Sondadarya

by Maior

A princess from a race of supernatural beings and her struggle to overcome innumeral odds so she can try to save her country, her people and her life from Pirates, evil sorcerers and a force yet to be reckoned with.

Sondadarya of Ummos



Prologue

He swept into the room just as his wife turned around to face the door, two bundles of cloth wrapped in her arms.

"Well?" he snapped. "What have we got?"

She forced a smile; she was still pale and weak from the birth. "Twins, a lovely little girl and a bouncing baby boy." And indeed the infants she held to her breast were just that. Or at least that's what they looked like. Upon closer inspection, the boy had a tiny pair of nubs pushing against the skin of his forehead that would become horns one day and his mouth was full of small sharp teeth. He had a mass of wiry black hair and yellow eyes like his father.

"Excellent!" The king stated. His son was the picture of a perfect baby. Then he caught sight of his daughter. She was small and pink with a wisp of soft white hair and large black eyes. For some reason, his daughter had been born without horns, a tail, fangs, scales, wings, claws, or even a forked tongue or pointed ears.

Turning to his wife he looked at her with confusion. "Why is she so, so… plain?" and indeed, compared to her parents, the baby was downright abnormal. Her father, King Voryath had the whole package, clawed feet, large leathery wings, fangs and a thick, scaly tail with a poison barb on the end. Her mother, Queen Asayeraye herself had a set of delicate wings and a pair of long, tapered ears.

"Asayeraye, bring the children here." their father cooed.

The queen, Asayeraye moved forward with the sleeping babies. Their father lifted the boy up first and examined him. He raised its arms, inspected the horn-nubs and crowed with delight when he found a small bald tail protruding from the boy's tailbone.

"What a fine looking child." With that, Voryath handed the sleeping infant back to its mother. The baby woke up immediately and grasped at a lock of hair hanging over his mother's shoulder and brutally yanked at it until tears formed in her eyes. The King chuckled, and then lifted his daughter up and his face darkened as he tried desperately to find anything normal about her. He was somewhat relieved to discover her piercing black eyes and, under a wisp of hair, a pair of nubs that could one day become horns! There was hope for her yet.

"We shall name him Zolraven, and her Sondadarya." He stated firmly.

Sondadarya, in her native tongue it meant, thorny flower, and Zolraven, a fitting name for the prince, it meant warrior king, and that is surely what he would become.

"I will gather the villagers for the ceremony. Bring the babies to the balcony in five minutes." instructed the king. He swept out of the room to prepare.

Asayeraye let out the breath she'd been holding and placed the babies on the bed. She went over towards the window in her chamber and sighed. Thank Mewor that Voryath hadn't forsaken the baby. Her daughter was safe, or as safe as you could be with a brother and a father like that, she looked over her shoulder at her son who was now busily shredding his bed sheets. His sister, by contrast, was lying peacefully on her back sucking on a corner of her blanket. Sighing, Queen Asayeraye turned to her children. Gathering up Zolraven and Sondadarya, she swept out of the room to present the prince and the princess to the kingdom of Ummos with her husband, King Voryath.

The balcony was high and the crowds were loud. The king shouted to his people and they shouted back. Claws, wings, tails, fins, scales and the like were raised to the sky to welcome the baby. The king took his son and held him high above his head and shouted to the people again, flaring his wings behind him for effect. "BEHOLD! BEHOLD MY PEOPLE, THE PRINCE OF UMMOS!" The crowd positively screamed at the baby, which did nothing for Asayeraye's headache. A few minutes of yelling, followed by a speech and then it was done.

Asayeraye was given back the boy and took the children up to their room to prepare for the feast.

Chapter 1

We grew fast. Life in the palace was nearly perfect for two young nobles. My brother Zolraven, had quickly grown sharp, Curved black, horns, rather like a ram's, and, when all his baby teeth were gone, he had retained a lovely set of fangs that were hollow like hypodermic needles with little poison sacs at their bases,(mother dreaded him biting his lip) and his little bald tail had grown thick and hairy. Father couldn't have been more proud of him. The little prince had everything he could ever want in life and then some. Me, Zolraven's sister, Sondadarya, had finally, to my father's relief, sprouted a pair of slim, white horns from my forehead that were almost hidden by my ivory hair, and my ears were a bit pointier than when I was a baby. But most surprisingly, a pair of thin, white wings had sprouted from my back when I was 2. In truth, I was a bit of a disappointment to my family, but not as much as I had been at birth. I knew I was destined to be married off someday but I was happy for now.

When Zolraven and I were 5, my father ordered him to begin lessons in reading and writing with our scribes. No expenses were spared; the finest scribes taught my brother the innermost workings of our language. Late at night, my brother would creep into my room and tell me all the wonderful things he had learned. I soon became infatuated with reading and writing. I begged mother to let me learn too. I would need to be a strong leader when I grew up so, mother gave me my own scribe to teach me. His name was Tanaris and he had just finished his apprentice-ship with our head scribe. I learned many things from him in the course of a few years. He taught me how to write poetry and how to make words sound strong and how to write a speech. How joining sentences together would make a paragraph, and how paragraphs joined together eventually told a story. He taught me how to water down ink to make thin strokes and he showed me how to find good quality parchment and what brushes made what mark with wet ink. By the eve of my 8th birthday, I could out-read and out-write almost anyone in the country.

Every summer solstice at sunset since we were 7, Zolraven and I would sneak out of bed and climb up to the top of the western tower. We would watch the dragon-ling's evening migration from the forests to the north of our castle to the lake just to the south of us. The sky was always lit with a magical red-gold glow from the setting sun. I always looked forward to these secret getaways with my brother. Once, when we were 10, Zolraven caught a straggling dragon-ling in a butterfly net. We took him inside to show him to mother before we let him go. He was all green and blue and had a single little fang poking out from under his lip and had eyes that looked like little pools of water at moon-set, all blue and milky.

Mother looked him over and told us he was sick and would die soon without nourishment. So Zolraven and I nursed him back to health. He lived in a box in my room and every night we caught bugs and picked berries for him to eat. He got better slowly and Mother said he was finally fit to leave just in time for the fall equinox, when he would normally fly back with the colony to the lake before flying south to spend winter on the islands. We released him from the southern tower and he flew straight off to join his family, cooing and keening the whole way. I had wanted to keep him but mother taught me it wasn't right to take someone from their homes without permission. Zolraven started calling me Dragon-ling. It was a gesture to make me feel better about giving up the little one we'd healed. It became his private nickname for me. Whenever we were alone, he would use it. Sometimes, he used it to tease me about my dragon wings and sometimes to sooth me in times of sorrow.

That same year, Zolraven and I discovered a little secret door hidden in one of the spare rooms. It was made of stone and hidden behind my favorite tapestry, the one with the unicorn drinking from a pool of moonlight. We found it by accident. I had been admiring the tapestry when Zolraven sneaked up behind me and pushed me. I fell against the tapestry and the wall behind it gave way. I had tumbled head over heels for a minute before coming to a stop with a bump in the room beyond. It was covered in dust and spider webs and seemed to be part of a cave. I called back up to Zolraven who slid down after me into the room. It became our secret hideaway and we would run off to it whenever we needed to get away from the hustle and bustle of castle life. We called it all sorts of things, a pirate's cave, an elf house and a goblin mine. It was perfect for our adventure needs.

On our 12th birthday, Zolraven and I were presented with a pair of fine horses. Zolraven was given a fine war stallion, black as ebony with red eyes and hoofs that sparked as they hit the ground. I was given a gray speckled mare with eyes that glowed with a tranquil blue and her gait was slow and smooth. I named her Ulaelu.

Since that day, father had us taught in the ways of riding. I learned quickly and took great pleasure in riding Ulaelu through the fields and trails in and around Ummos. Many a night, I would come home hot and sweaty from riding hard in the hot summer sun and almost every night, mother could be seen sitting by the fire trying desperately to untangle my windswept hair. Zolraven spent his time learning to fight in the arena and stabbing at trees from the back of his horse who he had named Thrit. Many knights in our kingdom taught Zolraven the art of war and how to do battle from horseback. This was something I was content not to learn.

