Original Stories Fan Fiction / Other Fan Fiction / Realism Fan Fiction ❯ Darkness Eternal ❯ Chapter 7 ( Chapter 8 )

Chapter Seven

Path

An ocean of white spread before her, rising in the walls and towering over her in the ceiling. At one end was a toilet, bed, and sink and at the other was a table set for two, the food untouched. Everywhere else in the room was completely barren except for the four that inhabited it at that moment.

Huddled in the far corner was a young girl with a fragile look to her frame and crimson hair spilling over her arms as she hid her face in her knees, desperately trying not to look at the three adults that stood discussing something not ten feet away. Two males of similar build and strength stood talking with a woman of a wryly build and hair as crimson as the girl's, their beady black eyes shifting continuously from the child to the mother and back again.

The voices ceased. An agreement had been reached. A door slammed shut, soft footsteps approached her. Leather shoes entered her field of vision as she peered between her arms. Her mother and the other man had left.

“What a pretty little thing,” a husky voice said. “You look just like your mother when she was your age.” Pause. “You needn't be shy, you may speak freely to me.” Pause. “I know this may be difficult to accept, but I really don't mean you any harm.”

Stupid lying bastard, trying to draw her out. They were all the same, hurting her in the way they liked and ignoring her pleas. She huddled closer to the wall and slid as far away from those feet as she could. It wasn't enough, it was never enough. He knelt down beside her, his hand touching her hair. She automatically flinched away and he slapped her for the trouble.

“Your mother has already promised, stupid bitch. You are mine for the night,” he said softly, letting all pretenses drop now.

She lifted her silver eyes to him and glared into those hateful, dark eyes. It would repeat, just as it always would. This time would be no different. He would be the same as the rest of them, never letting up until the sun had risen.

He struck her and then dragged her to her feet.

The cycle was the same, never ending.

* * *

A large red and gold dragon soared over the roofs of the capital. She clung to her mother as she watched it.

“That, darling, is the Riagenkai,” she said gently with a soft smile, her green eyes showing with happiness. “He guides the country on the right path and leads us to peace when the king fails. He'll be the light in the darkness when the king is finally killed or executed.”

* * *

Screams echo through the elegant room, everyone barely breathing. No one moved as the silver haired man towered over the black haired, lanky king, blood poring from the stump that had one been his leg.

“Farin,” he gasped, fear tingeing his voice as he slid away from the furious dragon. “Farin, you said you'd always protect me. You lied. The Dragon Officials will come for your head. You-”

The Riagenkai snarled softly and the once king slid away from his Riagenkai, trembling. “They'll do no such thing. This should have happened long ago when you first began your rampage. I swore I would protect you so long as you stood by the correct path and now look where you are.”

She clung to her father's leg as she watched the Riagenkai crouch, spring, and plunge his claws into the royal's stomach and rip out his bowels. A hand closed over her eyes and turned her head away, but it could not block out the screams.

* * *

Blinking, Soren turned her head quickly and upset her balance, sending herself tumbling out of the warm bed and onto the rough floor of the inn. She gasped as the sweat dripped from her nose to fall to her hands. Her vision blurred for a moment as the first dream came floating back to her, a tendril of a memory.

What the fuck?

Memories that had been buried now came rushing to the forefront of her mind, flashing before her eyes at a sickening rate. She could hear every grunt, feel every touch, smell their sweaty bodies again.

It was so vivid, so real; as though she were back in that room.

No. No. No. No. Never again. Away. Away. Not again. No. No. No. No. Away. No. Away. No. No. No. No. Away. Away. Away.

Her fingers closed around something solid; their bones splintered; crash; wham; crack; crack; crack. Away. Crash; crack; wham. Never again. Crunch; wham; bang. Not this time, never again. Cack; crack; crack; wham; crash. No. Crash; crack; crack; crack; crunch; wham; crack; crack; crack; crack; crunch; riip; rip; riiiip; crack; crack; crack; crack; crack; crack; crack; crack; crack; wham; cack; crack; crack; crack; crack; whoosh; wham; crack; crack; crack; crack; crash…

“Fayra? Fayra,” someone shouted through the fog.

Strong hands seized her shoulders and shook hard. Thud. “GAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!”

Soren blinked, taking a moment to regain her surroundings. She was standing in a shabby room that was cluttered with…debris? Turning slightly she saw that the metal framing of the bed was…smashed?…and all the stuffing torn from the mattress. Even the window hadn't survived whatever had rampaged through the place before she'd awoken; glass was scattered everywhere, glittering. The smell of blood was prevalent in the sir.

Turning her head again she saw Sora and saw the dragon clutching her foot to her hip and hopping around on one foot, a shattered vase at her feet. A brief smile flitted across her lips until she felt something ooze down her fingers and drip to the floor below. Looking down at her hands to see the thin, jagged cuts and blood coating her skin she felt a mild disgust before the world rushed up to meet her.

She next woke to something soft and slimy, almost like a cat nose but bigger, bumping her cheek. Turning her head away she curled into a ball under the covers. “Move, youngling,” came an annoyed voice.

The dragonet chirped in protest. Pause. He reluctantly moved away from his human, not eager to get the same treatment as she was about to.

