{"sf1_id":743959,"sf2_id":null,"title":"Five Dragons: TLoP: Chapter 4: The Shadow Site of the Capital","author":"Lorddaventry","words":12063,"posted_at":"2014-08-14T12:39:00.000Z","tags":["Clean","Dragoness","Fantasy","Feral","Five Dragons Storyline","Friendship","Human","Kissing","Magic","Romance","Story Series","fight"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/743959-five-dragons-tlop-chapter-4-the-shadow-site-of-the-capital","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/view/743959","image_url":"https://www.sofurryfiles.com/std/thumb?page=743959\u0026ext=.jpg","description":"","content":"\nFive Dragons: TLoP:\nChapter 4: The Shadow Site of the Capital\n  \"What do you mean with gone?\" Daniel asked curiously as\nhe turned on the driver's seat.\n\"She's ...\" he broke off as he had\nfound the back seat empty.\nIn fact, the female\ndragon was gone. \"She is\ndetermined around here.\" he tried to reassure him. Daniel threw the boy\nto an encouraging\nlook, but he still looked frantically up the road. Fear for his companion was\nwritten literally into his face. Roland shook his head in despair. \"Where could she have gone? She was\nsince the first meeting always by my side.\" he thought to himself.\nThe boy was confused\nand lowered his face down thoughtful. But suddenly he was startled. He\nagain had this uncomfortable\nfeeling, as if he would remain\noff the air, only this time it was more intense. Frantically,\nhe breathed in and out and sank exhausted on his knees. His whole body began to tremble. He did not know what hit him. A slight panic nestled\nin his thoughts. Daniel looked aghast at the downcast boy. With one leap he\njumped from the carriage\nand walked hurriedly approached Roland. He\nlowered to the height and put both hands on his shoulders. The boy was\nshaken. His arms were\ntrembling tense and his breathing\nwas more than irregular. \"Roland everything with you all right?\" he asked\nnervously and jerked\nthe boy once. Roland\nlooked at him with wide eyes. Daniel looked into the open\nblue pupils. Panic fulfilled them completely.\"Can not ...\n..... barely ....\nair.\" panted the boy trembling. \"AAAHH!\"\nA loud anguished cry\nlet Daniel and\nTim startle at the same time.\nTimmy looked puzzled\nat the boy. \"What is\nhappening with him?\" Roland pressed his right hand on his left upper arm. His\nfingers clutched the muscle and held him with tremendous force. \"It ...\nHURT .... stabbing\n..... AHH!\" Another\nscream came from the boy. Daniel tightened his grip and held Roland with\nnarrow arms firmly. \"What does all this only to mean?\" he thought to himself,\nhis eyes always fixed on the trembling boy. Daniel\nglanced up at Tim\nand gave him a questioning look.\nThis looked back innocently\nand shrugged, shaking his head with\nhis shoulders. Roland's thoughts were a mess. Some tried\nto find a logical explanation for it, while another tried\nto suppress the reaction. The rest was simply overwhelmed with everything at the moment. Around him veiled everything.\nThe blurred images\ndarkened away, until\nonly a void was around him. Daniel's voice fell into the background. But between the severe\npain, he heard a faint whimper. He listened in the\nshadows. First, only a slight whisper, but which grew in intensity. Quiet\nwords could be heard in the weak\necho. The darkness lifted gradually and\nhe noticed a blurred image. But to see were neither\nDaniel nor Timmy.\nIn the spongy appearance,\nhe recognized four indistinct outlines. Big\nmen in brown coats\nstood opposite him. Two of the figures put\non tight chains, which led to his neck.\n\"Man! This thing is really strong for such a small beast!\" was brought\nby from one, who put on one of the chains. \"You\ncan say that again!\" came from the Second. One of the other\ntwo walked up to him. \"That will not be a big problem!\" said the now standing before him\nin shape. This pulled out by hand. Again, it\nsent a wave of pain through his body and the image was increasingly blurred.Against\nthe pain fending he felt a\nstrong pull on the neck. It heaved him with powerful surges forward,\nopposite the strangers. And then again\nthis enormous aching in his left arm. He shrugged again cramped together.The picture seemed to evaporate. One of the indistinct\noutlines took the word itself. \"Don`t make it more\nhurt, as we already did!\" sounded the\ndeep voice. \"Otherwise, we\nget no damn coin for this. And now go on!\nStarting in the\nbox with it!\" he went on abusing.The picture began to dissolve,\nbut very faintly heard Roland say a few words. \"We'll wait until the soldiers have cleared\nwith the prison van, and then it goes to the camp.\" Then all was silent. \nShortly before ..... \"Mhhmm ... Yes,\nright there ..... huh?\" Harrison winced slightly as he awoke from his\nshort dream. He exhaled\nand tried with closed eyes to\nremember to the dreamed scene.\nBut some voices caught\nhis attention. Curious, he\nheld his face between the barrels and looked out\ninto the alley. A large man in a brown coat stood\nat the corner of the alley and\nlooked searchingly into the\nnarrow street. He then waved around the corner. Two more were added. These\nwore the same clothes as the first one. They\npulled hard on two tight chains and moving\nlaboriously into the\nalley. After a few moments was to realize\nwhat was hanging\non the chains. A small orange red dragon was\ndragged in the narrow dead end. The\niron fetters were\nattached with thick iron rings on a metal muzzle.\nThe metal closed completely\naround the snout of\nthe animal, which violently\nfight back against the procedure.\nThe wide leather straps, that were tied around the back of the head and the\nhorns held the muzzle firmly to his position.\nAnother broad bondage\nstrapped to the\nanimal's chest, and thus fixed\nthe wings.The little dragon snorted\napplied, this was clearly heard through the small slits in the metal device. The\nrigid penetrating look of the deep blue eyes was\ndirected to the kidnappers. The pupils contracted as\ndagger tips. Pressed\nall legs on the\nground, the animal pushed hard\nagainst the chains. The black\nclaws left numerous\nscratch marks on the paving stones.\nBoth men were\ntaken by the force to the front.\n\"Shit!\" was to hear from the first. \"Damn!\" of the second.A fourth companion came\nto the group behind the corner. He stepped beside the struggling\ndragon and pulled out a short, straight blade. With\na strong shock he sank his knife into the left front shoulder of the little dragon. Painful closed the animal his eyes and winced. But not a\nroar, not once\na whimper was to hear. Only a hectic shallow breathing came through the muzzle.\nThe blade was pulled out just as quickly as it had passed through the shed. Blood flowed from the fresh wound and stained the\norange red shed of her left\nforeleg with the deep\nred tone. The dragon could not maintain his defense\nand was pulled by\nthe two chains to the front on the floor. With a\nslow pull they dragged the lying dragon in the\nalley to the rear. The first of the\nfour men walked closer to the barrels, behind which are hidden Harrison. \"Oh! Shit!\"\nit drove through the skull\nof the boy as\nhe protectively crawled\nunder the covers. Hooked, he held his breath as the\nmenacing stranger approached to his hiding. But he made before\nthe barrels a step aside and walked up to a larger box. He Upset to the side and opened\nthe lid. Then he gestured to the others to put\nthe dragon in this\nwooden prison. \"This\nprobably seems to be the leader.\" thought Harrison, who has already put his curious look back through\nthe small gap between the barrels.The dragon opened his eyes again and looked at the open box. The animal sat up slightly\nshaky on, and pressed\nagain violently against\nthe pull of the two chains.\nThe men were only hard able to hold on their legs. But the kidnappers seemed\nnow to have the\nupper hand.\"Man! This thing is\nreally strong for such a small beast!\"\nwas brought by one of them. \"You\ncan say that again!\" replied the second. With great difficulty they were moving the dragon in the direction of the box. The fourth step again\nnext to the orange\nred animal. He stopped in front of it and looked briefly into the black slots\nbetween the deep blue of the dragon eyes. \"That\nwill not be a big problem.\" he said, and pulled at the same time with a fist to strike.\nWith a massive impact,\nthe fist of the fourth man bounced on the\nforehead of the little dragon. The\nanimal shook confused his head and tried align his view again. At the same time, the blade of the unknown\ndug again into\nthe open wound on the left\nforeleg. The dragon fell exhausted back to the ground. The eyes half closed, his weakening view moved between the unknowns back and\nforth. \"Don`t make it more hurt, as we already did!