Chapter One : Secrets
Tae's eyes opened sluggishly at the gentle prodding of another's consciousness. Ninaru? She questioned her dragon, slightly irritated at being awoken; an irritation that quickly dissipated at the sense of urgency flowing through their link.
Something has happened in Alagaësa. The elders have gone to council. The dragon replied, his words striking Tae's curiosity.
Something bad I assume from your behavior.. The young woman mused to her partner, sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed and shoving them into the flat soled, leather riding boots sitting on the floor. Not bothering with throwing anything else on clothe-wise other than the cloth pants and thin tunic which she slept in, the Rider hurried out the thick wooden door of her disproportionately small bedchamber. Where are you, Ninaru? She received an image of lush grasslands rolling quickly beneath her. He wasn't far; the grasslands he showed her were only a few miles away. A short flight for a dragon. Will you meet me in the courtyard? I want to find out what's going on…
Tae felt a tendril of amusement from the dragon and the question passed between them without words. I am already on my way, little bird. Came the dragon's warm reply, his deep voice laden with affection and understanding.
With that brief encounter, their link was partially severed – though both made sure to keep a small tendril of emotion and absent thought connecting them to the other – and Tae shoved back against her door until the latch caught, sprinting down the torch lit corridor as if a Shade were on her heels.
A few moments later another, smaller consciousness brushed against her mind, small and languid as if just having woken up. You left. A voice said, managing to sound bored and lazily curious at the same time. Tae didn't reply but she allowed an affirming string drift across the newly formed connection. Something's going on; I'm on my way to find out exactly what it is. The young woman replied, still rushing through the corridor. She dragged her hand against the rough stone as she took a sharp right, so caught up in her thoughts she almost missed the turn. I'll be in the courtyard if you want to come along. There came no reply before the link severed, but she knew the creature would show. Curiosity always got the better in these situations.
A few more turns and two flights of stairs later found Tae on a wide balcony like porch. In the middle stood a giant fountain of an Elf, Dwarf, Human, and Urgal all wrapped within the tail and claws of a crouching dragon whose wings were spread as if in preparation for flight. The structure was made entirely of polished marble – the creamy stone veined with shadowy lines – and must have been carved by the use of magic. Otherwise, the sheer weight of the dragon's hulking likeness would have sent the whole thing tumbling. However, Tae was given short time for gawking. A gust of wind blew over the courtyard, bending the grass and shrubbery into easy submission as Ninaru landed. With each ivory claw that touched the loamy earth, the ground gave a shudder and if Tae had not been standing on such a solid surface, she would have been forced to brace herself for the tremors he sent through the ground.
You should have changed your appearance. Your current state is unacceptable. Ninaru chastised, his jeweled eyes squinting with distaste. Tae rolled her own eyes in reply, scurrying down the steps of the balcony with excitement.
Her dragon was a beautiful creature, perhaps sent by the gods to even out her homely appearance. His bright scales were a snowy white, each one holding the never ending appearance of a cut diamond. His muscles were pronounced and well formed, his claws curved and narrowing to delicate points that could slice easily through stone and flesh alike. The membrane of the leviathan's wings veined with pale sapphire and subtle hints of lavender. The same colors which ghosted beneath his scales with a shimmering, almost fluid effect; like the metallic gloss within a crow's wings. His large head was blocky, though not in an ugly design, rather it showed his masculinity and boldness through the hard, sharp lines of his skull, and set within that skull shone the brilliant gems of his eyes. Like the undertones of his scales, his eyes were a deep blue-violet, the two colors swirling through each other like dancing water, deepening in hue as they drew nearer to his pupil. At the base of his jaw, on either side, were two spikes stretched past the back of his neck so as not to hinder his movement, but to prove as weapons while in battle. Also, a row of spikes reached from the bridge of his nose all the way to the tip of his tail – the spikes small and slightly flexible on his nose and head, but taking on a more sturdy construction and a bit more length along his back and hips before once again growing shorter and more flexible as they progressed down his tale, ending a few inches before his tail – with a gap large enough for a Rider's saddle in the joint of his neck and shoulders/wings.
