Ember of Hope

“Hey girly! How are you feeling?” Damien’s booming voice brought Raegan out of her slumber.

“Go away Goldy”, she groaned, pulling a pillow over her head, “why are you here so early? It feels like crack of dawn. Don’t you have your feathers to clean or something?” her voice came out muffled from beneath the pillow.

It’d been a week since they had dropped the bomb of their existence on her and it was the time of her ‘discharge’ so both friends had come to escort her to the fortress. And to give her, her first look of Evreux.

“It’s past midday lady and no feather’s to primp… I’m not a bloody bird. I have my wings all shiny, thank you very much. Now stop stalling and get your lazy ass up”.

In the past week both of them had kept her company and she had established that Valiance was somewhat broody and silent type whereas Damien or Dimi, as he kept reminding her to call him tirelessly, was a joker. But Raegan could tell that both of them loved each other much more than friends... they were brothers, if not by blood then by heart just like her and Sarah. And she was glad for their company.

“You didn’t tell me why you don’t ever shift into your human forms? I wanna see that”.

When no answer came she opened an eye to find hard expressions on both of their faces, “What? Did I say something wrong?”

“No, no, nothing wrong. We’ll tell you everything once we get you outta here. Come on now before dimi wets his non-existent pants”. Valiance answered in a light teasing tone. He had told her about Dimi’s lack of love towards the healers.

“Stop while you’re ahead asshole”. Dimi glared. Though they were both teasing she could see the stiffness in both of them.

Frowning; she sat up slowly and tried her feet. “Careful now. Go easy”. Valiance extended a talon clad wing to her for support and without hesitation she grabbed a hold of it – and immediately let go – both of their eyes going wide, as a sizzle went through each of them at contact.

She looked at her palm in wonder and extended it slowly back to him – nothing happened when she gingerly grabbed his talon. May be she had just imagined it. A soft hum escaped her lips and she finally hauled herself out of bed.

“Okay! Let’s hit the road, shall we?” Dimi said with a wicked glint in his eyes.

“Or the sky more likely, no?” She laughed.

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As soon as they stepped in the daylight, she was in awe. It appeared as if she was transported back in time where the sky was still a pure blue and the sun cast its golden glow on the multicolored rooftops of the small village they were standing in. New York was beautiful in its own right but it wasn’t by any stretch; peaceful. This place was like nothing she had ever seen and it was just the first street she had seen so far outside of the high domes of the healers’ town underground. She couldn’t wait to see more.

Earlier when she had left the room, bidding Nirvana and an old healer goodbye, she was so eager to take everything in that she might have resembled a bobblehead. Nirvana had gifted her with one of her dresses because hers were in no shape to be worn after that fall. It was almost like a stone labyrinth outside her room… huge broad pathways going every which way and leading to more huge doors. Everything was dragon sized of course and while walking with two giant creatures, she felt like a little mouse lost in a maze. And then came the mother of all doors. She’d just stopped moving at the first stair leading up to the double doors. They were gargantuan… probably made by giants. The carvings on the doors were so delicate and beautiful and shining gold that she was rendered speechless.

Then Damien and Valiance pushed open the doors and... she was speechless. The sun poured in beautiful bright light; enhancing the gold carvings on the doors and she truly entered a dream then. It was a human town by the looks of it but it too; like the healers’ town had broad cobblestone streets. The houses at least were more or less normal in size. It was a small market of fruits and vegetables. Both dragons were quiet as they gave her time to process her surroundings.

She turned to them with bright eyes, “It’s beautiful”.

“It’s the town of Ilya - The human town nearest the barrier and the nearest entrance to the underground.”

As she saw people milling about a question arose in her mind, “What do people use for transport here?”

Damien chuckled low, “Let’s go and you’ll see for yourself”.

As they crossed the market, people called greetings to the dragons to which they sometimes answered verbally and others they just nodded.

“You guys are popular”. She mused, “But of course you are, you’re a prince”.

Valiance grunted. Dimi snickered. But none of them said anything and they continued on. As they turned a corner into another street which looked more like a road by the sheer size of it, she saw the oddest sight and understood what Dimi wanted to show her. There, coming from the opposite direction was a carriage… a DRAGON drawn carriage… she gaped with a hanging jaw and Dimi laughed outright placing a talon beneath her chin to push her jaw closed before it actually hit the ground.

The smug look in his eyes made her laugh too, “cool”.

“Just cool?”

“What do you want me to say? That I want to throw whoever’s sitting inside that carriage and try it out myself?” she laughed, “Hey, do they fly with those carriages too? That’d be just sick man”.

“If it’s for long distances then yes they fly. But then the carriage is tied below them as they fly”.

“Wicked”.

“You know what’s more wicked?”

“What?” her eyes shone.

“Valiance giving you a ride to the fortress”. Dimi winked and looked at Valiance who stood still glancing at Raegan with hooded eyes.

“What?” her eyes widened. “No, no, no, no, no, dude no way. I’m cool with all this”, she said gesturing at them, “but I’m not going flying, thank you very much. I don’t usually like broken bones”.

“Come on Ray. Val’s not gonna drop you. He’s almost never let anybody drop before”. Damien laughed.

“Almost?” she squeaked.

“He’s messing with you”. Valiance laughed at her spooked expression, “I won’t let you fall. Trust me. Besides, the fortress is far. You’re not ready to make such a tedious trek”.

She didn’t get a chance to say anything in return as Damien reared on his hind legs and lifted her off the ground in his front paws, making her squeal. He laughed, “Don’t worry, you’ll enjoy it. Don’t be scared. People here do it all the time. Trust me its fun. Come on Val, sit”.

Valiance sat, folding his legs beneath him and Dimi deposited her on his back near his neck. “Grab onto a horn on his neck, lean forward, and tuck your legs close to his body”. He instructed and Raegan did as asked. Even though she was scared shitless, a shit eating grin appeared on her face as she anticipated her next adventure. She felt like it was all a very elaborate dream and she’d wake up any time. And so, she wanted to do as much as she could before her eyes opened.

“Are you ready?” Valiance asked softly.

“As ready as I can ever be”. She laughed.

“Let’s go guys. This is gonna be fun”. Dimi said and she could imagine him rubbing his hands together in glee.

And then Valiance rose and she shrieked like a banshee. To hell with adventures, she was gonna die.

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