Prophecy Of Tears: Farewell

Justin continued his silent tirade against the council with a few curse words that he has learned from the many different races of this world. His wife and queen sat in the nursery watching her husband pace back and forth through the open doorway. Their daughter must have been able to feel her fathers torment because even she was restless in her mothers gentle embrace.
         Something must have come to Justin in a way that affected him in a way he didn’t expect because he finally stopped his incessant pacing and all the anger left his face. Ava through the few years as the queen of the Tear of Gaia learned just as well as her husband on how to not show any emotion when the situation called for it. However the time spent with her husband had allowed her to read the subtleties of his face and body even when he was showing no outward signs of any emotion. The split second of emotion she saw scared her. Now she didn’t want to run and hide for fear of bodily harm, but it was a face of goodbye. She saw that in his head he went through every possible scenario on how to override the council’s decision not sound the call to arms and came to rest at a decision that did not sit well with her beloved. She took their daughter and placed her back within the crib. The crib crafted by the King of the dwarves own hands and the mattress and blankets that she gently covered the sleeping infant were lovingly crafted by the elves.
She looked back to her husband and saw the anguish and torment in his face before he forced himself to become even more unreadable than ever before. She watched him as she walked into their bedchamber decorated by her own hand to be as much of a sanctuary from the world outside as she could manage. His eyes never left the crib where their daughter now slept soundly. She quietly sat in the high backed chair next where he stood.
His face was unreadable to even her but his eyes spoke volumes. The tears he was fighting back continued to well up making his eyes shine in the moonlight. His face had a golden sheen to it because of the moonlight glinting of his gold embossed armor near the window. The ceased to be at this moment and all that was left was a wife and mother. She silently watched her husband and could feel her own tears start to well up as she recognized the look in his eyes. Her husband was grieving.
She shifted in the chair and it creaked in protest. The slight noise snapped him out of his trance and he looked towards the offending noise. At first his eyes still seemed distant but quickly snapped back to reality when he saw his wife almost ready to burst into tears. He knelt before her in her chair and took her hands into his and they stared into each other’s eyes. He was not forcing his face to remain emotionless but she could tell he was working up the nerve to talk. She knew that trying to aid him into speaking would only fail and he might never say what was on his mind. She noticed this with her husband as well as all the knights under his command. Her breath caught in her throat when her husband finally spoke.
“You know as well as I do that the invading army have no remorse and will not stop don’t you my love?”
As much as she wanted to say yes she could not will herself to speak having a feeling that she knew where he was going with his speech. All she could was muster a slight nod.
He looked at his wife and said not so much to her but voice his own thoughts “They will not stop, no one can surrender, and they will not stop even if we lay down arms. We cannot save the people by swearing fealty. They are bent on destruction. Annihilation. The chances are slim that we can beat them with the entire army on the field, but those chances drop to nothing if we have to deal with them at our walls. The will raise each of our fallen to bolster their own forces. Then we will be fighting inside the walls as well as those without. They don’t want more slaves; they want to annihilate the populace of the planet. No one is safe.”
Although no sound escaped her, the queen knew what decision her husband had made and the tears flowed openly down her cheeks. He released her hands and stood up. He looked away for he knew that seeing the pain on his wife’s face he would break down and would not be able to do what he needed to do. Right now that was talking to his wife. “The council is drunk with the power we gave them. They refuse to see what is marching towards us. This is not an army or orcs nor is it a rebel force trying to invade, this army of demons and dead is the apocalypse given form. It is the end of the world unless it is stopped.”
Justin’s tears fell against his own will but he could not turn back now that he had started. Unlike what he was before he was forced to lead, he always followed through on what he took on. “I can see no way to change the councils mind, and I will not force the people of this city to undertake a task that they refuse to see is the only option.” He turned to his wife and said forcefully and with conviction, “Someone has to do something and if they refuse to act,” With a long pause for a breath he continued “then I will… no I must do it on my own. I will leave tonight and travel south along the river and then east to stand before the army of hell.”
