Journey to Tyrrendor

Chapter 4

After about 10 failed attempts, I finally get the hang of scaling Celestia's massive foreleg and climbing along her back. I've found keeping my seat a lot easier than I thought, and we are now flying towards Riorson House. I take in the building, an impenetrable fortress, built with a deep slate coloured stone, looming and unforgiving. As we pass over what looks like a hole in the ground, I feel a tug in my navel. Something is attracting me to it. I can feel its power flowing over me, much like the way I envision getting my signet will feel like. Celestia said she didn't know when I'd get my signet as I'm from another world; it could be a few hours or a few years, but she thinks I'll inevitably get one as I am somehow already channelling. I felt the sudden rush of power about an hour after meeting Celestia, and she was quite worried when I explained it as it shouldn't happen that quickly after bonding apparently.

We slowed down, approaching the open courtyard of the fortress, and I can hear a few shrieks and gasps. I want to scream a bit myself, because I cannot believe what I have to do right now - I am not the most confident of people, and Violet is meant to be the one of the most powerful wielders in the whole fucking world.Celestia touches down gently, completely at odds with the ferocious appearance of her, and even more people start to gasp when they get a closer look at her size and colouring. I see a short woman move through the crowd, braided brown and silver hair hanging down her back. She looks half surprised and confused, half furious.I slide down Celestia's leg, and mentally prepare myself for what I'm about to do."Who the fuck are you?" says Violet, before she gets shoved aside by a group of men and women, all looking at me and Celestia with a mix of utter surprise and fury.

"My name is Alys Southwark, and this is my dragon Celestia. She is a distant descendant of the Dubhmadhinn line, and wishes to speak with Tairn. We are here to offer our services in the rebellion effort" I say like a robot, repeating the words I so carefully rehearsed with Celestia earlier. Right on cue, she gives a horrifying roar, making the crowd of people stagger back. 4 riders appear around Violet, apparently going by the names of Ridoc, Rhiannon, Imogen and... fuck. Xaden. From what Celestia said, Xaden was one of the leaders of this rebellion, and a hard one at that, however was a genuinely good guy as long as you don't make a move on any of his friends, and don't so much as look wrongly at Violet."Tairn is one of the most powerful dragons in the fucking world. No one summons him"Violet says viciously, her eyes heating with anger."No one is or wishes to summon him, Celestia would simply like to speak with him. As for the power thing, I wouldn't be so sure about that" I say with a little smirk. I already feel so proud of Celestia and the most honoured person in the world that I get to be her rider, and her first one at that. I take in Ridoc, an ice wielder, and a damn powerful one at that. Flame Squad, second section, Fourth Wing, just like Rhiannon, who can transport stuff without touching it or something like that, Imogen, who I already like, with her dyed pink hair and ability to erase short term memories, and Violet, who wields lightning. I then fleetingly look at Xaden, his eyes full of distrust, and something else that I can't quite place.

Wings flap overhead, and a massive black dragon lands to my left. Tairn. He is pretty big I must admit, however not quite Celestia's size. He snarls menacingly, which Celestia returns with an even more terrifying snarl, this time with a growl erupting from her throat."Violet, can we talk somewhere?" I ask, my insides twisting with nervousness.She opens her mouth to answer, a cold look in her eyes, before it falls open even wider as she looks behind me at Celestia and Tairn. They are crying and bowing to each other. I gape at my dragon, wondering what the fuck is happening."I am leaving, Crimson One. I will return soon. Don't get killed."I can tell that Violet got the same message, as she frowns at Tairn who takes off with Celestia. As I look at everyone around me, I suddenly realise that I'm still in my fucking school uniform. Heat rises in my cheeks as I realise how stupid I must look, and I go even more red as they all look at me.

"You are coming with us, stranger" a hawk-nosed man says. He and the 4 others there begin to move towards me and I back away in fear."Oi! Nah mate, stop stop stop don'ttttt put those on me I really do want to help!" I jabber out, only half meaning it - Celestia already showed me how to protect myself if I need to."That's enough, Ulicies" says Xaden. "The girl comes with me and Violet.""Hurry up" he says to me roughly, and he turns, Violet by his side and the other 3 in tow. I stumble after them, tears threatening to fall as I feel them burn my eyes. I want to go home. I don't want to be here.I follow them all along a hallway lined with windows, cadets staring at me, some with surprise, others with anger. I stare right back, and hold in the smile that contrasts with my tears at the fact they don't know that I'm only 14. I'll have to act a lot older than I am in order to survive, as people aren't meant to bond with dragons this young. The only ones I can tell my true age to are the ones walking in front of me, Celistia said. We reached what seemed to be a meeting room, and all walked in. They each took a place around the table, Xaden in a massive armchair and Violet in an equally grand one by his side. They looked like fucking royalty.

"Who the fuck are you and what are you doing here?" Violet asked, no trace of kindness in her voice."I already told you. My name is Alys Southwark and I am here with my dragon to support your cause. Check with Tairn if you need any confirmation regarding my claims." I say in as confident a voice as I can muster. I decide to not tell them my age, because if I do, they'll start talking down to me just like everyone else in my life does. Or used to.Her eyes glaze over and I can tell she is talking with her dragon, and I assume, somehow, Xaden, as he also has his eyes glazed over as he brushes her hand with his.Their expressions change into ones of shock as they look at me, and the once hard gazes completely soften. Violet slowly gets out of her chair, walks round the table and faces me. I am a little taller than her, and am completely shocked as she gives me a hug, as do all the others around the table as their expressions change to ones of shock as well."Not much of a hugger" I say, as I really am not. After what happened to me a year ago, I get really anxious when people touch me, especially when I don't know them.They all pull away quickly, and stand in front of me, surveying me again as if for the first time."You're only 17" Xaden says quietly. I stand there, stunned, my face draining of colour. Inwardly, I'm confused. Why would she say I was 17, not even my real age? "What's it to you?" I ask, trying to muster some of my old bravado, the one I haven't used in so long."You're just a kid, and you're bonded to the biggest fucking dragon in the world?" it was Violet speaking this time, and my blood starts to heat as I realise that's all anyone will think of me as - a kid, especially if I tell them my real age."I might only be 17, but why does that matter? I've already been through some shit you lot wouldn't even be able to comprehend, even with all the shit you've been through."They all stiffen, and I know I should feel guilty, but I don't. They're the ones who insulted me, after all."You have no idea what we have been through, and I'll bet my best dagger that it's 10x worse than whatever the fuck happened to you" says Imogen, her face stony and cold."As a matter of fact, I have every idea of what you've been through, and I wasn't aware this was a trauma-off" I make my face and voice equally as cold as Imogen's, trying to not let her words hurt. She doesn't know what happened to you. None of them do. You can't blame them. I tell myself those words repeatedly inside my head to stop myself from engaging in a shouting match that I know I'd win, but don't want all my secrets to be going around when I don't even know these people."You're right, so let's get back to the point. How did you get here and how did you bond with Celestia? Where are you from?" Xaden questions. I sigh, then begin to tell them everything that I rehearsed.