Once, twice, thrice, block, parry and- Before Gallus could counter, Garble swung and smashed him across the face with a wooden sword, sending the griffon tumbling to the ground. Gallus slammed his fist against the stone floor and cursed. It was unfair how Garble could just decide whom he sparred with. Normally it was up to the captain to decide, and it was generally kept fair. How Garble was able to get away with sparring with a sixteen-year-old (nearly seventeen in a few weeks) was beyond Gallus's comprehension. Not that his fellow squires ever felt bad for him. Quite the contrary, they were envious of Gallus’s 'privilege', all because Garble happened to get lucky on a mission a few years ago. From what he heard; Garble stomped on a spider. Yet, here he was, lorded as a hero. Even the captain respected him greatly. Gallus would go as far as to say favored.
"Come on, you want to be a knight, right? Then stand," Garble said. “Girls don’t want a weak children as their mates.”
Mate. At least he knew for certain that this was about Smolder. Gallus flapped his wings and lifted himself from the ground. He readied his sword, and glared down at Garble, which would have seemed more daunting had his opponent not done the same.
"Don't think you can intimidate me," Garble sneered, flying slightly above Gallus, who in turn lifted himself higher. This continued until the two of them were high in the air. Gallus swung his sword first, only for Garble to block it with ease. They began to push against each other, their wings flapping to keep themselves balanced. It was only when a single shekel dropped from one of their pockets that they drew attention to themselves.
"What on earth are those two doing?" Captain Silver asked himself, witnessing their detestable actions. "Garble, Gallus," He shouted, spreading his wings and flying towards them. "We are not practicing aerial combat. Both of you fly down now!" The boys glared at each other but did as they were told. Silver gave them each a look, before landing. "Is there a quarrel I should be aware of?" Silver asked.
"No," Gallus said. "Just a friendly competition."
"A competition? That would imply a wimp like you has a chance at winning!”
“Enough!” There came two strikes, one hit Gallus, the other, which was harder, Garble. “I care not for what this is, but consider it finished," Silver demanded, slamming the tip of a sheathed saber against the ground, sending a harsh echo across the field. "The military is for men and knights. I shan't be training petulant children who mingle their personal lives with their lives on the battlefield! Especially when one of those children should know better, Garble."
Garble felt a small twinge of shame wash over him. "I apologize, Captain. It won't happen again."
"See that it doesn’t! Go again; keep to the basics, and if either of you instigate the other, I will see to it that you never train with each other again, or that you only train with each other," Silver said, turning towards Gallus for the last part. He turned to view the other knights and squires, while muttering to himself. "Friendly competition, bah!"
While Garble watched Silver leave, Gallus went for a strike, only for Garble to quickly turn and block the hit. Garble pushed Gallus off and began to swing at him repeatedly, each one precise and swift. Gallus was able to block several blows, but Garble got in a hit on his arm, before striking him across the chest.
Gallus held his hurt body as he grunted and struggled to stand. "Freaking sociopath, I wasn’t even trying anything with her," Gallus sneered quietly.
“We both know that’s not true,” Garble said.
“Are you going to kick the crap out of her to? Teach her a lesson?”
Garble scowled and Gallus was struck once more. “You let me worry about Smolder,” Garble said with a low growl.
Part of Smolder hated learning to be a proper lady, but considering she was able to explore the castle, and learn to read and do math, it was a small price to pay. Garble was especially relieved that she had an education. ‘Strong and smart, I swear guys are going to be throwing themselves at you!’ He would say.
Garble saying it annoyed her greatly, because Smolder already had someone in mind to wed once she was old enough: Gallus, and Garble hated it. She didn’t know why he had such an aversion to the griffon, but he did, and he was not budging. She had a few conversations with him about her desires, not that they went anywhere.
“I like him, so I need you to tolerate him,” she would say.
“No,” Garble would say. "You are not courting him."
“Garble, I want you to let us court.”
