by Melody Rose
“Not at all, I was just curious as to how far your magic extends, or if you needed to channel a good deal of will to strengthen your sight,” I responded as she shrugged and chewed on a hunk of cheese and bread. “I think you are quite lovely either way, although I have a special fondness for your spectacles as they are what I first saw you in when I…”
“Mercilessly kidnapped me?” she asked between bites. While her comment had a soft edge, it was far less incensed than when she first accused me of that nearly a month ago. Before I could open my mouth to respond, Lady Rosalind went on in a more upbeat tone. “Well, anyway, it’s a valid question, I probably should’ve tested my sight, but it wasn’t really a priority. I’m just so used to reading with them on!” Was she relieved that I wasn’t repelled by her spectacles? “Why don’t I give going without my glasses a whirl?”
With that, she pulled off her spectacles, blinked several times, then looked around, taking in her surroundings warily. In a few short moments, the uneasiness transformed into joy. She giggled and twirled her glasses between her pinched fingers. Likely believing she would no longer need them, she pulled her arm backward to launch them into the gently stirring lake before the temple.
I stepped forward to stop her. I’m not sure why. We even seemed to share the same thought as a wistfulness crossed her face.
“I… think I’ll keep them for old time’s sake. They were my constant companions, after all,” she chirped and wrapped them delicately in the cloth napkin that came with her breakfast. In retrospect, she didn’t need the napkin as no grease or dirt or anything clung to her fingers or lips from her meal, just as it had with the… chocolate before.
I admired how she didn’t conjure some type of box to keep them in, as well as the amount of discipline it took not to create enchantments willingly during her sabbatical. Suddenly, I had a flash of a vision, marveling at how divine it would be to have a woman of Lady Rosalind’s caliber on the battlefield. I imagined how convenient and alluring it would be for her to pour her entire heart out into executing impeccable martial arts and swordplay, and then, after all that exertion, she still wouldn’t spill a single bead of sweat. I yearned for this to be a reality one day.
“I think that is a marvelous idea,” I admitted. “And I see it as promising that your mana, as my Sage would call it, is strong enough to tend to your body even when you don’t consciously will it. I do apologize if you’ve felt held back by not being able to conjure to your heart’s content. I should be permitted to lift this ban very soon, after tonight’s performance.”
I paused for a moment as I seriously considered her abilities. “Do you know that Bard Pomi sang of dragons who were so filled with energy that their aura shone through their glimmering scales? Can you imagine what the most noteworthy feat was?”
I spied a knowing gleam in Lady Rosalind’s eyes, but she shook her head as though she hadn’t the slightest clue. Judging by her soft, unmarred flesh, bright disposition, and vigorous spirit, I could see that her body was amazing indeed. Though every member of my clan was certainly of hearty stock, we didn’t quite have the fortitude of our first lineage, before the Drikkende. This Sorceress seemed that she harnessed the tremendous power of my ancestors.
That is when she offered me what was left on her platter, perhaps deeming me worthy of sharing her breakfast. “Maybe… it’s just right at the tip of my tongue,” she teased and popped a slice of dragon fruit into her mouth. She managed to chew with a coy smirk. “But I just can’t quite figure it out. Why don’t you tell me?”
I chuckled and dined on what was left of her meat pies, unconcerned that a few bites had already been taken out. I swirled my tongue around the buttery crust and indulgent filling, astonished with how tantalizing it was. For a brief moment, I toyed with the idea that the pretty spellmistress had enchanted it just by grazing her teeth against it. I poured myself a goblet of water already provided to her, took a drink, then began.
“The dragons most attuned with their core of magic were nearly invulnerable,” I revealed. “They didn’t require any clerics or aid because they could draw upon their inner strength to heal any damage dealt to them. Impressive, no?”
“It is,” Lady Rosalind trilled playfully, then grabbed a lightly serrated knife, moving as if to slice across her hand.
I reached across to circle my fingers around her wrist, alarmed despite my confidence in the rare woman. “Provoking you to prove your worth in this way wasn’t my intention when sharing that legend! What has gotten into you?”
