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Thread: [M|IC] Draconic Fire (Naming and Giraffes)

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    Default [M|IC] Draconic Fire (Naming and Giraffes)

    Flying with Rioux was an experience that Efrite never grew tired of, no matter how many times in her life she did it.

    It wasn’t just the chill wind, which kissed her skin and tugged at her hair and clothes. It wasn’t just the way it whistled in her ears, punctuated by the heavy booms that accompanied every beat of her dragon’s wings. It wasn’t just the way the world spread out before her like a tapestry, providing an incredible vista that no artist could ever dream of capturing. It was the sense of freedom their situation offered, the boundless possibilities that it suggested, and the intimate companionship that only dragon and rider could ever hope to experience, let alone understand.

    Not for the first time, Efrite found herself pitying the civilians they were charged to protect. At least most of them would never know what they were missing.

    When the nation’s capital came into sight, Efrite knew that their journey was almost at an end. The palace and its immediate surroundings were a marvel of modern masonry. Cut into the side of a mountain, the ornate towers and metal-plated ramparts were a sight unlike anything else she’d found during her travels. The construction of the rest of the city was a little more ordinary, but was made impressive by its size alone. The buildings flowed down the side of the mountain and out into the plains beyond, expanding outwards in all directions before ending in a large stone wall. One that had stood for hundreds of years, if the stories were to be believed.

    Rioux soared over it all without a second thought, cutting straight for the palace itself. Efrite glanced down, just momentarily, so that she might enjoy this vantage for a second longer. From this height, most of the buildings looked like the size of the blocks children so often played with. The people were little more than ants. Even so, it wasn’t difficult to imagine the stir that their passing made. She imagined that more than a few people had stopped to witness their passing.

    When her dragon began to dive, Efrite turned her attention away from the rest of the city, and towards the palace courtyard. She tightened her grip on the large spike just in front of her, in preparation for landing. A weightless sensation came over her as Rioux began to dive, before gravity seemed to press down on her as the dragon pulled back at the last moment. A large boom echoed throughout the courtyard when they touched down; despite Rioux’s experience, she was simply too bulky for a less obtrusive landing. Now back on solid ground, Efrite reached forward to pat the side of Rioux’s neck affectionately a few times while the dragon knelt, before she slipped out of her leather saddle and dropping the remaining distance to the ground.

    A quick glance around was enough to confirm that most of the guardsmen were staring. Many of them stared in open awe, their expressions akin to what Efrite expected from civilians. A few of the more experienced members, though, watched with more casual familiarity. She nodded respectfully towards their captain – an old friend of hers – before she turned away and made for the castle proper. She hadn’t taken more than a couple of steps before one of the stable-hands rushed over, and stepped into her path, bringing her up short.

    “Welcome back to the palace, my lady. Is there anything I can do for you or your…uh, mount?” Efrite didn't answer straight away. Instead, she let her gaze drift over the boy. He was a thin, wispy thing. No more than fourteen at the most. On any other day, she might’ve been impressed or amused by his guts. Today, however, the interruption did nothing but annoy her.

    “Tell me, boy. How much experience do you have caring for dragons?”

    “Efri.” Rioux’s rich voice echoed inside Efrite’s mind, spoken through their shared bond. She'd only called her rider's name, but her tone held an unmistakable note of reproach. “Leave the boy be. He’s only trying to help, and you know the king hates it when you torment his staff.”

    Her words were enough to make Efrite hesitate, just for a moment. She threw a sideways glance at Rioux, who was watching her with one large amber eye. After a few seconds, a soft sigh slipped from Efri's lips, and she turned her attention back to the stable-hand.

    “Rioux is quite capable of looking after herself, but I’m sure that if she needs anything, she’ll let you know.” She waited until the boy nodded his relieved agreement and scurried away again, before she resumed her journey towards the large double doors that served as the palace entrance.

    “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Try not to eat the king’s entire winter larder before then.” She spoke only through their bond, just as Rioux had done the first time, teasing her with the easy familiarity that only came with a lifetime of friendship. The dragon responded with a deep-chested rumbling that Efri had come to know as her version of laughter.

    “No promises.”

    With those parting words, Efri began to climb the palace steps, finally making her way towards the entrance proper.

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    Harah knelt silently by a tree trying her hardest not to move or make any sound. She leaned slightly to the right to get a glimpse of what lay beyond the tree. Dinner. That's what was beyond the tree. It was a rather thin female deer, maybe an elder. Harah could see the way it moved and how it was a bit slower than your typical doe. She had done plenty of hunting in her lifetime starting as young as 12 or 13; she couldn't remember.

