Sky Riders: The Rising Sun

Eliana awoke to find a face hovering over her, but it was not the face she’d hoped to see. Messy, dark curls hung close to the woman’s pale, violet eyes as she peered anxiously at the Rider. Eliana blinked twice, her confused mind trying to puzzle out the reason for the Healer’s presence. Then she remembered—the sorcerer, their fight in the sky.

Laurus smiled at her shyly. “You know, my lady, you really should try to injure yourself less often.”

Eliana forced a grin back at her. “I’ll try to keep that in mind.” She looked around to see that she was back in her own room. “How did I get here? And how did you get here?”

“Astrum sent me here yesterday afternoon and told me to stay until you awoke. I believe Prince Caelum brought you up to your room. He was with you when I arrived, already Healing your shoulder.”

She moved her hand up to her shoulder and found that she was now wearing a nightdress. She pressed her fingers to her shoulder, which had been punctured by the spike of Oriens’ neck. It was entirely healed, with no sign of scarring. She moved her hands under the blankets and felt the skin on the inside of her knees. It was perfectly smooth and unmarked.

She looked at the Healer again as all of Laurus’ words sunk in. “Yesterday afternoon?” she repeated. “Have I really been asleep for that long?”

Laurus nodded and reached for the woven basket, which sat on the foot of the bed. She pulled out a bottle of what looked like swirling, purple gas. “Here,” she said, pulling out the cork and holding the bottle towards her. “Breathe this in. It will restore your energy.”

Eliana looked at the bottle warily for a moment, not fond of the idea of breathing in what appeared to be noxious fumes. Laurus looked at her patiently. Well, Eliana thought to herself, Astrum did say she was the best there was… Not seeing any reason to doubt the Seer now, she reached for the bottle and held it beneath her nose, breathing deeply. The gas had a strange, floral scent and was uncomfortably warm. The warmth spread through her body, and she suddenly felt very awake, like she’d drawn energy from the earth.

As she handed the bottle back to the Healer, Oriens spoke to her from somewhere outside. “You’re awake.”

“Yes. How are you feeling?”

“Much better now that I know you are well.”

“What about your injury?”

He gave a dismissive laugh. “You really should stop worrying about me. I’m a dragon. No silly scratch will stop me.” She rolled her eyes and he apparently sensed it, because he said, “Caelum Healed it as soon as he’d finished tending to you.”

She silently acknowledged this, then said, “I’ll be down to see you in a few minutes.”

She slipped out of the covers, feeling fully revived. Laurus jumped up like a skittish deer. “So,” she asked the Healer, “is there anything else wrong with me?”

Laurus looked at her nervously. “Um, no, I suppose not. Caelum tended to your legs and shoulder, and you don’t appear to have reinjured your ribs or wrist. You should be able to remove the bindings tomorrow.”

Eliana smiled at her. “Thank you very much, Laurus. You’ve been a wonderful help.”

She gave a small bow to the Rider. “It’s been my pleasure, Lady Eliana.”

The Rider watched the Healer swiftly gather her bottles and put them in the basket, then hurry out of the room with another bow. Eliana stripped off the nightdress and pulled on a pair of breeches and a tunic from the wardrobe before rushing towards the door.

A figure suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs. She collided with the shape in her haste, grunting in surprise. The elf quickly seized her waist with one hand, gripping the railing of the stairs with the other to keep them both from tumbling back down the staircase.

Once he’d recovered his footing, Caelum smiled down at her with a look of relief. “You’re okay.”

“Yes,” she answered, her heart jumping excitedly, “and I hear I have you to thank for it.”

His bright smile dimmed a little. “Just… don’t make me do it again.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

His hands, which both rested on her waist now, pulled her closer until their foreheads were pressed together again. “Seeing you that way…” he whispered. “Not moving, bleeding... I didn’t know what had happened, and I… I was afraid I might lose you.”

She stared up at him, surprised by his words and the distress on his face as he spoke. She smiled softly and touched her hands to his chest.

“I promise,” she answered quietly. “No more stupid stunts.”

His smile returned to his face. “Good.” His hands fell back to his sides and he took a small, slow step back. “Now, where were you headed in such a hurry?”

“To see Oriens. He’s worried about me.”

“Well,” he replied, gesturing at the stairs, “let’s not keep him waiting then.”

Caelum followed her out of the tree and towards Oriens’ cave. The anxious dragon waited outside, and she ran forward to meet him, wrapping her arms around his nose. He rumbled happily deep in his throat.

