Drabbles

The Rider's Wars / One Shot

"I'd never aspire to be anything like you! You killed my mother!" I shouted in fury as our swords clashed together in the loud metalling clanging sound.

"It was for the best!" my father shouted and I ducked under the blade as he shoved me off him. He threw his sword up quickly defending himself desperately, quite agile for his age. His eyes searched mine in a plea and I swore I saw humanity.

No! Don't be beguiled Saphira! However it was too late. I was a child again watching as my father rode his horse out of the town besmeared in the ashes of the flames. "No Please Emerald! You've no idea the affliction I've been in after believing you dead." my father said as he rammed my sword deep into the flesh of the tree trunk and as I grasped at it desperately to pull it out, he rammed his own weapon deep in the trunk. Effectively disarming himself as well. 

"That's not my name anymore!" I shouted my voice slightly lamenting at hearing the name once more yanking on the sword using my boot as leverage. He moved towards me and I swung at him forgetting the weapon altogether and opting for hand to hand combat. 

"So, you're fickle with names." My father tried coaxing me into a calmer state as his hands shot forward wrapping me in gray ribbons of smoke that kept me still. Of course, what more could one expect but dark magic from a Skive. 

"Only a dram!" I snarled fighting the gray coils surrounding my body as they tightened. Regret filled my father's eyes as I let out a pained hiss trying to escape them and I could only feel that the emotion was a lie.  A chord wrapped around my neck and I let out a desperate gasp for breath and as I saw spots in my vision I was certain my father was going to kill me. 

Then I was released... I fell to the floor and he rushed towards me touching my neck casting a spell despite my wishes and then spoke. "Please. Emerald or Saphira or whatever name you wish for. You must understand. I loved your mother and do love you. I turned entirely to the King after I believed you both became people of the ashes." I refused to look at him hating the honesty in his gaze. "I never issued the fire. The commander did. Well old commander. He's dead now. " He let out a small smile as he himself was the commander now or perhaps was the smile for another more morbid excuse. 

"You must believe me. Please. My daughter." 

And perhaps because his gaze was filled with honesty. Perhaps it was because I was hearing humanity in his voice since he discovered me as his child.  Or perhaps it was how I longed for a family. Perhaps I was still struck and grieving Ludvik but whatever the reason. I believed him and with a chest wracking sob my arms were thrown around his neck.

"Daddy." 

"I'm here my most precious Gem. "