Ava when to the wardrobe that hadn’t been opened for years, inside was housed her own suit of armor although it wasn’t as shiny as her husbands it was no less impressive. She opened the door to the wardrobe and before the light of the room could fall upon the items inside she was stopped with a strong and forceful ‘no.’
She turned to her husband and said. “I know what you go to do. I know you will face this invading army alone. I know I will not see you again if you go. If you are not with me, if you are not by my side, my world will crumble. I will go with you my love, if you fall I will fall with you and we will be together in eternity.” Ava continued to open the door to the wardrobe and was stopped again by a less forceful and commanding ‘no.’
Her husband came up to his wife and with ever so gentle movements he removed her fingers from the handle to the wardrobe and closed the door again. “Your love means the world to me. I do this not because I want to but because I have to. The only thing in this world that means anything to me is my ladies. You and Leah are my world; I would fade into nothing without you two. I want to stay with you and love you forever, but I have to go. I will not sit idly by while the lives of my family are threatened. I have to know my family is safe.”
Ava did not move to open the wardrobe again but sat down on the edge of the bed. Without looking at him she spoke to him “My world is also my family, you came into my life when I thought such love was only in fairy tales. Now my heart threatens to leap from my chest when I see you and bursts with happiness when I see you hold our daughter. My world would be bland and empty without you in it.”
Justin knelt once again before his wife. “Never empty or bland my love, for you have someone else who needs you a much as I do.” He looked over to the doorway that held his child sleeping silently. Ava grabbed his face and made him look back at her “and you don’t think that she needs you? That Leah will not want to know her father, she needs you too,” her voiced dropped to a slight more than a whisper “and I need you too.” Whispering to her kneeling husband “Your strength and your love is everything to me, I would rather die then to never again feel your arms around me.”
Justin sat beside his wife and pulled her close to him wrapping his arms softly around her. He smelled the lavender aroma coming from her hair as he stroked her mane softly and held her tight with the other arm. “I must do this Ava. To know that I did nothing to protect my family would weigh on me heavier than any stone on any world. I do have two favors to ask of you my love. I ask that if… when this army reaches the city that you open the portal to Earth. Save as many as you can but make sure you and Leah get through it. Destroy the portal afterwards. I must know that what I’m about to do is not in vain.”
Ava simply nodded and said that she would get their daughter to safety. After a while of sitting in silence as she felt the body heat of her husband, his idle stroking of her long raven black hair, and listening to his steady breathing she asked “and what else would you ask of me my beloved?”
Justin’s breathing became more shallow and rapid as the tears came unbidden to his eyes. “Tell our daughter of me… tell her that her father did everything he could and gave everything he had for his wife and daughter. Tell her that I love her.”
Ava’s tears matched her husbands as they streamed down her face. She raised her head from his shoulder to stare into his eyes “She will know of her father, she will know of his love for her. Everyone will hear of what he did for his family. The story of a man’s love for his family will reach every ear on every world.”
The couple embraced in a kiss that while not deep spoke volumes of the love and passion they held for each other. When the embrace ended they both stood up hand in hand. Ava led her husband to his suit of Armor and began to fit each piece onto him.
As she put each piece of armor on her husband she let her hand remain on his skin for a moment before moving on. In her mind she knew Justin and all of his scars and muscles. She took such observations not for her mind, not for their daughter who would someday ask what her father was like but she drank in the essence of her husband for her heart. Her heart would memorize every detail so that it would never forget. Memories fade over time but the impact on a heart will stay throughout eternity.
Ava took a step back to observe her husband in his gallant armor. She saw what he had become since she first met him many years ago at the diner. He had gone from reserved and quiet nice guy to fearless loving and devoted husband. His body showed the signs of the countless battles and his toned muscles showed how tirelessly he trained. His face showed signs of compassion and loyalty as well as the nobility he had rightfully earned. He was now and forever her lover, husband, confidant, and king.
Justin stood before his wife. He memorized her sight, her touch, and her being. Her hair glistened in the moonlight. He knew that for now and all eternity her image was locked in his mind and heart.
His Queen.
         His Wife.
         His Life.
         
