Phoenix Heart

Phoenix HeartChapter 25: Trials

            “There hasn’t been rain in several weeks,” the advisor droned. “Farmers think it’s the beginning of a drought and want the mages to help.”

            “It’s summer,” Jessamyn said, exasperated. “We don’t get much rain in summer!”

            “The farmers believe…”

            Tyrona listened to the droning of the advisor with half an ear.  Flames, but this was dull.  She was looking forward to a flight on Kyl that afternoon…

            {{Ty,}} Kylranal sent, urgency in her tone. {{Ty, you need to hear this.}}

            The fire queen closed her eyes and slipped her consciousness into that of her bond’s.  There was a fire not her own fire on Kyl’s wing, and the cathing thing wouldn’t get off.

            “Who are you?” a dispassionate voice asked.  Kylranal craned her neck to look at the visiting fire on her wing.  It was shaped into a hard, cold face.

            The face reshaped into one that was harshly familiar… “I am ilbun flaren.”

            _Flaren!  But he looks so – tired…_ His eyes were empty pits of loss and despair and hopelessness wrenching at Tyrona’s heart.

            “Did you kill one Lasthea Omilf and set fire to the Khorinath Inn?”

            “Yes.”

            Tyrona gaped. _What?!?  How?  Did he flame again?_

            The flames reshaped into a red-garbed druid. “Help,” it pleaded. “Help…”

            ~Tyrona!  Come back!~

            Tyrona jerked as she was yanked back to her own body. The Air Queen was staring at her. “Tyrona, are you all right?”

            “I-“ She shook her head, gathering her scattered senses. [[Kyl, get a druid of Claeryn,]] she sent, then turned back to Jess. “One of the knights in my evamiut- he’s in trouble.  I have to go help him.”

            Jessamyn’s eyes searched hers intently, and then she nodded. “Hurry, then.  Gods bless.”

            “Thanks.” The knight slid off of her throne and hurried outside, ignoring the guards who followed her. [[Kyl, did you find a druid?]] she sent.

            {{Yes, I did.  She’s here already, and talking to the flamelet, Spark.}}

            [[Is she translating?]]

            {{Not yet- she will when she finishes asking it everything.}}

            [[Wait ‘till I get there.]]

            {{Of course.}}

            Tyrona raced down the corridors of the palace, running as fast as she could.  She arrived minutes later at the bondstables, panting heavily.  Her two guards caught up with her soon afterwards, also breathing hard.  The fire queen stared at the druidess of Claeryn in surprise- she was an anthro.  She had a phoenix’s fiery blue wings and crest that gradually softened to blue down and then to blue-white, almost silver fur.  Her hands were normal, though furred, and she had a feline’s powerful legs and tail.  The cat-phoenix’s face was blue-white furred, and cat-like, with blue flames for hair, and feline ears.  Very strange, to Tyrona’s thinking- anthros, and especially mixed-species anthros such as this one, were rare.

            The phoenix-cat finally finished talking to the flamelet in its crackling fire-language and turned to Tyrona and Kyl. “The flamelet belongs to a knight in Oceanica named Ilbun Flaren,” she reported finally, almost wearily. “This Flaren was put under a-“

            “Sotp,” Tyrona interrupted.  She glanced over at the knights. “Leave,” she commanded shortly.  They hesitated, and storm clouds crossed the knight’s face. “Now, or I’ll disappear again!” she snapped. “You can wait outside if you must.”

            Reluctantly, they saluted and exited, although they did not look happy about it.  Ty turned to the druidess. “Speak quietly, please, so that no one overhears?”

            The phoenix-cat nodded. “Very well,” she agreed in a low voice. “Flaren was put under a Compulsion spell by a Chaotic mage.  To test it, the mage forced him to kill his sister, Lasthea Omilf, using elemental powers. He burned down an inn in the process.  Flaren was captured and the Compulsion spell identified and removed.  The Chaosian has not yet been found.”

            “Oh, gods…” Tyrona whispered in shock.

            {But… he’s innocent, isn’t he?} Kyl asked. {Because he was under Compulsion?}

            The druidess shook her head sadly. “It’s not so simple,” she said. “He’s part fire elemental.  They’re afraid of him.  There’s talk, the flamelet says, of killing him despite the Compulsion spell.  And… Flaren seems to want to be killed.”

            The fire queen’s face paled at the thought, and she remembered the Vengeance War, so long ago, where Flaren hadn’t even tried to protect himself after flaming until Ty forced him to.  Killing his sister… Even if it were under Compulsion, he wouldn’t want to live.  But… “He can’t die,” she whispered, pain in her face and voice. “I won’t let him die!”