As she hovered on the boundary between sleep and consciousness ice cold water splashed over her, making her scream and sit bolt upright. Her breath came in agonizingly short gasps as she clutched at her now sopping shirt. “What…was that…for?” she snarled at Sora between gasps.

“You've been asleep the entire day. Hell, you even slept through my picking you up and tossing you in the air on the way to this inn,” she replied with a satisfied smile. “Up and at `em. We get to go shopping for you.”

Soren deftly ignored the last comment as she said, “When did we come here and who the fuck would give you a room? And for that matter, how did you get a room?”

“Actually, I got three: One for Sadi, Sara, and Rin. One for you and the hatchling; who, by the way, you should name soon, before he thinks his name is actually `hatchling.' One for me. Since you ruined yours you get to share mine. As to how I got the three rooms, well…you're too young to understand.”

“Whore?”

Sora flushed three different shades of red in under a second much to Soren's amusement. “No, I'm not, for your information. The tavern owner believes me to be this country's Riagenkai, you the queen, and the three humans attendants of sorts. He didn't ask any questions as to why we were so far from the palace or why we were traveling without an escort if we were indeed such a pair.”

Queen? The word registered oddly in her ears, as though muted by cotton. Something cold slid around her and it took her a moment to realize that she was shivering. That… title did not sit well with her, but she couldn't put her thumb on the source of her unease and so pushed it back for later analysis.

“Is this still Jesira?”

“Yes.”

“Then news of Karu's death hasn't spread to all parts of the country then?”

“No.”

“Which means that the ministers know that Jestiry was supposed to have two dragons to sell them. They aren't spreading the news of his death for that reason.”

Sora blinked. “What?”

Soren sighed. “If the ministers or nobles want to keep a tight rein on the throne then they will keep news of their dragons death as hushed as possible and look for the closest replacement. They'll say the ruler died of natural causes and make a big show of finding a new one. Simple as that.”

“Why? I'm not actually the Riagenkai of this country and any king or queen I `chose' would be killed would be killed the instant the coronation began, or else a little thereafter depending on how fast the Dragon Officials could reach the palace.”

“Its human nature to preserve oneself, and these ministers would not be the exception to that rule. Dragon Officials?” she repeated, she shivered as a tendril of her third dream came floating back to her. “Don't they enforce the pact between ruler and dragon?”

Sora turned sharply away from the door she had been slowly approaching, her breath stilling as she looked at the girl. “How do you know about that?” she asked slowly.

“I guessed,” Soren replied, turning her gaze from Sora's. No way in hell would she tell a dragon about her dreams, especially not this one.

“Lie,” Sora said, her voice velvet soft. “Their true purpose we have kept from the humans for as long as we have had a hand in choosing the human rulers. There's no way a child like you could have guessed such a thing when you yourself are so new to this world, you just wouldn't have had enough time to collect that sort of information on us. None of the other slaves knew anything about dragons except what they had learned or come to believe over the millennia we have helped guide them.”

“Like I care, Sora,” she shrugged. “I really don't. Now, how did we get here?”

“I'll answer that only if you answer why you trashed the room,” Sora shot back.

“I had a nightmare,” Soren said promptly, “and don't ask what it was about because I sure as fucking hell will not answer that. Your turn.”

“I flew,” Sora said tartly.

“Fine,” Soren sighed as she pushed the sopping covers away from her. “Why do we need to go shopping?”

“You need to ask?”

“If I didn't, I wouldn't have bothered asking now would I?” she shot back as she pulled the drenched top off and flung it to the floor.” “And where will you get the money for such an…excursion?”

“This place isn't like your world. Here we can barter for goods or services and believe it or not, being a dragon does have its benefits. As to the why, you need something other than those ridiculous things you call clothes. Not only that, we'll need supplies if we're to travel, just as Sarra and Sadi will.”

Soren froze as she turned to stare at the dragon. “We'll also need to get you some hair dye; black, perhaps.”

“Why? I like my hair color just fine.”

“I'm not talking about changing your hair color just for the sake of changing it. If you're to travel with me, I don't want you attracting attention with that color. People will recognize you for what you are if you wander around like that, simple as that,” Soren snapped, her patience fraying to its limits.

Sora blinked in surprise. Was she actually coming to terms with the fact that they would be traveling together or was she just resigning herself to that fact? Either way, she didn't care. It meant that she had made some progress at least.

“You can't go running around half naked,” Sora said with a frown. “Especially if they're to think that you are their queen.”

“I don't give a damn what others think of me. `sides, I'm just waiting for the shirt to dry. Once that's done we can go,” she said, shrugging as she moved away from the older dragon. Why was she going along with this? Why was she caving and giving into the dragon, allowing her to travel with her? Was it because she didn't want to be alone in this new world? No, that wasn't it; she'd never been afraid of being on her own. Perhaps it was because she didn't want to screw something up with the younger dragon.

Perhaps.

Her eyes sought the young dragonet as she turned in a circle and finally came upon him. “I think,” she said loftily, “I shall call him Jackass.”

“What?” asked Sora, turning to the girl as her hand hovered above the knob. “Why are you going to name him after a don-” her eyes fell upon the heap of cloth that had once been a shirt “-key? Nevermind, I think he's hungry.”

Hunting? her familiar asked eagerly.

