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 Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 8:28 pm
When the dragon was going to tell her what the pact would be, Lialda listened to him as he explained that her wish was both complex and simple and when he mentioned that her request was a pure one, she couldn't help but blush lightly at it. But he said that it was because of it that he found a way to make it real. That in itself would be amazing. No more dragon hunts and dragons and humans would be able to live together with each other as friends. He said that the two of them would forge a bond that would help show everyone how the world should be and open up everyone's mind. She was smiling brightly at the thought. Even though he told her that it would take time, that he would need to return home and might not return for some time, she didn't care. It meant that she would be able to meet her dragon friend whenever she wanted.
When he was offering something for her to remember him by, she watched him as he stood up and pulled out a blue scale that was in his claws. As he blew on the scale, she watched on how it changed its shape into a beautiful pendant for her to wear. He explained to her that it was a piece of his soul to keep with her, that it would keep her from harm and it would lead him back to her. Then came his request, when he returned, he would ask for her hand in marriage. Her eyes widened as he made the request, she knew that as a Princess, if she hadn't chosen the man for her to marry, she would be forced to marry someone else. If it was with the dragon, it would surely change how people saw the dragons. It was the perfect idea in her mind. Smiling brightly at him, she rushed forward passed his clawed hand and hugged at his wrist.
"Of course!" She laughed lightly and then she thought of something. Letting go, she reached down and tore off another piece of her white dress before going to one of his clawed fingers and tying it around in a tiny bow. "And here, this is so you won't forget about me," She went over to the pendant that he had created, and she picked it up in her little hands, feeling the energy that came off of it. Smiling, she spoke softly, "It's so warm," Taking the silver strand, she lifted it up and tied it around her neck. As she tied it off, she let the gem hang around her neck to rest above her heart, "I will marry you Sir Dragon!"
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Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 10:30 pm
 Darek was pleased by her response and felt a pang of sadness as he knew he would have to leave her now. He looked down at the piece of clothe now tied around his finger. He did not need something to remember her by, as this memory would forever be imprinted into his mind and he would likely think of the girl often. He would spend the next few years learning every thing he could about humans and their ways. He would be relentless in his preparations for his return to her side.
Darek looked back to the girl for the last time and bent his head down until his snout lightly touched her forehead. He closed his eyes as he entered her mind for the last time. "Be safe on you way through life and always look for my return. You are the diamond of my heart." Slowly he withdrew from her mind. That last thing he said to her before he broke the connection was. "Farewell, oh princess of the dragon's heart." Darek's mind felt empty without the girl still connected to him and he wanted nothing more than to stay a speak to her more. But it would only make the parting harder on both of them.
So with his final good bye said, he turned around and bounded away from the girl. In a flash he opened his wings and flapped them, pushing his body into the air. Once high enough he turned west to his home. He looked back to the spot where he left her one last time. He was too far now to see her but, He could feel her presence through the soul-gem he had left with her. Filled with a new purpose in life, Darek flew faster to the west. Soon fading into the horizon.
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Posted: Tue Dec 17, 2013 11:30 pm
Lialda knew that they would be parting very soon, after all she knew that her Father and the other guards would be coming soon, either to find her or to kill him. She was sad that he was leaving her, but she knew that they would see each other again, that she believed in. When the dragon looked at her and placed his snout against her forehead, she giggled a bit before she heard his voice in her head again. She liked the feel of having him connected to her mind, it made her feel that she wasn't alone and it made her feel safe and calm.
He was telling her to be safe and to always look for him. He even called her the diamond of his heart and that made her blush lightly. What surprised her the most was when he was telling her farewell and he called her Princess. Her eyes widened as he said that, how did he find out? It made her smile more though, since he knew and he was still willing to be with her, she smiled widely with a few tears in her eyes. After he said his goodbye, he bounded away from her and took to the skies. Lifting her hands up above her, she waved out towards him, "Bye Bye!" Before long, he had disappeared from her sight and to the skies.
