Wish I May..., x. Open

[Rojak]

The wind was nice, flowing over the rooftops until it reached him on the roof of his workshop, lying in the self-made hammock which hung from three posts, with his head at the thick end and his legs crossed in the small hollow formed by the hammock folding onto itself at the other end. It was comfortable and he was enjoying a nice drink in the sunlight and wind. It was warm mead, but this stuff was meant to be drank that way. He was feeling nice and relaxed, sipping the mead with a jug of water next to him on the rooftop.

He had finished his last order a quarter of an hour ago and he was now trying to relax, knowing that if he went to his usual drinking hole he'd end up drinking himself blind, and that was never a good thing. It was also extremely risky given how hard he'd tried to keep his secret. Today though, there wasn't much chance of revealing himself. Hell, he couldn't even be seen from the road. You'd need to be looking for him to see him, or you'd have to have a dog or some other animal sensitive to smells.

As it was, he doubted that would happen.

The mead was tinged with honey and tasted pleasantly of apples, the sweetness rolling onto the tongue nicely. The fact that he had to keep drinking water was irksome, but he was lying in the sun after all. He had no cares in the world, and if someone had climbed onto the rooftop using the handholds he'd installed discretely at the rear of the shop, he probably wouldn't have even cared much.

[Seraphina]

Phina was tired yet she was also on edge. She hated these long drawn out travels trying to find new metals to mix and experiment with. So far she had come up empty and she was irritated and cold. Not that it was overly chilly, she was a red of course. Anything below scorching was too cold for her. Hence why she loved her forge so much. She had been in Distonia main city for most of the week watching other smiths at the fair. She liked to see new techniques and she enjoyed the challenges that were presented to her as a smith herself. Yet she had been on edge come the end of the week, she needed to fly, needed to stretch her wings.

The city had stunk of alcohol and bile from people who drank too much. She had to get out of the city that night. So come late night she had finally had enough of the press of humanity and mounted her mare Flame. The beast was as fiery as her mistress and was edger to be gone. Dressed in her breaches and her shirt she kicked her horse into canter as she used the back roads to make it to the edge of the city. The further away she got the better she felt. Saddles bags held her clothing and personals as she let the cool wind remove the stench of humanity from her flesh.

The wind through her hair she let a little of her glamour fall her eyes coloring more red her hair streaked with red. Breathing in the cool air as she cantered and then moved the horse into a gallop she let Flame go where she wished. Finally after what seemed like forever she pulled her horse to a stop in a huge clearing miles from any of the towns. Dismounting she moved away from her horse as not to spook her as she let go of her human form. It shimmered away in a blaze of flame and smoke.

Stretching her large dragon wings out she sighed in pleasure at being able to take her natural form. Her scales were every shade of red you could think of. Her eyes were large orbs of flames which could bore into someone’s soul and looked like she could scorch from the inside out. She snorted out deeply and shook out her large head long horns rose from her crown and back from her head to stand proud. Her wings coloured like living flame. She arched her head and beat her wings hard as her body lifted from the floor. Her body was thin and sleek she held power and that could be seen from the shape of her muscles along her back.

She climbed into the cloud line letting the small water droplet hiss when they touched her skin. She could pull the heat back in but right now it felt good to let her powers out. She had been holding them in for too long. That’s why she snapped at that Dragon Slayer, she was pent up and needed to spend sometime away from the damn humans and their pathetic ways of life. With a sigh of joy she banked to the right her wings outstretched, from the air she could see the Reed Mountains in the distance as she beat her wings steam rising from her body. She was possibly the oldest Red around, most were too foolish and kept getting caught. Fire charms were so popular so her people were hunted like it was going out of fashion.

She was enjoying the feeling of flying so much after so long she almost missed the scream of a child on the air. Her eyes snapped open as she sunk below the clouds so she could see what was going on. Tit did not take her eyes long to find the roaring fire of burning houses as a village was being ripped apart by what looked like 5 young mages. She snorted, she should just keep flying, just keep going, that’s right a little further and she would not be able to hear the screams…. Oh who was she kidding.

She banked hard left her body turning on a dime as she dove towards the flaming village. She could tell by the heat signature of the bodies on the floor they were dead but woman and children screamed as the 5 mages decided to try out new abilities on the populace. She dove from the sky, her body looking like it was going to slam into the floor. Her talons opened as one of the mages screamed a warning two seconds too late. It took her a sec to have two of them in her talons as she crushed the life from them without a thought. She turned sharply in the air as one threw what felt like an ice attack. She snorted she was too old for pathetic ice attacks to harm her.

