and the moment he spotted the uniformed colonel of the Azure Guard surveying the damage he stood up as if he had been struck and turned pale. Darius was almost certain that the guardsman was well aware of what was going on and was about to further aggravate Matheo, but the moment he was confronted by the Guard officer there was no way he could carry out his original plan. He had to arrest the attackers, whom the blacksmith had in the meantime tied up with a thick rope. When the guards left they did not look pleased, and the non-commissioned officer kept mumbling something to himself. He was clearly displeased when Bleist made it clear to him that he wanted a full report on the case.
Draco hadn't talked much since Darius had said he was proud of him. Not because he didn't know why, or felt bad about it himself, but because of what his master did afterwards.
The dragon wasn't used to anyone but his aunt caring about him, looking out for him and being more concerned about whether he was okay than the possible damage that resulted from his actions. There were times in the past when it wasn't just peers who were violent towards him. Sometimes during training, when he did something wrong or accidentally damaged things in some way, instructors would punch him in the face with their fists. Somewhere deep inside he was afraid of something like that and when he saw Darius extend his hand towards him he reflexively tensed up to take the blow. He could not forgive himself for this. He is different from those professors over there. He told himself firmly. You can't be afraid of him. You have no right to do that. He repeated again and again trying to inscribe this even deeper into himself than the reflex he had acquired in Dagos. This was backed up by what Bleist did after he explained to him that he had done nothing wrong. He hugged him. He did it out of pride and happiness. I will not fail.
