Hey all, I do realize last chapter was a bit shorter than the others. For some reason when I got to that point of writing and hit the enter key I just felt it was a good stopping place rather than continue.
Lianne is one of Jon's kids that Pierce never really fully established. She's got brothers and sisters being arranged into all sorts of political marriages and she's only three years younger than Kel. I felt I should make her a touch prissy but having a rebellious streak as she's a middle child and wants attention. I am hoping in the future chapters when she appears again it will help her character out.
And of course there is the question of Romance. I labeled the story as Action/Adventure because I see it as such with a dash of romance rather than the other way around. There –will- be more but to what extent and how things turn out who knows just yet, I just don't want to make it centered around such and anything that does happen will be organic. I will not be gearing to write it in unless it flows into such things and just feels right. Pierce gave us Kel to feel empowered as young women and to be able to stand on our own two feet even when it seems the world stands against us, I really don't want to fully ruin that image by making Kel's character rely or become dependent on a man for success or happiness, if that makes any sense to you the readers.
Well, I do hope you enjoy this chapter, and as always please leave your thought and input bellow in the review box it does help shape future chapters and help with my writing!
Taking a slow deep breath Kel looked at the set of clothing that had been laid out for her and the other women that shared a tent with her. Back home, she would have never left the bathhouse in such attire, but here it was almost common place. Women were comfortable with their bodies, sexuality and connection to the goddess that they saw no need to cover it up. Kel turned once to look at Ashely that stood in the loose linen pants. The shirts seemed odd, a soft cotton shirt that was cut short to end just below the bust. However instead of buttons it had two very long thick ties. From what she could see you put it on backwards, the opening toward the back allowing one's shoulder bones and muscles to be seen then take the ties and wrap them back around front to tie under the bust. This showed off ever muscle and curve in the woman's body and even Kel had to agree that Ashely was growing into a very fine young woman.
Tightening her own straps she tried not to imagine how silly she must have looked before it started to dawn on her as she ran her hands down her stomach. She was no longer the 'cow' or as boxy as she imagined herself being but her stomach had tightened to where she could feel the muscles under them and her hips and bust held rather nice curve. She would never be small, but she surly was fit and perfect for her build. Taking one slow deep breath she stepped clear of the tent and started toward the large tent where they would be learning dance, archery had been simple as they had started to learn mounted combat and at least she had struck the mark though was still feet from the center. Keeping her mind on that she walked through the camp head held high to save her from her own embarrassment.
If these people were not embarrassed she would not let herself be. The more she kept her chin stubbornly raised the more she became aware of the other students and even maidens dressed in garb much like hers. Some she had never seen before had beads or feathers woven into their hair, beautiful jewelry carved from bones, corals, stone or even raw precious stones lay on their fingers, ears, wrists or neck. Some even wore heavy belts with tied tassels and shells that clicked when they moved, or tiny bells that drew the corner of her lip into a smile. The women here were just comfortable, most her size a few were smaller or larger but everyone was what they had always painted as the type of woman that became a knight of old. Each woman that offered her a slight bow of their head or a smile helped her build her confidence one drop at a time till she found herself standing before the huge brightly colored tent in which they were to learn to become the Maiden to balance out the warrior in them. A double sided sword she had heard people describe maidens and now she would understand why.
Inside the tent was a horse of a very different color. Musicians that seemed to be the very example of what one thought a pirate would look like were settled into the corner; several wore only pants while Victoria was already speaking to a few of the girls. Once Ashely had entered the tent flap was closed and the woman cleared her throat. Everyone settled down and took a seat while she motioned for a man to come forward. He wore only leather pants and was caramel in completion with black eyes. Had Kel not known any better she would say he was from the desert tribes of the Bazhir. His hair like most had been tied back and braided as it fell nearly to his waist.
"So, first off before anyone asks why we are learning to dance I want to give you a demonstration." She looked to the man before the music struck up. Instantly she was pulled into a cross between a waltz, tango, and volta though it appeared to be a seductive lovers dance. When they finished she held up a finger to silence them and tossed the man a blade while producing her own. Not even seconds later they entered the same dance only this time with weapons in hand the women could see it what it truly was, a blade dance. Every move perfectly executed, blocked or won. When they finally parted ways they sat down before the girls. "A dance is nothing more than a fight, sometimes with weapons some times without and sometimes the weapons are not made of steel but your own bodies. As you all know, when you take your vows a man will stand for you as your guardian. He can be challenged and these men will have to fight for the right to stand by your side as only the strongest can be the hand of the Maiden. During such event you must also have such a dance with him, a proof of merging your skills together to be an ultimate weapon. To think alike and be one unit."
"Do all maidens lay with their guardians?" A girl piped up as the woman raised her hand.
