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Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
oh, wow...
I have a fetish for Lolz. We all know that. But, if I may say so.......
RECORD POST NUMBER!
As in, this is the first time I have posted nine times in the same day. The closest number to nine that pertains to the number of times I have posted is eight. WIN!
RECORD POST NUMBER!
As in, this is the first time I have posted nine times in the same day. The closest number to nine that pertains to the number of times I have posted is eight. WIN!
um. Idk what now.
So after the monumental event of a few minutes ago, I have nothing more to say at the moment. Okay, I do. I just do not know what it is. Yet. So please stand by while I think of something to say. Um... So I still can not find proper character shoes for the musical. Apparently there are a few websites that sell character shoes, but the trouble with buying shoes on the web is that I am a different size in a bunch of different places, so if I get a seven at one place I might be an eight at another, so I can not just say, Okay, give me a size eight, and then be done with it.
GAH!
GAH!
Another bit of the story!
Finally, I am FINALLY able to post another bit of the story that I have been working on. The Lord of the Rings one. And the best part about it is that it is in the actual ORDER it is supposed to be in. So it is not like an end or a random battle or anything like that. It is a pick up from where I left off on the blog, so many, many eons ago when dinosaurs ruled the Earth.
So here it is.
“Telsiel, don’t make me hurt you,” Shyasha warned.
“Try me,” Telsiel challenged.
“Your funeral,” Shyasha muttered. Telsiel began to throw a punch. In one smooth movement, Shyasha dodged the blow, grabbed Telsiel’s wrist, and flung him to the ground with impeccable ease.
Enraged by the ease at which Shyasha had pulled this maneuver, Telsiel attempted to sit up to get another blow in. Once again, he was foiled. Shyasha had sat on his stomach.
“Where’d you learn a move like that?” Telsiel wondered.
“Ranger training,” Shyasha said smugly. “They cover every kind of combat ever. You haven’t got a chance.”
“I’m still not handing it over,” Telsiel insisted.
“Then suffer the consequences,” Shyasha told him.
“What do you think you can pull on me?” Telsiel demanded. His middle was getting sore from Shyasha’s weight.
“I’m a ranger,” she reminded him, still not getting up. “I can pull off more than you think.”
“Will you get off?” Telsiel demanded.
“Absolutely not,” Shyasha said. “Until you hand the crystal over.”
“Which is never going to happen,” Telsiel told her.
“So, then,” Shyasha said. “We have a problem. You are not handing over the crystal, and I am not going to move until you do. Let me review your options, Telsiel. You could hand over the crystal of your own free will, at which point you will not get hurt. If you refuse to hand over the crystal, I will cause you a lot of pain in a variety of areas, at which point I will be able to take the crystal from the cord I see you’re wearing around your neck. If you still wish to fight, then I will oblige, but you will not win. It will be easier for both of us if you give over the crystal now, and let us both be done with the matter.”
“How do I know you won’t hurt me after I give you the crystal?” Telsiel asked.
“There is no guarantee of that,” Shyasha told him. “However, there is such a thing as a pact. If you promise not to hurt me after you give me the crystal, I will promise not to hurt you.”
“Agreed,” Telsiel said.
“Very good,” Shyasha said. “Now, give it over.”
“Will you get off me first?” Telsiel asked.
“No,” Shyasha said. “You need to give it over now. I can’t trust you not to run away with it.”
Reluctantly, Telsiel pulled the cord from around his neck. On the end dangled a small crystal. It was silvery sort of blue-green in color that somehow shimmered, even though there was barely any light in the torch lit corridor. It was in the shape of a small cone, no more than an inch and a half in length. The flat, broad end was sort of jagged, as if it had been unceremoniously knocked off of the rest of the whole.
Shyasha gazed at it, momentarily entranced by the crystal, but then, getting a hold of herself, reached out and grabbed the cord, tucking it down the front of her dress.
“Why are you putting it down there?” Telsiel asked, staring unabashedly at the place where the crystal had disappeared.
“It’s the only place you’re not allowed get at without creating a huge public scandal but is still easily accessible to me,” she replied. Telsiel looked confused. “You’re not allowed to have it back, dofus,” she told him scornfully. “I’m keeping it with me until the council tomorrow. And I’m locking my room, talking to Dalar about it, telling my dad about it, and informing the rest of everybody attending the council tomorrow before I’m going to bed tonight. You’ll be found out in an instant if you try to steal it back, so don’t even bother.”
