FF: Two Worlds (Chapter 18: Objects in Motion)

["cilia" <cilia@xxxxx>]

Title: Two Worlds
Chapter 18: Objects in Motion
Series: Royalty (Book Three)
Author: Cilia
Edited and Revised by: Brndn
E-mail: cilia@xxxxx
Feedback: Please god yes
Distribution and Archiving: Sure go for it
Summary: You know this dont you?
Missting Parts: E-mail me and I'll send you what you need.
Notes: A Big Thanks to my beta "brndn" for getting me started on this again
and Ollie for plot line helping.

Two Worlds
Cilia

Chapter 18: Objects in Motion

Joyce groaned as she slowly got out of her bed and walked softly passed the
sleeping High Elf. She had no idea how long she?d been out of it. Not too
long, she hoped. The palace was dark and quiet, so it?s probably nighttime.
She touched the wall and looked for a torch, then she remembered something
she had seen in an old ?Laurel & Hardy? movie and laughed. She hooked her
thumb under her index finger and flicked, as if she was going to flip a
coin, and to her amazement, it work. She had lit a small flame at the tip of
her thumb to light her way through the halls.
She was still chuckling a candle mark later when she found herself in what
had to be the grand dining hall. It looked like this was where the feast was
going to be. Preparations had apparently just started though, as the room
was only about halfway completed. She found a torch on the wall and applied
her thumb to it.
?Yer up late, lass,? a familiar voice came from behind her.
?Gymli?? Joyce asked as turned to face him. ?What are you doing here??
?I was a standin watch at yer door.? He explained as he hooked a thumb back
towards the room, ?Ya look ta be a dreamin when ya jus? strolled right passt
me,? he made a little walking motion with his fingers, ? I be guessin ye
didn?t notice I was a standin thar,? he answered.
?I?m sorry, Gymli. You?re right, I didn?t see you,? she apologized. ?I
just?I have a lot on my mind right now,?
?S?ok lass. Warriors aint da? best when it be comin? ta madder?s o?da
?eart,? he said and sat down on a low chair. ?Trust me, lass. I know,? he
added.
Joyce looked at him with a curious eye, ?You know?? she asked and sat down.
?You know his story??
?Ay, some, anyway. Most a?da bein?s in da Eastern Lands ?ave ?eard?o ?im ?n
?is stories,? he answered.
?Did, ah?did you know about his?lover?? Joyce asked. ?The one that died in
the war four years ago??
?Hmmph. Na. Dint know ?bout that. Then agin, it be ?ard ta be tellin th?
truths from th?fictions when it be comin t?tales o?legends,? the dwarf
answered.
?The thing is, he told us that he was past it. But yesterday?well, he
stiffened and just walked away when I said something she?d once said,? Joyce
explained sadly.
?Well, da lad cares fer ya. ?E jus? dudnt know you be a carein? fer ?im,?
Gymli said and padded her shoulder.
?Thanks Gymli. You are a real help, ? Joyce answered, ?for annoying dwarf.?
?Come on den, lass. Lets be a gettin ya back to bed. Ya gots a big day
tamara, what wit? da? feast ?n all,? he said and stood.
?Feast?great,? Joyce muttered.
??Ay! Is yer feast, lass, so ya better be enjoyin? it,? Gymli said sternly.
?Oh, and I have no doubts that you will too,? Joyce said and padded the
dwarf?s stomach.
?Ach,? the dwarf nodded.
?How?s Ziel doing?? Joyce asked as they wandered further into the castle.
?A prayin? fer th? wounded. Lookin like nun of?em ?re gunna be a goin ta th
? Great Halls jus? yet, though.? Gymli answered. ?But der alive, cuz a ya.?
?Well, I did what I could,? Joyce answered.
?Amazin yer alive after sumthin like ?at,? Gymli nodded.
?Your not getting rid of me just yet friend,? Joyce nodded. She stopped in
front of a heavy wooden door and tried to read the dwarven word, ?Kjallari,?
?Ay, dat?s da mead?? Gymli explained and look of understanding past between
the two. ?storage.?
Joyce smiled a big smile, ?I?ll pick the lock, you stand watch,? she knelt
down.
Gymli smiled a big smile, ?Ay,? he nodded and casually looked to each side
while he whistled something softly and rocked on his heels.
?Got it,? Joyce exclaimed as the lock clicked open. Thank you, Mr. Giles.
?Good job lass,? Gymli said as they stealthy crept down the low stairs. ?Now
den, less get t?th? raidin,?

