Room Of Angel
As you know I write. Currently I am co-authoring a book with someone. Below you will find an excerpt from that book. Let us know what you think so far.
Dragon Moon-
Prelude - "And so the dream was revealed"
The storm had moved in, changing thier world to the dark and wet place it was on this night. The moon hovered in the night sky, luminescent and lighting up the ground below it. The mist had started to settle its way in on every portion of plant life, gracing the ground and its structures with a thin veil of protection...but from what was it protection?
Kaelen slowly paced the floor as each pain came in waves, her hair slick with moisture from concentrating. Her mind struggled to stay focused as another flash of lightening streaked thru the sky, followed by a distant rumble of the thunder that chased after it like a panther would her prey. Looking up, she caught Aeryn staring at her, as if he was trying to figure out what was distracting her when it was obvious enough. It warmed her to see him still look at her with such great desire and love still. She had thought that as time wore on, his love for her would dwindle, or that the fire would one day die out.
A smile tugged at her lips as she thought of the first time he had captured her heart. She had been but a young girl at that point. Kaelen could remember how he looked, how he moved so gracefully within the shadows of the flame. She moved closer to the window that graced the wall beside the bed. She stood and watched yet another chase take place in the sky, watched as the lightening streaked its way thru, fingers reaching and branching out as its tormentor followed suit...rumbling its demand to its prey. Eventually the thunder would catch up to its prey and the lightening would give in. The chase had always captured her attention, as it reminded her of life and how you make your way thru it, your demons and tormentors chasing after you....or in her case, Aeryn chasing after her. She stopped running one day, let him catch her and gave in to what she felt. She finally felt complete, like the missing piece to the puzzle had finally fallen into place for her. And now....now they were expecting a child. A child that seemed to revel in giving her mother every test she could think of during the pregnancy.
As Kaelen watched another chase take place, a wave of pain crashed over her. Her hands gripped the window frame, her body bending to the pain this time. Aeryn moved to her side, his arms wrapping around her waist, guiding her to the bed. Never had he seen Kaelen show fear before, but as he looked into her eyes, he saw an unmistakable fear within them. Seeing fear in her eyes un-nerved him. She looked at him, "It's time, our child is eager to be born on this night."
Aeryn lit another candle to provide some more light and comfort. Shadows danced on the walls, casting a blanket of darkness on everything they touched. He watched as Kaelen arched her back in pain, his attention snapping back towards her legs as he saw a head emerge between them. Reaching down, he touched the black hair that graced the child's head as it emerged. It was like touching the silken threads of a spiders web, so soft and wispy under his fingers. Gently he cradled the head so he could guide the child's body thru the rest of the birth. He lifted the child and wrapped her in a soft blanket, It's a girl Kaelen, a girl! Aerolia....Aerolia Kataeri. Kaelen and Aeryn looked over thier daughter, counting all her fingers and toes. Adorning her right hand however was a deep red birthmark. It covered the entire back of her hand and her palm, like a perfectly fit glove. Thier eyes locked and they knew then that Aerolia was blessed.
As Aeryn held her in his hands, the flames of the candles danced fiercely; casting thier shadows on the dark tapestry that hung on the wall. As the shadows danced, they took shape, changed, blending gracefully. Aerolia let out her first cry, a cry that turned to a deep roar as the shadows shifted shapes. To any onlooker that would have been watching thru the window, they would have seen the shadows shift as the child took on her true form. As she shifted to a tiny red dragonling in her father's hands....
And so Soulhaunter was born, her birth a night to remember in centuries to come.
Across the lands from Remera, another event was taking place at the moment of Aerolia's birth. One that would later prove to be intertwinned with Aerolia's life. A Deep blue egg sat in a straw nest, casting a soft glow on the walls of the cave that protected it. The blue shadows dancing with the red ones cast by the amulet that laid in the straw next to the egg. The egg cracked and shuddered as its shell slowly gave way. As Aerolia let out her first cry, so did a young and newly hatched male dragon. His blue scales shimmering in the shadows the amulet cast on the walls. The one difference in his birth from Aerolia's was that he was born alone, with only the wind to hear his cries.
