Omnixius
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DKP 8-12 Will you go with me
🕑 Added 2022-05-27 20:57:50 +0000 UTCGersius stood by as a dozen priests, and priestesses of Vellis gathered to put the seal to use. Sarah was moved to the walled plaza set aside for the dragons and placed in the center. Soon they would begin the ceremony to invoke Vellis himself to free Sarah of these terrible chains that were keeping her trapped in the dream. The sky above was cloudy and rumbled with distant thunder as if foreshadowing what was to come.
Thayle and Lilly were on hand, as were Alayse, Jessivel, Mingfe, Shadros, Ayawa, Tavis, Gedris, Lengwin, and many of the lesser heads of faith. Prayers to the divines were being offered by all who were gathered as Lilly held Thayle tight.
The flight back from the distant city had been full of mixed feelings and hard questions. Gersius wasn't sure how to answer some of them, especially when Tavis, Ayawa, and Gedris saw his dragon form. He realized that they had been out of the city the last time it had been on display and hadn't been present for the social functions where Thayle wore it. He had to explain to them how the binding was filling his soul with dragon power, and this was just one more of their gifts.
Lilly raised the next question, asking if he had abandoned Balisha to return to Astikar. He had to explain that he'd realized that Astikar was waiting for Gersius to call on him in his darkest moment. That was what the man who delivered the armor and weapon meant, and that man must have been Astikar himself.
“But that would mean the divines are walking the world!” Thayle had said in shock.
“Balisha said they were forbidden to do that,” Lilly added.
Gersius understood their points of view, but how else could he explain it? The man said Gersius would remember his name when the lights of his life were about to go out, and that name had been Astikar. The power had come flooding back in a rush far greater than he had ever known before. It filled him to such an extent that he'd unintentionally changed to his dragon form. What truly surprised him was the fact that the dragon knight armor changed with him, adapting to his greater size and splitting in back to accommodate the wings. It was clear the divines knew this was going to happen, and the armor had been made to compensate for it.
However, it was Thayle who alerted him to the next mystery that he now had a dragon head in his aura as well as a halo of light. Half the halo was red, while the other was a silvery-white. Gersius was certain this was the part of the prophecy where one of them would be twice blessed, able to call on two divines for holy power.
Another strange change was that he didn't need to pray or sing to call on blessings. Simply desiring a hammer of Astikar was all he needed to create one. He could tap into the raw power of both divines, using that strength innately and without constraint. News of his transformation and blessing were spreading rapidly through the city and surrounding lands. Priests of Astikar were falling to a knee when he passed by them, and the followers of Balisha averted their gaze as if unworthy to look upon him.
Some of the high clergy were calling him an avatar of the divines or even a demigod himself. He implored Lengwin to squash any such rumors before they spread, but even Lengwin found it hard to deny Gersius's newfound power.
There were ancient legends of supremely powerful priests who prayed to two divines, but they were never referred to as twice blessed. Now he was marked as one of these supremely powerful men whose legend would soon spread across the empire and beyond. Gersius hadn't set out to be any of this. He simply wanted to end a war and make the land safe so he could raise a family. He hadn't even planned to rule the empire, assuming that Lilly would be the symbol that reformed it and he would lead its armies. Now he ruled the largest empire in the known land with three wives, two of which were dragons.
There were other matters on his mind, particularly the dragon now held in a cell below the palace. She woke a day into their flight home, and Lilly had to keep her tightly held in a claw, threatening to crush her if she so much as twitched. She hadn't said a word in all that time except to insist they were all monsters, leading the dragons to extinction. Once they got to the palace, she was quickly put into a cell too small for her to change forms. Now she sat in a corner with legs drawn up, refusing to speak or even put on clothing. Lilly had already tried to talk to her, but the woman wouldn't even look up to meet her gaze. Her aura was filled with the red of hatred, and it flared with bright pulses. However, there was also a blue light that streaked the edges, wavering in slow ripples. Thayle said this was fear and doubt, something uncommon to a dragon. This woman was afraid of her current situation and perhaps questioning her beliefs. Whatever the case, it was a matter that would have to be dealt with later as Sarah was their number one priority.
