Author's Notes: This story was started further back than last year and I've been writing it so slowly. I currently am half done this story so I decided to post the first chapter now. The next chapter is also done so it should be posted within the week.
This story will have very one-sided frostiron further in and it won't move on from that since Loki is a dragon who doesn't return or understand Tony's human feelings.
Disclaimer: I do not own Avengers or any of the characters
The sky was stormy and the air was cold enough to bite straight through the strongest armour. It wasn't enough to keep the hero of the story from his quest, though he did complain. It was a mission stemming from his own curiosity and of course the concerns for the people. (Mainly curiosity.)
Tony decided to play the hero for once and he went alone with only his dragonslaying contraption. (He ditched the knight that accompanied him at a tavern days ago.) He regretted it now as he shivered on his oxen pulled carriage.
His mission was simple; he was to slay the fearsome trickster dragon. A beast who would take you apart with words before teeth (A servant hid from the beast, listened and he escaped as the beast drove his master mad.)
It also levelled a city several years ago with very few survivors. Everything was burnt to the ground and people were eaten by the crowds that one day. The story was that the king refused to give him a the usual tribute of riches and cattle for the month and sending a slayer after the lizard instead. The city to this day remains an abandoned place; the people not wanting again to gain the dragon's attentions.
It was said that the dragon had horns of gold, pure white teeth strong enough to cut through armour like butter, and sharp gold claws that could cleave a man in two. But Tony was far more interested in the beast's rumoured emerald and obsidian scales. It was said to be able to reflect any blade and any sort of magic.
Tony had tested dragon scales before, (They rarely lived up to the legends.) but never were they said to repeal magic. (Mages; rare as they were; are always the best dragon killers.)
But every dragon-slayer; even the ones with magic, never returned and that made the creature desirable.
The truth behind his travelling alone was that he wanted the fabled dragon parts to himself. A professional would want the parts and the knight that joined him was sent by Pepper to help him (She wouldn't take a no) and he wasn't going to share the riches and glory he would get from killing this beast so he snuck away from his bodyguard in the night. Hopefully the knight, Happy, wouldn't be too offended he did work better alone. He was confident that his new and improved dragonslayer weapon would take care of the beast easily (It was mark VII.)
The dragon lived in a large cave (Like every other dragon.) and Tony entered without any more thought. He had slain many dragons before and this one wasn't any different.
It was odd; the cave was quiet and rather clean to most drake nests Tony visited; there were no bones or hoards of treasure, but there were many scorch marks on the walls proving he wasn't in the wrong cave.
Tony hadn't even left his cart yet and the oxen seemed rather calm travelling deep into the cave; it was often the animals that sensed the reptiles first. The animals started to get nervous when they traveled deeper into the cave and when the creatures turned wild eyed and twitchy from fear, Tony got off with his weapon. It was like a crossbow in appearance and it was designed to kill dragons without much effort on the 'brave warrior's' part. Its job was to send a spiked chain rope to trap the wings (The user had to have some aim), the chain had a poison (Cleverly named 'Dragon's bane') on it that gets into the blood stream by the spikes on the chain. It was a large chain with many jagged spikes so at least one would cut through the soft tissue of the wings. The poison always worked quickly, paralyzing the dragon and letting the slayer butcher it easily. It did it's job well by the large amount of dragon's blood on Tony's hands.
When the air began to stink of burnt flesh Tony knew he was close. He left his oxen behind and walked further in. He didn't want then to bolt when they got too close. And by the giant pile of moving obsidian; Tony knew he found it.
The dragon was asleep; Tony could tell by the slow rise and fall of its massive chest. It was a gorgeous specimen; most of it's scales were a shiny black and of what Tony could see of the underbelly, it was rivalled precious stones by the way the forest green shined. Another feature that Tony admired was the golden spines that traveled all the way down from the tip of it's the spear-like spike in the tip of it's tail to the two long gold oryx like horns on the top of it head; or what Tony assumed to be the top; its black scales made it appear as if it was a giant shadow.
His admiration was short lived as he launched his weapon at its bright green wings. He would have plenty of time to examine it when it was dead. They were far brighter than the underbelly scales; they looked almost like a target.
The chain whipped at the bead and as it hit flesh- it went right through hitting the stone wall behind! The dragon's shape shivered and faded into nothingness.
It was an illusion; a skill that was supposed to be for mages. Tony started to doubt that the beast actually existed; it could easily be a front for a powerful Mage practicing taboo magics.
Tony ran back to his carriage; out of cockiness he neglected to bring a second chain or even any other useful weapons with him. He heard the scream of his cattle and when he arrived at the scene, both of the oxen lain dead in a bloody mess and his cart was now crushed to bits. It now looked like it was a dragon rather than a Mage; could a Mage control a beast as monstrous as a dragon?
Now was a good time to run as ever. It almost looked as if Tony would escape, until he noticed the large shadowy being that stood in front of the exit.
