Dragoon Tales

	'...up...'

	Ugh, just a few more minutes...

	'Wake up...'

	No, wake up later. Sleep now...

	'WAKE UP, YOU IDIOT!'

	Something soft collides with your head with some speed, jerking you awake. You flail around for a moment before instinct kicks in, years of training drilled into you by the warmasters. Your hand shoots towards your hip as you blearily search for your assailant, but they find nothing. Once your brain finally catches up, you realize that you're in your bed still, clad in pajamas rather than armor. You try to shake away the cobwebs before your vision is filled by a pair of very annoyed amber eyes.

	'I can't believe that of all the days you could sleep in, you chose today! What's wrong with you?!'

	'Good morning to you too, Surina...'

	The testy wyvern pacing your room turns on you. 'It's not a good morning! It's a terrifying morning! Have you forgotten what's happening today?'

	It takes a second for your mind to get in gear, but then it dawns on you. 'The final exams!'

	'EXACTLY! We have maybe two hours to get ready and you're still sleeping in here. You know how important this is for us!'

	How could you forget? Your entire life has been leading up to this point, quite literally. Dragoons are chosen from childhood and raised alongside the wyverns that they will hopefully one day be bonded with. Years of living together, getting to know each other, and training were about to culminate. After today, the two of you would either be bonded as Dragoons, or split apart forever.

	You pull yourself out of bed and Walk over to Surina, holding her from behind. 'Hey, I'm sorry for getting you all worked up. Of course I know how important today is. All last night I couldn't think of anything else.'

	Surina turns in your arms to face you, more worried than angry now. 'I know you didn't mean it. I'm just scared. Our whole lives are going to depend on this, and I don't want to lose you...' She puts her arms around you, perhaps hoping that if she doesn't let you go that that option can be avoided. You pull her back a bit and see that her eyes have started to get a little watery.

	'Hey now, you can't be thinking like that,' you tell her, wiping away the forming tears. 'Both of us have worked hard for this. I know that you'll do everything you can. Now you gotta trust that I'll do everything I can. Alright?' A small smile crosses Surina's face and she nods back to you. 'There's the girl I know. Now you go do what you need to get ready. I'll meet you in the stadium.' You give her a small kiss and send her on her way.

	You'd played it cool for Surina, but as you changed into proper clothes, butterflies began to form in your stomach. Even with everything that the two of you had gone through together, if today went wrong it'd all be for nothing. When a man tries to claim a wyvern as a mount, it is for keeps. If a rider succeeds, the pair are bound for life as partners. But if the man fails, they can never work together again. Despite being a 'lesser' race of dragons, wyverns still have some of that instinctual pride. If a man cannot best her she will never allow him to ride her. This is, of course, assuming that the man survives the encounter. By being raised together, it is believed that a wyvern can at least dull her instincts enough to allow her partner to mount her. At least, that's the belief that the warmasters subscribed to. Guess you'd find out if it held water today.

	You eat a light breakfast, more to compose yourself than anything else, before making your way to the armory. The familiar weight of your mail steady your nerves a bit as you suit up. Sparring had always been how you and Surina had gotten over your problems, whether they be with the world or with each other. This was just one more obstacle to overcome. As you strap on greaves, pauldrons, breastplate, and finally your helmet, bit by bit you felt yourself... not calming, really, but focusing. Channeling all the energy you'd been using worrying into the challenge before you.

	You drill yourself for a while to warm up before one of the apprentices comes to fetch you. You make your way through the corridor, before arriving at the stadium's entry gate. Beside it sits several racks of weapons and tools, typically reserved for live combat drills. And now you would have to level them against Surina.

	'Please take a moment to arm yourself,' the apprentice informs you. 'You are permitted to bring any weapons you so choose into combat. Once you are ready, I'm to release you into the stadium.'

	You take a moment to look over the racks, thinking over what to use. You immediately gravitate towards a lance, the staple weapon of any Dragoon; sturdy, reliable, good for keeping an opponent at bay. You also strap on a short sword, just in case your lance should fail. Next, you pick up a shield. It's a fair bit bulkier than what you're used to using, but necessary for protecting yourself. Then comes the grapple line, essential for bringing down & pinning Surina if you wanted to win. Anything else? Your eyes come to rest on a bow & quiver of arrows. Many a tale have been told of Dragoons being shot out of the sky, the arrows piercing the spaces between a wyvern's scales. It  would surely bring her down and end the match quickly, but could you really bring yourself to risk Surina's well-being like that...

	'Are you set then, sir?' The apprentice's words snap you back to reality.

