Update A/N: Just editing, I promise. Thanks for reading, reviewing, and not wanting to lynch me!
Disclaimer: I don't own Numair, Daine, Jon, Thayet, Onua, Buri, Raoul, Cloud, Hakkon, or any of the characters which Tamora Pierce created, blah, blah, blah. You know the drill—don't sue! Thanks!
A/N: Could some one tell me, for clarity, if it is necessary to add a disclaimer to each chapter of a story, or just at the beginning of the fic. Thanks all.
Lingering Ghosts
Himura Seraphina
Chapter 4) Galla
The Tortallan company, made of twenty-five Queen's Riders and eleven of the King's Own soldiers, including their respective commanders, and two mages, met with their Gallan escort outside of Cría two days after the Great Fair. Sent to aid Galla's guests, as well as act as ambassadors and to observe the methods of the Riders, the escort consisted of a mage, two Gallan knights, and two noblemen.
The mage, Cedwin Harcourt, was a slender and a few years older than Numair with a pleasant face and demeanor. He seemed competent and careful in manner, responding politely when introduced to Buri and Raoul. When he was introduced to Numair, however, he went white with shock and awe.
"Master Salmalin! Wha—wha—we never expected such a powerful mage to take part in such a mundane matter!"
Numair responded to this with his customary aploom. "Their majesties consider the alliance between our realms of great importance." Buri smirked while Raoul remained impassive—though his eyes twinkled.
The knights, Sir Relwyn of Tirsa and Sir Conrik of Rockfall were of a type, though vastly different in age. Sir Relwyn was no more than twenty-two, while Sir Conrik was past fifty. Both had northern appearances—tall, blonde and fair—and were solidly built, though neither matched Numair or Raoul in stature or Raoul's impressive build. Both men were polite and quiet—and they discreetely examined the Riders and the Own, who stood in lines by their mounts, watching their commanders and escorts impassively.
The nobles were another kettle of fish entirely. Baron Marcus of Rendale was nearly fifty, short and stocky, with steel grey hair and a large bushy mustache. His face was seemed with smile lines, though he was solemn now—and he fairly quivered with energy. He was, apparently, an advisor to the king of Galla, and there to observe, advise, and question Galla's visistors.
Vanel of Boarder's Peak was the son of a nobleman. He was tall and blonde like most of the northern mountain folk, and rather handsome. She found him faintly distasteful, particularly the way his eyes lingered over her and Buri's forms. He was also from the fief which held Snowsdale, thus explaining his presence.
When the leaders of their party were introduced, there were serval surprised looks. Raoul of Goldenlake and Malories Peak was famous in the Eastern lands—called the Giant Killer, he was famed only slightly less than Alanna the Lioness. Buri received looks as well—not only the Commander of the Queen's Riders, but a female commander.
Numair, of course, surprised them all—and after the collected Cedwin began babbling, the rest of the escorts looked like they didn;'t know what to make of him.
She, at her own request, was introduced only as 'Daine the Wildmage'—but this was enough to set Cedwin off again.
"Dear lady—the Wildmage! I wonder, may I speak to you about the nature of your gift? I have so many questions—"
"And we have quite a bit of road ahead of us, perfect for talking," she interrupted with a smile. The mage beemed in academic delight.
Kitten, with her well-honed sense of mischief, chose that moment to grow bored, and scrambled out from her special saddlebag on Cloud's back. When the small dragon, two feet long with an additional foot of tail, delicate sliver claws and blue tinged scales leapt down from the pony's back and ran up to Daine, the Gallans stared in shock. Kittne examined each one, rattling on in her dragon-tounge as she was introduced. "This is Skysong—but she's mostly called Kitten, or Kit."
Raoul and Buri, judging the Gallans well, chose that moment to impress them further, and, swinging onto the backs of their own mounts, released simultaneous echoing shouts of "Move out!"
The journey was uneventful, for which Daine and Numair gave thanks. They spent time speaking with Cedwin, answering his questions, and with Baron Marcus, who was interested in their parts in the Immortals War. The knights, of course, spoke to Raoul and the Own and at night questioned the Riders on their methods—including Daine, when they discovered that she was the Assistant Horsemistress and had had a part in training nearly half the Riders present. Vanel remained aloof, speaking only to Raoul in the Tortallan party, and eyeing the female Riders—to their discomfort.
In Raoul's tent after dark on the third day out of Cría, Daine, Numair, Buri, Evin, and Lena Fletcher, the 5th Company's commander, gathered to discuss their sleeping escorts.
"The Baron's a wily one," Buri commented. "Never says as much as think he does, but gets you to say more than you mean. He'd be trouble if we weren't already immune, thanks to Geoge Cooper."
They chuckled, thinking of Alanna's tricky husband—and the king's spymaster. "Nevertheless, I like him," Evin put in, "but then, I'm used to Players."
"Of course you like him—that's what makes him good at this," Buri smiled, "and why he was chosen. He's a descent sort, as well—just mind your tongue around him."
"The other one will be trouble," Lena spoke up. With dark colouring and a wiry build, Lena was exotic, feline, and lethal. She was quiet, an observer, but had a wicked intellect which matched her looks—extrodinary. "His eyes every woman in the party like they were camp followers, not soldiers. If he approaches one, he might not take 'no' for an answer."
A hush fell over the tent, with Buri looking furious and the men dark. Daine could only agree with Lena's assumption. "When he was seventeen, and I was eleven, he raped one of the village girls who went to work at his father's holding. I remember, because she had to go to Ma—he hurt her, badly, and she hadn't stopped bleeding. Nothing happened to him—afterall, he's the lord's heir, and she was just a village girl. She left the village for Tortall—that was why I headed there a year later, when Ma died." She heard Evin hiss, audiable over Buri's curse and the snick of Lena unsheathing one of her many daggers, which she then began to hone. "He had a reputation for bedding the female servants—Lona just denied him. Others would have as well, but they knew what would happen."
"The women will have to pair up," Buri ground out. "Make sure they know to stay together, no less than two, or with one of the men, whenever they're away from the company—even the privy. We might have to worry about this from bandits, but by the Horse Lords, not from a bloody noble's son." She turned her fierce gaze to both Daine and the younger commander. "Lena, that includes you—and double for you, Daine, as your bow is useless in such close quarters. That's an order, and I'll truss either one of you up if you defy it." Lena looked like she was about to protest, but deadly stares from everyone in the tent forced her to nod stiffly.
Daine held out a hand, which rippled, growing fur even as her fingers distorted, viscious claws forming, revealing a tiger's paw. "I have weapons at close quarters."
Lena eyed the paw—and the needle-sharp claws—with wicked appreciation. Buri mearly raised an eyebrow. "Let's try to avoid coming to that."
"But if it does," Raoul broke in firmly, "and pairing up doesn't work—defend yourselves. Don't worry about political repercussions, they can be smoothed over later."
Daine's hand returned to her own, and Lena gazed at the huge knight, first measuringly, then with gratitude and profound respect. "Thank you, Sir Raoul—I'll pass that along with the orders."
Numair took Daine's now-human hand and squeezed tightly. "Keep a dagger with you, magelet, especially in Snowsdale—and keep those claws handy."
Daine nodded, a faint smile touching her lips. "As close as a thought—as always."
She prayed that there would be no need to bloody them.
PLEASE REVIEW! I will post another group of chapters—between 2 and 4 chapters—within a week, and feedback would be great since this and Stumbling Steps, a one-shot, are my first posting here. Thanks for reading this far!