Dragon Feathers

Electricity in the air

The day after there were the electricity competition, which consisted in lighting up the most light bulbs possible and make them last the most, and the ice competition, in which the Dragontamers had to create statues and sculptures.

The latters met up at the square not long after breakfast. Yorick was with a water Dragontamer who he introduced as Jun, his boyfriend.

- You met yesterday... and you're already dating? - asked Leif in a low voice.

- It was love at first sight! - Yorick chirped, before smiling at Jun. There was something in his smile, in his eyes... Leif lost all of his skepticism.

- Congratulations - he mumbled, smiling. At least he'll leave Mira alone, he thought. The evening before they had dinner, they talked about the competition and then they crashed in bed - which was too small for two people - one on top of the other, exhausted from the day they had.

Rorik seemed rested, his girlfriend a bit less. She was nervous and it was noticeable. Elin was calm.

- Let's wander around for a while - said Leif, taking his boyfriend's hand in his own. The other Dragontamers followed him, chatting with each other, and also with Jun. It was like he had always been part of their group. Yorick was happy.

While they were wandering around they met some competitors, who were in the middle of having the first meal of the day. They sat down with them to have a chat. Two girls seemed very interested in Mira, but he was the only one who didn't get it. Leif was amused and a bit jealous.

The electricity competition took place on the beach opposite to the black sand one. Mira had never seen so many light bulbs before in his life; they were hung on a string between two poles, and there was a string for every Dragontamer.

- Everything will be alright - whispered Rorik to Lynae, holding her close and pressing a kiss to her temple. The girl simply caressed his arm.

The competition started. Some beginner Dragontamers weren't able to control their dragons and, while trying to make them light up more light bulbs, they made them explode and were disqualified. No one was hurt, luckily.

Lynae never lost her concentration and guided Illiya through the whole competition, whispering orders to light up another light bulb when she was sure that every light bulb was going to stay turned on.

She got third place, behind two talented Dragontamers, whose dragons had the ability to light up many light bulbs in few seconds without making them explode.

- You were great - told her Rorik, kissing her forehead. - And you were beautiful, baby.

Her friends complimented her and Lynae thanked them, not nervous anymore and lively again.

They went back to the village for the ice competition. Though he felt a bit guilty, Yorick cheered on Jun. There are the others to cheer on Elin, he told himself.

Elin and Marat were an incredible pair: together they could have built a castle of ice. Mira was fascinated by them and by all the other tamers that with mastery led their dragons to create masterpieces. It was more than a competition: it was art and magic. He thought that he could never be a judge in that competition, for every creation was wonderful.

It was almost predictable that the girl was going to get first place, and Jun second. Yorick couldn't have been prouder of him.

- You'll become a great Dragontamer - he told him while hugging him. Jun hugged him back and hid his face in his neck, before pressing a kiss on it.

Elin too was happy, happy of her win, and couldn't care less about not having a special person congratulating her, holding her, kissing her, being happy for her, not having Leif to be that person. She was alright by herself and needed no one but Marat.

Maybe Leif was right about the fact that she was treating badly those who after all had always been her friends, judging Mira without knowing him and treating badly Leif... Leif who had never wronged her, whose only mistake had been the one of being madly in love with her. And maybe they would have welcomed her back with open arms if she decided to be a good friend again, but she felt that they were taking different paths and she wasn't going to force herself to follow a path that wasn't hers just for the sake of their friendship.

Sure, they were a team and would probably always be. Who could tell? She had some thoughts about leaving to explore the world with Marat, like Artemisia, Leif's sister, had done.

Artemisia came back home very, very rarely, just for her brother's birthday, and sometimes not even for that. She was a free spirit; her heart had space only for X, her dragon.

For the moment, though, those were just thoughts and she wasn't going to concretize them. She wanted to enjoy a bit longer her boring life that she actually liked, and to see which point she could reach with Marat's abilities.

After the morning practice the Dragontamers went to put something in their empty stomaches.

- This afternoon there's the skills competition - announced Leif, while they were eating.

- Skills competition? - repeated Mira, perplexed.

- A Dragontamer who doesn't compete lets balls fall from the sky - explained Rorik. - The winner is the person who catches the most.

- It isn't as easy as it seems - added Yorick. - You must have good reflexes and a great balance.

- We fly low, but it's a bad fall nevertheless. Many Dragontamers ended badly only to catch a ball out of reach, one more ball - continued Leif.

Mira gulped.

- And you... compete? - he asked. His boyfriend, Yorick and Jun nodded.

- You have nothing to worry about, Mira - reassured him the fire Dragontamer, caressing softly his face. - Yorick and I know our limits and it surely isn't the first time we participate.

- Okay... but be careful - sighed the boy, letting his boyfriend cuddle him.

Yorick turned to Jun.

- You too, be careful, please.

The water Dragontamer nodded. His boyfriend seemed to want to add something, but kept quiet. Jun wasn't a child, in fact he was older than him, and was able to take care of himself.

- Have fun - said Rorik. - We'll cheer you on.