Chapter 15

The Immortals: The Beginning

"The interesting thing is that Emperor Ozorne doesn't recall anything that's happened in the past few months that our Lioness was there," Duke Gareth the Younger said, ruffling through his papers.

Jon raised an eyebrow. "Nothing? How about his people? Surely they would have told him everything by now."

It was Sir Myles of Olau's turn to shake his head. "I've had reports from George's messenger birds that even the people there were unaware of what has happened. It's as if some kind of false memory was inserted so that they didn't find any holes in the past months. As far as Carthak is concerned, Sir Alanna never stepped on Carthaki soil."

"Isn't that a relief, then?" Raoul of Goldenlake inquired, "He'll have no memory of his threat of going to war against Tortall for now."

"Until he realizes that he wants to start making the Gate of Idramm again," Alanna frowned. "I'm wondering when that will be."

Myles smiled. "See, that's where the peculiarities come up again, my dear. From sources, it also seems as if all traces of his thoughts about this said Gate has been erased. On top of that, all records of the Gate of Idramm in Carthak have been destroyed. It will be a matter of time before sorcerers even begin to learn about the Gate over there. And centuries before they start to try that bit of magic again."

The Lioness snorted. "He's still bound to start trouble, you count on that."

"But for the meantime," Jon smiled, "We'll just restrain from sending the lady knight over there. Peace talks to Carthak will be Gary and Raoul's responsibility. In any case, I think we have other business to attend to. Next?"

Gary sent icy glares at his kingly cousin before pulling another piece of paper from his long stash. "Now, I hear we'll be having another wedding soon…"

Alanna turned bright red.

---

The instant Eleni Cooper left Mistress Kuri's house was when she had the feeling that city life no longer suited her. Olau was a much better environment for George's mother, it was just a matter of habit to visit an old friend here and there. As she stepped out, she froze. Her senses tingled, as if the air around her wanted to let her know something. Pulling her cloak tightly about her shoulders, she sniffed the wind and followed her nose. If the Sight called to her, she knew well enough not to ignore it.

As she turned to a familiar alleyway, just a few turns from her house, she spotted a cloaked figure crumpled on the floor and groaning. Eleni scowled. Was this what her Sight was telling her? That there was a man in an alleyway? Surely the fallen figure is someone important. Letting her kind nature take the better of her, she bent down and helped the man up as best as she could. "You're going to have to help yourself a bit, too, good sir. I'm not as strong as I used to be when I was young."

The young man gave a small smile. Eleni looked at him and shook her head out of pity. "You're starving! Come, I'll get you something at the Dancing Dove. Goddess, how long has it been since you've eaten?"

"I can barely remember," was the man's reply. He grimaced at the wound on his side. "Plus, out of misfortune, somebody robbed me of my purse."

"Common thieves," Eleni frowned. Sometimes she missed the time when George was master of the thieves! "At least you won't have to worry about them for now. They wouldn't dare hurt a lady, I'd wager."

The Dancing Dove served Eleni and the swarthy young man with as much food as Eleni saw fit to bestow on her hungry discovery. She watched him as he hungrily ate and drank to his heart's content. Somehow, she felt a great power coming from him, but then she wondered how he could have been led astray this long. He had almost starved to death!

Eleni smiled at the bartender as he asked if she would like more servings. She passed him another silver coin and he bowed. The man found his propriety and looked up from the food to thank his savior. "Lady, may the gods bless you moreover for your kindness!"

"May I have the name of the sorcerer I saved from the clutches of evil?" Eleni smiled.

The man put his glass down and watched Eleni closely. He gave her a small smile. "I had an inkling that you'd have to be Gifted to have found me lying there. Very well. I am Numair Salmalin."

"Well, Numair, now that you've regained some of your strength, do you think you can travel?" Mistress Cooper was already readying her bags and signaling to the bartender to start cleaning the tables.

Numair looked up at her cautiously. "Madam?"

Eleni looked down at him seriously, her hazel eyes smiling. "I don't lose sight of people that my Gift tells me to find. I'm due at the Barony of Olau in two days. And you're coming with me."

"I must refuse this—"

"Nonsense," the woman was adamant. "Whether or not you refuse doesn't stop me from having you come with me. I've got an extra horse, you'll be taking that. At least now my husband will not worry so, not with a young sorcerer alongside me to protect me on the road. Come, Numair Salmalin, I don't have as much patience as I used to have."

---

"Oh? And I thought you were going to leave me for some young man, Eleni," Sir Myles of Olau said in a pleasant manner. He poured Numair a glass of wine and poured some for his wife as well. "How was the journey here?"

