A/N Alright, sorry everyone that this has taken my so long. Like I said, I was struggling with the continuation of my story but I think/hope that I have now found my way. Thank you for all of the wonderful feedback I have received so far. It is so encouraging and you guys are terrific. I can't thank you enough. In my last note I asked that you tell me how you wish the story to continue and the unanimous vote has been to continue this story to the end. I hope we won't regret this decision but I will and hope that it does not prove to be too much for me. Before I conclude I would just like to give a special shout out to some friends that have helped me make this story great so far.
Dragongirl423: You were my first review and have continued to be a lasting source of support and inspiration. Thank you so much.
BronzeStar47: You have been a tremendous help with advice and suggestions. I have been stuck a few times now and you have helped guide me out of the mud and gave me a few ideas on how to work things out. Thank you for being a springboard for ideas and helping me whenever I need it. You are much appreciated.
You are all MUCH APPRECIATED!
And now, I give you:
Chapter 5: Convergence
Ido wrapped me in his warm embrace and a feeling of security engulfed me. We stood, intertwined for a moment longer then I broke our kiss and stared into his deep amber eyes. His feelings for me had obviously not been affected by our quarrel and he looked at me now expectantly. I smiled and leaned my head against his cheek.
"Eona" he breathed into my ear. Warm shivers ran down my spine and tilting my head back slightly I whispered in his ear, "Thank you Ido."
"Eona you must know…" he began.
"I do. I do know." I followed before he could finish. He sighed slightly, but did not seem upset.
"Alright Eona, it can be in time. I will wait an eternity if I must." I stared at him. The statement took me back a little but deep down I knew his words were true. Ido was never one to give up on something he wanted.
"Thank you Ido, for understanding." We smiled and parted from each other. I moved to sit on his cot so that we could converse about my concerns more comfortably.
"Before I give up however, you should know there is another way for us to make sweet music and it does not come from a Hua connection." He said with a deviously wicked grin. My astonishment only fueled his reveling and I could not help but smile at his ever devious nature.
"Lord Ido" I smirked, "if you remember, I have come to speak with you about a matter of rising importance." He mocked disappointment with a feigned pout but inclined his head for me to continue.
"Ido, what are we going to do about the dragons? Dillon and the folio are on their way and with them, the key to dragon's survival. I cannot enter the energy world without the ten bereft dragons assaulting me and it seems that the Imperial Pearl and the String of Pearls remain an ancient mystery to the dragon's salvation." My thoughts wondered to the portent in the Red Folio and the riddle and rhyme my mother had taught me. It still made so little sense to me. Again I felt despairing and hopeless.
"I understand your concerns Eona. I wish I could give you the answers you seek. The only answer I can see to our problems now is to wait for Dillon to bring the Black Folio. Its illicit power holds the key to the Dragon's survival."
"Ido, you have read the Black Folio. If it held the answers we seek would you not know already?" He shifted slightly and seemed restless.
"The Black Folio is shrouded with secrets and riddles. Though I have read it I could have interpreted something wrong or missed it all together. If we can get the two folios together though, perhaps their combined writings will reveal the truth. I know that the String of Pearls is called a weapon by our foolish predecessors, but perhaps it holds more than just the power of destruction. After hearing the portent in the Red Folio, it seems less like a weapon and perhaps more of a chance for survival. Have you told the Emperor about the power within the pearl and what it means? Have you told him about the blood power and the black folio or that it draws near with Dillon?"
I felt that he was still holding something back from me, but I let it go for now. "No, I have not told the Emperor. I do not want him to distrust me." Nor did I entirely trust him, I realized. A small smirk spread across Ido's face but it quickly vanished. He was pleased by my evident distrust.
"Good. Don't ever tell him Eona. If Kygo were to learn that the pearl is somehow related to the dragon's power or about the power in his blood, he may see fit to take precautions to guard himself against us. He may make the choice to preserve himself by binding us. The thought of losing one's power can be a…compelling thought, to say the least." The way Ido worded the last part of his speech caused concern to rise in me.
"Ido, does your need for power still motivate your actions?" I do not know where they came from but the words stung my mouth as the fell. "Is everything between us just a sick masquerade in order for you to use me without being obvious?" I had not intended my questions to be so blunt and tipped with anger but fear had sharpened my tongue.
