Dragon bits
Sep. 23rd, 2007 11:18 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tygati^___^v
Scene one, Scene two, aaaaaand onward to:
---
The ship was fascinating. For one thing, it was blue, from the light blue of its sails to the darker blue keel and all the varying shades between. There was even a section that matched Glesyn's hair and scales, much to his amusement, and the crew's as well. Apparently it was becoming something of a joke that while the ship had been designed to match its captain, Glesyn matched it far better.
Fortunately Naefindan found the whole thing highly amusing, or else Glesyn might have been concerned. He'd even made comments a few times about dying his hair blue, though Torhle apparently objected to that. Glesyn wasn't sure why. Blue hair was very attractive. Although Nae's natural pale gold was pretty too.
There was just so much to look at! He explored from front to back... err, bow to stern, and left to- no, port to star... star... star-something, and pretty much everything between except for the rigging (which was everything from the masts upward, apparently) and that he only neglected because Naefindan told him in no uncertain terms what would happen if he was to attempt to climb up the rope ladders without cutting his nails. Since Glesyn rather liked his nails, he stayed on the deck.
He also managed to meet the mysterious Lan, whose name was actually Lanthus. The man was slightly taller than Glesyn, which was really very impressive given that he'd never seen a human taller than he was before, and wore bright, vivid colors in a wild mix of fabric and jewelry and things that dazzled his eyes and made him want to touch, except that he had the feeling he'd probably get his fingers broken if he tried.
Well, maybe not when Riven was nearby (Riven being the adorable little blond whose smiles made Lanthus go from scowly to melty in less than one blink) but Glesyn really didn't want to test his luck by trying to poke at the shiny things on Lan's clothing even when Riven had him doing that melty thing. Glesyn might be the one with the claws, but Lan didn't need claws to be walking dangerous. Maybe he had dragon blood somewhere in his history.
By far the hardest thing to deal with, however, was Faelin. The man was beautiful, there was no denying that, but he seemed to have a personal dislike for Glesyn no matter what the dragon did. Every now and then Glesyn would catch Faelin watching him, when they weren't outright running into each other, but almost as soon as Glesyn noticed Faelin would turn away and stalk off. It was maddening, frustrating, and no small part confusing.
Like this morning, when Glesyn had hopped up onto the forecastle deck only to find Faelin already there. Glesyn hadn't even had to say anything before Faelin was already turning, frowning.
"Your endless chatter is incredibly annoying. Can't you learn to think more quietly?"
"You could just not listen, you know."
"I'm trying, but you are so very loud!"
Of course, he'd stormed off again after that, leaving Glesyn bewildered and frustrated. The man didn't seem to have problems with anyone else on the ship. Indeed, he was downright friendly to some of the sailors. But not to Glesyn. Never to Glesyn.
But he refused to let it get to him, instead badgering the sailors into telling him everything about what they were doing and why, to the amusement of some and the frustration of others. After a while he thought he had a fairly good idea of how the ship worked, in theory at least.
Then they arrived in Makani.
Makani was the largest city Glesyn had ever seen. It seemed to go on forever, along the coast in both directions and inland up into the mountains. If he'd thought it odd that nearly two dozen sailors would all want to live together, this was downright unfathomable! And worse yet, when he expressed his thoughts aloud Naefindan had laughed hard and told him that Makani was far from the largest or busiest port they'd docked at.
Glesyn didn't even try to wrap his mind around that. It was beyond his ability to process. And the only other person on board who might understand what he was feeling was the one avoiding him. Of course.
Torhle, at least, seemed sympathetic. He was the one who found the large kerchief to hide Glesyn's hair and ears, soft coverings for his feet, and loose gloves to obscure his hands. Last, he provided a little pouch of shiny metal bits, explaining that perhaps Glesyn might want to purchase something as a souvenir.
Then he had to explain what purchasing was.
But finally Glesyn was off the ship and back onto land that held still beneath his feet and didn't sway with each passing wave. There were sights and sounds and people everywhere and for one moment Glesyn felt a tremor of fear. He looked back behind him at the ship, bright and beautiful, reassuring himself that he could find it again if he got lost. Then he turned, squared his shoulders, and went to explore Makani.
He didn't know what to look at first. Ahead of him was a man balancing pots on his head as he strolled briskly up the road. To one side was a tall, scarred woman who reminded him of Lanthus, only she had more than a dozen weapons on her while Lan rarely seemed to bother. But her clothes were just as bright and around her neck hung bits of sparkling things that Glesyn had to force his eyes away from with effort.
It took him a while to find the marketplace Torhle had directed him towards as he had to keep stopping to look at things. Eventually, however, he made it, and had to stop again to gawk.
