Hello once again, my friends. I hope you all have a wonderful Martin Luther King Jr. Day….at least if you get a day off of school for it! I'll go immediately to my thanks…..
Sssssssssoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo…..
Amurak Wolfheart of the Wraith- well..you're really good at matchmaking!!!! And yes…invitations to the wedding will be personally sent to ya!!!
heather-marie – I laughed out loud when I read your review. Teeheehee.. Numair trying to kill lasku again? Maybe I'll put that in somewhere just for humor's sake!!! ;)
Jennyvre Moss – fluff is always good!!!!!! ((dances around!!)) FLUFF!!! More, well, kind of this chapter!!!
Narm's Briton 44 – so…how's the deal w/ that one gurl, sriana? Going? lol…just thought I might pop that in there!!! Anyways…muchas gracias…lol. And yes, I agree w/ ya…about what you wrote and all that. Thanks for reviewing again!!!! D
megster – HURRAY!! YOU WERE RIGHT!!! ABOUT MAURA AND LASKU!! Lol…almost everyone has said that. Well, it's not THAT hard to see it. and don't see no plot or reason for title? Just wait until after this chapter!!! MUAAHAHAHAHAHHAA!
Roherwen – I think…you're blind!!! No…lol. Just thought I might say that!! And about plot? Well..you might see some improvement in THIS chapter!
EquestrianBabe – is it just me? or did you change your pen name? lol….and I'm glad you like the Maura and Lasku pairing…seems like most peeps do…lol.
fell4adeadguy – well..i hope your heater is fixed by now. Don't want you freezing…and having frostbite, etc. ;)
LexiLoLo200 – yes…I agree. Slow…but I am like in this one phase where I just write because I have to. I have like no inspiration really. Lol. But, this chapterslow? I don't think so…..but u'll just have to read it!!!!
Okaydokay…so that's all done. And thanks again and again and again for reviewing!!
Oh…this is IMPORTANT!!!
Alex told me to tell you that everything that happens w/ Tristan and the stuff that happens w/ Daine/Numair/co. is well a different timing. So…like Tristan stuff is like a week before Daine/Numair stuff. A little confusing, but hey, blame ALEX!!!!
But the time thing doesn't apply to the last bit….by the way.
READ AND REVIEW PLZ!
"Where is the mage?" Damien asked the captain.
The soldier shrugged.
"I don't know, Your Majesty. No one has seen him all day."
The king began to mutter about deserters though Tristan had never pledged allegiance to him.
The man in question was alone wandering in the woods. He stopped a moment to run a hand along the bark on a tree.
He smirked.
"So vulnerable and yet so strong," he whispered, "It's amazing how easy it is to wipe you of the face of the earth."
He raised a hand and a ball of fire gathered in his palm. He brought it to the trunk but stopped.
His eyes slid from the trunk to the magic in his hand. Though he couldn't feel the heat his brow gathered drops of perspiration.
Eyes open wide, his hand began to shake in fear. It danced about and taunted him, threatening to engulf him.
To burn.
And there was nothing he could to about it because he couldn't move. He was petrifyed.
His limbs outstretched and stuck in position forever.
No.
That wasn't anymore. He could do something about it now. The fire snuffed out and he fell against the trunk of the tree with his eyes shut tight.
"Sorry," he whispered into the bark.
After a few deep breaths the shaking stopped and he straightened up. Then he reached up and swung himself up into the branches of the tree.
After getting settled among the leaves he closed his eyes and reached down to the tree with his gift.
Time to kill Draper.
It was dark.
Good.
Time to probe through the knowledge dating back to the beginning of time.
He sifted through the images, searching for what he needed.
Soon a shape loomed up into his vision.
Terrified, he recoiled but soon steeled himself and leaned forward again.
Blacker than night and with piercing red slits for eyes the creature stood silently, not acknowledging the presence of the mage.
Tristan smiled.
Revenge.
The ceremony for the wedding was simple. Not many guests but Lord Henry and Lady Elsinore didn't know many people.
Daine sat quietly with Numair, fiddling with her engagement ring. Numair slid his hand up her leg and she pushed it away suppressing giggles.
"That's not polite, Numair," she scolded.
"But I can't help it. You're here. I'm here. What else am I supposed to do?" he asked teasingly.
"You could listen to the ceremony," Daine suggested.
"Oh I am. But you see, Magelet. I am a man who can do multiple tasks at once." His breath tickled her ear.
She giggled and took his hand in her own tracing her finger along his palm.
Alanna leaned in between them,
"I suggest you save that for after your own wedding," she told them.
Surprised, the couple dropped each other's hands and scooted a few inches away from them staring straight ahead.
Alanna leaned back and they could hear her snickering with George in the next row.
Soon they were close together again though, trying to hide their blushes.
