Chapter 7: Jealousy

Some would find the prospect of being tackled and bombarded by numerous dragons terrifying. They might worry about the sharpened teeth that could rip apart a bare man’s flesh, or the multitude of breath weapons that could be brought to bear upon them. Arcturus was not one of these men. He fell backwards with the three wrymlings that pounced upon him with upmost merriment. Their warbles hung lovingly on the air as their tails practically wagged in a constant blur.

“You’re so big!” Emmess flared her wings, “And so fast!”

“Big for a human you mean.” Briva rolled his eyes, “Plus he’s on his hind paws. That’s the only reason he’s bigger than us.”

“That’s what humans do stupid.”

They exchanged a pair of stuck out tongues before leaping upon one another and engaging in the draconic art of wrestling across the field. Dirt flew across their scales as bronze maws playfully clamped down upon one another.

“I’ll show you stupid!”

Only Xervir was left tapping Arcturus gently with his bronze paw, eyes wide with curiosity. “Where have you been? We’ve missed you like every days.”

“Ask him what he’s been doing!” Briva called out, getting his face smushed to the dirt by his sister.

“And ask if big ugly is really with him!” The yellow frilled wyrmling chortled, eyes aglow with mischief.

Veledar stood hesitantly, not exactly sure how to react as Arcturus laughed and tried to answer each question to the best of his ability. The entire time having to fight off their snouts when the two wrestling broke apart and returned with more interested noses. On one claw he was glad the human was safe, it gave him quite the scare. Though on the other claw, Arcturus didn’t seem to appreciate his concern. The apology that might have spun forth of his lips was hastily swallowed away as he snapped away in a huff.

“Clearly you don’t need my help. All the trouble I went to in risking my neck to protect you. I shouldn’t have bothered.”

“What would’ve I needed your help for?” Arcturus tried to stand, but found tripped up as the wrymlings coiled around him. “They’re wrymlings!”

“But big ones we are!” Emmess placed a paw to her shimmering chest, “Mother says we’re big for our age.”

“Oh Ordis!” Xervir whose head curled around to gesture to his duck nestled on his back. “This is Shadowquacks, the fastest flying duck in all the land.”

Not to be outdone, Emmess slid infront of her brother, nosing at Arcturus’ pockets. “So Ordis, what can we have from you? You know, for payment of worrying us over the years.”

“Payment?” Arcturus finally managed to slip free to his feet. “I wasn’t expecting any reparations.”

“Ah yes, the little whelps were going to rob you.” Veledar snorted as the three wrymlings argued over each of their share of the reparations. “Evidently they still plan to.”

“Right.” The knight chuckled, breaking up their fun by insisting he was going to keep his stuff. “There will be no robbery today. I know this one won’t vouch for it, but dragons shouldn’t be stealing things from folks.”

“Awwwww.” The all groaned in unison, dramatically flopping to their bellies.

Arcturus grinned as they looked upon him with large eyes, frills quivering with their deep seeded want. “And that is not going to work.”

“Awwwww!” Each rolled to their backs, dramatically thwacking their tails. “You’re not going to even share? Why would you be so mean?”

What nonsense this had all devolved to. Sure he was all for touching reunions, but this had fallen down to annoying fairly quick. The red dragon’s patience had already been worn raw, so with a snort he tried to slip away. Yet even as he turned, the little monster’s questions trickled across his ears. Heat simmered in the dragon’s veins as the whelps bombarded his human with inquisitive snouts and a multitude of questions. His least favorite was how the yellow female kept on making assumptions as though Arcturus should be hers. She even kept asking if big ugly was indeed traveling with her favorite human.

If only you were a big older. How I would make it known he was mine. He snorted harshly, gazing out past the hills to the surrounding land. The tantalizing whites and pinks shown ever brighter as the sun reached down to paint them with it’s rays, momentarily thwarting his ever boiling blood. Breaths coaxed it down his forepaws and out to the grass below his pads. When he sighed, Fremra came around one of the numerous mountaintops, thankfully another thing to distract him from the troublemakers that seemed determined to steal Arcturus from him.

The wise mentor landed with a mighty backwing, announcing her arrival with a singsong greeting and a happy twinkle in her eye. With a bounce in her paws she strode right over, searching himself before casting a knowing smirk about him. “I take it you met the little ones?”

“Unfortunately.” He lashed his tail jealously as Arcturus still was paying them more attention than he’d gotten in the last month. “They intend to steal Arcturus from me.”

“I highly doubt they are that capable.” She chortled, passing him with a swish of her tail. “There are my favorite wrymlings!”

“Auntie Fremra!” The wrymlings screeched in unison, stampeding towards the ever brightening teal dragoness. It was now she that bore the brunt of their storm of questions.

Veledar pressed forward, not to have another moment stolen by these whelps. “Fremra, did you share words with the dragons of my predicament?” He gestured to the trees below, “Nice as this place is, I’d rather not tarry here long.”

Fremra shooed away her assailants, disregarding his attitude. “That I did. But the one to teach you won’t be here until morning. Tonight, we meet their family, try to relax and forget about the troubles that ailed us.”

Ugh. The idea utterly rose a pit in his stomach. It was bad enough that everyone here saw how maimed and injured he was, but another draconic family? By the time this was all over, every mortal, dragon, and enchanted tree was going to know of his failures. Veledar the clumsy, Veledar the ugly, Veledar the takes too long to reply.

“Why on earth did you do that? Can’t we just wait till morning”

“We could I suppose.” Fremra seemed unphased by his tight voice, advancing on him like an unruly child. “But I figured, hey we came all the way here, this is their home. So, before we come into claws and teeth, why not meet and greet!” She beamed, waving Arcturus over with a wing. “Get ready to mount up human. Quite the popular knight you seem to be. One dragoness is bubbling with anticipation to meet this mystery human I’ve brought. She gave him a wink that scratched Veledar’s hide.

“You’re saying Howling Tempest is here?” Arcturus’ smile sprung from ear to ear.

Oh, how Veledar’s blood crackled with electricity as more joy flowed to his love’s face than in recent memory. Why could it not be him that the human smiled for? That his heart grew excited over? With but a few footsteps, questions came and Veledar was forgotten. Tossed to the wayside like some shadow of an excuse of a dragon. He flopped a distance away, enough to not have their eager questions stab at his scales like tiny daggers.

Clouds in the distance helped ward off the rising heat within his heart, the need to knead and rip apart the ground. Surely these dragons could not steal Arcturus away from him while he was so handicapped? His paladin would not turn his back on him, would he? Peering back jealously his eyes narrowed as they happily traded what no doubt where loving stories of his youth. Times long passed when Veledar was even a word to the man’s ear.

Ignore them. Focus on finding peace. Reluctantly he heeded his thoughts, closing his eyes and letting the soft breeze rush along his scales. It stilled the storm bouncing between his horns, bringing him back to the mountains of his home. If he focused he could already smell the freshness of the pine, hear the gentle gurgling of the stream. His sister’s wingbeats grew closer, matching his as they raced above the canopy. Their laughter warmed the air, happy wrymlings snapping at their sibling’s tails. Well more behaved than those bronze brats across the field, they’d known better than to steal some dragon’s treasure. Well at least he did, wasn’t exactly sure his silver scaled sister would keep her paws off the chance to steal something away. With a gentle sigh everything was at peace, that was until Fremra padded over and dragged his mind back.

“Oh how peaceful you look. Who knew it would only take three wrymlings to do so?” Fremra mused with a flickering of her snout frills. “Perhaps fatherhood is your calling in life.”

“Hardly.” He glared back, at the wyrmling still bombarding Arcturus with nuzzles. “If I have ones like that, you have permission to end me.”