First there were the people. There were more varieties of people than he'd ever seen before in all his life, in all different colors and fabrics and sizes. Everywhere he looked there was someone new, someone entirely unlike the ones he'd seen before. They moved around in a teeming mass, going from one brightly decorated stall to the next, inspecting what was at each.
And what was there! Foods and clothes and furnishings and more trinkets than he could possibly identify, much less remember. There were bottles of things that smelled and bottles of things that were for drinking and just plain bottles in all shapes and sizes. There were things that sparkled and things that shimmered and things that he longed to run his hands across just to see if it felt as wonderful as it looked. So much of everything it made his head spin, and there were bigger places than this?
He clung to a sturdy pole until he stopped feeling quite so overwhelmed, then resolutely pushed away and began making his way through the teeming crowd.
The first stall he stopped at had bits of colored glass done up to resemble various sea creatures. He spent a bit of time admiring them, naming the ones he knew and remembering the ones he didn't to ask Naefindan about later. A man-fish should know about other fish, right?
The second time he stopped was for brightly patterned fabric in more colors and designs than he'd ever known could exist. He contemplated getting some to fashion like Nae's skirt, but decided to see what else was around first. He could always come back again - provided he didn't get lost. Which was always a possibility, but he consoled himself that if he really got turned around all he really had to do was find the sea.
Every step he took, it seemed, there was something else he had to look at. Things that dazzled, awed, and amazed, but never quite what he was looking for.
Then he saw it.
Lying on a table, surrounded by strange trinkets, was a small wooden ship, the nose and tail of which had been fashioned to look like a dragon. Not a very good dragon, but a dragon none the less. It was perfect. He had to have it.
See something you like?" the old man behind the table asked slyly, reaching out to caress the dragon ship.
"It's very nice," Glesyn admitted, politely not telling the man about its inaccuracies.
"You like it?" the old man asked, grinning. "I'll make you a special deal."
Deal? Torhle's lessons hadn't covered 'deals'. "Um... okay?" Glesyn tried.
"Fifty silver," the man said promptly.
Glesyn blinked at him, trying to remember which ones were 'silver' and eventually deciding that he didn't have fifty of anything, even if he could remember which ones were which. "Umm, I don't think..."
"Forty-five," the man interrupted, watching him intently. "It's an intricate piece of craftsmanship."
"I still don't-" Glesyn tried again.
The old man crossed his arms, frowning. "Very well, forty-two, but that is my final offer."
Glesyn looked at him, then at the dragon-boat, then back up to the man. He supposed if he counted very carefully he might have that many coins - though he still couldn't remember which ones were silver. He reached for the little bag, intending to count, when a hand clasped around his wrist.
Don't, and don't say anything.
Glesyn twisted to stare at Faelin, who was eyeing the old man with a strange expression, his snow-white hair and pointed ears neatly hidden beneath a large, floppy hat. Oddly, his skin didn't look as pale as it had. If anything, it seemed to be taking on a green-brown tint. "The craftsmanship is crude at best, an amateur hand. Perhaps you bought it from the old village granny for a few coppers? It is not even worth ten silver," Faelin stated.
The old man bristled. "Have you no eye for beauty? Can you not see the magnificent details crafted into the piece? Forty silver is far less than its worth, but for the young gentleman I will be generous."
"Forty silver?" Faelin exclaimed, making that squinty-eyed expression that Glesyn thought was only used on him. "Thievery. My cousin could make a better offer." He crossed his arms. "Fifteen."
"Fifteen?" the old man bellowed. "Are you mad? The materials alone are worth more than fifteen. Thirty-four."
"A few slivers of wood and a bit of twine? You mock me sir." Faelin smiled tightly. "Twenty."
"Thirty-one."
"Twenty-three."
"Twenty-eight."
"Twenty-four."
"Done."
The two of them eyed one another for a moment, then Faelin took a step back, placing him just at Glesyn's side. Now you may open the bag, he informed Glesyn, showing him a picture in his head of what, exactly, Glesyn needed to retrieve from the little bag.
More than a little bit confused, Glesyn obeyed, fetching out the coins and giving them to the old man, who then handed over the dragon-ship. As soon as it was in his hands Faelin turned him around and began steering him back into the flow of the marketplace, one hand lightly touching his arm.
You really are daft.
"Huh?" Glesyn blinked. "I am not... Hey! Where'd you learn to do that?" He'd thought Faelin had never been off his island, as clueless in the ways of the world as Glesyn was.
There are a few humans with whom my people will occasionally trade. The skill is necessary in dealing with human greed. Glesyn caught a faint hint of disgust. That gnarled old root could see you hadn't the first notion of what you were doing and was going to take advantage of you. Really, I can't believe they let you off the ship alone.
