Completed Hummingbirds and Flutterbyes

[Orissa]

"I feel that I understand your way of thinking." Orissa smeared a soft cheese on one cracker, topping it with a thin shaved slice of a salty meat before reaching for a fig and tearing a piece to top it all off. "Nasri is the current Heir, but any of us can stand to inherit the throne. I do that... I may lose some freedoms I do have as just as a Princess," Orissa smiled up at him, "and there surely would be too many meetings if I were to become Queen."

But her brothers never made her feel pressured to take up the title, but they each have tried to poke and prod an answer from her about which brother she would support.

The loaded cracker was placed in her mouth in it's entirety, savouring the symphony of flavours washing over her mouth. She hummed with delight, slowly chewing through it and using the poured bubbles to help wash it down. "I still have much to learn as a Princess... I still want to serve Thanasis however I can, whether that be educating others in dragon health and healing, war tactics... strategy... something to be of use. At least you are trusted to serve in the Thunder... can do your part even for a year or two..."

 

[Jensen]

Jensen's heart nearly damn well stopped as she brought up the very real possibility she could one day be Queen. He had spent the last few days truly wrapping his head around the fact that he was to be a Prince but a King? It made him feel physically sick. To make himself feel better he quickly stuffed a whole wedge of cheese in his mouth and chewed it with a nervous passion.

"But... you are of use, Orissa. All of us - well - those of us who were conscious saw what exactly you did for the injured during the Syzgy. If you hadn't be there me and Valathor wouldn't be here now, and countless others," his lips pressed into a thin line. There was something that got beneath his skin at the thought she did not see the wonder in what it was she already did.

"Not everything in Thanasis needs to be about war. I think... we could actually do with thinking on that more often," theirs was a society of blood and magic, that Jensen knew, but when he passed the poor and sick he did wonder if they could accomplish great things for their people - all of their people - if they turned just a fraction of their passion for war into a passion for caring.

 

[Orissa]

Orissa stared at the platter prepared before them, plucking different assortments closer to her and taking her time to construct a small serving. He was right, and she knew that for a fact since she too told anyone interested in healing the same. So why could she not believe her own words?

"Those two days were awful." It had been a week and a half already, but she still felt guilt for her part. It was hours after, when she had gone to follow Jensen and Draxton inside the vortex, that word came back of Thanasis. The culling of the Moon Dragons had made her sick to the stomach, guilty that she had left in the first place to play nurse. If she had stayed, she could have done the best she could to defend a protected species of dragons. Much like the Ransas, Moon Dragons were rare, and for such an important celestial event that saw their numbers soar...

She was no close friend of Eira Malennis, but she had done her job as Princess and extended her condolences for the passing of her father. Another life she could have saved...

But if she had not flown out to that beach that day, she would have not been there to save Jensen's life. Having met his family, his younger siblings... it had made her feel better about being there to keep him alive.

"I do not... know what made me fight for you." She began, ripping the sliced ham into tiny pieces atop the slice of cheese and cracker. "You were dead. Valathor was not doing well... but still, I felt so strongly that I needed to see you alive. Draxton..." She shook her head. "If I had not spoken, had not interfered... perhaps Valathor's wings would not have been damaged as much as they were." But the beautiful tsonye was perfectly healed now. After Valimir sorted her own dragon out, she had been back to help care for Thor while Orissa brought Jensen back to life.

 

[Jensen]

Jensen watched her profile in silence, letting her speak. He had seen enough haunted eyes on the Wall to know that Orissa had not given herself a chance to speak of those days, of what she had witnessed and dealt with. He also knew that if she continued to keep her silence that it would eat her up from the inside over time. Once there was a lull and he was certain she would not speak again unless prodded to do so he sat up and gently laid a calloused hand over her smaller, softer one.

"If you had not spoken, Valathor would be in even worse shape. Draxton only pulled him off because of your words. What happened after that was not your fault - the others reacted to the sounds of an injured dragon," they hadn't known that the sounds were because of one of their own. Their attack on the strange fishmen had been basic protocol.

 

[Orissa]

Orissa held her breath as his hand found her's, it being warm against her own. She did not realise she held onto all of this, had held herself in blame for what transpired that day. Even his assuring words broke her down, and she sighed heavily as she gave him a sheepish smile. She always was going to think her role as Princess and having a full team of guards are what caused the chaos that saw Jensen and dragon injured, but he was right. She held authority above all present that day and with her quick thinking under pressure, made sure that Jensen and Valathor had not died.

"You at really good at that... making me feel..." She dropped her eyes to his hand over her own, a fig between thumb and forefinger. "You make me feel calmer."

Pixaelys made a soft crooning sound, turning his head to approach them both and laid down, head almost breaking their connected hands as he nuzzled his snout into Jensen's side. Orissa let out a laugh. "That did not take long for you to make a new friend, Pix."