"No, in fact only a small percent build such a bond and become lovers. Remember, you still hold the right to choose if you wish to be Maiden or Mother despite your vows. We all become crones but you choose which you become before that step in your life, and who with. Your guardian is simply your other half, he is at times your sheath when you need such, or your very blade. More importantly with what is coming in time, I feel we will need to understand these dances more than ever. I cannot tell you more only that some of you may be chosen for a certain venture and who is chosen will be based on the skills in each field. From being a Maiden, to being a woman you will be chosen to represent Gaul as a whole." She rose then as she dusted herself off. Kel and Ashely couldn't help but exchange looks as they both knew what exactly was going on with that and almost greatfull the woman didn't say more. "Now, pick a partner and let's start with a simple waltz shall we?"
Fire, so much fire. She could feel its heat even outside the city walls. City walls, Kel questioned as she looked up at the gates of Corus. Was she dreaming, had her entire venture in Gaul been but a dream? Perhaps she had tumbled off the roof and was lost in a sleep while Neal hurried to heal her and bring her from her nightmares. She found herself walking; though not of her own control, down the streets she knew so well. The blazing buildings around her popped and hissed as roofs creaked or collapsed under the strain. She could hear the screaming first, the low pitched wail of animals reached her ears first as if veils were slowly being pulled away from her. Only then did the chorus of children followed by their parents pierce her very heart. She couldn't stop walking, she couldn't even turn to see where it was coming from it was nothing but pure pain and rage around her as she was forced to walk on though the misery. The closer she got to the castle the louder things became and she even started to recognize faces. Tobe lay by the stables; a pike must have ripped him apart as his innards were strewn about while blank blue eyes full of fear stared up at her. Horses littered the stable yard as they must have rushed out to Toby and Stephan's aid, though she still could not see the holster that she owed so much to. Raoul and Buri had died back to back slouching on the spear that had ran them threw and was now holding them up, that image alone made her stomach turn but she couldn't bring anything up. She saw Diane with arrows littering her body and not far off what she assumed was Numair as the figure was nothing more than a blackened mass she could barely distinguish as human. When she stopped at the palace steps she found her voice and could hear her own screaming echoing the area.
"Kel!" A startled voice rushed her as she spun around and found herself in Erik's arms as he tried to comfort her. "How…"
"What… what is this, how are you alive!" she wept and clung tight.
"I'm not, it's a dream or vision of sorts though you were the last person I thought I'd see." He moved to raise her chin and meet her gaze. In an instant he seemed to know every question that raced through her head as he held her tight once again. "We shaman's can see things, visions of sorts on a type of astral plain. Sometimes we can walk through it, sometimes we are just shown. But it means that anyone who is connected can tap into such. Baltasar is already inside, come." He didn't leave her any option but quickly pushed her past her friends and into the castle. Tapestries and furniture that once decorated the halls had been taken or burned up in the blaze, even the door to the throne room held huge scorch marks. Inside the room it was just as bad, everywhere she turned she recognized faces from her own family to the royal family, most had died fighting right down to even the babes that had been ran through. Baltasar was on he's knee's head in his hands as he seemed lost in prayer. Kel couldn't help herself as she ran to him and slit onto her knees. He spun at the noise and for the first time since she had met the strong north men did she feel for them, the man wept for a people that were not his own. Wept for the innocence of those who were slain while he remained powerless. She reached out and pulled him into an embrace that he willingly accepted.
"I thought if I helped…"
"The tables have shifted." A voice that echoed the room had both parties turning to look at a wolf that was walking toward them while a raven twisted and turned flying above it before landing on the edge of the burned throne.
"What…" Kel began to ask before Baltasar shook his head. The wolves were sacred to the people of Gaul, so this was either a god or some sort of help. The wolf itself was plush but sleek with a black and red coat though blue eyes pierced her very soul. When the wolf finally stopped it raised its muzzle and seemed to actually be frowning.
"The tables have shifted; the warlord has already set roots in Tortall. He pushes to wed the princess next fall, nine months before we arrive. His wife will give him a son, and we will march to see such destruction." The wolves jaw never moved but its eyes met their own as the words flowed over their mind and rang clear and true.
"Then we will leave, this coming spring!" Baltasar choked out before the wolf shook her head.
"Then we and the people of Tortall will parish. He no longer has his necromancer but he is not foreign to the dark arts. He is a master of deceit how else do you think he won his throne." The wolf was up and pacing then. "You are sending an ambassador or the like to learn of these people, someone who can get close to the Princess and sway her. She holds the key in the end."
"We can't place such faith on one woman!" Kel moved to argue as the wolf started to walk toward her.
