Dracotaur Boyfriend: Saba (rough draft)

I had always wanted to join the City Guard when I was little. Growing up in the orphanage, I used to watch them as they made their rounds and daydream of being able to be like them. I assumed they were a noble and worthy, I wanted so badly to reflect that in my life. When I was kicked out of the orphanage I trained hard, even though I had nothing, just so I could pass the test to become one of the City Guard. I taught myself how to fight, I worked hard to grow stronger. I knew because I was a woman I would have to challenge myself twice as hard as anybody else. But it would all be worth it in the end. I passed the test with flying colors, even still I had a lot to prove.

Eventually, I began to see the true colors of the City Guard. They weren’t anything noble, in fact, they thought that holding this position allowed them more freedom than the common man. Most of the Guards I came to know were corrupt and selfish, only keeping the mantle to continue to further their own desires and greed. I thought if I stayed I could try and make the City Guard a better place. Unfortunately, one cold rainy afternoon while I was putting on my armor, two other Guards tried to force themselves upon me. Sadly for them, they forgot I was strongest fighter in the unit, and I bloodied their faces past recognition. I will admit I went overboard, but I always treated the guilty like that.

I was punished for it, and I was kicked out of the City Guard. It hurt me none, it only helped me to release my admiration for the City Guard and I left, joining a group of mercenaries. People who actually did some good for those around them, even if they got nothing but some coins for it. I felt better working with them than I ever did with the City Guard. Better yet, they respected me and saw me for who I was. There were other women working with me as well, I wasn’t constantly being saddled with a man who bossed me around. We were always a team, always working together. I suppose I don’t need to explain my relief at this to anyone, but after years of having to explain why I should be in the City Guard I have a need to make myself heard.

Well, time wears on, sometimes swiftly, sometimes all too slow. My group and I are being sent out on a mission to a small poor farming village that is being hounded by a group of bandits. Their livelihood is on the line, but they managed to scrape together enough money to hire us to help get rid of the bandits.

“Arika,” Eda calls to me.

I look up from my sword and put it back upon my back. “Something the matter.”

Eda leans back in her seat, looking around Rodolf in the front seat. “I think we’re almost there, can’t you smell the chicken shit?”

“Smells like home to me,” I laugh.

Eda gives me a strange and wary look which makes me laugh. “We had chicken coops at the orphanage. We were tasked with taking care of the chickens then going out and selling the eggs. I much preferred the chickens to the Sisters who ran the place.”

“I see,” Eda murmurs. She looks back then scowls. “What is that?”

There’s smoke coming from somewhere ahead of us, and along the road there appears to be signs of a struggle. The closer we get, there was bodies of men scattered along the sides, some are getting up and haggering away, others have not regained consciousness, or are even dead already.

“Have we been here before?” Rodolf teases.

“Stop the cart,” I tell him and jump off as soon as it comes to a stall. “I’ll go on ahead, you two wait for the signal.”

“Stop trying to act like a hero!” Eda teases me as I walk ahead. “You’re getting paid for this, there’s nothing heroic about it.”

I smirk and chuckle. “I like to warm up, that’s all!”

I pass by the small fire that’s causing all the smoke. A toppled over wago full of hay is smoldering and I see some chests lined up by the side of the road. I then see a man running towards me and he grabs me in a panic, thrusting me before him like a human shield.

“Stop him please!” He begs. “He’s trying to kill me!”

“Who is? One of the bandits?” I look ahead and see a strange sight ahead of me. Where I grew up, monsters and other creatures weren’t the norm, in fact, the City Guard had been given strict instructions to keep them out. As such, there weren’t many on this land, they all tended to go through the Cobra Strait to one of the main continents. This one before me was big, built like a centaur, but his legs looked very different, and his long tail was covered in platinum scales. He wore full armor, covering his face, arms, and hands. In his hand he carries a hefty claymore.

“Looks like I’ll get a nice warm up before I go into the village. Step back sir, let me handle this one for you.” I pull out my sword and chuckle. “Alright, so you think you can pick on the little people big guy?”

The centaur like creature before me lowers their sword. “I’m not trying to pick on anybody,” he says with a slightly breathless voice. “Just doing what needs to be done.”

I step forward then lower to take a stance. “So am I.”

“I wish not to fight you,” he says. “You have nothing to do with this. But I can see already you are not one to be stopped when your mind is made up.”

