The Dragon's Bride
Chapter 27

Catori walked beside Rydstorm as he hurried from their room and through the castle.

“What do you think is going on?” She asked.

“I don’t know, but whatever the reason, I’m sure a Stone is behind it.”

“Of course. I remember something, even though it seemed so long ago. Akara Stone had told us that there were dangerous people who lived in these mountains and were preventing Desolation from growing. He wanted them out because he had said the land belongs to his ancestors and he wanted to turn it into a ski resort.”

Rydstorm let out a laugh because he wasn’t expecting the outcome.

“Belong to his ancestors, huh? That man truly is something else.”

“No, it just goes to show how backwards those people are. They think they are high and mighty, while they say things like this to dumb down the population. Like that woman who pretended to be my mother all this time. It is like a disease and now I see why most of them didn’t like me, it was because I refused to be placed on a certain level. I would always question things, unlike the others.”

When they got to the war room, Catori was shocked to see that no one was there.

“What happened? I could hear shouting.”

Rydstorm glanced down at her. “No love, they are at the foot of the mountain. The humans are not brave enough to come up here.″

“But--”

“Enhanced hearing.” Rydstorm gave a small smile.

“Well, that makes sense, but why did we come here?”

“Fang said they have declared war, so it’s best to be prepared. I have to put the place on lock down to protect those who won’t be able to fight.”

“Ok.”

The two continued on, walking out to where the air was thin, and followed the slim path on the side of the mountain.

Catori stopped in her tracks, remembering the first time she saw Rydstorm. He was standing on a ledge like this one and just staring down at them.

Then a thought came to her. She wondered if she could step off the side of the mountain like he did.

“Catori, are you alright?” Rydstorm frowned at her moment of pause.

She smiled at him. “I have a crazy idea. That day we first met, you just jumped down to where I was. What if I can do that to get to the foot of the mountain more quickly?”

Rydstorm was about to kill that idea, but before he could protest, she was already jumping. But unlike with what he did, Catori took a running leap. Jumping off the edge of the mountain without knowing what was lying below.

After seeing that she hadn’t reached ground as yet and was feeling hot air now, Catori began to panic, but just as she was about to fall into the fiery pit below. Rydstorm grabbed her hand, causing her to be dangling there.

He hoisted her up and threw her over his head, where she landed on her back.

“Please don’t do that again, and if so, look before you leap.” He grunted, almost unnerved at the thought of losing her.

Catori smiled up at him.

He helped her to her feet.

“What would have happened if I fell into that volcano?”

“I don’t know, and I really don’t want to find out either.”

They began walking again. Catori could distinguish the different voices now, unlike when inside, where she was hearing inaudible shouts.

“If there is to be a war, what is going to happen to Desolation?”

“Are you worried about anyone there? Maybe you would want to go back there.”

Catori scoffed. “Not really. All my life. It has been a lie. All those stories that they used to tell us are all true. And I know within myself that Akara Stone and his family aren’t good people. Neither are those nuns.”

“Well, if it comes to a fight, you wouldn’t get upset then.”

“Upset? I want to see that place burn. I have no love for that disgusting place or the people. They have a right to give it such a name, besides. Me not having anyone there will make it much easier to kill them all.”

Rydstorm glanced down at Catori to see an evil glint in her eyes. He didn’t like what he saw but said nothing because he knew she was only speaking out of anger.

When they finally got to the foot of the mountain, it shocked Catori to see that it seemed as if everyone from the village was there.

Her eyes skipped over each and every face; from her mother to the girl, she called her friend.

Akara’s eldest son and daughter; Calian and Arabella stood on either side of him, while his other two sons and one daughter stood before their mother in a protective way.

“What is this?” Rydstorm asked, his voice echoing around the cold, open space.

“We are here to take back what is ours,” Akara declared.

Rydstorm let out a booming laugh that seemed to shake the ground.

“Take back or give back? Because if you don’t know the history of this place, I’m glad to give you a rundown of what it really is.”

“What it is, is that you… barbaric people have stolen our land and have been living off us for far too long. You have even manipulated one of our own and have her as hostage.” Akara said.

Catori was about to give a retort, but Rydstorm held up a hand to stop her.

“Akara Stone, I suggest that you turn around now or there will be war.”

The chief of Desolation laughed. “I want war. Why else do you think I am here? And I will kill you all with my bare hands.” He pointed at Rydstorm.

A sound erupted from Rydstorm’s throat.

“We never wanted war, Stone. We were living in contempt, but you and your family over the years are always the ones to push this matter. Why?”

Akara gave an evil smile, his eyes flashing from their usual brown colour to a silvery colour.

“It is in my nature,” he said simply. “Besides, if one of your little foot soldiers hadn’t revealed himself and scared my people, it wouldn’t have come to this.”

Rydstorm glanced at Fang, who had a sheepish smile on his face. He knew what he did was wrong, but he did it just to force his king’s hand to start the war.

“Chief, if you don’t mind. Can I speak with my daughter?” Farrah asked.

Catori made a face because she had nothing to say to her.

Rydstorm nodded, encouraging it.

“I don’t want to speak with any of them.” She turned to him.

But reluctantly she did, stepping to the side where she was out of earshot.

Farrah wasn’t the only one who went over to where she was. It was also Halona and Leona.

Catori glanced at Leona, knowing that she was only there to hear gossip.

Halona pulled Catori into a hug. “It’s so good seeing you again.’’

When the two girls pulled apart, Farrah got between them and pushed Halona away.

“What do you think you are doing? You best come home now and leave those people. They are dangerous.” Farrah grabbed after Catori to bring her home.

Catori slapped her hand away. “Save your breath. Dad told me everything. You are not my mother, so you can’t tell me what to do.”

“I might not be your biological mother, but I raised you as my own, so you still have to listen to me.”

Catori shook her head. “Raised me as your own? Or more like tried to turn me into another annoying version of you. I am glad I’m not easily manipulated, because I would have ended up like most of these idiots here. Now leave me alone.”

“You ungrateful girl, you don’t even know what those people are. They are the ones responsible for all our dead life stock and missing folks.”

Catori shook her head, knowing that it wasn’t true because she saw that they had their own cows and goats. They even went out into the human world and get their own food.

“Farrah, you and the people from here are the ones that are dangerous. You are too dumb to see past your own nose and realize that the man you worship so much is the very evil, and Rydstorm is right. If you all knew the full history of this place, then you would know the truth.”

Farrah’s jaw clinched. “Your father-”

“Don’t mention anything about my father!” Catori yelled, cutting her off. “Because of you and your backward ways, you drove him away.”

Farrah had tears in her eyes, but she frowned and held her composure before walking away.

“You are not allowed to talk to your mother like that,” Leona put in.

Halona and Catori ignored her.

“I have something to tell you. I learned something about this place.” Halona told her.

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