Omnixius
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DKP 7-12 Love and War
🕑 Added 2021-12-05 00:23:33 +0000 UTC“You are far too tense,” Thayle teased as she rubbed his scaled chest. She sat astride his waist with her tail entwined with his. Her hands worked on the powerful blue scales of his torso. In his hybrid dragon form, Gersius was a giant of a man with scales like metal that flexed over powerful muscles. She felt such an intense hunger to see this form, a hunger shared by her wives. Lilly and Sarah had taken their fill of his love and gone to relax in one of the garden terraces, leaving him all to herself. “Will you please relax,” she giggled, knowing full well why he was so tense.
“I find it hard to relax when I am going to have to ask for a new bed,” Gersius replied.
“Just tell them it broke. You don't have to tell them how you broke it,” Thayle said as she rubbed at his muscles. “Your chest was always strong, but in this form, it is like stone. I wonder how much weight you can lift?”
“Clearly enough to break oak beams,” Gersius stated flatly.
Thayle laughed. “You sure broke your wives in,” she said as she looked over her shoulder to the archway that led to the gardens. “They retreated so far into the garden I can't hear their thoughts.”
“I tried to tell you no, but none of you would listen to me,” he sighed.
She leaned down and rested her elbows in his chest so she could look into his eyes. “We all got what we wanted.”
He rand the back of his hand across her cheek. “This form has a little more stamina than my human form.”
Thayle giggled in agreement. “It has a lot more stamina.” She rolled her hips over his waist and let out a slight groan.
His hands wrapped around her scaled waist, gripping her tightly as she took a deep breath. “Speaking of which, aren’t you satisfied yet?”
She smiled with a shake of her head and informed him she planned to enjoy herself until morning.
Gersius smiled as his hands tightened. “I hoped you would say that.”
“Why shouldn’t I say it?” Thayle asked with a sultry voice as she leaned forward to hover over his face. “You are my husband, and it has been far too long since you had an entire night to spend with your wives.” She leaned in closer, pressing her chest to his as she licked at his neck, savoring the flavor of his skin.
“You put that to good use,” he said as she traced his jawline.
“Ha! Lilly begged me to stop,” Thayle joked as she sat back up.
“Sarah promised to punish you if you didn’t stop,” Gersius laughed.
Thayle batted her eyes and let out a pleased hum before replying with, “That’s why I didn’t stop.”
“I wonder what she plans to do to you?” Gersius said. “She is very creative.”
“Unfortunately, I think she was only threatening me,” Thayle replied with a frown.
Gersius noticed the tone and looked to meet Thayle's blue blazing eyes. He could feel something strange about her over the bind, a sense of need coupled with disappointment. Her mind was on the moment, though, and her thoughts betrayed nothing of the cause of her feeling.
“Are you alright with this mother, daughter game?” He asked, hoping perhaps this was part of the cause.
Thayle gave him a smirk and nodded before explaining. “Gersius, it is only a term of endearment. Sarah is thousands of years old and the perfect motherly figure. She hurts over the loss of the traditions of the dragons where she would be a mother to thousands. It means so much to her to be seen as a leader of those younger than her. Lilly and I are only trying to fill the void and bring her some measure purpose.”
“So you don’t feel she is taking too large a role in our family?” he asked, desperately trying to locate her confusing feelings.
“Not at all,” Thayle replied. “She is my wife, but I show respect for her age and experience by calling her mother. It’s such a simple thing to bring her immense happiness. That’s all there is to it. ”
Gersius nodded. “Sarah said the same thing about it. She says she loves that you two see her as a motherly figure.”
“I know she does. I can see her aura react whenever we call her that. I like it when she calls me daughter or broodling.”
“It is so odd, though,” he pressed with a smile.
“What is odd about it?” Thayle asked with a hint of confusion.
“You walk up to her, address her as mother and then start making love to her,” he pointed out.
Thayle blinked and frowned at him. “Gersius, we have explained this a dozen times. You are still hung up on words from our human perspective. You have to understand they mean something completely different from a dragon's point of view. They are one big family, and age means more than direct blood lineage.”
“But the term means she is dominant, doesn’t it?” he asked.
“Of course it does,” Thayle replied and leaned back. “And before you ask, I am fine with it. I don't like all the war and difficult decisions. If Sarah wants to take the lead and handle all the problems, then fine by me. Lilly feels the same way.
