Chapter 8: Breaking News

Things start getting interesting...

The sun was warm as Emmet and Esther ran around out in the forests in play, flapping beside them was the young prince of dragons, who had been dubbed Alchos, named for the magic that had seemed to fill the room the night of his birth.

Esther wasn’t happy that Emmet didn’t wake her when Alchos hatched and had punched his arm for ‘hogging the experience’ as she called it. But Emmet was quickly forgiven when he told her she can pick the name after he told her about the magic that night. And she chose Alchos.

Umbris and Granite sat nearby and watched the young ones play. Granite had gotten a little more used to having Umbris nearby and Umbris had relaxed when Alchos was old enough to join him and Granite out in the barns. He was now eating solid foods and had been speaking since his wings began filling out. His crumpled wings had filled out into an impressive wingspan, and he was slowly getting the hang of flying as he glided after Emmet, Esther, and Nym.

“You gotta flap to keep up Al!” Emmet called, encouraging the prince on using his wings.

Alchos tried, but he kept falling back to his feet. “They too heavy!” He called after them.

“Means they’re strong!” Umbris called. “Keep working them and you’ll be strong too someday.”

Alchos shook his head before leaping and gliding again to land on Esther, knocking her to the ground. “Gotcha!” He trilled happily, giving his wings a couple victory flaps. 

Esther laughed, though the over protective Nym growled at Alchos for shoving her down. Alchos looked at her and huffed at her. “What? I win!”

“You did…” Emmet said, sitting to catch his breath. “But you gotta remember that humans are more delicate than dragons. And pinning someone down could hurt them if you’re not careful.”

Alchos frowned, now seeing why Nym was mad at him and clambered off of Esther. “Sorry…” He mumbled, drooping his wings and lowering his head. 

“It’s okay Al,” Esther said, petting his head and smiling. “You’re too small to really hurt anyone yet.”

Alchos cheered up and squeaked happily before snuggling with Esther before she got up. 

“Emmet! Esther!” 

Both siblings looked up at hearing their mother, and even Alchos looked up at hearing the familiar voice of the person he wasn’t supposed to reveal himself to. 

“Looks like we need to head home,” Emmet said, looking up at the sun's position and measuring with his hand. “It’s high time to help with dinner anyway.”

“Aww!” Alchos and Esther complained, making Emmet laugh. 

“Oh don’t look so glum,” Emmet said. “I’ll see you before the sun sets as always to get everyone's supper.”

“For now, you know the drill.” Granite said as he stood and started walking over to them, a large saddlebag on his back. He looked at the Shadow dragon as Umbris stood, still limping on his weaker leg, but was now putting weight on it. “You’ll be alright walking back?” he asked. 

Umbris nodded. “As long as the children can keep their mother away from the windows for the next half hour.”

“We’ve been able to up to this point right?” Emmet asked. “You guys be careful.” 

“And you.” Granite said as Alchos climbed into the saddle bag and settled there. Granite smiled at the young prince and watched as the humans rushed home to their mother. Their stealth when it came to their secret guests did amaze him. A full month and a half had gone by, and yet Emmet was able to hide the fact that a Shadow Dragon and a Royal Dragon were sleeping in their barn. This would certainly be a tale to tell future generations.

“Hey, Granite,” Umbris said as he limped up to stand beside the alpha. “You gonna stand there and ponder life like an elder all night?”

“Oh just because you’re several years younger than me doesn’t give you the right to call me an elder.” Granite said, but he was smiling.

“I never said you were an Elder,” Umbris answered with a chuckle. “I just commented that you’re acting like one.”

“I could just run home and leave your sorry hide behind you know.” Granite laughed as the two dragons started walking home, Granite walking between Umbris and the farmhouse to hide him best he could from Mrs. Fields View.

At the house, Emmet and Esther had rushed in, both panting and with burrs in their jeans and socks from playing with Alchos. Margret took one look at them and huffed. “What am I going to do with you two?” She asked as she picked a burr or two from Esther’s jeans as Esther did the same for Nyms fur. 

“I don’t know,” Emmet answered. “Options?”

Margret chuckled. “how about you two clean up and start peeling potatoes for supper?”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Both kids said, both rushing upstairs to get cleaned up.

