fernweh

(n.) a crave for travel; being homesick for a place you've never been

[Flashback]

(Y/N)'s POV

Dragons are incredible creatures. 

Though not many people think the same.

Ever since I could remember, vikings and dragons have always fought with each other. Sure its not acceptable that the dragons destroy our properties, but they're wild animals who are searching for food and our livestock proves to be an easy catch.

The vikings on the other hand, ferocious and heartless, kill the dragons without any hesitation. Its unacceptable that they don't put much thought on the dragon they kill, how it might have been looking for something to bring to it's hatchlings.

Because there isn't any mutual understanding between dragons and vikings, the war between them still continued even after decades passed.

But that's not the case with me. Growing up every child, along with me, was trained to fight. Whether it was dragon or another person. Knowing how to defend yourself was the key to surviving.

Even after the countless times I've trained and exceeded my limits, I still preferred to stay at home when dragon raid were happening outside. This led to people believing I was fearful of the dragons, but that wasn't true, I was fearful of killing them.

I'm not sure when this phase started, my best guess would be when our chief decided that we should start training against dragons. We were then taken to an arena instead of our usual outdoor training place, my companions showed so much passion for destruction when fighting the dragons, they charged at them not caring about the burning fire coming their way.

In the beginning it was just self defence and evading their attacks, but after they learned the dragons tactics, the kids outsmarted them and killed them with no remorse.

I couldn't stand to watch that anymore and ditched the classes which made my parents truly angry. They loved me so much when I was still fighting with other kids and winning, but after quitting, I felt their interest in me slowly dying. I was an only child and they had so many high expectations for me, yet I ruined them with one decision. 

But after spending a few days here on the island I had more time to process everything multiple times, if none of this happened, my father would've definitely gotten rid of me by marrying me to some rich man when the age is right. 

I scowled just by the thought of that. Never in my life have I ever wanted to end up like that, I want to travel and explore, to discover new things.

Even if the banishing helped me avoid those consequences, I still couldn't forgive Alvin for what he has done to me. And I swear to Odin that I will get my vengeance no matter what.

But in the meantime I had other problems to worry about, like how I will remain alive on this island with nothing on me, not even a small knife. I had to rely solely on my memories from when I was learning how to make a fire with stones, it was difficult at first but after trying for a couple of hours, I got the hang of it.

I found a cave that I used as shelter, though it was a bit far from the river and I had to walk a few miles to get water when I'm thirsty. For food I resorted in fruits, mostly berries and since I didn't have any rope I couldn't make a trap to catch a wild animal.

All the while of living here, I couldn't stop thinking about the navy blue dragon.
See, you'd think after forming a connection with the dragon it was instantaneously going to become my best friend, but the reality is far from that. Instead the earliest days with the dragon were spent in distance just observing one another.

Often I would catch it watching me as I tried to catch fish and failed miserably, it found humour in the way they fell from my hands because I was too happy to have finally caught one. Then the dragon would jump in the water and effortlessly catch about five fish in one swing, it would then proceed to stare back with a mocking look on its face and eat them.

The dragon seemed to always stay in close range because every time I wandered around the forest looking for food or something else, I would catch glimpses of it. The navy dragon is always in some corner eyeing me and watching my every move. At first I was a scared, thinking that it might pounce at me in any second and eat me alive. But after a while I got used to the observing teal eyes, now I would worry if I don't see the dragon stalking nearby.

But it isn't always the dragon that strings along with me, often I would be the one following it. I'd watch how it acts in its natural habitat, the way it sleeps and hunts. Everything about that dragon fascinated me.

A month later I concluded that the dragon was a female. It took so long because I rarely got the chance to get a closer look of the it. The reason being that whenever I try approach it, the dragon growls and goes away to another place.

Sometimes I would stumble by randomly and find the dragon sleeping, I would stare at her beauty and always dread the fact that I didn't have any paper and pen to draw that magnificent creature.

On that note, time passed very slowly here. I had nothing else to do except fishing and exploring the same old forest paths. The most exciting thing that ever happens to me is probably being chased by dragons.

It puts my skills to the test, how I dodge their attacks and how I outwit them so I can escape without harm. I'm glad that I ended up on this island because there aren't many dangerous dragon species. The most common ones are the Changewing dragons who scare the living hell out of me when they suddenly appear out of nowhere. Terrible Terrors are almost everywhere but every time I encounter one, they're always resting and thankfully never violent enough to attack. And the most scariest of them all are the Timberjack and Typhoomerang. They are these gigantic creatures that I wouldn't want to came face to face with, I've only seen burn marks on the ground and them flying in the air. But even so, the size of them makes me shiver.

About four months later, I got used to the current life. It was hard and it still is. Before when I was in the village, my parents provided me with everything I needed but now I have to do it all on my own.

What scares me the most is the upcoming winter. The season I hate the most.

Even after all this time, my days passed the same way as the first day I awoke in this place. I didn't make any adjustments to the the cave that is my shelter, at night I would just go there and flop on the cold ground, trying not to think about the bugs that might be crawling on me while I sleep.

Apprehension fueled me as the cold days were slowly nearing.
Back on Outcast island I had my warm house and cozy bed, but now on this island I will undoubtedly freeze to death due the cold conditions and the fact that I have nothing to cover myself with.
And the fire can provide only so much.

One fateful day I woke up as I always do, completely unaware that this day there would be a twist of change in my life once more. 

With a sigh I carved a line on the walls of the cave, this has been going on for one hundred and twenty one days. Its better to keep track rather than not knowing how much time has passed, this was in a way keeping me sane.

After I going outside there was no doubt that its noon already, in a way it felt good to wake up late rather than in dawn like I used to back in the village. The best thing ever is having absolute freedom and not having to do any chores ever again. No more taking care of the livestock, no more cleaning, no more tiresome sewing.

I wasn't particularly hungry so I figured I could take a stroll.

The birds chirped as usual and somewhere close there were bees buzzing, jumping from one flower to another. I've grown accustomed to the fresh smell of nature, rather than the revolting smell of sweat and blood back on Outcast island.

I heard the familiar sound of the water flow, meaning that I was fairly close to the river.  A few steps afterwards it came to view and I crouched down to take a drink.

There was ruffling from my right side, from my peripheral vision I couldn't see anything and that is why I concluded that it was probably a Changewing making that sound.

