Sky Riders: The Rising Sun
Ultimatum

"You'll need to give him a name, you know."

Eliana lowered the bow she held and looked towards Caelum'svoice. He lay at the edge of the archery range under a tree, looking up intoits branches.

"What?" she asked.

He lifted one hand and pointed up at the branches of thetree, where the little golden dragon had climbed. "Your dragon," hereplied. "He'll need a name. Have you thought of one yet?"

"Not really," she replied, raising the bow again.She sighted down the length of the arrow and drew it back. "Honestly, Ihaven't thought about it at all." She paused, then released the arrow fromthe string.

It struck the third ring of her target down range. She gavea frustrated shout and stamped her foot. "I don't understand!" shecried in irritation. "I was the best archer in Vegrandis. I've been ableto hit a bullseye from thirty yards since I was eight years old, and I have nothit it once in the last five days!"

Caelum shifted in the grass, and she looked over at him. Hepropped his head up on one fist and surveyed her with a thoughtful expression."Eliana," he said, "what are you trying to prove, and towhom?"

She sighed and pushed her hair from her face, looking backat the target. It was littered with half a dozen arrows, none of them in thecenter. "I don't know," she answered quietly. "I suppose Ijust... want to prove that I can do something right. Ever since the elves have started hearingabout the dragon, seeing this mark on my hand, they've been giving me theselooks like... like they think it was all a mistake. Here, they've been waitingfor this great hero to arise, and all they get is... me..."

The elf pushed himself up into a sitting position andfrowned at her. "Don't be ridiculous, Eliana. Dragons don't make mistakes.You were chosen for this."

"Well..." she let out a sharp breath. "Well,maybe Astrum was wrong then." Caelum did not respond to this, so after ashort pause, she went on. "I don't know if I'm the person he talked about,but I just want to prove to everyone that I am somebody. That I can be worthy of that dragon. I wantto prove it to everyone—to Mara, to Denio, to the queen... even to you..."She bit her lip, immediately regretting the confession and her momentaryvulnerability.

Caelum stood and crossed the archery range towards her. Shedropped her gaze, but he slid his hand under her chin, gently coaxing her faceupwards so that their eyes met. His thumb grazed her jawbone, caressing herskin. He smiled at her in his laughing, teasing way.

"Don't you see, Eliana?" he asked with a chucklein his voice. "You don't have to prove anything to anyone. Least of all tome. I already have faith in you, as do many of the other elves. The only personyou need to convince is yourself. When you have faith in yourself, the otherswill follow suit."

His hand left her skin abruptly, and he walked down therange to the arrow-covered target. He pulled the arrows out one by one, thenreturned to her side. Dropping five into the grass with their arrowheads buriedin the earth, he handed her the sixth arrow.

"Place it on the string," he told her.

She did as he instructed, stationing her feet, placing theshaft against the bow, and knocking the end against the bowstring. He steppedup behind her, starling her as his chest pressed against her back. His armsrested against hers as he placed his hands over her own. Eliana felt frozen bythe warmth of his skin, the caress of his breath on her cheek.

"You grasp the bow too tightly," he whispered,close to her ear. "Hold it like a bird—tightly enough to keep it fromescaping, but not so tight that you would harm it."

One of his long fingers stroked the tender skin on theinside of her left wrist, and she loosened her grip slightly.

"Good," he said. "Now, draw the string."He caressed the back of her right hand, and she drew back on the string untilit touched the corner of her mouth. "Feel the tension in the bow. Do you feelits energy? Calm your mind and focus on that energy."

She was struggling to focus on anything but the feeling ofhis body so close to hers. Still, she calmed her rattled mind as best shecould, feeling the tension in the string.

"Now, draw a breath."

She felt his chest rise against her back, and she breathedin rhythm to the movement.

"Exhale, and release."

He breathed out, the air warm on her cheek, and tapped theback of her right hand with one finger. She exhaled with him and released thestring. She dimly noted the passing of the arrow through the air, distantly sawthe arrow strike the center of the target, but she did not react to it.

"Well done," Caelum whispered, his lips nearlytouching her ear as he spoke.

The task was completed, but he did not move. He remainedwhere he was, his body curved around hers, and Eliana did not attempt to breakthe contact. She drew a shaky breath, leaning into the strength and security ofhis chest. Hesitantly, she turned her face towards him, their noses nearly brushing.His blue eyes were intent upon her face, and she felt herself flush under hisgaze, her breath hitching in her chest.

"Caelum!" a voice called sharply.

Eliana jumped in surprise, her head whipping towards thesound. Mara stood at the edge of the range, watching them with a sternexpression. Eliana's face burned with embarrassment and guilt, like a childcaught muddying her best dress. Caelum calmly took a step backwards, putting asmall amount of space between them, apparently undisturbed by the positionthey'd been found in.

"Good morning, Mara," he called back to thearchivist calmly.

The woman nodded, then asked, "Caelum, may I speak withyou a moment?"

It was then that Eliana noticed her dragon waddling towardsher across the grass. Still flightless, he had scrambled down from the tree andwas coming towards her. She could feel his presence in her mind, trying tomuddle through her confusing emotions.

She knelt as Caelum crossed over to where Mara stood, andoffered the hatchling her arm. He climbed onto it, then scrambled up onto hisfavorite spot on her shoulder. Astrum had been right about the dragon growingquickly. In the five short days since he'd hatched, he had nearly doubled inlength and weight; it would not be long before he would no longer fit on hisfavorite perch. He nuzzled at her questioningly, searching for the cause of herapparent distress.

Eliana let her thoughts mingle with the dragon's, which hadbecome almost as natural as breathing, and pushed her thoughts into his. "Hush,"she said soothingly. "It's alright. I'm fine."

The worried sensation in the back of her mind settledslightly, and she turned her attention to the side of the archery range, whereCaelum and Mara were deep in a discussion. Mara was speaking seriously, thoughshe did not appear angry. Caelum was listening silently, but something in hisexpression hinted at the fact that he was not truly taking any of it in.

Mara seemed to notice too, and she raised her voice."…can't afford this, Caelum! She doesn't need... only distract her fromher purpose! ...hurt everyone, including her!"

Caelum frowned and gave an unheard reply with a firm shakeof his head. Mara lowered her voice again, continuing their heated conversationquietly enough that Eliana could no longer hear, though she still watched themcuriously. They continued in this matter for a few moments longer, then Caelumturned his face towards Eliana, meeting her eyes across the range.

He said something to Mara while holding Eliana’s gaze acrossthe few yards that separated them. Something in his eyes made Eliana anxious,and she shifted worriedly, yearning to interrupt the conversation and demand toknow what was happening.

Whatever he said, it made Mara smile with a slight look ofrelief. Caelum looked back at the archivist and spoke, to which she repliedwith a nod and a smile. He smiled as well, but Eliana could see that theexpression was forced. The archivist turned and walked away, heading backtowards the palace.

Caelum remained at the edge of the practice range for amoment, his arms crossed over his chest, looking down at his boots. His browwas furrowed in thought. Eliana was about to go to him when he turned and cametowards her instead. He looked weary—sad, even, she thought.

"Is everything alright?" she asked.

He gave another forced smile, which did nothing to ease herconcerns. "Of course. My mother simply wanted to speak to us."

"Now?" Eliana asked, anxiety knotting in her gut.She had not seen the queen since the day the dragon had hatched, when she'dheard her cruel words through the window.

"Well, soon," Caelum replied. "I want you totake a few more practice shots though, to make sure you have it down." Hewas playing at getting back to business, and Eliana did not press the matter.

Caelum held out his forearm to the dragon on her shoulder.The hatchling looked at the girl, giving a nervous, questioning chirrup.

"It's alright," she told him in his mind. "Gowith him."

With a worried sound in his throat, the dragon stepped fromher shoulder and onto Caelum's forearm. Though he hadn't attacked the elf sincethat first evening, he still became nervous and skittish around Caelum. Elianacould only attribute that to her own nervousness around the elf. But at leastshe no longer had to worry about her young charge taking off one of Caelum'sfingers.

Caelum returned to the edge of the practice range and satbeneath the tree again. The dragon hopped to the ground and began nosingthrough the tall grass in search of some small prey. Eliana pulled an arrow outof the grass beside her and turned her attention to the target down range.

She knocked the arrow to the string and forced all thoughtsof Caelum's conversation with Mara from her mind. She drew the string back toher lips, feeling the energy in the arrow. It quivered slightly, ready forrelease. She breathed in, then out, and let it go. It sailed straight, andstruck the center of the target.

"Well done!" Caelum called cheerfully. "Now,again."