\"\nordered the leader. \"Otherwise,\nwe get no damn\ncoin for that!\" he bleated on. The big man took a step\nto the side and gave the way to the open box free.\nEnergetically he waved\nhis arm once towards the opening. \"And now go\non! Starting in the\nbox with it!\" he grumbled. The fourth man stepped closer\nto the leader. \"There is\nstill a prison transport in front of the inn.\" he whispered to him. The\nbig remained thoughtful\nhis fist to the mouth. \"How many guards?\" asked the leader determining. \"I do not\nknow.\" replied the fourth with a\nshake of the head. \"Maybe\ntwo, or even four. I have seen none.\"\"Good!\" Began the great. \"We'll wait until the soldiers have\ncleared with the prison\nvan, and then it goes to the\ncamp.\" ...... Roland opened frantically his eyes. He looked into the\nfrightened faces of Daniel and\nTim. \"Is everything alright?\" hacked Daniel\nby. Roland dissolved from his grip without\ngoing to his question and stood\nslightly shaky on. Tilted his head thoughtfully\nforward, he went the\nlast pictures and sentences\nby in thought. Slightly\nreeling he made a\nfew steps towards the inn, always\nholding on his left arm. He glanced at the car,\nstanding in front of the entrance to\nthe Iron Maiden. Mentally, he gave a scream. \"Prison\nvan!\" echoed through his head.He fell back to his\nknees. Daniel was already behind him, supporting him off before he would be upset.\nTim watched silently,\nhis usually smiling face was wide now occupied\nby a serious and concerned\nexpression. Roland still felt the sharp\npain in his left shoulder.\nBut there was something else. Something familiar. The boy closed his eyes and tried to concentrate\non that feeling. A\nslight heat through him thought and he saw a\nflash of a small turquoise\nshimmer. Roland followed the short glimmer. An image\nformed itself again from emptiness. He saw a narrow\nlane which leads out onto a road. Four\nfigures stood before him. On the road behind the\nstrangers was only a horse\nwith a rider to see, this stood out in\nthe blurred image shown in color. The\nanimal had a brown coat and the rider was wrapped in a green cloak, a broad hat with the same color crowned with\na red spring fitted his head. Then there was darkness again. Roland\nopened bewildered the eyes. \"Four figures?\nAlley? Rider?\" Mentally he reflected what he\nsaw. He reached up with both\nhands to his forehead. \"Ahhh,\nwhat does these pictures mean?\" he asked desperately to himself. Daniel looked\nat the boy distraught when he\nagain shook his head.Roland slowly lifted his\nface. He heard the sound of\nhooves. Frantic he moved his gaze to the road. A\nbrown horse with a rider dressed in green walked\npast the small group. The wide\ngreen hat with a red\nfeather on it confirmed his suspicions. \"Alley!\" shot through his\nmind. He stood up\nabruptly and walked slightly\nshaky passing at Timmy\nup the road, from where the rider had come. At the warehouse\nbeside the tavern, Roland went around the corner and\nlooked into the narrow lane that\nled behind the inn. \"Roland, wait!\" came from the anxious Daniel, which was running towards the boy. But he was stopped by\nTim before he could reach him. Timmy's arm pressed\non Daniels chest and\npushed him back against the wall. The great saw\nthe thinning of scared. Tim looked\nat him seriously and held a finger to his mouth.\nA hissing \"Schhhht.\" ended his act. Then\nTimmy threw a\ncautious glance around the corner\nof the house. Roland stood in\nthe alley. In front of him were\nfour intimidating figures.\nTheir faces were hidden by brown hoods. Two\nof them held a chain in their hands. In silence, his gaze followed the\nconnected metal rings. There she was!Kyndle lay on the floor behind\nthe strangers in front of an open wooden box. The\nfemale had closed her eyes and\ndid not move. A large metallic object veiled her\nmuzzle and a broad belt held her wings strapped\nto her back. Roland\nlooked in shock at the bleeding wound below the left shoulder. \"Kyndle!\" the boy cried desperately\ninto the alley. The four men turned in surprise. \"Hah, only the boy.\" was\nheard from the foremost condescending.\nRoland ran toward the tethered female,\nbut was grabbed by one of the men and dragged along\nthe road. Silently, he pulled him across the floor. The boy reached with\na white bleeding look frantically in the air,\ndirected his right hand on the dragoness. \"NO! Let her go! Stop it!\" he cried, always looking at his companion. The stranger pulled him further from the alley out\nuntil he noticed a\nstrange glow from the boy.\nRoland's right hand back shone in a bright\nblue shimmer. The man let scared off of him\nand looked panicked in the eyes of the\nboy. \"What the hell is\nwrong with him?\" he asked, shocked his comrades, who\nwere also staring at the boy in surprise. Roland stood upright\nof the unknown, the eyebrows pulled together\nmaliciously. His blue pupils darkened to\nblack circles and the glow back of his hand increased. \"LET HER IMMEDIATELY\nFREE!\" boomed his words through the narrow\nalley. His voice was accompanied\nby a deep rumbling sound threatening. The four\nhijackers were twitching all\ntogether at the\nintimidating echo.The air\naround the young throbbed and a strong gust of wind flew over the rooftops. The man in\nfront of him pulled anxious out\nhis dagger. Roland looked at the weapon and\nnoticed the bloody blade. \"YOU!\" echoed his massive voice\nagain. The man winced\nat the words together briefly and then\npulled out to\nattack. The boy raised his right\narm against the attacker. A massive shock wave grow\naround Roland and pushed the man back with tremendous might, and the other\nthree were thrown to the ground. The powerful\nwave hurled the unknown with\ngreat force against the facade of the warehouse. Motionless, he lay on\nthe ground. Tim pulled his head protectively behind the\ncorner of the house back, before the\ndust cloud were nearly reached him. Timmy and Daniel\nhuddled breathing heavily in their cover and\nlooked at just scared.\n\"What is happen\nthere!\" asked Daniel startled.\nTim looked at him innocently, as he shook his head. The three remaining men turned hard to and looked\nin shock at the indented\npoint in the wall and to the stranded comrades. The pressure wave had produced a thick cloud of dust in\nthe alley. A small shadow came out of the fog, sank\nexhausted on his knees and then\nto the ground. The blue lights on the right\nhand back from\ndimmed until it finally\nwent out altogether. The leader of the stranger saw his chance. \"Go! Get him and puts him\nquiet before he does something like that again!\" he told the other two. These\nsteps, as prompted on the unconscious boy.\"I\nwould be in\nyour place!\" cried a new voice through the thick cloud of dust. \"Who's there?\" roared the leader and\nmade a big step on the veil. \"Show\nyourself!\" he added determinative.\nThe shadow of a man made itself felt in the cloud and strode up to the kidnappers. The faint clatter of\narmored shoes came in a slow clock through\nthe alley. The three figures\nstood in a\nrow and pulled slightly\nshaky their short\nswords. The leader looked tense at the\nshadow in the fog and swallowed once empty. Drops\nof sweat ran down the strained forehead. A blue coat emerged\nfrom the dust and stood\nprotectively in front of the unconscious\nboy. The green eyes focused\non the kidnappers, he stood upright between Roland\nand the unknown, as He did the veil. It was Mardon.\"There is only\none!\" gave the leader of\nhimself with relief, and sat on\na relaxed face while\nhe exhaled. \"And what will\nyou do? So all\nalone?\" he asked with a\nsinister smile on his face. He\ngestured with his hands to his\ntwo comrades. \"We are\nsuperior to you, three\nto one.\" he argued. \"So you now go\nback to where you\ncame from!\" he added determinative.Mardon withdrew his right foot and was now\nstanding sideways to the unknown. Ready for battle, he raised his head and looked at the figures, smiling. \"Then the fight is fair.\" he replied soberly.\"Finish him!\" ordered the leader and set his\narm on the fighter. The other two did as they were commanded, and ran on to\nMardon.The first swung his\nsword from the top down to hit\nthe shoulder. The fighter ducked, turned to the side and grabbed his own\nweapon. He took the hilt of his\nsword and drew it breaking.