Scottish Riders, A HTTYD Story Chapter 3

Scottish Riders: A HTTYD Story
By Silverstripe24

Chapter 3
“Off we go, laddie,” I urged Thunder forward and the stallion reluctantly lifted his snout from the stream and turned back to the trail. Royan had insisted on leaving even earlier than normal this morning after the incident with the Deadly Nadders last night, and we were forced into eating our breakfast on the saddle. As he trotted forward, Thunder gave snort of annoyance. He was tired, I knew he was, but Crag was more so. The older stallion had taken a rather big scare from those dragons, and didn’t sleep as long as he should have. I stifled a yawn as I glanced at my brother. Royan’s eyelids drooped, and I saw him jerk his head slightly when sleep threatened to overtake him. If his night was anything like mine, it was restless. The journey had taken a toll on all of us.
We were moving along a mountain path between two gigantic peaks, trees all around us, whispering in the breeze. I felt a thrill of excitement, for I knew we couldn’t be far off now. The horses moved at a steady pace for about another hour or so before we crested a rise.
“Royan, look!” I shouted in delight at the view that greeted me. “We’re almost there!”
“Thank Odin fer tha’,” Royan breathed, but I could see the excitement on his face.
We stood at the edge of a ridge that smoothly swept down into the valley below, which opened up to the ocean on its far end. An uncountable number of trees filled most of the valley, and a large river snaked its way along until it poured into the ocean. A large waterfall thundering over a cliff side was its source, and it could easily be seen from where Royan and I stood. Near the end of the valley by the ocean stood our uncle’s giant castle, surrounded by a village and farmland before giving way to the forests. A number of docks jutted out into the salty ocean where several boats were moored, and I hoped that we hadn’t missed the traders.  A bustling market stood on the dock-side of the village, where people would go to sell and trade their wares. The castle was surrounded by a large outer wall, but the gates were open to the village most of the time. The private stables for our uncle’s family resided inside the outer wall, and I knew Thunder and Crag were looking forward to a long rest and a trough filled with oats.
I could feel my exhaustion ebbing away as I continued to gaze at the valley. I could see everything from my standpoint on the ridge, and soon I could hardly contain myself, “Let’s go, laddie!” I urged and Thunder sprung forward with a joyful whinny. Racing down the slope of the ridge and into the valley, I let out a joyous whoop. I crouched low on the saddle and glanced back to see Royan and Crag not far behind. The valley was wide and large and mostly filled with trees, but at the moment we didn’t care. As soon as we reached level ground Thunder sped into a gallop, weaving along the trail without breaking stride. His dark gray mane whipped back, tail streaming behind him, Thunder could not be feeling more alive.
I heard a neighing from behind and looked back only to have Crag and Royan gallop past Thunder and I. Royan had a mischievous grin on his face and laughed as they sped past.
“Yer gonna hav’ ter be faster than tha’ if ye want ter beat us!” Royan crowed, his mood clearly lifted.
“We’ll see abou’ tha’!” I yelled in response and nudged Thunder’s sides with my heels, urging him to go faster. The black stallion obliged with a determined snort and pumped his legs harder to catch up with the older stallion. Thunder slowly but steadily crept up to Crag, and soon the pair were running neck-and-neck along the trail, side my side. Royan was mirroring my position, crouching low on Crag’s saddle, but it was harder for him with his bulk.  Looking ahead we saw a large fallen tree across the path. Royan flashed me a challenging glance, which I returned with an accepting wink. Without breaking stride, both stallions leaped. The world seemed to slow down for a few heartbeats as we hung in the air, soaring over the fallen tree. With the thudding of hooves, Thunder and Crag landed and took off once again. Still side by side, Thunder fought to overtake Crag, but the more experienced stallion wasn’t going to give up without a fight.
We were so preoccupied with our race that we didn’t notice the rapidly-approaching river as the trees thinned out, and I screeched, “Look out!” I tugged at Thunder’s reins and he stumbled, his hooves skidding slightly on the leaf-littered trail. He skittered to a halt meters from the water, pebbles shifting and clicking under his hooves. Royan managed to bring Crag to a stop a bit more gracefully, but still reached about the same distance from the bank as I did.
