Her Story - Delilah

Today is the Day

Chapter 4: Today is the Day.

It didn’t take long for the dragons to realize that I was out of hiding, they had been starved for months now and any food smell in the air brought them out, no matter if they were sleeping or not. Normally I would try to run away and hide again for fear of being killed or eaten. But I didn’t this time. I was done running. I could feel my hand warming as they came closer, I thought it was just a fireball radiated through my fingers. The warmth grew from my fingers to my hand and then up my arm, across my chest and began to cover my body. Heat extended from my finger tips and it was then that I looked down. My body was encased in armor of sorts. Armor that a fae could wear without it burning my skin, held in my hand was a sword; made for a fae. The hilt was wrapped in pieces of wood, cascading up to the blade and a emblem appeared on the blade. It was a sun, rising over mountains and meadows. I said a silent prayer and apology as I swung the blade. The dragons came closer. I knew nothing of fighting. But I was going to learn then.

I swung that blade as though I was swinging for my life and let’s face it, I was. I heard the crack of metal hitting bone, felt the spray of blood across my entire body. I kept swinging that blade over and over again, wildly. As the last dragon fell at my feet, I dropped to the ground; exhausted, and wept. It wasn’t enough that he had forced me to live in this hell, but he had also forced them. I screamed at the top of my lungs. I wept and screamed for hours. Not only had I taken a life but I was forced to take the lives of many that had nothing to do with this, any of this. They were just as innocent as I was in it all. But I was forced to take their lives just as they were forced to take mine over and over. Now i knew how they would feel if they knew what they were doing. But I couldn’t blame the dragons, they themselves were feral and a feral animal only knows one thing, the basic instincts of survival. I sat in the blood as it pooled around me. It didn’t touch me, ever, which really made me wonder. I sat there looking at their corpses for hours, days, I don’t know how long but I sat there until someone came.

I heard foot steps as my tears began to taper off, they were light and didn’t make much of a sound, but I knew they were there. Perks of being guardian of a floor I presume. My screams and sobs must have disturbed someone, or something. I was weak from all of the energy I had spent swinging that sword and cry screaming, that I had none left to battle what had come up. It wasn’t until it spoke that I knew exactly who it was. The shocked expression brought a smile to my face. “Oh my gods! Delilah what have you done?” The shrill voice crocked out in disbelief. I knew who it was then and with every ounce of energy I had left, I raised from the floor and pointed my sword right at the woman. “I would suggest you leave this floor now before I do the same to you.” Daliah stopped short of getting her head chopped off by my sword with a gasp, she responded. “You wouldn’t dare.” She hissed through her teeth. My look was one I had waited forever to have as I stepped forward touching my blade to her nose. My eyes rose to meet hers head on. “Try me.” I wish I could explain the look on her face, or that you could have seen it first hand for yourself. Words can’t even describe how wide her eyes grew or how shocked her expression was. But she backed away, ever so slowly, waited until she was at the door, and fled for her life. I was serious and she knew it. But I knew exactly where she was going. To tattle like always. But I didn’t care. Instead I turned back towards the dragons and moved their heads closer to their bodies. I knew I couldn’t heal them but maybe this would give them peace, finally they wouldn’t be hungry or forced to live another day here. At least, that was what I had thought.

That night I prayed to the God of beasts for safe passage for their souls into the after life where dragons go. I didn’t really know where they went of even if they had a god of their own. Malar was the closest they had. I created some what of a burial for them, as best as I could find in such a place, I couldn't move them very well; at all really, but I could place it around their bodies. It was the least I could do anyway. I felt ashamed, heart broken. Then laid down between them all and drifted quickly to sleep. I woke the next morning still surrounded by dragons but I could hear their soft breath drawing in and out. They were alive and sleeping. The sound of my joy almost escaped my lips but I held it back for fear that I would wake them. Then the sudden realization, they wouldn’t remember any of it and we would be back to square one in this maze. I could hear one of the slowly start to wake as he sniffed the air right beside me. I just sat there, it was only fair that I allow them to eat me, I did chop off their heads the day before. His eyes burst open as my smell entered his nostrils and I awaited the snap of his jaws around my small frame. His nose inched closer to me, smelling my scent. I closed my eyes as his nose rose up my body to my face, his eyes opened wider, I waited for it. The feeling of breath on my skin, teeth pressing through my bones and crushing me, but it never came. Instead I felt warmth surrounding me, scales pressing against my skin, engulfing me. My eyes flew open to find the dragon was curling around me. In fact, they all were. My fear subsided, it wasn’t until Daliah came back up that I truly noticed they would never harm me again. They ran her off the first floor, chased really. One stayed beside me, curled around me in protection as the other 19 chased her through the corridors and off the first floor. My heart almost leapt from my chest in admiration. They no longer wanted to fight me, eat me, tear me apart. Instead they starved with me, lived with me, curled with me at night to keep me warm and they would die with me. I was so proud of the friendship I had been able to gain with these ferals. I mean they were still feral, but we had come to an understanding. We were all doomed to protect this floor, so why fight each other.

