In The Land of Dragons
Say, what do you know about dragons?
Dragons were always been associate with stories that portrayed them as the villains. We all heard before about a gold hoarding dragon; in Sleeping Beauty on how the dragon stands between the prince and the poor damsel in distress; and of course, how can one ever forget about the infamous Níðhöggr; who gnaws at the roots of Yggdrasil, baiting his time to finally make his way in this world.
So today, let me tell you a story. A story unlike another. So perhaps, you can better understand about this misjudge creature. A story about a dragon in love.
At a time that were long forgotten, there was a dragon prince. It was told that the dragon was a decedent from the renowned fire dragon and his mother was a human. Growing up, he rarely saw his mother; seeing her only when the seasons were changing. Oh, it was not because his mother was not willing to meet him; considering the fact that he was born with scaly skin and lizard-like appearance. However, it was the tradition of the dragon. His mother, who will sit down and moped around the castle when she was not allowed to meet him decided to go traveling around the world as her heart's desire. His father, who was very much smitten with his mother, can't actually refuse her whims and chose to go travelling with her.
When he was five in the human years, his mother arrived back to the palace holding a baby boy; telling him that the baby boy whose look were very much like him was indeed his baby brother. And at that moment, he fell in love for the first time with his baby brother.
By the age of eighteen of the human years their scaly skin give away and their lizard-like appearance filled in which made them look somehow human.
Well, except for their eyes that will still gleam amber very time they lose their temper.
His mother was delighted, but slightly annoyed by the change on her children decided to chuck it up to the wonders of puberty. When asked the reason why she felt annoyed with the changes in their appearance, she just shrugged her shoulders; saying that she always loves their lizard-like appearance which remind her of their father. At his mother's admission, his father's pale scaly skin flushed, which made him look as if someone just roosted him. The sight of his mother laughing, her bell-like laughter as she hugs her husband close – which was a totally impropriate display of affection – struck a chord in him and he can't help but to wonder if one day, he could ever be lucky enough to find someone like that as his mate.
It was during the time where winter were slowly given away to spring when it happened. The sound of his father thunderous roar will be forever remembered in his mind. His mother, who was taking a walk just by the palace gate was killed by the human villagers. A clean stab in her chest was all it takes.
The only sin that her mother ever committed to them was by falling in love with his father, the dragon king.
His father who was enrage at the sight of his wife's pale limp body, carried by the servants; set out to the village with a flap of his wings.
That was the first and the last time he ever saw his father's true form.
By dawn, his father return back to the palace; looking strangely human as he slowly bend down and lay beside his wife still, cold form as tears ran down his face. His hand wrapped around his wife, hugging her close to him before he close his amber eyes and breathe his last.
There in his parents' bedchamber, he learned two things.
Humans are a fragile creature and it is possible for dragons to die because of a broken heart.
He was only two years old in the dragon years.
After his parents' passing, he had ordered the guards to close the gate. The humans who were living on the village downhill were long gone, slaughter by his father. The only prove that there was a village before was the still burning flame from his father's breath. A dragon's fire breath, especially a powerful one was said to be able to last for decades despite there were no longer any fuels left.
Now reaching seven years old in the dragon years, he was still considered a hatchling by the council. Despite the palpable disrespect shown by the council toward him, the heir of the throne; he knew that he would never earn their respect.
After all, a dragon without wings was useless.
Oh, there were speculation of course. He was in any case an abnormality; a fruit bore between a dragon and a human. The first in their kind, a hybrid. Perhaps their little king was – for the lack of a better words – will be wingless. But some, who possibly out of their loyalty to his father disagree. A normal dragon, whether a pure blood or even the shape shifter would take at least ten years to spurts their wings. His father himself who was an accomplish dragon shape shifter took twelve dragon years to spurted his wings.
He remembered his father telling him how painful it was the first time for the wings to emerge. The pain was perhaps relatable to a child who were teething. His mother, if he remembered correctly had gasped before saying that none of her child will be allowed to spurt their wings. That was the first time he remembered of his parents arguing for the reason that at that time totally escape him.
