"Kiarrith´s Story (update: 02/21/02)" by Karen Jean Baker

Kiarrith's Story

      "Why can't they accept that Fate chose not to gift me with Mage Talent? I am what am; I am Kiarrith, a Crystal Dragoness of JewelHame! I am not some kind of copy of them," Kiarrith grumbled to herself, as she sat dejectedly in her little corner of the large lair.
      She sighed heavily and glanced toward the rising sun seen through the stone mouth of the cave. "Isn't it midmorning yet?" she wondered aloud.
      Be patient. Kiarrith reminded herself. They will soon leave, and then you will have the entire day to yourself.
      She got up and mechanically started her morning chores. She couldn't wait for her parents to leave to teach at the Arcane Arts Academy, then she would be free. She pictured with longing the hot, dusty, open to the weather Practice Grounds at the Battle Arts School; how she wished to be allowed there! But, no, her parents would never let her enroll. They would surely confine her to the lair if they knew of her clandestine lessons with Doinrith, a Blue Dragon.
      He was a Master Teacher in aerial combat and strategy. He was no slouch in grounded combat either, though that wasn't his chosen subject to teach at the School. She smiled with pleasure at the memory of his compliment on her progress the other day.
      An acrid smell brought her attention back and she saw she had allowed the haope root to burn. She hurried to throw water onto the charred remains of her breakfast attempt.
      Cararith entered and frowned at her daughter and the soaked fireplace. Patrich joined her and they departed without a word.
      Finally, Kiarrith thought.
      She flew straight to the clearing at the edge of JewelHame. Kiarrith bowed to Doinrith as he bugled a greeting to her.
      "Welcome, youngling, shall we begin?" Doinrith asked, with a kindly draconic grin.
      Kiarrith nodded eagerly and the lesson began.
       
       
      Kiarrith flew low to visit the underground home of Anapolis. She alighted and entered the haven, limping slightly. She collapsed on the mat of furs without a word to Ana. She was exhausted, bruised and battered, but very satisfied. Anapolis handed her a mug of herbal brew. Kiarrith smiled her thanks to her.
      Anapolis was a slight, furred feline who walked upright on two legs most of the time, but would revert to four legs when it suited her. She was wearing a deep blue robe, which allowed her full mobility and a pair of small spectacles. Anapolis was one of Kia's friends her parents didn't approve of, but wouldn't forbid her to see, because she was a magicker (although, she had less Mage Talent than even Kia). Her powers consisted mainly of herbery, Mind-Magic, book spells, a little Earth Sense, and a lot of innovative thinking.
      She helped Kia up and started talking non-stop. Kia barely listened as she sipped the restorative brew. Then Kia heard the words ‘Battle Arts School.’ She came to with a start.
      "What did you say?" she asked.
      Ana chuckled and repeated herself. "I said, the soon to be graduating class of the Battle Arts School are going to Prime Ridge with three quarters of the staff to begin their senior year for more in-depth battle simulations. They are leaving behind only a small garrison."
      Kiarrith frowned. "What--only a small garrison? Who will defend JewelHame?"
      Ana shook her head, amused. "Dear Kia, must you always forget the Arts arcane? They are also an important tool."
      She waved it off, "Yes, yes, of course, but I meant military defense. What of that?"
      Ana replied, somewhat tartly, "Kiarrith, magic is also used defensively."
      "Ana, I know it is but... what if we are invaded? JewelHame is quite a prize you know."
      Suddenly, Ana looked at a spot in a niche and said, "Kia, look at the sand clock! Your parents will be coming back soon. Hurry homeward!" Kiarrith glanced to where Ana pointed, and pulled a grotesque face, even as she gathered herself hurriedly. She thanked Ana as she departed and flew home.
      Her parents had brought home an uglik for dinner. After the meal, Cararith and Patrich sat around and discussed the events of the day. Kiarrith normally paid no mind to their arcane discussion, but tonight she heard the words ‘Battle School’ (they never refered to it as the ‘Battle Arts School’). She paid attention without seeming to. It turned out that they resented the Academy having to spend its time, people, and energy on doing tasks for the community that the Battle Arts School normally did, but they were glad that most of the 'troublesome' School were leaving, if only for a time. They hoped that Kiarrith would forget her dreams of becoming a Battle Trained Dragoness. They didn't know her at all.
       