Chapter 6
True to her word, Shyasha Rinkari did take the bit of the crystal that Telsiel had obtained to Dalar and her father. Telsiel waited with the others while Shyasha debated what to do with the wizard and her father. In the hour or so that Telsiel had been free of the crystal, the rest of the council had noticed a remarkable change in his demeanor. While he had had the crystal, he had been stoic at best; he seemed to be more willing to be open to talking to the rest of the council now. However, there was not much talk to be had, and not a lot of the council was willing to talk to him. Although everyone assured him that he didn’t know any better and anybody would have fallen for the trick, almost everyone in the small room off the dining hall regarded him as the traitor, with the exception of Faug, who was too tired to really care what was going on.
After a time, Shyasha, Dalar, and Akalu exited the dining hall to the room where the others were waiting.
“We have come to a decision,” Akalu said. “We are still holding council tomorrow, but it will be at dawn. Sleep well.”
The group dissipated after Akalu’s announcement. Shyasha went to her room to get out of that damned dress; Faug and Valin went to theirs, suddenly more tired than they had been before. Akalu and Dalar went back into the Great Hall to discuss things for the next day’s council. Shangru left a short while later, soon followed by Hyan and then Tiba. Illuri picked Liea up off of the stairs, where she had fallen asleep and disappeared down a different hall. Nobody spoke to Telsiel, either out of anger or out of tiredness, or maybe a bit of both. It was hard to tell at that hour.
That left Telsiel alone with Tayana. She didn’t look at him as she said, “Well, I can’t say you didn’t deserve what she did to you.”
Telsiel looked at her, confused.
“Tiba told me through Thought Speaking with Shya,” she said in explanation.
Telsiel didn’t say anything. He didn’t like it when people did Thought Speak-talking through thoughts-especially when it was about him. It was a very rare gift to be able to send thoughts and to hear what others were thinking at will. Tiba was the only being that Telsiel knew of who had the ability. She was so adept at it, and her friends were so used to hearing her voice popping into their heads, that one could have an entire conversation with Tiba without either party saying a word.
“Why did you do it, Telsiel?” Tayana inquired.
“Sonru can implant thoughts,” Telsiel said after a few moments. “Not like Tiba. He can plant thoughts into your head and you can’t fight it unless you have a very strong will. I guess that’s what he did to me, but it really depended on the crystal being there. Now it’s gone, I really don’t understand why I let him do it.”
“Interesting,” Tayana said slowly. “Well, I think you should tell Shya the whole story.”
“She wouldn’t listen,” Telsiel said at once.
“She’s very stubborn, yes,” Tayana conceded. “But she’s also very reasonable. If you talk sense to her, I’m sure she’ll treat you tolerably.”
“Are you sure?” Telsiel asked.
“She is my daughter,” Tayana insisted. “Of COURSE I’m sure.”
Although Telsiel didn’t want to say it aloud, he somehow didn’t think that Shyasha Rinkari would back down from her adamant dislike of him quite that easily.
With that, they said good night and parted.
**********************************************************
After Shyasha had gotten out of that stupid dress, she immediately pulled on her usual black attire and sat on the bed, closing her eyes.
Shyasha didn’t technically need to sleep, but the three nights straight of no rest could still affect her reaction time. Although in this state she could still react considerably fast, she hated not being able to react as fast as she normally could.
It was at times like these that she wished that Sparraben was with her.
Sparraben was Shyasha’s closest friend and mentor. Although she hadn’t seen him for long time, Sparraben was still the only person alive who could beat up Shyasha. Consequently, she was the only person alive who could manage to bruise Sparraben. That was saying something-Sparraben had a reputation as one of the best Rangers ever, and he was the one who had put Shyasha through her training.
Shyasha hated going around confused and mixed up as the next person, which was precisely why she needed Ben with her at that point. Shyasha was feeling very mixed up and confused, so she needed Ben’s calm, straightforward thinking to help her straighten herself out.
Slowly, Shyasha was able to work it out herself. She definitely didn’t like him. She had, therefore, to keep a façade of civility towards everyone, whether they were held in her esteem or not. Then they would all be able to get along reasonably well, theoretically. She had her doubts about Shangru. She didn’t know him personally, but dwarves were typically very argumentative. Shyasha would probably have to keep him and everyone else in line, but that wouldn’t be very hard.
Shyasha rose before everyone else that morning, although she had never really gone to sleep. She was fully aware that very few residents of the palace actually need the slumber, but every time she had tried to not go to her room until one in the morning, her parents would take her upstairs by force.
