Remembering the Fallen

Stephan was pacing back and forth in front of his desk as Kyrian sat at the desk dropping crushed Dyginian tobacco into a small piece of paper.  Her watchful eye did not soothe his nervousness.  Her eyes, though, they were captivating.  The gray, nearly silver irises set in an umber colored face so smooth and narrow, framed by her black, nearly midnight blue shoulder length hair.  She was as beautiful as she was deadly.  Her thin lips parted as she licked the paper of the cigarette, she smiled as she finished rolling it.

"Do I make you nervous councilman," she said to him with a sly grin.

He stopped next to his window, looking out over the city, wringing his hands incessantly.  "Nothing is going as it should," turning to her, to be honest he did not relish the thought of his back to her, he said, "King Richmond's return is a terrible turn of events.  My plans, laid out for years, now lay in ruins."

"Such is life," she huffed on the illegal cigarette.

"Not mine!  Richmond should be dead!  Shadowgrass should have died, not Clinox!  And that damn arrogant Norrelle, she just won't go away," he finished as he dropped himself into a chair.

"I take it that is why I'm here," she twirled the lit cigarette around her fingers as she released a puff of smoke.

Raising his feet to the desk, slouching a bit, he folded his hands.  "We can't kill them all, it's risky."

"Why not Lord Hardin?  I would love another crack at Richmond, and I owe Shadowgrass and Fiona Hartley also, so I'll get rid of them for free," she inhaled her cigarette and smiled.

"This could work then, kill the Richmonds, then I take over, but we need to remove Norrelle."  Another plan was forming, he again was growing excited.  Islesen was to be his, he knew it.

"If that black dragon is the foretelling of the elfin prophecies, then maybe we should seek him and make a deal?  If he takes the throne, with our," she paused, "your help, then maybe he'll grant you Islesen, if not more."  She crushed her cigarette out on his desk, leaving a black mark.  It mattered not; soon he would have a new one, in the Keep, the kings.

Siding with another dark ally�"this one far more powerful than Clinox�"might just prove advantageous.  The only problem was seeking an audience with the beast, it could be anywhere by now.  Placing his folded hands under his chin he tilted his head back.  How to find a dragon, what was his goal?  Where would he be?

"He'll be coming to my people," the Dyginian said.

"Stay out of my mind," he ordered.  "How do you know that?"

"He needs the elves to take the throne, he'll need an army.  I'm sure that he will send an emissary or himself to our lands in the west.  Send a fast ship, I'll make sure one of my contacts is aboard, make way to Katanaga fast.  I'll make sure the right people are notified, and if he or someone from him shows up, the message will be given."

He chuckled, siding with the new king of the lands.  Surely the Royal Order could not stand up to the might of this beast and an elfin army.  With Richmond and Norrelle removed, Islesen will support him financially and with troops Stephen would see to that.  That would ensure his place at the throne of this city, and maybe more.  Maybe he could expand Islesen's assets, possibly to include Port Alexi if not more.  He laughed again; Kyrian was staring at him with a sly smirk.  He liked it.

"We need to find the King's schedule.  I'm no good, once Norrelle and Shadowgrass give Richmond the rundown on what happened I'll need to hide.  I'll head to Sebastian Falls; I've got a small ranch in the mountains to the east of it.

"Richmond will want a mass showing, some grandiose party to give our heroes their just rewards.  It will be public, they all will be there.  Do what you will, just make sure they all are removed.  No fancy finesse is required; I don't care anymore about being subtle."

She stood, "I'll see to it."  Moving to the door, she stopped, looking back at him.  "I'll want something in return for this Hardin.  I'm not doing this all just for vengeance.  A position of power may be required once my services are finished."

"Worry not my dear, I will ensure you are at my right hand one way or the other."

She smiled then left him alone.  He stood, stretching his arms.  The day was a bleak one, but now it seemed the light was again shining down on him.

* * *

The sun was setting on her first day home as she stood on the massive stone wall that separated upper Islesen from the lower half, which contained the docks, the park, and once held her home the Silver Dagger.  Connacht wrapped his arm around her as she leaned on the stone parapet staring out over the lower city.  The northern end of the park was a site of utter destruction.  Buildings crumbled to dust where the dragons fought in the street.  Trees in the park tore from the ground.  Cobblestone roads stained with blood of soldiers and friends.

She was crying now, she felt the tears roll down her face.  So much lost in such a short time, it was hard to taken in.  She remembered her talks with Catherine on the Mystic, the bond of friendship that developed.  The crazy pirate’s beautiful face, her wild comments, and her honesty and companionship now lived only in Shae's memory.  Looking below, knowing that her friend died there only a few days ago, and Shae was not there to help her.