Now, he understand his father stand on how important it was to a dragon with wings.
Dragon thrive with their wings. A wingless dragon will be equivalent to a human in the body of an insect. Trapped, cagey and totally suffocating. Like how he feel right now. There were something bigger inside him, begging him to escape, to take flight; something that perhaps larger than life.
With that in mind, he took a quick detour to a garden by his parents' old bedchamber. There the wall were built low and with a leap, he broke free from his own confine. Once outside, he broke into a jog with smile on his face. His action, escaping from the palace without any of his guards were unbefitting of his status and broke the safety protocol. Something that his brother usually done with the other hatchling, Mitsuhide if he was correct.
By the time he reached the clearing by the sea cliff side, he halt his jog. There before him was a girl, barely in her teens, a human if her scent was anything to go by. Her long red hair, just like a flaming fire in the early dawn, whipped past her; blown by the wind. Long green summer dress was molded to her petite frame by the wind made him advert his eyes. He was after all; raised to be a gentleman.
"Zen? Is that you?"
Hearing the sound of his brother's name, his interest was pique. Somehow this human hatchling knew of his brother. Still hidden in the darkness of early dawn, he shook his head before stepping out to the early sunlight.
"Oh, you are not Zen. Are you his brother? His Highness Izana?" she asked, her soft voice was carried by the wind towards him.
Not knowing what else to answer, he nodded his head. His voice husky from disused asked for her name.
Her hesitance made him narrow his azure eyes before it flashed amber. Did she know that they are dragons? The laud thumping of his heart, readying him for flight or fight situation made him tense. Opening and closing her mouth, she took a step back towards the edge of the cliff; alarmed by his amber eyes. "Shirayuki. My name is Shirayuki."
Just after she answered him, the cliff underneath her give away. The sight of her widening of her green eyes was enough to make him rushed towards her. Before he even registers what he was doing, he leaps off along with her; his greater mass made it easy to catches up with her during the free fall. Quickly grabbing her hand with his, he pulled her towards him; wrapping the red haired in his embrace.
Now closed up, he recognized that her eyes were emerald with golden flake scattered in her iris.
Shocked with his sudden realization, his eyes widen and as searing pain rippled all over his body. Distantly he registered a scream that were distinctively male, muffled by the sound of the ocean crushing the rocks before he realized it was him who were screaming.
Suddenly, she twists in his embrace; facing the jagged rocks that were protruding from the ragging sea. Hands outstretched, she began to chant her spell that stopped their fall midair.
Despite his relief, his skin felt too hot and too small to contain him. Another scream tore from his throat as his vision broaden and his nails lengthen. Closing his eyes in agony, a growl – sounding almost animalistic – escape from his mouth that at that moment were slowly lengthening to become a dragon like muzzle. Acute pain from his back were pushed in the recess of his mind as the alarming sound of ripped flash and cracking bones filled his ears.
His father had lied to him. Just like teething he said.
Just as sudden as it happened, it stopped.
Peeling his eyes open, a flick of dragon tail caught his attention. The girl who was before in his embrace is now digging from his right claw.
Oh, he is a dragon now.
Acting on instinct, he flicked his wings twice; bringing them upwards. Slowly he lay her far from the cliff, right on the open grass area before he too land on his new found claws. Decidedly curious with his newfound physique, he stretched open his wings. Widespread, his wings were double of his human size height. He was perhaps the smallest dragon that he ever seen as he remembered just how big his father was.
"You are a dragon. A golden one no less." Came the human hatchling's voice. Turning around, he saw the red haired woman made her way towards him; eyes wide with wonder.
"And you are a witch" was what he wanted to say. Nonetheless, what came out from his mouth was a string of unintelligible roar. A frustration huff escaped from him. The so called 'huff' end up with him breathing fire in her general direction. The sound of her yelping before with a quick flick of her wrist, drenched the hem of her summer dress with water.
