18

Raiya

They stood in the fields waiting patiently for Godrick and Sibilla’s arrival. Shegil and Nythointan were already there, standing in the middle, saddled with bags, and ready to go. They were staring off into the distance, communicating between themselves and their flyers.

At least that’s what it appeared like to Raiya and she dared not intrude into their minds to discover otherwise.

Most of the fortress had gathered outside to respectively see off their former Chieftess and General Commander, except for a few specific individuals. The crowd was filled with whispers regarding the absence of the two most important individuals currently, Ralph and Denali. There was no demand, no rule set for one to see off former leaders, but it was expected, nonetheless. To willingly choose not to be present was a show of disrespect, a denouncement of their time as leaders and all they had done. It was especially more heinous when it was only one of the two departing, as in this case. Ralph was expected to be there to witness the departure of his former partner, even if everyone in the fortress was aware of their true relationship. It was still something that had to be presented to the public, a farce that must be fully played out until the curtain finally fell.

“If Ralph fails, he’ll be potentially leaving too,” Raiya said, glancing up at Julian. “For him to not show up is a great way to make sure no one shows up for him.”

“Ralph, in his youth and ability, has many options. He initially aimed for the General Commander position but will have to content himself with being a Sentinel at best, for now. We have managed to thwart that plan of his by having Lucian take over. If he is discontented with becoming a Sentinel, he can indeed leave for the Elysium Isles,” Julian said with a shrug. “Who knows what that man plots within his head though. If he had put an ounce of that cleverness towards leading the fortress in a beneficial way instead of scheming for his own benefit…” he trailed off, his gaze caught by movement. A crowd of servants, possibly every servant if Raiya would guess, were making their way over to an empty patch of field. At the helm of the crowd was Ashari, leading them with her head held high.

Raiya, who had been about to remark that by becoming Sentinel that meant he had another chance to become Chief in the future, was completely distracted by their entrance. “They all came out to pay their respects,” she murmured in awe.

“Of course. Sibilla has done much for the servants. More than most would think to do. You have felt the effects of it as much as they have. You’re standing here currently because of that, much as they are. And all she got for that was a bad name for being a voice for those that were never allowed to speak for themselves.”

“Who are they?” she asked, pointing at a few people she didn’t recognize greeting Ashari after she settled down in a spot.

“Hm?” Julian peered in the direction she pointed. “Ah, I believe that’s the Guild Master of the Alchemist Guild, Dr. Cybele Miratos. And I believe the other two are master alchemists that have worked alongside Sibilla often. Dr. Se-Eun Ka and Professor Samin Alca Alca.”

“To honor her work?” she asked as she continued to stare at the people dressed in dark green robes trimmed with gold.

“Naturally. Sibilla has contributed much to the fields of alchemy and its cousin, herbology. She has taken apprentices, turned them into journeymen, who have then gone on to become masters of their craft within years. It’s quite extraordinary when you think about it. And look over there,” he said, pointing at another group of people dressed in colorful robes and covered in many accessories. “Those are people from the Bard Guild. And the ones dressed in white robes trimmed with gold next to them? They are from the Writers Guild. No doubt we will be hearing stories and songs in honor of these two soon enough.”

“Look at all the Sentinels who’ve come too,” she said, her eyes drifting away from the robed figures towards the sky where groups of dragon-flyers were forming. “For Godrick.”

“Much like Sibilla has done exemplary things, so too has Godrick with the dragon-flyers. He dug out the corrupt Sentinels of old, straightened out the lazy squads, and ensured that the Codex was maintained and followed by all despite the protests and increased hostility he faced. Without Godrick, we would be in far more shambles under Ralph’s reign.”

“You said earlier that Ralph was trying for the General Commander position, but that he has no chance now. He can only become a Sentinel. Doesn't that mean he has a chance to become Chief again?"

Julian smiled but did not answer. In truth, they had indeed already selected a new General Commander in the same meeting they ousted the one of old. Much to Ralph’s protest, most of the Council did not want to delay until after Priyana’s flight. Therefore, with Godrick’s pushing Lucian was voted for the position much to his anger and many others’ approval. As for her question regarding his chance to become Chief again, well, if the plans he had put into motion with both Lucian and Godrick came to a head, Ralph would never become Chief again no matter what he tried.

