Jewel of the Hoard Ch. 02

"Looks like the bird does have some wings."

Giscela stood at the entrance of the cave, her arms crossed and in loungewear. She had a happy expression on her face as Aries moved his bird. Aries shifted his mind and pulled at the string. He found the crystal string was now attached to the sparrow and piloted it over to the Princess to land it softly on her shoulder. The bird fluffed itself up.

"Cadmus, our culture loses clothes at night. It seems you added clothes," Giscela teased.

Embarrassed, Cadmus grinned. "I had a feeling I was too underdressed. I wanted to put on something that reminded me of home."

"Nothing wrong with that," Aries said, feeling Cadmus' hands leave his own. The string in the human's mind evaporated along with it.

Cadmus cheered up. "Yes, nothing wrong at all, little sparrow."

Aries clicked his tongue at the nickname and moved the sparrow towards Cadmus with a quick flick of his wrist. Before it could reach the dragon, it dissipated. The gold of the sparrow scattered with the air and Aries watched his creation disappear. The small, almost unseeable golden string that attached Aries to the bird dissipated as well.

"What..."

Cadmus smiled over at Aries. "Your body can only hold the syphoned energy inside of you for so long. In order to hold spells for longer, you'll have to continue to cast. Take a look at the crystal..."

Holding it up, Aries noticed the fog inside dimmed ever so slightly.

"You absorbed some of the energy and shot it out into the environment," Cadmus replied. "Controlling it can be difficult. It is impressive that you can even cast. I was expecting something small and simple but...you created something magnificent."

"Thank you," Aries beamed as he got up out of his sitting position. "So, you must use these crystals to create food and water..."

Giscela raised an eyebrow, still watching the conversation carefully.

"Yes," Cadmus said. "Very observant. I can set materials in the environment but I only make equipment and edibles on certain occasions. I barely have enough crystals left. When I healed your head, I used most of the energy that they collected. Healing always drains crystals far too fast. Too many parts that need to be stitched back together."

Aries frowned and rubbed the back of his head. He completely forgot that just a day ago, Cadmus had given him a blunt hit. Strange to think the same person who beat him over the head was now teaching him magic.

"Where do you usually get supplies?"

"Oh, so now you are chatty and curious?" Cadmus teased with a smirk.

Aries quickly shut his mouth.

"I'm only kidding. The villagers. I do favors for them and in return, they give me items I need to survive here. The blizzard and weather has cut off any of my friends from coming up and they don't stay for long. A lot of them are afraid of getting caught by the King or being reported by someone else but they recognize that I can provide services for them like....get rid of unwanted pests."

Cadmus' chest swelled with pride. "I am important to their lives and they are important to mine. Much like how you swore to protect people as a knight, I have people I watch over too. They are taking a large risk not telling Randelen's patrols about me here. It is only fair that I help in return."

Aries nodded. "How long have you stayed here?"

"About fifty years. A small amount of time in retrospect. You must understand that our kind can live centuries. I know one dragon who lived for one thousand years."

Aries could not imagine what one would do for one hundred years much like one thousand. He must have seen the rise of King Termund, the present ruler of Randelen and the fall of the older houses.

Aries thought on what Cadmus had shared with him. Everything from the volcano where the magical crystals are spawned in to how Cadmus' family was murdered for the throne. The oath Aries took when sworn into knighthood felt worthless now. There was something more to his role. He looked over at Giscela to see she was watching him close. Her blond hair matted and was no longer in a braid. She just woke up. Was it really morning already?

Aries did not know and since he was so fatigued, he did not care. Cadmus had told him so much. What are dragons plotting and why were they hoarding magic away from humans? Perhaps with the way Aries had been acting, it was clear why they were so against sharing their arcane secrets.

"I'm sorry, Cadmus. I...I want to learn more. I want to try."

Cadmus' ears perked and swiveled. Giscela was silent as if she knew what was coming.

"You want to learn? What do you mean?" Cadmus replied as he moved closer to Aries.

Choosing his next words carefully, Aries continued. "I think we have a lot to learn from one another. I want to stay past the blizzard. I want to find more of your kind and teach people what you truly are. You aren't a monster."

