Swanheart

Chapter Fifteen

Battle Plans

"Victory will be mine. Not long now and the whole of Yuron will be in my hands. I was denied once, now, see what I have accomplished." Nobody aside himself heard the words he whispered gleefully in his chambers, confiding his deepest desires to the dark of the night. The last candle had just gone out, a thin trail of smoke wafting away from the wick.

Leaning back in his chair, he put his feet on the table. Tiny stones, sands and dirt fell off the soles of his boots, leaving small spots behind on the map that was spread out in front of him. He had spent most of the day at the plateau, unlocking and discovering the magic of Urdgard's jewel. The power that the fire gem offered pleased him immensely. Together with the other pieces, it was a force to be reckoned with. He felt truly invincible.

Grinning in satisfaction behind the demon mask, which covered his face, the dark wizard turned his thoughts to the next step he would undertake. "Livos," he purred. "Earth, stone and fire, should be enough to take on the country of metal. And from there I will go for Slidur, and last, but not least, somebody is waiting for me at Chitaan." Chuckling, he took off the helmet. He had grown very fond of it and didn't like revealing his features, but for now it was safe to do so. No one would be able to see his face in the pitch black of his chambers, even if an unfortunate soldier were to bother him right this instant. He placed it on his lap, one hand resting on top, fingers curled around one of the horns. Reaching for a goblet of wine, which he knew stood on the table he guided it to his lips.

"Don't forget, there is still one stone missing," the voice hissed loud and clear.

He jerked slightly, taken by surprise at the sudden and unexpected appearance of the voice in his mind. Curling his lips in disgust, he sat the goblet down without taking a sip. "I know," he snarled, not liking to be reminded of his one big failure. The gemstone of Ashkyhra still had not been discovered and it enraged him greatly that he was unable to get the information out of Tyrel. Sitting up straight, he reached into a small bag that hung from his sword belt, producing the three sacred jewels, which he held in his possession. The golden one of Pavan, the gray one of Kentaara, and the red one of Urdgard, all glowed and pulsed from an inner light as he placed them on the table in front of him. They illuminated parts of the map, but dimmed considerately as soon as his fingers came close to them.

"Three out of seven, I am proud of you, but still it is not enough. To be the ultimate ruler, to have the ultimate power, to have people recognize you as their savior, to make them see that you are the 'Deliverer of Peace', you will have to gain every piece of Asram's Stone of Creation."

"I know that," the masked sorcerer grumbled under his breath, his eyes fixed on the gems. Had there been a mocking tone as well? He wasn't sure, but he thought he could detect obvious traces of impatience in the voice that spoke to him and something else. "It will be done. The stubborn brat knows where it is," he said, referring to Ashkyhra's prince. "It is only a matter of time now until he breaks and tells me."

Hoarse laughter rang out, mocking him further and he grinded his teeth in frustration.

"Time is about to run out. Months have gone by. The season has changed. The constellation will be upon us soon…"

"I SAID IT WILL BE DONE," he roared, angry at being pushed, his temper getting the better of him. Then his expression turned to pure agony at the piercing pain that shot white hot through his head. His hands flew up to hold his temples and he clenched his teeth to keep from whimpering like a little child.

"You do not order me around! Where would you be without me?! You would still be nothing, having nothing, ruling nothing and whining all day about the unfairness of the fate you were dealt! You called for me to help you! I answered! You are great and powerful only because of me!"

"I am sorry," he sobbed, squeezing his eyes shut. "Stop, please stop, I beg you!" The waves of pain ceased immediately and shuddering, he lowered his head to the table. A tear of relief trickled from the corner of his eye. He quickly wiped it away, regaining his composure.

"I need to bring another matter to your attention since you seem to forget."

"What?" The masked sorcerer rose and with the snap of his fingers lit several torches and candles around the room. Suddenly the complete darkness didn't hold as much appeal as it used to do. Though it would not help to defend himself from the mood of the voice's keeper, because he could not see it, it did make him feel a little bit better.

"Burak."

The one word he had come to despise. Such a promising soldier he had been and the first one he had taken under his control. Strong and ruthless, obeying and loyal, the perfect General for his army he had been after the dark magic had seduced him. But lately Burak was turning more and more into a nuisance. For some reason the mind-controlling spell did not work anymore, even though he had performed it again and enhanced it.

"He is questioning you," the voice whispered ardently. "He doubts you and your ways. The men are beginning to notice it as well. Get rid of him before it is too late. He might start taking over. He might want to take control and try to overthrow you. Watch his every step. Be wary of every move he makes. Heed my words of warning. He is planning something."

The masked sorcerer's gloved fist came down hard on the table, breaking it. The wood cracked and splintered. The goblet fell over, spilling wine all over the map, soiling it before it all came crashing down to the floor in a heap. "He wouldn't dare," the dark wizard said confidently.