Emmet was first to come back down as Esther was still picking burrs from Nym’s fur and he started on the potatoes while his mother turned on the television for background noise. 

Emmet sat on a barstool as he peeled, but looked up when the program on the TV was interrupted by a breaking news alert.

“We interrupt this program for an emergency alert.” Said the reporter, someone from the Kresea Kingdom. “This news has been going on in the past month and a half in the Capital Kingdom Shiveryn, where High Queen Allure’s last egg has been stolen from its nesting cave.”

“What?!” Margret asked as she turned up the volume and Esther came down.

“King Tristan stands with us now with the Royal families to explain the situation. The reporter present is Katie Harrow. You’re on Katie.”

“Thanks, Megan.” Katie Said as the camera changed to a large outcropping of stone that naturally aided in amplifying the sound. At the center of this was the human royal family; King Tristan, his Queen Lady Elia, and their daughter Princess Adele. Beside them was the Dragon Royals. Queen Allure with two advisors Major Glass Wings and her daughter Princess Aurora. Aurora was to be the next High Queen of Dragons, as she carried the royal lineage.

“We’re coming to you live where the Royal families had gathered to explain the situation and the measures being taken to resolve the matter at hand.” Katie finished as Queen Allure stepped Forward.

“My kin and my people!” She said, her voice elegant but held power within the words. “I apologize for interrupting your day with such grave news. But I ask for your aid. A month and a half ago, my last Egg was stolen from its resting place, barely within its last weeks until hatching. We had closed off Shiveryn in hopes to trap the thieves of my young within the border, but as I now know, they had escaped into the other kingdoms. And so I ask that all borders be closed! And if my young one is seen, they would be small and learn to fly by now.. please report them to the authorities. I’m also giving the authorities permission to search homes to find my child. But do so within reason! No ransacking homes or terrorizing.”

“We did not bring this tragedy up earlier to avoid panic.” King Tristan said. “It's important that everyone remains calm as we search for the hatchling and bring them home safely.”

“As for the ones that stole my egg.” Queen Allure said, her lips curling back slightly in a snarl. “May you beg for mercy when my people find you. For you will not receive any.”

Emmet and Esther looked at each other for a moment, Esther looking a bit pale as Nym tried to comfort her. Emmet had long stopped peeling the potatoes. This wasn’t good at all…

* * *

“This is the Farthest thing from good!” Granite said as he placed in the barn. “If the authorities come here and find Umbris and Alchos here, we will all be arrested and taken to the queen to be slain.”

“Granite,” Umbris said quietly, feeling Alchos tremble at his side from Granites raised voice. 

Granite looked at the hatchling and laid down to try and relax. But Emmet’s report had the steady earth dragon shaken. Granite snorted. “We need a plan…” 

“Alchos and I can camp in the forest for a while..” Umbris said. “He’s too young to fly long distance yet.”

Alchos looked up at Umbris. “Why do we have to leave?”

Umbris looked down at the young one. “Because your mother misses you. And she has asked everyone in the world to look for you.”

“Then why not let them find us?” Alchos asked.

Umbris paused. He didn’t want to frighten the youth with tales about the Slayers. He’d rather eat his own tail than do that. “It’s difficult to explain.” He said.

“While the forest is a good plan,” Granite said. “I worry that they may not be safe with you two on your own.” 

“I can ask Phyllis.” Emmet offered. “Clair and I’ve visited her every weekend since that first walk.”

“That's all well and good.” Granite said. “But the objective is to keep Prince Alchos a secret until we can get him home safely.”

“We could just play it by ear.” Umbris offered.

Granite shook his head. “And if the authorities come here and search?” He asked. 

“Then what do you suggest?” Umbris asked grumpily.

“How about this?” Emmet said, wanting to make sure no fights break out. “We sleep on it for tonight, then Granite and I scout around the property for anything we can use to hide you and Alchos? If anything it’s the start of a plan.”

Umbris and Granite looked at each other before Granite huffed. “Alright, it’s the best idea we have at this point.”