Glesyn bristled. He wasn't a hatchling! He just didn't know all that much about the human world.
Or the dragon world, really, now that he thought about it. His mother really had managed to keep him very sheltered, in all her paranoia. For all that he missed her these last few years, at the moment he really just wanted to strangle her. There was so much he didn't know!
Family is like that, Faelin said idly, though there was a hint of frustration and tension in his thoughts. Always convinced they know what's best for you, even if that means keeping you ignorant. Perhaps the world isn't very pleasant, but that is no reason not to know it. Besides... surely some parts of the world are worth knowing.
Glesyn looked down at him. Or rather, at the top of his borrowed hat. "Your mother didn't let you explore either?" he asked curiously.
Faelin snorted. Mother, father, elders, village... They like their way of life and have no curiosity whatsoever for what lies beyond our mountains. He moved a little closer to Glesyn to avoid a small band of humans who looked (and smelled) like they hadn't bathed in months. It's not a bad life, and I enjoyed it, I just... Frustration, curiosity, a glimpse of the sea, the stars. Envy. Home seems so small when you know how big the world is. It didn't seem that terrible just to look... Of course, looking is what got me caught in that storm, too far from home to call for help.
"You did call for help," Glesyn pointed out. "I heard you."
Yes, you did, Faelin agreed, the corners of his lips quirking up. Some rescuer you turned out to be.
Glesyn's cheeks heated. "I was doing just fine until my wing got broken," he protested.
Faelin stopped suddenly, peering up at Glesyn intently. And it doesn't hurt anymore, does it? he asked. Glesyn realized it hadn't even ached for weeks. I can mend myself, but I have not the training to mend others. Faelin frowned. I wonder who...
The rest of his thoughts were cut off abruptly as two of the stinky men tripped, crashing into him and knocking him in turn into Glesyn. Although Glesyn managed to catch Faelin, something shoved hard at his feet and they both fell hard, Glesyn landing on his back and Faelin landing on him. There were hands touching him, hands that didn't belong to Faelin, and Glesyn reacted without thinking. His claws tore through the tips of his gloves, digging into flesh and hurling it away from him. He heard a howl of pain, angry swearing, and then a sharp gasp.
Suddenly the ever-present noise of the marketplace died. Glesyn sat up a little, unsettled to find everyone staring at him - and at Faelin, whose hat had come off to expose green-streaked white hair. In the next moment Glesyn realized his own kerchief had been knocked askew, exposing one ear and a good portion of his hair.
This was the moment his mother had always warned him about. The moment they discovered what he truly was. He swallowed as the whispers began, the fearful looks, the backing away. Then one of the men who had knocked them over stepped forward, drawing his sword.
"Monster."
Monster? No- he wasn't a monster. He was a dragon. He was Glesyn. "I'm not-"
The man swung. Several others drew their swords. Glesyn barely managed to get out of the way in time. He could feel Faelin's shock and fear, though that fear was rapidly being buried beneath a powerful anger. The next time a blade came at them, Faelin reacted.
It looked like tiny grains of sand, whatever Faelin threw at their attackers, but sand didn't suddenly sprout into thorn-covered vines and wrap squid-like around the men. Glesyn stared in blank astonishment, only jolted out of his surprise when Faelin grabbed his hand and yanked him to his feet, pulling him away from the men, away from the marketplace. It was after they had broken into a run for the docks and the ship still moored there that he finally realized what the little grains of sand had been.
Not sand at all, but seeds. Tiny little seeds that had grown with incredible speed.
He wondered what else Faelin could do.
Faelin didn't really give him a chance to wonder, however, as they raced as quickly as they could toward the docks. The sea and the waiting ships were in sight - Naefindan's ship amongst them - when Glesyn chanced a look back and realized they were being pursued.
By what appeared to be half the humans in the city.
"Faelin!" he managed to gasp out, and the man glanced back over his own shoulder, green eyes widening and then narrowing.
Run.
Oh, that was very helpful. He could probably breathe fire at them, but that would most likely just make them angrier, not to mention he didn't really want to hurt anyone. There was always the option to shift to his large size, but the crowd was awfully close and he wasn't sure if he could shift, grab Faelin, and take off before they caught up.
Then suddenly he saw the ship, numerous heads of sailors popping up as they undoubtedly heard the commotion. He could barely hear them calling to each other, then just as they reached the gangplank the unmistakable white-blond of Captain Naefindan's hair appeared as the man vaulted up on to the railing. He spared Glesyn and Faelin a brief look as they all but fell on board, then gazed back out over the docks and the angry mob below. Glesyn dared a look back himself as he stopped to catch his breath.
