(-a/n- I'm going to start this chapter with a massive apology. I'm so sorry about the delayed update, everything seems to have gone slightly mad since I've returned to school. Seriously, French oral, sailing, ball-girling, flute-playing, revision, work experience, it's all just completely overwhelmed me after a lazy Easter break. I'm aiming to keep to my usual update-a-week, but I apologize in advance if I can't keep to that. I have my GCSE's this summer so my life is super hectic and finding four hours to sit down and write a chapter is extremely difficult.
Anyway I shall say only one more thing; thanks again for all the lovely reviews and I hope that this chapter is worth the wait!)
the. dead. addict.tsudratsBrokenflamesrebelfjkErythaYamani Lump of an idiotHasamakiGrace of Masbollebookworm-4-ever2012SarahE7191theknightofkonahaGolden Pantha,BlackWidow12darkjewelledassassinStoned LorikeetElentarielBlameMyMusesrootless californian, Kulash, ella plain and simpleAJHHr12Mrs. Dom MasbolleTsumetai TaiyoukaiSeriousPiperPie of DoomehInkblotTheDarkingOrohippusJaBoyYainsane . . . i don't think ...Cat in a box,Waiting To Be InspiredMemanicpony24epobbpSkyline RomanceEvil Bunny of DeathAly the SpyalynawatloversOn top of cloud 9queenoftheostlersAlannaandGeorge4everbrezzybrezoirishgoddessmangoladyMackothe moon goddess & truffletruffle01Miss Violet Purple, & x17SkmBdrchiczxx
Yabberlithings are all good over here! We've been having some lovely weather for April :D And on Monday I went sailing and we were capsizing and jumping into the sea and it wasn't that cold…well it was but not THAT cold…considering this was the English channel…lol.
LadyKnightSusanYeah, I always thought that too, but what I really wanted to emphasize was that although he's not a mean person, growing up around nobles Inness has gained the attitude that he can do something like that and it won't matter. It was really to open Kel's eyes to the prejudices and inequality that occur in Tortallan world.
ErynfaerSo lucky…snow…I KNOW!! I actually cannot wait for HP7 and I know what you mean, I have over-analysed every last snippet of the books looking for some hint as to what may be coming next, but alas, we shall have to wait a bit longer. As for Kit, I wasn't planning on bringing him back in but we'll have to see…
Confusedknight Hey! That's my name!! –sticks out tongue- but thanks anyway :D
I love Fallen! –sighs sadly- if I was Tamora Pierce then I'd be getting my writings published…alas, still is truly wonderful and I can dream about getting things published in the future…hehehe
CIRPG or Kiki I think that I'll show a variety of important and unimportant events to illustrate her 'Scanran years' but it won't be that long…definitely less than 15 chapters…Although that is actually very long, -sighs- we'll have to see…
Hunchbooknah…I don't want to be an author for a living, I've always had my heart set on being a Veterinary surgeon and hopefully that dream can become a reality. But I would love to get something published someday. Once I've finished 'Fallen' I think that I'm going to have a shot at writing something of my own, as writing on has given me such great writing experience. Thanks for all the positive comments, I hope you continue to enjoy it :D
Confusedknight xxx
At last, several days ride north of Mindelan Kel looked out at a glorious sight. She stood alongside Alex and let her mouth drop open at the fantastic view with which she was presented. They had just topped the last of a series of small hills and had found themselves looking out across at the mouth of the Great Vassa River, which glinted and sparkled like a shiny mirror laid across the valley floor.
In the centre of the Estuary, some way out to sea and surrounded by boats of all kinds stood Fraslund, proud and tall. It was a city whose entire west and southern sides were one giant harbour, encased by a stone wall to protect the boats from the fury of the Emerald Ocean.
It was Tortall's northern harbour city; a thriving island from which fleets of boats were constantly swarming. The city was a centre for trading and exporting goods.
It was the nearest part of the Tortallan coast to the Yamani Islands and Kel had last visited the city when they had returned from the Yamani Isles, scarcely two and a half years previously.
Despite its Scanran name, Fraslund officially belonged to Tortall, many battles having been fought to make it so. But despite this, it was a wonderfully multi-national city where no-one stood out in the vibrancy and colour of so many cultures.