Al?x tossed and turned in his bed. He had always believed that he was being
guided in this Realm, that one of the many deities gave him the visions of
the future. At least, that?s how the elders had explained it. He was now in
throes of a very, visual vision. They did not come often, though. He
remembered the one before Xerdana?s death, the one when he had returned home
and then the one on the battlements, the night he had backed down from
Joyce. Those were the most revealing ones. This one, however, took him to
the scene of some distant battle. A white hooded figure stood in front of
him.
?Who are you?? he asked.
?I?am Order,? the figure answered. Its voice sounded like a grandmother?s,
old and wise, full of love and warmth.
?What?? He asked and looked around the scene of the battle around him.
?What do you want?? They were in, what he guessed, was Necris and all around
him his friends fought a fierce battle.
?To balance the scales,? the figure answered and started drawing cards from
a deck. ?For that to happen: The Princess must rise and the General lead.
The Apprentice must not fear and the Mage heal. The King must trust and the
Queen love. The Thief must find honor and the Lost be found.? it explained
and gestured across the cards laid on the ground.
?What about the Fire Avatar?? Al?x asked, noting that some players were
missing from the draw. Buffy brushed past him, a battle cry on her lips.
?They?re trying to break the siege line,? she yelled before running on,
followed by a squad of drows.
?Confusing is it not?? the figure asked.
?Very, but you still did not tell me about myself, or my companions,? he
said.
?War?s Avatar will fight, as is her nature, but lose, if not guided,? the
figure answered.
?But, who will die and who will live?? he asked.
?The Balance must be restored,? the figure answered as the scene of the
battle faded.
?Wait a second, that was you. You were there. At our last Battle,? Al?x
said before he woke to the loud knocking on his door.
?Ug, I?m coming, I?m coming,? he said and stumbled out of bed.
He opened the door and neatly caught his visitor, ?Joyce?? he asked as he
stood her back up.
?Um?*hic*? I think?I got lost,? Joyce answered with a giggle.
?Great,? he muttered as he again caught the wobbly avatar. This time he
guided her to his bed.
?Are you??she tried to point to him and almost poked him in the eye,
?you?are you?still pissed?at me?? she managed to ask as her eyes started to
drift shut.
?No, Joyce,? he smiled, ?Not really.? and laid her head on the pillow. ?Not
at all actually?? he whispered.
?Of course not! Yer me friend,? she said with a giggle, followed by a burp.
?Yea. I?m?? Al?x stopped when he heard the snores, ?a friend,? he said with
a sad smile and placed a kiss on her forehead. The past should stay that
way, the past, he thought to himself as he grabbed a blanket. He stirred the
embers in the hearth, then curled up in the chair by the fire and listened
to the flame crackle, and the soft snores.

-

Amy carefully supported Willow as they made their way to the war room. The
War Council had to be informed of this at once. She could not trust anyone
but herself to relay the message. The passing out fully would have to wait
for later.
?Willow, you really should be resting,? Amy stated.
?I?ll?rest? later,? Willow said stubbornly as they reached the doors
leading into the war room. She stopped and Amy watched her teacher gather
her tattered aura around her as she rose to her full height. She dusted off
her robes, cleared her throat, and strode into the room.
?Ladies and Gentlemen,? Willow announced bringing the attention of the room
to her. ?We have a problem,?
?Mage Willow, have you made contact with Al?x Sun?? Vitor asked. He noticed
the slight fatigue in the Mage?s voice and her eyes looked tired. He could
not seem to bring himself to look at Amy at all yet.
?Al?x Sun is marshalling the dwarves to war. We can count on their
assistance,? Willow said. ?But sadly, a lot of his soldiers have been killed
already.?
?Mage. You said something about trouble?? a nobleman asked.
?Yes.? She said as she looked at the nobleman then back to Vitor, ?During
my Astral Projection, I made contact with a?being. It called itself Chaos.
Now, I am assuming that this is a deity or a very powerful mage of some
sort. I also think that it is behind the rising darkness that threatens our
borders and what has already overtaken Necris,? Willow explained.
?Thank you, Mage Willow. We?ll take it from here. You look tired, I assume
you wish to rest,? Vitor asked.
?Oh yes, but I will join you again shortly,? Willow said and strode out of
the room. As soon as the doors were closed and she was sure they were out of
view, the Red Mage released the tenuous hold on her aura and collapsed into
her apprentice?s arms.
?Take me? to my bed?? she said.
?Of course,? Amy said and guided her friend, barely a shadow of her former
self, back to her room. She was both thanking and cursing the gods for Buffy
being away. The slayer would have better comforted her wife. But, then
again, she would have also set out on a crusade, regardless of anything, to
kill the?thing? responsible.

