Into the Inferno

3 - The Fight

After her failed attempts to put her shoes back on, Lilja walked out to the barn barefoot.
Her father walked quickly, anxious to get back to their mysterious patient, while her curious and cautious mother walked behind her.
Stepping inside the doorway of the precariously-leaning barn, she stood there for a moment to get her eyes adjusted to the shadows. Her mother walked passed her to where her father stood, leaning over a figure covered by a blanket, on an old cot.
The man looked regal and beautiful, even covered with blood and mud. Although he was beautiful, it didn't distract from his aura of danger and his intimidating features. With his strong jaw that could cut glass, and his slightly-scruffy beard, and his piercing, glowing amber-like eyes, he was a true sight to behold.
He looked right at her as she walked closer to the gathered group, his eyes seemingly, impossibly, to grow even brighter when she met his eyes. He whispered one word, Lilja.
Or so she thought.
The spell was broken when her father spoke. His voice cautious, "Tell them what you told me."
The stranger looked at her father again, his eyes still glowing eerily,"the guards from the Kingdom of Santeiros did this to me, and they will stop at nothing until they have me, for I am the King of Dragor."
Lilja's gasp was just as loud as her mothers. The glowing eyes made sense now-they were the tell-tale sign of a dragon who was in human form.
They had heard the rumors of the returning strength of the Kingdom that had been vanquished by civil war, many years ago, when Lilja was very young. Then, about 9 years ago, the Kingdom of Dragor's King mysteriously disappeared, and the magical entrance to the Kingdom did as well. For 9 years, the people of the human realm hadn't heard any new news of the dragon kingdoms, because the entrance had been shut tight with the disappearance of the last King. The King of the human kingdom, Santeiros, was a cruel man. It wasn't surprising that he had to do with this Kings' disappearance.
Her mother stepped back in fear- the guards would definitely be following him, because they were the best trackers, and they never lost their prey. The trail would lead them here; to us, which would put all of us in danger. The guards would kill us without hesitation if they though we were hiding something, or for the fun of it, if they were in the mood.
Her mother started sobbing, while her fathers' face wrinkled with fear and concern for his family. Her father led her mother from the room to comfort her, while Lilja stood there, her face wrinkled with determination. She wouldn't let anyone die.
"What are we going to do, Your Majesty?"
"Elthorane."
Lilja looked confused," What?"
"Call me Elthorane, Lilja."
Lilja nodded jerkily, her face flushing when he said her name. His voice was like honey-sweet and soothing.
He answered her question, "We will travel to my Kingdom, and I will protect you there. You saved my life, therefore I shall save yours in return. We will leave as soon as I am able to stand."
"We might not have that long, Your Majesty. They're here," said her father, his voice grave as he stood in the doorway, casting strange shadows on Elthorane's bruised face.
Elthorane tensed and tried to sit up, wincing as his freshly-closed cuts tugged the surrounding skin. Lilja put a hand out to stop him, but when she touched his shoulder, she yelped and pulled her hand back from the strangely- warm shock that travelled up her arm and through her whole body.
Elthorane's eyes gazed into hers, their glow almost illuminating the darkened space of the barn. The sight made her dizzy and confused, causing a slight blush to rise to her cheeks.
This man made her feel things that no one else had made her feel before. It surpassed the childish feelings that she'd had for the Baker's son in town, and entered into an new realm all its own. It was completely foreign, but she liked the feeling of it.
"Come," rumbled Elthorane, as he stood up and gracefully walked into the beams of sunlight, which cast harsh lines on his face, and the dangerous-looking people who stood before them.
"Elthorane," the front-most man grinned, his smile viscous, and cunning, "When was the last time we met, dear friend? Yes, I believe is was in the dungeon, where I was the only one that could hear your pathetic screams."
The only replying sound was Lilja's mother's sudden gasp. Yet, Elthorane stood perfectly still, gazing at the man with his glowing eyes.
The man snickered, his chilling grin widening with dark humor, "No comment, Fire boy?"
The only answer was a hiss with a curl of gray smoke.
Shifting her feet, Lilja drew the evil mans gaze to her, making her freeze in fear. His eyes were dark brown, nearly black, swallowing up his pupils, and his hair was a long, oily black, like a gooey swamp snake. His aura screamed malice as he tilted his head in amusement at my challenging gaze. Lilja wouldn't cower in front of him.
"Hello there, girl. I'm Lord Vikander, and who are you? I want to talk to you after this messy business is over. I might want a...taste."
Elthorane tensed, and answered with a deafening growl which caused my knapp to stand on end. He was protecting her, and Lilja didn't know why.
Lord Vikander cackled this time, and made a noncommittal noise of confirmation," she's yours, Fire boy? Now I'll definitely have a taste, and have you watch as I do."
Elthorane attacked him before he had even finished. They hit the ground, and rolled, punching and kicking, and trying to get the upper hand to finish the other off. Lord Vikander's three guards pointed their weapons towards Lilja, her mother and father, preventing them from interfering, or running away. 
At one point,it seemed that Elthorane was loosing. His wounds would have opened up on his impact with the ground and Lord Vikander's punches and kicks, and he was weak from blood-loss, and his lack of nutrition. But then, Elthorane was able to use the momentum of his kick to roll him and Lord Vikander over, so that Vikander was now on the body. Trapping Vikander's arms underneath his legs, Elthorane grabbed Vikander's head and slammed it against the ground, knocking Vikander unconscious.
With one threat out of the way, Elthorane turned to the three guards, who had now maneuvered to battle him together. Elthorane hissed, his eyes fiery with anger, and he too lunged at them, knocking the weapons out of their hands as if they were nothing more than wooden play-swords that younglings trained with. He took each man down swiftly, and gracefully, without ever loosing the upper hand.
When they were all laying on the ground, unconcious, he turned to the small family, more specifically Lilja,and looked over their bodies, to make sure that they were unharmed by Lord Vikander's equally-cruel men.
His gaze, now slightly calmed because the threat was momentarily vanquished, stated, "We must leave. More will come to take me, and in turn, will harm you. I am in your debt, and I will not let them harm you; so, you must come to my kingdom with me."
"But, our home-!" Danica, Lilja's mother, stuttered, her slight body shaking with from the absence of the quickly-supplied adrenaline.
"Is replaceable. I will fully replace everything here, and give you whatever else you have desired, but were unable to have."
"We have animals! What are we supposed to do with them?"
"Give the animals, besides the horses, to other poor neighbors. I'm sure they could benefit from them." Elthorane countered, his protective gaze never leaving Lilja's face.
Lilja's father finally spoke up, "When and how do we leave?" He stood strong and tall. He was ready for anything that would protect his family, even if that meant leaving behind everything they had ever known, and starting fresh in a foreign realm filled with magical creatures.
Elthorane finally took his gaze off of Lilja's, and turned to the patriarch of the Blom family," We leave tonight, at sundown. Take what is most important and what you need for travel, but leave furniture. Only the cart and two horses are to be taken."
"But the cart can only hold two people, and that is without supplies!"
"Don't worry," Elthorane said, his voice slightly husky, "Lilja will be riding on my back."
Lilja's heart nearly leapt out of her chest in excitement at the thought.

***
Hope you like it!

-K