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Rin sat up, no longer leaning forward in her seat. She held a tight grip on Záffre's spikes as there was no time to saddle the old dragon. After they had caught up to the fleeing pair of dragon and rider, Záffre had used his smokescreen on them. It was thrilling, to say the least. The chase, the wind whistling in her ears, the attack. For Záffre, this was nothing new. But it was the first for Rin. . They hovered amongst the smoke, Záffre's scales blending seamlessly with the smoke. To the normal human eye, visibility was zero but for Rin, there was no difference. In fact, as her eyes glowed with a darker shade, her vision was enhanced and she could see everything clearly. It was incredible. She couldn't help but think back to when Záffre first showed her his ability and she was terrified. Her mother held her little 7-year-old-self in her arms while the old dragon rumbled in apology. He did the same when her mother passed away... though for the first time she could understand his rumbling... . When she heard the other dragon's panicked screech, Rin felt a sense of guilt. Záffre's smokescreen came in handy when they didn't wish to harm anyone, only to delay or distract. Though she recalled that the dragon had endured his fair share of battles, using his ability to kill. But that wasn't their goal. She just wanted answers, and even if Záffre didn't say it, she could tell he had some questions as well. . 'Another dragon, huh... guess it's not just you three anymore, Zaf...' It is a surprise, yes... The elder grumbled, a feeling of annoyance coming through their bond. He did not share his rider's guilt towards the intruders. They were a threat. He had no time to think about the fact that there 4 dragons left instead of three. He already had his claws full with the other two dragons back at the palace. . The two watched as the dragon made an abrupt dive in an attempt to escape the smoke. But to Rin's horror, the dragon was diving too fast and was nearing the forest canopy. "Shit! They're gonna crash!" she yelled out in panic, watching with wide eyes as the other pair crashed into the forest below. Shit indeed! The two followed suit, Rin wincing as witnessed their not-so-gracious landing. . Záffre landed in the clearing next to the crash site, though didn't have the time to lower himself as his rider had already slid off. Rin came to a stumbling landing, worry written across her face. She held her hands up in surrender as she slowly approached the two intruders. Glowing orbs took in the sight of a green dragon and scratched-up rider. "Are you two alright?" she asked softly, coming to halt a few feet away from them. She stayed out of the smaller dragon's reach, keeping in mind that it could attack her if it so wished. Záffre now stood behind her, his form alert as smoke billowed from his nostrils. Rin glanced back at her dragon and picked up on what he was doing. 'Really? You're already big and intimidating... you can lose the smoke.' No, they're a threat... They should know I'm one as well. She could only mentally groan at his behavior before facing the other two. . "Sorry-" Don't apologize! They're thieves! They deserved it! Záffre interrupted her, the girl becoming annoyed. "Zaf, I swear... If you interrupt me one more time I'll jinx you!" She threatened, pointing her finger at the dragon. The dragon's short temper had influenced her own and she had briefly forgotten about the two behind her. Záffre was much older than her and had a tendency to treat her like a child which annoyed her to no end. So they often engaged in not-so-playful bantering. |
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Kieran watched the bigger dragon land in front of them, before seeing the princess slide down to the ground. Unconsciously, and despite his throbbing elbow, he moved so that his left hand rested on a dagger by his hip. Even though the other rider had her hands raised, he didn't buy the worried expression. He'd been taught that it wasn't exactly in a royal's nature to display worry in front a potential enemy. Although it did make him feel less tense, than if it had been the Crown Prince or the King now standing in front of him. Vienna didn't mirror those feelings when loooking back and forth between Záffre and his rider. She had her head raised and chest puffed out to appear bigger and stronger. In mother nature's world - and the wild - as the more dominant individual. In the meantime, her eyes showed a dangerous calm. One that probably came from her protectiveness towards him. Something that they had both developed growing up. The taller of the humans tilted his head at the princess' question, taken aback by the tone of her voice. He had expected a colder sound to it, one of a warrior and dragon rider at that. 'Vienna?' he checked in nonetheless. I'm fine. He spared the dragon behind him a glance before answering, "We're alright." Hesitantly, he looked the princess up and down for any type of weaponry that he would want to be aware of. We should leave, Vienna urged, tail twitching once or twice. He mentally huffed, 'Didn't exactly go that well the last time now, did it?' I will fly without you, she threatened at his sarcasm. Kieran's eyes widened briefly, 'Don't!' Under a different circumstance, the female dragon would've probably left him right then and there, and let him walk the rest of the way home. For a second, Kieran found himself wondering if Vienna would actually consider leaving him here. Then, her voice rung in his mind once again, They're gonna wanna know about the book. This time, he raised a physical brow, 'I think they already have a pretty good idea as to why.' They weren't exactly a secret anymore. Another dragon rider had been reveal to the world. He had officially broken his mother's only rule. Oh well, may the Saints be with him. The princess' voice caught his attention once again. Just as quick, it looked like she had decided to interrupt herself, but Kieran's eyes knowingly went to the dragon behind her, watching the smoke pour from his nostrills. He wondered if the smoke had something to do with the dragon's ability, curiosity evident in his green orbs. Vienna let a low snarl erupt from her throat, the reason unknown to Kieran though. His suspicions about the sudden interruption were confirmed, when the princess pointed a finger at the mythical beast. Amusement was clear on Kieran's face, witnessing the interaction between dragon and rider. It was odd to experience from the outside. He'd only ever tried that with his mother and Hiraeth, before the old dragon's passing. Aside from Záffre, Hiraeth was the oldest dragon Kieran had even gotten to know, almost reaching 92 years of age. It had been a while since he'd been able to find comfort in her silver and white embrace. He shook away his smile before looking at the princess, "Look, all I wanted was the book. It's-, I needed it," he said. Vienna moved her tail again, as she positioned herself fully behind him, like Záffre had the princess. He sighed to cover up his mild distress. Vienna's eyes glowed. "I'm not here to pose a threat," he continued assuringly, yet his tone was kept confident. Then, silently and close to a whisper, he added, "You weren't even supposed to know of her." |
