Black Shudder

by Mismatch-lover

18 year old Alys finds her black dragon. He tells Alys that he will commit his life to her if she agrees to help him collect the Orb's by becoming his warmth. Can Alys get through this adventure alive, or was she doomed from the start? On Hiatus

7. Chapter 7

So, yeah. Here's chapter seven. Yay!
These past weeks/months have been very stressful on me. I guess it was bound to happen, but all of my closest friends got into a big fight just the other week. It was very, very devastating to me--I couldn't even think about this story. But we worked everything out, so hopefully everything will be okay (I hope so!). Well, I could gush on about my school life, but I don't think you want to hear it--you all have your own lives anyways.
I love reviews. I love to know what every single one of you is thinking of my story! However, I'll say this, and I'll only say it ONCE:
This is my own REMAKE of 'Dragon's Bait'. In other words, what I'm trying to say is is that of course there will be things different in this story--I wanted it to seem like it was my own story instead of a fan-fiction (even though I absolutly ADORE 'Dragon's Bait.') That's why Zero's name is Zero, although I put it in there that his real name WAS Selendrile. That's why Zero is a black dragon instead of a gold one. The changes are how I express myself through my own words.
Whoo.
I needed to get that out of my system for a while now! :3 Please, take no offense--I absolutly understand if the changes are too much for you and you can complain about it IF you wish. However, after this, I will never assess the questions or complaints again. I have explained myself. :|

Please enjoy this new chapter of 'Black Shudder'!

Thanks to those who have reviewed:
Killer Zebra
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Wow, it's like an all time record. :3 THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

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Chapter Seven

Neither Gen nor Iskim were in the common room when Zero and I walked in, still hand in hand. I had carefully dodged all the stares and whispers on the way to the Inn, keeping my gaze down from their hurtful gazes.

"Where could they be at?" I wondered aloud, looking around the room. There were only a few people in the room, all of them sitting at one table. None of them gave us more than a look of curiosity before returning to their conversation.

Zero, who had stayed silent since we were in the forest, nodded his head up the stairs. "They're on the second floor."

I glanced at him, ready to ask how he knew that, but I stopped myself short, noticing the rims of his eyes had darkened again. Instead of asking him, I let him lead me towards the stairs, allowing him to gently take some of my weight with every step. At the top of the stairs, the door farthest to the left, which was Iskim's room, opened, and both of my 'family' members walked out. They stopped talking when they saw Zero and me, and I noticed painfully that both of their stares landed on our hands intertwined together. It was almost enough to make me flinch.

But, I held my head high, and I cleared my throat. "Iskim, Gen," I started calmly, making both of their gazes meet mine, "I have some news for both of you." Gen looked at Zero with wide, admiring eyes, while Iskim just stared at me sadly, probably already knowing what I was going to say. I sighed. "I have agreed to Zero's proposal," I bluntly said. I found it that I couldn't make myself say 'marriage', so I left it out. Also, it made it so I wasn't really lying to either of them, but I wasn't exactly telling the whole truth either. I felt as though I couldn't lie to them--they had given me so much.

Gen smiled broadly at me, squeaking under her breath before tucking me into her arms, pulling me away from Zero.

"I'm so happy for you!" She mused through her wide lips. "I can wait to see you in that chapel next to him!"

I felt my face drain at her words, and I laughed nervously. I pushed away from her tight embrace, noticing that Zero and Iskim were talking quietly amongst themselves, nodding and whispering solemnly. Zero caught my gaze, stopped whispering whatever he was saying, and smiled lightly at me. Iskim did the same, turning to look at me.

"I'm afraid it's not going to work like that Gen," I said, holding her hands in mine. "You see, Zero has business in the Imperial City and he thinks it most convenient to get the rights there."

Gen's happy smile only faltered for a moment. "Then you have to promise to visit me as soon as you are with child!"

My cheeks exploded with heat and I shifted my eyes uncomfortably. I could almost hear Zero smirking at me in that way of his.

"It's a promise, then?" Iskim was suddenly standing next to me, a comforting smile spreading his lips. "You'll visit every now and again, right?"

