Two days – that's how long she waited before she was able to see her boyfriend again. For most members in relationships, a separation of that longevity was common and manageable. But for Rhajat, it had felt like an eternity.

Her long-awaited reunion with the young man was one she hadn't anticipated. Despite his evident sadness from their last encounter, Percy was very eager to forgive her, expressing almost inhuman compassion and reassurance.

Rhajat couldn't begin to express her regrets, or how grateful she was to hear that he still wished to see her. Although he insisted that she was forgiven, Rhajat could not accept it so easily; she knew she had to earn back his trust.

Arriving outside his family's stable doors, Rhajat surveyed her surroundings to inspect whether or not he had appeared. To her disappointment, he was still absent. Reluctantly, the seventeen year old composed herself and ventured inside, closing the wooden doors gently. She did not wish to disturb the creature inside.

A survey on the stable resulted in no signs of the beast she had volunteered to supervise, and if she were have to misplaced it, Percy surely wouldn't forgive her.

It wasn't long, however, until she graced with the sound of intense rustling as the large, carnivorous reptile emerged from one of the shelters. Its sudden approach made her recoil.

Composing herself, she observed as the beast studied her intently, sniffing her feet before inspecting the area.

"Settle down, it's only me." She announced firmly, prompting the wyvern address her.

"Your master will arrive soon."

Ace stared blankly. Rhajat rolled her eyes.

"Percy - he has asked me to supervise you during his absence. Until then, please make this arrangement manageable for both of us and be still."

Adopting a commanding tone proved to be effective as the reptile complied and sat obediently.

"Good."

Satisfied, she returned to surveying the environment for suitable seating position. Settling with a small stack of crates, the young woman begrudgingly approached the arrangement and sat down. To occupy her time, she retrieved a book from her satchel and opened it to the bookmarked page.

Ten minutes passed with no sign of the young man. From behind her book, Rhajat listened to the sound of soft whimpering. Curiously, she observed the reptile situated by the stable doors, waiting expectantly and patiently for its rider.

Rhajat furrowed her eyebrows. Although she still felt ridiculous for communicating with a reptile incapable of speech, she was relieved to witness it behaving obediently. She couldn't, however, bring herself to listen to its sorrowful mourning, and audibly closed her book shut.

Drumming her fingers on the surface of the boxes, Rhajat announced, "so it's true - you're capable of understanding human speech?"

Having been summoned, Ace averted its attention from the door and approached her, sitting obediently. To answer her concerns, it emitted a soft cry.

"Interesting. And you and Percy – you can communicate with one another, correct?"

Once more, Ace screeched.

Rhajat tapped her chin curiously. "Hmm. Well, by that logic, you should be able to understand me as well." An idea arrived in her mind to separate the communication barrier. "Very well, if you can understand what I'm saying…scratch the ground."

She waited in anticipation. After a moment of inactivity, the creature sunk its claws into the ground, creating a trio of lines in the dirt.

Rhajat stared in disbelief. "Incredible. So…so you understand me?"

Another screech confirmed her suspicions.

Still in awe, a small scoff emerged. "Well, I suppose there's a first for everything." She folded her arms. "This would make you one of the first…and only."

Exhaling deeply, she observed out of her vision as the reptile migrated closer towards her, staring expectantly.

"What?"

Ace continued to stare intently. Reflecting on the words she expressed, she realised what she had insinuated, and shook her head assertively.

"Never mind" she reassured, "I'm just…I'm just thinking out loud."

Despite her commands, the reptile nudged her leg with it softly; she interpreted this gesture as a signal for her to continue.

She was puzzled by the gesture. "No, forget about what I said. You don't honestly want to hear me prattle on about my pathetic, juvenile concerns."

Instead of a verbal response, she observed the unexpected expressions of curiosity and intrigue from the wyvern.

Exhaling with defeat, she folded her leg over her knee. "Fine, if you must know…"

Screeching with approval, the creature thumped its tail on the ground, visibly eager to hear what she had to share. Rhajat observed its mannerisms with disbelief.

I can't believe I'm doing this...

Nestling herself into a comfortable position, Rhajat drummed her fingers against her kneecap in deep concentration, hoping to not only summon the courage to express her doubts and concerns, but also on how to approach the unexpected development.

After a moment of reflection, Rhajat composed herself as she reluctantly began. "Well", she whispered, "as you're probably evidently aware by now, Percy and I have been…seeing one another quite recently. I'm willing to bet he's spoken about me quite frequently?"

In response, the wyvern dragged its claws through the dirt, confirming her question.

Rhajat acknowledged. "I imagined as much. Then…you must be quite aware by now that your master's chosen partner – she's not the most….sociable…or expressive individual?"

The reptile answered again, albeit after some reluctance.

"As I expected…although I really wish he hadn't…"

Rhajat spent the next minutes expressing every single detail of doubt or uncertainty that was concerning her. Although she really knew better than to share her troubles (especially with someone she wasn't acquainted with), she found the experience quite relieving and cathartic.