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Rin had turned back around, facing the new pair of dragon and rider, her focus now on them. They didn't seem like they were going to run for it again so she relaxed. She lowered her hands, opting to hold her satchel instead since her arms had grown tired. As she shifted her weight, a brief flash of pain traveled through her spine causing her to wince. She tried to hide her sudden tense form but her dragon's keen eyes noticed it instantly. You alright baby bird? 'Yeah... Just stiff, that's all.' she shrugged her shoulders, glancing back to her dragon, and gave him a reassuring smile. You're not used to riding without a saddle... You may have aggravated that injury. 'I'll be fine Zaf, I promise... And the injury has already healed... Stop worrying old man.' She could feel Zaf's doubt and concern through the bond, grateful for the care the old dragon showed her. She tried her best to push the thoughts of the injury to the back of her mind, she didn't need the painful memories to resurface. Not now. She was fine. It only distracted her. . Rin didn't miss the male's movement, her eyes landing on the dagger on his left hip. Her eyes shifted to the green dragon behind him, also noting its tense form. Though much smaller than Zaf, it still managed to appear quite threatening. They were ready to protect the other from herself and Zaf. At this, she smiled, pleased to see that the two already had a strong bond. . It's cute... 'What?', of course, Záffre had something to say. How they think they can protect each other from us... it's pathetic. 'Zaf!?' What? It's true! They're inexperienced and probably didn't receive the right training... compared to us, they're weak. 'And how would you know? They managed to slip past our guards and two of the oldest dragons, one of them being you oh wise, old one... I don't think that counts as weak, do you?' she sassed him, successfully getting him to shut up. She could feel the wheels in his mind turning at trying to come up with a remark but only huffed in response. The old dragon had a nasty habit of looking down on others, paired with his distrustful and aggressive nature, Zaf was the least liked of the remaining 3 dragons. People feared him, and they had every right to. Except for her mother, Rin was the only one to truly know Záffre. She knew he had a gentler side but having lived for so many years and enduring many hardships, he barely showed that side of himself. . She breathed a sigh of relief when the male answered her, glad that the two were alright. Well, as alright as one can be after making a crash landing. She really didn't want to be part of the reason either of them had broken something. At the realization that he was scanning her for weapons, Rin slowly moved to reveal the dagger strapped to her right thigh. She knew he was armed and it was only fair that he knew that she was armed as well. She could feel Zaf internally face-palming at her actions but she couldn't care less. If she wanted answers there had to be a temporary truce between herself and the other rider. . The girl was briefly confused at the mention of the book, having forgotten that it was the reason they were in their current predicament. But after processing his words and connecting a few dots, Rin finally realized which book he had taken. She understood. He had very little knowledge about dragons as prior to his known existence, any and all information regarding dragons and dragon riders had been confiscated and/or destroyed. . King Azur was paranoid that the information could be used against him and his future bloodline, thus all of the confiscated items were locked in the royal treasury. The only item not locked away was a book written by a dragon rider many, many years ago and gifted to King Azur. The book contained everything about dragons and dragon riders, from the bond between them to a dragon's unique ability, etc. The book was passed down from one generation to the next, eventually finding its way to the princess. Her brothers had already studied the information. It was also the last thing her mother had given her before she passed away. . "The Great Book of Drakes..." Rin murmured, more to herself than the male. If it had been any other book, she would've hopped onto Záffre and head back home. But she couldn't. That book had to be returned to the palace. If it were to fall into the wrong hands, Zaf and the other 3 dragons would be in grave danger. . Her morbid thoughts were interrupted by the male's words once more, faintly hearing the last part. 'Wait... Her!?', Rin audibly gasped and released an excited squeal. "Liria would be ecstatic to hear that she's not the only female dragon anymore!", she wasn't able to hide her excitement nor her curiosity and started asking all the questions that came to mind. "What's your name? You're a really pretty shade of green, almost like emerald green but not quite either! How old are you? Liria's probably older than you but she wouldn't mind! What's your ability? How long have you been bonded? What's your name? How long have you been hiding her? Where do you live? How much do you know about dragons? Did you know-" her questions shifted between dragon and rider, eyes glancing at either one as she spoke. Though her questioning soon came to an abrupt halt when Záffre nudged her with his nose, causing the girl to stumble. He kept his head lowered, in case she needed something to grab onto. . Breath baby bird... Too many questions at once... You'll give them a headache... the old dragon calmy rumbled, a hint of amusement passing through the bond. His rider was too curious and energetic for her own good. "Oh... sorry... guessed I got carried away... again..." Rin sent a sheepish grin towards the two, moving to somewhat hide behind Záffre's head. Her enthusiasm was replaced by embarrassment, stemming from the many scoldings she had received as a child. A princess was supposed to be quiet and polite. Not curious and energetic. You can ask as many questions as you wish, baby bird... perhaps not that many in one breath. Zaf tried to comfort the girl, still encouraging her curious nature. |
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Fall 
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