Scrunching my nose, shouting and growling forcing me awake, I opened my eyes to find two panicking healing mages, one not far off looking half dead. Blinking, the coursing pain I vividly remember hardly even present. Of course, I could not bask in a moment of rest, as James had noticed me opening my eyes. "Dragon! Your dragon!" He quickly snapped, my gaze slowly moving to find Vitreus actively trying to kill Edward, who seemed to be struggling even with help.
"How long was I out?" I asked uninterested in their drama, finding Averin standing cross-armed between the smaller crowd and the fight, Yastum offering support.
"Does that matter?!" He shrieked while I looked back at him with a raised brow. "I-Oh my gods I don't get paid enough for this, twenty minutes! Maybe thirty!" Record time. Humming I pushed myself up, getting to my feet and brushing off my shorts before stretching. Practically good as new.
"Okay~ Now then," Digging my heel into the ground I bolted straight into the fray. Leaping over a spike of earth, I ducked under a flicking tail, and slid under the large and devasting claws of my Vitreus. With an easy and quick bounce in my step, I was throwing my body over his shoulder. His agape jaw paused as the thick red glass dripped from his chin, my hands wrapping around his neck. Pulling he confusedly followed, easily knowing it was me who had mounted him.
I didn't stop pulling him back as he continued to follow me unsure until he had gone so far that he was on his hind legs, but even then he whole heartened followed, flopping onto his back as I squealed and barely twisted around his neck in time to avoid being crushed. "You dork!" I huffed, blowing my hair from my face as the dust settled, rolling to his side he looked at me with his tongue out, as if he was not trying to kill my bosses. "Troublemaker," I grinned at him, his dark pupils full and engulfing his iris.
"Are we done now?!" Averin called from his spot unmoving, glancing at him I looked to Edward, who, shockingly, looked even more mad.
"Well then, I'm just gonna-" A large blue magic circle glowed beneath me and my dragon as Vitreus let out a huff before disappearing. Landing on my feet I stumbled a bit before catching myself with flapping arms. Giving a sheepish smile I looked up at Edward, who was quickly approaching. "There are witnesses! People can see you beating me!" I squealed leaping away from his impulsive swing. "It's illegal to use violence on apprentices! You'll be reported! I'll report you!" I jumped, barely dodging the kick.
"Consider it direct discipline!" With his hands linked he slammed his fists down right onto my retreating back- sending me straight to the ground as I moaned. "How many times have I warned you, Lilith?!"
"About killing a dragon? Never," I grinned with a grunt, a very rough boot unafraid of setting me back to the tree I had come from finding me. Hacking and gagging as I slammed right back into it I held my stomach with a wince.
"You are a danger! You can not draw attention to yourself!"
"I'd say you were drawing the attention," I coughed with a laugh, pushing myself to my feet. While the repetitive and pleading 'stay down' came from James, who I had landing not far from.
"A dragon! Lilith! You killed a dragon!" He pressed, waving at the half-collapsed hall while I scoffed.
"What did you want me to do!? Let it kill everyone?! Let Yastum die?! Be realistic Edward! I couldn't just sit by-!"
"You damn well could have! Yastum is a magi to the council of mages! She would not have died before reinforcements had arrived! You should have been the one evacuating guests! Protecting the Monarchs!" A rough hand found my face while I clenched my jaw and held my ground, slapping his arm away as he went to hit me harder.
"Protect the monarchs?!" I snapped spitting the blood from my mouth, "They wouldn't listen to me even if it meant their deaths!" Slamming my elbow into his wrist I couldn't dodge the back hand that did in fact leave me to stumble, even still I ground my teeth and continued. "Their heirs wouldn't so much as pause if I ordered them! I'd have my head cut for using force! There was no other option for me! It was death or death and I at least picked the one that would give me honor!" I huffed as he paused, the back of my hand finding my nose as I wiped the blood from it with a glare. A glare he matched.
"You are a threat, Lilith," He said slowly, "Now you've even slain a dragon, single-handedly!" He waved exasperated to the clearing I could only guess he had seen while in the sky. "With witnesses no less!" He moved his waving to the much smaller crowd who were very interested in watching our loud and violent exchange.
"You-! You don't know that!" I tried, pouting as my shoulders dropped, "Yastum helped! Averin was the one to get the last hit!" I lied with a whine, his glare unmoving as he pulled his burly arms to his chest. Apparently, calm enough to not want to hit me again.