Ulaelu and Thrit lived in the stables with father's war horse and they were cared for by the grooms who were employed there. Often, in the evenings when diner was finished, I would steal down to the stables and give my mare an apple from the orchard. Life was peaceful back then…and it progressed as such until the eve of Zolraven and my 16th birthday when everything changed. I often wonder, late at night when I can't sleep, if things would've turned out differently if I hadn't fallen so hard in love…

Chapter 2

16 years after our birth, my brother and I were getting ready for our birthday ball. He was in the other room, polishing his horns and brushing his shock of dark hair and oiling his tail. I had just changed into my cream colored gown with the lacey embroidery on the bodice and Mother was brushing my long white hair off of my forehead and braiding it in small loops to better bring out my horns when I heard my father calling our names.

"Zolraven! Sondadarya! Come down stairs right away! There's someone here to meet you!" Mother finished my hair and I gathered my skirts and following my brother down the stone spiral staircase to the main entrance room. We were met halfway down by a maid who stopped us and hurriedly looked us over. She smoothed down a crease in Zolraven's shirt and brushed a stray lock of hair out of my eyes and tucked it behind my ear. I smiled at her as she stood aside and we continued down muttering thanks as we passed.

When we reached the point in the stairs before we would turn and come into view, we slowed to a walk and composed ourselves. Zolraven adopted an air of indifferent dignity and I fashioned myself into someone of polished charm. We positioned ourselves accordingly, Zolraven offered me his arm in mock courtesy and I grinned quickly and draped my fingers over his arm in equal mockery. In seconds, we slowly descended the rest of the way, the picture of perfect children.

We approached our father slowly and said, simultaneously in low respectful voices, "You wanted us father?" He did his best to look firm but we could see the flickering of pride behind his eyes. We could tell he was proud of our presentation. I glanced over at our guest and was sent reeling, though my face stayed as composed as before. He was one of the most gorgeous men I had ever seen. He was decked out in a black dragon-leather jacket with slits to accommodate his humongous leathery grey-green wings. His hair was dark and swept back into an elegant ponytail tied with a black ribbon. He had a pair of short dark horns set on his high, smooth forehead. Directly beneath these, his luminous green eyes languidly watched my father as he addressed us, "Zolraven, I would like to introduce you to Prince Riyahn of Ormbel. Play nicely, he has a powerful place in government, and… he will soon be your brother-in-law."

It took me a moment to process these words. I knew Riyahn from reputation and I knew that his kingdom, Ormbel, had many peace treaties with Ummos, as well as being almost three times the size of ours. I heard my name as if from far away and struggled to the surface of consciousness.

"Sondadarya, Prince Riyahn's father has agreed to unite our kingdoms under the rule of his son with me as an adviser, and give Zolraven his own ten thousand acres of land… if you and the prince rule together… as king and queen." He spoke hesitantly, "You and Prince Riyahn are betrothed and ready to wed in a month's time. The King has been gracious and invited you to come to his castle to get to know him and his family if you wish."

I curtsied to my father and Riyahn. This was a new development, though not unexpected. I had always anticipated being married off to a powerful king or prince and this union would make father and Zolraven very powerful men. But I wasn't sure if I would love Riyahn in time to wed him. Nevertheless, I turned to Prince Riyahn and put on my most winning smile. I spoke quietly with a delicate lilt in my tone. "I would be delighted to accompany your highness. Thank you for your kind offer." I curtsied slightly again in respect. My father positively beamed at this, I was sure he had been worried that I would make things difficult. But why would I, Prince Riyahn appeared to be a fine man and our union would make everyone happy. Father dismissed me but Zolraven stayed to talk to Prince Riyahn for a while. I climbed the spiral staircase slowly, wondering what it was like in Ormbel. Would I be happy with Riyahn? Would I love him enough to marry him? It didn't look like I had much of a choice in the matter. Father would be given a very high ranking position that would nevertheless be much easier than running his country and Zolraven would have his own land that would be constantly in peace with ours. The country would prosper. There would be no war, as our only other enemies were separated from us by a brutal desert to the west, high mountains to the north and an impenetrable bog to the south. This marriage would make things better. I should be happy…shouldn't I?

Chapter 3

A few hours later, I was almost excited about marrying Riyahn. Any doubts or concerns I might have had were gone entirely. I sighed and gazed out my chamber window, humming a little tune. Today had been marvelous. Father, Zolraven, Mother, Riyahn and I had tea in the garden and I discovered how charming and witty Riyahn was. Then, Riyahn and I strolled through the flower garden. Mid way through the garden, he stopped and produced a flower out of nowhere that I had never seen before and gently tucked it in my hair. At diner, father had us stand and had everyone make a toast to the new couple. Everyone in the hall raised their glasses and cheered us, and throughout the whole thing, he held my hand loosely at his side. Then, at the ball, he singled me out to dance with him although several other maidens from wealthy families were fawning all over him. I took quiet pleasure in the way the other maidens scowled when he pulled me to the dance floor. He was an excellent dancer. We spun and twirled across the dance floor and the way he held me close made me feel so safe and secure. A slow song began to play and I had rested my head on his shoulder and listened to his breath and heartbeat mesh with the beat of the song we danced to. I had felt like I was in a fairy-tale. And then finally, before departing, he kissed the back of my hand and bid me farewell until next time. I sighed again. I was in love.

Mother came in and knocked softly on the door frame. She had two servants following close behind with large black trunks balanced on their arms. "Darya?" she asked gently.

"Hmm?" I replied. I was lost in daydreams about Prince Riyahn. Mother smiled. She knew how it felt to be in love with the perfect man.

"Darya, it is time to pack. The carriage that will take you to Ormbel will be arriving in the morning." I turned to her and slowly stood from my cushion on the window sill.

"All right mother…" I sighed, "What should I pack?" I had never left the Ummos before, though I had ridden far out into the fields of the farmers around the castle before on Ulaelu.

Mother went over to my wardrobe and shuffled through my dresses, handing off some to the waiting servants, who folded them gently and placed them in the waiting trunks, others, she asked my opinion of before putting them back or handing them off to a maid to pack. Mother and I spent a happy few hours deciding on what to bring. We finally settled on a few dresses and one riding outfit. I particularly wanted to bring my ivory party dress but mother forbade it. It was delicate and might not last the trip to Ormbel. I did win the argument for my powder blue summer dress though. It was practical and light enough for the brutal summer and mother thought I looked lovely in it.

Half of my wardrobe lay strewn across my bed in several neat piles. My summer clothes on one side, my nice gowns next to those, travel clothes to the left and various heavy garments to the right. We chose a few clothes from each pile. A heavy cloak was packed as well as a few summer dresses, a fine pink lace gown and a few more summer dresses. Mother and I selected a few travel garments to be laid out for tomorrow. I was to wear a simple brown dress with a darker brown sash at the waist, a pair of brown leather shoes and a heavy woolen traveling cloak. My finer clothes were carefully put away and everything we had discarded was hung back into my wardrobe. Mother and I went down to dinner smiling and laughing as a pair of servants carried my bags to a corner of my room. I would leave in the morning.

That night, as I lay in bed, I had dreams about Prince Riyahn and me together. I rolled over and smiled into my pillow.

Chapter 4

I dressed quickly the next morning. I was in such a rush that I began pulling my gown on backwards. I grinned to myself and righted my dress. I pulled my hair back and held it in place with a clip made out of polished silver inlaid with a polished green stone. The stone matched the one sown into the clasp of my grey woolen traveling cloak. I looked at the stone on my cloak lying on my bed and sighed to myself. Green, green like Prince Riyahn's eyes… I topped it all off with polished silver caps on my horns and a string of decorative beads on each wing.

Far below, a hunting horn sounded, breakfast was starting. I pulled my traveling cloak over my arm and went down to eat. I took my usual seat next to Zolraven and draped my cloak over my chair. All of my favorite foods were being served today but I didn't feel like eating much. I reached a platter of small fruit pies and selected one filled with apples. Zolraven looked at me sideways and gave me a wry grin. I grinned back and passed him a pie filled with cherries. He looked at me and raised his eyebrows. I laughed and took a spoonful of eggs and a bit of ham. He smiled and looked satisfied and turned sardonically to his cherry pie. We had had these silent exchanges since we were children. He wanted to know if that was all I'd be eating before the long trip. I eyed his plate. It was piled high with sausages and eggs. Fruit and pastries were in abundance, as well as assorted pies, tarts, dumplings and pancakes. He could eat like this at every meal and was still in the best shape of any man in our court.