“Look, here they come now,” Julian said instead, pointing towards the fortress.

Raiya turned, watching Sibilla and Godrick stride down the field together. It was almost as if the crowd had split in two, forming a walkway for the pair which allowed them to say their farewells to those they were closest to, and thank the rest who yelled out praises.

But Raiya’s eyes were drawn to their interlinked hands, a public display of their intimate relationship. It was, to her sudden realization, the first time she had ever seen them display this physical affection in public. It was a quiet announcement of their newfound freedom from the burdens and responsibilities of leading, of being dragon-flyers who had to sacrifice much in exchange for their positions of power. While Raiya couldn’t deny that a part of her was happy for her adopted parents, another part of her felt sad because, while she understood this was the beginning of their public relationship, it was the end of hers with them.

Julian gently placed a hand on her shoulder, sensing the girl’s grief. There were times that he forgot that she was but a girl of only eleven years. One that didn’t quite understand the ways of the world yet despite often showing wisdom beyond her years. He understood that for any child, losing not just one but both parents, and in her case twice, was a hard blow to take. He admired her ability to carefully hold herself together despite the grief he knew she must be experiencing, and he lent his strength in what ways he could.

“Do you ever, when in your position with no power, dream of having it?” he asked her quietly. “Do you ever think of the people who made the laws and wonder about making your own? Of changing theirs now that they are dead and gone?" He bent down, his head close to hers, his warm breath tickling her ear. "Do you ever see yourself on top of the world?” he whispered in her ear, sending a shiver up her spine.

“Yes,” she answered shakily. “I have. I do.”

“Then take this feeling inside of you," he said, returning to his normal standing position. "Bottle it up, and use it as a driving force for reaching a position of power. So that one day, you can make the changes that prevents this from happening to someone else.”

Before she could answer, Sibilla and Godrick reached them, both beaming in happiness. Sibilla bent down, extending her hands out to Raiya who placed hers in them.

“We just wanted to say that we are so proud of you,” Sibilla began, her voice hitching slightly, forcing her to stop. Her eyes were glassy as she fought back against the tears threatening to spill forth.

Godrick bent down alongside her, placing a comforting hand against her back as he took over.

“We both hate to leave, but we know you will be okay now and forevermore. Being a Speaker is a prestigious job and though I disliked the idea of you being one initially, I know that it ultimately suits you. We know that you will accomplish a great many things and we look forward to hearing about it.” His voice was steady, but thick with emotions and other unspoken words.

“Indeed,” Sibilla agreed, shooting him a grateful look. “I wish I could see all that you’ll accomplish dear one.”

“Can I write to you?” Raiya asked, her throat tight and vision blurry. “Am I allowed to write?”

“Yes, of course,” Sibilla quickly said, a short laugh bursting out after. “It’s so silly to think you need to ask. While we may not see each other again, we can always write to each other.”

Julian and Godrick exchanged glances but neither chose to speak and correct the two. Hope was a precious and yet fragile thing.

Sibilla pulled the girl into a tight hug, holding her close. She had found herself unable to have children of her own and had given up the thought of ever being a mother, until this girl had appeared at the fortress over six years ago. The chance at motherhood was the best gift she had ever been given, aside from her beautiful Bond with Shegil.

“I wish that these archaic customs would disappear,” she whispered into the girl’s ear. “Families should never be torn apart. No child should lose their parents early and no parents should ever lose their child.” She pulled away, standing up and giving Raiya one last tearful smile. She moved towards Julian, the two engaging in whispered conversation as Godrick stepped forward to take her place.

“Come here,” he grunted, opening his arms for her to jump into them, as she had done when she was younger. “I’ll miss you, dear heart. If you need anything, I’ve made Lucian swear to me that he’ll look after you. Seek him. You also have Ashari and Julian as well. You’ll be okay.”

