Nixiesocean: At last! The chapter of decisions!

Responses:

Simplegrl007: Yeah, a quiet cottage in the woods. I think it would be peaceful. Oh, and your stab at foreshadowing… yeah, um, here it is. And, no, you did not affect the chapter. It was already written when you reviewed.

Classy Lady Elegance: Of course there's more to Jade than I'm revealing! What fun would it be if she was read like a book? Sheesh…

Anyways. I want five reviews before I update. I know you guys (or gals) are reading this.

Chapter 8: The End of the Beginning

The week passed far too quickly for me. We'd spent day after the herb-selling day to expand the hut, adding a living quarters for the twins, who had shared a bedroom with their father. Ceara went into town with them to "look at the pretty things" which was true, except it was truly to see what they'd like for their room. Everett spent time working on the new double-decker bed frame while I stuffed mattresses, one each. They loved it, in short.

That took up most of the time. One day before the week of happiness ended, we were forced to leave. Ceara and I both knew a certain red Dragon would be looking for us. I could no more put Syan and Sara in danger than Ceara. We promised to return. Syan and Sara were very tearful about our departure. We bought supplies and left town – on two horses.

We rose northward, though we had no intention of going back to the capital, at least not until I'd done something. We stayed in the forests, avoiding roads and things. I guess you could call us paranoid. Then again, you would be too if you had an adult red Dragon hot on your trail. After all, I had damaged his pride.

He probably had heard of Ceara's disappearance, and being a 'young' Dragon, knew he could hurt her. To what end, I knew not. We hid our campsites and spent most nights huddled together. Once again, we slept by day and rode by night. Our fires were small, on nights Ceara allowed a fire. We both knew we were hiding for no reason.

He'd find us. And find us he did.

Once again, it was bandits. Instead of going directly after Ceara, they went for us both. I resisted – futilely – to the capture. Ceara had managed to wipe one man's memory, but more had swarmed her. I never had time to draw my sword. So, once again, we were brought before Asnarinith and Lovely. Once again, he forced Ceara into a Draconic shape and tied her up. And once again, I was tied up. Call it déjà vu.

He, being the stereotypical evil villain, had to disclose his master plan. I had to play along, being the hero of the story, or so I thought.

"Why are we here? We've done nothing to you!" I called out to him.

"Oh, but you have! Or at least it's in your blood!" He replied, cackling evilly. "Your Mother," He hissed, "Took away my slave, the wench Cyrun, and picked up my consort like a prize, the brat Ilona." I knew Queen Ilona, my aunt. She was King Brennin's wife. "You've done me great harm, so here I am, doing your families great harm."

Great. A grudge. Grudges are always nice. I thought to myself.

"But first, I've planned this." To my horror, he flung his arm out. From it, a stream of red flew out. It encompassed Ceara, who began screaming, both Dragon-like and Human-like. He was Draining her! I struggled. "Don't worry, prince, you'll be next."

Time slowed. I kicked at my bonds, which severed by some odd force. I jumped onto my feat and groped for my sword. I drew it, and Lovely, who stood a good distance away yelled to Asnarinith.

I swore it! I called to the Goddess. I swore she'd never be Drained! My vow somehow gave me strength. Somehow, I knocked Asnarinith unconscious. The bandits had fled, Lovely too.

I saw the red-and-silver flecked dome; the one Ceara was trying to fight. I walked over. I could barely see her through the nearly opaque hemi-sphere. She was crouched over in pain, silvery wings outstretched. She had a human body but faint silver wings were just visible.

Need overtook sense. I touched the sphere. It burned my fingers. Resolve hardening, I stuck my hand through the sphere. The pain was immense. I felt like I was being torn to pieces on the inside. I nearly retracted my arm from the pain, but Ceara was on the inside – and dying. I steeled myself against the pain and shoved my elbow through. New pain erupted. The inner-fire burned my soul and scarred it. I saw her crumpled form, and it hurt me far deeper. I'd do anything to keep her intact, the way I loved her.

I shoved the rest of my arm in, along with a foot. The aching was terrible. I was shaken from head to toe now. Suddenly, as I was putting my hip through, I felt a push. I saw Ceara pushing me. I shook my head and continued to force myself through. I pushed my head in. The pain on my face was the worst. It stung my eyes and burned me. I screamed from the pain.

