watch the ashes fall like s n o w

[Knight]

I happened to stumble upon a chapel last night.
And I can’t help but back up when I think of what’s happens inside.
I got friends locked in boxes. And no way to live.
But you call it a sin. Isn’t up to them.

Aren Windheart had a nice ring to it, didn't it? He had to laugh at the name. It was more of a title than anything else. It was what lords and ladies called him when he showed up in their courts with whatever it was they had requested. After Reya had hatched for him, Aren had pretty much been relegated to the rank of messenger. She was a small dragoness, after all, perfect for complicated maneuvers in the air and moving quickly. Which meant Aren spent a good deal of time in various courts, and most people overlooked the fairly short dragonrider. So Aren picked up a lot of gossip in his travels. And a lot of other things as well. One thing about spending your life on dragonback was that you observed the larger patterns that shifted about on their continent. And Aren began to understand them as well. It wasn't that he knew things, not really, it was more that he understood them.

It sounded weird, but it made sense if you thought about it. Knowing things meant being able to recite facts, rattle off things like it was nothing. But Aren couldn't really do that. What he could do was tell you the impact of events, what the king sleeping with one of the queen's maids meant. That was what Aren specialized in, and it was enough that Kings and Queens and every rank below them often requested his presence in their courts to pass judgement on what would happen next. Sometimes, he was wrong on purpose, just to see what would happen. But most of the time, Aren told the truth, and that was enough to have people continue to seek the expertise of dragonrider Aren Windheart.

Who was currently headed back to the home of the dragonriders. Called Falorne, it was a place of safety and solitude for all riders of the great, mystical creatures called dragons, no matter who they were. Reya, a simple western dragon, was on the small end of the spectrum and dwarfed by most at Falorne. She was a brilliant emerald in coloration, with soft dark green spirals dancing across her scales. Her chest and stomach were a light, spring green and her eyes were a warm amber. All in all, she looked like she hailed from a forest, and she definitely did. Her parents had been forest dragons who had relinquished their first egg to the dragonriders so that it might find a human companion. And she had found Aren. She had searched the darkest parts of his soul and loved him anyways. She knew things about him that no one else did.

Above all, she knew that he was attracted to men. To Aren, it wasn't really a big deal, but he knew most wouldn't find it normal. But Reya didn't understand human concepts like 'sexuality.' She just knew that he liked men and to her, that was that. She always encouraged him to chase after the men he found attractive so that he could have a 'cuddle buddy' llike so many others. To Reya, there was no difference between the males and females of the human species. Hey, there were all humans, right?

Sometimes, Reya's innocence amused him.

But as Falorne appeared on the horizon, Aren grinned and leaned forward. He was just returning from delivering a message to the King of a nearby kingdom about the affairs of another and he was looking forward to returning home. "Almost there, Reya." Aren said happily, rubbing the dragoness' scales.

A hum rumbled through the body beneath him. I know, Aren.

[/i] Reya answered contentedly, flicking her dark green tail as she angled into a dive above the dragon friendly city. The streets were large enough for three dragons to pass side by side, which happened often. The skies above the city were always filled with dragons, taking off and landing and circling far above. The stables were where most dragons spent their nights, but other than sleeping dragons, the area was mostly empty as the dragons wandered through streets with their riders.

Reya, for her part, landed outside the stables and wandered behind Aren as he took advantage of the walk to stretch his legs. They were heading for the bar, not for the drinks, of course, but for the gossip. For the people. He didn't really care for drinking. He didn't like it when his brain was fuzzy, so when he wandered into the bar, leaving Reya sitting daintily outside, he ordered a water and took a seat at a table in the corner, leaning back and humming to himself as he settled in to watch. Are you okay out there? He asked Reya internally, gaze flicking to focus on the emerald scaled beast that he could see through the windows.

Reya laughed, lowering her head to glance through the window. Her gaze found his easily. I'm fine, now worry about yourself, my dearest.[/i] Reya chuckled, raising her head and stretching out to curl up on the ground. She may have been small for a dragon, but she sure did take up a lot of space anyways, Aren noticed absently before turning his attention to his surroundings once more.