\nThe pommel of the weapon hit the attacker painful\nin the abdomen, whereupon he writhed cramped. Mardon\nhad his sword disappear\nin the sheath and brought in an elegant turn to hit from. His armored\nglove met with great\nforce on the face of the unknown.The blood spurted from the broken nose and the\nman fell backwards onto the floor,\nwhere he lay motionless. The second\nattacker joined with\nthe tip of his weapon at Mardon to skewer\nhim, but his aim dodged\nskillfully. Mardon made by\na precision step aside on the blade joined\nto him and struck the man sent in his\narms, followed by the handle on\nthe weapon of the unknown. With a strong step forward he grabbed the attacker\nby the throat and hoisted him to the ground. He oppressed the man in\nthe mud and sank\nthe blade into his chest. Slowly the steel slid\nthrough the body until it impinged on the floor. The\nman's head stretched cramped\nup while he struggled weakly for air. His eyes\nwidened in panic. A short time later slackened his movements and his\npupils grew dim. Mardon paused briefly\nin his kneeling position with eyes closed and breathed out heavily. Then\nlifted his head and threw at the remnant a demanding\nlook, accompanied by a faint smile.The leader looked scared in the end through rem green eyes and had his\nsword going on. The clatter of the dropped weapon\nechoed through the alley. Nervously, he took a\nfew steps back, his panicked gaze\nalways directed at Mardon. The fighter\nstood up and took a step to the last hijacker. He\nstopped and pulled his right foot\nagain to the rear. Again, standing sideways, he threw the last opponent to\na combat-ready look.\nPanic showed in the eyes of the leader. He avoided the rigid looks of Mardon\nand ran hastily past\nhim on the street. Timmy and Daniel stood\nbehind the corner and looked at the fleeing\nshortly afterwards. Tim ventured another\nglance into the narrow alley.\nThe danger seemed averted and both made\ntheir way to the boy. Mardon noticed the\ntwo. He turned to them and pointed with one hand on Roland. \"Quick! Bring\nhim to the inn.\" he called on the two and then turned to the bound dragon.\nA faint breathing could be heard through the metal muzzle. The orange red animal hesitant opened his\neyes and looked into a strange\nface. Mardon looked tense in the sapphire colored pupils. He reached to the back\nof the head of the female and\npulled out his knife. The dragoness woke up\nbriefly and gave him an anxious\nlook. Her breathing was also\nhectic as she tried to back away. \"Stay calm, it`s\nalright.\" whispered the man.She\nwatched the short dagger, as it was slowly moved past her face. A\nslight jolt was felt and the metal construction, which included her muzzle fell\nto the ground. Again a slight\ndraw and her\nwings were also free. Surprised avoided her gaze\nfrom the underlying iron to the\nstranger. This put\naway his knife and looked into\nher deep blue eyes again. \"It's all right. Come on.\" he said to her and stood up. Mardon went out\nof the alley, out on the street, where he\nstopped and looked back at the\nfemale dragon. This was still standing before the open wooden box and looked at her liberator questioningly\nwith obliquely held head. The man made a\nbeckoning gesture with his hand to himself and then walked around the corner. Kyndle closed her eyes and snorted\nonce when she saw the man disappear behind\nthe corner. Curious, she took a\nfew cautious steps. Her left\nforeleg could not load properly, so she limped\nslowly out to the\nstreet and looked attentively\nfrom right to left. On the left side she saw the man again. He stood before the entrance of a building. Above, a large sign was\nplaced. He looked at her briefly and then disappeared into the wide door. She followed him with hesitant steps.\nThe painful shoulder\nsent at any load more\nwaves of the unpleasant feeling through her body. Cautiously she stuck her head in the tavern.\nShe sniffed a few times in the air and made the first steps into the room. Her liberator stood next\nto a large fireplace in which blazed a\ncrackling flame. Daniel\nwas sitting on a chair and held his head thoughtful tilted forward, supported by his hands. Timmy had\nsat down at the bar and closed\nhis fingers around a filled glass, another man stood behind the counter.Kyndle saw Roland.\nThe boy lay on a table near the warming fire. A\nwoman in a green dress holding\nout a cloth on the forehead and\nlooked slightly scared at the dragoness\nas she backed away from him. Without hesitation Kyndle jumped forward on the table. She\nlicked him once on the cheek, rubbed her head\nagainst his and snuggled down next to him. Protective\nshe put one of her dark wings over his\nbody and placed her head on\nhis chest. She heard facilitated his heartbeat and purred softly.Tamara took a relieved\nbreath and walked confidently\ntoward the boy. Kyndle raised her head hastily\nand turned her gaze to the unknown woman.\nWith big ears, she moved her pupils together to\nslits. The mouth opened slightly,\nenough to see the many sharp teeth. In\naddition, was heard a low growl from the dragoness.\nThe lady was startled at the menacing look\nof the female and let fall the damp cloth from\nher hand. Mardon pulled Tamara\nquickly back a bit. Daniel, as well as Tim gave\ntheir attention also jumpy to the\ndragoness. Kyndle moved her gaze more steadily\nbetween the people back and forth. No one was allowed to approach her companion. As again\nwas enough distance between them,\nthe growl of dragoness\nceased and she\nlowered her head again on Roland's chest, where she purred softly. ...... The little Harrison was left\nalone in his hiding behind the\nbarrels. With open mouth he stood still and could not believe what had just happened. He pinched himself\nin the arm. \"Ouch!\" he winced. His eyes widened\nat the realization that what he\nhad seen not was a dream. \"No\none is going to believe me that!\" he thought and walked with cautious\nsteps past the remnants of the fight. ..... \"An orange red dragon, you say?\" asked a dismal shape. He was dressed in\na red robe and holding a golden staff in his hand. The tip had the form of\na fire-breathing dragon head. \"So\nit is.\" came the reply from the unknown person.\nThe man in the red robe rose from his stone throne\nand made some small steps on the messenger to.\nTwo violet flames shone forth from\nthe empty eye sockets of the silver mask.\n\"And he belongs to the boy?\" The stranger turned his head slightly to the side and looked a little nervous in the threatening glare.\n\"It seems so.\" he answered\nwith slow words, the second question. \"What an unexpected twist of fate.\" boomed the deep voice from the mask. He turned to the messenger to his back and walked\ncloser to his throne. \"This will increase the effect even more.\" he muttered under his breath. \"My plan has just changed\nnow.\" he added coldly.\nThe red figure turned around and pointed his bony\nhand on the unknown. \"Find this dragon.\" he ordered, as the\nlights grew brighter in his eyes. \"And bring\nhim to me.\" \"What about the boy?\" said the stranger quite decisive. The person\nbehind the silver mask walked back to the throne\nand sat down. He held the withered hands\ntogether in front of his face. \"Do not worry about the boy.\" he\nbegan. \"You take care\nonly of the\ndragon.\" The messenger held his arm bent forward and bowed\nto the seated person. \"The\nGuild is pleased to be allowed to continue assist you, but that, as usual, not in vain.\"\nhe said encouragingly, and rose again. \"This is\nnot a problem.\" replied the silver mask. He hit with the\ngolden rod twice on the floor.In the dark corner a\nrattling noise was noticeable. Like a faint creak.\nHooked saw the\nmessenger in the shade. Two\nyellow dots appeared in the void and the\nstrange crackling grew louder.A pale skeleton\nstepped slightly wobbly\nout of the dark. In\nthe empty eye\nsockets glowed a menacing yellow shimmer.\nThe skeleton walked upright to connect with the stranger, on the right hand\nit balanced a\nsilver plate while holding the left mainly\nbehind the back. For\neach placement of the bare foot bones they cracked noisily\non the stone floor. On the silver plate was\na leather bag. The stranger looked skeptical at the summoned butler and took the bag hesitantly from the offered plate. The\nskeleton made with the skull a forward-leaning gesture and step\ncracking back in the shadows from which it had come. \"I expect your successful return.\" started the person\nin the red robe. \"A\nfailure of the guild will not be tolerated! Ensures that this remains the case.\" he added, looking determining with the pungent purple\nsheen to the messenger seriously. The stranger bowed again. \"Your\ntrust is in capable\nhands Lord Kargesh.