A/N: Hello hello! Here with an update. I'm gonna try to get into the swing of updating regularly since this is now the only fic i'm working on :D Fingers crossed. Also! Sorry if this chapter is a little weird. That's what happens when you don't touch a story for months, you forget things. I'll have to reread what I wrote in order to remember. Anyways, enjoy the update! Reviews are enjoyed, no matter how short! So this chapter has a heavy dosage of Dovah, but not to worry, translations, as usual, will be at the bottom. But if you don't feel like scrolling all the way to the bottom just to read a translation, then open up a new tab, scroll to the bottom, and then switch between the two c:
"Oof!"
Alfred cried out as the wind was knocked from his lungs the moment his back hit the ground.
There came a disappointed sigh and a face appeared over Alfred, a man with sun kissed skin and deep almond hair staring down at Alfred.
"This isn't good Alfred, this is the seventh time I've managed to flip you!" The man spoke, offering a hand up for the blond to take.
Alfred winced as he was pulled into a standing position. "Sorry Romulus. I'm honestly trying to do my best."
Romulus waited till Alfred was standing before he patted his back in a comforting manner. "Don't worry, lad! My nephews started out just like you did! And now they're fine warriors!"
"Yeah, but you started training them the moment they could walk!" A voice came from behind the two males, getting their attention.
They turned, watching as Gilbert strolled over to them, a grin plastered on his face. Romulus hummed, crossing his arms over his chest and inclining his head towards the Dragon.
"Well you're not wrong," He began, smiling as he added, "But Alfred is already quite skilled. He just needs to work on his technique and form before he can participate in any real battles."
"But you've been training me for almost a month now and I still haven't learned anything of use!" Alfred cried, shoulders slumping in defeat.
Gilbert glanced at Romulus and the two shared a secretive smile. They both looked back at Alfred before Gilbert chuckled, patting Romulus' shoulder.
"I'll take it from here. Might as well get him started."
Alfred's brows creased, a pout forming on his face. "Started on what?"
The albino didn't bother to respond, instead waving his hand for Alfred to follow. The blond complied, nodding his head in farewell to Romulus before following Gilbert back towards the more populated area of the camp.
Alfred had been in the Dragon's Den for almost a month now, Romulus having arrived a week after he did. At first, Alfred had felt both excitement and fear. Here he was, on a vast field populated by many magical creatures, most of them being Dragons of all kinds.
The Den was actually a large mountain at the end of the wide field, the path towards it obscured by the many camps of the other magical creatures. They were all warriors who dedicated their strength and loyalty to the Dragons, each camp willingly prepping for the oncoming war.
Alfred had been in awe when he saw the Den. The mountain had many cave openings high up its rocky face where Dragons flew in and out of. On the ground floor was one big opening that led into a wide cavern populated by Dragons and other creatures that were simply laying around and chatting. The cavern had tunnels that branched into more paths and, from what Gilbert said, wound through the entire mountain, some paths even leading underground. There was an entire system that the Dragons were using, something that blew Alfred's mind.
On occasion Gilbert would leave the Den and return to the Capital. Those days that Gilbert left, he would be sure to tell Alfred before disappearing into the deeper workings of the Den. At first he was worried about leaving Alfred alone, but Antonio offered to help train and keep an eye on Alfred.
When Romulus and his nephews arrived, Alfred was completely nervous and ecstatic to meet them. Romulus and one of his nephews, Feliciano, were more than friendly to him. However the other nephew, Lovino, was quite the prickly character. At first Alfred assumed that Lovino hated him, but Gilbert told him not to take it personally and that Lovino was generally like that with everyone.
Romulus didn't need much convincing to help train Alfred and, after the first few days, Alfred got used to being trained by a legend. He was still beyond giddy, but not overly so that he'd make mistakes. But still, that didn't hide the fact that this training was, to put it bluntly, pointless.
For the past few weeks Romulus had done nothing but teach Alfred how to keep his balance. At first he assumed it was to help him with his sword fighting, but by the second week of nonstop balance training with no swords, Alfred was sceptical. All day for hours on end, balance training. Alfred was growing sick of it! Why did he need so much focus on balance?
