Contrary to what many people want to think, there is much more than just witches in the world.

Nova knows people see only what they want. To them, witches are the problem. But there are far more magical beings out there that could be threats. So can non-magical creatures.

Danger can come from anywhere. Nova knows this. A lot of people don’t.

Wizards exist. They aren’t seen as a problem. Not like witches.

Why is that? Nova has an idea, and it strokes the fire inside her.

Dragons exist. They are occasionally seen as an issue. Misunderstood, provoked ones are normally what the castle people see as dangerous.

Like today.

“Royal knights, we have a threat to the castle. A dragon has wandered too close and we are tasked to slay it,” the general announces.

The guards all salute, ready to take the order. Nova rolls her eyes. Dragons certainly aren’t mean or terrifying. Not when they are not being hunted.

Much like witches, if you just leave them alone, there aren’t that many issue.

“What do you think of this?” Ward whispers in her ear, having walked up next to her. “I don’t like this,” she answers honestly. Because that’s all she has. Honesty.

“Dragons don’t come this close for no reason, Ward,” she continues, her fingers tapping at the handle of her blade.

“You think it was provoked?”

She doesn’t even have the energy to make a sarcastic response because she’s just too worried. “Maybe. Or hurt. When people are hurt, they lash out. Dragons are the same.”

Dragons are kindred spirits. They can be incredibly protective to those they view as family.

And incredibly hostile if they feel threatened.

His eyebrow raises in question. “You deal with a lot of dragons in your life?”

Nova and Haze have run into their fair share of dragons. The Wild Thicket can hide more than just magic users.

“Yes,” she answers simply.

“I was joking,” he says with a hint of amusement.

“I wasn’t.”

OoOoOoO

When Haze joins them, the knights move out to the location of the creature.

“What’s the situation?” Haze asks Nova, not even trying to lower her voice.

“Dangerous dragon too close to the castle,” Faira, who just pops up behind them, reports unnecessarily.

Nova glares at her.

The question wasn’t even to her. Faira doesn’t like either of them, so her being around them must really be a hard thing for her.

“Potentially _hurt_ dragon at the edge of the castle lines,” Nova corrects.

“That beast can potentially _hurt_ a lot of civilians,” Faira fires back.

This woman infuriates Nova.

“This involves a dragon, no matter whose response you want to take,” Ward interjects.

Nova breathes a sigh of relief. Having him near just makes breathing easier.

And it doesn’t hurt that he usually deals with Faira.

“Well I am the lead of this mission, so you might want to listen to me,” Faira gloats with her annoying voice.

Of course she is.

Why couldn’t Ward be the leader in this task? He makes so much more sense than Faira who can’t even think of another possibility than innate evil.

“Let us go first. We can calm her or him down,” Haze asks. She is so much better than Nova. Nova wouldn’t be able to ask.

Haze is playing her part.

Nova isn’t an actor. So she presses his lips in a line as she refrains from any snark comments.

A weary look from the guard doesn’t make it easier for Nova. “Only if she says please.”

“What?” Nova blurts out, totally taken aback.

Faira smirks which only stokes the fire in Nova more. If she could, she would smack her.

“You heard me. Say please, Nova,” Faira orders.

She’s never wanted to anything less.

Glancing at Haze, she winces but doesn’t ask Nova to do it. She knows it’s her choice. Ward goes forward to protest, but Nova sighs and puts a hand up to stop him.

She may not be an actor, but she can at least try. Even though this will physically pain her.

“Please let us try with the dragon first,” Nova pleads through gritted teeth.

“You get five minutes,” Faira answers flatly.

Her asking got them five minutes. This is why she would’ve rather not asked. It’ll have to be enough.

At least she is a woman of her word because she commands the knights to stand down. Nova watches them listen to her, sheathing their swords temporarily.

“Don’t waste the time I graciously gave you.”

Nova doesn’t hide her distain this time.

Haze grabs Nova’s arm and directs her towards the direction of where the dragon is. Her sister is right. Focus on the dragon.

She can focus on hating Faira after they help the dragon.

It takes them part of their allocated time to get over the hill and that’s when she sees him. The dark grey scales reflect the sun and they practically glow. It is like stunning armor.

Sharp claws dig into the ground, creating gouges in the dirt, disrupting the grass and flowers.

His size is about two horses high. Must be a young dragon since adults can grow twofold.

What catches her eyes is his eyes. They are as blue as water and as wide as the ocean.

“Do you see it to?” Haze whispers. Nova nods.

The fear.

She can practically taste it on her tongue.

The dragon is afraid.

“Bait Plan?” Nova asks.

Haze gives this pout. “I hate the Bait Plan.”

“Well we can’t do the Soothing Plan. He isn’t hurt,” Nova points out, gesturing widely to the dragon that is flailing around. His talons scratching the air, wings flapping wildly, and teeth bared.

Her sister eyes him warily. Not because of fearing him but from what could come from this. “Fine. But you have to explain it to Ward. He will be the least intimidating, growling puppy when he sees this.”

“Fine by me,” Nova says with a shrug.

