Consequences 

Azure let out a tired groan after the next whiplash hit him. "Twenty-five," he managed.

"Good that's enough, get him down and to the healer!" His sister called over from the side where she had watched the execution of his trial. Azure managed to stay still as they opened his handcuffs and bowed down to pick up his neatly folded tunic. He was proud to be able to walk past his audience with nothing more than a flinch while the blood trickled down his back. He heard their murmurs after he left the courtyard of the south gate fortress. 

After they found out that he released Rex a few weeks later they came to not only demote him from his position but also all his duties of the third Prince and so on. He was now a common dragon rider and should be glad they didn't execute him as traitor, not that they could have he was basically untouchable given that he’s soul bond with Icarus, he only nodded to every decision. At least they let him stay with her in the same place. He could hear her from the courtyard screaming in the stable; she was locked in, like a banshee. He tried to block their connection mentally, so she didn't feel all of his pain, but after the fifteenth hit he got a bit woozy. Now his dragon screamed out the pain he wasn’t able to show without losing face.

Maggie the healer stitched him back together with a more concerned frown. He was too quiet. Like he had given up already. She knew that kind, she already dreaded seeing him the next time. "Bring him to his dragon, he has to rest for at least three weeks! No physical labour during that time." The guard who brought him over nodded and helped him back up again from the chair he sat on.

And so they locked Azure up into a shared stable box with Icarus for three fucking weeks. At the end of it both of them were close to madness. Without the freedom of the sky they felt like they were buried alive, afraid every moment someone might come in and add to their suffering even. As soon as they were let out Azure threw himself into fighting and flying practice. 

He felt haunted, by his past, by his future, by everything. He knew the outcome of his actions would be having dire consequences. But now he had no way anymore to step away from his chosen faith. He was free falling and the next stop will be the crash on the ground.

So he and his dragon jumped into every attack they could. Opal appeared after half a year, throwing him a scowl and ordering him to a sparring match out of a whim as she saw her younger brother with his hollow cheeks and haunted look. 

A dying man like him is no match, isn’t he? She snarled at Azure who went at her like a berserk, finally having his biggest enemy in front of him. He nearly got her up in the sky, both dragons bitten into each other growling and hissing, blood, feathers and spit flying around them. Opal only got away because she threw his harpune after Azure's face which slit him open across the right side of his cheekbone and over his nose and distracted him long enough so the older one could flee.

He was whipped after that again. For not obeying his superior. Azure laughed during his punishment like the mad men he was by now. Counted the 13 lashes loud with a manic grin in his face.

The other soldiers tried to avoid him after that at any cost. Not to get on his bad side and also to not get on the bad side of his sister. He was glad. Only Sari checked on him now and then with a sorrowful look on her soft face.

And then Icarus went into heat again.

"So let me tell you this one last time brother."

Tiamat's cold voice cut through her office.

"I won't stand up to those shenanigans again. The next time you try to take your own life I'll send you to the asylum."

Azure only looked at her. Numb from painkillers, dark circles under his eyes. His bandaged wrists looking dark in comparison to his pale face. 

"Yes commander," was the only thing he said. "I understand commander, no shenanigans. May I go now commander?"

She nodded. But he saw the conflict in her face, he know she had heard his and the dragons screams, he knows she was the one who found him half dead, laying in his own blood on the floor as Icarus miscarried. He knew she knew. And it filled him with a kind of perverted glee that she seem to feel at least SOMETHING when she looked at him.

Because of the miscarriage Azure knew Icarus will be in heat sooner again. The mere thought made him nauseous. One week before she showed the first signs he was visiting her at night. He leaned heavy into her shoulder. The dragon covered him with her soft wing, trying to make soothing noises at him, but she was so in uproar herself inside she knew that the next time she would be in heat it might be the last for her rider, for her. Her heart broke at that.

Both startled suddenly as the door to the barn opened and Sari stepped in, she handed Azure his saddle and two huge saddle bags filled to the brim.

"Leave," she only said quietly, and helped him saddle up the dragon. As she had closed the brooch on his dark grey cloak she hugged him tight suddenly. “You don’t deserve all this Sire, and neither does Icarus. Now hurry! I bought you some time, they shouldn’t see you.” He didn’t question her and left.

It was eerie outside as they flew up higher and higher in the silent night sky, no guard tried to stop them, no dragon rider was around on the night watch. 

Azure felt like he was dreaming, of course he was considering fleeing in the past but never dared to voice his thoughts to anyone. But he reached a point where he didn’t care anymore, his life here was over but maybe he could die a free man in the south at least. But given this opportunity by Sari he wondered shortly if he would run into another trap of his siblings. 

As they left the last line of defense behind them he suddenly heard screaming from one of the watchtowers at the border and saw arrows flying but it was easy to avoid them, so he hoped, but given his and the dragon’s weakened condition he did got one hit in the calf which made him nearly stumble from Icarus saddle. 

But the dragon kept him upright, continuing her flight as fast as possible, knowing this was their only chance of freedom they’ll ever get.

They flew further into the south at the end of the mountains he has had his home for over twenty five years, or prison he mused bitterly. They saw the first tree lines of the southern forests as the rain started and the wind changed.