~ Renea Goldson ~

10 Years Later

A wide grin covered Renea’s face as she followed behind Sarah towards town. As much as she wanted to stay home and be with her flock, Sarah explained that she needed to be around more human people rather than her flock. Nearly the whole way to town Renea refused to speak with Sarah but soon she just gave up being angry. They weren’t even half way. She could still have fun, even if she didn’t like the people in town. They had left so fast that Renea had forgotten to put a glove around her right hand.

Even though the very idea of town caused her to cringe, she kept a warm smile on her face. For Sarah. When she was a child people looked at her as if she were a monster, or a psycho. Now there were several men who would approach her and try to court her. However most of them simply wanted her because of her beauty, at least that’s how she saw it. In return for their flirtatious smiles and the disgusting looks they gave her she would punch them in the face.

She had no intention of getting together with any one of those men, not in this world that is. She thought it was probably something to do with her shoulder length golden hair. At least that was her first thought so she would always pull it up into a wrapped bun on her head. She also had a well toned body, with a bust and a small waist she always seemed to attract more than a few men anywhere she went. Sure most still stayed away and seemed to fear her because of her skin, but not all seemed to stay away because of it.

Sometimes she wished that the men would leave her alone but it never came to pass. Trying to calm herself from her thoughts she let out a deep breath. Looking at Sarah she gave a small smile and walked beside her Keeper as she began to sing a soft and beautiful tune that she had memorized in her head years ago.

“High in the skies where the dragons roam free,

A land of untold stories awaits to be found.

Deep in the sea where the sirens sing for thee,

Adventures of all king are there to be won.

Down on the earth where the wisps dance around,

Love is waiting for it to be found,” Renea sang as all of her worries and fears just slipped away from her.

As she sang the song, the sun began to lower from the sky. It was getting late and the town was still a half a days walk, Sarah soon decided that it was time to stop for the night at a small clearing where the grass had been slightly matted from the many times that they travelled into the town. Renea immediately took the pack off of her back and set it onto the ground to take out the sleeping bag she kept with her.

“How long are we staying in town this time?” Renea asked her Keeper with a frown.

“Just a few days, I will be speaking with an old acquaintance of mine,” Sarah responded with a slight smile.

“Really? Well there goes my plan of running off,” Renea muttered to herself, however Sarah heard her immediately.

“You are not to run away this time, there is much to discuss and you are apart of what we will be speaking of,” Sarah said with a deep frown across her face.

“Aw, you know me too well,” Renea chuckled out loud as she grinned up at Sarah.

“Am I understood young lady?” Sarah asked with a stern and hard voice.

“Yes ma’am,” Renea curtsied with a chuckled happily, before sitting herself on the ground with a happy grin.

Almost immediately she saw Sarah’s face soften just the slightest while she stared at Renea with a slight frown. A frown finds Renea’s face as she stopped grinning at her Keeper, there was something off about her, and she had been acting strange for over a day. Slowly her lips formed into a wicked grin and she jumped up to her feet.

Sarah looked up at her actions before her eyes widened and she began shaking her head. She was about to speak but before she could Renea wrapped her arms around Sarah, picking her up with ease and began spinning in a circle. Laughter filled the air as Sarah was spun in a dizzying circle.

“S-Stop!” Sarah laughed as she was spun around, slowly Renea spun until she fell down onto her butt on the grassy ground.

Slowly the laughter faded into a content and joyful silence. A smile was stretched across Renea’s face as she fell backwards, stretching her arms far above her head. Staring up at the dusk sky she didn’t notice the somewhat distant look that covered Sarah’s eyes in a shadow as she stared at Renea.

“Renea,” Sarah spoke.

“Yeah?” Renea responded turning to look at her keeper.

“I have something to give you,” Sarah responded with a quiet voice.

“Really? What is it!?” Renea jumped to her feet with excitement, as she stared at Sarah.

“Now child, before I give this to you there is something you need to know,” Sarah’s voice instantly went from calm and quiet to firm and authorized.

“Okay,” Renea responded her back straightening and her eyes trained solely on Sarah.

“A long time ago when your mother and I were young, she was courted by a young man. He was tall and seemed very determined to make your mother his bride, he carried with him a long golden staff, even though he was dressed in plain rags. Instantly I had objected, he wasn’t worth her time or that’s what I thought anyways,” Sarah began with a story before slowly turning to look at the sky.

“However against everything I said, your mother agreed with the man after several meetings. He was your father, someone that not even the White-Wind council was willing to go against. I am not going to tell you why that is, mainly because I don’t know but there is one thing. When everything happened the day at the castle, and your mother sent you away… Your father left this for me to give to you,” Sarah said as she pulled a long box out of her bag, something that had caught Renea’s eyes on multiple occasions.

Looking at it she tilted her head in curiosity, her eyes widened in pure shock when Sarah lifted the lid of the case. It was absolutely beautiful, a long golden staff with dragon like carvings throughout the entire staff. Within each of the carvings a faint glow came out of it. At each end was a red cloth wrapped tightly around it like handles, a look of pure awe spread across Renea’s face at the sight of it.

“I… Is this for me?” She asked as if she was unsure.

“Yes… Yes it is my dear,” Sarah nodded slightly.

Kneeling on the ground, slowly and cautiously Renea grabbed the staff and lifted it from the box, looking it over she felt the weight of it in her hands. It gave her a feeling of strength and of security. With excitement Renea jumped back onto her feet with the staff and took a step away from Sarah before she swiped it through the air.

“It’s beautiful,” Renea said with a smile.

“It’s yours,” Sarah added with a slight smile on her face.

Renea just grinned in response as she slashed through the air, rather clumsily. She was no where near skilled or ready for a battle of any sort. However she had time, she had plenty of time to train and grow stronger. Unknown to Sarah as she thought this, but Renea didn’t have the time. No she had almost no time left before she would be in for the change of her life.