Mystic

Chapter 15; Amira

Amira tapped her foot impatiently against the hardwood floor. She had been waiting at the table for hours, eager for Matthew to return. She had slept well, but was incredibly bored. She had absolutely no-one to talk to. The door opened, and Amira watched Matthew enter the building. He was soaking wet, and his boots were incredibly muddy, as if he had just dragged himself out of a river. Unfortunately, knowing Matthew, Amira figured he actually had. Without wiping off his shoes, Matthew entered the small room, leaving footprints behind him. Amira huffed in disapproval. The sound startled Matthew, and he looked over at her.

"You are getting mud all over the floor." Amira complained.

"Sorry." Matthew shrugged and started up the steps.

"Where were you?" Amira questioned angrily.

"Around."

"Around where?"

"Here, there, I can't really tell you where."

"Don't try to be funny."

"Sorry."

"I have been sitting here for three hours waiting for you!" Amira shouted.

"Why?" Matthew asked the question as if it weren't obvious. 

"Because I'm bored."

"Then you should find something to do." Matthew went up the stairs, leaving a trail of mud. Amira sighed and went back up to her own room. She was just ready to lie down when she heard a loud bang down the hall.

"Matthew?" She called.

"Yeah?" He answered back.

"Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I heard a crash."

"Oh, that was Orion. He landed on the roof." Amira sighed frustratedly and went back into her room. she was surprised to see a piece of paper lying on her bed. She read the note to herself out loud.

"Leave, or else." The paper had a red mark on it; blood. Amira screamed, and Matthew came running.

"What is it?" He asked, his left hand up and ready to fire. Amira handed him the note. She watched his eyes flick back and forth as he read. "We are leaving. Now." Matthew dragged Amira down the steps, but a group of armored thugs stood at the bottom. They smirked up at them evily. They each had darkened iron armor and carried a broadsword. they were definitely Javan, and Amira could tell because of their skin tone and eye color. They didn't draw their weapons, but they wouldn't let Amira and Matthew pass. Matthew dragged her back up and marched up to the window in her room. He opened the shutters forcefully and climbed out onto the roof.

"Come on." Matthew whispered.

"How do you expect me do be able to do that!?" Amira whisper-shouted.

"I'll help you, but you have to hurry. As soon as the owner leaves they are going to come up here. No witnesses. Let's go." Matthew said the words so seriously that Amira shivered with fear. He usually had a calm tone to his voice, but that was gone now. He looked down at her with pleading eyes. Amira stepped away from the window and took a deep breath. Once she had worked up the courage, Amira stepped out the window. She resisted the urge to look down as Matthew helped her up towards the roof. Instead, she focused on Matthew's brown eyes, which were wide with urgency. Once she was sitting safely on the edge of the roof, she looked down nervously over the edge. Matthew was already on his feet, creeping towards Orion.

"Let's go!" Matthew whispered, gesturing for Amira to follow him. Amira followed his muddy footprints and stopped beside Orion. Matthew climbed onto the dragon's back, then helped Amira up behind him. Orion took off, and Amira felt the thrill of flying once again. The takeoff was a bit rough, but it was worth every minute of it.

"Where do we go now?" Amira asked, looking up at the full moon. She wondered if Orion could fly up to it, or if there were boundaries that even mighty dragons couldn't cross. 

"We will set down in a forest clearing and stay there for the night. In the morning, we will walk into town and Orion will circle above. Try to cover your face with your hood. It will be harder to identify us that way."

"First off, it's a hijab, not a hood." Amira responded haughtily.

"Sorry."

"Second, why do I have to hide and not you!?"

"Because they aren't after me, and most of the townspeople in the highlands have seen me before." Matthew answered. Orion swerved downwards towards the ground, and Amira felt butterflies in her stomach. When she saw the earth coming ever closer, she felt sick to her stomach. Flying, she loved. Falling, on the other hand, was her worst nightmare. Orion crashed down onto the earth, his large claws planting themselves firmly on the ground. Matthew hopped off of the dragon's back as casually as if he were hopping off a horse. Amira held her hand to her heart, winded by the sudden landing. Slowly, she clambered off Orion's back. She brushed her hand against his scales. they were smooth, yet as tough as armor. 

"Thank you." Amira whispered to him, and he let out a happy growl. He then charged into Matthew, knocking the boy off his feet. Matthew turned around and started to chase the dragon, a smile on his face. They looked so happy, despite having nothing. Amira wished she were that way, thankful for what she had and content. She didn't think that this was even possible for her. She had only been away from her home for a few weeks, and she already missed the comforts of the palace. She missed her soft bed, the surplus of food, and the spacious halls of the castle. She would go back to it eventually, but she still didn't think it would ever be the same. Then she thought of Matthew and Orion again, and remembered all the people in her kingdom who didn't have a soft bed to go home to, didn't have enough food to feed their families. She then secided that she would sacrifice her own luxury for those people. When she reclaimed her throne, she would do whatever she could to make sure no one would  ever go hungry again.