(Untitled)

[skyboundknight]

Characters: Kain Highwind and Daenerys Targaryen
World | Location: Underdrome
Date | Content: Not long after they talked, Dany comes along to claim one of her babies. Kain meanwhile angsts over having to give the dragon up.
Rating: TBD, likely not high at all.

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[thedragonsblood]

Daenerys Targaryen had found little difficulty in locating the Gummi Ship Station in Traverse Town, but that didn't mean that she found boarding one easy. In fact, quite the opposite - the journey was frightening and confusing and she was very disoriented by the time they arrived in the Underdome. Dany had managed to purchase a few things for herself to wear than the Dothraki garb she'd arrived in, but even over the pale violet, sand silk dress she wore, she kept the hrakkar pelt and the painted, leather, bridal vest from her home world. Feeling a little lost in the dark depths of this new world, which on the surface had seemed so bright, she was glad she had, as she pulled the white lion cloak around herself and felt a little more secure.

She slowly made her way to the appointed meeting spot, wary of her surroundings despite being eager to see one of her dragons. If Drogon was here, that meant that Viserion and Rhaegal also had to be near, didn't it? Perhaps they were on this world too somewhere. The idea of them being scattered across different planets was intimidating and Dany truly hoped this was not the reality of the matter. She didn't have enough munny to fund travels to every single one of the many planets in the light universe.

[skyboundknight]

Kain continued to give Drogon attention, petting him much more affectionately than he would any other creature. He was only now moving to a task he'd started out earlier- feeding him. He'd tried raw food earlier, as there were species on his world who preferred a still-squirming meal to chomp into. But the little one had refused all of those attempts. So something much more... charred was what he offered him this time.

At first, Kain was unsure this would work. But when Drogon started munching on the burnt meat, he saw that his attempt was a success after all. Good. At least he'd not be sending this little one hungry to his caretaker. Kain glanced up a moment, looking for a sign of her approach.

[thedragonsblood]

When Dany finally found the armored knight, she was only mildly surprised to find that he still wore all that heavy armor. Did he think her dangerous, truly? That was certainly a first for her.

But when her eyes fell on Drogon beside the man, her wondering about the human ceased and her attention was solely on the dragon. She hurried to them with as much dignity as she could and crouched as well. The black hatchling screamed, but did not attack; instead, he crawled up her arm to perch on her shoulder, exactly like he always had since birth. Daenerys already felt stronger and lighter than she had in days being reunited with the young dragon, and she reached up with one hand to stroke Drogon's scaled throat gently.

That was when she noticed that he'd been eating. He still held the... rather burnt meat between his needle-like teeth and Dany's violet eyes widened a little. "...You fed him," she stated the obvious, though her tone revealed how truly stunned she was. What she meant was that the knight had gotten Drogon to actually accept a food offering, which she had not been able to do.

[skyboundknight]

Kain watched the little dragon and how familiar that perching seemed to be for him. As a dragoon he could tell the little signs that showed just how affectionate he was toward this girl. He inwardly ached for the same sort of affection from a dragon like Drogon. He could tell they held a deep bond, even more apparent in person than over the device. It made him somewhat jealous, but he tried hard to push those feelings back. Because on the other hand, he was relieved to see Drogon in a much better mood with her.

"It was no easy feat, I assure you." Even for a dragoon. Kain eyed Drogon closely for a moment, like a concerned adult would a human child. "He's pickier than most dragons I've met."

[thedragonsblood]

The girl continued to run her fingers along Drogon's smooth hide in thought, wondering about how the knight had achieved what she hadn't been able to.

"Only dragons and men eat cooked meat..." she murmured to herself quietly. Of course. How could she have been so stupid? Viserys had told her that long ago.

She was brought out of her reverie though as the knight commented on Drogon. She couldn't believe her ears. Surely, she was misunderstanding him. To think there were worlds out there where dragons still lived... She had been right! They were not extinct everywhere! Perhaps that meant they still existed somewhere on her world...

"Then you have met many dragons before?" Daenerys asked, still careful not to reveal too much about herself and Drogon, though her curiosity towards this knight was growing exponentially the more he talked; he enjoyed the temperamental dragon's company, had fed him, and now he claimed to have come across other dragons in the past. "I am Daenerys Stormborn, of House Targaryen. What is your name, ser?"

[skyboundknight]

Kain nodded sternly, and his whole demeanor took on an extra level of pride, as he made his reply. "Kain Highwind, dragoon of the kingdom of Baron." Their former commander even, although at the moment the details were less important. He continued to eye Drogon closely, very much interested in Dany's world and its dragons.

But first, explanations were in order. "Dragoons are knights skilled in aerial combat... we also hold a close affinity with dragons. On my world many of them are dangerous, some who can only be fought as foes... but they can also be tamed and raised. I've cared for the dragon of my father, in the past... and it's part of our training to know all there is about dragons."

[thedragonsblood]

Aerial combat? Daenerys' violet eyes narrowed suspiciously as she appraised the knight. She had never heard of such a thing and immediately she had to ask herself if it was possible he was hoping to take advantage of the naivety he imagined she had because of her youth. The fact that she couldn't see most of his face only served her doubt in the truth of his words, as she couldn't judge him properly while he was wearing his helm and armor. The heavy metal and leather obscured his body language from her.

Still, his voice had been level, tinted with formality and pride like any other knight she had known. It made her think of Ser Jorah, but she her thoughts of home aside abruptly; he, her bloodriders, and the Khal were dead at the worst and lost to the living at the best, and there was no point in dwelling on the past right now. She had to ensure her own survival and that of Drogon.