-

Cordelia, Stjar?a, and Grimm crawled into their respective tents. They all
had confirmed that saying that Xare was a slave driver was an
understatement. They had spent the entire day being poked, prodded,
inspected, neglected, tested, and measured up against the other drows. It
was safe to say that Grimm had taken the most beating, because, like he had
said himself. ?I?m a thief, and sometimes it sucks,? before being thrown
into the training ring again. He was now curled up into a ball in his bed,
trying to keep the cold away. He turned over when he heard the soft crackle
of gravel at the entrance to his tent.
?Who?s there?? he asked sitting up.
?No one special,? Buffy answered, stepping inside.
?General? To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?? he asked.
?Oh, just seeing how you?re doing,? she answered. ?Making sure you are
still alive.?
?Heh, I?m just peachy, minus the bruises and cuts, scrapes, and aches and??
Buffy chuckled at his list. ?You remind me of someone I once knew, but??she
waved her hand vaguely, ?that?s another story. The reason I came was to give
you some advice. I don?t know if you are aware of this or not, but Drow
women select the men, not the other way around,? she stated.
?Well, uh, thanks for the warning. But, to be honest,? the big cheese smile
was back. ?I wouldn?t mind one them selecting me.?
?Well, just consider yourself warned, okay?? Buffy said and left the tent.
?Hubba, hubba!? Grimm exclaimed as he watched her leave. ?Hate to see you
go, but I love to watch you leave?, he thought as he glanced down.
?Whoa, down boy,? he ordered.

Cordelia and Stjar?a had fared much better. Stjar?a was very proud of her
student and ast?one. She was showing some amazing skills Stjar?a would not
have guessed she could do. Did I see her fighting with two weapons, she
pondered?
?Grimm doing okay, don?t you think?? Cordelia asked her lover as she gently
stroked her hair.
?For a thief yea. But you know, some drow girl is going to have him for
breakfast,? Stjar?a nodded.
?Hey watch it! You?re a drow girl yourself,? Cordelia stated with a quick
tickle to the ribs.
?Hey! Guess I am, but I got you so that?s out of the picture,? Stjar?a
answered.
?Would you, though?? Cordelia asked.
?Would I what, chase down Grimm if you weren?t in my life??
?Yea.?
?I don?t know, maybe,? Stjar?a giggled. ?He is kinda cute, in a thievish,
roguish kinda way.?
?I would,? Cordelia answered. ?He reminds me of Xander.?
?Yea, I remember him then, but Al?x wasn?t quite so??
?Sexually blunt,? Cordelia finished.
?Well yes, I mean his eyes practically bulged when I told him that you were
mine,? Stjar?a explained.
?You did that, when??
?Earlier today, when you were training. He was watching a little too hard,
so I decided to clear things up for him,? Stjar?a answered.
Cordelia laughed, ?I guess we know what he?s fantasizing about tonight,?
?Well, its either that or our fearless General??
?Or Xare? okay, okay, lets face facts? he is a guy,? Cordelia stated.
?And you?re not the only one to notice that,? Stjar?a nodded.
The brunettes eyes widened at the thought of gossip, ?OO-OO, you know
something, don?t you?? she asked.
?Lets just say?that his lonely nights are going to soon come to an end,?
Stjar?a answered with a positively devilish grin.

TBC? You bet ya...