I don't own any of the Tamora Pierce characters
Matthew was saddled up on Magic, holding Thunders reins in his spare hand. Ivy opened her mouth but he shook his head. "Lets just get rid of the spidrens then go home alright." It wasn't a question, it was an order. Ivy sighed and slung herself into the saddle.
"Fine." she said, and waited for Matthew to lead them. He pulled on his reins and kicked Magic into a gallop. With a shake of the head, Ivy followed him.
It was several minutes before either of them said anything. Thunder was just pulling level with Matthew and his mount when Matthew looked at Ivy. "What did he say when I left?"
Ivy looked at him then said, "He asked me if you were really like your uncle or not."
"What did you tell him?" Matthew said, slowing to a trot. Ivy followed suit and fell in beside him.
"That you weren't and that you just took it to heart when you were compared to your uncle." she explained. Matthew gave her a small smile and leant across the small gap between their horses to plant a soft kiss on her cheek.
"Thanks." he said, then grinned. "Lets go kick some butt." he nudged his horse and thundered ahead. Ivy was frozen for several seconds. What was that about? she thought. Matthew turned around and called to her.
"Oi, slow coach, I wanna try and finish the job this year you know?" Ivy rolled her eyes and joined him again.
"Well, if I hurry up, you'll end up eating my dust!" she stuck her tongue out and dismissed the confused feelings about his kiss, putting it down to his strange personality.
When they reached the caves, Matthew dismounted and motioned for Ivy to do the same. When she went to speak he shook his head and held a finger to his lips, crouching down to pick up a silvery fluid that ran through his fingers. Ivy saw him mouth the word 'lovely' before dropping it and tying Thunder and Magic to a rock.He walked up the small pebbled path that led up to the nearest cave on his tiptoes. Ivy followed nervously, not sure that she wanted to reach the top of it.When he reached the top he sat on a rock and took out his sword,muttering something that made blue fire glow around his fingers and then sink into the swords blade. Ivy stayed back until the glow vanished then went up to meet him. He pulled her sword quietly from its sheath at her belt and did the same to her sword as he had to his. Ivy hesitantly took it when he offered it to her and felt a magical charge inside it. She also noticed several strange markings on the blade which had not been there before. She shot hims a questioning look and he drew the words 'they'll help' in the air. Blue magic glittered then disappeared. Ivy shrugged. She couldn't argue anyway, she'd only give their positionaway to the spidrens, and maybe she could do with the help.
Matthew lead her to the mouth of the nearest cave and pressed himself against the wall, slipping in discreetly. Ivy followed. She didn't see where she put her foot, and stepped on a branch. It snapped in half. Matthew spun round to look at her, alarm in his usually calm eyes. Ivy swore at herself and mouthed 'sorry' to him. He moved back to her and waved his arm in the direction of the cave mouth. There was a loud cackle from behind and Ivy instinctively grabbed Matthews hand. He looked at her for a second, then gave it a reassuring squeeze. Then, keeping hold on her hand, he muttered something. Their swords began to glow a bright blue colour, blinding Ivy for several seconds. When she could see again Ivy gulped. Ten spidrens surrounded them. The largest, a male with a tanned face, cackled. Ivy shuddered. It was the sort of cackle children were told evil sorceresses used, not a male spidren.
"What do we have hear my pets?" he asked the rest of his clan. Ivy frowned, she couldn't imagine anyone keeping spidrens as pets. The female nearest to him waddled forwards. Ivy noticed with disgust that instead of eight legs, she sported four full ones and four stumps. Matthews hand loosened on hers and Ivy looked at him. She was shocked to see a small smile tugging at his lips.
"Its . . . the Hunter." the spidren whispered. There was a sudden hushed silence. The female went on. "And he has a wench." Ivy opened her mouth but Matthew shook his head commandingly. She held her tongue, anger brewing in her chest.
"I see you still don't know my name Prescilla." he said icily. "And I see you're still missing the limbs I severed from you the last time we met. Don't you grow them back?" Ivy felt his fingers twitch and sensed that he was biding his time before attacking them all. The spidren hissed at him.
"If I were you Hunter I'd run before they do grow back." Matthew laughed.
"I think you'll be long gone by the time they begin to grow back." there was a sudden flash of blue light and the three nearest spidrens' heads fell to the floor, severed from their necks. The others scuttled away from them. Matthew released Ivy's hand and for a fleeting second she felt a twinge of disappointment. Then however, she saw the spidrens advancing and forgot about it. She exchanged her sword to her right hand and spun it in a butterfly sweep. The nearest spidren screamed as her blade sliced its two front legs off. She ran him through then killed another two. When only the leader was left, Ivy joined Matthew again. He rested a hand briefly on her shoulder before heading forwards to meet the spidren. Ivy lowered her sword slightly, trusting Matthew to take care of him. Without warning white fluid shot from the creatures legs, wrapping itself around Ivy. She was yanked onto her back and dragged to the feet of the spidren. She crinkled her nose with distaste as she got the full impact of his odour. She managed to croak the words, "I thought stormwings were supposed to smell bad!" but then stopped, difficulty to breathe taking its toll. Ivy felt herself go faint, then blacked out.
Matthew stared at his unconscious Squire for several seconds, then whispered. "Let her go." the Spidren cackled and raised a hairy leg. A small pincer was at its end. Matthew froze.
"I think a little extra dinner won't go amiss for my other spidrens. Or perhaps I should keep her. . ." he lowered his pincer, "for breeding." Matthew felt sick. He had heard of centaurs raping and mating with human women, but spidrens were not known for it.
"Leave her alone." Matthew growled. His hand flew to his dagger, but his fingers met with web fluid. He yanked his hand away and called upon his Gift, fire glittering around his whole body. Matthew didn't know how much Gift he could control, but he wasn't going to let a spidren kill his squire, if it meant he had to blow the dratted thing to smithereens, then he would, and if he blewhimselfup in the process,he didn'tcare, he wasn't going to let her get mated with by a furry immortal. Anger fuelled his Gift more than he knew to be possible, soon he was burning with fire, his Gift now a firey red,not its usual blue.He threweverything he had into a large burning ball of fire. The Spidren screamed, butthe noise was smothered by thefire. There was an explosion, thensilence. Matthew fell to thefloor, managing to crawlover and tear the webs away fromIvys face and body, beforepassing out, his head hitting her arm and resting there.
So? Its a bit short but oh well. I don'tknow what it was all about really, but if you lotdon't like itI'll scrap andrestart this chapter. Please review.
Mage of the Heart
