“Why?” Camren asked.
“Why not?” Rud shrugged. “It’s as good of a direction as any.”
“Hold up,” Koll said. “What is the bravest thing you can think of?”
“Bravest?” Lenda tilted her head. “Going to Smoldering Slopes?”
“Alone!” Rud added.
“No. The Scarlet Peaks would be more impressive,” Camren argued.
“Just journeying to them is brave?” Koll asked skeptically.
“You could ask the king and queen for a quest,” Gilbar suggested.
“They only hand out quests to dragon riders and guards,” Rud said.
“You never know,” Gilbar protested. “Maybe no one else has ever asked them for a quest.”
"What kind of a quest would they give a ten-year-old, though?" Lenda asked.
“I doubt it would be anything special,” Koll admitted.
"Why do you want to do something brave, anyhow?" she asked.
Koll winced. He should’ve realized his friends would ask that.
“I just think it would be fun to prove how brave I am,” he said.
“Prove? To who?” Lenda asked.
He shrugged. “Myself?”
She laughed. “Koll, you’re pretty brave.”
“Is he?” Camren shook his head. “Everyone knows I’m the bravest of our group.”
“You?” Rud cracked up. “I don’t think so.”
“It’s not you, Rud,” Gilbar said.
Koll threw up his hands. “How about we not argue about who is brave? That’s not too much to ask, is it?”
Lenda nudged Koll. “She’s looking our way.”
He glanced over. Nicai was decidedly not looking toward them, probably because Lenda had caught her.
“Maybe she has an idea,” Rud said.
“You love her,” Koll grumbled.
Rud rolled his eyes. "Why do you say that? Because I admire her for having a dragon and being trained for years already? You can't tell me you don't admire her too."
Koll heaved a sigh and crossed over to Nicai. “Do you want something?”
She smirked. “I can’t help it if you and your friends are so loud that the dragons flying high above our heads can hear them.”
“You admit to eavesdropping.”
“We’re in a public space. You all are talking loudly. I couldn’t not hear you all if I tried.” She blinked her large eyes. “I will say this much. You can’t just go out and do one act and be brave. Being brave isn’t something that you just do. Bravery is something that you are. Well, either you are brave, or you aren’t.”
Koll eyed her dragon. “Why do you put up with her? She seems to be a bit of a stick in the mud.”
“I am not!” Nicai protested.
“She’s a friend,” the dragon said. “She listens, and she talks to me. Nicai knows that we’re equals. We’re partners. She rides me because I let her. She doesn’t control me, and I don’t control her. It’s a balance.”
“And she’s worthy to ride you because…” Koll prompted.
“Why are you asking?” Nicai cut in. “Murro, let’s go.”
“Is it because you found a dragon?” Murro asked. “Which one?”
“Murro, now isn’t the time to stand around and talk—”
“You know I like to talk,” her dragon said. He blinked his colorful eyes at Koll, all yellow and orange with a little red. “Which one?”
“Ivna.”
"I don't know her all that well," Murro said. "Why are you asking about how to prove how brave you are? Did she ask you?"
Koll nodded.
“I can’t help with that.”
“I like you,” Koll said.
Nicai rolled her eyes. “Can we go fly now?”
Murro grinned. It was a curious but fun sight to see a dragon smile. “Yes, we can fly. If you’re to be her rider, she’ll accept you. If not… maybe another dragon will see your efforts and take you on.”
“Out of pity,” Nicai muttered as she climbed onto Murro’s neck.
“You don’t have to be like that,” Murro said. “I don’t know much about Ivna, but I do know I fly faster than she does.”
“Do you now?” Nicai grinned, and Koll had to admit that she looked pretty when she smiled. “How about you prove it?”
Murro eyed Koll. “Can you back away some?”
Koll complied.
“Thanks. How about I prove it? Do you really doubt me? You should know better than that.”
“Then prove it.” Nicai crossed her arms.
Murro took off. Nicai shrieked and scrambled to find something, probably reins. Up, up, up they went, and then they were off.
It wasn’t right or fair, but Koll almost hated Nicai. Maybe hate was too strong of a word. He was definitely jealous of her. He couldn’t deny that.
“What did she want?” Rud asked, coming over to Koll.
“To offer words of wisdom that weren’t all that wise,” he grumbled.
Lenda gave him a look that said I told you so.
Koll shrugged. “Brave and worthy. That’s what I want to do, something to prove I’m both.”
Lenda opened her mouth.
“To prove to any dragon who might be watching,” he said to silence her.
Lenda nodded. “You’re being proactive for once.”
“Must you always insult me?” he grumbled.
“I insult you all, and you all insult each other. It’s kind of our thing.”
She had a point. No one ever meant the insults. It was just a way to show how much they cared, as backward as that might appear to others.
“You could try to kill an argali for your supper,” Gilbar said.
“What’s so brave about that?” Camren asked.
“If one headbutts you, you’re as good as dead,” Gilbar said. “They’re incredibly fast.”
“Do people even eat argali?” Koll asked.
“Yes. Not often, though, because people are too afraid to kill them.” Gilbar licked his lips. “I had some argali meat once. Delicious! There’s nothing quite like it. A bit tangy but soft and tender.”
