The next morning's light came up over Raxmon and Saphira who continued to talk amongst themselves, hoping to pass the time by discussing age differences between Raxmon's time frame and Saphira's. Lifting his gold head to the dawning sky, Raxmon growled in pleasure at seeing the sky burst into shades of awe-inspiring colors of pink and yellow.
The new day dawns and our fight continues, Raxmon noted as he stretched his stiff wings, lifting the appendages from his back after folding them up during the night and extended them into the air as Saphira did the same.
We must return to the Varden Raxmon, Saphira commented as she turned her eyes to him, her glistening irises speaking of the truth behind her words. We must be ready for war.
Nodding his head in shallow agreement although it pained him to have to agree to the thought of warfare, Raxmon turned and followed Saphira as she led him back among the Varden's many canvas covered tents. Slipping past a bunch of playing children without being noticed, Raxmon halted and lifted his eyes to the sky as a sudden burst of black flames erupted on the horizon, much to his surprise and shock. Figuring it for a trick, the male lowered his head and continued to walk on, his claws moving over bits of rock and steel left from constant warfare against the Empire. If only Narssia were here with him, if she were then things would be so much better. The golden dragon halted as another burst of black flame erupted on the horizon, this one stronger and rising farther into the air. Raxmon growled as he found himself somehow drawn to the black flame, like it was somehow calling to him. Debating if he should go and take a look or not, the golden male drew himself into his thoughts, shutting out the outside world as he debated this eternal conflict of his.
- - -
Meanwhile, Narssia stretched and let loose another burst of black flames into the air to warm herself up. Shruikan had left to hunt several minutes ago as the sun has risen and, as of now, he had not returned. Lifting her eyes to the beautiful sky above, Narssia found herself thinking of Raxmon for some odd reason. Growling she abandoned the thought and went back to warming herself with warm air from her flame that she sent into the air. A sudden sound caught her attention and so the dragoness turned her attention to a far off band of trees, the middle of them as dark as her scales in the night.
Who comes to disturb my peace? Narssia growled, the growl directed toward the trees in the distance. Show yourself or worse will befall you!
Stepping out from behind the trees, afraid of having to be attacked by the dragon he loves, Raxmon emerged without a word, his golden hide glistening in the morning sunlight as the area around him sparkles in tiny specks of topaz. Drawing back in shock it took Narssia a moment to adjust to seeing Raxmon in such a gentle light around him.
You look beautiful, she stammered, trying to figure out the correct wording to phrase such a awe-inspiring sight as to see Raxmon surrounded by golden rays of sunlight and to have tiny specks of golden light flicking around him.
Thank you for the comment. I assume it was you who was sending up the flares of black fire, correct? Raxmon questioned as he walked over to her, moving much more gracefully then their last meeting which resulted in Narssia leaving them.
It was me but I did not mean to signal you with it. How far away were you anyway? Narssia responded as her tail swayed back and forth through the grass, tearing it to shreds as her sharp pointed end struck at each stalk of green plant life.
Chuckling deeply in his throat, Raxmon laughed before refusing to give an answer despite Narssia's constant asking as he said nothing. Narssia tensed suddenly as she sensed the return of Shruikan from his hunt and felt the anger boiling down beneath his scaled exterior.
You must leave Raxmon! Now go before he gets back! Narssia snapped as she stood and turned around to focus on which direction Shruikan was returning from.
Why leave? What are you not telling me Narssia? Raxmon snarled, crouching down as he awaited an answer to his question, rather annoyed to be suddenly asked to leave without any further knowledge as to why.
I wish there was time for explanation but there is not so just trust me and get out of here! Narssia howled, twisting her head back around to face Raxmon as she sat down and continued to mentally follow Shruikan's movements. Raxmon, go!
Unsatisfied with the response he was given, the golden male sat down upon the grassy field, determined to stay as long as it took to get a decent explanation as to why he should go. Panicked, Narssia now struggled to keep track of Shruikan's movements and she turned back around to face Raxmon, her eyes wide with fear for the safety of the golden male she liked.