"It's not that I dislike interacting with others…as much as it is others don't particularly enjoy interacting with me." She sighed softly. "I'm not averse to speaking with others…I just", she hesitated, "expressing myself is not of my strongest qualities; my pathetic ineptitude and anxiety when it comes to verbal communication has always controlled me." She placed a hand over her chest. "If I could change who I am, I would…but I can't. I cannot help being different – it's just who I am."

The attentive wyvern continued to listen intently. Rhajat had all but completely forgotten who (or what) she was addressing; the animal companion had proved to be an effective listener.

As she continued to reflect, her train of thought eventually arrived on the subject of her boyfriend, the time they'd already shared, as well as the events of their last encounter.

"-but whenever I'm with Percy, that fear of judgement and scrutiny that has always controlled me – it disappears. When I'm with him, I never feel as if I need to project this…this wall of scorn and bitterness I've developed over the years. I don't ever feel as if I need to protect myself - to secure myself behind that barrier of self-defence." She smiled weakly. "I feel…comfortable with him. I trust him. He's…ingenuous…and passionate…and such an exuberant young spirit – so much so I struggle to resist his infectious optimism and enthusiasm."

The wyvern's eagerly thumping tail evidently expressed itsapproval for the praise and acclaim its rider was receiving.

"Nobody has ever spoken to me the way he does. He's not like other men - he isn't intimidated, frightened or repulsed by me. It's almost as if he perceives me as an entirely different being." However, her smile faltered as she emitted a remorseful exhale. "I only wish I could truly be that person he sees in me..."

She rubbed her cheek softly. "I really wish he hadn't witnessed my true nature."

Closing her eyes, she cleared her throat. "I trust he's informed you about how I behaved…"

Upon opening her eyes, she was greeted with an unnaturally despondent expression from the reptile. The wyvern slowly sunk its claws into the dirt.

Acknowledging, Rhajat nodded weakly as she retreated back into her thoughts. "I...I never meant to frighten him. I was only…"

She shook her head bitterly. "No. No, there's absolutely no excuse. How I tormented him was totally unforgivable, and he did not deserve that at all."

With her gaze averted, Rhajat caressed her arm softly. "I just really hope he doesn't think lesser of me now."

The unexpected silence from the wyvern alerted Rhajat as she returned her attention to it, and it greeted her with an unreadable expression. While she hadn't expected it to comfort her, she certainly didn't anticipate it to hastily retreat. It's reaction made Rhajat's entire body tense.

She extended her hand. "No, stop!"

No avail – the wyvern disappeared out of sight. Immediately, Rhajat desperately pursued the reptile. Inspecting the insides of the individual stables, she was frightened to discover none of them were occupied. How she wished to the Gods above that it hadn't escaped.

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye she noticed a wriggling tail emerge from the end of the aisle. Breathing a deep sigh of relief, she observed the wyvern slowly approach her, clutching an item in its jaws.

Rhajat remained completely still as it closed the distance. After a moment of inactivity, it placed the object at her feet. Curiously, she retrieved it for inspection.

It was a saddle, and judging by the length and width it was intended for a wyvern. Exchanging looks between the object and its presenter, she furrowed her eyebrows.

"What? It's a saddle." As to why it offered it, her mind immediately migrated to the most plausible reason. "No" she commanded, "we will not be leaving under any circumstance."

The reptile snarled threateningly, nudging the object with its snout. Its gesture prompted her to turn it over for further inspection.

Attached to the saddle was a sewn patch depicting the letter 'R'. Tracing her finger against it, she desperately tried to process its purpose and, more importantly, who it belonged to. It wasn't until she received another gentle nudge from the wyvern did she reach a conclusion – one that caused her eyes pupils to widen.

"Is this for me?"

In response, the reptile screeched softly as it plunged its claws back into the dirt, scraping them eagerly.

Studying the item intently, Rhajat's desperate and frantic examination was suddenly interrupted by the sound of the stable doors opening, accompanied by a familiar male voice.

"It's alright, guys, I'm here now!"

Tensing, Rhajat clutched the saddle against her chest, hoping ever so much he couldn't see her or it; even Ace looked alarmed.

"Oh, there you are. Aww, I knew you two were starting to get along."

Neither Rhajat or Ace reacted to his words as they each remained petrified.

"Hey, is there everything alright?"

With enflamed cheeks, Rhajat bit her lip and reluctantly rotated to address her expectant boyfriend, and just as she anticipated, an expression of surprise and alarm developed on his face upon witnessing the object in her arms.

Exchanging anxious glances between her, the saddle and his companion, Percy exhaled with defeat before pouting.

"Ace, c'mon, that was supposed to be a surprise..."

Beneath the noise, below the din / I hear a voice - it's whispering

In science and in medicine / "I was a stranger, you took me in"