Looking at her properly in the bright early sunlight, he realized that in his dragon form; all color has muted. Her emerald eyes look like a shining lump of coal for him while her brilliant red hair muted to become grayish which disappoint him greatly.
An amused smile made its way on her lips. "You can change back now Izana-san."
He opened his mouth to give her a piece of his mind regarding her bossy attitude before he stopped, remembering how the only thing that it will sound like is a strangled roar. Turning around as he huffed again, he willed himself to change back to his human shape.
A beat passed before it stretched to fifteen minutes.
Panic when his body still remain in the dragon form, he turned around to look at her; panic whine break out from his throat.
"What do you mean by you don't know how to changed back?! Don't tell me that this is your first time!"
Answering her with another whine, he fold his claws underneath him, sitting on the grass area before he rolled around the grass.
His action at that moment resembled a seven years old boy.
Sighing, she braids her long hair before tucking it in a messy bun. "Come along then Your Highness, lets head back to your castle. Hopefully, they will know what to do with your predicament."
The journey back was filled with much whine and consolation on both parties. She then realized, the longer he in his dragon form; his mind slowly resembling a dragon hatchling. Running around the forest, leaving trail as big as an elephant with his large body before he stopped and whine and huffed fire at the surrounding vicinity; rolling around clear forest area – is the action usually portrayed by a young dragon when they were feeling playful.
Decidedly tired with his frisky antic, the sight of white stonewall made her sigh in relief. Slowly approaching the guards who were now tense, ready to shift into their original form; she quickly pointed to the elephant sized dragon behind her. The golden scale dragon who were right behind her playfully pushed her forward with his muzzle making her stumbled before he rolled around the ground almost happily.
One of the guard sniffed the air before his amber eyes slit to resemble a reptile. "Is that our King?"
Nodding her head, she hurriedly launched to tell them what exactly happened almost three hours earlier. A tell tale of a smile started to form on the two guards' lips as she finished her narration. Giving her a slight smile, one of the guard shrugged his shoulder.
"Oh well, this is usually an honor given to the father but seeing that our king have no father, I guess Duke Haruka will be honored." With that, the guard quickly shift to become a great green color dragon; almost double Izana's size. A flipped of his large wings, he took off towards east. The other guard however was looking at the now slumbering golden dragon.
"A golden dragon huh? Almost as rare as a silver dragon."
At her puzzled look, he shook his head before rather politely asked her to leave. "You should go young human. Duke Haruka hate humans especially after what happened our queen fifty years back. Any longer, he might have you as his toothpick."
Slowly she turned around to look at the still slumbering young dragon. Her carelessly made bun that were long undone, weave with the sudden gush of wind coming from two flying dragons that were slowly approaching them and with the next gush of wind, the red haired girl disappeared.
Despite his innumerable visit to the cliff, never once he bumped to her again. When he did finally gather his courage to ask his brother of her whereabouts, his bother returned home with her alongside. A dragon year had changed her greatly. Now a young woman, with her red hair – still as vibrant as he remembered – reaching passed her thigh, she had blossom.
And his brother wanted to marry her.
How strangely human his brother was.
Despite his reluctance, he allows his brother to marry that witch.
The sight of her glittering emerald eyes was painful for him so he made his way back to his parent's bedchamber that now belong to him. Gasping in pain coming from his chest, slowly he slid down to the floor. Immersed in the searing pain, for the second time in his life; he changes into his dragon form.
In that form, he sleeps.
Dragons are a weird creature indeed. For an enormous creature, they feel more passionately than the other creatures – be it rage or love. That possibly the reason why their rage were terrible and frightening to the other creature as angers made their blood soar and fire seeps in their very cells. And when a dragon love, it goes deeply; humming along in their bloodstreams. Heartbreak were painful to them and it at times can manifest in physical form. Their heart literally stops when their heartbreaks. It is not rare when a dragon lost its mate, the remaining dragon will be wasted away and die in the spans of days. Some however will shed tears that will slowly harden to form gold. That is why dragon hoards gold; not because of their greed, but because their gold is the manifestation of their very own heart. And just like how the tears harden to form gold, so do their heart which make them a terrible foe.
