A/N: Welcome to Chapter 2 of my story! A big thanks to my reviewers, I'm glad you all like this story. In this chapter, things get interesting. Nara goes to Corus and well...you'll see.
Disclaimer: This is Tammy's.
Everything She Ever Wanted: Chapter 2
"Lady Nara of Kudarung Falls!" The herald announced, his voice ringing through the large stateroom that doubled as the grand ballroom. Nara had already been presented here once before, but for an entirely different reason.
Wearing a black dress she had managed to find in the rubble of her home, she walked in to face the monarchs. King Roald and Queen Chisakami stood before her. Roald, who was a good friend of Alex's, took one look at her stony face and drab attire and asked, "Lady Nara, is there something wrong?"
Nara curtsied, waited for Chisakami—known as Shinko to her friends—to beckon her to rise, and stood, calm.
"Your Majesties," she said politely, keeping her eyes lowered, "Kudarung Falls has been destroyed." Hushed whispers rippled around in the crowd of surrounding courtiers, and Nara looked up in time to see Roald's face go white.
"And your family?" He croaked, fighting to stay impassive in front of his court.
Nara stared back at him, showing no emotion. "Dead, Your Majesty." The crowd around her broke into louder murmurs at this, but Nara ignored them.
"We mourn your loss, Lady Nara," Shinko said, her dark eyes pained.
Nara looked at Roald again. "Your Majesty, I come before you to ask for your help." She bowed her head, then peered up at Roald to gauge his reaction.
The king was still white with shock, but his blue eyes focused on Nara as she spoke. "Ask for anything," he promised, "and if it is within my power, I will give it to you."
Nara took a deep breath to steady herself. What she was about to ask for wasn't going to be easy. "Your Majesties, I have come to ask for a new fief."
Her heart sank as the king frowned and whispers circled her; in the back of her mind, she was vaguely annoyed at the courtiers. She wished they would all leave.
"I'm sorry, Lady Nara," the king's voice rang out. "At this time, I cannot give you what you ask for. I can, however," he continued, "give you enough money to rebuild your home."
Nara's blood boiled. She knew she could never go back to Kudarung Falls, now that it held so many bittersweet memories. She had come to the king, hoping he, as her late husband's friend, could help her start over. The next thing that came out of her mouth surprised her, and it evidently surprised the king as the longest stream of Yamani curse words she knew flooded out of her mouth.
The next second, she knew she had made a mistake, and with a jolt, she realized that Queen Chisakami was Yamani, and that the king had studied it.
Maybe that wasn't the best idea, her mind quavered, while she stared stonily ahead, refusing to be intimidated.
The king slowly turned red, and he said icily, "Madam, you abuse your place. From this day forward I ban from the court of Corus, and you are never to be allowed inside the palace walls again." He motioned to the guards as the courtiers murmured around them, but Nara stopped him.
"I understand, Your Majesty," she said coldly, staring at him as her voice rang in the hushed stateroom. "There is no need for guards," she continued, "I can see myself out."
She curtsied once again, then swept out of the room, inwardly trembling. She barely noticed as the courtiers hurriedly moved out of her way, eyeing her as if she was the Sweating Sickness. Her mind was whirling with what she had done, and she had no clue what she was going to do next.
Nara wandered about the Corus marketplace, feeling dazed and lost. Her head pounded, and she wondered what she was going to do. She had nowhere to go. Stopping by a fabric stall, she looped Rala's reins around her wrist as Kele nickered inquiringly from a sling around her chest. She leaned over to inspect the cloth, drawing the eye of the cloth merchant.
"Find anything?" The woman asked, startling Nara. Quickly, she decided to buy more black fabric—the only clothes she had were the black dress she had on and her red dress, and she still had six months of mourning ahead of her.
"Yes," she murmured distractedly, paying for the fabric with the few coins she had. She was tucking the fabric away in her saddlebags when the woman spoke again.
"Do ye need some help, girl?" Nara froze, then turned to find the woman peering at her with interest. As if she had spoken, the woman continued. "If ye need help, go to Althea Brandon. She'll help ye if she can."
Nara stared as the woman rambled on. "She's on the Street of the Willows. Look for the one with a healer's sign on it." Finished, she turned to help another customer that had approached. Nara swung up on Rala, deciding to trust the woman. If this Althea Brandon couldn't help, who could?
Finding the street in question, Nara trottedpast the walled houses until she found one with a healer's sign on the gate: A wooden cup circled once with red and once in brown. The gate opened into an herb and vegetable garden. A woman was bent over, pulling some leaves out of the ground, smelling them for a moment, and then tucking them into a basket near her feet.
Nara paused at the gate, wondering if she should intrude. Before she could decide, however, the woman decided for her. She straightened, noticed Nara, and made her way to the gate.
Althea Brandon was tall, with dark brown hair pulled back into a loose knot. Small streaks of gray betrayed her age, but her hazel eyes twinkled. A warm smile was on her lip as she opened the gate.
"Hello, child." She murmured, voice soft. "What can I do for you?"
"I was told you can help me," Nara confessed, stepping into the garden.
Althea gave her a sharp look, but beckoned her inside. "Tell me what your problem is, and I'll see what I can do."
