Unquiet Slumber

by Paulette Miller

  This time the Seer gave out a loud laugh. “Well, let me see what vegetables are in your stew.”

  At the Seer’s words, Tianna’s body froze and she was incapable of speech or movement. Her whole body felt like it was on fire but there were no flames, at least not yet.

  Nathaniel could feel Tianna’s discomfort and began to fidget.

  The Seer proceeded to walk around Tianna, examining her from top to bottom. Occasionally she made a “Hmmm” noise or a sound of surprise. The fire inside of Tianna grew more uncomfortable. Her legs were also becoming weak from the weight of her dress and the crushing pressure of the Seer’s power.

  Nathaniel’s nervousness started to turn into a panic.

  When the Seer was directly behind her, she put her hand around Tianna’s waist and pressed her palms on her stomach. The surge of power was almost unbearable. If she had been released from her spell, she would’ve fallen to the ground screaming. All she could do was scream within her mind.

  Nathaniel heard her cry in his head and started to stand and come to her rescue. Marcus shook his head and forced him back to his knees.

  When Tianna thought she could take no more, the Seer removed her hands from her belly and walked around until she once again stood in front of her. She reached out and touched Tianna’s Black Dragon mark. The same shooting pain went through Tianna as if her touch was a knife.

  The Seer walked back to her throne, whispering to herself, “Interesting.” As soon as she sat back down, she flicked her finger and Tianna was released from her hold.

  Tianna’s legs no longer held her and she collapsed to the ground. To everyone’s surprise, Nathaniel caught her before she hit the floor. No one had seen him move, including the Seer.

  The Seer was amused by the display of chivalry. Rubbing a finger along the line of her chin, she whispered to herself again. “This is also interesting.”

  As soon as Tianna was back on her feet, the Seer motioned Nathaniel to go back to his original position. Once back on his knee, he bowed his head and said, “I apologize, my Lady, for moving without being commanded.”

  The Seer waved his apology off. “It’s nice to see a protector coming to the aid of his charge.” Now that Tianna had been examined, the Seer returned her sights to Marcus, who instantly lowered his head. She asked, “Marcus. Why do you look so forlorn?”

  Without glancing up, he replied, “I’ve failed your command. I didn’t find what you seek. I return without the prophesized warrior.”

  “Ahhh, but that’s where you’re wrong. You did bring back a mighty warrior.” She nodded toward Tianna.

  Everyone stared at Tianna, who looked shocked and confused.

  Marcus questioned, “Tianna? She can’t be the one we seek. She’s a warrior, but she’s female.” He regretted his choice of words as soon as they left his mouth. He felt the Seer’s power flare and dropped to his knee and quickly added, “Forgive me, my Lady. I meant no offense.”

  The Seer glared at him. “She may be a female, but she has warrior blood flowing through her veins.” After a pause she continued. “Alas, the female that now stands in front of me is not yet the reflection of the warrior we seek.”

  Marcus stood again. “If Tianna isn’t the warrior we seek, then I did fail my quest and my people.”

  The Seer gave out a soft chuckle. “My son, you’re so young and naive. Don’t close your mind to other possibilities. Things aren’t always what they appear. Her current reflection may not be of our champion, but she does hold within her the ability to carry a great warrior.”

  Marcus suddenly realized what the Seer was saying.

  The Seer said, “Yes, she’ll give birth to a savior of Haven.”

  Tianna grabbed her belly and exclaimed in a panic, “I’m with child? It isn’t possible. I’ve yet to know the full ways of men.”

  The Seer put both of her hands up in a motion to tell her to calm down. “No, you’re not yet with child. You carry dragon within you, which means you must go through the mating ritual before you can conceive.”

  Looking out at the Draak in front of her, the Seer directed, “Yes, my warriors. We must find her a proper mate and this mate must carry the seed of a powerful warrior.”

  Nathaniel’s heart broke. He was being commanded to find someone else to mate with Tianna. Although he had been fighting the idea of himself being mated to her, he wasn’t about to find someone else to do it. The dangers to her would be too great and he was going to find a way to not let this happen.

  Tianna’s eyes scanned her companions and came to rest on Gabriel and then Nathaniel. Neither of them returned her gaze and she was unable to read their expressions.

  Nathaniel tried to be quiet, but he found his mouth moving. “My Lady.” He bowed his head for a moment. “I don’t want to question your wisdom. Tianna is the strongest female I’ve ever met, but she isn’t a full Draak. Between this and her small frame, she most likely wouldn’t survive a mating with a warrior that you describe. If by some miracle she did survive and became with child, how could she survive carrying a dragon? She and the child would die.” His voice broke at the end of his speech.

  Gabriel added. “If she did deliver a child, it would take many years for this infant to grow and train before he would be ready for battle. My most seasoned warriors are almost one hundred and fifty years old. If we have to wait, we’ll have lost this war long before the child would become a full warrior.”

