The vacation continues!
"Should I expect to turn around and see a camouflaged RainWing hiding in the bushes, or is this actually the vacation you offered?"
Glory eyed Deathbringer carefully as the two dragons walked side by side through the rainforest. Already, there had already been hours' worth of sights to take in and plants that she had never seen from her newfound home further north in the Rainforest Kingdom. She had never been one to take the time to ogle at nature, but there was something slow and peaceful about their casual stroll towards the southern edge of the rainforest that tempted her.
Deathbringer had insisted they visit the beach there, and normally it wouldn't have been much of a trip except for all the tangents and sidetracking he had taken her on. While he had maintained an impeccable sense of direction, she had lost any notion of how far of a flight away they were from home.
What had caught her off guard was how quiet it was. Aside from the jabbering dragon next to her, none of the usuals he forced to tag along behind her made an appearance. Catching many of her newly-appointed guard lurking in the trees was never unusual given Deathbringer's smotheringly overprotective tendencies. If he managed to convince Heliconia again…
"What! Of course not!" He grinned but still manage to sound insulted. "Like I said, just us getting away from things."
She rolled her eyes. Though she trusted him, he was a difficult dragon to take at face value. "I'm not sure if being stuck with only you makes this trip more enticing or less."
He waggled a talon. "You haven't given yourself a chance to enjoy it yet." At a slight eye roll from the queen, he stepped in closer, their flanks nearly pressed together. "Everything here is so different from the rest of Pyrrhia. Wildlife, trees, rivers, the company." That forced an undeniable upward twitch from her snout, very nearly a smile. "Oh come on, that was a good one!"
"Think you're so smooth, do you?"
He shrugged, chuckling to himself. "Is it a crime to want to see my Queen enjoying herself?
"I might have to make it one. Only for you." She emphasized that last addition with an idle flick of her tail.
"Just for me!? I'm honored."
What a half-witted, bat-brained dragon! She couldn't believe how easily he lightened the mood. Though she would never be caught brooding over the stress of upkeeping her new kingdom that the last two months had dug into her scales, he had his sly methods to alleviate the tension. Even then, she refused to let him have the upper talon. Inevitably, when they returned, it would jack his insufferable nature up to the moons, until he rivaled Kestrel herself. At least he wouldn't run her through combat drills. She had to ask herself if his deadly, moony eyes were any better.
"Three moons," she said, "what am I going to do with you. How did you convince me into this again?"
"Must have been my charm. Or maybe my wit." She fixed him with a stern, sharp gaze, and he paused. After feigning a moment of thought while tapping a claw on his chin, his expression lit up. "Ah, it's my stunningly handsome looks, isn't it?"
She sighed. "You want me to tease you."
He winked. He actually winked at her! It wasn't pleasant or endearing, not in the least. "If you say so, my Queen."
All she could do is huff and pointedly turn her snout away.
His playful poise slipped for a moment and he laid a wing over her back. She flinched at first, then a few flickers of pink scales showed up along her back. After another second, she forced their color to return to normal, less she be caught dead by her beguiling bodyguard. Her instincts told her to bite back with her usual sarcasm or snark, only they failed to overpower whatever other feelings welled up inside her. Words caught in her throat, and instead she settled on a grumble of reluctant acceptance.
"I'm serious though." He sounded wistful. "We all get caught up in wars or politics that sometimes we forget what makes it all worthwhile."
She blinked. That was unexpected from him. As he unfurled his wing from over her, and she got a look back at his face, his eyes gleamed like a moron's once again. "So, come on Glory, appreciate a view or two, and not just looking at me. It won't kill you, that's what you have a bodyguard here for."
Whatever had sparked his change in demeanor, she refused to let him off the hook so easily. "A bodyguard who can't protect me from his own hopeless sense of romance doesn't sound too good at his job." Her retaliation may have come as swiftly and easily as always, but she couldn't get his comment out of her head.
He was right. She hated to admit it now, even more than usual. Travelling with the other Dragonets of Destiny had been an experience that far outshined their years in the Talon's talons. Since settling down in the rainforest, her first real home, those highlights had only grown brighter.
It felt nice for him to care.
He must have picked up on that modest smile of hers. There was no other explanation for the delight in his expression. "You want to know what makes it worthwhile for me?"
"I'd rather you take a bite out of a lemon." She showed off a glint of her fangs, trying to mirror his grin.
He stuck his tongue out. "One of those sour things? I had thought RainWings only ate sweet fruits until your pink brother tricked me into it. Still beats NightWing carrion, I'm afraid."
How can he say something like that so cheerfully? she thought, too exasperated to continue meeting his gaze. NightWings had lived a tragic life, and he had basically spent that entire time as their assassin, whatever it entailed. Surely there was nothing but horrifying memories buried in there, right? Why did he have to pester her of all dragons with that incessant optimism?
She wanted to ask. "Deathbringer…"
"Yes?" They stopped walking.
