Dragon Knights Fan Fiction ❯ Twenty Themes ❯ Origins ( Chapter 5 )

Warnings: Young Rath, Ruwalk, Discomfort, Embarrassment and the origin of the species.
Size: 4.88kb

Thanks to Schnickledooger. I read her story Getting Adjusted and I'm sure that's why I thought of a young Rath when I came across the Origins theme. Reminds me, I really need to finish that.

"You see... err... when a man and a woman... really, really love each other... um..."

The lean man trailed off before the gaze of the wide-eyed, little boy. He swallowed twice, glanced quickly around the gardens for some inspiration before gamely attempting to continue. "Then... err... they... um... Kai-Stern!"

"They Kai-Stern, Ruwalk?" the boy pressed. "Does Kai-Stern give them babies?"

"Yes! Err, no!" he replied, a trickle of sweat dripping into his eye and forcing it to close. His hands shook as he stuttered on. "I mean, I'm a little bit rusty. I mean, I'm not sure of the specifics, but Kai-Stern, well he knows all about it, Rath." His voice sped up as he grew closer to passing the buck.

"Are you sure, Ruwalk?" the boy asked, hugging a sword that was bigger than he was.

"Yes", confirmed Ruwalk, emphasising every word, "all about it."

"It's funny, because Alfeegi said exactly the same thing about you," Rath said, glaring at the Dragon Officer.

Ruwalk uncrossed his legs and then crossed them again. The grass beneath them was quite wet and had almost seeped through their trousers. Rath hadn't noticed and carried on talking.

"He said that I shouldn't ask the Dragonlord as," - the next bit came in a huge stage whisper - "they can't have children." He frowned. "Which doesn't make sense if what Tetheus said about the stork is true."

"Yes, why didn't I think about the stork?" Ruwalk muttered under his breath, before leaning forward and ruffling Rath's hair in a comforting way.

"I suppose the stork eats the cabbage," he mused.

"Cabbage?" Ruwalk squeaked.

"Cernozura said that babies are found near cabbages." Rath put his head to one side and scrunched up his face. "...so if the stork gets hungry while flying around with a baby, which must be heavy, he sees a cabbage patch, flies down, puts down the baby, then while he's eating, the couple steal the child."

Ruwalk's mouth dropped open. It closed with a snap as he nodded his head. Rath pulled out blades of grass from the ground in front of him and tossed them aside.

"Do storks like cabbage? I don't," said the boy.

"Lots of animals like cabbage. It's good for them. You should try it," answered the relieved dragon. He leaned to the side and surreptitiously felt his bottom. Finding an unpleasant moistness, he stood up slowly, keeping his behind from Rath's eyes and a remorseless teasing.

"Do all storks have babies, or just special ones?" said Rath, continuing the conversation.

"Only certain storks have them, that's why you don't see too many babies around," laughed Ruwalk, taking the boy's hand.

"Is there a cabbage patch in the garden?" Rath asked, struggling to his feet.

"Well, let's go see," smiled Ruwalk.

They wandered deeper into the gardens, heading by a circuitous route to the cook's vegetable patch. Rath rambled on, only some of his words coherent to an adult, as is the way of small children.

"If it smells, then we can give it to the Dragonlord," said Rath, giggling as he skipped along.

"If what smells?" asked Ruwalk, carefully matching his pace to the little boy's.

"Our baby," Rath replied.

"Our baby?" Ruwalk repeated blandly.

"Well if we find a stork and steal its baby, then we'll be its parents."

Ruwalk pulled the boy to a stop. Rath stared up at him.

"Don't you want to raise a baby with me?"

"Why do you want a baby, Rath?"

"It'd be nice to have a brother," the boy said. "I think... I think... I want a brother, so I asked Lykouleon where I came from. He went odd and sent me away."

Rath stared at the ground and shrank slightly.

"He didn't take it well?" asked Ruwalk.

Rath shook his head.

"Alfeegi said it was because I didn't have a brother. There aren't any other boys here, why'm I the only one? If I had a brother then things'd be better and Lykouleon would get mad at him and not me."

"It's not that simple," Ruwalk said.

"Let's go to the cabbages and find one!" Rath charged ahead, tugging furiously at Ruwalk's hand. "I can wait all day."

Ruwalk looked around and finding no handy bench sighed, and sat back down on the grass. He gestured to Rath and lifted him onto his lap, jabbing himself with the sword as he did so.

"Rath, you're special," he began. "You see, once upon a time, there was a demon dog named Illuser..."

"A demon dog like Crewger?" Rath said eagerly.

"Yes and they were great friends..."