There it began, the day I died.
I was watching the newly hatched dragons tumble over each other to reach their mothers feet. It was amazing to see them some full of life within seconds of hatching. They wanted to be close to their mother, to feel her skin and the pulse of life force under it.
I have always been a dragon keeper, one of the “rukshaâ€. The dragons were the center of our society. We have lived alongside them for as long as history had been written. The dragons were the ones who kept us safe from the “maira†the beasts that lived in the darkness.
No human who saw a “maira†ever lived to say what they looked like. We knew they existed from resonating with the dragons. It’s a special ability that the “ruksha†possess. When a hatchling forms a bond with one of the “ruksha†the two can resonate with each other. It is like a sharing of thoughts, memories, feelings and knowledge. I had a brief connection when I was seven, normally way too young to bond with a dragon. Patelin was the hatchling that bonded with me late one night. It was the most magnificent and most terrible night of my life. In moments I experienced both the undulating joy that was bonding with a hatchling and the soul-destroying despair of losing my bond-mate.
I had snuck out to watch the hatching. It was late and I didn’t know that what the adults had been talking in hushed worried voices all day was the premonition that the “maira†would attack that night.
I hadn’t been aware so when the “maira†came I was terrified. I had cradled Patelin when a single “maira†came rushing out of the darkness. I couldn’t see it but I felt the draining cold that I later came to know was the stench of fear that the “maira†communicated with those around it.
I screamed and closed my eyes and the next thing I knew Patelin was on the ground next to me dead. Patelin had returned the “maira†to darkness with its own life to protect me.
I was destroyed. I spent the next ten years in darkness, unable to speak or see anything. But I recovered on the tenth anniversary of Patelin’s death. I was able to hear his voice and finally I awoke as if from a nightmare. I then spent all my time learning about the dragons and the “mairaâ€. I became a dragon keeper just over a month ago.
This is the first batch of hatchlings I have been near since Patelin was hatched.
Suddenly I felt a pull, something familiar and yet different. One of the hatchlings was moving towards me, its eyes bright and wide. I felt her inside my mind, inside my heart, filling up the hole inside.
“Lierraâ€
One word, one voice, one name. She was mine and I hers. Lierra nudged me with her snout. I reached down and puller her into my arms. So warm and soft. Her wings were so fragile. Pink and purple swirls along her body. She was amazing.
Then I felt it again, the cold. The fear. I knew the “maira†were coming again. I could feel the darkness encroaching.
“NOT AGAINâ€
Not again would I allow my bond-mate to sacrifice themself. I ran holding Lierra close. She whimpered and fought to escape so she could protect me.
I wouldn’t let her go. I felt the “maira†break off after us. It was coming.
The fear almost made me freeze but I moved on, knowing it was growing ever closer. It was going to get us.
I screamed as I felt it but a moment behind me. I threw Lierra forward and turned to face my attacker.
Lierra was crying out to me as she landed on the ground a few paces behind me. She wouldn’t make it and she knew it, but not again would I lose the one I loved.
I spread my arms and thought of Lierra as the beast took my life with a slash of its claws.
As I fell into darkness I knew I was dead.
“Lierra†I whispered as I spiralled down into darkness, my love for her resonating. I felt our lives join and a part of my soul broke free, rushing into her soul. For she was my bond-mate and we would always be together.
Soul-tied some would call it later, when the others realised that I resided inside her soul as one.
Soul-bound to my dragon.
One and always together
Forever
Resonating
That was so powerful! Wow!
So I guess no ones really doing this now but I just got a word from the journal and tried it.
So I'll go ahead and post it here (I don't really Check grammar or spelling due to the time thing - but it was super fun)
Counting sheep.
I've resorted to counting sheep, I'm pretty sure I'm the first person to actually do that. well anything is better than relieving that moment, the utter horror of it. If I count enough sheep can I turn back time, just go to sleep, not look at my phone, not sneak out, keep my damn mouth shut. How will I face it? Why can't I sleep?
I squeeze my eyes even more tightly closed my fingers gripping my sheet as it plays again in my mind.
'Hey, wanna hang?'
3 words that made my heart race, then the minutes of staring at the screen until my fingers betray me.
'Sure' holding my breath I clench my phone until my knuckles are white and I think I'll pass out from the whole oxygen thing.
Ding
'Sweet, be there soon'
The utter panic; the quick change -the shirts held up and discarded,1,2,3..and finally the right one, you know flattering but casual like 'hey I don't care' and the skirt not too short but not the one nana gave me for my birthday
Ding
'Im outside'
Palms sweating, heart racing, unable to swallow past the lump in my throat I climb out the back window and run to his car. His car, he has his own car, cool right?
There he is, hair messy, eyes sleepy the top buttons undone on his shirt, arm casually on the steering wheel.
"Hey babe," his voice is like rich caramel
"Uh, hey JD" my voice is like a hyperactive hamster and I make an effort to lower it
"Where are we going" ok, so not much better in the sound department now I just sound ridiculous.