Private Tales Dance of Flight and Fire

[Melisandre]

Melisandre waved a hand, shooing away the youngsters eager to continue on the tradition that every young noble dragon rider took on the third month of their first year as a level two.

“Remember, night rides are fine as long as you stay away from Thargetis, if you go over the mountain range, make sure your dragons breathe a little bit of fire so the Scyres don’t come and pick you guys off one by one, and—“

“Lady Melisandre, we know!” A large yet young man told her, placing a hand on her shoulder— which Melisandre easily shrugged off, and then proceeded to dust off the spot. Ryklin cleared his throat awkwardly, unsure what to do with his hand, his swagger dissipating quickly underneath Meli’s questioning gaze. It was his fault for flirting with someone ten years his senior. “I’ll make sure we all come back safe.”

“You better, or your parents will want us bleeding on the steps of the palace.” As she said this, she looked to where Raimond Thesius was standing and twiddled her fingers in goodbye. “Well, I’m off. Be back by sun-up.” The Evreux noble said and then strode off with a easy sway of her hips. Her job here was done.

---

Or so she had thought.

Currently, she was riding Eyrx, heading straight to the home of the Thesius family, where hopefully Raimond would be. Normally, under different circumstances, Melisandre would have sent word to that family about her arrival, that was the polite thing to do. And despite the fact that Melisandre enjoyed fashions that many called scandalous and hardly ever held her tongue in check, there was a thing about manners that she did appreciate.

There was a way nobility did things and more often than not, Melisandre found herself wanting to uphold those customs for House Evreux’s sake. That being said… there was no time for noble customs or things concerning manners.

The last of Evreux had wasted no time in getting out of her more leisure garments when Nanette had informed her that a group of level two dragon riders were missing, their parents asking every noble household where their young adults could have gone. Melisandre had cursed to herself, shaking her head in frustration. Of course, the one time Melisandre decided to help in this harmless tradition would be the time that the young dragon riders wouldn’t return.

If she wanted to keep her noble status then it was up to her to bring them back home before their parents sent the guard after their lost children. It wasn’t just the fact that she could be in trouble through as she strapped her favorite sword and dagger to her hip, but also for a far more prominent realization. These children, they could be in danger. Where they still alive? Injured? Dead? It was up to Melisandre to be responsible for this unfortunate turn of events.

But she wasn’t going to go out there alone. And there was only one other person who knew her secret— and luckily, this person might just be a good enough rider to keep up with the monster of the skies that Eyrx was.

Dropping down onto the front of the Thesius home, Eyrx announced their arrival with a terrifying roar, leaning forward and arcing it’s wing at a slant to allow Melisandre to step down with ease onto the ground.

Raimond Thesius

 

[Raimond Thesius]

Eryx's mighty bellow almost sent the one that Melisandre came to the Estate for to his death, through no fault of her own.

Raimond's family, aside from Errune who'd shacked up at the palace to avoid having to travel for work, kept to a pretty tight schedule. They all woke up at the same time every day, they had their meals at the same time, too. It was another one of the silly traditions that they relentlessly clung to. Well, most of the time. Tonight, he'd blown breakfast off, choosing instead to watch the sun as it began to slowly raise over the horizon from the small balcony attached to his room. It'd all be the same questions as always at the table anyways; Found a wife yet? Get some real work yet? Why not? Why can't you put in the effort that Ryla and Errune do?

Rai would sneak out and grab a bite to eat somewhere else later, probably one of the mom n' pop diners running in the poorer areas of the city, he always preferred the more rustic taste than the prissy cuisine the rest of his family ate. That, and a little bit of air to clear his head with Ha'Than and he'd forget he was even upset.

With that set in his mind, he leaned over the railing and opened his mouth to call for the white dragon he called his best friend when the roar of another dragon shook the ground beneath him and nearly sent him right over the edge.

Luckily, he was able to catch himself before he was sent falling to the cold unforgiving ground. That was definitely Eryx's voice, but... what was Mel doing at his place? Rai's brow furrowed as he rushed into his chambers, gearing up to ride, and maybe taking just an extra minute to make sure he looked his best for the girl. Hey, half the men in the city had the hots for her, who could blame him?

Rushing down the multi-level staircase of the Thesius Estate, his father stopped him as he sped through the Foyer with a suspicious eye.

"There you are, Raimond. Why didn't you come down for breakfast? More importantly, where are you running off to now?"

Raimond clenched his teeth. If this visit from Mel had to do with what they'd been up to yesterday, it probably wasn't a great idea to tell his family about it. He couldn't outright lie either though, the Thesius patriarch wasn't a fool. So, he improvised.

"Oh, uh... Melisandre Evreux is here for me. We were going to go eat together, maybe take a ride around the city and chat."

Bingo. His father's eyes lit up like lanterns. Raimond going out with a woman? One who was known to be quite an eligible bachelorette as well? A smile crept across the older man's face. "About time you start taking the future seriously, Raimond. Go on, I'll forget I saw you, just this once."

A quick bow and thanks and Rai stumbled out the front door, staring up, sure enough, at Eryx and Melisandre.

A bit awkwardly, he smiled and raised his hand in a wave.


"Ah... Mornin' Mel! What's up?"

Melisandre

 

[Melisandre]

Melisandre had waited for Raimond, hands on her hips as if she were about to start tapping her foot impatiently. Perhaps she did tap her foot once or twice, not because Raimond took too long but rather because she was feeling the crawl of anxiety through her spine. All at once, her muscles felt stiff yet languid, as if she should be flying right now to try and find the kids.

Melisandre was old enough to know that the worried voice in the back of her head hardly ever made good decisions. Now was not the time to be brash, and coming up with a plan would ultimately be far more beneficial for both her and Raimond.

