[Amanaduial the archer]

Amanaduial's post

Fionel felt the sunlight playing lightly on her eyelids, and the sensation seemed so pure and beautiful. Yet she did not yet open her eyes, but struggled up slightly…and the pain hit her. Pain seared through her arm, and, gasping, she opened her eyes. She heard another gasp, not her own this time, and then an exclamation.

“She wakes!”

“Yes, Tenzin, as I told you she would.” The older voice was rather more sober, although there was a smile in it. Fionel’s eyes adjusted, and as she fully regained consciousness, she coughed a few times, leaning over to one side as she felt something come up from in her throat. A concerned arm was placed around her, and she turned, wiping her mouth. Tenzin smiled down at her and quickly kissed her on the forehead, then blushed and regained his composure, allowing her to prop herself up on one elbow. Fionel was so surprised that she didn’t even notice the red on her hand where she had wiped it, and didn’t immediately notice that her arm was indeed less painful than before, although it still burned quietly. She simply stared at Tenzin, who blushed again and, in a rather uncharacteristic manner, began trying to 'explain himself' with haste.

"Forgive me, I was simply worried, I shouldn't have done it, silly of me-"

Fionel smiled, shaking her head, and he stopped. Leaning forward, she kissed him very lightly...on the cheek. She was still cautious of any easterling, but this young man...

As she leant forward, Fionel felt something swing from her chest then back again, something small and relatively light. Her left hand came up to it and she looked at it, surprised, before turning her eyes back up to Tenzin. "I gave this back to you."

He smiled. "And I didn't take it."

"But its-"

"Its a gift from me." He finished firmly. She returned the smile, then tried to get to her feet, only to be hindered by her arm as she leant on it, collapsing beneath her. She breathed in sharply, her breath hissing through her teeth, then got up more carefully. Rhunnaro tsked in an almost matronly manner from where he stood nearby, watching everything.

"Careful with that- the dressing is new, and is only held on with some of Lanbriel's leaves." He gave a satisfied nod though as he came and examined it carefully and gently. "It will suffice though."

As he stood back, Fionel saw in his expression the half smile she had heard in his voice when her eyes were still closed. She returned it rather shakily, as her arm was still aching, but more strongly than she may have done before, for she was supported by Tenzin, his arm around her shoulders so she did not fall, for she was weaker after being unconscious. But his support suddenly seemed to go much deeper than it had before, and she felt warm inside. He had kissed her...

Such thoughts were more quickly dispelled though when she saw, lying on the ground, a pair of bodies, all too painfully familiar. One was Haven. The young nursemaid was already dead- she couldn't have survived the wound. Fionel remembered the scene, Shivana's laughter still ringing in her ears as Haven fell to the ground. She looked to the side, closing her eyes for a moment, trying to dispell the image, then looked back. Doranna still knelt by the girl, her eyes shining with tears, and Fionel guessed that it was her who had closed Haven's eyes, and cleaned the blood from around her mouth. Those last few moments in which Haven had still been on This Side came back to Fionel, her last words.

"Good luck, Fionel!"

Fionel smiled and knelt on one knee before the dead girl, raising a hand to her lips and gently kissing the forefinger, a sign of respect and admiration, and sorrow. She thought of when she had first seen the girl, in the audience at the Selection, a pair of smiling, cheeky faced children on her lap and pulling at her skirt hem, and her flustered, but happy, face as she tried to sort them into some sort of order. As Fionel looked at Haven's face once more, eyes closed and peaceful face free of blood, she knew that she had indeed gone back to Jamilah and Jovanna; but she would have made a wonderful mother. Another wasted life.

As Fionel identified the second body, her eyes widened in shock. Moving swiftly to her side and gently she pushed a strand of hair from the girl's face, she realised to her horror that she had been right- it was Desolyn. Such a fiery spirit killed...but there was indeed still hope. In the slight wind which blew across the plains, a broken strand of dry, brown grass, more like hay, blew onto Desolyn's face, just below her nose. Fionel was about to brush it off, when it was blown off by another, fainter wind, and in another direction. Fionel was startled for a moment at the wind's apparent change in direction so fast, then smiled in realisation- Desolyn breathed still, however faintly. But Fionel was no fool- Desolyn's chest had been covered by Rhunnaro's cloak, and Fionel could guess how bad her wounds were. She had taken down Dorlas, but had by no means come out unscathed.

