Alanna
Chapter 20
Author's note: This story is drawing to an end- the climax is coming pretty soon. Please REVIEW! Reviews are dropping… sigh. :( You know you can make my day just by clicking on that button right? Okay, without further ado, I shall plunge straight into action!
(The Siege)
"My Lord, I have some urgent news!" A soldier said breathlessly, panting furiously. The soldier had galloped on horseback from the walls of Corus to the castle in the space of minutes, at full speed, and that was remarkable. Jorge, a commoner sworn into the cavalry was famed for his speed and his talent with horses. From a young age, Jorge had lived with horses and he and his various horses were compatible matches. He sincerely cared for them and they, likewise. However, nothing could have prepared him for his arduous journey to the castle, which he had been commanded by his officer to go at top speed.
He had made it at an unbelievable time and at a record too.
Jorge knocked harder and faster, the sounds reverberating in rapid staccato like beats. "Sir, it's urgent!" he cried again, respectful and yet panicky. The king, who had been buried under a deep pile of administrative work, stirred from his stupor to clear his throat and stare out of the window, unaware of the commotion that was about to spread throughout the city.
"Come in," he said austerely.
Jorge rushed into the room rather messily and hurriedly fell into a bow. Taking in deep breaths to regain his composure and lower his racing heartbeat, he paused momentarily, before turning to look at the king, who stared back expectantly and disinterestedly.
"Sir, the city has been taken siege!" Jorge said, his words rushed but yet dramatic.
Silence reigned in the room. For a few moments, the room fell into a bewildered tranquility. The gentle breeze seemed to stop abruptly and the chirping of birds whizzed to a halt. The room was in a stationary position, not moving- stunned, flabbergasted, rooted.
"W..What?" The king said, shocked, stumbling over words in disbelief. "Seige?" He paused before chuckling amusedly. "That was a nice joke!"
There was expectant silence again before- "It wasn't a joke, my lord," Jorge replied.
(Love?)
The sky was emblazoned with stars, which twinkled cheerily, surrounding the crescent moon, which emanated a weak and gentle light. The night air was crisp and cool and the sound of an owl hooting could be heard faintly in the distance. The weather was fine and the night was young- it was a beautiful way to end a tiring day. Alanna and Leo sat side by side, near a roaring fire, roasting some rabbit for their supper.
They were peacefully silent, quiet and content and nothing seemed to be able to shatter the tranquility of the night.
Silently and inconspicuously, Leo slid closer to Alanna, who did not make any objection. With a somewhat awkward gesture and move, he rested his arm over Alanna's shoulder.
Alanna again, did not object.
(A month later)
It had been a month since the trolls had surrounded the great wall of Corus, and in that one month, they had not budged much. The tents, dull as ditch water, were pitched firmly, and in fact, the troll shad taken to constructing crude make-shift huts, which were safer and more comfortable then the flimsy tents. Sentries still guarded the city gates throughout the clock, armed with huge crossbows and iron axes which hung by their sides. The trolls had looted the country side to Corus and their provisions were plentiful, and should the need arise, some would probably turn back to get more.
In the city gates, however, another story could be told.
Tortallans lived daily in the fear that their food supply may one day run short or that the trolls would break into the city. Life had changed drastically and everyone took a more cautious style of living. Children no longer ran free on the streets, instead, they were more often than not, locked at home in the safety of their homes. Food was rationed and meals became small, the staple being sweet potatoes, a strange sort of underground root which were easy to grow. Hungry people, especially the peasants, roamed the streets. Even the rich were not spared and lavish parties were no longer thrown. Every single morsel was kept for the next day and not thrown away.
However, time passed and the Tortallans lasted, strong, determined. King Roaul was a capable leader, despite having made foolish choices in his life. He divided food portions equally, and set about farmers to plough new land to plant food for the people. Knights patrolled the borders, along with sentries, armed and prepared to kill should the trolls attack. All in all, the Tortallans resisted.
