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Greeting lovely readers. I hope the week hasn't been too harsh on any of you. On this side of the world I could finally enter the outside after been cooped up in the house for more than a week. Was nice to be outside again. Took the time to have a look at my garden. I believe it is time to clear the pots and allow them to rest until spring rolls around again.
Other than that I have nothing to else to report. Been steadily working on the final book of Fell Dragon and it is coming along way too slowly for what I want to say!
But you didn't come here to listen to me moan. You came for the next installment of Fell Dragon. Enjoy!
Doran groggily woke in the evening, confused as to why the blanket had wrapped around his hand so tightly. Releasing it he sat up and rubbed at his head, he had a splitting headache but at least the pink elephants were no longer flying around the room. He looked up at the medications that hung above him. There were painkillers and some antibiotics. He would need that considering what happened to him. Along with his aching head, he remembered Saita. Everything in his body urged him to jump up and find her but as soon as he lifted the blanket covering him, he realised two things. One, he was naked and two, a catheter had been inserted. He would have stomached removing the needle in the back of his hand but to remove the catheter was a daunting thought. He collapsed against the pillows and groaned as his head pained him again. He looked out the closest window and saw a thick haze hanging in the evening sky. Emergency services must have finally contained all the fires and he wondered how many people had been hurt.
“How are you feeling?” asked a voice.
He looked up to see the older of the twins, Kiai, peer into his room. She looked well, considering what she had gone through, nothing but a few bandages on her arms and hands.
“Saita?” was all he asked.
“She was still in surgery last I heard.”
“I let go…” he cursed under his breath. “I tried so hard…”
“That is on me, not you.” She said as she came to sit at the foot of his bed. “I should not have placed the responsibility of looking after her on you when you were so badly injured.”
“What of the others?” he muttered as he sat forward with a groan. “I am going to be ill.”
Kiai reached for a small trash can and handed it to him to be sick in. She waited for him to finish retching before saying. “You were the most serious of those injured. What were you doing? You were right next to us.”
“Your brother grabbed the children before I could, and I thought I could grab the King and Queen but then the floor disappeared, and I woke up when you found me. Hand me my file.” Doran placed the trashcan on the side table and held his hand forward.
Kiai removed the clipboard from the foot of the bed and gave it to the man which started reading it.
“I understand none of this and my head hurts.” he flung the file from him in annoyance and leaned back into his pillows.
“Shall I call a nurse?”
He shook his head and then asked. “How is your family?”
“They will all live.”
They sat in relative awkward silence before Kiai asked. “What is Saita?”
Any mental shields he could think of, he raised and simply said. “Not my place to say.”
“I saw her injury. She should have bled out while helping us, but she didn’t.”
Doran flinched and tried to recall if he had seen Saita at all but all he remembered was her voice and it sounded like she was drowning. As if coming to save him, Aleux entered the room, on crutches, with his mother, Darla, and Beatrice.
“He is awake, Mom.” He said as he hobbled over to the closest chair and sat down.
Myla faffed over him, checking pulse, and pupil reaction and was about to check the placement of the catheter before Doran stopped her with a pink hue on his face. “I am fine.”
“Rubbish.” Said his wife as she sat down heavily. “You have something like four holes straight through you. You are lucky your heart wasn’t pierced. You are stupid, stupid man!”
Doran watched as Myla flinch each time, he was called stupid. “It was my duty as…”
“I know!” snapped Darla. “But...could you at least do it more safely?”
All he could do was nod his head, which still ached.
“How is your head?” asked Myla as she picked up his file. “They took you off the opiates, so I am assuming you are feeling pain and…”
She peered into the wastebasket. “Nausea, check. Do you want anything to help with that?”
He shook his head. “What I want is someone to tell me what is going on.”
“You need to think of yourself now.” said his wife as she gripped his hand tightly.
“I have a duty…” he started.
“Yes, to me, as your wife.” Darla cried suddenly and gripped his hand hard. “Can you stop thinking of other people’s children and consider that your sons nearly lost you today!”
“Darla…”
“No! No Darla. Be selfish for once in your life.” She yelled at him.
The noise caused his head to ache, and he had to reach for the wastebasket to vomit once more. Once he gained his voice back, he whispered. “Okay, okay.”
Darla fought her tears and refused to look at Myla, whom she knew was taking most of the blame though she had never intended for that to happen. She threw herself into Doran’s chest when her tears could no longer be hidden, and she wept against him.
“I’m sorry to make you worry.” Whispered Doran.