“Tha’ came up faster than I expected,” He commented, breathing hard.
“Agreed,” I added, breathing hard too. “We better go an’ find the bridge, then.”
“Good idea,” Royan agreed and turned Crag upstream. There were only a few bridges along the river, the one closest to the trail we took was upstream, and it was part of the main trail taken most often by travelers. Our trail was less travelled because few ever went to our village or to the areas around it, so Royan and I pretty much made it on our own, ending it at the riverbank so we could easily travel upstream to the main trail without getting lost in the trees. Heavy mists often cloaked the valley, coming down from the mountains and from the sea, making it hard to navigate off of the trail. One year, when I was fifteen and Royan was eighteen, we accidentally got off the trail when the mists came in. And of course it was that year that I happened to forget our compass. Without it, we were stuck until the mists cleared out and we were able to find the trail again. Aunt Arnora was frantic because we had arrived almost a day late, and to this day Mum always reminds me to pack the compass.
The river rushed along as the horses ambled along the bank, pebbles clicking as they shifted. Thunder snuffled and turned his head toward the water. Obliging, I allowed him to dip his head and take a few long, deep gulps of the cold mountain water. Royan let Crag stop for a drink a few paces ahead. While they drank, I gazed along the visible length of the river. It was very wide, about 100 meters, with a fairly large sand bank rising up from the river at its center. In fact, as my gaze rested on the bank, I saw a Hideous Zippleback, a Gronckle, and a mob of Terrible Terrors resting on the sunbaked sand. The Gronckle appeared to be crunching on some rocks contentedly while the Zippleback attempted to use the ends of its forked tail to lure fish, reaching around with its long necks. The mob of Terrors was nearby, watching with large eyes and flickering tongues.
Thunder lifted his head, thirst quenched and water dripping from his snout, and turned back along the bank to follow Royan and Crag. Neither he nor the chestnut stallion had seen the dragons; and if Royan had, he gave no sign of it. We continued along the bank for about half an hour before we reached the bridge, a large wooden structure stretching across the wide, watery expanse of the river. The horses’ hooves thudded on the wood as we crossed, but the structure was strong and did not waver in the slightest. The bridge was wide enough for eight horses to walk comfortably side by side, essentially leaving enough space for two carriages moving in opposite directions to move past each other with plenty of space to spare.
Looking behind and ahead of us beyond the bridge, I could see a wide worn path through the trees, the branches creating a sort of tunnel through the forest. We didn’t see any other travelers even as we reached the end of the bridge and entered the forest’s leafy embrace, but the closer we got to our uncle’s castle, the more likely the possibility of seeing other travelers became. Royan and I didn’t speak much as we traversed the last long stretch of our journey, but not because we had nothing to say, far from it. We simply didn’t need words for the elation we were feeling as we neared the castle; at seeing our uncle, aunt, and cousins again. Even Thunder and Crag seemed to realize we were almost there, for their steady trot never faltered, and their eyes glowed. After about another hour, the trees began to thin out and the castle loomed into view. Emerging from the forest, we stood at the edge of some fields dotted with trees, which gave way to farmland further on. The village lay beyond, along with the castle and port. We were almost there!
“Yah!” Royan shouted, digging his heels into Crag’s sides. The stallion leaped forward and slowly sped into a gallop.
“Oi!” I shouted with a slight laugh. “Wait fer me!” I jerked Thunder’s reins and he took off into an almost immediate gallop to catch up to the chestnut stallion. I could hear Royan’s laughter as we caught up, and I immediately shouted, “Las’ one ter the village is a pile o’ dead fish!” And with that I urged Thunder to go faster, crouching low on his saddle to help, and he happily obeyed. The black stallion pumped his legs harder and faster, breaking past Crag and Royan in a few seconds. It was my turn to laugh now as my brother’s face turned from a look to triumph to a look of frustrated surprise. We raced through the fields and passed several farmers working on their farms, some giving us surprised looks, others amused looks, a couple rolled their eyes, and still others gave us no notice. The edge of the village was rapidly approaching, and Thunder put on a burst of speed. He galloped into the village moments before Crag did, and I gently eased him to a halt.
