145

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298 AC

Summer Isles - Ebonhead

Ja'onn the fisher

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"Now there are close to one hundred dragon wives in the palace! I tell you the new Prince of Ebonhead is just like me in my youth." I resist the urge to strangle my father as he goes on more about his youth.

Seeing an opportunity in changing the subject I leap at it. "Father, what else have you heard about the Dragon prince?" Hopefully, he can talk about this subject for as long as he can himself.

"Oh, that's easy if you went outside the house more instead of sleeping all day. The Prince breathes fire on his enemies just like his dragons. They say he can split a man in half with a stone tool and make it look easy. He is also generous and hosts feasts that you keep refusing to go to, you would get a few wives yourself if you got up some more." I grit my teeth and focus on my fishing line as I struggle against myself.

Doesn't he understand I just don't feel like going out to see people all the time? I fish at least six hours a day and like to rest when I am not fishing, that should be enough.

I close my eyes and listen to the sound of distant birds and insects, a unusual squawking noise grabs my attention. A few more squawks and loud whistles and other cries force my eyes open in curiosity.

"-and so the festivities were going on and I saw the Prince dancing with one of his thousands of wives and-." He stops talking for the first time in hours and I would celebrate if it wasn't for the reason he stopped looking into my eyes.

Resting on a log that is bobbing in the water and managed to float Infront of us is a pink dragon, one of the very creatures that have me sleeping all day. With the beast Infront of me I can no longer lie to myself, I have been hiding inside out of fear of getting burned by one of these things.

"Would you look at that, it is riding that downed tree like a raft." My father marvels at the beast as it turns its eyes toward him and I swear I see multiple eyelids blink.

These things are demons from some sick hell if I have ever seen.

"You hungry little guy?" My father pulls a fish out of his basket and the Dragon perks it's head up and its tail raises.

It sniffs the air curiously reminding me of a dog I used to have and it snorts and shakes its head before dropping its tail into the water. It raises its body like a cat balancing on a log and walks to the end of it before jumping off and landing on the sand.

"Here you go." My father tosses the fish and it snaps it up before whipping its head back and tossing the fish in the air and in a bright pink flame with white veins the fish is burnt.

The dragon snaps the fish back up and bites it in half before swallowing it and going for the half it dropped. My father laughs merrily like we are not sitting next to a beast that just released flames from its mouth.

I shake in place before hearing something impact the sand behind me and I slowly turn around and spot a monster. Black and covered in spikes, piercing blue eyes the same color as the sky boring into me as it closes the distance. I hold my breath as it walks up to me and then passes me and nudges my father's basket of fish.

"You hungry as well? Does your Prince even feed you poor little things?" He pulls out another fish and throws it to the black dragon.

The dragon carries it away and throws it up and in a black burst of flames swallows the fish whole before its head turns back to us. Its eyes lock onto the basket and a humming noise comes from its chest that surprises me. It reminds me of that pet spotted panther my uncle has when it gets its belly rubbed.

"Why are we not dead?" I ask quietly and I see my father look at me with his brows scrunched.

"They came for the fish boy, not you, I swear sometimes you need to open your eyes." He shakes his head with a sigh before tossing a fish Infront of him and I turn to catch a grey dragon snap up the fish.

"When did that one get here?!" The dragon burns the fish and chews away at it with a loud rumbling in its chest.

"I don't know, that one seems to be pretty quiet." He strokes his chin and watches the dragon finish off the fish before reaching for another in the basket.

I look down and see the basket empty and my eyes widen as our dinner was supposed to be that fish. I look behind me and see a glistening white dragon dragging off a mouthful of fish and lifting its wings. It pushes off the ground and accidentally drops some fish as it swings its wings and takes to the sky.

"It took our dinner." My voice croaks watching more than five dragons fly off into the sky with all my fish.

"It would seem so." He shakes his head before baiting his hook once more and tossing it out into the sea.

"What are we going to do?" He raises a brow and chuckles.

"Catch more!" A wide smile spreads on his face before he looks back out at the sea.

----

298 AC

Summer Isles - Ebonhead

Eragon Targaryen

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"Eragon you need to talk to them, this is the fourth complaint about them stealing fish on the beach. They got spoiled by people giving them some 'tribute' and now they have become bandits working in teams to distract and steal the fish from people. The man who came to complain looked like his very soul was defeated when he talked." I shake my head and look over at Arrax who is lounging in the wide window hanging his tail outside and his head inside resting on a stack of pillows.

