You have to travel to Crystal Springs and retrieve the boy. It is our only chance to regain what we have lost. I still cannot understand how that simpleminded little girl managed to flee," Tonisa spoke venomously. "She escaped. We let our guard down and shouldn't have. As for venturing to Crystal Springs, I find the idea less than wise. Abigelle has fallen under the protection of my sister. Do you wish me to risk my life simply to retrieve a child we could see replaced? I have received word that the legions of the Talon's have come to set foot to their journey. If you wish to become my Queen, my devoted, you must set mind to the task at hand."
He came to grip her shoulders tightly. "Believe in me, Toni. Our forces have come to form because of you. To not think them ready is to lose faith in your abilities. Is that what we have become? Two who set other things ahead of pressing priorities?" Tonisa looked deep within his eyes, she swore his soul peered back at her. "No, we have become no such thing, nor shall we ever. But there are things that must be laid to rest before we face your sister and her men.""What might that be?" "That boy yet lies chained to the pillars of your dungeon." "So, what does that matter he has been your prisoner for some time now. Shall we set him free?" Tonisa shook her head and held it in her hands. "No. We must break words with him before our departure. There is more to the meeting between Lord Farek and King Talon." "Then let us see ourselves to his cell. I wish to take leave of Dread before Luna takes hold of the mid sky."
Finding their way to the deepest cell in Dread, the King and his mistress came to startle the boy. He had lost weight, his hair hung in heaps of tangles around his dirty face. He did not dare look into their vicious gaze. It seemed each time he had, he came to be clubbed across the jaw. Some nights he had sat in tears praying to be returned to his home safely, but now he prayed for death. For many nights now he could hear the voice of his young friend. His warnings were so distant now. How he wished he had listened. His hosts came to stand before him. He knew it to be those of the highest rank, their shoes alone told him so. Tonisa came to squat beside him, her hand moving to grasp his throat. He choked, the sound moving backward to rattle into his chest.
"I have come to obtain information, boy. Tell me what else do you now of the meeting between Farek and Talon?" The young lad simply struggled against her grasp. He could not form words properly; his throat had become so dry. "Answer me, or I shall see your skull opened," she spoke calmly her grip only tightening. "Let the boy breath and perhaps, he may be able to." The captive's eyes slid over and onto Calira as if to give thanks. Tonisa let go, moving to take a club from the wall.
"Speak, boy, or see this onto your head." He scurried backward and pressed into the wall hugging his knees. "I do not know anything more than what I have already told you. I swear it on my life." He hoped his lie would finally bring an end to his suffering. The Dark King moved to fetch the boy a cup of water. "Here. Drink this, take a breath, and tell me what it is you know," Calira spoke softly stroking his head. "I swear, oh mighty King Calira, that I know nothing more of their plots. I am but a lowborn within the Farek walls. I am not allowed to be present during the conversing of business. What I did come to learn was simply by eavesdropping. Please, M'lord, let me return home, perhaps I could find out other things that may aid you." The club came to hit the wall roughly just beside his face. The boy jumped with a gasp clinging to Calira's arm. "Tonisa...would you please let the boy speak without such violent interruption!" "He lies before your face, and yet you wish me to halt my interrogation?" "If you beat him to death how will we ever find out anything worth knowing? Remove yourself and go stand outside. I will return to you presently."
With a snarl Tonisa rolled her eyes, hung the club, and left slamming the door shut. The trembling of the young human within his arms filled him with power. He feared him as if he stood before him in scale and fire. He stroked him calmly until he came to heave a calmed breath.
"Now that she is gone and we stand two men alone, tell me what you know." The male looked up into his eyes and began to shiver. "All I know is that they travel upon the holy roads. Talon did not wish to risk injury to his fighters." "To which roads do they travel?" Draconvieh asked letting the boy go. "The roads of Juilayia, those marked and protected by the gods." Calira stood and paced in thought. The roads of Juilayia passed directly through his territory. "Do you know when they were to depart from Crystal Springs?" "Well, upon the day of the festival, it was said that they were to set off a moon after. I have been here nearly two...if I were to say, sir, they have already arrived." Calira turned and punched the wall before him in sheer rage. He said nothing more to the boy and took his leave. Outside the door Tonisa stood waiting.
"What did he tell you?" "He told me that we have lost this battle. The army already stormed Morgaideign! They passed right by us, slipped under our noses, and we never even knew!" He stormed away from her heading rapidly for the stables. "Calira! Calira, wait!" She screamed pursuing him. He did not heed her instead he picked up his pace. She ran to him grabbing and pulling on his arm to slow him. "Unhand me, or I shall see you to the floor!" He yelled, despite his rage she did not heed his words. "Listen to me. Even if they have arrived before us it is no matter. Let them be reduced in numbers. We shall ride in behind them. You cannot simply take to your stallion and ride off to Morgaideign alone. I must ready our warriors, and we shall travel together. Morgaideign is but a song and dance away from our land, my love."