There had been a few skirmishes, in which a Troll or a handful of rebellious ones shot a few arrows over the walls. The Tortallans, enraged, had almost shot back a few arrows but were stopped immediately. The Tortallans could not afford the waste of such weaponry or aggravating the Trolls in fear that the later would attack. The Tortallans were the weaker side and they had to be patient, to take their time and not rush headlong into battle. Thankfully, the Trolls had not fought back. It was evident that they were also under the strict command not to fight.
This could only mean one thing- that the Trolls were under the command of another person, someone intelligent for a change. Their layout, the construction of their huts, the way they behaved- orderly, organized, accurate- it could only mean that the Trolls had allied themselves with a person or a group of people- people blessed with the gift, people who were powerful, people who were wary, and overall, people who posed a threat… That was the one thing that got people worried- those who knew of course, and King Roaul had sent some of his best spies and his best knights to find out who was the mastermind behind the whole siege.
It was ironic that the person they were looking for, the one person who had caused so much suffering, the one person that could change the whole future of Tortall was on that very team.
(Dreams)
Hesitantly, the Goddess turned to stare around her. All was dark- it was night, and even the divine had to sleep. Stars twinkled from the skies, and the moon gave off a warm light that bathed the clearing, shedding just enough of it for her to see. The Goddess felt her heart pump faster and adrenaline course through her veins. She had visited the mortal realm countless times before, but each trip gave her a sense of anticipation that she could not reason. She loved it, the trip there- it was a pity that she could not go there more often. Such trips were heavily guarded, and today, she was going to sneak there.
Should the council find out, she would be in deep trouble, and that was a consequence she would funny accept. There were many crimes that one could commit in the divine realm, but inter-world travel, without permission, was the most serious of all. However, she knew that for this particular case they would make an exception- it was too crucial and the girl could not fail in her destined task. Even the council was worried- she had always been good at perceiving people's emotions, and she could read the council as though they were an open book. They were anxious, just too proud and headstrong to say so.
Carefully, she stepped into the clearing and picked up a piece of chalk. It was small, and not normal. The outside was white and powdery, but it was surprisingly, very heavy. On the flaky surface was runes carved intricately onto it, and it was divine-made. Each goddess (or god) had one, and this was hers. She treasured it very much- it was her most favored possession. She scratched a couple of symbols on the ground first, before standing in the middle and drawing a perfect circle around her. Cautiously, she knelt in the middle of the circle and drew some runes. Then, she placed her chalk aside and ensured that it did not roll away.
She began to chant,
Alanna was dreaming.
She was a beautiful lady- too beautiful to be human. Her face was unmarred and perfect. Her sensual lips were curled into a slight smile and her eyes were alit with excitement- and caution. Alanna found herself walking towards that lady, her legs moving involuntarily. The lady nodded beckoningly and Alanna was riveted at the lady's face- too caught up in her beauty and oblivious to her surroundings. The lady started to speak and her voice was light, cheery and musical.
"You have to leave the forest," she said softly.
Alanna gave a start. Could people actually speak in dreams?
"You have to leave the forest, Corus is in danger and they need your help," the lady repeated, patient.
Alanna found herself slipping out of her reverie. A thought formed in her brain and her lips formed those exact words- "Huh? Goddess, what is happening?"
The lady gave a laugh, no doubt amused by Alanna's confusion. "That doesn't matter. You and Leo have to leave as soon as possible." The lady paused. "Corus has been taken under siege and only YOU can change that," she added, her face serious.
Alanna gave a bark-like laugh. "Me? You've got the wrong girl," she said, amused.
"Alanna, I never make mistakes. You have to leave. Go! When you wake up, you will find an amulet lying next to you. Take it and wear it with you gift, and then leave. Immediately, Alanna, and no, you are the right person. You have been blessed…" The Goddess said, her voice dropping to an urgent whisper.
Suddenly, the lady started to disappear, her colors were fading into a blurry mess, and her form started to shake and slowly, it seemed as though she was vaporizing.
Alanna felt questions run through her brain. What is going on? Who are you? Is this a dream? How do you know who I am? What does it mean by 'blessed'? What am I supposed to do? Is Corus really under siege? However, when she blinked open her eyes, about to ask the questions on her mind, the lady had disappeared.
Alanna awoke, her back plastered with a layer of sweat and droplets gathering around her furrowed brows. She sat up and placed her palms on the ground next to her- only to touch something cold. She picked it up- it was an amulet.
