Misted Deceit

A Surprise

The minty green hydra stared down, three sets of eyes watching her intently.  Orchid met the gaze with one of her own.  The hydra before her was Potawasset, the princess of Sylldol, who had arrived to escort the procession just that morning.  Autumn had then practically forced her to meet Orchid, who was just about as thrilled to do so as the hydra.

But when she met the princess, something about her reminded Orchid of herself.

"Have we met?"

Orchid blinked suddenly in surprise at the question.  She shook her head, "I have never met another hydra besides the warriors, let alone have a conversation with them."

Potawasset nodded absently, "Have you been to Sylldol?"

"I don't think she's gotten out much, Poa," Autumn interjected, "It's hard to get out of a war."

Glancing at Orchid, the princess looked shocked, "You mean, you've never left Pyrrain?"

"I- no.  I'm a colonel in the Dragonian army; my duties kept me from traveling," Orchid replied, embarrassed by her lack of exploration.  Suddenly uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was headed, she said abruptly, "I, uh, have to go...Things to, um, take care of..."

Both Autumn and Potawasset looked at her doubtfully as she backed away.  Once she was out of their sight, she practically ran back to the cages.  Every moment since she'd 'joined' Autumn she'd hated.  It broke her heart to watch Talon experience her supposed betrayal.  However much it hurt him, she hurt more.  She only wished she could have told him about her plan, but time did not grant her that luxury.  And now, events weren't even going according to plan; having Talon find out what she'd done was not something she'd wanted to happen.  And now he probably hated her.

She finally reached the cages where he and their friends were being held.  The guards looked at her with a newfound respect.  "Do you need anything, ma'am?" they asked.

"I-uh...Could I...Never mind," she said at last, too terrified to even talk to him.  Turning away from them, she darted off towards one of the lakes.  For whatever reason, water seemed to always calm her down.  Maybe it was because she spent so much time near it with her mother.  Mother...I wish you were here, she thought sadly.  I could really use your help right now.  I have no idea what type of situation I have gotten myself into.  "Probably one I shouldn't have," she whispered to herself.

"Ma'am!"

She looked up, not having reached the shore and definitely not happy with being disturbed..  A hydra stood near the edge of the company as it started to move once again.  "We're leaving!"

Groaning, she headed back towards the head of the line, where Potawasset and Autumn were deep in conversation.  Ignoring them, she distanced herself and brooded over her tumultuous emotions.  She wished she had some time to herself to sort them out.

Just then, the two friends came over, apparently wanting to talk to her, despite her obvious sourness.  Can't I just get a moment of peace!? she screamed mentally.  Glaring at the ground before her, she continued to ignore them until Autumn greeted her.

"Yes?" Orchid asked, annoyed.

"I do want you to know that you will be meeting with the king and queen alone.  As will each of the prisoners; it makes it so much more easy than having them all shouting together trying to defend their friends," Autumn explained, not deterred in any way by her demeanor.

"Fine," she replied sullenly.

Autumn caught on to her moodiness, "What's wrong?"

Orchid stared at her, "Nothing," she snapped, "I just need to be alone."

"Oh," Autumn said softly, "All right."

Potawasset leaned towards Autumn and whispered, "She's got a huge conflict going on right now."  Orchid eyed the hydra, "What do you know about it?" she shot.

The princess looked up, "Not a thing.  But hyd-dragons tend to be a little more sensitive when they are dealing with conflict."

Orchid watched the hydra watch her.  She studied the princess; her look of obvious pity, her eyes full of kindness.

"What do you want, Potawasset?" Orchid asked suspiciously, not at all happy with being pitied

"Only to talk to you.  I know that can help."

"Fine."

Autumn looked at the two of them before shaking her head, "Go right ahead.  I'll keep the soldiers moving; they want to get there as much as I do.  You two can catch up later."

Potawasset smiled a thanks and walked with Orchid to the pond she was originally heading towards.  Lying down on the shore, they stared awkwardly into the distance.  "I know what's going on," the hydra said softly.

Orchid gaped at her, "You do?  How?"

"Your manners, the way you worded your sentences.  You're not one of us."  Orchid started to protest, but she continued, "It's all right.  I won't tell anyone.  There was a point when I would have done the same.  My parents sent me off to a boarding school.  I pretended to love it, when in reality, I hated it.  Just like you.  You want your friends to be safe, but must act like you hate them."

"Do you and Autumn both have some sort of weird, mind power?"

"What do you mean?"

"She can, like, read others' pasts, you can sense their motivations."

"I don't know.  I've never really thought about it.  I mean, it's always been a part of me and I've accepted that."

Orchid sighed, "I hate what I'm doing to myself.  I just wish there was a way to stop it without putting my friends in any more danger."

"Tell Waccamut and Katiyahri who you truly are and why you are not with the others.  Knowing them, they'll probably understand."  At that, Orchid let out a short laugh.

"What is so funny?" Potawasset asked.

"Just being with you and hydras in general has made me realize just how wrong we were about you.  To us, you were always the enemy; evil, bloodthirsty, cruel.  But you are quite the opposite; you care for each other and even your prisoners.  You allow them to be judged by your rulers.  I'm ashamed to say, we're nothing like that.  War prisoners are beaten and tortured and sent to special camps for enemies."

"Oh, um, thanks?" Potawasset said, more of a question.

"This experience has really opened my eyes to the world.  But one thing I can't understand is why such a kind race would go to war."

"You don't know?" the hydra looked at her in surprise.

"No.  Should I?"

"I guess.  I mean, you were the ones who destroyed a whole nest of eggs."

"What!  Why would we do that?"

"I don't know.  What I do know, however, is that, one day, we receive a package addressed to us from King Blackstone and Queen Rose Red of the dragons.  Inside lay twelve broken hydra eggs with a note telling us that if we didn't return several of their eggs, they would destroy us.  So, we sent our armies to Pyrrain, just as a warning.  Somehow, you took that as an act of war and attacked us.  We had no choice but to fight back."

Orchid stared at her in shock;  she'd never expected this, "We couldn't have done that.  One of my friends was LongClaw and would most likely have known about it.  Plus, it's not like we go around destroying eggs at every chance we get."

"Really?  Do you think we should go talk to your friend to find out?"

"No, we can't."

"Why not?"

"Because," Orchid said softly, "He's gone."

To be Continued...