Hello! The dragons will come in on the...fifth chapter I think? I rearranged the chapters to make it chronologically correct because I write chronologically incorrect. The first...three, four chapters I think serve as character introductions. For my new readers, this story is highly focused upon the late 1300s to early 1400s towards the end of the Middle Ages. So, yes, kiddies, knights and dragons. Please Enjoy!

The sound of heavy rain pounding on the castle walls kept Silas awake as he stared blankly up at the cobblestone ceiling supported by massive wooden beams. His dilated pupils swiftly contracted as light briefly burst through the stained windows, followed by the dull roar of thunder in the distance. The wind moaned loudly as it battered the wooden shutters, making the dark corridors and halls of the castle seem haunted.

Silas' steel eyes were pulled away from the soot stained ceiling to the small, unlit candle on the table, the dried wax falling, but never touching the metal rim that contained it. Inhaling deeply, the knight could smell of the old fumes of wax and damp stone from the storm.

The man shifted, his breathing quiet as he heard the soft, steady breathings of his fellow knights within the room. Hearing the creak of a door opening, Silas sat up, the covers off his bare chest and stomach as he saw the soft glow of a candle enter the room. The light was being covered by a hand, and the person softly closed the door behind them, the figure pausing as the door creaked. The person stood still for several seconds, as if seeing if everyone was asleep before walking deeper into the room, their bare feet slapping against the cobblestone. Silas sighed softly before allowing himself to fall back on his bed, and hard mattress hurting his back as he briefly covered his eyes, rubbing them.

"Go to sleep, Berend..." Silas groaned softly, sensing that the boy had stopped near his bed, the small candle in his hand.

"I can't, Silas. You know the thunder scares me." Berend whispered softly, his voice shaking as he stood in his pajamas. Berend's eyes looked at his cousin with anxiety, his whole body trembling as the wind began to howl, and the flash of lightning briefly illuminated the room. The sound of thunder caused Berend to jump, and the candle flew out of his hand only to softly clang onto the floor, and wick smoldering as the flame died.

Silas paused, listening for any signs that his fellow knights heard the noise. He could hear nothing but the rapid breathing of his younger kin in panic.

"Enough of this, Berend. Go to bed." Silas ordered, then turned his back towards his cousin.

"Quinn says it's dragons, Sila. The thunder are their roars, and the wind is their wings! Sila!" Berend whispered in desperation, Silas shifting.

"Dragons are not real. Go to bed. And do not call me Sila." Silas groaned, feeling Berend poke his naked shoulder, whispering "Sila" over and over again.

"Sila, Sila, Sila, Sila, Sila, Sila...please, Sila? I'll keep poking you and calling you Sila, Sila. S-" Berend suddenly heard the young man exhale slowly, his chest deeply moving down before filling again.

"Good Lord, alright, alright!" Silas hissed, giving up as he turned towards Berend and moved over, the boy grinning from ear to ear as he jumped into the stiff bed, kneeing his cousin in the stomach.

"Oppps. Sorry, Sila." Berend apologized, grinning sheepishly as he hogged the covers, wrapping himself in them before burrowing himself into the wall of warmth that was Silas. Silas sighed, feeling Berend shake from fear before wrapping his arm around the boy in a source of comfort.

"Do not be afraid. It is just a storm."

"But Quinn said-"

"Quinn knows not what he speaks of. Do you want to know what thunder truly is?" Silas asked, Berend nodding his head swiftly.

"Thunder is made by-"

"Dragons?" Berend asked, Silas sighing as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"No. Dragons are not real, Berend."

"Backen is real!" Berend shouted, eyes going wide, as if hurt.

"Backen is a wooden dragon toy that I had as a boy, and now you have it. In that case, yes, Backen is real because he is an object, but he is not an actual dragon. Dragons are not real, Berend."

"But-"

"Enough. You have me off topic." Silas sighed, pausing to think.