When the beast saw him the creature gave a great leap and landed just a sword's length away from Tony. He stopped in place and closed his eyes as he felt the room grow colder. He waited for his end.
He often imagined the beasts getting the better of him; Tony always thought that it would end bloody with a dragon biting his head off or one engulfing him in flames to hot for his armour to handle. He didn't expect for his doom to engage him in conversation.
"A knight? Or perhaps a slayer? You carry a strong stench of blood." The dragon's voice was smooth and he had a slight accent; though the low rumble of his words made it unmistakably inhuman. It was rather different than the dragon's who cursed Tony as they died; the others voices were often raspy and loud much like a human who ingested much smoke. This one's words were clear and almost musical; it was as if the beast was a bard.
"How many's blood soak your hand, human? I'm surprised you haven't been killed sooner; your blood stank is overpowering." And now the dragon was insulting him; Tony opened his eyes to face the beast once again. It was as tall as three stallions on top of each other; rather small for a dragon.
"Are you no longer afraid human?" The dragon was close enough that Tony could smell its rancid breath. It's teeth were stained with red (From his oxen no doubt.) and its mouth was curled into a horrific smile.
Tony was never one to keep quiet even in the face of death. He stared right into the dragon's emerald eyes and spoke, "Afraid of what? You? The only thing scary about you is your breath."
"Am I fearsome? I don't think so; it is often the impending death that has heroes quaking in their boots." The dragon set his clawed foot down beside Tony; the talons were a clean gold, the dragon either didn't use his claws to torture knights or he took care of his nails between dismemberings.
"So tell me sir knight, have the tales of my cruelty brought you to my home? Are you doing your people a service or are you wanting a hero's riches?" The dragon's tongue was not silver, Tony checked, instead it was a soft pink.
"Neither, I was on vacation and I wanted to see the insides of a dragon's lair; a lot less gold than I thought."
The dragon age another fanged grin, "I prefer not to store my treasures in my dining room."
Tony pretended not to notice the beast's tail slowly blocking him in. "Be a good host and serve some grub if you would." Joking was Tony's way of coping with being eaten.
"Ah how refreshing, a human that hasn't wet themselves when faced with their certain doom," the dragon gave a rumble of what Tony assumed was laughter. "May you reveal your name little human?"
"Queen Pillopia of the land of not here."
"What harm is there in giving me your name human? All of the slayers guard them so carefully, but what am I to do with it? Call you something other than 'human?'"
"Your reputation of talking a man to insanity really makes slayers, at least the smart ones, weary of giving you information," Tony replied.
The dragon stood up from his previous relaxed one. Without much warning the dragon took hold of Tony's tunic in his claws; he was winded from being hoisted up.
"Is that really necessary?" Tony gasped breathlessly. The dragons lips curled up into a small grin. The beast started to walk through the cave with his three legs that were not occupied by a disgruntled dragon slayer. Tony couldn't see anything, but the golden claws that just held him by his clothes. If his clothing was peasant quality it would have ripped and sent him to a rather unpleasant fate of going 'splat.'
Eventually the creature stopped and Tony was lifted further into the air. He saw a golden cage. It looked as if it was pretty at a time, but in its current state it looked terrifying. It was dented in multiple places, absolutely filthy in the inside and Tony swore he saw a charred finger bone stuck in the tight bars. It was rather big for a cage though, there was enough room for a large man with another large man on his shoulders to stand up and lay down in it.
"Welcome to your new place of residence human. I hope you find your stay enjoyable."
The dragon gently (Well as gently as a gigantic monster can do.) opened the cage door and tossed Tony inside. The dragon slayer landed with a 'oomph.'
Without saying much else the dragon closed the cage door once again and started to walk away.
"Come back you ugly lizard!" Tony yelled, but the green eyed beast didn't even give him a backwards glance.
Tony had no idea what time it was or whether it was day or night; his only sense of time came from hunger gnawing at his stomach.
He went over the cage awhile ago; it seemed to be enchanted in a way that it could only be opened from the outside and the only other thing in with him was a charred finger bone. It seemed like a hopeless case. For a great amount of time Tony went over every bar of the cage looking for a fault; the cage was beaten to hell, but to Tony's displeasure, it certainly proved to be of sturdy build.
The only noise for however long he was there, was a rhythmic dripping sound. It was better than dead silence, but it was beyond irritating. The only thing that could have been considered good was the light filtering in from a skylight way up high in the dragon's lair. The hole in the ceiling wasn't near the cage, but Tony liked to be able to see so at least he would know if there was any vermin bunking with him.
Tony was so bored. He would rather the dragon would mock him more because a snark off with a dragon would be better than thinking about how his kingdom would fair without him. Pepper would have taken over in his absence and he (hopefully) would have employed a group of dragon-slayers to kill the drake who talked Tony Stark to death.
He wondered if they would even be able to kill the dark dragon; the beast certainly had more intelligence than the average dragon and probably the average man, and it may or may not has been in a arrangement with a Mage.
