by Nisa Ryan
Chapter 11
I stood there limply in Niam’s arms as they dragged my father away. How could this have happened? So much in such a short time. My home was destroyed, my father was and yet was not my father and I never knew. Never even suspected that he wasn’t, he spoke so fondly of my mother.
And Julian, the man I thought I might love, lay in bed wounded. And it was all my fault, I had brought the demons. I had brought death and destruction to the great tree Wisteria, on the entire city, and for what? Some rich boys temper tantrum? I felt Niam’s arms leave my waist as he put me on my feet. Turning on him I clenched my hands into fists at my sides, with angry tears in my eyes and my throat dry, I demanded answers,
“Tell me you didn’t know about this Niam, about any of it?” I whispered harshly.
Niam frowned and turned his head to the side, refusing to look at me, “I knew about some of it,” he admitted, “But I had no idea what the necklace was. Or that you were the heiress to our city. I was given orders to confirm my brothers’ suspicions but I didn’t think it was true. Or really I guess didn’t want to believe it...but I suspected for some time.”
I nodded, closing my eyes briefly, “Then you’re just as much a part of this as he is and only a little less so.”
Niam frowned, crossing his arms tightly over his chest and I could see the muscles of his jaws working as he decided whether he should say something else.
I shook my head and raised a hand to silence anything he might have said, “Leave me, Niam. I’m going back to look over Julian. There is nothing I can do while on this ship but care for him and right now that is the most important thing for me.”
Niam let out a low growl, narrowing his eyes and kneeling on the ground at my feet. I took a step back, but his hands shot out and he wrapped his fingers around my ankle preventing me from stepping away, “Niam, what are you doing?”
He lowered his head, “Na wahi Mahadou ar dreight fer drounen me na...it means ‘I live to serve and protect you, Lady Mahadou, always.”
My face paled and my eyebrows shot up, “Niam, What does it even mean?”
“Just accept it, please. Repeat after me, Me wahi Mahadou aga rei o,” he whispered as he released my ankle and pressed his forehead against my feet, gently and reverently.
I opened my mouth to ask what it meant but he cut me off, repeating the strange words again and demanding that I repeat them. So, I did.
A glowing light filled the room, and it took me a moment to realize that it was no light, or at least not any natural light, it was Niam. The tattoos that ran across most of his back and shoulders were glowing through the fabric of his clothing. They flashed a deep green that melted into blue and then red. Niam grimaced and curled in on himself as the energy arched across his back where the scars were located. Kneeling on the ground, I watched as great wings tore through the fabric of his clothing. They were the wings of a dragon, deep black but crimson scales speckled across them as he flapped his wings once, twice, before folding them gently against his back. His emerald eyes flashed, the light was gone almost as quickly as it had appeared. I took a step away from him, my jaw dropped in awe I slapped a hand over my mouth to keep from screaming.
“Thank you,” he finally murmured and smiled lightly as he rose back up to his feet. He continued to refuse to meet my gaze as I reached out a hand, hesitating a moment before I pulled back.
“What just happened?” I asked, “What are you?”
“You accepted my oath and now I am bound to be your protector. Even my brother cannot break this. The tattoos are made with magic, it binds a warrior to his ward so that he responds to only their orders. The only way for me not to obey would be for you to die or for me to die. Noël won’t kill me or you unless as a last resort, we will just have to make sure it doesn’t come down to that.”
“Niam I –”
“I’m a dragon. My brother is a dragon. And you, too, are a dragon. At least that’s what the humans call us. This is only a partial shift, I could show you –”
“No! No, that’s enough,” my throat was tight and my lungs clenched. I couldn’t believe this was happening. I narrowed my eyes, “Wait. I am not a dragon....”
He crossed his arms, “No, your not. Not yet anyway. You’re half-human, your father was human we are certain. But the dragons blood still runs in your veins,” he said and pressed his lips into a thin line, “And that is why Noël needs you. There...there aren’t any females left,” he finished with his face blushing. Coughing into his hand he stepped back and spread his wings open. Their leathery edges brushed the floor and ceiling as he arched them high over his head. Stretching them out, “I haven’t used my wings in, a few nights at least. I’m starting to question my flying skills,” he said awkwardly. I frowned and turned away, clasping my chin one hand as I thought, “You were the strange shadow I saw when I fell off the roof? I wasn’t seeing things...” I said. Niam nodded slowly, “I wouldn’t have been able to catch you otherwise...”
He lowered his eyes looking at me from beneath the long lashes, “It’s going to be alright. I’ve been hiding this for so long, hoping it would just go away. That my brother would never come looking for me...I owe you and your family a lot.”