"Where was I? Ahh, yes. You see, Berend, what happens when you laugh very hard?" Silas asked, Berend looking at him with confusion.

"My tummy begins to hurt." Berend answered, Silas shifting slightly.

"Yes, but what else?"

"I can't breathe."

"And? What else happens when you find something very humourous?" Silas asked, Berend pausing in thought, feeling his face redden.

"Silas, are you tricking me?" Berend asked, Silas looking at the boy.

"No, Berend. I'm not tricking you. Come on, what else?"

"I...cry?"

"Yes! Yes, that is it!"

"Who cries, Silas? Who cries?" Berend asked, Silas smiling gently.

"The angels cry, Berend. And the thunder is their laughter." Silas answered, the boy pausing in thought.

"But what if it is just raining? They aren't laughing, so why are they sad?" Berend asked, Silas looking sullenly before clearing his throat.

"Because...they mourn for our hardships. When you see it raining, do you feel like doing anything?"

"No."

"See? In a way, the angels cry to reflect our moods. But when there is a storm, they cry because they are laughing." Silas spoke softly, as if speaking to a toddler. Berend smiled, eyes shining as he looked at the young man with admiration.

"See? The thunder does not seem as scary does it?" Silas asked, Berend shaking his head, comfortable in the covers. Outside, it appeared that the rain had died down to only a drizzle.

"Silas, why are you still up? Can't you sleep?" Berend asked, Silas sniffing as he shook his head.

"I fear not. Too many things plague my mind." Silas spoke, Berend climbing in him, looking at him with curiosity.

"Like what? Are you secretly a girl, Sila?" Berend asked, Silas looking at the boy oddly as he raised an eyebrow.

"What? How can I be a woman when I am a man?" Silas asked, Berend smiling as he pulled out a cloth from under his shirt, handing it to Silas. Silas' eyes widened upon realizing it was his scarf.

"You little sneak! Where did you get that?" Silas hissed, taking the green scarf and folding it properly.

"In your pocket. Why do you have a woman's scarf, Sila? Do you have a lady friend?"

"Good God, you ask a lot of questions!" Silas groaned, just wanting to sleep. His cousin could drain the energy out of him anyday of the week.

"Is it Dushess Anaya?" Berend asked, Silas groaning before hiding his head under the pillow. He could practically feel his younger kin break into a smile.

"Silas and Anaya, sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, firs-" Berend was cut off as Silas suddenly smacked him in the face with his pillow.

"Hey, not fair!" Berend whined, growling as he found himself in a tight hold, Silas easily pinning him as he rubbed his knuckles in his hair.

"You idiot! Let me go! I'll tell Anaya it was you that ran down the halls naked when you were drunk!" Berend flailed, feeling Silas dig his knuckles farther into his hair.

"Oh, yeah? I will tell Father that you still wet your bed at eight winters!" Silas chuckled, Berend struggling even harder.

"You would not! Sila!" Berend cried, struggling to fight back through the covers.

"Stop calling me Sila."

"No! You're really a girl in disguise! I can see the truth!" Berend cried, laughing as he continued to struggle.

"Say uncle."

"No!"

"Say it."

"No!"

"Say uncle, Berend!" Silas whispered harshly, Berend moving every which way, unable to break the man's grip.

"Okay, okay, uncle!" Berend cried, immediately feeling his cousin release him, the boy panting.

"Did that hurt so bad?" Silas asked hoping the boy would seek sleep after this.

"Yes." Berend pouted, Silas laughing softly as he lay on his back, Berend suddenly yawning.

"Can you sleep now?" Silas asked, Berend rubbing his eyes, trying to stay awake.

"I'm tired." Berend stated, his eyes slowly shutting before fluttering open.

"Silas?"

"Hmmm?"

"You're my favorite cousin." Berend smiled, Silas chuckling softly as he put his hands under his head.

"I am your only cousin." Silas stated, falling silent as he watched his kin lose his battle with death's second self, the knight listening to the steady stream of rain as his mind wondered.