Soaring Over Worries
He steps off the airship, docked at a familiar lake in the middle of a familiar forest. Scents waft fainty through the trees, and Egan knows they lead back to the bustling, colorful market he’d explored as a child, escaping his tutors in favor of sweets and trinkets. Memories flood his mind, the sounds of laughter and the rumble of hunters’ feet, seeking out their quarry for the Festival of Hunts… Wait. I’m not imagining that, so that means… Egan frantically waves to Captain Shrew, who’s still on deck.
“The Festival of Hunts is on today, hide the ship before the hunters see!” The captain nods, and after the last of the two scouts hop off deck, the ship rises into the air.
Shrew waves as the SS Skywings, an ancient pirate ship infused with an equally ancient spirit, shimmers in the sun before settling back into the clouds like they were waves on the sea. Egan had grown attached to her worn deck, stained dark with the mud on the crew’s boots and then sunbleached again to reveal the swirling woodgrain. The sails remain creamy white, and even the singed cannon ports seem nearly new and yet oddly aged. And when Skywings herself reveals her spirit to the crew, the entire ship shimmers like it’s made of stars.
He heaves a sigh of relief, motioning for his partner and fellow scout, Devin, to follow him. “Come on, I know the paths they usually take, we can avoid them and slip in unnoticed.”
Devin nods. “You participated a few times, didn’t you?”
“Every year from adolescence to just before we left.” He rumbles, recalling how much he’d hated the competition, not seeing the point of glory in the death of another being, whether it’d become food or otherwise. He trudges through the underbrush in silence for the next few minutes, Devin close behind.
They knew better than to try and apologize, instead asking a different question to shift focus. “Why aren’t we flying?”
“They’d mistake us for hunters, and then wonder why we were flying into town with no quarry. Too conspicuous.”
Devin shrugs. “Fair enough.”
As they approach the town, the sounds of laughter and sizzling, sweet treats cooking over crackling flames grow louder until they slip into the crowd of busy, busy festival-goers setting up tents and spit-roasts and bonfires to cook the meat that would soon be brought by the return of the hunters. Mouths watering, the scouts push through, making their way towards the quieter parts of town, searching for an old friend and contact--
Whack! Egan nearly trips over the tiny Dragonkin child who’d smacked into his legs. He immediately pauses, crouching down to see if they were alright, and then freezes. Tiny bronze horns peek out from chestnut curls, and their dazed eyes are a bright, pale blue. They wore a deep crimson tunic, embroidered with bright yellow-green trim, and it looked familiar, almost too familiar, like the tunic he’d left for his--
“Nikephoros Bicaust how many times have I told you to look where you’re going!” The clear, ringing voice cuts through his daze, before Devin pulls him to his feet.
Nike fumbles for their glasses, looking no older than nine or ten years old to Egan, tiny gloved hands finally grasping their dusty, round lenses before a Dragonkin with bright blue wings and platinum blonde hair that shines in comparison to their tanned skin, lands, pulling the little one to their feet. Devin’s eyes widen, and tugs at Egan’s hand. This is her, and that’s them.
Egan, flustered and frantic starts “Apologies, miss, we should have--”
Scholar Yeri Rainwing cuts him off. “No, no. This little rascal should know better.” She points to the house Nike had come running from. “Back home with you, you need to wash your glasses.”
“But--”
“Nike, now please.” The little Dragonkin pouts, before turning and dashing off. Once they’re out of sight, Yeri nearly tackles the two scouts in a hug, bright blue robes enveloping them despite her shorter stature. “You idiots, nearly scared me half to death thinking Nike would know who you were!”
Devin laughs wryly. “They’ve never had us in their life. We left them in your hands and went with Captain Shrew before their hatching. Kinda hard to recognize someone you never knew.”
“Well, you two better hurry.” Yeri holds out a hand. “I don’t have long, and that tot is smarter than you’d think.”