Eliana repeated the drill with each of the four remainingarrows. By the time she was finished, the bullseye was crowded with purple andwhite fletching. She was smiling by then, cheered by her ability to shoot wellagain. As she turned to Caelum, however, she saw that his expression had turnedserious once more, and she remembered with a sinking feeling the task that layahead of them—a conversation with Queen Ivi.

Caelum had not said much about his conversations with hismother ever since she had demanded Eliana leave Iterum. She assumed, of course,that he had convinced her to change her mind, but she could not be certain what the queen truly thought abouther. She felt as if her fate were hanging on this conversation.

She returned her dragon to her shoulder, then followedCaelum silently back to the palace. The guard opened the door for them and theystepped inside. As they approached Domus, a wave of nausea swept over her. Whatif the queen still wanted her to leave? How could she leave Iterum? It was asnear to a home as she had ever had. And Caelum... What would she do if Iviordered her to leave Caelum...?

Her dragon curled his tail around her neck and nuzzled hercomfortingly. As if he, too, could sense her fear, Caelum reached across thespace between them and took her hand. She looked at him and he gave her asmall, sad-looking smile.

"Don't worry," he said. "You won't begoing anywhere."

The way he emphasized "you" set her on edge. Heled her around the base of the tree to the entrance to the royal family'squarters.

"Are we going inside?" she asked

"Of course." He said it as if it were commonplacefor her to enter the queen's personal quarters—it was not.

The inside of Domus was very similar to the inside of herown quarters, but on a much grander scale. The furniture was covered in lushfabrics, and richly colored paintings covered the walls. The curving staircaseat the center of the room had a banister carved with intricate designs andstudded with the occasional jewel.

They followed the curving staircase upwards past severalrooms until they reached one that held only two large thrones. Queen Ivi sat inone. As usual, the throne to her right was empty. The queen surveyed them withnarrowed violet eyes as they entered, sitting tall and proud in her throne.Eliana felt as if she were trying to burn a hole through her with her eyes.Briefly, she wondered if she might actually be able to do that.

As they stepped into the room, Caelum gave her hand a gentletug, pulling her closer to him and stepping ahead of her in a protectivegesture, partially shielding her from the queen's sharp eyes. Though she lookedas dignified as ever, it was clear that Ivi was irritated.

"You certainly took your time in coming," sheremarked coldly.

"Mara didn't make it seem as if it was a matter ofgreat urgency, and I felt Eliana should finish her practice session,"Caelum replied, his voice flat and formal.

"So Mara did give you my message then?"

"Obviously," he answered with disdain.

"All of it?" the queen asked, with a glance at thegirl hidden behind her son's shoulder.

Eliana met the gaze proudly. She did not know what washappening, but she refused to shrink under the woman's glare, no matter howmuch she wanted to.

"All of it," Caelum answered.

"Then you are willing to accept my terms and—."

"No," he interrupted sharply.

The queen's dark eyebrows rose nearly to her hairline at thebrashness of her son. "Are you claiming my assumptions are groundlessthen?"

Caelum did not respond, but Eliana felt his hand tightenaround hers.

Queen Ivi nodded, as if his silence had given her all theanswer she needed. "I did not think so," she said, tilting her headslightly. “Since it is so apparent that my assumptions are true, then I believeit is best that you step down and allow Mara to—."

"No!" Caelum interrupted again, louder this time.His mother flushed angrily at this second interruption. "I will notabandon Eliana so easily."

Abandon? Eliana thought, looking between Caelum and Queen Ivi in confusion. What are they talking about?

"Don't be so dramatic, Caelum," the queen snapped."She's not going to be abandoned. Mara is perfectly capable."

"I do not deny Mara's capabilities, but I made apromise and I will not simply cast that aside."

Ivi's voice was now dangerously low, her small, pale handsclenched into fists atop the throne's arms. "Caelum, once again you areproving to be stubborn and unreasonable. You are allowing your emotions tocloud your judgment, and so you put yourself at risk."

"I would rather put myself at risk than leaveher."

The queen rose suddenly from her throne, and her voice rosewith her. "This is your final chance, Caelum!" she shouted."Step down as Eliana's teacher, or I will forcibly remove you from thesituation!"

Caelum released Eliana's hand and stepped forward defiantly."This conversation will not go any further until you give Eliana what shedeserves!"

"And what might that be?"

"An apology! An apology for the things you said whenyou discovered she was a halfling."

Queen Ivi looked surprised for a moment, then she sighed andsat back on her throne. "Very well," she said. "I suppose it isonly appropriate. Eliana, please step forward." The queen motioned at herwith a curl of her fingers.