Now, however, she felt reasonably well rested, she took a walk to help her clear her head. She had always enjoyed going around at night.
Striding silently around the dark and deserted palace, Shyasha felt a sudden sense of foreboding. There was something in the lack of something that made her uneasy. Unease was not an emotion that Shyasha was often prone to experiencing, and as such, it was not one that she enjoyed very much.
Then Shyasha sensed, rather than heard, someone walking behind her. Quickening her pace, she slowed almost to a stop very suddenly near the end of the corridor. Shyasha smiled. She knew those footfalls. She had just pulled a classic trick-move very quickly, and then stop very quickly after a little while, before they realize what you have done. That way, you would have a few moments to hear the footfalls and learn whether or not someone was trying to trail you. Tonight, Shyasha knew that someone was trying to trail her.
However, it was not someone with malicious intent.
“What brings you to the Palace of Norasona in the wee hours of the morning, Sparraben of the Lianland?” Shyasha asked quietly of the person behind her, barely turning her head.
“For similar reasons as you were inclined to come, I presume,” a soft voice answered the query. “And I must say, you really had me just then. Don’t stop so fast. You’re not supposed to outsmart the person who taught you the trick.”
“Exception to the rule,” Shyasha grinned, turning and pulling a mock bow to her old friend.
Sparraben was a stocky but very strong elf. Although Shyasha was an inch taller than him, he was a lot broader, in a non-bulky sort of way. Frozen in his mid-thirties, Sparraben’s age was actually closer to ten thousand years old. His amber hair and lightly graying beard were tinted by the moonlight streaming in from the nearest window.
“So you’re coming too?” Shyasha inquired.
“Probably,” sparraben said. “I assume you are, of course.”
“It’s in my contract,” Shyasha said. “So yes, I am going.”
“Well, it’s lucky that Dalar got you this year,” Sparraben said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Shyasha demanded.
“You’re the best tracker in the world!” Sparraben told her. “You can split an arrow on a moving target at a hundred and fifty paces! Do you know how many people can do that?”
“No,” Shyasha said.
“Good,” Sparraben said. “Because I don’t either.” Shyasha raised one eyebrow.
“So why weren’t you there last night?” Shyasha asked him.
“I got held up,” Sparraben said bluntly.
Shyasha’s eyebrow went up again. “By what?” She inquired.
“Trolls,” he said briefly.
“Trolls?” Shyasha repeated, skeptical. “Since when have trolls ever been on this side of the border?”
“Since Sonru started working on the Crystal,” Sparraben said. “He’s gotten more powerful by the day, although it was a real blow when you got the Crystal off of Telsiel.”
“How did you know about that?” Shyasha demanded. “An entire day hasn’t even passed and the news has already spread through the entire country?”
“Seems like it,” Sparraben said.
“How did he know about it?” Shyasha demanded.
“He’s got tracking spells on all the pieces,” Sparraben told her. “It’s not stupid, mind you. But still. It’s a blow, all the same.”
“Do you know where the rest of the bits are, then?” Shyasha demanded.
“No,” Sparraben admitted.
“How did you know about the tracking spells on the crystal?” Shyasha asked.
“The trees told me,” Sparraben said.
“The trees told you?” Shyasha repeated, more skeptical than before. “Since when were you able to talk to the trees?”
“It’s a figure of speech, Shya,” Sparraben sighed.
“Really, then,” Shyasha persisted. “How did you find out?”
“I have eyes and ears inside Sonru’s fortress,” Sparraben told her in an undertone, as if he were afraid that someone in the deserted corridor where they were standing would hear them. “Obviously I can’t go myself. Sonru would know who I was in an instant, even with a disguise. But I know some dwarves, Shangru among them. Then knew what they were getting into when they decided to go with our Rebellion. So I decided that they could help us.”
“But how would they get word to you or Shangru?” Shyasha wondered.
“Dwarves have ways of communication that we don’t,” Sparraben said simply.
“Like Thought Speak?” Shyasha asked. “Or something else?”
“Sort of like that,” Sparraben said. “Dwarves are very good friends with the gem phoenixes.”
“Gem phoenixes?” Shyasha wondered. “I thought they were extinct.”
“They’re not,” Sparraben said. “And the dwarves know it. Since dwarves are always mining, they found the last gem phoenixes in one of the mines. Instead of killing them, as was custom about fifty years ago, the dwarves decided to create an alliance with the phoenixes. The phoenixes would deliver the dwarves’ messages, and the dwarves would feed the phoenixes and take care of them. The phoenixes have their own magic, so it wouldn’t make sense to give them protective amulets.”
