A Dragon's Tale Ch. 09

"It's not wise to perform surgery with a sword; you might do more harm than good. Besides, with the source gone they will dry up and shrivel over the next few days, gradually taking their influence with them. Congratulations Beth; you just saved your husband's life."

"So he'll be okay?"

She nodded. "He will. The weakened effects will linger for a day or two and gradually fade. Soon, he'll be right as rain."

"But what about the gold cube?" Beth asked. "It was enchanted, so couldn't he simply get cursed again?"

"Can a trap be sprung twice without someone to reset it?" Gabriella countered. "No, the cube is harmless now as its curse is already spent. Otherwise, anyone else who touched it would be affected. Now here, you'll want this."

Gabriella unbuckled the sword belt with attached scabbard from her waist and offered them to Beth. She took them, sheathed Aharown, then buckled the belt on herself. For some reason, she felt the weight comforting.

"So what do I do now?"

"I'm glad you asked." The luminous woman smiled. "I'll tell you when we get there, but first we have a lot of walking to do." She glanced in the direction of Arcanum.

Beth felt her shoulders slump.

"If it helps, we're on the way to save your husband's life again," Gabriella said with an apologetic look

Beth sighed, then nodded. "Okay; lead on."

As they started walking, Beth couldn't help looking back at Ethan. She missed him so much, and couldn't believe how much considering the short time they'd known each other. As she looked around the vast, monotonous violet landscape, another thought popped into her head.

She never wanted to see the color purple again as long as she lived.

* * *

Taloni had an awful day.

It was long, slow, uneventful, and dragged on forever. She had nothing to distract her from how she was feeling. The only thing that gave a moment's respite was dodging Prayla. She didn't want to talk to her and especially didn't want to hear the "I told you so" Speech.

The only thing she really wanted to do was see Ethan. It made no sense and she knew it. There was no good reason she should want to see him, not after the pain their relationship - or more accurately the lack thereof - was causing her. But she did want to see him again. She spent most of the day sorting through her feelings and trying not to cry.

It was a truly miserable day.

He was such a good man, she'd seen it when they bonded. She missed him already, though she wasn't entirely sure why. Because of him, her heart had shattered into a million pieces... and yet all she could think about was spending a little more time with him. It was stupid and she hated how she felt, but she couldn't hate him.

The worst part of the day came right after lunch, when Taloni remembered that Ethan was only okay because she'd been around to help him collect mana. She wasn't sure how it worked, but she knew she needed to be near Ethan for it to happen.

On the positive side, she had a good reason to go see him again.

On the negative side, she had a good reason to go see him again.

She fought with herself all afternoon, but eventually decided that he needed her. He might die without her, so she would be there. After dinner, she snuck out of the camp. She paused a moment to roll her eyes at how comically bad the camp's security was. If she intended harm, she'd have no trouble sneaking in and wreaking havok.

Twenty minutes later, she peaked her head over the boulder looking into the ravine. Ethan was a laying asleep near the stream. The moment she saw him, she felt better. She didn't know if it was because of their bond, or just because she liked him. She did know that despite the pain he'd caused, it just felt better to be near him.

She snuck down the ravine's shallow sides and gently touched his side to check his health. His deep mana was a little low, but certainly not dangerously low. Taloni laid down on the soft earth a few feet away from him. She could hear him breathing as she lay on her back looking up at the beautiful reds, oranges and purples of the clouds at sunset.

Even with all the emotional turmoil and pain, Taloni definitely felt better being near Ethan.

She saw movement out of the corner of her eye and looked just in time to see a pale face with large eyes and black hair disappear into the stream without a trace or ripple. She dismissed it as a trick of her mind, or maybe the light, and went back to stargazing.

As she lay there, she thought about Ethan and the fact that he was in love with - and bonded to - another woman. She knew Illuminar's Book of Light allowed men to take multiple wives, but that practice had long since died out among the Fey. A few Fey men still did, but they were rare and somewhat shunned by most of Fey society.

It was sad to admit, but she would rather be around Ethan while he was married and bonded to another woman than be away from him.

She hated that.

But it's what she wanted.

