Another update because you’re all incredible at commenting!
Dedication to: @SmilingNiallxxx because I laughed so hard reading your comments.
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~Niall~
I laughed loudly, dodging the punch that swung towards me.
“Aw come on Greg! Yer gonna have to do better ‘n that.” I jabbed back, dancing around my older brother playfully. I laughed again, jumping and grabbing my brother into a headlock and rubbing his head roughly with my closed fist. I cackled, as my brother tried to escape from my grasp.
He elbowed me roughly in the stomach, causing me to loosen my grip slightly. Only slightly, but it happened to be enough for him to twist in my grip and flip me. I landed roughly on my back, the wind knocked out of me as I hit the ground. I could feel the bruise that was bound to be there, but I didn’t really care.
I sat up, laughing slightly. Greg smiled down at me, holding out a hand to help me up. I grabbed it, allowing him to haul me up and into a hug. I patted his back laughing lightly as messed up my hair. I ducked under his hand, playfully glaring at him as I tried to fix my hair.
“Oi boys, time to eat. Enough of the rough housing yeah? Theo will learn some bad behaviors from you two.” Denise scolded, while we just smiled wickedly.
“Aw, but you love when I come in to town.” I chided playfully, ignoring the shoulder shove my brother gave me as we walked closer to their home.
“Always, you know everyone is Ni.” She insisted and I smiled, showing I was only joking. “Outlaw or not, you know people here would protect you. They always have.”
“I know, and I would protect everyone here as well. Now, let’s eat. I need to be getting back soon.”
“Stay the night Niall, there’s always room for you. You cant trek out at night anyways. The guards ‘ill be out patrolling tonight for riders. King’s been getting stricter about these things.”
“The guards are different now?”
“No, there are just a few extra patrolling tonight. They’ll be gone in the morning to the next town along the fields. The king’s convinced that’s were all the riders are hiding. It’s ridiculous.” Greg commented, shaking his hands and rolling his eyes as he said ‘all the riders’.
What a joke. The king was such a joke, acting like he knew exactly where we were. Acting like we weren’t a threat and keeping everyone scared so they couldn’t fight back.
What a bloody joke.
I rolled my eyes, shaking my head at the stupidity of the person people called a ‘king’. I know of many who don’t see it that way, who would speak otherwise had there not been guards at every door in the market. Who would say otherwise, had the king not instilled fear into every citizen of the kingdom.
That was how he stayed a king.
“This is great thanks D, I missed yer cookin.” I complimented, taking another bite of the delicious stew and winking at my brother’s wife. She laughed nodding, before leaning over and kissing my brother’s cheek.
Jealous bugger.
“Easy Greg, it’s a compliment, ‘m not going to go and marry ‘er.” I chided, winking and taking another bite of the stew.
“Yeah yeah, it’ll only work once on ‘er.” He commented back, nudging his wife lightly as we all laughed except for Theo, who was eating his stew and humming a tune not listening to a word of our conversation.
“They miss you, ya know? Least you could come visit us. They’re all nagging me to drag you back every time I mention anything about supplies or you, or D’s food. They looked up to you.”
“You’re the leader Niall, not me, I never was. Besides we both know that part of my life is gone and over with.” He mumbled, looking down sadly, I sighed in rejection but understood completely where he was coming from.
Once upon a time, Greg was a rider, when my dad and mum were still alive. The slayer that killed my mom was a friend of ours, and an old rider. When he killed my mother, Greg’s dragon was there to help protect her- she was a ‘dragon vet’ of sorts and was helping fix the wound on his leg- while we were all out training on the horses, and he killed the dragon too. It was horrible, because one second we were riding, having fun and the next he was screaming in agony clutching his heart.
A dragon and it’s rider are connected by a bond, so strong that you are fully connected. You feel the other’s pain, emotions, sometimes you can even share thoughts. You know when the other is in danger, and a dragon will do anything for its rider. You can kill a dragon without killing the rider, but if you kill the rider the dragon will die as well. That’s why dragons would do anything to save their rider, protect their rider- so at least one of the pair can survive.
But if you’re a rider, and you lose your dragon, you’re never the same. Losing someone so close to you, it kills you. Not only did Greg loose his mother, but his dragon all in a day, and I know it destroys him.
A rider and their dragon grow up together, and soon it’s like you’re a part of each other. So losing his dragon, was like losing half of himself- like losing the person that was there for his entire life. That kind of pain was indescribable, and I wouldn’t even try to imagine it.
So I understood why he left, why he distanced himself from our clan. I see the pain in his eyes when he sees me riding, or when I talk about the old clan. Our clan is close, much like any other. We’re a family, we stick by each other and we take care of each other. They miss him, and I know he misses them too but I know it hurts him too, so I won’t push it.
