Nixiesocean: Yay. I broke 1,000 reads. : - P Booh-yah! Anyways, good reviews… er, reviewers…

I won't keep you from my (not so) oh-so-wonderfully-delightful (too egotistical?) chapter ten.

And yes, this chapter is funky because part of it is Bamien, not Katharine, being first person. I thought it would work better. Y'know, now that he's healed… partially.

Chapter 10: The Year-Long Demand

I opened by eyes. Cyrun sat there in front of me, rubbing my back. I have to say, the last time I had this sort of treatment was a hundred or so years before I was pulled a millennia into the future. Which, if I got back massages every day, wouldn't be so bad. I smiled at the thought. Immediately, I wiped the smile from my face. I felt weird not having a dragon-form locked up inside me. I felt empty. I was starting to realize how much dimmer this world was. Maybe it was me adjusting to the future, but I could've sword Cyrun's bathrobe was a brighter shade of blue a day ago.

"I couldn't find my friend. She was busy." Cyrun said quietly in my native language. "I'm sorry."

"It's –that feels really good– fine." I said, surprised. How did she know Draconic? I'll have to ask her when she's done with this massage. I looked over at the wall. There, sat a painting. A knight charged an invisible foe. No lady cheered for this knight. In fact, I thought I saw a few ladies running from him…

"Is your chest wound any better?" I rolled onto my back and allowed her to open up the shirt I wore (were clothes always this uncomfortable?) and unwrap the bandages. The wound was healing rapidly, I could tell. She smiled and put more herbs on it, then got clean bandages, which she re-wrapped my chest with. Cyrun put the bloodied ones into a basket. "I'll be back once I boil these in the kitchens." She left before I could ask my question. I yawned and put my arms above my head. At this rate, the treatments wouldn't last much longer. I closed my eyes and a picture formed. Cyrun's silver-haired head was clearly visible. Nothing else, but her. Why did I continually think of her? It had to be because of her kindness to me. Every other human I've met was rude; she was different. She truly cared about my well being. I liked her. Cyrun shortly returned, cheeks flaming red.

"What's wrong?" I asked in Draconic. It was easier to speak in your native tongue, even if you knew Common.

"Nothing…" She trailed off. I knew something was wrong. I've been able to since I was a wyrmling.

"Something's wrong, what is it?" I asked, I didn't mean to be so demanding. Then again, being a dragon had made me only slightly narcissist.

"Nothing." She insisted. I had a trick from when I was a dragon. I reached out my mind. I couldn't… why? It was I imagining myself reaching out my mind. I couldn't…? What else couldn't I do?

"Please, Cyrun, If there's-" I whispered.

"It's the 'nobles' they call themselves such a term. They are nothing noble. They are scoundrels only fit for drudgery work!" I had never heard such vehemence from this, or any, woman.

"What did they do?" Greeeat. Now I'm curious.

"It is not what they did so much as what they said." Am I going to have to drag it out of her? "They- they…" Guess not. "You've been here a sun at most. Now they think I'm sharing your bed!" Oh crap. "The horrors they speak of are wretched!" Duh. When I looked at her from across the room, I could see tear leaking down her cheeks. I attempted to sit up, but my lance-injury kept me in bed. She saw me. "Don't you dare, Bamien! You are in no condition to move yourself." She came over. Her silver hair that was so much like my own slipped from behind her shoulder and onto me. She smiled and suddenly looked cross. "You better not get up, Bamien. Just because I'm not here, doesn't mean I won't know when you get up." She was too kind for me.

"I promise. But there's nothing to do. I'm bored when you leave." Did that come out right? "I mean… I need thing to keep me occupied while I'm bedridden." That did.

"Okay. I'm sure the library will have some books to keep you occupied. But for now, I need to look at your bandages. Roll over." She seemed to be more commanding when slipping into the healer role. I rolled over. Happily getting the massage I had been waiting for since her angry entrance and ruined the relaxation it had given men. She worked the warm paste into my chest; I had been lying on my side when she had entered the room so frustrated. "Oh good. You'll be able to walk tomorrow." Only tomorrow? I wouldn't get these heavenly massages every day? Ah well, It was good while it lasted.