And the worst decision of the day is not having a second thought. Because the next thing I know, there is a thunderous roar emitting from where the ruffling sound came from.

But the thing about this roar was that it didn't belong to any dragon, it belonged to a bear. Which was now heading my way. I somehow got up with stumble steps and ran as fast as I could.

The difference between being chased by a dragon is that I can use my size for advantage, I can easily slip by trees and evade.
The bears on the other hand are down on the ground and a lot faster than me.

I glanced behind only to find the bear getting closer with each passing second, I let out a fearful scream. The thrumming footsteps from behind grew louder and I could hear the heavy breathing coming from the bear. It was so close to its prey.

But when I turned back in front, I stopped instantly.

The ground was turning into a hill, there was nowhere to go except forward, forward the cold ocean waters below.

I spun around then and watched the bear slow down as well. It knew I had nowhere to go so now it was taking its time and letting me enjoy the last moments of my life before I get devoured.

I hadn't realized that I was standing too close to the edge and now its too late.

I felt the ground crumbling down beneath my feet, I heard the crunching sound of the breaking rocks.

I was falling...

Do you know that time when you slip on the edge of stairs, but catch yourself before you fall, that one second fear, one second where your heart stops.

Well that's exactly what happened to me except it was thousand times worse and adding the fact that I wasn't falling from stairs and I didn't catch myself, so now I was falling from a five hundred feet hill.

Its in time like these, when its a question between live and death, that we really cherish the last moments of our lives, the last moments of our beating heart.

I watched with tears as the ocean was getting closer.

I was going to die.

And only now do I get the meaning of 'my life flashed before my eyes'. I guess its the only thing that could happen in the moment, reliving all my good and bad memories.

I closed my eyes and waited for the impact. There was no escaping this.

I hit something harsh, it was not liquid, I was not submerged into water like I should have. Instead I just felt all of my front side hurting.

Though the thing that surprised me the most is that I was still up in air, I wasn't falling anymore.

How is this even possible...

I opened my eyes and instantly closed them back. I am thousand feet above the forest, above the forest. I screamed and grasped the thing that was carrying me.

And then logic finally hit me.

What is carrying me?

With an unsteady whimper I pried open my eyes again, this time concentrating on the soft surface I'm currently on.

It was made out of feathers.

And not just any feathers. Navy blue ones.

"Odin's mighty body I'm on a dragon!" A yell escaped my lips. Every single part of me was telling me to jump or do something to get away, but I could do nothing except clutch the beast with all my might.

I made the wrong decision to look down again, only to find that the forest was nowhere to be seen, it was just water surrounding me from every side. I was calculating the speed of this dragon when we passed a lofty boulder in the middle of the sea, we passed it so quickly that I barely had the chance to even catch a glimpse of it.

"Please if you can understand me, just put me down. Please, I beg of you." I felt hot tears prickle down my cheeks and fall down. I was terrified like never before.

The dragon on the other hand, just increased the speed. I could feel the air slowly getting sucked out of me, my heart was beating ferociously.

"This is all a dream. I'm just dreaming, yeah! I'll wake up soon and I'll be still in the cave! All safe and sound!" I desperately wanted it to be true, I desperately pinched myself and slapped my cheeks forcefully. But nothing happened, except the mild pain that spread.

I was breathing fast and heavy but my throat felt as if it was closed and I wasn't taking in any oxygen inside my lungs. I was suffocating. 

Black specs began to blurry my vision which made me even more petrified.

And that's all I could remember before I passed out.

-----

Warm gust of air swept on my face and after that a slimy liquid slid across my cheeks. Out of reflex my hands traveled to my cheeks and wiped the fluid from them. 

I don't know what I was expecting to see after I opened my eyes, but being greeted with limpid teal ones was not one of them. 

"Eeek!" A squeak spilled past my lips and I leaped away, the dragon mimicked my reaction and scooped backwards as well. Only then did I realize what happened to me, I was hyperventilating to the point of passing out and the reason for it was that I was flying on a dragon.

But then comprehension finally sunk in. This dragon had saved my life. I don't know if it was just randomly flying by and I happened to land on it or it just willingly went out its way to rescue me. I became more relaxed after that and came back to my senses, my body unconsciously traveled forward to the dragon and with a splayed hand I reached towards its head.

And then it happened again. The dragon nested her head onto my hand just like when I first met her. I felt as if I was reliving history once again, the excitement bubbling inside me like before. Oddly enough this time the dragon didn't move away and we had an intense staring contest.

I stroked the side of the dragon's face and it was soft like petting a sheep. "Your eyes are magnificent. So lucid and crystal clear." 

A smile spread on my face. "Crystal." 

The dragon let out purrs exactly like a cat would, I moved my other free hand to her head and simultaneously caressed both sides of her face. The dragon closed her eyes in delight and let her tongue slip out, showing a toothy grin.

"You're my savior you know that." 

I don't know what happened, but when I scratched the dragon on the chin, its head instantly fell down onto my lap and purred even louder. I let a laugh of disbelief. Dragons are literally fire-breathing cats.

"I wish everyone could see this." I wish everyone could see that dragons are lovable creatures when you have gained their trust, I wish everyone could see that peace between humans and dragons is possible. If only people weren't so close minded.

I leaned myself on the ground with both hands and looked up in the sky. Frankly speaking, all of this that happened to me in a way seemed like a big accomplishment, I mean who can say that they rode on the back of a dragon? Who can say that a dragon rested in their hands? Even the craziest stories I've heard vikings tell can't be compared to this.

The dragon rose its head and exhaled through the nose. As if it had a sudden change of heart, the dragon got on its feet and walked a few steps away, my eyes widened when I realized it was planning to pounce in air and leave me stranded on Gods know here we are.

So the dragon was just going to leave and forget about our bonding moment. 

But I don't think so. In a second I got up and did the unthinkable. 

My hands grasped the dragon's tail in the same time it flew up. I watched in horror as we ascended in air and how the island was growing smaller and smaller beneath my feet. The trip was bumpy in the back and all the time I was worrying not to get close to the blades on the end of the tail. But on the plus side I got the chance to examine them closer than ever before.

I thought that I was going to able to withstand holding on, though after some minutes it proved impossible. My muscles began to burn and craved for rest and even when I tried to climb up, I failed. Once again I made the fatal mistake of looking down and scaring myself out of my mind.

