Natia (Part 5)

   I sat next to Percy and sobbed until I gasped for breath.   "My dearest  friend, taken!  I don't know what I can do!  She's such a feeble little thing, and she can't heal herself if she gets hurt!"   The cool night air should have helped my burning face, but it only made it worse.
   Percy patted my hand, but I pushed it away.   "It'll be alright, Natia.   We'll do something.   It's okay."
   "No, it's not okay!"   I sprung up in a passion of tears.   "She'll not know what to do!   She's so very scared and timid.   It'll harm her forever!   Why couldn't Andromeda taken me?   I would have bared it cheerfully for her sake.   As long as they didn't take my sweet dear Anakis.   I wish I had known!"
   Percy kept a steady eye on all of my actions, not speaking.   I knew he had no words to make me calm down.   I finally sat down with only a sniff.   "Andromeda will surely kill her, Percy.   I can't save her."
   I then had a sudden thought.   What must Prid be feeling right now?   "Oh, my heavens, Percy.   Think of Prid.   He's so sensitive about everything.   I must go see him."
   Percy stood and helped me to my feet.   "Would you like me to come as well?" he asked.
   I shook my head, brushing the dew off my face, for when fairies cry, we do not cry the salty tears of humans.    We cry the fresh dew of mourning.   "No." said I.   "This is not your pain."
   I went off to the tent that Prid shared with Adonis.   When I came in, Adonis was not there, and Prid was sitting on the bed, holding in his hand something that glittered in the low lantern light.   It was a tiny piece of Anakis' wing, soft pink and more perfect than the moon.   Just the sight of it made me start on another flaming passion, swearing that I'd kill Andromeda and that drunkard of a ruler Felix, too.   Prid's eye's glinted a bit, looking both tearful and angry.   I wondered if I'd be in for a lion companion soon.
   At length he spoke.   "Anger doesn't solve anything."   His voice, indeed, sounded as if he had been crying, yet now he was calm and composed.   "I miss her, but we cannot do..."   He paused for a shuddering breath.   "We cannot do anything.   She's probably dead by now."
   "But surely, Prid, you do believe we must avenge her, if she is-"   My mouth refused to form the word.
   "Yes.   But I can't.   Not today.   I feel like I must bury this."   Just then, he took out a thin golden ring, so pure and beautiful.   It had a tiny speck of coal in it.   "This is a magic ring, made by the only real people in Afriki, a part-lion tribe," he explained.   "When wedding vows are said, the coal turns into a diamond.   It was my mother's.
   "I had planned-" here his voice began to be choked with tears, "-that I might win her hand with this very ring.   I think that now-"   Prid stopped to take a breath as a tear rolled down his cheek.   " I think now it'd be best if I just buried it with her bit of wing."
   I nodded.   Prid's speech had made the tears flow even more.   There was a horrid ache in my throat where the sobs should be.   "I think...I think I'll go now," said I.   I walked over to my tent where Percy no longer was.   I sat on what used to be Anakis' cot...
   And I let it all go.

Felix {part 6}

he didn't understand it. 

Curse the Archery captain. 

the clatter of the wine filled goblet filled the throne room as Felix stood from his throne to begin another pacing regimen. 

"the man I seek, is the man I- no, that was wrong, The man for whom I hunt is always the man I...." his head was swimming with too much wine, a bad choice when trying to unpuzzle a riddle. 

He couldn't think straight, and Andromeda had left, left with that mermaid captive, and he hadnt gotten the chance to so much as discuss this with her. 

He sat back down in the throne, and took a deep breath. he had to concentrate, focus his thoughts. 

Closing his eyes, he raised his face towards the roof, but only swirling darkness came. No thoughts would come. 

It was as if his mind was gone. 

Blast it all. 

"Guards!" 

he repositioned his crown as two of his soldiers left their posts outside the door, and rushed forward, their hands on their swords, searching for an enemy. 

"At ease" Felix waved his hand, and cringed inwardly at the slurring of his voice. 

The looked at each other uncomfortably and bowed, "My king?" 

They were just boys, had to be nearer fifteen than twenty, How long had it been since he was that age? 

With his mind all foggy, he couldn't remember exactly how old he was...Maybe Andromeda- oh. right. she wasn't here. 

