Redemption

The wards

Chex's Pov
We waited for Aifos all afternoon and night long.
Brennan had paled and staggered when he saw Ronny and Tairn walking towards him, both with cuts and gashes all throughout their bodies. Andarna immediately asked Tairn what had happened, and he said that he'd simply kept Ronny's temper in check, while Sgaeyl chuffed a laugh which earned her a shove from me.
Ronny and I mostly remained silent through our waiting, and in my half-dozing off state, I recalled my sister's words about the wards.
It happened before the journey to Cordyn, when Violet had just failed to raise the wards and was currently burying herself in the old journals.
-We mustn't tell them,- she said sternly. The snow hadn't fallen yet, but the air was already cool. Her scales were of a lighter shade of black, that sometimes seemed deep purple.
-Why not? We would spare many hours to your rider, and we would be shielded.-
-She needs to discover it on her own.-
-Why?-
-Because she has the heart of a rider and the mind of a scribe.-
I looked at my sister, saw how carefully she kept her scales of the shade she wanted; only a couple of hues gave off her true nature, but they could be easily shrugged off.
It made me wonder why the others had never admitted aloud their doubts about me, for the change of my scales were as crystal clear as they were unintentional.
-I asked Sgaeyl, of course,- said Andarna, -She said it happened to her, as well. She remained golden for a couple of months after her Sleep; some of her siblings over a year. It is a common feature, she said.-
-Let's hope so. So she didn't say anything about...-
-No. Tairn sees your copper and silver as your scales progressively darkening to black. You have your black legs to thank.-
I raised my claw, and we dropped the matter altogether.
I cracked open my eyes, and blinked the haze off. Dawn had barely settled, and Ronny tipped his head towards me.
-I can feel them walking.-
This had me perking my head up, and I didn't dare twitch a muscle. Carefully, I reached for our bond, only to find their mind tentatively brushing ours, almost as if it was sorry.
The soft light of dawn shadowed their eyes, and I stretched out my neck to nuzzle at their mussed hair. They bonked Ronny's snout, while their palm came up on my cheek.
-Did you fight because of me?-
Ronny's sigh was slow, -The flier's carelessness angered me, and I only wanted to make her pay for it. Tairn stopped me, and I attacked him.-
-I'm sorry, I...-
-It isn't your fault. Sometimes, our old wounds may bleed again.-
-I only want them to stop.-
-I know, kid, I do so too.-
I brushed their hair with the tip of my snout, -You aren't alone. I will be by your side, anytime you want me to, and even if you don't.-
-We know.-
At first, they were quiet, and often enough I caught them mindlessly scratching at their wrist. Everytime Ronny saw them doing it, he gently nuzzled the hand away, and I started doing it too.
We watched as the squads gave the fliers their hard-earned patches, and I snorted at Violet's remark to Catriona ("That trick you mentioned? You know, with the fingers? Thanks.")
Aifos' smile was quickly swallowed by their silent sadness, though, so I bumped their left shoulder with my claw and joked, -All Darna's influence, let me tell you!-
Xaden's failed patrol south of Draithus only made them more worried and closed off.
-I could've helped them.-
-You aren't in shape to do so,- said Ronny. They looked at their hands, -He says we're outmached, we can't hold the line.-
-And we'll keep being so even if you go back fighting within the hour.-
Then, he brought us to his lessons with my sister, and later on asked Aifos insistent questions that needed detailed answers. Whenever they stammered, or answered hastily, Ronny shook his head  and instructed them to do some dancing moves which required them to take off their boots.
One day, they snapped, -Just fuck off!- and would've stormed away hadn't I toppled them.
-Let's go flying.-
They tried to struggle.
-But the saddle is...-
-Right now. Come on.-
I freed them from my claw and stretched out my leg, just like I'd seen Tairn doing many times. Aifos hesitated, then muttered something and clambered on my back.
-Fly carefully,- Ronny said as Aifos clenched their tights and I unfurled my wings.
-Of course. I'll call you when we're done.-
During our flight, I spotted Tairn circling around one of the many snow-covered mountains. My sister was with Violet, Catriona, and other two riders, hiking up another cliff, a couple of wingbeats from Tairn's.
-It must be some training,- I offered, -Don't you think so?-
-Yeah. Possibly.-
-Are you cold?-
-No. Thanks.-
I splayed my wings and let us be floated by the wind of winter. Tairn quickly turned around, most presumably towards the group.
Aifos leaned back a bit.
