Seekers call, p.8
Seeker's Call, page 8
A girl came up to the three with a tray full of a fluffy fruit they called jujii. It was green the color of olives and smelled horrible, but with some prodding, Iviana consented to try it and discovered it was delicious.
After that, Iviana stuffed herself with whatever Nimua and Darist told her to and enjoyed nearly everything. Though, eventually, Iviana noticed a complete lack of meat.
"Do you not eat meat?" she asked them.
Nimua replied hesitantly, “I had heard you eat the beasts in your world. I wonder what it would taste like." Nimua cringed. "I really can't imagine it."
"I noticed my dragon doesn't either," Iviana commented.
"Yes, they had to give it up when they decided to make their home here years and years ago."
Iviana let out an exasperated sigh.
"What's the matter?" Darist asked.
"There are so many things I don't understand. I feel... overwhelmed."
"Take it one step at a time," Nimua encouraged. "I'll help you feel as comfortable as I can. You haven't even had a tour yet. I'll take care of that tomorrow."
Suddenly, a woman with long, flowing gray hair stepped onto the platform where the musicians were assembled. Silence filled the assemblage. The woman was obviously older, but appeared ageless, somehow. As hard as Iviana tried, she could not determine the woman's age. Each time the woman moved, some feature on her face would confuse her.
"As you all know," the lady began in a deep, booming voice, "we have a guest among us. I would like to formally introduce her now and I will ask that the young lady please stand."
Iviana froze. This was the last thing she cared to do. In the silence, with all eyes focused on her, she began to feel dizzy. Nimua nudged her and the woman on the platform cleared her throat. Iviana's face turned a lovely shade of scarlet, but she could not move. She longed to run away into the dark.
Darist rose and offered Iviana his hand; it was all she could do to take it and allow him to lift her onto her feet. Once she was standing, he remained behind her for moral support and, looking around, she thought no one seemed to have noticed the occurrence except the ageless woman on the platform, who had an impatient expression on her face.
Her powerful voice continued, "Iviana... welcome to the Greater Archipelagos." At the older woman's words, the sound of applause roared across the perimeter as though she'd spoken a moving war-cry before going into battle. The lady quieted the assemblage with a wave of her hands and continued. "Iviana, we hereby acknowledge you as our kin, according to the act of the Great Dragon, Tragor."
That's who Tragor is, Iviana realized. She remembered now when he had awoken her on the dusty wilderness floor, but recalled little more of their journey beyond that.
"The council requests your presence in a formal meeting tomorrow afternoon," the ageless lady continued, then waited, but Iviana was uncertain what was expected of her. "Do you consent?" the woman queried with eyebrow raised.
Iviana grew redder still, then nodded.
The woman granted Iviana an austere smile before turning her attention to the audience. "I encourage you all to introduce yourselves to our young visitor," she paused before adding with the tiniest hint of a smirk, "She will not bite."
The crowd responded with hesitant laughter and the woman gestured for the musical group to begin again.
Next thing Iviana knew, Nimua was tugging at her sleeve.
Iviana turned. "Huh?"
"You can sit down now."
Iviana did so, readily, and barely had time to recuperate before the islanders began crowding around her, wanting to see the stranger and to introduce themselves. Some were exceptionally warm and welcoming, some only stared and smiled and listened to her answer others' questions, while others glared from afar. Iviana was not offered the chance to notice this, however.
"How did you meet Tragor?" the questioning began and continued."You must have been the one to heal his wound!"— murmurs—"She must have the gift!"—" Impossible. Don't be daft."—" How did you get so ill?"—" How old are you, girl?"—" How long will you be staying?"—" I like your hair."
Iviana was pelted with comments and questions until, enough of the people had fulfilled their curiosity and others were able to live vicariously through what was being spoken about her amid the crowd until eventually the uncomfortable ordeal ended.
Nimua patted Iviana's arm as the last of the crowd left them. "It's almost time!" she exclaimed.
