Thank you so much, je suis une pizza and Lady of the Fields!!! I was so happy when I got those reviews from you guys! I was quite frightened that my fic would be ignored altogether. You guys gave me the motivation to get this chapter up so quickly (I have the story outlined and so knew what I wanted to put in this, but as we all know, it does take time to think out all the details and make things interesting). Winter break will be ending all too soon for me, so if I am lucky, I will have the next chapter up before I become a slave to homework again. After that, I have no idea how long it will take me to get another chapter up…please forgive me. Until then, enjoy!
Disclaimer: You know as well as I do that I do not own anything and anyone that is Tamora Pierce's. I merely own Elaine, Christian, and the plot.
Elaine smiled softly at the sleeping Alanna, careful not to let the light of the candle she was holding fall directly on her sister's face and wake her. Though Elaine had the Gift, hers was not as powerful as Alanna's nor Thom's, and she used it only when absolutely necessary. Quietly, she opened the door and slipped out into the hallway, closing the door gently before walking back to her room.
After she had cried in Alanna's arms the night before, the latter wisely remaining quiet and simply offering comfort, the two sisters had caught up on what had happened the past six months. They had talked for about two hours before Alanna decided that Elaine needed to sleep, seeing how she had just gotten to the palace and it was late into the night. The two sisters had shared Alanna's bed because Alanna had not like the idea of Elaine walking back to her assigned room alone so late at night and Elaine had refused Alanna's decision to escort her back to her room.
It was now three hours later and six in the morning. Elaine whispered the password to her room and the door swung open in welcome. She entered, appreciative of the password-locks that Alanna had informed her the King had ordered installed in all of the sleeping quarters of the palace just three months before. It certainly was convenient not to have to carry a key around all the time. As the door clicked shut behind her, she set down the candle holder on the cherry wood desk and laid on top of her luxurious bed, her troubled eyes glancing up at the cream-colored ceiling. Her eyes shut in pain as the scene that had plagued her for the past six months replayed itself once again in her head.
Flashback
She quietly slipped out of her father's room, having just spent the entire morning reading to him. She would like more than anything to spend an entire day with her father, but unfortunately, she had business matters concerning the fief to attend to. Since her father was so ill, Lord Trebond's responsibilities had fallen on her shoulders. She shut her eyes and leaned gingerly against the door, succumbing to thought. He's dying. Oh, Goddess, Father's getting weaker each day. I have summoned every notable healer in the country…they all shook their heads and said there was nothing they could do. "His heart is not strong enough." Oh, Father, please…fight…
"It's been a long time, Elaine."
Elaine's whole body tensed and the blood drained from her face. That voice… Her eyes jerked open. They feasted upon the handsome young man with hair the color of night at its darkest hour and beautiful eyes a rich shade of emerald. His nose was long and straight, his lips full and all too kissable, and his body tanned and toned. Elaine's breath caught in her throat as thoughts flooded her.
Oh, Mithros…he's back. It's been eight years since his family left Tortall suddenly and moved to another country. How did he sneak pass undetected? He looks handsomer than ever. I wonder if he has found the One yet… Stop it, Elaine. You've managed to keep your love for him hidden for all these years. You don't want to ruin everything by making him suspicious now. You know he would never love someone like you.
"Christian," Elaine finally acknowledged, her face betraying no trace of her inner turmoil. She noticed that gone was his childhood friendliness, in its place an air of aloofness and purpose. His eyes were no longer overflowing with mirth, but guarded and piercing. The changes invoked a wave of sadness over her body.
"I am here to speak to Lord Trebond. It is of utter importance," Christian stated in an icy tone.
Why the cold tone? Whatever happened to our friendship? What changed?"I am sure you have heard that my father is most unwell and has been for the longest time now. If it's business concerning Fief Trebond, you can speak directly to me," Elaine replied, hurt.
"Let me through, Elaine. Don't make me force you." He whispered the words, but they lashed out at her like a whip. Shock rippled through her. Force me? He never forced, or commanded, for that matter, me to do anything before. Oh, Goddess…
For a moment, Elaine thought to defy him and see what he would do, but his words were the final straw. Tears that had been held back ever since she came home were threatening to spill out any minute. And she would be damned to let him see her so weak when he was obviously no longer the man she had loved. Without a word, she moved away from the door and headed down the hallway to her rooms.
Once she was safe inside her rooms, Elaine let the tears stream down her face in rivulets. Even as the tears fell, however, she quickly got to work. She went into her bath room, filled a basin with water, and brought it back to her bedroom. Calling upon her Gift, she cast a spell to see and hear what was going on in her father's room. She knew it was wrong to infringe upon others' privacy…but she needed to know why Christian needed to talk to her father. And so you can look at him longer, a nasty little voice injected.
Lord Trebond's room came into focus in the water. Elaine's heart skipped a beat as she took in the scene before her. Her father was kneeling on the floor, his head down, one hand feebly stopping him from falling headfirst to the floor as his other hand clutched his chest, excruciating coughs hacking through his body. Christian stood two feet away from him, apathetic to the poor man's state. Worry and shock surged through Elaine as she swore and made to go to her father immediately when Christian's next words, potent with anguish and anger, froze her.
"I take it by your silence that it's true. You bastard…you ripped my family apart! When my father found out that she had slept with another man behind his back, he broke into a thousand pieces. He didn't know who the man was, of course. It took me all these years to dig up the truth. She died soon after my father found out. She couldn't take it…she really did love my father despite the unforgivable act she had committed."
It took a moment for the meaning of those words to sink in. Elaine immediately rushed out of her rooms and ran to her father's. Later, when she could afford it, she would ponder upon the full significance of the situation. For now, her father's safety was uppermost on her mind. Please, please let me not be too late…
Elaine burst into her father's room, her eyes frantic and her whole being quaking uncontrollably. She rushed to her father's side. Her eyes met those of Christian's.
"What's the matter, Elaine? You were listening in, no doubt. Don't worry, I wasn't planning on taking the life of this pathetic heap. I would rather see him suffer till he can stand his sins no more," Christian said coldly, walking towards the opened door. He paused just as he passed her, muttering some ancient words. Elaine felt a wave of coolness go through her body.
"That's to make sure you don't tell of what transpired in here or what you learned from the conversation I had with your father. Try to convey what the spell has forbidden you to do and you will choke to death. Good day, my lady," Christian whispered, walking out of the room, leaving a stunned Elaine behind.
End of Flashback
It took me forever to write this chapter because I wanted to capture everything perfectly. Of course, it's still far from perfect. I tried. Hope you liked it. Please review! It would make me so happy…