Alanna hurried after Maude, pelting her with questions.
"She was taken hostage?" she asked anxiously. "Is she alright? Was she hurt?"
"Well," said Maude. "She was knocked out when the thieves escaped. She's up now and insists she's okay, but you know how she is. Always trying to be tough. She could have her leg chopped off and still say she was fine."
"Poor Grandmother," said Alanna. "Her pride must be wounded, having someone break in like that and steal the sword from right under her nose." At this thought, she fell silent thinking of all the bloodshed that may now happen because the sword was out in the open. She tried to forbid herself from thinking about how her parents and brother had died because of that. And this time I almost lost my Grandmother as well. Alanna gave an inward sigh. This was all because of that accursed sword, yet she knew deep down that she could not blame the sword for existing. It had been her family's choice to protect the sword and even give their lives for it. She would not dishonor their sacrifices by belittling the sword that they had deemed worthy of their lives.
Maude noticed the sudden silence and said nothing. She knew better than to disrupt her when she had that look on her face. The emotionless mask that appeared whenever she was thinking of (or trying not to think of) her deceased family. Poor girl, she thought. What happened to that fiery young girl that used to come over during midwinter Festival? But Maude already knew that answer. That fiery young girl had lost her family. She had spent three days locked up in a room with only a sword and the reek of the dead to accompany her, too afraid to make a sound, before someone had finally found her. When she had first arrived at Trebond, she had not spoken a word. She would sit in her room all day and stare out the window at nothing at all. At night, muffled sobs could be heard as the young girl cried herself to sleep.
Maude had felt sorry for the girl and began teaching her a bit of the healing arts. Not too much, just a bit of herb lore. The girl learned fast, but although she seemed interested, there was no spark, no passion behind it. Bit by bit, Alanna began to act like a normal girl again. However, she was never quite the same. For one thing, she never cried. She had been able to learn how to act like there was nothing wrong with her, like she was just a normal girl. In fact, most people would never have guessed in their wildest dreams at the horrors she had experienced, but those who knew her knew that there was something wrong. She couldn't keep up the pretense for long. One day, that thin strand of self-control would snap and they feared what the result would be.
Suddenly, a shout interrupted the musings of the two women. A boy ran into their midst shouting and screaming about people trying to kill him.
"What happened? Calm down, child! Tell me what happened," said Maude trying to comfort the child. Instead, it seemed to frighten the boy even more and he moved to hide behind Alanna, peeking out fearfully.
"Excuse me, child!" exclaimed Maude indignantly. "Unhand the lady! Do not touch her in that manner!"
"It's alright, Maude. The poor child is just frightened," said Alanna, placing a calming hand on Maude's shoulder. Turning to the boy, she noticed that his looks were oddly feminine. Not wanting to be rude, however, she said nothing about it. Instead, she asked, "What's wrong?"
"P-p-people a-are chasing me. They w-want t-t-to k-kill me."
"Who's chasing you? How did you get in here?"
"I don't know but all these p-people were running around and fighting each other. I s-saw that the d-door was open and I came in."
"What?" asked Maude, cutting in. "The door was open? I should go check on that." She turned to go, but then seemed to remember Alanna.
Alanna, sensing her indecision, said, "Go, Maude. I can take care of myself."
"Are you sure, milady?" asked Maude wavering and casting a distrusting glance at the young boy."
"I'll be fine. Go,"
"Alright then," said Maude, still a bit uneasy. She hurried off in the direction the child had come.
"I'm scared," said the boy as soon as Maude had left. "Can you walk me home?"
"Well," said Alanna, "I can't leave the fief right now, but I can find someone to take you home."
The boy nodded and they set off in search of a guard.
"Strange," said Alanna, beginning to get worried. "Where is everyone?"
"There's someone!" exclaimed the boy suddenly. Alanna turned to the direction the child had pointed to, but found nothing there. Puzzled, she turned back to the boy.
"There's no one th—" she did not finish her sentence as a bottle of Dreamrose was slipped under her nose and she fell immediately unconscious.
~***~
George ran through the forest on his way to Tavia's house. Gary had caught up by now and was puffing with the exertion. He had stopped cursing George, wisely choosing to preserve his breath for the chase instead. George, however, still looked as fresh as if he'd just begun running. His harsh childhood had forced him to push his endurance limit just to survive. Have to hand it to him, though, thought George. He is persistent.
