CROWNS I: Of Desolate Hope | ✔

30. Draken's Return

Draken reached out to touch the clouds. He had done so on the way to Narantis but he hadn't felt anything. He carefully readjusted his seating on Anerion and stretched as far as he could. This time he could feel the clouds. They were so soft that if you weren't paying attention, you wouldn't realize that you were touching anything. He pushed his hand further in. It was cold and wet despite the warm rays from the sun. Draken lowered his hand and clung tightly onto Anerion. "I think we can go a little faster than this," he said.

The dragon seemed to snort and scanned the mostly clear skies. Draken noticed Anerion peering downwards slyly. Oh no! No! The prince quickly glanced behind to make sure that their belongings were secure. "Anerion," he said, softly. "Please, don't do this. We can go faster but in a straight line, right?"

The dragon tossed her head and spread her wings, bringing them to a halt. 

For the love of-

Anerion charged toward the ground head first. She spiralled down at great speed. Draken felt like his face was being battered as his stomach lurched and the wind cruelly beat him. For what seemed like a year, the dragon and the prince fell through the air, lazily. Draken felt as though he was about to throw up as they neared the barren plains of The Dark. 

"St-stop, Anerion," stuttered Draken, hugging onto the dragon for dear life. "S-stop."

The dragon moaned and unfurled her majestic white wings which glimmered in the warm morning light of the sun as they slowed and glided through the air. Draken, still clinging to Anerion, couldn't even fully raise his head as his heart was still in his mouth and felt unable to move.

It was a short while until the feeling of dread and panic in the prince's gut had passed. That was very funny... He slowly raised his head from her tough skin and looked outward. The world was at peace. Nothing stirred in the sky or on the ground. To his left, Draken could see the mountains that defended his home. To the right, the vast Sansun stretched out as far as he could see. Far off into the distance ahead, the prince could just about see what he thought must be the start of the Wakewood. Draken soon remembered the stories he had been told about the wolf in the woods, the ghosts and the other rumours. True or not, he diverted his attention away from the unknown. "This is what it's going to be like every day when we get back," he mumbled, optimistically. "I'll get my family, my friends, and my father's approval back. It'll be paradise. I can't wait to see Venaessa's face when she finds out I didn't fail."

Anerion made a low humming sound which reminded Draken that he was talking to a dragon and not a human. Nevertheless, he couldn't' imagine what the journey would have been like without her. The cold nights would have frozen him and the torrid heat of the afternoon would have burned him. You might just be the reason why I'm going home...Thank you. Draken vaguely remembered when he had met the dragon for the first time at the dragonkeeper's farm. It was mostly a distant memory but there were some things he'd never forget. The prince gently leaned eastwards and Anerion did the same as they swung around at the point where the River Ember merged with the River Stoke.

The dragon's wings didn't appear to be moving faster but Draken was pleased that they were going faster. The detour had been pleasant but the excitement of returning home had overcome his desire to explore. It was a short while until they reached the River Mainor which cowered in the mountains. Draken thought about trying cut the journey time by attempting to fly over the mountains but remembered what the Grand Sage had said to him about the raiders in the mountains. He wasn't sure whether after all these months they were still a problem but he decided against it much to the happiness of Anerion who didn't seem to particularly like flying at heights. 

The bright morning sun rose a little higher as the dragon and her prince continued to glide through the air for miles and miles. Although the tranquillity and the gentle, cool breeze was initially nice, Draken felt bored. Being by himself, all he could do was listen to his own thoughts and the occasional high-pitched tweet from a bird. Fortunately for him, they had finally reached the River hush on the north side of the mountains. They turned eastward once more and flew through the gap between them.