Fantasy no returns on royalty [closed]

[fleurdelys]

In the quaint kingdom of Faramond, the capital city of Hyath sat nestled in the heart of a grand valley. Tall, sturdy walls protected its inhabitants from every monster and witch that lurked in the dense wilderness around it. At the center of the city stood the royal castle on a small hill, surrounded by a man-made moat and a stone barrier around its perimeter. Today, this city was abuzz with activity. There was a palpable excitement in the air, with citizens chattering enthusiastically on the street in between the hustle of bustle of merchants, who seemed even busier than usual. To anyone just wandering into the city, it was not difficult to find out what the cause for all of this energy. Fliers were posted on every block proclaiming that today was the beloved Prince Artemis' coming of age party, and it would be a masquerade no less. While the general populace would not be permitted to mingle personally with the royals, all were invited to participate in a public celebration in the town square. Meanwhile, select royals and nobles both from Faramond and various kingdoms abroad would be allowed onto the castle grounds for the private party.

While there was some protest and disappointment from the civilians, the choice was understandable. Prince Artemis was heir to the throne, and would undoubtedly be a promising king. There was no room for risk, especially with nefarious rumours about the horrific Mountain Man wanting to abduct him before he is married. Speaking of, there seemed to be as much talk of him as there was about the Prince himself. Word on the street was that the urban legend would make an appearance today to try and kidnap the Prince. But there was much debate with regards to how he would do so. Some people seemed to believe he had already killed a nobleman and was wearing his skin so he could infiltrate the royal party; others figured he would ride up on a dragon and use telekinesis to pull Artemis right off the ground. There was even a small percentage of citizens who believed he was already living among them in disguise. Despite the differing hypotheses, there was one commonality: people seemed to look forward to the Mountain Man's appearance more than they worried for the Prince's safety.

Although part of it stemmed from simple confidence in the city's security and the competency of the royal guards, there was another factor at play. The sheltered townspeople had collectively developed a sort of morbid curiosity, seeing as though most of them never left the safety of Hyath's walls. No one had seen the Mountain Man himself, but everyone had heard some form of rumour about him. According to some, he was a giant cyclops with rippling, rock solid muscles who had webbed feet and wore a cloak made from sticks and leaves. Others swore he was barely a man himself, and was instead comprised of different monsters all sewn together by a witch. The stories were wildly varied and seemingly endless: which was perhaps why the people of Hyath were not-so-secretly excited to see what the local myth was truly like.

Meanwhile, on one of the tallest and most nefarious mountains in the valley, the Mountain Man himself stood just at the entrance of his cave. If the townspeople saw him, they would surely be disappointed. He was nothing more than a normal human - a lanky, pale, naked man whose most startling feature was his long, thick mane of bright red hair. While he did not have any magical powers or abilities, he did have a dragon familiar. In front of the entrance, nearly blocking its entirety, sat the massive three-headed beast. Its scales were as black as the night, but had an unusually opalescent quality. Its powerful wings were tucked neatly against its hulking form, while the heads all faced the human, their golden eyes sharp and attentive as he spoke.

"Okay, so he's tall. And thin. With black hair. Okay?" Three pairs of eyes stared back at him. The man wrung his hands together, pursing his lips as he began to pace back and forth, his gaze locked on the rocky ground beneath his feet. After a moment of contemplation, he stopped and looked back up. "Oh! He looks handsome - very, very handsome. And really important. Probably the most important-looking person there. Well-- that's not an old man or old woman I guess." He frowned, suddenly wondering if he had confused his reptilian companion. As if to confirm his suspicion, one of the dragon's heads tilted to the side while the other two glanced at each other.

The Mountain Man - or Firefly, as he was known to himself - shook his head and waved his hands around in the air. "Okay, okay, forget, forget!" He put his hands on his hips and tried it one more time. "Just remember tall, thin, black hair. And handsome, too. Yes. You will remember." He nodded, satisfied with these things. His beastly companion, Wormwood, was an intelligent creature. He had seen the amazing Prince Artemis before as well, so surely he would recall his beautiful face and know right away who to pick up.

One of Wormwood's heads huffed loudly, while the other two let out small cries. "Ah! No, no, no! Don't eat or hurt him, please! Please, please!" Firefly fell to his knees with his hands clasped tightly together in front of him. "One piece! Bring him back safely in one piece. And be gentle - gentle. He is a treasure, remember please. Okay?" He stared into the dragon's eyes, looking from one head to the next. After a moment, Wormwood cried out again, somewhat happily this time.

In response, Firefly jumped up and threw his arms around the neck of the middlemost head and gave it a loving squeeze. "Perfect. Now--" He let go and quickly walked around the dragon, exiting the cave and peering upwards into the sky. After noting the position of the sun, Firefly skipped back around Wormwood and sat cross-legged in front of him. "Time to go soon. But first, let's review. Tall, thin, black hair, handsome. Don't eat! Tall, thin, black hair, handsome. Don't eat! Okay?" The dragon gave another cheerful sound, prompting Firefly to clap his hands together. "Good! And again - tall, thin, black hair, handsome, don't eat! Tall, thin, black hair, handsome, don't eat! Okay?"

Another joyful dragon cry. Another repetition of the mantra. And soon, it would be time to put their plan into action.

Ranguva

 

[Ranguva]

At the center of the city of Hyath, midst the glowing lanterns that hung on the gleaming stone barrier that stood sturdily against the purpling sky, the royal castle stood. On most days, it cast an imposing air with its towering height and walls patterned with the gleaming silver sheen of human sweat shining off the guards’ armor. This day; however, was cause celebration and, somewhat more importantly, decoration. Red velvet banners trimmed with silver threads hung on every bare inch of the stone wall, quivering in the cool evening breeze. The few guards, who hurried to take the few choice places of the castle’s perimeter that would grant them full view of the feast and the noble ladies during the celebration, were bedecked in the full armor of the king’s ceremonial guard. Silk ribbons and flickering candles at every window had the palace glowing with a festive air as the gates trembled under the readiness of the approaching time for entry into the festivities. The air was full of laughter and anticipation. As well as tension…

Tension coming from a slouching young man in the middle of the deserted training grounds, gasping for air as he leaned heavily against the handle of a simple, iron sword which had been thrust deeply into the packed dirt of the area. At first look, one may have disregarded the lone man as a straggling soldier, late for his preparations for the celebration. But, if one looked closely, the clothing the man wore was of noble attire. Under the dust, intricate gold threads embroidered the finely made tunic that covered the slim, heaving chest of the man. Reaching up to wipe the sweat and the long, dark hair away from his eyes, the man straightened up and looked up at the darkening sky. The last rays of sunlight reflected off the man’s unusual eyes, one bright blue and the other golden. This was Prince Apollo, brother to crown prince Artemis.