“You sure took your time, Raimond, don’t you know it’s rude to keep a woman waiting?” Melisandre said with a smirk, her eyes curving up with a hint of mirth and mischief. It was only for a moment as she leaned in close to the youngest Thesius, her voice and face completely serious. “It seems a group of young dragon riders never returned this morning. Plenty of worried parents asking where their children could have gone.” She leaned back, letting her words sink in for Raimond.

She was certain she wouldn’t need to clarify further. The implications were clear. Even if Melisandre or Raimond had told no one, it was hard to sneak around Thanasis unnoticed. After all, their way of travel was with their dragons. All it would take would be for one person to recognize Ha’Than or Eyrx.

The Earendel dragon snorted, shaking it’s large head and stretching out it’s wings. Melisandre glanced back at Eyrx. Another snort from the large beast and sulfur filled the air once more. She nodded her head in agreement.

“Where’s Ha’Than?” She inquired, looking back at Raimond. “You two are like conjoined twins.”

Raimond Thesius

 

[Raimond Thesius]

Raimond, for his part, still wasn't too sure why Mel had shown up at his doorstep unannounced. It wasn't like her at all, and while he'd love to pretend what he'd told his father was the truth, the chances of Melisandre randomly deciding that he was the top choice among all the guys crawling over themselves to try and impress her was... well, pretty damned slim.

That didn't stop him from turning a shade when she leaned in close.

Her face was inches from his, for the span of only a second or two, but it was enough time for his brain to descend into absolute panic mode, his mouth breaking out into a blank-headed airy grin before he realized she was talking. Something about dragon riders going missing and worried parents...

Oh.

Oh shit.

The smile turned into a frown, and it all made a lot more sense why she'd come to him all of a sudden. Melisandre had been responsible for those kids. Raimond had played a part too. If anything had happened to them, it was on their shoulders and nobody else's.

"Shit, Mel... You don't think they went too far, do you? There's plenty of stuff out there that's not too welcoming to our kind..." Thanasians liked to think of themselves as the most dominating presence on Malakath save for the Dragons themselves, but they weren't the only settlement, nor were Dragons the only powerful creatures that dwelled here. The chance that the young riders had been waylaid sent a little shiver of anxiety up and down the young Thesisus boy's spine.

His eyes briefly flitted up to Earendel, and he nodded before turning around and bringing his fingers to his mouth in a sharp whistle. Immediately the ground rumbled, and Ha'Than emerged from behind the Large Thesisus house, mouth agape in what almost looked to be a yawn.

"He likes to lay against the back of the house when we eat meals." Rai smirks, looking back at Mel. "The heat from the oven travels up that side to get to the chimney and he likes the sensation, I guess." Ha'Than tilted his head forward towards Earendel, before bringing his snout to Raimond for the man to place his hands on his nose. "You listening in, Than? Think you're down for a search and rescue?"

Melisandre

 

[Melisandre]

Eyrx huffed, and sat back on its hind legs like a self-important cat the moment Ha’Than appeared. The end of it’s spiked tail lifted up in a half-hearted wag of greeting, but the dragon was careful to not swing it around. Melisandre looked to the white dragon and dipped her head in a moment of respect— which Eyrx was quite upset with— a soft growl rumbling in it’s throat.

“Dragons do like to keep warm. Well, a good majority of them.” She said, thinking of plenty of other dragons that actually despised the warmth. Eyrx was the type to do well in either sort of weather, but more than once Meli had caught the aggressive dragon sunbathing.

“Have you eaten then?” Melisandre asked suddenly as her gaze when back to Raimond’s. “I hope I didn’t pull you away from breakfast before you could get your fill. Although sometimes when going on a flight it’s best to keep things light.” She turned her back, and her dragon laid down, allowing it’s rider to step up along it’s leg and wing to get into her seat.

“When you’re ready, we’ll head off.” She informed the youngest of the Thesius household. “So if you need to prepare in any way… make it quick. I’ll wait here.”

Raimond Thesius

 

[Raimond Thesius]

Melisandre needed help, and she'd come to him for it. Breakfast be damned, he wasn't about to keep the lady waiting. Whatever his family had in mind for him today could wait as long as this too. Rai shook his head quickly, spinning around to ready Ha'Than to fly. "Nah, don't be silly! I'm not gonna go hungry. Those kids might need us!" His dragon lowered his head for Rai to climb aboard, and the man settled into his spot with a stretch of his legs over each side.

"Besides, if we're out too late we can just grab something afterward." If he could still sneak in a bit of time with Mel, he wasn't above it. Ha'Than shifted restlessly underneath him, and Raimond let out a little chuckle as he steadied himself atop his friend. The pearlescent beast was restless this morning, it seemed.

Rai just hoped Than would control himself up in the air, not when there was a chance of putting Mel at risk. "You should probably take lead though. You know where we're going better than I do, and I don't want to throw you off if my buddy down here decides a random building looks like a good spot to try and take my head off." Rai smiled wide, but he wasn't entirely joking. Still, he was eager to fly, and anything was better than brooding on his balcony all morning.

"Come on, we're burning daylight. Time to be fuckin' heroes!"

 

[Melisandre]

Perfect, everything was starting to click together nicely. Raimond was enthusiastic to go with her to find the young ones and between the two of them… well, Melisandre was certain that they would easily find them. Hopefully they had just gotten lost and they weren’t… dead.

While Meli didn’t like the idea of them possibly having that untimely end, she couldn’t deny how high their chances were. Malakath was largely occupied by monsters that could rival the might of dragons. Especially the smaller dragons. Melisandre could feel Eyrx proudly think of how victorious they have always been in battle, but Melisandre was quick to bat those thoughts away. After all, it was due to Eyrx that two of the Earendel dragons from their fading population were now lost for good.