“Hmm.” Koll rubbed his chin. “What do dragons eat?”
“Whatever they want,” Lenda said dryly.
“That’s an ignorant, unhelpful answer,” Rud said.
“Then you can answer his question,” Lenda said with a scowl.
Rud said nothing.
“Oh, you can’t because you don’t know the specifics,” she said haughtily.
“Do you know the answer?” Rud countered.
“They probably do eat argali and cows and horses and anything they can get their claws on. They can grow to be massive. They have to eat a lot.” Lenda shrugged. “It’s not as if I’ve talked to a dragon to ask what they eat.” She glanced at Koll. “They also wouldn’t need help catching their own dinner.”
He definitely didn’t want to risk insulting Ivna. If he provided her with meat, she might take it to mean that he thought she was incapable of providing for herself.
“You could pick a dragon’s teeth clean,” Rud said. “That has to be a dangerous exercise between their sharp teeth and your needing to trust that they won’t chomp up into bits.”
“No thank you,” Koll said dryly. “I don’t think that’s brave.”
“Maybe not so much brave, but it could help a dragon. They might get food lodged between their teeth.”
“Do you hear yourself?” Gilbar asked.
“Your dad really just talked to the dragon?” Koll asked Camren.
His friend shrugged. “That’s what he claims.”
“So they became friends,” Koll murmured.
“I would think so. I mean, they’re still close now. They talk all the time. Chard is basically another member of the family.”
Koll nodded slowly. He did want to befriend Ivna, but that wouldn’t be enough. Brave and worthy. Brave and worthy…
Nothing his friends had suggested would work, but an idea
was slowly coming to Koll. It would be dangerous. It would take some time, and it would involve a journey, but it just might work.
The chances of his parents agreeing to his plan were slim. No, it was nonexistent, but Koll knew he had to do this. Maybe his parents would understand.
Chapter 4
The next morning, Koll picked at his breakfast.
“What’s wrong, son?” his dad asked.
“Are you feeling ill?” his mom asked.
“I’m fine,” Koll grumbled.
“You sound upset.”
“I made a promise to you both,” he said slowly, “and I don’t want to break it.”
“Which promise?” His dad rubbed his chin before running his hand through his blond hair. Koll’s hair was much the same, both in style—cut short—and hue.
“I promised I wouldn’t sneak off,” Koll said.
“But you want to,” his mom guessed.
“It’s not so much that I want to sneak off,” Koll said. “I just don’t think you would like where I need to go.”
“Need to go?”
“If I’m to convince Ivna that I am good enough to be her dragon rider, I need to go on a quest for her,” he said.
Which was essentially the truth.
“Why would you consider sneaking off for this quest?” his mom asked.
“It won’t be a short quest,” Koll said. “I’ll be gone for a long time.”
“How long?” his dad asked in a tone that Koll couldn’t read.
“I’m not sure how long,” Koll said honestly. “Three weeks? Four?”
“That long?” His mom gaped, her hand flying to her chest. “Oh, Koll, I don’t know…”
“This is all I’ve ever wanted,” Koll said earnestly. He gripped the table. His knuckles turned white. “I would like your permission to go.”
His dad leaned back in his seat. “You would go without our permission if you can’t gain it, isn’t that right?”
Koll hung his head but said nothing.
“Just where are you going?” his mom asked. “Would you be going alone? Would at least Ivna be with you?”
“I can’t give you all of the details,” Koll said miserably. He didn’t wish to lie to them, but he also couldn’t be certain that his plan would be enough, so anything he might tell them might not be the full story anyhow. “I don’t know everything quite yet.”
“Oh, I don’t know about this,” his mom said. She never sounded this worried before.
“Mirriam, we can’t hold him back.”
“But, Byran…”
“You and I both know that Koll is destined for greatness.”
Koll winced. Surely all parents thought that about their children.
“He has his dream. It’s an amazing one, so who are we to stand in his way?”
“But he could be gone for a month! What if something should happen? What if he doesn’t return?” His mom covered her face with her hands.
Koll stood, rushed to her side, and draped an arm around her shoulders. “What if I promise I’ll return?”
“You should not make promises you can’t keep,” his mom said.
“But I have every intention of returning,” he protested.
“Intentions are not good enough in this instance, not when it is your life on the line.”
“Mirriam…”
Koll’s mom closed her eyes for a long moment. When she opened them again, tears shone. “I am glad you told us. If you had just left for that long without alerting us…”
“I wouldn’t have done that even if I hadn’t made that promise to you,” Koll said.
“What about the time you and your friends became lost during a blizzard and had to stay in a cave for a week?” his dad asked.
“Or the time that you and your friends decided you wished to live by the river and did not return home for five days?” his mom added.
“And the time—”
“Yes, yes, I suppose that there have been a few times when I may have been gone longer than intended with no notice, but…” Koll swallowed hard.
“You will be safe?” his mom asked.
“As safe as I can be,” he assured her.
"I suppose a horse will help to shorten your journey," his dad said slowly.
