Private Tales The Loved and Lost Club

A private roleplay only for those invited by the first writer
Nadya

Nadya

The Storm Scales
Thunder of Thanasis
Can't Stop! Seriously Likeable II Fade to Black
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130
Character Biography
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Ravaryn, turns out, had been nothing short of a surprise.

What first was an excuse to get away from Thanasis, to be away from where he would be on the front lines and receiving daily mission reports of the borderlands... Nadya was brave enough to recognise she was a coward for running away when Thanasis needed her. She returned weeks after the attack by the wyvern and Jarlax, having heard the news when she made to pass over the free city kingdoms that were allied to the Dragon city. Repairs were still being carried out, and that the storms were swirling above the peninsule that Thanasis called home to.

With that weather looming and putting a damper to all spirits, it was Nadya's return that gave the city something new to talk about.

Another Storm Dragon, and a clutch of eggs.

Finding these rarities were not all to her own credit, for it was with the help of new allies across the continent that helped her locate and find the second Storm Dragon. After gaining the trust of this female dragon, Nadya began to realise how suffocating mated dragons could be. Kalyss constantly wanted to fly closer to the female, and on some occasions did Nadya almost cop a talon to her leg as they flew home, but now she was sat in the War Council Room not even two hours after her return.

Her leg bounced rapidly, annoying those seated beside her. She should be at the Hatchery, making sure to threaten the caretakers there to be mindful of how rare those eggs were.

It meant a new generation for the Caliar family to rear. Perhaps the Storm Dragon Thunder could return... there was too much to think about, and yet she was pulled into this room to hear about the restorations of the Main Plaza, the exterior of the Hatchery, and yet again, the front lines.

"Put me onto the Hatchery restorations." She piped up. Nadya sat up straight in her chair, her knee ceasing it's bobbing. "It will give my dragon rest and..." But she quietened, brows furrowing at the sight of many faces staring at her as if they were about to disagree with her. "What is it?"

"Kalyss is a dragon of war. Successful, at that. His lineage is a powerful one and his ability to wield the storms would be a much needed advantage. I am sorry, Wing Leader Caliar, but you will be deployed to the front lines at dawn tomorrow. Despite the attack, we are still battling at the border..."
 
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Cullen moved through the camp with the steady, unhurried gait of a man who wanted to be left alone. But then he heard it. A murmur among the infantry—casual chatter about new arrivals, a storm dragon, excitement from one of the younger soldiers who had never seen one before.

Cullen stopped mid-step, his entire body going rigid. A storm dragon? It could only mean one thing.

Fuck.

His head turned sharply, his gaze locking onto the small group of soldiers. Without hesitation, he strode toward them, the weight of his presence making them straighten instinctively. He reached out, clasping a hand on the young soldier’s shoulder, turning him with ease. The boy blanched as he met Cullen’s eyes, his gaze flickering over the marks on his face before dropping in submission.

“Storm dragon?” Cullen demanded, his voice low, edged with something unreadable. “Where’d you hear that?”

The cadet swallowed hard. “I… I heard the Captain talkin’ about it on patrol,” he stammered. “That, uh, Wingleader Caliar would be joinin’ the ranks with her storm dragon. That she found others and brought them back to Thanasis, er, sir.”

Cullen let out a slow, measured breath through his nose, releasing the boy as abruptly as he had grabbed him. Nadya.

It wasn’t enough that she was the reason he'd been sent here, that her jealousy had torn his life in two—no, she had to come here, of all places, to be yet another reminder of everything he'd lost.

He turned on his heel and strode away without another word, his mind already made up. He needed out. Now. Whatever mission was available, he’d take it. A supply run to the edges of the Wastes, a scouting patrol in enemy territory—hells, even guard duty on some gods-forsaken border post. Anything to be away from here when she arrived.
 
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The camps were nothing new despite it only existing a few short months. The atmosphere was like any other she had visited. Except this camp, somewhere, was Cullen. Nadya knew time and distance had not healed between them, not when she had done something to sever his trust in her... if he didn't trust her, then who else did he trust?

Nobody else.

Her presence certainly did not go unnoticed, whispers and stares reached her on the flight field behind the camps where she had decided to return to and check in with Kalyss and the returned last female Storm Dragon. Esdyr was younger than her own bonded dragon, smaller too by a shoulder, but her colouring had more shine than the male Storm Dragon. She was still reproachful of Nadya, but it was Kalyss' growl that kept the female docile.