"Father!" Gilbert yelled, snapping Alfred from his thoughts.
Alfred gulped slightly, watching as the massive green head turned to look at them. Gilbert's father, who he learned was named Germania, intimidated Alfred beyond belief. He would stare at Alfred and sometimes would emit a low growl which always managed to make Alfred internally panic. He'd be crazy to say that a huge Dragon didn't intimidate him.
Germania was currently lying out on a large cropping of rock, soaking up the sun's rays as his other son laid next to him. The other Dragon was smaller and slimmer than his father, but still just as well-built. His scales were a deeper, earthier green than Germania's and, not only that, but the placing of horns and frills were a little different, only a few in the same place.
Alfred had been surprised when he learned that Gilbert had a brother. Even more surprised when he learned that the large beast was Gilbert's younger brother. He had politely introduced himself as Ludwig and, surprisingly, was easier to talk to than Germania. Ludwig still had that intimidating air that commanded attention, but it wasn't to an overbearing degree.
"Gilbert," Germania's deep voice rumbled, the dragon stretching out a wing and popping it. "Geh dii kul?"
Ludwig grunted, lifting his head off of where it was lying on Germania's back. The smaller Wyvern yawned, moving to sit up as Gilbert climbed up the rock. The albino pat Ludwig's face as he was nuzzled, grinning.
"I wanna start Alfred's flying training now!"
Alfred was caught off-guard by the statement, "My what-now?!"
Germania let out an amused rumble at Alfred's exclamation, turning his head to regard the human.
"There is a reason as to why you have been learning balance, Yuvon Krein." Germania pulled himself up into a standing position, parting his jaws in a loud yawn. "Alright. We shall start simple, let us move to a more spacious opening."
Ludwig followed Germania while Gilbert slid back down to stand with Alfred, grinning as he led the blond after the two Wyverns. Alfred frowned slightly, not understanding what Germania called him. It was something that the other Dragons here had been calling him, Germania being the first to do it. Even Gilbert had occasionally slipped up and called him it once or twice. Alfred couldn't figure out what it meant, he didn't speak Dragon after all.
"Hey, Gil?" It was better to ask now than to never know, right?
"Hm?" Gilbert glanced at him, the albino's eyes dancing with excitement. He was beyond ready to start Alfred's flying training. If he was to join their rebellion, he'd need to know how to ride a Dragon properly or he'd die before they even invaded the Capital.
The humans that were a part of their rebellion all had to learn how to fly, it was something Gilbert had thought up and planned to use to the fullest. Each human was paired up with a Dragon they'd go into battle with, a team of sorts. They would be in charge of keeping an eye on each other and, in the long run, hopefully both would come out ok.
"I've been wondering this for a while now, but why does everyone call me that?" Alfred asked, pulling Gilbert from his thoughts.
"Call you what?"
Alfred huffed through his nose, hoping he wasn't butchering the name when he said it, "You know, Yuvon Krein? What does it even mean?"
Gilbert's mouth opened in an "o" shape as understanding dawned on him. The male laughed, patting Alfred on the back and grinning at him. "Ah, don't worry about it. It's just your Dragon name my dad decided to give you."
At this, Alfred paused, eyes widening at the information. "What? My Dragon name?"
Nodding his head, Gilbert hummed and tilted his head to the side. "Yep. If my Father finds you worthy enough, he'll give you a name all the Dragons will know you by. It's like you're an honorary member of the clan and all. I have one, though it was given to me at birth. Romulus, Francis, and the others all have one too."
"Really?" Alfred was in awe, he had no clue that's what they were calling him. It was a relief to know they weren't making fun of him. But then again… What did Yuvon Krein mean anyways?
When Alfred voiced this question, Gilbert gave him a gentle smile. "Your name means Golden Sun. Mine is Sot Od, which means White Snow. Romulus is called Grohiik, which means wolf, and his nephews are called Vulon and Sul. Feliciano is Sul, which is day, and Lovino is Vulon, which is night."