Cat was not the only friend she lost that day.  Stalker died also, a friend to her for going on four years.  The trust that the two of them built, the deep connection and admiration for each other that they held, his passing left another hole in her heart.  Then there were others, whom she did not know as well, or at all, but there deaths scarred her.  Sven, his men, Yassir's brother Rachid, Yassir's men, Cat's brother Geoff, and all the soldiers and innocent people below were on that list.

The sad part now being was she knew it was only the beginning.  With Rygerri on the war path, many more will perish.  It would be hundreds if not thousands, and how many of those names and faces shall she know?  How many of them may be trusted friends, family, and lovers?

Looking over at Connacht, he wiped her cheeks, removing the tears.  Would he be one of the fallen?  Rosalba, who was standing to her left, gazing with guilt over the destruction below, saved by Shae, would she fall?  Jason?  Norrelle? Blade?  The thoughts of losing them only kept the tears flowing.  Connacht pulled her into his chest.  Shae thought herself a strong woman, but up until now she had not faced a loss like this, or an impending doom around her.  She knew in a few minutes, she would stand straight and tall, preparing for whatever the future held, only allowing a few to see that it did indeed affect her.

"This is just the start of it all," she said turning her head and looking over the city.  "This is just a small glimpse of what is yet to come isn't it?"

Connacht turned his head, following her gaze saying, "I fear it is my love.  Soon Rygerri will have all Ine'iss in an uproar, sides will be determined.  I fear friends and families will stand together, and yet some will stand on opposite lines.  We must hope that the bonds that hold our small piece of this are strong and we will not need to fight those we love."

"This fight will not just stay behind the walls of Islesen or Alexi will it?"  Rosalba said, "What have I done, what was I thinking?"

"No, this fight will spill blood of all races across the land I fear," Connacht answered.  "And you young one have done nothing.  Your part in this was small then, even misdirected.  What role you play now, well that is for you to decide."

Shae pulled away from her lover, turning and wrapping an arm around the young warrior, scarred for life by her unguided choices.  Her skin now a pale shade of gray, her eyes an eerie light blue almost gray.  These were all effects from being a servant to Clinox, the self-proclaimed god of the realm of shadow, who Jason slain nearly a week ago.  His body, transformed into a dragon, burnt to ashes where he fell next to the Silver Dagger.

Holding the young warrior Shae told her, "Rosa, you did what you had to do to survive.  No one blames you for what happened then, or what's happening now.  What lies below was not your doing.  There were far more powerful people pulling yours and our strings.  I know what I'm saying doesn't make the pain go away, but you need to understand, you have a choice now."

Rosa stepped back from the parapet, letting Shae's arm fall away from her.  She stood up straight; no tears flooded her eyes, just determination.  "Shae, whatever is to come, I will be by your side.  I know that I didn't cause this, or play a significant role, but I had a part, a small part, and I made a poor decision out of greed and a chance at a better life.  I did that not you, not Connacht, nor did Clinox make that decision for me.  I am what I am today because of me, no one else.  And I now have come to accept that, because my choices up 'til now have led me to you.  Call it fate, name it luck, I'm standing here alive and a chance at truly a better life, however short it maybe.  That is something I'm not going to throw away or bury under a s**t load of guilt," she finished with a huff

"I knew I liked you," Shae said.  "I need to accept the same, I made choices, though I once was coerced by the elves, I still had choices.  I just found the answers a bit late.  Burying myself under guilt won't fix anything either."  She turned, leaning her back against the parapet, last week's carnage behind her.  Shae was right about herself, it was a few short moments and again she was standing tall.  "Well, now it's time to set things right.  First, I must tell a friend he's been misinformed all his life."

* * *

Norrelle was sitting in the king's chambers; Jason was to her left, Yassir right, with his knight captain Dajmal standing dutifully behind him.  She admitted to herself that she was a tad bit nervous about the upcoming conversation.  The king was rifling throughout reports given to him by various members of the city government, giving him sketchy details on what had transpired the last few weeks.  Norrelle seen them all, and truly, it would only leave him far more confused than he already was.

The truth would be told, by those sitting here, and Norrelle concluded that it should be the truth in its entirety.  This included who she actually was and the part she had played and will be playing in the future.  Unsure how he would react, she was thinking on the exact phrasing.  Currently, nothing was coming to mind.  She wished Ayrial were here with her, but the runners sent to the witch's lair had yet to return.  She gripped Jason's hand, he though also knew the facts as they were, so some comfort sat with her.

Yassir's role was not yet totally determined.  She was unaware of how much he knew.  The elfin witches tended to be quite secretive about the facts.  His older brother was unaware why he was sent to Islesen those many years ago, that is until Norrelle herself enlightened him.  It was also known to her that Aerolyn Baelathkai, Yassir's mother, had her own agenda and always disagreed with Ayrial.  In fact so did Erunil, the other sister, the self proclaimed queen of the elves.  Norrelle understood that she was not in this alone, but right now, it sure as hell felt like it.

