Dragon Hunter

Chapter 19: An Unexpected Gathering

As it turned out, Ilya's declaration was fairly subjective. Because what Cooper next experienced certainly didn't exactly feel like a party. And it began with a parade through town spent standing in the back of a wagon being drawn by two giant albino iguanas.

"Glad you could make it, Cooper," Alia said rather dryly as the big human climbed up into the back of the low-slung wagon and stepped towards the Guardian commander sheathed, as always, in her hooded black on black uniform.

Alia, however, with her expression carefully schooled to nonchalance, was betrayed by wide eyes that quickly scanned over him to make sure he was in one piece. Then, as soon as he was close enough that others couldn't see, she captured his hand with hers and squeezed it hard enough, he almost winced.

"Not having a sword stuck through you seems to have improved your situation!" she continued in that same breezy, carefree tone even as she let go of his hand just enough to tangle her fingers with his.

"Imagine that, hey?" Cooper replied, copying Alia's breezy delivery even as he returned the squeeze once their fingers were entwined, as relieved and happy as she was, to find her unharmed.

"Just like you seem to be much more cheerful being not burnt to a shriveled crisp by black dragon acid fire!"

"Aye, there's that!" she said, her mouth twitching upwards for the briefest of moments. "Nice that the boys have a decent sense of timing. Saved us some trouble."

Cooper grinned lopsidedly.

"That, they did."

Another further exchange was forestalled by Ilya and Beyless climbing into the back of the wagon to join them, their arrival stirring the driver into motion. And the wagon, with a slight jerk, began to move.

Noting where the two dark elf males ended up standing, Alia angled her own positioning so she could keep holding Cooper's hand without the two noticing. Something Cooper quickly picked up on. Why did she care if they could see them holding hands or not? Was it because it showed emotional vulnerability? Or was it somehow against a rule or law?

Regardless of the reason, it was obvious Alia wanted the reassurance of physical contact, as minor as it was, and didn't want the temple operators to be aware of it. Which was fine by him. He was finding her more and more attractive each time he looked at her. Not to mention, he was really starting to like her as a person, with her wit, intelligence, dry sense of humor, and undeniable badassness.

And the handholding was telling him that she was moving past the initial rush of those kisses up on the ledge and into something more. They were building something in the short time they had known each other, which, again, he didn't find himself minding at all. Time would tell what exactly that would be.

Cooper then nearly grimaced. If he didn't get her killed first, that is! With that thought echoing around inside his empty head, Cooper shuffled a bit to help keep their touch hidden. At the same time, he found himself thinking: 'In a box, Coop, in a box!'

"So, Ilya thinks this party is going to be a banger," he said, looking from the frowning operative over to Alia. "Obviously I've never been to one. What exactly are we walking into here, commander?"

"Well, considering we've got the supreme leader of the Noriquien here, Prime Councilor Maevin, to present the commendations alongside her Grace, High Priestess Vannea, and Eska's governor, Madam Brint, it's going to be state sponsored," Alia explained. "That means a two part event, with the first part being a feast and a general meet and greet; did I get that right, Cooper? Meet and greet?"

At Cooper's wry grin and nod, Alia went on.

"Meet and greet with socialization and drinking until we all pass out. Then, after a freshen up, the actual ceremony with just government officials in attendance. That way the common citizens get to participate with the feast, and the government gets to control the actual ceremony by making it small-scale the next day."