Ember

{ ten }

**Months Later**

Ember sighed happily as she sat in her favorite place. The place she goes to all the time when she was little. She used to go here with her cousin.

Her favorite place was a hill that over looked the village in a valley. Everyone chatted and everything was back to normal.

Like nothing ever happened.

Ember gulped and looked down. She sighed sadly as she remembered her friends. She wondered what they could be doing now. She shook her head and laid down on her back.

Ember felt the soft grass tickle her skin. She smiled and closed her eyes. The sun's rays were warming her face and she quickly fell fast asleep.

Ember's mom cradled Ember in her arms. She chuckled softly as Ember babbled.

She made babyish noises with her, "Aww isn't she adorable?" Ember's mother asked Ember's dad.

"Yes... she's my special girl." He smiled and kissed Ember on the forehead.

Ember was sitting on the floor playing with ragdolls and her perfect doll house. She heard a loud sudden crash that shook the entire house. Ember gasped and flinched as she dropped the dolls in fear.

She walked over to the door, which was open by a crack, as she opened the crack she saw a giant nightshadow dragon emerge from the side of the house.

He tore through the roof and Ember's parents were screaming. Ember shrieked and ran towards her bed, she hid underneath the covers. She froze under thin layers of cotton and fabric.

Her heart pounded rapidly, fear sucked the air out of her as she couldn't breathe. Her parents came running into her room. They comforted her as they sobbed.

"We can't let him get to you.." Ember's dad said.

"You're much too special." Ember's mom kissed her on the head.

"You are the key-"

Ember awoke to Emily calling out her name. Emily kicked her leg and she shouted out, "Ouch! What was that for?" Ember yelled as she was rubbing her eyes.

She yawned tiredly and smacked her lips. Emily chuckled as she sat down next to her and nudged at her elbow.

"We should celebrate..." Emily smiled. Ember raised an eyebrow.

"For what?" Ember asked.

"For rebuilding our village and getting you back!" Emily beamed.

"Come on..." Emily stood up and held out her hand. Ember sighed and rolled her eyes. She smirked when she looked up at Emily.

Ember grabbed her hand as Emily ran down towards the village, pulling her adoptive sister along with her. They went to the bar and all of Emily's friends were there. Emily cheered as she grabbed a wine bottle and made a toast for the village recreation and for Ember finally being home at last.

Ember grinned and clinked a glass with Emily and Sarah. Sarah giggled as Ember choked on the wine. She coughed and laughed. Ethan sat with them and he chuckled.

He smirked and glanced at Ember. She used to have a crush on him for as long as she can remember but since she met Noah, her feelings kinda faded away for him. Ember smiled warmly as they locked eyes.

Ethan asked her, "So what was it like outside the village for awhile?"

"It was..." Ember paused to think for a moment, "crazy, fun, and an adventure." Ember answered as she picked up her glass to take a sip.

"Ooh!" Sarah exclaimed, "Let's play spin the bottle!" She smirked as she grabbed a beer bottle and sat in the middle of the bar.

All of the chairs and tables were gone since the furniture wasn't made yet. The only thing they had was the bar and the bar stools. Sarah sat expectantly and they both moved away from the bar to sit down with her as they started playing the game. Sarah spun the bottle and it spun round and round to Ember.

Instead of kissing, Sarah had her own little twist to it. She asked Ember truth or dare.

"Truth." Ember replied and Sarah smiled.

"Who was your biggest crush?" Sarah grinned and intertwined her fingers. She put them up to her chin as Ember chuckled.

"My biggest crush would have to be Noah." Ember smiled as a look of surprise shot on Ethan's face.

"Who's Noah?" Sara oohed. Ethan stared at Ember as she chuckled nervously.

"Noah's just a guy that I met outside of the village." Ember shrugged as she said casually. Ethan looked away and frowned a little.

Wow... I didn't know he actually had a crush on me as well...

Ember thought deeply as she sighed heavily. Emily smirked and she spun the bottle. It landed on Ethan.

"Truth or dare?" Emily asked.

"Dare..." Ethan replied.

"Welll... I dare you tooo.... kiss Ember."
Emily grinned.

Ember's jaw dropped as she glared at her sister. She giggled deviously and Ethan glanced over to his crush. He raised his eyebrows, as if he was trying to say something without words.

Somehow, Ember understood and she nodded slightly. Ethan tried his hardest to hide his wide beaming smile but he couldn't help it.

He leaned towards Ember slowly, as he pressed his lips against Ember's and her heart fluttered again. Ember smiled and kissed back. It lasted for a few seconds and they both pulled away.

"Oooh!" Sara and Emily hollered out.

Ember and Ethan chuckled simultaneously as Ember rolled her eyes. Ethan caressed Ember's cheek and she looked into his eyes. Ethan was grinning at her and Ember chuckled sheepishly and quickly moved away.

She stood up and remembered the dream she had. The two dreams she had of her parents.

"Sorry, I have to go..." Ember said as she ran out of the bar.

Emily ran after her, "Hey! What are you doing?" She walked beside Ember.

"I need to ask Aunt Jenna and Uncle Mushu about something..." Ember replied. She opened the door and walked inside. She called out for Aunt Jenna.

"In here!" Aunt Jenna called back. She was in the kitchen.

Ember sat at the wooden and straw island table as Aunt Jenna was stirring soup in the pot. She leaned against the table and looked at Ember. Emily sat next to her, a little frustrated.

"What's so important you need to ask that couldn't wait until after the celebration." Emily spat.

"Look Aunt Jenna... I've been having some dreams." Ember ignored Emily.

"Dreams about what?" Aunt Jenna asked, intrigued.

"Dreams... about my parents. And how they died." Ember said as that left a lingering moment of silence.

Aunt Jenna sighed sadly and moved away from the table. She continued working on the soup and she pulled out bowls. She poured the hot sizzling soup in them and served them to Ember and Emily.

"Thanks, Mom." said Emily as she slurped the soup with the spoon.

"Thanks Aunt Jenna..." Ember smiled. She put her hands around the bowl to warm them up.

"So... I need to know, the full story. What happened to my parents? And what was after me?" Ember asked.

Aunt Jenna gulped and sighed heavily, "Your parents Ember, loved you very much. And they got caught up in something they shouldn't have." She said ominously.