Try as she might, she couldn't find the words again. She'd have to give him some extra tedious bodyguarding chores for tying her tongue like this. He waited expectantly until she finally let out a sigh. "You win. Let's go enjoy… whatever it is you wanted to do on this vacation."
"Now that's something. A RainWing asking me for help on how to relax?" He chuckled dryly then swatted her with his tail.
Flustered, fuming, scowling. Glory couldn't bother with what color her scales shifted to any better than she could figure out what emotions she was feeling, Deathbringer moved in closer again, brushing against her flank. "Like you can tell a RainWing from a coconut," she mumbled, but her insult didn't carry the same vicious venom she had hoped for.
"You still owe me a night at an IceWing tavern for that," he replied. He took her jest in stride anyways, just like always. As much as she desired to, she couldn't stay angry at him for long.
"After we've had soooo much fun with this first vacation already." Though her words dripped with sarcasm as deadly as dragonviper venom, she was still smiling.
Deathbringer snickered. "How about I show you something then, come on." His tailtip poked her on her cheek, and she tried to not allow that to fluster her.
The utter confidence that he sauntered off with filled her with an indescribable sense of dread. "That better not be a euphemism," she said. He strode away wordlessly, legs swallowed up by some of the undergrowth as he veered away from their makeshift path. All he gave her was a subtle look backwards.
Glory stared for a moment. Wasn't he going to tease her back? Was this some new trick of his? She didn't think he had the gumption to ignore her, not with how desperate he always was for a reaction. Of course, she had told him frequently to shut up and stuff a sheep in it, and maybe he had just taken it to heart all the sudden.
Deathbringer gracefully slipped behind the trees with only a faint rustle of some heavy palm leaves. It was strange, watching a dragon's presence vanish so suddenly, no more discernable than a distant wind. No wonder he was such a prolific assassin. "Still an incompetent one," she added out loud with a huff. She wouldn't let her be swayed by his talents or his wiles.
"Glory!" He shouted back.
Impatient idiot, she thought before following him into the foliage. Broad leaves batted against her scales as she weaved around trees. The flora was so dense that she could barely see anything other than vibrant green, exotic flowers peeking out every now and then. After a minute of spitting out more bugs, plants, and cobwebs, she bumped a talon into a stump and growled.
"This is not what I had in mind for a vacation," she growled. RainWings lived in the heart of the rainforest, but it was never so suffocating and frustrating. Plants tangled her claws, poisonous plants itched her frills, and puddles of mud had kept her talons so dirty. The two of them would have been better off visiting Possibility.
At least it wasn't raining. She glanced up to make sure some ancient animus hadn't decided to curse her with something worse than Deathbringer's company. Fortunately, the skies remained clean, or at least she thought they did behind the sprawling canopy.
She could hear some muted laughter. "You'll see."
Finally, she burst out of the palms with a scowl. She was prepared to poke fun at wherever he led her towards until she caught a glimpse, and her eyes widened. A clearing stood before her, a quiet, tranquil haven hidden within the overgrown forest. Grass, or at least small frilly plants that reminded her of it, covered the spongey ground here while a stream trickled lazily through the clearing's center. On one of the banks, some oddly striped animals she had never seen before lapped at the waters. On the other, Deathbringer laid on his side with a comfortable, satisfied smirk.
He said nothing, but she knew just what exasperating, smug thoughts he must have been thinking. Instead of speaking, he unslung his satchel from his neck and rested it on the ground. "Please tell me you didn't bring me here to show off your knives. That's hardly romantic."
"Romantic?" Deathbringer replied with a raised brow. He tilted the pack to the side and two large fruits tumbled out. They were pink with a prickly exterior, not the least bit appetizing. When his claw swiftly and cleanly cut one in two, she could see that the fruit had an unusually smooth, white flesh dotted with black seeds. It reminded her of inverted NightWing wings.
Glory took a second look around, moving closer until the smaller animals scampered away from their river and disappeared into the jungle. "You planned this all out, didn't you?"
"Maaaybe. Some of it, at least. Only the best of vacations for my queen." He spoke so effortlessly, it made her want to scream. As he rolled the second fruit forward and gestured to her, he added. "Want to try one of these? Dragonfruit, I found out they grew in a small patch outside the rainforest. Clever name, I know."
Something cracked. Maybe it was from seeing his ceaseless smile day after day. Maybe it was that she was finally away from the pressure and prying eyes. "I can't believe you," she muttered. It became impossible to look him in the eye. "Why are you like this? You're so… much, all the time! It's absurd, any other dragon would have gone mad by now."
She lashed her tail. She wanted to be angry, to find at least a small amount of solace in the strength it so often gave her. With Deatbringer, she knew she always would fail in that.
"You're not any other dragon though, are you Glory?" He stood up and walked over to her, leaving the fruit behind. "Not just anyone could be queen of two tribes and end a decades long war while they're at it."
She shook her head and deliberately pulled away. Her scales flitted pink along her neck. "I've just been roping idiots along. I don't have some great destiny, none of us did. I did what I had to at the time."
