by Katie Cherry
“Keyana… it does us no good to think that way,” Krasnigor gently reprimands. “This is what we must do. Yes, the humans can be frustrating to deal with, but we can make peace with them for a time to accomplish the destruction of the ones who have so hurt our people. Right?”
“…Yes,” she slowly responds, although the tension in her shoulders doesn’t ease.
Shaking his head, Krasnigor takes a step back. “Don’t stay up too long, Keyana. Guard duty is not your job tonight.”
“Yes, my leader,” she responds, not moving an inch as she continues to watch the last of the sun’s rays disappear, casting them all back into the cold and lonely darkness.
<<
Nathan takes a deep breath as they step outside of the shop, surprised to feel less tense than he had that morning. The changes, while strange, weren’t too major, and they really did help him to fit in with those now milling around them in the street. The stress of being found and killed by the King mostly disappears.
Smiling at Chester, he says, “Thank you. I know that was a little hard for me, but I’m glad you were there to help me- make me- do it.”
Chester smiles back, patting Nathan’s back. “No worries. I know it was necessary, but I’m still relieved that you’re okay with it and you’re not going to try and get back at me,” he winks.
Nathan chuckles in response. “So, what are we doing now?”
“Meeting Crystal and Hannah for lunch,” he replies, smiling as he leads him away from the business of the street. “Don’t worry, we’re easing you into the Quagon culture. It’s a small, hole-in-the-wall kind of place with great food. You’ll love it.”
“Sounds good to me,” Nathan replies, following him until they reach a small building without a sign. Surprised, he follows Chester in. The atmosphere inside was warm and cozy. Inhaling, his stomach instantly growls. “Fresh bread?” he gasps. “I was thinking it would be seafood!”
Chester smiles at his reaction, leading him to a round table with four chairs. “Well it’s rather expensive, but you and Crystal seem to have been given quite a bit of money. Hannah and I will cover lunch, of course, since we had you pay for your makeovers today.”
“Thanks,” Nathan sincerely replies, excitement for fresh bread growing in him. As the minutes pass, he fidgets in his seat. “Where are they? They’re coming, right?”
Chester chuckles at his question. “Yes, they’re coming. She’s probably getting more done than you did. In fact, it will probably be a little while, so how about we order some appetizers while we wait?” Nathan’s out of his seat by the time he finishes the suggestion. Laughing, Chester follows him to the counter and helps him order. The man hands him the plate of steaming noodles and Nathan only has eyes for the food. It hadn’t even been that long that they’d been on Quagon, but he already appreciated something as simple and wholesome as pasta and bread. Walking to the table, he begins to eat. He’s halfway through before he realizes that Chester hadn’t gotten anything.
“I’m not too hungry, I’ll wait for the girls,” Chester says with a smile, noticing Nathan’s look. Shrugging, he tucks back into the long strands of comfort food. As he does, the door opens. Chester’s smile widens and he whispers to Nathan, “You might want to turn around.”
Slurping up the rest of his bite, Nathan does as he’s told, freezing as he catches sight of Crystal entering the restaurant behind Hannah. The wind rushing from the store as they opened the door blows her hair back, now shiny and looking irresistibly soft. The blue/green of the hair strikes Nathan as perfectly Crystal and he’s glad that’s what she went with. Catching sight of Nathan, she smiles and lifts her hand in a shy little wave, allowing him to see the small, very cute tattoo of a bird on the inside of her wrist. “Oh… my…” Nathan gapes at her, forgetting about the food still sitting in his mouth. Time then seems to speed back up, and she’s next to him at the table.
“That bad, huh?” she chuckles nervously.
Realizing what he was doing, Nathan quickly snaps his mouth shut, swallowing the pasta only half chewed. “You look amazing,” he gushes. “I know you were afraid for change, but… wow.”
She blushes lightly and looks down at the table before looking back at him, focused on his hair. “Same for you. I’m glad you didn’t have to change much, though.”
“Me too,” he smiles. They look at each other for a minute, just smiling. He then notices a tiny, purple and yellow flower in the corner of her eye. “That’s cute,” he says, indicating it.
