Chapter12
Elai
The twin dragons allowed the escapees to inhabit the land and they stood as their gate and protectors. The zebralings became used to the children and they would ride them around the land as if they were horses. While everyone took time to explore the greatness of Grandelyn, Ariyah managed to find something great herself. Vanka was the guardian to Orraco, Sheevar and Ariyah. She promised Crystaline that if anything was to happen to her that she would take full responsibility for Ariyah. One morning while Vanka and the other women went to gather food to cook that day, Ariyah decided that she should go looking around the far off forests of Grandelyn. Sheevar and Orraco were to follow along. The forests were just as beautiful as the beach of the land. It was a forest of palm trees and fafura plants. Different flowers everywhere; lotus', water lilies, orchids, begonias, and rattlesnake flowers filled the area peacefully.
“Ooh I want to pick these so that I can put them in my collection” Sheevar squealed. She adored flowers, especially blue roses, and on every trip around the land she would pick them and put them in her basket.
“Look at this one, Ariyah” She picked up a magnificent fuchsia flower.
“That would look beautiful in your hair” Ariyah said, putting one inside Sheevar’s curly blond hair and then one in her own thick long ponytail. As the two girls marveled at it, Orraco, who was bored, came over and snatched the flower out of their hands. He put it in his dark hair and began prancing around.
“Ooh look at me. I like flowers because I'm so girly. Ooh I'm such a girl.” He playfully mocked them.
“Give that back!” Sheevar demanded.
“No, because I'm too much of a girl. I just need my flowers.” He teased again.
“I'm warning you, Orraco, give it back”. Sheevar threatened, dropping her basket to the ground.
“No, I'm warning you that I'm not going to do anything because I'm too much of a girl.” He girlishly teased and then blew raspberries at them. Sheevar and Ariyah gave each other a devilish look because they both knew what they had to do.
“Let's get him!” Ariyah said as they charged after him. Orraco dropped the flowers and began running. They were close on his tail but he was just too fast for them. Ariyah had a plan.
“Sheevar, you go on the lower left side and hide and I'll go on the upper right side!” She called out to as they continued running.
“You got it!” Sheevar called back.
Orraco was so far ahead that he had not seen what the girls’ plan was. When he turned around to see how far they were he saw that no one was chasing him. He stopped sprinting as his eyes searched the forest for them.
“Ariyah? Sheevar?” He called out. They were hiding behind the opposite side of the bushes as they watched him closely. “Sheevar? Ariyah? Where are you, girls?” He called out again. He was starting to get worried. When he walked into the middle path of their ambush, he called out again.
“Okay, girls, it’s not funny anymore! Come out!” The forest was quiet except for the crickets singing. Ariyah tried hard not to giggle as they watched him sweat with worry.
“Girls?” He said quietly. Ariyah threw her arm in the air as a signal to Sheevar to come out and charge. She let out a war cry as they ran from behind the bushes and jumped on him. They wrestled him to the ground. Ariyah grabbed his arms and sat on his back. His 10 year old ample body writhed from side to side and she couldn't get a good grip on him.
“Sheevar, help me!” she laughed. She sat on his legs and pulled them backwards and Ariyah did the same to his arms. He cried out in defeat. “Say you're sorry.” Ariyah demanded.
“Never!” he defied. Sheevar and Ariyah both pulled his limbs back further. “Say you're sorry!” She demanded again.
“Okay, okay I'm sorry.” He cried out in pain.
“And promise you won't pick on us for being girls anymore.” she demanded.
“Okay!”
“And you are going to pick me more flowers.” Sheevar demanded.
“I will not do such a thing.” He defied again. They brought his limbs back even further. He screamed out.
“Okay, I will get you more flowers!”
“Do you promise?” They both asked.
“Yes, I bloody promise. Now let go!” He begged. Feeling their victory they got off of him. They giggled with each other as they watched Orraco pull himself from the ground. He looked at them pitifully.
“You mustn't tell anyone of this” he said, straightening his clothing.
“Your secret is safe with us, your highness.” Ariyah said teasing him.
