Part One: Meeting
#1 of Rivadh and The Dragon
As the light of morning poured in through the open window, the fresh breeze
carried the scents of the Lower City vendors cooking their morning wares from the market
down the way in. the yips and laughs of Children playing filtered in through a few cracks in
the stone floor. Rubbing her eyes, the Young Draenei stirred. Feeling a limb over her waist
she giggled sleepy, "Mmmm... Mallarie, wake up, it's morning."
The heavy rumble that answered her made her blink, and she looked back behind
her, seeing a wide expanse of purple hide with pale stripes. Then she felt the grip on her
lower belly move. It wasn't just a limb, but a rather large forepaw! With a gasps he squirmed
out and sat away from the waking Dragon.
"Rrr? Oh. Apologies Rivadh, I did not mean to startle you," The dragon's deep
voice rumbled as he yawned, a terrible maw full of sharp teeth and a long lavender tongue.
Easily large enough to bite her in half, she backed up slightly.
"Did you forget?" the dragon's eye ridge quirked in a rather humanesque
expression as he righted himself on his belly, wings folded neatly against his back, watching
the spooked Shamaness.
Rivadh, for her part blinked and then remembered. Exhausted from her long stay
with the Dragonmaw Orcs, 'meeting' the self-named Lord of Outland, and the subsequent
escape on the back of a massive netherdrake; she had been informed that one of the
younger dragons had wanted to help her. Her memories cleared as the sleep left her, and
she remembered dazedly wandering toward the violet creature. After that, her memory
became fuzzy.
"I carried you here, a personal place of mine. You passed out after we made
contact. Which from what had happened prior to it, I am not surprised. You were uninjured,
thankfully, and as difficult as it was, I managed to get your armor off. It is stacked over there
in the corner," the dragon nodded, a hint of worry in his tone as he watched her.
Rivadh blinked and blushed, noting she was indeed in her shirt and pants, but
they didn't cover much, as she normally relied on the armor for that. "Y-your name is...
Varcifon?"
The dragon nodded and stretched a bit, the spacious room able to
accommodate, "We are bonded, you and I. A connection deeper than anything else. Should
you die, so too will I fall. I can know where you are at all times, just as you can reach out to
me across impossible distances."
She goggled at the thought and blinked, "so then..."
"Do not worry... I would not try to endanger the trust you have with your
companion," the dragon smiled. A rather fearsome sight, were it not for the calm voice behind
those intimidating teeth. "I will also keep her secret safe."
Rivadh smiled and nodded in relief, moving closer, "So, what do we do now?" she
carefully reached out and put her hand on the top of the dragons nose.
Varcifon shrugged and gave something similar to a cat's purr, only on a much
more massive scale, "We can do whatever you wish. You have no more need to assist my
kin with undermining the Dragonmaw. Your escape and Illidan's fury will see to their
destruction in time."
She sighed in relief and nodded, "That is a relief. If I had to spend one more day
as an orc I think me might have goed insane."
The dragon chuckled, "Indeed, It is a good thing, since you seem to have picked
up some of their speaking habits."
She gasped and blushed, pushing on the dragon's neck and laughing, "Oh, you're
a mean one, aren't you."
He chuckled deeply and rolled onto his side with the push, throwing her off
balance and causing her to topple against him, and he purred again, "I know you can
appreciate the wit, that is all."
She righted herself a little and found her face close to the dragon's and an odd
tremble slithered along her nerves as she blushed and froze, her eyes locked on the glowing
lavender pair that watched her. She stayed like that a moment, not realizing she was inching
closer until a boom exploded outside. She jumped back, blushing and averting her
eyes, "Oh... ah... m-maybe we should get some breakfast?"
The dragon blinked, a bit confused by the emotions he read off her. Shame?
Confusion? And underneath them both... a hint of desire? He shook his head and nodded at
her question, "Yes. You are probably tired of orc Rations too, I would imagine."
