Bound by fire

The Dragon Who Stayed

For the first time in years, the castle of Aveloria slept peacefully.

The guards had stopped shouting.

The bells had stopped ringing.

The people had finally stopped running through the streets in fear.

The dragon had left.

But Princess Elara could not sleep.

She stood beside her bedroom window, staring toward the Silver Mountains. Somewhere beyond those dark peaks was the creature who had come to destroy her home but had instead lowered his wings and refused to obey his master.

Vaelor.

She could still remember his golden eyes.

There had been something in them that she could not forget.

It had not been anger.

It had not been hunger.

It had been loneliness.

Elara closed her eyes.

"Why did you listen to me?" she whispered.

She had no answer.

Behind her, the door opened.

"Princess?"

Elara turned.

It was Captain Rowan, the commander of the castle guard.

"You should be sleeping."

"So should you."

Rowan smiled faintly.

"I have soldiers to worry about."

"And I have a dragon to worry about."

His expression immediately became serious.

"Princess, you cannot go after that creature."

Elara frowned.

"He saved us."

"He could have killed everyone."

"But he didn't."

"Because he chose not to."

Elara looked toward the mountains.

"Exactly."

Rowan sighed.

"You don't understand what you're dealing with."

"Maybe I don't."

She turned toward him.

"But neither do you."

The next morning, Elara made her decision.

She would find Vaelor.

She left the castle before sunrise, carrying a small bag filled with food, medicine, and a warm blanket. She followed the mountain path alone.

The higher she climbed, the colder the air became.

Snow covered the rocks.

The trees became thinner.

By sunset, Elara reached a narrow valley.

Then she heard a growl.

She froze.

Two golden eyes appeared inside a dark cave.

Vaelor.

Elara slowly raised her hands.

"I'm not here to hurt you."

The dragon watched her carefully.

"I brought you something."

She placed the bag on the ground.

Vaelor moved closer.

He sniffed the food.

Then he looked at her.

Elara smiled.

"I wasn't sure what dragons eat, so I brought almost everything."

Vaelor made a low sound.

Elara tilted her head.

"Was that a laugh?"

The dragon looked away.

She laughed.

"I think it was."

Vaelor lowered his head.

Only then did Elara notice the blood on his wing.

Her smile disappeared.

"You're hurt."

Vaelor moved backward.

Elara stepped forward.

"Please let me help."

The dragon growled.

She stopped.

"I won't hurt you."

Vaelor stared at her for several seconds.

Then, slowly, he lowered his injured wing.

Elara approached.

The wound was deep.

Someone had attacked him after he left the castle.

"Who did this?"

Vaelor remained silent.

But Elara already knew.

Kael.

She carefully cleaned the wound.

Vaelor flinched.

"I'm sorry."

He looked at her.

"I know it hurts."

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Then Vaelor gently lowered his enormous head beside her.

Elara placed her hand against his scales.

"You know," she whispered, "everyone in the kingdom thinks you're a monster."

Vaelor closed his eyes.

"But I don't."

The dragon opened his eyes again.

"I think you're lonely."

Something in Vaelor's expression changed.

Elara smiled.

"And I think you deserve to be free."

The days that followed became a secret shared between them.

Every afternoon, Elara left the castle and climbed the mountain.

She brought food.

She brought books.

She talked about the kingdom.

She talked about her childhood.

She told him about her mother, who had died when she was young.

She told him how much she hated being treated like a princess instead of a person.

Vaelor listened.

He never interrupted.

Sometimes, Elara wondered if he understood every word.

Then one evening, she discovered that he did.

She sat beside him and sighed.

"Everyone expects me to marry Prince Adrian."

Vaelor's head lifted.

Elara laughed.

"You don't like him?"

Vaelor growled.

"Neither do I."

The dragon made another sound.

This time, Elara laughed harder.

"You're jealous!"

Vaelor turned away.

"You are."

The dragon's tail struck the ground.

Elara smiled.

"I didn't know dragons could be jealous."

Vaelor looked at her again.

She reached for his face.

"I don't want Prince Adrian."

The dragon became still.

"I don't know what I want yet."

She paused.

"But I know I want to keep seeing you."

Vaelor gently touched his forehead against hers.

Elara's heart skipped.

From that moment, something between them changed.

Their friendship became deeper.

Elara began riding on Vaelor's back.

He carried her across the mountains, above forests and rivers and clouds.

For the first time in her life, she felt completely free.

She would laugh as the wind rushed through her hair.

Vaelor would fly higher.

"You're going to make me fall!" she shouted.

The dragon turned his head as if amused.

"I mean it!"

Vaelor suddenly dove.

Elara screamed.

Then he opened his wings again and rose into the clouds.

She laughed until her cheeks hurt.

When they landed, she struck his shoulder.

"You did that on purpose!"

Vaelor lowered his head.

"You are impossible."

The dragon nudged her gently.

Elara smiled.

"So am I."

Months passed.

Winter became spring.

Spring became summer.

The people of Aveloria slowly stopped fearing the dragon.

Whenever Vaelor appeared in the sky, the children would run outside to watch him.

He never attacked.

He never harmed anyone.

Instead, he protected the kingdom.

When a group of bandits tried to enter through the northern border, Vaelor's roar frightened them away.

When a storm threatened the villages, he flew above the rooftops and guided people toward safety.

The kingdom began calling him the Guardian of Aveloria.

But Elara knew him differently.

To her, he was simply Vaelor.

Her companion.

Her closest friend.

Her secret.

And perhaps something more.

One evening, Elara sat beside the dragon beneath a sky filled with stars.

"Vaelor?"

He looked at her.

"I think I know what this is."

The dragon tilted his head.

She smiled nervously.

"I think I'm falling in love with you."

Vaelor became completely still.

Elara looked down.

"I know it sounds impossible."

She swallowed.

"You are a dragon. I'm human. The kingdom would never understand."

Vaelor slowly moved closer.

Elara placed her hand against his cheek.

"But I don't care."

The dragon gently lowered his head into her hands.

Elara's eyes filled with tears.

"I love you."

Vaelor closed his eyes.

For the first time, Elara understood.

He loved her too.

Not with words.

Not with promises.

But with every flight, every silent moment, every time he protected her without asking for anything in return.

She leaned against him.

"I wish we could stay like this forever."

But neither of them noticed the figure standing far away among the trees.

Kael.

He had been watching them.

His eyes were filled with anger.

He had seen the way Vaelor looked at Elara.

He had seen the way Elara touched him.

And he understood what had happened.

His dragon had fallen in love.

Kael clenched his fists.

"You were mine," he whispered.

Vaelor had chosen someone else.

And Kael would never forgive him for it.

The following morning, Elara returned to the castle unaware of what was coming.

Vaelor remained in the mountains.

He watched her disappear.

Then he lifted his head toward the sky.

A strange feeling filled his chest.

For the first time in his life, he had something to lose.

And somewhere in the darkness, Kael was already planning how to take it away.