Apollo caught his breath at last and flexed his trembling arms. In the quiet of the empty grounds, the voices of the gathered nobility outside and the bustle of the servants inside were plain to hear. It was almost time. He sheathed his sword in a simple scabbard and took a glance at a far window, up in one of the higher towers of the castle. Artemis’s room. His keen eyes could almost see his brother’s silhouette before the figure moved away from the windowsill. The sharp gaze in Apollo’s eyes grew soft as he thought of the crown prince.

Artemis, the soon-to-be ruler of the kingdom. The crown prince. His precious brother. He had heard the rumors and legends of the Mountain Man. The monster who was allegedly plotting to take Artemis away for some nefarious or perverse gain. Apollo himself never believed in urban myths. Even with the circulating rumors of his true birth mother being a witch, that couldn’t be further from the truth. He showed no special abilities and the blue eye was only a small anomaly that caused him no issue other than the whispers of the castle maids. The Mountain Man was a myth. But, there was to be no risk when Artemis’s safety was concerned. That was one thing he and his father could both agree on. “By my sword and my hand, you will be protected…” His whisper faded into the breeze as he gave one last look at Artemis’s window and strode through the grounds back into the castle to prepare himself for the masquerade.

Precious fabrics flew through the air and jewels glittered off the masks and throats of the dancers. The royal masquerade was in full swing. The orchestra filled the air with the strains of a waltz that was popular throughout the kingdom. The great hall of the royal palace shone itself was shining in radiance. Ice sculptures, mounds of food on golden plates, the great crystal chandelier and the swirling forms of the nobility and royalty made the hall a scene that would come out of book of fairy tales. Every person wore a mask. From the lowliest serving maid to the great king himself, the masks, feathered, bejeweled or decked with ribbons, graced the party participants with colors galore.

Apollo was standing at the front of the hall, in front of the king’s throne. Gone was the ragged tunic and scruffy hair. The white silk of his suit shone with immaculate brightness as well as the golden embroidery woven with the pattern of vines and roses that accented his slim frame. A gold broach pin, stamped with the royal family’s crest, kept a heavy, red velvet fur cape pinned to his right shoulder. His head was still stinging from the rough brushing as well as the nagging that his manservants and maids had given him during the frantic rush to make him presentable for the celebration. A thin mask of thin, beaten gold hid his face from view. It was stamped with the pattern of dragons and suns and inlaid with rubies and a single aquamarine on one corner of the mask. He looked as regal and as radiant as the very god that he had been named after. He hated it.

Artemis would soon take his place at his father’s side for the evening. Meanwhile, he would be mingling with the lords, ladies and princesses who had come to celebrate this exceptional event. “I am pleased,” Apollo intoned almost monotonously for what seemed to be the hundredth time, “for my brother’s coming ascension to the throne.” He plastered a smile on his face as he nodded politely to the red-faced lords, who were probably getting tipsy on the celebratory wine, and the leering ladies, who was surely looking for a chance to incur favor in him that they could use as leverage to get closer to his brother and father.

Inwardly sighing, he turned his head slightly to an window which had been opened to let in a fresh breeze to combat the stuffiness of the hall. The lively strains of merry jig could be heard from the public celebration held outside for the public. He would give almost anything to be given the chance to sneak away from the nobility, drunk on both wine and power, to the freedom of the common people. If it had been any other celebration, he most likely would have. But, today was Artemis’s coming-of-age. It would not be something he would want to miss. Besides… Apollo fingered the handle of a rapier that he had hidden under the dratted cape. There could be threats.

He heard the loud slither of velvet behind him and turned to see his father standing. King Leonard of the royal house of Aurum had been bedecked in gold to accentuate his golden hair and eyes. He gave no welcoming speech. He did not need to. The regality of his presence was words enough for the audience. “I present my son,” King Leonard’s face shone with pride as he spoke in a loud voice that filled the great hall, “the Crown Prince, Artemis of Aurum!” Waving a ring-filled hand, two guards opened the main doors. All heads turned as Prince Artemis walked into the hall, followed with his entourage of manservants, maidservants and ceremonial guards.

Apollo looked on with adoration at his brother. The costume was the same as his own. The only difference was the silver embroidery filling his suit and the cape of dark blue, making him look like a starlit night. Artemis’s mask was of beaten silver with the pattern of moons and beasts of the forest and inlaid with pearls and diamonds. A gentle, yet authoritative gaze scanned the crowd bringing awe and respect in abundance. Striding proudly down the length of the hall, Artemis came closer and closer to Apollo and King Leonard. Everything was going according to plan.

 

[fleurdelys]

Firefly and Wormwood reviewed the plan a few more times before the man decided that there was no way his draconic friend would forget. "Perfect! You'll do great." He jumped up and hugged the middlemost head again, while the two on either side curled inwards to join in the embrace as well. After a moment of affection, the Firely decided that was time to prepare a meal for themselves before Wormwood set off. It was late afternoon by that time, leaving more than enough time for them to gather food and eat before nightfall.

As Firefly donned a simple loincloth and gathered a few primitive, makeshift tools he used for foraging, Wormwood spread his gigantic wings and took to the skies. Unsurprisingly, the two of them ate vastly different things. The man's diet was primarily vegetarian: he typically gathered various plants, fruits, and nuts from the mountainside, and only ate meat once every moon cycle if he could find something that had just passed away. On the other hand, such a diet was obviously not befitting a fully-grown dragon such as Wormwood. He would usually bring back other monsters to feast upon, although occasionally the creature would return with a deer, bear, or other large animal. But regardless of what the dragon found on its hunt, Firefly would say a small prayer for the creature's life.

Once the red-haired man had everything he needed, he quickly took off down the rocky path that led up to his cave. There was an extra spring in his step, and a little more energy in every leap and bound. A strange mixture of excitement and nervousness bubbled within his belly and tickled his heart. It was a feeling he didn't remember experiencing before, at least not to this magnitude. Firefly could hardly wait to see his love in the flesh and finally have him in his arms; but, naturally, he was worried also. Would he like the cave? Would he like the food? Would Wormwood scare him right off? What if he wanted to go back to the castle?

