A/N: Set in ancient Egypt. You will get a hang of it :) Slightly longer than previous one shots. I really love this one *sighs dreamily* Thank you for all the support~
E for Endless
It was unearthly hot.
Red eyes blinked tiredly and the man stretched, exhaling heavily. Just who in the world put this desert here? And why is it so goddamn warm? And why did he have to wear his traditional red clothes? The gold on it made it heavy and cling on his body. As if he wasn't already burning up.
His lips tugged into a frown as he raised the curtain of his carriage. Curse his father and mother and every single sibling he had that ushered him to do this. It was so not worth it.
The sizzling sun of the Sahara desert was merciless. The air was thick and hot, as probably are the people carrying his carriage. And there was no oasis in the view.
He leaned back on the silk cushions and tried to cool himself with the fan he was given beforehand. Not that it did him any good, because when he stops fanning himself, it seemed as it grew even hotter.
He should have brought some of the elf-girls to fan him. His hand was getting tired.
He almost dozed off when there was a loud shout outside. His eyes snapped open. He could hear the leader of royal guard whizzing past his carriage towards the front.
They stopped moving. And Jounno knew that that wasn't a good sign.
He reached out for his blade that was under the cushions, peering outside of the carriage. His royal guards were nowhere to be seen and there was a flock of bandit-look-a-likes speeding towards him.
Jounno licked his lips- if they wanted a piece of Dragon's Descent, he will give them a piece. He's not selfish.
-0-0-0-0-0-
Jounno cracked his neck tiredly.
He was standing between the dead bodies of the bandits and his royal guards alike. His royal dresses were ripped and Jounno groaned. He should have acted sooner. Maybe then there would be some of his people alive and they would've got to some town.
But nooo, even the slaves that he yelled at to take cover had died. Will someone ever listen to him? This is what happens when people act on their own assumptions.
Not to mention that the nightfall was crawling upon him.
Jounno wiped the blade off of his clothes and took the sheaths of it, putting it back in. He tied it around his waist and grumbled, grabbing the red robe from the inside of the carriage.
Luckily there were still some horses from the bandits that were alive. He could use them to get to the nearest city.
He got on the horse and continued to follow the path of his guards. It was made out of stone and sand. And Jounno had to admit that he had never seen such place as this desert. Why does it have so much sand?
He travelled for what it seemed hours until he finally saw a light in the distance. It looked as if group of people had set up a camp and made bonfire.
Making up his mind, Jounno made his way towards them. If they are bandits, he will kill them. If they are not, he will ask for the directions. There had to be a town nearby.
But before he could even dismount from his horse, a sharp pain seared through his right shoulder, knocking him off the horse. He cursed as he hit the back of his head on the stone. Everything went blurry and he had hard time sitting up. He gripped for his shoulder, feeling the blood and wood (he hated arrows). He wouldn't mind that pain if his head wasn't swimming.
The last thing he remembered, were golden sandals and toned legs covered in linen tunic, before he passed out.
-0-0-0-0-0-
"Hey you, rat! Wake up!"
Jounno groaned as someone thundered on the iron bars of his cell.
Wait a minute… Cell? How he ended up in a cell? And who dared calling him rat!? Didn't the fool know who he was!?
He snapped his eyes open, locking his angry glare at the person standing on the door of his cell. The man was dressed in tunic, holding spear and shield, with nasty sneer on his face.
Jounno's eyes narrowed- the last thing he remembered was that someone in golden sandals and tunic stood next to his head. His eyes fell on the man's feet- true he wore sandals, but they were made from wood. spit
"The Great Pharaoh will visit you now. Get yourself decent, rat."
The blond snarled and surged forward, only to be tugged backwards by the heavy chains. The guard laughed and left Jounno seething, whose dirty, bloody and long, blond hair fell over the face and shoulders.
He spit on the floor in rage and looked at the chains that held his hands. He tugged on them slightly to check out their strength. It will take up quite a lot of strain to break it, but he will be damned if he doesn't gets free. Besides, the wound in his shoulder already healed up and it didn't hurt.
He closed his eyes and clenched his hand into a fist. After a minute of concentration, he maneuvered his right hand to grip on the chain of his left hand. One insanely hard and unearthly clench on the chains, and his left hand was free. Sure he still had iron clasps around the wrists, but first things first. He needs to get himself out of here.
Just as he broke the chain on his right hand, footsteps sounded in the hallway.
Jounno focused on the sound- heavy, it means male. There is clicking added to it so person was probably wearing either iron boots, or they might be decorative sandals made of gold or some other metal.
He had previously planned to break the iron bars and take a hike from this place, but the person showed up before he could do much.
All that was left for him was to face this stranger.