It was just in time too, for the guards had already came through the brush and came across her. Seeing that there was no dragon and only a dirty little Princess, they lowered their weapons and her Mother had come out from behind them pulling Lialda close to her body. She knew that she had worried her Mother, but she didn't regret meeting her friend. She did get angry when she heard one of the guards ask where had the monster had gone. She broke free from her Mother's hold and went over to the guard before she threw a punch between the legs since that was as high as she could hit. "He's not a Monster! Bleh!" She had stuck her tongue out at the guard she had hurt and she could already hear the scoldings of her Mother in her ears. She didn't regret it though, the dragon was her friend and she wouldn't let anyone badmouth him. She looked down at the gem he had given her and she held it between her hands, she would never let it go and always remember her promise to the dragon.
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Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2013 11:24 am
In the years that had followed their initial meeting, the rushing of thudding footsteps caught her attention as she walked the hallways. Her blue eyes glanced towards where she saw some of the guards gathering, like they were getting ready for a battle. She was wearing a white dress adorned with sapphires and other jewels. She didn't care much for the dresses they put her in, but she had little choice. She had to set an example as the Princess of her Nation and to continue the example, she was to choose a suitor to be her husband and future King. Her Father had already made his selection for her to marry, for the better of the kingdom was what her Father had told her. She feared him too much to deny him anything. It was because of him that she had spent most of her life alone.
"Be safe on you way through life and always look for my return. You are the diamond of my heart.”
The phrase often echoed in her mind and it gave her some sense of peace. It was back when she was a young child, so her memory was a little fuzzy. She could barely remember what he looked like, but she did remember one thing. She had helped a dragon. She hadn't been afraid and he had been hurt, and in her state of mind as an innocent child, she saw nothing wrong with wanting to help him. That time she had spent with him in that cave had been a fond memory for her as a child. When he told her that, that phrase remained in her mind to give her comfort whenever she had difficulties in her duties. It told her that she would someday be able to grant her wish of uniting everyone and that everything she was doing was to prepare for that day.
He had yet to come for her though and she was going to be married off very soon against her will. Almost every night she hoped that he would come and take her away, even now she hoped that he would come to barge down the gate. Her hand reached up to hold the gem that was covered by the cloth of her dress, she wouldn't give up hope on him returning for her. Turning her head with her golden locks tied up tightly on her head, she began walking towards her bed chambers. She wished that she could remove the pins from her hair, it was tied so tightly and the pins tucked so deep that it hurt. She preferred everything when she had her hair down and in a more natural clothing set. She may have been the Princess, but it didn't mean that she loved the frilly dresses and being decorated in such a manner. She preferred a more natural look instead of the fake one they had given her. After all, the dragon she had met seemed to like her natural look when she was covered in mud.
She knew that she had changed since that time. Her hair was now long wavy golden hair in comparison to her short locks when she was a child. She had lost her child chubbiness and gained fair skin with her face gaining more defined features. However, the tone of her skin had changed from the light tan to a pale white. Her body also held a grace from being trained as a Princess that she didn't have as a child. She wondered if he would still consider her after all of the changes she had gone through. She hoped that he did. She would rather marry him than the human man she would be forced to marry. She didn't even know if she could consider the man a human. To her, he was a monster. She had refused all of her other suitors because she had already promised herself to the dragon. Besides, they had all wanted her for the power and being able to rule over everyone, not for the right reasons. Her time was now running out for her to choose a suitor. Her Father could not wait any longer and was already setting her up with the Lord who had remained patient with the kingdom. Her Father wanted to keep everything of royal blood, but she would never consider that man her King or husband.
He was vile and wanted nothing more than power and money. He didn't care who had to suffer for him to get it either. On the day she had been introduced to him, he had tried to make his mark on her. Even though she was a Princess, that didn't mean she wouldn't fight back. She had managed to punch him off of her and escape before the dragon's gem would help protect her. She didn't want him to know about the gem that she held close to her heart at all times. She had thought he would give up, but no. He had continued to grin at her, like he was seeking another challenge from her. He made her sick and made her pray that her dragon would come for her.
