Oh and warning- this chapter is where the story gets sorta PG13 rating, language and whatever else happens to come along.
Chapter6: Love to the Rescue
2yrs after arrival at Convent- August (still); both 14
It was a week after Alanna's (and Thom's) tragedy before the letter from the Palace came; it was time for bed. That one week was the worst for Alanna, Arianna, and Cynthra. The day after, Arianna put a sleep spell on Alanna and told the instructors she was sick. This ploy only worked for two days. After that Arianna and Cynthra tried to explain to the First Daughter of the Convent that Alanna was in shock and angst from her brother dying. The First Daughter said she had received no news of this and until she did Alanna was going to have to continue her work as she would normally. Even when Cynthra tried to explain the twins' bond the Daughter dismissed it as a trifling matter. She expected Alanna to be in class the next day. Arianna and Cynthra were both in rage from this. Only Arianna showed it more by pacing and shouting in her rooms; all with a spell of silence on the room and Cynthra sitting there taping her fan on her hand in annoyance, with a look that could kill, nodding and agreeing with what Arianna said. Alanna was still sleeping; Arianna wanted her to look a bit better than she had been for classes the next morning.
That morning came and it was up to Arianna to help Alanna get ready. She was past tears and into shock. Alanna didn't talk, just stared blankly, her mouth set in a straight line; like stone her face was unmoving with unchanging emotion. Until the letter came it was the same, no talking, just doing like she was told, like a very broken slave- one who had given up on life and had nothing left but those orders she took- or a puppet, only a human-like body, but no soul . Cynthra and Arianna didn't know what to do other than let Alanna be that way. Arianna had tried reaching her through their Mind-speech but was blocked. A wall had been put up and nothing could crack that protection with out hurting Alanna; Arianna tried and failed each time she had tried. There was nothing left to do.
It was Friday night, the two letters had been set on Alanna's bed all she would do was blink at it as if wondering what to do with them. Finally Arianna picked one up and handed it to her. "Here, you're supposed to open and read it". Alanna sat on the bed and did as Arianna suggested, silently. When she was through Alanna started to rock back and forth with her knees tucked up to her chin, her face still like a statue, her eyes wide and blank. It was something Arianna hadn't seen Alanna do, ever. She took the pieces of paper from Alanna's death grip. The letter read-
Dear Lady Alanna of Trebond,
It is my sorrowful duty to inform you of the tragic event that has happened. Your noble brother, Thom of Trebond, was on an excursion in the Great Southern Desert for his page training. He snuck out of Persopolis with his Highness Prince Jonathan and went to the Black City, where the evil beings, the Nameless Ones, had resided.
When he was there he fought along Prince Jonathan's side bravely, controlling sorcery greater than his years. The Nameless Ones were almost decimated when they turned the tables on your brother and his Highness, forcing Thom to overextend himself. In the end Thom and Prince Jonathan triumphed over the Nameless Ones, but at the loss of your brother's life. He fought heroically, scourging the land of an evil. This should not have happened to one so young, but Fate wanted it to happen. I am sorry for this loss.
I also have the remorseful obligation to inform you furthermore of your father, Lord Alan of Trebond's, passing. It was about the same time as your brother. He died of old age and naturally bad health.
This is a sad time for you, having two family members die at the same time. It is your privilege to attend the burials, if you wish. Lord Alan of Trebond's will be at Trebond Manor, in one week from you receiving this letter. Thom of Trebond's will be at the Palace in the Garden of Heroes, two and a half weeks from this letter. I have heard that Coram Smythson will be the acting steward at Trebond until you are married and your husband takes over. You have my sympathy for you loss.
Sincerely,
Duke Gareth of Naxen,
Knight of the Realm of Tortall
Arianna now understood. The reminder of her brother's death was making Alanna wake up out of her stupor and face reality. Alanna kept rocking back and forth as Arianna took the other letter, opened it and read it.
Dearest Alanna,
I don't really know what to write to someone I haven't heard from in two years, but I feel obligated to do this. By now I know you've read Uncle Gareth's letter. I bet it's quite formal and non-emotional. In this letter there is friendship with emotional baggage. You and all your friends you left behind at the Palace feel the loss of your brother. Maybe not as hard as you, but we feel it. We all became close friends here, everyone you know and Thom, so we grieve for him too.