"Can you be so sure of that? 'Like father, like son', that is the saying, isn't it? Can you tell what will happen as soon as he discovers that he is a magic-wielder? You have to get rid of him as long as you can still control him and now you have a battle to prepare and plans to make. Get going!" The voice faded away, leaving him alone with his unpleasant thoughts.

Staring hard at the remnants of the table, he clutched the helmet to his chest. "Burak, would you really try to overthrow me?"

*****

"I don't know, I don't think it's a good idea," Leigh said, glancing around. The whole forest gave her an eerie feeling that she just couldn't explain. "We should stay on the route that Loredane told us."

It had been two days since they had left Ilumera and were on their way to Chitaan. Saying goodbye to King Mandylor and the other Elves had been hard and they would sorely miss their newfound friends until the time they would meet again. Now, they wanted to return home as quickly as possible. Having mentioned that to the Elven scout and asking if there was a different path then the one they had used on their arrival at Ilumera under the guidance of Loreen, Loredane had painted a map and thanks to Leigh's capable mind, she had memorized it during the hour before they left. They had reached a clearing with a crossroad at the end. Loredane had said to take the right path whereas Terrulli insisted that the left path was better.

The girl poked out her lower lip. "But it's a shortcut. We will be back in Chitaan much quicker if we go that way," the Animorph pointed out. "Are you scared we are going to get lost in the woods?"

Leigh rolled her eyes impatiently. "No, because we are not too far away from home," she explained. "By the way, how do you know it's a shortcut? You have never been here before."

While Terrulli was explaining something about instincts to Leigh, and the special teachings she had received from her Elven friends, Alannah sighed, climbing off Mican's back. She was getting a bit irritated. The constant bickering about which way was the best to go was becoming tiresome. "You two let me know once you've made up your minds, will you? I don't understand what the big deal is anyway. We are only one day's travel away from home. If we arrive there one hour sooner or later is not going to matter. Besides, we should make camp for the night in two or three hours."

The Animorph threw up her arms. "Okay then, why don't I go this way and you go the other way? Let's see who'll be at the castle sooner?" Terrulli suggested, grinning. "It will be a fun game."

Leigh shook her head firmly. "No, that's out of the question. We stay together. We don't have time for games and Alannah is right. Night will be upon us soon."

The Animorph's happy grin faded, turning to a pout. Stomping past the knight, she muttered, "Spoilsport."

"I heard that," Leigh called after her.

"Good!" Terrulli shot back. "Can I at least have a look around? You know, like scouting ahead?"

Leigh was about to object as Alannah placed a hand on her shoulder. "I think her animal nature is making itself known," she whispered into the knight's ear. "She needs to roam around. Let her cool off before we have to deal with a temper tantrum."

"Alright," Leigh's shoulders slumped in defeat as she gave in, "but, please, stay within earshot. I'm not trying to be mean Terrulli, honestly…"

The Animorph graced her with a little smile. "I know that. You are just very protective. I'll be back in a bit. You won't even miss me." Lowering herself to all fours, the girl changed shape. With a mighty roar that scared a few birds out of their tree, the white tiger leapt into the bushes.

"I guess we can take a little break until she is back, what do you think?" Leigh asked, lowering herself to a patch of moss on the ground.

The princess shrugged her shoulders, taking a seat beside her. "I'm okay, since you insisted I ride."

Staring at her best friend in mock shock, the knight replied, "Are you complaining about my leadership as well?"

Alannah smirked and ruffled the blonde hair. "Nope, you are the perfect leader, my brave little knight."

"Is that so?" Leigh's chest puffed out a little in pride.

Seeing that, the princess grinned broadly. "But don't let it get to your head." That statement was followed by a one-armed hug and a kiss to the cheek, ending with Leigh blushing in the most adorable way. Alannah was glad that she could still be so affectionate with her, despite the strong feelings she harbored in her heart, of which she wasn't sure would be returned if she were to give voice to them.

The time of Terrulli's absence was spent in companionable silence as they shared some fruit and bread and had a few sips from the water skin.

Mican was munching and nibbling on some grass she had found, while Cerulia lay curled up beside Alannah, her eyes closed, resting. Then her head rose and her ears pricked up.

"And here she comes," Leigh announced, a mere second before the Animorph burst loudly through the undergrowth, her amber-colored eyes with the slanted pupils gleaming in utter happiness. Stretching and arching her tiger limbs, she watched them, waiting, before fixing her eyes directly at Leigh.

The knight knew what it meant and sighed exasperated. "Fine, we will try out your shortcut."

Terrulli's tail twitched in excitement.

"I just hope your instincts are sure that there is water close by and that we have a good place to camp tonight. There is a cave on the path that Loredane had in mind for us. It would have been perfect for a good night's rest."

The Animorph brushed her nose in thanks against Leigh's knee before she slowly trotted off, taking the left turn.