“Such a kidder.” She tapped his head with a wing, “They’re adorable whether you like it or not. Better get that snout of yours under lock and key, we’re heading out.” She paced around him, resting her softened gaze to Arcturus’ interactions. “And fret not about Arcturus. He’ll be safe upon my back. It’s not my first time having a human rider you know.”

Having Arcturus ride her? Were they going to abandon him again? “Do you expect me to just sit here and wait?” He growled, glaring fire at her scales. “Or am I supposed to walk their like a good little human? I won’t be left behind.”

“Oh I know. She snorted off his anger with a chuckle in her throat. “Use that head of yours.” She tapped his skull, “You’re here to heal. Why would I leave you here? Both of you are here to heal, stuck within my scaled clutches.” Back her head went, releasing a malevolent laugh. Perhaps this is where Emmess got the laugh from.

“I don’t see what Arcturus needs to be healed of, I myself am only hampered by my lack of magic and wings.” He shrugged his shoulders, trying to hide when he saw his stumps and winced. “He should be glad he’s so healthy.”

“But is he though?” She mused, sliding her snout to his level, watching as the man he loved mock tackled the wrymlings snapping at him. “It may not look like it in this moment. But if you stop and watch him. He’s hurting just as much as you.”

Hah, preposterous. Veledar snorted, looking away with a lash of the tail. That would be the day. “You haven’t mentioned my walking. I take it that’s how I’m getting there?”

“No.” She smiled wickedly, lowering herself so that Arcturus could clamber on up to her back. “I expect us to fly there.”

Wait a moment. There was no way she forgot his wings unless she’d suddenly gone senile. “And how do you expect me to-“

Fremra surged forward, and in the blink of an eye she had him wrapped up in her paws and carried off into the sky. Her size doubled in a matter of wingbeats, what had been a struggle soon was hardly an inconvenience.

“Surprise!”

*

This was infuriating, degrading, unbecoming of an adult dragon such as he. How Veledar’s frills burned with every tortuous flap of her wings. So lost was he in his storm of aggravation that he couldn’t even enjoy the seaside winds caressing his scales, or relish the countryside sprawling out before them. Could she not have let him ride on her back, instead of being carried undignified as a package between her paws?

“Why must you do this?” He snarled, “I could have walked! Run! Galloped, anything but humiliate me in front of every living thing for miles around! Even the wrymlings can snicker at me now!”

 “Not very fun when it happens to you now is it?” Arcturus shouted over the whistling wind.

Oh how Veledar could picture that satisfied smirk. He’d been waiting for this to happen, revenge for when they’d just known each other. Karma some might have said, well deserved for how he snickered at Arcturus’ pitiful shouts. Yet the dragon found no solace in this, instead fuming and scowling and hoping it set everything ablaze. That way no one would dare question the dragon hanging limply below the female, they’d be too busy trying to extinguish his inferno.

To his utter fury the dragoness didn’t snap back at his question, merely ignoring him calmly as she glided around the jaggedly peaked mountain below. What could truly annoy her was beyond his grasp, but what fire stirred in his belly he let loose upon his ever listening Umraadi.

“Enjoy this while you can Arcturus!” He couldn’t help but squirm, “When my wings return, this will be forever be your station! To think that I trusted you upon my back!” He knew he didn’t mean what he said, but it felt good to at least vent. Especially as Fremra curled her head to warn him to cease his squirming.

“Unless you’d like to put my reflexes to the test. Then by all means keep it up, I always relish a challenge!”

Like a basilisk had caught him in it’s magical gaze, the dragon’s movements ceased. His snout snapped shut, his frills pinned, he averted his gaze from the ground. One drop and that’s all it’d take, his legacy and destiny splattered across the jagged peaks. One crimson smear among others that’d shared this fate. He closed his eyes, listening to the racing of his heart. Was this how Arcturus had felt when he’d done this? To be so powerless of your own fate, having to trust yourself to another? He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and let his mind drift inward. Far away from the troubles of the day, the dragoness holding him ungracefully, and the fact he was always one slip away from death.

“We’re almost there!” Fremra loudly announced minutes later, just as they swooped over a misty section of the forest down below. The white and pink flowers had been exchanged for brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows. It was like the entire ground below had been consumed by the flowery equivalent of a wildfire. Far below it raced in a near blur, the only record of their passing being the four darkened shadows racing across this fiery sea down below.

“Why are we not using the sea way Auntie?” Briva raced to catch up, head cocked to the side.”

“I agree!” Veledar joined in, “I can hold my breath for quite some time. Probably more than most dragons. Besides, at least than less people will see us come blundering in!”

“But can you hold your breath for miles? By your insistence to talk I can’t imagine it’s that long.” Fremra peered down at him, “And what of Arcturus? Does he share in your obvious skill?”

She was right, and he snorted to avoid her knowing look. Though pride demanded they not be seen, he didn’t wish Arcturus dead. “Fine. Lets just fly on in. I’ll manage the embarrassment somehow.”

“See? I knew you could be mindful of others. All you need is a slight push to set your mind to task.”

He snorted again. Of course, there were others. Did she think him some ignorant child needing to be guided? Was this flight going to be nothing but assaults to his scales right left and center? He dare not open his snout lest she cross tongues with him again, and while he was in her claws she held all the cards.

From the field of flowers came a lazy bay where the shore was softly lapped by the ocean’s waves. From her rose a bluff of sturdy stone, summoned as if by a mage’s hands long ago. The sides were weathered and half eaten in algae, painting it a strange combination of blue and green. Halfway up where sections large enough that birds the size of dogs had taken residence in bundled up nests of gathered sticks. The wrymlings broke off as Fremra brought them upwards, startling the feathery avians with their snapping jaws.

They landed with a bumpy trot among the high grass, dead in the center of the risen earth. All that dwelled beneath them was feet upon feet of grass up to a human’s chest. They’d been brought to a dead end of sorts!

“There’s nothing here.” He grumbled as he was released and forced to compose himself like the largest indignity he’d known hadn’t happened.

The dragoness simple yawned and let his mate dismount, placing her snout to the grass and proceeding to sniff around like some scaled bloodhound.

“You alright?” Arcturus gave him a questioning look, an honest one in the least.

Shrugging the dragon looked away, “Oh now you care? What happened to all your satisfied smug smiling? I know you did it, don’t dare deny it.”

“I did laugh.” Red cheeks were the dragon’s reward as the knight chuckled softly, “Don’t tell me you’re that sore about it?”

Perhaps you are being ridiculous. “Of course not. I was simply testing you is all. Very good, you pass.”

“And yet you’re as confusing as her sometimes.”

“Well I…” He almost spilled the beans, but left it hanging. “Uh..Fremra, why did you bring us to a dead end?”

“Because this is the entrance to their home?” The ness sat on her haunches, looking all wizened and thoughtful as she rubbed her chin. “Course that was years ago. For all I know, they could have moved it!”

Rolling his eyes the red paced around, dragging thick lines in the dirt with his tail. Of all the times to play with him, did she not consider anything serious? With fire in his paws he searched the area, soon finding a space overgrown with thick weeds and bulbous yellow flowers that dotted around like little miniature suns. It looked large enough for a dragon of his size to squeeze their way into, though not large enough for the wings. Was this perhaps it? Tentatively he approached, snout down as he stared intensely for a hole or anywhere that might fool his eye. Did they hide it with an illusion like his mothers? The weight in the air was shattered as the wrymling came surging under his paws.

“Its over here!” Briva warbled, looking ever so proud of himself. “We hid it here with some magic! Did we do a good job? Jandar had us require a password to enter.”

“Yea, something easy we could remember.” Xervir added, “Only that our friends would know.”