Royan halted Crag next, “Ye were lucky tha’ time,” he insisted stubbornly, but he had a look of friendly humor in his eyes that told me he didn’t really mean what he said. “Right, firs’ things firs’, off ter the stables so Crag an’ Thunder can take a nice long rest.”
“Good idea,” I agreed, and clicked my tongue to Thunder. He started forward down the village path, Royan and Crag close behind. As we moved along deeper into the village, a couple people waved at us in acknowledgement, and some shouted greetings. Even though we only visited once a year, we were fairly well-known in the village, though it might be because we’re related to the Clan Chief, our uncle.  Still, at least I was liked more in this village; the people here didn’t care so much that I wasn’t a perfect lady like I’m “supposed” to be. So naturally, I actually had friends in more of the villagers here than at home.
The warm, tantalizing scent of freshly baked bread wafted to my nostrils, and I felt my stomach growl in response. I could see the bakery now, the inside glowing from the hot coals in the oven. Thunder nickered, and I forced myself to ignore the bread’s scent. The further we got into the village, the more crowded it became as more people bustled by, and in and out of the village market near the port. I felt a sense of happiness wash over me as the familiarity of the village sank in once more; I knew this village as well as my own, and I was very much glad to be back. I was so busy taking in the sights of the village that I hadn’t noticed Royan heading in a completely different direction.
     Halting Thunder, I looked at my brother quizzically, “Royan, where are ye goin’?”
     “Wha’?” Royan looked distracted. “Oh, sorry lass, I was jus’ goin’ ter look at something, I’ll see ye back at the castle later a’right?”
     I shifted in Thunder’s saddle and saw where he was heading. I fought the urge to smirk, “Okay, enjoy yerself, then.”
     Royan gave me a nod and trotted off on Crag. Once he was out of earshot I let out an amused laugh, “‘e really thinks ‘e can fool me? Sometimes I swear he wouldn’a know how ter be discreet even if it slapped ‘im over his head.” I knew very well what he was going to “look at;” it was the Baker’s daughter, that’s what. She was very pretty, and the Baker liked Royan, so naturally he’s had a crush on her for years. That’s why Mum and Dad couldn’t get him to marry; he wanted the Baker’s daughter, not just any girl from our village. Secretly I hoped that they would get married someday, even if it meant Royan having to live here year-round. Of all the girls he could choose, I liked her best.
     Suppressing another laugh, I steered Thunder back toward the castle gates. The castle itself resided on a rise overlooking the village, at the village’s far end to the north. To the east of the castle and the village was the sea, to the north the mountains, and to the west, south, and southwest, the huge swath of forest with more mountains beyond it. The river lay to the south of the castle, deep in the forest. I passed numerous buildings and houses as I made my way through the village. I passed the tavern, where several horses were picketed outside, and a large inn nearby. I remembered a time, when I was about thirteen, when Aggie and I watched with amusement as a couple drunk men staggered out of the tavern one evening and, instead of mounting their horses, tried to mount the pair of troughs outside the tavern. Luckily the cold water brought some sense back into them, for they managed to stagger into the inn for the night. I was so distracted by my thoughts that I nearly jumped out of the saddle when I heard a voice nearby:
     “Saria, is tha’ you?” A boy close to my age, about a year older, appeared from an open building just ahead on the path, wiping his forehead with a blackened rag. He was fairly tall, dark-haired, and hard muscle moved under the sleeveless vest he wore. I saw his blue-green eyes light up and he threw the rag he had been holding over his shoulder, “It is you!” He exclaimed and walked over. I pulled Thunder to a gentle halt and to my surprise, the boy lifted me from the saddle with ease and pulled me into a hug, “It’s great ter see you again, lass.”