My hand was slipping and before I knew it I was falling again. Screams emitted from my mouth as I was twisting and turning in the air, the wind was gushing past me and my eyes were beginning to water because of it. 

"Crystal!" The word came out of my lips as a shriek, I'm unsure as to why I even said it in the first place but there was something that made it feel so right to say it. My heart sunk when I looked up and found that the navy blue dragon was nowhere to be seen. For a moment I convinced myself that I was an idiot for thinking that it would care if I had fallen, perhaps earlier it just pitied me, but now I may have been a wight being lifted off for all I know.

Just as I was about to lose hope, I hit something soft. I breathed out in relief, it didn't forget me after all. I clutched the dragon, but this time it was not out of fear, it was out of gratitude. 

-----

The next couple of weeks were the most jovial of them all. Most days I spent were with the dragon that I've grown used to calling Crystal, she was such an incredible creature that I don't even deserve. Almost every day I would go fishing double times more just so I could have at least one fish for Crystal, it sort of became a daily routine and in return she let me stay near her and not run off like before.

Once in a while I try to get on her back and ride with her, but it always resulted in me being thrown on the ground. Then I constructed a master plan, I would bribe myself into flying with Crystal. I spent almost half a day trying to gather enough fish to satisfy her and in the end Crystal finally accepted me.

I don't know what in the world made me think this would be a good idea. The first time I was frightened to death and passed out, the second time was alright though the height still scared me all the way back to the island, but this time I'm the one asking for a ride. Can you believe that? 

I climbed on top of the dragon steadily and without any warning Crystal lift off in air. I yelped and linked my arms around her neck, this made Crystal slow down a bit and a minute later I let go of my tight grip. 

Little by little I began to straighten up and take in my surroundings. 

No words can describe the breathtaking scene of the sunset, all the reds and oranges smeared together and slowly fading from the horizon. It was totally different seeing it from this perspective, from this high up in the sky.

We were so close to the clouds that when I held my arm I felt them pass through my fingers. They were like fluffy cotton wool, cool and wet. Everything about experiencing this made me grin like an idiot. I was riding on a dragon for Thor sake.

"I wish people can see this, see that they were wrong all along. Dragons can be our friends."

-----

"Watch out!" I screamed, though it was too late because Crystal and I had already landed face first into a pile of leaves, but at least it was something soft for a change. For a while now I have been trying to perfect my flying with Crystal, what started off as a joke to see if I can endure being in the sky now turned into something more serious.

I genuinely wanted to experience what dragons feel everyday and that is being able to fly, its so stress relieving to just be way up in the sky and not care about anything, to simply wander off from everything.

"We should definitely work on our landing." I giggled and earned myself a grunt from Crystal. I shook my head wildly and let the leaves fall from my hair, a few more I manually took off afterwards.

Never in a million years would I expect that I would be bonding with a mystical creature like this. Even so, I couldn't help but notice that there isn't any dragons like her, I often ask myself where could her species be if there even are any. Nonetheless, I was still happy that Crystal is my friend.

Everything was so much easier when she's around. Catching fishes only takes some minutes, starting a fire just requires a sparkle from Crystal and traveling from one destination to another has never been quicker. All the time I've spent here I never thought that I would escape this island, like I was destined to be stuck with no hope of ever getting rescued.

But all of that changed when I started exploring with Crystal. This was a few months after she had saved me and I earned her trust thankfully. We traveled to a lot of islands I was familiar with, but it was mostly nighttime when we went, otherwise we could be spotted and shot down. I always felt second-hand happiness from observing the villages, how they were all lit by lamps and candles and how there were probably happy families huddled together inside the houses, laughing and having fun.

Often times I would miss that, having someone to talk to and laugh with but then the harsh reality hits and I know that the chances of that ever happening again are zero.

Soon enough I became desperate. I needed equipment to live properly so that's why I decided stealing will probably be the best idea, as bad as it sounds. I decided that I will loot the first village we come across that is inhabited by people.

It was noon when we arrived on a particular island, the village there was relatively large compared to the other places I've visited. More traders crowded the market and more people roamed around, looking through the different items stacked in front of them.

After half an hour of walking I finally reached the center of the village which was even more incredible up close. I stood aside from everything, just observing the people quietly. It felt surreal to be back in human society after being stranded alone on an island for nearly a year. Chatter came from each direction and laughter erupted from somewhere every so often.

I took my time scanning through the many products shown. There were armoury, herbs, food, fur, jewellery and whatever your heart desired. I watched in amazement as I soared from one side to another, taking in all the vast riches and wonderful smells of freshly baked bread.

But I knew the main reason why I was here so I decided not to fool around any longer and actually search for the thing I needed. To my surprise though, the shop was just a foot away. When I set foot in front of the stand I looked around the many different sets of weaponry.

"Can I help you lass?" A jumped when someone next to me spoke. My head instantly snapped in their direction and I took a step backwards. The brown haired man only stared at me in confusion, but still had a smile stretched on his face.

"No thank you! I was just, uh, browsing!" A sheepish chuckle escaped my lips. The man simply shook his head and walked over to another customer, I speedily looked around to see if anyone was watching and thankfully everybody was busy minding their own business. I took a last glance at the owner and saw him sharing a throaty laughter with other men.

I swiftly grasped a knife from the stack and put it in my clothes, unaware that somebody had actually seen me do so.

"Hey you! Give that back!" That particular person yelled but I was already running, far far away. I heard fast footsteps approaching from behind, fortunately there was no more yelling, it was simply a game of chase.

Pushing though the mass of people seemed almost impossible. I took a side step and moved to where there was more space to run, that also gave advantage to the person hunting me down. Although about fifteen seconds later I didn't hear any noise, I turned my head only to see that there was nobody behind me.

I slowed down my pace and watched in perplexity, had the person simply concluded I wasn't worth enough and quit? My assumptions were abruptly cut when I was suddenly tugged by my hand and harshly slammed against a wall.

My breath hitched instantly.

"Where do you think you're going?" A stern voice spoke and I whimpered as I opened my eyes. In front of me was a furious looking boy, his blond hair was disheveled and sticking up in every direction presumably from running too much. The boy's narrowed eyes bore into mine making me feel ten times smaller under his death stare.

I tried to escape, but that only made the boy grab my wrists and pin them to my sides. His face was now only inches away and I could see the ghastly glint in his muddy brown eyes.