            The phoenix-cat looked at her oddly as she grabbed the phoenix harness and began strapping it on Kylranal feverishly. “Druidess…” Tyrona began, working at the buckles.

            “Phoelyne,” the woman provided, pronouncing it “feline.”

            “Phoelyne, could you mask Kyl and me from sight, at least until we’re out of humanoid sight?” she asked.

            The druidess shrugged. “If Claeryn wills it.” Her magic came from the god she followed, and without his approval, she could not use it.

            “Thank you,” the knight told her sincerely in advance for at least trying.  She vaulted onto her bond’s back, and Kylranal moved at her fastest speed out of the bondstables.  They walked past the knights outside without being noticed, so Claeryn must have approved of their actions.  The phoenix launched into the air with a swift beating of her wings, Tyrona holding on with practiced familiarity as they turned towards Oceanica.

~*~

            A group of three master knights and three master mages stood in a semi-circle around Flaren.  The quarter-elemental waited with head bowed, his arms and legs heavily shackled.  The six judges around him looked at him grimly.

            “We should execute him,” one knight said. “He’s too dangerous to live.”

            “Execute him without reason?” another knight pointed out. “He was under Compulsion, and thus is not at fault.”

            “He’s got elemental blood,” a mage snarled. “He deserves to die!”

            The third knight nodded coldly. “Even if he hadn’t been Compelled, he would have eventually killed someone.  If he dies now, he won’t be able to kill anyone else.”

            One of the mages, silent until then, looked at Flaren. “Well?” he asked sharply. “Don’t you have anything to say?”

            The knight looked up, empty brown eyes meeting the mage’s cold blue-green ones. “Those who wish to kill me have the right idea,” he said finally. “I agree with them completely.  I should be killed.”

            “Very well,” a third mage voiced finally. “Ilbun Flaren shall be publicly executed by the-“

            “NO!”

            All heads swiveled to face the doors of the trial chamber as the loud protest sounded.  Tyrona Starfyr burst into the room, brown hair windblown from her flight on Kylranal.  Her throat caught as she saw Flaren, and she took in a deep breath to calm herself.

            The quarter-elemental stared at her with pain and sad wistfulness clear in his otherwise dead eyes and face. “Tyrona,” he rasped hoarsely, “don’t.  Please…”

            “Is there something wrong, Queen Starfyr?” one of the mages asked coldly, though politely.

            “Yes, there is,” she grated. “You are going to execute a man who has done nothing wrong except be born a quarter-elemental.”

            “He killed a-“

            “He was under a Compulsion spell!” the fire queen exclaimed. “You can’t execute him on that!”

            “Tyrona, stop,” Flaren pleaded.

            “He wants to die!” a knight pointed out. “We’re just doing it for him.”

            “He’ll kill himself if he wants to die,” Tyrona told them, sickened at the idea. “He’s innocent and you know it.  Now free him.”

            The judges exchanged uncertain glances. “Are you sure that’s wise?” one of the mages asked uncertainly.

            “Do it!” the queen snapped.

            Reluctantly, one knight unlocked Flaren’s chains, and they clattered to the ground.  The quarter-elemental didn’t move, however- he stood with head and shoulders slumped in defeat.  Tyrona’s heart twisted in pain for the fire knight.  She glanced at the watching judges. “Leave,” she commanded. “Now.”

            Another moment of hesitation, and then the six finally left, the door shutting with an echoing thud, the sound startling in the silent room.  The fire queen walked up to Flaren and hesitantly touched his shoulder.  He flinched, and that withdrawal tore at Tyrona’s heart. “Flaren,” she said helplessly.

            He turned away, tensed, the pain he felt almost tangible. “Lasthea- she was my sister,” he said hoarsely. “I killed my sister.” The knight turned to Tyrona, his eyes full of grief and hopelessness. _He’s changed so much,_ she thought, grief for him a stabbing pain in her psyche. _He’s so different from the cocky, mischievous journeyman he used to be…_

            “The Chaosian was going to send me to… to kill you,” Flaren continued haltingly. “He made me kill Thea as a test for the Compulsion spell, and then he was going to send me to kill you.” The quarter-elemental looked at her with a pleading expression, begging her to understand. “They were right… Ty.” He hesitated before and after her nickname, but she didn’t protest.  There was too much at stake to nitpick over something so small- and besides, she didn’t mind.  Not anymore.  Certainly not now. “I’m too dangerous to live.  It’s better for everyone if I die.”