"Hey!" George shouted. "How's it goin' back there, sprout? You tired yet?"
"No!" shouted Gary defiantly between gasps of air.
"Okay, I'm goin' faster then. Bye!" George picked up speed and was soon gone from sight. Gary's jaw dropped as he watched the figure disappear. They had been running for over a half a day! How could he still go faster?
George arrived at Tavia's house soon after. He set the Storm Bringer down on the table and sank down into a chair, satisfied at a job well done. Then he sighed. During all the action and chasing involved in stealing the sword, he was able to keep that lady out of his mind, but now that there was nothing to do, her image surfaced to the top of his mind and he couldn't seem to think of anything else. Her brilliant copper curls, her stubborn, yet beautifully lady-like chin, and most of all, her deep amethyst eyes that seemed to hide a devastating story. Suddenly, he heard the sound of hoof beats, jolting him out of his daydreams. Hurrying to the door, he saw a horse gallop by. Its rider was the same young woman he'd seen at Trebond, masquerading as a boy. He then noticed the other body draped over the saddle and the flash of unmistakable copper hair. It's her! thought George. He hurried after the horse. He could not tell from the brief glimpse he had caught whether the girl was dead or merely unconscious. He hoped it was the latter.
~***~
Alanna awoke to find herself staring at the forest ground as it rushed by, passing just inches from her face. It took her a few moments to realize she was hanging over a saddle on a galloping horse. She struggled to get up, but a voice that she recognized faintly as the child's spoke up.
"Careful! If you fall off the horse and split your head open, it's not my problem." Alanna reluctantly stopped struggling, grudgingly admitting to herself that the boy had a point. She tried to think of another way to escape, but could not seem to come up with anything. At the point where she had just about given up hope, she saw a movement in the corner of her eye. Turning carefully so as not to over balance herself, she saw that mysterious man with the hazel eyes from earlier sitting in the trees. He smiled at her reassuringly and winked. Alanna grinned at the stranger, feeling unreasonably safe, as if everything would turn out alright.
Deciding that she would not just sit about idly and wait to be rescued, Alanna turned to her captor, or rather, her captor's knee, and bit it as hard as she could. Surprised by this unexpected attack, the boy pulled back on the reins, causing the horse to rear and throw both riders.
Alanna felt herself fly through the air and closed her eyes in anticipation for the inevitable pain that would result from her fall. It didn't come. Instead, Alanna felt herself swept up in strong arms. She opened her eyes and found herself staring into the twinkling eyes of the man. He set her down gently by the horse, now calmed and standing patiently. He smiled at her as she looked back at him in wonder. she was just thinking that she ought to say something when a certain angry kidnapper interrupted.
"Why you—you—Who do you think you are, interfering in my business?" he asked angrily.
~***~
George did not even turn around he was fascinated by this lady in front of him. He studied her, taking in her every feature. He did not worry about the disguised boy behind him. The girl had no Gift, therefore, he could monitor her every thought and intention with his Sight. A sharp warning buzz in the back of his mind (the Sight) told him when the girl tried to make her move. Quick as lightning, George lifted the lady onto the horse, out of harm's way. Then, he turned to see what his Sight had warned him of. Danger came in the form of three black, metal disks. Each was paper-thin and had three hooked points made to dig into flesh. George skillfully kicked them all back where they came from, making sure to catch them on the flat side, turning them harmlessly away. In the same fluid movement, he leapt onto the horse and urged it into a gallop.
A short while later, George deemed them safe and slowed the horse. He jumped off and grabbed hold of the reins so he could lead on foot.
"Won't he follow us?" asked the copper haired lady.
George smiled at her innocence. She believed that child to be a boy. I wonder if I should tell her the truth, thought George. Deciding against it, he answered simply, "He can't keep up."
"Oh," she said, then shuddered. "Scary child." George laughed at this but only nodded in agreement when she looked at him curiously.
"Aye, lass," he said. "That child is in need of serious help."
"Well, said the girl after a moment of silence. "I'd best be getting back. Our family heirloom, the Storm Bringer has already been stolen. Grandmother will be worried sick about me."
