Hey... I got soooo oh soo many reviews for my story.. which makes me happy.. and that is why I Caiti.. am giving you.. bum bum bum.. the LONGEST CHAPTER EVER!... be amazed...
Review Responses:
Juliette- Jesus.. you reviewed every single chapter... weirdo.. haha... your awesome though.. and I really don't have anything to say to you...lol
On top of cloud 9- thanks for the oodles of reviews... they were awesome.. that sucks that you didn't have your computer for three months.. I would have went insane.. and eventuall died.. haha... mucho gracias to the next level..
Hermione16- Thank you.. sweet and simple to the point... haha... thanks for reviewing.. I appreciate it..mucho
authorgirl87- I promise you I'll try and work them into the story somehow.. they're to cool not to have in this story.. thanks for the coolio compliments.. I thank you.. a lot..
DreamlndxFantasy- haha I could see you waking up in the middle of the night and just hearing her voice.. haha... thanks for the review.. as always... THANKS!
sarah- you are a brave soul conquering 22 chapters in one day.. for that I salute you.. and thank you oh so much... thanks for the review (s)
SwiftShadow- yeah the USA were really bad in the world cup.. they disappointed me greatly.. actually the only reason why I enjoyed watching them though is because Bryan McBride is so hot.. even when he is bloodied up.. haha.. thanks for the review... read on
Erytha- yeah brazil shocked me too.. I thought they were going to win the whole thing.. oh well... you'll see who the spy is in due time... don't worry.. and thanks for the awesome review
stormrider7- I'm glad you like ghosts.. lol... because I don't haha.. I would make this longer.. but its almost midnight and my mom is screaming.. so thanks for the review
Misled Nymph- I hope you like this chapter.. because it is special for you... lol.. you'll see I won't keep you waiting.. thanks for the review
>>>>>Dedication... Missled Nymph for constant reviews... and I finally got her character she created into this story...yay
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Warning: You'll see some kick butt action.. language.. cheekyness.. and dreams.. sweet
Six Weeks after Heather of Blythdin stormed out of Queenscove, Jzet was getting ready to return to Corus. In two days she would be returning to the capital city to start her third year of page training at the palace.
Her half brother, Chuck of Queenscove and Blythdin, was also preparing to return back to the university in Corus. He was planning to leave with her in two days notice.
The two half siblings decided they should restock on clothes, weapons, and other essentials like candles and tea, which would be much more expensive in the capital city.
They walked to town right after breakfast, money purses attached to their belts.
It was a pleasant day. The sun was shining with only a few clouds dotting the sky. A small breeze also played with their clothes.
They soon reached the market and began to search for items of interest. Jzet needed a new dagger so they started at a small weapons stand. It had a variety of decent daggers and other weapons.
Jzet quickly bought a dagger and too the shop keepers surprise put it in her sheath.
I guess he isn't used to seeing women buy weapons for their own use. Jzet thought, while looking upon the man's shocked face.
They moved next to a hedge witches store that contained ingredients for healing potions, which Chuck needed for one of his classes at the university.
"Where do you want to go next?" Chuck asked, checking his watch. "We have a good hour before we need to head back to the castle for lunch."
"Well I wanted to go to the tailor and ask if I could have some of my practice clothes hemmed." said Jzet.
Suddenly, she felt someone touch her from behind and she spun around. She saw a skinny, blonde haired girl scamper away and Jzet's hand instantly reach to the place where her money purse was attached to her belt. The purse was gone.
Damn, Jzet thought.
She began to run after the girl.
"Stop thief!" She shouted.
The blonde haired took off in a run at the sound of Jzet's voice. She rounded the corner with Jzet hot on her tail.
The town's folk jumped out of the way, to avoid the two running girls, who were tearing through the market place.
Jzet cursed, as the girl cut down another corner, where Jzet knew was an alley way.
The blonde haired girl, who dressed in a dirty and holey rolled up breeches and a light looking cotton shirt, was attempting to climb up a brick wall that separated the alley way with a house's backyard.
She was almost over when Jzet had sprinted to the brick wall. She grabbed the girl by the ankle and threw her off the brick wall and onto the ground of the alley.
Before the girl could run Jzet was on top of her, pinning her to the ground.
