A/N: Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers, and here's Chapter 6. To further the plot, three months have passed between Chapter 5 and 6. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: None of this is mine.
Everything She Ever Wanted: Chapter 6
"Nara, no!" Shadow protested, staring down at the girl. Nara glared back up at him, daring him to continue.
"There's nothing you can do about it, Shadow!" She shot back. "Malik already agreed; it's a simple raid, it's not like I'm going to get myself killed!"
Shadow's gaze flickered to her rounded stomach, and she read the concern in his eyes. "The baby will be fine too." She reassured him, her tone softening. At four months pregnant, she was often annoyed by his constant protectiveness since she had asked him to be the foster father, but at times it was positively endearing.
Seeing his indecision, she added, "Haunt will be with me too." Shadow tilted his head to one side, thinking. He knew as well as Nara did that the older woman had a soft spot for Nara and wouldn't let anything happen to everyone's favorite Lady Ice.
Slowly he nodded, and the two turned at the knock on Nara's doorframe. Haunt stood there, waiting to be acknowledged. Her silent approach meant that neither of the two in the room knew how much of their conversation the other thief had heard.
Haunt was a strange woman by anyone's standards. She had long, flowing blond, almost white hair, and her skin had an ivory tinge to it. She was tall, willowy and graceful, which pointed to dancers' heritage. Her pale blue eyes seemed to take in everything, and she had a thief's silent tread.
"Don't worry Shadow," she murmured in a whispery voice that sounded like leaves turning in the wind. "I'll take care of her."
Shadow slowly nodded again, but the concern in his eyes didn't dim, and the intensity of the gaze never wavered. Haunt padded away after a moment, shaking her head. She didn't need to hear any more of their conversation. She already had all the information she needed.
Back in the room, Shadow pulled Nara into a firm hug. "Keep yourself out of trouble," he murmured, pulling away to stroke Nara's cheek softly. Nara pulled away from his touch after a moment, feeling guilty.
It was true that she was still clothed in her mourning garb of black and gray, but she hadn't thought of her family until she had gotten the news she was pregnant. She felt like she was dishonoring their memories at every tender touch Shadow gave her. She was surprised at his tenderness; justmonths before, he wasn't able to be around her, let alone be worried about her. She hadn't even thought about Alex or Aidan since the day Shadow entered her life.
Feeling confused, she turned away. "I need to talk to Thea," she muttered to herself, and Shadow, catching the last bit of that sentence, paled.
"Are you all right?" He asked, green eyes wide in his pale face.
Nara gave him a reassuring smile, squeezing his hand. "I just need to talk to your mother for awhile. We have some things to discuss." Shadow nodded, relieved that there was nothing immediately wrong with her.
Pushing open the now familiar gate, Nara strode confidently up the garden path. "Thea?" She called, and the healer appeared, her hands streaked with dirt and her hair falling out of its loose bun.
"What the matter, Nara?" She asked kindly, not at all sounding cross as Nara would have expected her to be. All at once she felt a rush of gratitude towards her friend. Althea had never been too busy to listen to Nara, whether the girl was complaining about something, or simply needed to talk. Right now, it was the latter.
"Am I right in assuming this involves my son?" Althea asked, sitting down. Nara followed suit, staring at the healer with wide eyes.
"How did you--"
"How did I know?" Althea supplied, smiling. Nara nodded, and Althea continued. "I have the Gift dear, and I know when involves my son. You have this certain gleam in your eye when you talk about him."
Nara ducked her head, embarrassed, then changed the subject. "I don't know what I'm going to do." She confessed, feeling like a silly young court lady again, caught up in the latest of court intrigues.
Althea got up, her chair scraping the floor as she went. She opened a drawer, rummaged around for a moment, and then returned, taking something with her. Returning to the table, she placed the object in front of Nara.
The girl stared down at the gold symbol in front of her, puzzled. It dangled from a thin cord, but she had seen the like of it before, but where? Suddenly, it came to her, and blushing, she put the anti-pregnancy charm on, shooting Althea a grateful look as she did so.
A thought struck her, and she looked down at her rounded stomach, and then her friend, worried. Althea read the question in her eyes and gently reassured her. "No, it won't harm your baby in any way." She told Nara, who nodded, relieved.
"Is that all you came here for?" Althea asked brusquely, waving away the unspoken thanks. "You better get going then," she warned her friend. She smiled. "Word has it that you are going on a raid tonight, and it's getting dark."
Tucking the charm beneath her shirt, Nara made her way out the door, waving to Althea as she did so, who was already busy with another task.
Under the cover of darkness, Nara slipped into the chosen house, her eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness. Behind her, Haunt seemed to glow with a white light, her hair and skin seeming to light up the room. Treading softly, the other thief nodded to Nara, and then began her search of the room for valuables.
Nara, in the meantime, made her way upstairs, taking care not to disturb a single object. She made her way to the bedroom, where her target, a Gifted mage, was asleep. Knowing that he might have magic traps, and knowing she didn't have the Gift herself, Nara tread lightly on the carpets, silencing her movements.
