Grey & August

[1] August & Grey

"Now listen Grey, I have to send you away, somewhere you can grow up healthy and strong" my mothers cold hand touched my cheek as she laid in bed. Her face was pale like snow, and her eyes were dark.

"But mommy I want to stay with you" she gave me a weak smile but shook her head.

"I know of two people who will take care of you, they know of your arrival, seat friends of mine who will treat you like their own" I grabbed her hands and looked at the floor.

"I am six years old, I can take care of myself" I scoffed and she weakly laughed before she released a cough.

"Please my son, carry on our name and our family heritage. Become a great dragon priest as your father and I once were, protect the dragons" tears began to fall from my face and she wiped them away.

"But mommy-" she silenced me with her finger.

"No Grey, your bag is all packed and ready, the map to the castle is there, you must go, live a life and make us proud" she kissed my forehead before her hand went limp and her eyes closed. I yelled and fell to my knees holding my mothers hand in mine.

~<>~

What felt like hours I finally stood up from the floor and rubbed my red eyes, sore from crying. I kissed my mother cheek for the last time before covering her lifeless body with a blanket. I walked over across our tiny cabin to the table and picked up my bag. I walked out of the door and began my long journey towards the kingdom of Vanora, where my mother has circled on the map. The trail snakes back and forth and up many mountains, sometimes it made me wonder why my mother didn't send her dragon to come find me, it's surly would have been faster if he did.

~<>~

I almost hated the smell of fire and burning wood but the fifth night I had been on my own. It's pained me to have to shove another fried fish done my throat, but the only tool I could carry was the fishing rod, maybe I was more bitter that my mother never told me anything about who would be taking care of me. She never said who they were and what the look like, all I needed to know is that they would be expecting me to arrive. But my mother expects a young boy to travel into a kingdom infested with giant lizards and hopes that I wouldn't get eaten. I did miss here dearly, though it felt only yesterday when I left that cabin and my mother inside. But I know that she would have wanted me to go and live on, just like when my father was sent of to war and never returned home.

"It's awfully cold out here young man, why don't you come with me to my cabin?" I was taken out of my train of thought when I young lady stood behind the fire staring down at me. She had long white hair and she was very tall and thin. Her eyes were a gold colour and she wore a cape of white feathers.

"I'm sorry but I don't know who you are, so I have to decline" she smile a little and cake a little closer grabbing my chin and tilting my head up.

"You sure are him"

"Hey hey! Hands off lady, while the hell are you!" She took her hand away and laughed.

"Feisty one you are too, pardon my manners, I'm Corona, one of her majesty's messengers, I've come to assist  you on your journey" she gave me a smile before bowing.

"You are Grey Calavan correct?" I nodded.

"Why now do you show up?" She began walking away and I gathered my stuff running after her.

"Hey wait! You didn't answer my question" she stopped and turned to face me. I suddenly felt very uncomfortable under her sharp gaze before she gave me another smile.

"Because, I can only travel a certain distance from her majesty, this is as close I could get to you, now come before you catch a cold" she ushered me inside and I looked around the strange room.

"So your her messenger huh"

"Indeed, a great honour in fact, she also happens to be very close to me and a good friend, so this was more of a favour" I nod and she hands me a blanket and pillow.

"Now now, rest, you have a long ways to go before we reach the kingdom" I nodded and rested my head on the pillow and pulling the covers up.

"Your not gonna kill me in my sleep are you?"

"Oh dear god no! Haha you are very funny, now shush and go to sleep" I closed my eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep.

~<>~

"How long till we get there Corona?" She looked up at the sky for a moment before looking back at the dirt trail in front of us.

"It looks like another three days and we should arrive, right on schedule"

"Schedule? How did you guys even know if I was gonna come"

"We has a feeling Grey, you would never disappoint your parents" she was right, I wouldn't have stayed even though I wanted to so badly.

"Tell me about yourself Grey" I was taken back by her question for a second before I shook my head and walked closer to her.

"I'm six years old and my parents were dragon warriors, or a priest. I have no siblings and my father passed away on war when I was four years old" she nodded and looked down at me.

"You miss them?"

"Very much, one day I hope to grow up to be as powerful as them, and have a family of my own" she smiled and o grabbed her hand.

"That sounds like a wonderful future, I hope it comes true for you"

"Do you think, I could make it possible?" She looked down at me and smiled.

"Anything is possible if you believe hard enough to make it happen, now tell me, so you believe in dragons?" I scoffed and shook my head.

"No, I've never seen one in real life, something my parents made up to hide the fact that killed people" she nodded and let go of my hand before walking in front me.

"Stay there Grey" I raised my eyebrows in question before she closed her eyes and gold glitter particles flowed around her body. There was a bright light causing me to close my eyes, when I opened them again there stood a white feathered dragon staring down at me. My mouth gapped open and I stumbled back.

"Do you believe now Grey?" I nodded and she smiled.

"Hop on Grey, they have waited long enough, and so have you. It's time to meet your new family" I climbed onto her back feeling the soft feathers beneath my fingers as I held on tightly before we were in the air. I felt the cold air brush against my face and I couldn't help but smile.