“I’ll be okay,” she affirmed, more for his benefit than hers. But hearing his worry and seeing this strong man nearly break down before her was enough for her own poorly constructed dam to break. Once the tears fell, they did not stop and she broke free from his grip, angrily swiping at them. She could feel the eyes of the crowd watching this intimate exchange with curiosity and felt even more angry.

“Take care of her Julian,” Godrick said, extending his hand out to the man he had come to consider a good friend and ally. “And of Dragonspire. Don’t let them fall into ruin.”

“You have my word. Safe flight, Godrick. Thank you for everything you’ve done for us, for Dragonspire,” Julian said, shaking the man’s hand.

With one last look at Raiya, the pair held hands once more and resumed their walk forward. They stopped a few more times, namely for Sibilla to say farewell to Ashari and Godrick to speak once more with Lucian. Then they were climbing onto Shegil and Nythointan, a blink later and they were in the sky, another blink and they were vague figures flying off into the distant horizon.

Another blink.

Then they were gone.

It was like all the other times they had left on trips, and she’d see them off, except only this time, they would not return.

Julian wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pressing her against his side. The weight of his arm and the warmth of his body comforted her, and she turned to his side, burying her crying face into his robes. She knew that those watching would think it a childish display, but she didn’t care.

Julian watched as the crowd began to slowly disperse, the occasion over and the call for work resuming. As his hand stroked her hair, he asked, “So, when did you want to leave? In a year or so?”

She shook her head and, when she refused to elaborate further, he gently pulled her away from his side. Her red, tear-stricken, snot-nosed face greeted him. Filled with empathy for her, he pulled out a handkerchief, wiping her face gently.

“T-thank y-y-you,” she hiccuped, feeling embarrassed at her behavior and how she must look.

“Come, now, child. Perhaps now isn’t the right time to have this conversation. Let’s go inside, find something sweet, eh? Maybe Ashari will make us something good if we bribe her,” he said, beginning to walk towards the fortress.

Raiya didn’t immediately follow, composing herself as much as possible so that she could speak properly. She had already decided after she had had the conversation with him in the library.

“Tomorrow, if possible. The end of the week the latest,” she called out after him. Her voice was steady, conveying her conviction.

Julian stopped and turned, not sure if he had heard it right.

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“The day after today? That tomorrow?” he repeated, all traces of his usual smile gone.

“Yes, and if that’s not possible, then sometime this week. However long it takes for Rajin Fortress to be informed and for them to prepare for my arrival.”

“I will inform them tonight, then. If, you are sure. You are sure, right?”

“I am sure. I think I’ll also stay out here awhile if you don’t mind.”

Julian hesitated before nodding his head. With one last wistful smile, he turned and left her alone. No sooner had he left, the familiar sound of wings beating the air alerted her to the approaching presence of a dragon. She knew it was foolish to think it could possibly be them returned, but she still looked up hopefully. What greeted her wasn’t the familiar gold of Shegil or the navy blue of Nythointan, but a jade green dragon and her pale, blonde flyer.

No sooner had Lamryl landed before Laura scurried down her side quickly.

“'ey!” she called out to Raiya as she ran up to the girl breathless, her pale face flushed and sweaty. “I'm glad to have caught somewan still 'ere at least!” She peered at the girl’s face, a small frown gracing her features. “Are you okay? Have you been cryeng?”

“You honor me, Dragonlady Laura,” Raiya greeted politely. “And you as well Lamryl. I am okay.” She shrugged off the concern, not wanting to be questioned.

‘Child,’ Lamryl greeted in return before nudging her snout against Laura, searching for scratches.

“I guess I did end up misseng de departure,” Laura sighed as she absentmindedly began scratching Lamryl’s snout.

“Were you not in the air with the others? Or farther back?” Raiya asked curiously.

“Well, remember how I got stuck with de not-so-pleasant duties after de whole debacle with letteng you near Lamryl? Well, dey found me at de barracks about to leave and wouldn’t let me go. Dey insisted I finish my tasks befhre leaveng instead av postponeng it till afterwards. And I’m sure you know de two I’m referring to. Chieftess Canoli hr whatever and dat dragon ball suckeng Ralph too.” She shuddered, a look of disgust coming over her. “Hope 'e fails to fly Priyana w'en s'e rises. I’ll enjoy seeing his fall from de hig'est tower.”