Soren rolled her eyes at the things incessant need to be doing something. “Yes, go,” she shot back. “Not you,” she added as Sora opened the door. “I've still got a few questions for you.”

“That's what I was afraid of,” she muttered under her breath as she closed the door.

“Where are we?”

“Hectorun, Jesira. We are near the border between this country and Adair.”

Not that useful considering she didn't know where Jesira or Adair was to begin with, but potentially interesting.

Soren scowled at the older dragon as she dropped to the floor and the younger dragon scampered over to her and jumped in her lap. She flinched back when black eyes blinked back at her. “He's not blind anymore, she said, the words tumbling from her mouth before she thought about them. “How long was I actually out of it?”

“A day. It is normal for a dragon hatchling to open his eyes within forty hours of his egg breaking,” Sora said.

Soren scowled at her. “You didn't think to mention this earlier? That it might be important?” she snapped, her voice controlled.

“There was no time, between your being indecisive and escaping and you falling asleep,” Sora said, studying her fingernails. “Frankly, I had more important things on my mind than explaining the minor details that would result as the hatchling grew. Any more brilliant jackass questions?”

Soren bristled at her tone, but refused to rise to the bait. Instead, she decided to get to the bottom of a matter that had been bothering her since she had woken. “Why would they believe I'm queen? Haven't they seen their ruler before? As to that, why the fuck would they think you are their Riagenkai?”

“Ruler and dragon do not often leave their capitals, so they would never have seen either this far out in the country. As to you being their queen, you were the one human that bore scars that could easily be distinguished from that of a Kingen's claws,” she said. At Soren's blank stare she elaborated, “It is not unusual for a Riagenkai to be aggressive in the determining of his royal's worthiness to rule. There have been times when they have gone too far and killed the throne candidate. You bear the marks of a Kingen fight and so assume that you are my queen and that I am their Riagenkai.”

“O…kay,” Soren said slowly. She absently caressed the dragonet's scales as she pondered her next question. “How fast will he grow?”

“By the end of the month he'll be no bigger than dog,” Sora replied blandly. “By the end of the year he'll be no bigger than a horse.”

“How long am I supposed to care for him, then?”

“For several years at least.”

“When will he be able to transform as you and the other adult dragons do?”

“Fairly soon. You need to get him to transform by the end of the sixth week or else he will always remain in dragon form.”

“And that's a bad thing?”

“It is if you don't want people to try and steal him from you or-” she grinned at this “-draw attention to yourself.”

Soren deftly ignored the fact that her words of earlier had been thrown back at her as she asked, “What about Kingen? You said that familiars attach themselves to dragons and elves at birth. Why hasn't one done so yet for him?”

She leaned away from the carcass that appeared at her right. I've driven all the potential away. They've been unsuitable for such a creature, came the soft voice, smug with self-satisfaction. The dragonet leapt from her lap and attacked the meat with reckless abandon.

Not having heard the familiar's answer Sora said, “It is likely that none are drawn to him. Unless one attaches itself to him relatively soon, he will have to tame his servants later in life.”

“Yeah, got it,” Soren said dismissively. “When will he begin speaking?”

“It depends on the dragon. I was speaking right out of the shell, but my…” Sora paused and the bitterness flashed through her eyes again before she turned her head away. “It just depends on the dragon, okay.” An awkward silence fell between them as Soren stared coolly at the older dragon, apparently considering her next question as though she hadn't heard the lapse.

“Whatever,” Soren said, analyzing the way Sora shifted. It wasn't the first time that she had let slip something that had given her pause, something that caused her intense pain and agony. It was the same sort of pain that haunted Soren in her waking hours when she wasn't careful. What might have caused a dragon such a wound that it still troubled her to this very day?

Soren shrugged it off and turned her mind to her next question. Whatever it was, it was none of her concern. If the woman wanted to hide her past, then so be it. she wouldn't be the one to dredge up old memories, not with the sort that lay in wait for her.

“Why me?” she asked softly. “Why not you? Wouldn't it be better for a dragon to raise a dragon?”

Sora glanced at the dragonet, now bloodied from his feast, as it crawled back into Soren's lap and promptly fell asleep. “I am unsuited,” she said quietly. “You were the best choice despite your reservations about allowing other beings close to you.”

“Why do you want to travel with me?”

“It's easier than trying to run again.”

“From what?”

“The Dragon King.”

Soren stared at her. Why did it surprise her? Why did anything surprise her anymore? Sora had said there was a dragon prince, so that meant that there had to be a Dragon King. Still, it was rather unsettling to realize that dragons had their own caste system, going from outcast all the way up to prince and…prince…

She blinked as a tendril of memory floated to the surface of her mind. “…order, prince…she…innocent…Askerin laid…me…”

Prince? Prince? The word chased itself around her head, bringing with it impossibilities. If Karu had been correct in his words then that second man had been the Dragon Prince. Silver hair was the Riagenkai mark. Riagenkai chose the new ruler for their country. Two Riagenkai had been missing from their thrones that she knew of; one had to have been Karu and now he was dead, the other was either Sora or her rescuer. FUCK!!! she cursed.

Her eyes refocused on Sora as a false calm settled over her. “How many Riagenkai are there currently?” she asked.

