The Tower of Perils - by Imperfectionist ;D

Disclaimer: I don't own any Tamora Pierce stuff. (Personally I don't understand why I still write a disclaimer at the beginning of every chapter. Doesn't everyone get the point that i don't own Tammy's tortallan world!)

I understand that I haven't updated in a while so here is the long summary of what has happened so far.
Summary: So far in the Tower of Perils, Joren and Kel came back from Maren. Joren was mourning for his lover (who died in battle). When they get to Tortall, they get sent away to Pirates' Swoop. They finally met Alanna but were on friendly terms with George. Kel began to fall in love with Joren. Joren always catches Kel at the wrong time (whenever Dom flirts with her) and he becomes jealous and became unsure whether to confess that he loves her, despite the fact that Felix died not too long ago.
Don't forget that the enemy, the Master, is still hot on the knight and squire's trail. When he first met Kel, he fell in love with her (Yes I know everyone loves Kel!) The Master would do anything to have her, so one night he kidnaps Joren and does a body swap. So the Master confessed to Kel that he loves her (though she thinks it's Joren). While Joren was taken as a prisoner on a ship named the 'Dark Ambassador' and his guard was a vicious Yamani woman, Kimiko, also known as the Master's mistress (well she was until he left her for Kel.)
After a while Kel and the Master were going through the happy lovers stage, until one day Shineal came to visit Kel privately.Shineal knew for a while but had trouble reaching the female squire. (The Master has a weapon to kill Gods, I think Shineal would not want to risk her own immortal life to tell Kel a secret.) Basically Shineal visits Kel and tells her that the Joren Kel has been with for a while was the Master and the real Joren has been kidnapped.
With the help from George, Kel has now planned to go and rescue her love. Then... you have to read the rest of this chapter.

Enjoy!


It was still dark, the sun has not risen to greet the new day. Kel stood at the gate of Pirate's Swoop, where she and George arranged to meet. They both knew that the Crown could not retrieve Joren back, or it would be incredibly difficult. So they took the matter in their own hands, with some aid and a purse full of gold nobles.

Kel noticed after that night she had to act in front of the Master, she never saw him again. She took this to George and they both realised the mage was far smarter than they had given justice for.

Now that they know the villain is waiting for her arrival to save the day. They planned to find the fastest and most unlikely way of getting to the fortress. The other day, George was looking through the maps and found the location of the fortress, in Phardez Lairs.

A long time ago it was once a rich and blessed piece of land by the Great Mother Goddess, but now it is a place which was cursed by the Queen of Chaos. For one day the Great Mother Goddess prevented the Queen of Chaos from invasion of the rule of Maren. Furious she cursed the wealthiest parts of the country to famine & poverty and the place which suffered the most was Phardez Lairs which was stripped of its fortune. Two towers were built to mark the land like an omen.

Now George and she plotted her travel to there, in hope to bring Joren back. In the grey atmosphere, a small boat had rowed its way towards Pirates' Swoop. It went with the waves which crashed into the cliff sides. Kel watched it with amazement as it tied itself to some vegetation on the cliff.

A hand went on her shoulders and found George beside her and watching a man getting off the boat, leaving another to wait for him. The man climbed an invisible ladder up to the top of the cliff and he jumped gracefully onto firm land. George went over and shook his hand. Kel watched the greetings being exchanged and was introduced to Dorian, her escort.

"Please to meet you Lady Keladry." Kel shook his hand firmly and he tugged her along to the edge of the cliff. Somehow Kel managed to climb down a very well hidden ladder down the cliff, where the waves danced around her, threatening to take her life.

Somehow, she had been rowed along the rough waves and in front of her was a large merchant ship. A step ladder was thrown down and Dorian climbed the ladder swiftly. Kel passed him her glaive which she had decided to take with her. Miraculously she climbed on board and was greeted by the Captain with his crew in formation behind him.

The Captain was a hale and hearty man of his fifties; grey streaks highlighted his ash blonde hair. His face was dark and weathered.

"Welcome on boar' the Swift me Lady. It's a pleasure to 'ave you on. I'm Cap'ain Ellard Murray." He kissed the squire's hand, he smiled, and baring gold filled teeth. Kel bowed and Dorian handed over her glaive to her.

"I hope my stay would not be of any trouble."

"I hear' much 'bout you Miss Mindelan. You 'ave a good reputation an' it travels with you. Accordin' to my judgement from facts, you are of no trouble at all." Captain Murray smiled. "Lemme introduce you to my crew. Dorian, Murphy, Arashi, Berbod, Dustin, Gideon, Marius, and Varard."

The crew bowed, all varied in age, but none of them lacked the look of experience at sea.

"This is my second in command Sergeant Davis Warrick."

The Sergeant bowed and kissed Kel's hand. The man was in his early thirties, he possessed an aura of youth and humour and had swept back cocoa hair.

"Welcome on board Lady Squire Keladry. Let me take you to your cabin and introduce you to your new room mate. The captain will be busy until night fall where he will get to know you better." Kel nodded as the captain barked orders and the crew sprung to work like birds flying from the stone thrown at them. She followed the Sergeant and enviously watches him fall below deck. She followed behind him but more slowly and less adventurously. He guided her through the gallery, the reached to the back of the ship as she past the crew's hammocks and food storages. Sergeant Warrick and her came to two doors. One was made of a strong oak and had extra security bars across it. The other was more a sliding screen made of bamboo which could be found in Carthaki. Warrick went into the second one. The room was bright as the sun shined sharply through the round porthole windows. A hammock and a cot are at one side of the room and a table with a chair was at the other side. A small chest was beside the table. Swinging in the hammock was a girl at the age of around ten, her coarse dress hung onto her body tightly. Long flames for hair crowned her head and brushed past her shoulders. Her eyes were a soft forest green.

"Valora, I have a guest here. She will be sharing your room for a while."

The girl jumped off the hammock and landed softly on the deck. She stretched and held Warrick's hand.

"Valora this is Lady Keladry of Mindelan. Lady Keladry this is my daughter Valora."

Forest eyes widened, the girl dropped her father's hand like a hot brick and curtsied deeply.

"It's a pleasure in meeting you my Lady. Is there anything I may get for you, fruit or a drink?"

Warrick laughed and patted the girl lightly on the back.

"Lady Keladry shall I put your naginata over there in the corner?"

Kel frowned, but handed over the glaive.

"Have you been to the Yamani Islands for a period of time?"

"I have followed Captain Murray for a long time, and we have been to many realms. The Yamani Islands was one of my personal favourite. I would never forget secretly going into the courtyards of the Imperial Palace and watching those ladies fight with those."

Warrick passed the glaive from one hand to another, and was quite surprised of its weight. He placed it in the corner and left the room, closing the shutter behind him. Only Valora and Kel were left in the room. Valora moved over to her cot and fussed over her unmade sheets, then sorted out learning books on the table.

Kel placed her saddlebag beside her glaive and smiled at the girl. Clearly the girl was nervous and Kel smiled at the innocent reactions, which she thought was sweet.

"Valora, where would I be sleeping?" She asked friendly. The girl jumped in surprise and opened and closed her mouth.

"I sleep in the cot, so if you don't mind my Lady. You will be sleeping in the hammock."

Kel smiled, "I remember sleeping in a hammock when I was a page. I once fell off it, thank goodness none of the boys seen me do that."

Valora giggled. "What's it like?"

"What's it like to?"

"What's it like to be a female page and a squire?" A hint of fascination grew in the young girl's eyes. Kel climbed onto the hammock and Valora jumped in swiftly beside her.

In that moment, Kel knew that she would be doing a lot of story telling, and that the journey would be very enjoyable.

A tall woman with long silver blonde hair which trailed along the floor walked along a dim corridor, lit by oil lamps. This woman wore a heavy black coat and her skin had an unnatural glow to it. She was the Goddess of the Northern Mountains Shineal, a distant descendent of Apollo. During the past five human years, she has worked incredibly hard to the war. She first started choosing humans and asked them to do small yet important errands for her. Most of them didn't survive; however one did and she treasures him the most.

The chosen one she treasures the most is Joren of Stone Mountain. It angered her to see flashes of him being tortured by the enemy. He had proven useful and durable to her, and she would rather be wounded in battle than see Joren die slowly from torture. She had sent Kel - her next chosen – to rescue Joren.

She reached the end of the corridor and opened the only door. When she went inside a knife was pressed against her neck, she didn't move but the knife was safely sheathed in a coat of ice. She stepped away and looked straight into the eyes of a man, who was the King of the Tusaine Rogues.

Shineal dipped her head in a slight bow and smiled.

"Good Evening Follower of the Kyprioth Trickster god. I'm the Goddess of the Northern Mountains Shineal, descendant of Apollo."

The Rogue bowed respectably and walked over to a large armchair.

"What business brings you here to my private quarters, Shineal?" He asked.

"I'm sure you have knowledge of my connections made with your daughter, Felix Rose."

The man did not speak but sat down, for the first time, someone had seen in his eyes his true age, a weary old man. Shineal continued.

"Her relationships with a knight and his squire were solid and have grown deep roots. Recently I have been, speaking to her, from the other Realm. She has asked me to pass a message to you." The man still spoke nothing; his face was blank, showing no signs of the sorrow and mourning he still feels inside.

"She told me she loves her father and misses him much." She paused, "She wishes that she could have enough power to help those she most endears. I'm her messenger, and she would like to ask you one favour as her last wish to you."

The man was silent, but his eyes cried the words of mourning and despair.

"I will do my best to grant her, her last wish."

Shineal nodded, that was the reply that both her and the girl wanted.

A battle ship made of ebony and yew set off from a harbour in Maren. They went along with the wind, heading east. The ship was loaded with sieges, and an army. The ship was called The Dark Ambassador and they have one mission, and that was to destroy a pirates' ship named The Swift Terror.
AN: Now that you have read chapter 13, before you review (well I hope you will anyway) I have some good and bad news.
The good news is, since the whole scene is more widespread (I mean it's a full-blown war!) so chapters will be longer! The bad news is, it will take me longer to write. But never fear! I'm going away to Hong Kong next week, so while I'm on the plane or something, I would be writing a lot. So by the time I get back I would hopefully have a chapter and a half written!

Well thanks for the reviews! Also I'm so pleased people understand what's happening!
Take care!
Imperfectionist ;D