Raiya found herself shocked over what she had just been told. “They had no right!” she protested, her anger rising at the indignation this new group continued to face.

“Dey have de authhrity unfhrtunately. And you’ll fend dat those with power avten abuse it to suit them. It’s just unfhrtunate dat it was me dey caught and only me! De oders had already left.” Laura glimpsed the flashing anger in the girl’s eyes and wondered if perhaps she had said more than she ought to. “Whoa, now,” she began, raising her hands in a placating manner. “No need to stab me to death.” Her serious tone was ineffective thanks to the big grin plastered across her face.

“You should have still left after they did. Or come up with some other idea,” Raiya said, frowning.

“What can you do? Not'eng at de end av de day. dey have de authhrity to command me to stay and so I must lesten. Unless you want me to break mhre rules and get in mhre trouble? No way. Especially w'en I’m beeng considered fhr a fast-track promahtion to Sentinel, if I remain on my best behavihr.”

Raiya stared at her, taking in the appearance of the petite, smiling woman. Northern like Sibilla with the same icy blue eyes and snow-white skin, but different hair colors and far shorter than the former Chieftess. Raiya found, as they faced each other, that they were the same height.

“I just realized,” she began, “that I don’t remember you being present for the hatching of the Queen. Why weren’t you one of the female tributes? You seem like a great candidate for being a Queen flyer.

“Funny sthry dat is,” Laura laughed out, shaking her head. “I was wan av de tributes fhr de Queen egg. I put up such a big fuss however and was a big pain fhr de wan who scouted me dureng de Tribunal. de truth is, I wanted to go back to de fhrtress I grew up in and be a dragon-flyer dere, so I tried to get sent back. But no matter what I did, dey were still goeng to fhrce me to go up dere What are you like? dey tried to give me de comfhrts av de Nhrth, to distract me What are you like? W'en de Queen egg first began to hatch, I had begged dem ot let me go to de bathroom. It would be terrible if I were to have an accident dureng de Ceremahny, wouldn't it? By de time I came back, de Queen had already Bonded to Denali, and I was shoved into de group dat was to go next fhr de oder eggs. It was dere dat I saw Lamryl burst from 'er green egg and stumble in my direction with no 'esitation. I felt this gravitation to 'er. I nearly tripped over myself in my hurry to reach 'er, uncareng av what was happeneng around me What are you like? As soon as I touc'ed 'er, 'eld 'er in my arms..." ” Laura trailed off, her gaze far off.

“Did it feel like you became whole?” Raiya whispered, filled with awe.

“Oh, it’s mhre than just feeleng like you’re whole What are you like? It’s as if yooehr whole life had been empty befhrehand, bleak and desolate What are you like? de whrld duller, de sensashuns unremarkable What are you like? W'en I touc'ed Lamryl, both in mend and body, I felt my soul stir and connect with anoder. It’s…endescribable What are you like? Truly you must experience it to understand. ”

“What would have happened if you had succeeded in being sent back? Would Lamryl have Bonded with someone else?”

Laura hummed thoughtfully. “I don’t think about dat because I was dere, and we Bonded. It’s hard to explain but it’s like fate led me to it. It was destined to be What are you like? dere was no oder future.”

Raiya sighed wistfully, once again fascinated by the Bonding process and the connection between dragon and human. “Still, Chieftess Canoli wouldn’t be terrorizing us if you had been Priyana’s flyer.”

Laura laughed. “Fhrget about me, imagine if you were allowed to be a tribute What are you like? T'engs would have gwan differently too!”

Raiya gasped, glancing around to see if anyone had heard. “You shouldn’t say things like that here. What if others heard? You’d be condemned!”