Nonetheless, there are also cases where the dragon will sleep when their heartbreak. It is a coping method build in their system to escape the pain. While they sleep, their body will slowly heal the wound. Like any other healed wound, there will be scars and the scabbing can never quite fall off; leaving the affected area bumpy and slightly thicker than the other area. Their heart's literally built themselves a wall to guard it.
And right now, that is exactly what Izana's heart is doing.
"She is a lovely candidate Your Majesty won't you agree?" one of his advisor, whose name escape him, whispered.
Having no answer to give him, he just shrugged his shoulder. The dragon shape shifter before him is a lovely female indeed. Soft blue eyes with flowing blond locks, small heart face shape; no one could really said otherwise. Despite that, his eyes darted to the red haired woman by his brother who are now engrossed in her conversation with his brother making her eyes alight in her amusement.
'Nowhere near as lovely as that witch though.' a small voice sounding almost like his mother's whispered at the recess of his mind.
Looking at his future mate, Haki; he gave her a soft smile.
Guess he will never find a mate quite like his father then. Of course it is presumptuous of him to give his judgment towards his future mate without really knowing her. With that in mind, he offered Haki for a walk around the castle ground.
Haki, as he later discovered is a soft spoken woman with a spine made of steel. In her gentleness, her mind is sharps and once made up, she would held by it and he can't find any fault in that; in fact, for him, it is quite a charming quality.
Although she perhaps is not someone who he can love, nevertheless, she is someone who he can grow to be fond of.
When he finally made his peace with himself, she surprise him by saying that she do not wish to marry him. Fixing his gaze on the female dragon before him who are now preoccupied with the scenery on the castle ground, he forced himself to asked for her reason.
With a soft sweet smile on her lips, she answered him, "It is clear that your heart is not in this Your Highness. I know that perhaps you have someone else in your heart, so I will rather not force myself into your heart. Don't you worry Your Highness, we have nearly a thousand year to figure this out. Once you are ready to let her go, you can come to me. I'll be waiting."
Answering her with a smile, he turned around; ready to leave before she stopped him with a question, "That someone who is in your heart, is it that girl? That human girl that your brother brought back home?"
"Perhaps." He answered her without turning around.
"Can't blame your choice, with that lovely coal colored hair; I doubt that many can say no."
At that he turned around looking back at her, brows scrunched up. "Coal colored hair?"
"Why yes, we are still talking about the same girl that His Highness Zen wish to marry right? Shirayuki-san who is with pretty green colored eyes." She answered him easily, looking amused at his bewildered face.
"I… I was not aware that she had coal colored hair." With that, he leaved Haki in the garden wearing the similar expression that he wore few second earlier.
"Oh well, maybe he is the kind of man who appreciate woman for her personality?" Haki muttered to herself as she watched her king disappearing back. Sighing, she throw her gaze back to the scenery below the veranda. Somehow, the scenery looks dull now that she is alone.
"That woman, Shirayuki, what is the color of her hair?" he pounced on his brother the moment he enter his study room.
Zen who was surprise with his brother sudden question, took an involuntary step back toward the study room door. "What about her hair color?"
"Just answer me Zen." He snappishly replied to his brother question.
Decided to humor his brother's strange antics, he answered him, "Black of course."
Knowing that he already lost his brother the moment he wore his deep contemplating face, his lips break into a smile. "Well then, I'll be escorting Haki-dono back to her house then brother."
"Wait Zen, where is that woman? Can you please call her here to the study?"
Decidedly curious as why his brother who had made it his life mission to avoid the said woman requested for her, he then asked him for his reason; "What do you want talk to her about?"
