A/N: At last, my exams are OVER! Yay! Now I have two whole days to relax before the results get out. I have the feeling that I did badly in most of them...Anyway, I was a bit disappointed when I only got one review for Chapter 19. It can't have been that bad, could it?
Still, if chapter 19 hasn't scared off most of my readers, here is the long awaited finale to Darkness at Dawn...Light after Dawn! If most of you have forgotten Liritia, I recommend you read chapters 3 and 5 again.
Reply to silverbrilliance's review:
Yeah, but some people find characterization boring. Oh, and people do display emotions when under the Truth Spell; it's just Derrik who has lost interest in the proceedings around him. Te moment he was caught, he had given up on his life, and longed only for a quick death before Darcy Shyaman finds out.
Chapter 20 Light after Dawn
Zarien walked out of King Treven's study, still deep in thought. The trial about the mage, Aleron, had been short and brief. Once his guilt was established, the Karsite-refugee-turned-Rethwellan had been sentenced to life imprisonment, along with Moris and Derrik. Zarien thought that that was just and even merciful, especially since the mage had been prepared to commit even more crimes. Indeed, from all signs of it, the mage had no morals at all.
But Zarien suspected that the mage would not last long. Aleron had shown signs of insanity even during the trial. Zarien knew that this was due to Vanyel's Web. It was a recorded fact that Vanyel Ashkevron had created a Web to protect Valdemar from all true magic after he died. It was so effective that mages had not been seen in Valdemar for years, mostly because the spell included the air elementals, whose job was to watch any magic users and to let them know that they were being watched.
From personal experience, Zarien knew that people tend to be quite paranoid, so the spell actually was useful in getting mages out of Valdemar, since no one liked the feeling of being watched. Zarien also suspected that the more true magic the mage used, the more he or she would be watched by the air elementals, which would explain Aleron's behaviour. He had used many spells the night before.
That settled, Zarien turned his mind to other matters, not noticing that Kerrayrlia was looking at him strangely. The thoughtful, intense expression on his face unsettled Kerrayrlia a lot, but she kept silent as she took in the side of Zarien she had never seen before. This is a new part of Zarien, the person whom I love…
Suddenly, Zarien stopped in his tracks and turned to face Kerrayrlia. Although startled, Kerrayrlia masked her surprised successfully as Zarien said, "Love, there is something I have to discuss with you." Your best friend, Liritia Falker, is related to Aleron somehow. When we talked about her this morning, you showed me a image of her, right? But before that, I had seen her before. Just now, in the study, I realized that I had seen her in the images I picked up from Aleron's mind last night…Then he told her what he had seen.
Kerrayrlia remained impassive despite her shock. She had known all these of course, Liritia herself had told her most of it. But to know it happened was very different from to see what had happened. And Kerrayrlia had seen it, courtesy of Zarien's Gifts. It was a lot to swallow at once, but Kerrayrlia managed it; at this moment, her emotions did not matter. Zarien, we should tell 'Ritia about this. Although the King asked for temporary silence about the trial and verdict, she has the right to know. Even if we get into trouble for telling her.
Zarien's lips curved into a half-smile. Don't worry about it, love. I'll tell 'Lynn to pass the message along to Jisa and get official clearance. Let's go.
Liritia Falker leaned against the window ledge, gazing at the melting snow. It was an unusual occurrence in the midst of winter, but the mid-morning sun had emitted a large amount of heat and light, so much so that the temperature had risen high enough to melt the snow. A brand new day seemed to beckon, though Liritia had been up since dawn to care for patients. Her beautiful reddish brown hair moved gently in the breeze as if to agree with her observation.
A knock on the door disturbed her contemplation. "Come in." As the unlocked door moved opened, Liritia turned to face her visitors. She got a pleasant surprise as Kerrayrlia stepped through the doorway, followed by a young Herald Trainee with grey eyes. Liritia's eyes rested on the stranger as she moved to greet Kerrayrlia.
Enfolding her friend in a hug, Liritia smiled sweetly. "It's good to see you again, Kerri." Kerrayrlia was stiff under her hug, but Liritia took it to be her friend's usual reticence. Letting go, she stepped back and smiled softly, "Do introduce me to your companion, Kerri."
Kerrayrlia's face was neutral as she made the introductions. "'Ritia, this is my lifebonded, Zarien Arian. Zarien, this is my best friend, Liritia Falker." Her tone was so matter-of-fact that Liritia almost missed the word. "Your lifebonded, Kerri?" Liritia shook her head disbelievingly. What with one thing and another, Kerrayrlia had neglected to tell anyone about her lifebond with Zarien.