She slid into the bedroom, feeling for the rope that rested on her belt. Her job this time was to capture the mage, not kill him. She approached the bed silently, hoping the mage wouldn't wake and thanking the gods that he had not set magical traps for her to be ensnared.
Nara leaned over the bed, hoping to tie the man's wrists together while he was still sleeping. The bedsprings creaked as she rested her weight against it, and the mage's eyes snapped open.
As their eyes met, Nara came face to face with her brother Galen.
Galen's eyes widened, and Nara stumbled backwards in shock, tears forming. She had never expected to find her brother here; she thought he was dead! Galen leapt out of bed, his copper hair a mess and his blue eyes wide.
"Nara?" He whispered hoarsely, as if he didn't believe she was there either. At the sound of his familiar voice, Nara rushed into his open arms, sobbing.
The siblings held each other for a long time, and then Nara pulled away. "I thought you were dead." She told her older brother, her voice muffled in his chest.
Galen's voice was tight with emotion as he replied, "I didn't know if you were alive either. I thought the fire had gotten to you."
Nara lifted her tear-streaked face to his, her blue-black eyes shining. "Alex and Aidan are dead," she told him, "I thought you were too."
"I managed to escape." Galen admitted, then stepped back to look at Nara fully: Her black hair pulled back in a bun, black breeches and shirt, a larger stomach than usual, a dagger at her belt, and rope dropped carelessly on the floor behind her. His voice was bemused as he asked, "What exactly are you doing here?"
Before Nara could explain to her brother what had really happened that day, Haunt burst into the room, daggers drawn. Seeing Galen holding Nara, she advanced, glaring, while Galen positioned himself between his little sister and this new threat, copper fire glittering in his palms.
Nara moved out from behind her brother to position herself between the two, looking from one to the other. "Galen, stop it!" She ordered, then looked to her fellow Rouge. "Haunt, put those away."
Haunt stared incredulously. "You know him?"
Galen stared at this threat, then at his sister, and the copper light died out. "You know her?"
Nara sighed, then gestured to Haunt. "This is my friend, Haunt." Pointing to Galen, she explained, "This is my brother, Galen."
Haunt was the first to recover. "What are we going to tell His Majesty when we get back? You know he won't like this."
Nara sighed. "Let me deal with Malik, okay?" Galen watched this exchange, confusion wrinkling his brow.
"Nara, what's going on?" He demanded. "What are you talking about?"
"I'll explain later," Nara told him, glancing out the open window. "But right now, we need to leave."
"Where are we going?" Galen asked as he followed his sister and her friend out of his house.
"You'll see." Was the only reply he got before they both disappeared into the night.
Shadow stared suspiciously at Galen as the trio rode into the Dove's yard in the early morning hours. As Nara dismounted, he immediately crossed to her side, green eyes sharp as he shielded her from this unknown man.
"Nara, who is that?" He demanded, his black hair in disarray. Obviously, he hadn't slept well. Nara brushed his hair off his face, smiling at his concern.
"Relax, Shadow, that's my brother." She told him, and Shadow visibly relaxed. This man was no threat.
"His Majesty wants to see you," he informed Nara. Nara winced, not looking forward to the meeting at all. Malik was not in a good mood when the raids had been compromised, and Nara had already botched one.
"I have to talk to my brother first." Nara pleaded, stalling for time.
Shadow sighed, shaking his head. "I'll try to buy you time, but I won't promise anything."
Nara grinned at him. "Thanks Shadow." She watched him walk off, then turned to her brother, who was eyeing her rounded stomach.
"I think you have some explaining to do." Galen said finally, smiling, and Nara took him up to her room. They had a long talk to get through.
Galen nodded once Nara had told her his side of the story, and added his final note. "Nara, I know how that fire came to Kudarung Falls."
Nara looked up, suddenly interested, her eyes flashing. "Who did it?" She growled, her blood boiling.
Galen watched her for a moment, decidedly nervous, and confessed. "A mage by the name of Tamal Daray set the fire. I don't know if he did it on purpose or on accident, but the fire got out of control and swept towards Kudarung Falls."
Nara sat in silence, her blood churning as she saw red. She was going to kill that mage. The baby suddenly kicked, as if agreeing, and Nara's mind was made up. "Thank you for telling me," she murmured, pushing herself up.
Galen grabbed her hand. "Nara, you aren't thinking of going after that mage alone are you?"
"Of course not," his sister replied while lying through her teeth.
Galen released her, relieved. "Good."
"It's late," Nara noticed. "You should be in bed. Stay here for the night." Galen nodded, yawning, and with one final hug, wandered off towards his warm bed.
Nara, however, had no plans of going to bed anytime soon. Her brother had told her where the mage was hiding, and she was going to get revenge on the man that killed her family.
A/N: Cliffy, and a nice long chapter to go with it! So, anyone think Nara's getting herself in trouble? Tell me what you think by reviewing!