The blond nodded slowly, digesting the information. So he was being called "Golden Sun". Wonder how they came up with that name… He thought to himself, smirking slightly in amusement. Though if he thought about it, the names for the others did seem to fit. White Snow was rather perfect for Gilbert, if Alfred considered it properly.
"What about Antonio and Francis?"
Gilbert chuckled, "Antonio's Dragon name is Vahzah Miiraad, which is True Path. Father thought it fit him since he's got strong morals on what's right and what's wrong."
Alfred couldn't hide the grin forming on his face, nodding in earnest. "Yeah, that sounds like him. And Francis?"
"Hahdrim Rot, Mindful Words. Francis usually knows what to say in the right situations. When he first met my Father, he tried to use words that wouldn't offend him. It was annoying at first because it seemed like Francis was walking on eggshells and being a huge kiss ass. So my dad gave him that name in a way of teasing him." Gilbert grinned at the memory of Francis' offended face when Gilbert explained his name meaning. Though now Francis wore his name proudly, even with the occasional teasing.
This caused Alfred to laugh, slowly forming a new opinion on Gilbert's father. He was extremely intimidating, yeah, but maybe that wasn't all it. He found Alfred worthy enough to give him a Dragon name, something he obviously puts a lot of thought into. And not only that, but he gave Francis a name in order to poke fun at him. Maybe Germania's actually a pretty nice guy… Er… Dragon. Alfred thought, finding himself smiling slightly. Maybe he should get to know Germania better and not be so quick to judge.
"Pick up the pace, hatchlings! Your feet are too slow!"
Germania's loud bellow caused both Alfred and Gilbert to jump, the two scurrying to shorten the wide distance between them and the two Dragons.
"Not our fault! We have shorter legs!" Gilbert whined when they made it to them.
Germania rolled his eyes, his scales rippling as he shook his body out. "First lesson," He said, choosing not to respond to Gilbert and instead start his teachings. "Swiftly and quickly climbing aboard our backs. You must be fast about it or you will find yourself falling off during a quick getaway."
The elder Wyvern nodded to Ludwig, flicking his head towards Alfred. Ludwig moved closer to Alfred, offering him a small smile.
"You will train with Ludwig on this. Sot Od! Show how it is done." Germania ordered, watching as Gilbert nodded, sprinting towards Germania and jumping up.
Alfred watched in rapt attention as Gilbert gracefully swung himself onto Germania's back with little-to-no effort. In a matter of seconds he was sitting on the large beast's back and grinning down at Alfred.
"The key is figuring out where to place your feet. You can kind of feel the groove of each scale. Use that as a foot hold." Gilbert instructed.
Alfred nodded, taking a deep breath before hesitantly putting his hands on Ludwig's flank. Feeling the cool scales on the palm of his hands was an odd feeling, but one Alfred quickly got used to. It took him longer than he'd like to pull himself up onto Ludwig's back, his breath a little short. How on earth did Gilbert climb up Germania's back so quickly like it was nothing? And Germania was bigger than Ludwig!
"Dreh nii ko." Germania rumbled.
Gilbert gave Alfred a small smile at his confused look, "He wants you to do it again. Just till you've got the hang of it and move faster than a hatchling."
Alfred nodded stiffly, sliding from Ludwig's back. It was easier going down than it was going up, in Alfred's opinion. Gilbert moved over to him, taking Alfred's hands and placing them on Ludwig's side.
"Here's the best place to start for a grip. Once you get used to it, you'll be able to grip generally anywhere. But for now, start here. When we're done with this, we'll move on to the really fun part." Gilbert gave Alfred an encouraging smile before moving back to Germania, leaning against the Wyvern as Alfred began his training.
Up and down, up and down, over and over until he managed to get it fast enough to Germania's liking. Alfred had been growing frustrated, seeming to never get it up to par with how Germania wanted it. But Gilbert managed to keep him calm, telling him words of encouragement along with things like "he's only pushing you so you get better. How fast you're able to climb on a Dragon can mean life or death". Needless to say, that did well in boosting up Alfred's determination.
Finally, after the hundredth or so time of Alfred scurrying up Ludwig's back, Germania gave a nod and a deep rumble of approval. Alfred had flopped backwards at that, resting on Ludwig's back with a breathless laugh.
