A friend's limits

Chapter two

Arguments

"I can't…"

"Jane, tell me."

"No…"

"Jane…"

"I can't dragon, I cannot say it."

"Jane, say it." He said as she lowered her head.

"I cannot ask such a horrid question to such a grand friend."

Dragon looked at her confused.

"Ask me the question."

"You will answer it out of guilt dragon. You will answer it wrongly because of our friendship."

Dragon knew what she was going to ask. He sighed as he got up on all fours and sat next to her.

"Jane, I would never lie to you or do something I do not want to do, understand? Nothing could biter our friendship. No one can ever use it against us…right?" He asked her nodding.

"Ask me of it." Dragon said simply, Jane hesitating.

"King Denith of the Western lands came to the castle to tell us of a war that is beginning in his lands. The Easter and Northern lands have joined in alliance and threatened the Western kingdom and our own. King Caradoc has agreed on joining our army with King Denith's to try to stop them. Even joined, we our barely half of their army, so King Denith and King Caradoc are thinking about…about…" Jane began to stutter and she felt hot tears roll down her cheeks. Dragon lowered his head. "I'm going to the war with you." He said, making her stare at him.

"You know of the war?"

"In my recent flights towards the West, I've smelt…blood. I've seen small villages burned down…but no sign of this immense army. What they do to people is…horrifying." Dragon answered, Jane lowering her head.

"You come to war in fear that I will die without you there to protect me."

Dragon stared at her. He had always protected her, from wolves and thieves and now she didn't want him to protect her? Dragon moved his head closer to hers, eyeing her.

"You are afraid something bad will happen if I go?"

Jane nodded, turning her head to meet his.

"Your death."

Dragon flinched at the words and at the tone she used them in. So blunt and soft.

Jane continued before Dragon could respond.

"I do not want your blood on my hands. Your death blamed upon me. I don't want you to come because you may die for me…" Her voice was cracking and her words were spoken between sobs. "Jane, I would die for you…"

"Don't say that!"

Dragon shook his head.

"I'm your friend. I would die for you…you mean a lot to me, Jane. I have lived three hundred and four years, a long life. Besides, it would take a lot of men to kill me."

Jane didn't look at him.

"Would you do the same for me?"

Jane's eyes met his.

"Of course I would."

"Then why can't I?"

Jane sighed. He was stubborn, but he made good points.

Dragon looked at her.

"I will always protect you…"

"But…"

"And even if I did die, it would be protecting my best friend and I would have no regrets…"

"But…"

"And you neither."

Jane stared into his yellow eyes.

"I'm making this decision on my own. I'm deciding to take my life into my own hands and put it on the line that I may die but it's a chance I'm taking. If I were to die it would be because of me and not you."

"But…"

"Understand?" He interrupted, Jane sighing.

"Yes, Dragon."

"Good, now let us discuss something of importance. For instance, what is Pepper making tonight for dinner?" Dragon asked, licking his lips. Jane smiled the fear and worry leaving her eyes. "Her turnip trays."

Dragon clapped his hands.

"Excellent. Let us go back to the castle and devour those delicious treats." He said as Jane laughed hard. The first time she ate Pepper's Turnip Tarts she was ill for a week. "Yes, let's." She said briefly as they flew back to the castle.

Dragon landed in the main court yard as he made his way to the kitchen, Jane walked up to Rake. The sixteen year old boy had grown taller than Jane but his body was still average and not too built. His medium length black hair fell over his eyes and he picked at Turnips. She sat down on the ground, his eyes never leaving his garden. "Gunther told me."

Jane smiled.

"Told you what exactly?"

"That he was personally asked to lead both armies into the war." He said sarcastically. Jane smirked.

"Did Dragon accept?" He asked Jane nodding.

"And here you are talking to me and my garden."

Jane sighed.

"I feel like he's only doing it because of me."

"Should there be another reason?"

Jane looked up to her younger friend.

"If I could go, I would to help you out. So would Pepper, Smithy and Jester."

Jane looked at her feet. "But what if he were to die?"

Rake laughed heartily as he threw three turnips into the basket.

"If dragon survived eating Pepper's Turnip Tarts, Radish rolls and potato cake, I'm sure a few men with swords couldn't stop him." Jane agreed with him as she stood up, thanked him and left towards the stables.

Smithy and Jester waved at her and she did the same.

She walked on, not really wanting to hear Jester's jokes and Smithy's criticism on his dull humor. She made her way to a back alley of the castle and sat down, thinking. A shadow cast over her feet as she looked up to see who it was.

"Theodore." She whispered as he sat down beside her. "Did you ask Dragon?" Theodore asked, Jane nodding. "He is coming to war, against my will." She said, Theodore smiling. "That, my dear Jane, is a good and rare friend. The best you could ever find." Jane smiled back, Sir Theodore standing to his 6, 0ft height. "Come, Sir Ivan and I are doing a small practice battle with some other knights. You look like you need the distraction." He said, extending his hand to her. Jane took it and pulled herself up.

Sir Theodore and she had become close friends as well.

They shared many feelings and thoughts with each other and knew better to keep them secrets. Jane always respected him and would always follow him. To her eyes, he was a king.

They arrived in the practice meadow where other knights were shadow fighting, practicing with their swords.

"Has Jane come to watch how sword fighting is properly done?"

Jane sighed in annoyance. "Hello Gunther." She said in a monotone voice. The other newly titled knight was swinging his sword around in the air. Jane, now being her full height of 5, 7 ft seemed quite short compared to Gunther's 6, 3 ft height. The eighteen year old's shoulders had widened his body now built from the workouts. He had become stronger than Jane could have ever guessed. His dark brown eyes looked at her.

He had become a very handsome man, but Jane would never allow him to know that.

"Actually, Gunther I have come to teach you."

Gunther grinned. He loved it when they started an argument.

"Jane, the King said he wanted us to win the war, not lose."

Jane frowned as the other knights laughed with him. She grabbed a practice sword and held it towards Gunther. "Let's see if your sword is as quick as your tongue." Jane said as Gunther positioned himself for the starting battle.