The Rider’s Legacy: Chapter 14

“Little one. Little one. Wake up Nero.”

“Come on five more minutes.”

“You do remember what today is? It would be very rude to be invited somewhere, agree, and then not show up.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Have you forgotten already?”

He groaned a response.

“With Lily? And Dawn.”

“Oh shit. Oh shit you’re right!”

His eyes snapped open and he slid off her back, collapsing against the ground in a heap. The ground was made of grass but it definitely wasn’t soft. It should have been soft. Shouldn’t have hurt when he came down but it did. Grunting and pushing back to his feet he felt his back crack.

Rolling over onto his back he looked up and was greeted by a pair of ice blue draconic eyes. He stared at her slender silver body, and wings curled up comfortably in their corner of the forest. She raised her one wing letting Nero stand up properly, his silver hair an unkempt mess. He brushed his fingers through it freeing his eyes.

She moved her head down, getting on his eye level and staring at him. She pressed her head against his chest and hummed vibrating against him. She bit at his shirt and pulled him up to his feet slowly. As he stood he hugged her mouth and laughed.

“Why are you so comfortable?” he asked sighing. “Aren’t dragon scales supposed to be tough?”

“They do until they’re struck. They become hard in response to resistance and are some of the toughest material in Reditus.”

Her voice mused through his mind like it was his own thoughts, “Thanks for the biology lesson Silver.”

“You did ask little one.”

“I did. Mind giving me a lift to the lake?”

“I don’t think so. I believe the invitation was meant to be a private one was it not?”

“Oh so you remember all of that too?”

“Of course little one. A dragon’s memory is very long.”

Sighing Nero turned away from her and put his hand on her side again. He could feel her breathing, feel the warmth she gave off. It was hard to leave but turning toward the lake he was filled with excitement. Excitement and hesitation. He didn’t know what he was expecting but after what happened the previous week. Just remembering made him blush and want to cover his face.

“Alright Silver I’m off. I’ll tell you how it went later tonight.”

“I’ll be here little one,” she replied lowering her head.

The lake was always cool, especially in the summer. With the sun setting right now it would be the most comfortable it ever was. Lily stood at the edge of the water her shoes discarded. She wiggled her toes in the sand and then the water, feeling the ebb and flow of life.

The gentle breeze on the wind ruffled her hair and she leaned her head back slowly. She traced her fingers along the air manipulating the currents, manipulating the tides, and just enjoying the slow silence of it all.

“I didn’t take you for a water person Lily.”

She started messing up one of her gusts and making it a bit rougher than she intended. A tiny wave crashed against the shore and she turned. Dawn jumped away from the water with a small shriek, then glanced at Lily. Both blushed and looked away from one another.

“I didn’t mean to startle you Lily.”

“It’s alright. You’re just earlier than I planned.”

They looked at each other, smiling for a moment, and then looked away brushing their hair back. “It’s a beautiful day out here,” Dawn said looking out over at the sun. Her eyes were just as orange as the setting sun behind them.

“One of the best days we’ve had all summer,” Lily replied and followed her gaze, staring at the lake. “You know me. Me and my brother used to come here all the time as kids. Alastor was a handful as a brat.”

“He was?”

“Oh yeah. You’d think a bookworm like him would be easy to take care of. Give him something new and watch him go. But the first spell he ever taught himself was that illusion copy spell of his. You have any idea what it’s like chasing five or six little brothers’ around?”

Dawn broke into a fit of giggles shaking her head, “No I cannot. But it sounds like a nightmare.”

“It definitely was. And it only got worse once he and Lightning became friends,” she smiled glancing over at her. “But I guess if it weren’t for my little brother and Light, I wouldn’t have run into Nero. Or you.”

Dawn blushed again glancing away from her, “I wouldn’t have met you like this if it weren’t for Nero.”

“Speaking of do you think he’ll be late?”

“Knowing him probably.”

“What should we make him do if he is?”

Dawn smiled, “I can think of a few things.”

“Is that the fae princess coming up with something diabolical? Meeting us really has changed you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said quickly hiding another smile.

“Now I really hope he is late. Just to see what you come up with.”

Before either of them could come up with anything they heard a loud caw. Glancing up into the sky they saw the streak of fire piercing the clouds. It vanished just as quickly as it appeared and they watched the shape fall from the sky like a comet. Lily rolled her eyes swinging both her hands forward.

The wind came at her command and flowed upward, wrapping around Nero and guiding him to the ground. Nero stumbled, catching himself, and then fell over rolling head over heels until he stopped just in front of them. Blowing sand out of his face he smiled up at the two of them, “I’m not late.” He pointed at the sun. “See? Sun’s still out.”