\" he said\nbefore he got up and walked to the door.As he\nstepped into the bright glow of the setting sun, his necklace glared in the\ngolden rays. An upside-down\ntriangle with three circles on it, in the middle shone\nan open eye. Kargesh sat on\nhis throne, the violet flame\nof his eyes blazed ominously behind the silver\nmask. \"What an unexpected twist.\" he said, followed by a diabolical laugh, which echoed\nfrom the high dome of the roof. ..... In the Iron Maiden, there was still\na tense atmosphere. An awkward silence filled the air. Mardon was standing in front of the fireplace and looked thoughtfully into the flames. Timmy sat at the bar\nand looked at the man behind it,\nwith his head held\nat an angle. \"You do\nnot talk much? Huh?\" he\nasked him softly. Martin looked at him seriously\nand nodded once silent. Tamara sat down to\nDaniel at the table, still propped his head. She\nlooked puzzled at the boy and the female dragon,\nwhich guarding him. Daniel lifted his head and broke the silence. \"Who were these\nmen?\" he asked into the room. Mardon turned\nfrom the fire and walked towards him. \"Probably black market bandits.\" he began. \"Would not be the first time, that they lay\nhands on hatchlings.\" he continued, as his gaze moved to the\ngrowing dragoness. \"Who is the boy actually?\" asked Mardon and looked at seriously\nDaniel. This returned the stare and took another\nbreath. \"He is the son of Lady\nCatherine's sister.\" He turned his eyes to\nthe boy. \"His name is\nRoland.\" he continued. Mardon raised eyebrows\nin surprise. \"Then you're from\nIronwing?\" he asked after determining. Daniel nodded\nonce. \"So it is.\"\nhe replied. \"Interesting.\" thought the\nfighter and looked at the boy again. After\na short commemorative time\nhe turned back to the man. \"And now,\nexplain me what I saw in this ...\" he\nbroke off and looked puzzled\nat the front door. A small person entered\nsurprising the inn. \"Hey! You'll never guess what ... Whoo!\" The voice trailed\noff as the boy saw the orange red dragon on the table. The animal lay protectively next\nto a boy, and made a menacing\nlook on him, followed by a\nsilent snarl. The\nblack slots of the sapphire-colored\ndragon eyes met the\nboy with full effect. With open\nmouth he was\nintimidated in front of the female.\"Harrison! Come here!\"\nTamara said demanding and beckoned the boy to\nherself. Harrison shook his head\nand walked with the greatest possible\ndistance on the dragoness over to the woman, his eyes anxiously on the\nfemale. \"Where were you?\" asked the woman. \"I\nhad you applied to clean up the warehouse.\" \"I was busy with that.\" Harrison began to explain. \"When I ...\" \"He was hiding behind the barrels in the alley and observed\nthe fight before.\"\ninterrupted Mardon. The boy saw the fighter in\nsurprise. \"He saw me there, even though he was busy with the unknowns?\" he thought to\nhimself. \"What were you doing there at all?\"\nasked Tamara curious in between. The boy winced\nat the sharp question.\nAll persons now looked\nat the boy. Harrison looked slightly nervous in the many faces. He\ntilted his head forward and let out indignantly. \"Ok.\"\nhe began. \"I was in the alley before that happened. Behind the\nbarrels I have done a nap, because I had\nenough of the warehouse work.\" Tamara rolled on its remark\nwith the eyes. He'll get a short breath. \"And when I woke up I heard voices. A man came into the alley and ............ \"Harrison began to describe his observation. All listened attentively to the short story. ...... In Ironwing, a\ncarriage drove up. Koris descended from the passenger\nseat and opened the side door of the car. He held the lady, who got out\na helping hand against. \"Be greeted Lady Catherine.\" Said a servant, who strode out of the door of the house, and bowed saluting. \"Hello Sasha.\"\nreplied the lady with a warm smile.\n\"Is Daniel already back?\" she asked curiously. Sasha once shook his\nhead. \"No, my lady. The\ngroup has not yet returned.\"\nhe replied. \"Good.\" she began as she walked through the\nentrance. \"Bring Gustav\na message. I want to see him immediately.\" she added, and went on her\nway up the stairs. \"Without delay.\" Sasha replied\nwith a bent-over gesture\nand closed the gate behind him. ..... Roland opened his eyes slowly. \"Kyndle?\" he exclaimed as he stood up frantically. But no one was there. The\nboy looked nervously around\nthe room. He sat on\na stone pedestal in the middle of\na large hall. The artfully worked ornaments of the platform resembled to dragons, both also\nthe imposing mosaic\npattern on the floor in front of\nit. A cone of light fell through a round opening of the ceiling on\nthe image. Magnificent tapestries hung from\nthe walls. With orange red paint, a familiar symbol on the white fabric was incorporated.Numerous wooden benches were arranged in a semicircle around the base. Five silver\nbrazier were symmetrically\ndistributed around the stone podium and gave the\nroom a little extra light and warmth. Roland ran a\nstrange shiver back up as he looked around in\nthe hall. \"This is the room\nin which I found the\ndragon egg!\" he thought to himself\nastonished. He climbed down from the ornate base\nand was now standing on the\nmosaic dragon on the ground. He looked back\nat the podium. \"Just there was it.\" he muttered\nto himself. But now, it was different since\nthe last time he was here. No battle scars were\npresent and also the cold an otherwise gloomy\ncave was not felt. This place was inhabited without a doubt. But by\nwhom, or what?\"You\nstill have much to learn, companion!\" echoed a deep voice across the room. Roland jumped startled\nand turned to the source of the echo. A person in a splendid\narmor stood suddenly\nbehind the pedestal. An orange red cloak\nfell over his shoulders\ndown, pulled the hood over her head. At the side of the fabric, the boy recognized the\nemblem again. The\nsilver plates of the cuirass\nornamented with the image of a dragon. Greaves inserted\nthemselves into the armor. The small plates coated\nover each other like dragon scales. Big dark\nleather boots gave the Imposing appearance\nmaintenance. The sword of the stranger caught the boy's attention.\nIn the hilt, an\norange red gemstone was embedded.\nThe handle kept this firm like three dragon claws.\nIn the transition to the blade, a\ndragon's head with open mouth could be seen. In the eyes were also red-orange\ngems to be found. Two wings spread out and formed the hand guard. The\nblack scabbard was decorated with numerous runes. \"Why am I here?\" asked Roland the shape and looked in the faceless shadow of the hood.\nThe stranger lifted his head. \"Because I want it that way.\"\nhe gave as an answer as he strode around the\nbase onward the boy. The figure\nraised his right hand and held it\nin an open attitude to the boy. \"Was an\nexhilarating feeling? Not?\" he asked. Roland looked at\nhim slightly confused. \"What a feeling?\" replied the boy ignorant. The man pulled the leather glove\nfrom his fingers and turned the back of the hand on the boy. Roland widened\nhis eyes with astonishment when\nhe saw the burnt mark on his hand. \"The\nsame emblem as I have!\" he\nthought. The shown symbol began to glow in a bright blue glow. Roland's\nsign shone too. The\nboy felt a strong pulsing inside him, as\nif he had included a powerful\nforce in himself. Roland looked nervously back\nto his hand and threw a questioning look again to the unknown. \"Who\nare you?\" \"That's not important\nat the moment, companion.\" gave the armored by\nhimself.\"Did Kyleth sent you?\"\nasked the boy. \"No.\"\nsaid the stranger. \"I am here at my own request.\" he added, lowering his gaze slightly. Roland took a deep breath and pushed the air with a straight dash off again. The pulsation, which rumbled\nin his interior rose. The air around him seemed\ndownright to vibrate. \"What is that?\" the boy asked, slightly confused. \"You opened your access\nto the magic of this world.\nYour fear for your\ncompanion has unconsciously\ncauses this.\" said the figure. The stranger turned his hand on the\nboy. \"But be warned.\"\nhe spoke, and the\nlights dimmed with\nthe pulsation from. \"Magic is not like\na weapon which you can use so readily.\"\nhe continued. \"It is subject\nto rules, has its limits.\" \"What limits?\" said Roland in between. \"Each\nspell saps the willpower\nof the caster.\" began the stranger. \"Some\nmakes you weak, others prefer\nthe life force from the body.\"\nThe figure turned his gaze to the boy. \"And\nif you expects to yourself too much,\nyou lose the consciousness. As you have already\nexperienced yourself.