Edited 1/29/22 - Please let me know your thoughts throughout the story, I'd love to hear for you :)

I do not own the Inheritance Cycle.

Enjoy,


Lights in the Night

The insipid grays of sea rolled noiselessly below them, or perhaps, they were too high elevated to hear the crashing of the waves and the swooshing as the tides summoned the waters back into the depths. Rose watched the waters beneath from above, as they pitched and toiled in an arbitrary rhythm. It was in truth rather unexciting, compared to the vociferous festivities that she had left behind in the seaport city of Teirm. Festivities that now she wished she could join.

She sighed and leaned forward, resting her head on the side of Thorn's neck. As she shifted on his back she could feel the smooth knobs of dragon scales through the, now, thin and dilapidated sheepskins. Though the sheepskins had once protected her with a thick layer of wool and a thinner layer of soft leather, the continuous friction of sharp scales and her weight had worn it down to flimsy slip. To her dismay, she had spent a number of hours that pervious night picking and pulling at the fleece caught between Thorn's scales, something she was sure she would have to later this night as well. She swung her legs out loosening the tightened, stiff muscles, then as she felt unbalanced she grasped firmly with her knees.

A white and black feathered seabird unwisely flew close to them, and Thorn playfully growled and snapped at it with his teeth. The seabird screeched at him before diving away. Thorn folded his wings slightly and let them drop after it, as they plummeted Rose leaned herself closer to his bulk and tightened her grip on his spike. While his dives no longer frightened her as they once had, as he had done them so many times in these past days that she now use to it, she wanted to kick him for not warning her.

Not far ahead of them the seabird rapidly swirled in a different direction then flared out its banded wings and ascended into the sky, and Thorn matched each of its movements. The seabird and dragon continued this way, in their dancing chase, for a time before Thorn sped up with one powerful flap of his wings and snapped at the seabirds black tail feathers, causing it squeal madly with shock, before he glided away.

Rose turned her head around and watched the bird frighteningly spin down at the water. I think you frightened the poor thing to death, she told him.

She felt, more than heard, Thorn hum with contently beneath her. Not to death, he said happily, only enough so that it will no longer fly close a dragon.

Only for fear that it might be snapped in half.

His bulk shook with a throaty laugh. I have gifted it with a valuable lesson, he laughed.

Rose closed her eyes and shook her head at his humor. You're a cruel teacher, Thorn.

Thorn deepened his rumbling laugh and glided higher into the sky. He shook himself, enough to unsettle Rose's imperfect stability, having forgotten that she was on his back.

She gasped and after steadying herself, Rose swept her gaze to the shore. Hundreds of feet above the shoreline, a leafy woodland covered a flat land that fell abruptly, as if a monstrous knife had sheared it away, to a muddled coast with dark, shining stones. She did not see anyone. By this time, she was quite sure that Ailis would have arrived but she had not and the sun was falling rapidly to the end of the sky, where the wide blue skies met the endless grey of the deep sea, glittering in hues of gold and red.

Had they, perhaps, come to the incorrect place, mistaking the sea cliff for the many that lined the coastline near Teirm? Rose didn't think so, the precipice the hung over the stony beach was the first one she and Thorn had seen for many miles. If seemed very unlikely, that Ailis had been referring to the precipices which were leagues away, unless she had no intention of arriving before dark.

She thought again of dinner at the tavern called the Croaking Toad. There both Ailis and Rose sat silently as they ate choosing either to listen to the chant of the harpist as he sang ancient lays, music Rose hadn't heard in what felt to be years, or watching the people around them laugh and joke and dance in wild jerky movements.

Rose had never before felt so apart from people, it was as if there was a thin glass separating her from them. In Urû'baen she knew how to behave; to be silent and smile in the pretense of enjoyment and others would conduct themselves in the same way, but the people of Teirm were different. Their wild delight took her by surprise and all she could do, all she wanted to do, was to observe them so that she might understand how a people as a whole could be chillingly severe one day and beguilingly jubilant the next.

She watched the people celebrate throughout the meal, but at times when she turned her focus to her meal she noticed that Ailis was watching her, likely judging her actions. Ailis' unfaltering gaze left Rose feeling like a child waiting to scolded for something they didn't know they did wrong, and she sat at the edge of her seat nervously eating the food, not knowing what she ate or the taste of it. When she did meet Ailis' stare, the woman would unwaveringly scowl back at her until Rose looked down or away.

