Almakia_The vilashi and the Dragons

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Almakia_The vilashi and the Dragons Page 29

by Lhaisa Andria


  Shion was concentrating on the table of the girls who whispered, but at the same moment he turned to the other side and stared fiercely at the student of her class. It was the same almaki that on the first day of Kidari at the Institute had treated her badly because the princess had sat in her place and that now she always made a point of reserving the best table, even if that intention was not accepted.

  — Do you think if you stay quiet, everything will work out? – she laughed – Do not count on it, princess! – Why do not you come with us? She gestured to a table, where other Fifth Graders waved smiling. – You do not need to mix with her. What will they think of Your Highness if they know who you are talking in the Institute?

  Kidari did not hide his grimace. Declared did not like them to use formalities with her and had warned her about this since returning from the Assignment. She had told Garo-lin that her only demand when she was invited to come to Almakia was not to be treated by her position and that she intended to know what it was like to live without being recognized as the daughter of the King of Kodo. But because of the circumstances, it seemed to have bothered him more than usual.

  — Ani! – She stood up and clapped her hands on the table – Apologize to Garo-lin now!

  A silence slowly settled in the cafeteria, while news of what was happening spread throughout the place. In a matter of moments all attention was focused on that corner. Regardless of Kodorin's reaction, the student continued, as if explaining to a stubborn child that she was wrong:

  — Princess, I know it is difficult for you to come from Overseas and not understand our customs. A vilashi with an almaki – and pointed with contempt at Garo-lin – is something abnormal that we have to tolerate in our midst for charity. Although her presence here during all these years was not at all pleasant, we were good enough to let her stay. But she dared to get close to the Dragons and that we can not allow! Your Highness, being who you are, should not be with vilashis.

  — And what Vilashis have of bad?! They cheerful and good people! They make delicious food and do not look at you in disgust as almakis do! They...

  — KIDARI! – Garo-lin tried to keep her from talking, but that bit was enough for the student to understand what she should not have understood.

  Then she looked at Garo-lin, with a fury that the almakins only demonstrated in cases where her excellence was put into play, and accused her:

  — Did you take the Kodo Princess to a place of vilashis?

  — THEY ARE MUCH BETTER THAN YOU! – Kidari exploded, and that made all the students startled. Not because she had come up on the table to shout and make it clear that what she said was for everyone, but rather by the Kodo Princess being deliberately against them and in favor of a single, insignificant vilashi. – VILASHIS ARE MUCH BETTER THAN ALMAKINS!

  Not even Shion was quick enough to see the movement in time to protect his owner. A gust of wind struck her in the chest and threw her against the stone wall. Kidari slid to the ground, stunned, and instantly Garo-lin ran to her, jumping over the tables and kicking the dishes, not caring if she was hitting anyone.

  — Kidari! – She took her friend's face and forced her to look forward.

  It was not the same as what had happened to her. Kidari did not have the same resistance and it had been a strong attack that had taken her by surprise.

  Shion was attacking someone in the background and was also attacked. But even though it was his mission to protect the princess, he could not simply do what he wished against the one who dared to attack his owner, and then returned to her, shielding her with open wings as she growled at the students.

  With that, all the self-control that Garo-lin had gathered from the day she was threatened locked herself in a deep place of his mind and gave up all the space for anger, which carried with it everything that had been stilled until that point. Then she stood and turned to the students, shouting:

  -YOU ARE IDIOTS?! THINK YOU ARE THE WORLD'S DONORS?! THINK THAT YOU CAN TREAT PEOPLE AS TRASH, IF THEY ARE NOT AT YOUR HEIGHT?!

  — Shut the fuck up, VILASHI! – a student took the front, a soulful trinket of metal almaki, at least three times bigger than her, a fact that alone should make her shrink.

  But Garo-lin did not move and stared at him boldly:

  — I'VE ALREADY SHUT UP FOR A LONG TIME! FOR YEARS I KEEP QUIET WHILE I SEE YOU BOASTING YOURSELFS, SAYING THAT YOU ARE THE BEST AND ALMAKIA ARE YOU! ONLY AN IDIOT SAYS HE'S BETTER THAN THE OTHERS FOR SUCH A REASON!

