Disclaimer:
The Dark Jewels Trilogy and all the characters in the books are copywrited to Anne Bishop. Sadly, I could not come up with this one my own. The new characters and the plot of this fanfic are mine, however.
Author's Note:
This is my first fan fiction ever, so criticism and complements are welcome. Please review! As I have already stated at this is my first fan fic, it would also be safe to say that this is my first DJT story, so if I make any mistakes in the technical stuff, please tell me so I can fix it!
The story is set about thirty years after Witch purged the realms of the taint. There are two main charries: Jhaecyn, the son of Jeanelle and Deamon, and Analia, a young landen woman who's people are facing major problems. It is a story of a love that cannot be, and I have yet to decide whether to make the ending happy or sad. I'm leaning towards happy, but you never know! Please remember to review, 'cause if I get good, helpful comments, the story will most likely turn out a whole lot better!
Hope you enjoy the story!
Prologue
Mahai jerked her head from the ground in alarm. Her large, black tipped gray ears pricked forward and her huge brown eyes scanned the darkness. Suspicion filled her as she heard the sound again; the shuffle of feet and the occasional grunt drifted from the surrounding trees. The mare cautiously sent out a light psychic tendril, and recoiled quickly when she felt the presence of Blood humans filled with a strange emotion she could not name. Why didn't they make themselves known? Surely they could feel the presence of the other kindred scattered throughout the clearing? It was then that she remembered the last time the Blood had come in secret. It was then that she remembered the slaughter and the sadness.
Fear filled her, and she froze, not sure what course of action to take. All around her, she could see the sleeping bodies of her herd, could hear their soft breathing whisper in the calm forest. The humans most likely wouldn't go after her herd, unless of course they got in the way of their plan. She had to make a decision, and fast. If she didn't do something, try to stop the bad people, the village could be hurt. But if she did indeed help the kind ones, her family could be killed.
Mahai quickly woke the herd with a psychic thread that even the dead would hear. Quickly, she rattled off instructions to the Warlords and Warlord Princes, telling them to protect the foals and guard the mares; to defend, but not to attack. Her males hurried to do her bidding, gathering the mares and young in the middle of the clearing and forming a protective circle around them, some still groggy from sleep. Mahai alone stood apart.
If you leave, no harm will come to you. This is our territory, and you are…she paused then, unsure of the human word…trespassing…yes, that was it
The humans abruptly stopped their forward progression. While they were debating amongst themselves, she touched their minds, dismayed to find they had a gray jewel among their ranks. Her own was sapphire, and it was the darkest in the herd. But she had made her choice.
Protect, and you will have served me well. Mahai gave her last instructions to her defenders.
When she felt the first thrust of power from the humans, she set up a shield around her herd. Whirling away from those she loved, she sprinted towards the village, her hooves beating a staccato rhythm on the hard forest floor, her muscles protesting the sudden movement. If she got there in time, she could warn them. She had to keep them safe. She had failed once, but she would not do so again. She, at least, had not forgotten her duty. No one else would die. No one else…. She had barely reached the end of the clearing when she felt the gray unleash. Mahai screamed in pain as her inner web shattered barrier by barrier, her shrill whinny carrying far and wide. But soon…soon her soul returned to the darkness, and the pain that seemed to last forever was gone.