shackled to the soil, no more

It was like a deep breath after a long dive. It surged through his body, filling every single cell with its howling song.

Clouds could run from him no longer. Skies would not wait for him - and he would not let them. This was all he had wanted for so long.

He would squeeze every single drop from it that he could.

And through it all, from spines of ice to the freezing exhales of the wind, Caspian had stood by his side. Nathaniel had hurt the eternal unwillingly, but Caspian did not care - the magic the dragon carried heavy on his shoulders had become an insurmountable burden, and impossible to control. The Athos had had enough watching his love wither and lament.

But in the pale eyes of the dragon, changed - nay, restored - Caspian saw a monster. An untamable beast, willing and able to tear into slivers the flesh of anyone that got in the way of his pride.

Neither were ready to sever their ties, no matter the cost.

It was naive of Nathaniel to think that he would ever use his new wings again.