 

[Jensen]

It was a common trait that dragons did not like humans to touch them unless they were bonded, so Jensen flinched in surprise as Pixaelys nuzzled into his side. His wide hazel eyes flickered to Orissa seeking some sign that this was fine by her, and relaxed a little when he heard her laugh. Tentatively he reached out and ran a hand down the Ransa's soft scales.

"I should be thanking you too, friend, for lending your tears to me and 'Thor," he said with a soft smile.

From the other side of the cavern there was a rumble and Valathor stalked forward, not one to be left out. He settled down on the other side of Orissa and Jensen opposite Pixaelys and reached his snout out towards Orissa much to Jensen's surprise.

 

[Orissa]

The Ransa exhaled a warmth of steam at Jensen's thanks, yellow eyes flicking to the shape of the tsonye approaching Orissa. She was used to the curiosity of dragons, but her lack of fear in dealing with them allowed her to continue her studies of healing for dragons. What her brother's wife taught her for humans, Orissa sought private lessons with one of the healers of the Thunder. A glassblower by trade, Orissa made monthly trips in disguise to learn from her in the Outer City.

There was plenty to learn outside the texts of the bonded rider before her, the one that made breakthroughs with Ransa tears in modern history, and Pixaelys' tears being one of the main supplies on the Wall today. Some Ransas had difficulty producing tears often, but she was glad Pix was good about the collection of them to alert her when he was ready.

"Will you let me feed you a fig for your hard work getting those Thanazite pieces, Valathor?" She asked, lifting the fig towards his searching snout, but her eyes looking to the dragon's eye.

 

[Jensen]

Valathor opened his mouth slowly in answer and Jensen tensed, ready to throw himself over the Princess if required. But the Tsonye merely waited for the fig to be placed on his lolling red tongue then gave a trill as the fruit vanished inside his large gullet. Then he rested his large head back down upon his claws.

"Such a jealous beast," Jensen muttered then laughed, causing the green beast to huff in indignation. He lent forward and scratched the softer collection of scales under his jaw he liked the most.

"I'm surprised he let you do that," he confided. "Danika is the only other human I've seen him allow to touch him. He'll even snarl at my father if he dares."

 

[Orissa]

Orissa smiled at Valathor, doting on the gentle tsonye by tickling at his snout. "Most dragons find comfort with me. My father said I was a Dragon Whisperer." She mused, returning to the array of meats, fruits, and cheese between them. "Twice before Pixaelys found me, we thought I had been chosen to bond with dragons. Hatched from the eggs given by the Houses, a Blue called to me... and at another time, a red." The uproar of that in her household had been one of her worst days in the Palace, but after it became clear the red migrated elsewhere and did not take Orissa with them, she was unbound.

"Pix found me when I was travelling with my father some years ago, but still, many dragons have become curious of me." Orissa crunched into a loaded cracker, smiling at Jensen as she explained.

Once her mouthful was done, she added, "The Captain of my Gilded Guard, Cadoc, funnily came to serve on the Guard because his white dragon, Olazor, could not keep away from me when I visited the Wall. Pix did not mind, did you not?" She asked her Ransa. His scales shimmered, almost looking like live jewels in the light cascading down upon them. Pixaelys shifted his head, burying his snout behind Jensen and keeping him upright.

"Pix does not get so close to anyone other than Kaveh. I think he merely tolerates my other brothers on that matter."

 

[Jensen]

Jensen's brows rose in surprise.

"I didn't realise that's why Olazor had left... He said the King had made him an offer," and everyone knew that the King did not like the word 'no'. Nobody had questioned it merely watched him go, pitying him a little. But he had left because of his dragon... Jensen wasn't sure how such a thought sat with him, that his friend had felt the need to lie. He offered Pix another scratch, a fond smile flittering across his lips.

"I'm glad you are the exception to Thor's mood disposition. It would have made the wedding difficult," he chuckled. "I suppose I should also be prepared to keep finding new dragons in our home when I get leave then?" he raised a brow and gave her a teasing smile.

 

[Orissa]

Cadoc had been a most welcome addition to the Gilded Wings. After the near scandal she had suffered with the disgraced guard, Orissa had been close to calling it quits to having the Wing protect her. Not only did she feel violated, she had felt so vulnerable and dependant on others to fight for her... but it was never in her nature to fight and defend.

Her visit to the Wall and drop in more supply of Ransa tears had seen her stick closely to Pix, and eventually, a white dragon would take comfort by the Ransa's presence. Olazor had been healing after a jarlax attack, and Orissa had begun to stroke the lovely white dragon's snout when Cadoc came to tell her off for getting too close.