I leaned over to a platter to spear a sausage with my fork. I stabbed a fat little sausage and was met with an opposing fork. I looked up to see who had denied me my meat and was met with the startlingly green eyes of Prince Riyahn! He had been sitting on my father's other side the whole time and I had never noticed. I blushed faintly and removed my fork, gesturing for him to take it. Instead, he carefully cut it in half and leaned over to offer it to me. I blushed scarlet but I took the bit of sausage and smiled at him. He did not smile but I could see his beautiful eyes glittering merrily. I swooned inside. He was so perfect!

Breakfast finished and I called two servants to me to bring my bags down to the carriage. I had just sent them off when Riyahn came up behind me and gently laid my cloak over my shoulders. He whispered in my ear, "Lady, it is cold out and you will catch a chill." His hands on my shoulders and his warm breath on my cheek, it was all I could do not to faint in pleasure.

"You are very kind sir." I whispered back, blushing furiously. His hands left my shoulder and he moved forward to stand next to me. We looked at each other for a moment and I felt my face steadily turning red under his gaze. I looked away hurriedly and fastened my woolen cloak about my shoulders, keeping my wings tucked in, just as mother and father came into the hall to see me off. Riyahn stepped respectfully to one side as mother embraced me. She pulled away and held me at arms length. Reaching into her pocket she drew out a long golden chain with a thick locket at the end. She leaned in close and fastened it around my neck. "So you will always have us with you." She whispered. I looked at the heavy oval locket in my palm. It was engraved with the royal crest on the outside. I hugged my mother again and told her I would always wear it. She stepped back and father approached. He hugged me and pressed something into my hand. "This book has many tales of brave young nobles traveling to new places. I hope it inspires you to be brave."

I looked at the small book father had given me and felt tears well up in my eyes. I looked up at mother and father and hugged them hard. "I love you and I will miss you but I promise to write and tell you what happens."

I stepped back. Zolraven came bounding out of the feasting hall with something tucked under his arm. He stopped in front of me and paused for breath. When he had caught it, he pressed a small wooden box into my hands. On top of it, he placed a small bag tied with a ribbon. I opened my mouth to question but he pressed a finger to my mouth and whispered, "We have never been apart, now we never will little Dragon-ling." He hugged me hard and I felt a tear drop onto my arm, though whose it was I could not say. With that, he gently pulled away and turned on his heel and went back into the feasting hall, wiping the back of his hand across his face. I did the same. I looked at the box and wondered what Zolraven would give me. What could be in the little wooden box? I opened the lid and reached inside, there was a tiny dragon-ling inside! It had a short blunt snout and was covered all over in little black feathers and his eyes were exactly the same yellow as Zolraven's. He was about the size of a young kitten. He looked around the hall first at mother and father, then at Riyahn standing in the corner and then finally at me. It crooned and flexed its thin little wings. Yawning, it crawled out of the box on four thin muscular legs and up onto my shoulder where it wrapped its little tail around the back of my neck, curled up and went to sleep. I knew Zolraven had thought of our nights under the sun-streaked sky watching these little guys flit back and forth around us. He was right. We would always have these memories to share.

Inside the box was a little leather collar and a long thin leather lead. The bag was full of little treats. I smiled at the Feasting hall door and mouthed 'Thank you' to Zolraven brushing away a tear. I knew he knew I loved it.

Riyahn stepped forward and took my arm. "Come, we must be going, It will be a long journey."

Little did we know how long it would turn out to be.

Chapter 5

We walked out to the carriage together. Riyahn opened the door for me and helped me up into the carriage. He motioned to a groom who brought Ulaelu forward. Ulaelu would come too and Riyahn would ride her. I settled back in the plush seat as the carriage began to move. I looked back and watched my home disappear over the horizon. Riyahn was riding Ulaelu up ahead with the driver.

My book and my little dragon-ling's box lay beside me on the seat. The dragon-ling was still perched on my shoulder. I lifted him off and held him in front of my face. He yawned sleepily and crooned. "You need a name little one." I told him. He perked up and looked at me like he understood me. I giggled. "Well, what name would you like?" I asked him. He looked at me sideways through one golden eye. "How about, Zith?" I ventured, it meant little one and fitted him perfectly. He looked at me straight on and clambered up my arm. His little pink forked tongue stretched out and licked my cheek. I laughed at his antics. "Ok, Zith it is!"

Many hours passed. Occasionally, I played with Zith or read my book, some times, I just sat and looked out the window. Zith loved to chase his tail and have his belly scratched. I taught him how to fly next to me on his lead. Whenever a bug found its way into the carriage, Zith's little pink tongue shot out and grabbed it. I began throwing treats, which were little bugs covered in honey, into the air for him to catch. Sometimes he caught them with his tongue and others he flew after, catching them just before they hit the floor. He eventually slipped into sleep on my shoulder again and I laughed at the little lazy dragon-ling.

The book was full of poetry and pictures. The poems in it were beautiful and I committed a few to memory. My favorite was one about a dragon who was fighting a knight but it was told from the dragon's perspective. It was an interesting insight to the great beast's world.

I sat for several minutes pouring over some of the pictures in the little book. They were so beautiful and detailed and the brush strokes were so tiny, they could've been painted by fairies. My favorite picture took up two pages in the little book. It depicted a beautiful little village with a large castle in the distance on one page. On the other, a mountain reared up out of the inked ground. On the very tip of the mountain, a large green dragon spewed ink-fire at a little knight brandishing a sword at it. I thought to myself that I was that knight. The castle was my home but I was far gone from it. The dragon must be Ormbel and my doubts about it. I vowed inside that I would defeat the dragon and live happily ever after with Riyahn. Every now and then, Riyahn would slow Ulaelu down and look in on me. I would read aloud some of the poem I was reading or show him a trick I had taught Zith. He always listened or watched with rapt attention and chuckled at Zith or discussed the poem with me for many minutes. Presently, I slipped into a peaceful slumber filled with dreams of dragons, knights and Riyahn.



A sharp jolt woke me from my dreams. A bump in the road had shaken the carriage. Zith had moved to the top of my head as I slept and now fluttered down onto my lap. I looked out the window. Dusk had fallen and it was getting dark. Stars were beginning to peek out of the navy sky. On either side of the road, big thick trees swayed in the chill wind that swept through their branches. I shivered and drew Zith close to me. I looked out the window for Riyahn but he was nowhere to be seen. I called to the driver, "Sir, where has Riyahn gone to?"

"The prince has gone ahead to open the toll gate for us. We won't get there until after dark. After that, the city of Ormbel will only be an hour's ride away." He called back. I thanked him and settled back in my seat.

Several minutes later, I was busy extracting Zith from the bag of treats when another jolt rocked the carriage. We rolled to a stop and I heard the driver call to me to stay inside. Another jolt and a crash shook the little carriage again. I huddled in the carriage and listened. I could hear the horses whickering and the driver talking to someone and a series of low voices I could not make out. I leaned towards the window and peered out into the gloom, night had fallen by now. I could see shadows moving around the front of the carriage, there were about twenty. Zith whimpered and burrowed under my cloak and I pulled back away from the windows and drew my knees up to my chest. The voices rose louder but I still couldn't make them out. I sat there from what felt like eternity listening to the voices and to my anxious heartbeat.

Without warning, a shadow crossed the moon and the door to the carriage was flung open with a bang. I jumped and cowered back away from the looming black figure in the door.

"Out, now." It hissed at me. Numbly, I shook my head and cringed back further. There was a soft shhiiik and I could see silver moonlight glinting off the blade of a long sword pointed at my chest. "Out, now, we will not hurt you if you come." It hissed again. I slid slowly towards the door of the carriage, gathering my things as I went, Zith still tucked safely in my cloak pocket. The blade lowered as I approached. I slid out of the carriage onto the ground slowly. The sword was sheathed but a dagger was drawn and pressed to my back between my wings. I gasped and a rough hand gripped my upper arm and dragged me forward to the front of the carriage.