Alex had told Kel that they would only be passing through, before crossing into Scanra but Kel still tingled with the same excitement her four-year-old self had when they were on their way to the Islands for Kel's first sea voyage.
They began to make their way down the hill, Kel trotting after the horse and rider. During the descent she looked to the north of the glittering river where uninhabited, rugged wild land sprawled and twisted. Somewhere, lost in the mess of hills and forest, lay the Scanran border.
Kel knew that the border was only two miles or so north of the Vassa and later on that day, or early tomorrow morning, she would be riding through Scanra. She still wasn't exactly sure of the itinerary for the next couple of days; whether they would be staying overnight in Fraslund or continuing into Scanra. She didn't worry though, she knew that Alex would tell her when she needed to know and not before.
Barely twenty minutes later, they reached a small wooden building at the side of the estuary. Muddy water lapped against the small jetty and a heavily-moustached man came out to greet them.
As he and Alex haggled over the price of a ferry to Fraslund, Kel looked further up the estuary bank and saw that there was a small village, stretched out along the side of the river estuary. Several other boathouses stood, their jetties extending into the river; some with boats moored and others empty.
Alex finally agreed on a price of one silver piece for the stout man to set sail immediately for Fraslund, with Kel, Alex and Prince onboard. His ferry was a small, boat with a dully striped mainsail, jib and spinnaker. The hull was painted green and on the starboard side a name was painted 'Wave dancer'.
Kel wasn't sure why the small boat was named that, to her it looked cumbersome, a hulking, wooden shape bobbing steadily on the swirling water. But she supposed that as long as it could survive a short sail to Fraslund, she didn't really mind.
Alex was trying to persuade Prince to step aboard the boat, but it was to no avail. Kel was startled; Prince was on of the calmest horses she'd ever seen. Alex was whispering in the snorting chestnut's ear, but it didn't seem to have much effect.
The ferryman was readying his boat, and depositing the saddle bags onboard which Kel had taken from Prince's sweaty back, she climbed back onto the jetty to help Alex.
'He never used to be like this,' panted Alex, 'We had a bad sea voyage, a while back and I was…ill and poor Prince was left in a lean-to on deck, absolutely terrified. Since then he can't stand being on water.'
'Let me try,' said Kel. She knew that she was no wildmage like Daine, or even particularly good with horses as Stefan was, but she knew something of fear and taking Prince's reins off of Alex she led the Chestnut off of the jetty and back onto dry land.
When Prince quieted she reached up, curled a small, scarred hand in his mane and gently pulled his magnificent head down to her level. She stared him straight in the eyes, as she had often done with Peachblossom, when he had needed a serious talking-to.
Murmuring softly in Yamani, she maintained eye contact. At first Prince tossed his head, disliking the eye contact, but after a while he quieted, seeing the calm and lack of fear in the depth of Kel's eyes. When Kel felt the muscles in Prince's neck relax, she broke the eye contact, and leading him by her hand twirled in his mane, still murmuring in Yamani.
It didn't matter what language she was speaking, as Prince, having no contact with the Wildmage didn't respond to spoken commands. But the murmuring seemed to sooth the large, nervous horse.
Gently but firmly leading the horse forward she lead him on to the ship and she only released her hold on his mane, when she tethered him onto a post in the bow of the ship.
'Good boy,' she praised, making eye contact again, showing him her lack of fear.
Alex joined them on board a second later, and soon they were moving off, powered by the fresh sea breeze that blew up the estuary, filling the sails.
'Well done little one,' murmured Alex.
'It was nothing,' said Kel truthfully, 'I just had to show him that I wasn't scared of going on board.'
They stood together, staring out at the water that eddied and swirled, catching the sunlight as it rushed past the boat. As they reached the place where sea and river met, the waves swelled violently, salt water mixing with the muddy river water.
Alex motioned that Kel go to reassure Prince, but she shook her head.
'You do it,' she said, 'Do exactly as I did, rebuild that trust. It will take time but in the end…' she trailed off, watching her teacher and friend, silently re-kindling the broken bond of trust between man and beast.
