The Dragonrider (A Shalma's Destruction Legend): Part III (Patreon)

by DoctorKowalski

PART II

The High Aerie dining hall hummed with activity, vaulted ceiling amplifying conversations and laughter. Sunlight streamed through tall windows, illuminating tables arranged without the rigid order Ilyse had known at the Lower Aerie.

"First-years usually stick to those tables," Paige said, guiding Ilyse through the serving line. The second-year had copper-threaded braids wrapped like a crown, her insignia displaying three stars for successful patrols. "But since you're flying with us tomorrow, you're an honorary second-year today."

Talia, with short-cropped hair and sun-darkened skin, nodded. "Try the cinnamon rolls. Worth getting up early for."

Ilyse eyed the array of foods with appreciation. Where the Lower Aerie served simple meals at strict times, here variety and flexibility reigned. She helped herself to a generous portion of eggs scrambled with peppers and cheese, three strips of bacon, two cinnamon rolls, and a bowl of berries.

"First flight beyond the mountains is a rite of passage," Paige continued as they moved down the line. "The western reaches are wild – megafauna that would make your farmers back home faint."

They settled at a table near a window. Across the hall, Ilyse spotted Beth sitting with Drew and other first-years. Beth caught her eye and gave a small nod before returning to her conversation.

Ilyse turned back to her companions, savoring the cinnamon roll. It was indeed delicious – warm, soft, and fragrant with spices.

"So what's it like, having bonded with Brasswing so quickly?" Talia asked, leaning forward. "Most first-years are still trying to convince their dragons to accept a saddle."

Ilyse couldn't help but smile. "Honestly? It feels like we've always known each other. The first time we flew together... it was like finding a piece of myself I didn't know was missing."

"Your bond is stronger than most," Paige said matter-of-factly. "Lieutenant Commander Rhys noticed. That's why you're coming with us tomorrow instead of spending months on basic drills."

Ilyse felt a flush of pride warm her cheeks. She speared another piece of bacon, suddenly ravenous. A tall rider with commander insignia passed, nodding to Paige and Talia before offering Ilyse an appraising look.

"Ready for tomorrow, Candidate?"

"Yes, Commander," Ilyse replied, straightening instinctively.

After he moved on, Paige leaned in. "He's impressed with you. Most commanders don't even acknowledge first-years until midterm."

Ilyse felt a pleasant warmth bloom in her chest. She belonged here. After years of striving, always pushing to prove herself worthy, she had finally arrived. She reached for her second cinnamon roll, enjoying the sweet stickiness as she listened to her new friends debate flight paths.

As riders came and went around them, Ilyse noticed their easy confidence. This was what she had dreamed of – not just riding dragons, but being part of this elite community.

"You're going to do fine tomorrow," Talia said. "Just trust your dragon."

"I'm not worried," Ilyse replied, and realized it was true. With Brasswing beneath her and these new companions beside her, she felt invincible.

***

Mina picked at her salad, trying and failing to ignore the spectacle three tables over. Ilyse was holding court again, gesturing animatedly while balancing a plate piled impossibly high with food. It wasn't just the mountain of chicken and potatoes that drew stares -it was the way she consumed it all with such obvious relish while still somehow maintaining the spotlight.

"Can she possibly eat all that?" Kira whispered, following Mina's gaze.

"She always does lately," Mina replied, watching as Ilyse reached for a second dessert. "And somehow still has energy to talk everyone's ear off about her amazing adventures."

Beth remained silent, focused intently on her own meal, though Mina could see her jaw tightening every time Ilyse's laughter carried across the hall.

When Talia leaned in toward Ilyse with that conspiratorial look, Mina couldn't help but strain to catch snippets of their conversation. Something about Soren and last night's party. The rumors had already spread through the entire first-year dormitory -Ilyse disappearing with the handsome third-year, returning just before dawn looking thoroughly satisfied with herself.

Then Ilyse said something that set her friends laughing so loudly that half the dining hall turned to look. Nessa actually wiped tears from her eyes while Talia's mouth hung open in delighted shock.

"I just can't even," Mina muttered, setting down her fork. "Two weeks at the High Aerie and she acts like she owns the place."

Beth finally looked up, her expression carefully neutral. "Let it go, Mina."

"How can you be so calm about this? She was your friend."

"Was being the operative word," Beth replied, though something flashed in her eyes -hurt, perhaps, or anger carefully contained. "Besides, what goes up that fast..."

She didn't need to finish the thought. Across the hall, Ilyse was already signaling for a server, apparently not satisfied with two full plates and double desserts.