"Go hunt. I have an hour before I receive my missive... we may not get time." She conversed with her bonded, who recently had begun resting his snout against her until she would eventually push him away. Nadya knew it was an affectionate action, but it was not quite the dragon she came to know. Ever since Esdyr warmed to Nadya and followed them across the continent home, Kalyss had been in higher spirits, as if rejoicing he truly was not the last of his kind.

"Wing Leader!" A voice called, and Nadya had to hide her gritting teeth before turning to meet whoever had approach. It was a smart decision to stop where they had, as Esdyr lowered her head and let off a warning snarl so close to Nadya, she wondered if the female would snap and spray Nadya in embers or sparks. "You're needed for the briefing in the Comman—"

"I'll be there. I require a moment."

The man frowned. "He insisted on your presence and —"

"I said, I require a moment. Unless the Commander would like a worse storm, allow me the time to see to my dragons." Esdyr hissed, her tongue flicking out molten fire that almost fell onto Nadya, yet the Wing Leader did not flinch. "Deliver my message."

It took five minutes before Nadya deigned to attend the meeting, but half way to the command tent, two Storm Dragons flew overhead. Many riders and infantry stared in amazement, which was not new given the popularity Kalyss held, but to see two of them? It was a new legend ready to be born.

The clouds still looked angered, as if ready to pelt them all with rain. She knew there was to be a new plan in place, meaning there would be three fronts of which the Thanasians would fight off the wyvern.

"Welcome, Wing Leader."

Nadya steeled herself. How easily it felt to resort back to her role, to once again be part of the plan. Freedom and autonomy were a luxury only afforded to her only once she was far from Thanasis' reach.

"Ready to hear about the shit show we are about to deal with."
 
Cullen’s boots hit the packed dirt of the camp with measured purpose, his entire focus on getting out. He had wasted too much time already—waiting for orders, dodging the knowing glances of his fellow officers who had no doubt heard about Nadya’s return. He couldn’t be here when she arrived, couldn’t stomach the thought of standing in the same space as her, not after the last time they'd spoken..

He exhaled sharply, forcing the thought down.

The Captain had begrudgingly agreed to send him out on patrol, a route skirting the western ridge of the encampment, far enough to be away from… everything. It was good enough. It would do.

He strode toward the command tent to receive his final briefing before departure, keeping his head down, avoiding unnecessary conversation. The last thing he needed was to hear more hushed whispers of Wing Leader Caliar and her triumphant return, or the murmurs of awe about the second Storm Dragon she had brought back.

But just as he turned a corner past the supply post, he caught a shift in the air—an unspoken change in the atmosphere, a static in the air that he had always associated with--

His stomach dropped, then he saw the shadow passing overhead.

Two Storm Dragons.

His stride faltered for half a step before he forced himself to keep moving, jaw tightening. The camp was alive with murmurs, soldiers pointing toward the sky as the great beasts cut through the air. It was just a matter of time before—

He stepped into the command tent. And nearly collided with her.

Cullen barely stopped himself in time, muscles tensing with the sudden, immediate need to turn heel and leave. But it was too late.

Nadya stood there, her frame familiar despite the months apart, the weight of command settling around her shoulders like it had never left. The years were shaping her into something formidable, and yet, in the flickering torchlight inside the command tent, she was still her. The one person he had once trusted more than anyone—until she had taken that trust and shattered it.

Cullen forced himself to breathe, to school his expression into something unreadable, something indifferent. If he had felt any reaction to seeing her, he hid it well.

“Wing Leader,” he said at last, his voice even, clipped. A soldier’s voice. Nothing more.

Then, without waiting for a response, he looked to the commander, intent on continuing forward as if she were just another obstacle in his path.

"Commander.." Cullen said, pressing his fist to his chest as was custom, and trying his best to hide his weariness and contempt from his tone. "Captain Sheera sent me for a brief, I'm being sent to the Western Ridge to patrol."
 
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She knew he was there, beside her. If his familiar stature and presence didn't give him away, it was his voice she hadn't expected to hear. It still had a way of wrapping around her as if nothing had ever become devastating between them. For months she had forgotten as best she could about him, and now? It was his voice that brought back every emotion and memory, and all she had to do was squash it down.

Nadya spared him a glance before turning back to the Commander. Frowning, but it deepened as Cullen continued addressing their Commander and she realised what job she was here to do.

