[$] The Dragon (Knux33 <3)

[knux33]

Killer_Kiwi_XD

Farond the dwarf gave a great big laugh at the prince's words, teeth yellow and square like oddly-colored bricks laid in a tiny row. "Alright, alright my good man. Come along then! Though what knowledge you could possibly want from that bunch ..." the dwarf trailed off, shaking his head and chuckling with clear amusement.

"T'ain't like ye got any dragons that need any slayin', that's fer sure ..." he muttered to himself to the muffling snowfall as they marched along, raising a thick wolly eyebrow as the prince dismounted and walked with him but only grinning. "This mountain is a very curious place indeed, boyo. Probably because they say a few dragons used to use this place as a nesting ground before even elves knew how to make cities. An' all their fornicatin' made the hearts of these mountains burn as hot as a dragon's--Well, yee kin guess that much," Farond said and gave Zemmin a comradely smack on the back.

Through what seemed to be a ever-harder trek through ice and snow ... then ice slick ... then through tight mountain paths that had been near-invisible to the human eye, up and up until the dwarf had the company stop in front of what seemed to be a solid wall of dark, black rock that only went straight up for about a hundred yards. A dead end. "Well here we are," Farond said with an air of satisfaction and straightened the barrel of grog strapped to his back. "Time ta knock."

Straightening up his stout short body, the dwarf cupped his hands in front of his mouth and yelled at the rock wall: "KNOCK, KNOCK!" His below echoed off of the rock and around the rocky cliffs and drops and inclines ... and a shaking began, like the damned little dwarf had started an avalanche. But no: the rock wall began to shift and move a little bit ... sliding somehow up to reveal a small hole--

Men poured out of the opening and from the path behind the small company where the prince's group had come from, all yelling and howling like a pack of ferocious wolves instead of rational, civilized human begins. They were dressed in roughly-cut leathers and furs, hair and beards long and unkempt with teeth as yellow as the dwarf's and brandishing weapons from swords made of dull steel and daggers made of crude animal bones. The dwarf had darted forward in and down the hole before the company could think to grab him, and soon the men and prince were surrounded by wildly laughing and hooting merry bandits ... or, at least, they looked like bandits.

All the commotion suddenly stopped at the yell of one loud, bellowing voice that howled out like great worg, silencing the hungry pack. The men parted, letting the biggest, most greasy-haired brute of all step forward and look over their 'prize' as snow softly fell.

The man literally wore the skin of a massive worg, black fur draped around his shoulder and his eyes peering out like amber daggers from the two eye-holes left in the skin. He lifted the mantle to reveal curled black hair that fell down his shoulders like a greasy mane, giving Zemmin a particularly long glance-over up-and-down before grinning with somehow frighteningly-white teeth.

"What brings this platter to our Wing, Dwarf?" he spoke, and the face of Farond apparead from behind the man.

"They wanted ta find dragon slayers," the little grog-trader said snickeringly, causing the whole company to burst out laughing and jostling each other once again, animal bones and weapons rattling until the unnamed leader silenced them all with a slow stately glance around. Head held high, the leader looked Zemmin in the eyes.

"Dismount your horses, disarm yourselves ... and I just might give you an audience with a real Slayer, boy." This led to catcalls, and snickers among the assembled men, who outnumbered the small party at least ten to one.

*

Balrak snorted and grumbled: "A Great and Glorious creature such as myself does not normally have time for such small concerns as to how things I do not even eat grow ..."

He also wrinkled his nose at the mention of red fruit. Last time ( a long loooong time ago) he'd tried red fruit, apples, he'd been so displeased with the taste he'd tore the juicy things to shreds. Which had left the little green hatchling sticky and feeling very insulted by the whole affair.

"I will keep your sources of food secure and undamaged. I trust you to keep yourself in the same condition," the male said with a very stern glare Aerion's way before sitting himself down in the garden and curled his tail around himself like his job was beginning now and any sort of little leaf-chewing fiends could be coming at any moment. "If you do not keep yourself as well as I keep your garden I will be very angry," the beast in almost-human's-clothing warned lowly, though he was far less intimidating in this smaller form and somehow the words came out a tad more worried than threatening, not that the beast seemed to notice.  

[Killer_Kiwi_XD]

knux33

Zimmen followed the dwarf mostly on foot, the paths dragging on and on, he wanted to hear more about the mountain as they walked but he held his tongue from asking. They were not doing this for lore, and they would not explain to the dwarf why exactly they were searching for dragons slayers when there "was no dragon" of course that thought was foolish if only the dwarf would pay mind to other cities. Zimmen was expecting them to come to a camp as they continued on, something large or at least mildly intimidating, and instead they were brought into an alcove with a dead end and a large wall. Zimmen could sense a bit of deception but at the same time there was no unease in him as there was in his men.

The horse's riled at the shout, neighing and kicking up dirt, before the ground started shaking and Zimmen's men started riling up. One of them approached the dwarf, making a grab for him, but Zimmen stopped him with a stern look. Suddenly there was shouting and yelling, there were men coming out of every crack and crevice, but instead of panicking like his men Zimmen found himself instead just sighing and turning to face the largest man that had arrived. The blond stood much shorter than him, and much less intimidating, but as Zimmen looked up at the man there was a clear look of annoyance on his face. His men scoffed at the idea of not protecting their prince and went to protest but Zimmen held up his hand.

"Do as he says. We will not play the fools in the and get ourselves killed sooner by fighting a battle we will not win." There was a hand on his shoulder and Zimmen looked to the head guard, concern on the mans face, but Zimmen just shook his head and so his men all dismounted and disarmed. "I do not mean to speak out of turn but I would like to meet an actual slayer." Zimmen crossed his arms. "I have the grandest feeling though that will not be happening any time soon…" Zimmen then just waited for what was going to happen next and followed the orders as given. Soon he and all his men were being carted off somewhere else.

**

Aerion chuckled as the dragon sat down to start his guard already, watching the plants as if it was his only goal, Aerion knew very well that it would not entertain the dragon for long. Most likely Balrak would fall asleep or end up burning a few plants but as he started packing his things away to go on his trip he found himself not caring. It took little time, he did not have much, and he knew where he could go to get the things he needed. Most likely he would even get a horse to bring his things back, one that Balrak could later eat if it displeased him to greatly, before the blond was going back to the dragon and bidding him farewell.

"Just try not to burn my garden down Balrak. While I do enjoy the help I won't much enjoy the extra work." Aerion chuckled and then started to head to the exit. The moment he stepped out of the city there was almost a sense of lost that covered his senses. He had thought so long and hard of leaving, of letting his home be burned to the ground, but now that he was taking steps away from the city it was far from what he wanted. He did not want to leave his prison, like a caged bid suddenly having the cage opened, but soon he found his footing and he started walking. He had little time to do as he pleased and it would be a long journey to the town he was going to try and reach.  

[knux33]

Killer_Kiwi_XD

The brute of a man had seemed amused at Zimmen's lack of fear at first, but soon seemed to echo the prince's annoyance as it became clear it was not just bravo; the little bookish blonde truly was not impressed. The wildmen grabbed the horses and weapons, herding the guards along with their prince down into the hole int he rock that had 'appeared' out of nowhere with the rumbling, leading the group down into the dark. Zimmen was kept partially apart, with the big worg-skin-wearer while the rest of the men were a bit further back. Through tunnels they walked ... the temperature steadily going from chill to something almost pleasingly warm as they neared the innards of the mountain, but did not find it's heart.

Instead ... the band was led to a massive cavern. And there ... there was a real home fit for a army. Tents and homes made of massive rib bones and stretched leathers, the largest of these homes begin perched high above the rest, made wholly of what could only be one thing: a dragon's skull. The entire 'city' was made around and out of dragon's bits and pieces, the slayer's home made of some massive, long-slain foe. Black scales littered the place, ranging from the size of a small plate (and used as such or even as frying pans) to large enough to cover homes as roofs. Seeing them in the torchlight, it surely became obvious enough one such scale of a massive size must've been used to be used as a 'door' to hide the hole that had been carved into the stone, blending perfectly.

But as they were marched through this city full of wild-looking folk and a few dwarves scattered throughout the masses here-and-there the large black haired man grabbed Zimmen with a amused snort at what he found ... apparently the prince's a** was a pleasing handful. "You want to talk to a real slayer? Fine. This one gets to be Slayer's guest!" The man laughed back at his companions, making all of them laugh and more than a few grin knowingly, beginning to shove the guards in a different direction.

