High through the small village of Ceunen, the clanging of metal richoceted, painfully ringing in the ears of those who were passing through. The sound was much worse for the horses and humans lined up right beside the blacksmith's shop, which could be told if not by the line by the dark grey smoke billowing upwards from the rooftop.
The heat from the embers of the forge bit at Edrie's skin as her small arms gripped the tongs tightly, young eyes impatiently watching the horseshoe heat up far too slowly. Her father was the village blacksmith, and was known for his skill in horse shoeing and creating other necessities of life. Edrie was proud of her father, and happy to help him alongside his two assistants-which were normally more than enough to take the workload. This week, however, and more intensely, the past three days had been murder. Her father had gotten a mere three weeks notice of the fact that the Egg Courier Rider was bringing dragon eggs to the recently rebuilt town closest to them-Carvahall if Edrie remembered correctly.
The extra supplies had come mere hours before the travelers from all over began to line up to get their travel animals' hooves shod and trimmed. Since then it had been nothing but clanging, the neighing of horses, and running around like a rabbit before the butcher at all hours. Apparently foreigners didn't sleep.
Her arms were near shaking from the extent of the effort, which Edrie knew the danger of coupled with working near intense heat. It didn't matter though, as the business would set them up smoothly for the next year, as well as enough left over to help the village poor. That, she could deal with the physical exhaustion for.
Edrie near yanked the white-red horse shoe out of the coals, scurrying carefully around the various tools in the forge to meet her father outside.
Her father acknowledged her soot covered self with a small smile, stopping to thank her as she passed off the tongs. The middle aged man was covered in ash, sweat gluing his dark brown bangs to his forehead.
"Last one for today," he uttered in his deep guttural voice. Edrie blinked a couple of times before letting out a breath. Gerald never closed shop. But his eyes drooped as he used a hammer to shape the horse shoe she had just given him atop his anvil. A smile lit up the girl's face, as she too wanted a break from working all hours of the night. She darted off to the line stretching around the workshop's perimeter and belted out loudly over the conversations "Shop's closed!"
The loud, booming voice that erupted from the seventeen year old's small form was a trait that caused the villagers to look down at her in disgust, but also made her father laugh. Her father often joked that she could wake up the mountains with it.
The announcement was met with sighs and protests, while unhappy complaints were aimed at Edrie.
"It's early afternoon! This smith must be running a lazy shop!"
"He sends a mere woman out?" This one was said with a laugh.
"What a pile of oxen shit."
Edrie's eyes narrowed. While she was a normally sweet, hardworking girl, her father had also instilled his backbone in her. And she didn't like others talking ill of Gerald.
"My father and his apprentices have set up accommodations for your animals while we all recover from our long hours. I assume you all realize that a man's work quality deteriorates with exhaustion. I also know," Erdie brought her voice even louder as some of the people gathered had begun to ignore her. Some of the eyes watching her were perked with interest at the sudden sense of command radiating through her small, soot-covered form. "-that you all having experience traveling, any wise person would realize that the best care given means your animals will be able to carry you longer without threat of injury."
Edrie's hard expression then broke out in a smile.
"Now, if the fools of the crowd would like to continue to argue with a woman, you may step forward. Otherwise, Gerald will be happy to see you all tomorrow morning."
A stunned silence rolled across the crowd. A few broke out in laughter, breaking it. A few curse words were snarled. And finally, with reluctance, the crowd dispersed to tie up their animals outside or take them to their rented stalls and paddocks.
A familiar, tenor flavored laugh erupted in Edrie's right ear, along with a clap to the shoulder. "They were not ready for that. You take no prisoners, Edrie."
"I had to, Theor. These foreigners as a whole are a bunch of brats." Edrie replied easily, eyes softening at the young man who had become like a brother to her.
The slightly older youth ran a hand through his sweat soaked auburn hair.
"No arguments there. God help us if any of them become Riders."
"I think they're hoping their children will."
Edrie and Theor exchanged looks, and shuddered wordlessly.
"Good thing the track record is only one egg for every five-seven years or so. Come on, we need to help Gerald and Roan finish cleaning the shop and offer the hay and oats for our waiters."