The humans had stopped, every last one of them, and were staring up at the ship with slack jaws and wide eyes. Confused, Glesyn looked around, but could see nothing that might cause such a reaction.
Look up you idiot, Faelin said rather acerbically.
Blinking, Glesyn did just that. And promptly yelped. Hanging in the air over the ship (and part of the docks) was the biggest wave he'd ever seen in his life. Not a single drop fell; the entire mass just hovered, waiting.
"Now that I have your attention," Naefindan said, his voice ringing out over the hush, "Let me point out to you how incredibly idiotic you're all being. You have before you representatives of two entirely different races, which you know nothing about, and your first reaction is to threaten them? Did you even think about what you might be able to learn from these people if you bothered to stop and make friends with them?"
"Monsters!" someone shouted.
"Monsters?" Naefindan repeated, incredulous. "Because of a few odd colors?"
There was a murmur of many voices, all speaking different things, but the general consensus seemed to have something to do with Faelin's vine trick.
"That's ridiculous." Naefindan scowled. The expression looked entirely out of place on a man who was normally so cheerful. "Every island in the world has mages on it. Practically every decent-sized ship on the seas carries a weathermage, and the really fortunate ones can boast a healer. So his magic is a little different from yours. Who cares?"
The crowd broke out into a low rumble, interspersed with the occasional angry bellow, and Naefindan slowly surveyed the scene below. After a minute or two he sighed and shook his head, jumping back down off the railing and onto the deck. "Very well," he said, pitched just loud enough to carry. "If that is the way you wish it, then that is how it will be." He turned his back on the crowd, azure eyes gazing out over his crew. "Hoist anchor, make ready to sail. We're leaving."
As the crew swiftly set to seeing out his orders, Naefindan turned toward Faelin and Glesyn, bluegreen eyes full of sadness. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I'll take you home now."
Glesyn looked at Faelin, who was watching Nae with an unreadable expression. After a moment Faelin shook his head slowly, tongue darting out to wet his lips before speaking. "No, you were right, in what you said. We have much that we could learn from one another, and we cannot do that if we are hiding away in isolation." His eyes flickered briefly to Glesyn, then returned to the surprised-looking Naefindan. "I would like to stay, for a little while, if that is permissible."
Naefindan blinked slowly, blue-green eyes wide in surprise, then his gaze shifted to Glesyn. "And you?" he asked.
It was unsettling to be the focus of everyone's attention. Glesyn shifted awkwardly, running a hand through his hair and pulling off the kerchief he'd been wearing. It certainly wasn't hiding anything anymore. "I... I have nowhere I need to be," he said finally. "I miss my treasures, but perhaps I will collect new ones to take home with me on this journey."
"Treasures?" Naefindan asked, at the same time that Faelin frowned at Glesyn's hands.
"You lost your little ship."
Glesyn blinked, looking at his empty hands and wondering what had become of the dragon-ship. He hoped it hadn't gotten destroyed, though the possibility was very likely. Still, its loss made him all the more aware that here, on this ship, he had no treasures at all. That, more than anything else, made him long for home.
He had one box filled entirely with pretty pebbles he'd plucked from riverbeds, some of them even going so far as to sparkle in the right light. In another he kept shells from the sea that washed up on the beach, and yet another held marvelous feathers of all colors and sizes from the birds that lived on and around his island. Simple treasures, perhaps, compared with what he'd seen in the Makani marketplace, but they were his, and he treasured them.
"You keep feathers," Faelin said, sounding surprised. Glesyn was rather surprised he'd spoken aloud instead of in his head when Faelin clearly could still hear his thoughts.
"Yes," Glesyn said defiantly, waiting for what was certain to come after. His mother had always rolled her eyes at his treasures, calling them worthless compared with her treasures of old, and certainly none of the humans he'd ever spied on had kept such frivolous things.
"Hmm," Faelin said softly, almost thoughtfully, then shook his head and fixed his attention on the highly-confused Naefindan. "Well, Captain? Are you willing to tolerate your passengers for a little longer?"
Naefindan looked between them for a moment, then smiled faintly and spread his hands. "I was the one trying to convince you to stay, remember? You think I'm going to argue if you want to stay a bit longer?" His smile brightened. "Hey, we're not too far away from Roae. There's a place you just have to see. Lan! Lan!" He whirled and bounded off for the poop deck, undoubtedly in search of Lan.
Glesyn watched him go, smiling slightly in amusement at the drastic mood swing, but also contemplating again the blond man's brightly-colored skirt and whether Nae had any that would fit him.
At his side Faelin grimaced and threw up his hands. "Just when I thought there might be hope for you after all," he muttered, stalking off toward the far side of the ship, leaving Glesyn staring after him in bewilderment.