About a month later I was summoned to the 7th floor. As I walked past Daliah she turned her face and went the other way. I guess something had shown in my eyes that I was no longer scared of what she could say to Master and a part of me didn’t care. It was Master who had summoned me and I answered only to him. “Yes Master?” My voice was assertive, strong. It didn’t tremble or cower as I had felt so long ago. “Dal..” He turned to see she was no longer in the room. His brow furrowed with disapproval. “Yes Master?” I repeated myself. “Delilah. I have a mission for you.” I stepped forward. “Another mission Master?” As though this last one had turned out so good for me in the end. “Yes, since it was you that let Nathan out..” And there it was. I knew that was going to come back to haunt me. I didn’t care and if I had it to do all over again, I would have made the same choice. I just stood there, his disapproval meant nothing to me. “..That doesn’t seem to bother you, the one task I asked of you and you couldn’t even keep your word. I’m very disappointed in you Delilah.” I mentally rolled my eyes, I mean who cared how he felt. “I needed him, he was important to my studies. Since you let him go, you will go and find him. Bring him back. By any means necessary.” My eyes caught movement out of the corner and they slit as I looked to where the movement had come. Daliah was creeping back into the room, trying not to be seen until she was within the safety of Master. He saw her as well. “There you are Daliah. Go with her.” Her eyes grew wide again, you could tell she feared me. Good, that is exactly how I like it. She opened her mouth to protest. He closed it with a single wave of his hand. But I spoke up instead. “I don’t need a baby sitter Master, I’m quite capable to handling this task of my own.” She breathed a sigh of relief, too soon, as he looked at her and was in my face in a flash. I could see the decay forming on his skin and it sickened me, but I stayed strong. I faced down my Master with an unwavering glare back into his sunken, non-existent eyes. That moment was when he realized I no longer feared him or what he could do to me. I faced him head on, didn’t flinch or shake when he came near me. I stood my ground. It’s amazing what killing a few dragons can do for your confidence. He stepped back, gave me my instructions and sent me on my way...without Daliah.

I made my way back to the first floor through the back steps that lead all the way past all the floors to the first floor. They were long but I didn’t care about how long it took me. I had to give my farewells to my friends. I looked and looked for them, but they were no where to be found. I sighed very heavily, I would miss them. I shouldn’t be gone that long, well it wouldn’t be long enough for me, but too long for them. What if they forgot me? I searched and searched but I couldn’t even feel their presence on the floor. A final shake of my head, I moved to the door..thought of the time, generalized time maybe a few weeks after wards, that I had let Nathan out and pressed my hand to the door. Cracks began to form, a loud breaking sound echoed through the cave as sunlight began pouring through the opening. My excitement rose, then the rocks split apart and the sun light shone through. I stood there for a moment, breathing in the smell of everything. The sun warming my body, I took one last look behind me, hoping to see a friendly face; there was none, and stepped out into the middle of the meadow.

 All I could do was repeat silent praises to the gods for making the world as it was and keeping it the same as when I left. Although I don’t know how long I was in that cave, the world didn’t look any different. Maybe more trees, the ones I remembered were bigger, the grass was taller than I remembered as well. But other than that, there was no real big difference. I began taking one step at a time. Placing on foot in front of the other until I was running. I ran so fast away from that place and didn’t care to look back, I was free. Free to do as I please, to run if I please. No more living in fear of what tomorrow may bring. My wings came slicing through my skin, that didn’t matter, pain let me know I was alive and this was real. They danced in the sun light and sparkled. How I had miss them. They fluttered for a moment, regaining the strength they needed, then lift me from the ground. I was in the air. I tumbled about, flew higher than the trees, did somersaults and dives through the breeze. The smile on my face grew with each passing moment. Laughter grew in my belly and then erupted from my lips, i couldn’t help it, the sound radiated from me. Pixie’s weren’t meant to be trapped in a cave. We were the children of the forest, and that was where we were meant to be.