     The boy’s name was Daegan MacAlister, apprentice blacksmith in this village. He was one of my good friends here, and he never judged me for being different. He was a talented smith, and a rather good swordsman too. Of course, he had to be, he had older brothers to compete with. He also had a younger sister, though she didn’t worry him as much. Daegan and I met when we were both fourteen, the year he started his apprenticeship. I may have seen him around the village once or twice on previous trips, but we never officially met until that year. Thunder had lost a horseshoe after we crossed the bridge over the river and needed a new one, so naturally Royan and I stopped at the blacksmith’s to get him a new one. The smith had Daegan make it as his first official task, and well, we talked and got to know each other. After that, I tried to at least go and see him a couple times every year Royan and I made the trip here.
     Flustered, “It’s great ter see you too, Daegan.” I said with a slight laugh.
     He released me with a grin, and for the first time I noticed that he had gotten taller, and I had to look up to meet his gaze. “How are ye?” Daegan asked. “Anythin’ interestin’ happen since las’ year?”
     “No’ really,” I answered truthfully. “Nothin’ ever goes on in mah village. Though there ‘as been more thieves abou’ this year.”
     “Really?” Daegan asked. “I haven’ heard anythin’ like tha’ aroun’ here.” His gaze rested on my bow I had slung over my shoulders. “I see ye still hav’ tha’ bow. Are ye a master shooter yet?” An amused and teasing grin played across his face.
     “I’m certainly better than ye could e’er be,” I countered with a mischievous grin.
     Daegan mockingly clutched his chest, “Oh, tha’s a low blow lassie! Ye’ve hurt mah feelin’s, ye have!” We both laughed and he added, “It’s good ter see ye haven’ changed.”
     I gave him a slightly perplexed look, “Why would I change?”
     He looked taken by surprise for a moment, but before he could reply I heard someone else calling my name, and we both turned to see a familiar girl about our age trotting over on a beautiful mare.
     “Saria, ye made it!” My cousin called out.
     “Aggie!” I called back.
     Aggie gently eased her mare, Aldis, to a halt. She was a tiny bit taller than me, with long, straight, smooth dark brown hair, an emerald green tunic whose sleeves widened out at the ends, the bottom fell below her knees, and a pair of tall, brown boots. Some of her hair hung by the side of her face bound by silvery bands, and a huge grin covered her face, her brown eyes alight in joy. Aggie slid gracefully from Aldis’s saddle and swept me into a hug, which I returned.
     “It’s so great tah see you again!” Aggie exclaimed, pulling back. “I’ve got so much ter tell ya!”
     “Me too!” I replied excitedly. “Ye wouldn’a believe wha’ happened las’ night! Our camp was visited by a pair o’ Deadly Nadders!”
     “Nadders?” Aggie gasped. “An’ they didn’a hurt ye?”
     “Ye never mentioned an’a Nadders ter me,” Daegan added.
     “Well, it was rather frightening ter be hones’,” I said. “Royan an’ I were jus’ gon’na eat the fish from the river I’d shot with my bow an’ suddenly we could hear ‘em sneaking around the trees near the camp!”
     “Did they attack ye?” Aggie asked.
     “One o’ ‘em pinned Royan ter the ground, but on’y after he tried ter attack it wi’ his axe. An’ the other merely spooked me an’ made me fall ter the ground. Didn’a lay a claw on me.” I replied.
     “How’d ye get them ter leave?” Daegan asked. “An’ why did they show up?”
     “It must o’ been the fish,” Aggie supplied. “Dragons like fish, I know tha’.”
     “Yes!” I agreed. “I noticed the dragon loomin’ o’er me was eyein’ the fish, so I threw some o’ it away from me an’ it snapped it up in one bite! Royan tossed the dragon on top o’ him some fish too, an’ once they had eaten it all, they left.”
     “Jus’ like that?” Daegan asked, one of his eyebrows raised in puzzlement.
     “Well, the one who scared me licked mah face before it left,” I added. “An’ Royan and I at least had our fish stew left ter eat.”
     “It licked ye?” Aggie exclaimed.