A somber news settled over Melisandre as they took to the air. With her lips in a straight line and her brown eyes narrowed in determination, she easily began to head in the direction that the kids had taken off in.

Everyone had snuck out for a night ride plenty of times before, but as far as Melisandre knew, no one had gotten lost. The directions were easy enough, and in a group setting, well, everyone should be mindful of anyone who was struggling to keep up. But that was the thing: it wasn’t particularly far from their kingdom.

Which is why Melisandre could think of only one thing: that the kids had been attacked, maybe separated because of that attack, and they were struggling to get home. She knew if she was in that situation as a teen she wouldn’t want to come back alone and face the wrath of the adults all by herself. But more than that: she wouldn’t want to feel guilty.

The two dragon riders crested over the walls of Thanasis, leaving behind civilization. As it got smaller and smaller behind them, more and more of the open jungle and mountain ranges grew larger and larger. A reminder to the two dragon riders that out here, nature surpassed them in every way.

Raimond Thesius

 

[Raimond Thesius]

Ha'Than was so eager to launch that Raimond almost lost control and tumbled off the mighty beast's back when his powerful legs pushed off of the ground beneath them. He was a particularly energetic and hyperactive one, Than. Even for a Dragon he seemed to demand a lot more exercise than many of the others living in the Inner District. Not that Rai minded at all; he liked flying just a bit more than the average rider to make up for that.

Once he'd secured his grips on the reins and kept himself from tumbling down his dragon's back like a moron, he couldn't help but laugh and bask in the fresh air beating against his face as it sailed across Ha'Than's head. The whole world could have been ending, and he would be perfectly happy up here in the clouds.

Looking across at Melisandre though, his jubilant expression fell a bit. She wasn't having nearly as good of a time up here, worry and concern painted across her face as she stared straight ahead without speaking a word. Poor girl, she really did feel responsible for those kids. Rai was an optimist, but he knew it'd break her heart if something had happened to them on her watch.

Damnit, he didn't like seeing her sad.

Clearing his throat, he chocked down his grin and leaned forward gripping his reins and pushing forward to fly slightly closer to her as they crossed over the walls and across the open wilds of Malakath, home to dangers, wonders, and treasures untold for centuries just beneath them. Romantic, if not terrifying.

"Hey! We're gonna get em'! Don't worry yourself to death, alright? Where do you wanna look first?"

 

[Melisandre]

It was from Eyrx’s prodding that brought Melisandre out from her head. She looked at Raimond, a moment of confusion on her face until she remembered that he had spoken to her. She just wasn’t paying attention.

“Sorry.” She apologized, deciding it was better to be honest rather than to act as if she hadn’t been lost in thoughts. “I get quiet when I get serious.” Melisandre had a ritual to follow whenever matters were amiss that needed her full attention. It would start with her pulling her hair back into a ponytail and then usually be followed by her gliding her index finger over her lips as she thought.

Of course, when flying, she made sure to keep her hands firmly onto the saddle. Eyrx wasn’t a fast flier, not the way that Ha’Than was. She couldn’t zip around and curve and flip about— nor did Melisandre want her to try. Earendel dragons shined when it came to distance and consistency, their stamina unmatched. Not that the speed of a dragon’s flight was anything to scoff out.

Far better than riding around on a horse. And far better protection.

“I’m thinking they headed to Siem Wat, check out the old temple ruins at night and to do a test of courage.” Melisandre said, “or if there were a lot of couples then they definitely went to Sa’at Shore to watch the stars and the sunrise. Amongst other things.” The issue with night-rides was that while everyone would camp out together, there wasn’t one particular spot every group went to. Every year was different, and that was what made secret night-rides so spectacular.

“Or they went to the mountains.” Melisandre’s face turned grim once again. “Maybe to test their might against the scyres for some bragging rights.”

Raimond Thesius

 

[Raimond Thesius]

Rai was aware of Melisandre's tendency to zone out. More than once he'd tried to make conversation with her, or even ask her if she wanted to spend time together, only for her to come out of some other space in her head and ask him to repeat himself. By that point his courage had usually waned, and he changed the subject.

He found it adorable, if not deflating.

Ha'Than was being careful to match pace with Mel's dragon, showing a very rare display of self-control that usually was hard to get out of the eager young beast. Perhaps he sensed the severity of the situation. Dragons were preceptive creatures, after all. Most of the time, they knew their riders better than the riders knew themselves. At least, Rai was pretty sure Vhagor had said something like that at some point.

"Well, the Shore isn't particularly dangerous, but I suppose it's possible they got caught off guard..." Rai hadn't gone to the Sa'at shore in a while, not for lack of trying. "Siem Wat is the kind of place Vhagor would take us. If I was given free reign to fly it's the last place I'd pick." Then again, who knew what the teenagers were into nowadays. Weirdos, the lot of them.

As for the mountains, Rai's brow furrowed as he leaned forward to shield his head from the wind behind Ha'Than's.

"If they went to the mountains, it's possible the geezers at Ōmeyōcān noticed them. We could drop by there first and see if they know anything. It's not far outisde the city, if memory serves."

 

[Melisandre]

Having someone to bounce ideas off of proved to be a blessing, more than Melisandre had thought it could be. With her older brothers, her ideas hardly mattered. In the army, her ideas really didn’t matter. Not that she cared much about people listening to her. Unless it was her opinion on fashion, because when it came to that, she was always right.