"Your wife was a very interesting conversationalist, my lord," Numair bowed. "It was very pleasant."

Eleni chuckled. "Myles, can you believe? He spent half the time trying to insist that it was wrong for him to intrude on my kindness, and in the same breath he tried thanking me!"

A few horses were heard outside, and Myles immediately got up. He turned to Eleni and tilted his head. "You came back at the right time, dear. Our children have come to visit."

"George, too?" Eleni's eyes was filled with delight.

Numair, on the other hand, frowned slightly. Didn't he know a George from before? He didn't have time to answer his own question, as the subjects of interest barged into the room. Two people came rushing in, one heavily cloaked in riding gear and the other in Bazhir clothing. Both were tanned and smiling. The male had hugged Eleni with tremendous force. "Mother! So you're back from Corus! How was the ride?"

George's female companion, however, stopped on her tracks. Her purple eyes were frozen on Numair Salmalin, and his were just as wide and frozen on hers. The female spoke first. "Arram? Arram Draper?!"

"It's Numair Salmalin now, Lioness," Numair bowed, breaking into a smile. "Arram is a thing of the past!"

Alanna laughed and rushed to him, hugging him. "However did you get here?"

"Yes, I'm equally curious, Numair," now George was grinning, "I thought the lass was all to myself when we left you in Carthak. Now you're back to steal her away, but I'm sorry to say, we're already married."

The Tyran sorcerer grasped George's hand. "Oh, don't worry, I go for shapely blondes myself."

Eleni Cooper shook her head, her hands on her hips. "Somehow finding that this Numair Salmalin was connected to Alanna did not strike me as odd. I should have known!"

Myles looked at all of them in turn, bemused. "Alanna, I've not seen you for more than ten minutes and the first man you spring attention to is this stranger in my house. Should my pride be hurt?"

The Lioness blushed and greeted her adopted father with a hug equal to the one she gave Numair. She turned to her Tyran friend and rushed him to a seat. "I'm sorry, father, but he was a good friend I met in Carthak. We must talk."

"I'm sure you're wanting to know a whole lot of what happened," Numair said, eyes gleaming with amusement. "George, too, I bet."

"George probably knows most already, with his messenger birds," Alanna gave her husband a playful glare. The baron of Pirate's Swoop shrugged it off and conversed with his parents. "But come, I see you took the name of Numair Salmalin. My brother left a big impression on you, huh?"

Numair smiled. "I'm very grateful to him. Besides, I think it's catchier as a sorcerer. And, I want the emperor of Carthak to see Arram Draper as dead."

"Oh, now you really have to tell me everything!" the lady knight was brimming with curiosity. "And you need to see Jon, he's been asking about you ever since we lost one of our mages to the Copper Isles. He really thought about employing your skills and talent. But enough about that, your story first, and then we'll talk profession."

Taking a deep breath, the sorcerer started. "I must admit, I had a bit of help from above erasing those memories…"

---

--EPILOGUE--

Alanna blinked back the memories of her past as she scanned the horizon ahead of her. The sea was calm, yet her stomach seemed restless. She knew this moment was coming, and she gave a slight growl of impatience. "I can't believe I'm doing this again…"

The lady knight walked further onto the deck to hear her friend talking with a girl around 15 years of age. "The Lioness is one of my dearest friends, but she is not an exemplar of female beauty. Years and experience have given her charm, and her eyes are extraordinary. But she is not beautiful…"

The Lioness smiled slightly. It has been quite a long time since she'd met Numair, and their friendship had been one she cherished. She joined her two friends in conversation. "I heard that about my looks. I'll get you later."

Numair had smiled, next to him the young lady was pretty, brown curls and smoky blue eyes brought out the charm in her. "You do look good."

After hearing from the girl, she had turned to Numair and tilted her head towards the shore. Under her breath, she whispered. "I'm hoping your memory charms are damn wonderful, because if he remembers an inkling of the past with me in it, we're all in great trouble."

"Coming here is slightly a risk in itself, Alanna," Numair Salmalin whispered back. "But we'll be fine, I'm sure of it."

"Yes, I'm sure," Alanna answered, her brilliant purple eyes now looking at the girl beside her black-robed friend. "We have quite a formidable crew, after all."

----- Author's note: All done! I'd like to thank all those who were patient with me and all those who just discovered this fanfic and reviewed. Mwah, I appreciate it. And I feel slightly sad (just slightly) now that the fic is over. I guess because it's been a travel. And quite an adventure. Cheers!