The Clutch of Sharys: Chapter Nineteen
Chapter 19- Interlude on the Rooftops
The humans, devastated by their losses, turned their wrath towards the peaceful dragons that had turned a blind ear to the void and sought their revenge.
After their dismissal from the Princess’s presence, Cara was left to find her way back from the Ark to her rooms. It was now late afternoon, the sun beating warmly down onto the grateful leaves of the gardens. Cara asked for direction from the first maid that she passed after stepping into the castle, thankful that the girl did not see the need to babysit her as she made her way back.
Buzzing conversation about the match spilled out of several meeting rooms and passing nobles, discussing the events and outcome in varying tones. Climbing up the stairs to the second floor, Cara shot a quick smile at a group of passing maids who curtsied as she walked by. The third set of stairs brought her to the wing of the castle where the guests stayed, and Cara decided to wander for a bit before going back to her rooms.
Following the hallway to the right, Cara walked past several closed doors, stepping out of the way as a young serving boy bustled out of one up ahead of her, nearly smacking Cara dead in the face with the door. The hall gradually curved and shafts of sunlight illuminated the passageway from above. Taking a few steps into the warm light, Cara squinted upward at the large opening in the ceiling. A stone dome supported by many white marble pillars covered it to provide some shade, and a couple of younger dragons perched near the edge, awaiting their riders.
The hall beneath it looped around, the doors momentarily giving way to a bannister that ran down the back of the tower or continuing to the other side of the wing. Slowly walking around the loop, Cara made her way down the paralleled hallway to her own. Merry laughter and the sound of chattering filled many of the doorways she passed, but Cara felt no urge to linger and pry into the private moments of strangers.
After a while longer of meandering about, an idea popped into Cara's head that would both occupy her time and help her avoid the company of others. Since the heirs decided that evening on Game or Garner, she was willing to bet most social events were put on pause until the next day. This meant Cara had time to duck into her rooms and retrieve the spear brought over with the rest of her things from the Aerie. Ducking out onto the sun pad balcony, Cara skirted the box of sand left for her dragon to pass waste into and made her way over to the railing at the side of the balcony.
Looking upwards, Cara easily spotted a path onto the flat rooftop of the palace, the only downside being how exposed it was to the air. Slinging the strap of her spear over one shoulder, Cara placed her hatchling on the other, the sleepy dragon slowly digging her claws into the fabric of Cara's jacket while she awoke. A few moments later, Cara was balancing on top of the rail that lined the sun pad, quickly scanning her surroundings before pulling herself up onto the ledge of the roof.
The large stone bricks that formed the castle had plenty of grooves for handholds, and she quickly pulled herself up to the top, hastening towards the covered dome once she stood up. Standing off to the side to not be seen from below, Cara deposited her hatchling onto the ground and pulled back the mess of her curls into a braid. She slipped off the strap for her spear, laying it near the closest marble column next to her jacket and the drowsy hatchling.
After a few minutes of stretching and warming up, Cara began running through her spear positions, the old forms now a dance engraved into her bones that she could do while sleeping. As she paused mid-thrust, Cara checked the positioning of her hands. One arm was stretched straight along the shaft, and the other bent at a neat angle near her middle, guiding the trajectory of its point towards an invisible target. She slowly moved through the rest of the basic positions, her little dragon's curious squawking getting closer as the curious creature inspected what she was doing.
Taking a step back to avoid hitting her hatchling, Cara leveled the head of her spear at an invisible enemy, some imaginary Ataran soldier who had tried for close combat in the arena of her mind. Keeping her footing tight and neat, Cara swung her spear at the illusory attacker, leaning back and to the side to dodge their imaginary reply. She continued in this manner, battling an unseen enemy who sometimes looked familiar, an older man with a sword and shield looking down on her. At other times it was a stranger’s face wielding unknown weapons that changed in the middle of their fight, forcing Cara to improvise her attacks.
Cara continued her onslaught against the foes of her mind as the late afternoon sun dulled into the orange of early evening, painting the sky with its smudge of color as the sun slowly sank beneath the horizon. It was a peaceful way for her to pass the time, honing her skills in combat and slaying the invisible demons that rose from within her mind, even if it was just to fight them out in that moment of combat and frustration. Real enemies or not, Cara was stronger for having conquered them, stronger for fighting with the wind.
As her practice wore on, her hatchling went from questioning observation to looping circles of flight around her rider’s head before going back to napping in the warm patch of sun, the light dully glinting off her scales. Fatigue became harder to ignore as Cara's muscles protested their exertion and warm trails of sweat found their way down her back and face. Eventually, Cara's pace slowed, her movements dulling, and her mind wandering to other things as she cooled down.
She still had no idea why or how Perin had been in the castle last night, or if what she had seen was just a dream, though, without someone else to verify what had happened, it might as well be the latter already. Cara began slowly going through her forms in reverse order, arms shaking as she tried to hold some of the overhead thrusts and low stabs.