“Yeah… Hannah suggested getting multiple,” she murmurs, showing him the bird on her wrist again as well. “I just wanted the water dragon one, though.”
“No way!” he gasps. “That’s the one that I got!” Slipping off his jacket, he shows her the new tattoo on his arm.
She gapes at it. “It looks just like mine, but a little bigger!”
“We’re matching,” Nathan says with a wink, feeling strangely bold around this new Crystal. Blushing, she nods with a small smile.
“Alright, you two ready to eat?” Hannah chuckles.
Pushing his now empty bowl to the middle of the table, Nathan nods enthusiastically. “They have fresh bread!” he excitedly informs Crystal as they stand and follow the other two up to order.
“I can smell that,” she responds with a smile. “The question is… do they have butter?”
Turned out, the bread was amazing without butter, especially because of the honey they were portioned to use. “This place must be really expensive,” Crystal comments, sinking her teeth into the steaming slice of bread. Nathan watches as her eyes flutter closed and a look of pleasure crosses her face. Forcing herself to swallow, she continues. “I mean, honey must be pretty rare around here, without much land to support crops to support bees.”
“That would be the case, but scientists discovered a way to produce their own, using just a tiny bit of the original honey,” Chester explains. “So rather than say, a tablespoon of honey generated a year, we’re able to have a few jars of it. It’s still expensive, you’re right, but without the scientists, it would be exclusively for the King.”
“Wow.” Nathan bites into his own piece of bread, his mouth watering at the rich smell before it even reaches his mouth. As his teeth sink into the soft, fluffy bread, he can’t help but let out a little moan. The first bite he allows to melt in his mouth, but after that, he can’t pace himself as well, downing bite after growing bite. Crystal keeps pace with him, and Hannah and Chester watch with amusement, their own loaf growing cold as they take their time.
Finally stuffed so full he aches, Nathan leans back in his chair with a contented sigh, Crystal following suit a few minutes later as she polishes off the heel of the loaf. “That was amazing,” she moans, eyes closed.
“I’m glad we could treat you on your first real day in Quagon,” Hannah chuckles, wrapping up the rest of her and Chester’s loaf in a cloth and putting it into the large purse at her side.
“We’ll give you two a few minutes to digest, but then we must be going,” Chester begins, folding his hands on the table. “We have some business to attend to, and you two need to start your search for Rex, right?”
Nathan groans at the reminder, wishing he could just bask in the warmth and wonderful smells of the restaurant. “I suppose we should start on that,” he finally chuckles, opening his eyes to peek at Crystal. She slowly nods, keeping her eyes closed.
“Sure, Nathan and I can start wandering Davenport. …In a few minutes,” she murmurs sleepily.
Chuckling, Hannah stands, pushing her chair back from the table. “Alright, just don’t fall asleep.” She lowers her voice and steps closer to them, taking on a serious tone. “It would be dangerous for you to let your guard down in public, however your makeovers have made you blend in. Don’t forget- you’re outsiders, and the King hates and distrusts outsiders. Be careful.”
Nathan and Crystal both sit back up, alert once more. “Yes. Of course. Thank you, Hannah,” Nath
an responds, his heart pounding at the reminder.
Smiling, she backs away with Chester at her side. “Good luck, you two. We’ll see you at home tonight. Crystal, don’t lose that key I gave you.”
“Of course,” she replies with a small nod.
“You’ll do great,” Chester smiles, leading Hannah towards the door. As they open it, a cold gust of wind twists into the building, finishing pulling Nathan and Crystal out of their food-induced stupor.
Shrugging his jacket back on, Nathan turns to Crystal with what he hopes is a confident smile. “You ready?”
She hesitates, then smiles and nods. “I’ll just think of it as spending the day with you,” she responds. A warm glow starts in his chest at the words, and he grins at her as he pulls back her chair to help her up. She was right. Spending the day with her was going to be no problem at all. Watching her shining hair swish from side to side as she walks, his smile grows. Every moment he spent with her drew him closer to her, yet it never seemed to be enough.
He kind of hoped they would never find Rex, and he would be able to stretch out his alone time with the Princess of Zilferia- and his best friend.
