The Riders of Dragoon

There weren’t always dragons in the valley. Yet somehow, they all ended up here. What was once called the Barren Alley is now called Dragoon Valley. Haroun looks out to the horizon, watching the reds and oranges of the sunset sky blend into each other. Out of that sunny horizon flies several dragons and their riders. Since getting his promotion to head rider in the western division, Haroun has been working longer hours and taking on this new responsibility like the flaming charge of his dragon, Azeem, with a full blast and intensely.

Thanks to the latest poppet from the “Nether Realm Magic Store,” Azeem who was once a wily and mischievous dragon has calmed down a great deal. He is no longer nipping at Haroun or the other dragons. Right now, Azeem is laying beside Haroun on the cliff, sleeping peacefully. That small velvet bag has a combination of frankincense, lavender, Himalayan salt, and a fully charged ethereal crystal really did a number on him. But it could also be due to the fact that Azeem is working just as hard as he is.

Both have them have been flying off to everywhere, making sure that cargo and transportation are spot on and not to mention the fact that they had lead a few emergency crews through a hazy storm the week before.

Perhaps this is the time when he should have a rest, take his family on vacation. That is what he is thinking as he looks down into the valley, watching all sorts of dragons getting groomed by their riders. It is the end of the day when means that the dragons get some much-needed care-giving as their riders prepare to close everything up for the night. Azeem opens his bright jewel-like eyes and looks to Haroun. He looks to his dragon, smiles, and gently strokes Azeem’s muzzle.

“Let’s go home, my friend.” Haroun says as the dragon lets out a deep growling purr. “Tomorrow is another day.”

*****

Azeem twirls around in a circle as if he is chasing his long scaly tail but instead curls into a ball outside of the small hut falling asleep all over again. Haroun walks inside his home and sees his wife looking in the oven and humming a lively old tune. She looks up with her vivid hazel eyes to see her husband, perkily she stands up straight, and gives him a warm smile, which he returns. It is that smile that first drew him to her in the first place. She pulls out that large loaf of bread in the oven and sets it down on the stove before she skips over to her husband.

She throws her arms around him and kisses him. “Hello hubby! How was your day?”

“Oh, you know, Zania.” He says holding his wife just a little longer. “Much busier now with this promotion.”

He takes a moment and presses his face on top of Zania’s thick raven hair to take in the scent of it. The smell of its orange blossom scent sends a dreamlike warmth through out his body. Suddenly she pulls her face back to look up at him and speaks.

“Well, your boys are waiting for you to play with them.” She leans back to look at her husband. “Supper will be ready soon and I just have to finish up the last of the flatbread for the bakery and the restaurant.”

“Alright.” Haroun chuckles and presses his lips to his wife’s forehead. “We will be inside soon.”

Haroun releases his wife and walks out of the house to look for his sons, Aakesh, Ishaan, and Mayan. Zania puts her kitchen towel back on her shoulder and walks back to the stove to check her bread. Being a home-business baker is never over for her but she knows exactly how to manage it.

After an hour, the whole family is sitting around the table eating a curried stew and some bread that Zania baked earlier that day. Loud chatter and giggling is coming out of the children while Haroun and Zania sit beside each other.

Haroun gazes lovingly to his wife and asks. “How was your day, Meri Jaan?”

“Made ten loafs of bread and at least fifty buns for my clients today.” Zania replies as she dunks her bread into the stew. “What’s going on with your work?”

“Well it looks like the marketing campaign has been approved so I can get an artist to paint us a poster. We are going to get some new saddles and armor for our riders.” He explains as he lifts his spoon to his mouth to eat the spicy broth. “We have yet to hear if the Underwater Bank will approve our loan but otherwise things are well in motion.”

“So does that mean you are hiring some freelancers again?” Zania asks.

“That’s the plan but we still need our loan approved first.”

With that the two of them went back to their dinner and listen to their kid’s playful chatter.