Her mind briefly turned to her future and what that would look like and mean with how everything had turned out. That she was so reliant on other riders to be effective was bothersome, but the silver lining that Cara forced herself to focus on was that her magic would develop as she and her dragon grew. So for right this moment, she could find some temporary work assisting someone in their industry, or try to get a job within the military, possibly underneath her sister.
Cara gave her spear a particularly violent thrust at the thought of being back under her family's thumb and silently vowed to never exist that way again. That leaves an industry of some sort. Cara thought, straightening her body as she sliced her spear downwards and to her right. Netis's chief exports were livestock and crops, thanks to their fertile lowlands and rolling green hills that rose to become mountains in the north. Cara didn't relish the idea of becoming a helper to a farmer to help water their crops but still relegated the notion to be an emergency backup in her mind.
The sun sank on the horizon as she finished her practice, still considering possible paths as the restlessness and energy she felt earlier was replaced by a sense of doom and fatigue. One other possibility had been lurking in the back of her brain, but she had pushed it aside as she wasn't sure she had the stomach for it.
Netis was known for its military might and bountiful exports, but they had also contributed one other significant advancement to the world for their part. Alongside boasting the largest dragons and fearsome Generals, Netis was the birthplace of healing magic.
Over the thousands of years since the forming of the sphere, different nations had discovered and developed different ways in which to imbue the world around them with their power. With enough study and the right teacher, Cara mused, she might assist one of the more profitable members of the healing guild. Her routine now finished, Cara stood slowly upright, wicking away the grime and sweat that had accumulated her forehead and body.
Glancing around the surrounding landscape, Cara realized she felt uneasy about something, taking the time to pin the sensation on the lack of activity. Usually, this late in the day, most of the military and messenger dragons would arrive, but the skies were oddly empty save a few dragons overhead, seemingly circling the skies above the palace.
Thrown into confusion by the lack of draconic and human presence, Cara gathered up her dragon and possessions, preparing to leave and head back to the safety of her room. Looking around for anyone that would spot her, Cara stuck her head over the edge of the ceiling, searching for any nearby observers but finding none. The halls were strangely empty, full of shadows cast by the dim torches and the uneasy cover of unspoken worries.
Cara's heavy, warm braid fell over the hedge to dangle by her ear as she craned her neck to check in another direction, annoyingly smacking into her head as she looked. With the absence of any nearby bodies, she took her chance and slipped down from the roof, messing up the landing and twisting her ankle and body into a painful pile on the floor. The little dragon within her arms loudly protested about their abrupt landing as Cara bit her lip from the pain, quickly examining both the hatchling and her spear to make sure it was still intact.
Satisfied with the visual inspection, Cara painfully stood upright, her tailbone cruelly twinging in pain as she used the wall behind her for support. Rubbing the sore, twinging part of her back briefly, Cara reached her dragon-free hand down to collect her weapon and jacket before straightening, fully expecting someone to have come running after the chaos of her fall.
She slowly made her way down the left side of the looped balcony, almost relieved when she heard the scurrying sound of footsteps making their way down the hall towards her. A servant quickly bundled past her, lips pinched and completely lost in her own world as she shuffled past, neither acknowledging nor stopping after her shoulder slammed into Cara’s. Shaking her head at the odd behavior, she continued her way down the hall, catching the buzz of some conversation leaking out of the door the girl had exited from, the occupants shutting it tight as her footsteps approached.
Warily, Cara made her way towards her room, keeping an eye out for Lorsa or any other familiar face, but the dull emptiness of the silent palace was all she found. Ducking into her the doorway, Cara found the space as she had left it when she snuck out earlier, save for the fire merrily lit in the hearth at the back of the room. Kicking off her boots near the door, Cara crossed the room and wearily laid her spear on the end of the bed, the straps and discarded jacket going with it.
Laying her dragon on the window seat, Cara crossed to the stand by the changing screen and poured some water from the tall jug atop a nearby table into the white porcelain of the basin. Splashing the cooling liquid on her soiled skin, Cara washed off some of the grime left over by her practice with a nearby towel, wiping the dirt and sweat from her body and wishing she had some soap. After she cleaned herself enough to be considered presentable, Cara joined her dragon on the window seat, where it sat staring at the last pink blush of sun as it disappeared into the darkness of night. Wearily, she loosened the tight red curls of her hair from their braid, which immediately sprang to their usual voluminous halo around her shoulders, grateful to be free from their interwoven prison.
Her stomach growled, reminding her it would soon be time for dinner, and Cara wondered where everyone was once again and if it would be worth her time to look for Lorsa. Her hatchling stirred, beginning doing the funny, shifting little dance that she always performed whenever her tiny bladder was full. Picking up the creature, Cara made her way through the double doors and out onto the sun pad balcony, releasing the dragon to do her business in the sandpit carved into the middle of the stone.
The outdoor balcony was a standard installation in any residence that had ever held dragons within its walls, a combination of a landing area and a relief spot. It provided riders and their dragons more convenient ease of access to their rooms. While the tiny dragon did its business at the edge of the sandpit, Cara took another look up at the sky where wings were filling the air with gentle, distant beats.
