The Dragon Chronicles; Aphrodites Fall (Part 7)
A/N: SEE? PROMISED DRAMA ^_^ The next few chapters flick between two fights, so please just bear with me, it will me sense if you read them all in order :)
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Deyanira and Canicus left the stable, stopping by the door to watch Lorcan place his saddle onto Zilar’s back. Deyanira threw a worried glance at Canicus, mentally debating if it would be a good idea to follow Lorcan. Knowing what Deiaro was doing was good, actually seeing him face to face was bad. Even Lorcan, the ‘wild one’ usually avoided him. Deiaro was dangerous, even more so when he wasn’t bothering to hide his movements. If they had been told where he was by a new source, it was bound to be a trap. Deyanira bit her lip, and looked at Lorcan again. Yes, he was reckless and didn’t bother to plan, but he wasn’t stupid. She sighed and Canicus rested his head on her shoulder, his warm breath helping to banish the cool night air that surrounded the Princess.
“You can’t seriously be thinking of investigating that report? It’s bound to be a trap, when have we ever received genuine information about his movements from someone other than our parents or the twins?” Lorcan ignored the question from his sister, his silence giving her the answer. Canicus decided to speak up, something he didn’t do very often when faced with the other royal children.
“Prince Lorcan, be careful. As much as I want my Princess to become Queen, I do not want to have to comfort her over the death of any of her brothers. Deiaro is unpredictable.” Zilar dipped his head at this, his silver scales causing a gentle ripple of light across the nearby wall.
“As we Dragons have always done, I’ll protect my human, just as you protect yours. I sense we will meet again soon, although under what circumstances I do not know.” Lorcan mounted Zilar, stroking him a few times on the neck, before throwing a last look at his sister.
“Tell them I said bye… And that I’m sorry.” Deyanira nodded, needing no explanation for what he had done. Zilar extended his wings, giving them a few beats before springing up into the dark sky, circling round twice before flapping to gain height and turning off to the north. Canicus watched them hurry towards the horizon, before extending his own wings.
“I’ll follow them for a while. I’ll circle back towards the east before daybreak, I want to see if Deiaro left a trail. You know how to reach me if anything happens.” Deyanira smiled, she felt a little better knowing that Canicus was taking charge for a while. She stepped backwards and watched Canicus take off, wrapping her arms around herself at the breeze that sprang up as he flapped his wings. She stood watching until she saw him fly over the city wall. Araceli was designed so that the entire city could be seen from the palace. He had barely crossed the northern wall when she froze in horror. Canicus was hit from below by another Dragon.
“A Princess of Isidor alone at night? Now that’s just asking for trouble. Lucky I was here.” Deyanira felt ice hit her spine. She could feel warm breath on her ear, her body immobile as much from shock as from fear. She cringed at the sensation of a tender caress on the back of her neck, trying to force herself to move, to run, to fight, to do anything. She gasped as a hand closed around her throat, the voice changing tone from affectionate to menacing.
“Little Princess’s shouldn’t try and play with the big boys. You’ll only get hurt!” Deyanira was thrown onto the floor. Nobody had ever managed to sneak up on her before. She never let her guard down, when your life was in constant danger from your siblings you couldn’t afford to. Her eyes widened in shock as the man stepped out of the shadows. Springing to her feet, she stepped back and dropped into a fighting stance, silently praying to all the Gods to let her reach her katana’s before he killed her.
“Planning to fight me sister? As you wish.” Deiaro dropped into a similar stance, pulling two small daggers from a pouch on his belt. Innocent looking, Deyanira knew from experience that Deiaro coated all his weapons in poison. She kept her eyes locked onto his. Make a move, she thought. Just one, enough for me to get a hit in… There!
She launched herself at her eldest brother, using her wrist to block his strike and countering it with a fist to the face. Deiaro blocked with his left arm, bringing down his right hand for a low blow to Deyanira’s stomach. She countered this by throwing herself backwards, using her hands to flip over, and aimed a kick at Deiaro’s head. He dropped down, and lashed out at his sister’s hands, trying to unbalance her. Deyanira skidded backwards as her feet hit the floor, before rising up back into her defensive stance, Deiaro mirroring her movements. Deiaro now had his back to the stable entrance. As long as Deyanira could get past him, she had a good chance of reaching her weapons before her brother caught her. She took several deep breaths, forcing her blood to stop racing. Nobody would come to her aid, the guards were trained to protect the King and Queen, not their children.