At this, George looked with shock and more than a bit of sadness evident on his face. "You're Alanna of Trebond," he said flatly. It was not a question, but a statement. He knew the girl had the Gift so he could not look into her mind. He wouldn't have anyway. He respected her privacy, but still, he was unused to such surprises. he was usually a pretty good judge of character and did not need the Sight to help him figure people out. He had thought her a rich merchant's daughter or a Noble of lower rank. She did not act as if she were the queen of the world as would be expected of a lady of such high ranking. "I should have known. I should have known long ago," he muttered to himself. He had foolishly gone and tried to woo the Prince's betrothed.
"What's wrong?" Alanna asked, noticing his strange behavior.
George slapped a smile on his face as he looked up. "Nothing, nothing at all," he lied. "Come," he said suddenly as he began leading the horse deeper into the woods.
"Where are you taking me?" asked Alanna.
George gave a more genuine smile this time, although the disappointment was still there. "You'll have the Storm Bringer to take home with you. You'll just have to wait for a bit," he answered her.
"You have it?" she asked, shocked.
George just smiled. Even if we can never be together, I can still help her. I like her, even if she doesn't like me. He thought resolutely to himself.
~***~
He led her through the forest to a large cliff face riddled with caves. They entered through one of the larger ones and walked for a bit. After a while, a light appeared ahead.
"So these caves are all connected," said Alanna in wonder after realizing that the light was the cave exit. "How did you—" She gasped as they emerged into a beautiful hidden valley. She looked around with wide eyes, taking in the breathtaking scene.
It was not so much a valley as a hidden crevice between the mountains. It couldn't be found unless one knew where it was. On either side, the cliff walls rose up so high that they disappeared into the clouds. A waterfall fell in a cascading curtain into a crystalline pool at the foot of the cliff so covered with moss that it seemed like a fluffy, green pillow. Through it was a river that ran the entire length of the canyon, bubbling merrily. Wildflowers sprouted everywhere, and beautiful water lilies grew in the river. Butterflies and bees flew happily over the flowers, taking in the sweet nectar they provided. Dragonflies chased each other over the river. Birds sang merrily of the bright sunshine and abundant spring. Across from the pool on the other side of the canyon was a small cottage built against the cliff. A system of bridges was built over the widest parts of the river. All in all, the place created the impression of walking through a dream. It was beautiful and full of color along with a sense of pure, wild, untamed nature.
"It's beautiful," she breathed. "How did you find it?"
The man's eyes twinkled mysteriously as he answered, "Stumbled upon it while running for my life."
Alanna had no answer to this since she could not tell if he was joking or not. She was led up to the front of the quaint little cottage. She jumped off nimbly as she stared about in wonder, looking for once like the teenage girl she was, instead of an eighty-year-old woman.
"Did you build this?" se asked, indicating the cottage.
George nodded. "What do you think?" he asked.
"It's magnificent!" she exclaimed sincerely.
George laughed. "Well, 'magnificent' isn't the word I'd use for it, lass. It's certainly nothin' compared to your Trebond castle."
"Well, yes," she said, "but there's something special, something magical about being here. You'd never get the feeling back home. It's almost like. . .being in a dream." She smiled blissfully.
George looked at her with amusement. "If you say so."
They stood in silence for a bit longer as Alanna took in every rock and tree in the small valley and George watched her.
"Well," said George, interrupting the comfortable silence they'd been sharing, "I'd best get goin' then."
"To where?" Alanna asked, slightly disappointed.
"To get your sword," he answered. Then, noticing her disappointment, he said, "Don't worry, lass. I'll be back before you know it. You'll be safe here."
"Alright then," Alanna said.
~***~
George reached Tavia's house and found everything exactly as he had left it. He grabbed the sword from the table and prepared to leave again when Tavia came in.
"Hey!" she greeted him cheerfully. "Did you get my hand kerchief back?" Before he could answer, she noticed the cloth wrapped sword in his hand. "Ooo! What's this?"
She began loosing the ties that held the one end of the cloth bag closed before he could stop her. She squealed excitedly as she saw the decorative hilt of the ancient sword. "The Storm Bringer! You really pulled it off!"
"'Course I pulled it off," said George smugly. "When have you ever known me to fail?"
"My, aren't we the modest one!" she said laughing. "I admit, I knew you could do it, but think of it. You've just snuck into Fief Trebond, found the hidin' place of the sword, and stolen it from right under their noble noses! Quite an accomplishment. Those guards in the castle must really stink."
"Nah," said George, grinning arrogantly, "I'm just too damn good for them."
"Riiiiiiight."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"What do you think it's supposed to mean?"
