Dragon's Claws

by Bri Sailor

“I will see to it that they are safe.” Said a voice from near the king’s chair.

  “They will be in a safe place far from here.” Said Saebic, all eyes were on him. “I have hand-picked the soldiers that will escort them and will personally oversee their evacuation.”

  “Where are they being sent?” asked a council member.

  “I’m not at liberty to say.” Said Saebic sternly.

  “And why is that?” asked another.

  The king turned to his council. “I want to make absolutely sure that they are safe, so only a handful know where they are going. And only the royal family knows the true location. I have to prepare my troops for battle. This council is dismissed.”

  He motioned Saebic to follow him and left the council to argue amongst themselves. The men strode quickly towards the dungeon. Suddenly, they heard a horn blast. They paused. Another blast. Toran looked at Saebic and they both took off running through the palace. When they turned down the corridor to the gate fear gripped the king as he stared at the empty silent hall.

  “Where are—” Started Saebic.

  He dashed to the gate and hurriedly unlocked it and rushed down into the black. The king was right behind him. At the bottom of the stairs they both froze. Toran’s heart pounded in his ears as he stared in horror at the mass of unconscious bodies. He leapt down into the pit and raced for the cell that housed his prize. As he cranked open the heavy door Saebic checked the men to make sure that they were alive. The king silently prayed to the Goddess that Ky was still in there. He secured the door and rushed in. The rage began to boil as red crept its way up his neck and to his face. There was Ky, sleeping, seemingly unmoved.

  “What happened here? What’s the meaning of this?” he bellowed.

  Ky cracked an eye and feigned annoyance. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  The king was furious, she was playing with him. “What happened to those guards? They didn’t do that to themselves. I know you did something. You know I could have you killed at a moment’s notice.”

  Ky closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.

  Toran saw her chains on the floor. “How did you get out of those?”

  The warrior sighed in frustration and sat up. “I’m afraid I don’t know what happened to your men. Maybe they were tired. As to the chains, I decided to take them off, they were beginning to chafe. Rather uncomfortable.”

  Saebic entered.

  Toran turned to him. “General, why don’t you retrieve another set of locks for our friend. And make sure that they are not of the same weak stock as the former.”

  Saebic nodded curtly and headed back towards the stairs and took another set of shackles off the wall. He proudly strode back and clapped the irons on Ky’s wrists and ankles once more.

  “I have decided that you are not completely useless.” Declared Toran, pushing down his anger. “I have been informed of some movement occurring on our border.”

  He gauged her reaction. Nothing.

  “We leave immediately and you shall be the first to greet your former ranks.” Said the king with a scowl.

  He turned on his heel and left.

  “You shall pay for what you’ve done.” He said over his shoulder.

  Saebic smiled cruelly and grabbed Ky by the scruff of her neck and gave her a violent shove through the doorway. “Time to prove yourself, General. Did you really think that you were going to come out of this alive? I revel at the thought of killing you myself, but seeing you gutted by your own soldiers should slake my thirst for your blood.”

  Ky whirled around, coming face to face with him “You boast your victory over me, yet my heart still beats.” She said condescendingly. “The way I see it, you will be thirsty for a long time.”

  The blonde grinned evilly and walked up the stairs and out of the dungeon. In a flash Saebic drew his sword with a white-knuckle grip.

  “You dare mock me?” he yelled.

  Ky didn’t even turn around. “Put away your weapon, General. Your king wouldn’t look too kindly on your pride killing his trophy. Besides, even with my chains I’m afraid it wouldn’t be a fair fight for you.”

  With that she disappeared up the stairs.

  Saebic fumed.

  “Just be patient.” He said to himself. “You will have your chance with her later, it has been promised.”

  He followed her up and out into the corridor.

  #

  A knock at the door woke Atreyis from a fitful sleep. She rolled off her bed and rubbed her eyes. Yawning and stumbling in the dark she opened the door. Ehren was standing impatiently outside.