Deepen, Izana replied seriously, "Why, I want to ask about her hair of course."
Burst out laughing, Zen shook his head in amusement. "Whatever you say brother. I'll call for her."
Shirayuki fidget in her chair as Izana's blue eyes fixed on her. In a flash, he were right in front her; both of his hand on the armrest, effectively trapping her in.
"Umm… Did you call for me Your Highness?"
"Why am I the only one who can see that your hair color is not black but red?" as he question her that, his eyes changed to amber. "No matter how I look, I know that your hair is copper red. Too bright to be mistaken as black."
"You can see through the illusion?" her voice sound almost breathless, bringing his attention back to her face instead of her hair.
Her emerald eyes with that golden flakes look up, meeting his. Again a sharp pain that he started to associate with his forced transformation to his dragon form assaulted him.
Moments later, he lay on the scattered study room in his dragon form while she hovered beside him; looking panic.
"Your Highness, should I call someone?"
"No" he all but yell, stopping her from running towards the door; realizing a second later that she won't be able to understand his speech when he is in this form. Somehow, surprisingly, she halted in her track.
"What are doing in my mind?!"
"I do no such thing" he replied back, coming out sounding like a deep grunted growl.
"No, no, try saying it in your mind."
Not knowing why, he the King himself, complied with her order; "It won't work" he said mentally.
"Yes it did! I can understand you."
"Since you can obviously understand me, why don't you answer my earlier question?"
At that, she waver before she slowly made her way back to the laying dragon. Sitting down beside his head, hands clenched and unclenched hesitantly, she response to his question. "It's an illusion, cast to avoid suspicion. Dragons are not the only one hunts by them, witches to. Especially those with red hair and green eyes."
"Did Zen knows that you are a witch?"
Pausing her lips together, she shook her head. "Truthfully, I had forgotten that I'm a witch. There were times when the magic stored in me built up and causes sudden outburst, but I had learn to control it." Her tone as she said that told him that the measure she had taken to control her magic is an unpleasant one. Before he can ask, she continue; "I stopped aging altogether."
Hearing that, he chuckled. "Isn't that every women's dream to be forever young?" he asked her, a dry humor laced his words.
Looking back into his golden reptilian eyes, her eyes he later discover; shone extra bright in its muted grey color. She perhaps was holding back her tears. Before he can say anything else, she in a soft; almost hush voice started telling him about her mother and father.
Her mother as he later learned, was the one who she inherit her magic form. After her father passing, her mother never been quite the same. Her tortured eyes tells him better than any words could. How she suffered, growing up with a mother who will forever looking out of the window; sometimes for days, waiting for his father to come home. And living on knowing that it would be decades, perhaps for even hundreds of years living in that empty husk, waiting, just waiting for death to claim her so that she can join her beloved.
"I guess the villages did her a mercy by burning her on the stake."
The silent after her words hung heavily around them. Slowly, she lay down beside his head; curling in a fetal position. "I can still hear it sometimes. The sound of her scream."
Not knowing what to say to her, he curled closer to her; his tale curved as if to hide her from the world.
Looking back, perhaps that moment was the beginning of their story.
She keep on seeking for him every afternoon, truthfully not knowing why she did that. Their afternoon tea is something that she looks forward to. Perhaps because he knew the real her, her magic, her red hair and of her dark past.
Today she wore a pale red colored dress with green hemming, a dress brought by Zen for her. She no fool to believe that Zen chose this himself. The clean simple hem and flowing cut is somehow closer to Izana's taste than to Zen's. And if anything, the color of the dress erase any doubt. Zen will no doubt will chose a green shade of dress, saying that it brings out her eyes.
Smiling at her softly, Izana poured her cup of tea. The sight of him doing mundane task usually done by the servant always captivate her. Handing her the tea cup, he murmured that they are having Darjeeling tea. His favorite if she remember correctly and for the life of her, she can't remember what type of tea is Zen's.
