Lean back

Raanciel closed his eyes and shuffled himself a bit lower in the seat before drifting off.

“Raanciel, we’ve arrived,” Navi said, shaking Raanciel’s shoulder. Raanciel jerked awake and sat up. He stretched and yawned as he looked around. They were stopped at a stable house. It looked like any other stable house back in Daegica. He wasn’t so sure why he thought it would be any different. Raanciel watched Navi jump down out of the carriage then hold a hand out to him.

Raanciel took the hand and allowed the larger drake to help him down off the carriage. Once on his feet, Raanciel looked up at the towering drake with a smile. “Thank you,” Raanciel said. Navi grinned.

“I’ll show you to the Burning Lady,” Navi said. Raanciel nodded. Navi turned and nearly bowled over the drake standing behind him. It came to such a surprise that Raanciel had to take a step back or the low born’s red plated, prehensile tail would have swatted him in the neck.

“Good job, you draco,” growled the drake, who seemed to have been the stable hand. While the two bickered with each other, Raanciel took that as an opportunity to look around the stable house. It was modest in size -- strange seeing as Navi said this town received a lot of traffic. The walls were made of cobblestone with wooden frames and hay made up the floor.

“You are a fucking idiot, Nyvoriet!”

At the shout, Raanciel turned his gaze to the two arguing drakes. The one making most of the racket was a drake a little bit shorter than Navi. This drake had long blonde hair with orange streaks. He had horns -- marking him a high born -- that were a darker shade of orange than his hair. “I said I’m sorry, geez, Haiz. It was a last-minute decision, believe me.”

“Belief in a low born? What do you take me for? What did you fucking expect out of it? Probably a quick fuck-- do you honestly believe--” Haiz grunted before peeking around Navi. “Oh, I didn’t see you there, lordship.” Haiz pushed Navi out the way to walk up to Raanciel. He bowed and held his hand out.

Raanciel furrowed his brow. He knew what the other drake was expecting. It was customary to greet a Royal Drake with a bow and a hand kiss. He didn’t understand why it was customary but it was what he was taught - and it seems that teaching was widespread amongst high born drakes even this far south of Iqas. The problem was, he wasn’t a Royal Drake. It just so happened his horns were brightly colored like one.

“His name is Raanciel,” Navi grunted, grabbing Haiz by his ponytailed hair and yanking him backward.

“Dracolisk!” Haiz shouted in protest. “Do not put your filthy hands on my hair, draco.” After freeing himself from Navi and glaring, he turned back to Raanciel. “I am Haiz. I own this stable house.” He looked at Navi. “I do not normally have this dracolisk come back with a drake as cargo. Did this brute give you any trouble on your ride over here?”

Navi growled something unintelligible under his breath. Haiz paused and looked at Navi.

“I’m not going to ask,” Haiz said with a shake of his head. “Anyway,” Haiz rubbed his hands together. “I do believe we have a transaction to finish.”

Raanciel nodded.

“Right, so, the charge is 800 Epics.”

“800 Epics?” Raanciel exclaimed. “I was told it would only be 500 Epics.” Raanciel looked desperately to Navi.

“Haiz, I did promise him 500 Epics,” Navi said.

“And surprise, surprise - a low born’s promise isn’t worth a lick of shit,” Haiz growled angrily. “800 Epics for surprise drake cargo. I ain’t hauling drakes cross-continent for free!”

“You’re not the one hauling anything,” Navi hissed angrily. Haiz shot an angry glare over his shoulder.

“And if it wasn’t for me getting contacts, you wouldn’t be hauling anything either, draco,” Haiz hissed back.