“Couldn’t you call her Lady Sarah or just my lady?” he pressed.
She shook her head and explained the term was too formal. They were a family that loved one another intensely; the term needed to be more intimate and personal. Besides, it was the word that mattered most to Sarah. So what harm was there in using it?
He nodded his understanding. “But you would not like me to call you daughter?”
“Absolutely not,” Thayle agreed with a shiver. “You and I are both humans, and we have a very human understanding of what is proper. If you were a dragon, then maybe I could stomach it better, but right now, it makes my skin crawl to think of it.”
“Mine too,” he admitted.
She leaned back onto his chest and laid her head on his shoulder with a contented sigh. “That's because you are such a good man. For you, right and wrong are so clear, and you never even consider bending them. You care about people deeply. Deep enough to risk your life and your reputation to embark on a suicide mission to find a dragon.”
“I had no choice,” he tried to protest, but Thayle wouldn't let him continue that line of thought. She insisted there was always a choice and a hundred chances to abandon his path and flee. Even when it became hopeless, he stuck to it and only stumbled when he realized his quest was hurting Lilly.
“Those days were painful, but those pains brought you together,” Thayle said and snuggled closer. “Now she is your wife and has laid an egg that carries your child.”
“And soon you will all be mothers,” he said.
“And you will be a father,” Thayle replied with a kiss on his cheek.
Gersius felt a sudden rise in her disappointment, and her need became an almost clawing sensation. He put an arm around her back and pulled her tight, trying to puzzle out.
“I bet you will be a wonderful father,” Thayle continued as her sadness mounted. “We might want to think about some baby names. Your child is already growing, and I will start having children for you soon.”
“The war is a long way from being over,” he said, moving his hand to her head to stroke her hair. Her anguish lifted for a moment when she mentioned having children soon. Then, it rushed back in when he said the war was a long way from being over.
“You told us you could win it in a year. I believe you can,” she whispered.
He focused on the truth, even as her turmoil begged him to say something soothing. “If I could learn who is behind the Doan and what they were planning, then perhaps. But, as it stands right now, all I can do is reinforce the border keeps and keep assembling the two armies.”
“We still have no idea where the third Doan army is, do we?” she asked as he stroked her hair gently.
Gersius shook his head. “None. Ayawa and Tavis are leading scouting parties all over the northlands, but so far, there has been no word.”
“Numidel is helping them, isn’t he?” she asked.
He nodded with a pat on her shoulder. “He is. Ayawa was tense about it at first, but I convinced her that he would be invaluable.”
“She is rather headstrong,” Thayle continued to whisper.
“Proud, not headstrong,” Gersius replied. “Her people treat women far more equally than we do in the north. They are hunters, warriors, and leaders of groups and societies. They have very different rules for social engagement between men and women. Their men never insult a woman or refer to her as weaker. Instead, they say women are gifted in other ways.”
“It’s a truth, is suppose,” Thayle said as her hand curled about his side. “But it doesn’t explain her stubbornness to accept aid.”
Gersius paused to choose his words carefully. He did not wish to misrepresent Ayawa or her beliefs. “She has grown resistant to offers of help since coming to the north. She doesn't like how gentle, and soft many of the women here are. She also doesn't like how they act and play with men, always seeking wealth and status.”
“I don’t blame them for that,” Thayle replied. “What choice do they have? They have so few rights. There is practically no path to stability that doesn’t involve marrying into wealth.”
Gersius smiled as he remembered what had happened earlier. “I almost forgot to tell you, those men you had Sarah speak to.”
“What about them?” she asked.
“They were here to strip women of what little property rights they had in their province. Sarah let them explain the whole situation then denied them. She reversed their entire system and gave women full property rights. She has ordered property restored to women who have already lost it where possible.”
“She did?” Thayle said excitedly.
Gersius nodded. “She wants what property that is still available restored. She wants women who have lost property compensated and those who have nowhere to go she has invited to Calathen. She intends to give them farms on her holdings to restore them.”
Thayle looked in the direction she could feel Sarah over the bind as tears welled up in her eyes. “She really is an amazing woman.”
