(Dragonstone: 10/18/298) Maege VI: by Sensfan90
"Pay Stan and Boggles no mind, mother won't let me leave the the Academy without them." Maege nodded at her friends words, silently wondering if those names were even real. Sighing, she knew asking such questions was never a good idea when he came to the whims of the Firelord. The two hulking guards were disturbingly silent and never out of sight. Their presence somewhat ruined the fun of a night away from classes and spars.
They had all thought a night on the beach would be a good idea. The Academy was closed for the evening, no doubt to allow Lords' Stark and Martell more time and space to tour its many depths. With plenty of wood and kindling for the fire, a strong glow illuminated a beautiful light upon the sea. The sands of the island stretched along the horizon, the night was quiet and peaceful. A summer's night in the Narrow Sea should have been a good time with her sister and best friend.
Yet why was it so cold? She could not remember such a night, even in the long darkness of home.
"Maege, are you still angry about your gift from father?" She glared at her sister, lounging to her right while still in her scarlet academy uniform. Her long hair now free from its prim and proper bun. She closed her eyes, even as she could still see the silly grin in her mind. She was a Lord's daughter; she was supposed to accept all smiles and words with courtesy. She was supposed to be prim and proper in the face of disappointment.
Yet sometimes father and mother made it difficult to pretend. Cold as she felt, her mood was not helping. "Ugh, I work hard for month's on things I don't like. All father sent was a shiny rock, a frost dagger."
She carefully took the blade off her belt. A simple green hilt was all the decoration given below the dark blade. When it has arrived earlier in the day, her sibling had immediately recognized the very cheap gift.
"This was clearly mother's idea, but why would they give you a frost dagger? Since when did you need more luck?" She pouted as her sister collapsed into giggles at her own joke. She just glared, wishing the breeze would soften her mood instead of increasing her shiver.
To her left, Ty Lee learned into to take a closer look. Unlike her sister, she had changed into a simple yellow dress for the evening. "A frost dagger? It's just a carved piece of obsidian." The confusion was evident in Ty Lee's voice, not surprising given Dragonstone was littered with material.
Biting down a remark, she took a long deep breath like her father and instructors had constantly reminded her. A firebender, and a combustion bender besides, must control her mind and temper no matter how unpleasant she felt. Giving her friend the benefit of the doubt, she took a moment to think through her words. Breathing out slowly, she remembered her home in the North as she gazed into the fire. The tale came off her tongue as if she had said it a thousand times.
"There is an old song in the North, some say is older than the Wall. It is a story of a miracle in the face of the impossible. Because of it, finding a piece of obsidian on the ground is considered good luck, or as a gift to wish someone else good fortune. Grandmother must have chanted it to us a hundred times."
"It's more of a poem really." Shushing her sister, she continued.
"I'm telling the tale Azula, anyways there is a song from ancient times. It speaks of a lone man deep in the War of the Dawn. He was no great soldier, or a hero or anything of worth really. One of the Other's had chased him and thrown him into onto the ground. As a blizzard stormed and howled around him, he saw only cold hands ready to ends his life. And as he lay in the snow awaiting the end, he felt his hand upon a stone. With barely a thought he stabbed into the creature, killing it in a single blow. That blade was nothing more than sharp edge of an obsidian rock. With it, he survived. Laughing at his luck, he sang about his tale to all who would hear it." Seeing her sister perk up, she pointed to fingers and counted down from three…
"By the shortest day, in the longest night."
"A thousand dead souls march without light."
"Without blades, without axes, a spear or arrow to wield"
"Look around in the endless frost for a weapon to yield."
"Be it snow, be it fire, be it stone or wind, whatever it takes so that you can win"
"For all it took was a handful of obsidian to return to my kin."
As we finished our bit of singing, Ty Lee clapped loudly as we dissolved into giggles and mock bows. Her friend did so with a grin that suggested it wasn't just out of politeness. "That song was wonderful, why have I never heard of it?"
"Mother sang it to us when we were babes, and she heard it from grandmother in the depths of dark northern nights. I know its popular in the far North, wildings captured raiding Bear Island have sung it to their children. Maybe it died out in the South with the Andals?" Neither of her fellow Mormonts had any ideas, while her friend merely shook her head without issue.
Azula took a moment to stretch, trying to get comfortable once more as the fire seemed to lose its potency. "Speaking of things we never heard of, did anyone else enjoy the play. How about you Maege?" She and her cousin Lyanna had loved the spectacle, they never saw such mummery in the North. Clearly her sister was too caught up in her own excitement to pay attention to anyone else.
"It was quite the spectacle. Though Lady Tima did tell me a few other tales that explained some of the story. But I noticed you did not like it Ty Lee." Turning to her friend she was surprised to see concern on her face. She knew she did not enjoy the play, but not to this extent. The normally vibrant Baratheon was never so troubled.
