Starbeam: Chapter 15

I got word from Gordy.

He was going to bring Andrew. The boy Maze, that was like Andrew’s shadow, wasn’t going to come with. I got a sedative from Marcus. He used his dragon magic to doctor the arrow that I was going to shoot the boy with. He wouldn’t breathe and his heartbeat would be shallow.

Connie would go with me.

She had to be close by. Goran would take care of Andrew.

He told me that I needed to be at the pick up. I was the key for Andrew to accept any of this.

We tracked the three of them down the morning after Christmas.

Andrew was easily detected he was a sturdy young man, and had this protecting demeanor about him when it came to the boy.

Goran told me to be careful, his reflexes were sharp and his aim was true.

I knew his arrow sang the same way mine did.

I sat high in a tree and waited for them.

My arrow and bow were already in place.

I aimed at the boy’s chest. Connie would grab him, heal him afterward and take him back home to Alkadeem where his mom was waiting.

I was super silent and then I let the arrow fly.

It had hardly left when an arrow flew past me just inches from my face.

Goran’s hands lit up with frost, like we said he should do and he froze the surrounding forest.

Andrew screamed when he thought his friend was dead.

I hated that scream.

“We need to go, Andrew.” Goran said but he didn’t leave.

“Andrew?” Goran yelled again.

Pick him up and leave. My mind continued to yell at him and to my surprise it was after the third time that he didn’t get a response from Andrew, that he finally picked him up and ran.

Constance ran out of her hiding spot and knelt down beside him. She took out the arrow and healed the boy.

The sedative would work for another ten minutes or so.

She picked him up as if he weighed nothing and then ran with him in the opposite direction through a clearing big enough for her to shift.

I climbed down from my hiding spot when the coast was clear and ran toward the point where I would meet Goran and Andrew.

Men were stationed there.

“Did it go as planned?” Marcus asked, and I nodded.

“They will be here shortly. I was about half a day in front of them.”

“Al, are you okay?”

“I can sleep later. I’m fine. We can’t mess this up.”

They nodded.

They all knew that we needed Andrew on our side.

We waited for about half a day and finally we heard Gordy’s voice.

They were quarreling. This was it.

Please God don’t let it go badly.

“You what?” I yelled at Goran.

“It’s not what you think, Andrew.”

“They killed Maze, Goran.”

“They didn’t kill him. They wounded him. He is going back home.”

“They killed him.”

“Nobody killed him, Andrew.” Goran said.

I couldn’t believe that he had been a double agent all this time. I should’ve known. “Your father was right about you.”

Then it happened so fast, archers stepped into sight and surrounded us.

I pulled my bow back and tried to aim at all of them. I was fast, but without Goran’s help… Urgh, who was I kidding, the nonsense he had been spouting for the last few yards was too much.

“Lower your bow, Andrew,” Goran said.

“I will do no such thing.”

“They are not the enemy.”

I shot him a scolding look. “They killed your prince, your twin, the Prince of Areeth,” I spat at Goran.

“They didn’t kill anyone.” Goran said with his arms still up in defense.

A laugh came. “I thought you had already told this boy, Gordy.”

I had heard that voice before.

A figure walked forward and raised his hood. It was Albert.

“Hello, Andrew, nice to meet you. I have heard a lot about you.”

He gave Gordon a hug and I was flabbergasted. I was at his funeral.

“You are dead.”

“So you can see the dead, Andrew?” he asked and his men chuckled. “Not everything is as it seems.” He looked at Goran. “Were you followed?”

Goran laughed. “You should know. You were there.”

Albert smiled. “Just making sure.”

“The boy.” Goran asked.

“His name is Maze,” I was angry again.

“It was a clean shot. He will live.” Albert said.

“No, he won’t. He doesn’t have Swallow Annexes like you idiots at home have.” I was furious and Katherine Squires was coming out again.”

“Andrew I know you are upset, but Albert is still the royal prince. Constance was closeby. War perks, remember.”

“She was in on it too. Why did you even shoot him?” I yelled at this idiot I thought was dead.

“So you want him to really keep fighting in this war?” Albert asked.

I chuckled. “He’s been fighting in this war for the past three years, you idiot.”

