A/N: I'm sorry for making you all wait this long for an update. I would have had it up a few days ago, but up until today, my computer was having problems. Oh, well. Thanks to all my reviewers for their wonderful reviews, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Here is Chapter 9, and there will only be a couple more chapters after this. Sadly, this story is drawing to a close, and I need your thoughts: Would you like me to continue with the legacy, or do you want me to leave it at this? Please tell me in your review!
Now, after that lengthy author's note, here's the disclaimer.
Disclaimer: I own none of this, only my own creations.
Whispering Winds: Chapter 9
In the light hour just after dawn, a man climbed the stairs towards his son's room. The weak light the sun tried to shed through the window landed on the wooden floor, quietly seeping under the door and into the room. The man paused at the top of the stairs, and then walked forward and knocked lightly on the door.
Getting no answer, the man knocked again. When no voice resounded from the depths of the room, the man sighed and pushed the door open. The room was dark, even with the weak light creeping in. Seeing the window was closed, the man strode over and pulled it open, letting the weak sunlight stream into the room, illuminating the lump that was currently hidden under the bedcovers.
The lump stirred, and with a few choices words threw back the covers and glared sleepily at the man, who still stood next to the window. In a moment, the anger had melted into confusion as the boy asked groggily, "Da?"
"Where Kayla?" Swift's voice was sharp, and Dagger looked at him incredulously before glancing at the window. Seeing the sky just beginning to turn pink, he threw himself back on the bed and burrowed under the covers again, grumbling, "Da, it's early!"
Swift walked over to his son's bed and pulled the covers off again, while Dagger curled up tighter and tried to go back to sleep. "Where's Kayla?" He demanded again, sharper this time.
Seeing he couldn't win, Dagger uncurled from his position and blinked blearily up at his father. "I have no idea where she is!" He retorted, grabbing the blankets back from his father and retreating to his warm haven. "It's too early to be worrying about her!" Swift glared daggers at the lump that his son had turned into and turned to look out the window.
"I was hoping you knew where Kayla was," Swift murmured causally, listening to his son shift beneath the covers, "because she's missing." At this, the covers rustled more violently, and the man turned around just in time to see his son throw off the covers in a panic and stumble out of bed.
"She's missing?" Dagger's voice was hoarse with fear. "For how long?"
Swift shook his head, grim. "The agents Marek had on her told him that she left Corus in the direction of Royal Forest not an hour ago. Her mare is still in the stables, along with her cat, but she was well armed."
Dagger swallowed, his sleepy hazel eyes fearful. "Do they have any idea what she was doing?"
Swift shook his head. "Not a clue."
At that, Dagger grabbed the shirt that was hanging off the end of his bed and quickly donned it, scrambling for his shoes. Swift watched his son move around the room with some amusement and confusion.
"What are you doing?"
At his father's question, Dagger looked up, hazel eyes almost feverish with determination. "I'm going after her."
"You're what?" Swift's voice was tinged with amusement.
Dagger stared at his father for one long moment, and then started collecting his daggers. "I'm going after her. I love her, and I'm not going to let her get killed, just because I said some stupid things." He stopped for a moment, considering what he had just said, and glanced at his father.
Swift was staring at his son, a grin playing at his lips. "Well, lad," he said slowly, "if you feel that strongly about her, you need to save her." But Dagger had stopped short, looking horrified, and had sunk down on the edge of his bed. He cradled his head in his hands, gripping his messy brown hair with both hands as he talked to himself.
"Oh, gods," he muttered. "How can I love her? She's a princess—I'm a thief. How can she accept me?" He looked up at his father, looking utterly lost. Swift took pity on his oldest son and sat down beside him.
"You have to remember," he consoled the young man next to him. "You weren't always a thief, and you can change what you are." Dagger's head lifted, and although he looked more hopeful than before, he still was uncertain.
"But Da," he said slowly, "what if she doesn't accept me, even if I change?"
"Well, then Derek," Swift told his son, using his son's real name for the first time in a month, "you'll have to get over her and move on. But," he confided, "she told me that she didn't want you to know her real name because she wanted to be accepted by us for who she is, not her title."
Dagger's expression brightened at this, and he stood up again, invigorated. He hugged his father, but their father-son bonding time was interrupted by a cat's yowl outside the door. Confused, Dagger opened the door, and a silver blur of fur raced into the room and launched itself onto the bed, hissing and spitting.
