Emblazon

Chapter 4 FlyHome

“I swear I'm regurgitating bugs, it's disgusting! Stop laughing City! It's not funny. It's gross.” Strife flung a stick up against Citadels shaking sides. “Jerk face.”

Small twirls of smoke burst from Citadel's nostrils as he chuckled and Strife waved his hands to keep the smoke from his face.


Citadel took a deep breath then let it loose in a whoosh that blew up a dirt cloud. He turned affectionate merry black eyes on the crouched boy at his side and rumbled a purr in a feline way.

The meadow they had landed in for a fifteen minute rest stop was full of plant life and undoubtedly other life as well. Citadel could sense the energy of a multitude of different animals either fleeing or hiding in the vicinity. The night sky was sprayed with starlight and the moon would be full tomorrow night. Citadel contemplatively studied Strife's lean form, eyes burning in a way that would undoubtedly unsettled the poor boy if he'd look up.

“So, you enjoyed yourself then.” Citadel's heart sped up at the unconscious smile that tilted Strife's shapely lips up at the edges.

“I... it was... Yeah. City, it was freaking, it was totally amazing! I just, can't really put it in words, well like... how fast we were going- and the way the sky looked overhead. It was like, we were in an ocean except you could breath and then the trees moving in the distance... I just-” Strife cut himself off with a contented sigh and a lazy flick of his wrist then plunked his back against Citadel's side. “You know...” he finished almost dreamily tilting his head back baring his neck deliciously.

Citadel did know. It was absolute bliss, the way Strife was warming to him, all it took was a little ride in the sky... and that nickname, 'City?' cute, but not something he'd allow Strife to call him in company, pet names were only suitable for privacy.

A full moon, Citadel then mused, was the ideal time to consecrate the bond between him and Strife.

“I'll let you ride me as often as you like, little one.” Citadel rumbled. Strife blinked up at him adorably, then smiled.

“Oh, uh, Cool!”

Citadel found himself with a rapidly growing problem. With difficulty he looked away from those arresting blue eyes and gave his head a little shake. Too bad the problem didn't only lie with clearing his head. Too bad they had to be airborne again soon. Too bad Strife probably wasn't that warmed up to him.

If Citadel weren't a dragon he'd have whined. Strife jumped from his side with wide eyes and warily kept his distance.

“Strife?” Citadel queried.

“Uh, you just growled, like, did I lean on a bad side or something, cause it was an accident... I...” Strife blinked, his eyes blanked for a moment, then they focused on Citadel's self conscious expression and narrowed.

“You.” Strife growled. Citadel blinked.

“Me?” Citadel hadn't realized he'd uttered a frustrated growl, he was a little glad it had come out a growl and not a whine, but even so, it had scared the little one into some kind of realization. This couldn't be good.

“Yes YOU! You fuggin tricked me! You made me enjoy that flight so I'd forget how I don't like you at all! You did it on purpose! Well too bad it didn't work! I'm still completely suspicious of you, I'll still starve myself and continue to look for ways to esca-” Strife choked there, his teeth snapped shut and he glared angrily at Citadel's amused expression.

“Thanks for the heads up, little Strife. I'm-”
“Shut up!!” Strife grit out warningly but was ignored and Citadel dryly carried on.
“- glad you thought that you should tell me that. It's a sign of the start of a good lasting relationship, I believe, you being completely honest with me. I shall likewise try to return the favor.”

Strife clenched his hands into fists, stomped over and kicked Citadel's scaled leg furiously, then winced and hopped backwards on his good foot.

“Ack! Gahdammit! You... arrgh!” Citadel looked down at his leg and held back a chuckle. He hadn't felt a thing.

“Fucking smug bastard! I don't!I wasn't!” Strife ground his teeth together while still supporting himself on one leg.

“Wasn't Wouldn't T'aint t'arn't!” The crow fluttered down and imitated Strife's one foot hopping. Strife frowned at the bird and gingerly tested putting weight on his damaged foot.

“I think it's about time we headed out again, Strife.” Citadel was staring at the night sky, then turned his dark head to examine Strife's hesitant figure.

“I need water.” Strife muttered. Citadel cocked his head to the side in acknowledgment then paced over to the earth. He ripped at the ground with his clawed foot and dug a foot long hole, then bent his neck elegantly and brought his nose down to the newly turned earth. Water swelled up around his snout, Citadel drank then straightened his neck and glanced at Strife.

Strife skittishly walked to the dragon's side, the top of his blond haired head just reached where Citadel's neck met his torso. He bent on his knees and cupped his palms, bringing up palms
full of clear water which he gulped down then reached for more.

When Strife had enough he leaned back and looked up at Citadel.

“How'd you do that? Can humans learn?” a sudden wide yawn cut his questions short, he looked surprised at himself while blinking drowsily.

“Humans who are not Flamers would find it very difficult to draw water up from the earth.” Citadel answered, eyes softly appraising Strife.
“Humans are the most un-magical race of beings I have ever encountered in my life. The average human is even less magical than a mountain dwarf.”

Strife snorted and looked away.

“Yeah, I know. Humans are a boring self destructive race.” Citadel blinked.
“I would not describe your species as boring, from what I've seen, You are a vibrant passionate race, Overcoming obstacles and advancing technologically to rival our world's magical properties. You humans are a curious race, unlike any other.”

Strife closed his eyes and exhaled, frowning when he had trouble opening them again.

“Do dragons eat humans?” Citadel raised an eye ridge at the point blank question.