It appeared small groups of dragons were taking flight from the western side of the palace where the royal residences were located, filling the air and quickly pulling away in multiple directions. A scratching sound announced her hatchling was finished, the tiny dragon sweeping the sand behind her with a scaly tail. Cara was distracted, wondering if the succession format had been decided even though historically, the debates could last for days on end as different heirs tried to overshadow the rest of their kin and influence the outcome of their decision.
Cara furrowed her brow, attention drawn away from the thought of politics. Her dragon had walked her way over to Cara's feet and sat down, scratching at her neck with a clawed foot. What had caught Cara's eye was a glint in the moon's light, a different sheen off her dragon than its normal glint. There, at the base of the tiny hatchlings neck, a pearlescent patch of silver scales peeked through a curtain of dull gray, showing a hint of the dragon the hatchling could grow up to be.
Coddling the small creature to her chisels, Cara was standing upright when she heard the door to her room rapidly open and shut as footsteps sounded urgently across the floor. Someone was hurrying towards her, saying nothing as they walked across the room. "Who's there?" Cara called out, raising a hand into the moonlight as though in threat. Her dragon scrambled around her chest, crawling up her shoulder to squeal defiantly at the approaching intruder.
When no response to Cara's question came, she gripped a hand around the shaft of moonlight, yanking her arm downwards and bending the light upwards until a thick ray of silvered illumination shone towards her dark room. Keti walked into the beam, unbothered by Cara's light show, which she dropped after she realized who was there.
Panting slightly from the exertion of her new powers, Cara let her arms fall limply to her sides while she took in Keti's sudden appearance. Her sister's face was arranged into the smooth, deathly calm that meant she was on high alert, eyes darting around. "Are you alone?" Keti hissed, checking around the balcony. Cara nodded, and her sister yanked her into the room, prodding her towards the bed.
"Stay inside. Don't answer the door for anyone but me, saying the family words. Keep your weapon nearby and accept no food or drink." Keti rattled off the instructions, sitting Cara down on the bed. Confused and rattled by the sudden shift in behavior, Cara opened her mouth. "Don't ask. The succession has been decided, and you'll find out in the morning when everyone else does." Keti gave Cara a quick hug, glancing towards the door.
"Remember, your family comes first, little sister. When the results are announced tomorrow morning, there will only be a year before the monarch is decided, and things will be chaotic." Hazel-green eyes flashing, Keti straightened as footsteps faintly echoed through the hallway. "I should go. Bolt the door behind me." Her sister urgently ordered, leaving Cara on the bed, thoroughly rattled. "Keti, what-" she began, receiving no reply as the General kept walking.
Scrambling out of bed, Cara caught her sister's sleeve before she left the room, searching her face for some sense in her behavior. "Keti, why are you acting like this?" Cara hissed, pulling down on the woolen fabric. "You seem mad."
Keti leaned in close, the tangy scent of copper tickling Cara's nose. "Remember that you're currently unsworn to any occupation or faction, little sister. Our family is not in favor at court and thus not considered a threat to current events, but you, you….you're in a precarious spot." Keti shut her mouth like she had said too much and yanked her sleeve from Cara's grip. Without any further ado, the General walked away from Cara, closing the door behind as her footsteps faintly walked away, their sound being muffled by the carpet that lined the halls.
Whoever has been walking up the hall increased their pace at the sight of her sister's back, and Cara swiftly threw the bolt on her door, propping a chair underneath the handle to secure it. Swiftly making her way across the room, Cara shut her curtains and locked the double doors to the balcony, throwing the latches on her windows and threw some sand on the fire. She knew how to hide from years of terror at the hands of her uncle, and some primal part of her told her to do so now after seeing her sister’s face.
Crawling up on her bed, Cara pulled on her old boots and removed the knife from under her pillow. Her hatchling came and curled up atop her lap, a small silver patch on her chest shimmering softly in the darkness. Looking up into the night, Cara tried to make sense of her sister's sudden visit. Keti wouldn't be this frazzled over some simple matter, so something must have gone wrong at the assembly of heirs.
Combined with the tense mood in the castle, Cara guessed that the heirs had decided towards Game instead of Garner, which was surprising considering how many of them there were. Some highly political disagreement had broken out, and loyalties beyond Cara's reckoning were being declared. Either way, she needed to stay put until morning until she knew for sure what was happening and could plan accordingly.
Yawning, Cara shifted the arm gripped around the blade underneath her pillow, trying to ease the discomfort of the angle at which she rested. No amount of adjustment seemed to help, so Cara shifted the blade down to her side, pulling a thin coverlet over her legs to hide it. Leaning back, she thoughtfully stroked her dragon's head with her free hand, eyelids growing heavier as weariness crept in.
Slowly, girl and dragon drifted off to sleep, a peaceful rest that for the first time in several days didn't involve falling unconscious or nearly perished as the soft, muffled quiet of the castle wicked away any distraction that could have been caused by the turmoil brewing in its halls.