A Crown of Gold

Skyfire

Darius grew fast. After six months he was already bigger than a horse, which meant I would've been able to ride him. Despite this, I still only ever rode Sephraim.

Darius was unruly, and was at the point that he only ever wanted to fly away. Sephraim told me it was normal, and that he'd want to distance himself more and more as he grew.

Dragons don't remain together for all that long. With their mothers I mean, Sephraim explained. He'll have the urge to establish his own territory and find a mate.

I could communicate with him now, telepathically. Sephraim's shared blood with him allowed a connection. Granted, he hardly ever listened. He was like an eleven year old boy that lived in my village, one who'd mock you and throw stones at you for fun. The kind of boy who refused to listen to his mother's calls during supper, and the one who'd disappear into the Beyond out of defiance.

Not only that, but Sephraim's wariness of what he'd be capable of was only proven true. The bigger he got, the more confident he got in his ability to terrify people. Long story short: a few more villages are now under Sephraim's scope of ruled territory.

Whenever he actually was in the cave, he was territorial over his corner—the place his egg had laid beside me months ago. Anytime I'd go near it, he'd stand and roar at me, wings spread out for intimidation.

We need to bond the two of you, and soon, Sephraim finally admitted. He's becoming too aggressive.

Maybe he's just cooped up, I reasoned, knowing exactly how that felt. Maybe we should leave the territory for a little while. You know, take a break.

Sephraim agreed, reluctantly. She said she could use the time away as well.

We'll go to the ocean, She decided. There's something overwhelmingly calming about the border between land and sea. You'll enjoy it quite a bit, Asha.

I'd always wanted to see the ocean. To think of a body of water so large that it took months to cross by ship was an astonishing thought to me. I wondered how long it'd take a dragon to cross.

We leave next week, when the new moon cycle begins. Sephraim announced to the both of us—Darius and me.

-•-

You know they call you Skyfire in all the surrounding villages now, Darius told me as we sat in front of the hearth. He took his spot in his corner, his body extended toward the flame but his tail curled possessively around the gold. My crimson eyes found his golden ones.

He nodded, returning his gaze back to the flame, You're basically a god to them. The girl who harnessed dragons, their flame residing in her.

I scoffed at the title, I'm hardly a god. And I'm barely a conqueror, I can't even win your affections over.

Darius smirked at the hearth, And hard you will try until that comes to be.

I sighed, hugging my knees up to my chest, Why?

Darius gave me a questioning hum, never taking his eyes away from the flame. I looked over at the black beast, his horns glinting like water in moonlight. He was quite a terrifying sight, if you didn't know any better. I couldn't imagine what it'd feel like to be in his presence when he was fully grown. But the thing was, I did know better. I knew him as an egg, idle and round. And as a tiny hatchling no bigger than a hound, who hopped around the gold piles grinning like a child.

Why do you refuse to be nice to me? Why won't you try to kindle a companionship with me? I asked, glaring at him a bit.

He let out an exhausted sigh, rolling his eyes as he looked over at me. Because, Asha Skyfire, I don't wish to sign away my freedom to a human Rider that I didn't choose.