Rise of the Last Dragon Rider - Chapter 45 (Missing) (Patreon)

Another Missing Chapter - Not sure again how they are vanishing. Let me know if more are missing!


Lord Hurem had sent a servant to tell his wife and Ava to wait a bit longer. 

Kaen watched as his soon-to-be father-in-law read a note, his fingers shaking.

“Everything ok?” 

The older man chuckled, put the note in his vest pocket, and smiled. Unconsciously, he wiped his hand on the outside of his new vest one of the servants had brought him. 

“As I am sure you will quickly learn, women are not always the most patient. Especially in regards to matters like these,” he said, gesturing to the jewelry box on the table next to Kaen. “Neither of us has mentioned to Ava what is taking place but that you and I needed time to discuss a few important matters. I told her that things are as they should be, but we are now just waiting for Pammon to return.”

Kaen could sense Pammon flying in his direction. He was about five minutes away at the most. 

“He should be back soon. He won’t answer my questions about what he is doing, but sometimes he likes to think he is funny.”

Lord Hurem shrugged and smiled.

“Dragons. Not my area of expertise. I’ll leave that to you.”

***

When Pammon appeared over the walls, Kaen strained his eyes, and then when the realization of what he saw hit him, he felt tears appear.

You ruined the surprise.

Pammon’s mood was one of happiness as he felt Kaen figure out where he had gone.

You went and got them! Did you tell them why?

I had to, but Hess promptly had them all on their way once I did. I might have caused a commotion when I landed in the street. At least I made sure everyone got out of the way.

Kaen wiped the tears, and he watched Lord Hurem as he finally noticed the trio on Pammon’s back.

“I’m guessing that was his idea?”

Kaen nodded, grinning like an idiot. 

“I never even thought of it,” he muttered. “You surprised me with what you said, and then how you convinced Pammon to do something he fought against for so long left me a bit dumbstruck. I feel bad now, realizing I had not thought to gather them.”

“You are lucky, son,” he replied as he touched Kaen’s shoulder. “Maybe it’s too early for the son part, but know my wife and I will grow to love you as you love our daughter. That is the only thing I ask. Love her and protect her.”

Nodding, Kaen took his eyes off the man and began waving as Pammon landed, smiles on everyone's faces. 

Callie loved that, didn’t she?

Pammon thrummed as he lay on the ground, lowering himself as Kaen came forward to help.

More than you can imagine. The squeals were loud enough to be heard over the wind.

Sulenda came down first, giving him a massive hug before turning and gathering Callie from Hess. 

Callie was laughing as she spoke.

“Pammon, fly me!” 

After repeating that a few times, Kaen heard the thud of Hess sliding off Pammon and fell into another embrace.

“I’m proud of you, son,” he whispered in his ear. “About time you grew a pair and did what you should have.”

Hess pushed him back with one hand before pulling him back in.

“I won’t mention there is a betting pool on when this would happen. You just made some person’s month.”

Busting out in laughter, Kaen grabbed Sulenda, and the four hugged. Well the three of them hugged as Callie kept reaching her hand out toward Pammon.

***

“Kaen!” Lady Hurem shouted as she waltzed into the room, wearing a stunning green dress that complimented her figure and hair. “It has been too long!”

He couldn’t remove the small smile on his face as she came in, giving him a hug.

“You need to hurry this show up, son. I am paying by the hour for the minister.”

Her whisper made him chuckle as she leaned back and winked at him.

“Ava,” he said, a slow drawl as he spoke and gave her a wink.

“What the hell is going on? You three are acting very weird and secretive, and you all know how I hate it when you act like this.”

The displeasure Ava felt could be seen by how she furled her eyebrows and stood with her arms crossed, glaring at the three of them.

A cough and a gentle nod from her father let Kaen know they were done waiting.

“I’m sorry, love of my life, your parents are a bit overprotective and brash sometimes,” Kaen said as he walked toward her.

Her eyebrows stopped the defense of the middle of her head, and a smile appeared as he used that phrase again.

Giving her a quick kiss on her forehead, he smiled and motioned with his head toward his parents.

“You can blame them later for being so smart and persuasive.”

Confusion filled her face as she glanced past Kaen to see her parents embracing each other from the side and smiling in a way she hadn’t seen in years. Two years to be exact.

