Ransom, Part 1b, original, PG-13
Thursday, August 16th, 2007 04:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tsaikoPicking right up where we left off last post.
The first thing Ransom did in the morning was get out of bed – an actual wooden bed – and put his feet on the floor. The next thing Ransom did was jerk his feet back up, snarl a curse, lean over the bed, and activate the runes that would heat the floor. Several minutes later, when he was sure the stone floors would be actually warm, Ransom got out of bed.
He hated being human.
Unfortunately, turning back from one shape to another drained him and he had a dragon hunter in his lair. Not that Ransom really thought Pace would do anything. He was disgustingly moralistic that way.
Still, instincts were powerful things and they insisted that he not be weak. So he wasn't going to be. That meant wandering around as a human. Perhaps it wasn't too bad a situation. Although he could fit into the passage way when he was in his true form, it was much easier to clean as a human.
I forgot to get the rock golem to move back. Ransom growled at his own forgetfulness. That mud is going to be icy cold now. And snow! There will be snow in my lair.
After pulling on old clothing and old shoes, Ransom took a moment to open the trunk at the end of the bed. Wrapped in cloth was a mirror. Val had given it to him as a present. He'd asked if there were perhaps a way to find a mirror big enough for him to look at while in dragon form, but she'd told him she'd never heard of one so large. Ransom had looked for months, but hadn't been able to find one either. Instead, he could only admire himself when he was human.
His hair was white. That was to be expected given that his scales were white. It didn't shine with colors. In fact it was just a flat white. Boring. A poor substitute for his scales.
His skin was much paler than most people's and never turned any darker. Ransom couldn't judge human beauty, but he'd been told he had beautiful features. It all looked the same to him. Except for his eyes. His eyes were a dark, clear blue just like when he was a dragon. Like sapphires surrounded by pearl.
Flustered, Ransom put the mirror back in the trunk and slammed the lid. He couldn't just admire himself all day long. He had work to do.
Ransom threw open the door to his room and made a noise of frustration. It was freezing. Even the warming floor wasn't going to do much against the cold like this. That's what happens when I forget to put the rock golem back. It gets cold down here. No one to blame but myself, no matter how tempting it is to blame Pace.
First order of business was to get the rock golem back in place. Ransom walked up the tunnel towards the second entrance. He had been right. The mud had a thin rind of ice on it. As he got closer to the entrance, Ransom noticed first frost and then snow. It was only when he was at the entrance that he realized he had a problem on his hands.
Snow had started to form a drift inside the tunnel. Outside, it was several feet deep with more falling. A sharp wind curled around Ransom's ankles. The rock golem was an indistinct shape.
Blizzard. Ransom closed his eyes and sighed. He didn't even need to go look to know that the passes were now closed. Pace was trapped in his valley.
He should not feel so damn pleased about that.
After a few minutes of coaxing, Ransom had the rock golem back in place. That cut off the cold air. He walked back down to his lair, found some rags and a bucket, and walked back up to the tunnel. Then he got down on his hands and knees and cleaned.
Two hours later Ransom was dirty, sore, and tired. But the tunnel was finally clean. He was heading back to his room to change clothes when he came upon Pace. The dragon hunter was kneeling on the floor, his palm pressed to the marble tile.
"It's warm," Pace said when he noticed Ransom. The dragon snorted.
"Yes. If I have to walk around as a human, I'm at least going to do it comfortably." As Ransom spoke he pulled off his shoes. He stretched his toes, ignoring the way Pace stared at the wicked claw on each of his big toes. All dragons that could shift forms had them. It marked them as being dragons the same way the damp edge on clothing marked sirens or a scaled back marked a demon.
"Then is was not just the alcohol. You can take the shape of a person."
"I can." Ransom watched as Pace slowly stood. "I just don't like to unless it's absolutely necessary." And as long as I beat you in our fights and you do my errands like a good little lackey, it's not necessary.
"I... I apologize for my behavior yesterday," Pace said as he took a few steps towards him. Ransom noticed that he moved with the deliberate care of someone nursing a pounding headache. He sketched a small bow. "I was not myself and I appreciate your help."
"Apology accepted," Ransom said graciously. Then, because this was Pace and he was a dragon, "I take it the Princess liked her gift."
Pace winced and then winced again as the gesture upset his head. Ransom couldn't help the vicious smirk on his face. "Yes. Princess Celene was most appreciative." He watched as Pace fiddled with his belt. "I believe I have imposed upon your hospitality enough as it is. If you would show me to my horse, I will make my way out of your valley."
Uh-oh. "You can't leave."
"I have to leave." He was speaking in the deliberate voice. Ransom hated that tone of voice. It meant that the dragon hunter was hiding what he really felt. "The wedding is to be performed at the Winter Solstice. That is only a month away. There are preparations that need to be made and I must attend to them."
"Well you can't." Ransom crossed his arms, suddenly feeling defensive. "Your horse isn't here. I sent it back to... wherever it is you live. Besides which, there's a blizzard going on outside. Even if your mule was here, you wouldn't be leaving."
"You sent my horse back without me?" Pace asked. The clenching of his fists was the only indication that he was not as in control of his emotions as he appeared. "Do you know what people are going to think?"
"That I kidnapped you. Which is true, when you think about it." Ransom smiled. "You were just too drunk to put up much of a fight."
Pace took three steps forward until he was inches from the dragon, forcing Ransom to tilt his head up to meet his eyes. Short. That's another reason I hate this form. Ransom refused to be intimidated. "You can fly me?"
"Do I look like a horse?" Really, being this close to Pace was fascinating. He could practically feel the anger, the heat rolling off of him. Pace's eyes had darkened until they were the exact shade of the darkest amethyst he owned. "I am not taking you any where."
"I will not leave Princess Celene standing at the altar. I will not dishonor her like that. I am leaving."
"By all means, I'm not going to stop you." Ransom spread his hands benevolently. "Have fun with that. And if you manage, which I don't think you will, have fun being miserable with a Princess you don't even want to marry."
Ransom didn't wait for a reply. He turned around and stalked to his room. Idiot should be thanking me, not yelling at me.
He made very, very sure not to wonder why that upset him as much as it did.
***
The first two weeks were filled with tension. Pace stalked around Ransom's lair. He yelled. He threatened. He made demands. More than once Ransom found himself out in the snow for no other reason than if he spent another moment with the dragon hunter he was going to eat him. And not in the way that dragons often joked about amongst themselves.
By the third week, Pace began to mellow. His demands lessened, as did his threats of violence. They began to actually talk. Ransom was particularly charmed by the fact that Pace asked before he touched anything. He was respectful whenever he handled anything of Ransom's. By the end of the week, Ransom let Pace at his prize possessions: his books.
The fourth week came and it was obvious to both that Pace would not be attending any wedding ceremony. Pace seemed to have accepted this. It still bothered him – more than once Ransom had caught him brooding – but he no longer pushed Ransom to get him out of the lair.
So after months of knowing him, Ransom finally felt comfortable in giving the dragon hunter his name.
"Ransom," Ransom said one evening. He had spent the last two weeks in dragon form catching deer for them to eat, and had only recently switched back to human. Pace was hemming a new pair of pants he'd made from some black cloth Ransom had lying around.
