When dragons are born,
men should tremble.
~Rhaenyra Targaryen
***
The silence was all it took for the room to suddenly suffocate, and then came screams—from the ripe stretch of their throat to the horror in their gaze as they watched as the flames licked up the curtains, devouring velvet and wood alike. The illumination danced against their wide pupils, swallowing all shadows in a violent orange glow, and in that firelight, peace was shattered into cinders.
Ravenna went rigid, her glistening eyes swollen in tears, widened, seemingly shocked at the sudden outburst of flames licking the curtains, scrambling behind after her captor seemed to have followed suit with the others.
"Get down! The tavern is on fire!" An alarming voice rang out, dragging everyone out of their reverie.
The air filled with the clamor of bodies crashing against one another, desperate to flee. Whores shrieked, their skirts flying as they scrambled across the uneven boards with their screaming following behind as some tried to put the fire away. The men dispersed, returning with buckets filled with water, helping out in quenching the furious flames that only seemed to get worse.
"MOVE! MOVE!"
"Someone get more buckets filled with water!"
"COUGH... The flames are everywhere-- Cough! Cough!"
Another shriek rattled the tavern, drawing the people backward in fear. It was powerful and menacing, the silhouette shrouding the image of the tavern along with its flapping of wings producing heavy kicks in the air. "Something is outside!"
The smoke bit into Ravenna's throat, thick and acrid as her lungs burned with every breath, and she pressed her sleeve against her mouth, fighting to see through the haze. The timbers above groaned, strained by fire, and sparks were raining down like angry stars. The room was eerily suffocating and she crawled, her knees bruising on the floorboards, yet her mind split between escape and the dread crawling along her skin.
"Get out! Everyone, move! Move!" Someone barked in urgency, flinging his arms in accordance, driving the remaining people shielding themselves either beneath the table or somewhere buried at the corner of the hearth into action.
"MOVE!" another bellowed, pushing through bodies, scattering mugs and skirts alike. Panic was a contagion. It spread fast, consuming every rational thought. The tavern's doors rattled with hands scrambling to unlock them, but the voice of command came from the back.
"Lock the door! No one leaves the tavern! You hear me?!" As though keeping the world shut out would save them from what lingered in the dark.
The shriek split the air again, much closer and fiercer than when fire burst through the slats of the shuttered window like a torrent of heat and light. The curtains ignited in a blaze, wood blackened, and smoke billowed so thick it clawed down throats and made eyes burn.
"SHIELD THE DOOR! NO ONE LEAVES-"
The shriek was interrupted, followed by another blaze igniting the tavern as a whole. The wrath of its flames licked it up, burning things into sizzling ashes, and the tremendous silhouette flew by in its desperate yet heavy flaps of wings.
Catching a glimpse of the monstrous shadow, his eyes grew wide and trembled in recognition. "GATHER YOUR SWORDS! IT'S A-"
However, before he could finish, a wave of unmerciful fire was aimed towards him, and his whole body caught on fire. "AHHH!!!"
His scream was an unholy wail, piercing through the tavern as flesh blistered and bones blackened before them all, transforming into ashes the next second as his rucid stench mixed with sulphur filled the air leaving nothing but charred boots.
It happened so quickly, denying the men the ability to process what had just happened. Ravenna's eyes grew wide in shock and terror and her body suddenly trembled as her nemesis-- trauma with fire-- kicked in.
It started with cold sweats, around her face and more behind her back, then her fingers unconsciously quivered. It felt like the whole world sank her muscles to the ground, objecting to her frantic desperation to run away.
Fire scattered everywhere, and wherever her eyes met, there were more. The room once filled with men rejoicing in her vulnerability in mockery and laughter, now dispersed in every corner, either screaming, trying to strengthen their defense, or buried somewhere in ashes.