After the plates were cleared and the meal paid for, they left the tavern and struggled their way through the vibrant crowd to the gates. Once they had reached the bordering walls of Teirm, Ailis had turned to Rose and had her promise in the Ancient Language not return to the city for the next four days. Rose had said the words only once before many months ago, the day after they had fled the capital city, but she had thought very little of them then and forgot the words soon after she said them. After asking for the words Ailis demanded, Rose promised though grudgingly, and Ailis requested that meet at the beachside covered in rocks three miles north of the city before rushing back into Teirm and disappearing in the mass of colors. On her way to meet with Thorn at the vale, Rose ran over the words of the Ancient Language committing them to memory. As she repeated the words in her mind an awareness blazed inside her… Eka aroelEka aroelEka aroel…

The thought of those powerful words pressed heavily on her mind, and she sighed, promptly turning to look away, clearing the thoughts away.

She watched silently as the sky darkened and the land and sea dulled, and Thorn sensing her mood kept quiet as well. As her patience began to wane, she switched her attention to watching the shadows play across Thorn's wings. Then as that too grew tiring, it was now dusk and the last of the light of day had not left the sky, she leaned forward and stared down at the coast.

To her surprise, a small fire blazed close to the edge of the cliff and a figure, small and dark, sat at its edges. Rose immediately sent Thorn a depiction of what she saw, and the dragon whirled in that direction.

Thorn landed just outside the glowing reaches of the firelight, and the figure sitting on the ground started and looked up. "Did you stop to think, for the slightest moment, that it might not have been me who was sitting here?"

Rose swung her legs over Thorn's back and sat sideways, her feet dangling over the ground. "No," she said, "I hadn't thought to."

"Think about it next time," Ailis said, poking at the fire with a long winding stick. She spoke slowly, conflict clear on her face. "I'd rather you walk into tribulation prepared, then dive into chaos without an idea of how to face it."

Rose looked around the clearing at the horse, and after studying the dark creature for a quick moment she looked away. She clenched her hands into fists, and felt a sharp pain on her palm as her nails dug into her skin. "Have you left Arvid behind?" asked she sliding down off of Thorn. Rose walked past his broad tail, which he playfully swung at her, she dodged it and sat down across the fire from Ailis.

The woman closed her eyes and stretched over her arms. "I did," she said. "she has a slight limp, and so I borrowed Shadowless, which is something Tornac did not allow me to do lightly. He's rather cross with you at moment but I except you knew this as you told him your intentions in writing."

Rose nervously bit her lip. She had known the moment she decided that she was leaving for Teirm that Tornac would be irate with her, and Ailis was right, as to why she had wrote the note. What Ailis had not voiced, however, was how carven it had been of her to do so, though, her lack of courage was not a concern to her when she had composed that message. Her anxiety had been directed to the actual act of arriving to Teirm, as the means of travel was less than ideal, to such a degree that her logic for doing so was pushed to the back of mind, almost forgotten.

Now, sitting across from Ailis, her flawed reasoning was pushed to the front of her mind, incase she had the need to defend herself. There was no need for this, as Ailis simply looked her over and tutted.

"You shouldn't bite your lip," said Ailis. "One of these days, you might end up biting it off."

Rose sighed and looked at her from across the fire. "Cordelia use to say the same thing," she said, referring to her former nursemaid. "After a month and countless warnings, she smeared hot pepper oil on my lips in attempt to get me to take heed to her words." Rose faintly smiled at Ailis. "Her attempts hadn't worked all too well."

Ailis stopped in her prodding of the fire and looked at her in surprise, her face dark.

It was as an unspoken agreement that they did not speak of Cordelia, neither in Urû'baen or after they escaped from the city. Though, Cordelia had been harsh with her, and at times unspeakably cruel, the nursemaid was the woman who had comforted after night terrors and bandaged her hands when she fell, and when Cordelia abruptly left Urû'baen Rose couldn't help but to feel abandoned and betrayed. When she had met Ailis, Rose had pushed her anger and resentment aside as they were far too unsullied to think about, and even after the time that had passed her resentment towards the nursemaid hadn't altered.

"I can see that," Ailis said, shoving the burning stick into a clump of dirt. When she pulled the stick out it was charred and spotted with black flacks.

