Ronny's Pov
I'd always remember the first time I properly felt a young dragon hatching in years of peace. Her scales were white, and her talons, spikes and fangs were black. Tina was her name. Aifos and I'd been in Vaeta for three years, and my memories of Uru'baen had been growing fainter by the day.
When the new student dismounted, a small, bony human girl who lacked her left eye and whose name was Elsie, Eragon nudged Aifos to show her around, but Saphira took it upon herself to lead the new dragon to the hunting grounds.
So, I stood quiet under the shadowing tree I'd chosen until the two dragons dumped their preys a couple of feet away from me.
When Tina spotted me, instinctively Saphira bared her teeth at me, and I snarled back before flying away. A thirteen years-old Aifos had to climb up to the cave I'd flung myself in and sleep through the harsh night of winter before I reluctantly opened my mind to theirs.
-I'll never be like them.-
Their voice was meek, -I'm sorry.-
-I don't want your pity!-
Upon my roar, they bowed their head. They were younger, and their features still had the roundness of childhood, and their wrists weren't scratched. Yet.
Five years later, I could see my same estrangement in the eyes of a dragon way younger than me, a whole Ocean away from both Vaeta and Uru'baen.
I heard some shuffle of feet and saw Aifos jogging up the soft cliff to reach me. At the height of their left cheekbone their skin was bruised and swollen, and a cut split their lower lip.
"Hey"
I sniffed their bruises, -What happened to you?-
-Sparred with Xaden. Well, first I tried to teach him how to sharpen his mind, but apparently he got in a fight with Violet over some sort of luminary, so he blew steam with me through his fists instead.-
They pointed to their cut lip with a raise of their eyebrows, then sat down between my forelegs and crossed their ankles.
-Did you win?-
-We got in a standstill. He said tomorrow we'll go patrolling again.-
-I see-
They blew away a strand of hair that had fallen on their eyes, and tucked in their legs.
-Why do you think it failed? The attempt with the wards, I mean.-
I let out a slow sigh, -I don't know, kid. But the magic sustaining them is an old one, and moreover forgotten. The youngest Sorreingal's task is a difficult one, indeed.-
-Do you think she'll give up?-
-I don't believe she ever will.-
I looked at the treetops, felt their deep sigh as they went on shuffling, trying to find a more comfortable position against my chest.
Somewhere not too far off, I heard stags bouncing around near a lake.
I briefly hesitated.
-I'd like to teach the young Andarna how to fly.-
Aifos straightened themself up, -It's a noble pursue.-
-I just... I saw myself in her. I know how it feels... Being different. Estranged from the others.-
They crawled away from my foreclaws to sit in front of me and held my snout with both their hands. Their slender fingers nudged my head towards them, and when I complied, they placed their forehead on my scales. Their hair tickled my nostrils, and for a moment I only wanted to touch their full lips with the tip of my tongue and feel the warmth of their mouth.
Our minds opened to each other, and I felt their fondness and their pride, so soft I couldn't help but smile a bit.
Then, I slowly raised my head and bumped my snout on their chest, -Go take a bath. You stink of sweat.-
-Delicate nostrils, eh?-
-Just go, or I'll throw you in the nearest lake myself.-
Their eyes sparkled with amusement, -You wish!-
I feigned surprise so they could sprint forward, but barked a laugh when they lost their footing and almost fell down. I walked behind them, my neck out-stretched and my fangs playfully bared; they yelped when I dunked them in the cold, crystal-clear lake.
When they emerged, I splashed my tail in the water and half-drowned them again.
"Hey, it's not funny!"
I rumbled a chuckle and snorted at their attempt to splash water on me.
-With your puny hands you'll never be- but I got cut off by a magical wave that crashed on my snout. I jerked my head away and stumbled back, -Aifos!-
-You were saying?-
Mischief glinted in their eyes, and a smirk curled on their lips. Droplets of water slid on their neck, and a couple of strands of hair were stuck to their cheeks and jaw.
My body started heating up and for a moment I forgot to breathe.
Secret dreams preened back to memory, where their dark skin gleamed under the moon only for me. I quickly averted my eyes.
-You okay?-
-Yes... Yes. I'll go ask Chex if I can train his sister.-
-Okay. Tell me how it goes.-
-Of course. Later.-
As I went airborne and circled twice around the lake, I wondered what Saphira would say if she was told about my desire for my young human.
Andarna was twice more impatient than Chex, and less prone to listen to any of us, even to her guardians.
During our first lesson, Tairn remained with us, under the shade of a couple of trees; his golden eyes were always on me.
Because I thought his presence meant that he didn't trust me enough to let his eldest ward out of his sight when I was around, my shoulders were stiff, and I might've been a bit too rough at first.
-We have to strengthen the muscle of your wing.-
-I know that!-
She tried snapping both of her wings in place, but her wounded one trembled and cramped, almost sending her sprawling to the ground.
When I caught her, she flashed her teeth at me, -Get your dirty claws off me!-
Tairn rumbled, -Be patient, Young One.-
-Why are you here? I do not need a chaperone!-
-I am not here for you.-
I looked at him, and almost laughed. Did he really fear that such a young dragon could even land a scratch on me?
But in the end, none of the Navarrian dragons apart from Chex knew of my past, and I didn't have any intentions of letting them be aware of it, not if it were strictly necessary. I most probably would hide the role I'd played in the slaughter of the Ancient Order nonetheless. I closed my eyes and after a deep breath stepped around and gingerly held the tip of her left wing and gently tried to stretch it as much as it could. The velvety membrane was pliant to my talons until half-way in, when I felt it tensing and Andarna twisted her wing away from me.
-If you touch me again, I'll bite your head off!-
-Your guardian is right. We can have you up in the sky only if we hold patience.-
-Why do I have to listen to you? You aren't the head of my den, much less one of the Elders!-
I bared my teeth and swung my head to her; in my mind flashed memories of me glaring down to Saphira, asking her pretty much the same thing (-Why do I have to follow your instructions? You are nothing but still a hatchling to me!-)
-Ro. I want you to breathe. In, and out. Expand your mind. You are in Navarre, with me, an Ocean away from Alagaesia. You're safe.-
I closed my eyes, fixed my glare and took a couple of heartbeats to get grounded; Aifos' mind lingered around mine until I gently told them I was fine.
Then, I lowered my wings and bowed my head, trying to make myself smaller, more approachable.
I felt Tairn's body relaxing slightly, and his tail wrapped itself around his flanks.
-I want to help you because I too have been a stranger to my body for most of my life.-
-I do not need any help!-
-Listen to him, Young One.-
I glanced at him briefly before turning to Andarna, -I couldn't fly for years. I was chained in the throne room of Uru'Baen, in a body that was enchanted through dark magic. My scales were dust, and my wings were shrunk. I know how it feels, looking up at the sky and wonder.-
Andarna huffed, puffed, clawed at the ground and rustled her wings.
-Let him show you how to fly again, Young One.-
Her golden eyes met mine and we stood there for a while, until a gentle breeze picked up and she half-opened her wings, -Only because Tairn told me to.-
I smiled at her, -Still better than nothing.-
YOU ARE READING
Redemption
Fanfiction"With that brush, I felt as if I was Nature and Nature was me; I was the ant that scrabbled to hunt down food; I was the plant stretching out to reach the sun; I was their teacher who was currently organizing a couple of scrolls; I was their dragon...