That small thought made her falter, the floral scent of Darjeeling tea taunt her. Putting back the tea cup to its saucer, she fell in a deep thinking.
What did she actually know about the man she is going to marry? What did he know about her, more importantly? He didn't even know about her family, her inheritance. Looking at Izana who is now enjoying his tea while looking to the wide ocean before him, she realized with a sinking feeling.
She, perhaps, is marrying the wrong brother.
She stood, back ramrod straight as servants bustling around her; preparing her for her wedding day. Despite the soft smile fixed on her face, her stomach is sinking with a heavy feeling that she had come to recognize as dread.
She knows that today is a mistake, nonetheless, remembering how Zen's eyes had light up when she agreed to marry him; she found herself dragging her feet to fulfill her promise. Bushing it off as wedding jitter is definitely not going to help her.
Looking back at the mirror before her, she could only see her illusion staring back at her. Long coal colored hair done in an elaborate hairdo with small white flowers carefully tuck in between, her small lithe figure clad in a soft cream color dress with free blowing bell cut sleeves. Her dress looks like a mockery to her. The empire cut dress is outline with a simple red satin ribbon tied just below her bust; the color of the ribbon was chosen in her fit of wanting to remind herself that she is much more than just the color green of her eyes. Because somehow, she is coming to forget the vibrant red of her hair.
Politely requesting to be leave alone in her bedchamber, she waited for the last servant to close the door before she slowly let go of the illusion. The reflection of her red hair, copper red as she remembered Izana describing it, bought tears to her eyes.
Before she can stop herself, she broke down crying; her tears smeared the carefully applied kohl around her eyes as she quickly trying her very best to wipe the tears as soon as it came. Her attempt were looking quite pitiful even to her as she continue to stared back at her refection.
"I really hope that you won't be asking me for help to apply those black thing around your eyes after this." A deep baritone voice startled her. Turning around, she caught the sight of Izana lounging by the door frame.
He is no fool to not know the reason of her tears. The moment she let go of her illusion, he saw how the air around her rippled and her red hair seems to shone even more vibrantly with the illusion gone.
It was as if the veil around her were gone, leaving her bare.
"It really is copper red, darker than I remembered." Was all she said as she continue to stare back at the mirror as if she is trying to memorize the image before her.
Taking a seat behind her, they continue to stare at her reflection. She taking in the color of her own hair and him, trying to remember how she look in her wedding dress.
Her wedding was the very personification of how things went south in a matter of ten minutes. Just after she said the words 'I do' multiple arrow plated gold were shot from the castle tower, killing almost half of the guest and her new husband instantly.
Stumbling down from the weight of Zan's body, she black out when she realized that the hot liquid that slowly seeping in her cream color dress is Zen's own blood.
When she finally came to, she was there all alone; laying in the wreckage of what used to be a grand wedding ceremony. Dead bodies lay strewn around the garden, some still in their seats while others look as if they were in their attempt to ran. The smell of blood and pungent smell of burned flesh, made her nauseous. The sight of scorched castle wall, her flower bouquet and wedding dress that is now stain red and bloody attar with be forever remembered.
And Zen's body was nowhere to be found.
"Aren't you an idiot? That is a golden dragon we are talking about! And you want to hunt for it?! You did get killed in a minutes!" a loud booming voice caught her attention.
Taking a glance to the source of that loud argument that now going on, she slowly wiped her hand on the dirty apron that was provided for her by the owner of the tavern. Quickly grabbing a couple glass of ale, she made her way to table, putting on a smile.
"More ale sir?"
"Now lass, why won't you talk some sense to this blockhead? Wanting to search for a golden dragon – a suicidal mission won't you agree with me young lass?" said one of the man, gesturing wildly to the youngest one among them with tow-colored hair and freckles dusted his cheeks and nose.
The said blockhead flushed red when he realized she was staring rather intently at his direction. "How terribly brave of you sir. I never know that there are any golden dragon around. Last I heard it was killed ten years ago." She said simply, her voice soft and melodic; carefully laced with her magic to comply the man to tell her what she wanted to know.
