We Leave For Distant Shores

“That will not be needed, Auraka,” she replied. She smiled at him for a moment. There was no way she would let her sister hurt the children who were growing inside her. They had been hard enough to keep alive through all the torture Hycis had been putting her through.

Hycis grinned, she seemed pleased at the moment, and her sword came out of its sheath easily. Everyone saw that it was green, and most certainly a Rider's sword. Gem blinked, wishing that it was a trick. But no, it was still there, when she opened her eyes again.

“Where's the dragon?” she asked.

“Hidden away from here. Part of the plan I used to fool the lot of you.” She grinned. “ Come then, sister. Let us see who the next Queen of Anthatal shall be in truth.”

With a reassuring smile at Auraka and the others, Gem stepped forwards, ready to intercept her sister's attack.

Grinning, Hycis hawksong held aloft her blade, and sank into a fencer’s stance. Gem stared at her as if at one demented. Gem was not a fencer. She was a fighter. Her blade was heavy, and she swung it purposefully. There was no feinting in her technique, no parrying. Thrusting was all she knew, and she did so, aggressively.

But her opponent was not a soldier. The younger elf was lighter on her feet than Gem, and faster, too.

That much became evident when Gem, irritated by Hycis' bouncing back and forth upon the balls of her feet, wielded her blade in an arc meant to lop off her opponent’s head. Hycis easily ducked the swing, and laughed triumphantly as she danced away from Gem, unscathed.

“Getting tired, sister?” Hycis teased.

“Tired of watching you bob about like a puppet on a string,” Gem growled in response. “Why don’t you stand still, Hycis?”

“So you can run me through? I think not.”

Several times Hycis' sword came very close to cutting off Gem's head, but she always dodged at the last second.

Anyone could see that gem was tiring already, that it was harder and harder for her to lift her heavy sword. What could she have been thinking, challenging someone in her condition?
And yet Hycis’ skills with a weapon were nothing compared to Gem’s, war-weary as she was. Had Gem not been suffering from that injury to her sword arm, she would have felled the younger elf in a single blow…or at least, that’s what she told himself.

Anyone would have thought she was the weaker one, but it appeared that in strength, the two were thus equally matched…until, of a sudden, Hycis began to fade. Gem, with a burst that indicated that she’d only been conserving energy throughout the fight, pressed her adversary back against the wall of the room. Then there was a clatter and Hycis' sword fell to the ground. She couldn't bring herself to do it though. She could not kill her sister.

Both were bloody and torn in more than one place from the fight, but as she had promised,nothing came close to where the children were.

“I don't know why I can't finish you off, as much as you deserve it. You definitely fooled a lot of people, but you would never have been able to fool them once I stepped in, Hycis.” That was something she was extremely thankful of. Slowly she lowered the white sword, though it was once more covered in blood. She was shaking from the exercise she'd put herself through, but it had been worth it. She knew she'd used all the strength she'd had in the fight, and that had been not much to begin with.

Corellon fell to the ground as she let go, unable to hold it any more. She had never thought she would come to this, almost killing her cousin. “Looks like you might get another chance at me, though Drannor know's what that one will be like. You won't stand a chance, I'll have all my strength back when that happens.”

She looked at Drannor. “Can you pleased get her out of here?”

He nodded, then moved forwards resting one hand on Hycis. “Come with me.” At first she tried to refuse but he growled, and forced her out of the room. He knew what to do with her this time. He was going to the same jail he was the one in charge of, the other Hawkblades would not let her out, he would ensure that.

It was not long before he came back into the room where the others were, but as he did, Gem fainted.

She was tired, anyone could see that at the moment. There was nothing that had been more painful for her, and she knew that many scars from the main battle with Lindan Marcos had opened in the fight with her sister, but that had been inevitable. She knew that the healers would be able to get her better though. All she needed herself was plenty of sleep. Oh she was tired, but she knew that she could not stay in bed all day long. That was something she knew. She had to figure out how much trouble exactly Hycis had caused while she'd been in that cave. One that was over with it would be easier to deal with Hycis at the trial.

That was something she was looking forwards to. She hoped though that Elanil was safe, it seemed unlikely. There had been quite a few people on Waenen Island when she had escaped, but she had not had the time to check that her other sister was not a prisoner as well. She had been too concerned about the safety of the rest of her people to spend any more time on Waenen Island. The Dragon City would need rebuilding there, as would the Dragon Riders. That was something she would see to before they left Nuban. She knew that things would happen in time, but that it would take a while to get things back the way she had planned for them to be.

Two hours after she had fainted she woke up once more, but she was not sure what to think of the things that happened. She knew what had happened between Auraka and Hycis, though she could not blame him. “Drannor should not have stopped you yesterday. Would have saved me from having that fight with her, though in a way I'm glad he did. I know you thought it was me, and I can't blame you, she fooled a lot of people.” What had happened was in the past now, she was back and he knew that. “I am surprised though that you're still here waiting for me, Auraka. The smell must be aggravating you.”

**

Keya sighed. What was she to do? Come back later? Maybe. But for the moment, she would remain here, until her cousin had recovered enough to deal with Hycis. “I should have known it was Hycis. Hycis never liked me, seeing as she was being raised to be my father's heir should I have never been found. But then I was found, and well, lets say she's not liked me since.”

She grimaced at the thought. Her life was her own though, and she had much to do. Her family's honour had fallen with her father's increased hatred of the elves, and it had fallen to her to rebuild things. The red haired half elf, the only one of her kind sighed, resting her head in her hands. For a moment she looked at Glenawing, she had not gotten over him at all. She felt all in all too young to be the new leader of the humans. But she knew it was a position she had to take, as it was rightfully hers.

It would be a hard thing to do when the elves left Nuban. For now though she could count on Gem's help. How long for, she knew not, but she hoped when they left, she would be able to look after her people on her own.

“I had no choice but to do the things I just did, Auraka. Saved everyone, again.” She sighed. She wished that there was no more fighting to happen, but she knew that as a warrior, she had no choice but to fight for things when needed. For now though, Corellon would return to its sheath, and stay there for a while. There would be no more fighting for her, and she knew that. She had had enough war for a good time now. “I've done everything I had to for my people. But why does it not feel like its enough.”

She sighed. Things always seemed that way for her at the moment. Then her eyes moved to the figure entering the room behind Auraka. She knew almost immediately who that was standing there. “Where the hell have you been Tirach.” she was not pleased with him for vanishing. “You have some explaining to do.”

She stared at him for a moment. Then she shook her head. “You should know by now that you can't hide from me that easily. I knew you were coming the moment you set foot inside the hall.” She tapped her forehead. “Foresight remember? Don't run away like that again.” She sighed, thinking of the other thing that he mentioned.

“Yes, it was me, against my traitor of a sister Hycis. We had a fight, she has done some things things that are not exactly forgivable.” She thought for a moment. “Like stealing me away from my tent after I killed Lindan Marcos and locking me in a cave. Having me tortured so she could steal all the memories I have of home so she could fool them into thinking she was me.”

She paused.

“I only arrived back two hours ago and set things straight. We fought, but though it was meant to be to the death, I couldn't kill her. I showed her mercy when she I know she would not have done so. She's not my sister any more, she's Lindan Marcos' daughter now. Though she has no claim to his throne, that is Keya's by right.”

Hycis was safely down in the dungeons, Drannor had popped in to let her know that.

“I'm afraid people will find out, Tirach. I wouldn't be surprised if Glen didn't see you coming in as well. He was in the same room as Keya, and I do not think he was the one deep in thought. Keya was busy thinking so you might have avoided her, unless her own foresight saw you as well. Again though, I don't think she'll say anything to anyone. I trust her.” Was a sorry day when one trusted a cousin more than their own sister.

She sighed. Things were hard for her at the moment. “There won't be much time left here though I'm afraid. We're leaving Nuban, Tirach.”

“Glenawing, you don't realise do you that this is the first time I've seen her in thirty nine years? How was I meant to know she would end up being like she is?” Gem shook her head. “And I have to agree as well, there is a time and a place for a fight. Now is not the time nor the place.” She grimaced. Then she looked at Auraka. “I'll be fine. I'll heal fast enough.” She smiled at him. There was no doubt she wanted everything to just calm down for once.

It was then Drannor happened to come into the room. “She's safely locked away, Gem,” he said. “I honestly don't know why she fooled even me.” He was smiling though, he at least did not have anything spiteful to say to anyone, but that was the way he had always been since he'd first come to Anthatal.

“Don't worry about it, Drannor. Though the idea of Hycis being a rider is an issue. We can't kill her without killing the dragon. Any idea if the dragon is the same mind as her?” She sighed. There was so much to consider when she had to make choices, but she knew someone had to make those decisions. And it was always her that had to.

“No, he's not. She's completely blocking him from her, and I met him on the way back. He's a good dragon, much more likeable than, begging your pardon, your sister.” Drannor shook his head. “Green dusk dragon. Terrador is his name. He's one of Gaelira's children. He seems much like your father's dragon Bjart.”

“NO offence taken. I know what you mean.” She smiled. She glared at Glenawing. “What right do you have to tell Tirach off! Only I have that right, or Auraka! Not you!”

She looked at Tirach. “We are leaving because I think our time here is over.” She looked at Glenawing. “I think Keya needs to talk to you.”

She sighed, resting on hand on Auraka. “Calm down. He's said things like that before, I've learnt to ignore him.” She was annoyed though. “But he does have a point, Glenawing. You do not have the right to talk to me like that. Now go and talk with Keya!”
She sighed, this really was a fine mess she'd come home from. She saw Drannor smile back at Sahar when she entered. “Thank you Sahar, for doing what you can.” She smiled at her red haired friend. She knew that Sahar was her sister in law, but did things like that truly matter all the time? Not really. Sahar had always been a sister to her, even before she met Auraka.

Keya sighed as she sat in the roon, she did not notice everyone else leaving, she was too deep in thought at the moment. What was she meant to do?

"You go too far," Gem muttered, clearly that last sentence from Glenawing had hurt. He was her freind, but he did not seem to understand that there were some things he had not control over at the moment. "To think I was going to give you something when we reach the new land," she muttered. He was going to be one of the ones in control of a weyr, but right now, things did not look good.

She sighed, as she relaxed a little. Then there was a thump and her head spun in the direction Tirach was in. "What on earth..." A human? "What the hell are you doing in my city!" she growled, glaring at the human.