A/N: Yay for a new chapter. It took me long enough. Our web service is back up!
As to the story, this isn't the end.There area couple chapters left, so I can tie up loose ends. I mean I did leave plenty.
I hope you enjoy it! R & R!
Review Returns-
Thanks to my reviewers of Chapters 6 and 7: Isabel, nativewildmage, Nutz Nina, x17SkmBdrchichzxx, Sunkissed Guacamole, Elentariel, Mage of Dragons, Rokai, jen, crazzydancer, and lila arora. I promise responses next time. It's hard to go back and play catch up.
Book Two of Keladry, Lady Knight
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Chapter Eight
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February 28, 461
Hamrkeng
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After the hand signal passed across him, Owen's head cleared, and he headed away from the wall and into the building. What seemed like hours were really just moments as he defeated the Scanran warriors in his path.
Inside and down several hallways, Owen stumbled across a familiar face.
"Kel? Kel, it's me, Owen," he said, lowering his sword.
Kel's foot caught him in the jaw.
"Must defeat invaders," she mumbled. Her eyes were an eerie bronze, shining like two coins that had been polished for far too long.
Owen's attention wavered, unwillingly caught by Kel's eyes. She took the opportunity to sweep his feet from underneath him and he fell to the floor, air knocked out of him. She took a long staff from a place near the wall, and turned to glare at him.
"Must defeat invaders…"
But before she took two steps towards Owen, her arms were caught from behind and the staff clattered to the door. She screamed and kicked back at her assailant. As she struggled, they turned, and Owen could clearly see the face of Rupent.
"Go! To the throne room! Find Maggur!" he yelled to the knight. Owen picked himself up and ran down the hallway.
The king was sitting on the throne. Six men from the Underground held their swords out towards his neck. As Owen added his to the number, he realized that the king was wearing a peculiar necklace. It was a glass bulb strung onto a brown leather cord. Inside this ball was a glowing ball of coppery flame.
But he was called away as several new warriors entered the scene. Merric and Lord Raoul were among them. Owen didn't want to see the Giantkiller in action against them. He turned back to Maggur and broke the bulb with the end of his sword, hoping that his plan would work.
As the magic seeped out of the bulb and dissolved in the air, the glow in the eyes of the former Tortallan knights dimmed.
…..
Kel shook her head.
"Where am I?" she asked the man who was tying her up. He noticed the change in her and, satisfied that he was no longer in danger, he released her.
"Come with me. I am a friend of your Sir Owen. I'll explain later." They ran to the throne room. On the way, Neal walked out of a room, looking disoriented.
"See, no good comes from eating vegetables," he mumbled absently, pressing a glowing finger to bruises on Kel's wrists. She shook him off as they entered the throne room and Kel's attention was immediately grabbed by Raoul. He was the tallest man in the room. She went to his side, and squeezed his arm, but she didn't greet him aloud; she didn't want to interrupt the conversation. Rupent was standing close to the false king, sword in hand.
"Maggur Rathhausak. I have come to claim what is mine," he said. "Your crown. If you prove willing to cooperate, we will let you keep your worthless life."
Before anyone had time to react, Maggur pulled a dagger from his sleeve and jumped at Rupent, shouting a piercing battle cry. But the blade never touched his young rival, as he fell on Rupent's sword, spearing him through his belly. After Maggur's weapon had been taken away, Rupent leaned over him.
"You do not deserve this," Rupent said. But he mercifully gave Maggur an instant death. The second that Maggur's breath was gone, the ground started to shake in all of Scanra.
It lasted for a full minute. Tysia grabbed Little Lilla and dashed beneath the stairs of her cottage for safety. At New Hope, Fanche Weir and Cleon wondered at the rumbling to the north, while Gwen laughed in realization.
Back in Hamrkeng, silence ensued at last. Then a deep voice boomed from the back of the room. Eyes turned to see Numair Salamín. He was dressed in flowing black robes. His voice echoed through the large room and felt as though it caused more vibrations than the earthquake had.
"When the time is right and the false king has been,
A time of peace will come again.