     “Yes,” I replied. “It surprised me too; I ne’er would hav’ expected it. I mean,” I looked at Aggie, “I’ve heard stories wi’ ye from traders abou’ people trainin’ an’ flyin’ on dragons, but until now I ne’er realized tha’ it jus’ might be true. The stories don’ seem as far-fetched an’a more.”
     Aggie’s face broke into an excited grin, “Then jus’ ye wait, hav’ I got a surprise fer yah back at the castle!”
     “Wait, wha’ kind o’ surprise?” I asked excitedly, glancing between my cousin and Daegan, in case my friend’s expression would give it away.
     “Go on ahead then, lassie,” Daegan gave me a one armed hug. “Ye’ll fin’ out once ye get there.” He winked at me, “I have ter ge’ back an’a way, got ter finish makin’ those spearheads. I’ll see ye soon, I’m sure.” And with that, he turned at returned to the forge.
     “Come on, Saria!” Aggie urged, climbing back up onto Aldis’s back. “Let’s ge’ Thunder back ter the stables an’ I can show you mah surprise!”
     “Let’s go, then!” I replied, settling myself back into Thunder’s saddle. “Ye can lead the way.”
     Aggie skillfully steered Aldis back around and headed back the way she came, Thunder and I following. Aggie led the way through the village at a steady pace, probably to give Thunder as much of a break as she could from all the travelling. But once he was in the stable, he could rest and eat as much oats as he liked. We had to pass through a portion of the market as we made our way to the outer wall’s gates, weaving our way past many villagers and traders laden with goods. But soon we broke away from the crowds and the village and reached the foot of the rise where the castle rested. I whispered encouragingly to Thunder as he appeared to falter at the slope. It wasn’t steep by any means, but for a stallion who had been on his hooves all day for a week straight, any slope was steep. Aldis must have sensed Thunder’s weariness, for she turned her head and whinnied encouragingly to him. The black stallion gave a determined snort and kept moving.
     At the top of the slope were the castle gates, and there to greet us was my aunt, and Aggie’s mum, Arnora. She waved with an expression of relief on her face, but it quickly turned to a look of worry when her gaze rested on me, “Saria, lassie, it’s so good tah see you!” She exclaimed as I slid down from Thunder’s back. “But lass, look at yerself, an’ yer clothes! Ye didn’a run into trouble on yer trip, did ye?”
     She began brushing off dirt from my tunic and pants, “It was nothin’ Royan an’ I couldn’ ‘andle,” I told her.
     “Well, ‘s long as ye both are safe,” Aunt Arnora sighed. “Where is dear Royan, lass? I don’ see him wi’ ye.”
     “He’s off to visit the baker,” I grinned mischievously. “’e should be back by supper.”
     “They ‘ad a run-in wi’ a couple o’ Deadly Nadders, mum,” Aggie put in excitedly. “Bu’ they on’y wanted their fish, so once they go’ that, they left.”
     “Deadly Nadders?!” Aunt Arnora exclaimed. “And ye didn’a get stuck by an’a spines?”
     “Wha’s this I hear about Deadly Nadders?” a new voice came in. “Hallfred, did ye hear tha’?”
     “Tha’ I did Gersten,” Aggie’s older brother Hallfred chimed in after his twin. “Wha’s up wi’ tha’, Saria? Ol’ Royan couldn’a handle a couple o’ dragons?”
     “Where is the lad, an’a way?” Gersten added.
     “He’s off courting the baker’s daughter, probably,” I replied with a grin.
     The twins suddenly looked as if they were offended, and Gersten said mockingly, “He’s off ter see her?” he gasped. “Hallfred, I am surprised at him!”
     “I agree, Gersten!” Hallfred replied. “Wha’s that lass got tha’ we don’ got?”
     “I say we go an’ give him a telling-to!” Gersten added.
     “Aye, le’s go find ol’ Royan,” Hallfred nodded. “Neglect ‘is family, ha!”
     Aggie, Aunt Arnora, and I laughed with amusement as the twins stomped exaggeratedly down the slope to fetch my older brother. ‘I can see they’re never gon’na change,’ I thought to myself with a grin.
