I've been stuck in a bit of a rut lately. Well, that and smoothing out the future plot, so needless to say, I've been a bit slow.
The Princess's Dragon Bride
Chapter 7: Head In The Clouds
Chrom watched as a fleet of gigantic flying boats overtook the sky. He adjusted his crown and walked to the front of the balcony; his people were watching the sky in fear or awe, perhaps both. He cleared his throat and spoke to ease the nerves of his city.
He didn't let his fatigue cloud his voice as he welcomed the entourage. Assuring his people that they were friends and very accustomed to grand arrivals.
Bowser's people sure knew how to make an entrance.
Chrom shook his head, and he and Bowser walked out to meet the fleet. "You could have warned me that it would be intimidating."
"I don't know what you mean," Bowser laughed. "I always run around like this."
Chrom wasn't sure if that was more or less concerning, "Are the cannons on those things functional?"
Bowser looked down at Chrom with a confused smile. "Should they not be?"
"And you didn't have anything less" Chrom turned his attention back to the lead vessel and sighed "terrifying?"
"Nope," Bowser didn't even try to hide his grin.
The two came to a stop as a rope dropped down from the ship. Suddenly a figure dropped down from the boat. After a semi-graceful landing, they lowered a knee after gaining their bearings.
"Your Majesty, sorry for the wait" after a moment, they stood, revealing they were a little on the short side, probably a kid. "we got caught up in a blizzard while crossing the mountains."
"You look fine," Bowser said, taking in the condition of his ships.
"Oh right, well, we didn't take any damage, but we got turned around a few times..," they turned to look up at the ships as well.
Bowser sighed. "What happened, with, the navigation?"
"Right, well, we stopped panicking when we got turned around twice" they looked back up at Bowser and, after a moment, removed their helmet.
"Right, thank you, uh" Bowser looked at the kid and seemed to struggle with a name.
The kid fixed Bowser with an unamused stare "Rex."
He snapped his fingers as if remembering, "Ah right, you're the page that follows Pyra round."
The kid was blushing as he scratched the back of his head, "Well, that's kinda my job, Sir."
"Right,," Bowser's smirk returned, "well go on, Pyra's inside," he turned his attention back to his fellow king. "Chrom, let me show you around my fleet, this one's my personnel ship" then he snapped his fingers, and a smaller flying ship appeared.
Bowser opened the door, stepped into the jester-looking vessel, and turned to Chrom; it was an invitation.
Chrom was about to step on the when he noticed Rex looking back and forth over the courtyard. "oh right, Shulk," he called out, and the seer stepped out of the castle.
Chrom stepped into the cart and called over the side, "lead Rex here to the guest's rooms." his grip tightened on the edge as the flying thing started moving upward.
Corrin nodded eagerly as Lucina explained why the Special Enquiseter was her favorite character in the novel so far. Pyra took a sip from her tea, very amused with how animated she had become.
Lucina stopped for a moment to catch her breath. She took a moment and sipped her tea when there was a knock at the door.
"Come in," Pyra called as Corrin had just stuffed a small pastry into her mouth.
"I keep interrupting, don't I?" Shulk said as he opened the door, and behind him, Corrin's eye sparkled at the familiar face.
"Pyra," the younger man stepped out from behind Shulk and bowed a bit, "sorry for the wait."
"Rex-Rex," Corrin jumped out of her seat and almost tackled the young boy. "I didn't know my father had sent for you."
"Your High-"
"You can call me Corrin here too" she chuckled and let go of him.
"right, well, he actually sent for most of the main staff."
"Wait," Corrin's eye sparkled with excitement, "does that mean Jr is here?"
"Unfortunately, he stayed back home," he saw his princess visibly deflate in disappointment, "but he told us to do him a favor."
"Oh," she perked up slightly at that.
"I think everything's settled now," he looked thoughtful, "so you should probably check the stables."
"Right, I guess I should lead you there," Shulk righted himself as he spoke
"No need, Shulk" Lucina smiled and held out an arm to the other princess. "I can lead Corrin there. Take a break."
"Thank you, M'Lday" he gave her a slight bow and, after a moment stepped aside to let the two princesses through.
Corrin took Luci's arm as the two rushed off; she was curious and excited about what Jr could have sent her way. Lucina led her through the maze of hallways again, this time taking her to a new place.
"I'm sorry I never showed you the stables before" Lucina had broken the silence. She sounded humiliated. "I just didn't expect we would need to go here."
Corrin shook her head as Lucina continued, "I'm not really good with any mounted combat, you see." Then the Yilessian princess looked at her, embarrassed, "I almost forgot about it myself."
Corrin chuckled and hugged Luci's arm. "It's alright," and at that, the other princess seemed to brighten, although her face never lost that pinkish hue.
"It really is rather embarrassing," Lucina continued "both my brother and father are skilled riders. I lack that skill, it seems."
"I guess" she didn't want Luci to feel too bad, "although didn't you say you were the only one who could use magic so, I guess you traded one skill for another"
"I guess so" that seemed to cheer her up.
Corrin followed Lucina as they passed through a doorway. There was a large hallway with stalls on either side; there were occupied by horses and pegasi alike.
"I wonder which one is for us?" Lucina looked around.
Then a scratch rang out, a loud roar that had the pegasi in a bit of panic, although they seemed to calm after a moment.
Corrin couldn't control her excitement and ran in the direction of the sound. She knew that sound far too well.
Lucina rushed after Corrin as the other princess darted off. After she caught up to her, she couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"Summer!" Corrin stood in front of one of the stall gates. She reached out her hand and pet the creature.
"Corrin?" Lucina watched as Corrin was almost cuddling the dragon.
