by Logan Jacobs
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Chapter 1
I took a deep breath and stared up at the beautiful multi-colored sky. The horizon was lit up with the deep blues, purples, pinks, and oranges of the sunset, and a sense of serenity washed over me as I took it all in.
The horned horse-like animals pulling the small cart I was driving moved slowly down the road toward the large field where my campsite from the night before was.
The feel of a small creature crawling up my back to sit on my shoulder made me smile, and I turned to see it was the new little dragon my group and I had just taken in. The poor little girl was just freshly hatched and already without a mother. The dragon slave trade destroyed her family, but we were her family now.
“She’s so curious,” Asta, the beautiful white-haired elf, giggled as she reached out to stroke the small yellow dragon’s head.
The elf girl understood better than most what it was like to not have a family. When we’d found her, she had nobody, so she’d joined the group and had been with us ever since. Her knowledge of the elf realm and the dragon slave trade often came in handy, and her bright, fun personality made me happy to have her as part of the team.
Asta was tall and thin, with large pointed ears that stuck out of her often braided long white hair, which hung down past her waist. Right then, she wore a short bright-yellow tunic that matched the honey color of her eyes, and her deep, nearly black armor contrasted against her light features beautifully. She had high cheekbones, large, beautiful eyes, and full vibrant pink lips.
“You’re right,” Kas, the gorgeous strawberry-blonde Valkyrie, agreed, and she leaned forward to get a better look at the little dragon. “She’s very smart, especially for just being hatched.”
Kas was also incredibly intelligent, and I was always impressed with her knowledge base. She was nearly a master sorcerer, and because of her training with her father, she was able to do things many sorcerers couldn’t do at her age.
The Valkyrie’s curly strawberry-blonde hair hung down around her shoulders in large, wild ringlets, and she had bright violet eyes, large red lips, and a curvy, full figure. At the moment, she wore a short white tunic, sandals that allowed her to move freely in battle, and the steel armor I’d bought for her. She also owned a set of golden armor that once belonged to her mother, but it required a good amount of magic, so she could only wear it for short periods of time.
Kas was the first to join my little crew, and I loved her immensely. Her nose was always buried in a book, but she was one of the kindest and sweetest women I’d ever met. From the moment I’d seen her, I knew there was something special about her. She didn’t judge me the way some of the other people in town did, which I figured was because of her own upbringing. Kas had her father, but her mother died when she was very young.
She didn’t talk about her mother much, but I knew Kas missed her, and I sensed doing magic was her way of remaining connected to her in some way.
“Yeah, I think she’s going to be a serious little dragon like Uffe here,” Eira said with a smile and a gesture at the little red dragon who laid by our feet.
The redheaded warband leader was the last woman to join my little crew, and she’d been my warband captain before I’d found the egg that hatched Blar, the little blue dragon who made me into what I am today.
Eira had always been a hardass, and she’d always been unattainably beautiful, but I’d never expected her to join my little party. It hadn’t been until recently that I’d found out her feelings mirrored my own. I’d pined after her the entire time I’d served under her, and I’d never once suspected she’d felt the same way, though she’d always seemed to respect me more than some of the other men we worked with.
Some of them were downright buffoons, though, and I could understand why she liked me more. We shared a similar fighting style, and we both tended to use our brains rather than our muscles, though we each had plenty of both.
Eira was a complete badass, and she was able to take on enemies three times her size. I’d been on the battlefield with her numerous times, and she’d never been injured, or even come close to losing a fight. I suspected that was how she gained the honor of being a warband leader at such a young age.
Then again, it was in her blood. Eira recently told me she was the daughter of a famous warband leader, but the redhead had purposefully kept her lineage a secret. She didn’t want to get anywhere in life off her father’s merits, only her own, and I respected her for that.
On top of being an incredible warrior, Eira was also astoundingly beautiful. Long red hair hung down to her waist, and her face was made up of bright emerald-green eyes, a straight, dignified nose, and sweet plump pink lips. Her body was a perfect hourglass shape, with large breasts, wide hips, and a thin waist in between. Her arms, shoulders, stomach, and legs were corded with just the correct amount of feminine muscle, and my cock stirred at the thought of touching her firm body.
Though all the girls were so different, they got along extremely well, and even though Eira was the newest woman to our crew, she and Asta had become quite close. The white-haired elf girl was so innocent and sweet she often didn’t understand the joking and sarcasm us Asgardians used, but something about that innocence attracted Eira to her.
The redhead found Asta’s naivete amusing at first, but I suspected she rather liked it.
After all, Eira had seen a lot of blood and gore in her time, and I figured it was nice to have someone incredibly innocent around to show her there was still a lot of good in the world.
Asta had been through a lot herself, but she never let that define her, which was one of the reasons I loved her so much. I’d seen a lot of blood and gore, too, and Asta’s bright, happy presence was a much-appreciated relief from some of the terrible things we’d gone through.