“You should have seen her. She was a wall of steel before their complaints. She ordered the creation of a system of labor using the refugees. She has given refugees a place to live, food to eat, and restored the farms that are missing husbands because of the war,” he added.
“She did all that?”
Gersius nodded. “She is very intelligent. She sees choices and resources where others do not.”
“She is the perfect match for you,” Thayle said in a sigh.
“Are you alright?” he asked as her turmoil reached new heights.
Thayle put her head on his chest and let his breathing carry her up and down. “When you had Lilly, I felt like I was in the way sometimes. But I did what I was there to do, and I helped you two grow together. When you invited me in, I was overcome with joy but frightened out of my wits.”
“You were rather frightened,” he agreed.
Thayle played with his tail twisting hers around it as she spoke. “As we grew together, I understood I had a place alongside you both. I felt like I was the female perspective in our group. I knew women, and I could offer you advice on how to deal with them. You told me that when we were done with the war, Lilly and I could make changes to better women.”
“So, what is the problem?” he questioned.
Thayle sighed again. “Sarah is so much more intelligent than Lilly or I. She is actually making changes and getting things done while Lilly and I just talk about them. I sometimes wonder if you need us anymore.”
He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and held her tightly as he replied. “What you fail to understand is that Sarah needs you both. She loves you dearly and wants you at her side always.”
“But what do we bring to the family that she doesn’t have?” Thayle asked.
“Lilly brings a big heart full of love that never seems to run out of ways to express itself. And you bring a steady course and a feminine perspective. I have no doubt in my mind that Sarah made those changes because of what you and she have talked about. You have influenced both mine and Sarah's decisions, and you continue to steer all of us to a stronger, more loving family. Every ounce of love this family has is owed to you and your careful patient guidance. Without you, we would not be able to grow stronger.”
Thayle smiled and relaxed on his chest. “Why do you always know exactly what to say?”
“I just tell you the truth. I cannot live without you, and neither can Lilly or Sarah,” he said as she stretched out her wings. She folded them back tightly and began to squeeze tightly to his chest. Over the bind, she felt afraid and yet hopeful as thoughts began to bubble to the surface.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“Can I tell you a secret?” she whispered again, her tension mounting.
“You know you can tell me anything,” he replied.
Thayle looked into his eyes as her own looked heavy with worry. “I want to have a baby.”
Her tension over the bind twisted, and her anxiety mounted to new heights. This was what was bothering her, and telling him made it all more intense. He smiled and resumed petting her head as he gently responded.
“That is no secret. I know you do.”
“You know? How did you know?” She was confused and stunned now, but he kept on stroking her head and explained.
“I notice how you track your time and count the days, so you know when it is safe to make love. I also notice how sad you become when you have to deny me. In the beginning, you didn't care because you just made love to Lilly. But recently you have become very sad when the time is right. You know you can get pregnant, and you want to, but you know now is not a good time.”
“You really do pay attention to us, don't you?” She lifted her head to speak the words, staring deep into his eyes to see his reaction.
“You three are always on my mind,” he whispered to her. “And I feel your conflicts and pains over the bind.”
Thayle nodded her head and set it back down with a quiet sniffle.
He continued to stroke her hair as she lay there. “This is why you are going to slowly and carefully as we make love. It is your time, and you don't dare finish it.”
Thayle closed her eyes with another sniffle and replied with a broken voice. “Yes.”
He put his arms around her shoulders, careful to avoid her wings, and braced her to his chest.
“What are you doing?” she asked in alarm.
“Do you want a baby, Thayle?”
She looked into his eyes with her bottom lip trembling. Over the bind, her mind was chaos, but he could see the hope and desire that was her answer.
He nodded his head and began to take the lead in their lovemaking. “Close your eyes, and don't think about it anymore.”
Thayle put her head down with her eyes closed as he took over. She struggled not to cry out for him to stop as the pressure grew, and the moment came closer and closer. The bind allowed them to share every sensation and made it all more intense. Her fear mixed with desire, and she clung to him, eager to let him make the decision she desperately wanted. Time seemed to stretch on forever as her fear fought with the need, and she silently prayed he would finish before panic got the better of her. Then the sensation changed, and over the bind, she could feel his energy reaching a peak even as his body and hers joined deeply. In a flash, it happened, and she trembled in his arms, the moment sweeping through them both as the choice was made. She panted as the realization took hold. There was no going back.