  She went too far and managed to provoke all the students.

  Many came forward and joined the metal almakin, and one said:

  — If she says we think we're the best because of our almaki, show her we do not need it to get rid of worms!

  — LET'S ANNIHILATE THE VILASHI! – Another roared, punching the air and encouraging colleagues. – Annihilate! Annihilate! Annihilate!

  — ANNIHILATE! ANNIHILATE! ANNIHILATE! ANNIHILATE! – continued the chorus of students, making the walls of the dining room tremble.

  Knowing what he should do and seeing how easy it was, the student advanced, ready to pick up the thin Vilashi by the neck and quickly end the bother of the Institute.

  Garo-lin took a deep breath and concentrated. At that moment, not revealing her evolved almaki made no sense and she felt she could set fire to the entire cafeteria. But as soon as the flames wrapped around his hands, the ground in front of him exploded, making pieces of stone fly all over the place and chasing away the students, who tried to protect themselves, causing confusion.

  — WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?! – A voice echoed through the cafeteria.

  — The Dragons! – Someone shouted, and as if this word had the power to do so, they began to organize, facing the door.

  Garo-lin lost his concentration and his almaki dissipated.

  A path was opened and Dul'Maojin and the Dragons came to her, stopping in front of the hole that had been opened. The Fire Dragon stared at her and more than a thousand answers to his question popped into her mind. However, before she could separate any of them, he turned to the students and inquired in a menacing tone:

  — What is going on?!

  As the students stared at each other, lost as the scolding seemed to be directed at them, Zawhart jumped as far as Kidari was, and the princess opened a huge smile as he approached of her.

  — They used almaki – the Lightning Dragon informed the leader as he took the princess's outstretched hand.

  — You can not use almaki against students inside the Black Gates! – Said Dul'Maojin. – What were you doing?

  — It was the vilashi that started! – accused one student and was followed by others who said the same thing.

  — You started this, vilashi? – He asked Garo-Lin, raising an eyebrow, as if by chance.

  — And...

  — Of course she would not be an idiot to quarrel with you all! – The dragon interrupted her, jumping through the hole she had made on the ground and following her where she was, catching her wrist.

  Garo-lin held his teeth tightly so as not to scream in pain, but the grimace and involuntary movement of the arm did so.

  He pulled the sleeve from her robes and saw the bandaged arm, realizing that it was not just a recent mess.

  — When did they do that? – The dragon whispered the question just for them.

  Instead of answering, she looked at the floor. Sh'd made up her mind to no longer engage with the Dragons and she'd keep it.

  Seeing that he would not have an answer, Dul'Maojin ordered:

  — Benar, Sumerin! Find out who started with this and make it never happen again! Vinshu, Nu'lian, take care of the princess! Then he took the unhanded hand from Garo-lin and pulled it. – You, come with me!

  ***

  — Get off me! – he asked, trying to break free the dragon, when they were far enough away from the cafeteria and the students.

  — No!

  — It'll only make things worse!

  But he did not listen to he
r and kept walking, heading for the Hall of Dragons. As soon as he came in and dropped her on one of the comfy couches, slammed the door shut and asked,

  — How can I make things worse, idiot? Why did not you call me by the ball?!

  — I do not have her!

  — What did you do to her?!

  — I threw it out!

  — You threw...

  The anger he was feeling seemed to come to his head, even stopping him from speaking.

  Without warning, he raised his hand and threw a ball of fire into the fireplace, which burst into living flames and scorched the carpet and the curtains that were nearby.

  Garo-lin looked at those flames in alarm. He knew that the dragon would be furious to discover that she was not with the sphere, but not that it would be wildly furious.

  Breathing and trying to calm down, he seemed to sort out his thoughts and then said:

  — I'll find out one way or the other, vilashi. But I'm giving you the opportunity to give me your version. Enjoy!