"Yastum!" He snapped, his spine straight and gaze unwavering. My eyes widened and open shot open but she had been quicker with her words.
"The only assistance I provided was averting and lessening the dragons flame so it could not reach the people below," Yastum fucking snitched, making him raise a brow at me while I glared at her, who gave a smile and a gentle bow of the head in response.
"Averin?" He asked, far more calm, his figure practically towering over me as I wilted.
"It was already dead when I got there, she had the core out and everything, in fact, the core's in her dragon's stomach." Gasping I whipped to look at Averin, who was still rooted a safe and uninterested distance away.
"You said you wouldn't tell anyone!" I whined, a thick and strong hand digging into my scalp as I paused.
"Is it now?" His voice a deadly calm as I faltered with a nervous laugh, the strong grip one I was becoming more and more familiar with.
"I-I mean, no? Vitreus ca-can only eat gl-glass," I tried pathetically, my skull getting crushed in a second.
"We both know that's not true, I've had to clean up the mess your damn dragon makes in my forest countless times now," His dark eyes were an abyss as a smile found his lips. Oh gods, I had thought I told him to finish everything, down to the very bones.
"Ed-Edward, let's t-talk about this-"
"You've lost all further carriage privileges, Averin, fetch a horse, you are to escort her back to school. If you let her so much as lean on your horse I will be punishing you both," He ordered, Averin letting out a whistle at a punishment worse than any death I could experience. Finally releasing me as my mouth bobbed like a fish before words even left.
"Wha- Edward! Just beat me instead! Come on! I can take a few more broken bones! I won't report you! I promise!" I begged, pulling at his shirt while he didn't so much as look at me.
"That has never worked, has it? You need a fitting punishment, and there isn't any more fitting," He hummed, motioning Yastum over. And like a damn dog she listened.
"I-" Groaning I threw my head back before taking a deep breath and straightening my back, my hand finding my hip and a glare my face, "Dragon's mine, I killed it, I reserve all rights to the corpse," He did look back down at me for that one.
"Lilith are you trying to-"
"I'm not trying to do anything, I'm reserving my rights to the dragon I've slain," I smiled pleasantly. "Dragon slayers had and still have the right to their consequences under imperial law 629 section 13," I hummed as he easily returned to towering over me.
"You want to sight imperial law now do you?" He gave a dangerous chuckle but I didn't waver, just gave a tilted head smile even with the distance he closed in an instant. "Section 19 number 843, what law is that? Do remind me, Lilith." Opening my eyes slightly I stood my ground.
"Section 4, 296," I shot back without skipping a beat well he narrowed his eyes at me.
"Do you think either of them will stop me if I decided to disciple you again?" He half-heartedly motioned to two councilmembers watching us carefully.
"Do you think I will just roll over? Have I ever just taken my punishments?" We stared at each other for a long moment before he took a breath and half a step back. Looking me over he ran a hand through his hair and glanced at the audience we still had. An audience that would only bring him more trouble. I couldn't care less about what was said about me, and I was under the direct protection of the Council of Magis. Even if Edward revoked such a thing I was now known as a dragon slayer, I could easily find a different sponsor.
"... Apprentice Lilith Windsor," Blinking I immediately jumped to a solute and watched him curiously, "You are to immediately return to school grounds with councilmember Averin," He so kindly reminded me of his punishment while I barely bite my tongue. Roughly turning to do as told I still at his voice, "But first, I will be confiscating your shoes,"
I stilled, my hand twitching as a slow laugh built in my chest. Whipping around I hopped on one leg, roughly pulling at the nice pair I had been given, throwing it right at him he merely glanced down at it while it hit his chest. Stumbling to get the other off I threw it with the same strength. Without so much as faltering, I blew my hair from my face and stomped towards Averin, who was watching amusedly.
"Why is he always so- Ugh!" I shook my open hands while Averin just glanced behind me.
"Cause he's a bitch, come on," he gave a rough slap to my back, a cheerful whistle leaving his lips.
"You're not any better," I grunted rubbing my shoulder as I followed him.
"Of course I am! I at least don't hit you when you hit the ground," He hummed, tossing his hands to the back of his head, the small crowd parting for us as I glanced at them. Every gaze I met looking away, heads bowing and shoulders dipping as we passed. As if I was above them.
Even monarchs bowed before the dragon slayers.