Gersius felt her trembling in his arms, and he pulled her up so he could hold her so her head would be alongside his. “Shhhh, my wife, I will take good care of you.”
Thayle cried softly in his arms as her body shook from what had just happened. It had moments ago just been a fantasy, but now she was well and truly bred. Unless her timing was off this month, she was sure to be pregnant. With a pant on her breath, she pressed her lips to his and shared the glow of their love.
Lilly sipped her wine as she sat on a stone bench overlooking a palatial garden of carved planters and vividly colored plants. The sky was full of stars that swam in the endless oceans above, giving the palace a crown of jewels. Sarah sat on the wall beside her, sipping a wine of her own. She eyed Lilly with a strange intensity as night slowly slipped away.
“This is one of the great achievements of humans,” Sarah said as she swirled her glass. “Wine is something we dragons never dared to dream of.” She paused and held up the silver cup, and let out a sigh. “Nor did we think of metalworking. The things humans shape the precious metals into is truly inspiring.”
“We dragons never do anything,” Lilly replied as she looked skyward. “All we do is eat and sleep. We have no dreams or aspirations.”
“We didn’t need any,” Sarah replied and set her cup on the rail. “Our order was perfect, and our nature more than sufficient.”
Lilly looked at her and shook her head before waving a hand to gesture to the garden.
“Look at what humans build,” she implored. “They live such short lives, and yet the land is covered in their wonders. We dig holes in the ground and lay on piles of rocks. They take the stone we discarded and shape it, using it to build cities. The labor and toil to melt the rocks we sleep on and then turn them into rings, necklaces, bracelets, and more. They shape them in intricate patterns and adorn them with pretty stones to increase their beauty. They come together to dance and sing and make music just for the sake of it. They make those paintings that hang on the walls, capturing a beautiful moment forever. They even take the time to record their stories in books so others can read of the past.”
Sarah studied her intently as Lilly described all the wonderful things humans did while pointing out that dragons did nothing.
“We never needed to do those things,” Sarah said when Lilly was through. “A dragon doesn’t need to chop wood and build a fire to keep warm. A dragon doesn’t need to grow crops and tend a herd to eat. We don’t need all things they need in order to survive.”
“What about the food they make?” Lilly implored. “We eat whatever we can catch, swallowing it bones and all. They grow and herd, then carefully prepare foods to have the most amazing flavors.”
“Because they will get sick if they do not,” Sarah countered. “A great deal of what humans do is out of necessity. They can't eat raw meats, or they risk getting so sick they could die. They can't survive the heat or the cold as we can, and even being wet from the rain can weaken them and make them ill. We dragons don't suffer any of that. We can sleep a hundred years in temperatures that would kill a human in hours and never need to eat or drink.”
“So just because we didn't need these things, we never thought to make them?” Lilly asked.
“Child,” Sarah began in a motherly tone. “Before you met Gersius, did you give one moment's thought to living any other way than the way you did?”
Lilly looked away as the thought passed through her mind. Sarah was right; she hadn't considered it at all. She was perfectly happy to live in her valley and be alone with her hole in the ground.
“I can see the answer on your face,” Sarah said and picked up her wine. “You even saw human furniture, artworks, and books in your mother's cave. Did none of that make you wonder?”
“No,” Lilly admitted as her eyes closed in shame. “I didn't care. All that mattered to me was food and sleeping on her hoard. As soon as I was old enough, I left and dug a hole of my own to hide in.”
Sarah got up and came to sit beside Lilly before putting an arm around her and pulling her in.
“Lilly, you have nothing to be ashamed of. You did exactly as you were meant to do. You're a dragon, and you didn't need anything more. I did the same when I was your age, as does every dragon in the land.”
“But we shouldn’t,” Lilly implored. “We live such pointless lives.”
Sarah took a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh. “Child, I would never have agreed with you a year ago. It wasn't until I met you and saw what you had that I finally began to question who I was and what I wanted. Dragons have always been and always done just what you say they do, live pointless lives. It was Solesta and Balisha who wanted to change all that and helped us get close enough to humans to learn from them.”
“But that all went so wrong,” Lilly replied as she nestled into Sarah’s chest. “And dragons are still fighting over it.”