A mage, a fight, the earth will quake;
A man will lead this great thing,
Then one last test he must take,
To him the stone will yield the sword of the rightful king. "
"So says a prophecy made 400 years ago by a Scanran seer. The time has come, Rupent. You will be king."
A smoky black falcon swooped into the room through a window. Kel recognized Tortall's wild mage, even before she took human form, behind a stone pillar. Numair went to her, and a few moments later she stepped out from behindthe pillar, wrapped in Numair's outer robe.
Slowly she went over to the window and peered out.
"Come, Rupent, see the gift your land has given you," she said. Rupent looked down. A large stone was centered in the courtyard below. And in this stone, there was the sword from the ancient prophecy.
"The sword of the rightful king," Daine said, quietly. Yet the room was so quiet that all heard. Rupent turned to his men.
"Gather the warlords from the dungeons to the courtyard," he said. His men nodded deeply and ran off to obey. Rupent looked for his father, who was standing beside Owen. Satisfied that Harrod was in one piece, he turned to the Tortallans.
"Sir Owen, you have been of greater help that you can imagine," he said. "I hope that at evening's end, you will all stick around to share a stiff drink, as well."
Mumbles and laughter chorused through the group as everyone went down to the courtyard. Daine had found her pack, and changed into proper clothes.
Twilight's stars began to appear as the Tortallans stood together on the stone pavement, thoroughly confused.
Once everyone was gathered, Numair banged his staff on the ground.
"This is the sword of the true king. As the legend states, you will all be offered a chance to try and pull it from the stone, but only the one who is destined to be king will succeed. "
The Tortallan delegation stepped back and watched Numair at work. Each of the warlords stepped forward and placed hand to hilt, grunting with effort. The sword didn't budge. In fact, one of the men was so strong that he moved the boulder three feet, but the sword stayed in it.
Over the next few hours, hundreds of men who would be king attempted to pull the sword from the stone. Finally, when there was no one left, Numair nodded almost imperceptibly to Rupent.
He stepped up to the stone. All eyes were on him but Kel's. She was watching Numair. He was still, not whispering a spell to let the sword loose, as she had thought he would. This wasn't magic, this was real. She looked back to Rupent. Tortall needed him to succeed.
He groaned with effort, but finally the sword slid out, sparks flying. Rupent twirled the sword above his head twice, and then climbed onto the rock.
"I give you your king, Rupent Amrishiakk. You owe him your allegiance," Numair boomed.
More than half the people fell into bows, showing their fear and loyalty to the new king. Or to his magic sword.
Most of the ones left standing were from the same two tribes, people who lived so far north that the sun only shone a few hours each day.
"We refuse to honor the throne of a traitor!" one of their leaders cried. Rupent stepped forward.
"If you would have the sword, take it," he said, turning the hilt to the man. He accepted the sword with a grin. Immediately, he turned the blade to strike down the king. Though his blow was strong and solid, it stopped just inches short of Rupent's neck. The man groaned and let the sword clatter to the ground. He followed suite, falling to his knees.
"Forgive me, your majesty. I was wrong. You are the true king."
Daine produced a golden crown from her bag.
"I personally traveled into the treasure hold of Maggur Rathhausak," she said, speaking more to the crowd than to the king. She didn't mention that she had done it as a dormouse, with other mice aiding her. "There I found this crown. It was once worn by your kings of old, your leaders who have passed into legend. King Rupent is descended from this royal line. May he bring peace and prosperity back to a forsaken land."
She passed the crown to Numair, who placed it on Rupent's head. The King climbed onto the rock. He held up his hand, and his people fell into silence. When all was quiet, he nodded to the Tortallans and spoke to one and all.
"My first act as king of Scanra is to offer apologies to our southern brethren. We owe this noble Tortallan delegation more than we could ever give, for they have united us once more. These men, and Lady Kel, will be forever remembered as heroes to Scanra, and good friends to the king."
As the cheers and huzzahs of the crowd and the soldiers died down, Numair spoke.
"So begins the reign of King Rupent. May His Majesty and Scanra be blessed."