Hot and Alone

[taran]

Taran shot his head up as Aethelwyne spoke to him. A smile came to his lips. Pulling her to him, he gave her a soft kiss.
"Good morning my wife," he said softly as he put his arm around her shoulder, laying beside her in peace. "I slept beautifully, and how about you, my love?" Before she could answer, his vision flashed through his mind. The green forest, the dark cave, the evil woman, all flashed before him in a blink of the eye. A single tear fell from his eye as he remembered the feeling of the torture, the pain and anguish caused be the woman. He sat straight up in the tub, splashing water onto the floor.
"It can't be!" he shouted to no one in particular. "He has a daughter!"

[micaylah]

Aethelwyne watched shocked as Taran suddenly sat up with a start. "Taran what is it? Who has a daughter?"

[taran]

Taran took Aethelwyne's hand, placing it over his heart and his over hers.
"Watch, love," he said as he showed her the vision again, most notably the end. "Galbatorix has a daughter!"

[micaylah]

"Taran! Galbatorix doesn't have a daughter. Why would you think..." she paused remembering a time as told by coven historians, when Nashante was absent at length from the coven on special assignment for Galbatorix. "Of course! Nashante! She bore him an heir! Taran! That's it!" Her eyes took a slightly dark air about them. "If we capture Galbatorix's daughter, he would not dare move against us. If he has guarded her life this closely, then she is prized by him highly. He would do anything to get her back. Perhaps even swear in the ancient language to abandon this pursuit of us!" Excitement was building in her voice as she pondered all of the possible ways to get to the girl.

[taran]

Taran stood, the water dripping from his bare, muscular form. Stepping from the tub, Taran wrapped himself in a thick towel. As he leaned against the wall, lost in thought, the sun grew higher in the sky.
"I don't know, Aethe. It would be extremely dangerous. And," he said, putting emphasis on his words. "If she is truly the daughter of the King, himself powerful in magic, and Nashante, who is herself a worthy opponent, this girl would most likely be powerful herself. We must not be careless when dealing with her."

[micaylah]

Aethelwyne lay back in the tub for a moment. Her mind blazed as she played out different scenarios in her head. Reaching out to Elianora and Salian she touched their minds briefly. 'Elianora, Salian can you get to the castle in Uru'baen? I need information on the woman with the dark brown hair and brown eyes. She has a tatto of a black dragon on her left upper arm. I need to know schedules of the castle, comings and goings, in particularly this girls schedule. I have left two bags of gold pieces in the hollow of the tree outside the inn. It is cloaked with magic but you will see it. What say you? Will you take the assignment?"


She turned her attention back to Taran who was still thinking. "Yes darling. You are right. We must think this through." She stood and stepped from the tub. Looking around the washroom for a towel, she couldn't see one. Walking toward Taran she grasped the edge of the towel and pulled it from him, smiling she looked over her shoulder. "Thank you darling."

She dressed in her attack clothes, the black leather short pants, camisole and thigh high boots. She lovingly unpacked the weapons and loaded them into the compartments in her clothing. Strapping the sheath onto her back, she sheathed her sword. Stepping in front of the mirror, she twisted her hair into a long braid. Securing a couple loops of it on her head, she reached into her sachel and pulled out something special. She unrolled the package revealing four ornately decorated hair spikes. The tips were sharp as the blade of her sword. Picking up a stoppered vial, she took off the cork and dipped each of the hair spikes into it. Allowing the tips to dry, she secured the smaller leather pouch into the loops of braid she had made on her head. Carefully, she placed the tip of the poisoned spikes through the loops, securing them in the small leather pouch. She replaced the vial and gathered her things.

"Love, I don't mean to worry you but the coven will soon be approaching. I heard the blackbirds carrying the message on the wind. They circle the city as we speak." She gazed at him with a playfully, twisted smile on her lips as the darkness once again drifted slowly across her eyes. "Well? I suggest you get dressed unless you prefer to take on the assassin's coven skyclad!" she laughed softly as she waited for him to don his armor.