Even now her Father refused to let her out. She had been locked away like some canary in a cage. She knew that her Father was being protective, but his love for her had turned into insanity. The death of her Mother had struck everyone in the kingdom. How she had been killed, no one had seen, but Lialda had been the one to find her that night. It had been only a few days since she had met the dragon that it happened. She had multiple bandages on her arms and legs from her tumble down a hill. At that time, her being forbidden to leave the castle had only been for a few days. She remembered waking up from having a bad dream so she went to see her Mother and enjoy a hot drink together until she fell asleep. Her Mother had been there to prepare it for her, but when she had arrived, the scene that greeted her was one of horror. No one else who came across her would be able to recognize the Queen, but Lialda could. Her body had been torn apart, blood, bone and organs were everywhere. Like a bomb had gone off, but no one had heard it.
Lialda had stayed there, knelt in front of what was left of her Mother until someone came and found her. From what she had been told, she had been crying, unmoving, with her hands out trying to heal her Mother and the gem around her neck was glowing in an attempt to comfort her. Once her Father saw, things had never been the same. The guards had been increased around her in case whoever did that to her Mother came back to get her as well. She had been forbidden to leave indefinitely from that day on. The only thing that had kept her sane throughout the entire thing was her thoughts of her dragon, she was praying and crying that he would come for her now and make all the bad things go away. Her heart called for him to help her stay together.
He meant the world to her. He was her light that kept pulling her out of the darkness that she still feared. As she entered her room, she saw the most horrid thing on her bed, the wedding gown. It seemed that no matter what she did to it, it always came back to haunt her. She threw it off of her bed, not wanting to see the cursed thing. She just went to her bed and looked at the stone blocked window. Her Father knew about the dragon that would come back for her, so he made her room void of any sunlight. It was the reason why her skin was so pale, she never saw the sunlight again since she had been locked away. Soon, her Father would come for her to choose from the last set of suitors before he forced his choice on her. She pulled the gem out from under her clothes and looked at it with gentle eyes, "I miss you...Please come for me soon."
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Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2013 3:13 pm
The passage of time seemed to have gone by quickly for Darek. It did not seem that way during the years that he worked tirelessly to prepare for his return. Darek thought back on every thing he did to make it to this day. He had returned to his home and told the other dragons of his debt. Most were skeptical about the idea but, they knew that Darek would be relentless in his search to make this happen.
His first step was to learn all he could about humans. To do this he went to the oldest of his kind. They shared generations worth of living memories with him. Details from thousands of encounters with humans before the end of their friendship with the dragons. Darek knew that these would not be enough. He would need information about the humans of today. It was five years into his search that he found that not all contact with humans had been cut off. There were still noble families that owned their lives to the dragons and for that they served the dragons in secret for generations.
With permission from the elders, Darek arranged a meeting with a family that live in the kingdom that he had met the girl. During one of his early meetings with the head of the family, Darek shared a living memory of the girl with the human. To Darek's surprise, the man knew of the girl. Darek was shocked to find out her true identity as a princess. This would only make things harder for him to get close to her ever again. She would be under guard at all times and a dragon would never be able to get anywhere close to her.
Darek was distraught by this revelation and went to his great-grandfather for guidance. When Darek told the old dragon of the situation the dragon laughed for a moment before telling him that hope was far from lost. He told him that the secret to solving his dilemma was to do the same thing the dragons did to forge the first friendship with humans. He had to master the oldest form of dragon magic, the ability to take human form. It was an ability that was known by very few dragons and was used when a dragon needed to meet with another human outside of the breeding ground.
Darek knew that learning this would be the hardest undertaking that he had ever done with his life. This still did not deter him as he went to the oldest of his kind to learn this. The process was one that would take most dragons decades to learn and Darek did not have that much time left. From that day he devoted his every waking moment trying to perfect the skill. His teacher was impressed with his progress and determination. Knowing that time was running out, Darek strove harder then ever. Until, two years ago, he finally mastered his transformation and was able to maintain it for weeks at a time.
Confident that he could convince any human that he was one as well, Darek left his home. He then went to live with the noble family that had helped him learn about the human world. He knew that being human and acting like one would not be enough to get him close to the princess. With the help of the noble family, he forge an existence as a noble from a far off kingdom. Every detail was covered from his birth to his right of nobility. It took the better half of the last two years to set every thing in place and learn every detail of his fake life.
The entire time the king was looking to find suitors to marry the princess. Darek feared that he would run out of time and she would be forced to marry. Darek knew he had no more time and put forth the plan that he had been working on for so long. He knew that the only way to get close to her was to be presented as one of the suitors. With everything in place, Darek sent a formal request to the king for permission to court the princess. With so few suitors left and the princess rejecting every one of them the king was desperate to find one.