         He walked into the nursery that held many treasures from many nations and many good friends. But all paled to the angelic face within the crib. He watched as his daughter slept. He heard Ava tell the guard to ready a horse for the king. The fist of the guard slammed against his breastplate in a salute before Justin heard the guard go off running. The clanking of metal in the hall woke up the sleeping child. She looked around spooked until her eyes rested upon her father standing silently above her. Her face softened and she drifted back to sleep knowing that she was safe and that no harm would come to her in the night with her father standing near. Justin reached out a single finger and Leah gasped it in her sleep. Her tight grip on his finger quelled any second thoughts in Justin about what he had to do.
         Justin pulled his hand back as his wife came back into the room. She reached down and pulled their daughter from the crib with gentle and loving hands. Wrapping her in delicate skins she bundled their child against the night chill. Ava looked to her husband and said “We will escort you to the stables.” A smile spread across Justin’s face and his pride swelled.
         The pair left the room and his wife, child and two of his personal honor guard, escorted Justin. Their walk was not fast as both Justin and Ava wanted to spend as much time as they could together before they would part.
         The two walked through the quiet castle. The torches and their footstep were the only sounds that echoed back at them inside the vast halls. The quartet exited the castle, walked down the main steps and down the cobblestone path that led deeper into the city. No words were spoken as they passed by the beautiful gardens; hand cared for by the Shacha and Elven Druids.
         Inside the military quarter the king and queen both nodded by the few people he passed when they bowed or saluted to them. The whispers began as soon as they thought they were out of earshot. Ava knew that the king decked out in full battle armor could draw heads and the rumors of what was going on would be all over town by the morning. The king and queen and their personal escort steadily made their way to the Stables. Inside the drowsy neighs of the horses and the slow rumble of a dozen dragons floated in the air. Inside stable boys and Dragon Rider squires all tended to their duties only pausing long enough to show proper respect. The dragons all sensed the tenseness of the pair as they walked past. All of them raised their heads to watch as the royal couple passed their stalls. Even Inferno, the fiery tempered red Dragon mad no aggressive attacks towards the king this night, which the squire inside the stable was relieved and a little confused by. The red dragon simply rose to its feet and watched the pair pass. The very last stall which held the rarest of all dragons. Mayhem, the black dragon rose to its feet before the King even got there. He had his squire frustrated as to why the dragon continuously shoved his saddle into the squire’s arms. Every time the squire put the saddle back into its place the dragon would huff out a complaint and grab the saddle back. When he saw the king he bowed and backed out of the stall. The dragon grabbed the saddle and dropped it at his rider’s feet. The king smiled and picked the saddle up. Replacing it onto the stand where it was stored moved up to Mayhem. “Not this time my loyal friend, this time I ride alone. The dragon looked at the saddle and back at Justin. Unheard to everyone except Justin, the dragons thoughts were confused. “Why? We always ride together. Where you go… I go.
         The dragon probed Justin’s mind for the reason why. The dragon felt Justin’s determination. He looked in the now familiar territory of Justin’s mind and experienced the failure of the council meeting, the news of the approaching army, and the words between Justin and the queen. Mayhem felt what Justin felt, he could feel the pain of leaving. The dragon said to Justin “Never before have I shirked my oath to you. To fight along side you, to be your partner in all things; why would you deny me my oath?”
         Justin and Mayhem’s discussion was completely unheard by anyone else. “I need a different oath of you now my friend. I ask you to protect my wife and child for me. I go now for them but must know they are safe. Will you help me and make sure they survive what may come?” The dragon looked at Ava and the tiny child nestled sleeping in her arms. The dragons love and loyalty to Justin extended to his family as well. Mayhem know that the loss of either of them would crush his soul and that is why he knew what his answer would be.
         Mayhem bowed his head to Justin in a dragon’s sign of loyalty. He told Justin that he would do as Justin wishes even though in less than nice terms mayhem told Justin that it was his duty to be by his side no matter what. Justin placed his hand along side of Mayhems face and looked directly into his eyes. You and I have been through a lot together. I will miss you dearly. You have always been a good friend to me. Protect my family in this dire hour. Placing his fist to his chest Justin bowed his head as he saluted the Dragon in loyalty and respect. The stable boy came up to the king with a saddled horse. He held the horse in place as Justin mounted. Justin looked at Mayhem and said out loud “Goodbye my friend.”
He led the horse out of the stables slowly as his honor guard the stable boy and his wife and child followed. Once he was outside in the night air he turned his horse around and to face his wife. Justin placed his hand against his mouth and pressed a kiss into it. Then he placed his hand on his wife’s mouth and then to the top of his daughter’s head.
He looked down upon the eyes of his wife and smiled. “Promise me you will love me for the rest of my life.” Ava looked back at her husband and with fresh tears in her eyes she said “No my love. I will love you for the rest of mine.”
With that Justin turned his horse towards east entrance to the city. He looked back and winked as his wife as he yelled out “Yah!” The horse took off at a full gallop into the night.