"About time." He huffed, covering his eyes with an arm.
The Wyverns all chuckled, watching the blond with mirth in their eyes. Gilbert snickered, swinging himself up to sit on Ludwig's back with Alfred.
"So, you done for today or do you want to start the real fun?"
"Oh? And what could be more fun than this?" Alfred asked sarcastically.
Gilbert gave him a playful shove, grinning when Alfred lifted his hand to look at him. "Flying, of course. Why else do you think you've been learning how to balance?"
"Sot Od," Germania said, walking past Ludwig, "If he is tired, don't push him to fly."
Gilbert leapt easily from Ludwig's back to his father's, grinning at Alfred when the blond scrambled to a sitting position.
"N-no! I'm not tired! I seriously wanna fly!"
"Then the lesson begins!" Gilbert declared, standing up on Germania's back and pointing at Alfred. "First lesson, no saddles! This isn't like riding a horse or a mule or any of that! These are Dragons, proud beasts that don't want to be treated like a pack mule. During take-off, you find a scale or horn to hold on to and you grip that sucker!"
Alfred nodded, gripping one of the smaller horns jutting down Ludwig's long, scaly neck. "And what if I fall off?"
Gilbert paused, thinking about that question. He snorted, shrugging, "Then don't tense up, it'll hurt less when you hit the ground."
Ignoring Alfred's squawk of fear, Germania breathed out some smoke from his nose before shaking his back slightly, causing Gilbert to stumble a bit.
"Enough teasing, Sot Od," To Alfred, he said, "We will take it slow. But you had better be quick on figuring out how to keep your hold, least you do fall. But do not worry, if you fall in the air, we will catch you."
Alfred hesitated before nodding, his grip on the horn tightening. Taking that as his sign to continue, Germania spread his wings, popping a few of the joints before he gave a deep rumble in his throat. Alfred tensed when Ludwig did the same under him, the smaller Wyvern being deliberate in how slowly he was spreading his wings.
Gilbert and Germania were the first to take off, the two of them not needing to go slow. Alfred watched in awe as, with only one flap, Germania was already many feet in the air. Gilbert kept his grip easily, not even really sitting on Germania's back but rather keeping his hold while also squatting a bit. When they were high up, only then did Germania stop and hovered in the air, looking down at the both of them.
Ludwig shifted, turning his head to regard Alfred. "Are you ready?"
Alfred licked his lips, tearing his eyes from the flying duo above and looking into Ludwig's eyes. He grinned, the excitement finally sparking in his systems and making him giddy beyond belief. This was his second time flying, but he never really did get to enjoy his first time. So he was going to enjoy every minute of this.
"Hell yeah! Let's do this!"
The Wyvern chuckled, facing forward as his muscles began to tense. "Alright. Hold on."
And with that, Ludwig flapped his wings and they slowly began to lift into the air. Ludwig wasn't putting as much strength into flapping his wings, therefore they climbed up into the air at a slower rate than Germania rocketing up into the sky. It was a gesture Alfred appreciated, though he someday hoped he'd be able to launch into the sky like Germania and Gilbert did.
Alfred glanced over his shoulder at the retreating ground, letting out a giddy laugh. By the time he and Ludwig were level with Germania and Gilbert, Alfred was grinning so much his face hurt. He couldn't describe how he was feeling, but it was exhilarating. The wind was blowing through his hair unhindered and the air smelt fresh, pure, and almost sweet in a way. Alfred felt himself being reinvigorated, energy pumping throughout his blood with each deep lungful of air.
"How do you like it so far?" Gilbert asked, his voice carrying on the wind.
"This is amazing!" Alfred cried, and honestly, it was. This was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Forget the feeling when he became a Soldier, this was by far the best. Nothing could compare to this!
Gilbert grinned, "Alright! We're just gonna try cruising for a bit. After that we'll go faster. Those will be the only things done today, though tomorrow we're going to practice keeping balance while maneuvering around and under obstacles. Got it?"
His blond companion nodded, a determined look taking a hold of his face. "Bring it on!"