"What's that?" Pace said as he carefully sewed. The last pair had been two sizes too big, but this pair seemed to be closer to normal.
"My name. Ransom. You always call me Dragon, but my name is actually Ransom."
"I didn't know you had a name," Pace said. The pants were forgotten as Pace looked at him with those strange almost purple eyes. "My apologies."
Ransom waved away his apologies. "I didn't tell it to you when you introduced yourself. Dragons don't often get human names, so we don't give them out often. We hoard them. Like treasure."
"You don't often get human names?" Pace asked. "So Ransom isn't the name your mother gave you?"
The dragon snorted at that. "No. My mother gave me a name in our own tongue." Ransom paused for a second, then gave a piercing whistle that rose, fell and then transformed into a low thrum of sound. "That's my name in dragon. Or at least as close as a human mouth can make it. It's prettier when actually sung by a dragon."
"Is Ransom a translation of your dragon name then?"
"No." Ransom realized he was going to have to tell the story. What are the chances he hasn't heard that damn ballad? Slim to none. My own fault for even mentioning my name. "Val is the one who gave me my name."
"Val? I did not realize that anyone else visited this valley. Who is he?" Pace asked. There was a tension in his voice that Ransom didn't recognize.
"She's a friend. I helped her find and marry her Prince. They live in lands that border the mountains now." Ransom sighed. "Neither of them visits much in the winter, but come spring they visit here a lot."
Usually to frolic like bunnies in my meadows and make me paranoid about actually seeing two humans naked and doing things.
Ransom knew the moment Pace made the connection. The frown of concentration disappeared to be replaced by surprise. "The lands that border the mountains? You're talking about Lady Valorie and her husband, Prince Aiden. That would make you the white dragon from the Lady Wizard."
"If you want to live dangerously, bring up that song around Val. If you think that dragons are blood thirsty, ask her what she plans to do should she ever find the minstrel who wrote it," Ransom said. His smile was all teeth. "After she's done, I get to play with whatever is left of him."
"Scary." Pace started working on his pants again. "So she gave you the name Ransom? Why?"
"I was supposed to kidnap the daughter of Val's patron and hold her for ransom. Then, the Prince was to rescue the girl and marry her. Val was the one sent to make the deal with me and needed something to call me." Ransom's smile turned more pleased. "Things didn't work out the way Val planned. I kidnapped her instead because she secretly loved the Prince. Val's Prince rescued her and fell in love in return. They are happy."
I got several large sapphires in return and a promise that they would keep the dragon hunters invading my valley down to a minimum. And it worked until Princess Celene just had to have one of my scales. Spoiled brat.
"I would have never guessed that the song was true," Pace said. "I've heard it a dozen times, but thought it was an exaggeration." Suddenly, he looked up from his work. "Ransom." He said the word as if he was tasting it on his tongue. "It fits."
Aren't you the least bit upset that you're missing this wedding that you threw a two week fit over? Ransom wanted to ask, but didn't. Instead, all he said was, "Thank you."
***
Mid-winter and the new year came close together and were usually celebrated as one. They were also a big gift giving time. Ransom usually flew down to the lowlands the day after the celebration to give Val her gift and then returned to his valley. This year he showed up a week early.
"Why are you here so early this year?" Val asked once Ransom had landed in the courtyard. It was nice not being shot at. The guards had a habit of stationing the newest recruits on the battlements when he was expected. "Not that I'm not glad to see you. You've been quiet these last several weeks."
:I have business in town.: Ransom offered his gift, protected by a simple wooden box, to Val and she gently took it from him.
"Ransom, you hate going into town." Val drew her fur lined cloak closer around her. Snow fell in clumps from the sky and there was a bitter wind. "Change and come inside. I know it doesn't bother you, but its cold out here."
:I can't. I have someone waiting for me.: Ransom pretended not to notice his friend's surprise and sudden interest. :I just came to give you your gift. I will explain later, I promise, but I have to go.:
He'd taken off right after, leaving Val to shout questions after him. The truth was, Ransom didn't know how to explain to her what he was doing. He didn't understand it himself. I don't have to give him anything. He's not expecting it. And there's no reason why it has to be something out of my horde.
All the reasoning in the world didn't change the urge to give Pace something. Now it was Mid-Winter's Day. It was time to see if his gift would be well received. Ransom was doing his best to appear nonchalant.
He was failing miserably.
"Dragon, what is wrong with you?" Pace asked when Ransom had slammed the lid of a chest closed for the third time. Ransom growled. Normally, he would talk to Val about this but then he'd have to explain. I don't even know why I'm giving him part of my horde.
:Nothing.: Ransom could tell Pace was annoyed. Nowadays he only called him "dragon" when he was annoyed with Ransom.
"Nothing?" Pace approached him, not at all intimidated by the fact that in dragon form Ransom was bigger than the dragon hunter. He also had teeth and claws, while Pace lacked a sword and armor. "Is this the same nothing that caused you to do nothing but eat and sleep for the last two days?"
:Maybe.: He made a sound in the back of his throat, and was slightly appalled when it came out more whine than growl. :I don't want to talk about it.:
"I do not care." He startled a bit when Pace reached up, wrapped his hands around his nose, and pulled down. Ransom yielded to the pressure until he was staring into Pace's eyes. The dragon hunter's hands were surprisingly gentle. "Out with it. What is bothering you?"
:It was...: Ransom took a deep breath, until all he could smell was Pace. :I was going to wait until tonight. I understand that's traditional.:
"What are you talking about?" The dragon hunter didn't protest when Ransom pulled out of hold and headed towards the back of his horde. Hidden under some ragged rugs Ransom really needed to get rid of was a velvet pouch. Ransom picked it up in his mouth, walked over to Pace, and dropped it into his hands.
"I... I didn't get you anything."
For a long, long moment Ransom wondered if he had violated some obscure human custom somehow. Pace held the pouch in his hand for far longer that the dragon thought necessary. Did I offend him? Was I supposed to let him know? I thought these things were a surprise! If Val has let me play the fool for all these years...
"I am sorry. I have nothing to give you in return." Pace smiled, but it was a mocking thing. "Even if I was drunk when I came here..."
:Don't apologize. You haven't even opened it yet.:
"It doesn't matter what it is. You still went through the trouble to get me something," Pace replied. Still, he opened the pouch and let the contents fall into his waiting palm. It was a ring.
:Do you like it?: He'd spent days sorting through his horde, grouping gems first by color and then by size. Amethysts seemed the most likely candidates, purple to match the color Pace's eyes sometimes seemed to be. Not violet, purple. Ransom's collection of amethysts was not as large as he would have liked and he hadn't found one that suited his tastes.
Next had been rubies. Pace's colors were red and white, so a ruby made sense. A pure red one, a pigeon's blood ruby, with none of the hints of orange or blue that so many rubies possessed. Ransom had found three possibilities before he realized that a ruby was too flashy for Pace. He's not the kind to wear a small fortune around.
After that Ransom had looked through his spinels, but those had problems of both the amethysts and the rubies. I don't have many spinels and people can't distinguish them from rubies most times. I know the difference, but humans are just stupid about it.
