Chapter Nine: Suluk P.O.V.

"Stop pacing. You're starting to stress me out." Kieren rubs his temples while he hangs his head.

"Why do we have to wait here?! Why the hell did she leave the dinner early? I never even got a chance to speak with her! I can't wait!" I'm aware my outburst is on the line of being called childish, but this not knowing is eating me from the inside. It is making my hands shake and my mouth as dry as the sand wasteland I flew across once. I feel Kierens eyes follow me as I throw myself onto the bed in a huff. Doing so pulls her barely lingering honeysuckle and orange blossom scent out of the bedding to swirl around me. Calming my mind and nerves. I can't stop myself from inhaling the barely there scent as I lay there, letting my rapid heartbeat slow.

"You like her…" Kieren states blankly, making me shoot up from the bed to sit on the edge. Staring at him bewildered.

"WHAT?! WHY WOULD YOU SAY SUCH A THING?!" Voice coming out louder than I intended, making me sound guilty. He just rolls his eyes and sits back into his chair across from me with an arm propped on the back.

"Just making an observation. That's all." His smug, infuriating smirk settles on his face as he just stares at me.

"That observation is wrong!" I point out and challenge his stare. He is unconvinced as he raises a brow at me, his eyes glow with mischief.

"How so? I have not, in the whole time I've known you, seen you act in such a way over a stranger. You have actively gone out and sought a way to save her from her predicament. You have also offered her work, instead of just relocating her. You whined the whole time she and I talked in the garden. And now you act as if you are a child without their mother, needing her attention and whining loudly while she is gone. What part of that eludes you? And before you answer you must remember we are linked, so our thoughts are shared." He speaks slowly, unbothered as if he has already won this debate.

"I want to repay my debt, is all. I can not do such a thing if she chooses that sniveling shrimp." He rolls his eyes and looks toward the door unamused.

"You keep telling yourself that. When you're ready to admit the truth, come find me. For now…" He nods to the door. The quiet creaking caught my attention.

In walks a soldier, his face blank as he lights the way. The clank of his armor deafening in the calm space. "Glad to see I had gotten the right room. Please forgive me for the intrusion. I did knock, but no one answered, I had to check to make sure I had the right place. You two are Suluk and Kieren I presume?" His newly cracking voice shows his age as he speaks to us.

"Yes, that is us. Is there something we can help you with?" Sounding a little more stern than I meant to, he straightens his posture even more. Reaching the lantern behind him as if to help someone into the room.

"We're in the right room, you may proceed." He calls to someone behind him. Tiny footsteps shuffle in the hallway right outside the door before familiar, curly, strawberry blonde hair is seen poking around the corner. I stand excited to see her finally here, feeling Kieren speak down our link with a chuckle in his mind. 'Never seen you that excited to see me before. Definitely just want to help her.' I throw annoyance back at him, even if it is only half heartedly. Seeing the few unruly curls around her face that refused to be placed back into a braid this morning and how her green and blue eyes look at me from around the corner makes my heart squeeze hard in my chest. Kieren is right, but I can't find it in myself to be disappointed in that fact.

"Someone will be by later to lead you to your room." He addresses Ava with a bow. She bows back and stands there awkwardly by the fireplace as he leaves the room. The three of us are just sitting there, staring at each other as the air feels thick and heavy with unsaid words.

"Did you choose?" Kieren is the first to speak, making her nod and push some curls behind her ear.

"I did. That's why I'm here." Her demeanor looks unsure, like she's not completely ready to be standing in front of us.

"Who?" Is all I can manage to choke out as it feels like my whole body has stopped working. My throat closing and my hands shaking with uncertainty.

"Kieren, is it true what you said at dinner? That you two run an army?" She looks at him, making the uneasy feeling sink to the bottom of my stomach like a bolder. He just looks at her curiously and nods, the only confirmation she'll be getting. "Will you train me?" The question hangs in the air thickly reminding me of tar, making me unable to breath.

"Train you? In what way?" He asks, already knowing the answer to speak to me through our link. 'This is not going to be good. If she wishes to train in the art of combat I fear for what she may use it for.' His thoughts are cloaked in worry. I just nod, unable to speak at all.

"To fight. You offered to help me avenge my friends. I'm aware this is not what you meant, but I will not have anyone else fight my own battles. I refuse to be weak any longer. I want to get stronger, to train, to defend myself and those I care for. So will you train me?" The determined look on her face tells me all I need to know. There's no changing her mind. With her brows scrunched together it makes the scar around her eye stretch, making me want to go and sooth her brows back to normal. I refrain from doing so and look to Kieren.

"It won't be easy work. You have a long way to go. You're too skinny, you barely have any muscle and you'll be starting from scratch. Is that what you truly want?" He asks, making my blood run cold. It feels as though time stops as my ears start to hum softly. She can't be serious? She looks so fragile, so delicate. And she wants to wield a weapon?!

"Yes. That's my one condition to stay with you two. I wish to train and have a job." She turns to me with uncertainty. "I will continue to help you while you're here at the palace, but I want to do something I choose. If what you said was true and you will grant me my freedom, I want to start making my own choices. You may have told me that you did not burn my village, and Kieren may have cleared your name for now, but I will not trust you easily." She states as if she didn't just hurt my soul a little with that wary behavior.

