Phew finally made it back to the main group from the start of the story. Sorry if it took too long I felt that you all needed to see the other characters as events started occuring. Please enjoy, read and review I look forward to them.

--DarkGryph

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Chapter 6 – Vows of Honor are not Empty Vows

It was nearing mid-day of the day after Darren had sent the little dragon messenger to his loyal friend, Carl. The night before the Llaronean guards had caught up to them and tried to over take them because they were stupid enough to remain in one spot for half a day. Darek was pacing nervously back and forth across their newly acquired camping site frustrated beyond belief, “There is something wrong with all of this…something really wrong,” He muttered, “We have done nothing all morning but sit here…where is this Carl already?” Darek turned angrily and started walking again, “I don’t like sitting around…they are going to find us again.”

Vera laughed, “You are too antsy, Darek.”

Darek turned on her, “Why shouldn’t I be, Vera?” He demanded frowning; Vera didn’t flinch at all as he continued on, “We have been sitting here knowing full well that those guards are still hounding us. Darren told us that our way out should have come by now…and we are still just sitting here!” He glanced around, “Where is Darren anyway?”

Cecil smiled, “He’s off wit’ Rose…It’ll probably be best for ye if ye just sit down an’ relax.”

Darek snorted, “Easy for you to say Cecil,” he said turning on her next, “You weren’t raised as a soldier.”

“Well…no,” She admitted, “But I have been livin’ on the streets for most of me life…I know what it’s like to have to run all the time. But I trust Darren on this, he will get us out of here and we will be safe.”

“Such faith in someone you just met,” Darek said straightening up, “Sorry…I’m not as sure as you are.”

Myaira laughed suddenly reminding the others that she was there, “Poor little Darek, feeling all angry inside,” She squeaked with glee, “Maybe you should go to Spivey instead of Mystical Aerie.”

Darek gave the young elf girl a confused look, wondering, for what had to be the fiftieth time since he met her, on her mental condition, “What for?”

She smiled up at him mischievously, her purple eyes glittered brightly in amusement, “For some anger therapy, I heard Spivey had many classes that could help you with something like that.”

“What?” Darek asked, “I do not have an anger management problem, I just don’t like sitting around doing nothing.”

Myaira shrugged, “They have classes for that too…”

“I have been to Spivey,” Darek protested, “They do not have classes like that.”

Vera rested her head on her knees and wrapped her arms around her legs, “Spivey huh? That’s that large human city on Kaimer right?”

Myaira nodded, “Yeah…I heard a lot about it before I was imprisoned.”

Vera nodded, “It’s been predicted by my people that Spivey will become a great industrial city in the future. All races will live there and work under one government that will affect everyone on Recca.”

Darek looked at the Ice Elf in amazement, though he wasn’t willing to believe it, “The Ice Elves predicted that?” He sat down to hear more.

Vera turned her dark eyed gaze on him, pleased to see that she had caught his interest, “Of course we did, we may live up on Fria but we still know a lot about the other continents, so much so that we are able to predict the future.”

“We elves know a lot,” Myaira butted in.

Darek crossed his arms and frowned, “Ah the ‘know-it-all elf’ bit huh? Just because Elves have a longer lifespan then most all things doesn’t mean that they know everything.”

“Yeah!” Cecil added, “Yer makin’ us look bad.”

Vera let out a laugh, “Sorry, we didn’t mean to offend you two.”

“I’m not…you really need to go take a class Darek,” Myaira added in causing them all to laugh. They continued on talking soon forgetting about their late ride to Mystical Aerie on Ze’ Nintche.

At the same time, Rose and Darren had gone off a little ways on their own so they could talk with each other privately. Their conversation started out randomly at first until the awkwardness of seeing each other again had passed. Now they talked about the things they had done during the time they were apart. They had a good laugh about how they first met when some butt-ugly ogres had gotten it into their thick skulls that they wanted Rose to be their leader’s queen. Luckily for Rose the brash young adventurer had happened to come along and save her from such a horrible fate. They never forgot each other after that even though they didn’t get to see one another often.

“So Rose,” Darren started after they were done catching up, “Why were you at Shoresh anyway?”

She flushed pink with embarrassment, “Uh…”

“Is there a problem on Ze’ Nintche? It looked fine when I was there for those few hours.”

“Well…you wouldn’t have then,” Rose said shaking her head, “You weren’t there nearly long enough. It was mostly princess stuff though, I had to get away for a while.”

“Oh…” Darren said, “You should give some of your tips to Carl, he seemed really antsy when I was there.”

“I don’t think I should,” Rose said, “I was kidnapped by Ogres the first time and this time I was imprisoned by humans! I would only get him into more trouble.”

Darren laughed and leaned back, “Yeah but you know…I think Carl would give it all up if he had a chance and he would leave just like that…no warning…no word as to where he went…Just him, alone on some wild adventure.”

Rose smiled and sat back too, “Will he ever come back in these thoughts of yours?”

“Hmm,” Darren thought for a moment then nodded decisively, “Yeah he’ll just show up all the sudden acting like he never left.”

“And will the kingdom be alright with that?” Rose asked.

“Of course he is the heir to the throne,” Darren said, “Until the point that he takes off again of course…then it will happen again and again, it’ll be a vicious cycle.”

“Poor Carl,” Rose cooed and she hugged Darren.

Darren wrapped an arm around her and gave her a squeeze before looking up to the skies, “I wonder where he is…I didn’t expect him to be late.”