            The pain she felt for him abruptly gave fuel to anger.  All her emotions seemed expressed in anger- and this was no different. “So that’s it,” she rasped, voice thick with tears. “You kill yourself and everyone’s safe.  Everyone’s happy.” Her hands were balled into fists, but the fire queen didn’t seem to notice. “Cath it, Flaren, safe isn’t happy!  Isn’t best, not always!  Do you think I became a knight so I could be safe?  The want to keep me safe because I’m a queen now, so they put me in a cage and don’t let me do anything.  So I’m safe, but not happy.  Not happy at all. And you’re going to die because…”

            “Because I care!” he burst out, raising his voice. “I care if people die because of me!  I’m a tool any skilled mage can use to get to you- to hurt you- to kill you- and I care about you!  I don’t want you hurt or dead, and if killing myself can prevent that, then so be it!”

            “Oh, and I don’t care?” Tyrona snapped. “I don’t care if you die because of me?” She stopped and looked at him sharply. “That’s not all of it, though, is it?  You want to die because you want to get away from your sister’s death, is that it?  You want to give up on life because you don’t have the desire to go on?”

            Flaren looked away from her accusing gaze, and that in itself was admission enough. “That’s selfish of you,” she continued harshly. “You die, but what about those who are left behind?  Do you think I want to bury you?”

            “Now who’s being selfish, Ty?” he asked quietly. “Though you’ve never thought much of me before now.”

            “Never thought…!” Tyorna reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder, turned him to face her. “Flaren… after all we’ve been through… you think I don’t care one bit about you?” Her eyes stung with tears- she blinked to force them back. _I don’t cry.  I won’t cry._ “I do care.  A lot.  More than a lot.  Flaren… cath it, you can’t die!  Please… by the gods, don’t kill yourself!”

            His eyes searched hers, a deep, aching longing in those brown depths, but then he turned away. “If I care about anyone, I have to do this.”

            Tyrona whirled and slammed her fist into the wall, her tears flowing freely now. “If you kill yourself- then I’ll kill myself!” she said recklessly.

            Flaren stiffened and whirled to face her. “No, you won’t,” he said slowly, uncertainly.

            The woman sighed and looked away. “You’re right- Kyl would die if I did, and I can’t do that to her.  Gods!  Isn’t there anything I can do to keep you from killing yourself??”

            He hesitated…

            {TYRONA!  You left without me!  What if-} A winged bonfire crashed through the doors and landed awkwardly.  Claenal fixed her with a flame-gold glare. {If I can’t follow you, how will I find my-} He fell silent abruptly, slowly turning to stare at Flaren.  The quarter-elemental gaped back at the phoenix in shock. {Irastheen?} It was a mental whisper from Claenal, who could scarcely dare to hope.

            Flaren put a hand to his head as if he had a headache and that would help it. “How did you know my name?” he asked weakly. “Only Lasthea and my parents…”

            {Irastheen… I’m Claenal.  I’m your bond!  You weren’t at my hatching and I’ve been looking all over and-}

            “That’s impossible,” the knight gasped. “You can’t be my bond!  How can I have a bond?!?”

            Tyrona watched in shock at this change of events.  Claenal was Flaren’s bond?  Flaren was Irastheen?  It was enough to make anyone dizzy.

            The phoenix took a step forward. {You have to accept it, Irastheen,} he said, his eyes begging the quarter-elemental to do just that. {If you don’t, then we’ll both still be alone.}

            Flaren walked forward in a daze, still not quite daring to believe… and then he fell against Claenal’s feathered side.  Tyrona switched to magevision as quickly as she could.  The bond between the two began as a single, shimmering golden thread, and then it grew in thickness and strength until it outshone the elemental magic in Flaren and the innate magic of Claenal.  Bursts of telepathic magic rippled quickly across the bondlink.  Tyrona finally went back to normal sight to see the quarter elemental with his fingers deep in his bond’s feathers, in intense communication with his bond.  It seemed an invasion of privacy to watch.  The fire queen turned away and walked slowly out of the room, leaving phoenix and knight alone.

            Flaren joined her a little while later, Claenal close behind him.  Now that he’d finally found his bond, the fiery phoenix seemed afraid to leave him for fear he’d disappear.  Tyrona rubbed Kylranal’s beak as he walked up behind her.

            “I have to live, now,” he told her quietly. “For Clae.” The knight blew out a deep breath, and then tried on a slight smile. “Our bondtalent is canceling magic.  If I start to flame, Claenal can cancel it out.”

            “So you can come back to Cascadia?” Tyrona asked, a twinge of hope creeping into her voice.

            Clouds passed through his eyes as that hint of a smile vanished. “And see you with that- that mage?  No, Ty.  I can’t do that.”