    She let out a quick whistle, similar to a birds, to notify her brother that she had eyes on their hunt. Rune was up posted in a tree a little ways away from Harah but he could easily hear his sister's call. He scanned the forest floor slowly and then locked onto their target. Rune raised his bow and pulled back slowly; the farther he pulled back the harder the arrow would hit. He took a deep breath and then exhaled; releasing his back hand and unleashing the metal shard into the air and towards the deer who had no idea her life was about to come to an end. Her life would end so that these humans could continue living.

    Rune shot with precise accuracy as he normally did. He had been talented with a bow since he was young so Harah always let him take the shot. She wasn't bad but her brother was admittedly better. She was more of a sword girl herself; always carrying her prized sword on her hip. She would deal the final blow to the creature if when they got to it it was still alive. She also did all the skinning and meat prep and what not once they got back home with the carcass.

    Harah stood from behind the tree and swiftly began walking towards the doe. She saw it drop immediately so she wasn't in a rush to follow it's trail. Rune came down from the tree with a thud and joined his sister as they went to collect their dinner.

    "Nice shot, as always." Harah said nudging her brother's shoulder. The two had been very close since they were little. They definitely had their moments but for the most part they got along great. Thankfully so because they had a lot to take care of including their mother. Rune simply looked back at his sister with a small smirk. He wasn't much of a talker really.

    When Harah reached the deer she quickly gave it a final blow to the throat with her knife to ensure the creature wasn't suffering. Harah helped Rune hoist the deer over his shoulder and they began their way out of the woods.

    "Okay Sylo, we're about ready." Harah spoke in her head to her dragon who was far away enough at the moment as to not scare away anything they were trying to hunt. As majestic and agile as dragons were they are very large creatures that aren't easily hidden.

    Harah looked up as she started to hear the trees above her rustle; the kind of rustling like right before a violent storm. However this time it was not a storm but the power of her dragon's wings. Right after the trees began to rustle a black flash zoomed over the tree tops and towards their meeting place. Right outside the forest was a large field that Sylo was able to land in and pick them up. Right now they were a ways outside of the city. Harah lived in a fairly small house a little ways outside the main city walls. It was the home she had lived in her entire life.

    The ground shook beneath Harah and her brother as Sylo touched down with a giant thud. There was nothing like seeing a dragon just.. be a dragon. Everything about them was so majestic yet powerful. There really wasn't anything more powerful than a dragon, except another dragon.

    "Good catch." Sylo spoke to Harah. Harah and Rune approached Sylo and together lifted the deer onto his back and then making sure it was secure. The two of them then secured themselves before Sylo lifted off in a powerful bound causing everything around them to sway violently. By dragon this ride would only be a few minutes. Walking, however, would've taken them over an hour. So, in just minutes, they arrived back at their family home. They unloaded themselves and the deer off of Sylo with a thud and Rune began dragging it towards the house for Harah to prepare.

    Sylo let out a puff of air as he moved his head towards Harah in attempt to get some affection. The snort was enough to flop Harah's hair into her face and practically knock her over. It made her laugh though and she reached out her hand pet Sylo on the nose. "I'll see you later." She said out loud this time. Sylo answered with a small head nod and prepared himself to take off after being satisfied with Harah's affection.

    It one swoop Sylo was up in the air and gone, most likely headed off towards the mountains where he liked to spend a lot of his time. Harah watched her friend fly off and slowly disappear before she turned towards her home to meet her brother inside and start preparing tonight's dinner.
    Last edited by giraffesrkewl; 07-28-2022 at 04:33 AM.

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    Just like its exterior, the castle’s throne room was a veritable masterwork, as was fitting of the man who ruled it. The cavernous hall was large enough that Rioux could’ve fit inside comfortably, with plenty of room left over for any supplicants willing to share it with her. The roof was one giant mosaic, the result of dozens of craftsmen laboring for several collective years. Tapestries and paintings lined both of the walls, regaling any viewers with stories and myths from all corners of civilization. Two rows of giant stone columns, each covered in intricate stone carvings, outlined a carpet-laden walkway from entrance to dais. At the top of those steps sat an ornate throne, so large it would dwarf all but the tallest of rulers.

    When Efrite strode into the room, she was surprised to find said throne was empty. In fact, the entire hall was devoid of life, excepting the two guards standing by the door. There was no king. No supplicants. No petitioners or servants. When she’d inquired, the rider had been told that her ruler was here. She strode the length of the room slowly, footsteps echoing throughout the empty hall, wondering if she’d been misled. It wasn’t until she neared the steps at the far end that she caught sight of him.

    A portly man with a neatly trimmed beard, the king stood off to the side of the room, examining one of the more elaborate hanging tapestries. He stood with perfect posture, despite his gut, and had his arms folded behind his back. The nation’s ruler wore a lavish robe in a deep blue and a small silver circlet, in place of the full crown he reserved for official business. When he turned towards Efrite, she was greeted by a face wrinkled beyond its years from the stresses of leadership, and a pair of brown eyes that glimmered with suggested wisdom

    “Rider Efrite of Navidel. Welcome back.”

