Dragon's Claws

by Bri Sailor

  “Be careful.”

  Suddenly, images flashed in the warrior’s mind and memories came flooding back and overwhelmed the warrior. She felt faint.

  “Mother?” she barely whispered the word before blackness overcame her.

  #

  “Ky!” rang out a melodious voice. It was older and feminine but Ky couldn't quiet place it. She slowly moved her sun-warmed limbs and began to stir. Slowly, she opened her eyes against the bright sun. Sitting up she scanned her surroundings. A green field of grass and wildflowers stretched all around her.

  “Ky! Where are you, child? Your mother will be here soon.”

  There was the voice again. The young girl rubbed her face. Her mother? Wait! Today was the day her mother returned home! The blonde haired child jumped up and ran straight for her grandmother's house. The elderly woman was standing outside and looking for the girl.

  “There you are!” she smiled. Her hair was as gray as her eyes and it was pulled back in a neat plait. She was wearing a simple linen dress. Her skin was tanned by years of being out in the sun.

  “Is mother really going to be home today?” squeaked young Ky with glee.

  “Yes, my dear.” The woman tapped her on the nose with a smile. “But you better clean up. We don't want her coming home to a little urchin.” She lovingly picked blades of grass out of her blonde hair.

  Ky looked down at herself. She was covered in dirt and grass stains. She smiled impishly and ran into the house. A couple of hours later she was cleaned up and fed, playing with her wooden sword. She defeated her imaginary enemies left and right, occasionally chasing a rogue chicken. Suddenly, the small fighter saw a figure on horseback. She had golden hair and was wearing a dark silver dress.

  “Mother!” shrieked Ky and ran for her.

  The woman smiled and dismounted. Ky was all smiles as she jumped into her mother's open arms. The woman hugged her tight.

  “I missed you, mamma. Why do you have to keep leaving?” Ky said into her mother's shoulder.

  “I missed you too, sweetie. One day you will understand. I hope.” she put her daughter down. “But for now I am all yours.” she smiled.

  Ky smiled and took off running for the house yelling. “Grandma! Grandma! Mother's home.”

  The old woman stepped out of the house, wiping her hands on her apron. She smiled and waved to her daughter. She sighed. Her daughter's responsibilities were vital, but her constant leaving was hard on her little girl. The poor child would mope the first few days after she would leave. She had already missed Ky's second and third birthdays and so much more. It was fortunate that Ky was only four years old now, but how many more birthdays would her daughter miss? Ky was starting to remember things now, and her absences were taking a toll.

  She opened her arms. “My Nya.”

  “Mother.” Nya hugged her close. “I missed you.”

  “Me too.”

  “How long will it be this time?”

  Nya sighed. “Until they summon me again.” her eyes were sad.

  “Can't they handle it on their own?”

  “Every priestess must do her duty to protect her people.”

  “Surely by now it must be fixed.”

  “At this point I'm not sure it will ever be. The Seal has never before been breached. There is something happening.”

  Her mother's eyes pleaded with her. “But it has been nearly five years!”

  Nya grew solemn. “All the more reason to repair it.”

  “It's so small though. I still don’t understand how could a crack the size of a blade of grass cause so much upset?”

  The priestess' face grew taught. “You know why. With what evil is sealed away, any breach in the spell is all it takes. The longer the wound is open the longer more of that evil spills into this world.”

  Ky watched the exchange. As usual, she had no clue what they were talking about. The only thing she was sure of was that at any moment her mother could leave again. She never knew when or for how long so she needed to make every moment count. She tugged on her mother's dress.

  “Mamma! I'm getting better! I've been practicing every day! Soon I will be a strong fighter like father was!”

  Nya knelt down and smiled softly. “I'm sure you are. Your father would be so proud of his little princess. How's about you show me?”

  Ky's face lit up and she ran for her sword and started swinging. Her mother watched from a distance.

  “When will you tell her?” asked her mother from behind.

  “One day.” said the priestess solemnly.

  “She deserves to know the truth about her father.”

  “I know.”

  #

  Ky's eyes fluttered open. She couldn't tell where she was. The warrior was lying in a bed in a simple room with a large window and sunlight streaming in. There was a girl sitting in a chair opposite of her. The warrior caught her eyes. The sheer blue beauty of them took her breath away. The girl jumped up and sat on the bed.

  “Hey, you're awake.” she smiled softly. “How are you feeling?”

  Ky rubbed her face. “I don't know. What happened, where am I?”

  “I don't know what happened.” said Atreyis. “We were down in the cavern with Nya and then, boom, you fainted. What was that all about?”

  Ky sat up. “I'm not sure.”

  She tried to remember but the only thing she could think about was her childhood home with her grandmother. A figure stood in the doorway.

