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Title: Goose Chase
Author: alyse
Fandom: Legend of the Seeker
Genre: Gen with hints of Zedd/Shota
Word Count: ~1,000
Rating: PG
Author's Notes: Written for the![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
legendland Treasure Hunt Challenge, which followed on from the Treasure Hunt games challenge and involved writing a story where the characters had to hunt for their weapons across all locations.
Summary: Zedd should have realised something was wrong. Shota had been far too quiet for far too long, and that was not at all like Shota.
Places visited:
1. People's Palace
2. Tamarang
3. Hartland
4. Stonecroft
5. Brennidon
6. Aydindril
Fic:
Zedd should have realised that something was wrong a long time before Richard burst into the room he'd marked as Zedd's in the People's Palace, eyes wide and frantic. Shota had, after all, been far too quiet for far too long, and that was not at all like Shota.
"Zedd," Richard gasped out. "The Sword of Truth... it's gone!"
Kahlan and Cara were hard on Richard's heels, crowding in the doorway. "So are Cara's agiels and my blades," Kahlan said, her brow furrowed with concern.
That, on the other hand, was just like Shota.
---
She'd left a clue, of course. That was also like Shota - especially given that the clue in question was written in ten foot high letters in flames in the night sky.
One of these days he was going to have to have another conversation with Shota about subtlety being the cornerstone of any good magic. None of this flashy nonsense.
"What makes you think that Tamarang had anything to do with this?" Cara asked when he finally deciphered the clue, her hands on her hips and her eyes sceptical. "Why don't we simply storm Agaden Reach and force the witch to hand our weapons over.
"I don't think that Tamarang is the end goal," Zedd explained patiently for what felt like the hundredth time. "But I also doubt that Shota is foolish enough to sit around waiting for us at Agaden Reach. Besides," he added, because having Shota annoyed at him was simply not enough danger for one Wizard at any one point in time, "I think that some of us could do with the exercise." He eyed Cara's posterior, and she narrowed her eyes at him dangerously.
If the ride to Tamarang wasn't going to warm his old blood, he was pretty sure being chased there by an angry Mord'Sith would serve instead.
---
As expected, Tamarang did not mark the end of their search. There was another hint waiting for them, and Shota had been slightly less showy this time.
She hadn't written the words in the sky. She'd simply carved them into the walls of the ex-Queen Milena's castle.
---
"Hartland?" Richard asked, his voice disbelieving. "How in the name of the Creator are we supposed to cross the boundary again? We barely made it through last time, and sealed it solid, remember?"
"Er, about that, my boy," Zedd said, cursing Shota's name for forcing him into this position. "There might possibly be a shortcut..."
There was absolutely no need for any of them to know why he knew of it, let alone why he'd used it. Some things were simply better left secret, no matter Shota's opinion on the matter.
---
Hartland was peaceful rolling woods and hillsides, pleasant neighbours and gentle streams.
Zedd was bored within an hour.
Thankfully Shota hadn't been subtle there either, although how on earth she'd got the trees to grow in that pattern, he'd never know.
---
The less said about Stonecroft the better. It seemed that Cara wasn't any more popular than the first time they'd visited, but at least her sister seemed pleased to see her.
Her sister's husband, on the other hand, was considerably less amused by the crop circles that had appeared in the middle of his best cornfield. Of course, he was even more annoyed when he realised just for whom the cryptic message had been left.
---
At least Brigid in Brennidon was pleased to see them all, and her cooking was as tasty as Zedd remembered. The repast that she laid before them was worth all of Cara's pointed comments about his posterior, and given that Shota's message this time had been left in the remnants of Otto Nyth, the late and unlamented D'Haran Commander's house, no one seemed to mind.
Shota was losing her touch. A whole village to trick and torment, and she'd simply passed them on by. Hopefully, she was growing as bored with this as Zedd himself.
---
They cornered her in Aydindril, the last stop on the little goose chase she'd led them.
"Hand them over, witch," Cara snarled with her customary good humour. Shota didn't even blink, although Zedd noted that she handed Cara's agiels to the Mord'Sith last, and made sure that she darted behind Zedd before Cara could do more than step forward, the light of battle in her eye.
"That little -" Cara bit out as Zedd laid one restraining hand on her arm. "She took our weapons, Zedd!"
"It wasn't your weapons I was interested in, Mord'Sith," Shota said haughtily, every inch the queen she'd never be.
"I ought to shove these up your -"
"Cara," Zedd snapped, stopping Cara's curse in their tracks. "Why don't you let me deal with Shota. You have your weapons back, and since we're in Aydindril, Kahlan will be checking in with the Council. I'm sure Richard would take it as a great favour if you were to be there to ensure her safety, especially given what happened last time."
Cara subsided, grumbling, but she followed Richard and Kahlan out of the door, casting one last look at Shota as she went, one that promised retribution.
"Really, Shota?" he said once she'd gone. "You thought that taking their weapons was a good idea?"
She stepped closer, dropping her voice to a purr as she ran one sharp-nailed talon down the front of Zedd's robe. "It wasn't their weapons I was interested in, Zeddicus. Surely you know that."
Well, he had been a little bit bored. And Shota, the little goose that she was, could certainly keep him entertained.