Edrie winced as Theor's arm wrapped around her shoulders and guided her back into the shop. She had forgotten she would shortly have to serve the very people she had just yelled at.
XX..XX.. xx..XX..
Pellence, I need to land.
Pellence' dragon pulled him out of his trance like state atop her great maroon back. The sky they were flying within was covered in gray clouds, the air becoming more and more unpredictable with unexpected gusts pushing against Yorena's wingspan. Even with her soul magic and expert training, his dragon was tiring. They were far enough up in the atmosphere that landing in and of itself would be a journey. A stupid mistake-landing safely took the same amount of energy, if not a little more, than flying regularly. The muscles it required were also within a different group of the wing joints, a group that normally did not have to deal with increasingly static wind currents. At least, not that his dragon was used to. In a very un-elf-like manner, the elf Rider swore.
"Are there any soft aired spots that we can use?" He asked. Yorena quieted for a moment, and then blew out in her nostrils in frustration, the smoke warming her Rider's cheeks in the chilly upper atmosphere.
Not really. We can only choose the lesser of evils.
Without any further instruction, the female dragon used an expected gust of wind to careen to the left to a seemingly random spot, before diving as carefully as she could with her bulky mass. The precious cargo within their saddle bags could not slip out. Through their connection Pellence could see the thought out landing, at an angle that would cause the least jolting, and the tedious adjusting of the wings and straining of the tail and neck to resist and redirect gusts causing unwanted movement.
The elf Rider clung to his dragon's back, using words to draw energy from the stones Queen Arya had given them whenever Yorena began to faulter. The gray, damp mist of the clouds quickly blotted out his vision, and both Rider and Dragon had to rely on their other senses to fly straight. Pellence gritted his teeth as not for the first time on their journey, Yorena had to compensate for the make of the saddle they were using. The straps behind her wings were unfortunately placed in a way that prevented her from using the flexibility of her wingspan to it's fullest-which would have been useful in such a scenario as they were in currently.
As it was, he hastily checked in on the eight slumbering consciousness' within Yorena's saddle bags. They were all there, and none upsetted by the rough flight. Re-assured by the check, Pellence and Yorena focused entirely on the movements of their bodies and the knowledge streaming back and forth between each other through their bond. Not a word was exchanged for the next quarter of an hour.
Then finally, the clouds began to thin, and both Rider and Dragon spotted a welcome sight far below them. A valley with a fast moving river and excellent shelter in the very shape of it appealed to their exhausted eyes as a safe haven. Speed was picked up, and Yorena let out an warm, soft bugle of relief. They still had another quarter of an hour before reaching the ground, but the end was in sight as the clouds above them became darker. Pellence would not have time to build a shelter of his own-but the outcropping of the valley was deep enough there would be no problem to that.
The little ones will be safe also. Yorena added, her warm energy a welcome addition to his mind.
The moment they touched down was the same moment it started to downpour. Yorena snorted when Pellence dismounted-rather clumsily for an elf, his legs and core aching from the long flight. He glanced at his dragon and laughed. Her draconic ears were flipped back and her expression utterly disgusted, looking a bit like a drowned rat. Her tail flipped in frustrated embarrassment.
"You know I think you look lovely without fault," Pellence tried, backtracking and covering his traitorous laugh with a hand. Yorena met his attempt with an unsatisfied low growl.
Shut up.
Yorena paddled over the squishy earth to underneath the outcropping of rockface, irritantly yowling.
I want my saddle off! It's itching my hide! Demanded the dragon. Pellence could barely get out words in between bowls of laughter that were no longer controllable.
"-Yes, my beloved Bjartskular."
XX..xx..XX..xx..XX
Edrie had been beyond excited when Gerald had invited her out to enjoy dinner at the village Eatery. It had been a long time since she and her father had gone out together-usually it was one of those unnecessary expenses that he wanted to avoid.
She had been excited, that is, until her father had brought up the topic he had apparently wanted to speak with her about.
"Edrie, you know I want the best for you. I just don't think it's at the shop," the man said, clasping his daughter's hands tenderly in his. Edrie suppressed a sigh. He had tried to bring up the topic a few times before as soon as she turned sixteen. Her opinion wasn't budging, but she also knew better than to interrupt her father when he tried to caringly explain it to her-again.