When we were in the Black City... I saw the person that Thom would have become- A person with an understanding of the world, a great Gift, and a loyalty to all that were close to him. If he had been knighted he would have been what people thought knights were supposed to be- courteous, chivalrous, good-humored, and all around nice person. I can't change the past, no matter how much I want to, but I do want to make the future better.
Everyone here misses you and Arianna and we wish to see you. If you feel up to it please come to Thom's ceremony. All of us will be giving speeches. We would all like to see you.
Yours truly,
Your friend- Jonathan
After reading Jonathan's letter Arianna almost cried. She didn't know Thom that well, but the way Jon described him he must have been a really good person. Tortall needed more people like him if what was said was true. Losing such a person was sad. It was like losing a favorite hero, you didn't know them personally, but after hearing all their deeds you really liked them.
She would have thought about this more, but a problem arose. After being forced to see reality, Alanna's emotions were going haywire, along with her Gift. The Gift was fighting its bonds that Arianna still had in place and was fighting strongly at full force. The new power that had settled in Alanna had doubled the strength and size of the original Gift. Before Arianna had a chance to do anything about this, the coercion snapped and Alanna's power, uncontrolled, swamped the room. Even without her Sight, Arianna could see the energy flow whipping around the room in a circular patter, like a cyclone. The glass plates over the pictures on the wall cracked and then the pictures fell to the ground. Alanna was still on the bed rocking back and forth her head now on her knees. As to not let anything get out and wreck havoc like it was doing inside the room, she put up a layered shield that absorbed energy, fitted to the room and a smaller bubble shaped one, just like it, around herself. All she could do, again, was to let Alanna tire herself out. What Arianna didn't want to happen was Alanna going back into her dazed state. Then a thought came to her; if only...
Just after the room shield had been put up, Cynthra came running, swinging around the doorframe face first into the shield. She staggered back before putting her hands on her hips looking expectantly at Arianna. With an effort, from walking through the torrent of energies and keeping up the shields, she walked to the door. She let the sound barrier down and before Cynthra could speak Arianna spilled that thought she was holding. "Cynthra, I need you to go get Shylock from the Painted Bird. I'll explain when you get back. I know you know how to get out of here and back in unnoticed. Please do it, it's for the sake of Alanna." Cynthra eyes were questioning but did as Arianna asked. Meanwhile Arianna had to mind her out of control friend.
It took half an hour for Cynthra to get back with Shylock in tow, both having no clue why they were needed. In that time Alanna had drained herself and was in a Gift-induced sleep. Arianna had tried to Mind-speak Alanna but that barrier was there protecting Alanna from the reality of her brother's death. Probing the barrier and trying to break it would hurt Alanna so the only way to safely get Alanna was to coax her out. To Arianna's thinking Shylock was the best person to do that. Why she didn't know; it just felt right. One complication was that Shylock didn't have the Gift, to help find where Alanna was. Arianna decided that she could lead Shylock to that place them leave a trail to the real world for him to use to find his way back.
When Cynthra arrived with Shylock right behind her, Arianna beckoned. "Ok. Here's what I need you to do. Cynthra- I might exhaust my self when doing this, so please take care of me. You know what to do. Shylock- I need to explain a bit more". Arianna sighed. "The basic background is that Alanna's brother died a week ago and she's locked herself in a mental barricade so she doesn't have to face reality. At least this is what I think happened. I can't get her out of her grief with out hurting her and she won't listen to me. It's persuading her to come out or force her to come out and hurt her. Right after knowing her brother died she went into a state of shock with a blank face and no emotional change. She had to be ordered to do everything, or she just stayed put staring off to wherever. I don't want her to continue like this, like a broke slave with nothing left in life but being a slave. I'm scared she'll stay like this forever or come out and kill herself from anguish. Her brother was the closest person to her and with him gone I think she feels like a part is missing from her. What brought her back out today was a letter from Duke Gareth formally telling her of her brother's death." Arianna took a breath; she didn't realize she would talk so much. She continued, "So what I need you to do is go into the spirit realm with me and call Alanna out. For some reason that I don't know, I think you are our best chance.
"If you are ready, go into a meditative state, and let loose your spirit- I'll be waiting for you". Arianna didn't wait for him to reply; she just settled down on the floor and closed her eyes. With a sudden inclination, Shylock took a seat on the bed and gathered the sleeping Alanna in his strong arms. Leaning against the bed's backboard, he closed his eyes and slid into the distant world of the spirits.