Ransom was just about to move on to another color, when he remembered that he had some garnets. They were usually smaller stones, suitable for a ring or small broach. Most of them were green since Ransom had a fondness for green and blue. There were a few red. Three were too orange, and six others were too purple. But among them the dragon found a small cabochon.
The overtones in it were darker than Ransom would like: too much black. In the light, though, the garnet was blood red. The dragon debated finding some diamond chips to add around it, but decided that simple was better. It was more to Pace's taste.
"It's beautiful," Pace said. He turned it in the light that always glowed in the abandoned temple. "There's writing on the inside of the band. I don't recognize what it says." The dragon hunter didn't ask so much as imply the question.
Ransom had gone into town specifically to have the garnet set into a ring with a spell engraved into the band. It looked like a simple silver ring with a red stone, but when Ransom touched it he could feel the power in the sigils he'd had carved into the band. The ring was part of the gift, the spell the other.
:Follow me.: Pace didn't ask any questions. He just followed. If only he was so obedient all the time.
On the far side of his lair was a flat wall. Ransom stopped before it. Pace stopped as well, giving Ransom a look that clearly stated he was waiting for the dragon to do something. :Put the ring on and then press your hand to the wall, palm first.:
Pace slid the ring on and laid his palm against the wall. Blue sigils on the stone flared to life. Ransom fidgeted, extraordinarily pleased with himself. It wasn't easy to set a spell to work for someone who couldn't use magic, but he'd managed.
Slowly, the entire wall slid upwards. Colder air rushed into his lair, but Ransom didn't mind. Pace shivered slightly though. :You may want to put your cloak on. It doesn't bother me, but the cold will bother you.:
"Where does it go?"
:Follow it and find out. Do the same thing to the wall at the other end. The door will close after a few minutes.: Pace looked suitably impressed.
"You aren't coming with me?" Pace asked.
:Can't. I'm too big to fit down that tunnel as a dragon. It's designed for humans.: Pace still hesitated so Ransom gently nudged him with his nose. :Go get your cloak. I'll meet you outside.:
"Outside? Ransom!"
He was already heading for where the lake lapped against the edge of his lair. Ransom plunged into the water. The lake never froze over in the winter. It was too deep and slightly too warm for that.
Ransom burst out of the surface of the lake and immediately felt the water clinging to him freeze. He flapped his wings hard to dislodge the ice. The cold only hurt where his scale was missing. I can't believe that still hurts. It should be healed by now.
Once he'd gained enough altitude, Ransom banked sharply to the left. Amazingly, it wasn't snowing. Instead the sun was shining through a few high clouds. Everything was covered with a layer of ice and snow. It glittered in the sun.
The forest covering the mountains was only partially composed of evergreens. Every thing else was bare branches or buried in snow. During the summer, even Ransom had problem spotting the cabin hidden in the forest. In the winter, it was easy to spot from the air.
There wasn't much of a clearing around the cabin, but Ransom had landed in tighter spaces before. It helped that there was almost no tree canopy. Leaves and branches always getting in my way. Once he was on the ground, Ransom folded his wings and settled down to wait.
The dragon didn't have to wait long.
Pace opened the door, looking around him. He didn't seem surprised to see Ransom standing outside. Ransom watched as the dragon hunter carefully closed the door behind him before stepping out to meet him. "Why?"
The question caught Ransom off guard. :I am not the easiest to get along with.: He turned his head to one side, studying a low hanging branch. :It seemed unfair that I could leave whenever I wanted, but you were trapped in my lair. This gives you the option of going somewhere else to be alone for awhile.:
"You would trust me with a way into your lair?" Pace was looking at him like he had lost his mind, but Ransom didn't even need to think about his answer.
:Yes.: It didn't make any sense, but it was true.
Suddenly, Pace was kneeling in front of him, seemingly oblivious to the snow. "I hope that I am worthy of such trust. It is an honor."
:Idiot.: Ransom snorted. Pace got back to his feet and held out both hands. The dragon lowered his head until Pace could stroke the scales just above his eyes. It gave him warm, shivery feelings.
"Thank you, Ransom. It is a wonderful gift."
:I am glad you like it.:
I am glad it makes you happy.
Pace was the one who suggested that they fight in the snow. Ransom had pointed out that the dragon hunter lacked a sword and he wasn't playing with any of Ransom's blades in the snow. He'd given the dragon a long look before gathering up snow with his hands and hurling it at Ransom.
Once he'd shaken the snow out of his eyes, Ransom had caught on. They'd spent well over two hours in the snow. Pace would pelt him with snowballs and Ransom would use his coloration to his advantage, sneak up and push the dragon hunter into the snow. It was fun.
I can't remember the last time I acted like a hatchling. It took a lot of concentration for Ransom to push, but not push too hard. He didn't want to hurt Pace.
Falling snow finally ended their play. Pace's cheeks were bright red when he entered the cabin to journey back to Ransom's lair. The dragon paused long enough to listen to the howl of the ice wolves along the peaks. They didn't sing of any danger. Then he waded into his lake and swam down to his lair.
The dragon hunter was waiting for him. Ransom found it nice to come into a lair with someone already there. It's like coming home when you know that you have a new, shiny bit of treasure to look at. Only more so. I think I like it.
Ransom took two steps onto the marble floor when he stumbled in pain. It flared outward from the spot where his scale was missing. The air tasted of magic, of power that was not his or the temple's. The dragon hissed. Before he could send his own power out, the spell was gone.
"What ails you?" Pace asked. Ransom didn't respond for a long moment. "Is it from where you pulled the scale out?"
:Yes.: He didn't mention the magic.
"Still? You said you had some salve for minor wounds. Haven't you put any on it to help it heal?" Ransom snorted.
:How?: Ransom extended one paw, showing off sharp black claws. :Besides, I can't even reach where the scale is missing. It's at a bad angle.:
"Come here then," Pace said. "Sit. Stay." That got him a growl. I am not a dog!
Pace returned with the pot of salve. He walked until he was directly in front of Ransom and then frowned. "This is going to be difficult. Do you think you can roll over so I can get to your stomach?"
The dragon stared at him. He actually expects me to roll over and expose my throat and belly to a dragon hunter? Is he nuts? Does he know what he's asking? His wings flared half open in shock. Pace just continued to look at him.
Then again, Ransom had given him access to his horde. Is this really any different? Cautiously, he laid down on the marble floor and rolled over. His whole body tensed, not sure what to expect.
"Easy. I'm getting ready to put salve on the area."
Even with the warning, Ransom flinched slightly. The salve was cool and he wasn't expecting that. Pace's fingers were gentle against the place where his scale was missing. "The wound is still a little raw. You should have been more careful."
:I was angry.:
"I know."
***
Pace had been with him for over four months, and Ransom knew deep down that it couldn't last. Winter was slowly giving way to spring. When the passes finally opened up, the dragon knew that the dragon hunter was going to have to return to his life. He knew this.
Still doesn't make it any easier.
Right now, though, Ransom had bigger worries. He'd finally found the source of all the mud. During the melts, water seeped in through a crack. It hit the dirt floor and turned it into a morass of mud. Ransom was in dragon form, carving spells into the stone to block the water.