"Oh, Luci," she looked back up to her friend. After a moment blushed slightly "sorry," "this is Summer" she didn't need to mention to the dragon for Lucina to know she was talking about the wyvern.
What an exciting tune of events. "I didn't know you had Wyvern."
"Right," she let go of Summer and "I guess I didn't mention it did i"
"Not really," Lucina smiled shyly, "I mean, I think you did mention Summer when you were drunk but didn't give too many details."
Summer nuzzled up against Corrin, who only giggled. After a moment, she beckoned Lucina over. "Come on, don't be shy; she's a sweetheart."
Lucina took slow and careful steps forward. She wasn't quite sure how to interact with a wyvern. Not many in Ylisse knew how to care for them, as they weren't really native to the cooler climate.
Close up, the creature was a little more terrifying. Lucina could see every detail from its teeth to the pattern of its scales. Although, much like Corrin, the dragon seemed to hold her attention. It was majestic yet dangerous, although perhaps those two things weren't too different.
Summer's pupils dilated into two thin slits. Lucina tried to hide her slow-mounting panic, "So what do I do?"
Corrin chuckled softly. "Hold out your hand and let her approach you" she then took Lucina's hand in her own and shaped it, so the palm was outstretched, "and don't make eye contact; she'll take it as a challenge."
That would've been nice to know before she annoyed the dragon. So she decided to turn her attention to Corrin to tell her as much. But the other princess only met her gaze and smiled, melting any sass the Lucina meant to hand her.
"You've been teaching me all kinds of new things" she smiled, remembering the magic lessons Corrin had invested in her. She'd improved too. Although summoning was still an issue, she could now control magic in all kinds of forms. "I'm going to have to make it up to you."
Perhaps they had been on equal footing with Lucina teaching her Yilssian, and Corrin taught her magic in exchange. Now, however, Corrin had not only introduced her to a new kind of mount. But she was also even teaching her how to approach one.
Corrin had seemed to take her complement well, and she was absolutely beaming now. It was a lovely sight really, Lucina should treat her to tea solely to see her smile that way again.
Then there was a feeling on her palm. A slightly smooth yet textured surface. Then a gentle force was pushing up against her hand, and she peeked down to see Summer nosing at her hand.
"See, she likes you," Corrin cheered.
Somehow Lucina doubted that. "I think it's more like she tolerates me."
Corrin shook her head and then looked at Luci with eyes that sparkled in a way, telling her she had something on her mind, something that excited her. "Can we go for a ride?"
"I wouldn't see why not" Lucina rested a hand on her hip, leaving the dragon to get closer until the gate stopped her.
At that, Corrin was fiddling with the lock on the gate. "Come on, Summer"
Lucina helped saddle up the creature, hoping it wouldn't be too dissimilar from saddling a horse. Thankfully it wasn't too different, and thankfully Corrin was there to help wherever Luci had made a mistake.
Lucina followed her friend to the enormous doors that lead outside. Corrin suddenly handed Luci the reins and asked her to get Summer some water while she left to change out of her current outfit.
After she had brought her water and some food, summer didn't protest her presence.
Corrin returned dressed in something not unlike her usual outfit. While she wasn't in a dress anymore, Lucina wasn't sure if the thigh-high boots made up for the lack of actual trousers. In truth, her top was much the same, although it was distracting.
Lucina shook her head and noticed that her friend now had her hair pinned up. "Do you always tie it up like that?"
"Well, not exactly, but" she seemed shy now.
"But?"
"I was hoping you'd like to come with us," she peeked back up at Lucina, "and I thought it would be easier for you to see if I had my hair up."
Then she realized what Corrin was going on about, "Oh, I'm not sure I've never been good with mounts."
"Then you'll ride along behind me, and I'll drive today" Corrin reached out and held Luci's hands in her own "oh, please say you'll come; it's truly lovely."
How could she say no to that face "well, find," the fear of getting off the ground slowly turning to a stone in her gut, "but know I've never been off the ground, so if I may tighten my grip."
"That's fine," Corrin giggled as she climbed into the saddle. "I like huge."
Lucina awkwardly climbed up after her. She was used to being the second rider. She wasn't concerned about anything that didn't involve falling off; Naga knows she always found a way to fall off Marth's horse.
When Summer spread her wings, Lucina held onto Corrin's waist. Then when Summer leaped upwards, Luci slammed her eyes shut and made good on her warning to Corrin.
However, after a few moments, a weightless feeling was not unlike when her father's horse would move into a gallop. Then and only then did she peek.
When she opened her eyes fully, she realized she was flush against Corrin's back, and there was a refreshing breeze of winds as Summer's wings made slight movements.
She turned her head and saw the majesty of Castle Ylisse from a whole new angle. It was then that she noticed the massive fleet of ships. "What are those?"
"That's my father's fleet," Corrin called out, reminding Lucina of the roaring winds. "that's how Summer and Rex-Rex got here."
"How did I miss this?"
She didn't really hear Corrin laugh as much as she could feel it. "We were inside, reading and having tea?"
"Right" she took her eyes off the fleet of flying ships and turned her attention back to Corrin.
Corrin seemed almost as if she was something right out of a dream. The way the light bounced off her hair and caught her eyes making every part of her glow. Outlined by the shimmering sky and fluffy clouds only enhanced this otherworldly appearance.
AN/ So, I've started a Tumblr blog solely for art about any and all my fics. This fic, in particular, has a few art pieces planned as an homage to the anime that inspired it. I'm even posting an image in honor of this chapter. It'll be something of a tribute to the anime that inspired me. I'll be posting it shortly after releasing this chapter so check it out if you want. It's under the same name, shadowrose_db.
~ S. Rosey (8/11/21)