Blood Knot

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven:

Two weeks had passed since Avoca had first met Leif. She smiled at the thought, laying on her bed. She was looking up at the ceiling, thinking about her time in Jarathia. It was strange how she thought of Leif first, then her family. Although she had probably spent more time with the elf. She spent plenty of time with Merek too; she often joined him for a sword fight or two. But her father was usually busy dealing with 'matters of the kingdom' as Merek had put it, and her mother was always doing something boring, like entertaining guests, or discussing the castle’s provisions with the castle staff. Mirabelle and Avoca didn't spend time with each other and didn't plan to. The only time the family was together was twice a week for dinner. So, every time she conveniently 'forgot' she was meant to be attending lessons, she ended up visiting Leif at the waterfall.

Life was strange, she thought. But she also felt as if she was missing out on something. She had always had a purpose in life, a mission or something she wanted to do. Now everything was too easy. She had everything she wanted. Avoca sat up, feeling like she had to go find something. She planned on meeting Leif then asking him if he had any idea what her purpose should be.

A scream tore Avoca from her thoughts. From years of practice, she had leapt out of her bed and within seconds was rushing out of her chambers, sword and dagger at her belt. Her chambers were on the second floor of the temple tower. She crashed open the door and stood on the battlements. The scream had come from there. She quickly saw who had made the noise. A maid was in the stood, paralysed with fear, looking up at the sky. She had dropped a basket filled with dirty linen, and the cloth had tumbled out onto the muddy stone.

Avoca followed the maid’s line of site and gasped when she saw them. She drew her sword unconsciously. Bursting into action, Avoca ran to the other end of the battlements where a guard was stood, gazing up like in a dream. She slapped him hard to get his attention. 'You, go raise the alarm. Get your captain to gather all his troops, those off duty as well, and send them to the battlements. They're headed this way.' He looked shocked, bemused and evidently confused about the whole situation.

'NOW!' she yelled.

Then she looked up again, up at the six dragons that grew ever larger. In the front, she could see two Thoi dragons.

'This is really strange!' Avoca muttered to herself. The Thoi stood out in the grey sky; they were yellow, to provide camouflage for themselves in the warm Erarini sun. So what the hell were they doing in Jarathia? They were smaller and faster than most other dragons. Avoca had met a few Thoi, she knew how their devious minds worked and she knew how they killed their prey. Behind them were two grey dragons: Beusers. Avoca didn't understand. Beusers and Thoi didn't even come from the same continent, they couldn't stand each other's company. And yet they were together! Bringing up the rear were the last two dragons, one green and the other a dark blue. Viarop dragons. They were slower because their natural habitat was in the sea. They lived on the same remote island as Beusers, yet Avoca had never heard of them working together before.

Avoca knew Chetwick did not stand a chance. But this time, she could not do what she had done on the ship. She couldn't change sides. This time, she had people to protect. People who could not get hurt. No matter what.

Thinking about that, Avoca left the battlements and ran down, through the courtyard to where Mirabelle’s chambers. By now the courtyard was teeming with people; guards running around, taking up positions and receiving orders. Maids, servants and musicians pelted across, gathering near the cellar, queuing to get into some safe place. That was a good idea. Avoca reached her sister’s chambers and saw Mirabelle peering out the door, flocked by her ladies in waiting.

'What's happening?' she said as Avoca came into sight.

'Dragons. Dragons are happening.' Avoca grabbed her sister’s shoulders. ‘You and your ladies need to get to the cellar,' she said. 'Unless they collapse the whole castle and energise the floor too, you should be safe.'

'Energise?' the nurse said, confused.

'Doesn't matter.' Avoca roughly pushed Mirabelle in the direction of the cellar and ran off, back to the battlements. The dragons were close. They had only moment before the dragons would land. ‘Or attack…’ Avoca murmured under her breath to herself as an afterthought.

Avoca spotted Merek and ran towards him. He was barking out orders to guards and striding purposefully to the centre of the east battlements.

'Merek!' Avoca shouted.

'Avoca! Have you seen Mirabelle?'

'Yes, she’s gone to the cellar. What about our mother and father?'

'Mother's safe in her chamber and father's in the war room. They should be alright.'

'Right,' Avoca said. Then she turned back to the dragons. She saw, with even more surprise, that each dragon had a rider. With frightful speed, the first Thoi dragon swept down on the castle walls. It snatched a guardsman up with its sharp teeth and tossed him off the walls. The guard plunged to the ground with a gut wrenching scream. The battle had begun.