The questions bounced around madly in his head as he foraged, but eventually Firefly decided to shake them out of his mind. He wouldn't know until the Prince got here, so there was no point in fretting for now. Besides - Artemis was kind, wonderful, and perfect, so surely he would adjust and adapt to the situation.

With his mind clear, Firefly continued diligently with his gathering. He spent a bit more time than usual, seeing as though he would have to have food on hand for the Prince once he came, as well. When the sack he held was full and he was satisfied with his findings, he headed straight back to his cave. There, Wormwood sat at the entrance, waiting patiently with the carcasses of a goblin and two mountain boars laid out neatly in front of him. The Mountain Man approached his companion and set down the sack full of foraged goods in front of the dead creatures. He then knelt down and clasped his hands together again, interlocking his fingers with one another, and closed his eyes. Against the backdrop of the darkening sky, he began to speak quietly and gently. "Thank you Mother Nature for the bounty you have given us. Thank you goblin, boars, and plants for providing us with nourishment and strength. May your souls be at peace forever."

As the last word left his lips, Firefly opened his eyes and relaxed his hands. "Okay, eat, eat. Get your strength." He smiled at Wormwood as the monster promptly began to feast on the spoils of its hunt. Meanwhile, the pale man fell back onto his rear and opened up his sack. He would occasionally cook some of his food over a fire, but for some reason, he didn't feel like eating very much at the moment. So instead, he simply snacked on small handfuls of berries, nuts, and leaves he had found. As the two ate in serene silence with only the sound of smacking lips and crunching between them, Firefly could faintly hear the sound of music emanating from the direction of the city. Looking over towards it, he saw that the various lights and decorations made Hyath glow softly against the evening sky. It was quite pretty in its own way, he supposed, but he felt no desire to even go close to the walled town. Not in a million years, in fact.

Firefly turned back to reach for another nut when he saw that Wormwood had finished eating, and left one boar to spare. The man frowned a little, his head falling to the side curiously before he understood why the dragon had not eaten it. "Oh! Oh, you're so sweet!" He jumped up, his mouth full of berries as he pat all of the dragon's heads affectionately. "Good job, good thinking. I'm sure Artemis likes boar, yes, we'll save it for him. Good, good. Okay, then. Now I think it's time to go, Wormwood. Are you ready?" He swallowed the food in his mouth and looked to the bustling city on the horizon.

Wormwood made no sound, but was peering intently at the human in apparent response. Firefly turned back to him and nodded, gulping audibly as the anxious-excited feeling began to intensify within him. "Okay. Good luck. You can do it. And remember--"

The dragon suddenly cried out gently, as if assuring him that he hadn't forgotten the mantra they had gone over earlier in the day. Without further delay, the dragon rose to his feet and turned around, his great tail swinging and his powerful wings unfurling. He approached the edge of the cliff, his steps gradually picking up speed until he took off in the direction of Hyath, leaving Firefly standing at the cave entrance, a pale twig against the darkness within. The tall man pursed his lips, wringing his hands uneasily as he watched the dragon's form grow smaller and smaller against the cloudless sky. "Ah... so nervous..." he mumbled, some of his earlier worries creeping back into his conscience. When he realized that they were, he shook his head and slapped his cheeks. There was no time for that. He had things to do to prepare.

Once Wormwood was little more than a smudge in the air, Firefly turned and quickly walked up to the boar. He picked up the dead animal and brought it further into the cave before retrieving his own bag of food and placing it in the same spot. After that he started a fire and plonked himself down unceremoniously in front of it. Peering uneasily into the flickering flames, he gathered up his wild mane of hair over his left shoulder and slowly began to run his long, thin fingers through it, picking out various sticks, leaves, and bugs that had lodged themselves within it. He had to make a good impression, and he had little time to waste.

Meanwhile, Wormwood made his way towards Hyath. While the dragon did not truly understand human language, he had been raised by Firefly since he was a pup, creating a bond between them that provided the creature with a degree of intuition about the man's desires and intentions. As such, he did understand that his mortal companion wanted him to pick up a certain human from the castle. Thanks to Firefly's tireless review of what they looked like, Wormwood knew what type of person to look for. Although all humans looked more or less the same to him - with the exception of the so-called Mountain Man, of course - he did understand that he had seen this certain person before. So the dragon knew what to do. More or less.

As he approached the city, the dragon surveyed the town. A large number of humans had gathered, but he flew right over them, knowing that the person Firefly wanted would be in the castle. As Wormwood's silhouette passed overhead, a few townspeople shouted and pointed at him in fear - although it made no difference to the dragon whatsoever. After all, the cries of humans were no more important than the whistling of wind. So the dragon ignored them completely and continued on its path towards the city's castle instead. As he drew near, he lowered his altitude to get a better look at the humans running around on the ground below him. He was low enough to be clearly visible, but was high enough so that they would not be able to easily attack him. Although not that their weapons would be much good - his scales were incredibly tough, so much that typical arrows, swords, and even fire would do no damage to him.

After circling the castle grounds a few times, the dragon did not see the certain human they needed. He did another lap around to see if there were any openings he could possibly go through, but the only one was a window that would only fit one of his heads. Deciding to take a less invasive approach to start, Wormwood hovered in the air just above the main gates of the castle and let out a loud, booming roar. Perhaps that would be enough to lure out the human he needed.

 

[Ranguva]

Apollo wasn’t sure what he found more shocking from what he witnessed in the next few seconds. The wall-shaking roar of some beast outside the castle grounds that caused the enormous crystal chandelier to quiver and swing furiously. Or the speed at which King Leonard had moved to stand next to Artemis. The second the roar had resounded throughout the hall, his father had somehow, with all his gold and jeweled finery, sped over to the prince in an instant and swept him away to the front of the throne where Apollo stood startled. Shaking himself out of his dumbstruck daze, Apollo grabbed the ornate handle of his hidden rapier and drew it swiftly. The keen blade flew in a silver arc as he whipped it out, severing the golden cord of his velvet cape and leaving it to fall to the palace floor in the process. Silently, he took a place in front of Artemis, who seemed almost unmoved by the surprising turn of events. The booming roar faded as every person in the hall stood still. Even the very flames of the candles barely flickered as they waited for the king’s command on what to do next. Apollo stood in front of his brother, rapier at the ready, determined to face the threat that he was sure was waiting right outside the double doors of the palace.