“So you can communicate with the phoenixes?” Shyasha asked.
“Well, I can’t,” Sparraben admitted. “But Shangru can. That’s why he’s coming. Well, aside from the fact that he can fight really well.”
“Right,” Shyasha said slowly. To give herself something to do, she looked to the east, out of the window directly to her left. To her surprise, she saw the sun had begun to poke its head over the horizon. Dawn had come. It was time for the council.
“Come on, then,” Shyasha said to Sparraben, turning on her heel and marching down the hall with great purpose.
“Where are we going?” Sparraben asked. “The council’s not for another few hours, isn’t it?”
“It got moved,” Shyasha said. “To dawn. So let’s go.”
“Do you know where it is?” Sparraben asked.
Shyasha halted in her tracks. Sparraben, who had been following her, nearly walked into her.
“Good point,” Shyasha said. “Change of plans. We’re looking for Dalar.” She did an abrupt about-face and started marching along the hall in the opposite direction.
“Do you know where Dalar’s room is?” Sparraben wondered.
Again, Shyasha halted abruptly, but this time, Sparraben did walk into her. “Good point,” she repeated. “Change of plans. We’re going downstairs to the great hall. It’s probably going to be there anyway.”
“Do you know where the stairs are?” Sparraben asked.
“Do you have to ask so many questions?” Shyasha shot back.
“Do you have to be so irritated?” Sparraben wondered.
Shyasha rolled her eyes. “Whatever,” she muttered, and walked down the hall a little way more and took a sharp left.
“See, I know where the stairs are,” she snapped.
“Fine then,” Sparraben said.
If he hadn’t known that Shyasha had prodigious skill in the art of unarmed combat and that she was likely to hurt something if he said anything, Sparraben decided not to comment on her lack of control of her temper. It would only make her more mad, and that would likely result in another large bruise to some of his necessary parts.
In reality, Shyasha had not intended to get so mad. But when she was so low on energy as it was and when Sparraben was acting like such a little kid, she couldn’t help but lash out a bit. She also realized that she was quite hungry, which didn’t improve her mood in the slightest.
When they arrived in the great hall, Shyasha and Sparraben found that they were not the only ones who had woken early. Shangru was sitting slumped against the wall, his head nodding onto his chest. Tiba leaned against the wall opposite, staring at her feet as if she couldn’t really see them. Next to her was Hyan, the only one of the people already there who looked really awake. In the corner farthest from Shyasha, Faug was curled up with his back in the nook where the two walls met, apparently asleep. Valin was sitting next to his brother, his long legs drawn up to his chest, his eyes on his knees and his dark hair looking unkempt.
*Good morning* came Tiba’s voice in Shyasha’s head.
*Hi.* Shyasha was not really in the mood to talk.
*Faug is thinking about you,* Tiba said.
*Why is Faug thinking about me?* Shyasha demanded. *And why are you looking into a nine year old’s dreams?*
*That’s it,* Tiba though. *He’s dreaming about you.*
*Why are you looking into his dreams, though?*
*Because he’s the only kid who’s going to be at the council.*
*But why should that give you entitlement to look into his dreams?*
*All right, all right, calm down, girl!*
Shyasha rolled her eyes again.
*What’s with you?* Tiba demanded.
*Oh, let’s think,* Shyasha thought sarcastically. *I haven’t had a proper rest in three days. Then I find out that Telsiel is a total jerk, which is the news flash of the year (not.). I’m hungry and I really don’t feel like doing any of this right now, but I don’t have any choice. Then I find out that the same nine year old who has been bugging me nonstop for the past three days is having dreams about me. What does that say to you?*
*Oh, it’s not THOSE kinds of dreams,* Tiba insisted. *He’s dreaming that you’ve turned into a moose.*
*How would you know the moose is me, then?*
*Because he keeps trying to call the moose with your name.*
*Is the moose responding?*
*No.*
*Then how do you know that the moose is me? How do you know that the moose’s name isn’t something stupid?*
*True. Sorry, then.*
So here it is.
“Telsiel, don’t make me hurt you,” Shyasha warned.
“Try me,” Telsiel challenged.
“Your funeral,” Shyasha muttered. Telsiel began to throw a punch. In one smooth movement, Shyasha dodged the blow, grabbed Telsiel’s wrist, and flung him to the ground with impeccable ease.
Enraged by the ease at which Shyasha had pulled this maneuver, Telsiel attempted to sit up to get another blow in. Once again, he was foiled. Shyasha had sat on his stomach.
