Page 77 of Flameborne: Chosen

I frowned and turned that over in my mind. “Bren, I understand that you’re struggling. But sadly, the thickness and weight of our straps and harnesses are necessary. You flew the day you were acknowledged. You saw how important it was for all our equipment to be of the highest quality and cared for to keep its strength. We need that harness to safely catch us and protect us from falling when we’re flying at speed. We are strong people to begin, our bodies robust and heavy. But in flight, with the momentum of our dragons, especially if we are jerked or thrown free, our bodies place immense pressure on the straps. Theyneedto be thick, to catch us. So, this isn’t the time to give up. This is the time to ask yourself how you might manage things differently than your brothers to achieve the same goal.”

She blinked and her brow furrowed. “I’m sorry, Sir. Do you mean—”

“You aren’t strong enough. So, perhaps you will have to do things differently. If you can find a way to do that without impinging on the safety of yourself, your dragon, or your brothers, I will allow it—and I’ll make certain your Wing Captain does, also.”

I expected her to ask to have her dragon kneel. Little did she know, shewasn’tthe first Flameborne to be bonded without the upper-body strength for this task. It was partly why we started with it. It was humbling to fail. And failure was the greatest measure of a man—those who rose to overcome the challenge, against those who folded under it. Even if a Flameborne was strong enough to manhandle the harness, it required practice to develop the skill. Many Flameborne began with their dragons kneeling so they could climb and reach the heavy straps more easily. But I needed her to come to that conclusion herself. To solve the problem, and—

“Does the leather have to be that thick for thedragon’s sake?”she blurted suddenly.

I frowned. “No, only strong enough to endure their scales and heat. But it needs to be strong enough to catch the weight of the rider.”

“But, Sir—I’m not as heavy as the men. And I’m not as strong. I don’t need straps as thick as they do. I used to mend the harnesses for my father’s horses and wagons. Are there harnesses for smaller dragons, or thinner straps I could use to replace some of these? I know how to work leather safely—I could make adjustments so it’s not as heavy.”

Her eyes were wide—half fearful. She licked her lips and peered up at me warily, awaiting my response.

I had to decide what that should be. I didn’t want to discourage her, but wasn’t there a simpler solution than making a new harness?

‘Can it hurt to let her try?’Kgosi asked gently.

I huffed.‘I suppose not,’I said with a mental shrug for my dragon, though I was still skeptical.

“If you believe you can do this safely, I’ll help you take this off and get it to the leathersmith,” I said quietly. “But only if you give me your word that no matter the result, you’ll return and at least attempt to get the harness back on without assistance when we return.”

She actually smiled. “I will, Sir! You have my word!”

Somewhat bemused, but also quite curious, I asked permission to approach Akhane and remove the harness. Through Kgosi, I thanked her for her patience, urged the dragons to drink and eat while we were gone, then ushered Bren and her harness to the leathersmith.

23. The Summit

~ DONAVYN ~

It was a strange, compelling hour.

When we reached the leathersmith, Bren was initially hesitant. And I wondered if we were destined to do little more than waste time.

The dragon harnesses were already very simple, though substantial: two neck straps circled the base of the dragon’s neck, one that fastened directly underneath, the other that fastened at the chest. Together they were the foundation of stability for tacking up, and they needed extra strength because they were the straps we clipped onto in flight. Our safety net.

Then there was a large O-ring made of dragon bone that connected at the chest—a height that would be a stretch for Bren to reach. It was her job to buckle the thickest neck strap to that ring which in turn supported straps that fed under the belly to attach to the thick girth that circled the body, along with the leg straps that buckled above the dragon’s knee to create stability.

Then, finally, the long, thick strap that fell from the withers, to the dragon’s knee. That strap was used for mounting and to tie burdens to dragons who flew as transport or messengers. In battles we left the strap loose as an extra layer of safety for a quick dismount.

The sheer size of the dragons, along with the need for strength to hold and catch the weight of soldiers, meant that the harness was a great weight, and awkward. But like anything else, Furyknights grew skilled in managing them over time.

I should have anticipated she’d have this kind of problem.

I’d been skeptical that she could rework a harness quickly—or safely. But when she described her vision to the leathersmith, I saw the light of intrigue in the man’s eyes.

He wanted to help. And once Bren accepted that the man was genuinely eager to help, she gained confidence. So, I stepped back and let the two work, surprised by how quickly Bren stepped into leadership when she was distracted by a task.

Soon, she was rifling through his drawers, asking questions, even giving instructions as she took Akhane’s harness apart, piece by piece, discussing each with him.

At first when I saw how many she proposed to change, I was afraid she’d make risky choices—but she listened to the leathersmith when he pointed out what was required for structural stability or safety.

Then I watched, bemused, as the two avidly discussed the possibilities of which leather could be used in each place.

Soon the workshop echoed with the sounds of mallets thumping, the slap of sheets of different leathers—even dragonhide, which was thinner and stringer, but precious. I eyed her warily then, wondering how much she proposed to use.

I was tired and sweaty from riding patrol, but caught myself stifling a smile at the sight of the young woman who’d just been in pieces in the stable, eyes bright and tone thrilled, as the leathersmith first affirmed an idea she’d had, then watched over her as she began to remove certain pieces of the harness and replace them with carefully reinforced strips.