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Dealing with Dragons (Glob!) [M]

Started by DragonSong, November 03, 2016, 01:04:28 PM

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DragonSong

Despite herself, Elora snorted a bit at that and shot him a wry look. "Pity," she teased dryly, a bit of that gold glint coming back to her eyes.

She approached with careful steps, still sort of trying to wrap her head around the idea that this massive dragon was the man she'd come to know over the last day or so. Cautiously, she reached out, hesitated, glanced up at his face, then exhaled sharply and pressed her palm against his chest.

His scales were warm. She could feel the thunder of his heartbeat thrumming through her whole body, making her shiver. Her breath caught in her throat and she craned her head back to look up at his face, eyes wide.

"...It's you."

DaGlobster

When she looked up, she'd find that he was peering down at her as well. When she spoke, he snorted out a laugh.

"Yes, the one-and-only."

He lowered his head so he could rest it on the ground by her, in case she still felt like touching.

"And I still look good, too," he said with a toothy smirk.

DragonSong

She scoffed.

Yeah. Definitely Merradin.

"Ass," she accused, though with no small amount of affection, and she reached over to shove him lightly. She had a feeling the entirety of her body weight thrown against him would be little more than the buzzing of a fly to her, so she wasn't all that worried about hurting him.

"Alright, let's look for that saddle then, yeah?" Seemingly much more at ease, she patted his flank before turning back to examine the piles of treasure again.

DaGlobster

Merradin's gaze followed her as she walked down his body. When she patted his flank, he stood back onto his scaly feet, raising his head once again.

It was rather amusing as he waded through his treasure hoard, every movement of his signalled by the loud jingling of coins and other precious objects, which were somehow unharmed by the whole endeavor. Overall, the ground layer of treasure went up to Merradin's belly, as his weight was enough to just let him move through it as if it was water.

Elora, being a human, could just walk on the coins and treasures, almost as if it was extremely expensive sand. There were places where the treasures piled up even higher than this, high enough to tower over Elora as noticeable hills in the terrain.

Interestingly enough, among the coins, chests, and priceless objects, there was the occasional ornate weapon, helmet, or even breastplate that stuck out of the coiny sand.

"Now, I know it has to be one of these piles. probably one of the smaller ones."

He sniffed at the air, and he started moving.

"Over here, I think."

DragonSong

She was looking for the saddle.

She really was.

She just...kept getting distracted. First by the sheer amount of wealth around her, then by specific treasures or weaponry that caught her eye. More than a few blades seemed to be of Adelan make, and though she was no mage herself she could have sworn oat least one or two of them were enchanted.

A particular blade, gentle curved steel with a silver pommel and hilt, caught her attention and she bent to examine it. "How do you even keep track of all the things you've collected in here?" She murmured, almost more to herself than to Merradin.

DaGlobster

"I remember. A dragon always remembers what's in their hoard, and I can sense it, in a way..."

He trailed off to peer at a small pile of treasure that could've concealed the saddle, but after a few moments, he kept moving.

"Down to the smallest coin."

DragonSong

“Hmm.” She straightened up and patterned after him, coins sliding under her feet. “So all those stories about dragons hunting down every last scrap of their stolen treasure, even if it’s taken halfway across the world...those could be true? Ack!”

Not paying attention to where she put her feet, she stepped on a partially buried helmet that rolled out from under her and sent her tumbling down the side of a hill of treasure. She rolled to a halt, unharmed but rather rattled and distinctly embarrassed, and sat up to find herself nose-to-pommel with a massive saddle.

“...I think I found it.”

DaGlobster

"Could be? No, are true is more appropriate. A vengeful dragon will go through a lot to--"

And at that moment, she cried out and disappeared from his sight. He heard her tumbling down a pile of treasure, and immediately went wading in through his treasure after her.

"Elora! Are you alright?" he said, head peering down into the small dip she'd found herself in. For now, he paid the saddle no mind, waiting for her answer.

DragonSong

Aside from being very, very red she was entirely unhurt. Silently trying to will her blush away, she scrambled to her feet and nodded quickly. "Yeah, just lost my footing. Stupid, wasn't looking where I was going. Anyway!"

She tried to brush passed the situation, still flushed as she set about attempting to dig the saddle out from the side of the mound of treasure. "Uff. When was the last time you used this thing?"

DaGlobster

"Call it... hrm... Here, let me see that."

Using what was probably draconic magic, Merradin parted the treasure around Elora so he could join her by the saddle. He sat down on his haunches, using his front legs as arms as he reached for it. He made sure that Elora was out of the way, and merely pulled the saddle out, holding it away to lightly shake the treasure off like it was dust, one of the more notable pieces of which being a shield of elven make.

He set the saddle down and started to dig for the harness as well, finding it in a few moments.

"At least three-hundred years. I was a bit younger, then."