A girl Kayla's age appeared at the top of the stairs, red-faced. Seeing the girl, Swift got to his feet and bowed. "Princess Kyianna." Meanwhile, the silver tabby had curled up in Dagger's arms and was purring contentedly.
The princess looked at them both, wary. "Who are you?"
Before they had a chance to answer, a young man pounded up the stairs behind the girl. "Kyia, not so fast," he panted, "I almost lost you back there…" His voice trailed off as he noticed the two thieves. Behind him, Mite appeared, looking scared. The boy slipped past the two newcomers and took shelter behind his father.
Swift bowed to the young man. "Your Highness," he murmured politely.
"Who are you?" Kyia demanded again, and Swift turned to her, blue eyes shadowed.
"We're friends of Kayla's," he told her, and Kyia gasped, looking hopeful.
"Kayla? Have you seen her?" She asked eagerly.
Swift shook his head. "I'm sorry Your Highness, I haven't seen your cousin."
Kyia looked crestfallen. "I don't know where she is either," she murmured sadly, shaking her head. "I was hoping that Danika could help us," she said, nodding to the silver tabby curled in Dagger's arms. "She usually knows where Kayla is."
Dagger, who had been ignoring them during the pleasantries, looked up at this. "What did you say?"
Kyia glanced at him, puzzled. "I said Dani usually knows where Kayla is."
Dagger's hazel eyes were wide. "Of course," he whispered.
"Dagger," Swift asked worriedly; he didn't like that look on his son's face. "What's going on?"
Dagger looked up, excited. "I know where Kayla is." He bolted for the door, cat and all, but Kyia blocked his way.
"If we go," she commanded regally, as Jasson moved to her side, "we go together."
Meanwhile, Kayla was wandering around the Royal Forest, feeling as lost as Dagger had. She shook her head and looked at the surrounding foliage. She had no idea where she was, but if her dream was true, Brock was around here somewhere. She shivered at the thought. Kayla didn't know why Brock wanted her, but she knew that they would have to kill her before they got to the rest of the people she cared about.
Kayla looked around and sighed, the words from her dream still ringing in her ears. Finding herself in a clearing, she sat down, needing to meditate and think. Seeing as she couldn't find Brock, and that she was alone, she might as well concentrate.
Submerging herself, Kayla thought hard. She was a Chosen vessel of the gods? She had heard of vessels of the gods, of course, but they never had the easiest lives. Her mind was distracted from her thoughts by the rustling of trees around her. Leaping to her feet, Kayla stared about her, blue-green eyes sharp.
"Hello?" She called, unsure if the rustling heralded friend or foe. The rustling ceased, but Kayla stayed where she was, mentally checking that she had all her daggers in place. Her dark green shirt and brown breeches meant that she would go unnoticed in the foliage, but she was standing in the middle of a clearing. The rustling started again, and Kayla tensed, ready.
She watched in horror as the man that had haunted her dreams since Shyam had died stepped out of the trees. Brock stepped closer to her, a malicious grin stretching his lips wide. His black hair was impeccably combed, strangely enough, and his gray eyes were glinting with hatred.
"So," he drawled calmly. "Princess Kayla finds herself out in the middle of the forest alone. How convenient."
"Brock," Kayla spat, and she noticed that Brock's cold gray eyes flickered with mild surprise.
"So the princess knows my name," he observed, "your mother must have told you about my father." Kayla mind flashed back to her conversation with her mother for an instant.
"What do you want?" She snapped, but with a sinking heart, she realized what the answer would be.
"Revenge," the man retorted. "Revenge for my father's death. Your mother killed him, so I've decided to kill you," he told her, grinning. "Blood for blood," he continued calmly. "Fitting, don't you think?"
Kayla stared at him, blue-green eyes wide. She had never known someone that wanted to kill her just for past actions, but something in Brock's cold gray eyes told her that he would think nothing of it.
"We tried to kill you once," Brock continued, "but it didn't work." With a flash, Kayla remembered the bandits that had tried to kill them on the way to Corus.
"That was you?" She gasped, and Brock nodded, sneering.
"That was me," he told her. "And now you will die."
Kayla braced herself for the imminent fight, grabbing two daggers that were on hand. Brock watched her actions with amusement, and when she stood ready, he laughed.
"Do you expect me to fight?" He chuckled. "I don't fight," he continued, motioning to the trees around them. Fifteen dark figures stepped out of the trees as an ominous wind began to blow.
Without even looking, Kayla knew she was surrounded. Cursing herself mentally for leaving without telling anyone, she sheathed her daggers and called to her Gift, eyeing the men ahead of her. Maybe she could fry a few before they killed her. Bracing herself for death, Kayla was unprepared for the silver blur that raced out of the trees, launching itself for her shoulder.