"Do you want to ride again?" the knight inquired softly, helping Alannah up.

Declining, the princess shook her head. "I want to walk a bit. It's not going to slow us down, is it?"

"No. It's perfectly fine," Leigh answered, smiling.

So they walked along, Terrulli leading the way, while Leigh guided Mican along and Cerulia stuck to Alannah's side.

It was about an hour later that Leigh stopped dead in her tracks, feeling a weird tingling sensation at the nape of her neck. Alert, she looked around. The Animorph had scampered off, scouting ahead.

"What is it?" Alannah wanted to know, unable to find anything out of the ordinary.

"I don't know… I… It is far too silent… No birds, no nothing…" Switching Mican's reins from her right hand to her left, she was about to reach for her sword. Instead, she sucked in a sharp breath and her hand flew up to touch her neck, rubbing it. Whatever insect had bitten her just then had inflicted an unusual amount of pain in doing so, or though she thought at first.

"Leigh? Is everything alright?"

She could hear the princess' voice from afar as her view became blurry and her knees grew weak. Another sound penetrated her dulled senses. It was the angry roar of a tiger, far in the distance. Leigh's thoughts jumbled and whirled, further disorienting her. The world turned around her and finally became dark as her eyes closed. Her legs buckled and bowed beneath her, unable to support her any longer. She couldn't move her arms to somewhat lessen the force of the impact that would come. Her left hand was still holding on to Mican's rains, as she hit the ground with a thud, lying as still as a corpse.

The mare neighed in dire distress and fear at seeing her rider fall, but also in pain due to the sudden pull that forced her to bend her head unexpectedly.

"Oh by Ossyr!" the princess exclaimed in concern, racing to the side of her fallen knight. "Leigh! Leigh!" Kneeling down, she pried the unconscious woman's hand from Mican's reins.

Once freed, the mare's head rose and she danced away. Snorting nervously and ears twitching, she pawed the ground with one hoof.

Gathering Leigh's body into her arms, Alannah placed one hand on her neck to lift up the other's head, her frightened eyes fixed on the pale features.

The white wolf placed herself in front of her favorite humans, standing guard.

Alannah called Leigh's name again and again, her fingertips searching along her throat to find the pulse point. Her eyes closed briefly in relief as she detected it. Strong and steady, it beat against the tip of her index and middle finger. Lowering her head to place her ear close to Leigh's mouth and nose, she checked her breathing. The knight's chest rose and fell slowly, almost as if she was deeply asleep. Patting her friend's cheeks, the princess tried to rouse her. "Leigh! Leigh! Come on! Wake up!"

The other woman remained unconscious, though the reason for it was a mystery to the princess. Using one hand to pry open one of her lids, Alannah found that Leigh's eyes had rolled backward, showing only the white. Then her fingers grazed a tiny bump at the knight's neck. She remembered that Leigh had reached up to rub said spot only a moment before her legs had given out. Carefully, she turned the knight to the side. "The thorn of a rose," she muttered in disbelief as she pulled the large dark red thorn with the curved tip out of Leigh's skin. Thin and long as it was, it had penetrated deep. A thin trail of blood trickled from the hole. Alannah tenderly wiped it away, mumbling a quick healing spell, which closed the wound instantly. Raising the thorn to her nose, she sniffed cautiously at the tip. Her eyes widened as she detected the scent of gurah, a fluid that was used to hunt large animals. In small dosages the mixture of several plant juices and herbs could also be used as a sleeping potion for humans. Loreen had told her about it once. A strong headache and other side-effects could occur on the day after, and therefore it was hardly ever used as such. But for the hunt it was very effective. The tips of spears and arrows could be dipped into it, coating the metal with a poisonous layer. Once the fluid was in the blood stream of the animal it would slow it down considerately, eventually putting it to sleep.

A growl from Cerulia caused her to lift her gaze. The white wolf was staring at the undergrowth, her eyes scanning the surroundings, her fur bristling, her teeth bared threateningly and her ears laid back. She lowered her body slightly, ready to leap and pounce.

Alannah closed her eyes, performing the technique she had learned from King Mandylor. There, hidden in the bushes were six foreign auras. Terrulli was a bit away and she appeared to be in some kind of turmoil. It all began to make sense to the princess. The hidden people were robbers most likely, who had observed their small caravan, seeing them as easy prey. Figuring that Leigh would be the greatest threat, they had taken her down first. Terrulli had been lured away and she could only hope that she could keep her true identity a secret for the time being. That the robbers were so brazen and bold to attack in broad daylight came as a surprise. But Alannah had a few surprises up her sleeves too. "Show yourselves, you cowards!" the princess yelled, tiny dark blue sparks danced along her fingertips, while she looked for the enemies to reveal their ugly faces so that she could unleash her magic upon them. She didn't know if she could take on as many, but if she were to go down then she would go down with a fight. Nothing moved, though she thought she could hear whispering. Whether it were voices or just the wind rustling the trees was impossible to tell.

