**Okay, here we go!! You excited? Time to start!!**
"Have you heard what was going on in Athanasia?" asked a man to the bartender.
The woman at the end of the bar looked up from her drink, intrigued. She hid her face behind the hood of her cloak and played with one of her earrings nervously. She hadn't heard anything from the King, and was wondering if he was hiding anything from her.
The bartender looked shocked. "No, I haven't," he said, cleaning a glass with a dirty rag.
"Well," said the man after taking a swig from his drink, "Some people say that General Ianeil has finally had enough of the Dark Knights, and has turned rogue."
The bartender stopped cleaning the glass. "Really?"
The man nodded. "Yep."
The woman chuckled. "Whoever told you that," she said, "must be really stupid. They're telling you a load of bull."
The man looked over to her, his face completely red. "It's the truth!" he said. "I heard it from one of the Dark Knights."
The woman got up from her seat and walked over to the man, leaning down and uncovering her face. She could smell the strong scent of whiskey on his breathe. "How many drinks have you had, sir?"
The man counted on his fingers as the bartender told her seven. She chuckled again and walked out of the bar into the sun and fresh air. Dust came up from under the wagons and carts that were passing by on the roads, and children, women and men were at stands, looking to see what they were going to buy. As she stepped out onto the road, she saw a large shadow quickly pass by. No one moved; everyone was used to seeing dragons and their shadows pass, even on the ground.
Ariadne, said Gautier, as he flew around in circles. The King would like a word with you. Wagons, carts and people moved out of the way so he could land safely without casuing any harm.
Sorry, I don't have any leeches on my speed dial.
~Jacob Black
Haven smiled a fake smile at the dragon landing, What was going on now?
He moved into view of the dragon landing, it was white and the rider looked like an elf.
Her white hair blew in the gust of wind that the dragon had kicked up landing and the sun glinted in her eyes causing them to appear almost white.
"Ahhh, so this is the mighty elf General Ariadne." he smiled again; it didn't reach his eyes.
His green eyes turned to a firey-reddy brown, "Where are you going, General?"
He said general as if it was some foul entity from a different world.
She stared at him for a second and turned towards him; he caught glimpse of a tatoo on her right shoulder and the five earing peircings in her left ear. So, she was that kind of girl, huh?
He stared at he for a second his eyes cooling taking back their emerald green state and his fake grin grew wider still, "Are you going to answer me? General Ariadne?"
(Sorry for the shortness . . . and yes Haven is a very rude and coniving individual ^^ though mostly quiet, has been strired up by the General ^^)
Ray leaned back against the cliff wall, watching the road through the canyon for caravans. A pair of wolves came along the path and joined them. Taiou was golden with sunburst markings on his back and forehead. Yoru was a dark blue-black with silver crescent moons on HIS back and forehead.
"Any sign of the caravan yet?" Yoru asked.
Shaking his head Ray pulled the muff covering the lower half of his face down. "None. Which is strange. Usually they're right on time."
Taiou shifted. "Maybe somethings happening in the city. We should go check it out."
"I know you're right, I just hate going into the city. Since I haven't really talked to anyone but you guys in the past year." Ray turned and started up the mountain the two wolves padding behind him. "Not to mention that pesky little matter about the bounty on my head."
Laughing the three made their way back to camp. They were packed and on their way to the capitol before sunset. Dragon shadows invisible in the cloudy night sky. They were at the capitol before dawn, Taiou and Yoru once again in their wolven forms.
Roslyn threw the carcass to the floor of the cave. There won't be any more of these.
Viedna looked up from the papers that were spread around him; stolen from a merchant caravan headed for Athanasia. "Then I hope that you've eaten already because that scraggy beast will barely feed me."
The herds responded Roslyn are moving away from Athanasia. Even they can tell something is amiss. Either we move further into the desert, away from the border and toward Damali, or we must begin raiding caravans more frequently
"That may not be such a bad choice. It is important to keep up with current affairs and these papers are quite informative." There was a pained note in Viedna's tone.
It is worse than when we were home and you sat behind your desk Roslyn pouted. You promised that after we left there would be no need for this; she gestured at the papers with her foreclaw, when we were in exile
"You are right Roslyn," proclaimed Viedna, "come, let's see if we can't find these herds of yours."
Throwing the papers to the floor, he flug himself onto her back. Running toward the wide cave entrance, Roslyn could not even spread her wings until she had flung herself from the high enscarpment. The brief sensation of falling was exhilirating to them both.
So you're going to kill a god. Sure. But what happens next?
General Ariadne's light blue eyes flashed with anger. "He's mocking me, Gautier." she said through clenched teeth.
Calm down, Ari, soothed Gautier, clicking his teeth softly in her ear. He's just trying to mess with you.
"Where I'm going is none of your concern, Private." Ariadne snapped. "You'd better watch your mouth, or I'm going to have to put you in your place. Talking like that to someone of higher rank is unacceptable."
Haven's smile became even wider.
Last edited by C.J. Mustang on Sun Jun 08, 2008 3:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
Sorry, I don't have any leeches on my speed dial.
~Jacob Black
I sat with my back to the wall, staring out of the opening of the cave. The sun was still too high; any movement made by the companies would be seen, and all hopes of a successful strike would be dashed away.
I sighed, staring at the note in my hand. "Take the cities around the capital. Form a blockade to all merchant groups, in and out. Destroy any resistance." The orders were clear. Too clear. The King wanted a war.