"Time for what?"
"What I told you about!"
Iviana was about to ask to be reminded when she heard a loud whistling followed with an even louder explosion of light and color bursting in the sky above them. All of the sudden, there were hundreds of colored stars exploding all around over head and off in the distance. "How are you doing this?" she asked Nimua, thoroughly awed by the show.
"Oh, don't be silly. I'm not doing it all myself. Haven't you ever seen fireworks?"
"No." Iviana responded, still awed. "How did you get them so far away?"
"Oh, those are the other islands. They're all acknowledging your presence. When one island has a celebration, generally all the islands follow suit. So when my mother and I decided we were going to do something special for you, everyone else had to do it too."
"Even though not everyone believes your presence should be cause for celebration," Darist cut in.
Nimua elbowed the young man in the stomach.
"What do you mean?" Iviana was alarmed. She hadn't thought she may not be welcome among these strangers, "kin" or not.
"Forget about it, Ivi. Enjoy the show," Nimua said, smiling reassuringly, but Iviana could see the concern hiding behind her twinkling eyes.
"HURRY, IVI," Nimua urged the next morning.
Iviana pulled a soft pink tunic over her head and layered it with a flowing white toga. The clothes had been laid out for her sometime before she awoke, though she could not say when.
"I think Darist is waiting outside. He told me last night he wanted to join us," Nimua finished.
Iviana pulled a belt around her waist and attempted to fasten it. "I'm trying. These clothes are so peculiar." She growled and gave up on it.
"Let me." It took Nimua only a moment to fasten it.
Iviana eyed her.
"I've had much more practice," Nimua explained with a smile.
They headed out the door and were greeted by Darist.
"Now, where to start," Nimua thought aloud.
"The Grand Pavilion, of course. She hasn't seen it in the daylight yet," Darist spoke matter- of-factly.
"Mmm, that's dull. I say we take her to the dragon's lair. That way she can see a familiar face."
"How do you know how familiar his face is to her?" Darist queried. "For all you know he picked her up while she was unconscious and dragged her here."
Nimua glared at him. "I just know. He looked really concerned when we took her from him. Why would he feel concern for a mere stranger... let alone break the rules to bring her here?"
"He looked concerned?" Darist teased. "How can you tell when a dragon looks concerned, Nimua?"
"Some of us are intuitive," Nimua snapped.
Iviana broke in before the banter could continue. "I have known him for a little while... if you mean my dragon, that is," she supplied.
They turned to her, almost surprised to find her there.
"Of course," Nimua agreed with a smile. "You said last night you rescued him from some man. What was his name? Flynn. He sounds wretched. But it's so exciting you can use a sword. And you rescued Tragor."
"He's really not wretched at all once you get to know him." Iviana felt she needed to explain. "He was just desperate because, well, he..." She didn't understand why she felt uncomfortable telling them why he'd wanted the heart. Fortunately, she didn't have to explain.
"You got acquainted with that reprobate?" Darist asked, almost accusingly.
"Well, yes," Iviana admitted. "He saved my life actually... and I saved his."
Darist didn't look convinced it had been such a good idea, but Nimua was of an opposite opinion.
"You saved each other's lives?" she gushed. "How romantic."
"Yes, about as romantic as she and the dragon saving one other..." Darist put in.
He was rewarded with a glower from Nimua.
"Oh, no, it wasn't like that," Iviana tried to explain. "It just happened. We kept running into one another somehow and-"
"You kept running into each other?" Nimua asked thoughtfully. "That's interesting..."
"More like he was following you," Darist retorted.
Iviana smiled as she remembered the time she'd accused Flynn of the same thing. It was odd they kept crossing paths.
