A Dragon's Tale Ch. 09

It was just after sunrise. The sun was shining onto his face through the trees, the birds were singing, and the sky was cloudless blue. It was a little slice of heaven on earth. He would've enjoyed it more if he wasn't so tired.

As he woke up, he noticed something warm cuddled up against his side. He could hear the sound of relaxed breathing and the scent that filled his nostrils was heavenly. Adjusting his head, he could see Taloni had curled up next to him and snuggled against his body.

Dear God in heaven she was gorgeous.

Ethan had noticed she was attractive when he'd first seen her, but somehow he'd missed her true beauty. Her skin was absolutely flawless, without a blemish in sight. Her long golden brown hair looked like a professional stylist had made it look 'bedhead messy' because it looked perfect in its chaos.

Coming from her back between her shoulder blades were two sets of wings. They looked like a cross between a dragonfly and butterfly and somehow gave her an ethereal, almost otherworldly beauty.

Her figure was absolutely perfect. She was so petite, Ethan thought he could wrap his - admittedly long - hands around her waist if she sucked in her gut. Her perfect waist flared into wide, sensual hips. Her breasts weren't very large, but they were full and shapely.

But more than that, he found the look on her face irresistible. She looked so peaceful and serene laying there against him. She had a subtle smiled and looked contented with the world.

Ethan - despite his exhaustion - felt the blood rush to his loins. He wasn't sure what it was, but suddenly Taloni looked like a succulent morsel he wanted to sample.

Wait, what?

He shook his head and stood up, being careful not to disturber her too much.

He looked at her again and was struck by how innocent she looked. She was a vision of young beauty. Ethan literally felt his mouth water. With that perfect figure, he couldn't wait to put his brood in her and-

"What the hell," Ethan said trying to clear his mind again.

His brain wouldn't let go of the image of Taloni pregnant with his- Ethan closed his eyes and tried to think about something else; anything else. What in God's green earth had prompted such a dramatic change in how he saw her? The only other time that happened was when he bonded to Beth.

Bonded...

"Uh, Oh,"

He looked down. His cock and balls were out and the former was semi-hard. A quick glance confirmed he was back up to four testicles again. His fourth had previously disappeared without a trace when Beth died. But in its place was a new one. One that felt like it belonged to Taloni.

"God damn mother fu-" Ethan started to say loudly, but stopped when he saw Taloni stirring.

"Whu, huh?" She mumbled as she yawned and rubbed her eyes.

She was a vision of feminine perfection in Ethan's eyes, though previously he considered her merely cute. She yawned again and looked around bleary eyed. Ethan had just enough presence of mind to position himself so his cock and balls were out of site before she turned his way.

"You're okay?" She beamed when she saw Ethan, and a smile appeared on her lush, full lips.

"Well, 'okay' is a relative term," he replied while stifling a yawn. He was still felt a like a mile of bad road and he was exhausted... and very horny. He tried to push the visions of pinning this lovely young woman to the ground and taking her forcefully. He wasn't sure he had the energy anyway.

The young Fey stared at him for several seconds. "How are you so awake? Your mana was so depleted yesterday night."

"Uh, this may sound strange, but I think we bonded."

"I know," Taloni blinked a few times, stifled a yawn, and then continued. "But, why would that matter?"

"When a dragon is near someone they're bonded to, they can regenerate their mana like they're near gold."

"So, I'm like gold to you now?"

"Since we bonded; pretty much," Ethan replied. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, and I don't even know how it happened."

"You're sorry you bonded?" Her expression didn't change much, but there was a subtle difference in her body language. Ethan had enough experience with women to know he had just stepped into a minefield. Rather than traverse it, he tried going around.

"Do you know how we bonded?" He asked.

She nodded. "You were going to die and I was out of regular mana so..."

"Wait, you did it on purpose?" He cocked his head to one side; that didn't make any sense. "Why would you do that?"

"I couldn't let you die."

Ethan didn't know what to say. He was truly at a loss for words. He had just met her a couple days ago. What could possibly have made her willing to share something so profoundly intimate as her deep mana?

"Why?" Ethan asked after several seconds. "I don't understand."