Deiaro dived at her and Deyanira blocked, raising both arms and shifting her weight to keep her balance. She raised her knee, getting in a lucky blow to Deiaro’s torso and winding him. Using his own momentum, she threw him behind her and ran for the stable. Despite his lack of breath, Deiaro followed close behind her, slashing with his daggers. Deyanira grabbed the door as she ran past, throwing it shut behind her. She heard Deiaro slam into it before pushing it open and racing after her. Leaping into Canicus’ stall, she grabbed the handle of a katana and unsheathed it, spinning round and holding it in front of her as Deiaro jumped towards her. She skidded back at the force of the blow, the ring of blade’s echoing throughout the stables. Deiaro pushed off against his sister, causing them both to take a few steps backwards, neither dropping their guard.
“Well fought sister. But you honestly think you could be Queen?” Deiaro gave a harsh laugh, giving Deyanira a chance to jump forwards, swinging her blade at the Prince’s head. He threw up his right hand, countering the blow with his dagger and slashing at her abdomen with the blade in his left hand. Damn, thought Deyanira, false opening. She pulled her hands downwards, changing the direction of the blade and causing Deiaro to use both hand’s to block. They pushed against the other’s weapon, neither willing to create an opening by moving backwards. Deiaro smirked at his sister, a calculating sneer designed to tell the other person that they had already lost.
“By the way Deya… I wonder how your beloved Canicus is faring against my Titus?” Deyanira’s guard slipped for a second, and Deiaro dropped his right hand, pushed backwards with his left and stabbed at his sister. Deyanira stumbled backwards, unharmed but shaken. She could feel the panic rising, her body screaming at her to run, her mind telling her to stay. Deiaro watched as his sister’s eyes narrowed, inwardly admiring her courage, outwardly smirking at her stupidity. If she wanted to die, then who was he to stop her?
Part 8
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Deyanira and Canicus left the stable, stopping by the door to watch Lorcan place his saddle onto Zilar’s back. Deyanira threw a worried glance at Canicus, mentally debating if it would be a good idea to follow Lorcan. Knowing what Deiaro was doing was good, actually seeing him face to face was bad. Even Lorcan, the ‘wild one’ usually avoided him. Deiaro was dangerous, even more so when he wasn’t bothering to hide his movements. If they had been told where he was by a new source, it was bound to be a trap. Deyanira bit her lip, and looked at Lorcan again. Yes, he was reckless and didn’t bother to plan, but he wasn’t stupid. She sighed and Canicus rested his head on her shoulder, his warm breath helping to banish the cool night air that surrounded the Princess.
“You can’t seriously be thinking of investigating that report? It’s bound to be a trap, when have we ever received genuine information about his movements from someone other than our parents or the twins?” Lorcan ignored the question from his sister, his silence giving her the answer. Canicus decided to speak up, something he didn’t do very often when faced with the other royal children.
“Prince Lorcan, be careful. As much as I want my Princess to become Queen, I do not want to have to comfort her over the death of any of her brothers. Deiaro is unpredictable.” Zilar dipped his head at this, his silver scales causing a gentle ripple of light across the nearby wall.
“As we Dragons have always done, I’ll protect my human, just as you protect yours. I sense we will meet again soon, although under what circumstances I do not know.” Lorcan mounted Zilar, stroking him a few times on the neck, before throwing a last look at his sister.
“Tell them I said bye… And that I’m sorry.” Deyanira nodded, needing no explanation for what he had done. Zilar extended his wings, giving them a few beats before springing up into the dark sky, circling round twice before flapping to gain height and turning off to the north. Canicus watched them hurry towards the horizon, before extending his own wings.