“And I designed the way down. It’s perfect of course.” Emmess placed a paw elegantly to her chest. “We couldn’t use magic on that part. Harder he said it was. But I did better than he’d even hoped!”

Of course they had to steal this too. Was there nothing he could do to stand out in the slightest? The dragon sliced at a section of the spindly vines, scowling as the sliced flora regrew almost as if to mock him. “What’s the password?” He growled, not even dignifying the bouncing wrymlings with a well earned look.

“That’s easy!” Xervir chuckled, “Dragon friend.”

Of course it was.

The ground shook and quivered the moment the words left the young dragon’s mouth. Vines wiggled to life, writhing, and twisting like viridian eels across the earth. Reminded of his time in the Forest of Despair, Veledar reared out of instinct, fire glands swelling to undo these unwanted pests. The air hung thick with worry as their attack never came, leaving nothing but an empty chasm to tempt them onward.

With a fluff of his frills he peered downward, hiding the ever-present chill running down his spine. The wrymling’s continual warbling and boasting of their exceptional skill ground the red dragon’s scales like a whetstone. Why must they flatter them with unearned praise? This magical feat was hardly worth being called great or magnificent.

 Almost out of spite his serpentine neck dipped in, taking a whiff of the salty aroma flowing from the cavern far below. Sunlight streamed down like a beacon from above, flickering and shimmering of scattered treasures among the darkness. At least it was going to look like a proper dragon’s lair. Perhaps this wasn’t going to be as bad as he imagined. Unless they had a larger hoard than he. Oh how his scales would grind if that were so.

But as he pondered about hypothetical treasures, the height was ever apparent to him. It was far too tall for a single bit of rope that Arcturus brought, and there wasn’t a sign of a stairwell to be found. Did they expect them to glide their way down on tiny wings? Only the wrymling’s wingspans would even think about slipping through.

“Oh little ones.” He grinned with mischief, loving how it was he that could deflate their little egos. “It seems you have a fatal flaw in the design.”

“Shut your snout and jump!” Emmess demanded, stamping her tiny paw. “Don’t be a duck about it.”

“Hey.” Xervir hissed, staring daggers. “Ducks aren’t scared, tell her Shadowquacks!”

The duck quacked in defiance.

“See? Totally not a coward.”

“Then whatever animal is naturally scared.” She wrinkled her snout. “Stop being one.”

“I don’t have any wings.” He said bitterly, wincing as if a hot poker was pressed to his hide. “How in the hell do you expect me to…”

“Jump!” They warbled in unison, spreading their little wings and leaping one after the other into the hole. Though unlike he thought they didn’t open their wings.

“Quick someone catch them! Fremra cast your…” Panic found him, yet soon it was made redundant. For the dragons had struck upon a human sized flower with thick lavender pedals, hanging from spindly little vines. Like rubber it shook and rebounded the three little wrymlings, shooting them in a new direction and out of sight.

Their joyous screams rebounded across the stone, reaching upwards to grind the red dragon’s teeth. How could they expect him to be bouncing his was to the bottom? This would be unheard of, undignified to an untold degree! He’d look silly, stupid, how his frills would burn for ages! He peered back, hating how Fremra smiled at him. Malevolently it warned him that if he didn’t go by choice, she would push or take him with her.

“It would appear I have no choice. Woefully I continue while my scales are beseeched by treacherous females that seek my regal stature crippled and ripped down. Will you not be happy until my image is totally besmeeeeeeeeeeeeeched?” He managed to screak the last bit as the impatient dragoness charged right at him, shoving him roughly into the pit.

“Have a nice trip!” She bellowed, “I’m surprised you don’t float!”

Without words he fell, the only sound his heart booming in his ear. Nothing was here to catch him. The fall would shatter every bone he had. Panic swelled like an unchecked plague through his veins. Was this how his brother had felt? Spiraling downward to his inevitable death? Flailing and thrashing he struck the face of the first flower, hissing as the scent of rotting meat filled his nostrils.

Bounce.

Like those before him the flower propelled him backwards, right onto a direct course with another one of it’s brethren wrapped around a stone pillar. His limbs flailed in a most ungraceful fashion, painting the perfect picture of how a dragon should not act when propelled against his wishes. At nerve wracking speed he struck the second one, smooshing his face squarely against the wretched pedals. This continued for at least a dozen times, each one bringing him closer and closer towards the ground.

He cursed in draconic, couldn’t even lash out at his floral enemies as he was left spinning head over tail. The world was a darkened blur filled with flashes of light, how was he expected to even know where he was going or stop.

Stop? His mind blurted as the ground began to come surging forth like the evening tide. At this speed his scales would splinter, his bones crack. He’d be lucky to survive when he rolled.

“How do I stop?” He screamed, voice cracking. No answer. He closed his eyes and readied himself as he shivered. How fitting in a way, for him to die by a crash to the ground. Yet inches before the stone kissed him with it’s deadly kiss, a gale like wind caught and battered against his hide. He was left hovering, eyes watering as his survival became apparent. How had this happened? Why had he stopped? Between his horns a phantom pain squeezed along his brain.

“Wasn’t that neat?” Briva came trotting over, teeth all on display. “You came in so fast! We’ve never seen that before!”

“They weren’t sure the spell was going to catch you.” Xervir shrugged, getting a shove by his sister’s paw.

“Don’t tell him that.” Emmess hissed. “But now we know its safe for big dragons.”

“You weren’t supposed to use magic anyway.” Xervir stuck out his tongue.

 “I like to think of it as creative freedom.”

“Is that so? It’s called cheating.”

Her snout wrinkled, “But this is funner.” She flashed Veledar a sly grin, “Wasn’t it big red? Look he can’t talk he was so happy. I knew it was the best!”

“Fun? You call this fun?” He lashed his tail against the stone as his voice practically thundered like a storm. “You nearly killed me! If not for the spell you would have!”

“But we didn’t. My gut was right. That’s how gooder I am at magic than my brothers.” Emmess held her ground, not flinching a frill as he snorted over her. “You’re welcome.”

How his scales burned as he eyed her with what ire he could muster. “Next time.” He snapped towards her, this time making the dragoness jump. “Don’t leave my life to a gut feeling.”

Arcturus landed behind them with a nervous chuckle, ruffling his hair at having survived he fall. The man smelled at his clothes, hacking in disgust as the pungent aroma death hung about it.

“Hey, even if you did impact…You’d be fine! Mom and Jandar have loads of potions to heal you up!”

He growled in response, widening her eyes.

“Did you hear that guys? Mom is calling us!” Out went her wings, tugging her brothers across the stone and out of sight behind a series of gem encrusted stalagmites.

“How was it you survived them in your youth?” He grumbled as Arcturus pulled himself to the dragon’s side.

“I don’t remember them being so daring.” The man continued dusting himself off. “Damned flower. Going to smell like this for a week.”

“That can be rectified.” He snorted

“And how exactly do you expect to change it huh?” Arcturus wove his arms across his chest.

He rolled his eyes, shifting his haunches as the lewd acts before came to mind. Why did things feel further away than before? Before he could say another word, possibly make a case for his apology, Fremra came bounding in with an invigorated warble.

“Wasn’t that exhilarating?” She ruffled her wings, snout focused on the flowers above. By how her eyes sparkled it was like they were treasure that any dragon would want. “Delightful, crafty little things there are. How I miss having the scampering of little ones about the home.”

“Troublemakers is more like it.” He grumbled, following their little paws.

“Oh I’d leave that attitude at the entrance above oh impatient pupil. My son will have none of it within these halls! The dragoness even less so. But do continue if you’d like to find yourself pinned against the stone.”