The large man had been irked at Zimmen's know-it-all-tone, and clearly wanted to show the little well-fed girly man how wrong he was.

Now there were quite a few curious eyes on them all now; all sorts from other men (some sporting dragon-scale shields), down to grubby children that looked like they were contemplating whether throwing rocks at the 'wired' foreigners would get them into trouble. There seemed to be suprisingly few women about. The mention of 'Slayer' had gotten everyone's attention, and when they saw Zimmen and his men no one looked away. Clearly, it had been a long while since these folks had seen outsiders; from their secretive living space and the face many growing foods could bee seen along with lifestock it was likely they had very little need to leave for much, perhaps fresh metals and grog.

Grabbing Zimmen's shoulder this time the worg-skin wearer pushed the prince roughly along down the stone-carved road up towards the large dragon skull and up a wooden set of stairs into the dragon's eyes socket that was as large as a barn door. The inner skull had been carved and worked on; with a roof of ivory and floor of stone, and walls sectioning-off the skull made of more wood, there was a small waiting room with two more brutes, both far more well-geared than the rabble that had taken the prince's company in. With chainmale instead of fur and leather, and the cold stare of patient warriors who'd seen more than just small squabbles.

"This little lost noble--"

"Prince, boyos! An' he wants ya'll ta slay a dragon!"

The worg-skinwearer turned and glared at the little dwarf that had trailed along behind, Farond just grinning and walking forward to give his barrel to one of the two men, both raising eyebrows. The dwarf shrugged. "It's wha' he said."

Sharing a look, the twin guards looked at Zimmen just a moment before the one with the grog hoisted the barrel on one shoulder and moved the cloth 'doorway' out of the way so he could walk into the inner skull cavity while the other simply waited with the worg-wearer, the wolf-skin grinning down at the prince.

"I hope you're willing to pay the price for meeting Slayer, boy," the worg skin grunted as they waited. And ... got to listen to primal grunting and groaning going on beyond the cloth 'door'. Clearly ... the slayer was busy. And continued to be busy for roughly a half hour before his fun was concluded and Zimmen was allowed inside where the so-named 'Slayer' was cleaning himself off and a young man turned lazily to look at what was going on from the bed that, clearly, had just been used. The young man was wiry and clean-shaven.

The Slayer was taller ... but not nearly so brutish as either the guards or worg-skin. His hair was a bright, fiery red but cut short and trim, giving his sharp grey eyes easy visibility of all around him as he turned and looked at this 'interrupting guest' of his. He wrapped a large cloth around his waste, left arm wrinkled and crinkled with burn marks that looked akin to the reflection of water, warping the skin there just enough to look bad but not enough to inhibit function of the arm, it seemed. The man had stubble and a sharp chin, but also seemed to keep it trim at least, unlike most. Muscles rippling and old burn wounds giving a twitch, the man narrowed his eyes and walked close to Zimmen without invitation, moving a hand to tilt the blond's chin upward.

"So. Tell me about your dragon. And what, exactly, you're willing to pay to have it gone." His words were crisp, to the point, and lacking any of the amusement and skepticism everyone else in this backwards mountain 'fortress' seemed to show.

*

Balrak almost looked more like a moody child than an insulted dragon at Aerion's clear lack of faith in his ability to not burn anything, crossing his arms with a huff. "How many times must I tell you I do not burn things willy-nilly. I am a very precise and Glorious means of searing cities when I want to be; not a clumsy creature to accidentally singe strawberries."

Long after the blond had left, Balrak still grumbled little things to himself, glaring around at the plants and dearly wanting to see the small leaf-nibbler so he could roast one in his ire. But whether because the garden was too well restored since Aerion's coming or they all had an instinctual knowing not to creep out of their holes with an angery dragon about, Balrak got to destroy no one that day.

Or the next. Really, Balrak grew quite bored waiting, and at the lack of anything to do with this particular job. He left his post and wandered around the empty city to admire his realm, but found himself thinking the whole place oddly deserted instead. With no Aerion around to entertain him, life was ... boring. Very boring. Even when he slipped down to bask in the glow of his treasure, the dragon found himself searching in vain for the once shade of gold no longer around. There was no sunshine, no singing, no conversation, no arguing, no crazy elf things to make moments fun. Half of Aerion's allotted time had passed and the dragon found himself with no patience left and too grouchy to sleep.

So Balrak rationalized that he would check up on the elf. Just to make sure the blond had not high-tailed it back to his king father. Of course he would check in such a disguise the elf would never even realize the dragon had been suspicious--unless the elf was guilty. Then Aerion would get to see a very angry dragon indeed and know just how rightly suspicious Balrak had been.

Nodding to himself, the beast shifted his form into something much smaller than he'd been in centuries: A raven, before flying off into the dusk light to go see just where Aerion was and what he was up to.  

[Killer_Kiwi_XD]

knux33

Zimmen found all of the displays distasteful at most and kept himself relatively neutral. His men followed behind him with glares on their faces and much less calm, being shoved around and forced to watch their prince as he walked beside the big greasy man that smelled even from where they stood behind. Though as they stepped into the cavern that seemed to hold this giant group of people Zimmen did have the decency to be impressed, because he rightly was, the way everything seemed to be made from scales was a sight to marvel at and Zimmen was happy to see it. Though when the larger man grabbed his a** he did make a sour face, though he had been expecting it, he was a bit surprised as the other talked and said he would get to meet the slayer.

"And here I thought it would take a lot more persuasion." Zimmen kept the words mainly to himself though as he was pulled away from his men he heard a bit of fighting and shouting only for it to easily be silenced. There had already been many eyes on them and the eyes would stay so long as they made a show of themselves and that was the opposite of what Zimmen needed right now. As they continued down the path a few wayward brats did toss things at him but thankfully Zimmen wasn't hit with anything to large or unpleasant, just small rocks that hit with now power, to which he just sighed.

When they entered the skull Zimmen couldn’t help but looked around, fascinated and amazed, he didn't even take notice of the noises at first until the dwarf spoke and suddenly he heard what was going on in the back and he realized exactly what price he may have to pay with. Zimmen was far from a fool, the farthest in fact, his youngest brother was a brilliant mix of Zimmens brain and their eldest brothers brawn but Zimmen was truly the brain. This biggest brain though he just wasn't to sure he was ready for the information he was receiving. The noises coming from behind the curtain were distinctly male in both natures, he had heard those sounds many times, though he was much more used to them coming from one of his brothers rooms.

Zimmen waited patiently for the time it took the man behind the curtain to finish and then when he was escorted through he chose not to look at the man laid out and bare on the bed. How odd this was, most people in tribes like this cared a great deal about who their leader was with, was this slayer no required to have family or was this only his bed partner for the day. The boy seemed to think himself something important and special. Zimmen wasn't surprised by the sudden actions of the other man and he wasn't about to be as curte with this man as he had been with the brutish one behind him. Though the touching was somehting as he was not favorable of.

"It came from a abandoned and ruined city. An elvish city and he has scales as green as most of the emeralds. We know of the city, had heard tales of it, but it was left long before my people had taken root in their current home." Zimmen was wracking his brain for the information he knew and trying to remember the name of said city. It took a few brief moments before Zimmen remembered "I do believe the city goes by Laurina Ost. The golden city of the elves." It was an old name, older than time, but Zimmen had found it in a book almost as old as the city it's self and stored it away in him memory.

"As for the price I am willing to pay… I am a middle son, my brother has claim to the throne, and your people do not sit on dragons gold so I doubt my kingdoms would draw any hold for you…" Zimmen sighed "Name your price then. What would you like to take in order to kill that dragon." He was no good at negotiations, he often gave more to keep the other party happy, but in this point he had a feeling he knew what would be asked of him.

**

Aerion's trip took him a great deal of time, more than he had imagined it would, because he had grown so out of practice when it came to traveling. He made it to the city though with enough time to spare him a good three days and that was truly a joy. The place he had found himself in was small but big enough to have a nice in and market, it was pleasant and quite most of the time, the people smiled at him and nodded having grown used to elves from another city often traveling into their own to make a fuss about this or that. Aerion got a room in the in, using some of the gold he had stored away before Balrak had captured him, and then let himself rest for a while.