Suddenly, the doors of the hall flew open, crashing right into the faces of the soldiers who had been standing guard on either side. The resounding crash and surprised shouts of the soldiers caused some of the delicate ladies of the court to fall in a swoon. Nobody caught them. Everyone’s attention was focused on the small figure which threw itself through the swinging doors. Apollo and a few of Artemis’s ceremonial guard leapt forward with a challenging yell, swords lifted for a direct blow. “Stop!” King Leonard’s authoritative command froze the guards mid-swing. Apollo had gained too much momentum after jumping forward, but was able to change the rapier’s trajectory to pierce the floor in front of the cowering figure. “W-what the?” It was a young serving maid. White with evident fright, the maid trembled visibly as she cowered with her hands over her bowed head. “Explain yourself, girl,” his father spoke in a voice that bordered on slight worry and rage. The maid wordlessly moved her mouth, little squeaks and whimpers of fright issuing intelligible words from her lips. Apollo’s patience wore thin and he reached over to firmly grasp the maid by her shoulders. “Come on, spit it out!” Somehow turning paler than he thought humanely possible, the maid shrieked out a single word that reverberated in the crowded hall. “D-d-d-DRAGON!!!” She gave a final squeak and fell into Apollo’s arms in a dead faint.

The castle erupted into chaos. Now that the nature of the threat had been named, the nobility present began to panic and run, or glide in the case of the more rotund guests, in fear. Those who had brought their own guards cowered behind soldiers marked with the insignias of their respective cities. Ladies began to swoon in droves, suffocating the floor space with a sea of fabrics, jewels and flesh causing the panicked guests to stumble and trip over the slumped bodies. Apollo laid the maid on the ground before springing up. Looking around wildly, he was able to glimpse Artemis wrapped in his father’s protective embrace. Of all things, a dragon?! Hyath was the central city Faramond. Most monsters were satisfied with raiding the surrounding cities on the borders of the wilderness, which provided easier pickings due to the exposure to the elements. It was either foolishly brave for the monster to just waltz in and issue a challenge or it was after something. This meant intelligence. A glancing shove from a running soldier snapped him out of his thoughts. First things first.

“Protect the crown prince! Protect the king! Protect Artemis!” Some of the more sensible guards who were able to hear his command marched over to his brother and father and formed a protective turtle-shell formation. A small opening remained and, as Apollo yanked the ornate rapier from where it had been embedded, the king reached out a ringed hand to beckon Apollo into the safety of the formation. Apollo gave a determined glance back at his father and brother, satisfied with their safety, before racing towards the gaping entrance. “APOLLO!” King Leonard roared, a yell of authority and desperation, as he weaved through the crowd. Apollo barely heard it. “Apollo!” It was Artemis’s bewildered shout that made him turn around at the front of the door. He could only see glimpses of his brother’s form as it clutched at the chinks that the soldier’s armor made in the turtle shell. The silver mask on his face gleamed along with the polished armor, outlining bright golden eyes filled with fear and worry. Nonetheless. Apollo had made up his mind. Giving a small smile and a playful salute back at the encircled forms of his brother and father, he spoke confidently, “Don’t worry! I will be back!” With that, he bounded through the entrance into the darkness outside. However dangerous the situation, he had made an oath to himself to protect Artemis.

As he ran out into the courtyard, just before the main gates of the castle, Apollo finally saw what had made the earth-shaking roar. As the maid had said, it was a dragon. Almost camouflaged by its black scale, only the bright glow of the lanterns allowed the figure of the dragon to come into full view. It was no ordinary dragon. It seemed twice as large than most that Apollo had heard about in stories and it had three heads. Three heads? That would be one for the books. If a dragon with a single head was already claimed to be cunning, how sly would a three-headed one be? He would have to ponder the matter later. Screams of terror and fear resounded in the night as the people from the surrounding villages spotted the beast hovering over the gates of the castle. Already, soldiers were taking offensive measures. Swarms of arrows flew towards the dragon as the wall guards and those who carried longbows took aim. Unfortunately, the arrows either snapped on the dragon’s tough hide or bounced back, falling back and injuring some of the guards who stood below.

Seeing the futility of the bows and the confusion of the masses who only had weapons of close combat, Apollo decided to take matters into his own hands. Finding the stairs that led up to the main wall, he stealthily climbed up to an advantage point that would lead up to the foot of the dragon. Due to the injuries sustained from the falling arrows, the scent of blood was thick in the air and the screaming people seemed to have caught the beast’s attention. As he reached the top of the wall, Apollo ducked behind a parapet. After seeing the ineffectiveness that the arrows had, he discarded his rapier knowing that the thin blade would only shatter with contact from the iron-like scales. Luckily, the wall was littered with dropped weapons from the panicked soldiers. Ignoring the heavy broadswords and the useless bows, Apollo lifted up a simple iron sword. If the stories were right and his studies true, he knew that the dragon would probably have some sort of chink in their armor. The small gaps where the inflexible scales were unable to overlap. The joints.

The dragon’s three heads were sinuously waving in multiple directions, seemingly searching. Even in the midst of his whirling thoughts, he found it strange. Nevertheless, he thought back to Artemis, hopefully still protected in the arms of his fathers and the shields of the soldiers. Drawing up on the determination, he silently stood and brandished his sword into the stance that he had practiced hundreds and hundreds of times. “By my sword and my hand,” Apollo whispered before leaping onto the top of the wall and launching himself through the air without a second thought, “I will protect you!” Only Artemis was on his mind as he slammed bodily into the dragon’s hind leg. Clinging onto the rough scales and ignoring the scrapes that they were inflicting on his hands, he lifted his sword and jammed it into a gap that he had focused on.

 

[fleurdelys]

Wormwood flapped his powerful wings in an almost leisurely way as all three of his heads looked in every direction, searching for the tall, thin, dark-haired human it needed to bring back home. The humans below ran around like ants in the dirt, shouting in distress as chaos spread amongst them. In particular, he saw a tiny female human throw open the doors and run into the castle itself. Every head followed her movement and watched the entrance carefully, wondering if the handsome human was hiding somewhere inside. One head surveyed the people scurrying about outside once more before determining that he did not see the one he needed.

