Birth of a Dragoon

Success!

I awoke slowly at the quick raps upon my door. Groaning, I rolled out of bed and grabbed my soft blue robe before approaching the door. I opened it as I pulled on the robe. Then groaned again at finding Cearúil on the other side, carrying his books. Without a word, I left the door open and crossed the room, to once more crawl into bed.

Closing my eyes, I stated: "I really don't feel like attending class this morning. Can't you come up with a lie to tell ArchMage Mors for me?"

I didn't bother to reopen my eyes as I heard him shut the door and begin approaching me. Nor when he dragged my only chair across the room to sit beside the bed.

"Class ended over three hours ago, Gwen."

That caused my eyes to snap open and my gaze to shift to the small, magical timepiece sitting on the chest next to the bed. It was a quarter after noon; class began at five in the morning and ended at nine. Before I could ask any of the questions now flowing in my mind, Cearúil continued.

"I took the liberty of telling Instructor Mors that you were 'under the weather' today and would be missing class. He didn't seem all that disappointed with your absence. In fact, he gave his permission for you to take the rest of the week off as well, 'to get better'."

I snorted and burrowed further into my pillow. "Did you get any studying done with all the celebrating and rejoicing at my absence?"

A bit of shock filled me at feeling his fingers gently pushing the hair out of my face. I opened my eyes and stared up at him for a moment before moaning out 'no'.

"I'll tell you Night Shadow's story if you join me this week for further practices in the forest."

"You'll tell me the tale anyways, because of last night."

A slow smile spread across his lips. "I know many, many tales of Draco and their Dragoons; if that is the payment you desire for humoring me and joining me at that clearing."

I grumbled and rolled over, putting my back to him. "I don't like you any more, Cearúil. You don't play fair."

I sighed deeply when I heard his chuckle behind me. Figures I'd amused him again. That was probably why he had stayed as my partner all these months, because I kept amusing him with, seemingly, every action I did and response I came up with.

"I think you need a life, Cearúil."

Another chuckle. "I have a life; with more than half of it aimed at making yours interesting."

"Interesting, my ass. Shoo fly, you're bugging me." I stated as I waved a hand over my shoulder at him.

"I'll leave when you promise to meet me tonight and the rest of the week."

I grumbled again, but refused to answer. My eyes shot back open the instant I felt the bed dip behind me. It was barely a twin sized mattress, making me instantly surrounded by heat. My heartbeat picked up into a pounding frenzy. "What the hell are you doing, Cearúil?"

I tensed when he leaned over me and a hot breath tickled my ear.

"Agree to meet me and I'll go flutter away. If not, I'll just stay here like this with you. I must admit, it's not as uncomfortable as I originally thought considering the size of the bed."

Further tension filled me when his arm snaked around my waist. I knew what he was doing, and unfortunately for me, it was working oh so well. He wanted his way, but learned over the years he knew me that brute force didn't work with me. I jerked out of his grip when he bent his head down and nuzzled the back of my neck.

"All right, all right, knock it off! Get the hell out of my bed and room."

"Are you going to meet me for the rest of the week?"

"If I say 'yes', will you leave me alone?"

"Of course."

I sighed deeply and attempted elbowing him, which wouldn't have done much damage if it connected. It didn't. He just laughed in my ear.

"Say 'yes', Gwen. And I'll let you go back to sleep. If not, I'm fine with staying right here, beside you."

"Fine!" I yelped when he snuggled down behind me once more. "I'll meet you for practices."

"Good."

I felt a quick chaste kiss on my cheek that had me whipping around to smack him, but he was already halfway across the room. I knew he had done both just to irk me. Again it had worked quite well. I was still pissed when he grinned at me as he left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

Cearúil's grin was bright as he slowly led Gwen through the darkened forest. Of course to him it was lit up quite beautifully. There were a bit more shadows than during the daylight hours, but he could see everything clearly, if only in grey. Stopping beside a three foot wide fallen log, he easily hefted Gwen over it, causing her curses to start anew. He knew she thought these little practices weren't going to help, that they were only a waste of time. Sleeping time that is. He, however, knew better and tonight he was going to prove it.

A tinge of amusement filled Cearúil when Gwen tripped over a jutting tree root. She called him a bastard again, while rubbing the sore spot on her ankle. He watched her silently for several moments, wondering why it didn't annoy him. When anyone else called him a bastard, he beat the living hell out of them. From Gwen though, it amused him to no end. Was it because there was no animosity in her voice when she called him it? Or because, deep down, he knew instinctively she didn't mean it?

Could be, there was never any hatred towards him in her voice, just annoyance. Recovering from his thoughts, Cearúil took Gwen's arm to escort her the rest of the way to the clearing without incident.

My eyes were wide and filled completely in amazement as I watched a small green flame flickering softly in the middle of the clearing. My gaze shifted to Cearúil's; pride was etched in every feature, from the slight grin to his glowing yellow-green eyes. Jumping to my feet, I threw myself into his arms in complete happiness.

"I did it, Cearúil. Did you see it? I finally cast a spell!"

Cearúil wrapped his arms around me to return the embrace a moment before patting my shoulder. "I noticed, Gwen. Good job."

Pushing me back until I was at arm's length, his grin grew wider. "I told you these practices would be good for you and would help. Now, are you ready for something a little more challenging?"

"Certainly."

On impulse, when he released me, I leaned back down and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Cearúil. I couldn't have done this without your help…or friendship."

Three hours later, Cearúil sat quietly contemplating earlier events. Gwen had been able to cast the fire spell, but nothing else he had thought up for her to try. She now lay in an exhausted sleep beside him, with her head lying in his lap. His fingers gently stroked the white and red strands of her hair, absently. How could she summon fire, but nothing else? She was turning fifteen shortly, could she just be a late bloomer?

Most Mages awoke to their powers at a young age, normally five or six, but it wasn't unknown for a rare few to awaken later in years. Cearúil glanced down at Gwen's serene face. She was way beyond in age to even those rare few, but she had succeeded in the small fire spell for now, and once she aced that, they would move on to a different spell. Hopefully by then she would have better luck.

Cearúil shifted Gwen's sleeping form to the grassy floor, before rising to his feet. He then bent down and gently lifted her into his arms. There was no reason to awaken her now; she needed the rest after all of her attempts. When they nearly reached the College he would awaken her then. For now, he would enjoy this and the success they finally achieved tonight.