"I give it a month," Kira whispered. "No one can maintain that pace."

Mina watched as Soren caught Ilyse's eye from across the room, the exchange so charged it was practically visible. "I just can't with her anymore," she said, turning back to her friends. "New topic. Please."

But even as the conversation shifted to upcoming exams, Mina found her gaze repeatedly drawn back to Ilyse -wondering how someone could change so completely, so quickly, and how long the transformation could possibly last.

***

Dawn painted the launching platform in breathtaking strokes of rose and gold as four riders gathered in the crisp morning air. Steam rose from geothermically heated rocks where their dragons stretched their massive bodies, scales gleaming like newly minted coins in the first rays of sunlight.

"Perfect conditions for flying," Soren remarked, the third-year leading today's patrol. He stood tall at the platform's edge, his uniform clinging to broad shoulders and narrow waist. Ilyse found her gaze tracing the lines where copper threading accentuated the contours of his muscled frame.

"Let's hope it stays that way through the western valleys," said Talia, arching her back in a stretch that revealed a glimpse of toned abdomen beneath her riding vest. Her dark hair was woven with copper beads that caught the light with every movement.

Paige adjusted her riding gloves, her elaborate hairstyle secured with intricate clasps. Unlike Talia's practical attire, Paige's outfit highlighted her curvaceous figure and strong thighs, drawing admiring glances from passing riders.

Ilyse smoothed her hands over her own uniform, savoring the sensation of premium fabric against her skin. Though still new, her gear had been adjusted to accommodate her transformed figure -full breasts, narrow waist, and generous hips creating a silhouette that turned heads even in standard-issue clothing. She caught Soren's appreciative glance and felt a thrill of power as his eyes lingered before returning to the horizon.

"Brasswing looks ready," she said, nodding toward her dragon as he extended his magnificent wings, thirty feet of copper membrane that caught the light like stained glass. The sight of him still took her breath away -proud, dangerous, and hers.

Being near the dragons was an assault on the senses -the heat radiating from their bodies, the intoxicating scent of scales and sky, the vibration of their rumbling communication felt through the stone beneath her feet. Brasswing's amber eyes found hers, pupils expanding slightly in recognition. Though they had chosen to bond with humans, these creatures remained gloriously wild, their cooperation a gift rather than a given.

A flutter of anticipation transformed quickly into hunger. Ilyse reached into her pack for a sweet roll, taking a generous bite, aware of the crumbs catching on her lips before she licked them away.

"Good thinking," Paige said, producing dried fruit from her own pack. "Always eat before a long flight. The air up there does things to your appetite."

Brasswing lowered his massive head to Ilyse's level without command, his warm breath ruffling her hair. She settled into position along his spine, thighs gripping warm scales. The intimate contact sent a shiver of connection through her body, his breathing expanding beneath her in perfect synchronization with her own.

"Ready for your first western patrol?" Soren asked, his voice carrying a note of challenge.

"Been ready my whole life," Ilyse replied, meeting his gaze directly. Brasswing shifted beneath her, sensing her confidence and matching it with his own.

As the four dragons moved toward the launching edge, Ilyse glanced back at the Academy where other first-years would soon wake for basic drills. Beth among them. The thought brought a smile to her lips.

Then Soren gave the signal, and they launched into the dawn sky, leaving the world of rules and limitations far below.

***

Steam curled from the natural pools nestled into the mountainside, heated by the same geothermal forces that attracted dragons to the region. Ilyse followed Paige and Talia along the winding path, muscles humming from the day's flight.

"My shoulders are killing me," Talia said, unwinding her braid as they reached the changing area. "Those crosswinds were stronger than forecast."

"Worth it to see those woolly rhinos," Paige replied, dropping her riding attire into a wooden locker.

Ilyse unwrapped her towel and set it aside, momentarily aware of how her body caught the golden afternoon light. The transformation of recent weeks had given her curves that rivaled the historical tapestries of Leonor herself -full breasts, narrow waist, and rounded hips creating a silhouette that felt like power incarnate.

Stepping into the largest pool, she noticed Beth and other first-years already soaking. Beth gave her a brief nod before turning away.

"Brasswing handled the turbulence beautifully," Ilyse said, settling into the water. "He seemed to anticipate the air currents before we hit them."

"That's rare in a younger dragon," Talia remarked. "Usually takes years to develop that sensitivity."

"Did you spot that herd of mammoth-deer in the lower valley?" Paige asked. "The ones with the branched tusks?"

