Teeth and Talon (BoyxBoy)

Chapter Seventeen.

"The pair seem safe enough." Nazavert started as he began unpacking what clothes and items he had in his bag. "Yaren is the halfling. Nearly twenty and a spitfire if anything. The whole time it was snark and angry comments. Frena, the mother, did as much as she could to calm him. It seems the young man has some issues with rage he inherited from his father."

Humming, Kal sat on the bed and watched his mate work, thinking on what the man was saying. Anger issues would not benefit the settlement, but they had gone through Razania at the very least.

"Frena says the father left for the war and the only way they knew he had gone was because Yaren had started screaming in his sleep. They left after that, the father saying to go to Dresath if anything happened."

"How old was the boy?" Kal asked quietly, wondering if they could have been the same age when they felt their parents deaths.

"Ten winters. They were living in the northern mountains of Vragad, away from any cities and for good reason. Frena being a human did not bring much joy within other dragons." Nazavert clicked his tongue in what Kal was sure was annoyance.

"No wonder the man is full of anger. When he was a boy he was a pariah and when he became a man he was put against the horrors of the world we know." Kal hummed sadly, for even if this man was a halfling, he still did not deserve that type of pain.

After the wars and battles with Mrethith, humans were rarely even allowed into Vragad. To have a child with one was seen as disgraceful. Though, even with all the prejudice thoughts between dragons and humans alike, Kal had known good humans.

He had known the humans who tried to help, letting dragons rest in their homes and hiding them if any soldier came. When he was younger he had refused this kind of service, yet they accepted easily and let him go on his way with Kaida on his trail.

If a dragon found a mate within a human and that human was kindhearted, what could Kal say against that? There was no more hatred in his heart to despise those who were only trying to love and be loved. He himself had fought with that also.

"I thought as such also. I believe once Yaren realized I was only trying to help he calmed some. With how they both spoke, I have much doubt they are trying to insert themselves for nefarious reasons." Nazavert, finished with putting away his things, sat down on the bed beside Kal. "What did everyone say on the matter?"

"They are hesitant, of course. I told them I would let them know how it went in Dresath. I suppose we can speak with them at the feast."

"Is there anyone in particular? Someone who I should worry about being too uncomfortable with the idea?" Nazavert asked easily, looking to Kal yet the man only stared at the ground.

"Grennan. Felliot... m-me." Kal whispered the last word in his own shame.

Nazavert made a noise and took Kal's hand in his own, a frown gracing his features even though Kal did not dare meet his eyes now.

"You do know I would never let anything happen to you, Kalzerath? The option of letting the Dracmah in would have been naught if I for one second believed he would hurt you; or the others for that matter."

"I know that. I do. I myself have met good humans and know this pair could be a part of them. Yet, Nazavert, the last time I was with humans... you know it was no pleasant experience." Kal sighed, running a hand through his tangled curls. "This fear, this hesitance. I am truly sorry that I can not control it. I thought after being in the settlement, it would make it go away. It did not. I still think of every little detail that will go wrong. Even now, Kaida being in the castle with them, I think of everything that could be happening to her."