I Came, I Saw, I Conquered
by Corycian Muse

Wow, this chapter was quick, ne? I really hope I can be quicker with updating them, as I don't want it to be years before I finish it! (I have got most of the story planned out, and it will be around twenty chapters. Still not sure whether to have a happy or sad ending though...)
I'm liking this chapter, and I'm going to enjoy writing the next (I hope), because Mia will be having plans of her own... ho ho...

Sakura Irving: Ah! I hope you enjoyed yourself! Thanks for the review, and I hope you like this chappy!

SpasticDjinn: Thanks for the review! And what a great score! (lol) Nice to know there are no Cons... Thanks again!

S.P.Q.T: It's good to know it is realistic - I really don't want it going off the hook (if you know what I mean). And yeah, Garet is a 'lighten-the-mood' kind of guy in this, isn't he? I think it needs it! Thanks for the review!

ShadeXH: Wow, thanks for the lovely compliment, and don't give up hope on Feizhi! I have plans! Killing off Piers? Well, I hadn't thought about it, but like all your reviews, they give me ideas... Garet does like Jenna, I think. Whether it's in an 'I love you!' kind of way, or something else, I'm not sure. However, I think most of the pairings are going to stay true. I hope no one's going to run off with someone else... Thanks so much for the great review!

Master of Reality: Yeah, the review thing happens to me sometimes. Just bad luck, I guess (or is it something else..?) Anyway, thanks for the review! Isn't the good stuff great? I like it! Thanks again for your funny, and encouraging review.

moonjump05: Thanks for the review! I know, lighthouseshipping fics are pretty rare these days. Still, don't give up hope! Especially in this fic! Remember, I'm a proud lighthouseshipping fan! Still, in this story, it's never certain what's going to happen... O.o;

PyroDragon88: Yay! Go Piers/Mia! We'll always be fans... Don't know if Piers will die - it certainly won't be in the next few chapters if he is going to (it just feels cruel writing this!) Thanks for the review!

Meneil: Yeah, I'm pleased with all the Felix/Sheba-ness in the last chapter. It went well, methinks! Anyhoo, thanks for the review!

Please Read, Review, and Enjoy! ... ...

Chapter Nine: Reading Between The Lines

Jenna could not help herself. She laughed out of shock, and Alex watched, waiting until her cold mirth died away.

"I cannot believe this!" She exclaimed, clutching the side of the ship, the rising Sun glaring in her face. "I always knew you were a weakling for power, but to find you doing something as snidy as this is a surprise." Pausing a moment, Jenna leaned forward, glaring at him furiously. "So… what's your plan then? How am I involved?"

Alex tutted sarcastically, shaking his head. "My, my," he drawled. "You haven't even greeted me yet! I'm rather insulted."

"Well, I'm glad," Jenna answered sourly. "Now, how about answering my question? Or would you rather turn the ship around and take me back?"

"I'm afraid I'll be doing neither of those momentarily," Alex said, folding his arms lazily. "I do have plans. However, your involvement in them isn't exactly at the top of my list for importance."

"I'm flattered," Jenna growled. "So, how are things?" she asked while lowering her vision for a second to take a sneaky glance at the dagger hanging from Alex's hip. "I mean, you left pretty suddenly after the incident on the cliff, leaving Mia with a petty note. Now I'm here with nothing better to do, why don't you explain yourself?"

"And what makes you think I don't have better things to do?" Alex questioned, smiling charmingly.

"Because you appeared next to me moments ago," Jenna scowled.

"Ah, how perceptive of you," he answered knowingly. "Very clever."

"Why, were you expecting any less of me? Is that what you're saying?" Jenna asked, bristling. Alex immediately unfolded his arms, putting his hands up in a placating manner.

"I am sorry," he began, "if I upset you." Jenna found it very hard to believe this. "Why don't we forget this little dispute, yes?" Alex continued. "I merely saw you up on deck, and, realising you had been allowed a little freedom on board, decided to see how you were! There, is that so bad?"

"No, but it's hardly true either," Jenna answered, not falling for his manipulative words one bit. She remained, standing slightly defensively before him, never taking her eyes from his. "However," she said slowly. "I'm not too bad, thanks for asking."