Just by mentioning about what happened ten years ago brings her the familiar sharp pain in her heart. She might not love Zen as much as he did to her, nonetheless, she was fond of him and his passing was perhaps almost as painful as losing her mother. And now, the possibility of finding Izana made her solider on, faking her interest.
Clearly enthusiastic with her apparent interest, the young man quickly regale her with the stories he heard from his da on how the golden dragon had managed to escape to the cave by the cliff of the ocean, inaccessible by any human due to its position. Too low for any ropes to stretch, jagged rocks at the bottom of the cave couple with the raging ocean made it impossible for any ship to reach by sea.
A simple teleportation spell can fix it in nifty.
The owner's loud voice yelling for her, thankfully, save her from giving any reply.
The familiar dizzying motion that usually accompany the teleportation spell made her stumbled on her feet. Carefully looking around, she stared into the darkness of cave. The air inside is stale which disappoint her greatly. Clearly that rumor was untrue. Since she is already in the cave, she decided to explore it; her eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness of the cave.
Based on what she can observe, the littoral cave is made from igneous rocks which made the cave wide and spacious. Her eyes caught the sight of a huge lump right at the back of the cave. Against her wish, she can feel hope blossom in her chest. Slowly she made her way towards the huge lump.
Few steps before she can reach that lump, a huge amber reptilian eyes snapped open.
"Izana?" she whispered almost tearfully as she carefully made her way towards the dragon.
Now fully alert, the dragon stood; his present looks terrifying with his height almost reaching the cave top. Before she can react, the dragon breath fire in her direction making her magic flare up; concealing the flame.
"Its me! Shirayuki." She yelled almost desperately when she saw him taking a deep breath ready to unleash another round of fire. The sound of her name echo in the cave, bouncing off the cave hard surface as if emphasizing her name. Seeing that there are no another bout of fire breath thrown in her direction, she lowered her hands that she put up to protect her face. Staring back at the dragon's amber eyes who now looking at her, she tried her best to make off his color as it is strangely dark in the cave after the bright flame.
"I thought you were dead" his voice even in her mind sound rough, perhaps from disuse; or maybe from too much grieve.
"I thought you were dead too" she whispered back, her voice sound shaky even to her own ears. Hesitance, she walk towards him and at the last few steps, she stretched out her arms. Almost in a defeated manner, he shift back to his human form and fall into her waiting arms.
That day, they cried together in their grief for the loss of their loved ones and in their relief for finally finding each other again.
Years later when they look back to that moment, perhaps they will notice that they met again at the cave situated at the same bottom of the cliff they first met.
They live long and well, moving from one place to another; never staying at a place for a long time. They never been married, nevertheless blessed with two boys; both thankfully inherit none of their 'gift'.
"Aren't you lucky? Dragons can live for a very long time. We aged slower than human too." He had once asked her.
Looking at him, now full with grey hair; she smiled. Curling beside him, he easily scoop her in his arms. Taking in his comfortable and familiar scent that is a strange mixture of open field and warm milk, she closed her eyes.
"I think I'm very lucky." She answered him suddenly, pushing away from his chest to look into his azure eyes that now change to amber.
"Almost two hundred years together, now only you realized that?" he asked her teasingly. The lines around his eyes crinkled with his smile. Taking his withered hand with her equally withered one she smiled back at him, leaning in his touch as he brushed her own grey hair back from covering her eyes; still shone as brightly as he first met her. And just like the first time he met her, her green eyes with those now familiar golden flakes in her iris stir the dragon in him.
Slowly, he bend down to kiss her forehead and the corner on her mouth before she twist and kiss him properly.
All he can say is that, he is very lucky to have found a mate that fits him; just like how his father found his mother.
Listening to the soft pitter-patter of the falling rain against the roof of their charming little house, they both fall in their own slumber.