AN: a great BIG THANK YOU to websites...I don't know who u r but THANK for finding a site that would translate latin for me...Everyone give her a round of applause...woohoo, how on with the revised CH. 5 and PROLOGUE
Disclaimer: Tamora Pierce...the whole thing...y'know how it goes
Alex dozed for a while, despite the excitement coursing through her brain. There really wasn't that much else to do. The whitewashed walls of her room were stark and bear, the large bookshelf occupying the corner of the room was disappointingly empty, as was the desk. Adding to that, she was suddenly exhausted and the bed was awfully comfortable.
Time passed, though Alex had very little idea of how much because, as she remembered with chagrin, clocks did not exist here. Thinking about it, she strained her ears to hear the watchman, or whoever, hoping he would call out the hour. No such luck.
Finally, there was a knock on the door.
"Come in," Alex called, for the first time since she arrived, not thinking about the danger. Luckily for her, it was Lady Alanna who entered the room. Alex smiled in greeting, hoping that Alanna had brought something to do. It appeared that way, based on the huge text and bits of clothing that she carried. "Please sit down."
Alex indicated the desk chair, briefly uncomfortable; until Alanna plopped down, look like the squire Alex had always pictured her to be. Dust flew through the air as the book hit the desk with a loud "Thunk" followed by the rocking hinges as the desk shuddered. Alex winced but recovered, as Alanna tossed the cloth bundle in her direction. Lightening fast, Alex's hand shot out and snatched the bundle out of the air. Alanna raised an eyebrow, impressed, before speaking.
"Those are just a loose shirt and breeches, just sleep in them tonight, wear what you have to dinner, everyone does, wear what they want I mean. Tomorrow your page sponsor will take you to the palace tailor to be fitted for uniforms and all of that. It's about an hour until dinner. Any questions?"
"Yeah," Alex responded, jerking her head in the direction of the book on the desk. "What's that?"
"Oh," Alanna glanced at the book. "That is the book containing the spell that brought you here. It's empty to us, except for the spell, but there are rumors that it contains whatever information the person it belongs to might need. Just rumor if you ask me, but we thought you might like it."
"Like the Great Big Book of Everything!" Alex murmured, thinking of the kid's show her cousin made her watch in their Disney Channel marathon.
Alanna gave her a look, as if she wanted to ask something, but changed her mind and said instead, with a shrug of acceptance, "That's for you to figure out...but there's nothing in there. Have fun."
"Thanks Lady Alanna," Alex said absentmindedly, eyes already on the book.
With that, Alanna gave her a quick smile before getting up and leaving.
Great, Alex thought, another hour with nothing but a blank book. Heaving a sigh, Alex pushed herself off the bed and crossed the room. She eyed the book with a mix of curiosity and cautiousness as she slid into the chair Alanna had vacated. The cover was plain, some of the original brown showing through the dusty brown that was left. The pages were old and uneven. It was far too big to be empty.
Opening it up, Alex glanced at the first page, where an old scribe's hand had written "The Great Big Book of Everything." Alex grinned wryly, picking up the humor in every letter's curve. She could feel it mocking her.
Turning to the next page, the scribe's hand had written out a riddle, labeled "Prophesy of the Founders" and under it, a different hand had taken over, writing a spell in a language Alex didn't know, but guessed to be old Thak based on her readings. On the page it looked like some insignificant gibberish, but Alex could feel the power emanating from the paper and ink.
"EGO sum dico in everto
Ut pulvis etiamnunc prognatus
EGOsatus tempestas of century
Ut servo universitas
Olympus must exsisto traho down
Sceptrum paro in suum ears
Tamen est is vox vicis?
EGO operor nondum teneo
EGO mos tantum expiscor
Ut perficio telum est locus In meus manus manus"
"I wonder what it means?" Alex whispered to herself, brow furrowed. Turning to the next page, she smiled again.
There, written across the page in the small cramped hand, it read:
"The Calling Spell: Translation
"I'm calling on demons
That aren't yet born
I'm starting the storm of the century
To save the worlds
Heaven must be pulled down
Rules set out on their ears
But is it the right time?
I do not yet know
I'll only find out
When the perfect weapon is placed
In my hand"
Alex bit her lip. Am I that demon? She wondered. Dismissing the thought as preposterous, she turned to the next page, reading the title. "Introduction" It seemed like a good place to start, so she took the book over to her bed and made herself comfortable, she had no idea how long it would take.
"Introduction"
"Welcome, the chances are, if you are reading this, you are the One"
"I feel like Neo," Alex muttered. "Stupid titles and prophesies."
"The Gift that you have is not what you expect and it's not what they expect either. Unfortunately, it is not yet time for you to discover this potential. After only half a day, you are overwhelmed. Don't protest, you know I'm right..."
Alex shut her mouth, wondering just what was up with this book.
"Anyway, I have some advice—something you'll find I have a lot of....
1. Work hard. No one can afford for you to mess up, though many will wait for you to do so
2. K--"
A bell rang, making Alex jump. Loud as it was, Alex ignored it, resettling herself and the book on her lap, and grimaced as pins and needles ran up and down her legs.
2."Keep an open mind. You've been taught that before, just try to
remember
3. Be yourself. That's what's going to save you. Always be true to yourself
4. Finally, less cliché and much more immediately useful: that was the bell for supper and you're supposed to be out in the hall waiting for the training master."
Alex jumped, dropping the book onto the bed. She ran out into the hallway, strand of hair falling out of her ponytail. Arriving, she shut her door quickly, demanding
"Why didn't anyone tell me the bell meant..."
She looked up to cold grey eyes, and finished in a slightly wavering voice.
"Dinner..."
AN: That's chapter 5 everyone... Hope you like it....The title will end up being something like "Unexplained Weapon" (props to MistyFox14) or "Hidden Dagger" I'm still thinking and STILL LOOKING FOR IDEAS!!
Thanks to my reviewers:
MistyFox14: Thanks for the title idea, I still need some more input but I really like it!!
Kore Yan: Is that good? Or bad? Please, I don't work well with vague
Bookworm09: I'm sorry you feel that way about Jon, but I've always felt him to be a ....I don't know how to put this, but I've never been particularly fond of him. To roughly quote Baron Piers of Mindelen: "Good kings are rarely good men" besides, Alex had to not get along with some people to prevent her from going all Mary Sue.... the unlucky victim was Jonathan, who will be referred to as King Jonathan in this book and ya'll will see why later
Milkeywaybar: whining do I have to? Lol I know I kinda suck at summaries but I'll work on it as soon as I get a defining title....
YAY thanks to all