Lazan

by Stella Sky

  “What is it?” I whispered.

  “Oh, I see what it is. It is my friend. He is in the trees. He must've just flown up there. I am going to say hello quickly. Stay here, Amelia. Do not wander off; you will get lost,” he said as he shifted. Then before I could respond, he flew straight up into the trees that towered over us.

  I watched as he landed on a very thick branch. Then I saw the other Draqua that he was talking to. I have never seen him before, but then again, there were thousands of Draqua on the island. I definitely had not met even one hundred of them. Especially because most of them lived in the training grounds in the barracks. They were a warrior tribe, after all.

  I watched as Ephane talked to him for almost ten to fifteen minutes. It seemed like Ephane was getting angry with him. His gestures were grand with his hands. But I could not hear what they were talking about. I did not want to hear. It was none of my business. I focused on the flowers, once more touching the long green stalk of one of them and enjoying the fragrance.

  “Sorry about that. I was not expecting to see him out here,” Ephane said as he landed next to me.

  “No problem. I was entertaining myself with the flowers,” I said.

  “I am so glad that you like it. I am sorry to cut our journey and lesson short. I was going to tell you the names of all of these flowers, but I do not have the time now. I have to get back suddenly,” he said.

  “Oh, I think I can find my way back if you need to fly,” I said to him.

  “No, absolutely not. I will not be responsible for you getting lost out here,” he laughed. Then he shifted out of dragon form.

  “I am glad for your company, but why don't you let me lead the way so that I can prove to you that I know the way back to the village,” I said, wanting to test my knowledge.

  “That sounds fine to me. I am anxious to see if you remember,” he said. He put his hand out for me to lead the way.

  I stepped in confidence turning back in the direction we came from. Then we came to the fork in the path. But I was not expecting to be rudely interrupted.

  “Amelia?” Ravinn said.

  “Ravinn? Are you following me? Why do I always run into you? I do not want to,” I said to him as I crossed my arms and rolled my eyes.

  “No, I was not following you. I like to walk through here every now and then,” he said.

  “If you say so,” I said.

  “Ephane! What are you doing out here?” Ravinn asked.

  “Nothing!” Ephane suddenly shouted in anger. It caught me off guard. I turned to look at him. Then he smiled and said, “I mean, can I not simply take a walk in the jungle to enjoy the many beautiful things it has for us?”

  “If you say so,” Ravinn said, repeating what I said to him. I looked at him and rolled my eyes.

  “Now if you'll excuse us, Ravinn, I was just teaching Amelia about the jungle pathways. Amelia?” he asked me with his eyebrows raised.

  I looked at the fork in the path in front of me. Ravinn crossed his arms arrogantly, expecting me to fail this test. I remembered exactly the way to the village.

  “It is this way, to the left on this path,” I said walking to the left towards the village.

  “Very good, Amelia,” Ephane said clapping his hands.

  “This is dumb. Excuse me,” Ravinn said as he walked in the direction of the flower path. It actually astonished me that he was going to go visit the flowers.

  “Why are you going in that direction, Ravinn?” Ephane asked uncharacteristically.

  “What is it to you? I am just going to the flower path,” he said without even turning around. He just continued on. I continued walking towards the village. I did not want to get in the middle of this little argument that they were having. But it felt to me like Ephane did not want Ravinn to see the friend that he was talking to only minutes before. He seemed nervous about it, and because of that, it made me nervous. I walked faster.

  “Sorry to cut our lesson short. I have to go off in this direction toward the spaceport. That way is the village, as you can see it already,” Ephane said as we got closer.

  “Yes, I can see it. I am going to go get something to eat from the kitchens. Thank you for showing me the beautiful flowers. I cannot wait to go back there soon and take my friends to see it,” I said to him.

  Ephane smiled and then gave me a bit of a bow. I smiled back and then he walked away. He was moving very fast for the spaceport. I realized that whatever his friend had told him was related to his new errand to go to the spaceport. It was all very suspicious, but I knew nothing about this Draqua. I did not want to get involved.

  I made my way out of the jungle path and back to the kitchen. I had the fortune to dig into some of the bounty that I helped with in the kitchen earlier. It was delicious. Stephanie and Brenda were also there, and I told them the story about the flowers.

  “You must take us tomorrow! I almost don't believe you,” Brenda said as she put a large piece of fish in her mouth.

  “It is most certainly real. I am happy to take you tomorrow,” I said to her.

  “Yes, it sounds fake. But then again, we are on an alien planet. If anyone had told me I would be on an alien planet a couple of months ago, I would not have believed them. Anything is possible now,” Stephanie said.

  I laughed at her because she was completely right. The flowers did astonish me, but honestly, they should not have. I was on an alien planet, and every day I started to forget it little by little. This alien planet was becoming my reality, and I was starting to become fine with that, accept it.