Settling at the worn wooden table, Nara watched as Althea brewed a pot of herbal tea. "This should get rid of your headache." Althea murmured, setting the cup in front of Nara.
The girl took it gratefully, cradling the warmth and inhaling the comforting scent of mint. She looked up. "Thank you Mistress…"
Althea waved the title away. "Call me Althea. Now, what's troubling you?"
Without any other prodding, Nara spilled out her story, feeling the tears prick her eyes but refuse to fall. When her story was done, Althea nodded sympathetically, looking thoughtful.
"The king exiled you?" She said, and Nara nodded, blushing with embarrassment. "What did you say to him?" Althea asked, smiling.
Nara thought back. "Let's just say I called him names."
Althea nodded, then became grim. "He must have felt sorry for you," she informed Nara. "The last time someone cursed the king to his face, he was killed." Nara shivered at this news, feeling grateful.
"So you have nowhere to go?" Althea asked, changing the subject,and Nara nodded, then looked at her new friend hopefully.
"You could stay with my son," Althea murmured finally. At Nara's scandalized expression, she said hurriedly, "It's perfectly all right. His…work is at the Dancing Dove."
Nara grew even more horrified at each word. The Dancing Dove was a nearby tavern, and it was frequented by thieves, pages, squires and knights. It was no place for a lady. But what choice did she have? Reluctantly, she nodded, and Althea smiled.
"Well, that's decided," she pronounced, "and you should be getting some sleep." With a jolt, Nara realized that it was growing dark. Horrified, she realized that she had forgotten the black fabric in her packs.
Althea saw her panic and smiled. "Don't worry, Nara," she soothed, "I'll take care of your clothes for you. But you," she said firmly, "should be in bed." Obediently, Nara got up, taking a candle with her.
"Goodnight, Althea." She murmured, and the woman waved her off, already busy with some other task. Slipping into her room, Nara stripped down to her shift. She released Kele, and the kudarung stallion flapped awkwardly over to settle on her pillow. Nara slipped into bed only to dream.
Alex walked to her, his blue eyes alight with fire and life. She ran to him, and was caught up in strong arms and held tight. She rested against him, burying her head in his shoulder. He murmured softly to her, and she pulled away to stare up at him. He kissed her, and she returned it, putting all her passion and relief into that kiss. A coo distracted her, and she reluctantly pulled away.
Out of the mist appeared Aidan, walking towards her, gurgling. She swept him up in her arms as he waved his hands, his blonde hair bouncing. His blue eyes, so like his father's, gazed at her with love. Nara kissed him gently, holding him tight. Alex's warm arms surrounded her, and she leaned into his loving embrace.
Suddenly, Aidan dissolved into mist and floated away. Nara cried out silently, reaching for him, but just as suddenly, Alex's comforting warmth disappeared as he too, dissolved into the mist.
Nara sat bolt upright in bed, sweating. Beside her, Kele slumbered on, but Nara was tired anymore. Suddenly feeling thirsty, Nara made her way out of bed. Taking her candle, she made her way to the kitchen, intent on finding the well and a breath of fresh air.
From the shadows, a man watched a girl move into his mother's kitchen holding a candle. She was wearing a linen shift and appeared unarmed, but you never could tell with assassins these days. Deciding to question her closer, he slid out of the shadows, pulling a glittering dagger out its sheath as he went.
Nara tensed as something moved. The next second, she relaxed; it was only a shadow. Looking out the window, a full moon glinted down on several charms suspended from the rafters. Nara stepped up to look closer, holding her candle out of the breeze. She reached up to touch one just as an arm came out of nowhere and rested a sharp dagger at her throat.
Nara froze, and a deep voice murmured in her ear, "What are you doing in my mother's house?" A large hand wrenched her arm behind her back, and she bit her lip at the pain that shot up into her shoulder. She spotted a knife resting on the counter; if only she could get to it! Noticing he had left her other hand free, the one with the candle, Nara had an idea.
Lifting her hand slowly, Nara froze as her assailant demanded softly, "Who are you?" Refusing to answer, Nara slowly lifted the candle into the wind. The candle, having burned all night, was now really only a burning wick sitting in a hot pool of wax. The candle sputtered and died, and Nara made her move.
She shoved the hot wax onto the hand that held the dagger. Wriggling out of the man's hold, she registered his yelp of pain as she snatched the sharp knife off the counter and spun around.
Nara stared at her attacker for a moment. He appeared to be a few years older than she, and his eyes were a piercing emerald, but beyond that the moonlight wouldn't show. He cradled hishot wax-covered hand as he glared murderously at her. Nara returned the glare,swinging the blade wildly, hoping to score a cut, and she saw the man's eyes widen at something behind her. He sheathed his dagger suddenly, looking almost guilty.
Althea Brandon emerged from the shadows, padding softly out to stand between the two, holding a lit candle. Nara stopped brandishing her knife, and guilty placed back onto the counter, feeling ashamed but refusing to let it show.
A mysterious smile lit her hostess's face as she murmured, "Nara, I'd like you to meet my son, Nirav, more commonly known as Shadow."
A/N: Cliffy! Anyone want to take a guess at what comes next? The person who gets it right gets virtual cookies from me! Please review, and no flames!