Raxmon, she hissed as she clenched her teeth, the sound of her hiss sending chills down his scales. Leave now before something bad happens to you!
Appearing like a darkened shadow upon the land without warning, Shruikan came up from behind the trees where Raxmon had ventured from, his scales glistening with a faint layer of moisture from his early morning hunt. With his wings extended to their full length, the black male observed Raxmon and Narssia with an angry glare in his yellow eyes. Unable to resist the terror that crept up within her, Narssia lowered her head to her chest, hoping to please the irritated male that hovered above both her and Raxmon.
Who are you to go after Narssia? Shruikan demanded, his wings beating powerfully as the trees behind him shutter as they lost their leaves to powerful wind gusts.
We were merely talking. We have not seen each other in over a month and were catching u-
Leave this place. I will not have another male begging for her attention. You know not of what her past was like, Shruikan growled as he continued to gaze down upon Raxmon.
I know everything of her life! It was I that was with her when we came here, Raxmon snarled back in response.
Forgive me then but I will not have you confronting her while I am here.
Are you suggesting that she is close to you? Raxmon asked as he began to put the pieces together in his mind.
That I am so it would be wise to leave, Shruikan growled as he glanced over at Narssia for a brief moment. She thinks of me as one that she never had back in your time. I am the rock of her . . . sanity I suppose you could say.
Narssia blinked upon hearing Shruikan refer to her in such a way and brought her head back up. Raxmon was also stunned to learn this fact as well and he growled fiercely at Narssia.
Why did you not tell me of this? Why hide this respect for another dragon from me? Raxmon howled, slapping the ground with his tail although he remained worried about Shruikan.
I am sorry. I never thought to tell you until just now as Shruikan showed up. I have never been more ashamed in my life then now, Narssia growled as Shruikan turned his attention to Raxmon.
Roaring in fury, the black male sent a torrent of black fire balls down upon the golden male. Raxmon lifted and unfolded his right wing as he shielded himself from the attack with his leathery wing which he extended out in front of him to block the fiery attack. As the smoke cleared from the powerful blast of heat that had left a ring of fire behind to encircle the area, Narssia found herself wanting to defend Raxmon against her better judgement. Forcing himself forward, Raxmon emerged from the still rising smoke and blistering land without a scratch other then a burned right wing membrane from where he had attempted to shield himself with magic against Shruikan's fire.
You survived. How is that even possible?! Shruikan snapped bitterly as he continued to hover in the air, his scaled hide glistening in the now mid-day sunlight.
Consider it luck, something I suppose you do not get that often, Raxmon growled back while painfully folding his burned wing back against his golden scales.
Not wanting to risk another attack on Raxmon by Shruikan, Narssia stood up and began to approach the injured golden male that she still loved. Upon seeing this from the air Shruikan decided to put a stop to it once and for all. He dove down and landed between the two smaller dragons, clearly more irritated then when he first showed up. Shruikan snapped at Raxmon, knowing that his massive bulk was far larger then both the golden dragon and Narssia put together and that might give him an advantage should he and the golden male fight.
Shruikan, Narssia snapped as she saw Raxmon flinch back to avoid being bitten by Shruikan, stopping herself to avoid running into Shruikan's tail. This is none of your business so stay out of it!
This has every reason to be my business Narssia and so it will be! Shruikan growled back, determined to finish off the golden invader off.
Observing the two fight over the fact that was or was not Shruikan's business to know what Narssia's innermost thoughts were about him, Raxmon forgot for a moment that he was injured and unfolded his two wings, the golden membrane of the left one glistening in the now drifting sunlight that seemed to be strengthened by the still burning grass as opposed to his blackened, heat scorched right wing which pained him and brought him back to reality of the fact that he was injured due to this black menace that stood between Narssia and himself. Hissing in anger, the male drew the attention of the two black dragons as one of them, the larger by far, snarled in hatred.
I suppose that an I am sorry would not quell your anger towards me, correct? If so then just know that I was the one that Narssia first trusted! Raxmon growled, his green eyes settling on Shruikan without hesitation.