Aries placed a hand on Cadmus' arm. It had only been one day but there was something compelling him to speak. Cadmus did not deserve to be killed for not being understood. He deserved to have a voice. How many other dragons had been slaughtered without a proper voice? The thought alone was enough.

Cadmus was rendered speechless, his eyes glimmering and wet with tears. The dragon bowed and his muzzle was close to touching the water.

"I am honored to have you here."

The knight smiled and gave a small bow of his own before he continued.

"We can lie. We can say you are dead. The next group of knights-"

"Will need evidence," Giscela interrupted. "We cannot lie."

"Can we create something? Create your head?"

Cadmus sniffed and had a macabre chuckle at the thought of faking his own decapitation. "No. Not unless we wish to continue to eat. That will take most or all the power that the crystals we still have. Who knows how long the blizzard shall last. We must have food and water and I do not know when the townspeople will arrive."

"Then, can we run?" Aries looked over to the others and his stomach dropped. Cadmus was quiet and Giscela looked at him as if he was ridiculous for even suggesting something so bizarre.

"You can but I have a kingdom to return to," Giscela said. She looked down at the cave floor as if she was sad to say the words. "The knights have come for me and to kill Cadmus."

"So you are just going to sulk in your marriage? Let someone who is innocent of crimes die?" Aries shot back.

"No explanation. Die like my father. Die without cause. How could you even give up on one innocent soul? Have you no honor, Princess?" A voice whispered in the back of Aries' mind.

Giscela glared. "I have no choice. I cannot simply play with spells in a cave."

When Aries was rendered quiet, Giscela steadied herself.

"If I remember, you wished to kill your newest friend a mere day ago."

"The knights will surely listen to reason," Aries said through gritted teeth.

"Yes, but I am sure my partner and lord will not. Aries, please do not drag me into whatever you are scheming. I am....not part of this life. You seem far too eager to throw away your knighthood. Remember, that you are consulting to what they think is a monster a-"

Aries waved his hand and stood tall and proud. Cadmus even shrunk back, a shiver of intimidation shooting down his spine. Aries' voice boomed in the tight cavern and reverberated off the walls.

"We all have a choice, Princess. You struggle with an obvious one!"

Giscela 's right eye twitched before she turned around and stomped out of the cave. The human shuffled uncomfortably and

"You do not have the tact of a diplomat," Cadmus whispered, his eyes still looking towards where Giscela was moments ago.

Aries turned on his heel and glared at Cadmus who held up his hands.

"But you do have the bravery of a knight."

Giving a snort, Aries shook his head. He took a breath and part of him wished he could go back to feeling for strings and casting spells. Although Giscela had her role, he had his. He had to make things right. He had to get the truth out. For now though, his body ached and he could smell himself. Aries' mouth pursed.

"I am exhausted and I would kill for a bath right now," the knight said out loud and Cadmus chuckled.

"Well, I have good news for you..."

The dragon walked over to the far left wall and placed his hand on it. Immediately, the walls began to shift and move once more. Aries' excitement grew as the wall opened more and more until finally revealing the treasure held inside; a pool with water that was a pure, aqua blue. Aries bubbled with happiness. Finally, he would be able to clean himself!

Moving past Cadmus and into the room, Aries started to take off his undershirt and trousers. The dragon blushed at the human's eagerness and looked away with a chuckle. "A bit eager! What if the Princess was watching?"

"Ahh, who cares about her. She is probably back in our room," Aries laughed. A smattering of deep blond hair cut through his pecs and down towards his abs. He had muscles built for hard labor and carved by training. The fuzz along his arms and legs shimmered with sweat and grime. Cadmus was always curious what function hair could even provide on humans but now he was getting a deeper look than he bargained for. The dragon thanked whatever was out there when Aries started to dip his body into the lukewarm water. At least he wouldn't be seen openly gawking since Aries' back was turned to him. Aries started to wash himself off in earnest, giving a little hiss at how cold the cave water was on him.

Walking over, Cadmus crossed his legs and sat at the edge of the pool. "Thank you."

Aries turned over his shoulder. His back and lower body was in full view and now sparkling with little droplets of water. The wisp's light almost pulled Cadmus' eyes to look at Aries. His musculature was in line with his discipline to say the least.

