A Dragon’s Tale

Alana led him around the mountain far enough that they would be out of sight unless Ethan flew quite high.  Once there, Ethan turned his disguise gem off and started trying to fly. 

It was actually quite funny to watch for the first hour or so.  He could get into the air, but it took him quite a while for him to figure out how to stay there.  Then it took him a few more hours to control where he was going while he was airborne. 

Alana spent most of the afternoon meditating to restore her mana. 

After her initial giggles at his cursing when he didn’t quite achieve his lofty ambitions, Alana found her mind occasionally drifting back to her brief glimpse of Ethan’s... ’equipment’.  She couldn’t bring herself to consciously consider it, but her mind swung around to the topic time and time again.  After what Uncle Garth had said and then seeing it in person, she couldn’t help but be a little curious. 

She knew it was supposed to get bigger when... 

Nope. Not going there.

She decided to concentrate on refilling her mana and watching his flying. When he managed to get going, he looked beautifully sleek, his wings out and everything else tucked neatly away, including his equipment.

Her mind was once more on that enticing path and her thoughts drifted again to Ethan.  She had definitely felt some arousal through their bond when he went to relieve himself.  She wondered briefly if she was the source of that arousal.  Then she caught herself in the thought and pushed it as far back in her mind as it would go. 

She went back to meditating but found her mind wondering how in the world something that large would fit.  It seemed impossible.  The last straw was when she caught herself imagining how she could get it to fit.  She thought it might be best if she was on top of him like a horse and rider, but she caught that thought and was mortified at where her mind went.  After that, she put the topic completely out of her mind and refused to think about it any longer. 

The sun was getting low when Ethan landed next to her.  It wasn’t a graceful landing, but he didn’t stumble or look unsure at all.  He was smiling so widely she could see all of his teeth.

”I assume it went well?” 

”Oh Alana, it’s amazing! The wind in your face, the ground far below; it’s the most freeing feeling in the world.  You feel like you could go anywhere, do anything.”

”That’s wonderful.”  She said, and his smile was so infectious she couldn’t help but smile too.  Looking at him like this, Alana had to admit that he had a good smile.  It wasn’t like a human’s smile, but it wasn’t much different either.  She could see his sharp teeth and they would be terrifying if he wasn’t...  well, Ethan.

”Do I have something in my teeth?”  Ethan asked. 

”No, no.”  She said a little too quickly.  ”I was just thinking, not staring at those ugly old things.”

Ethan raised an eyebrow. 

Alana decided she was quite tired of him being able to sense her feelings.  Well, two could play at that game.  She looked into that vague, nebulous corner of her mind where she could feel him and found a little ball of wonder, excitement and bliss, topped off with a hint of amusement and curiosity.  He wasn’t on tenterhooks, he was just wondering. 

He dropped onto all fours.  ”Shall we get going?” 

Alana was brought out of her reverie by his question, but she couldn’t help but notice his emotions.  There was anticipation mixed with expectation and some hope. 

”You’re really hoping I’ll like this, aren’t you?” she asked. 

Ethan smiled again and nodded.  ”That bond thing sure can come in handy.”

She bit her lip.  ”I’ve never ridden a dragon before.”

”That’s okay. I’ve never been ridden as a dragon before.”  He laughed. 

Unbidden, the image of her riding him in a completely different context came into her head.  She pushed it out of her mind as fast as possible.

”Okay, how do we do this?” she asked. 

”I figure you should lie on my back with your arms around my neck.”  Ethan said.  ”That should allow you to get a good grip while still allowing me to fly.  Climb on, and don’t forget that weight necklace -- I doubt I’ll be able to get off the ground unless you’re wearing it.”

Alana swallowed hard and put on the necklace.  It was a small thing with a short chain and a small round gemstone in a wooden fitting.  She walked up behind Ethan and felt a little silly at not knowing how to proceed.

”There’s no reason to be nervous. Come on, it’ll be fun.” 

Alana took a deep breath, lay down on Ethan’s back and wrapped her arms around his neck.  Then -- because it seemed like the thing to do -- she hooked her legs around the underside of his tail.  She also made sure to keep her face well clear of the horns protruding from the back of his head.

”Ready?” he asked.

