Rayne, Child of a Thousand Years CH 35

“I don’t know what she’s thinking,” mused Jacub as he scratched his head in confusion.  “All that’s up there is…”1

“Dragons?” supplied Eyrion with a grin.  The elf slumped against the bar as he regarded Jacub without a care in the world.2

Jacub looked at the blue-haired elf quizzically.  He didn’t seem to take anything seriously, “That too, but I was thinking more along the lines of…”3

“Empty tundra?” tried the elf again, this time, his grin was growing.4

It irked Jacub a little that the elf kept interrupting him, but he decided he’d just continue as if he hadn’t spoken anyway, “…treasure troves.”5

The elf nodded as if finally understanding what he was getting at, but paused in mid-nod to glance over at him a little non-plus, “What does that have to do with you three?”6

“That’s none of your business,” answered Rayne as she marched right up to them.  “We have some things to settle and we need to get them settled right now.  So get your butt outside and let’s get going!”7

She dragged Jacub away from the elf and out the doors before either of them could say another word.  Rayne let go of the boy as they stopped beside Tyke, “What was that all about?!” Jacub was nearly fuming with her actions.8

Tyke stood there glancing between them as they shot words at each other right in the middle of the street.  He glanced at Eyrion only once to see the elf standing at the doors to the inn, scratching his head in confusion.  He focused his eyes back onto the two arguing companions.  The youwarkee’s golden eyes were starting to glitter red.  He wrung his hands as he stood there watching the event unfold before him.  It was only a matter of moments later that Rayne lifted Jacub up and spoke with that haunting, echoing voice, “I don’t have time for this.”9

White wings sprung forth from her back and her ever so tidy hair tangled in the wind her new appendages created.  Tyke was bowled backwards a few steps before she turned to him.  The youwarkee extended a hand to the boy and he took it wordlessly before she lifted them effortlessly up into the air, Jacub by his collar, and Tyke cradled in her left arm.  As the town grew faint in the distant land below, Tyke finally tried to speak, “…Rayne?”10

The young boy could sense a sudden change in the youwarkee as she turned to look at him.  Her eyes were slowly fading into their amber hue again, and they were slowly descending through the clouds.  He looked down from his cozy perch to see that Jacub was clinging to her arm for dear life.  Hopefully, Jacub’s grasp wouldn’t falter before they landed.  He’d never seen Rayne lift so much weight effortlessly…nor gain wings during broad daylight.11

Tyke’s eyes roved about them as the clouds enveloped them and then whispered off above them.  The terrain was amazingly close to them and it was only a matter of seconds before they landed on the thickly wooded side of a frosty mountain.  Rayne immediately collapsed where she landed as Jacub spun around to yell at her again.  “Do you have any idea what you’re doing!?!” Jacub shouted so loud that Tyke had to look about to make sure that an avalanche didn’t start because of him.12

Rayne didn’t answer as she remained on the ground, keeping herself from completely collapsing with her head bent to the ground, staring at her splayed hands.  “…What…” she whispered quietly.13

“Eyrion could have been some sort of help to us!” continued Jacub.  He seemed unaware that Rayne wasn’t paying him any heed.  “He’s a good five?  Six years older and he ought to know how to fight better than any of us!”14

“…Jacub,” Tyke tried to soothe his friend as he came to Rayne side to see if she was all right.  She seemed bewildered and her thoughts were only fragments of what he usually caught from her.15

He gave the child only a momentary glance before laying into the youwarkee again.  Tyke finally clung to Rayne’s arm as he watched Jacub storm about the small outcropping, rattling on about her lack of judgment and so forth.  His ears were ringing by the time Jacub ran out of steam.16

Rayne stood up slowly as Jacub grew silent.  Her eyes were a little misty, but she refused to cry.  No doubt Jacub would have even more to say should she let such a trivial thing happen right now.  She turned away from him, and looked up at the mountain on which they stood.  The youwarkee took Tyke’s hand in her own and slowly started making her way upwards.  A dragon’s trove would have to be at the very peak of the mountain range…or perhaps in a rather hard place to scale in the least.  It seemed like hours before they finally stopped for a moment.  Tyke felt so tired he could feel his head drooping faster than his eyelids.17

Rayne sighed as she picked the boy up in her arms and coddled him quietly, glancing back only once to see if Jacub had followed them or not.  Jacub was sitting on a tree stump a short distance down the mountainside from them, visibly pouting.  If luck would have it, he would forgive her in the end, but right now?  He probably wanted as little do to with her as possible.  The youwarkee forced those thoughts aside as she gently ran her hands through Tyke’s curly locks and kissed his forehead.  All of this tension must be exceedingly hard for the poor boy.18

“It’s not that bad,” he mumbled as he nuzzled deeper into her arms.19

She smiled faintly as she stood up again to continue her way upwards.  A dark shadow crossed over them swiftly and the youwarkee started as she looked up into the skies above.  Sure enough, a beautiful dragon was swooping down from above them.  A glorious male with scales whiter than winter’s breath landed before them and Rayne looked at him in awe.  He was a glorious creature…even more so as that she’d never seen a dragon before.20

