Attanya

Samsel, Sam for short

Melody

            Dirik was right; they reached their destination within ten minutes. She was sweating from the heat retained from the cloak but didn’t take it off knowing that if she had she would be cold almost immediately. Smoke told Melody that they arrived just before a man and a paint horse meet them. The horse grabbed her attention by its stature alone; it stood with a lean body just behind a man that paled under the animal’s natural beauty.

            It was only after admiring the beast that Melody looks at the man only to be stunned by his face. Take a few years off his face and he would be the spitting image of Grey. Sitting by the flame, light gently bounced off of his Royal blue leathers, and although they were blue the seamed to change color to that of behind him. The two of them stand near a fire that lit the concave of trees around them, trees so tightly packed together that hardly any light from the dying sun made it through the crevices. The warmth of the fire reflects from his face, warming not only his face but to the glistening body of the horse as well.

            The look alike walks the distance between us and looks at Dirik. “Taking your time to get back I see.” A warning look tells her that the man isn’t pleased with their return though the disapproving look drops as he looks down at her. “This must be the new Rider apprentice. I’m Rider Samsel, many call me Rider Samsel. This is Felix.” Holding out his hand, he surprised her with such a normal greeting. After shaking her hand he steps back. “Kaleigh warned us that the two of you met, she wanted to give you some time to talk with Dirik before returning.”

            Melody dismissed his full name because it was too odd to remember, though his face would hardly be difficult to do the same. “Where is she?” Still confused by his similarity she doesn’t think very far.

            The man called Sam motioned to the fire. “She’s catching a meal. Felix wished to meet you so he stayed behind.”

            “I’m Melody.” The words felt more convincing as she proclaimed her raw name confidently.

            Glancing at her from his new crouched position he stoked the fire, his clothes didn’t quite reflect the light from the fire but instead give the illusion that it blended in with everything around him. He motions her to sit by the fire, after a moment she walked to the fire and sat across from him using the fire as a wall between them. It was unnerving to have such a familiar face belong to a stranger. However the more she looks at him the more he could be Grey’s older brother. His shoulders broader and his eyebrows defined the solid nature of his face. Rider Samsel’s cheekbones are sharper and hands thinner. His body hinting at a strong build under his thick clothes, clothes similar to Dirik’s only the lighter shade of blue instead of the dark.

            Was it a uniform?

            “Are you Kaleigh’s child?” Rider Samsel replies looking down at his garment as if for the first time.

            She nods. “How do you know Kaleigh?”

            He looks up and frowns as if the knowledge should be apparent. “I’m her Seeker.”

            “Seeker of what?”

            He shares a look with the brown and black horse behind him; one long patch of white fur running down the steeds face to his thick neck. The horse didn’t have any gear on him; Melody had never seen a horse so freely mingle with humans without so much as a lead rope on him. “A Rider that is sent out to find the gifted that are chosen by the young. We are on a Seeker mission.” Rider Samsel explains when he sees Melody’s confusion.

            She smiles slightly. “You’re a Rider? Where’s your Dragon?”

            He leans back with a strange look on his face. “Where are you from Melody?” Curiously he tried to put the puzzle pieces together as he watches Melody speak.

            Dirik answers for her. “A small town far from here. She’s never heard of Attanya.”

            Rider Samsel frowned for a few moments longer then grinned. “So that’s what Kaleigh was laughing about so much. She said I would enjoy the conversation I was going to have with you.” He sighed and started searching through a thick leather bag lying beside him. After a moment he holds up some dried meat, offering it to her. “I think we should have that conversation when she gets back, agreed?”

            She took the unusual meat offered to her, holding it for a pause. What type of meat is this, she wonders. Gingerly she tasted the food, surprised at the pleasant taste filling her mouth. “Ok, then will you answer some questions I have?” Still holding the meat, she concedes defeat to keeping her origins a secret until Kaleigh gives the ok.

            He simply nods.

            “How are people chosen?” Melody questioned.