After the wedding The new married couple were being congratulated by the guests. Maura watched as Lasku shook hands with Henry and embraced Elsinore and Tillie. As she watched him with his arms around Tillie she felt a pang in her stomach.
She was surprised to realize that is was jealousy.
Why was she jealous?
Why?
"Oh gods!' she realized what it was.
It was Lasku. Strong, funny, handsome, caring, wonderful Lasku. She couldn't believe it.
She was in love.
"Hey," she gave a start when she heard Lasku himself right next to her.
"You all right?" he asked.
"Um yeah," he put his arm around her shoulder and walked her over to the others.
"Good. Come on then."
Tristan was afraid it wouldn't work. He bound it with ropes of his magic but the creature broke them without a second thought.
"All I wanted was revenge!" he yelled in frustration.
The thing stopped and looked at him, a curious flame burning in it's eye. He let more information flood his brain and smiled when he understood.
"I need some revenge," he told it, "This is why."...
Tristan staggered back into the camp some hours later. His clothes were torn and there were leaves in his hair.
"Hmm. Playing with your friends?" The king asked upon seeing the mage.
Tristan bit back his acid response. He needed to bend this fool to his will. He was tired of living outside.
He executed a perfect bow,
"Majesty, you will be pleased to know that the mage Numair Salmalin shall be dead in a matter of days."
"Wha-?" was his articulate response.
The mage sighed. Imbecil.
"Majesty. Believe me when I say that in order for the plan to work we should go back to Tusaine."
"Are you sure?" This was too easy.
"Positive."
It was a few weeks after the wedding and Henry and Elsinore were on their honeymoon. Tillie, Maura and Lasku had decided to stay at the palace instead of going back to Dunlath.
Maura was pleased to find that her room was across the corridor from Lasku's. Her realized love for him had caused a lot of problems.
She could hardly stand to be in the same room as him and yet it drove her crazy not being with him at all.
She needed to think and the best place she could think of to do it was up a tree.
Lasku was playing chess with Numair. Despite his near death experiences because of the mage they had become pretty good friends.
But the spy's mind wasn't on the game as it usually was. For some reason he could not thinking of...Maura?
But why?
With her smile and her hair the way it fell about her shoulders.
"Your move," he was startled out of his reverie.
"Hmm?" he asked Numair.
"I said your move,"
"Oh....yeah..." he moved his pawn forward leaving his queen unguarded. Numair's hand swept across the board,
"Checkmate," he said triumphantly.
"Oh. Good game,"
"Do you want to play again?" asked Numair.
Lasku didn't answer. He was too busy staring out the window at a lone figure making its way out to the orchard.
Numair repeated his question.
"Um no thank you. I think I'm going to go climb a tree," he answered, taking his leave.
Numair looked out the window too. A small smile formed on his lips as he realized who it was.
"That's fine. Have fun,"
"Yeah."
Numair lay on the bed, his nose buried in a book. When he heard a sound like a wind rustling through the room he figured it was Daine.
"Hello Daine," he said without looking up.
She didn't answer.
The next gust of wind put out the candles. Numair yelped with surprise when his fingers became coated in ice. This was clearly not Daine. He looked up from the book and stared in horror at the thing in his room.
He stared up and up at the face. Like a hole in the room but in the shape of something like a giant dog. It had piercing red eyes that appeared to have a flame burning where the pupil would be.
The thing opened its mouth in what Numair could only assume was a grin. A stench of rotting flesh rolled over him and he gagged.
His mouth opened but no sound came out.
Daine was returning to the rooms she shared with Numair when she heard a crash.
Something told her that this crash was not associated with one of her fiancé's experiments. As she burst through the door she began to call Numair's name,
"Num-" her call died on her lips at the sight before her. Numair stood before a large shadow thing that stood crouched as if ready to spring.
Numair looked up at her and his eyes widened on the sight of her,
"No! Daine! Run!" he yelled at her, but she couldn't move. The thing looked back at Daine and its long, panther like tail twitched.
Suddenly the thing transformed to smoke but it still held the dog like head with glistening fangs.
It swirled around and shot forward, passing through the mages chest and coming out the back.
The scream that gurgled from his lips was something that would haunt Daine's dreams for a long time. Long, loud, and piercing.
The creature passed out the other side with something silvery hanging from its jaws. And then it vanished.
Daine's immobility was finally shattered as she ran forward to catch the limp body of Numair, the scream finally dying upon his lips.
Tristan's eyes snapped open from his concentrated meditation. He gave a cold smile,
"Done."
CREEPISH!! Lol…..and yes. I'm sorry that Numair had to die…we just had to get him out of the way!! JUST KIDDING!!! Well..not kidding about dying but kidding about getting rid of him.
I mean, WHO on earth could get rid of NUMAIR?!
Anyways…I hope you enjoyed this chapter, lol. Even though it was a little weird?
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