     “Come on then, Saria,” Aggie urged. “Le’s get Thunder settled an’ I’ll show ye mah surprise!”
     “Great!” I replied, following my cousin as she led the way through the gates and into the courtyard.
     “Don’ run off fer too long!” Aunt Arnora called. “We’re havin’ supper at sunset!”
     “A’right Mum!” Aggie threw her reply over her shoulder. My cousin led the way through the cobblestone paths of the castle’s courtyard, passing walkways through other parts of the castle and servants bustling about carrying bundles of cloth or food. Aggie made a turn through a tunnel that led to the part of the courtyard where the stables were located. It was a large, rectangular space open to the sky with stalls lining both sides and the far end. The stalls were shaded from the sun and could easily be closed up in cold weather. Hay and straw littered the courtyard, which had about four or five water troughs. Aggie led the way to the stalls on the far side of the courtyard, Aldis following her. Thunder snorted happily at the sight of a place to rest and eat his fill, and pulled slightly on his lead, dragging me along.
     Aggie laughed at the stallion’s antics, “Aw, is the laddie wantin’ ter take a rest?” She stoked his nose, and he stopped pulling me. “Don’ worry lad, we hav’ a stall specially made up fer you.” Turning to help Aldis to settle herself in her stall, Aggie pointed to the stall for Thunder, “Go on ahead, I’m sure ye remember which one is his.” Aggie said to me.
     “I’m sure he remembers too,” I replied with a grin. My aunt and uncle kept stalls reserved for Thunder and Crag, for when we visited in the summer. Thunder’s was large and spacious, giving him plenty of room to move around, eat his fill of oats, and rest to his heart’s content. A wooden sign above the stall bore his name, just like every other stall for the family’s horses. The black stallion trotted contentedly into his stall, immediately quenching his thirst in his water trough before plunging his nose into the oats set out just for him.
     I followed him inside and stroked his neck gently, pulling up on his reins, “Jus’ a moment, laddie,” I soothed. “Le’ me ge’ this off an’ then the oats are all yers.” I removed his reins and bridle, hanging them up on a hook on the wall. Once it was off, Thunder snorted contentedly and planted his nose right back in the oats. Shaking my head in amusement, I proceeded to remove his saddle and saddlebags, hanging them over the side of the stall. I emptied the saddlebags of what little food and supplies were left in them and stuffed them in my pack. I then took a few minutes to give the lad a good brushing, his back was all ruffled from wearing a saddle almost constantly for a week. Not to mention his mane and tail were a mess as well.
     Aggie waited patiently as I ran the brush all over my stallion’s back, neck, mane, and tail. Soon his coat was glossy and his mane and tail were sleek and shiny again. Thunder brushed his nose on my cheek in thanks before returning to his trough. With that I scooped up my pack and brushed myself off before leaving the stall. I left Thunder’s gate open in case he wanted to wander the stable’s courtyard with Aggie’s family’s steeds, but I knew that he would stay inside for a well-deserved rest.
     “Ye ready?” Aggie asked, her eyes bright with excitement.
     “Aye,” I replied. “Le’s go see tha’ surprise yeh’ve been talkin’ about!”
     “Follow me!” Aggie called over her shoulder as she raced out of the stable’s courtyard toward another part of the castle. We passed several people bustling about as Aggie led the way toward the other side of the castle. I could feel my excitement building up inside me, what could Aggie’s surprise be? I couldn’t even begin to guess what it could be.
     “Wait ‘ere!” Aggie skidded to a halt when we reached a corner. “I’ll be righ’ back!”
     I nodded anxiously as my cousin dashed around the corner, and I could hear her rummaging around. What was she doing? My question was answered as she reappeared with a piece of torn cloth.
     “Here, tie this ‘round yer head ter cover yer eyes,” Aggie told me, handing me the cloth.
     “Do I really hav’ to?” I asked. “Can’ I just see it already?”
     “No, ye can’!” Aggie laughed. “Jus’ a minute more, I promise.”
     “A’right, if you insist,” I gave in and tied the cloth over my eyes. “Ye bet’er lead me, then.”
