When the dragon didn't move I took that as a good sign and started to move my hand again.
My arm felt heavy and stiff, my whole body felt heavy and tense, I was actually scared out of my mind, but my family have been dealing with dragons for over a hundred years, I could do it too.
When my hand was level with the dragons snout I could feel it's hot breath. The dragon moved its head a bit closer trying to sniff my hand.
My back went rigid as I saw it inch closer, ever instinct in my body was telling me to run and never look back.
When the dragon was only an inch away from my hand I could feel as it took a breath in, taking my scent in with it. It let it's breath out that fanned over my face, my eyes closed as I felt how hot it's breath was, bringing tears to my eyes from the temperature. I opened them back up and almost screamed when the dragons snout was a few inches away from my face, my eyes widen as my breath got caught in my throat.
The dragon let out a low growl as it turned its head to look me in the eye, the lavender color was unnerving as it eyed me for a few heart beats. Once it was done looking me over again it turned its snout to me and bumped into my chest making me take a step back.
"Okay, calm down." I say after a few times of it happening and me almost falling on my ass.
The dragon stopped and made more clicking sounds as it moved a bit closer, I was worried it was trying to see if I would be a tender snack by the way it bumped me a few times.
I let out a small scream as it tackled me to the ground, my hands go to its throat as my back meets the ground.
"Seori!" I hear someone call out.
"Don't do anything!" The dragon wasn't hurting me, it was just sniffing me, for now.
I decide to try and pet it again to make sure it was being friendly instead of trying to see if I smelt appetizing enough for it.
"Let me pet you" I say as I hold my hand up, I don't know why I was talking, maybe it was because I was panicking, but it seemed to work.
The dragon stopped sniffing my face and moved its head back to look over my hand. A few gasps were let out from the tunnel as the dragon rubbed its snout into my open hand.
"Can I get up?" I decide to ask seeing as it seemed to understand what I said a moment ago.
The dragon made more clicking sounds as it stepped away from me allowing me to slowly get to my feet, I had a feeling that the dragon wouldn't hurt me, but better to be safe and take things slow.
It tilted its head back and forth as I dust myself off and stand straight to hold my hand out again, this time it eased into my hand instead of tackling me to the ground. As the dragon let out a low soft growl I felt my panic ease away, it was like the dragon was purring. I couldn't help but smile as I reach up with my other hand and caress it's soft feather like leaves that covered it's body.
I look behind me and then back to the dragon. "I have some friends here, can they come see you?" I ask as I pet the top of its head.
It pulled away and looked at the tunnel where the others stood stock still, some of their eyes widen as the dragon takes a few steps towards them.
"It's okay, just hold your hand out." I assure them as the dragon kept taking small steps to the tunnel.
Sunoo was the first to step forward and hold his hand out for the dragon to sniff, he let out a small laugh as the dragon pushed its snout into his hand. Sunoo looks up to me with a bright smile as the dragon continued to let him pet it. After a few moments Sunghoon stepped forward and then Heeseung, they both took turns petting the dragon.
I was surprised at how friendly the dragon was, it made me wonder why anyone would want to kill them if they were all like this when you showed them you meant no harm.
Soon enough everyone had pet the dragon besides Jay, he stood away from the dragon and eyed it as if waiting for it to kill them all.
The dragon turned to me as I joined the group. "We have to leave now, I took the earth stone, we need it for something really important. If I can I'll bring it back when we're done using it." I pet the dragon a bit more as I talk, hoping it understood what I was saying, when it steps back and makes a few clicking sounds as it spreads it's wings I was worried it was going to attack me for taking the stone, but I was proved wrong when it bowed it's head for a second before taking off.
I watch it as it circles the clearing a few times before taking off out of sight, I guess now that the stone was gone it had no reason to be here.
"Well, that was interesting." I say with a laugh as I look back at the others.
"Interesting? What the hell were you saying to it?" Jay asked as he came back to the mouth of the tunnel.
I raise a brow as he stares me down. "What do you mean? I just asked it a few things? Did you not hear me?" I wasn't that far away from the tunnel when I spoke with the dragon, I had figured they could all hear me.
"No we heard you, but you were making these weird clicking and hissing sounds, you sounded possessed." Jay continued as he crossed his arms and shifted his weight onto one foot.
I look over them all, waiting for one to say he was lying and just trying to be a dick, but when Jungwon nodded his head I realized Jay wasn't lying.
I take a step back and think over what I said, I thought I had spoke in a normal voice, I didn't hear any hissing or clicking, I don't even remember my tongue moving differently then when I talk normally.