In the distance, she could hear Terrulli's angry roars.

*****

Zaylan paced in front of a map that had been hung up on one wall of the throne hall. It showed all countries of Yuron, the non-magical as well as the magical ones.

Commander Leander and High Sorceress Ranya were seated at the round table, watching him.

A sharp knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. Looking up, he called, "Enter."

The door opened, revealing Ranib and Wyan.

Smiling, the king waved Loreen's sons closer.

"This scroll was just delivered by a hawk," Ranib said, giving Zaylan the document.

He broke the seal of Livos, unrolling the scroll. Skimming over the text, he cried out in triumph. "Splendid!" Looking at Ranya and Leander, he said, "It's a message from Nirios. They found a wooden frame, looking exactly like the one you discovered in Urdgard, Ranya. It was hidden well in a secret room at the main castle."

"That is wonderful news. Were they able to destroy it?" the High Sorceress asked.

Turning his eyes back to the scroll, he finished reading. "Nirios says they tried to destroy it but just like with yours it absorbed every magical spell. He decided to bury it. Good. One more country is safe from being taken over by surprise. If the masked sorcerer wants to attack, he will have to do it openly now. The people will get the chance to prepare. Many non-magical countries have joined our ranks. Now it will be the dark wizard, who will be taken by surprise."

"Don't forget, there is still the matter that he holds three of the sacred gemstones in his possession. He has the Golems of Pavan under his control and the invincible Shadow Warriors," Leander pointed out. "How can we defeat a powerful foe like that when he stands in front of Chitaan's gates?"

"I have been thinking about that. We really have to combine our forces," Zaylan announced.

"What do you have in mind, my King?"

"I want to meet with Nirios and Samira and suggest following battle plan," the king replied, taking his seat next to Ranya. All eyes were on him now. "It is obvious that one High Sorcerer alone is not enough to stand up against the dark wizard, whether they have the help of a jewel or not. We also cannot come to any country's aid because we don't know where and when the masked sorcerer is going to strike next."

Leander hit the table in frustration. "So he still has all the advantages."

"It looks like that, doesn't it? We are going to change that."

"How?" Leander frowned.

"We will lure him here deliberately."

Ranya gasped in shock. "Oh Zaylan, what are you thinking? You cannot subject your people to that. I don't like…"

He patted her hand. "I know, Ranya. Let me finish, before you pass your judgment, please?"

"Very well, go ahead."

"War will befall us, sooner or later, because we are a magical country. If it is today, tomorrow or next month it won't matter. He will come and attack us to get our stone. That is a fact. But now, we have a chance to defend ourselves and defeat him. I want Nirios and Samira here, with their stones. Do you now see where I'm going with this?"

Ranya shook her head and Leander's frown deepened.

"We have the one from Ashkyhra too and I think, Ranya, that with some practice you could use the power of that stone. That means we have four stones and with Nirios and Samira there will be four High Sorcerers. The masked sorcerer has no reason to go to Livos or Slidur when the stones are not there. He will have to come here…"

"…where we will be waiting with combined magical forces, a dragon, the 'Deliverer of Peace' and the biggest army this world has ever seen," Leander finished with a smile. "By Ossyr, this might just be it."

Zaylan continued, "The girls will be back soon, carrying with them the weapon that can defeat Shadow Warriors. The Elves agreed to fight alongside us. We need to spread the word and gather all armies around us. When he comes to conquer he will be dealt such a heavy blow it will do more than just bloody his nose."

"I will see to it that messages are sent out immediately. Come on, Ranib and Wyan. You can help me with that," Leander said and left the room. Loreen's sons followed him eagerly.

Zaylan looked at Ranya, who sat there, staring unseeingly ahead. He was unable to read her expression, but guessed that she didn't like his plan.

"Ranya?"

Jerking out of her thoughts, she turned to him. "Do you think that the High Council will agree to your plan?"

"I will explain it to them and I'm sure they will see reason. But I don't think their decision has you worried. What's wrong?"

She laughed softly. "Have I always been that transparent to you?"

Zaylan nodded. "Most of the times. Just like you always seem to read my mind."

"I just… I saw in Urdgard what he could do. The masked sorcerer is such a powerful opponent, Zaylan. The destruction, the pain and sorrow, he caused. He left such suffering in his wake. More people will die. More people will lose their homes and loved ones. And Leigh and Alannah… by Sastar… I don't even want to think about what they will have to endure once the battle is on."

"I know exactly how you feel, but it will be alright. We have to have faith." Zaylan replied, pulling her into his arms for a comforting hug. "Maybe with Nirios and Samira's help we can come up with another plan. For the time being though, I don't see another way."

"I know and that scares me," she admitted. "What if we fail?"

He tightened the embrace. "Don't think any heavy thoughts."

