Fiery Dragon | 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘦 𝘞𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘺

Chapter 05

Jessica stumbled through the halls, her day had been most exhausting, she had a break before she had to continue working till after dark. Jessica walked to the bathroom, taking a look at herself in the mirror, mud on her face, her hair tangled. She decided to take a shower, even if it wasn't the wisest choice, being she hadn't finished for the day.

Choosing to skip dinner so she could take a shower, though Mrs Winters thought she should eat to keep up her strength. Jessica braided her hair into a dutch braid, to save drying her hair. Jessica laid down on her bed hoping to relax a little before work, but sleep stole her as her mind drifted to sleep.

Charlie finished his dinner, he waited a moment for Jessica to come back, there was still 10 minutes before they had to get back to work, he saw Mrs Winters begin to put plates away. 'Jessica hadn't eaten anything all day' Charlie thought realising she had skipped breakfast too. Charlie glanced at his watch, time to get back to work, he waited for Jessica to come downstairs.

"Mrs Winters," Charlie said, Mrs Winters emerged from the kitchen

"Yes?" she asked

"Where is Jessica?" he asked

"Last I saw her she was going to take a shower," Mrs Winters told him,

Charlie stood from the sofa heading upstairs, Mrs Winters followed behind him. Charlie knocked on her bedroom door, no answer. Charlie opened her door, he saw Jessica peacefully sleeping, he was about to wake her, but Mrs Winters pulled him aside.

"Don't you dare wake her up,"

"She has jobs to do," Charlie said

"Can't you see the girl is exhausted, she isn't used to this extreme work, you could at least let her have this time to herself," Mrs Winters explained Charlie sighed

"Fine, I'll go a little easier on her,"

"It would help if you tried to be her friend," Mrs Winters suggested.

The next morning Jessica got dressed for the day like she had done every morning for a week now. She was nervous about Charlie's reaction to her not completing her work from yesterday.

Jessica walked downstairs as quietly as she could, she slipped into the kitchen hoping to avoid Mrs Winters from questioning her too. Jessica gulped as she heard footsteps approaching the kitchen.

"Morning, what are we going to see today?" Jessica asked

"I thought for today we could take a break," Charlie said, eating his breakfast. "Maybe go to the Abraxan paddock,"

"Just us two, alone?" Jessica asked, Charlie nodded not looking up from his plate,

"Yes, unless you'd rather go by yourself,-

"No, I'd like you to come with me, might make me less afraid," Jessica said, she was totally oblivious to Charlie smiling up at her.

"I'd love to go with you," he said, Jessica hadn't heard this friendly tone in Charlie's voice seeing as he's usually barking orders at her all day long.

The pair took an easy stroll through the sanctuary rather than rushing to each individual enclosures, they reached the Abraxan paddock. Jessica could see them far in the distance she knew they were big creatures, Charlie sat on the fence, gesturing for Jessica to sit next to him, she climbed up the fence, sitting next to Charlie.

"So tell me something about these?" Jessica asked looking at the creatures, Charlie thought for a moment, he was determined to help her overcome her fear starting with Abraxans might be a good start.

"They're the largest winged horse," Jessica nodded, biting her bottom lip, "though they're big they're quite gentle," Charlie added. Jessica relaxed a little after hearing they are gentle creatures.

"So upon looking at them, what worries you about them," Charlie asked, Jessica didn't even think too long before she spoke

"They're huge, for one start," Jessica said, "I'm scared that they'll hurt me if I offend them, how do you offend an Abraxan so I don't do that," she explained, talking too fast she was unsure if Charlie understood her

"They're pretty chilled, I doubt you'll offend them," Charlie told her, she nodded, watching the Abraxans.

Amongst them were baby Abraxans; foals that still looked huge compared to other animals two of the foals got very excited running all over the paddock,

"They look really happy, don't they," Jessica commented

"Yeah, they are," Charlie said, looking at Jessica, he smiled,

It was rare that he spent time with other people, usually working here alone, Mrs Winters was good company, but she was older, and wouldn't help out with the animals. In the week Jessica had been here, he enjoyed her company more than she knew.

The two baby Abraxans were hurtling towards them, rearing as they reached the fence, they startled Jessica causing her to fall back off the fence, Charlie jumped down, helping her up.

"Are you alright?" he asked, with a smile on his face holding back a laugh.

"Yeah, I just didn't expect them to come running towards us," Jessica told him, she saw him trying to conceal his laugh, "What's so funny?" she asked

"Nothing," he said shaking his head "just you seem to fall around the animals a lot," Charlie told her,

"I do not," she said, folding her arms over her chest/

"I have something for you," Charlie said, pulling a small book out of his coat pocket, "it's my notes on Abraxans, this heard specifically," Jessica took the book from him.

"Thank you, but why?" she asked

"I told you I'd help you overcome your fear of animals, maybe reading my notes on them might help," Charlie said, smiling at her.

Later that night Jessica spent over an hour in bed, reading over Charlie's notes, he wrote about them as though they were his children knowing every detail about each individual Abraxan. Jessica felt at ease reading his notes, he noted down the temperaments of each Abraxan and things they enjoyed, reading his book, helped prepare Jessica for the next day.