The Dawn of Darkness

Sir Avery took to the long hard ride on horse back with an almost feverish impatience and anxiety. His companions, Sirs Pellin and Eadric, accompanied him without question. They understood his feelings one had a wife and family and the other a sweet heart soon to be married. They flew on the dirt roads like favorable air currents, heedless of all travelers, at least Avery was. Pellin and Eadric would stop and apologize for any inconveniences, leaving Avery twitching with impatience and anger. He dare not take out his anger on them, for he knew the source very well. On their generally silent flight, his thoughts took flight of their own, confused, hurt, hoping, despairing, and calculating all at once. Why couldn’t that stubborn mule join us on the campaign? It’s not her fault. It’s that magician, her uncle. He was blinded for a moment, lusting for the blood of the traitorous wizard.

“Whoa there! Focus Avery! She’s going to be alright. They would need her to bargain with.” Pellin called out as Avery’s mount swerved, bringing him back to the present. Avery nodded to the younger knight framed with short brown locks and grimly concentrated on the mission. Scouting the situation.

Nicole sighed disappointedly. Any food she got suddenly appeared on the cold unyielding stone. There was no chance of escape from that. The anonymous boy was still unresponsive to her conversation. He screamed from nightmares in the heart of night. She looked down and studied herself closely. She had ripped off the cumbersome dress with its sash and ridiculous ruffles, and ripped it in half as a blanket against the cold wet nights. She never understood how the royal seamstresses had convinced her to wear. From now on it’s going to be simple designs with no extreme flourishes. Who knows what predicament I’ll get into next? Now she only wore the white lace under dress as the rest of her undergarments served as a pillow. Her delicate legs, small shoulders, and sloping back defied all code of civilized noble manner, being bare to up to her knees. Noble women would gasp at her attire and would be loathe to ever doing something so “drastic”. She laughed at the thought of their powdered faces puckered in disapproval. Sighing again, Nicole drifted in thoughts of Winnrey, Edward, Stephen, and Avery. The surprising sound of footsteps prepared her for the arrival of a very dull and grey looking person. Even his skin had a gray look to it.

“Mister Saydeur wants to see.” His voice, like everything else was uninteresting. She let him lead her, her back straight with pride. What does he want?

Nothing about the palace had changed. Almost nothing. An underlying sea of fear threatened to break through and consume. “Master Saydeur” seemed to like the accommodations as they were with the sloping wood craft furniture and the intricate metal wall fixtures, many made of gold and silver. Why does the royal family live richly while the whole nation does not? Nicole became ashamed of her heritage for a moment, before reaching the answer in her nervous brain.

“You look very appealing, Milady. Sir Avery would most definitely find you... becoming.” The whiney nasal voice of her accursed uncle came from a blue stuffed armchair embroidered in green and yellow.

“What do you want? I did not come to you to discuss my attire.” she answered frostily. She set her face grimly though she blushed at the compliment.

“Or lack of it. I wish to make an offer to you. Obviously your current lodging isn’t very... ah... comfortable.”

“What’s the offer?” Nicole interrupted rudely. George Saydeur began pouring out the grand mission he had been recruited to help fulfill. Fluent words began to flow out of his mouth almost babbling as he eloquently described the coming cleansing of the earth, where all true believers would purge the earth of sin and corruption. Despite his beautiful speech, the lovely Nicole hid behind an uncaring mask. How I wish I could tame her. Few except that idiot, Avery, know she is as wild as Winnrey. Nicole stopped her ears up against his speech of murder. Murder of innocent fallible people. Egosum knows all humans have sinned and need his help. How can he see this as right? How will destroying the world he gave us gain anything?

Zeek met Winnrey in the corridor connecting all their rooms on the way to breakfast. Sleep had been fitful and uneventful for all of them.