	'Umm, yes. I'm ready.' You hastily scoop up the bow & quiver along with the rest of your weapons and approach the gate. Slowly, it rises up to allow you in. The glare burns your eyes, but after a moment they begin to adjust. The stadiums been set up with a rocky terrain; Large boulders, smaller stones, and several outcroppings break up the otherwise level landscape. You leave the bow & quiver next to a large rock before making your way in, looking around the arena as you go. In the stands around the arena were seated various soldiers who'd managed to find time off to come watch. In the front row, 19 men sat with a wyvern partner next to them. You could feel their gazes on you, judging whether you'd be worthy of becoming number twenty. And up in a private booth were the warmasters, the men who oversaw the entire military. Only two seats were occupied, though. Warmaster Raynard, the grizzled veteran who trained the Dragoon acolytes, stood in the center of the stadium. And next to him was Surina, a look of grim determination on her face.

	You arrive at the center of the arena and are greeted by Raynard. He offers you some words of encouragement before turning to the audience. He goes on about the honor of the Dragoons, the power of the bond between master and mount, and a bunch of other military bravado, but you don't hear it. You're just going over everything that you could to mentally prepare. On paper it seemed simple enough: Just subdue Surina long enough to tie her up and claim victory. But it was much easier said than done. She had the advantage of flight, and her instincts would be pushing her just as hard to assert her dominance. Unfortunately, her insincts to assert dominance meant that she'd be trying to pin you down & rape you by the end of this, or worse. If it did come to that, well... All you could do was hope that the handlers could step in to at least keep you alive. Lord knows they wouldn't be doing it for anything else.

	'Is the applicant ready?'

	You snap back to the present. 'Oh, uhh, yes. I'm ready.'

	'Very good. When I give the signal, you will use your skills & selected weapons to subdue your mount. Guardians will step in only to prevent  loss of life. Now ready yourselves and await my command.' Raynard made his way up towards the warmasters' booth, leaving you and Surina to stare each other down.

	Years of working together meant you knew everything about how Surina could fight; She preferred to attack from her right side, favoring kicks and swings with her powerful tail, but wouldn't be afraid to batter you with her wings if you got close. She preferred to focus her fire breath to a range of about 40 feet, but traded off its area coverage. She could also fire off about 7 or 8 fireballs before tiring out, so she'd save them to catch enemies off-guard or flush them out. She was a strong flier and could stay airborne for some time, launching hit-and-runs with fire and talons before retreating out of retaliation range.

	'Applicants, take your marks.' You tighten your grip around the spear's shaft & bring the shield up to the ready.

	'And... BEGIN!' Surina moves like lightning, closing the distance between you fast. You barely had time to react as she twists her body around, bringing that heavy tail flying at your midsection. It smashes into your shield with a heavy thud, making your arm go numb and sending you sliding back several feet. She really isn't going to mess around.

	 With a cry you launch into a counterattack, jabbing at her with your spear from the distance. You figure your best bet is to ground her, take away her air superiority. A flurry of stabs goes for her arms and wings, but she catches on quick. She protects the delicate membranes, taking the brunt of your blows on her armor-like scales. A few shots find purchase in her exposed skin, but not enough to keep her from taking off if she wanted.

	Smoke begins to furl out from her mouth. Seeing what's coming next, you ditch your attack and duck behind a nearby boulder. You barely make it behind before everything to your right erupts into flames. The heat is almost unbearable as you try to guard yourself from the flames with your shield. Unfortunately, it also blocks your vision on that side. No sooner does the fire dissipate than Surina is on top of you, winding up another powerful tail swing.

	'Stop hiding and fight me!' You just barely duck the swing and her tail smashes into the rock, causing parts of it to crumble away. Pivoting towards Surina, you drive your shield into her chest, knocking the wind out of her and forcing her back. You draw your sword and push the advantage, driving her back with a combination of thrusts and swings. Her defense is solid, dodging what she can and letting her scales take some punishment. You manage to get in a few good shots, though, getting a few cuts on her and a particularly nasty gash on one leg.

	Surina keeps giving ground, enough that you can even retrieve your spear. To her credit, she's gotten in some good hits. Your shield has taken quite a beating, and you can feel yourself starting to bruise up. One particular kick has even made breathing hard; She must have cracked a rib. But you're still keeping the pressure on her.

	'Enough of this!' She kicks back, whipping up a cloud of dust in your face with a flap of her wings. Blinded, you don't see the fire coming until it's too late. Your shield takes most of it, but you can feel your sword arm searing from the heat. You glance at it quickly; It'll heal, but you're gonna have to bear with the pain for now. You look back to Surina and realize your mistake too late. She's kicked off and taken to the sky, already well out of range of your spear. Now she's going to be dictating the pace of the battle.

	She comes swooping in at you like a hawk, lighting the ground up with flames. You roll out of the way and try to jab back with your spear, but she's back out of range before you can even hope to hit her. She makes a few more passes before you're forced to take cover under a large outcropping. There's got to be some way of grounding her again. Your mind drifts over to the bow & arrows you had brought in, but you'd really rather use that only s a last resort. What to do...

