Verden Heiress

Chapter 3

Inhaling one last fortifying breath I nod, "Alright." 

I followed her up the two steps, through the door into our dingy crampt area where Hain was tied, and stopped to the side as she took residence in front of him. 

"Alright. We'll come with you."

He despelled his deep breath, his eyes lighting up, "Thank you! Will you release me now?" 

"Um no. What do we need to bring?" I questioned, shooting a glare at my 'brother'. 

"Nothing, unless you'd like to bring anything sentimental?" 

I roll my eyes, automatically reaching for my bow and quiver of arrows. 

He snickers, "You won't need that in the capitol." 

I pull a blade from the quiver, studying the sharpness before flinging it towards the wooden wall. It vibrates as the blade sticks true, "I'll be the judge of that." This makes his smile fade. Aerie nods to me and I retrieve the knife. I inspect it once more before walking behind Hain, slicing through the ropes. He's free. 

"Do I have to go through the window again?" he swallows, looking out toward the blue sky. 

Aerie laughs, running at the hole before flinging herself out. Hain races to her exit, screaming. I wait a moment before I feel the rush of air pushed from under her wings. The man who appears to be like me falls back, awe on his face. Aerie lets out a hiss of triumph, flinging her midnight blue head. Her scales are a blue so deep it's only kin is miles and miles underneath the sea water. Over the years she's matured, growing to be a massive sculpture of scale, muscle, blood, fire. Fire... That had been a fun training day. Madge had set up bales of hay at varying distances from the tower. I was to sit astride Aerie and point her flame in the right direction. Telling an already stubborn mind to do something they think should be different was... trying. 

The shutters hanging from the window shook as Aerie landed, curling her wings down around her body. I smile to myself, observing Hain as he tentativly sticks his head out. 

"She's... gorgeous." 

I laugh, "She also has an amazing sense of smell, eyesight, and hearing. She can sense how fast your heart is beating." 

"How do you know that?" 

(Just tell him of our mind link) she whispers in my mind. 

[No] 

This makes her snort. I know because of the puff of smoke rising in the air. 

"I've known her since I can remember." 

(Nice)

I sigh, rolling my eyes, "Time to go." I gather the bag Aerie and I had stuffed the few things we wanted in before slinging my bow and quiver over my back. 

Hain follows me to the window,"Time to go?" he sounds scared and this makes me smile for some reason. 

I feel the heat of Aerie's nostrils on my back. Only her eye and part of a jaw bone is visible through the square in the window, "Yes time to go. You can either go down the stairs, which are quite long, or you can ride Aerie down." I step up on the windowsill, placing my foot on the roof of Aerie's nose, closing my eyes. The descent is slow, she lowers me with care. When i open my eyes her chin is pressed onto the grass and I casually hop down. Reaching up I place a hand on her nose.

[Thank you. Try not to kill him.] 

(No promises.) Her head lifts back up to the tower window. It's so high up now, his head would disappear behind my thumb if I were to raise it. 

"Your turn!" I scream, cupping my hands around my mouth. 

A few seconds later I can hear him squawling as he grips Aerie's nose on his stomach, wrapping his arms and legs around the bridge of her bone structure. She's just as gentle as she was with me, taking a few moments to lower her head. 

(He's really a puss isn't he?) 

I couldn't help myself as I busted into a fit of laughter.