Wyvern's Flight Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Home?

The bed I woke in was soft and a blanket was tucked around me, I lay there in the warmth and thought about what had happened. I had been held, starved, hurt, and healed all in the matter of days. I knew almost nothing of myself save what had been told to me and that one little fact that I had remembered, my mother, Lady Kerani. I remember she was a tall, lean woman, pale and thin, but strong. She seemed to feel for everything, whenever the kids from the nearby town would throw rocks at me she would cradle me in her arms and hum a soothing melody that inside resonated deeper than words ever could, “It is life Araminta, they are cruel, but you mustn’t let it hurt. You must never let anything hurt, life is too painful to live if you do.”

One day I came home, my face covered with dirt and grime, an open cut on my temple still bleeding. There were tears in her eyes as she cleaned my face, bitter tears. And her eyes held so much more than I could understand, so much hurt, so much pain.

“I know why they do it Momma, I figured it out.” With those same tears in her eyes, swimming there unshed her voice wavered to ask me what I meant.

“They’re afraid Momma, I don’t know why, but I can almost taste it. Its like I can feel their fear for them!” Her topaz eyes bore into me, the eyes I knew so well, topaz with a starburst of orange at the center, those warm, inviting eyes. The eyes of my Mother, the eyes I would never have.

She looked at me like that for a long moment, the tears drying from her eyes,

“You are ready…come.” She led me by the hand into her bedroom and lifting a board from the floor she tugged me down to kneel beside her.

“To understand another’s actions, to look at a person and not hate them for what they have done, it is a gift. I was hoping this wouldn’t happen until you were older my daughter, but today I give you your birth rite. Araminta Sarisa Wyvs, welcome to your destiny.” She pulled from the boards a package, brown paper bound with string. Carefully untying it, pulling back the paper she revealed a dress of shimmering red and black. At her request I obediently went to bath, donning the rich garment.

I marveled at the smooth, liquid feel of the fabric. I took a few experimental steps, it moved with me. I stepped a little farther and danced a bit, a simple dance, not unlike the belly dancers in town, the dress moved with me. I turned to look in the mirror, brushing my now dried hair, it was longer then, it fell to my knees in a cascading curtain of black silk, my purple-grey eyes full of life. I saw myself for the first time that day as something, someone, a person. There I stood, barefoot in a simple gown, my hair loose and my eyes bright, Beautiful. Mother stepped up behind me, the smile when she saw me, so full of love made me collapse into tears. “Araminta, I give to you your destiny, your life.” I stood before her as she removed a chain from her neck and placed it around mine. “I love you.”

It was as if time slowed, Mother walked out the open door into the sunlight, swirls of gold surrounding her as she turned to me, “I Love you.” she said again as she disappeared. “Mother!” I ran out into the sun, it hurt, like a stinging sensation all over. “Mother!” I reached the spot where she had stood, but she was gone. I knelt in the dirt weeping; that is when I caught sight of the necklace. It was silver, a small but magnificent and detailed Wyvern pendant on a thin silver chain. I looked at it, scrutinizing every crevasse of the intricate pendant. It seemed to dance and move under my gaze, I looked at the ground and then the sky for a moment before returning to the house. I understood everything now. I slowly packed some clothing and things into a small bag. I looked back at the house as dusk began to set, “I love you, too…Mother.” And I set off, alone in the world.

My mind returned to the warmth surrounding me. Sitting up in the bed I found myself in the same room I had hidden myself in, the one that smelled of Xavier. *Gurgle* my stomach rumbled with hunger. I stood tall and stretched, the bruises from before were now gone, the only pain residing in my ankle. I cautiously opened the door and ventured out, near convinced I was safe.

“Ah, so the princess is awake is she?” the gruff voice of Gabriel startled me, he sat on a couch with a cup of coffee and the paper. A small gasp escaped me,

“I…I was…just…” Xavier walked in then, brandishing a second copy of the paper, totally oblivious to me,

“Did you read page three yet? I can’t believe it, its below the belt!”

“W…What is?” I stuttered. He turned to face me,

“Ah, I did not realize you had awakened.” He set the paper on the table and started to lead me from the room.

