I went downstairs taking the stairs one at a time, I found my mom leaning against the doorframe of the front door looking at me.
_ ''Hey mom.'' I greeted her, she didn't react, and she was still looking at me or more specifically at my big and full bag, bow and arrows haging on my back.
Her eyes wonder on my black suit that I was wearing that consisted of leather pants and jacket, four daggers hanging on my waist and two other on my boots, sayf the village designer made those suit to everyone who have the possibility to be chosen today, my hair is put in a long braid that go down my back.
_ ''We never know.'' I shrugged and smiled at her.
She didn't smile back.
_ ''you are not going to be chosen.'' She said with so much confidence that even I believed her, her brown eyes filled with tears, I look a lot like my mom, brown eyes, long light brown hair, we are both short and emotional, this is a hard time for my mom, she don't want any of her children to go to war and die there, she already accepted the fact that Kayla is going to be gone, but me if I was to be chosen, she'd have a heart attack, she's my best friend, we did everything together, I love my mom with all my heart, she was the one who held me while I cried when people at school were mean to me , she's the one who stayed up at night when I was sick, who baked cake for my birthday, who told me that I could be whoever I want just not a soldier or a knight like my dad, my mom and dad knew each other since they were kids, my dad never lost a chance to remind everyone that he knew the second he laid his eyes on her that she was going to be the love of his life when he was ten, they got married when they were eighteen, they had Kayla, and then my dad was named knight of the king's guard at the age of twenty, it was his dream since he was kid, he was delighted when he received the news, at first it was fine, valaris was safe , except some crimes there and there, people trying to steal the throne (dumb people) being a knight wasn't that dangerous back then, a dragon bonded with him, a big and beautiful blue dragon, and he became a rider like his dad and his dad before him, so he was sent to the front in case someone decided to attack valaris, and that's what happened, my dad was there when Sundar attacked the kingdom, he almost died multiple times, when we heard the news, my mom was hysterical, I was hysterical, I cried myself to sleep every single night after that, praying to the gods for my dad safe return, my mom was a mess at that time, every time she saw something that reminded her of dad, she'd burst into tears, until four months after the start of the war, my dad came back on the back of Akeem his dragon, with a cane in his hand because he lost a leg, he couldn't fight anymore, Akeem wasn't in good shape either, he had many holes in his wings but he was still able to fly, I'll never forget the cry my mom let out when she saw him, or the way he ran to her even with one leg, and hugged her like she was the only thing that kept him standing, than he hugged Kayla, and then he turned to me, and that's when I lost it, I wrapped my arms around him like he was the only thing that kept me standing, the days after were hard for my dad, he was angry at himself, he was still alive but he couldn't protect his kingdom, he didn't die like the others, he was just hurt and he had the privilege to lay in his bed while his girls took care of him while others where still fighting , I think he was ashamed more than anything else, and I didn't know why because we were all so proud of him, when I say we, I mean all the people of oathdow our village, he was our hero, he even received a message from the king himself to ask about him, because my dad was one of his favourites knights, but he still hated himself for being injured, until the news of recruiting people out of the king's guard to fight reached oathdow, since that day my dad took it as a responsibility to train everyone to fight or to be a rider, and he did a pretty good job at it, everyone today is less stressful, they're ready to be soldiers or riders because of him.
_ ''Of course I'm not going to be chosen.'' I forced a smile on my face. ''Do you think I'd dare to leave you?''
_ ''No you wouldn't dare.'' She said with a laugh while wiping her cheeks. ''I promised myself I wouldn't cry.''
_ ''Ooh mom''. I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed her body to me with all the force I have, and she hugged me as tightly until I couldn't breathe.
_ ''it's time.'' My dad peered his head through the doorway, he smiled at us, I let go of mom, and got out of the house, I took a deep breath, Kayla was leaning against the wall with her best friend Aeliyah that I hate as much as I hate my sister, she looked at me, and took my hand in hers.