"I do believe I detected a note of disbelief in there. Is that so?"
"I don't know. You tell me."
"I think someone's askin' for another tickle session."
"Let's see what this sword looks like!"
"Hey! Don't you go changin' the subject!" he began protesting as she tried to pull the sword from the sheath. The sword did not budge.
"What's goin' on? Here, you try," said Tavia, passing the sword to him.
"Okay, but we're just looking at it, right? I promised to return it," said George, taking the sword.
"Since when do you return things?" she asked. He just looked at her. "Alright, alright, just pull it out already!" she said finally, her impatience getting the better of her.
"Alright, here it goes," Bracing himself, he gave the sword a strong tug. It slid out smoothly, causing him to have to check his strength before it flew out of his hand.
"Mithros!" Tavia exclaimed.
The blade was covered in rust from the pointy tip to the hilt. It looked nothing like the famed sword of legends.
"Are you sure that's the Storm Bringer?" asked Tavia uncertainly.
"Yea, it says so. . .I think so anyway. See?" He pointed to an inscription on the blade. "It's kinda covered by rust, but you can still kinda figure it out."
"You've gotta be kiddin' me! Is a magic blade even supposed to get rusty?" she exclaimed. "Here, I'll take it outside to try it."
"Wait!" he protested, but she had already hurried out. He followed her.
"We'll just try it. That should prove if it's the legendary Storm Bringer or not. Maybe it's just a spell to make it seem rusty." She said as she found a good-sized tree. She swung the blade at it and, to both their surprise, it snapped in half!
"Oh! I get it now!" exclaimed George. "This must be a fake that they had out incase thieves tried to steal it."
"What?!" she cried, outraged. "You spent all that time and stole a fake sword??"
"Hey! It was an honest mistake! And at least three other people were going for the same thing!" he said defensively.
"Urg! Did you at least bring my handkerchief back?"
George dug in his tunic and pulled out the blue kerchief. "There, happy?"
Tavia didn't reply, only stormed back into the house. George knew she wasn't truly mad at him, just disappointed. She just liked to blame people when that happened, and since they were usually the only ones out here in the middle of the woods together, her target was most often him. He had become used to it after so many years together. Sometimes, he even found it amusing. Right now, he was just as perplexed and disappointed as she. It just didn't make sense. He had felt the tension of all those guarding the sword, especially that of Lady Heranna. Their thoughts all suggested that this was the real thing. Why then, was it just a useless old blade? No matter now, he thought. Now it's a useless broken blade.
He was still holding the ornamental sheath and bent down to put the pieces back inside. Suddenly, the scabbard began to vibrate. A metallic clatter caused him to look up.
Well, my lovely fans! What did u think? Yes, I know. It took me FOREVER to update. But I did it, right? -_-U well, I hope to get the next chapter up MUCH sooner and thank everyone for being so patient with me!
Vera—well, I finally did it! Aren't u proud of me? Hehe. Sorry for taking so long. U kno all the problems I've been having with it. Hoping to update sooner tho. . . at least, I'll try. So what's up? I still can't quite believe that we've finally met!! YIPEEE!!!! O well, um. . . *cough* so what's new?
Peachy Garlic—hehe, sorry. I finally did it tho. Thx for the ideas on the valley and stuff. And I honestly do like ur stuff. Stop saying it's so bad. I actually read ur bio too. Lol. Soooooo long!!!!!!!!
Balloonfuzz—well, yea, I guess I made the background a little weirder than it needed to be -_-;; sry bout that. as for the switching back and forth, thank you. Some people found that confusing. Glad u liked it. The brothers annoyed me too. Heh. That's part of the reason it took so long for me to update. I didn't really like them so I didn't want to write it. If that makes any sense at all. thx for reviewing!
Chibi noin—sorry for taking so long! Really, I am! Yea, it is hard. I'm also trying tnot to stick to the movie exactly and adding some stuff of my own. So bear with me, plz. Thank u soooo much for reviewing!
SoccerrSweet—hehe, the old guys, well, I dunno. They were these two old guys in the movie. I thought they were really funny, but I'm finding it difficult to portray that here. They're supposed to be really silly and weird. *sigh* yes, I'm sorry for the late (very late) update. Forgive me? (
Tpfreak—thank u!