	'Hiding won't save you.' Suddenly the outcropping above you is shattered in a blast of heat and light. You manage to clear the rubble before it pins you but your ears are ringing from the blast. You forgot just how dangerous those fireballs could be. You hightail it across the arena, darting between boulders for cover. The ground explodes behind you a few more times as she launches a volley of fireballs to try and smoke you out. You manage to get a larger rock between the two of you, breaking her line of sight.

	Okay, time to make a strategy. By your count she has three shots left, maybe four, before she'll be too tired to use fireballs. She'll probably try to save them to surprise you. The real issue is getting her back down on the ground. She could easily just stay up there and rain down fire until you're extra crispy. You could try to throw the grapple line and pull her down, but she'd see it coming before it reached her. You've got to find a way to bring her back down into range, but what? Surina's usually too level-headed to mess up... That's it! She may be collected normally, but in this kind of situation? She was already wound up this morning, and the fighting has to have made her disposition even worse. Maybe...

	'C'mon, Surina. I thought you would try harder than this.'

	'I'm not the one hiding under a rock right now.'

	'Big talk from someone who was getting her ass kicked earlier. You had to run away where I couldn't get you. I thought I had been training all these years with a fierce warrior, not some gecko blowing hot air!'

	'GECKO?! Why you... RRRAAAAAAGGGH!!!' That seemed to work. Surina tucks in her wings, diving straight for your position. Just what you needed.

	You dart up the rocks to your left & launch yourself off of them, shield up. Surina's going too fast to stop, and you crash into her. You hear a sickening crunch as you collide. Even with her scales, a hit like that had to do some damage. The two of you fall to the ground in a heap. You quickly wrestle your way up on top of Surina, pinning her arms under your knees.

	'It's finished,' you tell her as you uncoil the grapple line from your belt.

	'Not yet.' She inhales deeply and blows a cloud of red-hot smoke in your face. You immediately recoil, trying to clear your eyes and mouth as hot ashes burn & choke you. In your confusion Surina flips you off of her. She gets to her feet, but doesn't immediately take off. Though your vision's a little blurry, you notice that she's clutching at her sides a bit just before taking off. That crash before must have done a number on her. You find your spear before she can attack and ready yourself.

	Though you can't say what happened for sure, you definitely did some damage. She's not flying as high or as fast now, and her fire isn't reaching as far as it was before. With each pass she makes, you manage to get in a few jabs at her, though she still stays airborne. Unfortunately, your injuries are starting to take their toll as well. You've gotten pretty banged up, and one off Surina's passes at you knocked your helmet loose. You now had a decent sized gash on your forehead bleeding into your eyes, making the fight that much harder.

	Surina dives for you once more. No fire, so you ready for that claw swipe you think is coming. You thrust with your spear, but she dodges. It was a feint, she never meant to attack you. She wraps her talons around the spear and rips it from your hands. She snaps the shaft in half like a twig before casting the halves aside. Your primary weapon gone, you're now forced to rely on your much shorter sword to fend her off.

	Emboldened from taking your spear from you, Surina's attacks begin to get more aggressive. She blitzes you from all sides with wing, tail, and claw alike, using her fire to keep you from moving around too much. More cuts are opened up, new burns added to the ones you already have. Her talons try to rake at you again. Rather than trying to meet it head on this time, you let your shield go limp, rolling with the attack instead of completely deflecting it. The lack of resistance throws Surina off just enough to open her guard, and your retaliation swing finally finds its mark. The blade cuts high into the membrane of her wing and slices clean through. It was a risky move, as she could have easily taken your arm without being braced, but you sigh with relief that it paid off.

	Surina tumbles to the ground. She takes one look at her wing before roaring back at you in rage. Even with only one good wing, she still has enough lift to jump a fair distance, and she wastes no time in taking the high ground on a boulder. She takes a deep breath and lobs another fireball your way, knocking you of your feet & sending you rolling. You quickly duck behind a large rock before she can line up another shot. It's then that you notice your sword is gone, most likely knocked away in the blast. All that you were left with was your shield and the grapple line.

	Desperate, you decide that you have to try and finish it now. You tie a lasso into the end of the line, holding it primed to launch. It'd be hard to get close enough to tie her up. You were completely exhausted, your armor trashed, and your body was covered in cuts & burns. The way you figure it, though, Surina must be just as gassed as you are. She only had enough strength for a few shots left, and her fire breath was taking more effort with each use. If you just stay light on your feet, you might have a chance at this.

