Flash Fiction Friday (40)

Dottie over at Tink's Place have come up with the idea for a Monday Morning Flash Fiction challenge. Each Monday a new picture prompt will be posted and if you choose to participate you post your story on Friday - 350 words, give or take.

I have to thank Blodeuedd at Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell for introducing me to this fun meme. I don't know if I'll be able to keep up with every week, but I'll give it a try from time to time.

The Image This Week:

(Artist:  Luis Royo)

This is a continuation of the story I've been doing, Dragons Blood:

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Story by:  Melissa

"Trapped here?"  Liam and Cheyenne said in unison.

Phoenix nodded his head, "Yes.  In years past we have had many descendants in your line, Cheyenne, return home, here.  Usually after they had a family, leaving behind a piece of our line to carry on in the world."

Cheyenne looked to Phoenix surprise and the pieces started falling together in her mind, "So my family, my mother, all I never knew, are here?"

Phoenix held up his hand, "Calm for a moment.  I do have someone who would like to see you."

Cheyenne's eyes turned to a door at the back of the dinning hall.  A tall, lean woman dressed in a black thin dress entered.  She wore a band around her forehead, like Linnie's but around her eyebrows instead of on the top of her head.  Dark smoke smoldered around her as she entered, probably from the shift from dragon or popping into the doorway.  She looked to be a warrior princess with the shield strapped at her back and the glowing sword she dragged beside her.

Cheyenne sat, frozen to her chair.  The woman looked nothing like Cheyenne, complete opposite with dark hair, like Phoenix and Linnie.  Long thin build to Cheyenne's shorter broad shoulders.  The woman had a lounging stance to her, even her sword tip rested on the marble floor.  Aside from the armor and smoke, she looked just like the day she left Cheyenne on the street, saying she'd be back and they'd be rich. It was inhumanly possible!  She had not aged a day!

She never would have guessed she would see her mother again.  Cheyenne's heart swelled with ache to hug her mother.  The little girl inside happy to see her again, just wanting to touch her to prove she was real.  Then anger flooded the gates of emotion; the heartache of years alone, abandoned with no one to care for her but herself, thinking she was unwanted.  Cheyenne felt her fingers heat, then burn.

Cheyenne heard Liam call her name, but she didn't care.  She was focused on the woman she thought long dead.

The woman must have seen the emotions play across Cheyenne's face.  She smiled and moved to come to Cheyenne at first, but then stopped and confusion then sorrow filled lines on her face where there were none just moments before.

"Cheyenne, please.." she started, almost begging.

"No!" Cheyenne yelled, jumping from her chair as it flipped to the floor.

Liam was there blocking her view of the woman.  With a harsh whisper, bringing him into focus in her eyes he said, "Cheyenne, this is what you have been looking for.  Maybe you can get some answers."  She nodded.  He went on lightly holding her chin, "Just hold your tongue, so we can get out of here."

Cheyenne looked back at the pale skinned woman.  Liam's touch helped calm her, a touch.  The warrior woman approached the table with ease.  "May I sit?"

Phoenix waved his hand around the table, "We all can sit."

The woman turned to Phoenix, "May I have some time with my daughter, and her love, alone?  Please, lord?"

Phoenix nodded and plainly said, "A short time, Cerine.  Then we have other things to discuss.  I'll return shortly."  The man exited the room with a snap and blue smoke swirling.

Cerine turned to Cheyenne in a rushed whisper, "Quickly.  I was sent on a mission that brought me to this place.  I was to find and return a sword to a man in town.  Please, tell me were you approached to steal or find something and return it to him?"

Liam answered, "Yes.  That's why we're here.  Well, originally."

Cheyenne had to know it was whirling in her mind, and asked quickly, "What about dad? Is he here too?"

Cerine looked down at her hands on the table, rubbing them together then back up to Cheyenne, "I'm sorry.  He didn't make it."

"Wha?" Was all Cheyenne could chock out.

"Please, we don't have much time."  Cerine looked around the dinner chamber then back to Cheyenne, "They don't approve of humans any longer and remove them if come here."  Cerine's eyes landed on Liam.

"So dad was murdered?  For being human?"  Then looked to Liam, "What of Liam?"

"That's what I'm wondering."  Questioning in her eye's looking Liam over, "I don't know why he's still alive."

Liam answered, "Maybe they know I'm a way to Cheyenne?"

Cheyenne's bitterness was catching up with her, "Yes, but Linnie has an eye on you."

Cerine looked from Liam to Cheyenne and back, "Really? She never takes to humans."

Liam chuckled trying to make light, "Fresh meat after all these years under the pond?"  Then holds up his hand, "I know, bad joke."

Cerine jumped on that comment, "You don't know how bad it was.  She doesn't play with her food that way."  Looking to Liam and leaning further on the table Cerine asks, "Something you need to share with us?"

Cheyenne turns to look at the man she's spent years with, on the streets surviving, adventures, and who's bed she shares.  Seems he might have his own little secrets.  Would they help or hurt their chances of getting out of this ancient city doom lost under water?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, I could have added more throughout the story and at the ending.  But ran out of time, so I'll have to continue on for another week next week.  But the holes that are here, I can use to make up as I go. :)