Sora gave her an odd look, but answered, “One to Riana, one to Adair, and one to Regenku. Jesira recently lost Karu and Kokutoma has been without one for a long while now.” How had they jumped from the hatchling to the number of Riagenkai.

“Are you sure of that?” Soren asked sharply, her eyes turning to ice as she studied Sora's face for an indication that she was lying.

“I'm sure,” Sora snapped.

“What countries Riagenkai are you?” she asked, her features betraying nothing of the emotions she felt.

“Regenku,” Sora said even as she turned away.

“You're lying,” Soren said softly.

The hatchling looked between them and chirped softly. He could sense something stretching and straining between the two of them and knew that if it broke a bond would be shattered before it was formed. His small talons flexed as he stared at his human, his keen black eyes shining with intelligence and understanding.

Sora glanced back at the girl and saw that she already understood, already knew. “Regenku is my former country; I abandoned my post after I killed my last ruler. You already know who my successor is, don't you?”

The world seemed to sway as she exhaled. “Your Dragon Prince,” she responded.

“Yes,” Sora said.

“He thinks that I am his countries royal,” she said, completely deadpan.

“Yes,” Sora breathed, an odd light flickering through her eyes.

“He's wrong,” she said flatly, a tone that Sora would soon learn that meant she was through talking.

A week passed and in that time they gathered the materials that would be needed for their travels. The townsfolk had practically been tripping over themselves to be the first to “have the honor of serving the queen” and after the first three failed attempts to move about the town unhindered Soren had retreated to the room she shared with Sora and allowed the ex-Riagenkai and Sara and Sadi to gather everything while she spent the days uselessly cooped up and brooding.

The seventh day after she had destroyed her room found her sprawled on the bed with the dragonet nosing restlessly through the room, either looking for something to eat or to do, she had not the slightest idea. Staring at the ceiling, she allowed her thoughts to wander back to the Dragon Prince Riagenkai.

Queen? Is that what he was hunting me for? Queen? They believe me to be their queen here and yet their Riagenkai lies dead because he would reveal nothing of me, or so Sora says. Could I really be a great queen the way I am…the things that have happened? Would I want to be a ruler, forever chained to something I could never escape?

Her eyes flicked to the dragonet as he jumped up on the bed beside her and began exploring the mattress. He had grown perhaps an inch since he had hatched and eaten more that ten animals that her familiar had brought. Three feet from snout to tail he was completely black with sinewy wings that couldn't do more than help him glide through the air when he jumped. His eyes were jet black and as curious as a two-year-olds.

Even stuck raising a…dragon, its not permanent. He'll grow eventually and then I'll be right back where I was three months ago. Queen? No, he was wrong. I'd never make a good queen. Hell, if I did ever rule, which is impossible, I'd probably run my country into the ground and completely ruin them. The thought made a sarcastic smile flicker across her lips. I'm already ruined, there's no need to drag anyone else down with me. No need for someone else to suffer because of me.

Why would they suffer? her familiar asked.

I'd drive them into the ground and taint them.

Taint?

You're my familiar aren't you? You know what…happened, don't you?

Yes.

The simple answer sent waves of fury through her. If the creature was supposed to be her protector then why hadn't she stopped all the…things that had happened? Why had she allowed them to progress as far as they had?

Then I don't need to tell you why I'm tainted.

I don't see how those events could taint you. You did not submit even once, so why are you ashamed?

The fury sputtered and died as she realized something. Her familiar was not human, so she could not understand the emotions that had played through her during that year, nor the feelings that lingered even now. Swallowing the reply she might have spouted she replied, Those…events brought to the surface my vulnerability to others and it is not something I wish to experience again.

How would it taint you, though?

She could feel the curiosity pouring in from the creature.

Drop it, she said flatly, I don't wish to speak of it.

You're a coward then. You're running away from everything, hoping that it will fade into the darkness where it can't touch you.

She froze. She had said those words to herself so many times over the last four years that they had lost their edge, but to hear them from another opened an old wound. Pain shot through her heart as she remembered that night five years ago. What if she had agreed to her father's plan even a week earlier? What if she hadn't wanted to linger for her mother, hoping that something might alter to make her father change his mind? What if she had turned around even a moment earlier?

The dragonet flinched back involuntarily as his human made a strange, high pitched noise and covered her face with her hands. He skittered back a little as she rolled onto her stomach and her shoulders began to shake. Inhaling he could smell something was wrong, but all he could do was stand awkwardly to the side unsure of what to do.

You stood there as he died.

How was I supposed to know? I was twelve.

You should have known better. Then he might be alive.

She was a whore, an insane whore.

Excuses. If you had faced her earlier or even gone along with your father's plan none of those things would have happened to you. Its all your fault.

The air around her rippled as her familiar circled her as though searching for another weakness to probe.

“It's not my fault.”

At the sound of her own voice the reverie broke. Her eyes snapped open and she stared at her hands for a moment before she drew her head back and blinked away the tears. She had forgotten herself, forgotten her promise. Allowing the cold indifference to settle over her body and seep into her bones she pushed herself off the bed and stood.

Soren looked out the window and watched the people two stories below pass along the day in their blissful lives. Turning to the dragonet she picked him up and ignored he chirp of protest that he issued. A smile twitched on her lips as he struggled free of her grasp and wound himself around her neck and rested his head on her left shoulder.

