Heir of the Dragon

A House Divided

The view from atop the citadel tower was something to behold. I'd woken early this morning. It had been difficult to sleep with the way my head was running wild, so I'd wandered my way up here. I found the height thrilling, in an odd sort of way, and the crisp morning air helped clear my mind. I stared out over the grounds of the citadel, then past the back wall and out into the rolling landscape of trees and specks of grey rock. The sun was coming up over the distant mountains, flooding the scene with a color, and with it came a warm breeze. Almost unconsciously, I let my fingers spread, and my eyes drift closed. All my focus was caught up in the soft way the wind laced through my fingers. I could almost feel the tangled mess in my mind slowly unravelling as the moving air twisted and danced around me. 

Long before I'd had a chance to fully enjoy the serene moment, I heard the slapping of feet against the stone steps behind me. I spun around just as Fennec burst through the wooden door.

"Ellany!" He breathed, a look of relief washing over him.

"Fennec!" I said, suddenly realizing how little we'd seen of each other in the past weeks, and how much I missed those playful blue eyes. Yet as I searched his face for the familiar hopeful glint, I found it had fled, and dark worry clouded his features. The smile that had leapt to my own face disappeared."What's wrong?"

"I've been looking everywhere for you. The three of us have been called into a private counsel. The general wants us there immediately," He said, his voice grave.

"A private counsel?" I was going over his words agin and again in my head, trying to find a distinct reason for his obvious fear, but I knew I must have missed something.

"Ellany, I think this is about Tyrelle."

Then it dawned on me. The elves had sent a few men to Fennec's homeland a week ago. They could be back with news. Bad news.

I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat and nodded my understanding. His only reply was to turn and head back the way he came, taking the stone steps two at a time. I followed him down from the tower, and then through various rooms and halls, trying to match his haste.  As we walked, my mind ran through a million terrible possibilities; The Ingryds had lost hope and abandoned their city, Tyrelle had been captured and their great battlements were now overrun by beasts cloaked in men's skin, and the worst, There was no Tyrelle to fight for any longer, no ingryds left to save. My heart ached for Fennec.

 Even through the terrible imagined images my mind produced, something nudged at my thoughts; why was this meeting private? If the scouts had news, why were they not calling the entire counsel together to discuss their options? And if this meeting was about Fennec's people, why was my presence specifically requested? Something felt strange.

"They said to meet them in the room to the left of the large counsel room." Fennec mumbled, almost to himself, "Aywa should be--"

Just as we came to the familiar circular room with the beautiful statue of the elven goddess in the center, Aywa trotted up to meet us. She too wore an expression lined with worry. 

"You found her," She said, looking similarly relieved. 

"Up on one of the towers," Answered Fennec.

"Good." She walked up beside him and put a comforting hand on his shoulder, "We should go."

Fennec nodded and I followed as the two of them began down the hall toward the counsel room. We passed the heavy double doors that I knew lead to the downward teared room I'd been so awed by only a few weeks earlier. The long-haired elf I recognized as Ezra, the captain from the front gate, stood in the hall outside the next door. He nodded at Aywa and Fennec as they passed, but quickly turned his eyes to the ground when I tried to smiled in greeting. Remembering his kindness at the gate, I was immediately taken aback. Had I done something to upset him? How could I have? I had only seen him in brief passing since that day at the entrance of the citadel.