She nodded and smiled, despite the thoughts raging in her head. Digging in her
pack and pulling on a dark purple robe of deliciously soft imbued netherweave. She tried to
think as she dressed, "What is wrong with me? Getting excited over a dragon?! I mean
he's... well yeah; he's pretty and all, but still! I can't do that to Mallarie, she'd be devastated!"
with a shake of her head the pulled the skirt up, fastening it on her waist as she sighed, still
chiding herself in her head, "I just have to get used to him, that's all... it's still new." She
nodded and adjusted her hair, which the wind spirit in her kvahtri markings promptly ruffled
again. She sighed and smiled at the dragon, who was still reclining. "So, where are we?"
"There is an abandoned attic in the Orphanage, sealed by the damage to the
city," the Dragon nodded and stood, "The only way in is from the tunnel behind me, which
leads to just outside the city."
She blinked, "I'm surprised it hasn't been overrun by the spiders."
"Well there isn't much that will challenge a Dragon is there?" he huffed proudly,
puffing out his pale azure chest.
Rivadh giggled and nodded, "no, I suppose not... Well then, Shall we?"
"Of course," He stepped back and bowed his head, "After you."
She giggled and smiled, "Why thank you Varcifon." And she stepped into the
tunnel, followed closely by the netherdrake. In the deep dark of the passage, she noticed he
gave off his own light, glowing a pale violet against the walls of the tunnel illuminating the way
a little. At the end of the tunnel they turned and saw the gates into the Lower City a short
distance away. Varcifon pushed the bushes at the end back into place, covering the opening
with a nod to Rivadh.
"These woods are really lovely when you do not have to worry about spiders and
demons and Elves," she mused, looking at the woods.
"I have thought so as well. Though they are only made more beautiful by having
you to enjoy them with," he rumbled and smiled.
She blushed and that odd shiver went up her spine. Did he know she was feeling
conflicted? Was he teasing her or being sincere? She looked at him and studied him.
"What is it?" he blinked, still striding along slowly next to her.
She peered at him searchingly and nodded, "you're teasing me..."
He stopped and settled a bit, "I would not 'tease' you about something like that. If
you do not believe me, then close your eyes and focus on me. Our bond allows you to 'feel'
my thoughts and feelings. See for yourself."
She blinked and seemed a bit worried. She had 'read' spirits before, sensing their
turmoil and calmness, but to read a dragon was something frightening... and exciting. She
didn't need to close her eyes, but she touched his neck, just to ease the contact of her
sense on his. Warm feelings of concern, pride, and a sense of belonging washed over her,
relaxing her. But following those were tickled of curiosity. She narrowed her focus a bit on
that and found he was curious about her nervousness, but more so he found her to be... she
Gasped and pulled back, blushing and looking at the dragon, shocked.
"You see? I would not tease about such a thing," he lowered his head and
reached out, closing his eyes as he kept his head low in front of her.
She blushed and bit her lip, "I've... I've seen your brethren before... I even rescued
a whelpling not long before my people left, and ended up on Azeroth." She swallowed
nervously and her trembling hand reached out, stroking lightly across the top of his head, "I...
I will admit I've always Found dragons beautiful. Especially your kind... but... I never
thought... it was anything more than r-respect."
He lifted his head and looked at her the deep voice rumbling softly as he
spoke, "You saved a Whelpling. You returned later to help my kin escape the foul Orcs. You
have rescued many eggs from their clutches. Your deeds will be legend among my kind
forever. So far as I am concerned, you are as much a Dragon as I am." He inched closer and
she gasped a bit as the tip of his warm tongue slicked along her cheek, making her blush
and shiver, but she did not pull away, "And that is why I am honored that you and I have
bonded. As I said, I will not strain what you have with your Companion... In fact I would very
much like to meet her. But know these things: Yes, I find you attractive. Your spirit is what
draws me to you, that magnificent shine within your eyes that shows that you will not let any
injustice fall on anyone."
She blushed and without thinking gripped the Dragon's head in a hug and placed
a kiss right on the crest of his forehead, between his eyes, smiling and laughing a little. "I...
I... I don't know what to say..."
"You need not say anything. Just know that I am with you wherever you go," he
nodded and nosed her, "but let us go and get you something to eat before you pass out
again."
She nodded and smiled, walking closer to him as she rubbed his neck, making
the Guards blink at them as they walked, her tail swishing happily at the company she now
kept.