Once they were through the rough patch, the rest of the voyage, was as the expression goes; plain sailing. The ferryman tacked his way around into one of the harbours, skilfully navigating narrow, busy passages. All too soon, (for Kel had been enjoying the sea journey) they were docking and Alex paid the stout little man his promised silver piece, before leading his horse back onto dry land.
As they walked up through the docklands and up into the main market town, Alex pointed out all the different cultures, some of which Kel were familiar with and others who were completely new to her.
There were dark-skinned Raka from the Copper Isles, Carthakis, Tyrans, Marenites, merchants from Tusaine, blonde-haired Scanran children capering about, Tortallans red-faced in the heat of the day, Yamani's their faces blank and dark-haired Gallans. All milling about together, conversing in a mixture of languages and hand signals.
Alex steered Kel into a side-alley and round into a stable yard behind the row of buildings. He stabled Prince, giving him a bucket of oats and a generous helping of hay. He walked in through the back entrance and was promptly swooped down upon by a plump lady with fair hair and beetle black eyes.
'Alexei!' she exclaimed, 'It 'as been too long,' she said in a thick accent.
'Mistress Luhala, it is good to see you too,' he said reverting to Scanran, the woman's native language.
'And who is this pretty girl with you? Come here girl; let me have a look at you. She looks too old to be one of yours,' joked the woman.
'This is Lia,' said Alex, using Kel's alter-name. 'Is the old man home?'
'No, but he'll be back by nightfall,' said the woman, returning to her work at the oven.
Alex seemed to be well acquainted with the woman and his surroundings, making himself at home on the sofa.
'We'll sleep here tonight,' he told Kel, 'but we're leaving first thing tomorrow morning.'
After helping himself to a drink and pouring a glass of water for Kel, Alex suggested that they spend the time constructively. So they headed out into the backyard, out of sight of the busy main street.
Mistress Luhala watched through the window as Alex and Kel went through their complex stretching routines. Kel's limbs were so much more supple that she could now perform the complicated stretching exercises without too much difficulty.
Before starting on swordplay Alex decided to test Kel's reactions. He picked up a broom which leant against the wall of the house and began to swing it at Kel.
Kel had to simply dodge the wooden broom handle for as long as possible. Alex's strikes were always aimed so that she had a chance of dodging them, for example if he performed a left to right sweep Kel could duck or he jabbed the handle forward allowing her to dance out of the way.
After about ten minutes or so, Kel had only been hit twice and they were both now thoroughly warmed up.
'We'll start with the heron's swoop pattern,' instructed Alex as they both drew blades.
Kel started to attack in the aforementioned pattern, her strikes hard and accurate, confident in her knowledge that Alex would block them easily. For now Alex took a defensive stance and Kel simply had to use the same combination of sword strikes over and over again to try to drive him backwards.
Suddenly and without warning Alex attacked, forcing Kel to resume the defensive position. The swords clanged against each other, live weapons in the hands of two people who knew exactly what they were doing.
For the housewife watching at the window it was an incredible display of skill, the swords whirring and meeting in perfectly executed moves.
The point of the exercise was to ensure that the strikes and subsequent blocks were so well-practised that in a free duel the fighters could perform them effortlessly, without thinking.
They fought in silence, each concentrating only upon the other. Every now and again Alex would shout out 'Change,' and Kel would switch her sword into her left hand.
After twenty minutes, both fighters were breathing hard, perspiring in the summer's heat and Alex signalled that they should stop the exercise. After gulping a few mouthfuls of water Alex straightened up, grinning.
'Let's try another free duel,' he said, his eyes challenging.
Kel wiped her sweaty hand on her worn, dusty breeches and flicked her sword into the air. She caught it with a flourish, the hilt landing securely in her palm. A smile flickered across Alex's face; it had been he who had taught her that trick.
The duel started with a surprising intensity. Kel often suspected that Alex held back a little at the beginning to give her a chance, but now Kel was determined to force him to use the full range of his skill.
There were several tight-spots for Kel where her blocks were fractionally late or she had twisted marginally too far, leaving an opening. After seven minutes of the most intense duel Kel had ever fought, Alex managed to snake his sword around hers, wrenching it from her grip.
