She stood overlooking the cliff. The wind whipped abrasivly across her face. It pulled her hair and her clothes and wrapped her in sea salt. She loved it.
She loved everything about her life in Nourii Caslte. Almost five years had passed since she and Kilnik had come here with Tate. So much had happened and so much had changed. She was would be sixteen in a few days. Since they didn't know her actual birthdate they had settled on the anniversary of their arrival as the day to celebrate. As for Kilnik he had fully matured almost two years ago and they had been learning the fine art of Dragon Riding ever since. Kilnik was her partner, her best friend, her favorite being besides Tate.
Over the years she'd decided that having Tate must be what having a brother was like. He was someone who looked out for her, taught her, and made her happy.
She'd made other friends too, she was very close to many of the younger maids and was also close with Ms. Marge the head housekeeper. She felt like these people had become a family to her. The day of their departure crept closer and closer. The date had been set. She didn't want to leave.
She shook off the unhappy thoughts, just like she didn't choose to be here she had no choice in leaving. At this point, her life belonged to the Emperor. Ever since she had hatched Kilnik he had looked out for her, provided for her, and given her an education. On the day when she proved her worth he would also give her a career. He had also given her Tate.
"Are you ready, Ali?" Kilnik asked.
She didn't nod or make a sound but he knew her answer loud and clear. She jumped off of the cliff. Air rushed around her and her heart beat wildly. This was living, this was the best!
Rocks and waves rushed towards her at what would be an alarming speed if she was anyone else. Her vision was suddenly filled with light-colored scales. Kilnik, positioned directly below her, folded his wings up for just a few moments for her body to come into contact with his back. He did one half flap of his wings catching her momentum flawlessly and then followed it up with a strong flap, he flexed his wings back and out and the air forced him upwards and away from certain death. In the next moment, they were skimming over the water at breakneck speed. She laughed.
"That was perfect Kil." She told him.
"Of course, it was, when am I ever not perfect?"
She rolled her eyes. "Better watch it you're starting to sound humble."
"Dragons don't need to be humble." He asserted. "You were not bad yourself, at least you didn't scream this time." He teased.
"Humph."
Kilnik banked and they turned back toward the cliff. Aliya saw a figure standing on the cliff's edge and she cringed. Tate was going to be unhappy, he'd warned her about practicing this maneuver many times.
"He looks angry," Kilnik confirmed with his superior eyesight. "Would you like to disappear?"
She made an impulsive decision even knowing it was only going to get her into more trouble. "Let's do it, I'm not ready to come down yet are you?"
She heard him rumble his pleasure at her answer. "Never."
They were not far from Tate now, she could see him clearly. He was glaring up at them his arms crossed.
"Now!" She yelled. In an instant, the two disappeared.
Tate had told her long ago that Kilnik was unclassified and it had turned out to be true, he was a Mana Dragon. His main ability was cloaking. His scales could mirror what was around him and allow them to disappear in plain sight.
They passed over Tate and kept going into the wilds. They flew for hours and hours. This was where they both belonged, in the air. Their connection flowed their contentment back and forth over and over again until the two of them were one in their absolute contentment.
To her surprise, Tate was where they had left him when they returned to the castle. He was lying on his back in the tall grass of the cliff looking up into the sky, looking for them.
Kilnik allowed himself to become visible and circled around several times, landing softly. Tate didn't move or give any indication that he'd noticed their landing. She slid down off of Kilnik and approached him. He didn't say a word. Didn't even look at her.
She sighed and laid down next to him looking up at the sky.
"What are you looking at?"
"Nothing." There was a pause. "You already know what I'm going to say."
She sighed. "Yes, yes, yes I'm sorry we tried the cliff dive." Her tone didn't sound sorry.
Now it was his turn to sigh. "I know you two can do it, that's not the issue. It's dangerous for any dragon rider to attempt and we can't afford for the two of you to get injured or heaven forbid die." He said with seemingly no emotion.
Even though he sounded blunt and unaffected, she knew what his real emotions were and she felt the guilt she'd been pushing away all afternoon.
"I'm sorry, I know you're looking forward to going back and I promise I won't get hurt and delay our return to the capital."
"Wha-?" He sat up. "What are you talking about?"
She looked away. "I heard you the other day, talking with Ms.Marge about how much you were looking forward to seeing your family again. I was being selfish and reckless, I'm sorry."
He let out a breath and lay back again. "I won't lie, I do want to see my family, but I'm not in such a hurry to leave here as you think."
"No?"
"No."
"Why not, I always thought when this time came you'd be desperate to return to your old life. The life I took from you."
"For heaven's sake, you didn't take anything from me. If anything you gave me something."
"What could I have given you?" She asked in genuine confusion. For the last five years, she'd struggled with the guilt of feeling like all she did was take, take, take from him.
"A purpose." He smiled and looked back towards the sky. "When I met you I didn't know what to do with myself and everything felt pointless. Yes, I was with my family I was able to be with them for the longest period in my life since my early childhood. However, there was a hole there that their presence didn't fix. I'd lost Aqua and even with my family right next to me, I felt utterly alone. These days I still miss Aqua, but not as much. Watching over you and Kilnik these past years has been the happiest I've been in a very long time."
He was saying more than he usually did and she wondered if he would go on. "Do I miss my family, yes, I've missed them my whole life, but do I miss my life in the capital? No. That life was never mine to begin with, it was so empty I felt dead and although I've never told anyone this there were days back then I wished I was dead."
His revelation startled her, he had revealed much while saying little. She'd thought she knew almost everything about him after all this time, but he'd never told her this before.
For the first time she considered their return from a new angle that in her childishness she'd never stopped to think of. "What will you do when we go back?"
"Humm," he wasn't even looking at her. She stared at his profile and waited for his answer. "I haven't the faintest idea. I will no longer be needed to teach you."
"Why not!" She almost shouted bolting to her feet. He just looked up at her with an arm folded behind his head the other resting across his middle. He looked the picture of unconcerned and it made her feel even more off-balance.
"You've learned everything I can teach you as a dragon rider with no dragon. It's time you learned your remaining lessons from those who can teach you in the air."
Her breath left her. She'd never once thought of a time when he wouldn't be her teacher, her companion. She'd taken it all for granted. She had just assumed his answer would have been something like. "I'll find a hobby and attend to your lessons in the evenings." How silly and shortsighted she had been.
"Will I even get to see you?"
He shrugged. "I'm sure we'll see each other from time to time but you will be living on the Academy Campus and I have no place there anymore. You will need to focus on your studies and on joining the Corps."
She didn't know what to say, it was a lot for her to process and her heart ached knowing he might slip back into the emptiness of before that he'd described. What would she do if that happened, was she capable of doing anything for him at all?
She didn't know the future but she vowed right then and there that she would help him just like he'd helped her. She would help him find a purpose and support him in it if it was the last thing she did. Honoring her Emperor was important, joining the Dragon Corps was important, doing well at the Academy was important, and Kilnik was important, but Tate was even more so.