Scene one, Scene two, aaaaaand onward to:
---
The ship was fascinating. For one thing, it was blue, from the light blue of its sails to the darker blue keel and all the varying shades between. There was even a section that matched Glesyn's hair and scales, much to his amusement, and the crew's as well. Apparently it was becoming something of a joke that while the ship had been designed to match its captain, Glesyn matched it far better.
Fortunately Naefindan found the whole thing highly amusing, or else Glesyn might have been concerned. He'd even made comments a few times about dying his hair blue, though Torhle apparently objected to that. Glesyn wasn't sure why. Blue hair was very attractive. Although Nae's natural pale gold was pretty too.
There was just so much to look at! He explored from front to back... err, bow to stern, and left to- no, port to star... star... star-something, and pretty much everything between except for the rigging (which was everything from the masts upward, apparently) and that he only neglected because Naefindan told him in no uncertain terms what would happen if he was to attempt to climb up the rope ladders without cutting his nails. Since Glesyn rather liked his nails, he stayed on the deck.
He also managed to meet the mysterious Lan, whose name was actually Lanthus. The man was slightly taller than Glesyn, which was really very impressive given that he'd never seen a human taller than he was before, and wore bright, vivid colors in a wild mix of fabric and jewelry and things that dazzled his eyes and made him want to touch, except that he had the feeling he'd probably get his fingers broken if he tried.
Well, maybe not when Riven was nearby (Riven being the adorable little blond whose smiles made Lanthus go from scowly to melty in less than one blink) but Glesyn really didn't want to test his luck by trying to poke at the shiny things on Lan's clothing even when Riven had him doing that melty thing. Glesyn might be the one with the claws, but Lan didn't need claws to be walking dangerous. Maybe he had dragon blood somewhere in his history.
By far the hardest thing to deal with, however, was Faelin. The man was beautiful, there was no denying that, but he seemed to have a personal dislike for Glesyn no matter what the dragon did. Every now and then Glesyn would catch Faelin watching him, when they weren't outright running into each other, but almost as soon as Glesyn noticed Faelin would turn away and stalk off. It was maddening, frustrating, and no small part confusing.
Like this morning, when Glesyn had hopped up onto the forecastle deck only to find Faelin already there. Glesyn hadn't even had to say anything before Faelin was already turning, frowning.
"Your endless chatter is incredibly annoying. Can't you learn to think more quietly?"
"You could just not listen, you know."
"I'm trying, but you are so very loud!"
Of course, he'd stormed off again after that, leaving Glesyn bewildered and frustrated. The man didn't seem to have problems with anyone else on the ship. Indeed, he was downright friendly to some of the sailors. But not to Glesyn. Never to Glesyn.
But he refused to let it get to him, instead badgering the sailors into telling him everything about what they were doing and why, to the amusement of some and the frustration of others. After a while he thought he had a fairly good idea of how the ship worked, in theory at least.
Then they arrived in Makani.
Makani was the largest city Glesyn had ever seen. It seemed to go on forever, along the coast in both directions and inland up into the mountains. If he'd thought it odd that nearly two dozen sailors would all want to live together, this was downright unfathomable! And worse yet, when he expressed his thoughts aloud Naefindan had laughed hard and told him that Makani was far from the largest or busiest port they'd docked at.
Glesyn didn't even try to wrap his mind around that. It was beyond his ability to process. And the only other person on board who might understand what he was feeling was the one avoiding him. Of course.
Torhle, at least, seemed sympathetic. He was the one who found the large kerchief to hide Glesyn's hair and ears, soft coverings for his feet, and loose gloves to obscure his hands. Last, he provided a little pouch of shiny metal bits, explaining that perhaps Glesyn might want to purchase something as a souvenir.
Then he had to explain what purchasing was.
But finally Glesyn was off the ship and back onto land that held still beneath his feet and didn't sway with each passing wave. There were sights and sounds and people everywhere and for one moment Glesyn felt a tremor of fear. He looked back behind him at the ship, bright and beautiful, reassuring himself that he could find it again if he got lost. Then he turned, squared his shoulders, and went to explore Makani.
He didn't know what to look at first. Ahead of him was a man balancing pots on his head as he strolled briskly up the road. To one side was a tall, scarred woman who reminded him of Lanthus, only she had more than a dozen weapons on her while Lan rarely seemed to bother. But her clothes were just as bright and around her neck hung bits of sparkling things that Glesyn had to force his eyes away from with effort.
It took him a while to find the marketplace Torhle had directed him towards as he had to keep stopping to look at things. Eventually, however, he made it, and had to stop again to gawk.
