Chapter 30
AN- check my homepage: I've redone the POLL and added some interesting news in the post before that…
"What do you mean?" Eliena asked.
Sarra glanced at Weiryn. "You know better than I do, why don't you explain?" Weiryn sighed.
"When you were born, there was a large meeting in which all the gods attended. The Goddess announced that one whom she had her Hand had been born in the Human Realms. She never made this announcement, we all just knew who was touched by the Goddess. But she explained that the baby's destiny was among the gods- the Great Gods. She did not say the name of the child or the location, just that the baby was a girl and would lead a powerful life. The only hint any of us got to the girl's identity was that she would be 'friends with a demigoddess.' We heard no more about it, until recently when the Great Gods sent word that the barrier separating our Realms had been broken and they wanted to know if anyone knew who had done it," Weiryn explained. Eliena glanced at Daine. Daine was a demigoddess.
"So… you mean to say that Eliena is destined to be one of the Great Gods?" Numair clarified.
"Yes," Sarra replied. Eliena looked around. All eyes were focused on her. "Eliena will die and come to the Divine Realms to be one of the Great Gods."
"I'm going to be a goddess," Eliena remarked. "That sounds… interesting." Sarra smiled.
"It isn't easy, Eliena, I'll give you that," Sarra told the girl. "And I'm a lesser goddess."
"Well, Tortall should be proud," Numair said. "To have a future goddess as their heiress."
"No one can know," Weiryn cut in. "And I mean no one." He looked around the table. "I don't think we should've told you, Eliena."
"You're correct, Weiryn. Eliena wasn't supposed to know." Sarra and Weiryn got to their feet to acknowledge the presence of the Great Mother Goddess.
"Is that…" Daine breathed.
"Yes, daughter of gods, I am the Great Mother Goddess," the Goddess replied. Daine curtsied and Numair bowed. Eliena stayed seated.
"Forgive us, Great Goddess," Sarra said. "We only thought that Eliena should know her path."
"I forgive you, Green Lady," the Goddess assured the new goddess. Her green eyes focused on Eliena. "But Weiryn is correct, young princess. No one is to know of your future. Not even your parents."
"Can you at least tell me what I'll be doing or what my name will be?" Eliena asked. "Because it would be really nice to know."
"No," the Goddess replied. "Some things should be left to the future."
"Well, can you at the put us back in Tortall?" Eliena wanted to know. "You said we need to get back. And you putting us there would save a whole lot of time."
"I can only put one of you back in your world, young princess," the Goddess explained. "The other two will have to complete the journey to the Dragonlands."
Eliena glanced at her friends. "You go, Eli," Daine said. "You're the princess. They need you most."
"Go, Eliena. We'll see you soon enough," Numair agreed.
"I'll go then," Eliena told the Goddess.
"Very good." The Goddess nodded. "Say goodbye."
Eliena went to her god hosts first. Sarra hugged her. "Remember us when you return to the Divine Realms, Eliena," Daine's mother told her. "And stop in once in a while." Eliena smiled.
"I will, Sarra. I promise," she assured the goddess. Weiryn clasped her hand.
"I give gifts to those I favor," he told her gruffly and a bow and quiver of arrows materialized in his hand. "And I've seen you. You deserve this more than anyone I can think of, aside from my own daughter, that is." He handed it to Eliena, who admired it. "Use it well." Eliena smiled.
"Thank you, Weiryn. This means a lot," Eliena said. She went to Numair next, who hugged her tightly.
"Be safe, Eliena. We don't want our future queen dying on us," he whispered. Eliena nodded. "We'll see you soon. Try to hold them off. Serve us well." Eliena smiled at Numair. She turned to Daine. The two friends embraced.
"I'll miss you," Daine said. "Please don't get yourself hurt. Be smart, Eli, please. And win this war for us."
"You'll be back before you know it," Eliena told her friend. "And you be safe, too. I'll need my best friend." Both girls were teary as they embraced again.
"Come, Eliena, we have one stop to make before I return you home," the Goddess said, extending a white hand to Eliena. Eliena took it and waved goodbye to her companions.
Eliena and the Goddess then stood in an armory. A tall man with black hair and gold armor stood there.
"Its about time," he remarked.
"She was saying goodbye, Mithros, it may be a long time before she sees her friends again," the Goddess retorted.
"Mithros!" Eliena squeaked. The man standing before her was the god of the Sun and war. Eliena curtsied. "I'm honored."
"Stop that," the Great God told her. "You'll be among us one day." Eliena nodded. News sure travels fast here, she thought. But, then again, it does in Tortall too! "Now…which one?" He looked at the rack of swords behind him. Is his going to give me a sword? Eliena wondered. "Ah. This one looks just about perfect." He plucked one from the wall and held it in his hands. Eliena admired the gold hilt, which was inlaid with black opals, and an amethyst at the end. Her eyes traveled up to the blade. "The finest blend of diamond and silver. No mortal blade can match it, or break it," the god explained. Eliena fingered her ember stone and saw the blade was alight with white fire. "Made by the gods and only wielded by the strongest." He handed it to Eliena. "This blade shall protect you like no other in all of the Realms- Human or Divine." Eliena smiled.
"Thank you. I'm honored to carry such a blade," she said. Mithros gave her a sheath for her new blade—gold, dotted with amethysts and sapphires. Eliena slid her new sword into it and fastened it at her waist. She would name it when she returned to Tortall.
"Now, we must return her home," the Goddess decided. He rested his hand on one of her shoulders, and the Goddess rested a hand on the other.
"Return home, young princess," they said. Eliena closed her eyes and felt herself break into a million little pieces, and then reassemble soon after. When she opened her eyes, she wore breeches and a leather jerkin—the same outfit she had been wearing when she had ended up in the Divine Realms. Her new sword was fasted around her waist, the bow from Weiryn was in her hand, and her quiver was on her back. She saw a tall, black haired man holding a gleaming Jewel standing at the edge of the tower walls.
"Father!" she cried. Jonathan of Conté turned and saw his daughter. His face-which had been dark with grief since her disappearance-lit up.
"Eliena!" She ran into his arms. Jonathan held her level with his face and she kissed him. "Thank the gods you're safe!" Eliena saw his eyes were watery. She wiped them.
"I'm fine, father, I always was," she assured him softly. "And look!" She showed him her new bow, quiver, and sword. Jonathan whistled.
"Those are some weapons you have there," he remarked. "Where did you get them?"
Eliena smiled wickedly. "I'm not allowed to say," she taunted. "So there." Jonathan chuckled.
"I missed you, Eli," he told her, hugging his daughter again. "Now, what are you going to name that sword of yours? Your mother's is Lightning."
"Hm." Eliena thought about it. She wanted it to be special, a name that no one else had used. And didn't relate to "Lightning" in any way. She turned the sword in her hand, admiring the glow that the diamond gave it. She thought of her mother's old warhorse, Moonlight, and her mother's cat, Faithful. She smiled. "Faithful," she decided. "After mother's cat." Jonathan smiled and kissed her forehead.
"I think your mother would be proud to hear that," he remarked, taking the sword in his hands. "I dub thee 'Faithful'. Serve my daughter as well as your namesake serves her mother and as well as the Lioness's Lightning serves her." Jonathan handed Eliena her Faithful. She put it back in its sheath. "Go get armored up, I'll need you soon."
Eliena nodded, kissed him, and said, "I love you, father," before running off to the armory.
Author's Note- yeah, so I lied about the update. SO SUE ME. Again, check out my homepage to see the revamped poll! (Answer the questions, please!) And check out the new story, "Another Chance." Now, REVIEW.