Chapter 24: The Coming Storm

More or less an introduction to the next part of the story XD

Chapter 24

The Aupurin Princess

The journey across the sea wasn’t very eventful, besides the occasional request for a performance. Jade and Gale soared and swooped with Emmet and Umbris. It wasn’t easy for Emmet to hold on at first, and Jade had to tell him how best to hold on during stunts. Umbris was patient as well, allowing Emmet to practice any chance they got. It anything, the practice got Emmet off the ship to ease his stomach. 

Esther was enjoying her roll as a flutist, dancing with Nym and Alchos. Alchos even practiced his flying with sky dances that mirrored the stunts that Gale and Umbris performed. Even Theo was enjoying amazing his audiences with his slight of hand tricks, and even quick pick-pocketing out of fun. 

Though the Nights where not easy for Emmet, seeing as the boat’s constant movement kept his stomach rocking and kept him from sleeping. Though the crew did what they could to help him get some sleep. Finally Emmet felt himself drift off to sleep under Umbris’ wing. The warmth seemed to settle the rocking as Emmet felt himself drift into blackness.

Eventually Emmet woke to the sound of wind blowing in the trees. He opened his eyes and found that he was laying on his back in an open field. Above him stars danced and shimmered, almost in a way that he couldn’t look away from them. He blinked as he watched the night skies, remembering nights that he would lay out in the grass with his father, and the stories he’d tell about them. 

Soon the sound of footsteps interrupted his thoughts. But he stayed still as whoever walked over sat next to him and he felt a hand run through his hair. “So you’re Emmet…” Came a smooth woman’s voice. It sounded warm and inviting, but Emmet thought he felt something recoil deep inside him at the sound of her voice. “The boy thats been causing so much trouble… You don’t seem to be strong enough to be too much trouble…”

Emmet wanted to turn to see who was speaking, but his muscles disobeyed him, making his hand tremble as he tried to will his body to move. His attempts made the woman laugh. “Oh now why fight it? Is this a bad dream? From the look of those stars up above, I’d say this is a very pleasant dream…” 

Emmet could hear more movement and Emmet could see a silhouette cover some of the stars. It formed the head of a woman, but Emmet couldn’t see what her face looked like. Then she opened her eyes. They were bright green, brighter than Esther’s. And they seemed to have a fire in them, as if he could see the stars in them still dancing. 

“See?… It’s not a bad dream…” Came the woman’s voice again as he felt a hand brush along his cheek. “It’s been a while since you’ve rested hasn’t it?… And Umbris still hasn’t told you about the Clavis…”

“He’s… told me some…” Emmet answered, his jaw feeling stiff and making it hard to speak.

“But not all that you’d need to know…” The voice told him. “He didn’t tell you that in holding a dragon’s soul, you command that dragon… That joining with that soul can make you the most powerful man in Shiveryn… You can take revenge on those Slayers that took everything from you… Your home… your earth dragon…”

As she spoke, Emmet felt tears burn the back of his eyes. “Granite…” 

“Thats right…” The woman said. “Why not use the Clavis against her and her enemies?… It would be so easy… I can even teach you how to use it?…”

“H…how do you…” Emmet mumbled, but a finger pressed against his lips and silenced him.

“I know their ways… they have no which leader… Umbris says this because he is told this by the slayers to keep him in line… But I know their ways… and I can teach you how to use the Clavis… I can give you some lessons here in dreams… but your true lessons will be with me in person… you, your sister, and the royal will be perfectly safe while I train you…”

“Safe….” Emmet sighed. 

“Yes.. Safe…” The woman answered, her green eyes still looking back at Emmet’s brown eyes with the stars still dancing in them. “Sounds nice doesn’t it?…”

Emmet gave a slow nod. It would be nice to have a safe place for Esther and Alchos to be… and he would like to have an edge against the Slayers.

“Good…” The woman cooed. “Now, since the others would worry about you learning how to use the Clavis, I suggest keeping the training quiet… at least for now… It’s also possible that any slayers nearby would overhear, and we don’t want them knowing what you’re up to…”

“N…no…” Emmet answered. 

The angle of her eyes shifted, showing Emmet that she was smiling. “Good… It’s almost morning now… training will begin tomorrow night… For now… just rest… and watch the stars…” She leaned down and kissed his forehead, giving Emmet a strange chill down his spine. But before he could comprehend what it was about, she moved away and Emmet was left to gaze up at the dancing starlight.

Emmet…

Emmet shifted slightly, feeling his eyes droop as they tired from watching the stars, but a voice was interrupting the drifting feeling.

“Emmet!…”

Emmet groaned, not wanting to wake up as he watched the stars, feeling the woman words sink in… He did feel like she was trust worthy, though he wasn’t sure why… 

“Emmet!”