After a few short moments, the dragon heard even more screams and shouts erupted from both inside the castle and from the areas around the city. But still, none of this noise phased the great beast. Instead, Wormwood's heads looked at one another with a calm curiosity as he remained in wait where he was. His attention was glued to the door in order, anticipating that the panicked humans would come outside - or at least, a few of them. The dragon did not wish for confrontation or to even get much closer to the people of Hyath, but if it was necessary to go into the castle he would. Firefly had given him a task to do, after all.

It was only when the arrows started flying that the beast's attention was drawn away. Although even then, only one head turned to observe the rain of projectiles being launched towards him. The attacks were futile, but they did tickle a little bit. However, when the metallic stench of blood reached the dragon's nostrils, the head on the other side began surveying the scene below. The second head let out a loud huff through its nose, apparently displeased that injury had occurred. If the important human was somewhere among the crowd, it was possible that he had gotten hurt as well. Which was not part of the plan. Apparently concerned now, one head continued to monitor the entrance while the other two surveyed the ground below a bit more closely for signs of a tall, thin, dark-haired, injured, handsome man.

Suddenly, the dragon felt something on one of its back legs. It was much heftier than the arrows that were lobbied at him, and it was steadily making its way up its side. Wormwood's back leg twitched slightly - he felt itchy, almost like a dog with fleas. His rightmost head turned, its long neck bending so that he could get a better look at what was on his back. Then, barely a split-second after he saw the human on his body, he felt a sharp stab in the joint between his leg and abdomen. Viscous, ink blue blood began to flow from the wound as the dragon let out a loud but short cry of pain, his position in the air faltering briefly. It was not a particularly serious injury, but it certainly hurt a lot more than everything else the humans had tried; and it was definitely enough to get more of his attention. Wormwood's left head swung around with an almost violent speed, his golden eyes zeroing in immediately on the perpetrator.

The human was masked, but both his clothing and armour looked fancy. Dragons were naturally attracted to treasure, so identifying the quality of his garb was something of a primal instinct. However, because of the mask Wormwood could not really tell if he had seen this human before or not. But, he did have black hair. Despite the man's stance, it was evident that he was thin and tall as well. As for whether or not he was handsome, the dragon truly could not judge such a thing even if his face was unmasked.

His left head looked at his right. They locked eyes for just a second or two before they turned around once more. This human fit the description, in addition to looking like the most important person there. Even though Firefly had urged him to forget that detail, it was not so simple for a dragon to erase a memory.

At this point Wormwood cried out again, although this time there was an almost sorrowful quality to it. His intention was to offer apologies for disrupting their peace and causing harm, even though he was actually aware that no one would understand. With that, he started flapping his wings faster, rising into the air with each stroke. The gust from this movement pushed into the guards and castle staff below, but Wormwood paid no mind. Once he was high enough in the air, he turned and began flying back towards his mountain home. He flew a bit slower and gentler than he usually did, but still fast enough so that the human would have no choice but to hold on tightly and not attack any further, lest he plummet to his death.

When Wormwood approached the cave, Firefly was waiting anxiously on the cliff. His wild mane was secured in a ponytail by a thick vine, and instead of being naked he wore a cloak of animal pelts that covered him up to his knees. In his hands he held a crown of flowers, although he had squished and mangled a few of them while nervously fidgeting with it during his wait. In the background it was evident that he had made good use of his time after all. A fire roared behind him, its flames illuminating the entirety of the cave entrance. Nearby, Firefly had laid out a sort of makeshift bed: a blanket made of crudely stitched-together animal fur over top a large animal hide with a moss-filled sack sat at one end. To add a romantic touch, he had placed a bouquet of wild roses on top of the cover.

Once Firefly saw the dragon draw near, he quickly scurried back towards the cave so his companion would have enough space to land. "Oh... oh, y-you're back!" he exclaimed as Wormwood touched down on the cliff with surprising gentleness for such a huge beast. The dragon made a soft cooing noise as he folded his wings and looked to the human on his back, partially to ensure he hadn't fallen to his unfortunate demise and partially to signify to Firefly where his beloved prince was.

 

[Ranguva]

Apollo narrowed his eyes to protect them from getting sprayed with the thick blood that spurted out of the wound. For a split-second, he felt a rush of victory for having at least wounded the beast. The next moment, he was hanging onto the scaly leg for dear life as the dragon lurched in mid-air and let out a painful cry. The patch of scales, that he was trying to grip at the moment, were rather difficult to hold onto as the blood kept trickling out of the wound and covering them with a thick, slick film. As he gazed up to find a better handhold midst the dragon’s flank, he found himself staring straight into the piercing eyes of one’s of the dragon’s heads. The golden gaze that he had expected to be full of wrath and unbridled rage was actually one of curiosity and… annoyance? Had his attack not done much after all? Well, he could try again! With the dragon’s head this close, it would be simple to incapacitate at least enough, so that the guards below could have a proper chance to subdue it.

Apollo tried to yank the sword out of the joint with a single hand. It was stuck. He tried again, groaning with the effort. Unfortunately, it was jammed deeper than he had thought and, being mid-air while holding onto a slick surface, did not help his chances in the slightest. As the head got closer, Apollo panicked and looked down in preparations to jump back onto the castle wall. Unfortunately, the dragon’s lurch had caused the dragon to head away from the walls that he had leaped from, cutting off the chance of escape. All Apollo could do was wait for the dragon to take revenge for the minor annoyance that he had inflicted. He cursed himself for his rash decision. If he had only waited to gather reinforcements to jump with him, maybe they could have wounded the beast enough to at least bring it closer to ground. Instead, he was stuck up in the clouds, clinging onto the very dragon who would end his life. Fitting for a rash fool!

“Aim for the gaps!!!” Apollo screamed in desperation. If he was to be killed by the dragon, he wanted to at least give the soldiers below the chance to kill, or at the very least, drive it away. As he closed his eyes and felt the movement of the dragon’s muscle working, most likely to bring it’s haunches closer to its teeth, Apollo heard the shocked cries of the soldiers below. They must have finally realized, but he knew it was too late for them to take any action that wouldn’t risk his life as well. All he could hope was that they had heard his shout. And that the dragon would choke on him.