Ido's expression remained unreadable but when he finally spoke I sensed a hint of hurt in his voice. "Eona, there was a time when that accusation may have held truth however the man I am today is hurt that my past has caused distrust within you. I understand your fears, they are reasonable, but I want to assure you in any way I can that I have found something far more important to me than more power. Something that I will protect at all cost, and that I hold dearer than even my own well-being." He looked at me sideways, partly embarrassed at the strength of his words and partly afraid that they held no sway with me.
I couldn't help but smile however. Ido's endearment warmed me and I felt my heart move to him. How can a man like him make me feel this way? I thought. Yet regardless of everything he had been I could feel my bond to him deepening. I smiled at him and he returned the gesture. Relief soaked the smile, as well as pain. He sat close beside me on the cot and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. I leaned into his embrace and sighed.
"What I meant by that statement was that I of all people know what the thought of losing your power can do to a man. And an Emperor can be a dangerous enemy, as seen with Sethon. Until we fully understand the mysteries before us and what we must do to save the dragons, Kygo can be a threat to us though his fear. Though it is strange to say Eona, we must save the dragons; no matter the loss. I do not wish to lose my power, but I fear losing you more. I know it will be hard, for both of us, and I know it may be dangerous, but as long as you are willing to make certain…sacrifices, then I will be with you even to the end."
"By sacrifices you mean Kygo don't you?" I asked.
"Would it be a sacrifice for you to lose him?" He seemed to choke the words out, as if they pained him. "Would it be a sacrifice for your heart?"
"Yes it would." I stated frankly, "I do care for Kygo. We have been bonded by circumstance and it seems that fate has designed a purpose for us. However I also know that a relationship with him would destroy me. There is no easy way for us to merge our lives and a choice between heart and duty would have to be made. You and I both know what Kygo would pick if forced to make that choice. It is made even less probable if I am to lose my power to save the dragons. Without my power I hold nothing. So yes, it would hurt but I have resigned myself to the fact the Kygo and I cannot be."
Ido seemed saddened by the admittance of my feelings for Kygo; it was the first time I acknowledged them to him. However he refrained from voicing it. "I understand Eona, and I hope in time that you will see me the way you see him."
"Perhaps Ido, Kinra did choose Somo over Dao; they were passionate lovers." I teased, tempting a response from him. To my satisfaction Ido could only clear his throat and produce an uncharacteristically nervous laugh.
I contemplated my ancestors for a moment. In their situation, love had compelled duty. And in the end, duty had killed love. How will it play out five hundred years later? I returned to thoughts of Kygo and the pearl and glanced at Ido and found him recovered.
"Despite everything, I do not plan to kill Kygo for the pearl. I am hoping that we will learn the truth about the pearl and a way to save the dragons without committing treason. I would rather not face the same fate as Kinra and Somo in that regard."
Ido nodded his head in solemn agreement. "I have no desire to be imprisoned again, nor do I wish death. We must find a way to save the dragons without the pearl else more than just power will be sacrificed before the end." I nodded, tears welling in my eyes at the thought.
"Eona, I want you to know that you hold more than just your power. It does not define you nor is it all that there is to you. I hope that the Emperor can see that as well as yourself. You are so much more than you think yourself to be."
"And when did you begin to see this Ido?" I said smiling, though the tears in my eyes began to spill over.
"I always knew you were special Eona, I just didn't begin to truly see why until I began to love you." With that he placed a gentle kiss on my head and closed his eyes.
And I didn't begin to see why you were special, until...I smiled at the thought and settled into his embrace further, feeling his warmth and stability. He leaned into me and we sat that way for a while longer.
The end is near, I can feel it. I thought. The time for action was approaching us. Will I die in this war like Kinra had so long ago or will I have a chance at happiness? Ido, Kygo, the relationship between us. What will I do without my dragon? If we find a way to save Kygo, what will happen between us after this is all over? I had too many questions with too few answers and I began to feel lost.
I wanted to stay in Ido's arms all night; they provided a safe place away from the doubt and hopelessness that was consuming me. It was getting late however and I knew that I should retire to my cabin for some rest before the new day. Sighing, I rose from under Ido. He gazed up at me and his eyes followed my movements to the door. I turned back to look at him. To look into his eyes and steal one last moment of comfort.