    “Your grace.” A childhood full of etiquette lessons came back to Efri, and she dipped into a shallow bow, as was only proper. She rose only when the king gestured for her to do so. While Efri desperately wanted to know what had happened to everyone else, why he had sent them all away, she waited for the king to speak first.

    “Straight to business, then. As per usual.” A soft chuckle slipped from the king’s lips, tinged with weariness. “What did you find?”

    “It appears that your subjects have a tendency to exaggerate, my lord. A dozen militia would’ve been enough to scare off the attackers, even without a dragon. Nevertheless, you can consider the issue resolved.” Efrite’s answer flowed out seamlessly, her voice smooth as silk. Things hadn’t been quite as simple as she made them sound, of course, but there was no need for the king to concern himself with minor details.

    “Good, good.” The king nodded his approval as she spoke. “I know such dull assignments probably chafe at you, Lady Efrite. Your diligence is appreciated.”

    “Such is my duty, your grace.” Despite her words, Efrite accepted the king’s praise with a small dip of her head. They’d had such conversations before. The exact words changed, but the sentiments behind them always remained the same. “If anything, I’m glad that these are the biggest problems your kingdom faces.”

    “Indeed.” That seemed to amuse the king, judging by the tone of his voice. He turned away from Efrite then, and back towards the tapestry that he’d been examining prior to her arrival. “If that’s all, then you are dismissed.”

    Efri lingered there for a few seconds longer, uncertain. Then she cleared her throat noisily, and spoke up again. “Actually, your grace, there was one other thing. While I was traveling, I heard some strange things about the town of Rabu. People from neighboring provinces have been talking about visitors behaving in odd ways. I don’t normally put any stock in rumors, but these seemed too consistent and widespread for me to comfortably ignore.”

    The king glanced back at her then, brow furrowed. After a moment, he nodded. “I’ll look into it, and send word if I find anything of note. Thank you.”

    Efri hesitated, just for a moment. She wanted to press the issue, but she knew the man well enough to tell this wasn’t the time. If the king had said he’d investigate, then he would. She just needed to be patient. Without another word, she retreated. Left the throne room the same way she’d entered it, leaving the king to his solitude.

    When Efrite stepped out of the palace’s front entrance, the sudden return to sunlight was almost blinding. Rioux took note of her presence as soon as she appeared, fixing her amber gaze on Efrite before she’d descended more than the first handful of steps. The rider took comfort in her dragon’s presence, relaxed when she felt Rioux’s mind brush against her own. The throne room wasn’t far enough to strain their bond, of course, but idle awareness couldn’t compare to intimacy such as this. Already, she could feel some of her concerns starting to fade.

    ”How did it go?” It was Rioux who spoke first.

    ”He listened, but not with the urgency I would’ve liked.” As soon as she reached the bottom of the steps, Efri crossed the difference between them. Rioux lowered her head, and the rider laid a comforting hand on her partner’s brow. The smooth scales were warm beneath her palm.

    ”About what we expected ,then.” Rioux hummed softly to herself, just for a moment, tail twitching idly behind her. ”Are we off, then?”

    ”Not yet. We need to stock up on supplies first.”

    ”Do you want me to carry you down?”

    It was a kind offer, but the thought made Efri chuckle. She ignored the confused look the stableboy shot her, perfectly aware that she couldn’t hear their conversation. ’No, no. I’d prefer to avoid that sort of attention today. The commotion would probably cost us more time than we’d save.”

    Rioux chuckled softly at that, in the same rumbling way as before. ”True enough. Just let me know when to pick you up.”

    ”I will.”

    Efri lingered for just a moment longer, before she finally pulled away. The rider turned and strode towards the far end of the courtyard, towards the cliffs beyond, and began her descent into the city proper.

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    Hara entered through to front door of her family's small home. Her mother was in the kitchen, per usual, taking care of duties around the house. Her poor mother never stopped, not since the day their father went off to war and never came back. It wasn't easy raising two kids alone, never mind being poor on top of it all. Their mother made it work though. She was a kind lady at heart but came off very quiet and ridged to those who didn't know her. Harah honestly thought a lot of it came from the sadness of losing her husband so long ago. Her mother hadn't been the same since then. Harah also believed the fact that her mother never had closure about what really happened to her father took more of a tole on her than if she knew how and honestly if he died in battle.

    "Good afternoon, mother." Harah said quietly as she stepped into the kitchen. She put her hand on her mothers arm and leaned in and kissed her cheek. Her mother responded with a meager smile and continued scrubbing dishes in the sink. "I'm going to go help Rune skin the deer we caught today. I'll bring in what we need and I'll take the rest to the city today." Her mother didn't respond, but Harah knew she heard her and understood. She set her bag down on the counter, grabbed her set on knives, and headed out the back door to where her brother was.