Alfred's heart was pounding as he hid in the shadows of the shallow cave, his back pressed up close to Ludwig's scaly hide. The Wyvern was hunched in on himself, eyes darting around the open sky near the entrance.
"Zu'u dreh ni keefum niin." Ludwig whispered softly, his head lowered so it was almost levelled with Alfred.
The blond nodded, taking a slow step forward, "Hon ol pruzah…"
As the blond took another hesitant step, Ludwig hissed for him to be careful. Alfred nodded before taking a deep breath and holding it as he poked his head out from the shallow cave. Looking left and right, Alfred could see nothing but open sky.
He let out the breath he had been holding, shoulders slumping. "I think we lost them."
Ludwig nodded, though his eyes remained suspicious as Alfred made his way back over to him. Hoisting himself up onto the base of the Wyvern's neck, he pat the scaly skin in a comforting manner.
"Come on, we're so close! If we can just haul ass, we'll make it to the Den before they can catch us." Though his voice held much enthusiasm, Alfred was smart enough to keep it low.
Ludwig turned his head, glancing at Alfred wearily. "But we do not know where they are. Should we really risk flying in blind?"
Alfred flashed him a confident grin, "Come on! You're a fast flier, I know we can do it! Ov zu'u!"
This got the Wyvern to smile, a sigh leaving him as he moved towards the entrance, hooked wings clinging to the edge as his body tensed.
"Alright, zu'u ov hi."
And with that, Ludwig pushed off. He flapped his wings, keeping them in the air as they hovered by the entrance of the cave. Their senses were on high alert in order to try and spot their foe. Then, just as Ludwig was about to start moving away from the entrance, a cry from above caught their attention.
"Mu ehtaha hi!"
Their heads snapped up and their eyes widened at the sight of the elder Wyvern and rider high up on the mountain above them. The large beast was clinging to the rocky wall, his forked tongue sliding out of his mouth like a snake tasting the air. From his back sprung the rider, literally jumping off of him and plummeting towards Alfred and Ludwig.
"Jer!" Alfred yelled instinctually, Ludwig dodging right, his wings curling up close to his body so the rider wouldn't be able to land on it.
All three of them fell, Ludwig and Alfred falling faster since their collective mass weighed more. Because of that, they managed to dodge the other rider. Ludwig unfurled his wings, giving one powerful flap before he and Alfred were speeding away from the approaching Wyvern.
The larger beast that had been holding onto the rocky wall launched off, speeding towards its fallen rider before it caught them with its hind legs. The rider skilfully clambered up the scaly hide even as the Wyvern continued flying after the other two.
"In the clouds, we'll lose them!" Alfred yelled, the pace of his heart picking up with the excitement.
Ludwig gave a growl of agreement, arching up before they burst through the denser clouds, evening out and continuing their fast pace. They continued flying, Alfred looking behind them and above them, having learned from their most recent encounter.
"Smell them?" Alfred called over the rushing wind.
"Nid, I can't."
Alfred turned back around so he was sitting facing forward, "Well we couldn't have just lost them. They wouldn't give up that easily. We should be prepa- ah! Look out!"
At Alfred's cry, Ludwig snapped his head sideways just as they were slammed into by the other Wyvern. Alfred gasped audibly as the rider once again launched himself off his beast's back, slamming into Alfred and causing the both of them to topple over, falling off of Ludwig's back and into the empty air.
"What the fuck?!" Alfred screamed as they fell, glaring daggers at the white haired rider cackling up a storm, not at all put-off by the fact they were falling at an increasing rate. "Gilbert! Who the hell just jumps from a Dragon's back?! Mid-air, might I add!"
Gilbert grinned at Alfred, his eyes dancing with mirth as he reached out, grasping the other's hands so they wouldn't drift apart.
"It's how you play the game, Al." He cackled at the scowl Alfred threw at him.
"This is tag! Not 'Try-and-see-who-hits-the-ground-first'!" He snapped.
Gilbert rolled his eyes, "You're being over dramatic. We won't die, Ludwig and Germania will catch us."
