Hi Guys!
Enjoy.
Bucket holds me tight for what seems like hours, the warm bubbly feeling fills me to the brim. I feel so perfect like this part in between his wings were carved out for me. All the stars sprawled across the sky light up his big beautiful green eyes. The fire has dyed down and I begin to feel quiet sleepy, Probably should get up and get going. I feel Buckets eyes land back on me as I rub my eyes and yawn.
"You want to go home?" He asks quietly.
"Not really." I answer honestly, this receives a small cheeky grin, "But we probably should." I say he nods and gently lifts me up off of his lap. I stand up and stretch my wings a little, but also be very careful not to knock over any of the plants, or touch any of them for that matter.
"Best present ever." He whispers in my ear then flaps off into the midnight sky. I take off after him only trailing a few flaps behind, he looks around at me and then disappears. Where did he just go? What? He was just there? I saw him more down, where –
"Boo."
"Oh you cactus licker." He laughs quietly and asks,
"Did I scare you?" I nod vigorously and he keeps laughing. We fly right next to each other in mid-air, there is nothing you could fit between us not even a grain of sand.
"Sorry." He says sarcastically.
"You should be," I pout playfully. My gaze returns in front of us where Thorn's Stronghold is coming into view.
"Hey, Look!" Bucket says suddenly and I look up to the sky the stars are the same as before maybe more vivid, but they are beautiful.
"Yes, the stars are pretty." Bucket shakes his head and looks up at the sky for another few seconds before landing his eyes on me.
"No, did you see the shooting star?" He asks, I shake my head but say,
"Make a wish." He looks at me for a few seconds and nods as if he is saying, anddddd done. "Now what did you wish for?" I laugh out.
"I can't tell you. Then it won't come true and I really want it to come true." He says, I can see his blush through the night sky, his luminescent scales shine brightly and make me feel warm and fuzzy.
"Can you give me a little hint." He cups one side of my face in his talons and hugs me in for a quick second while we are in the air. I blush a little back at him and he laughs gently, I am not exactly sure but this gives me hope of what I want it to be. His warm talons slide off my face leaving the cold night sky forming back over my body, it makes me shiver a little. The gates front us quickly and we make our way through over to our apartments.
"Shimmer, look." Bucket points as I just notice a small letter placed on the ground next to my room as I am just about to enter.
"Oh, it is from …" I unfold the letter and can't help but let out a weird excited noise. Bucket bursts out laughing, and I blush embarrassed, and fold my arms. Bucket reaches out and grabs the note and whispers what it says.
"Shimmer, the queen would like to schedule a meeting tomorrow at noon. Meet me at the station before noon so I can run over what we talked about. Thanks, Quake. Wait is Quake that sand-wing?" I nod.
"Okay, this is great! Progress!" I smile at Bucket for the last time and make my way into my room. I fall down onto my bed with heavy eyes.
"KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK," I jump up to the sound and see Bucket poke his head through the hole. "So sorry Shimmer, but its about an hour or two before noon, I thought I would wake you so you can go see the sand-wing."
"Hmmm yes. Thank you." I make my way up to the door and hold my head on buckets chest for a minute, I can feel his heart start to beat quickly. His smile wraps around me and I fall into him a little further. His soft breathing makes its way over the top of my head. I ruin the moment by laughing, what are you doing Shimmer? Why can't you just be normal, just let things happen. Bucket pulls away from me and looks at me wearily but also a little annoyed.
"If you are all good, then you should get going." He fully let's go of me and sort of guides me away. I suck my breathe in sharply along with a few grains of sand.
"Okay." I look around at him, who has already got up and started walking away. I frown a little at myself and sit on the ground for a few seconds.
"Oi!" Someone shouts behind me. I look around to see a large sea-wing running towards me. "Where are you going?"
"Oh hi, hello Typhoon. HI! HOW ARE YOU!?" I say sarcastically, he roles his eyes at me.
"Where are you going?"
"I am going to meet a sand-wing." He flares up at me immediately and I crumple into laughter. He pushes me up and grumbles something.
"Haha very funny. Wait, are you actually?" he says looking at me as I keeping walking towards station. "Oh that evil one at the start."
"He isn't evil." I say in Quakes defense.
"Well I am coming with you." Typhoon says oh so atter-of-factly.