"I know you don't, but that's okay," she said. "I got a glimpse of who you really are when we bonded. You really don't think you're anything special, but you're wrong."

"No offense, but you have no idea what I've done," Ethan said, and he could feel the dark cloud creeping over his thoughts again.

"No offense, but you have no idea who you are," she replied. "You're the most amazing man I've ever met."

"I appreciated the compliment, but I'm just a normal guy. I'm not who you think I am."

"Actually you are," Taloni said with absolute conviction. "I thought you felt the same way about me, that's why I let your deep mana... But if you aren't... I mean if you don't want..."

"It's not you Taloni," Ethan said quickly. "You're wonderful, but I live a dangerous life. I have a powerful and deadly lord after me and I don't want to put you in harm's way because you might get hurt..." His mind went to Beth. "Or worse."

"What do you mean?"

"Of the two women I bonded to sine I arrived-" He started to say.

"Wait," Taloni interrupted. "You're bonded to two other women?" she covered her mouth, and tears began to form at the corners of her eyes.

"Only one right now. The other... didn't make it. I'm sorry Taloni, but yes I'm bonded to another woman."

She sniffled and wiped away a tear that was about to fall before speaking. "I didn't think my husband would be... I'm sorry I didn't realize."

"Husband? But we're not married."

"In the Fey language, the word for bonded and the word for spouse are the same word," Taloni said. "To a Fey, there's no difference between bonding and marriage. I think it's the same for the elves."

Ethan nodded, recalling what Alana had said on the topic all those weeks ago. "But where I come from, things are different. I come from a world without magic. Where I come from, people exchange vows to get married. The whole concept of bonding is really new to me."

"You're a dragon and come from a world without magic?" Taloni looked curious despite her obvious emotional pain. "What do you mean?"

Ethan gave Taloni a short version of how he had arrived. "Where I'm from, it's the vows that make a marriage because we don't have bonding."

"So it's like the humans." Taloni said. "I never really understood how you can have a mirage without a bond."

"That's how I grew up. I don't dislike you or anything, but bonding means something different to me."

"Is that why you married - I mean bonded with - two women?" Taloni asked.

"Well, my bond with Alana wasn't quite on purpose either," Ethan admitted, then explained how he and Alana had become bonded.

"I just don't understand," Taloni said. "You obviously cared enough for each other that you both risked your lives to save the other. You shared deep mana, but you won't call yourself married. How can you be bonded but not married?"

"Well, there were no vows,"

"And do vows bind people together more strongly than sharing deep mana?" she countered. "You know they call deep mana the seat of the soul right? You're saying that sharing your soul with someone isn't as binding as vows? How does that even make sense?"

There was something about the simplicity of Taloni's explanation that made an impression on Ethan. Her guileless explanation cut through the complication and made everything seem simpler.

"I guess you're right," he admitted. "That doesn't make sense."

"So we're married then," Taloni asked.

"I mean, maybe? Please remember where I come from. It just wouldn't feel right to me without vows,"

"Oh," Taloni replied. "I guess I kind of understand that. I mean, elves often include vows in their weddings so I suppose it makes sense."

Taloni bit her lip and looked at the ground. Ethan just shook his head and remembered that Alana had once said they were 'semi-married'. How in the world did he end up semi-married to two women?

Again.

"So what now?" Taloni asked still examining the ground.

"I have no idea," Ethan replied. "If I'm married to you, then I'm certainly married to Alana."

"Oh," Taloni said. She didn't look up.

"I'm really sorry Taloni," Ethan said. "I would never hurt you on purpose."

"Do you love her?" Taloni asked.

"Who?"

"Your other wife, I mean your other bonded," Taloni replied.

"Yes, I do."

"And she loves you?" Taloni asked. She glanced up, but then looked down again. Ethan thought he saw her eyes getting watery again.

Ethan took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Yeah, she does."

"Then I shouldn't get in the way," Taloni said. "The Book of Light says that loving someone means doing what's best for them, regardless of what it costs you." she looked Ethan in the eye. "I'm going to do what's best for you, regardless of what it costs me."

"Taloni, I..." Ethan said, but voice caught in his throat as he realized the full implication of her words. It didn't make sense to him; how could she care for him that much after only meeting him a couple days ago?

