The Flames of Arathia

by Jordan Liberatore

  “Melody,” Drusilla muttered. Adam raised an eyebrow. “That’s my name.” Adam smiled.

  “If you ask me, Drusilla fits a lot better,” Adam winked. Drusilla looked up at him.

  “That’s what Malcolm would say,” Drusilla mourned. Adam held her tighter, thinking for a moment.

  . “I remember this one story I was told as a youth. In this world there were once two great magicians. The one, a woman, was a gypsy whose color was red. Her eyes were like fire and her soul echoed a strength unknown to man. The other, a man, was the son of a sorceress whose power was so great that all trembled at her name so that the king of a great kingdom asked her to stay with him. This man, as it were, was traveling on business concerning his mother,” Adam explained. The two leaned back, Drusilla closing her eyes as Adam slowly rubbed her back.

  “The gypsy was traveling as well, and in an inn near the Fields of Altherra. Mother told me this once,” Drusilla laughed. Adam laughed as well.

  “Don’t ruin my story, Sill. Anyways, the gypsy and the sorcerer met and remarked a young pirate queen and her first mate. I doubt your mother knew this, but the first mate was actually the half brother of the sorcerer. Anyways, the gypsy said to the sorcerer that it seemed the two pirates needed aid. ‘Go on,’ the sorcerer laughed. ‘He is a prince, that man. Save him if you please.’ The gypsy glared at him and got up from the table. She strutted right over to the two pirates and learned that they were hiding from an evil king who wanted them dead,” Adam continued. Drusilla raised an eyebrow. It was true. Breena had never mentioned the half brother thing. “The gypsy decided to give them a hand by telling them to a little island just to the east of the shore that was a few leagues off. She said in return that the two would marry, as it was clear they were in love. ‘What of you?’ the first mate asked. ‘The man in blue at your table, he seems to be in love with you.’ The gypsy laughed and shook her head, saying that they were just friends. ‘Oh no,’ laughed the pirate queen. ‘If we are to marry despite our issues, then you must marry him,’” Adam paused, looking down at Drusilla.

  “The pirate queen and the first mate would later have two sons, but the gypsy was destined to never see the sorcerer again,” Drusilla mused. Adam sighed, leaning his head against hers.

  “I’d like to think they keep in touch, or at least tabs on each other. You see, I think the gypsy knew who the sorcerer’s father was, and she felt she had to help because of that. I think she knew that she just had to wait for the sorcerer to be able to love her back,” Adam remarked. He fell silent for a moment before starting to hum some lullaby. It was the same one Drusilla had heard him hum before on deck, but now he began to sing in beautiful Elvish, lulling Drusilla asleep.

  It was after sundown and Lu had just gone down to bed. Nathan needed the solitude though, more than he realized. He was drowning in the mix of emotions he’d been holding in for so long. A lone tear rolled down his face as he gasped for air. “Damn,” he hissed under his breath, thinking of everything. He’d lost so much and was now thrown into such chaos. He was a man on the edge of a war he’d only dreamed of. Someone he trusted was a traitor, and the signs pointed to the one person he had to trust his life to. Was this really what his destiny was? He’d lost his family and worked so hard to rebuild one, only to now be watching it strain before his eyes.

  Nathan soon found himself kneeling on the deck, eyes glued to the floorboards beneath him. He didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve to lose Lillian, to have no chance with Drusilla, to watch his best friends drift apart like they were. Adam and Drusilla seemed distant, and Lu might be a traitor. What drove a person to such evil? Nathan didn’t understand. He didn’t know if he wanted to. He just wished this nightmare would finally end.

  Chapter 11:

  Drusilla woke in the early morning, the sun barely beginning to rise. Her head pounded and swam from crying the night before. Adam was still next to her, awake but lost in thought as he stared at the ceiling. Drusilla stood, stretching as she walked over to the mirror to wash her face and fix her hair. Fresh clothes had been set on the chair. Annloe or Valtari must have slipped in while they were asleep. Drusilla blushed. What had they seen, or thought about Drusilla and Adam? A soft knock came at the door. “Meet me down by the lake in once you have gathered what you need. Take the stone,” Annloe instructed. Adam sat up, walking over to grab the clothes for him. His expression hardened as he looked at Drusilla.

