Dragonborn

Chapter 14 ~ Mind Games

    It was the day of the ball. Time had flown by! She'd mastered the flying exercise that Gavin had given her, but flying its-self was still a challenge. If she managed to take off, she could stay in the air, but landing was another thing altogether. Gavin had also pushed Akila to work on an exercise meant to help her find her power. When she told him she knew how to access it, he'd told her to damn the odds and pull it as hard as she could. Yesterday, she finally felt like it had come loose, but nothing had happened. Yet she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was trickling through her soul.

    She was snapped out of her thoughts by Gavin, who had apparently been speaking to her. "Are you even listening?"

    "Sorry." She sheepishly replied. "Tell me again."

    He simply sighed and did so, "As you know, we will be flying to the castle. Suits, dresses, and jewelry were put on a carriage three days ago, so they should already be there. We're out here early so we can practice taking off and landing." He donned his dragon form and she followed in suit. "Now, the aim is to be able to do it first try, so let's see it."

    Akila shook out her haunches and started running. She jumped up and gave a strong flap of her wings, but wasn't able to catch any air. Thankfully, she managed not to roll on the ground.

    Gavin simply closed his eyes, probably to send a prayer to whatever gods were listening an ask for their assistance in not making the knights look like idiots in front of royalty and nobility. "Again." He simply said.

    She got herself ready, ran, jumped, and caught air. Frantically, Akila flapped until she was high enough that air filled her wings in abundance. Gavin joined her.

    "You're doing good. But now you must land. There won't be that much space in the courtyard and we can't have you taking out part of the castle, so we're going to have you practice landing and changing into human form quickly. If you don't execute the second part, there simply won't be any room for all of us. Got it?"

    She nodded. "Where is my goal?"

    "Hmmm... right before the lake, don't stray out of the width of the lake."

    Akila grunted her approval before focusing on the spot he mentioned. She drifted down to it, before making a small upward turn and letting herself fall the few feet that were left in between her and the ground. She stumbled a bit, but not too much.

    "Great." Gavin said. "Now go tag on to the remains of breakfast and meet everyone out here in an hour. Remember, no need to wear anything other than your training clothes for you'll get ready at the castle."

~

    A while later, Akila was ready to fly. She'd donned her least used of casual clothes. They looked rather stylish though. A white undershirt with a brown leather jacket, pants, and boots. The first item made especially to keep out the autumn chill that was starting to settle in the air. Sai told her that Dragonborns naturally had a high body temperature and could forgo such things, but she nevertheless wore it. It wouldn't feel right to waltz into the royal palace courtyard with but a simple shirt on.

    Everyone was ready to go, together they transformed into their full forms. It was stunning, she had to admit. She'd everyone's full form besides Cameron and Allura. The former Had rock gray scales and silvery eyes. Allura, on the other hand, was a majestic royal purple, her eyes were a pinkish variation of the color of her scales.

    "Get ready!" Sai called. "We're taking off and landing single file, change into human form quickly and get out of the way."

    Gustav went first, followed by Sai, Moon, Cameron, Allura, Gavin, and now it would be her turn. Everyone but the last started flying. She closed her eyes for a second before running. Dear gods, please let me be able to do this on my first try. Someone must have been listening for she was up in the air before she knew it.