Jai-Jai shook the water off. Stepping out of the lake, she was grateful for the coming winter. The cold kept the dragon inside in check, giving her a chance to cool down. The sun had long set, and no one had come to look for her yet. The distant twinkling of torches being lit multiplied. The treck down the mountainside wasn't long, but Jai-Jai wished it would last hours. Why are we continuing on this suicide mission? Shouldn't we follow Sen and find Mara?
"Because that fool of a vampire ensured we were bound to finish it."
Since he's left, wouldn't the limits of where we were allowed to wander stretch with him?
"He wasn't part of the original contract, so, unfortunately, that's a dead-end idea.
Stupid vampire.
"Tell me about it."
Fauns gave her funny glares as she walked through Portstown. They didn't seem to appreciate people who talked to themselves. Small hands grabbed the back of her shirt and tugged. Jai-Jai's arm shot out and tried to grab the nearest thing to stop from falling backwards. But, there was only air to grasp, and Jai-Jai promptly landed on the ground. It was a cloudless night, and the sky was bright with stars.
Children giggled above her. They spoke at the same time, "A bheil thu ceart gu leòr?"
"I don't understand you," said Jai-Jai sourly. For some reason, the little fauns found it funny to push people over. "Can't you leave me alone? Don't you have someone else to bother?"
Their hairy legs came into view, hooves hopping gleefully. "Cluich còmhla rinn," they chanted.
"Shoo, children. Dèan ullachadh airson dinnear." Europa swatted away the pouting fauns. "I'm sorry. They snuck into our sugar reserves and will be bouncing with much energy for hours."
"Fun." Wiping off the dust from her bottom, Jai-Jai picked herself up.
A heavy hand slapped her back. "Finally, ye show up. When Kraneia said ye were takin' the news hard a didn't realise how hard. Ye were gone fer hours."
"Rhistel, always the warm welcome." Jai-Jai shrugged her hand away.
Twig fluttered next to the elf. With every bat of her wing, fairy dust rolled off. The specks of dust glowed in the dark and disappeared as it fell to the ground. "The ship has docked, and Atlas has agreed to introduce us to the captain. Someone else was supposed to do the negotiations, but we're on our own after...anyway, we've been warned that a hefty price will be expected for our passageway. should expect a hefty price for our passageway."
"Traders havenna been known fer givin' away things for free. But, Jai-Jai, could we talk fer a wee moment." Rhistel looked at Twig. "Alone."
The other two took the hint and went away. Jai-Jai had half a mind to do the same when Rhistel gently touched her arm. "What's with all this touching? I don't like it." She backed up, but the elf only came closer.
Rhistel's voice was quiet, but harsh, "Was it fer ye?"
"Was what for me?"
"The burning, Tanvell. It makes no sense tae attack for no reason. Was it fer ye?"
Taking the defensive, Jai-Jai crossed her arms. "Of course not."
"Am sorry, but I cannae believe ye. There's no way fer mud humans tae make it all tha' way, first, unseen. And second, burning it to a crisp with nae a wee bit o' magic."
"My aunt has bigger things to do than burn cities just to call me out." No, she doesn't. Liar.
Sweat dripped down Rhistel's brow. She was heating up, and Jai-Jai couldn't help but feel accused. "Ye never did answer, why are ye here? Why are ye helpin' us? Dragons-"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence here." Shushing the elf proved hard.
"No, am goin' tae finish. Unless ye want yer secret bein' known, go ahead and smite me, oh powerful bein'. A know yer aunt is searchin' fer ye, but a won't let ye drag anyone a love into this. Especially when they cannae know what they've got themselves into."
This elf is too smart for her own good. Take her tongue; she'll never speak again. "Oh, my naive soul." Reaching forward, Jai-Jai stroked Rhistel's cheek. The inner part of her that still clung to the rules that Ervesa had burned into her enjoyed seeing the elf cower. Rhistel stoic face didn't mask all her fear. Her shaking hands stuffing into pockets and eyebrows quivering gave her away. "There are so many other ways I could torture you. The thought of using my powers didn't even come to mind. That's just how insignificant you are. Fireflies get squished underfoot easily. I'd watch what words left my mouth."
