The journey wasn’t very long as Nerr soon saw two figures off in the distance traveling side-by-side. They were awfully far off but Nerr never relented in his pursuit and bounded onward, determined to catch up and be back in the company of his protector.
Beyond them Nerr could spy a great gathering of constructions and walls. The trees and forest started to become less wild and more tame as branches soon thinned to great long rods of sticks, jutting out from thick trunks to suddenly thin limbs. The brush also disappeared like the land had been poisoned to selectively kill them.
It easily reminded him of the previous village whose forest was the same way, but Nerr couldn’t quite draw the conclusion that the forest had been tended to by the people to suit their needs. He was just a baby dragon after all.
“So, it seems we’ve made it,” Amyth stated as he followed Venneith to a standstill in the middle of the road. The village was just up ahead with no wall to guard the small wooden, thatched buildings and houses that lay all about. Animals and livestock roamed the pens, fenced in by the branches of the tended forest. Beyond that lay the land that had been repaired for farming, cared for by the children, housewives and elder men released from the ranks of Carthol to finally return home. Beyond that were the townspeople, who roamed about, seeming ready to welcome anyone who would enter where therein dwelled a scarce amount of soldiers and infantrymen.
Looking to Venneith in an attempt to figure what the knight might be thinking, all Amyth could see was the same eerie facade that wrote itself upon the knight’s darkened visor. As always the knight seemed unfazed, unafraid and inhumanly composed, not letting onto the fact that he was at all tired, hungry or even thirsty, if he even was so.
“What are we to do now, Venneith?” Amyth asked, after having idled in the roadway for a long and drawn out moment while the knight watched the village from his mount.
It seemed the Knight wouldn’t answer as he gave no notice to the Narrovinnian’s question until a sigh escaped his visor, leading Venneith to say, “The dragon hasn’t come yet, no?”
Amyth looked around him as if he’d somehow overlooked the dragon’s presence entirely.
“No, he hasn’t,” Amyth finally said.
“Then it seems we will wait.”
Venneith was about to pull Astregra off to the side when Amyth suddenly called, “Oh, there the dragon is! He’s bounding up the road.”
Venneith paused. “Bounding?” The Dark Armored Knight muttered before stating with surety, “the thing has wings.” Curiously he glanced behind him only to spy the very creature he had left behind, indeed bounding up the dirt path towards them. The dragon let out a reluctant bark which only succeeded in startling Astregra, causing her to shuffle away with distrust. “Oh, don’t be a dame now,” Venneith coldly jested only to receive a harsh buck of her head as if she understood his very words. “Calm yourself,” Venneith assured the horse one last time before dismounting and kneeling down to the baby dragon.
Before the knight could react, Nerr, overwhelmed with excitement, leaped at the knight only to lock onto his gauntlets with his teeth and gnaw away. A few tired grunts escaped the baby dragon as he got a taste for the charred, horrible-tasting armor, and soon released the knight whose helme gazed down upon him. He looked up to the Venneith, a bit of glee showing in the dragon’s eye as he prepared his tribute. The knight would be proud no doubt, and it would only strengthen the relationship between protector and dragon.
Watching, Venneith gazed in curiousness as Nerr firstly haunched over and began producing a strange noise. The dragon heaved and huffed and for a moment the knight simply thought the dragon had grown winded from the long run, but after another moment more the nature of the matter was made immediately clear. The dragon was vomiting, but not out of sickness or exhaustion. It was voluntarily regurgitating something. Food perhaps, but no. Instead the tribute that was to be offered up.
A few heaves more and from the dragon’s maw spilled a mixture of filthy bile, deposited at the feet of Venneith. It was utterly disgusting but as he and Amyth gazed down at the dragon who now sat there with the bile presented before them, they both noticed a bit of a gleam, a shine if you will. With Nerr’s anxiousness projecting through his tail and jittering body, Venneith fingered through the bile and bits of digested meat and bones before finding the source of the shine.
“Is that…gold?” Amyth questioned from atop Benphol, who as a horse admired the dragon strangely.
