Ember of Hope

On his way back from meeting with his mate, Dragomir D’evreux halted in his steps. He was nearing the portal when a gust of wind hit him in the face bringing with it a scent – blood – a lot of blood – human blood. He lifted his nose in the air and inhaled deep and long – and froze. There was a bleeding human lying somewhere near who might still be alive and in need of instant help. Probably a tourist, he thought.

He ran towards the scent of blood – cloaking himself, he summoned his wings and took off flying to cover more ground. He flew higher in the air; gaze sharp, searching the dark grounds beneath and nose following the scent. He spotted a bent leg peaking from behind a fallen tree trunk. He landed swiftly next to the severely injured girl who was probably taking her last breaths if the brokenness of them was any indicator. She wouldn’t make it to the nearest hospital even if he flew her there. Her breathing was becoming shallower by the second.

Mind made – he gently scooped the unconscious girl and flew back to the portal. The healers of Evreux would have to work a miracle on her now – they were her only hope at life.

Bringing her limp body close to his chest he tucked her face in the crook of his neck bringing her in contact with his skin to take her across. He was careful of her many broken bones and ruined flesh.

He entered the portal, praying for the girl’s life, who seemed to be no more than a college student. She had so much to see yet – she shouldn’t die. He felt sympathy for the poor child. His son would look about her age if he wasn’t still stuck in that wretched curse. That thought brought a pang of sadness deep in his heart – for not only his son but many others who were living a life he wouldn’t wish upon his worst enemy – maybe upon Velar he grunted to himself.

Dragomir hurried towards the healers’ crypts. That was exactly what the name suggested. Under the city was the healers’ town because they needed to be near the pure water outlets and pure soil for their magic to work best. They needed to be away from the impurities of the world above the ground.

After making sure the healers would be looking after the girl, he headed back to the fortress to seek out his son – to tell him all about his mother and read him her love filled letter. He knew the heartbreak his son and mate suffered for not being able to see each other and it tore away at his heart.

The next day Dragomir had sent his son; Valiance to bring news of the girl and see how she was doing. So automatically Damien had tagged along. Those boys were inseparable since they were kids and for that he was thankful – he was thankful to Dimi for always being there for his son.

The duties as the acting king were not easy at all – because simply put; he wasn’t one. He was a warrior and an advisor – he was no king – he wasn’t cut out to be one. And above all – performing all the duties of a king reminded him too much of his friend – his brother; Alexander – who was the king by right – and he was devastated by the loss of a brother. His people were in despair. Both because of the curse and the loss of their beloved king whose rule had made them prosper so much – Alex had simply made their kingdom the strongest amongst all.

These were the times when he missed his mate the most – her soothing touch and her wise council – who was banished to the human world after what Katherine had done. He still remembered the tortured look in her eyes when she had to leave them. He saw the light leaving her eyes that had always shone so bright that it always took his breath away with only one look from her. He used to be in awe of her vibrant nature. Now she looked like a dead woman walking. He wasn’t a violent man but in that instant a thousand excruciating deaths for Katherine Vidarr raced through his mind.

So many years he had spent searching for Katherine with his people both in this world and that of the humans but she had just vanished from the surface of the earth. He still had spies everywhere who were ordered to keep looking for her. He owed it to his friend to break his people out of the curse. People; whom Alexander had loved till his dying breath.

Though over the years many of his people had found mates and were able to break out of their nightmare but many more still remained. And their pain was enough to age him way before his years.

“Man I’m spent after beating the shit out of those three pussies. I just want to fall down in the sun and sleep – but no – your old man can’t let me rest for two damn seconds” Dimi grumbled non-stop while flying with Valiance towards the healers’ crypt.

“Hey stop whining, would you? Those were just kids you beat up. You telling me those ‘kids’ sucked you dry? Come on man”. Valiance said in amusement.

“Shut up”. Dimi snapped as expected “I just don’t like going to that place. It freaks the shit out of me”. A visible shudder passed through his body. “Those damn ladies are so freaky with their yellow eyes. Haven’t you ever seen them glow like a cat while they work their mojo? I pity the bastards who end up with them as their mates. I swear if my mate is one of them I’m gonna run for the hills and I’m not ever coming back. I’ll stay a dragon my whole life, thank you very much”.