Finally, a brief lack of pain! Oh, how I rested in that cool lake, soaking up the water. My hurts healed a bit, but not enough. I was shoved back into the real world and back into pain. I felt arms around me.

"Please leave," I heard her whisper. "Please, you'll die!"

I looked down at her. My jade eyes must've shown my pain because she gave me a look of pure horror. "No, sweet love," I whispered. She choked up, fighting back tears. "I cannot leave you, not to this awfulness."

"Do it!" She shouted. "Please!"

I brushed a throbbing finger on her cheek. "I nearly lost you once – never again." I pulled her onto my chest. The pressure I was using made me hurt myself. I ignored the ache and held her close. "If I'm to die inside this, I want to die with you in my arms." I whispered. She looked up, tears staining those fair cheeks. "I'll love you forever, Ceara Dragonborn." I pressed my smarting lips onto hers. Sheer bliss took over my pain.

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I struck the dummy. Surprisingly, something stung on my right arm. I ignored it. A light fire ran up my arm and started engulfing my body. The pain – it was terrible. I yelled. My posse, scared by my sudden shout of pain, stood by watching. There was a brief respite, but the pain began again. My chest had a sudden bolt of pain, then my lips. I got a small shaft of happiness; then it shattered.

Something else shattered – something deep inside. I tentatively reached out for Ade. He was so secretive that I didn't know if I'd find him. I didn't. Even when he was hiding, I knew he was there, a quiet presence deep in my mind. He wasn't there, he was completely lacking.

Our bond shattered, strained by the ties between life and death. Shaking violently, I felt something else – my whole being – break. I didn't die, though I wish I would've. The hurt, something far worse than just a death, rippled through me. I felt it deep inside myself. I wept, not from pain, but from sadness.

I knew, as sure as I knew Ade as a twin, that our bond was forever severed.

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He collapsed in my arms. I screamed defiantly. I gently set him down and threw my arms upward. My silvery Draconic wings spread widely, fighting the confines of the dome. I formed an invisible lance of pure willpower and rammed the dome. It shattered, sending pieces of it in every direction. Ade's declaration must've given me extra power, because I could've never taken on an adult Dragon's magic on my own.

I laid Ade flat and ran over to a familiar form. Scales were fading on his body and he was shrinking. I drew my knife. Something inside me must've changed inside that dome. I reached down and grasped Asnarinith's head. His eyes were barely open. He wasn't dead, not yet. I pointed it toward Ade.

"See what you've caused?" I shouted, not caring if it hurt him. "See what pain you've caused?" I shoved his head toward Ade. It smacked into the ground. I leaned down and lifted his head. "I could show you mercy and slit your throat or I could be like you and leave you hear for the wolves. I hear Dragons make good meals."

He breathed heavily. "Mercy – please." He voice was hoarse and I knew he was dying.

"Why should I?" I hissed. "You've shown this world no mercy, devil!"

He looked me in the eyes. "Because you're not me."

I hated him so greatly. My mother's love echoed inside me. This was a crossroads in my life. I narrowed my eyes. "Say hello to your creator, whatever devil spawned you." I not so gently slit his throat. The blood flowed over me, but I didn't mind. So long as that devil was dead, I didn't care. There was a sigh of relief as his spirit left his body.

I realized I hadn't heard Ade's spirit. I rushed over.

"I keep his soul – if only for a bit, Daughter of Dragons." A voice whispered. "You could've left him. Why?"

"Great Mother," I responded. "He was right, I could not leave him to the mercy of wolves, it just isn't in me."

"He killed your love." She reminded me gently.

"Yes," I said, looking down at Ade. "He did. But two evils don't make a right, Great Mother."

"You are wise, Daughter of Dragons," The Goddess whispered. "You will make a wonderful Dragon-Queen. First, however, choose this:" A small ball of white light appeared near my hand. It rushed toward my hand. Instinctively, I reached out to grab it. I caught it, but it was insubstantial. It flowed right into my hand. "I can rarely give such a gift. Choose to whom you will give the gift of Life." Mia flashed in my mind. One took such prominence that I wondered why the Goddess would give me an option. I went over to the man's corpse. Oh, how I longed to see those jade eyes sparkle with laughter!