<<
“I hate this place.” The grumble comes from an aging man as he struggles with his covered cart down the narrow streets of Quagon. “Especially in the winter. The whole season may not be as frigid as other places, but it’s more dangerous thanks to the flash ice rains.” Shaking his head, he reaches a wrinkled hand up to his hat to adjust it against the wind. “Emil better make this trip worth it.” Setting the cart down at last behind the selected building, he reaches his weathered hand out to the door. The knock echoes slightly down the street, causing the man to shift from foot to foot nervously. The street was empty, but in the middle of the day, there was any chance that a passerby could chance upon his cart.
Finally, the door creaks open, and dark eyes peer out at him, nearly hidden beneath the black, unkempt hair of the man as it falls forward onto his forehead. “Ah, Pierre. You’re early, I wasn’t expecting you until tonight.”
“Yes, well, you know how the portals are getting,” Pierre grumbles, shoving his way into the building, rubbing his hands together for warmth, the dry skin scratching as he does so. “I have to take what I can get, when I can get it.”
“Fair enough,” Emil replies, closing the door and turning back to the old man. Studying him with those piercing eyes, he stays silent for a moment. Finally, he turns and leads the way deeper into the house. “Follow me. I have a special creature for you today in exchange for those Rabazi monkeys.”
“You’d better. They were a horror to catch and keep a hold of,” Pierre harrumphs.
“I’m sure. Still, with only two of those tiny monkeys, I’m sure you’re aware that I’m not giving you a large number of creatures in return,” Emil reminds him as he leads him past rows of different kinds of cages, all kinds of creatures screeching at them and clawing to get out as they pass. Emil doesn’t even glance at them as he continues, finally leaning down and pulling out a glass box filled with water. A small creature, less than a foot tall, sneers at Pierre as he leans down for a closer look. It’s green, but pink bubbles wiggle their way to the top of the box from its snout, fizzing with their acidity.
“Another kind of water ogre,” Emil explains, setting the box on the small counter beside him. “An Eukenskirf. Rarer than your little monkeys from Zelon, although easier to catch.”
“I suppose it’s a fair trade,” Pierre sighs, straightening. “But you’d better have more for me next time. This is hardly worth the trip.”
“Then catch more creatures for me for next time,” Emil coolly replies, sliding the heavy box into Pierre’s slightly shaking hands. “Now go and fetch me those Rabazi monkeys,” he says gleefully, rubbing his hands together in excitement. Watching the old man hobble back to his cart, his eyes practically glow. “They are going to fetch me a great price.”
<<
Chet tosses and turns in his bed, his blankets growing tighter around him with each movement. His eyes wander beneath his eyelids, and his breath comes heavy. Whimpering and groaning, he’s unable to escape the nightmare playing out in his mind.
Eyes shut tight, he winces as his mind shows him Patrick’s fist flying at his face, again and again, the anger causing his eyes to burn. He looked like a demon, and Chet didn’t have the energy to fight back, just watch the fist coming towards his eye once more as the madman in the cloak screams for information. For his loyalty.
Shuddering and screaming, Chet finally sits upright in his bed, clawing the blankets off of him. He could feel his pounding heart in his ears, throbbing and drowning out his senses with his panic. Breathing hard, he fights to calm his heart and mind. It takes a few minutes, but the heat of the nightmare begins to cool, leaving him shivering as he sits on the mattress, yet he’s unwilling to return to sleep. Standing, he dresses for the day, spending a long time in the bathroom, alone with his thoughts. Staring at his reflection, his thin fingers reach up to his cheekbone, trembling as it feels soft skin. In his mind, he remembers it being stretched out and swollen from his beatings.
Lowering his hand, he takes a deep breath. Maybe seeing Angela will help, he thinks, finally leaving the bathroom. I haven’t seen her much since we were kids. Maybe we can become a family again, despite the war. I know it’s not the best time to try and forge new connections, to get to know her again, but she’s family. She’s all I have, despite how kind the Dragon family is to me. Peering out the window, he’s relieved to see that the sun has returned to the sky. Good. I didn’t want to wake her. She’s had a rough time lately, getting left behind by Nathan… especially after her replacement family was… destroyed by the Dragon Hunters. Maybe being together more will help us both, he thinks hopefully as he exits the room the King and Queen had given him and faces the long hallway between him and his sister.
