Princess of Beasts - Chapter Eleven (Patreon)

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Chapter Eleven

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Nira put her hands against the dragon’s chest. While she knew she couldn’t even slow him down, she hoped the symbolism would at least give him pause. “You know I can’t let you kill him once we’ve accepted his surrender.” 

Malaresh slowly turned his head down to glare at her hands upon his scales. “Do you know how much dragon blood stains his paws?” 

“His paws?” Nira kept her hands against the dragon, meeting his glare with her own steely resolve. “His people? Yes, Lissir filled me in. But his paws, personally? I’ve no idea. Maybe a lot. Maybe none! Hell, most of that was probably before his time! It’s all on the Union, anyway, the snow gryphons are practically their slaves, as Lissir tells it. And all that cruelty, the brainwashing, the bloodshed, that’s what he’s trying to escape. He’s defecting, Malaresh. He’s defecting to The Cataclsym.” 

“No.” The dragon snarled, leaning forward just enough to push Nira back a few paces, her boots sliding across the deck. “He isn’t. He’s manipulating you, feigning defection to enter into your good graces, as part of whatever mission they’ve sent him here on.” 

Nira grimaced and set her jaw. As much as she hated to admit it, she’d considered the exact same thing. “I don’t think so. It’s possible, I’ll admit, but Lissir and I think he’s telling the truth. Whatever the case, I can’t let you take his life.” 

Malaresh heaved a great, deflated sigh. “Then I shall simply have to beat a confession out of him.”

“No, Malaresh.” Nira slowly lowered her hands, convinced the dragon wasn’t going to bowl her over. “I understand how you feel, but-”

“Can I at least castrate him?” The dragon dropped back onto his haunches with a long, frustrated growl. 

“No, you can’t.” Nira shook her head, chuckling under her breath. “Besides, I think Amelia already has first dibs on that, if it comes to it.” 

The dragon curled his tail around his paws again, licking his nose. “Smart girl. I like that one.” He took a deep breath, then let it out in a another slow sigh. “Very well. I shall endeavor not to tear his throat out just yet. What has the lying spy-bird told you?” 

“That the Union is reconsidering our unspoken truce, and might be looking to take me out, one way or another. Apparently they think I’m threat, for some reason.” Nira turned away from the dragon to lean up against the rail. “Which…if they push me into a corner, I sure as shit will be. But I’ve been going out of me way to avoid being a threat to them, until now. And they know that, so…” She slapped the cold railing, grinding her teeth. “Something must have changed.”

“Maybe they’ve just decided this flying city-destroyer is too dangerous to leave alone.” The dragon scratched noisily at the deck behind her. Even without looking back, Nira knew his claws were leaving ruts. “Or perhaps they wish it for themselves.”

“That thought crossed my mind, too.” Nira drummed her fingers on the tarnished brass. “That’s why Kasis thinks we should go to The Emplacement. It’s the easiest place for us to reach, where we might be able to find someone with answers. If we don’t get answers there, we can keep looking. But Alakor…” She glanced back at the dragon. “The snow gryphon. He also suggested they may come looking for him, and unless we want to have to engage some Union ships, and really give them a reason to start hunting us, we should move on. Possibly via the Broken Teeth.” Nira held a hand up to silence the reply she knew was coming. “And yes, before you suggest it, I’m well aware there’s a small chance Alakor is trying to lead us into a trap.”

“I wasn’t going to say that.” Malaresh thumped his tail against the deck. “I was going to say it’s likely.”

“I understand your concerns, and I appreciate them.” Nira turned back around towards the dragon. “We’ll be keeping a close eye on him.” 

“If he betrays you, I will kill him.” Malaresh slowly arched his neck, hissing. “And then I will remind you that I was right about him for the rest of your existence.” He glared at her a moment, then waved his paw. “Now, move aside.” 

Nira put her hands on her hips. “Don’t you start telling me what to do, Dragon!”

Malaresh only shrugged his wings, backing away. He grasped the largest cargo bag, and dragged it back with him. “Suit yourself.” 