"Now tell me." The boy whispered and I backed my head as far away as I could. "Who even are you?"

"Please don't hurt me." I choked out. "I'm (Y/N)(L/N). I'm sorry for stealing your knife, I promise I won't do it again!"

Tears prickled my eyes, I closed them and turned my head to the side.

Honesty, I was expecting to be beaten up for stealing, taken to the village or something else. What I didn't expect is to hear a chuckle, a deep incredulous chuckle. The pressure on my wrist faded meaning that I was no longer held captive. I looked and saw the boy was doubling over with laughter while I stared at him in complete bewilderment.

"You're good as dead if you react that way." The boy finally calmed down and wiped a few tears of joy. I hadn't moved an inch because I was entirely frozen in spot, this person changed his demeanour in absolutely one second and I still didn't know what to say.

"And you're so lucky that you stole from our shop, otherwise you would be covered in bruises by now." The boy said and then put a finger on his lips as if thinking. "And maybe a few broken ribs too."

He was saying this all to casually with a happy tone, but slowly stopped when he saw I wasn't participating in his conversation. His face fell straight and I took in a breath.

"Well I'll scream, someone certainly will come and save me!" I said as a matter-of-factly and crossed my arms, I don't know where this confidence was coming from, but it was probably stubbornness in disguise. The boy only looked in disbelief like I had said something only a madman would.

"You think this is some sort of a fairy tale? That your prince charming on a horse will come and rescue you?" The boy laughed. "You're so naive if you think that's how the world works."

He walked closer then and gently flicked the side of my head. "Wake up, this is not a fairy tale. People won't give one damn about you getting beat up. If anything, they'll find pleasure."

I looked down at the ground, the boy had knocked some sense in my mind, he was right about everything he said. I felt so utterly betrayed by the world, why does it sound so normal to just ignore if someone is getting hurt, why are we like this?

The boy saw my uneasiness and sighed. "Anyway, why were you stealing in the first place?" He walked around slowly, hands in pockets and watching me with curiosity in his eyes.

My eyes widened slightly, what was I going to say? I can't just say 'I have nothing because I was banished from my village and now I live with a dragon on a stranded island.' He'd think I'm a maniac.

"I was in need." I replied smoothly. The boy walked closer to me, his eyes traveled down my body and he inched his arm forward. I stopped breathing for a second, not knowing what he was going to do. But then he pulled out the knife I had stolen and examined it thoroughly.

"In need of a small knife that literally every single person owns? What are you, a peasant?"

What he said gave me an idea. "Yes..." I said acting ashamed. The boy huffed loudly and for a second I thought he didn't believe me.

"I've never seen you before, who are your parents?" He asked suspiciously, eyes slightly squinted and detecting my face for any lies.

"My parents are dead." I looked away and anxiously played with my thumbs. Though when I glanced back in the boy's face I saw that it had softened.

He muttered a simple 'oh' and took a step back. A minute of silence passed. "Then where do you live?"

"In the forest." I replied calmly.

"Why don't you work something and earn yourself some money to buy decent clothes?"

After he said that I looked down at my outfit and saw how hollow it really was. There were stains nearly everywhere and there was no doubt that I smelled like rotten fish.

"I'm content with what I have." I said crossing my arms and rising my head.

"Really? What do you own? You literally don't even have a knife for Thor's sake!" The boy exclaimed and threw his hands in air.

"Why do you even care?"

"Because I pity you."

"Well I don't need your pity."

The boy then crossed his arms too and huffed loudly. "Well you know what? I don't care."

I was kind of taken aback from his change of heart. The pressure on my arms folded loosened as a stared back at him. In all honesty, I thought that he was going to be more persistent, but he simply gave up.

Just before I opened my eyes to speak, he walked towards me and placed his index finger on my chest. "I don't care what you say. I'm going to help you no matter what."

If there's ever an opportunity to use to term 'my jaw hit the floor', now would be the right time because I did not expect him to say that, never in a million years.

"How will you help me?" I couldn't stop the question that was bubbling inside.

"By teaching you how to steal properly."

-----

You see, if he had offered me to stay in his house, eat the food he eats, live the life like him, I would constantly feel as if I'm in debt. But now when the boy offered me how to earn my own income, even though its illegal, its still better than to always relay on someone.

After our conversation, the boy decided we should take a stroll. In which he introduced himself as Erland.

When he told me his name, he was looking at me expectantly like waiting for me to say something. I was clueless to why he did that and asked him why he was staring at me in that way. For some reason his face washed with relief and he murmured nothing.

Occasionally Erland would ask questions about my life and I would plain out ignore him and look away. He figured what was going on and didn't ask any further. Erland was completely open about his life though, he told me about his life and I was utterly saddened by it.

His mother had died giving birth to him and if that's not sad enough, his father hated him so much he named him Erland because it stands for outcast. As years passed by he was looked down upon, nobody in the village liked him and he was often bullied.
I still couldn't comprehend why the people were doing that, then Erland explained how his mother was an important role in the village. She was the most skilled shield-maiden and one of the best fighters of their tribe. She was the most loved person and because of her death, Erland was blamed and thought of a mistake his whole life.

I was tearing up the whole time he was telling his story, nobody should be treated that way. Without even realizing I found myself hugging this stranger.

Erland continued saying that this year when he turned eighteen, he left the village and came here where his uncle lived and now he helps him and his family.

"Rocksmond is a really nice place, don't you agree?" He concluded and I nodded with a sheepish giggle. At least now I know how the place is called.

Erland sighed and got on his feet.
"Okay, let's get going."

"Yep." I said and followed.

While walking Erland told me all his tips and secrets about stealing. For example, the perfect timing, how to avert people's attention at something else while you take what you want, how to lie like a master and most importantly, how to have the utmost confidence if you ever get caught.

When we reached the navel of the village, Erland demonstrated everything he said, with one cut he swiftly took the bag of coins that were attached to a man's belt. I watch in amazement as he approached me calmly as if nothing had happened, his face blank without any emotion.

We took a couple of step when someone yelled, I glanced a Erland and saw him smirking. He was walking like every other person around us, that was the perfect way of blending with the crowd. If he were to walk faster or jog, people would get suspicious.

After we were in a place where nobody could see us, Erland looked at me.

"And that's how its done." A devilish smirk played on his lips. Then he extended his arm and was holding out the bag towards me, because I was staring back and forth between it and Erland, he shook his hand.