He had just finished the rune for "water" when the pain hit. Ever since Pace started putting salve on the place where his scale was missing, it had been getting better. Now it was like nothing had ever been done. Ransom hunched over, panting.
Magic! Someone is using my scale for magic again. It's close. Pace! Ransom knew the dragon hunter was supposed to be near the cabin. The place where his scale was missing throbbed as he turned and stumbled towards the water. If they have done anything to Pace, I am going to eat them no matter how bad they might taste.
The cold water did nothing to ease the pain. Ransom didn't try to take to the air because using his wings would only pull where the scale was missing. He didn't want to make it worse. Instead, he paddled to shore.
Nothing stirred.
Ransom immediately knew something was wrong. The animals in his valley were still. The birds were silent. He pulled himself onto the shore, head held high, senses reaching outwards. The pain had receded to a dull ache.
"Sir Pace of Raeburn! I command you to show yourself. You have dishonored myself and my father and I will not stand for it."
He didn't recognize the voice. It was definitely a feminine voice. Ransom sifted through the possibilities rather quickly and decided that this was probably the infamous Princess Celene. Who had his scale. Who was using it to do magic.
"Princess Celene? What are you doing here?" Ransom did, unfortunately, recognize that voice. You idiot. What are you doing confronting her? Oh I know. You humans always think females are weak. We dragons know better. They're lulling you into a false sense of security until they have your balls in their teeth.
Snow still clung to the shadows and the hollows, but it was getting less and less each day. All the trees except the evergreens were still bare. Still, Ransom did his best to circle around without being noticed. He listened to the conversation while he did.
"You never showed for our wedding. Your horse showed up still in its tack. I came up here as soon as the passes melted not knowing whether you were alive or dead. I see that you are very much alive."
"My apologies, Princess Celene. With the passes closed I could not get word to you and I could not travel out of the valley." There was a long pause. "Yet even if I could have, I would not have showed for the wedding."
"You completed the quest. Why would you do such a thing if you had no plans to marry me?"
"I had my reasons."
The dragon hissed. Even I know that is not a good answer. Why do I even keep you around?
"You were ordered by your lord to marry me. Have you no honor?"
Enough was enough as far as Ransom was concerned. He'd circled around from the back using their conversation as an indicator of where Pace and the brat Princess were. Ransom gathered himself, flattening his wings to his side and growling softly in the back of his throat. When he attacked, Ransom screamed a challenge.
As he cleared the trees, Ransom realized that the Princess – who had to be the one sitting on a horse – was wearing armor. Of course. Only an idiot would come wandering into a dragon's valley without protection. Not that it will do her much good.
Pace saw Ransom first. "Stop!"
There was a command in his voice. For a second the dragon thought about ignoring it. Just a second. Then he opened his wings, rearing up and digging his back claws into the ground in order to stop himself. Even then it was a near thing.
The horse the Princess rode, a heavy-set bay, was obviously smarter than the brat who rode it. It bolted. Somehow Princess Celene kept her seat. Ransom snapped at the horse's haunches. Suddenly Pace was right there beside him, using his shoulder to push him back.
"Stop it, Dragon. You are not to hurt her."
:Why not?: Ransom demanded. He ignored the gasp of surprise from the Princess. She had turned her horse around and was cautiously watching them. :She's rude, obnoxious, and spoiled. She's the reason dragon hunters kept coming into my valley trying to kill me to get one of my scales.:
"It talks," the Princess said. Her horse snorted. Ransom glanced over at her. Her blonde hair had obviously been hacked off just above the shoulders. There was a smudge of dirt across one high cheek bone.
"Princess, the dragon is a he, not an it," Pace corrected. "I have been staying with him over the winter. He is the dragon from which the scale came."
"Oh."
:Oh? You wreck my life and all you can say is that?: Ransom growled, barring teeth. :Give me one reason why I shouldn't...:
"That's enough." Pace reached up and turned Ransom's head with his hands until he could look into one blue eye. "She didn't know. I was the one to take your scale, not her."
:But...:
"Enough," Pace repeated. He stroked one hand down Ransom's nose. "Let me handle this."
The dragon huffed, but didn't argue. :Fine.:
Pace turned back towards Princess Celene. "I am sorry that you came all this way and that you worried about me. I should have found a way to send some sort of message. I am afraid..."
"No." Ransom gave the Princess a sharp look. There was a strange, strangled quality to her voice. Pace laid a hand against his noise as a warning and Princess Celene made a small noise. "I understand. The rumors about you were true and I was too... my apologies."
"Rumors?" Pace seemed genuinely confused. "Princess Celene..."
"I have to go. Again, my apologies. I didn't realize..." Whatever else she was going to say was lost as Princess Celene spurred her horse. It danced to one side, around Ransom, and then galloped as hard as it could away from the dragon. They watched her go.
:Rumors?:
"I don't know what she is talking about," Pace admitted. He shook his head. "Thank you for listening to me and not attacking her."
:You're welcome.: Then, Ransom asked the question that had been bothering him for months. :Are you going to leave?:
"There's no reason to. I think I would like to stay here. That is, if you would let me."
:Stay.: It was not quite a command.
"I will."
The first thing Ransom did in the morning was get out of bed – an actual wooden bed – and put his feet on the floor. The next thing Ransom did was jerk his feet back up, snarl a curse, lean over the bed, and activate the runes that would heat the floor. Several minutes later, when he was sure the stone floors would be actually warm, Ransom got out of bed.
He hated being human.
Unfortunately, turning back from one shape to another drained him and he had a dragon hunter in his lair. Not that Ransom really thought Pace would do anything. He was disgustingly moralistic that way.
Still, instincts were powerful things and they insisted that he not be weak. So he wasn't going to be. That meant wandering around as a human. Perhaps it wasn't too bad a situation. Although he could fit into the passage way when he was in his true form, it was much easier to clean as a human.
I forgot to get the rock golem to move back. Ransom growled at his own forgetfulness. That mud is going to be icy cold now. And snow! There will be snow in my lair.
After pulling on old clothing and old shoes, Ransom took a moment to open the trunk at the end of the bed. Wrapped in cloth was a mirror. Val had given it to him as a present. He'd asked if there were perhaps a way to find a mirror big enough for him to look at while in dragon form, but she'd told him she'd never heard of one so large. Ransom had looked for months, but hadn't been able to find one either. Instead, he could only admire himself when he was human.
His hair was white. That was to be expected given that his scales were white. It didn't shine with colors. In fact it was just a flat white. Boring. A poor substitute for his scales.
His skin was much paler than most people's and never turned any darker. Ransom couldn't judge human beauty, but he'd been told he had beautiful features. It all looked the same to him. Except for his eyes. His eyes were a dark, clear blue just like when he was a dragon. Like sapphires surrounded by pearl.
Flustered, Ransom put the mirror back in the trunk and slammed the lid. He couldn't just admire himself all day long. He had work to do.
Ransom threw open the door to his room and made a noise of frustration. It was freezing. Even the warming floor wasn't going to do much against the cold like this. That's what happens when I forget to put the rock golem back. It gets cold down here. No one to blame but myself, no matter how tempting it is to blame Pace.