I nodded slowly in acceptance, there was no point in arguing, what’s done is done and he was right. He did owe us for the years of deception. I was tempted to ask Niam if he would have left us, if his brother had come and had decided that I was not who they were looking for, would he have disappeared after being with us for six years? But I kept silent. Truthfully, I didn’t want to know.
Silently, I made my way back to Julian’s room with Niam following close behind. Kai was there changing the bandages; an empty package of medicine lay crumpled up next to an empty glass on the nightstand. Niam picked the package up and sniffed it and whispered,
“It smells bitter but familiar – can’t really place it though.”
Kai smiled up at me with his kind looking eyes. He grabbed one of my hands into both of his and squeezed, “You’re in luck child. The fever has passed. He should awaken soon.”
I nodded and gave him my thanks. The old man paused and arched an eyebrow at me, “Lord Noël isn’t as bad as that once you get to know him.”
I frowned, pulling my hand from his, I cocked my head to the side, narrowing my eyes as I glared at him.
“An entire city has been crushed and hundreds are dead because of his selfish acts. What is not bad about that?”
The old man simply nodded in understanding, a grave look shadowed his face as he turned to leave closing the door behind him. What was that all about?
I looked up at Niam, “I’m going to sit here for a while, if you want to leave you can.”
“No, I’ll wait outside the door but I’m not leaving you. I don’t think Noël would hurt you but I can’t guarantee he wouldn’t try to hurt Julian. He has no use for him.”
A sudden sense of fear and urgency wrapped its way around my heart. I hadn’t considered that at all. Reaching up to touch my necklace my fingers brushed against bare skin. I only just remembered that it was no longer there before the tears began to trail their way down either side of my face, “Niam, what do I do?”
Niam looked at me, his face blank, “I don’t know.”
It was on the fifth day of our journey over sea that I stepped up onto the deck to be greeted by the sun and the large seaport of one of the coastal Eastern cities. I had only ever heard stories about what the cities on this side of the world looked like and the stories did it no justice.
Chapter 12
It was enormous. Buildings went stretching from left to right across the horizon for as far as I could see. A heat induced haze rose up around the city, making it shimmer, as if a sheet of gossamer had been hung across the angles and planes of the city at large. Roof tops were glittering with plaques of colored stones and what looked like gold, festooned and carved to look like great animals, many of which I had never seen outside of books. Spi
res of various heights rose up to brush the sky like paintbrushes with rounded tops that were gilt in gold, turquoise, and crimson red. An array of color like a patch-work quilt was spread out before my eyes, a blend of colors presented in hues that I had never imagined existed. The entire city was like a jewel that shone in the rising sunlight and glittered across the waves of sand that stretched out from behind the great city.
My mouth fell open as I took it all in. I had heard of the vast expanses of sand called ‘desert’ through stories and tales told by the few who had traveled between the cities but I had never thought they were true. There was no way that anyone could survive in such dry arid places. And who could live without the branches of the trees to protect them from the sun? Most striking of all was that a great wall did not surround them. There was a wall yes, but it was low and had barely any armaments, it would do little to protect them in the advent of an invasion. How was the city protected? It lay practically defenseless against any who might attack it. Certainly, great beast’s lived unseen on this continent as well or was ours the only one so cursed? I was so lost in thought that I didn’t notice when Niam had settled next to me. His voice intruded on my thoughts and made me jump as he rest a hand on my shoulder, “You should come with me.”
“Why? Is it Julian? Is he awake?”
Niam only nodded his head and pulled his hand away, motioning for me to follow him below the deck. I followed, glancing back once to take in the magnificent coastal city. This might possibly be my last day free, if you could call being stuck on a ship free anyway.
Niam led me towards the main cabin that I now knew had to Noëls, the door opened before we reached it and there stood Julian. His lips were pressed together in a tight line as he waved us into the room. I opened my mouth to speak but stopped short. The eyes that looked up at me were not Julian’s. The face was the same, the hair, the way he brushed his bangs to one side. But his blue eyes were not the sea with hints of silver that I had always known, instead they were now a deep purple tinged with black. I felt as if a twisted vine covered in thorns had wrapped its way around my lungs and heart, the ache trembled throughout my body as his eyes met mine briefly before turning away. Noël reclined on his throne as Julian moved to kneel beside him, resting the broad blade of his sword across a bent knee. I moved towards Julian but Niam’s hand encased my wrist and pulled me back, “Don’t. That’s not Julian anymore,” he stated simply.