Lily looked down at him and then over at Dawn, “Should we give him this one?”

“I think we can. This time.”

“You’re both amazing,” Nero smiled up at them. “And kind. And patient.”

“Enough Nemo,” Lily said extending her hand. Dawn did the same and they both pulled him back up to his feet. Dusting himself off quickly he looked at the water and quickly kicked off his shoes as well. Walking a few steps forward he turned around and looked toward the two of them.

“So Lily why’d you invite us out here?”

“I’m curious too,” Dawn said as they both laid their eyes on her.

Lily looked between the two of them quickly and pulled her ribbon out of her hair. Purple locks cascaded around her shoulders as she held it out to them. They both looked at her confused and she motioned with her hands. “Give me your wrist. Both of you.”

Confused they did as she asked. She motioned with her magic, pulling at the tip of the ribbon and laying it around her wrist, wrapping it around Nero’s and then Dawn’s, and finally tying it around her own. They looked at it together, confused, and then back to Lily. “What is this?”

“It’s a story within my family. That people tied together by a red string like this are tied to be together forever,” she looked at them and smiled. “And well. What Nero said last week really made me think.”

Now it was Nero’s time to be embarrassed. With his free hand, he scratched the back of his head. But he looked at them both and smiled, “I meant it then and I mean it now.”

“I know you did. And it took for you saying it to make me realize I feel the same way,” Lily told him.

“I. I do too.”

They both turned to look at the red faced faerie. She looked up at them and it was beautiful watching her eyes go from orange to pink. She stared at them both trying to find her words but her eyes spoke louder and clearer than anything she could have actually said.

“So, we all feel the same way then?” Lily asked.

“Yep.”

“Yeah.”

A warm silence settled over them as they stole glances at one another but didn’t look any closer than that. Finally, it was Dawn who spoke up to ask a very simple but very important question “So who’s going to say it first?”

Both Lily and Nero blinked quickly not expecting that question. They exchanged their own looks between one another. “I said it first,” Nero said pointing at Lily.

“I invited you both out here!” Lily retorted quickly.

“Only because I made you want to!”

“It’s been a week. You weren’t going to say anything!”

They argued back and forth and Dawn watched them and pulled on her end of the ribbon. She dragged them both forward so that she could wrap her arms around them. Considering they were tied together it was harder than she first thought and they all ended up falling into the lake in a giant heap.

Covered in water for a second, they sat up together. They were soaked and tied together but Nero broke out laughing first. It was infectious because Lily and Dawn joined him seconds later. Nero brushed the water from his eyes and stared at them both. “I love you two. A lot.”

Lily nodded and said, “I love you Nero. And I love you Dawn.”

Dawn wiped at her eyes fighting the urge to cry but said, “I love you both.” Dawn kept wiping at her eyes and finally breaking down into tears as she smiled at them.

Mumbling Dawn opened her eyes slowly. Her back was hurting and her shoulder felt stiff. She sat up slowly and groaned stretching her arms above her head. She smoothed her fingers through her hair slowly and saw the light of the morning sun coming through the window.

Shielding her eyes from it she grasped absently for Lily but just barely missed. She looked at the chair beside her and it was empty. Both Silva and Sefirin were gone as well. She must have taken them both back up to their proper beds once they had fallen asleep. Sitting up she felt the robe on her shoulders shift and recognized it as Lily’s. She looked at the bed and saw the gentle rise and fall of Nero’s breathing.

It had been a long week since Daze’s most recent attack. A long, uneventful week. They went along with the plan anyway. The castle was being rebuilt as she moved along right now. Olivier and Susan were out visiting each of their small towns.  Light and Alexander patrolled their borders keeping an eye out for the nil. Between Alastor and Nico they had managed to figure out a treatment for her mother and Nero both.

Her mother actually woke up the day before. She didn’t speak much yet but she was conscious and she was eating. Olivier was already on her way back. With Dawn busy with constant meetings it boiled down to Lily to keep up with Sefirin and Silva. Dawn helped as much as she could but Lily didn’t complain. They visited every single day, usually more than once hoping that daddy would get better soon.

Dawn leaned forward and stroked her fingers across Nero’s cheek. They didn’t know the consequences of removing the sword from Nero’s soul. They didn’t even know it had been possible before now. With the sword in tow, Daze seemed well and truly gone. Sehren searched for his brother tirelessly to the point where it seemed like he was in two places at once.

Dawn ran her fingers down Nero’s arm and found his hand. She took it in both hers and closed her eyes. “Things used to be simple luzo. Like when we used to meet down by the lake. Back when our only worry was figuring out who would say it first every night. I’ll say it first every day until we’re old and grey if that’s what it takes. Please wake up.”

