¤ Vehya's story ¤

part 3: Cy Dragonstake

by Neishai

The tower of Cy Dragonstake was breathtaking in its simplicity. Like an ivory tusk, it jutted up from the landscape with a spiraling of windows and doors leading to ledges that jutted out from its sides. On either side of Omajinai, Vera and Vehya both gasped in awe.

"It's like a giant termite hill," Vera whispered.

Vehya glanced at her in disgust.

Vera turned and regarded her with a measure of coolness. "Apparently you've never seen one. The ones in Africa are amazing." She grinned slyly. "I'll have to show you sometime."

Omaji squeezed her shoulder and leaned forward, shifting to his draconic form. "On my back. There's no way up without flying." Once Vera had a comfortable hold on her mate, he glanced at Vehya who nodded and together they took flight, Omaji, though winged, solely with the use of his magic, and Vehya through the use of her angelic wings.

They landed on a specific ledge, one that had been indicated to them already. Here they met with a Bluerider named S'ram and his bond Uriath. Omajinai shifted back into his humanoid form then introduced himself and his family, explaining concisely Vehya's predicament. In turn, S'ram explained what had happened.

One day not too long ago, a portal, like a fifty-foot tall doorway had opened during their watch. He pointed and there it was located by the lake. "It's a portal to Earth."

"Ooh, whereabouts?" Vera asked eagerly. "I'm from Earth!"

"Calienta."

Vera leaned back against Omaji in disappointment. She had never heard of the place.

Uriath spoke up. It isn't exactly the Earth you know, more like an alternate Earth.

S'ram nodded. "Calienta is located in a region you'd probably know as Florida."

"Ah. I've always wanted to go there. It's down South, in the U.S."

Vehya looked at her mother. "Really? Is it nice?"

Vera shook her head negatively. "No. All the tourists seem to like it and lots of people go there when they retire because of the tropical weather and beaches, but," she shrugged, "hurricanes kind of turn me off, frankly."

A shadow crossed the sun's path. "I'm wounded, Dearest. Truly."

Vera flushed and looked up at her counterpart, wrapping an arm across his back and leaning her head on his chest. "I'm sorry. You know what I mean."

Omaji smiled and kissed the top of her head. "Yes," he said simply, and the sun broke free of the clouds.

Vehya smirked, pointing at him with a delicately clawed hand. "He controls storms," she said by way of explanation.

"What do you think, Rei?" Omaji asked. He already knew the answer by the way she repeatedly stared at the portal when no one was paying attention. She had a way of standing upright and leaning almost imperceptibly toward it, as if she was about to jump off the ledge and fly right through it.

"I feel a pull," she said faintly. Mentally shaking her head to clear her mind, her yellow eyes found his brown ones. "I think I should go."

He nodded. "We will all go, won't we Vera?" No storm shall bother us, unless we want it to, he added mentally, smiling suggestively.

"Definitely," she returned. "Reinou, we should find out as much as we can about this portal before we go though."

Reluctantly, Vehya nodded. "Yes…I know." She turned to look up at the tower. Near the top, it was shrouded in clouds. She looked at S'ram. "Would it be possible to stay at Cy for a few days before we go?"

He nodded. "Uriath will show you. Two rooms right?"

Omajinai shook his head in negative. "No, I prefer to sleep outside. Up there." He pointed up at the clouds with a serene smile.

"One room with a large bed, or two smaller ones should be fine. We don't need much," added Vehya.

"As long as it's near a library and a coffeepot, we'll be just fine," Vera smirked. Omaji eyed her. "Or…hot water's fine. I'm sure we could rig up something," she chuckled.

S'ram nodded. "I'm sure we'll find something suitable, right Uriath?"

Of course. Before the Blue lead their guests away, he added, And…this girl, I think she will be right for the Clutch.

I figured as much. Do you think the "pull" she feels is the soul of a dragon?

Maybe…

¤ ¤ ¤

The word around Cy Dragonstake was that flitters -- miniature dragons in this case, ran rampant, too many to find bonds. That struck a chord with Vehya, since when around her parents, she felt like "the odd man out." It had not been a conscious decision but she found herself seeking a kindred spirit or two to talk with. And besides, flitters can be master gossips, so if there was anything to learn about this strange portal outside Cy, they might know what it was.