“You wish for me to be polite and well behaved?” He rolled his eyes as Arcturus shot him a look that he interpreted as yes of course, are you mad? “Is this a human hovel or a dragon home?”

“Good question. Let’s see what form my son has been taking. He does go through these periods of preference.”

Periods of preference? Who would even choose to not be in their draconic form?. His scales itched as he  They’d have to be mad, oh how his scales itched uncontrollably as he remembered being human. So small, defenseless, hardly able to see or smell. It was tortuous, thankfully it hadn’t been that long. Humans were awful.

Yet how did the one behind you win your heart? Why does your mind flutter about like a fish upon land?

He peered back, trying to hide his interested eye as they traversed the sparse, weathered stone around them. He could sense the unease that lingered about them, but the man’s face was filled with none of it. Slack jawed the knight scanned the treasure sprinkled caverns like it was the most beautiful thing he’d seen. He had seen his treasure, right? These minor decorations paled into comparison!

With every stalagmite and pillar they passed along the path, the amounts of treasure began to grow. Tapestries of the finest silk were thrown about in a disorganized fashion. Instruments blossomed from the stone, artfully arranged beside piles of various clothing of different eras. They were torn and ripped in several places, clear signs of the wrymling’s attempts to wear them. Vials and potions sat atop wardrobes and grandfather clocks, filled with concoctions of every color.

The stone beneath their paws was well kept and smooth, lacking even a hint of dust or debris. Either a gelatinous cube was dragging itself around to act as a cleaner, or the dragons who lived here put ample amounts of effort into the upkeep of their abode. He got his answer when they rounded a deeper corner of the cavern, filled with rippling waters of an indoor lake. Twelve brooms were scattered about a collection of coins and tomes, directed by a bronze dragoness with teal lined frills from head to foot.

Her scales seemed to wink in the light of her candles hovering gently in the air. They filled the space with warmth, painting everything lovingly from paw to paw. The near pristine whites of her horns bobbed in time with the broom’s work, quickly directing them with a snap of her blue and gold painted claws.

“Now get over there, before they arrive!” She sputtered, head frills rippling as she thwacked her broad tail across the cave. The brooms shot towards the spot she indicated, beating it to the tune of an unsounding drum.

With a cock of his head he smelled the sea, but something else mixed within. He recognized the smell anywhere, the pungent heavy aroma of dragon passions brought to life. Where savage snarls and hisses were intertwined with knots and kisses. He couldn’t help but smirk as she turned towards them, her hardened expression instantly softening as her emerald eyes fell upon Arcturus.

“Who is this then?” She tilted her head, tentatively making her way towards the man. Her frills shifted and changed to a darker green as curiosity spun within her eyes. “Why are you so familiar?” She lowered her head to Arcturus’ height, searching the man from boot to head.

“Have you forgotten?” Arcturus replied softly, dropping his bag to the ground. He approached almost in disbelief, “For you it might not have been for that long, but for me it’s been nearly half my life.”

Silence hung about the air, even the broom’s eager sweeping ceased to be. Dragon and human were caught on one another, neither willing to say the first word. Gears slowly turned between her horns as she curled inward, never letting her sight leave the one before her.

“Well I’m Veledar.” Veledar interjected with a growl. Like he was going to let his mate fall for the charms of another dragon. Not while he here. He’d put an end to it right-

“Another time perhaps.” She snapped, “I’ve no time for another ego driven speech.”

How rude! He hadn’t even given her one to begin with! “I don’t know what Fremra has been telling you, but I’m not nearly as bad as she says! I am the most polite and humble dragon that you’ve ever met, probably the be-“

She silenced him with a wing.

Doubly how rude!

“Arcturus?” She said softly, resting her blunted nose before his face.

He nodded, placing his hand upon her. “It’s been far too long. I’d always imagined you escaped. Never again troubled by hunter’s swords.”

Her frills fluttered excitedly, tears practically bubbled about her eyes. Her gasp was so large that it shook the very hall. “My how you’ve grown!” She nosed at him till he fell, pulling her head back with a laugh when he did. “Last I saw of you, you were but a wee thing!” She curled around him, helping him up and trapping the knight with a tender nuzzle. “Where have you been? You promised to come find us one day. I thought you’d died or forgotten…”

Evidently Arcturus had saved his dragoness when he was but a child. All this time and the red dragon wasn’t even special in that regard. Did Arcturus just go around saving every dragon he met? Perhaps this dragon was supposed to be with Arcturus instead? He almost puked in disgust when Arcturus’ hands wove their way around Howling Tempest’s snout and pulled her into a tightest hug he’d ever seen. Not even he had been hugged that way by the man, nor seen that wonderful twinkle in his eye.

“Arcturus how da-“ His snout was snapped shut as Fremra whirled in around him, clamping him tight with both her paws. Her voice came like a threatening howl of a hurricane ever approaching.

“Ruin this moment and I swear on Tiamat you’ll regret this day. Understood?”

He nodded as he glared daggers back at her. She expected him to just sit by while his Umraadi made lovey eyes at some random dragon he just met? Blood boiled with each passing moment the human and dragon shared with one another. Figured that this would be part of his trials. No doubt Fremra was trying to light his rage aflame with such things. He would have to preserve, just like every other humiliation in his life.

“You must stay the night at the very least!” Howling Tempest warbled, “Tell us what has befallen the child that outgrew his family’s hatred.”

“And you as well.” The knight was beaming from ear to ear “I’d have visited sooner if not for my father’s meddling.” He sighed and pointed to his temple, “Used a magician to warp the memories.”

And we would never met. Veledar slunk around a mountain of patched together boxes, trying to hide his interest in the silk lined pile of cushions he found. It would be a good place to hide given the circumstances, especially as the wrymlings scrambled back in to pester his love with their annoying snouts.

“Can he stay the night?” Briva pleaded, knocking Arcturus over as he reared up on the man.

“Make it a fortnight!” Emmess joined her brother, landing square on Arcturus chest. “Please, please, please!”

“I was actually thinking until my pupil of mine heals his wounds.” Fremra gestured to his tail. “Pompous he might be, but his heart is good. It just needs a bit of coaxing every now and then.”

His distracting tour came to an abrupt end before a fine rug woven with the forms of multiple dragons in them. Along the air wafted the tantalizing scent of cooking fish, doused, and smothered in dozens of spices that left his maw watering at the mere thought. Human spices? Who was cooking such a meal? The human servants that they had? Who else would be getting up to it? He hadn’t seen any tracks or signs of them before hand, perhaps there was a hidden entrance for them to be? It would be fitting for dragons of their size. Even Fremra who loved and cared for her mortals had at least some that answered to her.

Like connected to a string he began to follow with eager sniffs, each one adding speed to his forelimbs through the winding cavern before him. The more he thought of it, a hidden entrance would be better for everyone. The servants would be directed to were they could work, and far from the hoard of treasures they would yearn to put their grubby little hands on. How many stories started because some foolish mortal decided to steal from a dragon? Even his fantastical story had that little trope in there.

Around corridors of increasing monetary value, the stones were practically gilded with layers of golden twine. Amulets dangled far above his horns, their chains woven around angling chandeliers of pristine glass. His tail brushed along numerous crates and boxes of different sizes, each bearing labels and wax seals of at least a dozen shipping companies. Some smelled of fresh veggies, that twisted and turned his tail. Others hinted at sweet fruits, tantalizing spices, or even aging meet. There was even a solid steel container marked with draconic runes for ice, no doubt placed to ensure certain meets and liquids wouldn’t go bad. Yet despite the increasing intensity of the baking fish, he saw no sign of human foot prints. Were they somehow deeper than this? Not even making a sound? He could even start to hear the simmering of liquid not that far down the corridor!

