Prince Lothian (MxM)

6

I pushed the window open and peaked out, the pirate ship gaining fast.

It was incredibly large now it was close, it's sails all black with a skeletal wolf at it's helm. It's deck was teeming with pirates, getting ready to fire it's cannons when we came into range.

I had to do something.

Prince Lothian wanted me safe but... maybe i could help and still do what he told me?

I closed my eyes and centered myself, finding Liri within me and summoning her, and she appeared outside the ship in front of me, her firery wings silent as they kept her in flight.

"Hello sweet girl." I greeted her and she cooed back softly.

No matter how many times i saw her i was always stunned by her beauty. Her sunset orange eyes shone with such intelligence and wisdom, her hooked beak and talons deadly. Her feathers were a mix of black tipped with grey, brillant scarlet and shimmering gold. Her crest was made of fire and her tail feathers were long and fanned out, allowing her to make turns incredibly fast and nimble.

At the size of an eagle with a wingspan of about two metres she was no small bird, but most back home thought her small compared to my brothers' monsterous dragons that were the size of a small castle.

"How do you feel about setting some pirates on fire?" I asked her with a grin.

She chittered softly, liking the idea.

In a flash of orange flame she disappeared, only to reamerge in the sky above the pirate ship, studying her prey and circling the unsuspecting foe.

With a melodious cry she swooped down, embers floating down with each pass, the pirates shouting in confusion and panic, but when the embers caught they turned into shouts and screams.

The main sail caught alight, heavy, burning fabric falling onto the deck below, her fire spreading much quicker than any natural flame.

The distraction slowed the ships course and meant the pirates were focusing on putting out the many fires rather than preparing the cannons and getting ready to board our ship.

Liri could engulph the ship in flames if she wanted to but we didn't know what was on that ship. The pirates might have prisoners or captive slaves.

By the time we were in range for the cannons and then to board, nothing had happened. Some pirates dove overboard, their clothes aflame, screaming filled the air and i smiled, crime sure doesn't pay.

I called Liri back through our mental link and she swooped down, disappearing for a moment and then reapearing inside the cabin, landing on Prince Lothian's desk and letting out an excited squawk.

I smiled and walked over, stroking the feathers on her head and she leaned into the touch, her eyes lidding and a soft chitter came from her beak. "Did you have fun sweet girl?"

Her flames just felt warm against my skin, her feathers soft to the touch.

It didn't take long for Prince Lothian and his crew to deal with the frazzled and somewhat singed pirates.

Soon there was a knock at my door, followed by a familiar voice. "All clear."

I removed the chair from under the handle and unlocked the door, opening it to find Lothian standing there with an amused expression.

Liri squawked from behind me, landing on my shoulder moments after and examining the Prince with a curious tilt to the head.

His expression turned to shock and awe at the sight of Liri, who chirped quietly to me, asking for an introduction.

"Liri this is Prince Lothian from the Lupine Isles and my soon to be husband, and Lothian this is my phoenix Liri."

At the word husband Liri's head sharply turned to look my way, a shrill squawk coming from her, as if she was saying 'what!'

"She's beautiful." He breathed out in wonderment, his dark eyes examining her closely, taking in every little detail.

Liri chittered at the compliment, shaking out her wings to ensure every feather lay as it should, almost preening from the attention.

"Did the pirates cause any bother?" I asked, wondering how comandeering their ship had gone, after Liri had worked her magic the battle had been short and mostly one sided.

He hummed, slouching slightly onto his left leg and crossing his arms. He didn't look like he'd just come out of a fight, even as the victor. "Not at all, they surrendered almost immediately. With their ship on fire in multiple places that came as no surprise." He raised a pale brow at Liri and me, almost accusingly, but in a teasing way.

"They were traffickers, which i suppose explains why they targeted our ship of all things. They probably thought they'd be able to get a substantial ransom if they managed to capture someone of importance."

"You don't sound surprised?" I remarked, wondering if the rest of the crew had known what was coming, and their fate if they had failed.

"Why do you think i asked you to keep out of sight?"

Touché.