“Hm, the mountains would be the most dangerous place.” Melisandre agreed. “And we could confirm with others if they had seen anything last night. A group of dragon riders would catch a lot of attention.” She shot Raimond a grin. “Good thing I got a smart kid like you around or I might’ve wasted time.” Important time that they most likely they didn’t have. If the children were in trouble then…

Well, every second mattered.

“We’ll head to Ōmeyōcān,” Melisandre said, this time far more sure of herself. She steered Eyrx in that direction, her heart feeling a bit lighter.

“On your night ride,” Melisandre asked after some time passed. “Where did your group go?”

Raimond Thesius

 

[Raimond Thesius]

He did his very best to hold in his groan. Why had he suggested Ōmeyōcān of all the places? Okay, so logically, yes it made sense, but he really didn't want to go there. The old bastards still clinging to the oldest of traditions were almost as tight-assed as Kaveh. Almost. Still, the confidence it seemed to bring back in Melisandre as she shifted Eryx towards the mountain ranges... damn it.

With a gentle tug, Erren spun Ha'Than to follow Mel close, and the playful dragon was sure to add an extra twirl to the turn and nearly throw his rider off. Thesius held tight through the spin, swearing down at his dear friend, though not without a smile. "Little asshole..."

“On your night ride, where did your group go?”

Raimond looked out from over Than's head at the question, heat burning in his cheeks at the memory. His night ride hadn't exactly gone to plan. In fact, it wasn't too unlike the scenario they were facing currently, albeit laced with a bit more mean-spiritedness. Than slowly caught up to Eryx as Rai gave a sheepish, inaudible laugh under the rushing sounds of the wind.

"Some of the other kids dared me to fly low over Siem Wat, and then flew off without me while I was doing it. I got pretty lost while they went to the Shore... I think it wasn't until the next morning when somebody came out and found me...."

It hadn't been his finest night, but then most of those other kids were in the more powerful houses, with more connections and richer families. The Thesisus house... they were notable, respected amongst the royals most definitely. The youth of the other houses though, they didn't have as much reason to treat him or his brother and sister for that matter, as one of them.

Errune had escaped that stigma with his service and his sacrifice, but Ryla and himself were still expected to honor the Thesius house whilst receiving a fraction of the leeway that everybody else seemed to be offered. It was one reason why the two younger Thesius children had such chips on their shoulder.

"We're getting close. When's the last time you hit Ōmeyōcān?"

 

[Melisandre]

Melisandre, despite knowing it wasn’t the nicest thing to do, started laughing. It wasn’t funny, really, she didn’t find Raimond’s story to be funny in the slightest. It was just… well, he did seem the gullible sort. Maybe he was trying to show off for a girl? Or maybe he just wasn’t popular? Melisandre couldn’t quite say she knew what it was like to not be liked by her peers, or at least not liked enough that a prank would be pulled on her.

Then again, perhaps that was due more to Eyrx than her own dazzling personality.

“At least you were found.” She said, her lips still with a slight upward curve. A young Thesius being missing would have been a uproar, regardless of that house’s current standing. “And perhaps it was for the best, at the Shore the couples just hide out and get sand all over where the sun doesn’t shine.” Melisandre added, although she was sure it did little to make Raimond to feel better about the situation.

“If you were a bit older and in my year, I wouldn’t have let you gone to Siem Wat alone.” That being said, she was glad Raimond wasn’t letting her go to Omeyocan alone. She groaned, and Eyrx huffed in response. “Recently, actually. Vhagor has been kind enough to give me some private lessons. The past two years I haven’t… kept up with battle practice. I’m a little rusty.” She laughed it off, shrugging her shoulders as if it didn’t matter. But it did.

“I hope he’s not there. If he saw us, well,” Melisandre shrugged, just as the series of impossibly high stone statues of dragons became visible. They had minutes, maybe five at the most before they would be landing and begin the search for real.

Raimond Thesius

 

[Raimond Thesius]

If and Perhaps were two words Rai tended to resent in conversation. They represented things that might happen, or could happen, but didn't and hadn't. The youngest Thesius much preferred to think in the present and follow whatever was actually in front of him. He hadn't thought about the Siem Wat incident since the year at happened, and now that he'd recounted it, it went right back into the vault. No reason to dwell, right?

"Is that where he's been going with you? I've heard word he'd been wandering off with you and Eryx, I thought maybe you'd done something to get on the permanent chore list." Rai shuddered more from that thought than from the chilly wind beating his spine. 'Than tucked his head low, and the two of them dipped underneath an outcropping jutting out from a cliff, if only because Raimond's dragon was a helpless show off.

"I wouldn't worry though, about Vhagor being there." Rai looked out towards the mouth of the mountain city, marked by statues as old as they were ornate. "It's the kind of place he'd be glad to see his students. We could just play it off like we're studying, if worse comes to worst." They weren't doing it on his time or anything, he was a grump but not usually an unreasonable one.

The large platform between two stone pillars lit with flame at their tops beckoned them to land, and Rai pulled up on Ha'Than, who slowed and brought his feet forward to come to a stop on the landing pad, before shuffling aside to make room for Eryx as well. Already some older men in traditional clothing were outside, but they seemed uninterested in the party of two, not a sight they didn't see every day, Dragons flying in.

 

[Melisandre]

“Yeah,” Melisandre said with a wry grin, “studying? My favorite thing to do. Surely that fact will keep suspicions low.” She laughed, harsh and bitter although when she had opened her mouth she had meant for it to sound lilting and lively. In truth, it was for some shameful part of her that realized if Raimond knew about her practicing with Vhagor, surely so did others.

Now, while it wasn’t uncommon for members of nobility to make a career in the military, or serving out military contracts like Evirea’s family did, it was uncommon for someone to risk losing a whole noble bloodline by going out on missions.

