A Tale of Two Dragons I was SUPPOSED to be writing a business letter, but… Arin stepped forward. The presence in his head, almost overwhelming a second before, now became a mere whisper, as if afraid to show itself. Deciding to have a little fun, Arin spoke. "So, what now, Ryoran? Feeling a little scared, right?" The dragon was now clearly angry. "Must you torment me further, youngling? I request to speak with my beloved, nothing more, nothing less. I have no need of further interruptions! If you please…" Arin barely suppressed a mental chuckle. He couldn't help it, the normally calm Ryoran being angry and flustered was a rare occurrence. Sensing that he would at least get a little singed if he delayed any further, and feeling the familiar pressure at the back of his head that was the dragon trying to get free, he focused himself and chanted the words of the Summoning. Softer words, a few octaves lower in pitch, were heard from the other side of the massive cavern. Aiela stepped into view a second later from behind the pillar she was hiding behind. The faint wisps of energy that marked her dragon's appearance were already visible. As if in concert, the flaming dragon silhouette was already appearing around Arin. Both spells were completed at the same time. A brief "crump" sound was heard, and then silence. The only sounds in the cave were the breathing of the two humans and the twin dragons that had suddenly appeared. Ryoran breathed a sigh of mixed pleasure and relief. Gods, how cooped up he was in there! Brief though the periods of freedom were for him, he enjoyed each immensely. Suddenly, his heightened senses of smell, so long unused, kicked in. Another dragon was in this room. And this was one that he knew, very, very, well. "Ryoran? Is that you, really you?" Ryoran reared back in astonishment, his magnificent bronze wings arcing out to the side. He knew it was her, but… it was so sudden. "Aiela!", his mind raced, "after all these years…" He felt an amused titter from her as she finally came into view. The same lithe, snow-white frame, graceful, arching neck, and sleek wings. And those eyes, like twin crystals… "Why, thank you, Ryoran! I never knew you had it in you!" The tone was light but he could sense the same longing and hope that he had nursed for centuries hidden behind it. Recovering, he looked straight at her, his gaze gentle and searching. She looked back, and they nodded as one, leaping off the ground and sailing into the sky. ***** Calm spring breezes blew across the sky as the two dragons spread their wings and danced across the sky. Both knew that the casual flying was but a prelude to their actual conversation, but they indulged in it anyway. After all, they had waited a few hundred years. A few more minutes wouldn't matter. Ryoran swung around lazily on an updraft, crimson wings extended. He gave a dragony sigh as he felt the wind's caress him once more. Being dead had its advantages, he decided. It gave you a greater appreciation of being alive. "What are you thinking about?" Aiela's mental voice was gentle. He sensed the same feeling of mixed pleasure and contentment behind those words. They were another good reason to be alive. "Oh, just things." Best to lead her on. "Like what?" Teasing now. "About… you, me, us…" Ryoran didn't catch his slip until after the thought was formed. The very topic that he had been skirting for so long had inadvertently slipped out of his mind. Concern for her soon replaced the fleeting sense of regret. "It's been so long, what…" "That's funny!" "Why?" Surprise, and puzzlement. "Because I've been thinking about the exact same things." The voice became wistful. "And, you know, the skies, before…" Ryoran nodded. "I know…" They were both thinking about the same thing. The skies over Drogen, the ones where they had taken their first flights, breathed their first, met others, lived, learned and grew… The ones where they had first met. "The winds are nice here though," It was a feeble attempt to change the subject. It had been broached, and would not be denied. "Yeah." She too, wanted to prolong this time. Aiela banked swiftly to right, executing a triple barrel roll. She giggled at Ryoran's attempt to mimic her, ending when he almost sailed into a mountain. "Be careful, you dummy!" She was always more agile… "Thanks for the concern, but I think I'm doing just fine!" Another giggle, then an insistence to stop, to land near an outcropping of rock close by. Both knew that the time had come. They stretched their wings to the fullest, and raced across the sky, exulting in the freedom and wonder of it all, before veering downwards. ***** Arin looked up at the two dragons. They certainly seemed to be having fun. "Hmm, maybe I'll ask Ryoran to take me up there one day…" he mused. Then again, they have more than enough trouble fighting of the