"Hurry up Mama! The festival will start soon.", the little girl giggled as she tried to hasten her mother along. Iris rolled her eyes at her daughter, but a smile rested on her lips, nonetheless. She didn't particularly like this festival; it was all a pretense. A way to hide the truth. Although she will praise the people's hard work. The flower strings that hung from pole to pole was truly beautiful, the blue and purple colour of the flowers blending with each other exceptionally well.
After the festival, they would need to set off to their next destination, the Fox Village. Iris wasn't hesitant to leave this forsaken village; the Elders were worse than those of Lavander's. It is true that the Village of Eyes were known for their seer abilities, but it has dwindled during the centuries. The warnings or rather threats she received was enough for her to never want to return.
Iris shook her head clear of her daunting thoughts, she was here to enjoy the flower festival with her lovely daughter, regardless of the true meaning behind the festival nor the Elders threats'.
As the sun sets, the lanterns of the festival lit up. The string of lanterns adorned with vibrant flowers hung delicately, creating a bubble of joy and celebration. The air was filled with the sweet fragrance of the blue and purple flowers, as if nature itself had joined the celebration. Laughter and the melodic strains of music floated through the air, blending seamlessly with the gentle rustle of leaves in the evening breeze. Underneath the blanket of stars, the festival bloomed into an enchanting garden, a celebration painted with the hues of happiness and adorned with the timeless beauty of nature's floral wonders.
A true pretense on his part.
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It was silent between Aviva and Rowan as she followed him. Amelia was sleeping in her sister's arms and Kayda was constantly complaining about team 10. Much to Aviva's dismay, she was the only one that could hear the little temperamental dragon's complaints.
Rowan wants to talk to her; to make friends but he also knew this wasn't the normal circumstances to make friends. She also looked deep in thought, maybe she was planning to run away again, Rowan was curious to see what her plan was this time. She is indeed an interesting one.
Aviva couldn't stop the yawn from escaping her and cursed herself for getting caught, she could've been resting now. Rowan frowned, they must be exhausted yet couldn't help but be impressed with her quick thinking and actions. He slowed his pace a bit so she could catch up. "We are almost at the trail for the Eyrie. We will leave as soon as everyone is accounted for. You can rest during our trip, dragons tend to fly calmly.", Rowan said, he knew there will be no chance of staying longer than necessary as they are already a day late. He grimaced at the thought of his brother complaining about the extra paperwork.
All Aviva was glad for is that she wouldn't have to face the Elders again. She closed her eyes for a second and wished for a bath and maybe a hot meal. Yes, she was starving, sleep could wait. "You don't happen to have something to eat, do you?", Aviva took a chance. She was convinced she could eat a whole horse at this moment. Rowan had a teasing smile on his face as he looked back at her. "Are you not scared I will use the food against you?". Rowan laughed at her wide eyes and handed her a dried piece of meat.
"I'm sorry that I did that.", She mumbled. She did feel bad, but she would do it again. Rowan shrugged and led her up the mountain to the Eyrie. "I'll give you a pass. It was the best sleep I had in a while. Although I can't say the same for Tristan. He does not like being deceived.", Rowan held a tree branch back so it wouldn't hit Aviva. "I don't think anybody likes being deceived.", Aviva mumbled as Kayda took the last bite of the dried meat. Rowan hummed in agreement and continued to lead her; the Eyrie now visible to them.
"It is so strange having an actual conversation with him instead of running.", Aviva admitted to Kayda who was cleaning her claws. "They are still leading us to our deaths.", Kayda grumbled. Aviva scoffed and pinched Kayda's ear. She nipped her fingertip in defense. "You know I won't let that happen!", Aviva was already tense about what's to come, she didn't need Kayda's negative comments. "I know that, Avi.", Kayda purred and nuzzled her head in Aviva's cheek. Aviva smiled a little and scratched behind the little beast's ear.
If Rowan wasn't looking back in that moment, he would've missed that smile. He smiled at their deep connection despite not being bonded. He would make sure that he does everything to help her keep her family safe.
Rowan wasn't sure if he was happy or disappointed that Elroy and Tristan were waiting for them already. He took a deep breath before leading Aviva to the two that were in a deep conversation. "I am surprised that Rowan didn't have to drag you here kicking and screaming, buttercup.", Elroy teased. He had his arms crossed over his naked chest. Aviva rolled her eyes and scoffed; did he grow up in the wilderness that he doesn't know what a shirt is? "We made a deal, she won't run anymore.", Rowan intervened Aviva's sarcastic comment.
