I don't own Tortal, just try and sue me.
The sad thing is…I actually use words like "abhorrent" in real life…
Colleen, Hey, I told you guys I was cruel, it's not my fault if you believed me. And no I don't have sandwiches in front of children…I wave peanut-butter cookies. Just Kidding.
Anyways, Yes I was going to wait and post the interlude along with the next chapter but I wanted to give you guys something right away because this one is pretty long and took longer to type. I hope it's substantial enough for you all. Read and Review please, and thanks for reviewing!
Feifiefofum, you are exhausting nitpicky, but I still like you. Seriously, you move down to Southern-Cali and we'll go out. You still didn't say in what way Provy is funny. I like your nickname I'm going to use it, I'll make sure to give you credit; don't sue, besides I have no money. The reason Provy wasn't in interlude one or three, was because they didn't happen in real time, although from the text it's difficult to tell the time frame of interlude three. There is a method to my madness after all. Or maybe not, it's so hard to tell these days, I am fairly mad…in the crazy sense.
Yes, I need to check my spelling better; do you have to shove it in my face like that? It makes be feel bad, it's a good think I have an over inflated ego as it is, so there's no risk of low self-esteem. Ha.
And yes, you are weird, but it takes one to know one so you're not the only weird one here, (Cough!meCough!). That might be why you feel like you know me. I have no idea; if you find out, tell me. I'm pretty curious too.
Yeah, I see that now. I didn't notice that when I was searching for 'new' on the page using Ctr+f. Sigh, I miss everything; I really need a beta, like chronically. It took me awhile to figure out what you were talking about, they way you worded it confused me. I feel so stupid; I just want to thwack myself on the head with a Fish.
Thanks for the Review, review again, and please be kind…
Numair's Lover, yay! You reviewed again! Thanks! Review this chapter too please.
Ivory Nightshade, well I can say there is a lot more Gainel and Lynn-ness on the way, and though they are both in this chapter…well you'll see. Read on, Dear Reader.
And thanks for the luck with school. I'll need it. I'd actually like it if there weren't so much damn homework; it gets me every time.
Read and Review Please!
Note: I've got some ideas posted for new stories I'm thinking of starting soon. They are all Tamora Pierce Tortall series fan fictions. So take a look at the Soon to Come section on my bio and tell me what you think. I'd be most obliged.
Providence SmilesBy LGR
Part II: The Hopelessness of Failure"Three days ago my brother came back from his trip to visit our cousin Ally's family. It was nice to have him gone for a while but I kind of missed him I guess. I never really noticed how much time we actually spent together until he wasn't around." Lynn explained sounding slightly chagrinned.
The Landscape was the same whitish fog that was always the backdrop in one of Gainel's dream visits, and so were the chairs they both sat it. But Gainel couldn't help but feel slightly tense.
It was their first meeting since Gainel had had his unsettling episode, and he was determined to not let Lynn notice his unease around her. He did realize that he'd felt slightly uncomfortable talking with her for the last few months, if not longer, but this was something different. Then he hadn't understood the reality of the situation. He hadn't known the true extent of his emotions toward her.
It was such an unusual situation to be in. He did and yet he didn't want her to know how much he wanted to reach out and just touch her face. To just hold her hand…the fear of rejection was just too strong, and so he wasn't trying his best to act normal.
But even so, he had the feeling that she sensed his unease. Every moment he had the feeling that she was staring into him and rummaging through all his secrets, even though he knew for certain that she wasn't doing so by magical means.
He could have looked into her mind and seen himself…
But the idea abhorred him. It just didn't feel right; she trusted him and to Gainel it felt like the Ultimate betrayal. And he'd rather have never known what her true feelings were at all, than for him to look and see that she had never cared for him.
"—I'd watch him sometimes when he was tinkering in his tower room at home at Mage's Tower; we aren't home often, but he has a workroom and is always doing odd things in there. He makes things, sometimes with magic. But if he's doing magic I have to be in there with him. I don't know why, there isn't much I could do about it if something went wrong, but that's my Father for you. He's into safety. I don't know."
Lynn sighed as her dialogue mentioned her parents, Gainel knew that she understood her that her parent's were just trying to protect her, but she still found their safeguards annoying to say the least.
