Bastileborn - Dragon Fire Pt. 01

"Cypress... I'm amazed to see you again so soon," Sidian stammered as he gazed into the god's brilliant green eyes.

"Indeed, I was summoned by your temptation to stray from the honorable fate I prepared for you. Do not destroy my scheming before the holy week has even ended! You'll make me look bad in front of my siblings. Now, let's settle this dispute. I want you mortals to get on with your lives so I can get back to my meddling," he sighed as he turned his heavy gaze upon the dragon king.

Faddon backed into the corner in terror of the demigod.

"You, King Faddon, will remember every detail of this week. You will begrudgingly dwell on the fact that your most hated enemies will escape your reach tonight. Your hate for Sidian and King Luradon will haunt your dreams for decades to come, but how you act upon this festering hate is not yet decided," Cypress whispered with a devilish grin. Then he reached over and touched the king's forehead. He crumpled to the floor in a deep sleep.

Cypress was smiling as he turned from the dragon king and settled his gaze on King Luradon. Luradon shuddered in fear as the demigod moved across the room in a flash and got right in his face. Luradon wasn't a coward like Faddon, but he was bullheaded and often made stupid decisions in his rages. Cypress knew Luradon was a respectable king in spite of his flaws, and that played into his judgment of him.

"King Luradon," Cypress began as if he were speaking to a small child, "your temper has gotten you into trouble again. Will you ever learn to keep your emotions in check? You owe Sidian a great debt for saving your life and the lives of your wife and daughter. You will sacrifice greatly for him, and he has my permission to act against you if you fail to honor your debt to him. Leave the Living Mountain with Sidian tonight or you will die in the morning. Go to your wife and daughter. They are waiting in the healing garden," he instructed as he stood aside and motioned for him to leave.

"Thank you," Luradon whispered as he bowed low to the deity before he hurried from the room.

Cypress looked at Sidian and smiled at the nervous apprehension on the handsome dragon's face.

"It's all right, Sidian. I'm not going to punish you. Your lack of rest before your journey is punishment enough," he said with a smirk as he approached him.

"Thank you for stopping me, Cypress. I'm very torn by the events of this night. I feel my existence has fractured, and that wretched dragon is the cause of it. He murdered my father. I never knew that," Sidian whispered as he glanced at Faddon. He was snoring gracelessly on the floor.

"He has murdered many innocent souls. He made that his purpose in life. He will burn in the afterlife for it."

"Then why can I not kill him now? He deserves it."

"He still has his part to play, and killing him now would not be very satisfying. We must strive for things of intense satisfaction, and that takes time. Trust me, Sidian, you will learn this. May I kiss you now?" he asked with an excited smile.

"No," he sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Fine... flee with the humans. They will help you acclimate to your exile. Take only the bare essentials. Do not return to the Living Mountain until you have no other choice, and don't expect me to save you again so soon. You're not my favorite mortal yet," Cypress whispered in a jealous tone before he vanished through the nearest stone wall, leaving an eerie green glow behind him.

Sidian released the breath he was holding and quickly wiped tears from his eyes. He felt like a whelp after that life-shattering day. Had he known the ascension would completely destroy his future in the Living Mountain, he would have never agreed to do it. He fled his homeland that very night to face an uncertain future among the other mortal races.

The Black Wing

Location: Lattidor Sea south of Luria, nineteen years after the Blood Accord

"By the gods! Lacia, our ship is being attacked by pirates! We have to hide!" Megan cried as she pulled her younger sister down the stairway into the hold. They were sailing on the Morning Star, their family's prized ship.

"Megan, stop! I'm not afraid of pirates," Lacia protested as she jerked her hand away.

Megan twirled and looked at her sibling in contempt. Lacia was an eighteen-year-old princess, but she acted more like a thirty-year-old pirate when it came to following orders. Their father encouraged her aggressive behavior by gifting her custom swords every year. Lacia's current sword was her most prized possession. She wore it all the time, even with her fancy dresses. Lacia believed her fighting skills were proficient, and she was eager to test herself.

"Lacia Alphonse, get your stubborn ass down into this hold this instant! This is not a game! Don't you value your life?" Megan shrieked in desperation.

Megan knew she couldn't manhandle her wild sister into the hold, and she could already hear pirates and sailors fighting on the deck.