Valiance was laughing his ass off. Dimi had been afraid of the healers since he was a little kid. Nobody knew the reason because he hadn’t even told Valiance anything. And it was saying something because Dimi couldn’t keep anything from his best friend even if his life depended on it.

They landed near the crypt and naturally Valiance took the lead. “Go ahead, I’ll stay here” Dimi said almost jumping with nerves. His tail was swishing continuously, indicating his need to run as far away from the underground town as possible.

“Dimi Man, stop being a pussy. Come on. We’ll be in and out. Now come along, we don’t have all day”.

As soon as they entered the crypts an unnatural mist encompassed them both, making them shudder. Soon an eerie voice followed the chill. “Don’t be frightened young dragons. This will clean you of the impurities of the outer world. It is necessary before you are allowed to enter any further”.

Dimi jumped at the sudden bodiless voice that undoubtedly belonged to some centuries old healer. Valiance barely controlled the laughter that threatened to bubble out of his chest at the spooked look on his best friend’s face. But he couldn’t control the shaking that took over his frame as a result of suppressed laughter.

“Greetings healer” said Valiance respectfully “We’ve come to see the human girl who was brought here yesterday by my father Dragomir D’evreux”.

“I know why you’ve come young dragon. And I know what lies ahead. Tread carefully”. Valiance didn’t show the alarm he felt on the old healer’s cryptic warning. She must also be a seer if she could predict the future. “Follow the enlightened path and it will lead you to the healer’s station”. Dimi was already moving towards said path, no doubt trying to get far away from the voice as soon as possible. This time Valiance didn’t bother to conceal his laughter at his best friend’s expense to which Dimi turned and gave him the stink eye for - Which only made him laugh harder.

“Pussy” Valiance couldn’t leave it well alone “Bitch” Dimi grumbled in return.

From the healer’s station they asked for the room and bickered all the way there, but their back and forth died as soon as their eyes found the sleeping form on the cot.

“Damn she’s beautiful” Dimi being Dimi whisper hissed. But Valiance was shocked into silence by the sheer beauty that lay in front of him. Her flaming red hair was spanned out around her face like a halo of raging flames. Her porcelain skin was spotless – no freckles that he could see. And he was astonished at the sudden and vicious need to see her eyes – to see that face smiling.

Before the curse; he was one of the most sought after young dragons in Evreux along with Dimi. It was common in dragon kind to have affairs before finding their mates because that could take decades or centuries even. And nobody was willing to be a saint for so many a years. Nobody knew when they would find their mates – if at all. So it was nothing frowned upon amongst their species.

But Valiance never found the urge in him. He didn’t find any one that he liked enough to be unfaithful to his future mate. He wanted to wait for her who was made solely for him – and whom he was made for. And then the curse fell upon them. On the other hand, Dimi was the whore of Evreux. And he was shamelessly proud of himself and his “talents” when it came to ladies. He claimed they all loved his offerings.

Valiance was a prisoner of the unknown girl’s angelic face and the sweet jasmine scent reaching him. And he was unaware of anything the young healer was telling them about the girl’s condition. He didn’t even know if anybody else was there except that girl. He was soon shaken out of it by Dimi’s brutal thump on his head. He glared at his best friend. Dimi had amusement dancing in his eyes. “See something you like brother?” he teased. The healer glared daggers at Dimi, spooking him into silence with her cat like eyes and turned to Valiance. “She should be getting up by tomorrow morning. You can come to visit in the evening. I think it wise to prepare her beforehand for what to expect. She is from the human world. They do not believe us to be real. And she is going to be here a while so we can’t very well hide the truth from her”.

Valiance only nodded at her and turned to leave. Something was pulling him back in that room. His heart raced as he turned tail and almost ran out. Dimi followed closely behind – either sensing his distress or not willing to be left behind in that place.

“Slow down man. What’s gotten into you?” Dimi huffed, approaching him.

“Nothing. Go ahead and tell father what the healer said. I’ll be flying for a while”.

“Sure, whatever you say Drama Queen”. Dimi rolled his eyes at his best friend and took off towards the fortress. He knew that for some reason his brother needed to be alone.