A Dragon’s Tale

Alana laid her head against Ethan's shoulder and yawned as she looked out over the Argo's deck into the Arcanum dock. Night was fast approaching and they were all gathered around the fire for dinner.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm fi... f..." She yawned. "I'm fine."

*Yes you are.* He thought to her, and she blushed. She should've been used to it by now though. He had been flirting with her shamelessly all day long. Out loud when they were alone and telepathically when others were around.

"You want the rest of them chops?" Raklan asked her.

"Go ahead." She said, stifling another yawn as the massive crewman speared them unceremoniously with his knife.

She hefted Ethan's war hammer in her hands, staring at the new head as she worked up the willpower to start enchanting it again. It was slightly larger than his previous head, which was good for what he planned to use it for. However, fully enchanting it would be difficult because the Elven steel seem to take twice as much mana to enchant as wood, while only being half as strong as a comparable enchantment on wood.

"Hey, don't kill yourself working on that." He said. "It's important, but so are you. Plus, you're living for two now."

"I am." She touched her stomach and couldn't help but smile. "I'll be fine; I just need to finish this." She hefted the war hammer.

He gave her a kind smile and gently took it from her. "I really appreciate how much you want to help, but promise me you'll take care of yourself... of the both of you."

"I will." She said aloud, then added telepathically. *Sir.* She made no attempt to keep her interest to herself.

"Later; you need a good night's rest after how hard you worked today."

"Okay." She leaned against him again and stifled another yawn. "I suppose I could finish it in the morning. I should have enough time."

By Alana's count, it was just shy of seven weeks since they had met. She couldn't believe what a huge part of her life he had become in that time. If someone had told her seven weeks ago what her life would be like right now, she wouldn't have believed them. And she was happy despite everything. Despite all the craziness, despite everything with Beth...

"What's wrong?" He asked, obviously sensing her emotions.

"I miss Beth." She sat up to look at him. "I know things were rocky between us for a while, but I really do miss her. I just can't believe she's gone."

"Yeah..." He said, but trailed off.

"What?"

He switched to telepathy. *I just have this funny feeling like... I don't know. I just find it so hard to believe that she's gone. And I don't mean like I'm having a hard time coping with her death; quite the opposite in fact. I just don't really feel like she's dead. Even saying that sounds... I don't know, wrong maybe?*

*But we both saw her... I mean, we were both there.*

*I know, and that's what makes it so strange.* He frowned. *I feel like I should feel bad about her death. But I really don't feel bad because there's a part of me that just doesn't think she's dead.* He shook his head. *I know, I sound completely nuts.*

"Is there something you want to share with everyone?" Rachel asked.

Alana couldn't help but notice a touch of annoyance in her voice. Everyone else looked at her confused.

"Uh, not really." Ethan said.

Alana smiled to herself; she knew exactly how to deflect this line of questioning. "I suppose he could share, but given the topic I'm not sure you'd want to hear..." She shot Ethan a mischievous, flirtatious glance to drive the point home.

"Never mind." Rachel said, and she looked a little ashamed of herself.

"I could stand to hear a little more." Raklan said.

Alana rolled her eyes, ignored him, and then turned to her husband. *Can we tell Rachel what you were thinking?*

He looked at her pensively for a few moments before nodding. He gave her a nudge and they stood up. She looked at Rachel, waited until the redhead returned the look, and then nodded her head fractionally in the direction of the quarterdeck.

"I'm sorry for that." Rachel said once the trio was more alone. "I was, uh..."

"Don't worry about it; really." Alana said, guessing at what was really going on. "In fact, I'm glad you said something." She turned to their resident dragon. "Could you explain?"

Ethan explained his thoughts about Beth. Afterward Rachel took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"I don't see how." She said while running a hand through her flame-colored hair. "I mean, if someone knew exactly where and when it would happen, they could maybe... no, no even that."

She pursed her lips. "I've heard of some dark wizards that have enough power to keep a soul from joining Illuminar for a short time, but we're talking serious, almost demon-level power here. And I highly doubt Saidow -- or even his minions -- have taken an interest in you."

"Let's hope not." Alana said fervently. If half the stories she'd heard were true, they were doomed if that was the case.

"I'm sorry Ethan, but I just don't see how it's possible." Rachel said.

"You're sure?" He asked.