Even with dragons fighting at their sides, humans were so fragile, and look, not that long ago, her brothers had died from the very dragons they were trying to breed.

She wondered if her friends were talking behind her back, making comments disguised as pity? Oh, poor Mel, you heard she’s training with Vhagor? I hope she’ll be okay if she does get sent out anywhere, her poor father, he could loose his last child. What would become of House Evreux if Mel were to…?

Having to land allowed Melisandre to ignore these thoughts, and she quickly dismounted from Eyrx. Despite the doubts in her mind, she stood tall, jutting her chin out defiantly. She went to Raimond quickly, placing both her arms on his forearm and pulling him close.

“Walk with me.” She said, smiling despite no one really looking at them. As they walked, they spoke. “Even if it’s not suspicious of us being here, the questions we ask should be carefully selected. Many of the Ascended here are good friends with our friends, and if anything, they’ll be far more loyal to them than to us if anything does seem unusual.” And Melisandre knew, gossip traveled like wildfire.

“I think we should go and see Rena first,” if Vhagor was like the grumpy uncle of the Ascended, Rena was like the grandmother who couldn’t wait to die. She was over a hundred years and it seemed like she wasn’t going anywhere soon, even if her lunch consisted of beef jerky and a glass of red wine. “She’s always been fond of me,” Melisandre said with a imperious look, nudging Raimond’s side with her elbow.

Raimond Thesius

 

[Raimond Thesius]

Raimond snickered at her joke despite the obvious contempt behind it. It wasn't so much that he was being insensitive as it was he understood exactly where that bitter edge came from. In a world where you're never going to get your way completely no matter what you do, you have to learn to laugh at the things that actually piss you off. Take everything so seriously and you end up like Errune...

Though Raimond knew that wasn't entirely Errune's fault.

"Don't worry, Mel. Your secret is safe with me as long as you play nice." Rai offered her a playful smirk before going in for his landing. The wide platform waiting for them had plenty of space to leave Eryx and Ha'Than, and Dragons had a tendency to enjoy mountain ranges far more than the skies over the city anyways-- he wouldn't be surprised if they went for a fly around the peaks while the two of them were busy inside.

Rai slid off of 'Than, who shook his head like a bird cleaning its feathers before letting out a huff. He gave his friend a pat on the snout and a wink as the dragon leaned in to meet his touch. "Play nice with Eryx, but not too nice. Think she might be out of your league, buddy." He teased, not unaware the same might be said of Eryx's rider and himself. Though Raimond was dumb enough to keep trying.

Turning his back, Raimond headed towards the edge of the landing platform, meeting Mel on the walkway that led into the old mountain city. He hadn't been around the geezers living inside the ancient buildings here for quite a while, but if the air was as stale and bland as he remembered, he was hoping the two of them could get in and out in a hurry.

At least he was, until she wrapped her arms around one of his and pulled him in snug against her. After that he was okay with taking as long as they needed.

He hoped the smile that grew on his face as he looked over at her wasn't as dumb and sheepish as he felt like it was. It's not even a hug, dude. Relax. He mentally scolded himself, snapping his head forward and nodding as they passed through the large doors leading to the interior of the mountains, rather the caverns hidden within that housed the settlement older than both of them combined.

"I'll let you do the talking then. She doesn't think very much of me. Not enough like my brother. I get that a lot."

 

[Melisandre]

“Of course you’re not like your brother,” Melisandre said easily, looking up at Raimond. Her plain brown eyes shimmering with mirth and mischief. “If you were your brother then I’d be screwed. And don’t you dare tell anyone, Rai, but,” she stood up on the tips of her toes, angling her head towards Rai so her lips could be close to his ear. “I much prefer you over the ever-serious Lord Errune Thesius.”

Melisandre slipped out of her hold on Raimond, picking up the pace although she was certain Raimond would have no trouble keeping up with her. Rena luckily didn’t live in the heart and center of Ōmeyōcān. She remained on the outskirts, closer to the landing area for dragons. She was a nosey old woman, and Melisandre was certain that Rena had been peeking out her window upon their arrival.

The brisk walk was over as soon as it had started, with Melisandre walking up to Rena’s house and knocking three times on her door. Immediately, the door opened. A cane came out before it owner who stood there like a disgruntled ogre.

Rena was wearing her heaviest dress that barely touched her ankles, with thick leather boots hiding those ankles. Two wool cardigans were thrown over her, one that she actually wore correctly and the second to be tied around her neck like a scarf. Despite the heavy layers of clothing, it was evident that Rena was small and slight. One flap from a dragon’s wing and Rena would be falling over.

“My lovely Ascended Rena!” Melisandre cooed, bending down low to hug the proudly standing five-foot Rena. “Oh you’re looking not a day passed seventy!”

“Shut up.” Rena snapped. “Should’ve died thirty-five years ago but here I am: miserable. And old.” There was a pause from Rena as she waited for Melisandre to get over her tittering fake laugh. “And achy, get off of me, girl.” Melisandre stood up, letting go of Rena.

“Are you making tea for us? I smell the herbs from your doorway!” Rena grumbled something, but Melisandre laughed it off. “Raimond, come say hi to Ascended Rena! Where’s Kumquat?”

“He’s out back! Why you even care, huh? Gonna try stealing dragons like that servant-girl?” Melisandre didn’t laugh. Understandably, the topic of Briseis (Meli refused to call her Lady Briseis even if some other nobility began adding Lady to her name) was still a hot topic in Thanasis.

“I just wanted to see if you needed Eyrx to get him behaving. I’ve heard he’s been rather strong-willed, lately.”

