Private Tales Air Currents

[Fynaurie]

Fynaurie was rarely the first one out of her bunk. Her flight of four had a room of their own. Four beds set into the walls, two on each side. Fynaurie slept below Phyllian, who had taken to nudging her with his heel as he cambered down in the more. Fynaurie was a heavy sleeper.

Today was different. Today she was going to be riding with a passenger. She was up and dressed quickly before the others. She made her way quickly up the spiral stairs.

Despite their age, believed to be thousands of years old, the angular stairs barely curved with wear. Whatever they had made these towers from, it was a material and technique that no living elf could replicate.

Vaxor was awake too, greeting her with a soft chirp.

"You've been preening already," she remarked. Vaxor knee exactly what she meant, but ignored the comment.

Fynaurie could tell by his feathers. He was as anxious about this as she was. It was only a small matter, having a passenger for the day. However, they were both deeply proud creatures.

To say her last few months of service had been rocky was an understatement. Barely a week went by without one of them getting a dressing down for something. Boring duties and following orders to the letter suited neither of them.

 

[Cerridwen Brannick]

The newly minted, full-fledged healers of the Avelion Healer Corps had been moved onto the floor directly under the eyrie. They were told it was because the healers would be on a rotating on-call schedule even when they were not out with their flights. The rohk could fall ill at any time. Uncommon but possible. It was also possible to have complications from an injury.

The eight healer were lucky enough to each had their own room due to the schedules and not wanting to disturb the other healers who may need the rest. Cerridwen did not mind in the slightest. She had been sharing rooms for most of her short life so they was a nice change.

The healer walked the spiral stairs to the floor above hers and cautiously looked around as she entered the eyrie. The head healer was waiting there to guide each of them to their new partners.

Cerridwen was both nervous and excited to finally be done with training.

"Healer Brannick, follow me, please," the head healer said as she started to walk. The walk did not take very long. They arrived in front of a silver haired woman and her Eagle.

 

[Fynaurie]

Fynaurie turned as the healers approached. Not far behind them was her squadron leader. She stood to attention, which drew an amused look from another dragon on the far side of the eyrie.

Fynaurie was not known for her discipline. Slovenly was a word commonly used by her superiors. It was not the only derogatory word aimed in her direction.

"I'm Fynaurie, this is Vaxor," she said politely. Both of them bowed together. She looked from one healer to the other, deciding which would be the junior.

"You're riding with us today?" She asked Cerridwen.

 

[Cerridwen Brannick]

Cerridwen nodded at Fynaurie, her long braid moving on her shoulder as she did so. "Yes, I am Cerridwen Brannick. I have been assigned to your squadron."

This was all new to Cerridwen and, she suspected, to Fynaurie as well. "It is an honor to be chosen from the first class to serve you and your rohk."

Cerridwen felt so weird being this polite but she was in front of her superior and this was her new assignment so she needed to be on her best behavior.

 

[Fynaurie]

Fynaurie looked awkwardly from Cerridwen, to the healers superior and to her superior. This all felt very rigid and formal and neither division wanted to look bad in front of the other.

"Yes...lots of honour..." she said with a forced smile.

In the background she saw her squadron leader grimace and shield his eyes with his hand. This was going to go back to Wing Commander Brynthas or worse - his handsome toady deputy Hindrath. It was awful being scolded by the person she was more attracted to and simultaneously respected the very least out of everyone in the tower.

The great eagles were intelligent creatures, but they had very different priorities. Bored of events, Vaxor nudged her hip to check if she had a bag of dead rabbits for snacks. She didn't.

"We should get ready to fly..." Fynaurie muttered.

 

[Cerridwen Brannick]

Cerridwen nodded and the head healer clasped the woman on the shoulder before retreating to pair the rest of the healers up. The redhead took a moment to give Fynaurie and Vaxor a once over and a smile. She visibly relaxed once the head healer had started to speak with another squadron.

"Thank goodness," Cerridwen said softly before she realized that it was outloud. She smiled sheepishly at the rider, "sorry, I am terrible at being formal. I can only guess that you are as well with how rigid you went."

She thought starting over without the watchful eyes of their superiors would be a good idea. "I am Cerridwen, it is nice to meet both you and Vaxor," she said with a smile that was genuine.

 

[Fynaurie]

"It's nice to meet you too," Fynaurie replied with an uneasy smile.

The head healer might have gone, but her superiors were still around them. At least it was only a squadron going out and her flight was taking a different route. For her flight of three it was a straight path directly north for two days to sketch out any changes to the settlements below.

Vaxor was less interested in greetings and more interested in checking if Cerridwen had a bag of rabbits on her.

He was about to express his displeasure at this with a nip before Fynaurie gave him a shove to the neck. She could have taken a running leap at the great eagle's neck and he barely would have budged, but he got the idea.