“Sorry about that. Plans take time to put into action. The reason why I need another me.” He pointed at me. “My father has gone too far. The next thing you know he will draft women to fight for him in this war.”

Everyone laughed except Goran. He just gave me a look.

“It wouldn’t be so far fetched.” Goran said.

“If they are dragons, it would be different.” Albert smiled and Goran did too.

“Had any luck with the Green-Vapor yet?” he asked Albert.

“Green-Vapor?” I asked.

“You didn’t want to learn the names, remember?” Goran smiled at me.

“That is why you named them?” I was still so pissed off.

“Relax,” Al said. “We need to get off the road. Join us tonight.” He spoke to Goran.

“Sure, I’ll think of something in the morning.”

We followed the Prince of Paegeia.

I couldn’t believe he was fighting with the rebellion. It was so wrong.

I had my coin bag close to me.

There were a few hundred kernels left and I doubted if they were going to be enough to last me the entire war.

I doubted Albert would let me fight in this war knowing what Goran knew.

I doubted that he even remembered me.

Everywhere there were trees. It was dark too.

We walked for hours in silence. Canapes of vines lifted up and went back down after we passed. Boulders pushed aside, and voices all around us, a woman shrieking, then a man screaming.

It all made me jump but the men acted as if nothing was out of place.

“It’s enchanted by dragon magic. It’s not real.” Goran said from behind.

I didn’t acknowledge him. I was still so damn upset.

Every time I looked up, I saw Albert a few paces ahead and then I would get even more upset.

I couldn’t believe that he was still alive.

I had mourned this idiot for nothing. Why did he want a stupid war, and worse, against his own father. All the royals were idiots. They did not care for their people at all. He was going to get a piece of my mind again soon. And this time I didn’t need a stupid mask to do it.

Well, it wouldn’t be me, so I would have some sort of a mask. Andrew’s mask.

I regretted that I had kissed him.

We finally reached the camp.

It looked like a village in the forest.

Campfires were everywhere with homes up in the branches of the trees. There were boars roasting on open fires.

“Gory,” I heard a man calling and my mouth gaped as the other prince of Areeth, Goran’s twin hugged his brother. He could have used a shave, of course. Maggy was going to be happy about this.

“Where is Caleb?”

“The prince of Areeth is alive too.” I sounded pissed off.

They all stopped and looked at me.

“Do we have a problem, Gory?” Helmut asked looking from me to his brother.

Goran’s eyes didn’t leave me. “I didn’t think so, but we might.” Goran’s entire demeanor had changed toward me. He would tell them the truth.

“Why are you doing this?” I asked. “Don’t you have any idea what wars do to the unfortunate?”

Everyone stared at me.

“No, I doubt that any of you have the slightest idea. Families are dying while you four are playing your war games. But I guess that’s your plan after all. Some sort of a genocide game, getting rid of all the poor bastards I presume.”

“Andrew enough,” Goran said.

“No, I thought I was fighting to avenge your brother Goran, to avenge the crown prince of Paegeia your best friend. I guess I understand now the lack of empathy whenever he was mentioned because he didn’t die. None of you idiots ever think about what you are doing, doing to your people, do you?”

“Enough.” Albert said softly. “I know you are upset, but this war has been coming for decades now.”

“What are you fighting for Albert?”

“Andrew,” Goran said.

“No, he has the right to know. I am fighting for my people, the ones hiding behind scales.”

I just stared at him. He seriously is fighting for the rebellion. “Have you lost your mind?”

“Well I have been called an idiot a few times today.”

“They can’t be tamed.”

Everyone laughed. I looked at all of them.

“Is there something I am missing?”

“Yes, if you give me a chance, I’ll show you.” He gestured for me to follow him and I did.

We went deeper into the forest and came to a big log house.

Albert knocked on the door and stepped inside.

I saw tables and tables filled with children from the age of seven to fifteen years old.

A boy around Sam’s age ran up to Albert and hugged him.

“What is the sitrep, Abe?” Albert asked.

“No incidents today, but someone needs to keep an eye on Malcolm. He went crazy today.”

“I’ll have a word with him.” Albert smiled and told him to go eat his supper.

“Issy,” Albert said, and a woman that looked like Constance came to us. “I want you to meet Andrew.”

