Nixiesocean: Ah, another installment of my saddest mini-part.

Responses:

Classy Lady Elegance: I suppose he didn't. Come on, a mere Human killing an adult Dragon without my putting in any sort of big fight? Lol… He's a recurring villain! Have no fear!

Traceykiwilee: Wow is an interjection! Yay for interjections!

Chapter 10: Dragonflies

The Dragons didn't comment on our sleeping together. After all, Dragons never married, except my parents. They are an exception. The healers of Dragonhold insisted on seeing my broken prince. They were completely at a loss to why a Human had survived through a Draining, and this long. I didn't tell them he had died.

My mother didn't see me at all the following day. I was looking out the window, a tear slipping out of my eyes. I cried a lot these days, I knew my Ade was alive, somewhere deep inside this Ade, but I couldn't find him. Occasionally, I would see his eyes get a spark of the normal shade, but it would fade quickly, and break my heart all over again. This Ade didn't know I loved him.

"Ceara? Can we go for a walk?" It was two days since we arrived, and he had forgiven me for the sudden displacement. Dragonhold had repaired most of his bodily hurts.

I turned around, my silver dress (I wore them nowadays) spun like the top of a cupcake. "Sure, Ade." I pulled out some beautifully crafted clothes. The seamstresses of Dragonhold had provided amazing clothes for 'Lady Cyrun and Lord Bamien's daughter and her prince'. "Put these on."

He wasn't submissive, but he knew he couldn't walk around Dragonhold naked. He had bedclothes in bed; so don't get any ideas about my impropriety. I vowed to be married first, like the women of the palace. My mother hadn't been particularly happy about that since she had brought in many Dragonmen to bed me and produce a new Dragon.

I hate her so much.

Ade put on his clothes, which were shades of purple gold, and silver, denoting his royal rank. "My lady, I am ready to leave." He murmured, holding out a hand.

I curtsied and took his arm. We left his room in the royal ward and went outside to the Dragongardens. He gasped at the small dragonflies. The palace in Furde didn't have dragonflies, so the small painted things captured his attention. I told him The Dragonfly myth, how something so delicate came to be.

"A lady of Dragonhold, Cintha, was a famous for her small, and fine, works of art. They ranged from pinkie-nail sized to as large as a window. Each work, no matter how big or small, took her months to make. It seemed she would die poor, however, because the beautiful works cost her more to make than they were bought for. One day, a prince – his name has been lost to history – of a country that no longer exists found himself in Dragonhold. The petite works of art enchanted him; he was convinced only an angel could create. He vowed to wed the maker of the art. She was repulsed by his desire for her, because she could make stunning works of art. Her father, though, forced her into marriage because they were poor.

"She hated her husband for thirty years. He lavished money onto her to fund her works, which gradually became less beautiful and less desired. He wondered why she was less skilled on his deathbed. She came to him, weeping like any woman in love did. She confessed to him that she pined for him, but could never find the courage to voice it. He asked her for how long she had pined. Thirty years, she said. They wept together and he died in her arms. The Goddess pitied the woman and turned them both into dragonflies, the living representation of Cintha's artwork." I concluded my myth with a deep breath.

Ade looked at me wide-eyed. "How did you know that?"

"My parents took me here once each year, and I lived here." I whispered.

His mouth was agape. "I remember that, I wanted to go, but my parents refused to let me!"

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I felt a light touch on the far reach of my mind. I ignored it. It was my mind playing tricks on me. As soon at I convinced myself of it, it disappeared and I went back to studying. I was in the royal library. I felt a light touch on my shoulder.

"Come with me," Jade murmured. I gently closed my book and stood. She hadn't spoken to me since I had stopped sword fighting. I followed her small, but built, form and we left the library. After many turns and bypassing servants, we arrived in my private garden. She turned to face me. Her hazel eyes blazed. "You agreed to take breakfast with me, and then disappear, only to reappear as your brother! What in blazes is going on with you?"