“I’ll follow them for a while. I’ll circle back towards the east before daybreak, I want to see if Deiaro left a trail. You know how to reach me if anything happens.” Deyanira smiled, she felt a little better knowing that Canicus was taking charge for a while. She stepped backwards and watched Canicus take off, wrapping her arms around herself at the breeze that sprang up as he flapped his wings. She stood watching until she saw him fly over the city wall. Araceli was designed so that the entire city could be seen from the palace. He had barely crossed the northern wall when she froze in horror. Canicus was hit from below by another Dragon.
“A Princess of Isidor alone at night? Now that’s just asking for trouble. Lucky I was here.” Deyanira felt ice hit her spine. She could feel warm breath on her ear, her body immobile as much from shock as from fear. She cringed at the sensation of a tender caress on the back of her neck, trying to force herself to move, to run, to fight, to do anything. She gasped as a hand closed around her throat, the voice changing tone from affectionate to menacing.
“Little Princess’s shouldn’t try and play with the big boys. You’ll only get hurt!” Deyanira was thrown onto the floor. Nobody had ever managed to sneak up on her before. She never let her guard down, when your life was in constant danger from your siblings you couldn’t afford to. Her eyes widened in shock as the man stepped out of the shadows. Springing to her feet, she stepped back and dropped into a fighting stance, silently praying to all the Gods to let her reach her katana’s before he killed her.
“Planning to fight me sister? As you wish.” Deiaro dropped into a similar stance, pulling two small daggers from a pouch on his belt. Innocent looking, Deyanira knew from experience that Deiaro coated all his weapons in poison. She kept her eyes locked onto his. Make a move, she thought. Just one, enough for me to get a hit in… There!
She launched herself at her eldest brother, using her wrist to block his strike and countering it with a fist to the face. Deiaro blocked with his left arm, bringing down his right hand for a low blow to Deyanira’s stomach. She countered this by throwing herself backwards, using her hands to flip over, and aimed a kick at Deiaro’s head. He dropped down, and lashed out at his sister’s hands, trying to unbalance her. Deyanira skidded backwards as her feet hit the floor, before rising up back into her defensive stance, Deiaro mirroring her movements. Deiaro now had his back to the stable entrance. As long as Deyanira could get past him, she had a good chance of reaching her weapons before her brother caught her. She took several deep breaths, forcing her blood to stop racing. Nobody would come to her aid, the guards were trained to protect the King and Queen, not their children.
Deiaro dived at her and Deyanira blocked, raising both arms and shifting her weight to keep her balance. She raised her knee, getting in a lucky blow to Deiaro’s torso and winding him. Using his own momentum, she threw him behind her and ran for the stable. Despite his lack of breath, Deiaro followed close behind her, slashing with his daggers. Deyanira grabbed the door as she ran past, throwing it shut behind her. She heard Deiaro slam into it before pushing it open and racing after her. Leaping into Canicus’ stall, she grabbed the handle of a katana and unsheathed it, spinning round and holding it in front of her as Deiaro jumped towards her. She skidded back at the force of the blow, the ring of blade’s echoing throughout the stables. Deiaro pushed off against his sister, causing them both to take a few steps backwards, neither dropping their guard.
“Well fought sister. But you honestly think you could be Queen?” Deiaro gave a harsh laugh, giving Deyanira a chance to jump forwards, swinging her blade at the Prince’s head. He threw up his right hand, countering the blow with his dagger and slashing at her abdomen with the blade in his left hand. Damn, thought Deyanira, false opening. She pulled her hands downwards, changing the direction of the blade and causing Deiaro to use both hand’s to block. They pushed against the other’s weapon, neither willing to create an opening by moving backwards. Deiaro smirked at his sister, a calculating sneer designed to tell the other person that they had already lost.
“By the way Deya… I wonder how your beloved Canicus is faring against my Titus?” Deyanira’s guard slipped for a second, and Deiaro dropped his right hand, pushed backwards with his left and stabbed at his sister. Deyanira stumbled backwards, unharmed but shaken. She could feel the panic rising, her body screaming at her to run, her mind telling her to stay. Deiaro watched as his sister’s eyes narrowed, inwardly admiring her courage, outwardly smirking at her stupidity. If she wanted to die, then who was he to stop her?
Part 8