The girl looked at her with hard brown eyes.
"I never knew a merchant's daughter could run so fast." She commented, looking at Jzet's clothing, which obviously showed she had wealth.
"Give me the purse." Jzet snapped.
"Fine," said the girl handing Jzet the purse. "Don't have a heart attack, Mithros."
Jzet ignored her cheeky remark.
"What's your name, girl?" Jzet asked.
"Aileen Florenna, but Lee is just fine with me." she said.
"Where are your parents Lee?" Jzet asked. "I want to tell them what you did." She added.
"My parents are dead, along with my siblings." Lee spat. "They were killed by raiders two years ago, when I was fourteen. I've been living on the streets of Queenscove ever since. So you can't report me to them."
Jzet bit her tongue. The girl must steal to stay alive. She thought, feeling slightly guilty. Jzet thought about her delicious lunch she had waiting back at the castle for her. That girl probably would die for a meal like that. Jzet thought.
"Are you going to keep me pinned to the ground all day?" Lee snapped, bringing Jzet out of her thoughts.
"Sorry," Jzet mumbled, letting her get up.
Lee looked ready to run, when a green gift wrapped itself around her ankles and wrists keeping her bound to the brick wall.
Jzet looked up to see her half brother, Chuck, his gift flaring at his finger tips.
"You almost let her get away." He commented.
"Sorry, I was thinking of other things." Jzet said frankly.
Chuck turned to Lee, who was struggling against her magical binds.
"I'm bringing you to my father for proper punishment." he told her.
"You're a noble?" Lee asked.
"Yeah, and so is she." said Chuck, pointing to Jzet. "Our father is the duke of Queenscove."
"So you aren't a merchant's daughter, eh?" She said to Jzet. "You're the girl the townsfolk here talk about, the one who is training to become a knight."
"Yes, that would be me." said Jzet.
"You're getting off topic, thief." snapped Chuck. "As I said before, we're bringing you to our father."
"Chuck, maybe we shouldn't." Jzet said quietly,
"Why not Jzet?" He asked, looking flabbergast. "This girl stole from you."
Lee looked surprised too, because her brown eyes were wide in astonishment.
"Because I don't think it would be fair for her." said Jzet firmly. "It wasn't her fault that her parents were killed by raiders. If they were still alive, she would have never needed to steal from me."
Chuck glanced over at Lee, who had stopped struggling.
"How do we know she isn't lying?" Chuck asked, still suspicious of the girl.
"If you have the gift noble boy, why don't you use a truth spell to see if I am telling the truth?" Lee retorted.
Jzet snickered, as Chuck became flustered.
"Fine," he mumbled. His gift now covered her whole body, making Lee glow green.
"Were your parents and siblings really killed by raiders?" Jzet asked.
"Yeah," Lee responded, than Lee stuck her tongue out at Chuck, when he had realized she was telling the truth. "I told you so, noble boy."
Chuck took off the truth spell, but kept on the magical binds.
"Now, what do we do with her?" he asked Jzet. "We can't let her go. She'll just steal again."
Jzet looked at Lee, who met her gaze squarely. The girl had spunk, Jzet had to admit.
"Would you like to come to the palace with me?" Jzet asked. "I'll pay you to be my maid and such. You'll have three square meals a day and a place to sleep in exchange for your services."
"You're letting a thief be your maid!" Chuck nearly shouted. "She'll murder you in your sleep."
"I highly doubt that." Jzet said reasonably. "It will keep her out of trouble and plus I don't have a hired maid in Corus. All I have is a palace servant."
And plus maybe I can get her to try and find out who the spy from Carthak is. Jzet thought. Servants aren't usually questioned and this girl is probably very sneaky to be a thief.
"Once a thief, always a thief, that's what I say." said Chuck, eyeing Lee with disgust.
Jzet glared at her half brother.
"I'll take that chance." she told Chuck flatly. "So Lee will you come to Corus with me?"
The girl hesitated. She was obviously taken aback by this sudden offer.
"I don't understand you, noble." She said looking at Jzet square in the eye. "I just stole from you, but instead of punishing me, you reward me?"
"Even the girl is smart enough to realize how much of a fool you're being!" Chuck shouted.