“You must be starving, look at you! You must have lost fifty pounds!” He ushered me into the kitchen and started pulling things from closets.

“So what will it be? Pancakes? French toast? Eggs?”

“Um, Pancakes sound good?”

“Pancakes it is!” The kitchen became a flurry of movement as Xavier began to cook. Halfway through the ‘show’ Gabriel wandered in, whispering in my ear,

“You’d do best not to eat it, Xavier isn’t known for his cooking.” With a brilliant grin Xavier turned and with a flourish set before me a stack of pancakes, buttered and drowning in syrup. Gabriel shook his head at something and walked away saying he was off on some errands. I turned back to the stack before me and found out what Gabriel had thought was amusing, there were out of about twenty, three edible pancakes. All the rest were either scorched or still almost liquid.

“Umm… Thank you.” I couldn’t help, but giggle a bit at Xavier, he was like a little kid, or a puppy. Full of energy and just so different! I ate what was edible and pleaded an overfull stomach to avoid insulting him.

“Come on! We have a lot to do today!” He grabbed my hand and I found myself near flying through the house,

“Where are we going?” he dragged me downstairs, careful of my ankle and grabbed a bag that sat on a random table on the way.

“We have lots to do today so you need to wash and get dressed real fast, Kay?” He shoved me in a bathroom and closed the door. Confused I did as I was told, the bag had been pushed in with me and I found a shirt and some pants that fit relatively well, they were obviously male and the fabric was rather coarse, but they would do. I threw my hair up into a quick ponytail and exited, I nearly expected Xavier to be hopping up and down waiting for me. Instead I found him leaning nonchalantly against the wall,

“You ready?” I nodded. Once again I then found myself flying through halls until we reached a door. I think this guy must run everywhere; He never seemed to slow down. He handed me a hooded coat. I put it on and he lifted the hood for me. He fished around in a pocket for a minute before coming up with a pair of sunglasses,

“Come on.” He opened the door and sunlight streamed on me. I flinched, ready for it to burn, but thanks to the heavy clothes covering near all my skin it didn’t. He stepped out, holding the door for me,

“Come on, we have lots to do!” He spoke energetically, like this was going to be fun. I was hesitant to take a step from out that door, last time I had been near one it had been excruciatingly painful.

“You’re not afraid are you? It’s just a door.” Something childish inside me snapped, I was too prideful to let this taunting get to me and I boldly stepped out the door. I was then successfully dragged into a waiting car, which wasn’t very hard. For such a slim man Xavier was extremely strong.

“Where are we going?” I grumbled as the driver started down the long driveway. “Shopping!” Xavier’s face lit up like a light bulb. And I mumbled rather sarcastically, “Well, this is going to be fun.” Surprisingly, it was.

“What do you think? The White with black trim, or the Black with white trim?” I twirled in the three-panel mirror in a beautiful dress. We had found the most adorably perfect gothic Lolita store in the local mall. Xavier was lounging in a plush chair, surrounded by bags and garments.

“How about both?” I stopped, looking in the mirror over my shoulder at him,

“I couldn’t!”

“You can if I say so. Get whatever you like, it’s good to see you smile again.” I looked at all I had already bought and sighed inside. I had so much fun with Xavier at the mall but, all that he had already bought for me…I didn’t want to be greedy. Regretfully, I went and changed back into my shopping outfit. I gave him a small smile when I came out,

“I...I think I have enough. If you’ll excuse me, I need to use the restroom.” I left him sitting there and found my way to the restrooms, I closed a stall door and drew my feet up onto the seat with me, hugging my knees tight to my chest. Already I felt at home with Xavier and Gabriel in the house and I had only really know them for a few hours. ‘What is so bad about this? Why can’t I just be happy? These people know me, they care for me…well they seem to…’ A knock from the main door caught my attention,

“Mina, Is everything okay?”

“Yes. I’m coming right out!” I made my voice perky and came out, smiling shyly at Xavier. He held so many bags I was surprised he hadn’t collapsed under all the weight, “Here let me carry some of those.” I offered but he pulled back laughing,

“No, no. Consider me your personal lackey today.” I shifted uncomfortably and rubbed my arm,

“Well…oh, okay.” I looked at all the bags and wondered just how much it was costing him to buy all of these clothes, they were by no means cheap and I really hadn’t stopped to think about the price when I bought them.

