Looking Back

North Brim

Brim Village, Veradir

36th day, Month of the Red Moon

Year 434

"I can't believe you already found out where the boy came from." A woman's voice whispered hard through the soft crackling of fire.

"I did. You must know that he is a treasure of the kingdom. The king would give anything just to have the boy back." A deep, gruff voice responded. "He is not like her Gamelde. He has a family waiting for him. He has people who will nurture him into someone great."

Gamelde remained silent in front of the fire, deep in her thoughts. "I... Can I stay with him just a little bit more? Maybe on the month of the Rising Tide you can come and collect him." She said, firm in her decision.

The flame danced for a while longer before the voice responded. "You do not have a say in this Gamelde. Sooner is better than later. Prolonging the decision doesn't make it go away."

"I know. Its just, during the child's time here. I came to love him like my own."

A deep, heavy sigh was heard through the fire. "My ever sweet sister. Very well. Take your time now. I will return for him in the Rising the Tide." The voice said as the fire's light became duller.

Sigh. Parting times are so hard to do. The woman thought and flashes of memory came before her eyes.

>>>>>

"Your Highness! Hurry! This way!" A woman clad in tattered cream colored clothes ran ahead, a bone-white staff held by her right bloody hands, and her left hand held a hand of another woman.

They ran down to a creaky flight of old stairs, dust and cobwebs clinging to their hair and clothes. They ran towards another long passage beneath the castle, hidden for years until now.

"I can't keep running Gamelde." The woman behind said out of breath. She let go of Gamelde's hands and stopped. She looked down at the sleeping being in her arm. "Protect her." She said as she looked up.

"You Highness... Please. We must go." Gamelde said, her eyes pleaded.

"No. I must stay. For her, for the people, for the kingdom. I must stay and find a way to keep the enemies away from her, I have to do everythinhg in my power to prevent the evils that is about to be unleashed."

"Your Highness..." Gamelin shook her head and continued, "Eostré. You. Must. Come." She said firmly.

Queen Eostré shook her head apologetically. "No. I must do this. Or else the enemy soldiers will catch up to us." She said sorrowfully. "You have been a good friend Gamelde, but please let me ask a favor from you one more time."

Gamelde looked at her and nodded. There is nothing that I could say that would change her mind. She thought sadly.

"Take her. Somewhere far. Somewhere the enemies won't reach her. Where she might live normally. I know you will teach her well. Maybe if we find a way to defeat them you can return with her." She said deparately.

"I... Yes Eostré. I will care for her like my own." Gamelde nodded and took the baby from the queen's arms.

"Take Rua with you. He will be waiting for you at the Zirconic statues." She said. "Go! You must not waste any more time!" She prompted.

Gamelde nodded and ran. She ran as fast as her legs could. Long moments later she arrived at the statues and a bloody faced man met her.

"Where is the queen?" He said in an alarmed tone.

"She chose to stay." She solemnly said.

He paused for a while before moving.

They ran to the direction of the woods and a great green-scaled dragon was waiting for them.

"Get up." The man said as he helped Gamelde with the child. He then went up the dragon a fraction of a moment later and urged the dragon to fly.

As they were in the air, Gamelde could not help to look down on her kingdom. The darkness had already crawled outside the castle and into the city.

"Eostré, I will love her like my own. I will help her grown to be as strong as you." She whispered to the winds as tears spilled down to her face.

>>>>>

Sounds of laughter was heard outside the door. Gamelde shook off the heartbreaking memory and stood up patting away the dirt that clung to her skirt from kneeling in front of the fireplace.

Sigh.

"Mother! Look what I found." A girl's voice echoed as the slam of opening the door reverberated along the walls of the wooden house.

"Reika! Be careful. Don't you know how hard it is for your father to repair thing?" She said in an angry voice.

The girl's smile faded and was changed to guilt. "I am sorry mother. I did not intend it to slam like that." She said as she casted her gaze downwards.

"Now tell me. What did you find?" Gamelde asked in a gentler tone.

"We found a beast's claw from the thawing snow." Ven interjected and rummaged his leather bag. "Here!" He happily lifted it up.

I loud gasp came from her mouth as she covered it immediately with her hand. "Where exactly did you find it?" She inquired in an alarmed tone.

"N-near the river?" The girl answered. "Mother I'm getting scared."

"Hey Reika. Don't worry I will protect you from any monster out there." Ven said, puffing her chest out.

"Don't worry about is Gamelde. That claw is old, its ancient!" Fedner explained. "No beasts roam in the forest like that anymore." He said as he put his bow and arrow on the table.

"What kind of beast is the claw from father?" Reika asked, looking up at the man.

"From an ancient beast." Fedner casually said.

"What beast?"

"A dragon."

Another loud gasp was heard.

"But dragons no longer exists. They lived maybe thousands of years ago." Ven said, brow raised in question.

"No. Dragons still lives until today. But they are mostly hiding beneath caves or mountains. Most are sleeping for thousands of years." Fedner said, smiling at the children.

"Why?" The little girl asked some more.

"So that they can survive for years and wake up when a great need rises." Fedner said and pulled out chairs for the curios children.

"What kind of need?"

"When the dragon king returns all dragons will rise." He chuckled.

"You're joking father." Reika squinted her eyes.

"Its just a tale dear. Actually, the truth is, only a special person with the Omilius' blood can wake the dragons up like the first Veradirian king Titanus Omilius. The Omilius line had since been favored by the dragons even if they sleep."

The two nodded in understanding.

"So how did a dragon's claw be found near here where the mountains and caves are far?" Reika asked, her round eyes gleamed in curiosity.

"It was your mother's friend." Fedner said but he stared at Gamelde meaningfully.

Both the children's mouth formed into an O and turned their attention to their mother.

"No. No. It was not my friend but it was my friend's friend." She said smilingly.

The day ended in stories and history. Stories of myths and legends, and histories they didn't know was their own.