Nixiesocean: I am back! Whoo hoo! No school for two days! This is a record!
(Please remember that my school district hasn't had unscheduled days off of school in years!)
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Traceykiwilee: Yep. I'm a torturer. So sue me. I love cliffies!
Classy Lady Elegance: Suspense is my middle name! (Not really, hehe) Read!
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Chapter 11: Jade's Adventure
I very nearly cried. Ade had been so close but then the stupid, stupid dragonflies got in the way! I scattered them with my hands, not caring that I was irritating Cintha's Offspring. I didn't care, truly I didn't.
Ade was glaring. "Get away, witch." His dulled jade eyes were sparkling, but with anger. He must be channeling Aram. When I didn't move, he added, "Go!"
I stood, towering over him. "You forget, Highness, that in this place, I hold more power than you. You forget, Your Highness, that you cannot order me around like a palace slave in my own holdings."
Conveniently, I had an uncle or something that was the ruler here in Dragonhold, who had no Dragonchildren, making me the heir to the throne… or something like that.
"Despicable creature!" He screamed. "Get away!" He stood. Ade's always been taller than me. "You failure as a woman." He whispered. "You wench!" I began to cry. Ade had never spoken to me so severely. "You unsightly woman! You who is born of two devils!"
My tears dried. My eyes flashed dangerously. "Say those insults again," I hissed, "And you will pay."
"Wench." He cried aloud. Thunder crashed in the background. "Even the Goddess agrees!" I bit my lip. His arms flung up again. It seemed they caused the rain to pour. "Disgraceful thing!"
I leveled my glare. He knew many insults, to my reputation and to my character. I raised a hand, and with all possible fury, slapped him. "You ungrateful man!" I don't kicked grounded people, but I wasn't far from it being the first time. "I who has helped you! I gave you life! This is how you repay me?" While standing, he wiped the blood from his lip.
"B-" He began.
I raised a finger, and kept talking. "You who call me these names?" I leaned in. "I came with you, when you wanted to run from your duty!" I raised another hand to strike him. "I, who cared for you, taught you the ways of the wild. I, who loved you completely, helped you!" The rain mixed with my tears, so he couldn't tell if I cried. I spat out my last insult. "And you think I share your bed, because that is what friends do?"
"Well-" He started.
"Listen to me!" I shouted. I leaned in. "I take your nightmares upon myself. I take them from you! I have restless nights so you may have a peaceful sleep!" I turned on my heel and did something I've rarely ever done.
I turned into a Dragon and flew off into the night.
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Jade was worried. Aram was shaking in rage. He hadn't spoken to her, but kept glaring at the ground, occasionally muttering insults to an unknown woman. She assumed it had something to do with her love's dead twin.
It hurt a lot when Jasmine died.
The warrior princess touched Aram's shoulder. "I'm going inside." Aram didn't respond. Gently, the princess placed a kiss on his head and walked inside. She was soaked to the bone, but was drawn from her own rooms toward Lord Bamien's. Gently, she knocked on his door.
His face appeared in the door. "My lord," She greeted.
Lord Bamien smiled. "Princess Jade," He responded. "What brings you here?"
His silver hair never stopped amazing her. "Aram's a little weird, since the dragonflies-"
"There are no dragonflies here, Your Highness, it isn't their environment." He corrected.
"Begging your pardon, your lordship, but there were. And they landed all over us. Aram's acting off, and I wanted to know if there was anything that could've caused it." She peered in. "May I come in?"
He opened the door to a very well kept chamber. There was one book on a coffee table, but it had a very thin bookmark, as to not disturb the binding. The chairs were arranged in a welcoming circle around the fireplace.
Jade sat in a deep blue chair and arranged herr dress tunic to spread the wrinkles out. He nodded and sat. "My lord-"
"Pardon my interruption, but Bamien or Lord Bamien will do."
"Thank you, m – Lord Bamien. Call me Jade." She replied.
With a kind smile, Lord Bamien continued. "Now, the unusual occurrence of dragonflies in the palace is very odd indeed."
"Yes." Jade agreed. "Is there anywhere I might check to see why they appeared, here of all places?"
Lord Bamien looked down and breathed deeply. "There is a secret of holding for Dragons, further south. The dragonflies, as the myth goes, were once a couple, a woman Dragon and a Human prince." He shook his combed mane of silver hair. "I'll take you there, if you so choose."
"Please do." She pleaded. "I want to help Aram, but he's very angry with someone and won't talk with me."
Lord Bamien suddenly looked very worried. "Who?"
Jade bit her lip, knowing if she spoke the name, she would lose her ride to the Dragon's holding. "Um,"
"Ceara." He murmured. "Aram is angry with Ceara for 'causing Ade's death' am I right?" She nodded, knowing she couldn't escape if she lied. "I will take you there, but whatever you see, you may not speak of, am I understood?"
Why? She wanted to ask, but didn't. "Yes."