Egan unties a scroll from his belt, pressing it into Yeri’s hand. “Are you sure we couldn’t stay a little while longer, I mean--”
Devin puts a hand on his shoulder. “I know you want to see them, but we can’t risk their safety. And the Captain is waiting for us.”
“One hour. That’s all I want.” He looks pleadingly at Devin and Yeri. “One, please--”
She cuts him off. “If they figure things out and run off to find you, ancestors know what kind of havoc will reign.”
He practically begs them, “Please? You know how important it is, who knows when we’ll be able to come home again.”
Both his partner and his best friend sigh. “Fine.” Yeri relents. “If you want to stay, you remain out of sight and away from Nike. Be careful.”
He grins and his eyes brim with tears, which he quickly wipes away. “Thank you.”
As the two dragonkin scouts walk back toward the festival, Egan rambling happily, Yeri tucks the scroll into her sleeve, turning back to the small library nestled in the renovated marble ruins she called home. There was a lot to do, and the rebellion only had so much time. The Festival of Hunts was a good cover for searching for cronies the King of Thieves had undoubtedly sent to cause trouble. Ancestors know what they’re up to. Last one we caught was trying to steal eggs from the Hatchery… She shuts her eyes, pausing and putting a hand to her head. How are we supposed to stop him if we don’t know what he wants?
Yeri barely reaches the door when Nike flings it open excitedly, firing off questions rapidly. Their glasses are still filthy from their tumble into the dirt. “Who were they Auntie? Were they travellers? Did they give you any good stories? Can I hear th--”
“Woah woah woah woah, slow down squirt. One question at a time, but I’m not answering anything until you actually clean your glasses.” She tries to keep the chuckle out of her voice, a small grin giving away her amusement. “Come on, you can do that yourself now, and I have to get something I forgot earlier.”
Nike grumbles as they stomp off to the spring basin in the back of the open, sunny courtyard just inside, which fed the building water. When they return, Yeri’s scribbling something down in a leather-bound notebook with her favorite blue quill, snapping it shut when they walk in. “Auntie, I did it.”
“Good on you squirt.”
“Will you answer my questions now?”
“Ask me again? Slowly this time.”
“Who were they?” Nike looks curiously at Yeri. “Why did you hug them?”
The Scholar nearly chokes on air. “Wh-- Ahem, what are you talking about?”
“I saw you hugging them. You know them, Auntie, who were they?”
Yeri inhales deeply, collecting her thoughts. “They’re…. They’re just old friends. I hadn’t seen them in a while, they work really far away and they don’t get to come home often.” It’s a half truth at the least. “C’mon. Let’s go to the festival. You don’t want to miss out on all the games, do ya?”
Nike’s eyes light up. “Yeah! And I’m gonna win all the prizes this year!” They skip out the door, satisfied with their distraction for the day.
Yeri smiles tiredly. “Ancestors help me… What will I do?”
Five years later…
Egan heaves a sigh, staring out over the forest below from his perch. The conifers nearly glow in the light of the rising sun, halos of honey gold reflected by the dewdrops and fog. It’s called the Forest of Emeralds for a reason I guess… Tempted to slide off the edge of the railing and into freefall, Egan lets the wind buffet his towering reptilian wings like it does the sails of the mystical airship he rode currently. The aches of old injuries and past mistakes begin to fade away, and for a brief moment he laughs, swiping a hand through dark brown locks that just barely intrude into his field of view.
“You’re up early again, eh spitfire?”
An amused voice cuts through Egan’s reverie, and he swings his legs back over the railing to face his partner, who shone in the morning light much like the forest below, furled wings, messy hair, and gleaming eyes all a vivid green.
“Yeah, couldn’t sleep too well, so I figured I’d swap out for dawn watch. What are you doing up this early, emerald?”
Devin approaches him, close enough so their nose is almost touching his. “I’m on dawn watch.” They give him a quick kiss, and then sit next to him, gently leaning on his shoulder. “Did you dream of them again?”