“Well, we are fighting over it,” Sarah replied and began to rub Lilly’s shoulder. “We’re the only dragons that stand with Balisha. The rest are still firmly under the curse.”
“I wish I could save them all,” Lilly said with pain in her voice. “I wish they could see how wonderful life could be.”
“Solesta wanted them to see it but not seek to share it with humans. She wanted us to learn and take it away to build our own things. She never thought we would begin to bond with humans and join their families,” Sarah said soothingly. “In many ways, she was like a mother who disproved of her daughter's choice in a husband.”
“And she cursed us for rejecting her,” Lilly sighed. “We have to find a way to break the curse and free the dragons. We have to do it before our daughter is born, or she will be cursed like the rest of them.”
Sarah felt a sudden coldness run up her spine as she considered her own brood and how the curse had claimed them. One of her daughters even returned home armed with a spear to slay her mother and steal her hoard. She regained her composure and kissed the top of Lilly's head before asking a nagging question.
“Child, how are you so certain it will be a daughter?”
“I see her in my dreams,” Lilly said. “She's a beautiful human girl, and she loves Gersius.” Lilly began to sniff and wipe her eyes before finishing her thoughts. “Whenever I see her, she is always holding his hand.”
Sarah held her firmly as Lilly started to cry. Over the bind, she was alive with torment and images of leaning over Gersius's lifeless body pleading with him to come back. Lilly shuddered and doubled over as she relived the experience, and the pain ran wild.
“And finally, you have broken,” Sarah sighed. “Thayle warned me this was coming. She said you recovered from that horrible experience too quickly, that you were locking your feelings away to avoid the pain. I tried to talk to you about it weeks ago, but you were not ready.”
“I almost lost him!” Lilly wailed.
“You did lose him. We all did. But you did something I would never have imagined. You sacrificed all you had to bring him back. Not just your hoard but your rival dragons as well. You consumed all that power and channeled it into him in your desperate need to keep his love.”
“I had to!” Lilly cried and fell to her knees. “I would give anything to save him. I can't live without him.”
Sarah came to kneel behind her and wrapped her arms around the weeping woman. She began to rock back and forth as she held Lilly tight.
“Shh,” Sarah cooed into Lilly’s hair. “Never has a dragon known such pain. I see now why the divines chose you over me. They knew you would have to make these painful choices, and I don’t know if I would have chosen as you did. Thank you, Lilly. Thank you for saving us all with your love.”
“You would have done the same,” Lilly objected, but Sarah wasn't so sure. She held Lilly firmly until she stopped crying, then swept her up and carried her back to the bench. Sitting down, she held Lilly to her chest as the two quietly rocked and wondered how she had come to crave this little flower's love.
“Your strength is returning,” Sarah said as Lilly lay silent. “Thayle said your aura was visibly dimmer after your sacrifice.”
“I will be fine,” Lilly protested. “I have been laying on the gold you summoned, and my light should be back to normal soon.”
“Child, you channeled part of your solus into him. Thank goodness the healing you were working healed you in the process, or you might have broken wings again.”
“I would gladly accept broken wings if it meant I could keep Gersius,” Lilly replied and sat up in her arms. “I would give up anything to save him, you, Thayle, or our child.”
“Don’t say such things,” Sarah whispered back in a tense voice. “You have taught me much about this life, but I have so much more to learn. I need you just as much as you need him.”
“But you spent time with humans before,” Lilly countered.
Sarah shook her head and explained it was very different. She was the dragon of a region of land, and the humans paid her respect at a safe distance. Despite the hall they built for her, she hardly ever conversed with them or had dealings. She certainly never considered sharing a bed with one, or anyone for that matter. But, thanks to Lilly, she felt emotions that had been a mystery to her before. She was coming to understand love, and she realized that she loved Thayle and Lilly just as much as she loved Gersius.
“I overhear some of the humans saying our relationship is wrong,” Lilly said as she read Sarah’s thoughts. “Thayle told me that some people think a relationship like ours is improper. Why would they think that?”
Sarah took a moment to consider her words and settled on the best answer she could think of. “I suppose it is because of the natural order of the world. All creatures pair up to breed, and in order to breed, they must pair up as male and female. Since two women or two men can't breed, they must see it as unnatural.”
“But humans are special, they experience love and compassion,” Lilly said softly. “Surely they can see past basic needs and understand.”