You believe that a frail warning will stop me from ripping you limb from limb? Shruikan questioned as Narssia looked away, afraid of what might be done to Raxmon.
No, I do not but I had hoped that I could calm your fury towards me with a thoughtful statement of forgiveness, Raxmon answered without fear as he looked Shruikan directly in the eyes.
You are brave for a hatchling, golden one. Your courage is to be respected for few last against my flames and teeth. I will take your words to heart about you being Narssia's first mate, Shruikan growled as he extended his black wings and roared before taking to the sky in a single powerful flap of his wings. I will allow you both some time alone. Be gone when I get back dragon-of-the-golden-scales.
Watching Shruikan disappear over the ridge of trees that he had come from, Raxmon breathed a sigh of relief at having him gone. Once the black male had vanished from view completely, Narssia looked over at Raxmon as a harsh growl rippled in the back of her throat.
Why did you lie like that? Why lie straight to Shruikan when you know with your heart that you and I have never and will never engage in a mating flight nor will we mate for as long as I remain loyal to Shruikan and to the Empire?! Narssia howled, fully enraged with the behavior of Raxmon.
I was trying to prevent a conflict from arising. It was not my fault that he took the lie for the truth, Raxmon snapped back, narrowing his eyes to mere green slits.
It was your fault that he even heard the lie in the first place Raxmon! Narssia roared, getting more irritated with each second that passed in silence other then their mental bickering.
Growling sharply, Raxmon snapped at her, trying to get his point across that he truly as much to blame as she was for this.
If you had stayed with Eragon, Saphira, and I instead of running off like the whelping you used to be when we first met after the lake incident then you wouldn't have fallen in love with that black menace in the first place! Raxmon snarled, attempting to hold his anger back but losing ground with each second that passed as he stared at Narssia.
Come after me then if that is your wish. I will not stop you for I know that you need to find a way to relief your anger towards me for the murder of your parents by my own claws, Narssia growled, lowering her head to her chest in sympathy for Raxmon at learning that she would never become his mate.
Raxmon lunged forward, his anger having reached its breaking point with Narssia saying that she would not stop him if he attacked her. He missed barely with his first attack and turned around as he landed. Raxmon leapt into the air, wincing as he beat his injured wing to keep afloat. Snapping his tail forward and down as he was now behind Narssia, the golden male slammed his hardened tail against the back of her head. Narssia quivered as the blow sent shockwaves down her spine and through her horns but she did nothing to prevent the attack, as she said she would earlier. Instead of stopping his attack with just once blow, Raxmon struck again and again, losing himself in a fog of anger as fury clouded his vision. Receiving blow after blow to the back of her head it took all of Narssia's will to prevent herself from countering the blows with a torrent of black flames.
I have had it with you deciding that I am no longer good enough for you! Raxmon howled as he continued the torrent of blows to the back of Narssia's head, each one as strong as the one before as rage continued to fuel him with strength.
Raxmon halted suddenly in his torrent of blows as he sniffed the air, recognizing the scent of Shruikan to be nearer then he would like. Growling sharply, the male turned around as Narssia trembled, the back of her head now a bruised and, in some places, bloodied mess as the black scales that once protected her body from harm had broken off painfully or had become ingrained in her greyish flesh underneath her scales. Her once proud horns had been twisted painfully outward, fanning out from behind her head as spots of the smooth white appendages appeared cracked or shattered to reveal the hollow inside.
I have saved you from a sure death by my claws however the next time we meet I will not be as kind as I am today Narssia-of-the-blackened-scales, Raxmon snarled as he flew away, fleeing before Shruikan could discover who it was that had done this horrible damage to Narssia.
However, unknown to the disappearing male, Shruikan had seen enough of the attack to prove that he did in fact attack her, for reasons unknown to the black male as of now but easily enough obtained.
You had better hope that my fire is more stronger then yours Raxmon, Shruikan thought as he watched the male vanish into a cloud, the white vapor hiding him from the black male's view, for I do not take kindly to the abuse of my mate by any other dragon's claws or tail.