His chamber was lit up by the torch that the person was holding. And Jounno regretted for not dashing beforehand. Because now he felt lost.
Completely and forever lost in those blue eyes that eyed him critically. Head to toe. The eyes took in his once royal clothes (now ragged from the battle and struggling). They noticed that there was no wound in his shoulder from arrow. They noticed the broken chains and blood dripping from his hands. They noticed the bare feet with black tattoo on his calf.
They took in every single detail before returning back to gaze at the blonde's face.
"You are not human, are you?" It was a statement, declared in deep baritone. If he wasn't captured like some animal, Jounno would have considered taking this human as a potential mate, and not the whimper-y one his father chose.
Jounno said nothing. He just huffed and clenched his fists, looking away.
"Why are you in Egypt?"
Okay, that was a question. He assumed he should answer. And he did. However, he got a confused look from the other man.
Jounno narrowed his eyes. Maybe the guy didn't hear him well, so he repeated his answer.
Blue eyes remained passive and confused. Jounno glared.
"I don't understand what you say."
Blond blinked. How the fuck he didn't understand him? He said it clearly and loudly.
"Your language is foreign to me, even though apparently you understand everything I say."
Well of course he understood. He was a fucking dragon! Wait- maybe that's why the other man didn't understand him. Jounno spoke in his own native language. Sadly, he couldn't remember how to speak any other language. Or the one that this brunette man spoke.
"Just nod your head for yes and no answers since you understand me."
Jounno tsked in annoyance, but nodded nonetheless.
"Are you here to hunt us, creature?"
Creature!? This lowly human called him creature?! How dared he! Jounno glared hard, but shook his head negative. Hunt mortals? That's so boring! And stereotypical. Royals don't hunt. It is below their level.
It seemed that the human was pleased with his answer. His posture relaxed slightly- probably from knowing that his life wasn't threatened anymore.
"I can set you free. But you have to promise me that you won't attack us. Do we have a deal?"
Pft. He could leave this place without the mortal helping him. But he nodded. His hands are still bloody and slightly numb, so if he didn't have to tear the iron bars apart, he won't.
The man turned around and placed the torch on holder on the wall, before turning towards the cell. Jounno approached slowly and warily as it clicked open, and the man in linen robes opened the door wide. He rose up his hand, making Jounno halt.
"If you, however, go back on your word, I swear I will hunt you down. I am not as powerless as I look."
Jounno raised his chin- yes, he could feel some kind of power radiating from the blue-eyed brunette. Too bad the mortal won't understand if he starts explaining how breaking a promise is an insult to a dragon and his family.
He walked over to the brunette, catching his raised hand. And it wasn't fear that raced through those endlessly deep blue eyes. He brought the hand up to his face, removing the thick, golden bracelet from the wrist.
Red eyes locked on it. It was so thin for such a heavy piece of jewelry. It's at that moment that blond remembered one word in the language that the other spoke.
"Name?" the blond managed to ask, before turning his attention back to the wrist. He could feel those eyes on his face, and he knew they widened as he pressed mouth against tanned wrist.
The blond could feel the pulse accelerate under the touch of his lips. His ears picked up on the deeper breaths that the brunette took in, before he breathed out his name.
"Seth…"
Jounno was happy that he wasn't in position to be able to explain his actions. How do you explain a human (a male human at that) that you chose him as potential mate? Dragons greet their siblings and parents by kissing top of their hands, but they greet their chosen ones by kissing the delicate skin of their wrist.
Of course, he can't explain that. For now at least.
He let go of the brunette's hand and headed towards the window at the end of the hall, with Seth close after him.
"What is your name?"
Was it him or was Seth's voice little out of breath? The blond climbed on the window, eyeing the surroundings- it was enough low for him to jump down. He liked it.
The hard tug on his clothes made him turn towards Seth who was standing next to him, looking impatient. The blond grinned darkly.
"Jounno."
And with that, he jumped out of the window on the nearest house, landing with grace. The blond looked up at the brunette, who was standing at the window, watching him and promised himself- he will visit Seth before brunette's mortal time is up.
That was a lifetime promise.
-To draw out the timid wild one
To convince you it's alright
And I listen for the whisper
Of your sweet insanity while I formulate
Denials of your effect on me
You're a stranger,
So why should I care?
You vanish today.
What am I to do with all this silence?-
[A Prefect Circle – A Stranger]
Notes:
Is it me or does Jou looks slightly (aka a lot) seme-ish in this one?
I don't really know how dragons greet each other. I made the kissing thingy up *sweatdrop*
I seriously love this snapshot. Seriously. *hugs it*
The lyrics at the end fit Seth's point of view. At least in my opinion. *looks around.*
There will be other snapshots related to this one :D And lastly
I hope you enjoyed! R&R!