  “What is it?” she grumbled.

  Ehren burst into the room knocking her over.

  “Father is sending us and mother out of the city. He believes that what Ky said is true. That there are assassins coming for us. We have to leave immediately.” He rushed.

  Atreyis looked at her brother trying to process his words in her sleep-addled mind.

  “Wait. What about Taryn and Cora? And Ky? What is father going to do with her?” There was a hint of worry in her voice.

  “Cora left for the temple already. Taryn is at her parents’ villa. And as for Ky, why do you care what happens to that murderer?” he said quietly.

  “I don’t know!” she whined. “I-I owe her my life and the least I can do is attempt to repay her by saving hers as well. A life for a life.”

  “Well that life of hers is now in the hands of our father and he’s marching her at the head of his army. He thinks of her as a damn trophy.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean he is testing a theory he has about King Ultrek. He said something about ancient texts and prophecies and then locked her up in a caged wagon. The last I saw she was headed to Stone Shield.”

  Atreyis’ mind raced. Everything was getting mixed up. Ky saving her. Finding out the warrior’s true identity. Ky breaking out of her cell only to return back instead of fleeing or killing her. And now the very imminent threat of all-out fighting. The princess felt herself panicking, frozen in place, conflicted. Ehren wasted no time while his sister seemed to shut down. He went about her room stuffing her satchel with clothes and other provisions. He shoved the bag in her arms forcefully.

  “Wake up! We are leaving now!” he shouted. “I don’t like this anymore than you do.”

  Atreyis slowly came to life. “I’m coming. Just let me change at least.”

  She quickly stripped out of her bedclothes and put on the first thing she could find and secured her sword. Slinging the bag over her shoulder, she followed her brother through the silent palace. There was hardly a torch lit. It was eerie and sent a chill down the princess’ spine. They made their way to the outer garden where a team of solemn looking soldiers on horseback waited. The queen was there as well, elegant and regal as ever sitting astride a gray mare in her common clothes. The princess managed a small smile when Lux trotted up to her and whinnied. He was grateful to see his rider and more than willing to be out of the stables. As she packed her things she was relieved to see that her weaponry was untouched. A minimal comfort, but a welcome one.

  The party made their way through the dimly lit streets of the capitol towards the northern gate, away from the battle. They traveled in silence, the only sound was the horse’s footsteps. Atreyis gazed at the bright moon. They had veered west and she realized where they were headed. The King’s Hollow was a place that she knew of but had never been. Her mind wandered. Thoughts of Ky kept invading no matter how hard she tried to keep them out. The more she thought about the warrior going to her death, the guiltier she felt. Suddenly, her mother’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

  “Atreyis, are you alright? You don’t look well, my love.” Said a concerned Arainya.

  “I’m fine. I’m just tired.” She smiled meekly.

  The queen was still worried. “Are you sure? This sulking wouldn’t have to do with her would it?”

  “Mmm.” The princess merely grunted in res
ponse.

  “You shouldn’t concern yourself with the likes of her. I know she saved your life. But a life of evil cannot be undone with one good deed. Your father believes what he is doing is the right course of action, and as his queen I support his decisions.”

  “Then what do you do when those that think that they are doing what’s right have become evil themselves? What if what you thought was evil isn’t as malicious as you previously thought? What if it’s not evil, but actually good?” The princess shook her head, she was giving herself a headache.

  “What are you talking about, Atreyis? You’re not making any sense.”

  “I don’t know, my head hurts. Never mind.”

  The rest of their journey was spent in tired silence. A dark wood slowly appeared over the horizon. In the rising sun its large trees loomed like dark giants with twisted arms. Atreyis gulped. Her heart started pounding and she kept flashing back to the night that she almost died. She unconsciously reached for her abdomen.

  “I-is this it?” she was shaking.

  “Yes.” Said her mother confidently.

  “We have to go in there?”

  “Yes.”

  The queen looked to the guard leading the way. “Captain, this is where I leave you. You and your men are to remain at the entrance to the woods. But keep yourselves hidden.”