He tossed a smirk her way, and stood, spreading his wings to bare his sides to her.

"Go on then. I hope I haven't gained too much weight since then."

DragonSong

She ducked out of the way as he cleared the treasure and watched the pieces fall with interest. Rolling her am eyes, she muttered, "I think you know you haven't," as she stepped forward to take the harness.

It was slow going, but she managed to figure out how the whole thing rigged up and attached. "Gods," she huffed, backing away to survey her handiwork. "Do dragonriders do this nonsense every day?"

DaGlobster

"Only the days they ride their dragons," Merradin said, huffing a little as she finally tightened the last buckle. The saddle went around the base of Merradin's neck, so it wasn't exactly too far away from a glorified collar.

The saddle itself was more of a high-backed seat than anything else. Whiplash was a legitimate threat so it was important for riders to have something to put their back against so they don't get whipped around in the saddle.

Indeed, the saddle also had stirrups that one needed to buckle their feet into, as well as a buckle designed to go around the rider's waist. There was also a handlebar in front of the seat, should the rider feel the need for an extra grip.

Merradin himself gave Elora a teasing look, and lowered himself onto his belly again, laying himself belly-down so she could climb into the saddle.

"Come along, then, beautiful. You've got a great ride ahead of you."

DragonSong

She couldn't help laughing at that, clapping a hand over her mouth to stifle some of the sound. "Damn, if I had a copper for every time I heard that," she joked, then sighed dramatically. "Too bad men don't live up to those claims half the time."

Eyes glinting wickedly, she swung herself up into the saddle. Alright, so she was on a dragon, but the basic principles of riding should still apply, right? Except...

"Ohhhh, this is high. You are high," she mumbled, eyes wide as she glanced over his shoulder while she buckled herself in. Very securely.

DaGlobster

"Fortunately for you, I am no mere man."

Once the sounds of her bucking in ceased, he raised himself up onto his legs, standing up to his full height. As he got used to the saddle again, he stretched his wings.

"Comfy?" he said, as he walked towards that hole in the ceiling. Now that they were beneath it, she'd be able to see that it stretched upwards for quite a ways, ending in a small point of light at the very top. As he walked, she'd now be able to feel the rumble in every step travel up into her, even the slight heaving of his massive frame as he breathed.

He turned his head about so he could look at her. He had that same mirthful expression, but his eyes were soft with concern, as if wanting to make sure for himself that she was all buckled in and safe.

DragonSong

Elora had gone a little pale, gripping the horn of the saddle tightly. She hadn't lied before, she wasn't afraid of heights.

Apparently the question should have been if she was afraid of the ground from heights.

"Yep." Her voice was a squeak and she cleared her throat to try again, "Um, yeah. I'm- I'm good."

DaGlobster

"Alright," Merradin said, and he directed his eyes upwards towards the light.

"Just rest back against the seat, it'll only take a few seconds," Merradin said, and he gave his wings a test flap.

"Here we go."

He started to flap his wings, every flap throwing up a flurry of wind. After a few moments, storm clouds surrounded his feet. He dipped down, like a cat preparing to pounce, and then brought his wings down.

And just like that, the magical wind he was building up spilled forth, and when his wings caught it
and the sound of thunder bellowed beneath him and Elora, it was enough force to send his massive body shooting upwards at a staggering speed that a creature as large as him shouldn't be able to achieve.

They shot straight up for what probably felt like a minute to Elora, and then, suddenly, there was light.

The sun shone down on them as Merradin cleared the hole, and as he straightened himself out and started to soar, she'd find herself with a stunning view of the clouds.

Not above her, but below, and beneath those clouds the treacherous crags and valleys of the Thunderblack mountain range.

"See? Not so bad," Merradin called out.

DragonSong

She wouldn't be proud of it later, but Elora screamed, clinging to the saddle. Luckily the thunder drowned most of the noise out, and by the time they'd leveled out she seemed to have collected herself somewhat.

Oh dear.

That was a long way down.

Swallowing thickly, she nodded and tried to call back to him, "Yeah. Not so bad..." Her voice was a little thin and reedy, but overall not too far off from her normal tone.

DaGlobster

"I know it's a lot to take in," Merradin said, his voice carrying clearly despite the wind blowing past the both of them.

"But if we do this enough times, you might even get to liking it," Merradin said, turning his head forwards again.

"We'll be flying like this for a while until we get close to town."

DragonSong

"Yeah, no, I'm alright." It wasn't entirely a lie. If not exactly comfortable, she was at least getting used to the sensation.

"How far are we going exactly?"

DaGlobster

"Hundred or so miles," Merradin answered. He was slowly lowering his altitude, stopping his descent to skim across the tops of the clouds. The sun had started to set by now, painting the clouds and sky with color.

"So we'll be there soon."

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