I reached up to touch the small yellow dragon on my shoulder, and the little creature let out a sweet coo and leaned into my hand. She stared at me with round pink eyes that reflected the beauty of the evening sun, and I couldn’t help but smile.
A pressure on my knee brought my attention downward, and I saw Blar now had both of his front paws on my leg and was stretching lazily. Then he smacked his lips and looked at me with pleading bright-blue eyes.
“We’re almost to camp,” I chuckled. “Then we’ll make some dinner.”
The little blue reptile was always incredibly hungry. All of the dragons were, actually, but it was a trait I attributed more to their constant growing than anything else.
Blar had already tripled in size from when he was hatched, and he was now the size of a medium-sized dog. He once could fit in my satchel, but now, he could barely fit on my shoulders.
He was only able to climb on me still because his body shape was so long and thin. His form was completely different from the other dragons that came from Asta’s homeworld, since the elven dragons had long, thin necks, large, thick bodies, and a long tail at the end.
Not only did Blar have a different body shape, but horns also protruded from his forehead, and some scales stood upright and ran down the center of his back. On top of that, Blar had the ability to create portals to different realms and even teleport himself through space.
I knew exactly where Uffe, Inger, and
this new dragon were from, but I had no idea when it came to Blar. He was the first dragon I’d ever seen, probably the first Kas and Eira had seen as well since dragons were banished from Asgard many years before I was ever born.
That was a terrible situation, and though it was no fault of the dragons, they were the ones who suffered for it, and they’d continued to suffer. The dragon slave trade was rampant across all the realms, but it was terrible in Asta’s realm in particular.
Dragons were everywhere in Alfheim, and the dragon traders knew that. More were taken from this realm than from anywhere else, which was why my crew and I were here in the first place.
We’d managed to take out some of the smaller dealers, but we still hadn’t gotten to the large catch yet: the Elf King.
I recently found out I had the ability to hatch, bond, and control dragons, but even more recently, I’d discovered I could see through their eyes. One of the dragons I’d seen was in the Elf King’s dungeon, and there were many others down there with him. The poor dragon was being held hostage and tormented every single day, and the thought made my blood boil with rage.
It was my mission to save him, and all dragons. I’d put an end to this damn dragon trade if it was the last thing I did.
Luckily, I had plenty of help, and I turned to smile at my crew.
Asta, the beautiful white-haired elf girl, sat to my right on the large cart seat. She peered out ahead of us with a sweet smile on her face, and as I watched, she absentmindedly reached up to her shoulder to pet Inger, the small red female dragon she’d named.
Twin dragons were known for having powers, and Inger and Uffe were no exception. The two looked nearly identical, with both of them having bright red scales and vibrant purple eyes, but Uffe had grown to be just a little bit larger than Inger, and the little female’s features were somehow more delicate than her brother’s. I wasn’t sure a stranger would be able to tell them apart, but the girls and I most definitely could.
As much as they looked alike, though, they were completely different in both power and personality. Inger had quite an attitude, and while she and Blar were both quick to do everything, like eat their food in one minute flat, Uffe was much more contemplative. The little boy dragon chewed slowly and carefully so he could savor each bite, and he cautiously considered every move he made.
Their personalities seemed to match their powers, too. Inger’s powers were air related. The little girl had been able to fly before both Blar and Uffe, even though Blar was older than she was. Something about the air came naturally to her, and then we’d noticed she was able to manipulate the air around her to a small degree. Her powers would no doubt get stronger as she grew older, but it was clear they were air related.
And like the air and wind, Inger was quick and constantly changing her path at a second’s notice. The little red female seemed to breeze through life and any challenges that came our way. I’d never seen her get really upset about anything we dealt with, she just continued to move forward, just like the wind.
Uffe, on the other hand, was serious, grounded. His power was related to the earth, and he was able to draw pieces of soil from the ground and throw them at his opponent. Unlike his sister, flying hadn’t come easy to him, which made sense considering his powers were rooted in the earth below his feet. He’d been the last of the dragons to learn to fly, and even now he preferred to walk or ride on Kas’ shoulders rather than fly ahead with Inger and Blar.
I shook my head silently as I thought about everything that had happened to me over the past few months. Barely any time had passed, and yet my entire life was changed.
I’d found out I was able to hatch dragons, an ability it seemed nobody else shared, and I could also control them and feel their emotions. I’d never been magical, so this had been quite a shock, especially since I’d stumbled upon the knowledge by accident. I’d been trying to cook Blar’s egg to eat when he’d popped out of it.
Since that moment, everything I thought I knew had been questioned.
On top of finding out about my own powers, I’d also found Kas and Asta. I’d bonded with the two of them, and I loved them both incredibly dearly. They were my women and my partners, and they were as fierce as any warriors I’d gone to battle with before.