Her search was unneeded. All that was required was for her to sit outside the ledge of their temporary lodgings and wait for them to come. She watched as a whole flock of flitters spun around past her. Three broke off and hovered at eye-level, regarding her.

They had a way of speaking all at once, as if it were second nature to sort out every individual voice, then expecting her to do the same. Mother? Father? Ahh, Daughter… The voices crowded her mind, almost painfully, in a swirl of whitish-gold, brown, and yellow, the colors of the three flitters before her. The latter, a female Yellow, seemed to grin, and came closer than the others trilling at her.

"I'm… Kigai-Reinou," she said hesitantly.

The yellow seemed confused. Vehya?

She grinned. "Yes, I'm also called Vehya." Satisfied, the little Yellow landed on her lap, gazing up at her. She shrugged. "You two can land too. I guess you're looking for Mom and Dad then?"

The pair cheeped affirmatives and, content to wait for their charges, landed but only nearby, not particularly close to Vehya. Once she had studied them for a few moments, she determined that they were definitely a pair.

She leaned back against a wall and looked down at the Yellow who was still looking at her. "Do you have a name, little one?" When she received a negative reply, she frowned. It was somewhat complex, went something like, Hatched alone; no one to name. "Hmm. You don't want a name do you? Is there something I can call you besides 'flit' or 'flitter' or 'yellow'?"

The flitter considered for a moment and finally had an idea. Show you?

"Um," she stuttered, "sure!"

Before she'd really thought about it, she found herself following the Yellow flit through the sky toward the wilderness surrounding Cy. The other two had followed as well, cooing their curiosity between themselves.

Finally they landed in a meadow covered in a blanket of small yellow flowers. The Yellow snapped one off by its stalk and offered it to her with its mouth. "A buttercup? You like buttercups?" The flit trilled. "And you want me to call you Buttercup?" Another affirmative.

The other two had gotten the idea and were already looking around for things they liked. The Brown could not quite decide, sitting on his haunches peering up at a tree. Vehya came up behind him and started calling off whatever he seemed to point at. "Tree? Pine? Evergreen? Needles? Dirt? Pinecone?" To each he made frustrated and disgusted noises. He could not decide on something that sounded like a name. "Stone?"

Yes!

"Stone. Your name is Stone?"

Yes, yes. Stone my name. The Brown was very pleased with himself.

Grinning, Vehya turned around looking for the White-Gold. Where had she gotten off to? "Buttercup? Stone? Do you know where she is?

The Yellow's answer was negative, the Brown's affirmative. Home.

Vehya frowned. "Ah, Mom and Dad must be back."

When they returned, they found the White-Gold in Vera's arms. Stone zipped right up to Omaji, headlong into his chest. The raucous chatter was gleeful and accompanied by two pairs of flapping wings. "I see they found you," Vehya said.

Vera grinned. "Apparently they're here to guide us through Calienta."

"Guides? I see," Vehya said, landing lightly on the ledge. Buttercup quickly took a shoulder-perch and preened. "Are they…bonds?" she asked, unsure of how to ask.

"Do you feel a bond?" was the reply.

Vehya looked at Buttercup out of the corner of her eye. The flitter, in turn, regarded her. There was a definite connection, a bond of sorts, especially that of kindred spirits. But… "No," she said finally.

"Certainly wonderful friends to have though, aren't they?"

Vehya only nodded, but smiled despite herself. She was a little disappointed, but nevertheless glad to have a companion. Mutual feeling, the Yellow returned.

"Er, while we were gone," Vehya said finally, "The Yellow and the Brown chose names for themselves. She's Buttercup," she said, indicating the Yellow on her shoulder, "and he's Stone," she indicated the Brown in Omajinai's arms. He was grinning down at Stone, but looked up and nodded. Vera was nodding too, so apparently the flits had already told them. "Has yours chosen a name for herself?"

Vera nodded. "Mm hmm. Starwind."

As if it were so obvious! The other two flitters looked ashamed for not choosing equally clever names.

"I like your name," Vehya said to Buttercup. "It's not your fault she's a show off." She looked up at the White-Gold grinning to ensure the Queen knew she was only teasing.

Starwind was indulgent, proverbial feathers remaining unruffled. Extravagant, she replied for all to hear.

Omajinai finally spoke. "The day is far advanced. I suggest we wait until tomorrow to explore Calienta."

There was a general consensus to his decision, so they spent the remainder of the day getting to know their new friends.

¤ ¤ ¤