“Gold coin more like,” Venneith affirmed as he took the offering between his fingers. Shifting through more, it wasn’t long until he discovered all six coins. Admiring the strange miracle, the knight questioned the dragon lowly saying, “where did you get these?”
Nerr, of course not understanding the question, clawed at the ground in excitement and pounded it repeatedly as he bounded left to right with great enthusiasm.
Amyth guessed it to be an interpretation and so he inferred saying, “He…dug them up, it seems.”
“A gold-sensing dragon,” the knight said aloud, before flicking a single golden coin towards Amyth. “How special of you, Nerr.”
As Amyth looked to the golden coin with great uncertainty as to whether or not he truly deserved such payment, Venneith stood up, taking Astregra by the reins, and began walking westward towards the town. Amyth soon came to accept the payment and follow suit, and as for Nerr…
Well, the tribute was accepted. It seemed the knight’s contract to protect the dragon was prolonged and Nerr might have need of that protection, for he faced something even newer and more alien up ahead that even he in his almightyness couldn’t have comprehended.
Proper civilisation.
Chapter five
With Astregra and Benphal locked safely away within a nearby stable rack, the knight made his way into town with Nerr packed and stowed safely within the snug confines of the leather pack. For the most part it was nice and snug, not to mention comfortable, but as the young, eager little dragon Nerr was he would’ve much rather prefer to freely roam around and explore grand even newer things. Already the dragon whined and mewled as he attempted to claw and struggle his way free. Yet his great unyielding struggle managed to only achieve freeing his head as it poked past the veil into the world above to look around freely. The rest of him, his shoulders and wings, were too wide to fit through, and as such he sat there, defeated and whining for the knight to yield to him. Through all this Nerr couldn’t help but sense Astregra laughably gloating in her own horsey way, watching with amusement as the dragon struggled and was carried away before both Venneith and Amyth escaped her sight and into the streets of the town.
Whatever, for as hard-headed as Nerr was, he couldn’t fight like this for forever. It was Venneith who put him in the pack in the first place and to object meant to deny his protection. Perhaps staying here wouldn’t be all bad. At least he’d get to see new things, discover new smells and observe the world around him, just from a distance while hardly being involved.
Firstly, as Nerr observed from the back, he found that people came in more varieties than metal and semi-metal made skin like Venneith and Amyth. Humans: They wore colors, and lots of them. Mostly brown though, but for a naive little beast like Nerr brown was just as wondrous and vibrant as any other color. Red was also numerous amongst their wares, as well as green and orange and blue. They often came together to create a sort of common look as they conversed amongst themselves, standing still and upright before a percussive sound rang out, startling the dragon before they marched off to some barred recess of the town. It almost compelled him to follow and as such Nerr tried again to break free and run loose.
Getting struck in the head by another one of Nerr’s fruitless attempts to struggle his way free, Amyth leaned forward further than usual before looking to Venneith and asking, “My knight, you said you brought us here for answers, but what exactly do you mean? What will answer the question? Who? What even is the question?”
“Simple,” Venneith
plainly responded, his visor giving off no sense of emotion as the knight kept his sights fixed, frame firm and step constant. “The dragon’s intentions are not known and what it will grow to be is a mystery. When I first found Nerr he was alone within the cave, we of course having slayed its mother, but when I laid eyes on it, the unmistakable truth was that of a savage beast. In that instant I saw what it would become. I knew its nature to be destructive but I hesitated to kill him off, for his path I first saw was one where he was without me.”
From one fleeting glance upon the knight anyone would come to infer that he was a man fiercely intent on accomplishing any goal he set for himself and that if anyone or anything were to come in his way, he wouldn’t hesitate to cut them down. Anyone who found themselves staring from the front found it wise to step aside, and with great haste as to not impede the knight on his path. To any man this was noble advice and a sentiment they followed religiously as they kept their heads down and gazed elsewhere.