"Why, we put faith in you. The woman who has tamed the heart of the Horned One. The woman who is helping to shape our Maiden, we put all our faith in you did we not." Kel opened her mouth to argue but could not. "When you take the oath, you will understand. Until then we must trust in this girl as our salvation."
"Who are you, you wander the plain not as a spirit, Keladry is the Maiden we seek out!" Erik called out as the wolf turned to walk away. When the raven lifted off of the throne the wolf just lowered her head as she looked to him.
"Our people have often forgotten our history, forgotten that which walked among them. We will answer when the call comes. As for the Maiden, Keladry will help her rise that is her role. She is her own spirit and soul." Was all she said before walking out and the vision started to grow fuzzy as whatever was holding them their started to fade. Kel soon found herself unable to breath and gasping for breath as she tried to look through the darkness.
"Kel, Kel!" Ashely cried out as she shook Kel who lay wide awake in bed but her eyes wouldn't focus on anything. Even Onna paced the tent whimpering nervously before ducking away as Frost and the Mother Matron entered the tent. "She's been like this nearly an hour, she just won't wake up!" Ashely was crying into Frost's arms as the Matron looked Kel over. The woman's hands slide down the side of Kel's face, almost flinching first at just how hot she was. Taking a deep breath she locked eyes with the distant knight and watched for any response as her hands moved to check her pulse and respiration.
"Brain fever?" Frost muttered as Ashely stiffened. In the cold north certain sickness's ran rampant though villages and cities unless there was shaman's and healers to root them. Brain fever was one of the worst as it spread like wild fire and hit just as hard and quick. Sometimes it would leave it's victims dead, other times an empty husk barely clinging to life. The Matron shook her head from side to side in response to Frost.
"She's not sweating." The matron explained before she noticed the slightest movement of Kel's pupils. She was in there and locked onto something no one else could see. "She's having a nightmare, but I've never…" She started to mutter before the tent flap opened and a man strolled in as if he were used to entering women's quarters. He did not speak as he sat beside the Matron and leaned over the lady knight. Frost went to protest but stopped herself as the Matron stood to watch what was unfolding. The man lifted and cradled Kel's head as he brought her to the crook of his neck and just held her in a embrace whispering to her as he did. Kel's breathing slowed down as her eyes slowly slid closed and wrapped her arms around the man.
There was something comforting about him, from his gentle deep voice to the way he smelled. Kel almost smiled at the familiar scents, on the surface he smelled crisp and clean like wind from the highest mountain while a touch of sea salt lay under that and even deeper he smelled like war. Metal, leather, forges, blood, ripped up soil, horse, fire, rage and fear each of these things she could place more and more as she held onto him and it slowly pulled her from her vision till she was awake and clinging to him as the only tie to the realm of the living.
"Shh, shhh your awake. You're safe." He whispered pulling away from as her hazel eyes raced to search him but only met the man's near black eyes. He had been the Bazhir looking man from earlier that day but now he just seemed even more out of place. She went to open her mouth before he placed a finger over it and offered her a glass of water. "You must not speak of such, words are power. If spoken it will come to be. I was sent with a gift when you crossed realms, you must do as she asks else she cannot help you."
"Who?" Kel started to question before he shook his head once more and placed something on her lap. She leaned over to put the glass down on the night stand before looking at the item he had left there. He did not wait but stood and left only stopping to bow his head to the matron. The leather bound journal was thick and burned with detailed knot work on its front and sides. Inside of it she found a beautiful raven's feather quill and a letter written in such elegant script at first she thought she was home in Tortall reading it.
'My dear Lady Knight, you cannot conquer and deal with this all on your own. Here in Gaul the spoken word is power as it cannot be taken back. Once it leaves one's lips there is no controlling it, however the written word can always be changed. Please accept this and write your account of everything, from when the king's guard first arrived in Tortall to current events. Unless we understand what you see, what you feel then we cannot prevent Tortall from ripping itself and then the known world apart. Blessed be.' She turned it back and forth for a signature before giving up and tucking the letter back in the journal only to meet the matron's gaze.
"Think you can sleep?"
"Sleep no, but at least I will have something to do till morning." She mumbled as her eyes fell back to the journal.
"IF you slip into slumber, sleep. Frost will handle you not being at classes." She bowed her head gently as Frost followed the matron out. Kel couldn't help but groan as she looked to Ashely who seemed panic stricken in her bed. Kel motioned toward her with her chin as Onna left her side and climbed into the young girl's cot.
"Get some sleep, I promise I'm fine. I'm just going to write a bit ok." Kel lied to her, she still wasn't fine her stomach was knotted and twisted and still in her throat from what she had seen. Ashely just offered a small smile before curling down and to bed with the young she wolf.
It was going to be a very long night indeed.