"It's for you." He said, I slowly and reluctantly took a hold of the drawstring bag. Even though it might not be polite, I gaped inside the bag and my eyes widened instantly.

"Erland! There's enough money in here for me to have a feast everyday!" I chirped loudly, excitement fueling me all the way. And because of that, I couldn't stop the wicked smile that was stretching on my face.

"Always aim for the rich looking people." He winked.

"I'll add that to my list!" I said and winked back. After that we shared a laugh.

From there on, there wasn't really much to say. We were both staring at the distance, each lost in their own thoughts. But then a question popped inside my head.

"How are you so good at stealing?" I asked and impatiently waited for an answer.

Erland didn't even spare a glance in my direction, he just smiled. "Because I used to steal too, duh." He then spun around, smile still intact.

"Even that takes practice. You should've seen me in the first few weeks! I got beaten up every time." He joked and stared at his hands, seemingly remembering the experiences.

"Why did you steal in the first place?" I emphasized the fact that I was quoting him and earned myself a lighthearted chuckle when he understood the reference. I then continued. "I mean you had a roof above your head, food on your plate. I just don't get it."

"You wanna know the real reason? It's because I was bored. Sure I had those luxuries but everything was just boring." Erland confessed, stretching out the word 'boring'. "So I added a little bit of excitement by stealing!"

"Well that's a first." I replied seconds after he finished talking.

"Yeah, well, gotta go! Meet me here tomorrow same time." I didn't have the time to reply because Erland was already up and running back to the village. I snorted and shook my head in disbelief.

"What a weird boy."

-----

Getting back to Crystal when it was getting darker and darker each second was slightly difficult. It was different than earlier when the sun was up, now I just have the moonlight to guide me. When I was close enough to our place I called for Crystal a couple of times, internally praying not to attract any unwanted attention.

Thankfully though, Crystal arrived just in time and we flied a quick lap around the island before going to our camp. I gathered some bricks and grass and Crystal started the fire. My hands inched forward to gather some of the heat.

"So today I met a person." I began and simplified how I spent my day and what happened. Crystal eyed me all the way while I talked and I occasionally petted her on the head.

"It was just so different to talk to another human being and actually get responses." I muttered out of thought, but then Crystal growled and I realized what I had said. "But you're still on the top girl! Nobody will replace you!"

"I wuv you so much." I spoke in a baby tone and cradled her cheeks, that seemed to put Crystal in a good mood and she gave me a gummy smile. I moved forward and hugged my dragon.

After petting her for a little longer I felt my eyes drop more and more, I yawned and stretched my arms upright. Crystal was already in her sleeping position and I laid next to her, where I was completely absorbed into her soft wings and slept like a baby.

-----

I awoke feeling joyful, my hopes for the day were already off the hook. There wasn't anything here that I could occupy myself with, so the only rational solution was to go back into the village and see what's going on. I took one third of the coins from yesterday, smiling because only fools put all of their money in one bag, but luckily for me, this fool was exceptionally rich. I was hoping to buy something useful for myself, like a bowl or a cape and perhaps if I was lucky enough, I might spot a few papers and chalk.

Though when I arrived at the center of the village, all of those desires were cut off when the smell of roasted meat and baked bread filled my nostrils. I acted on a whim and bought a piece from both and after taking a single bite, I felt my soul being replenished once again. A lot of time has passed since I last tasted something as delicious as this.

I was currently at the place Erland and I were sitting yesterday, chomping on the food like a hungry animal. I threw my head backwards and sighed with satisfaction while chewing in a manner that is immensely unladylike. While doing so, I didn't hear the approaching footsteps and the watchful eyes.

"I've never seen anyone wolf down the food like that." My head snapped back up at the sound of someone speaking, my eyes instantly locked with Erland's and I swallowed the big piece of meat that was inside of my mouth. I pursed my lips afterwards, feeling embarrassed of how I might've looked like.

"I'm not usually like this, I eat like a proper lady I swear." I joked and earned myself a heartfelt laugh from the boy in front of me. He sat down on the grass while I continued to consume the food in a more slower pace with smaller bites, I suppose that was decent enough.

"I saw you when you were purchasing the goods, your eyes were so wide I thought they were gonna pop out. Its like you've never seen food before." If only you knew.

"That's partly true though, a peasant can't afford luxuries like these everyday." I said with a sad tone and looked away as if I was in a deep thought. Frankly speaking, this peasant role fit perfectly because its similar to my actual life.

"Well that's gonna change." Erland clapped his hands once. "Because by the next week, you'll be swimming in riches." He had the most enthusiastic grin I've ever seen and I couldn't help but laugh.

"So optimistic, what if I'm still poor?" I crossed my arms and let a playful smirk slide up my lips.

"Then I, Erland," He began with a dramatic voice and put a hand on his chest, "Will no longer be the thief king!" I burst into laughter when he fell to his knees, he was seriously taking this play way too far.

"You're hilarious." I concluded walking up to Erland and giving him a hand to get up. He took my hand with a wide smile and I pulled him up with all my force. Without any verbal agreement we both headed towards to the path that led to the village, Erland dusted his pants and let the leaves fall down onto the ground.

While walking he explained today's agenda and what we were going to do. I have to steal people's stuff exactly like Erland did yesterday. At first I was confident, knowing that this would be a piece of cake but I was wrong, oh so terribly wrong.

The first person I decided to steal from was a lady who was paying for tomatoes, I thought I was just going to run straight to her, take her bag of money in a flash and go back to safety. But that didn't go as planned.

I didn't calculate that the woman could grip the bag tighter and I would be there pulling with my weakling hands, the woman was cursing at me and then for the finale she slapped me across the cheek, hard.

I realized that I was getting a lot of attention from the other people so I just ran away straight to the place where Erland was observing me. Before I even reached him I saw him roll his eyes in annoyance and cross his arms.

"I can explain-" I started of but was cut off when Erland put a hand in front of me and shook his head in dismissal.

"You failed." He simply said and I jutted my bottom lip out.

"You could've at least sugarcoated that." I murmured, but I guess I wasn't quiet enough.

"There's no point, you failed." Erland said once again, stretching out the word purposely. "Where did you go wrong?"

"I wasn't strong enough to take the bag?" Was all I could think of, that was the mistake I presume I made. Erland had one eyebrow arched up and was staring at me with a 'are-you-serious' look on his face.

"No (Y/N). The key is their attention! You went wrong because the woman had all her attention on the bag of coins and when you tried to take it, she was already alarmed and acted fast. Thus stopping you from stealing it." Erland explained and I huffed loudly, I mean he's right but I don't want to admit defeat so I looked away irritated.

"And she even slapped me!" I whined loudly.

"I mean, how would you react if a child tried to take away your money?" Erland tried to reason with me.

"Are you implying that I'm a child?"

"Yes."

"I'm thirteen. I'm particularly and adult already!"

"You've got a long way ahead of you kiddo."

I growled and threw punches at him, but to no avail because he dodged them so quickly and effortlessly. "I'm not a kid!" I yelled with fake anger, Erland just rose his hands in defence.

"Fine if that's what you think." He grinned, still not accepting what I'm saying. I crossed my arms and spun around not wanting to face him anymore, when he stepped in front of me, I turned around to the other direction. This continued for a while and in the same time we were still having the quarrel whether I'm a child or not.

"Bye." I stated and walked away. "I'm not hanging out with uneducated people like you."

I heard Erland laugh behind me and then he started to walk after me.

"No! Please do not leave me! I cannot survive without you!" Erland was not in front of me and acting brokenhearted. I continued walking and glared at him as he walked backwards, just to face me.

"Without you my world is black and white, my soul is empty, I am sad." His words made me snort even though I was supposed to be angry at him.

"You sound like you just took random sentences from different poems and smashed them all together." I chuckled and watched as a smile formed on Erland's lips, he shrugged and finally walked side-by-side with me.

"That was all I can remember." He admitted guiltily. I stood on the tip of my toes just to reach his hair and ruffle it, I pulled away back on my flats with giggles as he tried to even his hair, whining that it took him ages to make it look perfect.

The rest of the journey passed with Erland explaining some things he might've missed and by the time he finished, we had already arrived back into the village. As always, it was buzzing with activity and people talking rather loudly.

Erland stopped walking and so did I. "Alright, find a victim." He said with a smirk. That sentence taken out of context might sound a little bit malicious, but I knew exactly what he meant so I looked left and right, hoping to find the perfect person.

My eyes landed on a fairly young man who was aimlessly glancing back and forth between the sides, just waiting to stumble upon something that will enlighten his day. Erland and I approached the man from different directions, while he went in front to confront the man and strike up a conversation to distract him, I had the duty to cut off his little bag of coins strapped around his belt.

I waited for a minute while they began to comfortably talk and only then I slowly crept behind the man, careful to make my footsteps as quiet as possible. Just as I was about to cut the rope, Erland made the unforgivable mistake of complimenting the man's bag, he instantly took it in his hands and I stepped back just in time.

Erland's quick thinking saved me. He rose his hands and placed them on the man's vest, tugging it to have more information about the material. I began to cut the drawstring bag without any complications and it was cut off successfully, unfortunately I didn't estimate that the coins have weight as well. So now the man noticed the lack of it and turned backwards.

I could never express the fear that built up when our eyes locked and how his face turned from happy to furious in one second. The young man reacted foolishly though. He only spun around to face Erland, only managing to mutter a single word. "You..."

Erland winked at the guy and dashed away instantly, I too ran at the opposite side, but not before seeing how the man had looked back and found that I wasn't there as well. He yelled in anger and ran in the same direction as Erland. I was silently hoping that he was unreachable and that the young man stops and gives up.

I return to our secret place and wait impatiently for Erland. My corrupt thoughts quickly drowned me, I had a feeling that he might've gotten caught and is now getting beat up or something. All of my worry disappeared when he finally showed up, totally unhurt.

"Sorry I had to take the long way here, I thought that guy might be following me so...yeah." Erland apologized right away and I just smiled, saying that everything is alright. The eagerness got the best of me and I speedily unzipped the bag, turning it around and making all the coins fall in my hands.

There were a fewer than yesterday, but still enough that I consider a fortune. A wide grin stretched on my face. I began counting the coins and split them in half afterwards. There were about fifteen coins all together, I gave seven to Erland and he put them in a hidden pocket I never noticed before.

"Good work today!" He exclaimed. I smiled but deep inside I could feel the worry build up.

"What if we encounter the men we stole from? What happens then?" I asked, the distress getting the better of me. Erland just sighed and laid on the grass, hands behind his head.

"Most of the people here are traders, (Y/N). They don't stay that long and the chances of bumping into them are slim." Erland replied calmly and I nodded in response. He obviously knew better than I, there was no doubting that.

"There are just a portion of people who actually live here and I know all of them. They're all farmers so you can easily spot the difference between them and the traders." Erland added.

"Right..."

-----

[Three weeks later]

I would be lying if I said that the days passed smoothly, they were anything but smooth. I thought that luck would follow me each time I stole, though it was quite the opposite really. The second time we attempted to loot a merchant, we were caught and beaten up pretty badly, Erland more than me.

Though, that didn't stop us. I still kept learning new tips and tricks and after a while Erland wasn't helping me anymore, I was distracting the people and stealing all by myself. But there were still times when I needed him.

When we were not looting, Erland and I were spending time together back in our place next to the river, bonding and getting to know each other. We grew closer over the following weeks and he was almost like a big brother to me, I loved him dearly.

Even after nearly a month, I still didn't tell him where I was staying the nights. He would occasionally ask everyday and the answer was still the same, 'Here and there, everywhere!'. He had offered me to stay with him multiple times, and multiple times I declined.

I'd rather be staying with my dragon than be in a house filled with people that hate me. Yes, Erland once introduced me to his uncle and his family and it was the most embarrassing thing ever. His uncle kept on asking me about my past, his wife bashed me for being a thief and a 'peasant', and their kids kept on asking Erland why he hangs out with me. Erland tried to assure me that they've changed after that experience, but I know better. Whenever I would escort him back home, they would always glare at me and ignore if I even simply greeted them.

I was content in our little cave we found, over the course of three weeks I filled it with a table and a chair, I have also bought a soft pillow and an lavish fur blanket for the cold nights. I've obtained other household items such as cups and bowls, culinary utensils and a basket for food. For nearly half of my money I bought papers and chalk, and I even had to bargain to get that price!

I was currently walking towards the cave, I had bid farewell with Erland a while ago and now retreated to my home to get some well deserved rest. I walked inside and sat my knife and remaining coins on the table, I grabbed the jug of water and poured some into my cup.

I nearly spilled the liquid everywhere when I heard something other than the birds chirping.

"So this is where you live. Nice." Immediately I recognized the voice. I whipped my head to see Erland inspecting the cave in every angle.

"Why did you follow me?" I snapped bitterly, though I was actually faking it, I wasn't really mad at him. The only thing I was fretting about was the fact that Crystal could be back any minute now and if Erland sees her well... I'm not sure what he'll do. So that's why I want to get him away as far as possible.

"Because I wanted to know where my friend lives! Obviously." My heart instantly melted when he presented me as 'friend'. I mean I consider him as a friend, but still there was this deep insecurity that he doesn't really care about me and only spends his time with me out of pity.

"Okay!" I said and walked to him. " You saw my home now off we go!" I gently pushed him outside while he was protesting. He stopped moving when we were outside and spun around, revealing his agitated face.

"What are you hiding (Y/N)?" Erland questioned, his eyes squinting with suspicion. But the my worst fear came to life when I saw a navy blue dragon descending from the sky. When Crystal landed and saw me, I tried to somehow tell her to go away with my eyes, but she's a dragon and didn't understood that. Instead she snarled and began to approach us.

"Nothing! But you have leave. Now." I pressed on further, but this time Erland didn't even budge when I attempted to push him away, he stood on the ground like a rock. My eyes frantically darted from his to Crystal and how she was coming closer and closer.

"Not until you tell me why you want me to leave so badly." Erland crossed his arms, it was his way of saying that he's determined and he will do whatever it takes to make it his own way. Crystal's slow walking now turned into running and her footsteps could be heard from miles away.

I didn't look at Erland for a while and he followed my gaze, when he turned around, Crystal was right in front of us. In all my days of living, I've never heard someone scream so girly before. Erland's high-pitched tone made me wince and shut my eyes tightly.

"Wh-What is that thing?!" Erland stuttered as he took a step back. His bottom lip was trembling and his eyes were so wide it looked like they were going to pop out of their sockets any time soon.

"Dragon, Erla-" I wasn't able to finish because he began to run his hands through his hair and repeatedly mutter 'oh my gods'. I placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him down, but when Crystal took another step forward Erland just jumped in front of me.

"(Y/N), go back to the village and call for help." Erland used the most calmest tone ever. His reaction of danger made happy because now I know that if there's any real danger he would always step in front of me to save my life. I don't deserve a person like him.

"Erland lis-" I tried to reason with him but he cut me out again.

"No, you listen. Go save yourself while I buy you some time."

"You don't understand. T-"

"Go! There's no time!" Erland's voice was more panicked when he saw Crystal approaching us slowly. But it only angered me that he didn't let me speak.

"No!" I screamed and Crystal growled at Erland. I walked past him straight to my dragon.

"(Y/N)! Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Erland grabbed my arm and pulled me back , but with all the force I yanked it away. His face dropped when I gave him the deadliest of glares. I turned my back on Crystal and now walked backwards to her, while still keeping my eyes fixed on Erland who looked like he was going to pass out any time soon.

When I placed my hand on Crystal's head, Erland's stiff body visibly relaxed, his shoulders slumped down and his hands weren't curved into fists anymore. He parted his lips to say something, but no words came out, he was too perplexed to say anything.

"This is Crystal, my dragon." I stated and watched as Erland hesitantly walked towards us.

"But dragons are myth!" He exclaimed in disbelief and I giggled at how he circled around to get to my side, rather than to walk forward.

"As you can see, they're pretty much real." I trailed off, too busy caressing Crystal's head. From my peripheral vision I could see Erland watching me and he then began to murmur some prayers to the gods.

"Don't worry, she's not going to eat you." I said, my hands glided down to Crystal's chin and I gently pressed on the side, making her fall on the ground with a dazed expression. I glanced at Erland only to find him dumbstruck.

"H-How did you do that..." Erland stammered and I smiled warmly. I sat on the ground next to Crystal and petted her stomach, the navy coloured dragon just rolled around on her back like a cat. Erland's legs seemed to give up because he fell on his knees, with his arms glued to his sides.

"I don't understand...How- How is this possible?" Erland was now sitting in a more comfortable position, with his legs crossed and arms resting on them.

"None of the people here ever encountered a dragon?" I questioned incredulously. To that Erland shook his head.

"If that ever happened, the word would spread like a wildfire." After Erland replied, silence overtook. I was still marveled how an island like this exists, how dragon raids have never happened here, how the villagers live a happy normal life without any worry that dragons might attack.

"Or perhaps the person would be accused of being a madman..." For some reason Erland's words made my heart stop for a second. He spoke in such a casual tone as if it was normal. For me it wasn't.

I sad smile played on my lips. "I know how that feels."

Erland rose his gaze from the ground and looked at me with knotted eyebrows. "What?"

"Do you want to know the reason why I suddenly appeared on this island, why I never told you anything about my life, why there's a mystical creature sitting in front of you?" I asked, moving closer to him.

"Well now that you mentioned it, I'm intrigued." Erland replied with a slight nod.

"Then prepare yourself to hear a story never before told."

-----

All the time I was talking, Erland was quiet and attentive. By the time I finished telling him about how I was banished from Outcast Island, I was already a crying mess and hugging Erland for my dear life. He offered me the much needed support and care, something I haven't had in years.

While I was telling Erland about Crystal, she was circling around him and I giggled at how Erland was whimpering silently and moving away. Erland let an ear-piercing shriek when Crystal rested her head onto his legs, but he finally calmed down after that.

Erland, perhaps subconsciously, began to pet Crystal's head while I was explaining my arrival on this island. I watched as Erland's eyes widened once he realized what he was doing, he instantly pulled away his hands which made Crystal croon sadly. With an uncertain face, Erland returned his hand and stroked the dragon's head once more.

"And that's...pretty much it." I eventually finished. There was this sort of relief that washed over me, like I had spilled out all of my emotions; good, bad, sad, all of them.

"Damn." Erland replied sounding dazed, the same way you would reply if you are too busy doing something else and hadn't been listening properly. Once I looked up from my hands and towards the sandy coloured boy, I witnessed the most adorable sight ever.