Liritia knew that Kerrayrlia would not lie to her, but this…Liritia broke into a warm smile as she absorbed the information. "Congratulations, Kerri." She hugged Kerrayrlia again, glowing with happiness at her friend's good fortune.
Then, Liritia remembered her manners. Not that she had ever forgotten them, but it had been put out of her mind temporarily. "Please, have a seat." She gestured expansively at the bed and the chairs in the room, settling herself gracefully on the bed. Kerrayrlia and Zarien both sat down on the chairs, side by side.
Silence in the room lengthened as Kerrayrlia and Zarien both remained silent. Liritia, sensing the strange tension in the room, tried to dispel it. She was about to speak when Kerrayrlia cut in. "'Ritia, I think you should know something." Glad that someone had spoken at last, Liritia settled back to listened.
"'Ritia, last night, Zarien caught a mage lurking about the palace walls. A true mage, such as which hasn't been seen in Valdemar for some fifteen years." Proceeding to tell Liritia most of the details, Kerrayrlia watched her friend closely. Liritia was listening with an interested expression, and Kerrayrlia steeled herself for the stone to drop.
"'Ritia, the mage's name is Aleron. When Zarien caught him last night, he Saw images of you in his mind." Kerrayrlia felt Zarien's mind enfold her with comfort and support as she braced herself for Liritia's reaction. At first, Liritia just stared blankly at Kerrayrlia. Slowly, as the full impact of the news hit her, she began to shake.
She whispered, "He's here? Then…what about Mother? He left her behind?" Wide eyes unseeing, Liritia turned to Kerrayrlia. "What's going to happen to him?" Kerrayrlia told her the verdict. She reached over and took Liritia's stiff hands in her own, prepared for anything. What came next however, surprised her.
"I'm so…so glad!" Liritia whispered with fierce joy, so unlike her that Kerrayrlia worried about her friend. "And, I hate him! I hate him!" But then, after saying that, Liritia broke down into tears, spawned from a mixture of emotions so complex that Kerrayrlia could not understand. From the looks of it though, Zarien could, and did understand. Gently, he handed Liritia a clean, spotless handkerchief. "Liritia Falker, it is natural to feel anger and even hatred for a man who has treated you badly and deceived your mother. There is no wrong in that, hence, no guilt should be felt."
Kerrayrlia did not really get what her lifebonded was saying to her friend, but she did know that her friend needed comfort. She moved over to Liritia's side and hugged her tightly, using her voice to soothe her, though she took care not to use her Bardic Gift. Slowly, Liritia's sobs subsided. When she looked up from where she had put her head into her hands, her hazel eyes were clear, though still red from crying. "I'll be alright, Kerri. You don't have to worry. But, I'd like to be alone for a while." I want to think this through on my own, Kerri, her eyes pleaded.
Taking the hint, Kerrayrlia and Zarien left the room slightly worried, leaving the pale-looking and fragile Liritia shivering ever so slightly on her bed.
Epilogue (around eight and a half months later)
The golden sunlight of the autumn morning bathed the gardens of the Palace, casting a golden hue on everything. Bathed in warm sunlight, Jisa seemed to glow radiantly. Her round cheeks were tinged a rosy red, which brought out the cherry colour of the lips curved into a smile.
As she cradled a warm bundle against her bosom, her eyes rose and met that of her husband's. He was sitting beside her on the stone bench, one warm arm drawing her into a protective and comforting embrace. As their eyes locked, both fell into a timeless moment suffused with joy and happiness. Silently, Jisa cuddled closer to her husband.
The golden moment was interrupted when a gurgle emitted from inside the bundle. As one, Jisa and Treven bent their heads closer to the bundle. Bright, round light-brown eyes stared back up at them for a few second and then blinked a few times. One short strand of pale blond hair escaped, which Treven tucked back lovingly.
"Oh, Trev, isn't she just lovely?" Jisa smiled down at her daughter, holding her tighter. In reply, Treven squeezed Jisa into a tight hug, taking care not to disturb the baby. Then, he smiled and added, "Any child of yours would be lovely, beloved. And little Vanyelis has gotten your beautiful eyes."
Jisa looked at Treven speechlessly. On seeing her surprise, Treven chuckled. "I know how you feel about not being able to acknowledge your father when he was alive, beloved. And there is no shame that our eldest child shall be named after the legendary Herald-Mage Vanyel Demonsbane." For a moment, Jisa considered objecting, due to political reasons. The plot to kill her months ago was still fresh in her mind, and Darcy Shyaman was still at large, Jisa was pretty sure that there were other lords who were still unhappy about her parentage. But then she decided that none of that politics mattered, at least, not where her child was concerned.