After much miscommunication, they came to realise that both Orissa and Olazor sought the Ransa's healing presence.

"My mother said it best... she said I was a healer. Not by trade, but by nature. I love animals, and dragons of course, but she said she believes Pixaelys chose me to heal me. A support..." And her father had always told her a healer always needed a fighter. He had only wished it came in the form of a dragon, not her rage-filled brother Kaveh.

"And I cannot promise that I may take in strays. Nasri ended up having to rehome most of my pets because I had let them go free through the Palace. One of the Kesh burned a hole in Lady Lilwen's dress one time at a dinner party..." His teasing smile lit her up, smiling widely at Jensen. "But I can promise that I will love to see our future filled with opportunity to see how many Kesh dragons I can get to follow me home."

 

[Jensen]

Jensen heaved a dramatic sigh.

"My poor home, overrun," he shook his head and cast his eyes to the heavens as though one of the Gods might answer him. Indeed, one of them did. Valathor rumbled deep in his chest and nudged his rider with his snout in a manner that seemed to say you make her happy or I'll use teeth next time I do this. Jensen cracked a smile and leant forward to scratch his dragon between the nostrils.

"So tell me something, Princess. What do you like to do when you're not saving lives and befriending Gods?" he glanced across at her with that crooked smile and held out a small carefully cut slice of chocolate brownie.

 

[Orissa]

Orissa let out a laugh, leaving a smile on her face as she pondered his words.

She did not want to give an ordinary answer to him, nor something that was left lacking...

"I enjoy writing letters." A sheepish grin settled on her lips. "I, uh... started an exchange with some children learning to read and write when I was just a girl. I now have over thirty children that I write to often and keep their letters when I receive them. Some outgrow it, but I have always enjoyed hearing about their day." And Orissa perhaps told too many tales of her cats, but there was always some sort of interest in the royal felines.

"If you like, I would love to write to you when we are apart. You do not need to write back... I understand you must not get a lot of free time to do such a thing..." Her cheeks darkened with a blush.

 

[Jensen]

"I would like that very much, Orissa," Jensen smiled and helped himself to his own brownie. "My mother said an arranged marriage could be a happy one, that it was down to us to make it so and... I would like to be happy, Orissa. I'd like you to be happy too."

The past three days in bed had given him enough time to come to terms with what was to be his future and formalise a plan to make it a future he would enjoy living in. There was little sense in fighting it. The King had spoken and there was little his parents, or they, could do about it. Jens was not one for letting himself stay miserable.

"If letters would make you happy I would write to you every day."

 

[Orissa]

Orissa's lip jutted out in a pout, but her eyes showed how touched she was hearing him say so.

"I would very much like that. It can give us opportunity to get to know one another better when we are apart."

Gods be good, Orissa thought to herself. She had not expected any of this from him after what happened in the mountain, what happened during that eclipse. The Princess had fought hard to keep him alive before even getting to know his name, but looking at him now, she was glad she had saved a kind soul.

"And what of you? Anything that would make you happy that I can do for you?" She asked, leaning forward to break off a small branch of grapes on his side of the picnic. "An interest I can perhaps take some time to look into?" Did he read, and if so, what books? Did he like a certain dish? And if so, could she find a recipe to learn and take time to prepare him something with her own hands?

 

[Jensen]

Jensen smiled wide enough to make the dimples in his cheeks appear again when she agreed. He was just helping himself to another slice of brownie when she asked her question. He was more prepared this time to answer it, unlike when she had caught him off guard in the gem caves. In fact, he had spent most of the flight trying to think of hobbies he enjoyed that would make him sound less dull than hanging out with the family.

"Well... As my wife I would expect you to come to all of my Kviddich games of course," the aerial game was a national sport enjoyed by all tiers of society, though of course only those with dragons could play. It was a multileveled game where teams could score by shooting one of three different sized balls through a series of hoops. As with all things draconic though, there were little rules and it could often become a bloody game to the spectators delight. "My Squad have a team, we aren't the best but... it is fun."

 

[Orissa]

Orissa sat up straight.

"Oh." Heat fluttered at her cheeks again. "You play?" How silly of her to imagine him playing the dragon sport, but giving a look over Jensen only made it make more sense to her. Of course he played. She could begin to imagine his voice calling out plays, or encouraging his team.

Her hand smoothed over the snot of his tsonye, a necessary distraction from the Princess fawning over her intended. "I bet you are the star of the show, Valathor."

She could see how advantageous a tsonye dragon could be on a Kviddich team with their unique tails.

 

[Jensen]

Valathor practically preened.