“Hey, Mina? Lets go get some lunch, there’s a nice little restaurant a few streets over, and I’m sure that Mika would be glad to know you’re okay.” I nodded, his face seemed worried; he freed his hand as best he could and took mine, watching my face the whole time as he led me to the car.

The restaurant lay in between shops on a small crowded street, unlike the street the place itself was fairly empty. Xavier walked up to the counter, leaning into the door that led into the kitchens,

“Mika!” There was a clang! Like a frying pan being dropped in the sink and a

“Just a moment!” Xavier turned and grinned at me as a small but pretty woman came from the kitchen.

“Xavier! What brings you here, I know it’s not my cooking!” She gave him a hug,

“Well Mika, I thought you might like to see an old friend!” His grin grew wider,

“Old friend? You saw me just last week!” She giggled as she spoke,

“Oh, I’m not the old friend, she is.” He gestured towards me, she looked at me, it was as if time stopped for that short moment, her face just flashed before me, memories flooding back of better times.

“Mika-Chan!” I ran forward and hugged her, we fell into peals of laughter, giggling like school girls.

“Mina-Chan It’s been so long! Where have you been these past two years? Oh how I’ve missed you!” We hugged again.

“Oh, this and that. Traveling, you know!” I don’t know why I lied, it just came out, Xavier betrayed nothing in his face to tell of my lie.

“I only got back just yesterday.” Her smile made me want to cry, all that warmth directed towards me and all my lies, I remembered now, I remembered how many times I had lied just to see that smile and the guilt was burning like lava into my heart.

“How have you been?” I forced my face to stay cheerful. She led me by the arm back to a set of stairs as she chattered,

“Oh! I missed you so much! Did you know that just a week after you left that guy Adam came looking for you? Not to mention your sudden leaving startled me! I knew you said you might go away for a bit but, for two years!!!!” She was now bustling around a small kitchen in what was her apartment. Xavier had come to sit next to and seeing my distress whispered,

“Maybe I shouldn’t have brought you here so soon.” Mika walked in with some tea,

“Oh! Did I tell you? Camus and I are engaged? He’s at work now but, he’ll be happy to know you’re back. You know how that old wolf is! And I hear Amonicus is coming into town tomorrow, He can be such a grump in this sunny weather!” Xavier’s face looked kind of funny,

“Amonicus is coming to town! Why?”

“Oh, I don’t know! Its just gossip” Xavier turned to me and helped me up from the cushion I sat on,

“Sorry Mika, We have to go now! You know where Amonicus always stays, that means major drama at the house tonight.” Everyone hugged and I found myself back in the car, streets whizzing by me as a blur.

“Xavier?” he turned to me,

“Who is Adam?”

“Some guy you like a few years ago…I think he was lycan.”

“Oh…”

“Is there something else?” I was hesitant, the name was familiar and I could almost see a picture in my mind but,

“Amonicus…who is he? I have a bad feeling about him coming.”

Xavier looked at me seriously for a moment before collapsing in laughter.

“Amonicus? Bad news? HA! That bat is just a pain. There’s always something he doesn’t like about the house, or the food, or the plan. Then again he IS a couple of hundred years older than me!” I nodded, “Oh, I see….I think I remember him…”

“You should, since the day he found you he has taken care of you. I know you don’t remember but, He really is a good guy even with all his grumbling and even when he seems like he hates everything. He really doesn’t…a few hundred years can take a toll on a person.” The car pulled to a stop in front of the house, there was another vehicle that had pulled in just before us. A well-dressed man stepped from it, and I was glad I had changed into some of my new clothing before returning, as I felt underdressed even as I was. His garb was perfection, modern with a hint at Victorian taste. This must be Amonicus I thought; it could be no one else. Xavier helped me from the car, my ankle had started to hurt a bit after shopping and I leaned on him somewhat.