Despite the smile he output, I could see through his facade, could see the hurt beneath his brown eyes. "Iskim--" I started in a whisper.

"No, it's fine." He tousled my hair with his large, worn hand and gave me a light pat on the back. "It was I who was trying so hard to find you a husband. Besides--" his eyes oddly flickered "-- Zero could really use you."

I sighed, feeling a deep anguish and hurt for having to lie to the only family that I had left. Maybe risking it all just to help a dragon wouldn't be worth it.

Maybe I should've declined at the last moment.

But I didn't. I merely smiled at Iskim, and thanked him.

Zero stepped in then. "Alys and I will set out as soon as possible--the shipment in the Imperial City won't wait for me. I am terribly sorry for taking her away so quickly, but could you say your goodbyes so she can pack and we can be on our way?"

It surprised me how he could make the rudest lie sound so sincere and innocent. Gen seemed surprised at the fact that I was leaving within three hours, while Iskim's sullen expression deepened.

"So soon," Gen murmured. "Can't you stay for supper?"

I glanced at Zero, giving him a pleading look to find a way that I could stay--one last meal with my family. But he flicked his eyes at me in a way that I knew he was saying he had more suitable, more sufficient plans.

"No," I sighed sadly. "The shipment leaves in only three days-- if we stayed here more than we needed to, the shipment wouldn't pass through and Zero's business would plummet." Gen took that explanation in silence, but pulled me into another hug.

"Everything's happening so quickly these days," she whispered to me. "I'm scared that I might lose hold of it all."

I closed my eyes and hugged her. "I'm scared too, Gen."

Gen let me go, and I turned immediately to Iskim, who gave me a rough but very quick hug. He tousled my hair again, grinning at me. I couldn't help but smile back at him—his smiles always did that to me. He kissed my forehead, and then led Gen downstairs.

I stood alone in the hall with Zero for a moment. We said nothing, and for a minute, that was a comfort. Soon, however, he moved next to me, nudging my arm lightly with his.

"You should go get packed." He leaned against the wall, folding his sturdy arms. He glanced up at me through his dark lashes. "I'll wait for you here."

With nothing more than a nod to acknowledge his words, I slipped into my room for what would most likely be the last time for a long while. I gathered my nightgown, another day dress, and a pair of slippers that I hardly wore anymore. I decided that I could live without a comb or mirror—Gen would need them more than I would. Reaching under my cot, I retrieve a small box that had grown a layer of dust on it since the last time I had pulled it out. I slowly lifted the lid, revealing the small treasures that I had inside.

One of the treasures was an oddly shaped rock with no special physical features to it. I smiled as I held it in my palm, remembering that it was this rock that Gen and I had thrown into the old hag's window across the street three years ago. She had said something about how Gen and I were hell-bringers. So we decided we would show her exactly what a hell-bringer was.

The other object was a small, broken chain. Iskim had given it to me when I was thirteen. He said that it would bring me good luck. At the time, it had been a pretty necklace. But it rusted that spring and then snapped in one place the next summer. I couldn't bring myself to throw it away, so I simply kept it in safe keeping.

At the bottom of the box, folded neatly, was a torn, dirty and tan tunic. I told myself the reason I kept it was to prove the fact that Zero was actually real, that the dragon wasn't just a figment of my imagination. But I knew somewhere inside of me that the real reason that I had kept it was because it was the only thing I had left from my life in St. Careloon.

And now, I was about to leave it all behind once again.

It was hard for me to allow it, but I started to cry. Only a little—the real tear flow wasn't meant for now. Sniffing, I rubbed at my damp eyes, brushing away the falling tears on my cheeks.

I felt a shadow loom over me. I looked up, then immediately down to rub more furiously at my eyes and face. Zero towered over me, his arms folded, his jaw set, his eyes narrowed. Once my face was dry, I dared another look up at him. Ashamed, I nervously twiddled my fingers together. I didn't want him to think that he was forcing me to do this.

"You don't have to do this if you don't want to." His face never shifted from its dark intent. "I won't hold anything against you. All you have to do is tell me to go away and I will."