“What are you-Shit!” Nira scrambled away when she realized what the dragon was doing. 

An instant later, and a male gryphon with vibrant blue feathers hurtled up out of the darkness, and into the flood lights. He streaked across through the flight deck, whipping through the area where Nira had been only moments before. Pouches and cargo bags jostled around his feathery body. Halfway across the deck, he touched down on all four paws. The gryphon galloped across the deck, bleeding off speed, then spun back around towards her at the other end. He flared his azure and ebony wings, then gave a sharp, keening cry. 

“You’ve got to be more careful, Princess!” The gryphon trotted towards her. “Could have taken your damn head off!” 

“I tried to warn her,” Malaresh said, settling back onto his haunches again. “But she wouldn’t listen.” 

Nira groaned, running a hand down her face. “Hello, Jirril.”

“Hello, your would-be killer, more like!” The gryphon deftly worked the silver buckles of his own cargo harness, dropping bits and pieces of gear all across the deck. “You really need to pay for more attention to your surroundings. If I was an enemy, you’d be dead right now.” 

Nira scowled at the mess Jirril left behind him, normally there’d be workers here to collect everything behind him. At least he didn’t expect her crew to do everything for him the way the dragon did. “As much as I appreciate your training attempts, I really don’t think I need you divebombing me every chance you get.” 

“Are you sure?” Malaresh lifted his frills in amusement. “He could have ripped your head clean off.” 

“So I hear.” Nira pivoted on her heel towards the gryphon. “From Jirril.” She glared at the gryphon. “Every time he does that.” 

Jirril was the third gryphon in her crew, and until Alakor’s capture, the only male of his species currently aboard. He was also far and away the most colorful of all her crew. Vibrant indigo feathers covered much of his body, from his vaguely hawk-like head down across his back, and wings, and all the way to his feather-lined tail. Black flight feathers tipped his blue wings, with a saddle-like swath of dark gray across his upper back and shoulders. The feathers that shrouded his upper body gave way to thick, silken pale-gay fur along his underside and limbs. He was larger than the two females aboard, though not as immense a gryphon as Alakor. 

By the time Jirril reached her, he’d already divested himself of all his cargo, with only the basic harness still strapped around his body. He strolled right up to Nira, lifting a forepaw to cup her cheek. Large as he was, his warm pads nearly encompassed her whole head. She was thankful the gryphon at least kept his claws sheathed. Both gryphons and dragons had fully retractable claws, as well as opposable thumb digits on their front paws. Though they walked on their front feet, they also served quite capable as dexterous hands. 

“Hello, my darling Princess.” Jirril offered a warbling coo while he cupped her face. 

Nira laughed and ducked away from his grip, shoving his paw aside. “Quit doin’ that. I dunno where those paws have been.” She glanced at the dragon, smirking. “Especially after Malaresh said you had to stop for a piss.” 

“Did he, then?” Jirril turned away from her, the soft blue feathers of his tail sweeping across the Princess’ body. 

“Yes.” Nira folded her arms, watching the gryphon closely for signs of intoxication. “He also said you were nearly too drunk to fly. Which, I shouldn’t have to tell you, is a very bad idea when approaching airships.”

“Well, he’s right about part of it.” Jirril strolled up to the dragon, then nuzzled at Malaresh’s belly before turning and brushing his entire body up against the dragon like an oversized cat. “Which part, I shall leave to your imagination.” 

Nira ran a hand back through her hair, sighing. “Well, at least you don’t smell like you’ve pissed you’re feathers.” 

“Of course I haven’t! What a horrible thing to suggest to a gryphon. We’re cleaner than you are, human.” Jirril tossed his head, then flopped down onto his belly, leaning up against the dragon’s front legs. He tilted his head back, gazing up at Malaresh. “Well?”

The dragon stared back at him. “Well, what?”

The gryphon made a loud, warbling noise, flicking his feathered tail against Malaresh. “Well, pet me of course.” 

“Toss you overboard, more like.” Despite the dragon’s gruff sarcasm, he nonetheless lifted a forepaw, and began to knead and rub at the back of the gryphon’s neck. 

