The Prophecy

Chapter Four

Danielle opened her eyes and looked to see Herman walking
back through the bushes. He turned his head and met her eyes.

“Did I wake you?”He asked with concern.

“It’s alright,”she replied. She felt Mue laying against her side sleeping soundly and she smiled. Then she glanced at Samuel. Her eyes moved downward to see the fire he had just built.

“Isn’t that a bit small?”She questioned. Samuel looked at
her but rolled his eyes.

“It’s the best I can do,”he replied bluntly. Herman kneeled beside him and dumped a few logs and leaves into the flames causing them to grow more. Danielle felt herself smiling but when Samuel looked at her, he rolled his eyes again. They were like that for a while until Herman stood up and walked over to Danielle.

“Let’s check you for any wounds you got from that dragon,”he said and touched her scales. She shivered under the touch but relaxed after a few seconds.

Samuel sat watching them but shifted his position so he was seating with his back facing them. Why Danielle? How is it possible for her to defeat a dragon? She’s… a princess. For some reason jealousy engulfed him. I’m weak. He thought to himself He didn’t want to be weak. Especially in front of his father. Every time they would go hunting together, he wanted to impress him, show him that he could fight beside him. Now what would he think of him? What would Ella think?

“Samuel,”Herman said, interrupting his thoughts. “Bring me my sack.” Samuel lazily got to his feet and found Herman’s sack near a bush. He picked it up and brought it to him. Herman took it, shuffled through it and took out a long piece of cloth. He then pressed it against her scales.

“You have some deep cuts in your skin but they aren’t severe. But there’s still some blood coming out from some of them. I found a cut on your nose but that has turned into a scar,” he told them. Danielle glared at Samuel and he glared back.

“What?”He asked.

“You know what!”Danielle replied. “You attacked me!”

“What? Me? You were the one who attacked me!” He yelled back. Danielle looked
away and she muttered,

“When I turn back into my normal self this scar better no be there.” Frustrated, Samuel went back to the fire and sat. Herman just watched them unknowingly and continued cleaning her wounds. Once he finished they all sat in silence until the fire burned out and only the moonlight shone down on their sleeping figures.

"Andorra!" She cried as she ran through the tall, dark and misty trees. Her footsteps and her breathing were the only things heard in that dark night.

"Andorra!" She called again. "Where are you?" There was no reply but she kept scouring through the dark forest in search of the witch. 

"I need you Andorra! Andorra!" She stopped in her tracks looking in all directions but there seemed to be no one in sight. She began to run again calling her name repeatedly until her voice began to fade slowly.

"Danielle." A voice apeared out of the darkness. "I'm right here. In your mind."

"Andorra!" Danielle jerked her head up. She stared into the dark with fright in her eyes but layed her head back down and closed her eyes.

"Andorra,"she said.

****


Something unexpectedly brushed against his nose which made it tickle. When Samuel awoke, the tip of the black dragon’s tail brushed against his cheek.

“Ugh!” Samuel sat up and rubbed his nose. He scowled at Danielle and moved away from her. But as he watched her, he noticed her body jerking and her head moving from side to side. He scooted closer and carefully touched her nose.

"Danielle,"he said. "You need to wake up now." He waited until her eyes opened but surprisingly they didn't. What's going on? He wondered. Wait, what am I doing? He backed away holding his hand in front of him. That was his first time touching a dragon and for some reason he liked feeling the smooth scales against his skin. His eyes rested on Danielle once more and he touched her scales.

"Danielle," he said. "Wake up." Her eyes flew open and she swung her tail that it knocked Samuel into the trees. He landed heavily on the ground and groaned for pain shot in all directions throughout his body. He looked over at her to see that she was watching him.

"I'm so sorry Samuel!" She cried. "I-I didn't mean to!"

"It's okay," he replied.

"Are you two fighting again?" Herman asked. He was standing with his arms folded and his sack over his shoulder.

"No, we weren't," Danielle replied glancing at Samuel.

"Hmph." Herman began to kick their campfire causing the sticks to scatter across the ground.

"Why are you doing that?" Samuel asked.

"We don't want any bandits to follow us now do we?" Samuel didn't reply but turned back to Danielle who sat there musing.

"I have a feeling that I know where we should go," she said and turned her head to the left and gazed at the mountains in the distant.

"How?" Samuel asked.

"I just have this strong feeling that that is where we are supposed to go." Herman and Samuel glanced at eachother in bewilderment.
***

Steven looked up from his plate and saw that everyone were eating slowly with their heads hunched over. He could tell they weren't happy with the idea of having a war between he and his sister. But it was the only way they could get Danielle back. He had to. He looked at Ella. She was the most depressed of all of them for she having lost Samuel and her sister. He touched her hand and cupped it in his. She looked at him with red, sad eyes and managed to give a little smile.

After breakfast Ella stood on the balcony overlooking the forests. I know you're out there, Samuel. She thought. Please come back.

"Hello?" Ella jumped when she heard a voice . She turned around to see Cynric standing there with a bandage wrapped around his arm. Realizing she had been crying, she hurriedly wiped the tears from her cheeks and stood up straighter like princesses did.

"Yes? What is it?"

"Are you alright?" he asked. She nodded slowly.

"Is that all?"

"Well, I was wanting to thank you for taking care of my arm," he answered. Trying not to cry she nodded again.

"Y-your welcome," she replied and turned around to look back at the forest. She didn't want anyone to see her tears which is why she was so distant from the others. She still felt Cynric's presence as they stood there feeling the light breeze against their skin.