            Shaking his head he states. “I don’t know because people don’t choose, the Flier does.” Melody flashes back to meeting Kaleigh.

            “How do they choose?”

            He shrugs. “I have no idea. All I do know is that people are chosen for their potential and what they can do if they are chosen. Only a Flyer could know that far ahead.”

            She nods, a hand resting on her knee holding the meat tenderly. Looking down, she’s overly conscious of the eyes watching her. Without continuing the conversation she bites into the meat again, the bite tasting like pepper and mint.

            Meeting his eyes he smiled. “What is with your outfit?” He frowned at her and itched the side of his face, the scratching of his beard mixed with the crackling of fire. “Your clothes?” She repeated when Rider Samsel didn’t immediately respond. She leaned back, gripping her knees under the thick cloak so she didn’t fall over. She glanced over at Dirik, he was a foot to her left in between Rider Samsel and Melody.

            “It’s the Rider uniform, all sections at the College have an official uniform.” He frowned at her, the machine behind his eyes slowly clicking into place.

            Silence won again for a few moments before she turned to the younger counterpart. “How were you picked Dirik?”

            Blue eyes met the older Rider, he nods slightly before looking at the young woman. Dirik smiles then sighs. “Well, Kaleigh, Rider Samsel and Felix came to my village a few 1st days back with Ivria. She was still in her egg at the time. I was just coming into town with my second-father when they arrived. Everyo9ne was excited and lining up for the ceremony. We don’t have it often considering the Carriers don’t come out that far very often.” He stopped to clear his throat before continuing. “All of age had to stand in this line, it went half way across our village. It took a full candle mark before Kaleigh walked up to me, in my head she said that I was chosen. She also said I looked like a morsle in the paws of a ragercloth. I walked into the next line with a few others. They were all boys from my village. Seven of us total.”

            Rider Samsel snorted, causing all of them to look at him in confusion. “You should have seen the look of his face when I brought the egg out. He looked like I had just brought out a hundred pounds of gold.” Rolling his eyes he looked at Dirik, dropping the attention back to him.

            “It sure looked like it.” He smiled again then continued. “I was the last in line and didn’t think I would be chosen. Leah, my sister, was already chosen to be a Rider. It’s not common for two of the same family to be chosen. I grabbed the egg and nothing happened. Its warm surface unmoved and after too much time I started to hand it back but it cracked. At first it was just a hair line but then it webbed out and shattered. It looked like she kicked it from how it burst out.” Chuckling he looked at the little ball of gold lying between his legs, scratching her head he looked at Melody again. “She was lying on her back trying to roll over, I helped her and when she looked me in my eyes I knew she picked me. My arm burned and when it stopped I was marked. I was taken away and we’ve spent the last quell looking for you.”

            Frowning Melody looks at Rider Samsel, it’s time to have some answers. “Why is Kaleigh full grown while Ivria not and why did it take so long for her to find me?”

            “Well, there are times when an Egg cannot reach the place where its Rider is. There are circumstances that make it different for every pair. Sometimes the Flyer has to learn something before they can even find their Rider but it could also be the other way. The Rider may need to learn something before they can even be found by their Flyer. There have been times when the Rider is at the College already, the Egg hatched and was two summers before they paired.” Holding up his hand he stopped her next question. “There are also times that the only reason the Seeker goes with the Flyer, even when full grown, is to protect from spellcasters. You’ll learn more of the etiquette of the Riders when you reach the school, then you’ll understand more of that. As for the second question, Kaleigh said there was something wrong. She couldn’t find out where your signal was coming from, so she had a word with Felix. After that she disappeared.” Holding up his hands he shrugged.