            The knight looked away, flinching as the words fell like a physical blow. “I thought you were gone forever,” she told him slowly.  Her throat felt raw, making it hard to talk. “Kyl told me it was hopeless to ignore everyone because you were gone… she told me to go on.  So I did.  I forced myself to accept Draen as…” She stopped at the revelation, something she hadn’t seen- hadn’t let herself see- until that moment. “…as a substitute??” Yes- that was what she’d seen the handsome angel as for so long.  A substitute. _Oh, gods..._ she thought in sickening shock. _I can’t believe I was so blind for so long…._

            {{You thought it was the right thing to do,}} Kylranal told her softly. {{The best thing to do.}}

            Flaren was silent for several long moments, digesting her words and weighing their truth. “I’m sorry, Ty,” he said finally. “I just can’t go back to Cascadia Falls.  Not yet.  Not with all that’s happened- Thea, and the inn, and…”

            “I understand,” Tyrona told him quietly. “Or I think I do.  So what will you do, then?”

            The quarter-elemental shrugged. “Wander, I suppose,” he answered. “Come to some sort of acceptance with Thea’s death.  Tell my mother about…” He grimaced and looked away. “I’ve got to go.  Tyrona…” Flaren gazed at her intently, as if trying to fix her face in his memory.  She found herself doing the same.  The fire knight turned abruptly, taking in a deep breath. “Gods bless, Tyrona.”

            “Claeryn warm your days,” she returned softly, as he climbed onto Claenal and held on while the fiery phoenix launched into the air.  The fire queen stood and watched until he was only a half-imagined speck over the northern Sierac Mountains.

~*~

            Kylranal landed in front of the bondstables, both she and Tyrona lost in silent thought.  The knight slid off the phoenix’s golden back, emotionally exhausted… and was swept into a fierce hug by strong, bronzed arms.

            “Ty, thank the gods you’re all right!” Draen exclaimed. “They told me you went into Oceanica to the trial of a murdering a half-elemental… He could have killed you!”

            Tyrona pulled free, unable to meet his gaze. “He’s a quarter elemental, and no murderer,” she told him quietly. “He also bonded Claenal.”

            The mage looked at her oddly, confusion clear in his face. “Ty, is… is something wrong?”

            She drew in a deep breath. “Draen, I have to apologize.”

            His expression was incredulous. “Apologize?” he echoed, half-laughing, but fear shaded his tone. “For what?  I can’t think of anything you need to apologize for.”

            “I have to apologize for…” Tyrona swallowed hard. “…for not… being truthful.” She looked away from his questioning gaze. “For lying to you… to myself… about how I feel.  About you.”

            He was shaking his head almost frantically. “No, Ty,” he said, denying it.

            “Draen please,” the knight pleaded. “Don’t make this any harder…”

            “I have to,” the angel explained. “If I make it hard, maybe it’ll be impossible.  Maybe-“

            “Draen.” She stopped him, battling with her reluctance to go on. “I’ve looked on you as a … as a substitute.  I’ve done a crazzing good job of convincing both of us that I truly love you, and I do, but not in the way you’d like me to.” The fire queen drew in a ragged breath. “Deep down, though, I knew it was a lie.  And I think you did too-“

            “No.” He clenched one fist, still denying her words, as if that would make it false. “You’re tired.  Confused.  You-“

            “Point it, Draen,” Tyrona told him softly. “Use your talent to point to the man I truly love, as more than a close friend.” When he hesitated, she went on. “You have to do this.  For both of us.”

            The mage closed his eyes, lifted one arm, and spun slowly.  At long last he stopped, his finger pointing to the Sierac Mountains.  A strangled sort of cry tore from his throat, unbidden- a cry of loss and grief. “Ty-“ He looked at her with pain etched into his handsome face. “Ty, I loved you- and I still do – I can’t help-“ The angel shook his head and whirled, walking away faster and faster until he was running.

            “Draen!” Tyrona shouted brokenly, but he was already out of hearing range.  She blinked back tears as she stared down blindly at the ground.  Flaren was gone.  Draen was gone.  She had never felt so alone…

            {{You’re not alone,}} Kylranal told her gently. {{You still have me.}} Tyrona hugged her bond tightly, burrowing her face in the smooth golden feathers. {{You’ll go on, Ty.  You have a phoenix’s heart,}} the golden royal sent along with a wave of love and comfort. {{You feel everything passionately, and you’re loyal- and courageous enough to go on.}}

            [[Much more praise and I’ll be as egotistical as the mage guildmaster,]] Tyrona sent with a teary smile.

            Kylranal chuckled. {{No worry about that,}} she said.  Tyrona sensed the phoenix dissolving her emotional shields, and the knight did the same.  They merged mentally and emotionally as they had during their bonding- one phoenix, one woman, one heart.

end

**A/N: Lots of loose ends?  That’s because Ty is an RPG character. I couldn’t wrap much up short of killing off every character besides those played in Shadow Star.  If you want to find out what happens, just join the RPG! ^_^

~Sounasha / Dani ß Bad plugging person!