  The queen spurred her horse and Ehren followed suit. Atreyis hung back and tried to rein in her anxiety. She took a deep breath and steeled herself and trotted off after her mother. As they approached the tree line the queen slowed and entered, her children followed behind her. The woods were seemingly dark and sinister. The only sounds were the snapping of twigs under the horse. There wasn’t animal in sight. A breeze blew through the trees and sent a chill down the princess’ back. Her hands went cold. This place was giving her a bad vibe. Suddenly, the queen stopped and dismounted at a moss and ivy covered mass. She cleared away the growths and revealed a horse-sized stone carved dragon. Its head was held high and proud.

  “What is that?” the princess was in awe.

  “We’re here.” Said her mother proudly.

  “Is this all there is? I was expecting more.” Said Ehren.

  The queen ignored her son. She closed her eyes and when she opened them they were glowing a faint blue. Atreyis gasped, she had never seen her mother do that before. She knew that her mother was Descended, but she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. The queen reached up to the statue’s eyes and covered them with her hands. All of a sudden Atreyis saw a bright white light shining nearby. She dismounted to check it out. On inspection the beacon of light was nothing more than a rock. How strange. Another glowing orb caught her eye. She stood up. There was a trail of glowing objects leading deep into the woods.

  “Aznu will guide our way to safety.” Said the queen in quiet awe.

  “Has this always been here?” gasped Atreyis.

  “I heard father say that our ancestors created this place as a refuge in times of war or threats to the family.” Said Ehren in awe.

  The queen led her horse by the reins. “Come. We must continue into the woods.”

  The three royals trekked deep into the woods following the lights. Atreyis kept an ever-watchful eye on her surroundings, fearing that any moment there could be an ambush. Her hand gripped the hilt of her sword tightly. The glowing orbs came to an abrupt stop.

  “This is it.” Said the queen.

  Atreyis and Ehren looked around, it didn’t look like they were anywhere special it was still just woods.

  “Mother—” started Ehren.

  The queen walked forward and disappeared into thin air. The princess and prince’s mouths dropped open. They looked at each other. The prince gathered himself and cautiously followed after the queen. Atreyis watched as he, too, vanished from sight. She held her breath and crossed over the threshold. She couldn’t believe her eyes. They were still in the woods but in a small clearing. A brook trickled through it and there was a dwelling that was made out of earth and trees that grew twisted around each other. They provided a spherical frame that was covered in grasses and moss and flowers. Surrounding the sanctuary was a giant soap bubble looking barrier. It was enchanted to keep prying eyes away.

  “By the Goddess.” Said Atreyis breathlessly.

  She let go of Lux’s reins and he happily trotted over to the other horses and drank out of the stream. The door to the house was open and she peaked inside. The walls had simple earthy plaster that covered them with large exposed wooden beams that supported the ceiling. Various sizes of antlers decorated the walls and the royal banner hung above the cavernous fireplace. The queen was cleaning up and checking the cupboards for supplies while Ehren started a fire.

  “Atreyis, will you check the garden out back? It’s been ages since anyone was here. I hope that it’s still producing.” Said Arainya.

  “Um, sure. What do you want?”

  “Whatever is out there. Oh, and, Ehren, as soon as you finish with the fire maybe you could go catch us some rabbits. How does stew sound you two?”

  “Fine.”

  “Fine.”

  Atreyis slipped outside and walked around towards the back of the house. The garden was huge and overrun with large plants and weeds.

  “Wow.”

  She sighed. This really wasn’t something she wanted to do. She looked around to make sure Ehren and her mother were still in the house. The coast was clear and she jogged over to Lux and untied her bow and quiver and then ran for the edge of the clearing. Pausing, she looked around and took a deep breath and passed through it. The orb that guarded the gateway had stopped glowing. Atreyis made a mental note of its location before making her way into the woods. She crept along, looking for any sign of animals. There were a few tracks but unfortunately they were old. As she searched her mind wandered to thoughts of her friends and Ky. She kicked a bush. How could she just let Ky go to her death? There was no way she could have organized that attack. And they way that Cora was so hell-bent on keeping the two of them together. She felt the guilt pile on. She should have done something.

