Silver Eyes Chronicles: The Journey Begins Trilogy: Book One: The Reunion

Chapter Twenty-Three: Dreams of Nayuna

Naria

I walk out of the council chamber with Ronan at my side. Behind us, everyone else is discussing plans; training for battle, gathering allies, anything to defeat Nayuna and her evil allies.

I feel already overwhelmed by the upcoming mission as I'm the one everyone appears to be depending on now. After all, nearly everyone seems to think that I have the most right to fight Nayuna, considering that she was the destroyer of my people and is not to mention my older blood sister.

Maybe they think so, I think, knowing but still not understanding why the Dark Sorceress's personal death threat.

Maybe their reasons are valid. But I can think of a few other reasons, I think, remembering the brutal deaths of my parents at the claws of a Koldred and the thorough but complete destructive fire in Peyene.

I don't even want to think of Kirena, having been held captive and tortured by Nayuna for months until I ventured to Orkdurun. I didn't know that it was a trap until it was too late. Just as Nayuna did not know that Ronan and Raeyeda had not been too far behind me and he had come to save me before Nayuna could carry out what she meant to do.

And she will if I know her, I think grimly, but don't say. She's never going to stop until she has what she wants.

My death, I think. For whatever reason, rational or otherwise.

"Naria?" Ronan asks.

I look up at him. His brown eyes are full of the usual concern.

I sigh, softly. "I don't know what to say right now. I know I have responsibilities to do but I also have scattered emotions going through me and I'm not sure how long I'll be able to avoid this."

Ronan listens, his expression stoic but empathetic, and then. "Sweetheart, all of us will help you through this, you know that. I know that you're distressed about Kirena and I understand that. We all do. You're under a lot of pressure from your task as it is," he then presses his lips onto mine. "But don't worry, that's why we're here."

I look down at the floor and nod slightly. I hope that he's right.

Raeyeda

Once she is sure that Naria and Ronan have gone, their footsteps and voices fading down the corridors with Ronan talking in reassuring and calming tones to Naria, Raeyeda shifts to her White Sorceress form. She looks over her shoulder, a pained, longing expression on her face, wanting nothing more than to go down that hallway to her daughter. But she can't. Not now.

Perhaps not ever, she thinks. Not after what's been done. What I've done.

She feels a small, but well recognized hand upon her shoulder, turning her. She looks to see Elebeni. The elf's face is empathetic, but silent of words to which Raeyeda is grateful. She then turns to the rest of the council, who all have to near similar expressions. Finally, silence is broken.

"What do we do now?" Arsain asks, first.

"Do? What else can we do? You've heard what was being said, Arsain," Helene says, turning to the centaur leader. "And it looks like Nayuna is being clear herself, but on her own terms."

"Aye, and let me be clear on this," Yutrin says, his sophisticated voice becoming gruff, almost harsh. "I don't know about the rest of you. But I, for one, don't feel close to comfortable having my own home as a doorstep to that crazy snake sounding witch."

He looks apologetically at Raeyeda as he says this. But she raises a slim hand fending it off.

"If that is going to be the case, what of evacuation for you and your kin if you have any that is?" Arsain asks, placing a broad hand on his hip as he regards the dwarven king. His jade green eyes are locked on Yutrin in a cold, but practical manner.