“Less talking!” I charge ahead full force, clashing with his sword that blocks me. I swing again, crashing with his blade. He moves quite fast for something so big, then again, he has two more legs on me. He pushes me forward, making me skid along the ground. I kick my leg up, hitting his helm which becomes dislodged and caught. He struggles for a moment as he can’t see and I hit his hand, knocking his sword from his hand. He spins quickly, using his tail to trip me. Once I hit the ground his tail slams down into my chest and stomach. The wannabe knight removes his helm, tossing it aside as he tries to reach for his sword. I manage to get up and away from his tail, rolling out and grabbing his sword, holding it up towards his neck.

“Wait-” he gasps.

Looking at home without his helm, he looks like one of the Lizardfolk. His scales are shiny platinum in color, I had never seen such a thing before. His eyes stare hard at me, not begging, but their intensity makes me stall. His jaw clenches as he swallows, showing off it’s sharp curvature. The scales flare out a bit around his face, turning into spikes along the top of his head.

“I’m just trying to help these people,” he breathes. “The bandits have all but taken over and-”

I furrow my brow at him. “Aren’t you a bandit?”

“No,” he seems offended by that remark. “Far from! I came here because I heard this village needed help.” He points behind me. “That man you let get away was one of the bandits!”

I drop the swords down and step away from him. “Why would you want to help this place?”

He sniffs and puts his hand where I held the blade. “Because it is the right and just thing to do.” He holds his other hand out. “Now please, hand me back my sword.”

I look him over, unsure if I should trust him out not when one of Eda’s arrows hits a tree behind us. I turn to watch her approach, quiver at the ready. “Some guy just tried to steal our cart,” she scoffs. “How did you let one of those bandits get away?”

I look back at the dracotaur who smiles at me. “Good question.” I toss him back his sword.

Eda walks up whie Rodolf and the cart come up behind. “Who's your new friend, Arika?” She lowers her weapon and smiles up at him.

He bows his head. “Saba.” He then points. “Those chests over there go back to the village. Some of the bandits were attempting to make a trade with another group for weapons. If I could use your cart to take that all back, I would greatly appreciate it.”

“I thought we were the only ones the village hired,” Rodolf chuckles.

“I wasn't hired,” Saba says, bending over to pick up his helm. “I simply came to make myself of service to them.”

“Well, we were hired, and we’d very much enjoy not having you step on our toes.” Eda grunts as she hefts a trunk onto the cart.

I notice there is a dent in Saba’s helm where I kicked which would probably make it uncomfortable to wear now. “You can join us if you like.”

“Arika!” Rodolf fusses.

I scowl back at him. “He’s here, we might as well include him. Or do you want to start a fight?”

“I do not wish to get in the way of what you have been hired to do,” Saba states calmly. “I would gladly offer my services to you, but I do not wish to take any more money from these people.”

“You’ll just do this for nothing?” I ask.

Saba glances down at me, his sharp green eyes slicing through. “All I want is to help these people.”

I scoff at this. “No one just wants to help.” I wave to Eda and Rodolf who now have the cart loaded. “You can join us or not. If you’re doing this for nothing there is not much I can say to you aside from staying out of our way.”

“I’d much prefer to work with you then,” Saba says, his voice eerily calm. “It would be one less thing to worry about.”

“And what do you have to worry about?” Rodolf laughs.

You jump back up onto the cart as Rodolf takes the reigns. Saba walks alongside you as you head into the village. As you come in, people begin to flock out of their buildings. A small group of men approach to greet you, but they all turn and go towards Saba.

“Please, these are the people you hired,” Saba explains. “They have what the bandits took from you.”

I frown down at him, wondering what his game is. I jump down from the cart and approach. “Arika,” I state simply. “You hired me and my crew to take care of the bandits around here.”

They start to take the chests from the wagon, opening them up to reveal chicks and ducklings inside. “Thank you so much for saving them! The bandits have almost killed all our fowl. These were all we had.”

I stare at the mass of the feathers inside the chests. “They were trying to trade chickens for weapons?”

“May not seem like much,” the man says. “But out here, it’s all we’ve got. You have a good chicken who produces a lot of eggs, you might as well make her queen.”

I watch as Saba stoops over to pick up a ducking who is running from the rest. His palm is big enough to hold a dozen ducklings, but he cradles that one so gently. He hands it to a woman who has come out to help collect the growing hoard of feathers.

“Come,” the man says. “We have a place readied for you stay.”

Saba parts from us then, going off somewhere else while Rodolf, Eda, and I go to a small house towards the back of the village. We’re then briefed on the location of the bandit’s hideout, and told that once word gets back their trade didn’t go through, they would probably mount an attack within the next few days. I send Eda out to go back towards our camp at the edge of the woods to get more help. I then leave to find Saba’s campsite.

