15

The dragon's snout appeared first, forming from the gloom as it approached the light. It took slow steps, wings unfolding as it left the confines of the cave to tower over them. Gael sucked in a sharp breath.

She had seen dragons. It wasn't like they were a rarity, although ones this big weren't all that common. But she had never been so close to one.

It was taller than the cave entrance, with a long, serpentine neck and an elegant head decorated with sweeping horns. Its wings nearly filled up the entirety of the small cove, casting shade over the two humans standing at the edge of the water. Bronze scales glinted dully where the sunlight hit it. Gael was acutely aware of the way her heart thudded in her chest.

"Ainsley?" She whispered, not taking her eyes off of the dragon.

"It's alright," the princess replied softly, gaze fastened on it as well. "She won't hurt us. Come on."

Somehow, Ainsley's fingers found her wrist again, and Gael resisted for just a moment as she was pulled a step forward.

"Ainsley, are you sure—"

"Yes. Trust me."

Ainsley stared up at the creature, and for a moment, Gael could almost sense the connection between them. Slowly, the huge head lowered until its unblinking scarlet eye was level with them. Gael could see her own wide-eyed reflection in the massive iris.

"Touch her," Ainsley prompted. "She's alright with it. Like this." Gael watched as the princess reached out and placed one hand on its face, fingers stroking the smooth, glossy scales. Her other hand still held Gael's wrist, which she lifted to place the captain's hand against the side of the dragon's snout. Gael uncurled her fingers, placing them flat against it. There was a faint thrumming deep within the dragon, something she felt in her mind more than with her fingertips.

"What is that?" She murmured. Beside her, Ainsley was grinning. She hadn't taken her hand off of Gael's yet.

"That's magic," she replied in a whisper.

"Magic? I thought such things were fake."

"Oh, no. Dragons work in ways we don't understand yet." Ainsley's gaze trailed admiringly along the creature's body, and Gael slowly began to stroke its cheek. It shifted its large head slightly, eyes closing in content. "Magic can be found in other places too, but... it's all dark power. No one is sure how dragons have it, but it's something else entirely. It's hard to describe."

Gael's hand slid down the side of its neck to its powerful shoulder, which she stroked. The creature's long tail swished gently back and forth, still mostly in the mouth of the cave. When she looked up, the sun shone through the slightly-translucent wings, illuminating every vein.

"She's—I mean—She's amazing, she's the most beautiful thing I've seen in my life, I..."

Ainsley was laughing.

"She is, isn't she?"

Gael was quiet, lost in the moment.

"I think I'm starting to understand a few things, Princess."

"About?"

She shrugged. "You. Dragons. The world. Myself. Everything, really." She paused. "Thank you for showing her to me."

Ainsley was silent, but Gael didn't miss the flush on her soft features.

"Do you want to ride her?"

Gael's hand froze on the dragon's flank. "Do I—what?"

Ainsley was grinning widely. "Let's go for a ride, Gael."

"Is- Is she okay with that?"

"She's the one who suggested it."

"Really?"

"Yes. She likes you."

Gael hesitated, staring into the dragon's shimmering eye. She couldn't deny that the idea of it thrilled her— but it was terrifying at the same time. She pulled her hand back from the warm scales.

"I... am not sure."

"I'll come along, of course," Ainsley was saying. "And I'll swear that I'm not going to kill you up there if it'll put you more at ease."

Gael laughed nervously. She wasn't worried about that—was she? The princess could've taken any opportunity to kill Gael and the crew if she'd wanted to. She supposed she could put some trust in the young noble.

"That... sounds nice. Let's do it."

Ainsley's smile lit up her whole face as she pulled Gael closer to the dragon. It shifted, huge claws raking the rocky beach.

"Alright. We'll want to sit before the wings, nearly right on the neck, I think. That's normally the best place." She placed her hand on the dragon's shoulder and, after a moment, it gently lowered itself to the ground, settling down with its legs underneath it. It was still quite a distance to try and attain. Gael laced her fingers together in front of her.

"Here. Let me help you."