Author: alyse
Fandom: Legend of the Seeker
Genre: Gen with hints of Zedd/Shota
Word Count: ~1,000
Rating: PG
Author's Notes: Written for the
legendland Treasure Hunt Challenge, which followed on from the Treasure Hunt games challenge and involved writing a story where the characters had to hunt for their weapons across all locations.Summary: Zedd should have realised something was wrong. Shota had been far too quiet for far too long, and that was not at all like Shota.
Places visited:
1. People's Palace
2. Tamarang
3. Hartland
4. Stonecroft
5. Brennidon
6. Aydindril
Fic:
Zedd should have realised that something was wrong a long time before Richard burst into the room he'd marked as Zedd's in the People's Palace, eyes wide and frantic. Shota had, after all, been far too quiet for far too long, and that was not at all like Shota.
"Zedd," Richard gasped out. "The Sword of Truth... it's gone!"
Kahlan and Cara were hard on Richard's heels, crowding in the doorway. "So are Cara's agiels and my blades," Kahlan said, her brow furrowed with concern.
That, on the other hand, was just like Shota.
---
She'd left a clue, of course. That was also like Shota - especially given that the clue in question was written in ten foot high letters in flames in the night sky.
One of these days he was going to have to have another conversation with Shota about subtlety being the cornerstone of any good magic. None of this flashy nonsense.
"What makes you think that Tamarang had anything to do with this?" Cara asked when he finally deciphered the clue, her hands on her hips and her eyes sceptical. "Why don't we simply storm Agaden Reach and force the witch to hand our weapons over.
"I don't think that Tamarang is the end goal," Zedd explained patiently for what felt like the hundredth time. "But I also doubt that Shota is foolish enough to sit around waiting for us at Agaden Reach. Besides," he added, because having Shota annoyed at him was simply not enough danger for one Wizard at any one point in time, "I think that some of us could do with the exercise." He eyed Cara's posterior, and she narrowed her eyes at him dangerously.
If the ride to Tamarang wasn't going to warm his old blood, he was pretty sure being chased there by an angry Mord'Sith would serve instead.
---
As expected, Tamarang did not mark the end of their search. There was another hint waiting for them, and Shota had been slightly less showy this time.
She hadn't written the words in the sky. She'd simply carved them into the walls of the ex-Queen Milena's castle.
---
"Hartland?" Richard asked, his voice disbelieving. "How in the name of the Creator are we supposed to cross the boundary again? We barely made it through last time, and sealed it solid, remember?"
"Er, about that, my boy," Zedd said, cursing Shota's name for forcing him into this position. "There might possibly be a shortcut..."
There was absolutely no need for any of them to know why he knew of it, let alone why he'd used it. Some things were simply better left secret, no matter Shota's opinion on the matter.
---
Hartland was peaceful rolling woods and hillsides, pleasant neighbours and gentle streams.
Zedd was bored within an hour.
Thankfully Shota hadn't been subtle there either, although how on earth she'd got the trees to grow in that pattern, he'd never know.
---
The less said about Stonecroft the better. It seemed that Cara wasn't any more popular than the first time they'd visited, but at least her sister seemed pleased to see her.
Her sister's husband, on the other hand, was considerably less amused by the crop circles that had appeared in the middle of his best cornfield. Of course, he was even more annoyed when he realised just for whom the cryptic message had been left.
---
At least Brigid in Brennidon was pleased to see them all, and her cooking was as tasty as Zedd remembered. The repast that she laid before them was worth all of Cara's pointed comments about his posterior, and given that Shota's message this time had been left in the remnants of Otto Nyth, the late and unlamented D'Haran Commander's house, no one seemed to mind.
Shota was losing her touch. A whole village to trick and torment, and she'd simply passed them on by. Hopefully, she was growing as bored with this as Zedd himself.
---
They cornered her in Aydindril, the last stop on the little goose chase she'd led them.
"Hand them over, witch," Cara snarled with her customary good humour. Shota didn't even blink, although Zedd noted that she handed Cara's agiels to the Mord'Sith last, and made sure that she darted behind Zedd before Cara could do more than step forward, the light of battle in her eye.
"That little -" Cara bit out as Zedd laid one restraining hand on her arm. "She took our weapons, Zedd!"
"It wasn't your weapons I was interested in, Mord'Sith," Shota said haughtily, every inch the queen she'd never be.
"I ought to shove these up your -"
"Cara," Zedd snapped, stopping Cara's curse in their tracks. "Why don't you let me deal with Shota. You have your weapons back, and since we're in Aydindril, Kahlan will be checking in with the Council. I'm sure Richard would take it as a great favour if you were to be there to ensure her safety, especially given what happened last time."
Cara subsided, grumbling, but she followed Richard and Kahlan out of the door, casting one last look at Shota as she went, one that promised retribution.
"Really, Shota?" he said once she'd gone. "You thought that taking their weapons was a good idea?"
She stepped closer, dropping her voice to a purr as she ran one sharp-nailed talon down the front of Zedd's robe. "It wasn't their weapons I was interested in, Zeddicus. Surely you know that."
Well, he had been a little bit bored. And Shota, the little goose that she was, could certainly keep him entertained.