The Royal Brigade

Chapter 12: The Daughter Of Dalian

Evanity’s POV

 

“How long has it been since the three of us last saw each other?” the girl asked Avery and Tarah as the four us made our way through the halls inside the Dalian Avilar.

“It’s been so long that I’ve forgotten already,” Avery said chuckling slightly. “Good thing that you still recognized Tarah and I though.”

While the three of them were catching up with each other, I was glancing in fascination in our surroundings. Everywhere I looked floor-to-ceiling glass windows showed the crystal clear waters of the lake revealing the various schools of fishes which swam peacefully nearby. The waters of the lake bathed the interior of the avilar in a luminous crystalline blue glow and it was apparent that the farther we’ll go inside the avilar the deeper we traveled into the lake’s depth.

“… Where’s your brother by the way?” Tarah was asking the girl. “We haven’t seen him around.”

“Oh, he’s in Scandra right now probably training with the other Dragon Riders there,” she replied waving a hand nonchalantly in the air. Then all of a sudden her gaze fell upon me and her hazel eyes widened in surprise as if she was seeing me for the first time. “Who is she?”

 “Oh right! Where are my manners?” Avery said slapping a hand on his forehead. “Solaire, this is Evanity from the kingdom of Airy. Vann, meet Solaire the Davian of the kingdom of Batidalle.”

I smiled at her then took a step forward in order to shake her hand. But to my utmost surprise, she narrowed her eyes at me in suspicion then glanced at me from head to foot as though she was measuring my worth.  

“Umm…” I began awkwardly not knowing what to tell her. “Is there something wrong?”

She ignored me and instead turned to Avery and asked, “Why did you bring her here? Commoners aren’t supposed to be allowed inside the avilar.”

The way she said “commoners” stung me slightly. I didn’t know the reason why but I suddenly got the feeling that both of us wouldn’t really get along with each other even though we just met.

“She’s our close friend,” Tarah answered for her brother. “We can trust her.”

Solaire opened her mouth to argue against what she said but in order to end this little dispute I said, “Its okay, Tarah. I’ll wait for you guys outside instead.” I was about to turn and head outside of the avilar when unexpectedly someone grabbed hold of my wrist and spun me around to face them again.

“You don’t have to, Vann,” Avery said still holding firmly on my wrist. Then he turned his attention to Solaire. “I’m pretty sure that we can make some minor changes to that rule, Sol?”

She just glared at the three of us and said reluctantly, “I supposed I could make some exemptions in that rule. But just this once.” Then she fixed me a look of disdain then walked ahead of us with her head held high.

Tarah turned to face me and said kindly, “Don’t mind Sol, Vann. She may be haughty and proud at first but later on as you get to know her better you’ll find out that she’s actually nice and friendly.”

A look of skepticism must have shown on my face because she said, “She is really nice! Just give her enough time to warm up to you and eventually the two of you will get along very well.”

“When we were still little I used to joke around that Sol should be named as the “Ice Davian” and not Tarah since she’s so cold and reserved all the time,” Avery said grinning as he recalled those certain memories back into his mind.