I caressed a lock of midnight hair. The spark of white light jumped from me, going into Ade's body. His eyes flinched. Hope jumped in my heart. A sliver of moonlight – somehow in the daylight it was there – brought the ghostly form of Ade. It rested gently inside his body. His eyes opened, and there were those jade eyes I longed for.

"Beware, Daughter of Dragons, this will be the hardest journey." I nodded, tears falling onto my love. Ade was changed, however. Death changed people.

Although in body he was the same, his memory wasn't. "Who are you?" He murmured, and my heart broke.

"I am," I knew I could lie, say I was anyone else, but I chose not to. Maybe love helped Humans too. "Ceara Dragonborn."

Somehow he knew to trust me. "Who am I?" I grasped his hand.

"Ade." I whispered. Maybe… just maybe love helped Humans recover.

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I had made my resolve after I had informed my parents, and wept with them, about Ade's death. My father, no matter what he said, had always liked Ade. He had always enjoyed speaking to him about political matters and of history. He never spoke to me of swordplay and other things my mother spoke to me about.

I breathed in deeply and began to read Ade's favorite book.

Nixiesocean: Bwhahaha. Don't worry, though, this is a multi-part series. Think of The Beginning as an episode. The Hardest Journey is the second part. Here's a preview:

I kept him from society. He wasn't ready for the evils of Humans, I told myself. In truth, I wanted him to heal quickly. I wanted him to heal so he could keep his promise of marriage. I wanted his love. In fact, I desired it. I wanted a reason to be out in this hell. I wanted things to be what they were before, as escape from the bores of palace life, and here it was: Ade's death, life and hardships. Each day, those jade eyes saw me, but without that fire of love. Each day, my heart broke because I knew it possible he'd never recover. I knew he might die in a week, so I tried to focus on the little things.

I taught in wilderness lore.

"This is monkshood, right?" He asked, pointing to one. I never taught him it. Where had he learned it? I had taught him once, before then. I slept in on the floor in his tent, to keep watch over him. He might have nightmares, and he did. I would awake to his whimpers and go over.

I caressed a lock of his hair, hoping to calm his nerves. He grew quieter, but was still uneasy. I pressed a hand to his face. I got a shock.

The pain was inhuman. It burned so hard; it scarred his soul. It ripped at his very being. He knew he'd never be the same. But Ceara! He could not leave Ceara! So he gritted his teeth against the pain and went in a little farther.

I released my hand so suddenly his nightmares started all over again. I breathed deeply and pressed my hand again. The contact seemed to help a little. I got another portion of his nightmare.

The burning! It ached, somewhere deep. It was a thousand knives, cutting his soul into bits. It was a fire, reaching up his arm.

I gasped, but held my hand there, steeling myself against the pain. I had an idea. I could sleep without having to lash a hand to his face. Without making my hand leave him, I slipped into his covers. I wrapped my arms around his body and flung myself full-force into his nightmares.

The dome was there, flecked red and silver. He reached out a finger. It hissed at his touch. Love made him go on. Love of a woman, love, love, love…

I, while weeping silently, kept waking during the night. Ade seemed to sleep peacefully, however, because each morning he'd awake (not knowing sleeping with one's friend was simply not done) with a jolly attitude and a grin.

"How did you sleep?" I'd ask.

He'd reply, "The first part, was a little bad, but everything after the first bit was completely restful!"

I'd bite back the truth and say politely, "I'm glad you had a good sleep, Ade."

And he'd give me that foolish smile that broke my heart. It reminded me of the old Ade, the one I'd given my heart to. He was the one who had stolen my heart so long ago, the one who promised me marriage, the one who loved me enough to kill him so I could live, and the one who did not live.

I'd cry myself to sleep every night on Ade's sleeping shoulder, thinking of what could've been, yet would never be.

Yes, I know, a cliffie. But it's the only way you people review! So far only Classy Lady Elegance and Simplegrl007 have been consistent reviewers.

Thank you's:

Thank you, Classy Lady Elegance, for reviewing. You're support is worth the effort I use to write this story.

Much thanks to Simplegrll007, for reviewing, you've been a wonderful, faithful reviewer.

Buh-bye. Remember all you non-reviewers: 5 reviews if you want me to update.