“Some can,” Sarah replied. “I would say among the ones who complain that a fair number of them are jealous of what we have. Only a tiny few are truly repulsed by the nature of our relationship, and even among these, many will reconsider in time. Once they see how wonderful the light of our family is, they will wonder if maybe they are wrong.”
Sarah paused as she considered what she had just said and realized how much of that was Thayle. She had spoken to Thayle at great length about the nature of human relationships and come to understand them with greater clarity. Not long ago, the noblewomen of the city had spoken rudely to Lilly and Thayle, and Sarah's blood boiled to learn of it. She had agreed with Lilly that killing one of them would have sent the perfect message. Gersius was horrified at her reaction, and Thayle spoke with her for hours, explaining the women's jealousy. Slowly, Sarah realized that she needed to temper her anger and forgive humans their failings whenever possible. Thayle was instrumental to her education, and her presence in the bind acted as a constant reminder to temper her dragon instincts. Even now, she could feel a rush of emotion from Thayle but was too distant to make out what it was.
“You’re thinking about Thayle,” Lilly said softly.
“Yes,” Sarah replied with a smile. “Thayle would say you have to be patient and give those that don’t understand time to learn. Perhaps they will one day want a family like ours.”
“I like thinking of us as a family,” Lilly said with a smile.
“That should come naturally to you. All dragons think of each other as family,” Sarah replied.
“I know, but this is a real family, a human one,” Lilly countered. “We stay together and share our love.”
“That is a little different, I suppose,” Sarah agreed and pulled Lilly closer. “I love you, my little flower of a dragon.”
Lilly suddenly bounced up and turned in her lap, smiling wide as she leaned forward and gave Sarah a long, firm kiss.
“What was that for?” Sarah asked in alarm when the kiss ended.
“That is the first time you have told me you loved me,” Lilly replied.
Sarah looked confused and protested that she had admitted she loved them many times. Lilly nodded in agreement but countered that this was the first time she had said it directly to her and with such passion.
“Thayle and I spoke about this many times,” Lilly continued. “We know we love each other, and we can see each other's light, but we still crave to hear it.”
“I had no idea you both felt that way. I will be sure to say it more often,” Sarah replied as she thought about Lilly's comment. “I wish I could see this aura light as you do.”
“Soon,” Lilly said and leaned back into Sarah’s arms. “Just don’t panic like I did when it comes.”
Saran nodded with her reply. “Thayle has already been teaching me how to handle it when it comes. I hope it won’t be as blinding as it sounds.”
“It's very bright when you see it as a cloud. Once you learn how to see it as a shimmer around the person, it is much easier to look at,” Lilly said.
“I have seen it in your dreams,” Sarah sighed. “It is very beautiful.”
Lilly nodded and looked to the table where her wine sat, feeling sad she would have to leave Sarah's arms to get it. Sarah read her thoughts and plucked her cup from the rail, and held it to Lilly's lips, giving the gentle soul a sip.
“How long are we going to be here?” Lilly asked as Sarah set the cup aside.
“You mean here in the city?” Sarah questioned as Lilly nodded. “Our husband nearly has the first of his two armies assembled. Jessivel and Alayse are actively hunting the other heads of the various orders who stood with the Father Abbot, and Ayawa is leading the effort in the north to locate the missing Doan army. Most of the needed systems are in place to run the empire while we lead the armies to the west. Once we are ready, Gersius will order the march, and the counteroffensive against the Doan will begin. Assuming nothing more pressing comes up, I would say it is a matter of a week, maybe less.”
“What about the missing seal of Astikar?” Lilly asked as she remembered the myriad list of troubles Gersius was dealing with.
“We believe that has been taken to the city the Doan captured. We also hope the mad abbot is there with it so we can deal with both of them in one blow,” Sarah replied as she looked skyward to see the stars. “When the army marches, taking that city will be its first military objective.” Sarah took a deep breath as she thought of the coming battles and the potential to fight rival dragons. It stirred a memory that she was burying deep inside just as Lilly had hidden her pain. With the soft, little creature in her arms, she dared to let the pain out of its cage. and decided to share it with her. “There is something I wish to tell you that I want you to keep to yourself.”