\"Roland breathed heavily,\nthan came up the\nmemory of what happened in the\nalley. \"But I did not want\nthat yet.\" he admitted, slightly\nmournfully by himself.\n\"These men had caught Kyndle! I just reacted.\"\nhe explained. \"Whether intended\nor not. The risk remains the\nsame.\" added to the stranger.\"And how do I know the limit?\" the boy asked curiously. \"You'll have to find out yourself.\" the man replied dryly. \"Nevertheless,\ncaution is advised. If you cast a spell of\nyour powers far superior.\" The shape briefed\nthe blank look on Roland and held out his\narm. \"It can cost your\nlife.\"The light\nthat shone down from the ceiling began to flicker and a cold blast\nof air pulled through the\nchamber. Roland winced. The stranger turned his gaze to the ceiling. \"It is time.\"\nhe said, turning back to the boy.\n\"We will meet again.\" he added. The chamber trembled and the air shock\nincreased. Roland went up to the stranger with big steps. He held the\noutstretched hand to the man.\n\"Wait, I have ....\" He broke off when he saw the figure dissolved\ninto a flame. The boy looked\nfrightened in the\nfire. The light around him\nwas weaker. He\nfelt a jolt as he\nwas falling backwards. And then there was silence. ..... Harrison\nhad finished his story and looked tense now\nin a serious round.\n\"So, and then I came in here.\"Mardon grabbed his\nchin thoughtfully. \"But\nthat still does not explain how the boy has managed to\nproduce such a shock wave.\" he\nbegan. His gaze wandered again\nto Daniel. \"Where\ndoes this boy come from? Who are\nhis parents?\" hacked the fighter determining after. Daniel looked at him somewhat\nat a loss and took a hesitant breath as he lowered\nhis gaze back on the table. \"His\nmother is. Uhm. Was Lady Claire from the house of Daventry. She had resided\nin Kams in Ordenary. \"He took a short break in the air. \"About his\nfather, I can`t say anything. I had never met him.\"\nTamara walked closer\nto the two. \"But there has to be some .....\"\nShe stopped when she heard some sounds from the dragoness.Everyone in the room gave the female their attention. Roland came to himself. With eyes closed, he waved his head slightly back and forth. He felt that there was something on his chest. It radiated\na warmth and gentle vibrations were felt. Without\nopening his eyes, he knew that this acted to\nKyndle. This he\nfelt deep in his consciousness.The dragoness lifted\nher head in surprise and looked her companion in the face, when she noticed his movement. She cooed\nsoftly and nudged with her snout gently\non his nose. Roland\nslowly opened his eyes. His slightly blurred\npupils found themselves in deep blue dragon\neyes. In them, a\ngentle turquoise shimmer glared against him. Without a word to lose he closed his\narms around the female and held her close. Kyndle\nlicked his cheek and\nrubbed her head against his\nwhile she purred happily.Roland pressed some\ntears of joy from his closed eyes.\nHe could hear her\nheartbeat and could feel the warmth\nof her body. Kyndle snorted softly and\nsnuggled closer to her companion. From her also closed eyelids the moist substance of her happyness found the way out. She\nlowered her head again on Roland's chest, purring quietly on, while she\nlistened to his heart.They were together again. A moment in which the time seemed to stand still. Roland\nfelt again clearly\nthe deep connection to her.Tamara's views began\nto get wet, as she both looked so. She smiled and held\non to Mardons hand firmly while her head lay\non his shoulder. Daniel threw his thoughtful expression from his face and put on\na happy grin. Tim\nlooked abandoned by his stool to the boy\nand silently nodded to him once, while he raised\nhis glass. Kyndle slowly dissolved from the tight embrace and\nrose from Roland, but remained at\nhis side. The boy sat up and looked somewhat cumbersome in many faces. He sat on the edge of\nthe table and lifted slightly\nsurprised his eyebrows. \"What\nhappened?\" he asked the others.\"You don`t remind?\" said Daniel\neasily confused. Roland\nclosed his eyes. In his mind he walked back some time.\n\"There was an alley.\" he\nbegan hesitantly. \"Four men.\nThey had caught Kyndle.\" His breathing became more hectic and drove\nhis pulse into the air. Kyndle stood behind him\nand snorted softly. She began to purr, stuck\nher head under his arm and\nplaced it on his thigh. Roland felt her warm\nbreath on his back and took\nfavorably knowledge by her touch.\nHe held out a hand\nto her forehead and stroked her\ngently on the head.\"One attacked me and\nthen there was a loud bang.\"\nadded the boy. \"It was not a\nbang. That was magic!\"\nsaid Mardon between. \"And now tell me\nhow a boy like you was able to use that.\" The green eyes were fixed on the boy. Roland looked\nback and saw at the man seriously. \"Because I am a companion.\" he said determining. \"WHAT!?\" thought Roland to. \"Why did I just said that!?\"\nhe complained to his\nmind. Mardon widened with\nastonishment his eyes. At the moment, speechless, he looked at the boy for a long time. Tamara also did not know what\nto say now. Daniel quickly rose from his chair and walked between Mardon\nand Roland. \"Please, keep this information secret.\"\nhe said determining. Mardon looked at the man questioningly. \"Why should I?\" said the fighter and looked at him tense. Daniel\nlooked him seriously in the eyes. \"Because the companion has so decided.\"\nhe explained. The fighter avoided the gaze of the man and strode\ntoward Roland. Mardon looked at the boy for a long time in silence. Finally, he knelt in front of him and lowered his forehead. \"Well,\nif this is the decision of the companion. So I'll add\nmyself to.\" he spoke. ****** \"Oh,\ndon`t tell us such a nonsense!\" said a slightly annoyed voice into the\nnarrative. \"Ten years ago, that's certainly not have been so! That you've just all up!\"\nadded the stranger vigorously\nand pointed a forefinger on the narrator. This\nsat calmly in his\nchair and looked at the man\ncalmly, he held\nhis hands together on the\ntabletop. On the right hand\nback a sign was\nburned. Behind the narrator was a large\norange red dragoness on the floor and looked\naround the people, which sat\nat the table. The animal was in\nabout the size of a small horse. Dark\norange red scales retired to the elegant body\nof the female dragon. A darker\ndiscoloration could be detected in the transition to the gray chest scales. Black\nclaws adorned the massive paws and strong hind\nlegs pointed to a\nskillful hunter. Two long wings with dark gray membranes\nwere folded placed\non her back. The tail end was provided with a\nbony tip which can\nbe divided as a pair of scissors.\nTwo black horns perched\nlike a crown on the head of the beautiful dragoness, each with a smaller underneath.\nThe ears were like little wings, which have grown to the magnificent head.\nDeep blue eyes stood\nout from the orange red color. The dragoness turned\nher gaze to the hecklers. The pupils contracted to\nsmall slits, as she lifted her mouth slightly and\nshowed her numerous teeth.\nWith big ears she accompanied a low growl to her gesture. The troublemakers\nsaw strained to\nthe female and let open his mouth. \"Kyndle is there probably in\na different opinion.\" said the narrator\nand smiled at the man with inclined head held.\nThis straightened up and raised both hands, his face turned slightly to the side. \"Ok, ok. As you\nwish.\" he began slightly indignant.\nWith one hand he struck down once on the table and\nwith the other he pointed to the\npeople who also sat\nat the table. \"You guys can leave persuade you\nfurther. I am finished with this\nfairy tale here.\"\nhe added, and walked vigorously through\nthe door outside. \"What\na crock! Companion and such a sh.....\n\" he muttered annoyed before he was\ngone.A woman dressed\nin green walked into the inn, shortly after the heckler had left it. She looked at her lap at the table and walked\nup to the teller. \"By The Fives. Roland!\nHow many times I had already told you to keep your Dragon\noutside?\" she grumbled slightly.\nRoland smiled at the\nwoman with inclined head held. \"Yet she is\nnot too big, to fit through the door.\" he replied amused and scratched the dragoness\nlying behind him under\nthe chin. Kyndle looked at the woman and also\ndrew attention to the remark made by\nRoland, a nodding head motion, followed by a confirmatory \"Churr\". The lady was smiling\nshaking her head and past them in the direction of the bar. \"Just continue\nyour stories.\" she added, waving with\none hand. Roland turned his\ngaze back around the table, which\nwas waiting eagerly that he told more.\n\"So, where was I? Oh yes.