When the Faery knight and the sorceress returned, they immediately pulled up the camp. The troupe followed the dryad into the hexagonal room, the Eyes all closed, and down the sparsely lit tunnel. They marched through the cloying dark for what seemed like ages. The torches sputtered, threatening to gutter out, making their shadows dance wildly. Pushing forward, they began to hear the faint roar of an ocean and the taste of salt tinged the stifling air. When they emerged from the passageway, they looked out over glowing waves.
Fluttering to the ground, the Queen approached Kiri, jerking her off to one side.
"Ye will awaken the Dragon King, witch, or ye will perish." she hissed, the fear in her eyes was overwhelming and, though she acted otherwise, she was shaking. Her hands fell to her sides in, what resembled, defeat and her eyes looked at Kiri, pleading.
The guards led her toward the water, undoing her bindings. She rubbed her wrists, gingerly, and stepped into a wave. The tide would be coming in at any moment, large crystals illuminating the cavernous ceiling and small water phos flowers glowing beneath the water. It had to be done according to the legends, according to all the stories, or it would not be right and she would have to wait until the next lunar cycle.
The water was warm and thick with salt, clinging to her skin in an unpleasant way. She waded in until she was waist deep and could barely touch the bottom, lifting her arms above her head. With her arms lifted, she began chanting, all of her tattoos becoming bright white against her skin. The water began to swirl around her and the waves began to bubble; slowly at first, building into a roiling boil so that she was almost lost under the waves. The ruby eye on her forehead flung open and began to pulsate, radiating pain, and pleasure, through her skull. The royal court was thrown off balance as the grotto began to rock and the waves crashed into the gem spangled ceiling.
The dragon rose from the water slowly, his enormous wings stretching out and beating lazily. When he opened his onyx eyes, they came to rest on Kiri, boring into her soul. She shivered, watching the pearls of water drip from his red and white scales, his massive wings pumping the heavy air. Taking several steps back, she knelt before the Dragon King, lifting her hands toward him.
"Oh, great Uduak, we come to ask for help and to awaken the Prince of Dreams."
Lowering his head, so that he was on eye level with the dryad, the Dragon snorted. The blast of air knocked her off balance only a moment, but she felt a fear rising within her.
"What aid would you desire, child of the wood?" his voice was soft, but it was deeper than the ocean in which they stood.
"I seek no aid for myself, Mighty King." she lowered her eyes, desiring to hide the wishes building within her.
His ancient eyes drifted over the Faery Queen, her gossamer wings trembling with fear and defiance. Her curly-haired knight stepped in front of her, raising his sword and covering her with his wings. The Dragon, amused, returned his gaze to the witch, the ruby eye on her forehead blinking wildly.
"To awaken the Prince of Dreams, there is to be a price. Are you willing to pay it?"
Kiri's henna skin paled, her bones trembling. She had made a promise to the eyes. She had made a promise and the weight of it suddenly fell to her very marrow.
"I am." she whispered, feeling sick and small.
"Let it be so." said Uduak. Beneath him opened a staircase, the water receding until they stood on dry ground.
Aysel stepped forward, pushing past Faolán. She halted a step away from Kiri, her eyes lit with fire.
"What price dost thou intend to reap, Uduak?" she asked, her wings rustling in agitation.
"Ah, Aysel, though you were a child, surely you have not grown so old that you do not remember? Take your court and return to the world above. The price will be paid and you will receive your aid."
"What of me?" cried Kiri, the weight of promises and fear becoming nigh unbearable.
"To awake the Prince of Dreams there must be a dreamer. You swore to pay the price and you are the strongest dreamer."
Out of the watery staircase shot a snake-like rope, coiling itself about the enchantress and dragging her into the dark. The water quickly swelled, the unseen door closing tight. Uduak sank back into the waves, his scales glowing until he was completely covered. Aysel, her stomach turning somersaults, felt her breath escape in a whoosh. She smiled, then, and retreated to her company, ordering their immediate return to the surface.
Fluttering to the ground, the Queen approached Kiri, jerking her off to one side.
"Ye will awaken the Dragon King, witch, or ye will perish." she hissed, the fear in her eyes was overwhelming and, though she acted otherwise, she was shaking. Her hands fell to her sides in, what resembled, defeat and her eyes looked at Kiri, pleading.
The guards led her toward the water, undoing her bindings. She rubbed her wrists, gingerly, and stepped into a wave. The tide would be coming in at any moment, large crystals illuminating the cavernous ceiling and small water phos flowers glowing beneath the water. It had to be done according to the legends, according to all the stories, or it would not be right and she would have to wait until the next lunar cycle.
The water was warm and thick with salt, clinging to her skin in an unpleasant way. She waded in until she was waist deep and could barely touch the bottom, lifting her arms above her head. With her arms lifted, she began chanting, all of her tattoos becoming bright white against her skin. The water began to swirl around her and the waves began to bubble; slowly at first, building into a roiling boil so that she was almost lost under the waves. The ruby eye on her forehead flung open and began to pulsate, radiating pain, and pleasure, through her skull. The royal court was thrown off balance as the grotto began to rock and the waves crashed into the gem spangled ceiling.
The dragon rose from the water slowly, his enormous wings stretching out and beating lazily. When he opened his onyx eyes, they came to rest on Kiri, boring into her soul. She shivered, watching the pearls of water drip from his red and white scales, his massive wings pumping the heavy air. Taking several steps back, she knelt before the Dragon King, lifting her hands toward him.
"Oh, great Uduak, we come to ask for help and to awaken the Prince of Dreams."
Lowering his head, so that he was on eye level with the dryad, the Dragon snorted. The blast of air knocked her off balance only a moment, but she felt a fear rising within her.
"What aid would you desire, child of the wood?" his voice was soft, but it was deeper than the ocean in which they stood.
"I seek no aid for myself, Mighty King." she lowered her eyes, desiring to hide the wishes building within her.
His ancient eyes drifted over the Faery Queen, her gossamer wings trembling with fear and defiance. Her curly-haired knight stepped in front of her, raising his sword and covering her with his wings. The Dragon, amused, returned his gaze to the witch, the ruby eye on her forehead blinking wildly.
"To awaken the Prince of Dreams, there is to be a price. Are you willing to pay it?"
Kiri's henna skin paled, her bones trembling. She had made a promise to the eyes. She had made a promise and the weight of it suddenly fell to her very marrow.
"I am." she whispered, feeling sick and small.
"Let it be so." said Uduak. Beneath him opened a staircase, the water receding until they stood on dry ground.
Aysel stepped forward, pushing past Faolán. She halted a step away from Kiri, her eyes lit with fire.
"What price dost thou intend to reap, Uduak?" she asked, her wings rustling in agitation.
"Ah, Aysel, though you were a child, surely you have not grown so old that you do not remember? Take your court and return to the world above. The price will be paid and you will receive your aid."
"What of me?" cried Kiri, the weight of promises and fear becoming nigh unbearable.
"To awake the Prince of Dreams there must be a dreamer. You swore to pay the price and you are the strongest dreamer."
Out of the watery staircase shot a snake-like rope, coiling itself about the enchantress and dragging her into the dark. The water quickly swelled, the unseen door closing tight. Uduak sank back into the waves, his scales glowing until he was completely covered. Aysel, her stomach turning somersaults, felt her breath escape in a whoosh. She smiled, then, and retreated to her company, ordering their immediate return to the surface.
No comments:
Post a Comment