His muzzle was speckled very faintly with pastel rainbows and his glittering eyes were a dark, navy blue.  The silver pupils focused on her before turning to look at the boy in her arms.  The dragon didn’t even make a sound.  Just as Rayne was about to speak, Jacub jumped in front of her, brandishing a large stick, “Get away from her!” he snapped, swinging the half rotten limb at the beast.21

Rayne looked at the boy like he was crazy.  All the dragon would have to do is bite down on the twig and it’d snap in two.  What was Jacub thinking?!  She watched as the beautiful dragon watched the limb swing this was and that before his face before snapping it in two and butting Jacub away from him.  He approached Rayne again, stepping over Jacub as carefully as possible for such a large beast.  The beast didn’t even flinch as Jacub kicked his hind leg.22

Tyke yawned and looked up in curiosity at the underside of the dragon’s muzzle, “Wow!” he whispered quietly.23

The dragon’s attention went straight to the boy and his muzzle was so close to Tyke’s face that his breath blew his hair out of his face.  “You don’t have to get that close,” laughed Tyke as he covered his hair with both hands.24

The dragon sat back on his haunches a little contrite and regarded the boy again.  “Your name is…Siki…” Tyke slow pieced together what the dragon was thinking.25

Rayne smiled a little faintly.  “…You must be a…” she spoke softer for fear of offending the beautiful visitor, “a mute.”26

Siki hung his beautiful, white muzzle shamefully and looked up at her with such a sorrowful look in his eyes, that Rayne immediately went to him.  She timidly set a hand on his muzzle with her eyes looking at the beautiful scales that glittered in the cloudy light.  She smiled faintly as their eyes met, “You’re beautiful.”27

The dragon grinned a little at that, displaying his sharp teeth as he did so.  He covered his muzzle with a front paw and shifted away from her.  Siki must be quite bashful too.  Tyke came to the dragon next and trailed a hand over his soft stomach scales.  He giggled when Siki made a face at him and rolled onto his side to let Tyke have an easier time petting him.  “He’s like a big pet of some sort,” mused Jacub as he stood a ways off, staring at the three of them.28

Giving him a rather peeved look, Siki laid his head against Rayne’s shoulder and smiled again.  “Whatever he is,” Rayne said as she took the dragon’s head in her hands, “he’s still a dragon…and most dragons ought to have troves…”29

It took a while, but Rayne convinced Siki to take them to his trove.  The dragon was a little miffed about what they were trying to convey to him, but it didn’t seem to trouble him to greatly.  Jacub was quite reluctant to get on the wild dragon’s back, but he went grumbling when Rayne threatened to leave him behind again.30

It was only a short, windy ride before they landed at the mouth of a cave, a fair share larger than what Siki needed.  He seemed dwarfed in comparison to the massive mouth of his home.  The dragon led them in and Rayne surveyed a beautiful spread before them.  Everything was amazingly well-kept and Rayne wondered just how a dragon of Siki’s stature could manage such a thing.31

Rayne noticed the large bookshelves of books almost immediately.  She’d never seen so many books before!  Her mouth fell open as she turned and headed towards them.  Siki’s body blocked her path a moment later and she looked up at him with a bewildered look.  “…those are his brother’s…” Tyke spoke quietly as he came up along side Rayne.32

So, that would mean?  The youwarkee looked at Siki in hopes of an answer, but knew better that to ask for one.  If a dragon was living with his brother—from what she’d read about it—that would mean he was a subordinate in a sort of flock or clan.  Perhaps even the lowliest member…  It was at that exact thought that Siki turned away, shamefully.  For such a beautiful, loving dragon, such a fate could be cruel torture.33

“Where is your brother, Siki?” asked Rayne quietly.34

A low growl from behind them made Rayne turn around swiftly and stare directly into the large pupils of a dragon, twice Siki’s size.  His dark brown eyes glittered dangerously over his dark grey scales.  He was like a darker, somewhat dulled version of Siki.  She froze as she sensed the displeasure in the dragon’s growl.  Siki was shivering a little as he moved to get in front of them.  He looked up into the other dragon’s crooked muzzle, soundlessly stating his position on the matter.  This only seemed to enrage the other dragon more and the growl turned to a hiss and the dragon drew a deep breath.35

Even Tyke knew what that would signal: fire.  Without waiting for the larger dragon to finish in his task of flames, Rayne dove under Siki and came to stand before him, her hands outstretched in a desperate gesture that sent blue waves of light emanating from her and enveloping the other dragon.  No sooner was the dragon encased, but he let loose his torrent of flames that curled about in the strange magic and singed his scales.  The dragon let out an ear-piercing screech before slamming his head into the blue shield.36

The air seemed to shiver before the shield faded, leaving Rayne standing before the dragon as he opened his wings and reared up.  Siki caught hold of Rayne’s blouse and tried to pull her back from the fray, but it tore, leaving threads of cotton fluttering about her as she stood firmly before the massive beast.  Rayne spun once, waving her hands in a strange and intricate manner before throwing them towards the attacker.  Blue magic appeared before the youwarkee and clung to the dragon’s paws as he smashed into the rocky ground of the cave.  He tumbled from his stance and lay before them, breathing heavily.  Rayne merely stood there with her hands outstretched, a little dazed at what she had done.37