      Kiarrith awoke to find her parents already departed. They had left a message that could only be opened by magic. Kiarrith stared at it, thinking. Then she smiled. She didn't have to fall into their trap designed to make her use what magic was at her mostly untrained disposal. She knew why they had left early. They would have extra duties now that the bulk of the Battle Arts School was absent. She grabbed a bowl of mlan off the fire and gulped it quickly, enjoying the warmth as the boiling liquid burned down her throat. Kiarrith flew fast to the clearing to meet Doinrith for the day; she was grateful that he hadn't gone with the rest of the School, and was still available to tutor her.
       
       
      Anapolis knew Kiarrith was enjoying this. For the past moon her parents had had to leave early and come home late, which meant her friend had more time to practice and learn with the teacher of aerial combat and strategy, Master Doinrith. It also meant more relaxing time at Ana's home. Ana enjoyed the time with her friend, but something in the back of her mind kept nagging at her. Whenever she thought hard about the feeling, trying to pin it down, the memory of the discussion she had had with Kia about the inadequate military defense of JewelHame returned to her. It was extremely puzzling and irritating. Her old teacher, Moondaze had never mentioned anything like this when he had taught Ana. Ana longed to seek his counsel in this confusing matter. Alas, Moondaze wasn't available. He was far away at SeaBrink. The feeling had intensified lately. There was no help for it; she was going to have to mention it to Kia.
       
       
      Kia was half way through her cup of herbal brew when Ana told her of the strange feelings. Kiarrith knew Ana well enough to know they were giving her friend serious worries and as her intuition and Earth Sense were some of her primary strengths, she immediately became attentive and asked many questions. Ana answered them to the best of her ability. Kiarrith's mind was a whirl, turning first to one hypothesis and then to the next. After much thought and discussion, the two friends narrowed it down to a few possibilities.
      These must be warnings--warnings of something coming that was unnatural enough to send off temors that was disturbing the Earth. Coupled with Ana's feelings, was a surety that it was something that could be handled if they acted quickly and well. They guessed that this must be something that Mage-craft couldn't handle alone, for it was not even hinted at in Ana's premotions. Action must be taken. They went to see Doinrith.
      He reluctantly agreed with them after much debate, saying it was best to err on the side of caution, anyway. He called together the remains of the Battle Arts School. They all sat up into the night alternately arguing and making plans.

       
      By the time Kiarrith got home, it was early afternoon of the next day. Kiarrith walked in, trying to blend into the wall, before seeing what had taken over their home, and was shocked into not caring what her parents thought of her long absence. She saw her father, but he didn't seem to notice her. He was tending wounded. Their lair looked like it was being used as an impromptu infirmary.
      Kiarrith was in mental anguish. Did we act too late? What if we had agreed earlier? Did our hesitation cause so much devistation and death?
      Kiarrith clamped down on her emotions and mentally slapped herself back into calmness. She tried to think and act coldly, to not regard the dead as people but only as what had happened. 'What If's were irrelevant; they couldn't bring these folks back.
      She caught as much of the story as she could. While they had been convincing Doinrith and the garrison, a band of raiders had ridden in. They had laid waste to much of the Arcane Arts Academy. They were protected somehow. No spell held up against them; that must have been what was polluting the Earth, as magic was central to the land. They must have a very powerful Mage with them, aiding them. This worried Kia, but at least the garrison was ready. It would be so much worse if they weren't!
      On the morrow they set out. Ana was with the mounted defenders on a battle-trained steed; Kiarrith flew with the other winged warriors. A few Mages were recovered enough to come with them.
      The rogues hadn't accounted for us being ready, fresh, and armed. They had been expecting to go up against soft, defenseless Mages. Kiarrith thought as she parried the battle-axe of one of the bandits. She flew above his head and used her hind legs to kick in his head. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ana fighting against another brigand. She swung with her forearm and her talons connected with one of the robbers whom had been about to attack Ana from behind. She swung around to engage another bandit and dispatched him as quickly. After a few such skirmishes she whirled to find that there was no more of the scruffy force standing near her. She looked up and saw that Ana was also looking around warily. She walked across the red dust toward Ana. They saw that excepting a very few pockets of fighting, the battle was over.
      Ana and Kiarrith returned from the much-bloodied battlefield, along with the rest of the depleted yet victorious army, silent and sober. Now was the time to mourn the lost. Later would come the victory parties. Kiarrith decided against returning to the lair and instead retired to Ana's haven.
 