She landed hard as the 3 remaining mages rushed at her. She lifted her upper body as sucked in a deep breath. They suddenly realised what she was about to do and turned to flee. Too late. She blew out a huge blast of fire. It hit them three on their backs, their screams rent the air as their smell of burning flesh joined that of the poor villagers. The flame stopped as she was face with one who had what looked like a fire charm. And not just want fire charm one against dragons breath. Smart mage. His friends were now dust on the air as she shifted down into her Drakos form.

Standing at 7ft and scaled red her wings folded up on her back she crouched down ready for his attack as he draw a glowing sword and ran at her. She easily avoided his blade as she used her tail to trip him up. Yes this mage was young, couldn’t have been more then 18 and he was acting like he had all the power. She was totally calm as he came at her again. Her talons ripped along his arm as he cried out and held it to his chest. She turned to him flicking her wings out. Pathetic, hardly a challenge.

She watched as the mage considered something then ran for it. Damn him! She jumped into the air her Drakos wings spreading. Drakos wings were not made for flying but they could glide. The mage ran into Village grabbing a small child. As she laded in the burning village the mage held the girl around her neck a blade to her throat. He was sweating the heat from the burning houses causing him to blink a lot as it rolled into his eyes. The fire did not bother her of course she stood looking like a god of old the fire licking around her.

“Get back, or she dies!”

Phina just looked at him. He was panicking. His arm was dripping blood all over the floor his sword was long forgotten on the floor back outside the village. She crossed her powerful arms over her chest. In this form she was virtually naked. Well she was naked, but scales covered everything important. Her eyes glowed with inner fire that matched the flaming village.

“Kill her and I will burn you from the inside out…..”

The mage swallowed hard he was trying desperately to think of a way out of this. She saw him back a choice as she narrowed her eyes. Suddenly the child was thrown towards one of the burning buildings. Some of her kind would have let the child die, she could not. She moved fast grabbing the child in her arms. She saw him throw something into the fire behind her as she turned her eyes picking out the fire charm he had been wearing. Oh gods he was insane. A fire charm like that could explode and take the village with it. She heard the hissing noise as she suddenly wrapped her wings around herself and the child. The mage thought he had won as he ran at her form.

Phina felt a sharp pain in her side, a burning sting; she knew she had been stabbed. Two more seconds. She had to hold on she felt another stab as the tell tail noise of the fire. The explosion rocketed outwards with a ball of flame. The mage never saw it coming. So happy was he that he was stabbing a dragon. The ball of fire enveloped her body and the mage as he cried out. She heard the small girl crying in her arms but she was safe in her arms.

When the fire ball vanished she stood up straight and put a clawed had to her side. Pulling it away she looked at the blood which coated her fingers. Damn that fucking mage. She put the girl down as she hugged tightly to Phina’s body.

“Its okay, you’re safe now…”

The small girl sobbed lightly as Phina looked around the village, half was on fire and if she left it so would the rest of it be. She sucked in a breath and sent her powers flooding out. She got control on each flame and began to extinguish it. Making fire die is very hard as all it wants to do is eat more food and burn. But as she concentrated the fires began to snuff out one by one. Letting out her breath her head pounding she felt the child let her go as she ran across the square towards a man and a woman. The woman picked the girl up and held her tightly as they walked towards her.

She tensed, humans did not take well to Dragon Kin in any form. She put her hand to the bloody wounds in her side and held it to them. She grimaced slightly as the man walked forward.

“Thank you Kin, I never thought I would thank one of your kind for anything… but you saved my daughter…. And our village, I am forever in your debt….”

Phina nodded to the man as the small girl gave her a wave. She smiled gently as she turned her attention back to the man. He held out his hand. She looked at him and blinked. Reaching forward she took his hand in her clawed one as he shook it she smiled slightly ignoring the stinging pain in her side.

“You are welcome…. Keep her safe….”

“I will Red Kin, thank you…. If ever you need anything….”

Phina nodded as the man turned and walked back to a gathering group of people. Many nodded to her some were a bit more reserved but they did not look hostile. She decided the better part of valor was getting out now before someone found something to start on her about. She spread her wings and took to the air in Drakos form. Using the wind currents she glided until she reached the tree line. Settling into her feet she shifted back to her human form her wings vanishing into her skin her skin becoming lighter and more human pink colored. Her eyes remained flaming dragon’s eyes due to the pain in her side.

She pursed her lips and sent out a high pitched whistle as she leaned back against a tree and waited in the darkness. A crashing came through the forest as Flame trampled her way through the braches. She smiled as the horse butted into her side.

“Easy girl…. I need your eyes…”

Mounting up with a grimace and some colorful swearing she lay her body down so her chest was against Flames neck. Blood dripped from her hand covering the stab wounds. It dripped down the side of her horse as Flame whinnied and looked back at her mistress. She ended up in a trot, moving along the road. The horse could smell humans and her mistress needed aid. Trotting she entered the edge of the town limits. Phina tried to lift her head. This is what she got for helping people, who was she kidding? There had to be a tavern around here somewhere. That was the last coherent thought that went through her mind as she blacked out. She did not even feel her body slipping from the horse or her head striking the ground.

[Rojak]

Rojak jumped as he heard a sound, rousing him from his nap and causing him to spill some of his mead onto his shirt. He swore and carefully extricated himself from the hammock, blinking as he noticed it was night. He'd fallen asleep again, he had to stop doing that. He listened and heard some heavy brerathing nearby, moving to the edge of the roof that looked down onto the area the noise had come from. He peeked over the edge and felt his eyes go wide. There was an injured woman lying in the street and, he quickly scanned the street, nobody around. He cursed and returned the mead to the jug, put the lid on and took down the hammock, tossing his stuff into the makeshirt sack the hammock formed.

With a sigh Rojak brushed his hair out of his face and jumped down to the street, checking the woman's breathing and then checking her wounds, jumping again as a horse walked up beside him, sniffing at the woman. It didn't appear too bad, she looked like she could be moved. He tucked his arm under hers and began dragging her one-handed into the small house that was attached to his workshop. He put her on the bed and stowed the mead and hammock, lighting the woodstove in the corner to get some heat into the room and so he could boil some water.

It was about that time he recognised her scent.

"Oh darkness be merciful..."

Why did a dragon have to show up wounded on his doorstep? Why did he have to drag her inside? He shook his head and lifted her shirt to look at the wound on her abdomen. It looked bad, but not lethal, nothing that couldn't heal. He muttered under his breath as he gathered some tools and waited for the water to boil. There was a lump on her head, probably from where she'd fallen from the horse that was still outside. He cursed again and went to fetch the horse, taking it around to tie it up to the post by the door.

By the time he got back the water was boiling and he took it off the stove, letting it just fill the room with warmth while he set about cleaning her wounds. It wasn't hard, but the inconvenience of her appearance was frustrating him. He'd spent four years living in Nordwich this time, and he'd carved a nice little niche for himself. He made an honest living and didn't draw trouble to himself and this woman looked like trouble on legs, never mind just how attractive she was.

"This is not going to end well..."

He finished administering to her and laid a blanket over her, wondering what would happen next. How was he going to deal with a red dragon in the morning? He sighed and moved into the workshop, intent on dealing with it in the morning, but for now he'd get some sleep and try to calm his fears. He feared for himself, he feared that someone would know she was there and find her, and he feared the mages discovering what he was.

Hopefully it would sort itself out in the morning.

[Seraphina]

The first thing Phina felt was the lancing pain in her stomach. Fire spread from her belly to her back and she groaned opening her eyes. Her eyelids felt like lead as she blinked looking around the dim room. A ripple of nausea rolled through her as the pain throbbed like a bitch in her stomach. Wincing she pushed herself up only to have her head pound like a hammer against an anvil. Swearing rather eloquently in Draconian she lay back down putting a hand to her head. Feeling through her hair she winced at the rather large lump and groaned again. Where in the great Gold was she? Her senses felt like cotton wool which was exactly what the taste in her mouth was like.

Last thing she remembered was riding her horse into town bleeding. Oh yeah the Magi. Phina closed her eyes and rubbed them with her fingers before taking scope of the room in which she now lay. Shivering at the chill in the air she frowned at the room. It was very basic but she had always appreciated few personal objects. It made running easier when you had little to clear up before running for your life. Phina pushed down the rolling of her head and her stomach as she forced her body to comply with her request. Ignoring the room as it span she sniffed the air bringing the scents of leather, steel and coal. She was in a forge? Frowning she sniffed again, the underlying tint of Kin held the air. It was the sublet hint of ozone and the sense of darkness that indicated she had been rescued by a Black. Rubbing her eyes against her swore under her breath.

The last type she wanted to beholden to was a Black. Damn the type, always trying to get something out of someone for free. No doubt he knew what she was and would be thinking about the best way to be rid of her. Reds were hardly welcome when a Kin was trying to hide among humans. To volatile she had been told time and time again. No control over their base emotions. Red love and hate with a passion that bordered on insanity and when sexual passion was involved. They could literally burn up the place with the heat from their skin. She did not relish being told the old adages over and over. Phina had heard them all, which is why she finally left the Southlands and came to live among the humans. She had developed a lot better control over the years and no longer lost it if someone looked at her funny. No she only lost it if someone bumped into her. Yeah like that was a lot better.

Looking down at the covered wound in her stomach she shivered at the chill again. It was the height of summer yet to her healing body it might as well have been winter. It was not hot enough for her body to heal fast. She needed her forge and the blasting heat that only one of her kind had the ability to survive. Her fingers felt numb as she rubbed them together and blew into her hands. The glow filled her palms and spread to her fingers them spread as if following the flow of blood over her hands. Phina decided it was about time to find her savior and hope that her horse had not wandered off and got herself caught by some greedy human.

