Chapter 4 - Thank you to all who reviewed, you rock! :-) In this chapter
Daine leaves for the Copper Isles. The action/adventure part of this story
shall shortly follow. Please read and review you hearts out!
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or places, they belong to Tamora Pierce ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Daine leaned against the rail on the top deck of the ship Peerless, which was named for Daine's friend and Queen, Thayet the Peerless. She turned her head and faced the rising sun, the fresh salt air filling her nose. As much as she loved the land, the sea was always a wonder to her, a country girl, born and bred.
She fingered the silver badger tooth that hung around her neck and then the small locket that dangled nearby. Numair had given her the locket right before she had kissed him and Sarra goodbye.
"Wear this always," he had said.
"It's beautiful Numair,"
"Yes, but it has a more important purpose than beauty. I've put a powerful spell on it. Don't open it unless you are in dire need. As soon as it is opened, I'll know you are in trouble and will send help right away. It only works once though, so only use it when all else fails." With that, he had kissed her passionately and smiled. "Be safe love."
Daine missed him already. She wished he were here. She had only been aboard the ship for a few hours and already she felt as though she were a million miles from home. Not to mention that being aboard a tiny ship in the middle of the ocean very boring. Daine turned and faced some of the other passengers on board.
There were a few families, one of which looked as though they wealthy merchants with their fine clothes and conspicuous arrogant attitude. Watching the two youngest boys was a young woman who looked like a native from the Isles with her tan skin and brown eyes. Raka, that is what the people from the Copper Isles were called, Daine remembered. Around her neck was an iron ring, signifying that she was a slave.
Daine could not help but feel her heart burn with anger. Being a northerner and from Tortall, she could not understand at all how one person could own another. It wasn't the way the gods had intended things to be. Mortals always had to go around messing up the balance of life created by the gods. Her Ma and Da were always complaining about how humans muddled in matters they shouldn't.
She shook her head and held her tongue. So say the things that were on her mind to the master of the family would not only blow her cover, but could get the slave in trouble. Daine had been to Carthak and she knew that anything that went wrong was blamed on the slaves. Presently, the young slave, who looked quite ill, whispered to the mistress of the family. The lady nodded and the slave rushed over to the railing next to Daine and vomited. Daine had never seen anyone so seasick before, other than the Lioness of course, who was as well known for her hate of sailing as she was for her temper.
Suddenly the boat pitched wildly as a huge wave crashed into it. The slave was thrown over the rail into the sea and disappeared under the waves with an earsplitting scream. Everyone hurried over to see what had happened. Down in the water, the slave briefly rose above the surface before the heavy iron ring around her neck pulled her back down.
Daine quickly assessed the situation. She looked over to the master of the family. He seemed a bit disturbed at his loss, but seemed more sad at the loss of an investment than of a person. Seeing that there would be no rescue attempt from him, Daine didn't hesitate any longer. She hopped over the rail and into the deep ocean.
As soon as she felt the cold water swirl around her, she knew that rescuing the slave would not be easy. Daine was a good swimmer. She had spent most of the summer days of her childhood swimming in the small pond that lay just outside of Snowsdale, but this was the ocean and there were strong currents. Daine looked around frantically. She needed to find the girl soon, or the both of them would run out of air.
Daine saw a flash of color out of the corner of her eye. There she was, down maybe a hundred feet below her. The wild mage knew that she could never swim that far without first coming up for air again. But in doing that, she might lose sight of the girl forever. Thinking fast, Daine closed her eyes and gave herself the gills of a shark. Now she could breath.
The wild magic that allowed Daine to talk with the People also allowed her to become them, and in some cases, pieces of them. She swam downward as fast as she could, and caught hold of the girl's sleeve. The Daine began to kick upward to the surface. The girl was heavy and Daine's legs burned from the effort, but she continued upward.
After what felt like an eternity, Daine felt her head suddenly brake the surface of the water. Quickly, she got rid of her gills and began to breath normally. The ship was about a little way away now, having continued onward to it's destination even after losing two of its passengers.
"Hey!" Daine yelled, "Back here!" At first it seemed as if no one had heard her. Changing her eyes to those of an eagle, she saw differently. On board several of the sailors were pointing wildly in her direction. Soon the ship had been turned around and headed back toward her. Remembering the girl, whom Daine still struggled to keep afloat, she noticed that her eyes had started to flutter.
"You're alright," Daine said and the girl began to cough.
Deep brown eyes looked into Daine's own gray. "Thank you god child," the girl whispered and then she passed out.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or places, they belong to Tamora Pierce ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Daine leaned against the rail on the top deck of the ship Peerless, which was named for Daine's friend and Queen, Thayet the Peerless. She turned her head and faced the rising sun, the fresh salt air filling her nose. As much as she loved the land, the sea was always a wonder to her, a country girl, born and bred.
She fingered the silver badger tooth that hung around her neck and then the small locket that dangled nearby. Numair had given her the locket right before she had kissed him and Sarra goodbye.
"Wear this always," he had said.
"It's beautiful Numair,"
"Yes, but it has a more important purpose than beauty. I've put a powerful spell on it. Don't open it unless you are in dire need. As soon as it is opened, I'll know you are in trouble and will send help right away. It only works once though, so only use it when all else fails." With that, he had kissed her passionately and smiled. "Be safe love."
Daine missed him already. She wished he were here. She had only been aboard the ship for a few hours and already she felt as though she were a million miles from home. Not to mention that being aboard a tiny ship in the middle of the ocean very boring. Daine turned and faced some of the other passengers on board.
There were a few families, one of which looked as though they wealthy merchants with their fine clothes and conspicuous arrogant attitude. Watching the two youngest boys was a young woman who looked like a native from the Isles with her tan skin and brown eyes. Raka, that is what the people from the Copper Isles were called, Daine remembered. Around her neck was an iron ring, signifying that she was a slave.
Daine could not help but feel her heart burn with anger. Being a northerner and from Tortall, she could not understand at all how one person could own another. It wasn't the way the gods had intended things to be. Mortals always had to go around messing up the balance of life created by the gods. Her Ma and Da were always complaining about how humans muddled in matters they shouldn't.
She shook her head and held her tongue. So say the things that were on her mind to the master of the family would not only blow her cover, but could get the slave in trouble. Daine had been to Carthak and she knew that anything that went wrong was blamed on the slaves. Presently, the young slave, who looked quite ill, whispered to the mistress of the family. The lady nodded and the slave rushed over to the railing next to Daine and vomited. Daine had never seen anyone so seasick before, other than the Lioness of course, who was as well known for her hate of sailing as she was for her temper.
Suddenly the boat pitched wildly as a huge wave crashed into it. The slave was thrown over the rail into the sea and disappeared under the waves with an earsplitting scream. Everyone hurried over to see what had happened. Down in the water, the slave briefly rose above the surface before the heavy iron ring around her neck pulled her back down.
Daine quickly assessed the situation. She looked over to the master of the family. He seemed a bit disturbed at his loss, but seemed more sad at the loss of an investment than of a person. Seeing that there would be no rescue attempt from him, Daine didn't hesitate any longer. She hopped over the rail and into the deep ocean.
As soon as she felt the cold water swirl around her, she knew that rescuing the slave would not be easy. Daine was a good swimmer. She had spent most of the summer days of her childhood swimming in the small pond that lay just outside of Snowsdale, but this was the ocean and there were strong currents. Daine looked around frantically. She needed to find the girl soon, or the both of them would run out of air.
Daine saw a flash of color out of the corner of her eye. There she was, down maybe a hundred feet below her. The wild mage knew that she could never swim that far without first coming up for air again. But in doing that, she might lose sight of the girl forever. Thinking fast, Daine closed her eyes and gave herself the gills of a shark. Now she could breath.
The wild magic that allowed Daine to talk with the People also allowed her to become them, and in some cases, pieces of them. She swam downward as fast as she could, and caught hold of the girl's sleeve. The Daine began to kick upward to the surface. The girl was heavy and Daine's legs burned from the effort, but she continued upward.
After what felt like an eternity, Daine felt her head suddenly brake the surface of the water. Quickly, she got rid of her gills and began to breath normally. The ship was about a little way away now, having continued onward to it's destination even after losing two of its passengers.
"Hey!" Daine yelled, "Back here!" At first it seemed as if no one had heard her. Changing her eyes to those of an eagle, she saw differently. On board several of the sailors were pointing wildly in her direction. Soon the ship had been turned around and headed back toward her. Remembering the girl, whom Daine still struggled to keep afloat, she noticed that her eyes had started to flutter.
"You're alright," Daine said and the girl began to cough.
Deep brown eyes looked into Daine's own gray. "Thank you god child," the girl whispered and then she passed out.