First there were the people. There were more varieties of people than he'd ever seen before in all his life, in all different colors and fabrics and sizes. Everywhere he looked there was someone new, someone entirely unlike the ones he'd seen before. They moved around in a teeming mass, going from one brightly decorated stall to the next, inspecting what was at each.
And what was there! Foods and clothes and furnishings and more trinkets than he could possibly identify, much less remember. There were bottles of things that smelled and bottles of things that were for drinking and just plain bottles in all shapes and sizes. There were things that sparkled and things that shimmered and things that he longed to run his hands across just to see if it felt as wonderful as it looked. So much of everything it made his head spin, and there were bigger places than this?
He clung to a sturdy pole until he stopped feeling quite so overwhelmed, then resolutely pushed away and began making his way through the teeming crowd.
The first stall he stopped at had bits of colored glass done up to resemble various sea creatures. He spent a bit of time admiring them, naming the ones he knew and remembering the ones he didn't to ask Naefindan about later. A man-fish should know about other fish, right?
The second time he stopped was for brightly patterned fabric in more colors and designs than he'd ever known could exist. He contemplated getting some to fashion like Nae's skirt, but decided to see what else was around first. He could always come back again - provided he didn't get lost. Which was always a possibility, but he consoled himself that if he really got turned around all he really had to do was find the sea.
Every step he took, it seemed, there was something else he had to look at. Things that dazzled, awed, and amazed, but never quite what he was looking for.
Then he saw it.
Lying on a table, surrounded by strange trinkets, was a small wooden ship, the nose and tail of which had been fashioned to look like a dragon. Not a very good dragon, but a dragon none the less. It was perfect. He had to have it.
See something you like?" the old man behind the table asked slyly, reaching out to caress the dragon ship.
"It's very nice," Glesyn admitted, politely not telling the man about its inaccuracies.
"You like it?" the old man asked, grinning. "I'll make you a special deal."
Deal? Torhle's lessons hadn't covered 'deals'. "Um... okay?" Glesyn tried.
"Fifty silver," the man said promptly.
Glesyn blinked at him, trying to remember which ones were 'silver' and eventually deciding that he didn't have fifty of anything, even if he could remember which ones were which. "Umm, I don't think..."
"Forty-five," the man interrupted, watching him intently. "It's an intricate piece of craftsmanship."
"I still don't-" Glesyn tried again.
The old man crossed his arms, frowning. "Very well, forty-two, but that is my final offer."
Glesyn looked at him, then at the dragon-boat, then back up to the man. He supposed if he counted very carefully he might have that many coins - though he still couldn't remember which ones were silver. He reached for the little bag, intending to count, when a hand clasped around his wrist.
Don't, and don't say anything.
Glesyn twisted to stare at Faelin, who was eyeing the old man with a strange expression, his snow-white hair and pointed ears neatly hidden beneath a large, floppy hat. Oddly, his skin didn't look as pale as it had. If anything, it seemed to be taking on a green-brown tint. "The craftsmanship is crude at best, an amateur hand. Perhaps you bought it from the old village granny for a few coppers? It is not even worth ten silver," Faelin stated.
The old man bristled. "Have you no eye for beauty? Can you not see the magnificent details crafted into the piece? Forty silver is far less than its worth, but for the young gentleman I will be generous."
"Forty silver?" Faelin exclaimed, making that squinty-eyed expression that Glesyn thought was only used on him. "Thievery. My cousin could make a better offer." He crossed his arms. "Fifteen."
"Fifteen?" the old man bellowed. "Are you mad? The materials alone are worth more than fifteen. Thirty-four."
"A few slivers of wood and a bit of twine? You mock me sir." Faelin smiled tightly. "Twenty."
"Thirty-one."
"Twenty-three."
"Twenty-eight."
"Twenty-four."
"Done."
The two of them eyed one another for a moment, then Faelin took a step back, placing him just at Glesyn's side. Now you may open the bag, he informed Glesyn, showing him a picture in his head of what, exactly, Glesyn needed to retrieve from the little bag.
More than a little bit confused, Glesyn obeyed, fetching out the coins and giving them to the old man, who then handed over the dragon-ship. As soon as it was in his hands Faelin turned him around and began steering him back into the flow of the marketplace, one hand lightly touching his arm.
You really are daft.
"Huh?" Glesyn blinked. "I am not... Hey! Where'd you learn to do that?" He'd thought Faelin had never been off his island, as clueless in the ways of the world as Glesyn was.
There are a few humans with whom my people will occasionally trade. The skill is necessary in dealing with human greed. Glesyn caught a faint hint of disgust. That gnarled old root could see you hadn't the first notion of what you were doing and was going to take advantage of you. Really, I can't believe they let you off the ship alone.
