Dragon of Storms

Chapter 3

Dreams are funny things, aren't they? They're your imagination at it's finest, your mind working, seemingly without effort, to create something so real, you think it just might be reality. And sometimes, your brain makes up the craziest fantasies, without you even knowing it was all a dream till you open your eyes to the real world. Reyna was dreaming, and even though she knew she was, she wasn't sure what it was about.

Her dreams were more of a variety of strange flashes. Scenes, maybe. They played out before her. Some were like parts of a bigger picture, some were just sounds, feelings, or even smells, and the rest were strange symbols or animals.

Reyna saw dragons fly above her while a horse raced beneath her. It switched to a tent, where she lay on a bed with an immense amount of pain in her shoulder, then the smell of blood and salt. After that, cold darkness enveloped her before splitting to show an egg, which transformed into a strange symbol that was forgotten as soon as she saw it. Then her father and the lord she was supposed to marry.

The two men faded into a bright forest, then a pair of eyes showed up. The eyes were a light brown color that was slightly golden, like freshly baked bread. They were beautiful, and drew Reyna in. For what seemed like hours, she stared into their depths. She couldn't tell much about the eyes' owner, except that they had dark, freckled skin and dark eyebrows that were thin and arched.

Suddenly, a sharp pain disrupted the staring contest. It brought Reyna out of her dream-like state. Her eyes opened to a grayish light surrounding her. Coughing up seawater for a minute, the princess's pain only increased. When she turned around, Reyna saw a medium-sized shark biting into her left calf. After smacking its nose with the little strength she could muster, the shark let go of her calf. Blood seemed to explode from the wound now that it was open. The shark swam away angrily, and Reyna pulled her leg out of the water then scooted away quickly.

The pain was intense, and it felt as if the shark had hit bone. Blood was leaking out everywhere. Trying to cradle it only led to a pain-filled scream, which Reyna attempted to muffle. "Shit!" Whatever gods are out there, must have hated her. First the damn betrothal, then falling off a cliff, now a shark bite. Reyna knew it was stupid to blame the gods, especially since she didn't really believe in them, but it felt nice to have somebody to blame other than herself.

Scanning her surroundings frantically, she tried to find something to stop the bleeding. She only found rocks, sand, and a few pieces of driftwood. It seemed as if the tides had washed her into some kind of cave, shaped like a bay. The opening was guarded by sharp rocks and waves crashing against them, so Reyna wouldn't be getting out that way. There was a small shore where she was, which led to a narrow tunnel. A murky light filling the cave, giving its features a softer look and letting her know it was probably morning.

Reyna's saddlebag lay a little off to the side, and she crawled towards it. Trying not to scream out, she dragged herself over. Blood gushed out of her calf, but the princess ignored it. When she could go no more, Reyna reached, trying to stretch her arm to get the bag. Her hand finally connected with the smooth leather. Surprisingly everything was still in there, even the food, albeit a bit soggy.

The princess untied her bodice, then used the string and a small piece of driftwood to make a tourniquet right above her knee. "Okay, just stay calm. Tie the string, turn the wood, and cut off the circulation to stanch the bleeding." As Reyna recited the steps, she turned the wood. "Shit!" She exclaimed through gritted teeth, her jaw making a creaking noise from clenching it too hard. After cursing whatever gods were out there, Reyna continued. She took the soaked dress out and ripped up the skirts, then tore the rest of her leggings off below the knee. "Okay, everything's going to be fine." Reyna let out a bitter laugh. She was never the type to be an optimist and lie to herself in a situation, but here she was. "Wrap the skirts around the wound," Again, she recited the steps as she did the corresponding actions. "Tie it up." When the pain came a second time, Reyna clenched her teeth again. "Take the bodice, wrap it around the calf."

It was clearly not the prettiest, but it would have to do. Standing up, Reyna bit down another  scream. She didn't know if anything lived in the tunnel behind her, and she didn't want to find out. After grabbing a long piece of wood to help her walk, she scanned the cave slowly.

There were only two ways out: through the tunnel or the opening of the cave. To get out the cave opening Reyna, would have to swim through shark-infested waters with an injured leg, somehow get over the vicious-looking rocks, and make it past the relentlessly violent tide. Not to mention that once she did get out, it was more than likely that she'd have to scale the cliffs. On the other hand, she could go through the tunnel, which may or may not have something lurking in its depths and might not even lead out.

In the end, it came down to which choice would give Reyna the least probability of death. The answer was the tunnel, where the scariest thing was "Is something lurking in there?", compared to the water where it was more like "Something is lurking in there." The fear of the possibilities scared Reyna less than the fear of the already known.

Taking a deep breath, she entered the tunnel with the saddlebag over her shoulder. Soon the light was almost completely gobbled up by the black stone surrounding the princess. She was about to turn back to get a piece of driftwood that could be used as a torch to light the way, when the opening collapsed. "No, no, no, no, no." Reyna beat against the rocks. "Damn it!" She screamed. Why was life so unfair to her lately? The same pair of eyes from before flashed through Reyna's mind, as if trying to answer the question.

She sat down, back to the collapsed rocks, trying to keep herself from crying. "Okay, okay. This is fine." Speaking to herself always calmed her already frayed nerves. "Once upon a time, there were two people," Reyna started reciting the story her mother would always tell her after nightmares, "They were total opposites. One of earth, one of the sea. But one day they met, and when their eyes connected, the world seemed to stop. They knew of their love for each other long before they really knew it. Alas, their love was forbidden, but they fought for it, for each other, and their forming family. They went against the gods themselves for it."

Reyna remembered she'd always ask the same questions, "Who were they? What happened to them?" Her mother never answered. She would just smile, kiss her head, and say "Someday, you'll get those answers. I promise you, Reyna." But she never got them. Her mother had died before she could finish the story. After being taught the history of the continents, Reyna assumed that the story was about Eteus and Lubus, but she was never sure.

Taking a shaky breath, she stood with her makeshift cane in a death grip. A light caught her eye, and Reyna began limping towards it. Now aware that the tunnel was unstable, she started out with caution. Eventually, after walking past the same stone for what seemed like hours, her mind wandered towards the story. Reyna could only wish to have a love as strong as that. Could only hope that she'd find somebody to fight for. But first, she'd have to get out of this damn place.