She left the shaking Rhistel alone. With each step, she could feel the cold yet familiar feeling of nothingness consume her. Any lingering fires inside her body from the news of Mara quelled to little more than embers in her stomach. To survive, one must control.
Even with the comfort of having the dragon under control, Jai-Jai couldn't shake the guilt from how she'd treated Rhistel.
We had no other choice.
"Yes, we did, and you know it."
With every small portion of discipline we lose, the tighter her chain grips us.
Jai-Jai leaned against a tree, hoping she'd hidden enough not to be disturbed. "I'm tired of making excuses. Maybe we are more like our dearest Esme than we realise."
Can you imagine what Ervesa did to her when we left?
That was a taboo thought. Something she'd blocked herself from ever worrying about, snipped it in the bud before it bloomed into pure terror for her sister.
Half-sister. She never let us forget it.
Esme had guarded Jai-Jai for years. Other than her tutors, there was no one else she spent almost every waking second with.
Closing her eyes, Portstown disappeared and home, if Jai-Jai could call it that, replaced it. Metal and glass grew from the ground up. The baking heat from the sun heated the metal to temperature so high that it made that place unlivable to any other than dragons.
Her imagination conjured up Esme. Her image swirled, but it still held all the characteristics that defined her sister. She stood, hands cocked on her hips, eyes glaring at her under thick eyebrows. "I just washed your garments, and you've dirtied them again. If the Supra-Omnai punishes me for this, I'll return the favour during training tomorrow."
A familiar-looking child glared up at her older sister. Jai-Jai laughed at the sight of her. Only looking at the intricate braids pulling tightly at young Jai-Jai's skin gave the present version's headache. The bright silks draped across the ten-year-old made her look like a peacock, prancing around beside the beige uniformed half-dragon. The scales on Esme's face was the only colours she wore.
"Why don't you call her Aunt Ervesa? Supra-Omnai is so formal." Young Jai-Jai picked out the dirt beneath nails. "And I only played in the garden for a little. The gardenias were dehydrated, and the ferns have a bug problem."
"I can't believe Supra-Omnai and the Ignis members let you keep that idiotic dirt playground." Young Jai-Jai lunged to Esme, who side-stepped and let the girl tumble to the ground. Anger rolled off her body in waves of heat. "Aunt Ervesa told me Daddy said you're the worst mistake of his life."
A chilling laugh came from Esme. "Sure he wasn't talking about you? Forced to marry that witch of a lizard." She forced a cough. "Your mother."
Jai-Jai's knew the words her younger self wanted to say, "I didn't choose to force my father to separate from your human mother. It's not my fault everyone treats you as less than because of your impurity." But, the child kept them held in. To control is to survive. Emotions must be burned out.
"What happened to your new silks?" Her aunt boomed. "They were just delivered not two days ago, and already in mud."
"Supra-Omnai." Scales scrapped against the knives decorating Esme's belt as she bowed. Ervesa waved her away, stating that she'd deal with her later. Stepping backwards, Jai-Jai's sister faded away.
"Jesine-Elya." Although the woman before her was only a figment of her imagination, Ervesa's voice made both young and older Jai-Jai shake in fear. A hand reached out. It grabbed not young, but adult Jai-Jai's shoulder.
Another voice came from her aunt's mouth. "Can ye hear me?"
"Aunt Ervesa?"
Ervesa's moving lips didn't match the words coming from her mouth. "Who's tha'? Are ye okay?"
A bright light hurt Jai-Jai's eyes when she opened them. A torch waved around, and Rhistel's foot tapped against the pebbles underfoot. Jai-Jai placed a hand on the elf's shoulder and gently pushed her back. "Personal bubble."
"If we let ye define your personal bubble, there'd be nae a limit to how big it would be. Are you done bein' crabby yet? Dinner's ready and a'd like tae eat a couple of bites before we have to suffer seafood for the next month."
Sleeping with the fished might sate her appetite.
"Shut up," whispered Jai-Jai to herself. In fact, she was glad to see her friend. That particular memory didn't end in a way that she wanted to relive. Ervesa must have hurt Esme in some way afterwards because Jai-Jai awoke to a smouldering plants. Their ashen remains crumbled when she wandered through the once lushly overgrown room. The one thing in Jai-Jai's life that she had autonomy over, destroyed. Her aunt never did allow her to rebuild it.