Somehow, this room suddenly reminded her of a memory, the one she prayed every night and day to forget, and she quivered when that voice came in,
"Raise those hands, Ravenna, and summon," It belonged to a female, the anger and irritation at the tone caused her lips to tremble in a painful cry."I-I can't... It's p-pai-nful-" Five years old her cried, faltering, torn between the pressure of making her mother cease the pain inflicted on her or making her happy.
An unsettling frown spread across her lips, moulding her face into something different, and little her stifled a cry, fully aware of how much the ugly sound of her sobs irritated the young woman called her mother.
"It's within you, and all you have to do is conjure it. Feel its strength and pull. It takes courage for an entity to summon its vessel," She lectured, circling her whimpering body as the stench of flesh replenished the air, just as always.
Little did as she was told, but the pain was infuriating her entire being, making her weak and absolutely sore. She could barely keep her body firm, as the chains supporting her quivered from her little strength.
Fire blazed higher, licking her arms and she screamed, the misery igniting in full force. She could barely keep herself from fainting, but as usual, whatever magic in this room retained her consciousness.
"Summon it! Cry out to it!" The power-hungry monster in that traumatizing voice yelled, her desperation suddenly melting into madness as she flicked her finger, and fire burned brighter, so did little Ravenna's scream. "Pain is what drives your being, and when it does, it drives your vessel. When you feel anger, the force is stronger, but only pain anchors its appearance."
"AH!!!" She cried out, faltering at the sense of power rising higher but the flames were igniting faster, scorching her veins, her blood, and her soul. The heat was unbearable as steam pursued her body, sending her bones into flames. "M-MAMA, PLEASE... Y-you're h-hurting m-me!"
Instead of putting an end to whatever call for summoning she was after, she ignited more flames, repeating the sickening lecturing and the little girl's scream tore down the entire building that day.
"HELP ME!!!" A desperate cry tore the room, and her consciousness kicked in full force, eliminating her blackened vision, when someone ran in inaccurate steps as flames licked up his entire body.
Ravenna was met with reality, tearing her attention from her reverie back to the room. The front door burst open and a flood of people poured out, screaming, coughing, singed, and wide-eyed. A man rolled in the dirt, battling flames from his sleeve and another stumbled out with a limp, dragging a sobbing woman by the arm.
Another shriek erupted and the inferno doubled
The tavern's roof collapsed with a thunderous crash, sending a cyclone of flame and debris into the night sky as panicked primal screams erupted again. And at that moment, her scream mingled with others
There was this sudden strength evoking her sore muscles, and she gasped, taking its domination. Just when she was carried away, a shriek cut through the air, and the body of whatever flew outside came to view.
When it shrieked again, Ravenna felt something different from the sound. It didn't feel like fury or anger a moment before, but warning, as though telling her to move?
Following her instinct, the flames ignited further and she trembled, diverting before the weight of something above crashed beside her, and her eyes widened.
Looking up to catch its tail, something crashed beside her and Ravenna quickly deflected, this time, taking her weight. She could feel her feet once more, and she struggled to remain balanced. She coughed, her throat constricted by the strong smell of acrid smoke, and her eyes fell on Helga, holding her skirt on the verge of leaving along with the others.
As if she sensed her stare, Helga turned, meeting hers and a silent conversation ensued between them through their gazes. But the emotions present in hers were strong, the potent sense of betrayal, hurt and anger in her eyes welled in tears.
Her lips quivered in unsaid words, and at that point, all Ravenna wanted more than ever was to explain, but it was quite difficult to keep her gaze balanced without feeling guilty and worse, shame. She felt like a betrayer, and the smoke curling in her lungs felt like a siege plunging her into the depths of a pain she deserved.
The memory of when she met Helga flooded through, and a painful ache spread around her chest. It was a sunny day in Cartwild village when she stumbled upon a young woman who dropped off something along the street.
It was a pouch, and without shaking its contents, Ravenna knew what it consisted of. Squatting, she grabbed it, feeling the weight of its range, and turned, staring at the golden blonde woman clutching her bag firmly at her side.