“Lady Wyvs, a pleasure to see you again, I heard you ran into a bit of trouble.” I smiled at the formal tone of his voice but the obvious joy in his eyes at seeing me. Yes, I think I remembered this man, who was so seemingly young and handsome and yet wiser than the ages. He walked towards the house with us, Xavier helping me along discretely. The stairs to the door were rather narrow and steep; I eyed them distastefully as I knew I would have to ascend alone. Xavier went before me to unlock the door, taking a deep breath I stepped, I got about two steps before my ankle let out, causing me to fall backwards and cry out in surprise. Amonicus caught me before I could hit the ground, “Are you well Araminta?” Amonicus carried me up the stairs; his eyes on my face the whole time, liquid like Xaviers but, green like a gemstone. He laid me on the couch when we got inside,

“Does it hurt?”

“Only a little.” I shifted so I sat up and he turned to Xavier and Gabriel,

“Why is she not well? I leave for a little while and I come back to find her in pain?!” Gabriel kind of laughed shakily; it was odd to see such a large man seem uneasy of Amonicus who was not very large himself. Xavier however didn’t seem to care,

“You call three years a little while? Of course things are going to be different! Time doesn’t stand still because you left the room!” Amonicus stiffened and opened his mouth the retaliate but, I interrupted

“May I have a glass of water?”

“Sure.” Xavier turned and walked towards the kitchen, leaving Gabriel and Amonicus. “Are you feeling any better?” Amonicus checked my ankle as I nodded,

“Much.”

“I have to go now but, ask if you need anything.” He left the room, Gabriel talking quietly to him as he left. As they got farther away I sat up fully, Xavier came in with some water. A yell from down the hall made him raise an eyebrow,

“I see Amonicus just got filled in on recent events.”

“He didn’t know?”

“No one could get a hold of him, the support money just kept coming, that’s what we used to find you. It took us awhile, too! You had such a habit of disappearing we didn’t know whether we should be looking for you!”

“I must have worried you…I’m sorry.” He hugged me,

“If you weren’t the way you were you wouldn’t be you.” I smiled,

“Thanks for the water.”

“No problem but, I have to go Mr. High-and-Mighty might need someone to scrub his feet or something.” He made a face of dislike and left.

Automatically when I was alone I began to panic, the room seemed smaller and smaller, with the light shutting out. I could almost feel the dank seeped into my skin. “all alone, always all alone.” It whispered in my head and I shut my eyes trying to clear it out. “Always Alone.” Something seemed to break in me and I looked out on the vision as I felt my body in reality.

All alone…I was finally soaring but, what I was reaching for was gone and I knew it deep down in the beastly beating thing that is called a heart. Nothing to reach out to but the icy clouds that now did not shred my wings. They no longer needed to, my chance had already ended, I was alone now in this Barren world of colored fire and marble. Alone. But still I reached out for something that was not there, I reached out for something warm in a land of ice.

I was cold, like the ice from my dreamland had followed me out, and I stood with my arms outstretched. Stiffly my joints moved as I walked towards my bedroom, still alone, always alone. I wrapped myself in a blanket and sat in a chair, trying to find some warmth, the outside seemed as frozen as me.

Warm hands shook me.

“Araminta you’re freezing!” I understood the words but, everything felt flat. The hands lifted me into strong arms and lay me on the bed. I could hear the chair be brought over and a far-away voice,

“I’m so sorry Araminta. I didn’t know, if I had known…I shouldn’t have gone away!” The voice was angry and I shrank involuntarily from it.

“Araminta, stop, please! I didn’t mean it.” A hand came out to touch my shoulder but, I pulled away from its pleasant warmth,

“Don’t touch me.” I regretted it as soon as I said it. Amonicus pulled back,

“What?” His voice was laced with hurt.

“Leave me alone.” He stood and stepped back slowly,

“I see then, you must be tired. Get some rest Araminta, I‘ll be here in the morning.” and he left me. And I was asleep, mercy to the dreams, again.

I slept a lot for that first month, or at least I lay in bed much of the time. The council came and went, each time delaying their response until it felt as if they would never decide upon my fate. I knew I had no choice in it, I didn’t really care anyway, why should I? I ventured out of my room only for food and trips to the restroom, I ignored Amonicus when he tried to speak with me, Gabriel stayed away and Xavier was out on business. I was in one such trance, lying there staring at the ceiling when Xavier slammed into my room,

“Amonicus just told me you haven’t eaten today. You can’t just mope around! You’ve been here for a month and all you’ve done is lay there! Get up, We’re going out.” I rolled over away from him and continued to stare into space.