Laura shrugged, unfazed. “I don’t understand why dere is this whole unspoken classicism rule over 'ere What are you like? de 'eart and mend should make de flyer, not de family you were bhrn into hr w'ere you are on this man-made chain av ranks. It surprises me dat you haven’t had any incidents w'ere dere have been Bondengs with dragons and oders aside from those selected. W'ere I come from, everywan between de ages av ten to eighteen is trained and den from eighteen to twenty given de opphrtunity to Bond. dat way everywan is given a chance.”

“That’s a lot of people…” Raiya murmured, thinking of crowds of young people waiting for their chance at an egg. “And not enough eggs for that to work.”

“Kaerndale Fhrtress is affectionately referred to as ‘Dragon-flyer Academy’ because av this. Fun fact, we produce a lot av dragon-flyers because av it. But anyways if times change so too should customs. We must continuously evolve ourselves to be better, not content with stagnation, hr allow fhr whrse.” She turned, heading back to Lamryl’s side.

“But who will create those changes?” Raiya asked, following her. “Who will take the first step? It’s impossible to change centuries of customs, especially when that’s all you know. The west is often considered the freest of all the continents, but it is the north that is the most progressive. A single voice there is heard. Everywhere else, it’s too hard against a sea of opposition.”

Lamryl grabbed hold of the rope, climbing up slightly before pausing to gaze down at the girl. “Dere are far mhre people who share this mentality than you think. All dey, like you, are waiteng fhr dat wan persahn who can start de revolution, so to speak. Somewan to be a figure'ead av change, a spear to be wielded by de public. Anyways, I should get goeng. Sentinel Lucian wis'ed to speak to me, and I think I’m runneng late fhr dat.”

Raiya stepped back as she watched the woman scale the side of her dragon expertly, settling herself down in the saddle before waving goodbye. She returned the wave and watched them take off into the air, stumbling to her hands and knees from the force. She watched from the ground as the pair headed in the direction of the barracks, a chill creeping over her as evening began to settle around her. Pulling herself to her feet, she spared one last glance into the distant horizon, envisioning two specks making their final journey before heading back herself.

The first place Raiya went was to the kitchens to see Ashari. She had to let her know that she was leaving soon. As she entered the kitchens, she saw that it was mostly empty despite it nearing dinner time. Ashari was sitting next to a roaring fire in one of the open stone stoves. The smoke surrounding her stemmed from the pipe firmly wedged between her lips. She had a loose red shawl draped across her shoulders, a birthday gift from Sibilla Raiya remembered.

She approached the woman quietly, hesitant to pull her from her thoughts or to intrude on her solitude. As she reached her side, Ashari made no sound of acknowledgement. Raiya couldn’t even tell if she could even see her out of the corner of her eyes as Ashari continued to gaze intently into the flames. After standing there for a few moments, she opted to instead sit down on the warm, stone floor. The warmth felt nice after experiencing the sharp, biting cold from outside.

The pair sat together in silence, both staring into the fire. The dancing flames seemed to paint a vivid story that hypnotized them. Neither was certain on how much time had passed but Ashari became aware that she wasn’t alone.

“Gal,” she greeted, breaking the long quietness.

“Mistress Ashari,” Raiya returned the forlorn and quiet greeting.

Ashari half-smiled around her pipe before removing it from her mouth and exhaling loudly.

“Dah sho strainge, ya know? How tings kin change so quick in suh lil time.”

Raiya quietly agreed. When Ashari made no further move to speak again, she cleared her throat. Her stomach was dancing uncomfortably, and sweat had broken out over her skin, not entirely brought on from sitting so close to the stove.

“Mistress Ashari,” she began and when the woman grunted to signal, she was listening, she continued. “You know that I have been training to become a Speaker. Well, they say that with how fast I’m progressing, I’ll be able to take up a position sooner rather than later. At another fortress. I decided that maybe it would be best to finish my apprenticeship there too.”

Ashari glanced down at the girl, her eyes narrowing to slits. “Da way t’ing look, you leavin’ me too, huh?” she said, her tone low and sharp.

“I don’t want to stay here anymore,” she responded quietly, refusing to meet her eyes. Staring down at her fiddling hands was far safer.