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         Ava watched as her husband rode off into the dark. She stood in the chilly night air until she cold not see him anymore. Slowly the queen went back inside the specially designed dragon stables. Inside the dragons rustled ever so slightly appearing to feel something in the air; something that made them restless. Ava made her way to Mayhem’s stall. He was still standing up, his majestic wings folded at his sides. He long serpentine neck drooped slightly. Ava held her baby and watched Mayhem in silence. Mayhem didn’t move for the longest time. The only way t tell he was not a statue was to hear the deep rumble of breathing.
         After some time Mayhem shifted weight and lifted his head into the air, the stable hands saw this and rushed in but a quick raised hand from the queen stopped them dead in their tracks. Mayhem rose on his back legs and spread his wings like he was going to attempt to fly through the roof. The stable hands moved forward again and the queen shot them a look that made them bow and avoid eye contact. The black dragon opened his mouth and let out a long cry. It resonated through the entire city. The mournful sound made every last person stop in their tracks and look towards the castle. Mayhem stopped only long enough to take a breath and then the stable hands started to run towards other stalls until the queen shouted out “If you move one more time It very well might be your last!” The emotions played across their faces. They knew what destruction the Dragons could do if they had a mind to do it but yet the tone in their Queens voice forced them to stop trying to calm the dragons down and let what ever was going to happen, to happen.
         Every dragon in the stables assumed the same position as Mayhem. All of their wings spread as they rose up to their full height on their back legs. The dragons raised their long serpentine necks to the sky and mimicked Mayhems cry. Each at a different pitch, but the sorrow in their voices could not be misunderstood. The dragon’s song of sorrow fell across the city like a blanket. Every resident stopped what they were doing; forges went quiet, taverns fell into silence, and not a single living soul could utter a sound. Everyone’s own memories became clouded as the dragons sang their song.
         When it ended every infant and toddler wake up screaming including Leah, the dragon princess. Mayhem came back to all fours and his focused on the queen who had fresh tears slowing. His eyes fixed upon the wailing Leah and almost immediately she stopped crying. She reached out her ever so small hand towards the black dragon.
         The dragon nuzzled his powerful mouth against the outstretched hand of the princess. The dragon pulled back and reached out to grab one of the blankets where his saddle was. Ava could only say it was instinct but Mayhem made a small nest and circled himself around it spreading out one wing to give the nest a roof. Smiling she nodded and then opened the gate to the dragons stall. She placed the cooing baby within the nest who reached skyward towards the dragons wing trying to play. Mayhem serpentine neck craned to look at the infant under his wing and then turned back to Ava who was smiling slightly at the sight. A defenseless infant being cradled and protected by what has come to know as one of the fiercest fighters on the planet.
         Eva pulled up a stool and sat with the dragon and her child. The stable hands moved back silently attending to other matters while the queen sat with the king’s dragon. Ava at first said nothing as the three of them took comfort in the company of the others. Then as if her mind wandered her heart took control of her mouth. She talked to Leah and Mayhem not sure if either of them understood what she was saying. She told them about Justin. She told them of the shy man who entered the diner where she worked every few days for breakfast. He always came with a loud and rambunctious group that not many waitresses would want to wait on because of their jovial and sarcastic humor. Justin was different though. He would laugh at their jokes but he would also very polite every time she came around. He made no outward moves at the time but she could see in his face that he liked her.
         Ava talked of Justin’s first attempt to talk to her. His nerves made him fumble his words and she could see the panic on his face as he tried talk. She told them that after Justin got a hold of himself they set up their first date. They didn’t get to go on their first date for nearly two years after that. She told them of the war that separated them for six months and how she was stick at a concentration camp. She couldn’t help but smile when she told them about how Justin and his team came to her rescue like angels. The small room she was locked in with about thirty others pitch black. They all heard the gunfire outside and then things went silent. Eva and the others thought the worst, especially when they heard doors being kicked in. The sounds got closer and closer. They all huddled together for comfort as they came closer.
         