“Just like me!” A cough and then a wry grin. “Where’d ya think Kumquat learned to be so stubborn from? Not from your prissy household!” A cackle of laughter and then soon enough, Rena was gesturing for Melisandre to enter her home. When Raimond would come close to her door, Rena would poke his gut with the bottom of her cane.

“And you! It’s a strange day for you to visit me over your brother! How is Lord Errune? Tell your brother Old Rena misses him. I’ll make him his favorite lemon-white bean bread if he comes by. You can bring him. Been forever since I’ve seen that lovely lad.”

Raimond Thesius

 

[Raimond Thesius]

“I much prefer you over the ever-serious Lord Errune Thesius.”

There was no way she was so naive that she didn't know what whispering things in somebody's ear like that did to a guy, but Rai was able to bite the inside of his cheek and swallow down the heat that threatened to fill his face again. If only more people thought similarly to her, maybe he wouldn't have to feel so scrutinized all the time. As soon as she'd paid him the compliment, however, she was gone; slipping from his embrace and making her way down a long, azure lit path. The lights always had a weird glow to them up here... He'd never thought to ask why. Old magic maybe?

"That's about the nicest thing anybody has ever said to me." Raimond quipped as he quickly moved to follow her. The sad thing is that he was really only half joking.

Rena was a well respected elder by anybody worth the saddle they rode on in Thanasis, and Raimond too held her in high regard. Intentional or not, though, she didn't do a very good job of hiding which brother she preferred. The young Thesius hung back as Melisandre exchanged pleasantries with the old coot, hoping maybe she wouldn't notice he'd come too. No such luck; Rai felt himself wince when Mel called him forward.

"Good Morning, Lady Rena. Glad you're well and spry."

The greeting was answered by the prod of his stomach with her cane, causing him to step back a bit as he shut the door behind him the usual spiel about Errune starting up just as he'd expected. Rena had loved his brother like a son before his unfortunate series of misfortunes... Now Raimond wasn't sure Errune could even get here if he wanted to, with his mobility issues.

He held his tongue the best he could, brushing off his vest and offering a bow to the older woman. A large part of him wished to speak his mind, but they needed Rena's help, and he knew she didn't mean anything bad by her words. Still, the lingering bitterness burned in his gut.

"I wouldn't know how he's doing, Ascendant. I rarely see him."

Leaving it at that, Rai quickly moved past the pair of them to look at some of the eccentricities collected around Rena's home, relics from all times and all places. He'd always found her worldliness fascinating, more so than the woman herself.

 

[Melisandre]

Melisandre looked back at Raimond as Rena spoke to him. Just as Raimond predicted, the Ascended was going on about Errune Thesius. How Rena adored both Errune and Melisandre was a mystery: the two couldn’t be further apart from one another. As Melisandre had already pointed out: Errune was serious, outwardly so.

Melisandre wouldn’t call herself lax by any means, but she at least could offer some witty banter and a smile without looking ill.

Rena’s home was a good size but round, an unusual shape that often got compared to a dragon’s egg. There weren’t multiple levels, just one large room with a fireplace right in the middle. The kitchen blended into a dining room and living room and ended with the bedroom. Two doors and no windows, with the back door leading to what Melisandre imagined being the outhouse and the garden that Rena tended to. There were shelves that lined the walls, all things that Rena had collected during her time as a mercenary working not just Malakath but Espressa as well.

A series of stools could be found, one short, one normal, and one that was more like a latter. In her old age, Rena had shrunk but she still moved about as if she were young. At least until the afternoon when she often had to rest her weary bones and take a couple of hours to herself before making dinner.

Melisandre looked up at the big hole in the ceiling, now not covered by Kumquat. The smoke from the fire rose easily above and didn’t suffocate anyone inside.

“Errune is a busy, hardworking man.” Rena eyed Melisandre, giving her that look. Melisandre turned her nose up at the idea, as if she would ever want a man who had already been married once. Even if others thought someone from the failing Evreux house couldn’t afford to be picky, Melisandre wasn’t going to let go of her standards.

Not that she had much time to think about marriage, especially not now with children in danger. Melisandre went to the kettle, making a show of smelling the tea.

“What is this? It smells familiar but….” Melisandre began and Rena came over, swatting her away. The kettle whistled shortly after and Rena took it off, going over to the small kitchen which wasn’t too far off from where Raimond was standing.

“Green rooibos, supposed to be good for bones. And dragons above know how much I need it.” Despite her earlier words, Rena easily pulled off three of her hanging teacups and poured tea into each one. The old woman turned around and held up a cup for Melisandre and then one for Raimond. “So. Why are you two here. I know it’s not for tea.”

Melisandre looked inside her teacup. She had agreed that she should do most of the talking, but now that she was put on the spot, she couldn’t help but feel prickles of dread and unease along the back of her neck and arms. As so many times before, she put on a friendly smile and looked amiably back at Rena.

“The tea is just the roux on top,” Melisandre said and to ease her nerves took a sip from her cup. Despite the fragrant smell, she couldn’t say she was particular fond of this tea. Too earthy for her liking. “But we are here to ask you something. As long as you have the time?”

“Do I look like I have time?” Rena said with a huff, taking her own cup of tea and hobbling over to the one and only armchair in her home. She took time in getting inside it and then making herself comfortable. “Get me that blanket, hurry up. My bones get cold all the time.” She snapped at Raimond, pointing her cane at were a colorfully crocheted quilt rested on a shelf. “So ask me already. What’s the question?”

“Well,” Meli began then paused. “Have you seen any dragon riders come through here? I know Kumquat is always looking up at the sky. Did he see anything?” Rena’s brow raised up and she grinned, showing more holes than actual teeth.

