Chapter 15
Just like in the books, Saphira's Chosen Hideaway was a cliff overlooking the city and the sea, and I certainly wasn't one to complain. We could easily see over the wall and at the happenings within the city and also had a sweeping view of the sea. Before we split with our human companions we had them unstrap her saddle and my saddle bags from us which we now deposited on that cliff. I have to say, having straps of leather constantly rubbing for months could start chafing even scales, especially in certain areas… even if all the equipment is hidden now. Both her and I were lying stretched out now, basking in the sun while we followed our friends' path down the main thoroughfare and listened to the crashing of waves and the call of gulls. It seemed funny to me.. here was a world completely different from mine and yet had many of the fauna and flora of home. Even some of the ships. There was one at dock that looked like someone slapped sails onto a modern tanker and stripped the pipes, cranes, and other deck clutter from them and gave it row ports just above the sea-line. Before the humans could get too far, I privately contacted Eragon.
"Eragon, If you meet a herbalist named Angela and you are alone, could you ask her if she knew someone named Furu, and if she does and asks where you heard the name, tell her the one he invited would like to meet her." His confusion was palpable over the mental link enough for Saphira to pick up on it and I told them all was alright.
"Are you sure about this fledgling? Why do you risk seeking this woman out?"
I really wasn't sure of my reason, but I knew she was trustworthy. All I wanted is to see if the fan theories were right and she was in fact at least partially of grey folk blood.
"Yea teach, Angela is more than she seems, and possibly even with the king when it comes to magical might. She's lived a ridiculously long time and I think she is partly grey folk like Furu even though you said he was full blood. There's too much evidence to ignore. And if she is, maybe she can help me better control that part of me."
I felt her skeptical acceptance and trust before going into that sleep-like state of hers, leaving me alone with Saphira and a peaceful silence. That silence lasted for a good while and I decided to make another golem to remove and plug my MP3 and speaker to the solar charger. Thankfully the requirements of this one took mercy on me, only taking the topmost scales from my tailtip. Saphira watched me create and move it, only speaking up after its time was up and it crumbled into dust. A shudder went through me as the bare patch touched the cool stone.
"How did you do that and can you make more? Or is one all you can? Can you make them bigger and live longer?"
I chuckled at her curiosity and shook my head and pointed a talon at the now pile of dirt.
"It is something I can just do. For some reason I have Terran magic here. And yes I can make more, live longer and bigger. There are limits. I can make only one controllable golem and to make it controllable I need to give up something of myself."
I shifted my tail around to bring the tip in front of her eyes, showing the patch of hide exposed in the new gap of my scales.
"A controlled golem's lifespan is equivalent to how much stress my mind can handle, I have to control it and my body. However I can also make up to six 'self moving' golems from the size of your rider to half my own size. Those I have to give their orders as I'm creating them, and to change the orders, I must dismiss them then recreate them. These 'smart' golems draw their lifespans from the natural energy in the land and will last as long as there is energy around them. Now the type also matters. Normal stone like you saw would cost hardly nothing but the more durable the materials, the more demanding. The strongest I made.. Were three dragon golems made from obsidian. Just those three turned a lush meadow into a sterile, dead clearing after an hour."
I let her think over my worlds as I watched a ship leave the harbor and turn south.
"Why did you use the controlling one instead of a smart one to do what you did?"
I chuckled as I turned to look at her once more.
"Simple, because of restraint."
I grinned to myself at her confusion so I decided to demonstrate. First I focused on a smart one, giving an order to pick up a rock of my choosing then I created another controllable golem. Wincing as the underside of my left front index claw suddenly became aware how hot the stone I was laying on was.
Mindful of the time limit, I had it pick up a rock first and show it to her, sitting it before the first golem. However when my smart one tried picking it up, the rock instantly got crushed into powder. The result was so sudden that she flinched. Having fulfilled its 'order' the smart golem turned to dust followed shortly after by my controllable as its time ran out.
"As you can see, I can restrain how much strength my controllable ones use while my smart ones can only use their full strength. And my things are very very much breakable"
I watched her sniff the piles and shook her head.
"The weak one carries your scent, from your scales? Can you do other things?"
I grinned and nodded.
"Correct, and yes I can do a few more things but I cannot show you now. They are meant for important needs and take a high toll on me."
She took that denial well, shuffling over to lay next to then lean against my left side. I gave her a confused frown and she responded with an innocent smile. I just blew smoke at her and looked back out at sea. Not noticing her eyes widening or her inhaling the smoke. I did notice and chose to ignore the smugness from Fiori though, I had no idea what got into her.
We were watching the sunset when we heard Eragon's Query and I left it to Saphira to answer him.
