CHAPTER 6: RHYS

The grand day has come.

Colorful buntings, lanterns, and posters decorated every house and street, and the castle was lit as the sun is about to set.

Several carriages await at the entrance as the Nobles enter the great hall.

As I got in into the main hallway, murmurs and giggles muddled in the empty atmosphere. Maids, mistresses, and visitors, they sure do talk a lot.

They had been talking about finding a partner for tonight, pathetic.

Instead of being stuck in this crowded place, I would rather do some safe-keeping job before the party starts. As I wore my same old lame uniform today, I walked out of the hall, towards the supervision area.

“A dragon was insight,” I heard from a messenger inside the tent, “By the border.” He added.

And that is where the fun starts.

Alone, I rode towards the outskirts, looking for any sign of the sighted demon. I want to see that dragon myself before the army catches it. As I resided by a shack that divides the forest and the slums, I left the horse there and started to explore the woods before the sun completely sets.

I searched for any signs and markings, but there aren’t any. I wonder if I misheard it, or is it located on the eastern border?

Disappointed, I decided to go home. My absence could get me in trouble since it is quite noticeable. I took a pace back to my horse, not wanting to travel with the absence of light. Before I could even climb up, an icy hand from the shack grabbed my wrist, pulling me inside. I stumbled on the wooden floor, but I took an immediate stance.

“Crap,” I madly spat. The shack was gloomy that I can’t even see anything, but the cavity on the walls flashed a humane figure. I immediately pulled and turned to swing my blade towards my opponent, but I instantly halted when I recognized that silver hair and slim body of his.

“Shh,” He hushed me out.

“Cart?!” I growled at him in anger, “What are you doing---“

I halted, and with the silence, I could hear an intimidating sound of a dragon ready to spit fire. Before I could even watch the shack getting wrecked, Cart used his body to shield me, making me close my eyes from the fiery sight.

I could not even keep up, the shack was not standing anymore, and its pieces are now being devoured by fire. The sun had already set that it only made my heart thump with uneasiness.

With the help of the small light from the burning planks, clear as crystal, I could see a wall of ice in front of me. It protected me from the heat and from the fire itself.

Now that I realized what is going on, I hurriedly stood up and run towards the front. There I saw two dragons, a huge white full-grown one and an average red one.

“Do not interfere, folk, that human’s life is mine to take.” The red dragon hissed with his husky and glitchy voice, “She killed a dozen or maybe a hundred of our kin, and she, in fact, is but a human worthy of death. So why is a white dragon mage protecting an enemy?

Cart did not answer, and now that he had turned into a dragon, he is determined to fight.

“CART!” I shouted from behind him, “Turn back into a human now!!” This fight will be taking too much attention from the military and worse, Oh, please for God’s sake, I don’t want to lose you too!

He didn’t bat an eye at what I just yelled. His emerald eyes were all onto that red dragon in front of us, and based on my calculations, he will not ma---

“Very well,” That red serpent then settled after Cart's silence, “I will have to defeat you first.”                     

Their wings emitted untamed winds that it made me cover my face and lose my stepping. I watched them sour up above the night sky and then headed to the gloomy woods.

“No,” I mumbled with alarm as I found myself rushing towards the bleak forest.

Damn, Cart. Why can’t you just listen to me and just stay away from my circle? If you do that,---

Thoughts are cramming my mind that I failed to watch my path. My body gave a soft thud as it fell onto the verdant ground. Tired, I panted for breath, trying to stand back up.

---if you do that, you could be able to pass on in peace, idiot. So why?

The ground shook for a moment and the wind fetched a roar.

The fight was still ongoing. They need to stop as soon as possible.

I ran towards where my instincts lead me to, their roars and the faint light from their power hinted me their location, and there, I dashed straight ahead without the need of the light.

I ran without stopping in this gloomy grove for almost half an hour already, until I perceived an anticipated scenery, making me halt from the first glance.