Jirril tilted his head back into the attention, his eyes drifting shut. One of the gryphon’s hind paws twitched a few times, and he let out a happy sigh. “Oooooh, yes, that’s the spot.” 

The Princess arched a brow, grinning. “Should I leave you two alone for a while?”

“No,” Jirril said, his eyes still closed. “You should be pet me too.” 

Nira chuckled, walking over to the two of them. “Oh, very well.” 

“Just mind where you step!” The gryphon tucked his forepaws in. “Don’t want you to accidentally trod upon me with your clumsy human feet.” 

“One time,” Nira said, setting her hands atop the gryphon’s head. “One time I accidentally stepped on your paw, in the dark, when you were passed out drunk in the hall.” She rubbed the gryphon’s pointed, blue ears, while the dragon caressed his neck and shoulders. “That was hardly my fault, and I was very apologetic.” 

“Yes, you were,” Jirril said, opening his eyes to dark slits. Given all the attention, a raspy purr was creeping into his voice. “After you stopped laughing at me.” 

“Just be glad I didn’t step on your gryphon plums, or I’d have laughed a whole lot harder.” Nira worked a hand down over the gryphon’s cheek, gently working her fingers through the fine, silken feathers there. Beneath them, the gryphon’s skin was quite warm.

“Would have made a funnier story, too.” Malaresh thumped his tail against the deck, spines scratching at the wood. 

Jirril clicked his beak, bumping his head against the dragon’s chest. “You’re one to talk. I ought to tell the Princess about the time-”

Malaresh seized the scruff of the gryphon’s neck, snarling. “I will pluck you bald, Bird, if you so much as breathe a word of that.” 

“I’ll tell her in private then!” The gryphon twisted a little, squawking. “Besides, if you plucked me, you’d miss gazing upon my glorious plumage!” 

With a snort, the dragon released him. “Suppose you’d make a less satisfying pillow, that way.” Malaresh lowered his head, his neck curled, and gave the gryphon’s neck a few licks, smoothing mussed feathers. He glanced at Nira over the gryphon’s head. “Anything embarrassing he tells you about me is clearly a lie, anyway.”

“Clearly.” The princess reached up and patted Malaresh’s jaw, then shot the gryphon a sly look. “Though I would like to hear it later, just the same.” 

“And so you shall!” Jirril clacked his beak. “Now, resume your petting.” 

The dragon snarled, a low, menacing sound, even as he continued to groom the back of the gryphon’s neck with his tongue, and his forepaws. “Careful, bird, I know where you live.” 

Nira laughed, moving her hands to gently caress Jirril’s throat. “You say that as if you don’t sleep snuggled around him half the time.” 

Malaresh gave a displeased grunt, pausing his affections for a moment. “Dragons do not snuggle. He is soft, warm, and comfortable. Nothing more.” 

“Right, right, of course.” Nira stroked down the sides of the gryphon’s neck. “Dragons don’t have friends or loved ones, only servants and worshipers, right?” 

“Correct.” Malaresh settled a paw between the gryphon’s wings, gently kneading flight muscles Nira imagined were quite sore. “However, we are not above rewarding our favored servants from time to time.” 

Nira only smiled, continuing her own affections. While the female gryphons aboard also enjoyed being petted from time to time, Jirril was more like a big damn cat. Not only did he demand it, but he often did so at the most inopportune times. Or in the middle of a meal. Or a conversation. Or whenever else he felt as if everyone should be paying far more attention to the blue gryphon. 

There was a time when Nira was surprised Jirril was even able to convince the dragon to pet him like every one else did, but that time was long since gone. If anything, Malaresh was the quickest of all to attend the gryphon’s need for physical affection. And once Jirril started spending as many nights in the dragon’s so-called lair as his own sleeping chambers, the reason was increasingly clear. Come to think of it, Nira thought, perhaps Malaresh had something meaningful binding him to her ship and its crew, after all. 

