It really was not a long walk. She got to the field in no time. She, typically, came here to escape her big brother's constant teasing. It just so happened to be a good reading place as well. It was a giant open space behind the castle. She wondered why no one had taken this place for farming or building. She walked to her rocks, keeping her eyes glued to the ground because it was dark and tripping over a rogue stick was not something she wanted to do right now. She grabbed her book and brushed it off. She nodded once to herself and stilled when she heard what sounded like thunder directly behind her. She did not want to turn around; in fear she would anger whatever was at her back.
Then, she felt her entire back warm as a rush of hot air hit her. She, very slowly, turned around, praying it was just Ana's dragon, Delphine. Anastasia was the only member of the royal family to gain a dragon. She had met Delphine once; she was a carbon copy of the princess. Whether that was a good thing was to be determined.
It was not Delphine.
All she saw was white when she turned around. Her mouth wide open as she stared at a white snout, no less than five feet from her. She craned her neck up, her eyes following the blemish less skin of the dragon. She met a sliver of bright yellow eyes next. From this moment on, yellow would be her favorite color, Amaris decided.
Her mouth snapped shut as she realized just who she was staring at. She gasped, "I know you!"
Moving faster than a snail in front of the most dangerous dragon ever was probably not a good idea, but her child brain was moving too fast for that thought to stick. She flipped open her book at breakneck speed, flipping to the page she had been reading earlier, "See? This is you!"
She turned the book around, holding it over her head so the dragon could see it. When she was sure the dragon had gotten a good luck, she pulled the book down, flipping the page to the illustration. She took a step back and held the book out, comparing it to the dragon. The drawing was, quite frankly, an insult to the dragon. She was nine, and she could do better.
She decided not to show the dragon this. She looked back up to it, "Nisaria?"
The dragon growled at her. She slowly put the book down and raised her hands. Her brother told her to do this when she encountered a wild animal. There was no animal as wild as a dragon.
She kept her voice soft, another tip from her brother, "I won't hurt you. I didn't even know you would be here, to be quite honest. No one ever comes here."
The dragon rumbled; the ground shook below Amaris' feet and she giggled as she almost lost her balance. Amaris took the smallest step forward, "They were right about one thing; you are big! My friend's dragon is tiny compared to you! Not as pretty as you, either. Don't tell her I said that, though."
The dragon's eyes seemed to soften, just the slightest bit, at her. Her eyes were no longer slivers; they looked more like the dragon eyes she had read about. She remembered something from her reading, "Oh!"
She bowed low to the dragon, showing her respect. Dragons were the superior creatures, and it was best to remember that. She stood from her bow, asking, "Are you hungry? I could get some food from the kitchens for you!"
As expected, the dragon said nothing. She took it as a yes. She nodded to the dragon, running back to where she came from, "Don't go anywhere! I will be right back!"
She vaguely recalled Luce waiting for her as she spoke her words from earlier, but she was too excited to go back to her rooms now. She had just met a dragon! Not just a dragon, but the dragon! Luce would forgive her lateness once she shared her story.
Getting the food was easy enough, she just gave the cook her best sad eyes while claiming her brother stole most of her food. She would apologize later. She ran back to the field, half expecting the dragon to have left. To her surprise, though, she was still there. How she did not notice the giant creature before was a mystery. She was almost as big as the field itself. Her hind legs were tucked against her chest as she stood tall on her front legs. Her tail lay behind her, crushing the trees there. Amaris had to fully crane her neck to see the dragon's head.
She shouted up to the dragon, "I'm back!"
The dragon's neck lowered; Amaris had to step back so it did not hit her. She put the plate on the ground in front of the dragon's nose, "I'm sorry it's not much. It's all they would give me. I'm not as big as you are."
She stepped back as the dragon hesitantly sniffed the food. Amaris knelt down and tore a piece from the chicken, plopping it in her mouth, "See? It is fine to eat. I promise."
She watched from her crouch as the dragon's tongue wrapped around the plate, bringing it into her mouth. Amaris shot up with wide eyes, "Wait! The plate!"
The dragon paid her no mind as she swallowed her meal. I'm sure it's fine, Amaris told herself. Amaris picked her book back up, flipping back to the dragon's page. She scanned it for a moment before asking, "Nisaria?"
A rumble. Amaris continued, "Can I touch you?"
The two were silent as the dragon considered her question. Finally, very slowly, she moved her head forward just a bit. Amaris, just as slow, reached her hand out.
She was warm, Amaris noted. Realistically, she knew the fire breathing creature would be warm, but she always associated white with cold. She giggled to herself as she ran her hand over the dragon's snout. She looked up at the yellow eyes staring at her. She does not know what prompted her, but she closed her own eyes and gently leaned her head forward, resting it against the dragon's nose. She felt a familiar gush of hot air as the dragon exhaled. She leaned back to see the dragon's eyes were closed. She wished she knew what she was thinking.
She watched in shock as the dragon's eyes opened and she extended a wing out. She pointed to herself and then the wing as if asking if that is what the dragon wanted. Nisaria seemed to nod. Amaris took a deep breath and stepped onto the wing. Nisaria lifted it, bringing it level with her back and Amaris looked back at her, confused, "What do you want me to do, girl?"
Nisaria gently shook her wing, making Amaris stumble towards her back. She stopped when Amaris got close enough. As if being guided by an invisible force, Amaris seated herself between the spikes on the dragon's back. They were pure white as well. Soft, too, Amaris noted. They had looked hard from a distance. She watched as the dragon let out a roar and she covered her ears at the sudden noise. It was monstrously loud. She uncovered her ears as the dragon looked back at her, as if waiting for something.
She thought back to the list of dragon commands she read through earlier. Ignis was fire. Venari was hunt. Somnum was sleep. What was fly?
"Volare?" She tried.
Nisaria grumbled beneath her and took off running. Amaris' eyes widened as she truly realized what was about to happen. She leaned forward and adjusted her grip, shaking in a mix of terror and excitement. She squeezed her eyes shut as she felt Nisaria's body shake as her legs left the ground. She was flying! On a dragon! Luce and Ana were going to love this!
She willed herself not to look back as the dragon took her higher and higher. Nisaria wildly looped around the sky, Amaris laughing as she held on tighter with the sudden movements. All of the sudden, she was no longer on the dragon's back. She was falling. Rapidly. Her mouth opened to scream in terror, her hair getting caught in it as it whipped around her wildly as she free fell back to the ground.
Then, just as suddenly as she was falling, she was not. Nisaria had caught her. Amaris felt her cheeks freeze as the tears that had fallen during her sudden fall dried at a rapid pace due to her speed. She was in disbelief at what just happened. Nisaria roared into the night sky, and, for the very first time, Amaris screamed with her dragon as they took their very first flight together.