"But anyways, I'd have to watch him so were together a lot then, and I'd tease him about things. Stupid things, I don't even remember now. But I'm glad he's back. And now," Lynn's face took on a truly mischievous smile, "I've got something new to tease him about."
Gainel smirked despite himself. He new she was waiting for him to ask her what it was, and he couldn't help but oblige her. He was curious himself, and it was bound to be something thrilling. For the last few years Lyn had told him of everything that went on in her life and he felt like he new her family personally.
"Oh really, what might that be?" he said with false innocence, giving her what she wanted.
Her face exploded into a grin and she was fidgeting; it must have been some news.
"Okay, okay! I'll tell you." she said loudly then jumped up from her chair, he ebony curls bouncing with her, and ran to his side to hold her hand to his ear to block sound from escaping, despite the fact that they were alone. Gainel tried to ignore the way he felt when she was so near to him
"Okay, Okay," she said again, as excited as ever.
"Can you stop saying 'okay' and get on with it!" he said slightly angrily.
"I can't help it!" she said, "Alright. This is it, are you ready?"
"Are you serious?" he asked dryly, looking at her through half-lidded eyes.
"Fine, be that way, then I won't tell you." She said huffily, turning her head from him.
"Now that's just cruel." It was.
"Fine, " she said. He knew she couldn't resist telling her news.
She looked around them for anyone who might over-hear despite the fact that they were in dream, and put her hand up to his ear again.
"Well, yesterday morning I was going to tell Eda Bell that I wasn't going to be able to make our practice that afternoon—"
"What practice?" Gainel interrupted.
"Oh nothing, she'd just been showing me a few fighting moves lately." Lynn said sounding slightly suspicious, but he didn't really want to ask her about what she might have been doing with this 'Eda Bell', so he let it go.
"But anyways, so I went to go talk to Eda Bell, she's the Shang Wildcat and she's been teaching pages and squires at the castle for ages—since before I was born—she's at least eighty I'd think; remarkable really. Well, I was walking to the pages and squires practice ground to talk to her, and I was within site of it when I noticed some one was sitting and watching the pages."
"Well, that isn't very unexpected. People are always doing that, though usually it's the Squires the people watch, they have more interesting fights, but sometimes Knights watch the older pages to see if they'd make good Squires, but that's besides the point—"
It truly was irritating how she went off topic; it was as if she were doing it on purpose to heighten the suspense, Gainel thought. Lynn thoroughly ignored his slightly annoyed look.
"—The point is there was some one there." She continued, " So who could this person be? I thought. I kept walking toward the fence and so that it was Rikash. He hadn't noticed me and so I ducked behind a rather conveniently places tree. He would have felt if I'd shifted. He can't shift himself, but He always knows when I am if he's around; horribly annoying really…"
"So, I was behind the tree, watching Rikash—"
"Spying you mean." Gainel interjected.
Lynn snuffed annoyed, but said, "Spying is such a crude word, yet it isn't entirely inaccurate…"
"Crude but true…"
"Do you want to hear this or not?" she snapped. Lynn hated to be teased, but he found it very amusing and he liked to see her reactions. And also, she looked so cute when she was pouting…
"Shutting up."
"Good, now where was I? Oh yes, I was watching Rikash, from behind the tree, wondering why he of all people was watching the pages. Rikash, you must understand, is highly averse to any sort of fighting. He really doesn't like it. That's why there's no chance of him ever being a page, even if he weren't five years over the regular age for entering page training."
"So I was watching him and guess who he was looking at? Or drooling over I should say…"
"Who?" he asked slightly more insistent than the manner of the question required; he really did want to know.
"Naori!" she exclaimed.
"Naori! Neal's Daughter!"
"Yes!"
"…wow." That was a mind blower, for mortal standards anyways.
"I know!" Lynn was the image of mischievous glee, "Just wait until I tell Neal or Lady Yukimi! Hell, It doesn't even have to be them, I could tell Dom as soon as he's back to the palace! It's been ages since Ma let me shift and fly with her to New Hope to see Auntie Kel. Really, I think her rules about shape shifting are just so constricting…"
"But isn't Alan at the palace? I mean, he has been the King's Champion since the end of that small war a couple years ago."