  “I’ll meet you by the stairs,” Adam sighed, walking to the door and leaving the room. He seemed much sterner than before. Drusilla sighed, braiding her hair as she looked down at the gray shirt and pants that had been set out for her. They were a fabric unknown to her, soft and light but sturdy and warm. Drusilla could get used to them. They’d be great on the road, if she even found herself back there after this. She was still unsure of what she would do once the Brethren were finished. A part of her considered trying to find her father, traveling with him. The other part wanted to explore. As she dressed, Drusilla thought of the fields of Altherra mentioned in Adam’s story. They were in Southern Galdirr, full of ruins of a long time ago, but Drusilla had never been there. Perhaps one day she would.

  As Drusilla slipped on her boots, she wondered about who the heir was. Perhaps she could get a horse from them, allowing her better travel. She’d make sure that Declan would be raised as a knight just as Malcolm wanted him to be. It wasn’t that Drusilla now didn’t want her son in her life still, but rather she understood that the boy deserved to have the life she and Malcolm always dreamed of. Drusilla was made to be a wanderer. That didn’t mean her son had to be. Sighing and rubbing her shoulders, Drusilla placed the Fireblood Gem back in her bag, shouldering it before she left the room, taking one last look around. She was always careful not to leave anything anywhere. She’d had a few moments of forgetfulness in the past and much regretted it.

  Adam was waiting by the stairs also freshly changed into similar clothes, a bright smile on his face. The two ran down the stairs to meet Annloe, Reddari, and Valtari by the lakebed. Annloe was dressed in a dark blue cloak, standing tall with his staff in hand. He looked at each of them with a smile. “Stand in the water, now,” Annloe instructed, though more to Drusilla as Adam was already walking into the water as though he knew what to expect. Hesitantly, Drusilla stepped into the chilled water, Annloe beginning some chant that seemed older than even Elvish. Adam reached out and grabbed Drusilla’ s hand, squeezing it reassuringly. The water began to swirl around them, rising and dragging Drusilla and Adam into unknown depths. Drusilla went to scream, but everything suddenly went black.

  Morning came swiftly and too soon for Nathan. He stared out into the water with a blank stare, Lu coming up stretching with a deep yawn. Her hair was braided for once, complementing her jaw line. Her cold gray eyes were awake and alive with a fire and passion, and her shoulders drawn back. She started the day’s work by swabbing the deck, silent and as lost in thought as Nathan. “You should get some rest,” Lu remarked, looking up at Nathan. “You seem so tired.” She leaned the mop against the railing, walking towards him with her arms crossed. “Go on; I’ll take care of everything. I’ll wake you for lunch.” Nathan slowly nodded, his thoughts far away locked on the fields of Norto on a summer day with his Flower. He’d never be free of those phantoms.

  Nathan forced himself down to his room, tossing his things aside. His bed was not as welcoming as at Annloe’s, but he truly was tired. Lu was right. He needed sleep, as much as he hated it. His last dreams still haunted him greatly, and Nathan didn’t want to be plagued by them again. However, his body was cruel and all too glad to betray him as he swiftly fell asleep not long after his head hit the pillow.

  The wind had shifted from north to east. The early summer day was not too hot, promising a fair summer to come. Wisps of clouds drifted by, Lillian standing by her father’s ship as she rubbed her arm, tears lining her beautiful eyes. “I’ll see you when I return,” Lillian muttered as she hugged Nathan tightly,
tears pooling on his shoulder. He squeezed back, rubbing her back.

  “Don’t cry, Flower,” Nathan urged, wiping her eyes with his thumbs. “Once you return I shall take you as mine and mine alone. I shall see you soon, my love.” Lillian pulled back, wiping her eyes on her sleeve as she pulled back her shoulders and lifted her head high. She took a deep breath, turning and not looking back for the sake of her emotions. She then walked onto the ship, ordering as needed of the first mate of the ship. With that, Nathan watched as the love of his life pulled away for the last voyage she’d ever have.

  Nathan found himself standing in the burning field once again. Ashes covered the ground and a woman with dark red hair looked at him. She stared at him, her entire aura like that of a blooming flower. She was dressed in battle gear, a sword at her side and flames dripping from her other hand. “Find me, Nathan. I know you will find me.” This time, Nathan had no second guesses. He recognized the voice perfectly.