Within a week he was invited to the castle to meet the king. The meeting was more of a negotiation that the king would go through with every suitor before meeting the princess. Darek cared little for the meeting as it was nothing more then the king offering and negotiating the rewards he would gain if he was successful in courting the princess. But Darek had to play along with it. He knew that this was also a way of weeding out suitors that did not have the required skills to rule the kingdom one day. The meeting drew out through the entire day and some of the night. Finally the king was satisfied with Darek and was invited to stay in the castle.
Darek slept peacefully that night as he could feel her presence through his soul gem. He woke the next morning with renewed vigor. He was informed that he would be meeting the princess later that day. Darek smiled to himself as the messenger left his room. "I am here princess." He said quietly as he stood and walked out of his room. He then found his way to the library where he was instructed to wait for the princess. Darek now had to calm himself and think clearly. He could not come out and tell the princess who he was for fear of some one else finding out as well. He had guide her to his identity without even her knowing it. Darek sat down and closed his eyes. Deep in his mind he could hear the soft thump of her heart.
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Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2013 4:37 pm
Knowing that it was getting late, she decided to change quickly into her night gown so she could get some sleep. Tomorrow would be the moment of truth for her, if she would choose one of the suitors that came or be forced to be with that monster of a man. She knew that there was only one person out there for her and it was the dragon. She had promised him that she would marry him and no matter what she had to do, she would keep that promise to him. Lifting her hands up, she began pulling the pins out of her hair, letting each tendril of her golden locks fall in waves over her shoulders and down her back. She felt such relief now that they were out of her hair, she would request again if she could wear her hair low tomorrow. She was already going to have a headache dealing with suitors, she didn't want to have to deal with a larger one from the tightness of her hair.
Moving over to her bed, she pulled back the sheet and she slid under the covers before she pulled it up over her shoulders. She pulled up the gemstone and stared at it again, even after all these years, she was still marveled by it. This gem was a piece of soul of the dragon that she cared for deeply. She wished that she could have made those moments into a living memory like he had told her about, so she would be able to relive all those senses and feelings from that time. Bringing the gem to her lips, she gave it a gentle kiss before she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, the only time that she could truly relax.
Morning soon came and Lialda had discovered that she had slept rather peacefully that night. Normally, she would toss and turn, but this time it seemed that something was different. She felt warm and safe. Rubbing her eyes softly, she sat up on her bed and she looked down at the gem that was still around her neck. It seemed to be responding to something and it was giving off a warm feeling. Did that mean that her dragon was near? That couldn't be, if it was, the guards would be breaking down her door to grab her and take her underground while the rest of them went to go fight the dragon.
It didn't stop the smile from coming to her lips at the sight of it. Just knowing that he was close made her happy. As she got up, the door opened and the servants had come to get her prepared for the day. While she was very capable herself, they were instructed to make her look like the Princess she was. If it was up to Lialda, she wouldn't be in the dresses of a Princess, but rather commoner clothes. Sighing softly, she decided to let them do their job. It wasn't their fault that she had to dress in a way she didn't like and she didn't want to cause them trouble with her Father. The man just hadn't been the same and she hadn't made it any easier for him.
Every dragon hunt that he had tried to pursue afterward had never gone through or been successful. Every time, she would go and tamper with their hunting equipment or destroy it all. She was very adamant on them all not going to the hunt. Her Father had been livid with her for doing it. Even when he tried to do it anyway, she barred any of them from going. Her healing magic had grown to the point where she could develop barrier magic and block anyone she wanted. She had been punished severely for that. He had locked her in the dungeon for a week in the darkness for what she had done. Even though she was grown up now, her fear of the darkness had never truly gone away. Her Father knew it too.
It seemed like her Father had requested that she be as formal as possible, but she insisted that they let her keep her hair down for this meeting. She let them dress her in a pale blue dress that had white dots along the skirt making it look like snow. They placed her crown on her head and they left as quietly as they did when they came. Looking at herself in the mirror, the only thing that she really recognized as herself was her eyes. They even did her make-up and she wanted to remove it all. She wanted her future husband to see the real her and not a painted doll that they were making her look like.
