I'm on a roll, well kind of. I thought I'd start writing this chapter now because well…I have nothing else o do currently- aren't you all so darn lucky? Did anyone else notice the chapters are gradually getting longer? Yay! A twist is coming up in the next chapter, can anyone guess what it is?
Disclaimer is as always, mainly consisting of me staring at Tamora with green eyes. (Very much like Neal's eyes!) Thanks to Animalwriter1 for past ideas and no doubt future ones too, and not to mention all my reviewers who answer my questions and so willingly correct my mistakes on information taken from the glorious TP books :P. (I am grateful for this, so don't read that as sarcasm please- more humour…)
Kelly Masbolle- Really? Aw, that's very sweet of you. I'm going to write to other stories I have planned after this one is finished, so I hope you go on and enjoy them as well!
Nativewildmage- To kill Jon or not to kill Jon? (Sorry, Shakespeare in love went to my head!) You'll just have to see…
Zerrin Of the Wind- I hope I wasn't the only one shouting 'Limp Alanna Limp!' while reading this…
Redbird-flying-away –I'm starting to feel bad for Jonathan, he's not had much luck, but Numair doesn't have much in this one either… (Spoilers? Well you'll just have to wait and see…)
Now without further a due I give you the eagerly waited for chapter 15…(15 chapters? Wow, didn't think I'd get this far!)
Chapter Fifteen: Time's run out
They scrambled up, Numair leaving all his scrolls behind- he'd collected them at some point later. If he heard Alanna's ramblings correctly, Keladry was out to poison the King. He just hoped they'd get there in time.
Alanna struggled to get back onto her feet, her stitches had held so far, but it wasn't feeling good.
"Here Alanna, take my hand." Numair was always such a gentlemen, even in the worse of times- like now for instance. The King's life was in danger and he'd stopped to help Alanna up. Even so, Alanna could see what Daine saw in him… but he didn't have George's roguely wit now, did he?
"Alanna, what are you doing out of bed? I worked long and hard to save your life and to repay me you're frolicking around with Numair. Well next time I don't think I'll save your life…"
"Neal?"
"Yes, o ungrateful patient of mine?"
"Shut up."
Once Alanna was up on her feet, Numair was never far ahead of her, in case something went wrong- much to her protests.
"Where are you two off to?" Neal shouted, trying to hide his curiosity.
"To save the king…" That was about all Alanna could manage to say without her pain increasing. Her once white bandages were now soaked with blood. She wouldn't let Neal stitch her up again- if she lived to get stabbed again that is.
"That's not fair- you always get the credit for saving the King-" Neal said, running to catch up with them.
"-that's because we always do Neal…what are you doing?" It was Numair who replied, sensing Alanna's stress- and the fact that she was battling with her blood stained bandages. If they didn't get there soon, they might lose both the King and Alanna…
"This time I want to come with you, recieve my well earned share of the glory."
"You haven't done anything."
"Yes I have."
"No you haven't." Men were so stubborn sometimes.
"I so have."
"You so have not." So much for Numair being a gentleman...
"Er I've done more than you have actually…"
"What? You have not- you remember I'm a mage don't you Neal?"
"Yes I have!"
Alanna stopped dead in her tracks (Well not literally, not yet anyway…) making the arguing boys bash into each other. Serves them right.
"Ow, what did you do that for?" Neal retorted rubbing his bruised head.
"Right you guys- you're acting like three years olds arguing over who gets the last sweet. For you information, I'd get it at this rate. Do you want to carry on fussing over who did what, or do you want to save the King?" Alanna waited for an answer.
"Save the king…" They both replied in unison, looking at their feet.
"Good, so let's go. Wait. Neal, are you crying?" Neal shook his head, and quickly mumbled something about having dust in his eye. Typical.
The doors were ahead, beautifully crafted to be welcoming yet intimidating…but this was no time to be admiring the woodsmen's work. A life was at stake- but they were amazingly built…No Alanna. Focus.
Tick tick tick Alanna, It seemed to be repeating itself whatever was doing that- maybe it was on some sort of loop? If was meant to be annoying, it really worked well. It's no time to be admiring doors…
"I wasn't admiring them…just complimenting them for your information." Alanna didn't know who she was talking to, or care for that matter. What she did care about was the fact that her friends were looking at her like she was some sort of escaped lunatic…
"They're locked. The bloody doors are locked!" Alanna screamed and started to bang her fists on the door, not making even the slightest dint.
"What do you mean locked?" Neal knew it was stupid question, but it was out before he could stop himself. He received one of Alanna's furious stares. "Maybe if we shout loud enough they'll open for us?"
"They're solid oak, they'll hardly hear anything from out here, it was designed to be soundproof." Alanna sighed, but suddenly an idea hit her- or was that one of Neal's flaying limbs? Well whatever it was, she had an idea from it. "Numair you're a mage, can't you do anything?"
"I'm not prepared for opening doors…I sealed them myself-"
"-Well open them then! Improvise! Blow up half the castle if you have to, I don't care as long as you get us in there now!" Numair looked scared, well Alanna usually did that to a person.
"They're password activated, so start guessing what his passwords would be."
"Thayet? Tortall? Whatever his horse's name is?"
" Neal this is serious, guess thing's that he actually might have used." Numair added something that sounded along the lines of Meathead to the end of his sentence, but Neal wasn't completely sure how Numair would know of his adored nickname…
"Apple Pie? Raspberry Tart? No… Pirate's Swoop?"
"Alanna, don't be ridiculous, why would it be Pirate's Swoop of all places? It's more likely to be Queenscove, which is the best fief in Tortall…" Neal swiftly felt his foot get 'accidentally' squashed by Alanna's. Accidents rarely happen when you're around someone like Alanna.
"Wait I have an idea…Open Sesame!"
"Numair, that's got to be the most obvious password there is in the whole of the realm, he's not going to have that as his password-"
The doors opened.
"Ok, I guess I was wrong."
(Kel's POV, 10 minutes previous)
The plan had been brewing in her head, ever since she was put in the cell. What would get her revenge on everyone who'd wronged her? Killing the king. What would make Dom feel like ripping out his own heart? If the King died and it was his fault. What would create havoc all over Tortall? If Jonathan died. What would be the only thing to satisfy her revenge? To have the King die. So it had to be done.
The poison was perfect, it was tasteless, colourless and odourless. An undetectable death. Their mage wouldn't even be able to realise what it was until was too late to do anything. It was perfect.
He brought her the drink. "Thanks." She didn't touch her own, just to make sure she wouldn't poison herself. That's be ironic- to get this far and die because of her own stupidity.
"Keladry, could you come here please?"
"Guess it couldn't do any harm." He pointed to a painting of him and his late Uncle- Roger of Conte. (A/n I can't do the accent on my computer, so bare with me)
"Do you know who he was?"
"Yes."
"And do you know what happened to him?"
"It was a shame."
"Sit back down please. I have nothing more to say to you. We had high hopes for you, the best in your class. I guess it's a shame about what you've done. " He picked up his water, and so did Keladry. "A last toast, what would you like to toast to?"
"To Death." Kel smirked, and Jonathan slightly puzzled. They both drank the water all in one; then the doors burst open, spilling Alanna Numair and Neal into the room. Dom realised what had happened, and dived for the glass.
Tick tick tock
They all were too late. The glasses were empty.