     I felt her hand grasp mine, “This way, yer gon’na be so surprised!” My cousin tugged on my hand and lead me, I assumed, around the corner she had disappeared around moments earlier. She didn’t lead me far when I heard a strange rumbling noise ahead, and a soothing hiss from Aggie. She halted and dropped my hand, “Wait here a momen’,” she said.
     I bounced excitedly on my toes and heard the rumbling noise again, “Now?” I begged.
     “A’right,” Aggie replied. “Take i’ off!”
     In my eagerness, my fingers fumbled with the knot for a moment before I tore off the cloth and my jaw dropped at the sight that greeted me. My cousin stood in front of me with what was unmistakably a large orange furry dragon. “Oh gods…” I gasped. “You-you hav’ a dragon! A real dragon!”
     The dragon made the same rumbling noise I heard mere seconds ago and stretched its neck toward me, sniffing my hair and ruffling it with a puff of air.
     “Saria, meet Smite!” Aggie said with a grin. “Smite, this’s mah cousin, Saria. She’s a friend.” Smite nuzzled the top of my head with his short snout and made the rumbling sound again. Tentatively, I reached my hand up to stroke him. His orange fur was silky smooth and soft, and I almost sneezed as his maroon beard tickled my nose.
     “Aggie, this is amazing!” I exclaimed. “He’s a beauty! How in tha world did ye manage ter tame him? An’ wha’ breed is he? I don’ think I’ve ever seen a dragon like him!”
     Aggie grinned at my excitement and stroked the dragon’s neck, “He’s a Firelator, Stoker Class. They’re very loyal dragons an’ they’ll bond closely ter their rider. Or a’ least tha’s wha’ I’ve learned from ‘im.”
     “Wow…” I stood in awe of Smite. He was huge, with four long legs, a swinging tail, long neck, and gorgeous wings. He was mostly orange with patches of longer, maroon colored hair along his spine, the elbows and ankles of his legs, and his face, which gave him a beard. His belly was armored and yellow, and a pair of yellowish horns adorned his head. His wings were feathered and a dark maroon in color, and shone in the light of the sun. Not only was Smite the first dragon I had actually been this close to (besides the Nadders), he was also a breed I had never heard of before. I couldn’t even begin to describe how gleeful I felt at that moment. “How did ye meet, then? An’ how long ago was i’?”
     Aggie sat down on the grass and leaned against Smite before she spun her tale. I sat too and listened eagerly. My cousin told me about her family’s hike into the nearby mountains, one they took each year or so as a tradition. She had gotten separated from her family by a rock slide and only had the family’s Terrible Terror, Bogey, to keep her company. Frightened, Aggie had tried to retrace her path only to get herself more lost than before. She took shelter in a cave only to find it occupied by an angry bear. Just when she thought she was going to be eaten, Smite burst into the cave and saved her. Aggie told me how she at first thought the dragon would eat her, but then found out he was really friendly and helped her find her family again. After giving the dragon’s scruffy and dirty coat a good brushing, Aggie found a new friend in Smite and decided to keep him.  And now he stayed at the castle, sleeping in his own, specially made stable built just outside Aggie’s bedroom window on the ground floor.
     “An’ tha’s it, really,” Aggie finished.
     “Wow,” I breathed in awe. “Tha’s amazin’! ‘s really true, then! Yah really can train a dragon!”
     “Yah reall’ah can,” Aggie grinned. “A’though, ‘e’s no’ perfectly trained. ‘e’s go’ me trained tah go flyin’ wi’ him whene’ver he wants tah.”
     “Really? You?” I asked in surprise. “You, who’s always been afraid o’ heights, actually flies wi’ him?”
     “Surprisingly, ‘m not reall’ah scared when I’m flyin’ wi’ ‘im,” Aggie said. “’s like, all o’ mah fear jus’ goes away.”
     “Tha’s great, Aggie!” I exclaimed. “Smite mus’ reall’ah make ye feel safe.”
     “’e does,” Aggie replied, fondly stroking the dragon’s neck.