[Trinn]

Galbatorix stared at Nashante, incredulous. Her urgent news is that the wench is pregnant? Truthfully, he found the information boring, hardly important. The only significance of the pregancy was that maybe, just maybe, it was what had caused Aethelwyne's inhanced power. He couldn't keep the boredom off his face. "Yes, well, maybe that does have something to do with it. I really don't think this particular bit of information is really that urgent." He rolled his eyes. As he began to look at Kalri, a sudden thought sprang forth. Twins, destiny, power. Aethelwyne and her kin. Twins, destny, power... Aethelwyne and her unborn twins! Springing to his feet, Galbatorix stalked towards Nashante.

"I take that back. This is urgent news indeed!" He stopped a few paced back from the siethr. "Could this mean, Nashante, that your renegade siethr's twins might be the twins in your prophecy. Could it be that you are WRONG!" In an effort to get his building rage under control, Galbatorix clenched and unclenched his hands.

[micaylah]

Nashante, even though in ethereal form, gave a slight shudder at the King's rage. "My Lord, prophecy, visions, they are not an exact science. Who would know that fate would set Aethelwyne on the same path as her mother? It is possible that these could be the twins foretold." Hesitantly she awaited his answer as Kalri delighted in her discomfort. 'Insolent child.'

[Trinn]

With narrowed eyes, Galbatorix crossed his arms. He considered Nashante's words. Perhaps Aethelwyne's pregnancy was just a coincidence. Perhaps a fluke? At the thought, he calmed down considerably. "Yes, that is true." Sighing, he uncrossed his arms and walked back to Kalri. "Allright, Nashante, you have slipped out of trouble once more. I agree with your words. The future can never be set in stone." For a moment, his cold, dead heart flinched in pain, old, remembered pain. Through the madness of his mind, a dragon, different from Shruikan, crashed into his mind. The picture nearly sent him to his knees, it was so unexpected. Acting quickly, he grabbed Kalri's shoulder to keep him on his feet, then sat down heavily on his throne. "Go, Nashante. This ordeal tires me greatly." he lied. He hated showing any sort of weakness.

[micaylah]

Kalri felt her father, his brief pain. Sneering at her mother she spoke with venom in her voice. “If you would have taken care of the problem in the first place all those years ago then none of this would be of consequence!” Nashante, infuriated by her daughters insolence attempted to admonish her. “Kalri! I am your mother and High Priestess of the Seithrs Coven of Assassins. I will not be spoken to in such a tone by anyone, especially my own daughter!”

‘How dare she speak to me this way!’ Kalri’s temper flared. The black mist snaked up her arms, swirling slowly around her chest and rising to her neck. Unable to control her building rage, she loosed the black lightening blast at Nashante’s ethereal form. The bolt sailed through the mist of Nashante’s form, striking a chair near the door, obliterating it and leaving the marble floor and wall scorched and smoking. “Aye Mother! And don’t you forget that I am also Seithr born. If you are not careful, perhaps it is I, who will invoke my right to Seithrs Wyrda challenging your right to rule!” The fire danced in the darkness of Kalri’s eyes. Nashante, taken back, stood speechless. ‘Aethelwyne poses a threat but not as great a threat as Kalri with all her years at the knee of Galbatorix. He has no doubt versed her well in the dark arts.’ She eyed her daughter with disdain, but said nothing to her. Slowly, she faded from view.

[Trinn]

As Galbatorix tried to regain his composure, he only briefly took in Kalri's actions. The picture of the young dragon kept resurging. The sudden sound of sizzling lightning cut through the air, and it seemed that was what was needed to bring the crazy king out of his stupor. Shoving the mental image back into the depths of his mind, he focused his glassy eyes on Kalri. What was the girl doing!?

