𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧'𝐬 𝐎𝐚𝐭𝐡

Golden Flames

There was a chilling detachment in his gaze, a stark contrast to the warmth that life once held. The ripples of Thereya's descent seemed to echo the fading whispers of Erys' silent mourning in the desert, lost amidst the vastness of the sea.

A cold satisfaction played on the man's face as he muttered, almost to himself, "At least there's some use for her now." He continued to watch the water as if waiting for the sea to confirm the finality of the sacrifice. "She'll feed the sharks, nothing goes to waste out here," he declared callously, the cruelty of survival etched in his words.

Leaving Thereya's fate to the hungry depths below, the man turned away from the sea. The sun cast long shadows, bearing silent witness to the harsh realities of a world where compassion was a rare commodity. His footsteps retraced the path back to the tents.

Suddenly, the sea, which moments ago lay still, began to ripple and bubble, hinting at an unexpected disruption beneath its surface.

Thereya thought to be lost to the depths, sensed an opportune moment, and broke free, resurfacing with a gasp for air.

I refuse to die... Not just yet...

In the stillness that followed, she scanned the surroundings, ensuring the coast was clear, before swimming back to the deserted shore.

Alone on the quiet beach, Thereya emerged from the water, her clothes clinging to her like a shroud of secrecy. The echo of her breath and the distant murmur of the waves were her only companions. The ripples and bubbles, remnants of her clandestine reappearance, dispersed into the vast sea, leaving the shore as pristine as before.

The deserted shoreline, now privy to the unspoken tale of Thereya's return, held the secrets of the sea and the resilience of a spirit that refused to be claimed by its depths.

Thereya hid behind the rocks near the docks on the shore, the cliff was shielding her from the eyes of Manta Ray and his men. But from afar she could see them. She could see the camp and the slaves in the distance.

Erys... You will be free... You all are...

All she needed to do now was wait until they all fell asleep. Peaceful, in the warmth of their tents.

No matter how great and big her physical pain was, nothing could compare to the physical pain she was going through.

Thereya gritted her teeth as she sat and watched the distant camp waiting for the night to fall. They took away her Dragon, her honor and dignity, they chained her and whipped her, they sold her own blood and family, her Aegon shipped off to Qarth, and enslaved her people.

They will pay the price, and all the other people who would dare to go against the blood of the dragon shall know how big of a price was paid that night.

As the day wore on, Thereya patiently waited for the night to cast its protective shadows over the desert camp. The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, signaling the arrival of the cloak of darkness she so eagerly anticipated.

Seizing the cover of the night, Thereya cautiously made her way back towards the camp, the walls now softened by the obscurity that surrounded her. With each step, her determination grew stronger, fueled by the quiet resolve to free those held captive.

Before venturing further, she knelt at the water's edge, using the sea to cleanse the dirt and remnants of the sea journey from her hands and face. The cool touch of the water was a refreshing balm, washing away not just the physical grime but the weight of the day's events. In that moment of solitude, as the waves whispered their tales, Thereya's spirit found solace in the simplicity of the sea.