Emmet gave a nod as he finished his chores and started closing up for the night. But he was nervous. With the authors being sent out, it would mean one slip up and Alchos and Umbris would be found and his family could be imprisoned as traitors to the crowns. He took a slow breath as he slipped back inside and flopped into his hammock, trying without success to sleep.

In the hall across from him, however, Esther was wishing she could wake up. her hands gripped the blankets and she buried her face into her pillows as old dreams replayed themselves, but then there were new ones. 

A bright red moon was rising, and she could see eyes just as red or violet peering out of the darkened forest. Then Torches are lit, showing cloaked people and chained dragons.

Granite roars a challenge at the intruders and is attacked while Emmet is forced onto Umbris with Alchos in his arms. 

“Esther!” He cried.

Esther turned to see a woman with snake eyes and found she couldn’t move as her heart pounded fearfully in her chest. She stretched her hand out for Esther to take and to the girl’s horror, she reached back.

“Esther!”

Esther then turned to see a man suddenly drop a cloak around her and embrace her tightly. She panicked and started struggling and crying out.

“Esther! Wake up Rebel!” 

Esther cried out as she woke. She was back in her room with Nym crooning at her and offering gentle waves of peace to the girl. Emmet was sitting in front of her, hugging her close. He now held her at arm's length and looked at her, worry in his eyes. “Hey, you okay?”

Esther didn’t answer, just hugged her brother and started crying. 

A moment later Margret appeared in the door and turned on the light.” What happened?” She asked as she sat next to them on the bed. 

“Night terror,” Emmet answered as Esther looked at her mother and hugged her as well, still sobbing as if her world fell apart. 

“Hey… shhh…” Margret hushed, rubbing her daughters back to calm her. “It’s okay honey… shh… you’re safe now.”

Her quiet words didn’t seem to help Esther calm down, so she resorted to her last trick which had always worked. Still holding Esther close, she reached to her bedside and picked up an old Music box and twisted the key five times. Setting it down, she opened it and let the music inside play. She smiled at her daughter and ran her fingers through the girl's hair, quietly starting to sing.

Wandering, Child of the earth do you

Know, just, how much you’re worth?

You have walked, this, path since your birth

You were destined for more.

There are those, who’ll tell you you’re wrong

They will try, to, silence your song.

But right here, is, where you belong

so don’t search, anymore.

You are, the dawn of a new day that'

waking, a Masterpiece still in the making

… the Blue in an ocean of Gray.

You are, right where you need to be.

Poised to, inspire and to succeed.

You’ll look back and you’ll realize one day…

Esther’s sobbing soon turned to sniffling as she clung to Margret, But Emmet could see she was slowly calming down as their mother sang that old lullaby. Emmet could remember nights she sang it to him when he couldn’t sleep and smiled a little at the memory.

In your eyes there is doubt as you

try to figure it out

But that's not, what, life if about

So have faith.

There's a way.

Though the world may try to define you,

It can’t, take, the light that's inside you.

So don’t, you, dare try to hide

Let your fears, fade away.

You are, the dawn of a new day that's

waking, a Masterpiece still in the making

… the Blue in an ocean of Gray.

You are, right where you need to be.

Poised to, inspire and to succeed.

You’ll look back and you’ll realize one day…

You are, the dawn of a new day thats

waking, a Masterpiece still in the 

making… the Blue in an ocean of Gray.

You are, right where you need to be.

Poised to, inspire and to succeed.

Soon you’ll, finally find your own way…

As the music box slowed to silence, Margret looked down to see that Esther had gone back to sleep. She smiled and gently laid Esther back into the nest of pillows and tucked her back in. She nodded for Emmet to follow her out as the two silently left Esther to sleep, turning out the light and closing the door behind them.

“She hadn’t had a night terror for months..” Emmet Whispered.

“I think the news report this evening startled her is all.” Margret answered. “But lets keep an eye on her and see how things go. We can ask her in the morning what it was that she dreamed of.”

Emmet nodded. “Sounds like a plan.,” he said. “Goodnight Ma.”

“Goodnight Emmet.” Margret said before the two parted ways and went back to bed.

Author's Note

Okay, now things are starting to get interesting! Like I said, this part of the story might get dark and might be placed under Mature Content if it gets to be too much ^_^