Dragon Bound

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Chapter Twelve

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‘Please try and hold still. Amphion is not used to so much energy,’ Jason pleaded. Lune couldn’t help himself. The white dragon was dancing about from one foot to the other, his glittering white scales catching and bouncing the sunlight. They were attracting quite a bit of attention. No one had properly seen the Kagame since he had challenged Damon in the arena weeks ago. Now they were back here again.

Jason had chosen the arena because it was big enough that both dragons would properly be able to move around. With Lune’s wings fully healed, he felt better knowing that Lune would be able to dodge and move more easily in here on the off chance that this meeting did not go well. Lune could keep his distance for enough time for the riders to step in if something went wrong.

He hoped.

Lune was looking this way and that, staring at each gate in turn for Damon and the others. Jason had passed Amara on their way and after learning she had nothing interesting to report, had come straight here. Distantly, Jason heard a loud thud. He took a deep breath and gave Lune a pat.

‘Go on. I’ll stay. Just be polite,’ he said rather lamely. He didn’t know what else to offer. Lune gave a nervous little growl and padded out into the arena without him. Logan and Amphion entered from the other side.

Lune froze.

He had heard the beast was huge, but he was still a shock to the system. Amphion was so massive that he could probably have brushed the dome roof if he stood on his hindlegs. Stunned, Lune’s winged flared, the feathers fluffing out in alarm. Logan stopped walking and let his dragon come closer.

Amphion drew himself together sniffing in the air with huge flaring nostrils. Smoke whistled out as he exhaled. Lune glanced once in Jason’s direction before slowly, timidly creeping forward. He reminded Jason of a cat, his belly low to the ground and his body bristling all over. Lune had to struggle to reign in his need to shake his tail quills. The sheer mass of the male made him feel threatened.

The memory of that night in the hail and dark, of a hulking figure soaring out of the sky to lance through his father’s wing. The roaring screaming battle that followed. Lune didn’t really know if it was just in imagination that the dragon whom now controlled Lune’s old harem was a big as he remembered.

When he was close enough, the enormous male reached its head down to snuff him. Amphion smelt of damp moss, rich earth, and dry shale. It was different than anything Lune had smelt before. Different, but not menacing. He stood a little taller, almost touching noses. Amphion only huffed and Lune lost his fear.

Jason may have looked relaxed as he leant against the massive stone pillar but inside, he was a torrential mess of worry. Most of it was radiating down the link he shared with Damon. He was actually more concerned that he would have to leap forward and stop Damon from reacting more than anything Lune might do.

Amphion didn’t seem to know what to do with the little white dragon. Lune was darting back and forth, grabbing at him with the end of his snout, poking and prodding. It was like a kitten trying to play with a draft horse. The white feathered tail wagged back and forth in the air before he pounced on one enormous clawed front paw. Amphion gave a snort of irritation and lifted his leg, sending Lune tumbling away. Damon shifted but Jason shot him a swift warning look.

He was not to interfere. This meeting must go well, or Jason could count his career over. Maybe his life too, who knew? He had never seen the king so quietly agitated before. It had, after all, been hundreds of years since the kingdom had seen any sought of conflict with its neighbours. The Sun King’s own dragon was captured freely in the Desert of Glass. This was seen as gift by the Kingdom of Glass, to allow the Sun King access to his land.

But then...

Both of the other kingdoms just seemed so far away, unreachable even...

He was distracted from his dark thoughts by the strangest sound he had ever heard. He looked up. Lune was sitting back on his haunches. He had his muzzle up and was letting out a light whistling song, something like a bird’s morning warble. He twittered happily. Utterly dumbfounded, it seemed, Amphion lowered his own muzzle to sniff roughly again at the soft white scales. Lune, still singing and whistling, climbed right up the spiked snout and over the huge eye ridges. Jason’s jaw dropped opened. So did Logan’s and half the onlookers.

Amphion froze, his slitted eyes wide with shock. Lune clambered about, over the top of the huge head and down the thick neck. He settled and began to groom Amphion’s neck ridges. He was so small and agile that he didn’t seem to mind the enormous minefield of thick spikes that covered the earth dragon’s body.

He scampered easily up to the vast wing joints and set to nibbling at the dead scales and dirt that stable hands had not been able to reach. Amphion stood rigid for a few minutes, seemingly deciding whether or not to shake the white dragon off. After a few minutes of grooming however, the huge male seemed to decide he liked it. He laid down and arched out his wings, blocking out the sun and letting the juvenile have his way.

‘Well, I’ll be damned,’ Logan muttered. Neither rider relaxed completely but after about fifteen minutes, Amphion hadn’t moved except to let out a low rumbling growl of contentment that sent some of the feed buckets rattling across the cobblestones.

‘You know, if Jouet had tried a stunt like that, he would have squashed him,’ Logan said, amused, referring to Estevan’s beast.

Jason snorted. ‘As if Jouet would have had the guts to climb on him,’ Jason chuckled.

