The Drache's Love

Chapter 16, Avva

Several hours - and three more times - later, I laid on my tummy, facing Cormac, his position mirroring mine.  My entire body was deliciously tender and my energy was utterly spent.  I was teetering on the edge of sleep, but our time alone was limited.  I wanted to waste as little as possible on such a trivial thing as sleep.  Cormac seemed entranced by my exposed behind.  He trailed his fingers over it, squeezed and stroked it.

“What’s so fascinating about my white, dimpled ass?”

“It’s attached to you.  There’s also something incredibly errotic about my green skin against your cream colored skin.  You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed it.”

I had.  Many times before, and I would many times after.  I wanted to stay there forever, making love and basking in the afterglow for eternity.  Unfortunately, the world wouldn’t let us, but I refused to think about leaving this place until it was absolutely necessary.

“I wish my skin glimmered like yours does,” I said, nodding toward the strip of iridescence across his back that mirrored the dancing firelight.

“I guess I’ve never really paid much mind to it.  It’s just always been that way.  But just imagine if we were to have a child.  It’s entirely possible that that child could have the creamy white skin of his mother, but that he would have his father’s iridescence.”

“Theoretically, I imagine you’re right.  But can a Drache and a human even have a child in the first place?”

“I don’t think so.  It’s never happened that I know of.”

He seemed disappointed.  I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t myself disappointed.  The thought of Cormac holding our child brought feelings to the forefront that I didn’t know I could feel.  I knew I loved him with all of my heart, but I also knew that sharing a child with this Drache would only make that love deeper.  I so wanted to give him children, to give him a family.  I couldn’t bear the thought of him coming back to his cottage alone.  Without me.  Or me returning to the palace without him.

I considered him for a moment, in all his naked glory.  His skin was green, yes, but he had a dusting of black hair in every place a human man would.  I trailed my hand up his back and noted how soft his skin was.  It was certainly softer than it looked.  I doubted I would share that bit of information with him.  I didn’t know of a man alive of any species who wanted to hear how soft his skin was.  Finally my eyes rested on his braids.  His hair was so unlike any of the other Drache, and I wondered why.  I wouldn’t have dared ask him when we first met, but now, what did I have to lose?

“I’ve never thought to ask before,” I lied, “but why is your hair different from the other Drache?”

“I’m the chosen one,” he replied solemnly.  “I’m meant to bring my people power and glory.”

My eyes widened.  That wasn’t an answer I had expected.  And I wasn’t sure how to process it.  The utter seriousness in the expression on his face had me believing he was telling the truth.  Until he exploded in laughter.

“I had you!  You really thought I was the ‘chosen one’!”  He paused a moment to continue laughing, and maybe I heaved a bit of a sigh of relief.  Princesses had expectations to live up to, but I didn’t imagine they could compare with the expectations placed on a “chosen one”.

“No, but seriously, the black hair is apparently a recessive trait, and mine is incredibly coarse, so I wear it in braids.  It’s easier.  Legend does tell that black haired Drache are supposed to be great warriors, and I think I’ve proven the legend to be more than accurate,” he said flashing me a cocky grin.  I punched him in the shoulder.

“It wasn’t that funny.  I thought the only hurdles we had to jump over would be because I’m a princess.  If you really were the chosen one, can you imagine how much more complicated our situation would be?  But it would be completely worth it, and I would face each hurdle with a smile to be with you,” I told him.

His mood immediately shifted.  “Avva, we both know this can’t last, no matter how much you or I want it to.”

“Shhh.  I’m not talking about it right now other than to say we will make a way.  Let’s not let a storm cloud hang over what little time we have left alone.”

He smiled and pulled me into his arms, but I knew that particular worry wouldn’t leave his mind until we did, in fact, make a way.  I drifted off to sleep already plotting the best course of action for us to spend the rest of our lives together.