Chapter One-
Aerolia shifted to cat form as she ran through the dense forest. She had never had to shift to cat so quickly before and it took her a moment to regain her footing as she made her way across the forest floor, kicking leaves and loose branches up in her wake. She spied a dense tree looming ahead of her and made the split decision to pounce up onto the lower limbs that were within her reach. As she crouched down, she made her way higher up into the cover the tree offered, watching down as she heard the baying of the dogs as thier humans were drug behind them. She sat quietly and waited, waited for the danger to pass. As she sat a small white squirrel looked at her curiously, touching her mind. "Why are you running? Better yet, why are you invading my home?" he asked. Aerolia shifted her eyes to the squirrel, "I made a mistake, I scared one of the locals and now they chase me. Only they are looking for a woman, not a cat." The squirrel chattered with what sounded more like a laugh to Aerolia, his teeth clattering onto themselves. "Why are you laughing at me? I'm in danger and all you can do is laugh? No offer of help?" she hissed. The squirrel stopped laughing, and looked at her. "I'm Aeson, I live in this tree that you have sought saftey in. I'm laughing because its been so long since I came across a young one. The last young one I came across had his head handed to him on a platter. He wasn't as adept at hiding as you seem to be. Take refuge in my home, they can't see you from down there. This tree has protected many from the dangers of which they are running from. As for help, what can I...a small squirrel do to help you, a rather large cat?" Aerolia breathed a small sigh of relief and let her muscles relax a bit. She would have to wait, and hope they gave up soon. Sighing she looked at Aeson, "How could I have gone and gotten myself into yet another mess like this? My parents will be upset to say the least. Father is always telling me to not let my temper get the best of me, lest it be my downfall." Aeson chattered again, the same chatter that was more like a laugh to her. He continued to gnaw on the walnut he had between his paws. Finally he looked up from his walnut, gave her a look that was more like a poundering. "Maybe you should listen to them little one?" Aerolia growled, "Who are YOU calling little one? I am much bigger than you are and could eat you if I so desired!" Aeson chattered again, "But you won't, I don't taste very good anyways. I'm stating the obvious. What's your name little one?" "It's Aer----Aer----Its Soulhaunter." Aerolia replied. Soulhaunter?!!? Oh my.....you are a Dragonhaunter then? Only a Dragonhaunter is gifted with that name! I should have known by the color of your eyes. Aeson shook his small head and rubbed a paw across his ears. Aerolia arched her back in a stretch and settled herself down on a wide limb, stretching herself out across its length, claws kneeding the bark like a cat would its human's knee when trying to get comfortable. Aeson looked at her and chattered yet again, "Don't be getting all comfortable in MY home now. I said you could hide here, not destroy it with those claws of yours. You obviously have much to learn little one." Aerolia purred, "I think we can become good friends Aeson."
Aerolia shifted her body, which ached from laying on the limb. As she opened her eyes she heard a chatter like snore. Looking down she saw Aeson curled up next to her, one paw under his head and the other draped over her arm like a leaf that had fallen to the ground and was covering an acorn. She slowly slid her arm from under him, careful to not wake him. Obviously not careful enough though, Aeson yawned and rubbed his eyes with his tiny paws. And where do you think you are going? I was comfortable...
As Aerolia jumped from limb to limb, making her way down, she estimated that she had been asleep for some hours. She no longer heard the baying of the dogs, nor did she hear any voices. As she landed on the ground below the tree, with a soft thud, she heard, and saw Aeson scampering down behind her. She quickly resumed her "human" form and smoothed her dress as Aeson finally made his way next to her. "Mother is going to be so upset with me, I've gotten a rip in my dress. She will not be happy about that." Her fingers slowly traced the tear and her lips curved down into a frown as she realized they were probably wondering where she was. Aeson looked at her and just chattered his normal chatter. "Maybe I can help, Its been a long time since I had to do this but let me see if I can fix it." His paws moved over the tear slowly and quietly as he chattered, chattered in a language Aerolia had never heard before. She watched as the tear seemed to mend itself. "How---How-----How did you do that?" she asked, her eyes wide and open with wonder. "Not all of us are what we seem to be around here. Some of us are far more ancient than you realize Aerolia. Did you really think you could hide your human name from me little one? I know more than you think I do. You ending up in my tree was no mistake. You were meant to be there at that precise time little one."
©2008 Dragon Moon - A.G., D.K.
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