Chapter 20
Sana never thought she'd enjoy such a wonderful day with Rhyel, and she'd never bought so many things in her life. Fabric, sewing needles, thread, and a few leather journals that Rhyel encouraged her to get so she could write letters to Uma even if she could never send them.
He was adamant that she felt like she could talk to someone she trusted about things she didn't want to tell him or Zena, and she found that to be quite endearing of him.
And thoughtful...and caring...
A smile tugged at her lips as she held onto Rhyel's arm while they walked back to the carriage from Ye Ol Warriors Tavern with Zena's boisterous father, Zekiel.
He was such a joyous man who told endless tales of his many scars that marred his brown skin.
He treated them to a hearty meal in his establishment that seemed to be the place everyone gathered on an evening to enjoy music and plenty of bitter beer and sweet mead.
Something else Sana had never tried nor imbibed in, but she found that she quite enjoyed the honeyed taste of the smooth liqueur.
"Are you alright, Sana?" Rhyel said, looking down at her and her heart skipped a quick beat at the warmth in his eyes and the smile that graced his lips.
Goodness, when he looked at her like that it made her feel like she was the most important person in his world. That his desire to get to know her was more than the duty placed on him because she was chosen by Sune.
Of course, that wasn't it. If he hadn't been forced to go on that quest and forced to pledge his loyalty to her, he'd never want to get to know her or spend time with her like this.
But it was nice all the same.
"Mm-hm," she said, grinning as she waved her hand over the quiet cobblestone street. "I feel wonderful, and I thank you both for a lovely evening."
"You're welcome." Zekiel chuckled, shaking his head of graying black locs. "But I think that might be all that mead you enjoyed, my Lady."
"Well, it was delicious," she said, patting his arm as she looked up into his warm brown eyes. "And I'm...I'm so glad to have met you Sir Zekiel. You and Jezel have raised such a lovely daughter and I'm so honored she's my friend."
"You're welcome for that too," Zekiel said, looking over her head at Rhyel. "You had better keep your promise and treat Lady Sana as you're meant to. She's made quite the impression on the people today."
"I intend to," Rhyel said, pulling Sana close to his side and his musky scent of the forest sent a tingle down her spine. She liked being close to him.
"Good," Zekiel said, taking Sana's hand as they neared the carriage where their coachman was waiting for them. "It was so lovely to finally meet you, my Lady."
"You as well, Zekiel. I hope to see you again."
"I'm sure you will," he said, smiling. "And you best tell me if Lord Rhyel gives you any trouble. He's like a son to me and I promise you, I'll set him straight."
Sana laughed, shaking her head. "Oh, no. I-I don't think I'll need to do that."
"I know I'm old now and I'm not the grand warrior I used to be, but if you're ever in need," he said, bowing and pressing his forehead against her hand. "I'll be at your service, my Lady."
"Thank you, Zekiel. I'll keep that in mind."
"You do that," Zekiel said, raising his head before he clasped his hand on Rhyel's shoulder. "You two have a safe journey home and give my love to Zena and Cori when you see them."
"I will," Rhyel said, letting go of Sana to give Zekiel a hug. "You should come to the castle some time. I'd like to talk to you about a few things."
"I'm sure you do," Zekiel said, patting his back. "I'll pay you a visit in a few days."
"I'll hold you to that," Rhyel said as he slipped his arm around Sana's waist. "Are you ready to go home?"
"Yes." Sana nodded as she yawned. "I think I'm ready for bed now."
"Alright." Rhyel chuckled. "Let's get you home then," he said, guiding her to their waiting carriage and helping her inside.
"Good night, Zekiel," Sana said, waving to him as Rhyel settled in the carriage beside her.
"Good night, Lady Sana." Zekiel waved back as their coachman closed the door.
"I hope you enjoyed yourself today," Rhyel said as the horses began the journey through the arched gates of the city back up the winding tree-lined road to the castle.
A smile tugged at Sana's lips as she gazed out the window at the moonlight filtering through the trees. "I had a wonderful time today," she said, looking over at him in the dimly lit carriage. "Thank you for spending it with me."
"You're welcome. I'd like to spend more time with you like this," he said, tucking a loose curl of her hair behind her ear. "We don't have to come to the city every time, but I'd like to show you more of the north, if you'd like that?"
"I would. I want to know all about my new home and I..." she said, yawning. "I'd like to meet your wolf too," she murmured, struggling to keep her droopy eyes open.
"I thought you'd never ask," Rhyel whispered as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Sleep, Sana. We've had a long day."
"Mm, okay," she mumbled, resting her head against his chest as she drifted off to sleep in the comfort of his warm embrace.
Sana sat on a high cliff edge watching colorful birds of prey flying in the sun-kissed sky over a valley of lush green trees and flowing rivers. It was a dream she'd had most nights since she arrived in Darcanos and became Sune's chosen.
Sighing as she wrapped her arms around her knees, she didn't understand this reoccurring scene and she wished she could take flight like the birds, but she was left to watch on her perch, unable to shift and fly like her heart ached to.
"You always sit there hoping and wishing," a deep voice rumbled from behind her.
