Legend of the Sand

~Chapter 16~

I opened the door to the stables hastily, unsure what to expect. As I walked through I examined the stables, all seemed well, nothing had been moved, Onyx was still in his stable but something just felt wrong. Cautiously I walked over to Onyx's stable, my shoes clicking against the grey cobblestone ground, the sound echoed eerily. No something definitely was not right. I felt suddenly very nervous as if someone was watching me. Eyes burning into my back. I spun around, drawing my sword. Nothing.

I pursed my lips and hurried over to Onyx. Touching his warm scaly snout comforted me. I looked into his big green eyes. I saw myself standing there. Smoke appeared behind me, a dark figure soundlessly approaching me. In fright my hands heated up as I spun around again spraying flames in the whole proximity, trying not to set anything on fire except my target I had seen in the reflection. My breathing was shallow and fast as I scanned the area. Nothing.

Onyx seemed to be unnerved by something too, he snarled and hissed, looking around for anything suspicious. I let him out of his stable, cautiously walking by him to the door into the castle. Even if he wasn't meant inside, I. Did. Not. Care.

As soon as I got in I ran through the corridors, Onyx in close pursuit, smashing into things along the way. People shouted at us but I ignored them. We burst through the doors of the main room where the Queen sat defiantly upon her high blue throne. She raised an eyebrow at me and Onyx.

'Something's not right, someone was at the stables, it didn't feel good, I was being watched.' I coughed, bending over, hands on knees and breathing heavily.

'Calm down. What do you mean? It was probably just a villager walking around.'

'No. I could feel it... Onyx could too.' He nodded in dragonly agreement.

The Queen looked genuinely concerned. Finally... 'Chase, go inspect the stables, bring anyone or anything peculiar you find to me.' I hadn't even noticed anyone standing next to her as I had been out of breath and focused on the task at hand. The boy named Chase bowed, 'Of course your majesty.' It was the same chestnut haired boy I had seen at the stables just minutes before the incident. So that's his name, I thought to myself. I'll remember that for later. He exited the room, heading off in the direction of the stables.

'I saw him there just before I went into the stables and it happened. He looked suspicious.'

'Auryon we can't make accusations that he had anything to do with it, as a royal guard he is allowed anywhere in the kingdom within reason.'

Well that just me feel soooooo safe. Not. 'But-but it just felt like he was hiding something! Why would he have been in the stables, the only thing there is Onyx!'

The Queen sighed, 'I'm not sure Auryon, I'm sure he didn't do anything. He is a trusted member of this kingdom, he was probably just checking up on him.'

My eye twitched with irritation, as he came through the door smiling. 'Nothing there my Queen, no sign of anyone or anything. She must have been imagining it.'

'No I was not!' I shouted sternly.

'I really think you were. Please stop shouting you're making a scene.' He replied tauntingly.

'Enough! Both of you!' The Queen stood up looking quite disappointed. 'Auryon if you like then Onyx can stay with my dragon in my personal stables for the next few days just to make sure he's safe,' I smiled and nodded. 'and I'll have Chase be your personal guard as he is one of our most skilled fighters.'

I could feel any safeness I had felt momentarily before be crushed in those few words. I couldn't argue with her although I very much wanted to. 'Both of you go grab some dinner and get to bed. Chase you'll be guarding her room tonight.' We nodded and left, neither of us able to answer back although he looked like he wanted to protest just as much as I did.

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We sat in silence amongst the bustling food hall. I sat opposite him, gnawing on a roasted chicken leg, enjoying the succulent, salted, tender meat.

'Sooo.' I said awkwardly, trying to break the silence between us. Perhaps if I tried to know him better I would trust him more.

'What's your element, do you have one?'

He swallowed a mouthful of chicken and looked up at me. He thought about his answer for a bit before opening his mouth.

'Water.'

I wasn't too sure about that answer but it would have to do as I got the feeling he wouldn't tell me anything else. He didn't look like the other water users I had seen, they almost all had black or blonde hair unlike him. And I'm pretty certain by now that everyone who had control of an element had that symbol on the back of their necks. Perhaps if I could get a look at his then I'd know for sure, just so I knew for sure I could trust him. There was no need to lie about your element so why was he.

We sat, eating chicken in silence for a while. I was trying to take my time, I didn't want to go to my room and have him guard me. But eventually the time came where we were the last ones left in the empty hall. And we had to leave.