*****

Trapped in a net, dangling several feet above the forest ground, the Animorph bit and clawed at the ropes that held her prisoner. Roaring and hissing enraged, because of not having noticed the trap and blindly stepping into it, she fought like a berserker.

From Alannah's desperate outcry she knew that something terrible must have happened to Leigh. Only the Spirits knew how many foes Alannah had to face on her own. The princess needed her help so Terrulli doubled her efforts. Her massive tiger body struggled and writhed to free itself from the confinement, but unfortunately, she only ended up further entangled in the strong vines that made up the ropes.

"Show yourself!" Alannah demanded again, standing protectively over Leigh's prone body. Gone was the gentle princess. Instead a fierce sorceress scowled at the undergrowth where the cowardly robber pack was concealed. "I know that there are six of you. You had better be on your way and leave us alone, because you have no idea who you are messing with."

Hearty laughter came from the bushes. "On the contrary, young maiden. It is you, who has no idea," a cheerful male voice declared. "We will gladly take on the challenge."

"Then why are you hiding like cowards in the bushes?" Alannah snarled.

"We observe first to see what best course of action to take."

The princess had enough of this game. Hurling a bright blue blast of energy towards one of the auras, she yelled, "Observe this!" The magic crackled in the air before it dissolved with a loud puff, sending small sparks flying everywhere, causing Mican to whinny and rear up before the mare raced off at a break-neck speed.

"Try to get the horse!" the voice shouted, making some leaves and twigs rustle.

The princess fired, aiming at the movement in the undergrowth.

"You missed, magic-wielder!"

Three more bolts of energy that flew from Alannah's palms in direction of the voice hit the bushes. The six auras were directly in front of her, ever moving, making her wonder why there was nothing to be seen.

"Ah, another wild cat with claws," the man said, laughing merrily. He seemed to enjoy this game greatly. His voice now came from a different direction. "You still missed though."

Cerulia was just about to fling herself into the undergrowth, searching for the attacker, as a strange whirring noise caught her attention that came from behind Alannah. She ran over, lowering her body to pounce.

"Stay at my side," the princess ordered the wolf, scared she would accidently hit Cerulia with the magic if she were to leap into the bushes.

The wolf was torn. Brushing against Alannah's leg, she tried to warn her of what was going on behind her.

Suddenly the princess detected a seventh presence and she whirled around to face the new threat. Unfortunately it was too late. A bola soared from the bushes and was quickly joined by another. One set of cords wrapped around Alannah's upper body, immobilizing her, causing her arms to be pressed tightly against her sides. The other bola bound her legs and she fell to the ground, next to Leigh.

Cerulia used her teeth, tugging and pulling at the cords, in an attempt to free the princess.

"Now! Be quick! The shackles!" the voice crowed and eight figures stepped out of the surrounding bushes. Two of them drew back the hoods of their cloaks, revealing faces that were covered with black, woolen masks, showing only their eyes.

"Elven cloaks," Alannah whispered to herself. So that was the reason for the robbers' invisibility among the forest and why she had only detected six auras. They had blended in perfectly, veiled with stolen magic.

"Ah, this must be our day of luck," a ninth man said, leaving his hideout in the undergrowth, striding at a leisurely pace towards the captives. Alannah realized that he was the owner of the voice that had toyed with her. Oozing cockiness and confidence, running a hand through his curly black hair, he was also the only one that showed his face. It was fairly handsome. His whole posture indicated that he was used to people fawning about him. In his other hand he twirled a carved blowgun. It had been used to fire that thorn at Leigh. Grinning broadly at the bound princess, he smoothed his thick, dark moustache and fingered his goatee. "Such a fine catch we made."

"Who are you?" Alannah hissed. She had managed to get herself into a somewhat seated position. Struggling to rise despite the bolas around her body, a gloved hand kept her from doing so, clamping down on her shoulder, forcing her to sit once more.

"May I introduce myself? I am Ramon." He winked at her and then bowed. "At your service, young maiden. Would you care to tell me your name?"

The princess just scowled. 'What an obnoxious, pompous bastard,' she thought.

"No? Oh, what a pity," Ramon said, pouting. Squatting next to Leigh he was about to reach for her left hand. The ring there had caught his attention. "What is this? My, my, a white tiger, a white wolf, a fair maiden with silvery-white hair and now a white ring…" Pondering that discovery, he looked at Alannah, asking with a sneer, "Do you have a certain affinity for the color white, young maiden? But then, the horse that ran off wasn't white."

Alannah was glad to hear that the robbers had been unable to capture Mican. She almost smiled at the thought, but managed to suppress it.

Again Ramon's hand meant to take Leigh's and Cerulia growled at him.

One of the cloaked figures that had surrounded them sprang forward, snatching up the wolf before it would attack their leader. Cerulia was writhing fiercely in the man's grip, who had clamped one hand tightly around her snout. She whimpered and cried in anger and fear.