"I'm going to fetch my aether glaive if you can finish packing the survival kit and we'll get off soon. How much flight experience do you have?" She asked. Vaxor was going to pay about as much attention to the answer as Fynaurie.

When they were airborne they would be able to talk more freely.

 

[Cerridwen Brannick]

Cerridwen felt silly for relaxing immediately and she just fell back into her roll as proper, formal healer. The healer nodded as Fynaurie asked if she could get the rest of the stuff together and then paused at the next question. Didn't most Avelion have the same level of riding experience? Except the Dragoons, of course.

"I have been riding my entire life," she replied. Granted, her life was relatively short for her kind. "I have never ridden with anyone though so apologies if it is awkward."

Cerridwen starting packing the rest of the survival kit as Fynaurie grabbed her aether glaive. She was silent as she worked. Her own pack was slung across her shoulders.

 

[Fynaurie]

The rack of glaive was against a central column. There was a system of tubes that connected them to a magical crystal on the top of the tower. Each of them slowly recharged using the warmth of sunlight.

They were the signature weapon of the dragoons. They hadn't known war for generations, but it was said they could cut a swathe through a column of infantry on the ground.

"Won't be a bother!" She called out sweetly.

When they had what they needed and made their way up to the top of the eyrie, Fynaurie relaxed. It was as if the first gust of wind swept away any anxiety she felt. She walked right up to the lip of the tower and looked down.

Their kind did not feel vertigo. If they did, it was trained out of them at a young age. Fynaurie smiled.

They mounted up and Vaxor waddled out onto the stone platform that extended out from the tower. He opened his wings, felt the wind and warmed up his muscles.

Fynaurie had slipped on her goggles as it was a clear, bright sky. She sat in front of Cerridwen and waited for Vaxor to let the winds give up enough lift to leap from the platform.

"Now," she warned over her shoulder, "Vaxor is supposed to be on good behaviour but he..."

Unfortunately the rohk was listening. Before Fynaurie could say 'likes to show off' he tucked in his wings and plunged straight down like an arrow.

 

[Cerridwen Brannick]

Cerridwen was not ready when Vaxor dove from the tower platform. She gasped at first and then a giggle escaped her. Yes, she rode and she had an Eagle but Meera was more reserved. She did as she was supposed to but much preferred sleeping to anything else.

"I don't think he listened!" She laughed out as Vaxor finally leveled out after what felt like hours.

Cerridwen was having fun already. She knew fun wasn't what she was supposed to be having but screw it. She was riding with a Dragoon. The best of the best. This was an experience that no one got and she was going to savor it.

 

[Fynaurie]

Vaxor levelled off, immediately turning into the wind and spreading his wings wide to recoup some of the lost altitude. It was calm and peaceful as he found a thermal and slowly circled.

Fynaurie drew a breath. She calmly tucked silver hairs back into her hood as if she had been ready for the dive. She laughed softly, but gave Vaxor a poke through his feathers.

"Oh he was listening. He decided to dive before I could finish warning you. Because he thinks he's very clever."

Some of the others might have seen that, but at least she couldnt be shouted at now. Two other rohk had dropped from the platform and were gracefully weaving North.

"When we join those two we'll get altitude and head north," she called over her shoulder. "How far have you beem over the mountains?"

 

[Cerridwen Brannick]

"Not very far," Cerridwen answered honestly. She had no reason to go far from home. She was a healer. A young healer. The majority of her life had been spent in training to do her job. "Meera is finicky and training took up most of my life," she quickly offered an explanation as she looked around them with a smile.

The healer hadn't really had many expectations coming into this but this was better than she had imagined. Vaxor was made to be a Dragoon. He has beautiful and graceful and intelligent...with a sense of humor it seemed as well.

"Have you ever had a rider?" She asked Fynaurie as they headed to join the other riders.

 

[Fynaurie]

"Not a rider, no," Fynaurie replied. "But a passenger."

There was a difference. One that was made most clear as Vaxor banked before using his wings to gain some height. He was having to work hard for his little stunt.

Cerridwen hadn't ridden Vaxor before, but she still knew how to shift her weight as he maneuvered. She didn't cling tight and hunker down at all times.

"Well enjoy the view," Fynaurie called back. They found their position and took the left position in the wedge of three.

"We're going over some amazing mountains and then dropping down to find somewhere safe to camp out in the valley.

 

[Cerridwen Brannick]

Cerridwen didn't need to be told twice to enjoy the view. It was absolutely breathtaking. She didn't realize that anything could be this beautiful.

She looked in every direction as the wind hit her face and she couldn't help but smile. This was worth all the training and she hadn't even done any actual work.

"This is amazing!" She commented as they flew over more mountains.

 

[Fynaurie]

"There was a small colony of dragons here last year," Fynaurie explained. The wind was icy cold now and she had tied her good tight around her face. Barely any skin was visible around the carved-bone goggles she wore.

"Had a bit of a confrontation but it didn't come to anything. A shame they moved out."

Vaxor gave a soft chirp.

