Middle of the Week Motivation

Dragon in Distress

The night was cool and crisp as Jack walked through the market square. He was on his way from his house to the castle, a regular meeting place for the knights of the area. He lived decently close to the castle, close enough to be there in a few minutes time if necessary, but Jack decided to take it slow tonight. It was another hour before the meeting started, so Jack took his time, weaving through the town and by all the stalls. He stopped one lady as she was cleaning up, buying an apple from her before continuing on his way. He'd get well fed at the castle, eating dinner there and undoubtedly staying the night. He wasn't wearing any fancy armor or anything, just normal everyday clothes. Even on missions and quests he tended to stray away from the shiny, bulky material, opting for clothes that while durable, were lightweight and easy to move around in. Speed is key after all, and Jack simply couldn't go all that far very fast with all the typical knight armor.

He took the last bite of the red apple, throwing the core in a nearby trash can and brushing his brightly dyed green hair out of his face before stuffing his hands in his pockets to get them warm. He casually moseyed down the semi-quiet street, his gaze flickering around, taking in the scenery around him. A stall here, a home there, and a stable off to his left where a few horses leaned over, getting a drink. He smiled slightly, going over to a white horse, the one peppered with black spots. He grinned, reaching up and stroking the horse's nose, and letting out a tiny giggle when the horse sniffed his hand. It was peaceful... momentarily. The calmness was soon overtaken by a harsh shout and a yelp of fright. Jack turned his head towards the sound, ears perked as he stepped away from the stable, into the light of the streets.

He leaned against a nearby brick wall, his gaze raking the area almost instinctively, trying to figure out where he could be of help. Jack stepped away from the wall as a raven haired man burst into sight, his hair dyed bright red and eyes flickering around temporarily. He never stopped moving, only pausing for a slight second, changing his direction to run towards Jack. The green haired man was about to say something, but never exactly had the chance to. The brown eyed stranger grabbed Jack's waist, spinning around and throwing himself against the wall before pulling Jack on top of him. The stranger pulled Jack into a kiss, eliminating any option for him to speak. After a moment of surprise, Jack melted into the kiss, his eyes fluttering shut and arms wrapping around the other man's neck. The kiss was brief, and the man took off again, saying nothing to the flustered blue eyed man as he ran off in the same direction he had come.

At first, Jack was confused, but he soon realized, the red haired man was running from something, or more specifically someone. He watched from the shadows as a hooded figure re-entered the town square, seemingly looking for something. Jack was pretty sure that the figure was looking for more than a bargain deal on a bunch of grapes. He watched as the mysterious figure cast one more glance around the empty town square before dashing away. Jack sighed, picking himself off the wall that he had taken refuge against and continuing his way towards the castle, thoughts of a certain brown eyed man on his mind.

He made it to the castle right on time, receiving a warm welcome and gentle push towards the meeting hall from the butler who was posted at the front door, the elderly man urging him to quicken his pace in attempts to not be late. Jack flashed a quick smile and nodded appreciatively, scurrying over to the meeting room, pausing outside temporarily to catch his breath before going inside. He was met with warm smiles and many different people calling out his name in delight. He was never quite sure why he was so popular amongst the knights, perhaps his energetic personality or friendly behavior. He bowed to King Felix, the man's blue eyes peering out through the dirty blonde hair that hung in his face. He kissed the queen's hand, before Marzia playfully batted him away, her brown eyes sparkling at his over formal gesture. He smiled as he took his seat, the queen fixing the crown that sat in her long, brown hair. He simply gave a curt nod to the princess, her smile faltering as his smile lessened when he looked at her. He never was that fond of the princess, her black hair and emerald eyes making her look nothing like her parents, but he had to be polite nonetheless.