Hello again!
I messed up a little. Each chapter alternates POV’s and I accidentally made two Harry POVs, so to make up for it, I will be posting 2 Niall POV’s then return to alternating… if that made any sense.
Props to those of you who guessed Batman, you were right! There was actually two answers. The way I got Bane was because of batman’s real name combined: Bruce+Wayne= Bayne… and that was her original name. But instead I changed it to Bane- his enemy. I’m sort of a superhero nerd.
But it seems some of you are too! Or you just googled it?
Dedication to: @NarryDirectioner123, @BriannaThornton6, @SmilingNiallxxx, and @taryeckert- your dragon description was unique too- (for guessing that right!) & @Louis-Louis (would that mean you could see your insides or just not see you at all if you were a dragon?) and @TheFaultInOurNarry_x (for the creative answers)!
Pages: 10; Words: 3,154 words!
Enjoy!
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~Niall~
I smiled lightly at the thought of my nephew, but it was a sad smile- one that showed the guilt and sadness that I felt. He was getting so big, and I was missing all of it.
Sacrifices. I had to remember that. It wasn’t really my choice, it was either that or allow the king to win and slaughter every rider in existence. Rueben turned around to face me again, this time holding a cloth wrapped package- thin twine keeping the cloth tightly wrapped around the meat that resided inside it.
“I know that smile. You do what you ‘ave to. One day he’ll be older and get to brag to all his little mates about his hero of an uncle. Don’t give up, not because of a little homesickness.” He encouraged, smiling at me as he lifted my head with a finger under my chin. I smiled, reassured, and I couldn’t help but think I was lucky to have someone’s support.
“Thanks mate.” I smiled, glancing backwards to make sure the guards were still occupied and avoiding me- lest they get into any ‘trouble’ with the king- and nodded happily when I discovered they were still occupied. I glanced over at Harry who seemed to be in deep thought. “Now, I here taxes are up again. Is it happening over here or just back home?” I mumbled, leaning over, putting all my weight on the front counter that was in front of me. Rueben sadly nodded, eyes showing his worry.
“It’s been up everywhere. People could barely eat here before. It isn’t looking too good, it’s never a good sign that taxes are up. You think he’s planning on striking- starting this war over again?” he asked worriedly and I sadly nodded.
“If what you told me about this slayer is true, than the king is pulling his last card. If I’m out of the picture he’ll hit and he’ll hit hard. He knows they’ll be helpless without me there. It won’t be war, it’ll be genocide, and it won’t end with just the riders and you know that. I just hope he’s not as good as you tell me he is. Because if the king wins this war- it won’t be good. He’ll be a bloody tyrant. And with concerns of your shop- you’ll be fine mate. I’ve already got you covered.” I answered back sadly, shaking my head at the thought of the brutal murder that would happen if I wasn’t there. “I’ll protect you all with my life, you know that. So, don’t worry. We’ll figure this out, I’ll figure this out.” I answered back strongly, I couldn’t let him doubt me now, I couldn’t have him worrying about it. He smiled back, nodding but I could see the worry still lingering in his eyes. He turned back around, wrapping two loaves of bread in another cloth, tying it up with the thin twine again before handing them to me. I smiled, digging into my bag for the coins I had counted out before we came into town. I grabbed the small bag, placing it on the counter. I slipped the food into my pouch, before pushing the whole bag towards him with a smile.
“Keep it, watch out for the guards though, don’t let ‘em harass ya. Just tell them you work with the king and I’ll come back here if they give you a hard time.” I muttered smiling at him as I turned to take off, not missing the small shocked smile that flitted over his lips.
“Niall!” He called, causing me to turn, as well as Harry. “Be careful- both of you.” He said caringly, smiling widely at us but I could still see the worry in his eyes.
“I always am!” I called joyously, throwing my hands up in the air as I walked backwards out of one of my favorite places to eat. I heard him laugh boisterously from behind us causing a smile to slip from my slightly parted lips as well. I turned to walk forward once again, glancing at Harry who had been strangely quiet since I had mentioned Theo. “Are you alright Harry?” I questioned gingerly, stopping in my tracks as I wrapped a hand around his –extremely buff- bicep. He looked up at me, eyes dazed and I could tell he wasn’t fully with me.
“Hmm? Yeah, just- just the pain in my ankle is all.” He mumbled, shooting me a unconvincing weak smile. I stared at him for a bit, trying to find where the sudden change had come from. His eyes began clearing up, focusing on my blue ones that stared concerned back. “I’m okay.” He answered again, this time with more conviction and I nodded, seeing that now whatever had bothered him before had completely disappeared- or at least moved to the back of his mind.