The world was black, but yet it had light. A silver horse waiting for him. He looked down and he didn't have hand. Instead he saw a black hoof of a horse. 'Ok, this is new.' His decision was to ask Arianna about that later, right now Arianna was somehow talking to him.
"Follow me; I lead you to where you need to be." She waited for no answer, just started to gallop (she was in a horse figure and gallop human run so it evens out). Clueless as to how he was to properly move, he just guessed- he tried to walk as he normally would. It was a little different, much more like crawling, but a great deal more graceful. Shylock decided he liked it.
Arianna looked back at him and snorted, "Are you coming?", she said impatiently. "You have to save Alanna." His concern came back three-fold (it had left while he was admiring his new form) and followed Arianna fervently, his dread and his yearning for Alanna overcoming him.
It was easy to follow that bright silver form. As much as he wanted go a lot faster, he knew he could not because he didn't know where he would find Alanna. 'We'd better get there soon. I don't want to lose the only person I have become attached to. And just think of what would happen to her friends if she was gone. It would be a heartbreak for every one'. As Shylock finished that thought Arianna stopped and he almost ran into her. "We're here."
Shylock looked in front of him. 'Well I should think so,' he thought to him self. If he had been paying attention he would have seen the bright middling purple cocoon that was in front of them before Arianna had stopped. She spoke again. "Ok. Your job is to coax her out. I don't know how you can do it, but I have a feeling that you are the one who has to do it. Don't try to touch the barrier, it will burn up and kill you; your material body and your astral body. When you have gotten her out follow the trail I will have left. If you are in here for more than 24 hrs, material time, I will come get you. Staying here too long for someone with out a Gift will screw them up. Good luck" and she left.
After watching Arianna leave for a few seconds, he turned his attention back to the blazing cocoon. He really didn't know what he was going to say, but he started any ways.
"Alanna. Alanna, dearest. I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm going to talk anyways. I really don't understand what you're going through, but I wish I could. If you would come out, me, Arianna, and Cynthra would all help you with your grief. It must be horrible to lose the closest person in the world to you. If you stay here all of your friends would feel the same way as you do now. We all want you back." As he paused to catch his breath, he saw the cocoon shake violently as if saying "NO! I won't come out!"
That gave him courage to continue; she was at least paying attention. "Baby, now I know you're there, please, just listen. Please come out, we don't want you to stay like this." Again the shake. "Think of all the things you won't be able to do while you're here. What I've seen of you so far is some thing I'd never thought I'd see. Love, you look like you'll never see joy in the world again." Shylock paused, feeling like this was all hopeless. He gave a weak laugh. "You know I think I know what you are feeling now. You've just lost the most important thing in the world, so what is worth living for if it's gone? Why should I go on if the only thing in my life that I loved is gone? I bet you feel as if your heart has been shattered into a million pieces and then strewn every where. You feel you can't get them back it's been broken too much; you'll never get all the parts back so why should you even try. Why live with only part of a heart- it will still be broken. I'm feeling this now and there is still a chance of getting you back. Think how much more this will hurt if you are completely gone. I'm not the only one who will feel this. Cynthra will, she one of your closest friends, so how could it not affect her. Arianna with out a doubt will be worse than Cynthra- she is just as good as your blood sister and has that mental connection with you. Jonathan and all you friends at the Palace will certainly grieve. All those people they will miss you.
"I don't know what else I've got to say. I've poured my heart and love into what I've said." He was silent and discouraged; there was no movement from the blockade. Shylock felt tears start to roll down his face silently(he didn't know if they showed on a horse but he knew his physical self would be crying). Then, he gave up. If that had not convinced Alanna to return he didn't know what would. Hopelessly he cried, "Please, please, come back. I need you, we all need you. I don't know what I'd do with you gone. I've never loved some one a much as I love you. I want to hear you laugh at one of my sarcastic remarks. I want to hear you reply with you witty, honey-sweet voice that makes me want to melt. I want to touch you again, your soft smooth skin against my hands. I want to feel your fiery lips on mine. You are my joy in life, ever since I saw you that first time. I love you more than I could have ever dreamed. Please come back for my sake; for everyone else's too. We all need you. With out you there would be a hole in our lives just like the one in your soul. If you come back, I promise life will be better. There will be people who feel like you do and they are willing to help you, all because we love you. I – we- don't want you to go. All of us care for you. Come back, come to me, I can take you home". There were no more words to describe how Shylock felt. He could only look at the fiery barrier between him and his beloved Alanna. Then the aura of the place changed.
