Redemption

Bonded

Aifos' Pov
When I came to my senses, instinctively my mind expanded itself, trying to remember where I was. Two minds were somewhere close; from one skittered tired anxiety, whereas the other was soundly asleep.
Beyond them, there was a chatter of people and dragons alike. Despite the fact that my mind couldn't go any further, I understood I was somewhere safe.
I'd just cracked open my eyes, when a high, clear and sweet voice shouted in my head, -_You're awake!-_
I jolted on my feet. The anxious mind's owner looked at me as I staggered a couple of steps forward and caught myself by clinging to the wall.
Then the young man simply went back staring at the girl currently asleep on the bed next to mine. Her skin was pale and her lips chapped.
Was she the girl I'd saved during the battle?
-Yes, she is. And thankfully you're alive, or else I would've killed her myself.-
Ronny's voice was clipped, and guilt churned in my chest.
But what else could I have done, when the silver dragon had flung himself towards her as if his life was tethered to her?
Old hisses caressed the shell of my ears. "If I died right then and there, would you be paralysed, or would you try and save me?"
My stomach tightened and I sharply shook my head, commanding the image of those blue eyes away.
Slowly, I pushed over the door and limped down to the corridor. Someone looked at me, but nobody stopped me.
I didn't know where to go myself, so I chose some random doors until the paintings in the walls started shaking and a faint roar had my steps quickening.
When I saw my dragon, the scene was almost comical: in spite of his hunched frame and his wings tucked in tight, his scales still scraped against the walls and his tail knocked off a couple of statues upon his passing.
The people there scrambled somewhere safe, mostly out of that circular room where the two of us met. However, my delight was short lived, for Ronny immediately knocked me over and planted a talon on my chest. Then, he splayed wide his mouth to let loose such a deafening roar droplets of boiling spit fell on me and my ears started faintly ringing.
-Are you out of your own mind? You could've killed yourself!-
-What else was there to do?-
-I survived my Rider That Was Not Meant To Be's death because our bond was unnatural. But it won't happen again, because this time I chose someone, a stupid, brainless specimen of human hatchling, it seems to be!-
-She would've died!-
-If you had died to spare her life, I would've made everyone understand why I was called the Dragonslayer!-
-You wouldn't have! You aren't who you used to be anymore.-
He narrowed his eyes, then lowered his pitch into a menacing growl.
-I did not fly us all the way here only to watch you die in front of my eyes.-
His talon tightened his hold on my chest until I struggled to breathe. Then, he blew a puff of smoke in my eyes and let me free. I rolled over and coughed and tried standing, but my vision threatened to black out. His talon held me up, then prodded me over, -We're walking out.- Later on, when he split in half a column with his tail because it was in our path, he grumbled that at least Uru Baen was dragon sized.
After he managed to wriggle out of the main door and snapped at those who'd been watching him, he led me all the way over a cliff where two dragons were standing. The younger one crooned in joy and sprinted towards me.
-You're back!- He nuzzled my cheeks, his tail whipping around in happiness, then drew back and allowed me to properly roam my eyes on his frame.
Back in battle, his scales were of dark silver; right now, with the sun slanting directly on them, they glinted of the deepest golden I'd ever seen,that shifted black on the lower half of his legs.
He was one of the most beautiful dragon I'd ever seen. Even more so than Saphira.
-Even more so than me?-
I huffed at Ronny and said nothing, simply glad he'd abandoned his rage towards me long enough to let out a joke.
-I have not abandoned it, kid.-
-Sure.-
However, when I took a step forward to tentatively caress the golden dragon, the other one of a navy blue colour bared her teeth at me. Ronny snapped at her, while Chex shifted aside to show me a black sleeping dragon, a bit smaller than him.
-That's my sister. She's just entered in her Dreamless Sleep, so Sgaeyl is a bit on her guard. Sorry about that.-
-A... What?-
-A magic induced coma that accelerates the Nevarrian dragon's growth. A rite of passage, let's say,- said Ronny, bored.
