Alliance

Midnight Rendevous pt.3

"If you are worried about me dropping you, rest assured that I am an excellent flyer as long as I can still breathe."

I let out a nervous chuckle and loosen my grip, "Sorry."

Chatura turns his head slightly to look at me, "Sit up, Seraphina, or you will miss the view. You are perfectly safe up here. I will not let any harm come to you. I promise."

I slowly but surely work up the courage to sit up as if I were riding Nala, though keeping mindful not to get dragged down by the wind. Once I do, there is not an ounce of regret in my bones. 

The view is breathtaking. Never before have I seen stars shine like this or rivers glimmer as they are now. It takes me a while to realize that Chatura has picked up speed. I suppose that I was too busy marveling at the beauty of nature to really notice the change. My goodness, this view is truly a sight to behold.

Before long we're darting towards the castle I now call my home. From up here, it isn't as intimidating as it felt when I first laid eyes on it. I take in the castle's features for a few moments before seeing something familiar.

"Chatura," I call softly, receiving a hum in response. "Do you see that balcony overlooking the western garden? That is my room. If you ever need me, go to the window on the left of the balcony; that is where my private chambers are located."

The dragon gives me a sincere thank you accompanied by what can only be described as a content purr. I lean into Chatura's back and tighten my grip on him. "Chatura?"

"Yes?" He replies.

"Show me how fast you can really go."

He looks over his shoulder to see if I actually meant my request. After a few seconds of scanning my face, a wicked grin blooms from his fang-filled mouth. "Happily."

Had my head not been bent down, I'm sure my neck would have snapped at the force of our speed. My stomach drops as it did before but quickly picks back up, my heart soaring with it. This time I scream in elation. The forests and fields blur together so quickly it feels as if only minutes have passed before we're breezing through one kingdom then in another altogether. The air begins to take on a certain denseness that I can't seem to identify.

"Seraphina, have you been to the ocean before?"

"No," I reply, "but I've heard stories about it from my mother."

Chatura gives a delighted him, "Then I am honored to be the first to show you."

Chatura flaps his wings a bit harder and we break past the green forest to see a bountiful body of water. He drops our altitude until we are almost touching it. The updraft caused by his flight creates a light and refreshing mist on my face. We stay this low until a small island comes into sight. Chatura pulls us higher and circles the landmass.

The island is alive in every sense of the word. Dragons of all shapes and sizes are buzzing around what seems to be the heart of the island: the volcano. In a haze of both havoc and calm, the beautiful creatures organize themselves into a pattern that looks almost like a dance. Each one, at one point or another in their rotation, gets a chance to shoot their flames into the volcano, each blast making the lava flash a different color. The sight is breathtaking.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Oh it's magnificent," I reply breathily. "Unlike anything I've ever seen."

"Would you like to see it up close?"

I nod eagerly, "Oh, yes please!"

Not needing to be told twice, Chatura dives straight into the chaos. He ducks and weaves between his fellow dragons with practiced accuracy before settling into a flight pattern. From a distance this all looks like one big mess but, once emerged, you realize that they are moving in harmony.