Chapter 6

One of the figures held the reigns to the horses and another had its sword pointed at the driver. "Take this to the King; he will know what we want." The one with the sword murmured to the driver. My figure pulled me roughly forward to the large shadow and I flinched as a rough hand grasped the back of my neck. My silver clasp was pulled out of my hair and a piece of tattered parchment was tied to it. It was thrust into the arms of the driver and the shadow holding the reigns of the horses dropped them and smacked the horses sharply on the rump. The carriage went careening off in the moonlight. All the shadows stood still until the rattling of the carriage faded into the distance.

One of the shadows gave a sharp command in a language I didn't understand to the figure gripping my arm. It replied swiftly and with a rude sound. The first shade responded loudly and I felt the grip on my arm slacken. Seizing my chance, I wrenched free of my captor and ran as fast as I could down the road after the carriage. Sharp cries rang out around me and I felt hands grasping at the hem of my dress. I flapped my wings and put on an extra burst of speed and flung myself into a thicket of bushes. Twigs scratched my arms and face as I fought my way to the center of the undergrowth. I listened to the voices of the shadows swell and fade as they searched for me. My heart was thudding in my chest and my breathing was harsh and ragged. Obviously I was worth something to the shadows.

I waited in the bush until I couldn't hear their voices any more. Slowly, I stuck my head out of my bush and looked around. There were no black figures to be seen in the moon-washed clearing. I pulled myself free from my bush and swung around a tree and pressed my back to it holding my breath. I needed a plan. I analyzed the situation and it didn't look good. Several black shadows had kidnapped me on my way to Ormbel. That meant they knew I was coming, but then again, so did all of Ummos… They probably wanted a ransom. That made sense, I was about to make a lot of men very powerful. They would most likely kill me once they got the money so I had to get away now. I thought as hard as I could. Maybe I could fly out of here. I looked up at the thick foliage above me. No, I thought, I would never be able to get through all those branches without getting snagged. Besides, they could probably fly too.

After thinking hard for a moment, all I could come up with was to wait until morning and run as fast as I could to the city gate, provided I could avoid those shadows for the rest of the night. I took a deep breath and turned to go to the road, and ran straight into the chest of one of the shadows. I turned and ran before it had a chance to respond and ran smack into the chest of a second shade. I was surrounded. I gasped and it grabbed my wrist, giving a sharp cry to its comrades at the same time. I wrenched free and turned and ran straight at the circle of shadows. I flapped my little wings hard and managed to get up over the heads of the circle before I crashed into the ground; my cloak was too heavy to fly in. I picked myself up off the dirt and ran for my life. I dodged trees and figures alike, but my energy was running low and they were everywhere. I managed to make it to the road but I didn't get a chance to take more than two steps away from my attackers before a muscular arm gripped me around my waist and lifted me off the road. I cried out for help again and again, tears running down my cheeks, but no one heard my plea. I beat my fists on the arm that held me but was rewarded with a second arm holding both of mine down. I swung my legs and struggled and kicked my assailant and beat my small wings in his face, trying vainly to break free. I could hear chuckles from the other shadows who watched me trying to escape. The shadows gathered around me, I felt sure they would smother me. They drew closer and closer, suffocating me. I cried out again and was answered with a sharp blow to the top of my head, then, blackness.

Chapter 7

The first thing I remembered was the pain. My head was sore, my wrists and ankles felt pinched and my feet hurt, not to mention the numerous scratches on my arms and face from last night, last night! I groaned aloud remembering the chase and abduction from the night before. I opened my eyes blearily and took stock of my surroundings. I was laying on my side with my cloak draped over me. At least I was warm. I reached up to touch my tender head but was stopped by ropes around my wrists. Well wasn't that just typical. I could even taste a foul gag in my mouth that prevented me from calling for help. I tried to at least flex my sore wings but they were also tied together at the base and tip so I could neither flex nor spread them.

I was positioned at the foot of a thick oak tree on the edge of a clearing. The floor of it was covered in leaves and mosses and some tufts of grasses. Dappled sunlight filtered through the leafy canopy and fell in speckled beams on the mosses and leaves. Squirrels and dragon-lings twittered madly in the tree above me. Some feet away from me was the remains of a campfire and a tent pitched across it from me. The tent was made of patched canvas and animal hide and had been constructed crudely. I groaned again, this time with hunger; I hadn't eaten since breakfast the day before and I could smell the smoke from a stew of some kind drifting out of the kettle over the smoldering ashes. There was a furtive movement out of the corner of my eye and I looked up sharply. A figure I hadn't noticed before was crouched next to the fire. Its filthy brown clothes blended perfectly with the tree it leaned against. It looked up at me and smiled through a shaggy red beard, "I see you're awake." The man approached me and I wriggled my bound body furiously, trying to get away from him. He chuckled and I treated him to my most vicious glare which made him laugh even more. He reached me and knelt beside me. I tried to scream through my gag but he put a hand over my mouth. "Do not cry out and I will untie you. It was most unpleasant to knock you out but if you continue to struggle I will do it again." He spoke gently like he was talking to a child.

I stopped thrashing and lay still, still glaring at him. He grinned at me, "Before I untie you please promise me you won't try to run away again. I will explain everything but only if you promise to behave." I looked up at him for a moment, my eyes hard and defiant, but then I softened and let my head droop. I nodded once and he removed his hand. He undid the gag quickly but I still didn't speak. I silently watched him loosen the bonds on my ankles and cut the ropes binding my wrists. But he would not untie my wings. I had promised not to run, but flying would've still been and option. I rubbed feeling back into my wrists and felt my sore head. It was only then that I noticed that my decorative caps were gone from my horns. Despite my loss, I forced myself to sit patiently. The red man looked at me for a moment. He resembled a shaggy red bear. He was tall and thick with a bushy red beard and equally fiery hair, a nomad from the mountain area I judged. He looked almost like he could've been a human but for his large talons on his feet and the short black horns on his temples. The left one was broken off halfway up it, probably in a fight or a rockslide. I was more inclined to believe it was the former.

I opened my mouth to question his purpose but was interrupted by my stomach growling. The red man jumped up and fetched a bowl of stew from the pot over the fire. He brought the stew to me in a rough wooden bowl. I did not thank him and began to drink the warm thick broth. Abruptly, my cloak rustled in the grass next to me and a short scaled snout peeked out from under the hem. It was Zith! I had all but forgotten him in last night's chase. Sensing no danger, he waddled out from under the cloak. He looked a little battered and worn but otherwise ok. Zith sniffed greedily at the soup and I offered him the bowl. I glanced up at the red man and saw the look of curious shock on his face. He reached out a tentative hand to stroke Zith. The little dragon-ling looked up as the man advanced but rapidly returned to his meal. The man made contact with Zith's head and his face cracked into a smile when Zith did not turn and bite.

"What beast is this?" he asked after stroking Zith a few more times. He was obviously excited about encountering such an exotic creature.

"This is Zith, my dragon-ling." I spoke for the first time since awaking. "He was a present from my brother." He must be from the mountain area if he's never seen a dragon-ling before, I thought, they don't live that far north, too cold.

"Ahh yes your brother. You know, we were worried he would be traveling with you. He can put up a better fight than you did." He said dismissively. I ground my teeth furiously. Didn't put up a good fight huh? I'd forced them to knock me out and even managed to get away for a moment and he said I didn't put up a good fight!

"So why do you want me here anyway? You promised you'd explain everything." I snapped. I was still sore about the previous comment, and besides, I wanted answers. And I wanted them now. The man looked up from Zith who was still lapping happily at my bowl of stew.

"I did now, didn't I? All right princess where do you want me to start?" he grunted.

I stuck out my chin and ordered, "tell me your name first and what you kidnapped me for, for starters." He grunted again as he shifted position and, still stroking the little dragon-ling, began his story.

Chapter 8

"My name is Kog; I am a villager in Ormbel, and you are about to make our king, the king Huijen, a very powerful man.

Recently, in light of his son's betrothal to the daughter of our ally in Ummos, that's you," I nodded "King Huijen has raised the taxes on everything we need to live. If people can't pay their taxes, everything they own is seized and the men are arrested and sent to work in the mines to gather more gold for the greedy king." The venom in his voice was startling.

"The women are sent to the looms and forced to weave tapestries and lace to sell to other kingdoms. The children are sent to the prison to give the king a way to bully their parents into working. If the adults don't work, their children are starved or beaten. We wanted to appeal to the king but we had no way to guarantee he will listen to us and give us the rights we need, until now.