“He saw a few dragon riders last night, sure. But that’s not unusual, is it? Unless…” Rena didn’t break eyecontact with Melisandre, her grin widening. “Well, unless it’s riders who aren’t allowed to ride at night. But that’s only for the youngins, isn’t it?”

Raimond Thesius

 

[Raimond Thesius]

Raimond did his damndest to just ignore the old woman, or at least her attempts to pawn his older brother off to Melisandre. It wasn't too difficult, with the fascinating odds and ends she kept all over her home. Rena had been all over Malakath: If it was on land, she'd seen it. In that small way, Raimond admired her. The trinkets lining every wall, he liked to close his eyes and imagine the stories behind them, what it must have felt like to obtain them.

It was an odd bit of thought, but Rai couldn't help but feel a desire to have such a collection in his own home one day, when he was finally able to escape the confines of the Manor. Would he want a place like this? It wasn't so big, and he'd always known he didn't want to live too lavishly. It begat laziness, in his mind.

It wasn't until Rena held out a cup of tea for him that he returned from his dreams, smiling in a sort of dreamy, empty way and taking the tea with a nod and quiet thanks. Right, they kind of had a situation they were dealing with here. He could ponder real-estate options later. His gratitude was meant with a barked order, and he let a little sigh escape before setting the tea down on the small table beside Rena's chair and fetching the blanket as she asked.

While he spread out the blanket and laid it over the Ascendant, Melisandre attempted to get to the point, but she was struggling. His eyes met hers briefly, and he saw the stress in them clear as day.

Okay, yes, they'd agreed to let her do the talking but... Rena liked her. If she ripped off the band-aid and admitted a mistake, it could hurt that standing with the woman she seemed to admire. Grabbing his tea and sliding over to sit in one of the smaller, empty chairs, Rai interjected. "A couple of them got away from me last night. They should have been back hours ago and I'm getting worried about them. Mel agreed to help me look, and we thought this might be a good starting point."

Taking the blame. The things you do for love, Thesius.

Melisandre

 

[Melisandre]

Melisandre knew she should have devised a careful yet believable lie when prodding Rena. The woman may have been old but she was sharp, her old age doing little to diminish her wit. So how to go about telling Rena that the night-ride (which every class participated in even if it broke the rules) had gone astray, and so many noble and rich families were fretting over their child?

But it turned out Melisandre didn’t need to think much about it— although she had pieced together a decent story about a dare gone wrong and kids being kids and such. For the briefest of moments, Melisandre glanced over to Raimond, her dark eyes with with surprise but more importantly: appreciation and gratitude.

She hadn’t had some come to her side since her brothers deaths. Her father was out of his mind most of the time and was always in bed because of his failing health. Whoever Melisandre had thought to be a friend turned out to be a situational friend— and she still felt the sting of when they kept her at arm’s length.

She hadn’t expected Raimond Thesius to offer his head on the chopping block. Melisandre felt her lips pull down into a slight frown. Had he done it for her or was it for something else, such as a favor for another time? Melisandre made sure to curl her lips back up into a smile, her eyebrows falling down as if she felt sheepish. As if Melisandre Evreux could be so vulnerable.

“I see.” Rena said plainly, taking time to sip at her tea. She almost looked a bit disappointed, but perhaps that was Melisandre’s mind playing tricks on her. “I did see a group last night.” Rena said after she had swallowed. She looked at Raimond, sitting down and then back at Melisandre who remained standing.

“What direction where they flying in?” Melisandre pressed, taking a subconscious step towards Rena.

“Melisandre,” Rena said cooly, her watery blue eyes seemed to harden like steel after being cooled from a forge’s fires. “Vhagor should be returning soon. When he arrives you should tell him of this predicament.”

“I didn’t ask about Vhagor. I asked about the direction they’re heading in.” She knew she sounded like a brat but it was too late, the words were already out of her mouth. Rena sighed, looking disappointed rather than upset. Melisandre felt tingles of fear and anger radiate down her spine, little tingles that made her stomach drop into a bottomless pit. If Rena was acting like this, then perhaps the worst was to come.

“Your father already lost two children, are you really going to risk him losing a third?” Melisandre’s grip on her teacup became tight, her knuckles turning white. She was shocked the cup didn’t break from her indignant anger. “The mountains.” Rena said finally. “Which is why you should have Vhagor handle this and—“

“Raimond, we’re leaving.” Melisandre placed her tea cup on the table.

“Melisandre Roxanya Evreux, you’ll wait for Vhagor and others to help you unless you’re seeking a early grave.” Rena got up from her chair, the blanket that had been neatly around her falling down to the well kept floor. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“We wait for Vhagor and those kids could be dead. I’m not having that on my conscious.” She pivoted on her heel, about to storm off but stopped. “And you knew if you told me where I wouldn’t wait around. Don’t scold me now.” And with that, Melisandre was out the door, barely missing Rena muttering under her breath: “It’s that Evreux obstinance that will get you killed.” Melisandre didn’t look back to see if Raimond was following after her.

Raimond Thesius

 

[Raimond Thesius]

As he'd expected, once Ascendant Rena was told it was him that had made the mistake, the mistake itself was a non-issue, since she already thought so little of him. There wasn't any reason to make Melisandre suffer through even more embarrassment over this, over something that she already felt terrible about. She'd came to him for help because she trusted him, and he wasn't going to let anybody else rake her over the coals about this whole situation.

It was strange, the protective feeling that had come over him for a moment, but it didn't grow any weaker when Rena started dodging their questions. She might have even been right about waiting for Vhagor; the mountains were dangerous territory, especially when they'd been gone that long, but then she'd gone too far, bringing the waning Evreux bloodline into the argument.

