Samara

Chapter One

~Samara~

Ryoko stared at me, her finger poised over my amulet. "Druk gave you this?" I nodded, and brushed her finger aside.

"She left it to me when she left on her last travel." I said. Ryoko's mouth dropped open.

"Sam! That's a Lord's amulet! Has she met a Lord before?" I shrugged. I didn't know. "Samara Draco-filia! You could be a Dragon Rider!" I picked at my nails.

"Ry, the dragons are gone. Lord Quetzalcoatl declared we were no longer allies." Ryoko glared at me, disappointed in my imagination.

"Sam, to get that amulet, Druk would have had to meet a Lord or Lady. That means that your family is allies." I breathed through my nose. I loved Ry, but she could be so oblivious.

"It's a Lord's amulet, Ry. She met a lord. And just because Druk met one, doesn't mean their friends. Dragons hate us." Ry waved me away with her hand.

"Samara darling, you just don't get it. No one has an amulet anymore. Quetzalcoatl took them all away when he and the rest of the dragons left. Your's is special." I rolled my eyes, as my door opened and Uther stuck his head in.

"Sam, Ry, Mater is looking for you. Something about a Lord?" Ry and I exchanged panicked looks. I tucked the amulet under my shirt. Uther shook his head. "She'll check there. Somewhere safer." I stuck the amulet into my skirt.

"Better?" I asked. Uther shook his head again, this time laughing.

"Only you Sam, only you." My brother said, and thumped down the stairs. Ryoko smoothed her skirt.

"Do you think that Attor will be home?" Ryoko asked, naming my older brother. I rolled my eyes at her.

"Ry, he just got back from Drakovia. The capitol city. I'd be lying to say I don't think he's met someone." Ryoko pouted at me, and batted her curly dark lashes, that framed her blue drop eyes.

Ryoko was pretty, in the mean-girl way. When we'd first met, I'd thought her a brat, with her blue eyes and blonde hair. But she had turned out to be my best friend.

I'd met Ry away at school in Serpentine, and we'd instantly clicked. On Family Day in Serp, Ryoko had met Attor and Uther, and immediately formed a giant crush on my eldest brother.

She flounced downstairs anyway, saying something about 'meeting someone? He's already met me." Ry had a huge crush on my oldest brother, Attor. He'd been away in the King's court for the past year, learning and serving.

I missed him terribly, as when he left it had broken up the trio: Uther, Attor, and I. We all had black hair, and people stared at our violet eyes. Folk asked us who we got them from, but truthfully, we didn't know. Neither of our parents had them.

Deciding that I'd deal with Ry's matters of the heart later, I followed her and Uther downstairs, Druk's amulet safely in my skirt. I'd write to her later, and ask about it.

The old wooden stairs creaked under my feet, and it was impossible to enter the kitchen quietly. At the table, drinking tea, was mater, Ryoko, Uther, and Attor. I smiled at Attor, and sat between Uther and Ry, who'd managed to get herself beside Attor.

"So, Attor, been up to no good in the big city?" I asked, sipping my Bengal Spice tea. Attor, had a tendency to get into trouble no matter where he went. It was one of the things that made our Trio special.

He grinned at me, and sipped his tea. "Of course, Sam. What did you think?" I shrugged.

"I thought it was possible you had turned into a court-man, and had turned into a two-shoes to impress a lady." Attor made a funny face at me, while mater looked scandalized.

"Samara! Don't be rude to your brother! He just got home!" Attor waved her off.

"It's okay, mater. Sam was just teasing. Of course I'm no court-man!" He said. I did notice he didn't mention my lady comment, and apparently so did mater.

"Have you met any special-someone?" She asked Attor. Ry's ear perked, almost visibly, at that.

"Yes, did you?" She asked, slowly moving closer to my brother. Attor seemed to notice, and started sliding away.

"Yes, I have met my special one. However, we didn't want to come on too strong and they didn't join me. They're back in Drakovia." Attor said, picking at his bread. Ry's face fell, and Mater smiled.

"Well, you'll have to bring her along next time." She said. I noticed that Attor flinched at 'her', and didn't say 'she', rather 'they'. I could tell Uther did too. Ry seemed oblivious. Uther and I shared a glance.

"You know, mater, Uther and I were hoping to show Attor how we've done on the house since he left." Attor smiled thankfully at us.

"Yes, Mater." Attor said. "Sam wrote to me about it. I'd really like to go with them." Mater frowned, but relented. After all, Attor was her favourite.

"Oh fine." She said. "But be back for dinner." Mater added. Ryoko looked to Attor, a hopeful look on her face. She was hoping someone would ask her to stay. I looked at my lap, wanting her to leave for once. I wanted my brothers to myself for once. To my glee, no one asked her to stay. I knew she'd follow us to the house, but as long as she didn't stay for dinner.

"What have you done on the house, Sam?" Ry asked. I groaned inwardly, and looked up.

"You know, the usual." I said. Ryoko glared at me. I knew she wanted me to say she'd helped, but truthfully, she didn't. She had put one foot into the woods, before seeing a bug and fleeing. Still, she claimed she'd helped tremendously. I was glad both of my brothers understood I didn't want her to stay, and mater was too busy looking over Attor to invite her too. I loved Ry, but she could be a pain sometimes. She turned into a completely different person when Attor was around.

There was a knock on the door. Uther stood and answered. Soon, he was re-entering, followed by Ry's older brother, Apophis.

"Mater wants you home, Ry." I let out a quiet breath of relief. Now we'd be alone. "She wants you bad." Ryoko looked to us.

"But..." Mater smiled at her and Apophis.

"Thanks for coming, Ryoko. It was nice seeing you again." Ry tossed me a glare, and followed her brother out the door. Mater looked at me. "Nice girl." She said. "I'm glad you met a proper friend, finally, Samara." I stood, ignoring her 'proper friend' comment.

"I'll change, and then we'll go?" I asked Attor and Uther. They both nodded. "Good." I said, and ran upstairs. I swapped my dress for a pair of Uther's old leggings, and in favour of my corset, pulled an undershirt on, layered with a long-sleeve shirt I'd usually wear with a work-skirt. I tied my hair in a high-bun.

Mater hated when I wore leggings, but she didn't stop me, in case I ruined my dresses. I grabbed an old leather satchel that used to be Attor's, and crept down into the kitchen to fill it with cheese, crackers, and three apples.

I stepped back out of the kitchen, and met Uther and Attor. They'd changed out of their nice clothes, too, and we headed for the door.

"Wait!" We turned to see mater calling us. "Samara, you have a letter." She handed me an envelope, addressed to a Miss Samara Draco-Filia. "I didn't know you still used that name," mater said. I took the letter from her, checking that it was still sealed. She's talking about Draco-Filia. It's the name I inherited from my father. When he died, mater shed his name.

"So do Uther and I, Mater." Attor said. "We go by Mr. Attor and Uther Draco-Filius." Mater frowned, put out.

"We'll be going now, Mater." I said, shoving the letter into my pocket. She frowned. She wanted to know who it was from, but didn't want to ask. I swept out the door, Uther and Attor close behind.