The tug in his mind roused Aivrid from his sleep. For a moment he thought he was restless; the planets would be in alignment for very little time and he was wasting his time in his lair. He should have been gathering magic, slaying his rivals, conquering the world. Even so, it was difficult to do such things when the exhaustion of the day's battles had set in. He had had little rest since the preparations for the alignment had begun.
But the fatigue was pushed from his mind as soon as he found the source of the tug on his mind. One of the many magic circles scattered at his realm's border had been activated, and by a familiar creature no less. He hesitated to call her a friend -- the concept itself was still foreign to him, and she was far too mischievous to be trusted. Even so he felt an odd kinship with the dark elf.
Perhaps it was the intercourse.
Fieravene's arrival today, though, carried a certain importance for Aivrid. If she was as experienced an adventurer as she appeared to be, she would be bringing something more precious than the entirety of his hoard. It was just in time. He could sense a concentration of power as she approached.
Still, they had little time left. Aivrid rose from his great pile of gold and flew up to the exit carved into the side of the mountain. He stopped at the platform and looked out at the warm glow of the morning as the sun rose to the east. That moment of pause cost him a minute.
Of all of the secrets to life and the universe -- Aivrid prided himself on knowing many -- fatherhood was still something of a mystery. After all it was rare for the male dragon to have any part in raising the brood. For the first time in a long time he found himself unsure of how to proceed. He wondered if there was anything he needed to raise the hatchling properly.
He shook his head. Such thoughts could wait; the ceremony could not. The behemoth leapt into the air, gliding between the mountains towards the lone dark elf rider.
The dragon landed at the exit of the mountain pass, leaning his head down so he could see Fieravene. "Do you have it?"
But the fatigue was pushed from his mind as soon as he found the source of the tug on his mind. One of the many magic circles scattered at his realm's border had been activated, and by a familiar creature no less. He hesitated to call her a friend -- the concept itself was still foreign to him, and she was far too mischievous to be trusted. Even so he felt an odd kinship with the dark elf.
Perhaps it was the intercourse.
Fieravene's arrival today, though, carried a certain importance for Aivrid. If she was as experienced an adventurer as she appeared to be, she would be bringing something more precious than the entirety of his hoard. It was just in time. He could sense a concentration of power as she approached.
Still, they had little time left. Aivrid rose from his great pile of gold and flew up to the exit carved into the side of the mountain. He stopped at the platform and looked out at the warm glow of the morning as the sun rose to the east. That moment of pause cost him a minute.
Of all of the secrets to life and the universe -- Aivrid prided himself on knowing many -- fatherhood was still something of a mystery. After all it was rare for the male dragon to have any part in raising the brood. For the first time in a long time he found himself unsure of how to proceed. He wondered if there was anything he needed to raise the hatchling properly.
He shook his head. Such thoughts could wait; the ceremony could not. The behemoth leapt into the air, gliding between the mountains towards the lone dark elf rider.
The dragon landed at the exit of the mountain pass, leaning his head down so he could see Fieravene. "Do you have it?"