The first day in the town was filled with sleep, Aerions mind and body finding the time to finally relax, before finally Aerion decided he should look around for the things he needed in the market. There were a great many Elvish items, ones that he found himself think Balrak would enjoy, some rare gems blacker then midnight and others that matched his scales. Aerion had no interest in them himself but he could tell the dragon would take a grand interest in them so he bought was he could spare to do so and continued to look at the fresh fruit.

He spoke to vendors about traveling with the fruit and what would do well, were he could find a good and brave horse and a cart to take things back to his home with him, he explained he simply lived away from others of his kind because he had a general dislike for them, and he never said how long he would be staying. It was halfway through the second day when Aerion started spying a crow flitting around, often watching his movements, and at first Aerion thought nothing of it but as the light his the bird just right Aerion realized that the black feathers were really a very dark green and he couldn’t help but almost be… flattered. Balrak was under the assumption he still had that much resolve left, that he was that strong, but he had been broken weeks ago.  

[knux33]

Killer_Kiwi_XD

The Slayer listened silently as Zimmen spoke, taking in the information and gesturing to the still-present guard. While the prince talked, the guard nodded and walked to another alcove of the skull near where the other eye socket likely was, returning shortly with rolled leather scrolls. They were obviously aged old things, which the guard very carefully and gently unrolled and laid out on a large simple table that seemed kept soully for the purpose of looking over such paperwork.

The naked younger man, glowering at Zimmen with a less-than-tasteful jealousy over the way the blond had so easily stolen away the slayer's attention, rose from the bed without needing to be asked and went over to the table as well, apparently reading over the opened scrolls and gesturing for the guard to take a few unnecessary scrolls away while keeping his eyes on one of the others, silently mouthing the words as he read. Young as he was, he was 'pretty' enough with carefully groomed brown hair that went down to his chin.

The twin guards had similar brown hair and identical chiseled looks; though both of them had the opposite sides of their heads shaved (perhaps to help tell them apart ... though such a symmetric attempt hardly helped), and elaborate beaded and braided hair that was shoulder-length on the unshaven side. It seemed the worg-skin wearer and dwarf had both gone off to tend to other things by now, leaving the small warm living space only occupied by Zimmen, Slayer, the guards, and the bed-warmer.

Eyes gleaming with a strong heat like fresh ashes, the red head removed his hand to cross his arms. "You are correct; my people care little for coin or baubles. Gold can attract far more trouble than it's worth in these lands," he stated in a quiet but clear voice, glancing towards the table. "Eya?"

"There was rumor of a green taking an elven city far to the southeast. Before the time of the founding of our city, it looks like. This is a third copy of a partially-destroyed text, and it looks like the rumor was never looked into. It would be ... Ancient, by now. As old as or older than ..." The young man, Eya, looked significantly up at the ivory roof of the skull they were all inside, clearly suggesting the beast would be as great a wyrm or greater than the best they all used as a home now. "He is right though; it was said to be as green as the forest it conquered." Eya looked down, eyes narrowing and reading the old langue carefully, searching for any additional information that may be there. The logs were bits and pieces of any credible rumor or hint of dragon sightings; most of them being extremely old. In this age, dragons were things of legend, supposedly gone from the world. Clearly, Slayer both believed and knew better, judging by his burn scars and lofty title. And, unlike the worg-skin, Slayer smelled strongly of fresh sweat and sex; meaning he washed in a far more timely manner than most of the other men who lived in this isolated colony.

Nodding, Slayer turned his gaze back to Zimmen and tilted his head, walking in a slow circle around the prince; eyes undressing the blond layer by layer, as if trying to see into the learned man's soul. "Such a conquest would take more men than I have. We would need the assistance of whatever armed forces your kingdom can muster. And coin; only to pay the dwarven blacksmiths. It takes weapons of a very specific kind to even have a prayer of piercing a dragon's hide below the scales." The Slayer seemed mildly irked at that bit, the very word 'coin' sounding coughed out like a rotten bite of meat. But dwarves did like their coin ... despite having such a long time to learn what wealth attracted.

"Lastly ..." the man said finally coming to what the prince had likely been expecting, "my final price is you, prince. I would have you stay, and be mine." As always, the Slayer spoke clearly without pause, though Eya whipped around with a real clear loathing at the blond, fair stranger who had come from parts unknown and a royal title. Nothing a plain brown-haired boy like him could hope to compete with, and the reader seemed to know it. Zimmen was soft and well-fed with hair the color of light; something no one born down in this warm dragon's nest could boast. Not even the few women they had were as fair as this pampered stranger.

"You would be mine to bed, an have to stay with us. As my bedmate, you would be allowed many of the luxuries my people have to offer." Gesturing to the room around them, with its large bed covered with thick pelts and woven blankets. It was also warm enough for Eya to walk around naked comfortably, and Slayer to need no more than a thin silk sheet to cover himself below the waist. In fact, the silk matched plush carpets of a foreign nature that lined the stone floor, making fr a warm and soft substance to walk on ... though how the man had such luxuries was a mystery. Perhaps some far-away peoples had also come to trouble with dragons and needed help either now or long ago, leaving these comforting treasures to the tribe of slayers as payment when coin was not suitable enough.

*

Balrak was perched and grooming his feathers, quite liking this form even if it was small and puny. It was flight-worthy at least, much better than anything ground bound, and had made blending in cleverly with the more usual wildlife delightfully easy (of course the dragon had no idea the gleam of green in his iridescent feathers when the sunlight hit them just right and even underlying green hue to his black toned feathers had totally given the game away to the elf). For now he was watching the goings-on of the little human town with an ever-growing curiosity, the elf currently looking to be still buying things. The market was lively and thriving with activity Balrak just ate up with his eyes, listening closely to all the louder conversations and accents he'd never heard before.

Thoughts of his hoard and the need to protect it were surprisingly quiet for now, simply watching over his elf 'treasure' enough to sate that need for now. Though, clearly Aerion had no need for protection; the elf had thoroughly tromped some idiot human that had been a little too intoxicated and mistaken the prince for some common whore. And the prince also was, clearly, not doing anything bad. Buying a horse; looking at odd fruity things. Nothing to suggest the other was going to be as much trouble as he usually was.

Finishing grooming his feathers, the raven took flight and got a bit closer to a heated argument between some old woman and a flustered-looking young man manning a stall of trinkets, the arguments being over, of course, price. Balrak cawed loudly in laughter down at the two, making both of them even more irked--especially when the bird swooped down and snatched a silver coin right off of the stall bench before flying away, Balrak having a surprising amount of fun. There was little gold here, he could smell the lack. Not enough to get worked up over; mostly copper and silver. Though he did spot a jeweler who's wears were mighty tempting, but the raven huffed to himself and admitted that news of a jeweler getting robbed would make it obvious to the elf prince the dragon was around. So the dragon behaved as mischievously as a hatchling a fraction of his age for a day, snatching coins and dropping them randomly for less-fortunate humans to squabble over, highly amused.

As night came the raven perched in a tree near the inn Aerion was currently housed at, debating whether or not to fly back to his own home now that it was clear the elf was not up to trouble or trying to get away. But ... no. The dragon, oddly enough, remained. Never too far from where Aerion was, at times just admiring how the elf seemed ... a bit brighter. Less stiff as he walked or spoke, clearly this time away was indeed a health benefit to the blond as the dragon had hoped it would be. It was fascinating, watching Aerion interact with others ... fascinating, and at times oddly infuriating. The dragon did not like when others even got casual smiles or hellos from his elf; especially when puny human males or females got too familiar. It didn't happen often, not at all, but when it did the raven fluffed up and darkly plotted burning the humans down where they stood, or even just swooping down and pecking their eyes out.

But most of the time abroad was good, and as invigorating to the dragon as it was to the elf, seeing exactly what clever little things humans had come to invent and how they bickered at each other. As the time came for the elf to depart and start back towards Laurina Ost, Balrak flew above the horse and cart for a time, then began to pick up speed, wanting to get back before the elf and make sure no giant bugs had nibbled Aerion's plants to death, and to resume his post so it seemed he'd never left.  