Hands shook Emmet as he was yanked from his dream and looked up into Esther’s face. Nym sat on her shoulder, looking at him, her tail flicking. Looking upwards he could see Umbris had lifted his wing and was looking down at him as well. Emmet stretched and yawned. “Whats going on?…” He asked.

“You were shivering in your sleep.” Umbris told him. “And you didn’t respond to me.”

“I’m fine…” Emmet told him as he sat up and stretched, feeling oddly refreshed.

Nym grumbled, her tail swishing back and forth. Emmet looked at her and he knew she could feel something was different. He just smiled and tried to give her a sense of ease, but she lifted her head and moved to Esther’s other shoulder.

“You sure Emmet?…” Esther asked.

“Absolutely.” Emmet answered. As he spoke the ship rocked and his stomach winced, making Emmet groan uncomfortably and lay down again. “As soon as I get off this tub I’ll be better though… How much farther?…”

“I believe the Water Dragons said we’ll be there at the end of today.” Umbris answered, standing and stretching fire forefeet forward and arching his spine much like a dog. “But I agree… I’m glad this boat ride is almost over…”

“You and me both…” Emmet replied. 

*~*~*

“Are you certain it’s a prophecy little sister?” Prince Mosi asked as he gently brushed the feathers of his Royal drake, Tropos. 

He and Kiama were in the stables of the Aupurin Palace. Most looked over his shoulder at his albino sister, her pink eyes and red pupils looking haunting to those who were not used to how she looked. Her hair was tied into a low pony tail with beads woven into her hair. With Kiama and Mosi in the same room, one would think that one or the other had been adopted. While Kiama was as porcelain as a Shiveryn Doll, Mosi was dark, like the rest of his family. He wore no shirt, but loose fitting pants that made riding comfortable. He also had beads woven into his hair and had warrior arm bands on his biceps. 

“Would I lie about this?” Kiama asked, looking a bit worried and a bit mad that her bother was doubting her. “With what I saw so vivid, and what I wrote… how couldn’t it be a prophecy? Everyone knows that the Royal egg is Ivory colored with splotches of red. ‘When one of Blood Stained Ivory hatches, a time of Trial will rise.’”

“I read what you wrote Kiama.” Mosi said, looking at his sister. “And I believe you. But this is a very heavy subject to present. A Trial? What kind of trial?”

“I don’t know,” Kiama answered, hugging her arms and looking down at her bare feet. “I remember seeing a battle, and it had two outcomes. If one army won, then we would have passed the trial and the world would be at peace. If the other army won, then I guess we’d fail and terror and darkness would prevail.”

“Have you presented this to the Shamans?” Tropos asked. 

“Not yet…” Kiama answered. “I thought I’d talk to you, and perhaps mother and father.”

“Well you know how father can be.” Mosi told her. “He needs solid proof before he will believe what you saw.”

“Thats the aggravating part…” Kiama grumbled as she folded her arms. “It’s hard to prove something when you’re the only one that can see it. And a prophecy is only seen by everyone when it comes true. By that time, the Prophecy could easily go down the wrong path.”

In the next stall over, Kiama’s Royal Dragoness, Zephyr walked over and smiled gently at her chosen rider. She leaned down with her sunset orange head and nuzzled Kiama with her powerful beak. “You shouldn’t worry about things like that.” She told her rider. “You can only tell those who will listen and believe. But I for one think you should talk to Shaman Faijika. He’s always given you good council in the past.”

“True…” Kiama said, gently petting the graceful air dragon. She took a few breaths before nodding. “And I had been wanting to go for a flight.”

“Thats the spirit!” Zephyr trilled. She laid down as she waited for Kiama to get her shall, listening to the girl rush back into the store room before coming back. 

Mosi chuckled as he finished brushing Tropos. “Just promise to be careful okay?” He asked. 

“When have I not been careful?” Kiama asked as she climbed up onto Zephyr’s back and held onto her feathers. She gave her brother a grin as Zephyr stood, who also looked at the eldest prince. 

Mosi chuckled and shook his head. “Do you want me to answer that?” He asked. 

“Of course not.” Kiama answered. “We’ll be back before supper!” She called as Zephyr rushed out of the stables and opened her wings. 

Mosi rushed out after them and had to cup his hands around his mouth for them to hear him shout. “You’d better be!” He shouted, but never knew if they heard him or not as Zephyr leaped into the air and started to climb. He shook his head before going back into the stables and looking at the blue tinted Tropos. “You’d think being the oldest my siblings would listen.”

“Thats a siblings job.” Tropos answered. “They’re supposed to keep the eldest’s life interesting.”

“There’s interesting,” Mosi said, getting onto Tropos for a flight of their own. “And then there’s kept on your toes.” 

Tropos laughed as he stepped out of the stables. Once out in the warm plain’s air as the sun began to set, Tropos paused and lifted his head looking south west. He cooed curiously and tilted his bird-like head, making him look more like a giant chicken then an air dragon. 