Tossing the papers to the desk, King Richmond looked up at the four of them.  Shaking his head with disgust he laid his hands flat on the table.  "Can anyone tell me the location of Lord Hardin as of now," was his first question.

"I've got people looking for him sir," Jason spoke up.  "But he seems to have fled somewhere.  I've got a few ideas and currently they are being looked into."

"Alive Shadowgrass," Richmond said, "I want him alive."

"Understood Sir," Jason replied.  "My men have orders to acquire and then place him under surveillance until you decide the next move."

"Good," the king now looked at her.  "Currently our six man council is down to three.  Davon's dead, thanks to Lord Shadowgrass, Lord Parker was killed by Stephan's order, and Stephan himself is missing.  The other three have given me these reports and are hiding in their homes for safety."

"Yes, milord," Norrelle nodded.

"Due to the current state of affairs, and the threat of this dragon, which we will discuss, I'm placing the city under martial law, temporarily suspending the rights of the council.  This is a state of war, and I need guidance from those on the front line, not businessmen.  Norrelle, do you agree," the king concluded.

Shifting in her seat, Norrelle sat as upright and straight as she could.  Clearing her throat, covering her mouth with her hand, she thought the next few words through carefully.  "My lord, I agree with you completely.  However, there is much more to this than you realize."

The king shifted, seemingly uneasily in his chair, looking at her, then Jason, followed by Yassir.  "I thought so.  Listen all of you, it's not every day a wizard covers a part of the world with shadow.  It's not a common occurrence for dragons to battle in my streets."

"I understand my lord," she replied, not sure where he was going with this.

"I can play the seer also Norrelle.  I don't need the elves harping in my ear.  I've read them, documents handed down through my family since Jeffrey founded this city two hundred and sixty years ago.  I'm quite aware of a few things that you may not think I am."

"Is that so," Norrelle said, hoping the reply did not sound as smug to him as it did in her ears.

"Yes that is so.  Your presence here has been a closely guarded secret ever since you arrived as a young-ling, Lady Norrelle.  You and your guardians entrusted my ancestor with a great secret, it was his intentions to let the heirs know what Islesen was truly hiding."

This revelation surprised her; she did not know what to say.  Playing the part all these years, thinking that no one was the wiser, she thought she had everyone fooled.  She had to chuckle at the outcome.  Her true allies were far greater than she originally ascertained.  "So am I to believe you. . ."

"You are the last true heir to the dragons that once ruled this world?  Yes.  It was a vow given by my family to yours, to keep you safe until the time had come for you to reveal yourself my lady."  Finishing this he stood abruptly, she stood, followed by Jason and Yassir.  "Please, sit," the king told them as he went around his desk to the wall next to Jason.

His hand moved quickly over a section of the wall that looked no different from any other portion.  A panel slid quietly up revealing a metal safe with a strange dial on its face.  The dial made quick clicking sounds as King Richmond spun it left and right a few times, stopping at the appropriate numbers.  When a louder click resounded, he grabbed the small metal lever and turned it, the safe opened easily.  Norrelle noticed Jason spying it with a rogue's curiosity.

Reaching his hand inside the large metallic box, Richmond said, "My entire family's history is stored in here.  All from where we came from, past forms of identification, strange devices that I have no idea what they are for, historical texts from a strange land, written scrolls on Jeffery's first meetings with the great dragon king Ang’dra’aen, and this."

Turning his hands held a three-inch trapezoidal black stone holding a large ruby in its center.  She felt her chest, where the five sided black stone of Unity rested, the amulet that Jason stole back from Rygerri.  She also knew that Rygerri held a similar stone, that of the dragons.  The one King Richmond now slid into her hands was the human's rune stone.  She took a deep breath as she felt it in her hands.

"This was said to be lost," she said looking up at him.

"No," he responded, "the Richmond family has held on to it since it brought them here."  Moving back around his desk and sitting he continued, "You will have full support from Islesen of course.  I will be giving your current position to Colonel Fiona Hartley.  She will receive the promotion at tomorrow's events.  Secondly," he looked at Jason, "I'll be giving you a promotion or a re-commission should I say.  Your name will be cleared, and you will receive the title of Knight Captain, and you'll be Fiona's right hand man so to speak.  Captain Seveil will move up to Fiona's position, commanding the city reserve and guard.  We will work out the rest of the details after tomorrow's celebrations."

Norrelle stood, "King Richmond, I accept your aid and this token.  I know that it will be needed, yet I'm unaware how.  I am sure however we shall find out when we arrive at the old castle.  There are other honors as well that you should consider, a few individuals that have proven themselves in the past few weeks."

Sitting again, she began giving him the names of Laurel Brevor, Carl Haynmen, Erinwolfe, and the list went on.