"I was an orphan once too, before my father found me." She explained to Lee. "I am taking great pity upon you because I know how you're feeling."
"You're the weirdest noble I've ever met!" Lee exclaimed. "But, I'll take your offer. I'd rather stay in a nice warm building, than on the street with a bunch of rats."
"Good," said Jzet smiling slightly. "Now Lee, if Chuck takes the magical binds off of you, do you promise not to run off?"
"Yeah," said Lee. "You're too fast to out run anyway." She added with a sly grin.
"Okay than," said Jzet. She turned to Chuck. "You can release her now."
"You're still making a mistake, Jzet." he warned.
"Don't worry about me, Chuck." said Jzet. "I know what I am doing."
"Suit yourself," he said and then reluctantly released her from his gift's binds.
Lee did not run away. She stood where she was.
"Do you have any possessions that you want to take with you?" Jzet asked her.
"Nah, all I have is the clothes I have on my back." she replied.
"Than, we should get going." said Chuck, checking his watch. "Father is most likely waiting for us."
They turned to go, but Lee stood where she was.
"Come with us Lee," Jzet requested.
"Alright, as long as your father doesn't throw a fit about me." she said. Her brown eyes were still hard, gazing at the two half siblings.
"He won't. I promise." said Jzet reassuringly.
"Good, because I don't want the duke and his men up my ass." she said.
Chuck's eyebrows rose at her colorful language.
"Mithros help me," He mumbled.
"Where have you two been?"
Those were the first words that spilled out of their father's mouth, when they had reached the dining hall.
Jzet had left Lee in her room to bathe and asked Clarissa to fetch Lee a few sets of clothes, which included loin cloths, breast bands, shoes, boots, and a coat for winter wear.
The thief had been amazed at Jzet's quarters, but still very wary. She had a hearty meal of sandwiches and a small bowl of soup, which she devoured quickly. Her meal seemed to calm her, before she stepped into her bath.
"Jzet was robbed." Chuck explained.
"Did the thief get away?" her father asked. He looked at her very concerned.
"No, shedid not." said Chuck. "We caught her."
"Where is she now?" asked their father.
Jzet bit her bottom lip, knowing Chuck's response very well.
"She's up in Jzet's room bathing." He responded, glaring at Jzet. Jzet glared right back.
Her father looked confused.
"Jzet, why is there a thief bathing in your room?" He asked. His emerald green eyes darted back in forth between his two offspring.
Jzet bit her tongue in the hopes of not laughing out loud. She now realized how odd the situation was.
She shrugged. "I was hoping to make her into my maid. So she can serve me at the palace."
"Why?" He asked. "She's a thief. She stole from you." He added stating the obvious.
"I have my reasons." said Jzet. "I'll pay for her myself too." She added to try and increase her chances in keeping Lee.
"You don't need to pay for her yourself." said her father. "I just want to know why, in Mithros name,you want her to be your maid."
"Well, she had no choice, but to steal." said Jzet. "Her parents and siblings were murdered by raiders two years ago."
Her father's gaze wandered off. She knew he was in thought.
"Is her last name Florenna?" He asked.
"Yes, Aileen Florenna," said Jzet. "She's sixteen years old."
"Hmm," Her father said. "I remember that raider attack. Terrible, everyone massacred and the home burned to the ground. The livestock was taken too. I did not know anyone survived."
"Well, she did." said Jzet. "Would you like to see her for yourself?"
"Yes, but after lunch." said her father. "I am absolutely ravenous."
That night, Jzet decided to tell her newly instated maid what her real intentions of hiring her were.
"You wanted to see me?" Lee said, entering her room.
She was now dressed in a green skirt and a white blouse. She looked ten times better, than she had been that morning.
"Yes, I wanted to talk to you about you're palace duties." said Jzet, who was sitting on her bed.
She offered Lee a chair.
"Thanks," Lee mumbled.
Jzet quickly used her gift to put silencing spells on the room to ward off eaves droppers.
"Do you have the gift?" Jzet asked casually, sitting back down on her bed.
"Yes, but I cannot heal with it." said Lee, her finger tips light up and turned brown with white speckles. "It is quite odd."
Jzet rubbed her chin in thought. War magic maybe? She thought.