“This is ridiculous! Each outfit Hawk packed is more awkward than the last. She’s probably scrying us now and laughing at me!” Winnrey stormed and raged about the dress she wore in the spirit of a toddler’s tantrum, while Zeek laughed with abandon, throwing his head back, hands clutching his sides. It happened to be the least awkward of them so far, a full cobalt blue skirt with layers upon layers of tear drop lace petticoats, a tight bodice beautifully festooned with flowers of baby blue glass beads, and countless bows and ruffles everywhere. A practical dress... for a ball.

“I’m going to die of suffocation in this corset.” Zeek composed himself enough to offer her some of his clothes. They turned to go back to his room, when the hallway began to shake and rumble.

“Look out!” Zeek yelled amber eyes wide, turning to face her. Winnrey tripped over her extravagant dress in her attempt to turn and run from the collapsing section of the hallway. She cried out as the stone floor rushed up to meet her. Zeek dived at her, flying them clear of the cave in. His back deflected the projectiles on course to hit her. They struck his back with a sickening thud, though he did not give any reaction to them.

“Are you okay?” they whispered together. They laughed breathlessly. Swiftly he captured a sweet kiss from her soft mouth. Winnrey gasped in surprise and pushed him away. His smoldering, now green, eyes held her gaze.

“Never been better.” he chuckled roguishly. She gaped unashamedly, red in the face. Zeek looked at her intuitively, freeing her eyes.

“That was your first kiss, huh? All the better!” he crowed with mirth, his eyes unlocked their gaze. Winnrey blushed and growled with rage, ready to attack.

“Hee hee! Dragon boy kissed pretty princess.” Tiny laughter sounded at their feet. They both looked down in wonder when their eyes beheld a tiny, delicate boy just the size of Winnrey’s hand. Winnrey held her hand out to him in wonder. When he jumped on to her hand, she studied his miniscule features, strange and beautiful.

“Are you a... faerie?” Winnrey whispered awestruck. The boy blushed and his gossamer wings and fluttered open from his back.

“Yes, Bellatorisum likes you pretty princess.” He fluttered above her hand level with her eyes. “I must tell them I found what I was looking for!” He disappeared without another word. Zeek pulled her to his chest in a quick hug.
“I’m glad you’re okay. Now, you still need some more comfortable clothes... Wait here.” Zeek murmured. He disappeared in a flurry of wind. Winnrey touched her lips in wonder. He just... Zeek returned with a huge gust of wind. He handed her a pile of his shirts and breeches and promptly turned around to give her privacy.

“Ummm... thanks.” Winnrey mumbled. Zeek remained silent. She stretched her arms to their limit around the bows and ruffles, trying to reach the bows on her back that trapped her in the dress.

“Oh, it’s no use! I need help out of this!” Winnrey exclaimed, frustrated. Zeek spluttered.

“I-I d-don’t know. I mean... uhh.” Winnrey laughed at his flustered face. That’s what you get! Ha!

“Just help me untie the back. I can’t reach.” Zeek sighed and slowly turned around. He fumbled at the bows and knots all the while rolling his eyes and muttering. Ditto yawned sleepily from his perch in Zeek’s tunic.

“What in Egosum’s name are you doing?!” Ditto cried out suddenly. They both jumped guiltily though they were not.

“I needed to change to more comfortable clothes.”

“The hall caved in over the door to her room and she can’t untie the back of her dress...”

They muttered explanations with beet red faces. Ditto snickered at their situation and the poor lizard fell to the ground in a fit of laughter. Winnrey sighed and quickly donned Zeek’s clothes when he had turned around to give her privacy. They hung a little loose on her, the sleeves and pants were a little too long. Wow... I thought we were about the same size... And his scent... I can’t think of a word for it... Winnrey stood deep in thought, the sleeve of his shirt held to her face.

“Are you done yet? I swear women take too long to dress!” he complained, snapping her out of her thoughts. Winnrey quickly dropped her hand to her side.

“Keep your head on straight, grumpy!” She avoided his gaze and made for breakfast. I’m so confused...