by F. P. Spirit
Ruka spun back around and motioned for Alana and Martan to follow her. She led the pair further into the woods, back to where she had left the squires. After a quick reunion, she spoke to Alana.
“I couldn’t agree with you more. They are fools to go along with the Princess.”
Alana’s shoulders relaxed, a grim smile spreading across her lips. “Thank you. At least someone besides me sees reason.”
Ruka let out a small sigh. She did agree with the lady knight. Traveling on a ship full of chromatic dragons, and someone who could enslave them, was dangerous at best. Yet she also understood the others’ concerns.
She, Maya, and Cal could fly out of these woods in less than a day. The others could not soar through the air like she and her people could. They were earth-bound, and thus stuck in these dark woods. Nor did she and Cal have time to ferry them all out of here. They had to start looking for Ves soon or the trail might run cold.
Ruka paused to scan the thick forest around them. There had been no sign of the horses back in the glade, nor out here in the woods. Without them, it might take the others a week just to get back to Vermoorden. She really didn’t want them going on that ship. Yet, if they did, she wanted someone with them who would not be easily swayed by the Princess.
Seth was gone, and Elladan seemed just a bit too smitten with Anya. Donnie, Lloyd, Aksel, and Glo were too good-natured, and Elistra had done nothing to dissuade them. As for Cyclone, the dragon hunter was still too much of an unknown to trust.
Ruka took a deep breath, then carefully explained her concerns to both Alana and Martan. She finished with her pitch. “If they are going on that ship, someone with sense needs to keep an eye on them. I would do it, but I would be taking a huge risk, and Maya would want to follow me…”
Alana held up an armored hand, stopping her in mid-sentence. “Say no more. You cannot put your family in such danger, and anyway, you need to find your sister. So, I will go with them… but on one condition.”
Ruka cocked her head to one side and eyed the lady knight curiously. “And what’s that?”
“I won’t have Lamorn or Syndir setting one foot on that evil ship. I was going to take them back to the Wind Tower, the home of our order, but…”
This time Ruka interrupted Alana. “Not a problem. Since it’s just the two of them, Cal and I can carry them to Vermoorden. From there they can travel by horse.”
A thin smile graced Alana’s lips—she was rather pretty when she smiled. “As you say, someone with sense needs to keep an eye on them.”
Ruka let out an ironic laugh. It still amazed her, the level of feeling she had for this little group, especially for Donnie. If the dragons back home only knew, they would call her crazy. Who am I kidding, they already think I’m crazy.
The dragon girl shifted her eyes to Martan.
The dour archer stood there wearing a gloomy expression. “Not sure how much sense I have, getting involved in all this in the first place… but as you said, someone needs to keep an eye on them.”
Alana clasped the humble tracker on the shoulder. “You’re a good man, Martan.”
Martan turned a skeptical eye toward the lady knight. “Not exactly sure about that, but I’ll do what I can.”
Ruka’s mouth twisted into a lopsided smirk. “Anyway, let’s get back to the others before they decide to leave without us.”
When they arrived back at the clearing, the others were still there discussing what to do. As soon as Ruka broached the treeline, Donnie came rushing over to her. “Ruka!”
The thin elf wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight, slowly rocking her back and forth. Ruka felt a sudden warmth flow up through her body, and into her cheeks. She imagined her face to be as red as that dragon lady’s dress.
She nearly lost herself in Donnie’s warm embrace, the smell of his body having an almost intoxicating effect on her. Yet, her anxiety pushed back on those feelings, leading the teen to gently extract herself from the object of her desire. “I’m fine, Donnie. Really.”
She took a step back from him, hardly able to wipe the stupid smile off her face. Damn. Why do I have to be so attracted to him?
Aksel strode up to them as well, sweeping his eyes from Ruka to Alana. “We’re glad to see you… all of you.”
Ruka glanced around the clearing and attempted to hide her discomfort with sarcasm. It had become a standard defense mechanism for the dragon teen, especially when dealing with her feelings. “What, I’m gone for like a day and you go and blow up the entire monolith?”
