Dragon Hunter

I'll be back

Roman woke up to the first sun beams shining through the window.
He didn't want to be awake. He wanted to fall back asleep and cuddle with his lovers.

"Morning, Princy", a deep voice behind him murmured.

He turned and met Virgil's eyes, still dark from sleep.

"Morning, my love", he pressed a sloppy kiss onto the others chapped lips.

"You have to leave today, don't you?"

Roman felt his heart sink: "Yes, I do."

Virgil kissed his cheek as if to kiss away the sadness.

A soft groan and shuffling made the two men perk up.

"Mh... Morning", Patton mumbled and tried to get a few stray locks out of his mouth.

"Good morning, class", Logan responded without waking up properly.

"Lolo, you're not at school", Patton giggled.

"Huh?", the man turned, spotted his lovers and realized his mistake. "Oh."

Roman chuckled softly.

"Do you have to go soon?", Virgil asked pressing a peck onto Roman's neck.
He wrapped his arms around Roman's chest and rubbed his nose into his lovers hair.

"Yes, I'm afraid I do. I have to be at the castle by before sundown," he sighed. "I wish I could stay."

Patton pressed his soft full lips onto his forehead.

They spent another few minutes in bed, showering eachother in soft kisses and whispers.

Logan, who had to leave early as well for his job at the local school, helped Roman pack the remaining clothes while Patton and Virgil made breakfast making sure to pack some food for the day long journey.

As many perks being a royal knight had it also had it's downsides Roman mused.
He couldn't see his lovers nearly as often as he wished he could and everytime he left he couldn't help but wonder if he'd make it back alive.
He had established himself as a competent fighter which on one hand made it more likely for him to get permission to go home for a few days or if he was lucky even a week but on the other hand it meant that he was send to more dangerous areas.

The king had been hunting dragons for years. They were dangerous beasts, hunting down humans and their animals alike and burning down towns, fields and forests.

The problem had only become worse when the rebels had appeared.

They rode on dragons and fought against the knights with not nearly as much training but a goddamn dragon, fury and - as some believed - inhuman strength, speed and agility.

Roman had only encountered Dragonriders once and had no intention of reliving the experience.

There was something terrifying about a fighter who knows neither rules nor mercy.
Or one who was too desperate to regard them.
Sometimes the difference was hard to tell.

They ate, Virgil checked over his bags twice more "just to make sure" until it was time to say goodbye.
Far to early in Romans opinion.

"Make sure to write as often as possible," Patton hugged him tightly. "And try to stay out of trouble."

"Of course, I always do", Roman answered.

Virgil scoffed at that, the mans hold tightening: "I wish you would, Mr. It's-just-a-flesh-wound-I-can-go-on. I'd be able to sleep a lot better at night."

"The cut wasn't that bad!", Roman protested.
"Besides, you have to take care of yourselves too."

"I assure you that we are perfectly capable of doing so. Also I fail to see what could possibly happen to us. Some students pulling pranks is likely the worst thing we might encounter and those frankly aren't a threat," Logan added with a smile.

"Who knows", Roman said cocking his head to the side. "I'd say Virge and I were pretty scary."

He pulled out of the group hug and sat up onto the dark stallion that was beginning to become more and more impatient.

"Don't worry. I'll be back in no time!"

He waved over his shoulder until he reached the bridge and crossed over the small stream cutting their house off from the rest of the village.

The first people were heading out for work and some children for school. He greeted them and most shot back Goodbyes and a few Good lucks.

He passed the last few houses and  was now on an old path between corn and wheat.

It was an familiar journey.
Follow this path into the forest, turn right at the crossroad with the old dead tree, follow the Nomads road through the hills, left at the church of Terrui and from there on just follow the road until you reach the capital.

Simple enough if you were lucky enough not to encounter bandits or - worse - dragons.

Today it seemed that luck was on his side.

For a while he was on the same path as a small group of nuns traveling towards a holy place and made conversation with them. They were friendly and nice travel companions and wished him a safe trip when their ways parted.
He returned the sentiment and then he was alone again.

He already missed his lovers.

Patton, with his softness and warmth and smell of honey and sweets and a heart of pure kindness.

Logan, who was so incredibly smart and much more quiet and subtle but still so full of love.

And Virgil, who could murder with sharp words alone but cared about them with every fiber of his being.

God, he loved them.

He couldn't wait to see them again.

The sky was just beginning to turn pink when Roman reached his destination.
The royal palace towered over the city of Cijan with it's towers and high wall.
A symbol of power and wealth.

There were still a lot of people on the streets and children playing as Roman rode past them. They parted for him, recognising the royal emblem on his chest.

The bridge into the castle was still down and the guards greeted him, he couldn't remember their names but he had seen them often enough.

He brought his horse into the stables, gave it over to a young boy working there and headed towards the main building to report that he was back before returning to the servant quarters, where he would sleep for the time he was here.

It was cool and the blankets were thin, so different from the warm and soft bed he had spent the night before in.
With a sigh he laid down.
It was quiet now but he knew that it would become loud once everyone came back from dinner.
He fell asleep just moments before.

May the dragon hunt begin!

Where do you think this is going? Any bets?

It might take a while for me to continue this story (we'll see). Let me know if you like it!

Don't let the dragons eat you!