I Spy (#DoomsdayProject part 2)

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   Valyria was a beautifully ugly place. The landscapes from hundreds of feet in the air looked glorious, untouched by human burdens, but the closer Ryia looked the more she saw. Cruel slave owners and the ever present harsh labor they enforced.

   Blonde hair whipped around her angular face as she landed on a large hill overlooking a farmhouse. She patted Merlyn’s scaled neck with affection before climbing off her back with practiced ease. The dark beast growled, narrow reptilian eyes scanning for danger in the surrounding forest. Ryia rolled her violet eyes when Merlyn blew out a gust of smoke towards what she assumed to be a suspicious bush.

   No smoke left the chimney and pressuring quiet came from the stables. To anyone it would look like a long abandoned cabin, no living soul in any direction. To Ryia it looked like home, not the ornate house her parents managed but a warm and welcoming place.

Trekking down the field she turned just in time to see Merlyn’s crimson tail disappear between the trunks of two trees. Ryia pushed open the heavy door and glanced the interior. It had been a few days since the last time she’d been there, it was getting harder for her to leave on rides without an excuse. If only she had invested more of her time learning to tell better lies instead of how to sit like a proper Lady, this would not be an issue.

   She spotted the familiar redhead sitting in a worn out and aged chair. Clearing her throat to announce herself had the man snapping his head towards her. “Ryia, it is good to see you. I trust your flight alerted many guards?”

   Glaring she muttered, “If I had, you would not be standing there being smart with me.”

   He bowed his head, Ryia suspected so he could hide his mirth. Airun stood from the chair gracefully and embraced her quickly. “Where is Merlyn?”

   “In the forest, hunting to fatten herself up as usual.” She paused. “Have you spoken to Jaehaera as of late?”

   Shaking his head, Airun sat back in his chair. “No. I have not seen her. Is this about the matters we have discussed earlier?”

   “Yes, although I do not know when we can meet with her together. It is getting more complicated for me to get around unhindered.” Grimacing, Ryia added. “I have overheard that my parents want to form a marriage contract for me.”

   Airun looked at her, "I am sorry to hear that. No man could be worthy enough to have you as his wife. I hope they see that soon." He walked over to the fireplace and prodded the burning logs with a steel rod. Setting it back up against the wall next to his sword. "As to the matter of meeting Jaehaera, I may have to bring her here, the next time you come."

She smiled gratefully at his words of comfort but she didn’t believe they would carry the same merit with her parents. Although she averted her eyes from the sword, it would do no one any good for him to catch her staring at it. Only bring him back to his ridiculous idea of teaching her.

   “When did our lives become so complicated?” She asked, kicking her feet up on a small crate. “Two years ago I would have jumped at the chance to be married and running a household. Now, I’d rather poke out my eyes with that prod.”

   Airun looked at her with his eyebrows raised, "Two years ago, I would have been cleaning a Dragonlord's arse, if it wasn't for you. I'd say complicated is a relative term." He paused and continued with a smirk on his face. Eying the soot covered steel. "Of course, you could still poke out your husband's eyes with a prod.”

   Laughing Ryia knocked her shoulder against his, “I could poke out anyone’s eyes, it is the beauty of having a fire breathing beast with me. Everyone becomes scared to say anything if I do.”

   Airun laughed with her and then stopped suddenly, head turning towards her in question, "Were you referring to me?"

   “Yes.” She said calmly, her eye twitching when she tried not to laugh.

   "Merlyn would never hurt me. In fact, I look more like a dragon than he does." Airun chucked hartidly at his quip. He stroked his small beard, "I hope Jaehaerys will agree to meet me here. Our relationship has always been rocky.”

   “Merlyn would in fact eat you for always calling her a ‘him’,” Ryia said with a roll of her violet eyes. “I believe you will be able to set aside your differences for the greater good. We all have to make sacrifices. Perhaps this is yours.”

   Airun placed a palm on his forehead in aggravation. "It is so difficult to figure out if a dragon is male or female." He paused repeating what he said in his head, "Aye. We will have to. But how much should we tell her? I trust her with my life. But do you?"

   Ignoring the comments about her dragon, Ryia replied. “I reserve my life for Merlyn and you. So I suppose if you trust her, so do I. I should be going, if I am gone too long they will keep an even closer eye on me.”

   Airun nodded, standing up as well, "We shall meet again here in a fortnight. By then I shall have told Jaehaerys of our plan. If all goes well, she will help us. She is integral to this plot."

   Nodding, Ryia swept out of the room.

   Before she could get too far from the door, Airun’s voice stopped her. “Ryia! Stay safe. We are the only hope for them. that." He bowed.

   “Stop with the bowing, I freed you from service, ?” She watched Merlyn appear from the charred branches.

   He replied " I am sorry. It has become a habit that I find difficult to lose. However, the only person I would ever willingly bow to is you., with great respect of course.”

   Climbing onto Merlyn’s back, Ryia waved. “Try not to get yourself killed while I’m gone.”

With a smirk, Merlyn pushed off the ground. Ryia watched Airun become smaller and disappear back into the cabin. Ryia flew over the lands, trying not to see the villa’s built from the blood and torture of innocent people.

   Merlyn landed with a puff of dust, her great dragon growled at the men holding whips in the courtyard. “Hush, girl.” Ryia held her head high as she walked past, hoping that Airun would hurry.

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#BardsofWesteros

Thank you to Edric for being a lovable idiot while in our chat.