Vanyelis Valdemar. A joyous light lit up her eyes as Jisa said simply, "Thank you." At this moment, Jisa felt that she was the luckiest woman in the whole of Valdemar. She had a loving husband, a lovely daughter, and of course, her ever-present Companion.
Elsewhere in the Palace gardens, two Herald trainees were walking along a path strewn with fallen leaves of various shades of yellows and reds. The fall colours exuded an ambience of gaiety and vibrancy. By contrast, the colouring of two Herald trainees seemed somber and out of place, since both were wearing the pale grey uniforms that marked their stations.
"Lord Darcy still hasn't been caught yet." This, delivered in a melancholy tone, came from the Herald trainee with straight blond hair tied up with a grey ribbon, which had a plaited tail hanging from it. The hair itself was pulled into a tight ponytail that fell just past his shoulders. This was the style currently fashionable in court right now, and Zarien, Herald-Diplomat that he was going to be, found that it was useful in aiding his mingling among court circles.
"I heard some rumours that the Border Guards found someone of his description lurking around the Border Valdemar shares with Rethwellan a week ago." Seeming cool and unconcerned, only an expert would have detected the hint of worry underlying the voice. The person who owned the voice had a hairstyle that was at odds with that of her companion, her hair fell in unruly waves around her face and past mid-back. Yet somehow, her seeming disheveled look never displeased the eyes, rather, it seemed like a deliberate piece of art. This then, was what Kerrayrlia could do; stand out without seeming to, the opposite of what Zarien does.
Zarien answered with a shrug, "Rumours have abounded since Darcy Shyaman slipped past Neal's encirclement eight and a half months ago through that underground tunnel he dug in his cellar. We'll soon see if the rumours are true." There was nothing to say to this, so Kerrayrlia remained silent, though she did slip her arm through Zarien's. "Speaking of rumours, a few hours ago, 'Lynn told me that King Treven's Companion told her that the king has decided to name his daughter Vanyelis. Isn't that wonderful, love?"
Kerrayrlia stopped in her tracks. "But won't that lead to a lot of political tensions?" After eight and a half months of study as a Herald trainee, Kerrayrlia was getting more sensitive to politics in Valdemar. Zarien had been tutoring her as much as he could, but that would stop come spring, as he would be leaving for his Internee circuit. In reply, Zarien just gave Kerrayrlia a wry smile, as though to say 'When has that ever stopped King Treven?'
The pair walked on in silence for a little while more, before Kerrayrlia spoke again. "'Ritia has been promoted to Journeyman status. She will be leaving in a week's time." Coming from Kerrayrlia, it sounded detached and emotionless, but Zarien did not need his Empathy to know his lifebonded was sad at having to be separated from her best friend. And Zarien himself would be gone in a few months time… Zarien put his arm around Kerrayrlia. "Has Liritia gotten over the incident yet? Aleron took his own life almost two months ago."
Kerrayrlia shook her head slightly. "'Ritia is a kind hearted person. She feels guilt for hating the mage, and also guilt towards her mother for some reason or another." To Kerrayrlia, such guilt was absolutely illogical and thus beyond her ability to comprehend and Zarien did not see the need to enlighten her either. It was this practicality that he admired about her.
Just as Zarien was deep in his thoughts, Dorilynn suddenly spoke up. 'Rien, I have news for you...To Kerrayrlia, a fellow Trainee, the sight of Zarien cocking his head to one side was not at all strange, so she waited patiently. At last, Zarien seemed to shake himself, then turned to Kerrayrlia. His manner was exuberant, his tone exited, and his face was lit up with a smile. "Love, they've finally caught him!" Seeing the bemused look on the face of his lifebonded, Zarien clarified, "They've caught Darcy Shyaman. They're bringing him to Havens even as we speak."
As the sun reached its peak of its travels in the sky, it illuminated Kerrayrlia's face, highlighting both the blue highlights in her glossy, midnight black hair and the huge smile that was evident in her pale, blue eyes. Caught up with happiness and relief, she let herself be swept into a passionate kiss by Zarien, which lasted for long moments as they both drank in the joyousness in the atmosphere. (Kerrayrlia remembered to shield Rannael out his time though)
The End.
Although this is the last chapter, I'd still like reviews about it. You can tell me whether you like the ending and also, the entire story. Also, I'd like advice on whether I should continue with a sequel (it's quite a commitment and I'm not sure if people will like it).
Thanks to all readers who have followed this story patiently.
Special thanks to all reviewers who have taken the time to give me feedback. I really appreciate it.