"You miss them terribly, don't you?"Cynric said standing beside her. Ella nodded and wiped a tear before it slid down her cheek. He touched her shoulder but she shook it off.

"You shouldn't be so worried, it just makes things more complicated. Whenever I'm in a sad mood I try to be in a positive mood and everything turns out right. It also affects the others around you. Have you seen your family? They are a lot like you right now, depressed and sad. But you can change that by changing your mood." Ella looked at him and saw that he was smiling. For come reason something inside of her changed. Seeing the smile made her feel less sad.

"Oh yeah, your father wants you to come inside where it's safe," Cynric said and went back inside. Ella watched him until she turned back to the forest and thought about what he said. Maybe he's right. She thought. Maybe this will all be over soon.


"Danielle is coming for me,"Andorra said. She smiled. "Soon it will all be done and darkness will triumph over all this land."

"Andorra,"said a low voice from a dark corner of the chamber.

"Yes what now?"

"What about the prophecy?" The voice replied. Andorra rolled her eyes.

"I told you the prophecy doesn't mean anything. Besides, Mystra is trapped away some where so the prophecy cannot come to pass. Without Mystra, no prophecy." Andorra opened her chamber doors and was about to walk out before the voice stopped her.

"You believe in this prophecy don't you? Which is why you want to change it." Andorra stood there unmoving for a moment until she stepped out slamming the door behind her.

***

Danielle crouched low to the ground waiting for Herman, Samuel and Mue to climb aboard her but they just stood there gaping. She stared at them and sighed.

“Come on, this will be faster traveling to the mountains than on foot! Trust me!” She exclaimed and waited for any of them to respond. Herman and Samuel just glanced at each other but Mue scurried to her and climbed her neck until he sat atop her head. He looked at the others with his beady, black eyes and asked with a chuckle,

“Are you two cowards?” Samuel turned to him and glared daggers at the squirrel. Then he and Herman put one foot on Danielle’s leg and lured themselves onto her back. Samuel wobbled a bit but he wrapped his arms around Danielle’s neck so he stayed on. 

“How did that squirrel learn to speak anyway?” he asked bitterly. No one answered now that Danielle was standing on all fours with her wings stretched out to her sides.

“Herman, are you sure about this?” Samuel asked.

“I am sure we’ll be fine,” Herman replied. Danielle smiled to herself. She would make Samuel’s first flight one that he wouldn’t ever forget. 

“Here we go!” She said and lifted off into the air heading straight on farther and farther into the sky with powerful speed. Mue was hanging onto her ears as the rough wind crashed down on him. Samuel was closing his eyes and held onto her neck while Herman struggled to grab onto him.

“Danielle!”Mue screamed almost letting both of his hands slip from her ears. “Slow down!” But she didn’t reply.

“Danielle!” Herman yelled. “Slow down or we will fall!” She turned to look at them. Realizing that she should she began to slow her pace. The wind settled and everyone felt themselves relaxing as the speed died down and soon they were soaring slowly through the air. The clouds below them started to fade and the trees came into view.

Samuel gazed in wonder at all the forests and hills that stretched throughout all the land. 

“Wow,” he said and loosened his arms around Danielle’s neck. Danielle soared just above the treetops and shifted from side to side.

“Isn’t it wonderful?” Danielle asked. Samuel nodded and smiled. If only his father could see him right now.

“Should we land now?” Herman asked. “I think I’m going to be sick.” Danielle laughed and flew lower. After a moment, she landed heavily on the ground and crouched so they could climb off. Herman and Samuel turned to her.

“How did you like it Samuel?” She asked. He walked closer to her.

“Never do what you did to us again,” he replied with a bit of anger to his voice. But then he smiled a little.

“I liked it.” Danielle smiled at Samuel but he just turned and began walking away with Herman by his side.

“We’ll go hunt for some lunch,” he said. Danielle watched them vanish into the trees. That was the only moment they seemed to get along. For some reason, she felt good.

Danielle tore apart her meat and stuffed it in her mouth forcing it down her through hungrily. She was extremely hungry, especially from the flight. Mue sat against her side holding and admiring an acorn in his small hands. They sat there musing in the sun, waiting for Herman and Samuel to return from their hunt.
***

Danielle finished her two deer a while later and stood up with a baffled expression. It was over an hour since her companions had left. They should have been back by now. She looked at Mue seeing her had fallen asleep with the acorn cuddled in his arms.

"Samuel!" She called as loud as she could.

"Herman!" There was no reply.

"Where could they be? We need to get going," she muttered. However Samuel and Herman came out of the trees holding a deer.

"Why yell?" Samuel asked eyeing her and dropped the deer on the ground near them. Herman knelt down and started skinning one of the deer.

"You guys took so long I thought you weren't coming back," Danielle replied.

"We just got caught up in our hunt so it took us longer. Anyway, of course we will come back for you. We can't leave a Princess Of Zilda out here on her own." Danielle watched Samuel skin his deer. Did he really mean that? She thought. Surely we get on each others nerves but does he care about what happens to me?

"What?" Samuel asked seeing that she was watching him.

"Oh nothing," she answered and turned away. She went over to Mue and nudged him slightly with her muzzle.

"Mue, Wake up," she spoke softly. Mue turned over on his back and groaned. Then his tiny eyelids fluttered open. He gazed up at her with sleepy eyes.

"What is it?" he asked.

"You should wake up now," she stated. Mue stood on all fours and looked at Herman and Samuel. They had built a fire and were cooking meat over the flames.

"Alright," he said.