It came as a major surprise to Apollo in the next few seconds to find that he had not yet been eaten. After he had closed his eyes in preparation for the fate that he had submitted to, he heard a large cry coming from the dragon. The vibrations from its roar traveled throughout the body making Apollo grip tighter onto the leg. What was happening? Why hadn’t he died yet? Had the dragon already lost interest in him and was planning a proper attack on the castle? It was the screams of the people that made him open his eyes. The dragon was leaving. With him. Apollo held on for dear life as he watched the guards hitching their bows in a desperate attempt to shoot the dragon out of the sky. Unfortunately, as the dragon rose into the air, the heavy gust from its wings caused the soldiers to lose their balances and pinned them to the ground by sheer air force.

“APOLLO!” Even with the deafening sounds of the wind around him and the cries of the people below, Apollo was able to pick out a single voice. Artemis stared out in shock from the window of one of the taller towers of the palace. There was nothing he could do. The dragon began to fly swiftly towards the mountains, where its lair surely was, and Apollo was forced to cling even tighter to the leg or risk being blown off into the dark abyss below. There was only one consolation that he could think of to this whole situation: Artemis would be safe. Even with him gone, the kingdom would still have a crown prince. Only one son was needed to fill the throne at the event of his father’s demise. Artemis was brave, wise and caring. He would make a wonderful ruler. In a way, Apollo saw this as payback for all the years of love and acceptance that Artemis had given him.

Apollo’s muscles were beginning to ache in exhaustion, but he did not dare relax his stiff limbs. It felt as if hours had passed since they had left the chaotic scene at the palace. As the dragon bore Apollo over the mountains and forests of varying sizes, his mind strayed into a sort of semi-consciousness. The adrenaline that had fueled his body for the leap and stab was long gone and all that remained was the need to drift off into a much-needed slumber. His dazed mind began to consider two options: to cling and be eaten by the dragon or to let go and hopefully succumb to a quick death by fall? His limbs began to go numb one by one. Though a small part of subconsciousness screamed for him to persevere, he felt as if the rest of him had chosen the latter option. Blackness crept into his vision and he didn’t even notice as the dragon finally landed into a large cave of some unknown cliff. The last thing he murmured before letting go of the dragon’s scaly leg, “A humans’ voice…?” Everything went dark.

 

[fleurdelys]

Firefly's pulse went wild. Finally, after all this time, Prince Artemis was here.

He ran to where Wormwood was looking, a nervous sweat building up under his arms. Was he okay? Was he hurt? Or maybe hungry? As he came around the side of the dragon's body, his heart skipped a beat as he saw the royal prince let go of Wormwood's leg and slump to the ground, unconscious. Gasping loudly, the red-headed man flew to his side and fell to his knees. He hastily scooped him up, holding him in his arms as he frantically looked for any signs of injury on his beloved Artemis. "Oh no, oh no, oh no..." Firefly patted his face and head, his crimson eyes scanning him meticulously for bumps, bruises, cuts, scrapes - anything.

Thankfully, after a few minutes of panicking over him like a mother over her babe, Firefly concluded that there was nothing major to worry about. He breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn't sure what he would do if anything bad had happened to him on the way here. It seemed as though Artemis had just passed out from the shock of riding Wormwood over the land - or so he assumed. Or maybe he was just tired. To be honest, Firefly wasn't quite sure how humans worked, but one of those explanations seemed to make sense. Either way, he was sure that he would wake up in a little bit. And if he slept through the night, that was okay, too. After all, they would have all the time in the world to get to know each other and plan out the rest of their lives together. Even though Firefly was excited to finally speak with his love face-to-face, he had already waited this long to properly meet, so he was sure he could manage a few hours of further delay.

With Artemis' safety confirmed, Firefly readjusted his grip on the man's unconscious body and rose to his feet. Despite his lanky frame, he was quite strong and was able to bridal carry the man into the cave and over to the bed he had prepared. Standing next to it, Firefly carefully lowered himself to the ground and placed Artemis in an upright sitting position with his back supported against one of his knees while the caveman's arm was still around the back of his neck. With his free hand, he moved the bouquet to the side and threw the animal hide blanket open. "Okay, have a nice little nap, my Prince." He slid his freed hand underneath the man's knees again so that he move him onto the bed he had made. "I'm sorry for the rough ride..." he said in a hushed voice as he gently laid Artemis down on the animal hide and covered him with the fur blanket. He gingerly fluffed and adjusted the moss-filled pillow beneath the prince's head and added, "I didn't know how to bring you here any other way."

Once his beloved was tucked in, Firefly sat back for a moment and admired the scene. Or at least, he tried to. Now that he wasn't worried about making Artemis comfortable, he realized that the ornate mask over his face was really detracting from everything. "I'll just..." Pursing his lips, the Mountain Man carefully laid his hands on the accessory before slowly taking it off. He laid it down next to the pillow and made another attempt to gaze lovingly upon the man. "Finally." He breathed a soft sigh as he studied the prince's handsome features, his heart slowing as a warm happiness slowly welled up inside of him. In truth, Firefly had never seen Prince Artemis up close like this. It was truly wonderful to see him in person, and not from some obscure hiding spot or Wormwood's back. "Thank you, God, for blessing me with this great luckyness."

As Firefly stared dreamily at the kidnapped royal, Wormwood slowly came into the cave and let out a small cry. Instantly, he knew what his dragon needed. He sprung to his feet, his eyes wide. "Oh no, Wormwood! You're hurt?" The man rushed over to his companion, nearly stumbling over his feet as he did. The dragon's heads turned to the spot where Artemis had been, leading the redheaded man back over to his hind leg. When he laid eyes upon the lodged sword and steadily bleeding wound, all joy dissipated from Firefly's mind and was suddenly replaced by guilt. "Oh no, oh no! I didn't even see, I'm awful - I'm so sorry!" He had been so preoccupied with checking Artemis that he hadn't even noticed the wound on Wormwood's leg. But, the man wasted no time. He practically flew back into the cave for a moment before rushing back to the dragon's side, a small red chest in hand. He sat himself down next to the dragon and opened it up to reveal a variety of bottles, vials, herbs, and smaller wooden boxes. A small bundle of leaves was tucked in the chest, as well as a stone mortar and pestle. Without even a moment of hesitation, Firefly got to work.

