Disclaimer- I do not own any of the characters, apart from James... they are the property of Tamara pierce, I'm just loaning them.
Authors note- Thank you for reading my story so far, I've been very busy that's why there has been no update for so long, if there is any mistakes or something doesn't make sense in the story, please review it and I will change it.
Jon
Jon regained conscious to throbbing sounds, like a heartbeat but this sound was independent of his own. Frowning, Jon struggled to sit up. Squinting around his cell, he noticed that nothing in the room had changed. Staring up, he observed that it was nighttime by the small glimmer of darkness and stars. He also noticed something fluttering down, like a piece of parchment but larger.
Fear raced though his veins, as he stood up and backed towards the wall, hands out into a hand-to-hand combat position, as he was unable to protect himself any other way without his gift or a weapon.
The sound was getting closer, but Jon couldn't understand what it was, it sounded vaguely familiar but he couldn't place where from. He figured that considering that no one knew where he was it wasn't his rescuer, so it must be his captor. As the bird like creature continued descending, Jon composed himself and steadying his buzzing mind, regaining his kinglike composure and dignity.
The beating sound stopped, as the thud of a large birdlike creature landed in the small cell and spread it wings to rearrange its feathers.
From the birds back, Jon watched with gruesome fascination. The bird was a paint pallet mix of awesome colours. The gold's and blacks seemed to give out a self-contained light, and showered the cell with a radiant glow.
The bird abruptly turned to face Jon, making his breath pause in his throat. The birdman was orzone. Before his mind could process this information, orzone stalked towards him, his feathers screeching on the floor as if they were made of metal. The sound echoed of the grey stonewalls, making him feel like he was trapped which he was.
Orzone's black beady eyes surveyed Jon his disgust plain.
Daine
Below deck, Daine traced her hands across the smooth wood panelling. Her fingertips traced the woods grain, it years echoing the rings in the wood, its finish a product of glossy vanish. Her quiet footsteps padded along the soft carpeting, the swirl patterns reminded her of the seas swell.
Daine reached out her magic to touch the small onboard travellers. Their conversations were brief but the enjoyment of simply talking to the people, made a small smile flicker onto her face. Daine tried to stretch out her magic to touch an animal off the boat like a seal or whale but found nothing answered to her call. She sighed, she was afraid that her magic would never be as good as it was. She hadn't attempted to shape shift although her body was aching to try it, because she was worried that she wouldn't be able to do it, or that she'd scare James and his crew. It would be as this point that her old companion would have said 'just get on with it, we haven't got all day to wait for you to use the copper stuff' she missed cloud, although she hadn't really thought about her as much as she had expected to, more because she hadn't wanted to go through the grieving process, work though that pain, to beginning to forget her horse and long life companion
Walking to the end of the corridor Daine entered the dinning room, which was packed with the crew and the captain, James who was busy serving up everyone meals with the cook. Daine hadn't got used to masters or royalty doing common jobs, back in snowsdale they wouldn't lift a finger. Hurrying her steps she went over to James and started hanging out rolls of bread to occupy the evening meal of meaty stew.
After everyone was served, they both made their way to a space at the end of one of the long tables and dropped their food onto the table and began to eat the meal without conversation. She had learnt that James didn't talk a lot. He was quiet but kind, every word that he said was carefully planed and thought about, this made her respect what he had to say and knowing that he meant it was heart-warming. His jacket had been tinted by the summer's sun, dying it a paler green, but the colour complimented him.
The room begun to empty like water escaping from a hole in a bucket. Soon it was just the two of them in the large room. Mopping up the last remaining fragments of the stew, James sat and stared at Daine. Her cheeks started to flame, as she blushed at his unexpected attention.
'So we should be reaching land in a few day maybe two if the wind are fair' he said smiling,
Reaching for her hand he kissed it gently. His small kisses were like miniature butterflies in her stomach, sweet and gentle.
'I have to go and organise who it doing tonight's shift, I look forward to seeing you tomorrow Daine for breakfast. Goodnight' he departed from the room blowing one more kiss before closing the door behind him.
That night, she curled up around her pillows imagining it was Numair. James however sweet and kind was just a passing distraction. It was Numair she loved. Right?
The swaying of the ship caused the overhanging lamp to move in rhythm, creating repeated shadows across her novel that she was reading. The pillows that she lay against were soft making her feel even more tried as her eyelids began to shut with exhaustion.
The rocking of the ship began to get fierier, as the lamp in Daine's room smashed against the wall
Jon
'Yaaaa!' yelled Jon as he strained his arms trying to release himself from his shackles.
'Tut, tut' said Orzone
Orzone looked at the suddenly humbled king, a laugh churned from the black depths of his soul. It feels from parted black lips, like steel knives to pierce Jon's on so tender flesh.
Jon bowed his head, fearing the inevitable, which tolled on his diminishing strength.
'I will have you die in rags' he said apathetically 'with the despair of loosing your kingdom to me'
Jon looked at Orzone drawing his hatred and venom into his sharp blue eyes and spat at Orzone's face.
'My bones may crumble in the path if time, I may die at your hands, but my kingdom will live on in the hearts of my people, for you can change a counties name and culture but you cannot change the hearts of its people. They value honesty and kindness over greedy murderous beasts.
Jon's body was shaking as Orzone's strange magic filled this body; it was like the very cells of this body were fighting against each other trying to pull each other apart. The world went white as Jon prepared to cross over to the black gods realm when the pain subsided. When his vision finally cleared, he knew that that shimmering pain was worth it to see the dangerous glint mixed with pain in the birdlike creatures eyes.
He watched as Orzone spread his winds and flew up the vertical tower.
Finally her was able to shed a single tear of concentrated pain.
He whispered in his loneliness
'For my people I will not bow to an evil creature, for my queen and children I will have the strength…strength to hold on.' The last few syllables seemed to claim his last trembling strength, the darkness and the cold unconsciousness eloped him.
Alanna-
Together Alanna and Numair hurried to meet up with the queen's riders. Darkmooon moved quickly speeding her on, her tears of sorrow flowed back as the wind blew it worst.
She felt empty hollow. She glanced at Numair and wondered if this feeling was what he was feeling. She'd reasoned for a along time that Daine had left on her own free will, that she choose to pack her bags, too leave and never come back. But this was only what her mind wanted her heart to think to save her the pain, to admit that the reason she left was more then just because she had grow tired of Numair, that wasn't that Daine say Numair as old.
Alanna was coming to realise that there was some things in a relationship that an outsider didn't understand. Maybe Numair didn't understand at the time, the magnitude of Daine's fear, a mixture of fear of losing her love like she lost her mother, and the bird like fear, of being in a cage, trapped.
It wasn't Alanna who had to answer what had gone on in a relationship, that wasn't her job; her job was to comfort Numair. She understood a little of the pain that Numair must have been feeling, but the idea of losing George…. Her heart contracted at the idea the pain and grief that would bring would be colossal.
She seemed to be on a losing streak of loved ones, with no one to talk the pain away she threw herself into riding, to reaching her goal, a step closer to meeting up with the riders and finding Jon.