Melisandre surged with silent rage, and Raimond felt his flesh heat too, already setting the barely sipped tea on the table as a grimace of disgust flashed across his face. Rena finally gave them the answer they were looking for and Melisandre stood indignantly, turning her nose up at the old woman and storming off with an admonishment back towards the Ascendant.

She'd ordered him to follow, but she was gone by the time Raimond stood. For a moment, it was just he and Rena, standing silently in a now upsettingly quiet room. The old woman narrowed her eyes at him, and Rai shook his head, refusing to meet her gaze.

"That was out of line, Ascendant. You know it was."

Not waiting for her to reply, Raimond rushed out of the house after Melisandre, his boots thudding against the ground as he ran to catch up with her.

"Mel, wait!"

 

[Melisandre]

Rena’s lips pulled down into a deep frown at Raimond’s words, and suddenly it was like the wrinkles around her mouth had disappeared as her face was used to such a position. Melisandre was continuing her brisk walk towards where they had left their dragons, marching with such ferocity that the usual flirtatious sway of her hips now resembled a raging storm at sea.

“Your legs are longer than mine, you can catch up!” She shouted over her shoulder at Raimond, not quite looking at him. She quickly faced forward, her eyebrows furrowed together until Melisandre realized that at her age she’d start getting wrinkles if she wasn’t careful. Her hands were fists at her side but as she brought them up to her face, her touch was gentle as she began smoothing out her forehead.

She took a deep breath, reminding herself that stress was also bad for her skin.

Eryx had no qualms about being in a mood. As a dragon she cared little for signs of aging, although she was particular if a scale or a horn fell out due to stress. Luckily for the Earendel dragon, she was young enough to not worry about such things. So while Melisandre tried to calm the angry winds of anger that blew over her ocean of grief, Eryx roared in solidarity.

It only frustrated Melisandre further instead of soothing her. But what could she say to Eryx? To shut up? Despite her hotheadness, even Melisandre Evreux thought twice about insulting a dragon as fearsome as Eryx.

Raimond Thesius

 

[Raimond Thesius]

Gods, was she always this stubborn? Admittedly, Raimond was usually too busy daydreaming around her to take notice, but the way she just blew him off with that decidedly cheeky leg remark made his blood simmer. The older folks living in the mountain city quickly parted clear of their path, some shooting dirty looks at them as they were all but pushed aside by the fuming woman.

Fine, she wanted him to catch her? He would!

Rai took off running, determined to get his word in before Mel had a chance to fly off to the mountains ahead of him. She was angry, and Raimond understood, but he'd been told shit like what the Ascendant had said far too often, and he knew that dwelling on the words would only make things worse. He didn't want that for Mel. Mel didn't deserve that.

She was so pretty when she smiled...

Rai managed to close the distance between them right as they came within eyesight of their dragons, Eryx roaring loud in sympathy for Melisandre's ire. Reaching out with a hand, Rai managed to snatch his friend's wrist and spin her around to face him. "I said wait!"

There was a pause as they looked at each other. Rai only looked into her eyes for a moment before he pointed back towards the house they'd just left. "She doesn't know what the fuck she's talking about, Mel." It wasn't her that his anger was directed at. "Her thinking is as antiquated as her body. You're doing the best you can representing your family, and that's why you came to me so we can find these kids without waiting for help like hapless rookies."

His hand now came forward, a finger extending, its tip pressing to her chest, just below her neck.

"Fuck her. Don't let her bullshit get to you. I have your back, okay?"

It almost sounded like it was something Raimond had said before, and in truth, it partially was. It was the kind of thing that the youngest Thesius had always wished somebody was around to tell him every time Rena had put him down like that. That she was wrong, that he had somebody on his side.

The least he could do was say it for Mel.

 

[Melisandre]

Melisandre heard Raimond catching up to her before he even grabbed her wrist. She whirled around, her body spinning towards his as if they were dance partners and this was the grand finale. Of course the look on her face made it clear what she thought about her junior daring to get in her way. Melisandre bristled, opening her mouth to throw some scathing words his way if he so desired it! Just who did Raimond Thesius think he was?

Clearly, he thought himself to be a friend.

With each word of his, Melisandre’s shoulders began to slump and the harsh look in her brown eyes softened. She was frowning, not because she didn’t like his words of comfort, but perhaps moreso for the twinge of guilt over her wanting to speak cruel things to him. It seemed her anger matched her dragon’s. Yet at this moment, it had been quelled. The storm inside her ceased and for a moment, Melisandre didn’t see the Raimond she knew.

Until he jabbed her chest and Melisandre scoffed, raising her chin up in defiance. Her moment of weakness vanished as she reminded herself who she was, what she represented. She should be a good example for Raimond.

“What she said didn’t bother me.” Melisandre said, her eyes fierce and determined to convey this lie as best as she could. “As if I care about anyone’s opinion on me and my family? Ha! The day that I care about my name being in another’s mouth is the day Malakath freezes over and dragons start speaking.” She pulled her shoulders back, even went as far as to flip her braid over her shoulder. “Or the ever-so-lovely-and-hospitable Prince Kaveh becomes a saint.” She forced out a harsh laugh, wrenching herself free from Raimond’s grip and suddenly didn’t seem to know what to do with her hands.

At first they were on her hips but then she crossed them over her chest. Finally, they were at her side, and yet even that didn’t feel right. Melisandre settled with one arm coming up to rest on the opposite shoulder, pretending to rub out some sort of muscle soreness.

“Although that isn’t to say I don’t appreciate your words. Or your help. Or… your loyalty.” At the least the loyalty he’d give her for now. She was certain it would disappear sooner or later. “So,” ugh, this was always that hardest thing to do, but it needed to be said now before she forget and stay up at night thinking over it. “Thank you.”

Raimond Thesius