    "How's it looking?" She said to Rune as she approached. They had a gutting area out back of their house. Gutting an animal was gross. Everything about it. The guts, blood, smell. Harah was pretty used to it at this point. She had taken over this duty after her father left and was good at it so her family continued to let her do the vile job.

    "We'll have a little left over to sell." Rune said answering his sister. With that, she took over and lugged the dead animal on the table. She began to skin and strip the creature as she usually did. She handed what they were going to keep to her brother who would take the meat inside and package it for later use. Rune also put together the bag that would be brought into the city later. The whole project took around an hour.

    Harah wiped the sweat from her brow after she finished. "I'm going to head into the city and take care of that, if you don't mind cleaning up, Rune." Her brother nodded and smiled slightly. Cleaning up was almost more gross than the gutting but Rune was fine with the trade of not having to go into the city.
    Harah took herself back into the kitchen where she rinsed off her arms in the kitchen. Her mother was now seated in the living area on a chair she had before Harah and Rune were even born.

    "Thank you." Harah's mother said without even opening her eyes. "Anything for you, ma." Harah said. "I'm going into the city now, I'll be back later." With that, Harah grabbed her bag again from off the counter, grabbed the bag of deer meat to be sold, and headed out the door.

    "Be careful, Harah." Sylo spoke in their silent language almost the second Harah had walked out the front door of her home. It was amazing how in sync a dragon and their rider always were even when they weren't in view of each other. Sylo and honestly Harah too, were always weary of the city. If you weren't born of that status you weren't really welcome there by most of the people. Harah and her family definitely weren't born of that status that's for sure.

    "I will." Harah responded to her friend. She began her walk to the city. It was oddly hot today and Harah was reminded of that every time she had to wipe the sweat off of her forehead. It didn't take too long thankfully until she got to the city entrance. She began her usual walk straight to the butcher. She liked to get in and out of this place. Immediately glances were upon her, her hair, tattoos, her whole look really just said not royalty. Not of power. However, some people stared because they recognized her as the one other dragon rider in the area. If you asked a lot of people that was power.

    "Ahh.. Harah! How are you dear? How's your mother?" Frederick spoke as his favorite customer came into view. Harah immediately smiled at the greeting of Frederick, the city butcher. "Ma is holding up, as usual. I'm doing as well as I can be." Harah answered which was pretty much her answer every time he asked. Fred was always just as giddy to hear that answer as the last though.

    Harah put down the bag of meat on the counter and let Fred take a look at it. "Let me see what I can get you for this.." Fred said.

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    The mountain road between castle and city could make for a long and tiring walk, if you weren’t prepared for it. The cobblestone path twisted back and forth as it wound its way down the mountain’s flank, and even then, the gradient was still rather steep. So much so that most of the buildings that lined the road were built on special supports, designed to keep them level. Every time Efri passed a patrolling guard in full combat gear, or a donkey pulling a goods-laden wagon, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for them. Making the trip once under those conditions would be bad enough, but they were probably forced to do so several times a day.

    Efri didn’t have to struggle anywhere near as much as they did. Years of training and active combat had left her fit enough to make the journey without too much trouble, especially when the heaviest of her gear was still tucked away in Rioux’s saddlebags. After an entire morning spent flying with her dragon, she was actually rather grateful for the chance to stretch her legs a little, even in conditions such as this. A part of her couldn’t help but wonder at the impracticality of having the palace so isolated from the rest of the city, but she supposed it was one way to make sure that only those with true need tried to petition the king.

    The closer Efri got to the ground, the more the road began to level out, and the more crowded it became. The buildings were crammed closer together down here, and the sheer number of people seemed to triple. Most of the strangers Efri passed were too preoccupied to notice her, but the rider noticed a few people glancing her way, eyes widening in realisation. They had enough good sense to avoid causing any sort of commotion, thankfully, so Lady Efrite was content to ignore them. She just focused on placing one foot in front of the other, and it wasn’t long until she was passing through the final gatehouse, and moving into the city proper.

    If Efri had thought the mountain road crowded, then the city markets were full to bursting. Market stalls filled the streets, scattered about in such haphazard fashion that they turned the roads into a veritable maze. There were so many people that it was impossible for anyone to get anywhere without brushing against each other, regardless of status. Their presence only seemed to amplify the heat of the sun, too - an unwelcome detail, after Efri’s walk down the mountain road. Between the merchants trying to attract attention and the customers who were haggling over prices, the air was filled with a cacophony of discordant sound. The entire place was messy and vibrant and full of life. It was a start contrast to the stately gatherings she’d experienced as a noble, or the solitude of her life as a rider. Still, it brought a smile to Efri’s face. It served as a reminder of what her work was for, and who it was supposed to protect.