“Okay, I know it seemed pretty weird, but I’ve just had so many visions about what’s possible in this world, and I’ve got a feeling this is going to work,” she explained. “I used to get pretty drowsy and weak from all I was doing to run my library, but now I feel the best I ever have!” She nibbled her lip. “Maybe we can make a compromise?”
I glanced down, struck by her luscious mouth, pillowy and inviting. I was now transfixed by those lips, as well as the paradox of her impish eyes and delicate features. I could see myself surrendering to her every request regardless of how unusual or demanding it might be. Was Lady Rosalind already employing her enchantments on me? Even if that were the case, I welcomed what was to come.
As my eyes glazed with desire, I somehow discovered my voice again. It came out softer than usual, husky and distracted. “Hm? Oh… yes. What do you suggest?”
She then pushed the tray aside with determination and shifted toward me, placing her hands on my knees and leaning in before I could properly react. I froze, my breath caught in my chest as I struggled to predict her next move.
“I think it would be a fun little treat for you,” she murmured seductively. “Payment for all the trouble I put you through, running up here all the time to make sure I’m fed.”
“It wasn’t any trouble at all,” I responded and had to restrain myself from pulling her in. “Please don’t mention it as though it would be. It’s an honor and a privilege to be able to serve you, particularly since you have been so kind as to meditate upon what would gratify our… er… my clan.”
“And what about gratifying you?” Lady Rosalind questioned me, running her fingertip against my bottom lip. “So, back to my proposal. I think that I might be able to show you that these healing abilities might actually be possible. Seeing that could be the case… I want you to try this out…”
Amazingly, she brushed her lower lip against mine, a tantalizing and utterly unexpected motion. I sat up with ramrod posture, suddenly attuned to a heated energy within her, and I even noticed a light red glow emanating from her despite my lack of enchanted Sight. I was so drunk with a primal drive that I wished to pin her against the temple ground. It was only my respect for Lady Rosalind that compelled me to hold back.
“I’m giving you permission to kiss me to… prove a point here,” the spellmistress said softly. “Once you’ve really gotten into it, you can bite as hard as you possibly can. I’m serious! I can take it. Plus, I’ll bet any wound will close up in seconds.”
“Very well,” I complied, then immediately set to work on her delectable request. A beautiful crimson hue rose to her cheeks as it dawned upon the crafty maiden that I would accept her bargain. I allowed myself to do away with my propriety, one hand traveling up the thin fabric of the same dress I found her in all those days ago, the other hand wandering further to help itself to her tumbles of sleek black hair.
Lady Rosalind let out a blissful sigh tinged with just a hint of fear, and that sent a thrill through me. She wouldn’t regret her offer but wasn’t sure how far I would take her. Of course, I would only go as far as she’d permitted with words and stop at a kiss, though I would take as much I possibly could.
“Are you quite certain?” I hissed my question with haughty confidence, wrapping her tresses around my hand. It still seemed untoward to give into my greed without receiving one final confirmation from the Sorceress.
“Yes! Stop asking questions and just go on with it,” she plead
ed, her supple lower lip twitching and her body pliant.
I smirked and pulled her hair in earnest, tugging her head back and studying her loveliness before consuming her. Her thick eyelashes fluttered, lending her a dreamy half-lidded expression.
“Very well, my stór, my treasure. What a precious gift, indeed,” I purred, salivating as I used my upper lip to part Rosalind’s mouth even further, sucking lightly on her warm red flesh. I then followed with taunting nibbles, not quite ready to sink my teeth fully into her.
She moaned gratefully and arched her back, so I stroked her soothingly from her small waist to her curved hip, counterbalancing my light cruelty. While I was aware that she sought roughness right away, I felt it best to withhold that barbed delight. Perhaps she naturally sought this out, or she craved it after honing her abilities, now prepared to alchemize pain into pleasure.