How odd that dragons would have such a device. He snorted, recalling in some stories the dragons enjoyed a fine aged meat. He himself could peel off the meat of a week-old venison, savor the new flavors. But he supposed this was more evidence for mortal meddling. Only they couldn’t eat such things for risk of disease or sickness.

With every step closer his senses were caressed by the sweet sounds of cooking. The bubbling of a well heated pot, the crackling of a fire’s flames, the soft whistle of steam floating adrift the air. Veledar’s tail was happily swishing with every flare of his nostrils. Perhaps this trip wouldn’t be all that bad if he was subjected to wonderful culinary delights such as this during his stay. Even the happy tail thumps resounded through the cavern, but not his own.

Happy tail? Was a dragon watching these servants work? Veledar padded around mismatched tables of cast iron pots and pans, all pristine and waiting to be used. Counters upon counters were covered in piles of diced greens, freshly cleaned strawberries, and strips of raw meat that had been sliced right off the flank. These counters of tantalizing ingredients all fed towards a great roaring fire, where a giant pot rested above the intense flames licking its bottom. Above the bubbling pot was a light blue dragon with dark navy membraned frills, happily stirring a spear length spoon above with his armored paws. Though unlike the heavy armor of his kin, his hide matched the thinly scaled regions of his teal kin. Rare was it for a child to take on the scales of their mother, but colors of their father. This must have been Fremra’s son.

His silvered eyes were locked to the bubbling pot before him, sweeping dashes of his gathered ingredients one after the other with his frilled tail. Each delightful plop was painted clearly on this dragon’s snout, multiplied only when he dipped in his head and took a deep drag of the misty steam below. The blue would whisper a few things and add another dash of yet another ingredient, never satisfied with what he smelled. It took a solid few minute of the clatter of claws and interested hums until the cook even became aware that he was being watched.

He perked up, frills twitching excitedly as eyes brightened to life. “OH MY! The guest is here!” The blue scaled teal dragon swept over with a curious sniff, “I presume you’re a guest and not some thief looking jump a dragon unawares?”

“Far as I know.” He gave a queer look as the blue curled in closer. The dragon was hardly larger than he was.

“One that hails from the mountains…” He reared up, putting a paw to his chin. “I could recognize that smell from anywhere. Question though, which country do though, which country do you hail from?”

“Not one of those human ones.” He snorted back, padding his way to inspect the bubbling pot. It was frothing like a ravenous wolf.

“Oh dear! I’d let my curiosity get the better of me.” The blue casually shoved him away, returning to his duty of stirring the pot. “But of course, you’d not be one of them. Though where can they be found? Drenedar? I know you came here with Fremra. Would you do tell me about the other one she bought, what race were they?” He frowned and glanced back to his gathered goods behind them. “I’d hate for them to chomp into something poisonous to their kind. Trust me you do that to wolven and feel terrible about it all afternoon. How was I supposed to know they were allergic to vanilla of all things?”

“Right.” He tilted his head towards the off dragon, counting the ways he reminded him of Lyyreth. “I am Veledar and my companion is a human. And you are?” He waved a paw to get the blue’s attention. It didn’t work as he was forced to hiss and smack his paw against the counter.

“Oh yes, names!” He laughed heartily. “Id almost forgotten.” He went to shake a wing talon but stopped dead in his tracks. “Oh, How dreadfully sorry. I didn’t mean to-” The navy frilled dragon darkened. “Damned mother. She couldn’t have at least warned me so I didn’t go making an ass of myself?”

“You could have looked.”

“Right!” The blue’s frills pinned to his sides. “Again, deepest apologies. Jandar is the name by the way. Now its all ruined with the…You know what, never mind that. Did you want to assist with my cooking?”

Before he could even issue a reply, Jandar was spinning around and bounding towards a make shift oven burrowed deep into the cavern wall. His paws snapped with a shower of sparks, igniting a new fire within. “Of course you don’t! You’re the guest, you need to be relaxing…Leave the cooking to me!” He sighed and returned with a shake of his head. “Have you seen my mate? You might have passed her. Bronze scales, white horns, had the wee ones paint her claws various colors?”

“Did you mean howling tempest?”

“Right.” His snout wrinkled as he returned to hover over his pot. “Mortal titles and all. That’s her.”

“Wait” Veledar suddenly froze, the blue dragon’s name awakening stories long since told to him. Of the great dragon Ramakox and the human mage he’d helped raise. “Were you named after Jandar? The son that Storm counted as his very own? That’s so….that’s so.” Words failed him at the gesture. That spell crafting human had such an impact on the heroic dragon that he’d imparted his name to his child. If only Covrias where here, he’d not have believed it.

“No.” Jandar rolled his eyes, retreating to the draconic runed box to procure some dough to beat with his paws. “I am the Jandar from that story.”

Veledar’s jaw nearly dropped. But the human had died in the tale! He’d given his life to protect the draconic life he deemed more valuable than his own! It was a tragedy that reached the red’s ego driven heart! To hear that he’d somehow survived the whole venture? Again he was lost for words, simply left to sputter and stare.

“Oh dear, there’s that look again. The I can’t believe it deal you have going on.” The blue sighed, using the tip of his tail to shut Veledar’s jaw. “Long story short, Fremra is good with spiritual magic. Especially when she puts her mind to it. Though I lay broken and dying, she somehow managed to move my soul to one of her forming eggs. Now look at me.” He tapped his belly scales, plopping the pounds of gooey dough onto a cleared section of the counter. “Dragon as dragon can be. Who would have ever thought I’d end up here?” He started beating and separating sections of dough, forming them into biscuits the size of Arcturus’ head. “Can your human friend eat ones this big?”

Was it no big deal for him?

“Oh dear. It wasn’t just the shock; your minds been blown. Let’s start with your name, you still haven’t given it. Wait, do I still get it if I was once a human? Now isn’t that the conundrum!”

Veledar shook his head free of his stupor. There was a living legend right in front of him. One character straight out of the stories he and his brother listened to or read with swelling hearts. The adventure of the great dragon Ramakox, and the great friendship he forged with human kind. It had been so uplifting, lighting the dragon’s soul delightfully so. Yet to know it had a happy ending? That just made everything a thousand times better. If only his brother were here. He’d have died of shock.

“Veledar.” He bowed his head, paws trembling, frills darkening. His whole body was betraying his composure! “What an honor to finally meet one from the stories I heard spun to me as a wrymling.”

The next sigh was heavier than the last. “Wrymlings, Siigonis, children all over Sethera. How tiresome it gets to be reminded time and time again. Why do you think I left Struport? I couldn’t escape the shadow of the past. Yet here I am, telling it to you all over again. Oh why do I do this to myself?”

A legend being annoyed with the tale of it? Veledar scoffed at the idea as the blue continued diligently working. If it were his story they were talking of, he’d never tire of it. It must have been his human spirit poisoning the ability to relish in being known to the land. “I’d wager its that draconic blood coming through. You want to be known for it. Just embrace the feeling.”

He got a harsh snort in his direction for the trouble.

“Then you shouldn’t have mentioned it. When I have my story told to the ends of this earth, you won’t hear me complaining about it. I’ll bask in the glory and satisfaction that is due me.” Oh, that would be the day. He closed his eyes and pictured the scores of adoring mortals. This was the only choice left for a superior dragon as he was.

Before they could continue their discussion on what constituted a great legend, in came three bronze covered snouts. “Jandar! Jandar! Jandar!” They chanted, practically weaving like lightning around the boxes and crates.

“I told you he’d be here.” Arcturus strolled in behind them, flanked by his twin dragoness chaperones on either side, “Where food can be found, that is where you’ll find him. Unless of course you have some spirits.”