The priests of Vellis took their places, forming a star pattern around Sarah, with one prominent priest holding the seal firmly before him. Their voices went up in song as they prayed to their god, and everyone else held their breath. Almost immediately, a pattern of blue light formed on the ground and in the air around the priests. It was an intricate design of patterns and writing that Gersius realized was eerily familiar to the bands of iron used to corrupt the dragon alter. As their voices when higher, the shapes grew into solid lines, forming a mystical pattern at the center of which lay Sarah. The seal began to glow with a soft white light that radiated out in lines of power. Above them, the sky began to churn as the priests called out to Vellis to find mighty Sarah worthy of his aid.
Thunder rumbled as the clouds flashed with lightning, and still, their voices went higher. Blue light began to pour out of the singers, flowing to the woman lying at the center, causing her to glow with a soft light. There was a sound like the tearing of cloth, and a pillar of white light raced down from the sky to strike Sarah. Everyone gasped in awe as red chains appeared over her body then broke as if torn asunder by the god himself. The light faded, and the sky roared with thunder that rumbled as if angry at the intrusion.
The singers ceased their song and stepped back as a faint mist curled around Sarah’s form. A tear rolled down Gersius’s cheek when Sarah lifted an arm and rolled over. Lilly and Thayle were at her side in a heartbeat, crying over the woman as she finally opened her eyes.
“The blessing has been accepted,” the priest of Vellis assigned to hold the seal announced. “Her curse has been lifted.”
“The gods have acted,” Lengwin said and looked up as raindrops began to fall. “Our enemies have provoked the divines to action.”
Gersius felt the need to say something bitter about the divines not acting sooner, but his heart was overcome with joy to see Sarah trying to sit up. He went to her side and swept her into his arms as she squinted and complained about how bright the light was.
“The aura sight has finally come to her,” Thayle said as Sarah pressed her eyes shut. “Get her inside quickly and put her in bed.”
Gersius carried her off as the rain finally came as if trying to wash away the pain that plagued his heart. He lay Sarah in bed and sat at her side while Lilly crawled in to lay across her chest.
“Shh, child,” Sarah urged as Lilly cried like a little girl. She cradled the wounded dragon in her arms, clutching Lilly tightly.
“I thought we were never going to be able to free you!” Lilly sobbed. “I can’t stand knowing you were in that place.”
“Child, it is alright,” Sarah urged. “You have broken my chains, but I don’t understand how you did it.”
“A lot has happened in your absence,” Thayle said as she sat on the edge of the bed to stroke Sarah’s head. “I am not even sure where to begin.” Thayle decided to start with their efforts to heal Sarah’s injury culminating in the discovery that the seals of all the major faiths had been stolen. She explained how they had been replaced with very well-crafted fakes and how Gersius realized the priests of Gorrin were to blame. He questioned the forge master and learned where some of the seals had been taken. She then described the mad quest to recover them when they knew they were walking into a trap. Her story culminated with how Gersius called on Astikar for help, and the god answered, restoring Gersius to full power and perhaps even more.
“You have returned to Astikar?” Sarah asked as she reached for him blindly.
Gersius took her hand and reminded her that he was now a priest of both Astikar and Balisha. He didn’t want anyone to think he had abandoned the goddess.
“That must be the meaning of being twice blessed,” Sarah said as she dared to open her eyes and then shut them quickly again. “Oh, this light is painful to see.”
“I tried to encourage you to do more training beforehand,” Thayle said as she lay in bed beside Sarah and Lilly.
“I know you did, but right now, I need to be protected. My daughters, please hold me and make me feel safe,” Sarah urged as they both pressed in tightly. Sarah clutched at them as tears started to leak from her pressed eyes, so thankful she was free.
Gersius was also crying, unable to sort through his feelings now that Sarah was free. He had to look away to try and hide his pain while also trying not to dwell on any one thought. He knew they would read him over the bind, and he didn't want to add any of his fears to their painful moment. For several long minutes, he tried to conceal his feelings when soft hands wrapped around his neck.
“She needs you,” Lilly whispered as she pulled at him. “We all do.”
Gersius turned around as Lilly pulled at his shirt to start undressing him. He assisted her in removing his clothing as Thayle helped Sarah out of hers. He climbed into bed as she called for him and quickly wrapped her arms around him and clung tightly.