“Learn to be damn selfish just once in your life.” She mumbled into his chest. “Just once.”
“Okay.” he hugged her to him and sighed. “Okay.”
“The only thing you need to know is that everyone is alive.” Said Kiai.
“Where is your brother?” asked Beatrice.
“Which one?” grinned the young woman.
“Your other half. The psychopath.”
“Don’t call him that.” Growled Kiai. “No one can help the way they are born.”
“I know where he is.” Said Aleux with a grin. “And Beatrice didn’t you tell me that I shouldn’t listen to tales of people when I have not seen them in action myself.”
The old handmaiden blushed and cleared her throat. “Fair enough. I apologise. Saita has me worried.”
“Out.” Said Doran softly. “I need rest.”
Myla knew it had taken everything in the man to make that order, but she would respect it.
“Let’s go check on the others. I wouldn’t mind seeing both your brothers myself Kiai.”
“Very well.” the woman turned to Doran. “Our conversation is not over soldier.”
“Oh, it very much is. I don’t recognise your link to the throne. Now leave.” said Doran as he held his wife. “I am tired.”
Taken aback but the harshness Kiai had no choice but to leave the room with the rest of those gathered. She had thought Doran, being as injured as what he had been, would be the weak link out of all of them to get answers from but he had been quite resistant to any of her mind probes.
“Ask your question.” Said Myla as she came to stand next to her. “Though I can already guess which it is you want to know.”
“What is that child?” she asked without hesitation.
“Let’s find a place where I can sit then we can talk.”
“Your Majesty!” exclaimed Beatrice with irritation. “I only agreed to accompany you if you got to rest. Can you please take five minutes to just sit down and rest?”
“I need to find Karesh and I don’t particularly want to repeat this story several times.” Myla sighed heavily.
“We shouldn’t be telling them anything.” she hissed. “What purpose would it serve? They are Lizard chosen!”
Kiai whirled on the spot and slapped the large black woman. Those gathered didn’t know who had the biggest look of surprise on their face at the action. Beatrice touched her cheek and made to say something, but Kiai beat her to it. “I...I’m sorry.”
“Mom, can I go back to Doran?” asked Aleux.
“Go, I don’t think Darla would mind.”
Aleux slowly backed up from the group and closed the room door after himself.
“Beatrice, I will rest but for now, please leave us.”
Beatrice bowed and walked away while muttering something under her breath about how tempers didn’t fall far from a tree.
“That...was not meant to happen.” Said Kiai as she looked at her hand.
“It has been an emotional day. We need to find Karesh. Come.” the Queen started walking to the closest information booth.
Kiai did notice the guards that followed close by, they were in civilian clothing, likely to prevent panic in those that were in the hospital. As Myla moved you wouldn’t have noticed that she had been seriously injured earlier in the day. Once she had the information, she needed she was off again with Kiai in tow.
“Before I say anything we need to talk to Karesh.”
“You are exhausted, Aunt Myla. My curiosity can wait.”
“No, I don’t think it can.”
They continued in silence until they made it to a surgical ward that looked different from those they had passed earlier. The smell of blood and disinfection was so strong here that Kiai nearly vomited.
“You are a sensitive, aren’t you?” asked Myla.
“A secondary power yes.” Kiai tried not to breathe too deeply.
It didn’t take long for them to find Karesh and those that gathered around him. Myla threw herself around the King’s neck and hugged him tightly.
“I’m fine.” He grumbled. “A dislocated hip and some bruises. I’m fine.”
The two Heavenly chuckled and Saseric snorted. As if noticing the lizard for the first time Myla looked him up and down before slapping him.
“That’s for attacking my husband.” She said before giving him another. “And for my son.”
Before she could ready the third slap the Lizard caught her hand and whispered. “I gave you two because I do deserve it, but I will not suffer a third. I am not the one that caused today.”
“Saseric what the hell?” demanded Kiai, pale and in shock at seeing him.
“Princess Kiai, it is a long story.” the lizard grumbled. “One we will have to talk about if you go back to your planet.”
“What is going on!?” Kiai demanded. “An assassin, no, THE Assassin to the Lizard Royals together with the human royals.”
“Believe it or not, I am as shocked as you to have him here and not fleeing like Saita said he would.” Said Karesh.
“Perhaps we can summarise.” Said the older Heavenly. “Saseric failed in his mission to kill the male line. Trapped on the planet he tried to make a deal with Saita for his safety. He would have gotten off of this planet if his conscience had not gotten the better of him when he heard about today’s plot. A plot perpetrated by the Lizards but carried out by humans. Did I get everything?”
