Private Tales Flint to the Fire

[Nadya]

Daylight burned especially brighter this time of the year, which made Nadya that much more grateful that she wasn't out here scouting beyond the Wall into the Wildlands in the dark of dawn. There was an outpost a few miles to the right, the clearing visible from their altitude. Kalyss could easily get them there in seconds, but the large brute found solace in the clouds. They were an hour's flight from the Wall, the distance always seen as a challenge to the rare Storm Dragon.

Through their bond, she could feel Kalyss become disgruntled, and before she could question her godlike dragon, a smell invaded her nose and make her breath sharply to be rid of it. Gods, Kalyss. What is that? Nadya's protest was quick through their bond, and in response, she could feel her bonded be pleased with himself.

A true answer to her question did not take long until imagery flickered, showing Nadya the sight her large dragon could see off in the distance. There, on the summit of a mountain, she could see a rider... on a strange creature. At first, she thought Jarlax, but Nadya had seen enough shirtless men brawling and training at the Wall to recognise the form of one's muscled back.

Human.

Kalyss confirmed with a strong flick of his tail, his eyes still concentrated on the creature that the man rode with caution.

Recognition suddenly came to the rider, and she snorted, blinking away the imagery her dragon so kindly shared through their bond. "That's Talorgan and Biersys. Might as well check in with him and see if he knows if anything has been happening."

 

[Talorgan]

Talorgan felt Biersys react to the shadow looming behind them. As a dreq-wyrm, she was much smaller than dragons. She also could not achieve true flight, only being able to glide. Unlike a smaller dragon that could rely on maneuverability in the air to avoid one, her instinct was to find cover.

"Easy now," he said.

He reached down to pat her flank before sliding from her saddle. She could glide, climb run and swim. They were a well matched pair for scouting the lands beyond the wall from close to the ground.

Shielding his eyes against the sun, he looked up to see who was coming down to try and order him around or belittle them both. He had ostracised himself from most of high society. A man who spent his time dressing like natives and learning languages.

"That's Kalyss," he grunted, as the silhoutte became clear. Even he felt a flutter of trepidation at the sight of the storm dragon.

"Nadya's not a terrible person," he added. From Talorgan, it was high praise.

 

[Nadya]

Moments later, she slipped down the foreleg of her bonded, walking forward to a clearing she had no doubt Talorgan would find her in. It was hard not to miss Kalyss and his directed path, but Nadya did not need to be sat atop a dragon to have a conversation with the other rider. In addition, dragons were oft sceptical of other creatures that were not directly draconic, but the Ascendant waited patiently for Tal and his dreq-wyrm to come into view before smiling in greeting.

"You know, it must be nice to have all this nature to yourself than cowering atop the Wall and waiting to be told what to do." She started, grin growing wider. "I tried to live at home, but then I too was cowering in my room, afraid my family would start forcing me in fancy dresses and marrying me off like sheep bred for the dragons to hunt and eat." She snorted, leaning on one leg and crossing her arms. Nadya was dressed in light leathers, hair braided neatly down her back. It meant so much to her to serve as an Ascendant that she always kept to the uniform expected of them.

Nadya nodded to him, grin simmering to a small smile. "Supposed to be scouting, but for the last few hours, found nothing of note to report back. What have you observed on land?"

Talorgan

 

[Talorgan]

"Ah would be," Talorgan said as he approached, "If I really did have it to myself."

He grinned in turn as he approached Nadya. Tall and broad, bare-armed and barefooted, he was something of a contrast to the rider stood before him.

He pointed to several dark brown lines across his shoulder. The pattern still revealed where he had stitched himself. There were a few on Biersys' flank as well.

"Unfortunately I have to share the nature with nature. Rip vines. They ensnare small animals but we accidentally ran under some."

"There is a tribe of kobolds north. Tried to make contact to practise the language but they shot some warning arrows. A small group of jarlax were east. Guess Kalyss will only spot a whole army of jarlax coming, but will fly towards a tasty looking sheep three miles away. "

 

[Nadya]

Nadya threw him an odd but amused look, one that was her own and not the type of look other Thanasites would regard him with hearing him speak of languages other than the High Thanasian they all spoke in.

"Great, isn't it? That a dragon as old as Kalyss is still so simple." She grinned, even as the god towering behind her growled at her words. He understood her, he always had since choosing this descendant to bond with. Foolish, it was always the feeling she felt in their bond, always directed at her. There was so much power he could give her, but not until she earned it.

Nadya shrugged, approaching a few more steps and looking out east. "Well, don't want to end up pissing off the jarlax. Might steer clear until I am to report back to the Wall."

A raised brow now appraised the wild looking male before her. "Even if this isn't all your own, you certainly know the terrain better than anyone."

Talorgan

 

[Talorgan]

"Er...yes...I do..."