_ ''I'm going to miss you little sister.'' She smiled the fakest smiles I've ever seen in my life. ''Take care of mom and dad for me, key?''
_ ''We would wave at you from the back of our dragon, don't worry.'' Laughed Aeliyah. For someone who didn't know better they'd think she was just joking, but I knew better, she was making fun of me.
I looked at her, and remembered the words her and my sister told me yesterday, they stormed into my room while I was in the middle of choosing the book I was going to bring with me if I was chosen, they laughed at me when they saw the pile of books on my bed and the bag on the foot of it already full of my clothes.
_ ''you're seriously preparing your bag for tomorrow?'' Aeliya let out a mocking laugh.
_ ''let her dream Aeliya, this is the only exiting thing for her outside her books, the poor girl.''
No dragon is going to chose you.
You're weak.
Do you think with this height you'd be able to keep your seat on a dragon?
You're weak.
You don't even live in real world, you live only in you head and your books.
You're weak.
You're too much of a coward to see what's out there.
You're weak.
I shake my head, trying to forget, trying to believe in myself, suddenly a big roars echoed in every corner of oathdow, I got full body chills by only hearing it, how am I going stand before him.
_ ''come on we are already late.'' My dad wrapped his arms around mom shoulder and started walking toward the centre of the village where there's an enormous empty field so the dragons could land on it without struggle, arriving there it was already full, every civilians in oathdow is here, we are nearly four thousands peoples, and three thousands of them are going to stand in the line waiting the master of dragons to decide their faith, everyone started hugging each other, there were people crying, there were people smiling, there were people trembling, I hugged some of them, I reassured some of them, I kissed Syha on the cheek who was sobbing, she's Arshad's grandmother, I don't think she can survive a week without him, I hope she would be okay I'll make sure of it, I hugged her as tightly as I hugged mom earlier and that's when I heard footsteps behind me, and I knew without turning around who was it, I let go of Syhel before I felt a hot breath against my neck, he was close enough that I could feel the heat of his body all around me.
_ ''why do you smell like lavender today Idrees ?''
I really am going to kill him
I turned around, and my head nearly collided with his chest, I tilted my chin up, so my brown eyes could meet his midnight blue ones, urgh, it should've been illegal to be that attractive, he had dark black hair, sharp jaw, pointed chin, thick laches, he even had some freckles on his cheek, and don't even let me start with his body, the training did him good, really good, urgh.
I shoot him, the most menacing glare I could muster; he smirked at me in response, I honestly want to punch him.
_ ''Who do you think is going to get the bigger dragon? Hein, you or me?'' He raised his eyebrows.
I smiled the fakest smile I could manage, teeth and all.
_ ''That's if you will even have a dragon on the first place Arshad, go back to earth you are not in the moon yet, but I'd catapult you there if you don't stop annoying me. ''
He burst out laughing.
_ ''Always so charming.'' He sighed, he took a strand of my brown hair and tucked it behind my ear.
I couldn't breathe, what just happened?
I met his eyes, and he beamed at me, literally beamed at me.
THE HELL IS HAPPENING?
Is it hot suddenly?
Is he more close than he was before or what?
_''Arshad what are you doing?'' I whispered letting out a big breath I didn't know I was holding.
He didn't respond, he continued to look at me in a weird way, something passed in his eyes but it was gone so quickly that I wasn't sure if it was there in the first place, his eyes looked behind me and he frowned.
_ ''What did we say about crying nana?''
_ ''I know I'm sorry.'' Sniffled Syhel. ''I just....''
Arshad sighed, turned around me and embraced his grandma in a big warm hug, that made her cry even harder, she squeezed him so tightly like he could run away and let her go any minute.