I looked her right in the eyes. "Have you ever had a connection so deep, that for it to be broken is losing part of yourself?" I asked her. She bit her lip. "My brother is dead, and there is nothing more than I desire to see it made false." I whispered. "I know it is true, however, because our bond never lies." I turned away from her. "You wouldn't know." It began to rain, very hard. Why did it always rain during dramatic moments?

She wept openly, grasping me for her strength. "No!" She said. "Oh, Goddess."

"What?" I asked, concerned. I turned back to her and held her to my firm chest. I still worked out, but not as often. "What's wrong?" She only kept crying. "Jade! What in the Goddess' name is happening?"

She looked up. Her tears must've made some odd reaction occur because her eyes were bright blue. "I know!" She cried. "I know what you mean." She pushed her face back into my chest.

I rubbed her back and leaned up against the walls of the palace. "How?" I left all trace of him behind. "Jade! Speak to me!"

"Jasmine, she was my sister." She sobbed. "She died when we were twelve."

"You had a twin?" I asked, trying to comfort her.

"Ye – yes." She said, trying to compose herself. "S – she fell off a horse and broke her skull." She peered back up at me. "I – the doctors couldn't do anything. She died there on the pasture."

"Oh," I whispered kindly. "I'm so sorry."

The ever-practical Jade shook her head. "It's not your fault." She looked so beautiful, soaked and crying. Her hair, which was normally blonde, was now a shade of brunette from the rain. Before I knew it, I kissed her. I wanted with all my heart to comfort her, and that was the first thing I thought of doing. She tensed ever so slightly; then relaxed. I felt her wet arms slip around my neck and I was inclined to move my arms to her waist. I gently released her lips. Her lip quivered. "I want Aram back!" She said, hugging my wet chest. "When will he be home?"

I looked down at her. I breathlessly said, "I'm home to stay."

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"H – how did you remember that?" I asked, suddenly cautious.

He shrugged. "It came to mind, that's all. Why?" I realized that something was healing his memory loss. How else could that memory, and the monkshood, be explained? My mother, once before she grew angry with me, had told me that love from Father had healed the Draining she and him and suffered. But Humans never healed. Why?

"Tell me another story," He ordered as I was thinking.

I sighed. "What kind would you like?"

His dulled jade eyes peered at me. "A humorous one, you seem too gloomy."

I smiled weakly and began a story. "Once, about six years ago, a boy by the name of Averill-"

"My brother!" He interjected.

Something very odd was happening. He had never remembered so much at a time. "As I was saying, Averill was very jealous of the freedoms his maid had, freedoms he was lacking, being a prince." I took his hand. "He called her names, cursed her, everything he could think of."

"This isn't a funny story." He said dully.

"I know, the funny part comes up." I said kindly. "Anyways, Averill scared her so badly, she ran out of his rooms, that she was cleaning, and down the halls crying very hard." My eyes twinkled. "You found her, and spoke to her."

"I did?" He asked. I was trying to aid his healing by giving him memories. He was very different when I told him stories, I decided.

"Yes," I whispered. Dragonflies swirled around us, landing in our hair and all over our bodies. "Alan, your other brother, was there also, trying to convince Averill to quiet down. Eventually, Queen Katharine, your mother, came and yelled at Averill. She confined him to his room, and luckily found his diary." I laughed. "He had written many bad things in there, to which the queen responded by grounding him for the rest of the year!"

Ade smiled. "That is funny. Is this Averill truly that dumb?"

"You thought so."

"How did you…?" He trailed off. His eyes widened. "I told you that story! I told you it!" He jumped up, scattering the delicate dragonflies everywhere. "Oh, Goddess, all these memories hurt!"

"What are you remembering?" I asked, praying to the Goddess it wasn't the Draining.

"Aram rapping me during practice, the teachers smacking me for not speaking… everything!" Good. I don't think I could handle the pain the Draining had caused him. "Oh, Ceara! Memories!" He collapsed, writhing in pain.

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"Aram!" She murmured. "Look! Dragonflies! There aren't any in Calain, I didn't know you had them here!"

I looked up. Sure enough, dragonflies swirled around us, landing everywhere tickling the wet skin. It had stopped raining and they had come. One of the dragonflies - a queen by her size - landed on me sideways, on my temple. It felt like a nuzzle, which is kind of weird because dragonflies are semi-incapable of giving nuzzles.

