Fic: Maestra (Part 8)
Title: Maestra
Fandom: Legend of the Seeker
Author: cakeandqpm1138
Rating/s | Content: PG-13
Word Count: 1368
Summary: Set immediately after 'Tears.' By performing the Spells of Undoing, Zedd grieviously altered the course of history. Now, Richard, Kahlan, Cara and Zedd must team up with Nicci and Rahl to find a way to appease the Maestra, the Goddess of Time, before she decides to correct the problem by destroying the entire universe, past, present and future. This, however, will be no easy task; Zedd's spells split the course of history into three paths. Which one, if any, will be saved?
Warnings: Spoilers through 'Tears'
Author's Notes: Written for the Legend of the Seeker Big Bang Challenge. Feedback is craved!
Shortly before midday on the sixth day after departing Morsewood, Richard, Kahlan, Cara, Dahlia and Zedd reached the crossoad just south of Breconne Pass. As they drew near, Richard could make out the form of a lone traveler sitting at the base of a tree, a small pack beside her. Cara, rigind at the rear, spotted her as well and drew her horse up next to Richard, the two of them forming a barrier between the stranger and the rest of their party. Cara had not spoken more than a few words to Richard since they’d been on the trail and she showed no sign of breaking that silence now. Richard ignored her and swung down out of his saddle, one hand on the hilt of his sword.
“Do you need any help?” he asked the woman, who rose to her feet as the group approached. She pulled back the hood of her simple brown traveling cloak to reveal wavy blonde hair that fell to her shoulders. Cara’s agiels flew to her fists as the dappled sunlight glinted off three gems, one scarlet and two colorless, centered low on the woman’s forehead, between her thin eyebrows.
“Who are you?” Cara demanded, stepping up to confront the woman.
“My name is Sister Vanthia. I bear a message for Mother Confessor Kahlan Amnell,” she replied evenly, “from Sister Nicci.”
Cara bristled with rage while Richard, Kahlan and Zedd exchanged anxious, confused looks. Dahlia looked on, utterly bewildered.
“Nicci is dead. I killed her myself,” Cara seethed.
Sister Vanthia gave a curt nod. “And if the Creator had any mercy, she would have allowed her to stay that way. Darken Rahl saw fit to have his Mord’Sith revive her so he could usurp the Keeper’s duty of tormenting her.” Her voice wavered with a mixture of anger and terror but her grey eyes never left Kahlan’s face. “He captured many of the Sisters of the Dark and presumed to punish us for failing the Keeper. No doubt he thought so doing would make the Keeper forget his own vile treachery.” Sister Vanthia trembled slightly as she continued. “Sister Nicci returned from the Underworld without a trace of her Han. The rest of us were powerless against the Mord’Sith. They beat us within inches of our lives and beyond, day after day until…” The tears that had been welling in her eyes spilled down her cheeks and her voice broke. “Until Sister Nicci helped us escape. And now we need your help.”
“A likely story,” Cara sneered, “and not very well performed.”
Kahlan pulled her horse level with Cara’s and leaned across the saddle, speaking softly. “Can’t you see the terror in her eyes? She’s telling the truth.”
“Of course I’m telling the truth,” Sister Vanthia interrupted, having regained her composure somewhat. She undid the pin holding her traveling cloak closed, then let the cloak ripple off her shoulders and onto the road. She angled her shoulders, revealing the low-scooped back of her dress and the jagged welts and gashed splashed across her back and shoulders, raw and half-healed. Kahlan gasped involuntarily and glanced at Richard who held her gaze, looking ill.
“Our magic can’t heal them. I doubt even yours can, First Wizard Zorander.” Sister Vanthia turned her gaze briefly to Dahlia’s horrified face before stooping to retrieve her cloak. She spoke no more until she’d securely refastened it around her shoulders.
“I was lucky,” she began again, softly. “I am the only one of us who is fit to travel, so Sister Nicci sent me to bring you to her, Kahlan Amnell.”