“What is it?” Mosi asked, looking at the horizon with Tropos. There he saw that the sky was darkening in shades of dark blues and grays.  

“A storm is coming.” Tropos answered. “Guess it will be a short pleasure flight.”

*~*~*

The cursed rocking waves made Emmet’s stomach lurch and shift unnaturally. He and Esther hunkered down bellow deck as the waves grew angrier outside. They both lay next to Umbris and Gale, the two dragons looking uneasy about the weather. Theo and Jade laid on their bunks, Theo simply laying on his back and Jade looking at the map, while Alchos sat in the entrance of the cabin and looked up at the dark skies as rain started to patter against his claws.

“It’s looking nasty out…” He said, looking back at Umbris and Gale. 

“It’s only a storm.” Gale assure him. “And like all storms it will pas before you know it.”

“Aren’t storms at sea supposed to be more vicious?” Alchos asked. 

A groan came from Emmet at the mention of this. “Couldn’t we just fly the rest of the way?..” He asked. 

“Only if you want exhausted dragons.” Theo told him. “In storms like this, it’s harder for dragons to stay level. So it tires them out.”

“We’ve flown through storms before..” Esther offered. “When we first started the trip we were flying in the rain.”

“A downpour is different than a storm at sea.” Jade explained. “There’s no forests or mountains to break up the wind, and the waves can get pretty high.”

“So best to just hunker down for a while.” Gale told him, lifting her wing to offer shelter.

Alchos approached and quietly settled under her very large wings, but he jumped as the growl of thunder echoed above them. Gale gently closed her wing over him and looked down at him. “It’s late. The youth should try and get some sleep.”

“I doubt anyone can sleep on a night like this.” Umbris grumbled, his own wing shielding the Fields. He looked at them, wishing he could help Emmet relax enough to sleep. Esther lay next to her brother, his arm resting protectively around her, even in his Sea sickened state. Though even she jumped as another growl of thunder was heard. 

Gale looked at them and gave a smile. “Then allow me to try something. It’s a lullaby my own mother sang for nights like this.” 

Jade looked up at her dragoness and smiled, hugging her pillow as Gale lifted her head and opened her jaws to sing.

“Little Child, be not afraid.

The rain pounds harsh against the glass

Like an unwanted stranger,

there is no danger.

I am here tonight.

Little Child, be not afraid.

Though thunder explodes and lightning flash

Illuminates, your tearstained face.

I am here tonight.

For someday you’ll know,

that nature is so.

The same rain that draws you near me,

falls on Rivers and Land,

on forests and Sand.

Makes the beautiful world that you see,

In the morning.”

Alchos looked up at Gale as she sang. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he felt like this song was familiar somehow. But he couldn’t put a claw on why it felt familiar. But he laid his head down and listened to the song, Emmet and Esther watching and listening as well. Though Umbris didn’t relax yet, he smiled as he saw the youth of the group begin to relax as the song went on.

“Little child, be not afraid.

The storm clouds mask our beloved moon,

and its candle light beams,

still keep pleasant dreams.

I am here tonight.

Little child, Be not afraid.

The wind makes creatures of our trees,

and their branches to hands,

they’re not real understand?

I am here tonight.

For someday you’ll know,

that nature is so.

The same rain that draws you near me,

falls on Rivers and Land,

on forests and Sand.

Makes the beautiful world that you see,

In the morning.

Gale smiled as she looked down as Alchos eyes began to close, though he still fought the urge to sleep like any stubborn hatchling. She gently nuzzled him as she continued singing. 

For you know,

once even I was a…

Little Child…

And I was afraid.

But a gentle someone always came.

To dry all my tears,

trade sweet sleep for fears,

and to give a kiss tonight.

For now I am grown,

And these years have shown,

the rains are part of how life goes.

But it’s dark and it’s late, 

So I’ll hold you and wait,

’Til your frightened eyes do close.

Jade smiled as she set up and joined Gale for the last part of the song. Gale looked at her and smiled as her rider joined, noticing that Umbris’ head was finally lowering against the wooden floor and letting his eyes gently close. 

 

And I hope that you know,

that nature is so.

The same rain that draws you near me,

falls on Rivers and Land,

on forests and Sand.

Makes the beautiful world that you see,

In the morning.

Everything fine in the morning.

The rain will be gone in the morning.

But we’ll still be here in the morning..”

Gale smiled at her rider before gently nuzzling the now sleeping prince. Both Emmet and Esther were now sleeping soundly as well, with the rumblings of thunder mixing with Umbris’ snores. Gale nodded to Jade, who laid back on her bed and closed her eyes. 

Theo smiled at them before letting his own eyes close. “Now that,” He yawned as he turned over to his side. “Is how you say goodnight…”

Author's Note

So, more or less just an introductory to the next part of the story, but the action will pick up again real quick, promise ;) Please stay tuned for the next chapter!