Chapter 25.2- The Seadragon's Roar

“How could I say no to a face like that?” I asked, taking her hand and allowing her lead me to the dance floor. The height difference between the two of us was less noticeable with me in my boots and her in what passed for noble lady footwear in this one. The dreadful thing known as heels were yet to be invented so the extra padding on my soles gave me a boost that meant I didn’t spend all of it staring at her chest— would it have been such a bad thing if I did? (Bad boy, Laenor).

“This is fun” She said as we began to twist ourselves best we could in a dance as the sailors switched the tune every few minutes or so. Determined to keep us on our heels they were— well either that, or they were too drunk to focus on a single song for long enough.

“It is” I said, and I did not lie. It was fun. Dancing with her, holding her in my arms and turning her body as I wished. It was fun.

“And in a few weeks, it will be war” She said.

“It will. The Triarchy will come, and we will burn them for it. Every last one of them” I said, not even noticing the worry in her eyes as I thought over what would be the catalyst for what was to come.

“We could leave, you know? I spoke to Mother earlier. Father didn’t even want to take the Stepstones. He just wanted us to clear the pirates. We’ve done that and then some. We could let the triarchy have it. Let them be the ones to bleed over these barren rocks.”

“Are you scared, Laena?” I asked then. It was not a possibility I considered. I mean, she was a dragon rider. And of all the mounts, hers was the most dangerous. Vhagar could probably shrug off a scorpion bolt to anything except an eye. Well, except for it if went into her throat but that was a one in a billion shot. Dragons usually only opened their mouths to breathe flames, and if Vhagar was breathing flames in your direction, aiming a scorpion would be the last thing on your mind. It definitely wouldn’t occur to me if I were in the same situation.

“No. No, of course not. I’m not scared of anything when I’m atop Vhagar. We’re invincible” She said, and I believed her. So what then was it.

“So what is it? Because if you are worried about those we will be facing, then don’t be. They know the risks. They’re making the choice to come into combat with dragons. When you dance with dragons, you get burned. That’s the way of the world— predator and prey.”

“What? I didn’t even think about them. They’re enemies. That’s not the issue.”

“So what is the issue, Sister?” I asked before I spun her around twice and pulled her closer to me again.

“Call me by my name” She breathed. I nodded, realising my mistake. I’d pulled her in much closer than we had been before.