Richard regained his voice at the price of his temper. “Nicci confessed Kahlan and tried to kill us both! She wanted to bring about the end of all life for her own self-serving purposes! She is an enemy of the light! What makes her think we’d help her?” he shouted.
Sister Vanthia stood her ground, her grey eyes darkening. “This goes beyond petty matters of light and dark. Sister Nicci returned from the Underworld with news that she says has even the Keeper writhing in panic. The Mother Confessor and her friends might be the only ones who can make a stand against the oncoming storm.”
“What is this ‘oncoming storm’?” Cara demanded, still unconvinced.
Sister Vanthia deflated somewhat, the wind leaving her sails. “I don’t know. She’ll speak of it to no one but you, Mother Confessor. All I know is we must hurry.” She shifted her gaze back to Cara and arched an eyebrow. “something is terribly wrong.”
Cara blinked at her, taken aback.
“Where is Sister Nicci?” Kahlan asked, her eyes clouding over with mounting concern.
“She’s gone to ground not far from here in a fortified manor house hidden in the Rang’Shada mountains near Agaden Reach. If we leave now we can make it there before sunset tomorrow. There’s no time to waste.
Kahlan took a deep breath and looked at Richard, her face a perfect Confessor’s mask.
“Kahlan, no! So what if Nicci is running scared? It’s the least she deserves.
“Richard, something must be wrong if Nicci would risk Shota’s wrath to hide from it.”
“Kahlan has a point,” Zedd cut in. “I don’t like it either, but I have a feeling we’d regret leaving Nicci to her own devices. Even without her powers, she’s a formidable enemy. Doubly so if she’s this frightened. We should at least find out what she has to say.”
To Richard’s surprise and dismay, Cara nodded. “She’s right. Something is definitely wrong.” She glared sidelong at Zedd, who balked but said nothing.
Richard heaved a sigh, releasing his grip on the hilt of his sword along with his anger. “Fine. We’ll see what she has to say.”
“No!” Sister Vanthia cut in. “Sister Nicci will only speak with Kahlan. Time is against us. The rest of you must continue to Aydendril. Kahlan will come with me and catch up with you there. In the meantime…” She knelt and pulled two small, black books out of her pack, handing one to Richard. “She can send word with these.” She noticed the concerned looks the others exchanges and added, “You have my word: she will come to no harm by our hands. But if we don’t hurry, plenty of harm could befall the entire world before anyone even sees it coming.”
Richard looked at the Journey Book as if it were a snake held by the tail. “I fell for this trick once; I won’t be fooled again.” He took the second Journey Book out of Sister Vanthia’s hands and set the two side by side. Before anyone could make a move to stop him he sliced into his hand with his knife. He dipped the book’s pen in his blood and scrawled the word ‘Truth’ in his Journey Book. The word shone on the pages of both books instantaneously, two flawless copies. Richard let out the breath he’d been holding and snapped both books shut. He thrust the second one back at Sister Vanthia.
“I still don’t like it.”
“Neither do I,” Kahlan replied, “but she’s telling the truth. I can’t just ignore this.”
Cara jumped off her horse and began distributing the contents of her saddle bags into their other saddle bags. She turned to Sister Vanthia when she was finished. “Take my horse. You’ll get there and back to Aydendril much faster if you ride.” She shoved the reigns into Sister Vanthia’s hands before swinging herself up behind Dahlia in her saddle. “If you insist on going, go quickly,” she concluded, addressing Kahlan without looking her in the face.
Sister Vanthia secured her pack behind Cara’s horse’s saddle and mounted up, wincing at the pain her wounds gave her.
Richard watched her with contempt but he had to admit defeat. He patted the neck of Kahlan’s horse, then rested his hand on Kahlan’s thigh. “Be careful.”
“I will.”
Before anyone could exchange another word, Sister Vanthia dug her heels into her horse’s flanks and took off down the trail. Kahlan had no choice but to do the same.
Richard watched them disappear off into the trees. “Yes,” he said at last, “something is very wrong.”