Her hand moved to caress his cheek in repetition in attempts to calm his smoking head. "I have never let you down, I shall not start now. Gather your things I will ready our forces." They split ways, each racing to opposite sides of the castle. Tonisa had already seen her things packed and loaded onto the carts before Calira ever came to surface. The handlers of the horses came first, leading the bloodthirsty beasts to the front lines. They had come to form as promised by their maker. They stood tall and proud, their once square teeth now sharpened into fangs. Their appearance mirrored that of the hounds they had stemmed from. But apart from their ghastly appearance, the carnivorous equine had one thing in common with the hounds, a thirst to kill. Tonisa sat atop her charger, Reienquax, their bodies seemingly merging as one. His black onyx reigns sat tightly in her grasp as she rode overlooking her army. Her body was covered fully in the colors of dread. Her pauldrons were a heap of crimson feathers and steel formed in the shape of bells. Her riding gown was form fitting baring a two part spilt that opened at her thigh. As always the bust line and hem of her robes had been plated in steel. Unlike any other beneath her command, Tonisa made her class and elegance known.
At last Calira came strolling from the castle doors, he too wearing the house colors of Dread. Though they had yet to be wed, on that day they took to their first battle as King and Queen. He came to rub her thigh as he moved to mount. His stallion swayed under his weight. Zaryion came to trot around the lines of the army, his mouth slightly foaming around his bit. His gait was stronger than it had ever been. His body seemed more connected to Calira than before. General Coustain sat mounted upon one of the Jiveilroe. He sat sternly awaiting to be addressed; he had mapped out the battle while awaiting the King's emergence.
At last Calira and Tonisa both came to ride before him, their breath mingling. "To where do we travel?" They asked as one. "To the land of Morgaideign to defeat that of Talon blood. I have the maps of both the roads and the city itself. I suggest we strike after they initiate, those who defend Morgaideign are indeed of old magic. We will have grave losses if we are the first to storm the wall." Calira gave a nod and began his questioning. "What if the wall has already been breached? What are our plans then?" "I am certain that even if they have arrived before us, the Wall of Qwiloe has yet to fall. But in the event that it has somehow been reduced to rubble, I would suggest an attack on the roads returning to Crystal Springs. Though going over the information given to me by Lady Tyliquin, we are to arrive in the midst of the battle. I would indeed send out the hounds first. They are not of our ranks, and the least valuable. They will deliver us the might of our enemy long before we ever charge in."
The faces of the royal guards came to fall to their newfound leaders. They sought answers, many knowing they would never return home. "I believe the time has come to strike courage into the heart of those who shall fight in your name," spoke Coustain. Calira moved to stand before his fighters. To his eyes he already stood defeated. Those who protected his grounds and his body were all he had. They were dragons reduced to hide in shame for nearly a century. Here they stood hiding behind humanoid flesh, ready to be slain in battle. The King and commander coming to spill words of power and promise into their ears.
"Today we embark on a journey no other has before. We are to storm Morgaideign without the aid or favor of the gods. But even still, we must remember why we are suppressed! Why for so many years we have been forced into submission. It is because the strength of a dragon never weakens! The strength of his mind never bends, and his will is one never to be broken! Today we begin a revolution, today we take the first step in restoring our power. No being has the right to deny us to take to the sky, or rule our birth given land in fear! Many of us shall fall when we come to clash with our enemies but remember that our souls never die!"
Calira unsheathed his sword, its large blade coming to sing a sharpened song. "Upon this day, we vow to die so that our children may have a future. Upon this day we vow to kill, slaughter, and overtake so that future generations may come to live as we once did! As your leader! As your Lord! I command you to fight until your last breath. I bid you clearance to breath fire and take to the sky so that your wings may mend!" Zaryion rose from the ground rearing in agreement. He could feel the strength of his master and he too felt pride. Such admoration came too show through a series of dark and demonic growls. "My brothers! My sisters! My family of devoted blood, shall you stand with me to defeat those who wish us to cease from this life!" The crowd came to roar with their reply.
"We shall stand! We shall rise! We shall conquer! Vor'rux trieax curo varnaya! Rei'ex vursae cursav viotro!" Long live the King! Blessed be his Queen. They began to chant. Over and over did they say the words, their weapons coming to rise and fall to the wind. "Then if you stand with me, move out!"
Turning Calira charged onward into a full gallop, Tonisa riding right alongside him. Her hounds came to howl and roar, their paws now to beating upon the ground in attempts to follow her. As the last of the warriors came to move onward, those of draconic blood shed their flesh. Scales of black, gold, vermilion, and amber came to take to the sky. And with them a trail of the forgotten flew in their wake.
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