Rose scowled and looked away from the fire into the blackness of the night. The dark of the night was now complete, the sky was blanketed with a mysterious sapphire curtain dappled in the brightness of stars. The glowing orbed moon was hidden from sight, and starlight shaded the forest beyond them with sinister shadows. Rose shifted uneasily, turning back to look at Ailis, and said "Do you believe to be dark enough to see these glowing water?"

Ailis glanced up at the sky then she stood up, dropping the stick onto the ground. "I believe so," she said, pulling a lantern out of her bag. She picked the stick up and swung the end into the fire, after the stick had ignited once more she lit the lantern, and stuffed the stick into the ground. Ailis held the lantern high over her head and walked to the edge of the cliff.

Rose stood up as well, and followed Ailis as she walked along the ledge. Looking out over the black sea, Rose saw only darkness and she frowned. "The water is not glowing," she observed.

She heard Ailis sigh.

"I know," Ailis said gloomily. "The sea is being too idle. I had hoped it'd be more active tonight, as it was during the day. You're going to have to patient."

Ailis came to a stop at a broken, narrow path that led off the ledge and wound its way treacherously downward, curling around ledges and rocky slopes. Without a delay, Ailis began to scramble her way down.

Rose bit her lip, looking down doubtfully and backed away. "I'm not going down that path," Rose said.

"And why not?"

"It's nighttime therefore it is dark, also there is only one lantern to guide us instead of two," said Rose rubbing her hands together, looking thoughtfully at Thorn. He appeared to be asleep, his tail curled around him touching his snout, but Rose knew he was not. He was deliberately ignoring her. "You may fancy the idea of falling but I do not."

Ailis laughed indifferently, in the black stillness of the night Rose found it rather haunting. "I won't let you won't fall," she said and paused. "Here take my hand."

Rose looked at her hand, a white smudge in the vast blackness. She gritted her teeth, pushing aside her discomforts, and took a careful step onto the path. "You might need your hand, incase one of us slips," said she, blindly picking her way down the slope.

Ailis muttered something but too softly for Rose to hear what she said.

For a while they continued in silence. It was hard going, and both of their hands were scraped and bloodied. Twenty feet down the slope, Rose slipped and nearly fell off the cliff face but Ailis caught her by her arms, nearly dropping the lantern, and heaved her up. After that the trail widened slightly and it was easier going. After a long struggle, they reached the bottom and stood wobbly on the black stones beneath it.

Ailis bent down and picked up a handful of small, round stones, placing the lantern between them. Turning to Rose, she grabbed her hand and dropped a stone into her palm. "Throw it into the water," she said, walking the edge of the sea.

Rose ran her fingers over the smooth surface of the black stone and followed Ailis. She stopped beside Ailis and with a quick look at woman, Rose gently threw the stone into the water. The stone twisted then plumped softly into the sea. A ring of intense cobalt light circled the place where it landed, the glowing ring grew and grew, another appears and then another. Rose stared in open wonder, her mouth gaping open, as the first band of blue light faded.

As Rose bent down to collect more stones from the ground, as Ailis skillfully tossed a stone so that it pranced across the water, three sets of looped light swelling after it until the sunk into the black of sea. Ailis tossed another stone into the water, in the same way she had done before. This time there was five series of light that lively grew and dimmed.

Rose watched for a moment, bent over, as Ailis flung her stones into the water, noticing how she flicked her wrist and making out that she only did so with the flatter stones. With a handful of stones, Rose stood up and waited for the lights to die away. She picked out a flat stone with her left hand, it was cool and damp, then she gracelessly hurled the stones into the inky water. She grinned widely as she watched the stones make contact with the water and the rings of light that pulsed after them. As an afterthought, she flung the stone, she set aside, as she seen Ailis do, the stone didn't skip across the water, but sunk mindless to depths below. She felt a tinge of disappointment which she shrugged away and Rose bent down to gather more stones.

After a time of tossing stones into the water in comfortable silence, Rose looked at Ailis from the corner of her eyes and tossed a stone as far as she could.

"What is it that the people of Teirm do at night during their festival?" said Rose, watching the loops of light in the black water.