“It’s good to see you in one piece, little one,” he said.

Eliana laughed. “Little one? Let’s not forget who hatched you!”

“Yes, but you could hardly call me ‘little’ now.”

“I suppose not,” she said with a smile, scratching him under his chin. “And it is good to see you safe as well.”

Oriens turned his head to look at Caelum. “I never did thank you for your help,” he said, projecting his thoughts to the elf. “You Healed my Rider and myself. How can I repay you for returning her to me?”

Caelum shook his head. “All I want is to know what happened.”

Oriens looked at his Rider. “Perhaps you should tell him.”

Eliana sighed and nodded. The dragon settled onto the ground and she sat beside him, resting her back against his side. She motioned for Caelum to sit beside her. After he had done so, she took a breath and told him about the pale stranger in as much detail as she could recall. After she had finished, he looked at her, and she was surprised to see anger in his eyes.

His voice was sharp as he demanded, “You flew off to fight something without knowing what it was or how strong it might be? With no help? When you are still learning magic, had only just learned to fly, and were injured?”

She blinked at him, taken aback by the fury in his voice. “Caelum,” she replied as calmly as she could, though her voice was still tinged with exasperation, immediately feeling defensive, “I was doing what I had to do. If that man had seen Iterum… who knows what could have happened?”

He stood suddenly and turned to face her, his face slightly flushed. “Eliana, you could have been killed! You both could have been killed!”

She rose as well, prepared to stand her ground, even against Caelum. “I am a Rider!” she snapped back, emphasizing each word. “You are the one who told me that this was my duty, my destiny. It is my responsibility to protect Iterum!”

Caelum clenched his fists tightly, his jaw clenching as he ground his teeth. A strange red light began to grow around him—she recognized it as fire. He was losing control. The light grew and pulsed, then Caelum sighed, unclenching his fists. The fire disappeared.

“I know,” he said tightly, looking at the ground. “I still believe this is your destiny, and I know that you will do whatever you have to do.” He looked up at her again. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt doing it.”

She folded her arms and looked away from his blue gaze. “It could happen…” she said quietly. “I’m not naïve. I’ve realized how dangerous being a Rider could be. I know that there will be those who want to kill me. And there’s no guarantee that they will fail. But if it is going to happen…” she looked up at him, raising her head confidently, “then I am not afraid of it.”

He stared at her for several seconds, his expression unreadable. Then, with a slow nod, he turned and entered the palace. Eliana watched him go, pressing her mouth in a thin line, chewing on the inside of her lower lip.

“Do you think he’s angry?” she asked Oriens, staring at the palace door as it closed heavily behind the elf.

Oriens’ golden head swayed side to side. “No,” he replied certainly. “He’s just worried about you. He doesn’t want to see you get hurt. The danger being a Rider brings upon you frightens him.”

“He didn’t seem worried about it when he learned I had your egg.”

“His feelings have changed greatly since then.”

She sighed and sat against Oriens’ side again, closing her eyes and soaking in the warmth of the sun. Caelum had only just returned, and now it felt as if he was angry at her. As much as she hated it, she felt confident that she was in the right. Whether she believed in the elves’ prophecy or not, she was a Rider—the only Rider—and that made it her duty to protect Iterum, no matter the cost.

~*~

That evening, she was still sitting against Oriens’ side, watching the sun set in companionable silence. It was in these moments that she felt closest with her dragon, when they shared no words, only a feeling of quiet contentment in their minds.

The palace door opened, drawing her gaze, and Denio appeared. He glanced around and, spotting her against her dragon’s golden side, came towards them. His smile was small and embarrassed-looking.

“Hello, Denio,” Eliana called as he approached.

“Eliana. Oriens.” He greeted each of them with a nod. His smile turned sheepish as he said, “I’m sorry this is such late notice. I assumed that Caelum had told you when he was with you earlier today, but he says he didn’t. And he… asked me to speak to you, for some reason.”

He gave her a questioning look. It was obvious that he was aware of some tension between them, but she wasn’t about to elaborate on it for him.

“What is it?” she asked, urging him to move on.

“There’s a feast tonight—to welcome the soldiers and present you with your Rider’s elements.”

“My what?”

“Mara’s been doing a lot of research in the archives, about Riders and traditions and such. She discovered that it’s customary for a Rider to receive his or her elements after their first flight together.”

