Fan Fiction ❯ Just Another Tortall Story... ❯ One-Shot

In the capitol, a woman screamed. A man stood over her. He pulled away as he heard footsteps, and disappeared into the darkness.

Three men in the colors of the King's Own ran in, finding the woman, dead, on the ground. Two, small, clean-cut holes in the woman's neck were all that showed harm.

"Another one!" The man with raven-black hair exclaimed. He ran his hand through his hair as the other two inspected the woman. "This is the third one this week!"

"All the more reason to keep a better watch on things." The man with slightly curled brown hair, taller than either of the other two, said darkly, closing the woman's eyes gently. "I want this killer found. I'm assigning double guard at night, since this seems to be happening only once the sun has set."

"Yes, Commander Raoul." The first man said.

The other nodded, searching the shadows. "What is it, Gault?" Commander Raoul asked.

Gault, the quieter of the two, took a step forward, then shoke his head, as if to clear it. He looked back at Raoul. "I don't know, Commander, I really don't know."

~~~~*~~~~

"I don't know, Jon. No one can figure out what it is." Raoul told the dark-haired man at the head of the table.

King Jonathan III, the dark-haired man, sighed, putting his head in his hands. He looked up at the red-haired woman next to him. "Alanna?"

Alanna, also known as the Lioness, and the King's Champion, shrugged. "I don't know, Jon. I'm just as stumped as you."

A grey-haired man, sitting on Alanna right, met Jon's gaze. "Jon, I may know someone who can help us. She calls herself a hunter of the unexplained. She may know something about this."

Jon nodded. "Ask her to come as soon as she can, okay, Myles?" The grey-haired man nodded. "Good, now, on to other business."

~~~~*~~~~

Myles and Alanna were seated in front of Myles's hearth, watching the flame grow and shrink. "Alanna?" Myles asked after a long moment of silence. He treasured her presence, if only because she was rarely ever around anymore.

"Hum?" Alanna met Myles eyes.

"Could you see if my friend is within your reach? If you can reach her throught the fire..."

Alanna stood, streching carefully. "Sure. What's her name?"

"Nosferatu." Myles mumbled, coming to sit next to his adopted daughter.

Alanna nodded and stared at the flames before her. She mumbled some words and did something else, than mumbled the hunter's name. She looked at Myles after another moment of silence. "It may take some time. She may not be in range, or she may not be by a fire."

Myles started to nod when a face appeared in the flames. The face was mostly in the shadow of a hood, but one could see her pale lips and two gleams from the shadows that were her eyes. "Myles, what a surprise." Her voice was cold and dry. "I didn't think I'd hear from you in this way."

"My adopted daughter, Alanna, has the Gift. I had her set this up herself."

"You told me about this woman." She looked Alanna over quickly, then turned back to Myles. "Myles, you are pale."

"It is difficult here. We have a being we are unable to do anything about running around, killing people."

"How does it kill?" Nosferatu asked quietly, the coldness in her voice seeping away.

"Two pricks in the neck. It draws the blood of the victim from there, somehow." Alanna answered when Myles looked at her.

"I know what it is. It hunts at night?" The two nodded. "Has anyone who is still alive seen it before?" They shook their heads. "Then it is too careful to catch it untrained. I shall set out for you city tonight. I should be there by tomorrow evening."

"Thank you." Myles mumbled.

"No, no. Thank you! It's boring out here in the northeast end. I'm ready to come home." She nodded and the flames died.

"Where in the northeast is she?" Alanna asked.

"I don't know." Myles stood. "Why?"

"From where I felt she was, it should take her almost a week to get here."

"Don't complain, Alanna. We need all the help we can get. We can inform Jon tomorrow." He nodded to her. "Good night." He left.

Alanna fiddled with a pendant she wore. As gift from the Goddess, it had once been an ember from a fire of hers. Now, it was only a reminder. She used it now to look at the dying magic around the flames in the hearth. She drew in a deep breath. Her Gift was purple.

The Gift that surrounded the fire was blood red.

~~~~*~~~~

Alanna was the only one waiting for the rider she knew was coming when she spotted her.

Nosferatu was riding her horse hard, riding bent forward in the saddle, her cloak billowed out behind her. When she saw Alanna, she slowed her horse, stopping before the other woman. "So, you are the Lioness. A little short, don't you think?"

Alanna made a face. "Your horse must be tired." She said softly.

"Rainbow doesn't tired that easily, Lioness." Nosferatu hopped down with ease. Now Alanna could see the sword hanging at Nosferatu's side.

"It's Alanna, please." Alanna mumbled. Nosferatu nodded. "And, if you ask me, Rainbow doesn't look like a rainbow." This was true. Rainbow had black fur, and a white mane and tail.

Nosferatu's eyes twinkled under her hood. "Alanna, you surprise me. After all the run-ins that you have had with your Goddess, I would have thought you'd have learned to see past mortal eyes."

"What?!" Alanna choked.

"Use your stone." Nosferatu suggested.

Alanna pulled out the gift and held it, looking at the horse and rider. What she saw was a unicorn covered in a golden light, her horn rainbow in color. Her other colors were the same. She looked closely at Nosferatu. The blood red Gift that she had seen yesterday came from the other woman. The sword at her side glowed with an odd blackness. A shine of silver light came from something hidden beneath her cloak. "What is-"

Nosferatu, knowing what Alanna wanted, pulled off her cloak. The silver shine was a pendant in the shape of a lowercase t, or a cross. Alanna let go of her stone and looked Nosferatu in the eye for the first time.

Nosferatu was taller than Raoul, Alanna realized. She had soft black hair which lay limp at her shoulders, tied in the back to keep it out of the way. Her eyes were a soft blue, but more intense than Jon's. Her skin was dry and pale. She looked hungry. "Nosferatu, follow me. I'll show you to our home."

Nosferatu nodded. "But, please, call me Nos."

~~~~*~~~~

"So, you think you can rid us of this monster?" The group of Jon's most trusted advisers, as well as Nos, were sitiing in the library in Myles's home. Jon was watching Nos closely. A cup of wine had been placed before her, but it was still untouched, and she had returned to wearing her cloak over her face.

"King Jonathan, I know I can rid you of this monster. But, if we're going to work together, I need you to learn to trust me."

"How are we sure that we can trust you?" Prince Roald of Conte asked. As heir to the throne, he had been expected to be there. His wife, Princess Shinkokami, was in the Yamani Islands, her home, because of some problems.

"You can't be sure." Nos pointed out drily. "You'll just have to trust Myles on that one. Do you have a reason not to trust me? Or is it just because you've never heard of me before?"

"I think it's mainly that." Sir Garth "The Younger" pointed out.

Queen Thayet shook her head. "Let's give Nosferatu a chance, at least. She's right, we'll just have to trust Myles on this point."

Jon sighed, shaking his head. "Alright. You have a week to do something about these nightly visits." He stood. "Dismissed."

~~~~*~~~~

There were still a couple hours before sundown when Alanna found Nos watching the men in the training courts. She stood next to her and watched for a couple of minutes. Then she turned to Nos. "So, do you know how to use that thing?" She was pointing at Nos' sword.

Nos looked down at the thing. "Of course. I wouldn't carry it around else."

"Would you like to practice with me? I'd like to see how good you are."

"You are quick on your feet?"

"Of course. Being small helps me there." Alanna grinned.

Nos pushed away from the wall. "I will practice with you, but I'll warn you now, I've never once lost."

"Oh, good. I get bored with beating the men all the time." Alanna led the woman out the the courts. "Would you like padding?"

"No. That makes it too easy." Nos replied calmly.

Alanna shrugged, freeing her sword and placing her scabbard, as well as anything else that might get in the way, on the ground in one corner. Nos followed her example and they met in the center of the court. A few men had come over to watch the Champion and this strange woman duel.

Alanna took up the Guard position and Nos once again followed her example. "Ready?" A serious Alanna asked calmly.

Nos nodded. "Of course."

"Then, go!" Alanna shouted, moving her sword with swiftness, rather than fanciness. Nos blocked her first move without a sound and sent one of her own Alanna's way, which Alanna barely blocked. *She's good!!* Alanna realized, speeding up.

Nos once again matched her pace. They continued to trade blows, seeming equally matched, but Alanna noticed that Nos wasn't even sweating slightly, while she was sweat profusely. Suddenly, without seeming to move at all, Nos' sword tip was placed up against Alanna's throat. Alanna stopped short, breathing hard. "Do you yield?" Nos asked calmly, her breathing even.

"I do." Alanna croaked. Nos stepped back and went to get her things. Alanna excepted a water cantine from one of the onlookers, watching as Nos turned her's away. She walked over. "Sure you're not thirsty?" She asked.

"I don't drink much water." Was Nos' calm reply.

"Or so I see." Alanna grumbled. "Anyway, I must thank you for a wonderful duel. You must be the best swordswoman I've ever met!"

"I'm also one of the few, as are you." She stood, her cloak back on. "I shall start my search of your city now." She pushed her way through the onlookers, not seeming to move at all.

"Well." Alanna grinned. "What a strange woman!" She went to find her things and start her own search of the city.