The breeze shook Rhistel's short wisps of hair. Her eyes had a new determination behind them, worrying Jai-Jai. If her performance before didn't push the teen away, Jai-Jai wasn't sure how far she was prepared to go to ensure all ties burned before she left. Maybe we stay.
Drops of rain sizzled the torch's flames. Sheltering her face with her free hand, Rhistel lit the pathway ahead of Jai-Jai. Not even a minute after they entered the damp inside of the mountain, the night sky opened up and unleashed an ocean of rain.
"Where were you both?" Kraneia ushered the two into the dining area. "Lady Maria's crew have gathered and are asking for us. Atlas says the captain doesn't seem too inclined to help us, but hopefully, after their bellies are filled, he'll be more hospitable."
Licking her thumb, the dryad reached out and fixed Rhistel's messy hair. The elf pulled back and shook her head. The neat strands pointed up again. Jai-Jai avoided Kraneia's attempt to make herself look more presentable and pushed the dining room's doors open.
Burly men sat at the tables, the oil from the mutton they chewed and liquor shone on their beards.
"Aren't they an attractive sight?" Rhistel leaned against the doorframe.
The familiar sight of fairy dust flew closer with Alanis. "One almost stepped on me, and when I grew to remind him I was there, another stepped on my wing," whined Twig. Sparkles exploded when she grew in size.
"Are you woman just going to stare, or are you joining us?" Someone beckoned them. The speaker was a stalky man hunched over his plate of food. Wiping his mouth on his sleeve, he motioned for them to come forward. His blue eyes stared inquisitively at the women.
"Who do ye think yer talkin' tae? Cannae summon me like tha'"
Kraneia coughed. "That's the captain."
"Oh." The elf deadpanned.
The others at his table jeered at the women. "Look at them. It's like they haven't seen a real man before. Don't worry, sweeties; there's enough here for all of you several times over."
One stood and grabbed his crotch. It started to smoke, and the lean man screamed in anguish. His friends laughed. Water bubbled up from a nearby cup, soaking the middle of Burning Crotch's pants. His bottom lip twitched, and he tried to cover what looked like a spreading urine stain.
"Anyone else?" Rhistel looked pleased with herself as she pointed around the room with a glowing hand.
Kraneia hit the twins upside their heads. "Play nicely."
"Yes, Ma," they sarcastically replied in unison. "They started it though."
A booming laugh echoed through the hall. The captain leaned back and nearly tipped over his chair, making him laugh more. "I don't know if you're stomachs would be able to handle our alcohol, but feel free to its reserves. It's our gift to the kind folk of Portstown for always showing us a good time with these jesters." He lifted his flask and took a gulp.
Rhistel stormed over and grabbed the silver container, chugging the drink. Her face was unmoving as she gulped the liquid. "It seems this tiny eared elf has a women complex."
There weren't many more times that Jai-Jai felt more proud of Rhistel than she did at that moment. She was sure if Ryo's dark skin was lighter, he'd be blushing.
The crew collectively hissed. One brave soul hidden from sight snickered. The short fellow sat beside him leaned in. "Cap'ain Ryo," his voice was thin and wobbled as he spoke, "these are the ones wanting passageway to the Old Americas. We should leave these fools behind."
"Is that so?" A heavy hand patted the frail man on the back. Ryo looked smug when he turned in his chair to survey the group. "Why wouldn't we want all this fun entertainment on the seas. I'm sure we'll find usage for them."
"So, you'll take us?" Twig shrunk and flew to Rhistel.
"For a price, of course. I'm running a business here, and I'll be losing profits skipping my next town to take you lot."
"We can pay," said Jai-Jai.
Ryo leaned farther into his chair, hands clasped behind his head. Long, dark green hair was tied back to keep it from falling in front of his eyes. He grinned. "Welcome to Lady Maria's crew. We'll be glad to have you aboard."
GLOSSARY
A bheil thu ceart gu leòr - Are you okay?
Cluich còmhla rinn - Play with us.
Dèan ullachadh airson dinnear - Get prepared for dinner.