  The Seer addressed her answers to all present. “As you have all guessed, the blood of many magical beings is flowing through Tianna’s body. She’s not a full dragon but the combinations of the beings within her make her the most unique creature I’ve ever encountered. Combining her uniqueness with one of our full-blooded warriors will give us a child that will become a savior of the magical world. Don’t underestimate her abilities.”

  Staring directly at Nathaniel, the Seer continued. “You, more than any other Draak here, know firsthand the power she hides within.” She gave him an all knowing smile. “Surely you do not underestimate her power?” She chuckled and then returned her gaze to the group as a whole. “We need to help her harness that power so that she does survive.”

  The Seer turned toward Tianna who looked distressed. “Don’t fear child. You’ll fulfill your destiny.” She walked over and stood directly in front of Tianna. “You must embrace all of your hidden natures.” She put her hand on Tianna’s shoulder. “Join with the Draak and find your place.”

  Tianna backed up so that the Seer’s hand fell off her shoulder. Once again she was being hit with more information than her mind could process. First, they told her that she wasn’t human. Now, they tell her that she’s part of some Draak prophecy. A prophecy that was foretold by someone that she thinks is somehow connected with the evil they are fighting.

  Tianna stood tall and said, “Excuse me Seer, but I don’t fear the destiny you speak because it isn’t mine.”

  Everyone in the hall held their breath to see how the Seer responded. No one spoke like this to her.

  Tianna continued. “I long to have a family of my own but over this quest I’ve learned that I’m far from equal to a Draak female.” Tianna couldn’t help but glance at Nathaniel and then turned back to the Seer. “I may carry the blood of several Draak Setts, including…” pointing to the Black Dragon mark on her chest. “…the Wizard Sett, but that doesn’t make me Draak. I don’t believe that I’m to be the mother of a Draak warrior. Frankly, at this point, I’ve no plans to ever mate.”

  Tianna straightened her shoulders and announced, “From this day forward, I prefer to be addressed as Tianna of the Faye, daughter of Arielle.” Tianna could feel the Seer’s power surging around her, but she added, “The only thing that I request is that I be allowed to stay in Haven just long enough to learn how to better protect myself and to learn of my Draak heritage. After that, I’ll leave Haven in peace to find someplace I can call home.”

  Without saying a word, the Seer returned to her th
rone and sat down. She remained quiet for a moment and the power that had filled the room subsided. “I can see that you’re a very strong willed child, but your destiny will play out as I’ve said. Go and spend some time among your new people and think on the words said here today. We’ll speak again soon.”

  She directed her attention to the members of the quest gathered in front of her. “We hope that soon she’ll come to love Haven and those within it and decide to make this her home.”

  She stood and announced to the room, “Our Festival of Fire will begin in a few weeks. During the Festival, let us celebrate the successful return of our quest and welcome Tianna of the Faye to our home.”

  The Seer nodded to Tianna who reluctantly nodded in return.

  The feeling of power started to fill the room again. “I have a gift for each of you to mark your successful quest.” She blew a kiss at Marcus’ group. She turned to Tianna and said, “I have one for you as well, my Draak daughter.” The Seer blew a kiss at Tianna as well.

  Each of the warriors clenched their fists and held their breath as something etched onto the upper right of their arms. Given they were in full armor, they couldn’t see what the Seer had given them. Seth beamed even though he was in pain. He didn’t care what it was as long as it was a Mark.

  Tianna wasn’t as gracious. She yelled and jumped at the pain. She quickly used her blue fire to deaden the burn and to calm her anger. Her arms were covered by the dress so she couldn’t see her mark clearly either. She really didn’t care what it was. Like her other mark, she was given this one without asking for her permission. She wanted to scream at the Seer but didn’t want to embarrass herself in front of her protectors. She clenched her fists, holding in her anger, but she could feel it growing stronger every second. She needed to get out of this room and away from the Seer before she said or did something she was going to regret.

  The Seer commanded the Royal Guard positioned against the walls, “Do not speak of the return of Kai to anyone. The truth will be revealed when the time is right.” She returned her focus to the members of the quest. “Now go my sons. You have a new quest to begin.” All the warriors stood, bowed, and turned to leave.

  Before they were able to take a step, the Seer called, “Marcus. You’ll stay with me a bit longer. I would like to speak with you privately.”

  Marcus bowed and remained where he stood.

  Tianna turned and raced from the room without saying a word to anyone. Her mind was spinning in many directions. Although she wanted a family, she wanted a simple life raising her children with a mate she loved in a place she could call home. Now she’s being told that she’s supposed to give birth to a prophesized warrior from some Draak she doesn’t even know. Would she even get a choice or would she be forced to mate someone of their choosing? She wouldn’t give herself to a stranger no matter what their Draak customs were or what the Seer decreed.

  Tianna ran back to Gabriel’s as fast as she could while still in her formal gown, covering her Black Dragon mark so no one would see it as she ran by. When she arrived at Gabriel’s, she quickly took the dress off and examined the new mark on her arm. It was of a downward facing dagger wrapped by the stem of a yellow lily. A single drop of water hung like a tear drop from the flower’s petal. Although she thought it was beautiful, it made her anger flare again. This mark was just another way of the Seer trying to force a future on her that she didn’t ask for or want.