     “I’ve got tah admit, I wish I ‘ad a dragon too,” I said with a sigh. “Then we could fly aroun’ tahgether, maybe travel beyond the kingdom!”
     “Maybe ye’ll run inter another Deadly Nadder!” Aggie grinned jokingly. “Jus’ go roast some more fish an’ they’ll be swarmin’ yah!”
     “That could work!” I laughed, and Aggie joined in. For a few moments we just sat there, stroking Smite’s orange and maroon fur, much to his pleasure. He hummed contentedly, closing his eyes and laying his head in Aggie’s lap. I thought about how amazing it would be to have my own dragon. It would cut travel time to Aggie’s and back each summer by at least half, and my cousin and I could maybe even travel the countryside and shoreline beyond the kingdom’s borders. I would gain a new companion to keep me company at home when Royan was busy. I might end up riding Thunder less, though. I suppose I could let Mum take him out more if she wanted to, but he doesn’t really like to listen to her. I paused in my train of thought, and a slight wave of worry came over me: what would Mum and Dad think, me bringing a dragon home? What would the other villagers think? The teens my age already disliked me enough, they’d probably shun me altogether if I had a dragon.
     But then I thought of Aggie. She has Smite, and her whole family must accept him. None of the villagers around the castle seem angry or wary of her, and she must still take Aldis out enough, otherwise the mare wouldn’t look so happy and healthy still. If Aggie could do it, so could I, right? Royan would back me up if Mum and Dad disapproved, though honestly I’d be more worried about Mum. Grandmum would probably be excited for me. And if the other villagers want me to leave, I’m sure Uncle Jarlebanke and Aunt Arnora would take me in, and Thunder too. I would just have to visit Mum, Dad, and Grandmum instead of my aunt and uncle…
     I scratched Smite behind his horns, a frown on my face, which Aggie picked up immediately, “Saria, wha’s wrong?”
     “I’m probably crazy fer sayin’ it, but,” I said cautiously. “Maybe gettin’ a dragon would cause more bad than good.”
     “What do yah mean?” Aggie asked, her brow crinkled into a frown.
     I explained my thought process to my cousin, whose face turned from an expression of confusion to understanding.
     “I’d be kicked ou’ o’ mah own village, mos’ likely,” I said. “An’ tha’ would crush Mum, Dad, and Grandmum’s hearts. An’ Royan’s too, bu’ a’ leas’ he’d get tah see me when he comes here in the summer.”
     “Yah don’ know tha’,” Aggie said reassuringly. “Yes, they migh’ not be too keen on the idea o’ a dragon in the village, but it would provide extra protection to them too, yah know.”
     “Tha’ is true,” I admitted. “I dun’no. I’ll deal wi’ it if I do actually ge’ a dragon!” I added jokingly.
     “Then ye go’ nothin’ tah worry abou’,” Aggie said, standing up and brushing herself off. “Come on, supper should be ready soon.” She placed a hand on Smite’s nose, “I’ll see ye later, Smite.” The dragon hummed and nuzzled his rider affectionately in return,
     “Bye buddy,” I scratched Smite under his chin in farewell, and he puffed a cloud of warm air into my hair in thanks.
     Aggie led the way around the outer wall of the castle, leaving Smite to bask in the remaining sunlight outside his stable door. We walked in silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts. But suddenly, just as we reached the large oaken doors that lead to the entrance hall, a strange shriek-like roar sounded in the distance. Aggie and I quickly whipped around and looked up into the sky, which was stained orange and yellow as the sun set over the mountains. There was a brief flicker of movement behind a cloud, a flash of sky blue, before it disappeared again. Then a flash of blue light further away, toward the setting sun and the mountains, accompanied by a more distant roar. Aggie and I exchanged surprised glances.
     “Please tell me yeh’ve heard tha’ roar before?” Aggie asked, her eyes wide.
     “I-I dun’no,” I replied. But I did remember that strange roar I heard with Thunder in the forest a couple weeks ago. Thing is, I hadn’t known what made that roar then, and I certainly didn’t now.