“Where’d you learn a move like that?” Telsiel wondered.
“Ranger training,” Shyasha said smugly. “They cover every kind of combat ever. You haven’t got a chance.”
“I’m still not handing it over,” Telsiel insisted.
“Then suffer the consequences,” Shyasha told him.
“What do you think you can pull on me?” Telsiel demanded. His middle was getting sore from Shyasha’s weight.
“I’m a ranger,” she reminded him, still not getting up. “I can pull off more than you think.”
“Will you get off?” Telsiel demanded.
“Absolutely not,” Shyasha said. “Until you hand the crystal over.”
“Which is never going to happen,” Telsiel told her.
“So, then,” Shyasha said. “We have a problem. You are not handing over the crystal, and I am not going to move until you do. Let me review your options, Telsiel. You could hand over the crystal of your own free will, at which point you will not get hurt. If you refuse to hand over the crystal, I will cause you a lot of pain in a variety of areas, at which point I will be able to take the crystal from the cord I see you’re wearing around your neck. If you still wish to fight, then I will oblige, but you will not win. It will be easier for both of us if you give over the crystal now, and let us both be done with the matter.”
“How do I know you won’t hurt me after I give you the crystal?” Telsiel asked.
“There is no guarantee of that,” Shyasha told him. “However, there is such a thing as a pact. If you promise not to hurt me after you give me the crystal, I will promise not to hurt you.”
“Agreed,” Telsiel said.
“Very good,” Shyasha said. “Now, give it over.”
“Will you get off me first?” Telsiel asked.
“No,” Shyasha said. “You need to give it over now. I can’t trust you not to run away with it.”
Reluctantly, Telsiel pulled the cord from around his neck. On the end dangled a small crystal. It was silvery sort of blue-green in color that somehow shimmered, even though there was barely any light in the torch lit corridor. It was in the shape of a small cone, no more than an inch and a half in length. The flat, broad end was sort of jagged, as if it had been unceremoniously knocked off of the rest of the whole.
Shyasha gazed at it, momentarily entranced by the crystal, but then, getting a hold of herself, reached out and grabbed the cord, tucking it down the front of her dress.
“Why are you putting it down there?” Telsiel asked, staring unabashedly at the place where the crystal had disappeared.
“It’s the only place you’re not allowed get at without creating a huge public scandal but is still easily accessible to me,” she replied. Telsiel looked confused. “You’re not allowed to have it back, dofus,” she told him scornfully. “I’m keeping it with me until the council tomorrow. And I’m locking my room, talking to Dalar about it, telling my dad about it, and informing the rest of everybody attending the council tomorrow before I’m going to bed tonight. You’ll be found out in an instant if you try to steal it back, so don’t even bother.”
Chapter 6
True to her word, Shyasha Rinkari did take the bit of the crystal that Telsiel had obtained to Dalar and her father. Telsiel waited with the others while Shyasha debated what to do with the wizard and her father. In the hour or so that Telsiel had been free of the crystal, the rest of the council had noticed a remarkable change in his demeanor. While he had had the crystal, he had been stoic at best; he seemed to be more willing to be open to talking to the rest of the council now. However, there was not much talk to be had, and not a lot of the council was willing to talk to him. Although everyone assured him that he didn’t know any better and anybody would have fallen for the trick, almost everyone in the small room off the dining hall regarded him as the traitor, with the exception of Faug, who was too tired to really care what was going on.
After a time, Shyasha, Dalar, and Akalu exited the dining hall to the room where the others were waiting.
“We have come to a decision,” Akalu said. “We are still holding council tomorrow, but it will be at dawn. Sleep well.”
The group dissipated after Akalu’s announcement. Shyasha went to her room to get out of that damned dress; Faug and Valin went to theirs, suddenly more tired than they had been before. Akalu and Dalar went back into the Great Hall to discuss things for the next day’s council. Shangru left a short while later, soon followed by Hyan and then Tiba. Illuri picked Liea up off of the stairs, where she had fallen asleep and disappeared down a different hall. Nobody spoke to Telsiel, either out of anger or out of tiredness, or maybe a bit of both. It was hard to tell at that hour.
That left Telsiel alone with Tayana. She didn’t look at him as she said, “Well, I can’t say you didn’t deserve what she did to you.”
Telsiel looked at her, confused.
“Tiba told me through Thought Speaking with Shya,” she said in explanation.