After all, after all I thought we were all your children,
But I will die for my own sins thanks a lot.
We’ll raise up ourselves thanks for nothing at all,
So up off the ground up for fathers who are nothing but dust now.[/size][/center][/blockquote]

296704

[Matsi]

Serge. That was all he was called. Nothing more. Nothing less. Serge. Not exactly a common name, but not exactly interesting either. Which actually seemed to fit him very well. He was not really like the common person, but he really wasn't interesting. Or at least, so he had been told. Not that he cared too much. He enjoyed being right there in the middle. In the middle, he wasn't given too much unwanted attention, and he didn't really have to deal with the snobby socialite people. He was rather more interested in the crazy, slightly off their rocker people from the bars and the market place. Those were the interesting and fun people. Not that he really could grab any of their attentions either.

But that was beside the point.

Today was a happy day. Ever since he was a young boy, and orphaned when the current king overthrew the old king, Serge had been companion and runner for the lord of Falorne, Sig. WHich he loved, he wasn't going to lie. He got to spend almost every day with the young lord. The attractive young lord. AND got paid for the errands that he did! That was a double win, Hurray!

He had just left Sig's quarters, well, was kicked out when Sig's... Suitor.... arrived. He grumbled to himself slightly at the thought of Mira. Mira was stealing HIS man. The blonde lord was supposed to be with him! No matter. That was why, with his weekly pay jingling in his pocket, he was heading to the bar. To drink away his frustrations and maybe meet other men to make the lord jealous!


Serge, don't do anything too mindless, A deep and protective voice hummed in his mind.
Oh, Damdon, am I ever 'Mindless'? Serge looked behind him where his blindingly yellow dragon walked happily. The yellow beast had crimson marks on his shoulders and bars under his eyes, and a happy look on his face.
Damdon snorted and rolled his blood red eyes.

Serge had gotten Damdon by accident. He was helping tend to the Lord's dragon's first clutch (to father that is). The Mother had left the eggs with the male, for that Mountain Dragon was an insane one. But, Sig's dragon took good care of the clutch, with the help of himself of course!
Yet, as he helped the large male turn the eggs, one wiggled and started to hatch. The egg was a deep silver with veins of red, almost making it look like lava under the earth. The egg hatched quickly, letting a bright yellow, no not gold, but yellow like the sun, dragonet tumble out.
Haha, Oh! Serge! Did you see my tumble? THe dragonet righted himself and pushed himself to Serge's legs as the Lord and his dragon watched with emotionless eyes.
I am Damdon! Damdon the bright and brilliant. At least, that is what they will call me, Serge. You and I... We will fill the land with happiness. No more wars, The yellow beast was patterened with red, really giving him the look of the sun. But Serge couldn't focus on that as the Lord's dragon rumbled and the Lord's hand appeared on his shoulder.
"Well, my friend," Sig glared down at him, and Serge was almost certain that he was mad at him. How could he make his wonderful Siegfried mad?! But he became confused as the young lord smiled ever so slightly.
"I should have known that you would be one too. You have spent a lot of time with greatness. I am proud!" The lord patted his back as his own dragon let out another pleased rumble and wrapped his body back around the unhatched eggs.

Since then, the rest of Damdon's clutch had hatched and been dispatched to their ranks. Except them. They were kept at the companions and errand runners for the lord.

Not that they could complain. Neither of them liked war, thus wouldn't dare join the military. They didn't like to go too far from home, which meant no messenger job for them, and Damdon wasn't small enough or dark enough to be a spy dragon, so their job fit them perfectly!


Serge, have fun, but don't get too drunk, The yellow beast hummed as they drew closer to the bar. Serge smiled and pushed his brown hair, which was longer in the front than the back, out of the way of his tealish-green eyes. He pulled the sleeves of his tighter, white button up shirt down to his fingers, then turned to face the dragon.
"Oh, just be good," He said as he pat Damdon's nose. The yellow beast hummed and rolled his eyes again.
He was used to the dragon's sarcastic eyerolls, so he turned and started into the bar without another word.
Almost immeditatly, he started to fiddle with his own thumbs as he wandered. His face went from happy and cheery, to nervous and sly with a tiny hint of "hunting" look on it. His teal eyes scanned the bar as he wandered up to get a mild fruity drink. Of course, the bar tender knew him, and only smiled and winked to the nervous man as he handed him a glass of sweet wine.
"Afternoon, Serge," The bar tender said.
"Haiii," Serge said softly as he smiled slightly to the man, then grabbed his drink and scuttled shyly to a booth in the corner.

He was different, after all, which was why he kept to his corner. A place where he could watch, and pick out the men that he could use to make Sig jelous. Many of the people of the town had no idea of his... Odd sexuality. He did a fairly good job in hiding it from the public. Not that he really cared. He just didn't want trouble to brew. Though, he knew that there had to be at least one man here that would be shown the truth tonight...