"You are a dragon knight." Dany lowered her hand from the infant dragon, who was finished with his meal and satisfied. Drogon's sharp black claws dug into the white fur of Dany's lion cloak to steady himself while he curled his long, sinuous body about her neck like a snake would around that of its charmer. That is why you are not afraid of him, she thought, thinking back on Kain's opinion of Drogon as 'fearsome and spirited', a joy to be with. He had to be telling the truth, even if she didn't understand what he meant by the manner of fighting dragoons excelled in. It explained everything perfectly.

[skyboundknight]

Kain nodded in answer to Dany's assessment of his fighting class. He again stood a little bit straighter, the pride evident in every aspect of his mannerisms. "That's right... and that's why I felt it important to do all I could for Drogon's sake, when I found him. One so young needs a great deal of care yet." Although hidden, his expression was one of admiration as he watched Drogon closely.

Now, of course, his own curiosity about Dany was starting to get the better of him. "...but the one he's bonded with is you. How is it he came to be in your company?" Not many people would tackle the daunting task of raising a dragon, and Kain knew that dragons themselves were not prone to bonding with just anyone.

[thedragonsblood]

Dany felt slightly dwarfed the taller the dragoon stood, herself unable to really compare to his greater height. Divulging the story of the dragons did not appeal to her when she was still uncertain she could trust Kain, but so far he had not been hesitant to share anything about himself as far as she could tell. His knowledge of dragons would be an asset to her and considering he had cared for Drogon well, perhaps he would be willing to aid her in her search for Viserion and Rhaegal.

"He was given to me," Daenerys Targaryen explained, "with two others. They were mere eggs at the time, said to be petrified. I had my doubts. I hatched the three after my husband was slain." She did not share that she had dreamed of Drogon soon after she had been given the eggs, that she had felt the dragons living within their supposed stone shells months before they were hatched, nor did she tell Kain any further information regarding Khal Drogo, his death, and the funeral pyre that gave birth to the dragons and, in a sense, herself.

"In my world, dragons are believed by all to be extinct. My family conquered the western lands on the backs of their dragons. They had never been seen in Westeros before then. The last dragon of the world was frail and died over a century ago."

Now it was Dany's turn to straighten her back with pride. "Mine are the first anyone has seen since. I am grateful to you for the care you showed Drogon so well in my absence."

[skyboundknight]

"You hatched them yourself? That's no simple task." Kain actually sounded impressed, which didn't happen much. It also sounded to him as if she came from a line of people much like dragoons... people who had strong connections to dragons, anyway. That sort of old familial heritage was intensely important to Kain.

"As for caring for Drogon, it was the least I could do. I'm glad to have met him... and even now I'll still do all I can for him if it's ever needed. You have my word." He paused, and thought things over. "You said there are others? Have you seen any sign of them yet here?"

[thedragonsblood]

She didn't respond to the subtle flattery, her thoughts still trying to return to what her life had been on the Dothraki Sea, the happiness she experienced with Drogo before...

"No. I have not. I had hoped, of course, but I had no evidence that Drogon was even here until I saw you with him. The others are Viserion and Rhaegal. It's possible they are also somewhere, lost, but I do not know." Inwardly, Dany refused to believe that the other dragons were lost to her. She had sworn she would do everything in her power to ensure they were not taken from her like everyone else she had ever loved or who had ever loved her. She would hold herself to her vow even if the world had been swallowed in darkness. "I need to find them."

[skyboundknight]

Kain could imagine how difficult that separation must be, for her and the dragons as well. This place had far too many worlds within it, any number of places where a baby dragon might appear. Drogon had just been lucky to end up in the hands of a dragoon.

"If Drogon is here... I don't see why the others wouldn't be. I'll keep watch, and inform you at once if I see them."

[thedragonsblood]

Dany nodded in thanks. "Do you live here, Ser Kain? I ask your discretion when speaking with others about Drogon. I am uncertain if others from my world have also survived and it is best that natives from Westeros do not know I am alive." The Targaryen girl became visibly uncomfortable then, but she struggled against her inner fear in hopes that that the dragoon would not notice. The last thing she wanted to appear now was weak, even though she was essentially defenseless without her queensguard.

[skyboundknight]

"I've been living in a place called the Land of Dragons. Although it doesn't live up to its title." He sounded disappointed over that last part, how can one call a place a land of dragons if none of them showed up? Kain would just have to spend more time there until he found some.

Now his gaze turned intensely serious. He didn't mention how uncomfortable she looked, although it was hard to miss taking notice of that. Instead, he replied, "I'll do as you ask, and take caution in mentioning him. I don't want to see him or the others threatened."

[thedragonsblood]

Unbeknownst to her, the dragon helm protected Daenerys from feeling the man's scrutiny. She did see Kain grow still and she could heard the gravity in his tone, but she couldn't understand what it meant. She nearly laughed when he said he didn't want the dragons to be in danger; the only danger they'd likely face at the hands of her enemies was being stolen from her for their own purposes. "Thank you," she said, becoming more relaxed again, "I am grateful you were here. But why are you on this world if your surrogate home is elsewhere?"

[skyboundknight]

"...You're welcome." And Kain meant that, sincerely. He watched Drogon again, he just couldn't help but admire him. "I'm here in this world to fight in a tournament. I must face the most difficult challenges I can find." He basically felt a need to replace Mount Ordeals, something he knew to be impossible, yet that he'd try to do anyway. If he could conquer his Darkness in some other way, he was determined to find it.