[Killer_Kiwi_XD]

knux33

Zimmen simply nodded when told that they were not interested in gold. Zimmen understood that well and unfortunately even if the other did want gold him people did not have much. They did not barter with other kindoms, they controlled what they had and kept it only between them. They did not allow for any other ruler to rule their lands beside the ones that they appointed. Zimmen shifted, watching the other move around, then listened about the dragon with rapt attention. He almost missed what the other was asking for but the look from the other male told him that it was a position that was already occupied. Zimmen looked to the slayer, then the rather perturbed young man, and thought for a moment. It was the best off they had, they could send more men, and Zimmen was awfully bored of the home he had. His eldest brother would live a long time and his younger brother… they were fit to rule.

Zimmen wanted a life that was different, something that would be far more interesting, and of course the sour look he was receiving from the other male and the other people had seen… Well the blond did love a struggle. Zimmen hid a small vindictive grin directed at the other male before clearing his face of most emotion and nodding. "The deal is struck then. If you would allow me, or better one of my men, to send word to my father then he will agree to the deal readily enough so we can be rid of that great beast soon enough." Zimmen pulled at the tied back blond hair on his neck, pulling the hidden length from his coat. It was much longer than it originally looked.

"My father will be… displeased with the request but he will just have to let you have what you ask for." Zimmen sighed, slightly irritated with the nonsense he would have to hear from his father, the man had little to no control over him anymore though. Not now that he had grown past the age of a child. He could have decided to leave the kingdom long ago, most likely he should have for a more exciting existence, though that was something he would have to think about later.

"I warn you though I have been told I am not an easy bed partner to have."

**

Aerion walked around the pleasant town for a long while, chuckling at the troubles caused by Balrak, the dragon caused trouble where ever he went, great bouts of it, but it was almost endearing to see him playing so much. Aerion had seen man sides of the dragon and this almost childlike attitude had Aerion surprised and pleased. Aerion found the day growing dark, and cold, so soon he made his way back to the inn that he was staying in and sat at the bar. He wore a long cloak, and his clothes he had changed out for something simple in the village, he could see confusion from a few people. It was rare and elf ever wore anything beside the clothes their own people made.

Aerion sighed heavily as he sat at the bar and spun his cu around. The inn doubled as a tavern and the drink was good but not the best, not as good as what Aerion had found in the city, of course those had been ageing for so long now Aerion was sure he had drunk something worth three of these little villages. He heard someone sit beside him and he paid little attention untill the man next to him spoke. "You know it doesn’t do very well to spin the cup and not drink from it. Aerion chuckled, sitting up straight, and stared into the cup. "Well it's just not what I am used to." When he looked up at the other male he went completely silent, just staring at him, he looked…. Black hair… sharp feartures and even the same eyes. Near the same anyway, so close, close enough that something inside Aerion made him suddenly grab the man and pull him into a heated kiss that the other male eagerly returned.

Suddenly they were in the hall, up against Aerions door, the blond pulling at clothes that were not quite right but close enough. "Usually I have to buy someone a drink first." The voice wasn't right, not right at all, but it was enough and Aerion was more than happy to just tell the man to shut up as he opened the door and they both tumbled in.

Aerion found himself on the bed quick enough, legs wrapped around firm hips, Aerion ran his hands through thick hair and pulled the man closer. He didn't understand this, he couldn’t understand this, he had never been one to do this but something about this man called to him. He knew why, he knew exactly why, but he didn't want to even think about it. Not while this stranger was on top of him looking so much like what he wanted and he hadn't even known that he need. Aerion soon found clothes less of a problem and his head was being yanked back so the other man could bite at his neck. Aerion chuckled, forgetting that Balrak was most likely watch, he warned the other against marking him… told him it wasn't appropriated for an elf to be marked up, they both just laughed.  

[knux33]

Killer_Kiwi_XD

Ashen eyes going from hot to a pleased warmth, Slayer gave a nod before looking towards his guard. "Go fetch one of Zimmen's men. And fetch scribe supplies for a letter to be written. I imagine your father would like proof of you willingness to comply with a signature. Do you write?" The man's curiosity seemed genuine, and Eya's sour glare from the table was just as sincere, aimed squarely at Zimmen even though it was Slayer's choice who got to be in that big bed. Done with the scroll, Eya marched over to grab some leather clothes and started getting dressed roughly, clearly both mad and extremely frustrated there was little he could do without looking foolish in front of the redhead. Slayer had no patience for tantrums; Eya had seen that clearly enough when the strong dragon slayer had grabbed the bedmate Eya himself had replaced a year beforehand and dragged the woman kicking and screaming out of the skull-home ... down all the way to the muddy pig wallows and tossed her in.

No. The young man already knew patience was best ... but he wasn't clever enough to keep his feelings from showing to everyone, like Zimmen was. Though at the moment, Slayer simply appeared amused by the look the young man was giving the conquered prince, Slayer could see the tension between the two and knew this would be far from the end of things, but right now he wanted to see just how valuable this new prize was; the Slayer himself could not read or write; he'd been a fighter from the start. Even as a child he'd had no spare time for 'scribbles', and had taken every opportunity to mimic the fighters and Leader of his own childhood. There had been no Slayer back then, as dragon appearances were few and far between, let alone those that counted enough to give the valuable title of 'Slayer'.

"How many partners have you had, prince? How many men, how many women? Are you used to being 'the woman'? And why, exactly, would you be a hard bed partner, besides the obvious?" The redhead asked quite comfortably; such subject were not considered coarse here, they were simply a matter of fact.

Slayer grabbed a glass bottle from one table set off to the side, pouring some strong alcoholic drink into two cups (one, presumably, once having been Eya's just moments before), offering one to Zimmen and drinking down his own like it was water and seeming to enjoy the burn of the liquid. The guard would likely be back soon with one of Zimmen's men, though Eya waited sourly; he had not yet been dismissed by Slayer. So, he had to wait, now dressed and arms crossed while he glared at the patterns on the carpet of the floor.

*

Balrak was listening to the gaudy singing of some lewd bard in the tavern, wincing and really, really missing the far more melodic humming of his elf. Really, humans called that music? It sounded like something was dying far too slowly! Grumbling to himself, it took the raven a moment to notice the movement in the shadows of Aerion's room. Of course neither man nor elf had really been thoughtful enough of anything besides the matter at hand to light a candle, so it too the dragon-turned-raven a few moments to realize what he was seeing in the shifting dark shadows of the elf's room. For a moment, Balrak couldn't believe it. Aerion ... being dominated. By someone else.

He didn't think; like the reptile he largely was the dragon reacted in an impulse, primal way with more sentient worries going right out the window ... as the raven flew head-first into the window, form shifted and changing even as he went. A shadow-blurred shape somewhere between raven and man shattered the cheap glass while hissing curses in some little-known tongue only known by those born of roaring fire and death. He attacked the man atop of the elven prince, hair half-feathers but his hands had a dragon's claws, hooking into the pink flesh easily and yanking the rival right off of the elf. Because in some twisted way that's what this poor sap was to Balrak's enraged mind: a rival wyrm taking and dominating something that belong to Balrak and Balrak alone, and that was not okay.

Like the wyrm he was, Balrak dragged the interloper to the floor, biting hard at the man's neck with fangs no real man would have, warm metallic blood filling Balrak's moth much to the dragon's primal satisfaction. First blood was his. This piss-poor challenger had blood as cold as curdled milk (compared to a dragon) and fought like a slug. The dragon dragged his claws down the man's back and tore flesh and muscle so deeply the furrows revealed the telling lines of rib-bone one-by-one. Once the stranger stopped moving Balrak remained still on top of his vanquished foe a few moments before releasing his grip and standing, the taste of blood and smell of delicious death in his nose. He stood there a moment, eyes yellow, fire-bright and glowing before slowly looking at Aerion, words deaf to the dragon's ears.

The elf was a possession ... the matter would've ended here if Aerion was just a item, just a golden treasure to look at and be pretty. But ... the elf with hair that somehow looked like sunlight even in the gloom was more than that. Balrak, dragon tail and claws still out though his feathers were now gone, mounted the bed and sealed the elf's mouth with his own blood-stained lips. Aerion was his to dominate, and his alone. He pinned the elf, intending to finish what the foolish human had started, blood hot and this uncommon need suddenly more important than the mounds of riches back 'home'.  