As if on cue, they heard the flapping of wings that signalled the approaching Wyverns. Gilbert paused, grinning at Alfred as another fit of giggles left him. Alfred huffed, but even he couldn't prevent himself from laughing along with Gilbert, both of their faces flushed red from the laughing.
Alfred had been at the den for over 3 months and during that time he trained to ride Dragons and how to speak their language. Apparently most of the other humans in their little brigade knew how to speak a good portion of Dragon. Alfred had eagerly asked Gilbert to teach him, wanting more than anything to be able to speak something not many humans knew. Alfred was a fast learner and the other Dragons helped him speak, sometimes correcting his pronunciation and word order when needed.
Still, despite all his training, Alfred had yet to join Gilbert on a raid. Alfred had raised this complaint to Gilbert and the albino admitted that maybe Alfred was ready to join them. So, it was decided that tonight Alfred would partake in his first raid.
Thanks to Romulus', they learned that he and one of the Ensnaring mages would be taking a small army to help out an outpost that reported Dragon sightings. This was just the opportunity they were waiting for. Only one Ensnaring mage was accompanying them, meaning they were the perfect candidate to capture and possibly try and "fix".
Today's exercise had been a light game of "tag"; just something to loosen their muscles and test their teamwork. And, after this, they'd go back to the den before Gilbert ran through the plan. Then Wang Yao would teleport them to the proper location and they'd take it from there.
Alfred was pulled from his thoughts, literally, when he felt a strong hind leg wrap around his lower half. Alfred and Gilbert lurched as they were hoisted up, Gilbert dangling from Alfred's grip.
"Sot od." Germania spoke, the Wyvern flying below Ludwig.
Gilbert looked down before he nodded, letting go of his grip on Alfred. Trusting the elder Wyvern to catch the other, Alfred also let go. The albino landed on Germania's back in a crouch, laughing as the Wyvern flapped his wings, pulling them up so they were side-by-side with Ludwig and Alfred.
"Shall we head back to the den to rest up before the raid?" Gilbert asked, though he already knew the answer.
Ludwig's grip around Alfred loosened, signalling for him to start climbing. Alfred, catching the hint, began skilfully climbing his way up Ludwig's leg and towards his back, settling down once he reached his destination.
Letting out a grunt of agreement, Germania took the lead and dipped down, heading out of the clouded skies and closer towards the ground so they could see where they were going.
Once they reached the den, all four of them ate a meal and headed off for a nap. Though, instead of sleeping, Gilbert and Alfred sharpened their weapons and donned on their armour.
Around a month and a half ago, as Gilbert began teaching Alfred how to speak Dragon, they also made him armour to match Gilbert and the other riders. He had the leathery hide, his being a deep shade of blue that did well to blend in with the shadows. Alfred also got a skull mask to obscure his face.
He learned that this was a hatchling skull, though not of a dead hatchling. There was a species of Dragon that, as they grew, shed their skin and their smaller bones. Those bones are usually replaced by new bones after a few hours, but how they shed their bones is a little gruesome. Gilbert refrained from showing Alfred how it happens, least he puke up his breakfast.
His skull mask had a horn on the bridge of the nose and two large horns curling up on the top of the head, their tips almost meeting in the center. Adorning the skull were an assortment of dark coloured feathers. He also had some silver bracelets, standing out against the sleek black horns.
All in all, Alfred looked like one of the Dragon warriors participating on the raids. When Alfred looked down at himself in the small little pond they were sitting near, he could feel his heart pick up speed. A grin pulled at his mouth and he felt extremely giddy.
If only Matthew could see me know… What would his brother think? Alfred went to the Capital to become a Knight, but in the end he joined the rebels and was now a Dragon Rider. It was a big leap from loyalist to revolutionist, but a leap Alfred didn't regret making.
Sighing, Alfred pushed up the mask a bit, frowning down at his reflection as he was lost in thought. Matt's probably worried about me… I haven't sent a letter in almost four months.
"Alfred?"
The blond was pulled from his brooding by Gilbert's hand on his shoulder. He glanced up, blue eyes locking with red. Gilbert was looking at him with a worried expressions, slim brows creased.