"But the eagles didn't like have something larger in their skies. What's your rohk like?" Fynaurie asked.

They hadn't picked up much speed, but the snow dusted peaks were slowly passing by below.

 

[Cerridwen Brannick]

"Meera is lazy as fuck!" Cerridwen replied without thinking. "Sorry, that was inappropriate," she quickly followed up.

"She is perfectly happy to sleep all day so she is very pleased that my job doesn't require her moving anymore than necessary."

Cerridwen was a little jealous of the relationship that Fynaurie had with Vaxor. Even her short time with him showed they were the best of friends.

 

[Fynaurie]

Fynaurie laughed from the belly. Elven was a very creative language when it came to swearing, far more than the human languages. Fynaurie was a specialist.

"Nothing is inappropriate now," Fynaurie replied. She waved towards her squadron leader and his eagle. "He can't hear us from here."

"Eagles can talk but..."

Fynaurie gave a shrug. The rohk could communicate but no one really knew quite what they talked about. It probably wasn't gossip they had heard about one another.

"I bet you get bitten less than me though..." Fynaurie moaned.

 

[Cerridwen Brannick]

Cerridwen chuckled. "Yes, I suppose I do. Meera had gotten me good a few times though. I needed her to move and her highness did not want to move." Rohk were like any other creature with varying personalities. It was fun to see and sometimes it was painful. They were magnificent creatures though.

"What's it like being a Dragoon?" Cerridwen asked as the continued to fly.

 

[Fynaurie]

"Not...what I had expected," she replied honestly. Fynaurie took a few seconds to compose some thoughts on the matter.

"I think we were expected something more...dangerous? At least more exciting. Instead we sortie out far from Kearth and then we glide back again. We keep ourselves so isolated that it's like...like we are watching the world but not being part of it?"

Fynaurie tilted her head from side to side as she thought to herself about the subject.

"There are the old maps down deeper in the tower. We have three towers left being used now but we used to have two dozen down the entire length of the spine. There are tapestries of Dragoons taking part in great battles. Now there are just a few of us left and we barely even trade with the humans that live closest to us."

 

[Cerridwen Brannick]

No. Cerridwen NO. Do not suggest it. This is why you get yourself in trouble. Just do your job and keep your head down.

"We could change that..." She said despite the warning in her mind. "Now that you have a healer with you, you can go farther maybe. Do more dangerous missions. Explore more. I don't know."

The healer had longed to finish training and get her assignment. What good would she be if they did not do anything dangerous?!

 

[Fynaurie]

Fynaurie chewed at the corner of her lip. Cerridwen seemed nice, but she wouldn't put it past the others to have sent someone to listen to her dissent.

Fuck it.

"What would be nice," she said, her tone that of a rant about to begin, "is if we ever got to talk to anyone from outside of the tower. You know?

"We go flying over dwarven mines, human villages and I'm sure there must be elves in the forests. We just stay up here by the clouds...far away from it all!"

 

[Cerridwen Brannick]

"Not to sound rude but what the fuck is the point of Dragoons if you aren't going out and furthering our society? You are trained to protect us, but how many people really come and attack us?"

Cerridwen continued Fynaurie's rant without issue. It seemed she had been attached to a Dragoon who wanted the same changes and adventure she did.

"What if we just...went?" She didn't know what the punishment would be for leaving the squadron but she had a feeling the others here wouldn't be interested in doing more than what they were told.

 

[Fynaurie]

Could they do that? she thought to herself. She had often been tempted when they had been flying alone. She had even descended to rescue a lost human once, which was against protocol.

From behind her, Cerridwen would see her tilt her head from side to side as she juggled with the weight of responsibility. It didn't take a push really, barely even a nudge.

"We split off from the others tomorrow morning," she said. "We could...maybe just go in for a closer look at the human town north east of here?" she suggested.

 

[Cerridwen Brannick]

Cerridwen barely knew Fynaurie but she knew that she had been granted a miracle by being assigned to a kindred spirit. "Yes! Absolutely! I could not imagine being stuck with someone who follows the rules," the healer stated. "Not that...I didn't mean you didn't follow the rules but..." She shrugged.

"Fuck it, who cares about the rules!" She smiled from behind Cerridwen.

 

[Fynaurie]

"Wow," went Fynaurie. She thought that she was bad. Maybe being under the thumb of the rigorous Dragoons had kept her on a more straight and narrow path. She was proud of her position and didn't want to lose that.

Fynaurie turned and looked over her shoulder Cerridwen Brannick . Hardly any of her face was visible. The cold wind had brought colour to even her cheeks. It could just be seen that she was grinning.



An Eagle could see a very long way with excellent clarity. So when they split from the other riders the next morning, Vaxor stayed high and visible for a long time before losing altitude. When they dipped into a long stretch of valley he brought them low enough to see the ground clearly themselves.

"Should be a human town around here!" Fynaurie called out.