Night came on quicker than my body gave out, my time was very off, and I realized that the moments I counted as a day was much longer than an actual day. As night came I decided to rest. I found a tree with branches high enough in the sky that I could see the stars but not be seen by anyone passing on the road. The light cast by the moon was bright, it was a full moon, and I hated the dark. But the stars twinkled in the sky above me and for the first time in forever, I felt completely safe. My eyes drifted closed quickly, even though I wished them to not close so fast, i couldn’t help it. Staying awake was harder than I imagined, before I even knew it; sleep took me.

I woke just before dawn. I had dreamed of the moments when I could fly in the wind for so long, I didn’t want to miss a moment of it. My wings stretched with my arms, they were sore and with good reason. I hadn’t used them in quite some time. But I had to use them one last time to get down from the tree. I said a silent prayer to Lathandar, thanking him for the dawn, then fluttered to the ground. I skipped on with my day. Finding berries and mushrooms to feed on, my thoughts returned to the ferals in the cave and how they were starved, my smile faded for a moment. I missed them. I turned back towards the direction of the mountains for the first time since I left. They were off in the distance, but I could still see their outline, and then to the mountains in front of me. For some reason it looked so familiar to me, almost like I had been here in the past. I searched my mind for memories of this place as my feet continued their journey. It wasn’t until I found myself at the same tree all that time ago, watching the same thing. That was when it struck me. I had been here, many years ago. This was where I met him.

I don’t know how I knew what I was to do, but I knew it. I was to wait here for a band of gypsys to begin their walk through the gates and then infiltrate them and appear as one of them. From there my orders were going to come when I needed them. So I waited and watched. People came from every where, it was the first day of the great festival again. The one that happened every day, on the same day, at the same castle. Castle DeMonte. The great castle that was built into the mountain. But this wasn’t for the lord of the castle in search of a wife as it was the last time, this was just a normal, routine festival. It would last for a week and then every thing would go back to life as it was. I watched as the great king of the realms flew in on a silver dragon. I was in awe, but at the same time, I pitied him. He was wearing a muzzle and was forced to allow the Emperor to ride him. He landed just outside the city. That was the only place for the massive dragon to land. The emperor was a young man, no older than 12 or 15. He had no distinguishing marks, his hair was the color of the tree bark and had eyes to match. He stood on the great dragon as the new lord came to welcome him. I don’t know how I knew the things that I knew, but I did.

I waited there, watching. The new lord had raven black hair, with raven black eyes. He stood 6’2”, was dressed in the best silks the realm had to offer. But they didn’t look like they fit him. Soft black leather boots that rose up his calves, black britches, and a black shirt. He wore a long coat and gloves. Only a single sword sat at his hip. He was the most beautiful human I had ever laid eyes on. He walked down to the child emperor and bowed to him. Then said a few words, I wasn’t close enough to hear. But I could tell by the gesturing that it referred to the dragon he was riding. The child emperor didn’t seem like he was going to allow anything with the dragon, but the new lord walked right up to the silver and removed the muzzle. Instantly the dragon took the shape of a man. Actually, he took the shape of an elf. He dressed in the finest silver tunic, with silver embroidery. Britches of dark grey with a silver lining and black boots. His hair flowed down his back in silver and his eyes, they turned to look at me. My mouth dropped. He was breath taking. Now I knew what they meant by dragons and faes. I drew my lip into my mouth, biting down on it to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. The blood from my lip pushed into my mouth. I turned away, my heart pounding inside my chest, I could feel it in my ears, then the voice in my head. “I haven’t seen you before.” I turned back towards the castle for just a moment, one moment I wondered what my life could be like if I had refused the wizard. Well, I would be dead already or old. Too old to take on a dragon or to be a dragon companion. I pushed him from my head. Master couldn’t know and I was here for a mission.

I waited there for a few more moments until the gypsy band arrived then did as I was told. I infiltrated them and took the look of one of them. My body grew, I got taller, about 5’. My hair changed color to black, I shivered at the thought of looking like her but I had to change to blend in. My curves and my eyes were the only thing that set me apart from the rest. But I didn’t want to take everything that made me who I was and hide it away. I blended with them, danced with them, ate and drank with them. Then slept, the same time they did. My time would come..but it wouldn’t be today. I knew when, and what I was to do. So I awaited that time, but until then, I was free to live my life.