Authors: Carmella Jones
Chapter 7
Three months had passed since Rasenth and Syrenth’s night of passion, but it had certainly not been forgotten. Syrenth wasn’t the same when he got home. He wasn’t the happy go lucky youth he once was. No one could go near him without being snapped at or threatened. Even when Tazour returned he couldn’t make his son see sense. Syrenth was miserable, and things were only getting worse.
Over the last week, the young dragon had felt ill. He had stayed in his dragon form, unable to turn human, but he didn’t care, and he didn’t seek the attention of the elders to see what was wrong with him. Tazour believed he was just sulking, though he didn’t know what it was over. There had been endless arguments between them, only stopping when Syrenth got upset and Tazour would try and comfort him. Then they would get along for a little while, but the vicious cycle would normally resume soon after.
This was Syrenth’s seventh day of being unwell, and today he just couldn’t sit still. He paced around his room, feeling pains in his stomach and strange feelings all over his body. The whole ordeal was really beginning to frighten him, but he didn’t know what to do. Tazour was out for the day, doing his rounds in the town, and so he was all alone. No one was here to help him or comfort him. Syrenth would have given anything to have Rasenth here with him, especially as things continued to grow stranger.
Syrenth let out an ear piercing scream as he felt something coming out of him. He didn’t know what it was, or what was happening. All he could feel was something needing to get out, so he pushed it and pushed it. Within minutes, something fell to the floor. The young dragon looked down, only to see a large purple egg sitting there, and that wasn’t the only one to come.
After fifteen minutes of excruciating pain, lying on the floor were three purple eggs, and Syrenth couldn’t believe it. He was exhausted from the process, and he was terrified that he had even laid eggs in the first place. It could only mean that these were Rasenth’s, and his night of passion had come back to haunt him. He couldn’t hide hatchlings from his father. Everyone would find out that he had mated with an ice dragon, as at least one of these eggs would be an ice dragon.
Panic was starting to fill Syrenth’s mind, but his body began to feel more normal. He was able to change into his human form now, and he grabbed the eggs and hid them in his bed, covering them with a soft, warm blanket to keep them hidden and warm, then fled the house. Rasenth had to know about this. Syrenth just didn’t know what to do or how to proceed. So, once he was out of the house he shifted into his dragon form and flew to the ice mountains.
This was not a flight Syrenth wanted to take, not after laying three eggs. However, it was his only choice. He ignored the sentries and flew back to where he remembered the cave was, flying with all his might to get there as quickly as he could.
By the time he reached the cave entrance he could barely move. He collapsed on the floor, gasping for breath as he called for Rasenth, unsure if he was even here, or if he’d even come to him.
“RASENTH!” Syrenth shouted as loud as he could, then rested his head on the floor to see if anyone would come to him. He prayed they would be kind.
Rasenth, though he hadn’t seen Syrenth in months, recognized his voice immediately and rushed to the entrance of the cave, wondering what had brought his little fire dragon back to him? Then again, it didn’t sound as if Syrenth was in a particularly good mood. Maybe he’d gotten himself in trouble and needed a big strong elder dragon to help him? Or maybe he just missed his fly by night lover and wanted more? It was hard to say.
“Syrenth, what’s wrong?” Rasenth asked, kneeling down beside Syrenth, as he was rather concerned with how the young dragon just flopped down on the ground when he entered the caves. Maybe he was just winded from the flight, but it was hard to say with any degree of certainty.
“We need to talk,” Syrenth replied, turning into his human form and honestly wishing he could just hug Rasenth. He had missed him so much, but now they had reason to speak again. Syrenth wasn’t too sure what would come of this conversation. Maybe they could run away together or something? Raise the hatchlings somewhere safe. But, he could think about that later, right now he had to tell his old lover the news.
Following Syrenth’s lead, Rasenth also turned into his human form, and he took Syrenth into his arms and began carrying him to his chambers, so it would at least be a bit warmer for the fire dragon.