"But you won't," I whispered, looking down at my folded hands. "You'll still be in my mind, no matter how far you go. It's not as simple as saying 'go away' anymore." I closed my eyes and then sighed quietly. "I think about it every day—the ways you saved me, that is. I can still see it, St. Careloon with Daiken and Mistress and old Margret. But I can also see the destruction, the cold eyes looking back at me. I can still see the dead bodies of everyone I loved around me, and there was nothing I could do. I felt so helpless, so guilty." I looked up at him, setting a determined look upon my face. "I want to be able to do something. I want to change someone's life like you did mine."

I was crying again by the time I finished my speech. I bubbled out noises that I had only heard babies make, and it was almost embarrassing.

Then his warm fingers brushed at my cheeks, cupping away the wetness. Without changing his expression, he murmured "If you're so set on this, then you mustn't cry. Not in front of me."

I tilted my head at him, confused. "Why can I not? Do you get sad in return?" I finished brushing my tears away and Zero took a step back.

"No, of course I don't. Humans just look absolutely pathetic when they cry—their faces get all scrunched up."

I felt a wave of annoyance. "Well, I bet you do too."

Zero smirked at me suddenly. "I can't cry, Alys." I was taken aback by that, and didn't even try to hide my shock. "Well," he amended after a moment. "It's not that I can't, it's just that I choose not to."

"Sometimes you can't choose," I argued.

"You can if you make a conscious effort. In that point, you can do anything you wanted to if you put your mind to it."

I pouted at him. "That can't be the only reason you don't like to see people cry—you're not telling me everything."

He smiled lightly. "Of course I'm not." He looked down into my lap, gazing over the box. "Is this all that you're taking?"

I glanced down then quickly closed the cover, lest he noticed that it was the very same tunic that he wore six years ago. "Oh, no, I was just reminiscing."

"Of course. Just like a human." I ignored that last comment and shoved the box back under the bed. Standing up, I grabbed what little things I had and held them to my chest.

Zero raised a brow at me. "Is this all you're bringing?"

I nodded. "It's not like I have much anyways." I could imagine him sighing, but he gave no emotion on that sturdy face of his.

"Okay. You ready to go?"

I looked down at my feet again, suddenly so unsure about my decision. "Why must we leave so early in the day, Zero? And don't give me the 'shipment' nonsense!"

"We need the time to reach a resting place for tonight—it takes about half a day on foot."

I considered for a moment then replied "Won't we be flying?"

Zero shook his head. "No. It's too dangerous to be flying openly around these parts—there are more and more men on the hunt for dragons. You see, we must be careful; if we caution ourselves over time, it'll make the journey that much quicker." Zero reached over and pulled my clothing and such from my arms and tucked it under one of his. "Now can we please go?"

"Do you think it's easy for me to just up and leave?" I growled at him in a whisper, feeling anger bubble up in me once more. "I can't just 'go'. It's not that simple!"

"Not from my point of view." Zero made a step towards the door.

"We have different point of views, Zero. Can't you at least respect that?"

He stopped in the doorway, glancing over his shoulder to meet my gaze. "Do understand, Alys that this is how I show my respect. And understand that I'm a dragon and I see and think of things differently than humans do." Zero threw me an unknown look. "Trusting you is respect enough in my book." He turned away, vanishing out the door. "I'll be waiting downstairs. Finish whatever you need so that you may just 'go'."

I sat in silent fury for a moment, then let it release in a sigh. This is going to be a long trip, I thought to myself.

I didn't even know the half of it.

I forced myself to calm down before I went downstairs. Rel was standing with Gen, Iskim and Zero now. When he saw me, he gave me the biggest bear hug and offered his congratulations for my marriage. A few other people around at the tables commented on how they were happy as well.

I smiled. I nodded. And I laughed. I did all the things a woman who was marrying a handsome man was supposed to do. I hugged Gen and Iskim goodbye again and thanked them for dealing with me the past six years. I promised Gen, that whenever it was to happen, I would visit her when I was with child. Iskim promised me he would try as hard as he could to get a hold of me if something big happened. I waved goodbye with a large smile on my face, swinging my connected hand with Zero's in-between us.

The goodbyes and the cheers faded out once we walked into the forest.

I didn't cry again—even though I wanted to.

