Keil

Keil stared up at the burrow's ceiling with a grin.

"S-yl-vi-a,” he said slowly.

What a lovely and exotic-sounding name. It felt so meaningful. Was she named after a flower, perhaps, or some sort of precious stone? Lapis or opal would seem appropriate for her, or a lily or sunflower, perhaps. She was just so beautiful, so dear and kind. Never before had he been so interested in a woman, or so consumed with thoughts and questions about a mere stranger. Yet here he was, constantly pondering over a simple land-dweller!

Keil held up his hand and examined it thoughtfully. Her hand was smaller than his, and much lighter in color, yet it had the same shape and feel as any other. So many variances in their appearances, and yet so many similarities. No matter what it looked like on the outside, the two of them, despite where they came from or how different they were, were still human. Just a woman and a man.

A sudden wave of coughing overcame him again, causing him to nearly bust a stitch like before. He closed his eyes and tried not to remember all the things that had befallen him even since his injuries. If not for Sylvia's kindness he would have been dead long ago, much to the traitors’ delight. Now, however, he was alive and healing, eager to get back home to his father and brother.

How, though, was he to get back to the land above the clouds where he came from? Ascension these days was impossible without a dragon! His people had made sure of that long ago to keep themselves safe from the land-dwellers below. Besides that, what of Sylvia? Keil did not like the thought of parting with her, especially since he had no idea if he could ever come back. He wondered how she might react at meeting a dragon like Finna.

Finna. He really missed her, too. She had been his dragon since he was eighteen, and though she turned out to be a bit small he had kept her anyways. She was a very intelligent and fast creature who could preform maneuvers that even the military fliers struggled with. It was hard to imagine having to find another companion to replace her…

Keil then thought of Sylvia again. She could make a good companion.