	You dart out from behind your cover and Surina immediately lines up a stream of flame. You tumble behind the next rock, barely staying hidden for a second before making for the next bit of cover. You rush from one bit of cover to the next, torrents of flame hot on your heels. As you make a break for the last bit of cover, she rears up and looses another fireball in your direction. The blast goes off right on your heels, throwing you into the rock. For a moment you're seeing stars from the impact, but it passes. This was it, all or nothing. You roll out from behind cover and let the lasso fly. By some miracle it finds its mark, slipping on over her neck. You pull the rope taut, intent on binging Surina down, but she holds form to her perch. You give the rope a hard pull, desperate to break her footing. Surina flails about, roaring in defiance, and then the worst finally happens. Her claws find the rope, cutting through part of it. The tension on the line causes it to snap, causing you to stagger back.

	With your last-ditch effort foiled, you're left dumbfounded at what to do next. Unfortunately, Surina's already making her next move. Blinding orange light catches your attention, and you move almost on instinct. The impact of the fireball on your shield is insane, too much for the battered metal to take. The shield shatters along with your arm, and the force sends you sailing through the air. You land hard on the ground, everything hurting and ears ringing. You try to get up, but you find yourself pinned under powerful talons. Surina stands over you, seemingly triumphant.

	'You're not strong enough to beat me.' She says it matter-of-factly, and you can see the pained look in her eyes. She doesn't want it to end like this any more than you do. 'It's over. I'll try to make it quick. I'm sorry...' Her claws drift down towards your belt, snapping it in one clean motion. Was she really going to... This can't be how it ends. Your mind goes into overdrive, trying to find some way out of this. But what's left? All of your weapons were either broken or lost, except for-

	'The bow!' As much as you didn't want to use it, it was your only hope of winning now.

	'What?' In your desperation, you had actually shouted that last bit out loud, utterly confusing Surina. Her stance shifted off of you a bit, just enough to move. It was a long shot, but you had to try.

	'I said, this isn't over yet!' With all of your strength you bring your legs up, and along with your good arm you manage to flip Surina off of you. Adrenaline pumping, you scramble up and put as much distance between you and Surina as you can, holding your trousers up as you go. Afraid that you might have some trap lying in wait, Surina retreats to her perch instead of giving chase.

	You manage to make your way back to the entrance gate without being attacked, and lying right where you left them are the bow and quiver. You pick up one of the arrows and look it over. The points are long and slender, meant for punching through armor and piercing targets rather than maiming them. Hopefully the damage would be minimal, but even if it was this was unbelievably risky. One wrong move and you could miss, or worse, kill her. And your current state is not helping the issue. But still, it's your only hope.

	You tie the length of your line onto the end of an arrow and slowly make your way through the rocks. You try to make as little noise as possible, praying that she won't hear you. Slowly you work your way through the field, dodging her sight and working your way as close as possible. Eventually, you manage to get within a good follow-up range for your shot. You try to put some tension in the bow and immediately regret it. Your broken arm buckles under the weight of the draw, prickling your entire side with pain. Gotta fight through it if you want this to work. You take a deep breath to steady yourself & position yourself towards Surina's perch. As you rise you draw the bow to its full length. Even with all your focus the pain is making you waver. This is incredibly dangerous, but you're out of options. You hold your arm as steady as possible, and with a prayer you loose your shot.

	The twang of the bow alerts Surina to your presence, but it's too late. Your shot miraculously finds its mark, piercing through her upper arm.  You hear her scream in pain and pray that she can forgive you for this. You take the slack out of the line and give it a tug. The sharp pull combined with the pain causes Surina to lose her footing and tumble off the rock. Before she gets her bearings you're on top of her, pinning her back down with your legs. You wrestle her arms together, binding them up as quickly as you can. She's completely powerless now.

	'Do you yield, Surina?' She continues to stuggle against the binds, forcing you to put more pressure on her shot arm.

	'I said, do you yield?' She tries to fight a bit more before gong limp, further fighting in her state being useless.

	'I yield. You are the victor.' Horns go off around the stadium as the crowd erupts into cheers. Somehow, you had managed to win. You barely have time to take it all in before your body gives out. You collapse onto the ground next to Surina, and the last thing you see is an exhausted smile on her face.

	__________________________

	You come to in the medical ward, and the first thing you notice is that your everything hurts. Your arm spasms from the sudden pain and you wince, reaching over to cradle it.

	'Stay still you fool! Do you want this to heal properly?' A healer at your bedside forces you back onto the bed before returning to her work. A warm light flows from her hands onto your arm, and immediately you see some of the smaller cuts and bruises fading away.

	'I swear, you Dragoons come in more and more bloodied with each new recruit.' The nurse gives you a few pills to take the edge off the pain before walking off in a huff. For a while you just lay there, letting everything that had happened. You'd done it. All the years of training, living together with Surina, and praying that everything would turn out alright had paid off. The two of you were Dragoons, forever bonded together as warriors.

