Submitted by proxy: LuxomVN

The Crimson Dragon & The Bathynomus 

Days play out differently when you are left to watch children play pretend, never did I think that a noble’s contract that offered so much would involve so little.

The kids make merry with some booze and a hearty meal on this trodden wooden table, even as our shadows hid it from the blue flames of the lamps.

As Tendera, the travan mistress drapes the wooden meshed windows with a thick rough cloth, one of the boys on my table beckons her.

“Madam Tender, there are a few… unsavoury things in my delicacy.”  Nolan, the ‘leader’ said. The boy was young, the second son of the Nalrz Count, he had red hair and a glistening coat along with his golden magic saber. 

The woman looked at me. But before I could tell her that this boy here is a vegan, one of his girls replied.

“He is asking you to remove the meat.” 

This kid Nolan had several girls vying’ over him, he in fact had a whole colour rangers group of women Red, blue, black…

Yes, colour rangers, gotta avoid copyright infringement you know. Well, who am I kidding? Those laws were left behind when I was tossed here, to this fantasy.

“Oh! Please forgive me sire, I didn’t know, Salivik you should have told me!!” The second part was aimed at me.

“I was gonna but you were busy with the travan master in the kitchen.” 

“You! Don’t say anything else, please!!” 

The woman was turning into a tomato, well not my problem. 

“Don’t shout and next time lock the door.” 

“She is young, leave her alone.”

From the table next to us a woman with hair a shade so dark that it felt a void, with a fine metallic lustre and flowing down to her waist. Legs wrapped in ebony cloth and the upper body draped over with dark cloth with white lines running through It. I felt something seeing her, the transverse apparatus on my face moved on its own. 

“Right Right and who might you be?” I asked the beauty. Is she the black ranger for this group?

“Aquila Red.” With alcohol in her slender arms, she answered with a small smile.

“Quite a unique name.” Though I felt light-headed due to the alcohol in my system.

“A unique name for a unique lady.” Leaning on her chair she looked towards me.

“A unique name for a beautiful lady.” Getting caught up in the moment I wanted to continue the conversation with this lady. Though I called her the black ranger, I doubt the rest of em will allow her close to Nolan.

“Aye, thanks, you yourself look the part sir Bathy.” She smiled sweetly.

“It’s an honour to be known by such a beauty.” 

“Right? It sure should be an honour.”

“Sir Bathynomus, you really have no shame, flirting with a lady in front of your charges.” One of the rangers admonished me. Though I didn’t want to hear it from this rager squad. 

“Yes, but my job description only extends to the monster part of this journey.” I maintained my tone of drunken haze while conversing.

“It seems your charges would like to converse among yourself and exclude this unique lady.” She replied, her smile degrading into a smug expression. 

“Then would the unique lady want to switch locations?” 

“Smooth as thy is, it will take a bit more to convince this lady.”

And so, leaving my seat, I kneeled on my left leg and my right hand asked for her’s. 

Slightly blushing, she took it.

“That face and pose is foul play sir.” I guess only a tiny push was required. 

“Right back at you lady.” 

“You know maintaining a lady is expensive.” 

“I know.” 

That is how I met the blood Dragon while accompanying a group of noble kids in their quest to gain power. 

The following day, I met up with the colour crayons again.

“Had your fun? Mister, this will go in our feedback to the Count.” Said the pinky fucky bitch.

“Calm down, it ain’t a big deal.” I replied to inky pinky ponky. 

“Don’t worry Mary, at least he’s interested in something.” Nolan said.

“Wacha going on about?” Said a voice from behind me. Aquila said, dressed in plate armour and her ebony dress. With two blades hanging by her waist.

“What are you even doing here?” Said the blond broom.

“Coming with him.” She said pointing her finger at me. Her voice was completely innocent.

“WHAT!?” The boy exclaimed. 

“My job ends today, so I’ll be adventuring with her after the pay.” 

That’s how I met the Crimson bird. The beautiful bird.

Two years after the tavern meeting. 

“You sure about this girl?” She and I were sitting on two chairs with our backs exposed and in the open direction of the chair. 

“Sure I am darling.” She said not caring for the cheering crowd.

“Alright, tattoo master begin.” On our backs one man and one woman began carving a tattoo on our backs. 

These were not colour tattoos but those painful Latin American ones from Earth.

“Fuck!” I exclaimed, yet she kept calm and only flinched at the hammer strikes.

Yet the crowds under the open sky cheered.

After an hour of pain and suffering, we were finally let off.

“That was harsh,” I said

“True, let’s not do that again.” She said her hand over the tattoo on her back and with her red eyes, she stared at me.

“Darling want to see?” She said, slightly red.

As soon as I nodded she turned on her heels. The girls in the crowd looked as if they were about to jump.

And on her back was a Dragon, spreading her wings enclosing a heart, and in the heart, our names were written in this world’s language.

“How is it?” Wrapping my hands around the slender waist I have relied upon for two years, for love, for care, for affection and for battle.

“Amazing.” I said and the crowd busted in a massive shout.

“”Congrats on your marriage!!”” It was a deafening cheer.

In this kingdom, by this painful tradition and for my love, from today I was bound to her for life.

I still wonder what made me move that day, why did I go after her, I still vividly remember my whole body flinching and my heart pounding. My mouth going on its own.

I wonder what if I had not tried my luck that day, would I still be as happy as I am now? 

Why do my thoughts bounce off so much? Truth be told I don’t know much about her but I love her. 

10 years later and now I think, where are you, my Dragon? As I carry the result of pure mischief and my life’s purpose on my back, the little angel is asleep on my back, our son is sleeping. But where are you, Aquila? As these thoughts pass through me I see a red Dragon fly our guardian fly and cut through the clouds always with us.