"I know growing up without your mother around has left some gaps in this..education."
Edrie suppressed a snort at the way Gerald shifted uncomfortably in his chair. When his eyes were brought back to hers, she immediately squelched into a more respectful, focused mindset.
"But there's no reason not to learn. I put aside some money for some better clothing for you, and I arranged for Rosalie to take you around town in the next few days to brighten you up a bit and have you meet some young men."
Edrie's eyes rounded in shock. Gerald had never been this straight-forward about this before.
"What of the shop? It's the busiest we've ever been, and you're going to send me off so I can't help?!" The argumentative cry burst from her mouth unheeded. The skin around Gerald's lips tightened.
"We will be alright. It's about time one of the boys learned crowd control, rather than always penning up in the shop or up against a horse's ass."
"But-
Gerald hushed his daughter firmly.
"You're going to at least try it. Besides, who knows-you might enjoy yourself."
Edrie snorted. Being raised on the concept of only using what was necessary, she didn't think fondly of those who spend hours upon their appearance and gobs of money to put ink on their faces and wasted more money to buy the latest fashion or trinket that came in from the traveling merchants. She would much rather bask in the smell of horses and learn more about black smithing than prance around like a deer tripped up on hormones. Come to think of it, she would probably even prefer pulling weeds in the garden to it, or cleaning the hog pen.
But the hopeful look in her father's eyes as their server came and gave them the order killed the protest lingering in her throat. She sighed, and the tension visibly left her father's shoulders and expression.
"Fine, I'll try it."
Gerald broke out in a wide smile, and pulled her in from across the table to kiss her forehead.
"I am blessed to have such an cooperative daughter."
XX..xx..XX..xx
"Would you like your scales coated?" Pellence asked the maroon dragon dotingly looking at the eggs, dried and settled on a cushion at her insistence. Upon having the saddle removed and set out to dry, his partner of mind and heart had demanded that they care for the 'young egglings' before he tended to her, and then to himself, despite her obviously sore temper from being rained on. Yorena settled smoothly on the damp dirt, her wing joints resting on the ground while her neck and tail curled comfortably towards him. Exhaustion poorly hidden eminated from her every muscle.
Yes, please.
The elf smiled and reached into the saddle bags. Yorena in particular preferred to be polished and her spines and talons sharpened regularly by her Rider, insisting he sharpened them better than she could herself. Pellence had no complaints-he enjoyed the bonding time with his dragon.
However, no sooner had he pulled out the large can of oil along with the polishing cloth and sharpening tines that a hiss too highly pitched to match Yorena's met the sound of the dying rain. A screeching, grating cry that harmonized no dragon's voice followed, slightly to the left of the previous one.
Pellence's hand dropped the supplies in favor of gripping his sword. In one swift movement, Yorena rose and stood protectively over the eggs and Pellence retreated to her side. His hands shook in shock as a black, greasy haired figure dismounted from an impossible mount, a second, matching creature crouching shortly beside.
The leathery skinned creatures matched the night-marish descriptions in Elven texts perfectly. Beady, hungry eyes looked at Pellence and Yorena down long bird like beaks decorated in razor sharp teeth. Four limbs, no scales. Each sported a pair of oversized bat black wings, matching the abyss of their bodies.
"Lethrblaka." The word trembled from his lips. The stories had told even of their great leader, Eragon, and his partner Saphira struggling against the last of their race. And yet here were two more.
Nature screamed against their Rider, who was not a Raz-ac as was the custom for the riders of lethrblaka. Pellence and Yorena had had much worse luck. A Shade dropped from the back of the largest lethrblaka, grinning a yellow, blood-stained smile widely.
"Well well, you have made my job much easier."
Yorena's disgust of the creatures reached Pellence, and the strength in that emotion and her lack of fear pushed the elf's out. His mind began to race strategically. Yorena and him were both exhausted. The energy stores in the gems given to them had yet to be refilled, but they had one other option. His stomach squeezed as the pressure of the situation gave him new strength. His dragon caught his eye from within her warning snarl at the enemy.
Send them.
