The Clash of Land and Sea.

Chapter Ten, part A

"They can't fly." Hayden complained. Kirin had finally found time to see him and Hayden was wasting no time with her.

"They can fly and they will get even better with more training." Kirin responded. She was sitting on her throne with her back straight and her head held high. She wore an elegant gown that flowed over the wooden throne and down the steps. Her crown was perfectly placed on her head.

"My training isn't helping them. They are just getting tired and frustrated." Hayden was frustrated and Kirin's relaxed domineer did nothing but frustrate him more. "Their wings are not meant to fly long distances. They are not made for soaring and they are too small to face even the smallest copper dragons in a one on one fight." Hayden found himself shouting when he did not mean to.

Kirin just smiled at Hayden but she remained silent through his rant. She waited for him to finish and they she leaned over and whispered something into the nearest guard's ear.

"Queen Kirin is growing weary and needs a few moments rest, she had requested that everyone please excuse." When Kirin did not move everyone in the throne room got the hint and quickly began shuffling out from under the giant tree. Hayden turned to follow everyone when Kirin stopped him.

"Not you Hayden, please stay with me." Kirin waited till only Hayden and the guards were with her. She turned and faced the same guard she had spoken too and nodded at him to leave.

"But your majesty, we are here to protect you." The guard was not offended but genially worried about the well being of his queen.

Kirin turned and faced Hayden. Hayden was not wearing his armor but he always had his silver sword strapped to his back.

"Hayden will keep me safe." Kirin said. The guard made to make a comment against Hayden but Kirin cut him off before he got a chance. "Hayden is a more than capable fighter and I trust him." She looked over at the guard in a way that made it very clear she did not want to be questioned.

"Hayden, I am so lost right now." Kirin took the crown off of her head and held it gently in her hands.

"I don't understand." Hayden said, moving closer to the throne.

"War is coming at us and we are not ready for it and everyday is filled with listening to people complaining about something." Kirin sat the crown down on the edge of the armrest and leaned back against the throne.

Hayden immediately felt horrible for all his complaints. "I am sorry I complained." Was all Hayden knew to say.

"No, no not you Hayden." Kirin tried to say but she got frustrated with herself. "I mean..... I don't know what I mean." Hayden walked over to Kirin and sat down beside her throne.

"I know what you mean." Hayden finally said after and awkwardly long silence. "Ever since we left Celestial City Shane and Cass have been looking to me for answers, answers that I don't have." Hayden looked around the throne room as he spoke, making sure not to look at Kirin.

"To be honest with you I had no real idea where we needed to go or what we were going to do once we got there. It just so happened that once we got over the forest your riders found us. We have still been trying to find out what to do next this entire time." Hayden had been trying to look strong for his friends, even though he felt as if he had failed at that as well.

"So here we are on the brink of war with an army that out numbers us, has better trained troops and better gear. Now you are telling me that our dragons can't even face them one on one and hope to win." Kirin grabbed the crown and looked into the rich emeralds that were imbedded in the wood. "What would my dad do?" She asked, more so to herself then to Hayden.

"Your grace." The guard ran up to the throne, the same guard that had been standing next to Kirin when Hayden had walked in.

"I told you that I needed some alone time!" Kirin almost shouted at the guard. The guard lowered his head but would not leave.

"I know your grace but the messengers have returned from the other cities. Their armies are marching to help us." The guard could not help but to smile as he told her the news.

Before Kirin could respond Hayden interrupted them. "Wait, how far away are the other cities?" Both the guard and Kirin looked confused at Hayden's outburst.

"There are cites scattered all around Eytherka Hayden, why?" Kirin asked.

"You said the messengers returned from the other cites so that means that they have made it from one end of the Eytherka to the other?" Hayden still could not believe what he was hearing; it made no sense to him.

Kirin looked up at the guard who in turn just shrugged his shoulders. "That's usually what messengers do Silver Rider." The guard said.

"How are they getting around Eytherka?" Hayden asked, again getting confused looks as if he was asking what color the sky was.

"Dragons of course." Kirin replied, speaking a little slower than normal.

Hayden ignored both the guard's and Kirin's remarks. "The dragons I am training have a hard time flying more than ten miles in a single day. How is it that these dragons that are delivering messages can travel all over Eytherka in a matter of a few days?"

"The dragons that we sent out to all the other cities are the fastest dragons we have, and they don't fly when they travel." Kirin stated as if it was common knowledge.

If they don't fly how else does a dragon travel? Draek asked. Draek had remained silent as he laid out side of the throne tree but hearing Kirin's statement broke his silence.

Hayden repeated Draek's question to Kirin and the guard, who had at this point became a full member of the conversation.

"It's kind of hard to explain Hayden, it would be best if we showed you."