Love Can Conquer All, Even A Dragon!

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Parker92
Parker92
16 Followers

After the deer had been roasting for a while, the young woman cut a few small strips of meat off of it, and then went over and sat down on a blanket next to the river. It was a peaceful late afternoon, and she seemed to be enjoying the serenity of the gently flowing river. When she finished her meal, she took off her shoes and dipped her feet in the stream as if testing the water. Then she started to undress and Paragon glanced away until he heard a loud splash and thought she might have fallen in the river. Much to his surprise, she was just splashing about playfully as though she didn't have a care in the world. As he watched her frolic, it made him think back to a time when he used to swim in the lake where he grew up. Unlike the other Fire Dragons in his clan, he loved the water and would not stop swimming and playing in it even though they teased him mercilessly. Some of the meaner dragons called him 'half-breed', implying that one of his parents was a Water Dragon, a forbidden mixing of two dragon species. Of course it wasn't true, but it made him feel like an outsider, and it was hard being misunderstood. Over time he learned to ignore the other dragons, and he found his own path to happiness.

Seeing the young woman playing in the river by herself made him wonder if she was an outsider too. He didn't know all the rules of human society, but he was pretty sure females didn't normally bathe out in the open, or go hunting on their own. Whatever her story, she seemed to be enjoying the water, and he liked watching her.

When the sun started to set, the young woman made her way over to the edge of the riverbank and emerged from the water. Paragon knew he should look away since she was no longer concealed by water, but he had never seen a naked woman before and she fascinated him. He couldn't help but notice how her gentle curves glistened in the fading light as she slowly dried off with a piece of cloth. When she was done with that, she went over to warm herself by the fire. The flickering glow of the flames seemed to enhance her alluring form, and he looked on, mesmerized by her. When he realized his fascination was turning into something more, he shifted his attention to the deer and tried not to look at her. It was one thing to revere a thing for its beauty, or out of wonder, but anything more was strictly forbidden. If a dragon was ever caught fraternizing with another creature it would result in eternal banishment from the clan.

Out of the corner his eye he noticed the young woman was rubbing lilac blossoms on her body. It seemed like an odd ritual to him, but he thought the scent from the flowers might help keep the last few mosquitoes away. When she done doing that, she finally put her clothes on and then laid down on her blanket.

Once he thought she was asleep, he took to the air and circled the river a few times to make sure there were no other humans in the area. Then he landed in a small clearing next to her camp and slowly approached. Despite being nearly twice her size, he could walk without making a sound. When he was within a tails length of her blanket, he gazed at her under the pale moonlight. Her delicate features were unmistakable, and he was certain it was the girl from Durban, transformed by time into a pretty woman. With his curiosity satisfied, he grabbed the deer off of the roasting stick, and pulled a small piece of meat off to leave behind. Then he gently flapped his wings until he was back in the air, before heading home. He felt a little guilty about taking most of the meat from her, but after watching over her all day, he felt like he had earned it. Not only that, but watching it cook and having to smell the delicious aroma had made him so hungry, that there was no way he could resist it any longer.

Once he was back in his cave, he set the deer down and started devouring it. Whatever seasoning she had put on it made the meat so juicy and flavorful that he ate the entire thing, bones and all, in one sitting. It was the best tasting deer meat he had ever had, and his only regret was there wasn't more of it. He licked his talons several times to get the last bits of the flavor off his claws, before curling up by the hot spring. Then he closed his eyes and went to sleep.

The next morning he took his time getting up since he had gone to bed so late the night before. After a quick dip in his hot spring, he went over to the large flat limestone outcrop that was just above his cave to bask in the sun. As he gazed out over Windstone Valley, he started thinking about the young woman. Why she had such an effect on him he could not explain, but when he tried to block her out of his thoughts, it made him feel restless. It was as if he was drawn to her for some unknown reason. Even though she seemed perfectly capable on her own, he kept worrying about her and wanted to make sure she was okay. After debating if he should go back to her camp, he decided that he should, otherwise the not knowing would bother him all day long.