"I request I be put on another duty, Commander. Patrol is not a place for Esdyr. She hasn't been surrounded by other dragons in almost a century, it is a risk on our part and her own." Nadya interjected, ignoring Cullen and she took a step closer. "Since my return, I have been thrown back into duty, but you all forget that a second Storm Dragon doesn't mean shit if she hasn't forgiven Thanasis and allies herself to us."

The Commander have her an exasperated sigh, as if this were not the first time they spoke of this before Cullen had arrived.

"Is she not your dragon?" He fixed her with a no nonsense stare. "If she is no ally, how did she return across the continent with you?"

Nadya bristled, "Storm Dragons don't ally themselves to humans fully, even if bonded. She trusts only Kalyss, not me. I have no control on her, so, by all means. Put me on patrol and see what happens."

The Commander now stared at Cullen. His eyes narrowed, realising who he was looking at.

"Both of you, patrol the norther end of the border. Should be less trouble out that way for you both. Might give you a chance to get that other dragon under control." Was his decision.

Nadya wanted to launch herself and sink a knife into him, but she hung her head, let out a deep, trying sigh before lifting her head once more and regarding the Commander with a borderline scathing look.

"Of course. If that is your command."

And she turned without another word. Her eyes fell on Cullen, finally, and her anger at the Commander boiled over as she gave her old friend a pointed look before marching straight passed him.
 
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Cullen grit his teeth, the frustration simmering beneath his skin. Of all the orders the Commander could’ve given, he had to throw her in his path.

Patrol duty. With Nadya. It was some kind of joke, surely.

Cullen's fingers curled into his palms, but he kept his mouth shut and let her argue her point, though every word had set his teeth further on edge. He wasn’t stupid enough to challenge orders, not when he was already walking a fine line as it was. The marks on his face were enough of a reminder of what happened to men who forgot their place.

So he had done as he had since he'd arrived here. He kept his head down and got on with it.

He'd felt her eyes on him as she stalked past, anger sharp in her expression, and it had been all he could do not to scoff. The audacity of her to look at him like that. Like he was the one who had betrayed her.

He dipped his chin to the Commander and turned on his heels to leave, his jaw tight as he stalked back to his own tent, the look on his face parting a path for him as others stepped out of his way. He gathered his weapons and supplies, and called for Meala.

He soon landed at the vacant outpost, if one could call the crumbling ruin that.

Now, standing at the edge of the border, his dragon huffing behind him, Cullen clenched and unclenched his fists, forcing himself to focus on the task ahead. Meala grumbled low in her throat, shifting her wings restlessly.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," he muttered, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "I’m not thrilled about it either."

A gust of wind raked through the clearing, carrying the distant rumble of something large moving in the skies above. The back of his neck tingled with static as the unmistakable silhouettes of two Storm Dragons circled overhead.

Cullen exhaled sharply, glancing over his shoulder just as Nadya arrived.

He didn’t look at her. Didn’t acknowledge her. Instead, he adjusted the strap across his chest and started walking, his voice flat when he spoke.

"Let’s just get this over with."
 
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Nadya knew these patrol areas. She had manned them when she had been a cadet, alongside many others in her squad that no longer took to the skies. It was back in a time Thagretis were highly active in finding weaknesses in their defenses, and many fatalities came about to hold the line.

Now, she had to make the patrols with Cullen. They've done it before, even with the twins, but now... time passed and they were older. Feelings changed, actions fell into place before any true thought could rectify.

Cullen hated her as much as she loved him.

Her time away couldn't change that. The Valley of Decay could not ensnare her or kill that love. She hated that Cullen was so close to her first thoughts still when danger or loneliness neared... but she hated herself for it than him. He so easily hated her for what she did. This one mistake, one heated moment that got them in this bad place... and yet she couldn't figure out how to stop loving him the same way he did.

Let's just get this over with.

Nadya's jaw set tight the moment she walked towards him, her dragon and his companion side by side when they took to the stormy skies. She wanted to say something to him, to say there was no need to talk between them, but she breezed on past him without a word. A tent had been set up, patrol they were relieving were updating maps and finishing reports to hand in to Command once their watch was over.

"How's it looking out there?"

"Some activity, but one we cannot see. We can feel it, you'll know when your dragon feels it. Oh, don't think we didn't notice two Storm Dragons. Things are looking up for your family, hm?" Hannon, a rider that served with Vhagor, grinned at her. Then his eyes shifted to Cullen. "Don't get busy with talking and catching up. You two need to really keep an eye out in this area. Something... strange is happening and that storm is not helping matters. Stay vigilant."
 
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