	'Finally awake, huh?'  You look over and see Surina lying in the next bed over. Her arms and legs are covered in bandages, with the one you shot her through being propped up in a sling. She slowly slides out of bed and walks over to yours, sitting down on it beside you.

	'Barely. Ugh, how long was I out?' It wasn't really exaggeration. Even with the healing and medicine, you still feel like you could pass out right there.

	'It's been about a day. You blacked out in the arena and barely moved after that.'

	'Hmm. And how are you doing?'

	'I'm okay for the most part. Didn't pass out like you did, but they still had to help me up here.'

	'And your arm?'

	She shifts somewhat uncomfortably in her sling. 'I'll be okay, no thanks to you. I can't believe you shot at me with a bow.' She jabs you in the side with her good arm, but seems to regret it a bit when you wince from pain. 'Sorry.'

	'I'm fine... Actually, no. That hurt like hell.' You give her a poke in the side for retaliation. 'But I'm sorry about shooting you. It was a last ditch effort that I hoped I wouldn't need.'

	'I'm just amazed your aim was good enough to hit me where you did. That was some plan.'

	'Yeah, plan. Let's go with that.'

	Surina seems a little upset by how you put that. 'And what's that supposed to mean? You did plan to hit my arm, right?'

	'Of course I did... well, more or less, at least. Aiming with a broken arm was a nightmare.'

	Her face goes pale for a second, but her color returns with some justified rage. 'You mean you shot at me like that and you weren't even sure you wouldn't kill me? You Idiot!' She gives you another jab in the side, though this one's a bit gentler.

	'I'm sorry. I know it was a gamble, but I did what I could to make sure it was as least likely to fail as possible. If anything, consider it payback for blowing me up and almost having your way with me.'

	Surina's cheeks become a bit flushed at the mention of your near-rape at her hands. 'I-It's not like I really wanted to do that. It was just my instincts taking over.' You can't help but laugh a little at how embarrassed she seems about the whole thing. Once you calm down, Surina gently lays herself across your chest, a sweet smile on her face. 'So it's finally over then.'

	'Looks like it.'

	'All of our years spent together, and thanks to a bit of luck, now we finally get to have the future we've wanted for so long. Just the two of us,  together forever as heroes.' She leans up to you and gives you a loving kiss.  You're all too happy to return it. You loved her, and now that you were bonded there was no need to hold back. You'd have her by your side until the day you died.

	Surina breaks the kiss, a blush in her cheeks. You can tell she wants there to be more, but your conditions are less than ideal for it. 'Get some rest, okay? Once you're all healed up, we'll have to celebrate this properly.'

	'I'll just take that to mean that we have the knighting ceremony to look forward to once we're better.'

	Surina laughs a little at your feigned innocence. 'Heh heh, of course. What else could I be talking about?' That little glint in her eyes as she drew the curtain around her bed told you EXACTLY what else she was talking about.

	Even with a healer on hand, it still takes you a several to be cleared for duty again. And no sooner are you cleared for service than you are being whisked away for armor fitting. Each Dragoon is gifted a custom set armor upon their promotion, along with a full set of weaponry  from the academy's master craftsmen. The armor is surprisingly light, yet durable enough to stand up to even the most ornery Oni, on top of being enchanted to protect from fire.  Dragon motifs are inlaid on the shield and weapons, and the helmet is crafted in the visage of a dragon's head. You're then marched out to the arena, which has been refitted for the ceremony. The entire academy is arrayed in the seats to watch. The other nineteen Dragoons and their partners stand before a stage at the arena's center. On stage, Warmaster Raynard waits to present you to the world. And next to him, in her own set of enchanted armor, is Surina. Raynard gives a long speech about the history and honor of the Dragoons, and the duty that you now carried, but you don't hear any of it. All you can do is keep looking over at Surina, thinking how beautiful she looks in her armor. She' just as giddy as you are, a smile on her face and a small tar in the corner of her eyes.

	Once the presentation to the academy is finished, the other Dragoons' partners morph and take up formation. You turn to Surina, watching as flames engulf her before exploding outward, revealing her true wyvern form. Her armor forms to her massive body protecting her chest and elongated neck, as well as a crest and wing guards. You mount up on Surina, and you can feel the power in her body. Muscles ripple under your legs, and the faint heat from her body warms you. Once you're firmly in the saddle, Surina rears back, letting out a triumphant roar and jet of flame. You can't help but to get swept up in her emotions, cheering along with her. With a flap of her mighty wings you're driven skyward, the arena and academy slowly shrinking below you.

	The flight towards the capital was exhilarating. The wind whipping at your face, the countryside drifting by below, Surina's powerful body beneath you, the feeling is unreal. You'd only been up a few times during your training, and it was always with a wyvern who'd been partnered instead of Surina. More experienced wyverns can suppress their instinct to only allow their partner to ride , at least for a while, so this was really the first time you and Surina have flown together.

