The Quantum Wanderer

“You are right, friend, this is very relaxing.” Autumnstart mentions.

“Can I ask what you were talking with them?” Rajesh asks.

I start hugging Aquamarine this time. Ruby is behind me.

“I noticed that they had beach toys with them. As one would expect, considering they come from a city that relies on beach tourism. I thought they might have floaters as well.”

Rajesh and Aisha were thinking about the idea. Sidhu complemented.

“His godliness provided the design of a floater for the arms, my lord.”

I shrugged. Rajesh thought for a little while.

“How big would it have to be to hold a person?”

“Not much. The force you get on the floater is equivalent to the water for the same volume. For the same size. If you use a thin leather and fill it with air, it amounts to the weight of water it could contain.”

Rajesh is scratching his chin.

“So let me see if I understand it. If I fill a wine skin with water, the force down on the ground is going to be the same force up if I fill it with air, under the water?”

I stop to think a little bit. I had never thought of it that way in particular, but he is not wrong.

“Pretty much. Of course there is some accounting to do on the leather itself. But it is not that much different that it would make a huge difference.”

Rajesh is as happy as an applied student that received a compliment from a teacher. Edward laughs at the dynamics.

“Now you are looking like one of my professors near lord Marcelo, your highness.”

“How so?”

“He already broke 2 of them.” The group laughs, Anthon doing it enthusiastically.

“Now I am curious, lord Edward. How so?” Rajesh asks.

“In our schools, we use pumme stone boards, that are written on with some coal pieces. Lord Marcelo here drew some math on it. Professor Ambrose left the room to get something to copy the math.

“We have some earth magicians that go around the rooms, cleaning the boards. Just in case a teacher does not have that type of magic in particular. He erased the board.”

Anthon laughed louder, he already knows how the story ends. The other people around is just smiling, on the suspense.

“Ambrose failed to kill the earth magician by a very thin margin. Several people intervened to hold him. The information I have is that he went berserk.”

Rajesh laughs.

“He has a special talent to drive people berserk.” Rajesh says, laughing.

Aisha shakes her head. Sidhu looks down. Rajesh realizes what he did.

“Oh, I am sorry! Please forgive this idiot, friend!” Rajesh says to me. He really sounds repentant.

“Why? What do you mean?”

Edward looks at me. I answer him.

“I don’t know what he is talking about.”

The group turns to Rajesh. He is looking down. I realize that Rajesh is not going to break. Much less Aisha. I look at Sidhu. In spite of having more than half this body in the water, he starts sweating.

He looks at Rajesh, Rajesh shakes his head. He looks back at me. I am still staring. He sighs. He looks at Rajesh.

“I am sorry, your highness. I can’t keep a secret from him.” Sidhu turns to me. “The great sinner, your godliness. I lost my bearings when I learned what she had done to you.”

I think about it for a little while. I will always remember Siratra. At the moment it hurt, but now I am not hurting about it anymore. More like a scar that has closed completely. I open a smile.

“It’s ok. These things happen. Besides, I like being around people that want to be around me. Forcing someone to stay will only provide you something empty.”

I squeeze Aquamarine a little, and Ruby squeezes me as well. I think she almost broke one of my ribs. One of my neutron crystal reinforced ribs.

“I saw that you have a volleyball court there, lad. But the ball… What is it made of?”

“Oh, that one is for the girls. It is made of steel. I have to make something out of leather for us. But then it is hard to balance the teams. A ball filled with air would be ideal.”

“There is a leathercrafter in the capital that can actually do that. I don’t remember what he uses inside, but it is very close to round, and a lot softer than the balls that are stuffed with wool. Caius and Cesar have had one of those in the past.” Anthon mentions. He turns to Cesar. “Do you still have yours?”

“No, father, I am sorry. After sometime, it just went flat and I didn’t get another one.”

“Do you guys have games with balls as well?” I ask.

“That depends. We have mob footbal, that is played between neighborhoods. For obvious reasons, I don’t get to participate, though.” Dávrin says.

“Ha! My neighborhood is undefeated for the past year!” Brokkr exclaims.

Ildra is holding the bridge of her nose, shaking her head.

“How are the matches?”

“They mostly happen during festivals. There is a large place, generally the square, and north is a point to a team, while south is a point for the other. The ball can be moved forward if kicking, and back if thrown by hand. Other than that, each one has to cover their own butts.”

“Doesn’t that end in a brawl?” I ask.

“Generally, yes. If I think about it, that is the main reason we do it. And after the match, we all get together to drink. It is perfect!”

We all laugh at the comment. I look around, and I see that Muninn has joined us. I am distracted with the light talk, when I remember something.