  The very next day, I took them to see the flowers and they enjoyed it just as much as I did.

  When we got home, there was a warrior waiting for us.

  “Amelia, Stephanie, and Brenda, you and these two women have been summoned,” he said.

  “Summoned for what?” I asked.

  “You shall see. Now, come with me and I will take you where you need to go,” he said. I was very confused as to what was going on and a bit panicked. I followed him and Stephanie and Brenda across the bridge and down the spiral staircase. But I was not prepared for what happened; it was too fast.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  RAVIINN KEED

  I don't know why it bothered me so much to see Ephane with Amelia. Why were they on the jungle path together like that? They looked like they had been friends for a long time. Where did he get off spending so much time with her? I wanted to believe that it bothered me because I did not trust Ephane. There was something about him that I could not figure out. It was as if he was constantly hiding something. He always asked lots of questions, as though gathering information. I used to joke that he was a spy, but I thought of him as too weak to be a spy.

  But I knew that this was not why it bothered me to see him with Amelia. It was bothering me because I was jealous. That shook me. Why would I be jealous? I did not want Amelia. Maybe I had some lust for her; she was attractive after all. But I did not want her in that way. I only wanted my own lover, Talia. She was the one I wanted.

  But that night as I went to sleep, I still could not get the image of Amelia with Ephane out of my mind. It was hard to sleep that night.

  The next day, I was on my way to meet Talia on the beach in a nice secluded cove where we liked to meet. While I was making my way through the jungle path to her, I thought again about my run-in with Ephane and Amelia. I couldn't help myself; I immediately started to berate him. I did not know why it bothered me so much that he was with Amelia. I should not be thinking of it at all. He was barely a warrior, more of a governing Draqua. I was twice the Draqua he was, and a fierce dragon. I was so occupied thinking about this over and over again that when I finally arrived at my destination, I just continued to walk right through it. I didn’t stop until I heard Talia’s sweet voice.

  “There you are,” I heard Talia say as she snapped me out of my thoughts of Amelia and Ephane. I was in a pure jealous rage at that moment. I had to force myself to smile.

 
; “Yes, here I am,” I said smiling a big grin at her. I did not need her asking me what was wrong.

  “What took you so long? I feel like I am always waiting for you, if it has to do with Ravinn, then I am waiting,” she said with a pout.

  I told her to me. I placed a deep kiss on her mouth. I have been looking forward to ravaging her all day.

  “I am here now,” I said between kisses.

  "What did your father have to say to you yesterday?” she asked.

  "The same he always says to me,” I said kissing her neck trying to change the subject.

  “Did you tell him? Did you tell him that we wish to be married?”

  “Yes, I did,” I said not wanting to talk about it anymore.

  “Well? What did he say? I am tired of waiting. We should be married already,” she said as she put her hands on my chest and pushed me away. She was not going to let me proceed until she had some answers. I couldn't blame her. She had waited a long time, and so had I.

  “He is against it as he has always been. Give it some time, and maybe he will come around. He will see how much I am devoted to you, and I am not going to change that,” I said to her.

  “That has been your strategy for months now. Can you not see that it is not working? We need to do something else,” she said as she stepped away from me and turned her back to me.

  I walked up from behind her and put my arms around her waist. I placed soft kisses on her neck.

  “It will work. I know that it will. Just trust me,” I said to her.

  “I will trust you for another week. But then we must do something,” she said as she turned toward me. Then she kissed me on the mouth, giving into the moment, finally.

  Later I was back at my home without Talia. It was only a couple hours later after my run in with Amelia, and yet I was still thinking about her.

  There was a knock at the door. I opened it, and a warrior stood on the other side. I knew him. He worked for my father.

  What is it?” I asked, already knowing the answer.

  “Your father wants to see you. He is in his living quarters,” he said.

  “Fine.”

  I shut the door and shifted into dragon form. My wings spread out behind me. I jumped off the veranda and flew into the air. I had to get some of the anger out of me. I flew fast, making my way around the large trees going around and in and out. I was making a game of it, coming dangerously close to smacking straight into them before I went to swerve out of the way just in time.

  I landed hard on the veranda outside my father’s living quarters. I walked into the great rooms where he liked to meet with others.

  “Father, I am here. What is it now?” I said as I went straight to the Hiwa. I knew that I was going to need it once again. I poured a glass and drank it very fast. Then I poured another.

  “Son, I have good news. You are going to thank me for this,” he said as he came out of the hallway and into the room with me.

  “What? What am I going to thank you for this time?” I asked.

  “Remember what we spoke about? Remember we spoke about you finding a human female to mate with?”

  “How could I forget? You don't let me forget, and Talia does not let me forget,” I said moving to him.