But Zero needed my strength. Besides, I didn't want to make him upset again.

He dropped my hand before I did his, and for some odd reason, it scared me to lose his warmth. I felt so insecure, so unsure. It suddenly felt like the ground beneath me was falling away. Although afraid, and didn't panic. I carefully made a conscious effort to stand firmly on the ground for a second to prove to myself that it was truly there. Instead of shivering like I wanted to, I glanced around at the trees above me. The sun was in the middle of the sky, and a small bird fluttered just above the tree branches.

"Exactly how far away is this 'resting' point of yours?"

"Five, maybe ten miles." Zero shrugged."It's not like I keep track." Zero stopped suddenly, almost making me run into him. Before I could ask what was wrong, he loudly sniffed the air, groaned, then continued walking.

"What?" I asked. "What was that all about?"

"It's going to rain before night-fall," he offered. "We need to be much hastier than I first thought."

"We have to go faster?" I complained, already feeling the wariness of walking building itself up.

Zero shot me a narrowed glance at my tone. "Unless you want to get soaked to the bone, get sick and die painfully and slowly because I won't help since it was your own ignorance that cause your death that is."

I suddenly realized he was right, and quickened my pace with his. He eyes had gotten darker again, and he seemed intent on the trail ahead of us. I was suddenly worried as to why he was so concerned all of a sudden.

Zero only allowed me to rest once the whole entire day of traveling. We had been walking at such a fast pace that I began to become more weary after a short period of time. It was taking more time to hurry than it would have to have stayed at a more comfortable pace. What slowed us down more was the fact that he said that we had to go off trail a mile or so away from the village.

He wasn't impatient though. He was actually very supportive, giving me claims like 'you can do it' and 'it's only a little further now, just hold on.' I knew he was getting irritated though by the time the sun was setting, although he was very good at hiding it within himself. Despite his good attitude and helping hand, I became quite cross with him. I didn't understand why he was in such a big hurry, and it peeved me a little that he wouldn't tell me why.

I had to admit though—he was right about the rain part. The dark, billowing clouds rolled up in the eastern sky, mists floating under them indicating rain. What concerned me, though, was that we were headed right for them.

"Shouldn't we be slowing our pace?" I asked him between my quick breaths. "We're rushing right into the storm."

"It's only a little further now," Zero said, his breathing totally normal. "And I mean that this time."

I huffed loudly. "You were lying all the other times then?"

Zero flashed me a quick, malicious grin. "Perhaps."

I wasn't in the mood for his attitude, nor was I in the mood for rain. "Can we just slow down a little?"

Zero shook his head. "No, we'll get there faster if we pick up the pace."

I could even smell the rain now. The dark clouds were soon looming over us, threatening to pour. A cold, sharp breeze whooshed past us and I unintentionally shivered. We climbed a tall hill that was steep enough to make my legs ache and my lungs burn to climb it. There was a thick spot of trees that surrounded the base of the hill, and, to my utter surprise, there was a small worn trail that could be easily seen twisting around the trees. When we breached through the section of the trees, my legs almost gave away under me when Zero decided that he was going to help me the rest of the way. He grabbed me by my elbow, pulling me up the hill with him.

"Hey, watch it!" I snapped at him when he gripped at my arm to hard to pull me up straight. I couldn't stay mad at him for too long, for I was abruptly amazed and I gasped aloud.

Below me lay the most beautiful land that I had ever seen. On the descent of the hill, there was a large, open valley, completely surrounded by hills and trees. A river or two flowed through the thick forest and branched out within the valley. Coniferous trees dotted themselves throughout the valley, while one or two very large oak trees swayed in the breezes rolling off of the hills dance through the low valley. Even from the height that I was at above the isolated meadow, I could tell there were many wildflowers the inhabited the waving meadow grass. The barely seeable path winded down the hill side, entering the ring of trees through a small arch through the branches.

It seemed that life and time didn't and couldn't reach this place.

"Wh-where's this?" I asked breathlessly.

Zero turned to me and assessed my expression before smiling warmly.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" He whispered it so low that I almost couldn't hear it. He stood next to me, close enough that I could feel his warmth radiating off of him. "You've been sheltered all of your life, Alys. Just because there is an idiotic war going on doesn't mean that there isn't peace somewhere in the world."