Talorgan smiled back awkwardly. His upbringing as a child had been fairly typical. At any public event it would be expected that a man of his position could give and receive compliments as easily as breathing.

He had become accustomed to travelling alone. As well as that, he has used to people telling them that crawling across the ground was beneath his station.

"Beyond the Borderlands is... Well it is dangerous but it's also hard to tell what's going on from up in the air."

 

[Nadya]

Caliar snorted. "The skies have always been the domain of dragons and gods. We need more like you on the ground." An option not many High Ascendants would consider due to the preservation of their dragons. Being on the ground put them at a disadvantage, but there were types of dragons suited for such a task. Tsonyes would be favourable, but one day, Nadya would have a say to make things happen.

"We were going to check in with the outpost and I was going to have myself some lunch... want to join me? Unless you can think of a better spot to eat than a small fortress acting as outpost." Nadya grinned. She had packed a few sandwiches in case hunger took over, but she did better than she expected in the first few hours of scouting. "Come on, Tal. You know I wouldn't bite."

No matter her name and it's history in Thanasis, Nadya had always been respectful of anyone. Working on the Wall had allowed her to become her own person instead of the stuffy society people her sisters would most likely be expected to socialise with.

 

[Talorgan]

Caliar snorted. "The skies have always been the domain of dragons and gods. We need more like you on the ground."

He pulled an awkward smile. The kind of expression that seemed to drift between a gentle smile and a pained grimace.

Talorgan reached up behind his head to scratch the back of his neck. His thick arm was daubed in the kind of warpaint popular in the few human tribes that survived out in wild territory.

"We were going to check in with the outpost and I was going to have myself some lunch... want to join me?

"Yes," he replied plainly with a curt nod.

"Is the outpost manned right now?" he added. He canted his head to one side and glanced over his shoulder at Biersys.

They typically made for the outpost in late evening if they had to go. There were less questions and far less conversation as people were turning in.

Members of the army who ventured this far out without dragons were hardy folk. They didn't look down at him or judge him. Talorgan was just accustomed to being alone with his thoughts out here.

 

[Nadya]

Nadya nodded.

"A few High Ascendants are checking in. I am to report to them before making my way back to the Wall, but... I am in no rush to go back home either." Only the night before, she overheard some of the Recruits she was training talk about her dragon. Kalyss was a dragon that had many stories detailing his victories of the past few centuries, when the original line of the Calaerys were still in power. It had been some time since he brought down his might against foes at the borderlands, but Nadya herself knew the dragon that chose to bond with her was withholding his lightning abilities.

At least he trusted her enough to allow her to command him to create storms, something she liked to do in the summer months when the dry heat was too stifling to bear.

"Haven't seen you since that luncheon your family hosted. Again, thank you for showing me your hiding spot. I think hiding from my sisters and mother made the event that much more fun when they were not bickering with me." She grinned.

 

[Talorgan]

"A few High Ascendants are checking in. I am to report to them before making my way back to the Wall, but... I am in no rush to go back home either."

Talorgan made a sound at the back of his throat. Being bonded with a dragon was a high honour. He simply wished it came with more humility.

He rubbed at his temple.

Talorgan liked to imagine that he was easy to get on with. It was other people that were the problem. If they were less annoying, he would get along with more of them.

"I will come. Only because you are there. Because I will enjoy them all grovelling because Kalyss is there."

It was evident that he enjoyed that memory.

"Imagine living with my family. Hiding was necessary."

He glanced over his shoulder and Biersys approached. She stretched out her wings. Enough to glide a great distance if she could climb.

If the outpost wasn't up a hill, they might have been able to get there before Kalyss picked up altitude.

 

[Nadya]

Nadya let out a snicker, knowing how many Ascendants simply kissed her arse because of the legendary dragon that bonded with her. "Alright, outpost it is! Can't wait to see their faces when they see you stride in with me."

Nadya's mother had chastised her often for holding herself above anyone else for having a bond with Kalyss, but Nadya always answered with the same words: they were descended from the Great House that bred storm dragons. It was in their blood to be elitist.

But Nadya liked making friends with those other's wouldn't think about first. Talorgan was someone she could easily spend a day with than to go back to the Wall and hear people fawn over her 'bad ass' dragon. She wished she could tell them he refused to use his storming magicks, or even didn't trust his bonded rider that he chose to give war commands.

Her eyes brightened seeing Biersys, already knowing that they were gearing up for a race. "How about I give you both a head start. Kalyss is a monster and covers a lot of ground with one beat of his wings."

Talorgan

 

[Talorgan]

"Alright, outpost it is! Can't wait to see their faces when they see you stride in with me."

Talorgan canted his head to one side. He wasn't going to admit it out loud, but that image tickled him.

He didn't want to trade on anyone else's reputation, but playing their arrival down would irritate them all.