	The imperial procession goes much like the procession at the academy, though on a much grander scale. You and the other Dragoons are paraded through the city, showing off to the aristocracy and well-off citizens of the capital as you made your way to the palace. The Emperor formally recognizes your knighthood before more nobility than you knew actually existed. A speech is given in your honor, though you feel Raynard's was a bit more genuine. After that is a feast in the great hall for you and the other Dragoons.

	It's rather late by the time the food and drink stop flowing. Your company is offered lodgings for the night so that nobody has to take the risk of flying in the dark. Yours and Surina's room is quite spacious, with private cleaning facilities, a large bed, and a roaring fireplace. Far better that anything back at the academy barracks. You lay out your armor on a provided stand, careful not to put any unwanted nicks or scratches in it just yet.

	'You look rather good in it, you know.' You're startled a bit by Surina's voice. How she managed to sneak out of the bath without you hearing her is something.

	'Oh, yeah. They really do go all out for these pieces. Yours was quite nice, as well.' You feel Surina's wings around you, a warm robe wrapped around her.

	'You know, I still haven't forgotten what I said back in the infirmary. And now that all the ceremony is out of the way, what do you say we make our union official?'

	'Wouldn't you rather wait until we're back home? Do that somewhere a bit more private?'

	You feel her embrace tighten a bit. 'I've waited all these years. All for the day when we'd never have to worry about being apart ever again. And now that it's happened, I don't want to wait anymore. I want to finally have this, and damn anyone overhearing.' You turn in her embrace. Her long hair, still damp from the bath, frames her face, her golden eyes blazing with passion in this moment. You can feel how much she wants it, and you'd be a fool to say that you didn't as well.

	You walk with Surina to the bed and she gently pushes you down onto it, falling on top you as you go down. Her claws hold tight on your shoulders and the two of you just hold each other's gaze for a moment. Then she leans into you with a kiss and you gladly reciprocate, wrapping your arms around her waist to pull her in close. For a long moment the two of you just hold that kiss before finally breaking for a breath. Surina is ravenous, though, quickly coming back in with renewed effort. You feel her tongue begin to probe at your lips, and you happily let her inside. Her breath is hot in your mouth as your tongues begin to explore each other, running over her powerful fangs and smooth muscles, desperate to taste as much of her as you can. Each time the two of you break away you come back with even more vigor until you can feel Surina softly moaning into your mouth, the vibrations tickling your lips.

	Finally Surina pulls away, a strand of saliva still hanging between your mouths. She begins to fumble with her robe, but her lust has made her a little clumsy. You take hold of the belt and untie it, easing the fabric off her shoulders before letting it fall away. There she sat atop you, baring everything for you. Her long auburn hair draped down over her shoulders; Perky breasts, big enough to cup in your hand without being unwieldy for flight; Soft, pale skin; Toned frame with powerful muscles rippling just beneath the surface; Strong, ample hips and thighs; and her beautiful emerald scales that shown like gems in the light of the fire. Her skin still glistened with water from the baths, and her heat caused steam to rise off her in wisps, giving her an other-worldly, almost ethereal glow.

	The sight of her before you overwhelms you. You rip off your own shirt and throw yourself at her. Your hands and mouth begin to explore every part of her they can reach. You palm and massage her breasts, drawing a small gasp from her when you tease her nipple. Your mouth roams across her, moving from her mouth up her jawline, nipping at her ears, sending shivers down her when you blow on them; Down her neck and across her shoulders, nipping and sucking at the skin. You take her in your arms and gently lay her down on the bed as you slowly begin to make your way down her body. Your mouth works its way over her chest, caressing the soft flesh as you make your way to the peaks, suckling on each one in turn. Your tongue makes long strokes down her toned stomach, drawing yourself back up as you kiss at the soft flesh.

	Finally you arrive at your prize, the warm mound between Surina's thighs. The lips are a rosy pink, already glistening with her secretions, and the heat coming from her is incredible. You look back up to Surina. Her cheeks are flushed and she's already panting heavily. Without a word she begs you to continue. You bury your face in between her legs, and from the first tough you draw an audible gasp. You are gentle at first, sucking and kissing her moist folds, before you begin to work with your tongue. You trace along the folds, teasing her with small patterns. You make your way up to her clitoris, and prodding it is like lightning. She lets out a loud moan and her legs clasp around you, smothering you for a few seconds. Once she calms, you begin to probe deeper. Your tongue begins to part her lips, exploring  the warm, moist depths within. Her scent is overwhelming, and her juices have an almost spicy taste to them. You probe her depths as deep as you can, flicking her nub every so often to give her a jolt. You feel her claw on the back of your her head, pulling you in, urging you to try and go deeper. Her moans of pleasure finally reach a crescendo, and your mouth is flooded with a gush of fluid. Her claws and legs clamp around your head like a vice, holding you to her. After a few moments she finally releases you from your prison and you lay yourself across her toned stomach.