She just wanted to be around Ethan. That was her last thought before she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Hailey paced the weather deck of the Argo, having just enjoyed a beautiful sunset. The sky was currently the indigo and navy colors of twilight as she marveled at her luck. A few days ago, her life had been a bleak, barren desert devoid of hope. Now, she was on an airship with some good people and they might even be able to get her home.

The only thing that bothered her was her former owner. More specifically, the fact that he was still breathing. He was still walking around this world and almost certainly inflicting the same misery he'd rained down on her to the rest of his slaves. Well, the women got the worst of it.

Hailey had the sudden urge to shower, then remembered there weren't any showers on this God-forsaken world.

What she wouldn't give for five minutes alone in a room with him tied to a chair and her holding a knife. Hailey put the thought out of her mind. They were too far from Arcanum for her to walk and they had no reason to go back. She felt a pang of regret that the bastard wouldn't get his comeuppance.

If only...

Despite the impossibility, she found herself dwelling on that scenario. She was still dwelling on it a few minutes later when Alana and Rachel returned from their mysterious errand that kept them occupied for the whole day.

"Well?" Hailey asked as Alana's chocolate brown hair appeared at the top of the Argo's rope ladder.

"We found him," Alana beamed.

Her smiled couldn't have been wider if she been appointed the queen of the universe. Just behind her, Rachel's flame colored hair appeared as she too climbed onto the weather deck.

"We have directions and he's not far. But with the wind is contrary it'll take until dawn to get there," Rachel said.

"So, are you going to read Ethan the riot act when you find him?" Hailey asked Alana.

They stared at her blankly.

"I meant are you mad and going to yell at him?" Hailey said, wishing for the billionth time that people here understood Earth's idioms.

"I don't know what I'll do," Alana replied, though Hailey could see she was very frustrated. "I can't decide if I want to kiss him or kill him."

"Been there, done that," Hailey replied, then added with a wink. "You could always do both."

Alana laughed. "Yeah, I'd rather not take up necromancy."

"Is that really a thing?" Hailey asked. "I've heard of it, but it seems like a bogyman story."

"Who's the bogyman?" Alana asked.

"He's a mythical bad guy from my home," Hailey replied with a sigh.

"Oh," Alana said. "To answer your question, yes necromancers exist."

"Their magic does nasty stuff to the user though," Rachel added.

"Like what?" Hailey asked.

"Well, necromancers don't collect magic the same way everyone else does," Rachel answered. "We all collect what's left behind by living creatures. Necromancers collect mana that's left behind when something dies."

"I'm not sure I follow," Hailey replied.

"When a living creature dies, all the mana it held is released," Rachel said. "However, the charge is reversed when the creature dies. As a result, it leaves behind negatively charged mana. By contrast, the mana left behind by living creatures is positively charged."

"Negatively charged mana isn't good for you at all," Alana said. "It has a bunch of nasty side effects and just kills your health."

"If it's so bad for you, why use it?" Hailey asked.

"Its easy access to a lot of power," Rachel replied. "I've heard you can completely fill your mana in seconds just by killing a small animal. Plus, only negatively charged magic can reanimate a dead body. Positively charged magic just can't do it."

Hailey put on her best Emperor Palpatine impression and said. "The dark side of the force is a pathway to many abilities, some considered to be unnatural."

Alana and Rachel stared.

"It's from a movie on my world," Hailey explained.

"What's a- Nevermind," Alana said. "Your world sounds like a really strange place."

"To me, it's normal and this place is strange; but point taken," Hailey replied, then sighed. She really did miss her home, and especially the people - well, person - that made it home.

"Don't worry, we'll get you back there," Alana said.

"Thank you," Hailey repleid, and she meant it. "At least you found Ethan right? You'll get to see him again, so that's good."

"I'll do a lot more than that when I find him," Alana said, then stalked off towards the quarterdeck.

Raklan saw her coming and got out of her way quickly. Hailey suppressed a laugh; it was funny to see a 100 pound wood elf scare the 250+ pound muscle-bound Raklan out of the way.

Hailey was glad she wasn't Ethan.

She looked out towards Arcanum one last time before going below deck to sleep. Somewhere out there, her former owner was probably torturing some poor girl after his loss in The Arena. Hailey shuddered and wished she could find a hot shower. After several seconds of hate-filled longing, she went below decks to sleep.

Her dreams were filled with images of revenge.