~~~~*~~~~

The man who killed mortals in the streets of Corus was surprised to find Nos sitting outside his grave when he came out. "Nosferatu." He nodded at her, his brown eyes shimmering in the little light. "I'd thought you'd left Corus a couple decades ago."

Nos stood. "I did. I came back when a friend asked for my help. I thought you had left this country over a century ago, the last time I kicked you out. It seems I was wrong."

"The lands across the Great Inland Sea aren't what they used to be in my time." The man shrugged. "Now, if you don't mind, unlike you, I still get hungry every couple of nights." He started out of the alley he had been in.

Nos was suddenly in his way. Her cloak settled about her, as if she'd run a great distance at a great speed, although she hadn't seemed to move. "You'll have to feed elsewhere, Batleu. I'm kicking you out of Corus. I would like it even better if you and your other henchmen left Tortall entirely, but I know that I can't do anything about that at this point in time."

"Don't you miss it? The taste of blood on you tounge. The feeling of being well fed? I know you do. You're hungry, Nosferatu! I know you!"

"Not nearly well enough if you think you can get me to let you go." Her red magic threw him against the wall and held him there. "I want you out of Corus, and I want you to get as many of your people out of Tortall as you can."

"Why?" Batleu was fighting her magic. He had none of his own, in fact, Nos was the only one of his people that he knew did.

"Simple. I'm now protecting Corus from any other vampire invaders, and I'm going to keep at least an eye on the rest of Tortall. Go raid Scanra, if you so wish."

"What, don't have any friends in Scanra?" Batleu teased, giving up on fighting her magic.

"They have all been dead for centuries." Nos sighed. She let him down. "I'll take you out to the border. After that, if I see you or any of your people inside Corus again, I'll kill them." She turned, grabbing Batleu in the process, and walked him through the streets of Corus.

"Look at that, another tasty morsel of a mortal!" Batleu commented as he caught sight of Alanna. "Come on, Nosferatu, let me have just one bite!"

Nos turned to looked at Alanna. "Don't come too close, lady knight. I'm taking him outside the city and leaving him." She turned again and started dragging the man towards the city limits.

"Lady knight? Ah, you're the King's Champion! My name is Batleu. I would bow, but, as you can see, I'm being dragged against my will!" Batleu tried to grab something to stop Nos from pulling him along, but he failed. "Lady knight, I'm what we call a vampire! We drink mortal blood, but we ourselves are immortal! Watch Nosferatu, she's one of us! She can last longer than any of us, but, what happens when she gets too hungry and has to feed? Then what?"

Batleu gave a sharp cry as Nos lost her temper and threw him against a wall with inhuman strength. "If you don't shut up now I will keep you here until the sun rises, or you die from hunger. Which will it be, Batleu, hunger, sunlight, or freedom?" She spoke in the language of the Old Ones.

"Just a small question, Nosferatu." Batleu asked. Nos didn't move. "What will happen when you get too hungry?" He too used the language of the Old Ones.

"I can hunt animals." Was Nosferatu's soft reply.

"You're the strangest vampire I'll ever meet, I think." Batleu sighed. "Freedom, please."

Nos sighed and let him down. She held his arm tightly and took him to the city edge, then let him go. "Remember what I said. Warn your people, unless you want them dead, and get out of Tortall before I start widening my search. If I ever see you inside Tortall again, I'll show you the sun." She turned and walked back to where Alanna stood, staring at the spot Nos had held Batleu.