First order of business was to get the rock golem back in place. Ransom walked up the tunnel towards the second entrance. He had been right. The mud had a thin rind of ice on it. As he got closer to the entrance, Ransom noticed first frost and then snow. It was only when he was at the entrance that he realized he had a problem on his hands.
Snow had started to form a drift inside the tunnel. Outside, it was several feet deep with more falling. A sharp wind curled around Ransom's ankles. The rock golem was an indistinct shape.
Blizzard. Ransom closed his eyes and sighed. He didn't even need to go look to know that the passes were now closed. Pace was trapped in his valley.
He should not feel so damn pleased about that.
After a few minutes of coaxing, Ransom had the rock golem back in place. That cut off the cold air. He walked back down to his lair, found some rags and a bucket, and walked back up to the tunnel. Then he got down on his hands and knees and cleaned.
Two hours later Ransom was dirty, sore, and tired. But the tunnel was finally clean. He was heading back to his room to change clothes when he came upon Pace. The dragon hunter was kneeling on the floor, his palm pressed to the marble tile.
"It's warm," Pace said when he noticed Ransom. The dragon snorted.
"Yes. If I have to walk around as a human, I'm at least going to do it comfortably." As Ransom spoke he pulled off his shoes. He stretched his toes, ignoring the way Pace stared at the wicked claw on each of his big toes. All dragons that could shift forms had them. It marked them as being dragons the same way the damp edge on clothing marked sirens or a scaled back marked a demon.
"Then is was not just the alcohol. You can take the shape of a person."
"I can." Ransom watched as Pace slowly stood. "I just don't like to unless it's absolutely necessary." And as long as I beat you in our fights and you do my errands like a good little lackey, it's not necessary.
"I... I apologize for my behavior yesterday," Pace said as he took a few steps towards him. Ransom noticed that he moved with the deliberate care of someone nursing a pounding headache. He sketched a small bow. "I was not myself and I appreciate your help."
"Apology accepted," Ransom said graciously. Then, because this was Pace and he was a dragon, "I take it the Princess liked her gift."
Pace winced and then winced again as the gesture upset his head. Ransom couldn't help the vicious smirk on his face. "Yes. Princess Celene was most appreciative." He watched as Pace fiddled with his belt. "I believe I have imposed upon your hospitality enough as it is. If you would show me to my horse, I will make my way out of your valley."
Uh-oh. "You can't leave."
"I have to leave." He was speaking in the deliberate voice. Ransom hated that tone of voice. It meant that the dragon hunter was hiding what he really felt. "The wedding is to be performed at the Winter Solstice. That is only a month away. There are preparations that need to be made and I must attend to them."
"Well you can't." Ransom crossed his arms, suddenly feeling defensive. "Your horse isn't here. I sent it back to... wherever it is you live. Besides which, there's a blizzard going on outside. Even if your mule was here, you wouldn't be leaving."
"You sent my horse back without me?" Pace asked. The clenching of his fists was the only indication that he was not as in control of his emotions as he appeared. "Do you know what people are going to think?"
"That I kidnapped you. Which is true, when you think about it." Ransom smiled. "You were just too drunk to put up much of a fight."
Pace took three steps forward until he was inches from the dragon, forcing Ransom to tilt his head up to meet his eyes. Short. That's another reason I hate this form. Ransom refused to be intimidated. "You can fly me?"
"Do I look like a horse?" Really, being this close to Pace was fascinating. He could practically feel the anger, the heat rolling off of him. Pace's eyes had darkened until they were the exact shade of the darkest amethyst he owned. "I am not taking you any where."
"I will not leave Princess Celene standing at the altar. I will not dishonor her like that. I am leaving."
"By all means, I'm not going to stop you." Ransom spread his hands benevolently. "Have fun with that. And if you manage, which I don't think you will, have fun being miserable with a Princess you don't even want to marry."
Ransom didn't wait for a reply. He turned around and stalked to his room. Idiot should be thanking me, not yelling at me.
He made very, very sure not to wonder why that upset him as much as it did.
***
The first two weeks were filled with tension. Pace stalked around Ransom's lair. He yelled. He threatened. He made demands. More than once Ransom found himself out in the snow for no other reason than if he spent another moment with the dragon hunter he was going to eat him. And not in the way that dragons often joked about amongst themselves.
By the third week, Pace began to mellow. His demands lessened, as did his threats of violence. They began to actually talk. Ransom was particularly charmed by the fact that Pace asked before he touched anything. He was respectful whenever he handled anything of Ransom's. By the end of the week, Ransom let Pace at his prize possessions: his books.
The fourth week came and it was obvious to both that Pace would not be attending any wedding ceremony. Pace seemed to have accepted this. It still bothered him – more than once Ransom had caught him brooding – but he no longer pushed Ransom to get him out of the lair.
So after months of knowing him, Ransom finally felt comfortable in giving the dragon hunter his name.
"Ransom," Ransom said one evening. He had spent the last two weeks in dragon form catching deer for them to eat, and had only recently switched back to human. Pace was hemming a new pair of pants he'd made from some black cloth Ransom had lying around.
"What's that?" Pace said as he carefully sewed. The last pair had been two sizes too big, but this pair seemed to be closer to normal.
"My name. Ransom. You always call me Dragon, but my name is actually Ransom."
"I didn't know you had a name," Pace said. The pants were forgotten as Pace looked at him with those strange almost purple eyes. "My apologies."
Ransom waved away his apologies. "I didn't tell it to you when you introduced yourself. Dragons don't often get human names, so we don't give them out often. We hoard them. Like treasure."
"You don't often get human names?" Pace asked. "So Ransom isn't the name your mother gave you?"
The dragon snorted at that. "No. My mother gave me a name in our own tongue." Ransom paused for a second, then gave a piercing whistle that rose, fell and then transformed into a low thrum of sound. "That's my name in dragon. Or at least as close as a human mouth can make it. It's prettier when actually sung by a dragon."
"Is Ransom a translation of your dragon name then?"
"No." Ransom realized he was going to have to tell the story. What are the chances he hasn't heard that damn ballad? Slim to none. My own fault for even mentioning my name. "Val is the one who gave me my name."
"Val? I did not realize that anyone else visited this valley. Who is he?" Pace asked. There was a tension in his voice that Ransom didn't recognize.
"She's a friend. I helped her find and marry her Prince. They live in lands that border the mountains now." Ransom sighed. "Neither of them visits much in the winter, but come spring they visit here a lot."
Usually to frolic like bunnies in my meadows and make me paranoid about actually seeing two humans naked and doing things.
Ransom knew the moment Pace made the connection. The frown of concentration disappeared to be replaced by surprise. "The lands that border the mountains? You're talking about Lady Valorie and her husband, Prince Aiden. That would make you the white dragon from the Lady Wizard."
"If you want to live dangerously, bring up that song around Val. If you think that dragons are blood thirsty, ask her what she plans to do should she ever find the minstrel who wrote it," Ransom said. His smile was all teeth. "After she's done, I get to play with whatever is left of him."
"Scary." Pace started working on his pants again. "So she gave you the name Ransom? Why?"