Lilly looked up in confusion. Never before had Sarah sounded so dire. “I promise, but I don't like keeping secrets from Gersius or Thayle.”
“I will tell them myself when I have the courage to do so,” Sarah insisted as she watched the lights above twinkle. “When we were attacking the city, Numidel and I were dealing with the other dragons. They carried long spears that they used with practiced skill.”
Lilly looked on as a tear rolled down one of Sarah’s cheeks. She could feel a sort of wrenching pain in the bind where Sarah’s presence dwelt. Not knowing what to do, she wrapped her arms around Sarah tightly and waited to hear the rest.
“Those spears are what troubles me,” Sarah continued. “I have seen one before, long ago when my daughter came back to confront me. She carried one just like it, given to her by her new master who wanted to see me dead.”
“It couldn't be the same,” Lilly said, but Sarah closed her eyes as another tear trailed down her cheek.
“I kept the one my daughter carried and hid it deep in my cave. I have looked at it so many times that I could draw it from memory. When the battle for Calathen was finally won, I hunted down one of the fallen dragons and got a good look at the weapon. They are exactly the same in every detail and so large that only a dragon could use them. They were made intentionally to arm dragons so they could slay their own kind.”
“But who would do that?” Lilly asked as Sarah’s pain continued to flare.
“I don't know, but I suspect he is the force behind the Doan and the presence in the dream that nearly killed Numidel and I. Our enemy is powerful, careful, and has been preparing for this confrontation since before you were born. Even now, he holds his armies back as if waiting for us to come to him. He has been manipulating events all around us, even the conflicts to the south.”
“You mean the southern tribes are working with him?” Lilly asked.
Sarah shook her head in uncertainty. “We don't think so, at least not directly. I have to admit, child, that we sent you with Tavis and Ayawa to face the southern tribes alone because we thought it would give you time to think. We believed Ayawa would resolve the situation, and you would have time apart from us to dwell on what happened in the courtyard. Thayle was very concerned at how little pain you were showing and believed you to be burying it all deep inside. She recommended some separation to make you miss us and help pull those buried emotions to the surface. We never expected you to take such an active role in dealing with the situation.”
“I just needed some time to think,” Lilly said as she hugged Sarah tighter.
“Yes, and that trip was supposed to give you time, but things didn't work out as we planned. Still, while you were busy, we raided the lands further west. Once they finally realized they couldn't protect their lands from dragons diving on them from the air, they offered to negotiate. It was here we learned that they started this invasion at the behest of diplomats who visited them. They arrived with tales of how weak our empire was and how ripe for the taking the lands on their border were. These diplomats even brought with them gold to help fun the raising of large armies and sent wagons of raw materials to build armor weapons.”
“Who were these diplomats?” Lilly asked in shock as Sarah finally looked down.
Sarah rubbed Lilly’s back as she replied. “We don’t know, but we suspect the southern tribes were similarly goaded into attacking us. We have reason to believe the eastern kingdoms have cut off their trade for this reason as well. Somebody is paying them to deny us, and their noose tightens around our neck day by day.”
“So our enemy is surrounding us with more enemies?” Lilly asked as she considered the size of the empire and the vastness of the border.
“So it would seem,” Sarah said and looked out over the city. “These other lands aren't allies of our enemy; they are simply being manipulated by him. Gersius has come to believe this was all part of our foes plan. We were meant to take Calathen and then be surrounded on all sides by rival kingdoms. All our enemy has to do is wait while we fight among ourselves, weakening the whole of the empire, the common lands, and the southern kingdoms. Then when our populations are devastated by war, famine, and disease, the Doan will surge forward and sweep to Eastgate and perhaps beyond.”
“This is terrible,” Lilly said as she pulled away to look Sarah in the eyes. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
Sarah smiled and brushed Lilly's hair back as another tear rolled down her cheek. “Child, you and your gentle heart are one of our greatest treasures. We all know how much you want to leave this fighting and return to your little valley. Gersius didn't want to burden you or Thayle with this information until he was sure it was true.”
“You haven't even told Thayle?” Lilly pressed in surprise.
“No,” Sarah answered as she met Lilly's gaze. “We didn't want to alarm you both until we knew for sure. Unfortunately, we have confirmation that this is all about to get worse.” She ran a hand across Lilly's cheek and smiled as those blue eyes looked back with sincere adoration. “I want you to know that what I am about to tell you is not your fault. I have heard the story from you, Gersius, and Thayle a dozen times, and nobody blames you for what you did.”