"Kalri! Restrain yourself!" With an effort, he got to his feet and approached his enraged daughter. Nashante was already gone. He felt no guilt that the witch leader had no motherly connection with her own daughter. He didn't care at all. He took Kalri's shoulder in a firm grip. "You must always keep your power within your grasp. And, although I despise saying this, Nashante is your mother." He winced, hating to say it aloud. "And as such, you will control yourself around her. You will show her some level of respect." He gazed at his daughter sternly. After a moment, he let a small smile soften the expression. "Although I will admit, she can be murderously annoying!"

[micaylah]

Kalri fumed with rage at her mother but at her father's touch and words, she let the rage go...mostly. "If it is your wish Father, then I will obey, but only because you ask it of me." A small evil smile spread over her lips as she heard her father say Nashante was murderously annoying. The thoughts stirred loudly in her mind. "Father. Why can't I challenge her? If I got to her first, Aethelwyne's claim would be nullified. There would be no chance for the coven to fall from your control." She looked sweetly, with an innocence and slight madness upon her face. "I know I can take her!" She let the mist of the dark magic snake through her fingers, then releasing her hold, it slowly faded. She did this several times, waiting for Galbatorix to think upon her question. Looking at him with such sweetness and devotion, for the daughter of a twisted, insane King, she spoke with a longing in her voice. "It has been awhile since I've had any real fun. I'm grow tired of being hidden away, though I do understand your reasons. I need somebody to play with." Drawing a heavy sigh, she gently placed a hand atop his, still firmly gripping her shoulder.

[wiana]

Salian woke with a start as the message entered his head. In a different part of his mind, Torlynden growled with excitement. Take the assignment. I wish to know what the inside of a witch looks like, he said, terrible glee in his voice. Salian shivered, from cold or fear he could not tell. I might, but not to please your evil ways. Torlynden laughed, and withdrew back into his own, twisted mind.

Elianora watched Salian's hard to read face with caution. He noticed her gaze and nodded in answer to her silent question. They stood together, her from the bed and him from the wall where he'd fallen asleep the night before. Dark circles ran under his eyes, but he seemed strong enough. "We will need to eat before we leave," Elianora said.

Nodding, Salian picked up his shield and spear, putting them onto his back. "We?" he asked, looking Nora up and down. "I am sorry, but I do not think that a young woman as yourself should be going anywhere near that place."

Smiling, tightly, Elianora retrieved her small shoulder bag and her quiver. "Do not pamper me, human. I may seem sixteen, but I am over three centuries old."

Salian flushed. "Oh. Sorry."

Rolling her eyes and stepping to the door, she said, "Come. Let us be off. We will gather food before we go and then we shall fly the way that I do."

Salian followed her out the door, muttering to himself. If I didn't know any better, Torlyn thought maliciously. I would say that you have started to develop feelings for this girl.

Shut up, Sal snapped back, closing the connection.

[taran]

Taran smiled as Aethelwyne took his towel, leaving his body bare. Walking calmly to the bed, he sat and pulled his bag from the floor. Taking his armor and weapons from his bag, Taran inspected the shining silver and teal chain mail armor for any defect, though there would be none for its elven make. Standing, he pulled the leather and cloth shirt and breaches, stretching to loosen the stiff material. After he was satisfied with the condition of the close body protection, he pulled on the chain mail and steal plate combination armor. Covering his forearm and shins, chest and back, upper arm and thighs, thin plates of steal offered greater protection without restricting movement. At the joints, or any location where movement occurred, chain mail protected his skin. Strapping his sword around his waist, Taran presented himself to Aethelwyne. Standing at full height, he was a terrifying figure, capable of swift death and movements, a bringer of silence and peace, death and terror.
"How is this, my love?" he asked, a playful tone in his voice. "Or would you prefer the previous attire?"

[micaylah]

"To be quite honest my love, I much prefer the other!" She smiled looking at him with a fire burning in her eyes for the upcoming battle just outside the door. She walked over to him and kissed him passionately. As she broke the kiss she looked him over. The warmth within her growing. The sight of him in his battle attire took her breath. Her heart quickened as they prepared to face the coven.