"I don't know if you are allowed to." I say with a shrug.
"Haha, well if they object, they can have that conversation with my talons." Typhoon smiles at me with that large smug grin. He holds his head high and follows me into a small station that we first met on our way into Thorn Stronghold.
"Hello, Shimmer it is nice to meet you again." Quake emerges from the side of the door and shakes my talons; he looks at Typhoon awkwardly. "Does this dragon really follow you everywhere?" Quake asks with a sigh looking at Typhoon.
"Pretty much." Typhoon answers for me while taking a step closer to me.
"Okay? Well I thought it would be good if we just reaffirmed what we shall be talking about very soon. I also thought I would give you some background information that the Queen gave to me when I had a conversation with her." He says gesturing me to go into another room, Typhoon keenly follows behind me.
"Please sit." Quake says pointing at the chair. I notice Typhoon eyeing Quake and the other sand-wings off, I quickly bump him, he doesn't do much but look at me in a confused way.
"So, the Queen was telling me that you should expect the meeting to be a little delayed however she said she would be happy to try and provide you with someone to accompany you on your mission. Now when you are going to meet the Queen she wants you to bring all of your friends so she can make sure they all seem trust worthy enough." I nod and Quake continues, "If the Queen deems any of your friends to be threats then they will immediately be put custody, so make sure they are all on their best behavior. Any questions yet?" Quake asks looking up from his notes. Typhoon is stile giving him the stank eye, Quake shakes off his gaze.
"No that seems all clear." Both our eyes land on Typhoon and we share a quick glance and laugh a little, Typhoon shakes his head and pouts.
"Okay, lets continue. So, although she said she would be happy to provide someone she would need one of the guards to be willing to. Which honestly could be hard to get. I will try and talk to a few different people, but you have been a bit of hot topic in the guards. They are all a bit concerned on what you are, they really aren't sure." I nod a bit nervously, at this rate I will never find my home. "They are always scared of something different or new. So, please, don't be intimidated, but just be careful around here. Anyway, just to reaffirm, you are going to the Ice-kingdom and would like an escort?" I nod again. "Alright then, go talk to your friends. Thanks again Shimmer." Quake holds out his talons to shake my mine, then Typhoon who wearily accepts. Typhoon does the symbol to suggest, I have my eyes on you, at Quake who just pinches his head and laughs at Typhoon who cautiously walks out of the station with me.
"He is very direct isn't he. No chit chat, nothing, just the points then get out." Typhoon hisses lowly to me, I just laugh at him and say.
"You are so weird. But it is good that he is direct and to the point, he is doing a good job of his job."
"What so you like him?" Typhoon says casually not making eye contact with me. I gasp at the idea and punch Typhoon.
"You idiot, just because I talked to him, DOES NOT mean I like him. Can you get that through your small brain?!" Typhoon scowls and huffs,
"Fine, fine. Just being careful because ya know, I still care about you Disco-Ball." He says giving me a nudge.
"Okay let's get back to the others and let them know what is going on.
"Oh, yes okay." Bucket says.
"Yep sounds good." Ivy says with a shy smile.
"So, we all should get going in about half an hour." I say and quickly pace around the room thinking about how to deal with this situation. They all just sit around my room, looking at me who is thinking about everything. To make a good impression, do not be too confident but confident enough, address the Queen properly and bow. Make sure you introduce all of your friends professionally and get them to bow in order.
"Shimmer. Chill." Typhoon says. I look straight into his deep blue eyes, which cower away from my line of vision.
"No, this is needs to be correctly planned." I say and continue to pace. Two pairs to wings grab me and sit me down. I look up to see Bucket and Typhoon had the same idea they move away at the same time and apologies.
"Uhhh, just let me be."
"Shimmer you are stressing us all out." Bucket tries to calm me down using a calmer approach. I sigh and rub my head.
"But this needs to be perfect."
"But, you will already nail it," Ivy says. I give up and hang my head in defeat. A second of silence looms over us before Typhoon eagerly asks Bucket.
"What was her present? Tell me!" Bucket looks over at me and blushes heavily.
"Uh, we will leave that for another day." Bucket says looking at me for confirmation, I just smile quietly. They continue to guess about our evening, or present because they have no idea. And the time flys and before I now it I am facing the large doors into the main chamber of the Stronghold.