Kel automatically said, 'I yield,' the customary saying for one who has lost a sword fight and was just about to retrieve her sword when she caught sight of the look in Alex's eyes. Was it pride?
'You fought well today little one,' he praised. 'Many fully trained swordsmen couldn't have held me off for that long.'
'You still had the upper edge for most of it though,' reasoned Kel, picking up her sword and sheathing it.
'Lia, you've only been training with me for a few weeks and look how much you've improved. I wouldn't be surprised if in a few years you could well and truly thrash me.'
'You fight well girl,' said a gruff voice, from the house.
Leaning next to Mistress Luhala, was an old man with greying hair and hard brown eyes.
'Shem!' exclaimed Alex, 'Good to see you,' and he marched forward to give the man a vigorous handshake.
'This is Lia, my assistant. Lia this is Shem.' Kel also shook the man's callused hand.
Once inside, Alex began to explain to Kel how Shem had once been part of the Whisper Man's 'court' when he was King of the Rogue.
'And now I'm in a happy retirement, ferreting out information from all the traders of this town,' said Shem with a sigh, accepting the drink that his wife handed to him. He took a deep swig and smacked his lips together.
'To business laddy'buck,' he said, the cheerful grin fading from his face. 'Alex, oh I may as well just say it, Hastann fell last week.'
Alex blinked, and said nothing. Kel knew that Hastanne was one of the fourteen Greater Scanran Clans. There were several small clans that lived in the wastelands of the North and East, but fourteen main Clans.
At last Alex spoke,
'So he has three clans under his banner…Have you sent word on?'
Shem nodded, 'Early yesterday morning. It was a clean take-over, there was no fighting. By the time the clans people realised what was happening Hastanne was in Rathhausak's possession.'
'He's been planning it for months,' sighed Alex, 'He just acted faster than I anticipated.'
'I think that I may have found a way to gain more information,' said Shem slowly. 'There is a Gallan merchant, down Southgate Market, who I believe works for the Gallan Intelligence service. Galla, sharing a border with Scanra, are also on edge about Rathhausak. I've been following the fellow for weeks and I am almost one-hundred percent certain he is passing information on, through a series of coded messages hidden in his wares which he ships downriver to Galla.'
'Have you intercepted any of these messages?' asked Alex eagerly.
'Nay lad, I'm too old to be a creepin'. Besides I might be recognised and I'll not endanger my position here. But you are leaving tomorrow, make a nice quick mission into his warehouses and be on your way tomorrow.'
Alex thought this idea through, 'I'm going to need a diversion,' he said, looking up at Kel.
Why in Mithros' name did I agree to this? Kel asked herself for the thousandth time as she walked in a seemingly unconcerned fashion up the road to the Southgate market.
Shem had showed her a rough sketch of where the Gallan's market stall was, and the warehouse that stood directly behind it. If Alex was to gain access to the Gallan's stores the diversion would have to be suitably big enough that he wouldn't notice a man slip behind his stall and walk through the front door of the warehouse.
Kel gulped, sweating slightly, despite the fact that it was late afternoon and quite cool. She knew she was absolutely mad to even attempt to pull off what she was about to try. If she were caught it would mean big trouble and probably the end to her career as a spy.
Kel had left her sword at Shem's house, but was by no means unarmed. She had no less than seven daggers concealed upon her person and a full purse tucked inside her shirt; for any possible bribes.
She passed the Gallan's stall, where large assortments of leather items were displayed with a sign that read, 'Quality leather from Scanra'. Scanran leather was quite a common item to be traded as Scanra had massive farms stretching for many acres, some purely for cattle.
Some of the leather had already been worked into an assortment of shoes, bags, belts and other sturdy items. Kel knew that in the warehouse would be more hides of leather than hadn't been cut into items. It was this leather that would be exported up the river, ready to supply Galla's finest cobblers, bag-makers and even armouries (for leather scabbards and holsters).
Kel continued up the hill past the large stall of leather and past the stall selling pretty perfumes and stopped just beyond the next stall which held an assortment of fruits.