"I was supposed to kidnap the daughter of Val's patron and hold her for ransom. Then, the Prince was to rescue the girl and marry her. Val was the one sent to make the deal with me and needed something to call me." Ransom's smile turned more pleased. "Things didn't work out the way Val planned. I kidnapped her instead because she secretly loved the Prince. Val's Prince rescued her and fell in love in return. They are happy."
I got several large sapphires in return and a promise that they would keep the dragon hunters invading my valley down to a minimum. And it worked until Princess Celene just had to have one of my scales. Spoiled brat.
"I would have never guessed that the song was true," Pace said. "I've heard it a dozen times, but thought it was an exaggeration." Suddenly, he looked up from his work. "Ransom." He said the word as if he was tasting it on his tongue. "It fits."
Aren't you the least bit upset that you're missing this wedding that you threw a two week fit over? Ransom wanted to ask, but didn't. Instead, all he said was, "Thank you."
***
Mid-winter and the new year came close together and were usually celebrated as one. They were also a big gift giving time. Ransom usually flew down to the lowlands the day after the celebration to give Val her gift and then returned to his valley. This year he showed up a week early.
"Why are you here so early this year?" Val asked once Ransom had landed in the courtyard. It was nice not being shot at. The guards had a habit of stationing the newest recruits on the battlements when he was expected. "Not that I'm not glad to see you. You've been quiet these last several weeks."
:I have business in town.: Ransom offered his gift, protected by a simple wooden box, to Val and she gently took it from him.
"Ransom, you hate going into town." Val drew her fur lined cloak closer around her. Snow fell in clumps from the sky and there was a bitter wind. "Change and come inside. I know it doesn't bother you, but its cold out here."
:I can't. I have someone waiting for me.: Ransom pretended not to notice his friend's surprise and sudden interest. :I just came to give you your gift. I will explain later, I promise, but I have to go.:
He'd taken off right after, leaving Val to shout questions after him. The truth was, Ransom didn't know how to explain to her what he was doing. He didn't understand it himself. I don't have to give him anything. He's not expecting it. And there's no reason why it has to be something out of my horde.
All the reasoning in the world didn't change the urge to give Pace something. Now it was Mid-Winter's Day. It was time to see if his gift would be well received. Ransom was doing his best to appear nonchalant.
He was failing miserably.
"Dragon, what is wrong with you?" Pace asked when Ransom had slammed the lid of a chest closed for the third time. Ransom growled. Normally, he would talk to Val about this but then he'd have to explain. I don't even know why I'm giving him part of my horde.
:Nothing.: Ransom could tell Pace was annoyed. Nowadays he only called him "dragon" when he was annoyed with Ransom.
"Nothing?" Pace approached him, not at all intimidated by the fact that in dragon form Ransom was bigger than the dragon hunter. He also had teeth and claws, while Pace lacked a sword and armor. "Is this the same nothing that caused you to do nothing but eat and sleep for the last two days?"
:Maybe.: He made a sound in the back of his throat, and was slightly appalled when it came out more whine than growl. :I don't want to talk about it.:
"I do not care." He startled a bit when Pace reached up, wrapped his hands around his nose, and pulled down. Ransom yielded to the pressure until he was staring into Pace's eyes. The dragon hunter's hands were surprisingly gentle. "Out with it. What is bothering you?"
:It was...: Ransom took a deep breath, until all he could smell was Pace. :I was going to wait until tonight. I understand that's traditional.:
"What are you talking about?" The dragon hunter didn't protest when Ransom pulled out of hold and headed towards the back of his horde. Hidden under some ragged rugs Ransom really needed to get rid of was a velvet pouch. Ransom picked it up in his mouth, walked over to Pace, and dropped it into his hands.
"I... I didn't get you anything."
For a long, long moment Ransom wondered if he had violated some obscure human custom somehow. Pace held the pouch in his hand for far longer that the dragon thought necessary. Did I offend him? Was I supposed to let him know? I thought these things were a surprise! If Val has let me play the fool for all these years...
"I am sorry. I have nothing to give you in return." Pace smiled, but it was a mocking thing. "Even if I was drunk when I came here..."
:Don't apologize. You haven't even opened it yet.:
"It doesn't matter what it is. You still went through the trouble to get me something," Pace replied. Still, he opened the pouch and let the contents fall into his waiting palm. It was a ring.
:Do you like it?: He'd spent days sorting through his horde, grouping gems first by color and then by size. Amethysts seemed the most likely candidates, purple to match the color Pace's eyes sometimes seemed to be. Not violet, purple. Ransom's collection of amethysts was not as large as he would have liked and he hadn't found one that suited his tastes.
Next had been rubies. Pace's colors were red and white, so a ruby made sense. A pure red one, a pigeon's blood ruby, with none of the hints of orange or blue that so many rubies possessed. Ransom had found three possibilities before he realized that a ruby was too flashy for Pace. He's not the kind to wear a small fortune around.
After that Ransom had looked through his spinels, but those had problems of both the amethysts and the rubies. I don't have many spinels and people can't distinguish them from rubies most times. I know the difference, but humans are just stupid about it.
Ransom was just about to move on to another color, when he remembered that he had some garnets. They were usually smaller stones, suitable for a ring or small broach. Most of them were green since Ransom had a fondness for green and blue. There were a few red. Three were too orange, and six others were too purple. But among them the dragon found a small cabochon.
The overtones in it were darker than Ransom would like: too much black. In the light, though, the garnet was blood red. The dragon debated finding some diamond chips to add around it, but decided that simple was better. It was more to Pace's taste.
"It's beautiful," Pace said. He turned it in the light that always glowed in the abandoned temple. "There's writing on the inside of the band. I don't recognize what it says." The dragon hunter didn't ask so much as imply the question.
Ransom had gone into town specifically to have the garnet set into a ring with a spell engraved into the band. It looked like a simple silver ring with a red stone, but when Ransom touched it he could feel the power in the sigils he'd had carved into the band. The ring was part of the gift, the spell the other.
:Follow me.: Pace didn't ask any questions. He just followed. If only he was so obedient all the time.
On the far side of his lair was a flat wall. Ransom stopped before it. Pace stopped as well, giving Ransom a look that clearly stated he was waiting for the dragon to do something. :Put the ring on and then press your hand to the wall, palm first.:
Pace slid the ring on and laid his palm against the wall. Blue sigils on the stone flared to life. Ransom fidgeted, extraordinarily pleased with himself. It wasn't easy to set a spell to work for someone who couldn't use magic, but he'd managed.
Slowly, the entire wall slid upwards. Colder air rushed into his lair, but Ransom didn't mind. Pace shivered slightly though. :You may want to put your cloak on. It doesn't bother me, but the cold will bother you.:
"Where does it go?"
:Follow it and find out. Do the same thing to the wall at the other end. The door will close after a few minutes.: Pace looked suitably impressed.
"You aren't coming with me?" Pace asked.
:Can't. I'm too big to fit down that tunnel as a dragon. It's designed for humans.: Pace still hesitated so Ransom gently nudged him with his nose. :Go get your cloak. I'll meet you outside.:
"Outside? Ransom!"
He was already heading for where the lake lapped against the edge of his lair. Ransom plunged into the water. The lake never froze over in the winter. It was too deep and slightly too warm for that.