“Araminta!” He basically dragged a very disgruntled me out of the bed and plopped me in a chair, quickly pulling a brush through my hair and rinsing my face. He then preceded to carry me out into the living room and went to find my jacket, Amonicus passed me as Xavier went to find it.

“What is Xavier doing?” With no emotion I replied,

“Xavier seems to think he is bringing me out, apparently I mope too much.”

“Ah…” Amonicus sat beside me,

“I have cared for you since the day I found you, and I remember exactly what happened. You were sitting in an alley, grime smudged your face and hunger ravaged your body. I asked you to come live with me and you nodded mechanically. You looked as if you had given up on everything, but when I offered you my hand you refused it. Insisting you could do things on your own. In that one glimpse of defiance your eyes leapt back to life, You were the beautiful young woman who was my ward. Now I look at you and I again see that mechanical doll in the alley, the thing that I spent years to bring to life. I want that woman back, I want to see the sparkle in your eyes again.” I didn’t smile; my face was stone as I looked at Amonicus, His perfect features, his perfect clothing. It hurt to see his perfection, or how well he could hide his flaws. I could not hide a single thing from anyone, they always saw through my reserve, always, that’s why I liked to feel the way I did now, numb. Immune to all the pain I felt for everything that had ever happened.

“That girl in the alley was content, I am content, and life does not suit me well.” Xavier came back with a ratty windbreaker,

“Here this is all I could find.” I put it on silently and went with Xavier, I really didn’t care what I did. Why should I? He took me to a club and then the amusement park when I didn’t drink or dance and then to Mika’s when I just sat on the roller coaster and store straight ahead.

“What has Mina-Chan so down?” I hadn’t spoken since we left the house if I hadn’t the need to.

“Nothing.” I wasn’t lying either, the numbness was a part of me again. Number than the girl Amonicus had found in the streets, I remember that day, so soon after my mother’s ascendance, lost and hungry, unable to function in the outside world. That man who had been different from all the others who laughed in my face and tried to trick me. It was something I saw in him that made me give him my hand, something hidden that I saw despite his reserve, he was not perfect…I knew that, I know that, but it is so hard not to think it.

“Mina?” Mika looked worried and I felt the tears on my face,

“What?” it was soft. And she grimaced,

“Xavier, I think you should take her home…I don’t think she’s ready yet.”

And so I was carted off, I saw nothing out the windows as we sped along, I just thought. About everything I had ever done, I could remember it all now, the pain, the longing, the hatred. I could remember the dark, the cold, I could remember loneliness. Always loneliness, I don’t think I was ever truly not lonely, even with my mother. Everything was always distanced from me, just a hand grasp away and yet I could not reach it. Oh how I hated it!

The council was there when we returned, this time with a verdict. For the length of my recovery I was to stay where I was, I was not allowed to move until they were satisfied that I was well of mind. They inquired about the ceremonial dress and I remembered the painful feeling I had parting with it. But there wasn’t much I could do, it no longer was of any use and I had no strength to carry extra baubles, living on the streets isn’t luxurious. I touched the chain about my neck and realized I know knew what the dress was, why it shimmered so oddly in the light, it was the thing inside me. Like the scales in light of the purple and green fires, it was a simulation of that skin. And I ask myself, why was that dress the same color as me? When my mother ascended into the sun I remember vaguely, for the briefest moment I had seen her. I had pushed it away, believing it was all a fantasy, but no. She had been golden. She had been fair and golden and I was dark and black, why did she not match the dress. She who was so loved, why was she not its model?

“I have the pendant.”

“And the dress?” I looked down,

“It is gone.” Alarmed murmurs passed between the council members, that tanned woman, Anastasis, the one who had insulted me before sniffed,

“Figures she’d lose the most valuable item she would ever own.” I growled low in my throat, I may be numb, but that still pissed me off.

“What was that?”

