Dragons Breath

Chapter nine

I leave Gwen's room shortly after arriving there, she's not exactly the company I'm looking for.

I go out exploring the halls once more, yet again trying to find something to occupy my time. I explore the other end of the castle finding that it looks nearly identical to the rest. I admire all the paintings but it's one in particular that catches my attention.

It's a painting of a deep blue dragon flying over a mountain during a storm, a mountain I know all too well. The fact that they have a painting of a dragon is already strange, but what really catches my eyes is the long jagged scar running across the chest of the dragon, and the deep violet eyes. Reaching out I run my fingertips across the dragon. My eyes begin to burn with tears, this dragon looks familiar. Much too familiar. It's almost an exact replica of Fafnir, dynamic and glorious as he was in life, his eyes gleaming in the piercing artificial light of the picture.

"It's beautiful, isn't it."

I jump at the sudden voice, turning around I'm met with Gregory's molten brown eyes. He walks to the painting placing a hand on it his long snowy hair swaying back and forth.

"I bought this piece from a traveling painter about nine years ago, the painter talked about how when he saw the beast he couldn't help but marvel."

This painting was done a year before my brother died. It has to be him, there's no way it's not.

"Yes it's very beautiful, actually I believe this painting was done near my home judging from the mountain terrain." I pause looking softly at the painting. "And the dragon in the painting... I'm certain I know him." The words come out choked, thinking about Fafnir always makes me so melancholy.

I don't know why but since the moment I met Gregory I've felt comfortable talking with him, he has this gentle fatherly aura about him.

Looking into my eyes Gregory gently lifts a hand wiping a stray tear. I hadn't even realized I was crying until he had done that. I step away from him wiping under my eyes, taking a deep breath in an effort to compose myself, I smile at him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get emotional."

His deep brown eyes filled with a gentle kindness gaze into mine. My heart clenches, I feel as though I'm standing before him naked.

Walking up closer to me, he cups my face softly running his thumb across my cheek, warmth spreads across my face.

"Come my dear let's talk somewhere more private, away from prying eyes." He says this glancing at some maids standing feet away from us.

We turn walking down the hall he places a comforting hand on my back. Reaching the end of the hall he pushes open a large oak door.

Stepping into the room I see that it's a small office, the wall is painted a light beige color and surprisingly there is nothing decorating them. On the left side of the room, there is a large wooden desk with many bookcases behind it. On the other side of the room, there are lounge chairs surrounding a red brick fireplace with a small table in the middle.

He leads me over to the fireplace and we sit down.

"I'm sorry I don't mean to be emotional, it's just that the dragon in that painting looks so much like my brother. I'm fact I'm certain it's him."

Placing a comforting hand on my shoulder he asks.

"May I ask what happened to your brother."

My heart starts racing as I think back to the day Fafnir died.

I sat on the edge of the mountain eagerly waiting for my brother. Today, we're flaying our to the capital city to negotiate the terms of our peace treaty with the humans there. Although my father is against it, my brother is insistent ongoing. My father affirms that we should not meddle in the affairs of lesser beings. I trust my brother's judgment, though, and I am willing to accompany him.

I feel a hand ruffle my hair.

"Hey Ellie, you ready to go?"

I stand swiftly looking into his violet eyes a bright smile played across my face.

"Of course I've looked forward to this for a long time."

He smiles at me shaking his head, his long, dark blue hair swaying with it.

He turns away from me stripping out of his clothes, I quickly follow suit. Shifting into our dragon form, we leave using the dark of the night as our cover.

I follow closely behind Fafnir my wings beating fiercely against the rough winds. After a while, they begin to ache and burn with the cramps of over-exertion. My breath comes out in shaky bouts of panting.

"Fafnir could we take a break? I'm starting to get tired."

He sighs almost playfully with, "There's a large clearing up ahead we can stop there for a while."

We land in the clearing and I'm filled with relief. I can finally relax my sore muscles. I lay down closing my eyes laying in silence for a few moments.

"Hey, Faf why do you think dad is so against us trying to make peace with the humans?"

He sighs, "Fathers old Ellie and he's not ready for change, not to mention that he is a proud man that refuses to acknowledge a race he deems to be much weaker."

"That's the thing they are weaker, I support you wholeheartedly but I want to know why you care so much about them."