Crystal was rolling on the ground while Erland scratched her stomach playfully. He had the most joyful smiles stuck on his face and I couldn't help but burst in happiness. Two of my friends were bonding together and everything was going smoothly.

Erland must've noticed that I wasn't speaking anymore because his face turned into that of a shock and he instantly stopped what he was doing. "I-I mean, sad. What you've been through is really sad (Y/N)." He tried to play it all cool, like I didn't just see him playing with my dragon. He got on his feet and came to sit next to me.

"And to think that something like that happened to you at such young age... It's devastating."

"Well if that gods had that in plan, then so be it." I shrugged casually. In every bad, there is always something good. In my occasion, it was meeting Crystal. If I hadn't been banished then I never would've met her.

"Aren't dragons supposed to like...breathe fire or something?" Erland asked after a moment of uncomfortable silence. And as if on a cue, Crystal fired a blast which hit the boulder in front of her. My eyes were glued onto Erland and how he would react.

When the fire came in contact with the rock, a thunderous explosion sound echoed and it made Erland jump from the ground. He turned around slowly, his shaky hand pointing at the spot. "That- That could kill someone on spot." I watched how Erland's Adam's apple bobbed as he gulped loudly. "Remind me to never get on Crystal's bad side."

-----

I've been on Rocksmond Island for three months and six days and it was early morning. Erland and I were in my cave having breakfast.

Crystal and him grew accustomed with each other, each day the three of us would spend some time together. I even managed to make Erland fly with me and Crystal, and let me tell you, there was a lot of screaming.

Crystal was devouring her food while Erland and I ate like civilized people. We were discussing about the current events happening in the village, some gossip that's been spread, planning our next tactics.

We were in the center of the village, looking around the market rather than robbing someone. We stumbled upon a beautiful necklace made out of shiny white pearls, but it was too expensive to even consider buying so we continued walking.

"Wasn't it gorgeous?" I asked, referring to the necklace we left back. Erland just shrugged.

"I've seen way better." He replied with a casual tone.

Suddenly out of nowhere, an ear-piercing scream echoed and then another one until they were a chorus of screams. We spun around and saw people tumbling over each other as they tried to run away from something.

Erland and I shared a confused look, but there was also worry lingering as well.

"What's going on?" I grabbed a man by his hand, he stopped and looked me dead in the eyes before whispering in the most chilling voice ever.

"Save yourself."

When there were no remaining people running our way, I could clearly see he cause of the distress. From the horizon, hundreds of men where slaughtering the poor villagers. With one single swing the cavalry killed the helpless people running for their dear life, the archery struck those who tried to escape and the swordsmen ruthlessly murdered those who stood in their ways.

"Oh my gods..." My hands instantly covered my mouth as tears began to prickle my eyes. Even if I could see the fastly approaching army coming our way, I was still frozen in the place unable to move.

"(Y/N)! Let's go!" Erland clutched my arm and forcefully tugged me, my legs seemed to give up because I only stumbled and fell pathetically. I glanced at the army, only to find them a couple of steps away, those in the back were throwing sticks on fire at the houses, making those who cannot walk, suffocate to death.

You can never imagine how the world went into slow motion when an arrow, who was just centimeters away from my face, flew past me. And after that followed shower of arrows. Erland pulled me underneath a transport vehicle and we both hid there until the fleet passed. The feeling whenever a man passed can never be described, each time I held my breath and each time I prayed the gods for them not to look down.

Erland and I were too transfixed on hiding ourselves from the front that we didn't think that maybe somebody can circle around from the other side. And my worst fear came to life when that exact same thing happened. We were both pulled out from our hiding spot with yells of terror.

My eyes were beginning to water when I saw how they were cuffing Erland's arms, even if he was trying to wriggle away he still couldn't escape them.

"Sneaky little brats you two are!" One of the man shouted, wrentching my hair and making me scream in excruciating pain.

"Leave her alone you bastard!" Erland shouted, voice fuming with anger and glare so deadly, if it had power it would've killed everyone in sight. Erland was twisting and turning, trying to set himself free with all the force he had. But to no avail. The guards were holding him too tightly.

They began beating up Erland, with each hit, his body jerked left and right. With each hit, I slowly died inside. Punch after punch, Erland's face became unrecognizable from all the blood oozing from seemingly everywhere. My cries for them to stop were simply ignored as if I wasn't there at all. All of this reminded me of the time with Alvin and the Thunderdrum , the same feeling of helplessness, the same feeling of watching the thing you love get beaten to death.

The leader of this small group heaved Erland on his knees, pulling him by his neck. "Not so strong, are we now?" He chuckled devilishly and started squeezing Erland's neck with all his might.

"No please!" I cried out, hearing how Erland struggled to breathe, how he desperately tried to fill his lungs with the much needed oxygen. My screams only got louder and louder as Erland's face was beginning to pale.

My chin began to tremble and soon after drips of tears started streaming down my face. I tried to get to him, but the men holding me were far too strong.

Suddenly, the familiar roar of my dragon echoed loudly, the men all began looking left and right trying to find the source. Then out of nowhere, Crystal jumped in front of the men and threw away the one that was strangling Erland. The other men were a whimpering mess, all of them were asking what that creature was, the people holding me let go and ran away as fast as their legs could carry them. All it took was a growl from Crystal to make the remaining men to sprint and join the rest.

I instantly crawled to the wheezing boy in front of me.

"Erland..." I whispered, my voice had died down from screaming too much.

My heart went still as his body went limp in my arms.

"No, no, no, no, no!" My whole body was trembling as I placed my fingers onto his neck, only to find no pulse...

Panic swept over me in a matter of seconds, I immediately got on my knees and pressed my hands on his chest with whatever energy I had left. Even after the tenth time I tried, Erland was still not breathing...

"You can't die on me!" I only did one last push on his chest before I heard arrows passing me or sticking onto the things around me.

I couldn't caress Erland's face for the last time because Crystal already took a hold of me and lift off in air.

"No!" I sobbed. "Put me down!"

By this point tears were already streaming down my face like a waterfall. My ears were deafened from my heart hammering against my chest. It felt like a big weight was being pressed on me, it was hard to breathe. And the world disappeared for a moment as I realized that I had lost yet another friend.

"Erland..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I apologize for the long chapter, but I hope you guys stuck till the end haha. And I hope you guys liked it!  Vote and comment if you did! ❤️