Ninaru was a diamond; Tae was little more than a rock. You worry too much, it's not as if anyone will be paying any attention to me anyhow. The woman protested, putting her hands on her hips as she reached within twenty yards of him. Her bonded dragon had grown into a magnificent giant in the six years they had been together, his hulking body now towering over her by fifteen yards or more at the shoulder. Needless to say, he had to lower his head in order to look her in the eye.
So you say… Ninaru said, lowering himself to the ground and extending his left fore claw so that Tae was able to scramble onto his back. The massive beast spread his wings, preparing to launch himself into the sky, but a shrieking yowl made him snap the wide limbs back to his sides and shy away crouching into a defensive stance that would allow him to protect both his major arteries and his Rider. Such pains were useless, however, as their assailant proved to be little more than a disgruntled feline.
"I cannot believe you would leave without me!" The large tabby cat hissed verbally, the needle points of his claws digging uncomfortably into Tae's leg as the creature struggled to find his balance.
If I had known there were more attending this venture I might have waited, Erevu. Ninaru replied as calmly as if the disgruntled feline had commented on something as simple as the weather. Now that you have arrived, I will assume that you are not against my departing?
"Oh, by all means. You overgrown lizard…"
Ninaru pretended not to notice Erevu's grumbled sarcasm, but when he leapt into the air, it was all the large cat could do to not fall off. He yowled his unhappiness right in Tae's ear who winced from the sharp noise, her sharp hearing seeming to magnify the noise to a painful pitch.
I forget who you intended on punishing by that..? Tae grumped, rubbing her ears and trying to ease the incessant ringing. She felt the strain of apology cross the link she had widened with her dragon. Tae made an 'Hmph'ing noise but said nothing else, unwilling to make her bonded feel any worse than he already did for hurting her.
"So would anyone like to explain exactly what we are doing? And why you decided to leave your chamber dress like a street urchin?" Erevu's final question was more rhetorical than anything, and earned him a pointed glare from the woman whose lap he inhabited. "What?" He asked incredulously, as if he had done nothing wrong. "You could have changed!"
"Is everyone intent on judging my clothing choices…" Tae complained under her breath, crossing her arms and forcing Erevu to find his own balance on Ninaru's swaying back. The dragon had leveled out shortly after beginning his flight, but that certainly didn't stop the feline from being uncharacteristically unsteady for such a species.
Forget your clothes, the council building is down below. Are you sure you want to risk eavesdropping on such an important conversation? I am sure masters Traegan and Abraia will tell us what has happened sooner or later. As always, it fell to Ninaru to act as the voice of reason, Tae's curiosity getting the better of her in such an abnormal event. But after years of repetition and habit, a little abnormality was long overdue. Not even her dragon could hide his curiosity.
I'm sure. Tae replied sternly, her mind made up on the matter.
Ninaru began his slow, spiraling descent into the wide courtyard, flapping hard so that he would land softer than usual. Tae understood his efforts toward secrecy: the Great Hall served a number of purposes – meetings only one of them – and thus the dwarves and elves made sure to build it sturdily, but with a flexible frame that would bend with strong winds, and absorb shock from the ground without bothering whoever might inhabit it at the moment. However, the building was not sound proofed. Even though the elders would not notice the dense thudding of Ninaru's claws connecting with the ground once again, they might notice the thunderous noise of his mighty wings. Luckily for the trio, the council seemed not to mind them as no heads poked out through the colossal double doors to tell them off for being noisy.
You wait here. Tae said, sliding off of the crystalline shoulder of her bonded. She landed lithely on the balls of her toes, falling into a crouch to absorb the shock of such a high fall before scurrying across the courtyard bent over as if she were stalking prey. I'm going to try and find a window or a way to get in there and figure out what they are talking about! She was determined, her mouth set in a hard line as she quickly closed the distance between Ninaru and the edge of hall.