[Knight]

It's hard to lay a golden egg,
With everyone around,
It's hard to stay inside my head,
When words keep pouring out.

Reya stirred only when another dragon appeared. She lifted her head slightly, one eye blinking open to focus on a large yellow and red dragon. He was just one of many waiting for his rider to come out, so after blinking again, she curled up once more, letting her eyes drift shut and her mind start to wander. Reya was hoping to get some sleep in before Aren got bored. Which would probably take some time, meaning Reya had plenty of time. Her tail tip flicked at the thought and Reya heaved a sigh.

Meanwhile, Aren's gaze tracked the arrival of another man to the bar. He watched with amusement as he watched the body language of the man. The stranger had seemed happy at first, but that faded quickly. Now he looked more nervous than anything else, fiddling with his thumbs, which was a nervous habit. Aren grinned absently, drumming his fingers against the table. See, people watching could be entertaining. Now, the question was, why did this stranger look familiar? It was probably going to bug Aren for a while, but there was a more direct way to figure it out; ask him. Aren mulled the thought over for a moment before leaning back further in his seat. Ah well. Perhaps he would and perhaps he wouldn't. Hmm.

When the man wandered towards a booth in the corner, Aren rose smoothly to his feet, abandoning his water and ambling towards him. Outside, Reya opened one eye and snorted in amusement. Be careful.

[/i] The dragon warned softly, her eye drifting shut again. She knew from experience that Aren tended to forget that strangers didn't always take too kindly to being approached at random. But perhaps this man would be different. And perhaps not. Aren would figure that one out the hard way.

Aren snorted at the thoughts of his dragon, shaking his head. I'm always careful! He replied mentally, wandering up to the man's table absently. As he approached, Aren smoothed his shirt absently and ignored Reya's amusement. "Hello!" Aren called out as he drew closer to the corner table, hoping to alert this familiar looking man to his approach. "My name's Aren, and I'm hoping this isn't too creepy, but is there a reason you look familiar?" Aren asked as he drew closer, tilting his head slightly.

It was rather forward of him, but then again, Aren wasn't always subtle. When he wanted things he tended to kind of just go for it. And right now, what Aren really wanted to know was why that nervous looking guy looked so familiar, and if it was going to bug him for a while then it was better to just ask him once and for all. After all, Aren probably wouldn't ever see him again so there was no harm in asking him, right? And Reya didn't seem to think so, and Reya was generally the voice of reason in their relationship.

Like starlight crashing through the room,
We'll lose our feathers,
Yes, I know it hurts at first,
But it gets better.[/size][/center][/blockquote]

[Matsi]

Damdon watched as Serge vanished into the bar and flopped his yellow mass onto the ground. He heaved out a loud sigh and partially spread his wings, either trying to take up as much room as possible, or trying to take as much sun as possible... Which both were probably true. The large male liked to have room to stretch, and the sun. Both were happy nice things. He liked happy nice things after all. Flowers were nice. So were bees, if you didn't torment them. Rain was nice most of the time. Canines were typically nice AND happy. Birds were happy, but not always nice... Yeah, that was just how Damdon's mind worked. Nice and Happy, or dull and boring.

Right now, it was a nice and happy time. Sure, company would be better. It was always better to have company. But this would do...
Damdon's eye shifted around as he watched a butterful flutter past. Oh yes. Nice. And. happy.

Serge smiled slightly at a man that stumbled and about fell onto his face, and silently sipped at his wine. Interesting fellow, that one was. Alright, so most of the people here were interesting in some way, shape or form.
Just like that younger fellow walking towards him.
Nice face on him.
Hmm Nice movement too.
Those legs...
Nice chest on him too.
Oh yeah....
Wait....
He was still making his way towards him.
OH Noooooo.

Serge blinked a few times and looked around, trying to figure out if this man was going somewhere else, but when he heard the Hello, he turned and looked back up at him, slightly dumbfounded.
"Hii," He said softly as he looked up at the man, curious and surprised.

Aren, huh? Cute name for a cute guy.
Serge looked the young man up and down as he spoke.
Hmm That chest and stomach were... well... not bulging and fat. Point.
His legs. Well, they looked thick and strong, like he was a rider of some sort. Double points there.
Nice legs meant he probably had a nice ass. Oh Lord. THAT ASS!
Serge had to bite back a smile as he looked back up at Aren.
"You know. I've just been... Around," He said with a small smile and raised eyebrows.