The three continued their journey into the woods. Sheevar continued to pick flowers while Orraco picked up a salamander and fed it crickets. Ariyah didn't know exactly what she was looking for but she was bored because she was the only one without a pet or a hobby of some sort. All she had to look at was the gloomy medallion her mother was in. They ended up finding a stream.
“Look, it has clear water” she said as they walked over to the rocky ground.
“Is it drinkable?” Orraco asked.
“I don't know but let's see” Ariyah said trying to step inside to taste it. Orraco pulled her back.
“No, let me do it. It could be dangerous.” He placed his palm inside the clear stream and took a gulp from it. He studied the water and moved his lips around a bit. “It seems fine to me, but I don't want you two to drink it yet. Let's just tell the adults about it to be sure.” He pulled them away from the rocky stream.
The golden sky was getting darker signaling evening’s approach. It was time for the children to head back to the mainland. They ran through the woods again, playing and chasing each other, trying to see who was the fastest. Ariyah realized that the stream would be hard to find again if they didn't have a mark somewhere.
“Wait!” she called out to them. She saw a tree and a small pebble and decided it would be good to carve the words STREAM on it so that the adults would know which way to go to study the water. As she began carving the letters into the bark, she heard some squawking. They looked around and didn't see anything. But as she continued, she saw a dark shadow across the tree and then she felt something heavy on her shoulder. Orraco and Sheevar gasped. Ariyah slowly turned her head to her shoulder only to see two yellow clawed feet perched on it. She looked up and it was a young eagle. A white eagle with a black head and black wings had landed on her shoulder.
“Wow look at that! He likes you.” Orraco said in awe.
“Yes, I see.” she said nervously. She was too stiff to move. The beautiful bird began to lovingly nudge his head on Ariyah’s. It was pleasant. But she had never encountered such a thing and really just wanted him off of her. “Goodbye now, Mr. Birdie.” She nervously placed him on a bush.
“Let's go before we get an ear full from the adults.” Orraco said. The children began walking when the eagle flew on Ariyah’s shoulder again.
“You again?” she said in annoyance.
“I think he wants to be with you Ariyah” Sheevar said. Ariyah swung herself to get the bird off of her again. He flew up and then perched himself on her again. She tried to run from it but he was in pursuit of her. He stalked her but not seeking harm, just her affection. She realized there would be no getting rid of him so she gave in. Besides she wouldn't have to be bored anymore. While Sheevar would collect her flowers and Orraco fed his salamander, she decided she would have an eagle as a pet. Plus with his black head, amber eyes, and pure white body she thought he was kind of cute.
“Okay then. Very well.” She repositioned him on her shoulder so that his claws didn't dig into her skin so much. “I think I'll call you...Elai.” The eagle began to flap with excitement. He liked it. Elai was a special eagle. He had the ability to understand humans. He had been in Grandelyn since the beginning, almost a decade ago. He was around when the city of Grandelyn was a thriving, majestic kingdom full of life; human life, as well as the unique animals that were still there. Being a city
of royalty, Elai’s family of eagles were guardians of the land, flying daily over the skies, watching to make sure there were no intruders. He knew the royal family before the destruction occurred. He knew so much, but he couldn’t tell his new friend any of it. He could only befriend her and hopefully one day guide her to the truth. He showed the children a shortcut to get back to the mainland quickly. When they got back, Vanka was not pleased to see that Ariyah had brought back a pet with her.
“You can't have a wild animal, Ariyah. These things are dangerous.” She said trying to brush him away. Ariyah guarded Elai and put him on her forearm away from her.
“No, Vanka, he's a sweetheart. He likes me a lot. He's special.” Vanka watched how Elai fluttered all over and around Ariyah and how much of a smile he brought to her face.
“Okay you can keep it. But just keep him away from me.” She said going back with the other adults to test the stream. Elai and Ariyah stayed behind and played the rest of the evening. He chased her around and even slept on her back at the end of the night. Elai ended up becoming more than just a pet to Ariyah, he became her best and most loyal friend.