Telsiel didn’t say anything. He didn’t like it when people did Thought Speak-talking through thoughts-especially when it was about him. It was a very rare gift to be able to send thoughts and to hear what others were thinking at will. Tiba was the only being that Telsiel knew of who had the ability. She was so adept at it, and her friends were so used to hearing her voice popping into their heads, that one could have an entire conversation with Tiba without either party saying a word.
“Why did you do it, Telsiel?” Tayana inquired.
“Sonru can implant thoughts,” Telsiel said after a few moments. “Not like Tiba. He can plant thoughts into your head and you can’t fight it unless you have a very strong will. I guess that’s what he did to me, but it really depended on the crystal being there. Now it’s gone, I really don’t understand why I let him do it.”
“Interesting,” Tayana said slowly. “Well, I think you should tell Shya the whole story.”
“She wouldn’t listen,” Telsiel said at once.
“She’s very stubborn, yes,” Tayana conceded. “But she’s also very reasonable. If you talk sense to her, I’m sure she’ll treat you tolerably.”
“Are you sure?” Telsiel asked.
“She is my daughter,” Tayana insisted. “Of COURSE I’m sure.”
Although Telsiel didn’t want to say it aloud, he somehow didn’t think that Shyasha Rinkari would back down from her adamant dislike of him quite that easily.
With that, they said good night and parted.
**********************************************************
After Shyasha had gotten out of that stupid dress, she immediately pulled on her usual black attire and sat on the bed, closing her eyes.
Shyasha didn’t technically need to sleep, but the three nights straight of no rest could still affect her reaction time. Although in this state she could still react considerably fast, she hated not being able to react as fast as she normally could.
It was at times like these that she wished that Sparraben was with her.
Sparraben was Shyasha’s closest friend and mentor. Although she hadn’t seen him for long time, Sparraben was still the only person alive who could beat up Shyasha. Consequently, she was the only person alive who could manage to bruise Sparraben. That was saying something-Sparraben had a reputation as one of the best Rangers ever, and he was the one who had put Shyasha through her training.
Shyasha hated going around confused and mixed up as the next person, which was precisely why she needed Ben with her at that point. Shyasha was feeling very mixed up and confused, so she needed Ben’s calm, straightforward thinking to help her straighten herself out.
Slowly, Shyasha was able to work it out herself. She definitely didn’t like him. She had, therefore, to keep a façade of civility towards everyone, whether they were held in her esteem or not. Then they would all be able to get along reasonably well, theoretically. She had her doubts about Shangru. She didn’t know him personally, but dwarves were typically very argumentative. Shyasha would probably have to keep him and everyone else in line, but that wouldn’t be very hard.
Shyasha rose before everyone else that morning, although she had never really gone to sleep. She was fully aware that very few residents of the palace actually need the slumber, but every time she had tried to not go to her room until one in the morning, her parents would take her upstairs by force.
Now, however, she felt reasonably well rested, she took a walk to help her clear her head. She had always enjoyed going around at night.
Striding silently around the dark and deserted palace, Shyasha felt a sudden sense of foreboding. There was something in the lack of something that made her uneasy. Unease was not an emotion that Shyasha was often prone to experiencing, and as such, it was not one that she enjoyed very much.
Then Shyasha sensed, rather than heard, someone walking behind her. Quickening her pace, she slowed almost to a stop very suddenly near the end of the corridor. Shyasha smiled. She knew those footfalls. She had just pulled a classic trick-move very quickly, and then stop very quickly after a little while, before they realize what you have done. That way, you would have a few moments to hear the footfalls and learn whether or not someone was trying to trail you. Tonight, Shyasha knew that someone was trying to trail her.
However, it was not someone with malicious intent.
“What brings you to the Palace of Norasona in the wee hours of the morning, Sparraben of the Lianland?” Shyasha asked quietly of the person behind her, barely turning her head.
“For similar reasons as you were inclined to come, I presume,” a soft voice answered the query. “And I must say, you really had me just then. Don’t stop so fast. You’re not supposed to outsmart the person who taught you the trick.”
“Exception to the rule,” Shyasha grinned, turning and pulling a mock bow to her old friend.
Sparraben was a stocky but very strong elf. Although Shyasha was an inch taller than him, he was a lot broader, in a non-bulky sort of way. Frozen in his mid-thirties, Sparraben’s age was actually closer to ten thousand years old. His amber hair and lightly graying beard were tinted by the moonlight streaming in from the nearest window.
“So you’re coming too?” Shyasha inquired.
“Probably,” sparraben said. “I assume you are, of course.”