His mom laughed and shook her head. “We have another surprise for you. Most dragon riders also ride horses, so…”
“You bought me a horse?” Koll exclaimed.
“That we did,” his dad answered. Eddrick does not work later on in the day, so we could not get your horse yesterday as you went off with your friends, but if you come with me now—”
“Yes, please!” Koll rushed to hug his parents. He could hardly believe his good fortune, and he wished he hadn’t lied to his mom. Where Koll planned on going was both far away and potentially dangerous. It was the potentially that made him feel a little less guilty about his promise to be as safe as he could be.
All three of them went to see Eddrick, the horse master in these parts. Koll couldn’t hear a word the older man said as he pet the horse’s snout and whispered, “You’re a good boy, aren’t you?”
Eddrick roared with laughter, his hands on his protruding stomach. “That he is, boy, but he be mine! Yours is in the stall yet. Follow me.
Too excited to be embarrassed, Koll nipped at the man’s heels. His horse was a deep, rich brown color, and Koll did just as he had the first, petting and whispering to the gentle beast.
“He will treat you well enough so long as you treat him well,” Eddrick said. “Horses be loyal beasts and fine companions. You’ll be stabling him with me, aye?”
“Yes,” Koll’s dad said.
“Can I go riding?” Koll asked eagerly.
“I think… I would prefer that we pack and you be off so you can return as quickly as you are able,” his mom said.
After a little more talking and coins handed over, the Hawks departed and set for home. Koll set about gathering clothes while his parents collected fruits, dried meat, and bread for him to take on his journey.
His mom held him close. "Stay safe. Do not talk to strange men. If you find yourself in need, seek out a woman with a child or children. She'll be a good soul, of that I have no doubt."
“Ah, yes, because men are nothing more than cutthroats and thieves,” his dad said, rolling his eyes.
“No man or woman is entirely good and kind every moment of every day,” his mom countered, “but you cannot deny that a woman with a child—”
"Will seek to provide for her child or children above someone else's."
"You will be surprised by what a mother will do," his mom said softly. "We all raise the children."
“I do think that guards might be fine to talk to,” Koll ventured.
The smile that slowly grew on his mom’s face made Koll grin. “I suppose that may be true,” she teased before tousling his hair.
“Do not ride your horse too hard or too fast,” his dad cautioned, “but do try to return as quickly as you are able. Elsewise, your mother will become sick with worry.”
“I will do what I can.”
Koll swallowed hard as his dad helped to secure the bags onto Koll’s horse.
“Before you go,” his dad said as Koll scrambled to sit on his horse, “you must name him.”
“But Eddrick already named the horse,” Koll protested.
“You can rename him,” his mom urged.
Koll only had to think a moment. “Promise.”
His horse neighed and flicked his hair to the other side of his long neck.
His mom laughed. “I think he approves.”
Koll leaned down and kissed her forehead and nodded to his dad. Without another word, Koll rode away on his horse.
His destination was far more dangerous than merely venturing to one of the mountain ranges within Burning Havens. In fact, Koll planned on leaving the kingdom entirely. It would not be an easy journey, but he would manage.
Koll wasn’t even certain
how or when he had first heard about the dark, abandoned land known as Keptra. He did not know what he would find there, but anything he could bring back as proof would surely demonstrate just how brave he was. Without a doubt, it should be enough for Ivna to consider Koll worthy, or so he fervently hoped.
Northward, ever northward Koll traveled. The first several nights, he rested out under the stars. Those moonlit hours, he had not slept much at all, far too eager and excited. It was not nerves at all. Not even a little bit, although he might have jumped once or twice when there had been rustling in the nearby underbrush and then laughed at himself when a hare would reveal himself.
Those first few days, Koll ate perhaps a bit more than he should have. When a town came into view, he decided to head there in case he might be able to find some supplies. Chances of that were slim, however, as he had no coins to offer. He would have to provide work or other compensation for whatever he desired.
The sign heralding the town’s name was Silverwatch. Koll’s horse trotted along beside him, and he frowned as he urged Promise to halt.
A boy, dirty from playing perhaps, ran up to Koll. “You have a nice horse,” he said.
“Thank you.” Koll glanced around. “Do you have a guard here?”
“No. We don’t need one. Silverwatch is peaceful if a bit dull and boring.” The boy rolled his eyes. He was maybe Rud’s age, perhaps a year younger.
Koll grimaced. “Ah, okay. Thank you.”
“Why?” the boy asked. “Are you in trouble? Do you need a guard?”
“I’m all right,” Koll assured him.
“Oh.”
Why did the boy sound disappointed?
He probably wishes for a bit of excitement.
“Perhaps you can tell me your name,” Koll said.
For hours, Koll played with Russal and his friends. As fun as that was, it also made Koll miss his friends and his life back home. Only the allure of finally becoming a dragon rider pushed him forward. He did not accept Russal’s invitation for Koll to spend the night in his house. Instead, Koll continued onward for an hour or so past sunset.
Soon enough, he came to Bronze Villa. The Scarlet Peaks loomed closer each and every day, but once again, Koll stopped at the town. This time, two guards stood by the entrance. They were talking and laughing as Koll approached.
“How are you both?” Koll asked.
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