The Dragon Tamers

Learning of love

Dante moora dante moora
hi ha hi si so sa
dante moora dante soora
hi ha hi so si sa ya
iya mi so sa se so inyan de mia moore
dante moore dante moora
hi ha hi si so sa
dante moora dante moora
hi ha hi so si sa ya

It had been a whole week. Than hadn’t woken up, but he was recovering nicely.

Lur had decided to stay for a while and currently she and Tyris were playing with Raphael. The baby gladly welcomed the attention. The boys, when there wasn’t anything to do, would sit and watch how easy it was for the shifters to keep Raphael happy. Also watching how easily Raphael seemed to charm the Shifters.

At the moment, it was the eighth day they had stayed in Than. Tyris, Elric and Zoran had gone out to look around. Karim and Akira were talking to some of the nieghbours.

Alven sat and watched Lur as she tickled Raphael. “Why...?”
Lur looked up and turned to him. “Hm? You say something?”
Alven shook his head. “Why don’t you tell Fate or Destiny?”
“About?”
“About Chi. She hurt you and should be punished.”
Lur’s eyes lowered. She gently put Raphael down and stood up. “I thought about it, but in the end, there’s no point.”
“What do you mean?”
“Fate and Destiny don’t meddle in men nor dragon problems. Have you ever heard the expression, ‘you rule your own destinty’? Well, basically what that means is that Fate and Destiny don’t pick sides. They support neither the Vulcan nor you. They’d tell me that and just ignore it.” Lur whispered, harshness creeping into her tone.

Alven watched her, growing angrier. “Then can’t you do something to her?”
Lur shook her head. “Not really. What could I do?”
“I’m sorry I brought it up but, I mean, when I saw you and what I heard... I’m sorry.” He said, smiling at Lur who smiled back. “I’m rambling. But I want you to know, if you need someone to talk to. Other than Tyris, I’m here for you.”
Lur instantly felt at peace with herself. “Thank you.” She whispered.

About an hour or so later, an idea popped into her mind. “Tell me...” Lur asked, catching Alven’s attention. “Would you be interested in learning about love?”

“Okay. What is it?”
“It’s an intense feeling you feel towards a person. Deeper than care or affection or compassion. You’d die for this person, they mean that much to you.”

“Sounds intense. Are there different kinds of love?”
“Well... Let me see...”

Meanwhile, Elric, Zoran and Tyris were looking at the scenery outside the palace where King Haimon ruled.
“It’s beautifu,” Tyris whispered.
Elric was looking around rapidly. “Okay! I’ve seen enough. Let’s go home, I mean, Raphael needs looking after and such...”
Zoran chuckled at the change in Elric. Usually the guy would jump for an opportunity to be relieved of responsibility. “Relax, Lur and Alven are with him.”
“Yeah but, they’re probably going to forget about him. They get all... oh I dunno! They’re so different towards each others that...”

Tyris cut him off. “It’s because they’re in love.”
The boys looked at her in confusion. “Love?”
Tyris nodded and stared up at the tall palace. “They probably don’t realise it, Alven especially since he doesn’t really know about love. It’s something Destiny told me about. There are different types of love too.”

“Like what?” Elric asked.
“Like the love you have for Raphael. You love him like he is a part of you. There’s also another love, like a brotherly love, which I think you all share. But the love I’m talking about with Alven and Lur, it’s a love between shifter and man that... it’s kinda hard to explain.”

“Wow... that’s deep.” breathed Alven as Lur finished her explaination of love.
“Yeah... I guess.” Lur mumbled.
“What’s wrong? You seem kinda down.” Alven asked, worried.
“It’s nothing, I just... there’s a downside to being in love.” Lur said, feeling tight chested all of a sudden.
“What do you mean?”
“The person you’re in love with... they don’t have to be in love with you. Sometimes...” Lur paused and took a deep breath, “they might be in love with someone else.”

Alven’s eyes widened. “Oh...”

“Hey guys!” Karim called, walking into the room. Akira shortly following.

“Hey.” Lur said and picked up Raphael, who was still asleep. She carried him to Akira and handed him over. “I’ve got to get going. Its been fun.” And with that, she left.

Alven ran out to try say good bye, but she’d already left. “What...? Good-bye.”

shia mi wawa me
shami ki ko sa so
shia ni mi hi miha
shia mi wawa me
shiami ki ko sa so
shara ri ra wawa miha
shia amora shai amor
shia amora shai amor
shia mi wawa me
shami ki ko shia amora

“Okay... like... let me see if I’ve got this. Which I like probably won’t, but like anywho...”
“OH WOULD YOU JUST TALK TO TYRIS?!” Seren yelled angrily. It sometimes seemed to her that Mesi pretended not to understand just to irritate her.
“Um... like why do I have to?”
“Because Fate said so!”
“Um... like...”
“I DON’T KNOW WHY!”

Unbeknownst to them, the sky was growing dark with clouds. Tyris was glancing worridly at the clouds. If you thought Aygul and Mesi could fight... well... let’s just say Seren and Mesi were a terror ten times over.

“Sheesh! You don’t have to like yell!” Mesi pouted. “I’ll like tell her... what must I like tell her again?”
Seren took deep breath, though Mesi was really irritating, at least she was going to do the job.

“What you have to tell her is...”
Tyris breathed a sigh of relief as the clouds cleared.

winra miha ro ra you ji
winra hi ha mi ko ki
winra miha ri ra yu yi ji ja
winra miha ro ra yu yi
winra miha mi

Aura soared the landed of Ruin, near the forest. Smiling slightly to herself as she lost herself in her element.

