wandering cartographer


lorenziniforce
@lorenziniforce
mutanthunt
@mutanthunt asked:

Prompt; dragon and princess and knight misunderstanding but then theyre All friends later

The knight entered a guard stance, his sword shining in the cave-lair's torchlight. "Beast!" He called. "What have you done with Her Highness?"

The dragon let out a growl... not of hostility, but of a raw, pure, exasperation. "Miguel... Gods, Miguel, you're an idiot sometimes."

"Deplorable beast! How do you know my name? What vile schemes form behind those monstrous eyes of yours? What have you done with Princess Leonora?"


lorenziniforce
@lorenziniforce

The clattering of buckles and fastenings echoed across the wind-swept castle tower top,

"Ow. A bit looser. You're pinching my scales."

Miguel frowned a little, as he loosened the satchel-bag's strap a few inches. "Your highness", he muttered. "Are you sure about this journey?"

"Very much so", the beautiful, white-scaled dragon replied, "If I go alone by air, it's less than a day's travel."


lorenziniforce
@lorenziniforce

Emilio sat on the edge of the fountain under the bright light of a full moon. In the mansion behind him, chattering and the clanging of plates and glasses rang out into the night, slowly dissipating into silence like ripples in a lake.

He turned his head to spot a figure approaching him; a woman in a embroidered dress, with long flowing hair - and a pair of curving, beautiful horns.


lorenziniforce
@lorenziniforce

The beautiful, lavender predawn light glimmered across forests and fields, lighting a clearing where two figures sat among summer flowers yet to bloom.


lorenziniforce
@lorenziniforce

Arrânos, my dear friend,
I request your presence in Altamuro once more at the closest opportunity, for your advice and tutorship.


lorenziniforce
@lorenziniforce

"Are you sure about this...?"
"You've spent the past month since you came here either cooped up in the castle, flying around, or wandering the wilds. You haven't gone out in public since you lit your flame. You need a little time out. Come on, it'll be fun".


"But... a festival?" Maria shuffled side to side, acclimating herself to a bipedal form once more. Somehow, she'd managed to grow her hair out while not actually in her demi-human form. And poking out from atop her wavy, wirey shoulder-length hair were her pair of sinuous, shiny black horns, with their distinctive up-and-down bends, like meanders in a river. She wore a pretty, simple everyday dress - with a pair of holes cut out the back to let her wings through.

"You look great, Riri." Leonora smiled.

The two of them had become fast friends - Leonora helping Maria build the confidence to live openly as both a woman and a dragon, and Maria being there as a good listener (and surprisingly insightful advice-giver) to Leonora's own worries and problems.

Leonora could tell Maria was nervous. Her tail was brushing the ground repeatedly as she waved it's fluff-covered tip in a figure eight motion - something she was prone to doing when scared or worried.

"Hey, I'm serious. You look great. Like a proper princess of dragons."

Maria blushed and looked down. "Oh, stop..."

Leonora took her fellow dragon by the hand and led her out the castle gates, into the bustling inner town of Altamuro. The sights and smells of the midsummer festival filled the air - and among the traditional banners and colors, a couple of new ones depicting dragons could be seen. Apparently word had spread pretty far of Vallealas being the "Kingdom of Dragons", and the locals had really fallen in love with the moniker.

Maria picked up an adorable dragon-shaped cookie from one of the food tables; the white frosting for the scales and gently curved horns made it very clear that it was supposed to be Leonora. She elbowed her friend and showed it to her... and Leonora snatched it out of her hands and took a big bite out of it, a mischievous grin on her face.

The laughter of the two dragons melted into the hustle and bustle of the crowd. Their lives had both changed immensely in the past few months - but through it all, they had each other.

The day was long and energetic, and filled with activity. Maria, it turns out, is terrifyingly good at carnival axe-throwing games.

As the sun set and the townsfolk started to filter back to their homes, the two dragons - back in their true forms - sat atop the town walls; at the very top of the battlements, having flown up to get there. They sat close together, watching the setting sun in silence.

Maria let out a small yawn, and slowly fell sideways, leaning onto Leonora's side. Leonora reached her wing out around her, holding her close in a side hug.

"Thank you", Maria muttered, in the softest of voices, bereft of it's usual nervous edge.

"For what?"

"For lighting my flame. For giving me the strength to stop hiding. For letting me become a dragon."

"Maria, you did all that. I keep saying: you're a lot stronger than you know."

Maria's gaze turned to her companion, the soft scales of their tails brushing together. "Normally, I wouldn't believe that, but..."

Until now, Leonora hadn't noticed how beautiful Maria's eyes were. They were the dark purplish-blue of her fire, but with flecks of teal and a warmth beyond the hottest dragonflame.

"When you say it, it's different." Maria continued, their gazes meeting. "So... Thank you. For helping me tap into that strength."

Leonora smiled. "... I have to thank you, too."

"... Huh?"

"You're the first to ever treat me as something other than The Princess. Even my dad, as kind as he is, still worries mostly about preparing me for the throne. But with you... you just treat me as a friend. As a fellow dragon."

"Maybe us dragons are simply too proud to show deference like that." Maria said, with a half joking smile.

"Maybe. Maybe you just see right through to the real me, too."

The two of them sat there for a little bit, gazing into each other's eyes. And, with a wordless acknowledgement of an unspoken truth, their eyes closed, they touched the tips of their snouts together.

Their scales glittered in the sunset, their flames flared with warmth. Not simply a princess finding her bride, but two dragons finding their most precious treasure.


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