"I think it might be war magic." said Jzet. "We'll check with my father tomorrow."
Mithros, war magic, Jzet thought. The god's must have blessed me, when they sent me this girl.
When Jzet saw that Lee was comfortable, she decided to speak again.
"I want you to take a blood oath." said Jzet frankly. "You can never speak of the information I am about to give you."
Lee's eye widened. If a blood oath was broken, the gods would boil the oath breaker's blood. This would kill the person, almost instantly.
"What secrets could you hold?" She asked. "You're just a mere page."
Jzet's licked her lips in concentration.
"If you stop jabbering, I can tell you." She said sharply.
"I still think you're nuts." said Lee. "I wouldn't even trust myself as a maid, if I were you."
"Lee, we already went over this." said Jzet, losing her patience. "I just want you to take the blood oath."
"Yes, milady," She said. She spat the last word out, as if it were so foreign to her, that it was poison.
Jzet pulled her new dagger out of it's sheath and motioned Lee to get up to go over to her desk.
"This will sting a little." Jzet warned. "But, I'll heal it right up."
"It won't bother me." was Lee's response. Jzet smirked and shook her head. The girl was still hard as nails from the outside and in, despite her new arrangements.
She cut Lee's right index finger, lightly. Her blood rolled off her finger and blotted onto the piece of paper, which Jzet held under Lee's hand.
"Just sign here." Jzet requested.
Lee signed her name quickly and the Jzet went to work healing Lee's cut, which was still bleeding.
Her emerald green magic flowed through Lee and healed the cut promptly.
"Could you fetch me a cloth?" Jzet asked Lee. "I need to clean your blood off this dagger."
Lee left the room quickly, mumbling under her breath.
It will probably take her a while to get used to things. Jzet thought. But, in the end, I pray to Mithros, that she will be well worth it.
Lee soon returned with the cloth in her hand.
Jzet wiped the dagger down and then returned it to it's sheath.
"Now, I must tell you the information." said Jzet. She sat back down on her bed and faced Lee.
Lee nodded and returned to her seat.
"All of this information I am about to give you is true." said Jzet, meeting Lee's hard brown eyes with her own green one's, squarely. "I am a dream seer. Basically, I see either the future, past, or present in my dreams." Lee's eyebrows rose slightly. "I had a dream, back a few months ago about the King of Carthak, an immortal named Zulch. During this dream, a man gave a prophesy. It stated that I would defeat Zulch one day."
"You're prophesized to defeat the emperor of Carthak?" Lee repeated, surprise filling her face.
Jzet frowned. "Yes," she said and then added, ", unfortunately,"
"So you're going to be a legend one day?" Lee continued.
"If, I live long enough to kill him," Jzet cut in. "Which brings me to the information that concerns you. I had another dream. It basically said that, Zulch is sending an agent after me. This agent is supposed to get closer to me than no other spy can. He or she is trying to either kill me or litter, my years coming up to being a knight, with obstacles. I don't think it can be you though." She added, seeing the alarmed look on Lee's face. "This agent is from Carthak and you are not because my father and half brother have confirmed your story about the raiders." Lee relaxed a bit. "What I am about to ask you though, is dangerous and even life threatening. You do not have to accept this task, but I would be in your debt if you did." Lee nodded. "I am asking you to snoop around the palace to find out who this agent is. If you find anything or anyone suspicious, you report back to me. Would you be willing to do it?"
Lee looked at her for a second, as if she was crazy.
"And I thought nobles had it easy!" she exclaimed. "You have some mad immortal emperor after you and an agent who wants to either kill you or drive you insane! Mithros, I thank him for not making me important like you."
"Lee, you are important." Jzet cut in. "With your help, I can defeat this immortal emperor and his agent. You don't realize it, but you are going to be very useful to me."
Lee nodded. "If I am at least a foot note on your epic story, than I'll do it."
Jzet grinned along with Lee.
"Good, at least I know I'll have a future great mage on my side like you." said Jzet.
"You flatter me, noble." said Lee jokingly in an extremely girly voice.
Jzet laughed. "You could actually pull off a court lady."
"Nah, I am not that much of a prissy." Lee said, laughing along with her.
As soon as the laughter died down, Lee went to bed on a cot set up in Jzet's dressing room.
