These Souls Entwined (Book 1)

Chapter 7

Hey so I'm working seriously on a drawing for my cover to this book. I want to know if it's okay to just put Melinda and Tephra though? Or do you want to see any of the other characters? Anyways I'm good at drawing but I suck at coloring so I'll probably commission someone on deviant art to color it for me. Until that's done I'll range back and forth trying to google something close to what tephra or lady Melinda looks like in my head.

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The very next morning I was off. Jackson told me to head south on a small trail that would lead me to a good healers town. the only problem would be gaining entrance. Supposedly the healers town had built a huge wall and put charms up to protect against invaders. They didn't trust the King at the moment, seeing as how he liked to deal with things by fighting. I would have to gain their trust before I could enter.

Traveling took too long. Tephra kept peeking into my head to see how far I had gotten and so far he was not pleased. I thought of telling him to shut it, but decided not to. He is under a lot of stress with his uncle dying in front of him. As luck would have it, I met some kind women along the way. their wagon wheel had snapped and they were unable to move without all their belongings.

They were in awe of my armor, and I might have shown off a little bit. I don't really remember that part because I was also bargaining with them. The older lady finally agreed that if I helped them, they'd give me a lift to the healers community up ahead. It was really funny to see their faces when I fixed and refitted that wheel in mere minutes. I wonder if they had never seen a woman do these things so easily...

Later, when were just a hill away from the camp, the women gave me an emerald green cloak, which draped perfectly over my armor and even had a generous hood to cover my head. I was so impressed with it that I tried to bring out some coins to pay them, but they got very angry and demanded that I take it out of good manners. So I fastened it around my shoulders, and yanked a brown, ratty scarf over my mouth before lifting the hood. My appearance in the last town had made people freak out, and I didn't want a repeat of trying to explain myself.

At the top of the hill, I decided to get off and walk next to the wagon. My legs were aging from sitting so long and I stretched them before peering down the side of the hill. My eyes were wide as saucers, I'm sure.

Spread below me were hundreds of tents with waving flags. Armored men strutted around the grounds so confidantly that I was a little worried for our passage.Somewhat in the epicenter, there existed a sort of spherical open space, leaving room around the the biggest wall I had ever seen. The two monsterous wooden doors easily stood around 50 feet taller than my dragon on his back legs. My estimation ended with the conclusion that it was at least 75 feet tall, but the length of the wall seemed to go on so far that I couldn't begin to imagine what they hid behind it.

As I walked through the troops of whom I was informed were soldiers, many of them turned to stare. I felt self conscious, as if somehow they were judging everything about me. Maybe it was the cloak that made them scrunch their distrustful eyes at me. I absentmindedly tugged the fabric tighter around my shoulders, and kept my head down as we moved the wagon through the collection of soldiers. All I could think of the whole time was what the chances were of them trying to kill me.

When the wagon stopped at the gates, I was even more awed by the amount of shade that they created. My thoughts were interrupted by a figure who was shouting at a section of wall. The caravan I had joined slowed to a halt and I followed as we headed straight to the crazed man. As we aproached though, I found that he was actually arguing with another man through a small window in the wall.  "-being incredibly unreasonable! You know I'm not with my father, so why must you turn me down?? Please, I'm begging you! I love my mother more than life; you have to help her!" The brown-haired man stepped away from the window, scraping his hand through his curls. He turned away and bright, mint-green eyes flashed across our group.

"Don't bother. These cranky bastards aren't letting anyone in." With that he stalked back to the camps.

I shook my head and followed the women to the window where the guard sighed heavily. "How can I help you ladies?"

The lead woman removed her hood and there was a soft gasp of surprise and delight. "Carrie! We caught word that your wagon lost a wheel! We weren't expecting your return for a while!" The man grinned and turned in his seat, knocking on the wall three times. "Come on through ladies!"

There was an extremely loud groaning as the doors opened just enough to let our caravan through, and then it shut behind us. I looked back just in time to meet the gaze of the brown-haired man, who had a look of utter defeat and despair plastered across his face. My heart clenched oddly at the sight. I froze. A keening sound pierced my eardrums and I screamed, falling to the ground. Immediately a horde of armored individuals ran out from every which way and surrounded me. I dizzily attempted to make sense of their strange tongue, one that wavered and danced around my already aching ears. I could feel Tephra squirming with discomfort at our bond.

A man lightly prodded me with a stick, and I looked up to see the women from the caravan trying to push back some angry men. Snippets of their word hit me hard as my hearing fizzed back.

"...knew it!"

"He's a SPY!!!"

"...Kill..us..stop"

*Pop*

"There is no doubt! That prince must have sent one of his dragonriders in here!"

"Yes, only a dragonrider would have heard that whistle!"

"No, please! you mustn't harm-oof!"

One of the guards pushed a lady back with the butt of his spear. Instantly I was back on my feet, twirling around to assess the number of enemies. They wanted to hurt me. I had to hurt them first...

I shook my head. Tephra screeched in anger, throwing insult after insult at the men even though they couldn't hear him through our connection. One of the ladies turned and tugged at my arm, pleading for me to calm the situation. I twirled once more and took a deep breath.

"EVERYBODY SHUT YOUR TRAPS!!!" I shouted with the power of my dragon. Everyone silenced, and I ripped off my cloak, throwing it to the ground. Instant gasps and squeaks of terror combined with amazement filled the crowd, and I felt it only to be expected that I kneel before them.

"I am sorry I had not introduced myself at the gate. I was not aware of your distrust for dragonriders that might be in league with the royalty. Please accept my apologies." I bowed my head and waited, listening calmly to the soft murmers that rolled through the crowd. A single female voice rose up from the crowd, brittle like dried parchment.

"What is your name, dragonrider? Where do you hail from? And for what purpose have you traveled here?"

I lifted my head, standing up and gazing at the, now peaceful, gathering. "In hail by the name of Alastrina Byrd. I am a lone dragonrider, self trained and still learning. Due to unfortunate circumstances, from a young age I was raised alongside my SoulSteed by an elder dragon in the Barren lands of Fire Territory." Many of the people were shocked at this point, and I gulped before continuing.

"I am here now in search of a cure for the horrid sickness that has struck the elder dragon who cared for me so well. Please, I am running out of time. With every second he grows weaker."

I couldn't help the overwhelming emotions that rose in my throat, and I clenched my eyes shut, willing the tears to stay away.

A soft hand weighed down my armored shoulder and I glanced over to see one of the elder women. She smiled softly and assured me that they could get my medicine together. I hugged her out of instinct and thanked her. As the crowd finally dissipated, I described the way the disease worked, and the healers took notes, assuring me that they knew exactly what I was talking about. Then I was left to wait.