    On any other day, Efri might’ve lingered for a while. Done some browsing, maybe, or listened to the crowd. Unfortunately, she had business to attend to. The dragon rider pushed through the masses with purpose, eyes scanning the stalls constantly in search of the things she needed. Her eyes met those of a local peddler, and she saw surprise flicker across his features. The man turned to speak to his companion, while gesturing in her general direction. Efri’s brow furrowed, and she turned the other way and dove back into the crowd, disappearing from sight before they could draw any real attention down upon her.

    After a few more moments spent exploring, Efri finally stumbled upon a butchery that looked promising. The man’s stall was well-kept, and he had a decent variety of goods on sale. His wares would be fresh, too, judging by the bag of meat that another customer had placed on the counter. Efri began to move towards his store, only to pause when the crowd thinned, and she finally realised who was trading with the merchant. The woman was facing away from her currently, but there was no way Efri would ever fail to recognise one of the nation’s few riders. Even if they’d never officially met before, there was no mistaking that silver hair, or such distinct tattoos. Lady Efrite paused for just a moment, until she recovered from her surprise. Then she was stepping forward, original goal temporarily forgotten.

    “Well then. What an interesting coincidence this is.” Lady Efrite sounded mildly amused as she announced her presence. She paused and folded both of her arms over her chest, an eyebrow raised inquisitively. Her gaze flickered downwards, over Harah’s form, assessing. Scrutinizing. “I didn’t realise you were in the area, Rider Tove. I would’ve made arrangements to meet you somewhere a little more suitable otherwise.” This time, Efri’s tone was polite. Not quite formal, but almost. The sort of voice she’d normally use while conversing with other nobles.

    “I apologise if this is perhaps too forward, but does the king not compensate you adequately for your services? I can speak to him about it next time I’m at the palace, if you would like. Nobody in your position should have to spend their time trading to make ends meet.” As she finished speaking, Efri’s eyes flickered towards the bag of meat on the table, as if to reinforce what she was referring to. Perhaps the butcher would be angry with her for trying to steal away a potential supplier, but that was no real issue. He’d need to feel very secure in his position to refuse a rider’s business, and even if he did, Efri could always find another.

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    Fred had turned his back for a minute, seeming to go through his supply and see how much in need of deer meat he really was so that he could give Harah a reasonable offer.

    "Ouch.." Harah said under her breath and reached down at her leg, her scar in particular. Every once in a while it would bother her. The sharp gash of the rock she slipped on when finding Sylo's egg happening all over again. Well, the feeling of it at least. By now Harah had gotten used to it. She tried not to make a scene when it did happen because she hated being asked a bunch of questions. She was fine. Everything was fine. However, this did only happen in two scenarios Harah had noticed so far. If Sylo experienced any pain she too would feel the pain in her scar. The other scenario was..

    Harah turned around at the sound of a voice approaching her. Ahh.. the other scenario is in the presence of another dragon rider. Harah wasn't sure really why this happened but she figured it had something to do with her destiny of being a dragon rider.
    Harah made eye contact with the girl in front of her. Effi.. Elli.. Efrite. Lady Efrite! Right. She didn't know much of this girl other than her class and the fact that she two was a dragon rider. One of the two in this region.

    Harah smirked slightly as the rider in front of her began to speak. She watched the girl's eyes start at the top of her, end at her feet, then back up again. When Efri's eyes met back up to Harah's she raised an eyebrow, making sure to have Efri realize that she had seen her look her completely up and down.

    "The city isn't nice enough for you? I personally love meeting someone over saw raw deer meat." Harah said sarcastically. She always had felt a certain way about those of the higher class. It wasn't really anything personal towards Efrite but Harah had never been treated too great by anyone of higher class. She herself was definitely not considered part of it. The King was also the reason her father had been sent away to fight in the war and because of that he never returned.

    Harah listened as the girl continued to speak. Her brow immediately rose again at Efrite's unexpected offer. "I appreciate it but, I've never needed the King's help this far and don't plan to anywhere in the future." She was probably coming off rude but she didn't need anyone's pity nor their help. "My family and I don't mind getting our hands dirty and working hard to keep our roof over our heads." Once again, probably sounded a bit rude. Harah couldn't help it.

    Frederick now easily felt the bit of tension in the air. "Now ladies!" He bellowed. "I can offer quite a good price now, Lady Efrite, don't you worry!" He said chuckling after but also nodded in respect towards Efrite. "Here you go dear, thanks for always bringing me in quality merchandise." Fred said to Harah as he put his hand down on the table and slid a bag filled with coins over to her. Harah smiled nicely at Fred and took the bag off the counter before turning to Efrite. She held up the bad and shook it a little. "See? I don't mean to come off rude, honest. The King has never done much for me nor the people in my village. It would be wrong of me to get any aid from him simply because I'm a dragon rider." She was being honest. She wasn't trying to be rude with anything she said to the girl. She was just continuing living her life how she always had; not the easiest.

