Blue

You know?

Fighting the urge to stare and watch Tallulah all day was difficult. So instead Atlas busied himself by talking with Reylan and Latimer. He enjoyed the Stories that Reylan had to offer for their trip, a lot stemmed from when Atlas was a boy and Reylan was part of his father's guard. Although Atlas knew his father growing up there was no real relationship between them. He was always fighting or preparing to fight. Atlas had been raised by nannies, knights, and the castle help because of this. His mother was there, but she was never the nourishing person he wanted.

She cared about him, but nothing was the same once his sister died. She'd passed away so quickly that his mother couldn't cope with it. Atlas remembered how her scales had gone from their bright ruby red to a dull gray within a matter of weeks and no cure had been available. She had been suffering for her entire life, scales went gray here and there, but something was triggered and she deteriorated so quick. She would have adored Tallulah, admire even. They both were strong women.

Reylan had a lot to say about his father. Apparently Atlas was like him in spirit. It hadn't been much of a shock when he shifted for the first time that he was next in line for the throne with the appearance of black scales. Sometimes it wasn't the first born though. His father had two older brothers but he had been gifted with the black scales. Never has a female been gifted and learning that intrigued him.

He had a feeling that if Tallulah had been born of royal blood she would be the one with obsidian scales and not him, but this was his bias. He could not hold back the admiration for her endurance of all she had went through before meeting him.

Latimer told him news from his father. Atlas also learned that Latimer was the youngest of four sons, which is why he had answered the draft call instead of his older brothers. There wasn't much he would get from an inheritance and therefore wanted to make a name for himself.

They stopped for midday. Ander and Mykel laughed at something Tallulah said and he wondered what it was. Their friendship intrigued him. He wanted to know how they found out before he had and why they'd become so close when at the beginning, Tallulah hadn't wanted anything to do with them.

"Anyone up for a spar?" Tallulah asked. Atlas couldn't get over how wrong her voice sounded now. No one said anything.

"Sure, I'll have a go. I still have wounded pride from being beat by a trainee," he smirked.

"We've sparred before, but I think I'm the superior fighter," she remarked.

She was right, but this time it was different.

She unsheathed her axe from the strap across her back with a slight grin. Atlas knew, that with this weapon she was more formidable. The one she'd used in training was a child's toy, he recalled the cracked handle and shoddy blade.
 
In turn he drew his sword. They stepped away from the circle of bodies, knowing it would be a well met match.

And then they started.

He had to put aside that she was his mate. He would lose too easily because the mere thought of hurting her sent his stomach roiling.

So he lunged.

She lunged too, and their weapons met with a clash. He slashed and she met his strike, two handing the axe as she blocked his blow. Then it was a mad game of slashing, blocking and striking. Atlas figured the only way he could win, because they were so well matched, he would have to pull a cheap blow. Her shoulder wasn't quite healed because he could smell the blood from it whenever they got close in their fighting.

She easily danced around his next blows, which were attempts to get her shoulder. He figured if he developed a pattern in that regard she'd catch on so he made an attack to her other side and then skirted around her, tapping the butt of his sword on her wound before stepping in front with his sword at her throat.

"I win," he smirked. He could tell she fought the urge to hold her arm because of pain. He wasn't supposed to know about the injury.

"Aye," she conceded. Everyone else was watching them intently.

"Well fought!" cried Latimer. "I thought for sure Talon would win, I heard of his prowess in training and in the trials. I've seen his training regimen too and how even matched you are during our own training.  Remarkable for a human to beat, and nearly beat, a dragon kin," he said.

"I could have," Tallulah remarked, her ego coming to the front. And Atlas knew she could.

"We know," Reylan laughed.

They rested for a short while more before mounting their horses once again.

This time he hung back and was the caboose of their party. Tallulah and Latimer took the lead, talking about who knows what. He was pleased to see friendships forming between everyone.

"I see the way you've been looking at her," a voice brought him out of his head. It was Mykel.

"I'm sorry," he asked. Feigning ignorance.

"It would take a blind man not to see it. You know,"

"Aye, I do, and I'm still coming to terms with it," he replied.

"I knew you knew when you hit her shoulder. No one would've known about that injury unless they were told or saw it. So I take it you followed her the first night we were in Idris?" Mykel questioned.

"Yes, I did," he said.

"And?" Mykel pushed.

"And she's nothing like I was expecting, headstrong, but broken. Beautiful, but masculine. She didn't fit my expectations, but I should have known she wouldn't," Atlas let out in a sigh.

"Good," and Mykel rode back up front. That interaction had Atlas so confused.

Would he tell Tallulah?