(July '16) Prompt #3- "If only" [Archive]

m139

07-25-2016, 06:03 PM

If Only
Ch 1, part 3
previous (http://role-player.net/forum/showthread.php?t=82485&p=2806141&viewfull=1#post2806141) ~ next is still to be written...

The real question about that song was, however, not what it had meant to that old dragon rider, nor what it had mean to Merik, but rather what it meant to Andrea. And as to what that song meant to Andrea, she could not even answer. Perhaps that is why the old dragon rider had not told Merik, and Merik had not told her. Perhaps the song's origin and original meaning were so obscure no one knew anything but that it made the singer and listener feel hopeful. Was hope the message of the song? Andrea thought about this. Perhaps... Perhaps it was so. But on the other hand, perhaps it was something more. Perhaps even... Perhaps the song was so full of meaning that no one could tell exactly what it was in one sentence. Perhaps it was hope- but perhaps it was also the joy that came after and the sorrow that came before. And perhaps also... Perhaps it was a promise. A promise that things would get better, if not now, then in the end. But then, what had happened to Merik in the end?

Andrea sighed. If only that had not happened. That, and the attack on the school. And the attack on the other dragon riders. That, and everything. If only the world were simpler, like in the song. If only...

The words of the song came back to her:
And the place that I have heard about, Far far across the valley,
Will come into this world I know and mend the rifted lands
And tomorrow will become today

Well, it was taking a lot of time. And why could not this sorrowing part be skipped? The world was stupid. All of this was stupid.

Andrea was crying again. The tears once again poured from her eyes, rivaling the falling rain in everything but magnitude. Her world had been torn in half, and she did not know how to pick up the pieces and make something of them. She doubted even Alan knew how to put them together. Whereas she and Kara and Miri had once simply talked about a future they would have to decide on some years forward, now, Miri was gone and the two remaining barely knew what tomorrow would bring.

Or even the next hour. After all, one of the reasons that Andrea was here at the cave entrance, besides being a lookout, was to wait for the return of two of the guys who had gone out hunting. It was decided that in the rain, it was safe enough to build a fire, and with almost half of them sick, and the traveling tomorrow, it was a necessity. And pretty much everyone, although those of the riders who could do earth magic were great and all, were tired of various raw vegetables. But the two guys were late. And soon, Andrea was sure, someone else would come to join her as the lookout. But for now, all of them, she knew, were huddled around the small fire in the large cavern in the back. Sure, it was a little smoky back there, but there was enough ventilation to keep it from getting too hard to breath. And it was warm, very warm. Much better than the first day when they had come, when they were too afraid to light anything.

That night had been miserable for multiple reasons, the lack of heat being the least of their worries. Ha! If only that had been their only worry! Instead, it had been filled with finding out who was there, remembering who had been out there at the pond, freaking out every second as someone forgot another's presence had already been accounted for. And the constant wondering about those who had not been in that little group, those who were not present. But even then, that was hardly the worst of it. There was also the fear that any little sound- any- might be them, coming to attack their group.

Andrea supposed the worst of it was not knowing exactly what they were up against. Alan, the only one besides Bryant (the guy they had found yesterday), was not able to tell them much. And Bryant himself was still somewhat delirious in his babblings. All they knew is that they were well armed, and they knew how to fight, too. They were not just angry villagers, and that was scary.

Still, the dragon riders' fear had subsided a bit in the following day. They were still safe, they were all still together, and even their scouting missions, though failing to return Miri, had not resulted in any further injuries. Yet, it had been decided to move on tonight. There was always the chance the attackers could still be searching the mountain. And besides that, no one really wanted to stay. Too many bad things had happened here. This was a place of many sorrows, once that the group would always remember. But perhaps, from a distance, it would be easier to heal. And perhaps, also, if they left, they would find something to do. That was another pain. None of them knew what to do at all.

Still, as Alan had said to the older people gathered, "We must take these days one at a time." And there was much to do, much to do. Care for the sick, replenish the firewood, keep guard, make food, comfort the younger ones. At least all the work kept them distracted from the fact that they did not know what to do.

There were no teachers here. And even if some of the teachers had survived, who knew where they were? They were on their own.

They would have to make their own choices now. And once everyone was feeling better, they would have to decide what to do in this world hostile to their kind. And whatever lessons their teachers had taught, they would only have these lessons to guide them. This was the brave new world they had found themselves in, and this was the world they would operate in.

So began their adventure.

[End Chapter 1]