Fyre fell to a single knee as soon as she knew that Dilandau was not coming back. She didn't often make free will in her creations, or give them a voice, but when she did it certainly took a lot out of her. And making them even bigger took it's toll, but she had done what she had wanted to do, intimidate the Dragon Slayers and teach them what she could do as well as shock Dilandau. She hated fighting with him, he was just as strong as her and his own mystical power could block her fire, if only for awhile, the only problem was sometimes she couldn't last for that little while.
Oh how she did hate that man at times, him and his stupid power. But she knew that he hated her just as much for the same reasons. But it was because of that hate that they respected, feared, and understood each other, at least to an extent.
Fyre stood slowly suspiciously eyeing all of the new recruits who stared at her with open fear and curiosity.
Miguel quickly rushed to her side and helped her to her feet, wrapping his arm around her thin waist to hold her steady on her feet until he was sure that she could stand on her own.
"You need rest." He said quietly as she pushed him away slowly.
"Don't tell Dilandau." Fyre warned.
"Of course not, I would even dream of killing myself like that." Miguel smiled.
"Good because it would be exceptionally painful." Fyre smiled back, she sure had missed her friends, especially this one who had been like a brother to her before she had left.
"Come on, I'll show you our chambers." He gently brushed her arm to show that he was there to catch her if she needed it.
"Not only are you all degraded to living in caves, but now I have to share a cave with all of you smelly boys." Fyre grinned happily as she moved forward slowly, testing her strength.
"Ah we aren't that bad anymore, I mean Guimel showers a lot more now." Miguel joked with his friend as they entered the darkness cautiously, knowing that the devil maybe hiding around every corner.
"Yeah I bet, but as I recall it was Chesta who used all the hot water so the rest of us were often smelly." Fyre smiled, then remained silent as she knew that if Dilandau came upon them now, in the rage he no doubt was in, she would barely have enough strength left to fend him off of herself, but she'd need to defend her friend who Dilandau would be even more vengeful towards because he was helping her.
"Well not you because no matter the tempter it always boiled as soon as it touched you." He replied with a smirk, hesitating as she made her way along the walls, bracing herself against the rock.
"Yeah and then you'd talk me into warming yours, so yeah I guess Guimel was always last to wake up, and he was always nervous around me." She smiled looking up at her friend, ignoring his expression of concern.
"Well the showers left little to the imagination." Miguel allowed a small smile to cover his concern.
"Mine had a curtain around it." Fyre said quietly with a smile, pushing off of the wall feeling her strength return slowly.
"That curtain was me holding up a towel half the time." Miguel replied reaching out to steady her.
"Well you did want warm water so there was a price to pay." Fyre laughed pulling away to take a couple steps on her own.
"Well now we have a large community pool for bathing, and it's freezing so remind me that I'll never get in it again until you've been in first." Miguel smiled and began to lead the way at a little faster pace, being sure that she was fine by almost constantly glancing over his shoulder.
"Well that'll probably apply to you and everyone else so I guess I'll get privacy or you'll all get cold water." She smiled as found it easier to keep up with every step.
"I'll be sure to spread the word." Miguel replied deciding that she was fine now.
"Make sure that the new kids know that I will burn them if the 'accidentally' walk in on me." She let tongues of flame lick her fingers to punctuate her point. Which sapped her energy causing her to regret the show of power all over again.
"I'll be sure to tell them. Actually we originals get to train them usually."
"What is our great Lord to good for regular training?" Fyre mocked.
"He missed you. He wasn't the same after you left." Miguel said quietly looking over at her.
"I'm sure." Fyre replied skeptically.
"I'm serious, you could tell he missed you, I don't know why you were nothing more then a thorn in his side as he enjoyed putting it."
"A scrawny ugly thorn." Fyre countered.
"Well you aren't too scrawny now." Miguel pocked her in the side, only to retract his hand quickly to nurse a minor burn.
"Careful." She laughed.
"You knew I would do that." Miguel retorted.
"Well you guys are kind of predictable. Speaking of which where did the others go?" Fyre looked around, her strength wouldn't be complete again for awhile.
"Probably back to train the new recruits, you can come there after I show you to our rooms."
"Like individual rooms?" Fyre's eyebrows rose in disbelief.
"These caves are large, but you're always welcome to share my room." Miguel replied caringly.
"I bet." Fyre smiled.
"And you can take hours off of the morning chores. Starting fires and lighting all of the torches in here takes forever, even when the newbies do it." Miguel scowled.
Fyre laughed, "Who said I was going to help, how do you all know that I am not just going to leave."
Miguel hesitated, looking at her, "Lord Dilandau was right, even if you don't want to admit it, you can't really go anywhere."
"Come on, people here don't just believe that I took a vacation, you guys must have spread some sort of rumor, like I died or was in a coma."
"What's a coma?"
"Oh sorry, I've been away too long." Fyre replied looking up thoughtfully. "But still, I could dye my hair…"
"Do you remember when we tried that? It evaporated." Miguel laughed.
Fyre joined in, "Yeah I guess you're right, but I could wear a head scarf, I mean that worked, it would only show my roots, Or I could cut it again."
"No don't cut it, I remember it short, it was horrible, you looked like one of the guys." Miguel replied disgusted.
"Yeah but I was one of the guys, remember, now a days I have this hot body and this great boobs." Fyre smiled, sticking out her chest, "People would have to be pretty dumb to think I was a guy now and I could say that I was foreign or something so it wouldn't be out of place, or spin the truth, a lot of female mercenaries keep it short."
"You aren't going to seriously leave are you?"
"I am sick of taking Dilandau's shit. I won't put up with it Miguel, I'm sorry, I enjoyed freedom and not having to answer to that prick. But I'll give it a chance. I promise. But I can't do much at the moment, and I'm way to tired to try to run at the moment, all I want it a nice cool bed, that would be so nice."
"Well perfect timing cause we're here." Miguel replied pulling back a grass curtain that acted like a type of door. Within the chamber a fire burned brightly in the centre beating back the damp coolness of the surrounding stone. Around the fire were small single pallets with grass mattresses and thick wool covers.
"Of course Dilandau would have the only respectable bed here."
"He doesn't mind sharing it." Miguel mused allowed earning a harsh look from the red haired demon. "I'm just saying women from the surrounding villages often warm his bed, and sometimes our own…"
"Are you saying that if I wake up to one of you grunting on top of some poor village girl I'm just supposed to roll over and block it out."
Miguel blushed, "You can always make your way out. Like I was saying village girls don't help Lord Dilandau for very long, you know how he craves power. He always wanted you you know? Even through all the harsh things he said I'm sure he knew you'd grow into your role. That you would be exactly what he wanted."
"I may be tired Miguel but I am delusional but I'm not about to stoop to accepting his advances. All he wants is my power Miguel. I want something more from my men."
"You mean you've…"
"Been ravaged like some poor village girl who is in awe of the great Dragon Slayers and their master. Those poor girls will never be married thanks to you guys."
"Well you know Guimel has a favorite, she often visits, brings him things, and him in return, they may you know get married."
"And what about you? No special woman has captured your heart?"
Miguel looked away blushing.
"Ooooooh…I won't press it…at the moment." Fyre laughed.
"Just think about my Lord. You two would be good for one another, and only you two can put up with one another. I think it's the only chance you two have." Miguel looked at her one last time and then made a hasty exit.
TakaShira