“And what exactly are a Rider’s elements?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, according to Mara, a pair of gloves, a jacket, a saddle, and…” He paused, then smiled to himself. “Actually, I’ll allow the last one to be a surprise for you.”

She smirked and gave a short nod, her mind lingering on the idea of a saddle. It would be a welcomed addition after the damage the last flight had done to her legs. A thought occurred to her and she looked up at the prince.

“Denio,” she said slowly. “did you hear about the sorcerer that we saw coming towards Iterum?”

His young face looked grim. “Yes. Caelum told me and Mother. And I’d like to personally offer both of you my deepest gratitude for what you did to help protect this city.”

She gave a small smile. “Apparently, that is what I’m here for.”

“Still, flying into battle without knowing what could happen? It was a terribly brave thing to do.”

Eliana made a face and muttered, “Caelum said it was a terribly stupid thing to do.”

Denio sighed and squatted in front of her so that their eyes were on the same level. “Eliana,” he said, “my brother is occasionally foolish and consistently stubborn. But he cares deeply about you—perhaps more than he should. So whatever he may have said to you, know that he said it with your best interests at heart.”

She forced a small, tight smile, and he stood, holding a hand out towards her. “You should probably prepare for the feast,” he said. “It’s in half an hour.”

She took his hand and he pulled her to her feet. “I suppose so. I’m supposed to wear white, correct?”

He shook his head with a smile. “The elves are supposed to wear white, but you are much more than an elf now. You are a Rider. I had a new dress made for you for the occasion. It should be on your bed for you.”

Curious, she entered her quarters and climbed the stairs to her room. Just as Denio had said, a dress lay across the foot of her bed. It was more beautiful than any dress she had seen before—more beautiful, even, than anything she’d seen Queen Ivi wear. She softly and reverently touched the delicate green fabric and traced the golden stitching across the bust and along the hems of the dress. The thread looked as if it were spun from real gold, and the fabric was a smooth, emerald-colored silk.

Eagerly, Eliana stripped off her tunic and breeches, casting them aside to pick up the dress. She slipped it over her head, marveling at how the silk seemed to perfectly hug her body. Nobody—not even her own father—would recognize her. Then again, she thought, I doubt I would recognize myself from who I was a few short months ago.

She hurried down the stairs and into the courtyard to show Oriens. She twirled in front of him like a silly little girl, making the dress fan out around her legs in a swirl of green and gold as she giggled foolishly.

Her dragon gave her a teasing grin. “What happened to my Rider?” he chuckled in her mind.

She stuck her tongue out at him. “Haha. Very funny.”

“Oh, don’t be so sensitive,” he laughed. “I will admit, my colors look well on you.”

Eliana looked down at the dress, realizing suddenly what he meant. The silk was the same emerald green as his eyes, the golden stitching perfectly mirroring his shining scales. The elves had dressed her to match her dragon. She smiled.

“Well,” Oriens said, standing from his spot on the grass, “are you ready to go?”

“You’re coming?”

“Of course!” he scoffed. “You don’t expect me to stay behind while my Rider receives her elements, do you?”

She shrugged. “Well, I’m certainly not going to argue with you about it. Let’s go then, or we’ll be late.” She turned to walk away, but Oriens didn’t move. She looked back at him. “What are you waiting for?”

He grinned toothily. “You don’t expect me to just walk into a feast, do you? I think we deserve a much grander entrance than that.”

Eliana gave a sharp laugh, realizing immediately what he meant. She gestured down at her gown. “You don’t really expect me to Ride in this do you?” she asked, exasperated enough that she forgot to speak her thoughts silently.

He tilted his large head to one side. “Women ride in dresses all the time,” he replied innocently.

“On horses Oriens, not on dragons. Do you really expect me to sit sidesaddle while flying hundreds of feet above the ground?”

He grinned. “Yes.”

“Oriens, you—!”

“Better get on quickly, Eliana, or we’ll be late.”

She scowled at her smirking dragon and huffed. “Fine.”

She could feel his smugness as he bent his knee to give her a step onto his back. She carefully settled onto his back, ensuring that she didn’t snag the fabric of her dress on any spikes or scales. She perched uncomfortably between his shoulders, her ankles crossed tightly together.

“You know,” she said a little anxiously, “I never did quite get the hang of riding a horse sidesaddle.”

“Good thing I’m not a horse then,” he laughed.

