Hellaine: New Companion
Part 1: Lapis Lazuli
Disclaimer: I do not, under any circumstances, own Deltora Quest or any characters from the series.
Rated: T
A/N: I do own Hellaine and her past.
Summary: Lief, Barda and Jasmine meet the mysterious Jordan of the Sands, a fighter that hails from the stony wall around the Shifting Sands. Who is she? What does she want with the Games?
People do not Trust me
After walking for a short time, the group came to a small cave. In the back, weapons and packs lined the wall, a fire pit sat awaiting them in the center, filled with fresh wood and cooking supplies ready to start a meal.
Hellaine placed a well used kettle over a small fire to start boiling.
"Are you making more of that awful tea?" Dain asked.
"Did I say you had to have any?" she replied adding herbs to the water to steep.
"Will there be enough to share?" Jasmine asked nervously. Hellaine nodded and handed her a cup.
"Anyone else?" the woman asked. Lief raised his hand and gratefully accepted the cup she offered.
"I'll take some as well." Doom said, getting himself a cup. Hellaine nodded and stared at the kettle until a low whistle sounded. She pulled it off the fire and poured out the drink into the four cups.
"Drink up, it will help get you through the night." She said and sipped from her own cup.
"Listen carefully," Doom said as they drank. "We have little time. Jordan and I are the leaders of a group sworn to resist the Shadow Lord."
Hellaine set her cup down and sighed heavily. "We have been suspicious of the Games for some time...certain that they were not as they seemed. Our purpose was to see what was happening, from the inside. I tried to scare you off..."
"You attacked us and locked us in our room!" Jasmine cried.
"Yes...and I got cut in the process." She winced, touching the cloth on her arm gently. "I was trying to stop you from competing...to protect you."
"Why?" Barda asked bluntly.
"When first I saw you in Tom's Shop something about you interested me." Hellaine replied. "Doom and I were hurrying on business of our own and could not stay, but ever since then wherever I have been, I have heard whispers. I knew it was you when I saw you in the lobby of the inn."
Lief gripped Barda's arm. If word about them was spreading, how long would it be before the Shadow Lord became aware of them?
Jasmine, already untrusting of the woman, became wary and cautious.
"You allowed us to be captured," she accused. "You crept away after the finals, but you did not leave. You hid by the inn, watched and did not lift a hand to help us."
"We had intended for either Jordan or me to be proclaimed Champion, and suffer whatever fate was in store for the winner." Doom stated.
"As for you being captured and saved, you should thank your young friend." Hellaine said. "If he hadn't detected the threat and seen you captured, he would have fallen into the same trap and you would be on your way to the Arena."
"What are you saying?" Barda growled. Hellaine looked him in the eye and he faltered.
"We know where champions are taken, we know by who, but the workings of how were a mystery. Who sent them into the trap, were they sent into the trap, or were the captors waiting outside the entrance for them. When your Birdie was announced as the champion, I stayed back a night to snoop around, hoping to find some sort of passage or trap door. What I found instead, was Joker running for his life. If he hadn't run, I wouldn't have been able to get the information I gained from him and know you were in trouble."
"You would have left us to die," Jasmine snapped.
"I would have been able to do nothing without your friend's information." Hellaine replied. "We know where they go and by who, but the road they travel, where the trap is set, we did not have that information. Doom and I planned to try our hand at the next Games. Your friend has saved more than your lives."
Jasmine and Barda lowered the gazes, feeling the realization like ice. Because Jasmine had won, Hellaine had almost lost more lives, because Lief got away, she gained what she needed to save their lives and the lives of her friends and future champions.
Doom spoke up, releasing the thick silence in the cave.. "A group is waiting not far away. Dain will lead you there and then into the mountains..."
"If you wish for safe passage away from here." Hellaine cut him off. "Though I feel, you will want to be on your way."
Barda, Lief and Jasmine glanced at one another.
"We are grateful to you," said Barda at last. "And I hope you will not take this amiss, but I fear Jordan is right, we must be on our way. There is...something of importance we must do."
Doom frowned. "Whatever it is, you should abandon it for now," he said. "I could not risk killing the guards. It was dangerous enough stealing you things from the cart while they slept below."
"You were in no danger," Hellaine stated. "You know I picked the moment well."