Cart was there, pinning the red serpent’s neck onto the ground. The fight is already over?

As I stood far from them, I noticed that the red one already had no intention to fight anymore. Cart lifted his claws off its neck and the red dragon took an immediate flight towards the sky.

“I will be back,” that was its last word before leaving our gazes.

My hard gasps overwrought the stilled silence. I cannot move, and I want to leave, but I cannot either. My heart was beating so fast and my body's sweating from the scorching heat, maybe from running too much.

Cart then strolled towards the center of the flat rocky ground. He lied down and took a rest.

I quietly sauntered towards him with calmer breaths. After reaching his bulky dragon shell, I sat down by his side and rested my back on his white, sturdy, and cold body before I looked up at the starry sky.

I took a deep breath, “Why did you jump in like that?” I impassively stated, “Don’t tell me you mistook me as my father.”

 “I am my master’s servant, and I am my master’s daughter’s friend.” His low, calm voice dictated. “A friend is someone who is willing to be there for you.”

“I thought I made myself clear already, Cart, I do not need one, I do not need you. I have said countless meanly things to you, I always push you away, I loathe your kin, slew some of them," I paused, biting my lower lip, "--and not hating me for that is unreasonable, you know?”

Not a word from him came, making me bow my head to stare at my hands covered with straps of clothing.

“I don’t understand,” I mumbled.

“You will never understand how I always find hope in those innocent eyes of yours whenever you see us fly freely up to the sky. The longing and bliss, whenever you blabber about growing up and seek adventure around the world as you fly on the back of a dragon,---” He paused, as he moved his gaze to me but I constrained myself from doing the same.

“You will never understand how one simple smile could make me believe that there will someday be a better future.”

“Yeah, you ‘promised’ to fly me up there any time when I grow up.” And I prefer ‘them’ to stay broken. “As my father’s partner and my teacher, you are a man of honesty and truth. Thirteen years ago, you saved me from the flames that raged that place, and that is the only reason why I didn’t kill you up until now.”

---To pay that so-called dept. You know that too damn well, idiot. So why?

“If you say so,” was his simple reply. “I could hardly see you smile these past few years though,”

I somewhat chuckled upon his statement, ---what is in there to smile about?

 “Smile, huh,” I mumbled slowly. The past doesn’t have much meaning now if truth be told.

 “It isn’t even worth the specks of dust here. I ain’t that ignorant kid anymore, Cart, I have grown onto someone I know you didn’t expect me to be.”

I am not the old Rhys anymore. What part of that did you not understand?

Why can’t you just give up on me too?

“You are not your father,” He uttered.

“I know,”

“Don’t take his failure and letdown as yours,”

“I know,”

“Live this life as your own,”

“I already am.”

I noticed my gloomy surrounding was getting lit, realizing that the light was from my back. All I could even do is bit my lip and stay steady.

“If you only listened to me, you could have departed this life in peace.” I then sighed.

“If you think dying alone is peaceful, then I thought otherwise.” He happily mumbled, “Now that I had made myself useful to you, I can now go home without regrets.”

“You’re quite selfish for a dragon, you know?” I muttered as I feel the heat crumble away on my back. “—and cruel too.”

I took another deep breath as I feel my chest tightened for an unknown reason.

“Sir Cart Leonor,” I formally spoke while I motionlessly sat beside him. “With my brazen crown and, in my father’s stead,---“

“I now free you from your duties and responsibilities.” I slowly shut my eyes close. I can’t feel his scales anymore. I can’t even face him as he goes on with the most beautiful color that I am not meant to see.

“Thank you,” The wind managed to let me hear it, I hate it, that it made me clench my hands. I then open my eyes, only to see my world, once again, drenched in darkness.

I laid my back down to the rocky ground, only to feel his warmth that was instilled in the dirt. I clenched my chest hard as my gaze was at the night sky.

Inside of me, an unfamiliar feeling resides.