He has a fire going and is resting before it as he holds his helm in his hands, worrying over the dent. He looks up as I approach and sets it down.

“There’s going to be an attack from the bandits in a few days because their trade didn’t go through.”

“Then perhaps some traps should be set in the woods to hinder their progress.” Saba sets his helm aside. “It will allow you more time to prepare.”

“What’s your angle?” I hiss at him. “You just want to help? No. There's no such thing. You want something else.”

He looks at me then down at the fire. “You used to work for the City Guard, didn’t you? I can tell by the way you fight.”

I scowl harder.

“I once took the test, hoping to become one myself. They turned me away though, said they weren’t accepting anyone like me.” He looks back up. “Which was probably for the best. I hear the City Guard is more cutthroat than even the bandits.”

“It doesn’t matter what used to be. I want to know the present. I want to know what you’re up to. If you work with the bandits and are just trying to throw off the scent, you won’t get away with it. In fact, I’ll give you the chance to run now if that is the case. Because if you stay, I will make your life a living hell.”

“That is exactly why I am doing it,” Saba scoffs. “Because life is hell.”

My jaw stiffens, unprepared for his reply. “Excuse me?”

Saba rises onto all fours. “I have seen it all over. Suffering, contempt, needless violence and bloodshed. Some people will never have the chance to escape it. Some don’t even know a day without it. I want to try and give these people a chance to not worry about another sunrise. I am doing this for good. Because I want to.”

“For nothing?”

“I understand you must make a living somehow,” he says cooly. “But I don’t want anything more. I just want to help, even if it is miniscule.”

“I’m sorry if I believe that is a load of bullshit,” I scoff.

“I am too,” Saba looks back into my eyes. “Now I know you worked for the City Guard.”

My jaw drops but I shut it back, gritting my teeth. “There is no good or bad in this world,” I tell him sternly. “There are simply people. People who live their lives day to day and they either live or they die. People act as they are according to act, everyone had a job, a role.”

“I am sorry you feel that way, Arika. But I understand your point of view. You live, you make your money. It does not matter what happens outside of that.” He shakes his head. “But surely, once, you understood the goodness in people.”

“Everyone is scum. I am. You are.”

Saba laughs. “You think that way about yourself?”

I shrug. “It’s easier than trying to make believe I am a good person.”

Saba lowers his eyes again. “Believe what you want to, and so will I.”

“What are you?” I scoff. “Some kid’s imaginary friend? Because you sound like a child who believes in good and evil. White knights. Damsels in distress.”

“I am what I am, and I try my hardest to do something good everyday.” He gives me a smile. “I am scared and anxious every second, but I have to take it with stride. I don’t want anyone else in this world to be afraid, so I will shoulder it.”

This makes me feel anxious as I had said almost those exact words the day I joined the City Guard. I quickly turn away from him and head back. “We’re setting traps in the woods, help if you want, I don’t care.”

As we wait for Eda to return with the others, Rodolf and I build traps in the woods. Sometimes I see Saba doing the same, but he stays out of our way. I try not to think about him, to give him a place in my mind, but I keep losing train of thought and find myself wondering about him. He’s so different, yet so familiar to me. Once long ago, I think he and I could have been friends. Had I not joined the City Guard, maybe I would still think like him.

One afternoon I am going towards the lake to take a bath. I can heard the waterfall rushing as I approach, but then, I spot Saba’s armor laid under a tree. I stoop down to inspect them, seeing he has them laid out in a precise order. I hear him splashing in the lake, and when I look up, I see him with his head craned back under the waterfall. The way the sun hits him and the water cascades over his skin, I would swear he was a statue made of crystal.

I approach the lake, and without a second thought, I begin to remove my clothes. As I push my dark hair from my face, I see Saba looking my way. I smirk at him and he shyly looks away. I still have a hard time believing his white knight act, but even I admit his shy behavior is cute.

I step into the water and slip under, swimming below the surface until my lungs begin to ache. I rise up and see Saba has moved further under the waterfall. “What? Afraid of a little company?”  I laugh. I stand and scoop my hair back.

“I don’t want to stare.”

I laugh and grin towards him. “Stare if you want. It’s touching I forbid, and I know I can kick your ass.”

Saba moves from the waterfall, parting it like curtains. His sharp eyes gaze over my face but look no further. “You have no fear.”