“Pretty much perfect.” the lizard released Myla and looked through the window. “They are done with her now.
All eyes were glued to the door that slammed open as the Butchers wheeled their patient out of the operating room. Saseric was quick to replace his cowl before he was noticed, and he turned his back on those that were gathering.
“She is still mercifully asleep.” Said Jarah with a sigh of relief. “Vitals are steady, she is hurting but she seems to be hiding well from it with the sleep you induced Heavenly.”
“As long as she hears all your voices and remains calm, she should be able to sleep for about a week.” the elderly Heavenly said with a smile.
Jarah chased the Butchers off to clean up the mess they had left in the room. “We all saw your face Lizard; we are curious but will likely not tell a soul if that is what you wish.”
Saseric grumbled under his voice but didn’t say anything. Jarah pushed the bed until it was next to Karesh’s.
“I will leave her here for a while so that we can prepare a room for her to rest in.” he stretched and added. “I need to go speak to an ophthalmologist soon. The quicker they have a look the better the chances of saving her sight.”
“What?” Myla’s mouth gaped in shock. “What did you say?
“Ah...I see you two have not spoken about what happened yet.” Jarah looked a little uncomfortable but shrugged and barrelled on ahead. “Myla…”
“The blast of the bomb under the stadium caused shrapnel to tear her face apart and likely destroyed her right eye. If there is no brain damage, she is incredibly lucky.” Said Saseric.
Karesh turned to give the lizard a dirty look, but he just shrugged and said. “How would you like me to sugarcoat that Karesh? There was no way her eye survived and if it had she was so busy running around helping others she would have caused irreparable damage.”
“There is no brain damage, but he is right. By the time she got here, there was no chance of fixing the damage to her eye, as for her face, there will be scarring, despite the effort that was put into it.” Jarah tried to prevent a fight. “She will live, that is what is important.”
“But how?” asked Kiai. “I don’t understand how she was able to take that sort of injury and still save the people that she did. How?”
“She is a…” started Karesh before he stopped to take a deep breath. “Damn it.”
“She isn’t human, is she?” asked Saseric. “That would explain so much about her.”
“No, she is human.” Said Jarah with a frown. “She is human, and you will never tell her otherwise.”
Saseric’s nostrils flared momentarily before his yellow eyes narrowed and he said. “I see.”
He looked down at the girl that had been tucked into the bed. Her face had been covered with a thick dressing that was held in place with bandages. She looked like the preserved bodies of the ancient humans.
“Heh, a mummy.” He half chuckled before he looked at Myla and said. “Your daughter is a biological construct, isn’t she?”
Kiai’s heart skipped a beat while Myla and Karesh barely blinked. Something akin to fury started to bubble in her chest and she now understood why her twin always fought so hard against his rage.
“It is not what you think.” Said Myla when she noticed Kiai’s face.
“She truly is a foundling.” interrupted Saseric. “Control your temper before you call your brother down upon us.”
“She saved my life from the assassination earlier in the year.” Said Karesh. “We discovered what she was soon after that.”
“It is illegal.” hissed Kiai. “You need to report this.”
“To whom exactly? We, the humans, outlawed it, she is human, at least started out as one. Those of the highest authority already know.” said Karesh. “She was not created by humans, at least not ones we can trace her to.”
Kiai clenched her fists and muttered. “How could you?! My father wanted to marry her off to my nephew. She isn’t even a real human, a half-life.”
“Excuse me.” interrupted the elderly Heavenly. “Least you all forget, she can hear you. It would be appreciated that your prejudices to a crime, which was not of her making, not be yelled over her. She is innocent in all of this.”
Kiai immediately regretted her words and felt the blush rise on her neck. This was a living, breathing person who lay next to her. Someone who had laughed and smiled at Kiai’s jokes. One who had made Viribus smile, something he had not done since the death of his one son. However, she was man-made so could she truly contain a soul?
“I know what you are thinking, Princess.” said the Elder. “The answer is yes. She was born from a loving union and that was the last time she felt love before coming here.”
Embarrassed that her own intimate thoughts had been exposed she decided it was best to remain silent from now on and rather listen to what was said.
“Karesh, you need to prepare her.” said the older Heavenly as the younger one tried to silence him.
“Excuse me?”
“Elder!”
“Hush, we cannot change her fate, you know it, I know it, but we can ease it.”
