Secret Wings

08||Who is Bloom Really?

Air rushed past her making a strange, painful shuffling sound in her ears. Artemis craved to cover her ears, but she favored more having a grip on Oberon's burgundy horns than salvaging her ear drums. 

Her aquamarine eyes watered as she made herself keep them open in fear she would miss something. Her stomach seemed to drop to her feet as they skyrocketed towards the ground. Her clothes became plastered to her body like a second skin as gravity took hold. 

Her legs flailed trying to maintain a grip on the creature, but to her dismay they started to lift, being carried away by the forces of gravity rushing at her all at once. Her grip tightened on his rough horns, even though she knew that Oberon would never hurt her, but it didn't stop her mind from conjuring images of a Bloom pancake. 

"Gosh, that would hurt." She thought to herself as she kept her iron grip on the curved horns. 

Her body started to lift up slightly as her grip was slipping. Before they hit the ground, he swooped up into the afternoon sky causing Artemis's body to slam into the rough skin of the dragon. 

Immediately, she adjusted herself where her legs tightly gripped onto the dragon's neck while her knuckles were ghost white from holding onto the burgundy horns atop Oberon's head. 

The clouds misted them making her shiver from the sudden moisture coating her exposed arms and the sunlight shone onto her skin warming her once more. Adrenaline filled her body as she gasped. It was similar to riding a roller coaster at the state fair. She laughed and shouted in glee after her initial fear. 

Today was the best day ever for her. She wished it never ended, she didn't want to return to a school full of boys who hated her or to a school of narcissistic fairies that cared more about their appearance than their attitude. 

"Oberon, as much as I enjoy riding with you, I have to return to class." She said sadly. 

She knew deep down every good thing had to end no matter if you wanted to cling onto it. The redhead learned this lesson the hard way, no matter how many times she cried, begged, or imagined herself back there it didn't mask the smell of alcohol nor the stench of cigars permeating the room.

 It didn't prevent her from feeling the pain of the constant, unforgiving blows to her stomach. No, the past was the past. 

The dragon sighed, saddened to leave its master so soon. 

"Alright your highness, but promise me we'll meet again." He requested his reptile eyes hardened with promise. 

The red-headed fairy smiled at the dragon's eagerness to see her once more. 

"Of course Oberon. We will." She said with a wan smile. Though, she knew promises were meant to be broken no matter how hard she tried to keep them.

The school became closer and closer as they lost altitude. A frown marred her face as she took a deep breath. The two landed back at the open field where the rest of the students were failing to mount the majestic, multi-colored beasts in front of them. 

Their golden and sapphire scales seemed to dazzle like precious gems in the afternoon light. The arrogant boys didn't give their respect to the creature before trying to ride it. Her heart clenched in anger, they needed to learn how to properly treat a dragon. 

Oberon lowered himself to the ground allowing for the fairy to slide off his massive ruby red wing. Her wandering fingertips caressed the scaly wing before she finally let go of her new acquaintance. 

Students crowded around her as soon as her leather boots touched the ground. Curiously alight in their starved eyes. 

A head of snow white hair pushed through the crowd, nerves coursed through his veins as he caught glimpses of the fiery redhead. His fists clenched with worry, yet his heart soared with admiration.