“Muninn, where is Sophia?” I ask him.

He opens that smile that just looks weird in a crow.

“With Piotr.”

We all turn around and look at the beach. The maids are there, the vestals are there. There is a dragon around. Troggar. We all turn around and face Muninn.

“Where is Piotr?”

***

Sophia’s POV

The day is perfect! Mister dragon has such cool stories. How the nursery is. How he met uncle. He described what flying is like.

“I really wish I could fly…” I take a look at him. “Mister Piotr, could you carry me?”

He lowers his head, takes a good look at the armor I am wearing. I am very proud of my armor, it makes me feel like I am Wrax herself. Or his wife, misses Wrax. I don’t care.

Mister Piotr puts out his huge hand and places the tip of his claw against my breast plate. Then against my leg plate. In spite of his size, the tip of his claw if very thin. He presses a little, and then tilts his head.

“Your armor would probably keep you safe against the scales and the spikes, but you have to get permission, hatchling.”

I am a little disappointed. I look around, and the king of birds are with us! Lucky! I run towards him. I have to put on my best act possible!

“Excuse, your highness majesty… Could I bother to get your permission…?”

“For what, hatchling?”

“Mister Piotr dragon told me that I could fly on him, but I need permission…”

I make my best face. No maid has ever resisted this! I will fight my all.

He stands up, and walks towards mister Piotr. He takes a look at my armor. Then he looks at mister Piotr.

”Piotr, humans are frail. How sure are you?”

“I was thinking that she could sit with her legs underneath a scale, and then I could hold her in place. If I fly really slow, like crow slow, she should be completely fine.”

His majesty looks at the mister Piotr, then at the people that are going into the glass castle, and opens a smile.

“Ok, then. Be mindful, they are frail.”

“Of course, sir.” Mister Piotr says, bowing his head.

Mister Piotr lays on the sand, and puts his wing down.

“Climb through the wing, hatchling.”

I craw up the wing, on all fours. After I reach his back, I see that there is a pair of scales that the lifted. It is in a thinner place, at the base of his neck. I put my legs underneath the scales. His skin feels a little softer underneath.

“Now grab the spike in front of you, hatchling.”

I grab the spike. The scales come down, I can’t move my legs if I try. The scales are against the plates and the chainmail in the armor.

He stands up. I can barely hold the spike. The movement is very fast for me, even though it looks like he is trying to be gentle.

“Are you ready, hatchling?”

“YES!”

He opens his wing, and start running, accelerating. I expected him to just open his wings and fly like I had seen before. He opens his wing, and with a single beat, we are thrown in the air.

Each flap takes us higher. I look around, the beach becomes small underneath us. I can’t hold my laughter.

Now I am truly misses Wrax! I point to the horizon, my hair all behind me. Rebirth is keeping up with us, I am finally flying with her.

“HIGHER! HIGHER!”

I hear the boom laughter from underneath me.

“This is as high as we can go, hatchling.”

He turns. I feel heavier on the turn, we angle a little bit, but I don’t feel like I am falling to the side. This is absolutely amazing! I have never seen anything like this!

He turns his head and looks at me. Then he looks ahead and a little up. There is a cloud there. He flaps his wings and we go up. We enter it. It feels like fog.

The air is a little harder to breath, but this is all worth it. I am inside a cloud! I am touching it! I laugh again. The breathing bothers a little.

Mister Piotr gets down a little bit. We turn around, and we go towards the forest a little bit. He extend his arm down, pointing to an area.

“Look there, hatchling! Have you ever seen a fenrir from this position?”

He shows me the fenrir. I had never seen one, just pictures. I laugh again. Mister Piotr dives down a little and follows the fenrir that is now running through the forest.

A couple of flaps from this wing, he is back up. He flies very slowly, Rebirth catches up to us. We fly lazily around the forest, close to the beach. The river in the forest is beautiful. The mountains in the distance.

“MORE! MORE!” I keep screaming. A little bit to mister Piotr, a little bit to the wind.

We keep flying. I can’t help laughing.

After some time, Rebirth gets close to mister Piotr’s head, and shouts something to him. He nods.

We make a turn right, and keep flying. After just some minutes I can see the beach again. We approach it. He lands on the sand very softly. He turns to his left a little bit, and then I get to see that aunties, mama and papa are on the sand.

Mr Piotr lays down on the sand and extends his right wing. The pressure on my legs is no more, I can move them freely now… No more flying… I sigh. I go back a little bit and craw on all fours till the wing.

Hum… I sit on top of it, and just slide down. It actually works great, until I hit the end, and the world spin around me.

“BY THE GODS!” I hear mama cry.