Then, chuckling caught her ears, in the forest. That was strange, the men of Ruin stayed away from the forest and she was sure that Akira and the others were heading to Than.

She transformed and hid behind a tree and saw five other boys. All had auburn hair and wore yale blue tunics. They were sitting around a campfire, laughing. One of them, seemingly the joker of the group, was probably trying to copy someone and make them look dumb. And apparently it was working.

“Damn, Rod.” Chuckled one, clutching his sides. “That is probably the best impersonation of Karim we’ve ever seen you do.”
Aura’s eyes widened. Karim? Were they mocking him? Were they some of the other youths from Tyme?

The joker, Rod, smiled and bowed. “You’re most welcome, Eriol.”

Another one shook his head. “I wonder what dreamer boy and his pals are doing?”
Rod shrugged his shoulders. “You know, Worn, I don’t think they’re any closer to finding Ausra than us. Karim’s dreaming would probably be holding them back.”
All five boys laughed. Aura couldn’t believe it. Why were these boys mocking Karim? Had he done something to them?

Eriol smirked. “Let’s not forget Elric and that temper of his. I bet he’s gonna pick a fight with a Vulcan and get killed.”
Worn nodded in agreement. “Not to mention Alven learning all the time. What a weirdo! Who cares about knowledge? It’s power that gets you places!”
Another one plopped his head on one of his hands. “Let’s also not forget Akira.” Aura’s full attention was on the boy. “That ass is so stuck up. He doesn’t give a damn about anyone’s feelings. He just says what he thinks and expects you to just leave it. I bet he’d live on, without mourning, if one of his brothers died.”

Aura suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable. Though she didn’t really want to admit it, they did have a point. Akira probably wouldn’t mourn for his brothers. Which meant, he’d probably never have the same feelings for her as she did him.

Rod nodded at the boy who insulted Akira. “Yup, right you are, Bongo.”

Eriol lay down and stare up at the sky. “It’s interesting to talk about them isn’t it? I mean, this mission is so boring, there’s really no point in doing it and just remembering how stupid those guys are, I mean, it kinda makes the mission more bearable.”

Aura was about ready to kill them. How could they be so heartless?

The last boy who hadn’t spoke looked thoughtful, before looking up. “What do you guys think of Zoran? That quiet guy, the one with all those masters?”

Aura raised an eyebrow. Zoran was so quiet, what could they say bad about him?

Rod looked at him and smiled eviliy. “I think those rumors are true, Domion. How could they not be? Each master he’s had has died within four years of having him. And they were all really loud and mean. What else could it be other than he’s cursed or he’s killing his masters himself?”

Aura’s eyes doubled. Zoran? Was that... could that possibly...be true?

Could it?

Domion shrugged his shoulders. “I dunno. The guy never says much.”
Worn snickered. “I bet the Master Killer is too ashamed of what he does.”
All five boys laughed.

Aura had seen enough. She transformed and flew off to Than. She was SO going to get answers!

dante ezi bi ba nes ji ja
yi ya miso dante ya
dante ezi eza
dante yo ya yesa
dante ezi bi ba nes ja ja

Tyris had just finished explaining love again to all five youths, Raphael playing with her hair in her arms.

“I got a question.” Elric asked, Tyris nodded at him to continue. “Do you kiss the person you happen to love?”
The rest of the boys looked at him in confusion. “Kiss?”
Tyris looked at him surprised. “Yeah you do... I’m guessing Gabija told you, right?”
Elric nodded. “Yup and she showed me.”
Tyris smiled a knowing smiled and raised an eyebrow. “Enjoy it?”
Elric suddenly got a small far away look in his eyes. “Yeah... it was something. I wouldn’t mind doing it again... Not that I’m in love with her or anything.”

Tyris widened her eyes playfully at him. “Oh really?”
The boys, excluding Elric, all laughed.

A war cry yell was heard from the room where King Than was. Alven ran to check and see.

Than had jumped up and was looking around with angry and confused eyes.
“Woah... sir.” stammered Alven, backing up a bit as Than went into a fighting stance. “We mean you no harm!”

Than looked around, “What is this place? Where am I? What happened? Why am I not in battle?” He demanded with high authority.

“What are you talking about?” Alven asked. “What battle?”
“THE BATTLE BETWEEN THE VULCAN AND STRON!” Than roared.

The others ran into the room. “Could you keep it down, you freak!?” Elric yelled in a hushed tone. “If someone hears you they’ll have to come in and we really do not feel like explaining something we can’t explain.”

“Wait... You’re King Than, right?” Asked Tyris, concealed by the cloak Zoran had bought her.
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry.” Tyris whispered and looked down. “Stron lost...”

The King’s eyes widened. “NO! How could...?” He ran to her, not realising who she was, grabbed her and shook her.

“HOW COULD IT HAPPEN? OUR PLAN WAS FLAWLESS! WHERE ARE MY SURVIVORS?”

Tyris took a deep shaky breath. “You’re... the sole survivor.”

Everything was quiet. Akira, Alven and Karim stared at the exchange, not sure what they could do to help. Elric was worriedly glancing from Zoran to Raphael, who was still asleep. Zoran was watching the king, tensed up in anger.

Slowly the king let go of Tyris, who looked at him with sympathy. King Than’s eyes glazed over as he fell back to sit on his bed.

Tyris turned to the others and they all left the king to mourn in private.