You see, we needed you to be a hostage so the king will be forced to listen. His future depends on your safe delivery to his castle. We had to ambush your carriage so we could get you before you got through the gates to Ormbel, once through, you would've been met by an armed escort and we would be stuck."

I sat in silence for a moment, taking in all I had heard. Everything made sense except for one part, "why is he raising the taxes now?" I asked Kog.

He furnished himself with a nasty grimace and responded, "Once the King gives up his throne to his son after your wedding, he will be living off what gold he has now. He wants to be well stocked for when he is no longer king." I nodded. That was logical. I frowned, "What makes you think I'll be a willing captive?" I shot at him.

Kog hung his head. "We hoped you would, but if you refuse, we will be forced to treat you like a real hostage and not as a guest." he answered slowly.

"And what will I be worth?" I ventured.

"All of our families, our homes, our lives and our freedom in exchange for your safe delivery. If he refuses, well, you will help us… reason… with him."

"How?"

"We have sent him the ransom note, here, this is a copy.

I took a piece of torn parchment from Kog written in a spiky hand and read,

We have the princess. There are some terms we have to discuss with you. If you agree to meet with us, you are to raise a white flag from the north battlement. If not, a black flag. If the black flag flies, we will cut off a lock of the girl's hair and send it to you, this is the first warning; you will have 24 hours to respond. You are to fly either flag again. If the black one flies again, she dies and Ummos and Ormbel go to war over the death of their princess. If the white flag flies, we escort her to the castle for our discussion. If anyone tries to intercept or eliminate us, a hidden archer will kill the girl and any of our assailants. These are our conditions, take them as you will.

I stared at the parchment for a full minute in shock and then cried in outrage, "You mean to kill me if Huijen will not meet with you!?"

Kog reeled back but answered, his voice steady, "If we must, my family is depending on me.", his head bowed. He got up and walked slowly over to the tent and disappeared inside. I turned my back to the tent and leaned against the tree. Zith looked up from the now empty bowl and cooed mournfully.

"I know little one, I know…" I said softly stroking Zith's head. He studied me for a second and then climbed up onto my lap and nuzzled my arm sympathetically.

Chapter 9

I sat like that under my tree for several hours without speaking and only moving to get more comfortable or to relieve myself. Kog came out of his tent every now and again to try to talk to me. I never answered. Once he brought me another bowl of stew but I was in such a rage at him that I threw it at him and it landed on the ground at his feet. He brought me another one though when I had calmed down enough to eat it.

I sat and thought about everything that happened the night before. It must've been Kog who pulled me out of the carriage. Was he the one who knocked me out? Was it one of the others? But, then who were all those other men? And where were they now? I had only ever seen Kog come and go around the camp. Had the others left? Were they hiding around the woods, watching me, or was Kog just the poor fool left to guard me while the others went into town to await the King's decision?

It was late afternoon when Kog came out again. This time he had a dagger in his belt and a net thrown over his shoulder. I started, wondering what they were for.

Kog turned and walked towards me. Fearing his purpose, I scrambled to my feet and backed against the tree. He paused then began laughing.

"What? What is so funny?" I demanded. "I see that net."

Kog continued to laugh at me. "Princess, this net is not for you unless you wish it so. I am going hunting for our dinner."

I stood dumbstruck for a moment. "Oh."

"And I would rather you stay in the tent while I'm away."

Kog smiled gently and led me over to the tent and lifted a flap for me. I ducked in and squinted to adjust my eyes to the dim light. Kog followed me in. I looked around at the inside of the tent. It was taken up primarily by a large sleeping pallet. In one corner, a trunk lay closed and locked with a large rusty bolt. There was also a rucksack at the foot of the bed with forest vegetables spilled out of it. The floor was hard packed dirt but there were one or two little weeds starting to peep through.

"If you're hungry, feel free to eat something, but leave the turnips and carrots for the stew." Kog said, "And remember, you promised you wouldn't run away if I untied you. I want your word you will stay in this tent until I get back."

"I promise."

"Good, because there are some who would take advantage of your being alone in the woods if they saw you. To be safe, you must stay in the tent until I fetch you."

"How long will you be gone?"

"I shouldn't be gone for more than an hour or two; I will be back long before dark." He said, shouldering a sack. I sat down on the pallet and took out my book. Kog nodded approvingly but did not exit the tent. I looked up inquiringly. His face fell and he looked uncomfortable.

"Do not take this personally princess, but I must bind your legs." He mumbled quickly, drawing out a length of cord.

"What?" I jumped up and glared at Kog, my fists clenched. "You said I was a guest!"

Kog tried to speak soothingly; he was trying to calm me down "I know, I know. It is not to keep you from leaving-"

"Then why?" I cut him off.

"You must understand-"

"Oh I understand alright! You lied to me! You told me I was a guest but you only wanted me to cooperate! Well I won't I won't I w-" I stopped, a large rough hand had clamped itself over my mouth and I couldn't say a word. I didn't fight it but heaved deep breaths to prepare for another attack, glaring at the traitor.

"Princess, I do think of you as a guest. But the other men with me, the other villagers, they view you as a caged bird who will sing for the king to save her neck. If you are to stay here, you must be bound, because if one of the men returns to the camp while I am away and finds you free, you will never walk free in this camp again. I will no longer be your guard and none of the other men will let you walk as I have done. If you want to be safe here, we must act the parts we have been given." Kog spoke swiftly like he wanted to say his piece before I started shouting again. I stood for a moment, Kog's hand still pressed to my mouth. Kog looked at me like he was afraid I would strike him but instead, I slumped to the ground, humiliated.

Chapter 10

Kog knelt next to me and loosely hobbled my ankles so I could move around the tent and tied a length of rope from my bonds to a tree supporting the tent so I could relieve myself outside. I sat myself back on the pallet and picked up my book once again.

"It would be a good idea, if one of my fellows comes by, to hide Zith in one of the grain sacks or under your dress. The others might not take as kindly to him as I have." Kog whispered to me, pausing in the doorway as he backed out of the tent. I smiled up at him rather sheepishly. He smiled back at me and backed out of the tent.

I read several passages from my book and played with Zith while listening for Kog's return and to my stomach growling. I spent a long time just sitting, staring at my knight in inked armor. Who was the knight and what was the dragon now? Would my knight come to save me or would I be the one to save myself? And would I ever see home again? Time passed and I grew bored. I put my book away and held Zith, now asleep as usual, in my lap. I thought of untying myself and running away. I could probably make it to the gate before Kog noticed I was gone. No… I gave Kog my word I wouldn't run away. Besides, they needed me to save there families, I couldn't take that chance from them. But maybe I could arrange a meeting with the king once I got there. I'd be safer that way; I wasn't going to let them kill me to talk to the king!

I brooded on this for a while and had almost made up my mind to run away when I heard the crunch of boots on the forest floor. I stashed my book and Zith under a sack in case it wasn't Kog out there. I pulled a string hanging loose from my bonds to tighten them like Kog had shown me and waited. I didn't have long to wait.

"KOG! Kog you here?" The crunch of boots moved towards the tent and I sat still like a good little prisoner. The boots stopped in front of the tent-flap and the flap was wrenched open. I shielded my eyes from the glaring sunlight now pouring into the once dim tent. The man in the doorway moved into the tent and let the flap fall. When my eyes adjusted, I squinted up at the man examining me. Knowing what he wanted to see, I shifted slightly to expose my legs, tightly bound at the ankle. I opened my eyes really wide and tried to look frightened. He smirked and squatted down to my level; I flinched back away from him but stayed where I was. He checked my ankles then turned to me and gave me an ugly grimace. I flinched back for real this time, it was very foreboding.

"Where's Kog?" He growled.

"I… I don't know… he left to hunt dinner about an hour ago." I whimpered. This man looked more than capable of killing me and I wasn't going to risk it. The man grunted and stood, "An hour you say? Which way did he go?"

"I don't know… I was tied in here when he left. I couldn't see." I hoped to Mewor that I was answering right. He did not answer for a moment and I let out my breath, he seemed satisfied.

Out of the blue, his hand shot out and grasped me around my neck and heaved me to my feet. I choked and spluttered in his grip. What had I said? He held me aloft for a moment, his rough nails scraping my skin. Then he spoke, "A black flag has flown today princess. Do you know what a black flag means?" he snarled, shaking me like a rag-doll.