I shook him off, “What do you mean? Of course, it is,” I stated but my voice held no power, somewhere inside I knew that what he said was true.
It wasn’t Julian.
I reached up to wrap my fingers around our betrothal necklace, again forgetting that it was no longer there, and grasped at empty space around my neck. The tears threatened to spill over my cheeks but I held it in, causing my chest to constrict even tighter. My knees trembled and I thought I might collapse but Niams strong arms kept me upright.
Noël smiled at me with such self-satisfaction that is made me feel sick inside. He did something to Julian. He had to have, or was it Kai? I should have known; I should have known better than to trust him especially after he tried to endear myself towards Noël. Gathering my strength, I pulled away from Niam and strode towards Noël.
Before I even realized what has happened Julian was at my side, his eyes staring blankly into my face and mouth set in a stern frown. The blade of his sword pressed against the strained tendons of my neck and I winced as its sharp edge bit into my skin. Noël waved his hand in the air before him, “No! Let her approach, she cannot harm me and I cannot have her harmed.”
Julian stepped back, sliding his sword into the sheath strapped across his back. His eyes never left my face and I could still feel them boring into the back of my head as I move to stand before Noëls throne.
Noël grinned, “You will accompany me to the shore, as my bride-to-be and you will dress and act the part. If you try to escape or cause trouble in any way your friend will die. I will make you watch as I order him to kill himself which he will do.” Noël nodded towards Julian and I watched as he knelt down and pulled a knife from his waist sash, pressing it against his own neck hard enough to draw a thin red line that welled up around the blade.
I flinched, my eyes wide as I nodded, “Yes, alright. Fine, I won’t cause any trouble just please don’t hurt him!”
Noël smiled in glee, leaning forwards he folded his hands over his knees, “Then let us have you dressed the part, yes?”
I nodded slowly and was guided back down to my room where several servant girls awaited me, their arms laden with fabrics and perfumes and combs. I set my jaw and pressed my lips into a firm line as they went about their administrations.
Staring at myself in the tall, gold-gilt, mirror. I almost couldn’t recognize myself. My hair hung loose, combed till it shone the long strands hung around my shoulders. I wasn’t accustomed to wearing it down, keeping it braided and out of the way worked better for thieving. I hadn’t realized how long it had grown.
The dress was gorgeous.
In another day in another age I would have been filled with glee to be wearing something like this. It was so different from my usual clothing.. But right now, I feel like I was being dressed for a beautiful funeral. The luxurious gown flowed around me, wrapping my body in a sheaf chiffon and silk, the wide waist belt was equally bedazzling as the combs in my hair. It was a deep shade of blue, like storm clouds, that brought out the color of my eyes and made my hair appear all the darker. Atop my head a crown wrought of gold sat, it sparkled in the candle light as I turned my head and admired the stranger in the mirror.
I looked every bit the role of a queen.
Casting one last glance at myself in the mirror, I sucked in a breath and nodded. I was ready. Stepping out from my quarters I was greeted by two fully armed and armored guards, their swords ready on their hips, and was silently escorted to the deck of the ship where the gangplank, decorated in brilliant red flowers, had already been set into place.
Noël awaited me there, dressed equally as brilliant in black breeches and shirt made with the same blue material my dress was. He offered me his arm with a smile and I took it. On either side of us stood Julian and Niam.
Niam was dressed in similar attire while Julian had been changed into the matching leather and ar set that the rest of the ships crew wore. Niam looked from his brother to me and then over the crowd that had gathered below.
Niam leaned nearer so that I could hear him over the noise, “My brother might be an asshole but the people here truly believe you’re the answer to their prayers. That with you by Noël’s side they will somehow overcome our troubles,” he whispered and encouraged me to smile, no matter how badly I wanted to cry instead. I couldn’t do this. I’d lost everything. My father, my friend, my life was gone. I watched as my father was dragged behind us to be sentenced later. I imagined it would not be an easy sentence and at worst, death.
“Niam, when I find my way out of this. I will make you pay for this,” I whispered back.
Niam inclined his head, “I’m counting on that princess.”
Noël harrumphed beside me and as he stepped forward, the crowd cheered.
The story continues on January 28th 2020!
Dragon Sworn
Episode 2: The Awakened Spark
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nisa Ryan is an avid devourer of YA novels. She enjoys reading manga and watching anime as well as playing MMORPGs. Growing up in Japan her love of all things Japanese led her to get a B.A. in Japanese Language and History. Additionally, she is an active participant on the Amino App: Pagans & Witches where she posts regularly about Japanese religion and folk practices under the name Nisaryn.
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