Okay, another chapter for all you guys. I would have had it out yesterday, but my stupid computer wouldn't let me on Fanfiction.net.
Luna's Meow- You wouldn't! Every review? I'll go insane! Whee!
Please see introduction for disclaimer regarding this work.
Chapter Thirty Five
Do You Think It's Hereditary?
Darnik sat in relative comfort, the deck overhead sparing him from the scorching sun and blinding wind. Only the pilot and the few unfortunates who had drawn guard duty were out in the heat. The rest, including him, sat in the hold, resting or going quietly about their duties. The soldiers sharpened and cleaned their various weapons, the doctor ensconced with Yahla. Only Ryu and the two metaphysical beasts were missing, most likely on the deck, away from prying eyes. Heat didn't seem to bother Ryu at all, and if either animal suffered they never mentioned it. Darnik had seen the three speaking amongst each other often in the past few days, generally away from the rest of the group. Whatever they had to say to each other remained a mystery, although Darnik suspected it had something to do with the emperor.
The sandflier's hold had been intended to carry merchandise and to run on a skeleton crew, not as a military transport vehicle. Thus, there was one small room set aside, with a cot currently serving as Yahla's berth. The rest of the ship was undivided into sections, resulting in a distinct lack of privacy. There were no bunks, no specified places to sleep, but military group had organized their possessions and sleeping quarters into neat rows without prompting from a superior officer. As a result, the hold was easy to navigate and less of the claustrophobic mess it could have been.
Darnik was bored out of his mind, as tends to be the case when he has absolutely nothing to do. He and the rest of his party were constantly under imperial supervision, even if they were supposedly "guests" of the force. They had only been allowed out of the hold because the two creatures (Won-Qu and A-Tun, according to Ryu) had intimidated the captain into it.
"Hi, Darnik," a quiet voice said at his ear, breaking through the white noise around them. He turned to see his cousin smiling at him, her expressive eyes examining his face in the dim light. "You look a lot better." It was true, he did. For the first time in weeks he had enough to eat and drink, even if it was dry rations and stale water. His skin had lost its sallow tone, and he hoped he would start regaining some of his weight soon.
"Yeah," Any serious comments he could come up with disregarded as usual, he replied, "I still think you'll win the beauty contest, though. I've lost too much weight to compete in the swim suit competition."
Nina had spent her childhood alongside her cousin and was used to his peculiarities. As a child of royal lineage, she hadn't been allowed to play with non-noble children, and Darnik had been the only peer in her age group. As a result the two had made hell together, generally with the older Elena as their target. Young Nina's budding magical abilities had been an invaluable resource at the time. Darnik grinned slightly, remembering the foreign officials that had also fallen to their pranks, as Nina guessed promptly, "You're bored, aren't you?"
"Yeah." There was a long pause, then he asked, off subject, "Do you think it runs in the family?"
"What?" she questioned, confusion clear on her face. One thing Nina had never learned as a sheltered and coddled child was how to hide her emotions. Her mind was out there for everyone to read, and Darnik wondered briefly whether she knew.
He shrugged, rattling the armor that had once fit his frame perfectly. "The dragon thing…Here all this time you've been following Blue-Hair around, and then I'm playing tour guide to a dragon of my own." Why do dragons always have weird hair, anyhow?
"I guess it is kind of funny that we both got caught up in this," Nina agreed, bemused. However, she seemed to regard it as coincidence, and added a cheerful, "But I'm glad you're with us, Darnik."
There wasn't much more to say to that, and after a while, Darnik asked aloud, "Is he always that messy?" The scene of Ryu's skin ripping itself to shreds had unnerved him more than he would admit. He didn't even want to think about Yahla changing shape…seeing that sort of painful transformation occur with someone he cared about would be almost more than he could stand.
"You mean Ryu?" his cousin discerned, showing some of the intelligence that hid under her child-like exterior. "No, most of the time he's pretty good at keeping it under control. Well, when he's just changing halfway, anyhow. When he turns into a full dragon it can be pretty nasty." The expression on her face suggested he didn't want to ask how nasty that was. "We also have to go clothes shopping a lot because of that."