  Tianna changed into her hunting clothes, which hid both her dragon and lily marks. By the time the rest of her former quest members arrived, minus Marcus, she was sheathing her long knife down her back.

  Chapter 31 - A New Home

  Gabriel stopped Tianna before she got out the door. “Where are you going?”

  Tianna tried to squeeze past him. “Out. I need to get away from here for a while. I’m going back into the valley to spend a few days in the trees.”

  Gabriel knew she couldn’t be allowed outside the walls of the stronghold. He took her hand and tried to pull her back into his home saying, “Come, sit down, and let’s talk.”

  She snapped back, “I think I’ve heard just about enough talk for today. I’m tired of being informed what my future holds like I have no say in it.” She knew that she shouldn’t leave Haven unprotected but her fury was causing her to not think straight. When she realized she was taking her anger out on Gabriel, she willed herself to calm down. She said, “Sorry Gabriel, I don’t mean to take it out on you. I just need a little space. I need to get some of this anger and confusion out of me.”

  Gabriel had an idea. “If you want to knock some of the fight out of you, come with me.” He drug her out of the door with Seth and Nathaniel trailing behind them. They were also curious about what Gabriel had in mind.

  They walked down several streets before Tianna voiced a concern. “A tour of the stronghold isn’t what I had in mind.”

  “Hold on. We’re almost there.”

  They went down one last street and turned a corner. In front of them was a very large field. Tianna was thrilled to see something green, even though it was only grass.

  Gabriel smiled. “Let’s do some training.”

  Nathaniel was called by yet another female walking by so he left shortly after they arrived. She was just an excuse; he just didn’t want to watch Tianna fight. His dragon was barely contained and if he saw her attacked, even in a mock battle, he feared he would come out and defend her with lethal force.

  Before training began, Gabriel asked Tianna to show him her new mark. She reluctantly took off the arm bands, exposing the new artwork. Seth quickly took off his armor. He desperately wanted to see his addition as well. A broad smile lit across his face when he took a close look. His mark was of a silver long knife that was sheathed in a yellow lily with four crossing swords, hilts were in violet, blue, red, and green.

  Tianna couldn’t help but walk over and caress the mark. She scrutinized the long knife on his arm, which was an exact match to the knife now in her hand. She gazed up at Seth perplexed. “How did the Seer know? She’s never seen my knife.”

  Gabriel joined them and put his hand on her shoulder. “We told you that you’re special. This mark proves that you’re the warrior we were meant to find.”

  Tianna shook her head in disbelief. “It just can’t be. I can’t be what you were searching for. The Seer has made a mistake.”

  Marcus walked onto the field while they were still in a heated discussion about the meaning of the prophecy. Marcus hadn’t had a chance to look at his own mark and marveled at what was on Seth’s arm. He smiled, “Then our quest was a success and the prophecy is coming true.”

  His statement started Tianna off on another verbal rant. There was no convincing her, so Marcus changed the subject. “I would like us to meet at my home tonight after evening meal. I have a few things from the Seer that I need to discuss with all of you.”

  At the mention of the Seer, Tianna recalled her initial reaction. “Speaking of the Seer, when we met her today, I recognized her scent. She had the same scent as the old woman that gave me that drink back in Knightstorm. Could she have been the old woman in disguise?”

  They all laughed, and Marcus answered her, “The Seer is powerful, but she hasn’t left Haven in centuries. She couldn’t have been there. And she would never poison anyone on Kai’s behalf. She’s dedicated to his destruction. That’s why she sent us out on our quest in the first place.”

  Tianna agreed it was silly to think that the Seer had any connection to Kai, but the scent was one she would never forget, and the two scents matched exactly. The Seer seemed so strong in her beliefs of the prophecy, she couldn’t possibly be working with the evil she obviously hated and was working so hard to destroy—or could she? Tianna wondered, but she dropped the subject.

  Marcus left them to their training, saying he was going to find Nathaniel and tell him of their evening plans.

  Over the next few hours, Gabriel worked with Tianna and Seth. He had a sma
ll building that held equipment. They ended up working with swords and blades of many sizes, as well as some self-defense moves. Although Tianna was unmatched when it came to the use of her bow, she was still frustrated with her limitations when using anything made of steel.

  Seth came up with an idea to help Tianna’s issue. “Why don’t you try to use a staff made of wood?”

  Gabriel and Tianna nodded to each other. “It’s worth a try,” Gabriel suggested.

  He dug through his equipment, found a wooden staff, and tossed it to Tianna. Feeling the wood in her hands, she could feel her powers over nature spark. After a little trial and error, she learned how to manipulate the staff into basic sword shapes. She found she was able to battle much more effectively with her staff and was even able to strike Gabriel a couple of times.

  As they headed back to the main area of Haven for evening meal, Gabriel explained that they would be eating at a common area. Tianna liked the fact that all of Haven gathered together to eat like so many of the other magical villages. She wondered why humans didn’t follow this tradition.