“Carl is coming here?” Rose asked, sounding surprised.

“Yeah…I told him before I left that he should try and find an excuse to come with the dragons,” Darren answered then snickered, “Surprisingly enough I think I might have given him the perfect excuse by letting him know Darek was with us. As much as we despise the Dragon Slayers, Carl has always wanted to meet one.”

“I see…” Rose said and she shrugged playfully hitting Darren in the arm, “Don’t worry about him Darren, he will come.”

Darren rubbed his arm, pretending that it had hurt, “Hey…” he laughed and started tickling her sides.

Rose squirmed and tried to get out of the way, “Hey no! Stop!” she laughed. Darren stopped suddenly looking up at the skies again, “Do you hear something Darren?”

“Dragons,” He said after listening for a moment, “He’s going to be here soon. Hang on a second,” he spread his originally concealed wings and used them to lift him up to the tree top level. He glanced around then dropped back down to the ground and folding his wings under his cloak again, “Three blues are on their way and I am pretty certain Carl is with them. Let’s go tell the others.”

Rose nodded and took Darren’s hand as he led her back to the others who looked over at him.

“What is it?” Vera asked.

“I spotted Carl and the dragons a few miles off, they will be here soon,” Darren cheered happily and the group gave a sigh of relief. They quickly gathered their things and were ready to set out when Carl stepped into the clearing alone.

“So you are the freed prisoners from the human city Llarona?” Carl said gracefully, “I am Carl Gryph, prince of the Gryphtor Kingdom,” He frowned over at an embarrassed Darren when he got a few weird looks from the companions, “Been being secretive again I see…you could have told them I was a prince you know.”

Darren shrugged, “Sorry Carl…you know that even I don’t refer to you as a prince…it is an easy thing to forget.”

Carl rolled his eyes, “Whatever Darren…this coming from the guy who was concerned over me for sending my personal guard to find you when they should have been guarding their prince.”

“Don’t get me going about that,” Darren said pinching the bridge of his nose, “That was a bad idea on your part and you know it.”

“Because I am a prince and you recognized that fact,” Carl crossed his arms triumphantly.

Darek leaned over to Rose, more than confident now that both Gryphtors knew her and she knew both of them, “Do they do this often?”

“Not really unless there is a crowd,” Rose answered, “I don’t know why really…they like putting on a show I suppose.”

Darek chuckled and moved to stand between the two who where arguing about nonsense, “Childhood friends huh Darren? You seem more like quarreling brothers to me.”

They both looked at him with their flame blue eyes and Carl burst out laughing, “Brothers? I think not…”

“We are not brothers Darek…” Darren said also chuckling a bit.

“I had figured that one,” Darek snapped back in annoyance flexing his feathered wings, “I was just saying…” He turned to Carl, “Last time I checked, Princes are not supposed to joke around either.”

Carl stopped laughing, “Sorry…I am not most princes I prefer to stay one of a kind,” He flexed his own wings and stared in wonder at the Dragon Slayer, “So you are a Dragon Slayer…I’ve never met one before.”

Darek nodded, “Likewise…I’ve never met a Gryphtor until I met you and Darren.” A smile crossed Carl’s face and he glanced over Darek’s shoulder at his companion. Darek followed his gaze in confusion. Seeing that Darren was just standing there he turned back to see Carl already walking off, “Where are you going?”

Carl turned around, “To the dragons…are you coming?” He lifted up a long thin object he was holding in his left hand that was shrouded in shadow at the moment. He raised it up so the blue moonlight coming from Anubis’ moon hit it, “Nicely made,” He said in awe and swung it out so the tip was pointed at Darek, “Very light…This is capable of slaying a dragon?” He said awed, “Extraordinary!!”

Darek flushed red in anger, “My Dragon Buster! How did you--?!”

Carl lowered the dangerous weapon and gave Darek a crooked smile, “I’m too curious for my own good really…”

“Damn it Carl! Give me back my weapon,” Darek demanded, not caring that he was a prince, “I already made a vow not to harm any of the dragons in your kingdom.”

Carl shook his head, “Empty vows… I want you to vow on my terms.”

“Empty vows!!” Darek bellowed outraged, “I made that vow upon my honor not to harm any of the dragons or tell my people of them when I have finished traveling with you and Darren! A vow upon honor is NOT an empty vow!”

Carl was taken aback, he raised his arms in defense realizing that he had over stepped his boundaries, “Seeing your reaction to that has proved me otherwise…forgive me for my insensitivity on that. However…you so willingly give your honor to this vow…will you also give your Goddess?”

“Latz Tae?” Darek asked trying to calm himself down, “Very well I vow upon my honor…Latz Tae and also Holy if you’d like me to, your highness,” he said still frustrated, “Do you believe my word now?”

Carl nodded and offered Darek’s sword back to him, “Alright Darek…thank you very much for that…I am truly sorry for hurting you,” Darek took the sword and placed it back in the sheath, “Just remember one thing,” Carl continued, “I stole that thing fair and square…if you ever fall and decide that your honor is no longer worth it then I can easily steal it away from you again.”

Darek frowned, “My honor will always matter to me…you needn’t worry about that. You may regret it later in threatening me about that.”

“As long as you are threatening me back it is all good right?” Carl laughed and headed for the dragons again, “My father has agreed to hold a feast for you all when we arrive at the Aerie, hope you all have good appetites.”