"Him? Oh no, it's all my smarts," Jensen shot his dragon a grin which was met with a cold, deadly stare of a predator. He chuckled and put the rest of the brownie in his mouth. The Tsonye gave a snort then set his head back down on his great talons and pretended to go to sleep. "We usually switch between Chasers and Beaters, but I think we prefer Chasing," there was something fun about outwitting a beater that didn't translate the same the other way around.

"Your brothers play don't they? I've heard The Heir is quite... good," violent would probably be the more apt word.

 

[Orissa]

"Yes they do. I wish I could play along with them, but Pixaelys is not built for such a sport." Agile, but there was no urgency to their speed or might in a game. Even if the field was large enough to entertain a number of dragons, it was deemed too dangerous for a Ransa and the Princess.

"At least it always makes for exciting spectating. I would like to watch you play one day. Surely the citizens of Thanasis will find it endearing their Princess would be cheering for her intended." Orissa smiled, helping herself to a slice of brownie after she saw him polish his own slice.

 

[Jensen]

"I don't really care what the people think, Orissa," he smiled as he sat up, pulling one knee up to his chest to drape himself over it and fix her with a bemused look. "I would like you to come and see me play as my wife. Because you enjoy watching it - watching me."

He ran a hand through his hair tussling the auburn locks.

"I know there are things you - we - will have to do to fulfil royal duties but I'd like some things to be just... because we enjoyed doing them."

 

[Orissa]

Orissa let out a shy smile and laugh, averting her gaze to her Ransa, and then to his tsonye. "I am enjoying your company already, Jensen." Her name on his tongue had sent shivers down her spine, but the way her mouth formed his name left her tasting the sweetness of the brownie she had been pinching pieces off and slowly nibbling at. "I cannot imagine it would be a hard task not to enjoy you play a sport you so clearly love."

It was a mistake to look at him then.

He was pretty to look at, disarming her so much that she lost all train of thought.

"I mean.... to say...." Orissa inhaled sharply, after realising she had been staring at him for a good few seconds longer than was respectable. Flustered, she dropped her brownie and threw her hands to cover her face, effectively smearing some chocolate crumbs in her hair.

 

[Jensen]

A chuckle rumbled in Jensen's chest and he reached out to gently brush a few crumbs from her cheeks.

"I'm enjoying your company too, Orissa," he gave her a lopsided smile that dimpled one cheek then looked over their near finished picnic. "I must admit, I didn't think I would quite as much as I am... I've never particularly enjoyed the other noble women's company. Even the Dragon Riders. They're either arrogant vultures or seem to have no thoughts of their own."

He ran a hand unconsciously through his hair.

 

[Orissa]

"Gods, you are too lovely." Her hands fell away from her face, staring at that charming grin of his that made her blush brighter, made her chest fill with something. The Princess sighed and gave him a shy smile.

"I find it hard to make friends on my own. Nobles see the royal family as a way to rise in station in a way, or feel as if they are untouchable. Many mothers tried to scheme their way into having their sons marry to me... but Mother and Father have always respected your family." She smiled. Although she did not recognise him during the Syzygy, he had proved to be someone she trusted immediately.

Orissa leaned forward and took his hand after he finished brushing back his hair. "I am glad it is you. I think I will be very much happy to spend a life with you."

 

[Jensen]

Jensen glanced down at her hand and gently flipped it over with his own so he might twine his fingers with hers. Then he lifted their joined hands and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

"I cannot think of anyone else more delightful to take on this arrangement with," the lieutenant agreed. After the past few hours with her he actually harboured hope that he might one day find something much like his own parents had.

"Perhaps now marriage is off the table friendship will be easier. The ladies in the countryside where my Seat is are not like the city women. Perhaps you will find their company easier. That is... if you would be happy to take my residence as your home."

 

[Orissa]

Where did the Lord and Lady Araelor hide this charming son?

Speechless. He had left the Princess utterly at a loss for words as her eyes watched her hand be lifted before focusing on those lips that pressed gentle kiss to her knuckles. Gods, there was a warming sensation at her cheeks that never seemed to quell in his presence. Still, Orissa made no move to take back her hand, not when Jensen continued to speak so nicely to her.

Boldly, and partially because she could not keep up the position of leaning forward, the Princess made to scoot closer to her intended and be sure not to squish the picnic between them. Pix lifted his head and glanced from his bonded to Jensen and blew out a light huff of steam before lowering his head beside them both.

The Princess smiled. "Do you think there would be room enough for the Gilded Wings too? And for my brother and his wives should they visit?" In which she spoke of the younger brother, the one that doted on Orissa. "And my cats... and the Kesh Dragons I will have to take with me to ensure they are being fed." Orissa tried to stifle her amusement.

But what he spoke to her about only called to Orissa. To make friends, finally in her life, would mean so much to her. She would still be a Princess, of course, but perhaps to be away from the Palace was what she needed in life. To become her own being.