* * *

"ETHAN!"

Ethan started awake at the sound of his name being shouted. He was still in the ravine and felt much better, other than being startled awake. It was before sunrise, though it was definitely quite bright. Nearby, Taloni seemed to have been started awake also. He looked around for the source of the voice and his jaw dropped.

Alana was nearly finished climbing down a rope ladder that was attached to the Argo. She had found him? How had she found him?

Why had she found him?

"Ethan!" Alana said as she dropped the last few feet to land at the bottom of the ravine a mere twenty feet from him.

She was furious.

Her cheeks were red, her hands were curled up into fists, and you could probably boil an egg on her forehead. Her hair looked slightly wild and there was a primal intensity about her that he had only seen once before: when she yelled at Drousin. Alana marched right up to him and poked him hard in the chest.

"You owe me an explanation," She hissed. Her face was a mask of barely controlled fury.

"Well, I wanted-" Ethan started to say, but was interrupted by Alana slapping him across the face.

"That's for leaving," Alana said.

She stared pure murder at him for several seconds, then threw her arms around him and gave him the best - and tightest - hug of his life. After several seconds, she snuggled closer and gave him a little extra squeeze.

"I was so worried about you," She said, and her voice cracked a little bit. Ethan thought he heard a sniffle and possibly smelled some tears.

"I'm okay," he said.

Instantly, Alana broke their hug and slapped him across the face again. Hard.

"Ow, What was that-" hestarted to say, the irate wood elf cut him off.

"Oh no you don't," She said, and her voice was shaking. "You don't talk, you listen. Got it?"

He nodded.

"What in Illuminar's name gives you the right to treat me so disrespectfully?!" She half shouted.

"What?" Ethan was confused. "I didn't-"

"Oh yes you did," she cut him off again. "You left because you were worried about my safety if I stayed around you right?"

"Well, yeah, I-" Ethan started to say.

Alana slapped him again. He beat a hasty retreat, but she didn't give up that easily.

"Am I some child that you can treat that way?!" she half shouted again. "Am I so incapable of making my own decisions that I need you to make them for me?!"

"I just thought-" he started to say.

"No you didn't," her voice got quiet; deadly. "You didn't give one second's consideration to what I wanted. You decided that you knew what was best for me and made the decision for me unilaterally without even talking to me. You didn't even ask me what I wanted, and when I tried to say you literally jumped out of a window to avoid me."

Ethan hung his head.

"Is your opinion of me so low that you think I can't make decisions for myself?" She asked in that same quiet and deadly tone.

"No,"

"What gives you the right to run my life?" Alana asked. "What gives you the right to decide who I spend time with and who I should avoid?!"

Ethan opened his mouth, but closed it again. He didn't know what to say.

"I'm a grown woman," Alana said, and she was back to half shouting. "I can take care of myself and you have ZERO right to make my decisions for me. If I decide to march right into Lord Delmar's castle and turn myself it, I can. There's not a damn thing you can do about it."

Ethan opened his mouth to protest, but Alana didn't let him get a word out.

"No you don't," Alana said. "It's my life and I'll spend it how I choose. If you don't want to be around me because you don't like me, that's your decision. But don't you dare," She poked him in the chest again. "Don't you ever dare even THINK of deciding who I will or won't spend my life with."

"Okay," he said as he looked her in the eye. Damn if she wasn't beautiful when she was angry.

"I know being around you comes with risks," she said more softly. "But I decided to take those risks. That was my decision. That's what I chose."

Ethan nodded.

"I can put up with the danger, the running, and the heartbreak, but I cannot - and I will not - put up with you treating me like a child. Are we clear?"

"I'm sorry Alana," he nodded again. "You're right. I didn't realize what I was doing and I didn't mean to treat you that way. I promise in the future I'll do better. Will you please forgive me?"

"Of course I will you idiot," Alana said, then her face softened. "I meant it when I said I love you. I'll always forgive you."

"Thank you,"

Alana smiled, walked up to him and put her face close enough that he couldn't look away without being rude.

"You're welcome," She said, then wrapped him in another hug.

He had missed her.

God he had missed her.

