Chapter four- Love Grows

Flame and Lanie entered the gardens, and it shocked Flame because he then realized just how long they had been inside the shadowed halls of the temple. The sun greeted him straight in the eyes as he winced and raised his wing to block the sun. Lanie, however, was not affected by the sun's rays, for she was accustomed to the pain of the light. Once getting used to the sun, Flame lowered his wing and walked to Lanie, who had flown up onto the balcony to watch the sun fall. Flame landed next to her, making her smile gently as he got closer to her, mesmerized by how the sun reflects off of her violet scales.

"Isn't it amazing Lanie?" He asked her. Lanie only sighed and looked away from it. Flame instantly felt horrible. He had forgotten one of them most important details to her. Lanie was blind. She moved around using her other senses to her advantage, sniffing, touching, and hearing everything. Lanie, despite this, was an incredible fighter… at a distance. Her lack of sight made it hard for her to fight up close with claws and teeth. She made this up by being incredibly smart and, naturally, talented at problem solving and puzzles

Flame kicked himself for saying this, for he knew that Lanie was, most obviously, upset. He got closer to her and nudged her head with his snout, causing her to look at him. Tears beginning to fall down her cheeks. It killed Flame when she cried. To him it was the most upsetting thing in the world, because she doesn't deserve to shed to tears. She has honored this realm greatly, but for reasons Lanie would not share. She has done nothing wrong in her life, and liked to not be treated badly. Flame was extremely gentle to her. Did she push his buttons sometimes? Yes, but he loved her all the same. Flame's heart broke in half as he saw a tear fall down her cheek and land on the ground below them. As another was coming, he quickly licked it away from her eye with his tongue.

"Lanie. I'm so sorry for that. I didn't know what I was thinking when I said that. I'm so, so sorry." Flame said hugging her, almost crying himself. Lanie liked it when he cried.

"Only a true man cries." Her father would always say. This made her mood lighten more, and she returned the hug. She then pulled him away to look at him. Flame sniffled and looked away, for he didn't like it when people saw him cry. Lanie knew this, so she decided to let him be, but she stayed by him until he looked back up to her.

"It's ok, Flame. It's not your fault. Sometimes I forget too." They both chuckled a little at this. Flame wiped his eyes clean of tears, and looked at her straight in the eyes. A smile crept on him as he noticed her doing the same, putting her paw on his to comfort him. They then both flew back down to the grass below the balcony. The sun was almost set, leaving a ray of orange and yellow in the horizon, and a blanket of night following close behind it. Lanie and Flame lied on their backs to stare at the sky. Billions, upon billions of stars speckled the night sky, and as three shooting stars flew across the sky, the two dragons laid in complete peace and harmony. Lanie then broke the silence to ask a very important question:

"Flame?" Flame looked at her.

"Yes honey?" Lanie took a second to think, then took a deep breath.

"What would you have done if you never met me? And be honest." Flame laughed silently to himself.

"If I had never met you?" He repeated the question to himself.

"Two things could happen: One, I could be chained up in Ember's room night and day…" Lanie laughed at this.

"Or two… I'd be looking for someone like you." Lanie blushed immensely at this. Turning over to kiss him, she then put her right forepaw on Flame's chest and wrapped her right wing around him and her. Flame licked her forehead and listened to her purr as she laid with him.

"My turn. What would you have done?"

"What do you mean?" Lanie looked up to him.

"If you never met me, what would you have done?" He asked again. Lanie took a moment to think.

"I don't like to think about that… but if I had not met you… I would probably still be a poor, blind child on the streets of Warfang. You saved my life when you found me that day. I have never before been so in love, with someone I trust so much." Flame looked down to her.

"I bet I love you more than you love me." He said competitively.

"Oh yeah? Think of a number between one and one million." Flame did as he was commanded and gently shook her saying he had an answer.

"Now, times that by the highest number in the world, and that is how much I love you." Flame laughed as he heard this.

"I don't think I can count that high." Lanie smiled for she knew she just won the argument, like always. In Flame's eyes, the woman was always right. Unless it was Ember. She was crazy, but Lanie… Flame couldn't go a day without her.

"Flame?" Lanie began, yawning and snuggling up to Flame's side.

"Yes?" He responded in a gentle tone.

"What if these next few weeks… were our last?" She asked, releasing a single tear from her eye socket.

"Then, I would fight until my last breath. Just to make sure you were safe. I would never leave your side. If you were taken away, I would travel the whole realms. If you died, then I would take my own life, just to be with you in the kingdom of heaven." Lanie cried more, but not because she was upset, but because she knew how much she loved him. She knew that what he said was true, and that no matter how much the price it, he would never give up for her. He was not like other men, who say they would do these things, and when the time came he didn't do them. He was true. He was every bit of man as Spyro is to Cynder. Lanie felt lucky to have Flame, for once in her life, she knew what it felt to be as fortunate as Cynder. To have someone care for her, show her love, and never leave her side unless absolutely, positively, necessary.

"I love you. Forever and ever, my Flame." She then licked Flame's cheek and dug her head into his chest to sleep.

"I love you too. My sweet Lanie." He stayed awake through the night as Lanie slept peacefully on his chest. The stars grew in numbers, and the night sky was soon painted white with the stars twinkling in the distance. Flame, found a star and made a wish.

I wish that I could stay with Lanie forever, and no matter what happens, I pray she doesn't get harmed. And with that he fell asleep in the arms of his lover.

Yes, this is a Spyro story, but I thought that I should also include the relationship between Lanie and Flame, as well as Spyro and Cynder. So this chapter was dedicated to Flame and Lanie. I hope you guys enjoy it.