Dragons Are Demanding (Book 1)Complete

46.) The Worst Outcome

Cerastes grimiced as he rode on the top of the carriage. It moved slowly from the added weight. The dark night could conceal many things but not the form of his oldest brother waiting infront of the mountain cities gates.

This was worst possible outcome!
It hadnt even crossed his mind as a possibility. Why is it Dante waiting for him? It's never Dante! He thought angrily. Why was Talon shirking his duties? The over indulgent Talon could be fooled but could Cerastes get past Dante who was the most clever?

Talon, always came to inspect inventory at the gate. It was one of his only tasks and he waited all year for it. Talon wanted the best women and the best wine, for his private reserves so he naturally was the first to inspect the new income.

Dante had always indulged his younger brother, as long as he handled the distribution as he ordered. And yet, today it was Dante.

The procession stopped just before the gate. Cerastes stood up from his perch and dropped down to the ground silently. In a couple steps he had come to the front of the line.

"Heir apparent, meeting you is a pleasure." He stood up straight and directed his face upward with both hands interlocked behind his back.

Exposing his neck and torso to attack, it was a show of submission. If a dragonkin had bowed low or crouched on one knee it would have been taken as a sign of aggression. Dragonkin have very powerful legs, and springing from a crouch is often used for hunting purposes.

Dante rose up from his stool and looked down on Cerastes, he exuded a cold and serious demeanor. Dante was more than a full head taller than Cerastes, his skin was a warm brown and his slitted iris reflected a golden brown color. His long black hair fell down to his waist, and covered almost all of his long pointed ears.

(Dante vibe)

Without warning Dante used his long clawed fingers to slash across cerastes' face, leaving four deep gashes across the left side and nose.

Cerastes didnt flinch or cry out, even when red blood began to run down his neck, disappearing in his black mantle.

"Your late." Dante said quietly in a cold voice.

"My apologies for the delay." Cerastes replied formally.

Dante looked at Cerastes with disdain. He flicked his black scaled tail in annoyance.

A male servant stepped forward raising his arms to offer Dante a towel. He wiped his bloodied claw on it and dropped it.

"Show me." Dante ordered.

"Yes" Cerastes replied, walking ahead of Dante. The soldiers that had guarded the supplies kept their heads down in fear that they might lose them.

Cowering could only be considered accepable among the weakest of species, like humans.

Dragonkin do not cower.

Had Cerastes cowered, it would have meant he was less than a human. It would have been a disgrace to his kind. He would have been killed for shaming the family.

Dante walked behind Cerastes in the place of difference.
He wore a long green robe that nearly touched the ground, over a white shirt and pants that came to the knee. White cloth showed wealth and prestige. A life style that could keep clothing white was a luxurious one.

The green robe had a slit cut up the back to the base of dante's black tail and two more were cut for his wings. Strings at the kneck line were used to tye the the robe in place to form around the wings, rather than push the wings through the slits. Unlike Cerastes he wore thick cloth foot coverings,they could be peaking out from under his robe with each step.

The strongest dragon was always the furthest behind when walking. The strongest protects the back, enters a room last, and has the most respect.

Humans that walked behind were only to slow to keep up.

Cerastes gave a detailed report of all the collected taxes, what had been damaged, and the beast that had been collected.

Dante surveyed the tax with a bored expression, when his gaze landed on Cerastes.

"Compliant today? What are you conceiling?" Dante excused Cerastes off handedly.

Cerastes face expressed nothing, but his blood went cold. The bleeding from his face began to slow.

"What would I have to conceal, look if it will satisfy you." Cerastes replied calmly.

Dante looked at him suspiciously. Cerastes hadn't been this late in more than half a century. Not even a behemoth boar could have caused this much of a delay in such a well kept schedule. Why els would Talon have sought Dante out to complain about the thirds negligence.

And yet, this third hatchling reported everything as usual. There was something missing but he didnt know what. Dante graced his hand over the black horns that protruded just above his forehead.

Was he wrong about Cerastes? He had to be sure.

Dante looked back at Cerastes's carriage and with a bound he landed infront of it. Dantes hand  grasped the handle. He didnt even glance at the faces of the humans that surrounded it.

"Heir apparent, I would suggest not opening that door." Cerastes warned, standing in the same place.

Dante scowled back at him, and opened the carriage door widely. The stench was unavoidable, even to a human. To a dragonkin it was overpowering. The bloody head of the boar had been crammed into the carriage. Its mass taking up nearly all of the space.

Dante hissed covering his face with his wide emerald green sleeves.

"What's this mess!" Dante demanded. His large wings flapped in suprize.

"There was not enough wagons to carry it, I had to make due." Cerastes replied feeling pleased, knowing Dante was repulsed by anything he deemed "dirty". What would have been a mere distraction to Talon would be a strong deterrent to Dante.

It was fortunate that they had come across the boar. Cerastes had original plans to mask the womans sent in the carriage wouldnt have been nearly as strong as the boars stench.

Dante sneered at Cerastes, then paused.

His eyes narrowed

and he began to grin showing off the sharp teeth that lined the back sides of his mouth.

"Where is it?" Dante asked slyly.