That was until the knight would pass and they’d steal one more look before fixating their stares on the black little figure poking from the follower’s pack. They’d first see it as a lizard with sharp-looking teeth and wide open maw, where later these same people would talk amongst themselves and hear more and more of what others saw in the days and weeks to come. They’d know it to be a dragon, but more so a pet of the knight in reality.
Turning one final corner, Venneith soon continued in his informative talk. “Now, if the dragon’s nature remains unchanged, I may find myself slaying the dragon in the days to come. It may become wild, forget its true place; it may even try to kill me. That’s why I’ve sought out a seer to look into the dragon’s eyes and tell me of its future. One such seer exists here today, in a building I passed before I had arrived to join Elder Utch’s mercenary group to dispatch a dragon.”
While people were a thing to admire, Nerr rightfully found his gaze shifting from the upright, bipedal, fleshy beings to constructions and buildings alike. They started small first, a small yellow shack built from stick-things Nerr could only tell used to be a tree. Only it wasn’t coarse or rugged like the bark of trees, it was…organised and slim. It appeared haphazardly thrown together yet Nerr could observe it to be quite sturdy indeed.
Then, the further they ventured into town, the more Nerr noticed the buildings become more intricate. Their designs evolved, their patterns became clear as the buildings grew to be more solid and firm as they turned from wood to stone, whereas the roofs abandoned thatch in favor of wood. A lot of the walls became sectioned, leaving small gaps between one large portion of bricks, whereas a new pattern or design often emerged altogether.
Although the towering, yet simple architecture was very interesting and intriguing to the dragon, Nerr’s gaze was soon drawn to people, who stared back with curiosity greater than that of the dragon’s. Nerr would look back, going from one human to the next as each raised their sight from the ground to Nerr every time the knight seemed to pass. For now, being with limited mobility outside of rotating his own head, Nerr didn’t like being observed. It was like he was on display, helpless and entrapped, free for anyone to look upon and think little of. Nerr didn’t like that because he knew himself to be a mighty beast that slays treacherous birds and murderous foxes.
How dare they look down on him in his state of vulnerability? Perhaps if they had nothing to look at, yes, thought the dragon as he shifted himself lower before his head disappeared below the straps, out of the rude, intruding sight of commoners – however, not soon to be out of mind, for a knight with a beastly pet ought to be remembered for days and weeks to come. At the very least Nerr was comfortable, the only positive outlook the dragon could salvage from this current entrapment.
Here Nerr intended to sleep, or rest at least, with as much bouncing and jolting of the pack Amyth unintentionally gave. However, after having made his discretionary decision it wasn’t long before Nerr heard Venneith say, “Here we are.”
Looking up to gaze at the sign, Amyth noted the eye of Roughen finely carved into its wooden surface, the fine craftsmanship, according to Venneith, was a sure indication that this seer was legitimate.
Amyth watched as Venneith seemingly raised his fist intending to knock. However, he was rather surprised when the Knight simply barged in without an invitation. Lingering within the doorway Amyth watched with concern before the knight called out saying, “have we got a seer that can interpret our future?”
“Depends. Has a man have the decency to knock?” called a voice, not too long before either could begin to doubt the owner was absent.
“I’m a knight of Carthol,” Venneith asserted before any physical presence was seen. “Quartering such is a blessing and a privilege.”
From the pack, Nerr could smell something. Something rather savory, but he couldn’t quite tell yet. He’d need to get closer but he need not bother now. The pack still would’ve held him firmly within but that didn’t stop him from making an effort to escape once more.
As little dragonly cries of great exertion and struggle sounded from the threshold, a woman appeared from the side room carrying a steaming pot of what seemed to be her cooking. She was the first to speak as she entered the room, murmuring with great doubt and contempt, “Hmph, blessing…? Either way I’ll wave aside your great intrusion so long as you got the finances to afford my services.” Setting the vat down on the table, the woman looked up to the Burnt Armored Knight.