[Killer_Kiwi_XD]

knux33

Zimmen held back a chuckle at the other boys stomping around and displeasure, so apparent it was easy to tell, and when the other male asked about if he could write Zimmen just nodded. "I can write in several languages, read many, including those scrolls you were looking over, but then again I was raised for that." Zimmen shrugged a little, he knew that the other boy in the room was most likely very upset by all of this and honestly the only tension was coming from him. Zimmen was enjoying the irritation from the other and the way the boy was slowly growing closer and closer to a tantrum. Zimmen took the drink from the slayer after he asked the other questions and he just grinned into the cup.

"I have been with a few men, I much prefer being the woman, I can't count exactly how many men though. Women only counts to too…" Zimmen sipped at the drink, not really enjoying it, he wasn't one to drink often. Usually he found other alternatives to such things. "I am hard because I am trained. Like anything I learned quite well how to please those I was with. I have been with men known for their prowess who could not keep up… and while I enjoy being the woman it's very difficult to mount me. It's good to give a bit f a struggle." Zimmen shrugged then sipped at his drink.

**

Aerion was moaning as the other male bit his neck, as their clothed lower bodies met together, it was pleasant and so quick. He wasn't expecting the crash at the window or the sudden intrusion. In fact he was far from expecting it, or the crashing and shouting, he heard and felt the scream against his throat and it ripped on out of him in surprise. He wasn’t expecting the other man to be ripped off of him but when he noticed that Balrak was there with his form still changing and ripping the man apart Aerion… he didn't make a noise. Not out of fear, and not because he thought that Balrak may hurt him, but because he wanted to see Balrak do it.

To watch the dragon kill someone it was a… beautiful thing in its primal nature. There was blood everywhere, it would drip through the floorboards Aerion was sure, but the one drop that landed on Aerions arm was warm and pleasant. Suddenly though Balrak was done, the man was dead, and the dragon was mounting the bed and covering Aerion with his body, covering his mouth with a blood stained kiss, and Aerion wasn't sure what to do. For a moment he fell to the passion of it, to the growling noises in the dragons chest, his hands smearing the blood on them both but then he stopped.

Aerion pulled forcefully away, pulled Balrak away, he told the other to stop. He was stronger than he looked, strong enough to hold off the other in this form, and he did just that. He pushed on the man's chest and though a few times he wavered, the heat eating him up and making him want to just pull the other close. Aerion quivered, his body past the point of excitement, but he cleared his head anyway. "Stop Balrak. You will hurt me." Aerion could tell the dragon had very little control at the moment and while Aerion would have liked nothing more at the moment then to just let the dragon take him now it would not be safe for him because something could go wrong.

Aerion pet the others hair, sushing him, he muttered that he was Balraks and no one else's. Aerion held onto Balrak and when the Dragon had finally calmed down Aerion pulled back. "I apologize I did not know Balrak… I hadn't thought that you… You do realize if you want that kind of claim on me you need to actually take it right?"  

[knux33]

Killer_Kiwi_XD

Eya flinched as Zimmen listed off his many skills, face flushing and ears reddening with a mix of the utmost frustration and dread. ow could he possibly top all that? No, no, he wasn't about to give up that easily! This foreign prince may have knowledge, but the blond had no knowledge of a slayer's way of life, not yet. That gave him an edge ... it had to. But for now he had to bide his time; Slayer was already dismissing him with a small wave after the blond revealed he was more than capable of reading old text. So, the young man beat a quick retreat before he had to suffer any more indigently than he had already today.

Slayer's attention was all on Zimmen, soaking in the information with a challenging grin. Despite the fact he'd just had some fun, clearly he was not a man without stamina. "Oh, really? Good. You will have a lot of reading to catch up on, then. If you're going to be living with us, at the very least you need to know the mechanics of how to slay a dragon. And struggle ... struggle is good." The redhead easily finished his cup, heading to the supposed book closet behind the cloth to the side, pausing only to look over his shoulder at Zimmen with ashen eyes bright. "What first ... young dragons, or old ones? Might as well get started while we wait for your guard to be fetched."

The earlier-stoic male seemed oddly enthused; then again, this was his subject, and he was clearly quite happy to hear the prince wasn't nearly as soft as his well-fed body and long, soft hair suggested.The blond had neat nails, and also stood like a boy who'd been riding too long on a horse and wasn't used to the saddle soreness that followed.

*

Balrak hissed his displeasure around his wanting growls as Aerion pulled away, the beast not understanding. The scent of the elf's arousal was obvious enough even around the stench of blood, stirring the dragon to further attempts to get the prince just as laid as the other obviously wanted … but to no avail. Infuriatingly the elf pushed him back, and even in the moments the dragon thought the elf was finally going to give in and embrace him just as the blond had embraced the human male earlier Aerion still kept him back and denying their bodies from coupling. Balrak's skin was feverishly warm but that was obviously normal for a dragon in such a state of irritation in any form, claws tearing through the bedsheets as easily as he'd torn the man to shreds. Tail lashing he hissed and growled and grumbled his irk at the elf, wanting to both sink his teeth into the defiant elf (which, in dragon-mating standards between two of the large reptiles usually was less fatal and more a n**) but also wanting to just kiss the blond until the other was too breathless to possibly argue against what they both wanted. Luckily the conflicting wants canceled each other out, Balrak's boiling instincts and lust slowly cooling down to a more coherent simmer as Aerion pet and shushed him.

The dragon quieted, the feeling of another stroking his hair a foreign but not unpleasant feeling. Coming back to himself the dragon declawed himself, blinking at Aerion as the elf pulled back and spoke.

"... I had not ... expected this, exactly, either," the dragon said truthfully, a bit confused at his own reaction. Dragons did not take mates ... Balrak had never fought another who had done so, and never had the urge himself ... until tonight. Sure, he'd thought of the elf as his ... he just hadn't realized how much of his until he'd seen the elf being dominated by another. Licking hid lips clean of blood (though that hardly made the mess staining most of his body any better) the dragon laid his head down, yellow eyes glowing slightly in the dark as he pondered. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but before they could have a moment there was a very loud knock at the door, asking if everything was alright. Clearly the commotion had gotten unwanted attention, and Balrak curled his lip at the intrusion. To him, simply going out and killing innocent bystanders for being rightly worried after sounds of a window breaking and shots/screams was a perfectly alright thing to do. But glancing at Aerion, the dragon instead huffed and stood, summoning clothing for himself and looking down at the elf. "Either take care of that," he said with a gesture towards the door, then looked towards the shattered window, "or get your things and come along."  

[Killer_Kiwi_XD]

knux33

Aerion chuckled at the dragons own surprise, though it was a rather serious manner, before he too heard the knock on the door. The blond stared at the door for a moment then looked down at himself, the blood on his clothes, then the blood that covered the room. Aerion stood, grabbing his clothes and cloak quickly. Thankfully the cloak was clean of blood and Aerion found it very easy to go to the broken window with what little he had in his room and start out onto the street. He knew it wouldn’t take long before someone opened the door and saw the mess so he made quick work of getting to the stables, taking an extra horse, and getting all his extra supplies.

Just as Aerion was leaving there was a shout of surprise and concern then a great deal more shouting. A dead body with it's throat torn out, several gouges, and room known to belong to an elf without said elf in sight? Aerion was sure that the inn keeper would be more worried that Aerion had been taken then to wonder if the elf had done it. Aerion sat in the cart as the horses pulled in out of the town for him, staring down at the blood on his own body, before waiting for Balrak to make an appearance yet again. When the dragon showed up Aerion was leaning back in the cart, staring up at the night sky, just wondering when exactly the dynamic between him and Balrak had changed so much that he was willing to have sex with the dragon.

Aerion looked at the dragon with a bit of curiosity before looking back to the sky. "I picked some things up for you while I was in the village… nice things. Some jewlery from the dark elvish mountains. Honestly it's so rare to see that stuff this far out. I picked up a few things though, that I can show you when we get back.." Aerion would have to stop at the first place there was enough water though to clean himself off.

**

Zimmen wasn't surprised when the other boy was asked to leave though the moment the man started pulling out papers and other things. Zimmen stepped close, looking down at what the other had, and grinned widely. "I would like to learn about young dragons. Might as well start at the beginning." Zimmen let the other pull out the right works and started reading.

((I am sorry it's so short.))  