            A painful hum filled Melody’s mind, shaking her down to her bones. :Hello Melody. I hope you don’t mind the intrusion.: A males voice, deep and soft, filled her head. The hum decreased after a few moments and the scent of old wood wafted pass her. A deep set knowledge filled her head telling her that it wasn’t a threat, the words being spoken were more of an attempt to communicate rather than be left out of the conversation. Looking into deep brown eyes of the horse lying beside Rider Samsel, she nodded. It responded in kind before winking. :Kaleigh couldn’t hold down the direction of the pull like others do, it was two daylights ago that we were in conference with the Mist. They told her where to go and she left. Though I wasn’t told.: A hint of laughter filled her head.

            After a moment she laughs while pointing at the horse. “He…” She wasn’t able to finish what she was saying because understanding filled her. If dragons existed in the form that are described in her land then why couldn’t a flying horse. Taking a closer look at his painted form she sees lines traced into the fir of his body. If it is possible for her to travel to another planet then it should be possible for those to change into real wings. Resting her hand on her face, she laughs. “He’s a Pegasus, a flying horse.” Looking into his discolored eyes and nodded. The truth can be so easy to see if you’re willing to see. “It’s true isn’t it?”

            The two of them look into their eyes before meeting hers, with a bow of his head the Pegasus stood and with a shake of his body wings sprouted from the tracings on his back. :We are called Pegisi, although our brethren Dragons are more suited to war, we are well equipped to fighting. It’s a pleasure to meet one with a keen eye.:

            Her jaw dropped as the sight of large wings sprouting out of nowhere, shaking her head she laughs. “I hardly have a sharp eye but I’ve heard stories of your kind. There were a few where they would hide their wings to live among mortals. I didn’t think they would be able to talk, of course I didn’t think Dragons could either.” Bowing her head again, she frowns. “One other thing that I don’t really understand, why do I have this.” Holding her hand high, she lets the light of the fire reflect off of the mark on her wrist.

            Felix lies beside his Rider, Rider Samsel responds by lifting his sleeve to show the same half-moon mark that traced up his arm. Though his was different, vines grew out of his blue mark tracing up his arm and pass his elbow. “Riders are mark by their Flyer as proof of their bond.” Pulling his sleeve back around his arm he nods. “So where did the two of you arrive from?”

            Melody stared into his eyes before smiling. “I’m not entirely sure, we flew very high so I lost track of my baring’s. Although I’ll tell you when Kaleigh tells me.”  Looking down at her hands, she felt guilt clenching her heart. Something told her that saying where she was from would be bad, although it was hard to understand she wanted to keep it a secret for a little while longer. “Where are we going?”

            He paused but let her avoid the question. “We head for the College of Celcine. The great school, it’s in the Capital not far from the Royal Stones.” He looked at the ground, picking up random stones from the ground. “That is where the Riders go to receive their training. There are five sections in the College. One are the Riders; the other four are the Healers, Bards, Mages and the Army. You must be in one of these categories to be taught at the College. The Riders, Healers, and Arms,” With the three groups he holds up three different stones. “Receive their schooling free of charge while the others must pay for it.”

            “Is it an elite school?”

            He shook his head while placing the stones into two groupings. “No, it is the Capital school. The best scholars teach there so the future of our nation may have a chance of surviving. If they have the aptitude to teach of course.”

            “Then why do some have to pay for it while others don’t?”

            He frowned, as if it were obvious. “Those who receive free schooling are going to be paying with it with their work later on. Riders, Armors, and Healers are being trained to aid our country.”

            She nods, not meeting his eyes. “I understand. What else can you tell me about that school?”

            Smiling he nods, holding up a volcanic stone in a gray black shade. “Each section has a different color uniform. Although it is simple it is always an easy way to see which section a student is a part of. Strictly formal. Besides events where a uniform is required, most just wear their station color in what clothes they find comfortable. Apprentices wear a colored band on their arms signifying their level, upon graduation everyone is given their duty badge and may have its holster whatever they desire. The lost common is a wrist band.” The Rider then holds up his left arm, the opposite of his marked arm, and showed her a leather arm-guard with a type of coat-of-arms on it.

