Author's note: I'm going away on holiday, so I won't update for a while,
but we're taking a laptop so I'll be able to write while I'm away.
***
Afterwards Rion told himself that it was just the relief at his escape playing tricks with his mind. He didn't feel that way about Ari at all. Still he stayed away from her as much as possible over the next few days. He spent his time in Mir's room, talking.
They discussed Traag for hours, and ended no closer to an answer than when they had started. It was clear to both boys that Traag was deceiving the people here, making them think he was acting against his evil nature, but for what purpose neither of them could guess.
Rion didn't mention Ari, and the kiss that had nearly happened. He dismissed it as nothing and knew Mir would get the wrong idea and make a fuss about it. Ari might be foolish to trust a dragon as she did, but she wasn't the fiend Mir thought her. If he spoke to her he would understand.
Rain fell constantly outside, sometimes in drizzle, sometimes in torrents accompanied by thunder. Days passed, and Rion was getting sick of seeing the same two rooms and the route between them. He was filled with restless energy, but had no way to be rid of it.
So, when Ari came to his room one morning and said that her father would let her take him to the training room again if he wanted, Rion agreed gladly. In a few minutes they stood on the mats, each with a sword in hand, facing each other and waiting.
Rion moved first, striking quickly to Ari's side, but she parried easily, and spun gracefully away. She continued the spin, and ended up coming back to Rion's left side. Rion had to dodge the blow, and they stood for a moment, watching each other carefully for the next move.
It was a difficult fight, for they were evenly matched in reach and both graceful and swift. The fact that Ari was slightly quicker was cancelled out by Rion's advantage in strength.
It wasn't long before they were both breathing hard and sweating, but still they danced their deadly dance across the mats, the swords meeting with a clash of metal. Rion was tiring, but could see Ari was as well. She wasn't blocking quite as quickly as she had been before. Unfortunately, neither was Rion. But perhaps he could use that to his advantage.
He wasn't quite quick enough to parry one of Ari's strikes, and her blade sliced a shallow cut in his skin. Rion let himself give a sharp gasp of pain, and she hesitated, seeing he was hurt. That was all it took.
Rion stepped forwards, hooking his leg round hers in the same move she had used against him in their first fight. She slammed into the ground hard, and a Rion put the tip of his sword at her throat.
"You tricked me!" she said angrily. "You sneaky, manipulative. . . person!" Rion just laughed at her indignation.
Ari glared at him, then brought her arm round to knock the sword aside. She charged at Rion's legs, knocking him to the ground. He fell heavily, and a moment later Ari was on top of him, sword forgotten, tickling him mercilessly. They rolled on the mats, both laughing.
"Do you yield?" Ari asked.
"I surrender, I surrender," Rion called. Ari rolled aside, and they both lay on the mats, laughing and breathing heavily.
"You fight well for a girl," Rion said, meaning it as a compliment.
"Are you saying that girls aren't good at fighting?" Ari asked, bristling.
"Well, normally yes."
"Of all the arrogant, condescending things to say!"
"Who's arrogant?"
"You are. 'Oh boys are so much better than girls.'"
"I didn't say that."
"You thought it though."
"I just meant that girls are generally weaker at fighting."
Ari stood up quickly, and glared down at him. "Meaning that girls are inferior and need protecting." She began to storm away, and Rion hurried to stand.
"Wait Ari, I didn't mean to offend you."
She spun to face him, her eyes filled with anger, "But you did, your high- and-mighty highness. Maybe if you learned to think before opening your mouth you'd find it easier to be kind. Or maybe you should just learn to think."
She stormed off, leaving Rion seething with anger that she could insult his intelligence. He didn't understand how she could take such offence at a compliment. He'd only meant that she good at fighting. He didn't understand girls.
***
Ari charged through the corridors of the palace, her father's short temper raging inside her. She couldn't believe that Rion, who had seemed so nice, could think of girls like that. She'd thought he was different from the other boys, but he was just like them, thinking himself superior when he thought at all.
"Ari," her father's voice called as she passed his study. Ari forced herself to appear calm, and went in. Her father was seated at his desk, and Graynal sat opposite him.
"How is the prince?" her father asked.
"Why should I care?" Ari snapped, "I never want to speak to him again!" As she left, she heard her father say something about punishing Rion if he had harmed her. But then Graynal spoke.
"Your majesty, may I advise against it. At this age children do quarrel, especially when they have feelings for each other."
Feelings! FEELINGS! She had no feelings for Rion but contempt! His inexcusable rudeness! His selfish prejudice against Traag! Why should she have feelings for him?
But she remembered returning from visiting Traag. When they had lain on the hillside, Rion's face close to her own. She had thought Rion would kiss her, and she wouldn't have objected.