  Suddenly, she noticed a form off in the distance. The princess dropped to a knee and hid behind a tree. It was a deer. She knocked an arrow and crept closer. The buck put its head down and grazed some more. Atreyis took a deep breath and lined up her shot and waited. The deer popped its head up and she took her shot. The arrow whizzed through the air and found its target. It hit the buck perfectly in the heart. The animal stumbled a few steps and then dropped. Beaming with pride she jogged over to her downed prey. She deftly removed the arrow and wiped it off before returning it to her quiver. The buck was a little larger than she expected but she was still able to heft it up onto her shoulders and make her way back to the secret entrance. She found the rock that opened the gateway, lowered herself and placed a hand on it and hoped it would work. Her eyes glowed blue and the rock turned into a glowing orb once again and she stepped through the barrier. The moment she crossed through she ran smack into Ehren and his horse.

  “Atreyis! Where have you been?” exclaimed her brother.

  “Isn’t it obvious? I decided to go hunting. I wasn’t even gone that long.” She said, annoyed.

  “Mother said I was to go.” He dismounted. “Atreyis, you don’t know what could be in these woods, or who for that matter. Just because you managed to keep yourself alive the last time doesn’t mean that the next won’t be the same. Goddess, Atreyis! You need to be more careful!”

  The princess glared at him and heaved the deer to his feet.

  “Sorry, I guess I don’t know any better. I’m just a weak little girl. Next time I will let my big strong brother go.” She said sardonically and stormed off to the garden.

  Ehren grabbed the deer by the antlers and dragged it to the front of the house and stared dressing it. The queen came out to check on things.

  “Wow. That’s quite a catch, Ehren. Was it just waiting for you or what?”

  “It’s not my kill.”


  “What?” Arainya began to panic. “Where’s Atreyis?”

  “Don’t worry, she’s gathering some vegetables from the garden. When I didn’t see her in there earlier I checked the area and just as I was about to go looking for her, she came crashing into me. We need to keep a close eye on her. She ran away once, what’s keeping her from doing it again?”

  The queen sighed. “Common sense, I hope.”

  She left her son to finish the deer and went to find her daughter. The princess was hacking her way with a dagger through the miniature jungle looking for anything edible. When in the world was the last time an actual person was here? There were a few squashes and a wild red cabbage, and she even managed to dig up a handful of small potatoes.

  “I worry about you, you know?” said the queen quietly.

  Atreyis looked up from her gathering. “What?”

  “Ever since you were born I’ve done nothing but worry about the day that you would be taken away from me. Your father and I do everything we can to look out for you, Atreyis. What have we denied you? Why do you keep pulling away from us?”

  The princess bent over to grab a rogue potato and rolled her eyes. “Nothing. You have given me everything. It’s just…I don’t know. I just do it. I don’t know.”

  “Is it something we are doing? Is it me? Lately, it feels like you have been shutting me out.” Arainya started to tear up.

  “I’m not shutting you out.” The princess couldn’t make eye contact. “I’m just working on some things, trying to figure myself out. You know I don’t want any part in ruling. Ehren is the one cut out for that. I’m just…trying to figure out where I belong. What I want to do. What I’m supposed to do.”

  “I understand that, but you have responsibilities that you were born in to. You can’t just run away from that.”

  “I’m not running!”

  “Yes you are! Atreyis, you are twenty years old, you need to start acting like it.”

  The princess’ eyes started tearing up.

  “I know!” she yelled. “But you and father just don’t get it!”

  The queen pointed a finger at herself.

  “I don’t get it?” she was indignant. “We have all done things in our lives that we don’t want to do, but that’s part of life. Sometimes dreams are nothing more than that…dreams.”