About To Crack

(part 5 of my new almost-daily serial inspired by the Smogust Story Hoard Writing Challenge)

If you’re new to The Môrdreigiau Chronicles, welcome! You might find the Glossary helpful for some of these words. Colons indicate the sea dragon’s thought communications.

Previously, Queen Heledd has been entranced by a shining tower (along with her friends) and Llallogan seems unable to escape his dreams. They’ve been commandeered by a strange godling.

Read Part 1 / All Parts of “They Were Shining“

It felt like the end of everything.

Every scale on Geraint’s body vibrated with frustration. Or at least he imagined it would, given that he was trapped inside Caer Morgana in his human form.

The palace guards under his command surrounded him waiting for his next order, as did the sea-rice farmers and well, almost everyone in the caer, all prepared to search for their missing monarch.

They stared up at the eternal magical barrier that protected the city from the undersea elements and enabled them to live like the humans they once were.

Foam swirled in complicated patterns across the translucent membrane. Every now and then, the surface bulged inward, pushed by the force of the water.

:I’ve never seen anything like it,: said Ardwyad, an advocate a few years older than Geraint. With his deformed foot, he would be a hindrance in the search for the missing dreigiau môr but he had come to see them off and wait for their return.

Geraint swallowed. :Heledd is out there. In that.: His gills along his neck vibrated, uncertain of whether to breathe in or out.

Ardwyad’s hands came to rest upon his shoulder. :Maybe this is why they didn’t come back. They got caught in this storm. We may never find them.:

His declaration caused muted sounds of grief from the crowd.

Geraint stared out into the void, willing Heledd to appear. Heledd, the love of his life, his queen, his reason for living. She couldn’t be dead, not like this.

He straightened his back, forcing his shoulders down. :Maybe the Lady would present a solution to Llallogan but lately it had very much felt they were on their own.

He frowned. Would the membrane hold?

He faced the gathered crowd. :We need to get everyone into the mountain. Bring all the food you can carry.:

Bronwen, Ardwyad’s mother, gasped. :You think the storm is that bad?:

The membrane audibly creaked. The assembled dreigiau môr quailed.

:Yes. Yes, I do. We have our young and elderly to protect. Hurry.:

The warning and instructions broadcasted again and again across the caer as the gathered dreigiau môr scattered.

Geraint hurried to the palace. Llallogan hadn’t responded to his calls, which meant he was deep in one of his trances. He needed to get the prophet to safety, although what was a Chosen Court without its monarch?

Elpis tugged on his sleeve.

Geraint’s concerned frown deepened into annoyance. :You should be at the hot springs. I don’t have time to babysit you.:

Elpis pouted. :I’m not a child. I haven’t been for quite a while. You haven’t noticed?:

He’d noticed. But she was Llallogan’s younger sister and besides, he only had eyes for Heledd. Elpis’ prettiness had no effect on him. :Then quit following me around,: he snapped. :Anyone would think you liked me.:

The young draig môr ducked her head, hiding her face behind her apricot-coloured sleeve. :You’ll need help moving Llallogan.:

He didn’t ask how Elpis knew his plans. Perhaps Llallogan’s absence had made it obvious. :I don’t need—:

:i know you can carry him, but it will be faster if someone helps.:

The membrane overhead yawed, a horrible creaking sound.

:Come on.: Geraint took her hand and they ran for the palace.

Inside, they ran through the halls to Llallogan’s chambers.

Empty.

Geraint ran a hand through his long black braids. :Where did he go?:

Rumbles shook the palace. Elpis tugged his sleeve. :We don’t have time to look.:

He shook her off. :Maybe he’s in Heledd’s chambers.:

He wasn’t there either.

The watery atmosphere grew oppressive. :Geraint!: Elpis pleaded.

His bleak expression matched her own breaking heart. He grew grim. :Let’s get you somewhere safe. The palace’s hot spring is not far.:

Instead of navigating stairwells and hallways, they dove off Heledd’s balcony, plunging into the gardens below.

Once on the ground, they ran, Geraint near-dragging Elpis along behind him.

They dashed into the cave via the short tunnel.

The hot spring’s heat assaulted them. Geraint crumbled, going to his knees, curling down until his forehead hit the floor. His body shook.

Elpis crouched beside him. :Geraint?:

She lifted his braids to see his gills convulsing: flaring and flattening against his neck erratically.

:Oh, Geraint.: She embraced him, her arms extending across his back, pressing her cheek to the back of his shoulders, and wept.

He’d lost the two people dearest to him. What a useless Sword he’d turned out to be. He defended no-one, protected nobody, and couldn’t even save the caer from succumbing to this dreadful storm. He sobbed, hiding his face in the cave’s powdery dirt.

He couldn’t face Elpis. By failing to find her brother. he’d failed her too. He kept his head down, wishing she would leave him be. She remained pressed to him like a limpet.

And then, she was gone.

Outside, the membrane groaned. Its shuddering communicated through the watery atmosphere in sharp shockwaves that eddied through the narrow tunnel.

Hands touched his shoulders and he raised his head. Might as well get the humiliation over with.

Elpis knelt before him, her robe falling off her shoulders. Her pale golden skin flushed pinked in the heat.

Leaning forwards, she cupped his face and brushed the salty mud from his cheeks with such tenderness, the tears started to rise again.

:I’m here.: Elpis closed the small distance between them and kissed him.

Geraint stilled in shock. :You can’t.:

Her eyes opened and gazed into his, her lips still pressed to his. :Why not?:

:I couldn’t save anybody. Not even your brother.: He tried to pull away, but she laced her hands behind his neck.

Her eyes swam with unshed tears. :You need to stop carrying the world.:

:Elpis,: he groaned. She asked the impossible. He rested his forehead against hers.

She kissed him again. This time, he let his mouth soften, let himself be held.

The storm raged outside but inside, tenderness and shared grief broke Geraint and Elpis in ways they never imagined.

This is a response to the Smogust Story Hoard writing challenge by Bradley Ramsey and The Circus Dragon for the month of August. And yes, as it often happens with these month long challenges (often being precisely once before), it’s a serial.

Read Part 1 / All Parts of “They Were Shining“