I fell on some soft sand, my position as misses Wrax suffered more than myself. I stand up. I was going to fix the cape, but it is gone. I hope mama doesn’t get angry…

Rebirth lands on my shoulder. Everyone is looking at me. I smile.

“BOW BEFORE WRAX, HUMANS!”

I didn’t expect them all to laugh. Oh, mama and papa are coming…

***

Marcelo’s POV

When we asked Muninn where Piotr was, he just extended a wing. He pointed to a dragon flying around. At some point over the sea, then over the forests.

The dragon was taking it very slow. I look around.

Addrianna is terrified. The dwarves are holding their laughter really hard. Anthon and Edward are expressionless. It is like the situation didn’t register. I turn to Muninn.

“What. The. Fuck.” I inspire and expire. “Is she safe?”

“Don’t worry, father, she is completely safe! I mean, unless the flight makes Piotr hungry, but other than that…”

Huginn hits him with the beak in the back of his head. She blinks, and then turns towards everyone.

“The hatchling is completely safe. Piotr actually had a great idea on how to sit her. She is not going to be hurt at all. I am telling them to get back.”

We walk out of the water while Piotr approaches with his special mount. A little after everyone is on the sand, he is approaching for landing. He lands softly, in front of us. Given his size, we can’t see her, so he turns a little sideways, and we can see the little girl on top of the dragon.

I enhance my vision to inspect it. He place her sitting on the base of his neck, her legs are underneath the scales. I can see him moving his neck, the two scales lift a little bit and Sophia gets her legs back.

Of course she had to slide down the wing. Of course she had to trip, and get flipped twice before landing on the sand.

She quickly stands up, her hair still hardened towards her back. Rebirth lands on her shoulder, and then we couldn’t expect anything else. She lands a pose and makes her Wrax impersonation. We all laugh, including Piotr and Troggar.

Addrianna and Edward run towards her. Addrianna hugs her tight, while Edward inspects every square inch of the girl.

“I’m ok, I’m ok.” Sophia says, squirming.

“Bythegods, bythegods, bythegods, bythegods…” Addrianna is muttering.

“She is alright, my love…” Edward says.

Perhaps he shouldn’t have said that. Addrianna was very close to exploding.

“DON’T MY LOVE ME! WHOSE IDEA WAS THIS?!?”

Sophia lowered her head.

“I am sorry, mama…”

“And you!” Addrianna turns to Piotr, whose head was laying on the sand to better observe us, the smaller creatures. “WHY DID YOU GO ALONE WITH IT? SHE IS JUST A CHILD!”

Piotr lifted his head, and started staring at a cloud that became apparently very interesting all of a sudden. The peanut gallery stopped laughing as well. The sand becomes very interesting all of a sudden.

Edward hugged Addrianna. She was visibly shaken. He makes her lay her head on his shoulder.

“Shhhh… It’s alright, my love. It’s alright. She is not hurt at all. They told us she was safe, then she was safe… Besides, if something had happened, Lady Huginn here would probably have skinned those two…”

Huginn, in her big shape, says from behind us.

“And I still might.”

Muninn lowers his head.

“Lord Marcelo! The food is ready!” Roberta shouts.

We turn around. The chaises with the sunshades are pointing towards the small stage that also has a shade on it.

Close to it there is this big table made of glass. Probably some improvisation from Troggar. There are several slabs of kraken meat on it, at different points. From rare to well done, with three kinds of meat: Fenrir, dragon and kraken. All of it just on the salt.

Troggar and Piotr are salivating, but they are not asking for anything. They are trying to look they are just laying down.

I look at the dragons, and I nod at Roberta. She pulls out two other slabs of kraken meat, and apply some herbs. She puts some hooks through the meat, and two maids use the hooks to carry the slab of meat towards Troggar.

When the girls get close, he holds a paw with a finger up, he makes a bowl of glass in the sand. When it solidifies a little, the maids place the meat there.

When another slab is place on the hook, Piotr does the same, but with a lot more effort. The maids approach, with the seasoned meat.

Both dragons put some fire on the meat and eat it very slowly. They close their eyes enjoying the meal.

Dalvina is eating absent-minded. She is starting at Piotr while passing her hand through her beard. Dyrgja looks at her, then traces her line of sight. Then sighs. That kind of break Dalvina’s trance. She turns to me.

“If you don’t mind me asking, how was that possible? How come the girl did not fall off?”

Shandon was the one to answer.

“He lifted the scale, and allowed her to place her leg underneath it. Probably held it there after.”

“Do you think, if I asked him…?” Dalvina continues.

Aquamarine looks at Dalvina, she has her bathing suit on.

“Not like that. You want an armor.”

“Do I need one?”