"That doesn't matter, their master will come after them regardless. When they wake and find them gone they will track them wherever they go. They will not rest until they are found, Jordan. You know this better than any of us." Doom snapped. Hellaine stared hatefully at the man.
"You go too far," she hissed. "Reminding me of that."
"All the better, then, that we do not lead them to your stronghold," said Barda calmly. He put on his sword and pack and began crawling from the cave. Doom put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.
"We are many, and at our base we have ways of dealing with guards," he said. "You should join us. What could be more important then our cause? What is this mysterious mission that cannot wait?"
Barda went to remove Doom's hand, but found Hellaine already doing it.
"Doom, they are not our members. You must learn that sometimes, you don't know the answers."
"And you do?" Doom snarled.
"You know I do," she replied. She wasn't smug, she jut knew.
"Fine, if you know the answers, where are they going?" Doom demanded.
"That is not my knowledge to share," she spoke. "I will show you the way out of the woods."
"We'll be fine on our own." Jasmine snapped.
"The Grey Guards will be after you now. You can get lost in these woods."
"Thank you," said Barda. "We appreciate your risk."
"All will be well," Hellaine nodded gathering her weapons. She filled a pack with food, money and various other supplies she would need for a journey.
"Where are you going?" Lief asked.
"Doom will stay here and wait for Glock," she said as they left the cave. "I will return to Rithmere, continue my research from there."
"Research?" Barda asked. "Alone?"
"I do not trust people, people do not trust me, it works out for the majority."
"Why is that?" Jasmine asked. "Why don't people trust you."
"I have my reasons." Hellaine told her. Lief saw her eyes flash with anger and guilt, but her voice stayed flat, cold, detached. She controlled her emotions, giving off ice."
"Jordan, can we stop a minute?" Lief asked. "I need to talk to my friends more we move on."
Hellaine nodded and moved into the woods. Lief waited until he could no longer hear her footsteps before turning to his friends.
"I want to ask Jordan to join us," he stated.
"Are you mad?" Jasmine cried in alarm. "How can you trust her?"
"She has done nothing but help us, when she could have left us to die. I talked to her during the Games, the night I was late getting back to the room. I trust her, and I think we need her. I think we were meant to find her."
Barda wasn't convinced, Jasmine was in an uproar.
"Barda, we met Jasmine by chance, but I wonder if it was chance. We need what Jasmine brings to us, we wouldn't have gotten this far without her. What if it is the same with Jordan. What happens if we let her leave and we find ourselves in need of her skills, her knowledge and connections?"
"Why do you trust her?"
"She knows about the belt." Lief said. "She knows I have the belt, and she didn't try to kill me in the ring. She has done nothing but protect the belt since I met her."
"What happens when the heir has the belt? Will she still be your friend?"
"The belt is what made me see Lief. It is not the belt that drives me now." Hellaine spoke from the trees.
"Jordan, what did you hear?" Lief asked.
"Only your friend's comment, do you need more time, I can continue my research elsewhere."
"Just a few minutes." Lief agreed. Hellaine nodded and waked away again.
"Lief, you have a point, she has knowledge and connections we could use and she already knows about the belt."
"Exactly," Lief said.
"What if she is waiting to kill him?" Jasmine demanded. "What if this is what she wants?"
"Why?" Lief asked. "It would have been safer to kill me in the ring."
"How can you say that?"
"Because it is true, Jasmine." Barda said. "If she killed him in the ring, we would have written it off as part of the Games. We would hate her, but not think her as a Shadow Lord puppet. We see her as greedy and heartless."
"And the cellar, she could have captured me, given me to the grey guards, or killed me right there, but she brought me to Doom and helped me save you both."
"I think Lief has a good idea Jasmine. I want to let Jordan join us if she will."
"Then you are fools." Jasmine snapped. "Fine, ask her to join us, ask for her help, but I refuse to trust her."
"Will you try to be pleasant at the very least?" Lief asked.
Jasmine scowled, but agreed. Lief grinned and went off to find Hellaine. He found her only a few yards away with a pile of arrowheads in front of her.
"Fixing my arrows." She told him when she aw him staring.
"Um, we are ready if you are."
"I will be right there." She promised and collected the finished arrowheads in a leather pouch. Lief led her back to the clearing and watched Barda smile at her. Hellaine rose an eyebrow, trying to understand the change of heart in the man.