Before she could take a step towards that door a light knock sounded and Sadi entered with Rin, who clung to him as though it were the end of the world. Soren stared at the girl for a moment, allowing herself to feel the pangs of disappointment before she sealed them away like she had every other emotion over the years. What did it matter to her if the child was afraid of her because of the dragonet?

“Are you ready to go?” Sadi asked carefully. He had come to recognize over the two months that he had known her that when he eyes were blank she wasn't in a mood to be trifled with. He had witnessed her taunt Jestiry into a rage and then proceed to try and murder him with that detached look of hers; the lead slaver having to resort to activating the manacle's spell to control her.

“She's finally done?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” Soren swept past him, leaving him both confused and relieved as he followed after her.

“Do you even know where she is?”

“The innkeeper informed me yesterday that he would graciously give us a pair of horses since our servants took off with ours while I was out of it, so that means that we're leaving from the stables today.”

* * *

Water dripped, echoing through the cavernous space of the once magnificent room. Cracks spider-webbed their way across the ruined marble pillar, chunks of the stone having broken loose from a long ago battle and scattered to dust. Death permeated the air as darkness seemed to ooze from every crack and crevice, coating the two men that were at the pool's edge.

One man wore long kimono like robes and paced back and forth, the hem swishing to and fro against his strong body. The other man knelt at the waters edge, his face drawn and pale as his broad shoulders tensed again and again in his concentration.

He fidgeted uneasily as the man before him stared intently into the water, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead and soak his clothes. his strong shoulders hunched a little as he snarled impatiently. “How long can it take to subdue one measly ruler? Even my son cannot have chosen a very good one this time around.”

The dragon's lip twitched in anger. He had never liked it when his king called on him for menial asks like this one, but there was little choice to it. “It takes time, sire, and this one is particularly difficult. Every time I try to sway him his mind conjures horrific images of his sister that seem to refute what I tell him. It seems like he is as strong willed as they come.”

Askerin paused in his pacing and glared at the man, his dark eyes flickering with annoyance. “Humans are weak. This one should be especially weak.”

Frustration brimmed and flooded through his blood. How he longed to break the bond between them and strike him dead. Fortunately for the Dragon King, he was unable to do so and was forced to submit to his every whim. “Would you prefer to do this, sire? It would go so much faster,” he said, barely restraining the sarcasm from his voice.

“No, I will not lower myself to that level,” he said tersely, completely missing the veiled annoyance of his subject. “I want him subdued or dead. If you cannot force his hand within the next hour kill him.”

His patience gave. “Why is this so important? Why not follow your father's path and continue guiding the humans as he did?”

A slow smile spread across his cruel lips. “I want to see their blood run as it did when I drove that man to kill my daughter. It was such a beautiful color, such a lovely scent and I want to see the game played out by my son and his chosen one again and again and again or else among the humans themselves.”

His concentration broke as his head whipped around. Their eyes met and he shivered with primal fear. The memory of how this dragon had come to power surfaced in his mind against his will and he suddenly found himself wishing the prince would challenge his father for his right to the throne; even a half-breed would be better than this king.

“Well, have you finished?” he demanded.

He jerked his eyes away, his back muscles tensing as he prepared himself for the blow that would come. “No, I lost it.”

Despite his readiness an agonized roar escaped his lips as Askerin's claws tore through his clothes and skin, cutting him to the bone. “Gain it back or I shall do worse next time,” he said, his voice soft and lethal.

“Yes, sire,” he ground out between clenched teeth.

* * *

Trees swayed in the wind as the birds fled in fright. Deers bounded away, trampling the grass, shrubs, and those that fell in their path. Any potential familiars that might have remained in the area quickly fled, leaving three prone figures to face what was coming.

Soren slowly opened her eyes as Homuna nosed insistently at her leg. Laying a hand on his head he stilled and looked at her. She could feel him trembling as he touched his nose to her hand and his tongue flicked out to brush against the underside of her arm. He was nervous and seeking comfort.

Up.

She froze. Her familiar had not spoken to her since that day they had left the inn two weeks previously and they had gone their separate way from Sadi and his group.

Why? We just got to sleep, she responded as the dragonet curled against her side and began shivering.

Something comes.

What?

…I know not.

Is it a dragon?

No.

Then I'm not going to worry about it.

The hatchling is afraid.

And?

Dragons even in their youngest years fear very little.

Soren sighed and kicked Sora. The dragon growled and kicked back, turning onto her other side in her sleep. She kicked her again and this time said, “My familiar thinks something is wrong and Homuna is trembling.”

“Feed him,” she grumbled, kicking back.

“Riagenkai,” came a soft voice as the air shimmered and bent around the dragon. “That's not the problem. Soren's familiar brought him a carcass not but an hour ago. Even I can sense that something is not right. You need to move out.”

Sora grumbled, but sat up and stretched. She glared at Soren as though the entire thing were her fault. “Well, let's get moving if you're so sure,” she snapped.

Soren rolled her eyes, having gotten used to her moods in the morning over the last three weeks. If she was to function properly during the day and not snap everyone's heads off she needed more than an hour of sleep as they had gotten the previous night. She had learned the hard way not to trifle with Sora when she irritated and still bore the marks from their last scuffle in which she had given the dragon nothing more than a black eye and earned herself several scratches from Sora's claws.

