Fly

Estïqiã and Pandorå experience their first flight, and Ava escapes from the mermaids.

"Oh, Ma-ra!" I sang out, trying to sound as girlish as possible. "Come quick! I simply must tell you a fabulous secret!" Mara and Coki looked up, intrigued, from their position across the cave, talking to a blue-haired mermaid.

"What is it?" Mara quickly swam to us at the mention of a juicy secret, her eyes excited.

"No, it's a super secret. Come here so I can whisper it in your ear." I insisted, giggling and flipping my hair. All those stuck up spoiled princesses Mother had introduced me to were finally serving a purpose.

"Ooh, I love secrets!" Mara squealed, and pulled herself partway onto the sand, where I could reach her. I started to lean over, then shot Saol a look like, do you mind? He scooted away, quickly hiding a smile. I leaned close to Mara's thick blue-green hair, and slowly brought a sharp piece of shell towards her.

Quickly, I grabbed Mara, and held the shell to her neck.

"Okay, this is how it's going to be, Mara. You'll let Saol and I free, and guide us to the surface, or I'll.....I'll use this on you!" I told her fiercely, while every single mermaid in the cave stared at us. Never intending to actually hurt her, I knew that Mara would do it; she would definitely do whatever it would take to keep me from cutting her. For a long time, there is only silence.

"Excuse me?" a mermaid spoke up. "Um, but we're like, immortal, so you, like, can't kill us."

Unless they couldn't be killed.

"Then.......then I'll......" I sputtered, thrown off balance.

"She'll cut off all your hair!" Saol burst out, and a quiet again descended over the cave. I stared at Saol like, what are you doing? He shrugged imperceptibly, looking slightly crestfallen that his plan seemingly had no effect.

"You wouldn't dare." Mara finally broke the silence, and I heard her voice tremble. Surprised, I noticed her eyes were wide and terrified. At first, I was at a loss for words, before quickly recovering and picking up the stride.

"That's right!" I declared. "I'll cut it uneven and very ugly, if you don't help us!" Mara let out a whimper, then slowly grasped the shackle around my ankle. She inserted a rusted key in the lock, and it sprang open. I slid into the water, and found it supremely difficult to stay above water and keep a hold of Mara. Saol got into the water, and moved through it easily, treading water with no effort whatsoever.

"Here. I'll take her." he offered, and took over the hostage situation, while I concentrated on staying above water. Taking a deep breath, Saol plunged underwater, taking Mara with him. I hesitated a moment, glancing back at the shore, and suddenly jumped out of the water and went back onto the shore, where the locked chest lay.

I grabbed the handle and got back into the pool, and took a couple deep breaths before going under, then forced my eyes to open and stay open in the tepid water. It was fairly clear, and I could make out Saol swimming away from me, towards the looming rock wall.

Saol waited patiently until I had dog-paddled my way over to him and Mara, who looked sullen but compliant. The chest weighed nothing, but it was still large and awkward, making it difficult to move quickly.

When Saol pushed Mara towards the rock wall, she slowly pressed her hand onto its surface. It glowed, and slid open to reveal a blue emptiness. Saol pointed at me, then shot Mara a look. She stuck out her tongue. He held up the seashell knife. Rolling her eyes, Mara grabbed my hand and began to swim. As soon as I passed through the door, I felt a huge weight leave me, and the presence of magic rushed at me, which sounds like it would be overwhelming, but actually felt wonderful.

"Zøå." I spoke, and felt the strange sensation as water moved down my throat, then filtered out of the sides of my neck, leaving oxygen in my lungs. I considered making eye protection, but decided I didn't need it. Saol didn't look like he needed gills, at the speed he was swimming. He swam effortlessly, and had no trouble keeping up with Mara, who had a blasted fish tail. The three of us swam together, moving through the gloomy depths towards Saol's and my freedom.