“Not happening,” Garble would say. “Why not have an evening with Spear Jabber? He's nice.”
“No,” Smolder would say. “I want to have a say in who I date. I don’t need you trying to auction me off to your colleagues!”
“And I’ll let you have a say, but you can’t choose Gallus,” Garble would say.
It would continue like that for an hour before they would agree to disagree and have dinner.
Smolder stared out the window of the classroom, watching Gallus and Garble clash. Clash was a bit kind to Gallus though. Garble was not giving him an inch, and in fact was mostly keeping him down. Gallus once came close to nicking him with a slash, only for Garble to counter at the last second before he spun and smashed him with his tail. She winced as the griffon fell the floor. “Damn it, Garble, leave him alone,” She said in an angry whisper.
“Watching your brother?” A soft voice asked. Ocellus, a niece of a diplomat in Dawn Break, was one of her classmates, and sat next to her with a book opened. She was a Changeling, often called a Changedling by Equestrians, as she lacked black chitin and was less cruel and devious in selfish ways. Changelings were a breed similar to ponies, but had insect qualities about them, like their wings which were akin to a beetle’s, large eyes, and the ability to turn into just about any other person of any other race.
“Yeah, I think he’s doing great, but he's being too hard on Gallus. Again.”
"You’re annoyed at that?" Ocellus whispered. “Don’t you usually laugh when your brother beats someone up in training?”
“Yeah, when it’s not Gallus,” Smolder said with a sigh.
"Ocellus, Smolder, focus!" A sharp voice said. It was their teacher for the day, Ember Brightcrest. Ember was the only other dragon in Dawn Break aside from Garble and Smolder. She was a fair maiden, with fierce eyes and a pink gown. She also had two curved horns or would have had them had her left horn not been missing, and no wings to speak of. She had been living in Dawn Break with her Father for seven years. She was only twenty, young for a dragoness, and devoted most of her time to her job, which encompassed anything the lord of Dawn Break requested of her.
Today’s lessons were on Equestrian literature and lore. Smolder referred to them as filler work, considering that she had no real use for such things. She and Ocellus returned to their books, with Smolder occasionally looking out the window.
“Has he budged at all on letting you two court?” Ocellus asked in a whisper.
Smolder looked up at Ember, who had her face buried in a book while taking notes. She scoffed. “Yeah, cause if Dragons are known for anything, it’s being understanding and willing to change. The reason he’s kicking the crap out of Gallus is because Garble wants to make sure he’s strong enough to take care of me if we get betrothed and marry before an altar.”
“I was just wondering,” Ocellus mumbled.
“I know. I’m sorry, it’s suffocating though! Garble tortures him for the audacity of liking his little sister! And Garble’s the worst! I’m too young and fragile to court Gallus, but he’ll try to set me up with guys like your uncle! It’s annoying.”
“My uncle isn’t the worst person in the world. He’s really loyal once you get to know him.” Smolder gave her a look. “Right, right, that’s not the point.”
“Have you ever just tried to visit him during practice? They usually break by the time we’re halfway through lessons.”
“Yeah! Why didn’t I think of that? I could sneak down to the field, give him lunch, a kiss, honied words, and then watch when Garble pounds him into the ground!”
“Well, you could just pretend to visit him and then go off to visit Gallus.”
“Good idea, except I can’t be in two places at once.”
“Why not let me worry about that?” Ocellus was suddenly engulfed in flames. All that remained was another Smolder.
Smolder simply grinned. As shy and obedient as she was, Ocellus still had the devious mind of a Changeling. What made her special was the willingness to use that mind to help her friends. If only she was able to actually impersonate someone. “It’s a good idea, but he’d see through you in a second. You can’t really act like me and-”
“Ocellus!” Ember cried, looking up from her book.
“Sorry!” Smolder-Ocellus said, turning back to her light blue, changeling self.
“See, I would have added something snarky-”
“Smolder-” Ember growled, almost standing from her seat.
