Dragon Kiss

Strange Things

Chapter Three Part Nine

Zero's POV
I listen as my sister tells me some of the horrors she went through and I see her eye's change color and I know what's looking back at me is no longer my sister. I can't help but wonder if this is how I look when I lost myself and let my dragon blood take over. I know Tessa is different and always has been. I get the feeling the beast within her isn't done taking over. I think this is just the beginning. I can't allow it to keep happening. I do not want to lose my sister again.
A loud roar has me looking to the sky. I become very annoyed when I see a gold dragon heading right for us. Tessa's eyes still haven't gone back to normal. The gold dragon lands nearby and tries to shove Neige out of the way. Neige doesn't take too kindly to the gold dragon and shoves back. The gold dragon snaps his teeth at Neige who refuses to move even when asked.
The gold dragon somehow manages to within touching distance of Tessa and he curls around her and to my amazement when Tessa looks at the gold dragon her eyes slowly go back to their original color and Tessa calms down. I am in complete shock, how did he do that? How did this dragon Tessa hasn't even known for an entire day calm her down as her dragon blood was starting to take over? Something like this should not be possible. I just saw it with my own eyes and I can't believe it. I watch as Tessa comes back to herself which only fully happens after she touches the gold dragon.
"Tessa are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
I look at the gold dragon and he looks at me.
"Mine" he says and he gets even closer to Tessa.
"She is my sister."
"Mine."
I guess he doesn't believe me.
"Zero, Neige this is Kiris. Kiris, this is my older brother Zero and Neige."
Kiris just snorts some smoke at Neige who retaliates with ice.
"Stop it."
With those words Kiris ends the smoke but Neige keeps the snow going. The cold feels nice after being in the heat of Dragos. The fire dragon doesn't seem to mind the cold though. Tessa has been in this kind of environment for ten years. I can't help but wonder how it has affected her.
The girl standing in front of me is not the sister I lost ten years ago. Before me is a very different person who has had a terrible life and that life is now reflected in her emotions and how she acts. She should have had a better life. I can't help but wonder if she wouldn't have been better off with Silvi and Blu considering what she has been through. This is not the life she should have had.
I failed to protect her and she had to learn how to do it herself the hard way. That never should have happened. As the elder brother it is my duty to teach my younger siblings how to protect and take care of themselves when they come of age. We were robbed of that experience by the slave traders. I want them all dead. I know I shouldn't think that way because I wasn't raised to think that way but I can't help it. I can't help but hate them.
"Akahvin is really bright tonight."
I look where Tessa is pointing. Akahvin is the center planet of Moonrain and if the legends are true the gods are very active there more so than anywhere else in Moonrain. They also say that there are gods that not even we know about because legends say different gods are created for different things or for certain places of Moonrain. We will join the gods when we die. The gods are less of a presence here on Aurora Rain. I've always wondered why though. Maybe they don't like seeing what Aurora Rain has become. I know I don't.
"Home" Neige and Kiris are looking at Akahvin with an intensity I have never seen.
Maybe this is the God's way of telling us we are on the right path. I hope so because we will need them by our side soon. I'm not entirely sure what they will be able to do or if they can do anything at all. The gods are a mystery and I've never gotten the chance to meet any of them. This isn't very surprising; they are running all of Moonrain, not just Aurora Rain. I'm sure they have better things to do.
I decide we will need to sleep at some point so we head back to the city and the guards of course refuse to allow Tessa to enter. To my surprise she just walks away. However she doesn't return to the forest; she leads me into the city through a sewer system. She seems to know it very well so she must have used it frequently. I lead the way to the mansion Prince Sephiran is allowing us to stay in for a while. At first Gritt doesn't want to allow Tessa in, however Prince Sephiran allows it when he asks us to follow him inside.
"You must be Tessa. It is nice to put a face to a name."
"I saw you in the arena, your performance was interesting."
"I like to entertain people. Nothing wrong with that."
"Why would a Prince want to help slaves? They are just dirt under your feet right."
"I am not like most of my family. I also follow the gods my Aunt teaches us about. She's trying to bring back the old ways to Dragos. To the times before The Royal Family claimed they and their dragons were gods."
"At least you're not claiming to be a Priest" Tessa gave him a questioning look.
"Kyresan is misguided, he thinks just because my father says he is then it is true. But in truth, no true priest or priestess has any respect for him because he got that title because my father threatened my aunt."
"How do you know that?"
"Kol and I were there. He threatened to kill her only child. I am no priest and I certainly will not be claiming I am. I enjoy the perks of being a prince and I have no intention of ever casting that title aside."
Tessa shrugs as if she doesn't believe the words he is saying. I guess I can't blame her.
"I am not your enemy, I can assure you of that. If I were your enemy we would not be having this conversation right now."
"Alright since we established that you're not our enemy, who else would dare to ally themselves with outsiders?" I ask.
"Kol and many of my other siblings, mostly younger, have chosen to learn about the gods and learn the ways of our ancestors. Others likely don't want a war."
"You're already in a war and you're losing."
He looks at me and opens his mouth to talk but Tessa speaks first.
"You also can't get past the wall that was built around Wintervale."
"You have no actual army, you're using dragons to change Dragos you're not exactly fighting in a way we can combat again. So yes we are losing, only because no one can fight against the weather. The wall around Wintervale is made of ice."
"The God's created the wall; it cannot melt, not even by dragons. Why do you think your war hero brother can't climb it or chop through it? He wishes our people harm and therefore will never be able to get past the wall."
He looks at Tessa
"You have made your demands, my father has formally rejected your demands and has ordered you to be arrested and executed for your crimes against the crown."
Tessa laughs.
"He is more than welcome to try."
"You are not taking this threat seriously."
"Even if he did manage to kill me this wouldn't end."
"Why is that?"
I speak this time.
"Because the elder Ice dragon has decreed that Dragos must pay for killing our people."
"We have dragons too."
"You are not understanding what I am saying. Your royal dragons cannot save you and no dragon can refuse an order given by an elder dragon. Didn't you learn anything from what Tessa did? The fire dragons of Dragos know of the situation and have sided with us. This was their home first and your father insulted them by claiming it as his own. You own nothing, the only reason you're allowed to be here is because they are allowing it."
"I need something to take back to my father. We can't stop him, he won't listen to us."
"All of this trouble because he doesn't want to give up free labor."
"Slaves are bought and sold all the time. It is the main source of money for some. You take that away and they have nothing. Kol used brute force to get his city the way he wanted it. What do you suggest we do?
"Hand over Aria."
Tessa's words shock the Prince.

Author's Note: This Chapter is later than I expected it to be. Sorry about that. I spent last month moving and I had no internet. The next part is the final part of Chapter Three and it will be up by the end of next week. After that I will not update this stores until I complete chapter four. I won't do that until all parts have at least 50 views. Honestly I don't care if it's one person clicking on it once or twice a day or just refreshing the page every once and awhile. The reason I'm waiting for chapter four to get done is so I can update more regularly. Thank you all for reading this story so far and sticking with it even if I don't update weekly.