"How did you learn the language of the Old Ones?" She asked.

"I should be asking you the same thing. Did you understand what I was saying?" Nos asked, keeping a distance.

"Only bits and peaces. Myles has been studying the Old Ones for years, and I've learned some of their language from him. How did you learn it?" She met Nos' eyes.

"Simple, I was there." Nos shrugged. "I've been on this land since long before they were."

"Since the Time of the Immortals?" Alanna asked.

Nos smiled bitterly. "You have Myles' love of the past, Lady Alanna." She commented quietly. "But, yes. I've been here since the Time of the Immortals. I'm one of the few that never lived in the realm the gods made for us."

"And Batleu?"

"Oh, he's fairly young. Only a few centuries old. One of the others that stayed behind made a few others of our people from mortals, which tend to be weaker than those of us that came with the Time of the Immortals. I've told him to stay out of Corus, and get out of Tortall. If you'd like, I, too, can leave Corus." Nos watched Alanna's face for any sign of the affect her words had on the younger woman.

"What will you feed on when you get hungry?" Alanna asked after a moment.

"Animals. I've never, to this day, fed on humans. Anyway, I've grown far too used to animal blood to start on human blood now."

"Some Wildmages I know would kill you for killing animals for food." Alanna pointed out.

"Ah, but Alanna, don't you see? You mortals kill animals for food all the time. You can kill more in a single day then I can kill in a year. Even more so, after I'm done feeding, I always leave the animal out where others, be they animal or human, can find them and use them for food." She smiled. "Anyway, I'd like to see these people try and kill me. I'm the strongest vampire in this realm, that I know of, and vampires are difficult enough to kill as it is."

"We should tell Jon." Alanna grumbled.

"Good enough for me. We can tell him now. Even better, we can tell him that Batleu won't be coming back to Corus again, and we shouldn't have to worry about any others like him."

"In your day, did you have to fight other immortals often?" Alanna was looking at Nos' sword.

Nos' eyes twinkled. "Of course. Where do you think I learned my fighting skills from, Myles?"

Alanna laughed. "No, I guess that was a stupid question."

"Perfectly normal. I'd have asked the same thing, were I in your shoes."

"Let's head up to the palace."