  It was true and this she could not deny. At that very moment, the Wind Dragon would be using his abilities to know what had happened, and Kidari surely would have told everything he knew to the Lightning Dragon. Even if she did not want to say, that might be the best way to end the subject. Then, choosing the words she would use, she began:

  — They did not accept the fact that a vilashi was being protected by the Fire Dragon. They also do not accept the fact that the Kodo Princess is so close to me and me being close to the Dragons – she stared at him. – Was not that obvious?

  The dragon crossed his arms, processing that information as if it were the first time he had seen the situation from that angle.

  Then he came to a conclusion and stated:

  — I'm going to break them all!

  — NO! Garo-lin jumped off the couch and grabbed his robes to stop him from leaving. – Do not do stupid things like that! It was no good getting me out of there! You should just put all the blame on me! Everything would be solved!

  — Do not say stupid things! How could guilt be yours?!

  Definitely, the dragon would not understand her intention that way. If she did not want to waste her time, he would have to say clearly:

  — Please, Fire Dragon, ignore me again.

  He stared at her for a while, and Garo-lin, without realizing it, tightened the folds of the cloth she held in her hands.

  — I can get you anything you want, Vilashi, but that's impossible.

  Garo-lin released the robes, taking a step back, irritated.

  Could he not have a little common sense and understand that all those problems came directly because of his way of thinking?

  — Here. – He pulled something out of his pocket and reached out in front of her, making an impatient gesture for her to pick it up.

  Suspicious, Garo-lin did not move.

  — Just get it, damn it! – He pulled her hand out and placed the object in his palm.

  — What is it? – She asked, staring at a pendant with a small drop-shaped white stone that seemed to glow irrespective of whether it had a light to reflect on.

  — It's yours.

  — A stone? – She had to ask, since she saw nothing of it.

  — It's not just a stone! – He looked annoyed that had to explain. – It's a star! Pure Almaki from Heaven!

  Garo-lin had heard of it, but she had not imagined it to be real.

  They said that a long time ago a star had fallen in Almakia and that it had broken in several pieces, able to emit a light. Both almakins and people of other peoples believed that those stones were pure almaki from heaven and that whoever possessed them would have immense power. However, the only power they had was to provoke disputes and wars. It was a sad and beautiful story, told in many ways, both in books on Almakia and in poetry and novels, always hanging on to the fanciful side that earned him the fame of legend.

  — You like stories, so I thought you'd like something old.

  — Are you giving me a piece of Almakia's story? -She asked incredulously, being struck suddenly by all the weight that little piece of stone had.

  — It's a piece of Almakia – he corrected. – We are all a piece of Almakia! Even if you say we're different, vilashi, you're wrong. We are all born in this Realm... and if you look on that side, you are no different from the Dragons.

  She stared at the stone, which flashed louder for a moment.

  He had never thought of it that way. She could descend from a people outside Almakia, but her parents, her brothers and her were born within the Realm and her family lived on those lands. The differences, who created and maintained them were themselves.

  — I put you above all others and you being a vilashi or whatever is of no importance at all! I like you anyway!

  Garo-lin looked at him and could not hide his expression of surprise.

  — What?

  — I'll call Vinshu to take care of your arm. Do not leave!

  And when the dragon left, Garo-lin collapsed on the couch, taking with him all the decisions he had made during those days.

  ***

  It was not long before the silence of the Dragon Room was broken by the lively voices of its owners, who commented on what had happened as if it had been a great and fun event of the day.

  — There's the vilashi! – The Wind Dragon exclaimed as he saw her curled up on the couch in her unsuccessful attempt to blend in with the furniture and disappear, and curiously asked – How does it feel to be the center of attention of the Institute?

  Kidari, followed closely by Shion, rushed into the room and stood beside her, not opening her mouth. It was apparent that she felt guilty for having revealed everything about the past few days and acted that way at her side, begging her silently not to be scolded.