He realized they were still bowing on one knee, looking towards him expectantly and he motioned for them to stand. 

"You, on the...right? yes, right. tell me, who do I hunt?" 

"M-m'lord?" 

"Tell me! it's a simple question, list everyone I hunt" Felix slumped in his throne like a discontented child and mumbled about simpletons. 

"w-well....Y-your enemies, your h-highness...are, uh, many...." The guard looked to his companion who nodded. 

"my enemies are many...true. there are many people I hunt, and that's the problem!" Felix slammed his fist into the arm rest, causing both boy guards to jump. 

"And I hunt whom I hunt, and I seek those I seek, so it makes no sense whatsoever" With a sigh and a flick of his hand, his dismissed them, and they both scuttled out as if relieved. 

He heaved a deeper, sob tinted sigh and lowered his crowned head into his hands. 

Why didn't that Greven man have any relations he could torture to prompt the man to speak? An orphan who had been found in the stables, He had seemed a good, unattached ally at that time. 

but unattatchment was proving to be a double edged blade. 

Felix reached for the bottle of wine, his third, but found it swiped away from his fingers. 

He looked up expectantly, thinking of his Andromeda, but found himself looking into another face. 

"Oh, Malum, it's you. I did not hear your entry announcement" 

The dragon lifted the bottle, peering at the red liquid through the green glass with his good eye. 

"I came in while you were making an oaf of yourself in front of your guards" 

If he wasn't so drunk, he'd had the dragon thrashed for that talk, but, perhaps it was best he was drunk and wouldn't have to excite the wrath of the Dragon Ruler. 

"Glad to know your feelings, Malum. are you any good at riddles, by chance?" 

Dragons lived a long time, surely this particular foul mannered one had gained done super deriddling powers through his years. 

"No" Malum set the wine bottle down, but out of Felix's reach, while simultaneously dashing the drunken king's hopes 

"than what good are you doing, standing there, you overgrown lizard?" 

Felix again lowered his head, and therefore didn't see the rage in the dragon's eyes at being called a lizard. and an overgrown one at that. 

And Malum did a decent job at keeping his voice level, despite the fact that he'd live nothing more than to strangle this human right now. 

He only worked with him because Andromeda, he feared her, what soul in their right mind didn't? 

"The Ceridwen girl is being troublesome" 

"oh, really? well, thank you for alerting me Malum" Felix looked up just slightly, "I don't care" 

"Than, you give me leave to bring her to her knees in humility before you?" Malum leaned forward, setting hus hand on the throne's armrest, close enough for Felix to smell the smoke scent wafting off of him. 

Andromeda smelled like smoke too, but more of the smoke of burned incense instead of the woodsy, choking smell of the dragons. 

"I said I did not care, do as you please, just don't kill her. We need her alive" 

Felix waved his hand at the dragon, who smiled. 

it wasn't much of an improvement, but oh well. 

"Thank you, good king" 

Malum left, and Felix had to wonder if the tone had implied sarcasm on the 'good king' part. 

No, not another blasted riddle. 

"I hate riddles, I should have outlawed them" he groaned as his head, which was beginning to throb, was lowered back into his hands.

Xander {part 8}

Amongst the elvish corps of white and bay equine, Rudy and Ciar stuck out. 

but, aside from their colors, the horn and massive wings were enough to bring attention. 

Xander shifted in the saddle, it was an elvish made one, specially crafted to give Rudy use of his wings. The old one he had brought from Aragathia had been restricting and looked painful and so a new one had been commissioned. 

But, it took some getting used to a new saddle when he'd always used his own. 

"keep shifting like that, your highness, and you'll start hurting in an unpleasant place" Lithônien pulled his horse up next to Rudy, who flattened his ears at the scholar's white stallion. 

"Of course, thank you for reminding me, scholar. But, might I be of aid in notifying you that the way you are holding the reigns puts pressure on the bit, and should you relax yourself, the chances of being thrown are less prevalent?" 

three days, barely three days of traveling with this man, and Xander was growing weary of him.  Thank God it wasn't a family trait, as both Bly and Thalion seemed to have inherited the general kind heartedness of their people. 

But no, Xander sighed mentally, Lithônien had due reason for holding a grudge. 