Once again, THANK U TO ALL MY REVIEWERS!!! I LOVE U!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"She was taken hostage?" she asked anxiously. "Is she alright? Was she hurt?"
"Well," said Maude. "She was knocked out when the thieves escaped. She's up now and insists she's okay, but you know how she is. Always trying to be tough. She could have her leg chopped off and still say she was fine."
"Poor Grandmother," said Alanna. "Her pride must be wounded, having someone break in like that and steal the sword from right under her nose." At this thought, she fell silent thinking of all the bloodshed that may now happen because the sword was out in the open. She tried to forbid herself from thinking about how her parents and brother had died because of that. And this time I almost lost my Grandmother as well. Alanna gave an inward sigh. This was all because of that accursed sword, yet she knew deep down that she could not blame the sword for existing. It had been her family's choice to protect the sword and even give their lives for it. She would not dishonor their sacrifices by belittling the sword that they had deemed worthy of their lives.
Maude noticed the sudden silence and said nothing. She knew better than to disrupt her when she had that look on her face. The emotionless mask that appeared whenever she was thinking of (or trying not to think of) her deceased family. Poor girl, she thought. What happened to that fiery young girl that used to come over during midwinter Festival? But Maude already knew that answer. That fiery young girl had lost her family. She had spent three days locked up in a room with only a sword and the reek of the dead to accompany her, too afraid to make a sound, before someone had finally found her. When she had first arrived at Trebond, she had not spoken a word. She would sit in her room all day and stare out the window at nothing at all. At night, muffled sobs could be heard as the young girl cried herself to sleep.
Maude had felt sorry for the girl and began teaching her a bit of the healing arts. Not too much, just a bit of herb lore. The girl learned fast, but although she seemed interested, there was no spark, no passion behind it. Bit by bit, Alanna began to act like a normal girl again. However, she was never quite the same. For one thing, she never cried. She had been able to learn how to act like there was nothing wrong with her, like she was just a normal girl. In fact, most people would never have guessed in their wildest dreams at the horrors she had experienced, but those who knew her knew that there was something wrong. She couldn't keep up the pretense for long. One day, that thin strand of self-control would snap and they feared what the result would be.
Suddenly, a shout interrupted the musings of the two women. A boy ran into their midst shouting and screaming about people trying to kill him.
"What happened? Calm down, child! Tell me what happened," said Maude trying to comfort the child. Instead, it seemed to frighten the boy even more and he moved to hide behind Alanna, peeking out fearfully.
"Excuse me, child!" exclaimed Maude indignantly. "Unhand the lady! Do not touch her in that manner!"
"It's alright, Maude. The poor child is just frightened," said Alanna, placing a calming hand on Maude's shoulder. Turning to the boy, she noticed that his looks were oddly feminine. Not wanting to be rude, however, she said nothing about it. Instead, she asked, "What's wrong?"
"P-p-people a-are chasing me. They w-want t-t-to k-kill me."
"Who's chasing you? How did you get in here?"
"I don't know but all these p-people were running around and fighting each other. I s-saw that the d-door was open and I came in."
"What?" asked Maude, cutting in. "The door was open? I should go check on that." She turned to go, but then seemed to remember Alanna.
Alanna, sensing her indecision, said, "Go, Maude. I can take care of myself."
"Are you sure, milady?" asked Maude wavering and casting a distrusting glance at the young boy."
"I'll be fine. Go,"
"Alright then," said Maude, still a bit uneasy. She hurried off in the direction the child had come.
"I'm scared," said the boy as soon as Maude had left. "Can you walk me home?"
"Well," said Alanna, "I can't leave the fief right now, but I can find someone to take you home."
The boy nodded and they set off in search of a guard.
"Strange," said Alanna, beginning to get worried. "Where is everyone?"
"There's someone!" exclaimed the boy suddenly. Alanna turned to the direction the child had pointed to, but found nothing there. Puzzled, she turned back to the boy.
"There's no one th—" she did not finish her sentence as a bottle of Dreamrose was slipped under her nose and she fell immediately unconscious.
~***~
George ran through the forest on his way to Tavia's house. Gary had caught up by now and was puffing with the exertion. He had stopped cursing George, wisely choosing to preserve his breath for the chase instead. George, however, still looked as fresh as if he'd just begun running. His harsh childhood had forced him to push his endurance limit just to survive. Have to hand it to him, though, thought George. He is persistent.