patrols of the Empire that seemed to pop up at the most inopportune times. Scanning the room, he wished for the fourth time that he could understand what the dragons were saying. Beautiful though their flights were, he sure would have liked to know what they were talking about. Ah well, it probably wasn't his business anyway. "You could concentrate, you know. Walking around isn't going to do much good." Arin stared at the grinning Aiela. "How did you know what I was thinking about?" he asked incredulously. "Easy enough." She shrugged. "You were looking at them, and sighing, so it was a good bet that you wanted to know what they were talking about. It's pretty interesting, actually, though really none of my business. In fact, I wouldn't be listening in on they if not for the fact that A'yara gave me permission." A'yara. Aiela's name for her dragon. Took a bit getting used to, especially because they shared the same name. "How do you, um, listen in?" A giggle. It was strange how alike both the dragon and human were. "You concentrate, dummy! I was telling you that for a reason, you know." Arin opened his mouth to retort, then closed it. She was usually right, anyway, and he didn't want the day to be spoiled by an argument. Concentrating, he reached the mental link that he shared with Ryoran. The words leapt into his brain. "Just things." He cut off the connection. Not only was it a bit eerie, he also sensed, as a peripheral feeling, that something important was up, something that didn't concern him in the slightest. He looked up again, at the two forms wheeling in the air. The red and white looked good together, he suddenly realised. They seemed to complement each other, one setting off the other. He looked down to see Aiela studying him closely. "So, did it work?" she asked. "Yeah, thanks!" She smiled back and looked up as well. Arin barely caught the next few words. "I sure hope everything works out. We have enough problems as it is." ***** The firm rock felt good beneath Ryoran's feet. Ah, nothing like a good flight, and then a nice rest after it. Now on to business… "Aiela?" Careful, now… "I'm sorry, Ryoran. I, I don't know what happened…" Shock, this time. He didn't think she'd take it that hard. Hell, he'd done worse, running off to participate in the border wars without as much as telling her. Steeling himself, he reached out to touch her mind, going even deeper than mere mindspeak. The miasma of self-loathing, anger, and despair was not more than he had expected. For a brief moment, he felt anger at himself for allowing anything, anything at all to harm her, then blind rage at the Dark Dragons, but he quickly calmed himself. There had been enough anger already. Now was the time for love. Ryoran reached out with gentle mental fingers, parting the veil of emotions, seeking what he knew to be there. When he found it, he reached out with his very essence, and embraced it with all his heart. Aiela's sobs subsided, and in their place was a innocent wonder. "You, you don't hate me? What I did…" "I could never hate you. I…I…" Ryoran's voice faltered for a second, and then died completely. Damn, I'm such a coward, he thought bitterly, even after all this time… A giggle and the red dragon felt warmth, warmth as he had never experienced in his life flood into him. It suffused the air, gladdened the heart. It was the best of your life and your most wonderful experience all in one. It was the stuff of dreams, the essence of the soul. It was love. Ryoran sighed, basking in the warm glow. He sent a pulse of his own emotion back, and his happiness increased tenfold when it returned. The two just lay they for a while, enjoying the sun, wind and presence of the other. Aiela perked up her head after a while. An unfamiliar, female and altogether irritated voice was now speaking in her head. Giggling as she realised the origin of the voice, she gave a mental nudge to her lover. He nodded in aquiscience and they both took to the air as one, flying back over the mountains. Their whole repertoire of flying manoeuvres now came to the fore as their remaining inhibitions fell away like so many feathers in a wind. They giggled and laughed, and played and joked and flew. "You don't have to say it, Ryoran." "Say what?" "You know!" "Of course I do. I just wasn't sure if you did!" "Oh, you… I love you Ryoran." "I…I… love you too, Aiela." ***** (Owari) Author's note: Well, this wasn't TOO bad. Who am I kidding? I was actually quite satisfied with this one. The climatic scene, (the talk) needs a little work though. Anyway, as always, C&C is appreciated. Oh, BTW, the thing that Aiela refers to is the fact that she committed suicide after Ryoran's death. She feels very guilty about it, as is shown in the story. Next up, the completion of "Swords" and "Limtbreaker." "Mage Combat" should be finished soon, too.