I strayed from her lips momentarily, nipping at her exposed neck and licking the dip in her throat. Again, I was surprised to note that she had none of the saltiness I was accustomed to, as sweat was common to me during each stage of our rutting ceremonies. Interestingly, she had the faint flavor of vanilla, a quirk that drew me even closer to her. I was even more convinced of her natural abilities, sure that her body was naturally reacting with its own enchanted form of arousal.
“Come on,” she gasped almost breathlessly. “This is torture! I just wanted to show you a neat trick, and you’re dragging this out like crazy!”
I chuckled into the side of her tender neck, then created a trail of kisses back up to her lips. When I had finally reached them again, I continued with my light suckling to warm up her soft flesh. I then shifted my grasp on her hair to take one fistful at the back of her head to keep her still. When I felt that she had hit the peak of her patience, I waited just a bit longer for my own enjoyment. At last, I dug my teeth into her bottom lip without a shred of mercy, directing all of my desire into the force of my bite.
She groaned in a thrill layered with a pronounced sting, and I tasted small rivulets of blood, a distinct metallic note to our kiss. The predator in me was stimulated by this, but this was far more intimate than felling a foe. Indeed, as I leaned back to assess the damage, her lips were completely unmarred by either the gash I’d created with my teeth or the blood that was released. I was incredibly aroused by both having tasted her and seeing this amazing power, an asset that I cherished in potential mates. Perhaps I could finally come to terms with this, but this was only the beginning.
“That is remarkable indeed,” I admitted. “There is no denying that. I don’t know if it’s quite enough to sway my clan. While you can heal yourself, what is it that you can do that will matter deeply to all of my kind?”
Lady Rosalind’s lips seemed fuller from the violent kiss, pulsing from the stimulation. I released her from my grasp, as I’m sure it would only inflame her passions even more if I held onto her. There was a more serious reason I was here, after all, and that was to discuss presenting her formally to my clan. She panted helplessly despite the feat of repairing her torn skin, looking at me wordlessly before she collected herself.
“Of course, of course,” she sighed, wetting her lips. “Don’t worry, I know that it would be in poor form to bring all the attention to me, so I thought of a pretty exciting display that would bring everyone into the action.” Her amber eyes lit up as she took my hands, stroking my palms with her thumbs. “Would you like to see what I’ve put together?”
The inflection of her question was achingly sweet, begging me for my approval.
“I would like nothing more.” I squeezed her hands affectionately, my entire body humming with warmth.
“Okay, okay!” She hopped up, her aura transforming into a summery yellow in her giddiness. A gleaming white grin spread across her face as she sprinted out the temple, forcing me to follow. Once outside in the adjacent glade, she then gestured wildly that I sit down.
I acknowledge her request and lowered myself, folding one leg over the other and straightening my posture to give her my full attention.
“Have you heard of… Zielona, the Lady of the Green?” Lady Rosalind asked in the form of a melody, her voice ringing throughout the glade with pure enthusiasm as the lake sprawled out behind her.
“Why, of course, I have,” I answered. I shifted uncomfortably, as bringing up these matters was no longer a source of joy. The genealogy of our magically blessed forefathers and foremothers was a sore spot for us all, as we lost hope that we’d ever fully recover from the Drikkende’s curse. Rosalind might incite an angered rebellion if she bruised the egos of my comrades in this way.
“Ah, but have you seen Queen Zielona?” she pressed on, her eyes growing wider as she uttered the regal name. “Your Królowa?”
I grasped handfuls of grass, restraining myself from yelling at Lady Rosalind for her insolence. Before I could voice my worry more civilly, the bright azure morning sky was blotted out by the darkness of night. That in itself was a sublime sight that I’d never beheld in my entire lifetime, and truly a testament to the power within her.