Like most of the buildings in Garrow Keep, the Great Hall had been built on a platform that was born of the very rock in the earth – one of the reasons why it was able to withstand such strong forces as a gust of wind off a dragon's wings – and so any windows would be almost impossible to reach from the ground. Tae's best chance at catching a glimpse of the meeting would be to sneak inside somehow and try to catch a few words of what the elders were discussing. The young Rider hurried up the steps, couched low and keeping her head on swivel so that even the smallest of sounds would be caught by her sharp ears. Dashing over the final few steps, Tae dove for a wide pillar, concealing her slender figure behind its wide girth. She ducked around one side, then the other, continuing when she was sure the coast was clear and darting across the few yards of open space between the pillar and the wall of the actual building to press her back against the rough stone and try to melt into the shadows. Sidestepping, she jiggled the handle slowly until the latch fell open and the door parted a crack. On the other side of the heavy door she heard animated voices in a heated debate over…something…she couldn't quite get the details through such a small space. Daring to go a little farther, she tugged on the door a bit more to widen the opening, falling back in surprise when it swung much farther than she had intended.
"You know, I expected better than this of you two." The voice was throaty and rugged, almost more of a growl than actual words. A calloused hand reached down to help the shamed woman to her feet. "Three." The man amended as he looked to where Ninaru cowered sheepishly, the furry visage of Erevu peeking over the dragon's snowy wing. "I would ask what you were doing, but you made it only too obvious." The man quirked a dark brow, his brown eyes glinting with a mischievousness still lingering from his youth. A trait that only showed in his appearance, his behavior anything but.
"I apologize master." Tae said dolefully, hanging her head to show that she felt thoroughly chastised – an action her teacher saw fit to ignore.
"Shouldn't you be working on your spells today? Your pronunciation could use significant improvement. I would think you would use a day off from studying with Abraia and I for something more useful than spying."
Tae nodded her head quickly, turning to leave – or rather escape her master's scrutinizing stare. "You are right, I apologize Master Traegan. We'll just go back to our quarters and study right away.." The Rider said, her voice shrill and airy with embarrassment and fear of whatever punishment was sure to come the next day during training. She winced when the hand still clasped around her own from helping her up suddenly tightened and yanked her back in place, easily rooting her to the spot.
"Why rush away now?" Traegan asked with a grin that was anything but welcoming, leaning down from his six-feet-two-inches to look Tae straight in the eye. "You look like you need a way to spend your time and listening to these old people talk is growing dull. Why don't you and I have a little sparring practice, eh?"
Tae fought to keep her shoulders from slumping over, knowing it wasn't a question. "Yes Ebrithil..." She said softly, starring at her boots. The gentle pressure of a hand on her shoulder bade her raise her gaze however and she met the softened gaze of her master.
"Go change, young one. Put on something more suitable for flying." Treagan's voice was softer then, and even though no one could ever call his hoarse voice tender, there was a mildness about him that had not been present before. It almost gave him a melancholy aura, a thought that was off-putting for the young Rider.
"Yes, sir." Tae replied, giving a small bow before leaping down the steps and racing for Ninaru's back. She bound up his side, her heart hammering both from being caught by her master and from the strange emotions she had sensed from him when he sent her away. Was he just that disappointed in her? Or were there other forces at work…?
I am sure he is fine. Ninaru said, twisting his great neck to nuzzle his Rider's knee before crouching and spreading his wings. Now hold on! And with that, he was off. A few strong beats of his wings bringing him high into the air as he soared over the buildings separating them from their housing block.
Once again, the ground shook and the air quivered at the might of Ninaru as he landed in the courtyard, his claws digging into the soft ground. Tae leaped from his back before he had completely lowered his belly to the earth, landing with a grunt as she hurried to her quarters. I will wait here. The ivory dragon said softly in his Rider's mind, curling his tail over his front claws and folding his wings into a more comfortable position as he rested his chin against his well muscled chest and began to hum quietly to himself. As will I. Tae smiled, seeing her dragon and soulmate in peaceful contentment, and turned back toward the double doors of the dorm building.
