Chapter Twenty-One: The Old Man
"I thought Ramel was hot... But this is ridiculous..." Fred says exhausted waving his fan. His skin peeling from the burns he has gained since he has arrived. He pulls a chunk off his face as he cringes at the sight. "My beautiful handsome face..."
"I don't miss this at all." Mali agreed as he took a good swallow of water. Tasting so hot it could be used to make tea.
Iymp the red dragon adapted to the heat with ease. Red draconium is synonymous with flame. Iymp lived the majority of his life inside the volcano. Heat means nothing to him.
Beau heavy breaths as he lets off steam on a regular basis. As dragons do not sweat they cool by releasing steam from special enlarged pores on their back. Beau struggling through the intense heat. His body is splotchy from heat blisters that have grown and burst. He has never felt anything like this. The north where he was born and raised is always freezing in winter and at best warm in the summer.
The disguised gold dragon gazes at Aaron. The boy was covered head to toe in desert gear. Only his mutated gold eyes can be seen clearly. He is perfectly fine as he walks on the side quite a width from everyone else.
Beau looks around the rest of the caravan. Surprised at how many dragons and people have decided to take the journey. Some who are wealthy have fancy caravans that are pulled by massive enslaved bull dragons. Others who are not wealthy like himself walk on foot... But he admits he does like being treated better than the humans. The orange dragons tend to be short-tempered to the humans, even the wealthy ones from the Black and Turquoise Empire.
Beau looks behind at the caravan's tail. Counting at least eighty others since yesterday, as some have passed on this journey already. Slaves, who are expendable. If their master chooses to punish their slaves by not feeding them. The result is collapse and left to die... The last is an old man whom his master named Rishina.
The old man made a mistake with her food order, Rishina roared loudly and deemed him to die. For he is too old to be of use. Not to be fed or given water which everyone else followed. Beau admits to himself it is hard to watch. He and his herd starved for the longest time until they had no choice but to migrate. He doesn't wish starvation on anyone.
Last night in the darkest of nights when everyone slept except the watchmen. Beau opens his eyes as he sees Aaron sneak away. Presuming that he was going to relieve himself. Instead, he sneaks over towards Rishina's caravan of wooden beauty. Elaborately carved with swans and various birds of high noble status. The old man sat nearby alone as the two guards at the caravan door noticed Aaron and used their spears to block the entrance.
Beau decided to try and sneak in closer. Murmuring to himself curious as to what Aaron is up to. He can barely hear Aaron speak Prisshek. The guards lower their spears and nod as Aaron heads straight to the old man. Looking up to the sky, nearby Aaron disturbs him. The two then walk a small distance from the camp alone, choosing to sit on a nearby dune.
Beau shuffles along as he is doing his best to be stealthy. But he admits it is not his strong suit. His heavyweight at each step made it difficult.
"Beau?" Aaron says as he finally notices the dragon. "Go back to sleep."
His tone almost sounded like an order. Beau chuffs as he takes a seat next to Aaron.
"Starza r bratifra zonite." The old man weakly says. He is frail... Skin and bones. Beau sees on closer inspection he would not last long on this journey.
Aaron smiles as he speaks to the old man in Prisshek. Beau understood none of it... Aaron then takes his attention off Beau and turns around to look up at the sky. Beau decides to stay and listen to the two talk. But he can only grasp that they were talking about the stars. The sky is clear and all the sparkling dots can spark the imagination.
The two had an in-depth conversation. Even joking and some laughs, of what Beau could tell. Aaron points up to the sky as he describes the stars. Aaron in courtesy even speaks normal tongue to Beau so he could understand some of it.
Aaron's attention was solely on the old man. Their conversations lasted for the rest of the night.
The sky seemed to lighten when Beau noticed the old man grab Aaron's hand. Tears fell down his wrinkled face.
Aaron turns to face the old man. "Beau please leave," Aaron asks with a stern voice.
Beau getting annoyed at this tone chuffs again. He had no idea what is happening. Why should he leave? He thought. Until he realises what Aaron is carrying.
A dagger...
Beau nods as he does not fully understand why Aaron is doing this. Kill an old man? But this was not the time to argue. Beau moves a distance away. But he can still see and just hear the two.
A few words and with quick movement, Aaron stabs the old man in the heart. As the sun began to rise for the new day. The old man collapses down to the sand lifeless. Aaron held his limp body lowering him gently.
Humans confuse him Beau admits. Survival of the fittest is important, the old man was to die from his failure to survive. As difficult as that may be... Aaron begins to dig a grave as Beau walks forward sighing. The dragon with his massive claws helps Aaron to dig up a shallow grave.
"Beau?" Mali asks as we return to the hot afternoon sun. "Something is on your mind."
Beau recounts the early morning events to Mali. To the dragons' relief, the tiny man can understand the dragon tongue.
"He did that, did he?" Mali says with a soft smile. But it had a hint of sadness. Ending the conversation as they journeyed forward quietly.
Aaron is walking forward calmly as if nothing had happened. Beau stares at him intently, only breaking the look when Aaron notices. Beau then gazes up to the sky, not a single cloud.
I dreamed of seeing Dominus Sahara... The city is ruled by dragons. What if it is nothing I hoped it would be? A peaceful place, where humans live under our claws and every whim. A price they must pay for treating dragon-kind terribly for so long. A dragon's dream and the perfect place and my haven.
As he thought those words his heart had a terrible sinking feeling. He no longer knew what to expect... Beau looks ahead as the caravan moves forward without any pause. A human slave collapses dead onto the sand as everyone including his master ignores him, lifeless to rot underneath the unforgiving sun.