“Alicorn and friendship are good, dark alicorn and division are bad. Fire of friendship is good, ice demon spirits are bad. Equestria has interacted with humans a total of three times. Humans are good and bad. There, I just saved us 200 pages of reading.”
“Name the three most known humans and the first two alicorns,” Ember demanded.
“Humans: Molly the Healer, Hugonaut the Steal, the Pale King. Alicorns: Nova and Quasar.”
Ember glared at Smolder and sighed. “You all can have a five-minute break.”
“See? You need to be a dragon to even think about doing that to anyone,” Smolder said to Ocellus.
“I see your point. I might not be able to pull you off. How do you know so much about Equestrian lore though?”
“Celestia taught me all about it when I was younger, this is basically review for me. I do have something you can do for me though.” Smolder leaned in and whispered in Ocellus’s ear. The changeling’s eyes went wide before giggling to herself. She nodded and the two returned to their studies. The lesson lasted for about another three hours, before there was a small break. Three girls, each with a tie to the castle in some form or another gathered in a group to talk, chat and enjoy their lunch. Meanwhile, Ocellus and Smolder went towards the door.
“And where do you think the two of you are heading?” Ember asked.
“Down to the training ground to visit my brother.”
“No,” Ember said. “I let you two go, then those three get it in their heads that they can go, and then I have nobles and knights breathing down my neck because they flirted with the morons with spears and-”
Smolder took a rolled-up piece of parchment from her dress and held it up for Ember to see.
Instantly, her eyes became saucers, as if she had seen a large pile of gems and gold trinkets. It was something she wanted. A poem, a very good poem in her opinion, written by what she could only assumed was a brilliant mind, belonging to what she could only assume to be a handsome artist that spent his day studying and reading philosophy. How unfortunate for her, though she was not privy to it, that any poem she read and loved was written by one Garble Ironscale, someone she considered to be a twat, if not a violent moron the likes of which she’d seen only in her father.
“Is that a new one?” She asked, leaning in a bit.
“Written just for you,” Smolder said, smirking as she waved the parchment in front of Ember’s face. This was a lie. Garble had made Smolder promise that she would not show anyone the poem. In fact, if the poem was written for anyone, it was for Smolder and Smolder alone. “Of course, if you don’t want it, I could just use it as kindling-”
“No! No, let me have a look at it, just to make sure your friend isn’t slacking off.” Ember quickly snatched the poem and saw Smolder grinning towards her. “Fine, you can go, just be back quick.”
“Mind if we go as well?” One of the ponies asked, coming to Smolder’s side. “It’s so boring here, and visiting the guards would be interesting.”
“No,” Ember said.
“But that’s not fair!”
“Life isn't fair. When you have access to something I love and can’t normally get, we can talk. Until then, back to your seats.”
“Well-”
“Dammit,” Ember said, just as she undid the poem’s ribbon. “What now, Smolder?”
“Ember, it would really help me, and tick off Garble, if you let them come with us,” Smolder said.
“It would tick. Off. Garble.” She began to tap the poem against her chin as she became deep in thought. “And why would I want to do that?”
“Because he treats me like a hapless hatchling, who’s so fragile he can’t let a boy near me lest their gazes break me in two, and last I heard you can relate.”
Ember gave it just a moment of thought before saying, “You all have ten minutes.”
Training lasted well into the afternoon before anyone was given a break. Garble didn’t know why but beating Gallus into the ground was strangely satisfying. Perhaps he would write a poem about it. How to start it though? Perhaps ‘the vile griffon crashes upon the ground, the brave knight smiles.’ That was a nice sentence. Garble looked around, and found several small groups forming. With nothing better to do, and know real friends to talk with, he listened in on conversations going around the field.
“Did you hear about Gilda? Heard she was brought back on a stretcher. Apparently, some bandits roughed her and her team up good before escaping into the wilds,” one group said.
“They escaped into the wilds. So, they’re Thicket’s problem now. Hope they kill each other.”