"It's okay," Taloni sniffled and wiped away the tears that had started forming again at the corners of her eyes. "I'm a slave anyway and my master would never let me go."

"Maybe I could buy your freedom?" he offered.

"I want that more than anything," Taloni said. "But I doubt you have the gold. Certainly a dragon wouldn't give up gold for me." Taloni stood up and looked toward the direction she'd come from the first time Ethan saw her.

"Is there anything I can do?" he asked.

She shook her head, then turned and walked out of the ravine. He almost called after her, but didn't know what to say. He could hear her soft sobs, but he couldn't think of anything he could do to fix it.

Ethan flopped to the ground exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally. He could tell the physical exhaustion was because his deep mana was still low. Not dangerously low, but low. He dropped to the ground and let out a huge sigh.

Why did life keep getting more complicated?

* * *

Taloni made it a hundred yards away from the ravine before she dropped to her knees and broke down sobbing. She had never cried so hard in her life.

Not when her parents died.

Not when she'd been sold into slavery to pay their debts.

Never.

Curiously, she wasn't as upset about him being bonded to another woman as she thought she would be. She didn't like it, and would've preferred to be Ethan's only wife. But it didn't truly bother her, not in the way she thought it would. No, the problem was that he was going to leave and she couldn't go with him.

She'd see how jealous the miner's wives were when their eyes wandered. She'd seen the strife it caused and she couldn't do that to Ethan. She couldn't ruin his marriage like that. Besides, what woman would even think of sharing Ethan with a slave like her?

She had to let him go.

She didn't want to and she hated the idea, but what choice was there? She'd seen just how jealousy could poison a couple - both husband and wife - and she couldn't do that to him.

She cried for quite a while.

Eventually she was cried out, and the early morning light of the sun brought her back to her senses. Thaltien would be furious if something happened at the mine and she wasn't there. The day shift had been working for a few hours now and it wasn't likely, but still. She took a few seconds to make herself presentable, then ran back to the mine as fast as her legs would carry her.

* * *

Beth was ready to scream in frustration.

She couldn't think of anything that would remove the dark halo from Ethan's head. Nothing. Not a single thing. Not one scrap of information she'd read in all of the books she'd devoured in her life helped at all. Gabriella wasn't any better. No matter how much she pleaded for help, the luminous woman would simply smile and say that Beth had to figure it out herself.

She would've thrown something if she could pick up anything to throw.

The purple hues of the astral plane were also starting to grate on her. Everything was the same thrice-damned purple color. Well, everything except the dark halo and Gabriella. She was laying down on her back apparently asleep. She wore white robes, had blond hair, and perfectly flawless fair skin with a touch of rosy pink in the cheeks. Plus she refused to help her save Ethan.

"Bitch," she thought, glad that at least her thoughts were her own.

"It's not polite to call people names Beth," Gabriella said without opening her eyes.

Shame and embarrassment flooded Beth's mind as her cheeks got hot. She imagined they would've gotten red too if she wasn't on the astral plane and its damned purple colors.

"I'm not mad," Gabriella clarified sitting up. "You are still very young, and teenage girls often have issues controlling their emotions. However, please try to remain calm. I promise you'll solve this much faster if you are calm."

"I'm sorry," Beth said after a minute. "I'm really trying to be awful, I'm just so frustrated. I want to help Ethan and I just don't know how to!" She groaned in frustration.

"Actually, you already know everything you need to know, and I've shown you everything you need to see. You just need to put the right pieces together."

"Really?"

Gabriella nodded. "Remember, I said my responses were limited, you just needed to ask the right questions?"

Beth nodded. "And when I asked what the right question was, you said that was the right question."

She nodded. "You can do this Beth, you just need to ask the right questions. You've been asking questions your whole life."

As she thought about it, Beth realized that she hadn't really been asking questions. She'd been trying to remember everything she knew about enchanting, but what if that wasn't the answer? What if the answer was to focus on what she knew, rather than what she might not know?

She looked at the dark halo again.

It had long since become solid. It's 'color' - if you could call it that - was the absence of color. It was black as midnight in a moonless sky or the depths of a great pit.

What did she know about it?