    "Anything else Lady Efrite?" Harah said smirking yet again. She was famous for that. "I do need to continue around the city and stop at a few different stands. Veggies, dough, you know.. to cook for dinner." Honestly Harah didn't know much about Efrite and her way of assuming she didn't know how someone beyond the city lived wasn't really based off of anything. She had no proof. She just assumed a young pretty woman from the city who also happens to be a dragon rider would be treated pretty well.

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    A woman of noble birth, Lady Efrite had been raised for the world of court politics, before fate had intervened and made her a rider instead. As such, she was highly adept at controlling her expressions. More so than most common folk. That skill proved useful now, when Harah responded to her attempt at kindness with such overwhelming sarcasm. Given her upbringing, Efri was unaccustomed to such blatant disrespect. Irritation and anger welled up inside her, made her want to glare and scowl and respond in kind. Instead, she focused on controlling herself. A break in composure now, in public, would be unforgivable. All she did in response to Harah’s words was raise a single brow and tilt her head slightly to one side, as if silently questioning the other woman.

    Lady Efrite had just opened her mouth to respond when the shopkeeper beat her to the punch, interjecting before she could speak. The noblewoman glanced at him, words dying on her lips, retort momentarily forgotten. She didn’t appreciate being interrupted like that, but she couldn’t blame the man for wanting to intervene before things escalated. Beyond that, a small part of her couldn’t help but admire the butcher’s tact. A point in his favour, and one that helped ensure she’d be using his store more regularly going forward. Provided nothing else went wrong, anyway.

    When Harah spoke up next, Lady Efrite was quick to direct her attention back towards the other rider. In that moment, she wanted few things more than to wipe that smug expression off the other woman’s face. Again, she forced herself to remain calm…or she tried to, anyway. When Efri finally spoke, she kept her voice a carefully controlled neutral the entire time, just as she was controlling her expression.

    “I never meant to imply otherwise, Rider Tove. There’s certainly nothing wrong with an honest day’s work. I just thought that you and your companion would be more useful spending your time in service to the kingdom, instead of hunting easy game. That someone in your unique position would possess a little more…ambition. Apparently I was wrong.” While Efri might’ve seemed calm on the surface, there was an underlying hint of condescension to her words. It was subtle, but noticeable nonetheless. She turned away from Harah and towards the butcher, then. Stepped up to his counter properly. In the royal world, that sort of gesture would’ve been seen as dismissive, but Efri doubted her companion would realise that.

    “That’s everything, I’m afraid. If you’re really content with living in such mediocrity, then it’s not my place to hold you up. Just know that if you ever change your mind, the king will probably welcome you with open arms.” As soon as the words left Efri’s mouth, she found herself regretting them. That little jab about mediocrity had been one step too far, and Lady Efrite knew it. She’d likely just destroyed any chance they’d had of moving past this minor disagreement and starting over, if such a possibility had ever existed in the first place. Had the noblewoman stopped to think things over for a few seconds longer, she likely would’ve realised she was being incredibly unfair to Harah. She had been from the start, with some of the assumptions she’d made. Alas, it was too late for that sort of epiphany now.

    With nothing else to do, and no intention of apologising despite the way things had gone, Lady Efrite contented herself with examining the butcher’s wares in earnest. She was too proud to try and make amends now, so soon after things had gone wrong. The rider had no idea if Harah would consider the matter settled and storm off, or if she’d try and continue the conversation. Frankly, she wasn’t sure it would make a difference. For now, she simply focused on the task at hand, and wondered idly what Rioux would make of this when she relayed these events to her.

  8. #8
    Member giraffesrkewl's Avatar
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    Harah looked Efrite in the eyes the entire time she spoke back to her. Ambition? Please. Harah and he family had more ambition than anyone she knew. She learned everything she had to on her own. She didn't have access to the training that Efrite had. Well, Harah assumed she had been put through countless hours of training. Of course someone of her status would have access to anything she could possibly need to succeed. Harah didn't doubt that Efrite could probably put her on her back. However, she believed she could do the same.

    When Efrite stepped in front of her, practically dismissing her existence, Harah couldn't help but be offended yet again. It took every ounce of her being to keep herself from drawing her sword, pressing herself against Efrite and placing the glistening blade up against her throat, and whispering a threat into her ear. Harah shook her head. She knew that would be the worst possible thing she could do right now. Guards would come out of nowhere and be upon her in seconds. She'd probably be the one with a slit throat by the end of that confrontation.