“Still, makes you wonder if them bounty hunters are worth what the lords pay them for a head.”
Garble rolled his eyes. Gilda Featherstroke and her merry band of thugs, beaten by bandits and brought back on a stretcher. Why was he not surprised in the slightest? Possibly because tracking down bandits was a job for actual guards and soldiers, not bounty hunters that just picked up a knife and decided to fight.
Then something else caught his ear. “He went off to the ruins for a while with Baast. You know how he gets when he makes a breakthrough,” One of the older guards said in a whisper.
“Great, meaning we’re left with-”
“-Tefnut, yes.”
Tefnut. Garble had no comment to give. He would simply follow Captain Silver’s lead for the time being. If Tefnut had something minute for him to do, perhaps he could burden Gallus with it.
Then there were the squires and newly knighted. “Did you hear about Gallus?” Garble glanced towards the group talking. He certainly didn’t hear about Gallus. Garble prayed that it was something that would turn his sister away from him.
“He’s courting Smolder!”
“Guy must be a lunatic. I tried talking to that girl once, Garble looked ready to rip my throat out.”
“Have you tried talking to Ember? You think Garble is bad, go to her house and talk to her dad. Guy’s a mountain!”
Gallus was courting Smolder, of course that was the rumor. Garble muttered a curse under his breath. Why did Gallus have to be just a failure? Couldn’t he be a filthy cheater? (Not that he seemed like one, but still) The conversation went on a bit longer, focusing on whether Garble was just using training as an excuse to beat Gallus, which he was, or if he was readying Gallus for a career in the military that would allow him to become a well-known knight. Garble would rather be run through with a dragon slayer spear.
"Oi! Garble,” A gargoyle called, “your sister’s looking for you!"
Perking up just a bit, Garble stood and saw Smolder, breaking away from three fillies, who playfully flirted and drew the attention of several squires and guards, leaving him and an approaching Smolder by themselves.
“Smolder, what are you doing here?” He took a quick glance towards Gallus, before turning back towards Smolder.
“What, I can’t bring my brother a well-earned bottle of water?” She asked, holding out a bottle.
Garble took a single sip before downing half the container. There was a hint of cherry flavoring to it, something that only Smolder knew he loved. “Thanks,” He said. Garble turned back towards Gallus to see him in the same position as before.
“Come on, you think I’m dumb enough to try anything with him in front of you? Give me some credit, Garble!”
“Because hearing that lifts my spirits beyond all reason.” He said, rolling his eyes. He glanced at the fillies, who seemed to have drawn nearly all the young guards towards them, as they offered them water and feigned interest in them. Much like how ponies are, they seemed to adore the attention and cared only for that. One though, saw him and gave him a wink making him shudder as if he’d just been violated in some way. He focused on his sister. “There’s an ulterior motive to this, Smolder. What is it? You don’t bring the ponies unless you’re planning something.”
“Well, I was talking with Ocellus about her uncle earlier today.” It was just enough to give Garble pause. He lifted a brow but leaned his head in an inch.
“You were?”
“Yeah, and after hearing what she had to say, I was thinking, why don’t I have dinner with him? It might be nice.”
A smile broke out upon his face, as joy welled in his heart, but it quickly faded. There was something off about his sister, but he didn’t know what. Perhaps it was that Smolder was offering to date someone that he would like. But there was something else, something that made his innards twist and his stomach quake. “What’s the catch?” Garble asked, raising a brow.
“You leave Gallus alone for the rest of the day.”
So, it was Gallus related, just not the type he was dreading. There was no plan for her to see Gallus, at least not one that was obvious. He looked back at Gallus again, who was dabbing his welts and bruises with a moist cloth. He’d dealt out much, much worse to better men. The fact that Smolder was worried for him proved that she wasn’t applying the same standards she would to other guards to the griffon.
“No complaints?”