The other rider laughed, scratching at his stubble. ‘Can’t argue with that. He’s a bit of a weird one, your new beastie,’ Logan said, not unkindly.

Jason nodded. ‘He definitely is.’ The relief he felt was mirrored by Damon. The black dragon slowly came back into the arena. Amphion cracked one eye open. Damon dipped his head to the squad leader submissively. Lune seemed to decide he still wanted to play and flew off from Amphion’s shoulder to land heavily on Damon. Damon gave an indignant squawk and rolled to pin him.

‘He plays like a baby. You sure he’s old enough for combat?’ Logan sniggered as Lune bounded away, using Amphion’s clubbed tail as a hiding place. Logan had never seen Lune in his human form and didn’t really have any base of comparison for age given that Lune was the only Kagame dragon in residence.

‘He is. The playfulness is just part of his personality.’

‘Well, you’ll have to work it out of him. Can’t have him trying to play tag when we are patrolling the borders,’ Logan said drily.

Jason shook his head. ‘I don’t really want to. He’s not stupid. I showed him the map room. He could read back every name to me. He’s got a sharp memory. I don’t want to change who he is. You don’t have to worry. He will take the missions seriously,’ he said confidently.

Logan gave him a sceptical look. ‘He’s got you a fair bit whipped,’ the rider said with a lopsided grin. ‘That’s from Amphion by the way, not me,’ he added. Jason looked at the huge dragon who was watching them with both eyes, clearly listening in on the conversation. Jason grinned.

‘We’ll see.’

--

‘That went better than expected.’ Damon said, pulling on a pair of trousers. Lune was dressed in a loose soft robe, watching some birds flying outside the window with mild interest.

Jason nodded. ‘Yes. Did you really have to climb all over him though?’ he said, half in exasperation, half in amusement.

Lune shrugged and stretched. ‘He didn’t mind.’

‘He could have squished you,’ Damon grumbled. He kept sniffing loudly, his expression dark.

‘What’s wrong with you?’ Lune said grumpily. Damon had been rather cold to him since they had come back, not even wanting to play much.

‘You were rubbing all over him. You smell like him now,’ Damon said, irritated.

‘Do I?’ Lune sniffed and then shrugged again. ‘I don’t see why that’s a problem. It’s how I used to play with all my creche mates,’ he said unconcernedly. Jason pointedly got up and walked away to ring the bell for a servant. He decided that ordering food was the best way to offer them a small semblance of privacy.

‘It’s a problem because he’s not a creche mate and you are not in a harem anymore.’ Damon growled. Lune looked up as the larger male prowled closer.

‘Huh?’

‘It’s a problem because I don’t want you smelling like him. I want you smelling like me.’

Lune’s eyes went a little wide and his cheeks flushed pink. ‘...Oh?’ he said. Damon bent down and sniffed along his neck. To his surprise and delight, Lune tilted his head to one side. He gasped as a wet tongue lapped at the exposed skin. Damon sat down and yanked Lune down with him, bundling the smaller male into his lap. At first, Lune bristled and Jason sent a quick warning down the link he shared with Damon. Damon, taking the hint, eased his grip and started to purr.

Soothed by the sound, the smaller male relaxed again. Damon carded a hand through the long silver hair.

‘You’re so pretty. If I had a harem, you would be the jewel of it,’ Damon whispered. He nuzzled at the gently curved jaw, nipping lightly.

Heat coiled tight in his belly as Damon leant forward and bit gently at his collarbone. Lune gave a small groan.

‘I’d have a pretty little female to give me strong clutches of eggs. I’d breed you both,’ Damon growled. Lune squirmed, unused to the coiling sensations of arousal. He had never felt attraction to another dragon this way. When Damon tugged his head back, Lune’s back bowed submissively. The scent of musk was thickening in the warm air.

The sound of the door closing made them both jump. Lune jumped up, much to Damon’s annoyance. Lune went very red when he saw the evidence of the contact, the long hard cock that was now outlined in the older male’s trousers. He couldn’t really pretend he didn’t feel something similar. The robe he was wearing had a lewd bump at his groin.

‘Come eat you two,’ Jason said, ignoring the stormy look Damon shot him. Lune hurried to a chair, bunching the robe up in his lap. Jason placed the bowls and plates down. Lune looked at the new dishes with interest. The rider dished out food, ignoring Damon’s foul mood. They ate in a slightly uncomfortable silence for several minutes.

‘Who’s Jouet?’ Lune asked curiously. Jason looked up from his plate, surprised.

‘You heard us talking?’ he guessed. Lune nodded. The rider sighed. ’He is Estevan’s dragon. His full name is Le Jouet,’ he said, his lip curling.

Lune frowned. ’That’s an odd name.’