"Leave her alone!" Alannah demanded, the wolf's sounds of despair breaking her heart.

"Ensure that she won't attack anybody and I will."

"You attacked us! What were you expecting?!" the princess argued.

Ramon smirked. "You trespassed on our territory." Turning to the man that held Cerulia, he motioned to him to let the wolf go.

She snapped at him, attempting to sink her teeth into his leg, but Alannah's voice prevented it. "Cerulia, come here. Here, come here to me. That's a good girl."

Cerulia hurried to her side, her tail between her legs. She lay down beside the princess, eyeing the strangers warily and still growling low in her throat.

"Now where was I? Oh yes, I meant to inspect something," Ramon said, making a grab for Leigh's hand.

The thought of his filthy paws touching her best friend made the bile rise in Alannah's throat.

"Touch my knight and you are dead!" she growled through gritted teeth. "I swear you will regret it!"

He raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Your knight? You are married to this young fellow?"

Alannah didn't correct him on his mistake, thinking that Leigh was a man. Instead she fed the idea, hoping that it would intimidate the robbers. "This is Leigh, my husband, first knight in the service of my father, known for a fierce temper and if you hurt any of us, my father's wrath will come down on you and your men, making you wish you had never been born. Let us go and you might be spared."

Rubbing his chin in thought, Ramon contemplated what he had just heard. "Interesting… a knight and a magic-wielder, both fairly young, if I might add… traveling with exotic animals. Married? Why is it then that your hand doesn't bear the same token of love as his does?"

Her cheeks flushed scarlet in anger. The nerve of that guy made her furious. How dare he? If only she would be able to free her hands.

"You have no answer for that, young maiden, do you? And don't bother trying to wriggle out of the bola, my dear, you'll only end up hurting your wrists." He paused, grinning, while Alannah glared at him. Reaching over, he slid the ring off Leigh's finger, regarding it appraisingly. "If it truly is a wedding band, he is wearing it on the wrong finger as well. I think I'll keep it until I find somebody, who will give me a nice amount of gold coins for it." Ramon wanted to slide it on his own finger, but found that it didn't fit. "Your knight must have very delicate hands," he commented, smirking, before slipping the ring into a small pouch at his belt. Then he snapped his fingers. "That gives me a most wonderful thought. Maybe we can sell your husband to the wenches of Kharas?" It pleased him immensely to see the shocked expression on Alannah's face. She must have heard about the tribe of fierce warrior women and the wild tales that were told about them. Ramon walked over to her and crouched, looking directly into her eyes. "With his handsome looks, I'm sure he will father beautiful children," he added with a leer, brushing his thumb across her chin. Waggling his eyebrows, he continued, "Perhaps they will also let him live after the act and you can have back what's left of him." The men around chuckled.

Alannah pressed her lips together. She knew that any remark from her would just be used to mock and insult her further.

Ramon stood up, cocking his head, listening intently. "Ah, this silence, do you hear it? It means your tiger has stopped roaring. Very well. We can leave then. Too bad the horse ran away. We could have gotten a good price for such a magnificent creature. " Turning around unceremoniously, he entered the undergrowth once more.

One of the men picked up the unconscious Leigh, who had been stripped of her weapons, hoisting her over his shoulder as if she were a sack of potatoes and carrying her out of Alannah's sight.

"Can you walk?" Another asked of Alannah, his voice muffled behind the wool that covered his mouth.

Hesitating, she nodded. "I think so."

"Don't try any funny tricks. I have no qualms whatsoever to kill you if you do, understood?"

The princess swallowed hard, further intimidated.

He freed her legs and upper body from the bolas, but shackled her hands.

A weird sensation overcame her as soon as the cold metal closed around her wrists. She felt slightly dizzy and strangely weak as if energy was being sucked from her body. Regaining her footing, she wobbled a bit.

The man tied a rope to the chain that connected the shackles. "Good. Come along then," he ordered, tugging at the rope. His gaze fell on the white wolf that stared at him, hatred clearly visible in her blue eyes. "Do we need to put the beast on a leash and tie its snout, or will it behave? If it won't, I'm going to slit its blasted throat," he said, pulling a dagger from his belt, emphasizing his point.

"No please," Alannah begged, almost crying as she saw the sharp, deadly blade. "She will follow me quietly, please, leave her be." Cerulia pressed herself against her leg, trembling noticeable. "I promise she will walk calmly beside me."

The man grunted an agreement, tucked the dagger away and led Alannah into the woods.

Sending a prayer to the Spirits, the princess submitted herself to whatever fate had in store for her, hoping that Terrulli was okay, that Leigh would wake up soon and that Mican would make it home safely.

*****

Burak's eyes traveled throughout the hall, stopping here and there to closely observe the gathered men, while the masked sorcerer walked along the lines of his soldiers. The looks on their faces spoke of greed and blood-thirst for yet another battle they would have to wage against an innocent country of Yuron.

