Blood Dragon

the river

I felt everything get tenser the closer to the Silent Brook road we got. I rode silently my thoughts inward while Princess Beatrice rode next to me unnaturally quiet for her. Everyone was silent as we traveled as if to make noise would bring down the wrath of our enemy. So when Princess Beatrice finally spoke i nearly fell of Grendall.

“My father is hiding something” She said as she narrowed her eyes at where her father rode.

“Why would you say that?” I asked nervously as I tried to rebalanced myself.

“He is and so are you.” She turned those green eyes to me and I quickly turned away.

“I’m just trying to figure out what is wrong with me.” I answered lamely as I stared down at Grendalls gray mane.

She gave me a hurt look before she kicked her heels into her horse leaving me behind feeling miserable. Not long after that Silent Brook road came into view and my stomach gave a cruel twist as the King slowed his horse.

“This is where we will split.” The King said as he turned his horse to face his astonished family.

“Calbin and Alia are going on a special trip to Ilium to advise my brother what has happened and to find a clue in how to stop the blood dragon.” Several voices cried out some I was sure would try to get me stay with them and others that surprised me.

Prince Lucian pushed his horse forward til he was in front of the King.

“You can’t let her go by herself” He didn’t sound like the conceited Prince he usually did but as if he was truly concerned about my well being.

“She will not be alone Calbin will be there and Kyro with several highly trained guards.”

“I should go also” The Prince said as he stared his father square in the eye.

At first I thought the King would be angry since he wasn’t one for people questioning him but instead he smiled a look of pride as he looked at his youngest son.

“While I appreciate the sentiment for the fair Duchess of Raventhorns safety I have need of you by me in Tharin.” The King answered.

Prince lucian looked as if he had something else to say but thought better of it and gave his father a small bow as he backed his horse up.

“Father it can’t be safe for her to be so far from us” Princess Beatrice cried.

“She will be fine.” The King said again as he looked over at Kyro giving him a nod.

Kyro said some words to his men and the 10 who were to come with us quickly split off coming to where I was with Tilly and Calbin.

“May the roads be in your favor and if the Gods are listening may they guard your journey.” The King said before he turned his horse and started down the other road.

Princess Beatrice turned a tear stained face towards me raising her hand in parting and I tried to give her a reassuring smile as I raised my hand back. Quickly the others started after the King until there was only us and a cloud of dust.

“Well are you ready for a adventure?” Calbin asked as he brought his horse beside mine a boyish smile on his face.

“Are you? I hear the Isle of Mist is a very dangerous place to get to.” I turned in the saddle so I could get a good look at his face.

His smile did dim a little but not as much as I thought it would.

“How do you know I am to go to the Isle of Mist.” He asked as we rode through the forest.

“You and the King are rather loud when you make secret plans”

Calbin shrugged as he tilted his face up towards the sun, closing his eyes as he soaked up the rays.

“Well then you know that it is the only way to get to Malverick and learn what he knows of his own prophecy. Yes the seas around the Isle are dangerous and no one since Malverick has seen it but he left detailed instructions on how to reach it and I will follow it to the letter and bring him back.”

“What if he doesn’t want to come back?” I asked.

“What do you mean not want to come back?’ He opened his eyes to look at me as if I had said the strangest thing.

“Well he has been there for over two hundred years, which you will have to tell me how that is possible, he certainly knows how to get back here so why hasn’t he?”

Calbin looked lost for a minute as he stared at me his mouth opening and closing but no words came forth.

“He has been waiting most likely for something like this til then he is soaking up all the knowledge of the Isles” He tried to sound confident in his answer but even I knew he was pulling it out of thin air.

Now I was the one who shrugged.

“If you say so but it seems like a awful risk.” We rode in silence for a little bit Calbin thoughts inward and I felt bad for causing him to lose his joy for the trip.

The sun started its decent down and my stomach rumbled with hunger I sure the others could hear.

“I think we should stop for the day before the Duchess’s stomach decides to devour itself” Kyro called to the party and I blushed at the good temper laughs that got. We moved off the road into the forest to a slightly cleared spot. The guards dismounted quickly use to riding for long periods of time and setting up camp quickly. I slid from Grendalls back groaning as muscles bunched in defiance of moving. I leaned against grendall not sure I wouldn’t walk bowlegged and not quite sure if I would be any help.

“My backside is numb.” Tilly mumbled as she came up beside me rubbing her backside as she scowled.

“I hope they can cook as well as they set up a camp.” She grumbled as she grabbed my bag.