"Hey!" George shouted. "How's it goin' back there, sprout? You tired yet?"
"No!" shouted Gary defiantly between gasps of air.
"Okay, I'm goin' faster then. Bye!" George picked up speed and was soon gone from sight. Gary's jaw dropped as he watched the figure disappear. They had been running for over a half a day! How could he still go faster?
George arrived at Tavia's house soon after. He set the Storm Bringer down on the table and sank down into a chair, satisfied at a job well done. Then he sighed. During all the action and chasing involved in stealing the sword, he was able to keep that lady out of his mind, but now that there was nothing to do, her image surfaced to the top of his mind and he couldn't seem to think of anything else. Her brilliant copper curls, her stubborn, yet beautifully lady-like chin, and most of all, her deep amethyst eyes that seemed to hide a devastating story. Suddenly, he heard the sound of hoof beats, jolting him out of his daydreams. Hurrying to the door, he saw a horse gallop by. Its rider was the same young woman he'd seen at Trebond, masquerading as a boy. He then noticed the other body draped over the saddle and the flash of unmistakable copper hair. It's her! thought George. He hurried after the horse. He could not tell from the brief glimpse he had caught whether the girl was dead or merely unconscious. He hoped it was the latter.
~***~
Alanna awoke to find herself staring at the forest ground as it rushed by, passing just inches from her face. It took her a few moments to realize she was hanging over a saddle on a galloping horse. She struggled to get up, but a voice that she recognized faintly as the child's spoke up.
"Careful! If you fall off the horse and split your head open, it's not my problem." Alanna reluctantly stopped struggling, grudgingly admitting to herself that the boy had a point. She tried to think of another way to escape, but could not seem to come up with anything. At the point where she had just about given up hope, she saw a movement in the corner of her eye. Turning carefully so as not to over balance herself, she saw that mysterious man with the hazel eyes from earlier sitting in the trees. He smiled at her reassuringly and winked. Alanna grinned at the stranger, feeling unreasonably safe, as if everything would turn out alright.
Deciding that she would not just sit about idly and wait to be rescued, Alanna turned to her captor, or rather, her captor's knee, and bit it as hard as she could. Surprised by this unexpected attack, the boy pulled back on the reins, causing the horse to rear and throw both riders.
Alanna felt herself fly through the air and closed her eyes in anticipation for the inevitable pain that would result from her fall. It didn't come. Instead, Alanna felt herself swept up in strong arms. She opened her eyes and found herself staring into the twinkling eyes of the man. He set her down gently by the horse, now calmed and standing patiently. He smiled at her as she looked back at him in wonder. she was just thinking that she ought to say something when a certain angry kidnapper interrupted.
"Why you—you—Who do you think you are, interfering in my business?" he asked angrily.
~***~
George did not even turn around he was fascinated by this lady in front of him. He studied her, taking in her every feature. He did not worry about the disguised boy behind him. The girl had no Gift, therefore, he could monitor her every thought and intention with his Sight. A sharp warning buzz in the back of his mind (the Sight) told him when the girl tried to make her move. Quick as lightning, George lifted the lady onto the horse, out of harm's way. Then, he turned to see what his Sight had warned him of. Danger came in the form of three black, metal disks. Each was paper-thin and had three hooked points made to dig into flesh. George skillfully kicked them all back where they came from, making sure to catch them on the flat side, turning them harmlessly away. In the same fluid movement, he leapt onto the horse and urged it into a gallop.
A short while later, George deemed them safe and slowed the horse. He jumped off and grabbed hold of the reins so he could lead on foot.
"Won't he follow us?" asked the copper haired lady.
George smiled at her innocence. She believed that child to be a boy. I wonder if I should tell her the truth, thought George. Deciding against it, he answered simply, "He can't keep up."
"Oh," she said, then shuddered. "Scary child." George laughed at this but only nodded in agreement when she looked at him curiously.
"Aye, lass," he said. "That child is in need of serious help."
"Well, said the girl after a moment of silence. "I'd best be getting back. Our family heirloom, the Storm Bringer has already been stolen. Grandmother will be worried sick about me."