Sana gasped as the hair on the back of her neck rose at the sound of the unfamiliar voice. She looked behind her to the cave and the glowing crimson eyes hovering in the darkness. "Who...who are you?"
"A friend." It answered simply.
"How...how can you be a friend if I don't know you?" Sana said, standing on shaky legs as she faced the glowing eyes in the dark. "Come...come into the light."
"No. You'll be afraid of me."
Crossing her arms over her chest. "Then you are no friend of mine if you won't let me see you."
The being chuffed as smoke swirled out of the cave. "As you wish, Lady Sana, but I warned you."
Sana's heart thumped as a black scaled dragon with pointed black horns and a long spiked tail emerged from the darkness and spread its wings that shimmered in the sunlight.
"You...you're...you're a-a dragon," she gasped, taking a step back from the enormous being.
"Yes," it said, lowering its head to peer into her eyes. "And now you're afraid of me, aren't you?"
"N-no, I'm not afraid of you," she said, clenching her hands at her side. "I-I've just never seen a dragon before."
"Mm, but you smell of fear," it grumbled and the heat from its breath swirled around her in a comforting warmth as its tail curled around her legs, pulling her away from the edge of the cliff. "I promise I'm your friend."
"Are you?" she whispered, reaching up to slide her fingers across its ridged horns, but pulled her hand back and shook her head. "I'm sorry."
"Do not apologize," it said, leaning its head closer to her. "You may touch my horns if you wish."
"What..." she said, hesitantly reaching up and trailing her fingers over the ridges of its horns. "What's your name?"
"My name isn't important."
"But you know mine," she said, gazing into the dragon's glowing crimson eyes that drew her in and made her feel like she could spill her soul to it. "I want to know what to call you, if you're my friend, as you say."
"Touché, my Lady." The dragon chuffed, folding its wings on its back as it laid down beside her. "I guess you can call me...Kal."
"Kal, the dragon." She smiled. "It's nice to meet you, sir," she said, wrapping her thin white night shift around her legs as she sat in the curve of his tail. "You remind me of the dragons my mother used to tell me about in bedtime tales, but this is the first time I've dreamed of one."
"Your mother spoke of dragons? Not too many people speak of our tales anymore," Kal said as his tail curled around her, pulling her against the warmth of his side. "Our stories have been long lost with those of the phoenix."
Sana nodded. "My mother was odd like that.
She always told stories of powerful dragon clans who fiercely protected sacred phoenix covens.
My father never liked that about her," she said, watching the birds swoop and dive for prey they found in the forest below.
"It always felt like he was jealous when she spoke about the dragons. "
"Maybe he was," Kal murmured. "The love of a dragon for a phoenix is something no being can fathom to match or understand. It's timeless."
"That's what she said, but phoenix and dragon shifters are rare. Neither of my parents had that ability, so I don't know why it made my father jealous."
"How do you know your mother wasn't a phoenix?"
Sana raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? I'm sure she would've told me or showed me, but her primary form was a falcon like my father, brother, and sisters."
"Mm, and where is your mother now?"
Sana's heart clenched as she slid a hand over her heart. "She...she died when I was young," she said as tears pricked the corners of her eyes as the memory of her mother's desperate screams in the fire rose to the forefront of her mind. "It was my fault."
Kal nuzzled his snout against her head. "I'm sure it wasn't."
"It was," Sana said, as a tear rolled down her cheek. "She...she was trying to protect me."
"From what?"
"I don't know," she said, wiping her tears away. "She never said."
"Mm, did she ever tell you a story about the basdringas? Or wings of death?"
Sana shook her head. "No, what are the basdringas?"
"They're shifters who can take many forms and they feed off the blood of others to maintain their abilities," Kal said, scratching his claws against the ground. "And they are a fierce enemy of dragons."
"Why's that?"
Kal growled, baring his fangs. "Because of their thirst for phoenix blood. If they are so lucky to taste the blood of a phoenix, they can shift into their true forms. A giant winged bat with a screeching call that can raise nefarious beings from the netherworld."
Sana raised an eyebrow. "And you think the basdringas are what my mother was protecting me from?"
"I do."
"I don't think so," she said, patting his leg. "My mother wasn't a phoenix and I don't have any gifts or abilities. I doubt a basdringa would be tempted by my mediocre blood."
"Well, she was protecting you from something," Kal murmured, resting his head on top of hers. "And I don't think you're mediocre. How could you be, when you dream of dragons?"
Sana laughed softly. "I suppose that makes me a little special."
"You are special, Sana. You should always believe that."
"Thank you," she said, sighing as she gazed at the colorful scenery and snuggled closer to Kal's warmth. "I'm glad you showed yourself to me. I hope we can talk like this again."
"Of course," he said, nuzzling his snout in her hair. "I'll always be here now."
She hoped so. It had been a long time since she'd spoken of her mother and while she didn't tell Kal what truly happened to her; it was nice that she felt like she could.
Maybe that was the purpose of this dream.
To meet her dragon friend and have a place to spill her soul to a being who'd never look at her with pity, but be someone for her to confide in.