"It will be morning soon and we both need rest. Tozay says that we should reach the eastern shores by midafternoon tomorrow."
"Good night Eona. You may leave me now but I know that you visit me in my dreams." He said with a weary smile.
"Good night Ido. I hope your dreams comfort and treat you well." I replied with a knowing glance, and stepped through the door. I quietly padded across the deck of the ship in the direction of my cabin. It was later then I had thought; everyone on board was deep in sleep and the sky would soon turn the pale purple color of predawn. As I neared my cabin door a guard stepped out form the shadows, sword drawn.
"Put down your weapon and be at ease, it is me, Lady Eona." I said with as much authority as I could muster.
"My Lady, what draws you out so late into the night?" The figure stepped forward into the moonlight to reveal the form of Yuso. I jumped in realization of the man's identity and my heart began to race. Does he know from where I came? I thought in a panic. Something told me he knew I hadn't been in my cabin while he lurked near its door. But why was he here? He was not part of the guard rotation placed near my cabin.
"Oh, Yuso it is you. Good evening. I needed some fresh air. My cabin has grown stuffy and dry and I could not sleep. I went for a short walk on the deck and I am now returning to rest." It was the best lie I could come up with and it held partial truth.
"Very well my Lady. We can't be too safe with Sethon's spies everywhere and the Lord Dragoneye aboard. He is crafty in the ways of deception and I wouldn't want his Majesty's Naisso to be tempted into treachery." Yuso's words hit home with stinging accuracy and I shifted under his sudden accusation.
"What is it you are saying Yuso? Let us not dance around words."
"Only that I have seen you with the Lord Dragoneye and I see the looks and small touches exchanged between you two. I am not so easily deceived as our young Emperor in these matters. I am not blinded by emotions." he spat.
"Yuso, you have always been down on Lord Ido and you take every opportunity to treat him with malice. Your words hold little weight with the Emperor on this matter and it is you who are deceived into thinking otherwise. I am the Emperor's Naisso and I hold more favor with him then a hateful, disobedient man like you. You would be wise to remember your status and not meddle in the affairs of a Dragoneye." I forced as much power and menace into the words as I could hoping to scare the awful man away.
"No Lady Eona, you would be wise to remember your status and how fragilely it rests. You are no more than a treacherous snake who worked her way into the Dragoneye order with lies and deceit. You cannot control the power of your beast yet pretend to have mastery so the crowds will awe at you. You have even wound your way around the Emperor. He too has fallen for your tricks and sees not his nearing demise."
"Is that a threat on the Emperor Yuso, or on me?" I narrowed my eyes and smiled, hoping he would fear the repercussions of his words.
"Test me not girl or we shall see how much weight my words carry with the Emperor. I do not think you are willing to take the risk should I go to him. I know more than you think and you better be warned to what I am capable of."
"I know that you are capable of hate, viciousness, ruthlessness, and deceit. I am not some child or helpless woman to be frightened by your words." Yuso raised his hand in a threatening manner but I continued. "Strike me if you dare and we shall see how high a favor you hold with the Emperor. He may choose a swift death for you rather than a slow torture in confinement. You forget who and what I am. Now you be warned Yuso, of what I am capable of." He spat on the deck and sneered at me hatefully. I held my ground and rose to my full height.
"Retched girl." He mumbled and with a distasteful glare he sunk back into the shadows, leaving me alone to shake with fear and uncertainty. I released a breath that I had not realized I was holding and felt my body tremble slightly. Yuso was a dangerous man and I had just made a very strong enemy of him. Something seemed wrong in his behavior but I brushed it aside because more pressing matters demanded my attention. With one last shiver I stepped inside my cabin. Before closing the door I peered into the darkness behind me. A shadow shifted out of view and I slammed the door shut, locking it with force. I did not understand it then, but a feeling of dread washed over me and my neck prickled.
A/N: Thank you all so much for reading. I appreciate every bit of support. If you enjoyed the chapter or disliked it, please review and tell me what you think. I want to make the story right and I need you help for that. I am open to ideas so if you have one that you would like to see thrown in let me know. Also if you find any corrections please tell me. I hope to get some feedback from you guys, its keeps me inspired and motivated. Thank you again so very much! I hope to get the next chapter up soon.
Yours Truly, DragonsStories
P.S. I may be revising some of the older chapters so keep an eye out for updates.