“No complaints if you leave Gallus alone. No taunts, no hits, no ‘training’ with him. I’ll put on one of my nicer dresses, smile, and have dinner with some thirty-year-old that likely wants to use me as a food source.”
“He’s actually thirty-four and really well off.”
“The number going up does not help your case,” Smolder said with a sigh as she folded her arms.
“Okay, okay, you win. I’ll leave him alone, but you have to be ready the moment Pharynx gives me notice.”
“Deal. I’ll be watching you.”
“You’re supposed to be learning.”
“It’s Equestrian history and lore! Celestia drilled that into my head years ago!”
“Ugh, fine. You can be such a brat sometimes.”
“And you can be a jackass, but I love you anyway.” Smolder gave him a hug before regrouping with her schoolmates and walking back towards the castle. Garble turned to let Gallus off the hook and deliver him the good news. Or, he would focus on the dinner aspect of things and leave it at that. One of the two. Probably the one that involved the statement: ‘Sorry, my sister is dating someone that can actually look after her. Good day.’ Either way he and Gallus were no longer sparring. Except, Garble was unable to do anything because Gallus was gone. He began to grind his teeth together as he turned and watched his sister saunter off to the castle. If it turned out that he had been talking to Ocellus the entire time, Smolder would be lucky to leave her room in the next month, and Gallus would be lucky if bruises were all he got from their training.
As Gallus nursed his wounds and steadied his breathing, he pondered the state he would be in upon returning home. The answer would be a sorry enough state that Gilda would bust a gut upon seeing him, along with Gabby freaking out. Worse, there was still half a day to go, and he was still practicing with Garble. If it weren’t for Captain Silver keeping a close eye on them, there was a chance that Garble would much crueler. But there was the captain, glaring at the dragon with his one eye, warning him, even if he couldn’t see it, to take things easy. Part of Gallus wanted to go to Silver for permission to court Smolder. She was his ward after all, but there was a chance that he would be like Garble and then he’d be dead by day’s end.
Suddenly there came a nipping at his arm. He looked to his left. From far away, hiding behind a well and holding a few pebbles in magic, was Ocellus. She quickly ducked out of sight. Gallus looked towards Garble, who was still talking with Smolder. He could sneak away for a moment. Just a moment. Gallus gave his wings a flap and went towards the well. “What is it Ocellus?” Gallus asked.
She shifted in her seat, looking around to make sure they weren’t being watched. “Smolder wanted to give you a message, well, a few messages. First and foremost, she’s sorry for Garble. Second, she wants to meet you tonight.”
Gallus perked up at the latter prospect. “Where does she want to meet? Can’t be at her house.”
“She said the Oak. I don’t know what that means.”
Gallus smiled to himself. The oak, an old tree on a hill overlooking Day Break Village, was where Gallus and Smolder first met about five years ago. “It’s where we first met.”
“Awe!” Ocellus sighed. There was an aura of affection around the griffon, light and pure, that sent her heart aflutter and made her a little hungry. She shook her head clear. “Finally, she’s really sorry.”
“About?”
“She’s maybe going to have dinner with my uncle in exchange for Garble leaving you alone for the rest of the day.” Ocellus braced herself for something to happen, only to find that Gallus didn’t seem to care. “Are you not mad?” She asked.
“No. Why? Should I be worried?”
“Yeah! Uncle Pharynx is really nice once you get to know him! And he’s really strong and loyal. If he tried hard enough, he could get Smolder to like him!”
“Your uncle’s thirty and would likely use her as a meal. I don’t think Smolder’s into that.”
At that Ocellus’s cheeks inflated. “He nibbled on someone’s love once, and she consented to it while he wasn’t disguised! It’s not like he put her in a cocoon or anything. And there are many types of love we can feed on,” Ocellus said. She began listing off all types of love that she could. “Paternal, sibling, if someone could impersonate Smolder well, they’re fed for life. Love for a country, of your fellow countrymen, and familial love for extended family!”
