Disclaimer: All the characters in this fanfic are owned by the one and only Tamora Pierce. I own only the storyline.
Chapter Six - Hearsay Predicaments
Rumours flew around like rumours do as soon as the Sun had risen above the horizon. The most abundant were thoughts about the Gods turning their backs on the monarch. How they came to that conclusion was little surprise yet still unexpected. Not yet a day had passed since the Oracle had presented her prophecy and the entire palace was abuzz with stories and tales, some more relevant than others.
As soon as Raoul left his room the next morning, his ears were assailed by endless conversations from the surrounding halls. Courtiers, servants, men-at-arms, doormen, maids, cooks, mages and probably all the animals were conversing while going about their daily lives in a rush of movement. Raoul stood outside his room mouth hanging open, stunned at the hive of activity outside his usually peaceful suits of rooms.
"Raoul, why are you still standing at the door like a stunned boar, I thought you were going to see Flyn?" Buri came up beside him and took in all the frenzied activity outside their door. "I think you'd better run because it looks like they might trample you if you move any slower."
Raoul laughed. "The same goes for you except more so for you since you're so short." Buri served him a punch on the arm and he laughed once more. "Good luck finding Numair."
He planted a kiss on top of her head before joining the hordes of people outside, Buri shortly following suit.
Fine red veins snaked across the whites of Thayet's eyes. She had not slept the whole night feeling the press of time upon her. The prophecy was strong in her mind but getting Alanna to come back was foremost in her mind. She could assume that the Saviour from the prophecy was Alanna and thus she would come back but the question was when and if the Saviour really was Alanna.
Either way, Jon and Alanna have to make up and hopefully she will resume her role as King's Champion of Tortall. The Lioness was a symbol of Tortall, present in many of its legends and tales, and all around in other countries she was well known. Despite controversy over her shield and other ideas about her sorcery and gender, she was still well-like by many in the country and her deeds for her country could not really be disputed. Her resignation could be detrimental to their future if the King would be so ready to dismiss a hero of his country despite it being her choice.
Thayet suppressed a growl as she unfolded herself from the couch she had spent a second night upon. It was imperative that she and Gary make Jon see reason. He has played the role of King of Tortall so well for so long to fail now.
She pulled open the door to leave just as Gary was about to knock on the door. "I've found him he's in the catacombs. Do you want to do this together or separately?"
Thayet thought about it for a moment before replying, "We'll go separately, he'll suspect we're ganging up on him if we go together demanding the same thing. You should probably go first since he wouldn't listen to me last I saw him."
Gary nodded and left.
The sounds of all the palace residents gossiping made her sigh. She knew people would talk and all the wild tales people would believe simply because they could choice from a variety of tales to believe. It would be difficult to stem the flow and she didn't even bother trying as passers-by stopped to question her because until all was resolved, the blank spots within the truth would have it condemned before it could leave another's lips.
She sighed once more and made her way to Numair Salmalín's room.
Looking around the room he had as a page, Neal could help but reminisce about times gone by. All of the former pages who had once occupied this room had once again taken temporary residence as well as a few other friends. Only difference was that they were all older and world-knowledgeable having seen more of the real world.
"Esmond, you're taking up too much room, shove over or the rest of us will fall off the bed." Owen wailed from one side of the bed.
"I can't! I'm already squashed into the bedpost; I'll probably have its permanent imprint on my side when I get up." Sure enough he was, and Neal suppressed a laugh. They had also grown.
"Does anyone know where the Lioness is? Is she at Pirate's Swoop?" Esmond asked.
Neal shook his head. "I've spoken to George; she hasn't come his way, unless he's lying, of course." There was silence for a while.
"I don't understand the prophecy; it speaks of a Saviour and a Falcon but who are they talking about?" Merric cried frustrated from the prophecy's perplexity and the arm chair he and Iden were squished into.
From her corner of the bed, Kel spoke up, "I think we can assume the Saviour could be the Lioness. The Falcon however could be anyone."
"The Lioness and the Falcon could be the same person." Seaver pointed out.
"A Lioness and a Falcon are very different creatures." Merric retorted. Seaver shrugged.
Roald's quiet, commanding voice quieted all the murmurings in the room that had started, "What I want to know is what this doom is. 'Peace reigns a while… Fire will reach the sky Cities will be destroyed'. Why did the Oracle arrive a day before she spoke her prophecy?"
"'Peace reigns a while' means…"
Neal interrupted, "It means we have time. Now we need to use it wisely, we need to know what's going on."
"There's no point me asking my parents, we're going to get nothing out of them." Roald replied. "We need someone who will answer our questions on our own terms."
Neal smiled, "I think we should talk to Master Numair."
A/N : Well that's the last chapter I have for the moment, I'll write when I can since I'm actually supposed to be putting effort into some other piece of writing for my HSC and not stuff like this or so my parents say :P Btw, I know there's a few things missing like Yuki and Neal, Shinko and Roald, possibly Kel and Dom :P but since I started this before Lady Knight came out and didn't want to change too much I have left it out for now.