Chapter 87: Tahr

I dress in the offered clothes. I should have brought my own. I've forgotten about Acasia's many rules and no nudity when having tea is one of them. "I can't wait to see this great invention, Ashrac. You must tell me all about it and exactly what it was built for."
Ashrac takes my hand and leads me inside. Even his hands have grown and it gives me a melancholy feeling to think of what will happen when he is a man. Will the curse guide his life as it has ours? It's such a horrible thought and I'm here to escape those.
We walk down the stairs and enter a long hallway that takes us to a set of rooms that are used for entertaining. Acasia throws herself into my arms much like Ashrac did. I look over her shoulder at Bastian and he only rolls his eyes. I return her hug before stepping back.
"We've missed you, Tahr," she says in a husky voice as she tries to fight tears. She and Meagan were great friends.
"I've missed you too and I hear you have tea and sweet cakes to entertain me. We best get on with this eating and drinking business so Ashrac can show me his newest acquisition."
I'm grateful that she gets the hint and resists full out crying. The brides have always had a close bond. Now that Acasia is immortal, she will also bear the loss of my future brides.
Acasia serves tea like a pro. There's no sign that she's capable of shifting into a large, ferocious red dragon and killing any predator who threatens her family. Her hands are dainty and sure. The sweet cakes are good, though the tea barely tolerable. I've never been a tea drinker, but to see Acasia happy, I'm willing to fight the urge to spit it out. Bastian gives me a wink and I realize how nice it is to be here with a dragon who understands me perfectly.
After I've performed my gentlemanly duty, Ashrac takes me to his electronics room. I noticed a flash of red in Acasia's eyes when Ashrac took my hand. I gave her a nod. I will not ruin my friendship with them no matter my compulsion. After the tragedy with Sarn, I know I can't handle the heartache of rejection from my dragon family. I need them to help me through the lonely years.
I'm glad Sarn is happy with his mate, but giving up the power to shift to dragon is more than I could ever do for a woman; even a mate. Dragon is who I am. Forsaking the ability to be a man would be far easier.
Ashrac's newest toy is a drone used by the earth realm's U.S. military, or so he tells me. It doesn't work, but Ashrac broke it down and rebuilt it so he knows everything it can do. Acasia explained over tea that Dmitri, an earth realm vampire and friend, is creating documentation so Ashrac can attend one of earth's scientific colleges in about twenty-five years. It will be good for him.
A dragon reaches maturity and can breathe fire at one-hundred years old. The twenty-five years before full adulthood are difficult. Like most teenagers, they don't want their parents' guidance and they seek adventure, also known as trouble. With Ashrac's mathematical mind, which he gets from his mother, school will hopefully keep him away from too much misfortune. A little trouble is acceptable and expected when you're the fiercest creature in a hundred realms. But moderation is important and sadly can only be taught by making one's own mistakes. Those are always the best lessons and I know because I've learned from plenty of my mistakes.
Ashrac begins dismantling the drone to show me all its hidden features. "My father is taking me to earth's realm next week to work on it. I'm to visit Uncle Sarn while I'm there. He and his mate have a new lair and they've built a room for me with lots of instruments so I can work with electricity and watch my projects do what they're meant for."
I feel eyes on me and look up. Bastian stands at the door with one eyebrow cocked and a satisfied smile on his face. He's so proud of his son and I know his pride is sweeter because Ashrac is so much like his mother. I'm happy for Bastian; he deserves this life.
I can't help feeling responsible for the thousands of years of suffering he went through before he found his mate. It was my uncle who brought the curse down on us. Now that Sarn and Laryn have been blessed in their lives, maybe I can let go of some of the guilt I've carried for so long. That is... until Ashrac's destiny shows itself. I don't think it will ever be possible to alleviate that guilt if he's part of the curse.
Bastian is giving me a concerned look so I'm sure some of my troubled thoughts are coming through in my expression.
"Son, if you're finished with Uncle Tahr, he and I are taking a flight to speak of man things."
Bastian isn't one to let something rest. As the oldest of my brother dragons and myself, he's always been the one to keep us in line when needed. He's also the sounding board when things are at their worst.
From the frown on Ashrac's face he's unhappy that he isn't yet included in "man things." I give Ashrac and Acasia a tight hug before Bastian and I set out on our "man things" flight. We fly off the high perch and it's not long before Bastian gets to the point. "How are you?" he asks.
He knows I put on a front for Acasia and Ashrac. Bastian is aware of the pain carried after losing a bride. I give him the answer he seeks. "Fucked in the head, lonely, angry, and desperate."
Bastian doesn't say anything for several minutes and I just enjoy the wind caressing my scales and the beauty far below. When Bastian finally speaks again, it's nothing I want to hear. "Your time is coming, Tahr. Three of us have found mates and you will not be left behind for long. Your forever bride is out there. I know it."
I hear the certainty in his voice, but I don't accept it. "You know who I am, Bastian. You have suffered for the sins of my bloodline. All of you have. Sarn suffers still. He will never shift to dragon again. He..."
Bastian interrupts me. "Sarn is at peace and happy. He told me that in his heart he will forever be dragon and no Goddess can take that away from him."
Bastian's words only frustrate me further. "I'm not destined for a mate, Bastian. My uncle caused the curse and I shall pay for his sins until one-hundred thousand years has passed. Wishing it different changes nothing."
"You are fucking wrong," Bastian thunders and shoots flames from his great mouth.
I would laugh if my life were not so sad. I lower my voice and try to calm his beast. "Thank you for the time with Ashrac. It helps. I will be okay. Maybe Laryn and Roxy will host cards this month and we can get together like old times."
Bastian snorts. The fire is gone and only smoke trails from his nostrils. "Not likely. Roxy is ready to slice off all body parts that get near her egg. Acasia is the only dragon she will allow within their castle right now. I will be relieved in a few months when the child is born."
I can't stop a sudden laugh and shoot fire in front of us. It feels good to laugh. I need more humor in my life. My heartache weighing me down pushes back just a bit. I would love to see the egg, but I'm unwilling to lose body parts to do it. Bastian's laughter joins mine as we dodge the other's flames.
After an hour of soaring through Bastian's territory, I say goodbye and head back to my castle for another lonely night with little sleep. The solitary flight home brings out the feelings that I ran from earlier. The visit was only a short-term escape. I roll so I'm flying upside down and I dream of hearing the forever silenced echo of Meagan's gentle laugh. She'd stand at my bedroom window and watch my antics for hours. Thoughts of Meagan lead to thoughts of Pepper and I wonder what punishment was handed out. Whatever it was, she deserved it. Humans need to know their place.