“What’s the delicacy that really feeds you though?” Gallus asked, already knowing the answer.
“Love for a husband or wife,” Ocellus muttered, defeated.
“Thought so. Tonight, at the oak. I won’t be late.”
A large, dark shadow suddenly fell over Gallus. The griffon lost all color in his face, and beads of sweat began to form on his forehead.
“Late for what, squire, a party?”
The voice sent a chill down his spine. Gallus slowly turned himself to face Garble.
Garble growled lowly as he stepped forward, forcing Gallus to take a shaky step back. “What are you doing here with her?” Garble asked, tilting his head towards Ocellus.
“I-We-I-” Why was so hard for him to talk? There seemed to be a toxic cloud around Garble that choked him with every breath. His eyes seemed to glow with fire, and he seemed like a giant now, nothing like what he seemed like on the training field.
Garble, meanwhile, didn’t even know how angry he seemed. To him, he was simply asking a question. However, there was a different thought going through his mind. He knew that Gallus was a loser, and a weakling, and would not amount to much in his career as a guard or knight if he made the cut. But now, a small part of him wondered if the griffon was sneaking around his sister’s friend. Or they were relaying a message to one another, from Smolder. It was just a matter of time before he had his answer. If he exerted enough pressure, someone was bound to break. As he took another step forward, that someone became Ocellus.
“We’re dating!” She cried. She didn’t know why she said that specifically, nor why she screamed it. It was just the easiest explanation that she could come up with, considering that they were two adolescences sneaking off to a private area to talk, and a dragon seemed like he was about to murder Gallus. She couldn’t very well say, ‘Your sister is using my uncle to satiate your need to control her, while making plans to sneak out to meet Gallus where they first met, and it sounds really romantic and I can literally taste the affection. Also, I might be there to nibble on their love because it tastes really good.’ On one hand, she had very likely doomed Gallus, on the other, her outburst didn’t blow up the world like she expected it to.
That didn’t negate the fact that she could feel the betrayal and bewilderment that Gallus was feeling and the utter contempt for the both of them that permeated Garble’s being. “I’m sorry,” she said, swallowing a lump in her throat. “I panicked and-!” Ocellus fell silent as Garble turned to her and began to pet her head in the most assuring manner he could. It did nothing to mask the rage he was feeling.
“No, this is good. Honesty is good. Did you know Smolder agreed to have dinner with your uncle? You just make sure everything is set up between them, okay?” He moved on to Gallus. He gave him a smile, and then attacked him without much warning. The first strike was fast and collided with the side of Gallus’s face, the second was an upcut that went into his gut, leaving him winded. The griffon fell to his knees as he struggled to inhale. Before Gallus could regain his senses, or think about how Ocellus had likely killed him, he was picked up and slammed against a wall. “I made a deal with Smolder, so I’m not going to kill you. But I will give you one warning: Stay. Away. From my sister.” He leaned in and sneered in a whisper, “And keep to the changeling trollop.” He dropped Gallus to the ground and left, leaving the two to finish their affair.
How unfortunate it was that he ran into Ember. He could already feel his body burning at the mere sight of her glare. Every fiber of his being prayed she had seen nothing of his assault, and that this was just her wanting to say hello. He was not a changeling, but even he could feel her disgust.
Ember had not come to say hello and was even less thrilled at the current situation than Garble was. For the time being, she had forwent reading the poem that Smolder had given her, opting to make sure her students all returned to her in a timely manner. When Ember saw that Ocellus was not part of the group coming back to class, she acted. Considering that Garble now stood before her, she knew that she had made the right call. Ember continued to glare at Garble, craning her head to the side, watching the figures of Ocellus and Gallus. Ocellus, naturally helped her friend to his feet as he seemed to wheeze and gasp for air. Her glare hardened, and before Garble knew it, he was on his back slamming down into the hard, cold, stone floor.
“What was that for?” He said picking himself up as soon as he comprehended his position.
“For the crap you just pulled. I saw everything.”