“If that’s all it took. I would have gotten hurt sooner.”

Dawn’s eyes widened suddenly and she looked down at him. Nero’s breathing got a little stronger. She stared at him even closer and watched his eyes open slowly. “Nero?”

“Heya princess.”

She jumped, throwing her arms around him tightly and pulling him close. He winced and wrapped his arm around her slowly. He could feel her shoulders shaking as she started to cry. And Nero held onto her and shut his eyes doing the same. He lowered his head and pressed his face against her shoulder.

“I thought I lost you luzo.”

“I thought I was dead princess. I was having a great dream though. More like a memory. I think.”

Dawn stared down at him rubbing her eyes slowly and nodded, “About the day we all figured it out. The day we realized that we all loved each other?”

“How’d you know?”

“Because I had the same dream luzo.”

Nero groaned his eyes closing again, “Wonder if Lily had the same dream.”

“You can ask her yourself when she comes back and brings the kids. Just rest for now. Please.”

“Okay princess,” he closed his eyes again and lay his head back down. Dawn kissed his forehead hard and sighed as he slipped unconscious again with a smile on his face.

Nero stared at the thing before him. A creature that towered over him, face wrought in a snarl that almost made him crap his pants. Out here on the island in the middle of the lake, he’d thought this was an isolated place. A place to take a nap, to think, to study maybe if he ever got that far.

He hadn’t expected to fall through a portal. Something told him the place was small, barely as big as the lake itself. Instead of being surrounded by water he was surrounded by trees, flattened down by winds like a hurricane.

But the place that he was currently standing was like a nest. A circle of twigs and leaves and even bones and fur. He stumbled away trying to avoid stepping on any of them but he could feel the heat wafting over him. It smelled of smoked meat and iron. It was definitely awful to smell.

He took a step back, tripped over a bone that was larger than him, and fell over shouting. The ground shook as the dragon took a step forward and spread its wings. They blocked out whatever light was illuminating the place and it hissed slowly. Its eyes narrowed as it focused on Nero.

Nero had been in this situation only once before. When he’d been staring down a bear in the forest. An accident during a weekend trip. It had nearly killed him and Lightning. If it weren’t for Alastor and his illusions they’d have been dead meat. This was like that cranked up to eleven.

The dragon flapped its wings and whipped its tail back and forth. It came forward slowly and chuffed, letting out a puff of silver fire. For a moment Nero thought about calling one of his familiars, trying to fight with it, but he knew they’d be no match.

The dragon opened its mouth and roared. The sound and air from the roar blew him back even further. He threw his hands in front of his face and pressure nearly cowered away from the dragon. But it wasn’t attacking him. It was just, staring at him. Head tilted to the side, mouth parted slightly.

Nero had interreacted with enough animals and familiars. At first, it had been defensive, waiting for Nero to attack it. Then it did a show of dominance to make Nero back off. But now it wasn’t like that at all. It was calm. In fact it was curious. And Nero was too.

Standing back up and getting his bearings he reached out toward the dragon. This was just as easily going to get his hand bitten off but he had a feeling otherwise would happen. The dragon leaned forward and sniffed at his hand. It pulled him forward slightly and he laughed as if sniffed again.

Its head was the size of his entire torso. It blinked its eyes at him and then touched its head against his hand. And everything changed. It was like the ground disappeared beneath his feet. Everything was gone. They floated in a white space where there was nothing but him and it. Him and her. The dragon’s eyes were wide and Nero’s equally so. Something clicked between them, a missing link they never knew that they had and now suddenly their lives were full. Their lives were right.

And just as quickly. they were back in the clearing again. They both stumbled away from one another. The dragon crouched down shaking her head back and forth. She blinked rapidly in time to Nero’s. When they turned they turned at the same time. They looked at each other and stood together.

She lowered herself again to properly look at him despite knowing exactly who and what he was. And he knew her just as intimately. Like they’d grown up together. Like she’d hatched at the same time he was born.  He didn’t know how to process the bond that was suddenly between them.

“Whoa. So you’re a real dragon.”

“And you. Are a real human.”

Her voice echoed in his mind like his own thoughts. It was truly incredible. It was just at home amongst his thoughts as his own voice. Though it was older, like an adult but foreign. A voice unlike any other human one he’d heard.  

“And you talk.”

“Did you think that we could not?”

“No. Well. Yeah. I’ve never really met a dragon before.”

“And I have never met a human before.”

“So first time for us both.”

“Indeed little one.”

“Hey I’m not little,” Nero put his hands on his hips.

“You are to me. You are not that old even amongst your own people.”

“Okay fair. You can call me Nero from now on though.”

“And you may call me Silver.”

And just like that, a bond formed between them as unbreakable as diamond.