With that, he jumped into the air and beat his wings twice, lifting them over the walls. He tilted and directed them over Iterum so that they soared low over the city. The streets below were lit with the magic orbs, but were empty of elves; they were already at the feast. She could see the cluster of lights from the plaza ahead of them and heard the wild, enticing call of the elven music.

Soon, they were over the square. The music stopped abruptly, and the eyes of every elf in Iterum looked up towards them. They were seated at the long tables, which were already laden with food; Eliana and Oriens were late. The elves stood when they spotted the dragon, but to Eliana’s surprise, there was none of the bowing and muttering that normally accompanied her appearance. Instead, the elves erupted into a chorus of cheers.

The applause thundered even louder as Oriens carefully lowered himself into the middle of the plaza. Eliana slid off his back and landed beside him. Almost at once, the elves rushed forward, leaving their tables behind. They pressed in around her, hundreds of hands reaching out to touch her. Her hands were shaken and kissed repeatedly, and several people pounded her on the back, jarring her ribs uncomfortably.

Nobody attempted to touch the golden dragon who hovered over the scene. Eliana glanced back at him in confusion, and he returned the expression, looking uncertain.

“Oriens,” she called out to him silently as the crowd continued to press in around her, “a little help here?”

“What do you want me to do?” he asked anxiously. “Bite them?”

Then, to her relief, she saw the crowd parting slightly, giving her room to breathe as they made way for Caelum and Denio. When they reached her, the crush of the crowd retreated a few steps, giving the princes a respectful amount of space. The two elves stood on either side of her and guided her through the crowd. Oriens followed a few steps behind, clearing an even wider path between the elves.

At last, they reached the table at the end of the plaza, where Queen Ivi stood beside her chair. She smiled at Eliana. “Perhaps we shouldn’t have announced your brave battle until after you arrived,” she said. “It got them all into quite a stir.”

That explained the unusual and overwhelming greeting she had received. She forced a smile back at the queen and gave a short nod. She and the two princes moved to stand beside their chairs as well; Oriens stood at the end of the table, beside Eliana. The elves returned to the tables and the queen raised her hands, motioning for silence. The noise ceased as all eyes turned to her.

Queen Ivi was smiling more than Eliana had ever seen her smile before. It made her hard, regal face look kinder, and less intimidating. “My dear friends,” she said to the crowd, “as you all know, Iterum now has a dragon Rider for the first time in nearly five centuries.”

The crowd erupted again, and this time, it took the queen several moments to quiet them. When order was finally reestablished, she spoke again. “Today, Rider Eliana had her first flight. Only minutes after she first took to the skies, she flew into battle against a Dark sorcerer. If not for her quick and brave actions, he may have very well seen Iterum and exposed us to the human armies.”

There was another outburst, but it settled more quickly this time. Eliana glanced at Caelum standing to her left. Unlike his mother, brother, and every other elf in the square, his face was serious. His arms were folded across his chest, and stared flatly out at the cheering crowd, as if disapproving of their excitement. He seemed to feel her faze, and he glanced briefly at her. His expression did not change.

“To commemorate this moment,” Queen Ivi continued, “we will continue with the age-old tradition of presenting our Rider with her elements.”

The queen motioned with her right hand, directing everyone’s attention to the aisle between the tables. Four elves filed down the center towards the head table, each of them cradling an item in their arms. They lined up in front of the table, bowing low in unison.

The first elf in the line stepped forward, extending a small box towards Eliana as Queen Ivi said, “The first Rider’s element—Riding gloves.”

Eliana took the box with a grateful nod and opened it. Inside rested a pair of fine, black gloves. She picked one of them up, feeling the soft, supple leather. They were fingerless, which would make it easier to handle a bow or sword while wearing them. In the palm of the right glove, a flame-shaped section of the leather was missing; it would perfectly align with the mark in her hand.

“The second element—a Rider’s jacket.”

The second elf in line stepped forward and extended an item made of the same black leather. Eliana took it and held it up before her for a moment, examining its fine craftsmanship. It was a short jacket, and would only fall to just below her rib cage, making it easy for her to reach a sword at her waist.

“The third—a dragon saddle.”

Eliana set the jacket on the table and looked up as the next elf stepped up and presented her with a large, black item. He set it on the table beside her, and she ran her hands over it. It, too, was made of soft, black leather. It was smaller than she’d imagined it would be, and had a tangle of long, complicated-looking straps attached to it.