Ward knows her. He couldn’t stop her even if he wanted to. She doesn’t need his permission. Though she would like his forgiveness since he definitely will not like their plan.

“Hey! Over here!” Nova yells, commanding his attention.

Haze creeps away, circling to attempt to get behind him.

Nova gets closer, but she makes sure to keep enough distance so he can’t swipes at her without her being able to dodge.

“What’s wrong, buddy?” She asks, her voice still loud and sharp.

The dragon roars and slashes in her direction but he is off, and Nova doesn’t even need to move.

His eyes are unfocused.

Whatever the dragon is seeing, it isn’t her. Something else is making him act like this.

She doesn’t get a lot of time because the dragon pounces closer to her. Jumping backwards, she narrowly misses his claws.

Taking out her knife, she throws it to the side, not that the dragon would know. Nova is pretty sure that there is some kind of spell on him. But she wants to show the guards watching that she isn’t going to hurt him. She doesn’t need to.

Haze slinks behind him. Her purple mist swirling around her hands, waiting for the perfect moment to immobilize the winged creature.

Her powers are effective, but not the quickest. Even with the dragon spelled, they are incredibly speedy animals.

Haze needs a clear shot.

Hence Nova being the bait.

The dragon throws his head back and lets out a roar that vibrates the ground and shakes Nova’s core.

That’s not the only thing rumbling the ground. After that display, she hears the familiar noises of the knights’ boots.

Their five minutes are up.

Haze needs more time.

With the dragon’s erratic movement, Haze has had to dodge his tail that has whipped around.

Not the clean shot she needs.

“We need a bigger distraction,” Nova calls out, sliding out of the way of a fire blast. Because dragons breathe fire, if you didn’t know.

Even with her telling them, she doesn’t expect them to listen. She already figures that she’ll have to get Ward to convince Faira.

What surprises Nova is the intense look Faira sends her way. Not the usual I-want-to-send-you-back-where-you-came-from look.

Something that Nova can’t decipher. Something different.

Faira immediately follows the indirect order.

“Everyone, hit your swords together. Make noise.”

At her command, all the knights follow suit. The combined distraction appears to work. At least temporarily. It disorients the dragon.

He swings his body around, no clear target. Some guards have to get out of the way, but most are safe.

“What do you think is happening?” Ward asks. Him and Faira flank her on both sides.

They are looking to her.

To lead.

“I believe the dragon is under some kind of spell. He can’t see us, but he hears. We keep up the distraction so Haze can undo the spell.”

Both of them nod.

That’s expected of Ward. He’s her person.

But Faira? That’s weird.

Nova is very confused, but there is little time to contemplate Faira’s unnatural, easygoing nature.

That can be for another time.

Ward sneaks around the perimeter of guards surrounding the dragon. She sees him getting closer to Haze.

It brings her some relief to know he’s watching out for Haze.

Even though Haze is more than capable, more than all of them combined, it still makes her feel better to have someone she trusts watching her back.

Which is very much needed.

As the dragon’s tail suddenly whips towards her sister, Ward tackles them both out of the way.

Nova is so focused on them that she doesn’t even see it coming.

A stray wing comes at her from the side.

The world slows. She hears the swoosh of it cutting the air. She would be impressed with the speed of it wasn’t coming at her.

Just as she expects to be knocked to the ground with a great force, gravely injured, instead she feels a very normal weight hit her.

She does tumble to the ground, but not from the dragon.

Glancing up, she gets and eyeful of blonde hair.

Faira’s hair.

Faira, who hates witches and Nova by association.

Faira, who just saved Nova from a dragon.

Well, saved is a strong word since Nova would’ve lived.

It would have just hurt a lot.

“Thanks,” Nova manages with her staggered breath.

“You should have been paying attention. You left yourself open,” Faira criticizes.

Because of course if anyone can find to time to critique Nova when battling a dragon, it would be her.

Nova and Faira both sit up and see Haze get her shot. In a straight beam, her purple magic flows from her fingertips to the dragon.

Once her mist makes contact, it spreads until it covers all of him.

The dragon lets out another roar, but this time, Nova can see his eyes change. Clarity.

Something she is lacking right now.

Because Faira actually listened to her. And saved her.

He shakes his head and with widened eyes, almost looking apologetic. Haze is stroking his snout, not even needing magic to further soothe him.

“Nova, are you ok?!” Ward comes running to her, helping both her and Faira up.

“Yeah, I’m good,” she answers, dusting herself off.

Uncharacteristically, Faira says nothing.

Turning to her, Nova offers the best she’s got, “Thank you. I mean it.” Nova isn’t one for words. She’s more into actions, so she owes Faira. She’ll repay her one day.

“You…had the best knowledge with dragons, hence the best strategy. I just followed your lead,” Faira stammers.

Nova’s never known her to use logic when it comes to her or Haze, but she guesses she should take the victory.

She may never understand Faira, but maybe there is hope to be friends.

Someday.

———

(I hope you like the little Loki/Thor inspired moment with the Bait Plan)