"Are those the ones with red-tipped antlers?" Ilyse asked, reaching for a floating cup of herbal tea. "I've only seen them in the Academy's books."

"That's them," Talia confirmed. "They migrate through the western valleys this time of year. The dragons find them fascinating."

"I didn't realize how the landscape changes so dramatically once you cross the Dragonspine," Ilyse said, recalling the vista below. "It's like a completely different world."

"Different climate system entirely," Paige explained. "The mountains block the eastern weather patterns. That's why the western slopes get those sudden storms."

As they talked, Ilyse became aware of hunger building in her stomach. The morning's sweet roll and field rations seemed like distant memories.

"I'm absolutely starving," she announced. "Is the dining hall open for dinner yet?"

"Should be," Paige replied. "Flying always sharpens the appetite."

Ilyse stretched. "I could eat a whole roast by myself right now."

"The kitchen usually prepares something special for returning patrol groups," Paige said. "Soren's probably already put in the request."

At Soren's name, Ilyse felt a flutter that had nothing to do with hunger. His confidence during the flight had been impressive, his body working in perfect harmony with his dragon through that narrow canyon...

"We should head down soon for the best selection," Talia suggested.

Rising from the water, Ilyse reached for her towel, aware of droplets cascading down her curves. In the polished copper mirror, she caught a glimpse of herself -the girl from the river's edge gone, replaced by a woman who belonged in epic tales.

She quickened her pace as they headed to the dining hall, eager for food and whatever other pleasures the evening might bring.

***

Jes sank deeper into the warm water, letting it cover her shoulders as she half-listened to Beth's story about morning drills. Steam curled around their small circle, creating a private cocoon in the larger communal pool.

"So then Commander Vallen tells him his dragon's not ready for altitude training," Beth continued, "and Drew looks like someone just told him the sky isn't blue."

The group laughed, except for Jes, whose attention shifted to three figures entering the springs. Paige and Talia -second-years with actual patrol experience -and with them, Ilyse. Of course.

"Speaking of special treatment," Jes murmured, nodding toward the newcomers.

Beth glanced over, her expression cooling as she gave Ilyse a curt nod before deliberately turning her back.

Jes watched as Ilyse dropped her towel with what seemed like deliberate slowness, displaying the dramatically curved figure that had appeared so suddenly in recent months. Lately, Ilyse's intensity had transformed into something Jes found both fascinating and infuriating: unabashed self-importance.

"Did you hear?" Kira whispered. "She went on actual patrol. Beyond the mountains."

"With a third-year leading," Jes added with undisguised contempt. "While the rest of us are still practicing basic flight patterns."

Beth's jaw tightened. "Her dragon bonded early. Doesn't mean she has to act like she's already a commander."

Jes rolled her eyes as Ilyse's voice carried across the water, regaling her new friends with tales of western valleys and megafauna sightings.

"...and then Brasswing spotted this rare white mountain hawk before anyone else could see it..."

Jes caught Beth's eye and made an exaggerated gagging motion that sent ripples of laughter through their group, loud enough that Ilyse would surely hear. If she did, she gave no indication.

"You'd think she personally discovered the western territories," Jes said, not bothering to lower her voice.

"She used to talk about how she'd share everything with me when we got to the High Aerie," Beth said sharply. "Now she can barely manage a hello."

"...absolutely starving," Ilyse's voice cut through again. "I could eat a whole roast by myself right now."

"That I believe," Jes said loudly. The girls laughed again.

As the three older girls dressed and headed toward the dining hall, Jes stretched in the water.

"I'd rather soak a little longer than listen to more tales of 'my extraordinary patrol with my extraordinary dragon and my extraordinary self.'"

Beth remained silent, her gaze lingering on the path where Ilyse had disappeared. Something flickered across her face -hurt, perhaps, or anger -before she forced a smile.

***

By the time they reached the dining hall, Ilyse's stomach felt hollow with hunger. The massive stone chamber buzzed with conversation as riders filled tables beneath high, arched windows.

"The kitchen outdid themselves tonight," Paige said, guiding Ilyse toward the serving stations.

Without hesitation, Ilyse loaded her plate with thick slices of herb-crusted beef, a mound of buttered potatoes, two pieces of crusty bread, and a hefty portion of honeyed carrots. She added a bowl of stew on the side.

"Planning to feed Brasswing too?" Talia quipped, eyeing Ilyse's heaping plate.

Ilyse laughed, cheeks warming slightly. "Flying really works up an appetite."

