Dragons Are Demanding (Book 1)Complete

14.) The Rope Pulls Tight.

After the goats were tied and the wagons loaded Ceder returned to the inn. His siblings sat at a square table with four bowls of soup before them and a loaf of bread. Ceder took his seat at the table.

"Tomorrow we will head out early. We can draw straws then to see who goes first, if you dont want to decide amongst yourselves." Spruce said, slurping soup out of wooden bowl.

Ceder still didnt know how he was going to trick his siblings. He had only brought the two crystals along. One was sold to D'zarren and the other still broken in his pocket.

Maybe he could sneak off and say that he had been rejected, Spruce might empathize and let it go.

Or he could pretend to touch the crystal by accident and run off saying he found a bathroom by mistake. No, he already used the bathroom excuse. Hed have to switch it up.

Oak ripped the bread into fourths and passed it among his siblings. "I dont care what place I'm in." He looked at Laurel as if asking her opinion.

"I'll go last." Laurel said.

The three looked at Ceder, "I guess I'll go first." He said tipping his chair back slightly, with his arms behind his head.

Spruce looked at Oak for confirmation, and Oak nodded in response. Oak was currently bent over his meal, then. All of them looked more like nomads than Ceder but they were perfectly content to live out the rest of their lives in the valley.

How was it that only Ceder wanted to travel and see knew places?

The young ones always had to be supervised in town unless they were already married. A reason to go home, a partner, and children to provide for.

Ceder already had his money, technically he could leave at anytime.

There had been siblings that had left the valley, but they had never been gone for long. The longest anyone had been gone was a month.

Banyan currently holds the record. She was beautiful and the tallest woman. The height definitely didnt come from mothers side of the family.

She had wanted to be a traveling musician, adored by fans who new her name before she met them. but once she got a got a taste of life outside she realized it was more difficult than she expected.

Ceder would often go to her house and badger her to tell him stories of her adventure. Maybe Banyan thought if she told him he would be less apt to leave, as if she might protect him from himself.

In the beginning everything was great. She sang nightly at the largest tavern in town although the money wasnt great, she was happy. After a couple weeks she made friends with some locals who she drank with all hours of the night. Of course they left her with the tab and ran off at dawn. Her savings quickly ran out.

The tavern owner said she could work off what she couldnt pay. She thought he meant singing and agreed, but his intentions were different than what she expected.

When he had tried to take her to bed. She had told him to keep his hands off of her but he refused forcefully. She slapped him across the face forgetting her strength and snapped his neck.

The people of Pyros are stronger than the average person.

While dragon kin do not impose any laws beyond obedience to them, and taxes payed. The town council would happily enslave someone who not only did not pay what was due, but also killed a property owner.

She left everything she owned and ran home. She brought no food, clothes, or water. She only stopped when her legs could no longer move. Banyan also holds the record for fastest return trip. It took her a day and half to run back home.

She never bonded, she built her house and never left the Villiage. It's been more than fifteen years.

No ones been allowed to leave the villiage for good since that incident and the family doesnt talk about it.

Ceders idea was, after they return home, Ceder planned to say that he was going hunting on his own. Then hed fake his death or maybe leave a note threatening to tell their secrets if they looked for him. He hadnt gotten the details of the plan ironed out.

The four finished their meal and headed upstairs.
...
(Spruce PV)

In the room upstairs Laurel layed on the small bed. Her brothers each made their own sleeping pallets on the floor around her. Using the travel seat cushions for pillows and blankets they had kept for traveling.

Maybe it was the busy market all morning or that the inn hunting had taken alot longer than expected.

It may have been the fact that he had to be with particularly difficult siblings for an extended period of time but Spruce had felt more tired than he had the entire trip.

Possibly the most tired he had been in his entire life.

They each had finished washing up, before bed. Laurel had spent a lot of time rubbing strong smelling lotions on her body and would no doubt do it again in the morning. The smell was strong enough that he was beginning to get a headache.

He braided his long hair to the side of his neck and layed down. Oak was already asleep and snoring lightly. Ceder was already laying on his pallet with his eyes closed. He wondered if his wife was being affected by his stress and tiredness. He relaxed thinking the trip was more than halfway over and that hed be going home soon.

"Blow out the candle, or you'll get bags under your eyes." Spruce said gruffly to Laurel.

The candle went out with a quick breath, he heard her jostle in bed before settling. Knowing his siblings were safe Spruce let himself drift off to sleep.

He didnt hear the bell tolling out ten chimes.