"Don't worry about it."

"No, I will worry. You are sacrificing all that you worked for. To have such a change of heart for someone you just met..."

Aries turned around, his naked body moving towards Cadmus and he leaned forward. Lower body still submerged, Aries was still modest. Arms on the rock, Aries' eyes were full of life. It was completely changed from before when he looked poised to kill.

"I am still a knight, Cadmus. I am sure that they will see reason..."

Cadmus frowned. "I'm not sure you have the wisdom to say such an optimistic thing."

Aries rolled his eyes. "Look at you being the pessimist now."

"I'm serious. What is compelling you?"

Aries stopped to think. It barely took him any time to think of an answer. Cadmus deserved to know.

"A long time ago, my father, Leo Polaris, swore his loyalty as a vassal to King Turden. He did not speak about his role. I...I thought that by becoming a knight, I would have access to certain types of information and find the reason my father was branded as a traitor....and executed."

The bravery that Aries portrayed only moments earlier waned and faltered. The glow of his eyes went out like a candle wick being extinguished between wet fingers.

"Aries...I cannot imagine the pain..."

Shifting in the water, Aries moved closer to the dragon. He felt so...connected. Their stories were similar. Both had felt like they lost everything. Both were trying to find their place in a foreign world. Both were reconciling their grief. Aries reached forward, his hand feeling across the dragon's lower leg.

"Come in the water, Cadmus."

The touch was soft. It wasn't demanding or out of pity. Cadmus' eyes looked over the peach color of the human's skin. It was so different and foreign but not unwelcome. It was a touch of understanding. It felt far more intimate to Cadmus than the handshake when they first met. It was like they were just now meeting each other again.

The dragon thought for only a moment before he was pulling off his cloak and loincloth. Aries' breath hitched, his eyes reflecting back the blue of Cadmus' sapphire scales. Cadmus was magnificent. As if carved from gems themselves, the dragon was a mixture of scales and muscle. Aries eyes looked over his pecs, broad and full. Abs that appeared sculpted from marble as if rock itself. At the same point, he had a belly. Not a large one by any means but just enough that it looked comfortable to lay on.

Cadmus dipped a leg into the water ever so slowly and Aries eyes had enough time to catch the dragon's maleness. To say he was hung would be an understatement and-

"Aries, are you okay?" Cadmus asked as he submerged his lower body fully into the cave's pool.

"Y-yeah..."

Aries blushed and looked away. Cadmus chuckled and he gave Aries a teasing smile.

"Come now. We have the same parts," Cadmus joked. "There's nothing here that bites...except me."

Aries rolled his eyes. "That was bad albeit true."

There was a comfortable quietness between the two. Aries had his arms on the edge and lounging in the water and Cadmus was close enough to the human that his legs were practically bumping up against Aries' own.

Aries' mind started to drift. He began to think about what led him to the cave in the first place. Getting his mission from his mentor to kill a dragon and spending three days traveling felt like ages ago. The whole cave felt like a dream. A crazy, wonderful, and horrifying dream. Looking over at Cadmus, Aries stared at the dragon for a moment. He took in all his features that were different from his own. Instead of skin, he had scales. He had a long, dexterous tail and massive wings capable of flight. Aries breathed deep and concentrated much like how he did before he casted a spell.

His mind started to wander. He thought back to when he was exploring the cave before Cadmus found him examining the weapons. Each one was stacked as if ready to be taken off of the rack at a moment's notice. Although rusted, they appeared to be old and the runes matched those that the dragon wore on his own body. Out of everything in the cave, those stood out compared to the dishes and other odds and ends.

It reminded him of the swords found in his own barracks. Aries started to sink and his chin and mouth dipped below the water. Then his head went under. The water bubbled up through his hair and washed away the dirt on his face. He opened his eyes, the clear blue of the water allowing him to see all four feet down. He looked over at Cadmus' body, noticing the thick thighs and the claws at his feet. Aries' mind trailed back to the weapons. Why would a dragon want weapons if he has claws?

Then it clicked.

Aries resurfaced and before he could say anything, Cadmus said, "I thought about what you said about running."