Suddenly, I was reeling in pain. I dropped Jade and clutched my head. I would've let out a scream, but I wasn't in my body. I was seeing everything through Ade's eyes.

He didn't scream, but bit his lip against the pain. My lip, not his, but mine. My hand went through and odd silver and red flecked dome. The silver was weak. Pain spread everywhere, and hurt greatly. I wasn't stopping; Ceara needed me. She was barely visible, on the ground kneeling over, with faint silver wings. I didn't wonder why she had them. She was a Dragon! I shoved the rest of my body, never hesitating, through the dome. Pain was everywhere. I ached all over, but kept going. I made it through the dome. I was relieved and basked in the small respite I had earned. Ceara had tears in her eyes and was begging me to leave. I refused. I kissed her while holding her tightly. I collapsed.

I gasped and flinched. Someone was holding me. It was Jade. I wasn't dead! I hugged myself, crossing arms and staring into the wet ground.

"Aram! Speak to me!" Jade whispered, holding my arms tightly. "Aram!"

I only gaped at the ground, unable to comprehend what had just happened. I had been shown Ade's death, but to what end? It wouldn't help. My eyes narrowed. He had died for that wench, Ceara. My idiotic, foolish, no good brother – twin no less! – had died for this girl! When she came back to court, if that ever happened, she would pay… in blood.

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Hatred ran through me. Coursing my very veins and throughout my body, pure and simple. Hate. I shivered. A head of silver looked down on me. I pushed Ceara away. I loathed her. Disgust! She appeared in my vision again. I opened my mouth to speak, to tell the wretch of a leech to go away, and leave me alone. I gaped at her, unable to voice a sound. She touched my cheek lightly. I saw a single tear drip out of her eye and fall onto me. I shivered when it splashed against my nose.

"Ade!" She wept, caressing my cheek. "Don't hate me, please…"

I was drawn away from the world of consciousness.

Somewhere far, deeply imbedded, a man violently shook, trying not to hate that light which had come to him. He held his bleeding arms together, huddling against the corner of his prison. His eyes, though a bright shade of jade, were closed in pain, in fury. His once-black hair was matted and caked with blood from head injuries.

He kept his silence.

He wept quietly, never uttering a sound. His tears fell onto scored and bruised arms. The tears, though of pure water and salt, didn't wash his wounds; they stung them.

He kept his silence.

He looked longingly at the shaft of light, wondering why it didn't leave.

He kept his silence.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I had been there when he writhed in pain from the reconnection. It was faint, Dragonhold was shielded, but it still was painful. That queen dragonfly must've aided somehow. I was quiet confused as to how that happened. His dulled jade eyes never opened and were continually closed in pain and agony. I was there when they opened again. I couldn't comfort this nightmare.

The look of pure revulsion he gave me was unbearable. I cried, my heart broken many times into little pieces no bigger than the tip of a pin. If one could die from a broken heart, I would've. His eyes gave me insight as to why he suddenly hated me. Aram knew why he had died, for me and for my protection.

He must be channeling Aram's emotions! It was the only plausible explaination. I lightly brushed his cheek after he had shoved me away. "Ade," I pleaded. "Don't hate me," I barely held back more tears, "Please…" I lost him to unconsciousness. He tossed and turned in… pain? I saw small cuts on his arms begin to form and I was worried. Was my Ade coming out again?

I held him to my chest, not caring that kneeling on the ground had surely spoiled my dress. I kept him from flailing. He struggled in his dreams, but I couldn't help him with these dreams, they must be something inside him. He didn't speak, but I could see him bite his lip against the pain.

I rubbed his back gently, trying to keep him still. His eyes opened, showing the pure whites of his eyes. I tried to keep from screaming. They closed again. When they opened, they were the same, dulled jade eyes. He saw me and shoved me away.

The scratches had vanished.

Nixiesocean: Thank you Classy Lady Elegance and Traceykiwilee for reviewing!

I'm so sad, simplegrl007. You didn't review!

(wink)

I forgive you.

Review all you others!