“Yeah,” he murmurs, “I just miss them. I know it’s been years, and we’ve been so lucky to have seen them a few times since we left, even if only from a distance, but…” Egan trails off, visually tracing scars on his arms and palms.
“You don’t want them to be in danger. I know, I know spitfire, I don’t want to put them in harm’s way either.” Devin takes his large hands in their own, smaller, calloused ones. “We had to make that choice. And I know you don’t like fighting, but you wanted to do what we both know is right.”
He smiles, and Devin chuckles at the little dimples by his cheeks, the crows feet and smile lines etched around amber eyes. “I know, and I’m so glad I’m here with you, I don’t think I could stand being trapped like that for much longer,” He chuckles. “And knowing you’re here and that they’re safe and that we’re going to make a difference… I don’t know. I’m grateful for what I have.” He lapses into silence, putting an arm around Devin’s freckled shoulders, to which they sigh and relish in the warmth radiating from the larger Dragonkin.
“That Rougnis inner fire of yours is handy in the morning,” They comment, reaching up and poking his cheek playfully. “I wonder if they got that, or my cooler blood.”
“I’m not sure. Last we saw, they were pretty bundled up for springtime, so I think they lean towards you.”
“Really? Their wings look like yours, ruby red with only a little green from me.”
“Their egg was iridescent, so honestly, I have no idea.” Egan sighs again. “I wish I could ask them. A Vertin and Rougnis halfbreed, raised by a Hyperem… your acid, my fire, and Yeri’s independence. Sounds like they’d be really fun to be around.”
“And a pain to raise, but definitely worth the effort. You know Yeri’s work ethic. I’d be surprised if they weren’t halfway to a new alchemic discovery already.”
“Do you think Yeri told them the truth yet?”
Devin glances up at Egan. “I don’t know, maybe. Why?”
“What if they resent us?”
“They wouldn’t--”
“Hear me out.” Egan pulls Devin close. “I don’t regret anything we’ve done. But from their perspective, we abandoned them for a dream. An insane, delusional dream that we’re somehow making a reality. What if they find out half the truth, or even all of it, but don’t understand?”
His words slowly sink in, and Devin puts their hands gently on his cheeks. “Egan Bicaust, in all my, our, ninety-three years of life together, I’ve never heard anything so dumb as you--” they poke his chest for emphasis, “-- the most practical person I know and someone who I’ve had the pleasure of being a mate to for nearly a century, being worried that our child would hate us and refuse to hear us out.”
“What?”
“You do realize that we’ve saved their life by keeping them out of this rebellion, right?”
“Yeah but--”
“And that when they’re either old enough to keep themselves safe or if they decide to join us, they’ll understand why we left?”
“...Yeah,” Egan mutters.
“Then don’t worry about it now,” Devin says, running a gentle hand through his hair. “You can’t do anything at the moment, and you know our little dragon is in good hands. So focus on now, what we have, and what we’ve got to do.”
Egan looks out at the forest once again, imagining flying and swooping over it with his child, teaching them how to weave through treetops and skim over water. His hands clench for a moment, realizing he’d never get the chance, but the feeling of wistfulness fades the more he realizes that if he’d been there, the loss of his child, in all their innocence, would have been that much more painful. They’d have been gone before they reached adolescence, and he and Devin would have wasted their only opportunity to give their child a chance at a full, long life.
“You’re right. As usual.” He says, sighing with a small smile, and pulling Devin up as he stands. “Wanna fly around the ship a bit to shake off the somber mood?”
Devin nods, and the two of them leap over the railing, wings unfurling as they dance on the winds. As much as either of them wanted to receive the love of their child, to relish in it and foster them into a fierce, wonderful individual, they knew that they had to let it go. And so they tossed their worries away in spins and dives, laughing as they let each other wash away the doubt to reveal adventurous glee. Now, they could really soar.
FIN
