Dragon Binder: Book One of the Dragonblood Priestess Series (First Draft)

Chapter 5: Defiance

Silence fell over the table as everyone was shocked by the words that left Cera's mouth.  To everyone's surprise however it was Zyla that spoke first.  "Big sis is being sent away?"  Tears were on the edge of her eyes as she looked from her mother to her sister.  

"She has brought this upon herself."  Was the cold response their mother gave as she just stared forward wiping some crumbs from her face.  

The water works started as Zyla's face streamed geysers of water.  She pushed away from the table with so much force that the chair fell over but she did not even care as she ran towards the stairs wailing.

"You have gone too far."  Whispered Voren as he clenched the edge of the table so tight his hands had turned a different shade.  Yina swore she could hear the wood cracking under his strong grip.  

Taking a controlled drink of wine Cera turned to her husband.  "This is mostly due to your inability to stay strict with your daughter and undermining everything I am trying to do for her.  But like always I have to be the one to make things right, like when I told merchants that if they sold you a dragon egg I would destroy their livelihood.  

Silence fell on the manor, even the staff made zero noise.  All that could be heard was the occasional sob somewhere upstairs from Zyla.  

"You are a monster."  Yina hissed as she slowly stood up glaring at her mother.  "You act like a graceful angel but you are nothing but a heartless bitch."  Her words were sharp and full of malice but she did not care.  

"Yina enou.."  Voren started to say but was quickly cut off by his wife.  

Her cold stare seemed to pierce into Yina's very soul.  "Call me what you will, but you will become a binder.  I will not let you tarnish my families legacy."  Cera took another drink from her wine as if everything was fine and they were the perfect family.  

"Your families legacy.  I am your family you talk as if we are not individual humans.  How dare you treat us like we are property."  Yina screamed as she took two steps and slapped Cera across the face causing the wine to fall from the table.  

Closing her eyes she took a deep breath before snapping back to look at her daughter.  "That is all you are."  She hissed as she snatched up a blade and with movements Yina could never imagine had her against the wall with the blade against Yina's throat.  "If you ever strike me again, you will rot in a dungeon."  Cera hissed the edge of the blade biting into Yina's neck.  

"You disrespected the entire family today with your stunt.  You thought I would actual let you participate in the Endorsement and destroy the culture and tradition of this nation.  All while deviling our name.  No, be grateful I am sending you to Ardasha instead of the dungeons."  

"I am not grateful, you only did that because throwing me in the dungeon will tarnish that perfect image you try so hard to keep.  But I see the true you mother, and it is disgusting."  Each word caused the blade to bite a little more into Yina's throat but she did not care.  

Cera's eyes grew dangerous as she pulled the blade away and stepped back.  "Guards, seize my daughter and escort her to the dungeons."  Two fully armed guards that were just outside the room started to approach Yina.  

"Cera, have you lost your mind."  Voren yelled.  It was a miracle he had not gotten in between the two of them during the altercation.  Yina feared what would happen to her father is he had.  

"Father, it is fine.  For Zyla stay out of this, she cannot lose both of us."  With a quick motion Yina snatched up her chair and spun it around slamming it down onto the closest guard.  Wood shattered with the contact as the man fell to the ground.  "Should have hired dragon bound."  Yina hissed as she spun around slamming her fist up into the next guards throat.  

"You will regret this mother."  Yina stated as she sprinted out of the dining room and up the stairs three at a time.  Slamming her door open she quickly shoved a dresser in front of it before gathering up her armor and vembraces into her bag.  Tears were falling down her face now as she caught of glimpse of herself in the mirror.  Blood was running down her neck from the wound, she could not believe what had happened.  Luckily Zyla had not been there to witness that.  

Taking one last look at her room she smiled.  There was a high chance it will be a long time before she sees this room again if ever.  Throwing open the window just when the guards started slamming against the door.  She had picked this room for one reason a tree was only five feet away from the window.  

Perching on the windowsill she sprung away from the manor missing a few of the branches due to the darkness.  Finally getting a grip she scampered down and took off at a dead sprint.  Yina did not stop until she reached the last manor of the area.  Quickly she climbed the vines that climbed the entire building.

It was not her favorite way out but it was the quickest.  Once she reached the roof Yina sprinted across, normally she would sneak across to not alert the residents but today was different.  Nearing the other side she did not even hesitate the leaped at the last second clearing the outer wall.  

Watching the ground speed towards her she braced herself landing with a hard thud she let her body roll forward.  Rocks ripped through the plain clothing she was wearing, she could feel the wetness of blood on her arms and legs but she could not stop.  

So Yina began to weave her way through the alleys of Sastan.  For the first hour she had not real destination in mind, all she did was get distance from her manor.  Yina had no idea what her mother would do.  Would she let her go, or send guards to search the entire city.  She prayed that Tyn would be okay, that would probably be the first place that would look for her.  

"If you hurt Tyn, I will kill you mother."  Yina panted to herself as she rested in a area she frequently went to in order to clear her thoughts.  It was an abandoned building that had once been a blacksmith.  She had not even told Tyn about the place, if anywhere was safe it would be this place.  

It took over a hour for Yina to fall asleep but finally she did waking fitfully a few hours later.  She prayed to the dragon's that she had not been found.  Peaking out of one of the windows she was less then a hour from her rendezvous with Clous.  

Dressing the wounds she had received that night she slipped into her brown leather.  It would help her sneak through the darkness of the city and protect her if she ended up fighting.  "Ok, please let Clous be there."  Yina stated taking off at a brisk walk.  

He was late, the jerk was late.  Yina thought as she paced back and forth at the South part of the city in a meadow like area that once had been houses before a fire had broken out two years prior.  

The increase in the wind was the first sign of Clous's arrival as his copper dragon landed in the clearing.  Even in the moonlight Clous could see that something was wrong as he slid off the dragon and approached her.  "What happened."  His hands traced the bandage on her throat.  

"Family issues.  I do not want to talk about it."  She insisted walking towards his dragon.  "Hey Risang, it has been a while huh."  She whispered petting the dragon gently on the side of the face.  

"If you say so."  Clous grumbled as he helped Yina up onto his dragon.  "Are you really sure about this.  We can both get in so much trouble for this?"  Clous asked one last time.  

Yina's eyes were cold, her voice almost devoid of emotion.  "Yes, I am sure.  Now more then ever I  have to find myself a Dragon."  Pulling out a cloak she wrapped it around her shoulders and tied it tightly.  It was going to be a cold morning.  

Sighing Clous mounted Risang and patted her on the neck.  "I know how much you hate the cold, but it will warm up soon I promise."  

Risang gave Clous a meaningful look.  She stamped around before finally stretching out her wings and getting ready to take off.  

"I know girl, and we both appreciate it."  Clous responded.  Another perk of being bound to a dragon is that a Dragon Bound and there dragon can communicate mentally to each other.  With those final words Risang pushed off the ground with strong wing beats taking off into the darkness towards the south.  

"Thank you."  Whispered Yina as she hugged into Clous's back for emotional support and warmth.  It had been a long day.