Nos nodded and fell into step beside Alanna.

~~~~*~~~~

Jonathan walked over to the library, his feet in slippers and he in a quickly-thrown-on pair of breechs and shirt. He peeked into the room first, watching as Nos took a sip of the red liquid in her glass, made a face, then took a large swallow. She set the cup down. "I hate it when it's cold." She grumbled.

"Oh, you'll live." Alanna, the only other soul in the room, pointed out.

Nos smiled. "True." She stood and bowed as Jonathan stepped into the room. "King Jonathan."

Jon looked at the two darkly. "I thought you two were out looking for that monster."

"We were." Alanna spoke as Nos finished her cup. "Nos threw him outside the city limits and warned him not to ever come back."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?!" Jon cried, watching as Nos poured herself some more of the red liquid.

"I told you he'd be difficult." Alanna looked at Nos, who was gulping down a third glass of the red stuff. Jon made a face as Alanna pulled the pitcher away from Nos. "You're going to waste it all!" She cried.

"What is that stuff?" Jon asked, hand out for the pitcher.

Nos, making a face and placing her cup down on the table, sat back in her chair. "Blood." She said, sending Alanna a dirty look.

Jon drew his hand back and looked at Nos blankly. "Did you just say blood?"

"Alanna, I'm thirsty!!" Nos whined.

"Answer Jonathan." Alanna replied.

"I'm starting to wonder why Batleu liked human blood so much." Nos groaned, looking back at Jon. "Yes, blood. Animal blood, to be specific. The being you had me chase out, he's a vampire. So am I."

Jon's eyes widened as Nos turned back to Alanna, hand out calmly. Something on Nos' face made Alanna hand over the pitcher very quickly. "By the gods, You're scary sometimes." Alanna commented as Nos poured herself another glass. This time she took only a little sip, then sat back, facing Jon.

"You're staring, King." Nos commented in a soft voice.

"Whose blood are you drinking, then?" Jon asked, his voice shaky.

Nos took another sip. "One of the rats from the kitchens." She replied. She looked at Alanna. "He took this news well." She pointed out.

"What, compared to me?" Alanna glared at the woman.

"No, compared to everyone else that learned what I was. Most people will run at me and try to kill me once they learn what I am."

"An what happens to them?" Jon asked.

Nos shrugged. "They have an accident." Her voice was icy. "I hope you don't plan on having an accident, Jonathan of Conte."

"Nos, you wouldn't!" Alanna grabbed her friend's arm.

"I have and I will. I know every way to kill a mortal out there, and their rank doesn't concern me." Her voice was still cold. She took another sip of the blood in her glass.

"Why do you trust the other vampire to stay away?" Jon asked after a few heated moments.

Alanna relaxed as Nos smiled. "Because, with you highness' permission, I'll stay inside Corus and kill any that come here."

Jon sat back in his chair to think while her watched Nos take another sip of blood. "Another question, if I may?"

"No, I'll kill none of your people. I prefer animal blood." Nos replied.

Jon blinked. "How did you do that?"

"First off, anyone would want to know if I planned on feeding on any of their people. Second, I can read minds, if I wish."

"You didn't tell me that!" Alanna cried.

"You never asked." Nos pointed out blandly.

"I think, it would be interesting to have you stay." Jon broke in before either could say another word. "I just ask that this stay between us, unless you see it fit to tell any others yourself, Nosferatu."

Nos nodded. "I agree. I had that very request in mind."

Jon stood. "Although, I do ask one more thing." Nos nodded her head for him to go on. "Please don't drink that in front of me again. It is slightly nausiating."

Nos laughed softly. "I understand, King Jonathan. You'll have to forgive me. I was hungry. It has been over five months since I last fed."

Jon frowned. "How long can you last?"

"If I need to, over a year. I do prefer to feed at least twice a year, though. I've always been one of the strongest of my people, even in the days were ruled the world in groups with other immortals."

"How old are you?" Jon frowned.

"I lost count when I hit one thousand years. I see no point in continuing to try and count." She stood. "And, sire, you look tired." She glanced at Alanna. "And so do you, Lady Knight. I think it's time for both of you to get some sleep."

"And you?" Alanna asked.

"I can go with no sleep for another two days. I'll be fine." She bowed and left the room.

"Well, what do you think?" Jon asked as Alanna picked up the pitcher and glass.

"I think she's okay. I also think that if Daine finds out about here we might lose our Wildmage." Alanna replied, heading for the kitchens.

"I was wondering about that." Jon smiled at his Champion. "But, I was asking what you think of my okay in letting her stay here."

"I would have done the exact same thing, Jon. She's a good woman, and we can learn plenty from her. You know, she can speak the language of the Old Ones perfectly!"

Jon laughed. "Only you or Myles would get that excited over something like that." He commented.

Alanna washed out the pitcher and glass, then left them for the morning. They both said their good nights and went off to bed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now, unless you've read the Protector of the Small series, you won't understand my nickname in the least. This nickname is Sakuyo. I'll help you mortals some when it comes to my friend Sakuyo!

Sakuyo is first found in "Squire." Sakuyo is the Yamani trickster god, who loves jokes. One of my friends {Who goes by the name Alanna} decided to call me that when I came in one day with my hair cut REALLY short. I actually looked kinda like a guy, which, to this day, drives my friends nuts. After the okay of this name, as well as the explaination, from my little sister {Keladry, Kel, is her nickname}I was offically dubbed Sakuyo. {Mind you, this character is also a lot like me in personality, or would be if he were mortal, I think.}

I have loved Tamora Pierce's books for years, ever since my aunt got us the Lioness Quartet for one Christmas, and my sister and I have collected all of her books from Tortall, and almost all of her Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens books. As it stands, we have two copies of the Lioness Quartet series and all but the last book in The Immortals series. She came to D.C. to do a book signing about a year ago{Well, maybe not THAT long ago} and I have two books signed by her, while Kel has at least two books signed, possibly three.

Mind you, I started this story before Lady Knight came out. I finished it after I'd read Lady Knight.

Well, I'm going to go and return Kel's books to her!

See ya!!

Katmon =^.^= Ichijouji

A.K.A. Sakuyo