“So this is the boy giving you a run for your money,” she teased. “I’m Isabel. I hear you are great with a bow and arrow.”

I nodded. “Andrew.” I said. “What is this?”

“These are the people I am fighting for Andrew, so that Abe can go to a school, not just for humans, but dragons too, even if he is a Chromatic.”

I looked at the boy. “He’s Chromatic?”

“Yes, they all have human bodies, just like the Metallics. I thought you knew that. They are just like the Metallics, only different. We are all fighting for them to be free and not hunted like animals for potions.”

I started to feel like an idiot as everything Goran had told me about them finally started coming back. My anger was slowly being replaced with shock.

I looked at all the children in the room.

“Sorry isn’t a bad word.” He joked and went to sit down next to one of the kids.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

“Not what you were thinking. I know he looks rough around the edges and sometimes plays the part of a spoiled brat, but he is one of the kindest men I have ever known.” Isabel said.

I sighed and nodded. “I thought he was dead.”

“Many do.” I looked at her. “Are your eyes always that sad?”

“I guess,” I said, and she laughed.

“Come sit.” She led me to one of the openings next to a kid and I sat down.

She gave me a plate and started to dish up for me. “You must be starving.”

I nodded. I really felt like an idiot. I had assumed this was just some sport because of his boring rich life. But he was fighting for all of them.

“Where are their parents?”

“Killed, hunted down like animals for the potions Albert mentioned and if nothing changes soon, they will be next.”

“My name is Agatha.” The seven year old sitting next to me said.

“I’m K..Andrew.” For a split second I had almost forgotten that I was still in my male form.

“You want to see a trick Andrew.”

“Oh, please.” I smiled.

I watched fire dancing on her palm and a part of me thought I should be afraid, even terrified, but she was so little and so beautiful I knew she would never hurt anyone.

“Aggie, what did I tell you about showing off.” Albert said from across the table.

“I’m just showing Andrew.” She stuck out her tongue at him and he did the same.

It made me laugh.

Okay, I didn’t regret kissing him at all.

The rest of the dinner, the kids were entertained by Albert. They laughed a lot and I couldn’t help but fall more for him. He was charming as hell.

After dinner we helped with the dishes.

We gave Issy a well deserved break and she gave me a chance to apologize.

“So, am I still an idiot,” Albert asked.

“No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have assumed.”

“Ahh,” Albert said. “You know when you do that, you make an ass out of ‘u’ and me. Ass-u-me.” He broke down ‘assume’.

“I’m sorry again. From one idiot to another, well, I’m not so sure about you being an idiot anymore but I sure am.”

He laughed and looked me straight in the eyes.

He had the most beautiful green eyes.

“You don’t have a sister by any chance,” he asked me as I dried a plate and my eyes raised slightly.

“No, sorry. No siblings.”

“Always been like that or something that happened.”

“Always been like that.”

He sighed. “For what it’s worth,” he said, “I’m not happy about what is happening to the villages. It’s not our doing, it’s the Chromatics that we can’t convince to join us. The ones that didn’t want peace, they want Paegeia all to themselves.”

“I didn’t know they hated us so much.”

“Do you blame them? For centuries we have killed their kind to harvest their organs and their magical abilities for the black market, Andrew. Killed their children, never wanted a treaty or compromise. This goes back even way back before William’s time when he killed their alpha.”

“If you say it like that, I guess I understand why they hate us. But we are not all like that.”

“And yet a few hours ago you were judging all Chromatics with very little knowledge about them.”

“How many times must one say they are sorry to you, your highness.”

He laughed.

“Just saying it once is more than enough.”

We carried on with the dishes.

“So what is this place, some sort of base for the rebellion.”

“Here we look after the dragon kids until this mess is sorted.”

“Why did you make your father believe you were killed by one?”

“It’s time for a war, Andrew. Without it, there can’t be peace. I didn’t think my death would put things into action. He has never shown me how much he loved me.”

“I see.” I felt sorry for him.

“I don’t want to be a king like him. I want to be better.”

I smiled. “Is that why you asked if I had a sister, you struggle to find ladies?” I looked around. “It doesn’t look like that. Issy seems to be smitten with you.”

He laughed. “No, finding women isn’t the problem, it’s finding one woman that is.”