\" He put his hands back on the plate and took a breath.\n\"We were able to convince Mardon\nand Tamara to keep the secret.\nThen we parted our ways again. Mardon had to\nhand over two prisoners, while we were on our way\nback to Ironwing. On ....... \"****** On the\nestate, a rider is made ready to\nleave. His horse was standing\nready in front of\nthe stairs of the entrance. A\nwoman came out of the house and\nwalked beside the animal while the rider sat on the saddle. She held the man\nfirmly by the hand and looked at him\nfrom below with moist eyes. \"Thank you for\ndoing that for me Gustav.\" she began. The man nodded to the lady again.\n\"You need not thank me mistress.\nI gave your sister a promise.\" he looked the woman straight in the eyes. \"And I will hold it.\" With this sentence he pulled the reins and gave the animal\nto feel the spores. Catherine left the hand\nof Gustav as the\nanimal rid of straightened. The horse lifted both front\nlegs in the air and did a little leap forward. With a fast gallop, the rider disappeared behind the bend of the road. Catherine stood in front of the stairs and looked slightly sad on the road. With her head lowered thoughtfully, she\nentered the house. ..... \"Greetings to you Mardon.\"\ncame from a large corpulent figure, which\npassed through the open iron gates of the dungeon\nentrance and walked with wide legged steps on the prison van. He towered over the fighter with a whole\nhead height. The big man was wearing a wide skirt,\nwhich was decorated by numerous blood stains\nand splashes. Coupled with the two black gloves, his clothes gave him more the appearance of a butcher than a jailer. \"Still all complete?\nKorban?\" said the fighter against the greeting of the jailer and held out smiling an open hand. \"Of\ncourse, there are all there!\" Korban\nsaid with his loud voice and clutched Mardons\nhand. He pulled him to himself\nand patted him brother like on the back. Mardon did\nthe same. \"Just as you\neven know, there\nare only two ways out of my\nlittle kingdom.\" Korban\ngrinned widely at him and held up two fingers\nextended. \"As a free man, pardoned\nby the King.\" He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. \"Or as crate behind\nthere.\" he added amused and pointed to some\nwooden coffins, which were lying on trolleys by\nthe entrance. Both looked at each\nother with a smile, shaking the head until they found themselves in a loud laughter.Korban took a deep breath and hit Mardon with his\nfist in the upper arm. \"Nice\nto see you again big brother.\"\nThe fighter kept a\nhand on his shoulder, was based on the strong welcome of his brother back\nup and smiled at him with a slightly warped face.\nWith his head he\npointed to the transporter.\nKorban curious step\ncloser to the car and looked through the bars. \"Did you bring me some\nnew toys?\" said the jailer joyfully. \"You could say\nthat.\" said Mardon while he looked at the two prisoners. \"They belong to the hunter order.\" he began. \"The\nking wants to know what they\nsearch here in Parem.\"Korban opened the rear door\nof the car and pulled the unconscious\nmen out of the cell. \"Watch out. One of them is a magician.\" Mardon began to explain. \"And I do not know what he can\ndo without his staff.\"\nKorban put both bodies\nover his shoulder and walked with heavy steps back to\nthe dungeon entrance. \"HA!\nMagic they can forget\nin my kingdom. The walls are in fact reinforced with arkansulfate.\" he said grinning. \"No problem Mardon.\" he said as he paused\nand turned around, smiling. \"I`ll tickle the info out\nof them.\" he spoke in amusement and turned\nback to the entrance. With his\nfree hand he waved to him yet. \"You hear\nfrom me.\" still came by\nbefore he disappeared in the shadow\nof the gate. A loud metallic crack\nwas heard and the large iron gates were\nlocked. ...... A few\nhours had gone, as the small\ngroup reached the estate. The sun had already set and the cold of night\ncrept across the landscape. Timmy sat on the passenger\nseat. Crossed with both arms,\nhe was shaking slightly in the cold breeze\nthat flew across the street. \"If only I had merely taken a cape.\" he\ncomplained to himself. Daniel\nturned his slightly annoyed look on the\npassenger. \"If we had not\ndawdled earlier than\nyou absolutely had to eat something, we were\nalready at home.\" he bleated at him.Roland sat with\nKyndle on the back seat and held his companion close\nembrace. He leaned his head against her, listening to her relaxed\nbreathing. The cool night air did not seem to\ndisturb him, because the warmth\nof his dragoness protected him\nsuccessfully before. A feeling of security went\nthrough his body. Kyndle locked him in one of\nher wings and purred softly in\nclose contact. The vehicle pulled into the driveway of the\nproperty. The gate was closed\nand two uniformed men came to meet the\ngroup with torches in hand. \"Stop!\"\nsaid the first\nguard. \"Who ...?\nOh! Daniel.\"\nhe added in astonishment as\nhe recognized the driver's face in the torchlight. \"Your return is already\neagerly anticipating.\" said the second\nguard and walked to\nthe gate. A heavy crack was\nheard and the iron gate halves opened with\na faint squeak.The car began to move. \"May\nI ask what has kept\nyou?\" asked the first guard,\nwhich whirring next\nto the vehicle. His companion,\nmeanwhile, closed the door wide again. The noisy snapping of the\nlock confirmed, that it was closed again.\"I'll explain everything after I have spoken to Lady\nCatherine.\" Daniel said to the uniformed man. This\nquietly nodded once\nand then walked\nto his post at the gate back to his comrade. The car stopped in front of the short flight of stairs at the entrance. Timmy sat\nup, still trembling slightly,\nand was about to climb down from the wagon. \"Wait!\" Daniel said and grabbed his arm, which\nhe withdrew in the front bench. He\nshook his reins and\nsnatched the bundle of letters which he had received\nfrom Barnabas. \"You now bring the car back\nto the shed and the\ntwo horses in the stable.\"\nWith a straight face he looked at the dunes\nand then hopped down from the coach. Timmy threw\na slightly mournful eyes towards heaven, as if someone up there just laugh at\nhim. Indignant, he exhaled and let his\nhead fall forward. Roland noticed that\nthey had arrived. Slightly hesitant,\nhe broke away from the embrace and stood up. Kyndle\nlooked at him with half-closed eyes and gave a slight\n\"Chirp\" of herself. The boy was lost shortly\nsmiling in the\nturquoise light touch\nof her pupils. Slowly he climbed from the car and\ntook the first steps on the lower levels\nto. The female jumped\noff of the back seat and settled elegantly glide\nwith the wings on\nhis side.Daniel had already arrived at the door, but when\nhe wanted to open it, someone came him before. A thinner tall\nman stuck his head between the\ngap of the door outside. He wore a black jacket with\na white shirt underneath. Dark\nslippery shoes were among the also black pants. The white\ngloves sat down color\non the clothes. The\nlight gray hair could not hiding his age, since\nthe density of hair growth\nalready retired. The tired eyes regarded the big guy at the door\nand the boy with his female dragon at the foot of the stairs accurately. He wrinkled his nose and\nlooked at Daniel\ndeterminative. \"You are late.\" he spoke\ncalmly and pulled\nthe door open. With a bent-over\nposture and an\narm in the room pointing he invited the\ngroup to enter. \"Lady\nCatherine is in\noffice.\" he added as Daniel walked past\nhim. With the bundle in his hand, he went\nsilent on the way\nto that region. Roland also entered\nthe hall, followed closely by\nKyndle. Sasha closed\nthe door behind them and turned upright\nto the two. \"I\nwould recommend a\nvisit to the bathroom before\ngoing to bed.\" he said,\npointing with one of his white\ngloves on the dirty\nfront leg of the dragoness. He looked at the boy soberly.\n\"You look as if you had the need to.\" he\nadded. Roland glanced down at himself.\nThe battle scars from\nthe alley were still clearly\nvisible. Also some blood from Kyndles wound had\nfound the way to his clothes. He looked at his companion and smiled at her. \"Well?\nFancy a bath?\"\nhe asked with a playful wording.\nThe female cooing once, closed her eyes\nand made a nodding head motion, followed\nby a confirmatory \"Churr\".\"If the gentleman and dragon\nwould please follow me.\" said Sasha and marched straight ahead.\nHe held his hands mainly on the back,\nwhile he led both high the stairs. Silently\nhe walked past the\naisle with the numerous paintings\non Roland's room. By the time they arrived at the end of the corridor. A straight staircase led down to a door.Sasha stood before it\nand opened it with his left hand. He entered the bright room with the\nother two. Roland looked around slightly tense.