He ground up several herbs in the mortar and pestle before adding some powders and drops of liquid to the mixture. All the while, Firefly mumbled to himself beneath his breath, partially talking himself through the steps and partially scolding himself for his negligence. While Wormwood's wound was not serious, it was selfish and awful of him to ignore his injured friend. Although the dragon did not care at all - he merely sat calmly where he had landed, two heads watching Firefly while the last had its eyes on their new guest. As a result of being raised by a human, the dragon did experience various human emotions to a certain capacity, but he did not care about the same things in the same manner. While Firefly knew this deep down, he was still wracked with guilt.

Fueled by the shame of his selfishness, the man finished his task in record time. "I'm sorry, Wormwood, I'm so sorry... I'll fix you up right now. Right away." Rising to his feet, Firefly reached up and wrapped his hands around the sword. Wormwood tilted his body to the side slightly so that the injury was not as high off the ground, and more angled towards the man. "Okay, take some deep breaths... I'm going to take it out now." The dragon huffed, whimpering slightly as Firefly attempted to pull the blade straight out. When he felt resistance, he wiggled the blade ever-so-slightly until it was no longer stuck around the dragon's tough scales. Once he felt the weapon move a little, he gradually began to remove it until it was completely dislodged. Wormwood yelped as the steel left his flesh, but was quiet soon after. Quickly, Firefly threw the sword aside with a disgusted grimace. As it landed with a clatter, he bent down to pick out a glass bottle of water and the bundle of leaves from the chest. Murmuring to himself, he straightened up and began to cleanse the wound and the area around it. Once the blood had been wiped away, he took the mortar in his hand and scooped up a handful of the thick, dark green paste he had made. He applied it to the gash in the dragon's joint, his brow furrowed and mouth curled in a frown. After it was covered sufficiently, he took a large leaf and placed it over the area, applying a bit of paste around it so it would stick.

Finally, with his task complete, Firefly stepped away. "Ah... I'm sorry again." He moved to the dragon's front and clasped his hands together in front of his face. "Please forgive me! I shouldn't have ignored you, that was so wrong. So wrong."

Wormwood's heads turned to the man as he spoke. When he finished, the middle head leaned down and gently nuzzled his forehead. "Ah, I'm glad you're not angry with me," Firefly sniffed, patting the side of the dragon's head with his clean hand. "Go rest, I'll just clean up and make sure Prince Artemis is okay." With that, the three-headed creature seemed to nod before it lumbered off a bit further away, where it curled up and settled into sleep.

Firefly promptly cleaned up his first aid chest, briefly taking a trip down the mountain to a small stream where he washed off his hands and equipment, and replenished his supply of cleansing water. The only thing he did not touch was Artemis' sword, which remained on the clifftop where he had left it. After he returned back to his home, he returned everything else to its proper place before he took a seat across from the sleeping Prince on the other side of the fire. Firefly sat with his knees hugged to his chest and sighed quietly again. He was happy that the love of his life was finally here, but he couldn't shake the anxiety and anticipation that bubbled deep at the pit of his stomach. What if the Prince didn't like it here, and wanted to go back home? What if he didn't like him? Biting his lip, the man fidgeted with the edge of his animal fur cloak as he gazed upon the other man through the flickering flames. There was only one way to find out the answer to these things: talking to Artemis himself. But he didn't want to disturb his rest; after all, surely he was exhausted after the trip here.

So Firefly waited and watched, his mind and insides turning.

 

[Ranguva]

Leaves spiraled wildly into the air as the horse weaved steadily among the trees. Apollo was hunting. The black stallion he was mounting moved at a steady gallop as it chased a herd of frightened deer. He laughed with wild delight, feeling the strong muscles of the horse beneath him as he focused his gaze on the white, upturned tails and hindquarters of his prey. He heard a wild shout beside him and turned towards the noise. Artemis! His brother was on his own stallion, one of regal silver such of the stormy grey clouds during a thunderstorm. They shouted joyfully, the exhilaration of the hunt drawing out adrenaline and unbridled energy that they put into the strings of their bows. Apollo lifted his bow and aimed for the closest stag in his vision. A playful smile flitted around his lips as he steamed the bow against his cheek, the polished wood slightly scraping against his skin. Beside him, he could hear Artemis’s shouts of encouragement to take the shot. Venison would be on the table tonight once they brought the kill back to the palace.

However, just before he loosened the arrow, a dry, dusty scent caught his nose. His stallion must have caught wind of it as well as it suddenly bucked in alarm. His brothers shout of joy turned immediately to a scream of alarm. “APOLLO!” He was falling off the horse’s back and he flinched, waiting to hit the leafy forest floor. But, it never came. He kept falling and falling, the bow slipping out of his hands as he descended into a permeating darkness. As if he was falling into a bottomless pit, he saw a flash of Artemis’s dismayed face, the deer escaping through the trees, the pinpoint of sunlight growing smaller as he fell. For a moment of hope, he reached out a hand, thinking he could pul l himself back into the happy scene. Then, darkness. The scents of pine, cedar and moss were no more. All that remained was the musky scent of animalistic musk and the dusty scent that had the horse rearing in fear. A reptilian scent.

Apollo woke to the feelings of heavy limbs and matted fur against his cheek. He groaned softly. One of the castle mastiffs must have somehow made its way into his bed again. The gigantic mutts always managed to sneak past the guards and to open the door to his room. Not that he didn’t mind dogs, but having one smothering oneself was not the best wake-up call. He tried to lift an arm to push away the offending fur… Only to find that his arms didn’t seem to respond at all. Rather, they were too weak to lift. He opened a weary eye and turned his head to look at his right arm. Again, he struggled to lift it. The prickling feeling of returning circulation tortured his sore forearms and brought out a louder groan. “Holy! Mmmmphhh…” A particularly painful throb from his limbs forced out a half-curse before he was able to bite his lip to stop himself. He tilted his head back and lay still, waiting for the pain to subside before trying to move his arms again.

It was better the second time. Apollo was able to flex his fingers and shift his arms into a more comfortable position. The painful soreness was still present, but it was now at a more bearable level. His legs were numb and he wasn’t ready enough to bear the pain of moving them at the moment. Though slightly annoyed, he was finally able to focus completely on his surroundings. His head was cushioned. Not by one of the panting castle dogs, but by some sort of animal-fur pillow? He shifted his head from side to side and was able to determine that he was on a bed of some sort. The heavy musk of animal permeated the air around him causing him to wrinkle his nose instinctively. Despite that, he was grateful for the warm furs that covered him from the chill of the morning air coming from the mouth of the cave.