"You ok?" He asked, his concern showing in his voice.
Alfred's smile was sheepish and he sighed, rubbing his neck and tilting his head to the side. "Kinda… I guess I'm just worried about my brother. It's been a while since I've sent him a letter. He's probably worried about me."
Understanding dawned on the albino and he nodded slowly, his hand falling back to his side. "Ah, I see. If he's worried enough, he might come to the Capital asking about you…" At Alfred's nod, Gilbert frowned in thought. "That could be a problem. Especially with how close we're getting to launching the attack…"
This caused Alfred to grimace, not at all liking the image of his brother being caught in the battle. He hesitated, an idea forming after a split second of thought.
"Um, Gilbert? Do you think maybe we could… Visit my brother? And my village? Just to make sure it's safe! I'm just really worried about them and I want them to know I'm ok." Alfred quickly rushed out.
Gilbert blinked at him before he smiled slightly, chuckling. "I guess that would be fine… But it will have to wait after the raid. I'll talk to my father about it, but I can't promise he'll agree."
The hopeful look Gilbert got made his heart clench, wanting nothing more than to promise that Alfred would definitely be able to visit his family. But of course his father had to dash those hopes, even if it was in the best interests.
"Nid. Nii los tahrodiis. Mu shilta ov Yuvon Krein, nuz svaboi do ok sahsun?" Germania said as Gilbert voiced his question while they prepared to be teleported to their destination.
"Bormah, Yuvon Krein ov niin. Zu'u ov naan rok ov." Gilbert argued, puffing out his cheeks and placing his hands on his hips.
Alfred and Ludwig were a little ways away, Ludwig keeping Alfred distracted while Germania and Gilbert had their conversation. Though, even if Ludwig didn't keep Alfred distracted, Gilbert and Germania were speaking too fast for him to understand. Alfred may have some skill in speaking Dragon, but he wasn't an expert enough to be able to understand everything when it was spoken at a fast pace.
Germania snorted at Gilbert's response, shaking his head. "Daar fen itrewic hi kriaan gein sul."
Gilbert huffed, "Bromah- " He was cut off by Germania's warning growl.
"Enough, Sot Od. Dii anyui los nahil."
The albino quieted down at his father's stern tone, mumbling out an apology. Though he knew why his father was telling him no, that didn't mean Gilbert was happy about it. Alfred was missing his family, they probably thought he was dead! So what of the danger going into unknown territory? That never stopped Gilbert before! And if Germania was truly worried about Gilbert being attacked, he could always bring Aujir Viing, the little Wyvern would enjoy being outside rather than cooped up in Gilbert's shop, remaining as a lock all day.
With that little idea stewing in his brain, Gilbert's resolve to keep to his father's wishes began to crumble. He'd take Alfred to go see his family, it was the least he could do. After all, he kind of forced Alfred to join the rebellion.
"Ready to go?" Came a voice, catching the attention of the four going on the raid.
Wang Yao stood before them, smiling in his "all knowing" way, a sleeve barely covering his mouth. "It would be best to leave now while you still have enough daylight. Alfred isn't used to fighting at night, after all. And you do plan on capturing the mage, right?"
Ludwig nodded, him and Alfred moving closer to Germania and Gilbert. "Yao is right."
Letting out a grunt of agreement, Gilbert turned his attention to Alfred and Ludwig, pointing at them. "Alright, here's the plan then. You and Ludwig will stay up in the clouds, hidden, till we give the signal. The signal is going to be father's roar. When you hear that, make your appearance known. You two will be in charge of distracting the guards along with father.
"I will be making my way to the meeting point Romulus is at. He should've knocked the mage out by then, so all I need to do is grab him and book it. You understand?" Gilbert looked between the two, smiling when he received a nod.
"Ok! We're ready to be teleported!" Gilbert declared, swinging himself up onto Germania's back.
Alfred followed suit, climbing onto Ludwig's back before pulling his mask down. His hand moved to rest on the hilt of his new sword, nestled safely in its beautiful scabbard. Both items were gifts from Romulus, something to commemorate his first raid.