“Well, you humans certainly think we do, don't you.” Strife lolled his head to the side and gave Citadel a blunt look.

“Answer the question, jerkface.”

“I've eaten a few.” Citadel stated concisely. Strife's back stiffened and he edged away on his knees.

“Tasted terrible, to be quite honest with you.”

Strife paused, then carefully looked up.

“How terrible?”

“Never going to eat another if I can help it.”

“...really?”

“Strife. Stop being such a wuss.” Strife's eyes widened til they were large in his face, he gaped open mouthed at the Dragon.

Citadel snickered.

Strife spluttered indignantly while Citadel turned his back to Strife and glanced over his shoulder still chuckling.

“I'm no-Hey!” Strife yelped when Citadel's long thick tail pushed him over into the dirt.

“We're wasting moonlight little one. Time to go.” Citadel chuckled. Strife glared at Citadel and slowly climbed to his feet.

“I am not a wuss.” Citadel blinked clearly amused black eyes and nodded noncommittally.

Strife ignored the condescending look and scrambled up on Citadel's back.

“We'll be at our final stop in an hour or two. Make yourself comfortable.” Strife grumbled an inarticulate reply and Citadel furled his wings far on either side of him, he pushed against the dirt
with his back legs leaving gouges in the earth and with whumping ear jarring thuds from his wings they rose from the ground and climbed steadily above the treeline.

Strife yawned again and positioned the fluttering crow bird against his chest. Citadel's dark scales were warm beneath him. The wind flowing by kept him cool. He wasn't quite comfortable enough to drop off to sleep, but he had to admit, it wasn't exactly awkward, riding a dragon.




Citadel gently landed on his hind legs, his muscular scaly arms cradled Strife's limp form. Strife sighed in his sleep and burrowed his head further into the broad chest as it shrunk, scales smoothing into firm pale skin.

The perimeter of Citadel's estate had thick recently completed walls of mortar and stone standing just below fifteen feet surrounding it's grounds. The property itself was a plantation stretching over five acres of land, two large brown barns housed a few horses and cattle. A two story house was lit with a yellow glow from the inside and the large goldenrod mansion stood with dark windows overlooking the grounds. The largest building was the greenhouse, which stood behind the mansion, glass panes winking as they reflected the light from the two story house.

Citadel, now fully human sighed over Strife's small form, he looked up at the sound of rocks and dirt crunching under boots accompanied with a slight jingling as though someone were jogging with a pocket full of change.
A broad grin thinned his lips. The woman walking swiftly towards him had fiery frizzy red hair tied back in a dark purple bandana. She wore a pale grey shirt and a billowing tattery skirt adorned with shiny baubles and enough flattened charms to ward off a multitude of unseelie. The thick black work boots she customarily wore stopped just in front of him and ice blue eyes appraised him.

“So you found him then.” The broad voice would be startling to hear for the first time. It was loud in an unobtrusive way, warm and sharp and soothing all at once. It was the voice of a being who gave as good as she got.

“We didn't know it would be a he Maude.” Citadel rumbled, eyes narrowing in mirth.

“You demn well hoped it would be. I know you're preferences.” She crowed at him, her own eyes dancing with repressed laughter. “You'd better bring him over tomorrow, Granny lynn and Nanny Roa will wanna see 'im.”

“And have them pinch and prod and scare the poor thing, I don't think so. He's already declared his intent to starve himself, then escape. Or starve himself and then die.” Citadel's voice deepened in mock seriousness as Maude's eyes widened.

“What the bloody hell did you do to the poor thing?” She ran a cool hand over Strife's forehead and frowned fiercely up at Citadel as he sheepishly tilted his head.

“Nothing much.” he said as timidly as a 6'4 human-dragon can. Which is pretty damn timid when they're trying.

Maude huffed crossing her arms over her ample chest. Her eyes examined Strife meticulously.

“He's quite the looker ain't he.” She said at length. Citadel hmmed his agreement and shifted Strife to rest more comfortably in his arms. Maude stepped to the side and raised an eyebrow as if to say 'well what are you waiting for?' then turned and marched off in the direction of the mansion's double front doors.

“House is all set and ready for ya and your little lover, Witherwyt's come and gone. He said he'd be back tomorrow sometime.” Maude called without looking back to see if Citadel was following. He was, of course, but he carried his and Strife's weight so that his footfalls were noiseless. Old habits.

“Where is Jonathan?” Citadel asked as he climbed the steps to the front door. Maude held the door open patiently and groped around for the light switch in the dark. Finding it she flicked it on and the room lit up revealing a large open black marble floored entrance hall, a winding staircase and arched door frames leading into carpeted rooms.

“Probably asleep. Do you know what time it is Citadel?” Maude grumbled rubbing her eyes against the sudden bright light.

Citadel blinked slowly at Maude, annoyance raised his eyebrow but he exhaled it out.

“Alright Maude. I'll see you in the morning.” Maude clucked her tongue at him.

“Feed your boy. He might be Flamer enough to be your bonded Citadel, but he's still a human. His body needs sustenance daily.” Citadel nodded, already making his way up the stairs. Strife groaned in his arms and shifted his neck a little.

“Almost there little one.” Citadel muttered.

“Citadel.” Maude's voice was soft. Citadel paused and turned.

“What's his name?” she asked.


“...Strife.” Citadel rubbed his fingers against Strife's shoulder.

Maude's brows furrowed. Citadel waited for her to say something else but she turned with a sigh and left the building, shutting the door firmly behind her leaving Citadel to take Strife to bed.

TBC

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