Ivory & Death | ONC 2021

2. The Taken

Kai didn't know where he was, the feeling of a cloud beneath him unnerved him more than the fact that he wasn't chained or restricted in anyway. Maybe the King's guards had forgotten to lock the chains, maybe he had fallen onto the cold ground of his cage, laid there to rot and die within that mountain. Though the rough surface of his prison ground didn't, couldn't, feel like this, soft and as if he was flying through the sky, free.

"He's still running a fever." Kai heard the soft voice of a motherly woman speak around him.

"I've tried to bring it down, Ma'am." Another voice spoke from somewhere in the room. "It won't break."

"Of course it won't break." Kai recognized that voice, it was the voice of warmth. "Because it's not a fever."

Kai felt the soft fingertips of warmth on his skin, removing the wet cloth on his forehead, only for him to sigh in content from the presence surrounding him. His head rolled to the side, as if asking for the person closest to him to touch him again, to bring that comfort back he'd felt for only a moment. His silent wanting was answered, smooth hands brushed across his forehead, pushing his hair back, fingertips tracing the pale scars on his face.

"Come dear," The motherly voice spoke again. "Our Dragon is in safe hands."

A door was soon closed, the almost muted click of the wood seemed to allow Kai to breathe easier, slightly pushing his head into the soothing hand. Kai groaned a little, as he tried to open his eyes, the bright light surrounding him didn't allow for him to see much. The glow of what could only be sunlight helped to illuminate objects, trying to blink again, the one shape that stood out to him was the person by his side.

"Little one..." Kai whispered, already knowing only one person who could smell like the ocean and fire at the same time.

"Shh," Sol leaned forward, moving to sit on the edge of the bed Kai laid on, her hands moving to both sides of his head, to block the sun from his eyes. "Just rest. I'll be here when you wake up."

Sol caught a small smile on Kai's lips as he pushed his head into her hand again; "Always causing trouble."

"Did you ever expect anything less?" Sol's words were met with an almost pained chuckle, only causing Sol to move her hands to his bandaged ribs, summoning power as she found his pain, wanting to ease it. "Shh, don't hurt yourself anymore." Waiting for Kai's breathing to even out again. "Rest now, I'll never be too far away."

Sol moved her hands back up to his head, her powers surged once again, her fingertips on his temples, helping him to sleep peacefully. Kai had drifted back off into a peaceful sleep, Sol taking a few more minutes to sit with him, to allow herself to heal his wounds. For a moment, Sol just sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the man before her, wondering where all the years had gone.

12 years had passed between the last peaceful sunset and morning light of today for Sol and Kai, Sol was just a mere girl that late afternoon when Kai was taken. The King Mathis that ruled over the Mutare Empire, the Lamiae Territory and what was left of the Draco Kingdom had waged war on any who had opposed him. A law passing that any man between the ages of 15 and 55 who could protect the Empire was to join the war, to fight and die for the merciless King Mathis.

That afternoon, Sol had been running up the mountain, a 13-year-old girl in golden braids, looking to the skies as she laughed. She tried, only managing because of Kai, to keep up with the dragon that soared through the cover of the trees above her. He had wanted to let his wing stretch, feel the warmth of the sun beating down on his scales atop the mountain he and his only friend loved to play on.

"That's no fair, you have wings." Sol yelled into the sky, laughing as she stumbled on a rock, the large dragon landing in front of her. "You cheated." Sol was only met with the huff coming from Kai, which could only be described as a laugh. "I don't have wings like you do and running up hill is really hard."