Getting up, she went to the door and left her room, proceeding to the same place where she had met the other suitors before. Already she could hear them. Wanting to avoid it as much as possible, she went around the other side to the back of the Library before walking in. She went over to the spot where she usually sat in wait for the men to come in and meeting with her. She saw that her Father wasn't there this time. It meant he knew what would happen, that she would refuse all of these men. She knew where her heart belonged. With a sigh, she lifted up her hand to signal them to let the first one come in.
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Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2013 6:44 pm
Darek opened his eyes as he heard footsteps from inside the library. The sound was so soft and light that no human ear could have heard it. Then came the gentle scent that he had been longing for over the years. It had changed but, there were subtle hints that had stayed the same over time. Darek placed his hand inside his pocket and pulled out the torn piece of white clothe that she had given to him all those years ago.
All of his years of planing had lead him to this moment but, none of it could prepare him for it. He had arranged it with the king that, so long as the princess did not dismiss his company, no other suitors were to see her this day. Of course the king did not agree to it right away and it took a great deal of confidence and persuasion to convince him that it would give him the highest chance to successfully court the princess.
Darek looked as the door opened and guard said. "The princess will see you now, Sir." Darek stood and took a breath before entering the room. He now saw that the small girl he remembered was replaced by a elegant young woman. A normal human would not have been able to tell that this woman was the girl he saw so long ago. But he could see the smallest details that made it impossible to mistake her for any one else. For the slightest moment his eyes met her's and it felt like looking into to past. Darek smiled as he bowed. "Good morning, your majesty. I am Darek, son of Thendorin, Duke of Hothrim, from the kingdom Wervenmont. I am humbled by the honor of being able to stand in your presence."
Darek knew she would not care for his flattery as it was nothing more than a custom that any suitor would follow. However, unlike other suitors, Darek was not here for a prize or seeking to dominate her into submission. He had learned that most suitors acted superior to the courtee and would often forego common curtsies and take charge of the situation by taking a seat before being offered one. Darek had chosen not to do this. Instead he rose from his bow and waited for the princess to address him.
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Posted: Wed Dec 18, 2013 9:55 pm
Lialda sat in wait for the first suitor to be brought into her, she was already thinking about what she would say to them to convince them to leave here. She had to become creative in how she rejected these men, majority would leave after she paid them. As she heard the footsteps of the man enter the Library, she didn’t turn her head until he addressed her. His voice was deep, and he regarded her with respect just like the others. He spoke whose son he was, what their title was, the kingdom he was from and that they were humbled to be in her presence.
Closing her eyes in a soft sigh, she spoke her own, ”Good morning, sir. As you know, I am Lialda, daughter of King Reyes of Ellsemira. And I-“ She paused for a moment as she opened her eyes to look at the chair in front of her. She was surprised to see that it was empty. Turning her head, she saw the man there in front of her, getting up from his bow and it looked like he was waiting for her permission for him to sit and join her.
The act itself was enough to surprise her. He was the first to respect her enough that he would wait for her to allow him to sit with her. The other suitors just sat down and most of the time would not even let her finish speaking before they went into the reasons why she should choose them. Some even already planning out on what their future would be like once they married her. They seemed to think that she would be impressed with it, that she wanted them to dominate over her. It only proved to her that these men only thought of themselves and not of others. Such men were not suited for the kingdom. A King was a servant to the people as it should be.
This man before her, was already humbling himself before her, ready to serve. Because he was the first to do so, she offered him a kind smile before she gestured with her hand to the seat in front of her, ”Please take a seat,” As she waited for him to sit down, a servant came in and set a cup of tea in front of both of them and a plate of sweets as well. They were her favorite pastry. She loved things that were very sweet and it was always her back-up plan if the suitor refused to leave. Some were so shallow that to see a woman eat something so fattening would repulse them. The man in front of her though, didn’t seem to be that kind of man.
Darek was his name and he spoke that he was the son of the Duke of Hothrim. She didn’t know that the Duke had a son, especially one like this man. She couldn’t place it though, but something was very familiar about this man in front of her. Taking a breath, she spoke softly to him, even though she knew that she wanted him to decline, she would not be rude to him since he was already being polite, ”I do thank you for coming, however, I am afraid to tell you that your intent will likely be in vain this day. I will though, hear what you want to say to me. Suitor or not, a Princess should always listen to her people and give them all equal chances, right?”
