The Dragon Slayer

Work Day

"I'm here Cray!" I yelled as I swung open the blacksmith's door. The familiar smell of melted metal, coal dust, and smoke fumes filled my nostrils as I stepped in the place. I heard a faint banging of hammer against metal and knew that was Adrian already starting work. I smiled to myself. Only he could make me feel better on a day like today.

" 'Bout time you got here too," said Cray in his deep, scratchy voice from years of breathing in smoke fumes, "Thought you weren't gonna show."

"Wouldn't dream of it." I said sarcastically as I made my way to the back room. Me and Adrian pretty much do all Cray's work while he waits for customers to buy something. We are in charge of melting the metals and shaping the weapons and basically anything else made of metal.

"The big migration's starting up again soon," said Cray, "More and more people will be coming in and I need everything to be top quality if the participants are to do well."

"Yes, sir." I said, emphasizing the last word. I've always hated him. But he was the only one who would give an inexperienced child a job. He hired me when I was just ten years old. After mom and dad....

As I walked into the backroom I saw Adrian struggling to hammer a bent sword back into position. He looked up and when he saw who it was he broke into a huge grin.

"Hiya Av!" he said cheerfully. "How's it going?"

"I'm good," I replied, "You?"

"I'm okay. Old man's still making me do this job though." he said.

I laughed and we began our usual tasks. Looking at the new orders for the day, melting down the iron, molding the metals into swords, shields, helmets, and gauntlets...

I was just about to mold a new sword when I heard the door open. A tall, pale man with dark hair and cold, blue eyes walked towards the counter where Cray was sitting.

"Good afternoon sir. What can I do ya for?" said Cray.

"I need a full set of battle armor. All black." he said darkly.

"Preparing for the big migration are we?" asked Cray.

"Yes, I am." he said smugly. For some reason, I had a bad feeling about him. He seems so creepy and ominous.

"Wow!" said Adrian, his eyes alight with inspiration, "A whole suit of armor!"

"Yep. That's going to take all day to make. But at least we have each other." I said sarcastically.

"C'mon it'll be fun." he reassured me.

After many long hours of pounding, melting, and molding, we were finally done.

"I'm exhausted," I said, collapsing on a bench.

"Same here," said Adrian, sitting down beside me. Even though he was covered in soot and sweat, he still looked so handsome. His chiseled features with those stunning dark eyes and dirty blonde hair. For a while, we both just stared at each other in silence. Then, Adrian started leaning in. I wasn't sure what was going to happen, my heart was thumping so much faster than usual. Just when we were only a few centimetres apart, Cray opened up the door with a loud bang.

"Done yet?" he asked. "The man's waiting for his armor."

"Yes sir." me and Adrian said together.

It felt so awkward. I couldn't look him in the eye anymore. Surely he wasn't trying to kiss me? But maybe he was? Part of me is begging for that to be true but the other is wishing that it never happened.

"Alright you can go home." said Cray roughly.

"C'mon," said Adrian, "I'll walk you home."

"Thanks." I replied, grateful that we could talk normally again.