Fandom: Legend of the Seeker
Author: cakeandqpm1138
Rating/s | Content: PG-13
Word Count: 1368
Summary: Set immediately after 'Tears.' By performing the Spells of Undoing, Zedd grieviously altered the course of history. Now, Richard, Kahlan, Cara and Zedd must team up with Nicci and Rahl to find a way to appease the Maestra, the Goddess of Time, before she decides to correct the problem by destroying the entire universe, past, present and future. This, however, will be no easy task; Zedd's spells split the course of history into three paths. Which one, if any, will be saved?
Warnings: Spoilers through 'Tears'
Author's Notes: Written for the Legend of the Seeker Big Bang Challenge. Feedback is craved!
Shortly before midday on the sixth day after departing Morsewood, Richard, Kahlan, Cara, Dahlia and Zedd reached the crossoad just south of Breconne Pass. As they drew near, Richard could make out the form of a lone traveler sitting at the base of a tree, a small pack beside her. Cara, rigind at the rear, spotted her as well and drew her horse up next to Richard, the two of them forming a barrier between the stranger and the rest of their party. Cara had not spoken more than a few words to Richard since they’d been on the trail and she showed no sign of breaking that silence now. Richard ignored her and swung down out of his saddle, one hand on the hilt of his sword.
“Do you need any help?” he asked the woman, who rose to her feet as the group approached. She pulled back the hood of her simple brown traveling cloak to reveal wavy blonde hair that fell to her shoulders. Cara’s agiels flew to her fists as the dappled sunlight glinted off three gems, one scarlet and two colorless, centered low on the woman’s forehead, between her thin eyebrows.
“Who are you?” Cara demanded, stepping up to confront the woman.
“My name is Sister Vanthia. I bear a message for Mother Confessor Kahlan Amnell,” she replied evenly, “from Sister Nicci.”
Cara bristled with rage while Richard, Kahlan and Zedd exchanged anxious, confused looks. Dahlia looked on, utterly bewildered.
“Nicci is dead. I killed her myself,” Cara seethed.
Sister Vanthia gave a curt nod. “And if the Creator had any mercy, she would have allowed her to stay that way. Darken Rahl saw fit to have his Mord’Sith revive her so he could usurp the Keeper’s duty of tormenting her.” Her voice wavered with a mixture of anger and terror but her grey eyes never left Kahlan’s face. “He captured many of the Sisters of the Dark and presumed to punish us for failing the Keeper. No doubt he thought so doing would make the Keeper forget his own vile treachery.” Sister Vanthia trembled slightly as she continued. “Sister Nicci returned from the Underworld without a trace of her Han. The rest of us were powerless against the Mord’Sith. They beat us within inches of our lives and beyond, day after day until…” The tears that had been welling in her eyes spilled down her cheeks and her voice broke. “Until Sister Nicci helped us escape. And now we need your help.”
“A likely story,” Cara sneered, “and not very well performed.”
Kahlan pulled her horse level with Cara’s and leaned across the saddle, speaking softly. “Can’t you see the terror in her eyes? She’s telling the truth.”
“Of course I’m telling the truth,” Sister Vanthia interrupted, having regained her composure somewhat. She undid the pin holding her traveling cloak closed, then let the cloak ripple off her shoulders and onto the road. She angled her shoulders, revealing the low-scooped back of her dress and the jagged welts and gashed splashed across her back and shoulders, raw and half-healed. Kahlan gasped involuntarily and glanced at Richard who held her gaze, looking ill.
“Our magic can’t heal them. I doubt even yours can, First Wizard Zorander.” Sister Vanthia turned her gaze briefly to Dahlia’s horrified face before stooping to retrieve her cloak. She spoke no more until she’d securely refastened it around her shoulders.
“I was lucky,” she began again, softly. “I am the only one of us who is fit to travel, so Sister Nicci sent me to bring you to her, Kahlan Amnell.”