 “All of the cymbals will be explained in detail, however this one is special. The wings mean that I work with the Royals, the egg means that I am a Seeker, the crown is the foreign relations, and the swirls are multi-lingual.” As Rider Samsel spoke he showed the designs on his band, after finishing he waits for a nod from Melody he continued.  He picks up a rounder stone and sets it in front of her.

“The Healers are forest green, the most soothing color.” He held another, turning it around in his fingers before setting it down. “Arms are crimson, the color that every fighter must become accustomed to. Mages are orange, the light that they send out when they cast. On their chest there is a symbol. There are multiple levels for the mages but the main four are Lowly, Corer, Master and Templar. They will explain those more in your schooling. The last are the bards which are light purple, the color of wine for gathering and joy.”

            Wishing she had something to write with Melody nodded, she would have to remember as much as possible. “That’s not too hard; I think I’ll have to be told a few times to remember though.”

            “You’ll do fine; it is just a matter of determination.”

            “What types of subject will we be learning?”

            “There are many subjects but the ones you receive depend on you. All applicants are tested and according to those responses your learning matter will be given accordingly. Though being able to read and arithmetic will help you by far.”

            Biting her lip, she pondered whether or not she was lucky enough that the two languages that are so similar are written the same way. “You wouldn’t happen to have a book or anything written with you?” After staring at her for a moment he turned around and ruffle through his bag for a few moments before holding out a very worn leather bound book. Tenderly grabbing it she opens it, the pages this and soft between her fingers. On it are neatly written words are words that don’t make any sense. Her heart tensed as she tried to understand at least one of the words but none of it made any sense. Leafing through the page she opened it to a page with a leaf sticking out of it, her eyes stop their roaming as they begin to see words that make sense. Reading through them she is relieved to see that though some of the spellings are different the structure and words are very similar to English. “Are these poems?”

            Nodding he rests against Felix again. “Yes, the first half are in their native tongue but are translated in the second half.”

            Holding it up she asks, “May I borrow this until we are done traveling?”

            “Sure. Do you need help reading it?”

            Shaking her head she looks down. “No, I was taught to read when I was young but I don’t want to get rusty.” Although that was part of the reason, the real reason was so she could practice reading with the differences in spelling. If she could learn a little more then she should be able to hide it a little longer.

            “Another strange thing about you.” He said simply.

            Everyone stopped speaking for a while, each of them caught up with their own thoughts. Time passes with the wind grows stronger, it begins to swirl. The scent of strawberries alerts Melody to the presence of Kaleigh, but a moment after realizing Rider Samsel says, “Kaleigh’s back.” He turned his head slightly so that the snowy winds would not get in his face.

            Melody waited until Kaleigh folded her great wings before approaching the Dragon. “For a moment I thought you left me.” Melody teased, as if they had been old friends. So quickly had her presence become a part of Melody, it felt natural for her to need the Dragon near. The secret of her origins making a bond that can’t be ignored between them.

            :I would never leave you.: Kaleigh teased while nibbling the top of her head.

            “Promise?”

            :For as long as I am able.:

            Melody smiled in relief. “I’ll hold you to that.” Changing the subject she motions to the resting bodies of her new companions. “I’ve met the others.”

            :You will have plenty of time to know them, we have a few 1st days until we reach the Capital.: The Dragon lowered her chest to the ground, wiggling so as the twigs in the way were crushed beneath her. Her scales flickered and reflected the light of the fire, the pack and saddle still attached to her back.

            “I have no idea how to get that off you.” Melody nods to the saddle.

            :I’ll show you.: Kaleigh whispered to her quietly although the others couldn’t hear her anyway.

            Melody walked around her head and stood at her side. The pictures that flashed through her head were much clearer than those of Ivria, each step were clear and precise. Following the creatures instructions Melody began to see a pattern and before she knew it the gear fell from Kaleigh’s back. Pulling the loose leather straps over her spiny back she gently set the gear near the fire. After the girl sits with her back against the chest of the great beast, this position being the most natural and soon the heat from the Dragon lulled Melody into a restful slumber.