Consequences

Aurelia
The flames and smoke started to rise higher and higher. I looked around for a building to rain hell upon but all I saw were the burning remains of the ones already set to blaze. Vesta stayed near, flying near my flank on the right side. I had wished our first flight together would have been something different, but knowing how my life had worked up until this point, I felt no surprise that I didn’t get what I wanted. I was in awe of her non-the-less. Her body was strong and sure as she sored through the night air with me, and her flames burned with such a heat that even I had to move away from it.
With nothing left to do now other than return to the tallest tower, I turned and made my approach. I had set fire to Saira’s home, with the intention to burn out the taint that her family brought to my kingdom. I did not know if she would ever forgive me, all I could hope was that she would understand why I chose to do it.
I would never allow history to repeat itself. To many years had been spent with out families fighting and destroying the lands. Now I was one of them. Like my Grandfather, Vesta and I burned these lands so that no one would ever surface again with delusions of taking control.
When I came upon the tower I flew in a circle around it. Saira was not there yet and panic started to flood my thoughts. What had I done? The flames were to high to waste any more time, I had to get them out.
I landed on the stone floor, noting that it was once so cold that I had bumps on my flesh, now it was so hot that I couldn’t stand to step on it for very long. Kairios, Inigo and Miranda were all sitting on the top of the table. They too could not stand the heat that was taking over.
They were covered in sweat and breathing oddly. Kairios looked seconds away from death. Vesta and I scurried over to them quickly. We had very little time to get out of here. Any longer and we would be claimed by the flames as well.
Inigo help Kairios to stand. This time his movements were not as gentle as they were before. I couldn’t help but marvel at the strength he displayed in helping his father stand and move to the edge before helping him climb onto my waiting back. Once Kairios was secure he turned and started to help Miranda onto Vesta. I wondered at their relationship, the way he helped her with such tender kindness.
“We have to go!” Kairios shouted.
I searched around the room once more looking for Saira. Where had she gone? She had more than enough time to make her way up here after I left her standing on the wall next to Galorian. A sharp pain lashed through my chest at the thought of his name. I had burned away every memory of him.
“Let’s go!” Inigo yelled to us as Vesta made her way to the edge to take off once more.
I let a loud roar out as a final warning to Saira. Where ever she was she needed to know that we were out of time. Slow step after slow step I made my own way to the edge. I had to at least get Kairios out of here. If nothing else I had to make sure that he survived this night.
Suddenly from behind the single door in the room burst open, and Saira came out with a drawer filled to spilling with books. Her face and arms covered with smoke and ash. Of course that was what she was doing. I turned to her and ran. When I got to her she handed the box to Kairios. I lowered myself so she would be able to climb on quickly.
Once I felt her weight on me I was off. The edge was near and only took a few large steps before I was soaring through the air again. The heat rising from the city was nearly unbearable. I climbed higher and higher until I was clear of the few clouds that still covered the city. A screech off in the distance let me know what direction Vesta had flown in.
Once we were clear form the heat I took the lead. We had a long way to go to get back to the horses and I wasn’t sure if I would have the strength to do it. Each flap of my wings grew harder and harder. Every ounce of extra strength I had stated to seep out of me.
My eyes started to cloud over and my head kept dropping lower and lower. I refused to fall asleep while in the air. I had crashed once before when fleeing this city. I would not do it again. Thankfully somehow we made it to where the horses had been hidden.
I landed harder than I had intended and Saira’s box of books went flying everywhere. Papers started to scatter in the wind before she jumped down and started to collect them once more. That was the last thing that I remembered seeing.
I dreamed of Galorian. Of sailing the seas and finding the hidden castle that he told me about just before he died. In my dreams we lived out a full life. We sailed, pirated and made love endlessly. In the hours I slept I dreamed the life that we would never get to live. His smile and his laugh were all I could see, the care free way that he lived his life was all I wanted.
I woke to a wetness on my face before I became aware of the familiar movements of horse back riding. I opened my eyes and had to blink away the wetness before I could make out any of the sights before me. Saira and Kairios talked quietly from in front of where I was. I tried to make out what they were saying but all I could hear was the laughter of a man I would never see again. Fresh tears filled my eyes and breathing became difficult.
“Mother?” Inigo’s voice was soft and gentle from where he sat atop Galorian’s horse.
“Where are we?” I asked him.
“On the way home. We are just about to come to the mountains that cross into our lands. You have been asleep for nearly a full day.”
I took a moment to look around and saw that nothing looked the same as before. There was no color, no joy.
“The city?”
“It still burns. You can see the glow from behind us.”
“Vesta?”
“She flies above us.”
I turned to look at him fully. Miranda rode with him. Both of her arms were wrapped around his chest as she rested her head to his back.
“Why did you come?” I knew I should have ben furious with them for putting their lives at such risk. The whole point of me leaving when I did was so they did not have to live with the same battles as I did. Yet they came anyways.
“I know you have many questions, Mother. But I think it would be best if we waited until we return home. You need to rest. Father needs to rest. And I would like to talk to both of you at the same time.”
“Alright.” There was no need to argue with him. Answers would come in time. And I did not have the energy to disagree with him.
We rode, rested and rode some more. Saira never said a word to me and slept with her books tucked in close. I figured that she thought I would cast them into the fire as well. While the anger burned in me to do such a thing, I remained at a distance.
All I could hope was that she would not let the same crimes happen, that the information in those books was given only to those she trusted. On the second night of my silence Kairios came to me.
“I am sorry about his death.” He said as he sat next to me. “I know you are in great pain because of it. I just wanted to let you know that I will be here for you.”
We sat in silence for a long time before I extended my hand to his. The warmth did so many things to me that I for the first time since waking I felt hope. It was barely there, but it was there.
“Thank you.” I said with a small voice. Part of me was tired of this weak small voice that I kept using, but I also did not have the strength of heart of body to try and sound strong like I always did.
“Are we free now?” I asked him.
“I don’t think we will ever be fully free, but for now we are. There is little to no more danger. The leader of the darkness and demons has been defeated. Any that remain with his ideals with be taken down slowly but surely. Now all we need to do is return home and see what state the capitol is in. they had some time to repair, but I don’t think it will look that much different.”
I laid down with my head in his lap and let sleep take over. Rest was all I could do now. Who knew when I would be called upon to fight and sacrifice. It could be moments, maybe days. I hoped that I never would need to give up a life again.
We took days to get back to the city. Saira remained silent around me. There were times I was sure that she was doing all in her power to avoid me. The pain of what I had done to her bond grew with each passing silent moment. Guilt at my choices tried to seep in but I refused them access. What was done was done and there was no way I could change that. We were all safer from it.
The smell of salt filled the air as we got closer to the capitol. I felt like I had never noticed it before. The city had once stunk so bad that all you could smell was the mess that the depression left behind.
“How much do you think has changed?” I asked anyone who would listen.
Inigo answered first. “The trash has all been cleaned away and those who had no homes have been busy building and repairing the ones freely given. Jaxson has done much in the time that I was there and knew to pay attention. Knowing him there will be more changes from the time I left.”
“I knew he was the right person to leave in charge. What of the others?”
“I don’t know. When I left they were in a meeting about sharing recourses and land with near Kingdoms. And that mistress Elnora was ill. She stayed in bed for two days before I left. They told me it was her age finally catching up to her.”
Kairios spired his horse on and made his way to the city gates ahead of the rest of us. Another crack split in my heart at the thought of her passing. She had help to change my life. I felt I owed her more. All I could hope was that she was still there fighting, waiting for us to return.