"…n… no…" I managed to choke out, his fingers were crushing my windpipe and I could feel myself getting dizzy from lack of air.

"It means the king has refused us once. If he refuses us again, you will die!" He shook my once more then dropped me to the ground and stormed out.

I gulped in deep breaths of air as I lay there on the floor rubbing my sore neck, tears streaming down my face. Huijen had refused to speak with them? He would risk my life? No. He wouldn't refuse again, he couldn't. Riyahn wouldn't let him. Riyahn wouldn't let me die. I sat there on the floor of the tent, sobbing and praying to Mewor that a white flag would fly for me.

The sun had about an hour before she set when Kog returned. He greeted the man in a loud voice as Grox. The sat and talked for a while and presently I smelled stew wafting out of the kettle. Apparently Kog's hunt had been successful.

After a few moments talking with Grox, Kog came into the tent with a shiny silver knife. He cut the rope binding me to the tree and, sheathing the blade, hefted me over his shoulder like a sack of grain and carried me out of the tent, gathering my cloak as he went. He dumped me unceremoniously next to the fire with an apologetic look and sat next to me. He drew out the knife again and, under the sharp watch of Grox, gathered one of my braids from next to my ear. With a sharp quick stroke, he cut it off and laid it next to my cloak. I did not respond. Kog then gathered up my woolen cloak and with a few deft strikes, had cut my jewel out of the clasp. He then carefully tied a strip of dirty parchment around the jewel with my hair and laid the bundle to one side, and waited. Soon, a messenger with a single horn on his head came up on a big horse and took the bundle from Grox. Without a word from either man, the messenger rode off towards the road and out of sight. It was all up to Huijen now.

Chapter 11

I was given a small bowl of stew and a lump of hard bread for dinner, a far cry from the feast I'd had just two nights ago. I felt a lump rise in my throat. Mother and Father and Zolraven expected me in Ormbel by now. Riyahn would be worried about me. How would my parents feel? And for all I knew, this could be my last meal if another black flag were to fly. How would Riyahn break the news to my family when he found out? Would they not know until the wedding night when I didn't show up? I felt the first tear run down my cheek and turned my head so the men wouldn't see me cry.

Over the next several minutes, other men began to show up at the camp one by one and sat around the campfire with Kog and Grox. I learned some of their names. There was Phob and Jek and Wree and Gort and Gac and Frit and Ewi and Thir and several others I couldn't hear. Each one had various wounds or scars that helped me tell them apart. The most distinctive of these was Phob, who had his right wing torn to the point of it being just a skeletal outline in the fire light. Jek had three grayish horns, one in the middle of his forehead and one on each temple. Gac had only three fingers on his left hand, probably lost the others in an accident. Frit and Ewi were identical twins and both had twin bluish wings about the size of a fruit-bat's. Gort however had a pair of huge black wings and eagle-talons instead of feet, I was glad I stuck to the forest floor; he could've ripped me apart. Frit had spines going all down his back and down his long sinewy tail that looked a little like my horns. One man with no right arm had a pair of massive elk horns sprouting from the top of his head that had pouches and bottles and beads draped over them like ornaments. There was another man that didn't seem to have anything normal about him, that is, until a bottle of wheat-beer and a bawdy song made him drop his pants to display a fat, stubby tail that I hadn't noticed in the dark.

At one point, during a particularly loud song, Kog came to take my empty bowl He smiled sadly at me and pressed my ravaged cloak to my chest, wrapped up in it was Zith and my book. I held Zith close, thankful for the comfort, tucked my book away in a pocket and wrapped up in the only other thing I had in the world right then. Kog was called back to the firelight to dance and left me alone under the tree to watch and wait for whatever fate had in store for me.

I sat gravely under the tree like this for almost an hour listening to the men talking in hushed tones about various things such as the weather, how this season's crops looked and, to my dismay, how they would kill me should the king refuse again. Grox wanted to just stab me and leave my body at the gates to the castle but Wree and Jek voted to just leave me in the forest. Gort wanted to torture me to death in front of the gates but, thankfully, that was rejected as they would be caught and hung if they did. The men never settled on one thing, though leaving my body at the gates seemed highly popular. Twice during the debate, I was sick behind the tree and it seemed to please some of the men. One with a dirty yellow beard and no hair on his head but a pair of huge horns like a bull's, seemed particularly pleased with it and began brandishing his knife in my face. He would flick it open in front of me and once or twice brushed the flat of the blade slowly down my blanched cheek. He only stopped taunting me when Phob, who seemed to be the leader, made him put the knife away.

The sun sank lower over the horizon and with it, my hopes of leaving this forest alive. Soon though, I managed to slip into a troubled and fitful sleep.



"Oy! Princess! Get up!"

I jerked awake. One of the men, the one with a scar on his cheek, had his hand on my shoulder and was shaking me into consciousness. It was dark and the moon was high and full over the clearing. There was a huge shadow grazing behind the tent and a new figure standing between it and the fire. That must be the messenger. Had he brought bad news? My stomach twisted into a knot. All the men were turned towards me. The firelight distorted their features and I couldn't tell their expressions. I was sure that I was about to die. King Huijen must've flown a black flag. A figure grasped my arm and heaved me to my feet and half carried half dragged me to the fire.

"Come on princess. You're a mess. We have to get you cleaned up for our meeting with the king." said the man holding me up. I slumped in his grip. Oh thank Mewor! The king had given in! I would live!

I was placed next to the fire and Kog sat down next to me. A rough brush was pulled out of someone's bag and applied to my dirty matted hair. I was given more food and a tear in my dress was clumsily mended. When I had been made as respectable as possible in these conditions, I was helped back to my tree and wrapped up in my cloak.

"Sleep well princess. You will need to be rested for tomorrow." sneered one of the men with a torn wing. And with that, they left me under the tree alone.

As soon as I was sure they weren't watching me, I felt the inside of my cloak for Zith but he was nowhere to be found. I called out for him as loudly as I dared but my dragon-ling didn't respond. I began to feel a little worried. There were many predators in this forest that wouldn't think twice about a dragon-ling snack. I waited. Hoping to get a hold of Kog and ask him to look for Zith. Presently, Kog did come to me with something cupped in his hands.

"Kog…" I whispered to him as he approached. Kog squatted down and, on the pretense of checking my ropes, whispered to me, "Shh!" he held up a finger to his lips, "here. He was in the tent, hide him somewhere with you."

Kog dumped Zith in my lap and meandered back over to the fire. I tucked Zith under my sash and rolled onto my side and slept.

Chapter 12

A rough hand shook me awake. It was well after dawn judging by the angle of the sun filtering through the trees. The ropes around my ankles were cut and I was roughly bundled over to the horse the messenger rode. Up I went onto the horses back and was bound by my wrists to the saddle horn. The leather reigns were flipped over the horses head and Grox took them. The other men stationed themselves around the horse on either side. Two were on each side, five in front, five in back and Grox with the reigns. The last three men stayed back at the camp and began packing it up, Kog was among them. We moved out of the forest like this, two on a side, one in the lead and five to the front and rear, onto the road.

We walked down the dirt road like this for almost half an hour. The river, Eeve, wound its lonely path next to us. Sometimes it was deep and ran fast and clear but other times the river ran shallow and muddy.

The men grumbled about the dirt billowing around their legs in the early morning breeze and their feet hurting from the long walk and Mewor knows what else. Other times, a fit of lunacy overtook them and they danced and sang with the joy that their voices would finally be heard. As we progressed, the songs got bawdier and bawdier and I wished I could cover my ears from some verses. As our journey wore on, I began to feel strange; it was an odd mixture of fright and joy. I was terrified that, should the king attempt to kill or capture the men, that I would be killed. But at the same time, I was glad for these people that they could have their families back.

Soon, we came to a magnificent stone and ironwork gate, the gate into Ormbel. This was not how I pictured my arrival to the great city. The men all drew their swords and Jek jumped onto the back of the horse and held a knife to my throat as the gates opened. The guards inside looked unsure what to do, one moved forward with his sword drawn but all the men turned to him and I felt the knife dig into my skin. The Jek pinched my arm and I cried out. It had the desired effect. The guard in charge gave a sharp command and the other sheathed his sword and backed away. Eventually, the head guard called two men to follow our odd little parade through the city.