‘Of course, she saw everything,’ Garble thought to himself, cursing his draconic instincts. “Did you hear everything to?”
“No, but knowing you, it was probably your fault in some way. Let me guess, he looked at you wrong, maybe said something that was too cute, or maybe you just felt like being a fool. Did kicking the crap out of him make you feel good?” She said, pushing a finger against his chest.
“More than you know!” He said out of instinct. Her hand whipped across his face, eliciting a regretful sigh. Even Garble knew the slap was deserved. Ember pushed passed him and went towards her student and Gallus, leaving Garble to his own devices.
Garble grumbled to himself as he marched away from the group. Aside from angering Ember and making her think even less of him, the past seven minutes could have been worse. In fact, he even smiled to himself. Gallus was a two-timer, not just a loser like he expected. Pride was welling up in his being. He was right about Gallus. The griffon was vile, and no one could say different, especially Smolder. And he’d be able to let her know by day’s end. He could only imagine how she would react. He could see it now: her denouncing him on the spot, coming home, going to her room and- Just like that, anything resembling positivity had faded into oblivion.
The poor girl; his little sister was going to be devastated. What was Smolder going to think when she found out? If she could even think. If she even believed him. He could already see her crying her heart out, wondering what she could have done different as if she was the problem. This was, unfortunate, her first love. Could he even consider taking her to Pharynx’s anymore, considering who was involved with such the affair? Garble felt a pit form in his stomach. Was she even going to be ready to try again anytime soon? Heaven forbid she just locked herself in her room for the rest of her life.
He had been right about Gallus, and now he wished he’d been wrong. Garble punched a nearby wall, leaving cracks in the stone where he struck. Why did he need to be right about Gallus?
“What took you both so long?” Smolder asked as Ember and Ocellus entered the room once more.
“Your brother’s a fool, that’s what took us so long,” Ember sneered as she took a seat at her desk. She unrolled the poem from earlier and began to read. “Continue studying.”
“Oh no. What did he do?” Ocellus took a seat next to Smolder, letting out a whimper. “Ocellus, did he catch you two talking? Did he hit Gallus? Oh, I am in for it when I get home, aren’t I?”
“Yes, yes, and no.”
“Care to explain?”
And Ocellus did. And Smolder slammed her palm against her forehead.
“Why did you say that?” Smolder groaned, sinking in her seat.
“I panicked. It just kinda slipped out.”
“But courting?” Smolder buried her face in her hands for a moment before letting out a final groan. “Okay, I’ll have to find some way to make sure my brother doesn’t kill Gallus, but other than that, we can still work with this.”
“How? You’re going to the house of the changeling trollop that stole your boyfriend!”
“Dragon pride. I made a deal; I’m sticking to it. Even if the deal was to help a ‘rat bastard’ like Gallus.”
“But Gallus-”
“I know he’s not, but Garble doesn’t know that. Besides, I’m mad at you for having an affair, not your uncle.”
“So, we keep to the plan?”
“Yes, just act sorry and adorable.”
“So, I should be myself.”
“Exactly.” Smolder looked towards Ember, expecting her to be giving them the evil eye, only to find that their teacher had given her undivided attention to the poem. Smolder had yet to read it herself, and wondered, just what had captured her attention. Knowing Garble, there was likely a reference to the dragon lands in it, and being a dragon, how could Ember hate it?
Meanwhile, Ember kept reading through the poem repeatedly. It was one of his best in her opinion, though perhaps the subject matter made her a bit biased. Did he know that she read his works? She assumed it was a he. She hoped the poet was a he. Who was he though? And to know a term like Precious Gem, they must have done research into the dragon lands. A name was all she needed. Ember scanned the room and saw that her students were engrossed in their own books or conversations, not paying her any heed. She smiled and hugged the poem close to her chest, eyes closed as she tried to put a face to the poet. He was shy, that much was sure. From his works, calm and thoughtful, gentle and kind, Intelligent and articulate- There came a soft cry of anguish, and Ember was ripped from her thoughts.