  Drusilla awoke on the side of a pond, the water softly lapping at the soft grass just inches from her head. Fluttering birds played in the air above her with large blue wings. She was in a dense forest, nothing like she’d ever seen. The most exotic flowers of the most exotic colors surrounded her. Adam grabbed her arm, helping her to her feet as he raised a finger to his lips. “Be quiet. There may be hunters about,” Adam warned in a hushed voice, grabbing for his sword. Drusilla reached down and grabbed her own dagger out of instinct, even above Malcolm’s sword which she now wore on her belt. Her eyes began to scan the trees, her Free Strider training coming through. Small creatures that looked to be fairies were playing around, some looking at the two curiously.

  Drusilla couldn’t help but feel as though she’d been sucked into the world of her mother’s stories. How often had Breena spoke of a realm older than their own, the most sacred part of Arathia, the land of the Beings? Breena almost had an obsession with it. Drusilla felt a pang in her chest, wishing her mother was there with her now. “Where are we?” Drusilla asked quietly. All of a sudden there was a rustle behind them, and the Free Strider and Adam turned to see a tall woman with blood red hair coming out of the trees, a knife in one hand as the other reached back for her bow. A few men in the same green shirts and brown pants as their leader surrounded her, one of them walking to her side. He had soft dulled green eyes and hair the color of tree bark. He was overall a charming fellow with a fair jaw line, a true charmer.

  “What should we do?” the man asked. The woman bit her lip, thinking hard. She was pure muscle, a similar build to Lu. She let out a heavy sigh, looking at the man.

  «Take them, Caleb. Then inform the queen of the intruders,» the woman ordered sharply. She was obviously used to giving orders, and had the same sort of stance and tone as Nathan. Caleb flicked his hand and the other men stepped forward, harshly grabbing Drusilla and Adam. Drusilla just looked at Adam who had a sharp glare in his eyes, his jaw set as he let the men lead him forward. It was obvious he was annoyed as hell, but he wasn’t doing anything at the moment so Drusilla just let him take the lead. The group pushed through the trees, Adam with a more sinister look on his face than Drusilla thought he could ever have. Fairies darted to and fro, watching them as they made their way to a dirt path. They turned to the south where they soon came across a small but bustling village full of people in similar garb as their captors.

  Two guards greeted them at the gate with stone like faces and large muscles tensed and ready to attack. They looked at the woman and nodded, letting them all through. Caleb motioned for the others to take Adam and Drusilla into one of the first huts while he walked away. Inside the small building there were three cells. The two friends were thrown in together in the first of the three. Adam pressed his fist against the stone wall, cursing under his breath. “Well, I should have seen that coming,” Adam sighed, leaning against the wall and closing his eyes with a small smirk as though he knew that everything would be okay. It confused Drusilla. He seemed much too calm and composed for the situation.

  “What do you mean?” Drusilla demanded, crossing her arms. “Where are we?” Adam opened one eye, looking down at her as he sighed.

  “Well, Sill, I’ll have to explain things to these buffoons, so I’ll wait to explain all that,” Adam remarked, walking to the bars. “This is no way to treat me!” he then called to the jailer, a burly man sitting near the entrance.

  “You›ll git yer chance ta complain, boy. Ye›d be better off just stayin› silent!» the guard called back. Even from there Drusilla could smell the alcohol on him. Still, something was off. The man was more disgusting than pirates with small beady eyes, a bald head, and matted beard, but he had a clear Southern Galdirrian accent, much more distinct and heavier than Nathan’s, almost a farmer. Then again, Caleb and the woman also had Southern Galdirrian accents, exactly like Nathan’s. Why would they have that? Wherever they were, it surely wasn’t Galdirr, so why would they speak with those accents? It made no sense to Drusilla. Adam leaned his arms through the bars.