Then again, with dragons and gryphons it was sometimes hard to parse a casual fling between friends from deeper relationships. Hell, it was hard determining that between humans, let alone the rest of their world’s sapient species and their myriad moral and social codes. If Malaresh was anything to go by, then dragons would happily mate with anything that moved, and probably a few things that didn’t. Gryphons were often the same, frequently attracted to either gender, and often to other sapient species, as well. She knew they were lovers, but whether their hearts, too, were intertwined, Nira was less sure. Then again, such things were none of her business, anyway. 

Still, she found herself hoping sometimes, just the same. She tilted her head back, smiling up at the dragon. If her ship and its monstrous crew could help even a bitter old dragon filled with fury discover love with a gryphon with a drinking problem, then that meant something. What it meant, she wasn’t exactly sure. If nothing else, love amongst so-called monsters meant the Golden Union hadn’t wiped out everything good about the Empire just yet. 

“Why are you smiling at me that way?” Malaresh tilted his head. “You look as though you’re hoping I’ll ask if you want to be fucked, later.” 

Nira ground her teeth, though she soon let out an incredulous laugh. As much as she wanted to be angry at him for ruining the moment, it wasn’t as if Malaresh could read her mind. At least, she sure as hell hoped he couldn’t. She’d heard such rumors about dragons before, but to Nira’s knowledge, that was all bullshit anyway. Regardless, Nira had long since stopped being surprised by the sort of things that tumbled out of the maw of the black-scaled marauder. 

The princess patted the gryphon’s head, backing away from the two of them. “Wouldn’t want to make your bird jealous.” 

“Jealous?” Jirril warbled laughter. “I’d join in!” 

“Tempting an offer as that is,” Nira said, holding up her hands. “I think I’ll pass.” 

Malaresh lowered his head, his muzzle brushing Jirril’s ear. “She speaks of jealousy, but I suspect her gnoll would be the jealous one.”

The gryphon chirped, untucking a forepaw to playfully swat Malaresh. “Or Amelia!” 

Nira blinked and slowly folded her arms. “Wait, who’s Amelia going to be jealous of?” 

“Well, you know.” Jirril waggled his pale gray fingers. “You and her are the only two humans on board. Haven’t you ever…?”

Nira shrugged as nonchalantly as she could, offering only an innocent smile. “Maybe. Course, I also hear Amelia knows things about him.” She inclined her head towards the dragon.

“Your point?” Malaresh lifted his head again, cocking it slightly. 

“Just curious.” She rubbed her cheek. “So…does she?” She turned her attention to the gryphon, thinking he might be more forthcoming. “Know things?” 

“She-mmph!” Jirril’s words trailed off into a muffled grunt when the dragon grasped his beak and held it shut. 

Malaresh arched his neck. “Maybe she does, maybe she doesn’t. You’ll have to ask her that.” 

“I did, and she said it has spines on it.” Nira kept her tone as even as possible, just trying to get a reaction out of the dragon, one or another. 

Malaresh met her stoicism with his own. He stared down at her without releasing the gryphon’s beak. “No, she didn’t.” 

“That’s not a no,” Nira said, struggling to fight back a bawdy laugh. 

“If you’re that curious, you’re welcome to ask me for a demonstration.” Malaresh gazed down at her, still aside from his breathing, and an occasional blink. 

Nira finally held her hands up, giving into her giggles. “Alright, alright. You win. I’m not drunk enough to keep this up any longer.” She moved forward and tapped one of the dragon’s fingers where it encircled Jirril’s dark beak. “Let him up, so he can tell me what he brought back.” 

“Very well.” Malaresh gave Jirril’s ear a gentle lick before releasing him. “But don’t spoil the game, bird.” 

Jirril pushed himself to his paws as soon as the dragon released him. He shook himself, fluffing up, then strode several paces away. “Petting time is over!” He flopped down onto his haunches, and set to irritably preening his wings instead. 

“What a shame.” The dragon picked up a loose feather from near his paws, and flicked it at the gryphon. “Don’t forget to tell the bird about the damn snow gryphon.” 