"Elvish horses do not throw their riders, no matter how much they'd like to" 

Xander had to bite him tongue lest he make a comment that was not needed to be heard coming from a Prince's mouth. 

Things had become so different since his arrival, he had entered merely as an ex captain, an escort of the Ambassador, and he was leaving as a birthright king. 

Lithônien seemed defeated by Xander's silence; when your opponent doesn't make a counter attack, it's hard to continue the fight. 

The Elf scholar sighed and loosened his tight grip on the reigns before speaking, "pardon my tongue, Xander" 

Is that...an apology?

Xander looked sidewise at the elf, first shocked that Lithônien had offered an apology. 

And then he had to smile. 

Behind Lithônien, spaced only a few feet 

from the white stallion was Bly and Alora, both looking simultaneously pleased with themselves and trying to remain inconspicuous. 

Turning back to Lithônien, Xander inclined his head, "Of course, it held no insult to begin with" 

The scholar nodded once, before moving his horse up through the ranks, his place replaced by his stunningly beautiful younger sister (At least, such is Xander's awed picture of her. The said younger sister would say she isn't stunning nor all that uncommonly beautiful) as her friend flanked Xander's right. 

"Lithônien doesn't apologise to very many, you should be honored" Bly held her face straight, but her eyes gave her away. 

"Why do I feel that your brother's apologies were more forced than heartfelt?" 

Ciar reached over, the brushed noses with Rudy while their riders conversed on how Alora might have possibly telepathically scolded Lithônien on his behavior. 

Xander gripped the soft leather reigns more tightly as he struggled to not laugh aloud, "Honestly, you two" 

Alora smiled politely and ducked her head, "His words should be more carefully guarded when speaking to the future ruler of Aragathia" 

"I honestly am not bothered by his frank speaking" The mood had changed slightly, reminding Xander that he no longer was the same person who used to be.  

"Perhaps you are not" Bly's gaze was locked on her brother, who was conversing with an Elvish commander, a slight smile on his face. "But he should not take his heartbreak over Rhiana out on you.  If he has words to spar with, then he should have taken them up with Adan or Rhianna, not their grandson. You cannot help that your grandmother did not love my brother" 

"You know, this is still just so odd" Xander leaned forward, "My grandmother, and your brother, that's so bizarre for me" 

Bly laughed, Alora grinning softly behind her hand that descreetly covered her mouth, "Xander, you had better get used to it. My years are enough, were I human, I could be your great great grandmother" 

"That's going to take some getting used to" 

Bly's face took a slight look of alarm, and Xander inwardly groaned, he had just insulted her, hadn't he. 

"B-but, in my experience, I'm only a bit younger than you, so, while I'm older, I...I'm actually younger..." 

Alora cleared her throat, "I believe we are about to stop for the evening, I think I'll go find Lithônien" 

Xander pulled his eyes away from Bly, but the moment he did, Bly moved Ciar aside, disappearing into the corps of Elvish riders surrounding them. 

Wonderful. I'm going to have to find her and apologies. 

They unsaddled their animals, allowing them a rest, but just when Xander started off to go find Bly, he was called aside from a commander who was going over the castle blueprints Xander had drawn from memory, posing questions about various matters. 

When he finally was able to free himself, camp fires were already lighting up the deeply shadowed clearing. 

He sought Bly amongst the various fires, but she wasn't with Lithônien or Alora's, nor the other fires. 

"She really shouldn't just wander around, it's dangerous, even Andromeda aside, we entered the Tawarthion yesterday, who knows what hunts these woods" he mumbled to himself while searching where the horses had been hobbled for the night. 

He found Ciar with Rudy, Bly had apparently returned her to the other horses. 

Bly, where are you? 

Xander? 

He nearly jumped at the voice in his head, before realizing it was Bly's. Did his imagination conjur up her voice? 

Xander, was that you? did you just...contact me like this? 

So...it was her. But, how? he wasn't Elvish, or rather, he was more human than Elf, and she had said she possessed no such abilities. 

Xander? 

her voice in his head sounded worried. 

Bly?

Oh good. She sighed, I was afraid it wasn't you. And if it wasn't, I did not want to think at who could be calling to me while using your voice. 

She didn't sound surprised at speaking in their heads to one another, had she expected this? 