Trying to be quiet, Tae opened the doors only as much as she had to in order to slip her lithe figure inside. When she closed it, she held the handle so the latch could fall silently into place as she released it. Only when the door had been closed did she turn and walk quietly to her bed chamber. Her feet were silent over the rug covered stone, disturbing not a one of her classmates as they slept. She was glad for the silence, and the solitude, as it gave her time to think without being disturbed, or without worrying herself over the odd looks she would receive from starring off into the distance – so lost in thought that she appeared stupid and dimwitted…
Tae knew many of the Riders in training did not accept her as their comrade or trust her as a person. She also knew many of them thought she did not deserve the magnificent dragon that had chosen her. But their jealousy on this matter had turned far more barbed than she had expected. She heard whispers, the hissed rumors of how she had worked dark magic over the egg in order to make it hatch for her, and from those spells his scales had been bleached a pearly white. Ninaru was the only white dragon in the land, not even Alagaësa having reported of one, and not a single person had let her forget that. Tae loved her dragon, but he only intensified her singularity in this place. They were both oddities, in a world that needed consistency.
Then there was Erevu. The bond between them was a curious one and not even Tae herself could explain the specifics. Only the elders of her people knew the ancient spells that had gone into separating themselves from their magic and bringing it into the world as a beast. But something had gone wrong in the process and as their magic had departed their body, so had a piece of their souls. Most creatures would have died from this, except perhaps the Elves. And maybe that is what saved them, their Elvin blood – as diluted as it might have become over the years. But seeing a girl walking with a dragon and a wild beast at her heels made no person more willing to be near her.
Surprisingly, it was the Elves who were the cruelest to her. Of course they made no outward displays of their animosity, but rather it was in the strength of their swords when they sparred and in the jabbing blows of their minds when they practiced shielding. The Elves made sure she knew she was not one of them and that they did not want her.
The Dwarves were kinder, seeing her as neither kin nor enemy they allowed her to hang in neutrality. A few offered her words of wisdom when she was unable to perfect a spell or pronounce a word of the ancient language correctly. They offered small smiles as she passed, and if ever she would ask of them the origins of some rock or gem Tae knew they would settle into a lengthy discussion covering her question and hundreds of more types of rock and gem and dirt. However, though the Dwarves were kinder than most, Tae never felt the ties of friendship grow between her or any one Dwarf.
There were also a few Humans who deigned that she might have their attention. Most of these were females, however, wishing to better their own standing by lowering hers even further. It was these sorts of people who had turned her into the spitting wraith she became when approached by any one other than her teachers. Tae had heard the not so quiet description of her behavior. Some called her a cornered beast, staring down the shaft of a knocked arrow, others called her a demon, but the most common insult was to call her exactly what she was. A half-blood. A mongrel. The cursed mix of monster, and Elf. She was an anomaly, something that shouldn't exist, and they hated her for it.
Similar to Dwarves, were the Urgals and the way they regarded her. They were not cruel, but nor were they understanding. They mostly kept to themselves, as they too suffered the jaded looks and whispered rumors as she. While their sins laid in the past blood shed of their people, rather in the simple act of being born, they were still looked down upon as wild and unpredictable.
Tae looked up then, surprising herself when she realized she had already arrived at the door to her quarters. She looked down at the handle, turning it easily and stepping inside before shutting the door behind her. She wasted no time in finding her gear, and quickly had her clothes along with the gleaming pearl edge of her sword. The Rider dressed in a hurry, pulling on the leather riding pants made specifically for riding dragons as they had extra padding on the inside of her thighs and calves. She then pulled her boots back on over them after a thick pair of woolen socks. Next she replaced the thin sleeping tunic and pulled a long sleeved wool shirt over her head which hugged her flesh like a second skin. Over this went a thick, hooded cloak, the inside lined with rabbit fur, that she tied around her throat and pulled tightly over her shoulders. Then, dressed properly, she grabbed her sword belt and cinched it tightly around her waist before walking back toward the door, snatching up her saddle and slinging it over shoulder as she went.
Shutting the door as quietly as she could, Tea turned around…
And ran straight into someone who gave a small grunt of surprise at the impact.
Tae instinctively tensed, cringing away so that her back thudded uncomfortably against the door. He was sturdily built, his shoulders broad and muscular, but all men were these days, and the young woman couldn't help but notice how shirtless he was. She blinked, clearing her head, and looked up at his face. A face that appeared just as shocked as she felt. He smiled, lines forming in the corner of his eyes. Deep blue eyes that seemed to swim with warmth and kindness. There was age on his face, not in the form of deep ruts caused by time, rather there was a subtle weariness that drug at the corners of his mouth and an inescapable sorrow that seemed to cast shadows over his face. A face that was angled ever so slightly, and she realized his hair covered the slightly pointed tips of his ears. But he didn't look like a full Elf, his body had width where theirs had slender grace. And while no one could say he wasn't beautiful in the way only Elves could be, there was a ruggedness to his features that any Elf would have erased.