I shook my head slowly. "But it doesn't make any sense that the flames from the war couldn't scorch this place." I studied the valley below me again, still in awe. "It's like it's an untouched heaven." Zero walked in front of me, making my awe-inspired gaze land on him.

"Neither of them are true," he said with a small smile, no true feelings behind the curved lips. "Fey creatures can't touch heaven. Besides, and old man used to live here ten years ago." He pointed down into the valley. "Look there."

Taking a moment to find the exact point of where he pointed, I did notice the small hut. The roof had a small black dot on the roof, indicating that there was a hole in the roof.

I recalled the dark clouds brewing above us. "You don't think he would have minded if we used his house, do you?"

Zero shrugged. "Don't know, don't care. I use it all the time anyways, so I don't see how it matters."

I raised my eyebrow at him. "What does a dragon do with a human house?"

Zero spread out his arms, gesturing to the whole valley. "You said so yourself—this place seems like it doesn't even exist. It's a perfect place to lay low for a while."

"This place is so far from a town, or humans for that matter. Why would some old man live out here?"

Zero smiled and shrugged innocently. "For the same reason you can't believe it's real—the war hasn't touched this place." Zero started down the overgrown path. "That's all that some people wish for. We all want some peace and quiet."

I folded my hands together. "But to distance your-self from all living life…"I closed my eyes momentarily and then looked up to meet Zero's gaze. "It doesn't seem like it would solve anything—it doesn't help you any more than it would hurt you."

Zero was silent for a minute or so and when he turned back to me, a deep emotion played his face.

"No one can get out of life, which includes dying. And no one can escape death. Those who run have to pay the consequences, whether it be death," Zero turned away, "or complete loneliness. The only way to overcome death is to overcome love and desire." He stopped in the path, his head bowed. "And not even magical fey creatures can overcome something as trivial as love and desire."

I took his words in silence, and even if I wanted to answer, the words wouldn't have come out of my mouth.

"I want to see it too." I looked up at him as he spoke slowly, lowly. "I want to see what kind of a world there is without hatred and distrust."

I liked the fact that I was seeing a side of Zero that I had never seen before—his vulnerable side. But I didn't like the words he spoke, for they confused me even if they were all the very same words that I had thought to myself over and over again. It didn't make any sense that he should understand how I felt.

"But even those are things we can't fight," I mused. "We all hate, and at some point we all feel jealousy."

Zero turned to study me. We didn't say anything for what seemed like forever. We simply stared into each-other's eyes solemnly.

"There are few things that I'm afraid of," Zero started quietly, looking away from me. "But that's why hoping and dreaming is one of my biggest fears." Watching Zero struggle for words almost made me want to cry. I wanted to take away this lax side of Zero, I wanted him to return back to the composed Zero that I knew very well. I didn't like it when he was a stranger.

"Zero, I—"

Something hit my head. It was wet when I reached up to touch it, then another something hit my hand. Before too long, I realized that it was raining. And it wasn't just a small drizzle; no, it had to be a downpour. I was soaked within a couple of seconds.

Zero wiped away streaks of water from his face before waving down the trail. "Come on, we'll find shelter under the trees." We quickly ran under the small hut that the trees thick canvas provided for us.

"Be careful now," Zero said to me. "I don't need you tripping over a stick or something and breaking your fragile little head open."

I nodded in silent agreement, hugging myself tightly to keep some of the warm in, too shaken to become mad about his subtle threat.

We didn't say anything more about fears and dreams. In a way, I was kind of relieved. When I thought about it, truthfully, I didn't want to know any way to be able to hurt Zero.

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Pretty exciting, I know.

I used this chapter to show that, despte how he might act in future chapters, Zero really does have good intentions for sweeping Alys away from her family.
Maybe next chapter will show a little more romance between them...I've already been having some great ideas!

I'm truly sorry--this chapter was hastilly written. It could've been so much better! If I keep this up, I might end up actually hurting the story! D: NO!!

Thanks!

Also, what do you all think about Zero's hatred for tears???

Please review and Stay in touch!