Bly...why, I mean, how are we able to do this? I'm barely an elf, and you had said you couldn't communicate through telepathy. 

She was silent, and he wondered if he had insulted her even more so, and then her words came, tinged with pink, and it took him a moment to realize, she was blushing. 

S-sometimes...it's like this when....when two with Elvish blood, even a little...feel, I mean, when...they...because me, and you...

She paused, and he again waited, wondering, for her to continue. 

I'm listening. 

She sighed. 

When two with even the tiniest drop of Elvish blood are in...when they care for each other deeply, they can speak like this. but only when together. Even pure humans and Elves can, as long as the elvish one opens the link first. 

Realization dawned. So, because I love her, and she, loves me, that sent thrills deep into Xander's heart, we can speak to each other without audible words.

But another thoughts nagged him. 

Can...the others hear us? 

perhaps that's why she had been bashful to actually say the word 'love'. To say they loved one another.  It made sense, if your older brother could be eavesdropping into your conversation.  

No. These words are ours alone. 

Ours alone. They could speak, without another soul knowing. 

He had to find her, to hold her. 

Bly, where are you? 

Her reply came back quickly, I'm north of where the horses are. I went for a walk, and got caught in a bramble bush. Xander, I can't get my dress free without ripping the hem.

He had to smile, the thought of her standing amongst a bush, hopelessly stuck, and yet patiently answering each of his questions. She was a jewel. 

Alright, I'm coming, try not to move around too much. 

She replied with a nod that he could somehow sense, and he felt her presence withdraw from his mind. waiting patiently for his arrival. 

He found her just as she had described, it appeared she had tried to walk through a narrow path through Dimeberry bushes, but, naturally they were the Tawarthion strain, and closed up around her like a trap. 

"I can't get free, each time I try, they attach in a new place, and if I try to just walk through them, even though it would rip my dress, they wrap around my ankles"  She sounded worried, the Tawarthion was huge, and even though they could see the camp fires from here, it was unlikely anyone would hear her if she shouted for help. 

"Hold on, I'll cut them from you" He waded through the bushes, feeling the almost finger like stems reach towards him, but the soft leather of his pants kept them from securing their thorns into the cloth. 

"I'm sorry to be so much trouble" Bly whispered as he stepped nearer her. 

"You aren't any trouble, Bly" He put him arm around her waist, pulling her up against him while he cut a feisty plant that had crept up to almost her waist. 

It fell away, shriveling up as it did. 

"But...I can't do anything, not even free myself from a bunch of plants" 

"Nonsense" he cut the rest of them away, "These aren't normal plants. If I'm correct, I'd say they are carnivorous. I'm sure you could free yourself from ordinary Dimeberries" 

He knelt in front of her, and she lifted the front of her skirt slightly so he could free her from the vines twisted around her ankles. 

Thankfully, the thick, rather unpretty, riding boots she wore kept the thorns from digging into her skin. 

"But Xander-" 

He stood suddenly, and put his knife back into the leather holder at his side. It seems the plants had gotten the idea, and had cleared the path for them to leave. You don't mess with a man with a knife. 

"No but Xander's. Bly, you are wonderful just how you are, I wouldn't change a single thing about you, even if I could" He picked her up, swinging her into his arms with ease, and walked down the path the plant carnivores had cleared for them. 

She colored, but wrapped her arms around his neck, "you mean, you wouldn't want me to be braver, or more talented, or able to fight with a sword?" 

He wanted to hug her to his heart, wrap her up in his arms and tell her just how much he loved everything about her. He'd be talking for days if he did. 

"If you could fight with a sword, then I wouldn't get to protect you" 

"you...like protecting me?" 

He smiled, what a dear she was, did she not realize? "It's one of my greatest passions, protecting you. Because, when I rescue you, I get to hold you like this" 

She blushed, but leaned her head against his shoulder, one of her hands moving from around his neck to finger the embroidered stitches on his tunic. 

"say it again, Bly. please" his voice was soft, barely more than a whisper, but he needed to hear her say it again. 

"Hmm?" she looked up, confused. 

"You said it at Voronwë, Bly. why couldn't you say it when we were talking in our heads to one another?" 

"You mean..." she trailed off. 