[knux33]

Killer_Kiwi_XD

((No problem bud <3 If you ever want me to add more to a post too, just say so~))

As the elf rose and grabbed his clothes and stuff quickly, Balrak was already shifting and flying out the window, a black bird vanishing easily into the dark night. He flew in a slow arc, landing and preening himself into a more neater state while Aerion was busy below getting his own self out and things settled into a horse-drawn cart. Feathers glinting green in the faint starlight, the dragon swooped gracefully down and landed before shifting into his human guise, clothing black and snug as it usually was nowadays and body clean of blood. Besides a little bit still beneath his fingernails. The dragon licked and nibbled at those same fingernails, like a raptor cleaning it's talons. He glanced between the steadily plodding horses and the relaxed elf, head tilting in that familiar, reptilian anylizing way.

His yellow eyes seemed to glow bright in a delighted, greedy sort of surprise. Like a kid with a horrid sweet tooth who'd just been told mummy had gotten him candy, but not used to it because mummy hated sweets herself. Which was in a way true; Balrak knew well enough by now Aerion's pure hatred of all things golden. But all that glittered was not gold, was it. He was very curious and wanted to see his new treasures now, but restrained himself. There were other subjects to linger on.

"You seem awfully calm for an elf who is going to be claimed by a dragon," he said simply, staring down at the blond and moving a cleaned hand to run his fingers across the other's loos strands of hair. He wanted Aerion to be his and his alone; that instinct had made itself very clear. But what puzzled the ancient predator was the prince's lack of either disgust or even reluctance. The blond had not seemed to be one who dwelled on sex, let alone being desperate enough for it to allow himself to be dominated by another. Any other, as the human male had proved to be.

Balrak did not get it. To be the bottom was to be dominated, and lesser. Inferior. Only the weak, the losers of battle were dominated. Aerion was no loser, not by a long shot, despite the elf being his possession. Or so Balrak thought, anyway.

"I would think you would hate such a suggestion. But you do not. Why?" The dragon demanded to know. They had a while to go down the road to get far enough away from the village to not be easily found. Plenty of time to talk.

*

Grin widening a bit at Zimmen's clear enthusiasm, Slayer let the other dive into the books. He old spoke up as the other hit pages that had pictures. Some crudely drawn, others very detailed, though the books on younger dragons seemed to have no end of detailed drawings of young drakes. Born from golden eggs, young dragons ate their own shells and any extra gold they could get their mouths on at birth. Sometimes, they even ate their own siblings at this stage, though it was hypothesized most fratricide occurred once the small hatchlings left the nest and began trying to scrape out small territories of their own for small mountainside food. Like hares, goats, goblins and dwarves ... even humans.

But back to the begining.

"Scalless. They're born as naked as we are," Slayer commented over Zimmen's shoulder as the blond likely read the exact same thing on the paper in front of him as the redhead looked at the picture. "About the size of a cat, too. Can't breathe fire yet. And won't grow any scales at all or breathe fire if they can't eat enough gold before they're one week old. They loose the taste for eating it after that, and the damage is done. Easy to kill; I wager most anyone can kill a hatchling before it's a month old. Then, then they get tricky. Like raccoons; plotting in animal-clever ways."  

[Killer_Kiwi_XD]

knux33

[

Aerion looked up to the dragon who was questioning him and then huffed out a laugh. "I should have figured you would be one of those… Dragons don't quite understand this kind of thing because you see any kind of domination as just that… domination." Aerion sat up and pulled off his cloak, prefering not to stain the garment more than it already was, before grabbing some of the fruit he had procured. "See you simply see it as taking because no one has ever given it. Dragons are full of pride, full to the very brim, it's why you value gold so much but for elves… We are not like that. There is no domination in sex if you give it willingly." Aerion shrugged and took a bite of the apple he had, something sweet, though his hands still had blood on them.

"For my culture I can full well make the decision to not sleep with people, they cannot take from me what I will not give, because I am under every right to kill them. That goes for every elf there is. We do not have a true form of submission because if we decided we didn't want the sex we are under every right to deny it. And unlike dragons it's actually a great deal of fun to have sex." Though Aerion barely knew that information, he wasn't really one to involve himself in such things, but Balrak made him want it.

"I will never claim to know exactly why it feels good to be dominated by someone but that's not to say it is the same for all elves. Many of the ones I know do not find it pleasurable at all while myself and a select few other elves do find it…fun." It wasn't like the carnal lust of dragons, a forced and quick thing, but instead something much slower that burned hotter than dragons fire when it was with the right person. "We don't just rush into sex, it's not take and be done, elves are known to make sex last for HOURS….and sometimes days if it fits them. It isn't about dominating and creating a brood but instead it just about fun most of the time. Though that much sex does often lead to children running around…. Or it used to." Aerion shrugged.

There was no other way to explain it because he didn't quite know how dragons did things. There was a lot of speed, aggressiveness, a burning need that seemed easy to hide. Aerion wasn't scared of Balrak, wasn't worried by the idea of ending up in bed with him, the blond had felt more apprehension with the man at the bar and even then there had been so little that he was surprised he wasn't already under the dragon begging for more. Aerion knew that they would have time now to think over what happened, that the haze of lust would soon fall into something else, and honestly Aerion wasn't sure what would happen. He knew he was a prisoner of this dragon but the real question is when he became a willing prisoner, when did he suddenly decide that he had no reason to run, Balrak was rough and ignorant in ways that were not his own but there was a curiosity in him that drew Aerion in.

It shouldn’t, god it shouldn't, but the dragon could pull things from Aerion he had thought long buried for reasons he could not understand. This dragon was a force to be reckoned with and in the most pleasantly horrible ways.

**

Zimmen stared at the books with interest, reading like he had just been given the secrets to life it's self, and as it went on Zimmen couldn’t help but see similarities in ways that dragons were sort of like humans. They just mature faster, grow faster, and they grow a lot bigger. There was even sections describing their intelligence and Zimmen was so intrigued that he almost missed what Slayer was saying before he looked up at the other. "Reminds me more of children…. Really troublesome children…. Like I was when I was a child. From what I know they are not dumb animals, not really animal like at all, the one we are dealing with too seems to be rather smart. He knows very well we can't hurt him…" But then again if the dragon somehow has a clutch or something maybe they can hurt it in that way.

Even the most solitary animals will rage when they find out their offspring are destroyed. There are so few dragons now that perhaps…. Just perhaps this one would be unhappy about such things. Zimmen didn't know, didn't really care, and soon after he spoke he found himself ignoring everything around him as he dove into the book in front of him. The pictures were fantastic, the words so nicely put on the page, and Zimmen was reading so fast he wondered how many he could get through in a day. He almost didn't notice when one of his gaurds was brought in but then he looked up to see his most trusted guard, and friend, staring at him with a relieved look on his face.

"You are alright my friend?" Zimmen stood, looking the other over to make sure he was unharmed, before nodding. "Yes I am well. More than well actually. Learning something knew… you are alright? And so are the others?" The man nodded, a small smile on his face. "A few have stopped by to test our might… they are not used to knights in armor. Beast's that are scaled yes but not a creature much the same but with battle strategy. They are intrigued…" Zimmen caught the way his friend looked over his shoulder at one of the men who had brought him in, a familiar grin on his face, before he looked back at the prince. "Very intrigued." Zimmen chuckled and explained to the man what would need to be done.

"I shall give the letter to Price, he is the fastest among us, can out run elves if need be. You write what is needed and be sure to tell your father in the letter that there is no negotiating the terms. You know how he will be." Zimmen nodded, the taller male looking over his shoulder. He wasn't like Zimmen, not a pretty boy with long hair, but there was a softness to him that suggested he was a very caring figure. He was handsome sure, as most knights are thought to be, with perhaps some features that would lean him slightly less masculine, but he was sturdy. Pure muscle and a face that suggested he took no prisoners in battle. His hair was on the shorter side and while he did not match the bulk of most of these men it was clear he knew how to use what weight he had. He was no delicate flower like Zimmen but there was something bendable about him.

"Drago… Make sure Price knows that this is to get to my father as soon as possible, there is no failure here and I expect a letter delivered by him in return." Drago nodded, his black hair falling slightly in his face. "Do not fret little prince I will make sure of it." Zimmen rolled his eyes. "How many times do I have to tell you I am no longer a child." Drago sighed "Until you prove those words to me Zimmen… Until I do not have to worry constantly about your foolish head getting you into trouble." Drago took the letter when it was handed to him and turned back to those who had brought him, a grin on his face. "Alright, take me back if you would be inclined to do so." As he was leaving Zimmen heard him say something about "not minding if they got 'distracted' on the way" that was followed by a laugh.