There was a sharp intake of breath and Tae realized she was the one who had gasped, understanding with a sense of horror exactly who she was seeing. She crossed her fist over her chest and bowed her head, ignoring the hammering of her heart within its cage. "Sir…" She breathed, silently berating herself for using such a simple word when there were thousands of other honorifics she could have and should have used. She looked up then, her eyes pleading. "Forgive me, I..I-"
Her words were smothered by a single calloused hand placed squarely over her mouth. Forgetting herself for a moment, she gave a small snarl, though that was also silenced by a stern look and a shake of the head. He jerked his head down the hallway, beginning to walk in that direction himself as he removed his hand from Tae's mouth. The young Rider quickly followed, readjusting the saddle on her shoulder as she did so. Even though this was the high elder of the entire island, the young woman couldn't help but feel torn about following him. She didn't know what he wanted, didn't know how long it would take, and there was master Treagan to worry about. Would he believe her if she told the truth about her absence?
As before, Tae found herself at another door before she realized it, so lost in thought that time simply warped around her – unwilling to wait. She followed the Elf-like man out into the sunlight, Ninaru's scales glinting magnificently where he had promised to wait. Once again reminding her of his diamond to her rock. He lifted his head, but made no attempts at communication.
"Now!" Tae jumped at the deep voice, unprepared for the sudden noise. "I'd like to have a word with you if you have the time."
It took a moment for the young Rider to come up with an answer. He had thrown her off guard with the friendly welcome in his voice, and what a nice voice it was. She quickly decided that she liked it; liked the warm flow of his words like melted chocolate or satin, liked the playful glint to his eye that was reflected in the crookedness of his smile, liked the way that he addressed her as an equal. By the time she realized he was honestly waiting for an answer, rather than just humoring her as so many other teachers did, valuable seconds had already passed and she realized he must be thinking of her as an idiot or inattentive. "Oh! Um yea! I mean master Treagan- erg, no, that's not what I meant.. Um… I'm sorry…" Tae stumbled over her words like a hatchling trying to walk across its wings. Yes, now he definitely thought she was an idiot. She shrunk away, the saddle on her back making her look like a turtle retreating into its shell. The man simply chuckled, though, and bent over as if searching hard for the much younger girl and giving a face of mock surprise when he found her cowering beneath her saddle.
"Oh come now child, surely I'm not as intimidating as you make me out to be?" He asked her good naturedly, flashing a smile to reveal a brilliant row of straight teeth. Tae couldn't help but notice as well the way his eyes got warmer with the expression. "I promise you, it will only take a short moment." The girl simply nodded her head, a blush turning her cheeks bright red. "Good! Now, I just need to know your measurements for the gown, and if you think you would be able to fly across the ocean or if you would rather go by ship?" He raised his eyebrows as he studied her face, waiting for a reply.
"M-my measurements…?" Tae squeaked, confusion written on every inch of her face. Cross the ocean? Leave her home? Now she was thinking he was the crazy one. She couldn't leave, everything she knew, everything she loved was on this island! How could she simply leave all that behind? Her thoughts darted to her beloved teacher and the strange emotions she had felt from him earlier that morning, perhaps he had known and hadn't told her? Perhaps he was going to tell her, and he just hadn't gotten around to it yet? "What do you mean..?" Even to her ears, her voice was small and tremulous.
"That you are going away, Tae. That you are going to the homeland." A strong, steady voice said from behind her.
"You… hadn't told her..?" The blue-eyed man asked regretfully, standing straight again with an apologetic look on his face. A look that told plainly her he had said something he wasn't supposed to.
"No.." The young girl is surprised by the steel in her voice as she twisted to look at her master's face, uncomforted by the sadness that played in his eyes. "No he didn't…"
"No I didn't…" He echoed, glancing away as if unable to meet her dread filled stare.
