Chapter II: Not Weird At All

"What do you mean they want to meet me? Why me?"

Sora sighed. Her mistress rarely met with nobles, let alone foreign nobles. It was understandable that she would be confused.

"It's because of…well, that of course!" Screamed the second prince of Goldheart, prince Wollis. He gestured sharply at the dragon that was currently poking its head into room via the balcony door, its body perched across the balcony. 

He had drawn the short stick and been chosen to come here to reason with his younger sister regarding the current political situation that was occurring.

"Excuse me, my name is Giroux." Rumbled the dragon.

"Yeah, Wollis." Spat Nina childishly, her sharp canines gleaming as she smiled. "Have some manners."

"You…"

"Now, now!" Said Sora, clapping her hands together. "Let's all play nice. Your Highness Nina, his highness is saying that because your name has spread far and wide as a result of bringing the dragon here, the elven delegation is requesting your presence."

"This dragon is a criminal! You are harboring a fugitive!" Prince Wollis cut in desperately. "If you don't cooperate, we could suffer severe financial and defensive damages! They might make us pay for his crimes instead!"

"Hmm…Is that so…"

Prince Wollis leered at his sister. He was fairly certain she wasn't really processing what was happening.

"Still, they can just talk to Giroux directly! I don't need to be there!"

"FALSE! You do need to be there. We all need to be there. If you don't show up, they might think we're lying about what's in the newspapers and assume it was some kind of play for attention. Not to mention, all this is only happening because of you."

"But we didn't order those newspaper stories to be printed…"

"IT DOESN'T MATTER!" Wollis roared and even Nina and Giroux recoiled slightly, although it was more that they were impressed by the intensity.

"Fine! If you want me there you gotta fight me!"

"Oh holy stars…not this again…This is what I get for raising my voice."

It was too late though, as Nina had already grabbed a curved and serrated blade from off the wall with the spark of violence in her eyes.

"Nina, I don't have it in me right now! This is simply not the time! The delegation is passing through the eastern mountain this very moment! Please! I'm begging you! I'll duel you every week for the next month!"

That gave her pause for a moment, and the spark of violence in her eyes cooled as she considered his offer.

After a moment's contemplation, she snarled.

"I still don't like it. If they don't want to fight I don't know why I gotta…wait…you said they just wanted to see that I'm telling the truth right?"

"Th-that's right…"

"Then I don't need to go to some stuffy meeting just for that! I'll go meet them on their way here!"

"What!? NO…AGH!"

Sadly, once again, it was too late as Nina tore off her nightgown, under which she wore only bottom underwear. Prince Wollis crumpled to the floor, shaking with tears as Sora soothingly patted his back. 

There was simply no getting your way with Nina.

Even Nina knew she was a bit different that way, but she couldn't help but follow her instincts. She hated the feeling of being chained down and controlled more than anything.

She changed into her riding gear, not caring for a second that she had just exposed herself in front of her brother. She had never understood what people's deal was with the female body. Men wore their shirts off all the time, after all. She had already sworn to Sora long ago that she would never leave her palace without proper clothes, but she was free to do as she pleased in her own bedroom, surely.

"I'm off! Let's go, Giroux!"

"Wait! Just…don't get right up in their faces. Go about half way and signal to them using a mirror… you don't want to have to talk to them either right?"

"Ok! I'll do that!"

With that, she strode out to the balcony and jumped onto the back of the house-sized dragon.

Wollis breathed a deep sigh. This might actually be for the better if they can prove they're not lying without having to involve Nina directly. 

With still shaking hands he accepted the cup of herbal tea that Sora presented him.

✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮✮

"I see them Nina! They're halfway down the mountain." Said Giroux.

"Let's go closer!"

When Nina met Giroux, they had fought mercilessly. Nina, who had gone with the intention of slaying the dragon, had used her tracking sense and followed the signs of animals running away from something. It had only taken her three days to find him gnawing on cow carcasses in a waterfall alcove.

The resulting battle lasted two more days, and towards the end, Giroux was the one with failing stamina. Sensing his impending doom, in his heart he acknowledge Nina as an equal, thus enacting a spirit bond.

When the spirit bond manifested, Nina's senses were momentarily swallowed by Giroux's and she saw his memories.

In the short moment where she was entranced, she learned about her dragon nemesis' entire life, and the events leading up to this moment.

For the first time, it felt like she met a twin spirit.

Giroux, too, had disliked the confines his home had placed on him. Since he was not considered an adult at a mere 80 years, he was not supposed to leave the island, so he did the only obvious thing. He snuck out.

Giroux was not an evil dragon, as she had been led to believe when she was granted the task of slaying him. He was just unaware of human customs and had made several big mistakes resulting in him being perceived as harmful.

Nina herself sympathized with him greatly and immediately put down her blade and began tending to the dragon's wounds, as well as her own. In the days that followed, they cemented a friendship and Giroux agreed to fly Nina back to the capital.

It was only when she got back, that she realized she had done something crazy.

That's why now everyone was bothering her and saying she needed to keep Giroux on a short leash until the elven delegates arrived.

Of course, she could never put a leash on Giroux (that's just rude), but he was apparently fine with hanging around for a while longer so the situation had worked itself out.

Now she had even helped Wollis by figuring out a way to avoid meeting the elves herself! 

Nina smirked, feeling smug about her usefulness.

"Are you really going to make me talk to them by myself?"

"What? But…I won't know what they're saying."

"How disappointing. I thought you were on my side."

"I am! Hey! Why are you being like that?"

"I'll be outmatched. What if they attack me?"

"Everyone says they don't want to fight…"

"I can't trust strangers. Much less strangers I've somehow wronged."

"Urgh…well…Okay. I'll be your backup. I'll wear a helmet or something so they don't notice me."

With that being said, Giroux stopped approaching the mountain and circled above the treetops in a smooth orbit so Nina could easily stand up.

She raised her hand mirror, catching the light and waving her arms. After a few moments, a melancholic horn sounded from the mountain passage.

"Can you share your vision with me, Giroux? I want to look."

"Sure."

Sitting back down she felt her vision become split. Half was her normal vision, while the other was Giroux's much better vision. Since they became spirit bonded, this was something they could do now.

As Giroux focused on the elven traveling party of roughly 50 men, Nina examined their mounts and gear with curiosity. To her, they looked strong and interesting.

"Are any of them sword masters?" She asked.

"Hm…a couple though I cannot pick them out at this distance, but I do suspect the party leader."

He zoomed in on a man on a pure white horse that had horns like a mountain goat. 

"He looks pretty cool! I hope he'll agree to fight me!"

"He may, he seems to be looking at us with great interest."

"Okay!" Nina felt herself getting excited and broke the connection. "Maybe this whole delegation thing won't be so bad after all! Just because Wollis and Sora say they don't want to fight, they will probably be okay with a friendly duel, right?"

"If they are proud warriors, they would surely accept any challenge."

"Yeah! It's not weird at all!"

With that, they turned back towards the capital, both feeling confident about the events to come.

One should, of course, recognize this situation as being one of a fool leading the blind.