Once they were there, Rasenth laid Syrenth down on the bed and covered him up with blankets. Though they had parted on bad terms, Rasenth still often thought of Syrenth, and he was hoping that this homecoming signified Syrenth changing his mind about leaving him, and maybe they could be together.
“Yes, Sy? What do you wish to discuss?” Rasenth asked.
Syrenth almost couldn’t believe Rasenth was being so caring. He was actually picking him up and being so gentle with him. It was wonderful. Though, he couldn’t savour the loving moment. He just took Rasenth’s hand as he gazed up to his gorgeous eyes and finally gave his old lover the news.
“I’ve… There is… back home. I’ve just laid eggs, Rasenth. Three eggs,” Syrenth informed Rasenth, rather panicked. He squeezed the elder’s hand tightly, trying to get a hold of himself as he waited for the older dragon’s reaction.
Rasenth hardly knew what to say. He had babies with Syrenth? That wasn’t exactly the most uplifting news in the world given the circumstances. In fact, depending on Tazour’s reaction to this, it might be the preface to a battle between the two of them.
“I see,” Rasenth said softly. “And what do you wish to do?” he asked, wondering what Syrenth wanted. As things were, Rasenth didn’t see how he could go back home with Syrenth, or Syrenth come here. So, it would be a very difficult thing to work out.
“I don’t know,” Syrenth replied, visibly upset but he was trying to hold back the tears. He wanted to hold Rasenth, to have him close to him again and feel his comforting warmth engluf him. Just one last time at least.
“I hide them in my room. I came straight here. I don’t know what to do. I’m scared,” Syrenth spoke, squeezing Rasenth’s hand and refusing to let go. If he could, he would have just run away with Rasenth, apologising for leaving him the way he did and maybe try and be happy somewhere far away. However, that was probably never going to happen. Rasenth had a whole clan to think of. He had chosen Syrenth over them before, however, the young dragon doubted it would happen again.
“Where is your father right now?” Rasenth asked, pulling Syrenth towards him, just holding him closely. He was glad to leave everything behind for Syrenth, as long as he was sure that Syrenth really did want to stay with him. He wouldn’t let Syrenth leave him this time, though. As long as his lover wanted to stay with him, then he would stay by his side no matter what came.
Syrenth felt a small wave of relief washing over him as Rasenth held him. The young dragon nuzzled into the elder, resting his head against the male’s shoulder and just enjoyed the moment of being in his arms.
“He’s working around town. He’s probably doing his inspection of the elk herd,” Syrenth replied, happy to give Rasenth whatever information or help he needed. He didn’t want to leave this time. If he could, he would have just stayed here, but they couldn’t leave the eggs down there, alone and defenceless.
“Is there going to be another time where Tazour will leave the tribe for a few days, like he did in the winter?” Rasenth asked. He wanted to find the best time for Syrenth to sneak out with the eggs. Rasenth could scout out a suitable nest, and then he could take Syrenth there and they could raise the little hatchlings.
“I think so. Yeah. In a few weeks,” Syrenth replied, looking up at Rasenth to see what his plan was. He would just do whatever the elder dragon said. Rasenth clearly knew what he was doing here and it seemed he was already beginning to formulate a plan. If it meant they could be somewhere safe with the little ones then Syrenth was willing to do whatever it took to make that happen.
“Well, it typically takes a little over a month for dragon eggs to hatch. So, we will have to just be careful and wait for your father to leave, and you will have to make sure that he doesn’t find out about the eggs. While we’re waiting, I’ll find a suitable nest for us, and we can move the eggs there once your father has left,” Rasenth said, gently running his fingers through Syrenth’s hair. He was a bit overwhelmed that he was a father for the first time, and over 1000 years old. He wanted to do a good job and raise the little wyrms, though, and keep them safe.
