Fan Fiction ❯ Earth's Reflection, My World ❯ Renewal ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter Three:

Renewal

Neouri was unaware of everything going on. Eede was sure that if she opened her eyes and found herself slung over the back of a threa, she would kill him and his brother for sure.

The animal between his legs grunted, and growled at him. He patted it's head.

A threa was a large animal indeed. It resembled a horse meshed with a tiger. It had the body of a horse, but with thicker legs, and a more agile body. The head was that of a horse, with stripes on the sides of it's snout. They were beautiful creatures that varied from midnight black and snow white, or silvery gray and soft gold. There was said to be shades of peach, auburn, and brown, but those were for the more wild ones. Threa's were a meat eating creatures with vicious paws, and sharp teeth. The males had pointed ears, and females had curled ears.

"That bolt was a good one, eh?" Xel called from before his brother.

They were walking a forest path, trees as tall as buildings on either side of them, reaching for the soft gray of the sunset skies. The forest they were walking in was plentiful with bushes, and close growing trees, and wild animals. They tended to stay away from the path, for fear of getting captured by warriors. Xel's threa was fidgety beneath the weight of his master and the extra weight of the girl, slung over it's shoulder blades. The beautiful, and rare, single colored black threa, with a gem of jet on it's crown swayed back in forth, becoming more used to it though.

Eede patted his threa once again, still thoroughly upset with his elder brother. "Yeah." He muttered. "Great."
Xel turned in his seat to glare at his brother. "Get over it! The threa's were where we left them, so I didn't carry her far!"

"You carried her from home, Xel." He said darkly. "There was a reason her mother took her to the other world!"

"Yeah, to keep her safe for her lover."

"No," Eede snapped. "To keep her daughter safe from her lover!"

Xel rolled his eyes. "Why would a village whore give two gold about her daughter?"
"She may not have been Neouri's heart mother," Eede growled. "But she gave birth to her!"

Xel nudged his threa to go faster. The creature wasn't in an accommodating mood. It fairly growled at him! "Why do you persist?" Xel asked. "She's here. Too late, she can never return to that world."
Eede would have said something, when he heard a whimper. "You mean I will never see them again?"
* * * * *

Xel was looking down at dark blue eyes. She had woken up, but he didn't know when. His first sign was her whimper of distress, than her unusual question.

"Why would you want to go back to such a horrid place!" Xel asked. "All I did there was clean, and tidy up."

Neouri tried to push herself of the creature she was riding, no matter how smoothly it walked. Xel prevented her from doing so, by grabbing the back of her shirt.

She glared up at him. "Let me go!"

He shook his head.

"Fine then you arrogant jack ass!" She snapped. "Then let me ride properly! My stomach is bruised!"

Xel permitted her to straddle the back of the threa. "Now tell me why the hell you would want to return to that world?"

"It was my home," She said sadly.

"Start anew here." Xel said.

She looked up at him, fire in her eyes. "With what?"

He shrugged. "I'm sure Eede can help you."

"He's helped me far enough already I think!" she spat.

Eede flinched at her cold words. He supposed he deserved it.

"Well then, you can start anew alone."

"Why don't I just kill myself?" she asked , her voice hard. "Then perhaps you can have the gem, and be rid of me." She laughed. "Hell, might as well do it now!"

Eede paled. He knew she was seriously thinking about it. But it was obvious Xel didn't know when he said, "Sure. I'll start digging a grave for you now."

Neouri shook her head. "I don't need a grave, I'll just let wild animals eat my carcass, and chew my bones. Not like anyone here cares about me."
Xel shook his head. "Nah, your stink will keep many away from this area."

"Then burn me." Her voice took on a hard edge.

Xel looked down to the girl in front of him. The steel in her eyes made him realize she was serious. She would kill herself. If she was so inclined.

He sighed. "You will find you are unable to kill yourself- if the jewel is within you."
She stared up at him. "Give me a blade."
He closed his eyes in annoyance. "No."

Eede was suddenly beside them, the silent padding of the threa made him a surprise to Neouri. "Please don't try."

She turned her head to the left, where he stared at her, pleading her. "No matter what Xel says, I want to be your friend. Please, I know what I've done to you was cruel, and perhaps mean hearted, but for the sake of our friendship that I would like to renew, please don't kill yourself." He looked away, unable to meet her hate filled glare. "If not for me, then for yourself."

Neouri sighed. "No matter the sin you have done against me and mine, I could never hate you." She reached over, cupping his cheek in her hand. This made Xel realize just how close the threa were walking, and barely missed her whispered promise. "You are my only friend."

Eede's face brightened, and he plucked her from the seat beside Xel, and onto his lap. She was smiling up at him warmly as he held her near.

"I missed you while you were away." Eede said.

"Was I asleep all day?" Neouri asked him, leaning back and staring ahead, finally admiring the serene forest.

Eede laughed. "Sleeping like a baby." He replied.

She snorted. "I'm a lady!"

And so they traveled, the unusual silence broken by friendly bouts of laughter, towards a destination unknown.

* * * * *

Neouri found herself in front of a marvelous mansion. It was white, and possibly sixty stories tall, with three floors. The floors were all open to air on the outside, pillars of white winding upwards to support the floors, except for the bottom which was more like a house with glass windows and curtains of white all around. A garden blocked off seeing the entire bottom floor, but the top floors were identical.