“Hello?”

She coughed softly her throat felt dry and painfully. Licking her capping lips she hoped to find some water, alas her host had not thought to leave her any. Her head felt like someone had hit it with a hammer and her stomach felt like a hot poker was being pushed into the flesh. Yeah she was going to be a ray of sunshine this morning. Swallowing back the bile in her throat from moving too soon she blinked back the dizziness and cleared her throat again licking her lips before talking.

“Anyone? Hello?”

[Rojak]

Rojak jumped, instantly awake and searching the room, tensed up and ready to leap out of his chair instantly. He could hear movement somewhere but he was still slightly sleep-addled and couldn't place it. A memory nagged at him and he struggled to let it surface. Not only that, why was he sleeping in a chair? This chair was for clients who were waiting for an order, not for him. Then he heard the cough and recognised the faint scent that pervaded the air and groaned, rubbing his head as he stood, brushing his messed up shoulder ength hair out of his eyes.

“Anyone? Hello?”

"In here, I'm in here," he called to the woman, the red Kin that had invaded his home and his sanctuary, who had placed him at risk with her rotten, infectious, rotten, maddening, rotten bad luck. He realised he was repeating adjectives and groaned again, rubbing his eyes to clear the crusted liquid from them. He was never sleeping in that chair again. He didn't care if an injured, attractive woman did wind up on his doorstep, they could sleep on the floor.

He got out of the chair and stumbled to the water trough he used to cool his metal after working it and, with a single movement, stripped off his shirt to prevent it getting soaked and leaned forward, dunking his whole head beneath the surface, remaining under for at least ten second before surfacing, gasping from the shock of the cold and the wetness. He let out a long shudder and shook his head, removing some of the water before he stood and slicked it back, making sure it couldn't get into his eyes. He inspected the forge and shook his head, still holding his shirt in one hand as he mentally calculated whether it was worth firing up the forge today since he'd woken up later than normal. Yeah, might as well. He could get some of that big order done, and perhaps he'd actually get it done before the unreasonable deadline set for him.

[Seraphina]

"In here, I'm in here,"

Well that was hardly helpful. Phina snorted and pushed herself into a sitting position her head throbbing with the effort. So he was going to announce himself and then not come into the room. What? Did she have to do find him? Gritting her teeth against the pain she moved her feet to the cool floor and pushed herself into a standing position. Nausea and waves of dizziness assaulted her right away as she swore and leaned against one of the supporting posts in the room. Yeah like this was going to work. Why had he not just slept in the same room as her? Hell she knew why, blacks and their suspicious ways. Hell she would have been better off bleeding in the street for all the held Shadow Boy was being.

Moving slowly as not to irritate the wound she made her way towards the place his voice had come. She stopped at the door and leaned against the frame sweat glistening on her skin from the pain. And there he was stood with his shirt off over a barrel of water looking at his cold forge. Did he realise one should never let the forge cool like that? Riiight she just happened to find another dragon blacksmith in this world and he looked more like a teen then a man. She sucked in a breath her side burning with pain.

“I hate to be a burden or anything, but a drink of water would go down a treat…”

She was trying to be civil, hell for her that sentence was damn right angelic. She would try and keep her temper under control, a bit hard when she was in pain, her throat was killing her for some water and her head felt like a group of slayers had been using it for a football. Maybe she would light the forge for this black as a thank you. It was clear it would take hours and hours for the fires to be hot enough to do any decent work. it was the least she could do. Yet despite her gratitude to this male for getting her off the street she could not keep her blacksmith mind from voicing her comments.

“You should not let your forge cool like that you know… its bad for the brick and clay and reheating is a pain in the ass….”

[Rojak]

“I hate to be a burden or anything, but a drink of water would go down a treat…”

Rojak turned his head to see his guest, very aware of the cool water that was dripping from his hair down his back. He shivered and turned to the shelf opposite the forge, plucking an upside down cup from its perch, wiping the rim clean before dunking it into the trough before moving a couple of steps closer to her, offering the cup so she wouldn't have to move from where she was leaning.

"I'm afraid that's the best I've got, but it's never done me any harm."

Looking at her, Rojak couldn't help but admire the way she looked, her skin glistening with sweat and part of her shirt ripped from where she'd been injured. He hadn't been with a woman in about a week and the presence of this one was very appealing. Such a pity she was a dragon. He'd refused to associate with other dragons at all in the past, knowing it would only get him in trouble. He'd met a couple occasionally, but never kept up any prolonged contact. Hopefully this one wouldn't expect anything either, especially since she'd so conveniently dropped into his life.

He just hoped she didn't have any mages who knew where she'd gone after whatever fight she'd been in.