Go down in flames

The explanation

The outer part of the city was abandoned. I could hear the quiet cooing of birds. I guessed everyone was inside. The only noise was the ringing laughter of the children still playing near the wall. I heard the thud of boots behind me an spun around ripping out my dagger and holding it to a mans throat. I relaxed as I recognized him a Leverin. " Why is it thy you always greet me like that?" He asked laughing. I rolled my eyes.

" Where is everyone?" I asked as I shoved the small dagger back up my sleeve.

" Oh, you know, discussing wether to kill us or not." He said sarcastically. I raised my eye brows.

" Hasn't Gandalf told them?" I asked getting impatient.

" No, I asked him not to tell them anything. I wished to explain it myself. Shall we go?" He said smiling.

" Great lets walk into a room full of frightened and confused people just about ready to slit our throats." I spoke with a sarcastic tone.

" Yes, just another day in the life of a dragon." Leverin humoured me. I laughed coldly. " Hey, if it really gets that bad we can change and just stomp on them!" Leverin joked.

" Yes, I'm sure that would help the situation immensely..." I drawled. Leverin turned to me and gave me a goofy grin. I snorted and then we both burst out laughing. I didn't know what it was about Leverin that made me like this. Silly, sarcastic and able to laugh like the world wasn't falling to darkness. He made me happy.

" So, children....." He said smirking. For a moment I had no idea what he was talking about but then I remembered.

" Oh, be quiet." I punched his shoulder.

" Ouch, that hurt." He feigned pain. I laughed. My heart felt so light. Like all the scars on it were fading away.

" Ah hm!" We both turned sharply to see Aragorn standing in the door as he cleared his throat. " I was just going to find you two, I think you should get in here.... quickly." He said his tone was serious but he had an awkward look on his face. I nodded sharply and followed him in with Leverin by my side.

" Thanks." I whispered as we entered the dark castle.

" For what?" He whispered back.

" My wing." I whispered as we entered the throne room. The room was full of yelling men. The noise was killing my sensitive ears. Gandalf sat in the corner staring at the table smoking his pipe and creating images with the smoke to help him ignore the sound of the men. " Um, HELLO!" I yelled. The gazes of everyone in the room snapped to Leverin and I. Thick nervous silence filled the air. No one made a move, nobody sure what to do. The king stood up and met my eyes with his cold ones. I had to look away. I glanced at Leverin as he took my hand in his squeezing it reassuringly.

" I'm sure you are very confused." Leverin started with a calm diplomatic voice. It surprised me how good he was at public speaking. " But I have a good explication for all of this if you will let me speak." His voice was soothing as if he were speaking to a child.

" Why should we trust you!? You may be traitors. Underlings of the filth Saromon!" A tall man near the back of the crowd called out. He was tall with auburn hair and a medium skin tone. He had a short beard on his chin. I took a step towards him, my hand shooting to my sword. Leverin's hand shot out and grabbed hold of my wrist.

" Let it go." He whispered. I took a step back.

" He called me-us traitors!" I hissed in his ear. " We saved them!" My voice rose a bit but the crowd still could not hear us.

Leverin nodded and turned back to the mob of people. " I give you my word that all I will tell you is true." He assured them.

" And what is the word of a dragon!?" The man called out again a challenge clear in his voice. That was it for me, something inside of me snapped. I lunged through the crowd and slammed the man against the wall by his neck.

" How dare you!" I hissed. " How dare you accuse us of such things after we risked our lives to help you!" I spat in his face. The smell of the mans fear filled my nostrils it gave me a sick pleasure to know he feared me. " How about you tell me that I'm a traitor now!" I said sliding my dagger up to the mans throat and rested it gently there against the tender skin of his neck.

" Anastasia!" I heard Leverin and Aragorn call out. I heard Aragorn's chair topple over with a loud clatter as he shot to his feet.

" Anastasia, let him down." Leverin spoke in a calm commanding voice. I continued to hold the man to the wall by his neck making his breathing hard, anger was clouding my mind. " Anastasia." Leverin said again his voice harder his time. I let go of the man. As he heaved a breath his eyes flashed and I got a good look at them. They were eyes that I recognized, a brilliant green colour.

I turned and walked away from him. The crowd of men let me pass with out a single word. I walked right passed Leverin and out the stone arch. Thoughts were running through my mind connecting one thing to another and more thoughts bursting into my mind. I was thinking so hard that I almost didn't notice when I bumped into something small.

At the last moment my hand shot out and grabbed Neo who was falling to the ground.

" Thank you!" He gasped as I stabled him. I nodded bending down to his level.

" Neo, can I ask you something?" I asked. He nodded smiling.

" Sure!"

" What is your father like?" I asked my brow furrowing. At the mention of his father the smell of Neo's fear filled my nostrils.

" He takes care of me." Neo muttered cautiously staring at the ground not meeting my eyes.

" Neo?" I tried to get him to meet my eyes. The small boy sighed.

" He sometimes hits me." He mumbled quietly. My eyes widened at the thought of someone hitting such a small child. " He only hits me when he is angry or frustrated." Neo continued his eyes darting away. For the first time I caught sight of a bruse blossoming on the left side if his face near his hair line. I saw tears gathering in his eyes. Not knowing what else to do I grabbed him and pulled him into my arms.

" You can stay with me tonight." I whispered stroking his dirty blond hair. He just nodded. I picked him up, he wrapped his legs around my waste and buried his face in my long hair which was out of its braid.

We walked into the castle avoiding the throne room which I heard Leverins voice still carrying out of.

I was walking down a random hallway when I spotted a small maid. " Excuse me." I caught her attention. Her eyes widened as she realized I was addressing her. " Could you show me to a guest room?" I asked. she nodded nervously and walked quickly down the hallway.

I followed her to a wooden door which she opened for me keeping her head down. " Thank you." I said quietly as I walked past her. She nodded and closed the door behind me.

I laid Neo down on the bed and stroked his hair until his eyes fluttered shut and his quiet snores filled the room.

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Thank you for reading. Please comment good or bad, I love hearing what you guys think. Bye!

-ShadowHunter6016