"What..."
A/N: I could be mean and stop right now and tell you that Alanna's wasn't coming back because she became afraid but I won't I'll be nice and continue and let you see what happens.
She was safe here she didn't have to feel the pain that she knew waited for her to let her shield down. Where she was she didn't know, but she really didn't care- it was away from the grief and loss (Wonder what my misery was. I've forgotten. Oh well, this is bliss) that waited else where. It was actually quite peaceful, being surrounded by her purple light; it banished all bad thoughts and kept what she wanted away- anything to connect her to the real world. How long she had been here she didn't know and didn't care one bit- this was her sanctuary.
Until she heard voices; they were muffled so she couldn't hear what was being said. One voice left then there was silence, but only for a minute. The talking started again and she could hear it this time.
"Alanna, Alanna dearest. I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm going to talk anyways." She knew that voice- it was one of the things she had pushed out of her mind as to not be reminded of her sorrow. The voice was continuing. "What has happened to you is something I really don't understand, but would like to. If you come out me, Arianna and Cynthra would all help you with your grief." 'Wait, this is...' Alanna was remembering now, against her will. "It must be horrible to lose the closest person in the world to you. If you stay here all your friends would feel the same you do now. We all want you back." 'NOOOO!'' Alanna knew who it was and why he was here- Shylock wanted her to come back to her grief and she absolutely refused to. She felt her protection shake. He continued. "Baby, now I know you're there, please, just listen..."
Alanna didn't want to listen, but he said please so desperately that she would have to be colder hearted than she was. So she listened, after one more shake to show her unwillingness. What he said moved her emotionally; she could feel tears wanting to come and her emotion blocking wall weaken. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't stop it; it was as if someone was forcing her to listen. The emotion block broke and she was hit with what she had thrown away earlier. Now, she remembered everything that happened- her brother dying and all her pain. It made her cry. 'This was why I came here; I didn't want to feel all this; it's too much for me to handle. My heart has been broken and scattered,' she thought with anger and grief. She was still being forced to listen. The next line overwhelmed her- Shylock repeated almost word for word what she was thinking. The feeling of love overwhelmed her making her cry harder. 'He understands, he knows what I'm feeling, I can go to him,' her hopeful side said, making her want to go to him, knowing his love would help her. Her hateful side said 'how do you know it's true, he could be pretending.' She was torn between the two sides. She really wanted to trust him, he sounded like she felt, his voice was filled with pain and depression and spoke what she had thought herself and made her realized that she wasn't alone in her feelings as much as she thought she was. But her hateful self kept reminding her of the pain and grief that awaited her if she came out. The warring of her selves made her cry even harder- she didn't know what to do. She wanted the love she knew Shylock was pouring into his speech, but the pain and misery that awaited her scared her. He kept on talking and she listened trying to decide.
"Please, please, come back. I need you, we all need you. I don't know what I'd do with you gone. I've never loved some one a much as I love you. I want to hear you laugh at one of my sarcastic remarks. I want to hear you reply with you witty, honey-sweet voice that makes me want to melt. I want to touch you again; have your soft silky skin against my hands. I want to feel your fiery lips on mine. You are my joy in life, ever since I saw you that first time. I love you more than I could have ever dreamed. Please come back for my sake and for everyone else's. We all need you. With out you there would be a hole in our lives just like the one in your soul. If you come back, I promise life will be better. There will be people who feel like you do and they are willing to help you, all because we love you. I – we- don't want you to go. All of us care for you. Come back, come to me, I can take you home".
'Home... Home- was where she had felt joy. She remembered. All the good times she had had. All her friends that were there. There they would be there for her. They would care for her as they always had.' These thought besieged her in a rush and she knew she wanted to go; go to her friends so they could help her, so she didn't have to leave them in misery like she was feeling now. She balked one more time, only for a second because a voice came, one that was not meant for human ears and hurt her own- "My daughter, you are not meant to be dead. You need to live; your life is a key to the existence of your home. Go; go to the one who love you. You will never meet another like him."