"How about I give you both a head start. Kalyss is a monster and covers a lot of ground with one beat of his wings."

Talorgan genuinely weighed up the options. Could the great dragon reach the outpost without gaining altitude first. It would only take Biersys a few minutes to cover the ground at a flat sprint with some glides, but it was the last rocky uphill that would take time.

"I'll only need as long as it takes you to get back and mounted," he boldly declared.

He whistled and Biersys charged forwards. Talorgan broke into a run. His wyrm tilted her long neck and he grasped reigns and threw himself into place. One bound and she launched herself up, bounced off a tree and opened her wings.

The pair were off at a glide towards the flats, where she would break into a run.

 

[Nadya]

Nadya snorted and already turned to run back towards her dragon, and he behemoth shot forward, giving her the chance to grab hold within his claw. She had done this many times, had gotten used to where to place her foot and where to hold in order to not risk slipping or falling. This sort of transport was meant for short trips like flying to the outpost nearby. Of course, going at an incredible speed as Kalyss was taking them, Nadya had to really calculate where to drop and fall.

Up high above the terrain, she was uncertain of where the dreq-wyrm was, or even a hint of Talorgan. It was as if they both blended with the wylds, whereas the silhouette of the Storm Dragon was easily seen amongst the view of the skies.

The outpost, a small little fortress with four watchtowers, was fast approaching. Nadya could see those standing within the eastern tower, anticipating an attack until Nadya waved an arm to show a rider was present. Her hair whipped in the wind, brown braid that became discoloured at the ends by dyed fashion choice. If her mother hated it, then it was perfect.

"Kalyss and his rider!" She could just manage to hear their calls to the other towers, and Nadya looked below to see the perfect expanse of clearing for her to drop and roll to land. Kalyss would take his landing further down, going into the ridge line above.

Turning around, she waited for gaze to find Talorgan and see who truly won that race.

 

[Talorgan]

Talorgan had thought to give himself a reasonable headstart by mounting the running dreq. He looked over his shoulder in time to see her taken up in the claw of a dragon already spreading it's wings.

"Shit."

He flattened himself to Biersys' body. She tucked her wings in close as she hit the ground running, but would still stretch them out if she could glide and save some energy for the final sprint.

He saw her shadow pass overhead as they made their way up the final stretch. Seeing guards rush to the towers, he decided to slow down. He'd lost the race already.

Because it would annoy, someone as soon as they had seen him slow before the gate and sent someone to open it, they accelerated forwards and leapt over the wall.

 

[Nadya]

Bastard.

She had not taken into account just how high his dreq could jump, clearing the fortress walls with an ease that her jaw dropped in disbelief. Nadya had stormed her way past the gates admitting her, and turned her scowl to her friend once she saw him in the receiving courtyard that lead into the small offices most guard take rest in. Behind that, several buildings that housed barracks, a mess hall, and bathing house. Looks like they will be stationed here for a few weeks judging by how many supplies were being put away.

"Gods, you should brush Kalyss' teeth for that trick you pulled." She grumbled.

Nadya ignored many of the stares they were getting, knowing that the two together made quite the spectacle. She was a Caliar, the only one to be bonded to a Storm Dragon at present, and they all saw the beastly drake moments ago. Talorgan got a good few stares that eventually lingered on his dreq.

Not caring for the prejudice some Thanasians held for non-dragon species, she offered her hand to Biersys to smell. "Shall we go get ourselves a feed?"

 

[Talorgan]

"Gods, you should brush Kalyss' teeth for that trick you pulled." She grumbled.

"Trick? When you are small and you can jump, why should you wait?"

Talorgan glanced around. There were soldiers and riders in leathers, orderly and prepared. People assumed that he did not care how others saw him. Talorgan himself liked to think it. When there was a group of senior riders looking at him, bare armed, painted and wild-looking, he felt a flutter of self consciousness.

"Shall we go get ourselves a feed?"

Biersys understood that food was being offered. She sniffed the offered hand and glanced at Talorgan expectantly.

"Hmm, not before you've been signed in," Talorgan grunted.

Wearing a large bronze pin to mark her position, the commander of the forward outpost marched out to greet them.

To greet Nadya, at least.

 

[Nadya]

Right.

This was no one day operation that they didn't need to record the coming and goings of every rider, but Nadya turned to the Commander and gave her a curt nod in greeting.

"Wing Leader Caliar. Any reports?" The Commander said, doing her best not to allow her gaze to drift away from the Wing Leader that caused a spectacle in her dragon's arrival.

Nadya's jaw twitched, but her neutrality remained.

"I brought the real eyes and ears here. Nothing airborne or visible from the skies, but Talorgan has been on the ground. Tell her what you told me." The brunette and silver haired Wing Leader now turned to her friend, smiling warmly at him. "It was a lot more than a dragon scout could see, I can tell you that."