Courageously with a verociousness that would scare the wild dragons out of their caves, Yorena left his side to leap at all three of their unwelcome visitors. Pellence had to tear his focus away from her-he could not protect her from the Shade's spellwork while sending the eggs-but the Queen's gift to the Egg Courier Dragon would hold for a short while. He began chanting, laying a hand on a dragon egg and another on the grass, apologizing to the forest while the surrounding foliage began to die, the energy being used in the spell.
Yorena blocked the three with everything that she had. She used the length of her body to block both lethrblaka, fighting with teeth and claws, and using her sharply spined tail to warn off the other. The Shade tried to leap over the battling reptilian creatures and was slammed back into the dirt by a maroon wing. The blow would have broken a deer's back in half upon impact.
The largest letherblaka managed to place a clawed foot on the gap between Yorena's shoulders and neck, attempting to find a place to bite down on her neck. The other took to her hindquarters, trying to get her off her feet. Cleverly, Pellence's partner of heart and mind blew fire at the first letherblaka's genitals, while bringing her tail up at exactly the right moment to throw the smaller one back and spine it under the jaw. The move earned a scream from the smaller lethrblaka, and a curse from the Shade as he rose from the ground to surprisingly heal it. The larger lethrblaka let out a shrill cry of pain as molten hot flame reached its mark, collapsing.
Pellence grinned despite the sweat pouring down his eyebrow as he moved onto the third egg. The lush scenery was beginning to appear as a decimated area, matching the high stakes battle that raged. Pain burst up his right arm as Yorena let out a cry of pain simultaneous with the sound of breaking bone. The smaller lethrblaka had leapt and latched onto her foreleg with a twist, paying her back for the wound that had been healed. The deep violet egg in front of him disappeared with a crack and a flash of light, and he dropped the spell and chanting.
Continue, Partner of my Heart! Yorena demanded with a roar, blocking a lethrblaka's leap for him while shattering his pause with the intensity of her thoughts.
Cringing, Pellence relented, chanting even faster as he moved onto the fifth egg, and then the sixth.
"NO!" The Shade's hand suddenly found the flesh of the elf's throat, while his legs kicked the remaining two away from him. Yorena let out a mournful cry as the kick sent one of the last two into the river, while the other egg rolled behind the lethrblaka.
Pellence drew a dagger from within his sleeve, driving it deep within the Shade's side, through the ribs and into his lungs as the elf's eyesight began to spot.
The hand around his throat slackened, and the elf kicked the Shade away, coughing and gasping for air. Out of the corner of his eye, the two healed lethrblaka tackled Yorena, their combined weight collapsing her onto her side. Before he could blink the largest lethrblaka sunk his teeth in her throat and ripped.
Horror shattered through the Rider as he frantically grasped for his dragon's consciousness. It filtered away from him like water, the last thoughts comprehendible eminating love and sadness.
Pellence leapt with grace mirroring the best of his kind, over the top of the lethrblaka, all self preservation gone from his mind. Rage blotted his vision and his sword snapped out of its sheath into the larger lethrblaka's heart, followed up by a gruesome beheading before the creature could blink. Spooked, the younger lethrblaka leapt back, which allowed Pellence time to register his soul partner before him. Glassy eyed, face eternally locked in a snarl while fresh blood still poured from her veins.
He wept in the middle of the battlefield, no longer caring for his own life. Pellence looked at the Shade in spite and black hatred, while catching sight of the last, pale white dragon egg. The last thing Yorena had wanted him to do. He was going to finish it, for her sake.
"We won." The Shade said in a silky voice. Anger continued to stem from the elf's very being, and with a dangerously quiet word, the forest remaining within the next mile and a half died instantaneously. Energy that hadn't entirely ripped his core apart yet coursed through the elf, and the Shade's eyes widened as he too bolted for the remaining egg. The words sailed off Pellence' lips, and the moment his hands touched it, the pearl of an egg exploded in light, the only thing left for the Shade to reach was empty air. A smile ghosted Pellence's lips, bittersweet victory being the last thing he remembered as the Shade slid a blade across his throat with enough force to behead him.
A:N/ I hope you guys like it! Big plans for this one, hopefully. :)