(Intruder)
The intruder stared through the bushes in intent concentration. His eyes glinted with malice and he instinctively touched his sharp blade, which had been strapped carefully to his calves, easy to retrieve. He licked his lips. How long had it been since he had chased the girl and the Shang down? It had taken him weeks- and for him, that was like eternity. No one had ever lasted that long and he was determined to make them pay for that. Inching a little closer, he was careful not to brush against the bushes for fear that he would be spotted.
No, he would wait, as much as he wanted to kill them then and there. He was a patient man, and as his parents used to say- patience is a virtue. Some things could not be done at the spur of the moment, and this was one such thing. Both the girl and the Shang were dangerous- very in fact, he most worthy opponents yet. Should he face them alone, he would probably not live to tell the tale, but he had never been a noble person. He would kill them secretly, stealthily- from the beneath of the shadows.
He grinned.
He would take the male one first- he was taking guard. From the behind- a quick thrust in his back and a snap of his neck would suffice. After that, he would enjoy the girl, before killing her with a sword in her stomach. He would hear her scream in agony, hear her yell for mercy; hear her plead for her life. Such a wound would take minutes to turn fatal, and he would enjoy every single moment. The intruder licked his lips again and crept forward.
He could already see it- the man's back was unprotected, bare, without armor or suit or anything- just a flimsy piece of cloth. It would be so simple- too simple in fact… He took out his knife and crept forward, inching towards the target, success already in the air and triumph on the tip of his tongue…
The intruder stuck out his knife and was about to stick it into the man's back when-
"LEO! INTRUDER!"
The Shang turned and saw him. The intruder gave a groan. Mission ruined- time to run.
The intruder sprang to his feet with agility and turned, attempting to run away but Leo and Alanna pounced on him and dragged him down. The intruder started to struggle, trying to break free but the grip that held him was firm and vice-like. However, he was not done. Raising a feet, he kicked Leo hard. Leo stumbled and loosened his grip. The kick was hard and Leo fell to his back. Alanna held on, but she was not as strong as the intruder, who was about to break free. The intruder whipped out another knife, seeing that his first one had been kicked meters away.
He tried to plunge the knife into Alanna- any part, if it were deep enough, it would have caused enough pain for Alanna to drop her grip and allow him to finish her off. However, as much as he tried to get close to Alanna, Alanna's grip on him was still steady and refused to allow him to go closer to her, only to struggle. He grinded his teeth in frustration and suddenly, he twisted away from Alanna. Alanna gave a shriek- her arm had been forced into an awkward position and it hurt. She dropped her arms. The intruder approached her rapidly, knife in hand, eyes glinting insanely and about to finish her off when…
He fell to the ground, dead. Leo stood behind him, smiling grimly and a bloody knife in his hands. Alanna gave a sigh of relief when she remembered something.
"Leo, we have to leave!" she cried in urgency.
(Attack)
Roger stared at the horizon in despair. The siege had lasted far too long- far too long.
The trolls were getting restless; he could sense it day by day. It would not be long before they broke out of his grip and run free, chaotic, and overrun the city, no doubt killing everyone along the way and resulting in a bloody mess. No, Roger did not want a city in ruins. He had everything planned. Trolls were by nature, blood-thirsty creatures. In addition, they had a voracious thirst for revenge, and they were getting impatient. Roger had promised them blood and they were not getting it. They would rebel against him soon...
The city would last. Roger had doubted King Roaul's reign before, but he took back his words now. The king was capable- his actions had proved it to both his people as well as his critics. No, the siege had to end- and soon, or the consequences would be dire.
Roger made up his mind.
The seige would be ended tomorrow...
Author's Note:
Next chapter is the climax! It will be long, most likely- after all, it's the whole key to the story. Everything will be revealed in the next chapter- the secrets of Amayaa, how the war is going to end, and what would happen to everyone: Roger, Jon, Alanna, Leo, George, and even Jorge.
It will also be the last chapter before the epilogue.
Please REVIEW! Thanks!
Update in about: 1 week or less, depending on number of REVIEWS! winks