“I love you,” Sarah cried as she buried her face in his chest. “I was so scared.”
“I would never have left you in that place,” Gersius replied. “There is no price I would not have paid to free you.”
“Thank you for loving me!” Sarah cried as tears continued to run down her face. “I can’t believe you saved me from that.”
“Shh, you are safe now,” Gersius urged. “We have recovered three of the seals as well. If one of us is ever injured like that again, we will be able to restore them in hours.”
“I wish I could look at you,” Sarah replied. “But your light is so bright it hurts to see.”
“My light?” Gersius repeated and looked at Thayle. “But Lilly is much brighter.”
“Not anymore,” Thayle said with a smile and rubbed his back. “If my light is a candle, Lilly's light is a bonfire, but yours is like the moon, shining down in a clear sky.”
“It has to be the blessing,” Gersius suggested.
“My husband is twice blessed,” Sarah said as she pulled him down on herself. “Once again, I have missed one of your great moments, but still, I am honored to be your wife.”
“I am the one who is honored,” Gersius replied and looked between his wives. “All of you are my strength, and without you, I would have failed time and time again. That I am twice blessed is proof you have given me the courage to go on even when my faith failed. My achievements are proof of how great my wives are.”
“This is why you have been given three wives,” Thayle said. “Your gratitude makes you worthy of us and more.”
“There will be more,” Sarah said. “I need them, but right now, I need to be able to see you.”
“I will begin her training,” Thayle said as she snuggled into Sarah's side. “It won't take long to teach her.”
“Then I will go and meet with the heads about the seals that are still missing,” Gersius said.
“No!” Sarah cried and clung to him. “I need you to make love to me.”
“Sarah?” Gersius questioned. “You have been through a terrible ordeal. Now is not the time for such things.”
“It is exactly the time,” Sarah said as renewed tears leaked from her shut eyes. “Being in that terrible place made me aware of my darkest fears. I realized that what I dreaded the most was that I might never know the power of your love again. I cried out for you to hold me just one more time. I didn't realize how afraid I was to lose your love, and I need you to show me now.”
Gersius looked at Thayle, who smiled and nodded her head. “She needs you to put her fears to rest. You need to make love to your wife.”
Gersius nodded and sat up so Lilly and Thayle could get Sarah out of the simple dress she was wearing. Then he returned to her arms and shared an hour of passion as she clung to him while crying and begging him to never take his love away. Then he sat in bed, propped up by pillows as Sarah lay curled in his arms. Thayle began teaching her how to focus the sight as he stroked Sarah's long crimson hair.
Lilly sat beside him with her head on his shoulder as she rubbed Sarah's back and let out a pained sigh. The stress of seeing Sarah in that terrible place still haunted her, and Gersius didn't blame her.
“Do you want to sit in Sarah’s lap?” Gersius asked as Lilly sighed slowly.
“No, she needs to be free to work with Thayle,” Lilly replied. “I just can't believe how close we came to losing her. What would have happened if we had died in that distant city? Would Sarah be trapped in that awful place forever?”
“Child, stop thinking like that,” Sarah interjected as she overheard their whispers. “I am fine and in the arms of our husband where I belong. I admit I was scared and full of despair, but all I need is a little time to heal and regain my strength.”
“Sarah, what you just went through was terrible,” Thayle interjected. “How are you tolerating this so well?”
“Because it was the dream,” Sarah explained. “When I realized I couldn't get free, I set my mind to wander. I visited the valley and set with our egg, talking to it to keep myself sane.”
“So you were still able to walk around the dream?” Thayle asked. “The chains were only preventing you from waking up.”
“That seems to be the case,” Sarah said and held Thayle tightly. “Though I do wish you had come to find me while I was in the valley. I see now that I should have taken Lilly’s request to teach her how to dream walk more seriously.” She looked at Lilly with a sad expression and apologized for not taking the time to teach her yet. “We will begin your lessons tonight,” she assured Lilly.
“I don't know if you should go back into the dream so soon,” Lilly said. “Maybe you should stay awake for a while.”