Veledar lashed his tail defiantly as the females had a throaty chuckle that warmed his scales. “But you’re predictable as well human of mine. Followed along like the good little human you are. Did you have an enchanting time with your original dragon of yours?”

Arcturus said not a thing, blushing profusely as Fremra stepped over him with a growl.

“Do you remember what I said little one?” Fremra towered overhead. “Mind the tongue and cease with the hot air. Tonight is for relaxation and letting tensions fall to the wayside.”

“Me? I’m not sour at all!” He snapped away with a huff, “I was simply asking my Umraadi a simple question was all. Did he enjoy the time with his most treasured dragoness of all? And for the hot air of which you speak?” He gestured to Jandar with his tail, “That’s the oven your son lit.”

That devilish look she gave him, lavender slits not fooled in the slightest by his lie. “Carry on then. There will be no word that I ruined an honest question.” She returned to Howling Tempest with a pleased humm, dragging the dragoness towards her mate. “Oh my little baby how good it is to see you!”

“Hi mom.” Jandar replied flatly, being forced to push against his mother when she began assaulting him with steady nuzzles. “Can you stop? I’m…trying to cook!”

“Never!”

Silence lingered between Arcturus and Veledar as each tried to find the right words to say. The man clearly could read the dragon’s face better than he gave him credit for, easily seeing through the charade laid bare before his human paws.

“It wasn’t anything special you know.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Was just good to see her again. Besides, not like it could hold a candle to your home right?”

Despite the flood of emotions swirling within his scales, Veledar honestly smiled. “Well of course it wasn’t. Mine is the envy of all dragons. And what of her herself?”

“Think I’d so easily be stolen away?”

“I er…” He snorted his reply as Arcturus strolled casually on his way towards the dragons that failed to leave poor Jandar alone. “Of course not! I’m not that jealous!” He quickly looked away with a nervous laugh.

“You got to cooking without us?” Emmess whined, darting right through the forest of forepaws. “Is this why we had to leave the home for the day?”

Jandar and Howling Tempest ceased their conversation to exchange knowing looks that Veledar knew all too well. Even Arcturus peered back, almost thinking the same thing.

“Of course!” Jandar laughed, directing the little ones to assorted ingredients with his tail. “But now that you’re here, we have the perfect jobs for you!”

Any disappointment was hastily dashed as the male dished out their assignments. The air was soon filled with happy humms and laughter as the tiny dragons got to work chopping, mashing and dicing whatever the blue hadn’t gotten to yet.

Though the dragoness was trying to hide it in her speech, her body told of unending joy. With every movement she was practically bouncing, her frills were twitching with life. He was amazed she still wasn’t singing or announcing her glee to everyone right now. Arcturus clever rebuttal hung on his shoulders, kept him from at least growling at her. He had nothing to fear. The man of course was of his word.

Yet she was not. She was bigger, well built, and had a delightful sway in her haunch. With magic and power she could get what she wanted, no doubt winning his human over with a silvery tongue. He’d be whisked away by the happy dragoness, convinced that becoming her rider was for the betterment of them all. He couldn’t let that happen, he had to say something, snarl… He paused, watching how Arcturus laughed. It would just ruin the atmosphere of good cheer, not to mention Fremra would come back to chastise him for his brashness.

Retreating, he watched everything from afar, practically melding into the thick shadows around the far edges. Though it still was but a dream, he knew he was to be healed. He just had to be patient and mindful. Arcturus was not going anywhere, he had a head on his shoulders that he admired. He’d not be swayed by a pair of seductive hips. After all, he was paired with a dragon of no equal, the mighty Crimson Sky. Who would give all that up anyway? He smirked to himself with a sway of his tail, knowing this to be true. Yet as he lingered, an icy voice slithered in his ear.

Is that what you tell yourself? That your greatness is well deserved? Pile of corpses and misery is your legacy.

He shook his head with a growl. That was not the case. His story would be one of legend, everything had a purpose. Crimson Sky the mighty dragon that pushed through any hardship that splattered against his hide. Courage returned as he rose his head, vowing to take back his human if he needed to. He’d heal, get his magic returned to him and forget this whole ordeal. It would just be another chapter that he overcame, ending up stronger on the other side. Besides, it wasn’t like he had a choice. He needed to make he and Covrias’ dream a reality.

He found himself a pile of cushions to relax in, at least until Howling Tempest had ceased her tour to his mate of their cave. Kneading the cushions, he finally got a chance to drift inward, focusing on the pleasure filled rumbles of the wrymlings and their adoptive father cooking away. Perhaps in time he’d learn how to cook, it wasn’t that out of the question. Though he’d make sure to do it with the mortals he trusted. They’d at least not blab about his pathetic attempts at it. Well perhaps Lyndis, but he could bribe or black mail her.

With the tour completed, the meal was set to be done. It was almost uncanny how perfectly they timed it. With a gesture and summon of more invisible servants, pots, pans and trays of steaming culinary delights were dragged to the surface above the cave. This time the adults had summoned a sequence of stairs that grew from the base of the cavern to the hole they’d entered. Only the wrymlings were made at this turn of events, whining about not using magic.

They ate in a relative silence, the air brimming with savage rips and tears into their elegantly prepared meals. Any human eating hall would be aghast with the crumbs and splatters of juices that were strewn about the area, leaving only Arcturus and Jandar the odd creatures out. Both of them had taken to using plates and eating skewers to go about their business as the family of dragons ignored them in a well deserved eating frenzy.

With bellies close to bursting the entourage of dragons and human were left gazing away to the sun resting pleasantly overhead like a loving parent. Fremra was smiling away as tales were starting to be told of the time they’d lost to one another. Her wings gestured to signs of dragons in the distance, happy scaled beasts leaping out of the ocean with happy trills of unbridled joy. Green, bronze, even teals could be accounted in their number. One happy clan oblivious to the nature of the human kingdoms they’d left behind.

“And they all travel together?” The red dragon scoffed, unable to picture a whole colony of his kind existing as one. Would there not be fights over treasure and parts of the land? It would be a whole stew of trouble a growing dragon wouldn’t need.

“Of course they do.” Fremra laughed away, “Even if the green ones are rather handicapped to do so.”

“How so?” He chuckled to himself at the idea, meeting Arcturus eye. This was going to be something to tell Cordenth about when they returned.

Fremra pointed to her membranes, showing they could glow with different intensities of light. “No way to communicate visually underwater. Though I suppose the ones that learned telepathy are alright.”

From there the conversations shifted to Arcturus’ life growing older, days spent training or riding horseback with his family. Then was to his days at the academy where he learned all manners of soldering, ending with his knighthood into the paladin order her cherished so much. When his time with Veledar came to light, it warmed the red dragon’s heart that Howling Tempest looked utterly pleased at the outcome. Perhaps she didn’t want to steal Arcturus away after all.

“So the two of you are.” The dragoness’ snout bounced between the two, rapidly tapping her paws to the grass. “I knew it! I always knew it.” She composed herself with a cough, reeling in her pride. “I could tell deep down, you’d be enchanted by our kind.”

For hours they spent in each other’s company, till the sun had started to drift below the western sea. Each of them had spoken for longer than they’d have liked, voices sounding more like whispery winds than proper dragons. They retired to the caverns when the breeze came to chill their scales, lighting a sinfully delightful hearth crafted from the very stone of the walls. It was here that they lazed around, letting the flames warm their scales till sleep carried them away.

During the silence he couldn’t help but stare at his Umraadi. Creep closer when he wasn’t looking, apology on the tip of his tongue. The man turned without warning, turning the dragon’s advance to stone. Emerald eyes were warm and affectionate as ever, inviting the dragon closer.