When he arrived at her camp, he was surprised to see that she had already packed up and left. He knew that humans could only travel twenty miles a day on foot, so he circled the area near the river in hopes of finding her. As he slowly expanded his search, he felt a mixture of sadness and concern replace the thrill that he would see her again. She seemed to have vanished without a trace.

After scouring the forest and meadows from the air repeatedly, he began to wonder if he had dreamed her up. It wouldn't have been the first time that he had had a vision so realistic that later on he could hardly discern it from reality. The longer he went without seeing her, the more convinced he became that she was just a figment of his imagination. A life-like fantasy conjured up by his mind to quell his boredom and loneliness. As the realization sunk in that she was little more than an echo from his past settled in, he felt an emptiness inside. It was the same feeling he had right after Silverwing was taken from him, and he hated it. All he wanted was to see the young woman one more time, just to know that she was alright, and not a product of his imagination.

As he flew aimlessly back-and-forth across the valley, the sun disappeared behind a wall of dark clouds and the temperature started to drop. Before long it started to snow, and he decided it was time to stop pursuing a ghost. If she really was out there somewhere, fate had hid her from him, and he doubted he would ever see her again. Even though he wanted her to be real, the thought of her being trapped out in a snowstorm made him hope that she wasn't.

Once he got back to his cave, he shook from head to tail to dislodge the frozen precipitate from his scales. The snow was an unwelcome friend, and he wasted no time getting into his hot spring to warm up. As he basked in the soothing water, he caught a faint whiff of lilac in the air, and wondered why his mind was still playing tricks on him. He knew the flowers only grew down in the valley, and despite his keen sense of smell, there was no way it could be real. The deceitful nature of his imagination made him wonder if he was getting sick, or had eaten something that was making him hallucinate. Whatever it was, he got out of the water and curled up in his favorite sleeping spot hoping that some rest might clear his mind. No sooner than he closed his eyes, he caught another whiff of lilac that was far stronger than the one before and he knew it couldn't be a figment of his imagination. Puzzled as to why he could smell lilac so far from where it grew, he got up and headed towards the entrance to his cave to try and trace the source of the odor. When he glanced out of the opening, his heart skipped a beat when he saw the young woman appear out of the blinding snow.

"Would it be okay if I came inside for a moment?" she asked as she looked at him in awe.

"Sure," Paragon replied as he felt his heart pounding from the shock of seeing her at his cave.

"My name is Aurora, do you remember me?" she said as she shook the snow out of her long flowing hair.

"I do... you're the girl from Durban."

"Whew, I was a little worried you might not remember me, and then I wasn't sure what would happen next," Aurora remarked.

"How did you find me?" Paragon asked, trying not to sound rude.

"When you came into my camp last night, I saw you fly towards this peak and I followed you," Aurora replied. Paragon could tell by the tender look in her eyes that she was not there to try and harm him, but that was the only reason anyone else had ever come to his cave.

"Please don't take this the wrong way, but why have you come here?" he asked.

"I wanted to meet you and thank you for saving my life," Aurora replied with a warm smile.

"That was a long time ago... there really was no need for you to come all this way just to do that," Paragon replied as he tried to understand the reason for her visit.

"Perhaps not, but I also wanted to know the name of the dragon who changed my life," Aurora said as she looked at him with awe.

"My name is Paragon, and I am flattered by your sentiment, but I don't understand why you are not afraid of me when every other human is?"

"Because I trust you, and I know you will not hurt me," Aurora replied.

"Have you had a vision, or are you seer?" Paragon asked, wondering how she knew he felt protective of her.

"I'm not a witch, and I don't practice the dark arts, if that's what you are worried about."

"No, I didn't think so, but humans don't usually come looking for dragons so they can thank them, or tell them how much they trust them," Paragon remarked with a smirk.

"That's probably true, but I am not led by my fears, and I trust you because you spared my life even when your heart was filled with rage. If you didn't harm me back then, I see no reason to be afraid of you now," Aurora replied.

"You are very perceptive, but other dragons would not have welcomed you into their den as I have," Paragon warned.

