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Chapter 23: ** The Deal**

"Ember, Flame, what are you hiding from me?" Cyril looked down at the two young dragons, attempting to get information from them.

"What do you mean what are we hiding? It's nothing, really." Ember tried to cover for Flame, she didn't want anything to do with it, but didn't want to move onto worse terms with Spyro and Cynder.

"If it's nothing, then why not just tell me?"

"Because it wasn't about anything. We were bored, so came up with things that would be strange to come across, you just happened to appear when we mentioned your name." Flame, although quite often is as simple to read as a book, could come up with interesting, elaborate lies to get himself out of trouble. This moment couldn't have come at a better time.

Cyril lifted his gaze from the two young dragons, scanning the horizon for any form of movement. Contemplating Flame's excuse and whether or not it was legitimate, opting to take the safe route, Cyril naturally assumed he was lying. "As much as I'd like to believe that, I have other pressing matters. Have either of you seen Spyro or Cynder?" Cyril continued his search of the area deeming it empty, returning his gaze to the young dragons. "I saw you two fly across the forest before, and wondered if you had seen them."

"As far as I know they were spending today inside." Flame covered once again.

"But if we see them we'll say you want to talk to them." Ember quickly added, trying to convince the ice guardian to leave them alone. She only disliked Cyril's presence due to his overbearing and restricted rules, but, like any carer, it was only natural for Ember to feel cut off from living due to the guidelines.

Accepting their aid in getting in contact with both Spyro and Cynder, Cyril left both Ember and Flame to themselves on the ridge centralised in the small clearing.

"Well, that was close."

"You did hear that he said he didn't believe us Flame, right?"

Flame nodded his head slightly. "But he's gone, isn't he?"

"You're right, so I guess you deserve some credit." Ember turned away from Flame and flared her wings out after seeing Cyril disappear inside the temple. "Come on, we have to tell Spyro and Cynder."

"Do you think they're finished?" Flame questioned, having lost track of time just watching the afternoon sky.

Ember only turned her head back. "It's been long enough, besides, I think they'll actually want to know that Cyril was looking for them so they can build up a lie as opposed to telling him what they were really doing."

Flame moved to Ember's side and prepped himself to take flight. "You're right. Do you remember where they were?"

"Near enough to it."

* * *

Spyro and Cynder had flown outside the cave and found a small river nearby where they could clean themselves from their lovemaking. Spyro himself was laying on the riverbank in the afternoon sunlight, warming himself from the initial cool of the river. Cynder, on the other hand found it harder to clean her scales, taking a slightly longer time to remove the rest of the evidence that they had mated. She didn't know, however, what the outcome of their actions was to bring. If she was to become a mother from their mating was unknown, and would remain unknown to Cynder and Spyro until something was visibly growing inside Cynder. "When are we going to head back?" Spyro asked Cynder who had just lifted her head above the slow current once more.

"We could now if you want, the water's nice though."

"Too cold for me." Spyro rolled onto his back, sunning his underside, warming the rest of his form. "You look like you're having fun though."

Cynder took a drink from the river before replying. "It's not as fun as you think." Her gaze shot to the sky as she saw two other dragons circling above them. "Looks like we have company though."

Spyro almost immediately shot to his feet, wondering who it was who was out here so late in the afternoon. There was just over an hour of daylight left.

As the two circling dragons descended to the forest floor Cynder had made it to Spyro's side seeing that it was Ember and Flame. "We need to talk." Ember spoke first, taking a step forward, Cynder immediately mirroring her movements, only taking a defensive stance towards her rival.

"Uh, Spyro? Didn't you talk to Cynder about this?" Flame quickly spoke, putting himself between both Cynder and Ember.

Spyro himself thought back to the last time he saw Flame, remembering that he was supposed to talk to Cynder about Ember's wish to make peace. He scratched his head for a second. "No, I don't think so."

"Well can you do something about it like, now?" Flame responded seeming urgent, as Cynder didn't seem to have any focus beyond Ember.

Spyro immediately took hold of one of Cynder's forelegs, dragging her off with him back several paces. "What are you doing Cynder?"

"What do you mean what am I doing? She tried to kill me!"

"I know, and this is actually my fault. Flame talked to me the other day and told me to tell you that Ember wished to make a truce with you since she now has Flame."

"And you said yes on my behalf?"

"No, I said I would talk to you about it, which I had managed to forget because of what we've been going through ourselves." Cynder glanced back towards Ember and Flame, who were also in full conversation.

"And she expects me to believe that?"

"Cynder, please. Try to be reasonable. I know that you both have had a long history, but this is no different from you and Sparx. And since sometimes I am going to want to talk to Flame and Ember is always going to be beside him, can you at least consider it?"

Cynder took a deep breath and thought herself through. "Oh, and congratulations to you both." Flame spoke up, causing both Spyro and Cynder to turn around, and look back, wondering why Flame would say such a thing.

Both Spyro and Cynder looked at each other, then back to Flame. "For what?" They both said at once.

"For officially becoming mates. Why else would I say it?"

Again both Spyro and Cynder looked at each other. "What are you talking about?" Cynder was immediately the first to take the defensive.

"Cynder, we saw you both, so you don't have to try and hide it." Both Spyro and Cynder gained looks of shock towards the other couple. "Don't be like that, we only saw what we needed to prove that it was you two."

"Why were you looking for us to begin with?" Cynder asked.

"That's my fault, Flame and I were flying overhead when I caught the scent of your happenings."

"Thankfully it didn't get me because I'm alre-" Ember elbowed Flame in the ribs, immediately causing him to stop his sentence.