Eliana glanced at Caelum, who gave her a slight nod, thenstepped up to stand in front of him, with nothing between her and the queen.

The queen spoke, her bell-like voice sounding tight as shedid so. "Eliana... The words you heard the other evening were... hastilyspoken. I was too quick to judge you and I... regret having spoken sorashly. You are, after all, now a Rider, and I failed to give you the respectthat position deserves. I must, therefore, ask your forgiveness."

Though the words were forced, it was clear that it was thequeen's pride that restrained her, rather than a lack of sincerity. Elianaswallowed and gave a short nod. "Consider it forgotten, yourmajesty."

The queen nodded in return, and Eliana recognized thegesture as a dismissal. She stepped back to Caelum's side. This time, her handsought his, and she held to it tightly, as if he might drift away from her ifshe let him go.

Ivi turned her attention back to her son. "As I wassaying—."

"I will be forcibly removed," Caelum finished forher coldly.

"Yes."

"And how do you think to force me away?"

She sighed and adjusted her circlet of golden leaves. "Weare sending a fresh group of young soldiers to Amiscan. You will accompany themand help to train them."

"Is that your answer for everything?" he demanded loudly. "Amiscan? When I foughtthe betrothal with Raena, you sent me there for six months. When I gave up myrights to the throne, I was gone for nearly a year. Now I am barely home for amonth, and you want to send me back again! When are you going to see thatAmiscan will not make me into the son you wish I was?"

"Caelum, I am doing this for your own good!" Ivishouted back at him. "I do this for you!"

"And what about her, Mother?" he asked,gesturing towards the girl whose hand he held. "You worry about what youmust do for me, but what about the things I must do for her? She is going tochange our world!"

"And you will not be a part of it!" Iviyelled, slapping her hand against the arm of the chair. "Not as long as Iam queen! You will leave for Amiscan at dawn, and that is my final word!"

It truly was the final word on the matter. Without responding,Caelum turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, pulling Eliana after himas he descended the stairs. She didn't try to speak to him as he dragged herout of Iterum and through the forest. Her mind was still reeling from thequeen's final statement.

Dawn... Caelum isleaving at dawn...

They had reached the edge of the river, and Caelum releasedher hand, moving to stand by himself on the riverbank. The dragon on Eliana'sshoulder squawked loudly, irritated by the jostling ride, and hopped down fromher shoulder, fluttering his wings to soften the landing.

She watched the little golden creature as he found a smallinlet of calm water and slipped into it up to his shoulders. He buried his headin the water, then shook himself vigorously, splashing the water with his wingsand sending droplets of water into the air. The spray caught the glow of thesetting sun, glistening in its rays.

The sun was already setting, she realized abruptly. When itrose again, Caelum would be gone.

The elf gave a loud, irritated groan, and she looked up athim as he turned towards her, his hands in his hair, nearly tearing at it.Their eyes met, and she found his to be full of emotion—anger, sadness,defiance, yearning. Eliana's own heart was still blank with confusion.

He stepped up to her and put his hands on his shoulders."Eliana, please," he said quietly. "I am asking you to trustme."

She shook her head slowly. "Trust you in what?"

"I promise you that I am not abandoning you. I wouldn'tleave if I felt I had any choice."

She looked up at him, her expression disbelieving."Don't you though?"

He sighed and looked down at the ground that separated them,then back up at her. One of his hands softly touched her cheek. "That's abit complicated. I know I could refuse to go but... both of our lives would behell if I did so. My mother would make sure of it. This is the only way."

She stepped backwards, pulling away from his touch."You promised you would teach me."

"I know," he answered, rubbing at the back of hisneck. "But... you're ready for magic now, and Mara would be a betterteacher for that anyways."

"But your magic is so much stronger than Mara's,"she countered. "I've seen you do remarkable things."

He shook his head. "That is why Mara would be a betterteacher than me. She is more… controlled than I am. My magic may be strongerbut I... I let my emotions control my magic far too often. And aroundyou..." he paused, then finished quietly, "that could bedisastrous."

There was a long silence, and Eliana stared quietly at thedragon playing in the water as she tried to let the truth of the situation sinkin. Slowly, she forced herself to accept that there was no way to persuade himfrom leaving.

She turned her face to him again. "How long?" sheasked.

"Just until Mara finishes your training," heanswered. "Three months at the most."

Three months... she repeated in her mind. Three months without the one friend andcompanion she had in this world. Three months without seeing his face, feelinghis touch, hearing his voice. Finally, she began to feel the emotion rising inher chest, clawing its way out of her heart. She wrapped her arms aroundherself, trying to contain the raging, wailing animal inside of her—thecreature she had contained so carefully over the years since her father’s death.

"Okay," she answered quietly.

Despite her efforts to repress it, he seemed to hear theache in her voice. He immediately took her into his arms, pulling her tightly againsthim. She wrapped her own arms around his back, pressing her face into his tunicas his embrace repressed the savage sadness trying to break from her chest. Hischeek rested atop her head, and she felt him press his lips to her hair.

She breathed in his scent—the smell of the forest after arainstorm—and willed herself to remember it. She tried to press this moment,this memory firmly into her mind—the way his arms felt around her, the way hisheartbeat sounded beside her cheek. It would be all she had for the next threemonths.

Too soon, Caelum pulled back, and looked down at her, hishands resting warmly on her shoulders. She took in the way his face looked inthe fading sunlight, committing his features to memory as well, willing herselfto capture a perfect image of his face in her mind as he looked down at herwith gentle eyes.

"I will be back," he promised her quietly."I swear it to you. And when I return, I will take you back to Amiscanwith me, so you can train with the soldiers there."

"Amiscan?" she repeated.

He smiled, caressing her cheek. "When I get there, Iwill tell them about you, the beautiful dragon Rider with the golden dragon.They will be eager to meet you both. After all, we've all been waiting for youfor a long time."

Eliana gave a short, unamused laugh. "I still don'tknow that I believe any of that."

He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and softlykissed her forehead. "You will."

~*~

Eliana awoke the next morning with the sensation thatsomething was wrong. The warm pressure against her stomach, which she'd grownused to over the last week, was gone. She sat up with a jolt, looking aroundfrantically for her dragon.

She found him standing on the edge of the large, roundwindow near the bed, staring out over the trees at the distant sunrise over theeastern mountains. Its burning rays reflected off of his golden scales, and heclosed his eyes, soaking in the warmth. With a soft rustling, the hatchlingspread his wings wide, and the light filtered through the thin membrane,turning a brilliant gold as it fell onto the comforter.

In her mind, Eliana could feel the hatchling's pleasure atthe caress of the sunlight. She smiled to herself and whispered, "Therising sun... Oriens..."

The hatchling opened his green eyes and folded his wings,looking towards her curiously.

"Oriens," she repeated, more loudly this time, asure smile spreading across her lips.

A voice she had never heard before spoke in her mind. "Oriens,"the voice repeated. Despite its unfamiliarity, she felt that she knew thevoice as surely as she knew her own thoughts. It was a warm, smooth voice, andit danced through her mind.

She laughed. "Was that you?" she asked. But shealready knew; she could feel it in her very soul.

He turned around to face her completely. "Oriens,"the voice repeated to her mind. And then, "Eliana."

Suddenly, he opened his wings again and jumped from thewindow ledge, swooping low, then rising to hover above where she sat in thebed, still singing their names in her mind. "Eliana. Oriens.Eliana."

She laughed loudly, staring up at his fluttering form."You're flying!" she cried excitedly.

He chirped in response, then darted out of her bedroom door,flying across the bridge that connected her room to Caelum's. She leapt fromthe bed and ran after him in her nightshirt, shouting, "Caelum! Caelum, comeand see! He's flying! My dragon is flying!"

Oriens flew into the elf's room and settled lightly on thefoot of the bed. Eliana came to a halt in the doorway. The room was empty.Caelum was gone. And he had not said goodbye.

She stepped slowly into the room, her bare feet not makingany sound on the wood. The room felt entirely deserted, as if it had not beeninhabited for weeks, rather than mere hours. She sunk down onto the edge of thebed, feeling tears gathering in her eyes. This time, she did not fight them.She curled onto her side on Caelum's bed as the first sob clawed its way out ofher, leaving a ragged hole in her chest.

Oriens crossed the bed to her and nuzzled at her face. "Eliana?Eliana?" his small, worried voice said in her mind.

"He's gone..." she whispered through her tears. “Heleft without saying goodbye..."

The young dragon seemed to sense that whatever ailed hisRider was not something he could defend her from. Oriens turned and curled upagainst her chest, pressing his snout up under chin. She welcomed the feelingof companionship and wrapped her arm around his small form, pulling him intoher chest. Then, she closed her eyes and let the pain come.