Ransom burst out of the surface of the lake and immediately felt the water clinging to him freeze. He flapped his wings hard to dislodge the ice. The cold only hurt where his scale was missing. I can't believe that still hurts. It should be healed by now.
Once he'd gained enough altitude, Ransom banked sharply to the left. Amazingly, it wasn't snowing. Instead the sun was shining through a few high clouds. Everything was covered with a layer of ice and snow. It glittered in the sun.
The forest covering the mountains was only partially composed of evergreens. Every thing else was bare branches or buried in snow. During the summer, even Ransom had problem spotting the cabin hidden in the forest. In the winter, it was easy to spot from the air.
There wasn't much of a clearing around the cabin, but Ransom had landed in tighter spaces before. It helped that there was almost no tree canopy. Leaves and branches always getting in my way. Once he was on the ground, Ransom folded his wings and settled down to wait.
The dragon didn't have to wait long.
Pace opened the door, looking around him. He didn't seem surprised to see Ransom standing outside. Ransom watched as the dragon hunter carefully closed the door behind him before stepping out to meet him. "Why?"
The question caught Ransom off guard. :I am not the easiest to get along with.: He turned his head to one side, studying a low hanging branch. :It seemed unfair that I could leave whenever I wanted, but you were trapped in my lair. This gives you the option of going somewhere else to be alone for awhile.:
"You would trust me with a way into your lair?" Pace was looking at him like he had lost his mind, but Ransom didn't even need to think about his answer.
:Yes.: It didn't make any sense, but it was true.
Suddenly, Pace was kneeling in front of him, seemingly oblivious to the snow. "I hope that I am worthy of such trust. It is an honor."
:Idiot.: Ransom snorted. Pace got back to his feet and held out both hands. The dragon lowered his head until Pace could stroke the scales just above his eyes. It gave him warm, shivery feelings.
"Thank you, Ransom. It is a wonderful gift."
:I am glad you like it.:
I am glad it makes you happy.
Pace was the one who suggested that they fight in the snow. Ransom had pointed out that the dragon hunter lacked a sword and he wasn't playing with any of Ransom's blades in the snow. He'd given the dragon a long look before gathering up snow with his hands and hurling it at Ransom.
Once he'd shaken the snow out of his eyes, Ransom had caught on. They'd spent well over two hours in the snow. Pace would pelt him with snowballs and Ransom would use his coloration to his advantage, sneak up and push the dragon hunter into the snow. It was fun.
I can't remember the last time I acted like a hatchling. It took a lot of concentration for Ransom to push, but not push too hard. He didn't want to hurt Pace.
Falling snow finally ended their play. Pace's cheeks were bright red when he entered the cabin to journey back to Ransom's lair. The dragon paused long enough to listen to the howl of the ice wolves along the peaks. They didn't sing of any danger. Then he waded into his lake and swam down to his lair.
The dragon hunter was waiting for him. Ransom found it nice to come into a lair with someone already there. It's like coming home when you know that you have a new, shiny bit of treasure to look at. Only more so. I think I like it.
Ransom took two steps onto the marble floor when he stumbled in pain. It flared outward from the spot where his scale was missing. The air tasted of magic, of power that was not his or the temple's. The dragon hissed. Before he could send his own power out, the spell was gone.
"What ails you?" Pace asked. Ransom didn't respond for a long moment. "Is it from where you pulled the scale out?"
:Yes.: He didn't mention the magic.
"Still? You said you had some salve for minor wounds. Haven't you put any on it to help it heal?" Ransom snorted.
:How?: Ransom extended one paw, showing off sharp black claws. :Besides, I can't even reach where the scale is missing. It's at a bad angle.:
"Come here then," Pace said. "Sit. Stay." That got him a growl. I am not a dog!
Pace returned with the pot of salve. He walked until he was directly in front of Ransom and then frowned. "This is going to be difficult. Do you think you can roll over so I can get to your stomach?"
The dragon stared at him. He actually expects me to roll over and expose my throat and belly to a dragon hunter? Is he nuts? Does he know what he's asking? His wings flared half open in shock. Pace just continued to look at him.
Then again, Ransom had given him access to his horde. Is this really any different? Cautiously, he laid down on the marble floor and rolled over. His whole body tensed, not sure what to expect.
"Easy. I'm getting ready to put salve on the area."
Even with the warning, Ransom flinched slightly. The salve was cool and he wasn't expecting that. Pace's fingers were gentle against the place where his scale was missing. "The wound is still a little raw. You should have been more careful."
:I was angry.:
"I know."
***
Pace had been with him for over four months, and Ransom knew deep down that it couldn't last. Winter was slowly giving way to spring. When the passes finally opened up, the dragon knew that the dragon hunter was going to have to return to his life. He knew this.
Still doesn't make it any easier.
Right now, though, Ransom had bigger worries. He'd finally found the source of all the mud. During the melts, water seeped in through a crack. It hit the dirt floor and turned it into a morass of mud. Ransom was in dragon form, carving spells into the stone to block the water.
He had just finished the rune for "water" when the pain hit. Ever since Pace started putting salve on the place where his scale was missing, it had been getting better. Now it was like nothing had ever been done. Ransom hunched over, panting.
Magic! Someone is using my scale for magic again. It's close. Pace! Ransom knew the dragon hunter was supposed to be near the cabin. The place where his scale was missing throbbed as he turned and stumbled towards the water. If they have done anything to Pace, I am going to eat them no matter how bad they might taste.
The cold water did nothing to ease the pain. Ransom didn't try to take to the air because using his wings would only pull where the scale was missing. He didn't want to make it worse. Instead, he paddled to shore.
Nothing stirred.
Ransom immediately knew something was wrong. The animals in his valley were still. The birds were silent. He pulled himself onto the shore, head held high, senses reaching outwards. The pain had receded to a dull ache.
"Sir Pace of Raeburn! I command you to show yourself. You have dishonored myself and my father and I will not stand for it."
He didn't recognize the voice. It was definitely a feminine voice. Ransom sifted through the possibilities rather quickly and decided that this was probably the infamous Princess Celene. Who had his scale. Who was using it to do magic.
"Princess Celene? What are you doing here?" Ransom did, unfortunately, recognize that voice. You idiot. What are you doing confronting her? Oh I know. You humans always think females are weak. We dragons know better. They're lulling you into a false sense of security until they have your balls in their teeth.
Snow still clung to the shadows and the hollows, but it was getting less and less each day. All the trees except the evergreens were still bare. Still, Ransom did his best to circle around without being noticed. He listened to the conversation while he did.
"You never showed for our wedding. Your horse showed up still in its tack. I came up here as soon as the passes melted not knowing whether you were alive or dead. I see that you are very much alive."
"My apologies, Princess Celene. With the passes closed I could not get word to you and I could not travel out of the valley." There was a long pause. "Yet even if I could have, I would not have showed for the wedding."
"You completed the quest. Why would you do such a thing if you had no plans to marry me?"
"I had my reasons."
The dragon hissed. Even I know that is not a good answer. Why do I even keep you around?
"You were ordered by your lord to marry me. Have you no honor?"