	Once Surina catches her breath, she finally manages to put her thoughts to words. 'More... I want more. I want you. Your... everything.' She eases you off of her before rolling over. She tucks her knees up under her stomach, pushing her butt up in the air. Her tail lazily waves back and forth over her entrance, inviting you to claim her. You climb up behind Surina, easing your trousers down as you go. Your erection is almost painfully hard at this point as you position yourself behind her. You take hold of her, relishing the sensation. Even with all the training that the two of you have undergone, she has managed to retain a rather bountiful butt. Your hands almost sink into her cheeks and thighs as you massage the warm flesh. Surina coos a bit as you rub her, but you can also feel her squirming a bit, eager for more. Barely able to wait anymore yourself, you guide your head to her entrance.

	The first thing you notice is the heat. For as warm as her mouth had been, down here was vastly hotter, almost like a sauna. The moist heat envelops every ridge of your shaft as you push in. This kind of heat should have felt uncomfortable, but it feels amazing instead, making your mind go slightly fuzzy. Surina moans loudly into the bed as you slowly fill her up, finally bottoming out in her. As you pull back out, you can feel her folds gripping you, desperately trying to keep you inside of her. Just as you're about to completely pull out, you thrust back as deep into her as you can. Surina yelps a little at the sensation, clenching around you for a split second. The sudden tightness almost pushes you over, but you hold fast.

	You start slow, acclimating to the feeling of Surina around you. With each long draw, she moans a little bit more. As you begin to pick up your tempo, her tail swings along your chest like a metronome. One of your hands lets go of her firm thighs and wraps around the thick appendage, pinning it to your chest. You pull up on her tail a bit, giving you a new angle of penetration. It seems to be effective, as Surina lets out a sharp gasp and jumps several decibels as you continue to thrust into her burning desire. The tip of her tail continues to flail about as you work, flicking against the side of your head. You crane your neck and gently catch the tip in your teeth.

	'Eeep! Not there!~'

	Well, this is an interesting development. You had always brushed off the rumors of lizards having sensitive tails as an old wives' tale, but there must be something to it. And you intend to use this for all it's worth. You take the tip of her tail firmly in your mouth and begin to suck on it. You run your tongue over every scale and gently nibble on the tip. If Surina had been trying to restrain herself before, she has lost herself to passion now. Her moans have become loud cries of ecstasy, begging for more. Her hips are bucking wildly, practically slamming into your waist. This spurs you on even more as you pump into her as hard and deep as you can, molesting her tail all the while. The sound of her plump rear slapping against your crotch echoes through the room.

	'It's too much! I'm- I'm- AHHHHHhhhhhhhh!!!~'

	Her walls constrict around you as a gush of fluid soaks your groin. The tightness brings you to your limit, and you begin to frantically pump your hips. Surina's cries fill your head as you give one last push, burying yourself deep inside her. Your groin contracts, unleashing a white-hot torrent inside of her. The feeling is so intense your vision goes blurry for a moment. Each contraction drains your strength as you empty yourself into the wyvern's hungry womb. Finally spent, your body gives out and you collapse on top of her. The two of you just lay there for a moment, breathing heavily as you ride out the last remnants of your orgasms.

	Eventually, Surina manages to awkwardly roll over underneath you. Her face is still flushed from your exertions, and there is an unmistakable look off bliss on her face.

	'Mmmmm. That- that was incredible.' She leans up to you and gives you a kiss. 'You didn't have to be so rough for our first time, though.'

	You let out a weak laugh. 'Sorry. I just couldn't help myself.'

	Surina chuckles a bit back at you. 'You're going to have to live up to that every time now, you know.' Your head drops to her chest, your ego somewhat bruised. A part of you is thrilled at that idea, but you're not sure if your body could keep up. She gently strokes our a hair a little before raising your gaze to her face. Though tempered by exhaustion, her eyes are still smoldering with desire.

	'How about it? Do you think you can go one more round? Perhaps a little gentler this time?' You give a weak reply yes. Surina gently rolls you over onto your back, following you so that she is straddling your waist. She leans back, bracing herself on the bed. This gives you a full view as she grinds her hips into your crotch, slathering you in her juices. It doesn't take too long before she has you at attention once again.