Alana, standing next to her, let out a derisive snort.
Elladan gazed at her with a warm smile, half-laughing as he responded. “Now hold on there, little lady. Don’t go blaming us for this mess.”
Before Ruka could say a word, Alana stepped forward and answered for her. “She knows. I already told her the whole story.”
Aksel gave the lady knight a firm nod. “Good, that’ll save us time.”
Donnie, however, eyed Alana carefully, seeming far less certain than Aksel. “What exactly did you tell her?”
Ruka forced herself to smirk at the handsome elf. Damn, why do you have to be so darned cute!
“She told me you idiots were thinking of flying away with the Princess… the same Princess who nearly brought the monolith down on your heads.”
“Yup, that about sums it up,” a gruff voice agreed with her. Cyclone stood off to one side, his arms folded across his chest.
Donnie peered at Ruka, his lower lip sticking out ever so slightly. “Did she at least tell you why we were thinking of going with the Princess?”
Stop that, Ruka thought to herself. How am I supposed to maintain my tough demeanor when you do such adorable things?
“Oh, I told her,” Alana answered for Ruka. “She still agrees with me that you are idiots.”
Elistra stepped between them all, a strange expression on the seeress’ face. “Don’t blame them—it’s my fault.”
Ruka cocked her head to one side and stared at Elistra in disbelief. “You?”
The seeress nodded, her expression turning grave. “I had a dire premonition. I can’t explain it, but I know that we must get on that ship.”
Alana’s mouth dropped open. The lady knight stood there speechless at Elistra’s surprising confession.
Ruka narrowed an eye at the seeress, not sure what to make of her pronouncement. Ruka was well aware of the power of prophecy—a particularly dark one hung over her own head. In fact, it was one of the reasons she was shunned by her own people.
Elladan, ever the peacemaker, strolled up next to the seeress and placed an arm around her shoulder. A familiar half- smile graced the handsome bard’s face. “Just remember, keep your friends close and your enemies…”
Alana, her expression suddenly bemused, placed an armored hand on the bard’s shoulder before he could finish. “It’s fine, Elladan. We already decided that Martan and I are going with you all.”
“You did?” came the surprised reply from Elladan, Donnie and Aksel in unison.
Alana cast a quick glance at Elistra. “Far be it from me to ignore a premonition from our illustrious seeress.”
Elistra tilted her head toward the lady knight, a thin smile on her lips.
Alana then went into a brief explanation of her discussion with Ruka and Martan. She ended with the dragons’ need to search for Ves.
Glo turned his gaze to Ruka, his eyes filled with more than a touch of concern. “Why? What happened to your sister?”
Aksel answered him before Ruka had a chance to speak. “With all the commotion, I nearly forgot. Their home was attacked by a flight of chromatic dragons. Ves led them off, but hasn’t been heard from since.”
“A flight of chromatic…” Glo began, but then stopped and peered up into the sky.
Ruka followed his gaze toward the Princess Anya’s airship. The vessel was already over the forest south of them on its short journey to the southern meadow. Ruka had to admit, ever since she heard about the Princess, she wondered whether she was involved in the attack on the Glittering Isles. Still, her home was a long way from here, and there was also that black knight who could control dragons.
Either way, she and Cal had reached an agreement. Their best bet was to retrace Ves’ steps, hoping they might find a clue as to her whereabouts.
Ruka abruptly found herself blushing as Donnie closed the gap between them once more. The charming elf grabbed her hand and gazed down at her with those big blue eyes of his. “I promise you, Ruka, if Anya had anything to do with the disappearance of your sister, we will find out.”
Ruka looked away from his gaze, and stammered a reply. “Th–thank you, Donnie.”
Inwardly she cursed herself. Get a grip on yourself, dragon. Stop acting like some weak little girl.
She forced herself to look back up into his eyes, but her knees went weak once more. Thankfully, Cal and Maya chose that moment to reappear.
Her younger sister came traipsing into the clearing, her eyes as wide as saucers as she stared at the huge pile of black rubble.
“Cool…” the single word fell from her lips.
“Trust me, kid. It wasn’t so cool on the inside.”
Maya spun around and stared up at Cyclone. The normally impassive hunter gazed down at her with what was almost a smile.
Maya looked Cyclone up and down, a wide grin spreading across her lips. “Ohhhh… you must be Donatello.”
Her eyes positively glittered as she peered over at Ruka. “No wonder you like him.”
Ruka pushed Donnie away from her, her cheeks suddenly feeling as if they were on fire. Elladan, a pearly grin on his face, strolled over and knelt in front of Maya.
“That’s not Donnie… that’s Donnie.” The bard pointed toward the sandy-haired elf.
Maya peered past Elladan, the smile abruptly fading from her cherub features. “Oh. Then I don’t get it.”
Elladan burst into laughter. He was joined by Glo, Elistra, and Alana. Even Lloyd and Aksel were smiling.
Ruka glared at her younger sister. I’m going to kill her.
Thankfully, Cal chose that moment to interject with his deep rumbling voice. “Much as I am a fan of merriment, we really need to be on our way.”
Aksel gave the coppery dragon a curt nod. “As do we.”
Ruka cast a furtive glance at Donnie, then strode over and grasped Maya firmly by the wrist. “Come on, short stuff—before you give away any more secrets.”
Maya squealed in protest as Ruka marched off with her. “What did I say? You do like him, don’t you?”
Ruka declined to comment. She led her sister away from the others, and commanded her to change into her natural form. After a brief explanation to Cal about the squires, Ruka followed suit.
Alana led the squires over, Lamorn and Syndir seemingly reluctant at first. At the lady knight’s insistence, they each picked a dragon, and scrambled up until they were firmly seated on Cal’s and Ruka’s backs. Alana strode back a few steps and called up to them, “Godspeed.”
The rest of the companions gathered around the lady knight, wishing them luck as well. Donnie in particular waved and smiled that charming smile that made Ruka melt. “Take care of yourself, Ruka! May a star shine in the hour of our next meeting!”
Ruka recognized the formal elven salutation. It was supposed to imply that they would meet again sometime in the near future.
The three dragons slowly lifted off, keeping low to the trees so as not to be spotted. Ruka cast one last look down at the sandy-haired elf, then shot out over the forest with Cal and Maya, silently wondering to herself if she would ever see him again.
Aboard the Wind Hammer
Family? Anya is my only family. I need no other.
The small company reached the southern meadow just as the airship lifted off. Upon seeing them, the ship halted its departure, settling back to the ground so their party could board. As Glo stepped onto the airship, he carefully swept his eyes around the deck. He had to admit, it was rather impressive. From aft to stern, Glo estimated the vessel to be about two hundred feet in length, and probably about a quarter of that from port to starboard.
Much like a sailing ship, the airship was divided into multiple sections. There was the main deck where they currently stood, the forecastle, and the sterncastle. Yet unlike a seagoing vessel, there were no masts or sails above them. Instead, there were three long fins that jutted out in a triangular shape from the top and sides of the hull. The tips of those fins generated the elemental ring that propelled the ship.
Glo also took note of the large cannons dispersed across the vessel. There were two mounted near the rail not far from them, two across the main deck, and one mounted up at the bow. Anya had said there were six altogether, so Glo assumed the last one was fitted to the stern of the ship.
The party was ushered aboard by three people they had not met before. One was a thin young man in dark leathers, with a hawk nose, dark hair, and dark eyes. The second, a pale youth with white hair and icy blue eyes, wore a puffy white shirt and white leather pants. The last was a pretty young blonde garbed in a brilliant blue dress, with electric blue eyes. None wore weapons of any kind. All three studied the companions with keen intensity as they led them across the deck.