There was another loud exhale of smoke that danced around them, followed by silence. Raiya didn’t dare say anything else, so they remained this way for another lengthy moment.

“Wen yuh gwine leh weh?” Ashari finally asked, breaking the silence.

“I wanted to leave tomorrow, but I don’t think that’s possible. Speaker Julian said he’d try though.”

“Dey ain’t no way I cain sway yah, is dey?”

“Please don’t,” Raiya said, looking up at the woman. “I want to go, I’m happy to go.”

Ashari exhaled another plume of smoke before rising from her chair. “’Uh, ‘fore you gallivant, lemme kno den. I ain’t gittin’ ya tuh leave ‘dout eatin’ mah vittles one mo’ time.” She extended her hand out, pulling the girl up from the stone floor and into a tight embrace. As Raiya returned her hug, she wondered if Ashari was comforting her or herself. Then, she felt a wetness against her neck and immediately began to cry, joining the older woman. She realized it was both.

*~*

Raiya found herself heading to the library after she left the kitchens. She wanted to see if Julian had sent out his message yet and how long they would expect to hear a response. She found him sitting at the familiar table, surrounded by his mountain of books and scrolls. Upon seeing her, he smiled in greeting, but it wasn’t the usual smile.

“I suppose you’re here to see if I sent a messenger to Rajin?” he asked and, and when she nodded her response, nodded his own head. “I’ve done so. And before you ask, I don’t know how long it’ll take to receive a response. They might not even send a message in reply and simply send a squad to pick you up.”

“That fast?” she asked in surprise.

“Well, if they are flying, yes. On dragon-back, the east is a day away.”

“I also wanted to say thank you for teaching me everything and helping me.”

“I’d feel better accepting that gratitude if I knew you were going to safer place, like Muria. Instead, I’m sending you to the most dangerous place in the world filled with violence, terrorism, and poisonous thoughts.”

“You see only the bad in it. Rajin would also allow me to better understand politics. I also have an advantage of being privy to all their knowledge and, if they do try to do anything bad such as starting another war, I could let the world know.”

He shook his head, leaning back in his chair with a sigh. “Raiya, it’s not that simple. You must realize that when you enter their service as a Speaker and serve on their Council, you will be forced to make decisions in their best interests because it now correlates with your own. The interests of Dragonspire and the people here become obsolete to you. Do you understand? You serve Rajin and no one else. Their agenda is your agenda. Their rise is your rise, their fall is your fall, and…their demise is yours as well.”

“Yes,” she answered, unable to stop the sly smile spreading across her face.

“Why are you smiling?” he asked suspiciously.

“I’m just thinking that Chief Amir and Chieftess Rana lead Rajin Fortress. They came to the Enthronement and sat in front of us, and I overheard them talk about how Denali is the daughter of the current Lord Khan. So, they obviously have a connection.”

“Well, yes but I don’t understand why you’re smiling,” he said frowning. “I thought you didn’t like our new Chieftess, so why the sudden interest in her connections and homeland?”

“I don’t like her. But there is a saying I learned from Mistress Ashari once. ‘Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.’ They sent Denali to us for a reason I’m sure of it. So now we send me there in response.”

Julian stared at her, astonished at how quickly she grasped the situation. That was exactly why she was being sent there, but for her to arrive at that conclusion on her own and at so young an age.

“I just want to be able to make a change,” she continued. “And something tells me Rajin Fortress is the place to be for that.”

“Well, I hope you do achieve that. There’s no going back now, Raiya. You’ll be there until either you die, are replaced, or retire.” He sighed heavily, a hand sliding over his face. “There’s much to think about and do Raiya, I will have to end our conversation here.”

She rose and walked away, sparing a single glance back. Julian held his head in his hands, slumped forward. He was clearly distraught over her choice, but she didn’t understand why exactly. She knew that there was no choice but Rajin. Though he had presented two options to her when they had met before, his eyes and his tone conveyed the truth of the matter. She was to be sent to Rajin no matter what she wanted. Why then should he weep for her so? The illusion of a choice…a powerful tool. She would file this away and keep it in mind for the future.