Kel wetted her dry lips, she caught sight of Alex; a dark shape moving swiftly among the crowds and knew it was time.
She turned to the stall, just in time to see the stall owner; a bearded Tyran, knock a small Yamani girl to the floor. Kel saw the iron collar around the girl's neck; she was a slave. A red-hot anger filled Kel; no one had the right to do that to a little girl.
Kel's fear was replaced by rage and in that moment she changed her plan somewhat. Instead of picking up a single mango and throwing it at the stall of leather, Kel bent down on the pretence of examining a piece of fruit and shoved the stall with all of her might.
For a moment Kel's arms strained and then with an almost impossible slowness the stall wobbled and then…Mangos, oranges, apples and peaches careered off of the stall as the wood went flying.
Kel dived under the second table and uprooted that too. It was chaos. Fruit was pouring down the hill, people screaming and as they dived out of the way. The initial flow had taken out the perfumery stall, sending glass bottles flying, and then it had cascaded onto the leather.
The Gallan howled in outrage as mango sludge drenched his fine leather. Two seconds after it happened, Kel grabbed the small Yamani girl off of the floor and sprinted away.
The stall-holder, seeming to awake from his frozen state saw her and cried out. In the chaos and melee that followed no one heard him. Hoping that Alex would have made good use of her daring diversion she continued to run.
The Yamani girl sobbed into her shoulder. Kel eventually stopped running, panting and set the small girl down.
'It's all right,' she told the small girl. The black-haired child blinked in surprise.
'You speak Yaman?'
'We haven't got much time, I have to go.'
'Don't leave me,' begged the girl, 'I can't go back, he'll kill me.'
Kel considered her options. There was absolutely no way she could take the girl into Scanra, but if she left the girl on Fraslund she would undoubtedly be sold again.
'Take me to the nearest charms-mistress.'
The girl nodded her eyes wide and pulled Kel further into the twisting maze of back-street Fraslund. They stopped after about ten minutes outside a grubby door, the paint peeling of a sign that read 'Charms available on request.'
Kel and the Yamani entered the dingy house, peering around at various unidentifiable charms.
'What do you want?' asked a reedy voice in Common.
'I need you to get the magic out of this girl's collar,' said Kel sharply in a commanding tone.
'If you have her enslavement papers and proof of purchase,' said the woman primly.
Kel took a step forward, anger blazing in her face, 'She is a girl not an object.' And reaching inside her shirt, opened the purse and drew out a handful of coins. 'Do it.'
The woman seemed to be taken aback by Kel's commanding presence.
'If the authorities found out, I'd be taken away for sure.'
'They won't find out, this girl will be off the island before nightfall with no one to trace her back to you.'
The mage looked longingly at the money on the table; it was more than she'd earned in the last two months put together. Then she looked at the Yamani girl's tear-stained face, shining with hope. She nodded once and beckoned the girl forward.
A look of concentration passed across her face and a blue glow surrounded the collar. Then it died.
'There is no more magic in that collar than in that kettle over there,' she said, releasing the small girl, 'Now be gone.'
And they left, Kel thanking the woman deeply. The mage watched them go and shivered. That brown-haired girl had shaken her more that she would've thought possible. If that girl hasn't got the hand of fate on her, then I'm a cod fish, she thought, shivering again.
Some people liked the excitement which lay round about those who are marked with Fate, but Mistress Guhn was not one of those people. Scooping up the coins from the table, she hid them in the pot underneath her bed, trying to forget about the look in the girl's hazel eyes.
Meanwhile Kel had used her new skills to pick the now un-magicked lock, releasing the girl once and for all. She then hid the collar out of sight, behind some piles of rubbish, where she would retrieve it later.
Scooping up the girl Kel began to run again, sprinting down to the Western harbour. She vaguely remembered the area where the Yamani ships were harboured, after a couple of wrong turns she finally managed to stumble into the right place, breathing heavily.
She cast her eyes about, frantically searching for a likely looking vessel. She spotted one, and forced her weary legs to carry her forward.
'Excuse me,' she called out in Yaman, 'is this ship ready to depart?'
An olive-face Yamani looked up, searching for the speaker. After a few seconds his eyes fell upon the Tortallan girl standing on the quay. He sprang lightly off of the ship and landed cat-like on the dockside.