Lynn's face brightened even more, if that was possible, "You're right! He is here! I suppose I could tell Thom too, he knows Neal, they were at the university together until Neal went to be a page himself, but being a Black robe in all has made him pretty busy. He doesn't know Naori near as well as Alan."
During another small war with a Scanran tribe, (not the whole country, but still), that had taken place about a year before Lynn had met Gainel, Alan had been stationed with New Hope lending his insane sword skills to the refuge-camp-turned-fiefdom. While their he'd gained a reputation for being an even better swordsman than his mother, as well as becoming friends with the second female knight and her comrades at New Hope.
It had actually come to her attention that he and Kel had had some sort of argument over who would get Naori as a Squire when she became one in a year. Personally Lynn thought that it would end up being Alan, as Naori's weapon specialty was the sword and she only had a casual interest in the Glaive despite having used it since she was a small child.
Lynn knew Naomi and the others quite well. In fact Lynn had conspired along with about twenty others in the plot to get Neal to allow her to be a page. Her role as "big sister looking out of little sisters happiness" had been the key to their success. At least that was how she saw it.
"Alan is practically her older brother! Oh! He'll just die!" she proclaimed enthusiastically.
Gainel smirked again, "But I thought you liked your brother!"
"Of course I like my brother! I'm doing this out of love for him…" her sincere tone would make any player jealous. He also tried to hide how he went to mush when she'd mentioned love…
"Love? Maybe it's a mortal thing, but I just don't see the connection—" he said skeptically.
She snuffed yet again, "As if all you're teasing me isn't the same thing! You know exactly what I'm talking about." She stated and they both flinched.
Gainel's heart skipped a beat as both of them sat unnaturally still; their eyes widened in astonishment, and in his case, terror.
She knew. And he knew she knew.
Gainel didn't wait for her to speak; he was so frightened by what she might say.
He fled the dreamscape as she called out for him. She snapped back into her ordinary dream-state and Gainel found himself in his Chateau sitting in the library breathing heavily in a state of sheer trepidation.
He'd seen it clear on her face, the surprising realization. In a way it was a relief, the truth was finally out and he could stop dreading it, but a whole new set of problems had now arisen.
What was he going to do now? He couldn't avoid her, not only did his heartache when she wasn't near, but it was just a cruel thing to do. And he couldn't just up and leave her now, not when he'd been her patron for the last five years, not when he'd decided those five years ago to come out of dormancy and act as shield between her and Uusoae.
And even if that weren't true, she truly did love her, even if she didn't do so in return, he had to tell her.
Checking the time difference between the Living realms and his corner of the Divine realm, he found that, though time moved more swiftly there, enough of the night was still left that he and Lynn might be able to come to some sort of closure to the situation.
Gainel decided quickly: He'd face her; it was the only reasonable thing to do.
And if it took longer to sort things out he'd come the next night as well. The different time flows between the realms were what kept him from meeting her only once or twice a week, as his duties, few as they were with so many constructs to handle the day-to-day work, took up time that sometimes became equivalent to multiple days, or were finished as the sun was rising, and new problems had to be tended too as the sun was going down.
He'd make time if he had to. There were some things that could be put off until later. This was important.
Sighing slightly to try and clear his nerves, he turned to enter her dream for the second time that night only to come face to face with an unexpected guest.
"How did come to be here without my knowledge." He asked Discord, although it wasn't a question so much as a demand, despite the mellowness of his voice.
The golden hair, Black clad woman smiled seductively, the gold apple in her hand glowing strangely as she held it in front of her.
"I told you Gainel, I told you that you'd never find peace again. And I was right wasn't I?" she said. Something was going on, how had she found her way into his domain without him noticing? For that matter what why was she there? Discord didn't do anything without a reason, though sometimes she wanted others to think so for her own purposes.
Gainel wasn't entirely sure what to do. Those other chaos gods who lived in the Chaos realm were allowed to move through the gate to the divine realm, albeit in an extremely limited fashion.
He was fairly certain she wasn't here by permission, but he could always be wrong, so he didn't dare attack her. But as they were standing there he felt the night slipping further and further away.