She nodded, then shrugged. "Of course, a couple of days ago I would've said a mage using lightning was impossible too. Even so, manipulating the elements is a far cry from bringing someone back from the dead, even if demons were behind it. I'm sorry."

He nodded and looked out into the sky for a few moments before speaking. "So, you think demons are real?"

The two women stared open-mouthed at him.

"What?" He held up his hands.

"You don't believe in..." Alana felt her jaw drop. "How could you not believe in demons? Who do you think does Saidow's bidding?"

"Um, actually..." he began.

Rachel got there before he did. "Oh, you don't believe in Saidow either; which means you probably don't believe in Illuminar."

Alana felt like the floor had dropped out from underneath her. How could anyone not believe in Illuminar?

"So, which god do you believe in then?" She finally asked.

"I'm not sure I believe there is a God." He replied.

"Then who created all of this?" Rachel asked, waving her hand at the city around them and remembering her conversation with Hailey a few days ago.

"The Big Bang theory. Our scientists think it just exploded into being."

"Only scientists could come up with something that stupid." Rachel rolled her eyes. Alana decided not to point out that the scientists had figured out lightning, which no mage ever had.

"Even if it did just 'explode into being'--" Rachel rolled her eyes again. "--who designed the plants and animals? Did they just 'explode into being' too"

"No, they evolved over time." He said, then at the confused look on their faces he added. "They changed little by little, starting from a single celled-organism."

"So, you don't think they were designed?" Alana asked.

He shook his head.

"Ethan, what's more complicated; a clock or a human?" Rachel asked like she was explaining something to a five-year-old.

"Oh, a human; by far."

"Could a clock have been created without a designer?" The flame-haired girl asked.

Ethan opened his mouth to respond, but no sound came out. He closed it and frowned. "It would take too long to explain."

Rachel shook her head and rolled her eyes again. "Scientists." She said the word with such derision that Alana thought she considered them on about the same level as pond scum.

"So, I guess that would make angels real as well." Ethan mused. "That would explain the dream I had this morning."

The two women looked at him confused, so he recounted a dream he'd had this morning, involving a bright, luminous woman named Gabriella and her strange instruction.

"So, you're going to fight a deadly enemy, beat them, leave a lightning-shaped scar on them, and then you can't let them die?" Alana summarized.

"Yup, that's what she said." He nodded.

"Let me get this straight;" Rachel said in a tone that reminded Alana of being dressed down by her mother. "You actually met an angel -- an actual angel -- in a dream and you're not sure angels exist?"

Ethan scratched the back of his neck. "Well, when you put it that way..."

She frowned. "You're not secretly a scientist, are you? Because that would explain a lot."

"No, I'm not." He chuckled. "But we've been through so much shit I still have trouble believing there's a God -- or at least a good God -- orchestrating it."

"But think about it." Alana countered. "Other than Beth dying -- which you're not sure of -- has it been all bad? I know it's been hard; but we're okay. We're alive and -- I don't know about you -- but I've never been happier in my life, despite our current situation."

"You have a point." He nodded. "I still worry though. Lord Delmar is still hunting us and we have a baby on the way."

Alana hadn't really stopped to think about it much, but he had a point. She'd been too busy enjoying her new marriage and the feeling of new life growing in her womb to consider their situation and the grave peril the baby could be in.

Now that she was thinking about it, she thought she preferred ignorant bliss.

She put her hand over the baby and almost felt sick to her stomach, and it wasn't morning sickness. What if Lord Delmar found them? What would become of their baby? She thought about all the times she'd narrowly avoided death in the past seven weeks. What if she was a hair slower in the future and her baby...

"Hey." Ethan put his arm around her. "It'll be okay. We'll keep the both of you safe, no matter what."

"Promise?"

"I do." He kissed the top of her head. "Now come on; we both need some rest."

"But I need to--"

"You can finish the hammer in the morning. You said yourself that you'll have time."

"Okay." She assented. For some reason, she felt better now that he'd told her to rest.

They said good night to Rachel and then he took her hand and gently led her into the captain's cabin. She slipped her dress off, marveling at how comfortable she was being completely naked in front of him. He eyed her body, abject lust pouring over their bond. She loved that; loved how her body affected him. Yet despite his arousal, she could tell other things were weighing on his mind.

She slid into the bed and he soon followed.

He reached his scaled hand out and gently cupped one of her breasts. His scales were smooth and felt amazing as he gently massaged it. He wasn't trying to turn her on though; he was simply enjoying her body.