\nKyndle poked her head\nup and sniffed excitedly. The humidity was\nhigh and glazed oil lamps donated the room\na warm glow. Sasha opened one of the cabinets and pulled out some folded\ntowels, which he\nlaid on the table next to the\nsink. He turned to the boy.\n\"I'll retire. A good night's sleep.\" he admitted with a bent-over\ngesture and strode from the room. He closed the door behind him. Roland looked around the room. He stood in\nthe middle of the wide space. Big tiles\non the floor were a blue red tiled pattern. The walls had a gray color, which\nwas out getting brighter\nto the white ceiling. A soothing warmth filled the air that came through the floor. The large marble\nbasin in the rear area was\nfilled with water,\nwhich leaked steaming\nfrom a wide opening on the wall. At the other end of it flowed down\nagain before it threatened to\nspill over the edge. Roland step closer to\nthe big tub and\nkept checking a\nhand in the water. The liquid exuded a\ncomfortable temperature. \"Just right.\" thought the boy smiling\nand looked to\nhis companion.Kyndle gave him a playful\nlook. Lightly tilted her head down, she looked directly at him. The slight\ntwinkle in her eyes shone brightly in it. Her\ntail waving slowly\nback and forth. Teasingly she stuck out the tip of her tongue and purred softly as she\nwalked a few small steps toward Roland. The boy looked at the female smiling, until\nhe noticed her attitude. He held up both hands and\ntook a big step\ntoward her. \"Ohh no! OHH NO...! \"Too late. The female made a great leap forward towards\nher companion. Kyndle landed on his chest and\nchatted with her front\nlegs on his shoulders firmly, also closed the\nwings around him. Roland could not oppose\nmuch to this force and fall, with the female on him backwards into the\nlarge pool. A noisy splashing\nechoed through the room and a wet shaft waterlogged the soil. Roland\nsat in the tub, his\nslightly angry gaze\nstubbornly on the\ndragoness. Kyndle poked her head out of the water and cooed happily. With eyes half\nclosed, she looked at her companion and gave him\na warm look. A cheerful \"Chirp\" she added. The turquoise touch\nof her eyes reflected\nin Roland's pupils.\nShe came closer to him and licked her tongue\nonce across his cheek. His serious face cleared\nsuddenly and a\nbroad smile escaped his mouth. Roland got out of the pool. Kyndle threw\nhim out with a\nslanted head held\nand a slightly puzzled look, accompanied by a rather\nplaintive \"Meep\". Roland turned around\nquickly to face her. He made a rising and\nfalling hand gesture. \"Calm\ndown.\" he said softly. He walked closer to the\nlow table next to the tub and pulled his wet shirt\noff, followed by the dropping\npants. He grabbed a washcloth from\nthe table and\nreturned to his dragoness. Back in the tub, he was\ngreeted by Kyndle with a cheerful \"Chirp\". Roland knelt in the\nwater beside the female and dipped the cloth\nonce under. He\npushed him off briefly and grabbed with a hand gently to her left foreleg.\nHe started rubbing the now somewhat softened residual\nblood from her front leg. The bleeding had stopped just a few hours ago, but\nthat did not change the fact that the wound was still sensitive.\nRoland held her foreleg\nand freed it from\nthe overlapping of the traces of the injury. Kyndle\nfelt the hands of\nher companion and gazed with moist eyes in\nhis face. He kept his head down and focused on her treatment. She\nwinced as he\nrubbed the cloth over\nthe healing wound. Roland felt it a slight tingling in his\nleft shoulder and glanced up at her. She\nclosed her eyes halfway and began\nto purr softly. He smiled and looked\ndeep into her blue staining. The turquoise is shining brightly\nat him. Roland lost\nhimself in the strong look.\nHe let the cloth\nfall into the water and ran his hand over her shoulder slowly up the neck.\nKyndle tilted her head slightly as she felt emphasize his hand gently on her scales. She\npurred softly further and came closer to her\ncompanion. The dragoness closed her eyes, moved her head slowly to his and held him while\ninclined to since. Roland could not do anything else, as\nreciprocate her gesture. In the\nnext moment he felt her lips on his. The velvet\nshed lay on his\nmouth and he could feel the intense\nvibrations of her purring in his head. Just\nan incredible feeling. He held both hands to her head\nand leaned slightly\nstronger into the close contact. After a moment he broke the loving kiss\nand looked slightly confused at the female\nbefore him. Kyndle closed her eyes again\nand snuggled her\nhead on Roland's chest. Purring softly she lay silently\none of her wings around him. The boy took his\ndragoness in the\narm. The last\nmoment forgotten shortly, he was just happy that\nshe was back with him. Together they listened to the silence of the\nmoment. The gentle surge of warm\nwater accompanied the gentle\npurr of the female. Roland closed his eyes\nrelaxed and enjoyed\nsilence her tight society. ...... In the\nstudy, Catherine sat on the big chair\nand let concentrates\nthe letter, which was delivered to her\nby Daniel. \"He?! A\nCompanion?\" was astonished\nby Catherine. She lowered the message of Barnabas\nfrom sight and looked\nconfused at Daniel.\nHe nodded wordlessly.\n\"And Kyndle is to be a descendant of the Five?\" she added. \"I\nknow it sounds unbelievable,\nbut after what I\nsaw today, I am fully convinced.\"\nreplied Daniel. \"Who else has knowledge of that?\" hacked the\nwoman after determining. \"Except for the mentioned persons of Barnabas.\"\nHe collected his thoughts shortly. \"Tamara, the\nlandlady of the Iron Maiden,\nMardon a fighter in\nthe service of the King and Timmy.\"\nHe looked at his\nmistress confident and raised a hand. \"Do\nnot worry, my Lady. All had agreed\nto keep the\nsecret, until the other companions rises.\"Catherine looked thoughtfully\nat the paper in her hand. \"Then\nwe'll have to trust on the advice of Barnabas and Roland`s decision.\" ...... Roland was freshly\ndried in his bed.\nKyndle was also\nunder the covers and snuggled up close to her\ncompanion. Laid her head on his chest she purred softly in\nher sleep. Roland was awake and had his\narm around her. He glanced down at her\nsmiling as she\nslightly winced at their dreams. In his mind he repeated the strange kiss\nfrom earlier. Thoughtfully, he\nlooked up at the ceiling of the\nroom. \"What did it only\nto mean?\" He\nasked himself. \"Was it simply\na thank you from her? Or, or was there\nmore? \"His mind could be difficult to deal with mixed feelings at\nthe moment. His sense provided\nhim with no clear answer. Torn slowly came over\nhim the fatigue. His eyelids were\nheavy and his mind's voice trailed off. Roland asleep. ...... The sun rose quickly over the horizon and donated their light shine over the\nalmost cloudless sky.\nThe warm rays forced\ntheir way through the wide window\nand tickled Roland\ngently from his sleep. Slowly he opened his eyes. But something was missing. The warmth of another\nbody that had laid him to rest last\nnight was gone. Frantically,\nhe straightened up and looked around. Kyndle was\ngone. An unpleasant shiver ran\ndown the boy's spine. Tense\nhe looked around the\nroom. He felt a slight breeze in the room.The glass door to the terrace was open. He\nhastily got up from the bed\nand slipped into fresh pants. Then he walked quickly to the outside. He looked at the magnificent garden of the property and examined this specifically for something orange red\nfrom. But nothing\nwas to be discovered. No movement was held in\nthe beautiful Botany. A slight\npanic came up in\nhim and he began to breathe heavier.But since. A\nlittle girl came running out from behind a hedge.\nThe woven hair in\na braid could infer that it had to involve\nat Rebecca. She\nran with quick steps across the grass and held\none blue ball in her hands. After a few moments came a little out\njumped behind the green leaves wall. Orange-red\nscales shimmered in\nthe sunlight as the essence of\nthe shadows came. Roland breathed out calmly and let himself\nfall with the\narms on the railing. He watched\nthe dragoness as she ran to the girl.\nRoland sat up again and looked suspiciously\nat the scene. Before the dragoness reached\nthe child she made a great leap into the air and carried herself with\na few wing beats before\nRebecca. She landed a few steps in front of the girl and took an aggressive stance. The child stopped abruptly and\nfell on her knees.\"Kyndle!