“I understand your fears but trust me, most of my time was spent at the side of our egg, wishing one of you was there to hold me again,” Sarah replied.
“Well, why don't I stay here and hold her while you two go out and spread the word that she has recovered,” Thayle suggested. “I can begin her training and have her using the aura sight before you get back.”
“I do need to talk to Lengwin about the seal of Astikar,” Gersius admitted. “He was distraught that we didn't recover it, and he wants to gather the leadership to discuss what dual blessing means for the order.”
“I will tell the order of Balisha, and Ulustrah Sarah is awake and well,” Lilly added.
“Oh, and one of you should go see Shadros,” Thayle urged. “He is very upset about Mingfe.”
“What happened to Mingfe?” Sarah asked.
Thayle explained how Shadros used his size to block a small army of enemy priests from reaching the courtyard where the rest of them were fighting. As a result, he suffered terrible injuries to buy them the time they needed to recover the seals. However, Mingfe dared to run out and heal him, only to be struck in the head by a hammer of Astikar.
“Is she dead?” Sarah asked with a hint of worry in her voice.
“She survived, but only because Gersius reached her in time,” Lilly added. “But the most beautiful thing happened. As she was dying, she looked into his eyes and told him she loved him.”
“Just like his mother did,” Sarah sighed.
“Yes,” Lilly replied and took one of Sarah's hands. “But this time, he finally understood what that meant and told her he loved her too.”
“So, he is completely free,” Sarah said in surprise. “But what a terrible way to finally come to an understanding.”
“You mean like your imprisonment in the dream finally made you understand how much you valued our love?” Thayle pointed out.
Sarah was silent a moment and then let out a tired sigh. “Why are such lessons often learned in hardship?”
“Usually because the heart is not ready until the soil of its garden has been tilled,” Gersius replied and thought of his own journey that led him away, then back to Astikar.
“I will stop in and show Shadros our gratitude,” Lilly offered as she thought of the heroic black dragon. “I will pray over Mingfe as well.”
“She will appreciate that, I am sure,” Gersuis assured before leaning over to kiss Sarah. “I will be back as soon as I can.”
“Take your time,” Sarah replied. “I have our wife to keep me safe, and I suspect this aura sight will take some practice.”
“It isn't as hard as it seems,” Gersuis said and then took Lilly's hand to walk her from the room. They shared a kiss in the hall, urging her to convey just how grateful they were to Shadros. He then parted and went to find Lengwin and the other leadership, assuming they would be either be in the council chambers or the throne room itself. He found them in the council chambers, arguing about what the enemy was doing with the seals. There were priests and priestesses from nearly every faith present save Gorrin and Youthan. Tavis, Ayawa, and Gedris stood with Alayse and Jessivel, discussing what the future would hold for the empire. When Gersius strode in, all conversation halted, and a quiet reverence fell on the crowd as they looked at him with awe.
“First, I would like to say that Sarah is well. She is recovering fast and is showing no ill effects of her condition. The problem with her eyes does not leave this room. You are all sworn to keep it’s secret, but Sarah has gained the aura sight.”
“Just like the rest of you,” Lengwin said with a nod.
“Yes, and she should be up and about in a day or two,” Gersius insisted. “Now, let me address this belief that being twice blessed has elevated me to some measure of divinity. It has not, and I do not wish such things to be said about me. I am simply a priest of two faiths and nothing more.”
“But the stories of such priests mark them as gods among men,” a woman of Ulustrah insisted. “Surely you are worthy of such praise.”
“I am just a man,” Gersius insisted. “The only thing I have done of any note is follow the path the divines set out for me. Even in that, I have struggled and made missteps, but the divines have been patient with my stumbling and chosen to forgive my transgressions.”
“I don’t know how you can say that,” Alayse remarked. “I doubt any other man could have walked that path.”
“I agree with her,” Lengwin said. “That you kept going after the suffering you endured is unbelievable.”
“I went on because Lilly, Thayle, and Sarah were there to keep me going,” Gersius insisted. “The divines knew I was weak, so they sent me women to bolster my strength and keep me on the path they needed. I refuse to take any credit for these accomplishments alone. None of us would be here without my wives.”