Do not worry so much, Shyen, my maroon dragoness crooned beside me, lifting her large head from the ground it rested upon. There may be a way -
"Without turning rogue?" I asked, cutting her off abruptly.
She snapped her fangs together, dipping her head to show submission.
I exhaled sharply. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be so abrupt and...cold. But this war, this...coupe de ta...It's driving me insane. There are things about my promotion that thrill me, but it's all nothing like what I'd hoped for."
At least...you know what you're doing. You are probably the best general the King could ever ask for, and we all know it. You're intellegent, strong, compassionate. Even though it's not what you necessarily want, you can make a difference.
"Oh, really? How so?"
It depends on you and what your heart tells you.
I nodded, glancing around. Thankfully, all in my battalion were asleep, regaining their strength for the battles tomorrow. At dawn, every company, led by their captains, would take flight and strike. Tomorrow, we would start the war that I was dreading.
"Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery." Timothy 4:14 KJV
Gautier snarled and his top lip curled up. If I wasn't with the Riders, I would bite his head head off, he told Ariadne.
Ariadne walked towards Haven with light, fast steps."I know you're a Rider because I know everyone in my battalion, although I'm not quite sure how you came to be in it."
Haven was still laughing pretty hard when Ari came up to him. She took him by the collar and dragged him into an alleyway. He was chuckling the entire time.
Ariadne pinned him to the wall. "You'd better find your dragon," she hissed. "Then come with me. You have some explaining to do. If you weren't in my battalion I would've kicked your sorry ass by now." She let go and walked towards Gautier. After she got on his back, she waited for Haven to call his dragon to him.
Sorry, I don't have any leeches on my speed dial.
~Jacob Black
Haven laughed again, "Part of your "batallion"? HAHAH! You make me laugh so much."
He put up his fingers and made quotation marks next to his head when he said batallion.
He wiped away an invisible tear and his eyes died to down to emerald green, "I'm not in a good mood today and frankly Ley gets angry when I'm angry."
The General stared at him, as is to say, So what?
Haven grinned again, "LEY! Our general is calling you."
A shadow passed above their heads and Ley a large green and balck dragon came crashing down into the alleyway, but the alley was too small to fit it in so Ley just smashed away the walls with a few swipes.
WHO DARES ANNOY ME TODAY?!?!?
Haven laughed and pointed to the general, "Her, that's General Ariadne!"
Ley took one look at her and her dragon, then back to Haven and began to laugh. Haven joined him. Ley began, "Their . . . not", he laughed every now and again in between words, "even worth . . our time!"
Haven and Key laughed and laughed, ths time Haven actually seemed to be laughing for real. They were nearly rolling around on the ground with laughter.
Haven gave a Ley a high-five.
Ariadne was staring at them . . possibly in shock.
Ariadne stared at them in shock, then glared in anger. "Private Haven!" she bellowed. "Get on your damn dragon and come with me! NOW!"
Gautier growled deep in his throat, baring his teeth and hissing. Flames licked the crack between his lips and he snapped his jaws loudly. He spread his wings and stood on his hind legs, making him look larger.
Sorry, I don't have any leeches on my speed dial.
~Jacob Black
Ray kept his hands on Taiou and Yoru as the trio watched the other riders face off. The boy and his dragon were practically hysterical, and the elf girl's face had turned an interesting shade of scarlet.
Yoru flicked an ear back watching the fight with avid interest. The young dragons had never seen another of their kind except for eachother. Taiou bared his teeth in a grin. "What do you think, mutiny in the ranks?"
"Looks like." Your rolled his eyes at his brother.
"Hush up you two." Ray chided, hiding his laughter with a cough. "The other dragon's could sense your prescence. You're still to young REMEMBER?"
Ray kept his hands on Taiou and Yoru as the trio watched the other riders face off. The boy and his dragon were practically hysterical, and the elf girl's face had turned an interesting shade of scarlet.
Yoru flicked an ear back watching the fight with avid interest. The young dragons had never seen another of their kind except for eachother. Taiou bared his teeth in a grin. "What do you think, mutiny in the ranks?"
"Looks like." Your rolled his eyes at his brother.
"Hush up you two." Ray chided, hiding his laughter with a cough. "The other dragon's could sense your prescence. You're still too young to hide it REMEMBER?"
Two more dragons. Their scent is unrecognizable, Gautier said as he lowered himself to the ground. He looked around while still keeping an eye on the two misfits.
Dark Knights? Ari looked at Private Haven and Lay in disgust.
No, replied Gautier. They're still too young. Aha... He had eyed two wolves, one fiery red and one icy blue. They can shapeshift. And they have a rider. This is a rare occasion, Ari, and we can't pass it up. We'll have to deal with those two later, before the Dark Knights get ahold of these young dragons.
Ariadne groaned. Fine. "Ley! Private Haven! Go to the castle! That's an order! And if I find out that you didn't go, you're going to regret it!" Ari got down off of Gautier and walked towards the wolves and the man standing in between them.
The man was kind of tall, with black hair that had a reddish tint and purple eyes. She noticed he had odd-looking birthmarks on his hands. Ari smiled coyly. He's kind of cute, she said to Gautier.
Gautier chuckled deep in his throat. Focus on the task at hand, dear.
"What's your name, sir?" She asked the man.
Sorry, I don't have any leeches on my speed dial.
~Jacob Black
) ^^