Enough was enough as far as Ransom was concerned. He'd circled around from the back using their conversation as an indicator of where Pace and the brat Princess were. Ransom gathered himself, flattening his wings to his side and growling softly in the back of his throat. When he attacked, Ransom screamed a challenge.
As he cleared the trees, Ransom realized that the Princess – who had to be the one sitting on a horse – was wearing armor. Of course. Only an idiot would come wandering into a dragon's valley without protection. Not that it will do her much good.
Pace saw Ransom first. "Stop!"
There was a command in his voice. For a second the dragon thought about ignoring it. Just a second. Then he opened his wings, rearing up and digging his back claws into the ground in order to stop himself. Even then it was a near thing.
The horse the Princess rode, a heavy-set bay, was obviously smarter than the brat who rode it. It bolted. Somehow Princess Celene kept her seat. Ransom snapped at the horse's haunches. Suddenly Pace was right there beside him, using his shoulder to push him back.
"Stop it, Dragon. You are not to hurt her."
:Why not?: Ransom demanded. He ignored the gasp of surprise from the Princess. She had turned her horse around and was cautiously watching them. :She's rude, obnoxious, and spoiled. She's the reason dragon hunters kept coming into my valley trying to kill me to get one of my scales.:
"It talks," the Princess said. Her horse snorted. Ransom glanced over at her. Her blonde hair had obviously been hacked off just above the shoulders. There was a smudge of dirt across one high cheek bone.
"Princess, the dragon is a he, not an it," Pace corrected. "I have been staying with him over the winter. He is the dragon from which the scale came."
"Oh."
:Oh? You wreck my life and all you can say is that?: Ransom growled, barring teeth. :Give me one reason why I shouldn't...:
"That's enough." Pace reached up and turned Ransom's head with his hands until he could look into one blue eye. "She didn't know. I was the one to take your scale, not her."
:But...:
"Enough," Pace repeated. He stroked one hand down Ransom's nose. "Let me handle this."
The dragon huffed, but didn't argue. :Fine.:
Pace turned back towards Princess Celene. "I am sorry that you came all this way and that you worried about me. I should have found a way to send some sort of message. I am afraid..."
"No." Ransom gave the Princess a sharp look. There was a strange, strangled quality to her voice. Pace laid a hand against his noise as a warning and Princess Celene made a small noise. "I understand. The rumors about you were true and I was too... my apologies."
"Rumors?" Pace seemed genuinely confused. "Princess Celene..."
"I have to go. Again, my apologies. I didn't realize..." Whatever else she was going to say was lost as Princess Celene spurred her horse. It danced to one side, around Ransom, and then galloped as hard as it could away from the dragon. They watched her go.
:Rumors?:
"I don't know what she is talking about," Pace admitted. He shook his head. "Thank you for listening to me and not attacking her."
:You're welcome.: Then, Ransom asked the question that had been bothering him for months. :Are you going to leave?:
"There's no reason to. I think I would like to stay here. That is, if you would let me."
:Stay.: It was not quite a command.
"I will."
(no subject)
Date: 8/16/07 09:46 pm (UTC)Wow, BOTH of them are oblivious this time. Methinks it's time for Val to act the fag hag and step in.
Yay! Dragon POV!
(no subject)
Date: 8/17/07 11:40 am (UTC)I'm glad you like.
SQUEEEE!!!
Date: 8/17/07 02:59 am (UTC)*loves on Ransom and Pace* I still love the ditty that Pace sings while drunk. XD And the way that Celene gives up because she believes the 'rumors' about Pace to be true. *snickers* Heeheee! XD
*twirls you about* You totally rock.
Re: SQUEEEE!!!
Date: 8/17/07 11:46 am (UTC)Thank you for being an awesome beta for this. ^^
(no subject)
Date: 8/17/07 03:44 am (UTC)...i'm still kinda in the dark as to what these rumors are, btw.
Re: SQUEEEE!!!
Date: 8/17/07 11:37 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 8/17/07 07:35 am (UTC)Ransom, my love. Surely my heart had known not of love 'till so brightly did you appear, glimmering like mother of pearl, oh so beautifully. Truly my heart had known not what it was like to soar, till did your wings lift it, and acid tongue make it race.
You are like Severus Snape, my love, except so much hotter.
(no subject)
Date: 8/17/07 11:47 am (UTC)I'm glad you like!
(no subject)
Date: 8/17/07 03:27 pm (UTC)Um, I think almost every time you use the word "horde" you actually mean "hoard"?
Also I am amused that Pace gets to order Ransom around. The dragon really gives the knight waaaaaaaaaaaay too much leeway.
(no subject)
Date: 8/17/07 06:00 pm (UTC)Dangit. I always get those two words mixed up. I bet people read that and killed themselves laughing imagining Ransom's giant teeming mass of people. -_-
Ransom doesn't realize it, but Pace has him on a short leash.
(no subject)
Date: 8/18/07 06:50 am (UTC)*patpat* I think I've been reading a lot of dragonfic, so I see the word "hoard" a lot.
And, um, honestly I don't think lots of people notice. A lot of people I know seem to keep crossing words that sound the same.
Hehehe, I can certainly see that.
(no subject)
Date: 8/17/07 05:56 pm (UTC)I love Ransom to bits and Pace is full of awesome, too. I wonder what he really wanted when he came for the scale. I'm thinking that wasn't really what he hoped to leave with... or not exactly, anyway.
And the clueless petting in front of the princess? Eieee!!!
But there is still the ouchie magic use. Poor Ransom was so all 'guard Pace against the brat princess' mode that he didn't find out what she was doing with the scale. Hmm...
More, now. Moremoremoremoremoremoremoremoremoremore! ...did I mention that I want more?
When you get to it, that is. *folds hands primly on lap to patiently wait* *fidgets, just a bit*
I fear what school will do to your writing time/energy. *worries a little* But this is such a great opportunity for you, and I suppose we can wait for school breaks/graduation for more frequent updates. Or maybe you will be super-inspired and write twice as much. Who knows. Good luck with your classes, whenever they start. ^______^
(no subject)
Date: 8/17/07 05:57 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 8/17/07 06:03 pm (UTC)Don't worry about school interfering. I usually wind up writing more during school because I'm anal about getting to class fifteen minutes early. And then what am I going to do for fifteen minutes? Well, I have this pen and some paper...
(no subject)
Date: 9/28/07 09:21 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 9/28/07 11:40 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 8/17/07 08:04 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 8/18/07 11:37 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 8/18/07 08:04 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 8/23/07 04:22 pm (UTC)Anyway, they're cute. I love the way the slightly antagonistic, cooperative rivalry turned into friendship! There had better be another section where things develop further.
I also hope that whoever is being evil and using Ransom's scale doesn't harm him seriously. Or will Pace be sent on a quest to reclaim it?
Much love!
I am going through Firefox, clearing out my tabs...
Date: 8/26/07 03:03 pm (UTC)My only complaint is that it doesn't feel quite finished, but if you say there is a sequel in the works, that's all good!
(no subject)
Date: 6/4/09 01:11 pm (UTC)Do dragons have a mating season???
*thinks about a horny Ransom in heat*