She nodded, although she didn’t really feel ready.  She shut her eyes tightly and braced herself for a fall.  Her breathing was much shallower than normal and she wasn’t far from hyperventilating.

”Alana, look at me.”  He twisted his head as far back as he could.  She could just look into one of his eyes.  Even though they looked like cat’s eyes, they were full of warmth and concern.

”I will never let anything happen to you. Trust me; even if you fall I can catch you with my legs and arms.  But I won’t let you fall.  Do you trust me?”

She hesitated for a moment, and then nodded. 

She relaxed slightly, still worried, but feeling better.  She felt safe with him.  It was strange to realize that she was about to be hundreds of feet up in the air probably traveling towards a trap designed to kill them, but she still somehow felt safe and protected. 

”Let’s go.”

Ethan smiled, and then pushed off the ground with all four legs at once.  The force launched them many feet into the air and then his wings unfurled and gave an almighty flap.  Alana shut her eyes tightly and held on for dear life.  She could feel his wings beating underneath her and his tail waving about.  But she didn’t look. 

A few minutes later, she started to feel calmer.  They hadn’t crashed yet and she was still firmly attached to his back.  The wind was whipping all around her. 

”You can open your eyes now.”  Ethan said loudly so she could hear him over the wind. 

She didn’t.

”Alana, try to feel my emotions through our bond. It might help you relax a little.”

It took a few moments for her to find him in her mind.  He was elated.  His heart was joyous and free and she knew it was from the flying.  There was only a tiny bit of concern, and she knew it was for her. 

”Open your eyes.”  He repeated softly.  Alana decided she wasn’t going to let fear rule her, took a deep breath, and opened one eye. 

It was breathtaking.

The ground was hundreds of feet below and rolling past at a remarkable pace.  She could see the grass of the plains beneath her undulating like waves in the wind.  It was little hard to look ahead because of the wind, but the view was worth it.  She could see the plains disappear over the horizon to the right and left.  In front of her, she could see her forest.  It was a large green island in a tan sea. 

The sun was ready to dip below the horizon and from this angle, the low-hanging clouds looked like a mosaic of reds, oranges, and purples she’d never imagined. 

”Glad you like it.”  Ethan said.

Alana kept her eyes open for the rest of the trip, only closing them occasionally because of the wind.  It took only an hour for Ethan to arrive at the clearing that had been her home, and then he spiraled slowly down, on the lookout in case Hermair had left soldiers there.  Fortunately, neither of them saw anything that gave cause for alarm.

Alana closed her eyes as Ethan flared his wings to land -- not because she was scared -- but because she didn’t want to look at the remains of her home.  The landing was a little rough, but she managed to stay attached until his wings folded back and then she slid off his back, landing on her knees because he was so close to the ground when on all fours. 

Alana took a deep breath and then opened her eyes. 

She was glad she was on her knees, because she didn’t think she could have remained standing up on seeing the destruction.  The entire glade had been decimated.  Her house was a pile of ash, the trees she’d spent hours attending every day were all gone.  Many of the stumps had burn marks and the rest had been hacked apart. 

Ethan crouched next to her at a loss for words. She could feel sympathetic pain from him through their bond. 

”I’m sorry.”  He finally said and wrapped her in a hug. 

Alana let herself go limp in his arms like a rag doll.  ”It’s okay.  I didn’t lose anything I can’t replace.  I spent my life working here, but it wasn’t what I wanted to do; not really.  It hurts, but in a way I’m glad it’s gone.  I always felt like I had to keep it going, but now I’m free.  I don’t know what I’m going to do, but now I feel free to find something.”

”Good for you.”  Ethan whispered, his hug tightening.

She pulled herself up and brushed off the dirt and ash from her green dress.  She knew her almond-shaped eyes had to be red and her hair was a mess from the wind -- but she was okay. 

”We need to get going.”  Alana said, looking at the darkening sky.  ”We both have much better night vision than humans and we should find them before the moon fully rises.”

”Or....”  He suggested.  ”We could try to get some sleep and hit them before dawn.  I don’t know about you, but I’m beat from all that flying.  You aren’t exactly heavy, but it was a lot harder flying with you on my back.”

Alana considered for a moment.  ”Well, we could sleep for a few hours in my storage pit.  There are blankets there and I usually wake up a few hours before dawn.”