"He will sleep through those of your ranks he likes in three days. That is if someone doesn’t claim him as theirs. I have seen that man bring even the hardest catch into his room and leave grinning." Zimmen shook his head. He was happy to say that he had never slept with Drago, the man had never appealed to him, and he was too much like a brother for anything to go right.


((So I finally got aroudn to watching attack on titan.....))  

[knux33]

Killer_Kiwi_XD

Balrak grumbled in illegible little displeasure at Aerion's little laugh, but listened with sharp attention as the elf spoke about how elves did things, though it was still confusing to think of sex as somehow not dominating. To give something like that … And GIVING itself. What a foreign concept to a greedy hoarder. Wrinkling his nose as the elf ate an apple, Balrak moved to sit next to Aerion as the cart rumbled onwards.

“Hm. So you would find it pleasurable to give yourself to me.” The dragon grinned at the blond and took hold of the elf's free hand, the one not holding the apple, before proceeding to begin licking the dried blood one one tongue-sweep at a time. No sense in waiting to get the elf's cleaning started when he was perfectly capable of getting the other's skin bloodless now. The clothes, on the other hand, would definitely need a real soaking and some expert cleaning quick to keep from staining forever. Besides, the dragon liked the taste of blood. Waste not, want not.

“We will try it your way then, elf. Though I must admit my victories have always been swift and brutal.” The dark haired male's grin widened at the memories. Any other dragons who'd dared to challenge him or were foolish enough not to simply surrender at his might had always been grabbed screaming their rage in the air, bodies forcefully twining and scales scrapping against one another as he rammed his life-maker into them. He was sure many a bitter brood had been make in his likeness, though he would likely never know it. Dragons hated others of their kind too much (or, well, Balrak hated and was hated in all his lifetime any stray wyrm he'd ever come across) to parent together. So one was dominated, then left to slink away and either bear a brood or not, depending on whether the coupling was successful.

Balrak wouldn't know how often such things worked out. He'd never been dominated before.

“So. How do you start these sort of things? Besides the obvious,” Balrak asked after another lick, apparently completely oblivious to how 'foreplay' worked and that his licking might be seen as such, because he simply let his clothing evaporate so he was naked and 'ready'. His tail lazily hanging down along one leg.

*

“Now you're reading ahead,” Slayer said and gave Zimmen's head a fond pat as the other spoke of a dragon's intelligence. And the other hadn't even gotten to true drakes yet. “Keep reading; just you wait until you get to their naming,” the expert said before heading back to his bed and lounging on it. The blond would soon know everything a book could offer on dragons; a great deal more than most men ever got to know about the beasts. It had taken many lifetimes to get this knowledge, and many deaths. Not to mention the extreme necessity of not letting the knowledge be lost, even when I seemed to most of the world dragons were nothing more than legend and myth to scare children with.

Hatchling scales grew in flecked with gold, likely to keep their parent from deciding to ditch them too early. Because in a wyrm's eyes, surely nothing was more precious than gold. Unlike regular reptiles though, scales did not molt or get shed off. Instead, the armor grew with the dragon, like horns do with cattle. Which made the loss of a scale very hard to replace, though when young scales could grow back relatively quickly. Older dragons … well, scales might never grow back once lost, leaving a huge, gaping weakspot to the wyrms softer skin beneath the scales.

Once hatchlings left the nest and got their own territories … the information grew much less sure and more scarce in the books. It seemed once hatchlings became draklings … they vanished. Signs of their presence could be obvious, like scarcer prey in an area or even scorch marks as the drakling learned how to properly use its fire, but finding the little things once they left the nest and started hunting on their own properly … it seemed impossible. Of course, even the slayers seemed to not know a few dragon tricks … like their ability to be something else than what they really were.

Sometime between the age five and a century old (depending on how well they fed, which contributed to how fast they grew) a drakling becomes a proper drake, naming itself and becoming much more visible to the world at large. No longer hiding, a drake challenges and fights interlopers in its territory instead. Building confidence and weight and seeking treasure and trophies. It also begins to speak at this point, playing with prey and even beginning to be able to charm those that look into its eyes if it has the potential for such an ability.

But the books Zimmen had been given stop there, instead looping back to describe a brooding dragon's behavior. Most protect their golden eggs and hatchlings the same way they guard their actual hoards: to the death. And woe be to anyone taking even a single bit of a hoard, including an egg. There was one written account of one man who'd managed to steal a dragon's egg while the brooder had been out eating after laying the eggs. The man had gone down the mountain and had even made it back home before the drake had come down in wrath and fire. The writer of the account made note of how the town burned for five hours, dragon rampaging about, until the heat had caused the hatchling to hatch and after eating its shell, squawking and screaming for food and more gold loud enough for the parent to finally find it, take the welp gently in-maw, and fly away.

The same welp, along with the rest of the brood, once fully matured into their true colors and no longer gold, had to flee for their lives or risk the very same wrath.

Slayer had been dosing as Zimmen read when the guard finally arrived. The red head gestured for the guard who'd brought Drago in; one of the twins. This one named Leif, and his brother (who was named Riggit) was still on guard right outside the door. Apparently one girly prince and one night night seen as enough to worry for Slayer's safety. “How are our guests doing?”

“Properly settled in a cave down near the last tail-bone. Though folks somehow manage to still go far enough out of their way ta go see 'em,” the guard huffed, looking a little sour. Slayer just grinned and glanced towards the man Zimmen was talking to before looking back Leif's way.

“Jealous?”

That made the warrior snort, silver nose-ring (another item to help tell him from his brother) shifting with the bull-like noise. “Talk to Vic mr-great-worg-slayer about ******** every man that moves. I dun want nothin' like that and ya know it, slayer.”

“Right. Riggit's the one who sticks his d**k into anything warm and squishy. Including--”

Slayer trailed off into a very amused laughter as Leif sputtered and smacked his superior's shoulder (the unburned one) and then stood red-faced and huffing until Drago came over. Lief just grunted though, and gave the knight a huff and “Yeah yeah, keep walkin” while the other guard, clearly, was more than a little interested.

Slayer stood and went over to Zimmen, sipping more of his drink but not looking the slightest bit tipsy or effected. “So, little prince. What do you think of dragons so far? Any additional questions for an expert?” Clearly, Slayer was more than eager to get on the subject.

((Orly? I read the manga, like, forever ago x'D And sorry; though I wrote a lot I feel like I didn't give you a lot to go one ;w; ))  

[Killer_Kiwi_XD]

knux33

Zimmen chuckled as his friend left before looking to the other man then back down t the books. He was silent for a moment before looking up at the other. "I am more curious than you could ever imagine in your wildest dreams, I want to know everything and anything, but I want to read it all before I ask questions. Connections can be made from the information already given that would make asking questions nearly pointless." Zimmen ran his fingers over the pages as if they were more precious than even all the glittering gold in the world. Too Zimmen they were just that, precious relics, they held the information of life times and showed hard work. Some of the pages, the more rushed ones, even had red splotches of blood stains and Zimmen found his attention quickly drifting away from Slayer.

"I want to know it all, I have a great hunger for knowledge, I would find myself in my families library for hours and hours going up and down the ladder trying to read as much as I could… and when I finished that I read more." Zimmen grinned, talking but focusing on the information before him. It was a skill he had gained since his father enjoyed talking to him while he was busy. "My brothers hated learning, my eldest brother the worst of the two, so I would be left to learn on my own most days. But to be here looking at this? Learning about dragons? To see some of the pages stained with the blood of people who gave their very lives for this? Or just people who may have spilled some wine while pouring over the information." Zimmen turned the page and ran his fingers over a fragile scale, so thin and small, something about it made Zimmen almost sad.

"I wonder…" He looked through the pages, flipping back and forther between information, he saw so many variations of things but the more diary like mentions seemed to say something that Zimmen wondered if anyone had picked up on. Non-chalant mentions of things here and there, seeing smoke when there was no fire that a rabbit darting out of a push. Only those who had met wizards would understand this and Zimmen knew a few quite well, ones as old as some of the younger drakes, before he looked to Slayer. "So you do realize dragons can change forms right?" He wasn't sure because it wasn't expressly stated but as Zimmen looked it over it seemed exactly like the wizards he knew.

