Disclaimer: I don't own the show American Dragon: Jake Long or any of the characters in this story except for Danielle.
Sorry for the late update. The past few days I haven't even been able to TOUCH my computer, much less write. It seems I've got two projects for every class and a test every other day. Plus life at home's been real hectic with so much going on.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Danielle didn't notice that she was under severe scrutiny from a pair of azure orbs just to the large dragon's right.
Slim, yet lightly curvy figure and straight, ruddy hair topped her head. Lavender eyes lined with long lashes were likely to enchant any who chanced to meet them. Her clothes were a blend of casual and girly, which made for a welcome distraction to any roaming teenaged male eyes.
Jake looked from Kulde to Danielle, unsure of what was going on. He glanced at his grandfather, arching a baffled eyebrow. Luckily for him, Lao Shi came to the rescue.
He cleared his throat to get attention and made a suggestion, "Councilor Kulde, maybe you should explain this to Jake."
"The Council and I have other matters to attend and I find myself pressed for time," Kulde responded dismissively waving a hand. "I'm sure Danielle wouldn't mind taking it from here. It would do her some good to improve her diplomatic skills."
He pointedly looked at his niece, scolding her with his eyes. It was anyone's guess what her offense was, but apparently Danielle got the message. Though her manner of receiving it was perplexing. She smiled smugly and nodded her head in an almost arrogant way. Kulde turned his focus on Rose.
"You may accompany them, Hunts Girl," he said.
Danielle gaped at Rose as if her uncle had revealed a scandalous secret—well it would've been a secret if everyone didn't already know it. Her eyes were alight with mischief.
"Hunts Girl?" she said, smirking amusedly. "Now this could be interesting."
She turned the charm on for Jake before Rose got a chance to respond.
In her most fake and syrupy voice she said, "Let's go flying and I'll explain this whole situation to you, hot shot."
Out of the corner of his eye, Jake saw Rose roll her eyes and gag. He let a small snort of laughter slip out before he responded.
"Alright," he said, two large wings unfolding on either side of him.
A stream of stormy gray smoke grew from the ground at Danielle's feet and coiled upwards around her like a clouded serpent. Her hair billowed up, twisting and dancing in a ruddy mass around and above her head. An arrogant smile crossed her lips before the cyclone consumed her. Lightning pulsed and flashed deep within the smoky cocoon, each bolt more intense than the one before. The energy mounted higher and higher, and finally reached its peak. With one great blast and a resounding crack, the whirlwind disappeared.
The dragon Danielle morphed into was just as imposing as her 'dragon-up' sequence. Scales of a deep smoky gray covered her and glistened dully in the sun. The spikes that started at her forehead and trailed all the way down to her tail were the same deep reddish brown as her hair. The talons that tipped her fingers were lighter gray than her scales and bright lavender eyes glittered with the natural passion dragons are born with. She was about Jake's size, but with less bulk. She spread her wings to their fullest length, and pumped them, rising into the air.
For a dragon slayer, Rose had seen very few dragons in her lifetime. She'd never seen one shape-shift the way Danielle did and she was mesmerized by it. Jake on the other hand, was used to different dragons changing different ways and Danielle's method didn't impress him. As a dragon she didn't catch his eye any more than she did as a human. Jake's lack of interest could be blamed on a pair of blue eyes that locked on his.
Grinning, Jake lowered himself on all fours and Rose approached him.
"You're not seriously going to let her ride you?" Danielle cried, appalled by this behavior.
She looked over to the Dragon Council, imploring them to side with her. Sighing, Jake stood and straightened up.
He saw the uncertainty in Rose's eyes when she looked at him. She had the faintest thread of trust in him, and if he ever wanted to strengthen that, he'd have to prove himself dragon enough to stand up to these challenges.
He scooped Rose up in his arms, grinning as a startled squeak escaped her. Once again, Danielle protested.
"Why don't you just lock her up in the dungeon until we come back?" she suggested sweetly. "We don't have to carry her around everywhere we go."
Rose tensed in his arms at the word 'dungeon'. Jake knew this was his first test, and everything was hanging on what he did or said.
"I will not drop her off in that dump," he said firmly. "If Rose can't go, then I won't go."
"Maybe I should stay here," Rose murmured, glancing up at Danielle. "There's no need in you getting in a mess over me."
