"Okay, what does this say?"
(Uhm... oh, oh, oh! Wind, it's wind!)
"That's right, it's wind! How about... this one?"
(E~to...)
Luca chuckled, "Spell it out, Arc."
(A... R... C... Hey, it's my name!) said the young dragon.
"You got it, Arc. Now you can read!"
(Yay!) cheered Arcturus.
"We'll work on writing later, okay?"
(Kay!)
It had been roughly 5 hours since Arcturus was 'born', during which time Luca had been teaching the dragonling how to read and spell using a stick and the dirt ground around one of the crop fields of the Sheridan Estate. Showing genius-level learning skills, the dragon learned to do both in just 4 hours. Several guards and servants saw this and either ran in fear or watched in confused awe. Whenever Arcturus was excited and trumpeted it his joy, someone screamed nearby.
Just as the pair finished their lesson, Gerald Sheridan and Richter made their way over, both beset with complex emotions at the sight of a boy and a small dragon, the latter of which seemed to exude joy, enough that smiles unconsciously surfaced on the two men's faces. Gerald, arms folded in an exasperated manner, "First you're saving the estate and everyone in it, now it's a dragon. You seem full of surprises, young man."
The young mage in question grinned sheepishly, "Sorry about that... This bundle of joy over here is my life partner, Arcturus. Arc, these two are the Baronet Gerald Sheridan, the owner and lord of this estate, and his guard captain, Richter."
Arcturus' curious gaze focused on the pair before lightly bowing his head to them in greetings. He then said, (Big brother, that big one smells funny...). Of course, only Luca heard him.
Chuckling, Luca tapped the young dragon on the nose, making him sneeze, "Richter has been outside working all day, it's no wonder he smells funny."
Richter laughed moderately, "I did just have to help with interrogating some bandits from the siege, so I probably also smell like a dungeon as well. We managed to get information of critical importance, and, despite his arguments, Jeremy did agree you were the best person for the job."
After the boy asked, Gerald clarified his old friend's words, "Thanks to the efforts of Richter and the guards, we have discovered the location of the Mammoth Bandits' hideout. This needs to be sent to the city lord of Bristol immediately, but we don't have the manpower to do so. After a bit of debating, we decided that having you being the messenger was likely the best course of action since you continue to do impossible things like it's going out of style."
Luca's expression became serious, "Well, I was planning to go on a training journey anyway. Arc and I can deliver it, no problem. We might even be able to help out, which would cover the training part."
"...Fine. You can deliver the message, but the week-only condition still stands. If you get approved to participate, have them send a message by bird. Only then will your time limit be annulled. I'll have to handle Ysmir myself then, so it'd best go well. Understood?"
The little mage bowed formally, "Yes, my lord. We will set out immediately. Is the message ready for transport?" When Richter handed him a scroll sealed with the Sheridan crest, gave a salute to his town's feudal lord before saying, "Alright, Arc! We're going travelling!"
(Yay!) roared the dragon eagerly as he danced in place, tail and hindquarters once again bouncing around, causing uncontrollable smiles to the witnesses of his very un-dragonlike behaviour.
___
The hiss from the dousing of a campfire signalled the departure of Luca and Arcturus from their temporary camp. The former mounted a dark-tan, muscular stallion while the latter trotted along beside them as they set off.
Finding a horse that wasn't immediately terrified of Arcturus's dragon aura was a miracle for Luca. While the stallion was nearly a decade old, it was still a retired warhorse of considerable ability, having been Gerald's partner through his numerous years in the military. Its fearless demeanour was matched by its ferocious appearance: well-defined and powerful muscles surged beneath its scar-marred pelt, making it a half faster than any regular horse. Its two most prominent scars bore testament to its fierce attitude, one from a spear that nearly killed it on its left side, and another on its muzzle and neck from charging through a barrage of fireballs from rogue mages. Gerald said his horse, Thunder, was a warhorse if he'd ever seen one; even after being struck with spears and blasts of fire one after another, the equine beast made no sound other than those of exertion. Due to Thunder's sheer determination and prowess, several foals had been sired in an attempt to create a new breed of fearless warhorses from it. Now, though, it seemed to enjoy the quiet life, for the most part.
Thunder's initial reaction to Arcturus' curious nosiness was to snort and give the young dragon a quick knock on the snout with a hoof, all without looking away from its breakfast. The surprise kick startled Arcturus, causing his natural aura to waver as he recovered from his blow. Before they set off, Gerald told his old partner he had one last mission for him, to see these two children to Bristol, and battle if needed. Its calm air belied its dreams of once more waging war on the plains, and gave way to a stalwart and fearsome attitude as its posture changed to that of a horse prepared to battle. The aura the horse gave off surprised everyone nearby, animals and Arcturus included, inspiring fear and amazement towards the aging battle-steed. Luca was astonished that such a normal creature could possess an aura capable of crushing that of a young dragon. Gerald simply smiled as he witnessed his old partner's dormant state return with renewed vigour, thanking Thunder in a way only the two of them truly understood.