A/N: THIS STORY IS A WORK OF FICTION. THE AUTHOR DOES NOT OWN DRAGONHEART OR ANY DRAGONHEART AFFILIATIONS. THE AUTHOR ONLY OWNS THE ADDITIONAL CHARACTORS IN THIS STORY. EXAMPLE:(AENOR, THEO, SAER, DRAKON, LAVENDRE, GLADISE)
THANK YOU AND ENJOY :) ~CASTINGOVERSUNSHINE
Dawn breaks over the horizon as a crimson light shines through the animal hide curtains of the small hut. Hair like fire wisps across a pale face as a breeze flows carelessly throughout the room. Her hand reaches out to the air and grasps what you can't see; for she is lost in a dream. A dream where she grasps the reins and pulls herself onto the scales of a dragon. A dream where she flies through the tree tops and past castles. A dream where she feels free... Her eyes flutter open to reveal twin pools of endless green. She turns and gets up from her animal hide bed upon a bed of hay, walking towards the window. She pulls the curtains back as a powerful breeze sweeps her hair back, surrounding her in a harmless flame. She smiles at the sun.
Aenor stood looking out the window at the sunrise. Her eyes bounced from the trees to the hills, wherever the light danced. She looked up at the sky and watched the clouds pass over head. Oh how she longed to touch those clouds, to feel the breeze pass by her cheek. Aenor closed her eyes. Her dream was so perfect, she didn't want to wake up. She probably would not have if it wasn't for her father calling for her. "Aenor?"
"Coming, Father," Aenor sighed and grabbed her clothes, putting them on as she rushed out the door. As she pushed the wooden door ajar, her father stood there. Frowning, as usual. "Come on," putting his hand on the small her back, pushing her gently towards the front of the hut where the horses were tied, "You'll be late." Aenor rolled her eyes at her father. He put one hand on the leather saddle of his horse, lifting his foot into the stirrup before mounting his steed. Aenor ran a hand through her fire red hair as she grabbed a satchel of scrolls. She knew the monks would be teaching the Once-ways today. Aenor would have to represent her mother at the retelling of Draco and Bowen's Adventures. She threw the hood of her dark green tunic over her head and put one foot in the stirrup. As she adjusted herself in the saddle, her father rode up beside her. "Gilbert will have words with me if you are late again."
Aenor grasped the reins and looked at her father. The blue in his eyes was faded and being replaced the a smokey gray. He was growing old. His fire; smoldered. He was no longer the knight who would let her ride with him through the wood, who taught her the ways of a knight and how to fight like one. With honor. No, he cared more for living a safe peasant life. Letting the rich walk all over them. The days without Draco aged him.
Aenor commanded her horse to go. As she looked back, her father was watching. She was smart, she kept her horse going along the path into the village. She peeked over her shoulder again and watched her father's horse ride over the hill towards the fields. Aenor pulled the reins to the left and steered her horse into the woods. She knew the Once-ways like the back of her hand. There was no need to repeat them over and over again. She reached up and ran her hands along the leaves of the trees as she rode along through River's Run Forrest. She closed her eyes as the sunlight hit her face. Flushed with warmth in her cheeks. To be one with the air. To bask in the waves of light; a dream come true. A dream to which she found herself fleeting.
As she came along the small bridge that covered a creek in the wood, she turned her horse to head back towards town. A moment to herself, that's all she wanted. But she came to a halt as she saw several men head towards the village. They carried the crest of a bird being burned alive. Gladise, Aenor thought. Gladise worked for Prince Theo. He was a tax collector and a vicious man. Aenor's lips curled in the corners of her mouth when she saw him. "Cumber-ground," she spoke under her breath. Gladise and his men rode up to the village and called out the Saer. Saer had been like a brother to Aenor since she was a child, he looked after her. And tried his best to keep her out of trouble to no avail.
One of the female monks, Valgra, came in between them, "What is this madness?" she spoke as she looked at Gladise and his men. "Can't you buzzards go one day without ripping all we have out from under us? We have wee babes that can barely survive because of you."
"Well, then," Gladise said as he leaned forward in his saddle, "Perhaps the wee babs should tend to the fields. They would survive longer." Gladise sat back in his saddle and pointed to the group of children, eager to learn. "Hand over your money! All of it! The Prince's roads must be maintained." The knights rode forward, collecting gold from the town's people. Aenor shook her head. "Monsters." She cursed as she steered her horse back around towards the woods. This madness ends today.
Aenor rode fast outside the wood of her village. Today would be the day. She would do right by her mother and father, she would defend the helpless. Saer saw her take off into the wood. Grabbing a spare steed, he quickly mounted and followed her. Soon he was riding beside her, "What on earth are you doing?" he said as he crossed her path, blocking her way.
"Will you move?" she tried to move her horse around him and once again he blocked her. "Are ya going to answer my question?"
Aenor rolled her eyes and drew an arrow, pointing it at his face, "If you don't move, I'll have to kill you. Which I would really hate to do, since I'll need a distraction."
"A distraction for what?" Sear asked finally sighing. What sort of trouble was she getting herself into this time? Aenor put her arrow away and made sure her sword was at her side. "I'm going to get our gold back."
"Are you mad?" Saer exclaimed. This girl must be insane, Saer thought to himself. "Theo's men will have your head on a spear before you can even reach Gladise."
"Not if they can't catch me." Aenor drew her sword and guided her horse into the wood. Saer sighed as he followed close behind, "You could be killed for this!"
"So could you if you don't quiet down." She whispered looking behind her, giving Saer a deadly look.
"Or worse!" he whispered to her. Suddenly Aenor came to a halt. She looked back at Saer and sighed. He looked so out of place in his brown pants and brown shirt. He looked like a peasant, nothing like a knight. Still, he was good for something. "Are you going to help me or not?" Aenor whispered to him. It took Saer a few moments before he withdrew his small, dull sword and nodded. "Good," Aenor spoke and motioned Saer to move beside her, "Now, come with me."
Bowen looked out the window at the hill where he and Draco once stood as he watched the sun go down. "Where is she?" he spoke to himself, "She should have come home by now." He walked back to the cauldron where he was making their stew. A few stirs and there was a knock on their door. Bowen put the spoon down and walked over to the door, "Aenor, you scared me." but Bowen stopped in his track as Saer stood before him. "Saer, where is Aenor?" Saer was out of breath and covered in mud. Bowen stood in the doorway, "Saer," he chuckled, "Where on earth have you been?" Saer looked up at Bowen, his dark eyes filled with shame and worry, "Aenor." he struggled to breathe, "She has been taken." Bowen's face darkened as he grabbed Saer and pushed him up against the wall, "Where?"