In a great deal of time later; Tony could hear the click of nail on stone. He was relieved even though the creature was probably coming to get a quick snack.
The dragon almost blended in with the shadowed cavern it came from; it's emerald eyes glowing like a cat. The dragon almost strutted; it's posture was flawless. "Hello human." The beast showed off his teeth in a Cheshire grin.
"Hello dragon," Tony spoke.
The dragon took a seat in front of the cage; "Have you found your stay acceptable?" The dragon seemed to be in a good mood.
"Yes; this could be advertised by a herald as a fantastic vacation spot if only there was a chief."
"You are hungry?" The dragon rumbled with mock sympathy. "If you would have asked..." The dragon trailed off and waited for Tony's response with a smirk.
Tony swallowed his pride in order to acquire food. "I am hungry, but you do not have to get it for me, let me go and I'll get my own."
"It is no bother, I have something to quench your hunger in my claws." The dark dragon brought one of his golden to the cage with another sinister smile. Skewered right though as a mashed up piece of meat; the mangled fur suggested it was some sort of mammal, maybe rabbit.
Tony couldn't help, but gag before talking again; "Humans can't eat raw meat." At those worlds the meat was lit by a colourful green flame for only a second; the fire did not come from the beasts mouth it just just materialized and disappeared with a green spark. So it was a magic dragon, Tony concluded, there has been rumours of beasts like that. But Tony never have seen one himself.
"Is this to your standards?" The dragon teased as it held the charred remains to Tony.
It looked absolutely atrocious, but Tony took it anyway since it was something and maybe it could be used to escape probably not though unless it had a magic key imbedded in the remains.
The dragon made a buzz are humming noise which Tony identified as the equivalent to a giggle to a dragon. "Usually it takes three sun rises before any of the brave slayers accepted anything from me."
Tony removed the meat from its golden claws with great difficulty; the meat was so burnt it just crumbled. "Well, it is not polite to not accept what the host offers so generously." Tony couldn't help by snark back; it was a bizarre, he was getting along with a monstrous dragon better than anyone at his castle.
"What an interesting human you are, Queen Pillopia," the dragon was now using his own snark against him.
"What a interesting dragon you are, Mr. Dragon."
"I am rather unique," Tony made a note that the dragon reacted well to compliments, like ever other dragon. (They were vain creatures.) "Were you not hungry? You have not touched your meat." The cheeky dragon gave a grin that suggested he burnt it black on purpose.
"It isn't human is it?"
The dragon gave a snort, "It is not; it was a rat who moved to close." Ah, rat. How the mighty ruler of Stark castle has fallen. Tony took a test bite out of the blackened mess and the face he made must have been humorous since he left the dragon showing off its pearly whites in mirth.
"Ah you must be a noble of some sort;" Tony looked up at the beast in surprise, had the beast made a game figuring out Tony's identity? Would the game end in his death? "Any peasant born slayer wouldn't look so disgusted by eating what they can to survive. You humans are rather like rats in that way."
"I don't think anyone would enjoyed charred rat," Tony set the vile meal down; it left black soot all over his hands. The dragon gave a rumble of acknowledgement, but nothing more. The odd pair; the dragon hunter and the dragon settled into a comfortable silence. It was surprising to Tony since what he had heard of the dragon described the beast talking its victims to death. What the monster seemed to be doing was trying to bore him to death instead.
"So..."
"What little human?" The dragon asked turning it's bright eyes back to the cage.
"Why haven't you eaten me yet? You know... That's what dragons usually do." It wasn't the smartest thing to ask, but Tony was already sick of the cage.
"Hmm... Well I suppose I just am not usual then," the dragon's rumbled.
"Is keeping a pet a way of not being lonely? I don't advice it, soon you'll have as many humans as a cat lady has cats!" Tony could have swore he was right on the mark by the way the beast looked a bit surprised, but maybe he wasn't because it's giant lizard face was less expressive than a human's.
"They are simply entertainment."
"Yeah, this big dreary cave doesn't look very fun."
The dragon have another hum of acknowledgement leaving Tony to end the silence once again.
"Hey dragon?"
"Yes?"
"What can I call you?"
"Well. You are certainly a interesting human, all the ones I have kept never have asked that, preferring to save their breath for nasty insults. Why do you want my name?"
"I dunno, maybe so I can refer you to something other than dragon? You are the beast that captured me and that had ruined my streak."
"My name wouldn't be able to be spoken by human tongue so I'll give you one that can. Loki."
"Low-key. That a pretty short name aren't dragon supposed to have names like Grahag the destroyer?" The dragon went quiet once again.
"Tony, my name is Tony Stark."
There was another pause until the air rang with the drag- Loki's rumbly voice, "Aren't humans supposed to have long names with many titles such as sir Tony Von Dragonblood of York's city, slayer of the the dreaded goat mauler and-"
Tony cut the beast off with a laugh, this creature wasn't too bad for a dragon. "I do know nobles like that. Idiots probably have never done the things they say in their titles."
Loki gave a rumbling snort.