She cradled Homuna in her arms as she rose to her feet and allowed the younger dragon to crawl onto her shoulder and perch there, swaying precariously when she moved wrong. “Up, Sora, let's go,” she snapped when the woman still had not risen.

Move and she will follow after you. Just take the horse and move away.

Suppressing the urge to scream at being ordered around she turned and traced her steps to where they had left the horse and…found a broken halter. The horse had yanked free of the knot she had tied and taken off…with all their food. Whatever, they could hunt. What actually concerned her was the reason behind which why the horse had summoned his strength to break the knot to escape.

You knew of this? she questioned.

No. If I had, I would have hunted the beast down by now and forced him to return to you.

You were off hunting?

Yes.

What do you think is coming? Its quiet right now.

Ask Josaline. She has a better sense of what's farther away than I do.

When did you learn her name? she asked as she turned away from the broken leather.

When Sora called her to her side last week.

Do I have to call your name to get you to obey me?

Yes.

What is your name?

None-ya.

Mild irritation flashed through her for a moment before she squashed it. If she wanted to learn how to control her familiar she would have to learn on her own and if that meant subjecting herself to conversing with the creature, then she would; no matter how infuriating it was in the end.

How do I learn it?

You don't. You knew it the moment I attached myself to you.

When was that?

Just after your birth. You began your life commanding me until you were sent to that other world and forced to forget.

Soren froze at that.

I was sent to that world? Was I born here?

Born and raised for the first few years.

You remember?

Not entirely, but yes.

Tell me.

Not yet. Recover your memories first and then I will fill in the blanks where I can.

Tell me one thing first.

One, her familiar agreed reluctantly.

What does the Dragon Prince Riagenkai have to do with anything?

He is the Riagenkai of your home country.

Before Soren could interrogate her further she withdrew, leaving the girl frustrated and unsatisfied. As she made her way farther into the forest, away from Sora, it slipped past her attention that the leaves blew against the wind where she passed them. Homuna dug his claws into her shoulder to better balance himself as he lifted his head to taste the air for the unfamiliar scent.

The silence was deafening the way it pressed in on them. Sound ceased as Soren stopped and listened. All the birds had fled, leaving the forest devoid of the songs she should have heard. Even the wind that blew through the leaves was soundless, as though the entire world had gone mute. An odd ringing filled her ears as shapes shot through her vision, shapes that disappeared as soon as she turned to investigate.

Homuna shook his wings out, whapping Soren in the face several times, before he leapt from her shoulder and glided to the ground.

It was at that moment that something whizzed through the air, straight for her head. A silver blur slammed into her side, knocking the wind from her lungs as they went spiraling into the nearest tree with a sickening crunch. Harsh breathing sounded in her ear as Sora snapped, “Watch what you're doing, damn brat. You could have gotten yourself killed.”

Soren would have made a tart reply, but Homuna's low growl diverted her attention. Strangely, it was as deep as that of the other dragon growls she had heard with just a hint of youthful awkwardness that was always present when something new was tried. Homuna skittered nervously backwards as three shapes slowly emerged from the surrounding trees to reveal themselves. Tall, slender, and graceful the elves advanced on them with drawn elegant, deer bone arrows.

“Name yourselves,” a female ordered them, her perfected sculpture like features drawn taut across her angular bones. The weak morning sun showed through the breaks of the trees to reveal her golden hued skin, black hair, and illuminating green eyes. Slight muscles rippled beneath her soft cotton shirt as she inched forward.

For a moment, Soren felt herself displaced as another face plastered itself over the elf's, this one distinctly male. She blinked and the face disappeared, leaving her with no sense of the danger they were in.

Slowly rising she clutched at her ribs where she had struck Sora and could feel a new bruise forming. “Homuna, come,” she said quietly and the woman froze, her bow still trained on the younger girl as the dragonet scampered past her to disappear behind the human. Sora groaned as she levered herself onto her knees.

“What are your reasons for attacking us?” Soren asked, her strong voice carrying through the stillness of the forest. “We've done nothing to provoke such an attack.”

“You trespass,” one of the two males hissed angrily. “You humans hunt us to the brink of extinction and now you have the audacity to step foot on the ground that we have claimed as ours.”

Don't piss them off. Each of the twenty imagi around us has a Kingen at their side. We won't be able to defend against forty of them if they decide to attack.

Soren seemingly ignored her familiar's words of caution as she smirked and asked, “Isn't it a bit of an over kill to bring twenty of you and your Kingen just to deal with us? And as to the hunting part,” she added, her voice suddenly cold, “I've only been here perhaps three months, so why the fuck would I want to participate in something as idiotic as hunting your people?”

Something flickered uneasily through their eyes as she told them their numbers. They possessed unparalleled ability to conceal themselves and yet a mere child had seen through their skills? Had they stumbled upon a partial breed of theirs born from a time when they had not feared humans?

Two shapes rippled through the air around her, distorting her body for a moment before they settled on either side of her.

“Name yourselves,” the woman repeated, more unsure this time.

Soren glanced over her shoulder to see Sora sitting against the tree they had crashed against. “You hit your head or something?” she asked and earned herself a glare from the older dragon as Homuna crouched against her legs.