Rose made a move to climb out of Jake's hold, but he didn't give her an opportunity. His wings rose and fell rapidly at his side, stirring up dust and lifting him from the ground. He kept ascending until he and Rose were a good twenty feet above solid earth. Rose's arms circled his neck and she looked at him curiously.
"There." He said with finality, "Now you have to come."
He felt Rose relax just a little. A little wasn't good enough, he wanted her to believe one-hundred percent that she would not see any harm under his care. He turned to the Dragon Council who had been watching this intently.
"Since there's enough room in that castle to house a Dragon Summit meeting and Rose may be here a while, I want her to stay in one of the rooms," Jake stated.
The Council gave a unanimous affirmative nod. Jake turned to Danielle.
"You have anything else to say?" he asked.
In his eyes, defiance glinted that shocked her. He held himself proudly and at attention, confident she would argue no more. Danielle snorted, lightly offended, but she held her tongue.
He turned from everyone and flew away from the castle. Danielle followed. She noted how gently Jake cradled Hunts Girl in his arms. It disgusted her and a green-eyed monster within her growled appalling threats, though none but she could hear them.
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"Well, that went well," Fu Dog quipped.
"I apologize for Jake's behavior," Lao Shi began.
Kulde held up a hand to silence him.
"Don't apologize," he said. "Danielle needs someone to put their foot down with her. I sent for her after Jake challenged us for guardianship over the young Hunts Girl. Your student is a very honorable dragon and he shows great moral strength. My niece could learn a thing or two about what dragons should be and Jake is just the example for her to observe."
"Then why send Rose?" Fu Dog asked.
"If you recall, I opened up the window of opportunity for her to go," Kulde said, smiling. "It was Jake who reached in and pulled her out. Now, the Council and I must go attend to our business."
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No one ever stood up to her before, leastwise a boy. She could bend them to her will with a smile, charm them from across the room and make them mad with infatuation. Jake, on the other hand, seemed tangled up in this nobody prisoner.
Rose tried to pretend like she didn't notice what Danielle had. She supposed that acting clueless would give Jake some perspective and douse this minor attraction he was harboring for her. She should have saved the emotional breakdown for when she was alone. It had been a huge mistake to let Jake see her weaken, and now all she'd worked for went up in smoke. Now he assumed all was well between them and he could have that relationship with her that he'd dreamt of. She'd confront him about it later, when they were alone.
Danielle decided to put a wedge between Rose and Jake's attention. She was through with being ignored.
"My uncle, or Councilor Kulde as you call him, has brought me to the Isle of Draco to observe the Dragon Council at work," she said, tossing a meaningful smirk at Rose. "He wants me to watch how they handle these situations. Also, he mentioned that you would be here and I was eager to meet the dragon that had survived two encounters with the Dark Dragon. It's no wonder you're the subject of many a magical school girl's daydreams."
Danielle followed up her flattery with a wink. She hoped to capture his interest, but no dice. Rose had slipped her arms around his neck and leaned more into Jake's chest, yawning cutely. The dragon whose chest had become her pillow felt his heart swell with a sudden rush of tenderness.
"I think I need to get her back to the castle," he said, smiling warmly.
Danielle scowled at the girl Jake held. One azure eye popped open to look at her and a little smirk crossed Rose's lips. The blonde-haired girl winked cheekily at the female dragon. Danielle stared dumbfounded at her. Before she could point out Rose's well played out sleeping act, Jake had already begun his return to the castle.
How dare that frumpy little Hunts Girl challenge her! She was of the Grimsley clan, one of the most wealthy and oldest lines of dragons. She was a goddess in the elite society of her upbringing. Suitors flocked around her offering her anything her heart desired. She would not allow a lowly prisoner keep her from beguiling the American Dragon.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Somebody's a spoiled brat.
Explanation for the Thorn-to-Rose thing:
As you know, our favorite Hunts Girl found out last chapter that Hunts Man set her up for an untimely end. She considers herself banished from the Hunts Clan now and is formally giving up her title as Hunts Girl/ Thorn. She is back to using her birth name now.
Explanation for Rose's change in attitude from last chapter:
Wouldn't you need some emotional support if your uncle had tried to kill you? Rose may have softened, but she still isn't up for grabs. Remember, this is the old Hunts Girl we're talking about. She's no easy catch, and Jake's going to have to work for her heart.