Let Hess and the rest out.

Pammon shifted his wing, raising it up and revealing Hess, Sulenda, and a young girl doing her best to play hide and seek.

Looking at Hess and Sulenda, who waved and smiled as they moved to where her parents were, she turned back to Kaen only to realize he was down on one knee before her.

“Ava Hurem, would you be my wife?”

She saw the ring in his rough hands, a massive white gem set in a gold band just a foot from her. His eyes were alive, drinking her in, and she saw the smile on his face, one she knew he only had for her.

Words failed as her body began to shake, no matter how much she opened her mouth. 

It couldn’t be happening. Kaen had said it was too soon. Was that a ploy to put her off? To hold her at bay and not suspect a thing?

Seeing her parents, she knew that wasn’t the case.

“Ava, will you marry me,” Kaen asked again. His voice was steady, calm, and warm.

Nodding her head frantically, she finally managed to speak

“Yes!” she exclaimed, her voice squeaking from the excitement.

Holding out her trembling hand, Kaen slid the ring onto her finger, amazed at how perfectly it fit.

Rising to his feet as she stared at the ring on her hand, Kaen lifted her chin, seeing her eyes lock on his.

“Do you love me?”

“You know I do,” she gushed, needing his steady hand to keep hers from shaking more.

“Then marry me right now,” he said, watching her face turn red, her cheeks going red, and finding herself once again speechless for a moment.

As if he had somehow done it, even though Kaen knew it was Lord Hurem as they had planned this part, the minister her mother had hired came from the servants' door, walking in his official gray robes, holding the marriage rope in one hand and smiling.

“Now?” she gasped as she saw the minister walking across the room to stand a few yards away from them. “What about –”

“Your father was right. Why should I wait, missing out on any time I have with you. I would rather be married today and fight with every part of my being to ensure nothing stops me from returning to you.”

Kaen paused and moved a little, pointing at Hess.

“That man showed me the power of that kind of love.”

She watched as Sulenda gripped Hess’s good arm, smiling as tears rolled down her cheek.

Turning, she faced Kaen, reaching her hands up and touching the scraggly beard he had decided to keep, still unsure if she liked it.

“I will marry you,” she said, her voice calm and steady.

Cheers broke out from her parents as well as from Kaen’s. Pammon even let out a small roar, causing everyone to laugh after they heard him thrumming.

“Pammon is ok with this?”

“He apologized for being an eggling. His foolishness and selfishness kept him from seeing how powerful your love can be to keeping me alive.”

Steadying herself, Ava moved across the courtyard, past her parents, even when her mom reached out a hand until she stood just a few feet from Pammon. Holding her hand out, she waited.

Pammon didn’t wait long before putting his snout against her hand.

“Thank you, Pammon. I promise to love and protect him while doing everything I can to ensure he will always come home to you.”

She watched as Pammon’s eyes took her in. Those gold eyes seemed to read into her soul and see how she really felt.

Pammon pulled his head back a little bit and put a talon into the back of his mouth. With a grunt and some force, a tooth popped free and was clasped between his talons.

“Hairy dwarf balls,” Hess whispered. 

The elbow he received from Sulenda didn’t phase him, as he knew what was about to happen.

Come close, Kaen. I want you to be here when I do this.

Kaen quickly covered the distance, hearing what Pammon had done with Hess. He fought back some tears as the emotion he felt flooded into Pammon and back into him.

Pammon held the bloody tooth with the roots still hanging from it to Ava, who carefully reached out and took it.

Putting one talon against the tooth, Pammon willed his mana into it. He had done this before and knew how it worked, but it would be different this time. The tooth glowed from where the sharp point of his talon touched. It filled with light and then suddenly vanished, the light of it washing over the front of Ava.

I promise I will protect you just as I will protect Kaen.

Ava’s hands trembled as she covered her open mouth. Tears began racing down her cheek as she stood there.

Kaen’s hand offered a little support when he placed it on her back and slowly drew her close to him.

Kaen held out his hand without hesitating, and Pammon came to it, letting him draw his snout into the small embrace.

“Thank you,” Ava cried, her voice so low only Kaen and Pammon could hear it. “Thank you for sharing him and yourself.”

Forgive me. I was a fool to try and keep you two apart. 