A boy lurking behind the guard post ran off down the street hollering and banging on doors and pretty soon, people were leaning out of windows and gathered in the street to watch us pass. Several times, someone waved or called out to one of the men who called or waved back. When we finally reached the castle gates at the heart of the city, we had amassed a large parade of people come to see the show. Phob called up to the gate, "Open up! We have an appointment with the king!"

"State your names and business!" came the reply.

"Our names are not important and our business is with the king! Open this damn gate now!"

"Why should I!?" called the gate-keeper.

"Open it now or the princess of Ummos will die on this threshold and her blood will be on your hands!" shouted Phob from the ground.

There was a pause. My heart was racing. I braced for the worst, feeling the knife press harder against my throat threatening to draw blood. Then the gate creaked open. I let out the breath I didn't know I'd been holding and we moved forward into the castle grounds. All the men turned with their swords held up in case of attack. No one came to oppose them. My mount was lead up to the doors to the castle and I was untied, pulled off and tied again with a lead rope like a mule. Jek jumped down and secured me as before. The door opened and a manservant came out. He bowed to the men, now surrounding me like a human ocean, and led us in. We were taken through many long halls and passages and up four flights of stairs and were finally stopped outside a massive oaken door. The manservant motioned for us to wait outside and went in. The men shifted nervously as they waited outside. The hall we stood in had that effect on you. It was the kind of place that made you feel you'd done something terrible.

Presently, the manservant cracked the door open slightly and motioned us in. the door was flung open fully. The group passed through them and the door was closed with a bang that echoed around the massive room. And it was massive. It was as wide our feasting hall was long and almost twice the height. Around the sides of the hall, a series of long windows lined the hall letting the bright midday sun illuminate the starkly white marble tiles on the floor. At the other end of the room, a large throne was erected. It was covered in gilded carvings of lions and dragons and a number of other things. Seated in the extravagant chair was the king.

Chapter 13

Huijen regarded us much like a dog does a rabbit; he had a sort of hungry look about him, although, judging by the size of hi waist, that wasn't uncommon. A few of the men looked like they would be violently ill and shuffled to the back of the mob. Now that they were here, there was no denying their involvement.

Phob pushed himself to the front of the group. He motioned to Jek who removed the knife and shoved me forward. I stumbled and Phob caught my arm and hauled me to my feet. Taking the knife from Jek, he pressed it to my back. I was getting really sick of knives. Phob pulled me roughly across the hall to directly in front of the king and forced me to my knees. Then, when he had established that I was going no where, via the ropes tied now to a pillar, he began to speak in a loud voice, "Here we have the key to your future Huijen! You will listen to our demands and fulfill them to our terms or you key will be lost!"

I stiffened but tried to look assured. Hopefully, the king would see I had no fear from these men and would grant their families freedom.

"Oh but my dear boy! The key you hold is not the one to my future, but to my son's. I will let you debate with him. After all, in a month, he will wed the girl you have so cruelly bound to my pillar and be your king." Huijen said genially, and with a great burst of effort stood and waddled through a silky curtain behind the throne. Phob's jaw dropped. All their preparation, all the schemes and effort and the man the face in the end is someone entirely different. Apparently feeling that Riyahn wouldn't take kindly to me being tied, Phob leaned over, cut the ropes from my wrists and held my upper arm in his strong grip. A moment later, Riyahn emerged from behind the curtain. He stopped and looked surprised at the spectacle in the room before him. Almost twenty men in various conditions of poverty and filth standing in a close-knit group like frightened sheep. Then his eyes fell on me. I knew, by the look of shock and distress, that I must look an awful mess. I hadn't seen clean clothes, a brush or a bath for almost two days and had spent that time wallowing in dust and sorrow. I was a very different girl from the one he'd left sleeping in the carriage only two nights ago.

I wrenched my arm from Phob's grip and rushed over to Riyahn's arms. Tears streamed down my face as I sobbed into his shoulder, so grateful to be safe once again. He hugged me hard and buried his face in my hair. Presently, Riyahn pulled away and handed me off to a maid waiting in the shadows behind the throne. Phob ran forward angrily but was stopped by Riyahn's outstretched hand.

"You have gotten your wish." He said calmly. "Our agreement was to permit audience in exchange for Sondadarya's safe return. We have fulfilled our end of the bargain, and you have no need for hostages in here."

Phob spluttered and coughed in outrage for a moment but soon fell quiet. Riyahn turned to my maid and instructed her to see to whatever I needed and that he would send for me when the men were satisfied. The maid turned to lead me away but I pulled away and went over and stood next to Riyahn.

"You needn't worry now. Riyahn will be fair and you will leave happy." I said to the gathered men, taking Riyahn's hand in mine. The men cheered up slightly and Riyahn turned and smiled, "Thank you." was all he said before my maid led me away. We passed through the curtain as the voices began and I found myself in a small hallway lined with thick tapestries. The only light came from a small torch carried by the maid and the only sound was the crackling of the torch and the echoes of our footsteps on the stone. At the end of the hall was a large wooden door. It was thrown open and the hall was lit with the glaring light of the midday sun. I stepped into the room and the door was shut behind me. I looked around the room. Apparently Kog wasn't lying. The room before me was absolutely dripping in lace. There was a lace cover over the desk in the corner, lace curtains, lace over the chairs, lace on the vanity table and under the wash-bin, lace on the table in the middle of the room and a lace cover on the window seat. Zith was perched on the desk, asleep as usual.

I sat gingerly on the window seat and stared out the window. Well, here I was, not exactly the kind of entrance I'd had in mind. I reached behind me and carefully untied my sore wings. I flexed them and looked at my reflection in the window. My hair was a mess of dirt and knots and my face was smudged with dirt and my tears had carved little channels of white on my cheeks. I turned to the wash bin and scrubbed my filthy face until it was clean and red. Then I washed my hands, arms and legs with a wash-cloth and liberal amounts of the soft soap. Then I grabbed a polished wooden comb and brushed out the worst of the tangles until my hair lay flat again. There was a small patch of very short hair above my right ear where Kog had cut my braid off. I frowned at it for a moment then took up the soft, horse hair brush and brushed the dirt out of my hair so it shone again. I found a small hand mirror in a drawer and examined myself. Better, but not by much.

Chapter 14

I waited in the room far many hours for Riyahn. No one came in except for my maid, a little blond girl with an equally blond tail that was curved and lithe as a monkey's. She popped in every now and then to bring food or water or just to check in on me. I sat and listened to muffled voices of people in the courtyard below me. The summer sun caught little seedlings floating up from the garden, glinting and flashing off the little puffs. Smell drifted my way from the town as well. Some were familiar to me, stables, lilacs, dust, cedar and hot bread. Others were alien. I sighed. Things were different here. I reached under my sash and pulled out Zith. The little dragon was still sleeping. He lay in my hand snoring gently. I felt a tear roll down my cheek, I missed Zolraven so much. We hadn't been this far away from each other since the day we were born. I sniffed loudly and wiped a hand across my face. No, I have to be strong…

The maid came back and ushered me out, closing the door behind her with her useful tail. I followed her out and back down the tapestry-lined hallway. I passed through the curtain behind the throne out into the dazzling room. The maid waited dutifully behind the throne. Phob and his men had left and Riyahn was sitting on the stair, head in hands, in front of the throne. I moved forward and sat next to him. He did not look at me. I did not speak but waited for him.

"They are happy. Their families are already on their ways home." He said slowly.

I put my hand on his shoulder, he looked up at me and for the first time I noticed a fire behind his eyes. But he was still young and needed strength, he needed me.

"This is not right." He whispered.

"What is not right?" I asked him.

"It is not right," He croaked, "that you should be put in harm's way by people who wish to harm Ormbel." His fire dimmed and he took my hands in his. "You do not know how much danger you could've faced had someone more ruthless than those peasants gotten to you first."

I looked at him for a moment before standing, pulling him up with me. "I… I think I have some idea," I said, thinking of Grox and Jek and Gort. Nevertheless, I kept my voice even, "but I'm safe now… don't worry."

"But I do worry. It seems that there is unrest in the people. And our spies have confirmed my worst fears, a war is about to begin. People know my father is handing down the country to me and they may take that as a chance to wage war on us, when we are weak in the transition. Father was a great general but I have trained very little in the art of war. I wouldn't be able to protect you."