I thoughtfully scratched at my Gedwey Ignasia, -The Elves would die to know this.-
-I know.-
The golden dragon lowered his head, -I met you in my Sleep.-
-Yes, I gathered it was some sort of projection of yours the image I'd run into. -
The blue dragon, seemingly called Sgaeyl, took a step over and flicked her daggered tail around. I turned over and saw the girl I'd last glanced at in bed already being up and about and talking with a man,older than her, but of similar features.
-They said: "Hey! I'm her brother!"
"She's aware. She just doesn't like me, never has."
"She only likes Xaden, and tolerates me. But I'm slowly growing on her."-
I had a feeling Xaden was the young man last I knew of being half asleep on the chair beside her bed. I wondered where she'd left him behind.
It took the siblings a couple of seconds to get aware of my presence. I greeted them with a half grimace that should've been instead a polite smile before shuffling a couple of steps back.
The girl said something I didn't understand, again.
-She asked if you're Chex's Rider. I mean, my Rider. You are! Kind of.-
He cleared his throat and shuffled his wings.
Chex. Quick wings and glittering scales.
I just realised we'd never asked each other's names.
-I'm Aifos, Chex.- I looked up to him with a smile, -And my... other dragon is Ronny.-
-He already knows, kid.-The two siblings echoed something, mostly because I hadn't answered them, yet.
"Yes, I... I am?"
The two of them had different reactions. The man frowned at me,probably asking himself what kind of language I'd just uttered; whereas,the girl waned her eyes and muttered, "Old Lucerris?"
Her accent was a bit odd, but we'd understood each other. Her brother whipped his head and stared at her, exclaiming something in their language.
-I should've thought of this.-
-Yes,-chuffed Ronny, definitely amused, -You should've.-
Then, the young man of the chair reached them, while shadows curled around the sleeping dragon simultaneously. I eyed them, then the man, whose features seemed carved by their most refined sculptor, with a tanned skin similar to mine.
There was an awareness in every one of his movements it reminded me of an Elf.
Chex stretched out his neck and bared his teeth at the man. I gestured at him while frowning at the girl, "Zaden?"
"It's Xaden. But yes, that's him. Unfortunately."
Xaden cocked his head, then asked, "Old Lucerris?"
His accent was even rougher than the girl's, but good enough to build some sort of dialogue.
"Yes. Ronny and I come from far away."
Ronny blinked once -Delighted.-
He must've spoken directly to them,because his lips quirked in a crooked grin upon the trio's surprised eyes.
"Dragons should speak only to their Riders."
-They've just told you we come from far away, silver girl. Pay more attention.-
They all lowered their eyes.
Instictively, I rolled inward my wrist and murmured both halves of the traditional elfic greeting, "My name's Aifos, and I'm the first student of the New Order."
The girl was the first to gather herself, "We are honoured to meet another Order
of Riders. I am Violet Sorreingail, daughter of the general Lilith Sorreingail, a second-year rider of Second Squad, Flame Section, Fourth Wing."
I only nodded with a tight-lipped smile.
-I'm already lost.-
-At least you tried.-
Chex nudged my hair, -I'll remember it for you. She's my sister's and our guardian's Rider. She's the first to have bonded with two dragons, until you came along!-
"Chex told me you have two dragons?"
Anything to ignore the uncomfortable silence.
"Yes. Andarna and Tairn." Then, she looked gently at the sleeping dragon, and murmured something softly.
-And Sgaeyl is Tairn's mate, so their Riders are interwoven too.-
Ronny's dark eyes sparkled, -Oh, dear. Let's keep this information away from Eragon, or else Saphira is doomed to be always attached to that forest dragon of the elfic Queen.-
I snorted a laugh and hid my mouth under my palm, while muttering an apology.
-I'd pay amounts of gold to see it happening.-
-I know, you'd be just the type.-