When he reaches her door, he knocks gently. He hesitates, unsure if he should knock again since it was likely soft enough that she wouldn’t hear it. Shifting his weight, he’s relieved when he hears her call out, “I’m coming!” Movement can be heard within, and then her face appears in the doorway. His heart thumps once, hard. For a moment he could have sworn she was their mother. He blinks, startled. She really had grown up to look just like her. Heart aching, he smiles at her.
“Good morning, sister.”
“Chet!” she happily replies, pulling the door open further and waving him inside.
Wrinkling his nose as he steps inside, he comments, “Why does it smell like flowers in here?”
“What, I can’t make my room smell nice?” she smirks, sitting on the bed and leaving the only chair in the room for him. He slides into it.
“I mean, you can, but for it to be this strong, you must be doing it for a guy,” he jokes, winking at her. As he pokes fun at his sister, the pain in his heart lessens. They were family, and they were together again. Neither of them had to be alone anymore.
“Oh, whatever you loser,” she responds, sticking her tongue out at him and chucking a pillow at his head. He grabs it and tosses it back onto the bed behind her. She lets it stay there rather than throwing it at him again. “So, what’s up?”
He hesitates, staring into her familiar eyes. He hadn’t realized how lonely he’d been over the years. She probably felt the same- her family was yanked away all at once by the Dragon Hunters. She must have felt so lost. Yet here she was, strong and sure of herself.
He felt awkward being the damaged one.
Still, he tells her. “I… had a nightmare. With Patrick.”
Her mouth forms a soft ‘O’ shape. “I’m so sorry,” she murmurs, coming forward and giving him a soft hug. He holds her in his arms, unable to shake the feeling of being lost. He had regained his sister, but their parents could never come back. They were gone forever.
Clearing his throat and pulling back from her, he plasters a smile onto his face. “Anyways. I just wanted
to see my sister again. We’ve been apart for years… I’m sure you’re not the Angela I remember anymore.”
“I’m sure you’re quite different too, Chet,” she chuckles, poking his nose. “Alright. Brother-sister day it is!”
<<
Alyssa lies sleepless once more, curled up on the hard, dirty cave floor. Two of her guards snore loudly near her, while one remains alert. She wasn’t sure why she was worth all this effort to hold rather than just be killed, but she wasn’t about to ask. She might, despite tempting fate by doing so, if the dragons were inclined to respond. But they were ridiculously mute, considering her lack of skill in controlling even one dragon, let alone three. Still, she couldn’t blame them for being cautious. The Dragon Hunters had taken possession of or killed a rough estimate of half of their force. Maybe she was a hostage to get Hunter to call off the war? Of course, they had to be smarter than that, though. They had to know that kidnapping her would have the opposite effect.
Tossing and turning through the night, she hardly dozes as her mind races to figure out why she was here. She’d been here for roughly a week now, but still nothing was happening. Well, not nothing. A green dragon had come to visit for a few minutes the day before. She assumed it had some sort of message for her guards, but she had no idea what it was since they were closed off to her and she didn’t dare reach out to try and eavesdrop with her mind.
As the sun’s rays begin to enter the cave, the dragons simultaneously shift, pushing themselves up onto their feet. Fear settles over Alyssa’s heart, and she quickly scoots further away from them, her back pressing into the stone walls of the cave. This can’t be good. In the time that she had been here, they had never all moved at once, unless she herself was moving suspiciously. Something was happening.
The red dragon who had originally grabbed her stalks forward. Gulping, she presses harder into the wall, feeling the sharp corners of rocks pressing into her back. “What do you want?” she pants, sweating from his nearness to her. Staring at her intently with his amber eyes, he finally turns and lowers himself before her, revealing a bare spot at the base of his neck where it looked like a person could fit. Her throat constricts. “You… I… I’m not climbing onto you.”