They were enchanted and entranced, the dark wizard luring them in with glorious words, sweetly whispering to their egos of never-ending honor and fame, seducing them with promises of an unknown paradise. They had fallen under his spell and were now trapped there. The visions that the magician had placed into the soldiers' minds were too tempting to fight.

Burak knew that the men would follow the self-proclaimed Chosen of the Spirits and do his bidding, almost like the Shadow Warriors that were bound to serve him. And just like the Shadow Warriors they didn't feel anything. Their lives meant nothing to them if only they were able to bathe in the glory of a won battle at the end. The soldiers would not see battlefields covered with broken bodies and bloody corpses. To them those would appear as beautiful meadows, in bloom on a nice, warm summer's day. The soldiers would not hear the terrified screams of women and children. They would not hear the groans of pain and the begging of the dying. For them it would be like the lilting melody of a flute or the dreamy sounds of harp and violin, because they didn't care. All that counted was an ensured victory and adding one more country to the growing realm of the masked sorcerer.

They would not see what Burak would see, for they had not looked into the tortured souls of two prisoners, whose faces kept haunting the commander. Though unbeknownst to him and to themselves, Tanith and Tyrel had gotten through the spell that had clouded the man's mind. The veil of darkness had been lifted, awakening things, such as sympathy, which had lain dormant for a long time.

The masked sorcerer needed to be stopped.

But what could one man do to accomplish that? Burak had mulled and contemplated several plans, only to discard them, because the chance to succeed was below nothing. In the end he had decided on some sabotaging acts. Granted, it wasn't very honorable to stalk through the halls like a thief in the night and loosen a couple of screws on expensive war machines, but all was fair in war and it was better than doing nothing. If he would be given command of the army again, he might be able to make others see the whole horrible truth. And then he would help Tanith and Tyrel flee.

Loud cheering brought him out of his musings. Another infamous speech was over, the soldiers had been goaded. Their anticipation of battle had reached a new level. Another triumph for the masked sorcerer was near.

The soldiers left the hall and the dark wizard fixed his attention on the one man that was still standing there.

"Commander, you look very determined today," the masked sorcerer announced, his silver eyes prodding Burak's face.

"I feel confident that victory is on our side, my Lord."

"Was there ever a doubt?"

Burak admonished himself to be more cautious, the voice of his master sounded suddenly so lurking. It would be highly unpleasant if his master would detect any of the thoughts that had been running through his head. "No, my Lord, not ever," he answered with just enough submissiveness in his voice that it wouldn't raise the other man's suspicions.

"Good, you are dismissed then."

Blinking, Burak had a hard time hiding his surprise. "My Lord, don't you…"

"What?!" the masked sorcerer snarled, interrupting his commander. "Need you to lead the troops?"

Keeping his posture as straight as possible, Burak calmly looked at the demonic mask. "Yes." It was just one word, but spoken as firmly as he could muster.

The laughter started low, but was soon a full blown roaring that reverberated unbelievingly loud through the hall.

Burak was grateful that the soldiers had left. They might lose the last ounce of respect they held for him if they were to witness once more that he was just the masked sorcerer's puppet, to be played however the dark wizard saw fit.

"I don't need you for anything," the masked sorcerer replied, circling the other man. "I have three of the sacred gemstones and the one from Livos will be mine after this battle. The soldiers do whatever I say. The number of my followers grows daily. I command the Shadow Warriors and the Golems of Pavan. What makes you think that I need you?"

Burak knew that it was time to change his plan. He could not prevent the attack on Livos if he was not sent there. It was obvious that the dark wizard did not want for him to partake in that battle. He must have felt Burak's doubts and was thinking to dispose of him, what he could do with a snap of his fingers and nobody would cry a tear for the Commander. The face of Tyrel flashed in his mind's eye and everything just fell into place. "The Prince of Ashkyhra."

The masked sorcerer stopped, staring hard at him. "What of the stubborn brat?"

"He seems to trust me for a reason."

"Go on," the dark wizard ordered impatiently as Burak paused.

"I know that you want to know where Ashkyhra's jewel is. Maybe he'll tell me."

A disapproving snort came from behind the demonic mask. "What do you think you could do that I have not done yet? I tortured him, I entered his mind and I threatened him with many things…"

Shrugging his shoulders, Burak replied, "A different approach. If he thinks I'm his friend and I'll pretend to help him, who knows what he might spill?"

The masked sorcerer began to pace, contemplating the offer. Gripping his ebony staff tightly, he turned once more to the Commander. "Good. Try. I expect the information when I return from Livos." He walked out of the hall for the final preparations for the near battle, leaving the soldier with the dull echo that the end of his staff caused on the stone floor.