“How, um, well, how do you know Rueben- and everyone else for that matter? You’re like a celebrity or something.” He questioned, tone curious with some underlying emotion that I couldn’t place.
“Why so curious? Haven’t you ever heard the saying?” I questioned back smirking, and I watched as a small smile graced his face and he rolled his eyes. “Your parents must’ve not taught you much- didn’t you know rolling your eyes will make them roll right out of your head?! I like your eyes, so if they roll out of your head and I get to them first I don’t think you’ll ever get them back.” I joked, smiling cheekily at the boy.
“Yeah, my dad only taught me about the trade, and my mum died when I was really little- so no, they didn’t teach me much about that- but I do know about the saying and the many versions of it. It won’t stop my curiosity though. I’ve always loved learning new things.” He muttered a small smile still on his face. It faltered slightly when he spoke of his parents but returned again once the topic was left behind. I decided not to push it.
“My dad- well my dad’s best mate- lived here, and every so often when we needed to travel to get supplies or something, that was after the war had begun and we were chased out of our old home by the king and his soldiers, we would stop by here just for safe refuge for a couple days. We trusted him with everything. It was just my dad, brother and I back then- my mom was left watching the camp or helping the injured, that’s what she did: helped people- and I didn’t really care much for the supplies I came to talk to the people. The people like Rueben, whose homes were being destroyed because of this war that the king had started. He had felt threatened of us- a ‘superior race’ as he called it. He wanted to be a part but, the rider doesn’t pick the dragon it picks them, and he was never picked. They could sense the bad intentions. So he decided to wipe us out- not that this is important to the story. I digress, sorry. We came often, and everyone assumed my brother would be the leader once my father had stepped down so I didn’t need to worry about remembering all the responsibilities, I just wanted to help the people. That’s how they had known me- for them I’m their last hope, and I can’t let them down.” I explained, still walking. I glanced over at Harry who seemed slightly shell-shocked but shook it off very quickly.
“Why then, if your brother was supposed to take the leader roll when your father stepped down, are you the leader?” He questioned, the question hitting me hard because I didn’t really enjoy the story. I felt guilty, and sad that he still thought my dad was alive.
“Because my brother isn’t a rider any longer.” I answered simply.
“I thought, well I heard, that once a rider always a rider. What about that?”
“The phrase has a different meaning than what your making it sound like. It means that even when you cant ride anymore, you’re still part of the family. That we’ll never kick you out because your dragon was slain protecting you or its dead because of age or you cant ride anymore because your paralyzed because of some guards that the king had sent to attack you. It doesn’t mean that once you lose a dragon you can find another and continue riding!” I hissed, tears in my eyes but I refused to let them fall. He stepped back from my outburst, eyes wide and confused. “I’m sorry. It’s a touchy subject.”
“I didn’t mean it that way, I just wanted to understand.” He said quietly, looking at me with sorry eyes, but I could see the curiosity shining through and I sighed deeply.
“If you have to know then I’ll tell you, but you need the back story first. You wouldn’t understand if you didn’t know the whole story.” I explained calmly, glancing over at him as we continued making our way back out of Cheshire. He nodded wildly, his curly hair flying in all directions as the locks bounced on his head. “Fine, I guess its story time then.” I muttered walking a little faster so we could leave Cheshire already before I had to start the story. Harry shot me a confused look, but sped up as well. “I’ll begin as soon as we are out of here, I don’t need everyone to know the whole story. Only five others know the full story, and two of them are dead.” I answered to his confused gaze and he nodded, understanding filling his eyes as he kept up his pace with me.
It wasn’t that hard, considering he had long legs, like damn. And they weren’t bad looking either… they were actually extremely hot. Focus Niall focus. I could practically see Bane rolling her eyes at me; I didn’t see why she hated Harry so much. He hasn’t done anything to either of us to make us doubt him, sure I didn’t completely trust him but I was warming up to him. Besides, I had told him things I hadn’t shared with many others, most of the time wishing I had kept my mouth shut but he just had this look about him that said ‘share all your secrets with me! Spill your life story!’ and I didn’t know how to react to it. But it wasn’t like he was a Slayer or anything, he was trustworthy enough. He wouldn’t betray me, betray us.
The edge of Cheshire was coming pretty close, and soon we reached it and continued walking the opposite way we had come.
“But- Bane?” He questioned pointing to the right while we walked left towards the forest.
“She’ll meet us at the edge of the forest on this side. We’ve got to keep moving, it would be stupid to walk back that way and then come back here. It would be a complete waste of time mate.” I answered, still walking. Cheshire was disappearing behind us, as was the trail as the forest got closer to us.