The three had traveled around a jaggedly-cut cliff of dark gray limestone when what appeared before them made Iviana gasp. The bright green island grass she'd been enjoying beneath her feet led into an emerald valley overflowing with dragons. She had noticed some of them flying overhead that morning and had even seen some out her windows while confined to her bed, but she'd never seen so many at once or guessed so many still existed. Here in this valley, the graceful creatures were breathtaking. Some were lounging and grazing while others circled overhead.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over the three and before Iviana knew it, a pale blue and green dragon appeared on the ground before her.
Iviana ran to her dragon and held him about the neck, stroking his back.
"Your name is Tragor, huh?"
She turned to Nimua and Darist and found them frozen where they stood.
"What's wrong?" she asked them, bewildered.
Nimua answered quietly, "You just embraced Tragor, the Great Dragon of the Ages."
Iviana looked into the dragon's eyes. He was amused.
"Well, looks like he has a new favorite," Darist commented, rousing from his stupor.
"A new what?" Iviana asked.
"He hasn't let anyone near him since the Age of the Great One. That's almost a hundred years past, when we and the dragons fought against the evil that linked our worlds," Darist explained.
"What are you talking about?" Iviana asked.
"It's really too much to go into now. Lets just say, you're no Latos."
Nimua punched Darist in the arm. "You don't know that! She saved the life of the Great Dragon. I think that makes her fantastic, personally."
"You'd really compare her to Latos because she did one heroic deed?"
"She saved that Flynn's life as well and I bet there are a thousand things we don't know about her, right Ivi?"
"Who's Latos?" Iviana inquired impatiently.
Nimua continued, "Besides, Darist, it's really not up to us. It's up to Tragor."
The three turned to Tragor who seemed to shrug. He then turned to Iviana and gestured toward his back as if inviting her to climb on.
"Oh, I really shouldn't," Iviana responded. "I'm in the middle of a tour."
The Great Dragon of the Ages stamped his front legs in a tantrum and glanced to his back again.
Iviana giggled and hopped on. "I'm sorry!" she called to Nimua and Darist as she and Tragor gracefully rose into the air. "I'll meet you later!" With that, the dragon soared into the sky.
As Tragor flew her over every inch of the island, Iviana discovered the view from above was even more beautiful. When at last Tragor rounded back to where they had begun their flight, he raced higher into the sky above them, barely allowing Iviana time to brace herself.
"Stop showing off!" she screamed at him as he continued to ascend.
At last, they broke through the clouds and all around was white, terrifying and glorious at once. Iviana embraced her surroundings, running her hands through the fluffy white clouds and wondering if anyone had ever experienced the view she was enjoying.
Without warning, Tragor swooped beneath the clouds once again and the sight of dozens upon dozens of islands spread further than her eyes could see. From the little time she'd been in the realm, it had never been made clear that the Greater Archipelagos were so expansive, but here was this intensely blue ocean covered in countless green islands. She found herself wishing she was an artist so she could capture the scene forever. Though, she knew, even if she could, there was no way anyone would understand how immaculate it was without seeing the view for themselves. And then she wondered how many had seen it. She doubted she was the only person to have flown with a dragon.
Tragor flew her nearer some of the islands whose inhabitants stared up at the pair with curious expressions, but carried on with whatever they were doing. Iviana had a sudden desire to visit some of these islands and wondered if she was ever going to be granted the chance.
All at once, Tragor jerked to a halt and they were left floating in mid-air. Turning his head back the way they had come as though he had heard something, he immediately dashed back to the Isle of Dragons and dropped her before the largest building she had seen since she'd been there. Naii rushed up to her, informing she was late.
"Late for what?" Iviana asked with some anxiety.
Naii lowered her voice, "Your meeting with the council."
Iviana had completely forgotten her appointment and struggled to believe it was already time. "It's not supposed to be until this afternoon!" she declared.
"Iviana, dear, it's past the noon meal. I was looking for you everywhere until Nimua told me you went off with Tragor."
Iviana's stomach dropped. She couldn't believe they had been gone so long. It did explain why she was so hungry, but there was no time to worry about that. Naii took her by the arm and hurried her up the stairs of the big building, over the terrace and through the door where she was encircled by a number of intimidating individuals in tall, marble chairs.