Alanna fled crying; fled the terrible voice; fled to her sweet loved one; and to the bitter-sweetness she knew awaited her. With her array emotions she shattered her sanctuary, now more like thin glass and not the wall of fire it had been. Through tear blinded eyes she saw Shylock- in form of a majestic midnight black horse. Powerful and elegant, filled with unconditional love, waiting for her to come to him, so he could hold her- like he never thought he would be able to do again. She flung her self at him and looked up into his deep soulful, liquid blue eyes (A/N: if I ever said that Shylocks eyes were brown or what not, I lied. They are now a very pretty blue) - and new the voice had been right; she would never meet another person like him.
The barrier exploded, sending glass-like shards of power in all direction. A kitten, of some type of large cat, with some type predatory bird's wings attached to its back (Nnnoo, not a griffin. Just like the description), flung its self at him crying. 'Oh, Alanna, baby. Come here' he thought. He was filled with euphoria. He had succeeded and gotten his Alanna back. He spoke to her, his eye shining with unsurpassed passion, "Love, are you ready to go home?" All she could do was nod and wonder what she looked like to him (she only knew she had paws). They walked out of the shadowed land, following a silver trail. Even though they were not (and in these forms, could not) holding each other, they were in each others minds holding, love-nipping, kissing and caressing, one another. You just also knew that nothing, short of one dying (forcing the other one to commit suicide), would ever separate them; in all aspects- emotionally, mentally, by the soul, and never too long physically. Only one word described them...
I really don't know how all this sounds to me- sorta fake and corny. Hope it's not like that to you ppls
She came out of the blackness only to return to it after she felt herself falling and being caught. Again she came to, but this time for longer. Arianna sat up slowly, aching from mental and magickal soreness.
Cynthra was right beside her doing her nursing duties- making sure all the other people in the room were all right. She handed Arianna a cup, smelling pungent from herbs. She didn't even ask if she had to; she already knew the answer. If she didn't drink this she would be as strong as a cooked noodle and be able to do about as much. Arianna had concocted this recipe from scratch, by herself; it was to help return physical, mental, and magickal strength. Instead of more than three day to return to normal after a very harsh working (mental, magickal, or physical), it only took about 1-2 days.
After finishing her potion, she looked at Cynthra. "How long have I been back"?
Cynthra knew what she was talking about and answered, "You came back from the astral plane after about an hour and a half. Passed out promptly, you did, and woke up now about two hours later. It's about 11 o'clock".
Arianna sighed a relief- she thought it'd been longer. "Anything from them," she nodded over to the bed where Shylock was sitting cross-legged with an Alanna, hugging her legs to her chest, enclosed within his strong arms. Both their faces were hidden- Alanna's on her knees and Shylock's on Alanna's bent over head.
"No, they've been like that the whole time. Do you know how long they will be", Cynthra paused, "gone".
"Sorry. I really don't know. Shylock has to convince her to come back and that might take awhile knowing how headstrong she is. Also time passes differently there, so what may be 10 minutes there could be an hour here. We can only wait."
And so they did silently, waiting for any sign of movement. The only change was when Shylock started to cry. They could only hope, though it looked so bleak.
Some one was coming. Arianna opened her eyes (she must have fallen asleep again) and looked for Cynthra. She was found in a cushy chair looking like she had been sleeping too. 'Not any more', Arianna thought irrelevantly. Cynthra's head was turned towards the two unconscious people on the bed. Her head turned towards Arianna, and Arianna looked strait back. They both got up at the same time, heading strait for the bed.
"You felt it?" Cynthra asked, still watching Shylock and Alanna's forms.
"Yeah, I don't really know how I knew though. Do you?" Arianna's eyes were also fastened on them.
Cynthra thought for a moment. "It could be the spiritual energy you feel. I've noticed that you are especially sensitive to energy alterations. I am also. I have a strong Sight and the sensitivity comes with it. That's the...," she breathed in sharply and said calmly, "It's here".
Arianna also felt it; her skin started prickling and her muscles tensed. This was it; the time was upon them to see if Shylock had succeeded. The energy became visible for only a moment, flickering. It was impossible to tell how many different spirits were there. It could have been one, it could have been ten. Then it settled; they held their breath, hoping for the best.
The world around was brightening, the silver trail getting fainter. Finally they couldn't go any farther, for a bright white barrier stopped them.
