Chapter 21.4- The Seadragon's Roar

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I walked around the castle. We’d had it for a week, and this was my first chance to truly explore it. I had the scout’s report and had even seen a map drawn of the place by one of the stewards. I had left that behind though, just wanting to get lost in the privacy of my own thoughts.

“This is so boring” a voice cut through my musing as I leaned in to examine one of the many carvings on the wall. It was Laena. Yeah, the part of getting lost in the privacy of my own thoughts had gotten solidly ignored. No matter what I tried, she remained attached like a leech that just could not be shaken. It wasn’t just her even. Ser Ben stood behind me like a solid shadow. These days he scarcely left my side when I was not atop Igneel. He had even begun to brave his fear of the Dragon somewhat to step closer when I was on dragon back. Mother had done something there. I wondered when I would need to remind him who it was he truly answered to.

“I didn’t make you come” I lashed back, more tersely than I would have otherwise. It was the fourth time she was reiterating that complaint. Part of me regretted teaching her so much modern vocabulary when we were kids. Mother and Father had taken it as quirks of my genius and paid my sayings no mind beyond asking what they meant and then telling me the “proper” way to say such things. Laena on the other hand, had been an ever attentive student. We had grown up as twins more or less. The second I’d learned to walk, I had been keen to see as much of the world as I could. And whether I liked it or not, Laena had been the best route to that. They’d let me leave the nursery with her by my side.

I turned back, noting her spurned expression.

“I’m sorry, Sister. I’m just a bit impatient these days” I said. It wasn’t much of an apology. I wasn’t very good with them— because I was rarely ever truly repentant. Still, she perked up.

“Of course, Laenor, I understand” She practically simpered. I looked at Ben in alarm. I wasn’t the only one seeing this was I? He turned his head, studiously avoiding my gaze. Oh god, this man.

I leaned back from the carving. It was not a dragon, that was easy enough to tell. The fact that it had no limbs made that clear enough. No wings either, or terribly malformed ones. It was a wyrm, probably. I itched for my copy of Barth’s Dragons, Wyrms, and Wyverns: Their Unnatural History. Alas it was back on Driftmark with the rest of my things. Ferried there by the same captain that had seen them taken to Storm’s End.

“Let’s do something more fun” She suggested.

“Nope” I denied almost instantly. I knew Laena’s idea of fun, and would be having none of it today.