Adrienne's jawed dropped practically to the ground. She had the Gift, that wasn't impossible.
"You're just jesting, right?" Adrienne said a smile creeping onto her own face. Numair shook his head.
"No, I'm not lying or jesting one bit. It seems that before, when your mother checked it, you had put up a shield of some kind. One that she could not see through." Numair seemed delighted by his discovery. Adrienne however just sat in the chair stunned into silence. This was insane, she couldn't have the Gift.
"Do you not want to know what it is?" Numair asked eagerly. Adrienne wide eyed looked up at him and nodded.
"Please tell me." She said rather breathlessly.
"Well, I've only heard of your kind once. It is the Gift to be able to control fear." Numair said proudly as if she were his child. Adrienne furrowed her brow.
"What do you mean 'control fear'?" Adrienne asked not liking the sound of it. Numair stood from were he was sitting and started pacing.
"It means that you can change the course of a war, or make yourself fearless. You are fear in itself." Numair got louder with each word. Adrienne felt her world fade away from her. She had to get out of this room; she had to get out of this country. She wanted home, the palace in Rajumat. Anywhere but were she was. Without warning Adrienne ran from the room, and out the door. Numair was surprised by her doing so, but assumed she was just excited by the news.
However, back in Daniel's room Daniel suddenly got the feeling something was not right with Adrienne, a twin thing. He stood up so fast his ink spilt on the floor and his papers scattered everywhere.
"Daniel, what's wrong?" Sam asked looking up from getting English help from Charlie. Charlie, Sam, and a boy named Peter were all staring at him.
"Something's wrong with Adrienne. I'm going to go see what's the matter." Daniel said hesitantly. But he didn't have to look, for the next second Adrienne came bursting through the door. She had tears streaming from her eyes. Both Sam and Charlie stood up. Adrienne didn't even look to see who was there she threw herself into her brother's arms. Try as he might Daniel could not get Adrienne to say what was wrong. Meanwhile Peter had left. Sam was edging towards the door. He being there would not make the situation any better.
Finally, after a bit Adrienne pulled away from her brother. She looked him straight in the eyes.
"I'm quitting page training, I cannot be a knight." Adrienne said hurriedly and softly, as if regretting it. Daniel stood looking at her in disbelief. Charlie could sense that there was a pretty good reason why she was quitting. Sam on the other hand was looking guilty.
"Adrienne, its not because of me is it?" Sam asked from behind her. Adrienne knew that voice she didn't even have to turn around to respond.
"No, it's not because of you, Sam. Its me." She said still with a soft voice. Adrienne looked back at her brother. His face was curious, and worried more then she had ever seen before. He stepped back and sat on the bed. He was gazing up at her waiting for her to explain.
"Dan, I have the Gift." Adrienne said under her breath so the three boys had to lean in to hear. Daniel's face changed immediately into amazement.
"That's not possible." He said with disbelief pouring from his voice. She just stared at him long and hard. After a while Daniel shook his head and laid his head in his hands. Charlie came and stood beside her.
"Just because you have the Gift doesn't mean you have to quit, I mean you'll still be able to do everything." Charlie tried to reassure her. Adrienne looked at him, a new batch of tears welling in her eyes.
"You don't know what kind of Gift it is. I'm fear." Adrienne said with a strained voice as if saying it hurt. Daniel slowly raised his head form there place in his hands.
"Fear?" He said with wide eyes. Adrienne nodded a lone tear streaming down her face. Charlie suddenly started to pace. Sam was quietly leaning on the door for support he looked as though he himself was about to faint.
"I remember were I heard that kind of Gift before." Charlie said eyes bright. "I was reading a book about weird Gifts people have had, and fear was one of them." Then his face darkened as if he just actually remembered what he had read.
"You can cause or stop fear anytime you want. You can change the coarse of a war just by making the other side scared out of their wits." Charlie continued to ramble on about Adrienne gift, but she wasn't listening. She was in a daze.
Why me. Why do I have to carry this burden? Mithros told the Goddess to tell me for a reason. And now I know the reason, Adrienne thought.
"Charlie," Adrienne interrupted him. He stopped and turned to her. "I'm the one the prophecy was talking about." Charlie seemed to stop breathing. In fact everyone in the room seemed to stop breathing. The whole palace was quiet. Daniel stood from the bed and came to join the conversation.
"What prophecy?" He asked looking at Adrienne for enlightenment on the situation. Adrienne half smiled guiltily, and turned to him.
"The Goddess came to me and told me of a prophecy that Mithros told her to tell me. So, I thought about it for a long time and assumed the person was me, but I couldn't see how because I'm not a Shang, I don't have courage, and well I do have a spies wit and learning but…" Daniel by now was looking utterly confused. Charlie stepped forward.
"Maybe you should tell him the prophecy." Charlie said trying to help.
Adrienne told Daniel the prophecy and explained to Daniel again why she couldn't have been, but then she started to tell him why she could.
"I can make myself brave with my Gift, and I'm going to ask the Shang Griffin to train me like she was trained." Sam shifted from the doorway at this and everyone looked at him. He was shaking his head.
"Do you know how hard Shang training is? They make you climb mountains in snow, ice and rain. You have to fight when its raining fire around you. You must fight on a frozen lake in the mountains of the North. And you just have to learn how to fight with your body, mind, and sprit. Do you realize you are going to die?" Sam was now very close to Adrienne, and had raised his voice so much they all thought the walls would crumble any second.
Adrienne looked deep into his green eyes. They weren't mad at all, but worried. Sam actually cared for Adrienne and this was his only way of showing it. Adrienne glanced down at her feet then back up again.
"Yes, Sam I have realized that if I go through such training I will be putting myself in grave danger, but if it means saving lives from whatever evil power is going to infest Tortall then I shall do it, proudly and with honor." Tears surprisingly came to Sam's eyes as she finished saying all this calmly. He shook his head.
"But I can't let you die." Sam continued to shake his head and blink away the tears that continued to come. Charlie came up beside him.
"We're all going to miss her, but look at her. We have to believe she can do this, because without her we all will die." Charlie said looking at Sam. Adrienne laughed slightly.
"Thank you Charlie for lowering the pressure of it all." Adrienne said laughing slightly. Daniel came and joined them.
"I would do anything for our dear kind loyal and brave Lady of the Shang." Charlie said bowing dramatically. Adrienne laughed along with the other boys. She also sighed.
The boys all looked at her and she smiled. She would miss them all, but she had her work cut out for her. She knew what she had to do, and she would do it and live to see them all again.
They all departed and Adrienne walked down the hall to her room. Inside she found a note on her bed. She curiously picked it up and opened it.
Dear Adrienne,
I would like to talk to you about something very important. Meet me in the practice courts at a little past dawn. Sorry it is so early, but this cannot wait.
Shang Griffin
Adrienne folded up the note. She would go and meet the Shang in the morning, and see what she wanted. Then ask her if she would teach her. Whatever happened Adrienne would take it, and go on with her plans, but she would worry about later, later.
Well, I hope you liked this chapter. It was exciting wasn't it? I'm so excited to get going with the rest of the story, but I would love it if I could have you review it means so much to me. I love all my reviewers you guys are so special, and I mean that in a good way. So weather you liked it, hated it, or just don't know what to think, Review. Thanks