The foolish boy, he declines his dragon's offer for a quick way up to climb? I merely shook my head and followed his way up, sharing Saphira's amusement at his poorly chosen path. I stifled a laugh when I heard her teasing then watched as she took a running leap and dive to recover her stranded rider. Once his feet were on the cliff, I excused myself to give them both some privacy by leaping off myself and flying along the beach northward. I never got to visit a beach back in my world, but I doubt any looked as peaceful, clean, or so clear as this one did. I was probably halfway between Narda and Teirm, if I remembered the map in the book right, when I came across a cove tucked away. A waterfall of what had to be melting mountain water falling from a high cliff and into the sea. For a few moments I circled the little sanctuary and decided this would be perfect to bring a certain Dragoness to tomorrow, for now, I wheeled around and headed back. By the time I alighted on the cliff, the sun was out, Eragon was gone, and Saphira was lounging on the edge, gazing skyward. Ever since that one night, She had taken what I said to heart and kept looking at the stars, trying to spot the change. And everytime I caught a glimpse of her eyes, I tried not to get lost in them. Upon the heavy thud of my landing she turned, nothing but calm, happy emotions flowed from her. It was a far cry from her resentment earlier about her rider being separated from her again.
"Welcome back, Did you enjoy your flight?You were gone for a while."
I chuckled, furling in my wings before joining her in stargazing.
"Indeed, I found a place where we could have fun tomorrow, we'll have to fly early though. How was your time with Eragon?"
She grumbled and laid her head down.
"Frustrating, He told me we'd have to stay here awhile. They want to find out where those monsters are hiding so we could face them when we're stronger. He also told me to tell you he met someone named Angela and that you wanted to know. He didn't get to talk to her yet but he thought she was crazy."
I snorted at that and grinned.
"Possibly, but also someone we can trust."
She just grumbled, her eyes returning to dance from one star to another and they were doing the same in her eyes. I let a quiet fall upon us as we watched the distant lights, but seemed the dragoness had more questions.
"What does 'Extraterrestrial' mean?"
My head snapped to her, eyes wide.
"What? Where'd you hear that word?"
Her face gained a sheepish expression as she looked everywhere but me.
"W-Well… Eragon saw your thing and even when I warned him not to touch he did it anyway. He touched it a few times and it started to play music.. At least I think it was. The girl in it was singing about it."
I groaned and covered my head with my paws. I should have packed it away, but instead I left it out for things to charge. No doubt, I have to explain it now to our humans.
" Well, 'Extraterrestrial' loosely means, 'Not from this world' like they came from another world." I started to chuckle.
"You could call me one I guess. I'm not from here, My world Is far different and distant."
She shuffled and, as she tended to do lately, leaned against my much larger side.
"Ooh, well that doesn't matter to me, I like you no matter where you come from."
I grinned down at her. "Thanks Saph."
She did her own draconic laugh.
"Again with that name, it's silly."
I just shrugged my wings, or I gave it a try.
"Where I come from, close friends usually refer to each other with nicknames. Some are used with love and others with spite. I had hoped I could give you one after getting to know each other."
She gave me a strange look then turned her head away, her forepaws kneading the loose dirt we rested on.
" I… I wouldn't oppose it. I-it sounds nice and… I like it, Wrath."
I grinned when she called me that. It was a sure sign we moved from acquaintances to true friends. That night I entered the dreamland for the first time since the night I had held the dragoness like a teddy bear. So at peace was I, that the faces of those I've killed didn't haunt me.
We both woke before the rising sun peeked over the spine and I led her to the cove I found the day before.
The sun had risen by the time we'd arrived and had begun to warm the seawater. Just like me, This was her first time on a beach and it showed in how she looked avidly at everything. After we touched down in the fine sands by the falls, her head was swiveling all over the place and I had to suppress my laughter. What proved to be more entertaining, was when she tried to walk or rather, wade through the sand. Said wading devolving to hops that sent a spray of sand all over every time she came down. This hatchling-like playfulness reminded me of the time she'd played in the snow when she was practicing her hunting. That reminiscing cost me, for I was suddenly aware of a serious lack of blue dragonesses. Quickly I got up and started to walk in the general area I had last seen her. There was the pawprints and the sandy craters she made but no sign of her. That is, until the sand erupted in front of me revealing her as she pounced. By that time she had startled me onto my rear legs and so with my balance off, it was no surprise when she managed to tackle me onto my back with her pinning me down. I blinked up at her toothy grin, stunned.
"Ha! Finally got you! Now, you're it!"
With a wiggle of her whole body and a lick to my muzzle she leapt over me and dived into the cove.
I just laid there blinking up at the clouds drifting lazily. I couldn't believe I fell for that trick. I rolled over and narrowed my eyes to where she was trending the water.
"Ooh, so it's going to be like that is it?"
Her response was a grinning nod and a splash in my direction before diving for a deeper area. With a grin I removed the bag from my neck, and with a large leap, Dived in after. From there we weaved, darted, rolled and danced with one another under the waves in our game of tag. Often it was me who was it though, not that I minded. Even with the spines along the top and underside of my tail being close enough to be used as a paddle I was woefully outmatched by the dragoness a tail length in front of me. She was just as graceful in the water as she was in the air, twirling up then arching back, diving back down even as her body was still trailing up. She'd come arrowing towards me then suddenly go in a complete direction, constantly taunting me to try catch her. And the rare times I did, she'd give me nuzzles, nips or a light shove or whack of her tail to 'tag' me back. All and all, It felt great to simply have fun. We finally dragged ourselves back to land by midday to walk side by side along the shore, often stopping to admire a seashell or watch the various crabs scuttle about. Many just like those from my world which I named for her. When we happened upon a tidepool, I pointed out the fish and sea creatures within, she found it funny when an octopus grabbed a hold of my snout. Not so much when I flicked it onto her head.