There were no stirrups on the saddle. Instead, she spotted two loops on the sides of the saddle, which had cinches for tightening around her legs. There were two more, smaller loops at the top of the saddle, where she could secure her hands for any complicated maneuvers.

“Like that trick we pulled on that sorcerer,” Oriens thought in her mind, and she sensed his pride as he remembered looping up over the top of the man before descending on him again. She smiled a little.

“And the fourth and last element,” the queen said. “We present you with a Rider’s sword, crafted from the finest materials in all of Iterum, to help to defend you as you have defended us.”

Solemnly, the fourth elf stepped up to her and bowed his head as he held out a sheathed sword to her. Eliana’s eyes widened as she took it, admiring the sheath of black leather. Intricate detailing decorated the surface in golden reincarnations of flowers and animals. The hilt protruding from the sheath was the same inky color. A thin band of golden wire wrapped around it, providing a surface for a more secure grip. Two, shining emeralds studded the end of the hilt—one on each side.

She found herself holding her breath as she slid the blade from the sheath. Where she’d expected to see shining silver, she found brilliant gold. The blade was so perfectly smooth and unmarked that she found herself staring at her own startled expression. This was the gift that Denio had wanted to keep a surprise.

“That is truly a great blade,” Oriens said, looking over her shoulder at it. “Mara once told us about elven blades. Do you remember?” She didn’t. Oriens often paid better attention to their lessons than she did. “It cannot be broken,” he explained to her, “and it will never be dull. It is a part of their magic.”

The queen spoke again, but all of the elves had their eyes on Eliana. “Oriens,” the queen said. “Rider Eliana. The elves of Iterum give you these gifts in the hope that you will be our guardian and protector, and to thank you for the things which you have already done for us.”

Eliana looked up, meeting the expectant gazes of hundreds of elves. She knew that they wanted her to say something, but her mind was blank. Oriens entered her thoughts, and she repeated the words he spoke to her mind.

“As a Rider and an elf, I swear my allegiance to Iterum, and promise to protect its inhabitants, though it be with my very life.”

The elves cheered at her words, and she looked at Caelum again. His face creased even deeper when he heard her words, and he didn’t look in her direction. Over the din, Oriens pressed his mind against every elf, projecting his thoughts to them. Silence fell as his voice rumbled in their heads.

“And I, as a dragon, pledge my own life to the will of my Rider, as well as to the protecting of those she is sworn to—the elves of Iterum.”

There was a pause as the elves recovered from the shock of hearing the dragon’s voice in their minds. Then the crowd erupted once more, rising to their feet with uncontrolled cheers. Queen Ivi, still smiling, motioned to the musicians at the end of the table and they began to play. Several elves abandoned their seats and grabbed partners, dancing wildly around the tables. The rest returned to their plates, laughing and talking happily.

The music didn’t bother Eliana as it had before. She was hardly even aware of it. Her mind was too preoccupied, but not by the four wonderful gifts that rested on the table before her. She slowly turned her eyes to Caelum, hoping to see some change in his countenance.

There was none. Not even the close proximity of the intoxicating music could dispel the clouds in his blue eyes. He turned towards her gaze, and this time, he did not look away. He stared at her, his blue eyes holding her purple ones unwaveringly. For a long time, his eyes remained stony and blank. Then suddenly, pain and anxiety clouded them, and he turned away with a sigh, sitting heavily in his chair.

“Caelum,” she said, just loud enough for him to hear her over the music. She sat in the chair beside him, watching him intently. “What the matter with you? What did I do?”

He shook his head slowly, his expression tight. Then, he finally said in a quiet voice. “Did you even think about the words you just said?”

“No,” she answered honestly. “I didn’t know what to say. I repeated what Oriens told me. Did I say something wrong?”

“No… and yes… You spoke the Rider’s oath. It used to be recited by every new Rider after their first flight. Mara showed it to me in the archives some time ago.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

He turned his head towards her again, looking frustrated. “Would you really die for them?”

She paused, surprised by the question, and looked around her at the cheerful, dancing elves. They had accepted her, as she’d never been accepted before in her life. They trusted her to defend them. Iterum had become her home, when she’d had none.

After a moment, she looked back at Caelum’s steady gaze. “Yes,” she said confidently. “I would.”

He looked away from her, at his untouched food. She barely heard him over the music as he whispered. “Then I will have to be sure it never comes to that.”