"Lief has spoken to us," Barda began. "The points he made are very good ones and I agree with his request."
"I have a feeling this involves me," she said. "What was his request?"
"We could use your help." Lief said. "You have knowledge and connections we don't and you can hold your own against Glock."
Something flashed in her eyes, an emotion Lief couldn't place, almost sadness, grief.
"I see," she said.
"We would like you to join us, help us complete the belt." Barda said.
"Why?" She asked. "How do you know I won't kill you in your sleep and take the belt?"
"You've had plenty of chances to kill us," Lief said. "Yet you protected us."
"Will you join us?" Barda asked.
"Are you sure about this?"
"Lief trusts you, I trust Lief." Barda said.
"And you, Jasmine?" Hellaine asked.
"My opinion doesn't matter. I do not trust you, but Lief and Barda think we need you."
Hellaine gripped her bag nervously and sighed.
"You seek the gem dropped in the center of the shifting sands sixteen years ago," she said, gritting her teeth. "I will take you there."
Lief and Barda broke into grins and welcomed her.
"We shouldn't stay in one place too long, follow me, quickly." Hellaine said and began walking.
"Where are we going?" Lief asked as the cover of trees broke.
"Up the rocks," she replied following the mountain around. It was only a few yards before a narrow trail jutted from the mountain.
"This trail is well hidden. Looks like part of the mountain if you don't know what to look for. Face your body towards the mountain and shuffle up the trail, keeping a strong hold on the rocks." She instructed. "There have been falls from the trail, but only by those who do not heed my warning."
"Have you fallen?" Lief asked.
"Until I found out how it worked." Hellaine agreed and began shuffling up the trail as she had told them to do. Lief followed second, placing his hands on the rough stone. Jasmine went third with Barda right behind. The trail was long, but seemed to grow wider as they progressed upwards. Half way up, the trail grew wide enough to walk single file. Hellaine led them straight to a flat plain of rocks. In the side of the mountain, in a hidden alcove, the group found a small wooden cabin.
The companions followed Hellaine cautiously into the cottage and found it was empty, fully stocked with food, water and medicine.
"Wow," Jasmine whispered when she saw the inside.
"I'll get some soup going and then we can get you patched up."
"If you show me the medicine, I can be of some help." Jasmine said.
Hellaine nodded and moved into the kitchen. "Medicine is in this cupboard."
Jasmine followed her hand and shuffled through the cupboard, finding the necessary supplies. The two worked in silence. Hellaine placed a pot over a small fire and began making a thick soup of meat and vegetables. The smell was intoxicating and stomachs quickly began to rumble. Jasmine kept watch over Hellaine as she worked. The woman never smiled and her eyes could be seen drooping in exhaustion she hadn't shone when traveling.
"Jordan," Jasmine spoke gently. "I finished Barda and Lief, would you like me to..."
"I'm fine." Hellaine replied. Her tone sounded calm, not tired at all.
She is so closed off from us, Jasmine thought to herself watching Hellaine. She acts as if nothing is wrong.
"Your arm..."
"It is healing." Hellaine promised. "Nothing a good night rest won't help."
"You sure?"
"Save it for when we really need it," she told Jasmine. "There are plenty of supplies here."
"I was wondering about that, how did you know about this place and are you sure it's ok to use these supplies."
"This is where I have been staying while I researched the Shifting Sands. I bought these supplies in town last week."
"It is a good thing you did," Lief said from across the room.
"Yes, indeed." Barda agreed.
"Soup is almost done." Hellaine said. "We can eat and get some sleep."
"I think you need it more than any of us," Barda said.
"I will sleep tonight." She agreed as she spooned soup into four bowls. She handed one to each of the companions and opened a drawer in the dresser across the room. The trio watched her pull a stack of papers and bring them to the table.
"What is that?"
"My research." She replied. "This is everything for the Forest of Silence, the Lake of Tears, the abandoned city of Noradz, and the Shifting Sands. The Sands are not complete, even after a year there are holes."
"May look at what you have?" Lief asked.
Hellaine nodded and finished her food.
"Take your time, please be careful and when you are done, just leave it here. I will take care of it in the morning."
With those last words, Hellaine stood up and went to find a place to sleep.