Desolyn's breathing became slightly irregular for a moment, and she gave a small half cough, but did not open her eyes. Fionel moved closer, and as Desolyn coughed again, she turned her head gently to one side so the latter could cough more freely. As she did so, a thin trickle of blood escaped Desolyn's lips, and Fionel knew that she was going. She opened her eyes, but only very slightly, so all Fionel could see was a thin, shining slit.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Brinniel's post

As she returned to consciousness, Desolyn could feel reality hit her. Pain swarmed throughout her body, like a parasite feasting on her. Every breath she took was a struggle to hang onto life a moment longer.
Choking on her own saliva, Des gave a small cough. She tasted blood. As she coughed again, she could feel another turn her head to the side. In response, Desolyn allowed a small trickle of blood to escape her mouth. She then opened her eyes very slightly only to find Fionel at her side.

“Fionel,” she said softly. “You are still alive.”
“So are you,” Fionel responded, giving a small smile.
“Only barely,” Des whispered, coughing again. “Is it over then?”
“Yes,” Fionel nodded. “We have defeated them.”
“No more fighting?”
“No more fighting.”
“Good. Then it was worth my efforts.” In an attempt to ignore her pain, Desolyn closed her eyes, feeling the wind blow across her face. She then opened them again, her vision blurred from the tears that had begun to form. “I wish I didn’t have to die,” the girl spoke, her voice barely audible.
“Don’t say that, Des,” Fionel pleaded. “You can’t give up on life, yet. You are free now. There’s still a chance you could-“
“If the wounds don’t take me, the fever that will come will,” Desolyn interrupted. “It is too late for me. I cannot be saved.”
“But you are free,” Fionel repeated.
“Sometimes freedom has its price,” Des gave a rueful smile. “And I have paid.” The girl paused before continuing. “There was never much in store for me, anyways. I was born as a slave, and therefore I was meant to be a slave. I only wish I could’ve seen the lands beyond the Shadow Mountains. And perhaps visit the place my mother was from. Edoras, I think it is called. It is in Rohan, I know.”

Desolyn could see the other girl smile, her eyes wet as she tried to hold back tears. Des then shuddered, grimacing as pain lanced through her body once more. Fionel’s smile faded.
“It hurts so much,” Desolyn whispered. Fionel took her hand and held it gently.

Slowly, Desolyn turned back her head and gazed into the sky, absorbing the brightness of it. For so long she had hated the sun, having to work under the heat of it day by day. But now, as she absorbed its warmth, Des adored the sun like no other. Giving one last smile, Desolyn let out a sigh and all feeling left her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Amanaduial's post

Desolyn tried to smile again, then sighed deeply, the rest of the breath left in her going out at once, and with its breeze extinguishing the flame of her life and as she went, a proper, peaceful expression was left on Desolyn's usually so fierce face. The tear which Fionel had been holding back for Desolyn's sake overflowed now, and she held back a sob. Tenzin's strong arm encircled her shoulder once more, and she put up her hand to link with her fingers which lay over her shoulder. Lanbriel, who had also been suppressing a sob, let it out, and Doranna, now kneeling beside her, squeezed her shoulders comfortingly.

Fionel stood, feeling suddenly purposeful. Tenzin withdrew his arm from her shoulders, and she looked at him, her face devoid of emotion. "Where is he?"

"Who?"

"Ekatran, dammit! Where is he? You said he was not dead, so tell me where he is." Her voice was angrier now. Tenzin stood in front of her, trying to calm her down.

"Fionel, don't. Rhunnaro, spared his life, so leave him be-"

"He. Killed. Her." Fionel said each word individually, emphasising them. "I. Will kill. Him."

She stepped around Tenzin, moving faster now; as she had turned she had seen where two figures sat, bound and gagged, away from the camp, but both struggling, awake. Fionel picked up speed now, beginning to run, as she did, snatching her sword from where it lay on Tenzin's pack where he had placed it, making towards the figures, the rage now showing on her face. The weakness which had been over her before was nothing now, or she seemed to have put it to one side, ignoring it. This she would do. He would pay for what his easterlings had done...

Just a few feet from Ekatran now, who was sideways on to her, she could see the fear in his eyes. He wasn't big and almighty now, lording over them, playing his little games and organising the Hunts. He was helpless now, at her mercy. The ruthless streak which had been glimpsed when Fionel was with Ranchard was no longer just a glimmer, it was coming right to the surface now. She raised her blade high with both hands and, gritting her teeth, began to bring it down-

-befor her hand was stayed.

Tenzin's strong, muscled right hand clutched her left one, and his touch ignited once more the burning which had been there before, from Shivana's blades. With a yelp, Fionel dropped the sword and it fell with a clang but an inch away from Ekatran's feet. Rhunnaro had also appeared behind her, and the other slaves were also gathering, surprised at Fionel's swift, mad anger. The slave girl was breathing deeply and, slowly, she turned to face them. The beast inside her was under control now, and she would not let it resurface, but her anger was still real, and her sorrow. She took another deep breath, before addressing them all, her voice calm, but not without a little venom.

"What is it that we do with them now?"

[ June 21, 2003: Message edited by: piosenniel ]