"Oh, but I didn't," Alex answered, still with a smile playing on his lips. Jenna glared at him furiously, unable to find words to answer with. Alex turned slightly, averting his gaze to the ship they were on. "I'm sorry to break you away from Isaac," he said in a soft, calm voice. He didn't sound guilty at all.

Jenna huffed. "It's not like it matters anyway. He isn't important anymore."

"Really?" Alex asked, suddenly interested. "And why is that? The last I saw of you two, you were infatuated with each other. What's happened now to make it change?"

Jenna stared intently at the distant waves, lolling lazily, gleaming in the sun. Suddenly, she frowned, looking at the tall man. "Why should I tell you? It's none of your business!" she said touchily, and to her annoyance, Alex smiled.

"Okay then," he answered simply, looking out onto the horizon.

Their restrained silence was broken when a Proxian hurried towards them from the main deck. "Alex," he began, coming to a halt before them and turning to the young man. "Saturos sends word that we'll be reaching the island soon. He wants you to be up front with him."

"Tell him I'll be there in a minute," Alex answered in a drawling, lazy voice. The Proxian nodded, and left, and Jenna laid suspicious eyes on the traitor.

"So you're taking me to an island?" she asked. Before he could say anything, she continued. "So then… how is an island relevant to me being kidnapped?" she mused.

"Are you going to try and work this out?" Alex asked, amused.

"Well you're no help at all!" Jenna spat, turning on him. "The day that I manage to wheedle something out of you is the day that I find this is all a dream!"

"Which will never happen," Alex said pointedly.

"Exactly," Jenna breathed, feeling the anger boil inside her.

"So why don't you just ask me?"

"I already had!"

"No… not about the island."

Jenna felt like screaming in frustration. "God dammit! Tell me about the island then!" she yelled, and for a fleeting moment, Alex glanced warily down the deck to where Saturos stood at the prow. "Oh I'm sorry," Jenna said sarcastically. "Was that a bit too loud? Are there some things you don't want others to know?"

"Partially," Alex answered. He looked back to Jenna, still burning with indignation and fury, and gave her his full attention. "Would you like me to tell you everything, Jenna?"

She was taken aback at his unsuspected words. He could be so complex, so hard to read. It only made him more infuriating. "Do what you want, Alex. You always do," she said darkly, trying to maintain her stubbornness and dignity.

"Then I won't tell you," he answered, smirking. "Because it's not what I want, is it?" He gave her a hard stare, making his point clear. He turned, hiding the forming smile on his lips. "If you'll excuse me now, I've said my greetings, but I must be leaving to help in navigation, odd sorts…"

"Wait!"

"Oh," Alex said smugly, turning to face Jenna again. "So you've changed your mind – you do want to know now, am I correct?" Jenna gave him a furious glare.

"Tell me," she said in a hushed voice holding countless emotions. "Tell me," she whispered.

For a time that seemed endless, Alex watched her, and Jenna looked back with wide eyes and furrowed eyebrows. The wind whistled through the high sails and over the ocean, and the Sun drifted in the sky, a golden orb rolling on the horizon.

And then, all of a sudden, Alex was looming over Jenna before she even saw it happen. He was facing away from the Sun; he was a black shadow before her, his hair whipping over his shoulders in flowing streams and his face held in darkness.

Auras moulded. Jenna's heart thumped crazily in her chest.

Alex turned his head slightly, and the Sun caught the outline of his brow, his jaw, the curve of his nose. She could not see his expression, because he did not have one. His gleaming eye was empty and endless. It frightened her, because in that icy gaze, there was nothing.

"You people of the village live in ignorance," he murmured, staring back down at her, causing her heart to jolt and her breath to catch in her throat. "Your land doesn't even have a name, according to you," he carried on. "But it does – it always has. It is written in the books, countless centuries old. The Land of the Shadows, they called it, Terra Umbrarum. And do you know why?" Then Alex's own face was lost in an encompassing shadow, as he leaned closer, maliciousness gleaming in his eyes. "Because it had the power to encompass. It had the power to destroy."

Jenna stared at him, horrified. "You're insane," she managed to whisper, urging herself to take a step back. Her body wouldn't move. Alex's eyes were still latched on her. He almost laughed.