“What are you talking about?” Lilly cried in alarm. “What did I do?”
“I am talking about Whiteford,” Sarah replied in a dire tone. “Whiteford is the capital city of the kingdom of Ostland. In your escape, you killed a large number of soldiers, trampled some of its citizens, and damaged many buildings, carts, wagons, and even the gates of the city.”
“I didn't mean to,” Lilly said in a hurt tone. “I was so angry and scared, and I ran as fast as I could to get away.”
“Shh,” Sarah urged before wrapping her arms around Lilly. “We know, and none of us blame you for what happened, but our enemy has seen an opportunity. They have fueled the city's anger and turned it into a great blaze. Working from the shadows, these agents have convinced the people of Ostland that they should rid the land of dragons. A new order has risen, and they call themselves dragon slayers. Every noble house has donated sons and knights to join this new order and bring glory to the land by slaying dragons.”
“How do you know all this?” Lilly asked as she listened in confusion.
“Jessivel,” Sarah replied. “That man has friends and agents in every land and city. Thanks to his newfound cooperation with Alayse, his network has been very active. They are using the temple scryers of Ulustrah to relay important messages. We have received several from Whiteford with alarming news that this land has raised an army of thousands they intend to march on us.”
Lilly felt sick to think of all the fighting that would come of this. Even more, it would do just as Sarah said, weaken the lands so the Doan would find little opposition when they came. She felt a twisting pain from Sarah and looked into those red eyes as Sarah leaned forward to press her forehead to hers.
“Lilly, I promise you, they will never have what they want,” Sarah said.
Lilly was confused again and trembled to ask Sarah what they wanted.
“Your head,” Sarah replied. “Our spies say they have already raised a plague in the very plaza you escaped from. They intend to mount your head on it as a symbol of retribution for the devastation you caused their city.”
“No,” Lilly whispered. “This is all wrong. I didn't want to hurt anybody; they forced me to. I had to attack the guards to get to Gersius, and when I ran away, I tried not to step on the people, but the streets were choked with them. If I had gone any slower, Dellain would have caught me, and Gersius would be dead.”
“Lilly, please,” Sarah urged and hugged her tightly. “All of us know it wasn't your fault. You went to that city to help and waited outside so the people wouldn't be alarmed. They came, butchered your wings, dragged you through their gates, and chained you in that plaza. It wasn't your fault at all, but our enemy is cunning, and he has used this incident to raise a powerful weapon against us.”
“We have to put a stop to this,” Lilly urged. “More people and dragons are going to die, and for what? Did Gersius set out to end a war and save his people only to doom them to a dozen more?”
Sarah felt nothing but sympathy for Lilly but wasn’t prepared for the sudden reaction that followed.
“What if we spoke to the Doan?” Lilly asked. “Maybe they can be reasoned with, or maybe they are like those people who don't understand our relationship. They just need to see it so they can understand and realize they are making a mistake.”
“I don't think that would work,” Sarah countered. “Our adversary is driving these people. He would work to keep fanning the flames of their conviction despite what we did.”
“But we have to try!” Lilly pleaded. “We have to stop these wars and break the curse, or we will never have the home we want in the valley, and our daughter will be a beast. It might not even be safe for Gersius and Thayle be to be around her.”
“Lilly, stop!” Sarah commanded and grabbed her firmly by the shoulders. When Lilly was calm, she made sure to look her deep in the eyes before continuing. “Never forget your dreams. Every time you see your daughter, she is holding his hand. Hold on to that in your heart and trust that we will find a way through this. I promise you, we are looking for every solution, and if we have to fight these battles will win. One way or another, we will have our family, and our daughter will be perfectly safe to hold her father's hand. Hold on to that image and trust that Balisha is showing you that to settle your heart.”
Lilly nodded as tears started to roll down her cheeks. Sarah pulled her back into an embrace and gently rocked with her as both women silently cried. It was a terrible situation, but there was no other path to walk, and Lilly's idea about appealing to the Doan was out of the question. All they could do was prepare to fight a war on all sides and hope they were strong enough to weather the storm.
Comments
Sam4005
ty for chapy
