The Dragon Knight Prophecy

1-21 Safe at last

 They settled into the hall in silence, each person selecting a room. Thayle insisted on the first one closest to the door so she could prevent curious priestesses from poking around. Tavis and Ayawa took the next one, with Gersius taking the third. Despite every room having two beds, Lilly took her own near the end of the hall away from the others. It was a moment of disappointment for Gersius, and Thayle watched his aura twist in pain as Lilly walked away.

Thayle could see something more in his aura, a change that upset her. His light wasn't flowing to Lilly anymore, as if his heart was cut off. Instead, there was a constant flashing as he struggled with a choice, or choices in his case. She understood why Lilly's light was fading, but Gersius was a bit of a surprise. Perhaps he had made one of his choices, and it didn't involve Lilly in his life. Whatever the case, she would have to talk to him about it and see if something could be helped.

For now, she waited for the furniture and foods to be delivered while ensuring Lilly was out of sight. They arrived an hour later and quickly set up two tables along the railing before laying out bowls of fruit. As she hurried them out, they delivered a message that Prime Arlin wanted to speak with her. So, she knocked on doors, letting them know the food was here and that she would be gone for a bit.

Gersius didn't look up when Thayle peeked in to tell him she was stepping out for a bit. He waved to acknowledge her heard her but couldn't take his eyes away from the empty bed. Somehow this hurt more than Lilly not talking to him. Until now, Lilly relied on him for guidance and assurance, holding his hand when she was nervous. Even when she was angry at him, she still shared a room, but now she wanted to be alone.

With a deep breath, he tried to push those thoughts away. For the first time in many days, they were safe and well hidden. There were no plans to leave early in the morning in the hope of avoiding pursuers. It was finally a time to sit quietly and let the constant need to stay alert for danger fade away. He took another breath while closing in eyes and tried to clear his head. Until recently, his focus was set on Calathen and saving the old empire from a brutal war. Now when he thought about his task, all he saw was the impossibility of it all. His brothers had turned against him and would bar his path at every turn. He could never go to Calathen unless he was willing to cover the roads in blood. But, if he didn't go, the war would be lost, and the Doan would cover the land in it instead.

Duty demanded he go, but a duty to who? His faith was broken, and with it those sacred promises from long ago. Even if he did go, he would need to raise an army and crush his brothers first. Assuming he could find such an army, what would be gained by destroying the only force keeping the Doan at bay? Either path ended in disaster, but only one of them put Lilly at risk.

There was another choice, one he had been giving more thought to as of late. His father predicted this conflict would escalate and that his family wasn't safe. He moved them east weeks ago, probably through this very city. By now, they were near the coast, where his family had smallholdings and a modest trading business. Maybe he could go east and join them. Then he could look for some land of his own to start a small farm and settle down. He still had time to raise a family and find the happiness he sought but only if he acted soon. It was a tantalizing dream, but somehow it felt hollow and empty without Lilly. Always his thoughts came back to the dragon that hated him. Somehow he felt alone without her. Time and again, he reminded himself that Lilly wasn't human and didn't want the things he wanted. Thayle was convinced she needed to stay, but he wasn't sure that was true. If there was no reason to go on with his mission, then the only logical plan was going east. If he was going east, then Lilly needed to go home.

He heard voices in the hall and decided that sitting alone would do him no good. He left the room and immediately saw Lilly standing by the tables and talking to Tavis. He seemed to be smiling as he told her something Gersious couldn't quite make out. Lilly looked concerned but then glanced his way, and that look changed to one of distrust. Gersius felt the gap between them widen by that look alone and once again questioned why she was still here.