Naii gave her a smile as if to convey everything would be alright and went to take her own seat among the council. This left Iviana standing alone in the center of the marble-floored room, with all eyes on her. Her face flushed crimson.
The ageless woman who'd welcomed her at the banquet the night before spoke in her booming voice, "Iviana, thank you for joining us. Can we provide a seat for our young guest?"
Iviana was pleased with the idea of being moved from the center of the room to one of the chairs encircling, but before she knew it, a chair was pulled up behind her. She forced herself to thank the gentleman who'd brought it for her.
"Firstly," the woman began, "I would like to introduce myself and the rest of the council. I am Rhimesh, Realm Leader of the of the Greater Archipelagos. To my left, Kurnin." She gestured to a man whose looks Iviana did not care for, though she couldn’t say why. "He is the leader of this island—the northern-most island and our capitol: the Isle of Dragons." She continued around the room until Iviana knew the names of each council member present. All had some position of authority within the Isle of Dragons, excluding three. These were from some other islands whose names Iviana knew she would never remember.
"Now, there are a number of matters we must discuss today," Rhimesh continued, "and we would like to do so in your presence, as they are concerning yourself. Firstly, we would like to hear what you know of your parents. What knowledge do you already possess about the Greater Archipelagos? How did you come to know the Great Dragon of the Ages?"
Iviana nervously cleared her throat and tried to focus all her attention on the intimidating Realm Leader. This did not help. Eyes cast to the floor, she began, "I know very little, I'm afraid. It is my understanding that, after I was born, I was left with my mentor, Naphtali—"
"Who did she say?" the man named Kurnin interrupted. There were murmurs about the room.
"Let the girl finish," Rhimesh demanded and silence fell once again.
Iviana touched her hands to her face in an attempt to cool it and continued, "I can tell you she taught me everything she knew. If you wish to know the closest person I had to a mother, it is—was—it was her."
Iviana paused and Rhimesh took the opportunity to ask, "If you will permit my asking, did Naphtali not tell you anything more about your parents?"
"No," Iviana replied. "I lived my whole life with Naphtali. I learned to heal. That is how I met my dragon— Tragor, I mean. I can't perfectly explain how I came upon him; I was not searching for him. A man attacked him and attempted to slay him. He nearly succeeded, but I was able to use the healing that Naphtali taught me to save the dragon.
Murmurs began and grew louder until Rhimesh hushed them with a slight movement of her hands. "This could mean a number of things," she said to them. "Please continue, Iviana."
Iviana did so. "As for prior knowledge of this land, I did not know it existed until I came to a door in a place called Jaela's Cavern."
Rhimesh raised her eyebrows in surprise and asked, "Naphtali told you nothing of us?"
"No."
"Please explain more about the time you spent with Naphtali. She taught you healing, you claim?"
"Yes, she did. We kept to ourselves, mostly, but others would come to her for healing and she taught me what she knew. We lived in a small cottage. We tended the garden. She taught me how to defend myself with a sword and... I'm sorry, I really don't know what else to tell you. We lived very simply."
"How much do you know about healing, child?"
Iviana thought a moment. "The day before she died, she told me she was satisfied with what I knew—that she had nothing more to teach me—that my gift was my own and I must use it as I see fit."
This time the murmurs contained shouts of disbelief. Some accused Iviana of lying about everything. Others said she was just like her father and grandfather. They ignored Rhimesh when she tried to silence them. Iviana turned to Naii whose eyes normally looked like serene pools of purple water. Instead, they were inflamed with rage.
Naii stood from her chair and shouted as Iviana could never have imagined she was able. "Silence!" she demanded.
The murmurs slowly ceased. The council members recognized the passion that the grounded woman conveyed was not at all usual for her. Naii looked to Rhimesh for permission to speak and Rhimesh consented.