Standing before them, Yao pulled up his sleeves before holding out his hands, palms facing the four in front of him. "Alright. Leon is on the other side waiting for you four. Remember where he's hiding because he'll teleport you back."
Gilbert pulled his mask down, not bothering to say anything since he knew the drill. Taking the silence as a sign to continue, Yao nodded his head before looking at Alfred, smiling slightly.
"Your first time teleporting may be a bit… upsetting for your stomach. Please try to keep everything down if you suddenly feel the need to puke." His tone was light, clearly amused.
Turning his head forward again, Yao closed his eyes and concentrated. After a while of silence, his body tensed slightly. "Leon is ready."
"Let's do it then!" Alfred grinned beneath his mask, the excitement coursing through his veins lighting a fire in his soul.
His enthusiasm was well received, Ludwig and Germania giving their growls of approval as they waited for Yao to teleport them. It seemed like nothing was happening for a moment, but then beneath them, a circle of bright blue began to form.
It seemed to draw itself, forming around the four of them before more designs began to branch off from the finished circle. The designs remained on the inside, never straying out from the circle's perimeter until a very complex pattern was formed.
Alfred watched in awe as the symbol beneath them glowed and they began to sink down into it. It was almost like watching your own body get swallowed up by quick sand. The world got taller around you because you continued to go down with no signs of stopping. Alfred unconsciously held his breath and closed his eyes tight as he sunk deeper and deeper.
There was a cold feeling shooting up Alfred's spine that caused him to violently shiver. His stomach dropped and Alfred noted it as the feeling of falling, though a little more intense. But, after that, the air was quiet. There was no faint buzz of life or chatter from the camp. There was only the musty smell in the air and a faint chill that made Alfred's skin pricked.
He dared to peek one eye open, glancing around his environment with awe. They were in a dreary looking dark forest filled to the brim with weeping willows. It was the true essence of "frightful" and reminded Alfred of all those ghost stories his mother would tell him in order to make him behave and not leave the house at night.
Alfred looked to his left where Germania and Gilbert were, the latter staring at Alfred. Gilbert lifted his mask, casting a reassuring smile towards Alfred. He mouthed the words "be careful" before putting his mask back into place and turning his attention towards the Eastern Dragon that pulled itself from hiding.
Even though it was still barely sunset, Alfred had trouble making out the Dragon's appearance. He just knew it had eyes that glowed in the shadows it stuck to.
"Leon," Gilbert said as a form of greeting, "You'll be staying here, correct?"
The Dragon shook his head, turning to look at something behind the others. They all turned, following Leon's gaze. Leon was staring at an extremely tall willow that towered over the other trees, standing out amongst the treeline. It was quite the ways off, but even still they all could tell it was probably massive. One could also probably pinpoint it from the skies, which would help once they were fleeing.
"Understood. Stay out of sight, hatchling."
Leon nodded to them before slinking away, the Dragon's dark scales disappearing into the shadows. Germania and Ludwig didn't wait long before they spread their wings. The moment Alfred felt Ludwig's muscles tense, he instinctually grabbed the familiar horn he always held during take-off. In a heartbeat they launched from the ground and into the air, only flapping their wings a few times before they were flying towards the blotchy speck in the distance which was no doubt the camp.
Translations:
"Geh dii kul?" Yes my son?
"Dreh nii ko." Do it over
"Zu'u dreh ni keefum niin." I do not smell them
"Hon ol pruzah…" Hearing as well
"Ov zu'u!" Trust me
"zu'u ov hi." I trust you
"Mu ehtaha hi!" We found you!
"Jer!" East
"Nid. Nii los tahrodiis. Mu shilta ov Yuvon Krein, nuz svaboi do ok sahsun?" No. It is dangerous. We can trust Golden Sun, but what about his village?
"Bormah, Yuvon Krein ov niin. Zu'u ov naan rok ov." Father, Golden Sun trusts them. I trust anyone he trusts.
"Daar fen itrewic hi kriaan gein sul." That will get you killed one day.
"Dii anyui los nahil." My answer is final.
"Aujir Viing" Bronze wing