Duty Chapter 8
#8 of Duty
Duty
Chapter 8
By: David C. Henry ("Ahndeleck")
The next two days blurred into one long tear stained haze for Cellista. She remembered only painful dreamless slumber and weeping. The third day she ate, but said nothing to anyone in her family. Cellista knew her mother was by her at times though the days, and she laid beside her all that evening. Neither of them said anything.
As the evening turned later her mother left her alone. She could hear her talking with her father in their den, but couldn't make out what they said. Her mind interrupted everything with thoughts of Motungo. I should go look for him. I should help him. It's so wrong what happened, it can't be right. It's not right. He fought off the Thief, not joined with him. Gods why can't any of them see that?
"Cellista?"
She looked up to see her father at the entrance. She turned her head away and curled herself up tighter. She heard him walk into her den and lay in front of her. She lay there waiting for him to say something, but couldn't look at him.
Then she felt his warm paw lay on her outstretched paw. She looked up then, and saw the concern in his face.
"Why father? Why?"
"I don't know precious. There are things that the gods do that no one can-"
"Not the gods." she wailed, "Gods, father, you don't understand. All of them." She pointed with a wing in the covenant's direction.
"Oh. They follow what Azerzan says to do. He's the head of the covenant Cellista, what he says is next to law."
"Then can't he bring him back?"
"He can't precious."
"I know he can, all he has to do is just say something. Anything."
"He can't though-"
"Why not?" she said louder than she meant to.
"Because it was the will of the gods. The Thief wanted to take him, and the other gods didn't want to stop him. One dragon's word can't change the will of the gods precious."
"Even when the gods are wrong?"
"They weren't wrong precious, they picked-"
"What makes you think they weren't wrong? He's a good dragon father, a good dragon. He worked hard, he knew so much, I know he fought hard in there. He's so kind, he makes me laugh, he does so much for me. I love him father. They are wrong, the gods are wrong I know it."
"Cellista. Mixcoatl took him for what he did for the boneweavers when he was a child."
Cellista screamed and snatched back her paw from him.
"Gods, can't you see? You're worse than all of them. Motungo never tried to help the Boneweavers. The Thief can't pick him just because of that, that's not right. It can't be right. You're wrong damn you, wrong!"
"Cellista," his voice rose, "I know it's hard to accept, but the gods just picked him to-"
"Shut up! Just stop! Get out of my den. Now."
Her father rose and tightened his jaw. Cellista bared her teeth and hissed at him. His face changed then, a blend of injury and loss. He turned slowly and walked from the den, his shoulders low.
Cellista had never hissed at her father before. She couldn't remember a time when he looked so hurt either. Regret trickled through her mind, then was replaced with a wave of remorse and sorrow for Motungo. She curled herself up and cried until sleep came and gave her restless peace.
**
The next day she only wanted to be alone. She ate early and then left. Outside she flew. She didn't pay attention to the direction, just only kept herself moving. She wondered where Motungo had gone, and what he would do. Cellista wished everything was only a mistake.
When she looked up from the passing landscape below her, Cellista saw she was half way to the tutoring grounds. For a moment she wanted to fly on, but then realized that now there wouldn't be any students. Students didn't return to their studies until a week after Attunement. The sun had risen as she flew there. After she landed, she sat and watched the sunrise.
Cellista head someone flying in her direction, their even wing-beats unhurried, almost tired. Oh please just keep flying on. I don't want to hear anything else from anyone. I just want to be alone. The wing beats neared, they were coming to her. She looked behind her and saw Kathagra land behind her.
"I didn't think I'd see you here again Cellista. You're on to bigger better things now."
"I came here to be alone."
"That's funny, so did I. I come here nearly every morning." She walked to Cellista's side and sat down, "Usually it's so I can think about what I'm going to be doing with the students during the day. I would come only when I had students to teach a long time back. Now it's nearly every day that doesn't rain I come here. I've just found it to be a comforting place where I can get my thoughts in order. I'd say you'd found a good place Cellista."
"Of course, you're still here. Hard to be alone with someone else."
Kathagra shrugged. "You're right." She grew silent then. They both sat and watched the sun for a couple more minutes. Cellista wondered if she would ever leave her alone. Then after a great sigh, Kathagra asked softly, "You're still thinking about Motungo aren't you?"
"What else would I think about? Gods, it's so wrong, and it makes me so mad."
"Did you know I had a good cry over him too?"
Cellista turned her eyes to Kathagra. Her face was pained, and Cellista felt a little surprised that she'd look sorrowful. She felt close to Kathagra, and to see her upset stirred her own loss but made her wonder at the same time.
"He was," Kathagra paused for a few moments, sighed, then continued, "He was like a son to me. Most of my students are really. I held so many hopes for him, so much more for him than I ever had for his father. You know his father was in the first group of students I taught. It was a nice refreshing thing to see so much improvement over his father.
"I love all of my students, but I really looked forward to seeing the great things he would accomplish. But now," Cellista could see the sparkle of tears in her eyes, "I suppose we won't hear about them will we?"
"It's not right though, Azerzan can't do this to him."
"He can, and he must Cellista. It's what our kind have always done, you know that."
"Even if they do it for the wrong reasons? It's only a symbol Kathagra. I couldn't ever do that to anyone, not even that rock dense Malmain. And now Azerzan wants me to take his place. Kathagra, how can I do something I can't believe in?"
Kathagra turned her head and smiled gently, motherly, to her. "My dear, the only thing I can say is you have to follow what you believe, follow your heart. If it tells you that Azerzan is wrong, then that's what you need to do."
"You're the only one that has made any sense so far. Kathagra, can you come with me to help convince Azerzan to let him back? You know it's wrong, just as I do."
"Cellista, I can't. He's gone, and you have to let him go. The touch of the Thief is permanent. It's-"
"No it's not. He's not really with the Thief, it's just a mark, it's a scar. He's not dangerous to anyone, I know he's not. You can come with me and tell Azerzan, and the whole covenant, that Motungo is alright, he can come back."
"He can never come back Cellista. No one would let him come. You have to understand that a mark like that will burden his life forever and-"
"That's not true. I can't believe you would say that. Gods Kathagra, I thought for a while I could trust you. You're just as bad as my father."
"That's probably because he's right in a-"
"Don't say that! He's not right. Azerzan's not right and you're not right either! Motungo was a good dragon and-"
"A dragon you're just going to have to let go of Cellista. To the covenant, he's dead."
Cellista stared at the words that came out of Kathagra's mouth. It was the most horrible sentence that she heard from her through her whole life.
"Gods I hate you!"
Cellista spat the words at her. She ran from her and then kicked up into the air. I don't need your help, I don't need anyone's help. I'll fight this with Azerzan, the old lich. I'll tell him everything, and throw everything in his face. He can't do this.