"I love you Bly. I love you, I love you, I love you.  I loved you, past.  I love you, present. I will love you, future. I need to hear you say, that, you love me" 

Her blue eyes searched his face, moving, lighting up with a plethora of emotions. 

"Xander..." 

She touched his cheek with her gentle fingers, "I love you, Xander. I love your protective nature, I love how you are kind, and gentle. I love how you care about everyone. I love how you put up with Lithônien being annoying. I love how I feel safe around you, how I know you will take care of me no matter what. I love the color of your eyes. I love how you fell backwards when you realized that I was an elf" they both smiled at the memory, though, Xander's eyes were growing misty even through the smile. Bly continued, "I love your smile, I love how you smile so easily. I love the look on your face when you fight to protect those you care for, oh Xander" she lay her head on his shoulder, "I love you so very much, and could continue on speaking on all the ways that I do for centuries" 

His arms tightened around her, and he willed the tears to not come.  This little elvish lady, bringing him to tears, something told him Greven would probably laugh at that. 

"Bly, you are precious. never let me lose you" 

"I hope to never be lost from you" 

A couple minutes later, they returned to the camp, hand in hand, looking both so perfectly contented with the world. 

But the atmosphere of the camp, which had suddenly turned into a frenzy, was very different. 

"Where were you?" Lithônien met them, his eyes accusing. 

"I went for a walk, and got caught in Dimeberry vines, Xander came to help me get free" 

"Surely all of this isn't for us" Xander glanced around the camp, which had been peaceful when he'd left it. 

"no. Though, we were becoming alarmed" Lithônien crossed his arms, "next time, alert me when you plan on taking a stroll with my sister, or better yet, have Alora or myself accompany you" 

It wasn't even worth arguing with him over. If he wanted to stick with them, let him. they didn't need to speak out loud. 

"Lithônien, if this frenzy isn't for us, whom is it for?" Bly tightened her grip on Xander's hand. 

"we received a messenger falcon, from Revelin" 

Xander felt his breath catch. Revelin wouldn't have sent a bird unless it was urgent. 

"Read it yourself" Lithônien pulled a rolled up paper from his sleeves, he had to have hidden pockets in those wide, loose things, and flung it towards Xander. 

They unrolled it, and read it together in perfect silence until Bly gasped. 

"No...not the girls" 

Lithônien took it back, "We've decided to skip going to Revelin and move on towards Aragathia, where we will hopefully meet their army already in the first wave of attack. but we will need to up our pace, so we are moving out tonight" 

Xander nodded, and the Elvish scholar walked away. 

And Bly began shaking as if a cold wind had touched her. 

"Xander...I'm frightened. Why are they capturing them? None of them are extremely important political figures*" 

It didn't make sense. Felix and Andromeda had to have a motive...

The conversation he had overheard surfaced his memory. 

Did it have something to do with that? 

"I don't know, Bly. I don't know. but we will free them, alright? If I know Adonis and Nithron at all, they won't rest until they get them back" 

Bly nodded and dried her eyes, "And Prid" 

While Xander hasn't seen much of the half lion, he nodded, "and Prid". 

But something inside him warned, something bad was about to happen. 

Something dark and evil. 

*Bly doesn't know who Kaymele is. 

Nithron (part 2 of maybe 3)

    The world seems to tilt and reel every time I move my head.  I slowly roll onto my back, every muscle tight from lying in one place for so long.  Aside from a few bruises, a broken arrow in my arm, and a gash in my left calf I'm pretty well off.  Accept for my head, and when I lift my hand to feel it, I see a three claw scratch across my forearm bleeding profusely.  No doubt from the creatures we were fighting.

    Smoke fills the sky with the remaining flames still burning as the camp grounds continues to smolder.  Arrows, weapons, and bodies lie around me as I attempt to sit up.  The world starts to spin again, so I lie back down, splashing my head into a puddle of mud and blood as the rain begins to fall again.

    Two days ago, when the sky was blue, and all seemed to be the same as any other, the whole camp was preparing to leave to meet the Elves.  Nairi, Nuvole, and Kaymele were getting better with everyday.  Nairi was actually able to help with some of the packing, before Anakis saw her and ordered her back to bed.  Though still very ill, four days after the Slasher Vine attack, Kaymele was able to sit and stay awake.  The fever she had was no more, and most of what remained of her wounds was either covered in bandages or healing rapidly into scars that would never fade.  I visited her as often as I could, and every time she had dazed look on her face.