"No…" he murmured. "No one is insane until they have no reason left. I have reason, Jenna. I have it. Like you have reason to hate Isaac, because he betrayed you."

She froze. Her fear dissipated. Her realisation grew, and she frowned. "How do you know that?" she murmured, staring at him.

This time Alex did laugh, a cold mirthless laugh that meant nothing. He knew she was beginning to realize the truth of it all. "Jenna," he said, suddenly serious, almost mockingly. "You can be so dense." He smirked. "The girl on the beach… you've never seen her before in your entire life! You were completely blinded by your own uncertainty and love that all you saw was what was before you. You fool."

Jenna stared at him, mortified at her own stupidity, swallowed by humiliation, by the fact that she had fallen into his trap. Alex saw it in her eyes, read it on her face. But as he watched her, he saw a new emotion rise up and swell, one that was inevitable. Her eyes narrowed, and she sucked in breath.

"You bastard," she said in a deadly cold voice.

Alex said nothing in reply, now frowning slightly, his eyes fixed on hers.

"You bastard!" Jenna suddenly screamed, lurching forwards and ramming herself into him, catching him by surprise and winding him. As he fell back, Jenna caught the dagger from his belt and slipped it smoothly from the small sheath. Snarling, she leapt forwards in her blind fury.

Alex winced slightly, clutching his side. Furious, he focused his eyes, and tried to get steadily to his feet.

Only to feel a cold tip of a blade pressed threateningly into his neck.

"It's amazing!" Isaac yelled to Piers above the roaring din of the crashing waves. "I mean, I haven't been on a boat since I was around six, but a ship like this is something else. And it goes so fast! How do you do it?"

Piers laughed, happy to be back on the ocean again. His long bandana whipped around him as he wrapped the rope more securely round his arm. "With a little extra help," he answered, winking back at Isaac. "I may show you one day."

Isaac smiled, and looked back at the waves as they were forced aside by the magnificent ship's prow, salty foam and droplets soaring up and splattering the deck. The high sails were thrust forward as they caught the wind, moving the vessel onwards to their destination.

"I know these seas," Piers continued in a loud voice. "It was near-on this course that I came when I first arrived here. There are scattered islands further out!"

"There are?" Isaac asked, surprised. Piers nodded in answer. "Well, there are things that I don't even know about." He looked thoughtfully out to sea. "I wonder if Ivan even knows of these distant, hidden places." Brushing his hair out from his eyes, Isaac turned and looked back at Piers who was keeping a watch on the sail's rigging, the course, the direction of the wind. "How long will it be until we catch up with them?" He asked the Lemurian.

Piers turned his blue-green eyes upon his friend, and smiled. "If I've calculated correctly," he said with an emerging grin. "I'd say we will reach the Proxians by midday."

Seething, Alex kept his head still, only just able to keep his body under control. He could already feel the coldness of the blade die away as the warmth from his own pulse drummed in his neck. He was angry because of her insolence, and insulted because she was naïve and knew nothing, and yet here she was standing over him with his life in her hands.

"It is obvious there is no good in you, Alex," Jenna said, voice shaking. She placed a little more pressure to the nip of the dagger as she spoke. "You've betrayed us. You betrayed Mia." Gulping inaudibly, she carried on. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you now."

Alex gritted his teeth, infuriated and annoyed. Did he even have to say it when they were both well aware? "Because, Jenna," he snarled. "It's not in you to kill me."

Jenna gulped again, but she remained, holding the dagger firmly. Why should she kill him anyway? No one deserved to die, whatever it was they had done.

Suddenly, glittering eyes flashed up at her through cerulean strands of hair, bitter and angry, and the air shifted around her threateningly.

Before Jenna could think, she had drawn back slightly, giving opportunity that was immediately taken. With one lithe, graceful movement Alex was on his feet. "Second mistake," he hissed, snarling at her, swiping the dagger from her loosened grip. Jenna fell back with a yell, and collided squarely with the mast. Staggering forwards, she cringed at the dull, aching pain between her shoulder blades, slightly dazed, and blinded momentarily by the Sun.

"Next time keep your voice low, or your words will be heard," Alex's voice came from her left. She heard him slide the blade back into its sheath, and then, the noise of footfalls on the deck, running, getting closer. "And next time, keep the blade where it is, or you may find yourself in danger."