Glesyn bristled. He wasn't a hatchling! He just didn't know all that much about the human world.
Or the dragon world, really, now that he thought about it. His mother really had managed to keep him very sheltered, in all her paranoia. For all that he missed her these last few years, at the moment he really just wanted to strangle her. There was so much he didn't know!
Family is like that, Faelin said idly, though there was a hint of frustration and tension in his thoughts. Always convinced they know what's best for you, even if that means keeping you ignorant. Perhaps the world isn't very pleasant, but that is no reason not to know it. Besides... surely some parts of the world are worth knowing.
Glesyn looked down at him. Or rather, at the top of his borrowed hat. "Your mother didn't let you explore either?" he asked curiously.
Faelin snorted. Mother, father, elders, village... They like their way of life and have no curiosity whatsoever for what lies beyond our mountains. He moved a little closer to Glesyn to avoid a small band of humans who looked (and smelled) like they hadn't bathed in months. It's not a bad life, and I enjoyed it, I just... Frustration, curiosity, a glimpse of the sea, the stars. Envy. Home seems so small when you know how big the world is. It didn't seem that terrible just to look... Of course, looking is what got me caught in that storm, too far from home to call for help.
"You did call for help," Glesyn pointed out. "I heard you."
Yes, you did, Faelin agreed, the corners of his lips quirking up. Some rescuer you turned out to be.
Glesyn's cheeks heated. "I was doing just fine until my wing got broken," he protested.
Faelin stopped suddenly, peering up at Glesyn intently. And it doesn't hurt anymore, does it? he asked. Glesyn realized it hadn't even ached for weeks. I can mend myself, but I have not the training to mend others. Faelin frowned. I wonder who...
The rest of his thoughts were cut off abruptly as two of the stinky men tripped, crashing into him and knocking him in turn into Glesyn. Although Glesyn managed to catch Faelin, something shoved hard at his feet and they both fell hard, Glesyn landing on his back and Faelin landing on him. There were hands touching him, hands that didn't belong to Faelin, and Glesyn reacted without thinking. His claws tore through the tips of his gloves, digging into flesh and hurling it away from him. He heard a howl of pain, angry swearing, and then a sharp gasp.
Suddenly the ever-present noise of the marketplace died. Glesyn sat up a little, unsettled to find everyone staring at him - and at Faelin, whose hat had come off to expose green-streaked white hair. In the next moment Glesyn realized his own kerchief had been knocked askew, exposing one ear and a good portion of his hair.
This was the moment his mother had always warned him about. The moment they discovered what he truly was. He swallowed as the whispers began, the fearful looks, the backing away. Then one of the men who had knocked them over stepped forward, drawing his sword.
"Monster."
Monster? No- he wasn't a monster. He was a dragon. He was Glesyn. "I'm not-"
The man swung. Several others drew their swords. Glesyn barely managed to get out of the way in time. He could feel Faelin's shock and fear, though that fear was rapidly being buried beneath a powerful anger. The next time a blade came at them, Faelin reacted.
It looked like tiny grains of sand, whatever Faelin threw at their attackers, but sand didn't suddenly sprout into thorn-covered vines and wrap squid-like around the men. Glesyn stared in blank astonishment, only jolted out of his surprise when Faelin grabbed his hand and yanked him to his feet, pulling him away from the men, away from the marketplace. It was after they had broken into a run for the docks and the ship still moored there that he finally realized what the little grains of sand had been.
Not sand at all, but seeds. Tiny little seeds that had grown with incredible speed.
He wondered what else Faelin could do.
Faelin didn't really give him a chance to wonder, however, as they raced as quickly as they could toward the docks. The sea and the waiting ships were in sight - Naefindan's ship amongst them - when Glesyn chanced a look back and realized they were being pursued.
By what appeared to be half the humans in the city.
"Faelin!" he managed to gasp out, and the man glanced back over his own shoulder, green eyes widening and then narrowing.
Run.
Oh, that was very helpful. He could probably breathe fire at them, but that would most likely just make them angrier, not to mention he didn't really want to hurt anyone. There was always the option to shift to his large size, but the crowd was awfully close and he wasn't sure if he could shift, grab Faelin, and take off before they caught up.
Then suddenly he saw the ship, numerous heads of sailors popping up as they undoubtedly heard the commotion. He could barely hear them calling to each other, then just as they reached the gangplank the unmistakable white-blond of Captain Naefindan's hair appeared as the man vaulted up on to the railing. He spared Glesyn and Faelin a brief look as they all but fell on board, then gazed back out over the docks and the angry mob below. Glesyn dared a look back himself as he stopped to catch his breath.