“It’s in my contract,” Shyasha said. “So yes, I am going.”
“Well, it’s lucky that Dalar got you this year,” Sparraben said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Shyasha demanded.
“You’re the best tracker in the world!” Sparraben told her. “You can split an arrow on a moving target at a hundred and fifty paces! Do you know how many people can do that?”
“No,” Shyasha said.
“Good,” Sparraben said. “Because I don’t either.” Shyasha raised one eyebrow.
“So why weren’t you there last night?” Shyasha asked him.
“I got held up,” Sparraben said bluntly.
Shyasha’s eyebrow went up again. “By what?” She inquired.
“Trolls,” he said briefly.
“Trolls?” Shyasha repeated, skeptical. “Since when have trolls ever been on this side of the border?”
“Since Sonru started working on the Crystal,” Sparraben said. “He’s gotten more powerful by the day, although it was a real blow when you got the Crystal off of Telsiel.”
“How did you know about that?” Shyasha demanded. “An entire day hasn’t even passed and the news has already spread through the entire country?”
“Seems like it,” Sparraben said.
“How did he know about it?” Shyasha demanded.
“He’s got tracking spells on all the pieces,” Sparraben told her. “It’s not stupid, mind you. But still. It’s a blow, all the same.”
“Do you know where the rest of the bits are, then?” Shyasha demanded.
“No,” Sparraben admitted.
“How did you know about the tracking spells on the crystal?” Shyasha asked.
“The trees told me,” Sparraben said.
“The trees told you?” Shyasha repeated, more skeptical than before. “Since when were you able to talk to the trees?”
“It’s a figure of speech, Shya,” Sparraben sighed.
“Really, then,” Shyasha persisted. “How did you find out?”
“I have eyes and ears inside Sonru’s fortress,” Sparraben told her in an undertone, as if he were afraid that someone in the deserted corridor where they were standing would hear them. “Obviously I can’t go myself. Sonru would know who I was in an instant, even with a disguise. But I know some dwarves, Shangru among them. Then knew what they were getting into when they decided to go with our Rebellion. So I decided that they could help us.”
“But how would they get word to you or Shangru?” Shyasha wondered.
“Dwarves have ways of communication that we don’t,” Sparraben said simply.
“Like Thought Speak?” Shyasha asked. “Or something else?”
“Sort of like that,” Sparraben said. “Dwarves are very good friends with the gem phoenixes.”
“Gem phoenixes?” Shyasha wondered. “I thought they were extinct.”
“They’re not,” Sparraben said. “And the dwarves know it. Since dwarves are always mining, they found the last gem phoenixes in one of the mines. Instead of killing them, as was custom about fifty years ago, the dwarves decided to create an alliance with the phoenixes. The phoenixes would deliver the dwarves’ messages, and the dwarves would feed the phoenixes and take care of them. The phoenixes have their own magic, so it wouldn’t make sense to give them protective amulets.”
“So you can communicate with the phoenixes?” Shyasha asked.
“Well, I can’t,” Sparraben admitted. “But Shangru can. That’s why he’s coming. Well, aside from the fact that he can fight really well.”
“Right,” Shyasha said slowly. To give herself something to do, she looked to the east, out of the window directly to her left. To her surprise, she saw the sun had begun to poke its head over the horizon. Dawn had come. It was time for the council.
“Come on, then,” Shyasha said to Sparraben, turning on her heel and marching down the hall with great purpose.
“Where are we going?” Sparraben asked. “The council’s not for another few hours, isn’t it?”
“It got moved,” Shyasha said. “To dawn. So let’s go.”
“Do you know where it is?” Sparraben asked.
Shyasha halted in her tracks. Sparraben, who had been following her, nearly walked into her.
“Good point,” Shyasha said. “Change of plans. We’re looking for Dalar.” She did an abrupt about-face and started marching along the hall in the opposite direction.
“Do you know where Dalar’s room is?” Sparraben wondered.
Again, Shyasha halted abruptly, but this time, Sparraben did walk into her. “Good point,” she repeated. “Change of plans. We’re going downstairs to the great hall. It’s probably going to be there anyway.”
“Do you know where the stairs are?” Sparraben asked.
“Do you have to ask so many questions?” Shyasha shot back.
“Do you have to be so irritated?” Sparraben wondered.
Shyasha rolled her eyes. “Whatever,” she muttered, and walked down the hall a little way more and took a sharp left.
“See, I know where the stairs are,” she snapped.
“Fine then,” Sparraben said.