Heads bowed in agreement, so Gersius went on, addressing the issue of the seals and what they saw in that dragon temple. Tavis was the primary voice when it came to the strange metal bands and the potential that they were perverting the power of the seals somehow. So it was to some degree of shock when Gersius delivered the report from Shadros. He described how the priests of Vellis and Ulustrah lost their power when the seals were removed.
“Could they have been channeling that power through the seals somehow?” Lengwin asked.
“It is a possibility we must consider,” Gersius said. “It also explains why the divines can’t seem to withhold their power from the enemy.”
“Even when they did it for the women assisting Yarvine,” Alayse pointed out.
Gersius remembered that scent when women of Ulustrah loyal to Yarvine suddenly found their power cut off when they turned it on Thayle. Yet the traitor women of Ulustrah could still channel, which meant the source of power was different for the two groups.
“But we have recovered three of their seals,” Jessivel insisted. “So they have lost access to three divines.”
“If we are right about the connection,” Gersius replied and began to pace. “What we need to know now is where the seal of Astikar is.”
“What about the seal of Balisha?” a voice called, and Gersius looked up to see a familiar face. It was the man who was once a boy, chosen as the first acolyte of Balisha. Culver was now a full priest and battle-tested, having nearly died in the effort to take a city gate.
Gersius nodded to him approvingly and explained that they had no idea where her seal was. It was lost to time, and they had no record of where it had been kept. All they could do was hope the divines could guide them to it when the time was right. For now, they needed to concentrate on the seal of Astikar to recover it from the enemy.
“But where could they have taken it?” Lengwin asked as he looked truly worried.
“My guess is it has gone further west,” Gersius replied. “The three seals were being used as a trap for us. What's worse is this trap appears to have been laid even before I went to look for Lilly. Our enemies are more aware of the prophecy than we are and have been planning to thwart it before I took my first step on its path.”
“Then how will we find it?” Lengwin asked as he looked defeated.
“I am hoping our prisoner can tell us,” Gersius replied and turned to face them. “She might know where the other seals are, and we might be able to mount a surprise attack to reclaim them.”
“Do you want me to question her?” Jessivel asked.
“No,” Gersius said and looked around the room. “I want to leave this to Lilly and Sarah. I believe talking to another dragon will aid in getting her to open up. She was silent most of the trip back, only speaking to accuse Lilly of being a traitor that would lead to the extinction of the dragons. I want to give her some time to sit and think before offering her food and gold to keep her strength up.”
“You hope that treating her with respect might win her over?” Lengwin asked.
“I am not so sure that will work on this one,” Gersius replied. “Lilly and Shadros were cursed dragons who were able to see the truth, but this one is different. She is not only cursed but indoctrinated to the cause and beliefs of our enemy. She will resist our efforts to persuade her to see our logic and isn't likely to allow herself to be bound.”
“But you think she might be help us?” Alayse asked.
“I think she might argue say things while arguing with Sarah and Lilly that will prove useful to us,” Gersius said. “I do wish for her to come to understand the truth as we know it, but I refuse to force it on her. If she is still against us when the war ends, I intend to let her go.”
“It is touching that you harbor no ill will against the dragons who struggle to oppose your goddess,” Lengwin pointed out.
“That's Lilly's influence,” Gerisus explained. “She understands how few dragons there actually are and hates to see one lost to this terrible conflict. Deep in her heart, she wants to rescue them all and show them the love she has found, but I fear very few of them will ever understand.”
“Speaking of dragons understanding love. How is Mingfe?” Alayse asked.
“She is alive and well but in the after-effects of a near-death healing,” Gersius replied. “I sent Lilly to check on them, but she was still recovering last I knew. Shadros was very upset that she was hurt in that battle, and I believe he blames me for it. However, she awoke a day into the flight home and has been talking to him ever since. Hopefully, I can talk to him later and express my regret that she was injured.”
“So, the plan is to see if this dragon can tell us where to look for the missing seals,” Lengwin surmised. “Then let’s pray Sarah or Lilly can get through to her.”
“Let us pray, indeed,” Gersius agreed.