She walked over to the window, only to see Garble taking out whatever baggage he had on three guards. He was brutal in his assaults, moving swiftly and keeping low to the ground. He forwent a wooden sword and relied on his fists, dodging two of his opponents with ease while beating the remaining one with quick, swift blows before throwing them aside and focusing on another target.
In her long list of potential suspects, Garble was one person that she could rule out. Returning to her seat, and blocking out the cries and grunts, she closed her eyes again and imagined the poet. He had to be someone handsome, with a deep voice. Someone that, hopefully, her father approved of and who he wouldn’t try to fight as was the Dragon Lands’ custom. Not that they were in the Dragon Lands, but her father didn’t seem to care for that.
“Are you done daydreaming?” Smolder asked, ripping Ember from her imagination. She jolted awake and stared at her, annoyed. “Come on, I need the poem back.”
She looked out the window, only to find that the sun was almost ready to set. Ember's cheeks flushed a light shade of pink. She had been dreaming about the mystery poet for almost three and a half hours. Training had ended for the day, and now the guards and squires would proceed to their daily rounds, taking over for those that had been working since dawn. Some were lucky enough to go home, but those were the men that had just returned from the warg hunt and the squires. “Actually, can I keep this one? I like it a lot.”
“Okay, no problem, I’ll just tell them I lost it. They’re really shy about their work and hates it whenever anyone but me reads it.”
"I could tell. It’s probably guys like Garble who give him grief for writing. Morons like him can’t even start to grasp the concept of art.”
“Yes, Garble would be hard on these.” Smolder had to fight a growing smile. Garble hated nearly everything he wrote. ‘This is the worst! I could do better,’ he would say. So, it was technically true that he would insult the poet.
“Think you could tell me who writes all of these poems? I wouldn’t mind getting to know them a little bit better, maybe even learning to write them myself.”
The poems belonged to her brother, made by her brother, and given to her by her brother. Ember hated her brother but loved his poetry. Garble would love to teach anyone to write poetry, especially if they were a girl. But Ember didn't need to know that, nor did Garble need to know about Ember.
"Sorry, they made me promise not to say," Smolder said with a shrug. This was true, though Garble had no idea that anyone besides Smolder read his poetry. "I mean I could betray their trust; they’d just never give me a poem again. Why? Thinking about a mate?"
Courting that would be nice. Get to know the real poet. Ember couldn’t deny that she would love to. She smiled as her cheeks darkened a bit. “Maybe. Knowing that, are you sure you can’t tell me his name?”
Smolder smirked. “Can’t. They really want to keep their anonymity.” Also, if they’re going to make it a hassle to see my boyfriend, they can be damn well sure that I won’t take a gamble that might gift wrap them a dragoness like you! It could very well turn out that the poet’s true identity could sour the poems for Ember.
“You’re the worst,” Ember said with a smile, shaking her head. There was a sudden knock at the door. There stood Garble. Ember’s eyes narrowed. “Speaking of the worst, your brother’s here.”
“Yeah, I can see him. I’ll see you next week.” As Smolder approached her brother, her mood turned more and more bitter with every step.
Garble saw that she was upset, likely having heard about his assault on Gallus. He felt a sudden weight stack on his shoulders. How was he even supposed to approach the subject of Gallus’s infidelity. It was best to just tell her, even if she didn’t believe him. He scratched the back of his head, wondering how to even approach the subject. “Smolder, we need to talk.”
“Ocellus already told me everything,” She said, walking past her brother.
“Everything could mean a lot.”
“She told me about what you saw.”
Garble let out a sigh. “If that means what I think it means, how are you holding up?”
“How do you think? Let’s just go home, Garble.”
She sounded angry and upset, and Garble could feel his heart breaking in two. “Yeah. Let’s go home,” he mumbled. Why did he need to be right about Gallus?