""Leave them some fish so they don't come complaining."" His head barely even moves as he opens his mouth and noise comes out.

Seems he was listing to Nata the whole time and knew what she was talking about, he was ready for me before I could even speak.

"Real impressive Eragon." Nata shakes her head and sighs and I shrug my shoulders.

I look over and spot her in the dress I like, I smile as I sneak my hand across the couch and lunge and wrap it behind her. She jolts in surprise before I pull her onto the couch beside me and deliver a kiss on her lips.

"We are fortunate they are not stealing anything other than fish, let's just count our blessings and compensate people who get robbed. We host feasts all the time to build up morale and build fond feelings with the people. Giving them some food shouldn't be that bad." She looks dully into my eyes as she snakes her hand across my body.

"We need to be mindful or people will pour in looking for handouts, we are rich but we can't just waste it because the dragons like to be thieves." An aggrieved dragon chirps behind me and I shake my head at his antics.

"Alright, we will supply them with even more food and hope that stops or at least slows down their bandit ways." She nods and smiles as she looks over me to narrow her eyes at Arrax.

"He even got Balerion in on it and I feel like he is leading my child down a bad path." Arrax stands up and shakes himself before jumping out the window to fly off.

I watch him head off to the jungle and wonder if he is upset or just getting anxious laying around. We have been lazy together for half the day and he usually flies around this time anyway.

I still defend my bond and lay a smack across the daring woman's ass who dared insult him.

"Hey." She looks away from the fleeing dragon and down at me as she holds herself up with a hand on my chest.

"You attacked my bond with your cruel words, if you want him to forgive you then you need to make it up to us." She takes only a moment before she raises both brows.

"I need to make it up to you, to make it up to him?" I nod slowly.

She kicks off her footwear and pushes me onto my side on the couch before sliding Infront of me. I watch in confusion as she grabs my hand and pulls it over herself and then shifts until she is snuggled against me.

"What's going on?" She turns her head and I see her sky-blue eye looking back at me.

"You have been napping all day long so I thought you would like someone to join you, this way Arrax will forgive me right?" She makes a good point, I think Arrax will forgive her after this.

----

Watching the pregnant bellies grow with every passing week I suddenly get 'hit' with the full weight of what is happening. Every time I see a baby when I am out in the market or heading to the port to overlook various things I feel a warmth in my chest. I can't get it out of my head, little hands and feet kicking around and a face going red from yelling senselessly.

Small and defenseless and soon to be in the world, my baby.

It won't just be one either and I feel my brow sweat as I look out the window overlooking Ebonhead. I always worried about my wives and family and felt the need to protect them but now I feel like I am becoming obsessive. Ashara earlier groaned and grabbed her stomach and I felt my heart stop as I tried to get to her.

It came to me naturally without even thinking about something being wrong, thankfully it was nothing and the baby just kicked her at the right angle. I felt one of the first kicks from a baby inside of a woman when I had my hand on Shaena's belly. It was just as magical when it happened with Ashara, it's like the baby is trying to reach out and say something.

That or they are restless sleepers like Rhaenys and if that's the case I dread long nights of babies crying. I pray to any god willing to listen that the babies love to sleep when it is dark, they can wake up right when the sun comes up but I hope they let me sleep at night. I refuse to let some maid watch over my babies and instead will have them in the room I sleep in or in the attached office.

"Do you have anything planned today?" Shaena asks as I sip on some of my soup straight from the bowl.

"Not really, we are expecting the Prince of Tall trees tomorrow or the next day but today is free as preparations are made." She perks up and sets her hands on the table.

"Let's go swimming, I really enjoyed swimming the last time I was pregnant." I blink in surprise at her sudden enthusiasm and slowly nod.

"Ok, We can go to the clear water that is close by and shouldn't be too hard to walk to. The beach is crowded with Fishermen and I don't want to swim around with a bunch of people watching. We could go to a private spot on the beach but it will be a far trip and I don't want to-." She nods and puts her hands up.

"Yea you don't want anything to happen, you worry too much as I was just on a ship but I appreciate your concern as it warms my heart." I pick my bowl back up I just set down and bring it back to my lips to finish off my delicious soup.

Looks like I am busy now.