“Can we not leave sooner?” Syrenth asked, as he was scared of keeping this a secret. It would only be a matter of time before Tazour found the eggs. There weren’t many places Syrenth could hide them, and he had to keep them warm so they wouldn’t die. It wasn’t going to be an easy task, that was for sure.
“Do you think you could leave your father’s home with the eggs without getting caught?” Rasenth asked, not to argue with Syrenth, but if that was too risky, it was better that he try and dig a hole in the backyard while Tazour slept and hide them there. As long as the hole was about ten feet down, the ground would be around seventy degrees, which would be warm enough for the eggs to be safe. Rasenth just thought that moving them at the risk of being caught might spook Syrenth should someone see him, and maybe one of the eggs would drop. That was just a scenario that Rasenth didn’t want to see realized.
“I don’t know. Maybe. I just don’t feel safe there now. If my father found out… I don’t know what he would do,” Syrenth replied, burying his head into Rasenth chest as he tried not to think of being caught with the eggs. Tazour would lose the plot. He’d go mental and probably kill Rasenth for this. Not that Syrenth would tell Tazour who fathered the eggs, but they certainly weren’t the same colour or texture as normal inferno eggs, so he would probably figure it out sooner or later.
“I leave it up to your discretion. If you think that you could leave without being followed, then I encourage you to try. If not, then the only thing that we can do is wait. Just realize that if you get caught leaving and whomever catches you sees the eggs, they will definitely have some questions, and you may not be allowed to leave after that point,” Rasenth said. He wanted this done in the safest and most cautious manner possible.
“I don’t know if I can do it on my own. I want to get them out, but i don’t think I’ll be able to without someone seeing me,” Syrenth replied, after hearing the risks of leaving so suddenly it made the young dragon hesitate. It was possible for him to be caught and questioned about this, and once Tazour found out he’d probably never be allowed to leave the house again. His father would probably have the eggs squished, left to die and be forgotten so the family name wasn’t ruined by this act. It was terrible, but Syrenth felt like he had to do something. He wanted to guarantee the hatchlings safety whatever way he could.
“Listen, you just have to hurry back home, before your father returned, and dig a hole that’s fairly deep. About ten feet or so. Hide the eggs there and camouflage the hole so that it’s not noticeable. I will go and look for a nice place to nest, and you just keep appearances up until it’s time to go. I wish I could keep you here in my arms, but right now, it’s just not safe to linger. Okay?” Rasenth said, giving Syrenth a kiss on the forehead to comfort him a little.
A kiss on the forehead wasn’t enough for Syrenth. He sat up and locked his lips with Rasenth’s, holding him close as he tried to make the kiss as passionate as he could. He wanted to make sure that Rasenth was going to stay true to his word that he would come back for him and find a nest for them to live. Syrenth just needed to know that everything would work out and that everything would be okay.
“You promise you’ll come for me?”
The kiss was a bolder move than he had expected from Syrenth, but he enjoyed it thoroughly, and kissed back with an equal amount of passion.
“Love, I wouldn’t leave you if offered the world. You can count on me coming back for you as soon as Tazour is gone. Now, when precisely is that?” Rasenth asked, so he knew what kind of schedule was working with to find a new nest.
“The next full moon, that’s when he should be going,” Syrenth replied, happy to give all the information he could. At least they had a plan, and as long as Syrenth could bury his eggs and keep them away from Tazour they should be fine. He just hoped nothing would go wrong before that.
“Good. I will be coming the day after that, just to make sure he’s cleared out. I’ll meet you in the sycamore forests up a bit north of your village, and we can travel together from there. Does that sound good?” Rasenth suggested, exercising as much caution as possible.
“Where we met the first time?” Syrenth asked, just to confirm that was where they would meet. It sounded so romantic, running away together where they first laid eyes on each other. Syrenth’s stomach just filled with butterflies at the thought. He was calming down a lot now that they had an action plan, he just hoped it would work.