come dance with me, love
It all seemed to happen so fast. On moment Runaveig was enjoying a nice song and dance around one of Denocte’s many bonfires, smiling prettily towards the onlookers while her heart fluttered in her chest like a hummingbird’s wings, and in the next madness itself seemed to unfold around them. The world crashed and burned, quite literally, around their very shoulders, and the crowds shifted and parted like churning waves within the great seas, crashing at the cliffsides with frantic might.
The young bard spun, her eyes widening, the notes of her song ending when screams rise up to overcome it. ’Fire! There’s a fire!’ There was a moment within her, a brief touch of indecisiveness. Should she run for safety like so many others? Or go to help?
In hundreds of other lifetimes she would have made only one choice. Perhaps it was fate that she unknowingly made the same one.
“Umbra!” She shouted, pale golden eyes rolling upwards to see the descending black dragon. “Hurry!” They had to help. Denocte was burning and the fire would not put itself out. Scooping up the nearest bucket, the dusk colored maiden tore through the crowds and into the alleys. She caught sight of a looming, massive frame through the darkness of the night sky, a winged shape that resembled Umbra’s own draconic body only vastly larger. A name from a passing citizen caught her ear.
Fable. The Queen’s dragon? Runaveig did not know Isra, the Sovereign of Denocte or her dragon, but she knew of them. Everyone did. Just as well she knew that there had been a relentless search to bring their missing Queen home. Did this mean…? Dare she hope? Dare she pray?
Her hooves pounding against the earth like war drums and the young entertainer scooped up the first bucket she spotted with a quick, ”I’m sorry!” to the vendor who had it tucked beside his stall. With Umbra leading the way, soaring over the heads of gathering and fleeing equines, they arrived at the scene, and it looked like a nightmare. Even from a distance Runa could feel the powerful, raw heat billowing off of the flames, churning towards the dark heavens like deadly claws. The flames cast the alleys in light and dancing shadows, but it was the figure standing in front of the flames that stole Runaveig’s gaze entirely.
The dark body, the scales, the sharp twist of her horn. Oh. The Queen turned and gave them all a shout, and Runaveig immediately acted. She stole away, clutching the ‘borrowed’ bucket tight, and fled to the nearest well source. It wasn’t far, thank the Gods, and heaving the bucket back towards the site of the burning building, Runaveig pushed closer to her Queen with a feeling of determination unlike she had ever experienced before. Strangely enough, there was no fear that beat within her heart. Her home was in danger, and while not a warrior, she had to protect it.
“Isra!” She called amidst the sound of crumbling wood and crackling flames. Runaveig did not smile for there was nothing to smile about, not yet, but she did offer her Sovereign a nod before hefting the bucket and tossing the water onto the flames. It immediately hissed and puttered and vapor ascended into the air, the water immediately boiling away by the sheer heat of the flames. Already sweat clung to her brow, her face sticky and stained with soot and ash.
Umbra, bless him, took up position above Runaveig’s shoulder while still in the air. The pygmy dragon let out a small sound of rage before inhaling deeply, and unleashed a mouthful of freezing, icy air at the base of the flames. Even as Runa turned about to go and fetch more water, Umbra remained to assist in the only way he could, the rainbow sheen of his scales almost glittering against the firelight.