 

[Talorgan]

"I can tell you that anything large enough to be of concern to us is visible from the air," Commander Istworth replied.

This time she spared a glance for Talorgan.

"Though I appreciate the long term research some carry out when they have the time."

Commander Istworth was not of noble blood. Talorgan was. She was a pragmatic woman and found his wasted time a luxury that those without a House name could not afford.

Talorgan shrugged.

"The Jarlax to the east haven't the numbers to attack, but I'll see whether they are on the move," Talorgan offered. He was not in the mood to start an argument.

He could feed and clean Biersys and then bathe some of the wilderness off of himself.

 

[Nadya]

Nadya plastered a pleasant smile on her face. "Then I shall leave Kalyss to continue scouting while I take rest. Some of us have been on patrol since before dawn."

She forced a hand onto Talorgan's arm to pull him along with her, where seconds later a deafening roar shuddered the outpost and strong beats of wings saw Kalyss taking to the sky again, this time lingering closely to the treetops and hunting. His appetite could do with some attention, and Nadya was more than happy to allow him such freedom.

"They are all itching for something to do. I bet they are hoping to smite down some jarlax while we are occupying this outpost." She sighed, now dropping his arm and staring at the paint that covered his arms. "Gods, Tally, what are you using on yourself?"

She frowned, and it looked almost comical on her face that did not know if she should laugh or be upset her hand came away sticky with the clay like substance.

 

[Talorgan]

Talorgan was slightly surprised by her dragging him along. Her voice carried a weight here and he was pulled along in her orbit.

His eldest brother had once expressed regret that Tal could be free to pursue his own passions without responsibility. However, Talorgan would trade a little of his freedoms for being taken seriously more often.

"This?"

He chuckled as she frowned at her own hand. It was mostly dried to his skin now, but he found a damp spot on his cheek. He touched his middle finger to it and then dabbled it on the middle of her nose.

"Woad paint. The wild human tribes out here all use it. I should probably scrape some of it off before bathing or it will upset people."

 

[Nadya]

"Arse." Nadya rubbed at her nose, hoping it was clean before continuing towards the hall white meals would be served, but then changed her mind to head for the bathing house.

"I am going to need to wash my hands clean. And my face." Because Nadya swore she could still feel the paint on her nose, and would need to check she was clean faced before stepping into the dining hall.

It took ten minutes for her to freshen up, and her hair presented in a tighter braid. Flying for half the day had made her weary, or perhaps it was the late night spent hanging out with her best friend Cullen talking about old Thanasian stories. Either way, Nadya felt renewed enough to fill her stomach before heading out to finish her patrol.

She looked around to see if she could spy Talorgan, knowing she would be more at ease with him accompanying her.

 

[Talorgan]

Talorgan was sat at a bench, picking dried meat apart. He was - for once - without his paint but still dressed as a wild man compared to the soldiers. No one say near him.

He turned and waved Nadya over.

"Mmm Nadya," he muttered, wiping down his hand on his breaches.

"I was thinking..."

He smiled briefly from one corner of his mouth.

"...you never came to talk to any of the wild tribes with me. You'd have to come without Kalyss."

 

[Nadya]

Even without the paint, Tal stuck out amongst the heavily kitted Ascendants and High Ascendants filtering in and out of the dining hall. The fact he sat alone too told her that it indeed was her friend. It wouldn't be the first time many doubted the company Nadya kept. From an old and respected bloodline, they had hoped she would have spent her time schmoozing with better acquaintances than Marked Ones or the reclusive third son of a prominent family.

But that's where she found good friends, and those that sat on their high deagons' backs simply missed out.

Although Nadya now questioned her friend's mentality after he pointed out she was yet to visit any of the tribes with him. She grimaced, halfway seated when she came to pause and stared at him. "Without..."

Well, he can tell her dragon that.

"Can I take my sword?" Finally, she sat and looked across to him. She began poking a fork at her roasted vegetables on her plate, trying to hide her wariness at the idea he brought up to her.

 

[Talorgan]

Talorgan grinned. It wasn't an uncomfortable smile. It was a rare and open expression of amusement.

"Of course you would take a sword. They would be offended if you'd up without one. Either it would be taken as straight up rude, or confirm you had a dragon close."

He pushed his bowl to one side. It almost seemed impolite, but it gave him space to lean on the table.

"Few days north of here. Or a few hours for you."

 

[Nadya]

Nadya frowned now.

"A few hours for me? Without Kalyss you mea---" She cut herself off as she realised what he was meaning to.

Shaking her head, she began to laugh. "Wait, you do not mean that I am to ride with you? On your... mount." Well, it was hopeless to try and keep the worry out from her tone and words. Even her expression looked forced. The great Storm Dragon rider had never ridden so close to the ground before, not even a horse.