“Unless you want to be cut in half. Our scales are very sharp and very tough.” Ruby answers. “But then that armor should hold, specially if it is just dragon scale.”

Dalvina bites her lower lip. She looks at me with puppy eyes.I sigh.

”Yes?”

”May I? Please?”

I shrug.

”I didn’t do anything. I didn’t even participate in agreeing with it. You can ask him.” I look at the big group, in particular the kids. ”Does anyone else want to go? I am pretty sure Piotr can carry more than one.”

Brokkr lets out a laugh. ”You don’t say.”

The group laughs.

”He probably could carry all of us inside his mouth!” Edward says.

”Probably half of you!” Muninn says, while laughing.

”Why half of us?” Anthon asks.

”I am just guessing. It would depend on where the bite would be.”

This time the guests don’t laugh so much.

Aquamarine tries to light up the mood.

”Don’t worry, friends! Humans, dwarves and demons taste terrible!”

It doesn’t really hit the guests the way she expected.

”Anyway,” I change the subject, ” does anyone else want to go? That way we can ask Piotr for another flight.”

I look at the group, everyone is looking to the side. Dalvina is the only one looking at me. I turn around and approach Piotr.

”Piotr, do you have a moment?”

”Of course, my lord.”

”Would you care to do another flight, this time with this lady here?” I point at Dalvina.

”No problem, my lord. Is she going to come alone? I could fly all of them, you know. Even with armor, they should be a lot lighter than a fenrir. The bigest problem is finding a good spot to sit.”

I laugh.

”Nope, only her for now.”

”What about the female hatchling? Isn’t she going to get another lift?”

I look at Addrianna, she is still not relaxed. I turn back to Piotr and shake my head.

”I am afraid not. Perhaps another time in the future.”

”As you wish, my lord. There is a matter of wearing armor, though.”

I turn to Dalvina.

”Do you have your armor with you?”

”A dwarf always carries his armor!”

She takes out running towards the glass castle. I get back to the table. I turn to Andrew, I was expecting him to enjoy the experience.

”Aren’t you going to try?” I ask him.

”No, lad. I already have had enough emotions for this lifetime. And this reminds me, I had heard, during my travels, a very long time ago, that dwarves are generally afraid of heights. Is that a myth?”

Brokkr and Dávrin look at each other. They look at Dalvina, taking her seat on Piotr. They burst out laughing. All human adults start laughing, while Ildra and Dyrgja have a worried face.

Piotr takes flight with the two dwarves still laughing. A couple of flaps after that and Piotr is small against the sky. He flies a little towards the sea.

Brokkr and Dávrin slowly stop laughing.

Piotr does this wide turn, and land back on the sand shortly after. When his feet meet the sand, Brokkr and Dávrin start giggling.

Dalvina jumps from her position, she has enough levels to do that. She is now on all fours. She holds her hair and her beard to the side, and throws up.

Now Brokkr and Dávrin are laughing as loud as possible. They tear up from laughing so much. Dyrgja approaches Dalvina and holds the beard and hair away from the ground.

Dalvina clean her mouth with a handkerchief provided by Dyrgja, and walks back towards the table. She puts the handkerchief away.

“Assholes!”

The laughter goes full volume again. After we finish laughing, Brokkr being the last one to stop, Dávrin raises his glass.

“A cheer to Dalvina, my daughter, the first dwarf ever to ride a dragon!”

“Cheer cheer!” Everyone says, with their cup high.

Everyone drinks from their cups.

“A cheer to lady Sophia, the first humanoid ever to ride a dragon!”

Sophia has her chest puffed that it is almost bursting. Cecilia looks around.

“Actually, our Marcelo was the first…”

Dávrin clears his throat, and raises the cup again.

“A cheer to lady Sophia, the first humanoid ever to ride a dragon!”

The dragonesses take a moment or two to understand the implication. They nod at Dávrin. Cecilia clears her throat again.

“Actually, I also…”

Dávrin clears his throat, and raises the cup again.

“A cheer to lady Sophia, the first humanoid ever to ride a dragon!”

The guys all burst out laughing, including Leopold, Aymon and Andrew.

We decide to sit down and listen to some songs performed by the vestals. Caius and Cesar are particularly interested in the presentation.

At some point, their interest is noticed by Aquamarine. She just shakes her head.

After some songs performed, the sun start dive into the sun starts to dive on the sea horizon. There are a lot of farewells and compliments towards Dalvina and Sophia. Specially Sophia.

I open the portals and let our guests go back home. The maids collect the stuff there is to collect, and we go back home as well.

We arrive in later afternoon at home, still with hours of sunshine.

The rest of the day is uneventful.