The older Heavenly sighed and turned to Karesh and Myla before saying. “You need to watch your words carefully. You gave her speech, and she will always hang on to your words. Always be clear in what you want from her.”
“Cryptic nonsense.” laughed Saseric. “Typical soothsayer nonsense.”
“Let me make a prediction.” the Lizard turned and pointed to the sleeping girl. “This girl will end the long-standing hatred between mammals and lizards. Not only will she end it, but she will build an empire from it because of a single good deed.”
He laughed then said sarcastically. “See? Anyone can do it.”
The younger of the Heavenly rolled his eyes and muttered. “Surprisingly accurate for a joke.”
“And he will be king one day.” Karesh pointed a thumb behind him to Saseric getting in on the joke.
“After his father, he would be.” Said Kiai softly. “This is the current ruling Lizard’s only offspring.”
Karesh rubbed his face and groaned loudly. “Why are you even here? Because all it seems you are doing is vexing me.”
“Great Karesh we stand upon a precipice. This, half-life, as what Princess Kiai has called your daughter is going to shape the very reality that we know.”
“She is a little girl.” Said Jarah. “One who is in dire need of sleep, healing, and some quiet. Could we consider these dire talks at another time?”
The younger Heavenly gripped the older one’s arm and said. “This is premature Elder.”
“Perhaps yes but I want you all to realize that all of you will play an important part in all of this.” the Heavenly turned to face Saseric. “Yes, even you, young Prince.”
“Stop calling me that.” spat the Lizard.
“And Karesh, forgive your brother-in-law.” the Elder continued. “He never wanted the death of your son, and it eats at him daily.”
“You forgot one thing Elder.” reminded the younger one.
“Oh yes, this.” he reached into his sleeve. “For the girl when she wakes.”
He pulled an envelope free and placed it in an astonished Myla’s hands. “Courage and selflessness should be rewarded.”
“Is that a favour?” said Jarah in awe.
“That is what you mortals call it, yes. We call it a promise. A promise to do what we can for the one we award it to. She will need guidance when eventually she wants to use it, good council, don’t be selfish.” he turned to Kiai and said. “You and your brother are to share this with her. All three of you should decide what is needed from it. If you cannot decide then it cannot be granted. Do you understand?”
“Y-yes.” she stammered.
“The Royals have always stood stronger together, don’t let this tragedy bring you together for no reason. Take the time to learn from the past and grow into a strong future. You will need it.” the Elder bowed and then looked down at the resting child. “She will rest a while, don’t be concerned if she doesn’t wake for some time. As long as things around her are calm she will rest and heal. As for her, let’s call them disabilities, in the future, you will find a way around them Jarah but for now, you are doing the best you can. Don’t beat yourself up, you are not intentionally torturing her.”
“We should go. By your permission, Your Majesties.” said the younger Heavenly with a slight bow.
Karesh nodded his head but could find no words. Instead, he placed a hand on Saita’s arm and said. “Thank you Heavenly.”
“Raise her well. How she is raised will determine everything.”
Doran had finally sent his very concerned wife back home and he could breathe a little easier. Aleux was fast asleep in a chair close by. Doran was hungry but the nurses had insisted that he wait a day before being allowed solid food. For now, he would have to rely on intravenous feeding, which did nothing to dull the hunger in his belly. He was on the verge of asking for soup, any soup when another bed was wheeled into his room. He was not opposed to sharing but he still had a headache and feeling hungry just added to his grouchiness. The last thing he wanted was someone else whining in the same room as him.
“I’m putting her here so that she can get some rest.” Said Jarah. “When Darla comes back in the morning, she can chase all of you out.”
“I won’t stay long.” Said Kiai softly. “Enough to say good night then…”
“Say good night now and go to your family.” Jarah blocked her at the door. “When it is normal visiting hours, you can come round again as you are family but for now, I will insist that you leave.”
“I could go get my brother.” threatened the woman.
“And I could scream like a terrified child and then neither of us gets what we want. Good night, Kiai.”
“Fine but at least let Doran know what he is in for during the night.”
Curiosity had him sitting forward so he could see who was being wheeled into the room. His entire body grew cold when he saw Saita and her condition. Jarah must have noticed him staring because he raised a hand and said. “Yo, didn’t mean to wake you.”
“What happened?” he asked, barely above a whisper.
“That’s right, she sat behind you, you wouldn’t have seen her face.” Jarah wheeled the bed until it came to rest on the soldier’s left side. “The specialist will be here soon; I’ll draw the curtain so that you do not have to see.”