“I won’t push you, just know the offer always stands. They miss you, you’re my big brother, but a lot of them see you as their big brother too. Whenever you’re ready, we’ll always accept you with open arms… all three of you.” I explained, directing the last part to Denise too. She wasn’t a rider, never was, but she was family too. She was Greg and my family, and they would accept all of them.
“I know, but be careful. I hear there’s been another slayer sent out.”
“I will, I always am Greg, I don’t put my family in danger, I won’t ever risk losing them. I’d rather die and you know that.” I muttered back, tone going hard when I thought about my family, my clan, in harm’s way.
“I know, I just worry sometimes. I’m always so surprised when I see you that way: wise and so much like a leader. I can see that you don’t take the position lightly. I know you’re a good leader, and I know you take your job very seriously. I’m proud of you, ya know? You’re doing great things, and maybe riders will be able to walk around freely because of you.” He responded, voice soft as he explained. I smiled at him, earning a fond smile back. It was moments like these that I cherished, that felt like our parents didn’t die, like our family was still whole.
The smell of cake hit my nose, and I realized I hadn’t even noticed Denise leaving the table and coming back. She placed a small steaming cake on the table, a small sugar-like glaze dripping over the sides.
“How much did this cost? I’ll give you the money, I know it’s tight-” I rambled but was quieted by her laugh.
“Relax, we don’t need it. It’s a necessity for a party, and we’ll consider this as your going away again party. Besides, if you stay the night then nothing is owed.” She smiled, and I smiled back. I was going to miss this, until I had to do another supply run that is.
My hands ran over the wooden table, small holes pocketed the wood, and a small ‘N’ was carved meticulously into the wood. I smiled at the memories this table had, trying to keep myself from getting emotional. This was my home away from home, but it was a home nonetheless.
I watched as my brother laughed at something Theo had said, a small fond smile playing on Denise’s lips as she watched her husband and son. And I knew that coming here was dangerous, it could get them hurt or killed, but I couldn’t stay from them. They were family too. I knew I could trust the people in the village, people that had once been riders, and people that had always been our friends. They were oppressed, but they were happy as long as they had hope. I was their hope.
They would never sell me out, and I would never let them be hurt if I could help it. Our village was close, and some of the vendors were riders in our clan or another clan that traded with us. Our clans all got along, and there was a sort of hierarchy- we were at the top, being the largest and most powerful- but it wasn’t unfair or unjust. Everyone got their say.
Which meant, everyone looked up to me: the leader, so when I call for a revolt, for a war they’ll follow.
No pressure or anything.
I decided to not dwell on my responsibilities, to not let the bags of supplies weigh me down until tomorrow when I would have to get back to reality. All I wanted to do tonight was enjoy a meal with my brother and his wife and son.
I ate the cake eagerly, groaning at the delicious sweet taste, something we didn’t get often in the camp. We weren’t starving, or malnourished, or dehydrated, but we didn’t really get to splurge often- sweets weren’t high up on the list to get. We needed medical supplies, weapons, regular food, and water before we could even think about cakes. Even then, we would need to save what money was left for the next time things are falling low.
It was a trek to get here, but this was one town we trusted, and it was far away enough that the king wouldn’t really suspect anything- not that he was smart enough to make the connections.
There were other towns littered across the map that we trusted, towns far from us from when we need to travel to another clan, work out strategies or fix problems. We have towns that we trust will stand by our side. There were closer ones too, ones that are less than a day away, and I have men that go to those- men whose only home is the camp with the clan. I go further because I can, I go further because without it we might not have enough, and I go further because it’s the only chance I get to see my brother and nephew and sister-in-law. Because I have a place to go when things get rough in the market, or when guards decide to patrol at night for riders. I am safe here, and they’ll be safe at camp until I make the week journey back home.
The cake was gone quickly, and soon the plates were collected and washed in the lukewarm water in the basin, and Theo was shooed off to bed. Greg and Denise followed suit, each leaving me with a kiss on the forehead and a plead to stay.
“Please just stay the night.” They had both said, and I in turn gave them a small defeated nod, before they smiled and turned to go to their own bed up in the loft.
I fluffed up the palette on the ground in the corner, laying down on the slightly thin and lumpy but soft thing and pulled the warm wool blanket over me.
With a last thought on what tomorrow may bring, I curled up in a ball and slowly drifted to sleep.
Tomorrow was a new day.
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I hope you liked this!
POV’s will alternate.
What do you think of Niall so far?
How about Greg and his family?
Who are you rooting for so far?
Are they going to meet soon?
3o Comments and votes for an update? (the more comments, the faster I update. :))
Dedication to the commenter that can guess my two favorite ‘Niall’ (i.e snapback, lilac, baby, braces, polo etc.)
Xx Val