Hey
everyone. Well here's the next chapter. Sorry for the long wait and I
can't wait for school what about you guys? Well here it goes. Well
just read. Enjoy!!!!!! R&R
Louise
CHAPTER
THRITEEN: THE GIFT OF LIFE OR SOMETHING LIKE IT.
Alanna
felt an icy cold hand touch her shoulder in the midst of darkness and
it gave her some feeling of joy. She also heard a voice soft and
commanding yet it sounded like a pack of hounds on a hunt chasing her
to the light in the darkness. "Alanna, My Daughter, My
Chosen, get up. Get Up. They need you. Your friends are counting on
you. Get up," yelled the Great Mother Goddess.
"I
can't!" she cried into the darkness.
"You
can, Alanna. Where is the hope inside of you that you had when you
were a child? Alanna, wake up. Get up. How did you become so cold, my
child?"
"I can't; they didn't come to save
me. Goddess, I can't"
"Yes, My Daughter, you
can. They did come to save you. Now get up, get up."
"No
I will not."
"Alanna, Jon needs you, everyone
needs your help. Help them now. Stop being so cold. Love again, be
reborn, and start over with a clean slate. Become warm again. Now get
up; follow into the light. Join the battle," cried the
Goddess to Alanna. "Now get UP!!!"
Alanna
did as she was told and followed the pack of hounds to the white
light. As she passed through, she felt her body and her sprit become
warm again and fill with the hope of love in her future. She was home
and alive she thought. She came into the forest alive and wearing
breeches of silvery fabric, a shirt that was white and its collar
went right to her back and stopped just about the middle of her
shoulder blades. It was a v-neck shirt and had a single line of white
about a centimeter in and all around the collar. (A/N Sailor moon
style neck line/collar.) The sleeves were long and full. Around her
neck was a strand of diamonds and her goddess's gift. Her boots were
white and had a strip of sliver at the top. Her hair was brushed and
in a ponytail. The best part was the solid sapphire star on her
chest.
"A gift for the battle."
"Thank
you, Goddess."
"Go and fight,"
and with that the Mother Goddess disappeared and Alanna went straight
for the raging battle with Lightning at her side.
The battle
was long and raged into the night. The Tortallans had taken the Count
and Duke into custody and they would be used as ransoming tools for
their side. Alanna had most of the glory and liked it. She asked Jon
if she could switch tents with Thom so she could be closer to him. He
of course said yes. Thom was happy to have a larger tent and space to
breathe. Alanna yet again had over worked her gift and fainted into
the arms of whom else but Jon. He took her back to her tent and let
her rest. Duke Baird had fixed her arm earlier that day.
Alanna
woke three days later to the sound of the wind rustling the trees
outside and blowing through the tent. She rose slowly not wanting to
move fast because something might break and that would not be good at
all. Jon was sitting, reading a novel. He put it down and looked her
in the eye. "Better?" he asked her.
"Yes, I
am."
"Alanna, what happened? How did you get
captured?" He asked as he sat on the side of her bed roll and
brushed the knots out of her hair.
"Ummm.... Well I
don't think you're going to believe the second part."
"Try
me."
"Okay, I will then." Alanna began to tell
him about what happened and how she was captured and how the goddess
brought her back from what she called the Dark God's eternal sleep,
which was where a person wandered in the darkness forever and never
died. She told how she changed her clothing and the whole story,
every thing from top to bottom. It felt good to have someone who
loved her to hear the story first.
"What do you
think?"
"Wow! What a story! You actually saw and
talked to the Mother Goddess?"
"Yup. She is quite
nice."
"Alanna, um," began Jon. "Um,
well, can I ask you something?"
"Yes.
Anything."
"You know the war put my life into
perspective. When you were captured I was so scared I thought you
were going to die so I came up with a rescue plan. Well, I was, um,
wondering if you would- I don't know how to put this. But I'm just
going to say it, okay?"
"Yes. Okay. Just say what
you want to ask me Jon," Alanna answered.
"First
sit here, ok?"
"Okay," was her answer as he
led her to the stool that he was once sitting on. "Alanna, do
you love me?" He asked in a sweet, calm voice.
"Yes,
I do," she automatically answered to him.
"We have
been friends for three years now and I need to ask this," he
began. "We have been friends for the past two and a half years
and now lovers for half of one. Alanna, Lioness of Tortall-"
With that, Jon got down on one knee and then finished as he pulled a
small box out of his pocket. "Princess of Bystine, Lady of
Trebond, my sweet one, will you satisfy me in saying yes and marry
me?" Jon held his breath not wanting to breathe. He wanted to
freeze this moment of total un-certainty. There was a lot of room in
this for a no. He hoped to the gods that it was a yes.
"Yes,
my love. Yes, I will," was her answer.
Jon quickly rose
to his feet and picked up Alanna and spun her around and around
laughing and giggling. He put her down and slipped her ring onto her
finger. It was a large princess cut diamond and fit perfectly. He
kissed her, but it was not just a kiss. It was the kind of kiss that
puts all kisses behind them. So full of love, it sent fire down
Alanna's spine.
"Two days until I meet my future,"
Alanna thought "I wonder what the court will think of
this."
GOOD? BAD? OR UGLY? LOUISE