Abruptly, Jenna's arms were grabbed from behind, holding her in a lock. "You shouldn't be out here," a new voice spoke over her shoulder. "Get her back inside!"

There were other movements around her, other people. She found herself being dragged back, and immediately tried to brush the arms off her. "I can walk on my own," she said indignantly, her eyes deciphering their shadows, the red glimmers of their crimson eyes.

To her surprise, a heavy hand landed on her shoulder, and held her firm. Something told her to stop her struggling. Something told her this person was different from the rest. Blinking away the sunspots, she looked up to her right to see the tall Proxian standing close to her, almost threateningly. He did not even glance at her.

"We'll be arriving at the island at any moment. Now isn't the time to be playing with the captives, Alex," he said gruffly, still with a firm hold on Jenna's shoulder – one that was becoming increasingly uncomfortable for her.

"Playing isn't exactly the word I would use to describe it, Saturos," Alex answered sourly, not in the best of moods. "I'll be at the helm shortly with the reference. On another point," he continued, "We may be staying on the island a little longer than first expected, so be ready to set up camp."

Saturos snarled in answer "I wouldn't get so cocky if I were you," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "You are not the captain of this fleet, and ordering does not suit you at all. Learn your place."

"I was not aware that I was ordering, Captain," Alex spoke, not taking his piercing eyes from the fierce red ones of Saturos. They remained, in a locked gaze with one another, a fight for dominance.

"Remember this, Alex," Saturos finally said in a harsh tone. "We have you because we need that underlying power as much as you want the Terra Umbrarum. That may put us on equal terms, but this is my ship, and you are under my watch."

"And you will need myhelp," Alex retorted, unfazed by Saturos' warning tone.

Jenna could sense the fury of the tall man next to her. It was the first time in a long time for her to feel fear. His presence frightened her more so than Alex's, but there was something else there that her village's traitor lacked.

The firm hand was still pressed on her shoulder. Jenna was tall in female equivalents, carrying the same trait as her brother, but Saturos loomed behind her, standing high against Alex, against the rest of the Proxians that were now waiting a few feet away, patient for orders. He was lean also, and well muscled, making him the perfect illustration of someone who could kill. Perhaps maybe, he was someone who already had.

Jenna shook her head slightly, as if to try and brush away the fuzzy thoughts in her head. Suddenly feeling slightly subdued, she felt a slight rush of confusion run through her, taken aback at the suddenness of everything, and at how time seemed to fly past, leaving her behind.

Before Jenna knew what was happening, that same strong hold on her had turned her around, and she found she was being pushed away from Alex, across the deck.

"Hold on tight," Saturos growled behind her, forcing her away from him towards some taught mast ropes, and a latched grapple hook. However indignant she felt, Jenna did as he said, and grabbed for the roping just in time to look ahead of the ship and see trees looming towards them.

Bracing herself, she knew what would be happening next.

The prow of the ship connected with the coarse sand, just beneath the surface of the lapping sea. It grated forcefully into the beach, pressing onwards as friction slowed it. The vessel trembled under the might of the power and the waves crashed outwards.

Losing its thrust, the ship began to slow until, with one final lurch it came to a halt, beached and sturdy and remaining unharmed. Slowly, Jenna took her arms away from the ropes to find her skin sore and burnt from where she had held on tightly, thrust about by the reeling ship.

"Take supplies on shore," Saturos was already yelling out orders in his bass voice. "And take only what you need!"

"If Alex is behind this, which he most certainly is…" Isaac trailed off, not sure what he was trying to say. However, the more he thought about it, the angrier he became. "And if he planned that scene on the beach… well…" he stumbled in his words again, and Piers watched him with slight sympathy.

"Isaac," he said his name, and Isaac looked up to meet Piers' gaze. "Don't dither around in the past. Yes, it was most certainly Alex that betrayed us, and I would not be surprised if he's working in one way or another with the Proxians. However," he said after a pause, and smiled, raising his eyebrows. "We'll be arriving very soon."

"We will?" Isaac asked, frowning. "But won't they see us? How are you planning to do this?"

"We're taking a longer route," Piers answered, looking back to the prow of the ship. "There's a wide bay to the south side of most of the islands, because of the current of the ocean. I'm going to take a guess that it will be that side their beaching themselves to go onshore." He turned the helm slightly. "If we travel north, then we can dock opposite to the Proxians below the cliffs, unseen."