As they settled at the table, Ilyse made a conscious effort to eat more slowly, though she wanted to devour everything at once. The flavors were incredible -rich and complex compared to the Lower Aerie's simpler fare. She described the woolly rhinos they'd spotted with elaborate gestures.

"So Brasswing drops into this perfect glide, and we're close enough that I could actually see the texture of their hides!"

Several nearby riders turned to listen, drawn by her enthusiasm. Ilyse felt a pleasant warmth spreading through her. This was where she belonged -at the center of attention.

The doors opened, and a group of third-year male riders entered. Among them was Soren, his training vest hanging open to reveal olive skin stretched over well-defined shoulders. Ilyse's gaze locked onto him, a flutter of heat curling low in her belly.

"Enjoying the view?" Paige whispered, nudging her.

"Just appreciating good flying form," Ilyse replied with a smirk.

"You know what they say," Talia murmured, "the bigger the dragon, the bigger the..." She trailed off suggestively.

Ilyse nearly choked on her bread, stifling a laugh. "And Stormwing is quite impressive."

When she finally finished her meal -including a generous slice of honey cake -Ilyse caught Soren's eye briefly across the room. She helped herself to one last piece of cake "for later," feeling perfectly content. The excitement of the patrol, the admiration of her peers, the satisfying fullness in her belly, and the delicious undercurrent of desire -all of it felt like confirmation that she was exactly where she was meant to be.

The fact that her trousers felt slightly snugger than they had that morning didn't even register. After all, this was just the beginning of her rise.

***

The Rider's Respite pulsed with energy, stone walls vibrating with drums and strings. Glowing crystals cast everyone in flattering blue-gold light that made skin glow and eyes sparkle.

Ilyse swayed at the center of the dance floor, reveling in every eye on her body. Her copper-threaded silk dress clung like a second skin, neckline plunging low between generous breasts, slits revealing thighs with each movement. She'd never felt so alive, so perfectly attuned to her own power.

"To the western patrol!" Paige shouted, raising her goblet.

"To showing those first-years how it's done!" Talia added.

Ilyse threw her head back in laughter, aware of how the movement emphasized her neck and chest. The dragonroot-infused wine heightened every sensation -fabric against nipples, heat of nearby bodies, her thighs rubbing together as she danced.

Across the room, Beth and her group watched enviously. Ilyse met Beth's gaze directly before deliberately turning away.

"More!" someone shouted, passing copper cups of concentrated dragonroot brew.

Ilyse drank without pause, throwing the empty cup aside. The world blurred at the edges, sharpening her focus on sensation -the heat of her skin, the rhythm in her blood, hungry gazes tracking her every move.

"You've caught quite the predator," Talia whispered, nodding toward Soren, who watched with unmistakable intent.

When the ancient dragon flight dance began -bodies mimicking mating rituals of wild dragons -Ilyse pushed through the crowd to Soren.

"Dance with me," she commanded, taking his hand.

They moved together in the center of a cheering circle, her body arching against his in a primal rhythm of pursuit and surrender. His hands explored her waist, hips, and back, leaving trails of fire on her skin.

"Gods, you're something else," he murmured as the dance ended, breath hot on her neck.

"You have no idea," she laughed.

***

The path up the mountain was steep, lit only by moonlight. Soren led the way, urgency in his quick pace. The dragonroot heightened every sensation -cool air against flushed skin, rough stone beneath her sandals.

They climbed past the Academy's boundaries into wild territory. The copper threads in her dress caught moonlight, making her body a beacon of invitation.

At a bend in the path, he pulled her against him. His mouth found hers, hands working at her dress ties while she arched into his touch. Her skin felt impossibly hot, every caress sending spirals of pleasure through her.

He guided her to a hidden cave entrance. Inside, a small chamber awaited with furs spread across the floor, embers glowing in a fire pit. Her dress fell away, pooling at her feet. His eyes devoured her curves as she moved closer, presenting her most advantageous angles.

They fell onto the furs, all pretense of patience abandoned. Ilyse's body responded with surprising intensity -every touch creating waves of sensation, every kiss leaving her gasping. The dragonroot created a feedback loop of pleasure building toward inevitable release.

In those breathless moments of completion, Ilyse understood something of what dragons felt in flight -weightless, powerful, untethered. Sprawled beside Soren afterward, she smiled up at the rough ceiling.

This was just the beginning. Just one more conquest on her inevitable rise.

The night was young, and Soren was already reaching for her again, his eyes hungry for more.

PART IV