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Pandorå nudged Estïqiã softly with her nose, and let out a happy snuffle when she stirred slightly.
"Awake!" she cried happily. "Estïqiã awake!" Her voice was changing dramatically. It used to be clear, fresh, and childlike, but was rapidly changing into a more gravelly tone, which matched her current size and appearance better. Tiran quickly came running over, anxious and looking miserable at the same time. Pandorå knew that he blamed himself for Saol's death, because he hadn't stopped him.

"Estïqiã?" Tiran asked, and her form shifted again, her lips moving in a silent mumble. "Estïqiã? Are you okay?" Her violet eyes forced themselves open, blearily looked about. Pandorå, probing her, felt confusion, horrible realization, and then a crushing sense of grief and guilt, so strong that Pandorå had to pull away.

"Where am I? Where's Saol?" Estïqiã croaked, trying to sit up. Tiran gently pushed her back down.

"You're in Pandorå's cave. Saol....." he bit his lip. "Saol didn't come back." Estïqiã staggered to her feet drunkenly, and Pandorå offered support.

"We can't......we have to....." her words were slurred and mumbly, as Pandorå helped her regain her balance. Tiran gripped her arm, looking concerned.

"You need to stay, and rest. You're not well." he told her, but she shook her head vehemently.

"Got to......go there." she managed defiantly. Pandorå examined her shaky condition with concern. Whatever Saol had done to her, it had knocked her balance out of whack. The dragon hoped that it didn't last very long.

"Estïqiã, stop." Tiran used his sternest voice, but Pandorå snorted softly. He ought to know that something like that would have no effect on a determined Estïqiã. Come to think of it, when Estïqiã had her mind made up, nothing short of unconsciousness would stop her. Or death. Death would stop her, too, probably.

"Get off me!" With great effort, Estïqiã shoved Tiran backwards. By chance, his heel caught on a rough edge of the cave floor, and he went toppling backwards.

"Gods, Estïqiã, you are so stubborn!" Tiran said, irritated, and scrambled to his feet, dusting himself off. He looked around to find Estïqiã, then let out an exclamation of surprise to see and very stubborn Estïqiã climbing up Pandorå's back.

"Estïqiã! Get down!" Tiran shouted angrily, but she ignored him and seated herself. Pandorå felt her sitting in the small little divot on her back, which seemed to be made to carry someone. She felt uneasy; she had never carried anything before, and she wasn't even full grown.

"Pandorå, up!" Estïqiã cried, and she obediently extended her wings.

"Estïqiã, don't you dare-" Tiran was absolutely furious but the rest of his words were drowned out as Pandorå flapped down her powerful wings. A gust of wind sent Tiran sprawling, and Pandorå lifted herself off the ground, slowly but surely. Over time, she grew accustomed to the extra weight, and she flew up and out of the ceiling opening.

Despite her fatigue, annoyance, and fear, Estïqiã felt a rush of adrenaline upon takeoff. She had never flown past levitating a few feet off the ground, and even then, the amount of energy required usually kept her from enjoying herself.

This time, she didn't have to do anything but watch and listen. Feeling her bad experiences drifting away, she let out a loud cheer, knowing that nobody could hear her but Pandorå.

Pandorå smiled to herself.

She had waited so long to show Estïqiã the wonders of flight, and now she was able to show her how truly magical it was.

Hold on tight, Pandorå mentally sent to Estïqiã, and suddenly tucked in her wings, letting herself dive towards the ground at a nearly vertical angle. Estïqiã's heart dropped down to her toes, and she screamed as the ground rushed up to meet her, sure that she was going to die.

At the very last possible second, Pandorå extended her wings, and they shot upwards. Estïqiã's scream turned into a shout of laughter as butterflies filled her stomach.

Pandorå longed to show her more, but she knew that Estïqiã was anxious to get to the pond. Slowly, she landed gently back down on the ground, near the water, which look calm and normal, unaware of the grief it was causing everyone.