As I tried to process the magic on display fully, an emerald behemoth emerged in the onyx heavens, roaring and unfurling its wings to their full span. My mouth dropped open as it performed a series of twirls and contortions, proof of its dexterity. Then, it dipped down with determination, racing toward me. While its speed would strike fear in the hearts of most, I was eager to come in contact with this majestic dragon. She was a stunning specimen, her scales gleaming like gems and her entire being radiating self-assurance. I had no doubt in my mind that in some way, she possessed the essence of the Królowa. My mind swirled with tales of how this draconic queen viciously protected her kind, always at the fore of each battle despite her high station.
When she reached me, I could hardly fathom what happened. The beautiful creature nuzzled my cheek, her leathery head rough yet endearing. I responded by petting one of her smooth horns, dumbfounded. While she was long dead now, and this surely must be an apparition, every sign, every sense, every feeling told me that this queen was real.
In spite of myself, I uttered, “How divine it is to see you yet again, Kærasta, my beloved.”
Perhaps I was so struck by my awe that I was rambling like a madman. I’d never even used such a term of endearment before, yet the dragon responded in kind and looked at me with equal intensity, her amber eyes searing into my soul. It was as though I were finding a long lost companion at that very moment, but then she dissipated into the ether just as I convinced myself that we perfectly understood one another.
The sunlit skies flashed back into view instantly rather than trickling back, and some resentment stirred within me. I hadn’t even been given the right to remain in the soothing darkness, hoping that the dragon might return. I wanted to be left alone in the dim night to remain in this state of wonderment. Instead, I blinked at the brightness with irritation, then glared at Lady Rosalind.
“Why did you stop?” I asked, unable to conceal my disappointment. “You hardly gave me any time to take it all in.”
Even Lady Rosalind looked moved, as though she were fully aware of Queen Zielona’s significance. More, the spellmistress seemed that she was transported to the past as well, longing for the return of metamorphosed dragons as much as me.
“I’m really sorry about that. I know that it’s a lot to process.” Rosalind couldn’t even meet my gaze, her eyes downcast and fixed on the grass. “I would’ve kept it going longer, but I have to save a lot of energy to recreate the show for your clan.” She then flicked her eyes back up, an innocently scheming half-smile playing upon her face. “Plus, I have a bit more I’m going to sneak into the performance that I think everyone will get a kick out of, and I don’t want to spoil it for you. I promise it’ll be worth it! You’ll see.”
“I’ll… try to take your word for it,” I responded, my spirit still somewhat deflated despite her reassurances. “What was that you summoned? Surely that can’t be the Królowa af
ter all this time… but she… it… was so real to me.”
“Yeah…” Her voice trailed off wistfully. “I wish that were the case, but it doesn’t make a lot of sense, right? It’s been centuries since she passed away in her first form, and her soul seemed to have shattered so much that she couldn’t even properly reincarnate. It’s just so sad.” A weak optimism flickered within her. “When I read all that she’d done for the Jörmungandr clan, I was just blown away. I was struck with an incredible vision, and I felt what it was like to live within her dragon form. I haven’t been able to shake it off, and so I was able to pour what I knew of her into my spellwork.”
I nodded slowly. It was still a bit disheartening, but I was pleased that Rosalind was able to glean so much from our culture and tap into her full powers.
“It sounds as though your time here has been fruitful,” I stated as a measure of my annoyance began to melt away.
Perhaps my approval spurred her to open her heart because her sense of whimsy gained momentum. Her voice was now effervescent, and her eyes shone as though stars danced within them. “But, to your point, I truly wanted her to feel real, and I’m glad that’s how you reacted! She’s just too phenomenal to be lost in the sands of time, you know? I can’t let her just fade into obscurity, so Queen Zielona is going to have her revival.”
Even my heart began to throb with pride at that prospect. “Yes, that sounds only proper for such a storied and accomplished dragoness. You must move forward with this performance. It is bound to bring us all together and earn you a good deal of respect.”
She smiled serenely at my recognition of her talents, though I was afraid that content expression would wane with my next suggestion. While I was roused by her show, I still felt uneasy. I was forced to face my own inadequacy, knowing that the last of my magical kind would die out should Shaman Kalen pass away, and none of us could fend off his ailments other than Lady Rosalind.