“So, story time?” He questioned eagerly, but I could sense the hesitation like he was afraid that I wasn’t ready to tell him. And maybe I wasn’t, but I could try. It wasn’t like I hadn’t told the story before, it just hits me every time. I nodded, walking up to the edge of the forest where Bane had been waiting for us. I pet her head, showing her that I was okay. I showed her a picture of that day- the memory I had and she understood- albeit a little hesitantly because she still didn’t trust him. For some odd reason I did.
“You have to know the history before you understand the impact it made. So, bare with me a little bit- first a little history lesson. But, keep all questions until the end. It’ll make it easier that way, and allow the story to- what’s the word?- flow better. So, once upon a time- and all that story crap- my father just so happened to be a child; what a shocker right? But, as a child he had a best mate, someone he trusted with his life and vice versa. His name was Des Styles. Growing up they had become inseparable, and wouldn’t you know it but they were destined to be best mates. On my father’s tur-teenth (13th) birthday, he got a dragon. Now, everyone knew that my father was bound to be a rider, even Des himself- a fact that he loved- my father was bound to be the leader of the Clan when his father stepped down. This was before the wars began. Even after my father became a rider, Des and him stayed best mates, they somehow made it work between all the training and working and farming. They were mates through thick and thin. And then when my father was 20, the war had begun. Sides were chosen, friendships broken, homes and families destroyed. But again, they stayed together. My father had married, and all had gone well. That was before my grandfather became a casualty. My father had to step up to the leader role, and for awhile the riders were winning. That was when the king had gone and created ‘Slayers’ people with no hearts and only money in their eyes to kill us, to hunt us down like animals and slaughter us because of our differences. Des Styles, had become one. And my father had no clue. It was just like any other day; you’re not constantly fighting in a war, when we were out training. We meaning, my brother, father and I. We had just won a battle, I can’t remember where, but we had, and we were waiting for retaliation but we didn’t think it would have happened so quickly. One second, we were riding the horses, practicing our sword techniques and the next my brother was on the ground screaming in agony. He was clutching his chest, the horse running the other way because he spooked it. My father and I jumped off ours to see what had happened to him. We searched everywhere, not even a little nick or scratch was found but he was crying in utter pain. We had no idea what to do. We figured we had to take him to mom, she was the doctor- the healer for us. So, we mounted him on my horse, it was my duty to make sure he got to our mom in one piece. I had a horrible feeling in my chest, like something terrible had happened. And I was right. We got there, and burst through the door of the ill wing- no one should have been there except for my mom and my brother’s dragon who had gotten injured during battle. Greg had stopped screaming a few minutes before we had made it to the door, passing out in my arms as we rode faster. But we were already too late. We got there, and just as we thought there were only two there: my mother and Kassu- Greg’s dragon. But they weren’t how we left them, they were dead, and only then did it click. My dad walked up to my mother and just collapsed next to her dead body, screaming out in agony just as Greg had, but I knew it was a different kind. He had just lost the love of his life. In her heart was a dagger- one my father had recognized all to easily because he was the one that wielded it and there was only one of them in existence. A dagger he had made for his best friend for his 18th birthday. Later that day my father had asked for the list of all the people who had entered and left the colony area- it had been locked down because of the war status- and only one name was given: Des Styles. He betrayed us, after all that we had done for him. We supported him when his parents were killed in the war, helped him survive, and in place he killed our mother and half of my brother. A rider is never the same after they lose their dragon. That is why he isn’t the leader, because the leader needs his dragon- because the leader needs to be whole.” I explained, tears collecting in my eyes at the memory. Bane rubbed her head against me reassuringly, and I just pet her head lovingly in return. I turned to see a flabbergasted and pale Harry. Waiting for any response.
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AYE!
So, you’re learning a lot about Niall, and what he knows. Also, a lot of what Harry doesn’t know. But don’t fret, you’ll get insight on Harry’s past too… and it may not be what you’re expecting.
Why do you think Harry is so ‘sheltered’?
How is this new information going to change Harry, if at all?
Is Harry’s past going to be a good one or a bad one?
We’ve heard a bit of Niall’s past, will there be more? Will it be good or bad if there is?
What do you think Harry’s past is like?
Is Harry finally seeing reality rather than a sheltered version? How is he reacting to this ‘new reality’ if at all?
Why do you think Harry’s dad turned to the ‘dark side’?
What about Niall’s story?
Does he blame himself?
Questions, questions, lots of questions.
I can’t believe your reactions to this story! It’s absolutely incredible! Thank you all!
5o Comments and 25 votes for an update?
Dedication to:
The best dedication question?
OR
The commenter that can guess my favorite chips (crisps) ie. Cheetos, wavy, barbeque, chicken and waffles, etc?
Xx Val