"I know what you are trying to build here," Aries replied, shaking his head and splattering water around. "You want to build an army."

Cadmus gave a surprised gasp. "So you know...that must mean that the King knows too..."

Aries shook his head. "No, I figured it out. The rusted swords. Those must be centuries old."

"They are draconic. I took as many as I could as I fled my home along with the crystals. I wish to build myself an epic army and take back my throne. Surround myself with the best advisors and tacticians," Cadmus replied. He searched Aries' face and then frowned. "You must think I am some form of a fool."

"For seeking dragons? Of course not..."

"No, Aries. If we were to mount an assault with the dragons available on this continent, we would be slaughtered."

Aries knew exactly what Cadmus was suggesting. It all started to become clear.

"You are trying to get our attention. You need humans in your army."

"Yes, Aries. We must take my home back from those who wish to use the crystals against you. The clock has been ticking for a while now. I need to go back to my throne and see what has happened and reunite the people. No one was listening in Randelen so I started to pick resources to go missing and then I kidnapped the Princess. Then they sent you..."

Aries scooted closer, his hand moving up Cadmus' leg to rest comfortable on his thigh. Aries thought nothing of the touch. It felt natural, like his hand belonged there. The scales felt nice under his fingers and the muscle moving underneath. The dragon gave a comforting rumble to his voice.

"I know what it is like to not be listened to. The knights do not take me seriously because they think I am going to follow in my father's footsteps. I can feel your pain. I am in the struggle with you," Aries said with a gentle smile. Funny enough, a mythical beast understands him better than any of his own. Maybe they were more similar than how he thought initially.

Cadmus' eyes moved to lock with Aries' own. "You are far too kind, Aries. People like you are the reason I believe there is hope for diplomacy between our races."

Cadmus smiled. "Perhaps when you are comfortable, I can consider you an ally."

Aries nodded. "You have an ally now. The knights must understand. We have to tell them that you mean no harm."

"They will. Do not despair."

Aries stared into Cadmus' eyes. How were they so similar? Both had been through such trauma. There was a connection between them. Something that Aries felt even the Gods have had their hand in. The Fates did not want to torture him...

A deep sense of calm went through Aries' body, starting from his toes and working its way up towards his mind. It was like tides of the ocean were coming back towards him. Dragons were not evil and Cadmus was proving it. He had a bigger role to play. This was not going to be the end of Aries' time in the plane of mortals.

Cadmus was watching him still but his muzzle was moving closer. Aries kept his hand on the dragon's thigh, unmoving it. A smile crossed the human's face. Cadmus' hand mimicked the motion that Aries' own was doing and rested it comfortably on gentle skin. The claws gently rubbed the surface and Aries found himself getting backed up into the edge of the pool.

"Did someone say 'army?'"

The two wheeled around to see Giscela , hair maintained and in a luxurious shoulder cape with trousers and a tunic. Her emerald eyes scanned over the two. She sat down on the floor and crossed her legs.

Aries and Cadmus glanced at each other for a moment before moving away to a more appropriate distance. Cadmus was the first one to speak. "Yes. I was just telling Aries that..."

"Say no more. I know what it is for. I've known since day one. It took me a moment but there were signs with the weapons. Ancient, old, and draconic...forged most likely on the island Cinere."

"Yes...how do you-"

"I am the royal Spymaster, Aries."

The interrogating looks and the mystery...it all made sense now. Aries looked over to see Cadmus was unphased. He knew the entire time.

Aries was about to say something sharp, but what Giscela said next made him immediately stop.

"And you are right."

Aries stopped and this time Cadmus was shocked.

"I have always wanted to break away. I never wanted to be a Princess. I always felt trapped and when Termund, my own father, decided that I needed to keep an ear to the ground at all times and use the orphan houses to keep watch..." Giscela stopped for just a moment. "They are a valuable resource to my father, not something that needs to be fixed."

It was the most genuine that she had been ever since Aries had arrived. She was not faking; she truly believed it and Aries realized at that moment that if he hadn't held his ground, she may not have changed. She might have still held onto her previous convictions and never revealed her pivotal role.

"We are all broken. A knight, a dragon exiled from his home, and now a Princess throwing away her family name. But at least I feel I have a choice here..."