"Before we leave, I want one thing.", Tristan said as his frame towered over Aviva's. Aviva gulped but stood her ground, she has met worse. She matched his glare; she had a feeling to what he was referring to, if the bump on his forehead had anything to say about it. "Apologize and we will call it a day.", He was angry but knew what Rowan said was true. Family before anything and everything.
Aviva wanted to spit in his face but ultimately, they were just doing their jobs. She weighed her options. she rolled her eyes internally and ignored Kayda's threats of roasting Tristan. "I was protecting my family I am... sorry that it was at the expense of yours.". Aviva struggled to get the word 'sorry' out of her throat.
Elroy was a bit shocked; he didn't expect an apology nor for her to apologize, maybe he was too quick to summarize her character in his head. Rowan smiled and waved the apology off; he had already received a sincere apology earlier. Tristan hummed and narrowed his eyes at her before turning around. He walked towards the large stone cave in front of them and waved for the three to follow after him. Aviva was a bit shocked but followed after them, nerves settling in her stomach.
Each village had a natural Eyrie which was usually situated on a cliff or near a river. The cave was huge. In the center, three dragons were in the process of being saddled. Workers had to use platforms to saddle them, and it was usually a six-person job.
"There's my beautiful girl, did you miss me?", Elroy called out and in response the green dragon purred and lowered its head for Elroy to pet. The dragon was a considerable size and stature, her dark green scales shining, like the forest canopy, in moonlight that peeked through the cracks of the cave. Her long, sinuous body is covered in webbed spikes that gives her an almost prehistoric appearance, and she possesses a leaf-like tail that fans out gracefully behind her. To Aviva, perhaps her most striking feature is the intelligent, expressive eyes— a deep, mesmerizing shade of emerald green. Standing on all fours, she measures just under 50 feet from nose to tail tip, at least that's what Aviva would guess, and her mighty wingspan easily reaches 25 feet.
Rowan stopped next to her, amused by her awed expression. He pointed to the dragon that Elroy greeted. "That is Esme, she is a darling girl. That one over there is mine. Her name is Aither. The grumpy one is Tristan's, but Terran is loveable.". Aviva looked at the remaining two dragons.
Somehow Aither's cold exterior fit well with Rowans' personality, maybe it is her warm eyes looking at them. She is a stunning light blue dragon. Her scales are crystal clear and shimmer in the light, giving her an ethereal glow. Her eyes are a piercing shade of silver yet radiated warmth. Along her spine, she sports razor-sharp ice spikes that is sure to twinkle like diamonds in the sunlight. Her wings are thin and translucent, allowing light to pass through them, making them appear almost invisible at times. Her horns are long and sharp, perfectly curved to reflect the beauty of her icy form. She stands at roughly 25 feet from head to tail, with a wingspan of about 40 feet. Her tail swished and revealed it be split in two in the end.
Terran, the largest of the three dragons present, showcases dark brown scales that reflect a reddish hue in certain lights. His body is long and muscular, supporting powerful wings that stretch almost twice as wide as his torso. These wings feature spiked tips, adding a menacing touch to his appearance. His head is adorned with two large horns—one curving backward and the other pointing slightly forward. Aviva felt that his purple eyes peered straight into her soul. Sharp, deadly talons tapped on the ground as he stared at the newcomers. What caught Aviva's eyes was the pattern of sand-like ridges forming intricate designs on his wings and tail. Aviva gulped and looked away from Terran's gaze, he definitely fits as Tristan's dragon.
While she was admiring the three dragons, Rowan took his time to examine the small dragon on Aviva's shoulders that looked ready to fight. He has only heard of small dragons, most of the Dragon Riders only ever heard of them, they were myths. Kayda felt the human's eyes on her and bared her teeth at him. Kayda is small but clearly a fierce red dragon with green, slitted eyes—much like a cat's. Her scales are a vibrant crimson colour, shining in the light. She has sharp, pointed wings and a long, whip-like tail tipped with a razor-sharp spike. Her claws are also quite sharp, perfectly designed for climbing and making quick attacks. Despite her size, Rowan can tell that she carries herself with an air of grandeur and power that commands respect.
"What do you call yours?", Rowan asked curiously as Kayda nipped Aviva's finger for pinching her ear. Aviva looked unsure, she felt like a mother introducing her child to the principle or something.
"My dragon's name is Kayda, she has quite the temper.", despite her nervousness, Aviva couldn't stop the slight smile when she introduced her dragon. Kayda felt the same way when Aviva introduced her as her dragon. Screw the bonded nonsense, she only ever needed Aviva.
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