The Dragon War

chapter XII

When the group reached Southfair, Anya had gone ahead with Levi and Cade to her family home. Virion and Kairi would have to wait till nightfall before they could come along. The home was in the countryside but they still couldn't risk being seen. It was much safer to go under the cover of darkness. So they waited for what seemed hours before Levi returned with Cade to fetch the two dragon-kin.

They followed behind, but where they were led to was somewhere they did not expect. It was a huge mansion in the countryside with a dirt path leading up to the front door. Everything was silent but the house itself looked as if it could be an oil painting hanging on the wall of a castle. It was beautiful. Kairi was completely awestruck to see something so stunning. Cade was overly excited about the place. It was something none of them have expected to see.

Once inside they were greeted by Anya, and an elderly woman dressed in a beautiful dress. Her white hair was pinned up nicely in a bun with a few strands framing her face. She smiled at the two dragon-kin before her. There was a warmth in those brown eyes of the lady's that held a kindness to them.

"Hello, I am Elaine, the lady of this old estate here. My granddaughter says you people need a place to rest that isn't the hard earth outside in the cold and I am happy to help." she smiled.

"And you're not bothered by having two dragon-kin under your roof?" Virion questioned the woman.

"Of course not, afterall I was married to a man who was a dragon-kin for thirty years till that damn king of ours started his war. He was killed when this war started," she explained with a sadness in her voice for the loss of her husband.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Kairi told her, the same sadness in her voice at her own memories of the loss of her father.

"Wait, you were married to a dragon-kin then how is it Anya is your granddaughter? I thought humans and dragon-kin couldn't have children?" Cade suddenly asked, catching him a glare from mostly everybody, "I don't mean to disrespect ma'am, I'm just curious."

Elaine just laughed as Anya spoke up, "I'm not her granddaughter by blood, granny here took me in when I was just a kid. I was an orphan, stealing to survive and I just happened to put my hand in the right pocket that day. Pops was a good man and I wouldn't have a family or a place to call home if not for him. It's why granny was okay with me joining the rebellion after losing him."

"I would have gone with her if I could, but my place is here," Elaine added.

"So that's why you are okay with us staying here?" Kairi asked.

"Anybody who is friends with my dear Anya is welcome here. Now I'm sure you are all tired and hungry from your journey so boys come with me, you can help the cook make dinner," Elaine smirked.

With some protesting groans the guys went with Elaine to the kitchen, leaving Kairi and Anya together.

"Come on, I'll show you where you can sleep for the night. This house has so many rooms it's ridiculous," Anya stated.

Kairi followed her upstairs to a room that was down a hallway around the corner from the stairs. The room was elegant and had a bed in the center of the room with a trunk at the foot of the bed. There was a  fireplace in the center of the wall to keep the room warm. And warm the room was but not just because of the heat from the dying fire but how homey it felt. Kairi was grateful for Elaine's kindness but still did not understand why Anya brought them here.

"Anya what is the real meaning of coming here?" she asked.

"Figured you be the first to ask, I have friends here in Southfair who can be of help to us if things do go south in Xeles. I want us to be prepared," Anya explained, "I'll leave early in the morning to find so we can leave by nightfall."

"Thank you"

Anya was slightly taken off guard then nodded her head, "It's the least I can do."

. . . . .

Dinner couldn't come soon for the group. The guys really did well with cooking dinner, and everybody seemed pretty happy. There was lots of talk and laughs and for once in a long while everything was forgotten. The war that was raging on seemed forgotten, and the trauma they have endured seemed distant. Yet for Kairi all of this was still very present in her mind.

While everybody talked, smiled, and laughed her thoughts seemed to grow darker. They were a week away from Xeles. It's been a few months now since leaving Innswood, the place she called home for three years. She regained almost all of her memories, and suffered at those memories. So much has happened in just those few months.

With her memories she has learned that she is a lost princess and now has a purpose to fulfill to save her people. This journey started because they needed to escape and now it has become so much more. She now has a purpose, but is terrified of fulfilling this path fate has put her on. She knows that she isn't alone but at the same time she doesn't want them to put themselves in harm's way for her.

"Kairi, are you okay?" Levi's question brought her out of her thoughts.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Cade asked.

"Yeah, I'm just gonna go get some air real quick," she told them as she stood up.

She left the table quickly before she could be questioned further. Standing outside on the front porch, she looked out past the dirt path to the woods. The cold air nipped at her skin despite the warm clothes she wore. Letting out a sigh, closing her eyes she asked herself,

"What am I going to do?"

"Don't know, but whatever it is you don't have to do it alone," Virion responded.

Kairi glared at him , "I came out here to be alone, not followed."

"Well I can leave you alone, but you seem to be already torturing yourself with your thoughts, so maybe I could shut up and just stand out here with you?" he suggested.

She rolled her eyes and shrugged her shoulders, "Do whatever you want, but I'm fine."

"But you're not. Levi has a point, you won't let anybody help you. I know you have always been stubborn and I know you are not the same girl I knew three years ago but Kairi you can't just keep trying to deal with everything on your own." Virion snapped on her suddenly, catching her off guard but then anger boiled in her.

"I don't want anybody else to die trying to help me!" she yelled at him, her fists balling up at her side, "Arabelle, and Nina both died trying to help me, and I don't want to lose anymore people on my behalf. Levi is determined to protect me and I feel like it's a matter of time before he dies just like Nina did doing the same thing. Anya risked her life with Ingram and Cade is just a kid."

Virion leaned back on the railing of the porch, a sad look in his eyes as he looked at her. Her tail was moving quickly with agitation. He didn't know how to respond to her so he did the only thing he knew that might just help. He reached out to her and pulled her into his chest, holding her tightly as his tail wrapped around the two of them. She said nothing as her shoulder began to shake. She hid her beautiful face in his chest as she silently cried.

He stroked her hair as they stood there in the chilly night air. It was like time could stop at any moment as they stood together. It was obvious Kairi was hurting. She has been in so much pain since getting her memories back and he knew it was only going to get worse. She lost so much and still doesn't remember the real person to blame for this wasn't just the king.

"I know there isn't anything I can say to make any of this better or to make you stop hurting but please know this princess that you are never alone. We are all here for you. You're not gonna lose anybody else," he said this wishing he could promise her that last part but knew he couldn't.

She finally looked up at him, taking the back of her hand to wipe away her tears. He looked down at her tear stained face and placed his hand beneath her chin. Without thinking he placed his lips upon hers. She froze for a moment, taken off guard but then she kissed him back. When he pulled away there was silence and then she grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him back down, lips crashing together.