'Who is asking?'
'My name is Lia and I ask if you can take this girl to the Emperor's Island.'
The Emperor's Island was the main island, where Kel had stayed with her family for six years.
'Not you?'
'No I must remain here, but I can pay a good price if you can ensure that she gets there safely.'
Kel then turned to the young girl.
'What is your name?'
'Natsu,' whispered the girl.
'Okay, Natsu, if you were dropped off on the Emperor's island could you find your way to the Mohirrim?'
Kel named the Mohirrim, or 'Temple town' as it was more commonly known. There were priestesses there who would look after the girl and bring her up either as a priestess or as a serving lady. Either way the small girl would have a future.
The girl nodded, her eyes, now dry were round.
'I'll have to ask Captain,' asked the sailor, his face as expressionless as Kel's.
Kel scooped up Natsu again and followed the sailor onboard. Inside the ship, the sailor led them to the Captain's cabin, where he knocked smartly on the wooden door.
'A…lady to see you Captain,' said the sailor with hesitation. He had been about to say girl, but decided that it would've sounded too strange.
Kel strode purposefully into the cabin.
'I'm inquiring as to whether I can by a passage for this girl to the Emperor's Island,' she stated firmly.
Had he been any other nationality, his eyebrows would have risen until they met his hairline, but being Yamani he simply stared back at Kel.
'You think you have enough money to pay for it?'
'I know I have enough money to pay for it,' said Kel, equally polite, drawing out her purse from inside her shirt.
At first, having seen her full purse, the Captain tried to fix her up with an extortionate price, but after some haggling Kel gave in and paid up, anxious to be away.
Just as Kel paid him the money two Yamani ladies entered the cabin.
'We will be away soon?' questioned the first.
'As soon as the cook returns from the market my ladies,' said the Captain bowing low.
Kel looked at the two ladies, one of whom seemed to be noble, the other an attendant.
'And who is this?' asked the noblewoman.
'I am Lia, milady. I have the honour of addressing?'
'This is Lady Haname noh Ajikuro,' announced the attendant, sniffing.
'Peace,' said Lady Haname to her attendant.
'I am honoured to stand in you presence,' said Kel, every inch a diplomat's daughter. 'I was just leaving, having arranged a passage for Natsu here.'
Kel knew it was a gamble, but it was one she took. Within two seconds she knew it had paid off, the Lady Haname, who looked to be only about eighteen, was absolutely taken with the small girl.
'And why are you arranging a passage back to the Isles for her? Surely a beggar girl can't afford such luxuries,' said the attendant haughtily.
'Natsu is an orphan and up until recently, a slave. I am sending her back to her homeland so she can seek help at the Mohirrim.'
'How simply awful!' exclaimed Lady Haname, 'And so young! Do not fear for your friend Lia, we will make sure that she is safe.'
Confident that Natsu would be fine, she gave the young girl one last hug and set her down on the floor.
'Luck be with you,' she whispered, a traditional Yamani goodbye.
'I won't forget what you did for me,' promised Natsu, 'never, not even when I'm old.'
Kel was touched by the solemnity of the girl's words and decided it was time to leave. She looked back only once to see Lady Haname noh Ajikuro fussing over Natsu.
Noh Ajikuro, thought Kel suddenly, where had she heard that name before? Then suddenly it struck her. The house of Ajikuro was one of the oldest Yamani noble houses, older even that the Emperor's. Kel's face split into a wide grin as she began to jog back to Shem's house.
I've just managed to secure a place for that poor slave girl working for the gentle Lady Haname in one of the oldest Yamani noble houses! She thought triumphantly, and grinning harder still at the thought of mango's still rolling around Southgate market, she made her way back through the twisting maze of streets to Shem's house.
It was mainly luck and a good sense of direction which allowed Kel to enter the cosy kitchen only twenty minutes later.
Alex was perching on the table, deep in conversation but as he heard Kel come in, he looked up. A smile flashed across his handsome features, halfway between deep amusement and despair.
Shem on the other hand roared with laughter.