"Luckily, you are not like other dragons," Aurora insisted.

"And I suspect that you are not like other humans," Paragon remarked, as he looked her over for a moment.

"That's because I follow what I feel in my heart, and it led me to you," Aurora admitted.

"If you saw me last night, then you must know that I took your deer," Paragon said as he looked down for a moment.

"I wasn't sure if you would show yourself if you saw me, so I cooked the deer hoping it would lure you in. I hope you are not upset with me, but I had to see you."

"I know you are thankful that I spared your life when I attacked Durban, but why aren't you angry that I destroyed your town, or killed your kin?" Paragon asked.

"Durban was a godless, soulless place filled with every manner of degenerate. Most of the people who lived there preyed upon unsuspecting travelers along the coast. They robbed and killed my parents, and then took me as a slave when I was only eight years old. The men who owned me treated me like an animal, and then threatened to do worse if I ever tried to escape. The day I saw you swoop down out of the sky, I knew my prayers were answered. Your flames cleansed the town, and freed me from my captors," Aurora said with a look of gratitude.

"I am sorry you lost your parents and had to suffer at the hands of others, but I only came to Durban to avenge my mate," Paragon insisted.

"That might be, but what I prayed for also came true... is it not possible that what seemed like an act of vengeance might have been something more?" Aurora asked.

"I am not sure what you mean?"

"Your attack may have seemed indiscriminate, but the only lives that were lost that day were not worth saving. When the dead were gathered up and buried, it was clear that your wrath only struck down the men who were evil," Aurora insisted.

"It might have seemed that way to a little girl, but surely innocent lives were also lost in the wake of my destruction," Paragon remarked as he thought about the severity of his attack.

"I can assure you that those who perished were not going to escape the flames of justice for long. The few who did survive where not like the others. They were kind folk that were just too poor to leave Durban when the filth took it over. If you still don't think that your attack was ordained, then consider this next part of my story. My captors never left me alone at any time during the two years they enslaved me, except for the day you attacked. For whatever reason, they trusted me to stay put while they went into the heart of the town to satisfy their lust. The moment they left me I sat on the floor holding my dragon doll, and guess what I prayed for as I stared out the window?"

"I don't know," Paragon replied.

"I prayed they would never return, and shortly after that I saw flames come down from the sky and engulf the town," Aurora said with a look of vengeance in her light blue eyes.

"It is a remarkable story, and I am glad that innocent lives were not lost, but it does not explain everything that happened that day," Paragon replied.

"Perhaps not, but you cannot claim all those events were just coincidence," Aurora insisted.

"No, I don't believe they were, but you left something out," Paragon remarked.

"What?" Aurora asked.

"It is true that I spared your life during the attack, but you were not afraid of me even before that. I saw the expression on your face as I was about to unleash my fire on the street where you stood, and there wasn't a shred of fear in your eyes. How did you know that I wouldn't kill you in that instant?" Paragon questioned.

"I feel like I've known you my whole life even though this is the first time we have ever spoken. Even so, it is hard for me to reveal what I feel deep down inside because it is so personal and I have never shared my feelings with anyone before," Aurora admitted in a nervous tone, unsure how he would react to her reluctance to divulge the truth.

"Now I am more curious than ever, but I also understand holding back. It is not always prudent to reveal too much until you know where you stand," Paragon remarked.

"Thank you for being so understanding. I have wanted to see you for so long, that now that I am finally here, it's a little overwhelming," Aurora admitted.

"Is there anything I can do to make you feel more comfortable?" Paragon asked.

"You could invite me to stay, and show me around your den so I can learn more about you," Aurora suggested.

"You can stay until the storm passes, but after that, you should probably go," Paragon insisted, without explaining the reason for his concern.

"I'm sorry, am I intruding?" Aurora asked with look of disappointment in her eyes.

"No, but I don't think your kin would approve of you being here. The last thing I want is for you to be dishonored or cast out if you are seen with me," Paragon replied.

"I am already an outcast, and I honestly don't give a damn what others think about me," Aurora remarked.