Shylock look at Alanna with his liquidy eyes and nuzzled her (he still looks like a horse.), "I guess this is our exit." Alanna's purple eyes looked up at him, scared. "Don't worry. I think this here was the hardest part. Pushing away and coming back was emotionally hard. You've already fought the emotional battle, when I was talking to you, forcing you to face reality. The emotional battle was the hardest part. Now that you know you won't have to face this alone, it'll be easier for you to live and thrive like you would normally. We are your cushions of comfort, to lean on, hold and keep with you for as long as you need; we'll never leave. When we're back that is your mourning time, your time to remember him and give him what he would want; his twin to live on and not give up. You'll never forget, but the pain will ebb and you really should never try to forget because if you try all the good memories you had of that person will fade and be gone someday when you'll want them most of all."
"I'm ready. You're right. The hardest part has past. It's time for me to return." Her eyes shown with love, understanding, strength, and a sadness that would never go away. It was a heartbreaking thing to see in eyes of one so young.
"Ok. So lets go." And they walked together through the vivid white light. They kept on walking and walking. The almost blinding white cloud around them seemed to be getting thinner, becoming more like fog, until it was so thin you could see colors and firm shapes of things, only a touch blurry. One more step brought them back in to the physical world, but above their bodies, not in.
They took the opportunity to look around. Arianna and Cynthra were standing before the bed, looking at their bodies. Alanna saw that Shylock had her in his lap with his arms around her. She looked at him and he only smiled, and then started for his body, looking back over his shoulder, inviting her to join him: she did. They went as one, gliding gracefully and melding into their bodies.
It felt like putting your clothes back on after a swim or a long, pleasurable night with a lover (:P); pleasant but peculiar feeling. Shylock opened his eyes blinking. He lifted his head just a little, knowing that Alanna's friends were watching. Waiting. Alanna moved as if she was just waking up from sleep; the rolling the neck thing, a stretch she usually did in the mornings, then snuggling against his chest, finding a comfortable position to relax in. Shylock whispered her name and she looked up at him. "We're home".
She sat up straighter and looked around her room, finding it was as she remembered from so long ago ('How long was it?'), and found her friends waiting beside the bed looking at her with happiness all over their faces. Alanna could only smile, with that deep-down, watery sadness still in her eyes, but with a sort of odd tranquil joy/sadness expression. Through her window came the dusky orangish-pink light of sunrise, matching the mood Alanna had on her face.
All was still, until Cynthra moved to the bed and gave Alanna a heartening hug, which she return with silent thank for no words being attached. Arianna followed, not saying a word, and gave her a hug she would have gotten if she had a long lost sister and this was their first meeting (but sort of in reverse since Alanna was more of the long lost one). After Arianna finished her hug, she looked at Shylock. "Thank you" was all she said. Arianna picked the long forgotten letters off the bed and handed them to Alanna.
"Let us know what you want to do". And then she turned, grabbed Cynthra by the arm and pulled her out Alanna's door, leaving Shylock and Alanna alone.
Pulling Cynthra by her arm Arianna led her to her rooms. Once inside she let go. "Ok. Some things need to be discussed."
Cynthra looked at her understandingly. "Agreed. Alanna has changed and we need to be careful, this is going to be new and very different. We shouldn't assail her trying to distract her, nor should we coddle her, that would just piss her off."
"I think you are right," Arianna replied thoughtfully. Also, I have a feeling that Alanna isn't going to want to talk much, so we should just let her be that way." Cynthra opened her mouth to protest, but closed it, seeing Arianna's reasoning. Arianna continued "Because as you said, we don't want to overwhelm her with anything and that includes word and making her feel like she has to talk when she doesn't want to. What we need to do is just be there for her with physical and emotional comfort. Words aren't needed, and if they are Alanna will use them when she's ready." She stopped and looked at Cynthra, who nodded her assent, looking as if she would like to go to bed especially since it was six in the morning on Saturday, and hadn't gotten a good sleep. "I have one more thing to say." Cynthra groaned. "I know you want to sleep, but this is important. As you know Alanna's Gift has doubled in size, and I think that is from her brother Thom. Since they were so closely linked, with his death his Gift went to Alanna, doubling her and adding his strengths to hers. She doesn't know about that yet, I think, until we tell her, which we will do as soon as it's appropriate. For now, since if she tried to use her new Gift she would be consumed by the power, I will keep it bound, until she is ready and able to use it. Do you think this is a good thing?" Cynthra nodded wearily and headed out the door before Arianna could say anything more.
Dundundun... don't you just love that conclusion. Well please review because if you feel like. If you do I'll try to put your name up on the screen for all to admire. Well toodles.