Rebellion

The Place We Once Called Home

The Throne Room was silent. Cherry broke it, as she hurried away to send a message to the Academy. Her footsteps echoed as she left, leaving the rest of the room to stop staring at the picture, and start muted discussions. Adam caught my eye, and together we left out of the side door. Electra and Furnace had already disappeared. We walked along the palace, and I followed Adam out of a side door, into the garden. I had never had any cause to be in there before, but he led me through the tall flowers, to where a silver birch tree cast a shadow from the burning sun.

"I found this place a couple of days ago when I was wandering through the garden. I thought you might like it,". I smiled, admiring the view as we sat down on the grass.

"It's peaceful,". A bee buzzed nearby and I instinctively ducked. Adam chuckled, before he spoke.

"I know the school did stuff to your family, to make them forget you, but what do you think the village is like now? Or imagine what it would have been like if we hadn't been chosen, if you hadn't beeen directed into the wrong queue". I cast my mind back to the collection of small stone buildings, to the town square, and to that fateful day. I spoke slowly, considering the question.

"By now I would have been betrothed, if not married to Dhilan, the chieftain's son. I would have hated it, probably have tried to run away into the mountains. I don't think I would have got far though. Not without help. Just think though, if it wasn't for me wearing a hood, I wouldn't have ever met you. What about you?". 

His orange eyes met mine as he took my hand and interwove his fingers between mine.

"I'm somehow not surprised that you would have been betrothed to Dhilan. He was so arrogant though, I don't envy the woman he ended up with. I would have taken over my Father's job as a builder. Like you, I would probably have been betrothed, if not married. None of the girls particularly caught my eye though. They were pretty, but the classic housewife - who would do what was expected and clean the home, waiting for the man their parents chose for them with the right prospects to marry. However, I hadn't met you,".

I smiled softly. "I would have been an awful wife in the village. I hate cleaning, and avoid cooking stews however I can. My husband would have starved!". We both laughed, as we watched the blurs of orange and pink shoot through the sky, wingtip brushing against wingtip as they soared on the currents, pink and red fire mingling together beneath the fluffy clouds.

I looked at the horizon, my eyes skimming over the high sand dunes and the tropical forest, coming to rest on a plume of smoke creeping lazily upwards from beyond the deciduous forest. Just a farmer's fire probably. I continued admiring the view, but my eyes were drawn to the plume of smoke again. It was getting bigger. I tapped Adam's arm.

"What's wrong?".

"Look at that plume of smoke,". His eyes scanned the surroundings.

"It's just a farmer's fire,".

"But it's in the deciduous wood. Even with our heightened senses we shouldn't be able to see it,".

He frowned. "Isn't that the direction of the Academy?". Our eyes met, and even in the circumstances I couldn't help the shiver that went down my spine. We simultaneously ran towards the landing zone.

"The Academy would have sent a rider for help wouldn't they?". I panted. "We should have been alerted to this the minute the smoke became visible by the lookouts.

We both skidded to a stop at the landing plain, a large area of flat, paved land. I scanned the sky's as Electra and Furnace dropped down next to us. As Adam explained my eyes caught sight of a pale blue blob flying frantically towards us. Soon the blob became more distinguishable and we could see it was an ice dragon flying flat out, wings flapping frantically as the dragon nosedived down to where we were. We all ran back a few hundred paces as the dragon plummeted down, crashing into the flagstones where we were standing. I ran forward and helped the rider off the dragon. His arm was in a sling and he had a huge gash down his leg, which was still slowly dripping blood. His eyes were light blue, and he nodded his thanks as I helped him stand.

"What news of the Academy,". I asked, gesturing to the horizon. "We saw the smoke,".

The rider gulped, turning to the side as he spat gobbets of blood onto the stones. Behind him, the dragon was practically collapsing and Electra and Furnace helped the dragon stand to limp to the stables.

"I left with my Anchemi to tell you the news. They hunted us down, and I saw a huge crystal dragon breath shards of rock onto the eggs. Two thousand eggs destroyed, and no survivors bar me. There is no Academy. Not any more,". His eyes rolled to the back of his head as he collapsed, his head hitting the floor with a dull crack.