The Phoenix and the Dragon

Part One - Chapter Three

Part One - Fire and Ice

Chapter One - The Phoenix

Ardere hadn't dreamed. But when she woke, she wasn't completely sure the conversation with a winged male had been real.

The first thing she realised as her eyes opened, that she was lying on a large, plush bed. The second, was that she wasn't chained. Sitting up quickly, Ardere gasped and clutched her head, dizziness clouding her mind, and bringing up feeling's of nausea. Clutching the bed sheet's Ardere leaned over the side and heaved, her empty stomach yielding nothing.

As she finished, gasping in shaking breaths the princess glanced the room. It was smaller than her own chambers in her parent's castle, but it was still considerable. The wall's were a soft grey, and there was a large balcony with no railing that was accessible through half-closed doors. 

Somewhere, she could smell lavender and jasmine.

Wracking her brains for the conversation she could only half-remember she recalled a male. Black hair, violet eyes and tanned skin. And wings. Holding her head she assumed that was delirium clouding memories, looking over to the side-table, she noticed an empty glass and a pitcher of water. Next to it was a note written in an elegant scrawl; Because three day's asleep can make someone thirsty. 

Reaching over Ardere ignored the glass and chugged water straight from pitcher. Wiping her mouth she looked down at herself, there were strange black clothes replacing her usual ones, and underneath them her joints were stiff. Bandages.

Frowning Ardere slowly rose, and ripped of the bandages, looking underneath. It seemed eventually her own magic had healed her, as only scars remained. Swivelling her head to her shoulder, the princess snorted at bandaged covering her shoulder, and shredded them.

She was hunting through the drawers and cupboards for Goldryn, when her fae hearing picked up on multiple feet walking quickly towards her through a hall outside the door. Stalking across the room towards the door, and hid behind it, Ardere felt her fire and ice itch underneath her skin. 

Recoiling away from it Ardere glanced around for anything to use as a weapon. Nothing. Hissing she felt her fire broiling and clenched her fists, slapping the flames away and struggling control of her composure, the princess stood tall, and waited for whoever it was to enter.

~~~

Orion was first through the door, as he had been the first to realise that the female had awoken. He felt her waiting, reading to fight, but hadn't imagined she would be behind the door. 

She jumped at him and quickly swept him to the other side of the room, in her fist was a burning fire that she held close to his throat, and although he couldn't see her face. Orion assumed she was snarling. Autumn court then, with fire powers.

"That wasn't a clever move darling." Orion purred, well aware he could get to safety in less than a second, but remained still. People who thought they were in control were more predictable than those without power, "What a horrible way to thank the person who saved you from a naga."

The female hissed at him, and watched as his mother and father walked into the room carefully, Feyre's eyes burned angrily and clear to see, and his father was stone-faced. Both of them ready to kill at a moments notice.

"Were you the one who changed my clothes?" Her voice was strong and angry, and Orion grimaced at his parents who were staring at the female, "No. My mother got some healers to change you out of what was left of your clothes."

The female gripped him tighter and shoved her flaming hand closer to his exposed throat, Orion swallowed, trying not to laugh. She must really have no idea who they were to threaten him so brazenly.

Orion's father's eyes tightened and he growled at the female, his mate beside him also baring her teeth. 

"Who are you? Who sent you?" Rhysand hissed, moving his hand carefully from his pocket. An open threat for anyone of this land who knew his powers. Knew he didn't even need to move an inch to mist them.

The girl snarled and snapped over Orion's shoulder, "My name is Ardere Ashryver-Whitethorn-Galathynius, crown princess of Terrasen, heir of fire and ice. I am sent by no one." She flicked her head, sending a piece of platinum blonde hair flying over her shoulder, as she raised her chin in defiance. 

Orion's parents spared a glance at one another but Orion snorted. "Did you hit your head? There's nowhere called Terrasen in this land."

His mother stepped forward, one hand calmly outstretched despite her twitching eyebrow, showing her discomfort, "Let my son go. If you tell us why you were trespassing in our borders we won't hurt you."

The female snorted. Quickly, even faster than Orion who had been trained all his life to fight could notice, she flung him towards his parents. Her hand that wasn't already encased in flames cutting through the air in a slicing motion, which summoned a hunk of ice from thin air, cutting them off from her as the female ran towards the open balcony, shoving the doors aside as she ran to the edge, and jumped, plummeting into the sky below.

~~~

Orion swore loudly and jumped over the wall of ice in time with his father, and they both skidded to the edge, Orion's wings were open, ready to take flight. But something stopped him.

Where the female should of been, a large golden, burning bird flew, crying harshly as it beat it's wings into the air. Orion gaped at the bird, a phoenix, before the air seemed to suck in around it. And then it was gone. Disappearing into the very sky itself.

Although she was long gone, he felt like leaping into the sky and flying beside her.