       
      The enormity of having been in her first battle didn't sink in until she woke up the next morning. Yet, right on the heels of the exultation came the realization and horror of having taken lives. Kiarrith lurched to the entrance of Ana's home, fell to the ground and was violently sick. She didn't know how long she laid there on the cold ground, but when she got control of herself and sat up she realized that Doinrith was with her, holding her. She shakily got up and stared, blinking into the sunlight. He said nothing and stood, staring with her. Something of his stance told her he had also had this experience.
      "Does it ever go away?" Kiarrith asked, to her surprise, calmly.
      Doinrith replied dryly, "No, but you learn to react less violently to it."
      They stood and stared at the landscape in silence for a while more. Then Kiarrith sighed and flew off slowly toward home.

       
      She landed at the entrance and steeled herself for a confrontation. She entered slowly and Cararith rushed to her.
      "Kia! Shells, you’re alive!" exclaimed Cararith.
      Kia stared at her uncomprehendingly. She opened her mouth, but nothing emerged. Cararith looked her over quickly as only a mother or a Healer could--and as she was both, she missed nothing. She began to bind Kia's forearm where an unnoticed wound had begun to bleed again. She was silent, which was not a good sign for Kia. She prepared to go into a Healing trance, when Kiarrith shook her head. Cararith raised an eyeridge at her.
      "It will be an ugly scar," Cararith said.
      "Leave it," Kia replied evenly. Cararith nodded.
      "Now, while Patrich is still out, tell me how an untrained and unseasoned Dragoness, not yet into her second century managed to come out of her first battle practically unscathed," she said calmly but with an undertone of steel.
      "Not quite untrained," Kiarrith replied just as calmly and uncompromisingly.
      "Who?" Cararith asked.
      "Doinrith," Kia answered.
      Cararith let out an explosive breath. "I see."
      In the following interval of silence Kia tried to envision a more horrible or horrifying scene and failed.
      "Well, Master Doinrith has put up with you this far. Let's see if he won't mind sharing you with the other Battle Arts's Masters. When they get back, of course," Cararith said quietly.
      Kiarrith blinked rapidly and restrained herself for a moment. Kiarrith then leapt up and hugged Cararith--tenderly, for she had noticed the bandage around her ribs.
      "Thank you, Mother," Kiarrith said haltingly.
      She hadn't called her Mother for as long as she could remember. Kiarrith smiled as Cararith smiled. Then she noticed Patrich standing in the entranceway. Kiarrith took her chances and said, "Welcome home, Father." He looked at Kia but a moment, grinned and embraced her. Cararith joined in the hug and they felt whole again.

Appendix

Pronunciation Guide and Glossary

      Anapolis: [(ahna-polis) the 'o' in this name is long] a highly intelligent feline creature from SeaBrink. Friend to Kiarrith and a magic user.
      Cararith: [(kahrah-reth)] a Dragon, mother to Kiarrith, and a teacher at the Arcane Arts Academy.
      Doinrith: [(doen-reth) the 'o' in this name is long] a Dragon who works in the Battle Arts School and helps to train Kiarrith.
      haope: [(ha-op) the 'a' and 'o' in this name is long] a large root, commonly found near JewelHame, that is eaten as a toasted breakfast treat.
      Kiarrith: [(Keeahr-reth)] a young Dragoness who longs to be a warrior.
      mlan: [(m-lahn)] a strong, reviving beverage made from the lan root and mando leaves drunk hot to calm one’s nerves and to wake one up.
      Patrich: [(paht-rich)] a Dragon, father to Kiarrith, and a teacher at the Arcane Arts Academy.
      uglik: [(uhg-lik)] a creature containing little to no intelligence as we know it; has cloven hooves, chews cud, and makes the forests and plains around JewelHame its home.