Ailis was still for a moment, then she bent down in a crouch and selected a few stones. "Those who can afford it paddle out to sea on large rafts," she said standing up and tossed stone across the sea, "and release small crafts with lit candles attached to them. On those small crafts, are two gold coins, a token to the gods, a roll of parchment and on that parchment is a wish or letter to a loved one who departed. It is said that if you release the craft in a night that the waters glow, that the wish will come true or the spirit of those you love will receive your letter. The crafts that sank are believed to be an omen for ill fortune. Those who cannot afford to sail on the raft or do not desire to, release a thin block of wood or a homemade craft from the shore normally without a candle, or toss a bottle into the sea. Many of the children play close to the shores and splash in the water." Ailis smirked as she threw another stone. "Sometimes those children who play in the waters return home glowing."

Rose glanced at her doubtingly. "Do the children honestly glow?"

"Yes. It's quite a chore to scrub off them, too."

Rose laughed softly and looked out into the water. She could not see Thorn as he flew them but she did see the ripple of light as he dipped his claws into the water, and she felt the gust of wind as he landed on the shore. She glanced in his direction, and could scarcely make out the red gleam of his scales as they flashed in the lantern light. There was a faint glow above the stones where Thorn's claws might have been.

Is it any better to look at from above? she asked, looking back at the sea.

It is much more fun to create then to look at it.

Rose grinned openly and tossed a stone the size of her hand into the water. The stone plunged heavily, and a spatter of shining water rose up and swallowed the stone. Delicate, thin rings of blue circled the area it fell into and the circle grew and brightened until they were no more. Her grin widened with the simple wonder of the radiant waters, but the enjoyment of watching the sea shine was soon broken.

"Forgive me, Rose, but must ask," said Ailis. "I know you have no coins with you to pay for food, and I cannot help but question if you brought enough to eat for the next days."

Rose felt as if Ailis poured cold water over her. With more force than before, she hurled a stone. "I don't have as much as I'd like," she admitted.

The stone loudly plugged in the distance, and lit up the inky sea.

There was a chiming jangle of coins, and Rose felt a weighed cloth press into her hand. "Take that," said Ailis, "you might need it."

"I cannot go into Teirm," Rose reminded her.

"There's a decent market in Culdaff," Ailis said pointing in the southern direction. "If I'm correct, it's a league south of here. Do you remember the road we were on when traveled north of Teirm?"

Rose nodded, then realizing that Ailis likely couldn't see the action, she said, "Yes."

"If Thorn follows that south you'll reach Culdaff without a problem," said Ailis. She turned to Thorn, swaying slightly as she stumbled over the uneven ground. "Thorn, it's the only town that the road cuts through before reaching Kuasta which is many leagues away. You'll be able to see an island in the distance. If you're willing to go, keep above the road and out of sight."

Tell her that I will fly there, said Thorn.

Rose could feel his curiosity brimming through her mind, and she struggled to push it away. She shifted on her feet, she had heard of the town Culdaff before but she could not remember when or what the conversion might have been about.

"He says he'll fly there. Why Culdaff?"

"It's a sleepy town. Sleepy enough so that I have no qualms sending you there."

Closing her eyes, Rose took a deep breath, the sea air was musty with salt and decay. She opened her mouth then closed it and bit her lip with a slight shake of her head. "Culdaff it is, then," said she lowly after a moment.

"Oh," Ailis exclaimed. "I only meant that the markets of Culdaff will not press you as hard as those around Teirm. You won't have to bargain as hard."

"Bargain?" she said. "As in haggle? Ailis, I had not done such a thing before."

Another stone went skipping across the water and Ailis sighed. "I know, and it's time you learn."

Rose shifted uneasily, the bags of coins felt heavily in her hand. She tied the bag to the loop on her belt, but the weight didn't fade. Tossing a very round stone, she watched as the sea lit up.

What's troubling you? asked Thorn.

This goes against everything I've been taught; women don't partake in barter, they don't bargain, and they certainly do not carry coins, she said then looked across at Ailis. Most women, that is.

High above a swelling moon overlooked the seam its silver light fell on the grass turning it silver against the fire on top of the seacliff. Had the women below looked up they might have thought that their eyes were playing tricks of them, and blinked at the deceptive moonlight. For some time it seemed that the shadows swelled and distorted, and something black moved against the twinkling sky. If there had been a watcher, and if the watcher had been patient, after a time it would have become clear that that a darkly cloaked figure watched furtively from above, keeping low to the ground. The figure briefly murmured something that was inaudible and crept away from the cliff face, slipping past the fading fire and the picketed black horse, and into the woods.