"Cyrun?" I asked, the question popping back into my head. "How do know Draconic?"

"I, uh, learned it." She said quietly. I suspected it wasn't so, but let her get by. "How is your chest feeling?"

"Good, I suppose." I answered. "How old are you?"

"I don't rightly recall." Yet another vague answer. "Why?"

"Well, since you have silver hair. I was wondering. Since, humans don't get it until they're plenty older than you look." I explained. There was something she wasn't telling me. I knew it. "Please tell me."

"I'm. I'm like you." She admitted rubbing my chest. I feel like a puddle right now. The words sank in. She was like me? In what way?

"You- you lost Draconsis?" She nodded, tears shining in her eyes and slipping down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Cyrun. Were you silver too?" She nodded again. So she was like me. Maybe that's why she came into the picture to save me. "Did that vile knight do it?" The tears poured like rain. All her sorrows seemed to pour over me via tears.

I hugged her, comforting her like I would a lost wyrmling. She spoke in hushed tones. "I let her die. I let her die. I let her die." She repeated the phrase over and over again. I was lost, but let her cry herself to sleep. It was obvious she needed the comfort of me here. She fell asleep, tired from the loss of tears. Exhausted from the lack of sleep she'd been suffering because of me. Her silver hair seemed to shine in the dim light of the room. Despite her earlier protests, I lifted the lithe Cyrun onto the bed after I had gotten out. I set her in my warmed spot and tucked her in. I walked around the bed (Still a little shaken from a day in bed) and climbed in the other side, rolling her into my arms. I would be there when she woke. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply to excuse myself into the lands of dreams, where Cyrun seemed to so often intrude.

I walked among the hills and rivers. I walked. When I looked down, I had claws. I had wings. I was a dragon again! I took to the sky, feeling the press of air on my wings. I felt the surge of joy that always occurred. I saw another silver dragon join my court with the winds. It seemed to meld with the wind, even more so than I. It spun in the air, doing a corkscrew in the middle of a cloud, coming out soaked from head to tail. It grinned like a child.

"Hello, my dear Bamien." Cyrun's voice emerged from the dragon's mouth. She did another corkscrew; I followed her maneuver. She pulled out at the last moment, luckily so did I. I recognized the dance-like flight we were doing. It was the mating flight.

-Katharine-

"I didn't know you felt so strongly, Kath." I loved his use of my name. I loved him. "But, I'm glad you "saved" me from that dragon." We were cuddled on the couch. It was comfy… so was Lance. He tried to keep speaking. I shushed him by putting my fingers to his lips. I dropped it and kissed him again on the lips. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him harder. After what felt like ten minutes, we released. "When do you want to be married, lovely?" I love him. By God I do.

"One year." I whispered. "I want a year to prepare."

He seemed shocked, but let me have my way. After all, I was the damsel… just not in distress. "A year it is then. We'll declare it tomorrow. How about you get Cyrun?"

After one last kiss I agreed. I left him in the sitting chambers and went down the hall where I knew Cyrun was staying. I knocked lightly and when I got no response opened the door quietly. I was in the sitting room. I looked to my right. I peeked around the corner to see Cyrun asleep wrapped in a middle-aged man's arms. They seemed peaceful. I could see that the man had bandages around his chest and Cyrun's cheeks streaked with tears. I gently tapped her so as to wake Cyrun, but not her… lover? er… friend. She opened her eyes.

"Katharine?" She struggled to escape the man's arms, but she was secured. She saw I was perplexed about the man. "This is Bamien. Long story, don't ask."

I was curious, but I'll ask her later. "Lance and I are getting married in a year. I need you to help me to prepare."

"Oh, so Lance is your fiancée?" I nodded. She grinned. "And I guess he knows your name, Katharine?" Yet again, I nodded. "Oh good." I saw Bamien's eyes flick and twitch… so did Cyrun "Oh… he's waking." She tried, once again in vain, to escape the man's arms, and awake he did. Cyrun nudged him. "Let me out." He yawned.

"Sure." He grinned and moved his arms. He then saw me. "This your friend, the knight?" Cyrun seemed to sense his tension. I spoke first.

"Well, excuse me. It's not my fault you have something against a knight. Even though I am a lady." I spat at him. Whoever he was, I didn't like him.

"Tell, little lady knight, how many dragons have you slain under your lance?" Cyrun, I saw and heard, tried to soothe him in a hissing language akin to snakes. It had an elegant air about it though. He said something to her and she did a 'humph'. He turned back to me. "Tell me the truth, little knight."

"None. The one I attempted to slay ended up healing and had you little beau there enslaved! He had my fiancée captive!" I said, totally unprepared for his accusing tone. "He took her Draco- something or other!" Cyrun's eyes watered at the mention of Asnorenith whatever his name was. This appeared to change Bamien's attitude.

"What was his name?" Cyrun took the liberty of entering the conversation.

"Ansarninith. The same who took… yours." At this, she got out of the bed, fully clothed. This, I know, should've taken me by surprise. But, it didn't. Why should I think Cyrun so immoral? Maybe this man, but not my friend. And savior. "Katharine, we need to talk to Lance." She walked out, leaving Bamien in the bed and me in the chair.

"I want you to know one thing. Cyrun is my friend. Since she has no parents, if you want to pursue a courting, in her parent's stead, Lance and I will substitute. If you want to court her, speak to us. Understood?"

"Yes, knight." He still seemed to have something against me, but what, I didn't know. "I want you to know one thing. She is a grown woman, older than you. You have no right to be her parent. She can decide who will 'court' her, not you." He mocked. "Understood?"

I had already reached the door. "I'm sorry, man. I seemed to have heard a ruckus outside. You may want to stay in that bed, your chest looks hurt." With that, I left. It felt odd to be so rude to someone. Who was he to tell me what to do? I was above him. A noble and betrothed to the prince! For heaven's sake, I was a knight! I pushed the egotistical thoughts away. Cyrun sat outside the door, clothed in a light summer dress. "Come on. Where did you want to go?"

"Do you know what he went through?" She asked. Oookkkaaayyy. That was random.

"No, should I?" I asked. This was very random.

"He was a dragon, of the highest caliber. Then, Asnarinith came to slay him, like so many knights. Just as he was about to kill him, I came into the time he was in and saved him. I've been healing him. Don't you see? He hates knights for the same reason I almost hated you. His Draconsis was taken like mine. By the same man, or dragon now." So, that was the reason he had an unreasonable hatred for me?

"I want you to help me prepare for the wedding." I said, deftly changing the topic.

"Why a year?" She asked after I had explained.

"Because." I said slyly. "If he can wait a year from today, then he loves me." I said, grinning. This was the most cunning thing I had even done. "If he can wait one year being betrothed to me, then he will love me the rest of my life."

"So, this is a test of faith?" Cyrun asked, confused.

"Not so, more a tradition. In most fairy tales, the bridegroom is told he must wait for so long. So, I'm just keeping with tradition!" I said, happy with my reasoning. I skipped around the hall. "Plus, imagine. We have a year to spread the news. If it was a few days, then the far away nobles wouldn't be able to come!" Cyrun nodded. "Now, to the royal seamstress!" I lead the way, partly by luck, partly because I had passed it on the way to Cyrun's quarters.

To my readers (and reviewers!),

Sorry this is so short. I've been working on it for a while. It's a slow chapter. Nothing really happened. I had to let Katharine in on the secret sometime. I thought Cyrun would break down, she is still stressed about letting down her barriers around Bamien, and tell her because right now, Katharine and Bamien are having a rocky starting friendship (or good starting hatred). I think I'll kill off Lance… bwhahaha… not. I like him too much. He's a cool guy. I'll have to think up a plot to do while Lance waits his year (c'mon pity the poor guy!) So, buh-bye, later folks!

Nixie.

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