Having her there next to him again felt like all was right with the world. He breathed in her scent and it smelled heavenly to him. She smelled like the forest after a spring rain mixed with a hint of lilac. He was absolutely convinced that there wasn't a more perfect woman for him in the whole universe,

The moment of perfect, incandescent happiness was interrupted when Ethan noticed Taloni standing there with her mouth agape.

"Um," Ethan cleared his throat. "You should probably meet someone."

"Who?" Alana asked, then didn't so much pull out of the hug as roll to the side with her arms still around him so she could see.

"This is Taloni," Ethan indicated the diminutive Fey. "She saved my life."

Alana dropped her arms from around Ethan and swept Taloni up in a huge hug, which was funny to see because the Fey was actually an inch or two taller than the wood elf.

"Thank you," Alana said. Taloni looked unsure of herself, but awkwardly returned Alana's hug anyway. Despite her awkwardness, Taloni looked pleased with the genuine affection from the wood elf.

Ethan took a deep breath. "Um, you should probably know how she saved my life too."

"Oh?" Alana ended the hug and eyed him suspiciously.

Ethan told her about leaving and getting attacked by the other dragon who was nearly twice his size. He then told her he was forced to give up the gold in his gullet.

"Wait, you survived four days without gold?'' Alana asked. "But you seem fine now... Which means you had..." Alana looked at Ethan, then Taloni with realization dawning on her face. "Oh no, you didn't."

"In my defense, I was unconscious at the time," he replied.

"Dragon shit," Alana said, though she sounded much calmer that Ethan expected. "There's no possible way you could bond while unconscious."

"Um," Taloni said.

"Yes?" Alana turned to Taloni.

Taloni said something, but she was so quiet he didn't hear what it was. Her shoulders were hunched over and she was looking at the ground. She seemed like she was trying to look as small as possible.

"You need to speak up." Alana said

"He was unconscious," Taloni said.

Alana looked back and forth between them several times. "You're kidding me."

Ethan shook his head.

"You bonded with someone in your sleep?" her jaw dropped. Ethan opened his mouth to reply, but Taloni beat him to it.

"He was dying," The Fey girl said. "He was so depleted of deep mana that he lost consciousness. I couldn't just let him die."

Alana sighed, then looked at Ethan with a dopey grin. "Yeah, I know exactly what you mean."

Alana looked at Ethan, then tapped the side of her head with her finger. Ethan concentrated on the fortress he'd erected inside his mind and imagined a small door for Alana's voice to get it.

*Why in Illuminar's name aren't I getting mad about this?* Alana asked telepathically.

*Come again? You sounded pretty mad.* Ethan replied.

*You bonded with another woman, and I'm a little upset but...* Alana replied. *It should make me furious. I hated it when you bonded with Beth, but for some reason it just doesn't bother me anymore."

*It doesn't?* he cocked his head to the side

Alana shook her head. *I don't exactly love it, but I'm not mad. My head isn't a fan, but my heart doesn't seem to mind.*

He just stared at her.

*I'm serious,* Alana said telepathically. *It felt horrible after you married Beth, but now...*

Alana looked at Taloni. Ethan wasn't sure, but he thought he felt a tiny hint of arousal coming from the wood elf.

*I just felt something really strange over our bond...* he said telepathically.

Alana went slightly pink. *I'm not attracted to her and I have no interest in women if that's what you thought. It's just...*

*Just what?* Ethan asked.

Alana's cheek got even redder. *I'd rather not talk about it.*

"Please say something," Taloni asked.

Alana turned to Taloni and put a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you so much for saving him. I'm in your debt."

It was slightly odd to see the smaller Alana comfort Taloni who was a couple inches taller. Neither of them were very large of course, but the contrast was funny.

Ethan breathed a huge sigh of relief.

*What?* Alana asked telepathically.

*I thought you were going to be furious about me bonding with her.*

Alana looked at Taloni and smiled. *I can't be. She saved your life and anyone who'd share their deep mana with someone they just met to save their life can't be that bad.*

"So, I guess you'll be leaving soon?" Taloni asked. She kept glancing up at the airship.

"Not yet," Ethan replied. "I have a Fey to rescue first."

Taloni looked confused.

"You saved my life," Ethan said. "The least I could do is free you."

Taloni's big eyes got even larger. "You can't be serious?"

Ethan looked at Alana and raised his eyebrows, or what would've been an eyebrow if he was still human.