"Good." He reached out a hand and she shook it. "Come out onto the balcony." The princess followed the king's advisor/friend. What he did next amazed the princess. His body elongated and grew faint silver scales. His face stretched and grew more serpentine. Wings burst from the middle of his back and also were faintly silver. When his body settled in the Draconic shape, his faint scales grew more solid and had a beautiful gleam to it.
Get on. He said. Jade was shocked and took a step back from the huge shaped. Come on, this is the fastest way to get there, and I need to be back by morning!
"Um, I forgot to tell you, Lord Bamien, that I'm afraid of heights." She replied, shakily getting onto the Dragonman.
Don't worry, youngling. Close your eyes or wrap a bandage around it if you choose. He comforted. Still shaking, the princess drew a wet scarf around her neck. There. Be careful, you'll get cold.
She nodded. They took off in a rush of air. The wet clothes made her skin clammy and cold. Her hair was flown back by the rushing wind and she felt Lord Bamien pumping his wings underneath her. She hugged him around his neck and tried to keep from opening her eyes, though they were bound shut. Luckily, Lord Bamien must've sensed her unease because he didn't speak.
The wind was chilling the princess to the bone. Her clothes, however, had dried. She heard Lord Bamien's voice inside her head. We are descending. There is something quite wrong here. Jade didn't object. Even if she had wanted to, the wind blew her words into the air. Stopping might warm her up a bit. She felt the muscles that controlled his wings change and they started descending.
They landed. She gently pealed back the now-dry scarf and was relieved to find ground. She gently slid off the great Dragon and steadied herself on the ground. She sat, trying to regain her bearings.
Daughter, Lord Bamien voiced, utterly shocked. Why are you here? Why do you weep so?
Father! A voice cried. Oh! Father! The voice sounded distressed. A smaller, still silver, Dragon appeared. It is terrible…
Speak slowly daughter of mine. His daughter must be Lady Ceara, Jade realized. She had vanished a little while before she had arrived in Furde. She had run off with… Ade. She knew his death! Explain your story.
Father! The Dragonness wept. Oh, it's horrid Father. The finely shaped head of the younger Dragon turned toward the shaken princess. Who is she? Can she be trusted?
Yes, Ceara. He rubbed her neck and he began to morph again. He retained all of his clothes. He swung out his heavy cloak and blocked Jade's view as Ceara changed also. Small hands grasped the cloak and shivered underneath it. She is Princess Jade.
I see. She murmured. Aram's love, no doubt. Those blue eyes were turned onto the girl. You are cold. Come over here. Jade obeyed. Ceara swung the cloak around Jade and showed her silvery dress. Now, I can explain my story.
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It didn't matter we were in Human form. My father had addressed me in my mind, and therefore I would answer in it. Jade was a built girl, much like Queen Katharine. She had ruddy blonde hair and hazel eyes.
Ade and I ran away. I started. You know that much. Asnarinith found us some time later. He threatened to Drain me – then Ade. My father was shocked to hear the name, no doubt, but I continued. Ade wounded him and he flew off, carrying his little consort, Lovely.
"There is a woman named Lovely?" Jade interrupted. "That's an odd name for a girl."
Shush. My father hushed her. He nodded toward me and I continued.
Ade left our camp unpacked, so the bandits picked it apart, no doubt. We had my pack and all the things on Ade's horse. We rode into town and found a man by the name of Everett, a Dragonborn. He had twin daughters, Syan and Sara, also Dragonblooded. In any case, he took us in and sheltered us for the six days before his imminent revenge. We fled on the sixth night.
He found us. Ade was taken prisoner, and I was tied to a stake. He began to Drain me. By now Father was shaking in rage. Ade broke free and… I began to relive the moment. He broke through the Draining dome and found me. He died in my arms. I was crying silently. I broke the dome and slit his throat – his image's throat. The Goddess came to me. Why me, I will never know. She gave me a gift – Life. I breathed in deeply and thought out loud once more. I gave that gift to Ade.
"He's alive?" Jade burst out. "Is that why Aram is reeling in pain and Goddess-damned angry?"
No, my father replied patiently. He is reeling in pain because the connection is beginning to reform and he is sharing his twin's pain. He is angry because he blames my daughter for his twin's death. He does not know Ade is alive yet. Let Ceara finish.
I nodded and continued. He awoke, but with very little memory. Eventually, a Dragon found me and took us to Dragonhold, where we've been living for the past few days. He's been healing outwardly, but a few hours ago, in the Dragonhold garden, the connection began to reform and he insulted me.
"And?" Jade asked anxiously.
I told him the truth. I said. I told him I had given him life and that I had cared for him. I was biting my tongue to keep from spitting out the words like insults themselves. I reminded him that I helped him sleep peacefully at night and flew away.
"Why here exactly?" Jade pestered. "Why not your home or this Everett's house?"
Because, I whispered, here is where he died.
Creepy cliffie!
Thank you, Traceykiwilee, Classy Lady Elegance and Floating Bubbles for reviewing!
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