Sorrows of Two hearts

It really was a long flight and the sun was only a few degrees over horizon when they landed. Drake took his human form and once again led Renna by the hand. They sat on the blanket and felt happy and drawn to each other but neither dared to give this attraction its true name. Soon without knowing how this had happened She sat leaning herself against Drake and enjoying the warmth of his hands around her. His hands held both Renna and the blanket wrapped around both of them. Renna sat in the darkness being held by this man and looking into the sky to see a falling star. Suddenly one flashed over the star filled sky.

“I wish things would be so much easier!” she whispered because this feeling in her was growing painfully strong and soon she would feel painfully the difference between him and her.

Drakes eyes had been on the same quest. He saw the flash too but he wished with horrible pain strangling his heart the strength to push her away so what happened to the others would not happen to her. He had never wished this before. They had never meant so much to him as this dreamy girl. They had never cared for books or his thoughts. They had never possessed this inner fire that in Renna attracted him so much. Yet the strength did not come and they sat there watching the sky until better part of the night was gone.

When they finally started to pack their hands kept touching and when their glances crossed both turned away quickly. It was painful and yet wonderful at the same time. When they finally landed at the entrance of their cave it was dawn. Before going into the cave they turned to face the rising sun and at that moment something in Renna snapped. She took a deep breath and kissed The Dragon next to her and for some time she was kissed back with such passion that she never could have believed to exist in the world but only in books she had loved to read so much in the winter. But then all went wrong.

With a roar he pushed her away. She hit the ground so hard and yet she saw the tears in his eyes. He transformed and before he took off she saw a few big hot dragon tears fall on the dusty rock. She barely noticed she was crying too. Renna stood up, walked to the edge watched him go. She was sad and confused. He landed on a peak on the other side of the abyss and screamed of inner pain. Renna did not know it though. She thought he was angry and hurt for her deed and she did not want him suffer because of her. She stood and looked at the sad shape of a suffering dragon and he looked back fighting with himself to keep from going back, begging for her forgiveness to hold her again. He wanted to do it so much and yet he could not if it could mean loosing her. They stood so long facing each other across the abyss. Sun was setting again when Renna made up her mind. No more pain. For either of them. She closed her eyes, took a step forward and jumped into the emptiness saying into the wind,

“I’m sorry I hurt you.”

Later Renna remembered wind rushing into her face, a horrible scream and then the pain of being grabbed and pulled up so hard that she fainted. She remembered Drake picking her up like a child and taking inside. His eyes were full of tears and his voice whispering,

“Don’t you ever do that again! Ever! You’ll kill us both.”

After that she passed out again.

She woke up again in her bed. There was an empty chair next to her bed. She sat up. It hurt a bit but not too much. The bigger pain was inside. She stood up an went to the wardrobe. All her dresses were black, but the one that never changed. Her heart told her with absolute certainty, it was time to wear it. She put on the dark blue dress with sparkling stars and went out. Drake was not in the living room nor in the Library. She walked out of the cave hoping that this time he was sleeping. She was wrong. He sat in the sunshine and lifted up his red eyes to her as she walked out of the cave. Relief came to his face. Renna closed her eyes and walked on towards her goal. Drake jumped up with a scream and ran after her. He put his hands around her and begged,

“Please don’t leave me alone again! I’m so sorry that I pushed you like that but If I would not have I might have lost you… And I can’t let that happen. I’ll die if you ever leave me…”

Renna wanted to struggle free and run but his touch captivated her. She had no will to fight when he was holding her. She decided to listen. He led her to the blanket he had been sitting on and pulled her down with him. Again they were sitting like they had been on the island where it all began.

“I had been here for years before I flew down from the mountains to your town for the first time. I was so lonely and missed company. That’s why I asked for girls… I used them, I know now. I did not force them into anything and they knew the risk but still… I’m not proud of myself now but I was young and wild. After one night with me they became as you see them today. Most of their humanity burned away and was replaced by fire… All that was left was blind loyalty to me, their master. Some lost more than others. And then came along you with you mystical inner burning. You wanted to read and you could look at my other shape without fear. How you did it I don’t know. All I know is that you are the first one who could…”

Renna was relaxing by a bit. “I did not see any difference between the shapes. It was all one you…”

“Slowly things started to change for me.” He continued, “I started to dread the day you come close out of fear of losing you like them. You see I had to push you away. I know myself. We would have ended up in bed together and then all would have been lost! But I curse myself for hurting you ? It made me almost loose you anyway. My heart skipped a beat when I saw you jump and I was so glad when you opened your eyes for a moment on my arms… But you seemed so hurt and for two days your eyes stayed closed! I lost all hope. I came out here to wait one of the fireladies to come out and tell me you have died. Then… There would not have been no dragon any more. When you came out I could not believe my eyes… I love you. Forever. If you still want to go I won’t hold you but I will follow.”

He loosened his grip on her.

Renna stood up and looked down at her beloved. She was confused and yet determined to sort this out. She reached down, took his shoulders and pulled him up to face her.

“So you say you love me… Prove it to me! Love me!”

“But…”

“You said you will follow. I’m going in this direction instead of going over the edge again. Are you up to your word?”

Giving in, as it seemed to Drake, came too easily. All she had to do was to come really close and look him in the eyes. His will was broken. Their lips met in a kiss.

“I am your wife from this point forward what ever happens. Remember it!” Renna smiled.

“Come my wife!” he said and picked her up for the third time. He carried her to the livingroom and put her down and said, “Your path, You will lead us.”

She took him to her own room and closed the door. She had learned many things reading those books all winter.

Next…