    'What troubles you?' I said brushing back a loose strand of hair.

    'I don't know if I can explain it, but lately I have seen what I guess to be the future.  And from what I can see, it won't be long before we must face the enemy,' she said quietly.

    'Well I think that is very certain, is that all that troubles you?'

    'No, it's just something in the air.  It feels heavy, like the weight of the world presses on this one spot.  But never mind that now, I have something to tell you, and something I wish to give to you,'

    'Tell me anything,'  I said.

    'I am getting better with every day that passes, and the troops leave tomorrow.  I still wish to join you in the battle,' I started to object but she continued, 'and if I were to perhaps die in battle, I want you to have my journal.' she said holding it out.

    'Oh, Kaymele I couldn't, and besides you aren't going to die because you're not going into battle,'

    'What?!' 

    'It was decided that you, Nairi, and Natia are to stay behind,' I admit as I rubbed the back of my neck.

    'You can't make me stay behind,' she said stubbornly.

    'It was not my decision, Beleg said you're too weak to go into battle against Felix,' I said sternly.

    'Oh I'll show him weak,' she stood up and started to walk out of the room but fell after two steps.  Luckily I caught her, and gently lifted her back into her bed.

    'Now, you see.  You can't even walk yet, and you want to go into battle.  I can't let you Kaymele, you're far to precious to me,' I said as I ran my fingers through her hair.

    After that we talked no more about dying, or the battle at hand.  Before the people were gathered I visited Kaymele briefly.  She said nothing, just wrote in her journal fervently as if any moment she would be forced to stop.  When I thought I could stay there no longer I started to stand from my stool, but she grabbed my wrist and held it surprisingly tight.  Her eyes were glazed over and wide open, looking almost like she'd gone mad.

    'They're coming,' she whispered.

    The next day, we gathered the people in the center of the camp. Only those who were ill or too old to join us were omitted from attending.  Beleg stood at the front of the crowd with his long list of men who were to fight.  A breeze from the southeast was starting to blow in a slowly gathering mass of dark clouds.  Beleg started reading names faster so as to get the people back into the tents and buildings before it started raining.  But the faster he read the faster the clouds seemed to approach, looking more ominous the closer they got.  Before he was even halfway done with the list, the first drops of rain started falling.  By this time Beleg had stopped calling out full names, and the men who already knew their names were on the list started lining up.  The rain started falling harder now, and most everyone was now drenched in rain.  I was already in place when the first arrow flew through the air and struck the man beside me.  

    'RUN, ARM YOURSELVES!' I shouted above the noise of the rain.

    Most of the people heard me, and the message spread rapidly.  No sooner had everyone started running, the piercing screech of a dragon was heard above us.  The rain was now in sheets and it was nearly impossible to see two feet in front of you.  From behind us several dragons must have landed, and were breathing fire onto whatever was in their path.  Another battle cry was heard from the left almost in a whisper but Nuvole was closer, he used the rainwater and shot a giant ball of water into the general location of the sound.  Something hissed and it was soon clear we had other things to worry about besides the army of dragons.  Something dark like a shadow moved, and along with the rain the sky filled with hundreds of arrows.  Shields went up as the arrows descended, we were helpless.  Far off you could hear the screams of women as the arrows entered their bodies, children wandering around calling out for their parents, infants crying out for their mother's who will never come.  Everything seems to be moving in slow motion, and I can hear my heart beating that seems to echo around the camp.  I hear Adonis's voice shouting at me to turn around, and as I do a shadowy figure emerges from the rain.  Clothed in a tattered cape, and with a skull for it's face.  The creature charged at me with it's sword lifted high, I meet it with a defensive upward stroke.  We fight for what seems like an hour but was really about five minutes, when I got a clean thrust at it's chest, and it falls to the ground dead.  The next one is upon me before I can catch my breath.  I soon found out that this new creature had claws on it's right hand that projected from it's wrist.  It lashed out with it's claws, I ducked and swung my sword at it's legs, which it easily jumped over.