At this, George looked with shock and more than a bit of sadness evident on his face. "You're Alanna of Trebond," he said flatly. It was not a question, but a statement. He knew the girl had the Gift so he could not look into her mind. He wouldn't have anyway. He respected her privacy, but still, he was unused to such surprises. he was usually a pretty good judge of character and did not need the Sight to help him figure people out. He had thought her a rich merchant's daughter or a Noble of lower rank. She did not act as if she were the queen of the world as would be expected of a lady of such high ranking. "I should have known. I should have known long ago," he muttered to himself. He had foolishly gone and tried to woo the Prince's betrothed.
"What's wrong?" Alanna asked, noticing his strange behavior.
George slapped a smile on his face as he looked up. "Nothing, nothing at all," he lied. "Come," he said suddenly as he began leading the horse deeper into the woods.
"Where are you taking me?" asked Alanna.
George gave a more genuine smile this time, although the disappointment was still there. "You'll have the Storm Bringer to take home with you. You'll just have to wait for a bit," he answered her.
"You have it?" she asked, shocked.
George just smiled. Even if we can never be together, I can still help her. I like her, even if she doesn't like me. He thought resolutely to himself.
~***~
He led her through the forest to a large cliff face riddled with caves. They entered through one of the larger ones and walked for a bit. After a while, a light appeared ahead.
"So these caves are all connected," said Alanna in wonder after realizing that the light was the cave exit. "How did you—" She gasped as they emerged into a beautiful hidden valley. She looked around with wide eyes, taking in the breathtaking scene.
It was not so much a valley as a hidden crevice between the mountains. It couldn't be found unless one knew where it was. On either side, the cliff walls rose up so high that they disappeared into the clouds. A waterfall fell in a cascading curtain into a crystalline pool at the foot of the cliff so covered with moss that it seemed like a fluffy, green pillow. Through it was a river that ran the entire length of the canyon, bubbling merrily. Wildflowers sprouted everywhere, and beautiful water lilies grew in the river. Butterflies and bees flew happily over the flowers, taking in the sweet nectar they provided. Dragonflies chased each other over the river. Birds sang merrily of the bright sunshine and abundant spring. Across from the pool on the other side of the canyon was a small cottage built against the cliff. A system of bridges was built over the widest parts of the river. All in all, the place created the impression of walking through a dream. It was beautiful and full of color along with a sense of pure, wild, untamed nature.
"It's beautiful," she breathed. "How did you find it?"
The man's eyes twinkled mysteriously as he answered, "Stumbled upon it while running for my life."
Alanna had no answer to this since she could not tell if he was joking or not. She was led up to the front of the quaint little cottage. She jumped off nimbly as she stared about in wonder, looking for once like the teenage girl she was, instead of an eighty-year-old woman.
"Did you build this?" se asked, indicating the cottage.
George nodded. "What do you think?" he asked.
"It's magnificent!" she exclaimed sincerely.
George laughed. "Well, 'magnificent' isn't the word I'd use for it, lass. It's certainly nothin' compared to your Trebond castle."
"Well, yes," she said, "but there's something special, something magical about being here. You'd never get the feeling back home. It's almost like. . .being in a dream." She smiled blissfully.
George looked at her with amusement. "If you say so."
They stood in silence for a bit longer as Alanna took in every rock and tree in the small valley and George watched her.
"Well," said George, interrupting the comfortable silence they'd been sharing, "I'd best get goin' then."
"To where?" Alanna asked, slightly disappointed.
"To get your sword," he answered. Then, noticing her disappointment, he said, "Don't worry, lass. I'll be back before you know it. You'll be safe here."
"Alright then," Alanna said.
~***~
George reached Tavia's house and found everything exactly as he had left it. He grabbed the sword from the table and prepared to leave again when Tavia came in.
"Hey!" she greeted him cheerfully. "Did you get my hand kerchief back?" Before he could answer, she noticed the cloth wrapped sword in his hand. "Ooo! What's this?"
She began loosing the ties that held the one end of the cloth bag closed before he could stop her. She squealed excitedly as she saw the decorative hilt of the ancient sword. "The Storm Bringer! You really pulled it off!"
"'Course I pulled it off," said George smugly. "When have you ever known me to fail?"
"My, aren't we the modest one!" she said laughing. "I admit, I knew you could do it, but think of it. You've just snuck into Fief Trebond, found the hidin' place of the sword, and stolen it from right under their noble noses! Quite an accomplishment. Those guards in the castle must really stink."
"Nah," said George, grinning arrogantly, "I'm just too damn good for them."
"Riiiiiiight."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"What do you think it's supposed to mean?"