“I feel so gross” I mumbled as I tried to remember the last time I bathed.

“There is a river around the bend you have time to clean up before the sun goes down.” Tilly dug into the bag pulling out a clump of soap into my hand.

“You are wonderful. but I’m not sure it’s proper.” I looked around nervously at the men walking around the camp.

“These lads will be busy for awhile longer and if one of them does happen upon you just scold their ears til they fall off.” She pushed me towards the forest.

I grabbed one of the day dresses from the pack and hurried off into the forest coming quickly to the stream. I found a spot slightly hidden with a large rock to lay my clothes upon and I quickly undresses losing my reluctance with the thought of being clean. The water was cold almost shocking but as I scrubbed myself it felt like the best thing in the world. I was washing my hair working the soap through it hoping Tilly had also found a brush when I heard a twig snap to my left. I froze staring at the forest. I closed my eyes trying to find a animal that could be that close but there was none but I did find a silver thread and I knew it lead to a human. I quickly sank in the water til only my head showed just in time for Kyro to come out of the forest. He froze as he took me in not expecting me to be there.

“Are you just going to stand there or will you go so I can finish.” I crossed my arms over my chest though I knew he couldn’t see anything under the water.

“And why should I go there is plenty of space for the two of us.” His eyes glimmered with mischief just like his sisters as he pulled his shirt over his head.

I was almost struck speechless by the sight of his tan skin and muscled chest. Almost.

“I don’t think it proper that we share this stream you can wait til I am done.”

Kyro just smiled as he leaned back against the rock so he could pull his boots off.

“The sun is setting and unfortunately the way we are traveling doesn’t lend itself to a lot of propriety” He nodded to where the sun was starting to sink behind the horizon.

“Then find another part of the stream to wash yourself.” I snapped.

“No.” He looked around “ I like this part right here” He reached down towards the ties of his belt.

“Kyro don’t you dare. I will tell your father” I warned him.

“No one is forcing you to look” His hands went to his ties and I turned around with a gasp.

“I didn’t know you were such a fiend” I yelled at him with my back turned.

“Then you don’t know me at all” He laughed at me as he splashed into the water thankfully away from me.

“Turn so I can get out”

A wicked smile came across his face and he opened his mouth probably to say something very inappropriate but the look on my face must have stopped him cause he just shrugged as he turned around. As quickly as I could I leapt from the water not taking my eyes off him as I grabbed my clothes and leap behind a bush to get dressed. Kyro was only up to his waist in the water and I couldn’t help but stare at the water that tinkled down the lean muscles of his back. I blushed when Kyro turned around to catch me staring at him.

“Enjoying the view” He smirked as he splashed water onto his face.

I straightened my back and fixed my best glare at him.

“No, I just thought you might like this since I can smell you from here.” I chucked the soap at him hitting him square in the chest before I gathered up my skirts to storm away his laugh chasing me back to the camp.

I drew up in surprise when I reached the camp, several large tents had been set up and already fires were burning and the delicious smell of food wafted up to me.

“Well you were fairly quick about it.” Tilly commented as she came out of a tent, she quickly took in my still wet hair and scowled.

“Interrupted?” She asked.

“Someone here has no respect for propriety” I said as I sat by a fire bringing my hair forward to dry.

“kyro?” she asked as she pulled a comb out and started to work on the tangles. I nodded as I stared into the fire.

“did you get a good look at him?”

“Tilly!” I was surprised at the brashness of her words.

“What?” she asked innocently as she went to the tent and returned with a brush, quickly going to work on my hair “ He is a very fine specimen of a man, I would like to know if all of him is as perfect as what we can see.”

I felt my face turn red as I looked over to where Kyro sat laughing as he ate.

“I didn’t see much but what I did was very perfect.” I whispered as I closed my eyes eased by the rhythmic pull of the brush.

“Did he see much of you?”

“No!” I answered quickly my eyes snapping open.

“Good its good to keep some mystery from a man you want to court you” She said crisply.

“I don’t want him to court me” I nearly shouted then realized that I protested to much when I turned to look at Tilly and she had a knowing look on her face.

“Fine, I wouldn’t be opposed if he would like to court me but he has made it clear on more than one occasion that he did not see me that way.”

“Well you have a very long trip to change his mind.” she answered as she started to brush my hair.

“ I would need a miracle” I muttered as I stared into the fire

After eating I quickly retired to my tent wrapping my self into the bedding that had been lain on the floor. I was surprised how quickly I fell asleep but not on how my dream started with gentle splashing of water.