The End.
By HuntressDiana.
Disclaimer- none of the characters featured in this fic belong to me, rather they are property of Tamora Pierce. This is basically the same fic at the core, just with some fine tuning.
As a quick aside- I run the Circle of Heroes awards for Tamora Pierce fanfiction, and prospective judges can now sign up. If you are interested please visit the site, it's my homepage on my bio or email me for more details.
HuntressDiana
Part One.
"That's enough!" Her voice, as strong and as sharp as ever, snapped out across the room. At once, they fell silent. She smirked, so that's what it took to get them to be quiet, she'll have to remember that in future. She never could stand weeping and moaning, preferring to face her grief alone. To shed her tears inside, not letting anyone see how much she hurt. To take out her anger and frustration in the practice courts.
"It's not that bad." She softened her tone slightly, seeing the shocked expressions on their faces. "We can still complete the plan."
"Even though…" She cut off the Knight Commander's query with a swift gesture before he could finish.
"Even though."
She leant over to get her sword, pulling it out of the sheath. As dismay twisted their faces and objections opened their mouths, the warning horn sounded.
"Go!" She ordered. Daine was the first to move, smiling at her with the frankness she had come to expect of the Wild Mage, before shape shifting into a falcon. She shuddered, even after all these years the sight of a woman's body changing, shifting, becoming an animal's, was not something she had become used to. They all left after that, grimly wishing each other luck, until only three were left. Herself and the two most important men in her life.
"You don't have to do this." Jonathan said, taking a seat on the pallet. "No one will think any less of you if you don't."
"I will." She retorted. "And that's enough for me."
"If I order you not to go, will you obey?" The look in her eyes told him everything he needed to know. "I didn't think so."
"Jon. I didn't take this role to stay in my tent when there are battles to be fought." She looked at him keenly. "You know that as well as I do."
"You can't blame me for trying." His smile was forced as he got to his feet. She clutched his hand, preventing him from walking away.
"Jon…" She paused. Curse it; she would say this, no matter how much it hurt her. "Not Keladry. She'll be a good Knight Commander for the Own, but not for this. Pick the best."
He nodded, with the understanding that comes with a long friendship.
"Anyone in mind?"
"No one in particular. Someone young." As Jonathan left he heard her mutter under her breath, "Great Mother grant it's not a conservative."
He halted there for a long moment, breathing in the smoky air. It was times like these he hated being King.
She fixed her gaze on the last one left, her first friend in all her adventures. She supposed it was only fitting that he, the one who had been with her the longest, was there now.
"You're going to tell me not to do this too, I suppose." she mock grumbled at him.
"I wouldn't be so foolish darlin'." He said with a lopsided smile, coming over and kissing her soundly. "I love you, with all my crooked heart."
"It's not so crooked any more." She replied, smiling teasingly. "And you know I love you too."
With a swift kiss, which was no less laden with meaning for all its brevity, he whispered goodbye and then he too left her alone.
"This is it then." She said to herself, moving out of the camp into the thick of the battle. "The end of the Lioness."
When the end comes, let us make an end that will be remembered. Let us make an end worthy of us.
I would rather die in a great battle, fighting for what I believe in, my family and friends knowing that I love them, than to waste away in a bed.
Let me make this end count.