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Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 12:24 am
Darek smiled and bowed again. "Thank you, your Highness." He said as he moved over to the chair and sat down. There he watched her every movement as if each one was important to him. When she spoke again he met her eyes with his own. "Thank you for being honest with me, your Highness. If my attempts are in vain then so be it. It means only that it was not meant to be. I will not press upon you a choice that you do not want to make. I know that no suitor has lasted more then a day and I do not expect to last longer then them." Darek leaned forward to take the tea that was offered.
After taking a sip he placed the cup back down on the table. "I have a theory about you, your Highness. It would seem that you have already made up your mind that no suitor sent by your father will ever be what you want them to be. This means one of three things. You hate the idea of being force into some thing like this, knowing that it might lead to you being force to marry a man of your father's choosing. You deeply believe that your heart can only be given to a love built over time. Or you have already given your heart to some one and you are waiting for him to return." Darek paused as he took another sip of tea.
"Now, if I am right then I know I have no chance of impressing you with witty charm or any other methods of courting. Therefore, the only reason I am still here is simply to temporarily keep the king satisfied. So instead of sitting here and listening to me as I ramble on about on about how great a king I would be and what my plans for the future are until my allotted time with you is over and you send me away, a defeated man. How about we come to an agreement to drop the entire suitor thing and just enjoy each others company. That way you won't have to go through the trouble of listening to the long list of other men trying to convince you that they should be the next king and I get say that I sent the day with a beautiful princess. If this is not to your liking then I will accept your choice and return to my home the same man I was when I left. Whatever you wish of me I will do" Darek said to her in a kind voice.
He knew that everything now hinged on what she said in response. It was to soon to know the truth of who she was talking to and he needed the time with her to slowly expose who he was.
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Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 8:06 am
Lialda had to admit that this man in front of her, though one of her suitors, seemed to be different from the others. He was being very polite to her and even when she was telling him that his feelings would not be returned, he thanked her for being honest with him. With every word that he spoke, she became more surprised and in awe of the things that he was saying to her. He didn't want to press her further and he knew that he wouldn't last long with her and he did not expect to either.
She continued to watch him as he began drinking the tea that was placed in front of him. When he spoke again and began to tell her his theory, her eyes opened wide at how exact he was on her feelings. He had given her three theories and he had guessed correctly on all of them. While she did not want to be forced into a marriage with someone she didn't love, she was waiting for someone. Taking a sip of her own tea, she listened to him as he continued to speak with her. He wasn't going on about wanting to become King or having her as his wife, but rather, just wanting her to use him as a ploy to buy time and for them to just talk.
This Darek that was sitting in front of her, felt like a breath of fresh air to her. Setting her cup down, a gentle smile reached her lips, a similar one that she had given when she was a child. Nodding to him, she spoke softly, "You are very wise in your theories, and rather accurate. To your suggestion of us merely conversing with each other and enjoying each other's company, I will accept your welcome invitation to do so," Having the relief of not having to deal with anymore suitors for the day helped her relax completely. "You are correct though, I have promised my heart to another. I have kept this promise for almost fifteen years now and it is one that I will never break to someone so dear to me. My Father would never approve of him, but it is because of this person that I am here right now..."
Taking another sip of her tea, she continued to speak to him, "I will thank you for your suggestion. I have not truly spoken to someone casually in a long time. Since the passing of the Queen, tensions have been running very high here. If I can, I can simply request more time to speak with you today, more than the others. You have...surprised me today Darek. I thought for sure I would be hearing the same thing I have heard from every suitor before you. I would rather a simple conversation between two people, as just two beings, no titles attached. That was the way I met the one that holds my heart. We met as just two beings, no titles exchanged, we merely enjoyed each other's company. There are times I wish I had told him who I was, but I had feared that if he knew who I was, he would never return to me." That he would come to hate her for being the daughter of the man who took part in killing his kind.
