As one would imagine, riding a dragon was nothing short of thrilling. Very few humans had ever seen the world from that high, and certainly not on a creature as magnificent as a dragon. It was the feeling of pure freedom with the sensation of wind buffeting you as the land below rushes past in a blur.
For the first hour or so, anyways. But then your muscles get sore, and the saddle rubs in all the worst ways, and the wind dries out your eyes.
Long distance traveling on a dragon was not all that preferable with the light racing saddle Gilbert currently owned, but making a new one better for comfort and travel would take time, money, and leather-none which he had at the moment.
Well, Gilbert did have some money, but it was useless without someplace to spend it.
So, while Gilbert loved riding, he also wanted to find somewhere to sleep. He connects his mind with Vivex's feeling a faint acknowledgment from the beast-albeit a beast smarter than he.
'Vivex, can you see a town near here?' He asks through their connection. The albino can feel the dragon's wings ripple and move as she scans the ground below.
Gilbert couldn't make it out very well-not that his eyes are the best anyways-but they were too far up and it was too dark for the human eye in the first place. A dragon's eye was much more powerful, however, and superior of that of any hawk or eagle.
It wasn't long before he heard a rumbling grunt in his head, affirmation the she'd spotted something. Vivex projected what she saw, and he could see the image of a small town, the buildings dimly lit with flame and huddled close together, before it vanished.
"Land about a mile out, we don't need anyone seeing you," Gilbert directs. The dragon dips down, curving towards the right. As they grew closer to the ground, his knees tighten around the saddle to brace himself.
There was a loud thud as Vivex lands, her muscles rippling as they absorb the shock that comes with landing. "Careful, little one" she warns. The village and surrounding woods could be filled with any number of threats and the dragon would have to stay there instead of follow and protect her rider. Although she wouldn't be far off, she knew how good he was at getting into trouble. Gilbert rolls his eyes, arrogant as ever.
"Please, I'll be fine. It's me, ja?" The rider was confidant, as usual. Vivex snorts, and shoves him along with her horned snout. Gilbert stumbles, but gives a harsh laugh that breaks through the stillness of the night.
He could find no easy trail through the forest-this area obviously wasn't quite a popular travel destination-but making a path for himself wasn't much trouble: the brush in this area was thin, and the trees loomed tall enough to make walking through the woods an easy task.
It isn't long before Gilbert spies the faint light of a town in the thick darkness of the night.
Gilbert strides confidently into town, finding no guards to meet him which was fairly usual for this time of relative peace, especially in smaller places like these. They had no real reason for any guards, there was nothing of value to any bandits from a small farming town like this.
The buildings were mostly wooden, closer together at first but if he tried he could see as they started spreading farther apart; the farms spread out for a few miles, he guessed.
He scanned the buildings, trying to make out the chipping black paint of old signs to find an inn or tavern-any place that will rent out a room for the night. He notices tables set up-the village must have a little market during the day. The albino reminds himself to stop by, and hopefully they would have the supplies he wanted.
After less than ten minutes of searching he finds the dimly lit building-the only one in the town, he guesses. The place can't be of much use, other than a place for the locals to drink, and the occasional traveler like himself to rent a bed. But the sign was there: Tavern. Drinks for sale. Available rooms.
He walks up to the door, hearing the low buzz of chatter from behind the thick wood. Entering the tavern, his eyes scan the room before landing on the counter. People sat on tables with large drinks in hand, loud and at least a bit drunk. There was a young blonde man, not much younger than Gilbert, sitting at the counter who was seemingly upset about whatever the bartender had been saying before he entered. He stood out from the rest.
"Aw, come on dude, can't you let me have something? Most towns don't even follow those rules!" He whines loudly.
Gilbert smirks. He had to be younger than 21, and not allowed to drink under the king's rule. He only looked 19, or maybe 20. But that didn't stop him from trying, that much was certain.
