Blue

Tallulah

Atlas awoke to the most sweet smelling and intoxicating scent. He bolted upright. That was Tallulah's scent. He could never forget it. The beast within him was pushing for his release. Glancing around the tent she was nowhere to be seen.

His eyes met Mykel's who had also awoken to the scent.

He motioned for Mykel to follow him outside.

"What happened? Why can I suddenly smell her?" He hissed.

"I don't know. She went with Iris last night, perhaps she did something to Tallulah," Mykel replied. Atlas contemplated several things. One of which was the idea that Iris was not a faithful person, but he quickly dismissed that idea. The other, and the only one that seemed likely, is that Iris was against Tallulah's deception and had spurred into action the truth to be revealed. But the question remained of how she did so.

"I'll see if I can find her, you're not supposed to know who she is," Mykel said, pulling Atlas from his head where a deep humming had begun to reside. The boy, for Atlas forgot often that the dragons with him save for one was younger than he and had not the same experiences, had met his eyes with furrowed brows and a pointed look.

"Very well, I'll meet with the generals for the day and then by sunset we will depart," he said in return. He could tell all of his companions were as anxious to leave as he was.

The air held an ominous feeling as he walked through the rows upon rows of tents. People were bustling about and while it wasn't unusual, the amount of activity puzzled him. Days at the camp were slow and methodical this was a mess of action and getting ready it seemed. Had he planned to leave too late? Was their chance of getting out too slim?

He stepped into the large pavillion tent, once more surrounded by the dragons that should be siding with him and his efforts, but he knew weren't. His father used to hold these people in great regard. What had happened? It was a question that finding the answer could solve so many of their present issues.

"We are taking leave this day," he stated to the men before him. They sat, still as statues are his statement. Their actions did not surprise him.

"Once I reach Aria, I will send you a letter detailing the removal of our troops from the border," he continued. Voices erupted at this, again at no surprise to him. "We are ending this war, for good this time," he finished.

"You think you know of what you speak, boy," the words were seemingly spat at him by Lord Faustus and Atlas resisted the urge to growl in response by the blatant disobedience of his subordinates.

"I know exactly what I speak of, your deception has been found out, General," Atlas spat back at his opposition, demoting him not regarding his title in the courts. Eyes filled with a sick mirth met his.

"Hah! You're mistaken, it is not my deception, but rather the deception of your people. As I have said before, your people have grown tired of the black dragon's rule. You are an outsider to your own people as is everyone in that castle,

"I'm not so ignorant as you think, and not so undeserving of my place in life either. Is that why you had my father killed? Because he was a frivolous man?" Atlas had no idea really to what he was saying. The words were just coming forth. "I have worked with my people since I was young, never have I enjoyed the life of a king, I have alienated myself from my mother and the people in the castle you spit on because of my ways," the words just kept pouring from him and he wondered in part where this pent up frustration had come from, sure it had been there, but he had began this meeting calm and collected and had intended to keep it that way.

"I have been repairing the country torn by a war that our ancestors began, nothing less, because I know the pain of loss. This fighting can end, will end, one way or another," he had regained control over his tongue for that last sentence. He was then prompted to leave almost immediately afterwards.