'What a distraction and a half girl! By Mithros, they'll still be finding errant pieces of fruit for days to come! The Gallan only calmed down about half an hour after Alex had left the warehouse, we had plenty of time! Did anyone see you?'
'Only the stall-holder of the fruit stand, but there were too many people for him to give chase,' said Kel.
'I don't suppose you'd care to explain where you've been for the last hour and a half then?' asked Alex.
'I had some business to see to,' said Kel, staring stubbornly at Alex. 'The truth was I didn't mean to cause such a commotion in the market, but I saw the fruit vendor hitting his slave-'
Shem began to interrupt but Kel overrode him.
'She was about seven years old, kidnapped from the Yamani Isles, an orphan most probably. So I shoved the tables, in the commotion I grabbed the girl. I managed to find a mage to unbind the collar and as we speak the girl is sailing to a better life in the Yamani Isles.' She stared defiantly round at the three adults, as though daring them to question the use of the money she had been given.
When no such question came, she collected her sword from the corner and belted it resolutely on to her waist.
'When do we leave?' she asked Alex.
'Right away,' said Alex. 'The information we managed to find has indicated that Rokang will be the next Clan to fall and we must make haste. I have been absent too long.'
'May Mithros himself protect you Alex, for the service you do for this country,' said Shem, shaking Alex's hand firmly. Mistress Luhala offered similar sentiments, and both of them gave Kel and appraising nod and wishes for good fortune.
Together, both astride Prince, Alex and Kel set off into the darkening city. Within the hour, they were aboard a ship, sailing towards Port Canush. The port nearest Hamrkeng, the capital of Scanra.
…a massive beast, seven feet tall stood in the doorway. He had a bull's broad neck, large eyes and on top of his head were two broad horns. His nose almost resembled a human's but his jaws were large, slathering and his face wore an expression of undeniable triumph…
…the tauros let out a deafening bellow, and lurched forward…
…the sword was too heavy and her arms too weak. Her third swing was too slow and the beast lurched forward twisting the weapon from her grip in one fluid motion…
…she was jerked forward by the unexpected attack, and the beast second horn gouged her. Scarlet blood began to seep from the long wound which extended the full width of her chest, just below her collarbones…
…the force of the blow had tossed her clean off her feet. The ripped material of her dress around the wound was already stained red…
…it was upon her before she had time to think or scream for help, its huge mass bearing down on her. It ripped at her underskirts…
…Kel began to scream as it continued its merciless attack…
'Kel wake up!'
She was being shaken roughly by Alex. It was a dream, Kel thought as she forced herself to breathe deeply, only a dream… But it had been so realistic because what would've been horrific as a nightmare was even more hellish and lifelike as it was actually Kel's memory.
It wasn't the first time Alex had been awoken in the night by Kel's unearthly screams and he wondered what could possible scare her so, that Kel, the very embodiment of calm, courage and determination, screamed and whimpered like a child.
But then again, thought Alex, she is a child. And sometimes I lose sight of that fact.
He soothed and comforted her until her breathing returned to normal. But nevertheless Kel stood up, obviously not wanting to fall asleep again for a while and they stood together on the deck, feeling the salty breeze in their faces. Her face was unreadable, lost in her own thoughts Kel stood in silence and as much as he would've liked to, he couldn't do anything to help her. Alex reflected too, in silence, albeit about different things.
She thought of Neal, of Lucie, her family, all left far behind, of her life ahead…trying to banish all memories of that day from her mind.
He thought of how remarkable she was; battling on each day against something in her past that clearly terrified her. Of how she could be moved to such lengths just to help a child in need, though barely more than a child herself. He thought too of lost love, the family he no longer had and his possible future.
Above them, stars shone in the inky blackness of the infinite sky, as the ship sped onward towards Scanra and all that awaited them there.
(-a/n- Whoop! Long chapter!! Again I'm sorry about the delay but never mind, I hope you've enjoyed reading this long chapter :D Anyhow please leave a review and tell moi what you thought :D )
Also thankies to Citrusfruit for helping me to beta this chapter as I'm absolutely exhausted and couldn't face spell-checking all eleven pages of this size nine font, Microsoft word document :P
Confusedknight xxx