We The Kings ( bxb completed)

Chapter 30

He was black. His eyes were a piercing blue, like glaciers. He roared and stretched his wings. His wingspan was long, just his foot alone could easily wipe out an army.

Samuel got off the ground and approached it. He slowly came closer to reach his hand out.

"Samuel! No!" I called out in fear. The dragon jerked his head back and reared at him.

Samuel took a couple steps back, then tried approaching again.

"It's alright. Shh. Shh." Samuel slowly stepped closer and offered his hand again. The dragon smelled his hand and remained still. Samuel gently began to caress the dragons snout. It tilted it's head down, accepting his friendly strokes.

"How? Did you do that?" I asked.

"We freed him, Zander. He can sense that. He can sense that he can trust us. Come here. Slowly." Samuel said in a soft tone, ensured to not scare the dragon.

"Just put your hand up and out, let him smell you first. Like when you introduce yourself to a dog."

"I've never had a dog before." I explained.

"Great. Just don't move too fast. One wrong move can set him off. We need to build trust with him. Trust is tbd most important thing."

My hand was shaking when I reached up.

"He can smell fear." Said Samuel.

Breathe, I told myself. The dragon is real. We made it this far. I couldn't die now. I couldn't startle him.

I tried to steady my hand for him. The dragon inhaled, his breathe felt like a vacuum, as if I could be snorted up his nose. He lowered his head to accept soft pets from me as well. He became less defensive and let down his guard once he trusted us.

"Thank you, Delphine. For everything. Payment as promised." He gave her a bag of coins.

"Thank you, your majesty. Good luck." She bowed and began to walk home. It was then just the three of us, two kings, and a dragon.

"I can't believe he's really here." I said, still petting the slope of his nose.

"I knew we could do it. I knew we could. He's incredible. Look at those talons for nails, those ferocious teeth."

"Yet he's so gentle. Should we feed him?"

"Have any dead cows laying around?" Said Samuel in a joking way.

I slowly went back to my satchel and pulled out some fruit I brought along. I set it down in front of him. He cautiously sniffed it, then ate it all with a single chomp.

"He's going to need much more than that." Said Samuel.

"When we get back to my kingdom, we can find more food for him. Are we riding back on him?"

"That's the plan. He has to trust us, though. Or he'll never let us."

"Should we give him a name?" I asked.

"A name?"

"Yeah.. Why not?"

"I don't see the harm in that. What do you suggest?"

"How about Flames?"

"Flames? Really?" Samuel laughed at me.

"What's wrong with Flames?"

"It's not good, Princey. How about Leopold?"

"You can't be serious." I shook my head.

"What's wrong with it? It's a kingly name."

"He's not a king, he's a dragon." I said. I thought for a moment.

"Fine. How about King Flames?" I suggested.

"You want to call this dragon King Flames?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"You know what, Princey? I'll let you have this one. King Flames it is." He laughed.

"How do we get on?"

"I've read that dragons can understand certain words from other languages. If they work, we can ask him if we can grant passage." He said.

"What's the word for that?"

"Vournthenot." Said Samuel clearly. There was a pause, and the dragon lowered its body, granting us access.

"Oh my gods! It worked!" I smiled.

"Be careful climbing on." Instructed Samuel.

We hopped from his leg and climbed on its scaly back. Small hornlike spikes lined down his long back. He was gigantic, if he moved once we could be thrown off his back with broken bones if not dead.

"Gonafrueba." Spoke Samuel.

The dragon flapped it's heavy wings and took off. I gripped onto Samuel's back in fear as I watched the ground get father away. My grip tightened and my stomach dropped. I felt queasy.

"Princey! This is amazing! Look down! All the trees and homes! The sea!"

"I'd rather not, I don't think flying is my thing." I said, holding back my breakfast the best I could.

My stomach flopped as the dragon soared through the air. I think I had accidentally swallowed a bug.

"Dragons can breathe fire, right? How do we get him to?"

"I don't know the command for that, we'll have to search when we reach your home."

Home, I reminded myself how close we were. How close we were for this sleepless adventure to be over. The afternoon began to end, the sun began to set. The day was almost over, and I was almost home. A home Samuel and I would share.

"Look, Princey!" Samuel pointed in the distance. We saw the castle. I was so happy. I couldn't remember the last time I felt that excited for anything. I had feeling back in my life again. Samuel helped me with that. I took a deep breath. Anxiety filled me.

"It'll be alright, Zander. Just breathe." Samuel said, looking back at me.

As we approached, Samuel lowered the dragon in the front court yard. The guards scrambled and shouted with their weapons raised.

"No! It's me, King Zander, and King Samuel. Lower your weapons." There was a rumble, followed by bows. The head guard, Daniel approached me.

"Your majesty! This beast!" He said in amazement.

"He is ours. He will help us succeed in the war. No one else knows we have him."

Servers, Samuel's guards, and the rest of the castle staff came out to look. The dragon appeared calm, tired. Charles strutted out.

"Hmph, I've seen better." He crossed his arms. Of course Charles would say that.

"Where's Queen Mavis?" I asked Daniel.

"I believe she's reading in her chambers. I'll go get her and let her know that her king is home." Daniel went into the castle.

I was eager to see her. I had to tell her about how the war will be won. I had to confess my love for Samuel to her. To everyone.

My parents rushed out to see the dragon.

"My word!" Said my dad, stepping closer to him. The dragon backed up from him and scrunched up his snout.

"Be careful, father." I jumped down by him. Samuel was still sitting on top of him, I didn't understand why he wasn't coming down and joining me on the ground.

In clear and sharp words, Samuel spoke to the dragon.

"Flulemio." He commanded.

The dragon opened its mouth, blowing flames onto the castle.