My heartbeat started to increase. “And you thought she might be my sister?” I frowned which made him laugh again.

“You have the same eyes,” he sighed. “That’s the only thing I actually know about her.”

I looked at him. Remembering that I was Andrew was getting more difficult all of a sudden.

“That doesn’t make any sense,” I said softly.

“It’s a long story.”

I looked at the piles of dishes he still had left to wash. “We have plenty of time.”

“And what, make you realize just what a hopeless idiot I truly am?”

I chuckled. “Love never made anyone weak or hopeless, Albert. It’s the opposite. Wars have started because of love. I am sure you should have figured that out by now.”

I saw that he understood what I was saying. His father did love him, even if he never thought so.

“Deep soul too,” he said.

“If you grew up poor, there would be plenty of deep, your highness.”

“Al, please.” He said handing me another dish to dry. “Fine,” he sighed. “It was at one of my mother’s balls, two months before this fiasco played off. I didn’t bargain on meeting anyone, or falling as hard as I did.”

“You fell hard.” I swallowed the lump in my throat.

“I did,” he laughed. “I was in disguise, and one of the stable boys that has the same features as me, pretended for the night to be me, so I could take a break. So this girl, who thought the stable boy was me, wanted to scold him and I stopped her because it would have ruined everything. Anyway, I didn’t know at the time that she was one of the women who had won my mother’s lottery. She didn’t look like a commoner at all.”

“I see, you didn’t think one of the poor girls would be able to sweep your feet out from under you.”

He gave a warm laugh. “Guilty. To be honest I made a huge ass of myself that night, not of her, though.”

“You assumed.”

“You learn fast. Yes, I assumed and when I asked her why she wanted to scold the crown prince so badly, her answers made me realize just what sort of a king I wanted to be. Her soul was exactly like mine. I know it sounds silly, but she knew more about my people than I ever did and she only lived in Eikenborough.”

“Did you ever find her?”

“No, my dragon is still trying to track her down.”

“Your what?”

He laughed again. “His name is Robert Leaf. I have no idea how old he is, but I do know that they are tamable. He is the Night Villain everyone thinks killed me.”

“Your dragon is an acid spitter.”

“Night Villain, acid spitter sounds so crude.”

“Night Villain. Goran said you gave them all names.”

He laughed again. “It wasn’t easy to tame him, but I did, and then I showed him I wasn’t like all the others. He came to trust me more and more, and showed me his human form. If I could change him, there is hope for all of them.”

“How do you keep him tame?”

“It’s not easy. He tells me when it gets too much and then I relieve it.”

“Relieve it, how?”

“Now that is a conversation for another time as you would think I’m barbaric.”

I just stared at him. Why would I think he was barbaric? “So you have no idea what this girl looks like, do you?”

“No, apart from her hair color and distinctive sad grey eyes, a lot like yours, I have no idea what she looks like.”

“I wish now that I did have a sister.”

He chuckled again and washed another plate.

“How did you know she lived in Eikenborough?”

“My dragon tracked her smell, only to come to realize that a grocer in Eikenborough was selling it to most of the women. So the smell alone wasn’t going to help.”

“He hasn’t found her.”

“Nope, she has a knack for hiding. To be honest I don’t know if she still lives in Eikenborough.”

I nodded. “Your story is extremely complicated.”

He laughed. “Tell me about it.”

“You do know what happened to Eikenborough right?”

He nodded and a sad smile lingered on his lips. “I can’t give up hope. She is great at escaping. I have to believe that she is one of the survivors.”

“You know her name?”

“Not even that.” He chuckled.

“Then how are you going to find her.” I sounded frustrated which made him smile at me.

“I won’t, I doubt Robert will either, but my soul will find her. I know it will.”

His soul. It was so cheesy because I was right next to him and his soul was saying absolutely nothing.

He kept on telling me about our night together. It was just as magical to him as it had been to me.

The dishes were finally coming to an end when he asked me for a favor.

“What?”

“I want to see how good you are with that bow. Are you up for a challenge?”

“You’re the crown prince of Paegeia. It’s my duty to lose.”

He laughed. “I give you permission to not hold back.”

I liked him more and more.

“Well then be prepared for a royal buttkicking.”

He roared again and we left to go back to the campsite.