    The rain was letting up, and I was close to defeating this last opponent when I hear a cry from above.  Not the cry of a dragon, or of the many people lying around me dying, but one of terror and I recognized it far too well.  My sword ran the creature through, and I look up to see a cage large enough to hold ten men at the least, and beside it riding a dragon yet not a dragon, as it was made of what seemed to be smoke, Lady Andromeda.  Her chin held high, and a victorious smile upon her lips.  A dragon approached her and the cage, someone else was already inside it looked like Anakis, but in the talons of the dragon, knocked unconscious, was Kaymele.  The scream was hers, and for some reason she was taken prisoner of Andromeda.  She was flung into the cage with such a clatter that the cage tilted slightly.  I was distracted for too long, when something or someone hit me from behind and I remember no more until now.   

    'She's gone,'

    Soon it becomes clear that I'm not the only one alive.  Movement amongst the bodies start happening from all areas of the camp.  I search the camp for Prid, Adonis, Percy, Nuvole, or Beleg.  Apparently the creatures were told not to kill just to disable and capture, but the dragons were told differently.   Slowly I make it to my feet, and start helping others to the infirmary. After the bodies are gathered, counted, and either burned or buried we count our losses.  Four hundred and thirty six (436) dead, many soldiers, women, and children.  Countless others wounded, very few are expected to make full recovery in time.  Natia, poor dear, has had to try healing with what little knowledge she has been taught, by Anakis, about healing.  Though she tries very hard, she's not the expert that Anakis is.  No one knows where she's gone too, but I think I have a pretty good idea.  I remember that Kaymele is not here either, but captured by Andromeda, and I know I saw her face in the cage. This information needed to be taken to Beleg, so I force myself to go to him.  

    His tent was slightly burned in the battle but it still stands.  Many people are gathered outside, some shouting terrible things about him and his plans, and others throwing mud and charred bits of whatever they could get their hands on.  I carefully work my way to the front of the crowd.

    'People, go back to your tents, or back to the infirmary,' I pause to make sure they're listening, 'This was to be a proud day, that has been turned into a nightmare by those we strive against.  It is not Beleg that is to be blamed, it is the cruel tyrant of a king that rules this land that sent those creatures to kill our friends and family.  And now we are to fight, not just for freedom, but for the men, women, and children that have died today.  This is the future of Incantevole if we allow Felix to reign,' I shout for all to hear.

    'He's right,' says Percy, who has a black eye and a wounded shoulder, 'you are blaming the wrong person.  Go, return to your families, and tell them of the bright tomorrow that will one day come.'

    A low rumble of conversation rolls through the crowd, and slowly they depart.  Some still grumbling, and others with their heads hung in shame.  I look towards Percival, and he gives me a wink.

    'Good to see you're still with us,' I say slapping his good shoulder.

    'Yes, and you.  We have so many wounded, and Anakis is no where to be found.  And I haven't seen Adonis, or Prid since the fight started,' he says.

    'I was just about to report the missing.  Kaymele was taken prisoner, and I fear the same for Anakis,' I say walking into the tent.

    Beleg was inside sitting on his chair with a cloth pressed to his head.  Prid was also inside, his eyes wide and skin pale enough that anyone would think he had seen a ghost.

    'What are we going to do?' asks Prid.

    'I don't know, all I can say for now is that we can search but there's no guarantee that we will find her,' says Beleg.

    'You speak of Anakis, do you not?' I ask.

    'Yes, do you know her whereabouts?' 

    'I think I saw her being taken prisoner of Andromeda.  I know this because I saw Kaymele also being taken,' I say.

    The tent flap is sent flying open as Adonis comes charging in.  His face is bruised, and the rest of him is covered in cuts, one cut in particular was quite deep and ran across his chest.  His face is red, very red, almost the same shade as his hair.

    'They took Nairi!' he spits out.

    'They also took Anakis and Kaymele,' says Prid.

    'But why would they need to do that?' asks Adonis.

    'I wish we knew,' I say putting my head in my hands.

    'We have to do something,' says Adonis banging his fist on the table.

    'Right now we must meet up with the Elves.  They are very knowledgable about these sorts of things and maybe they know why these three ladies were taken.' says Beleg.

    We all look to one another, what else could we do, and together we planned the journey to meet our allies.