If he hadn’t known that Shyasha had prodigious skill in the art of unarmed combat and that she was likely to hurt something if he said anything, Sparraben decided not to comment on her lack of control of her temper. It would only make her more mad, and that would likely result in another large bruise to some of his necessary parts.
In reality, Shyasha had not intended to get so mad. But when she was so low on energy as it was and when Sparraben was acting like such a little kid, she couldn’t help but lash out a bit. She also realized that she was quite hungry, which didn’t improve her mood in the slightest.
When they arrived in the great hall, Shyasha and Sparraben found that they were not the only ones who had woken early. Shangru was sitting slumped against the wall, his head nodding onto his chest. Tiba leaned against the wall opposite, staring at her feet as if she couldn’t really see them. Next to her was Hyan, the only one of the people already there who looked really awake. In the corner farthest from Shyasha, Faug was curled up with his back in the nook where the two walls met, apparently asleep. Valin was sitting next to his brother, his long legs drawn up to his chest, his eyes on his knees and his dark hair looking unkempt.
*Good morning* came Tiba’s voice in Shyasha’s head.
*Hi.* Shyasha was not really in the mood to talk.
*Faug is thinking about you,* Tiba said.
*Why is Faug thinking about me?* Shyasha demanded. *And why are you looking into a nine year old’s dreams?*
*That’s it,* Tiba though. *He’s dreaming about you.*
*Why are you looking into his dreams, though?*
*Because he’s the only kid who’s going to be at the council.*
*But why should that give you entitlement to look into his dreams?*
*All right, all right, calm down, girl!*
Shyasha rolled her eyes again.
*What’s with you?* Tiba demanded.
*Oh, let’s think,* Shyasha thought sarcastically. *I haven’t had a proper rest in three days. Then I find out that Telsiel is a total jerk, which is the news flash of the year (not.). I’m hungry and I really don’t feel like doing any of this right now, but I don’t have any choice. Then I find out that the same nine year old who has been bugging me nonstop for the past three days is having dreams about me. What does that say to you?*
*Oh, it’s not THOSE kinds of dreams,* Tiba insisted. *He’s dreaming that you’ve turned into a moose.*
*How would you know the moose is me, then?*
*Because he keeps trying to call the moose with your name.*
*Is the moose responding?*
*No.*
*Then how do you know that the moose is me? How do you know that the moose’s name isn’t something stupid?*
*True. Sorry, then.*
um...
Hello! I'm really bored right now so I'm blogging. I'm technically supposed to be doing my homework... shh... I'll do my homework in a minute...
Anyway, yesterday I had to go to a venture crew meeting and I got a copy of the bylaws because I'm awesome and I asked for one. Anyway, I was looking at them, and I realized how completely unaware I was about any of the bylaws. Like how you can only have an office for two years before you have to go run for something else. I didn't know that.
Anyway, moving on with life. I saw "Phantom of the Opera" on Saturday night. It was the most awesome thing ever, even though I'm not done watching it yet. I was watching with my dad, and he hates action and tension late at night, and it was like, "really, dad? You survived the sword fight in the graveyard. There are only like forty minutes left in the entire thing." But no. We HAD to turn it off and we HAD to not watch the rest of it last night. GRRR!!!
Anyway, in other news, I have rehearsal today. Wait, that's news? Since WHEN was that NEWS? That isn't news! Until the show closes, the fact that I DON'T have rehearsal is news. But it's choreography for "the Speed Test," which is one of the cooler songs in the show.
Anyway, I've got to go do that math homework. *wink wink* really, though. Going now.
Anyway, yesterday I had to go to a venture crew meeting and I got a copy of the bylaws because I'm awesome and I asked for one. Anyway, I was looking at them, and I realized how completely unaware I was about any of the bylaws. Like how you can only have an office for two years before you have to go run for something else. I didn't know that.
Anyway, moving on with life. I saw "Phantom of the Opera" on Saturday night. It was the most awesome thing ever, even though I'm not done watching it yet. I was watching with my dad, and he hates action and tension late at night, and it was like, "really, dad? You survived the sword fight in the graveyard. There are only like forty minutes left in the entire thing." But no. We HAD to turn it off and we HAD to not watch the rest of it last night. GRRR!!!
Anyway, in other news, I have rehearsal today. Wait, that's news? Since WHEN was that NEWS? That isn't news! Until the show closes, the fact that I DON'T have rehearsal is news. But it's choreography for "the Speed Test," which is one of the cooler songs in the show.
Anyway, I've got to go do that math homework. *wink wink* really, though. Going now.
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