There were so many people here and I greeted everyone he introduced me too.

Goran just smiled, “I knew he would convince you.”

“Yes, I’m sorry,” I said.

“Already forgiven,” Goran said.

“Okay, Andrew said he was up to a challenge. Anyone want to see if Gordy’s word is as good as his sight.”

Everyone laughed. Goran included.

He walked up to me and cocked his head to the side indicating that I should follow him.

All the men, and some of the boys, followed us to another part of the forest.

“Are you really as good as Albert with the bow?”

“I guess we shall see.”

“I’m Abe,” he held out his hand and I really started to miss Sammy.

“Andrew.” I shook his hand like a man’s.

I looked up and laughed just as a woman with blonde hair and green eyes passed us.

Her entire body went rigid and she hissed in my face.

My eyes followed her walking in the opposite direction. She looked at me for a few moments and then flung her head back as a few men greeted her but she didn’t acknowledge any of them.

“Don’t mind her. She is like that with everyone.” Al said.

“She’s not very friendly, is she.”

Albert smiled. “Her name is Tanya. She is giving her human form a chance, but she is more comfortable in her other form than that one.”

“She’s a dragon.”

“Yes, all the pretty ones are.”

I got what he was saying. Tony was handsome for his age too.

“So that is their tell.”

“If you are clever, yes. The Chromatics are easier. Most of them have red hair or blue hair. Green eyes or bright blue ones. They have to find ways to hide it and as you can imagine that’s not easy.”

I looked at Al. “You a dragon too?”

Everyone closeby laughed.

“He wishes.” Helmut yelled from a few paces behind us.

“No, but Helmut is right, I wish.”

“I think I get why you are trying to free them.”

“You learn fast.”

We stopped at a clearing, but not really a clearing either since the top was protected by tree tops.

“How did you…” I looked at the top.

“Dragon magic.” Al said.

I knew dragon magic well. My kernels were filled with it.

I stopped next to Al. He picked up a bow that was leaning against a tree.

I looked around.

“Where is the target?”

He pulled me in front of him and pointed to a small dot far away in the distance.

“Al, that is more than four hundred yards.”

“Four fifty to be honest. Let’s see how good you are.” He smiled which made my stomach flip.

“So you can hit that?”

“Not so far. But I’m always pushing myself.”

I swallowed hard. He is trying to push for four hundred and fifty yards.

He went first. My pulse increased again.

He was so handsome and everything a girl could ask for.

His arrow sang as he let it go. It was a familiar sound too, as I had heard it last night when Maze was shot.

It was my turn and I put Albert’s bow down and took my own bow.

“What my bow not good enough?”

“First rule, never lend someone money, your wife or your bow.” I joked and everyone laughed.

I took an arrow. It was a flight arrow and the distance these babies could go was only 400 yards.

I gnawed off one of the feathers at the back as I felt Albert’s eyes on me, and licked the rest before I put it into my bow.

I drew as hard as I could on the string and concentrated hard on that dot.

It was never going to go the distance but I let go and it sang into the darkness.

My father would be so proud if he could hear the sound my arrow made.

It took a while to walk to the target and we found Albert’s arrow ten feet in front of the tree. He can shoot four hundred and forty feet, but we couldn’t find my arrow.

“Maybe yours disintegrated.” Albert joked and everyone laughed.

“Or hit a tree a few yards back, we just didn’t see it.”

“We will look in the morning.” Everyone cheered at their prince. He would hit that target soon, I knew he would.

We all said goodnight after I was shown the campsite.

I had to share with Goran which wasn’t a bad idea. He knew Kate.

“I’m sorry for this arrangement,” he looked around.

“I’m not. At least I know you will wake me up if I’m the other me.”

“Are you sure about that? You are a lot prettier on the eyes than this sturdy bastard.”

I laughed and shook my head. “Was that flirting? Be careful Gordy, they might think you are exceptionally different,” I said softly. He laughed hard.

“So,” Goran asked as we climbed into our bed rolls. “Not what you thought it was.”

“Not at all. Al is something different. The way he sees things.”

“Is special. He is one of my best friends, apart from my brother.”

Silence crept between us.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the truth.”

“It’s okay. We all tell white lies sometimes, Goran.”