	Surina raises her hips up and guides you towards her burning entrance. She lowers herself down on you, engulfing you in that intense heat once more. Still sensitive, it's almost too much to take, but after a moment you're ready to go once more. But instead of moving her hips, Surina beckons you to sit up. You ease yourself up into a sitting position, still inside of Surina as she sits in your lap. You're chest to chest with her now, her soft breasts pressed against your chest. She spreads her wings wide and wraps them around you, pulling you in tightly to her. Your own hands drift down around her hips, taking a firm hold and bringing her in close. The wyvern's skin is warm and soft against yours, melting away your tension. As she presses against you, you can even feel her heartbeat against your chest. She lays her head in the crook of your neck, nuzzling into you. 'Mmmm. This is perfect.'

	Surina begins to gently rock her hips, and you do the same to assist her. In this sitting position you can't penetrate as deeply, but it feels much more intimate. She almost seems to purr with your lazy thrusts into her, just enjoying the feeling of you two together. She nips and kisses along your shoulder and neck, slowly making her way to your mouth. Her lips find yours and she pulls you into another deep kiss. Her tongue lazily explores your mouth and you respond in kind, practically intertwining hers with your own. You hold this embrace with her for what seems like an eternity, rocking her hips into your crotch as you make out on the bed. Her low moans cause your mouth  and lips to tingle, punctuated by the occasional gasp as you probe her depths. As much as you had enjoyed the more carnal romp before, you find this more intimate side of Surina equally enjoyable.

	Unfortunately, it can't last. You had barely recovered from your previous endeavors, and now you were already at your limit once more. The pressure in your groin begins to build, ready to burst. You pull away from Surina's mouth, desperate for air. 'Surina... I'm about to-'

	'It's okay. You can let it out. I want you to fill me up.' Her hips begin to buck harder, trying to take as much of you in before you lose yourself. She gives one last exertion and buries you fully inside her,  deep to her womb. She pulls you in close, her entire body trembling as your second orgasm fills her up. She bites back a small cry as your hot seed pours into her, letting out a deep sigh of pleasure once your finally spent. Utterly drained, you slowly slump back onto the bed, Surina following on top of you. The look on her face is one of exhaustion, but also content.

	'So... I think that's enough of a proper celebration for one night, hmm?'

	'I'd say so. At least for one night.' This girl is going to be the death of you. She holds back a small laugh at the look of exasperation on your face. 'I'm joking. I know that this is a special occasion.'

	'Of course you do. Well, now that the festivities have wrapped up, what say we call it a night?'

	Surina lets out a long yawn before snuggling into your chest. 'That sounds lovely.' You pull the sheets up over the two of you, more for decency than anything else. The heat radiating off of Surina as she holds you in her wings was more than enough to keep you warm, even while completely bare like this. Surina gets comfortable on top of you and you wrap your arms around her, drifting off to sleep in each other's embrace.

	Your awoken the next morning by the sound of knocking at your door. You manage to ease Surina off of you without rousing her, and after retrieving your trousers from the foot of the bed, make your way to the door. You open it and are greeted by a court messenger.

	'Ahh, sorry  to have disturbed you this morning, sir,' the messenger says with a bow. 'I have been sent by Warmaster Raynard to fetch you.'

	'Raynard?'

	'Yes sir. It seems that he has received word of an assignment, and feels that it would be a suitable task for your first undertaking. You are to report to the warmaster in the barracks at your earliest convenience.'

	You dismiss the messenger, who gives you another bow before going on his way. Barely even a day since your knighting and already you're being called on for assistance. The life of a Dragoon was certainly not going to be a dull one. You make your way back to the bed and try to gently wake your partner. 'Surina. It's time to wake up.'

	'Mmmm. Just five more minutes...'

	'I seem to recall someone chastising me for trying to sleep in. Now come on. We have our first assignment from Raynard.'

	Surina rolls over away from you. 'Barely a day and already being put to work... Have that old man send someone else.'

	'That's now way to be talking about Raynard. What's more, it would be poor form to turn down our first assignment. Now come on. Time to wake up!' And with that you take a handful of the covers and give them a firm tug, ripping them off the sleeping wyvern. Her eyes snap open at suddenly being left. She bolts upright, covering herself with her wings.

	'KYAAAA! You idiot! Why'd you go and do that?!?' Surina rips the covers out of your hands, wrapping them around her body. But there's no hiding the blush in her cheeks.

	'I had to get you up somehow, didn't I? and why all the sudden prudishness? You didn't have any trouble with me seeing you last night.'

	'Th-That was different, you jerk! Honestly, leaving me exposed like that. What if someone had walked in?'

	You can't help but to laugh at Surina being back to her old, lovingly annoyed personality after everything you'd been through in the past several days with her. You're rewarded with a pillow chucked at your face with some force, which she demands you hold in place as she gets dressed. You comply, at least for the most part, not being able to help yourself sneaking one last peek at her rump. She sits at the end of the bed from you in a huff as you ready yourself, but you can just make out the slightest hints of a smile.

	If nothing else, it is definitely going to be an interesting life with her.

	END(?)