The dragon sensed Estïqiã's elation quickly melt away at the sight of the tranquil water. The elf's trembling legs carefully climbed down, and landed on the ground. Her legs mechanically moved to the edge of the pond, standing for a moment before completely giving out. Pandorå considered talking to her, but decided against it. Before, she would've wasted no opportunity to talk aloud, but lately, she had become more silent, talking to Estïqiã and Ava telepathically, but generally avoiding speaking aloud. A listener learns more than the speaker.

Like all dragons, she was maturing physically and mentally at a rapid rate. She guessed that she would be fully grown in a week at the least, two weeks at the most. As for her mind, it was confusing to process. She would soon be at the same mental level as Estïqiã, because of their Bond. Then they would progress together. Oftentimes, she would become confused, her young brain unable to retain all the information, but she was definitely getting better.

Right now, Pandorå felt awful anguish.

She did not quite fully comprehend death, despite her Bond with Estïqiã, because death by itself is a fickle thing to grasp. The ache in Estïqiã's heart from her parents' death expressed pain, but even though it hurt, it was an old wound. This was fresh.

Pandorå let out a small whimper, doing her best to block out Estïqiã, who wasn't trying to send her anything on purpose, but the terrible loss she felt was indescribable, and impossible to contain.

Estïqiã let out a soft, low sound, full of pain and grief. Pandorå shuddered at the awful keening cry, and slowly begin to realize that Ava was never coming back. Her heart ached for Ava, and even more so for Estïqiã, who was still alive to bear such grief.

Why did Ava have to die?

Pandorå lashed out her spiked tail, taking out a few trees. She opened her mouth, revealing deadly pointed teeth, and let out a fierce and massive roar, one that shook the forest to the very core. Everywhere within fifty miles either heard it, or sensed a flux in the flow of magic, for a dragon's roar is a very powerful and magical thing.

She ended the bellow with a mournful wail, and lowered herself onto the ground. Estïqiã was curled over onto the ground, with no reaction whatsoever to Pandorå's outburst.

Estïqiã. Pandorå nosed her large snout into her side. Estïqiã did not move. Estïqiã, please get up. Pandorå begged, her heart breaking to see her Bond to be in so much agony.

Suddenly, her sensitive ears picked up a slight sound, and she quickly looked up, to see a small amount of bubbles rising to the surface of the water.

Her mind became aware of a very familiar presence.

Estïqiã! Pandorå insisted, pushing at her side.

No movement.

ESTÏQIÃ!!

Still no response.

Angry now, Pandorå hooked her tooth into the collar of Estïqiã's tunic and yanked her off the ground.

"Pandorå! Put me down, right now!" Estïqiã shrieked, and Pandorå dumped her back down unceremoniously, so that she was facing the pond.

"I tried to tell you, but you ignored me!" Pandorå snapped out loud in her gravelly voice. "Now, look at the water!" Estïqiã stared at the water, then let out a squeak when she saw the bubbles.

A wet head of black hair broke the surface, and Saol burst out of the water, gulping fresh air. He was followed by two girls, one who was unfamiliar, and had blue green hair (and was that a fish tail?), but the other was very familiar. Pandorå wondered who the stranger was, but at the moment, she did not care. Ava was back, and Pandorå felt Estïqiã's happiness seeping into her mind. She was also happy to see Ava. She loved that girl to death, but Estïqiã's love for Ava was stronger than anything Pandorå had ever seen, stronger than the love Pandorå sensed in Tiran for Estïqiã.

Ava stumbled out of the water, staggering as if she were drunk, and Pandorå hummed happily in her throat as Estïqiã ran into the water.

As soon as she reached Ava, Estïqiã reached up and slapped her cheek.

Hard.

But before anyone could react, she threw her arms around Ava, and for the fourth time in her life, Estïqiã cried.

Author's Note

So, Pandorå and Estïqiã are starting this really awesome journey, huh? I guess Ava doesn't get anything special.........or maybe she will.......