The humans had stopped, every last one of them, and were staring up at the ship with slack jaws and wide eyes. Confused, Glesyn looked around, but could see nothing that might cause such a reaction.
Look up you idiot, Faelin said rather acerbically.
Blinking, Glesyn did just that. And promptly yelped. Hanging in the air over the ship (and part of the docks) was the biggest wave he'd ever seen in his life. Not a single drop fell; the entire mass just hovered, waiting.
"Now that I have your attention," Naefindan said, his voice ringing out over the hush, "Let me point out to you how incredibly idiotic you're all being. You have before you representatives of two entirely different races, which you know nothing about, and your first reaction is to threaten them? Did you even think about what you might be able to learn from these people if you bothered to stop and make friends with them?"
"Monsters!" someone shouted.
"Monsters?" Naefindan repeated, incredulous. "Because of a few odd colors?"
There was a murmur of many voices, all speaking different things, but the general consensus seemed to have something to do with Faelin's vine trick.
"That's ridiculous." Naefindan scowled. The expression looked entirely out of place on a man who was normally so cheerful. "Every island in the world has mages on it. Practically every decent-sized ship on the seas carries a weathermage, and the really fortunate ones can boast a healer. So his magic is a little different from yours. Who cares?"
The crowd broke out into a low rumble, interspersed with the occasional angry bellow, and Naefindan slowly surveyed the scene below. After a minute or two he sighed and shook his head, jumping back down off the railing and onto the deck. "Very well," he said, pitched just loud enough to carry. "If that is the way you wish it, then that is how it will be." He turned his back on the crowd, azure eyes gazing out over his crew. "Hoist anchor, make ready to sail. We're leaving."
As the crew swiftly set to seeing out his orders, Naefindan turned toward Faelin and Glesyn, bluegreen eyes full of sadness. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I'll take you home now."
Glesyn looked at Faelin, who was watching Nae with an unreadable expression. After a moment Faelin shook his head slowly, tongue darting out to wet his lips before speaking. "No, you were right, in what you said. We have much that we could learn from one another, and we cannot do that if we are hiding away in isolation." His eyes flickered briefly to Glesyn, then returned to the surprised-looking Naefindan. "I would like to stay, for a little while, if that is permissible."
Naefindan blinked slowly, blue-green eyes wide in surprise, then his gaze shifted to Glesyn. "And you?" he asked.
It was unsettling to be the focus of everyone's attention. Glesyn shifted awkwardly, running a hand through his hair and pulling off the kerchief he'd been wearing. It certainly wasn't hiding anything anymore. "I... I have nowhere I need to be," he said finally. "I miss my treasures, but perhaps I will collect new ones to take home with me on this journey."
"Treasures?" Naefindan asked, at the same time that Faelin frowned at Glesyn's hands.
"You lost your little ship."
Glesyn blinked, looking at his empty hands and wondering what had become of the dragon-ship. He hoped it hadn't gotten destroyed, though the possibility was very likely. Still, its loss made him all the more aware that here, on this ship, he had no treasures at all. That, more than anything else, made him long for home.
He had one box filled entirely with pretty pebbles he'd plucked from riverbeds, some of them even going so far as to sparkle in the right light. In another he kept shells from the sea that washed up on the beach, and yet another held marvelous feathers of all colors and sizes from the birds that lived on and around his island. Simple treasures, perhaps, compared with what he'd seen in the Makani marketplace, but they were his, and he treasured them.
"You keep feathers," Faelin said, sounding surprised. Glesyn was rather surprised he'd spoken aloud instead of in his head when Faelin clearly could still hear his thoughts.
"Yes," Glesyn said defiantly, waiting for what was certain to come after. His mother had always rolled her eyes at his treasures, calling them worthless compared with her treasures of old, and certainly none of the humans he'd ever spied on had kept such frivolous things.
"Hmm," Faelin said softly, almost thoughtfully, then shook his head and fixed his attention on the highly-confused Naefindan. "Well, Captain? Are you willing to tolerate your passengers for a little longer?"
Naefindan looked between them for a moment, then smiled faintly and spread his hands. "I was the one trying to convince you to stay, remember? You think I'm going to argue if you want to stay a bit longer?" His smile brightened. "Hey, we're not too far away from Roae. There's a place you just have to see. Lan! Lan!" He whirled and bounded off for the poop deck, undoubtedly in search of Lan.
Glesyn watched him go, smiling slightly in amusement at the drastic mood swing, but also contemplating again the blond man's brightly-colored skirt and whether Nae had any that would fit him.
At his side Faelin grimaced and threw up his hands. "Just when I thought there might be hope for you after all," he muttered, stalking off toward the far side of the ship, leaving Glesyn staring after him in bewilderment.