Jirril jerked his head up, another feather hanging from his beak. “What snow gryphon?”

Nira cringed inwardly. She’d hoped to ease into that, unsure how Jirril would react. She turned towards him, fiddling with the buttons of her coat. “We have a guest.” 

“A prisoner,” Malaresh said, slapping a paw against the deck. “A snow gryphon that’s been spying on us! And the girl won’t even let me kill him.” 

“He’s defecting,” Nira said, quickly adding, “Or at least he claims to be.” 

“I wouldn’t believe him for an instant.” Jirril turned his attention to his other wing, rearranging his feathers. “They’re brainwashed, you know. From birth. Taught they’re just…” He snorted, pinning his ears. “Beasts, made to serve the Union and their god. Convinced that’s all they’re good for, all they exist for. They believe it, because they don’t know any better. If he’s genuine about defecting, then he’s somehow seen through their lies were so few others do. It’s far more likely he was sent here to feign a defection and infiltrate our crew.”

Nira adjusted her black leather coat sleeve. “So I’ve heard. Look, Jirril, I appreciate your concern, and Malaresh?” She turned towards the dragon, softening her tone. “I understand how you feel. We’ve all lose people to the Union, and their servants. But we owe him the benefit of the doubt, just in case it’s true. What good does it do us to speak of them as monsters, if we deny one of their own a chance to escape from that? I’ve already ordered him to be kept under tight supervision, and I assure you, we’ll be scrutinizing everything he says, and does. But if he is telling the truth?” Nira pointed at the flight deck doors. “Then he’s just like everyone else inside this ship. He’s a refugee, fleeing the Union. We owe him a chance, at least.” 

Malaresh glowered at her, but did not argue. “Very well.” Slowly, the dragon pushed himself to his feet, rising to his full, impressive height. “But if you expect me to agree to this, then I expect to be allowed to interrogate him myself. Immediately.” 

Nira set her jaw. “I don’t think that’s a very good idea.” 

“And I don’t care!” Malaresh started towards the doors, padding around her. “I will not even consider flying you and your companions to The Emplacement until I’ve had a chance to knock around this snowy shit-feather and ask him a few questions.”

“Wait, what’s this about going back to The Emplacement?” Jirril jumped to his feet, hissing. “We just left that damn place!”

“The Princess believes she’s in danger from the Union, and that’s why they have gryphons spying on her.” Malaresh came to a stop just in front of the flight deck entryway. “She also believes they may have ships headed this way, quite possibly those we stole parts from. It’s likely Union agents there would know why they’d suddenly after Nira again.” The dragon flicked his spined tail at the princess. “Does that about sum it up?”

Nira grabbed at his tail spines, clutching them in vain attempt to hold him back. “It does, yes, but he’s only just arrived, he’s barely even settled in yet. I don’t want you doing any interrogation that involves ‘knocking him around’, is that understood?”

Malaresh grasped the handle and pushed the door open. Nira had a small army of servants waiting back there to come and gather up all the supplies and help the boys out of their harnesses. But when Malaresh snapped his jaws at them, everyone scrambled back. Nira dug her heels in, but when the dragon walked into the expansive hallway, he dragged her with him as if she wasn’t even there. 

“I don’t care what you want, Princess. Nor do I know what you think you’re going to accomplish back there.” He glanced back at her over his folded wings. “Are you going to tell me where he is, or am I going to have to drag you along until I find him myself?”

Nira finally released his tail, sighing. “Alright, alright. I’ll take you to him.” She hurried around the dragon to stand in his way, signaling for her workers to go and collect all the cargo. “But only if you promise not to harm him.”

Malaresh tilted his head. “No. If I believe he’s lying to us, I’m going to beat the truth out of him.” He splayed his ears, relenting slightly. “But I will try to avoid doing him any lasting injuries.” 

Jirril trotted into the hallway, glancing at Nira as he brushed past the dragon. “I’d take it, if I was you. That’s the best deal you’re going to get from him.” 

Though Nira hated to admit it, she knew the gryphon was right.