She liked that.

"Boobies." He said with a dopey grin. "I love boobies."

She smiled.

She still felt unsettled though. With all the danger surrounding them, how could they have ever thought about bringing a baby into the mix? The wonderful high of the day slowly bled into anxiety and worry about the future. She wanted to feel safe; to feel like everything would be okay.

"Ethan." She whispered.

"Yeah?" he said, eyes and hand still on her breast.

"Could you lay on top of me?"

"Yeah, I suppose. But why?"

"I just want to feel safe."

He smiled, and then adjusted so he was on top of her. His weight was comforting and his scent calmed her. She was so much smaller than him that he covered her nearly completely. He covered both of them -- her and the baby -- completely. He would keep them safe.

She liked that.

She felt safe, warm, and cared for with him resting of top of her.

"Better?" he asked.

"Yes. Much better." She sighed. "Please make love to me."

"Your wish is my command." He said with a toothy grin.

* * *

Taloni had heard Prayla describe many times what it was like to be 'horny' -- as she called it. She thought she'd felt it once right after bonding to Ethan. But right now, she knew she was feeling it. In fact, she felt like her whole body was alight with some strange tingling sensation that begged to be released, but she didn't know how. Prayla would know, but she couldn't get up the courage to ask for some guidance.

She'd never felt anything like this before, which was another side effect of her Fey heritage. From what she understood, Fey women were far less sexual beings until they were bonded. Even after they were, they only felt desire toward their bonded. Now that she was bonded...

She moaned slightly.

God, what was this fire running through her?

Her loins felt moist and every inch of her skin seemed like it was dancing, aching, or screaming for attention. Her breasts -- small though they were -- were screaming the loudest. She had touched her breasts before of course, but she'd never touched her breasts before. Not the way they ached to be touched right now.

She gently cupped one of them.

The sensation was foreign, or at least the pleasure from it was. She gave it a gentle squeeze and suddenly she sighed involuntarily as a pleasant sensation washed over her whole body. She gave it another squeeze and the same thing happened again.

Experimenting, she cupped her other breast and did the same. It was still amazing. Then she did both at the same time; even better. But the fabric was in the way. She slid her hands under her shirt over her bare breasts. Just touching it like this sent similar shudders through her.

She wasn't sure this was healthy; she wasn't sure it was right. Would Illuminar want her to--

She sucked in her breath as a gentle wave of pleasure rolled over her. She shuddered slightly as the pleasure filled her being with soft whispers of love and caressed her body with desire. Every part of her ached, yearned to have this burning passion stoked to its climax, though she had no idea what that would be like.

The fire in her body seemed to collect from everywhere and concentrate in her loins.

She reached down, and touched the top of her nether lips. It felt good, but not amazing. She touched lower and it felt better. It didn't take long for her to find a spot that felt incredible just to touch. She pressed a single finger to it and could feel her entire body jump for joy. She rolled her finger slightly and the movement felt even better. She added another finger and started gently rubbing.

She had to bite her lip to keep from moaning loudly.

She glanced around the small shack. There was no one else here and she wasn't likely to be disturbed because everyone else was at dinner. Pulling her blankets up to hide herself in case someone walked in, she started to rub herself.

It was wonderful.

It was incredible.

She couldn't believe that her body was even capable of feeling this way.

For several minutes she rubbed in between her legs as she massaged her breasts. Her pleasure had slowly continued to build, but there didn't seem to be a way to release it. No matter how hard she rubbed and massaged, it seemed like there was a level she just couldn't reach.

In the back of her mind, she had a hunch. A strange, horrible, wonderful, agonizing, tantalizing hunch. She didn't think she would be able to reach that next level without her bonded; Ethan. She needed him, desperately needed him to get there, but he wasn't around.

He couldn't help her right now so she rubbed on in futility.

Then someone opened the door.

Taloni whipped her hands away from her loins before they saw her, lamenting the loss of sensation as several of the young ladies of the camp came in chattering away about some bit of gossip. The fire in her loins still hadn't burned itself out, but there was no way she dared to continue her rubbing with someone else around.

Resigned to not having the room to herself anymore, she rolled over and tried to sleep. It wasn't easy with the persistent itch in her loins that refused to go away. It tortured her and tantalized her with the ghosts of sensations she could feel... just not now.

Over an hour later she finally drifted off to sleep.

Her dreams were filled with images of Ethan and a large bed.