The Dragon Whispers

Chapter 4; Back Home

Her twin's claim to Driftmark was questioned and put to trial. Which meant they had to return to the Red Keep. Upon hearing this news Daella was quite frankly terrified.

She didn't know how to react or how to act. Daella's first thought was how she wanted to attack that man for questioning her wonderful brother's claim, and her second was that she wasn't prepared. It had been years since she had seen her uncles.

She didn't want to see them again after the state in which she had left. Would they now hate her as much as she had grown to hate them?

Well, at least she would have Ian with her.

It took much convincing to get her mother to bring this random stable boy upon their ship. Bringing Kath had already tested her boundaries.

Daella was curled up on her bed at night, waiting for Ian to visit. Not yet had she shared the wonderful news with him.

Well, semi-wonderful.

The entrance creaked across the room, her tapestry being shifted aside to reveal Ian's candlelit face. As of late his features had begun becoming more filled out, perhaps it was because he was growing, or perhaps it was due to his increase in food.

"Come!" Daella whispered with a smile, patting the position next to her. Already she was bubbling with excitement.

"What has set you in such a fantastic mood?" He asked, sitting next to her on the bed. Ian carried a plate of candies which she could not resist. Daella reached out, plopping one of the candies onto her tongue.

"You would not believe it!" She grinned, taking both of his hands in her own. "Mother has agreed that you may join us whilst we travel to The Red Keep!" Daella was practically beaming, speaking with her mouth full of sugar.

Ian didn't quite share her enthusiasm. She could tell that he was trying to smile for her, however, some sort of sadness remained in his gaze.

"Well.. that's wonderful." He said, attempting to grin wider. "I just, I don't know if I want to go back there. You don't quite know it as I did."

"Are you unhappy?" Daella asked, her face falling. She had believed she was doing a good thing. That way they could be together, honestly, she didn't know how she would survive during her visit without him.

Ian twirled one of the sugared candies between his fingers. "I'm not unhappy, I just don't know if I'm yet prepared to go back just yet, I never thought I would see the place again."

She understood in her own way, she wouldn't want to return there either if both her parents had been murdered there, just before she was sold to a foreign place. Daella hadn't thought about his point of view, now she wished she had. It was too late.

"I'm sorry- I hadn't thought of it like that," she whispered. "We will go together, I will make sure we see each other every day; Mother will provide you with reasonable shelter and food, and together we will be able to face our fears together." She promised, taking his hands once more, thumb rubbing along the back of his palm.

He looked at her for a long time before he smiled, squeezing her fingers.

"Together."

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It was midday when they arrived. The sky remained overcast, clouds lingering. Daella hardly recognized the place when she entered. Those Hightowers had made the atmosphere feel unrecognizable; It was like she hadn't spent over six years of her life in these halls.