“I said you’re not worthy of your blood! Lady Kerani promised me her transfusion! I was supposed to succeed her!” I straightened from my slouched form, my eyesight seemed to sharpen, shapes morphing until rainbow rings seemed to surround people, auras. Anastasis was black and green, large holes dotted her aura until little was left. She was an enemy my body screamed. My body felt funny, almost as if ready to crunch and stretch, the feeling left as I shook my head to rid myself of this new sight.

“You Anastasis are my enemy, your aura is broken, your mind corrupt. Leave now or suffer the consequences. Heal yourself or die.”

“Hey now!” A man cut in,

“Council member! You forget your place, my judgment rules, she is to be gone, find another person, one I can rely on! An enemy in your ranks is a death sentence…for all of you.” They stepped back, and Xavier rushed to my side,

“Mina, I think its time to go.”

“No.” I felt that strange feeling in my body again, that’s same shift of my eyes, I examined all their auras. It pained my eyes, but I continued, determined to find any imperfections. I turned to Xavier, the bright white of his aura near blinding. And then to Amonicus, a feeling of dread and discomfort covered me as I saw his aura-less form. My eyes shifted back normal and I stumbled backwards from him.

“What are you?”

Amonicus stepped toward me in the same weightless manner both he and Xavier shared. Now it was more pronounced and I knew what it was, it was the walk of a predator and every bone in me screamed, get away, but those eyes, those green eyes. I stood my ground,

“What are you?” I could see it now, his aura was there, just hidden, the colors just a wavering fog, so…dark. He stepped towards me again; I looked at him, my vision blurry from fatigue, why does this take so much energy out of me? I should be afraid and I knew it, but I could not be afraid of this man. I had seen how my rejection hurt him and was still hurting him although his face was composed as ever, his eyes spoke to me. Those green pools of light told me stories without words and haunting melodies that made no sound, he took another step forward, holding out his hand as if to say, I’m not the monster here, come with me, Forgive me. Unable to resist my hand started to reach out,

“I for…” The fatigue was too much I tumbled forwards.

People say that when its time to die you see a bright light to guide you to Heaven and into God’s embrace. Well, I believe in no God and I know this light did not belong in this world of dark and pain, it was golden like the sun as I gazed upon it, my eyes filmy in awe. It did not belong and then it spoke,

“Araminta….Araminta my daughter, my blood. How I have missed you,” The light shifted, revealing in its cocoon the body of a scaled form, golden and orange, it was not menacing to me. It was my Mother; she looked just like me…wait! Just like…I turned my head to see scales of shimmering black, and in the fire’s light blood red. Scales, my scales, my wings…. So this is who I am. So this is who I always have been.

“Araminta listen to me, there will be a war soon, you know this. But you must choose and you must choose soon, there will be many choices ahead, choose with logic, for the heart lies. I know it will be hard my daughter, but for your own sake…remember my words, remember me. Don’t be like me, don’t leave them, they need you.”

Who are “they”? My first thought as I opened my eyes. Xavier sat on my left; Amonicus to my right, Gabriel, looking very annoyed leaned in the doorway.

“Who are they?” I asked Xavier,

“Who are they!” I turned frantic to Amonicus,

“Who?!…Oh god!” I started to weep, how can I protect these people when I don’t even know who they are? I have failed you Mother, I have forgotten who and what I am, Please forgive me. Tell me more, please! Tell me, who are they, who? I grasped to Amonicus, my sobs growing louder,

“Who are they, how can I protect people I don’t even know?” His arms were tight around me, I could feel their warmth, their comfort. A new wave of tears hit me like a waterfall, he said nothing, just grasped me tighter and laid his cheek on my head. Xavier stood stiffly and exited the room, Gabriel following…I don’t know why.

…I don’t know why. I don’t know why every time Amonicus is with me Xavier turns to stone; I don’t even know how I can trust this man. How I trust this man whom I know nothing about.

“I don’t want to be cold, I don’t want to feel numb. Its so empty! So empty and I yearn to be free, but I’ll never be free I’m trapped.” It came bubbling up, choked with sobs, I could feel how true it was.

“Oh god, who am I? How can I help them if I can’t even help myself?”

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

Now The story is having purpose and reason. A lot of questions are being answered. You are very talented to keep the story flowing and the character are becoming more interesting in the story. I like this chapter.
Coyote