’Estevan always names his dragons himself regardless of if they already have one. I think it means ‘plaything.’’ He was expecting the look of disgust and horror. Even so, it made him feel vaguely dirty even though he would never have done anything of the sought. To erase any creature’s given name for something else let alone…

‘You fly with this man?’ Lune asked, revolted.

Damon gave a low growl. ‘Unfortunately,’ the black dragon muttered.

‘Estevan is a good soldier and knight. Even though he is a terrible human being,’ Jason said, spearing a potato with more force than was strictly necessary.

‘Don’t feel too bad about it. His dragon is as arrogant and stupid as his rider,’ Damon added.

Lune looked from one to the other. ‘Was he always that way or is that how he has become after being exposed to that man?’ he asked. Neither answered him.

--

Lune slept beside Damon and Jason that night. It was getting warm even after sundown and the air was still. The next morning had been quiet and uneventful. As they got dressed in fresh clothes, Jason let his mind wander.

The meeting with Amphion had lifted Jason’s hopes a little. He wanted Lune to meet Amara’s lapis filly next. The filly was about Lune’s age and so she would be in direct competition with him for ranking order. Amara probably wouldn’t have any issue with the meeting. He hoped to have Lune meet as many of the squad as possible before Estevan and Kyril. Both men would likely be as difficult as they could, but if Lune was able to fly with the others, then there would not be much the other two riders could do about it.

The trio went for a walk after breakfast. There was still so much of the enormous castle grounds that Lune hadn’t seen. Damon was bored of the conversation but went along to stretch his legs and walk a little behind so his could watch the little dragon.

They were passing by the stables when Lune went completely still. Jason stopped and looked at him. ‘What’s wrong?’ Lune was generally pale, but his facial expression was completely ashen with fear. He looked utterly frozen with terror.

‘I don’t want to go in there,’ Lune said, his whole body leaning away from the stable entrance. Instantly on edge, Jason looked around. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Servants moved about carrying buckets, linens, and baskets. A stable hand was pushing a large wheelbarrow of dung, the metal fork balanced on top. A couple of birds picked at a large bale of straw not far away.

He stretched out his senses, but his magic picked nothing up. He glanced at Damon and the black dragon was frowning in confusion. Perhaps the white dragon had keener instincts. Jason gently took Lune’s hand.

It was shaking.

‘Hey, tell us what’s wrong,’ Jason murmured. Lune stared wide eyed at the stable entrance. Damon was about to ask himself when a noise cut through the air like cannon fire. The hair stood up all over Jason’s body. People, riders, stable-hands and alike all stopped and looked into the gaping entrance of the stable.

From deep within there was a noise like screaming.

Roaring, screeching pain-filled screams.

Jason and Damon flew forward which meant Lune was forced to follow. Amara was dashing out of her filly’s stall, joining them as they ran full pelt down the stone floor towards the echoing screams.

What they saw made their blood run cold.

At the open door to the stall was a terrified boy no older than sixteen. Jason recognised him as one of the new riders in training. The beast he had recently caught was to be his first riding dragon.

They looked into the stall.

The dragon inside was thrashing, its clawed feet kicking up in the air. The wailing screams were deafening as the animal’s mouth filled with thick bloody foam. Its exposed underbelly was blooming in great black lumps. As they watched in horror, several of the lumps burst in a spray of pale green liquid. The dragon started to convulse violently, still trying to scream but choking. The collar around its neck was dull, completely unresponsive.

‘Enough! Someone put it out of its misery,’ Amara shouted. There were tears running down her face, but she wasn’t cringing away like many of the onlookers. Garret appeared beside them with Gabe, the forge master.

‘What the fuck is going on!?’ Gabe shouted. The young rider was trembled hair to toe.

‘Help him!’ the boy begged. Even Lune could tell that it was too late. The stone walls only magnified the animal’s dying painfilled shrieks. The dragon’s head was tossing, tongue white, eyes popping from its skull. The dragon had released its bowels in pain and fear.

‘There’s no helping him son. We need to put him down,’ Garret grunted.

Gabe turned toward the forge to retrieve a blade, but he was stopped. A sudden hush came over the crowd as the king appeared in the stable.

‘Sire-’ the king swept by the stable master without a word. Jason felt the power, like a wave of thick hot fog. The Sun King raised his hand and placed it on the beast’s neck. They all watched, stunned as the guttering heaving of the beast’s flanks slowed and then stopped. The spasming muscles relaxed. Liquid oozed, dripping into the straw with soft pats.

The dragon’s rider was staring at the still form, almost catatonic with shock. The young lad was practically vibrating with horror, his dragon’s bridle still clutched in his shaking hands.

‘Sir Amara, take the boy. Get him something stiff to drink. Find out what happened,’ the king said quietly. Amara nodded rigidly and, taking the boy’s arm, pulled him away from the gruesome sight.

‘Gabe, have this corridor sectioned off. I want a full medical analysis conducted immediately. Sir Garret, assemble my knights. One hour.’ The king swept from the corridor, people scattering like moths in his wake.

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END

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