Donnie, walking between Cyclone and Alana, whispered to the stoic hunter. “I suppose those are more dragons?”
“Duh,” Cyclone acknowledged with the barest of nods.
As they approached the sterncastle, Anya exited the door from below decks, her entourage from the meadow in tow. The Princess welcomed them with genuine glee. “I wasn’t sure you were going to accept my invitation. I’m very glad you did.”
The monarch’s eyes swept over them all, finally settling on Elladan.
The bard exchanged a brief glance with Aksel, then stepped in front of the rest and executed a lavish bow. “How could we resist such a gracious invitation?”
Though Anya seemed delighted to see them, her entourage was another matter. They fanned out beside her, the blue-robed Sigfus practically hanging over the Princess. The wizard openly scowled at Elladan, brooding at the way Anya eyed the handsome bard.
The scarlet-clad Mallona had positioned herself on the opposite side from Sigfus, her malevolent gaze fixed on Cyclone. The dragon hunter returned her stare unflinchingly, his muscular arms folded across his chest.
Anya’s cleric had situated herself next to Sigfus. Still adorned in her formfitting white and gold robes, she eyed Alana curiously, her hand resting on the golden sword hilt that hung at her waist. Next to the cleric stood the slim woman in brown and green leathers, her long bow slung over one shoulder. Her green eyes fixated on Glo, a fact that made the elven mage more than a little nervous.
On the other side of Mallona stood the fit woman dressed in black-studded leather, an ornate sword strapped to each hip. She stared at Lloyd with an almost feral intensity, as if prepared to pounce on him at any moment. The young warrior regarded her with a practiced ease, though his hands never strayed far from his own sword hilts.
Anya finally tore her eyes from Elladan, spreading her arms wide as she addressed her guests. “Welcome aboard the Wind Hammer. My apologies, but we are not currently set up for passengers. Normally a vessel this size could hold up to seventy, but the ship has been ‘modified’ for use by the royal family of Lanfor.”
Other than the cannon, Glo had observed no obvious signs of modifications on the upper decks. What, does she have cages for her dragons down below?
The elven wizard cast a brief glance at Elistra, but the seeress’ paid him no heed, instead gazing with a fierce intensity at t
he Princess. It appeared almost as if she were trying to read Anya’s mind.
“That’s alright, your highness,” Donnie chimed in glibly. “Some of us have traveled on ships before. A simple hammock would be more than fine.”
Anya’s amber eyes fell upon the sandy-haired elf, her lips curling into a sickly-sweet smile. “Oh, no, no, no. That will never do.”
She barely turned her head toward Sigfus as she issued the mage a command. “Have the area below the quarterdeck cleared for our guests.”
Sigfus cast a dark look at the companions, his tone shrill as he responded to the Princess. “But, your majesty… what about the crew?”
Anya responded with a negligent wave. “Move them down to the main cabin on the lower deck.”
Sigfus jaw went abruptly slack. “B–but your majesty… that’s where I sleep!”
Anya spun around to face the disgruntled wizard, a slim hand going to either hip. “And that’s my problem how, exactly?”
Anya’s cheeks had turned a slight shade of red. Sigfus took an involuntary step back from the angered monarch, nearly colliding with the cleric behind him. His voice altered to a placating tone in response to her ire. “It–it’s not, your majesty. I’ll just find somewhere else to bunk for the duration.”
Anya glared at him a moment or two longer, then spat out a single word. “Good!”
The irked monarch turned back to her guests, her angry expression transforming into a pleasant facade as if she were changing masks. “Well, now that that’s settled, I have important matters to attend to. In my absence, feel free to roam the deck.”
Anya gave them all a saccharine smile, then spun on her heel and strode for the door below decks. “Oh, but do avoid the cannon,” she called over her shoulder. “I wouldn’t want anyone to get… hurt.”
Sigfus shot them all one last glare, then took off after the Princess. The rest of her entourage followed suit, each in turn eyeing the companions darkly.