    Easy now.. Echoed Sylo's voice inside Harah's head. She's just spoiled noble. She's not worth it. Sylo was always there with calming advice at the perfect time. For a fire breathing monstrous creature, Sylo's temper was all but fiery. He'd gotten Harah out of getting her ass beat plenty of times with his soothing words. They evened each other out very well. However, when needed, Sylo was a very fierce fighter. He was the definition of 'the calm before the storm.'

    "Mediocrity?" Harah scoffed at the word. Efrite could probably feel Harah's breath from the scoff on the back of her neck from how dramatic it was. Automatically Harah's hand shakily gripped the end of her sword, only for a second, before she released the grip before she did something stupid. She took a breath and gathered up the mass of silver hair that laid down her back currently. She tied it up into a pony tail before speaking.

    "I'd like to see you live the way I have. Without the fluffy pillows, enormous feasts, hell anything you ask for." Here we go. Harah couldn't help it. She was fired up. Nothing was going to come from this conversation between the two women. Clearly they both were trying to prove some type of point; whatever that was.
    Harah took a step back and put her hand up. "I'm sorry, Frederick." She said to the butcher, apologizing for the girls' back and forth banter that was clearly making the man feel a tad awkward.

    "I'm going to get back to my mediocre duties." Harah turned where she stood and took off down the path towards the other vendors that she would need to stop by. She was still slightly fuming; that evident in her determined stride. Today she made the choice to walk away but next time that likely wouldn't be the case. Lady Efrite. Her and her stupid voice. Her stupid brunette hair that flowed down slightly below her shoulders. Her stupid toned arms and legs and most likely toned torso. Harah could only imagine. Imagine.

    Fuck me. Harah thought. Women.
    * may we meet again *


  9. #9
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    The tone that Harah spoke in, and the way she scoffed, were enough to let Efrite know that her insults had found their mark. The thought alone was enough to make the noblewoman grin, even though her back was turned. Such an outcome was unsurprising, really. She’d been raised for the court, where words and wits were everyone’s weapon of choice. Was it any surprise that an indignant commoner had failed to match her in that regard? Since she was facing away from Harah, she had no idea how close her new acquaintance had come to drawing a weapon. That she’d been dancing along a knife’s edge, and had tiptoed perilously close to disaster.

    She turned her attention upon the butcher’s wares in earnest, thinking the matter settled, only to pause when Harah finally spoke again. This time, her accusations quickly wiped the smile from Efri’s face. Her anger flared, bright and hot, demanding release. She clenched both of her hands into fists without realising it, tight enough to make her knuckles turn white. It took a deep breath and a few seconds of concentrated effort for Efrite to reign herself in, and only then did she trust herself to reply. By that point, however, Harah was already apologising to the butcher; another unexpected gesture that caught Efri off guard, albeit for different reasons.

    Ultimately, Efri said nothing. Not even when Harah announced her departure, and disappeared into the crowd. The noblewoman fought down the desire to have the last word, fully aware that trying would only make things worse, and just let her go. After several seconds, a shaky breath slipped from her lips, and tried to push the entire encounter to the back of her mind. She’d come here with a goal in mind, and wouldn't let their confrontation distract her from it. Efri met Fred’s eye, offered him an apology of her own, and finally went about browsing his goods properly.

    Once Efri had what she’d come for, she started pushing her own way through the crowd again, towards the city’s northern gate. When she got close, the noblewoman extended her consciousness outwards again, seeking Rioux’s familiar mind. She asked her dragon to meet her just outside the wall, and watched as her familiar shape launched itself from the palace courtyard, so far above. This time, the noblewoman could feel the crowd around her shift. She watched them point, listened to the murmur to each other, and smiled to herself.

    Lady Efrite met Rioux just outside the city gates, as promised. The dragon landed in a clearing to the side of the road, where she wouldn’t accidentally squash anyone. Efri could feel the people nearby staring as she stepped out of the flow of people, and walked towards her faithful companion. She ignored them as she fastened her supplies to the dragon’s saddle, and climbed atop Rioux’s back. Efri held on tight as her friend lurched beneath her, and then they were airborne again. The city fell away, replaced by wind and clouds. Only then did Efri share her story with Rioux, regaling her with their encounter in full. She had expected more playful banter and friendly teasing, but her dragon’s answer was soft and contemplative.

    "It’s a shame things went so poorly. If the king had another rider to call upon, it would take a lot of pressure off us."

    "I know. I hadn't planned on being so harsh with her. She was just so contrary…"

    "What’s done is done. There’s no point in dwelling on it now. We’ll just have to see what happens next time, if there is one."

    The two of them lapsed into an easy silence after that. Rioux focused on flying them home, while Efri’s thoughts wandered further afield. Try as she might, the noblewoman couldn’t help but circle back around to the day’s events. Couldn’t help but recall Harah’s extensive tattoos, or the silver gleam of her hair. The way she raised her eyebrows, or the way the corner of her mouth quirked upwards when she smirked. Small mannerisms and gestures that told a story Efri couldn’t decipher. Was the woman’s dragon just as aggressive as her, or were they more like Rioux? A question for next time, if there ever was one.