She seemed rather unimpressed judging by her laid-back demeanor, as she rested both hands on her hips and bit her lip in mild consideration, as if to say his armor wasn’t grand in the slightest. Like she’s seen knights regularly within this town and Venneith was rather average and unstandoutish, leaving her with nothing to be impressed by. She seemed rather young, despite the numerous strands of grey in her long, rather fair hair, which she kept in a neat bun on her head with two untamed locks flowing down her face.
“May I ask your name?”
“You’ll call me Kuri,” she more commanded than stated.
“And how much will your services be?” asked the knight as he reached for his coin purse attached to his waist while the dragon’s mewling and hushly snarling continued to emanate from Amyth as he struggled with the pack just beyond the door.
“Let me consider,” she murmured as she seemed to pensively mull over the price, a sure indication her services weren’t a flat expense. “You hadn’t scheduled at least a day in advance,” she first listed on one finger. “No consultation was made, neither blood sample submitted nor surname given, not to mention the seeming urgency of my services. With all that’s been considered I’d say, mhmm…” she took a brief moment to artificially consider the final expense as she leaned her head into the back of her palm. “Four gold standard,” she stated, with a bright look in her eye. “With that said, who will it be for?”
If it wasn’t for that visor concealing his face, Kuri was sure she would’ve seen the scowl bore into his face upon her illegitimate hidden expenses as his arm remained locked across his waist, ceasing to withdraw his purse.
“It…it will be for Nerr,” he then stated, as his arm softened and withdrew the bag. He nodded to Amyth, who was relieved when he finally was able to free himself of the straps of the pack the dragon ceaselessly wrestled in.
Taking the pack in his hands, Venneith loosened the strap before holding it upside down over the smooth wooden surface. Instantly the dragon was dispensed onto the table, landing on his back before quickly rolling himself over with a few distasteful and highly dissatisfied growls. Scratching his chest, Nerr’s attention soon turned to the air as the scent of food became even stronger, compelling him sniff intently to locate the nearby source. That was until his gaze fell upon the woman who seemed much too close for comfort, at the time making Nerr rather uneasy and defensive for he knew not this stranger or why she approached so near to him without his consent.
“You’ve brought me a dragon?” Kuri asked as she curiousl
y took hold of the dragon’s arm and claws, fascinating herself with the physiology. “My, this is a really fine beast you got. He’s so young,” she said, as she took a gentle hold and outstretched one of Nerr’s delicate, thin wings. “Mhmm, no feathers or fur, only scales.” She then took him by the head, letting her fingers explore the rough contours of Nerr’s skull. “His horns haven’t quite grown in, but judging by the feel of it, he’ll be adorned with many.” As the dragon struggled in her grip in an effort to break free, she then took her fingers and pried open his mouth, gazing down at the numerous teeth. “Fascinating,” was all she could say as she studied his great maw that housed many tiny, intensely sharp-looking teeth.
By this time Nerr had lost his patience. He didn’t like being stared at and he most definitely didn’t like being handled in such a way. He raised his arm, taking the woman by the wrist in a bold attempt to push her away. His jaw snapped closed only after she had let go in sudden surprise. Gazing at her hands, Nerr would be sure to put her in a state where she would handle him no more. His teeth were bared and his eyes narrowed as a growl began to stir within his throat as the dragon dared to do an unthinkable act that would render the woman rather injured and very bloody indeed.
“No! Naughty!” Kuri cried as she knocked Nerr on the top of his head with her index knuckle, causing the dragon to produce a startled cry of minor pain before slinking away to Venneith, sure to never attempt such a thing again. She then gave the dragon a lingering glare that surely struck fear into little Nerr, washing away any intent to do evil.
Satisfied with Nerr’s submissiveness, the seer acquired a ladle, took the vat in one hand and began stirring ever so easily. “So, I’m assuming it’s the dragon’s future you want me to read then, yes?” Glancing up from her cooking, her stare lingered just long enough to catch the knight nod. “I could’ve guessed it’d be the future of the dragon. I see you’re a knight who takes solace in security and surety. I also suspect you’ll perhaps slay the dragon now if its future is not favorable. It’s as if you expect it to go wild and rampage about in its later years, yes?”
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