”Do you know where the kidnappers are?” 

”I think so.  There’s a spot off the main road with good cover and it’s quite defensible.  Anyone with half a brain would use it, especially if they were laying a trap for a dragon and a wood elf who knows the area.  It would only take us an hour or so to get there.”

”Sounds like a plan.” Ethan yawned.  She could see every one of his incredibly sharp, wicked-looking teeth.  Surprisingly, she didn’t find them scary at all; not on him.

Alana led him to her storage pit and opened the trapdoor.

”Wow.”  He said.  ”I know I said this before, but I would’ve never known it was there if you hadn’t shown me.”

”That’s the point.”

The storage pit was eight feet long, and five feet wide, and maybe three feet deep.  Wooden boards covered the bottom and there were several piles of blankets, food, provisions, and some arrows.  Along one side -- carefully wrapped in an oiled blanket -- was her father’s spear.  She pulled it out and handed it to Ethan.

She hadn’t seen it since she had last oiled it, but it was still in pristine condition.  The spear head was leaf shaped, seven inches long and two inches wide.  The shaft was well-oiled wood and the overall length was seven feet. 

She watched Ethan play with it for a few seconds before asking, ”Do you know how to use that?”

He smiled, and said in a strange accent, ”Yes.  Pointy end goes into the other man.”  When she started at him blankly, he added.  ”Sorry, line from the Mask of Zorro.  It’s a movie.”

”What’s a movie?” she asked.   He often used words she’d never heard before to describe strange things that sounded like advanced magic. 

”It’s...  like a play that’s recorded so you can watch it any time.”  He said, then looked into the storage pit.  ”So, where do we sleep?”

”In here on some blankets.”  Alana said. 

They laid a few of the blankets down to cover the wood and each took a sack of grain to use as a pillow.  It was tight, but there was just room for them to sleep without touching.  Alana closed the trapdoor over them and the storage pit was plunged into near-complete darkness. 

”Good night.”  He whispered.

”Night.” 

For the last few years -- not counting the night in the earthen dugout -- Alana had always slept alone.  She didn’t mind, but she had often wished for company.  Somehow, she felt very comfortable with Ethan there.  Despite his claws, fangs, and very un-elven appearance, she felt safe and almost relaxed. 

Through their bond, she could sense almost the opposite from him.  He was a swirl of emotions -- mostly negative -- and she could hear him fidgeting next to her. 

”Are you okay?”  She asked. 

”Yeah, I’m...” He paused for several seconds.  ”No.  Not really, no.”

”Should I ask?” they were a strange combination of very close, yet hardly knowing each other at all; she didn’t want to pry.

”My fiancée-- I mean my ex-fiancée and I, we...”  He paused.  ”How could she lie next to me every night -- just like this -- and yet have been planning to...”  He sighed.  ”I just don’t understand.”

”I can’t even imagine.”

”How could someone do that, and how...”

”I’m sorry.” 

He sighed.  ”I guess it’s just a burden I’ll have to bear.”

”It’ll get easier.  I promise.”

”Oh?”

”After my parents died, Uncle Garth told me something. He told me that nothing could ever take the pain away; that it would always hurt, but time would make it hurt less until one day I’d wake up and realize that I was going to be okay.” 

”I’m sorry about your parents.”

”Thank you.”  She said.  ”I know she hurt you very deeply.  And it hurts now, and it probably always will hurt, but one day you’ll wake up and realize you’ll be okay.”

She heard him take a deep breath and let it out slowly. 

”You’re a very wise woman Alana, has anyone ever told you that?”

She blushed.  ”Just one guy, but I never listen to a word he says anyway.”

He chuckled.  ”Thanks.”

”My pleasure.”

She examined their bond again and was delighted to discover he felt better after their conversation.  He still felt most of the negative emotions, but they were less intense and the pain was muted.  Even better -- he was feeling a new emotion: gratitude.

For some strange reason, she had the urge to lean over and kiss his cheek.  Her mother had always kissed her father before they went to sleep.  She briefly wondered what it would be like to kiss his scale-covered face, but then decided that would take their relationship to a place she didn’t want to go right now.

”You’re a good friend Alana.”  He murmured, half asleep.

”Thank you.”  She couldn’t help but smile. 

Not long after, she drifted off to sleep too.