Chapter 43

Grace

It was raining pretty bad, but we were already in the jet… it was painted metallic gold… He’d named it The Golden Gelding … like a horse.

“Your majesty…. Do I scent goblin’s hand?” Said the pilot… Lord Flamtallon, the diamond dragon. I don’t know how he managed to get the jet and the pilot, but I could bet Baigrah preferred working for his brother.

Also, If it was…. No one was going to let him live it down.

“I’ll have you know I’ve had this since I was 37.” He said snorting steam.

“…. That’s such a Whelp ass thing to have.” Laughed Baigrah. His hair was so shiny, that it sparkled like a disco ball despite the poor weather… How did his copilot see?

His copilot looked of Southern Indian heritage, but his hair was a lime green. The end of it faded to blue, meaning he held two colors in his true form. It was nice to see them so relaxed… Even the stewardess. She looked to be of Middle Eastern ancestry, but her scent reminded me of Uncle Asanguis…

Her nametag read Yara. She was likely a lambia, a kind of snake creature. They are beautiful as elves, but ate men in the desert when they shift. The top half remains ‘human’ but the bottom is often a desert venomous snake. Very old ones are almost all snake…

“Your majesty, I can put it in a zip lock bag for you.” Yara offered.

“It’ll get mushy, just like his feelings.” Said Baigrah.

“Oh Shut Up! Ol’ Lefty will keep you from crashing this damn thing.” Aureus grumbled.

“The Mighty Dragon King is afraid of flying?” His brother teased.

“Ooo…. Spooky.” I laughed. “Maybe we’ll encounter the goblin who’s hand you stole.”

“Both of you are dicks.” He grumbled, allowing our nonsense. “This was a Common luck charm in my day.”

“Oh my gods… you’re so Old.” I said laughing, sitting down with him.

“Back in My Day.” Mocked Baigrah.

He growled, crossing his arms. He didn’t like the teasing, but he would be teased a Little bit… “Retire the Goblin Hand. It IS Childish…. Like a night light… but to be fair, those did keep demons from popping into our room from under the bed when we were little.”

‘Oh right, our Queen is a demon lady-general. Is hell a techno wonderland now, or is that just a rumor?” He asked with a smile.

“No, the city on the Repentant Layer looks like old Rome or Athens, but they have electricity and paved roads. No cars though. They house gorses, a kind of goat headed, hoofed and horned horse hybrid.” I said laughing still. “Plus, since I’m still alive, I got barred from visiting.” I huffed.

“See That’s why I fly!” He said being handed a twenty by the stewardess and his copilot… “I get to rest my wings and get fat, And hear shit from all over the world. Oh, like when I flew for King Hadeon before he slept, to Boring Ass South Dekotah. His son, the standing king Wix’lek, has a Massive underground casino and city Under a city.”

“Damn that sounds fun too.” Said Aureus.

“You’re the King. We have enough fuel to go somewhere so close.” He stated.

“No, stay on course. He said something in draconic, and the hand glowed white…. The sky became clear… Many people don’t know, but goblins, despite their exaggerated features, were made by the Lord of Beauty. He was a minor god, but made elves as well if I remember right. He cursed them to be ‘ugly’ because they accepted an offer to have something similar to mates.

But in their ‘ugliness’ it was said that Arviel gave them luck in pity. Technically, they are a light creature… despite their ways.

“My elder brother, I have been flying since the 20’s. I’ve only crashed once, and me and Piyush were, and still are strong enough to get out and manually land a jet this size… You’re out here throwing spells I’ve never seen.” He said getting the jet to move… I didn’t even notice he’d turned on the seatbelt light.

“Something I picked up a Long time ago. It’s an air spell that grants the holder, and those around me, a blessing. This talisman will clear bad skies.” He said firmly.

“Sorry your highness… I’d like to learn that spell if possible.” Said Baigrah.

“It’s not hard. Get something sentimental from your horde, and say ‘Freea bless me with calm skies and a calm mind’, in old draconic. I Think it works better if you say it in eagle as well. The language of anything that can fly.” He said proudly…

“Interesting Indeed sir…Jesting aside, this flight can be done in one go. Let’s ride.” He said pulling up.

…. Aureus vomited. Thankfully his stomach was empty.

“Every Damn Time!” He complained, getting a rag soaked in alcohol….

Now he was Really laughed at.

“My lord, would you like some red lavender to settle your stomach?” Asked Yara. We were the only two who were actually a little concerned.

“No the rubbing alcohol helps… I’m sensitive to the height change. I’m Not my true form, but at the same time, it isn’t like I could meet this plane in the sky.” He said with dry retch.

“Oh! You get Altitude Sickness. Just chew some mint gum with peppermint Altoads before you fly.” Said Piyush. “Yara can you pass his majesty some?”

“Of course.” She said giving it to him.

…We went to sleep over the 10 hour flight, but Aureus…. He was miserable. His organs that told him where he was in the air didn’t work as well in his human form, and they were also more sensitive than mine…

But it wasn’t completely uncommon. My Grandpa Kaiden, dad, and Tyson all got Sick on rides, flights, and anything else that launched them in the air.

While I slept… I looked for Kaizen.

About all I did was plumet to the ground and jar myself awake….

But it wasn’t all bad. Seeing the lights before the sun rise… it was beautiful. Farbank was about as north as we could go, and reach a large airport… But it also housed a large supernatural influence. Some of the small villages were actually completely supernatural. I could actually see that there were blue firebirds, witches and dragons flapping around out here.

…It was Amazing… some dragons flew without wings… It was like the first black one with white hair sparked a multitude to launch into the sky….

“This airport’s in the heart of the Ryu dragons. I better tell them I have the new king on board….. They’re a Little aggressive.” Said Lord Flametallon over the intercom.

When we landed, dragon security met us. They looked like they could honestly be on my mate’s council, but some of them who slithered in the sky didn’t have wings.

They were serpentine like you’d see in Asian paintings, but those who were in suits had bat winged hellhounds masqueraded as German shepherds at their side without leashes. Those creatures were so intelligent, that the only thing they can’t do is speak…

A lot of them also looked of Asian and Native ancestry, though, many were also of many skin tones, scale colors, and all without coats in the snow…. A Dead giveaway, but by scent… most here were supernatural.

“Your Highnesses, welcome to Farbank Den. I am Lord Andy Yu, Head General of the Ryujin. We are the royal guard… may we escort you to your winter castle?”

“Yes, and also… buy me some more gum.” He said almost glaring at the plane.

There were knowing looks.

“We’ll also buy some other supplies for the plane. Are you hungry? We have caribou lunches made by our wives.” He smiled.

“Yes.” We both said at the same time.

I’d never tried this meat, but by how excited he was, it had to have been his favorite.

A small smile creased Lord Andy’s face. They all looked… so serious. They were Warriors in appearance and spirit. The smile almost looked forced.

“My lord and lady, this way.” Andy said turning, not offering his hand to shake. His bow was enough.

Aureus followed, and I was behind him. Behind me was a security detail. Those who had on earpieces told the others of our every move until we got inside a warm SUV.

“I will meet you at the castle your graces.” Bowed Lord Yu.

“Very well.” He said dismissing Andy. He became a black and white dragon before my eyes, slithering west. “Last time I was up here, I remember my rental car being too cold to run.” Chuckled my mate. We were left to be escorted by two red drakes

“We take pride in storing our vehicles in garages that don’t get below freezing.” Said the driver. “We’re on our way, over.”

“Roger, third portal’s open, over.” Said whoever he was talking to.

….Third portal?

“Your people can relax.” I smiled. The driver, nor the drake who sat beside him returned it.

“There were rebellious drakes who attempted to assassinate you, your ladyship. The day I let that happen, is the day my scales are flayed off my back.” He said firmly. “First turn.” Over.” He said turning… though to be fair they left the road.

We rode in the car for about 10 minutes. We went through a portal I saw this time. The slight shimmering distortion is what gave it away. To anyone else, it would look like we just disappeared.

“Welcome to the castle.” Said Aureus. “Last time I was here, was when father officially disowned me.”

Through an invisible portal to normal eyes, was a white castle in the middle of nowhere… You could tell by the paved road, that they placed such a large traditional castle in the Far north. The portals were manned by witches on brooms in fur coats, while a large white wood drawbridge lowered as the SUV got closer.

The road was lined with blue and purple pines…. Extremely rare, even in supernatural groves… They were also the only real color here. That, and the roof tiles of the white castle, they looked to be polished copper.

It was long and grand, with arched double doors and a frozen moat we drove across. I could see large snakelike creatures slithering in the water, and when they popped their heads out the ice, they were white snakefish with the head of a dragon. They were actually really pretty, like a combination of koi fish and drake. They had dainty fins, but they could float…. They had to be some kind of magic beast, not a shifter.

“Koi-serpents line the waters, but you smell like me.. so, they Should leave you alone.” Grinned Aureus. “And just Wait til you feed um.”

“That sounds fun.” I giggled.

“It’ll be just as fun as the sleigh ride with Real flying bi-corns.” He smiled. “Oddly enough, they don’t turn my stomach.