"I understand. I will do whatever it takes to get back into your good graces. I can also train you when Kieren is gone on business. I will not have to leave the kingdom for a while after we get back." The words slide off my tongue easily enough, even if my heart yearns to be near her, to comfort her in this time of unknowns. She looks at me a little skeptical, unsure if I'll keep my word, and it breaks my heart a little further.

"It's a deal then. I'll train you in our free time, and when I'm not there Suluk will take my place. We will help you get on your feet in the Siriane Kingdom. I even know a woman who could use some help with her small shop if that is something you'd be interested in. If not, we can keep looking." Kieren offers with a small smile. I know that look, I've seen it when the new recruits come in that he thinks won't make it. He's usually right, but I saw how she moved in that forest, how she handled herself with that sled of animals. She'll make it happen and he has no idea what he's getting himself into.

She returns his smirk and nods. A soft knock coming from the door, making her turn and walk towards it. "That's for me. I was told I'd have a room prepared. I can meet you here in the morning if you wish? Or in the dining hall for breakfast? Whichever you prefer."

"I'll see you here in the morning. We have a lot to discuss before our next meeting, little human." Kieren smirks at her, his eyes dancing with the promise of something to yet be determined. She bows and leaves without another word. Waiting a moment, listening to her steps retreat, before turning back to Kieren.

"ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY RAVING MAD?! TRAIN HER?! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'VE GOTTEN YOURSELF INTO!" Roaring my frustration out on him, turning swiftly in his direction.

"Calm yourself my friend. I've seen how she looks, how she carries herself here. She won't last a week. There is no need to get all worked up." He waves me off as if this whole thing will blow over in a week's time and he'll prove himself right.

"You have no idea what you're getting into…. I'll bet you 40 gold pieces and a dinner of your choosing, she lasts longer than a week." I take the drink he offers me as I sit across from him. His brow raises as he holds out his cup to cheers with me, a smirk tugging the corner of his lips.

"You're on."

🜹🜹🜹

The last few days in the castle were surprisingly productive. We all agreed on a trade that would be satisfactory for both kingdoms and even a way for the humans to expand their land slightly with minimum damage to the forest. Alavira kept her word and did help us everyday, even if she was visibly uncomfortable around us until the end. She kept her distance and barely spoke the whole time, but I'll take what I can get right now. Baby steps are still steps after all.

Landing just outside Siriane, Ava slides down to the ground on my wing. She had already known what I look like in dragon form, but to say she was terrified of Kierens would not do it justice. We both thought she was going to pass out. For someone so quiet and mostly gentle when outside of his duties and battle his appearance can be deceiving.

Both of us shift back to our human forms, as Ava sets the bag down with our clothes in it and turns around. Kierens amusement down the link slips loose as he walks over to get his clothing. 'What's so funny?' I ask while putting my pants on.

'She has been so adamant about not associating with us during the last four days.' He thinks slowly, his mind laced with underlying curiosity.

'And that's amusing?' I look over at him as I straighten out my shirt.

'What's amusing is now she won't be able to do so. Not without getting lost and being overpriced. I wonder how she'll act knowing she's in a kingdom made out of dragons and having to interact with us again.' His smirk says everything his words don't. Bending down to put his pants on as well as he quietly chuckles. I had not thought of that, but he is right. She'll have to talk to us and rely on us to help her around the city and what places to steer clear of, even to show her the places that are safe for her to buy food from. Throwing my shirt on and looking at her with furrowed brows I can't help but worry if this will make her hate me even more.

Kieren pats my shoulder as he tucks the rest of his shirt in with his other hand, a reassuring pressure as he squeezes softly. 'Quit overthinking it. It'll work out.'

'How can you know that?' I look over to him, unsure if I believe him.

'Because I know you. I'm sure once she does too she'll see what I do.' That stuns me for a moment as I watch him walk away, curious on what that means. Before I get the chance to ask him, he senses my curiosity and smiles at me over my shoulder. 'A good man.' Is all he warmly pushes down the link before tapping Avas shoulder.

"We're done. Ready to start our walk, or would you like a small break? Flying isn't for everyone, so we understand if you need to get your bearings again." He reassures her. She just stands and walks over to the bag, picking it up and throwing it back over her shoulder and turning back to him.

"Which way?" Is all she responds, impressing us both. He smirks and raises a brow at her, crossing his arms and nods.

"Alright little one, you might show some promise after all." The words filled with promise and unspoken respect between them. I just turn and start walking toward the gates on the other side of the treeline. She looks between us confused for a moment before Kieren starts following me as well. "Coming, short stuff?" He calls over his shoulder, making her bristle and follow us quickly.

Breaking through the treeline after a few moments of walking we're met with a welcoming sight of Siriane's entrance. Both Kieren and I stop to pay our respects, taking a trinket out of our pockets to bury beneath the trees as we place our fingers in the center of our head to bring them down and out as we bow to both.

"What are you doing? Do I need to do that?" Ava asks, looking at us like we have lost our minds.

"Humans…" Kieren rolls his eyes before walking past the mighty trees with a chuckle. I hold my hand out to her with a smile.

"Welcome to the Siriane Kingdom, Ava."