“No, I'm fine.”

“Then stand.”

“No.”

“I said stand,” Soren repeated quietly, forcefully. She didn't know what possessed her to order a dragon around, but somewhere deep inside she knew that Sora would obey her and, for some unfathomable reason, she wanted the woman at her side as she confronted the elves.

Sora considered her for a moment, something flickering in her eyes before she rose to her place at Soren's side. Was this the same girl she had first seen among the other slaves, silver eyed and human? Had the Dragon Prince truly chosen her as his? If she continued on like this where would her path eventually end?

Her silver hair glinted in the rising sun as Soren's eyes were revealed. The elves shifted nervously. A dragon and a partial elf? Why were they traveling together? Were they…was it possible…

“My name is Sora. This one here is Fayra, or so she says, and the dragonet is Homuna. My Kingen is Josaline and her's is yet unknown,” Sora said, motioning to each as she introduced them. “As to our presence here we did not intend to trespass. We were merely resting when you came upon us. Now, with regard to hunting, the only ones among us that do the hunting are our Kingen and seeing as the dragon nation has never raised a claw in neither defense nor threat of your race I see no reason for such hostilities. If you would be so kind as to lower your weapons and let us pass there will be no need for your numbers to be decreased today.”

The males shifted uneasily, but it was the female whom spoke, her voice clear and confident. “You are a mere Riagenkai, dragon. Even we know the strength of your kind. We outnumber you, eight-to-one. Do you really want to risk your ruler in such a fight?”

The elf took a step back when Sora suddenly smiled and her eyes flashed from their normal green to red for a brief moment. “You forget that it would hardly be a fight if I were to transform and I wouldn't be risking my royal's life because I killed him fifty five years ago. Now, stand down or I attack your clan.” In answer, the woman loosed her arrow and nineteen more rushed through the empty space between them, their aim true.

Soren cursed and was about to drop in an attempt to avoid the arrows when strong arms closed around her and white feathers obscured her vision. She was pulled against someone's chest just as the arrow shafts buried themselves in the wings with a sickening sound like that of a tree limb breaking under a typhoon of a storm shortly followed by an agonized scream. The arrowheads peaked through the wings, still quivering from the impact. Crimson began to spread from each puncture, lamenting the air with its iron scent. The world began to tilt and spin as she inhaled the scent.

“Josaline!!” came a sharp voice.

“I'm fine,” the Kingen replied, her voice vibrating through her chest against Soren's back. “Just injured. Are you hurt?”

“No,” came Sora's relieved words, “I turned the arrows back. Go, heal.”

“But-”

“There is no need to worry. I've made my point painfully clear.”

Soren felt rather than saw the Kingen nod before she was released. Turning she glimpsed a snow white skinned woman with a crown of pallid hair adorning her head before the wings folded in and she disappeared into the rippling air.

Whipping her head around she was met with the sight of eight or so elves staggering out from the surrounding trees, all clutching various wounds where their weapons had pierced their skin. The woman and the two males each clutched their arms where they had been struck.

Shifting her foot a little she found comfort in the fact that Homuna was trembling, but unhurt, against her leg still. “Sora?” she asked softly and the dragon shifted slightly so that she stood in front of the pair. It appeared that Sora had been telling the truth when she had told Josaline that she was unhurt.

Where were you?

Protecting you, look down.

Her eyes automatically flicked down and she was more than a little surprised to see the air rippling around her as black blood slowly dripped from an unseen wound that her familiar now bore. Where were you struck? she asked as if trying to make amends for her earlier words.

It's nothing important, but no arrow touched me. Her Kingen attacked when she shot at you.

The female elf's?

Yes.

Fury boiled just beneath her skin as she bolted past Sora and closed the distance between her and the woman. Before her men could even react and she could do more than blink in surprise Soren's slim fingers had closed around her throat, cutting off air flow and slamming her against the tree.

Her eyes sparked dangerously as she said, “Congratu-fuck you-lations, you've managed a feat that not many can accomplish. Either call your men off and withdraw or I snap your neck and drop you where you stand.”

The elven men did not need her to signal their withdrawal. All but the two that had first appeared with her had disappeared by the time Soren finished speaking, retreating a good distance away from the girl and their matriarch where they were not immediately a threat but still close enough they could charge in without much trouble.

She looked at them, her eyes as hard and dangerous as steel. The woman's fingers dug into her wrist as her grip tightened, momentarily threatening to crush her wind pipe before the men relented and dropped their weapons, both of whom had had an arrow trained on her back.

Without so much as a second thought she released the woman and allowed her to fall from her grasp, gasping for air and clutching at her throat. As Soren turned to speak to Sora she sputtered, “Why…not…f-finish it?”

She paused. “Because you expect me to,” she said, her voice dead and emotionless. “If you really want to die you can go off yourself. Let's go, Sora, Homuna.” She turned and began her retreat.

Homuna quickly scampered after her, but Sora hesitated. What had happened to the child to make her so dangerous, so angry? She could have easily killed the elf, but she had restrained herself and released the woman and now she was leaving a potential enemy free to come after them at a moments notice.

Soren stopped, almost as though she had heard the dragon's thoughts. Glancing over her shoulder she asked, “What's your name?”

