Glass Soldier REWRITTEN

Chapter 17

           With a flight far too short, I could see the castle, the waving arm of an elite leaving me to look at her. The wild arm motions suggested she wanted to go down first, which was reasonable, she wanted to show that the dragon was no threat, but, well, I was supposed to make an entrance, wasn't I? Wasn't that the reason they wished me to ride Vitreus?

          Grinning I instead leaned forward into my dragon, holding at his neck as he growled at the thought. The fun and deserving thought. His wings pulled in as he leaned forward, the now desperate waving being ignored as we dived towards the carriage line that was soon to panic. The subtle blare of horns melting in comparison to the blasting force of the wind.

          Before we could crash into the castle's closing doors, Vitreus opened his wide wings, the heat of his neck growing as I didn't doubt a glow in his throat. But instead of attacking he, like a good kid, merely offered a ground-shaking roar. With a slow and unnecessarily hard landing, he growled at the door guards that stood their ground with magic in hand. Horses rearing and carriages rushing away.

         Surprised by the loyalty of the knights that would not survive a fight with a dragon I slid down Vitreus's side without any resistance. Landing before them with open hands I offered a smile they couldn't see.

          "Lilith!" Came the hardly restrained voice with the notable sound of wings. "Do forgive her," Came a grunt with the clashing sound of claws against stone, "She couldn't slow down nearly fast enough," She shoved my masked head down into a bow while offering them a sweet smile. Her grip, however, was anything but sweet. "Send the beast away before you cause further mayhem," She glared at me from the corner of her eyes, a firm expression I had yet to see on her face daring me to refuse.

           "Of course!" I offered with a cheery voice and a clap of my hands, the growl of a dissatisfied dragon sounding behind me at the words. "Oh, don't be childish," I shot without hesitation, turning to look at the beast that just blew smoke from his nose. "Go on! Shoo!" I waved at him half-heartedly, as if I was shooing some bird. Baring his fangs annoyed he opened his wings nonetheless and with a firm push off the stone he cracked under his weight, he had returned to the sky. "Do come back later though! I don't want to be stranded!" I shouted, cupping around my mask, before waving at the dragon that flicked his tail in response.

          "Hatchlings, am I right?" I offered, looking over my shoulder at the still tense knights, my hand on my hip. It took about two seconds before a rough and heavy hand found the back of my head. "Hey!"

             "Behave," she didn't even raise her voice, her gaze deadly. Apparently, her reputation meant nothing to the unexpected behavior I decided on.

            "Mmkay!" I chirped, immediately disregarding the command as I looked over the tense guests around us and the calming knights. She wanted me to show off without bragging, what better way than to ignore a magi within the council with no consequences?

           "It was not a suggestion," She pressed as if knowing what I was thinking, pausing, I looked at her properly, debating if it was in fact one. Nah, you can't be violent at a ball dedicated to peace.

           "I wouldn't dare think it to be," I lied with a wave. A wave she grabbed with an extremely tight grasp. My gaze immediately on that painfully tight grasp.

          "Lilith," She warned, staring me down while I slowly looked from my hand to her. Mmm, I guess we haven't entered the ball yet. "You are to behave at this event, or so help me-" She cut herself off, her grip tightening as the audible sound of something in my wrist popping met more than our ears.