Aida Kavonim, the artistic heiress of the peaceful island community of Arsieon, goes on a trip to the nearby kingdom of Elondis with her speaking griffin friend Flayko, where she may finally learn to appreciate the sword skills her father Loen has t...
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It appeared that it would be like any other day on the island community of Arsieon. As its red-haired heir Loen Kavonim and his wife Evoni were having a picnic in a field, the woman's eyes widened as she touched her pregnant belly.
"Oh, she's excited!" she exclaimed.
"How are you so sure it's a girl?" her husband asked.
"Intuition, I suppose."
"Well, your intuition could be setting you up for disappointment. It could end up being Loen Kavonim the Second," the then-heir claimed as he laid his head on her belly. "But it doesn't matter to me what the baby is either way."
After a pause, Evoni replied, "As if you're not hoping for your namesake more?"
Loen retorted, "As if you're not hoping for your grandmother's namesake more?"
The two of them giggled. Their joy was soon turned to fear, however, as Arsieon's warning horns began resounding from all around them. The couple ran along a path through the island's pastures to the Kavonim homestead at the island's center, where headman Salfei, covered in leather armor, exited the house alongside Sheriff Carzec Stoekin.
"Dad, what's going on?!" Loen cried.
His father answered, "Raiders." Evoni gasped, and Salfei continued, "You two stay here."
"I'm coming with you!"
"No, Loen! They're your responsibility!" Salfei stated while pointing to Evoni and her unborn child. Loen cried to his father once again, and Salfei embraced him. "I love you. You, Evoni, and your child," the headman told his son. He and Carzec then set off toward the village with a batallion of watchmen as Leon and Evoni looked on with sorrow in their eyes.
On Arsieon's neighboring island that protruded like a mountain from sea, Mount Brayfo, lived a flock of griffins: large, multicolored, four-legged birds of prey who could speak human languages. They were watching the battle between the Arsieonians and the raiders from outside their cave at the peak. Their dark violet leader Fersorn claimed with a sneer, "This is why no human shall ever set foot on Mount Brayfo," and he walked back into the lair while the rest of his flock, both young and old, continued to watch.
Arsieon's main village normally bustled with joy in its pub, market, and chapel. This day, alas, it was the site of the islanders pushing the raiders back. As Salfei and Carzec were clashing side-by-side, one raider stabbed the headman through the abdomen! Yet, Salfei had the strength to slice him down in return. The raiders began to retreat to their ship, taking goods with them. The watchmen cried out in victory, with Salfei in the front. However, Carzec watched as the headman groaned and fell to the ground.
The fallen Arsieonians were soon buried in the island's cemetery. Salfei had reunited with his wife Luvi who passed from a sickness, and Loen and Carzec were standing at their grave. Carzec claimed, "This was my doing, Loen. I was supposed to be guarding him."
"Carzec," Loen replied, "You were in the heat of battle. Don't do this to yourself." Carzec apprehensively nodded in agreement.
Loen then turned and saw Evoni sitting on a stone bench facing away from him; he sat down next to her and put his hand on her shoulder. After a pause, Evoni explained, "When I left Elondis for you, I knew I'd become Arsieon's headwoman someday, but I never imagined something like this would be why."
"Nor did I," replied Loen. Tears formed in both of their eyes, and they embraced. The newly appointed headwoman then noticed from over Loen's shoulder an orange griffling watching them; after she cried out in surprise, the creature shrieked and hid behind a grave. Evoni then greeted the griffling with a hello, and he poked his head out from behind the grave, greeting her back with a nervous stutter.
"Please excuse us for being startled. You likely know we've never been greeted by our winged neighbors," Loen explained.
"Well, I saw the trouble the other day and wanted to make sure you humans are okay," the griffling told them while stepping out from behind the grave.
"That's very thoughtful of you. We're doing better now," Evoni assured him
After a pause, the creature told them, "I'm sorry my flock didn't help you."
Loen explained, "Well, our islands have agreed to stay out of each other's business, for better or for worse."
"Still, we should have done something." The Kavonims fell silent.
The creature's peach-colored mother then called her son's name: "Flayko!" He turned back and saw Sashee hovering in the air behind him. Flayko then said goodbye to the heads of Arsieon and flew up to join Sashee heading back toward Mount Brayfo.
"The humans seem friendly, mother," Flayko explained.
"Well, as you've seen, Flayko, they're not always like that," his mother replied.
"Well, those humans were."
Hearing this, Loen and Evoni smiled at each other; they then turned to Carzec as he observed, "Well I'll be! Your daughter may see the day we make peace with our winged neighbors!" The couple relished the thought of the next generation seeing such a day. Loen then realized, "Oh, you think it's going to be a girl, too?"