Lilly walked with an armed escort as she made her way to the temple of Balisha. She spent some time sharing the news that Sarah was awake and well to the praises of her followers. She also answered some questions about Gersius, assuring the faithful that he was still the leader of their faith. She then spoke about the captured dragon and asked what was to become of her. Lilly already knew the plan was to try and reason with her, but she doubted that would work. She explained the dragon would be treated as an honored guest and shown every possible kindness. If she failed to see their point of view by the end of the war, she would be released and allowed to go home unharmed.
There were some grumbles of discontent, and Lilly knew what was causing them. Many of her faithful harbored dreams of sharing a bind with a dragon. They probably saw this as a chance to have that connection, but she didn't like the idea of trying to force the woman's name out of her. She hadn't been taken under extreme circumstances, and she wasn't needed to complete the prophecy. She was just another dragon defeated in battle, and Gersius hoped she could shed some light on important matters.
Lilly did her best to assure them that if the dragon proved to be willing to consider it, she would bring her to the temple to meet her followers. Until then, she had to be kept safely away for her sake and theirs. After her address, she took her guard and headed for the camp of the women of Ulustrah. Here she ordered her escort to wait at the edge of camp so she could slip in without drawing a lot of attention.
She went in and still managed to catch the eye of the women, as her tall form, and blue hair stood out no matter where she went. She went to the center of the camp and called them to attention, drawing a crowd so she could speak. She explained Sarah's condition and assured them that she was well and would be back on her feet in a day or two.
This was taken as good news by those in the camp. They were already jubilant to learn that Ulustrah's seal had been recovered, and it was now on guarded display for her faithful here in the city's largest temple. She answered some questions many of which were also about the captured dragon, asking what would become of her.
Lilly told them the same thing that she would be treated well and released when it was safe to do so. However, she could tell by their questioning that they, too, were interested in meeting this dragon. Lilly began to wonder if her relationship with humans had given others a desire to share such a love. These women of Ulustrah seemed every bit as eager to kindle a relationship as those of Balisha. Maybe even more so, considering Taylin was a woman of Ulustrah, and she had a relationship with Numidel.
Lilly realized that humans were quite willing to consider dragons as partners. It was the dragons who were the challenge to overcome. She took that thought away as she headed for the part of the city where private homes were set aside for leadership. Here, Mingfe lay recovering and where she would find the angry Shadros.
She arrived at the heavily guarded house and was easily allowed admittance when Lilly showed her face. She went inside the quiet hall and hunted around until she found the bedroom in which lay Mingfe, asleep as she recovered her energy. Standing beside her was the dragon Shadros, looking down at his sleeping wife with eyes full of pain.
“Will she be awake soon?” Lilly said as she entered the room in her battle dress.
“You?” Shadros replied and looked over. “What are you doing here?”
Lilly sighed and walked a few steps into the room, setting her nerve for what would come next.
“Sarah is awake because you held that street for as long as you did,” Lilly replied.
“And look what it nearly cost me,” Shadros replied and pointed to Mingfe. “I love her, and she nearly died for your cause.”
“I know,” Lilly replied. “And I am so sorry she got hurt.”
“Let's not talk about this here,” he said and exited the room, motioning Lilly to follow him. He took her to a sitting room with a smoldering fire, where he paced in obvious irritation. “Why are we dragged into your pointless fight?” Shadros asked. “Why must every one who loves me die?”
“First of all, she isn’t dead,” Lilly said as she approached close enough to take his hand. “She is healed and just needs a day or two more to recover. Secondly, she wants to be a part of this fight. Her order was under attack, and she made it a personal mission to fight for her faith. Even if you hadn't been a part of her life, she would have marched with us. So you can't blame us for putting her in harm's way, but you can let me thank you for what you did.”
“So thank me,” Shadros said as he stepped back as if unsure what she was doing.
“I thank you on behalf of myself and my family,” Lilly said somberly. “And I want you to know that we consider you our friend. Gersius, in particular, is fond of you and speaks very highly of your actions.”
“I only do what I do for Mingfe,” Shadros replied.
Lilly smiled at his innocent comment and then encouraged him to sit so she could tell him a story. She explained why Gersius did what he did and how all he ever wanted was a wife and a safe place to raise his family. He never wanted any of this to happen, but it did, and he couldn’t turn back, or many people and dragons would suffer. She compared it to what Shadros wanted for himself now, a safe place to be alone with his lover, and then asked what he would do to bring that place about.