  10. #10
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    Harah perched atop Sylo's back as he dropped, wings folded practically to his sides to get the most speed possible, as he descended down the side of the steep mountain he often stayed at when not needed by his rider. The mountain was a little bit away from Harah's family home but at the speeds Sylo could reach, especially doing what he was doing now, it was only a matter of minutes before they'd be back in that area. As Sylo approached the ground he let out his wings which immediately caught air sending the two of them into a more leisurely ride. Harah braced herself as she did every other time Sylo did this. He thought it was fun to fling her about sometime but she always held on. Always.

    Sylo made a few circles before landing in the small spot next to Harah's home where he could actually fit. It wasn't the easiest to do but he had plenty of practice his entire life since Harah had always lived in this house. Harah was jolted one final time as Sylo touched down, dust and grass flinging about as the ginormous creature landed. She gave him a stroke on his neck before she dismounted, dropping from a decent height and landing with her own thud. She gave Sylo one last glance before heading towards her house. Sylo let out a relieved breath and then bounded up into the sky.

    Harah opened the door to her home and smiled slightly at her mother who yet again was in the kitchen. Cooking, cleaning, Harah didn't even know but that woman always kept herself busy with some type of house chore. In fact, Harah wasn't even sure the last time her mom left the house, let alone the yard.
    She turned to the next small room to see her brother passed out on the sofa, his cap over his face to block out the light coming in from the windows. Oh I don't think so. Harah thought as she walked over to her brother and whacked his cap right off his face, practically hitting him in the face as she did so.

    "What the hell?" Rune said as he sat up quickly. "What the hell was that for?" He asked his sister.

    "It's the middle of the day. You don't need to be sleeping. Let's go out." Harah said eagerly as she shoved her brother on the shoulder one more time.

    "No, Harah. Go alone for once." Rune said. Harah sighed and gave him a glare before she turned around in the spot she stood and proceeded out the door.

    "Whatever!" She made sure to say right before the front door shut behind her. She glanced up at the sun and then shaded her eyes with her arm. It was a nice day and the last thing Harah was going to do was stay inside. She glanced around for a second and spotted her brother's bow sitting right outside the front door. She smirked as the idea immediately came to her. "This is mine today."

    She grabbed the bow and quickly headed off into the woods, making sure she disappeared quick enough that if her brother did for some reason watch her leave he didn't see that she took off with his precious bow. Harah liked to practice all her skills as much as possible but she was definitely more handy with her sword, or a knife. She knew her way around a bow as well but Rune could beat her at that any day.

    "Anything around?" Harah asked her companion. Sylo was soaring way above, scanning the area as he did so. It was useful to have a dragon with crazy accurate predatory vision. It made hunting a lot easier. Well, it made finding prey a lot easier. The hunting part Harah always did herself. If Sylo tried to help her hunt he'd without a doubt smash every creature with his enormous size and make the whole thing not even worth it because there would be nothing left of the animal Harah was trying to bring home for dinner.

    "There's a herd of deer a ways off. Maybe a mile or two of walking." Sylo spoke. "There's also another.. another human out there." Sylo was a bit curious because not too many people ventured off this way. Sylo's attention was then grabbed by a familiar scent. It was the scent of another dragon. Sylo couldn't see her, but he could tell she was nearby. "There's a dragon here, too."

    "You've got to be kidding me." Harah said back to Sylo and out loud. There was only one other human with a dragon out in these parts and that had to be Lady Efrite. Well, Harah knew what she was doing with her afternoon now. Sylo guided her in the direction of this 'other human' and she made sure her pace was quick so she wouldn't miss her. Harah moved fairly quietly through the woods since she was so used to these parts. She slowed her pace as she believed she was getting closer to the girl.

    She was right, it didn't take long before she could hear Efrite's footsteps and then shortly after that she came into view. Lucky for Harah, she was approaching Efri from behind so it was way less likely she'd hear or see her. When this girl came into view Harah immediately got fired up remembering their last interaction and how flustered it left her. Her feiry-ness quickly turned into a smirk as she reached behind her and grabbed an arrow from her pack. She set it in the bow and lifted it, taking aim. She took a deep breathe in, set her target, and released as she exhaled. The arrow shot with accuracy, thankfully, because that would have been bad if she had missed. The arrow sailed through the air and right by Efri's head, landing in the tree just a few steps in front of her.
    Harah relaxed the bow and stood there with a smirk on her face. She couldn't resist. For whatever reason and whatever way she was drawn to Efrite even if that was just to fight with and annoy her. She was doing a pretty solid job of that so far, she did have to admit.
    * may we meet again *


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