Looking at Darek once again, she gave him a smile before she reached forward, taking hold of the plate of sweets in front of her and she leaned forward to offer him some, "Here. These are from a local bakery close to the kingdom. They may look simple, but the quality is amazing. I told them that if I was to sit here and listen to my suitors all day, I may as well enjoy my favorite treat while doing so." She gave a soft giggle, that almost sounded foreign to her ears. She hadn't truly laughed in so long, but now that she was relaxed, she was acting more like herself. Still though, the feeling that she got from Darek was so familiar, "Also...I want to ask you something. You seem very familiar, but I have never left the castle since I was a child. So please, have we met before?"
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Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 9:35 am
Darek smiled as she granted her request. He listened to her intently as she spoke. Her every word was like music that he had been longing to hear for far too many years. He grew sad as she spoke of the death of the Queen. Though his body had been far away from her but, he had felt her every emotion that night. He wanted nothing more then to abandon his plan and fly off to be with her. But he knew that if he had he would never be able to make her wish come true.
He did not dwell on the thoughts for long as Lialda began to talk about the promise they made fifteen years ago. "I can tell that the bond you share with this person is a very strong one and I doubt that the lack of the king's approval would stop him from returning to you. For all we know he could be here in the castle waiting for the time to be right to meet you again. I know that if I shared a bond that powerful with some one, I would not let any thing stand in my way to be with them." Darek said to her with half humor and half serious expression.
He then turned his attention to her words about their meeting and how they had not even exchanged names back then. "From what you have told me so far I am sure that he did not care what you were, only who you were most likely mattered to him. Love rarely sees more then the truly important things in a person." Darek smiled as he spoke and accepted the pastry that was offered to him. "Thank you, Princess."
Then she ask him the question he knew would come. Darek pretended to be in deep thought as he knew she was getting close to finding out who he was. "I don't know, your highness. I have only been to this kingdom once before, when I was much younger. I did not come here to the castle though. My father had business with some lord of a nearby village and I was not really interested in that stuff at the time. I ended up spending most of the day in the forest and spent that night in a cave. So it is unlikely that we ever met as I did not spend much time with the other nobles when I was younger. Perhaps I just remind of some one you hold close to your heart." He said with half a smile. He made sure to avoid mentioning how many years had gone by and the name of the village he was near.
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Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 1:19 pm
Lialda watched him as she had spoke to him, he seemed to hang on every single word that she spoke like it was a foreign language. His eyes had even saddened when she had mentioned her Mother, almost like he knew how she had felt over the loss of the Queen. He seemed to know a lot more than what he was telling. He was even trying to cheer her up telling her that even without the King's approval, that it would not stop her dragon from returning to her side. That thought made her smile softly and she found it nice to hear that this guy was similar in that sense, that if he loved someone enough that nothing would stop him from getting to them.
He continued to cheer her up by saying that her dragon would not care what she was since it was who she was that mattered more to him. It made her smile wistfully as she thought back to her dragon. "Thank you for those words. While I know that he will come for me, since it has been so long, doubts would form in my mind. I know he wouldn't break his promise to me so I shake those doubts away, but hearing such kind words from someone else helps ease my fears. Over the years we have been apart...it has been thoughts of him that has kept me sane. Being cooped up in a castle for so long can effect you in strange ways, but I keep myself busy."
She gave a light laugh as she knew the things that she did to keep herself busy. Sabotaging dragon hunts was one big thing. Due to her actions, the attempts have becoming fewer to the point that no one wants to take part in them anymore. It didn't stop her Father from trying though. She wanted to be sure that no other dragon was harmed, especially since she couldn't leave the castle to go treat their injuries. She didn't want to run the risk of her dragon being hurt again and she wasn't there to help him. It would break her heart if something happened to him.
When she asked her question on whether they had met before, the way he responded was strange. When he mentioned the cave though, her eyes widened and she held back a gasp of surprise. She didn't know how to respond and she lifted her hand up to the gemstone that hung around her neck. It just couldn't be, but it all linked together. The gemstone growing warmer the longer she was in this room with him, his voice and the air around him, the way he spoke and the words he chose. "You..." She pulled off the white glove that covered her hand and she reached her hand towards his face, "Forgive me, but..." Her fingertips brushed against his cheek and she looked into his eyes. The same intensity that she had seen before made her eyes widen more, "It can't be...how?"
