And not just the random peals of an individual, but the chuckles and giggles and gasps of hundreds.
Rib soaked it in as he and Gavin carried through the performance they'd perfected over the past supply stops they'd taken on their way to Crageria. Now they had finally made it to the kingdom and had only one short sailing trip left to make before reaching the port nearest Griffith, or Lord Griffith as people called him.
Everything's perfect. Rib beamed, looking at all the delighted faces tilted up at him. He loved their shining eyes, the flash of teeth as they laughed.
In addition to his first bell, little bronze ones were strung across his chest with the thick strap of his saddle, etched with petals and sunbursts. They tinked as he crouched for Gavin's two monigons to leap over him, as the dance went.
Gavin couldn't look happier, Rib thought, watching the young man make his monigons weave through his legs and leap for the toy dangling from his hand.
Within the past month, their popularity had grown immensely. Instead of staring fearfully at Rib, now people came rushing down the docks to greet him and Gavin, cheering, 'The Dragon Fools! The Dragon Fools have come!'
The past two monigons sold had earned them a small fortune. Now they performed in the towns because people begged them too, not because they needed the money from it. By this time, only the highest of nobles could afford their monigons.
The two left, Hesper and a male named Galilaeus, Gavin planned to breed. There were, of course, competing monigon breeders, but none could come at all close to the fame Rib and Gavin had built up for themselves.
And now for the bow, Rib thought as Gavin ended his song. Together, they stooped low with the monigons lying on either side of them, barking as the audience cheered. Rib watched in amusement as people stormed the stage to talk to him and Gavin.
"Come stay at my inn for the night!" a man offered hopefully. "Free of charge!"
Gavin laughed. "Oh, thank you, but we really must be going. Come on, Hesp! Gal!" As his monigons bounded to his side, the young man mounted Rib's back and they began wading through the excited crowd.
"Sir!" a girl exclaimed to Gavin. "You're even more handsome than I imagined."
"Tell us what it's like to be a dragon!" someone else implored Rib.
"Where are you headed next?"
I'd have never believed people would love me so suddenly, marveled Rib, finally breaking through the masses. He could hear Gavin still laughing from his back.
"This is getting absurd," the young man chuckled. "By now, I don't see any way King Griffith could say no to giving you the cure!"
That's true, Rib realized, eyes opening wide. Why would we have to take the book and Oriole when we really could just ask for it?
I need to talk to Damara.
As they reached the docks, Gavin slipped back down to the ground. Ahead, their boat was tied, and standing beside it was Mortaug with a finely dressed man. On the stranger's shoulder perched a big, violet wyvern.
"What's this?" Gavin asked, approaching.
Rib could see that Mortaug looked pleased, signing something to Gavin before the stranger beside him opened up a scroll and read: