Okay, I went back and fixed a few things. I didn't change the context of the story, so nothing to worry about.
Disclaimer: I don't own American Dragon: Jake Long.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Thorn couldn't think of a thing to say. Hunts Man had given her that potion before she went out to slay Jake. She'd completely forgotten about it. Jake could tell by the surprised look on Thorn's face that she recognized it as hers.
Quiet fury pulsed in his voice when he asked, "Know what it does?"
Thorn looked at him and shook her head.
"It's Remoratum," he explained. "Drinking it will make you forget everything magical you've ever seen. Other than that it's harmless, but this particular potion was laced with a deadly poison."
His eyes locked with hers and they tried to pierce her soul.
"Care to tell me why you had it?" he asked.
Thorn's throat was dry, so her reply came out little more than a hoarse whisper.
"Hunts Man gave it to me," she managed to say. "I was supposed to…"
FLASHBACK:
Thorn scurried to Hunts Man's study. He'd sent a lesser Hunts man to her room to fetch her with a message to come immediately that it was important. She didn't know why, but he'd been oddly tranquil lately. He hadn't abused her in training sessions or used her sparring mates for the rest of the Clan. He'd been very hospitable and it put her on edge.
She finally reached his study and took a deep breath before shoving open the door. He turned those blood red, crazed serial killer eyes on her, causing the nervousness to grow in the pit of her stomach.
"I have a mission for you," he said, the moment the door was shut. "I've been tipped off by a very reliable resource that the American Dragon will be alone at his place of training tonight. Go and bring me the head of the American Dragon."
Thorn nodded obediently and turned to leave.
"Oh and Thorn," she looked over her shoulder at him. "Should something happen, drink this."
He threw her a small bottle and she caught it. She examined the purplish liquid before pocketing it. She nodded affirmatively, and left.
END FLASHBACKJake watched her eyes glaze over and a moment later they cleared. She blinked a few times and her eyes returned to Jake. He became immediately concerned when her face paled and she looked considerably shaken. His previous anger and suspicion evaporated.
"Rose…uh maybe you should get some air," he said.
Jake stood, pocketed the vile and walked around to her side of the table. Thorn watched him as he stood beside her and offered her his hand. She eyed him suspiciously.
"Come with me," he said.
That gentle caring in his eyes and the soft soothing tone of his voice coaxed her into accepting. Thorn took his hand and allowed him to help her up from her seat. In true gentleman style, he held the door for her as well. He admired the rosy tint that grew on her cheeks as she passed him and stepped out onto the gravel pathway.
The bright sunlight shimmered in her hair as the few droplets that still clung to the delicate strands reflected it. It was so wonderful to breathe fresh air and smell the outdoors. Sweet relief it was to see the sun again, but she couldn't revel in being out. As incredibly strong-willed a person Thorn had grown up to be, it was difficult for her to process this feeling of helplessness she was being overwhelmed with. Jake came to stand beside her and observed her. Something about that potion had struck a chord somewhere in her and triggered this zombie state she was in. Jake didn't want to press the issue, knowing that rushing Thorn was no way to get answers out of her.
"Let's take a walk," he suggested, holding his arm out for her to take.
Thorn looked at him, sadness darkening her cerulean eyes. He understood and retracted his arm, smiling at her so she wouldn't get the misconception that he was upset. They set off down the gravel path that veered to the right and away from the more populated areas of the grounds. Thorn stuck her thumbs into the front pockets of her jeans and the rest of her exposed digits dangled freely. The gravel crunching under their feet was the only sound that passed between them. Jake realized that Thorn was barefooted. He could tell something was bothering the feisty blonde beside him, and it wasn't walking barefoot on gravel. Jake wasn't sure if it was his place to intrude her thoughts and ask.
That potion Thorn had been given by her uncle was a huge controversy and she was trying to decipher what to think about it. If everything magical had been erased from her memory, she'd forget about the Hunts Clan as well. She supposed that her uncle intended it to protect any information on the Hunts Clan or their lair. But that raised even more questions. Was it possible that he saw a likelihood of her capture? If that was the case, it sure was a strange coincidence that the Dragon Council and the old man were there. Thorn's mind was racing, trying to make sense of her latest discovery. The belief in sheer coincidence was deteriorating and a creeping sense of betrayal was slithering into her mind.
Thorn wondered was it a miscalculation or a perfectly executed trap? Hunts Man had abused her at every available opportunity and if there wasn't one, he made one. If there was one thing he hated more than a dragon, it was a traitor. Slowly things began to come together in her mind and a theory formed.
If it had all been a trap, then her falling into the clutches of the Dragon Council would be a perfect way for Hunts Man to dispose of Thorn. This was the 'something' her uncle had referred to. That potion, as well has securing any information about the Hunts Clan, would have finished her off. With that added security, he'd assured himself she couldn't turn on him and side with the dragons. If the dragons hadn't taken that potion from her she would have…died.
The initial shock of her uncle's deceit had quickly worn off because—she reasoned—the action fit the man's personality. He'd never been an affectionate guardian, and they'd never been close. This dulled the sting of betrayal, but it didn't wholly absorb the pain.
She mumbled something tiredly, and ran a hand through her still-damp hair. Jake looked over at her curiously. Stress was written all over her face, and the weight of worry made her slump. He hated seeing her in such a state. Even with his grandfather, Fu Dog and the Dragon Council telling him Thorn had intended the potion for him, something was telling Jake there was more to this story than the young huntress was letting on.
Thorn thought about telling Jake her theory. Fear of his reaction and the consequences held her back. She watched him out of the corner of her eye. Jake had changed in the months since the Hunt, a lot. He'd hit a growth spurt and it was more effective thanks to his dragon powers. Now Thorn was the one looking up. Jake had gained lean muscle as the end result of more intense training. No doubt he had become more serious about his duties as American Dragon. Thorn turned her attention back to the path ahead of her, oddly she found herself disinterested in Jake's physical condition.
Thorn had grown up herself. Physically, she hadn't changed. Mentally, though, she had matured a lot. No longer could she sigh over the fake stars or be swept off her feet by a suave, smooth-talker. She wasn't sure exactly what she needed from the opposite sex, but she was sure it was something more than a fast ride to nowhere.
Relationships were nowhere near her mind at the moment. Right now, much darker thoughts concerning her uncle and the Hunts Clan were occupying her thoughts. Her theory had won out over any doubt existing and now the young huntress was feeling the painful ache of abandonment. She truly was alone. Never had she felt so horrible in all her fourteen years.
"Jake?" Thorn asked timidly.
Jake looked at her, stunned that she called him by his name rather than 'Dragon' or 'Dragon Boy'.
"I…" she wanted to tell him about her what her uncle had done. "About the potion…" she wanted so badly to tell him, but she was afraid.
Jake stopped dead in his tracks. Thorn mimicked him. He dreaded the question he was about to ask, but it would not be contained any longer.
"It was for me wasn't it?" Jake asked quietly.
Thorn couldn't meet his eyes.
"No," she answered, her voice raspy. "It was for me."
Admitting such a thing aloud made the horrible truth so much more real. Even with her mind in a stunned state and disconnected from her body and the world around her.
"Whoa! Back up," Jake said haltingly. "If that potion was for you…"
The rest need not finishing as everything came together in his mind. He gaped at her in sheer disbelief. The shock forced his mind into denial and he was experiencing difficulty comprehending the horrible truth. Thorn could read his expression like a book and his denial annoyed her slightly.
"Hunts Man…" Jake sputtered, his voice a weak, crackling noise.
Thorn growled in frustration at the teenaged boy's sluggish mind and sank her fingers into the roots of her hair. Sparks flickered in her sapphires with a vengeance and, for a moment, the girl could feel electricity zapping through her veins once again.
"He tried to murder me!" she cried, glaring at Jake. "Hunts Man set me up last night. It was no coincidence that I was there—alone—at the same time the Dragon Council was there. He knew I didn't have a chance of escaping and he could bet on my capture. Then, so he could ensure the safety of any information about the Hunts Clan, he slipped me that potion. No one betrays the Hunts Clan and lives."
That outburst had sapped the energy from her and her legs were having difficulty supporting her weight. Without any exchange of words, she turned from him. Veering off the path, the girl shoved her way through perfectly manicured bushes and disappeared from sight.
At first, Jake stood rooted to the spot, allowing Thorn's words to sink in. That last sentence eerily echoed in his mind. The heart-twisting sound of soft, uneven breathing broken with strangled sobs, slapped him out of his trance. Swiftly he moved towards the hedge and cautiously poked his head through. There—sitting on the ground, hugging her knees to her chest and face buried in her arms—was Thorn. Jake slowly came to sit Indian-style beside her, unsure of what to say or do to comfort her. In looking at her, Jake was reminded of a deflated balloon. She had lost the will to fight, and the ferocious spirit he adored so much was gone from her. A pain like he'd never before known tore at his insides, squeezing his heart, and he realized his heart was breaking for the girl before him.
In retrospect, Jake couldn't remember planning it, but the next thing either of them knew, Thorn was wrapped up in his arms and sitting in his lap. Neither was sure how she got there, but she was. Habitually, she tried to push him away, but his hold on her proved unbreakable.
"I…just…need…a minute," she said in a strangled voice.
"Shh," Jake whispered soothingly. "Just let me hold you."
Somewhere in the bowels of Thorn's mind, a gentle voice gave its encouragement. The broken girl cautiously leaned into Jake's embrace, curious. She was welcomed there warmly, lovingly. He whispered sweet nothings in her ear while the last of her tears were shed. His hand traveled up and down in circles over her back, quieting the tremors that shook her. Her body felt weak and spent from the carrying of such an emotional burden, and Jake's arms were all that kept her from falling to pieces. Thorn tucked her head under his chin and listened to his steady breathing.
"Feel better?" he murmured.
Thorn couldn't see it, but she could detect a smile in his voice.
"Sorta," she answered uncertainly.
Though not quite sure what it was she was feeling, she knew it had nothing to do with her uncle.
"You sound a little undecided," Jake observed. "But I know how to change that."
Thorn pulled her head—but not the rest of her—away and looked at him confusedly.
"How's that?" she asked.
Jake smiled down at her, admiring the brilliant, inquisitive shimmer in her eyes.
"Easy, by doing something that always makes me feel better," he replied. "Care to fly?"
Thorn considered his proposal for a moment. She didn't know why, but somehow flying with Jake seemed right. She had a feeling that she could leave her cares behind if only she would trust in him to carry her away.
Quietly she whispered, "I'd love to."
She climbed out of his lap and took his hand when he offered it to help her stand. He pressed a light kiss to the back of her hand then released it. Had he done this earlier, he might've earned a fist in his face, but now he was rewarded with an embarrassed blush.
Grinning happily, Jake stepped back to give himself room. Flames consumed his body and left a dragon standing where a human had been. He smiled at her in such a simple way. It was one of those rare, honest smiles. She smiled back, her mind made up. Jake lowered himself on all fours.
Not knowing or caring what the later consequences might come of it, Thorn climbed on his back. She leaned forward and wound her arms around his neck, a little shy. Jake covered one of her hands with one of his.
"No worries, Rose," he said, grinning over his shoulder at her. "I don't mind it one bit. In fact, feel free to snuggle all you want."
Thorn punched him lightly on the shoulder, laughing as she did it. He had it coming for that last statement, but he wouldn't be so crazy about her if she weren't so spirited. Though Thorn wished Jake would stop calling her Rose, she secretly thought of it as a term of endearment. Jake stretched his wings to their full length, and with one strong stroke, they were airborne. Thorn had expected to be terrified, but oddly she wasn't. He rose higher and higher and still no fear came upon her. Jake was surprised by a total lack of shrieks of terror or a death grip on his neck.
"How are you feeling back there?" he asked, a little worried.
"Surprisingly…fine," Thorn responded amazed herself. "I thought I'd be scared. Must be because you're such a smooth flier."
His wings rose and fell steadily on either side of her, effortlessly creating strong gusts ruffling her hair. She knew that those wings and the dragon attached to them would catch her should she fall. Encouraged by that knowledge, she felt brave enough to enjoy the view.
The Isle of Draco in the morning sun stole her breath. Directly below was a land dotted with clusters of healthy trees whose leaves were such a brilliant deep green she was sure such a shade belonged only to this island's flora. Smooth, rolling hills were carpeted with grass that stole the color of flawless emeralds and mocked nature with such vibrancy in the middle of summer when young spring grass browns in the blazing sun. To her right and not so far away was a beach. The sand was a color caught in between pearly white and gold and shone brilliant in the sunlight. No shells or small pebbles littered and marred its appearance. Bordering the beach and stretching past the horizon was the ocean. It was the kind of ocean she'd seen pictures of in travel brochures, but doubted the existence of. The water was a perfect shade of blue-green and even far out from the shoreline, she could still see the sand at the bottom.
"Wow, " she murmured, awestruck.
Out of the corner of her eye something flickered and she turned. Castle Draco glimmered with majestic and magic beauty. It mimicked the color of the beach, and raised high and mighty above the surrounding countryside. Banners of various colors waved regally in the breeze from its towers.
"Oh…it's beautiful," she whispered breathlessly.
She hadn't noticed, but while she'd been admiring the Isle of Draco, Jake had stopped. He hovered in mid-air allowing her to look all she wanted. He smiled when he heard her comments.
"Pretty amazing, isn't it?" he asked, staring at the castle as well. "Magic does that to things. It can take an ordinary something and make it mysterious and wonderful. The castle is the perfect example. Take the magic away, and it just becomes a pile of bricks and concrete. What's so bewitching about it is the dragon magic it holds. I know I sound like one of those ancient Chinese proverbs right now, but hang around a while and you'll see it."
Thorn jerked out of her trance and looked straight into his coal eyes.
"That was really…poetic," she observed with a smile. "I read this book once about the ancient dragons back in the times of King Arthur and Merlin. The author said that the dragons of that time spoke like Shakespeare with scales. He had a collection of some sonnets and poems the dragons had written. They were so beautiful. He said they sang and had such amazing voices."
She paused for a moment and looked down at the birthmark on her left hand.
"He spoke of dragon slayers and how barbaric they were," she said, her tone quieting slightly.
Jake knew where this was heading.
"He mentioned a Clan of Hunters or the Hunts Clan as it's called now," she continued. "He said they were the worst of all. They'd leave the mutilated carcass behind and sell off what they'd…taken."
Thorn felt Jake tense, and subconsciously she lightly rubbed the spot between his shoulders.
"A wizard—I forgot his name—took action in favor of the dragons by casting a spell on the whole race that would give them a natural human form. This would protect them from slayers and they could hide their identities. Eventually, the dragon powers began to resurface and shape-shifter dragons like you came along," she concluded.
"You read all of that?" Jake asked wowed.
"Unlike the rest of the Hunts Clan, I was curious about the origins of our magic prey," Thorn answered. "Hunts Master encouraged it, thinking all that reading and knowledge would make me a better Hunts Girl."
Suddenly, Jake's tail curled around her waist, lifting her from his back and within reach of his arms. He hovered vertically in that one spot, leaning back slightly, and held her.
"I promise you Rose," he murmured in her ear, "Hunts Man will never come near you again. I swear if I have to take on the whole Hunts Clan I will, but they'll never have any power over you."
He lifted her chin and gazed into her surprised eyes. He spoke next with a soft and compassionate voice that came from the very bottom of his heart.
"You can be free from them if you want," he said, caressing her cheek with his thumb. "You'll never have to be Hunts Girl again if you don't want to."
Thorn watched his thumb on her cheek. The walls she'd constructed around her heart were cracking and the recent incident with Hunts Man only complicated matters. She was relapsing back into Rose, and yet…she didn't mind it as much as she thought she would. It would have appalled her in previous days and her weakness would anger her, but now the reason for fighting it had bit the dust. She wanted to be with Jake so badly, but she didn't know what to do about it. She wasn't even sure it was possible.
"I can't do it, Jake," she said sadly, staring at anything but him. "I—I'm sorry."
His hand moved up and into her hair.
"Yes you can," Jake said encouragingly. "All you've got to do is have a little faith in yourself. It's not going to be easy, but that's why you've got me."
Thorn snapped her eyes around and looked at him curiously. He had every intention of getting her out of the Hunts Clan. Thorn wanted to leave them, but she just didn't see how Jake planned to pull it off. If Hunts Man knew she was alive he'd make sure his next attempt would be successful.
Yet she wondered still. Jake was a young dragon and not as experienced as his Dragon Master, Lao Shi, but he proved himself extremely capable. The Hunts Clan couldn't defeat him (regardless to the odds) and the Dark Dragon had failed twice to accomplish the same goal. He didn't think twice about challenging the Dragon Council's decision and did his job of protecting New York City better than any other dragon his age could do.
"I…" she was uncertain, "but…"
Jake grinned at her and pressed a clawed finger to her lips.
"I'll give you time on this one," he said. "I want you to think about it before you answer."
Thorn smiled and quickly hugged him before he replaced her on his back.
"We should probably go back," she suggested. "The Dragon Council will think I slayed you or something."
Jake chuckled to himself agreeing with her.
"Alright, hang on," he said over his shoulder. "Dragon Airlines is going in for a landing."
Thorn leaned forward and held on to his neck. It was a tossup if that would pass for a hug or not. Jake gradually descended. He changed direction with Lao Shi and Fu Dog waved him over to where they were gathered with the Dragon Council at the bottom steps leading to the castle doors. Jake touched down gracefully and Thorn sprang off his back.
"Ah, here you are," Councilor Kulde greeted Jake happily.
He pulled someone from the group and positioned them in front of him.
"This is my niece Danielle," he introduced.
Danielle smiled charmingly at Jake and purred, "You must be the American Dragon."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Already the Jake-Rose shippers are grabbing their pitchforks and torches…
I apologize for the late update, but I made up for it with some JxRness