we gather our military resources and increase our watch on Tortall's southern shore."
"Right," Raoul said, "I'll send the 3rd Company of the Own to Port Legann, from there we'll spread out."
"Good," replied King Jonathan. He turned his gaze to Daine. "We'll need you to leave quickly, tonight in fact."
Daine nodded grimly, not wanting to leave, but knowing she had to. "I'll go pack."
Hope you liked the chapter! Remember, please review and criticism in fine. Thanks for reading!
Disclaimer - I do not own any of the characters, they belong to Tamora Pierce
Daine sat quietly in the Royal Gardens with Sarra. Her beautiful baby girl was still very young, too young to say more than 'da da' or make gurgling noises, or even understand what her parents and adoring aunts were saying really, but Daine felt the need to explain to her why she was leaving.
"Sarra," she said quietly, "Your Ma is going to have to go away for a while. I have to help King Jonathan with a little problem. Your Da will still be here to keep you safe, don't worry, and Kitten too."
Sarra smiled and blew little bubbles on her tongue.
Daine smiled back. "Oh no, I know what you're thinking! You'd best not give your Da a hard time. If I hear you've been shape shifting again, I won't be very happy!" she said in her sternest tone.
Sarra looked at her mother for a minute, as if wondering why Daine would think such a thing, then giggled.
"Well I'm glad someone isn't mad at me." Daine said.
"I'm not mad at you love," said Numair's voice from behind her. Daine turned and smiled at her husband as he sat down beside her.
"Really, then why have you been so distant that last couple of days as we've been planning my trip?"
"I'm just worried Daine. The Southern Lands are very different from here. I know you've been to Carthak, but that was when all the nobles were on their very best behavior. I've experienced it all. Did you know that in the Isles, a commoner is basically the property of their lord? While you are on a lord's land, he can do what ever he wants with you. I've seen what happens to enemy when captured. They are tortured and killed slowly and painfully. I just don't want you taken away from me."
Daine leaned against Numair's chest, Sarra still in her arms.
"Numair, I'll be okay. The People will protect me, and nothing, nothing could keep me from coming back to you." She said quietly.
They sat there, simply enjoying a little quiet time together before Daine had to leave. Suddenly, a young page disturbed their peace.
"My lord, my lady," he panted, tired after his sprint to find the pair. "His majesty requests your attendance at a meeting in his private chambers."
"Thank you, we'll head right over," Numair said courteously. When the boy left he sighed. "I suppose we should go, but I would rather sit here with you." He smiled at Diane.
"You know I would too," she said looking into his eyes. "I'll meet you in the King's chamber. First, I'll drop Sarra off with Tkaa and Kit. She loves to play with their tails." She grinned.
***
Hours later, Daine sat listening to the important men and women around her who discussing her voyage to the Copper Isles. Daine didn't have a head for this "deep undercover" stuff, so she trusted the spymasters Myles and George with all the details.
"No! That can't work Gary!" she heard George say, "A northerner just happening to wander into the Copper Isles!"
"Well what else can we do George? Send her in as a slave? Because that's the only other way I can see." Gareth the Younger demanded.
Daine sensed Numair was about to say something, but the Lioness cut him off first, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Aly." Alanna said. "George you visited Aly, we could send Daine as maybe her worried sister or aunt." Diane could hear the slight tremor in her friend's voice. She knew that more than anyone, Alanna would want to go see Aly and bring her home.
King Jonathan nodded. "Will it work George?"
The Baron of Pirate's Swoop looked thoughtful for a moment, thinking it out in his head. Finally her said, "It will work. It would give Daine the perfect excuse for being there. Plenty of free family members go to the Isles every year, hoping to find their loved ones and buy them back. Plus, Diane wouldn't have to learn the language or the culture to any far extent. She could wader through the jungles talking to whatever animals she needed too. What do you think Myles?"
Myles rubbed his beard thoughtfully. Finally he spoke, "It's a good plan. Daine should leave as soon as possible. We're blind right now. Until Daine is in place, I suggest that we gather our military resources and increase our watch on Tortall's southern shore."
"Right," Raoul said, "I'll send the 3rd Company of the Own to Port Legann, from there we'll spread out."
"Good," replied King Jonathan. He turned his gaze to Daine. "We'll need you to leave quickly, tonight in fact."
Daine nodded grimly, not wanting to leave, but knowing she had to. "I'll go pack."
Hope you liked the chapter! Remember, please review and criticism in fine. Thanks for reading!