"I... I just asked if I could pet it and if it could get off of me, then I told it about you and that you were friends of mine and if you could meet it..." For some reason I felt more judged by the fact I could talk to dragons without meaning to then them all thinking I was a sex worker willingly, I don't know why though, speaking to dragons must be part of my heritage, I couldn't change that, just like I couldn't change what happened to me in the past, none of it was by choice.
"Let's just get going." Sunghoon said and grabbed a lamp from one of the lower guards.
No one said anything as we all fall in line back in the tunnel, I make my way to the front with Sunghoon and Heeseung, not saying anything just knowing at least they wouldn't be giving me dirty looks like Jay was doing.
The trip out of the tunnel and back to the horses felt just as tense as when we first got here, but I shook it off as I reminded myself we had found the second stone, we were a step closer to saving the kingdom.
With that in mind I relax as I check Max's saddle and reins to make sure all was still in place. I pat his neck a few times as I wait on the others to finish checking their horses. I stand straight as Jake and Jungwon make their way over to me.
"We decided to head to the castle for a few days so the horses can rest and we can gather more supplies and rest up ourselves as well." Jungwon said as he stopped a few feet away.
"Sounds good to me." I reply with a shrug, a few days of resting in a bed would be nice.
Jungwon nodded and said he was off to tell the others of the plan. I turn and face the king as he stood there not saying anything.
"Anything else?" I ask as I turn to Max, not wanting to look the king in the eye a moment longer, he pretty much said he thought I used to be a whore, I wasn't going to correct him if he wanted to believe that.
"Whatever that was back there, you had no idea you could do that, did you?"
I shoot him a look over my shoulder. "Of course I don't know that, I didn't even know I had done it until Jay said something. A lot of this is new to me as well, I never learned every detail of my family's job as the stones protectors."
"Because you killed your father?"
"I killed my father five years ago, he had plenty of time to tell me about what was all involved with my family's heritage, but he didn't." I snap as I turn to face the king.
"Why didn't he tell you?" He asked taking a step closer.
"He was a drunk who didn't care about anything but getting more alcohol, I was a- It doesn't matter what I was, just know my father never cared to tell me anything about the map or the stones, my mother was only able to tell me a few things before she died and no I didn't kill her."
"Then how did she die?"
It took a lot in me to not slap the king for asking so many questions, instead I take a deep breath and gather my thoughts.
"She got sick when I was young and passed." I say simply, I didn't want to share my whole past with him right now or probably ever.
I was relieved when Jungwon returned and said everyone was ready to head out. The trip to the castle would take a few days ride north-west from here, so the sooner we left the better.
~
I nod to Heeseung as he passed me some food later that day by the fire, now that time had passed everyone seemed less tense, all but Jay, of course. I had no idea why he disliked me so much, I understood we got off on the wrong foot, but even though he shot me I was willing to put that aside so we could make this whole job less annoying, but I was not willing to try and talk with him about it first.
"Can I ask you something?" Sunoo asked from beside me.
I nod my head and hum in response, to busy with a mouth full of food to answer verbally.
"Maybe we should be somewhere more private." He added as he stood up and offered me his hand.
I give him a look as I sallow my food and take his hand up, once I was standing I try dropping his hand but he kept a firm but gentle grip on mine. I look down at our hands as he steps in front to lead me wherever he thought would be more private.
When we reach the edge of the clearing where we had placed our tents in, he finally let my hand go and turned to face me, his face was blank making my anxiety spike a little.
"Everything okay?" I ask feeling a little uneasy. I considered Sunoo a friend out of all of them, he had been the first one of them all to show me kindness.
"Yeah," He smiled a little making the air a bit lighter. "I just wanted to talk to you about what happened in Drachall."
I nodded as I thought over what had happened, wondering if he too thought I had done all that stuff in my past willingly.
"I wanted to know your side of the story, something tells me Ezra is not a trustworthy person."
I felt a bit of happiness spark in me as I heard him say that, he actually wanted to know the truth instead of assuming like people usually do.
I open my mouth and then hesitate, should I really tell him about what happened to me back then? Something I haven't told anyone...
"I was forced into all of that at a young age," I decide to tell him the basics of why I was there. "My father didn't want me for reasons so he sold me off at a young age... I was stuck in those pleases until I finally escaped five years ago."
"Is that why you killed your father?" He asked quietly.
I nod while looking off to the side, I didn't really feel anything when I killed my father, others may think I felt remorse or guilt for what I did, but he didn't show any of those emotions when he sold me off into a life of hell, so why should I for killing him?
"Thank you for telling me, I didn't believe what Ezra said, that's why I wanted to ask you."
I offer Sunoo a smile before I do something crazy, I step forward and give him a short hug.
"Thank you for not doubting me, even though we haven't known each other for long." I say as I pull back and look at the ground, feeling weird I had hugged him.
"Of coarse, we're friends after all." He smiled even wider as he grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze.