Chapter Seven
The days left before Brom and Saphira had to leave were dwindling and it was affecting everyone in the family. The twins had become quite attached to Saphira, who, though begrudging at first became rather connected to them as well. Amani had nigh become another limb on Brom. The little girl had fallen head over heels when Brom had carved a dragon statue to go with her Manoush toy. Amani had taken it as a sign that Sareh and Brom were going to be together forever. She trailed Brom around her family's lands, clutching her Manoush toys. For a man with little to no experience with children, he handled her intruding on his space rather well.
Sareh watched from the house as Brom and her little sister chased one another around the grassy yard. Brom let the little girl catch him and knock him to the ground, long legs flying up in the air as Amani tackled him. Sareh heard his laughter on the wind and smiled. As Brom hauled little Amani up, tossing her into the air and catching her until she giggled uncontrollably Sareh let herself realize for the first time, that she could spend the rest of her life with Brom. He was far from perfect but perfect enough for her Sareh found herself wanting to know what kind of future she and Brom could have together. Before she had gotten to thinking about it further Amani ran up to her older sister, breathless from her play in the field. Sareh smiled at her little sister and picked her up, balancing the girl on her hip.
"Enjoying yourself Amani?" She grinned, showing holes in her smile where several teeth should have been, she nodded enthusiastically. Sareh giggled and looked up as Brom's shadow covered them. Amani waved at him as he closed the gap between the girls and himself.
"What are you two laughing at?" he asked as he reached them, Sareh and Amani looked at one another,
"Should we tell him?" Amani nodded and Sareh looked up at her Dragon Rider.
"We're laughing at you oh mighty Shur'tugal!" Brom was quiet for a moment, the mirth on his face breaking through the fierce look he was trying to enforce. It was an amusing combination. Finally Brom just shook his head, looking at his feet and then coyly at Sareh.
"Oh you're laughing are you?" His hands shot out and he started tickling Amani mercilessly who started laughing so hard she nearly fell out of Sareh's arms. Sareh laughed with her until Brom's eye fell on her as well.
"Don't think you're getting away with something, oh dear lady… You're next!" Sareh let her eyes go big and she started backing away, Amani throwing her arms around her sister's neck.
"Oh, we can't let that happen can we?" Sareh asked and the little girl shook her head wildly. Sareh broke out into a run, holding her sister tightly, Brom chased after them. Sareh shrieked, weaving left and right, avoiding her hunter. Amani giggled out loud as her sister made escape after escape. Finally the two grew weary of the chase and collapsed on the ground next to one another, Amani resting on Sareh's chest. They had barely gotten their breath back when Sareh's mother began calling from the back of the house. They lifted their heads enough to hear what she was yelling about.
"Sareh! Send Amani back in for dinner! Brom, I've got that basket finished for you." Amani had already crawled off of Sareh and was running back to her mother, her long hair streaming out behind her as she ran. Sareh laid her head back down and looked at the sky; until it hit her that her mother had said "the basket was prepared".
"Uh, Brom… What did my mother mean about the basket being done?" Brom joined her in watching the clouds.
"It's my last night here Sareh, I wanted to take you some place special tonight." In their romping with Amani, Sareh had forgotten that Brom's leave was ending tonight. It felt like a giant weight was pressing on her heart now that she had been reminded that he was going. She was quiet for a moment. Brom on the other hand, although sad, wasn't about to let it ruin their night.
Because tonight, was going to be special.
"Are you not wanting to go tonight, because I'm sure whatever your mother is cooking is going to be delicious—" Sareh flung her hand over and whacked him lightly on the stomach.
"Of course I want to go, I was just thinking about it being the last time we go anywhere for awhile."
"Don't think of it that way. It'll just be an extended—it will be an extended something." Sareh laughed.
"Extended indeed." The two of them were interrupted when Sareh's mother whistled from the door. Brom smiled and picked himself up.
"Better get that before she feeds it to someone." Sareh laughed and waited, lying in the grass. She watched as Saphira landed in the field ahead of her. She sat up and looked at Saphira quizzically.
"Saphira, what are you doing here?" Saphira poked a claw lazily into the grass.
"I'm here to take you to your special outing." Sareh was even more puzzled.
"I thought you couldn't take more than one person, and how far away is this place?" Saphira brushed a clod of dirt off of her claw.
"It isn't too far, and I'm strong enough for short distances, well, short distances to me." Sareh looked at Brom as he returned with the basket her mother had prepared for them. When he reached her he lifted the basket up and down a few times, groaning as though it were too heavy for him.
"I'm fairly sure your mother packed a whole cow for us. I do hope your hungry." Sareh smiled,
"Mama never does anything small." She looked at Saphira,
"So Saphira tells me we're flying to wherever we're going." Brom glared at Saphira whose eyes widened with innocence.
"She did, did she? One can only hope she hasn't given too much away." Saphira shook her head.
"I did not, I just had to explain my part in this little adventure." Brom nodded with only the slightest bit of sarcasm.
"Of course," he looked at Sareh,
"Shall we?" Sareh was a bit hesitant. Although she loved Saphira and they were dear friends now, she had never flown in any form or fashion with her or any dragon for that matter. Brom sensed her hesitation and pulled her gently to Saphira's side, where Sareh was surprised to see Brom's saddle already on Saphira's back.
"We put it on earlier, enjoy the view, it's been itching all afternoon." Sareh gave a thankful pat to her friend and with help from Brom, clambered up onto the tall back of the dragon. Brom handed Sareh the picnic basket and headed to the front but was stopped by Saphira's tail, she had flicked it forward and blocked his path.
"Hand me the basket Brom, and sit with your woman." Brom was taken aback,
"Beg pardon?" Saphira craned her neck and looked Brom in the eye.
"You heard me, hand me the basket and climb on." Brom took the basket from Sareh, who was suddenly realizing that Saphira had just called her Brom's woman. A thought that was slightly thrilling and scary at the same time.
"Are you sure?" Brom asked as he slid the basket over Saphira's smallest (if there was such a word for a dragon) claw and headed back to Sareh. Saphira rolled her eyes.
"It will be a heavy load either way, besides, she's never ridden before, wouldn't want her sliding off mid-flight." Brom climbed up behind Sareh, wrapping his arms around her. Sareh was unprepared for the great power in Saphira as she felt the muscles in her back and legs bunch as she prepared for her flight. When they had left the ground, Sareh was not expecting at how fast. Brom feeling her tense tightened his arms around her, pulling her against his chest, reassuring her that she would not fall. Sareh relaxed and took in the feeling of flying that so many riders refused to share.
Sareh's hair was flung around her face and goose bumps popped up on her arms as the sudden chill hit her bare skin.
It was wonderful.
Before she knew it they had reached their destination and Saphira was landing, avoiding crushing the basket she had perched on her claw.
"We're here children." Brom slid off expertly, landing steadily. He turned to help Sareh off, only to find that she had taken care of the task herself. She too landed as though she had been doing it all of her life. He smiled and offered her his hand. He leaned in, and whispered against her ear,
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were a natural born Dragon Rider." Sareh smiled and pulled her ear away from his tickling breath.
"But, you know better." She went to Saphira who was patiently holding her clawed foot out, the basket dangling like a flower hanger from her toe. Sareh took it, agreeing completely that her mother had indeed packed too much. As she and Brom made their way to their dinner spot, Saphira prepared for flight once more.
"Just call when you need me—Don't stay out too late." She took off and left the two of them in the clearing. Sareh was suddenly hit with the beauty of her surroundings. The clearing led to the edge of a tall hill, high enough to see the village below and the gorgeous sunset that was taking place.
"Brom it's beautiful." Brom took the basket from her and began to set out their meal.
"It truly is." He took care of putting the food out as Sareh soaked in the splendor of their surroundings. He called to her softly when he was finished; she turned and joined him on the blanket he had set out for them to sit on. They ate their dinner, avoiding the questions they had built up until after they had finished. By then Brom had thought up what he wanted to say, and the minute Sareh had put the leftovers in the basket, he pulled her back to sit next to him.
"Sareh, I—I have something to say to you." Sareh smiled up at him from where she leaned against him, enjoying the feel of his arms around her.
"What is it?" As he matched her gaze, he began, hoping that he didn't let himself be frightened from saying what he wanted to say.
"These past weeks have been, incredible. Leaving tomorrow will be one of the hardest things I will ever have to do, for me and for Saphira." He took a breath, a moment to keep it together.
"So what I have to ask of you, isn't easy for me, only because I'm afraid of the slightest chance that you may not agree." Sareh sat up and turned to face him.
"Whatever it is, just ask, I'm sure it is it isn't going to be as you fear." Brom smiled and then fumbled around in his pocket.
"Sareh, before I leave tomorrow, I want to know if you will be mine. That you will allow me to love you the best way I know how and that you will take me as yours." Sareh looked at him in shock. Brom continued,
"I don't know if I've ever believed in love, or if I did if I ever thought it would happen for me. I know now that I do, and that it's because of you. I never want to let that go, so if you'll wait for me, I swear to you I will come back and take you as my wife." He lifted Sareh's left hand and slid a silver ring onto it, kissing her knuckles as he did, what seemed a thousand years ago, hoping that he wouldn't be sliding it back off in a few moments. Sareh was silent for a moment, confirming Brom's fears of being completely wrong about what he had felt.
And, then she smiled.
"Of course I will." Brom hadn't realized until she kissed him that he had been holding his breath. He had forgotten about that vital function and only began breathing after Sareh pulled back. Brom couldn't have been happier as Sareh smiled at him. He pulled her in for a long hug, taking the time to remember her features, the way she felt in his arms, the way her hair smelled, all of it. He and Saphira were going to be on patrol for three months at the least over The Spine and then the outskirts of the Hadarac Desert. He and Saphira wouldn't be able to return even for short visits that often. He could only hope that Sareh's power worked over long distances and they could talk with one another through Saphira.
Sareh turned back and settled into her original position, wrapping Brom's arms around her, and then taking the moment she hadn't before to look at the ring he had slid on her finger. A pink stone shined back at her, and after a moment Sareh realized it was in the shape of a heart. Brom lifted her hand and stared at it.
"Believe it or not I got a blacksmith to form the setting on short notice, and Saphira made the stone—I think she thought she was being funny when she made it into a heart." Sareh made a tsking sound.
"Ohh, it doesn't look too bad from this angle." Brom laughed and kissed her fingers once more. Sareh snuggled back, laying her head on his shoulder. They sat there, just taking in the feeling of one another. Finally it seemed they had an idea of where they were going with their futures. They watched the sun go down and feel asleep holding one another right before the last ray fell behind the horizon.
Sareh's dreams however, were not ones filled with weddings and future families but pain and sorrow. She could hear a voice, ringing in her ear; it didn't make sense, what she was hearing.
Why? I am a Dragon Rider they cannot take that from me. A dragon, just one, is all I ask, what difference does it make? Not right for a dragon, don't deserve a dragon. I suffer. They will suffer.
Behind Sareh's eyelids flashes of horrible things came. She saw a young man, unshaven and gaunt. His eyes burned with madness and his palms bled from clenched fingers. He was muttering to himself and ripping at his hair with bloody hands. Just as quickly as she had seen this, Sareh saw dragons, a mass of them in the sky dressed in armor, clawing and breathing fire at one another. She saw as one by one dragon and rider fell by the hands and teeth of another. Her heart ripped at every death until she was whisked to another scene, one that made her heart die all together.
In front of her lay a great mass, another form hunched over it, the cries coming from it identified it as a man. As Sareh came closer the light fell on the great shape, revealing it as Saphira. A deep gash in her chest told Sareh she had been stabbed through the heart, her eyes clouded over with death. Sareh felt her own tears slide down her face as the light fell on Brom and the anguish that was shooting through him. He had his hands over Saphira's chest, repeating the Ancient words of healing, the magic shooting from his hand but having no effect on Saphira's wound. His sobs grew louder as it became more apparent that she wouldn't heal. Sareh looked up and saw a shadow fall across Brom's back, and a sword with a red blade lifted high. Sareh screamed for Brom to look, to save himself, but his grief over Saphira's death was too great. He didn't see he was about to die.
"BROM!" Sareh shrieked.