  “Ah, I see she's awake now. How are you feeling?” smiled Nya.

  “Off.” replied the warrior curtly.

  Nya nodded. “I see.” she looked at the princess. “Atreyis, if you wouldn't mind I would like to speak with Ky alone.”

  “Sure.” she gave Ky an awkward quick hug and left the two women to talk.

  Nya sat down on the bed.

  Ky crossed her arms. “Why didn't you tell me the moment I arrived?”

  The priestess' eyes were downcast. “To tell the truth, I honestly didn't think you would remember me. It was so long ago, and I wasn't around much.”

  Ky began to tear up. She blinked them away. “All these years. I thought you were dead. And now I find you very much alive. Why didn't you come and find me? Did you even try?”

  Nya teared up. “Because I thought you were dead too. When I came to the house was destroyed and there was no sign of you or your grandmother. I was sure that she...that that witch had killed... I didn't know you were even alive until eight years ago. I saw you in a small village. You were with some friends it seemed and you were laughing. I thought you would be safer if I stayed dead.”

  Ky uncrossed her arms. “I wasn't. Grandmother died shortly after I turned seven. Those 'friends' that you saw me with were...” she sighed. “...I've been fighting to survive all my life.”

  The Keeper was overcome with guilt and remorse. “I'm so sorry. If it means anything, you have me now.” she put a hand on the warrior. “I know it can't make up for what has happened over the years, all I can do is offer myself now.”

  Ky softened. “It's not that easy.”

  “I know.” Nya sniffed. “At least the Goddess brought you back to me.”

  Ky nodded and moved to get up, she was getting uncomfortable.

  “How long was I out?” she asked, changing the subject.

  Her mother stood up and smoothed her robes. “Only a couple of hours.”

  “Then we better get going. Lusha already has a lead on us. With any hope she doesn't know about the key.”

  Nya straightened up. “No, I don't believe she does. As quick as she came she was gone. We've been trying to repair the damage to the Seal since.”

  “Let's hope you're right.” Ky stepped out of the room and made her way back to the temple. The long hallway dramatically gave way to the massive garden inside the temple. The hall entrance was partially hidden by some trees. Riker, Ehren, Atreyis, Taryn, and Cora were all waiting on her as they lounged by the stream. Ky smiled weakly to the gr
oup and sat down next to the princess on a stone bench.

  “So, I say it's time to get moving, Lusha's already far enough ahead of us, and if she knows about the key it is all the more imperative we find the pieces first.”

  Ehren cleared his throat. “I agree. The sooner we get moving, the better.”

  Everyone stood up and started making their way to the temple entrance. Ky moved to stand but Atreyis pulled her back down.

  “What's up with you? You find out your mother is alive and the moment you can you leave her?”

  Ky's eyes narrowed. “You don't know what you are talking about.”

  Atreyis returned the look. “There's no need to be defensive. I heard everything. She loves you, I can tell.”

  Ky didn't say a word.

  “You have her eyes.” Atreyis flashed a cockeyed grin.

  The warrior looked at the girl. She didn't say a word. Suddenly, she felt the urge to hug the princess and squeezed her tight. Atreyis was surprised but returned the hug.

  They both stood up.

  “That doesn't get you out of telling me more about her. I want to know what happened.” pressed the princess.

  Ky sighed. “I am all too aware.”

  Nya saw the group off. She had refilled their supplies and made sure that they were prepared. It was the least she could do for her daughter. She knew it would take time to heal the past, but for now she was happy. For now, she had her little girl back, and she had no intention of letting her go ever again, regardless of her reputation.

  Chapter 21

  It had been a couple of hours since they left the temple. Something had changed in the warrior's demeanor. Atreyis could sense it. The princess was now leading the group, with the warrior bringing up the rear. She decided to drop back. No more waiting, she had given the warrior enough space. Now it was time to find out what was going on inside that head of hers. The warrior just stared blankly ahead. The princess tried to get her attention.

  She cleared her throat. “So a priest and a tax collector walk into a tavern...”

  “I thought she was dead.” whispered Ky.

  The princess grew serious. “What happened?”

  “It was about sixteen years ago. Mother...Nya, had always been coming and going. I didn't know at the time but it was the temple Watchers that called her away over the years. I lived with my grandmother. One day when mother came home I could tell something was wrong. It wasn't too long after that that someone came and destroyed our home. I thought they had killed my mother. My grandmother took us to the city to hide. A few years later she died.”

  “Wow.” said Atreyis in awe. “I had no idea.”