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All across the city the mood had changed. Every one knew it was not the same as any other night. The dragon riders although spread out across the city stopped became silent. As did many others after the song that they sang. No one questioned their behavior. Not their wives sitting across the dinner table with them, not the fellow patrons in the tavern, not even the stern and assertive drill instructor overseeing the training yards.

**********

Mayhem watched the queen intently as she told him when the door was kicked into the cell Justin stood there with the bright light of freedom surrounding him like an angelic aura. She would never forget his words, “It’s okay, and you’re all safe now. This is what we like to call a rescue.” It was funny and reassuring at the same time. She talked about how she remember his voice from the days of peace and went running to him almost knocking him down with a hug. She held onto him and felt the strength in his chest seep into her giving her the courage that he would always protect her.
         Ava talked of how Justin commanded the building of the Valley of thorns. She told of how his bravery and his charisma made everyone want to do what he asked. She told them of how Justin, Matt, and her got pulled into this world that they now called home.

         Leah heard her mothers soothing words as she talked about her father was almost killed by the magical power he now possessed. She drifted in and out of sleep as her mother spoke of how Justin pulled together nations of different races to unite against a common enemy. How her father had people across the world forget about petty differences and ancient gripes to work together to stem the tide of Demonic forces that threatened to destroy two worlds. Her mother’s words filtered into her dreams about her mother and fathers first date in a world that was as foreign to them as they were to it.
         The stable hands had stopped working as they listened to the tale of their heroic king as the elves crossed the boundary into another world to aid him in his fight to save the people he swore to protect there. They silently heard the story of how Mayhem was born and how the two of them had stormed the cult tower and stopped the merger of worlds. They heard about their King, his dragon and the queen were given the castle as a gift from the heavens. Even a Deity came down from his mighty loft to praise Justin for his unselfishness and tolerance of the diverse races of the world. The Deity told Justin that because of his unselfishness and courage that he was to be given a place to rule and continue his work to bring together all of the races of the world.

**********

         The city began to come back to life but it was more subdued, people began to converse, at first it was simply rumors of what cause the symphony of the heartfelt and mournful dragon song. Then as if the city had a life of its own it began to recall the days before they moved their homes and families to the Tear of Gaia. It became a night of remembrance and of reflection. People shared stories of loved ones no longer with them, the first time they ever saw an elf, or a dwarf.

**********

         Ava continued to recount the life of her beloved, through the trials and the good times. She was lost in her own thoughts and didn’t hear the slight hum coming from Mayhem and the sway that he had begun. She talked of how even now her husband was going to his death because his devotion to his people and his family compels him to do so. How he never thinks of himself, and that even though they are married she must share him with the world.
         The stable hands began to notice the hum, as it got a little louder. They thought Mayhem was doing it, but then they realized that all of the dragons were swaying and humming in unison.

**********

         The hum seemed to resonate in everything throughout the city, fuel by the magical nature of the dragons themselves. The clerics and priests throughout the city fell to their knees to silently talk to their chosen deities.
         Druids felt the earth beneath them begin to sing its own song. The trees took up the chorus of the dragons, bending and swaying without a breeze to direct them. Animals everywhere began to sing their own song. Dogs everywhere began to bark, birds chirped in the trees where they should be sleeping. The dragon riders swayed all stood quietly swaying back and forth while no one around them dared make a comment about their behavior.

**********

         Ava stood from her stool as her emotions caught up with her. The anger her husband felt towards the councils indecision swelled inside of her. While she seemed oblivious to the constant hum of the dragons and the animals nearby going absolutely insane with the noise she continued her tirade against the indignities of the world and the failings of mortals. As her voice rose in both volume and tempo the dragons hum remained the same although they all were now standing with their queen. All except Mayhem. Mayhem remained curled around the sleeping baby but was intently watching the queen.
         “How dare they! How many times has he led them in the right direction? How many times did they turn to his leadership when they had no idea where to turn? It was not them who fought for the most beautiful city on the face of the planet. Never before had the talent of so many races come together and worked on one thing together, side-by-side! The elves, dwarves, shape-changers, centaur, and even goblins… All together within the same walls. None of them could do what Justin has done and yet now in their greatest hour of need they turn their back on him and worry about the skin of their own backs. And now the only person I’ve ever loved leaves to die for the same people who ignored him. Why?”
         Ava fell to her knees with fresh tears flowing freely down her face and she talked directly to Mayhem for the first time since she came inside the stables. “What am I to do without him? What will the people do without him? He loves us all more than anyone will ever know. How will anyone ever know what he gave for his family and his people? Who will tell his story?” Mayhem stretched his neck out to the crying woman in front of him. He nuzzled next to her as she held onto his neck as she cried.
         Across town a dragon rider who was eating dinner with his family stood silently before his family and put his fist to his heart in a salute. A single tear fell down the cheek of the grizzled warrior. With a slight bow he simply said “My Queen.”