Burak released a deep breath in relief. He didn't have much time to carry out his plan. As soon as his master and his army had stepped through the portal, which would allow them to enter the heart of Livos undetected, he would make his move.

*****

Zaylan jerked awake. It was the middle of the night. Moonlight streamed in through the open curtains. Sitting up in his bed, he looked around his dark chambers, disoriented. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. He wondered what had woken him. As the cloud of fogginess that sleep had left behind drifted from his mind, he became aware of a dreadful feeling that had settled in his chest. Placing a hand over his heart, he tried to calm himself, but the pain worsened, making it hard to breathe. Immediately his thoughts turned to his daughter, Leigh and Terrulli. Something was definitely wrong.

Shoving away the covers, the King of Chitaan got up, hastily throwing on a robe over his nightgown while putting on his bedroom slippers. He walked to the door and flung it open, startled as he looked into the equally astonished face of his Commander, who had his hand still raised, apparently intending to knock.

Zaylan blinked in surprise. "Leander?"

"My King," Leander said and bowed. "You didn't give me the chance to knock."

"I was feeling…a bit restless," Zaylan explained, rubbing his chest absentminded.

"Please forgive me for intruding on you so late…"

Waving his hand, Zaylan answered, "It's alright. Think nothing of it. What's going on?"

"There is a matter, which needs your immediate attention."

"Let's go then."

"It's rather chilly outside, you should consider getting dressed first," Leander admonished and the king heeded his words, entering his chambers once more to put on his clothes. A moment later he came out of his room, fully dressed. He was still rubbing his chest, trying to ease the fierce ache that wouldn't subside.

The Commander noticed it. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine," came the short answer, not sounding convincing at all.

Leander walked ahead, leading Zaylan along the torch-lit corridors and outside, towards the stables.

Loreen was already there, tending to a chestnut-brown horse that was clearly exhausted, the muscles on its legs twitching and trembling. She had taken the saddlebags and saddle, which still had Leigh's cloak and shield attached to it, off the heavily panting mare and was rubbing the sweat off her body. Loreen spoke to her in calm tones, soothing her.

Mican's head turned in direction of the door as she heard the two men enter and snorted, her head bobbing slightly.

The feeling of dread increased tenfold as Zaylan recognized the horse. "By Ossyr, it's Mican," he exclaimed. "What happened to her?"

The healer bent down to check the mare's hooves, continuing the examination. "From the way this looks, she was running carelessly through the woods. She has scratches and small wounds from twigs, tree bark and stones. Mican will be fine, she just needs to rest."

Glancing around, Zaylan asked, "But where are the girls?" He held his breath, terrified of the answer.

"That we don't know," Leander replied, crestfallen. "She came galloping through the gate a few minutes ago… alone… all their belongings were attached to the saddle, except for Leigh's sword."

"Mican wouldn't abandon them. Something terrible must have happened to them… I can… I can feel it," Zaylan whispered, clutching his chest. He walked over to Mican, who bumped her head into his stomach. His hands brushed lovingly across her silky soft nostrils. "I'm sorry that I have to do this to you, Mican, but I need to know what happened."

Whinnying softly, the mare looked at him with large brown eyes.

"Let me see what you have seen," Zaylan said, placing his palms against the sides of her head. Highly concentrated, he closed his eyes, whispering the words that would give him access to the horse's mind. As the images of what had happened flooded into his own head, he stiffened. After holding the connection for about two minutes, his hands sank and his eyes fluttered open, brimming with hot tears.

Loreen placed a hand on his arm, stroking it in comfort. "What did you see?" She inquired softly.

"They… they were attacked… Alannah was fighting an unseen foe with magic… and Leigh… Alannah, she…" he choked and rubbed his chest again, the burning there almost unbearable. "Alannah stood over Leigh, who lay unmoving on the ground… by Ossyr, why didn't I insist that they are escorted home?"

"What about Terrulli?" Loreen asked to stir the king away from blaming himself.

"I don't know. She wasn't there. Mican was chased when she ran, but they couldn't capture her."

"Who are 'they'? Could you see faces?"

Zaylan shook his head.

Leander was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed, staring hard at the straw-covered floor. "My King, the message they had sent before they left the Elves said they would arrive here tomorrow evening. That means they were not too far away, since Mican made it here already, though at a harsh gallop. It is only a few hours till the break of dawn and then we will send out a search troop."

The king nodded slowly. "Yes, prepare everything."

"I will," Leander said, bowing and leaving the stables.

"Zaylan, do you think it might be the same mysterious attackers that were after you when Leigh was four?" Loreen wanted to know.

"I have no way of telling," he answered. "This attack happened in broad daylight and I'm sure they used magic to conceal themselves. I also did not recognize the area of the woods they were in." He looked at the healer with a grim and determined expression. "Whoever it was, they will pay for hurting them," Zaylan said firmly, curling his hands to fists.

*****

Continued...