  — What would have happened if we took another few seconds to get there? – Asked Gran'Otto, to no one in particular. – Or rather, what if Kris was not sick enough to give her the Star Stone?

  — I was not! – The dragon defended himself in an exaggerated reaction. – Do you think I'd come running here just to give Vilashi that stupid stone?

  — And you did not come? – Asked the Royal Dragon.

  Dul'Maojin did not answer, since could not rebuke your friend for the well-known fact that he always spoke the truth. Instead of insisting and demonstrating his natural moodiness, the Dragon Leader simply gave orders, an easier way to change the situation:

  — Vinshu! Heal her arm!

  Rolling his eyes, the Lightning Dragon obeyed. In his own way, of whom he was giving her a great deal more favor, Zawhart took his arm without asking permission or otherwise represented dealing with another human being. He untied Kidari's precarious dressing – which seized the air, awaiting some comment from him – and began his work, commenting:

  — You were very lucky, vilashi. We did not intend to go back today.

  She did not answer. She did not know what to do and was still shocked at what had happened before, with everything. As much as she did not want to admit it, could not deny the sense of relief had at that moment in having all gathered around him. Receiving that friendly treatment of the Dragons, she could breathe without that feeling that at any moment someone would appear behind her telling that could not consume the air of the almakins. Their presence here, laughing and playing with the situation that had taken sleep during those days, represented the end of a torment. But what resounded uncomfortably in her head were the words of the Fire Dragon.

  Knowing that staring into nothingness, trying to decide what was best to do was not appropriate, she pushed away those thoughts and tried to pay attention to what was concrete in front of her:

  — It's ok? – Asked to Kidari.

  — It was nothing – the princess reassured her, opening her arms and a smile, somehow to show it was true. – Vinshu took care of me, right Shion?

  The cat merely swayed his ears, while the aforementioned pretended not to have heard the mistake in her overt co
mplimenting intent.

  — Good – said Garo-Lin, and cast a disguised glance at Dul'Maojin, who pretended to be interested in the havoc of the scorched curtain.

  ***

  After leaving the Dragons room and being escorted by Kidari and Shion to her room, Garo-lin still felt loose, as if she had lost her place in the world. Starting to look for him wherever he was was a task that required isolation and could not do so by being surrounded by Dragons.

  Then, finally alone in her room, she dropped into her bed, and the promise she had heard a short while ago sounded in her thoughts as if it were being said at that moment: no student will bother her any more. And even this being spoken and guaranteed by the Fire Dragon, the others had also agreed, making that a promise of Dragons.

  Garo-lin could not see exactly where it had happened, but somehow the Heirs of the Great Families treated her as if it were normal to have her around, as if for a long time that coexistence was already happening, as if she were...

  — Unbelievable, Garo-lin! – She threw herself back and laughed.

  Even in thought the idea of being friends with the Dragons sounded ridiculous.

  I like you anyway.

  Garo-lin took the pillow and covered her head to utter a muffled cry. How had she dared to speak that way, shaking the whole structure of it?

  She could bear the fact that the Fire Dragon said that he even accepted her as a vilashi. But to say, in such an open way, that he liked her was too much. Where, when, and exactly how did it happen?!

  She pushed back the pillow and regained the air. Then she raised his hand and dropped the silver chain with the glass sphere – now with the pendant she had won-that hung above her face.

  The Piece of Almakia, as Dul'Maojin had called it, flickered almost imperceptibly and demanded a little concentration so that could perceive the tiny pulsing effect it emanated. Indeed, it was as if that little pebble were impregnated with pure almaki, which did not wear away and maintained that endless journey through the form of gout. The Fire Dragon had not said anything more about it. Just handed her the glass ball before leaving, and this time using a better way to warn not to lose it, saying that if called her and was not with the sphere, would burn them both. It was a far worse threat than the one had heard from the students, but it did not have the same effect. Even if it was an aggressive tone, instead of frightening her, this threat gave her the absolute certainty that she would always attend to her calling through the sphere, even though she was a vilashi.

 

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