Isaac shook his head slowly, grinning. "Your knowledge of oceans marvels me," he said, chuckling slightly, "Even oceans that you have hardly come to know."

Piers gave him a sideways grin. "We'll find Jenna in no time," he answered, and suddenly thought of Mia.

Suddenly, soberness flowed over him, and he watched the horizon stonily. Isaac thought it was okay; he thought it was simple, but it wasn't. Piers wasn't prepared to explain it to him yet – it would be better to take one thing at a time, so for now, it was best to concentrate on getting Jenna back.

However, the question couldn't not stop spinning through his mind: why had they taken her in the first place? What was her significance? Perhaps, Piers thought, it is to do with something closer to the village… This is why I need Mia there. Mia's strong; she can cope. He bit his lip, worried for her. Who could know what was going to happen, when the enemy was something so much more than a suffering northern clan?

"It may be only another hour before we arrive," he said over his shoulder to Isaac who was loosening one of the mast ropes. "We may be back in the village by tomorrow." Why was he saying this? He mentally cursed himself.

Isaac nodded, hope bubbling from deep within him. He loved Jenna; he knew it. It was time for her to realise how far he would go for her…

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The Sun rose gently, climbing through the clouds, through the azure sky, rolling through the air as it glared down upon the ocean's roiling waves, while they crashed into the cliff's bases.

Piers tied the rope strongly, pulling hard. The currents were strong, and he didn't want the ship getting damaged. Not if they were going to be returning safely. "What do you see!" he called up to Isaac, who had climbed up the cliffs along a small goat path, and was now standing above him, high up, looking inland on the island.

He turned, and sat on his haunches, looking down at Piers while covering his eyes with a hand. "How did you know it was this island they were on?" he yelled down, his voice being carried by the wind.

Piers smiled, and ran a hand along his jaw line before rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "I have my ways. I'll show you one day," he simply answered. Isaac looked slightly annoyed.

"That's what you told me last time," he called down indignantly. "When are you going to let open on some of your secrets!"

Piers laughed, but did not answer. "I think I'm done down here," he yelled up to his friend, cupping his mouth with one hand. "We'll have to take as little as possible, and try and find a place where we can make as our base until we get Jenna back."

Isaac nodded, and started to make his way back down to the ship, in order for him to help Piers take what possessions they decided upon onshore.

"We've still got half a day ahead of us," Piers began, as they stepped back up onto the rocky cliff path to make the tedious climb up. "If we want to make this successful without getting anyone hurt, it would be best for us to learn the terrain a little better first, find easy places to run to if we're seen, escape routes and so on."

"I see," Isaac answered behind him, slightly bewildered by the sudden sincerity, not least the efficiency Piers was describing. It had never occurred to him about the planning beforehand. He had never got round to thinking about that side of the whole situation.

"I think the best time to get in there and find Jenna would be tonight when we've got the cover of the darkness. The only bad side to this is that the Proxians may be more on guard for attacks. Though," he added thoughtfully, "They don't actually know we're here…"

"Uh huh," Isaac answered, furrowing his eyebrows.

Finally, exhausted, they reached the cliff tops. Isaac dropped his packs to the ground, and fell next to them, breathing heavily. "That's the second time I've hand to climb up here," he said, exasperated, and yet, amused.

Piers wasn't looking at him. He stood, transfixed, staring inland, to the other side of the island. The wide expanse of sun-scorched scrubland, dusty and salty and running from the sea, was covered with quickly up-righted tents, small campfires scattered between them, and the movement of a small battalion of Proxians. Some ships swayed out at sea, while a few others were drawn up on the beach, arched and proud, with bright drawn up sails lined above them.

"That's a few more than I expected," Piers said quietly. "It's going to be hard locating Jenna."

"We'll do it somehow," Isaac answered, optimistic. "I have faith in us." Slowly, he got to his feet and brushed himself down. "After all," he continued, and Piers turned to catch his gaze. "Who knows what can happen between now and when we act tonight?"

Piers raised an eyebrow, before smiling.

End Chapter Nine.

Next chapter: Chapter Ten: Disturbed