  “Neither did I. But I now know why. It took a minute but once I recognized my mother I knew. It was the witch. Lusha meant to attack my mother, she had been the one guarding the Seal.” Ky trailed off. “It had to have been her…”

  Atreyis was dumbfounded as she absorbed the information. If Nya had been protecting the Seal all these years, and Lusha had tried to kill her that meant the witch had been trying for who knows how many years to open it. To release all that evil. The princess' chest tightened and her heart raced. The gravity of the entire situation hit her at once. Ky heard the change in her breathing. She reached over and put a hand on the princess' thigh.

  “Hey. You need to calm down. Everything is going to be fine.” Her hand felt like it was tingling.

  “Deep breaths. Slow. There you go.” she reassured the panic stricken girl.

  Atreyis felt the calm start the moment Ky touched her. It was odd, but she was glad for it. Gradually, things began to return to normal.

  “I should keep you around.” joked the princess.

  Ky looked at her quizzically. Atreyis waved her off. “Never mind.”

  Cora watched the exchange. She turned back around and smiled to herself.

  “What?” asked Taryn. She turned around and looked at Ky and Atreyis.

  “Nothing.” Cora smiled.

  “What?” Taryn whined.

  “It's not my place.” said Cora cryptically. “In time you will know. If my instincts aren't wrong.”

  Taryn rolled her eyes. “You aren't going to tell me are you?”

  Cora shook her head.

  Taryn changed the subject. “So what exactly does that crack in the wall mean?”

  The priestess grew serious. “It means that even though she didn't succeed, Lusha is doing something right. Which means bad news for us. If you think things are bad now, if that seal is further compromised or Goddess forbid, destroyed, ancient demons would be freed. Béloneras would rise as would a great shadow army that would destroy everyone and everything. It would make the war we are currently in look like child's play.”

  Taryn's mouth went dry. She prayed to the Goddess that all of this wasn't true.

  “So, my Prince, what do you make of all this?” asked Riker.

  The prince's brow was furrowed in thought. “I think my father was wrong.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Lusha had my blood as well as Atreyis' and yet the Seal remains intact. If we were the Goddess' 'weapon' if should have worked. That being said, Nya said that the Seal reacted when exposed to our blood. Which means the witch is doing something right.”

  “So…”

  “So? So that means either the witch did something wrong, which is highly improbable, or that my father was wrong. Only one of us is a part of the prophecy.”

  “Ah, yes. But which of you is it? The prince or the princess?” said Riker with an air of mystery.

  “I don’t know. If Lusha has figured it out, I do believe it is only a matter of time before we do. She will be back.”

  Riker sighed.

  “Oh, my dear Sapphire,” he said to the air. “Is it you that the witch is after?”

  Ehren rolled his eyes.

  Riker turned to his friend. “I volunteer myself to be the princess' keeper. I shall never let her leave my sight and vow to protect her from all that wish to do her harm.” he swore.

  Ehren glanced at his sister and Ky.

  “Many thanks, my good sir,” he said to Riker, “but I have a feeling that your services won't be entirely necessary.”

  The red-headed ranger arched an eyebrow in question.

  The prince continued. “I say, for the good of the group that we all watch out for each other. To single one person out will make us weaker.”

  Riker shrugged in indifference. “Every man is entitled to his opinion.”

  By sunset the group had stopped and set up camp. The silence around the fire was deafening. Everyone was replaying the events at the tower. Atreyis shifted around, feeling antsy. She cleared her throat.

  “So, Ky.” she started.

  “Yes?” replied the warrior.

  A million things ran through the princess’ mind. “Do your men always paint their faces for battle like they did?” Atreyis mentally kicked herself for such a ridiculous question.

  “What?” the random question threw her off-guard.

  Atreyis waited patiently. Inside she just wanted to die of embarrassment.

  “Um, well, not always. I guess it comes down to personal preference. What does it have to do with anything?” The general arched an eyebrow.

  Atreyis stammered. “I, uh...” she cleared her throat. “Just wanted to get a better idea about what we are up against?”

  The warrior smiled internally. She looked the princess dead in the eyes. “Didn't we already have this discussion?”

  The princess turned a deep shade of red.

  “Yes...but...just trying to break the silence I guess.” she said softly. Everyone was watching the exchange.

  Ky held her gaze. “War can turn you into something else, someone else. Someone that you don't recognize. The paint can be seen as just one of the many masks that we all wear to hide our true selves. It’s also an attempt to intimidate enemies.”

  Atreyis swallowed hard. She replayed the images of Ky covered in the black
war paint. Her eyes glowing an evil red. It sent chills down her spine. As she thought about her own attempt to hide her royal identity she felt ashamed, like she was simply posing.

  Riker injected himself into the conversation. “Yes, I bet you were just oh so scary.” he said sarcastically.

  Ky mentally rolled her eyes and didn't give him the satisfaction of a reaction.

  “Admit it,” chimed Taryn. “You would be terrified if you ever had to fight her.”