"Danika?" She exclaimed, not minding as the silver tabby used her body as a tree and settled on her shoulder, grooming her raven-black hair.
"Aw, how cute," Brock mocked. "A little cat came to save you." Kayla glared at him, but the glare faded as more figures poured out of the trees. Kayla braced herself once more, figuring that these were more of Brock's reinforcements. Her jaw dropped as she realized who it really was.
The first one out of the trees was Dagger, striding towards her, hazel eyes blazing. Kayla watched dumbfounded as he came to her side. He nodded towards the trees, and Swift appeared, followed by Tahlia and Mite. The once cute seven-year-old now looked deadly with two razor-sharp daggers clenched in his tiny fists. Tahlia carried daggers as well as a short sword. Following those three were Kyia— carrying her crossbow and Solana—and Jasson, ever present at his fiancé's side. The prince carried a sharp sword and battle axe, his aura glowing with sapphire blue Gift.
Kayla looked at her family—they truly were her new family; her thieving and royal families—as her heart wrenched. They had come to risk their lives for her, to save her from this man who wanted to kill her. Dagger saw her expression, and hugged her to him.
"Don't worry," he whispered, "I won't let him hurt you." The next second, he brushed his lips softly against her cheek and went to stand with the others, ringing Kayla with a circle of security.
Kayla stared after him, not really sure of what had just happened. All thoughts were wiped out of her mind as Brock motioned for his men to move closer. She silently counted. Seven against fifteen. Fair enough odds. Kayla wiped the sweat off her brow, suddenly nervous. Was this how her parents and uncle and aunt had felt when they fought the legendary battle of Tyra? This gut-wrenching fear, the fear of whether or not you were going to make it?
The men stepped forward, and Kayla's friends attacked. Kyia took out three with her silver Gift, shooting three more with her crossbow at the same time. Jasson killed two men and advanced on two more. Swift knifed two, earning himself an arm wound. Mite dodged men, distracting them. Tahlia, green-gray eyes cold, killed two. It was Dagger who really drew Kayla's attention. He dodged blows with speed and skill, hazel eyes murderous as he cut down the men that had threatened his love.
Only when he was wounded did Kayla cry out. She wanted to rush to his side, but she knew that he had to do this on his own. Finishing off the last man, Dagger came to her side. She stared at him with shining blue-green eyes, feeling like one of the soppy ladies in a romance novel. With a short nod of his head, Dagger indicated Brock, who was staring at the bodies around him in disbelief.
"So," he murmured, "you are difficult to kill, like your mother." Pulling a sword seemingly from nowhere, he advanced on Kayla. Kayla brought up her daggers and advanced as he did. All eyes were on the two, and so, the battle began.
Kayla dodged the first sweep of his sword, but wasn't so lucky the second time. She managed to cut his wrist, but she got a slice on her upper arm for it. Effectively tripping him, Kayla scooped up his sword and pointed it at Brock's throat.
"Do you surrender?" She asked. She should have been watching him, but she was too busy mentally gloating.
"Yes," she heard him mutter, and she let him up. The next second, he had wrestled the sword away from her and given her a wound in her lower leg. Her leg, unable to support her weight now, crumpled underneath her, and she stumbled to the ground. She heard Dagger's agonized cry of "Kayla!" but she was too busy watching Brock to respond.
"Now," Brock hissed, "you will die." Kayla thought fast. Pulling her good leg out from under her, she kicked Brock's legs out from him. The man stumbled backwards, thrown off-balance. Losing his balance, he fell, his head slamming into a large rock. Kayla heard his neck snap, a sure sign it was broken. She moved to his side, staring down at his prone form.
Brock's cold gray eyes stared, empty, into space. He was dead. Instead of feeling victorious, Kayla felt empty and sick. She had just killed a man. Turning to the bushes, she vomited. Cleaning her mouth, she turned, expecting to see Dagger racing towards her, ready to gatherKayla into his arms.
Kyia and Jasson stared at her, concerned, as she scanned the clearing full of dead bodies. Swift, Mite, andTahlia were also gone, but Kayla didn't really notice. The mantra her mind was repeating over and over again was one simple thought:
Dagger was gone.
A/N: Another cliffy! Man, this story seems to be full of them! Anyway, please tell me if you want me to make a sequel to this story, and also tell me your thoughts on where you think Dagger went. First person to get it right gets cookies from me!