Shadros looked troubled by the story as Lilly moved to the couch where he was sitting and took his hand. He looked up, but she smiled and assured him that this was only meant to comfort him. She then asked him what he was thinking about, and he admitted to wondering how his mother had known love. Lilly could see he was deeply troubled by the concept of love, so she explained their theory that they believed his mother was not only free of the curse but a worshiper of Ulustrah.
“That would explain the sword,” Shadros said as he chewed on an idea.
“It would explain a lot of things,” Lilly said. “I have a sneaking suspicion that your capture wasn't a mistake. The divines used the sword to send us to your cave, but it was you they were hoping we would recover.”
He looked up and met her gaze as she smiled and nodded to reassure him that she genuinely believed that. He was a part of the prophecy, and his place here was special. Mingfe was meant to be his wife, and perhaps there would be others later to share their bed.
“She has already told me she doesn’t like that idea,” Shadros replied.
“Well, maybe she will change her mind one day,” Lilly insisted. “But I want to make sure that you know my family and I are your friends. If you ever need us, we will stand by your side just as you stood beside ours. You aren't alone in the world anymore. You have a wife and friends who care about you a great deal.”
He looked shocked as Lilly squeezed his hand to reassure him. He finally nodded and said he understood, allowing her to breathe a sigh of relief as she stood up to consider her next challenge.
“What are you going to do with the captured dragon?” he asked just as Lilly considered it.
“I don't know,” Lilly admitted. “Gersius says we will treat her well and let her go when the war is over. He wants to see if she will volunteer anything useful, but all you see is anger and rage when you see her aura. She is a lot like you used to be, only worse.”
“Worse how?” Shadros asked.
“You were only under the curse, but this dragon has a strong faith and belief that we are in the wrong. It won't be a simple matter of trying to show her there is more to humans than she believes. First, we have to convince her that the things she holds most dear are wrong. Then we have to convince her to share her true name so we can get her connected to somebody who will love her.”
“So she can begin to feel the emotions,” Shadros said with a nod. “No easy task unless you intend to threaten the name out of her.”
“Gersius has forbidden it,” Lilly said with a shake of her head. “And I agree. If we use threats and force to get her name, we will be every bit as vile as that wretched man who tried to get mine from Gersius.”
“Then how do you plan to get her to cooperate?” Shadros asked.
“Actually,” Lilly began and looked at him with a smile. “I was hoping you would come with me to talk to her.”
“You want me to talk to her?” Shadros stammered. “Why?”
“Maybe if we both try to reason with her, it will help erode some of what she believes. We can tell her our stories and how much we hated being bound, but what a wonderful blessing it turned out to be,” Lilly insisted.
“If you think it will help, I will go with you,” he agreed. “But don’t forget we were the ones who grabbed her wings and drove her into that trap.”
“I know,” Lilly said and chewed her lower lip. “But she deserves the chance to know the happiness we have. We have to try for her sake and the sake of all dragons.”
Lilly agreed to come back later when Mingfe was awake, and together they would see the captured dragon. Perhaps she had the answers Gersius needed and the key to ending the war before the dragons were nearly wiped from existence. One way or another, she would do her best to show this dragon that there was another option and that those that found it had no regrets.
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I agree with you on all points. I just wanted to shake people up to see who would comment. I already deleted it and ended it the way it should. Truth be told Lilly might be a little naive about love but she knows better than to share it outside her family. She is too closely bonded to them to feel that sort of thing, and if I had used that shadros scene properly she should have been offended. Anyway, thank you for replying.
Sam4005
Anyway thanks for the chapy and i ill say i really like where the story is. Events are really interesting and i kept wondering about the mysteries., love it :3
Sam4005
I hadn't read the entire chapter but the end and now i caught up with the story. From what i can remember, it felt like it was out of place. First, i think lily matured enough to still want other person but not without talking about it with her family. I dont think shadros was in the mind for it too. He just discovered and realized what true love is from mingfe and she was so close to death. And last not really related to the las part, but because of the bind i dont think they could add someone who they dont love each