"I do believe I detected a note of disbelief in there. Is that so?"
"I don't know. You tell me."
"I think someone's askin' for another tickle session."
"Let's see what this sword looks like!"
"Hey! Don't you go changin' the subject!" he began protesting as she tried to pull the sword from the sheath. The sword did not budge.
"What's goin' on? Here, you try," said Tavia, passing the sword to him.
"Okay, but we're just looking at it, right? I promised to return it," said George, taking the sword.
"Since when do you return things?" she asked. He just looked at her. "Alright, alright, just pull it out already!" she said finally, her impatience getting the better of her.
"Alright, here it goes," Bracing himself, he gave the sword a strong tug. It slid out smoothly, causing him to have to check his strength before it flew out of his hand.
"Mithros!" Tavia exclaimed.
The blade was covered in rust from the pointy tip to the hilt. It looked nothing like the famed sword of legends.
"Are you sure that's the Storm Bringer?" asked Tavia uncertainly.
"Yea, it says so. . .I think so anyway. See?" He pointed to an inscription on the blade. "It's kinda covered by rust, but you can still kinda figure it out."
"You've gotta be kiddin' me! Is a magic blade even supposed to get rusty?" she exclaimed. "Here, I'll take it outside to try it."
"Wait!" he protested, but she had already hurried out. He followed her.
"We'll just try it. That should prove if it's the legendary Storm Bringer or not. Maybe it's just a spell to make it seem rusty." She said as she found a good-sized tree. She swung the blade at it and, to both their surprise, it snapped in half!
"Oh! I get it now!" exclaimed George. "This must be a fake that they had out incase thieves tried to steal it."
"What?!" she cried, outraged. "You spent all that time and stole a fake sword??"
"Hey! It was an honest mistake! And at least three other people were going for the same thing!" he said defensively.
"Urg! Did you at least bring my handkerchief back?"
George dug in his tunic and pulled out the blue kerchief. "There, happy?"
Tavia didn't reply, only stormed back into the house. George knew she wasn't truly mad at him, just disappointed. She just liked to blame people when that happened, and since they were usually the only ones out here in the middle of the woods together, her target was most often him. He had become used to it after so many years together. Sometimes, he even found it amusing. Right now, he was just as perplexed and disappointed as she. It just didn't make sense. He had felt the tension of all those guarding the sword, especially that of Lady Heranna. Their thoughts all suggested that this was the real thing. Why then, was it just a useless old blade? No matter now, he thought. Now it's a useless broken blade.
He was still holding the ornamental sheath and bent down to put the pieces back inside. Suddenly, the scabbard began to vibrate. A metallic clatter caused him to look up.
Well, my lovely fans! What did u think? Yes, I know. It took me FOREVER to update. But I did it, right? -_-U well, I hope to get the next chapter up MUCH sooner and thank everyone for being so patient with me!
Vera—well, I finally did it! Aren't u proud of me? Hehe. Sorry for taking so long. U kno all the problems I've been having with it. Hoping to update sooner tho. . . at least, I'll try. So what's up? I still can't quite believe that we've finally met!! YIPEEE!!!! O well, um. . . *cough* so what's new?
Peachy Garlic—hehe, sorry. I finally did it tho. Thx for the ideas on the valley and stuff. And I honestly do like ur stuff. Stop saying it's so bad. I actually read ur bio too. Lol. Soooooo long!!!!!!!!
Balloonfuzz—well, yea, I guess I made the background a little weirder than it needed to be -_-;; sry bout that. as for the switching back and forth, thank you. Some people found that confusing. Glad u liked it. The brothers annoyed me too. Heh. That's part of the reason it took so long for me to update. I didn't really like them so I didn't want to write it. If that makes any sense at all. thx for reviewing!
Chibi noin—sorry for taking so long! Really, I am! Yea, it is hard. I'm also trying tnot to stick to the movie exactly and adding some stuff of my own. So bear with me, plz. Thank u soooo much for reviewing!
SoccerrSweet—hehe, the old guys, well, I dunno. They were these two old guys in the movie. I thought they were really funny, but I'm finding it difficult to portray that here. They're supposed to be really silly and weird. *sigh* yes, I'm sorry for the late (very late) update. Forgive me? (
Tpfreak—thank u!
Once again, THANK U TO ALL MY REVIEWERS!!! I LOVE U!!!!!!!!!!!!!