Ainsley carefully placed one boot in her hands and Gael pushed her upwards. The princess jumped and scrambled up onto the dragon's back. It shook its huge head once, like a dog with its ears wet. The princess was laughing, adjusting her position on its neck. Gael couldn't remember seeing her this carefree before.

"Your turn."

She reached a hand down and Gael wrapped her hand around her wrist to help her pull herself up. Before she could really comprehend what had happened, Gael was sitting on the dragon's back, pressed close to Ainsley, who was in front of her.

"Will I slip off?"

"No. Treat her like you're riding a horse without a saddle and it'll be alright. And hold on to me if you'd like."

Gael nervously slid forwards as close as she dared, not wanting to invade the personal space that Ainsley seemed to get so defensive over. She was almost afraid to touch the princess, even though she had given permission. Beneath them, the dragon swung its large head up and and picked itself up off the ground, legs unfolding. Gael's qualms about touching Ainsley were immediately forgotten as the ground suddenly lurched away from them, and she wrapped her arms securely around the royal's waist. The massive, leathery wings rose up above them and the dragon took two running steps into the water before pushing them down again. The air caught underneath and before Gael had time to react, the ground was far, far below. Every push of the enormous wings took them even higher.

Any words she might've wanted to say were snatched from her throat by the wind as the dragon surged forward, leaving the small cove behind in seconds as it dove out towards sea. Far below, she could make out the tiny, foamy tops of waves that would've towered over her at sea level. She kept her arms wrapped tightly around Ainsley, feeling the fast beat of her heart. She wondered if Ainsley could feel hers, pressed against her like this.

The dragon swooped and dove, each flap of the huge wings sounding like a thunderclap. It wasn't all that different from the sound of the sails of the Finch snapping in the wind. Finally, it leveled out, wings stretching out to either side to fall into a gentle glide. Gael's grip loosened slightly.

The view was breathtaking. She could see the entirety of the small island from up here, able to make out trickles of smoke from the small village where her parents lived. The mainland was visible, too, as a dark, jagged line against the horizon. Aside from that, the ocean seemed to stretch on forever, horizon nearly invisible against the pale sky.

"Well?" Ainsley called over the rush of wind. Gael shook her head, still amazed. Her hair fluttered back from her shoulders.

"It's... incredible. I've never seen anything like this. You truly are fortunate, Ainsley."

Gael felt the princess stiffen slightly under her touch, but she didn't say anything. There was no point in trying to hold a more personal conversation over the wind tearing at their faces.

Gael wasn't sure how much time the two of them spent up there, the sun slowly beginning to move across the sky, but it felt like only a few moments. Finally, Ainsley twisted around to speak to Gael.

"She thinks we should go back now."

Gael nodded, and the dragon fell into a sweeping dive, wings spreading to catch the wind so close the waves lapped at its sharp talons. Then they were racing along the water, headed back for the mouth of the cove. The rock outcropping flashed by nearly too fast to comprehend, and suddenly the dark entrance to the cave was opening in front of them. The massive wings folded in close to the dragon's body and Gae reacted instinctively, ducking and pressing closer to Ainsley's crouched form. She felt her heartbeat quicken under her grip.

One second they were in the light of day, and in the next, darkness plunged over them. Gael couldn't make out the walls or the roof of the cave, so she stayed as low as she could, desperately hoping a low-hanging rock wouldn't take her head off. Air whistled past and brief flashes of sunlight from holes in the cavern came and went. Despite the sudden terror, it was exhilarating—and Gael soon found herself enjoying the rush of adrenaline.

Finally, the dragon's forward glide began to slow and it dropped its clawed feet to the cave floor, wings spreading. Faint light from above revealed that they were in a large, open chamber- the home of the dragon, if Gael had to guess. In front of her, Ainsley let out a breathless laugh.

"I suppose we'll have to walk back."

"I don't mind."

Ainsley slid down the dragon's shoulder and Gael followed, boots hitting the ground after what felt like a considerable distance. Shaking its huge head once, the dragon moved away, folding its wings. The full expanse of the cave came into view, and Gael sucked in a sharp breath of wonder.

hi!! thank you so much for reading chapter 15 of violent tides <3 don't forget to vote and comment, and have a lovely day!