Chapter 3

She was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. It hurt him to know that the two of them would not be bonded and he knew she was fond of him as well. His brother, being the older of them was privileged to ride her and although he certainly enjoyed the experience, he would never feel the same sense of wonder that Dayton did the one time he was allowed to fly upon her back. His brother looked upon her as a means of transportation, a right by birth. Dayton knew this saddened the sapphire, who had never been blessed with a bonding.

“Dayton,” his father said. “Why do you race about startling everyone? You sent Gemna into the air so quickly, you brother almost fell off!”

“Sorry, father. Sorry Perseus. Sorry Gemna.” Dayton reached out to touch her forehead just as Perseus was stepping down. She had already knelt and his hand was reaching for her horn as he slid from her back. Distracted by Dayton, she turned her head to receive his touch and Perseus slid from her back, bounced off her leg and ended up sprawling in the courtyard.

“Dayton, you dragon’s rear end!” he roared. “Leave her alone! And leave me alone!” Perseus sprang to his feet, brushing dust from his riding clothes. Gemna blew out her nose, “hurrumph,” and then turned to Perseus, nudging him in contrition. She was obviously sorry for what had occurred.

“I know it wasn’t your fault, Perseus. Dayton could drive the devil to distraction. But please, let’s not do that again.” He tapped her nose gently and turned to pull his riding rig and hunting bag from her back. He held the later up.

“Look Dayton. We have fresh quail for dinner. It was a good hunting trip. We must have caught at least 20 of them!”

Dayton eyed the small bag in his brother’s hand. No more than 2 birds could rest there. He looked at his father, who also carried a bag with no more than 3 or 4 birds. Seeing his look, his father laughed, “Well Gemna and Warlock couldn’t wait for us to return and cook them. They prefer them really fresh. They may have had a few for themselves during the hunt and on the way back. “

Warlock bobbed his head and sniffed at the bag. King Lothan held it away from him. “No you don’t, you thief. We barely have enough to feed us now after a full day of hunting.”

Once the riding rigs were removed from the two dragons, they bobbed their heads at the humans and took flight again, heading to their lair in the mountains far above the valley and the castle. Dayton’s father threw his arm around his shoulder and directed him out of the courtyard, handing his prey to one of the servants, who after collecting both bags, scurried off to the kitchen.

“Where is your mother and your sister?” he asked.

“They are in the village. The Harpers are having another baby. She said that since it was their fifth, it shouldn’t take long.”

“Good for them!” his father stated. “Children are the future of our kingdom. We saw some disturbing things on our hunt today of which we will speak after dinner. For now, let me get cleaned up. “

As he passed them, Perseus reached out and smacked Dayton on the back of the head, then took off up the stairs, Dayton in hot pursuit. King Lothan shook his head and smiling, headed to his quarters.

Chapter 2 continues

A posting from "William" who graciously has offered to assist in this effort:

Her talons barely touched the ground when she saw him run to the courtyard, grinning broadly but showing no teeth. She swept her long, slender wings to the rear and with a gentle push she was off the ground and rising into the blue sky, circling over the courtyard below. Her hazel eyes swept the horizon and returned to the figure on the ground.

She was a magnificent creature, not large or small but somewhere between. Her color was a piercing saphire that was easily distinguished from the sky that surrounded her, although as she gained great height she became harder to spot against the sun. She used the sun to shield her approach as her color was no camouflage at all.

She was on her second human, a strange species to be sure, but that was her destiny. She had lived a long time and longed for a relationship like the Black had with his human. She was almost too high to see from the ground before her rider could question her uncharacteristic whimsical behavior. "We were on the ground, what on earth are you doing?" he asked, truly astonished that she had taken flight again without a hint of notice. Again she scanned the horizon with those sharp eyes. She was going to be sure that no harm would come to them, to him, not before she had the chance to again gain the sky to sound the alarm and act. No, there was no danger there, not within sight, not for awhile. She looked back to the ground and with the graceful movement of a dancer, she stood on one wing and with a pirouette, spiraled to the ground, touching gently down again, not raising a hint of a breeze with her powerful wings.

There he was, now standing with his hands on his hips looking at her, all eyes looking at her as if to ask, "What in the world was that all about?" No one would know. She wouldn't let them know. Not now.