She knew it suppressed Ethan's positive thoughts and fed him negative thoughts. She knew it was an enchantment, and that Saidow's minions at least had a hand in creating it. She knew it grew stronger over time

What else?

As she stared at it, she tried to remember what else she had seen that was similar. Only two things came to mind: the strange creature in the room right after she'd died, and the tendril that had stopped her from floating into the light.

The tendril...

Now that she was thinking about it, the dark halo and the tendril did look remarkably similar. Of course, she hadn't been able to do anything with the tendril either. Her hands couldn't make it budge an inch. The only thing that seemed to affect it was...

"Gabriella, can I borrow your sword?"

The luminous woman stood up and clapped her hands together slowly with a massive grin on her face. "It's not my sword, but yes little one. Yes you may use this sword." She drew it from its scabbard and held it out hilt-first toward Beth.

It was a few inches shy of three feet long and lighter than she had expected. It seemed perfectly weighted for use in one hand and the round pommel balanced very nicely for that purpose. It looked very similar to the typical one-handed arming sword that her father's men carried, only the tip was slightly more pointed. Like Gabriella, it retained its normal color even in the Astral Plane.

It also glowed.

Well, not glowed exactly, but it seemed to shine with an inner light that she didn't think anyone or anything in the universe could extinguish. Something about it felt righteous; holy.

There was a moment when the hilt first touched her hands that she felt a slight burning sensation. When she looked at her hand, she saw the dirt had been 'burned' away everywhere the hilt touched it, yet there was no pain. Those parts of her hand were cleaner than she'd ever seen them before. It seemed that nothing could sully the purity of this blade.

"It's name is 'Aharown', which means 'light-bringer' in one of my Lord's favorite languages." Gabriella explained.

"A-har-own," Beth repeated, making sure to get the pronunciation right. "Whose sword is it?"

"I can't tell you."

"Of course not," she rolled her eyes. "Whoever they are, would you thank them for me?"

"No, but you can thank them yourself. In fact, my Lord wishes for you to hold onto that blade until you find its rightful owner."

"Why me?"

"I'm sorry, my responses are limited, you must-"

"-I must ask the right questions; I know." Beth sighed, rolled her eyes, and then turned toward Ethan with the sword in her hands.

Not having much experience with it, she swung it a few times experimentally to get a feel for it. It was light and easy to wield, even for her relatively weak arms. However, she didn't feel like she had enough experience to actually swing it around her husband's head.

He was either sleeping or unconscious and therefore unlikely to move, but she didn't want to chance it. Not with this blade. Instead, she walked up to Ethan's head, and gently prodded the dark halo with the sword's point.

The effect was instantaneous.

The dark halo started "bleeding" darkness. It oozed out like a liquid, but then seemingly turned to vapor and began to "boil" away like water in a pan.

At the same time, a horrible eerie wail came from the dark halo, emanating from the point the blade's tip touched it. The sound seemed to pierce her very soul and filled her with a despairing dread. Beth backed up and tried to cover her ears - which was hard enough while holding the sword - but that did nothing to silence that horrible wail.

"The only way out is through," Gabriella said over the dreadful sound.

Beth screwed up her courage, adjusted her footing so she wouldn't hit Ethan if a thrust over-penetrated, and thrust with all her might.

She missed.

Only by a hair, but she missed. The sword went flying out of her hand due to her over-powered thrust, which was also probably what made her miss. Feeling a little silly, she retrieved the sword - noticing it still didn't have a speck of dirt or dust on it despite its fall - and got back in position to try again.

This time, her aim was true.

The blade sliced through the dark halo like a hot knife through butter. The eerie wail intensified, so she skewered it again, and again, and again. Finally, on her seventh thrust, she made enough wounds to cut it in two.

The dark halo seemed to melt and slowly burn away, like water boiling out of a pan. It writhed and convulsed as it did so, but it began to fade nevertheless. The sound slowly subsided as it finished boiling away. However, the vein-like tendrils that were attached to Ethan's head were still there.

"Well done Beth," Gabriella said wrapping her in a hug while carefully avoiding the blade. "My Lord is very pleased with you."

When their hug broke, Beth asked "But what about those?" indicating the vein-like tendrils that had crept over Ethan's face, neck, and upper shoulders.