***
Afterwards Rion told himself that it was just the relief at his escape playing tricks with his mind. He didn't feel that way about Ari at all. Still he stayed away from her as much as possible over the next few days. He spent his time in Mir's room, talking.
They discussed Traag for hours, and ended no closer to an answer than when they had started. It was clear to both boys that Traag was deceiving the people here, making them think he was acting against his evil nature, but for what purpose neither of them could guess.
Rion didn't mention Ari, and the kiss that had nearly happened. He dismissed it as nothing and knew Mir would get the wrong idea and make a fuss about it. Ari might be foolish to trust a dragon as she did, but she wasn't the fiend Mir thought her. If he spoke to her he would understand.
Rain fell constantly outside, sometimes in drizzle, sometimes in torrents accompanied by thunder. Days passed, and Rion was getting sick of seeing the same two rooms and the route between them. He was filled with restless energy, but had no way to be rid of it.
So, when Ari came to his room one morning and said that her father would let her take him to the training room again if he wanted, Rion agreed gladly. In a few minutes they stood on the mats, each with a sword in hand, facing each other and waiting.
Rion moved first, striking quickly to Ari's side, but she parried easily, and spun gracefully away. She continued the spin, and ended up coming back to Rion's left side. Rion had to dodge the blow, and they stood for a moment, watching each other carefully for the next move.
It was a difficult fight, for they were evenly matched in reach and both graceful and swift. The fact that Ari was slightly quicker was cancelled out by Rion's advantage in strength.
It wasn't long before they were both breathing hard and sweating, but still they danced their deadly dance across the mats, the swords meeting with a clash of metal. Rion was tiring, but could see Ari was as well. She wasn't blocking quite as quickly as she had been before. Unfortunately, neither was Rion. But perhaps he could use that to his advantage.
He wasn't quite quick enough to parry one of Ari's strikes, and her blade sliced a shallow cut in his skin. Rion let himself give a sharp gasp of pain, and she hesitated, seeing he was hurt. That was all it took.
Rion stepped forwards, hooking his leg round hers in the same move she had used against him in their first fight. She slammed into the ground hard, and a Rion put the tip of his sword at her throat.
"You tricked me!" she said angrily. "You sneaky, manipulative. . . person!" Rion just laughed at her indignation.
Ari glared at him, then brought her arm round to knock the sword aside. She charged at Rion's legs, knocking him to the ground. He fell heavily, and a moment later Ari was on top of him, sword forgotten, tickling him mercilessly. They rolled on the mats, both laughing.
"Do you yield?" Ari asked.
"I surrender, I surrender," Rion called. Ari rolled aside, and they both lay on the mats, laughing and breathing heavily.
"You fight well for a girl," Rion said, meaning it as a compliment.
"Are you saying that girls aren't good at fighting?" Ari asked, bristling.
"Well, normally yes."
"Of all the arrogant, condescending things to say!"
"Who's arrogant?"
"You are. 'Oh boys are so much better than girls.'"
"I didn't say that."
"You thought it though."
"I just meant that girls are generally weaker at fighting."
Ari stood up quickly, and glared down at him. "Meaning that girls are inferior and need protecting." She began to storm away, and Rion hurried to stand.
"Wait Ari, I didn't mean to offend you."
She spun to face him, her eyes filled with anger, "But you did, your high- and-mighty highness. Maybe if you learned to think before opening your mouth you'd find it easier to be kind. Or maybe you should just learn to think."
She stormed off, leaving Rion seething with anger that she could insult his intelligence. He didn't understand how she could take such offence at a compliment. He'd only meant that she good at fighting. He didn't understand girls.
***
Ari charged through the corridors of the palace, her father's short temper raging inside her. She couldn't believe that Rion, who had seemed so nice, could think of girls like that. She'd thought he was different from the other boys, but he was just like them, thinking himself superior when he thought at all.
"Ari," her father's voice called as she passed his study. Ari forced herself to appear calm, and went in. Her father was seated at his desk, and Graynal sat opposite him.
"How is the prince?" her father asked.
"Why should I care?" Ari snapped, "I never want to speak to him again!" As she left, she heard her father say something about punishing Rion if he had harmed her. But then Graynal spoke.
"Your majesty, may I advise against it. At this age children do quarrel, especially when they have feelings for each other."
Feelings! FEELINGS! She had no feelings for Rion but contempt! His inexcusable rudeness! His selfish prejudice against Traag! Why should she have feelings for him?
But she remembered returning from visiting Traag. When they had lain on the hillside, Rion's face close to her own. She had thought Rion would kiss her, and she wouldn't have objected.