From this distance, she could see golden doors that reached from the bottom to the top in an arched shape. She could even see statues, and paintings, and the golden railing that went around from the front. She wondered how big this magnificent structure was before Xel spoke.

"It may not look it, but this is the holding of Olerifeise. Within those walls are both the Prince and his intended." He glanced over at Neouri who's jaw had dropped from the wondrous garden. He assumed she must never have seen a jungle-like area such as this. "You should also be on your best behavior."

Neouri looked at Xel who was still astride the creature called a threa. She, of course, had ridden the entire way playing and talking with Eede, whose friendship was valuable to her. She gave Xel a look that made him turn around and remark on the naiveté of women.

Eede leaned down then. "The prince could be a possible half brother. I'm not so sure. He was your father's son, so he might seem a bit. . .negative like."

Neouri nodded.

She had no illusions about this prince. Even if Eede hadn't warned her.

* * * * *

The throne room was a great room with weapons on either side of the hall, and pillars leading down the straight carpet of soft white wool, to the great throne of pale ivory color. There was one giant seat that thrusted out from the wall, occupied by the dark ruler who glared at the person before him. To his right on the deep inset of the wall behind him on an elegant chair, was a woman with platinum colored hair, and a smug expression her pretty face.

The throne room seemed to reach beyond the pillars that lined the pathway to the throne. Between every pillar in the large gaps, one could see the marble floors, and the servants who bustled between doors. On the left side, behind the pillars was a long table, the centerpiece of a dragon in the center as the brilliant, black statue winded to the sky in a roar, it's power was perfectly captured, it's black eyes glittering. To the right side was where servants seemed most abundant. Some carried papers, other trays. Doors lined the wall, not so large, but only half the height of the two story floor.

Xel walked in front of Neouri, and Eede behind while they walked quickly towards the throne.

Neouri noticed Xel's clothes had changed. Somehow, he managed to change his clothes.

He wore a cape that covered his entire back in black, shoulder guards peeked out as they curved around his broad shoulders. She had a feeling he was wearing a chest plate, and other armor. She had seen flashes of the deep sapphire gems that graced the area over his heart, and the sword at his belted waist.

She knew Eede changed, he had told her so before they left to go the throne room.

He had changed into similar black attire. He had a black cape, one that swirled around his broad shoulders, and covered the front of his body. But, she knew that the slit in the front of the cape would allow him to easily swipe it to the side, and retrieve the small sabers that were at his sides. He wore an amethyst on his belt, and the armors over his chest, shoulders, and thighs.

She wondered why the two darkened brothers would wear the black. Perhaps they just liked it.

The man before the prince was dismissed, he massaged his temples with one hand as the woman behind him said something. He looked up and frowned, but delight and coyness was written all over the other woman's face. Neouri could barely see her from Xel's side as she peeked out, but it was obvious she couldn't see her behind Xel's taller frame.

The prince spoke then, just as they approached. He couldn't hide a small grin as he saw the two. "My friends!" He called out. "Come forth a little faster, so I may hear of your journey!"

Xel nodded. "As you wish, your highness."

He was at the foot of the prince's chair, when Eede whispered, "Kneel."

Neouri turned to look at him, but he had already begun his decent to the ground.

As long as I'm not the only one! She thought. She hated bowing down, or being lowered by someone else's rule. Which was why she was happy where she had been.

Xel was kneeling before her, and Eede behind her. She was in the center, obviously still not seen by either the prince or the girl behind him.

Neouri got a good look at both of them.

The prince had black hair that was cut stylishly short. A lock hung just between his eyes, eyes that were deep blue. His skin was a tanned color, and he seemed to be a built man. His shoulders were wide, his arms and legs were long and lean. He wore a smile on his lips, and for a brief moment, Neouri thought he was handsome. His clothes were different though. He wore clothes of white and tan. His cape was tan, a soft colored tan that blended with his white shirt, covered by the white armor. His pants were snug, and identical in color to his cape.

The woman beside him was stunning. Her platinum hair was loose, and flowed straight down her back, Neouri assumed. She had sapphire earrings that dropped delicately to her pale throat. She seemed like a doll. Her skin was creamy pale, her face was oval, and her eyes were a soft, candlelight blue. Her lips were red as a rose petal. Her body was perfect too. Her chest were large, and her hips were slim. She wore a deep neckline blue dress that brought out her eyes. A silver chain dangled a sapphire tear drop, resting it between her breast. Her waist was slender, and on her waist, was a tight white belt where another sapphire jutted out in a sphere shape. From there, her dress loosened, and fell around her nicely.

"Rise," The prince said, "And tell me, how was your journey? Did you find the daughter the king had fathered to a whore, and take the gem from her?"
Eede grasped Neouri's shoulders. She had gone unusually relaxed, yet he sensed her readying for an attack.

"Yes," The woman purred. "Perhaps you have brought some new priceless treasure? The gem in question, I hear is rather exquisite."

"And rather powerful, Lady Reyana." Xel said softly. "And yes, your highness. We did take the gem from the girl, but. . ."

"But?" The prince prodded.

Xel took a deep breath. "We could not take the gem from her without destroying both."