  «Well, may you please at least cut these ropes?» Adam inquired. The two had been stripped of weapons when they were caught. The burly man sighed, getting up and hobbling over to the bars. Drusilla stood and turned around with Adam, letting the guard cut their bonds. The first thing Adam did was roll up his sleeves to expose his tattoo, turning around promptly just as the guard was about to go sit back down. Adam crossed his arms, sitting back down. He was so arrogant and defiant, entitled even. It was so unlike the Adam that Drusilla had come to know. Still, in a strange way it fit him. She was actually attracted by it. He closed his eyes, leaning back as he began to hum again. Bored, Drusilla began to pace the cell to pass time. It was obviously going to be an interesting and long day.

  Chapter 12:

  Nathan awoke with a start, his mind wide awake while his body was still fast asleep. He stared at the ceiling, feeling the sea rock the ship around him. By the sound of the birds and such, Nathan could tell it was still day. So he must not have been asleep too long. Still, it was more than long enough for him. The musty sea scent calmed him though, as his body finally decided to join his mind in the land of the waking. The dream still echoed in Nathan’s mind, the woman’s voice toying with his thoughts painfully. He hesitated to call it a dream though. It all felt so real, and he could still feel the heat of the flames and taste the ashes on his tongue. It was chilling, trying to consider who the woman was. It couldn’t have been… But the voice seemed to prove it was.

  Nathan took a deep breath, forcing himself up to change. He splashed his face with water, trying to ground himself to reality. He had to. He looked up at his reflection. “You need to wake up, Nathan,” he reminded himself. “This isn’t the time to dwell on what once was.” That was when everything truly set in, and a dark thought crossed Nathan’s mind. He’d seen that woman before, and the place as well. He’d seen it in his dream at Annloe’s.

  “Father, may I ask why we are going to the Isle?” Poyro inquired, crossing his arms as he walked up next to Herto.

  “Have you e’er heard of the Phoenix Queen, my boy?” Herto asked with a heavy sigh.

  “Not that I can recall,” Poyro replied, shaking his head. Herto looked down and back up at the waves.

  “Chosen by the Beings, they say,” Herto began. “She survived a maze of sorts, filled with five trials by the Beings themselves. No one knows exactly who she is, but they say she travels time and place doin’ the biddin’ of the Beings, but with an agenda o’ her own.”

  “Where did you hear of her?” Poyro questioned, looking intently at his father. Herto smiled.

  “Lovely Breena,” Herto mused, “the mother o’ your sister. She used to research all sorts o’ legends and histories. Fascinated by the Queen, she was. Never believed in her myself though.”

  “Okay, how does that answer my question then?” Poyro argued. Herto looked at him.

  “I saw her, son. Right here on this deck. Gave me a headin’, she did,” Herto confessed. “She said t
he Dinthlayi Amarca was comin’ to pass, the prophecy of the firebloods. Breena told me about it. The world’s changin’ my boy and we’re right in the heat of it. Galdirr may be brought to glory yet.”

  “Melody’s in trouble, isn’t she Father?” Poyro sighed. Herto shrugged.

  “The Queen didn’t say,” Herto replied. “But we’re to pick up her and an army at the Isle. No choice but to listen. No one says no to the Beings.”

  “Why would they?” Poyro laughed. “When destiny calls, we should all go running.” With that he went about his duties, leaving Herto with a proud smile.

  Nathan walked out into the open. Lu was standing examining her knife, quickly putting it away as she saw Nathan. “I was just going to get you up, Nathan,” Lu laughed nervously. Nathan just nodded, too caught up in his thoughts to notice anything. Lu sighed.

  “Just go get some food ready,” Nathan muttered, walking to the wheel. Lu glanced at him before running back below deck. They still had another day or two before reaching land, and a day’s walk after that before they reached Anikarra, maybe more depending on weather. That meant that Nathan was going to have a lot of time with his thoughts. Thus he didn’t even bother to realize the sharp and vicious glare Lu had shot him before she walked down to prepare the two of them some lunch.

  Drusilla and Adam had been in the cell for an hour or so by the time the woman returned. Adam quickly stood, walking to the bars as he stared the woman down. “It’s about time, Lillian,” Adam sighed heavily, shaking his head as he held out his arm to show his tattoo. “This is no way to treat one such as myself. You’ll never hear the end of it.” The woman scowled, studying the mark. Drusilla found it odd that Adam knew the woman’s name, and odder still that the woman didn’t seem to know him. Lost, Drusilla found herself just staring down at the tattoo.