He shifts his body so he's facing me, "I was once like you and father underestimating human, that was until I found my mate was human."

My eyes widen at his words but before I can respond Fafnir suddenly stands up, scanning his surroundings.

"What's wrong."

His head snaps in my direction.

"humans. I can hear them hiding in the forest. This is way beyond their land boundaries. I'm going to see what they here for."

He quickly shifts into his human form and I do the same. I look up at him, he places his hand on my head ruffling my hair.

"Ellie you stay here Alright."

"Alright," I respond quietly.

I watch as he walks away his blue hair fluttering about his head, soon he's completely out of sight. Several minutes go by and I haven't heard anything from him. Panic begins to rise and my heart picks up, why hasn't he come back?

Suddenly I hear his voice ring out from the trees.

"ELLIE RUN."

Without a moment to lose I turn back into my dragon form and begin to fly off. I halt turning back to where I last saw my brother, I blue scales emerging from the trees as my brother comes out. He roars loudly sending out a blast of electric blue flames. Oddly enough, the flames ricochet off the trees, and back onto my brother.

I can't leave him alone. I fly over to him.

"Ellie what are you doing? Get out of here. I promise as soon as I'm done here I'll catch up with you." As soon as the words leave his mouth large harpoons are shot out at us. I fly in front of Fafnir covering him.

I roar in pain as the harpoons hit into my back.

"Ellie!" He calls to me but I barely hear him, my back burns with pain, my heads spinning as my vision goes blurry. Those harpoons were dipped in poison. I lose strength and begin to fall, I landing roughly the clearing. My ears are ringing loudly and I can hardly see what's going on.

The last thing I hear before being consumed by darkness is a loud roar of pain and the shouts of many humans.

"THE BEASTS HAVE FALLEN!"

I wake up with a pounding in my head, I shift back into my human form pain consuming my body.

"Fafnir," I shout.

Slowly I force myself forward limping into the forest continuing to look for him. Off in the distance, I see my brother now in human form laying in blood-soaked grass with harpoons surrounding him. There are puncture wounds covering his burnt chest.

"Fafnir!" I shout going to him as fast as I can, tears welling up in my eyes.

I throw myself down by his body and begin to shake him.

"Fafnir... Fafnir please please wake up, you can't leave me..please don't leave me alone."

My vision is fuzzy with tears as I cry out. Amidst my crying, I hear him groan. I lift my head from where it sat on his chest, I see his eyes open ever so slightly.

"Fafnir," I whisper a smile beginning to form on my face.

"You're alive, you're alive."

He smiles at me slowly lifting a hand to ruffle my hair.

"Ellie I don't have much longer." He says this slowly.

"No, I don't believe it, if we leave now I can get you back to the horde you'll be okay." He heaves a heavy, wet sigh, his milky eyes glazed in a blank melancholy.

"Ellie, listen to me. I will no longer be here to protect you, so listen to me. You must stay strong."

"No! you're lying! I don't believe you, please, please don't leave me. I'll never forgive you if you leave me."

"I'm sorry," he whispers.

He closes his eyes, but I can tell he's just sleeping. if I hurry I can save him. I attempt to lift his body but I struggle still weakened by the blows of the harpoons. I scream, cry and struggle to try and lift my brother up. My body gives out and I slump to the ground I grab a fist full of my hair and release an ear-piercing scream. Looking at Fafnir, trying to take a final studious glance at him, I see his violet eyes fly open one final time, his chest heaving as he fights for air. I see everything flooding from him, the light leaves his eyes, the life in his chest expelled in one final breath as the thing that was once my brother relaxes goes limp, and falls into the grass with his bloody lips slightly parted.

I sob uncontrollably just staring at his lifeless body.

After a while I find that I have on more tears I just sit there against a tree my head pounding and my eyes burning. I don't want to go back to the horde I hate it there, but I also don't want to go to the capital city I hate there, even more, those humans scum they lied to us, they killed my brother I hate them, I hate them more than I've hated anything in my entire life. Those humans aren't even worth the dirt at my feet.

"Eleonora are you alright?" Gregory asks soothingly rubbing my back and wiping my tears.

"Y-Yes I'm alright."

What am I even saying I haven't been alright for a long time. But I don't know if I can tell him that.

"Are you sure my dear, you spaced out for quite some time."

"Yes I'm fine, what were we talking about?"