Jzet soon joined her in the world of dreams, glad that she had a new friend and a new ally.
Dream
Jzet looked around her. She was in someone's office because maps and books lined the walls.
Voices soon caught her ears.
She decided to investigate.
She came upon the same man from her earlier dreams, Nammir, the one who said he was sending that agent after her.
He held an expensive looking mirror in his right hand and seemed to be speaking to it. Jzet, perplexed decided to get closer to see who he was talking to.
The voice was audible, but Jzet could not tell if it was a man or woman.
"Master, I am positioned in the palace now." said the voice from inside the mirror. Jzet knew they were using speaking spells. "I arrived yesterday and some bumbling Tortallan noble man brought me to my rooms. So far, they don't expect anything."
"Excellent," Nammir said. "Is the girl there?"
"No, not yet," said the voice. "She is expected to arrive this week. I asked around the palace about her, casually of course, and some idiotic boy told me would arrive in a week. He claimed to be her friend."
"Did you wipe his mind?" Nammir asked. "According to Zulch she is a dream seerer and might already know that an agent is coming."
"Yes, I took him behind the barn and shoved my gift in his head." said the voice, laughing slightly. "He didn't even see it coming. He began babbling like an idiot after that, so I just left him."
Nammir chuckled slightly. "Very good, I am expecting a report from you, when she arrives."
"Of course master," said the voice. "Zulch will know everything about this girl, down to the last hair on her head."
"Very good, I shall contact you in a week than." said Nammir.
End of Dream
Jzet sighed, as she trudged towards her wash room, where a hot bath was waiting. Great, I didn't even see the agent arrive. She thought. And the agent must have spoken to Kearney. Who else would know when I would arrive?
She shook her head at the thought of the page from Mandash, who was her friend. One day I am going to tell him not to talk to strangers. She thought.
As soon as her bath was done and her breakfast was eaten, she went to seek out Lee.
She soon found her in the library. A book was glued to her face.
"What are you reading?" Jzet asked her.
Lee held the book up to her face. It read, The Gift of War Magic by Lord Alan of Trebound.
Jzet smacked her own forehead.
"How could I forget?" She asked out loud. "I did not remember to take you to my father, to get you tested for war magic this morning."
"Bingo, noble girl," said Lee cheekily.
"Well, my mind was on other things." said Jzet defensively, recalling her dream from last night.
"Like what, your lover?" Lee retorted.
Jzet's thoughts turned to Jonathan for a mere second, before she slapped herself inwardly. Jonathan's your friend, not your love interest. She thought, scolding herself.
"No," Jzet snapped.
"Than let's get going." said Lee. "I don't have all day."
Jzet's eyebrows rose slightly.
"You act as if you're the noble and I'm the servant." She mumbled.
Lee grinned. "Well that's what you get for taking me in, crazy noble." She retorted. "I am just as out of my mind, as you are."
"You're lucky I have good control." said Jzet smiling slyly. "My dagger is just begging me to cut out your wicked tongue."
Lee winced. "Good point," she said. "I guess I have to resume my duties as a lowly servant girl and stop torturing you."
"Exactly," said Jzet cracking her knuckles. "Let's get going than. My father is hopefully still in his office."
"Yes master," said Lee pertly.
Jzet laughed. "I've only known you one day and you already are driving me mad."
"I try." Lee retorted.
The capital city of Tortall, Corus, was soon visible to the four, worn out travelers.
"Hey look!" Chuck shouted. "We're finally here!"
"Great observation, noble boy," mumbled the newly proclaimed war mage, Lee.
Jzet snickered under her breath at her new friend's comments.
"It's good to be home." said her father, Duke Nealan of Queenscove.
"It sure is." Jzet agreed.
"Well let's hope the palace life doesn't kill me." said Lee. Her gaze fixed upon the palace.
"Palace life won't kill you Lee." said Jzet. "But, the people there might get me." She added, mumbling under her breath.
We got a new friend for the road... horray!... the agent is in the palace.. Lee is a war mage and Jzet might like Jonathan? Where is the world coming to?
Well you know the drill.. review...
Love your crazed authoress,
Caiti
P.S. Horray for Italy! (If you did not know.. they won the world cup.. DUH!)