The First Well, Chapter One

Hi ya'll! Here is the first chapter of my story, and I hope you enjoy! Let me know what ya think in the comment section!

THE BLACKWOOD

                That conversation seemed to have taken place ages ago. Now Nia found herself perched atop a dragon, and her hair blew carelessly in her face. She wished her thought could be as careless as the wind.

                This whole War had been nothing but a mess, and now they were just trying to clean up one mess, not even counting the other messes that had been caused, like both of her parents dying, her husband dying, her love-after-her-husband dying, and her home-both of them-being destroyed.

                How long ago had it been since her poor, aching heart had breathed the fresh air of peace? Too long. Nine years to be exact.

                No, she could not remain in this mindset. She did have many other blessings to look at, like her other son, and her daughter, her brother-in-law, and her friends. She squeezed her son’s shoulder, and Kalmar turned his head with a smile.

“It’ll all be okay, Mama.”

                Nia smiled. “I know. How bad can things be, when I still have my two youngest children with me?”

                Kalmar laughed.

                His eyes then fell upon his uncle. Now there was a man who was more broken than anyone Kalmar had ever known…even more than himself or his mother.

                Artham was quietly struggling. In his mind, a war raged. Why? He was flying to the place where all his nightmares were founded. The Blackwood was where he spent a lot of time after the War. And he had far too many memories of that place. But, Artham had no real choice. He was a Throne Warden, a man who must be loyal to the king. The king he served was now dead, a king he had failed. And now, he served his nephew, who was the new High King. And this was the king’s wish. A chance of a lifetime. More specifically, a chance of Janner’s lifetime.

                Leeli looked back past Sara and smiled at her uncle. Artham had decided to ride with the girls, since they were so young.

                “How do you feel, Uncle?”

                Leeli’s sweet voice made Artham smile in spite of himself. “I feel alright, princess. How are you and Sara doing on your first dragon ride?”

                Leelie smiled. “Hulwen is a lovely dragon.” She patted Hulwen’s neck with her hand, and Hulwen cooed something. Leeli looked back with excitement at her uncle. “Did she say something to me?”

                Artham laughed at her excitement amidst sorrow. “Yes, my lass. She said, ‘You are the loveliest of humans I have ever met.”

                Leeli’s eyes shone with excitement, though her little cheek’s flushed a bright red.

                “And what about you, Queen Sara?” Artham asked, turning his attention upon the little girl he loved so much.

                Sara smiled wearily. “A little nauseous, but I think dragon riding is fun. Um, have you ever ridden on a dragon before?”

                Artham smirked, a mischievous sparkle in his eye. “Oh yes, dozens of times!”

                Sara and Leeli both looked back, jaw dropped. Artham then winked, a smile turning up his lips, and they both narrowed their eyes at him, and then started laughing.

                On another dragon, Oskar Noss Reteep sat, struggling with all his might to just stay centered on the beast’s back. He was riding with the supplies, and that was a mercy! If there were no supplies around him, supporting him, he would long have fallen off the creature’s back, and would now find himself in the middle of the Dark Sea, a possible snack for any of the monsters lying beneath the waters.

                And, on a fourth dragon, one passenger rode. Janner’s body. It was wrapped in cloth, and strapped securely to the dragon’s back. All of the passengers, no matter what topic of conversation they were in, or what predicament they were trying to solve, (namely and solely Oskar), they all would glance back at the dragon, half expecting Janner to just sit up and smile at them, waving.

                This thought made Nia sigh audibly. She had always promised him that he would sail his own ships, and she thought with a pang of regret how he would love nothing more than to fly on a dragon’s back.

                “Look ahead,” Artham’s voice called out. “The Green Hollows is straight ahead. The dragons should be landing soon.” There was a slight waver in his voice, and everyone knew why. He, of all of them, dreaded being here most.

                While yes, it was true much of his madness had dissipated when seeing his long lost love, there was still something that was missing inside of him, and he never told anyone what that thing was.

                Just as Artham predicted, the dragons straightened themselves and started down.

                When they got closer to the land, the dragons glided several mengths* above it. They glided like that, just as the sun began to set.

                Any painter in all of Aerwiar would have loved to paint the scene.

                They finally landed at the edge of the Blackwood, and Artham was the first to slide off. He offered up his arms and both Sara and Leeli jumped into them (one at a time, of course!). Then he walked towards the dragon Nia and Kalmar were on. Kal jumped down with little assistance, and Nia slid down the beast’s back. Artham lifted up his arms, and he placed her firmly on the ground.

                The next dragon he went to was the noble beat the carried the dead boy on his back. He reached up gently, un-strapping the lad, and pulling him down into his arms, cradling him like a baby. Nia went forward, and seized her boy from Artham’s arms, holding him tight.

                Artham also noticed the children taking off the supplies and spreading them amongst each other.

                Then he heard a thud. Looking behind him, he saw Oskar on the ground, looking like a turtle that was turned on its back. Artham suppressed a laugh, and he busied himself with trying to help Oskar.

                Kalmar walked to the edge of the forest, where Sara and Leeli were also standing.

                “So this is it,” Sara said. “I’ve never been this far from home before.”

                Leeli and Kal sighed. “It is a lot to take in,” Leeli whispered.

                Just like Artham, he had many memories in this place as well. But most of his memories were happy. It was just the memories that came after the good ones that troubled him. But nowhere to the extent Artham’s memories did.

                Soon, the three adults joined the children, and stared into the seeming black abyss of trees.

Leeli was the one that spoke first.  “Well, who’s leading the way? Uncle Artham or Kalmar?”

                Kalmar gave a sheepish kind of smile, and looked back at his uncle. “Well, is it okay if we lead together?”

                Artham smiled, and he placed a talon gingerly on Kalmar’s shoulder. “You never have to ask for my help, lad. Just say what you need me to do, and I will.”

                Kalmar inhaled sharply, gave a quick smile, and the marched in, Artham walking behind him.

                Kalmar wasn’t exactly sure where he was going, but he had his uncle behind him to help him. More importantly, he also had the Maker above to guide him.