Apollo froze in confusion. “C-cave?” He shifted his head down and lifted his neck to give himself a better view. “Fire?” Wait… Where the hell was he? As he racked his mind for answers, the events from last night’s chaos suddenly flooded his mind. The party, the dragon, the look of helplessness on Artemis’s face, the fear of being flown away as he had clung to the dragon’s leg, letting go… Then, the flurry of thoughts were swept away as an important question hit him: where was the dragon? A loud snort that echoed throughout the sunlit cave made Apollo frantically look around. In the shadows of a dark corner, the dragon lay curled. Its obsidian scales shimmered in the light, the only hint of the beast that lay in the partial darkness. He looked on in bewilderment, not daring to move in case the dragon woke.

Was this some sort of perverse twist? He knew of tales where dragons would capture maidens or princesses to keep in hopes of luring knights to their domain. However, he was no helpless maiden. He was Apollo, second son of Leonard, king of Faramond, a trained warrior that… was sore, incapacitated and unarmed. He muttered a stream of curses under his breath as he realized that fact. At the moment, he really was helpless. Anxiety bubbled within him as he nervously looked at the slumbering beast. Was he to be breakfast? Or worse, some sort of toy or pet for the dragon’s pleasure? He did not want to find out. Forcing his legs to move, he softly whimpered as he raised himself up onto his trembling arms and sat upright. As he propped himself up, a familiar glint caught his eye at the entrance of the cave. His sword! It lay discarded on the dusty ground, still stained in blue from the dragon’s blood. Apollo’s eyes narrowed as he focused on the weapon. The dragon would wake; there was no doubt of that. But, he would have a better chance of survival if he had a weapon to defend himself with. Or, even better, a weapon that he could use to strike the dragon down before it woke.

Apollo slowly slid the fur blanket off of his body, wincing slightly as the cold air stiffened his tense muscles. Remembering the techniques of stealth and step that he had learned while hunting in the forests with Artemis, he placed both feet gently on the cave floor. Luckily for him, the stone floor gave him a quieter step than on leaves or grasses. He began to slowly rest his weight into his legs, not wanting them to buckle from the sudden effort. It was because of this focus that caused Apollo to not notice the glowing remnants of a recent fire or the breathing coming from what seemed to be a pile of animal skins that lay a distance across from him.

 

[fleurdelys]

His thoughts and feelings swirled around and around, like leaves caught in a whirlwind. The same questions and worries recirculated in his head without any answers to close the loop. Would Artemis like him? Would he want to go? Would he try to run away? Would he be angry? Would he hate him? Would he not want to try to stay? Would he...? What if...?

Firefly's stomach felt uneasy, like the time he ate a poison berry as a child and threw it all up on himself. But he knew he didn't eat anything bad, so why did he feel this way? And why did his chest feel so heavy? And his heart, it felt like something was squeezing and twisting it. Had he caught something somewhere? Frowning, the man briefly thought about what these sensations could have come from, but it wasn't long before his head was filled with is persistent, intrusive worries again. After some time of stewing in his anxieties, Firefly felt his eyelids grow heavy. He nodded off a few times only to jolt awake and slowly nod off again, repeating the process. Eventually, he laid himself onto the ground and curled up in his cloak before falling asleep for good. However, unlike his 'guest', Firefly had a dreamless sleep. He rolled over a couple times and mumbled inaudibly now and then, but did not stir otherwise. Even after 'Artemis' got up and spoke aloud, the Mountain Man did not wake from his slumber.

On the other hand, Wormwood did rouse from sleep. Or at least, one of the heads opened its eyes while the other two slept away. But, the one conscious head did not make any sudden movements. Instead it turned ever so slightly and listened as one of the humans said a few words and began to tread cautiously through the cave. The dragon knew Firefly well enough to immediately recognize that it was the new, unfamiliar human was the one up and about. Deciding they could not trust this stranger just yet, the head communicated to the other two that it was time to wake up, as well. It wouldn't be so much of a problem if the human decided to attack him - one man with one sword was no issue, after all - but such a thing would not be pleasant for Firefly to wake up to. Not only that, but this human was more important to him than any other. So a situation that might put the new man in harm was not an ideal one.

With all six eyes opened now, they watched from the shadows as the fancily-dressed man started making his way towards his sword. For a moment, Wormwood's heads looked at each other before they all turned to face their curled-up friend. The dragon let out a short, gentle cry that made Firefly awaken with a loud gasp. "Wha-- wha--" He scrambled to sit up and snapped his head to look at Wormwood "What is it? What is it?" The three-headed beast turned its gaze towards the prince.

Firefly's head snapped in the other direction, where he saw Prince Artemis at his sword. Panicking, he clumsily rose to his feet and stumbled over to him, his heart pounding wildly in his chest. This was it - this was the moment he would finally meet his love face to face. More than that, he would finally be able to get answers to all the questions that had plagued him only a few hours ago. A mix of excitement and nervousness came together within him, making his head spin. There were a hundred things he wanted to say, but he almost didn't know where to start. Each sentence seemed to be fighting to make its way onto his tongue. But eventually, after a bit of nonsensical sputtering, he managed to start speaking.

"Ah-- hi! I mean, morning! Good morning!" The red-haired man wrung his hands together in front of him, his eyes darting wildly from Artemis' gaze to the sky and back. "Um, where to start, where to start? Well, I guess, I'm sorry you had a rough time. I mean, coming here, uh... on Wormwood. Are you hurt? Are you hungry? No, wait, that can wait-- are you hurt?"

The tall, pale man began to rub the back of his neck as the colour rose to his cheeks. "Oh I guess you need to know that's Wormwood" - he pointed his free hand to the dragon still curled up in the cave - "and I'm... I'm Firefly. Firefly. You must, you definitely, you probably have a lot of questions and I don't blame you but, um... are you hurt? Can I get you something? Or... uh..." His hands came together on his face, covering it as he turned himself slightly away from the dark-haired prince and began mumbling to himself behind his palms.

"Oh, I'm so stupid, stupid, stupid... messed this up already, I'm terrible... can't believe I'm such a fool in front of Prince Artemis..."