"That's ok Flame, we both know about you too." Cynder spoke. "Spyro saw you two that night."

This time it was Ember and Flame's turn to look shocked. "So you two knew all along?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Spyro confessed.

"What do you mean unfortunately?" Ember questioned immediately.

"It's not exactly what you call nice looking in on a couple mating. But you two obviously had no problems with it."

"We didn't see anything but the backs of your heads, would you say unfortunately if you saw that? The only reason we knew you two were mating was because of the scent in the air. And even then, the only reason we wanted to know who it was is because we wanted to know who else actually wanted to break Cyril's stupid rules." Ember was fighting to defend her reasons, receiving no back-up from Flame.

"Are you two done already?" Cynder stepped forward. "Great, Spyro saw you and Ember saw us. So now that we all know that we're mated with each other, why did you come out to find us now?"

"Oh, I almost forgot." Flame re-assumed the dragon's attention. "Cyril is looking for you two-"

"Or at least I was." Once again, to Ember and Flame anyway, Cyril stepped forward from behind a thick growth of shrubs. "What is wrong with you all? Don't you care about your future?"

"I only did this to protect everyone else." Cynder fought. "The reason why I attacked those two was because they were seducing Spyro, and the only thing I could do to stop them was fight. Would you rather us follow your rules while I slowly cut down, one-by-one, the countless dragons that want Spyro as their mates?"

"Yes, but-"

"And it wasn't just to break your rules, Spyro refused to do anything until I nearly killed those two who tried to take him as theirs. He saw firsthand how close they came to dying, if I hadn't have told you about them then they'd probably be dead by now anyway."

"I know, an-"

"So how are you going to punish us this time? The same way you made an example of Flame and Ember? Oh, wait, they got away with it despite your rules. So the only reason you keep following us is because of Spyro. Is that right? Because everyone wants a piece of him you had to try and keep us 'open' for as long as possible, is that right?"

"Cynder please! I know that I might not have been entirely fair on you and Spyro, and I must apologise for that-"

"So what are you going to do to us?"

"Nothing." All four of the young dragons exchanged glances, wondering if the ice guardian was trying to hide something else from them.

"You're not going to do nothing, we-"

"But I am Ember. I know that Cynder's reasons prove to make her actions, more or less, acceptable due to the insane lust all dragoness's possess to be with Spyro." Spyro rolled his eyes at the comment, he was sick of being followed by everyone. "And dealing with constant life-threatening injuries isn't something anyone wishes to deal with on a daily basis. Although I, myself frown upon her actions, both Volteer and Terrador will appreciate the lack of the injured needed to be taken care of in the process."

"But won't they be suspicious?"

"That they are. Which is why I am giving you four a choice. Due to that fact of both Volteer and Terrador becoming suspicious, it shall be you, Cynder, who has to tell them what has happened."

"Where's the choice in that?" Cynder argued.

"If you wish to be with Spyro every night, then you shall inform the other guardians, and live with what requests they have of you at any given moment. Or, we can pretend that nothing happened and go back to our lives."

"How is that fair with Ember and Flame?" Spyro questioned further.

"I am offering them the same deal. If Ember is to confront the other guardians then she and Flame shall be able to stay with one another. Or, remain as is and ignore my offer." Cyril turned around and headed back towards the mess of shrubbery from which he emerged. "If you four wish to have no life, and care for hatchlings constantly until the end of your days, then sobeit. I tried to protect you from that lifestyle, but it seems that you are intent on ignoring my advice and breaking the rules. So, enjoy what little free-time you have, because you won't find it again if you continue to ignore my warnings."

"Well, that's not fair." Cynder complained. "Why do I have to do it?"

"Because it was our idea to begin with." Ember answered. "We were the ones who initiated the mating process."

"But it's not our faults that they agreed."

"Yes it is Cynder. I only did this for you."

"And Ember basically forced herself on me." Flame received a hard glare from Ember. "Not that I'm complaining or anything. I'm happy you did."

"So why is telling both Volteer and Terrador such a big deal to make?" Cynder questioned the rest of the group.

"As far as I know, Volteer would want to run tests on us to prove whether or not we're bearing eggs." Ember answered. "But Terrador I'm not so sure. I never even thought he had an interest in anything beyond fighting."

"So, the sooner you tell them, the sooner Volteer does his test on you, the sooner we can ignore them?" Flame basically summed up the issue.

"Hang on, don't I get a say in this?" Ember complained. "I don't want him running tests on me, I'm not just some experiment that he can do what he wants with."

"But that was the deal. Confront the other guardians and live with their requests at any given moment." Flame answered. "I wonder how long that lasts."

"It could take forever. But then what's stopping any other couple from doing what we have and taking Cyril up on the offer anyway?"

"I think it's only for us." Spyro finally spoke up.

"Why only for us? What did we do?"

"Well, we all had a hand in the war, right? Ember, Flame and I fought against-"

"My armies..." Cynder solemnly finished.

"Er- Right. While both Cynder and I defeated Malefor."

"So that's it. Cyril is giving us preference because of what we did during the war?"

"Most likely. Or he's offering it to us because both Spyro and I were made an example of while you two were getting away with mating in the background." Cynder shot back at Ember and Flame.

"It's better than lying awake at night wondering how he knew that we had mated in the first-place." Ember argued back. "To think that Cyril himself had watched you is really creepy."

"Believe me, it's something I would rather forget." Spyro added to Ember's comment.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ember shouted towards Spyro.

"Ember calm down." Cynder spoke quietly. "So, which of us are going to tell them first?"

* * *