“Andrana,” the elf sad before she could stop herself. Child though she might have been Andrana could see that she was someone that this was not one that someone screwed with and expected to live to see the morning. Why were the dragons traveling with such a creature? She shivered as the child suddenly smiled a cold, mocking smile and said, “Well, Andrana, next time we meet I'll be sure to keep this little farce in mind.”

The elf shivered involuntarily at the smile and was more than a little relieved when the girl turned away, apparently no longer interested in her. If there was one thing that Andrana would carry away from the experience that day it was that a Riagenkai's royal could be worse than the dragons themselves.

Sora stared after Soren for a moment, something struggling to free itself with her chest. It was almost as if she followed after the girl gain something important, but at what cost? If she followed after the girl, what would happen? Had the Dragon Prince truly chosen this dangerous child as his? What was it about her that had attracted him, caught his attention? If she followed, would be drawn back to her abandoned post of Riagenkai of Regenku and have to face the prince?

Soren paused and looked back expectantly as Homuna twined around her legs like a cat. “Are you coming or do we go our separate ways here?” she asked, watching for the subtle shifts in her face that would give some indication as to her thoughts.

Sora suddenly smirked. What did it matter what the future brought? What mattered was the here and now. If she did come into contact with the prince brat because of the girl then she would deal with the consequences as they came. “And let you kill yourself trying to raise Homuna, I don't think so,” she said, moving past Andrana until she got close enough to Soren to smack her upside the head.

Flicking her hair from her face she ignored the smack and continued on her way, drawing ahead of Sora as she did so. Homuna squawked in protest and flapped his wings indignantly. She stooped down and slid her hands around his stomach and hoisted him onto her shoulder where he dug his claws into her shoulder to balance himself.

An odd sensation of familiarity that she had not felt for over fifty years washed through her as she stared at Soren's back. Why her? Why now?

* * *

Red satin brushed the rough granite of the palace floors as she was shoved roughly to the floor before Harimetia, the queen that Askerin had sent them. The guard tightened the bonds at her wrists before forcing her head to the ground as well, her blood red hair falling to cover her face. satisfied that she would not move until spoken to, he rose and took a few steps back before kneeling once more.

Harimetia stared at the girl. Her lank black tresses fell to the side as she leaned her head into her palm. This was the great Kiragashi heir, so young? The girl had been so easy to subdue once they had taken her aunt into custody and threatened to execute her on the spot. So easily manipulated, so easily overcome. Boring.

She glanced at the Riagenkai at her side. He had proven to be no more entertaining than a lame dog, more of a figure head than anything else. When Askerin had told her that his son would be entertaining enough to hold her attention for a while she had believed him and now here she was, stuck on a throne with nothing to ease her monotony.

Morion had been the first minister to kneel to her and he had hardly left her side since the first day, attending to everything that she did not want to deal with and issuing the orders that were necessary. Even now he stood to her left, staring at the girl as though she were dirt beneath his heels, an unpleasant reminder of…something best forgotten.

Reaching up, she caught his sleeve and tugged, catching his attention. He looked down at her, his black eyes dancing with annoyance. She motioned to him and he dropped to one knee so that they were at eye level, his blue robes rippling around his lean body as he knelt. “Yes, majesty?” he asked.

“What were the charges again?” she asked quietly, eyeing the dragon as she did so. A bore though he might be she knew that to be the Dragon Prince and a half-breed he had to possess fantastic strength to still be alive and if even half the court gossip she had head in the three months she had been queen were true then she really didn't want to risk awakening him from his false slumber.

“She is imagi, but the story is that she has been plotting a rebellion against you,” Morion said, his eyes flicking towards Farin for the third time that day. “The spell will hold. He will not lift a finger to help her even if we hack her apart limb by limb.”

“And what if he really has chosen her as his royal?” she hissed.

“Then she would be sitting here and not you,” Morion said. “Askerin is looking into the matter. Rest assured that no one will stand in your way. For now, we will continue to eliminate the opposition.” With that he rose and addressed the Kiragashi heir. “You are hereby charged with the treasonous acts of plotting a rebellion against our new queen. Have you any words to defend yourself before Her Majesty passes judgment on your black soul.”

The girl rose to her knees, her silver eyes dancing wildly. “I never plotted any rebellion, you stupid munkura,” she spat, using Farin's favorite curse. She smiled dangerously, almost as though she were welcoming death with open arms. "When my sister returns you will regret imprisoning the Riagenkai as you have. She'll make sure you are thoroughly punished, everyone of you." Her unflinching gaze swept around the room, making those that met it wince.

The guard that had previously forced her to kneel lurched to his feet, drawing the sword at his waist in the same moment. He slammed the hilt of his sword into the back of her neck. As stars burst in front of her eyes she smirked and whispered something so softly even the guard missed it, but no one failed to spot the brown shape that streaked from her side straight for the queen.

Before any of her men could react it had passed them. Harimetia screeched and threw her arms over her face as it approached the throne stairs at an alarming speed. A roar filled the air and danced around them for a moment before it faded and a murmur passed through the nobles and ministers.

Lowering her arms enough that she could see over them she saw that Farin's wolf servant had pinned beneath his body a monkey. She relaxed. If nothing else this proved that the Kiragashi heir was not the chosen royal and nothing more than an annoying brat to be swatted carelessly away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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