"There is no doubt about your fortitude, but dragons and humans have had a contentious relationship for many years. I don't want any of that animosity to come back upon you."

"Does that mean that you and I cannot be friends?" Aurora asked.

"No, I just want to make sure you understand the risks if you choose to stay," Paragon admitted.

"Have other people come here?" Aurora asked, as she tried to understand the root of his concern.

"Yes. Trophy hunters and men of conquest are always looking for a trophy to hang on their wall. Luckily, I am not that easy to kill," Paragon replied as he bared his teeth for a few seconds.

"Did you kill them?"

"Two of them lost their nerve and left unharmed, a third man stuck me with a spear and I killed him," Paragon remarked as he pointed to a damaged scale near his front leg.

"Will it heal?" Aurora asked with a look of concern.

"When I shed in the spring the damaged scales will be replaced with new ones," Paragon replied.

"Where would you like me to put my things?" Aurora asked, clearly intent on staying with him.

"I normally sleep down near the hot spring towards the back of the cave to stay warm. You can bed-down over there, or make yourself at home in one of the smaller side caves if you prefer."

"Thank you, I promise I will stay out of your way, and I don't want you to do anything different just because I am here," Aurora insisted as she carried her belongings into one of the natural alcoves that was close to the water.

"If you want to warm up in the spring before bed, feel free, just let me know and I'll give you your privacy," Paragon offered since she was staying in his den.

"Is the water very hot?" she asked as she looked over at the steam rising off the water.

"The shallows are warm and the deeper pools are hot. If you swim around a bit, you should be able to find a comfortable area," Paragon suggested.

"That sounds nice, I think I'll take a quick dip before I go to bed," Aurora replied.

"I'm going to look out at the storm and see if it's still snowing," Paragon replied as he turned to leave.

"You don't have go," Aurora replied as she started to undress. Paragon glanced over at her for a moment as if debating her offer, and then continued on. He actually wanted to join her, but he was conflicted about what he felt. She was mysterious and carefree, but she stirred his instincts, and that made him a little uneasy. It wasn't like he couldn't control himself, but he was ashamed of his feelings, and he knew it was forbidden to look at her with even a hint of desire. After all, he was a dragon and she was a human, a very pretty one, but a human none-the-less.

After cooling off near the entrance to his cave, the sound of splashing subsided, and he headed back down towards the hot spring. When he passed by the alcove that Aurora was staying in, he saw that she was relaxing on her blanket, but she wasn't wearing any clothes.

"I'm sorry, I thought you were dressed," he replied as he quickly went over to his sleeping spot and laid down.

"Are you going to bed?" she asked as she peeked out at him.

"Yes, I spent all day looking for you, and I'm very tired," he replied.

"What did you say?" she asked, surprised by his statement.

"I spent the day looking for game, and I'm very tired," he said as he quickly curled his tail around his body and closed his eyes. She could tell by his reaction that she had heard him correctly the first time and it made her smile. She knew he cared about her, and even if he didn't know it or wasn't ready to admit it, they were connected to each other in some way.

"Goodnight Paragon. Thank you for letting me stay with you," Aurora said in a kind voice.

"You're welcome," Paragon replied as he peeked over at her for a moment, only to have his gaze met by hers. He wasn't sure why she liked him so much, but she looked happy, and he no longer felt empty inside.

When Paragon woke up the next morning, his underside felt unusually warm and he uncurled his tail to see what was wrong. Much to his surprise, Aurora was nestled up against him with her head resting between his front legs and her feet against his midsection. She looked so peaceful resting next to him that he couldn't help but feel protective of her, and he carefully curled his tail back around her. As he gazed at her, he couldn't help but wonder why fate had brought them together when nature had cast them so far apart. If she had been a Fire Dragon it would have all made perfect sense and he could have pursued what he felt. Since she was not, he would look after her and be her friend since they both seemed to enjoy each others company.

"How did you sleep?" Paragon asked when her light blue eyes looked up at him.

"Very well, you are surprisingly comfortable."

"Was the cave floor too hard for you to sleep on?" he asked.

Parker92
Parker92
16 Followers