“No this was a big one.”

“Mine is bigger. Does he know?”

“No, I promised you I wouldn’t tell another soul. I meant it Kate.” He whispered and my lips curved.

“Goodnight.”

“Night,” I said and turned around to get some shut-eye.

Albert didn’t fight with the rebellion, he was their leader.

The next morning I went to search for Andrew’s arrow. The morning air of the forest was great to wake you up and for your lungs.

The hunting party had already dissipated earlier today. But I was on the lookout for anything wild close to the camp. The number of mouths we needed to feed was always a worry, but Emanual was also helping out a lot, making sure that if there were no wild animals, that at least there would be fish for supper. He was an exceptional fisherman.

We had saved his life a few years earlier and when we started getting the rebels rounded up, he was eager to help the cause.

I looked closely at every tree I passed for Andrew’s arrow. It sang when he released it, meaning that the aim was straight.

The arrow was simply nowhere.

I reached a target tree and I glimpsed a shaving right next to it.

My fingers touched it softly.

No way.

I looked past the target tree and saw his arrow stuck in the grass.

I paced the distance from the target tree to the arrow.

Then I picked it up from the ground, placed it in my sheath and started to laugh.

He really was a remarkable archer and the best in Paegeia.

I turned around and went back to the camp.

On my way, I caught a glimpse of a deer and hunted it down.

It would feed the camp for at least a few days.

I carried it over my shoulders and gave it to the group that prepared the meat.

The hunting party hadn’t come back yet.

Goran also had to prepare to go back.

He regularly brings a person or two that he thinks could further our cause.

Andrew was sitting at the morning fire talking to the men.

I threw his arrow at his feet.

“So it didn’t disintegrate?” he smiled.

“Nope, it was behind the tree that held the target.”

He’s eyes shot toward mine. “What?”

“You beat my royal ass, Andrew and you are by far the farthest shooter in Paegeia. We should work on your aim though.”

Everyone laughed.

We all had breakfast together with the children. I looked at Andrew as he played with some of the kids. He was great with them.

“He has a good heart Albert,” Issy smiled. “But there is just something about him that I cannot put my finger on.”

I looked at her. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know. It’s like he’s hiding something. Call it dragon’s intuition,” she said.

Gordon didn’t get that feeling at all. He would’ve told me if he wasn’t right for the cause.

I looked at him again.

“Maybe I’m just nervous that the wrong person is going to find the camp and disappoint you again.”

“I’ll be careful, promise.” I smiled and carried on eating my food.

I didn’t like what Issy had said. Whenever she got a funny feeling, the dragons usually turned out to be a menace, and we struggled to keep them in order. I did not get that from Andrew at all.

We both looked at him as he dramatically pretended that Abe was piercing him with his toy sword.

All the kids playing with him laughed as he fell down and jumped on him.

Issy and I both laughed.

“Okay you guys, give Andrew some air to breathe.” I got up.

“I’m supposed to be dead.” He said with one eye open and caught Abe, who was close by, and tickled him like crazy.

He pretended to eat him and then told him to play dead and then looked at the others with a wild face. “Who is my next meal.” He growled and they all scattered away with shrieks.

He was just a kid still in so many ways.

I shook my head at Issy. There was no way he would betray our cause. He simply just loved kids way too much, like me.

A funny feeling started in my stomach. It had to be admiration for the guy as there was no way that I could fall in love with him. No, it was admiration.

The fact that he had my lady’s eyes was playing games on my mind. It had to be admiration.

I focussed on something else.

But the way the kids laughed and the way Andrew played with them was hard not to watch.

I couldn’t be here.

I got up and left. I had to clear my mind. I could not fall for this guy. That wasn’t who I was and my father would never ever accept it, not to mention the people of Paegeia.

“Hey, you okay Al?” Andrew asked and I nodded as I walked deeper into the forest.

What on earth was happening? This was exactly how I felt with my lady that night.

This boy was awakening feelings in me that shouldn’t be awoken. Feelings that didn’t fit with me.

They were foreign.

I was glad that Andrew didn’t follow. I needed Constance to set my emotions straight.

This was what war does to a man, or it was the stories that I heard that soldiers shared when father thought I was asleep.

I needed a woman, and fast.