“Why would I? You shoulder it all.” I smirk towards him. “Grow up some.” I dive back under the water, swimming around the lake. I come to the waterfall, standing under it and letting the water rush over me. The force of it is stronger than I expected, but the way it hits my shoulders and back, feels quite pleasurable. I glance over a Saba who has stepped away from the waterfall and his eyes quickly cut away from me.

“What are you looking at?” I chide.

“Nothing,” he murmurs shyly.

I know I am built quite muscular, I work hard to be strong. I’m used to being quite tall too, but around Saba I find I feel quite petite. He’s huge and stunning to behold. But I know, between us, there is something to look at.

“Not nothing.” I step out from the waterfall towards him. “I know there is something you are looking at it.” I run my hand down the center of my chest. “Is it my breasts? My stomach?”

“You have scars.”

I frown a bit. I scoop my hair back again, fidgeting with it. It gets so heavy when it's wet. “Well, of course I do. I also have stretch marks, you want to point that out too?”

“How long were you with the city guard?” He asks.

“Long enough,” I grumble. “Why does it matter?”

“Because it obviously hurt you,” he huffs.

I look away from him and cross my arms against my chest. “I didn’t let it hurt me.”

“I know.” Saba turns fully towards me. “If you must know, I was staring at a strong and very beautiful woman. I am a man, a very weak man.”

My chest feels heavy and siry at the same time. My throat feels dry so I try to swallow but my tongue only sticks to the roof of my mouth. “No you’re not,” I sniff. “A weak man would have had his nose crushed by now.”

Saba smiles towards me. “I don’t doubt that. But I am a man, nonetheless, and I am capable of thought regardless.”

“Oh my, a man who thinks,” I grin. “Whatever on earth are you thinking about now?”

He looks me over and his smile slowly fades. “Right now, your dark olive skin,” he breathes.

I lick my lips. “Honest, I appreciate that,” I say breathlessly.

“I should go before my mind wanders elsewhere.” He heads towards the shore.

My mind is wandering too. I don’t readily admit when I have attraction to someone, but Saba frustrates me. He fascinates me, and I need to know more about him. “Wait,” I call out to him. I rise from the water, joining him on the shore. “I owe you for denting your helm.”

His eyes stay focused on mine, never wavering. “I never asked for payment.”

I grab his massive hand and place it over my breast. His scales feel cool and silky, and to my surprise I like it very much. Saba moans in his throat then clears it away. His eyes still don’t waver. “You don’t need to ask, Saba. I am giving it to you.”

“Why?”

I lift my chin proudly. “Because I want to.”

Saba moves his hand up, curling his fingers around my cheek and the back of my head. “Do you think I want it?”

“Not sure,” I breathe. “Do you?”

Saba’s other hand gently caresses down my back. “It’s been a long time since it was offered to me,” he breathes. “I told you I was weak.”

I step closer, pressing my bare body against him. “I knew I’d beat you.” I run my hands up his body, kissing his chest and sighing against his scales.

“Arika,” he strains for composure.

“It’s okay, please, touch me.” I beg. His hand reaches down, groping my rear, squeezing and taking pleasure. “More. Deeper.”

He dips his head down, growling into my ear. His thick fingers go between my thighs, finding me wet from more than just the lake. I am pliant to his touch, desperate for it. I moan against his chest as his cool fingers become trapped inside.

“Arika,” he moans into my ear. “I do want this.”

“Then take it.”

He pulls back, looking into my eyes before he hungrily kisses me. His fingers go deeper, pushing inside me where he finds me molten hot. “I thought you hated me,” he growls.

“A little,” I keen. “But you’re so-anh!” I cry out and cling to his chest.

He kisses the top of my head as his fingers move harder inside me. “I tried to keep you out of my thoughts, but you wouldn’t leave.”

“Oh gods,” I gasp for breath. “Don’t stop!”

“Arika,” he breathes. “Such sweetness inside you.”

My legs begin to tremble, so he picks me up off the ground, he holds me in the crook of his arm and looks down over my shoulder as he slips his finger back inside me. His breathing becomes ragged as he watches. His fingers plunge deep, adding a third to find ample room. I turn my head, kissing his jaw and neck. His touch feels so wonderful, so needed. I cry out his name, gasping, wheezing, unable to contain myself when he brings me over the edge. I gush onto the ground, over his palm.

Saba kisses my hair and cheek, letting me cool from the heat he stoked. He begins to whisper into my ear when we hear trumpets from the village. The bandits are coming and we have to run. There is no time to think or consider what we have just done. We dress as hurriedly as we can and run towards the call. Once we get there, all we can do is fight. Nothing else matters.

After the battle is done, i go to find Saba. But to my dismay, he’s gone.