_ Come on everyone in their place, make a perfect beautiful line for the master of dragons. Screamed my dad from somewhere, suddenly everyone started running around, I lost sight of Arshad really quickly, but he wasn't the one I was looking for right now, slowly a big long line formed in the field, I didn't find her, i was squeezed between two men, mr faizel and his son giath who own the pastry of oathdow, they smiled at me and I smiled back, where's she? I looked around again, searching for a blond head, I leaned my head and looked left and right, and that's when I spotted her, there was at least twenty person between us, my best friend was standing between my sister and Dani, his ginger head impossible to not see even from afar , he was Arashad's best friend, but I liked dani, he was funny and always nice to me and I know he had a little crush on Amel, he always blushed when he talked to her, which is pretty adorable if you ask me, Arshad was next to him on the other side and Aeliya was next to Kayla so amazing, another roars echoed, I got out of the line, and ran as quickly as possible to her trying to ignore the heavy things I have on my small back, I shouldn't have brought so many books with me, I didn't want to be close to my sister and her friend or Arshad, but I needed to be close to Amel more than anything, when I got there I pushed my sister out of the way, gently even if she doesn't deserve it, and stood between her and my favourite person in the whole wild world.
_ oh my god, Idrees thank god, I seriously thought I was going to do this without you. Amel signed.
She was deaf.
_ never. I signed back.
She put a strand of her blond hair behind her ear and glanced at me, my eyes met her green one, I smiled at her and she smiled back at me. I took her hand and squeezed.
_ ''how are you doing Idrees ?'' talked and signed Dani at the same time so Amel could understand, he always did that when he was with her, even if he was talking with other people and he even signed what they said so she wouldn't feel left out and I loved him so much for that , he's absolutely the best.
_ ''I'm fine Dani, thanks for asking, what about you? Are you ready?''
_ ''Not as much as arsh.'' He nudged his best friend who was still looking at me in that weird way.
_ ''yeah I'm so ready to make my dragon eat you so I can finally get rid of you.'' Arshad responded instantly still looking at me.
Amel giggled, I shot her a glare, but the smile on her face didn't waver, traitor.
_ ''I don't get why you two bother being here, seriously.'' said my sister.
There she goes, she didn't even sign her comment even if she was talking to Amel too, she never did, and she know that she couldn't hear her.
_'' Shut up, Kayla.'' I said glaring at her, she and her best friend can mock me whenever they like but they won't touch my best friend.
She ignored my comments and looked at Arshad, she batted her eyelashes at him.
Gross.
_ ''are you ready to do a race on dragon back with me Arsh?''
Dani was already signing what she was saying so I stopped on my track when I was going to do it.
Arshad sighned his response himself.
_ ''of course we're going to do it but after I win a race against Idrees.''
I blinked.
Amel nudged my shoulder so I looked at her.
_ ''No dragon is going to choose her and neither her best friend, dragons HATE arrogant people.''
_ ''There you go Amel.'' Exclaimed Dani.
Kayla didn't react, if it wasn't obvious already, she don't understand sign language she never bothered learning it even if nearly all oathdow learned it for Amel, we take care everyone here, she was still looking at Arshad incredulously.
_ ''Well I guess we're never going to do it, because this girl.'' She pointed a finger at me, with a disgusted expression on her face. ''Is never going to be chosen, there isn't a dragon stupid enough to bond with her.''
Aeliyah snickered.
I scratched my cheek from embarrassment because she's right, no dragon is going to choose me, they're not stupid, they recognise a weak person when they see one, and everyone in oathdow know that I'm weak, I didn't dare look at Arshad or Dani.
Amel took my hand and squeezed it.
_ I don't think.... Arshad started but the earth interrupted him, literally, the earth started trembling and a big gulp of air hit us so hard that I was yanked backward, if Dani didn't hold Amel by the arm who was holding my hand at the time I would've busted my ass on the ground, a flash of something black passed my eyes I knew who was standing in front of us before seeing him, but when I straitened and finally looked up, I stopped breathing.
The master of dragons is here.