“Specialist? Draw the curtain? What happened!?”
Saita stirred and Jarah placed a finger on his lips. “Shh. Lower your voice.”
Once Jarah was sure that Saita had settled again, he said. “Whether from the explosion or her falling against something she suffered massive trauma to her face. She’s lost an eye. I’m having a specialist come in and have a look to see if she can be fitted for her first prosthetic.”
“First?” Doran was struck dumb at the news.
“Well, she is only about 14 now and eyes generally grow until we are about 21 so likely this will be the first of about three or four. We will have to see what the specialist says.”
Doran collapsed back against his pillows and squeezed his eyes closed. “If only I had held onto her.”
“With your condition?” scoffed Jarah as he picked up the file to scan through it. “You were lucky to have been found conscious in the first place. I wouldn’t punish myself too much if I were you. Likely it was debris thrown up by the blast that did the job. I didn’t find many remnants of the eyeball, so it didn’t burst while she moved around but likely before.”
Jarah looked up at the soldier and smiled kindly. “She is young, she will adapt. Like you did.”
“Mine was from fighting Lizards…”
“Lower your voice.” Jarah once more brought a finger to his lips. “The Heavenly said that she will remain asleep only as long as we remain calm around her and talk gently. She can hear you.”
Before Doran could say anything, a handmaiden came into the room and said. “Have you damaged your eye, Doran?”
“What? No! I’m fine.” He grumbled. “Not your patient.”
“Ah Megan, good, good, this is the patient I wanted you to see. You read her file, yes?” Jarah pulled the curtain divider to block Doran from seeing anything. “I saved the optic nerve, there is some damage, but I was wondering if you would work some of your tech knowledge to have her fitted with a biomechanical model.”
Doran strained his ears to listen to what they said but he was unable to see anything,
“Biomechanical could be difficult with her altered genetic state, I would have no idea how it would affect her or if it would even take. Wouldn’t a simple glass eye suffice?”
“No, that will not do. If you cannot manage a biomechanical model, how about a mechanical one. Insert a socket into the skull that can allow for growth as she ages and then as the socket stretches out exchange the sizes of the eye.”
“Possible but I would have to see the wound for myself and the x-rays. I still haven’t received them.”
“Well excuse me, there were several explosions today and I haven’t gotten round to sending them to you.” Said Jarah. “Just look here.”
There was some silence for a while before Megan sighed. “Did you even get a plastic surgeon in to do any of the work on her face, she looks horrific.”
“You know what she is like with anaesthesia, we did what we could.” Said Jarah. “Considering the level of debridement we had to do it is obviously going to be quite swollen.”
“Well, it will scar, not much we can do about that. If her healing factor is as high as what I have heard it was then hopefully most of that will remain a slight, albeit long scar. You actually did a pretty good job. Let me see what I can do in the next few days. The quicker we make use of that optic nerve the least likely we will lose it.”
Megan pulled open the curtains and noticed Doran eavesdropping, she smiled kindly and said. “She will adapt as you had to. She will likely not even realize the difference.”
She then turned to Jarah. “I want her file in my office before your shift ends. If there are any nice close-ups of her face, please include them. I will try to match the blue as best as possible. How much longer do you think she will sleep so deeply? A day? Two?”
“A week according to a Heavenly.”
“More than enough time for me to do it. Fill her up with antibiotics because if she has an infection while I work the new eye will not take.”
“I know how to do my job, Dear.” Said Jarah sarcastically.
“I hope to see that file soon. Good night, Doran. Hope you feel better in the morning, you appear quite pale.”
And with that, the handmaiden left the room.
“She is right.” Said Jarah. “You are pale. Need anything while I am here?”
“Could you...maybe push her closer?”
“Of course. A friendly voice will cut through her pain until I can mix up her normal cocktail to be given to her later.”
It was only after Jarah left that Doran reached for Saita’s hand and held onto it tightly, whispering. “Now don’t you dare leave me sight.”
A rather large update today, but I felt these two sections needed to be put together. Don't be afraid to drop a comment or two and maybe a follow if you want to read some of my other work.
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If you have missed any of the parts, you can find them here:
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| Part 1| Part 2|
| Part 3| Part 4|
| Part 5| Part 6|
| Part 7| Part 8|
| Part 9| Part 10|
|Part 11||Part 12|
|Part 13 - You Are Here|Part 14 - Updated on Tuesday|