“Veledar…I’m…”

“I know. So am I.” He finished, curling his tail around his mate, and pulling him close. They might still have words to be had for the previous month, but things could start to be built upon now. Tender hands found his snout and they nuzzled up against one another. Whatever words they had said were lost with each gentle rotation of Arcturus’ careful fingers along Veledar’s membranes. Soft purrs radiated through the dragon’s throat, setting a mood warmer than even the hearth could duplicate.

While trapped within waves of each other’s radiance, the wrymling’s energy was yet to be drained. They yapped and wrestled along the larger dragons, teasing, and leaping about one another as if putting on a show. Only Fremra was able to tame their wild hearts, catching them with a low pleasing song from her throat. It was filled with coos and trills that would delight any dragon who heard it, but ended up leaving poor Arcturus blushing and wincing as he covered his ears. Veledar pulled him close ever so carefully, trying to sooth the human whose ears he supposed not meant for such things.

What finally got the wrymlings to crawl to their mother’s belly and start to drift was a final story told by their resident wise dragoness. Fremra sprawled around them, voice but a whisper as she told of the story of a dragon and the lost sea. How a witch had seen fit to swoop upon a clan of teal dragons and spirit their sea away against their will. This woman left nothing but large swathes of dried salt, and pocketed the entire ecosystem into a tiny pebble the size of her palm.

“This dragoness followed after her out of vengeance sake. For her kingdom had been stolen right from under her snout. The others begged her not to go, to move when she had decided to linger. But she wouldn’t listen, she knew better than the rest of her clan. Across the land where this witch flew, our daring dragoness followed in her wake. Always one wingbeat behind she was, and when she found this witch it was already too late.” Fremra’s voice grew lower than before, eyes glowing from the fire’s dwindling light. Engrossed in her story that each sentence seemed to come alive. “The witch had used this sea to get her own revenge on a village that’d cursed her eons ago to an ageless, cruel demigod. The sea burst from the pebble and swallowed the land, slaying all that lay before her. This witch collapsed, still pained beyond reason. For years had passed without her knowledge, no one existed that initially hurt her. In her anger, the only ones who’d died were more innocence.”

“When the queen dragon found her, this horrible creature was practically begging to be killed. Put an end to the misery slithering around her corrupted soul. But though the need to bring this creature justice pleaded at her ears, the dragoness held her ground. She’d spent so long chasing this contemptable creature, her own people had warned others of her coming fury. Any who’d sought to bar her vengeance had ended up cast aside. How others would weep for the life she’d lead. Instead of life and happiness it had been bitter and hateful. So much death had already come, and more didn’t sit right on her scales. Mercy she brought to this creature that’d done her people wrong, a pact to spend the rest of her days atoning for her actions. The dragoness followed her for the rest of her days, ensuring this pact was carried to its completion.

The teal’s eyes swept around them one at a time, but lingering on Arcturus and he. With a sigh she stood taller, pinning her wings and describing how they traveled from then on.

“How could that be the end?” Veledar stilled, thumping his tail in contemplation. “What about appearing to be weak? She let the witch get away with her wicked deed! All those lives killed and nothing to show for it?”

Fremra sighed, tiredly looking Veledar up and down, “You think showing such a creature mercy was weak? That she should have ended the witch without another thought? Revenge can never be an answer, it just keeps fueling a circle of hatred. It must end somewhere. In this case, a dragoness helped ensure that this woman’s deeds were made right.

Yet Veledar rolled his eyes, and was even joined by Arcturus’ disbelieving dismissal. “See? Arcturus agrees with me. Neither pride nor justice was met that day. You’re story is nothing but crazy speak.”

But Fremra was not deterred, merely nuzzling the three wrymlings to sleep as their mother snored away. “How pride leaks from you like a sliced melon young one.  You’ll find it doesn’t serve you any better than that silly title that you lord over yourself like some royal king. For the knight you’re currently holding.”

Arcturus and Veledar unwound themselves with a cough.

“Is that life can be burned away, lost to some destination. Don’t let such things blind the possibilities of something else. If you see but one path, you haven’t searched long enough for the others.”

The man wasn’t convinced, “You speak as though I should forgive dreadflame. What a pile of rubbish. That dragon is pure evil.”

“And who said anything of that? I was speaking metaphorically of other things. Perhaps you and he are destined to cross sword and claw again, but if he bowed before your feet and offered his submission…Would you except it or execute him?” Her brow rose in amusement as the human grew deathly silent. “I’d think on that. Crazy as it may sound.”

“And you Veledar? What did you gleam from the story?” Her eyes twinkled, smirking as his own chest had swelled in a readied attempt to defend his title of all things.

“That I should reside myself to a life of nothing?” His snout wrinkled, “Be a tiny bit of in the annals of history? If she’d gotten her sea back somehow, she’d have been a legend. She spent most of her days helping an evil witch redeem herself? I won’t follow that path, no matter what story you lay before me.” Without thinking he was up and slinking away, not even wishing his love a good rest. Troubled thoughts couldn’t help but swell within the long shadows cast by the fire’s light, taunting him with his brother’s final breaths.

He had to become a legend. Nothing else mattered. Veledar would not be something lost to time, made nothing but a simple dragon. He’d save kingdoms, charm queens, turn dragon slayer’s hearts to gold. Undead would fear his passing, demons would tremble at the mere mention of his name, and he’d soar to the ends of the earth with his human right by his side.

His paws lead him through the multitude of treasures that hardly caught his watchful eye. Some scattered coins he counted as he swatted them to piles of their kin, only to bear witness to a mirror resting affixed to a golden frame, perfectly showing his reflection despite the darkness around. Within he caught the chipped horn head that taunted him, marring his near perfect visage. He almost knocked the blasted thing down in frustration as a look of fatigue caressed across his snout. How far his goal looked without his majestic wings or powerful magic to lift him up. He was flying with weights tied to each of his limbs. What would his siblings say if they could see him now? Beaten and envious as he was now? With a quivering heart he looked up, finding ghostly eyes of the past staring back at him. Just like hers had been those years ago. Zyadel.” He whispered softly.

In a breath he was back there to his home to the west of Deet, staring at a near identical mirror to this one, enchanted by his magical braziers. His treasure was well kept, organized to his liking and he was a few decades younger. He smelled at the mirror’s surface as a heavily armored purple dragoness stood behind him, laying thick with how handsome he looked with her and tail in a seductive curl. Their previous matings were hanging on the air, reminding the red of pleasing times.

“It does look good I here doesn’t it?” He rumbled as Zyadel curled her neck around his, nuzzling along the scales with a throaty purr.

“Not as good as the handsome dragon it belongs to.” She rumbled, pressing her flank sinfully against his.

Oh the days of old. He sighed, his heart stretching in his chest. He’d forgotten how she looked at him. The adoration and young love bursting about every word she spoke. He could see her longing, that want and need that mimicked the looked he gave Arcturus. It was a shame he hadn’t been as enamored with her as she was to him. In the end he wasn’t strong enough to follow where she flew.

“I was thinking.” Zyadel continued, tapping his orange-red chest with her paws. “Instead of lurking about this dainty cave, spread your wings and come with me. We can see the rest of the world, leave the mortals behind to their dirt and stupid animals. Years fear lost to the winds!”

His younger self turned to his treasures, a familiar look crossing his brow. They were tethered to him, weights invisibly pulling him down, keeping him here. “But I have to wait for the call of an adventure.” He spoke softly, gazing upon the book that burned within Lumara’s castle. “I made a promise long ago, and I am a dragon of my word.”