Richard regained his voice at the price of his temper. “Nicci confessed Kahlan and tried to kill us both! She wanted to bring about the end of all life for her own self-serving purposes! She is an enemy of the light! What makes her think we’d help her?” he shouted.
Sister Vanthia stood her ground, her grey eyes darkening. “This goes beyond petty matters of light and dark. Sister Nicci returned from the Underworld with news that she says has even the Keeper writhing in panic. The Mother Confessor and her friends might be the only ones who can make a stand against the oncoming storm.”
“What is this ‘oncoming storm’?” Cara demanded, still unconvinced.
Sister Vanthia deflated somewhat, the wind leaving her sails. “I don’t know. She’ll speak of it to no one but you, Mother Confessor. All I know is we must hurry.” She shifted her gaze back to Cara and arched an eyebrow. “something is terribly wrong.”
Cara blinked at her, taken aback.
“Where is Sister Nicci?” Kahlan asked, her eyes clouding over with mounting concern.
“She’s gone to ground not far from here in a fortified manor house hidden in the Rang’Shada mountains near Agaden Reach. If we leave now we can make it there before sunset tomorrow. There’s no time to waste.
Kahlan took a deep breath and looked at Richard, her face a perfect Confessor’s mask.
“Kahlan, no! So what if Nicci is running scared? It’s the least she deserves.
“Richard, something must be wrong if Nicci would risk Shota’s wrath to hide from it.”
“Kahlan has a point,” Zedd cut in. “I don’t like it either, but I have a feeling we’d regret leaving Nicci to her own devices. Even without her powers, she’s a formidable enemy. Doubly so if she’s this frightened. We should at least find out what she has to say.”
To Richard’s surprise and dismay, Cara nodded. “She’s right. Something is definitely wrong.” She glared sidelong at Zedd, who balked but said nothing.
Richard heaved a sigh, releasing his grip on the hilt of his sword along with his anger. “Fine. We’ll see what she has to say.”
“No!” Sister Vanthia cut in. “Sister Nicci will only speak with Kahlan. Time is against us. The rest of you must continue to Aydendril. Kahlan will come with me and catch up with you there. In the meantime…” She knelt and pulled two small, black books out of her pack, handing one to Richard. “She can send word with these.” She noticed the concerned looks the others exchanges and added, “You have my word: she will come to no harm by our hands. But if we don’t hurry, plenty of harm could befall the entire world before anyone even sees it coming.”
Richard looked at the Journey Book as if it were a snake held by the tail. “I fell for this trick once; I won’t be fooled again.” He took the second Journey Book out of Sister Vanthia’s hands and set the two side by side. Before anyone could make a move to stop him he sliced into his hand with his knife. He dipped the book’s pen in his blood and scrawled the word ‘Truth’ in his Journey Book. The word shone on the pages of both books instantaneously, two flawless copies. Richard let out the breath he’d been holding and snapped both books shut. He thrust the second one back at Sister Vanthia.
“I still don’t like it.”
“Neither do I,” Kahlan replied, “but she’s telling the truth. I can’t just ignore this.”
Cara jumped off her horse and began distributing the contents of her saddle bags into their other saddle bags. She turned to Sister Vanthia when she was finished. “Take my horse. You’ll get there and back to Aydendril much faster if you ride.” She shoved the reigns into Sister Vanthia’s hands before swinging herself up behind Dahlia in her saddle. “If you insist on going, go quickly,” she concluded, addressing Kahlan without looking her in the face.
Sister Vanthia secured her pack behind Cara’s horse’s saddle and mounted up, wincing at the pain her wounds gave her.
Richard watched her with contempt but he had to admit defeat. He patted the neck of Kahlan’s horse, then rested his hand on Kahlan’s thigh. “Be careful.”
“I will.”
Before anyone could exchange another word, Sister Vanthia dug her heels into her horse’s flanks and took off down the trail. Kahlan had no choice but to do the same.
Richard watched them disappear off into the trees. “Yes,” he said at last, “something is very wrong.”