Dragon Tales Part Four
***Set during Natsu and Lucy's reunion****
"Ryos," Hisui called out as she searched around for her mate recognizing that she was on the Isles. "Ryos!" She shouted again.
"He can't hear you," a smooth voice called out as Hisui turned to find the owner behind her.
"Skiadrum?" She asked as the dragon turned human nodded his head. "What are we doing here?" Hisui asked as she finally relaxed.
"Draco has allowed us dragons a chance to speak with our slayers and their mates for a little while," Skiadrum said as she brushed his black hair out of his face as he cool dark eyes gazed around as if looking for something.
"Well then, where is Ryos?" the princess asked as she glanced around looking for any sign of her mate.
"My son is busy looking for you," the man spoke with a laugh as Hisui snapped her eyes back to him in confusion.
"He can't see me?" she asked finally noticing how thick the shadows were that surrounded them.
Thought the island was filled with a dense forest that thrived despite the little sun that the plants received, not a single tree could be seen from where she was standing. Must be Skiadrum's doing, Hisui mused as she focused back on the man standing before her.
"No but only for a moment I need to speak with you," the dragon made human said firmly his tone changing from a friendly one to one of serious business.
"About what?" The princess asked matching the business like tone that her husband's father had taken.
"Hatchlings," Skiadrum said firmly his eyes holding her still with his stern gaze.
"Why?" Hisui asked in confusion as she suddenly had no idea where this conversation was going.
"Under the orders of Draco I have been studying the human world and as such I have a favor to ask of you," Skiadrum began holding himself proudly.
"What is that?" Hisui asked confusion and curiosity in her voice
"That you do everything you can to allow your children to live as dragons," the dragon made human stated as he sniffed the air find that his son had found the barrier. I see you haven't lost your intelligence despite hanging around Weisslogia's son, the shadow dragon thought as he felt his son's magic try to break through the barrier he had constructed.
"Why would you make a request like that?" Hisui asked as Skiadrum returned his attention to his son's mate.
"I am sure you have noticed that the hatchlings being born now are more dragon than human. Their heritage will be very important to them, many of our traditions will be hard wired into their brains due to their lineage weather they are born a slayer or not and if it is not up held by them then our culture will die," the dragon began as he watched as the princess began to process what he was saying.
"What does that have to do with me?" she finally asked knowing full well that she was the only mate that was neither pregnant nor had a child.
"Your hatchlings will have standing in the human world more so than the others, and I am sure that there are many who work for you will insist that they will need to act a certain way. But there are things that cannot be changed about them," the stern voice that Skiadrum used reminded the princess of her father whenever he was making a decree, one that he was very passionate about.
Shaking her head as she sighed out, "I had no intention of setting arranged marriages for my children," the firmness in her voice as unsurprising the dragon had spent time watching the girl the moment his son had met her knowing what she was for him.
"It is more than just that, I am sure that in the few months you have been mated to my son you have noticed how different he is from the others of your world," the dragon made human said as he watched the woman ponder the question.
Before meeting Ryos, Hisui had resigned her self the idea that she would be in a loveless marriage. The few men she had met for the purpose of a possible engagement had all been stern, respectable, and utterly boring. Most of them were more interested in the apparent worth of an ounce of raw etherious than what they could do to better the lives of her people. But once Ryos had entered her life things had changed. Though the dragon slayer was rather stoic he had a softer side. One that was playful, full of life, kind, and at time overly affectionate; a side that she savored whenever he would lavish it upon her. At first she thought maybe it was just him, but after watching the other slayers as they all interacted with their mates she noticed that they all were the same with their own mates.
Though each mate and dragon where very different, they each had the same basic traits whenever dealing with their mate. She had easily chalked it up to the dragon side of them, and her suspicion was only confirmed when she had read through the book that Skiadrum had left for Ryos. A mate brings balance, purpose, and life into the life of a dragon and as such the dragon will do the same for the mate. The sentence hadn't seemed all that important when she had read it the first time but as she became more and more familiar with draconic culture she realized just how significant it was.
"Yes I have," Hisui finally spoke as she turned her mind back to the conversation at hand.
"Your hatchlings will be more so since they will be born with these instincts instead of taught," Skiadrum began but was stopped as Hisui raised her hand and interrupted him.
"I understand. But let me be frank I had no intention of denying them their Draconic heritage. Centuries of knowledge and culture have already been lost by hate, greed, war and time I never once intended for my children to lose their heritage simply because the rest of the world won't understand," the passion with which she spoke caused a great smile to spread on to the man's face.
"He chose well," Skiadrum said as he felt the spell break as his son barreled towards his mate.
"Hisui!" Rouge called out in relief as he wrapped his arms around his mate, savoring her scent as he tucked his nose into her jade hair.
"Ryos," the green haired woman sighed settling in against her husband as he moved so that he stood behind her his arms wrapped tightly around her waist.
"Father what were you doing with my mate?" Ryos hissed in anger at his father as his hold on Hisui tighten. He could tell that neither of them were harmed and Hisui seemed to be at peace but after what had happened to Lucy and Natsu, Ryos did not what that to happen to him.
"We we're simply talking; besides watch who you growl at I can still thrash you like I used to even if I am not in my most powerful form," Skiadrum roared as he watched his son refusing to back down. Pride swelled within him as he watched his son place his mate right where she belonged before everyone.
"It's all right," the princess reassured her mate as she ran a hand through his hair, feeling as his body relaxed almost instantly.
"Besides I have to go," the dragon made human said as he smiled down at the two of them.
"What?" Rouge asked watching as his father began to disappear.
"Goodbye, my son," Skiadrum said as he vanished leaving Rouge and his mate alone on their isle once again.