"Oh, come on. You're smart, you're clever." He stepped towards her again, and soon she could feel his breath along her neck. "You're the only one I care to tease the way I do."
She had to twirl and twist to keep herself from getting caught by him. In the struggle not to meet his eyes, she faltered. When she looked up, she expected to see his preposterous, vexing smirk. But he wasn't teasing her this time. He seemed genuinely happy.
She blinked, bringing herself back to her senses. "Why do you do it? Why do you have to be so... irritating?"
He hummed for a second, losing himself in thought. "Probably because you need someone around you that you can be irritated at. And if that's what you need, that's what I'll be here for."
Moons, he was so sappy! She couldn't take it. How could she keep a handle on herself when he made it so hard for her to think properly! What is this smoke-breather doing to me? she thought.
Deathbringer decided to break the burgeoning silence. "I've been everywhere around Pyrrhia." His words were slow, as though he was taking care to make them exact. "I can recognize a dragon who could use some protecting."
Finally, something she knew how to respond to. "I don't need that. I don't need you stuck to me like some overly attached sloth."
Somehow, the look on his face told her she had said exactly what he wanted. "I know. And that's what I admire about you. You're your own dragon, Glory. You have bite, you ask questions. You see how things could be rather than get stuck in how they are."
She narrowed her eyes. What was his angle? Every time she thought she understood him, he would find another way to confound her. I barely even know about his life… she realized with an uncomfortable, squeamish knot in her stomach. He liked asking her about her past all the time, but she never returned the favor. Had she ignored him? No, she paid him more attention than he deserved, yet she still felt like she had missed something.
"And here I thought you stuck around because you had something to prove," she said, unable to muster the sarcasm she hoped for. It came out flat, melancholy.
He mused for a moment, tapping a claw on the ground. "That too. My 'Times I've Saved Queen Glory' list grows longer every day."
Hearing him bring up that old contest between them put a shine to her scales. "I think you won that silly competition long ago. You're a better bodyguard than I could have asked for." For once, she wasn't bothered by indulging him, nor did she care about the prospect of him rubbing it in her snout later.
He held up a talon. "And your royal advisor now, don't forget."
She couldn't help it. A chuckle slipped daringly from her mouth, then she flat out laughed. His sense of humor was no better than usual, nor did he say anything less infuriating. "I can't believe you!" She had to take a break, stifling some more laughs. "You're… so…"
"So, what? Handsome?" He suavely slid himself forward, to her side. "Wise?" he suggested with a quick whisper in her ear before stepping back. "Exactly what you'd need out of an advisor."
So hopeless, she thought. She wanted to say it but couldn't. How could she? He deserved her admitting that he could sometimes be clever and charming. Sometimes, of course. Rarely.
"Deathbringer," she began. He waited patiently with his jaunty grin, raising a scaly brow. When she met his deep, azure eyes, her words lost their confidence. They stared for a while until Deathbringer's eyes widened, as though he had read her mind. It was only for a moment, but it jarred her even more until words pounded against her skull. Had he been teasing her, or did he genuinely mean all these affections?
A still, threatening silence lingered, wrenching at her heart. Deathbringer stalled all the same, likely lost for words himself
She gulped. "I want to tell you something, but I don't know how to say it."
At first, he appeared paralyzed. Then a swell of pride lit up his dark scales and made her squirm with even more uncertainty. Had she really said that? He probably knew what she had in mind, didn't he? He was far too clever for his own good, after all. It dawned on her that he likely had far more experience than her with such emotions. Great, let's see him hold that over my head too.
Was he going to taunt her? Proclaim his victory in wooing the great Queen Glory of the RainWings? She was preparing herself for a witty remark, fiercely sifting through hundreds of quips to find the one he inevitably most deserved.
It seemed neither had an answer.
Nothing happened until Deathbringer settled down, stepped back over towards her, and gently nudged against her frills. "You don't have to tell me anything, Glory. Your company is enough." He meant it. She knew he meant it. "Let's relax here for the afternoon and not let that fruit I worked so hard to collect go to waste. What do you think?"
Relief flooded in, pushing away most of her anxieties. He wasn't going to pressure her to admit how they both knew she felt. There was a passing pang of guilt where she wondered if he really deserved how much she doubted his intentions. It took only a short flash of reassurance before she found herself trusting his reply.
Even when she could appreciate that he cared, even when he made her heart flutter, she still wanted to smack him. Instead, she gave him a shove. "You moony NightWing!" She giggled as he stumbled back into the river and collapsed onto his flank with a loud splash. Scales a dripping and drenched, he stood up and joined her laughter.
No longer feeling so suffocated or worried, she returned his gesture from before, bumping her snout into his neck. "Stuck eating fruit with you? That sounds like a worthwhile vacation."
He beamed. "You know, I think I've learned a thing or two about picking fruits in RainWing culture, if you want to join me on that too."
Her eye roll carried none of its usual frustration. In fact, she was still grinning more than the first time she'd ever flown. "Don't push your luck."