"I do value my life, Megan. That's why I'm going to fight," Lacia declared as she drew her sword and ran back up on deck into the sunlight.

Lacia could hear her sister screaming for her to return as she ducked into the chaos. Pirates and crewmen were battling for control of King Luradon's ship. The excitement of battle sent Lacia's heart racing. Her petite frame allowed her to slip between the men unnoticed until she began slicing their hamstrings. Her only regret was her frilly dress. It was designed to draw attention, but on the other hand, no one expected a pretty young lady to be wielding a sword.

Lacia had brought down four pirates before someone grabbed her beautiful blond curls and tossed her against the mast. She hit her head and was knocked senseless for a moment. She struggled to sit up as lights flashed in her eyes.

"The ship is ours, gentlemen!" announced a loud, demanding voice, making Lacia's head hurt worse.

She touched the bloody knot on her temple and winced. She could barely make her eyes focus. She found the mast and leaned against it as the man continued declaring their victory. She knew it was the pirate captain.

"If you give up now, your lives will be spared. We honestly don't want bloodshed," he called.

Lacia looked up at the man in confusion. He looked too young to be a pirate captain. He had shiny, unkempt black hair and no beard. His lean torso was tanned and prettier than any garden sculpture she had ever seen. He was wearing simple black pants and a leather sword holster that crisscrossed over his chest. Lacia felt herself blushing as she stared at him. She had never seen a seafaring man like him before. All of her father's sailors looked terribly scruffy compared to him.

"Please, forgive our invasion of your ship," he said as he looked down at Lacia. "We will swiftly take what we want and be on our way. We know this gold exclusively belongs to your king, so spare us any lectures about stealing from the poor," he said with a charming smile. The other pirates laughed and hooted for their young captain.

Suddenly, Lacia heard familiar yelling and frantic running of heeled shoes across the deck.

"Lacia! Where are you?" Megan cried as she ran around the mast. She gasped in horror when she saw her sister sitting on the deck with blood dripping from her head. "By the gods, Lacia! Are you all right?" she shrieked as she threw her arms around her neck. "What monster did this to you?" she demanded as she focused her attention on the shirtless man. He was staring at Megan with an eyebrow raised. "You," she growled. "Tell me. Who did this to my innocent little sister? My father will have his head on a spear!"

"Innocent?" chuckled the man. "That monster you're defending was slicing up my men's knees before I stopped her. Attacking a man from behind while he's already engaged in a fight is very backhanded," he said in a condescending tone.

"YOU did this?" Megan gasped. "Look at all the blood! You could have killed her!" she wept as she frantically pet Lacia's hair, not knowing how to comfort her. Megan was the one that really needed consoling at the moment. Lacia was blushing in embarrassment for both of them.

"She'll be fine," sighed the man. "I didn't throw her that hard. Besides, the little witch deserved it."

That comment sent rage racing through Lacia's veins. A good for nothing pirate was talking down to her and her sister like he was their better.

"Sea trash! I'll put you in your place," Lacia cried as she sprang to her feet and lunged at the man. Her sword was aimed at his heart.

Lacia was overconfident in her speed. The man drew one of his swords lightning-fast and stepped forward. His blow knocked her sword arm up, causing her to crash right into his chest. The impact knocked her sword out of her hand. He grabbed her and pinned her against his chest as her sword clattered to the deck behind him. He looked into her eyes and smiled victoriously. Lacia felt her face burning as complete humiliation washed over her.

"Did you intend to fail this badly?" he asked with a charming smile.

Lacia gulped as she stared into his big blue eyes. They were rather stunning up close.

"Hmm," he hummed as he admired her face. "You're stupidly brave for a young woman. How old are you?"

"I'm almost nineteen," she said calmly in spite of the manic pounding inside her chest.

"I see. Are you afraid of me?"

"No," she snapped.

"Then why is your heart pounding?" he whispered as he searched her eyes.

Lacia gulped as the pounding in her chest grew worse.

"I... um... see that you're mocking me now," she stammered. "I've been defeated and humiliated enough. Please let me go."

"I think your heart betrayed you a little too," he whispered. "You are very charming, Lacia. You have more fire than a royal forge," he announced, making sure everyone could hear him. "Do you mind if I call you Lacia? It doesn't matter. When we're married, I shall call you whatever I like. Men, restrain her for me and do be gentle. I'm the only one allowed to throw her around," he laughed as he pushed her straight into the arms of his men.

Lacia gasped as the pirates restrained her.

"Married?" she half shrieked as she fought to get away from the large men.

The pirate captain smiled as he approached Lacia again.

"Yes, married. You shall be my wife. If you stop acting like a whelp, we could be married in three days' time. Those are my terms. I'm not going to marry a whelp or a stranger."

"Who are you calling a whelp, you stupid jerk? What does that even mean?" she yelled.

"No! Don't take her! Please!" Megan pleaded with tears streaming down her face. "Do you have any idea who we are? Our father is King Luradon of West Luria. He'll have you skinned and quartered for this."

"No, he won't. Your father owes me dearly," he said in a low, angry voice as he approached Megan. She quickly shrank away from him. His voice was strangely terrifying when he was angry. "I saved your father from my kinsmen, and in return, I was branded a traitor and exiled. Your sister is payment for my sacrifice. I knew he would never willingly hand over his daughter, so I'm taking her by force."

Megan put her hand over her mouth as she stared at the man in horror. Then she met her sister's shocked eyes with her heart breaking.

"That can't be true... this can't be happening," Lacia stammered, shaking her head.

The captain looked at Lacia in pity for a moment.

"There is no need to fret," he said in a kinder tone. "Lacia will be treated well and guarded like a treasure. I promise you, no real harm will come to her. Please tell your father everything I have said, and warn him not to break his promise. If he tries to take Lacia back, I will kill him. Gaining a powerful son-in-law is better than dying by a pirate's blade."

Megan was weeping as she nodded. Lacia looked away from her to keep herself from bursting into tears.

"I don't believe you," Lacia growled, letting her anger overpower her urge to weep. "You're a no-good lying pirate! How could you possibly have that much power over our father? Who are you?" she demanded.

He smiled as he walked over to her and gently touched her bleeding temple.

"I am Captain Sid of the Black Wing. That's all you need to know for now. By the way, had you looked before you leaped, you would have noticed that no one was bleeding before you went on your stabbing spree. We may be thieves, but we fight clean. Now, relax so I can heal you," he said as he slid his fingertips over the gash on her head, causing her to tense with pain.

She watched in stunned fear as brilliant blue fire ignited in Captain Sid's eyes. She felt healing heat leave his fingertips and wash over her wound, easing her headache instantly. She moaned softly as the heat flowed through her limbs and down to her feet. She would have fallen down in relaxation had the men not been holding her up.

"Whoa... how did you do that?" she whispered as she watched the blue fire fade from his eyes.

"I might tell you later... if you be nice," he whispered before he walked away to help his injured men.

Lacia was allowed to say goodbye to Megan before she was taken aboard the Black Wing. She felt strangely calm after Sid healed her. Everything about Captain Sid's ship was beautiful. She had never seen anything she could compare it to. Every piece of wood was carved with exquisite detail, and almost all the carvings depicted fire-breathing dragons. There were also carvings of flying men engaged in battle with humans and elves. She suspected the images told a story from the past that she wasn't familiar with.

She stared in awe at the largest carving below the helm. A magnificent city was depicted on the doors that led into the captain's cabin. The palace at the heart of the city stood in a magnificent garden full of wildflowers. She could almost see the plants swaying. The city was drawn like it gave off its own light.

"This is absolutely beautiful," she whispered.

"Thanks, I drew it myself. I didn't do the carving, though," Sid said as he walked up beside Lacia and looked at the city.

"You drew that?" she asked in astonishment. "It's breathtaking. I would love to see that city."

"We might enter it together someday... it was once my home," he whispered as he placed his hand over the garden at the heart of the city.

Lacia stared at him for a moment. She felt a sense of guilt in her chest. He said it was her father's fault that he was exiled from his beautiful home.

"Um... Sid, er... Captain Sid, what is that city called?"

"Gossamer," he said with a soft smile.

"Gossamer," she whispered to herself as her mind tried to recall something. She couldn't place where the strange feeling came from.

Sid looked at her curiously as she struggled to understand why the city seemed so familiar.

"Is something wrong, Lacia?" he asked.

"I... no. I just thought the name seemed familiar, but I can't honestly say I've heard of it before."

"Gossamer has that effect on people. Come, there's a small guestroom attached to my cabin where you can rest," he said as he took her by the arm and led her through the carved doors.

They passed through a beautiful foyer that was decorated with oak shelves full of fine swords. Another set of doors led into handsome living quarters. The room and furnishings were stately. The wall facing the front of the ship held an elaborate stained glass window. It depicted more dragons and battles. Where the picture became the sky, the glass was clear, so the real sky shone through. The tall four-post bed was covered in a shimmering blue satin comforter and stacked with fluffy pillows. A massive oak desk sat in front of the window. It was covered in parchment and half-burned candles. A magnificent set of shimmering armor stood tall beside the desk. A soft round rug adorned the center of the room. It was surrounded by cushy chairs.

Sid led Lacia over to one of the chairs and motioned for her to sit down. She happily plopped down in the comfy armchair. She watched as Sid crossed the room, picked up a porcelain pitcher, and filled a small bowl with water. He dropped a washcloth into it before he carried it over to Lacia. She watched in amazement as he knelt in front of her and proceeded to clean the dried blood off her face. Her heart began thumping a little faster as she admired his large sapphire eyes.

"You're awfully quiet, Lacia. You're not planning to attack me again, are you?" he asked with a smirk.

"No. I want you to answer my question, so I'm being nice like you requested," she said calmly.

"Ah, you want to know how I healed you. What if I changed my mind? What if I don't want to answer your question?" he asked as he rinsed the bloodied washcloth.

"I'm not sure what I'll do if you become unreasonable. I guess I'll have to become unreasonable, too," she said evenly.

"Lacia... I know you would love nothing more than to stab me in the knee and flee from the ship. What's restraining you?" he asked as he cleaned the caked blood out of her hair.

"I don't think I could escape without planning it first. You're incredibly fast, and you use magic. I've never fought a magic-user before. You frighten me, but you also healed me. I assume you did it out of kindness."

"What if I didn't heal you out of kindness? What if I like having everyone in top condition so they're more useful to me? Maybe I did it for my own selfish wants. I can be terribly cruel when I feel like it. Did you consider that?"

"I considered that, but I hope it isn't true," she said as she looked at him nervously.

"There we go, no more unsightly blood. Are you hungry?" he asked as he walked over to the window and opened one of the small panes of glass. He poured the dirty water into the sea.

"No, I'm not hungry. I would enjoy some tea. May I have some?"

"That does sound splendid. I haven't talked over tea in ages," he said as he walked over to the door and pulled a gold chain twice, ringing the kitchen.

Then he crossed the room and drew his swords, causing Lacia to jump in alarm. She quickly realized he was simply removing them before he sat down. He hung them in notches on the closest bedpost. The wood had been carved to hold them securely in case of rough seas. Then he plopped down in the chair across from her. He threw one of his long legs over the armrest and smiled at her pleasantly.

Lacia let her eyes trail down his lean chest and abs. She felt her face burning as she admired him. It caused her to self-consciously pull at the golden curls falling over her shoulders. She knew her hair was a mess at that point. She had actually never cared much about her appearance until then. Captain Sid's presence was having a strong effect on her. She didn't know it at the time, but she was also having a very strong effect on him. Lacia was blessed with beauty like her mother, but her ferocity clashed with her angelic appearance.

"You seem unsettled all of a sudden. Is something wrong?" Sid asked.

"Um, I'm not used to sitting in the company of half-dressed men," she confessed.

"Oh, where are my manners? I'm parading around half-naked in front of a princess at tea time. Let me remedy this," he said as he hopped up. He approached his wardrobe and threw it open. He grabbed a white linen shirt with a low cut collar and pulled it on. "Ugh, a bit frilly for my tastes. Rupert must have put this in here. What do you think, Lacia? Is this better than naked?" he asked as he looked at her expectantly.

"That's much better," she said with a nod.

Suddenly, there was a light knock at the double doors.

"Come in, Rupert," Sid called as he walked back over to his chair and sat down.

A young man with messy blond hair entered the room and stood by the door.

"You rang, captain?" he asked as he looked between Lacia and his captain.