"Whatever you're about, Discord, it will have to wait; I have business to attend to elsewhere. We may speak once I return, I shan't be long." He said sternly.
"Business? What business might that be I wonder?" she inquired stroking the golden apple; it was giving off unusually vibes and he was more suspicious than ever.
"My business; of which is most undoubtedly not yours." She smirked.
"Well said, but I'm afraid it'll have to wait. My news is much more pressing."
Doubtful, He frowned down at her. "What might this 'news' b—,"
The golden apple flashed and he dodged just in time to be missed by a hand of power. But discord was there to meet him, fighting as Gods would, using not only physical attacks and magical energy, but the strength of their will and mind, put against each other in a display of feints, pushes, blocks and strikes.
Her fingernails became golden energy knives and she slashed at him with great speed and dexterity, while simultaneously dodging a mental blow he'd thrown at her.
He barely missed becoming slashed by her nails but the, Discord's mental dodge had taken enough of her attention that her next physical attack was awkward, allowing him to trip her and send a barrage of magic-blasts at her hastily eructed magical-shield. Her mental attacks faltered as well and she was trying to stay out of reach of his mind, which was threatening to tear hers to shreds.
She might be good in chaos, in her own realm, but even there she couldn't hope to match the power and complexity of a Great God in his own domain. Whatever cock-eyed notion she'd that made her think she could possibly had won a fight with him, was showing itself out to be a suicide attempt.
Their mental battle was coming to a halt as he caught up to her and forcefully stopped her consciousness from using magical energy. He stopped his energy attacks, the battle being most assuredly over.
Discord, was breathing heavily on the floor, looking as white as a sheet and scared half to death, knowing how close she'd come to it herself. Looking up at him with bloodshot eyes, she knew she'd been beaten.
She smirked slightly, "So many surprises today, Gainel. First that startling episode with the girl and now this?"
She words were enough to unbalance him. She ripped free of his mental constraints, and her physical body lunged and—
—phased him.
This power to forcibly bring others into other realms was a power that all gods shared, even those born of chaos, and she used it now, bringing him to—
Gainel was slammed violently and implanted into a little traveled area not quite in the divine realm, not quite in the mortal realm.
But it was close enough to the mortal realms, he was shocked to find, that he couldn't move one way or another. His powers were nullified in the mortal realm, which was one reason he couldn't go there. He would not have been able to come to this crossroad himself, but the goddess of discord had somehow managed to bring him there
And he was stuck.
Discord chuckled from the divine realm border, her breath still heaving sharply from the effort of their battle. He stared at her with eyes widened frantically; his voice unable to be heard by some strange manifestation of the properties of the dimension and his own lack of power from being so close to the Living realm.
But he heard her well enough.
"You know," she said, "I always did like you, Gainel. It's a shame that you had to mix yourself into my Mistress's games and ploys, truly it is. And you should have said you were lonely, I would have been happy to bring you company…But too late now I suppose, perhaps Violence and I will be able to have some fun with the mortal once my Mistress forces her to free her. Yes, I am greatly looking forward to it…"
She threw her head back in a truly evil cackle and phased out of Gainel's vision.
Analyzing his situation quickly, his state of mind bordering on the crazed, he struggled to think of some way to amend the situation.
He tried everything but he could do nothing, he was as powerless as a mortal in this place. The utter hopelessness of the situation punctuated his mind and becoming an almost physical pain.
He might be here for ages before he was noticed missing. And all the while, that treacherous bitch Uusoae was going to have her way with Sarralyn and the rest of the mortal realm and then throw her to the non-existent mercy of Discord. Not only was the apple-carrying goddess outright cruel, she was devilishly imaginative.
He was powerless and alone but what was more was that now so was Lynn.
He had failed to protect the thing he loved the most.
And though his body was frozen into place, unable to make any physical movement, in his soul he retreated into himself and wished to die, knowing that his very essence kept him from being so.
I'll never know…what she would have said…if I'd told her…how I much I cared.
And destiny, being the child of Providence, was upon the Realms, as the events of set in motion from the planning of millennia were culminating.
And Providence could only watch…and hope.