Normally, she'd have taken the pouch, but something about the money had this sense of something entirely different in her. Her stomach groaned, a desperate cry for survival, but she pushed along. She'll probably snatch off a few greedy ones along the way, when strangely, she felt the urge to return this one, she thought.
Perhaps, it was the angel in her taking over the addictive demon of her soul.
"Hey!" She yelled, picking off the rag sack skirt, chasing after her. But the young woman only seemed to increase her pace, walking faster and the lines in her forehead deepened. "Hey!" But it was fruitless, as the young woman striding forward without looking back, her long legs serving as a perfect advantage.
"Hey, you dropped off something...!" But the golden-blonde diverted, taking a turn into a quieter alley and Ravenna groaned. What is wrong with her?!
With an internal frustration, she half-ran to the end, diverting to the right. She was met with a few people scattered around, but no sign of a golden blonde. Now where did she go?
Ravenna kept her pace even, angling her head to catch a better view of the end, but there was no sign of her and she sighed. Just once she let the angel push her instinct to a little repentance, the demon was grinning somewhere at the back of her mind.
Retreating, she walked back, throwing the pouch slightly in the air before grabbing it. It wouldn't hurt to-- but the next second, she felt a strong pull to the side, hurling her weight and before she could process, her back was slammed on a wall, and a knife to her throat.
It happened all so fast that her heart thrummed wildly against her chest, recoiling adrenaline rushing into her system. She was met with soft yet firm brown eyes, and cherry lips pressed into a thin line as though surprised by her gender.
Instead, "Why are you following me? Who sent you? What do you want?" She breathlessly thrashed the question, fury and suspicion radiating every word stress as she pressed the knife as a threat, not too firm to draw blood but to inflict a scar on her skin.
Ravenna's eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to speak when she pressed the blade further to her skin, "You dropped off something!" and she raised the pouch, showing it her face and the golden-blonde inched back, surprise then guilt flashing in her eyes for a moment.
She seemed to contemplate her next actions carefully before pulling away, quickly leveling a threatening glare as if to say 'Move an inch and I won't hesitate to kill you', before searching her bag right after.
Confirming, her eyes stretched in panic before settling on the pouch still dancing in the air. She gulped, guilt potent in her gaze as she slowly grabbed it, unfurling the pouch before ascertaining what was in it.
Satisfied that every single thing was intact, she retreated, securing the pouch back into her bag. With a strained smile, "Thank you," she muttered, meeting her eyes for a brief moment before adding, "Pardon my manner earlier. I didn't mean to..."
It seemed like she realized whatever excuse she was about to say wouldn't change a thing or justify her earlier actions, and she smiled once again, her face heating in embarrassment. "Thank you," She appreciated. Her eyes fell on the bruise on her neck, and the smile on her lips faltered as her eyes dimmed in guilt.
She was about to say something, perhaps offer another apology but Ravenna turned, walking away. The last thing she wanted was a knife ripping her throat this time, and the action earlier still left a wave of shock on her body.
Ravenna remembered the encounter clearly, and another that transpired days after. She was surrounded by people who gathered around, accusing her of stealing. Fortunately for her, Helga was there to rescue her on time before God-knows-what would've happened after with the excuse, "I'm merely returning the favor."
And fate being fate, she met her at the tavern after an encounter with Madame Lorraine offering to help her with a promising amount as long as she worked well, and even better. Ever since, their friendship had been strong and sister-like.
But now, everything came crashing like this was the very end and it shattered her heart into a million pieces. Before she opened her mouth to speak, Helga turned, fleeing along with the others as another wave of eruption flooded the room.
Strangely, the heat in the room unaffected her, but the smoke was something she couldn't endure and all she wanted was to leave. But she couldn't, especially with the strange sensation curling her body in whole, like she was entirely different.
***