Fire Keeper

Chapter Three: Briha

"How can you tell if you're dominant or submissive?"

Charlie groaned as he was roused, once again, from near-sleep by the curious voice beside him. He ran his fingers through thick, red hair, shooting his younger brother a determined glare as he straightened in his seat.

He sighed as he glanced out the darkening window of the train carriage, his blue eyes focused on the horizon as they steadily approached their destination. "Until you are exposed to Dragonettes and others like you, it is impossible to know, Harry," Charlie said softly, clasping his hands on his stomach, "your instincts will come out in Briha, especially as soon as you meet your first Dragonette. It is said that submissive Destined are chosen because they've suffered great abuse and trauma in their pasts and are therefore in need of protection. The dominant destined are those who have shown great bravery and loyalty and are therefore deemed the protector."

"And it is the submissive that bare children. Men and all?"

Charlie chuckled as he glanced up into wide green eyes. "Men and all. It's the magic of the dragon, Harry. A submissive will bare children for their dragonette and for the dominant they feel most attached to. You see, a dragonette will always form a mateship. They will always have more than one pair of lovers. Though each person is loved equally, ties are formed by the submissives. They will adore their dominants, and form an immaculate bond with just one. It is the way of the magic, I can't really explain it any better."

Harry nodded softly, his black curls scuffing against his collar as he turned to stare from the window. Charlie could not deny that the discovery of what he was had done wonderful things to his younger brother. Harry's green eyes all but sparkled against the pale flush of his face and his once lank hair looked sleek. Had Charlie not found the idea so disturbing, he probably would have jumped the boy already.

"Why do you go to these gatherings Charlie?"

The question was soft, lest it offend the dragon-tamer, but Charlie merely laughed. "I know I said I've no interest in joining a mateship at the moment, and you may feel the same, but I adore being around others like me, Harry. I love knowing that my dragon magic can rise to the surface and lash out without hurting others. They are a happy bunch, is our kin."

"Well, it seems unlikely that they will welcome me, then isn't it? I'm not at all happy."

Charlie tsked, moving from his chair to wrap one solid arm around Harry's thin shoulders. "Which is exactly why I am taking you Harry. You're far too depressing lately."

The smaller man snorted before a grin tugged one corner of his mouth upwards in a soft smile. "Thanks."

###

"How about a drink before bed, Harry?"

The younger of the pair frowned as he tugged his bag up from the station floor and made his way behind the whistling Charlie. "I suppose… but isn't it a bit late?"

"This coming from the boy who was best known for avoiding curfew?"

"Point taken."

They made their way through the darkened village easily, Harry's knotted shoulders dropping with each empty street they passed. It seemed as though the dragons were all sleeping, or hidden away for the night. Harry sighed and shut his eyes, in the very near distance, just beyond the dark houses and smokey inns he could hear the gentle slosh of the ocean. Merlin, how he loved that sound.

"Come on, little brother," Charlie whispered with a smile, pushing Harry before him into the open archway of a small inn lit with soft lights. The smell of wine and the crackling of magic hit Harry so suddenly his knees buckled and he would have dropped in the middle of the pub had a strong hand not grasped his own arm.

He snapped his head upwards as magic curled around his arm almost possessively, his wide green eyes locking with a frosty blue gaze.

"My apologies, Myvi. I hadn't realised the place was still half full. Harry's newly turned, I'm afraid." Harry was aware of Charlie behind him, his large hand offering a calm support on his shoulder, yet he couldn't seem to bring himself to tear his gaze away from the woman called Myvi.

She was taller than he was, her arms strong but slender and her blonde hair cropped short. Her near flawless face was marked only by a single scar that ran across her nose and disrupted the freckles there. "H…Hello."

The blonde's frozen face broke in a small smile before she nodded and gently released his arm. She turned from him to take a seat once more beside the roaring fire, clearly alone. It sent a pang so close to sadness through Harry that he frowned. Why should he feel sadness for a woman alone? Why should he feel anything at all for a stranger?

He turned slowly towards Charlie's voice, his eyes reluctant to leave the tall form of Myvi as she ran pale fingers over the rim of the glass she clutched in her right hand. He shook his head with a growl. What was the matter with him?

"One drink, Charlie," he muttered as he made his way to the bar, "one drink then we're going to our rooms."

###

Myvi smirked as she watched the young Destined stumble his way up the staircase, the redheaded dominant behind him laughing at the state the youngling had gotten himself into.

Harry, wasn't that what Charlie had called him?

She knew of Charlie, the dominant that had yet to find a dragonette that suited him, and so it was safe to assume that Harry did not belong with him. Even safer to assume by the barely worked scent of his magic that Harry was unmarked by any Dragonette. For the first time in many years, Myvi was most disappointed that Baro had not finished his night-time walk earlier. She was certain he would have been most captivated by the little destined.

She smiled softly as she ran her fingertip over the glass rim, for once blind to the small scars that littered her hand as a sudden scent washed over her and a man poured himself into the armchair by her side. The inn was winding down now, its glowing lights dimmer and its fires crackling to nothing.

"What has you so happy, my dearest flower?"

The voice was dark, as thick as velvet in the dim lighting of the seating area. Black clad legs longer than her own crossed gracefully and a white-shirt clad torso, lean and slender, bent towards her curiously. Even sitting down, Baro towered above her. The youngling would barely reach his ribcage. The thought made her smile split further.

Pale fingers traced her chin softly, tilting it upwards until her gaze was forced to rest on eyes the shade of a violet sky. Dark eyebrows arched in amusement, his head tilted to the side and a cascade of scarlet curls falling down his front. She smiled softly, her jagged scar wrinkling where it met her lip.

"I've met someone."