"That play was a lie." The sheer conviction in her voice pierced the evening air. Her sister tensed, and interrupted her before she could comfort her fellow bender.
"How do you even know? You weren't there for all of the things they talked about," Azula countered bluntly and with a touch more sarcasm then was proper, for friend or highborn lady.
Ty Lee hugged her knees and gazed into their shrinking campfire in complete silence. Her usually energetic voice barely rose above the sounds of the crashing waves as she spoke, "Maybe not, but it felt wrong," the flames flared. "Like something was out of place. I couldn't even finish seeing it, it made me so sick," Ty Lee stood up in a huff and turned away from the flames, walking a short distance off, just out of reach of the fire's light. Silently she stood at the water's edge, as her small form was illuminated by the soft moonlight.
"Come on now, it seemed fine to me." Azula's frown betrayed the confidence in her voice. The youngest Baratheon continued to stare into the Narrow Sea, the tide seemingly ebbing and flowing with each breath. Seeing Ty Lee so despondent was a rare thing indeed. She could be quiet and sad like any other girl her age, but never without that same confidence that all the Baratheon women shared. Never was the daughter of the Firelord so open in weakness. And she shouldn't be, when the truth was obvious.
"Your right, they are not telling the whole story." Her friend turned sharply; surprise evident in her eyes. Stepping away from the water, her small form flickered in the moonlight as a small wave followed her as she returned.
"What do you mean Maege? I thought you liked the play." Shaking her head at her sister, she patted the ground for Ty Lee to sit. The young Baratheon took the invitation, curiosity clear in her eyes. Beside her, the embers of the campfire danced vibrantly in turn.
"The play itself was wonderful to watch. It reminded me of the tales Grandmother spoke of. Of the brave warriors fighting alongside her as proud Northman on the banks of the Trident. Yet I knew the story was a big fat lie. When I asked for an apprenticeship from Instructor Tima, she…...hesitated and stiffened when I spoke of the Avatar. It was only a moment, but now I remember it as if lasting forever."
"Pffft, the Avatar was a great enemy Maege, of course a smart lady like Instructor Tima would recoil in fear." Rolling her eyes at her sisters' most unladylike manner she continued;
"As I was saying, Lady Tima stiffened when I spoke of the Avatar. She did not grimace like father would when speaking of the Ironborn. She did not swear like Aunt Alysane does every time she spoke of the wildings. She grimaced like mother does when she lies about Scorching Bear Academy to fellow Northman." That got her sister to stop and think. House Mormont were proud servants of Winterfell and her mother disliked omitting the full truth of their gifts. It was necessary, but a stain on their honor.
"But why would my mother lie? I know she approved every word of the play herself." Ty Lee placed her head on her shoulders as if to ease her own burden.
Feeling the soft tickle of her friend's hair as it trickled along her shoulder she frowned, "I think the Avatar was a lot more kind than the Fire Nation claimed. I think whatever reason he was feared was for a very good reason." A part of her thought he may not have been a villain at all. In the end all she knew were feelings and whispers.
Her sister looked towards the shore, searching for an answer "Maybe Maege, but what do we real…ly.." Her sister stopped abruptly, a look of confusion on her face. "Maege are you seeing what I am seeing?"
"Azula, what are you talking about?"
"Where did those clouds, come from?" she turned with the others and saw a mass of dark clouds moving towards them at an unearthly pace.
"I don't know," she answered awkwardly. "I've never seen clouds move that...Ow!" a tiny pellet of ice struck her in the back of her head, followed by an onslaught of the things. Turning abruptly, they fled from the veritable black blizzard that came from nowhere.
"KLANK, KLANK, KLANK" they heard a sheet of metal beating against the rocks at the base of the cliffs in which they camped. The sky began to turn quickly and soon enough it had become shrouded in darkness, even though in the distance the shining light of the moon could be clearly seen.
"What the hell is that!" Her sister screeched, as a figure bearing a twisted metal shield was walking straight towards them; foul intent obvious in its every step. The figure was wrong to her eyes, it was offensive in a way she could barely comprehend. Even at this distance, its inhuman eyes pierced the darkness. Focusing she knew what she had to do. Feeling the spark gather and rise, she pushed it with all her might.
"BOOOOM"
An explosion, larger than she thought able, caught the creature unawares. The figure slammed backwards alongside sandy ground, it's foul body screeching like glass. Yet without warning the harsh momentum stopped, the thing turned to her and lunged.
"MAEGE!" She saw the guards run to her, a blinding flash, and heard nothing but the scream of Ty Lee echoing through the night.
Then all she saw was White.