I have a feeling Ryu was a tad bit more open with her than Yahla ever was with me…in more way than one. "What do you mean, full?"
Nina looked at him quizzically, sitting on her knees at his side. "Haven't you ever seen your dragon change?" She brushed her hair out of her eyes with one hand, the other still resting palm up on her thigh.
"No, she didn't use her powers at all…something about being knocked up." Even after Yahla had tried to explain it to him, Darnik still didn't quite understand what that had to do with anything.
"Um…okay. Well, Ryu can change into a half-dragon, or into a full dragon." Nina begin, looking remarkably fastidious next to her cousin, who was slouched lazily against the wall. Darnik's parents had tried to raise him prim and proper…instead they had ended up with a womanizing comedian. Oh well…he wasn't their only son, anyhow.
"Well, duh," the other windian said, sliding down to sprawl on the floor. "He's not pregnant. And just as well. I don't think he's cut out for motherhood." His kids would be so screwed up…
She giggled, then continued more seriously, "The half-dragon was what you saw. You probably already knew that." Indeed, he did. Having spent weeks in Yahla's presence, he was quite accustomed to the hybrid dragon form. More specifically, he had learned those wings were a lot sturdier than they looked and hurt when they smacked you in the face.
"What does he look like in full dragon form?" he asked curiously, wondering what form Yahla would take. An image of the ridiculous, overweight lizard he had seen on some noble's coat of arms rose in his mind. Whatever form she took, it wouldn't be that! It would be something graceful, something fluid and slender. He just couldn't see Yahla as a fat, old lizard. Even if she was pregnant.
"He's a fire dragon, but he has lots of forms he can take. Usually he doesn't use a stronger form than he has to, because it tires him." She continued, describing several forms, all of which sounded suitably large and impressive. As she finished the recounting of each form, he responded with the appropriate oohing and ahhing. They weren't all what he'd expect a dragon to look like, but what did he know of dragons, anyway?
After Nina finished her dragon description, Darnik broached another subject that had been occupying his mind. "What's he want with Emperor, Nina?" While the God-Emperor would obviously welcome the return of his mate, Darnik had to wonder how he would take to the competition of another dragon in a land where he alone was God.
Nina hesitated, glancing at the rows of soldiers around them. Although the troops respected one another's privacy in such tight accommodations by minding their own business, there was no telling how many ears would catch their conversation. She leaned in close to him, the smell of her skin carrying across the distance between them. Somehow, even in the desert, she managed to stay impeccable. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't tell you that here, in front of everyone…why don't you ask Ryu?"
I try to avoid talking to people who look like they've had their hair styled with a weed-whacker, actually. "You're worried about it, whatever it is," he observed astutely, watching her fidget with her wand. Gentling his tone, he asked, "What is he to you, coz? He hurts you and I'll rearrange his gonads to hang behind his tonsils."
Her head shot up with an exclamation. "Darnik!" She looked so horrified, her hands going up to cover her mouth, that he had to fight back a burst laughter.
"Alright, I won't…" Honestly, he tried to forestall his grin, but it was a losing battle. He propped himself up on one elbow to watch her response. "You like him, don't you?" In his life, Darnik had never known his cousin to have any interest in any of the males she met. She befriended everyone, but had never fallen in love. She had always said she was waiting for the right person…
She blushed and glanced away, blond bangs falling back in her face and shielding her lowered eyes. Even with her face hidden, her reddening ears told their own story. "Um…maybe."
"Hah! Knew it!" he exclaimed triumphantly, his grin fading as she shoved him lightly.
"Oh, stop it," The princess scolded, shaking her head "Ryu and I are just friends. It wouldn't work out." Was that a hint of hesitation in her voice? Or was he imagining things again?
"Have you even tried to make it work? You're just letting him get away?" Darnik asked, raising an eyebrow. For some one who had waited all her life to find the "right" person, Nina wasn't trying very hard. Unless…had the dragon scorned her? I'll kill him…
"It just…just won't! Excuse me, please." Nina left abruptly, heading to the other side of the hold with a flurry of feathers.
Darnik stared after her, his resolve hardening. It was about time he and Scale-boy had a talk.
Maybe he should bring his spear.
