Chapter 7: A fleeting freedom

The guards had surrounded them in the sandy courtyard as the sand tumbled around in the air, Ramirez turned to what was left of the door they had exited through, and a few guards stumbled out on the sand, causing even more sand to fly around. They hadn't fired any arrows, not swung any swords yet, were they afraid, or waiting for us to make our move?

He took a few steps backwards, touching Na T'hel with his back; they stood there prepared to make a move, "To the North!"

He yelled so loudly that for a split a second all the guards seemed surprised and hesitant as Ramirez jumped onto Na T'hels back, and with one big swoop they were in the air, sweeping up even more sand in the air. The guards must've been shocked because suddenly arrows started flying past them, where only but a few lucky ones hit, they were indeed stinger, but they had no effect on Na T'hel and Ramirez could easily dodge the single arrow that was even remotely close to him. "We need to get above the sand cloud, they'll nail us eventually." Na T'hel let out a loud roar and a stream of blue fire, in response to Ramirez, that seemed to consume the sand in the air, and in the split of a second the air was free as they once again saw do confused and scared dragoons that had surrounded them, they had no chance to react before Na T'hel with one big swoop was on her way from the courtyard, with Ramirez on her back.

The strong wind felt good flying through Ramirez's hair and he had never felt so free, he thought of what had happened only just a few minutes ago, how Na T'hel suddenly burst out those blue flames that burnt, or rather consumed the sand.

He was now not just wanted for murder, but also treachery against the dragoons, he surely just worsened what was already a death sentence.

And Na T'hel was already hunted for her pure white scales. Hiding in towns wouldn't be easy from now on. He put his hand on the dragons long, smooth scaled neck and closed his eyes and opened his mind for the world around them, he felt the dragon's great presence and wrapped his mind around it, feeling the dragons thoughts mend with his own. "Na T'hel, I have opened a mental connection between us, it will be useful when in the air when we cannot talk normally." Na T'hel only gave a nod as an answer.

They blasted upwards into the sky, leaving the prison behind them in complete awe and confusion as they pierce through the clouds, into the clear blue skies above the fluffy, white clouds. The strong wind through his hair felt relaxing, he felt free. He shook off the water that had stained over him from the clouds they flew through and looked back down from where they had come and saw the hole through the clouds, looking down to the prison below just they flew away further from it, he turned forwards again and met the sight of the poufy clouds surrounding them, it looked like a great, wide plain, nothing but the white clouds and the blue skies could be seen, Na T'hel nearly blended in with the clouds. He tried to speak, but closed his mouth as he realized that Na T'hel wouldn't be able to hear him.

Ramirez put both of his hands on the dragon's neck where he sat and closed his eyes and mumbled a few quiet words and suddenly he felt a great presence in his head, someone else's thoughts, Na T'hels thoughts. He lay down against the long neck of the white dragon and took a deep breath of the fresh air "Na T'hel, can you hear me?" he thought loudly just before the dragon responded with a muffled snicker, "That I do. Telepathy, a common and very useful spell but can also be quite exhausting for a beginner of magic. Just who are you, Ramirez?"

Ramirez sighed and sat up again, "I am Ramirez Meera, son of one of the greatest and most respectable dragoons ever, a hero. He taught me many great things, things about dragons and their magic... And you're the second dragon I've met, one used to live near our village. He was blamed for what happened to Ambervale, my hometown. It was burnt down, by a dragon... I guess you can call him a childhood friend." Na T'hel was quiet for a while after that, thinking about what Ramirez had said, the son of the greatest dragoon ever, "You mean dragoon Meera? The dragon lord Meera?"

Ramirez sighed and looked down on the white scales of Na T'hel, "Yeah, that dragoon. He was my father. But he wasn't evil, he helped many dragons, saved them, killed only those who deserved it. Or so he kept telling me." He sighed again and thought back, back to his family and friends who died, Na T'hel must've felt his sadness, because she turned her head around a little and looked at Ramirez, "I'm sorry, Ramirez, I know how loosing family feels; you're welcome to stay with me for as long as you need. One thing though, don't mention your father's name, just introduce yourself as Ramirez."

Ramirez looked at Na T'hels head, and smiled, "Thanks, and don't worry, I won't."

~End of chapter~