“Again with this?” Zyadel rolled her piercing yellow eyes, flinching her armored tail set with yellow stripes. “Did I hit you too hard when we were growing?”

“Not that I can recall. Although it would certainly explain a few dozen things.”

“Well forget that Veledar.” Her tail pulled his attention squarely back to her, “Forget this place. Forget the past. It wasn’t your fault what happened. I know that they hurt you.” She paused, gesturing to his now lost book. “But they hurt me too alright?” She opened one of her scarred wings, memories from a few dozen spears. “Its ok to be afraid, but this wing. They promise to take us away. Far from this continent, far from the humans. We can finally live in peace.”

It all sounded so fantastical to him. Afraid?” His younger self gasped, placing a paw to his chest. “You’ll find no fear within my heart. I’m merely patient is all.”

“Right.” Zyadel snorted, the sarcasm dripping from her maw.

“You’re the one believing a so-called cult.” He snapped.

“Its not a cult.” She hissed.

“Sure sounds like it.”

“Any better than you’re destiny? Or staying in this lone cave, frolicking with the occasional gryphon? Don’t think I haven’t seen them visit.”

His younger self just sighed and gave her another excuse, too attached to that place. Was it fear that’d kept him? He shifted from paw to paw, the answer staring him in the face.

“Well, you know where to find us.” Zyadel sighed, nuzzling along his neck. “Far to the east, deep in the sunqueen mountains. Come if you ever change your mind or get the courage to leave all this pain behind.”

At the time he’d shrugged it off, insisting he was fine. That this was his home and he couldn’t leave it. But what would his life have been if he’d followed? Would he be planning wrymlings right now? Freely flying and frolicking away without worrying of thieves of murderers to take what he possessed? His scales trembled at the thought of not meeting Arcturus. It had seemed like destiny a few months back. Would he have been truthfully happy? Joyful as nuzzling the man his heart burned for? No answer came but the silence of the night.

Focus on the healing and your wings. He snorted, savagely shaking his head free of the past. This wasn’t going to help him get them back. All it was going to do was drag him back down. Make him weaker. He padded and slunk his way to the opening overhead, gazing up to the stars twinkling above in the midnight sky.

Fremra appeared out of the shadows. “You know to have such anger and resentment and bitterness. One might think you have numerous regrets bouncing around your skull.”

He refrained from jumping at her sudden singsong voice, of course she couldn’t resist following him. “Are you just hiding in the shadows to leap out at vulnerable dragons?”

She rumbled in the back of her throat, slinking over and around him. ”You think I’m good at it? Maybe I should be paid for my efforts?” When he only snorted her frills gently glew from base to the edge, a soft orange fire amidst the dark. “Guess your in no mood for jokes or observations.” Her eyes searched his own. “Arcturus asked me to find you. I’m proud of you to at least making amends for the day.”

That did bring him a slight bit of comfort, but he hid it with a defiant flick of his tail and claws clacking on the stone. “Guess he didn’t trust in his own tracking skills to find me huh? Great dragon hunter he is.”

“You should teach him then.”

“Want to lay another impossible task at my claws?”

“Teach him to fly perhaps?” She laughed, “You know not what the future holds. Perhaps he will sprout wings one day.”

“This isn’t a joke you know.” He scowled, as she fluffed her wings.

“Well fine dragon with crimson scales. I have a question for you instead, who exactly are you?”

“Who am I?” He pulled back, head tilting in response. “What kind of question is that?” She knew him, she’d spent time with him. But a devilish twinkle in her eye hinted the answer wasn’t as obvious as he thought. So he kneaded the ground, took a deep breath and his scales chilled as he puffed out his chest, repeating the phrase he held so dear.

“I’m Veledar of course. The elegant Crimson Sky. Easy to say and obvious to the eye.”

“And who exactly is that?” Her paws tapped like an eager wyrmling., “Just who is this Crimson sky? They sound truly regal.” Up went her brows in a playful manner.

What exactly is she playing at? “He is the son of indomitable aegis, brother to Covrias, savior of paladins and the Drenedarian princess. He defeated metal monsters and saved villagers of little people wherever his shadow crossed the earth….Why are you laughing?

Fremra was bursting with laughter. “How prideful of a beast you are. How regal. Just like him, with all those regal titles, glorious deeds. Never taking time to enjoy himself.”

“That’s all I do.” His gaze hardened.

“Ah yes, but is it what you really want?” The question simple, yet more twisted than he thought.

“Of course, it is. It would be preposterous to want anything less. To have fame, fortune, renown, its what entails a great dragon.”

“So, if you speak truth, a dragon that neglects these things is a lesser creature?” Her head cocked almost mockingly.

“Correct? What dragon would not wish for these things?”

“Well I know a couple.” She searched her paw mockingly. “You know them in fact. Storm gave up that silly title business years ago. Not to mention his treasure. He chose to keep his family over the fancy glittering coin. Love over fame. Do you think that he is a lesser dragon?”

He was speechless as the teal dragoness hummed quietly to herself in victory, returning her attention to the stars. He remembered the titles his brother and sister shared, of the glorious swirling storm and his miraculous feats. “That’s only after he met you.” He finally growled, lashing his tail hard against the stone. “You corrupted him with your teal dragon ways.”

“Our ways?” She laughed again louder this time, till her sea song voice nearly shook the hall. “Its called getting over these young dragon things. When you see the way life is supposed to be. Here’s a question. Why want your wings to heal?” She gave him a raised brow, fire lit beneath his scales.

She knew it was a sore topic, why bring it up. “Cause a lich burned them away. With some foul enchantment. I need them to be whole.”

“But would you really be whole with your wings? Is that who you really are? A pair of wings to flap about like a bat? Perhaps you don’t want the spells to work. You secretly want an excuse to not complete this legendary dragon nonsense.”

“Why would I want it not to work?” He scowled; the idea far fetched beyond belief. “That is utterly preposterous!”

“Is it though?” She stepped forward; eyes locked to his stumps.

“How about you tell me? You seem the one well versed in insanity.”

“Ah but that’s the problem isn’t it? I can’t tell you what you want or need. Only you can do that, even if your ears be hard of listening.”

Of course, he wanted to be healed! Silently he rose, pacing in a huff as her words bounced between his horns. He was the Crimson Sky, a legend in the making! Everyone would envy to be him! Dragons would look to his scales and covet them; they’d hear of his deeds and tremble with delight. He caught blackened shapes within the cavern, chilling his heart and tempering his fire. Phantom sounds of his wings burning away filled his ears, pinning his frills to either side of his head.

“I want to be healed.” He declared with a snarl, “And with that done I will be back to grabbing my destiny.”

“Ah yes, but is it your destiny? Or one that has been thrust upon you?”

Again, with the riddles. “Of course, it’s my destiny! Whose else would it be? It must be! Otherwise my life would mean nothing!

The teal ness offered him a tender look, not raising her voice as she curled around him. “I’d think by the end of this venture you’ll be able to tell me that answer. Just who exactly you are, and what you want out of life. I’ll leave you here to the stars, just don’t wake too late come morning light. I start early don’t you know.”

“Early?” He silently fumed at the idea of pulling himself out of slumber. Any day before midday you needed to rise was a horrid thing. “what kind of dragon are you?”

“The best kind of course.!” With that she disappeared with a playful smirk, leaving the red dragon to his thoughts.

Veledar stared for countless minutes at the minute speckles of twinkling light, her words woven tightly around his frame. What exactly did she mean? His scales prickled at the thought of finding out. “I’m Crimson Sky.” He spoke softly, not sure if he was trying to convince himself of their future glory. Yet as they lingered upon the air, he couldn’t help but feel they were empty words. Possibly this entire time.