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Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 2:04 pm
Darek watched her intently as she began to put it all together. He could feel her heart quicken as the peices fell into place in her mind. Darek sat still as she reached out her hand. The aroma of her skin so close to his was almost intoxicating. The her soft and gentle touch made contact with his cheek. He closed his eyes, soaking in the entire moment as if it could be his last. With his eyes still closed he reached up with his own hand and placed it on her's. His spine seemed to vibrate with the sheer pleasure of knowing that she know knew.
Slowly he guided her hand from his cheek to his chest and reached out with his other hand to her own cheek. He stroked the soft skin like it was a delicate flower. After taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes to meet her's. His eyes dimly glowed as he looked upon her with great intensity. "I promised I would return to you, oh princess of the dragon's heart." He whispered gently to her.
Darek knew that there was a chance that she would react in a way that drew too much attention. So he moved his finger over her lips. "I told you that nothing would stand in the way of me being with you. Not a king, not an army, not even my own wings and tail. For now just know that I am here and you are the only one that knows that now. If I am to fulfill my promise to you, it must stay that way, my dear princess." He said as he removed his finger from her lips and moved her hand to his lips, placing a gentle kiss upon it before releasing it.
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Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 3:17 pm
Lialda watched him as she touched his face, feeling the soft skin beneath her fingertips. She felt it, the same feeling she had received when she had touched the face of her dragon all those years ago. When he reached up with his own hand, she saw how large his hand was in comparison to her own. She couldn't believe it, her dragon was right here in front of her in human form. She had no idea that such a thing was possible, but at the moment, she didn't care.
She let him guide her hand over to his chest where she could feel the beat of his heart under her palm. At the same time, he reached his own hand up to her cheek to stroke her skin. She leaned into his touch and when she looked at his face again, she saw the eyes that she only dreamed of seeing again. The same glowing eyes and with his words, calling her the princess of the dragon's heart, made her eyes water. Even though she knew that he would keep his promise to her, the fact that he had come back after all that had happened, made her so happy that she wanted to wrap her arms around him and cry.
Before she could do anything though, he had placed his finger over her lips and explained to her that while he said that nothing was going to stop him, at the same time, she was the only one who knew his true identity. She nodded to him, still with that smile on her face. Even when he took her hand to his lip and kissed it, she could stop the happiness that was bubbling up inside of her. She knew that she did have to calm herself down so that no one would suspect anything, so while she lifted her hand up to wipe away some of her tears, she spoke softly, "I'm so happy...You're here. Is Darek your real name? I had regretted not asking your name back then..."
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Posted: Thu Dec 19, 2013 7:03 pm
Darek smiled at her question and was glad she was able to contain her emotions. "In truth it is not. My people do not hold to the attachment of name as yours does. We speak with our mind and have no need to identify who we are speaking to. Over time we are given many titles that describe who we are. Titles like 'Razor Claw' and 'Stone Will' Are only a few that I have obtained through life. Each was given to me by another. 'Darek' is the only name I gave myself. Though it is my newest name, it is the only one that I have ever cared for. Because it was made so that I could see you again and it fits better then 'Sir Dragon.'" He said with a smile.
Darek looked down to the space where he knew his soul gem hung from her neck. "I am sorry that I could not return to you sooner. I know that you have face many hardships since I last saw you. But I could not risk you safety by coming here and taking you away. I soon realized that the only way to reach you would be under the guise of a human. But even then it would not be enough to gain an audience with you. I had known for some time that your father was seeking suitors and that was the only way for me to get close to you. For the past two years I lived with a noble family that was still loyal to my people. I spent most of that time learning every thing that I could about nobility and creating my own identity as one. Even then I would not be here if it were not for a son in their family that serves as one of your father's guards. It was from him that I learned about your rejection of each suitor and even the treatment that each gave you. Without his help I would not have been able to stand out among the other suitors."
Darek looked away fro her for a moment to check on the guards. He felt out their minds to be sure that they oblivious to their conversation. To his relief their minds were far from interested in the conversation the two were having. Darek retracted his mind back. "So, here I am, ready to do as you wish. What step do we take from here? I am sure that after your treatment of former suitors he will be hard pressed to believe that you have chosen me after only one day." He said with a slight smile.
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