Dragon Rider

Chapter 17

After River's unexpected, but very welcome overnight visit four days ago, I have felt a little better since my arrival here. River is staying the night again with me tomorrow night, and I am excited. He will be here by the time I arrive at my rest quarters, and Carter is letting him inside. I already asked if River being here was okay with him, and he said he is fine with this.

"Larken, we are doing another training mission today, and I hope you are ready because it is going to be harder than the last," Harris says while we join the others in the training field.

"I am ready, Sir," I grin over at him, feeling a little smug, and I know I should not be cocky.

Harris raises his right eyebrow at me with a shake of his head at me; "Do not get arrogant, Larken. Anything good or bad could happen in a training mission, you need to view training missions as actual war scenarios."

"I know, Sir, and I am sorry for my arrogance," I murmur, instantly feel regret at my cockiness.

Harris nods and we join the other Warriors and Interns at the enclosure to get our Dragons ready for this training mission.

"Hello Tiamet," I greet him softly as I climb onto his back, grabbing the reins, and he nods in agreement at my question. "Are you ready for our training mission?"

All of us launch into the air, and the training begins, and an hour and a half into this, I am hit in the right shoulder with blaster fire. Our Blasters are supposed to be set on 'training', not on any normal setting. The blast knocks me off of Tiamet's back, and I fall quickly toward the ground. I fear that I am gonna die once I hit the ground.

When I do not hit the ground in a limp pile, I snap my eyes open in surprise, finding myself lying diagonally across Tiamet with my head near his head. He slowly descends down toward the ground as I sit up painfully. I carefully climb off him, and thank him for saving me from certain death. Turning around to make my way slowly and painfully to the medical building, and I am trying not to vomit from the pain. Harris calls out from behind me, and I stop, violently breathing through my nose, and the searing pain.

Harris runs up to my side, lifting my left arm over his shoulders while wrapping his other arm around my waist to help me to the medical building without comment. When we arrive at the building, he tells them what happened to the doctor, and the doctor sets to work instantly on patching me up after having Harris help me sit on a table. Thirty minutes later, Harris and I are leaving the medical building, I am exhausted, and in slight pain despite the pain medication I was given.

"Let's get you back to your rest quarters, okay?" Harris gently states, and I nod in silent agreement.

All I want to do is sleep for three days straight, but I know I cannot just yet.

I know I need to tell papa and Afra, and Afra what happened, but all I want is to just sleep right now.

"Are you going to notify your parents and your boyfriend?" Harris asks as he helps me settle on my bed, and onto my back.

"I will when I wake from my nap later on, I promise," I mumble, my eyes fluttering shut in exhaustion.

"I will contact them for you while you sleep off the medications the doctor gave you," Harris gently says, and I hum in acknowledgement, not fully understanding what he has just said.

I fell asleep before Harris has even left the rest quarters, and I never heard Carter enter the rest quarters an hour after Harris left me there. I never heard papa or River's arrival into the room either, two hours after being in my quarters. I wake when I feel the side of the bed dipping, and my eyes snap open in shock, and I stare at River's intense blue eyes. He stares intently back at me as he searches my eyes for several minutes before he softly speaks to me.

"How are you feeling, Larken?" River reaches up to gently brush my hair from eyes with soft fingers. "Your papa is here, too. Afra could not make it here because of an emergency at his place of employment."

"That is okay," I mumble, yawning into my palm. "How have you been here? I am sorry I did not contact you when I arrived here, but I was so tired."

"Never be sorry for that, baby," he murmurs, kissing my forehead softly. "I understand that you were exhausted after what happened to you. I am happy that you were not injured worse than you were, or worse, I am glad you did not perish. I have to express my gratitude to Tiamet for his swift reaction, and saving you."

"Larken?" papa says from across the room, and I carefully turn onto my uninjured side to face him.

"Yes, papa?" I reply with another yawn behind my palm.

"I am glad you are okay, but I was scared shitless," he tearfully says, and I carefully get off the bed to make my way over to him.

Wrapping my left arm around his waist, digging my face into his neck with a sniffle; "I am so sorry for scaring the hell out of you, papa. I did not mean to do this to you. I love you, papa."

"I love you, too, Larken," papa thickly replies with a sniffle while tightening his arms around my waist. "Who was the Warrior who helped you? I would like to thank him or her."

"Warrior Harris is the person who helped me, and he is also my Mentor," I reply softly into his neck