"For the last time, kid, no. Stop bugging me or I'll kick you out!" The scruffy pig-like owner of the inn (Gilbert thought he was, anyways) growled, drying a glass with a stained rag.
The younger seemed to deflate, crawling back to a table away from the bar. Gilbert walked confidently towards the owner, asking for a room for the night as well as two large beers. The bartender accepted his coins with a nod and a grunt, and leaves for the beers after setting down the glass he was cleaning with a clank.
Gilbert leans back in the chair. He would drink both beers without hesitation if he didn't know that two would turn into three, which would turn to more, and he'd probably end up stuck in his own mind. Hell, he'd probably drink the whole bar if he would only let himself.
When the drinks are carried to him, however, he walks over to the man from before, pushing a beer under his pouting face.
"Here kid, this one's on me!" Gilbert's voice was rough but friendly. The blonde's eyes light up, blue and energetic as he accepts the drink.
"Ah, sweet, thanks dude! Name's Alfred," he says, quickly introducing himself.
"And I'm Gilbert! The one, the only, the awesomest! But you might know me as the Teutonic Rider." Gilbert assumes Alfred will recognize him by that name-nearly everyone he's met does-but he's met with a blank, confused stare.
"Nah, sorry, I don't… But you're a rider? As in dragon rider?" Alfred's eyes flicker with interest.
"Ja, and one of the best! You're not from here, are you?" In Gilbert's mind, there was no other way that someone wouldn't have heard about him.
The war was one of a storyteller's best tales to spin, those who went to school would learn all of the facts of the war, how humans had to learn to fight the superior elves, how the dragon riders were brought in to fight but eventually brought peace-and word spread quickly in there land about that kind of thing. And he was a big part of any of that. So, what other reason could there be?
"Nope! Not from this land at all, I flew across the sea from here-I'm also a dragon rider," Alfred states excitedly. Now that's caught Gilbert's interest.
"Why's that?" He looks more intently at Alfred-it's not everyday someone flies across the sea, afterall. He wouldn't have pegged him to be a rider-but that would make sense if he's from a different land, Gilbert supposes.
Alfred shrugs, "Nothing important. Why're you here? Saw you get a room," he says with a simple curiosity.
"Nothing important," Gilbert retorts with a bit of a smirk, "If you're just wandering, join the awesome me!" He takes a long sip from his cup, slamming on the table.
"I mean, I am, but I don't know…" Alfred looks unsure.
"Come on! We'd be safer together, anyways, and it'd be easier to get by!"
"I'm not sure. Maybe?" Alfred looks interested in the offer; it'd be a change for sure, but not one he was certain of yet.
"Well, I'm leaving tomorrow, so make up your mind. If you want to join the awesome me, then I'll be getting supplies at the market-they do have one of those here, ja?-and you can meet me at noon!"
"I'll think about it," says Alfred-he really does need to think about it.
Gilbert finishes the rest of his drink in one last gulp. He smiles at Alfred, still working on his beer, before finding his way to the room.
He'd be fine by himself, he knew that. But Alfred was interesting, and it was bound to be less boring with him around.
'As long as this dragon of his is agreeable' Vivex grumbles within Gilbert's mind.
She usually keeps quiet while he's talking to others-unless she finds something rather important to input, or to tease him about. Usually the latter.
'There you are, almost thought you abandoned me' Gilbert could feel her amusement at the statement.
He opens the door to the room with a small key. It creaks open, revealing a modest bed, a nightstand, and an oil lamp. There's only one small window, he uses the lighter on the nightstand to light the lamp before closing the door and blocking out the light from the rest of the tavern.
Gilbert flops on the bed. Thoughts of the day rush through his head faster than he can keep track of.
But he's made his decision, he might as well stick to it. Besides, it was better like this. Better to be free again instead of trapped in some school, surrounded by riders that had never experienced battle the way he had.
He should write to Ludwig, he figures… but perhaps another night. For now, he pulls up the blankets and blows out the lights, letting sleep drown his thoughts into oblivion.