  “Well you do not have to trouble yourself with finding one any longer,” he said.

  I looked at him, shocked. Could it be? He had finally come around to the idea that I was going to marry a Draqua female and not a human female? I knew it; he was about to give me permission to marry Talia. I smiled in happiness.

  “Really, father?” I asked.

  “Yes, you do not need to find one. I have found one for you already,” he said.

  “What?” I asked in shock.

  “A few new females were taken from Earth recently. There were four or three of them; I am not sure where the fourth is. But the king owed me a favor. I got first look at them and first choice. I picked the most beautiful one. Son, she is very beautiful. Her hair is red like fire, and she has ample female parts that will suit your wild nature.”

  “No…”

  “She is here now. I have the female Draqua that is in my service dressing her as we speak. She will be out shortly,” he said.

  I could not believe what I was hearing. It could not be. It was not possible that my father had chosen Amelia to take as a wife. It was just completely impossible.

  “Here she is now,” he said as he turned toward the hallway.

  Amelia walked in. She had white flowers braided into her red hair. There were two necklaces made of white seashells around her neck. A white strip of cloth covered her breasts. A white short cloth was on her waist as a loincloth. Her feet were in soft sandals tied with very thin rope around her small feet and ankles. And covering all of this was a turquoise dress. She narrowed her eyes at me in hatred.

  I suddenly felt a rush of adrenaline and excitement that this gift was being offered to me, and it looked very tantalizing. I looked at her up and down, admiring what I saw. My father noticed.

  “I knew you would like her,” he said quickly as he walked over to her and pushed her towards me. She slightly resisted.

  “Amelia, this is my son, Ravinn. Ravinn, I offer you this human female as a wife by order of the king,” my father said.

  Amelia crossed her arms over her chest. She hated every moment of it. That in itself made me smile. I liked to irritate her.

  “How does that make you feel, Amelia? That was your name, wasn't it?” I said pretending not to know her.

  “You know what my name is, you dirty rat,” she spat the words at me.

  “Are you to acquainted?” my father asked puzzled.

  “Only in passing,” I said playfully.

  “You cannot do this. You can't just give me away to someone. I am not a piece of property,” she said, putting her hands on her hips and shouting at my father. I laughed.

  “She is fiery. Just like her hair. I think this one will you do you some good. She is your match, Ravinn,” my father said laughing.

  “I am right here. Don't talk about me like I'm not here. I am not going to marry your son no matter how you try to make me,” she said.

  “Yes, you will, in time. But that is not what I ask of you today. Instead, I have another assignment for the both of you,” my father said.

  I looked at him confused. What the hell was my father up to? This could not be good. He walked over to a table and picked up a very large shell; it was the length of my hand, and it was in a spiral shape.

  “Do you see this shell?”

  “Yes, I see it. I am not blind,” Amelia said. My father laughed at her reply.

  “This type of shell can only be found on one small island out in the ocean, about 10 miles from here beyond the jungle. I want you both to go and find one and bring it to me.

  “What? Why?” I asked.

  “It is very important. I need it by tomorrow night. It is very hard to find. I need your strength and skill to take Amelia to the island. But it is found in the shallow tidal pools that only a small human can fit in,” he said.

  “What? I'm not going to do that!” Amelia shouted.

  “Yes, you will. Both of you will. And you will leave now,” he said.

  “But—” I began to say.

  “That will be all. If you are successful in this mission, then I will talk to the king and tell him that you two are not a match, and then you will not have to marry each other,” he said.

  “Seriously?” she said.

  “Well, what are we waiting for?” I said as I moved toward her.

  “It is the island with the rock formation like a giant bird. Do you know which when I speak of?” my father said.

  “I do. I have flown by it in the past, though it has been years,” I said.

  “Good. Come to me tomorrow night with the shell. You are dismissed,” he said as he moved to a chair and sat behind a table to eat. I looked at Amelia. Her eyes were big with fright.

  “Let's just ge
t this over with. I have things to do,” I said as I scooped her into my arms. She reluctantly put her arms around my neck. Then I took off flying out into the evening air. The sun had just set on the horizon and the light was very dim and a golden orange. I flew faster, making my way over the village, past the jungle, and past the other side of the island out into the open ocean.

  I felt Amelia tighten her arms around me when we were over the open water. I guessed she did not want to go back in and I did not blame her. We flew in silence. I had nothing to say to her and I was still very confused that my father had chosen her of all the human females to make my wife. Did he know that I had been speaking with her? Did he know that I had saved her from the battle? These were questions I would have to ask him when I returned with his damn stupid prize. Finally, the island came into view. I saw the large outcrop of rock that was shaped like a bird, and it was very easy to see now that the setting sun was behind it.