\" he exclaimed frightened\nand ran back into\nthe room. Shortly donned a shirt he was quickly on\nthe way out. He\njumped down the long stairs and sprinted breathing heavily through the front door. Another jump over the few steps in front of the property and he was in the driveway. After\nanother short sprint he reached\nthe lawn next to the garden,\nbut he found only Rebecca ago. The girl looked at him slightly confused and\nkept doing her head tilted to the side. \"What has chased you to?\" she asked with a wide grin. \"Me?\" replied Roland, breathing heavily. \"Probably you!\" he added, pointing a finger at her. Rebecca saw\nin quite taken aback with her two colored\neyes. The right green and the left turquoise. Her eyes widened\nshortly thereafter. \"Oh!\"\nshe admitted knowing of herself. \"You mean your dragon. No panic.\"\nshe reassured him and smiled. \"We only played catch.\" she added amusement.\n\"And she's really good at it.\" \"Aha.\" replied Roland left. He saw Rebecca with a\nraised eyebrow. \"Why is she out here with you?\" he asked curiously. She held\nout a blue ball. \"This landed on\nthe terrace of your room.\"\nshe began. \"I first knocked on your\ndoor a few times. But you did\nnot respond.\" Roland glanced to the side and rolled his eyes slightly. Rebecca grinned at him. \"Fortunately for me, your room was not locked. That's\nwhy I came in and sneaked to the terrace.\nYou and your dragon have still been\nasleep.\"The boy\nlooked thoughtfully into her two colored eyes. He really had not noticed that someone had come into\nthe room. \"That with the\nunlocked door will change in the future.\" he thought to himself. The girl held her head slightly inclined and saw him still smiling at. \"So\nI'm gone on the terrace and collected my ball, as\nsuddenly your dragon stood\nbehind me.\" She put a more serious face\non. \"I was so\nscared that I accidentally\nthrew my ball over\nthe railing.\" She paused and\nbreathed. \"The dragon glanced\nat me funny and then looked\nbehind the ball. Without\nwaiting a long time I'm outside again had to fetch it again.\" Rebecca began\nto grin again. \"I\nwas quite surprised when I came to meet your\ndragon with the ball in the mouth. She probably\nwanted to apologize to me for\nthe fright.\" She stood up and put the blue\nball on the ground. \"Since\nthat, we're out here.\" she\nadded. \"Oh. And where is Kyndle no... Uff!\" Before he\ncould utter his question he was thrown from something\nheavy on the floor. The boy frowned slightly\nhis face and opened intently exhaling the eyes.\nA light turquoise shimmer flashed at him,\nwhat was accompanied by a welcoming \"Meep\".Roland saw Kyndle\nwith a warm smile and stroked her with\nhis hand on the cheek. \"Who do we have here?\" he said smirking at\nher. The female was lying on\nhis chest and cooed\nhappily, while slightly\nnudging his nose with\nher snout. \"Do you\nsee?\" came laughing by Rebecca, which stood\nnext to the two of them, propped her arms on her\nhips. \"I told you she\nis good at it.\" The boy looked at his companion with a smile. \"It seems so.\" he gave of himself and\nplaced the dragoness\na kiss on the nose. Kyndle cooed happily\nand closed both eyes at his touch. Roland only\nnow noticed that something was\ndifferent about her. The female was wearing a beautiful floral wreath on her head. The woven\nflowers wrapped around her big black horns,\nlike a yellow crown.\nThe sweet fragrance of the colorful leaves his\nnostrils. \"Who made you so pretty?\"\nhe asked his companion and smiled at her.\nKyndle purred softly\nat his comment and\ngave a pleased \"Chirp\"\nof herself. Then she\nturned her eyes on Rebecca. Roland also\nlooked at the girl. \"I\nhave made it for her.\" she said,\ngrinning happily at the dragoness. \"Why that?\" Roland asked curiously. The girl turned her gaze briefly on the ground. \"I wanted\nto apologize so.\" she began\nhesitantly. Roland widened slightly surprised\nhis gaze. \"For before yesterday.\" she added. \"I was probably a little jealous, or something.\" The boy saw the girl slightly\nsuspicious. \"Did your mother\ntold you to apologize?\" he asked smirking slightly.\nThe child kept her eyes obstinately bent to the side, slightly grimaced. \"Yes.\"\nshe gave upset\nby herself.Roland smiled quietly to\nhimself. \"Jealous of me?\nWhy?\" he hacked at. Rebecca once shook her\nhead. \"I do not\nknow. All have suddenly made just\nfor you.\" Her view more slightly sad to\nbottom. \"And no one has noticed me.\"Roland took a deep breath. \"That's no reason to\nbe jealous.\" he began\ncalmly and smiled\nat the little girl. \"Just\nlook at it from the better side. If I had not come here.\" he paused for air. \"You\nwould not have now such a great playmate.\" Rebecca lifted her slightly sad\nlook and began to smile. \"Does that mean I should continue\nplay with the dragon, uh I mean Kyndle?\"\nThe girl looked at him with big eyes. Roland view\nmore briefly to\nthe dragoness, this\nlooked back with half-closed\neyes and gave with a nodding gesture a\ncheerful \"chirp\" of\nherself. Roland shrugged. \"Why\nnot?\" he said soberly. Rebecca came up to him\nand hugged him briefly.\n\"Thank you!\" she gave pleased by and walked\ncloser to Kyndle. \"Come on, I'll show you my favorite spot in the garden!\" she said to the female\ndragon and ran ahead a bit. Kyndle looked\nquestioningly at Roland. This crossed his arms and\nsmiled warmly at the\nfemale. With closed eyes, he\ngestured with his\nhead behind the\ngirl. The female cooed happily and gave a\ncheerful \"Meep\" of\nherself before she followed with rapid steps Rebecca.\nThe boy\nlooked smiling at his companion, until\nshe disappeared behind the hedge. Suddenly he noticed a strange\nhand on his shoulder. Easily\nstartled, he turned his head to\nthe person. Sasha\nlooked at him with his tired look. \"I would\nadvise you to\nwear suitable shoes for outside.\" Roland\nlooked slightly confused\nat the man\nbefore he noticed\nit. He looked down and noticed only now that he\nstood barefoot on\nthe grass. He closed his eyes\nand grinned, exhaling to himself. ...... \"Alright.\" Catherine said to the group, which\nhad gathered in the study. \"You know now all\nabout the current situation and how to proceed about\nit.\" Questioningly looked at\nthe faces. Koris, Daniel, Loretta and\nTimmy nodded wordlessly.\n\"Then that would be released.\" she said with relief. \"Ah, and something\nmore. Is now a place to sleep for\nKyndle been set\nup in the stables?\" she asked calmly. Tim raised his hand and\ntook a breath to begin\na sentence. \"That\nwill probably not be necessary.\"\ndrove him Daniel\nin between. Timmy sniffed and grimaced,\nshaking his head. \"Oh. And why not?\" asked the\nlady. \"I think Roland\nwant to have the\ndragon in his vicinity, and after the recent events\nI can also understand\nthat.\" He saw at his mistress\nwith eyes open. \"The two are anyway difficult to\nseparate.\" he added. Catherine\nlooked back at him with a slight smile.\n\"His room seems probably to have enough place for both.\" she began with a smile. \"Even if she will be determined\nstill greater.\" She added. ****** \n\"And so remained\nresidents of Ironwing.\nThe secret of the boy, about his determination well cared, the days passed.\" said the narrator. \"Days became weeks. And weeks turned in years.\" he continued. \"Wait a minute!?\" was a listener in\nbetween. \"Is that already\nthe end?\" he hacked at.\nThe narrator shook his head with eyes\nclosed, followed by a dry laugh. \"The\nend? No.\" he replied. \"This is just the beginning.\"\nhe added. \"I thought, you tell us about your education?\" asked another audience.\nRoland slowly raised\nboth hands. \"Just be\npatient, my friends.\" he said calmly. He scratched his chin thoughtfully. \"The training began about five years later.\" He took\na deep breath and turned back to\nthe attentive table round. \"In recent ...\".****** In recent years, Roland\nhad settled in well on the beautiful property, made it his new home. A warm sunrise started\nthe new day. A messenger rode swiftly\napproached the gate of the house.\nThe guard at the passage\nraised his hand, whereupon the rider stopped. This\nreached into his pocket and pulled out\na rolled letter which he handed to the uniformed\nman. The guard brought\nthe document with hasty steps to his\nmistress. Catherine took the\nletter and looked a little\nscared on the\ntape to the role. The seal of the king was depicted.","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/743452-five-dragons-tlop-chapter-3-big-city-adventure.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/744483-five-dragons-tlop-chapter-5-the-agony-of-choice.json"}