After some silence, I kept my voice as gentle as possible, -You want to tell me what's going on?-
-It's... A stupid thing, really.-
-I'd like to hear it anyway. Please.-
-It's just... An old habit of mine.-
-How old?-
-Years.-
-Why?-
When they didn't say anything, I quickly corrected my question, -I mean, why now?-
-Tecarus' statement was true. I do long for a feeling of belonging... Never felt it much at home. And when Catriona's mindwork unbalanced me so much and by accident...- Their voice broke, -I thought, I hoped, that I was over my father's despise, especially when I came here. But I am not. I never will be. And... and look at Violet! She got imprisoned and tortured, but she keeps going on, and, and Xaden/-
-You too are going on.-
-Barely! It was enough a push that wasn't even meant for me to make me relapse, and Ronny alongside me. I am not as strong as the others. What if/-
-No! You *are* worthy of us. Worthy of me.-
-They all know I wouldn't have made it past the first year if I were born here. They respect only those who do.-
-They respect those who fight for their home.-
Their voice was shrill, -If I cut myself, how could I ever pretend to fight for an ideal?-
-Then fight for us.-
They took a sharp intake of breath, as if on the brink of saying something, but instead bowed their head and started weeping. At first, it was a silent, ashamed thing, but then they covered their face and tried to muffle their sobs.
-I will never belong anywhere.-
-You belong to us. To me. We are mates, and our bond goes even deeper than the one between a dragon and its Rider. What I am, it's yours to have; where I go, it's yours to belong to.-
They tried to wipe off their tears, but others kept streaking their cheeks, -Are you ashamed of me?-
-Never.-, and I let them bask in my affection for them, as warm and constant as the knowledge that the sun would come after every night, even after the coldest.
I felt their heaviness slowly dissipating, as if dusty curtains that got blown by a gentle breeze.
-Thank you.-
-Anytime, love.-
I changed course and found an empty cave and swept down. The entrance was large, and I estimated Ronny could duck in too.
After Aifos slid off my back, I asked them if they wanted Ronny to be with us. They looked at the sky, and said, quietly, -If you want to.-
So, I sent him our position, and during our waiting I curled myself around Aifos and folded my tail neatly around their legs. Their heartbeat was calm, and they started softly singing some old Elfic tunes with their low voice, albeit it still had a scratchy edge.
I admired the curve of their throat, the fullness of their lips.
One day, I promised myself, one day I'd tell them the truth about me.
Ronny was quick to find us, and patiently waited for Aifos to finish the song. He'd brought the saddle already strapped on him.
-_Feeling better?_-
-Yes. I needed to get away from it all... At least for a while.-
-I understand. I used to do it too.-
-Well, yeah,- I pointed out, -But you have wings, and they didn't, before I came along.-
Aifos huffed a laugh, and a smile brightened up their face, even if briefly. Ronny purred, and nuzzled their cheek, -You're beautiful when you smile.-
They blushed, -Thank you.-
We stayed there for a while, with a comfortable silence among the three of us. Aifos put their head against my flank, and dozed off, promptly mimicked by me; Ronny stared out on the horizon.
I was dreaming of chasing down a flock of sheep, when I was harshly nuzzled awake.
-What?-
-Wake up, Chex. The wards just got raised,- said Ronny out of the blue.
-The wards? But...-
They couldn't have been raised. Or, if they had been, they wouldn't last. Dread clawed my chest, and I hoped the six dens would be enough, that for some odd reason magic had forgotten about the seventh, and carried on with those which remained.
-Chex?-
I met Aifos' eyes, from Ronny's back.
-Coming.-
So, we flew to the borders of Aretia, and swept over the high plains, where Tairn and Sgaeyl had already landed. Ronny circled around them, but I banked right and heard his wingbeats catching up to me.
They would realise all of it was for nothing; when the wyverns would fly past the wards as if they'd never existed, they would realise everything.
On the far off horizon, we glimpsed a group of seventeen wyverns speeding up to meet us.
We hovered there, our muscles tense, until they got nearer, and nearer, until they crossed the wards and fire blazed deep in my throat-
They crumbled down. Their head sagged, and their wings fell askew; I could do nothing but watch, stunned.
The wards had worked. Their heartbeats had ceased.
I had to tell Andarna.
When we flew back, Aifos got dragged into the general celebrations, whisked off by Bodhi and Ridoc at the same time.
I left Ronny looming on them and raced up to my sister, -They're working! The wards!-
But her scales reflected off my golden, and the sapphire of a Blue Clubtail nearby. Her eyes were dark, and heavy.
-Darna?-
-I killed a dragon. And the wards aren't working.-