Chapter 80: Sierra
I ride naked as he shows me his realm. It's more beautiful than any place I've ever seen. He flies me through the mountains, across great rivers, and over the ocean that he says separates his realm from Laryn's.
As the sun rose this morning, Roxanne took me to her castle where the other dragons waited. They made me eat before taking me to Sarn. I met Ashrac. He was such a handsome boy and full of questions.
"You are part wolf?" he asked with excitement dancing in his eyes.
"Yes and you are part dragon," I replied.
His chest puffed out. "I am all dragon."
I smile at the memory as the wind flows through my hair and my legs clasp Sarn's neck. He lands in soft grass and shifts once I'm down from his back. We make love for hours. It's only my rumbling belly that finally calls a halt to our activities.
"I can offer nothing but meat," he tells me. "I must hunt and we can build a fire to cook it."
"I wish to hunt with you. You be my eyes and we will find our dinner together." I shift to wolf and Sarn to dragon. We make a good team as he spots a herd of deer and leads me to them with telepathic prompting. The doe I catch is young. I drag her down and end her life quickly. Sarn lands a bit away and watches me.
"Why have we not hunted together before?" he asks.
"I don't know." I tear a strip of hide off with my sharp teeth so I can get to the tender part. "Do you need yours cooked?" I ask.
He shakes his goliath head. "No, I will share if you are offering. If not, I will be back shortly with my own."
"Don't leave me for even a second, dragon. Please join me."
If anyone could see us, it would have been the strangest sight. A wolf and dragon sharing a kill. To me, it seemed the most natural thing on earth. Or realm, I guess. We made short work of the doe with Sarn eating the majority after I could no longer stuff myself.
We shift and swim in a nearby lake. And then we make love. It's almost frantic by the time the sun sets. I don't want to think of the following day, though I accept it. I will never live without my mate again.
Sarn flies us back to his castle. All but his bedroom is a rundown mess. It shows me his pain. I'd seen Roxy's castle. When we flew up to Sarn's, she explained that his was once just as majestic. It is so sad to think of his loneliness, so I shake the thoughts aside.
We don't sleep during the entire night. Our bodies join again and again. We speak little, but the "I love yous" fill the room when we are able to get words out. Even though I don't want sad thoughts intruding, I think of all the years we've missed out on. Sarn wanted to make a clean break and limit my pain. I understand, but know he did exactly the opposite. His unhappiness during our years apart almost kills me.
He holds me as the sun gently rises and shines through the window. Sadness fills me, yet I am at peace with my decision. Sarn's voice at last fills the room. "I will love you forever. You must keep that in your heart."
I squeeze his hand. "We will be in the Summerlands together, Sarn. I believe that deep in my soul."
His finger draws circles on my belly. Then his palm settles and his hand moves up until he covers my heart. "Forgive me, Sierra. Please forgive me."
I lay my hand on his. "There is nothing to forgive, Sarn."
A noise from outside Sarn's window makes me look that way. Roxy's large dragon head pokes in the window. Sarn leaves the bed and Roxy enters and shifts.
"Take her back. I will go to the claiming," he says.
Roxy nods.
I am too stunned to even move for a moment. Then I jump from the bed and face Sarn. "No, dragon. You cannot do this. I will not allow you to do this to me again!."
He walks toward me and I angrily push him away. He grabs me and pulls me close not caring that my fists strike his back. I'm sobbing and yelling at what he means to do. "Shh, Sierra. I will claim my bride and when she is gone, I will come for you. I can't let you die. You promised to forgive me and I am begging you to keep your word."
I scream, I cry, and finally, I settle within the warmth of his arms. I push my head from his shoulder and stare into his red-rimmed violet eyes. I take a deep breath and release the anger from my soul. This is what true love is. "You must promise me one thing, dragon."
"Anything, Sierra, anything."
"You must love her so I know you are happy. Love her each day and do not think of me. Be happy, Sarn, or I cannot do this."
He doesn't speak for a long time. His forehead leans against mine and he whispers against my lips, "As you wish."
I fly away astride Roxy's back. Only the saddle keeps me on. I cry with tears of the deepest sorrow imaginable. "You knew, didn't you?" I finally manage to ask her.
"There is no greater love on earth than a dragon's. Though, a wolf's comes close. I promise we will watch over him until he returns to you. And you will be as happy as you possibly can until that day. It won't be easy, but somehow you will manage."
"Yes," I wipe the last of my tears away. "I will manage." I can't help thinking of what I will do if the Goddess sees fit to grant him a mate. It will be the final nail in my coffin. And I'm selfish enough to hope it will be thousands of years from now. That means each century I will have twenty-five or more years with my dragon. I will live with that thought because I have no choice.
The pain of the realm crossing is nothing compared to the pain I still carry in my heart. Sarn must be happy. It's all that will keep me alive.