**

Aerion almost jumped when Balrak started cleaning off his hand, finding it a bit weird and far too arousing, before the dragon was suddenly sitting there with his clothes off and asking how they started things…. Exactly like what the dragon was doing. Aerion looked away from the other to try and hide the blush spreading on his face. "You might break me if you are too swift and brutal. Though what you are doing now is quite a start. I do not have scales like you Balrak… I feel that like you would on the soft flesh under your scales…. Not that you should stop mind you." Aerion bit into his apple then focused his attention forward.

"It's all really quite simple for the most part except I am male so you cannot just ram yourself in as if it will just suddenly fit in there. This isn't my first time so it wouldn’t be hard but you can't do this brutally. When we stop I would be more than happy to show you what needs to be done." Aerion smiled, a river coming close into view, he could set up camp there, sleep out the night… or not if Balrak was so inclined to learn. The dragon could prove a pleasant distraction over these next few days and for a long while as long as he found Aerion appealing. When they stopped and Aerion hopped out of the cart he realized this continual rise and decline of such strong urges was making his body a bit weak in the knees so he decided to take to cleaning his things quickly before setting a fire and a tent.

Aerion sat Balrak down, legs crossed, on a nice soft padded area and then slowly straddled his hips. He made it very clear he was not dominating the other and just sat there for a moment while running a hand through the others hair. It was a warm night and Aerion had little on after the cleaning, every rushed movement Balrak tried to make was quickly thwarted. "I can not teach you as well as some of the others I know but…. I have a good feeling you will pick this up just as quick as you have everything else I have shown you." Aerion leaned in, pressing his lips against Balraks, he pulled away the moment Balrak tried to move any faster.

"Don't get frustrated… trust me. I have done everything you have asked of me, I have been at your will and mercy for so long now, trust me and go slow…" Aerion leaned up to brush his lips against the others ear. "Imagine it like a fire burning you chest…. Like the first time it erupted from you. It took time to build, a lot of time, it started low then built-" Aerion ran the hand he didn't have on the back of the others neck down his chest. Balrak was so warm, and getting warmer, Aerion couldn’t help but grin against his jawline. "Slowly building and burning till you just could take it-" His hand slid lower.

"Then you burned everything in sight to nothing but ash." Aerion nipped at the other males jaw. "I know you would like to think you only posses brutality." He carefully kept the other from getting to excited. "But there is a brutality in making someone wait, driving them to the edge…. I will be more than happy to tell you exacty what to do… but I am counting on your wondrous control. That same control that kept you from burning me to a crisp… come on Balrak… impress me." It was a stroke to the ego and a challenge as Aerion shifted his hips and whispered into the others ear exactly what to do. Thre would be a lot of stops on the way back home if this worked out well.

((I like it! I watched the show and I hope there is more D smile )  

[knux33]

Killer_Kiwi_XD

Slayer's gray eyes gleamed as Zimmen spoke of his passion for knowledge, as is such things were exactly what the dragon slayer wanted to hear. We have more than enough muscle in our tribe. It's about time we got an infux of brain to match the brawn. When it comes down to it it takes more smarts than strength to be truly effective against beast bigger, stronger, able to turn entire countrysides to ash with one foul breath … and, truth be told, as smart as most of us are. If not moreso.

“It's likely wine in most cases. Quite a number of the works we have are, in fact, original copies. Nearly all of those are kept elsewhere though, in the Great Vault. The air is much cooler there, and dry. In fact, I'm going to need to return a few of those back to the vaults soon. Perhaps you should accompany me. Get a look at our real 'library',” Slayer suggested, though made a mental note to bring both Leif and Riggit along. He had a feeling if he didn't have at least three pairs of eyes on the eager knowledge-seeker the other might stray off into other parts of the Great Vault which were … less open to the 'public'. Slayer's bedmate or not, Zimmen was still an outsider. Letting him delve into their written knowledge was one thing, but to allow him access to other things would take time and trust.

Slayer wandered back over towards Zimmen, looking over the younger man's shoulder to admire the pictures and the blond himself as the prince fixated on the knowledge in front of him. This one really was quite the catch. So feminine … but still very much a man. A soft man, with hardly a single scar or singe in sight.

The redhead was rubbing at his numb, fire-touched skin absent mindedly and wondering just how he was going to go about making the prince properly 'broken in' when Zimmen said something very odd. Slayer blinked, eyebrows furrowing in confusion and waiting a moment to see if the blond was joking or not before replying. “How do you mean?”

*

Balrak grinned a little when told to resume grooming the elf, so he did so while listening aptly as he always did. He was eager to try this new thing, because it was new and because it would also mean ******** Aerion, which was something he very much wanted to do right now. The dragon let the blond go as the cart was pulled off to the side of the small dirt road and the elf hopped out, Balrak watching curiously as the elf got a little camp set up. He'd never seen a fire started (without breathing it himself) or a tent put up. It was fascinating, but also a nice opportunity to watch Aerion's body as the other went about the tasks, even the ones as simple as hanging the washes clothes to dry.

Balrak sighed as he was sat down, stiffening the slightest bit when Aerion straddled him but quickly relaxed and had his mind turn to the matter on-hand, the matter left unfinished at the inn. Oh, how satisfying it would've been to ******** Aerion with the body of the man at the foot of their bed and the taste of blood still in his mouth … but that would've been a primal kind of satisfaction with a short kind of pleasure. Now, the elf's full attention was now on him … and his own was on the golden-haired elf's in kind. The little greedy child that live in the very heart of Balrak's glutinous chest basked in the attention, even as Aerion frustrated him with the limits placed on this exercise. Even things the dragon had imagined would be okay were 'too fast' ... even as the elf was allowed to touch and tease him!

Balrak had never been so frustrated in his long life. Not when he'd been young and an inept hunter, and not even when he'd been a wandering drake in search of a perfect hoard and place to nest. He wanted to mash his lips so hard against Aerion's and kiss he elf so long the other would be breathless and needy for air. He wanted to have the elf screaming his glorious name right now. But he remembered well the long-ago time Aerion described, a little surprised the elf had listened thoughtfully enough to his descriptions of dragon life to pull that into play. Surprised, and flattered. Of course, the dragon loved flattery, especially with the potent touch of challenge added to it, distracting the dragon from the teasing and restricting of the elf's hand low upon his body.

Balrak's yellow eyes glowed in the dark, gleaming as he panted out a low string of growling chortles, chest vibrating with the noise. “I am Balrak; taker of the undamaged Laurina Ost. That is control, elf, so tell me what must be done and it shall be.” The dragon was already afire with wanting, but his pride refused to fail such a challenge. Especially with the pleasure that was promised to come from victory. So, Balrak shamelessly shook at time with the want to slam into the elf, but instead just had to pause from time to time to keep his claws 'sheathed' so to speak, and followed Aerion's instructions to the letter … leading for a very long night. And a long night every night on their journey home, the wyrm greatly enjoying this new pastime. Much more than archery, definitely.

When they were back, Balrak didn't even insist to see his new treasures first thing; instead he ushered Aerion toward the elf's bedroom first thing and had at it. Then, for the first time since waking, the dragon held his elf and slept. Not tightly, just lossly and contently. He did not get to sleep long though (just twenty-four hours but who was counting) when something very abruptly hit him. On the head.

Balrak leapt to his feet, clumsily half-tangled in blankets and tripping five seconds afterwards, hissing and spitting and looking all over for whatever foul intruder had dared--!! Only to freeze when his eyes rolled over the roof of the room … and the chandelier hanging very far up. There was an elf upo there. THE elf up there. Slowly glancing to the side, for the first time, he saw what had hit his head: a shoe. THE elf's shoe. The dragon slowly looked back up at Aerion, anger clear on his face in a 'what THE HELL' kind of way as he glared up at the prince.

“Why.” Balrak growled no more, because it was pretty obvious this whole situation was really not something he'd ever excepted. And, being a creature that could fly himself, the inherent danger of a fall was not at the front of his mind.

((Oh I'm sure there will be more, considering how popular it got. The anime [probably] just has to wait for the manga to progress further down the plot so there's enough for another season's worth of stuff~))