That octy had one heck of a ride.
Before we headed back to the cliff, we returned to the cove and caught fish for dinner. With a few dozen settled nicely in our stomachs, we took wing. By the time we alighted, the sun was a few hours away from setting and Eragon was standing there with a very smug smirk on his face.
"Well, Well, how was the date? I'm glad you had the decency of bringing her home before nightfall Wrathion."
Saphira and I looked at each other and after reaching an agreement, I exhale a thin stream of flame from my nostrils at his feet. That in turn made him scramble backwards and tripping over Saphira's tail where she then pinned him with a paw.
"You still talk before you think, little one."
SAPHIRA
She groaned as wakefulness slowly returned to her. Whatever bad water she drank she'd need to avoid later, It made her dream a deceased Garrow was protecting his killer from her. Oh how her head hurt, did she hit it on something in her slumber? She tried to rub her head with a paw when her nose twitched.
THE WOLF!
Glancing up she indeed saw the wolf sitting just out of her range but that didn't stop her from baring her teeth and growling mentally.
"YOU!"
She was happy when the giant wolf flinched. Still, it only lasted for a brief moment before turning to confusion. The wolf diverted its eyes from hers to her right. Taking the risk the wolf wasn't tricking her, she turned her head in the same direction, only to gasp.
She couldn't move, there on a stump was indeed Eragon's guardian.
"You… b-but we, he, the bones! The gore!"
The distraught dragoness didn't know who to look at, her head snapping between the man and the wolf. So shocked was she, she didn't register the man stopping his whittling, got to his feet, and closed the distance until she felt his warm and very much living hand on her nose. The contact snapped her out of her shock and she pressed her head against the man, tears of relief flowing from her eyes while her cries of anguish echoed in their heads.
"I.. I always imagined.. What it'd be like when Eragon finally introduced me to you and his cousin. T-then when we saw the farm, a-a-and the remains I was devastated and so ashamed.
Devastated because I had lost the chance and guilty because it was all my fault, Eragon had pleaded to me to save you but I was.. Afraid. I fled like a coward to save my own tail!"
The dragoness fell to her belly and covered her head with her paws as she cried. She ignore the bane of her grief for this human who approached her again and began to pet her neck.
"There, there, While I would've appreciated Eragon telling me much sooner, I can understand why. I know anything dragon Is sure to draw the king's attention, and you, my dear, are very much worth protecting."
She had moved a paw to peek at him when he finished, sniffing while she searched his eyes for sincerity.
He was being honest, she realized, and for the first time, she truly was glad she chose Eragon. Surely there couldn't be a more kind family than the one she was a part of now.
"H-How did you get away?"
He chuckled and gestured at the wolf.
"One of your kin was warned of them and staged my so-called death, tricked them right and proper. Though I do not think many can out-think a dragon, Ha!"
He patted her cheek and nodded at the wolf again. She frowned looking at it then back at Garrow.
"But, That's a wolf.. I'm the dragon."
She heard the wolf give a snort then began to laugh like she did sometimes when her rider did something silly, only it was deeper. That only confused her more. The man turned and gave the wolf a disapproving stare.
"Come now, didn't your Dam ever teach you not to be rude to such charming Dragonesses?"
The… wolf? Laughed again and once more shock became prevalent in her mind upon hearing his voice. Yes, she thought, Very much male. The deep, brassy baritone flowed smoothly through her mind and her body instinctively shuddered right down to her core.
"Indeed, that she did, and I do apologize for the deceit."
She watched as the wolf got to his feet and shook himself. It was like the world slowed down as the wolf faded away revealing a larger, very muscular, and extremely intimidating drake. She couldn't take her eyes off of him as he spread his massive wings.
"I-I'm not alone?"
She jolted when he shook his head and replied, did she accidentally think that out loud?!
"Nay, You are not."
Her mind finally registering that another dragon, a male, was standing right in front of her, made her truly look him over. Everything about him from those wicked forward facing horns to the two longer than normal fangs. She knew anything he would grab in his jaws had no hope of escaping. Then there were the strange markings on his scales. This drake just radiated power and strength. By the time her eyes met his and she struggled not to let herself fall too deep in the hypnotic gaze, she knew without a doubt.
This dragon would be the perfect mate.
AN: Phew, this one made me sweat. I tried to get our dragons to have a moment, a day of fun while also having a slight touch of romance in it without them consciously knowing about it (in our drake's view at least.)
My biggest hurdle is to come… writing Angela.
That said, if you have ANY suggestions, please, please private message me. I didn't really think how much trouble I'd have when I started and I refuse to quit now.
Also, there some Pics of Wrathion on Deviantart, I tried my best at describing him to you buut I just feel I let ya'll down. The pics aren't 100% right, but I did the best I could with what was available CHECK ON PROFILE