Ava reached out, putting her hand on Pammon’s scales and slowly scratching him as she knew he liked.

A small trill filled the air, and Ava started laughing, causing the others to join her.

“Pammon fly me?”

The tiny voice of Callie rang out, sending everyone into a fit of laughter again.

“Come,” Kaen said as he kissed her head. “Let’s get married so your mom will stop telling me she is paying the minister by the hour.”

Ava couldn’t help it. With tears of joy running down her face, she laughed harder than she had in years. 

“That does sound like my mother,” she finally replied after wiping her face dry.

***

“Do you take this woman to be your wife? To love her, cherish her, protect her, and put everyone except your dragon before her?”

Kaen smiled as the man spoke those words. Ava had made sure the minister had added that part. She knew the truth about Kaen and Pammon. She could never allow that bond to be broken, or both of them would be lost forever.

“I do,” Kaen said, sliding the ring on Ava’s finger again. As he did, his lifestone burned, the promise sealed by the rope wrapped around both their waists, marking the promise he had made. 

She smiled at him, having felt the rope pass that commitment from him to her.

“Do you take this man, this dragon rider, to be your husband? To love him, cherish, protect him more than any other?”

Ava gave the same smile back as Kaen watched her eyes.

“Hold out your hand,” she whispered. 

Kaen’s eyes looked at her, confused, but he did. She didn’t have a ring nor expect one at this moment.

She reached into a small pocket on her yellow dress she had worn because she knew Kaen liked it on her, never having intended or realized it would be her wedding dress. Pulling out from the pocket a ring given to her just moments ago, she saw Kaen’s eyes go wide, and tears began to well up when he recognized it.

He glanced at it, at her, and then turned his head to Hess, standing behind him with the others. 

Hess smiled, holding up his one good hand, wiggling his fingers, showing the tan line where the ring he had made him promise to collect if that mountain of a man ever died.

Kaen wanted to talk. Wanted to ask why. As the tears rolled down his cheeks and into his beard, he saw Hess smile and motion to Ava. Hess paid no attention to the tears flowing down his face.

A soft and gentle hand brushed his ragged beard and drew him back to her.

“A gift for a dragon rider and from your dad to his son,” she said, her voice struggling to keep calm.

As she slid the ring onto Kaen’s finger, holding his hand that now shook almost as much as hers had, she felt her lifestone roar in a way it had only done once before. She gasped as it hit, shaking her head when Kaen looked at her through his tear-filled eyes.

“I do,” she answered as the ring slid into place and shrunk to fit his finger.

Kaen almost jerked from the force that hit him when the rope sent her promise through the lifestone. 

For a moment, both of their lifestones burned, causing the rope to glow a bright white.

The gasps in the room, including the minister, let them both know it wasn’t supposed to do that. After a few minutes, the rope returned to its normal white color.

“By the witness of those present and the sign of the spirits who watch over us, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Now seal this vow with a kiss.”

***

They stood there, intertwined by the marriage rope, having pledged to be bound to each other in body, mind, and soul. It meant more knowing they shared a bond beyond what most ever would. They had permission to kiss, yet both waited, taking the other in, gently brushing the cheek of the other with their hand that wore the ring they married with.

“I love you,” Kaen said, drinking every part of her with his eyes. “Since the day I first danced with you, I felt myself drawn to you. Now I feel complete in a different way.”

Ava nodded and smiled.

“And I love you,” she said, finally giving him a small wink as she gently gripped his beard. “Now come kiss me.”

They drew close, their lips meeting as he bent down his head. As they kissed, the rope grew taut, pulling their bodies together. Time seemed to go on, and neither kept track as they lost themselves in that moment.

Oh, please stop. I can’t take it anymore…

They suddenly separated, the rope magically coming undone and dropping to the floor.

I swear tonight I will need to fly far away… somehow, I can feel both of you now, and it will drive me to seek a mate.

Their simple laughter grew into a roar as the rest looked on, wondering what private exchange had occurred between them.

I’m sorry, Pammon. Perhaps you are old enough for that after all.

Pammon began to thrum. He laughed harder and harder as the thrumming grew. 

When he stopped, everyone saw him smile and nod.

Go and hug the others. They are waiting.

They smiled and nodded, moving to their family, who opened their arms to receive them both.