I was touched. He really truly cared for me.

"If your father was such a great general, why doesn't he train you?"

Riyahn laughed. "In case you didn't notice, my father has gotten fat and lazy in these times of peace. I do not think he could mount a horse to teach me if he wanted to." He was beautiful when he laughed. But his face fell and the merriment left his eyes as he came back to the problems at hand.

"I know you just got here but, in light of imminent events, I am going to send you to Photi, the fishing village east of here."

"But, why?" I asked.

"It will be safer. The armies that would attack here would not go as far as Photi."

I stood for a moment. This was serious.

"You will have to go in disguise; even now you would be a venerable target. I will arrange for you to go as a respected merchant's daughter, you will not be without comfort." Riyahn smiled weakly. I reached up and touched his cheek. He put his hand over mine and pressed it to his face. "Just promise me you'll be safe."

"I promise."

Chapter 15

I was escorted back to the lacy room by the little blond maid. She left me with a bowl of a rich, thick soup and a loaf of soft white bread. Having nothing else to keep my mind off of Riyahn and Photi, I picked up the soup, more to try to quench my fears than my hunger. The soup was delicious and oddly seasoned, There were herbs and spices I had never tasted before all lit from behind by a warm smoky flavor, but I only drank a little of it, I was feeling so strange. I couldn't believe it, I'd only been in the castle for a few hours and now I was preparing to set out again for a little fishing village on the coast. I licked my lips, there was a drop of soup clinging to a corner of my mouth and when I caught it, it tasted sweet and smoky. Well, I thought, trying to make the best of things, I'll get to see the sea. That should be nice. I tried to convince myself that I would enjoy this. I smiled and took another sip of soup, crunching a sprig of herb between my teeth, letting the rich flavor wash away my anxiety. Unbeknownst to me, one uninvited thought pushed itself into my head and began running around, knocking the sweet and pleasant thoughts out of its way. You're running away. It sang, dancing around my mind. Running away, like a cowered… You are leaving Riyahn to die in a war… a war you started…selfish girl… cruel girl… Grox should've killed you when he had the chance… innocent people…death… It's all your fault… all your fault…your fault… I shook my head and covered my ears trying to block out the cruel little voice, but it was no use, it was inside my head, spinning around and around, making me dizzy and confused. I tried to ignore it and focused on eating some of the bread but it was no use, the more I tried to drown it out, the louder it screamed into my mind, whirling faster and faster until it became a constant, wretched, whine. I stumbled over to the window and slumped onto the window seat, cradling my head in my hands. What was wrong with me? I shouldn't feel this guilty, it wasn't my fault but- your fault…your fault…leaving Riyahn to die…the war… your fault… I jumped up, I couldn't stand it any more. There was defiantly something wrong but… I couldn't shake the voice. I couldn't think. All I could hear was that ghastly voice going round and round inside my head. Making me dizzy, and tired… so… tired… I sat down again, cradling my aching head. All I wanted was to sleep. Horrible girl…sleeping… while others are dieing… because of you… wretched girl…you will pay…

I opened my eyes but the room was dark. I sat up and looked around. A little bit of cold, silver moonlight was dripping into the room through the big window behind me, making the room within glow an eerie blue-grey. I couldn't place it but something was defiantly not right.

"Princess! Princess!" the cry had come from the doorway. The little blond maid was standing there, quite out of breath. "Princess, we have to go!" she was obviously very upset, her wings were spread wide open and her blue eyes were wide and fearful.

"Go?" I was still confused and dazed from that needling voice in my head, but at least it was gone now.

"Yes, go, now! Oh please hurry!" she ran into the room and grabbed my hand, pulling me out of the room. Her wings were flexing and folding with anxiety… wings? Hadn't she had a- before I could finish my thought, a crashing thunder sounded over my head and bits of dust and rock rained from the ceiling above us. The little maid shrieked and ran, towing me along behind her. Down the empty, drafty hall and through the velvety curtain into the throne room we ran, finally coming to a stop behind the overturned throne. I grasped the little maid by her shoulders and turned her towards me. Her green eyes were darting around the room and she looked ready to faint… wait a moment… green eyes? Hadn't they been- once again, before I could continue my thought, I was interrupted, this time by loud angry voices. I looked around for the source of the noise and was confronted by a terrifying sight. A battalion of soldiers was marching down the long room towards the little maid and me. She immediately jumped up and, grasping my wrist with more strength than I thought she possessed, pulled me back through the curtain and through a door on our left that I had never noticed before. I found myself outside in the little courtyard that I had seen from my window. The moonlight was dancing on the flowers and paving stones and all looked peaceful but something was still not right…

We ran, hand in hand through a door on the other side of the courtyard and into a large hallway. I recognized it as one of the long, twisting halls that Phob and Company had been led through to the throne room. We followed the hallway for an impossible amount of time, taking turn after turn as fast as our legs would carry us, and finally came to rest behind a pillar near the main doors. We both collapsed, blind panic had been the only thing keeping us going. Both of us sat panting, trying to catch our breath. When we had caught it, I pulled the blond maid in front of me and asked her the question that had been driving me forward, "What are we running from? Tell me. And where is Riyahn?" as soon as I asked it, the voice returned, Riyahn's dead, you killed him… your fault…all your fault… the world around me began to drip before my eyes and I felt myself sink to my knees. The maid stood and looked at me for a long time, too long… and, as the voice spun round and round inside my exhausted mind, she smiled. Far, far away I heard my name being called over and over again before everything went dark.

Chapter 16

"Sondadarya? Sondadarya?"

I could hear a voice far away calling my name. There was a soft red light filtering through my eyelids, stirring me awake. I opened my eyes and tried to focus on the figure standing over me. The blurred shadow shifted and came closer. His face moved and came into focus. It was Riyahn. I could've cried with relief, he was alive!

"Sondadarya? Are you alright? Can you sit up?" he asked tenderly, sliding a hand behind my head. I sat up slowly, my head spinning. I was in the main hall, right where I'd fell after the siege with the maid.

"Who… where… the… the siege?" I asked, my words slurred and fractured. I sounded drunk.

"There was no siege Sondadarya." He said, his face was drawn and he looked angry and worried.

"but…" I tried to ask but Riyahn put a finger to his lips and helped me to my feet.

"I will explain everything." He said, leading me away. We walked down the main hall and through a door into a small room with a couch in it. Riyahn helped me onto the couch and sat beside me.

"What happened?" I asked trying not to pass out, I was developing a huge headache.

"We think you were drugged."

"Drugged?"

"Yes. Someone slipped a drug into your food today. Your in more danger than we thought."

"But, who?"

"We aren't sure who did it. But we do know what the drug was and that's given us some leads."

"What was it?"

"Someone spiced the stew with Maliki leaf. It's a very powerful drug that makes you hallucinate. I need to know what you saw. Tell me everything."

I recounted everything I'd seen under the Maliki leaf's power. The army, the crashing above our heads, the voice, the maid. The whole time I spoke, Riyahn just nodded his head as though he knew everything.

"I thought as much. The boulders you heard above your head in the Lace Room was one of the servants knocking on your door. When you didn't answer, they opened it and you pushed past them and out into the hallway. The whole time, you held one arm in front of you like you were being pulled along by someone. The servant went to find a few men to catch you. You hid behind the throne, muttering to yourself but when three servants and the cook came to fetch you, you jumped up and ran, screaming like a banshee. Someone was finally able to catch you in the main hall before you got out and hurt yourself. One of the cook's assistants caught your arm and you collapsed. Everyone said you were crazy but then we found the Maliki."

"So, where would I've run to?" I asked, my headache receding. I began to understand more.

"We aren't sure but most likely to whoever drugged your stew." He said, his frown causing a little crease between his eyebrows. "We are going to get you to Photi tonight. I've already sent someone to get your things and your pet."

"I'm so sorry. I seem to be nothing but a burden to you and your family." I said. My conscience was crippled with guilt. Riyahn didn't answer. He stood and took my hand, helping me to my feet.

I changed into a maid's dress, pulling my hair up into a simple bun. Two men, a boy probably only 19 and a man with wide shoulders and a thick neck, volunteered to accompany me. The boy was supposed to act as my 'brother' and the man was my 'father'. We set out right away. Riyahn didn't come to see me off.

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