Eira and I had yet to bond, but I secretly hoped she might come to me one day and request we do so. My soul bond with Kas and Asta made our relationship that much more intense. It gave me a hold over them, and I also felt a duty to protect them. I was able to experience the emotions they were feeling, especially their pleasure when we were intimate. I’d never experienced something so powerful, and I wanted to experience it with Eira as well when the time came.
“What do you think we should name her?” Asta asked with a smile, and her sweet voice drew me out of my own thoughts.
“Oh, why don’t we let Eira pick,” Kas suggested.
“Me?” Eira asked, and she leaned back slightly. “I don’t know how good I’ll be at picking out names. I can try, though.”
“Yes, I think that’s a wonderful idea.” Asta smiled so big her eyes became just slits with happy crinkles around them. “Eira hasn’t got to name a dragon yet.”
“You two named these?” the redhead asked as she gestured to the twins.
“We did.” Kas nodded. “It’s funny, Rath seems to be accumulating dragons at nearly the same rate he’s accumulating women.”
“What do you mean ‘accumulating women?’” Eira asked, and she narrowed her eyes seriously. “I haven’t been accumulated by anyone.”
“Oh, I just meant--” Kas backtracked, but Eira interrupted her with a laugh and a playful swat on the arm.
“I’m teasing you,” the redhead chuckled. “Rath does seem to be accumulating them.”
“It must be my cute dragons,” I joked. “They’re drawing you all in.”
“Yeah, that’s definitely it,” Kas giggled.
“No, it’s not.” Asta frowned and shook her head. “We love you, Rath. You mustn’t say such things.”
“He’s joking,” Kas explained with a shake of her head.
“Ohhh, yes, that’s right.” Asta nodded. “I sometimes forget your meanness is playful.”
“Hey, I wasn’t being mean,” I laughed.
“Well, it wasn’t nice,” the white-haired elf girl countered.
“Asta,” Eira said, and she tilted her head to the side curiously. “How do elves tease each other?”
“We do not.” Asta blinked.
“You don’t play around at all?” the redhead pushed. “To make someone laugh maybe?”
“Hm.” Asta’s white eyebrows furrowed together as she thought. “There is one thing. My parents and I would do it before they died.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Eira frowned.
“It’s okay.” The elf girl smiled and shrugged. “It was a long time ago.”
“Well, what’s the thing?” Kas asked.
“It’s called pranke,” Asta explained. “It’s where you convince someone of something that is not true, or maybe place something in an area where it will startle them.”
“You play pranks on each other?” Eira asked with a raised eyebrow.
“It’s pronounced pranke,” Asta said.
“No, I get that,” the redhead laughed. “In Asgard we call them pranks.”
“That’s a funny word for it,” the elf girl said.
“It’s so close to your word,” Kas laughed.
“Yes, but my word sounds better.” Asta shrugged.
“Alright, alright, your word is better,” the strawberry-blonde conceded with a smile, and then she turned to Eira. “So, what’s her name going to be?”
“Hm.” Eira reached her hand out to the dragon on my shoulder, and the little yellow female sniffed it before scurrying across her arm.
“I think she likes you,” Kas chuckled as the little dragon crawled behind Eira’s long red hair and curled around her neck. Her little head was visible on one side of Eira’s th
roat, and her tail was on the other. She nestled against the redhead’s skin and closed her eyes as her tail swished back and forth happily.
“She certainly made herself comfortable,” Eira said, and her body was stiff from the shock of how quickly the little dragon had claimed a piece of her to use as a bed.
I tapped into the little yellow dragon’s emotions, and I could feel how incredibly content she was laying against Eira. She was soaking in the redhead’s warmth, but there was something else.
I closed my eyes as I continued to focus on the little dragon’s feelings. I didn’t experience them so much in words, but in emotions and images, and I kept getting a flash of something red.
Then it hit me.
“Her mother was red,” I said quietly, and I smiled at the content yellow dragon.
“Oh, no,” Asta whispered, and her white eyebrows pulled together. “How sad.”
“It is sad.” Kas nodded and looked at Eira. “That must be why she likes you so much. Your hair reminds her of her mother.”
“I may not be your mother,” Eira whispered as she reached up to stroke the little dragon’s head. “But I promise I won’t let anything happen to you ever again.”
“I definitely think you should be the one to name her now,” Asta said with a small smile.
“Right.” Eira looked down and pursed her lips. “How about Gulr?”
“You want to name her ‘yellow’ in the old language?” Kas asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Well… Rath named Blar after his coloring,” the redhead mumbled.
“Yes, but we weren’t with him when that happened,” Kas mock whispered.
“Hey!” I laughed, and Blar hopped up on my lap to glare at the girls. “He likes his name, thank you very much.”
Blar huffed, nodded, and then turned his back on Kas.
“Oh, come on,” the strawberry-blonde said. “I was just teasing.”
The little blue dragon turned around and glared at her once more, and then he stuck his tongue out and blew a tiny little flame in her direction.
“You are so terrible,” Kas laughed.