The hardest parts to write are over, I think, so I hope that the rest of the story will be done before the semester is over.

The Emperor's Mage
Chapter Thirty-one: Animal

Alanna kept her arm around Daine's shoulders as the delegation approached the emperor. Lord Martin had the honor of making the polite farewell, at least, and Gary had already taken Lindhall to the opposite side of the small crowd. The only remaining issue was that Ozorne would say something to Daine, of course, and that he just might try to take Daine away. Alanna had not been able to do anything for Arram Draper, perhaps, but Daine was a citizen of her country and had done nothing wrong. Alanna would be allowed to kill the emperor for any hurt he caused to Daine, and damn the consequences of Tortall's Champion doing the deed.

Alanna did step to the side when Ozorne approached Daine, but only so that Alanna's hand could brush the ember-stone at her throat. She would intervene at the first sign of magic.

Ozorne was still wearing the large opal on his hand, the gaudiest of his many rings, but there were tiny fractures all through the stone and even the stone's natural luminosity seemed dulled. It had nothing left of the emerald-green fire she had noticed just days before.

The emperor spoke to Daine directly, if formally, for once not requiring any real formalities from the girl. "Veralidaine Sarrasri, you have done me great favor by healing my birds, and custom declares that I shall grant you a boon before you leave my nation."

Alanna was tensed to interfere, but Daine had the grace of an empress as she nodded politely to the man that had killed Arram Draper himself. Ozorne had not left the task to an executioner.

"I would like to take this bird with me, your imperial majesty. I know plovers aren't near as fancy as what you have in your aviary, but this one's taken to me." Daine's voice was very quiet, a clear effect of maintaining her composure, but not even Lord Martin could fault the delivery.

Ozorne stared at the bird tucked under the girl's arm, which showed no special interest in the emperor. It had started to look about, turning its beady dark eyes on anything that came into its field of vision, and clearly nuzzled at Daine's arm with the beak meant for snatching fish from the waters.

He seemed puzzled by her choice, but on occasion his good breeding would show itself. "Very well, Mistress Sarrasri. The bird is yours, and go from this place with my gratitude."

That was it. Alanna was very proud of the girl for sticking with their plan, and after a bow to the emperor she despised the delegation swiftly made their way to the waiting ship. Lord Martin scarcely had time to give the signal to the captain before the ship's cabin boys were releasing the knots holding ship to dock, and Alanna had almost no time to realize that the escape from Carthak to realize that she had a long journey of choppy waters ahead of her.

Daine came by to see her, bird still safely tucked in the crook of her arm, but correctly judged by the shade of Alanna's face that it would be better to hold any long conversations. "I'll just tell you later, Alanna, but it's alright. It'd be better if Lindhall hadn't barricaded himself in his room."

"He'll come out in time," Alanna managed from the relative comfort of a bed spelled to simulate being safe on land, but the ordeal of talking while on a ship was still far too much. If Daine hadn't been along, there was no way she would have made the trip to Carthak, Champion or not. She would have babysat Raoul's Own and made him handle the blasted diplomacy. "I'm afraid you'll have to occupy yourself with your new friend, dearie, because as soon as we're out of Carthak's reach I'm dosing myself to sleep. Sleeping salts will pull me out of it, if need be."

"I'll be sure to keep them on hand, and I'll talk to you as soon as we're in Corus."

Daine looked oddly happy, for someone that had just seen her first execution, but Alanna would puzzle on that later. The girl had already let herself out. It was a pity that she would be no help, and that Lindhall couldn't, but Daine had friends in all of the People. For the time, that would have to be enough.