| � I am!� � You�re not.� � I am!� � You�re not.� � I am!� � Ziaden, I could go on forever. But Swiftwing is in need of my help. I will not allow you to go.� He swung at me, but I lifted my head out of his path and brought it around, knocking him over. He glared at me from where he sat on the grass, eyes shiny with unshed tears. So defiant . . . He only wants to help . . . What could it hurt . . .? He wouldn�t cause mischief just because he could . . . I turned my back on him. � Hurry up and tell Garnet so she doesn�t worry.� I heard his silent footsteps run off in another direction and looked at Vivi. � Would you please stay with the princess?� � Sure.� � Thank you. I�m glad I can put Garnet�s safety in someone I trust.� Zidane returned and hopped onto my back, pressing his knees lightly against my sides. � Okay. I�m ready.� I lifted into the air on sheer muscle power, but the rest of the trip was easy-going. Zidane crunched himself up to avoid breaking too much air. �Kiti?� [Hm?] �I�m sorry I was such a jerk earlier. I know I should�ve stayed, but---� [It�s all right. I know you just want to help. I am only worried. Swiftwing is inaccessible unless you�re a dragon and know where it is. Your presence will be feared and hated. You may even be attacked.] �I�ll be okay.� We made it to Swiftwing and at first the guards would not let us in. They feared Zidane was going to sabotage everything and cause more mayhem. Then Gelgameth appeared and cleared us. [How did you convince them to let us in?] [I am the king�s messenger. I rank above them.] [But how did you know it was us? How did you know it wasn�t an imposter dragon?] [The king told me you�d probably have a boy with you. He showed me an m-picture of you both. That�s how I found you the first time.] �What�s an �m-picture�?� Zidane asked as he stared, wide-eyed, at the structures around us to cover up his eavesdropping. �A mental picture. Shared mental images. Like so.� I showed him a memory of him making an ass of himself in front of Garnet. He stuck a finger under one neck plate and scratched the tender skin beneath. I yelped and said quickly to the messenger, [Sorry. Rock under a plate.] He made an �I pity you� face as I rolled my plates in waves out, then in. A small rock did fall from under an upper neck plate and prove my story, but I was also able to cut (yes, I did it on purpose) Zidane�s finger with the sharp plate edge. Surpressing a cry, he quickly moved the finger to his mouth and drilled holes in the back of my head. �Bitch.� I smirked mentally. �You say it as though it is a bad thing.� The messenger dropped down to the main street and landed. I followed suit, breaking into a dead run as soon as my feet touched the ground. We bolted to the castle and up the front stairs. I saw the mass of dragons trying to get in (no wonder the city was empty) and my worry sprang up anew. �Ziaden, hold on tight. We�re going right through them and I don�t want to lose you.� �Okay. I read you.� He flattened himself out along my spine and locked his arms around my neck. �I�m your friendly leech.� One dragon near the back heard us coming and turned. He only saw Zidane. [A human!] �Oh shit. What�s plan B?� �There is no plan B!� I snarled, snapping at the dragons who got too close. [Stay back if you value your lives!] A pack leapt on me and I fell. In the confusion, I lost my sense of direction. There were so many dragons roaring and fighting that the messenger had to drag me out. I felt strangely light and then realized why. I�d lost him. �Ziaden!� [Come!] The messenger urged. [Hurry!] [No! I can�t leave him here! Ziaden!] The dragons all abrupty surged toward the castle again. The gate fell open and I was washed into the castle. I somehow ended up in the throne chamber and in front of an empty throne. The messenger led me to a secret passage in a corner of the room and we slipped out. As we proceeded down the pitch black hallway, I began noticing an itch on my back. [Gelgameth, could you please look at my back and tell me what�s itching me so and remove it?] He looked. [They�re . . . milk teeth.] He reached down and pulled them out, then gave them to me. It was the necklace. In the riot, it must have come undone and gotten wedged under my spine plates. I put the whole thing in my mouth and moved it to a cheek pocket. [Thank you.] We continued, my fear and worry growing every second. Eventually, we entered a secret bed chamber. Curled worriedly on the bed was Tiovex. He stood as I came in and ran over. [Thank the August Dragon you�re here!] [What�s going on? I didn�t see anything wrong when I arrived.] [Black mages! Like your little friend! Everywhere!] [But I didn�t see them, Tiovex.] [I know! They�re using some kind of Vanish spell! They only appear before or after they kill something!] <--Part 13 Part 15--> |
| There is a time when each must face the consequences of his actions. When your turn comes, endure the bad and celebrate the good. ~Dragon's Teachings, pg. 51 Part 14 |